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Dragged into the Blight

Summary:

Aenor Mahariel really didn't want to be a Warden, and she's dead set on making Alistair know it.
Geralt Amell was captured and incarcerated at the Mage Tower, after helping his best friend and forever-crush Jowan escape the Circle.
Kallian Tabris got kidnapped and made a terrible deal with her captors to save the other girls, like the brave fighter her late mom taught her to be.
Elissa Cousland's world shattered in a night, and now she's looking for justice and allies.
Duran Aeducan was betrayed by his own brother, but that doesn't mean he's just gonna go die in the Deep Roads for a crime he didn't commit.
Natia Brosca is a duster, and money's her best friend. Leske too, but he's even more unreliable.
Somehow, they'll end up crossing their paths and become, if not close friends, at least allies in stopping the coming Blight and setting things right. On the way to save Ferelden, they'll find purpose, love and balance.

Notes:

Hello everyone!
First things first, English is not my native language. I've written this entire story in Italian and then decided to translate it using apps, patience and all my effort.
I hope the result will be satisfying, tho I'm sorry to say that I won't probably be able to express the differences in tone and register from a character to another.

I've started writing this because I wasn't satisfyed with the canon bioware offers us: what about all the other possible wardens, once you choose your origin?! They're resourceful people, surely they'd find a way to get out of danger and live on, right? Mahariel was the only one who had to be saved by a Warden.
Also, I really wanted to romance Jowan with my M!Amell, and since there aren't nearly enough stories with them, I had to do something about it.

Chapter 1: Brecilian Forest

Summary:

Aenor Mahariel is a young dalish hunter, and very proud to be one. She's soon (too soon, some think) gonna celebrate her Bonding with Tamlen, hates the shemlen and could not care less about the world outside her Clan.
Things are gonna blow up real fast.

Chapter Text

Tamlen shot her a questioning look, his bow pointed at the three humans who had made the mistake of getting too close to the Dalish camp.

"So? What do we do with them?"

Aenor shrugged. "If we let them go, more will come." She brought a hand behind her shoulders, gripping the hilt of the sword and advancing towards the three.

The companion grinned, satisfied with the answer. "Nothing different can be expected from the shems."

The first human didn't even have time to turn to flee, Tamlen's arrow stabbed right into his chest, at heart level.

The second tried to shield himself with his arms, but Aenor's sword cut through his forearms, thrusting into his collarbone.

The third managed to make about ten meters before being shot down by the elf's second arrow.

"Ah, the comforts of the bow: quickness, less blood spatter, being able to strike from a distance..." Tamlen sang jokingly, watching his companion pull the sword out of the man's body. A spray of blood rose from the corpse as it collapsed to the ground. Aenor didn't deign to reply as she cleaned the blade on the dead man's clothes and sheathed it easily.

"What do you think of the cave they say they found?" She asked, peering around. "It could be a lot of nonsense, as far as we know."

Tamlen turned the tablet with the inscriptions the three had given him over in his hands. “I don't know, this has to come from somewhere. And there are hidden ruins all over Ferelden, maybe we're about to find something big."

"We should talk to the Keeper about it." Aenor suggested, unconvinced.

"Don't tell me you believe those shems?" Tamlen asked her, bursting into incredulous laughter. "They probably just saw a bear rather than a demon."

"But what if it really was there?"

He eyed her in amusement, raising an eyebrow. "The great predator is afraid of a bear!" He mocked her, stroking the fletching of one of the arrows he carried in a quiver strapped to his shoulders. "Don't worry, luckily for you, I'm here." He patted her on the head, then walked in the direction the humans had pointed.

"That's what I'm worried about." Aenor muttered resentfully, following him.

They made their way through the trees, in silence, attentive to the sounds of the forest around them. They encountered fresh wolf tracks, a sign that one of the numerous packs of the Brecilian forest had gone hunting.

They reached the cave entrance strangely smoothly.

"Hey, I don't remember ever seeing this before." Tamlen commented in surprise, approaching what had once been a stone pillar, lying in pieces and covered in undergrowth. A path of moss-covered rocks led deep, while stalactites and vines hung from the ceiling.

"I still think it's a bad idea." Aenor could almost sense that something was wrong around here. “We can notify the Keeper and come back here with a few more people. You have no idea what could be down there! "

"We're hunters now, it'll take more than a few stories about a black-eyed demon to scare me... Although I can't say the same about you." He put a hand behind her back. "Besides, if we shake the whole clan for nothing, they'll take us for idiots!"

Aenor snorted. She knew that if she went back to the clan, he would go in there alone. And at least that way she could make sure he didn't get eaten by some giant spider. She shivered at the thought. "There are no caves without giant spiders."

They made their way through the brambles that grew clinging to the rocks, descending lower and lower, until the vegetation gave way to the bare rock.

They passed under an ancient stone arch, coming out into a room also made of stone, supported by large decorated columns. The huge forest roots had carved their way down there, causing part of the ceiling to collapse. A little light filtered in from above, which with the local dust spread ominously throughout the room.

Aenor, in spite of her mood, found herself admiring the architectural skill of those who had built that place: it seemed ancient for who knew how many centuries, yet it had survived all that time.

A sinister ticking immediately brought her back to attention. She drew her sword, signaling Tamlen to be on high alert. She was unable to take more than three steps before a black shape, a couple of times larger than herself, swooped down on her from the ceiling.

She dodged to the right, placing the sword between her and the thing, which turned out to be a giant spider, claws snapping hungry dripping with venom.

Without thinking twice, Aenor swung a powerful blow from below, slicing off one of the beast's hairy legs, which hissed and pulled back, ready to attack again, when a white fletched arrow stuck into one of its too many eyes. Enraged, the spider let out a high-pitched skreech, backing off and wriggling, losing blood.

Two more spiders, slightly smaller than the previous one, sprang up to help it.

"Fenedhis lasa!" She grunted, hitting one of the creatures and throwing it off balance. It fell on its side, legs flailing frantically. "I told you it wasn't a good idea!" She thrust the blade into the beast's head then quickly pulled it out, making sure the poison splashed from the wound didn't hit her.Than she turned to Tamlen, just in time to see him finish the other spider.

Together, they faced the last creature that was hissing and snapping its claws menacingly, and they knocked it down.

"Luckily for us you're here too." He smiled sardonically at her while going to retrieve the arrows.

"Ugh. Don't tell me you reuse them after they've been in those things. " Aenor commented, pointing to the greenish icor dripping from them along with blood and hairy flesh.

"Why waste it? It could be useful. "

She watched him pick up the arrows one by one, inspect them to see if they were still usable and put them back in the quiver.

They went further into the ruins, passing through an old wooden door now rotting. They encountered another couple of spiders, which didn't give too much trouble.

Walking through the corridors, they passed a skeleton covered with cobwebs, probably of some unfortunate adventurer. He still had parts of his armor on him, rusty and useless, the broken hilt of a dagger in his hand.

They turned down a long corridor, noticing other remains, but it was impossible to tell if they had been elves or humans.

At one point, Tamlen accelerated his pace, stopping in front of a statue which portrayed a slender figure with a spear in hand and wearing a long dress.

"It's not possible! Look, do you recognize it?"

"Maybe. It looks familiar."

“When our people still lived in Alrathan, these statues were carved to honor the Creators. After the shems enslaved us, most of them were lost... I don't understand, the whole structure looks like human work, but this statue is definitely elven. Could this place go back to Arlathan's time?" He explained, the excitement of the discovery palpable in his voice.

"Maybe you're right, but there's not much else that can help us down here." She commented laconically.

"Yes, you're right... In any case, there must still be something of value here!" The elf took one last look at the statue, before walking briskly down the corridor, impatient.

"How did you know about the statue?" She asked him, breaking the silence that was making her nervous.

“It was in one of those books that the Keeper doesn't let anyone touch. I think it was Falon'din, but he was a bit different from our usual representation."

"The Friend of the dead'?" Aenor snorted. "This is good luck..."

"He's not an evil god, not like Fen'Harel." Tamlen retorted. "That statue is in such a sinister place." He shrugged, leaving the sentence unfinished.

Aenor looked around. She understood perfectly well, that place gave her the chills. "Why would they leave it here?”

Tamlen shook his head. "I have no idea. This place looks human, but... maybe some of our ancestors lived underground, like dwarves. "

“No one would voluntarily live in such a place…”

“I don't know, Aenor, I have a weird feeling. As if we have... disturbed something by coming down here. " The elf looked around, frowning at the dim light that surrounded them. He the shook his head. "Either way, it'll take a lot more to scare a Dalish hunter."

"I'll remind you of that when we stand upside down in a cocoon of spider web, just waiting to be eaten alive."

“Well, if you didn't want to come, you could have gone back to the camp. By the way,” He turned to look at her, barely hiding an amused grin. "Weren't you supposed to help Master Ilen today?"

She curled a lock of raven hair around her finger and looked at him sideways. "Maybe... But I certainly couldn't let you get into trouble alone, could I?" She walked over to him, smiling. "I'd never miss the fun of being eaten alive by an overweight arachnid."

"Ah, so you followed me for the local wildlife and the thrill of adventure!" He grabbed her hips, pulling her to him. A hand went up to caress the back of her neck as their noses brushed.

"You know me, never a quiet day!" Aenor chuckled, narrowing her eyes and letting his scent inebriate her: it smelled of dry autumn leaves and pine resin, even down there.

When Tamlen's lips rested on her soft ones, Aenor seemed to forget where they were, only their breaths existed, his hands on her back, his tongue caressing hers. She ran a hand through his blond hair, ruffling it and drawing him closer to her.

After a moment, Tamlen pulled away from her, a happy grin his face. “I see that coming here had its benefits…”

“Next time, we can just sneak up behind one of the aravels, you know? There is no need to risk our skin. " She mocked him, brushing his cheek with the back of her hand.

"You have until this winter to reconsider, ma vhenan." He gently took her chin, following the Vallaslin's path with his thumb, which ran down her neck.

"Don't think it's so easy to make me give you up, Lethallin." She took his face, looking him in the eye. "It takes a lot more to break up this union."

"Ma serannas, Aenor Mahariel." He patted her forehead. "Now let's see what's at the bottom of these ruins and go warn Keeper Marethari, before we find ourselves like that guy over there." He pointed to what remained of a skeleton, sadly leaning against a giant root that protruded from the ground. He turned, taking the bow back in his hand and continuing down the dark corridor.

Aenor followed after a moment's hesitation. For a second, the place had seemed less terrible, but that moment was now over. She drew her sword again, facing the darkness.

They were proceeding swiftly when a clanging sound echoed through the stone corridors. They stopped immediately, trying to figure out where it was coming from. They heard shuffling footsteps, followed by a hoarse, inhuman cry which made the blood chill in their veins.

"Fenedhis lasa!" Tamlen exclaimed in horror as a skeleton advanced towards them, the hollow holes where the eyes should have been now glowing embers, pieces of armor hanging from the body and a two-handed sword raised high. The shock didn't last long and after a moment he nocked an arrow and aimed at the head. Unfortunately it hit the helmet, bouncing off.

"Time to go back being dead!" Aenor hissed, ignoring her racing heart and slashing to the corpse's chest. It parried with his sword, the old metal that rattled ominously with the impact, the bones rattling as they absorbed the blow.

Without giving it time to fight back, Aenor kicked it in the bones of his pelvis, causing him to stagger backwards. She grasped her sword firmly and with all her strength managed to kick off the creature's head, which swayed to the ground, the bones scattering across the floor.

"What was that thing?!" Tamlen exclaimed. "There must be dark magic to wake the dead."

"Well, good luck to this one if it wants to wake up again." She retorted, kicking the skeleton's head again and sending it rolling even farther. "Better and better, I'd say." She said sarcastically, slowly advancing towards a large wooden door topped by a stone arch, ready to attack whatever jumped out of the darkness.

The door was closed, but they managed to break it open with a well-aimed push.

Aenor entered first, taking a few tentative steps towards the center of the room. Something large and shiny caught her attention, but before she could figure out what it was, an aggressive roar took her by surprise.

Something big and hairy crashed into her, knocking her to the ground. She banged her head on the hard stone, her vision darkening for a few seconds, trying to free herself from what must have been a paw, bigger than her, pressed against her chest.

"Hey!" She heard Talmen scream, then the weight was gone.

Trying to catch her breath, she staggered to her feet. A yelp signaled that one of his companion's arrows had hit. Without wasting time, she recovered the sword that had slipped a little farther and launched into the attack with a lunge, surprising it from behind and leaving a gash in the side of the beast. She let out a shrill moan, then faced it again.

She took a moment to understand what that thing was: it was shaped like a large bear, its fur torn and bloody that gave way to bony spikes, and underneath them purple flesh, sick and nauseating. It gave off a stench of rottenness and putrefaction.

Another of Tamlen's arrows lodged in the beast's shoulder, giving her the opportunity to take another strike to the hind leg. The creature collapsed to the ground, trying to get up by shifting its weight to its other legs. The elf hit ot first on the shoulder, then in the eye, making itr growl in pain and giving her partner room to maneuver. She gathered all her energy in a last blow to the side of the beast, sticking the sword between its ribs and pushing with all her weight until it was in almost in to the hilt.

The creature fell on its side, flinching in spasms, then collapsed to the floor, a patch of black blood spreading beneath it.

Aenor fell to the ground, exhausted, hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath.. "I hate this place."

"Are you hurt?”

She shook her head. "I don't think so." She stretched out her legs, still shaking. "Creators, what was that thing?"

The other. “I don't know and I don't want to. I just hope there aren't any others. " His gaze fell to the center of the room and didn't blink, like mesmerized.

Aenor turned in the same direction, noting that the shimmering structure she had seen upon entering was actually made up of a reflective plate, adorned with two large stone statues that seemed to be guarding it.

"Wonderful, isn't it?" Tamlen said, approaching it.

The girl struggled to her feet, a bad feeling gripping her stomach.

"I wonder what the engravings mean..."

She looked at Tamlen while he climbed the three steps to the mirror, enraptured by it.

"Probably, 'don't touch me'." She warned him, hurrying to reach him and grabbing his hand before he could touch anything.

“Don't worry, we wouldn't be able to break it even if we tried, I think. See how clean the surface is? Not even a crack or a speck of dust, it's amazing! I would really like to know what the scriptures say- Hey!" He jumped, pulling his hand free from Aenor's. "Have you seen? Something moved!" He scanned the glass with a feverish look.

“Tamlen, please walk away. It may be dangerous." She begged him. That mirror had something wrong about it.

“Don't worry, I just want... Here! I saw it again! Did you ?!" He jumped excitedly, getting even closer to the glass, almost touching it.

It seemed to Aenor that she saw something like a glare on the surface. She took a step back, startled. "Tamlen, let's go away."

"Do you feel it? I think it knows we're here." He ignored her, concentrating solely on the glass. "I see something, it looks like a city but... underground?" He touched the mirror, which reacted with a series of concentric ripples, as if he had thrown a stone into a crystal-clear pool on a windless day. "And a great darkness-" He jumped, his eyes widening in an expression of terror. "It saw me! It saw me! I- I can't look away!”

Tamlen let out a horrified yelp. "Help!" He screamed as multiple ripples formed on the surface of the mirror.

"Tamlen!" Aenor shot forward to grab him, but before she could reach his armo she was thrown back, blinded by a bright white light that seemed to crack her head.



 



Aenor opened her eyes with difficulty, looking around. She was lying on a bedroll next to one of her clan's aravels. She sat up, her head spinning, her guts feeling like they were on fire. "Tamlen." An insistent ringing in her ears kept her from thinking straight, but finding Tamlen was important.

She staggered to her feet and stumbled to catch up with Fenarel, her friend, who was sitting under a tree not far from her.

"You're awake, you must have the Gods on your side, lethallan!" He greeted her warmly. "We were all worried about you, how are you feeling?"

"Tamlen. Where is he?" She interrupted him. Something was wrong. How had she returned to the camp?

The boy put on a worried face. "We do not know. The shem who brought you here said he didn't see him anywhere. "

"The shem?" She asked. "There were humans, but we got rid of them..." She remembered that, at least.

"No, I'm talking about the shem who brought you back here two days ago. You really don't remember?"

"Two days?!" Aenor exhaled, horrified. "Two days that you don't know where Talmen is, and no one has gone looking for him yet?!" A dizziness caught her off guard, making her stagger.

Fenarel tried to grab her, but she pulled away roughly. "Most of our hunters are out looking for him, but that shem hasn't told us where the cave is... He says he's a Gray Warden, that one."

Aenor ignored him, she didn't care about the shem, she just wanted to make sure Tamlen was alive.

“Anyway, the Keeper said she wanted to talk to you, as soon as you woke up, I'll go get her. Sit down." Fenarel said, hurrying off and returning with Keeper Marethari.

Aenor had paced back and forth the entire time, unable to sit down, anxious.

“I see you're feeling better, da'len. We were lucky Duncan found you. It was hard even for my magic to free you from whatever that darkness was, it seemed to suck your life out." Marethari greeted her with concern on her frowning face.

"So whatever it was, it might have taken Tamlen too?" Aenor asked, a lump in her throat.

“If he met the same entity, then yes. The Gray Warden says he found you outside a cave, already affected by evil. Duncan thinks there might have been darkspawn in those caves... is that true?" The woman asked.

Aenor shook her head. "I only remember the mirror."

"A mirror? Did a mirror do all this? I've never heard of it, in all my research." She sighed. “I was hoping to get some answers, but it seems it's the questions that are increasing. And Tamlen is still missing, his life is more important than any artifact. If he was infected in the same way you were, then he's in terrible danger. Duncan has returned to the cave to look forDarkspawn, but we can't rely on him alone to find one of our own. "

“I'll go. I know where the cave is, and Tamlen-” Aenor said, halting immediately. Just thinking that something may have happened to him was painful.

"Have you recovered enough, da'len?" Marethari asked her.

The girl tried to appear as resolute as possible. "I'm fine. And I'm the only one here who knows where the cave is. If something happened to Tamlen-” She took a deep breath, blinking back the tears. "I have to find him, Keeper."

Marethari smiled tiredly. After all, even if they had not yet participated in the Union ritual, the affection that bound Aenor and Tamlen was no secret to anyone in the clan. "Very well. I have given orders to the clan to pack their bags, we will leave soon to the North, it's time to move. Take Merrill with you, go to these ruins and find Tamlen, if you can."

Aenor nodded, then walked away without saying anything else in search of Merril, the First of the Keeper.

Fenarel ran after her. "Aenor!"

She didn't even stop. "Yeah?"

“Are you going to find Tamlen? I'll come with you." He was a hunter, and having another sword to rely on certainly suited her. Aenor thanked him as they went to retrieve Merrill.

On the way, they met Junar, also one of the hunters, and another elf that Aenor had never seen before. His face was clean, without a Vallaslin, yet he seemed to be about their age.

"I'm glad you're back!" Junar greeted her. "You weren't here when Pol arrived, were you?" He pointed to the boy beside him, who blushed slightly, greeting her in turn. "Pol is a Flat Ears, he arrived a few days ago from one of the human cities."

"Not now, I really don't care." Aenor cut him off rudely, continuing on her way. That a few Flat Ears had taken refuge from the Clan was nothing new, but most of them tended not to last long. They weren't hunters, lifelong trained and raised in the forest. Not like her, or Tamlen. Tamlen was strong, and smart, he would be fine.

They reached Merrill, who was already waiting for them at the edge of the camp.

“As the Keeper's apprentice, I may find something that has escaped your eye. In any case, the primary goal is to find Tamlen."

The forest looked darker and more hostile than usual as the three walked through it.

Suddenly, Aenor noticed something in the bush. She listened, gesturing to the others to be alert and ready their weapons. Merrill drew her magic staff as Fenarel drew his sword, gripping it in his left hand while holding a small wooden shield in his right.

Aenor crept up to the creature: shorter and stockier than her, it stil had a human form. Without wondering what it was, she charged, catching it by surprise and disarming it with a precise blow. Fenarel arrived shortly after, hitting the creature from behind and killing it.

They briefly stopped to examine it: apart from having two arms, two legs and a head, it looked like nothing they'd ever seen before. The head was misshapen, with pointed teeth protruding from the mouth and the face contorted into a malevolent grin, and the skin appeared to have been fused with pieces of metal nailed to the skull. A jumble of pieces of different materials and shapes made up the light armor, covered with spikes of sharp steel. The weapon, a jagged-looking sword, had been crudely assembled and looked more like a mad butcher's knife than an actual sword.

"What is this thing? Darkspawn?" Merrill asked, clearly upset.

"I have no idea. In any case, if there are others, we need to move. Tamlen could be in danger." Aenor answered abruptly, setting off again and hastening her pace. Giant spiders were one thing, but Darkspawn? They weren't trained to fight that stuff. They had to find Tamlen and get out of there as soon as possible.

Before reaching the ruin, they encountered two more of those creatures, which they managed to kill, albeit with some difficulty. Aenor realized that despite pretending to have recovered, her legs were heavy and the hands holding the sword were shaking slightly.

As they entered the cave, Merrill looked around in admiration. "Interesting."

Aenor ignored her.

“We need to find Tamlen. Or what's left of him, I doubt he's still alive, with those monsters around…” Said Merrill, her voice almost a whisper.

Aenor whirled around, facing her, furious. "Shut up. Youdon't know. " Sh growled, looking her straight in the eye.

The mage seemed to realize her error, because she bowed the head in apology. “I'm sorry, you're right. Ma serannas."

"Let's not waste any more time." Aenor spat, turning and starting to walk again, the sword held ad firmly as she could in front of her. She would find Tamlen, no matter if they had to face a dragon to do so.

They walked through the corridors, retracing the route Aenor and Tamlen had taken two days earlier. They encountered small groups of those monsters, but somehow managed to get away, also and above all thanks to Merrill's spells. Finally, they reached the room that contained the mirror. They entered, surprised to find that someone was already there.

Aenor felt her heart tighten, realizing that the figure was not Tamlen but a human.

“Ah, I felt someone fighting the Darkspawn. You're the girI found in the forest, aren't you? I'm surprised to find you already healed." He greeted her.

"I have no idea who you are, shem."

"Even if he didn't save your life, a Gray Warden deserves respect." Merrill scolded her.

Aenor felt another fit of annoyance at her friend. The man might as well have been the King of the Shems himself, she didn't care.

Before she could argue, the human cut her off, raising a hand. “You don't owe me anything. It was my duty to bring one of their wounded hunters back to the clan, the Gray Wardens and the Dalish have long been allies. "

"We're looking for Tamlen, our companion." Aenor said, with no intention of wasting time talking to a shem, Gray Warden or not. "I was here with him, he touched the mirror and then..." She fell silent, unsure of what had really happened.

“The mirror attracts Darkspawn. The Gray Wardens have found other mirrors before, believed to have been used in the Tevinter Imperium to communicate. Over time, some broke apart, becoming tainted with the same corruption as the Darkspawn's... If Tamlen touched the mirror, he must have brought it out. That's what infected you, and it sure infected him too." The man explained.

Aenor listened intently. Something was wrong with her, but this "corruption" would explain why she felt so weak, despite the care of their Keeper. "So, I contracted the Darkspawn infection."

Duncan nodded gravely. “I know you can feel it inside you. The cures are only temporary, I can feel how it is spreading. And as long as this mirror exists, it can infect others. "

The girl remained silent. Probably, what the man was saying was the truth.

"For now, we have to deal with the mirror." Duncan ruled, pulling out one of the two daggers he carried on his belt and turning to the artifact. He struck hard, shattering the glass, releasing an energy Aenor could not identify. "Let's go, I have to talk to the Keeper about a cure for you." the man said.

"And Tamlen?"

"There's nothing we can do for him."

"I'm not going anywhere without him!" Aenor screamed furiously. The shem could go back to wherever he came from, she didn't need him or care about him. "Fen'Harel ma halam, shemlen, you are free to go!" She stepped aside to allow him to get out of the way.

He remained impassive in front of her outburst. “I'll be clear: there's nothing you can do for him. It's been three days since he got infected, without him being cured. You survived thanks to the care of your Keeper. But Tamlen, there's no hope for him. You have to trust me."

Aenor definitely lost his temper. “Trust you?! A shemlen ?! I have no intention of abandoning him, should I face a hundred of those Darkspawn!" She took two steps towards the man, oblivious to the fact that he was much taller than her, stronger and certainly more skilled in fighting. “I don't give a fuck if I die within a few days, I won't leave him. And you can shove your trust up your- "

"Aenor!" Merrill screamed, silencing her.

"Stay out of it!" She snapped at her, turning to face her.

They were staring at her as if she had gone mad. She expected it from Merrill, she was always the odd one, and a shem was not to be trusted... but Fenarel?! She looked at him, almost begging him. “You can't agree with them. You can't abandon your best friend."

Fenarel escaped eye contact, looking down. “Lethallan… if it is indeed darkspawn corruption, I believe the Gray Warden is right. There's nothing we can do for him, it's too late."

The girl had to hold back the tears that stung her eyes. How could they betray her like this? How could they abandon Tamlen to such a hideous fate? She shook her head. "We should have at least found the body."

"The darkspawn will have taken him away." Duncan said. His tone was almost sweet, as if he were indulging a child's whims. Aenor felt her anger mounting even more, towards the shem, towards her so-called friends, especially towards herself. It was her fault.

The truth hit her like a hammer straight to her face: it was all her fault. She could have stopped Tamlen, told him to come back, plead with him, somehow persuade him. Instead, she believed they could face whatever was hiding in those ruins. She had let herself be persuaded by her partner, and now it was he who had paid the consequences, and she who was left alone.

Aenor clenched her fists, letting out a sob, her arms stiff along the body, shutting her eyes closed.

"Alright." She said looking down at the floor, the pieces of mirror glass scattered around the room, now harmless. The others preceded her towards the exit. Fenarel tried to approach her at one point, but something made him give up.

They reached the dalish camp without much problems, although Aenor refused to draw her sword to fight against the Darkspawn they encountered along the way.

"You're back, I'm relieved." Marethari welcomed them. "Duncan, I didn't expect to see you again so soon." The woman looked at them, a distraught expression on her face.

"I didn't even expect to be back any time soon, Keeper." Greeted Duncan.

"Have you any news of Tamlen?" Marethari asked.

Aenor did not answer, remaining silent and staring at the grass. If they went looking for him right away, if that shem hadn't kept the ruins hidden, perhaps some of the hunters would have found Tamlen before the Darkspawn.

"It's too late for him now, he is lost." The human replied.

Marethari sighed, distraught. “It's what I feared. Duncan, I need to speak with you for a moment. Da'len, we'll talk about your treatment later. And tell Hahren Paivel what happened, he'll have to prepare a service for the dead."

Dead

The word continued to ring in Aenor's ears hours after the Keeper had spoken it. Fenarel had gone to talk to the Haren, seeing the state his friend was in. He then tried to comfort her, but there was nothing he could do.

As the entire clan huddled around the bonfire to commemorate one of their hunters, Aenor watched them from afar. The Dalish did not mourn death, but accepted it as a natural event of life.

Bullshit. It was all bullshit.

It couldn't be natural, as the last of her loved ones had been ripped off. First his parents, now Tamlen. Vanished into thin air due to a magical disease brought by a cursed mirror. Where was the normality in all of this?!

Night came, and as fires were being lit throughout the camp, the elves gathered to give the boy the last farewell.

"Lethallan, it's time..."

Aenor looked up, recognizing Fenarel. She took the hand he offered her to get up, then approached the others. They were all gathered in a circle, around where the body should have been. Aenor advanced towards the center. The Keeper handed her a small, oval-shaped object. A seed from some tree, which the girl did not recognize. She didn't even care. There would be no one under the roots of that tree, it made no sense. She knelt down, placing her hands on the damp, barely moved earth, inhaling its smell.

“Ir abelas, ma vhenan. Falon'Din enasal enaste. " I mourn your loss, my heart. May Falon'Din guide you. She could feel tears running down her cheeks, but she did nothing to stop them. "May he find you soon, emma sa'lath." My only love, we will meet again soon. The only consolation of that corruption was that she wouldn't have to wait for long.

"Falon'Din enasal enaste." All the others recited in chorus.

One by one, slowly, each one went away until she was left alone, crouched on the damp earth. She didn't know how long it was, waiting for Corruption to take her too, but when the Keeper put a hand on her shoulder, the sky was now lit by the first light of dawn.

"I need to talk to you, Da'len."

Aenor followed her obediently, with no more strength left in her. Marethari led her to Duncan, who had remained aloof, respectful of the pain of the clan.

“Your Keeper and I have talked, and we have come to an agreement that concerns you. My Order needs help, and you need a cure. I'll be leaving in a few hours, and I hope you'll choose to come with me. You would be an excellent Gray Warden." The man seemed sincere. Aenor, tho, didn't care.

"Thanks, but no."

“Maybe you didn't understand your condition. Corruption cannot be cured, it will eventually kill you anyway. The treatment you received slowed down its spread, but within a few weeks, or less, it will kill you. Joining the Gray Wardens can prevent that."

"I do not care." She shook her head. They didn't understand, how could they?

“A Blight is coming, and we need capable fighters like you. Our Order is the only thing that can stand against the Darkspawn, don't you understand?" Duncan asked her. From the tone, he was beginning to get impatient. "I'm not doing it out of pity, but because I think you have potential."

"Oh, I don't doubt it, shemlen." Aenor interrupted him. “But I have the right to refuse. If I have to die, I'll die the way I like it. And I'll be grateful when the time comes, for I have no reason left to live."

"Da'len! It's not like you to speak like this!" Marethari exclaimed in surprise. “I understand that Tamlen's death was a big blow to you, I know you were really close, but he wouldn't have wanted to see you throw your life away! Not when you can dedicate it to something greater than all of us."

“We will never know what Tamlen wanted. He's dead, isn't he? " The girl retorted. “And I'm still here. No, Duncan of the Gray Wardens, I'm not going anywhere."

The man finally lost his patience. "Then you leave me no choice." He cleared his throat. "I invoke the Right of Conscription on this girl, Aenor Mahariel."

"And I allow it, Duncan of the Gray Wardens." The Keeper answered.

"I'm sorry it wasn't your decision, but the Darkspawn threat is too great to ignore." The man concluded, looking sternly at her.

Aenor's eyes widened. "He can't do it!" She gasped at Marethari. She had made up her mind, she was ready to die, why was the Keeper letting this shemlen take her away against her will?!

“Da'len, I'm doing this for your own good. Don't let yourself die, but fight for all of us." Marethari simply replied, looking at her with compassionate eyes.

Anger took hold of the girl again, who rushed at Duncan in a fit of blind fury. Had she had nothing but the small dagger she wore on her belt, she could even have been a minor threat to the man, but as small, tired, weakened and almost unarmed as she was, it was easy for him to stun her with a blow to the head.