I am Lena Wolf, Lena's life as it happens Options

[Lena Wolf]

Sun's Dusk, 3E410 - Amaya

Anders did not rush to return to Minrathous. The gods could wait another day. He came to Soldier's Peak first and foremost because he needed to get his head in order - too many things happened in recent weeks, too many confusing thoughts had been rushing through his mind giving him no peace. He wasn't a "steady" person at the best of times, what with all the mess in his life, but right now he felt even less steady than normal. If he were to lead a party of adventurers against the biggest Blight in the history of Thedas, he needed to do better than that.

Lucanis must have noticed that something was tormenting Anders, he watched him but stayed out of the way. He was the one new person in the whole keep, and he was an abomination, or a half-abomination, and what's more, the demon inside him was a personal friend of the old mage living in the tower... It wasn't surprising that people stared, that children followed him, then ran away when he turned around - he was a celebrity and everyone wanted a look at him or a word if they were brave enough. And to top it all off, he was an Antivan, the second Antivan that these people had ever seen, and he was a Crow just like the first... Of course, that's where the similarities ended. Zevran was an elven slave, while Lucanis was a human and a favourite grandson of the head of Antivan Crows, soon to take over from her and become the head of the Crows himself. But the people at Soldier's Peak didn't know it, and he preferred it that way. To them he was just another Crow. He did not mind people staring... they weren't unkind. They seemed to have loved the first Antivan, and hoped that the second would be the same.

"Are you an assassin?" A girl of may be seven years old dared a question, with the other children huddling behind her.

"That's right, that I am," Lucanis smiled at her. "Why do you ask?"

"But assassins kill people, don't they? Are you here to kill us?" She did not seem afraid, just curious. Perhaps the concept of death was still abstract to her, Lucanis thought.

"No, I am not here to kill anyone," he shook his head. "Assassins kill people, true, but only very specific people for whom there is a contract. We don't kill willy-nilly."

"He is here with Anders!" A boy hissed at her. "They are friends like!"

And with that the children ran off.

Anders knew most of the children in the keep, although the last time he saw them, they were a lot younger. Had it really been so long? Surely, no more than a year..? He could not remember. Some of those children he saw being born, helped to deliver them even - whenever a healer was needed, the Drydens invariably called on Anders, what with the Vigil Keep being only a few hours away. "I should come here more often," Anders thought watching the children talk to Lucanis. "This place... this is home. I should do my rounds." It was something that Anders took to doing every time he came to Soldier's Peak - check up on everyone's health, Avernus included. Anders had studied healing at the Circle of Magi, and it wasn't limited to magical remedies - alchemy and a thorough understanding of anatomy and physiology was also included. This knowledge was what gave him the confidence to try blood magic... he thought he would always know when to stop. And so now, the same as always, he made it a point to see each person in private and to check on things they'd complain about as well as the things they'd rather not say...

The day was already drawing to a close when Anders finally knocked on the door of Avernus' tower.

"Come in if you must," he heard a somewhat disgruntled reply. He entered and found the old mage reclining in a armchair.

"I am sorry to wake you," Anders smiled. "But since you are awake... tell me how you've been."

"We spent the whole day talking yesterday," Avernus replied in a tired voice. "You know the most pressing matter - the song is getting to me."

"The Blight, yes," Anders frowned. "But it isn't all... What ails you, Avernus?"

"My years... my age," he shrugged. "I wasn't supposed to live past eighty! But do you know how old I am? Three hundred and sixty something now! At three fifty things took a turn for the worse."

It was a topic they often discussed in the past. Avernus used alchemy and magic to reverse some of the ageing and prolong his life, but he never intended to live forever. At first, he wanted to live long enough to see Grey Wardens reinstated in Ferelden, so that he could pass on his research, so that it would not be lost. His fellow Wardens sacrificed for the sake of knowledge... he owed it to them to make sure they didn't die in vain. The fruits of his studies gave Wolf new powers, but most Wardens would not wish to use their blood in combat like he did, and so all they got was a tonic - a rather unspectacular result that surely did not warrant the sacrifice...

"That's the problem with research - you don't know in advance whether it will be worth the sacrifice," Avernus sighed. "We were dying, Anders! We ran out of food! We were cut off from the world, with demons holding our keep! We could not leave this tower!"

"You think it wasn't worth it," Anders was watching as Avernus became more agitated. It was a discussion they held many times, always with the same outcome - there was no way out.

"The Wardens do not wish to use their blood in combat! Blood magic is completely outlawed and rejected, it is much worse than what I had hoped!" Avernus lamented. "I sacrificed my fellow Wardens for nothing!"

"What was the alternative?" Anders already knew the shortcut towards the end of the discourse.

"To starve... or to eat each other and then starve..." Avernus smirked. "You cheated again."

"Was that when you met Determination?" Anders veered from their old routine - they now had something new to discuss.

"Yes... The Veil was so thin here... He appeared among the demons and I was quite surprised."

"Determination was with the demons?" Anders was taken aback. "But surely..."

"Determination wasn't a demon," Avernus said firmly. "The difference is that he never wanted to consume my soul. The same as he won't harm Lucanis either."

"Then Spite is not a demon."

"I agree." Avernus paused, watching Anders. "What Lucanis is going through is very much like what you went through with Justice, especially when he became Vengeance. Not a demon, strictly speaking... but not far off."

"When Wolf asked him to cut the connection..." Anders shot Avernus a glance. "Justice did so knowing full well that it would kill me. But he didn't warn Wolf about it, he only said it after the fact..."

"That comes pretty close to wanting to harm you," Avernus said somber. "But then he sees the world in black and white, there are no nuances, no shades of grey. Most spirits lack the emotional complexity of mortals. Demons, on the other hand... that is a different matter!"

"Some Desire Demons..."

"Don't even start!" Avernus laughed. "I've always enjoyed dealing with those!"

"You summoned them?!" Anders sat up. Desire Demons were some of the strongest and most intelligent among spirits, summoning them was inherently dangerous.

"Once or twice," Avernus chuckled. "Not on purpose. Was trying to summon something lighter... but you can never be sure what you get."

They sat in silence for a while, each watching the other.

"I am not dying yet, do not worry," Avernus smiled. "I'll tell you if there is a real problem... honest. But I do so enjoy our chats."

...

Anders did not sleep well that night. His dreams were filled with flashbacks of Justice taking control of him again and again. To start with, Justice had promised to only take control with Anders' permission, but this promise was broken very quickly because he "simply could not stand by and watch such injustice", as he would always say afterwards. Anders never thought it was right. Perhaps there was no fundamental difference between spirits and demons after all... it was all very much in the shades of grey.

When he finally decided to shake off the remnants of sleep and open his eyes, he found Lucanis sitting in bed watching him.

"The Archdemon again?" He asked. "You were thrashing."

"No, demons this time," Anders shook his head, making an effort to really wake up. "Possession. Justice. Don't want to talk about it. Have we any coffee?" He looked up at Lucanis seeing his face upside down from his perspective.

"Ah... I know what you mean," he smiled. "Coffee. Let me pour you some... I started without you."

"You too?" Anders was sipping hot, thick liquid, almost viscous with all the sugar that Lucanis put into his cup. "Disturbing dreams?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary," Lucanis shrugged. "Don't want to talk about it."

"Ah."

The keep was always quiet in the morning. The Drydens lived in the other buildings but used the main kitchen to prepare food - Agatha always cooked for everyone. But in the mornings the place was empty.

"We should be returning to Minrathous, no?" Lucanis changed the topic.

"We should be..." Anders focused on his coffee.

"There is no rush." Lucanis got up and added some logs to the fire. "I think you need a rest," he looked at Anders. "A proper rest. Not going around the keep asking everyone how they feel. Not talking to Alistair about the Blight. Not even discussing me and Spite with Avernus..." he smiled.

"But what? I suppose I could read a book..." Anders grinned.

"As long as it is not about magic or anything to do with blood," Lucanis winked. He walked over to Anders and propped some extra pillows behind his back. "There. A morning in bed, I think. Now, let me choose a suitable book - you do have 'useless' books in this library among all the professional literature."

"Useless books?" Anders grinned. "Oh yes, we do have those. I am curious to see which one you'll pick."

Lucanis left the room and Anders stole another moment alone with his coffee. It was doing a pretty good job chasing away the nightmares, and he started to see why Lucanis made it into such a ritual. Before long Lucanis was back with more coffee, some pastry and a few books.

"Sonnets from the Tevinter Nights?" Anders picked up one of the books. "I forgot we had those... Tevinter Nights itself should be here somewhere too."

"Yes, but everyone knows Tevinter Nights - that's just short stories. The sonnets was an Antivan edition."

"Say no more!" Anders laughed. "I know who brought that one in. What else have you picked?" He took another book. "Chantry Tales For the Uninitiated? The Life of a Templar? The Rose of Kirkwall? Those are all... umm... romantic... and awfully sweet! Why, you're worse than Cassandra!"

"Those were the only kind that didn't talk about the Blight, combat or blood magic!" Lucanis protested. "And who is Cassandra?"

"A lady with a rock hard shell and molten lava inside," Anders smirked. "It took Wolf the better part of a year to get past those shields of hers..."

"And I bet it was worth it," Lucanis nodded. "I know the type."

"So, you want me to read you a sonnet, is that it?" Anders picked up the first book. "Since you brought pastry... oh alright. I'm awfully easy to bribe," he grinned, trying not to smear clotted cream all over the pages. "And jam?"

"What jam?"

"Strawberry if you can find it... Agatha hides that one... You can't have scones without jam!"

"Jam." Lucanis returned with a clay jar. "Honey too?"

"Not jam and honey together!" Anders looked up with mocked indignance. "There are rules, don't you know..."

"What rules?"

"Rules of jam..."

"Now I know you grew up in an orphanage," Lucanis nodded. "Err... Tower of Magi... sorry... we're not talking about that."

"An orphanage is an apt description..." Anders sighed. "Well, anyhow. Listen to this..."

He picked a poem at random, just enjoying a lazy morning without any serious business to cloud his judgement. With so much darkness that he'd been through, he knew how to cherish those moments of light.

...

"You have a lot of ink," Lucanis noted, looking at the intricate tattoos covering Anders' arms. "Wings, is it? But different either side... Griffons on the chest of course... All Grey Warden stuff. Except for the one on the back."

"On the back..? I've got ink on the back?!!" Anders cried out, perplexed.

"You don't know?" Lucanis laughed. "Yes, you've got ink on the back! How is it that you don't know?"

"I wasn't exactly sober when I got all that..." Anders shrugged. "What do I have on the back?"

"Oh, you know... It's grand!" Lucanis squinted.

"What? Come on!"

"It's a... Oh alright, it's just some abstract swirl. Pretty small too. Just here," he decided against further teasing and put his hand between Anders' shoulder blades where he had the tattoo.

"Huh... I don't remember getting that one..." Anders sighed. "At least it's not some big boobed woman brandishing a sword... like that one guy got on the neck, you could see the boobs even when he had a scarf on... took him forever to get that removed, I hear..."

"You don't need to get yours removed. I like them," Lucanis grinned.

"Well, if you say so..."

Anders slipped down on the pillows, the book of poetry still in his hand. It was one of those rare moments when the time itself seemed to taste of strawberry jam, may be even with a touch of honey. He closed his eyes. Better not waste it.

He sensed movement and warm breath, he tasted that same jam... and coffee... always coffee... there was no mistaking who that was.

"I'll know you anywhere," he said when the kiss ran out. "I've never tasted anyone quite like you."

"Bittersweet, like a kiss goodbye, I was told," Lucanis smiled.

"Perhaps they thought that because it was a kiss goodbye? You don't taste like goodbye to me."

"Goodbye has a taste?"

"It does... a mouthful of ash... lifeless and grey... Forget it."

They savoured their kiss like one savours a well aged malt, letting it roll around the mouth, inhaling the aroma, allowing new flavours develop with time. And when it ran out, they each felt a trickle of warmth flow into the stomach and into the heart, then spread through the veins down into the fingertips...

"No! No, you don't kiss him!" An indignant high pitched voice broke into the bliss. "Anders is mine!"

"What..?" Anders sat up, hearing his name. A girl of twelve or thirteen stood in the doorway, looking angrily at Lucanis.

"You can't have him! He is mine!" She ran up to Anders, jumped on the bed and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"A friend of yours?" Lucanis smiled somewhat bewildered.

"Amaya!" Anders was trying to get some breath. "Good grief, you are all flustered! I am not going anywhere, don't worry, my pet..."

"You can't..!" Tears appeared in her eyes. "He can't take you away from me!" She was about to start sobbing, and she was trying to suppress that urge.

"He isn't... He is my friend... I'll still keep coming back here... What are you talking about..?"

"This young lady is in love with you, can't you see?" Lucanis said softly. "And she just saw you kiss someone else..."

Amaya straightened up and threw back her head trying to make the tears roll back into the eyes... but they wouldn't.

"Amaya... I had no idea..." Anders blushed, not quite sure what to do. She was still a child of course, much too young for love, yet not a little girl any longer. Somewhere in between... where the intensity of feeling invariably overwhelmed common sense.

"When I grow up," Amaya said with an effort, "I shall marry you, Warden Anders, you'll see. But you must wait for me, you hear?" She made a fist and lightly punched him in the chest. "You wait for me!"

"Ten years from now," Anders spoke solemnly. "Ten years from now we'll speak of it again. You must be at least twenty three to marry a Warden."

"Twenty three?!" Amaya was taken aback. "Ten years?! Who says that?!"

"I do," Anders inclined his head. "I know these things... I'm a healer. Grey Wardens aren't like other people. How many Wardens do you know who marry after they take the Joining?" He looked at her sternly.

"None," Amaya replied in a small voice.

"None," Anders nodded. "Ten years from now I'll explain why. And then... if you still wish it... then we'll talk."

"But you mustn't marry anyone else until then..." Amaya shot another angry glance at Lucanis.

"Lucanis is a friend," Anders said calmly. "I won't marry him because he is a man and not a woman."

Lucanis nodded - he did not wish to get married either. Amaya squeezed Anders in her embrace again, then pulled back. Now that she calmed down, she suddenly became embarrassed for what she'd done - a woman must never go chase after a man, a woman must wait until she is chosen... But it wasn't just any man, it was Anders - her Anders! She had nothing to fear talking to him... And yet these contradictions made her blush and she ran out of the room.

Anders still sat there looking at the door.

"Amaya... I remember when she was born," he said softly. "Her mother had a difficult pregnancy, we weren't sure she would survive... she kept losing blood when it was getting close to term. I spent a lot of time with her... her husband even got jealous," he smirked. "But Amaya was born without issues in the end... the bleeding stopped... her mother didn't die..." He paused. "And then some years later - scarlet fever. A lot of children were ill, but Amaya was near death..."

"And you spent a lot of time at her bedside, making sure she pulled through," Lucanis nodded. "I know this side of you," he smiled.

"And then some mysterious illness a few years ago... I think it was a curse," he looked at Lucanis, the old worry rising again. "I could never be sure that I fully lifted it."

"But the girl recovered."

"She did... but I never found the source of the curse. Who laid it on her and why?"

"Perhaps it was demonic possession," Lucanis offered.

"Avernus would have noticed," Anders shook his head. "She wasn't possessed... even I would have noticed. It was more like poison..."

"May be it was poison."

"But not deadly enough to kill? Just to maim? Why? She's just a young girl! Well, she was then, that's for certain..."

"Is she a mage?"

"She... I don't know!" Anders looked up. "If she is, her magic may be awakening around this time."

"She might have done it herself then."

"She..?"

"She is a little girl no longer. It isn't just magic that is awakening in children around this time. She is growing up into a woman, and she is in love with you." Lucanis said firmly.

Anders sighed. He too saw the change in Amaya, she was definitely growing up. But he was much too old for her surely, he was a Grey Warden and carried the taint, in ten years time he might start hearing the Calling, or he might be dead... and he must never sire children, even if he could... Yet he sensed that the girl's feelings were much deeper than just a teenage crush, and he tried to be gentle. Ten years... did he just make a promise? He'd better keep it then...

"Ten years..." Lucanis seemed to have read his mind. "I get to borrow you from Amaya until then. Have another cup of coffee, Warden."

[Lena Wolf]

Sun's Dusk, 3E410 - Back to Minrathous

It was easy to open a portal to Minrathous. The city was overflowing with magic, the Veil above it was thin and Spite opened a stable portal that deposited them in the middle of the Upper District. The Pavus Manor was but a short distance away.

"Ah, my escaped slave finally returns!" Dorian greeted Anders when he and Lucanis entered the salon. "You are giving me a bad name. There's been talk at the Magisterium that I am not a master in my own house," he grinned.

"In your own house you are definitely the master," Anders looked solemly at him. "I'll do whatever you say. But outside of your house... what are these people actually complaining about? There's no slavery outside of Tevinter," he shrugged.

"Yes, well, they are still trying to work that out," Dorian laughed. "Anyway, what news?"

"Avernus thinks that killing the gods will not stop the Blight," Anders grew somber. "He thinks the Blight is like a disease now, existing all by itself. The Wardens will have to drive it underground, as usual. But this time there isn't just a single Archdemon, but a hydra with many heads. How many - we are not sure, but we should remove whichever we can find. We killed one Archdemon, that's good, but we're far from done yet."

"Multiple heads... like on that dragon at the Wardens fortress," Taash shuddered.

"Exactly like that," Anders nodded. "With new heads growing as we slay them. The gods are important, but we can't get to them all that easily. However, the mage that turned Lucanis into an abomination... well, the mage that forced the spirit of Determination into Lucanis... err... making him into Spite..."

"It's alright, remove your kid gloves," Lucanis grimaced. "Zara. You are talking about Zara. The mage that runs the underwater prison, the one that turns spirits into demons and that made me into an abomination. She needs to die."

"She will be hard to get to, but she's a mortal and not a god," Varric agreed. "That's achievable. And then what?"

"And then we'll see," Anders shot him a glance. "I'll need to return to Anderfels, to the Wardens. There are exits to the Deep Roads there. The new Blight is there. Antoine is trying to understand it, I'll need to catch up with him, may be he'll have something too."

"What about the Venatori?" Dorian looked up. "We've been chasing them up for months, but found nothing besides a blood magic network, and not even all that impressive at that."

"What about Neve?" Anders faced him. "You have history with her, I can tell. She is too smooth. I don't trust her."

"Neve is an ice mage," Emmrich joined in. "Quite accomplished - I looked her up. She is with the Venatori."

"What?!" Several people exclaimed in indignation, and angry looks were thrown at Dorian.

"I also only found out after I brought her in," he sighed. "But the Venatori are not all the same... and most of them are fairly harmless. Most of them, I said! Definitely not all. There is one - or more - dangerous faction, and it is those people that we need to pursue. Our mistake was that we simply went after any Venatori, and predictably found nothing."

"Apart from a lot of blood magic," Varric pointed out.

"Well, there's that," Dorian agreed. "But it doesn't help our cause. This is all small fish. Neve is small fish among the Venatori. But I have a feeling that her duplicity is going to cost her dearly this time, and we must use it to our advantage."

"You think that Neve will need protection," Emmrich smiled thinly. "How very magisterial of you, Dorian."

"I think that Neve will receive a visit from the Crows," Dorian agreed. "Lucanis..."

"I can find out," he nodded. "But the Crows too have factions... make no mistake. I shall need to return to Treviso - I haven't actually been there since the prison. I might find out something about Zara too."

"Alright, so what do you want the rest of us to do in the meantime?" Harding looked straight at Anders. "Since you are in charge."

"Nothing just yet," Anders smiled. "Walk with me. I intend to walk the streets of Minrathous and spend coin in many bars. Someone needs to watch my back."

"You will be bait," Harding stared.

"Precisely." Anders made a gesture to stop any protests. "I am a convicted blood mage, posters with my likeness are all over the city. I am also Dorian's slave, and therefore cannot be harmed outright. Lucanis has been seen in my company. I was kidnapped by Zara - we must assume - and taken to her prison. I am definitely a person of interest. Let us hope someone will bite."

...

The following days Anders spent drinking in various bars of Minrathous taking one of the companions with him. He wasn't getting all too drunk, he acted it up quite a bit, he even got into a bar fight once a twice over some nonsense, but none of it was of any interest. And then Dorian decided to try the gay bar of the Mages Quarter - an area populated by people like Neve, noble by birth but without any money to their name. Many of them were Venatori of the harmless variety, but Dorian suspected that more sinister members might be hiding among them.

"Dorian Pavus!" Somebody shouted across the room not long after they entered. "How are you, old boy? Haven't seen you in ages!" A man of flamboyant appearance made his way through the crowd. "You've completely neglected us, you know!" He exclaimed with mock offense. "Where have you been?" He looked around, only then noticing Anders at Dorian's side. "Oh, and who is this?" He stared and grinned. "Is he..? Is he your actual slave? The one slave that Magister Pavus stooped to buying? Eh? The blood mage? I thought he would be younger!"

"Hello, Damien, you haven't changed a bit!" Dorian laughed. "This is Anders, yes. The one and only... and you know very well that I don't go for youngsters."

"Is he good to you?" Damien turned to Anders. "Does he treat you right? Have you bled a lot of slaves for him already?"

"I..." Anders started, not sure what to say. Was that man really so exhausting or was he fishing for something?

"Bleeding slaves is not something we do," Dorian answered coldly and Damien spun around. "I'll have none of that."

"Touchy..." Damien gave him a long look. "Very touchy... you were always squeamish though, so I am not surprised. But then - why buy a blood mage?"

"I didn't buy him for that," Dorian shrugged. "I couldn't let the City Guard skin a friend. I prefer him with his skin still on."

"Oh yes, they don't joke," Damien nodded. "They are quite literal when they talk about skinning people alive..." He inhaled sharply.

"Have a drink, Damien," Dorian poured him whisky. "That is an old story."

Anders was watching the exchange and trying to make up his mind who Damien actually was. A blood mage, he thought, one of many in Minrathous, an old friend of Dorian's, if not a close friend... a past lover, perhaps. They had a history together, belonged to the same club... once... he didn't think it was the case any longer.

"Dorian has always had a soft spot for the underdog," Damien spoke to Anders again. "I've heard of you, of course. I know rather more than an average person here. A healer in Kirkwall. An abomination, now freed. A Circle Mage poised to be made tranquil, but rescued by a Grey Warden... and a Grey Warden himself now of course, that is Anders. And a blood mage. There is nothing you haven't tried, is there?" He stared at Anders again. "And now you are a slave of the one Magister who denounces slavery on principle, while still owning dozens of slaves... yes, yes, family estate and all," he flicked his hand as if chasing away a pesky insect. "But you are not another slave, are you, mage? You sleep in his bedroom and you are now sitting here, at The Gay Vint, at Dorian's side sipping the best whisky in the house..." Damien paused again, sipping his own whisky. "Is it serious, Dorian?" He looked at him. "Is he the one?"

"Let's not go there, old friend," Dorian spoke slowly, emphasizing "friend", and Anders thought that perhaps he meant the opposite. "That's water under the bridge."

"Is it?" Damien kept his eyes on Dorian. "Some say the next one should have been a woman."

"I don't fall for women," Dorian straightened up.

"No, not usually," Damien inclined his head. "But there can always be exceptions... Like Anders here normally prefers women, yet he is here with you."

"There is no woman in my sight and no woman I wish to be associated with," Dorian said very distinctly, but in a low voice. "I have always been against it, and still am."

"It's your loss, you know," Damien shrugged and smiled, taking on a lighter demeanour. "You and she could make the world go 'round... and she didn't ask for much... but you're stubborn, always were," he sighed. "You've got here what she wants. Him and the other... one of your guests... it's quite a gathering you have at the Pavus Manor."

"Dragons are about," Dorian nodded. "We've got a dragon hunter."

"And so I heard," Damien smiled. "She's quite a character, your qunari girl... how you keep her under control, I'll never know."

"I don't, Anders does," Dorian grinned. "She's taken quite a liking to him. You know how qunari can be..."

"Passionate and indiscreet!" Damien laughed. "Oh yes." He drank the rest of his whisky in one shot. "Be well, Dorian, enjoy it while it lasts!" He shot a glance at Anders. "Who knows how long we still have, when all is said and done..."

...

"That was interesting," Anders said softly after Damien left the bar.

"You know who he was talking about," Dorian nodded. "We know each other, of course. Everyone knows everyone else in Uptown Minrathous. He didn't tell us anything new, apart from the fact that they are watching. They are here."

"Is he one of them?" Anders waved his hand to the barman.

"Damien likes to watch," Dorian looked over his shoulder, but seemed satisfied. "All sorts of things, and these days mostly politics and rumours. He is not with any group, but knows them all. We should not trust him."

"What did she want of you?"

"Marriage, what else," Dorian smirked. "Marriage of convenience, she wasn't interested in any aspect of my person, apart may be from my magic. She is so driven... absorbed in her work... obsessed even... Her House wanted a bond with ours. Happens all the time."

"It figures," Anders nodded.

"Come, there are a lot of people here whom I have not seen in ages... I want them to meet my special slave..." He laughed. "I want to make it very clear just why I bought you."

He put his arm around Anders' waist, turning him around and leaning slightly on their high table, then caught the eye of the singer and made a sign.

Where the songs are passionate
And a smile has flash in it
And a kiss has art in it
For you put your heart in it

The band changed the melody as Dorian led Anders around the room and people took to the dance floor.

"Will you permit me?" Dorian smiled, bringing his face quite close to Anders but still not touching.

It was Anders who kissed him first. There were still a few things he had not tried, and Dorian had a point. Besides, who could resist that dark velvet voice that filled the space between chance phrases and long glances in a dimly lit Minrathous bar...

Deixa cantar de novo o trovador,
À merencória à luz da lua,
Toda canção do meu amor.
Quero ver essa Dona caminhando,
Pelos salões, arrastando,
O seu vestido rendado...
Prá mim ... Prá mim!...



~~~~~~~~~~~~

This post has been edited by Lena Wolf: Dec 12 2024, 02:41 PM

[Lena Wolf]

Evening Star, 3E410 - Love stories

Anders was still using the bedroom next to Dorian's, even though they didn't think he'd be targeted by assassins any longer. But there was no reason for him to move out, and so he didn't. A few weeks after he returned from Soldier's Peak, he knocked on Dorian's door when everyone retired for the night.

"May I?" He put his head in when Dorian answered, then entered, seeing him nod.

"Something on your mind?" Dorian watched him walk over to the bed, drop his robe and get in.

"I want to spend the night with you," he said firmly.

"In what way? You are always welcome to sleep here if you're feeling a bit under the weather," Dorian gave him a long look.

"I need advice... and a second opinion," Anders sighed. "I consider you a friend... you have a cool head on your shoulders, you should be able to help me understand... and..."

"It's about Lucanis, isn't it?" Dorian guessed and Anders nodded. "Well, so you met someone with whom you have a lot in common. You became close. Very close may be even. If he had been a woman, you'd long been in his knickers, but he is a man, and you don't feel the urge... or perhaps you do... but either way it doesn't feel right. Am I close?"

"He kissed me... and I kissed him... but neither of us seem to be interested in anything beyond that. I am confused," Anders looked up.

"Well, you're both straight, that's why," Dorian shrugged. "I always have this problem with women. Oh, I met one to whom I felt close, I kissed her and liked it and she expected more... but I wasn't interested. I was still young then, and yes, it is very confusing. My father thought that his blood magic 'correction' spells finally worked... They didn't. She was simply a remarkable woman, that was all."

"And then what happened?"

"Nothing. She wanted marriage and everything that went with that, and I didn't want any of that, so we said goodbye," Dorian shrugged.

"But now I want to know how it feels," Anders looked straight at him. "From someone who knows what he's doing, that is you. Someone I can trust."

"You want me to make love to you?" Dorian raised an eyebrow. "Even though you don't want it? Talking about confusing."

"I want to know," Anders said firmly. "I want to experience it... done properly."

"What I do isn't any different from what you do with women," Dorian shrugged. "It's not me you want," he smiled.

"No, I think it is you I want," Anders insisted. "I am not a virgin... I just never found it particularly pleasant."

"And now you want to change your mind... Remarkable." Dorian moved closer and took Anders in an embrace. "Am I the only gay man that you know?"

"No, you're not," Anders wrapped his arms around Dorian's neck. "But you are the only one that I like seeing naked."

"Are you just saying that?"

"It's true. I've seen a lot of people naked, being a healer," Anders grinned.

"So... if you never wanted to have sex with a man, why did you do it?" Dorian went to the heart of the matter.

"Curiosity, at first," Anders shrugged. "As a teenager, with a friend. I guess we just couldn't get girls to do it with..." he smirked. "We each hated being on the receiving end... and never did it again. Drifted apart, too... Of course, me spending the following year in prison didn't help... but that was unrelated..." He paused, still holding Dorian's embrace.

"That was just teenage experimentation, it doesn't count," Dorian shook his head.

"Yeah, I know. Then later, other times... Sometimes I was drunk, sometimes desperate and sometimes depressed... like, nothing mattered... Other times I wondered if I was doing something wrong, if there was a trick to enjoying it... So I tried a few more times with people I liked... But I simply always found female company more exciting and pleasant."

"You have Lucanis now. You should be talking to him." Dorian was in no rush.

"I shall be... at some point... may be. I don't know how he feels about this."

"Or is it may be that you no longer want just the simple pleasures... could it be that you are after something more?" Dorian pulled away, looking at Anders as if trying to see into his soul.

"Wolf isn't gay, you know?" Anders returned his gaze. "Yet he and Zevran are lovers. Just Zevran, no other man... Did you know that?"

"I did," Dorian nodded. "Wolf went into a lot of trouble one day to prove to me that he and Zevran weren't lovers. So I knew that they were."

"He loved Morrigan, and he loved Zevran... he had so many women over the years as well... but those are the two people he loved."

"He loved you too," Dorian pointed out. "But perhaps in a different way. He meant everything to you... Why did you not leave with him?"

"Someone had to stay and keep an eye on his son," Anders smiled. "Keep him out of trouble." He paused, then shook his head. "I don't know why I stayed behind. Perhaps I needed to face life on my own."

They fell silent for a while, just sitting there, holding the embrace.

"Have you ever loved someone?" Anders asked.

"I have, a while back," Dorian nodded. "It didn't end well."

"Just the one?"

"Just the one... Real love is rare. I was involved with lots of people though, flirted with many... but nothing ever came close to that one..."

"So... I don't feel so out of place then," Anders smiled.

"There is no trick to enjoying it, to answer your question," Dorian said softly. "Some people like it, men and women both, other people don't. I hate it myself, being on the receiving end. There is nothing essentially different between me and you..."

"A thirteen year old girl told me recently that she loved me and wanted to marry me when she grew up... I was gobsmacked," Anders shivered. "I was there when she was born, I pulled her out of her mother's womb, I cut the umbilical cord... I never saw her as a young woman, but she is now growing up... And I felt that her emotion was quite mature. I told her to give it ten years... But what happens then? What if she still loves me then but I cannot stop seeing her as a child?"

"You will have to answer this question then," Dorian was watching him. "You will have to look at her as a woman and ask yourself what you feel. You are an incredible softy, Anders," he smiled.

"Perhaps," Anders nodded and smiled too. "I still want you to do it though..." He kissed Dorian softly. "The song from that bar still plays in my head... Toda canção do meu amor... I want you to do it right..."


~~~~~~~~~~~
The unabridged version is published on my website.

This post has been edited by Lena Wolf: Mar 24 2025, 06:27 PM

[Lena Wolf]

Evening Star, 3E410 - Brothers

"We are like brothers though!" Lucanis was adamant. "Illario would not do anything against me!"

"But the facts speak otherwise!" Viago shook his head. "You are deluding yourself, Lucanis! Anders, you tell him! He'll listen to you!"

"Anders does not know our history! He cannot be the judge of this!" Lucanis protested.

"This is exactly why he will be the best judge!" Viago wasn't giving up. "He is impartial! He sees things as they happen!"

"He is hardly impartial," Teia smirked. "But regardless - what do you think of this, Anders? Is Illario a traitor or not?"

"Well?!" Lucanis glared at Teia and Anders both.

"Err..." Anders shuffled uncomfortably. Judging a family feud was no easy matter. "I think we don't know yet. I think we need to find your grandmother," he turned to Lucanis. "We need to determine with certainty how Zara knew where to find Lucanis when she abducted him," he looked at Viago. "And we need to discover who sent the Crows after me. The ones we intercepted had no idea," he added. "I believe this is all connected."

"They were of the lowest rank," Lucanis nodded. "Very green and rather unprofessional. They knew nothing and it seems to me they weren't supposed to succeed. Which is strange."

"To say the least!" Viago shook his head. "Officially, their lives are forfeit now. Why would we want to waste our own assassins, even green ones?"

"Someone wanted to send a message," Teia agreed. "They wanted Anders alive. You don't send green ones if you want the job done properly."

"Well, if we want to find grandmother, perhaps we should search the villa first," Lucanis offered. "Look for clues, and not just about her. Let's see what comes up."

...

Lucanis' grandmother Caterina was the head of Antivan Crows. She disappeared shortly after Anders and Lucanis escaped from the underwater prison. There was talk of an assassination, but as Caterina's body was also missing, people quickly dismissed that theory. No, she had been abducted, but by whom, remained a mystery as no one had claimed it yet. Besides, Lucanis' return to Treviso caused a stir, there was much talk of his spirit wings that many people saw during the fight with the dragon. Everyone agreed that he must have become an abomination, but no one was sure what he could do exactly, what the nature of the demon inside him was, and what it meant for the Crows, considering that Lucanis had been generally seen as the man to succeed Caterina in a not too distant future.

"There is no knowing what we'll find in the villa," Lucanis was saying as they were getting ready to leave. He stood before an open cupboard containing dozens of various throwing knives, daggers and short swords, and he was methodically packing them into folds and pouches on his armour. "We should be well prepared." He shot a glance at Anders who wasn't packing anything into his robe, apart from what he already had. "Are you ready?"

"I only need one dagger, as that is for me," Anders grinned. "And just one staff. I did pack all the potions that I dared... But yes, I tend to travel light."

"Well, if you say so..." Lucanis squinted. He wasn't used to working with mages. This wasn't like going after a dragon - that was just one big chaotic battle without any coordination. What they had to do now was a stealth mission - to infiltrate a private villa and search for clues. Of course, Lucanis had the key to the front door, but he didn't expect it to be accessible. He also had keys to back doors, but even there... if indeed his cousin Illario was holding Caterina in the villa, they would have no advantage from the keys. Lucanis and Illario both grew up there, they both orphaned young and Caterina took them in, they were both her grandsons... so indeed, they were more like brothers than cousins, and anything that Lucanis knew about the villa, Illario knew also.

"If we find Illario there..." Anders paused and Lucanis looked up. "What do you want to do?"

"Not killing him," Lucanis glared. "It depends... Incapacitate him if we have to... But actually... let's hope he won't be there."

The night had fallen and they set out towards the villa traveling through the "upper level" of the city, that is from roof to roof rather than along the streets. They emerged near a canal with several gondolas moored there. The villa was on the other side of the water.

They took one of the smaller boats and crossed the canal, then Lucanis directed the boat into a small side channel.

"There is no need to go through the front door," he smiled. "This is the one entrance that Illario might not know about - he's always been squeamish about rats."

The channel led into a tunnel, the tunnel into a sewage corridor, and from there they pushed a trapdoor and emerged in an old cellar somewhere behind the kitchens. The entrance was not guarded, and they didn't like it. Trying to make as little noise as possible, they made their way through the larders and the kitchens and finally entered the main foyer.

The villa was definitely not empty. They heard noises upstairs as well as further in the depths. Someone was pacing about, not trying to be silent. They heard conversation, footsteps, clinking glasses...

"Is Illario having a party?" Anders mouthed, raising an eyebrow.

"That's not Illario," Lucanis shook his head. "They are not speaking Antivan. Wrong accent."

They moved slowly towards the voices, it seemed the people were on the upper gallery. The foyer on the ground floor was not lit, with just a few oil lamps flickering in the corners. The darkness was their friend, but it could equally be a foe - someone could be hiding there. And someone was.

A blast of icy cold stopped them in their tracks, an ice mine started shimmering by the foot of the stairs.

"Stop!" Anders made a sign, but Lucanis had seen the mine too. They peered into the darkness, trying to find the mage. Anders thought he saw movement, and shot a bolt of lightning. There was a stifled sound and they caught a glimpse of someone... perhaps a woman. She had stood by a door, and now quickly disappeared through it. They heard some faint knocking where she went...

"Servants' quarters," Lucanis breathed, going after her. "Empty now, but watch out for intruders."

The rooms were indeed empty. The knocking sound was vanishing down the corridor, and they ran after it, fully aware and apprehensive that it could be a trap. Perhaps they should have gone up the stairs instead... but it was too late for that now.

"This leads outside," Lucanis pointed at the door behind which the mage vanished. "In the yard, we should be able to catch that mage!"

"Or run into an ambush!" Anders smirked, readying a spell. Lucanis unsheathed his daggers.

They ran out of the building. The yard was fenced off and well lit, which was a common anti-theft precaution practiced around many rich villas. The area was as light as day. There was no ambush, but they noticed movement in the corner.

"Ah-ha! No where to go!" Lucanis ran and jumped, landing nearly on top of the mage and knocking her to the ground.

"Wait! Wait!!" Anders shouted, sending a lightning bolt at the mage and knocking her on the ground too. "We want that mage alive!!"

"Oh... Good thinking," Lucanis stopped at the last moment. "Well... You can thank him that you're still alive," he looked down at the mage. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

The mage scrambled and sat up, massaging her left leg which had a prosthesis.

"I don't want to fight either of you," she looked at them in turn. "I am an investigator... I didn't know you would come here tonight! The villa is crawling with Venatori."

"Venatori? That explains the Tevinter accent," Anders nodded. "Neve Gallus, I presume? Forgive me, but your viper-shaped prosthesis rather gives it away."

"I am Neve," she nodded. "I was not trying to harm you just now, but to stop you going upstairs. I have information for you."

"Well, then talk!" Lucanis still held his sword pointing at her throat.

"Zara is after you both," she said as dramatically as she could manage from her position on the ground. "It was she who sent the Crows after Anders, but now that the top Crow escaped her prison, she called them off. She is trying to pull whatever strings she has to get you both back, get you locked up again." She stopped talking and looked at them triumphantly as if she delivered the world's greatest secret.

"Yeah, we figured as much," Anders smirked. "Now, what's your actual information?"

"Oh... well... that was it, in fact," Neve suddenly looked a lot less sure of herself. "Like I said, I came here to investigate. But you two showed up and prevented me from getting anywhere!" She glared.

"So this is now our fault!" Lucanis turned pale. "Please forgive me for coming to my family villa to search for my grandmother without your permission!" His voice was ice cold and his sword inched closer to Neve's neck.

"No, no, that's not what I meant!" She protested and finally managed to stand up. "I... No, it came out wrong," she smiled timidly at them. "I want to help you."

"What you want is Dorian's protection," Anders smirked. "Lest the Venatori should find out that you are not entirely faithful to them."

"They know it already," Neve said dismissively, regaining her confidence. "That's why I didn't know they wanted you in the first place. Zara no longer trusts me," she said with disdain. "And this isn't good for the Shadow Dragons."

"Who are Shadow Dragons?" Lucanis asked, but didn't lower his sword.

"Dorian's group," Anders shrugged. "Unofficially. Run by someone called the Viper. They are against slavery in Tevinter. And Neve here is a member. But she is also a member of the Venatori, as we've recently found out. That's all domestic politics, nothing to do with us. Except Zara, of course."

"Yes," Lucanis was watching Neve. "And our investigator here thought she would know all about Zara, but Zara was two steps ahead of her, as it turns out!" He scowled and Neve scowled back.

"Dorian brought her in to search for me when I was kidnapped," Anders nodded. "Which was when he found out she was a double agent. He wasn't pleased, to put it mildly."

"What do you want to do with her?" Lucanis extended his sword a bit further.

"Don't kill her yet," Anders stepped forward. "So, Neve," he moved away Lucanis' sword. "Tell me where we can find Zara."

"You aim high, don't you," Neve smirked. "I don't know where she is, I am not her secretary."

"Oh come now, you can do better than that," Lucanis took a step forward too. "I really want to have a chat with her."

"You!" Neve laughed. "She will have you for lunch."

"Minrathous," Anders answered his own question. "We know she is in Minrathous, when she is not visiting that underwater prison. She must have a portal of some sort to move quickly. The Venatori here must have come through a portal. You too must have used it. Tell us where it is."

"This is like pulling teeth, let's just kill her," Lucanis said impatiently when Neve didn't immediately answer.

"Yeah... you are probably right," Anders nodded and turned around.

"No!" Neve cried out. "I can tell you where the portal is... The back street behind the market, near the docks... it leads to another back street in Minrathous... But I don't know about the prison..."

"Can we even allow her to live?" Lucanis had had enough. "She'll run back to the Venatori."

"And tell them what?" Anders shrugged. "That you and I both live? I daresay they already noticed. She doesn't know anything else. Dorian wanted her alive for something."

"Dorian..." Neve smirked. "That's all we've been hearing from you today. I see he well and truly got you to his side after that evening at The Gay Vint. I bet you didn't tell Lucanis."

"Dorian is the whole reason you are alive," Anders said through his teeth, tying up her wrists. "What a waste of an evening! I hope he's got something good planned for you."

"We've no time left to search the villa tonight," Lucanis nodded. "Let's go. Someone will try that portal with her..."

...

It was already morning when Anders and Lucanis finally returned to his apartment, having taken care of Neve's escort back to Minrathous. Lucanis started brewing coffee.

"Now, that was a waste of time," he swore. "We discovered nothing about my grandmother, and the villa is still overrun by the Venatori."

"Why though, I wonder?" Anders nodded. "What do the Venatori want with Caterina? Or do you think they are after you for Zara?"

"May be, or may be they are after both of us for Zara," he shot Anders a glance. "There's talk..."

"...that where they find one of us, they also find the other," Anders nodded. "Does it bother you?"

"Not unless it gets us killed," he grinned. "But tell me..." he paused to pour out the coffee. "Is it true what Neve said about you and Dorian? That you are intimate?"

"Yes and no," Anders smiled. "We went to The Gay Vint in order to try and learn something, which we did. Also, Dorian wanted to convince everyone that he bought me for sex rather than blood magic or any other reason, and so I behaved accordingly. In truth he bought me to save my life," Anders added by way of justification. "I also frequently sleep in his bedroom, for the sake of appearances... but we are not lovers. Not as such. Although we have on occasion..." he sighed. "I'm making a mess of it, ain't I?"

"That's alright," Lucanis smiled, watching Anders blush. "He is an old friend, yes? Let's leave it at that."

[Lena Wolf]

Evening Star, 3E410 - Hello, cousin

The following night Anders and Lucanis set off to Lucanis' family villa again, but now they knew what to expect. The villa was overrun with Venatori, the unfriendly blood mages from Tevinter. It was not clear what they were doing there, and whether they had anything to do with the disappearance of Lucanis' grandmother; it was also unclear what role Lucanis' cousin Illario played in all of this, if any. Those were the questions that they wanted answered.

They entered the same way as the previous night - through the sewers. The passage was still unguarded, which could mean that either the Venatori had no idea about it, or that they didn't care, or may be even that they wanted Anders and Lucanis to enter the villa so that they could be caught in a trap. At any rate, caution was advised.

Like the previous night, the ground floor foyer was empty, with voices coming from the upper floor. This time Anders and Lucanis decided to go through the entire villa, room by room, looking for any clues to answer their many questions. For the most part, the rooms were empty and untouched - the Venatori were definitely not ransacking the house. They were there with a purpose...

Finally Venatori guards started appearing, which meant that they were going in the right direction. After a few simple fights, they ran into a group led by a blood mage, and although Anders and Lucanis still won, the fight was of a different caliber. A search of the room revealed some scraps of paper with what looked like orders for the Venatori to take positions at the villa. Someone was making preparations.

"This doesn't look like a trap for you and me," Lucanis tried to piece together the message on the scraps. "They were going to occupy the villa and guard something or someone further in. May be Caterina? But it is not clear why."

"We should keep going," Anders nodded. "Kill a few more Venatori, may be more senior members of their group have more detailed orders. Prepare for blood magic. They are going to try to manipulate us."

"I killed a few blood mages in my day," Lucanis smirked. "That's why they call me the Demon of Vyrantium. Of course, that was before I got an actual demon."

"Spite can be manipulated too, and through him - you," Anders pointed out. "Remember what Avernus told us. These Venatori orders may well be from Zara, and who knows what sort of enchanted artefacts may be about..."

"Well, what do you want me to do?!" Lucanis snapped impatiently. "If they have magic of that kind, we'll see it. Come on."

They continued going through the villa, they fought some guards and a few more blood mages, but nothing out of the ordinary. They also did not find any further orders or papers of any importance. It was becoming very frustrating.

"Caterina is here somewhere, in this house," Lucanis stood in front of an open cupboard in one of the larger bedrooms. "This is her room, and the clothes in this cupboard have been disturbed. Like someone picked a few to give to her. She never left such a mess in here!"

Anders was going to say that it was probably the neatest room he'd ever seen, but apparently by Caterina's standards it was a mess.

"Someone is keeping her in reasonable comfort if they brought her fresh clothes," he pointed out. "But why? Nobody made ransom demands..."

"We shall know it when we find her," Lucanis said forcefully, closing the cupboard behind him. "The garden wing. No one's been using it for ages. It is out of the way, too. She must be there."

The way to the garden wing was not guarded, and Anders thought that surely it was the wrong direction... but then Lucanis pushed what looked like a solid wall and it swung inwards revealing a darkened room with a single candle burning further in.

"Caterina!" Lucanis said softly but distinctly. "Luca. With a friend." He walked in, watching for an ambush, then jumped, getting hold of something... Anders smirked - the old lady would act first and ask questions later. "Caterina! Grandmother... Look, I am who I say I am. We came looking for you."

Anders was still standing in the corridor, watching a shadow of Lucanis jump back and forth in a dark room. But then he heard noises further in the house, so he too entered and closed the door.

"Caterina!" He called. "I am Anders. Perhaps you've heard of me... or perhaps not. Is Illario with you?"

"Illario!" A lady's voice trembled with anger. "That rascal!"

"Caterina, please put down the stick," Lucanis exclaimed, while still trying to keep his voice down. "I am Luca! Please, grandmother!"

"Luca..." she sighed. "Are you really? I was told Lucanis was dead!"

"Almost, but not completely," Anders grinned, remembering how Lucanis indeed almost died in the battle with the dragon in Treviso... but Spite kept him from dying completely.

"Almost, eh?" Caterina seemed to have stopped struggling because Lucanis stopped jumping. She stepped to the table with a single candle and turned up an oil lamp. "So, let me look at you, one who claims to be my Luca..."

The lamp illuminated a sparsely furnished room with a cot, a table and a chair in a large empty space. A tray with some remnants of food stood on the floor. Caterina turned to Lucanis, still holding her walking stick with a large crow head at the ready.

"But it is I..." Lucanis started saying again, but after a few moments she beamed at him and squeezed him in an embrace.

"My grandson..!"

She held him close, knocking the breath out of him, and Anders thought that perhaps it was her own breath that she wanted to hold... A tear ran down her cheek but she soon regained her composure and let go of Lucanis.

"And so it is you!" She smiled brightly. "Ooh, Illario has a lot to answer for!" She suddenly exclaimed in anger again. "He told me you were dead! That our family was reduced to him and me! That rivals were after us and so he had to lock me up here for my own protection! Really!" Her cheeks blushed with even more anger, and Anders figured she was definitely not a lady to cross.

"But why did you let him, Caterina?" Lucanis was still holding her by the shoulders. "Illario cannot just lock you up in your own house!"

"I did not agree to this!" She shook her head vehemently. "I was drugged! I woke up here! Illario has been bringing me food and fresh clothes... saying that it would not be long, that he was on the trail of a traitor... But I think I know who the traitor is!"

"Why did Illario say I was dead?" Lucanis tried to lead his grandmother to the single chair in the room. Eventually she let him and sat down.

"He lied, of course!" She exclaimed forcefully, but also kept her voice down. "He wants to be the head of the Crows! He wants me to step down! But I shall not step down for him!"

"He wants you to step down..?" Lucanis looked surprised, then shook his head, looking as angry as his grandmother. Family resemblance was unmistakable. "Since when?!"

"Since you disappeared a year ago..." she said softly. "Saying that a rival family is trying to take over the Crows... trying to eliminate us all... which isn't that hard, since it is only I and my two grandsons..."

"He will answer for this!" Lucanis said with a scowl. "We have to get you out of here."

"Well, actually..." Anders, who'd been quiet all this time, decided to interrupt. "Actually, it may be better for Caterina to stay here a little longer."

"What?! Why?" Lucanis cried in surprise.

"We still don't know why this villa is overrun with the Venatori," Anders reminded him. "Are they here to guard Caterina? Or to lay a trap for you and me? Did Illario invite them? Or was that Zara? And if so, is she planning to visit here herself..?" Anders cut himself off as Caterina turned her gaze on him, seeing right through him, he thought.

"Your friend thinks Illario might have been involved in your disappearance," she said calmly. "He is right."

"But we are like brothers!" Lucanis exclaimed and threw his arms in the air. "He would not do such a thing to me!"

"He would, Luca," Caterina said softly but firmly. "And he must have done. Nobody knew about that contract when you vanished... nobody, except Illario."

"But then... he works for Zara," Lucanis said darkly.

"Or has an arrangement with her... A mutually beneficial agreement," Anders shook his head. "She gets you for her experiments, and he gets his grandmother's undivided attention..."

"Your escape forced his hand," Caterina nodded. "I shall not ask now where you've been and how you made it out - that is for later. Now you have to cut the knot between Illario and... Zara, was it?" She looked from Lucanis to Anders and back. "And since the villa is occupied by strangers... I shall stay here for now. Come back when Illario is no longer a threat."

Anders and Lucanis left and decided to clear the villa of Venatori. For one, it was a good cause, and for two, they still hoped that someone among them would have more revealing papers.

They took it slow and steady, clearing area after area and not running ahead until their wounds from each encounter were healed or bandaged. Lucanis was getting impatient at first, objecting that Anders was slowing them down with his propensity to treat every scratch, but after some time he realised that he was not used to long and drawn out campaigns as he always had a single target to kill with each contract, not clear a large villa. Anders, on the other hand, was used to exactly that kind of clearing and knew just how quickly those minor flesh wounds and scratches could accumulate to the point of becoming overwhelming. It was then already morning when they finally stepped outside, but they weren't done yet.

"The gardens," Lucanis smiled. "Always in bloom... flowers change with seasons, but there is always colour..." He stretched, enjoying the sunshine. "Across the gardens is the theatre. We never really were into staging plays, but every villa must have one," he chuckled. "We just used it for parties."

"Is this the last building?" Anders was more concerned with getting it over with.

"No, there's still the pool... right next to the theatre. Don't ask me why!" He shrugged and laughed. "Illario and I always found it hilarious... we'd chase each other between the rows of chairs in the theatre, then plunge into the pool..."

"Where first?" Anders noticed a low building of a pool slightly behind a grand building of a theatre. The pool was barely noticeable, and may be that was the point.

"The theatre," Lucanis started walking. "Let's leave getting wet till last."

The theatre was empty, apart from a few guards. However, the chairs were arranged ready for a performance or a gathering.

"What's going on here?" Lucanis walked around. "It's set out for a celebration, a reception perhaps..."

"Illario getting ready to celebrate him becoming the head of the Crows, perhaps?" Anders squinted. "But there's nothing here. Let's try the pool."

The pool was filled with blood. They froze as soon as they stepped through the door - the unmistakable sweet and slightly nauseating odour hung in the air, they knew the room had a lot of blood before they saw it. It was blood alchemically preserved so it would not congeal. Blood collected for some special ritual.

"Just how many people had to be bled to fill the whole pool?" Lucanis was looking at it in disgust.

"One or two, no more," Anders squatted at the edge, dipping his fingers into the blood, then liking them to get the taste. "This isn't pure blood," he got up. "This is mostly water with enough blood dissolved in it to give it the colour. This has no magical properties - it is too diluted. It cannot be used in a ritual..."

"It can, just not in the usual way," someone said from the other side of the pool. "It does have a rather startling effect, wouldn't you say?" A richly dressed mage stepped out from behind a column, his pronounced Tevinter accent and the style of his robes making him into a Magister.

"So what - you startle your victims to death?!" Lucanis exclaimed with derision. "What are you doing on my family estate?!"

"Ahhh, the Demon of Vyrantium is here, in person!" The mage cried out with joy. "A little early, the party isn't scheduled to start for a few more days... but we can provide lodgings until then."

He shot a lightning bolt across the room and the blood in the pool reflected it like firework.

"I do not want to kill you!" He shouted. "Not yet! Not today! Zara wants you back!"

"But I do want to kill you! Here and now!" Lucanis retorted, starting to run around the pool towards the mage, with Anders following. The mage readied a spell, waiting for Lucanis to turn the corner. Timing was everything.

"No, cousin, not now!" Suddenly Illario entered through a side door and stepped between Lucanis and the mage. He had a peculiar red broche. He touched it, and Lucanis collapsed, unconscious. "He is not dead," Illario said to Anders. "Take him away when he recovers. Never come back." He made a sign to the mage and they both left the pool house.

Anders knelt over Lucanis - he was indeed not dead. His breathing was shallow but otherwise he seemed unharmed. What just happened? Anders wondered. What sort of an enchanted broche was that? It had a tell-tale red glow... was that red lyrium?

Lucanis stirred, interrupting his musings.

"What happened?" He sat up with difficulty. "I saw Illario come in..."

"How do you feel?" Anders was checking his pulse. "Some kind of magic made you collapse. The question is why."

"I feel... alone," Lucanis looked up. "Spite is silent."

"This is not good!" Anders shook his head, worried.

"Why not? May be I am finally rid of him?" Lucanis grinned.

"No, not like this... something else happened..." Anders got up. "Can you walk? We should go."

"I can walk... go where? What about Caterina? Illario? What is going on?!" Lucanis was getting agitated. He got to his feet, but stumbled, and had to hold on to Anders so as not to fall. "I feel... dizzy," he shook his head. "Nothing serious, I'm sure."

"Oh, I think this is serious," Anders said gravely, getting hold of Lucanis securely. "Put your arm around my shoulders and let's go. Everything else can wait. If this is what I think it is, your days are numbered."

"My days were numbered the moment I was born to the Crows," Lucanis smirked, accepting Anders' support. "But alright. Where are we going?"

"Minrathous," Anders replied, leading him out of the villa. "Time to test that portal than Neve told us about. It better be working."

[Lena Wolf]

Evening Star, 3E410 - Spite

"Spite took a hit," Anders declared by way of explanation when he and Lucanis entered the Pavus Manor in Minrathous, with Lucanis barely able to walk. "Emmrich, can you discern how bad it is?"

"The spirit possessing Lucanis had been injured? Directly?" Emmrich looked up. "In Mundus? Remarkable!"

"And very bad for Lucanis and the spirit both," Anders nodded. "They had an enchanted red lyrium artefact... I cannot sense Spite at all."

"Yes, yes, of course, that would be most detrimental..." Emmrich scrambled to get his staff. "We need room for this... Come and sit here," he put a chair in the middle of the salon gesturing Lucanis towards it. "It may hurt a little..."

"Hurt?" Lucanis looked around, but everyone else was nonplussed and Emmrich was already absorbed in his ritual. "Just what is he going to do to me?!" He stared at Anders.

"Not to worry, just a simple spirit probe, from what I can tell..." Anders tried to reassure him watching Emmrich's incantation. "But yeah, it can be slightly..."

"Ouch!" Lucanis jumped up, that was hurting clearly more than a little.

"No, no, stay seated..." Anders pushed him back into the chair, gently but firmly grabbing his shoulder. "It's worse for Spite, trust me..."

"If you had told me upfront..!" Lucanis' face was contorted with pain.

"That's why I didn't," Anders tried to speak soothingly, but held Lucanis firmly in his chair. "We have to know where we stand, and this is the best approach."

"So there are other ways to get to the bottom of it without putting me through this torture?!" Lucanis would be getting angry if he wasn't hurting so much.

"Yes, but none as effective or as accurate. It shouldn't take much longer," Anders smiled, watching Emmrich's movements.

"For an assassin, you are not very good with pain, Lucanis," Harding pointed out. "I expected you to have a higher tolerance to it."

"For an assassin!" Lucanis laughed. "I am the one hurting people, remember? Not the other way around! And I don't torture them first! It's all over quickly for them! Not like this!!"

"Alright, it's finished," Emmrich put away his staff. "The pain should subside eventually..."

"Eventually! Sadists is what you mages are!!" Lucanis was properly angry now. "That's why I hate working with mages!"

"It's bad," Emmrich gave Anders a look of significance. "We should confer..."

"Hey!!! Merda!! I'm still here!!!" Lucanis jumped up, now that Anders was no longer holding him down.

"I am sorry for the trickery, my friend," Anders faced him. "But we had to know. You need to rest now, eat, sleep, lie down anyway... I shall join you shortly, I am not letting you out of my sight... I'm sure Dorian won't mind me no longer sharing his bedroom."

"Lucanis - you can have the large bedroom to the right," Dorian came to the middle of the room to play the host. "Emmrich, Anders, Bellara and myself will confer in the library. Davrin, bring us Neve after a bit, she's relaxing in the dungeons, and she needs supervision... at all times, please," he looked at Davrin who nodded. "The rest of you..." he shot a glance at the butler who bowed curtly. "Refreshments will be provided. Don't leave until we return."

He made a gesture with his wrist to signal the end of instructions, and promptly Emmrich, Anders and Bellara got up to follow him, while the others looked expectantly at the butler awaiting refreshments.

"And that is why Dorian is a Magister and I ain't," Varric smirked to himself, uncorking yet another bottle of premium Tevinter whisky.

...

"Zara of the Venatori created an artefact that allows to influence and damage a spirit possessing a host, and do it here in Mundus without going into the Fade to confront the spirit there," Emmrich summarised the situation to the other mages. "Illario used this artefact to attack Spite that is possessing Lucanis. Or rather I should say - Determination, for that is the proper name of the spirit. And no, it isn't a demon."

"That is bad news for Lucanis, but which other dangers does this artefact present?" Bellara looked up. "For those of us who aren't possessed by demons, that is."

"Zara is working to create demons of her own design, either having them possess slaves or even commanding them without possession," Anders explained. "Lucanis was her experiment. It didn't quite work because Spite didn't turn into a demon and does not answer to Zara. However, he still cannot stand up to that artefact. The danger of it is that Zara is building a demon army and that she will actually be able to control it too."

"Does that artefact control Spite and thus Lucanis?" Dorian looked concerned. "Could Lucanis turn onto us? Not of his own free will, you understand, but..."

"...but if he were controlled?" Emmrich picked up his phrase. "No. From what I've seen, that experiment really failed as far as Zara is concerned - she cannot make Spite do things. She can harm him though."

"Then for Lucanis it means that his life is in grave danger," Dorian nodded. "But on a grander scale there's Zara's demon army. Zara must die, and quickly."

"I think we all agree on that," Bellara nodded. "I also think that Lucanis has to be sacrificed."

"No." Anders said with an intensity that made everyone stare.

"You are saying this because he reminds you of your experience with Justice," Bellara shook her head. "I understand. Well, I don't really, I have no idea what it's like to be possessed by a demon... err... spirit... whatever. But I understand why you are so emphatic. But the truth is that Lucanis is a danger to others."

"No." Anders repeated. He was tense, his face was white, he was almost shaking. The reason he didn't say anything else was that he used all his willpower to control his emotions. Bellara was playing with danger.

"Sacrificing members of this group is out of the question," Dorian said with urgency, shooting sideways glances at Anders. "You really don't know what you are talking about, Bellara."

"I think we are digressing," Emmrich also sounded concerned. "The moment we even start discussing sacrificing members of the group for the good of the others, we spell out the death of the group. Can't you see that, Bellara?" He looked at her with that sad and disappointed expression that professors bestow on their favourite students when they commit unforgivable mistakes. "A group where people are anxious to be sacrificed for the good of the cause cannot function!"

"Well... if you put it this way..." Bellara shrugged. "Oh very well. He'll die all by himself soon enough."

"Ah... And that is the first topic on the agenda of this conference," Emmrich cleared his throat. "The second topic is how to kill Zara. But let us first focus on how to save Lucanis."

"What is Spite's condition?" Anders finally managed to speak. "You said it was bad."

"It is," Emmrich nodded. "You know how you can fight a spirit in the Fade and kill it... well, they've done the same thing, but without going into the Fade. Determination is almost dead."

"Almost?" Dorian gave him a long look. "But not completely because he is possessing Lucanis, yes?"

"Yes," Emmrich nodded. "Determination is alive because Lucanis' spirit - his soul - keeps it alive. But this is destroying the soul. Slowly, but certainly. Conversely, Determination has done the same for Lucanis in the past - when Lucanis was almost dead, Determination gave of itself to keep him alive. This is why I am certain it isn't a demon."

"It is a symbiosis then," Bellara spoke again and everyone glared, even though what she said was true. They just didn't trust her to speak.

"The ritual that Zara used to implant Determination into Lucanis, effectively fused them together," Emmrich nodded. "I could see no way to separate them without removing a significant part of each of them in the process. This would either kill them or damage them beyond recognition."

"Such as turning Determination into an actual demon or removing humanity from Lucanis," Anders nodded. "Justice told me about such things."

"Indeed," Emmrich inclined his head. "But even with you, Anders..." He paused, as if contemplating whether he should say what he was going to say. "Justice was never merged with your soul... Yet even after he cut the connection and left, he isn't entirely gone. You have been changed forever."

"I should have been dead," Anders nodded. "It took... well... someone else had to step in and give me something of himself to repair the damage, to plug that hole..."

"But I am not suggesting separating Spite and Lucanis," Emmrich tried to gently steer the conversation in the right direction. "What I meant rather was that Justice still influences the way you think even though he is long gone. And the same is true for Lucanis - Determination makes him more focused, but on the other hand, his life experiences make Determination look for options instead of always taking the shortest route."

"Where are you going with this?" Dorian squinted.

"I think the way for Lucanis to survive is to embrace Determination. To help him. To willingly support him. That will heal the spirit, Spite will be back and will stop leeching life energy from Lucanis' soul."

Emmrich finished speaking and looked at everyone in turn. Bellara shook her head in disbelief but didn't say anything. Anders was looking into the distance as if consulting with someone unseen. Dorian was rubbing his chin, but after a while his expression cleared and he nodded.

"The only question is, whether Lucanis will want to do it," he said. "He wants to be rid of Spite at present."

"It's up to you, Anders," Emmrich spoke softly. "You have gone through the same with Justice. You have to guide Lucanis on this journey. You have to convince him to accept it."

"Or else he'll die," Anders nodded.

"I think everyone is already fully convinced that I am still exclusively gay," Dorian smiled. "You no longer need to sleep in my bedroom." Anders and Emmrich smiled to that while Bellara looked completely bewildered, and everyone laughed at the way she looked. A little light-hearted intermezzo was very welcome.

"Very well, now for the second topic on our agenda - how to kill Zara," Emmrich cleared his throat again. "Or rather, how to find her. The killing part is obvious. Not easy, but obvious."

"Yeah, cutting off her head would do the trick," Anders laughed, remembering Alistair's favourite method.

"What about Neve - can she lead us to Zara? Can we trust Neve?" Emmrich looked at Dorian.

"Neve is now persona non grata with the Venatori," Dorian looked up. "Some sources I spoke to, say the Venatori want her dead. Other sources say she isn't important enough - yet. The Crows have been spotted delivering a letter to her - with a brick through the window. She isn't saying, but we must assume it was a threat to become hunted by the Crows unless she does something for Zara... It's pretty clear-cut as it goes."

"The Crows... no, wait. Lucanis is from the Crows," Bellara shuddered. "With all that Spite business I completely forgot... but Lucanis is a Crow!" She beamed at everyone. "So he would know about this, right?"

"Well..." Dorian chuckled. "The Crows have factions. Lucanis asked around - this isn't official business, this is somebody going rogue, but somebody high up. His cousin perhaps. Either way, Lucanis would not know."

"So, Neve," Emmrich picked up the thread of the conversation. "Can we use her and is she to be trusted?"

"I think so," Dorian nodded. "Let's call for Davrin."

He pressed a button that no one realised was there, and a servant appeared, nodded and left, all within a few seconds. Shortly afterwards Davrin entered with Neve.

"I have considered your request, Neve," Dorian spoke quite formally. "You may stay in this house and under my protection if you disclose your connections to the Venatori - and not just to me, but to the Shadow Dragons, that is, to the Viper. You will then help us find and kill Zara. You must realise that this will completely ruin your affiliation with them and make you into a target, rather more so than now. But, you will be with us. If you refuse these terms, however, you may return to the dungeons, for you realise of course that I cannot release you until Zara is dead."

"Well, the rat will really miss me down there," Neve smirked. "I agree to your terms. My Venatori affiliation is as good as dead already anyway. As for Zara - sorry, I can't help you. I don't actually know where she is."

Dorian laughed to that, long and heartily, as if he just heard the funniest joke of the evening.

"Who do you think I am, Neve?" He chuckled as his laughter subsided. "Try again."

"Well... it's true, I don't know where she currently resides," Neve shuffled her feet. "But I suppose... there are details I can impart upon you... and can find out more, I'm sure... oh very well..."

She came to the table, laying out some notes, marking some spots on maps, producing newspaper cuttings... she had quite a collection of things she apparently didn't know about. With the help of the others from the group, the missing pieces could be found, the picture would clear, and Zara would be within reach.

"One last thing, Neve," Dorian looked straight at her. "Wherever you go, Davrin goes with you. You asked for protection, and he is it."

"Protection and supervision in one," Neve smirked. "Well, Davrin, it looks like we are going to get acquainted..."

[Lena Wolf]

Evening Star, 3E410 - A sunset over Minrathous

When Anders entered Lucanis' room, he found him sitting on the balcony watching the sun set on Minrathous, a glass of whisky in his hand. He did not turn to look at Anders, he just kept watching the streets below. A second chair was set out by the table, and Anders took it. He poured himself a glass of whisky and sat watching the streets too.

"You must promise me never to do it again," Lucanis said after a short pause, still not looking at Anders.

"I promise," Anders replied without turning.

"What do you promise?"

"To never put you through a procedure without explaining what it would entail," Anders said softly. "To never trick you again."

"To never decide for me."

"Promise."

"Healers, mages, Grey Wardens - they all think to know what's best for the rest of us. That's why our books are full of contracts on their lives. And you are the worst kind - you are all of it at once." Lucanis took another sip of his whisky, rolling the liqueur in his mouth. Anders did not speak, and after a pause Lucanis continued. "The reason that no more Crows come after you, is that I took that contract. But I am a professional - if I decide to act upon it, I shall not fail on purpose. Zevran failed to kill his Grey Warden because he did not take the time to study his target. It wasn't just your run of the mill Grey Warden, and that's where Zevran went wrong. You are no ordinary Grey Warden either. You are in no danger from me yet, or we would not be having this talk." Lucanis made another pause, still watching the streets below and not looking at Anders, at least not directly. Anders kept silent. "A contract can only be annulled if the contract giver is dead. The contract giver is Zara, I think that was clear. When Zara is killed, you will no longer be a target for the Crows."

Lucanis stopped speaking, and they sat in silence for a time, sipping their whisky and watching the sunset. Then Anders spoke.

"If you are to survive, you have to bond with Spite. You have to accept him. You are bonded now, of course, through Zara's ritual, but Illario's spell all but killed Spite. He is alive because your soul sustains him. You are bonded in such a way that killing Spite in the Fade would kill a large part of your own soul as well. You will no longer be yourself, and I am not even certain you would survive without Spite at all. This was what Emmerich's probe showed."

"I have the right to choose to die," Lucanis replied. "If I choose to die because I do not wish to live as an abomination, you cannot stop me."

"I promise not to."

"Ah, good," Lucanis smiled. "I know of course that you can stop me. Now we understand each other."

"Spite kept you alive after the fight with the dragon," Anders said in a barely audible whisper. "He chose to do it."

"He isn't a demon, I get it," Lucanis nodded. "I killed enough blood mages to know what I am dealing with. I study my targets first, always."

"Do you want me to leave?" Anders looked at Lucanis, for the first time during that conversation.

"No, not tonight," Lucanis met his gaze. "How will I study you if you are not with me?"

[Lena Wolf]

Evening Star, 3E410 - Double jeopardy

"Minrathous is moving into the evening," Anders remarked looking at the streets below their balcony. "What say you if we go out for some entertainment? Just the two of us."

"You want to bait the Venatori with a double bait," Lucanis smirked. "Alright, I'm game. But not without equipment."

When Lucanis was satisfied with the selection of daggers and throwing knives on his person and Anders had discretely stuffed his own dagger and Arcane Sphere into the folds of his robe, they left the Pavus Manor and looked around.

"Anywhere in particular?" Lucanis saw several bars dotted around these upper class streets.

"The Gay Vint, I think," Anders pointed it out.

"Shouldn't you have Dorian with you for that rather than me?" Lucanis grinned.

"That was the only place where we got information last time around," Anders shook his head. "It's more about the prestige and the stature than about love preferences. It's also about having pockets full of coin - the place is outright expensive." He checked his coin purse to make sure they could actually afford The Gay Vint. "But yes, it does give you a certain connotation... or would you rather not?"

"You do like to walk close to the edge," Lucanis smirked. "I don't care. Let them talk. There's talk already, seeing how I never married."

"You kissed me. Repeatedly." Anders turned to face Lucanis. "What did you mean?"

"Your blood is sweet," Lucanis smiled. "I don't drink it but I can smell it. Your magic tickles. Yours is a life I would not wish to take, and yet it belongs to me - I have the contract."

"Is that it - I am just a target to you?" Anders' voice fell.

"There's no such a thing as 'just' a target, not for me," Lucanis shook his head. "Not for a long time already. I don't get routine jobs, you know. Every one of my targets is someone special. Besides, I have not yet accepted the validity of the contract on your life. It was issued to a rogue group, that is true - a group that no longer exists, I might add. By all laws and rules, I inherit the contract. But you are right, there's more."

"So, you choose not to answer my question," Anders inclined his head. "Very well. Come - The Gay Vint awaits."

When they entered The Gay Vint, the atmosphere inside was already dim with cigar smoke and foggy with the fumes of the waterpipes. The barman nodded to Anders recognising him from his previous visit, and Anders nodded back, indicating that they would have the same as last time - the best whisky in the house. "Wanted" posters with his likeness had disappeared from the walls, he noticed - undoubtedly Dorian's influence. The band was playing some undefined tune giving the place an eerie feel of neither here nor there. There were a lot of customers - nearly every table was taken. Lucanis pointed out one against the side wall, out of the way yet in full view of the rest of the room, and it was free.

"Ideal," he nodded to Anders.

They sat down and started watching the room. No one turned to look at them, yet they felt eyes from every direction.

"That mage in a blue robe over there," Lucanis discretely pointed across the room. "The one talking to a lady in pale pink... he's been staring at you ever since we entered."

"Yes, I noticed," Anders nodded. "But I've never seen him before."

"Well, he's seen you before," Lucanis smirked. "Or at least he knows who you are."

The band started playing an actual song and some people took to the dance floor, closing the view of the mage in a blue robe. The waiters navigated between the dancers delivering another round of drinks. When the song finished and everyone returned to their tables, neither the mage in blue nor his lady companion were there.

"Next time the band is playing a song, we should dance," Lucanis said quietly. "We now lost our quarry."

"I don't know if they were our quarry," Anders shrugged. "But sure. Moving about without attracting attention may be a good idea." He waved his hand calling for a waterpipe. "We can't just sit here openly watching the room," he smiled.

"I don't see how having a cloud of fog right in front of us is going to be helpful," Lucanis scowled. "What's in the pipe?"

"Tobacco, I suppose," Anders took a puff. "With spice."

"Don't get your head muddled up with that spice," Lucanis took over and had a puff too. "Well, it's mild, at least. And look over there - someone else is watching you. A flamboyant fellow, if I ever saw one..."

"Oh, I know that one," Anders laughed, waving to him. "Damien, one of Dorian's friends. He's the one we talked to last time."

He didn't have time for further explanations as Damien approached their table.

"Nice to see you again, Anders," Damien greeted him, pulling up a chair. "And - Lucanis, I presume? The Demon of Vyrantium himself, here at The Gay Vint? Nothing to worry about, I hope?"

"Lucanis Dellamorte of the Antivan Crows, at your service," Lucanis bowed slightly. "Not on business today, so nothing to worry about."

"A lot of people here are not so sure," Damien drew his eyes over the crowd. "Seeing the two of you together, here on a hunt... because of course this is no social visit." He leaned back in his chair, sipping his whisky.

"I noticed a few glances, yes," Anders smiled. "But then there was a dance and the people in question left by the time it ended."

"Because they noticed you notice," Damien nodded. "You need to be a lot more overt if you want to stir anything up. Because that's what you're here for... a double bait. But no one wants to put themselves in such a double jeopardy, against a blood mage and an assassin of blood mages... it must be terrifying to face the two of you in battle."

"You don't seem terrified," Lucanis smiled, scanning the scene. "Quite a lot of people are watching, to be sure."

"I am not your target," Damien shrugged. "I am also Dorian's friend. Well, close enough," he smirked. "So as a friend... Anders, will you dance with me?" He got up, offering Anders a hand, just as the band started playing another song.

"I'd be delighted," Anders joined him, throwing a glance back at Lucanis who nodded. The song was a mellow one, the dance not too fast and not too close, and the dance floor quickly filled up.

Lucanis watched the crowd at first, but not seeing anything of interest, he shifted his gaze to Anders and Damien who kept to the edge, clearly trying to stay in view and not be lost among the other dancers. They performed a formal routine... well-known steps of "middle class" dance, one meant for people who didn't really know each other. Lucanis wondered who ordered that particular tune... it could have been Damien. Perhaps a change of pace was due. He signaled a waiter, then whispered a few words, the waiter nodded and smiled, and walked over to the band. A few minutes later the previous song ended and the tune blended into a different one, with a piano and a guitar intermezzo announcing the transition. The dance floor changed, some people left, other people joined it, but Anders and Damien stayed, their dance steps adapting slightly to the new tune, but generally remaining the same.

Quem dorme à noite comigo?
É meu segredo!
Mas se insistirem, lhes digo.

The singer's sensual voice sounded secretive and urgent. "Medo," Lucanis thought, picking up the Tevinter lyrics. "She carries it well." He got up and went to the dance floor.

"Allow me this dance," he approached Anders, and Damien bowed out. "I hope you know the steps."

"We'll make them up as we go," Anders smiled. This was a Tevinter tango, not the usual Antivan variety and not sung in Antivan. The guitar was competing with the piano, this was a song of longing for something that never was, and the singer's voice carried the mood, both languid and hoarse at once.

"This is a close dance," Lucanis pulled Anders in the grip of a tango. "We dance like we dance it in Antiva," he led Anders' leg with his, their hips locked. "The same close steps."

O medo mora comigo,
Mas só o medo!

The singer wasn't rushing the song, leaving plenty of time between verses for the guitar and the piano, and thus, when she did sing, her voice became the focus of the tune, an arbiter or a reminder.

E cedo, porque me embala
Num vaivém de solidão,
É com silêncio que fala...

"E cedo," Anders repeated, but took the lead instead. "But we are in Tevinter, we do not dance like in Antiva." With their hips still locked, he now led Lucanis, sliding his leg up and down and moving the lock to the chest, releasing the hips.

There were no particular steps to the Tevinter tango, apart from the basic rhythm. It was a dance of the moment, invented by the dancers for that one time. Lucanis smiled - he always preferred that freedom to the more restrictive ways of the Antivan tango.

"No need to rub your leg against my groin, you know I've got the coin to pay you," he grinned, noticing the change in step.

Gritar? Quem pode salvar-me
Do que está dentro de mim?

People on the dance floor weren't paying attention to other couples, each focusing on their own dance, their own story. People who remained at their tables were watching the dance floor... Were they watching anyone in particular? Some might have been... Which story was being told? Anders felt eyes upon them, and that was what they were there for, that was why they were doing that dance... that was the plan, at least... but as Lucanis pulled him in an embrace and their lips met in a kiss, he forgot about the plan long enough to just hear the singer... Quem pode salvar-me do que está dentro de mim? And when the kiss ran out and the legs carried on making more steps, the lock moved to the eyes, releasing the body to move at will. Anders fell back and Lucanis caught him, twirling out of the way of another kiss, then falling back into a hip lock. The guitar and the piano were having a lengthy discourse, and the dancers had all the time to unfold their stories.

"Next time you sleep in my bed, you sleep with me," Lucanis whispered in Anders' ear. "No more holding back."

"I won't if you don't," Anders smiled. "Just how far do you want to go?"

Gostava até de matar-me.

The singer brought another verse like a cry of desperation and deliverance at once, she really did carry the song.

"How far will you take me?" Lucanis twisted away like he would in a fight, avoiding his opponent's sword, then fell onto Anders, pushing him low, almost to the floor, then catching him at the last moment and pulling him up again, his hand level with Anders' heart...

"Over the bridge," Anders laughed, sliding Lucanis' arms up to wrap around his neck, then taking him into a tango grip with his hands just below the waist. "If you let me..."

Mas eu sei que ele há-de esperar-me
Ao pé da ponte do fim.

The singer's voice trailed off, the guitar and the piano taking over completely, pushing the words away, rewriting the memory for those who dared.

...

"From the gentleman in green at the back table," the waiter put a note on their table, once they were seated again, the dance over. Anders picked up the note and looked in the direction the waiter had indicated - a richly dressed mage in a green robe was smiling at him and nodded seeing the note.

"Meet me behind The Swan in half an hour or so," he read the note to Lucanis. "Bring your friend. It is always better with a threesome."

"We got what we wanted," Lucanis smirked, nodding to the mage. "But I doubt it's about love."

"How far will this go, I wonder?" Anders mused, taking a large gulp of his whisky. "We should be ready."

"We are," Lucanis felt the knives and daggers tucked about his person. "As ready as we can be. Remember our date - I want to see that bridge, with you still among the living."

"And you," Anders gave him a look. "This is every bit about eliminating you as well as me. A true double jeopardy."

...

The alley behind The Swan was of course a trap, but not an overt one. The alley itself was empty, the mage in green was waiting there when Anders and Lucanis approached.

"Please follow me into the house," the mage said politely. "We shouldn't be conducting business in a back alley like some ruffians," he smirked. "We are nothing of the sort."

He turned and walked into the darkness, and Anders and Lucanis followed. The alley gave to a sturdy door, almost imperceptible against the back wall; the door opened to a warm, rich interior, no place for ruffians indeed. They stepped in, the door closed behind them and a mechanism was heard bolting it tight. The trap was sprung.

The mage in green turned around and picked up a staff, two more mages stepped out of the door openings, and several brutes armed with hand scythes stepped out before them, with more brutes undoubtedly waiting behind. Anders took out his arcane sphere, there was no room for a staff anyway. The sphere delivered different spells, but at close range it was a better weapon. Lucanis pulled out two short swords. The game was on.

...

"Why hand scythes?" Lucanis stood over a heap of corpses a few minutes later. "It doesn't seem to be a very effective weapon..."

"These were blood mages," Anders went through the pockets of the three mages, then proceeded testing out their staves. "The scythes were not meant to kill but to wound - to let the blood flow. These brutes were slaves no doubt, they never stood a chance... they weren't meant to stand a chance. They were primed as donors for blood magic already," Anders pointed at some tell-tale scars and tattoos. "Anyway, this was peanuts. I'll take one of their staves, they are not bad. We should proceed inside... I assume you agree?" He looked at Lucanis.

"Of course," he nodded, his face set. "I have the feeling this is Zara's abode..."

The underground complex was quite extensive and going through it was very much like going through Lucanis' villa room by room. Anders made it a point to pick up any potions along the way and to stop and heal every wound before continuing. Lucanis was again getting impatient.

"Let's just get on with it already!" He exclaimed angrily several times.

"No and no!" Anders insisted. "That's exactly what they want! That's why all the hand scythes! They cannot use our blood for magic just now, but they aim to weaken us all the same! Now hold still!!"

Lucanis could not pretend not to see the truth in that reasoning, and so he sighed and held still while Anders was healing every little flesh wound every time.

Eventually they entered a room with a pool.

"Not another pool of blood?!" Lucanis exclaimed in disgust when he saw what was in it.

"How rude of you to interrupt a lady while she's bathing!" A shrill female voice came from further in. "Illario didn't have the guts to kill you, I see," she smirked. "But I have no such problem! Your blood will add to the pool!"

"Zara..!" Lucanis turned to the voice and saw a woman in a red bathing suit rise from the pool... then he looked closer... that was no bathing suit... the blood from the pool was clinging to her skin.

This was no ordinary fight. The pool wasn't deep but the blood in it was far less diluted than at the villa in Treviso, and the woman was using it to replenish her magicka and to heal her wounds. She did not need to have a bleeding slave to perform a blood magic ritual - she had all the blood she wanted right there at her fingertips, and she used it for every spell she knew, nearly exploding the room itself in a blast of lightening.

"Came to play magic with me, Anders?" She cried out and laughed. "By all means! Help yourself to the blood, too! Let's have a party!"

"A party that would have us killed," Anders muttered in derision. "No, I had another strategy in mind..."

Rather than fight Zara head on, Anders decided to try and disrupt her healing and perhaps her ability to use the blood in the pool for her ends. A blood mage that was bleeding, could not heal effectively, that was the drawback of blood magic that won them many battles; but Zara seemed to have overcome that problem with her pool. Lucanis wounded her repeatedly, yet she didn't seem to weaken, and the blood clinging to her skin seemed to close any wounds and prevent bleeding out. How was that achieved? What controlled the blood? Anders wondered while focusing on healing Lucanis and avoiding being hit by Zara's lightening. If he was going to strike, it had to count, otherwise he'd just waste his magicka and break their defence.

And then he saw it: a thin layer of red mist was rising from the blood. At first he thought it was simple fog, but then he noticed three red lyrium crystals installed at the edges of the pool. The mist was magical, maintained by those crystals. He shot a bolt of lightning at one, but the crystal did not shatter - something else was protecting it in turn.

"You think Neve Gallus works for you," Zara sneered, watching his experiment. "She may do, but she is rather a toothless dragon now. She'd been with the Venatori for much longer than she'd been with her new friends, the Shadow Dragons. Neve is an expert in runes like these. Did she not tell you how to disarm them?" She laughed derisively, hitting Lucanis with another lightning bolt. "I'll kill your friend first, then you're next, Anders. You have until he's dead."

"Get the runes!" Lucanis shouted, launching another attack on Zara. "We cannot win while she's healing!"

"As you say..!" Zara laughed, leaving herself completely exposed to Lucanis' sword, receiving a deep wound that should have killed her, then instantly healing with the blood from the pool. "I do rather enjoy this dance!"

Anders climbed out of the pool and approached one of the crystals. Not wishing to waste his magicka, he hit it with his dagger to see what happened. The crystal emitted a soft, high pitched tone, vibrating for a few seconds, the stabilised and became still again. Anders hit it harder, and a fracture appeared, but similarly to Zara, the crystal healed itself. "What is the source of that power?" Anders wondered, looking around. A very faint red beam of light was streaming into the crystal from further in the room. It was very hard to see, but Anders followed it to the wall. A rune was drawn on it, with another red lyrium crystal in its centre. His first impulse was to hit the crystal with his dagger again to test the response, but something stopped him. What if the rune around the crystal was a protective shield? Or a mine perhaps? With the power of red lyrium, it could even knock him out. But how to know what it was? "Neve is an ice mage," Anders recalled. "If she sat up these runes... chances are, they are frost based. Let's try fire." He took a few steps back and shot a mild fireball at the rune. The frost enchantment came to life and all but evaporated it, but a small burn was seen, and would not recover. "So, fire." His next fireball was larger, causing a sizable explosion just above the rune, and the shock wave knocked him back. The rune wasn't giving up easily. Yet another part of it was burned out. "I don't have the time to go slow," Anders shook his head, watching Lucanis dance around Zara, looking pale. Yet getting knocked out by a rune would be counter-productive. He took a few more steps back, up to a column by the pool. "Let's hope this masonry holds," he sighed. His next fireball was massive. He expected a shock wave back and hid behind the column, hugging it tightly. The stone shook but held. The crystal in the centre of the rune shuttered in the blast. The thin beam of light vanished - the first crystal was now unprotected. Not leaving his post, Anders shot a lighting bolt at it, and it shuttered too.

"What?! You naughty boy!!!" Zara yelled, as the explosions reverberated in the room. "You broke one of my crystals!" She shrieked and laughed. "For all the good that it'll do you! Lucanis is all but dead!"

"Not dead yet!" Lucanis called out. "Keep going!"

"Not dead yet, but sounding weak," Anders noted with worry.

He tried to be as quick as he could. Tracking the beam of light from another crystal, locating another rune, finding cover and shooting a massive fireball... two massive fireballs, as it happened, then a lightning bolt at the crystal by the pool. It took a lot of magicka... he didn't have any left.

"You'll be drained of magicka by now, my boy!" Zara shrieked again. "These red lyrium crystals pack a lot of power, and Neve did a good job on her frost runes! Oh yes, she set them up, you figured it out. Well, why don't you use the blood in the pool to power your next fireball?"

"Don't listen to her!!" Lucanis cried from a far corner. "This isn't regular blood! Use your own!"

"Enchanted, perhaps," Anders nodded to himself, running to the final crystal to start the next cycle of tracking and blasting. "One more crystal. Let's hope I won't have to fight after that... this will take a lot of blood." The red lyrium crystal in the centre of the rune was enormous. How many fireballs would it take to burn through? He slit his wrist and started casting. "Four... five!" A massive explosion shook the room and several columns shattered, including the one Anders was using for cover. He was thrown to the floor, he nearly fell into the pool. A thin layer of red mist was still hanging over the surface of the blood-tainted water. The final crystal. Anders sat up and shot a lightning bolt. The crystal vibrated but held. "Self-powering," Anders reflected. "It had to be. The final rune. Well... I still have some blood..." He gathered all of his magicka, made a fresh cut and summoned a thunderstorm. A giant lightning bolt shot at the crystal from above, splitting it in two, then shattering the pieces. The noise was deafening. Several more columns collapsed, and it looked like the ceiling might cave in as well, but it held. The mist over the red water of the pool vanished. The enchantment was broken.

"Oiiii!!!!" Zara's shriek ripped through the thunder. She jumped out of the pool, as the water was of no further use. She was running towards Anders, completely ignoring Lucanis for the moment. He took off after her, but he was a distance behind her, with rubble blocking his way. "You die now, Anders!!!" Zara was upon him, shooting lightning as she ran, but her aim was poor and Anders managed to roll away from the bolts, too weak to stand. He was taking cover behind a piece of a column, his dagger at the ready - he had no more magicka for a spell of his own, but he was rather good with a blade...

Zara leapt, lightning streaming from her fingers, a dagger of her own poised to strike. "You die!!!" She cried one more time.

"No, you die!!!" A hoarse, hissing voice came out of nowhere, Lucanis diving from above... his spirit wings having carried him high. "You die now, Zara!!" His dagger found her heart, he did not miss.

For a moment everything was still. Zara lay on the floor and did not move, the wound in her chest was bleeding out and did not close. Anders sat up. Lucanis unsheathed his sword and cut off Zara's head.

"I don't normally take souvenirs, but this time I'll make an exception," he said, holding up the head and letting it bleed out. "Zara is no more." His spirit wings were still spread at his back. "Contract complete," Spite's hissing voice confirmed. "Partner."

...

"Zara is done," Lucanis planted Zara's head on the table in the salon of the Pavus Manor. "Neve is next."

"Neve?" Dorian looked up. "She was there?"

"She wasn't but the runes were hers," Lucanis shrugged. "Her life belongs to me, I have a contract," he smiled thinly. "Issued by Zara here. And it is up to me what to do..." His smile grew cold. "You tell her that."

"Neve is not to be trusted," Anders stepped forward, pale as a sheet. "We'll talk later, this will wait, won't it, Lucanis?" He shot him a glance and Lucanis nodded. "You and I have a date to keep."



~~~~~~~~~~~
Music by Amália Rodrigues, listen here, the second version with the guitar and piano discourse.

[macole]

A tango, dance magic at its finest. Thanks for including the Amália Rodrigues link.

[Lena Wolf]

Morning Star, 3E411 - Loose ends

"So, you can smile after all, Lucanis!" Harding exclaimed in mock surprise at breakfast.

"Of course I can smile, what are you talking about?" Lucanis scowled.

"I'm just saying..." Harding winked and giggled.

"Nice to see you putting my tutoring to good use," Dorian smiled at Anders. "If you want any more lessons..."

"Oh cut it out, will you?!" Anders glared at them, helping himself to jam.

"They won't if you two keep giving them cause," Emmrich smiled pleasantly. "In a house with this many servants any juicy stories travel fast, complete and in every detail."

"What detail?!" Lucanis exclaimed indignantly. "We aren't doing it when servants are present!"

"There are keyholes, my friend," Emmrich winked. "Augmented by vivid imagination."

"One look at you, Kadash, and I start imagining all sorts of juicy details," Taash laughed, looking at Anders. "Of course, I don't need to imagine them. Memory serves. Do let me know when you want seconds!"

"Did you sleep with everyone here?!" Lucanis glared at him.

"No, not everyone..." Anders shook his head as vigorously as he dared (just how much did he drink last night?).

"Not everyone, but not for the lack of trying," Harding smirked. "He isn't a shrinking violet, if you get my meaning!" She grinned at Lucanis.

"I think he might have noticed any shrinkage," Bellara suddenly joined in. "I know I didn't."

"Bellara???" Lucanis looked genuinely surprised. "Really?"

"What?" Anders shrugged. "We were bored..."

"You better not let him get bored," Davrin delivered his verdict, shooting a glance at Lucanis. "Grey Wardens don't have a good track record when they are bored. Have you tried his Conscription Ale yet?"

"A what???" Lucanis put down his toast and focused on coffee.

"It's a personal liqueur, every Warden has his own bottle," Davrin explained. "A blend of whatever. I hear Anders made his extra strong before coming here."

"Don't touch it if you value your liver!" Varric grimaced remembering his own experience. "How Wardens can stand such stuff, I shall never know! It's like drinking sodding flames!"

"Nothing burns like the Joining Cup!" Anders and Davrin replied in unison and laughed.

All in all, it was a beautiful morning.

...

"Do you need us any time soon, Kadash?" Taash asked Anders when breakfast was over. She had her arm around Harding who was about half of Taash's height.

"Need for what?" Anders looked puzzled. "Oh, fighting... probably not... why?"

"I want to take Harding dragon hunting," Taash grinned. "My axes and her bow... no dragon will be safe from us! Emmrich tells me there are still some good ones in Nevarra..."

"There used to be some good ones in Nevarra until they were all hunted to extinction three hundred years ago..." Emmrich rolled his eyes. "You know that."

"I know," Taash smiled. "But may be we'll find something else to do, should we get bored..."

"Speaking of travels, I'd like to look in on those young griffins, and Azzan wants to stretch his wings," Davrin joined in. "He's fed up with the rat diet in Minrathous," he scowled. "And since you just killed Zara, I figured..."

"Yeah, go on, why not," Anders smiled at them. "It's not like we have any leads right now. Come back though, we're not done yet."

Most people left the breakfast room but Anders and Lucanis were still sipping their coffee.

"We should return to Treviso," Lucanis said after a pause. "Illario has to be dealt with."

"What do you want to do with him?" Anders looked up.

"I cannot kill him, he is like a brother to me..." Lucanis sighed. "No matter what he'd done..."

"He is the reason you now have Spite," Anders gave him a long look.

"I know... and yet..."

"Then let's go and see... Caterina is waiting."

"I have accepted Spite," Lucanis said quietly. "I shall live as an abomination."

"I knew it when I saw your wings," Anders nodded. "You aren't... well... it isn't black and white. I knew a lady who had the Spirit of Faith in her, the same as you. It happens."

"It happened to you as well," Lucanis shot him a glance. "But you wanted Justice out."

"We weren't a very good match..." Anders sighed. "Justice was so forceful, so forthright... so righteous... and I..."

"And you like to walk the edge," Lucanis nodded. "Not just close, but right on top."

"One day it'll get me killed," Anders smirked.

"Not while you are with me," Lucanis smiled. "I really don't care who else you slept with. Let them talk."

"Caterina won't approve," Anders suddenly remembered her face.

"Caterina might surprise you," Lucanis smiled. "Besides, I am no longer a little boy in need of approval."

"Yet you won't punish Illario."

"And you have another cat. Again."

It was true. A tabby kitten found its way into Anders' things. There always seemed to be one around, wherever Anders went. The Wardens had long given up trying to get rid of them.

"Other Wardens have griffins or Mabari hounds, and that's permitted," Anders scowled. "I don't see why I cannot have a cat."

"Because it's soft and fluffy and makes you soft too?" Lucanis repeated the argument that Anders once told him about.

"Ah, you remembered," Anders smiled. "Yeah... oh well."

...

They took the portal to Treviso and stood in Lucanis' family villa a few hours later. The house was silent, there didn't seem to be any Venatori about. They went looking for Caterina, eventually finding her pushing chairs back against the walls in the theatre.

"Caterina, what are you doing?!" Lucanis ran up to her. "All this work... surely, servants can move furniture for you!"

"I am not dead yet and I can do it myself," she answered defiantly. "Luca... you've returned." She put down the chair and squeezed him in an embrace. "I was worried."

"Zara is dead," Lucanis said when she finally released him. "I suppose you know."

"Illario told me, yes," she nodded.

"Where is he?" Lucanis tensed.

"Scrubbing the pool," Caterina grinned. "With a toothbrush."

"That's cruel," Lucanis wrinkled his nose. "Just like when we were kids."

"I did much worse things to you when you were kids," Caterina sighed. "But after both of your parents were killed... all I had left were my two grandsons... I was cruel, I know. The punishment for failing in your training was too harsh. But you are still alive, despite..." She shook her head, regret burning her face.

"It was cruel and I resented you for it," Lucanis nodded. "Illario didn't get punished nearly as much."

"Illario didn't get into trouble nearly as much," Caterina objected. "You were always out, always exploring, pockets full of pebbles, spiders, scorpions even! You neglected your training too much."

"I... tried other things," Lucanis smiled.

"And that is why you are still alive, despite it all," Caterina smiled and hugged him again. "I know what happened, what you have become..." She shot a glance at Anders. "I know that he knows how it is. My Luca... an abomination..." She sighed and shook her head.

"Well, I cannot lead the Crows now," Lucanis said evenly. "Illario will have to do it, to keep it in the family."

"Illario will NOT lead the Crows!" Caterina cried in indignation. "Not after what he'd done." She turned around and paced the room. "No, I cannot permit it. You could lead the Crows of course, but I know you don't want it. We'll give it away. We have cousins. The Crows always change hands, perhaps it is time..."

"Then... I can leave?" Lucanis sounded surprised, hardly believing what he was hearing. "Not leave the Crows, but may be go away for a while..?"

"You want to spend time with your friend," Caterina smiled and frowned at once. "I am not blind, I see what is going on! You never married... In just a few years Mathilde will be too old to have children - you can marry her then, she is still waiting... You could have had a life together! But no, you did not want a family with the Crows..." She shook her head with scorn. "Do you love her still?" She faced Lucanis who looked gaunt, his eyes burning with fever. "I thought as much. That is why you now chose a man. No woman could replace Mathilde." She paused, watching Lucanis. "I too was young once... But the tango is not just for the young."

She walked over to Anders and faced him, he felt her gaze penetrating every secret he ever had.

"Keep him safe, blood mage," she said gravely. "A Grey Warden, you will next go after the Blight... and my Luca will come with you. Do not get him blighted or worse... He is a Crow, not a Grey Warden!" She said with emphasis. "Conscription Rite be damned..." She shook her head and looked away. "But then again, if you Wardens don't stop this Blight... nothing will matter anyway..."

"There is no one in Thedas I care for more," Anders said softly. "But it is as you say - we go after the Blight."

"Come back and see us from time to time," she smiled, putting her hand on his cheek. "Anders... This is the second assassin you Wardens 'borrow' from the Crows, and the first one is yet to return!"

"Zevran? But his life was forfeit..."

"At first," Caterina nodded. "But after that Blight he and his Warden returned and, well, they were very persuasive!" She gave a short laugh. "Zevran is wanted back! But he won't return for as long as his Warden lives... Will you not follow him as well? He left but you stayed behind..."

"I had to face life on my own," Anders smiled.

"With a hole through your heart?" Caterina looked him in the eye. "Aye, life is like a tango."

With Caterina back in control of the Crows, business at the villa was concluded. Yet, when Lucanis turned to leave, Caterina called him back.

"One more thing, Luca," she handed him a note. "Neve Gallus is here, with a plight to annul the contract on her life. Now that Zara is dead, it is permitted. Have you made up your mind yet?"

"Neve is a traitor," Lucanis paled. "Her runes were all over that pool in Zara's mansion."

"But she claims to have set them up before she realised what Zara was doing at her underwater prison." Caterina paused, watching Lucanis. "Before she started implanting demons into people... before you were captured."

"It isn't about me!" Lucanis cried, anger rising in him. "It isn't even about Zara! Neve had a chance to prove her loyalty, to tell us how to find Zara. Yet she flatly refused every time, leading us on a goose chase. She knew about that mansion since her runes were all over the pool!" He glared.

"And so she didn't betray Zara," Caterina shook her head. "Even despite the contract on her life. But she also did not betray you to Zara, even though that was the very reason the contract was enacted. All she had to do was bring you in..."

"But instead we had to walk into that trap on our own in order to find Zara," Lucanis scowled.

"It was your choice to bait her," Caterina objected. "You and Anders are walking too close to the edge..."

"The edge is where the action is, grandmother," Lucanis dismissed the argument, his face set. "The contract stands. Unless you order me to annul it... you are in charge."

"This one is up to you," she smiled. "But if you wait too long, she may turn against you."

"Zara may be dead, but her work is still there," Lucanis shook his head. "Someone else will pick it up and carry on. We need to know when that happens. With Neve in limbo, we'll hear about it. She is bait, Caterina."

"It's a dangerous game you're playing," she sighed. "But that's who you are. Be careful of this one scorpion in your pocket - she will sting you."

"And then she will die," Lucanis smiled. "She has until she betrays us."

"I see." Caterina shook her head and sighed. "Go now, I'll handle the rest. Enjoy Treviso for a while... Grey Wardens gather in the Anderfels, I expect you will soon be off. But there's still time for another tango, Antivan style."

She hugged Lucanis again, and then hugged Anders, quite unexpectedly, and without a word. They said their goodbyes and stepped out into an early evening in Treviso. Music was heard in the distance, coffee aroma was floating in the air. There was still time to relax, Antivan style.

[Lena Wolf]

Morning Star, 3E411 - An evening in Treviso

"Coffee?" Lucanis' answer to everything was coffee. "I need to get my head around of what just happened."

"Yeah, that was... unexpected," Anders nodded. From all possible Caterina's reactions to Lucanis' refusal to lead the Crows, acceptance was among the impossible. And yet, she must have decided it already a while back - she would hand over the Crows to some cousins instead of her favourite grandson. But Lucanis didn't want it and Illario was out of the question after all his treason... and Caterina chose to pass the Crows on so that Lucanis could join Anders in the fight against the Blight... "He is a Crow, not a Grey Warden!" That was all she said... Lucanis was not to be conscripted, but other than that... "It is the second assassin that Grey Wardens 'borrow' from the Crows!" Oh yes, Zevran was the first.

Caterina was in no rush to step down though. She would lead the Crows for a while yet, but Lucanis was no longer expected to eventually take over. That meant the world to him.

Treviso was descending into the evening, and Lucanis picked up the pace going straight to his favourite cafe. It seemed the whole city was out and about. The cafe was packed, but someone waved from a back table.

"Viago and Teia!" Lucanis pointed out his friends. "Let's see what they've heard already!"

"Congratulations!" Viago shook Lucanis' hand eagerly, all smiles, with Teia seconding him.

"Thanks, but what exactly have you heard?" Lucanis grinned, thinking they only knew half of the story.

"Why, Zara is dead, of course!" Viago gave him a broad grin. "It's the talk of the town! Well, among the Crows, at least. And Illario's role has not gone unnoticed," he frowned. "Caterina is back, and it won't be long before you're the head of the Crows!"

"Right on the first point, wrong on the last," Lucanis was savouring the pleasure of surprising him. "Caterina will pass the Crows onto some cousins. I will not take over."

"Oh! That is indeed a surprise!" Viago and Teia exclaimed in unison. "But why?"

"You know I've always dreaded this," Lucanis shrugged. "Grandmother spared me that agony."

"Dreaded... if the Demon of Vyrantium ever dreads anything..." Teia shook her head. "But then congratulations are even more in order! We'll have you back on contracts then?"

"Err... no," Lucanis smiled. "Not yet. I'll be joining Grey Wardens going after the Blight. Without becoming a Warden myself, mind."

"You'll be joining Anders here, you mean," Viago smirked. "It's unusual as far as honey moon destinations go... but whatever," he winked.

"Honey moon..?" It was Lucanis' turn to be surprised.

"Oh come now, it's obvious!" Teia laughed. "That's the other thing the whole town is talking about - and not just the Crows! Lucanis Dellamorte is no longer single!"

"That turned a few heads," Viago seconded. "And... well... never mind."

"Mathilda?" Lucanis asked, his face darkening.

"There's talk..." Viago nodded. "You know she recently widowed... by our hand. I suppose she expected..."

"That I marry her," Lucanis said gravely. "I know. I thought of this. I..." He paused, looking away. "It's been over twenty five years... since... we last spoke," he shook his head. "I am not certain whether it is the same woman... or may be the one I still love remained in the past?"

"You could have at least talked to her since her husband's death," Viago pointed out. "It was before your imprisonment."

"But what if she's changed?"

"Then you'll know it," Teia said quietly. "As it is, you are still thinking of the girl from twenty five years ago."

"I haven't spoken to her since she married," Lucanis nodded.

"She had no children," Viago added.

"You should find out," Teia agreed.

"Well... I'm not so sure," Lucanis looked away, focusing on his coffee.

They sat in silence for a while, then a street minstrel brought a song into the room.

"I am sorry, we should not have spoken of this," Viago touched Lucanis' hand. "It is none of our business. We are happy you finally found someone who is not family or a contract. Perhaps the past should remain in the past."

"Perhaps you should show Anders what Treviso has to offer," Teia smiled. "Tortoni has a new band, I hear they are quite good..."

"Tortoni always has good music," Viago agreed. "Even if it is often Orlaisian..."

"Well, what do you expect from an Orlaisian immigrant?" Teia shrugged. "But he knows his cooking..."

"Orlaisians usually do..."

"As do Antivans," Lucanis pointed out. "But why not. Shall we all go? Or do you have plans?"

"No plans," Teia said quickly, shooting a stringent glance at Viago. "Let's go!"

...

Cafe Tortoni was packed as usual, but there was always a table free for the Crows, especially this one Crow that the whole town was talking about - Lucanis. They refused the menu, only taking light tapaz and an invariable bottle of wine - Rioja Reserva, and none of that sweet Tevinter nonsense, as Antivans liked to point out. The night was young, and Tortoni's cellars were well stocked, with Rioja Granda replacing Reserva as the evening wore on.

The band was playing tango. One after the other, with tunes blending seamlessly into one continuous stream of music. There was no singer, the accordion was taking the lead instead. The dance floor was packed as densely as the room, cigar smoke mixing with that of cigarillos, large fans moving it up and away. The dancers seemed to be smoking too... Like at The Gay Vint, most dancers were focusing on their own dance, but the steps were more precise, more measured, as the rhythm of the Antivan tango was sharply punctuated with every beat... One, two, three, turn... one, two, three, turn... After a while Anders started noticing the difference among the dancers. While simple steps were most prevalent, some couples put a lot more variation into their dances, with daring acrobatic moves stealing the show.

"The Crows like to show off," Viago pointed them out. "We train in acrobatics from our youth, for professional reasons, you understand, but it also comes in handy on the dance floor."

"I see a lot of elaborate moves and very little passion," Anders commented, watching the floor.

"It's the music," Viago nodded. "Wait until the singer appears."

Several bottles of Rioja later, there was a subtle change. The accordionist slumped on a stool at the bar, tired after a long performance; several other musicians changed. A saxophone, a violin, a cello joined the jam... and yet the vibe did not change until the singer appeared.

Bésame, bésame mucho
Como si fuera esta noche la última vez...

The famous song walked in and took possession of the room. For a moment the dance floor froze, as if asking itself whether it was ready for real emotion. Some dancers were, others weren't. The time for acrobatics was over. The sax and the violin played a duet allowing the floor to make up its mind.

"And this is tango Antivan style," Lucanis got Anders to his feet. "None of that showy nonsense. Come - we start with the same basic steps..."

The voice, so deep it could be male, was nonetheless unmistakably female, blending the boundaries of perception. A woman in the second half of her life, simple and barefoot, sang effortlessly, her intimate words meant for just the one person in the room... and every person felt she sang to them.

The verses were simple; there wasn't much more to say, that first phrase carried all the love and the sadness at once. The saxophone, the guitar and the piano took turns to continue the conversation - the dance seemed to never end.

"They dance well together," Viago said quietly to Teia, watching Anders and Lucanis. "I wonder what they are talking about."

"Are they talking?" Teia followed them with her eyes. "They don't seem to need to."

"This is a song about losing someone you love, why would they dance to it?"

"May be they don't read too much into the lyrics and just enjoy the dance?" Teia smiled, putting her head on Viago's shoulder. "It's just a song..."

Quiero tenerte muy cerca
Mirarme en tus ojos, verte junto a mí...

"Just a song, eh?" Viago put his arm around her. "Bésame, bésame mucho..."

Anders and Lucanis were moving across the dance floor easily navigating between the other pairs as everyone seemed to be somehow always in step, and there was enough room for all the twirls and dives and even acrobatics, as out of place as it seemed in a tune like that. Lucanis was leading; just like in Minrathous, he let Anders fall in a deep dive, catching him at the last moment and bringing him up in a twirl just as the violin finished its phrase, with the saxophone taking over. And just like in Minrathous, Anders switched the step and took the lead.

"Que tengo miedo a perderte, perderte despué..." Lucanis mouthed with the singer.

"You won't lose me," Anders put out his hand in the fashion of the tango, taking Lucanis' in his. "We walk together." One, two, three, turn.

"To the gates of the Black City," Lucanis pressed his cheek to Anders', taking his lead in this tango. One, two, three, turn.

"As far as need be, I hear the song." A twirl, and back in step. One, two, three, turn.

"This isn't a tango," Lucanis smiled, changing step. "Although you can dance it as one." Another dive for Anders, with Lucanis catching him at the last moment.

"Antivan style," Anders smiled. "Nothing is as it seems."

The guitar won the argument this time, pushing both the saxophone and the piano to the background. It was a tango now.

Bésame, bésame mucho
Como si fuera esta noche la última vez
Bésame, bésame mucho
Que tengo miedo a perderte, perderte después...

"...perderte después..." It was now Anders mouthing the song.

"Not while I live," Lucanis caught him in an embrace, letting the legs do the slow steps.

"Is that a promise?" Anders smiled.

"It's a contract."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Music by Consuelo Velázquez sung by Cesária Évora -
listen here.

[Lena Wolf]

Morning Star, 3E411 - Another song

"Here we go again," Anders sat up in bed, having woken up in the middle of the night. "It's time."

"Hmm...?" Lucanis woke up too. "A nightmare?"

"The Blight is on the move," Anders straightened up, every frivolity evaporating from his person. "We leave in the morning, Lucanis. Minrathous, then on to the Anderfels."

"Luca... call me Luca," Lucanis put his hand on Anders' shoulder, sensing how tense he was. "And so it begins."

"The other Wardens will have sensed it too," Anders nodded. "But still, tell Spite to contact Avernus through the Fade... Tell Alistair to be ready."

"Avernus knows," a spectral crow appeared at Lucanis' shoulder. "He sends his regards," the crow hissed. "They will wait for your signal... you move first."

"Linus Kristavssen - that is my name," Anders turned to Lucanis. "I never told anyone. But we go to the land of my birth, and we may not return. I have a feeling this Blight will not be fought in the Deep Roads, but in the Anderfels. The fall of the Head Quarters was symbolic in more than one way."

"We'll do our best, Linus," Lucanis said softly.

"It's strange to hear you call me that," Anders smiled. "I haven't heard that name since I was little... I remember my mother calling me that... just barely, she died when I was too young... I remember my uncle and aunt saying my name... and it isn't something I'm fond of. When the templars took me to Ferelden, I would not tell them my name out of resentment at first, but then they called me Anders - one from the Anderfels - and I thought why not, it was a new start, why not leave my name behind... since my parents were dead anyway. What a thought for a seven year old..." He smirked. "I don't know if Linus is still alive."

"You chose a name that connects you to that frozen land every time someone speaks it," Lucanis inclined his head. "Anders. You carry the Anderfels with you wherever you go, even to your home in Ferelden. The Soldier's Peak is frozen too - it fits. But in the Anderfels you no longer need to be reminded. Linus isn't dead, he's just been waiting to return."

"I want my name to be known in case we perish," Anders nodded. "Anders, Mage of the Circle of Ferelden, Anders of the Order of the Grey of Ferelden, Linus Kristavssen of the Anderfels. That one has no titles."

It was still the early hours of the morning but neither of them could sleep any more. Lucanis got up and started making coffee.

"It isn't the first time you're going after the Blight," he said, shooting a glance at Anders. "But this Blight seems different."

"It is," Anders nodded. "The song has changed - the song of the Blight that I hear, that every Grey Warden hears. This Blight is going to test me on every level - as a mage, as a Warden, as a leader... that last one is a first for me, and that worries me the most."

"A good leader gets help, and that's what you've been doing," Lucanis pointed out. "Your team - yes, it is your team and not Varric's or Dorian's. We follow you, we stay because of you."

"It's ironic, really," Anders smirked. "Because I am Dorian's slave."

"He bought you out to save your life, no?" Lucanis shook his head. "So yes, officially, by Tevinter laws, you are his slave - in Tevinter only. But Dorian does not see you as a slave, and we all know that."

"Yeah... So I had to be bought out, or else I'd be dead." Anders tensed up, self-doubt eating at him. "How many times Wolf came to my rescue? I lost count. Wolf left, and now it's Dorian who stepped in, but the point remains - I have to be rescued. I always mess things up."

"And if you didn't keep sewing me up after that dragon fight, I'd be dead too," Lucanis reminded him. "And when Illario nearly killed Spite. And when we were going through the villa and through Zara's house - without you, I'd be long dead for sure. People need help sometimes," he smiled. "You get in trouble because you always walk the edge."

"Which is not something a leader should do!"

"Oh, I don't know," Lucanis squinted. "It really depends. In the case of this Blight, safety will get you nowhere. You are exactly the right man for the job."

They returned to Minrathous at the first light. The Pavus Manor was still asleep when they entered, and again Lucanis' response was to start making coffee. Soon the residents started getting up.

Dorian was the first to appear and signal the butler that breakfast should be hearty and served immediately. He wasn't a Grey Warden, but he still knew that something was afoot. Davrin arrived the previous evening without saying a word, and that put Dorian on edge.

"It's time," Anders nodded when Dorian asked about the Blight. "We've all heard the song."

"That explains Davrin," Dorian agreed. "But should we send word to the others? Taash and Harding are somewhere in Nevarra."

"I would be much surprised if they didn't turn up here today," Anders smiled. "Neither of them is a Grey Warden, but Harding still has connections, and I think she would have been informed. What of the others?"

"Emmrich and Bellara are here," Dorian looked around as if expecting them to enter the breakfast room any moment. "Neve... what do you want to do with Neve?" He looked at Lucanis.

"Neve is a traitor," Lucanis said coldly. "Set her loose and watch. She'll betray us at some point, and who she betrays us to will be more important than she herself. I shall kill her then."

"As you wish," Dorian nodded. "We shall set her free." He fumbled in the pockets of his robe looking for something, and Anders took advantage of the pause. He embraced Dorian and kissed him, disregarding the surprise.

"Thank you," Anders said. "Master."

"What..?" Dorian looked dazed, it was too early in the morning. "Master..? Oh right, yes, here, this is for you." He finally found what he was looking for - an official scroll with a seal of the Tevinter Magisterium. "I should have done it sooner. I do apologise for the delay."

It was a document declaring that Anders was no longer a slave of Dorian Pavus but a free man, no financial compensation required.

"We never thought you considered him a slave," Lucanis said, seeing the document. "And now it is official."

"That's not what I meant," Anders smiled. "Although thank you for that too."

"He meant us." Lucanis stood right behind him.

"For opening our minds." Anders still held Dorian in an embrace and he kissed him again, looking into his eyes.

"I... well... I am happy for the two of you," Dorian smiled. "Life isn't always clear-cut, is it?" He hugged Anders. "So, what now?"

"Now we go after the Blight," Anders suddenly looked serious. "Are you coming? We could use a mage of your power."

"Like in the old days, eh?" Dorian grinned. "Of course I'm coming. Varric too, he's been polishing his crossbow for several days already. We're with you, Anders," he added reassuringly.

"We should wait for everyone to assemble," Lucanis nodded. "Spite will open a portal to the old Grey Warden Head Quarters. He's got everything ready."

"Well," Dorian looked pleasantly surprised. "I am glad, Lucanis. It could not have been easy to accept."

"You have no idea," Lucanis said with a frown.

...

It was a grey cold mid-morning of the following day when Anders and his team stepped out of a portal in the middle of the ruined Grey Warden Head Quarters in the Anderfels. The portal closed and a spectral crow landed on Lucanis' shoulder. Davrin shot it a sideways glance and shivered. Azzan flapped his wings but didn't take flight. Emmrich smiled and nodded.

"Wardens?" Someone called to them from further in. "Who goes there?"

"Wardens Anders and Davrin with friends," Anders replied loudly. "Good to see someone is paying attention."

"There are just a few of us here," an elderly Warden approached. "Not really fit to fight after... you know," he shook his head. "But we keep watch. You heard the song, I take it?"

"It's hard to miss," Anders nodded.

"You should go to the other Keep," the Warden continued. "Antoine is there, they've had a lot of fighting. The Blight is on the move."

"Why there?" Anders squinted. "And not here, for example?"

"What's here is no longer important," the Warden shrugged. "Not to the Blight, that is. A bunch of old books is all that's left. Oh yes, and the Archdemon blood in the vaults... But if the Blight has a new living Archdemon, they don't care for the old blood in the vaults."

"The other Keep doesn't have anything special, but there are Grey Warden Vaults nearby," Davrin nodded. "The ones that keep the artefacts from all past Blights. They are said to be huge... a fortress in itself. No idea what's in there, we were never allowed in..."

"Who's guarding them?" Anders looked worried.

"No one..." Davrin shrugged. "Well, traps... you can't actually get in."

"Unless you really want to," Anders looked somber. "You've been to the Deep Roads? No? Well..."

"Deep Roads entrances are marked on this map," the elderly Warden handed Anders an old map with hand-made markings. "These..." he pointed out two or three, "...are just near the old Vaults here. There may be some inside as well. Take it. I have no need of it any more, I can find them in my sleep."

Anders thanked the Warden and took the map. He noticed black veins running along the Warden's wrist - he must have been hearing the song loud and clear, yet chose to resist for as long as he could. He didn't have much longer to live.

"Do you have enough mixtures for the pain?" Anders started offloading vials from his pack.

"We do, keep them," the Warden stopped him. "Take them where the fighting is. We'll manage back here. Come bury us if you survive - this is our last Blight."

"You have no mixtures, do you?" Anders squinted and shook his head but put the vials back into his pack. "Keep records. What is your name?"

"Roderik," the Warden replied. "Markus and Linus are back there, they don't walk very well, Anders of Ferelden..."

"Linus Kristavssen of the Anderfels," Anders said softly. "Your comrade's namesake. Tell him... there's another Linus with the Wardens."

"Good luck to you, Warden of the Anderfels," Roderik smiled. "Good luck to you too, Warden Davrin," he turned to Davrin who was listening with horror. "Let's hope you'll live to see black veins appear under your own skin, many years from now..."

...

"That Warden is all but consumed by the blight," Davrin was saying in a hushed voice as they were walking towards the other Keep. "Have you seen his veins? Yes, of course you have..." he shivered. "He must be in agony!"

"And yet he keeps to his duty," Anders pointed out. "Roderik, Markus and Linus... we must remember them."

"I can't imagine what it must be like... the song must be overwhelming," Davrin was still in shock.

"At this stage of blight consumption the pain almost blots out the song," Anders said quietly. "It varies from person to person... but that's what most of them report."

"You've seen a lot of dying Wardens, haven't you?" Davrin suddenly realised that Anders was a healer.

"No, I've seen only some, in the Deep Roads. The ones that went down fighting, at much earlier stages of the blight. I've seen a lot of blighted people though. At some point no mixture is strong enough to stop the pain..."

"What did you do?" Davrin stopped dead.

"It depends what they wanted," Anders stopped too, facing him. "Some wanted death, which I granted, others... well, it depends."

"Others wanted to join Grey Wardens to stop their blight," Davrin guessed. "Which you did not grant?" He raised an eyebrow.

"It's the wrong reason to join Grey Wardens," Anders' eyes were hard. "But it wasn't my decision. I put them in contact with whoever was in charge locally. Not many survive the Joining when they are so far gone."

"And those that do?" Davrin wanted to know. "Does it really stop their blight?"

"It doesn't, no," Anders shook his head. "But it slows it down and takes away most of the pain. It's like they get a boost, like they can go on for a while longer before succumbing to it. Like the Blight in the Archdemon's blood that hey drink combines with their own making them stronger... That's the terrifying thought - self-healing Blight. Antoine has been studying it..."

"Antoine is one of those Grey Wardens who joined because he was blighted," Davrin pointed out, resuming walking.

"Yes, and in Antoine's case my reservations don't hold," Anders nodded. "He is a true Warden."

"As opposed to false Wardens?" Davrin didn't agree with those reservations. "We are all Wardens, Anders, regardless why we joined. Many simply get conscripted by the Rite, whether they like it or not."

"A good Warden-Commander does not force anyone to join Grey Wardens," Anders shot Davrin a glance. "The recruit must understand what he's getting into! How did you get conscripted?"

"I got bored," Davrin shrugged and grinned. "Growing up in the forests of Tevinter... I am Dalish, you see," he stroked his elven ears. "There was nothing to do! It's either hunt the deer or tend to the halla... and I wanted action! Monster hunting! So I came here to the Head Quarters and asked to join. And was accepted."

"I see," Anders didn't sound surprised. "And has it been everything you hoped for?"

"Up until the Head Quarters got clobbered... yes," Davrin sighed. "The actual Blight is ugly."

"It is."

They walked in silence for a while and the turrets of the old Keep were already appearing in the distance when Davrin finally dared to ask his question.

"I know we didn't start out well... I behaved like a dunderhead," he said somewhat awkwardly. "But why did you join, Anders?"

"I was rescued by the Wardens," he answered simply. "I was going to be made tranquil, but one Warden went out of his way to save my life. Then I knew where I belonged."

"Wow! That's romantic..." Davrin whistled.

"It didn't feel very romantic at the time, I assure you," Anders smirked. "But in essence that's what it was," he concluded just as they were walking up the steps of the Keep. "Antoine!" He cried to someone within. "Reinforcements have arrived!"

A tired-looking elf met them at the top of the stairs.

"Hello, my friend," he smiled to Anders. "Come - it's quiet for the moment. Let me tell you about the new song of the Blight..."

[Lena Wolf]

Morning Star, 3E411 - This Blight is different

"This Blight is different," Antoine was showing Anders his findings. "These tissue samples refuse to die. You can see them pulse - the Blight has life in it."

"It's like the Blight is the source of life," Anders shook his head. "This is nothing like what I've seen so far. Normally the Blight is dead... except..." He paused, thinking back on the new Blight that he and Wolf encountered soon after the end of the previous one. Thinking, conscious darkspawn. Darkspawn prison. Darkspawn keeping Grey Wardens alive for their blood. Red lyrium being grown in people's bodies. He shuddered involuntarily. "Any sign of red lyrium in it?" He asked looking closely at the samples.

"None that I could see..." Antoine gave him a long look. "What are you thinking?"

"I wonder why the Blight wants us," he looked up. "Grey Wardens, I mean. Archdemons never wanted anything to do with Grey Wardens other than kill us, but this Blight... have you heard of Grey Wardens being captured?"

"I've heard... but I didn't believe it," Antoine sat down.

"Well, believe it - I was in one of those prisons myself... as a prisoner," Anders rubbed his forehead. "We need to find out whether the Blight here has the same intent. We need to find who leads it. The dreams aren't clear, not mine anyway. How about you?"

"Confusing," Antoine agreed. "I hear the song, the same as everyone, but there is no dragon... I am unsure who leads it."

"But it's here somewhere, in the Anderfels," Anders looked around as if trying to see the leader of the Blight. "I can feel it. It's strongest here." He paced the room, then returned. "Tomorrow we mount a scouting mission to the old Grey Warden Vaults. Look at this map," he laid Roderik's map on the table. "There are several Deep Roads entrances near the Vaults, and Roderik thought there may well be some inside. We should see what's going on there, whether that's where darkspawn is coming from. And if so, we go in and find the broodmother or whoever else is in charge."

"If anyone is in charge," Antoine nodded. "But I agree - we need to investigate. Tomorrow. But now it's late, we should go to bed."

The old Keep still had some sleeping quarters, although it was cold and there were not nearly enough beds for everyone. They laid out bedrolls and huddled together for warmth, eventually falling asleep out of exhaustion. No one expected it to be a luxury holiday, and no one complained.

...

Anders was thrashing in his sleep.

"Warden Anders! You are a disgrace to the Order!" The voice of the First Warden was deafening in his ears, the space around him was dark and cold, frozen fog hung in the air.

"Frozen by magic," Anders reflected, noticing tell-tale traces of magical energy. "Where am I?"

"You will come here and present yourself, Warden!" The voice was calling from further ahead, but Anders could see nothing in the dark. The footing seemed solid if slippery, and he started walking towards the voice.

"Your place is here! You must repay the damage you've done to the Order of the Grey!" The First Warden's voice was commanding, yet Anders could not see where or what "here" was. What damage was the First Warden talking about? Surely, not thrashing his favourite bar... "Your blood will strengthen us!"

Anders stopped dead. His blood... a Grey Warden's blood... That wasn't the First Warden speaking, that was the Blight!

Carefully he continued walking towards the voice, now hearing other noises coming from the same direction. There also seemed to be light in the distance.

"You must join us and help us rebuild the Order!" The voice kept commanding him. "We require every Grey Warden with us, even one like you!"

"Stop," suddenly Solas stood before him, blocking the way. "You must not proceed."

"Solas," Anders sighed but stopped. "Is this your trick? Your illusion?"

"Alas, this is no illusion," Solas sighed too. "I am an illusion, however. I am still in that prison in the Fade where you got me locked up... What you see is a projection." He smiled when Anders put his fist through him. "I am not actually here, not in the flesh. But hear me out, nonetheless. You are close. Close to the source of the Blight, close to the gods that escaped... In particular the one that invented the Blight in the first place. She has been 'improving' it. She made it into a source of life. Blighted, of course, but alive. I believe your friend Antoine came to the same conclusion."

"He has," Anders nodded, trying to control his anger. "So what's your point?"

"Still abrupt as always, I see," Solas shook his head. "Your time with Justice didn't make you a better man, Anders, it made you worse. But no matter. You killed her Archdemon, she is now mortal. It doesn't mean she will be easy to kill. She now has the Blight itself protecting her. However, she isn't done perfecting it yet, and therein lies your chance. The Blight depends on demonic growth for its renewal - those boils you've seen before. Focus on them. You will find a broodmother too, and it's another boil. Destroy it all. This will buy you time to go into the Vaults and find out what is really going on. There, don't say I didn't help you."

Solas vanished.

"Warden Anders!" The First Warden kept calling to him. "Present yourself!"

Anders peered in the direction where the voice and the noises were coming from. He thought he saw movement too. Something was going on there... was this the Fade? Surely, he was asleep, he was dreaming, so this must be the Fade... in which case he shouldn't believe anything he'd see or hear. He should leave. He should wake up.

That was easier said than done, however. He felt something bind him to the space around him, like a spider web... He felt his movements slowing, it was becoming difficult to breathe too. Blood droplets started appearing on the surface of his skin, he saw it on his hands, he felt his blood boil in his veins and rise to the surface, then seep out through the pores. "Blood magic," he thought. "But where is the mage?" A moment later he could no longer move. "That's it..." he thought. "I don't believe I was the right man for the job..."

The last thing he saw was a shadow of a large bird diving in the direction of the voices and the light.

...

Lucanis sat up with a jolt. Most people were still asleep, but several Grey Wardens also woke up, nodding to each other and getting up. Anders lay next to him motionless, he was thrashing no more. Blood was seeping out of his pores, tiny droplets covering his face, his hands and undoubtedly the rest of his body. It would not take long for the stains to appear on his robes.

"Dead?" Lucanis searched for his pulse. "Not dead, but nearly so," he shook his head. "How do we stop this?" He looked around. "Dorian!" He tried to wake up Dorian, but Dorian was similarly unresponsive, although no blood droplets were visible on his skin. "Emmrich! Bellara!" The mages were all unresponsive. Everyone else was already awake by then.

"It's blood magic," Davrin shook his head. "It's the Blight! It spoke to us all, but it got the mages somehow... even the ones who aren't Grey Wardens!"

"They are trapped in the Fade," Lucanis said firmly. He wasn't sure how he knew that. "I am going after them."

"What? How?" Davrin turned around, astonished. "Only a mage can go into the Fade, and it takes lots of lyrium and other mages to open the portal, and..."

"I don't need a mage to send me into the Fade," Lucanis got up to this feet, looking grim. "I have Spite. I am an abomination."

He clapped his hands and tensed. Spirit wings appeared at his back, he opened them, but instead of lifting him in flight, the wings span a portal and he stepped through it, with the portal closing behind him.

"Well, I never..." Davrin shook his head, looking at all the mages in the room, motionless on their beds and bedrolls. "Good luck, Lucanis. I sure hope you know what to do..."

...

"This way to the target!" Lucanis heard Spite's hissing voice somewhere ahead, there were noises and light there, and movement. He looked around but couldn't see much of anything else, the place was dark and damp, frozen fog hung in the air... Not seeing any better options, he followed Spite.

The light ahead was very dim, yet it stood out in near complete darkness that was everywhere else. A huge pulsating boil of demonic growth was in the middle of the cavern, if it was a cavern... Lucanis could not see a ceiling. Spite in his crow form was circling the boil, carefully avoiding its moving tentacles. Spite was larger than a crow... much larger. Lucanis smirked, thinking that in the Fade nothing was as it seemed. He drew his sword and dagger. How does one kill a boil?

"Beware of the tentacles!" Spite hissed, narrowly missing one himself. "They will kill you."

"Right." Lucanis opened his wings again - he still had them, even with Spite out of his body. "Must be the Fade," he reflected. "Let's go, Spite!" He soared above the boil, looking for weakness. There didn't seem to be any, the skin of this demonic growth seemed exceptionally tough and it was flailing its tentacles wildly. "There - pick any spot..." Lucanis decided. "Any spot between the tentacles... dive and stab... then soar again." He spelled it out hoping that Spite would understand - he was asking for help.

"Now!" Spite hissed, flying fast just over the boil, circling it and somehow pushing the tentacles out of the way for a moment...

Lucanis dived, landing on the skin of the boil, then thrust his sword into it, making a cut. Repulsive slimy puss shot out of it, ear-splitting whistling hiss nearly knocking him out. His wings lifted him up and he soared above the boil.

"Again!" Spite circled him in the air. "Now! Don't let it recover!"

Now that Lucanis knew what to expect, he became faster and more effective. He was no longer knocked back by the hiss, he avoided getting covered in puss. After so many cuts, the boil could no longer flail its tentacles about, they were now hanging limp, only moving along the ground. And yet the growth was refusing to die.

"We need a mage..." Spite was circling the growth. "Keep it busy! I'll be back..."

"What..?" Lucanis shot him a glance, but the crow was already disappearing in the darkness. "Well... Hmm... Alright! Dive!"

...

Anders opened his eyes and realised that he wasn't dead. The space around him was dark and damp, just like before, and breathing was difficult, but blood was no longer boiling in his veins. He scrambled to his feet and looked for that source of light he'd seen earlier. Oh yes, it was still there. "Solas warned me not to proceed," Anders recalled. "But what else am I to do? Forget Solas..." He moved towards the light.

"You must be very careful there," a bird appeared out of nowhere and landed on the ground, turning into a spectral form of Lucanis. "Demonic growth is the mage that is controlling your blood," he said. "Use lightning - cut your wrists, you need it all... Hold nothing back!" He ran towards the light and Anders saw a huge shape of a boil against the shadows. A bird was circling it, diving into it, then soaring again...

"Lucanis?" He thought in disbelief. "Here, in the Fade..?" But Lucanis must have been getting tired, and one of the tentacles started flailing again, hitting him square on the chest and propelling him through the air into the darkness. "Blood... storm... now!" Anders didn't waste any time on thinking. He cut both his wrists, summoning a massive storm cloud right over the boil, then sending additional bolts after it, again and again. He kept hitting the boil until no more tentacles were flailing and the pulse finally stopped. The boil shriveled slightly and turned into a mass of blighted flesh, blackened and dead. Anders staggered, holding on to it. He seemed to have made it. But what about Lucanis?

A faint purple glow was visible somewhere in the darkness, and Anders started walking towards it, hoping that the surface was still solid in that direction. The glow grew slightly brighter, then took shape of a man lying on the ground. Lucanis and Spite, almost merged, and both nearly dead.

"Luca... it's over," he knelt over him. "Come on, wake up. We should be leaving now."

"Hmm..?" Lucanis sat up, Spite merging into him. "Anders... Linus," he smiled. "You are awake. But what about the others?"

"What others?"

"The other mages... All trapped in the Fade."

"I haven't seen anyone else," Anders shook his head. "They must be trapped each in their own bubble. We cannot reach them from here. Let's go. You killed the blighted boil."

"No, you killed the blighted boil," Lucanis smiled. "Take my hand. We are leaving."

Anders was going to object that in order to leave the Fade all you had to do was will it, but Lucanis shook his head, Spite opened a portal and they stepped through it.

...

"What did you do?" Dorian sat up and looked around, noticing other mages also sitting up, dazed and confused. "What just happened?"

"You all got trapped in the Fade," Lucanis told them, kneeling over Anders. "Your bodies were here but your spirits were stuck in the Fade. Mages... You're nothing but trouble." He smirked, turning to Anders who was also sitting up. "You got all bloody, Linus, look at yourself," he shook his head. "That wasn't just in the Fade. But you got that boil."

"I had help..." Anders smiled.

"You did the right thing to accept it," Lucanis nodded. "I told you - you are the right man for the job."

[Lena Wolf]

Morning Star, 3E411 - Dreadwolf

"You had us worried, Blondie," Varric walked up to Anders, slinging his crossbow across the shoulder. "Lying there half dead, bleeding through your skin... other mages all out cold... What did you do? Blood magic never pays, I always say, and red lyrium even less so."

Anders looked up. He was still sitting on his bedroll, covered in a thin layer of blood where it seeped through the pores in his skin. His hands and face were red with it, his body undoubtedly too, but the stains were yet to appear on his robes. This was the result of a blood magic spell cast by a blighted boil, not even a creature as such... He killed it, having used a lot of his own blood to cast a storm strong enough to overpower it. It was blood magic too. Blood was everywhere, and he was a blood mage. He looked at Varric standing there grinning smugly, and anger started rising in him. Wolf always treated Varric with kid gloves, but why, actually? Was Varric really so sweet that everyone adored him? Were the nicknames that he kept giving everyone, really so nice? Who did he think he was?

Anders got to his feet, white as a sheet under the layer of blood on his skin that looked like red mist.

"Never again call me Blondie," he said in a hissing voice. "Scheisszwerg."

"What..?" Varric paled and swallowed. "What did you call me?"

"A nickname," Anders flared his nostrils, trying to keep rage out of his voice. "Remember who you are dealing with."

They stood there, facing each other, their eyes locked. Anders was tall, and Varric barely came to his chest, being a dwarf, but both possessed the strength of character that made the difference in height irrelevant. Varric was older and behaved as if he owned the place; Anders was younger but not of the first youth either, and his life experiences were far more extreme and varied. Flashbacks of Justice kept haunting him, making him edgy in any confrontation. He suddenly felt he deserved some respect, and Varric wasn't giving him any. Perhaps it was time things changed.

"We make a deal," Varric said slowly. "No nicknames, Anders. I back down, this isn't worth it. We have a Blight to defeat."

"Agreed," Anders nodded. "I am not Wolf. Never taunt a mage."

They both lowered their gazes and walked away, but everyone who witnessed the scene, was still frozen in shock. Anders just put Varric in his place. No one had ever done that.

...

"The Blight operates both in the Fade and in Mundus," Anders was presiding over a council over what to do next. "The boil that we killed in the Fade, wasn't even a creature, and yet it controlled all mages through blood magic. It controlled mages' spirits, to be precise - captured during sleep. It may well be able to control non-mages as well, we all go to the Fade when we dream." He looked around the table and everyone had a worried expression.

"But you killed it," Antoine pointed out. "We, Grey Wardens, all felt it. The song lightened up."

"As Solas said, this buys is time," Anders nodded, not happy to mention Solas, but fairness required he gave him his due. "Solas sounded like those boils are simultaneously in the Fade and in Mundus, demonic growth can do that. He said it bought us time to go to the Vaults. If so, we can hope to find more boils there and kill them with conventional means."

"You mean swords," Davrin nodded approvingly.

"It isn't as easy as that..." Anders started, but then changed his mind. "Yes, swords. And magic. It seems you need both." He paused, then added for the mages: "The boils are sensitive to electricity, so use storm spells. They may be sensitive to something else, but I don't know what."

Everyone nodded.

"What are your orders, Commander?" One of the Grey Wardens asked from the back of the room.

"Commander?" Anders looked up. "Well..."

"You are in charge," Antoine touched his hand. "That's what he meant. Commander."

"Alright!" Anders cleared his throat, earlier confrontation with Varric suddenly rising in his mind. He was in charge, indeed. "We should maintain posts along the perimeter, I do expect further attacks and we need an early warning." Several Wardens nodded. "Keep the fortress secure to rest and treat our wounded. And as our first mission, I'll take a forward group to the Vaults, with backup following some distance behind us - remember, we do not know what's inside or how powerful it is. Our primary objective is reconnaissance. Find out as much as we can, draw a map of the place, locate Deep Roads entrances, that sort of thing. Reconvene here and decide what to do next."

Everyone nodded.

As people started rising from their seats, Anders signaled Antoine and Davrin to stay behind.

"Antoine, please stay here," Anders looked apologetic. "You've taken too much fighting lately, yes, I can see your wounds even with your clothes on. Are there any healers here besides me? Yes? So, what are you waiting for?" Antoine smirked and shook his head but didn't object. "Davrin, I'd like to ask you to stay behind as well," Anders turned to Davrin who raised an eyebrow. "Not to rest - to oversee the defense. We don't actually have enough Wardens to man all posts... so be creative. We do need to keep the Blight out of the Keep."

"Now, that is a real task," Davrin looked pleased. "As you say, Commander." Antoine smirked again but kept his remarks to himself. Everyone felt it was the endgame.

...

"Let me show you endless wonders of the Fade," a soft, distant voice was calling Neve to follow. "Dreams of spirits long gone, events preserved in memories, history itself, alive in our thoughts. Follow my voice - that is all I ask."

Neve was dreaming. Like every person's, her spirit traveled into the Fade, and like every mage, Neve was conscious in the Fade, even though she could not very well control her actions. It was like watching yourself from the sidelines. What harm could there be in following the voice? It was just a dream, anyway.

Neve walked through a mountain valley with Elven and Tevinter ruins visible here and there. "The Arlathan Forest," she thought, a part of Tevinter that was previously populated by elves, and now only housed small tribes of Dalish elves who avoided all contact with anyone else. When humans appeared in Thedas, they fought the elves in Arlathan Forest, defeated them and took over the land, forming Tevinter. There was a lot of death in Arlathan Forest... a lot of memories of death. Humans were said to have brought blood magic to Thedas, and it was that which allowed them to defeat the elves, and so blood magic formed the foundations of Tevinter. Of course, in modern days blood magic was outlawed, but mages like Neve knew their roots. She wasn't a blood mage, oh no, not in the vile sense that was attributed to it in modern times... but she was a Tevinter woman of noble descent, her family had magic running through them from times immemorial, she probably had ancestors among those first humans who came to Thedas and fought the elves... Tevinter used to be the largest and grandest Empire of Thedas - Tevinter was Thedas. And look at it now - reduced to being one of many, overshadowed by the Empire of Orlais, pushed aside by upstart states like Antiva, Rivain or Ferelden... Tevinter had to return to its former glory. Not by waging war on its neighbours but by restoring its majesty in magic, and clearing its name regarding some events from before the First Blight, events only preserved in the memories of the Fade. That was what the Venatori were all about, and that was why Neve had joined them and never left.

"Let me show you the truth about the elves," the voice was saying. It wasn't getting closer, it was just speaking from a distance as Neve walked through the valley of memories. "The elves used to be immortal," the voice continued. "Their immortality came from the Fade - the elves used to draw magic directly from the Fade. There was no Veil separating the Fade from Mundus, and the Arlathan Forest was both in the Fade and in Mundus at once."

"That makes sense, you know," Neve nodded. "Elven blood is much richer in magic than human. That is why we always prefer to bleed elves for blood magic rituals... Hmm... sorry... perhaps I should not have said that. Are you an elf?"

"I am an elf, yes," the voice answered with sadness. "You said it because it is true. Elven blood is richer in magic than human, and modern elves have lost themselves and turned into slaves... but do not blame Tevinter for that. Elves destroyed themselves already before humans arrived, and hence could be defeated."

"Destroyed themselves?" Neve stopped in surprise. "I've never heard about that!"

"No, the elves no longer remember... You may know that their collective memories are lost."

"I've heard them say that often enough," Neve agreed. "Who are you?"

"I am an elf who still remembers," the voice answered evasively. "We are immortal, like I said. Well, we used to be immortal. I remained in the Fade, and thus I still live. The others remained in Mundus, and when the Veil separating them from the Fade was put in place, they got cut off from the Fade and could only enter it in dreams... It wasn't enough... a miscalculation. That made them mortal and made them forget much of who they were."

"We have no records of there not being a Veil separating the Fade from Mundus, and I should think we would have known if it was ever missing," Neve mused. "Which would mean that the humans arrived after the Veil was put in place, and after the elves suffered that blow to their collective mind. Hmm... It does add up. But I am not sure I should believe you."

"What's the alternative?" The voice asked. "The other theory, that told by the Southern Chantry, is much worse."

"That Tevinter magisters single-handedly invented the Blight?" Neve smirked. "Oh yes, that's bad. And false, too."

"But how to prove it?"

"Yes, that is a problem," Neve had to admit, looking around. "Do you have any memories that could help? Any memories that could lead me to something tangible in our present time? I need tangible proof."

"Always an investigator," the voice said with a short laugh. "Oh yes, I can show you something... I can tell you even more... and I can guide you where you want to go. Follow me."

"What do you want in return?" Neve was still suspicious.

"Nothing," the voice replied. "Your actions will be my reward. Shall we get acquainted?" A figure of an elf materialised in front of her. "I am Solas, and this is my projection. I cannot appear in the flesh just now, but I promise you, it will be worth the wait."



~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This post has been edited by Lena Wolf: Jan 21 2025, 12:36 AM

[Lena Wolf]

Morning Star, 3E411 - The truth about Tevinter

"This way, Neve," Solas was marching along a valley in Arlathan Forest dotted with ancient Elven and Tevinter ruins. It wasn't actually Solas in the flesh, it was only his projection, but Neve followed him nonetheless. She was in the Fade, she was dreaming. She had nothing to fear from a dream.

"Where are we going?" She asked with interest.

"There is a ruin just up ahead that I want to show you," Solas pointed out some turrets visible behind the trees. "There are living memories within, and you, as a mage, can experience them first hand. It isn't tangible proof yet, but it's a start."

"Alright, I am interested," Neve nodded. "We've got to start somewhere."

The ruin looked to be of a castle or possibly a temple, it was impossible to say but the architecture was rather grand, even in its badly destroyed state. Solas led Neve to the central chamber, now overgrown with vegetation. A faint mist was hanging in the air and Neve felt magic permeating every inch of the structure.

"Here," Solas stopped in the middle by what looked like old stone benches. "Come, let's sit down. Just relax and allow the memory unfold itself to you."

Neve did as he asked. She closed her eyes and immediately visions arose before her. She saw elves wearing robes of an ancient style; they were arguing. Neve couldn't quite catch what they were disagreeing about, but one of the elves looked familiar... Was that Solas? But yes, it was Solas! Only much, much younger. A thousand years younger or more.

"We must stand up to the oppressors," he was saying to the others. "Elves must not be slaves."

"That's a noble notion," one of the other elves was saying, "but we've been fighting the Evanuris for three centuries already, and look where it got us. We live among ruins. Our followers are wounded or dead. We ourselves will not last much longer. They will simply kill us all and that will be that, Solas! Elves will not be slaves, elves simply will no longer exist."

"Nonsense, we won't all be killed," Solas dismissed his argument, passion burning in his eyes. "We have strength and resilience - we have been fighting them for three hundred years! Another push is what we need!"

"We don't have people for another push," another elf shook his head. "We're done, Solas. Beaten."

The memory dissolved itself and Neve looked at Solas' projection next to her. He did not look particularly old, he looked ageless. If he was that ancient, it would fit.

"Yes, it was I in that memory," Solas smirked. "So many years ago... well before humans ever appeared in Thedas. Do you know who are the Evanuris?"

"Ancient elven gods," Neve gave him a long look. "Seven of them, I believe. We do have books about them."

"I am glad at least some knowledge got preserved," Solas smiled. "Yes, modern elves call them gods, and by modern standards they could be seen as gods, I suppose. But in those days... they were not gods, Neve, they were mages, not unlike the Upper Chamber of Tevinter Magisterium. They were particularly powerful mages who ruled over the people. They got greedy, started using the people to make themselves more powerful... Tevinter Magisters did not invent blood magic, Neve."

"I didn't think they did," Neve nodded. "Blood magic just exists. No one invented it, I recon. And more than one person discovered it, too."

"Quite," Solas nodded. "It is true however that those first humans used a lot of blood magic against the elves. But it is also true that the elves already had blood magic of their own... It isn't just a human sin."

"That's the kind of proof that I need!" Neve's eyes lit up. "But I need more than a memory..."

"I know," Solas smiled. "But memories are a start. The Arlathan Forest still exists in Mundus, you can find this very ruin there. There is no point in that however - it is empty. But there's proof elsewhere." He paused, looking at Neve with a withdrawn yet charming expression. "Come back tomorrow, Neve. Just go to sleep and I shall find you. There is a lot more that you need to understand in order to get that proof."

...

Neve could not wait for the next day to end so that she could go to sleep and meet Solas in the Fade again. They walked through the same valley in the Arlathan Forest, and Solas showed her more memories of the past. It was well over a thousand years ago, not long before humans arrived in Thedas. Solas was leading a rebellion against the Evanuris, against enslaving the elven people for the benefit of a few powerful mages. The markings that the elves wore on their faces and bodies, the same markings that modern Dalish elves wore with such reverence, were according to Solas the markings of slavery, and he wore no such tattoos. He showed Neve murals in the ruins depicting the elves removing such markings and becoming free...

"We had a symbol of our movement - the wolf," Solas explained the presence of wolf figurines and drawings around them. "We marked our locations with such carvings."

"This is the Dreadwolf," Neve gave him a long look. "Or at least, this is what modern elves make of it. These are statues of the Dreadwolf - Fen'Harel, the Trickster, the Elven God of Lies."

"It is so sad, but yes, this is how the Dalish remember us," Solas sighed. "Perhaps they see me as the Dreadwolf... But I am no god, I assure you. I am simply an elf who remembers the past, an elf who never left the Fade..." He paused, looking into the distance. "Of course, we were losing the war. There were too few of us with too many dead and wounded. My comrades were right, you know... but I was young and didn't see it. A God of Lies... They weren't lies, but things didn't work out as we were hoping." He sighed and paused again. "And then of course the humans arrived. They landed on our shores in their great ships. They had warriors and mages, and they had blood magic. They were powerful, no doubt. They wanted our lands. We resisted - we all resisted, with the Evanuris leading the push against the humans. But they had enslaved most elves by then, thus weakening them, add to that the elven civil war that had lasted for over three hundred years... As a nation, the elves were in no shape to resist an invasion. The humans won, although it was a hard and bloody victory. The elves were enslaved by the humans. The rest you know - everything except the invention of the Blight is more or less true."

"So, even weakened by the civil war and enslavement, the elves still put up a formidable defense," Neve nodded.

"Yes, that they did. Only it wasn't good enough."

"But the Veil?" Neve suddenly remembered that detail. "You said there was a time when there was no Veil separating the Fade from Mundus. But we have no records of that, so it was before humans arrived here. When was the Veil put up and why?"

"It was not long before humans arrived, indeed," Solas nodded. "I created it," he sighed and looked down. "It was a mistake. I aimed to lock away the Evanuris in the Fade and to leave the people in Mundus, thus protecting them from the Evanuris. My error was that I failed to realise that the Veil would destroy the elves themselves... Cutting them off from the Fade was what destroyed their memories, their immortality and their very nature."

Neve was shocked. This mage that sat next to her, had created the Veil all on his own? The Veil, which required immense power to pierce? She had difficulty believing that one mage, no matter how powerful, could create something as big and as strong, something that had been in place for over a thousand years at least, if Solas was to be believed. And another point... something didn't add up.

"That is impressive," Neve said carefully. "But explain this to me, Solas: how did the Evanuris direct the fight against humans if they were already locked away in the Fade? If the purpose was to separate them from the people, how could they still command them?"

"There were other powerful mages among the elves," Solas smiled. "I should have explained it better. The Evanuris had seven mages, and they were thoroughly evil. But we had another faction in the governing body, there were five of us at first, then fewer, but we were opposing the Evanuris. When I set up the Veil and locked away the actual Evanuris, we thought our troubles were over. Then the elven people started losing their memories and suffocating without the Fade, and I realised my miscalculation. Entering the Fade during sleep wasn't enough. But I didn't have the time to find a solution because soon after that the humans arrived. Then those of us who remained in Mundus, formed a new Evanuris to lead the war. And we failed again."

"I see," Neve said with regret. "This is a very sad story, I am so sorry for the elves," she sighed. "I can see now how it is that they found themselves so weakened."

She wanted to ask more questions but Solas got up, looking quite perturbed.

"Shall we continue this tomorrow?" He asked with a shy smile. "I am rather lost in those memories. Tomorrow we can talk about who invented the Blight."

Neve felt sorry for Solas and she agreed, also sensing that the topic of the Blight would be of the most benefit to her.

...

"Solas isn't telling the whole truth," Neve was going through her notes the following day - notes that she carefully recorded after waking up. "Several things don't add up. The story of the Veil is the most unbelievable of all," she decided. "But on the other hand, if he helps me find proof that Tevinter did not invent the Blight... that's worth a lot of woolly stories."

And so once again she waited for the evening with anticipation, and went to sleep hoping to meet Solas in the Fade.

"Hello, Neve," Solas greeted her in the valley. "Ready for more?" She nodded and he smiled. "Now we get to the bloody part: who invented the Blight? Was it invented? Did it always exist? When did the Golden City turn black?"

"The Southern Chantry preaches that it were Tevinter Magisters who entered the Fade, reached the Golden City and turned it black, thus inventing the Blight. It was their sinful strive for knowledge that did it. And I just think it's a load of lies," she said firmly. "But it does beg the question: when and why did The Maker abandon his seat at the Golden City? And did Tevinter Magisters ever venture there at all?"

"Indeed, very perceptive," Solas smiled. "The story is not entirely false. That is to say, it happened almost like that, except it were not Tevinter Magisters who entered the Golden City but the elves of the Evanuris. Thus it was they who started the Blight."

"What?!" Neve spun around. "But that changes everything! Do you have any proof?"

"Well, actually, Neve..." Solas gave her a long look. "Yes, I do."

The trap snapped shut and Neve was now hanging on Solas' every word. This was the proof she could not even hope to obtain! Ancient elven mages turning into Archdemons to lead the Blight! Ancient elven mages enslaving Tevinter Magisters through blood magic! Ancient elven mages were the root of all evil, and Tevinter was trying to resist! And, well, yes, they did enslave the elven people in the process, but bad things happen in war. The main thing was that Tevinter was not to be blamed for the Blight!!!

Neve wanted to know every detail, taking all Solas' words to be true. It was too tempting to do so - they told her exactly what she wanted to hear. And if there was proof of that too... then why question it? But Solas was in no rush to present her with such proof. Instead, he told her numerous stories from those times, and how much truth they held was of no importance because they were just anecdotes of times long past. For Neve however they formed the fabric of her new theory, and she picked them up eagerly and with pleasure. After several nights of stories Solas decided it was time to turn to action.

"I suppose you know that we are now living through another Blight," he said in a grave tone. "The worst one of them all."

"Yes, it is hard to miss," Neve nodded, also looking grim. "The Grey Wardens Head Quarters falling. The Wardens looking worried, and not because of that - they know how bad this Blight is, they can sense it. And there aren't that many of them left to fight it. This is bad."

"You know who leads them, yes?" Solas gave her a sideways look.

"Anders," Neve nodded. "A blood mage from Ferelden. I hear he punched the First Warden..." she grinned. "He's edgy and green somehow..."

"Anders is a problem," Solas nodded. "Not so much because of what he is but because there's no one better to lead the Wardens. The First Warden deserved to be punched, I have no doubt. The Wardens have gone soft, except in Ferelden where they just had the Fifth Blight only ten years ago. So Anders leading them now is not a surprise, but only a disappointment."

"I wanted to help him," Neve said. "It's like you say - regardless of whether I like Anders or not, the Blight is too grave a matter to ignore. But they kicked me out! So it's their loss."

"This Blight is led by two of the Evanuris," Solas said with emphasis. "Not just one - two! The last two. One of them actually invented the original Blight."

"What?!" Neve spun around. "So Blight was invented? Created? Engineered????"

"Exactly," Solas nodded. "I am not entirely certain what she had planned for it, or whether she planned anything in particular or was just playing, so to speak... but she created it and released it into Mundus."

"How?"

"That's where manipulating Tevinter Magisters through blood magic comes in," Solas smiled. "They entered the Fade, thus opening a portal in the Veil and allowing the Blight to escape."

"Ah-ha!!!"

"Indeed," Solas watched Neve almost glow with pride and pleasure of such a discovery. "And the proof of all of this coincides with defeating this Blight: when the two remaining Evanuris lie dead, everything will become clear to all."

"Yes!!!" Neve was jubilant. This was far better than she could ever hope for. And it coincided with the most noble deed of them all - defeating the Blight. "So what do I do?"

If Solas was jubilant hearing her say that, he didn't show it. Instead, he smiled a most charming smile and snapped his fingers, teleporting them to another part of the Fade. It was empty and barren, but it was no longer a projection of Solas that stood before Neve. Now it was the actual Solas. An invisible wall separated him from her, but they were close and she could sense that he was real.

"This is where Anders and his stupidity got me to," he said with derision. "This is a prison I built for the remaining Evanuris but Anders interfered with my ritual that would have seen them locked away here for good. This prison is secure - I did not miscalculate it this time! Which means I cannot get out!" He looked angry and annoyed. "Not yet, anyway. The prison will be dissolved when they are dead."

"But we still need Grey Wardens to fight darkspawn," Neve said with doubt. "I don't like Anders either, but what can we do?"

"We need Grey Wardens, agreed," Solas smiled. "And I have been trying to help him! Even despite everything! Defeating the Blight is more important, like you say. They managed to kill the Archdemon that maintained immortality of one of the two Evanuris. Killing the mage herself won't be easy, but at least it is now possible. They know they have to kill the other Archdemon before they can get to the other mage. I trust they can do that. It is the actual killing of the mages that I'm not so sure they can be entrusted with. You, on the other hand..."

"I..?" Neve took a step back. "You want me to kill two ancient elven mages, so powerful that one of them invented the Blight?" She smirked. "There's flattery and there's gross exaggeration, Solas."

"I would never ask you such a thing, you misunderstand," he smiled. "What I mean is that Grey Wardens and the other followers of Anders need to be directed, they need to be made to work together to kill those two elven mages, and I believe that you can bring them together much better than Anders ever could. That is all."

"Hmm..." Neve rubbed her chin, looking at Solas with suspicion. "And how would I do that? They kicked me out."

"They are not all that devoted to Anders, you know. They follow him because they want to get to the Blight," Solas looked slyly at her. "If they see a better leader, they'll switch. You just need to show them you are the better leader."

Neve didn't like what Solas was suggesting, her gut was telling her it was a trap. But it was oh so tempting on so many levels. Defeat the Blight. She, Neve Gallus, would lead Grey Wardens against the Blight. She would get the proof that Tevinter was wrongly blamed for it for over a thousand years. She would single-handedly deliver Tevinter into a new era of respect and prosperity... Why, that would get her a seat at the Magisterium, no doubt. And then she would show this Dorian Pavus how things are done! Blood magic will no longer be banned. Elves will remain enslaved. Tevinter will rise from the ruins and outshine every other country in Thedas, as was its right! And she, Neve Gallus...

Neve made an effort and snapped out of her reverie.

"Very well," she finally said. "What is my first step?"

[Lena Wolf]

Morning Star, 3E411 - A man and his cat

"You don't know anything of this, do you? Little Pounce-a-lot," Anders was sitting on a snow-covered rock overlooking a valley in the Anderfels. A little black and white kitten was playing with a toy he made, rolling around on his lap. "Look at all this snow," he gazed down the valley. "I've always liked snow... always missed it in Ferelden. Always felt at home at the Soldier's Peak... may be it was thanks to the snow." The kitten finally got the toy and was now looking at Anders with those big milky blue eyes - do it again! "Let the game continue, eh?" Anders smiled. "The same as with us... only I've had quite enough of that one already..." He flicked his wrist letting the toy levitate just above the kitten, always remaining slightly out of reach. "Exactly like with us... no, that's no fun. You have to be able to get it... Here... try again." He reduced the distance between the toy and the kitten. The kitten jumped and missed, but now it stood a chance of catching it and Anders smiled. "That's better. You'll get it, little one."

Anders rolled up his sleeves and examined his forearms. Most scars were still bleeding slightly. He'd been using blood to power his magic every day for the past week, and he started feeling the strain. His blood reserves weren't unlimited, there was not enough time to recover... And what did it get them? Several large blighted boils destroyed, true, but there seemed to be no end to them, with their tentacles leading deeper and deeper into the earth. It weren't Deep Roads, these were caves, dark and damp, and wrong somehow. "Those caves go into the Fade," Anders thought. "If Solas told the truth and the elven goddess that invented the Blight is indeed a goddess in the sense that she can walk in Mundus as well as in the Fade... well then, perhaps her Blight can do it too. Perhaps it's a portal... or perhaps the Fade leaks into Mundus... is that even possible? It is, I suppose..."

He rolled down his sleeves and shivered - the loss of blood was making him chilly. He had been careful to keep back the Wardens and avoid losing any of them to the fights with blighted boils. His team of non-Wardens was all too happy to help, they've been yearning for real action, and they were getting it now. "Not unlike new Wardens," he smirked. "At first darkspawn is exciting... exotic... but the novelty soon wears off, and you never get used to the stench."

Despite their successes against that blighted demonic growth, Anders felt like it was a trap tightening around them. They had to find the second Archdemon to make it possible to kill the other elven mage, but none of the Grey Wardens could sense it clearly enough to locate. This Blight was different indeed - it was toying with them. He was becoming more and more convinced that going after the blighted boils was a false track. He had been coming to that spot for a few days already, sitting outside the main Keep overlooking the valley, with all the snow spread before him... the serenity of it calmed his spirit and allowed him to think, to form a plan for the following day. But now he realised that the plans were unchanging, and not leading anywhere in particular. The cold was embracing him, and he let it, allowing the chill to still the fever of his spirit... He was such a mess! "Look at me, sitting here, wallowing in emotion like a schoolgirl or something," he smirked. "A leader is not supposed to get emotional, is he? A leader is supposed to stay calm and composed under any circumstances... to keep a cool head... to know what to do..." He stroked the kitten who tired of playing and was now curled up in the folds of his robe, ready to fall asleep. "A leader does not play with kittens. The Wardens were right all along." He shook his head, just saying this did not make him want to remove his little furry friend. No, he was no leader. He was Anders, the one mage who always made a mess.

"Frost magic..." Anders opened his hand and a flurry of snowflakes rose from it. "That's what I should have focused on. Not blood, not lightning... frost. You don't even need blood to power a blizzard... you just need determination. Remain calm, purge all emotion and cast your spell. While I... flashbacks of Justice are good for a storm, yes, but the power still has to come from blood... or lyrium... which we haven't got... so, blood..." He sighed and shook his head. "And that leaves my own spirit perturbed and feverish, ready for another storm or inferno... Until one day I burn up in it..." He checked his scars under the sleeves again. "The bleeding stopped... but tomorrow I'll cut them again... and again... the pain brings pleasure now... the pain..."

Snowflakes were falling on his bare arms and not melting, but he didn't feel the cold. The kitten on his lap crawled deeper into the folds of his robe, trying to keep warm. Anders turned his face to the sky, letting the snowflakes cover it too. "The pain..." He let his mental gaze wander over his life. "I am not gay... and yet... how many men have I let convince themselves otherwise? I was seeking pain... Women were for pleasure, men were for pain... The pain that makes me forget the other pain that is greater..." The cold wasn't calming the fever in his chest, so he opened up his robes, dropping them off the shoulders while still keeping warm the kitten on his lap. The snowflakes were now falling onto his neck and arms, blotting out the ink of his tattoos. "The pain of the spirit... Always walking the edge... A spirit that is never at rest... Am I possessed by a demon? That would be an easy way out... no... this spirit is my own... Justice sought to calm it and couldn't, he couldn't even blot it out... that's why we clashed..." Anders pulled his arms out of the robe completely, leaving his entire torso exposed to the falling snow. The kitten nestled deep in the folds of his robe still covering his groin. "You found the one place that's warmest," Anders smiled. "My little friend. I'll keep you warm, never fear." A healer, he would give all of himself to keep his charge alive. Time and again he would collapse when the treatment was over, and time and again no one would come to his aid, the patient simply walking away, leaving a few coppers behind... He didn't do it for money, he could always earn his keep, enough men were keen to pay for what he let them do. Kirkwall's Dust Town took it all, giving nothing in return apart from a chance to prolong one's existence, for it could not be called a life...

"Wolf found me there," Anders smirked to the memory. "He knew where to look. Wolf... where are you, my friend? Has your spirit found peace at last..?"

Anders' blond hair was now completely covered in snow that would not melt. His chest and arm tattoos were barely visible, his skin looked pale, almost blending with the snow in colour. His robe was gathered around his groin keeping a little kitten safe and warm inside it.

"Ahhh..." He sighed. "Yet the fever never stops... Apart from may be when I..." He smiled, falling back onto the snow. "When I finally find peace..."

[Renee]

Antaloor, so this is Two Worlds, correct? Yet another game I've been curious about for years...

http://chorrol.com/forums/index.php?s=&...st&p=341015

[Lena Wolf]

Antaloor, so this is Two Worlds, correct? Yet another game I've been curious about for years...

This is Two Worlds II, although Antaloor is also the setting of Two Worlds I.

[Lena Wolf]

Morning Star, 3E411 - The cold within

When Anders did not return to the Keep by the time everyone went to bed, Lucanis started getting worried. Anders had been going out every night since they settled there, but he always returned calmed and with a plan for the following day, and Lucanis decided that he simply wanted to be alone to think, and so he left him alone. "But this is getting too late," he thought, looking out of the window over the snow-covered valley. A nagging feeling rose in him and he decided to break Anders' privacy and go looking for him.

The night was dark as the snow clouds were blotting out the stars and the moon, and Lucanis took a lamp with him. He walked around the Keep but saw nothing, realising that the light of the lamp was making it impossible to see anything outside of its circle, and he needed to see far rather than close. He doused the lamp and hoped he would not go head over heels off a cliff when he'd stumble on a rock he could not see.

Lucanis was walking in ever wider circles around the Keep, still not finding Anders anywhere. Had he gone into a cave? Did he hide in a crevice? Somehow he felt that none of it was the case. No, Anders loved snow. He would not want to waste such a peaceful snowfall, he would be out there, in the middle of it... "Getting snowed under," Lucanis shook his head.

At some point he heard a small sound like a young animal calling to him, he followed it and discovered a mage's robe in a high pile in the snow with a kitten inside it. Underneath the robe was Anders, completely buried, his body bare against the snow. "Let's get you home." Lucanis brushed off the snow, draped the robe around Anders with the kitten still hiding in it, and carried Anders back to the Keep.

...

"Hypothermia," Dorian examined Anders when Lucanis brought him back. "Something he's quite familiar with, I believe," he shook his head. "He's not dead, but he will be unless we warm him up."

It was something they could fix, a bath tub was brought up, water warmed, fire made in the grate. Enough people in the Keep knew how to treat it, but Lucanis was reluctant to make Anders' condition known too widely. Of course, he could not keep it a secret in a place like that, but there was no need to shout from the rooftops about it either. He called Dorian and Antoine, and they decided to keep it between them.

...

"I understand why you like the snow," Lucanis was sitting next to the bath tub talking to Anders even though Anders was unconscious in it. Lucanis was mostly making sure he would not fall asleep - the water temperature had to be kept constant and he was checking it every now and again and warming it up. Coffee aroma was filling the room. "The snow cools you down, I know," he was saying in Antivan, not bothering with the common tongue since Anders couldn't hear him anyway. "It's such a peculiar thing - snow," he shook his head. "Of course we don't have it in Antiva, but I've traveled enough to know what it is..." he smirked to himself. "It covers you like a blanket... people in the Anderfels even build houses out of it... and keep warm inside... which is why I don't understand why you got all cold like that..." He stroked Anders' face noting that it felt slightly warmer than before. The bath seemed to be working. "We'll get to the bottom of it... but first you need to warm up."

There was a knock on the door and Dorian entered.

"The bath seems to be working," he nodded approvingly, having examined Anders' condition. "You wouldn't notice it probably, but I can see the change in colour quite clearly - he is now slightly pink rather than completely white like before. And there is no necrosis anywhere."

"He's still unconscious though," Lucanis sighed. "Or am I being impatient?"

"You are, give him time," Dorian smiled. "He was so thoroughly chilled... seems strange in this weather..."

"That's what I was thinking as well," Lucanis looked up. "But he did pull down his robe... may be it's that?"

"May be... but something isn't right," Dorian shook his head with concern. "We can leave it for later though. Either way, he first needs to warm up." He sat down on a stool at the other side of the bath tub, looking into Anders' face. "He is so intense... I've never met anyone quite like him. I hadn't realised the depth of his intensity until he asked me for... well... I suppose you know... he asked me for sex so that he could change his mind about sex with men..."

"He said you were the only man he knew whom he could trust to do it properly," Lucanis nodded. "Meaning - with love and care."

"That hadn't been his experience till then, no," Dorian agreed. "Although of course I'm not the only man who doesn't just... well. You know what I mean." He sighed. "But he... that intensity... it's like the Fade itself is inside him."

"And in a way, it is," Lucanis rubbed his chest. "I kind of know what it's like..."

"Oh... Justice... Spite, with you," Dorian looked up. "But... forgive me... but you don't seem quite like him in that respect."

"I am not," Lucanis nodded. "Spite - Determination - is not like Justice. But it's his own spirit. I think he was like that already before Justice. Always walking the edge."

They sat in silence for a while, then Dorian got up and left, and Lucanis resumed his vigil of checking the water and making sure the temperature was exactly right.

...

"You are the opposite of me in so many ways," Lucanis switched back to Antivan, talking to Anders again. "I am all about preparation, deliberation, calculation and then fast execution... study the target, prepare the ground, go for the kill. I get into difficulties when things drag on... of course I have the skill to survive... but yours is a different way. Take it one step at a time, maintain status quo, give it your all, hold nothing back... then stop, regroup, heal, resume... Your opponent cannot be studied, your target is always moving... be it darkspawn or disease, you treat it the same... a warrior and a healer in one..." Anders twitched and Lucanis stopped talking. Was Anders finally waking up? A few minutes passed, but he was still unconscious. Lucanis sighed and checked the water - it was time for a warm-up.

The night turned into morning, but Anders was still the same. His colour improved and Dorian was satisfied with the progress, assuring Lucanis that he just needed more time. He offered to take over but Lucanis refused, simply making more coffee.

"You should be awake by now, I'm certain of it," Lucanis too had an idea how to treat hypothermia. "Your skin is pink, your cheeks are warm..." He checked again to be sure. "So, what's keeping you away?" He brushed his cheek against Anders', not trusting his hand to catch a subtle change in temperature, but no, Anders was warm. Another check with his lips... then a kiss... slight at first, but then... there was a reply...

...

"It isn't supposed to work like that," Lucanis smiled a few minutes later. "It only works like that in fairy tales, and you aren't even a princess."

"I've been awake for a while already," Anders grinned. "I did not understand everything you said... but my Antivan is a lot better now than it was yesterday."

"You've been naughty," Lucanis smirked. "I was starting to worry."

"I was waiting for the kiss..."

...

A few hours later Lucanis called Dorian to tell him that Anders finally woke up. It was late afternoon and the Keep was buzzing with conversations about Anders and whatever happened to him. There was no way to keep a secret in a place like that.

"That snow wasn't completely natural," Anders was telling the people who gathered to discuss the situation in earnest. "I went out for a bit of peace and quiet to think over our next steps like I've done the previous days, and it was snowing, but there was more to it than just the weather."

"Frost magic?" Dorian looked up. "You seemed to be chilled from the inside in addition to hypothermia."

"I suspect a frost mage weaving enchantments into the snow, yes," Anders nodded. "Very skillfully done. I didn't notice anything until it was too late."

"Neve Gallus committing a murder?" Dorian exclaimed angrily.

"If so, this is my cue," Lucanis grew somber.

"No, wait," Emmrich shook his head. "We need to know who she's working for. And what was the point of killing Anders. The threat of the Blight remains, without Anders, without Grey Wardens, this world will end, and Neve must see that. We have to understand what she is trying to achieve."

...

"Anders is dead," Neve met Solas in the Fade again. "He will never wake up from that hypothermia."

"Anders is not dead," Solas shook his head. "He was rescued. But it's just as well, even better, in fact. Everyone has seen his weakness now - he is not a good leader. It's time to show them what a good leader should be like."

"Alright, what's your plan?" Neve squinted. It had been Solas' idea to mix frost magic with the natural cold and let Anders succumb to it when he was alone. He wasn't supposed to be rescued, but it seemed he had some friends after all. It did not matter, a few friends would not make any difference. Solas' advice so far had been solid, and Neve was ready to take the next step.

"Now you lead them to the second Archdemon," Solas smiled. "All Grey Wardens can sense that there is one, but they are confused and cannot locate it. The Archdemon is masked, Grey Warden blood was used on it and it confuses their senses. You, on the other hand, will know exactly where it is. You will lead them there and they will kill it."

"You make it sound too easy," Neve was being cautious. "There must be a catch."

"Well... it won't be easy to do," Solas admitted. "I shall tell you where the Archdemon is because I can locate it, but it is in the Fade, and most Grey Wardens are warriors - they are not comfortable being in the Fade. Most mages are not comfortable with it either, for that matter. You will need to rally them and make them reach their goal. Once they see the Archdemon, they will attack, never fear, but you need to get them there."

"Why are you not telling Anders about this?" Neve was still unconvinced. "You've helped him before, and he is the actual leader of Grey Wardens, good or not so good, but they follow him. Why have you let him go in circles fighting blighted growth instead of going straight for the Archdemon?"

"That blighted growth had to be removed to clear the way into the Fade," Solas objected. "It was not pointless and I have not led him astray. I could tell him about the Archdemon now, yes... but I don't want to. Someone will need to lead Grey Wardens to the Archdemon, and I want it to be you, not him."

Neve felt that Solas would not say any more. Whatever his real plan and intentions were, he was not showing her anything beyond what she needed to see. She did not like it, her gut was screaming of danger. But what choice did she have? Walk away from a chance to change history and carve a place for herself in it? Return to Minrathous Dock Town and her little apartment on the roof where she couldn't even get to comfortably, now that she had a prosthetic leg? Every prospect she could think of, was dreary. What Solas was offering was worth the risk.

"Well... I suppose I can trust you on this," she finally agreed. "Where is that Archdemon?"

[Renee]

This is Two Worlds II, although Antaloor is also the setting of Two Worlds I.

Ah, I see. Interesting that Hauk does that chapter on his own.