Aedan Of Highever

by Milton Garby

  There And Back Here, Again

  The Deep Roads were truly a marvel of the dwarves' ingenuity and genius. An entire world built beneath the world by the hands of such a small people with only their own stubborn determination and sharp minds to guide them. Sadly, all the genius, beauty and wonder of the Deep Roads was tarnished by the ever present taint of the darkspawn that infested this place, like poison in an artery. Ever since Aedan became a Warden he could feel the presence and taint of the blighted bastards, but never had he felt it so intensely, so devastatingly. It felt as if a storm was brewing in the back of his head and he could faintly hear some kind of tune, a mysterious melody whose words were barely on the edge of understanding, it was almost…beautiful to listen to.

  They had already made it past Caridn's Cross and were now entering the ancient and fabled lost dwarven city of Ortan Thaig."By the tits of my Ancestors, Ortan Thaig!" Oghren gasped. "I never dreamed I would ever set foot in this place. I can see Branka all over this place. She'd always take chips from the walls at regular intervals when she was in a new tunnel to check their composition."

  Aedan could barely hear Oghren talk, he was almost drowned out by the music in his head.

  "But if she was here before, she'd long gone by now." The dwarf continued.

  Aedan snapped out of his daze and tried to focus on what Oghren was saying. "W-what can you tell me about these ruins?"

  "This was Caridin's home thaig." Oghren explained. "He was an Ortan before he got raised to Paragon. Even stayed here when he could have had his own house. I guess he didn't want move his family to Bownammar."

  "What's Bownammar?"

  "The City of the Dead. Caridin built it to honor the Legion of the Dead and act as their headquarters in their fight against the darkspawn. But it's more like a sodding mausoleum than anything else. That place has been lost and retaken so many times even the Shaperate can't keep count. I don't blame Caridin for keeping his kin away from there."

  "Sounds like doing his part to fight the darkspawn was a life goal for Caridin."

  "Yep. Then he built the Anvil of The Void. After that he was the city's pet genius, until he angered the king and fell into disfavor."

  "Is that why he hid the Anvil?"

  "No one knows. After Caridin angered King Valtor he and everything he knew, his notes, his prototypes even the records he had in the Shaperate just up and disappeared. Course, it's impossible to tell if the Anvil was moved or even destroyed. But trust me if we find the Anvil, we find Branka."

  The buzzing in Aedan's head continued. "Then…let's get moving."

  "I've been waiting for someone to say that for two sodding years."

  The group moved forward through the tunnel, but the further and further they went the music in Aedan's head became louder and louder, but not any clearer. As they continued music was accompanied by another sound. Laughter?

  They happened upon a large grotto that was completely inhabited by darkspawn! Fortunately they were engaged in battle with the giant cave spiders. The darkspawn clearly had the advantage, but there were so few of them in this thaig compared to the rest of the tunnels they've been in. Where did the rest all go? Aedan decided to try and play it smart. "Everyone stick to the walls and keep quiet. If we're lucky we might…."

  "Rawwwr! You beasties think you can keep me from Branka!? I'm gonna give you a face full of Oghren!" The dwarf bellowed as he charged the darkspawn and the spiders, giving away their position.

  "Motherf-! Grr! Morrigan, Leliana, cover us! Sten, Alistair, you're with me! Zevran, watch our flank!" Aedan ordered.

  Oghren charged straight into the battle and went after the ogre that was fighting the spiders. He jumped off a boulder and lodged his axe right into the ogre's skull, dropping it instantly, and as soon as he jumped off the ogre's body he started laying waste to the spiders that surrounded him.

  Fortunately for everyone else who wasn't suicidal, the darkspawn and the spiders were too busy fighting each other to pay attention to the other intruders. Aedan and the others were quickly able to cut down their enemies while they were distracted. However, Aedan wasn't counting on the Shrieks.

  The lightning fast darkspawn storm-troopers blitzed out of the darkness and assisted their ilk in finishing off the spiders and with them dead they turned their attention to the Grey Wardens. This fight just got more fun.

  With the shrieks flanking them from behind, their battle turned into a brawl where all the combatants fought wildly to try and overtake as many of their opponents as quickly as they could. Aedan and Oghren both went berserk as they slaughtered as many of the 'spawn they could get close to, while Alistair and the others held their ground and pushed them back. Leliana and the mages did their best to whittle down the other darkspawn before they overwhelmed their comrades. Leliana was so preoccupied with timing her shots she didn't notice the giant Hurlock coming at her with a battle-axe until it was too late! The massive creature reared back its axe and swung at Leliana, aiming to cut her in half! Leliana prepared to embrace the Maker.

  Then out of nowhere Aedan placed himself between her and the Hurlock and intercepted the blow. His attack stopped, the creature screamed in anger at the human, but was quickly silenced by Aedan's axe cutting its head in half.

  Oghren and the others finished off the stragglers, while Wynne helped Leliana up. Alistair saw Morrigan glaring at Aedan, with obvious jealousy in her eyes. Apparently Aedan saving Leliana from certain doom was getting under her skin.

  "Alright, everyone that group looked like a bunch of stragglers that got caught by the spiders. If we hurry we should be able to avoid any more conflict." Aedan announced as he turned to face his companions.

  "Sodding Stone!" Oghren yelled.

  "O Holy Andraste!" Leliana cried.

  "Aedan!?" Alistair called to him companion.

  Morrigan shrieked in horror.

  Aedan looked at his friends in utter confusion. Was something wrong? Why did they seem so deathly concerned all of a sudden? Aedan looked down at his abdomen and saw that the hurlock's axe had pierced his armor and was sticking out his ribcage as if it were lodged in tree trunk. And blood was gushing out of his body like a pierced wineskin. "It's just a flesh wound." Aedan stated. And then he suddenly collapsed, the axe still sticking out of him. They all started to panic!

  "Quickly, we must get him out of here!" Wynne yelled.

  "Can you save him, Wynne?" Morrigan asked frantically.

  "I might be able to, but we must get him out of here first. Those spiders and deepstalkers will come here soon to pick off the dead bodies and we have to be out of here before that. Sten, Alistair, I need you to carefully grab his arms and legs and carry him out. Leliana I need to hold the axe in place, I can't have it removed right now or he'll die from blood loss. Morrigan, Oghren I need you to clear the path, make sure nothing gets in our way."

  Morrigan quickly obeyed and led the way into the thaig. She tried to maintain her cool demeanor, not wanting to show weakness. But still…she couldn't help but feel like her heart was close to bursting with anxiety. She wanted Aedan to survive, she needed him to survive.

  They managed to get him into one of the abandoned houses in Ortan Thaig. Wynne removed the axe, thankfully Aedan's armor prevented it from sinking in too deeply to cause great damage. But his ribs had been shattered and pierced, Wynne had to concentrate her magic on mending his bones and healing the torn muscles, otherwise he would need weeks, if not months of time they didn't have in order to recover.

  The others waited outside the house and kept watch for any threats while Wynne tended their injured leader. Leliana was kneeling and praying to the Maker for Aedan's salvation, while Sten sat quietly sharpening sword on his whetstone, his eyes more solemn than usual. Zevran sat by himself in the shadows trying not to be seen. Oghren was off on the edge of their camp keeping watch, while Alistair stood watch by the door. Morrigan sat by herself by the fire, her face kept its neutral demeanor, but her eyes were filled with panic as sh
e stared at the picture Aedan drew of her.

  After what seemed like an entire age, Wynne finally emerged from the house, her hands sheened with blood.

  "Is he…?" Alistair asked.

  "He is fine." Wynne answered, drawing looks of relief from everyone, even Sten and especially Morrigan.

  "I was able to close the wound and mend the bones, but his reaver abilities were already healing him by the time I started" She continued as she wiped the blood from her hands. "The axe that darkspawn used was laced with a paralyctic poison and that's what caused him to collapse. I was more concerned with the taint and infection getting into his blood, but thankfully being a Warden he seems to be immune to such things. If it were a lesser man he would have died."

  "So he's going to be alright then?" Leliana asked.

  "Of course I'm going to be alright. It takes more than a darkspawn axe to kill me." Came Aedan's voice as he emerged from the door. He was shirtless with a bandage wrapped around his torso to cover his healing wound.

  "Oh, thank the Maker you're alright!" Leliana gushed.

  "I'd rather thank Wynne." Aedan responded. "I don't remember seeing the Maker closing my ribcage."

  "You watched your own wounds get closed?" Zevran asked.

  "How often is do you get to look at your own shattered innards? I thought since I was lying there I may as well satisfy my curiosity and maybe get a look at what my insides look like."

  And just like that everyone resumed their camaraderie like nothing had happened. "This is good place to make camp for a little bit. We'll resume our journey in about three hours." Aedan ordered and then returned inside to rest. Everyone else gathered around the fire to prepare dinner, except Oghren who remained on watch. The only sustenance he needed was his blind determination and sack full of lichen ale.

  Back inside the abandoned dwarven house Aedan sat by himself at the dust-covered table. He tried to undo the wrapping around his torso to see how quickly the wound had healed but was having difficulty getting it around his body. He heard the door behind him open and someone enter. It was Morrigan, she walked up behind and proceeded to help him undo his wrappings. "Decided to take a break from being a hero, I see." Morrigan chidid.

  The Warden found this to be almost too funny. "What? Are you upset?"

  "I am merely concerned with how easily you'd throw your life away?"

  Aedan looked at her curiously and smiled slyly. "Are you upset that I risked my life or that I risked my life to save Leliana?"

  "Oh, yes, I'm sure she's just jumping for joy right now." Morrigan answered full of sarcasm. "Her lifelong dream of being a helpless damsel rescued by a valiant hero finally come true. I'm sure she'll next want you to kiss her awake from some eternal sleep." Morrigan ripped the last bit of the bandage from Aedan's torso sharp enough to sting him and turned her back to him.

  Aedan rubbed his stinging wound, which was now almost completely healed. He could see that Morrigan was jealous, but knew she wouldn't admit it. Not without some prodding. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Mo Siuile Orga Whurnin, are you jealous?" He whispered into her ear, kissing her slender neck.

  "D-don't be ridiculous!" Morrigan denied, the feeling of Aedan's kisses already taking their effect. "I'm…merely stating how foolish it was for you to risk you're life for that girl. We need you more than we need her." Morrigan gasped in pleasure as Aedan pulled her closer to him, his bare chest pressing against the soft flesh of her slender back.

  "You know, Mo Siuile Orga Whurnin, I would do the same and more for you."

  "Again with that name? How can you promise to do something so foolish?"

  "It isn't foolish to protect what I care about." Aedan answered, his sweet breath tickling her skin. "Whether they be my comrades, friends or lovers. I would always protect you."

  Morrigan's heart skipped a beat. What was this feeling welling up inside her? She could feel the sincerity in his voice and she longed for more of it. How could she be so weak? Aedan turned her around to face him and his lips instantly met with hers. She happily accepted his passion and wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening her their embrace. Aedan lifted her up and sat her down on the table. Morrigan separated from her lover for a brief moment to catch her breath and remove her blouse. As soon as she was finished she embraced Aedan with full passion once more, her bare breasts against his strong chest. With only a few hours to rest before they had to move on and being stuck in the dark void of the earth the two of them decided to get as much joy as they could from one another. Thankfully, this solid stone house and thick doors were virtually soundproof outside.

  After a few hours everyone was ready to move one and Aedan and Morrigan finally emerged from the house, everyone could guess how they spent their break, especially Oghren. Judging from the way he was leering at the two, the lecherous dwarf was doing a lot of guessing. They picked up camp and made their way deeper into Ortan Thaig, and the further they went the more focused that song in Aedan's head became. He could almost make out the words of the eerie melody.

  They happened upon a killing field, darkspawn corpses littered everywhere. Possibly victims of the giant spiders that infested this place. Strangely enough the scene didn't look like a battle, more like a slaughter, as if the darkspawn we're more preoccupied with getting to their destination than fighting off the spiders. What could possibly captivate them so much that they'd discard their own survival? They carefully walked their way over all the dead bodies. Then….

  "Raaarrrrghhh!" one of the bodies burst to life and ran from them.

  Leliana drew her bowstring, ready to kill the creature.

  "Wait!" Aedan ordered. "That wasn't a darkspawn. It was a dwarf. Follow him!"

  They chased after the deranged dwarf to giant cave near in the wall of the thaig. He turned towards his pursuers growling like a wild animal. "There's nothing for you here!" The feral dwarf snarled. "It's mine! I've claimed it!"

  Aedan stepped forward cautiously. "Are you part of the clan that came here?"

  "N-no clan. B-but it's still mine!"

  "Bah! He's bloody scavenger, good as sodding gone." Oghren informed.

  "Be gone, you!" The scavenger demanded. "You'll bring back the dark ones, you will! They'll crunch your bones!"

  "Word has it the only way to survive down here is by eating the darkspawn dead." Oghren continued.

  Leliana went pale with disgust. "That's revolting!"

  "Darkspawn blood is poison. I've seen men die from drinking it." Aedan recalled. "Why the hell would anyone do such a thing?"

  "It brings the taint." Oghren answered. "Turns their brains to sewage, but it hides them from the darkspawn. They think he's one of them. No different than a sodding ghoul."

  "Poor creature!" Wynne pitied. "Such are the lengths to which our survival instincts will drive us."

  "It's my claim, not yours! Crunch your bones!" The creature cried again before retreating into the cave.

  Out of nowhere they were beset on all sides by giant spiders. Apparently they weren't done eating when Aedan and company came walking through. As soon as they were done finishing their arachnid assailants they cautiously followed after the crazy dwarf.

  The inside of the cave was surprisingly cozy and almost…domestic? It was as if someone else came here, not its current resident, and tried to make this place as homely as possible. Near the fire was the deranged dwarf, squatting near the fire like a crazed ape, fidgeting and swatting his hands as if some invisible fly were buzzing around his face. "Go away!" He ordered once more. "This is mine! I found it! Only I's get to plunder its riches!"

  Aedan lowered his axe and tried to be as nonthreatening as possible. As if such a feat were possible."I just want to talk." Aedan promised.

  "No! No, you topsiders are alike! You invade my territory, you come to pilfer my riches."

  "I am not here to steal anything. I swear."

  "You-you will not take Ruck's shinny rocks or glowing worms?"

 
"I am not here for your treasures. I just want to talk to you."

  "Oh. W-well, Ruck not mind that, then."

  "So your name is Ruck."

  "Y-yes. I not hear very often anymore. So sometimes I likes to shout it to myself. When I'm all alone. Ruck! Ruck, Ruck! Ruuuuck!"

  Back in Orzammar Aedan had met with a widow who was praying before some kind of shrine to her ancestors. She was praying for her child's safe return or his eternal rest. Apparently he'd been lost in the Deep Roads on an excavation and no one was going to look for him. Ever since Ostagar Aedan was plagued by not knowing what had happened to his brother, and would part with anything to know is he was alive or not. Aedan promised the widow, Filda, that while he was in the Deep Roads if he found anything that could indicate her son's fate he would tell her. "Ruck, I think I met your mother. Filda."

  "No! N-no mother. N-no Filda! No warm blanket and stew and pillow and soft words! No-no-no-no-no! Ruck does not deserve good memories!"

  "Why don't you want your mother to know what happened to you?"

  "She-she didn't know, still doesn't know. I cames here and then I was very, very, very, very angry. And then someone was dead! They wanted to send Ruck to the mines, but then Mother would know, Ruck couldn't let her know! So, so I's ran away from the others and made home here now.

  "Bah! He's a bloody murderer!" Oghren spat. "Didn't have the stones to join the Legion, so he ran out here."

  "It not so bad, once you let the shadows in." Ruck looked Aedan square in the eye, his gaze insightful. "You know, do you not?" He asked eerily. "Once you eat….Once you takes in the darkness…you do not miss the light anymore. Ruck sees the darkness inside you."

  That was a truly frightening thought. Was it Aedan and Alistair's ultimate fate to become like this pitiful creature? "I am a Grey Warden. It's not the same thing." Aedan answered.