Aedan Of Highever

by Milton Garby

  "Grey, like the Stone. Guardian against the darkness." The mad dwarf declared as he raised his arms and flexed his fists above his head. "The Dark One fears you more than anything else."

  "Hmm. He's talking about the Archdemon." Oghren surmised.

  This scavenger managed to get a look at a corrupted Old God? "You've seen the Archdemon?"

  Ruck nodded his head spastically. "When the Dark Master woke he called his children to him, the beautiful song he made! Ruck wanted to go with them and bask in his beauty, but Ruck is a coward."

  "Is the Archdemon still around here?"

  "He stopped calling, the beautiful music stopped. The Dark One called all his children with his song, and now they are all leaving."

  Was this song Ruck kept talking about the song in Aedan's head? Was he hearing the voice of the Old God?

  "Has anyone else come through here, Ruck?"

  "Y-yes. Not too long ago, many, many, many dwarves, many fires and warriors and papers. Ruck wanted to stay away. Didn't want to be seen."

  "Did you see Branka?!" Oghren asked excitedly.

  "Don't know any Branka. They's led by a woman, pretty dwarf woman." Ruck explained "She held a pretty silver mace. Many of the dwarves were angry, very angry. Wanted to leave, but she wouldn't let them. One of them yelled at her, say she was crazy, that the Stone rejected her. Then she take pretty, silver mace and bury it in man's skull."

  "You're lying!" Oghren accused drawing his axe. "You're lying! That's my wife you're talking about, you sodding freak!"

  Ruck backed away in fear from Oghren. "Oghren stop!" Aedan ordered grabbing the dwarf's axe. "He's the only source information we have."

  "The duster better watch what he says!" Oghren barked and backed away.

  "Can you tell us what happened to all the dwarves?"

  "They came and tried to drive all the crawlers away. Then pretty lady orders them to leave, all the ones she left behind became food for the crawlers. They screamed for her to help, but she ignored them."

  "So the spiders drove them out?"

  "Yes. The crawlers take all the shinnies and metals to their nest. They takes the papers and words, to give their younglings a comfy crib."

  "Paper and words?" Oghren was actually paying attention the crazy dwarf. "Sounds like someone here was taking notes. It could be a clue as to where Branka moved on from here."

  "They takes it all to the great nest, the nest the makes for the eggs. They puts the shinnies inside, they do."

  "Doesn't sound like we're gonna get more out of this moss-licker, Warden. We best clear outta here before more those cave-crawlers show up."

  Aedan nodded his head and motioned them all to leave. Just as they left the entrance to the cave he heard Ruck skittering behind him. "W-wait! You c-cannot tell the mother! She c-cannot know Ruck is alive. She remembers a small boy with bright eyes and a hammer. She cannot know what Ruck has become."

  Aedan didn't look back at the pitiful creature. "I'll tell your mother that you died bravely, if that will give her peace."

  "Y-yes. Tell her that ruck is dead…like the bones on the ground. Dead and food for the crawlers." Ruck receded back into his cave, his tainted eyes glowing the shadows.

  "That bone-picker's squattin' in Branka's old camp. Those must be her notes that were taken by the spiders. Nothing that sensitive would be left from the thaig." Oghren's input actually made sense. And as much as they all dreaded going into a nest full of giant, hungry spiders they had no choice. It was the only way they'd know where to go, the only way to get the dearven armies to assist the surface.

  The further down they went it the attacks from the spiders more and more fearsome, this was a surefire sign that they were getting closer. The spiders had become huge, gorging themselves on the dwarve sand darkspawn that they preyed upon. But no matter their size one irrefutable truth remained; hit them hard enough and they still squash. The finally reached the bottom of the cave and it seemed…vacant? "Where the hell did all the spiders go?"

  "Perhaps they finally had enough?" Zevran suggested.

  "No. If this is the nest the will fight the hardest here, not abandon it. This feels like….A trap!"

  Suddenly the giant crawler bursted from the ground and dropped from the cave ceiling! They were beset on all sides by the massive arachnids but they weren't going to go down easy. Aedan and Oghren both went berserk and each cut down a whole score of the creatures in one stroke. Alistair charged the spiders, using his shield to protect himself from the fangs and then stab it in the thorax.

  They were all able to hold their ground against the spiders, but still the creature kept coming. Then the most massive and grotesque of all the spiders crawled forth from the shadows. It was easily four times the size of all the other spiders, and it had massive egg sacs webbed to its body and newly hatched spiders crawling from it. Obviously, this was the Queen Spider. It screeched an earsplitting cry, saliva and venom dripping from it fangs.

  Finally Morrigan was through playing around. "Enough!" She cried. She waved her staff in the air, it crackled with energy and suddenly there was a harsh frost and electricity in the air, as if a storm was coming their way.

  "Everyone, grab the floor!"

  Suddenly a perfect storm burst forth from Morrigan's staff, a vortex of cold and lightening sucked up the spiders freezing them solid and electrocuting them. As all the other spiders were being sucked up and blown away. The queen attempted to claw into the cave floor and use its weight to keep it from being sucked in to the storm, but it was in vain. The vortex swallowed the queen up and sent her hurdling smack in to the cave ceiling and was impaled right on to a stalactite, and then it slid off and fell to the ground with a resounding, wet *SPLAT!*

  The storm died down and they picked themselves up and dusted off. The spell took its toll and Morrigan and she leaned wearily on her staff trying to hold herself up. It took a lot of mana to conjure up that storm. Before she could fall Aedan arms wrapped around her, he held her to him warmly and kissed her face. "Very well done, Mo Siuile Orga Whurnin." She smiled to herself and felt her strength return to her while she was in his arms.

  The rest searched for the notes that Ruck mentioned, with any luck those notes could tell them where to find their wayward Paragon. Oghren ran over to pair of stone slabs that were surrounded by a treasure trove and on top of the slabs were a set of books, journals. They found what they were looking for. Apparently Branka took her expedition beyond the Dead Trenches, where she believed Caridin's forge was held.

  Oghren found a renewed zeal in finding proof that his wife was alive and in the words he found in her journal. Perhaps soon the two of them would be reunited.

  Before they left they searched the spider nest for any treasure, relics and equipment they could use to aide them in their journey deeper in to the earth. They found dwarven-made amulets and rings that that boosted their strength and would give them protection against poison and harmful magic. Aedan found a massive dwarven hammer with metal binds that strapped the giant stone head to the shaft; it was aptly named "Nug Crusher". Aedan gave the enormous maul to Oghren, the weapon seemed to suit him.

  When they were done pilfering the spider nest they continued their way on to the Dead Trenches.

  In Dead Trenches….

  XoXoXo

  Upon entering the Dead Trenches they looked down into the underground canyons and bore witness the massive flood that was the darkpawn army. It was bleakly awe-inspiring. Aedan didn't know that such a force could exist, their torches lit up the black underground of the Deep Roads like the sun, and their numbers could crush any army in Thedas. Strangely the creatures were standing in disciplined formation, as if they were waiting for orders from their commander. Then from the bowels of the earth it came, on black wings and black fire….The Archdemon. It perched upon a giant stone bridge and roared in terrible glory, as if he were addressing his children. The terrifying roar was almost…melodious to Aedan's ears. Within the horrific warcry of the Old Go
d Aedan knew he could hear it speak. Just one word: Welcome. Then like an evil flood the darkspawn poured out of the canyons, their terrible war drums and battle cries echoing through the deep as they marched upon the surface, to raze Ferelden to the ground.

  With the horde moving on, they beheld the mighty fortress Bownammar. Over the centuries it has been called by more appropriate names, The City of the Dead and the Dead Trenches. Paragon Caridin built this mighty fortress in honor of the Legion of The Dead to be their headquarters and to stave of the encroaching darkspawn. This place has been lost and retaken by the Legion so many times that not even the Memories could accurately number their victories and defeats.

  As they approached the fortress they happened upon a squadron of Dead Legionnaires fighting off waves of darkspawn, and despited being heavily outnumbered the Legion held its ground. Their commander led from front and wielded a finely made silverite axe and shield with effortless dexterity. "Hold the line!" He cried. "Let them come! Saves us having to walk to their lairs!"

  Aedan couldn't just stand there while these men fought the darkspawn on their own. He drew the Hound's Teeth and charged the darkspawn on the bridge. With the power of their numbers nullified by the bridge the darkspawn were easily cut down by Aedan, Sten and Alistair. As soon as the line was cleared and bridge secured Aedan walked over to the commanding officer. "Atrast Vala, Grey Warden." The commander greeted. "I've never seen one of your kind this far in the Deep Roads before."

  "How do you know I'm a Warden, ser….?"

  "It's commander, actually. Commander Kardol and I know a fighter of darkspawn when I see one. It marks in a way that only warriors like us can understand."

  "And yet you don't sound surprised that I'm here."

  "In the Legion of Dead we abandon our lives to fight the darkspawn, to free us from hopeful blindness. The surprise is not that you've come, but that you've come in such a small number. What do you want here, Warden?"

  "Let's just say I'm…looking for allies."

  "That's odd tactic, recruiting from the frontlines. Darkspawn pitch their camps in our tunnels between your Blights, you know? Gimme a dwarven reason to look topside."

  "Okay, let's cut the bullshit. I'm looking for Paragon Branka."

  "Who the sod put that dull idea in your head? We've got bigger problems to worry about in Orzammar than…ah, now I see. The deep lords in the Assembly can't make up their minds and so the pretenders need added influence, is that it?"

  "Yeah, pretty much. You got anything useful to add?"

  "Warden you've got your line of work cut out for you, Paragon Branka is dead." Kardol's hard gaze turned to Oghren. "Everyone with sense knows it. Past our line, the darkspawn kill everything."

  "Then move your sodding line!" Oghren barked.

  "I'd gladly lead an assault through the Dead Trenches and retake Bownammar for the Legion. But without an ass on the throne we have no orders. So we hold our line. I won't risk my men's lives for fool's gold from a pretender. You wanna go looking for Paragons good sodding luck to you. You're as lucky to find a dozen as one."

  "You said the Blight was obvious to you, yet you don't seem to really care about it."

  "Surfacer problems. Down here the darkspawn are a constant threat, sod we've lost our empire to them. At least when the clear out of the Deep Roads to attack the surface we have chance to reclaim our lost territory."

  Aedan could understand and even respect Kardol's standpoint. He didn't give two nugshits about the rest of the world or how the darkspawn affected it. He only cared about the security of his homeland. Aedan felt the exact same way. Ferelden was the only thing that mattered to him, everywhere else can burn for all Aedan cares. If it wasn't for the fact he was trying to raise an army for Ferelden's defense he wouldn't be in this sphincter of the earth. "Have you ever heard of the Anvil of The Void?"

  "Like dusters have heard of respect: never seen it, and if it exists it wasn't meant for me. But if you're looking for Paragons, you may as well look for the Anvil and endless lyrium."

  "Can you tell me anything about what's been going on in this part of Deep Roads?"

  "I'll tell you one thing, the darkspawn ranks have surged forth from Bownammar in numbers I've never seen before. Couple months back the darkspawn couldn't have pushed us back, but then all of sudden more of them showed up here, like something just bolstered their ranks. I don't know what it is, but I doubt it's anything pleasant."

  Just one more thing Aedan had to ask before he left, he'd always wanted to know more about these dwarves who abandoned their home and caste to die fighting darkspawn. "What can you tell me about the Legion of the Dead?"

  "We die in the eyes of our brothers and our city so we can fight without fear. It offers redemption for the promise of the greatest sacrifice. That's all you need to know. To say more invites judgment. Or worse, imitation."

  "Your order sounds like my country's Ash Warriors."

  "Oh? And how's that?"

  "Anyone, no matter their crime can join with them. And any record of their existence is destroyed, birth certificates, marriage contracts, anything that proves that they're alive."

  "Yeah? And what do these…Ash Warriors fight for?"

  "For an honorable cause, no matter how dangerous or suicidal. They don't fight for money or glory or advancement. They fight only to die well."

  "Well, sounds like you got some stone-hearted warriors topside. You one of them?"

  "I was trained by one." Aedan's answer was filled with pride.

  "So as an Ash Warrior and a Grey Warden you know better than most what we gotta do to get the job done down here."

  "Yes. Sometimes that means promising and seeking the impossible. That's why I'm looking for your Paragon."

  "Well, then I wish you luck, Warden. And be careful. Drunks make poor allies."

  The two dwarves eyed each other with obvious dislike. Not wanting to waste any more time or for Oghren to pick another fight, Aedan decided to move on into the Dead Trenches not knowing what awaited them in there.

  Later Deep In The Heart Of Bownammar…..

  First Day, the come and catch everyone

  Second Day, they beat us and eat some for meat

  Third Day, the men are all gnawed on again

  Fourth Day, we wait and fear for our fate

  Fifth Day, they return and it's another girl's turn

  Sixth Day, her screams we hear in our dreams

  Seventh Day, she grew and in her mouth they spew

  Eighth Day, we hated as she is violated

  Ninth Day, she grins and devours her kin

  Now she does feast, as she's become the beast

  Now you lay and wait, for their screams will haunt your dreams

  Aedan never knew such horror actually existed. He wished he never learned that it did. When he first laid eyes upon the bloated mass of flesh, this foul smelling behemoth, he couldn't believe that this…thing was once a woman, a wife, a dwarf. And Branka let her become this, this abomination?

  Their battle with it was fierce, Zevran would have had his face bitten of if Aedan didn't cut the tentacle holding him. Aedan managed to climb on to the monstrosity when it reached to grab him and cleaved its skull in twain with his axe.

  Aedan couldn't take his eyes of the now slain broodmother, he wanted to so much, but he couldn't. He had to see, had to know exactly why the Grey Wardens fight, and tried to understand what rationale Branka used to let this happen to someone of her own House.

  "Hurrgahh!" Leliana finally allowed herself to puke in disgust and horror.

  Wynne and Alistair tried to avert their eyes as best as they could. Oghren looked up at the dead creature, his eyes filled with sorrow and horror. This woman was once Laryn of House Kondrat, his kin.

  "That's where they come from. That's why the hate us…that's why they need us. That's why take us…that's why they feed us." Hespith's voice came from atop a ledge looking over the cavern that the broodmother, her former sister-in-arms was house
d. "But the true abomination….is not that it occurred, but that it was allowed. Branka…my love…. The Stone has punished me dream-friend. I am dying of something much worse than death….Betrayal."

  She turned from them, walked towards the ledge of the cliff and she let herself fall into the dark abyss. Her last word haunted Aedan. Betrayal. He knew that word all too well and knew how horrid such a fate is. But he also knew that a far more horrid fate awaited those who betrayed: revenge. Aedan turned his gaze to dead monster. Knowing what he knew, who this thing once was and that she deserved better. He knew what he needed to do. Aedan lit a torch and walked over to the dead broodmother, its brood still kicking in its massive womb.

  "What are you doing?" Zevran asked.

  "You heard what Hespith said. This used to be someone. I can't… I can't leave her like this. She deserved better and, dammit, I'm going to give it to her as best I can." Aedan tossed the torch on to the bloody, mass of flesh and it lit up like a crucible. Oghren lowered his hammer and bowed his head in respect, while Leliana and Alistair kneeled and whispered a prayer for this poor soul and what she endured. Aedan gazed into the fire, the smoke stinging his eyes, the horrid stench of burning flesh filling his nostrils and said a prayer of his own. "Rest easy now, Laryn and Hespith of House Branka, warriors of Orzammar. You did not deserve what happened to you in life, but I swear you will get it in death. I swear the bitch who did this to you will pay and will never reach the sacred halls you and your ancestors reside."

  They picked themselves up and once more walked into the Deep Roads. To the Anvil of The Void and Branka.

  The Anvil of The Void….

  XoXoXo

  As they entered the final chamber of the Deep Roads where supposedly, the Anil was housed the tunnel behind them collapsed, trapping them within. What the hell caused it? "Let me be blunt with you." Said a dwarven woman overlooking them atop a wall, safely out of their reach. "After all this time, my tolerance for social graces is fairly limited. I hope that doesn't bother you."