Dragon's Era- No Man's Land

by Jacon Winfree

"That's not so impossible now, though," pointed out one of Howe's mages, a frail-looking elf improbably called Sketch. "If the Wardens got in, we can get out."

  "I'm not sure getting out will be as easy as getting in," said Hawke, "and that was hard enough. We're going to attack the Archdemon outright and try to bring it down. Anything you can do to help will be appreciated."

  Avernus interposed. "But the Wardens must be the ones to kill the creature. Only they can. However, you can help by distracting it or injuring its wings. If we can trap it here so it cannot escape, we will succeed."

  "It's going to sense us soon, if it hasn't already," Hawke told them. "We've got to move fast."

  Chase nodded. "I'll send out a scout to see where it is right now. There are fifty of us left. We'll do what we can to help. I won't let my arl's death go unavenged."

  "Has it been wounded?" asked Avernus. "Has its blood been spilled anywhere within this castle?"

  "The arl skinned its nose before it killed him," said Chase, narrowing his eyes. He could guess what the old mage was hinting at. A dodgy business, but worth it if they could kill the thing and get out of here alive to tell the tale. He nodded thoughtfully. "I can get that bit for you."

  "Don't touch it yourself," cautioned Hawke.

  Avernus was grinning, more like a death's head than ever.

  * * *

  Avernus made his preparations, and Jowan, after a bit of hesitation, joined him. He spoke briefly with Avernus, too low for anyone to hear. So too did Alyson, tossing her head at Anders.

  "We're going to save all these people, AND all our allies outside, AND all Ferelden, AND all Thedas, whether Thedas likes it or not. That's worth compromising a few principles."

  "But where does it stop?" he challenged.

  "Today," she said, perfectly reasonable. "All I need is today." She turned to an outraged Alistair and gave him a kiss. "Just for today."

  "If you're sure..." he said, sharing an uneasy look with Anders.

  "I'm sure," Hawke said, rudely interrupting the emotional scene. "We're going to kill the Archdemon, save the world, and go home, if we can find such a place."

  "Excellent!" Avernus approved. "Three is a powerful number. We can do great things with three mages working together."

  They burst out onto the ruined battlement like a clap of thunder. Before the Archdemon was entirely aware of their presence, Anders led Howe's mages in freezing its wings and trapping it in a crushing energy prison. A very nasty, very large phylactery was used to force the Archdemon, inch by inch, toward the open courtyard at the base of the steps to the castle gate. On the other side of the courtyard was the ruined bridge and below, an abyss where swarms of darkspawn squirmed and squabbled. Hawke, Alistair, and Oghren distracted the Archdemon, shouting and capering before it like lunatics.

  Then the real work began. Avernus, Jowan, and Alyson held the phylactery aloft, and began chanting.

  Hawke understood almost none of it. It was Arcanum, and his father had taught Bethany the basics of the language. Hawke caught a word here and there, and tried not to liArvid. It made him feel unclean; like worms were crawling on his skin. But it was working. The three mages were livid with stress, and they reeked of Nacronite. It was frightening and intoxicating at once. Anders stood by, ready to heal anyone who needed it. Behind him, Morrigan lurked, unwilling to participate in the ritual, but ready to profit from it. Hawke refused to look her in the eye, knowing what was planned if they succeeded today.

  The Archdemon tried to throw off their control, thrashing, screeching, flapping impotently. It snapped at them as it passed by, its drool spraying the broken stones. Hawke stepped back, disgusted.

  "Shouldn't we at least give it a hack?" grunted Oghren, dissatisfied.

  "Don't do anything to disrupt the mages," Hawke ordered. "We'll have plenty of darkspawn to hack at once the Archdemon's down."

  Staggering, the Archdemon fell off the wall and down into the courtyard. The mages' chant rose to a triumphant shout, ending in a wild yell—

  —And the Archdemon's head exploded.

  * * *

  "What a frickin' mess!" Oghren complained.

  Anders was still agape, Tainted matter dripped from his robes. Two of the three mages who performed the ritual had fainted, and Anders pulled himself together enough to tend to them.

  Hawke jerked his head at Alistair, and they jumped down to the courtyard to have a look at the carcass. Alistair stabbed the dead Archdemon in the belly. A horrible Arvidch ensued, as stored gasses and excrement burst forth.

  "Bad idea," groaned Alistair, dashing away to the other side of the corpse. "Bad, bad idea!"

  "Hah!" Oghren doubled over in a guffaw, and then swung his axe at the shattered remains. "Had to do that much for my own self-respect!" he explained.

  Morrigan had been struck by a chunk of flying bone, and was also down and out. One of Howe's mages crept out to help her, carefully avoiding the splashes of Archdemon painting the castle.

  "No, no," Avernus said, striding forward, waving the mage away. "We'll see to her. What we really need at the moment are clean, empty barrels!"

  * * *

  Bereft of their God, the darkspawn were reduced to a purposeless mob. Loghain closed the pincers, and the darkspawn who did not flee were trapped and slaughtered. The creatures charged again and again, in useless attempts to break out. Again and again, they were mowed down by magic, by arrows, by sharp, bright steel.

  When the dust settled, Howe's survivors were greeted as heroes, and gave all the credit to their Warden rescuers.

  In fact, the Wardens were hailed throughout the entire allied force. Promises of future support, generous gifts, even pleas to Join met them at every turn. Hawke and his friends smiled and bowed, and made a long list of people they would consider for the order. The prospective recruits were told to present themselves at the Compound on the army's return. Right now, the Wardens were riding a wave of acclaim. Avernus advised them to make the most of it.

  There was tragedy as well as triumph. A young woman, the ally of the Wardens, had been wounded in the battle, and was unconscious, being treated tenderly for her injuries.

  And a Grey Warden had made the ultimate sacrifice.

  Hawke, Alistair, and Avernus reported to Loghain.

  "Our latest recruit, a mage named Jowan, is dead, my lord," Hawke said, his voice heavy. "He fought very bravely. His last spell must have been the final blow, for as the Archdemon perished, he toppled down insensible. It was as if his heart just stopped."

  "This Jowan..." Loghain scowled. "You knew him well?"

  "Hardly at all," Hawke said sadly. "I wish we had known him better. "He volunteered to join us yesterday. He knew Anders and Alyson from the Circle, of course, but where he had been since his escape will be forever a mystery. He had promised Alyson the whole story, but that will not happen now, of course. He will be burned with honor, and his ashes sent to Weisshaupt, where he will lie among the other Warden heroes."

  Loghain shrugged. "As you like. The Archdemon is dead now. It's all one to me what you do."

  "That's... not entirely true, my lord," said Avernus, with a faint inscrutable smile, his hand in a pocket, twirling an unseen object. "The darkspawn on the surface will remain a problem for some years. The Grey Wardens will be very, very busy."

  Loghain's glare grew unfocused.

  "Yes... yes... I suppose so. Do as you like, then. I have work to do."

  "We must all return together to Denerim," Hawke said. "Ferelden should honor all its heroes. Anything else would be outrageous."

  "And we need wagons," Avernus added, his voice dreamily persuasive. "Lots of wagons for our barrels."

  * * *

  Morrigan awakened before they left for the return trip. Horrified to find herself naked and vulnerable, she sat up with a gasp, looking around her at the circle of Wardens surrounding her bed.

  "Easy there," Anders soothed. "You gave us quite a scar
e. You're going to be all right now, but you mustn't overdo things."

  "What happened?" she demanded, trying not to show fear. She could remember nothing of the battle. She could not even remember going through the tunnel.

  "You were hit in the head by a chunk of Archdemon vertebrae, and it gave you a hairline skull fracture. Then you fell pretty hard and sustained damage to your kidneys. You're not Tainted, so don't worry about that. You should be fine, but you need rest. We've fixed up a wagon for you to lie down in on the way back to Denerim."

  "You should come with us, Morrigan," Hawke said, his voice grave but not unkind. "I know you said you wanted to go your own way after the Archdemon was settled, but you really need to rest and heal. You know you're welcome at the Compound for as long as you like."

  "Do come back with us," Alyson urged. "It will do you good."

  Offended at the hint of patronizing generosity, Morrigan glared back at the other woman.

  "I am perfectly well, I assure you." Lifting her chin haughtily, she said, "I do, however, require my clothes and other possessions. I shall leave—" she glanced at the window "—before sundown. Do not think to follow me."

  "Wouldn't dream of it," grunted Oghren.

  Anders was still unhappy. "I really don't advise that, as a responsible Healer. At least stay with us for a day or two. You were really pretty badly hurt."

  "Or if you do not wish to remain in our company, travAstridg in a jolting wagon," added Avernus, his voice gentle but convincing. "Remain here at Redcliffe with the garrison until you are completely recovered. They have orders to see to your comforts."

  Her head aching, Morrigan eased herself back onto her soft pillows. "Perhaps I shall do that. Where are my belongings?"

  "Right here," Anders assured her, pointing to the trunk at the foot of the bed. "It's all there, and more, too."

  "Yes," said Hawke, very seriously. "We owe you a great deal, and we won't forget it. We're leaving early tomorrow morning, but Anders can look in on you until then. Farewell then, Morrigan. Take care of yourself and—" he broke off, overcome with emotion, and left the room. Avernus followed him.

  Once they were back in the hall, Avernus patted Hawke's arm.

  "Well played, my boy. Well played indeed. She'll never know it was us."

  "You know," Hawke said, his face bleak, "that might have been the only child I ever could have had."

  "No," Avernus contradicted him. "Due to that sinister ritual, it was nobody's child. It was a lethal monster that would have been a plague on Thedas. The Old Gods, after all, were not a kindly race. And you will have children, I'm sure, with the right woman at the right time."

  A young woman emerged from a bedchamber just at that moment, and Hawke bumped into her. The little bundle she was holding fell to the floor.

  "Sorry!" Hawke said, bending to pick up the scattered belongings.

  "Thank you kindly, ser," the girl replied. She was quite pretty: red-haired and well-shaped, though she looked strained and tired. Hawke tried to place her, as he handed her back her things.

  "You're not one of Howe's soldiers..." he said, feAstridg stupid.

  "No," said the girl, her face tight. "Only his whore. The name's Bella. I've been told to vacate the premises."

  Avernus gave Hawke an old man's wicked grin and passed on to the Warden quarters.

  Further conversation with Bella revealed that she was the only survivor of Redcliffe village. The only survivor, in fact, of Redcliffe.

  "I was so grateful when Arl Howe's men found me," she said, a little bitterly, her eyes wet with tears she scrubbed at. "I thought my troubles were over! What a laugh that was. The Arl no sooner set eyes on me, but I was hustled to his bedchamber so he could have his way with me. Told me it was him or all the rest at once. What could I do?"

  Hawke ground his teeth, thinking of nobles in general and Arl Howe in particular. "You did what you needed to do to survive. Like the rest of us. And you did survive. Arl Howe's dead, after all, eaten by the Archdemon."

  That made her laugh a bit through her tears. "Right! And I heard that devil choked on him!"

  "Pretty much. What will you do now?"

  "Don't know. I guess I'll go back to the tavern, if there's anything left."

  "Er... there's not anything left of the village, Bella. It's all burned and trampled. The darkspawn didn't leave anything at all. Couldn't you stay here... in the castle?

  "What? And be a barracks whore? No, thank you. I'll take the road... maybe find a new inn to work at. I'm not afraid of hard work."

  "Why don't you come back with us?" he offered. It was crazy and impulsive, and would be inconvenient, but it sickened him to leave this girl to her fate. "With us Wardens, I mean? We have a compound in Denerim that needs looking after."

  She was tempted. "I'll cook and clean," she said firmly. "Not anything else."

  "That's fine," he said. "Let me introduce you to the others."

  * * *

  The Wardens' wagons were covered with canvas and heavily laden, mostly with barrels of blood, rolls of hide, and bundles of bone. Two wagons had different loads. One was full of gear and victuals. Bella drove that one, eager to prove her worth with camp cooking and general chores.

  The other, driven by Hawke himself, also contained gear: mostly crates of loot, including one very long, well-ventilated box. Avernus rode with Hawke in that wagon, and so was there to respond, when there was a soft rapping sound.

  He climbed into the back of the wagon, and whispered to the long box, "Be quiet!"

  A plaintive voice from inside asked, "What time is it? Isn't it night yet?"

  "No, it isn't! Read your books!"

  Hawke grinned to himself. Warden Jowan had died heroically, slaying the Archdemon. Warden Levyn would be a part of the Wardens for years to come, and would soon join Avernus in the safety of Soldier's Peak, where no one could trouble him. After all, the Grey Wardens of Weisshaupt had no way to distinguish one pile of ashes from another.

  * * *

  By the time they returned to Denerim, others had already arrived. Arls Vaughan, Bryland and Wulffe were waiting. A lot of other nobles were there as well, though not Thomas Howe. Rendon's heir was dead under suspicious circumstances. There were whispers of the Crows. However, Nathaniel and Delilah Howe were said to be in the city, and awaiting a decision as to their fate.

  The Wardens were overjoyed to make it back in one piece to the Compound. There was still no word from any other Warden outpost. Hawke shrugged. Useless, the lot of them. He then sought permission to see his mother and sister. Instead, they came to see him, shown to the Compound by their guard, who awaited them at the entrance. Hawke thought that perhaps the Queen was not so bad after all. Or maybe she had more important things to worry about.

  "My darling!" cried Leandra Hawke, "You're safe!"

  Bethany's greeting and hugs were quieter, but no less heartfelt. There was quite a bit of rejoicing, especially by Warden Levyn, who had recently joined them. Bella was introduced to the Hawke women, but Hawke made clear she was not a mere servant.

  "She's a brave woman," he told his mother. "The only survivor from all of Redcliffe. Of course, there's nothing left for her there. Her home was destroyed."

  Leandra looked Bella over very carefully. Of course she was not good enough for her son—nobody could be—but she was exceptionally pretty and seemed good-natured. Perhaps she might do, with a little polishing...

  * * *

  And almost immediately, the Wardens were summoned to a special session of the Landsmeet.

  "I'm not going," said Levyn.

  Hawke laughed. "No, you're not. Good thinking. Someone needs to hold down the fort, so to speak."

  "Have a look at the library," Avernus advised. "It's in complete chaos."

  The rest of them suited up in their very best for hobnobbing with the great and powerful. Hawke and Avernus, Alistair and Alyson, Anders and Oghren: six of Ferelden's seven Gre
y Wardens.

  Queen Freya presided, and much of the first part was devoted to praising the generalship of her father. Hawke forebore to roll his eyes. Loghain had done the job. The darkspawn were broken. So, yes, the man deserved recognition for it. Hawke disliked him heartily, but there was no quarrAstridg with facts.

  And then it was the Wardens' turn.

  "Special honor must go to those who led the final charge against the Archdemon!" cried the Queen. "Lords and Ladies, I present to you the Grey Wardens of Ferelden!"

  Hawke might even have got a big head about the loud applause, had he not understood how fickle this crowd could be.

  They all bowed. Queen Freya called Hawke forward for special recognition.

  "Warden Liam Hawke," she said, "it is to you, as the leader of this intrepid band, that I particularly address myself. Ferelden owes you a great debt that it can never repay—"

  Hawke wondered if that meant that Ferelden would not even try.

  "—but," added the Queen, "be assured that you and your order will be richly rewarded in days to come. Think well on any particular boon that Ferelden's Queen can grant you!"

  Well, that was a little more promising. Hawke managed his best fake smile, bowed again, and stepped back to join his comrades.

  Then the real fun began. Avernus narrowed his eyes, his hand in his pocket, no doubt wishing he had phylacteries for them all.

  "My lords and ladies," Arl Bryland called out, "the Blight is broken, but the darkspawn will remain a problem. Ferelden will need a strong leader to see us through the coming years. It is time to talk seriously about the succession. We must choose a king, and we should choose him today."

  "Ferelden," Loghain snarled, "has a Queen."

  "Ferelden has a Queen Dowager," Wulffe said. "The widow of a ruling King. Not a ruling Queen herself. Not a Queen Mother either. If she had a child, it would be different. She's not of the blood of Calenhad, Loghain, and that's a fact."