Joining Before Vigil's Keep

Takara didn't know what she had expected of the joining but it certainly hadn't been this. She watched as one by one the others stepped forward and drank. She played nervously with the skirt of her robe as she watched. She was visably shaking as Khael stepped up for his turn. She didn't realize she was holding her breath until she found out he was okay and she let out a huge sigh of relief.

Then it was finally her turn. She took a deep breath and walked forward. The mage accepted the cup with shaking hands and took a large sip. She grimaced as she swallowed but managed to get the liquid down. Almost instantly she was gripped by a terrible pain worse than any she had felt before. She screamed and wrapped her arms around herself before collapsing to the ground.

After a moment she took a shuddering breath and relaxed on the ground unconcious but alive.

The Wolf rushed to her side and lifted her up in her arms easily, surprisingly easily for someone that looked that skinny.

All of them survived. It was amazing. She couldn't remember a Joining where no one died.

Calliara exchanged a look with Macha, and then with Nygozy before carrying Takara to the free cot that was left

One by one, each recruit went through their Joinings. Fremelda was actually surprised at the end of it. "Well how about that? No one died. Guess I'm just good luck." She said with a short chuckle, crossing her arms over her chest and then looked to Macha, lifting an eyebrow at her. "You can start breathing again."

It seemed almost impossible that not a single person died. Usually the larger the group, the higher the death count. This might be starting a trend of almost no casualties to the Joining. He felt he had to ruin the moment to help keep them from thinking that they can get away without the deaths.

"Don't keep your hopes up for more like this. The chances were equally as great that none of them were to survive. Today was a good day. But other Joinings may be filled with more grief than excitement." Wolfram spoke out. "And even now isn't that good a day. They now get to experience what we experience.

Wolfram looked over at the commander, with a peculiar expression on his face. "We're probably in need for more food now that we have several more Wardens to feed," Wolfram joked.

Nygozy sighed with relief as every single one of the recruits went through and survived. She looked at Macha and Calliara, smiling at them widely, or as wide as her tired system could allow then glanced towards Fremelda and then Wolfram as they spoke.

"Well how about that? No one died. Guess I'm just good luck. You can start breathing again."

"Maybe we keep you as a good luck charm through each joining then, Fremelda. That will be your job. Fremelda the good luck charm." She teased and chuckled.

"Don't keep your hopes up for more like this. The chances were equally as great that none of them were to survive. Today was a good day. But other Joinings may be filled with more grief than excitement. And even now isn't that good a day. They now get to experience what we experience. We're probably in need for more food now that we have several more Wardens to feed,"

"Wolfram ... we know. Tonight we will celebrate for it is a boon this time. As for the rest, we deal and yes we need more food. Wolves are out hunting for us as we speak." She gave him a wink and then watched as Jezarine checked each person over once again.

Kraven leaned over to Wolfram, "Plus, its as if the darkness picks and chooses. The ones that die, the darkness does not want. The ones who survive will make good darkspawn when the time comes. Not a pleasant thought really."

He grinned and winked over at Nygozy putting up his hands defensively as he mouthed the words, Just Kidding.

Varen stirred slightly from her place on one of the cots. She opened her eye just barely, but enough to see who all was there. Had she heard right? Everyone was alive? Thank the gods. The elf didn't move, but smiled weakly. She had done it. Joshua would have been proud to see her get this far.

The smile faded from her face when she heard a man speak of how things were going to be with them. It was true that being a warden was going to be hard, but now wasn't the time for such things. After addressing all of the places that she was sore, Varen slowly propped herself up so that she was leaning on her elbow. Varen didn't speak or move anymore, but watched and listened to what was going on around her.

"That was directed more towards miss 'Lady Luck' over there." Wolfram replied, a bit curious that wolves were doing the hunting instead of members of their group. Pretty much any of the archers must have learned their skill through hunting, or at least use it most for that task. Sure, wolves have better senses, but they are feral animals. Unless of course they've been domesticated and he didn't know it.

Kraven had a good point. Any one of them would make good hurlocks, genlocks, or wraiths...unless they are female. That would be a much worse fate indeed. Imagine that, as a boy, he was ignored by all except his sister, but now demons and darkspawn want him.

Wolfram examined the archdemon blood in the vial. "If only this blood can benefit us more than it damns us. Being able to sense darkspawn and kill an archdemon is great, but there has to be more."

As Takara stilled on the ground, unconscious but alive, Macha felt that last traces of tension fall off of her, and relief hit her like a physical blow. All of them, alive. It was a first, but she was glad for it - no, not glad. She couldn't have imagined anything better. To die in the Joining was an awful thing, and not having to put anyone through that painful death was more than she could have ever hoped for. She looked up, and shared a smile with Nygozy before looking back down at Takara, her smile proud.

"Takara Hako, welcome to the Grey Wardens, my sister." She looked up and, even though everyone was unconscious or just waking up, she smiled at them, and announce, "all of you have made it through the first trial. The road from here will not be easy, but you will have your comrades in us, and we well help you through it as best we can."

When Fremelda spoke, she glanced at the woman with a raised eyebrow, looking vaguely amused. "Oh? Good luck, are you?" She said with a sly grin. "I'll have to keep you next to me then. All the time. You'll never be rid of me now. See? You're already doing me good, reminding me to breath and everything. How kind of you." She smiled like a satisfied cat, and then turned away without another word, striding over to where the new Wardens were laying, checking to make sure they were all doing well.

"Wolfram, playing with such things can be quite dangerous." Kraven warned.

He patted the mage on the shoulder,
"However, you are right, there is much more to being a warden that what you see now. But, it is not my place to tell you such things. You will still have to find the answers on your own, I can only say that your search will not be futile."

"When you find your answers please be careful, because you might not like what you will see."

"Come let us eat. I haven't tasted food in over twelve hundred years. I still don't need too, but at least I can still enjoy the simple pleasures of what you mortals can have."

Kraven directed him towards one of the fires, "Go on, I will meet you there."

Kraven turned from the mage and strolled over to Nygozy, "Something happened that I did not expect Paragon." he whispered to her.

Nygozy watched all that was going on and listened to everyone as they spoke. Her eyes closed for a moment as she was not needed for anything as of yet. The breeze was nice, blowing her hair and giving a sweet warmth that helped to soothe the tiredness.

Then Kraven spoke to her and she looked up, "Let's go speak then. We have time until all are awake and the party begins."

The dwarf started to walk but suddenly fell like a chopped tree.

Kai had watched the the joining in silence from his usual place close to Nygozy but unseen. She had not slept recently and he was worried about her. Kai was mildly shocked that no one had died this time around. He was not a warden himself but being surrounded by them taught him much. And he had been at the last joining back in Denerim.

As Nygozy began to move away with Kraven Kai automatically followed. And then Nygozy collapsed and he was instantly at her side. "Damn fool dwarf." He muttered under his breath as he gently lifted her small form. "Jezarine! Follow me!" he barked over his shoulder at the healer as he began carrying Nygozy to her tent.

Macha had been about to turn to look at Jez, who'd been tending to the unconscious Warden's, when he heard Kai's shout from behind. That in and of itself was unusual, because the elf hardly spoke at all, let alone shouted, and she turned immediately and instinctively, all of her muscles tensed and ready. Then she saw what had provoked him, and her eyes widened, and she made a shout of her own. "Ny!" She yelled, and hurried over to where Kai was already picking up the dwarf, and she looked between Kai and Nygozy with nerve-filled eyes. "What's wrong with her?!"

Kai looked over at Macha as she approached but didn't slow in his stride, nor did he look back to see if Jezarine was following.

"Damn fool woman hasn't slept in days." He snarled in reply. Warden Commander, Paragon, and Hero of Fereldan or not she was going to bed and staying there even if he had to tie her down.

Jezarine had been finishing up checking the initiates and wiped her brow, pleased that they were all safe and sound. Everything was fine with each one, besides the pain they had gone through, and they all would be up in a matter of time. They would all be ready for a party tonight then to move out in the morning.

Then she heard Kai bark at her and her eyes went wide. That man never spoke. She wasn't even sure that he spoke to Nygozy but here he was barking orders at her.

The healer turned and rushed towards the Dalish and looked over at Nygozy, feeling ill to her stomach as she saw their leader unconscious like that. She turned her head to look at Macha, worry in her eyes while she followed Kai.

Macha shared a look with Jazarine while she followed Kai, Nygozy still limp in his arms. Exhaustion? She knew very well that Nygozy was a master faker, and could hide a bad night's sleep as well as anyone, but to be so tired that she'd literally collapsed on the spot . . . what had been keeping the Commander awake so every night?

Varen turned to look at what all the commotion was. Surprise flickered across her face when she saw the Commander in such a state. Sure, Varen didn't know her that well, but she owed this woman something. If only she could get up and be useful!

Even though her healing was terrible, she could turn into a bear and carry the Commander back to camp that way. Or maybe that wasn't Varen's place. It seemed like everyone else had things under control. The mage's jaw clenched in anger at her confusion, but she stayed silent.

Kai's quick pace soon brought him to the commander's tent and he went inside and laid her carefully on the cot before turning to look at Jezarine.

"I think she is just exhausted but I want to be sure." He said curtly to the elven woman. He didn't mean to be rude he was just worried, and not much used to speaking to those that filled the Hero's life even though he saw them all the time.

"Macha, keep others out would you?" He asked of the human woman before turning his attention back to Nygozy. The assassin squated down beside Nygozy wanting to be close to her but also wanting to stay out of the healer's way.

Kraven poked his head into Nygozy's tent, "May I be of some assistance maybe? Me and her are connected, I can check to see if she is alright if you would like."

He looked into Kai's eyes, "I will do nothing if you say that I shouldn't."

"However if this is a natural cause then it will be up to you people to care for her, as I can not intervene in such things. But, if there is something unnatural happening to her, then it will be in my duty to pull her out."

Jezarine put her hands on Nygozy's stomach right away and closed her eyes as she stood there looking into the woman's system and working through everything that was going on. She could hear the others but was not listening to them as what she was looking at was a delicate thing.

Healing tendrils moved through the dwarf's system searching out the reasons for the sudden fall and tried to find how to fix it. A hand went up to her own forehead and she yelped an "Ow!" and was thrown back a couple feet. She shook her head and went right back to her work. This time her eyes were open and she had a determined look on her face, "Hid it that far did ya? Oh no no ... I'll find it out."

She searched further and further then finally stood back and took a deep breath, "It is tiredness but there is more."

"'More?'" Macha questioned nervously, glancing over her shoulder as she stood just outside of the tent. She could hear Jez, and she could see what was going on through the flap in the cloth, and she presumed that Jez would be able to hear her, too. For now, she ignored the imposing elf man that was looming near as well - she couldn't worry about him while she was busy worrying about Nygozy as well. "What does that mean, Jez? Which is it, fatigue or something else?" She didn't mean to sound like she was hounding the elf, but the worry they both had for Ny would hopefully let Jez understand her slightly harsh tone.

Kai looked up briefly as Kraven poked his head into the tent. "No offence keeper, but let's see what Jezarine says first."

"Find what out?" Kai demanded of the healer as she spoke. "What is wrong with her? She has barely ate or slept in days." Kai was practically snarling now and was up pacing the tent. How was he supposed to protect her from herself? Or from something he could not see?

Kraven looked at Jez with a worried look on his face, "More? Show me." He said as he stepped fully into the tent, easily side stepping everyone in his way.

"Well there is fatigue, Macha, and lots of it but yes there is more. I can explain, Kai, part of it you can ... well, sorta call your fault too ..."

She bit her bottom lip but when Kraven came forward she nodded and took his hand, realizing he could now be touched and put her other hand on Nygozy's abdomen, "I know you can already see this but follow the orange strings, way down there. It's hidden and has been there before we met her. A spell. I can't fully determine what it is but whoever put it on her knew how to hide it and keep it inert until certain timing had been met."

There was a fluttering sound like soft wings through the tent's flap then Drake seemed to just appear suddenly. He looked down at Nygozy then shook his head, "It's a spell to keep her out of the situation with the dragons. They couldn't kill her so they set a 'bomb' per se to knock her out of commission. It also heightened other normal functions to make the possibility of other situations to arise."

Drake looked to Kraven, "A friend just informed me of this. She said you now know we have ties with her."