Of Assassins and Oracles

Lithawen nodded curtly. "I can make it rain giant flaming balls of awesome if that's what you mean." she said moving over looking at the ballista's ammo. "If I have to, I can set the whole forest to fire." she said holding up the lyrium potion.

She would prefer to not burn it all down, but she would do what she had to to defeat the darkspawn. In her mind drastic measures had to be taken to take down the tainted threat, though it could have just been the influence of the Orlesian Warden's who tend to have a love for the dramatic.

"I'm ready when you are, The Mage lifted her hand, blue flames crackling to life around her fingertips. "Just tell me when."

Ianto smiled, nodding at Sinjan before turning about to look around the plateau. By now, everyone was together, and safe (for the moment). He even saw some faces that he didn't recognize, so he assumed that some of them must have been out of camp before he arrived.

Then, he heard someone call his name, and he turned with a curious look on his face with a "Hm?" When he saw Nygozy insisting that all of the mages- plus he- take Lyrium, he nodded, turning around. With a grave look that he reserved for himself, he went about doing as asked.

When he was finished with the lyrium, he could feel his own stamina returning (though he'd always doubted whether lyrium actually helped with his Templar powers or not), and went about doing what he had to do. He interchanged between helping with the oil, and in casting a cleansing aura around the battlefield. It was good to rid the area of lingering spells- it kept the mana clean for the mages. He'd never used his powers over such a large area before, and it was more taxing than he'd have thought, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle.

Caterina spared a moment to make sure that Jez was well, healing everyone while casting protective magic. On the level field, it was easier to keep an eye on everyone and everything. Perhaps it was not the ideal setting for an assassin- there were few places to hide herself- but it was at east good for keeping track of everyone.

She disappeared in a flash into the shadows, keeping towards the few scarce trees on the plateau. She made her way towards the edge of the plateau, and began to throw her daggers at darkspawn who came too close. It wasn't much, but it was what she could do, for now. Luckily, no one seemed to be in immediate danger- yet.

When he and Fa'hallen reached the top of the plateau, they both kept towards the sidelines, not yet ready to make themselves known in full. He returned Nygozy's brief greeting with a nod of his head, and Fa'hallen did the same before she turned back to him, waiting for his orders.

He nodded to the halla, and they both strode towards the edge of the plateau as Nygozy had said, an arrow already set in his bow. Marksmanship was his specialty, he knew without being immodest, and set up so that he could shoot down any darkspawn that came close. Fa'hallen had little to do without darkspawn being close, so she stayed tensely by his side, waiting for any moment where she might be needed.

"Everyone who doesn't have long range attacks, start tossing the oil bottles and explosives from the crates, even on the fish behind the dam."

Ok, that was him. Bowen shrugged once Ianto and him reached the plateau with Sinjan and the pretty Dalish mage, and nodded to Nygozy when he heard her orders.

''As you say, Commander'' The Nevarran turned to walk over where the oil bottles where, and lifted an eyebrow when he saw Drake arriving with Calliara in his arms, with an unknown Dalish and a halla. Of course he knew what a halla was. He wasn't that stupid. Well, maybe, but Calliara once described a halla and he had good memory for details.

For all the blood they have on them, he suppossed that Calli, Drake, or both, were hurt. Bowen clenched his teeth, wishing to go and check if they were alright, specially his 'sister', but duty was first, and... Wait, he is touching her... And now she....

Bowen smiled wide. Well, well, well. He saw her kissing the human and then strode away to the edge of the plateau with the unknown blond Dalish to use her bow with the climbing darkspawn. And, wonder of wonders, she was blushing. That were good news.

Fenrir trotted after him, barking, and he picked the puppy up with one arm, the arm with the shield, and walked over Drake, Durbans and the rest to help them with the oil bottles. But even doing that, his eyes were focused on Calli, and next he was looking for the adorable sight of Caterina

"That is what I mean." Sinjan said, reloading the ballista and smirking. He noticed the others throwing stuff from the box, using bow and arrow or just ... roasting sausages?

A brow rose while Durbans got out sausages and started roasting one, "I believe our friend was being facetious, Durbans. That will taste much like ... roasted Darkspawn. Ick." His face screwed up from the concept and he got a grossed out look.

"The last snow fall should keep most of the woods from lighting up. It looks like we have the bulk of these bastards below." He initiated the ballista, another large piece of ammunition slamming into a different section of the screaming horde, splashing it all over, "Go ahead and attack anything I just splashed. That should cause quite the ripple effect."

Lithawen looked back at Durban with a bored look. "If you eat that, you'll become tainted and die." she said pointing to the burning darkspawn body.

She turned back to the ledge and looked down at the black shadow that was the bulk of the darkspawn attacking them. "I need about sixty seconds between each cast," she said as she sent the inferno to the soaked part, and a minute later starting another where the second round landed.

Calliara's touch made him turn and look down into her shining eyes then she kissed him while pressing against his body. It was over far too quickly for him to do much more than respond to her kiss and touch her shoulder. As she thanked him he watched her move away, stunned but not unhappily. He continued to watcher her until she was shooting at the Darkspawn.

His lips twitched with pleased amusement as he walked towards the side of the plateau and fit his wrist crossbow onto himself. He booted a dead Genlock over the side onto another Hurlock which was trying to climb the steep wall then began shooting his bolts, methodically walking about the edge, counting as he pushed dead over the side and shot what was down there.

Each time someone seemed to be tired she would send them energy. There were fewer wounds now so it was getting easier. Jezarine sighed as she ran low on power reserves until Torture trotted to her side, the handle of a bag in the dog's mouth.

"Oh. What is this?" She asked as the dog sat down, nudged her leg and pushed the bag which was strong like a woven basket. It held lithium bottles in it making the Dalish open her eyes in surprise, "Just what I need! Thank you." She took a bottle and drank down the contents as the dog started off towards Lithawen.

Torture waited until Lithawen was done with her second firestorm attack then nudged her leg, grunted at her and showed the bag to her, his head tilted slightly so she could see what was in the pack.

A lot of the Darkspawn were now on fire and with the jars of oil being tosse on them their numbers were dwindling rapidly. Sinjan had made sure to create an arc of oil which hemmed in the unburning Darkspawn in the center of the burning ones, corralling the beasts.

Nygozy left the ballista work to Sinjan as she walked about shooting at bowmen and others, watching to make sure they were all dying. She directed others as where to throw oil bottles to hem them in even further.

"Durbans," She said as she walked past him, "Lithawen and Drake are right. I was only joking. Don't eat that." She patted his back and smiled at the others as she noticed everything was now under control.

Her voice rang over the sounds as she commanded in a gentle tone, [b]"We're almost done but let us keep up our vigilance. We need the dead on the plateau tossed over the sides and once the last Darkspawn has perished we can have a meeting. Welcome to the newcomers. You may join the meeting once everything is ready."

The Dwarf walked back towards the wooded section, looking for Kai as she went. She thought she saw him when she got near a tree, "This battle is almost over. Thank you. Zev chose well."

Bear-Margaid stared at Nygozy with a kind of dumb surprise, forgetting the battle around them for the moment in favor of playing up the shock she felt at hearing an answer in her almost-native Bearinese. Wow! A person who knew how to speak Bear! This was the beginning of a beautiful relationship, Margaid thought dreamily.

Then a flaming arrow whizzed past her ear and she became aware of reality once again.

With a final roar, Margaid pitched one last darkspawn off the precipice and transformed back to human form. Nygozy-the-dwarf-hero had said anyone incapable of long ranged attacks should throw those bottle-things at the darkspawn. Luckily, Margaid was capable of long-ranged attacks.

Twirling her oak staff expertly above her head, Margaid cackled wickedly and madly, shooting off spell after spell into the throngs of of darkspawn below. Luckily, the hordes they gathered in made aiming a moot point; she was likely to hit anything, so long as she aimed roughly at a group. And casting walking bomb on a single darkspawn was handy for killing off a couple at a time, so her aim didn't have to be that good anyway.

"Wahahahaahhahaha!!!" She crowed. "Take that!" She punctuated the cry with an attack. "And that!"

Margaid really didn't know why she was fighting at the moment. Typically, she would have just run away in the face of such an overwhelming attack. Huh, she must have just been caught up in the moment, defending the little area alone with the other people (Yes, Margaid singsang to herself, other people. Standing there. I can see them~ They talk to me~ Wa~ Haha~ Hahaaaa~). She really had no personal stake in the battle. At all. Whatsoever. But it was strangely fun (yes, somehow, fighting for your life and killing darkspawn somehow translated to 'fun').

Margaid was dancing around, shooting off Walking Bombs left and right as often as her mana-regeneration rate would allow, singing internally and moving to her own mental tune, when she noticed Durbans cooking the sausages over the fires. Her eyes widened to saucers and, her short attention span forgetting the battle once again, she shrieked and rushed over to him.

"What are you doing!" She cried, looking almost comically distraught. "You're, you're sticking perfectly good meat in fire! Why would you do that!?" She moaned mournfully, looking piteously at the cooking meat.

Stupid

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Calliara cursed herself with anger while shooting at the darkspawn. Not that she regreted anything, but what was he going to think about her now? Stupid and childish, in the best case. Laughable, in the worst. The usually stoic Dalish found herself thinking about dropping the bow and crawling under a bush to die in shame. At least he didn't toss her apart... and it felt nice, actually...

Feeling the blush on her cheeks again she growled and shoot two arrows to a tall hurlock that was roaring in that very moment. She looked briefly at the human when he came to the edge too, to shoot at the darkspawn, and tried hard not to look at him directly, even if she was sure it was evident. Instead, she bowed her head to the unknown Dalish archer.

''Anetha ara, lethallin. Thank you again for your appearance, and thanks to the daughter of Ghilan'nan again. We owe you''

Calliara heard Bowen walking next to them, and turned a bit to look at him, examining him to be sure he was alright. His shirt was torn again, it seemed, and she lifted an eyebrow when she saw, and smelled, the blood on his skin and clothes. ''Big bear, are you alright?''

"We're almost done but let us keep up our vigilance. We need the dead on the plateau tossed over the sides and once the last Darkspawn has perished we can have a meeting. Welcome to the newcomers. You may join the meeting once everything is ready."

Bowen nodded, with Fenrir still happily on his arm and protected by the shield, and began kicking the corpses over the edge as happily as the puppy. It was going great, actually, to be a group who just recently met and wasn't accustomed to fight together.

The Nevarran walked over where Calliara, Drake and the unknown blond archer were shooting against the darkspawn, and began tossing over the corpses that were near them. He stroked the halla's fur and set Fenrir on the ground. The little pup began sniffing the silver animal, waving his little tail and trying to lick her happily, greeting her.

''Big bear, are you alright?''

Bowen smirked and nodded, offering her his closed fist. Calliara nodded too and stopped shooting to touch his closed fist with hers lightly, as if it was an accostumed gesture between the comrades.

''I am alright, White Wolf. What about you? I see you have more blood on you than I ever seen before, girl. What happened? You decided that shooting distantly wasn't fun and found yourself under an ogre when the gentlemen were killing it, so you got showered?''. The Nevarran grinned. Not in a million years had occurred to him that had been other way.

Calliara growled lightly and turned to continue shooting at the darkspawn, and Bowen lifted an eyebrow. ''Hey! What have I said??''

Fa'hallen glanced up as she heard the approach of an extra set of feet, which alerted the blond elf, who was too entranced in his shooting to notice. After firing one extra arrow at a Genlock from below, he turned to look at the approaching man before looking back at the elven woman who had spoken to him.

He bowed his head slightly in acknowledgment, a small smile on his face. "You owe us nothing, lethallan. It was our pleasure to help, and we wish only that we could have arrived sooner." He looked at the halla with a smile, and she nodded slowly in agreement, before lowering her head to look at the small creature which was sniffing at her legs. She breathed a puff of air into his face playfully, moving a leg so that he was held protectively behind it.

When the elven woman turned to speak to the larger man, he couldn't repress a small smile of amusement at their names for each other, and at the apparent insult the larger man paid the woman. Of course, it wasn't his place to interfere, but he cast the man an amused look before returning to look to the front, readying his bow for any extra darkspawn.

Caterina flipped out of a tree next to the edge of the plateau where Bowen, Calliara, and an elven man were standing. She landed silently behind them in a crouch, and slowly crept her way towards them. When she was behind Bowen, she stood up, and raised her arms, standing on her tip-toes, to cover his eyes with her hands. They just barely reached, for how short she was, and how tall he was.

"Where have you been?," she asked in a whisper, suddenly, in his ear, suppressing a giggle as best she could. It might not have been the best of ideas to sneak up on an ally in the middle of battle, but she had confidence that if he took an instinctive swing at her, she'd be able to move away fast enough. And her playful urges could seldom be controlled.

As the battle was nearly over Kai made his way over to Nygozy, he'd been surprised by how the hero kept going despite all the damage she had taken. He looked her over for any remaining wounds though he knew different healing spells had been cast over the area.

He gave her a bit of an approving smile before returning to his serious look. "That was quite the display, little hero" as he said this he was silently observing the others, he glanced to where a group of people he didn't know had gathered. He watched as one woman stood streatching herself to reach the eyes of a bigger man.

He shook his head and scoffed at them as they played around with each other "What pointless games" He was sure they wouldn't hear them with the way he said it though he knew Nygozy would, not that it made a difference to him.

Lithawen looked down to the nudge on her leg, smiling a bit to Torture. "Well then, you aren't as stupid as you make yourself out to be." she teased as she drank one of the potions.

With another renewal of mana Lithawen sent one final burst of flames from the sky, hitting the darkspawn drenched in oil.

Panting heavily the mage turned away from the ledge and tossed her empty glass bottle towards Iauron. "Look what the Halla dragged in. she taunted. "Better watch out Ewwy-on, last I remember you were still getting beat up by girls.

The maleficar's crazy fighting did not go unnoticed by the group's leader. She wasn't sure about her yet but decided that since she had been fighting with them it wouldn't hurt to check out what she was about. But that could wait until a bit later. Right now she had people to direct.

The Darkspawn were all now lying in heaps of flaming ash, bones and sinews in an array of grisly death. Some had limped off to die or recouperate but she doubted they would be back soon or with many of their kind. That did not mean there was not the chance of such.

There were already associations being made, some of which seemed to be interests in more than just friendship. She grinned then noticed that Kai was looking her over for wounds. Her eyes turned to his as he did this and his approving smile actually made her blush before she got her expression back in check.

"That was quite the display, little hero"

"Glad my actions are found to be acceptable. I aim to please, you know." She teased as she watched the others from the sides of her eyes but also took note of him beside her.

"What pointless games"

A slight chuckle came from her as she tilted her head to look up at him better and she spoke softly so the others could not hear, "I'm sure if you were to find someone who interested you that you'd render the person unconscious and drag him or her to your cave o danger."

Nygozy had been evaluating the Maleficar when she saw him. Noticing that Nygozy had blushed Kai gave her a curious look before she began speaking to him.

"Glad my actions are found to be acceptable. I aim to please, you know."

He knew she was teasing him and teasing was something he found pointless, just as he found the others games to be. She then looked up at him, he guessed so that he was easier for her to see. He got down onto one knee so that he was more at her level.

Suddenly her voice became soft and light he knew he was the only one to hear the words as she spoke

"I'm sure if you were to find someone who interested you that you'd render the person unconscious and drag him or her to your cave o danger."

To this he scoffed, the thought almost apalled him. "Render them unconscious and drag them to a cave. Just because I'm an assassin does not make me into some kind of barbarian like a dark spawn. That fact aside, if I were interested in another person it would only be to observe them and nothing more. The kind 'intrest' you speak of is some thing I have never experienced."

Kai got down onto one knee so they would be on the same level, making Nygozy smile at him. That was a respectful gesture she had not expected as most people did not think of that. Even Dwarves who became upset at the taller folk didn't think the other way around when it came to someone shorter than themselves.

As she spoke to him she thought of that but when he answered her head tilted and the left edge to her lips twitched upwards as if she were being tickled by his scoffing.

"Render them unconscious and drag them to a cave. Just because I'm an assassin does not make me into some kind of barbarian like a dark spawn. That fact aside, if I were interested in another person it would only be to observe them and nothing more. The kind 'intrest' you speak of is some thing I have never experienced."

"Ah then you are not barbaric like Zevran. Then again, he drags women to his cave using flowery words and silly anctedotes so that's not quite as barbaric." A brow rose, "I suppose that would be an honor that you'd be interested in observing someone. The rest is too bad, though. Your scowls make that one baby blue sparkle enough to make a maiden's heart flutter." It was only partially a joke.

Though Kai tried not to show it he was pleased that she recognized his respect, thus proving to her he was no barbarian. Nygozy brought up Zevran then and his ways with women.

"That's barbaric enough" he stated seriously "He does it with enough women, I don't think the man would know a true romance if it stabbed him in the back though he is a good assassin I give him that."

Kai looked at Nygozy with confusion then "That is no honor, if I watch a person it is usually because they are my target and I'm planning out the assassination, or I find them odd and feel they must be watched. You are the first I have watched out of protection."

His confusion then increased higher though a light blush came about his cheeks which, he tried to hide. He'd hoped she hadn't noticed. "Your words make no sense, I have never made a maiden 'flutter' only fear being killed."

"So you believe in romance, just not for yourself." She noticed the others finishing off with the Darkspawn corpses, "You are a plethora of surprises. Hmm. Being watched for assassination. Been there. It was ... interesting. I'm glad I can be your first non-death warrant."

Nygozy smiled and looked up, noticing that the others would be starting to become restless, then back at his blush. She couldn't help but be pleased that she could have that reaction from him, "There's probably been no fluttering because the maiden's never get to see your face before you kill them." The woman sighed, wishing she didn't have to cut this short, "But I have to get to my duties now."

Regretfully turning her attention back to the group, Nygozy barked at Torture then went back to her commanding voice, "This was the best I have ever seen a group perform with only having met each other for such a short time as you have. I am impressed with each and every one of you."

A pause was given so that everyone could get themselves arranged for a meeting and also to give effect to her words that they had all done well. She expected that Sinjan would take up watching towards the trail leading to the plateau and that Drake would watch the other side. She took note to see who else would listen, what people listened and kept watch as well and what everyone did other than that.

"Everyone survived and were not wounded in such a way as to be unhealable. This is the best outcome to any battle. Now we have some questions to answer. One: Who wishes to continue on with me? If there is any who do not, warden or no, there would be no hard feelings if you decided against following. Two: Where do we go from here? There are questions I believe any warden would be asking right now and the main one would be 'how did she survive killing the arch demon?' I hope to find this out but there are orders from the King which I am to believe will tell us whether we search for that answer or do something else."

The woman looked out at the others to see what if they would say anything but Torture came over to her with the official package she'd received from Denerim and removed an envelope which had the unbroken wax seal of the King, "You can all answer me now or later upon whether you wish to stay or not. Right now, I have an official document that should be read for everyone here. I believe the honor of reading this should be Lithawen's. Have we any answers to staying or leaving and will you read this to all, Lithawen?"

Nygozy had decided Lithawen should read the official pages to assauge the woman's aggravation and as an act of good will. It was in a sense a sign of trust and openness which out of the group only Lithawen seemed to require.

Kai nodded still blushing. That was when Nygozy began to adress her duties as the camp leader, he listened quietly as she spoke to all of them.

"You can all answer me now or later upon whether you wish to stay or not."

As she finished her speach and handed a document to the elf called Lithawen Kai turned to face the dwarf, he was able to look into her eyes clearly as he was still on his knee. He realized that they were a shade of hazel, he liked the color.

"Allow me to answer your question now hero, I will stay, not only because of the contract I was given for the job but because I want to watch as things play out"

When Nygozy began talking Calliara tilted her head a bit to the side, but still watching over the edge of the plateau, her bow ready with two arrows, just in case. Silently, she nodded to each word of the dwarven, and then answered simply with her usual soft, calm voice.

''I am a Grey Warden. Mi place is by your side. I stay, and you have my bow''

Fenrir barked his approval, still hiding between the halla's legs happily. Calliara smiled weakly hearing him, and glared curiously to the elf that was kneeling beside Nygozy. He looked... familiar... Focused as she was on the edge of the plateau, she couldn't look at him more carefully yet

"Where have you been?,"

Bowen smiled softly, his eyes blinded by her hands, and bent his knees a bit so she could reach his face in a better way.

''Looking for you, beautiful. Or better said, waiting for you'' He said sincerely, pleased. ''Are you alright? What about my punishment, my lady?''. Playfully he stood up again, grabbing her hands with his so she would be hunging on his back and laughed, then set her again on the ground gently.

The Nevarran tried to turn to see her, and tried as well to put an arm around her shoulders again to keep her close to him, relaxed. But his eyes were hard and looking around just in case, and he was still holding his shield, which used to cover Caterina.

When the leader began talking, he listened carefully, and nodded to the assasin's and Calliara's words.

''Same as my sister, Nygozy. I stay as well.''