Of Assassins and Oracles

Caterina couldn't help a small giggle of amusement as she was briefly lifted from the ground before being settled gently next to Bowen's side. She looked up at him, even though Nygozy was speaking, and she really should have been paying more attention.

"Then, I'm glad you waited for me. I might have taken you for a coward if you hadn't, trying to get out of your punishment," she whispered back with a smile on her face, comfortable in the crook by his shield. She thrived in conflict, but as an assassin, so much direct work could take its toll on her, and she was feeling a distinct weariness setting in, combated only by the bubbling joy that settled in her stomach when she heard that everyone was safe, and that no one was harmed beyond what was possible to heal with the touch of magic. Perhaps being an assassin was not exactly the perfect job for someone who was naturally concerned about others, but she hid it well.

Finally turning her full attention to Nygozy speaking (though she'd managed to half-listen to all of it), she found a small feeling of irritation itch at her skin. She couldn't imagine anyone leaving after performing so well in such a battle, and decided to tell the dwarven woman as much.

"You won't be ridding yourself of me that easily, hero," she said with a playful smirk to the dwarf. "Not after all we've been through in such a short amount of time." She stood firm for further emphasis, her feet set firmly in the ground to show that she wasn't going anywhere. She snuck a quick glance up at Bowen, glad that he and Calliara also refused to leave, and unconsciously stepped just an inch closer to him. It was hard not to feel determined and firm when standing next to such an imposing man.

Margaid was completely unaware of Nygozy's attention as she fought, preferring, rather, to cast Walking Bomb and other nasty spells helter-skelter with the mad glee she often felt when able to actually use her magic freely. Margaid was a mage through and through, and using her magic felt...exhilarating, freeing, like it was meant to be. She always had to be cautious with it, however; anyone could be watching. Templars could descend upon her at any moment. She could just give herself away like that. So, despite how magic help her strained and mottled mind relax, despite how it felt like it completed her, filled in the holes in her Swiss-cheese brain, she couldn't use it.

To be able to use it now, and for a purpose, made the already mentally compromised mage giddy as she shot of random spells. She stilled, however, when Nygozy began to talk. Panicking, Margaid dashed to go hide behind the ballista. Slowly, she peaked out to watch Nygozy speak, a stupid smile on her face. It was a habit of Margaids, when she actually came upon people in the wilds, to hide in a tree or bush and just listen to the other humans talk. It was one of her favorite past times, just listening to people speak. Half the time, she had no idea what they were actually talking about, but that didn't stop her from playing their conversations over in her head, repeating them out loud, for her own enjoyment, long after the people themselves had left. It was perhaps the only reason the feral mage did not forget her powers of speech, and it was one of her only forms of human 'contact.' So as Nygozy began to speak, Margaid paid particular attention. After all, she wanted especially to remember what she said because Margaid might actually be able to talk back at her. It would be like a real, live conversation! Margaid couldn't wait.

The topic Nygozy was speaking on, however, discomforted Margaid. The little dwarven hero-called-Nygozy was essentially offering for Margaid (and, well, all those other people, too) to stay, and the Maleficar felt torn. On the one hand, she desperately wanted to stay with these people. She didn't even give a flying blight-rat's ass who these people actually were. They were people, for crying out loud! People who would actually talk at her!

On the other hand, Margaid wouldn't be able to move around as much if she stayed with them, and she had to move around, or else the templars would find her. And that was a biiiiiig no-no. No sirre; couldn't have the templars tracking her down, now could she. That meant death. The big D. E. D. No more living for Margaid. By the Maker, living was all she knew how to do! Take that away and what would she have left? Nothing! That's what. Just eternity on a gravy-boat shaped island, a-floating in the sky! Margaid did not want that, no she didn't.

The elf turned from his position with his bpw, and raised an eyebrow at the approaching elf. The halla, too, lifted her head to sniff in an almost familiar way at the elf, snorting by way of greeting. The elf's eyes, too, held a spark of amused recognition.

"Lithawen," he greeted, bowing his head slightly. "I did not realize that such childish greetings carried over into adult hood. But then, you always were short- perhaps your mindset carries on in childhood as well." Despite his sarcastic-sounding words, he looked genuinely pleased to see the other blond elf.

"If you don't mind, that is 'Iauron' to you, lethallan," he said, before he heard her name spoken by the dwarf up at the front- which he now assumed was the Hero and dwarf Nyzoy. He glanced back at Lithawen and smiled. "You are being summoned, da'len. I should not keep you." Of course, it was hardly him keeping her, he thought with a hint of smile. He took a step back to suggest that she should get going, then took a step further to the side. Since Nygzoy was addressing her camp at the moment, he would wait until afterward to speak with her.

Marcus hummed softly as he roasted sausages over flames, but suddenly everyone had a very big, insistent 'no' to him. He lifted an eyebrow over at them. "Eh? It's the meat I bought that I'm cooking, not Darkspawn. Sheesh." He rolled his eyes. There was this one girl though who looked at him curiously, as if the concept of barbecuing was entirely foreign to her. "Eating meat raw usually is bad for you, my friend. Cooking it thoroughly brings you all of the benefits, and none of the drawbacks." He smiled over at her and removed the sausage from the flames, inspecting it. "Joke or not, chief, I'm hungry. Cracking heads does that." He mumbled as he regarded how well it cooked through.

Ianto was glad that most- if not all- of the fighting was now over. The remaining darkspawn were either dying by fire, or retreating to lick their wounds. He smiled at the sight, then turned to see how everyone else was doing. He was fairly close to Bowen and those congregated around them, and strode over, standing near the other man with his arms crossed as he listened to Nygozy begin to speak.

He snorted to himself when she offered to allow people to stay or leave as they wished. He wasn't going anywhere. After all, he had gotten lost in a forest to find the camp, and fought a horde of darkspawn just hours after his arrival. Things were too interesting to leave, and plus, he wouldn't be doing anyone any favors by leaving, not even himself. He came to help, and that's exactly what he intended to do. Plus, he thought as he looked around at Jez, Caterina, and Bowen- he'd already found people he didn't want to leave yet. He suspected that that number of people would increase when everyone was finally together again (and, you know, not fighting darkspawn).

He didn't feel the need to tell Nygozy that he wasn't going anywhere just yet, so he continued to wait as she kept on speaking. He spared a glance at Bowen, and noticed Caterina held closely to the man's side. He smirked to himself, and sent the man a sly glance, mouthing to him something along the lines of "you lucky dog" before allowing his attention to be held by Nygozy once more.

The fighting was done, healing no longer required and everyone were still energized by her spells and lithium. The healer looked about with big eyes, shaking a bit from after effects of the fight. This was her first true fight and she'd been able to heal all the wounds including the worst ones being Nygozy and Calliara. Both had been in dire need of the healing.

The others seemed calm and she wondered how in the world they could be so. They had just fought not a couple or even a few dozen Darkspawn. This had been a horde! She looked over the precipice and shuddered then back at everyone else.

Jezarine started to calm, her breathing became even and she was able to listen to Nygozy as the small woman spoke. They were being asked if they wished to continue on with her. Did she?

Without even realizing it she had her bodice knife out in hand and tapped her chin with the little sheath, her teeth squeezing down her bottom lip as she did so. She walked over to the few she knew and checked their expressions as they spoke. Would she stay or would she leave? Her heart hurt with the question as she stood beside Ianto with a look of puzzled consideration.

Steely eyes carefully scanned the area, the chocolate a dark tone as the man concentrated upon what he was charged with, as usual, keeping vigilant. That was his job. Keeping vigilant.

Drake had made sure that his post was close to Calliara without even realizing what he was doing, subconsciouly wanting to keep the woman safe and near to avoid other men. Instincts at this time drove him even when it came to listening to his leader as he checked everything out, filing away information that he would require.

His mind ran over the new people he had yet to meet but didn't really want to. There was some skittish little thing by the ballista, that girly blond guy with the halla and a dark Elf who he assumed was a healer because she did not look like a fighter and it was certain that his hip couldn't have healed all on it's own like that.

Then there was that Elf beside Nygozy. His eyes narrowed as he realized this one looked like an assassin and even though he was beside her on one knee, he could not trust that. Drake had no clue whom this man was but he was too close to his friend.

The man spoke and so did others. He snorted, glared at Kai for a moment then looked to Nygozy. He didn't need to speak as she knew his answer, "I always follow you, my friend. That shall not change."

Everything was done, life was good, and that idiot Durbans was going to eat that sausage. He snorted, wondering if he should explain it to the man and was quite tempted not to but he wasn't the type to not do what he felt was right.

"The smoke from the bodies would carry the Darkspawn taint." He explained calmly, "Just like their blood does. It is ok to have it on or around you but to ingest it could cause one to become a thrall and there's few ways out of that problem if you start to get those symptoms. Strange that the smoke doesn't do the same if you inhale it but that's the scoop and why no one wants you to eat that."

He snorted again but looked at the man Lithawen was speaking to and suddenly felt jealous. Who was this Elf to her that they knew each other so well? He scuffed his foot against the ground as if he were trying to kick unseen pebbles.

Instead of watching Lithawen and this new Elf, or trying not to, Sinjan looked about at the other new people he had yet to meet. Then his eyes fell on Kai and he chuckled quietly. Now where did he come from and why was he so close to her? Well, he'd have to tease the little woman later.

He went back to what he was supposed to do but listened to Nygozy. Once some had spoken and Drake answered he nodded, "I too am at your disposal. Just remember to not dispose of me too quickly."
Sinjan turned to Lithawen, "So are you going to take her offer and read the official documents?"

Lithawen watched Nygozy as she spook to everyone, and muttered angrily at Iauron's words. "At least I'm not a man getting beaten by a girl," she said, giving him a quick hug before kicking at his legs to trip the man.

"And hello to you Fa'Hallen." she said moving over to the Halla and stroking her nose. "You we have missed the most." she teased, eyeing Iauron.

With a sigh she finally moved over to Nygozy and grabbed the letter. "You won the fight. I will follow you, tho do not expect it to be without a fight." she said opening the parchment and scanning it quickly before reading it out loud.

Official document:

Warden Commander Nygozy,

It has come to my attention that your plans are to embark upon a journey within the inner sanctums of the Deep Roads to find evidence of the arch demon's continual cessation of existence as well as to find out why you still live even though you were the one to administer the death blow.

This is unacceptable.

The arch demon is dead. The soul has been transferred but in a different capacity in which we as wardens understand the process. This is difficult to explain but the gist of it all is that a very old ritual was performed by a former colleague of ours which made it so that the warden who struck the final blow would survive.

This negates your requirement to search for answers as I have them. You will turn your attention to other matters at hand which are of more importance. The largest of these matters is to recreate the wardens within Fereldan.

Your orders as such are:

• Organize the wardens who have been sent to you.
  
• Find and initiate new wardens.
  
• Come to Denerim for instructions as to where the new warden fortress will be created.
  

Once this letter has been read you will arrange your new troops and begin your journey back to Denerim. You will not go to the Deep Roads. Initiates can be brought into the fold as you travel. Jezarine Nyala has is not only a healer and a lore master but is knows all of the rituals for joining. Use this resource as you see fit.

I look forward to seeing you and your accompaniment.

Yours,
King Alistair Theirin

As Lithawen finished reading the letter she crumpled it half-heartedly, almost bored. "You Fereldens are bad at love letters." she said in dry humor. She tossed the letter back to Nygozy with a blank stare.

"I have to say this; I will not join you in the deep roads if that is your intention." As a Dalish, Lithawen loved the feeling of freedom, and for as long as she could remember she hated the feeling of being trapped within walls. A fear that could have been worsened by her short time in the Tower of Magi. Being in the Wardens has forced her to spend a lot of time in forts and cities, despite her feelings of anxiety within the walls of any structure.

The keeper stared at the hero waiting for her answer, wanting to know if her true intent was to journey to the deep roads or if she was going to follow the King's instructions. She hoped for the latter.

"You won the fight. I will follow you, tho do not expect it to be without a fight."

"I would feel offended if you did any less than react as who you are." She smirked at the other woman then listened as Lithawen read the letter. Her eyes narrowed at the information about the arch demon, trying to figure out what had actually happened and getting an unpleasant thought.

The Dwarf looked away above Kai's head, towards the wooded section to the side, as if she were considering what had been written. She was but she was also feeling a pain in the heart which she could not block from anyone if they were close enough to see. She was glad that only Kai was close and hoped he would not notice.

"Very well." She finally said before taking a deep breath and looking back to the others, "We cannot stay here with these burning corpses. It is said one will not be affected by the smoke but I do not wish to have long term exposure of any form of contaniment set upon anyone."

Nygozy put a hand on Kai's shoulder, "Thank you to those who have decided definitely that you will join us. I'm afraid our journey starts now but we will not be going far tonight. Just enough to be out of this smoke. Margaid, Ianto and Iauron, you are with me. Everyone else can choose to help Drake or to help Sinjan. I will be working on our travel groups for tomorrow."

She squeezed Kai's shoulder and looked at him, "Except you. It wouldn't matter if I assigned you to anyone. You have your orders and I won't try to change those."

((Margaid, Iauron, Ianto, Kai - to https://dragonageafter.forumotion.com/dragon-tales-f2/start-to-denerim-ny-s-group-t55.htm#421))

Everyone else can choose from the next 3:

((Drake - https://dragonageafter.forumotion.com/dragon-tales-f2/start-to-denerim-drake-s-group-t56.htm#422))

((Sinjan - https://dragonageafter.forumotion.com/dragon-tales-f2/start-to-denerim-sinjan-s-group-t57.htm#423))