Returning To Vigil's Keep

What in the world was he talking about? Did his escape involve landing on his head? Did he forget that humans have been killing darkspawn? They obviously weren't manifesting dead corpses. Did...did he just try to associate him with the Tevinter Magisters...from back before even the founding of the Gray Wardens? And where did he get that definition of Valor? Sure, he had protected against the weak, but because he put himself in the face of danger. And who the name of Andraste was Ancient? And where did he get the idea that Templars fear mages, or elves for that matter, banding together? Why would they round mages up in the various Circles or keep city elves in alienages if that is what they feared?

His frustration at Shade's comments were mounting, but fortunately his attention was diverted towards the healer. He sighed and looked away. "Unfortunately no. The term is pretty specific. If you are a mage and you are not trapped away in one of the fourteen circles of magi, you are labeled an apostate. As a Gray Warden, all that means that you are untouchable by the Templars."

"Well, as Shade neglected to remember about what he called 'my kind', Tevinter Magisters, who were mages, like you are Shade, they were the ones responsible for Darkspawn. Apparently, by default, that condemns Mages until the end of time. Also has to do with Canticle of Transfigurations 1:2," He sighed again, hating to have to recite it, but if there was any time to say it, now would be.

"'Magic exists to serve man, and never to rule over him. Foul and corrupt are they who have taken His gift and turned it against His children. They shall be named Maleficar, accursed ones. They shall find no rest in this world or beyond.' I know it specifically states Maleficar, but its pretty much meant to be against magic. As for Loghain, what he did was nothing on the large scale of things. There will be many more Loghains. But what we don't need another Tevinter Imperium to rule over Thedas."

Tatsoo rubbed her forehead as the conversation panned out and started to snarl as the men were trading verbal blows. She finally reacted in a very heated manner, "Ye two stop yer pissin' match an let's get going!" She put a finger over Shade's mouth, "No. Stop it right dere an get yer ass in gear or ah will take a chunk outta it! That means ye too, Bryant. Ah no wanna be hearing any more aboot how bad de mages be."

She started off in a huff, snarling under her breath, "A word out of either a ye an dat be it! Ye get outta da lineup an ah whoop ya fer misbehavin."

As Kassina took off then returned she listened then growled back asking if she could smell Nygozy anywhere since Shade wanted to go find her but the werewolf was not sure what they were supposed to do. Kassina had taken off as she growled the question so she was not sure if she had been heard and started walking.

"Tell us what Kraven said, Shade." She commented in her no nonsense voice. She was getting edgy, frustrated and growly. It had to be close to the full moon. At least a few days before or after.


Dartmoor petted Kassina's ears then followed her, not wanting anything to do with the discussion between Shade and Bryant. He was not about to let anything happen to Kassina and he was going to watch this Templar carefully. He did not want the man to realize that the two of them were not wardens.

There were two ways to go and he waited for Kassina to run back then come to the crossroads again. When she returned he petted her ears as he hummed a lullaby she'd gotten to like and watched down one path while he knew she was watching down the other. He did not need to talk. They seemed to have gained a kinship to know how the other was feeling so he stood there making sure she was safe and reminding her with his attention how he felt.

Shade looked at his lover than laughed throwing his head back his silver hair flying backwards, The laugh was full but there was something behind it much older and gentler than the young elf in front. "My dear you have all the fire I love in you." Shade turned his head to the Templar. "It seems our own discussions must be put on hold just remember you have no authority here or over me." Shade raised his hand the ground rising forming a chair. "Well since were all here and the Darkspawn have taken a detour of sorts than I guess I can explain somethings but not all. First things first, Ancient is me and Shade. A long time ago Elves ruled these lands as all know and they prospered then humans arrived and the elves offered friendship and peace so for awhile all was well. But humans are greedy and self serving and they turned on the elves killing hundreds in a single night starting with Myra. The name means nothing to you but the elves of old it meant allot, Myra was a council member of the elves one of the youngest and wisest...I was her father. Myra went to the humans to discuss some issues that had arisen and they killed her on the ride home and then turned on the innocent who had no defense against the nightly ambush."

Shade waved a hand as water flowed up into a orb and mist entered inside showing a large green world covered in fire and screams. "The elves were shocked and they fought back but the humans had brought something else even they hadn't expected, what you call the Darkspawn we called the Nightshades. The Nightshades took the attention of the elves from the humans and the war killed too many of my kind and the humans took over. At the time I was the recorder of the elves and I paid a price. I cast a spell no longer known to humans or elves or anyone and banished the Nightshades to the underground...however the cost was my body and I went into what you call the fade but we called the dreamscape. The gods of old were kind and promised me a body but they vanished soon after and I was trapped, Then came Kraven the old raven was always smart and Uthza my old friend. When they brought Shade in I couldn't believe it. The gods kept there word and I saw my body but it was occupied, If you recall the magic Shade had used when the rocks were falling that was me. I met with Shade but that story is for another time and we spoke in the end he decided we would merge and Kraven ever crafty Kraven made it so. I inhabit a body that shares another but has my old talent and soon my memories and power. The more he learn the less I will be and as for your friend, Valor will not harm this boy. Shade is me and I am Shade though I wish he had chosen another name...Ancient would be a good one for later." The young body with a old soul stood up. "Fear not golden one your lovers feelings will never change, In a way he rests when I speak and will come back with no knowledge of what I have said and I would be happy if none of you spoke of it." For a brief moment the body of shade vanished and a old elf stood there with the same silver eyes and hair but older and bent, However the power he radiated was still threatening then he was gone and Shade looked around. "Wow I was tired." The young elf looked at the others before clapping. "Right, Kravens message. He said :"You must go into the tunnels and secure them against the horde of Darkspawn. If you do not do this then they will overwhelm the Wardens in the open. In an enclosed space you are more capable of stemming the flow and you can cut them off as there is a door made by Dwarves. Go and keep them, as well as yourself safe. All the tears but this one is closed and once you are through it will slam shut but hurry now." Shade finished and looked to the others.

"I've only said the Chantry's stance on Mages. I've also said by Templar standards, I, too, am a mage. I'm not any fonder of that opinion than your good...perhaps very good, friend there," Bryant replied. He walked over to the nearest wall and leaned on it and listened to Shade's tale. That whole Ancient thing explained a lot, at least about his appearance. He still wasn't sure about Valor not attacking him. Perhaps he's predicting that they won't be provoked into a fight against each other. But then again, Valor's track record shows that he's never backed down from a fight so far, so he has nothing to base it on.

"Tunnels? Dwarves? No. That..that can't be. Vigil's Keep is under attack because the Deep Roads run under the Keep? Could the darkspawn have really broke threw dwarven masonry to break into Vigil's Keep?" Bryant asked, almost rhetorically. "Why am I even asking this? There's no other way they could have came in from unless they took the same path you used to get in."

Kassina heard Tatsoo's growled question as she raced off, but as she had not smelled the small alpha she did not stop to respond. She was anxious to get back to the front so she could warn the others of approaching danger.

Soon Dartmoor caught up to her and joined her vigil as they waited for the others to stop bickering and catch up. Kassina had a very short attention span for words other than stories, especially when in animal form. Wolves found speech clumbsy and cumbersome. The wolf nudged her head against her lover's hand to get him to scratch the best places while he hummed to her.


Takara watched in shock as the being within Shade spoke and then revealed itself. She knew many things had happened to the elf while they were in the fade, but nothing had prepared her for this. Finally it was over and the group was moving on. Takara had understood a little of Kassina's report, but not much. Wolf was a hard language to master despite her efforts and Kassina's patient lessons over the last year.

"I doubt anything c... Came the way we did. We must h.. Hurry, I don't w..want anything to happen to the oth..ther wardens because we c.. Couldn't get along." The mage commented as she hurried ahead with Tatsoo in the direction Kassina and Dartmoor had gone.

It was always said to expect the unexpected which was usually a rule of thumb for the honey eyed lady but this... this was out of her reach of expected. Then again with the way Shade had been acting it should not have been out of her grasp to consider him having been occupied by one soul or other. It was confusing that it would be an old elven soul.

This older soul was speaking in such a way that no one would be able to get a word in at all. This was starting to frustrate Tatsoo as she had many questions but before she could even speak once the apparition was gone, hidden back within Shade and her love woke knowing nothing. She turned her head and glared at some rock before noticing that Bryant was able to see her sneer of disapproval.

"Tunnels? Dwarves? No. That..that can't be. Vigil's Keep is under attack because the Deep Roads run under the Keep? Could the darkspawn have really broke threw dwarven masonry to break into Vigil's Keep? Why am I even asking this? There's no other way they could have came in from unless they took the same path you used to get in."

Tatsoo took a deep breath, thankful for the Templar's injection as she could not trust herself to speak at the moment. She was full of unexpected feelings and questions and one of the strongest feelings was an anger towards this entity who was residing inside Shade, without his knowledge and sounding like he was wearing a suit.

"I doubt anything c... Came the way we did. We must h.. Hurry, I don't w..want anything to happen to the oth..ther wardens because we c.. Couldn't get along."

"Ahm on it." She said in a low tone that was not normal for her. It was one of confusion and anger but to avoid having to deal with this frustration the entity had brought out she stomped towards the others, keeping watch for Takara.


Dartmoor could hear what was being said down the hallway and rolled his eyes as he continued to pet Kassina and whispered, "Just what we need. A talkative old elf who doesn't know when to keep his yap shut. This talking that loud just travels down the tunnels and who knows what can hear it."

As soon as he saw Tatsoo's face he knew she was upset so turned and tapped Kassina's side, "We'll be taking the left tunnel as it's easier to follow your way back that way."

He trotted off on his way before the others could get to them. He knew that Kassina would be there to back him up but when they got to the end he slowed and moved with great caution. It smelled of old dust, cobwebs and death but how had it not been noticed by the sensitive noses of three of the group.

There was a few lines of cells and it seemed to hold tatters of humanoid forms.

"I don't like this." He said just before corpses started to tear out of the ground and come to life from lying on the ground a short distance away, "Dammit! Stand back for a moment, Kassina!"

His weapons were already in his hands so he pointed them towards the undead, throwing out a wide arc of flames which took down quite a few of the creepy army they faced but many still were coming towards them.

Bryant looked back at Shade, or was it Ancient, when the women left. "I don't know about you, or who you currently are right now, but I've got a friend nagging at me to carelessly run after them into who knows what," Bryant told him, pointing his thumb behind him in the direction that Tatsoo and Takara went off to. He crossed his arms and bowed to Shade's body before turning and running.

Bryant reached back and grabbed his shield in his left hand and his sword in his right and ran ahead shield first, ready to plow through the first foe to stand in his path.

Shade looked at the others with curiosity for he had no idea what was going on from a few moments ago, as the human Templar bowed and ran forward Shade shrugged and followed at the back. The undead rose and made the mage elf step back, he hated the dead especially zombies and corpses. As the others charged forward a voice inside his head told him to stand down and save his power.

Vines grew from the walls and into the elfs hands, green energy flowed into his body and his power returned full force as if the vines had been attached to the very core of nature. Shade felt that raw power but he would have to save it and for now trust in the lethal skills of his allies. A corpse rose up behind the young elf and reached forward, a terrible scream erupted down the hall as the hand came in contact with the silver aura and was set ablaze. Shade stood there his hands shaking. He wasn't scared of the dead anymore but of what his abilities had become, such raw power in his hands and the connection to nature itself scared him.

Fire had always come naturally to the elf mage, it was something he had relied on his entire life and wielded as if it was a friend who guarded and protected him. But to see his friend in all his fury scared Shade to the bone but it also awakened his mind and he felt open and more. His fear had awaken a essence in the world and it's speaking was gentle, Ancient made no move to stop it in fact he amplified it pushing the young elf forward. Fire erupted down the hall spreading around his allies and became a wall rushing into the forms of the undead hellions. Fire that had always been a friend, a ally, a source of protection had become more. Shade stood there coated in flames from head to toe with eyes that were so intense they burned white and radiated heat like a furnace. The flames flickered and Shade dropped against the wall breathing hard as another power awoken inside the mage.

As Kassina walked down the hall with Dartmoor she suddenly stopped in her tracks. She could feel something in the air... Was it magic? A second later she was hit with the overwhelming stench of death and decay. Why would someone use magic to cover the smell of death?

Her question was answered a second later as the dead began to rise. Dartmoor was already in action as Kassina growled a warning. Kassina shifted to the more compact and powerful form of a mabari and charged into the fray, careful to dodge Dartmoor's flames. They worked like a fine tuned machine to tear down waves of the dead.

Soon the others joined the fray and the dance became more deady but also more complicated. Fighting was harder in the confined space, especially when people started throwing fire all over the place.

Takara was walking in silence, lost in thought over the recent conversations when she heard the sounds of battle from ahead. Instantlt she was fully alert and jogging towards her friends. Part of her wanted to run full out to get to her friends, but experience had taught her to move cautionsly.

She came around a corner and came to a stop to quickly assess the situation. She had exoected more darkspawn, but insteaf was faced with undead monsters. she quickly shrugged off her shock and joined the fray. A quick mental assessment told her her allies were fairing well so far, so she began throwing icey blasts with her staff to freeze the enemy in place.

Takara quickly realized the uselessness of her tactic as Dartmoor's flames melted her ice in the small space. She was just thinking of a new strategy when Shade threw fire barreling down the hallway, heedless of his allies. The mage may be doing better with his temper but he still wasn't much of a team player. Acting on instinct Takara summoned all the water she could from the surrounding air and dumped it all down the length of the hallway.

As a downpour began in the hallway Takara fell to her knees from the effort, muttering under her breath.

Her frustration was not ended as the group moved forward but as undead appeared in front of Kassina and Dartmoor it was replaced by shock and dismay. The shock receded quickly as she ran forward, keeping pace with Bryant who plowed through two undead in his interest of getting into the fray.

Tatsoo ducked an attack then slashed out with her weapons as one undead went for Bryant. She slammed it back with a furious growl and cut it's head off when it hit the wall.

Fire scorched around them, burning many of the creatures and just barely missing her. She growled as the flames flicked past her nose, "Daatmoor! Watch it with yer flames! Ye know betta ..."

But Dartmoor was not behind them. He was past the flames using his weapons directly on what he could get to. Her eyes flicked back to look at Shade just as the water surged into the passageway, soaking all of them and the undead, stopping the fire dead in it's tracks.

There were a few undead left and Tatsoo figured the others could take care of them as she sloshed over to Takara first to make sure she was ok then to Shade, "Ah want ta talk ta Ancient."


Dartmoor laughed as Kassina came to his aid and gave her a wink as they fought together. They had worked on their fighting skills together and were a pair to be reckoned with. This direct fighting was actually good even if he'd gotten a cut or two. It was taking his frustrations out and giving a wonderful sense of fulfillment for being able to do something rather than listen to this Ancient within Shade.

Fire raged around them in a wall that was taking out the creatures and Tatsoo yelled at him for it. He stopped for a moment and blinked, completely confused because it wasn't him who had done that. He looked at his weapons then looked up at the flames as water came down on them.

This was not right. How did that happen? It wasn't him and there was no other fire worker here unless ... no the templar couldn't have done that. Could he?

Then there was pain in his side as a sword skewered between his ribs and through his side, cutting open a line close to his heart and towards his arm. It was stuck in him from behind as the corpse tried to force it through to tear him wide open if it could.

Shade's spell had effectively dealt a huge blow to the undead horde. Unfortunately, it wasn't without consequences. Bryant, in a charge against another foe built up to much momentum to stop when the flame wall claimed his target. He slowed himself down enough for him to stop at the other end of the wall, engulfing himself in flames. His eyes began glowing as bright as the flames that engulfed Shade as he tapped into fade to protect himself.

An undead archer then fired a couple of arrows into the burning man. At this point, Bryant wasn't really all there. If he was, he would have dispelled the magic that consumed him first, but Valor was influencing him to fight on. He charged head long at the archer, ignoring the burning metal that encased him. He tackled the archer into the wall behind him, dropping his shield to grab a knife he had and thrust it into the the soon to remain dead archer. He stepped back a bit.

Something happened to change with him. Rocks were drawn to his left hand, akin to armor, which he then proceeded to punch the undead archer several times until it's skull had been fractured open. At that time, the fire that surrounded him was put out by a downpour of water. The rocks surrounding his hand broke apart as well.

He turned towards Dartmoor where he saw he was struck from behind. He sheathed his sword and directed a hand at the corpse behind him and his efforts to finish Dartmoor off stopped. He took his sword again into his hand and approached the corpse, first severing its sword arm, then knocking it away so he can give the finishing blow. He turned back towards the wounded man and pulled the sword from him as mercifully as he could. A couple of thoughts came to mind, but he disregarded one in favor of one more beneficial.

He approached Takara, who was exhausted on the floor. He touched her on the shoulder for a few seconds, so he could rejuvenate her powers. As he fell to one knee, Bryant, speaking in a coarse tone told her, "That should be enough for you to help your friend. Go, before he bleeds out."

Kassina was further down the hall, ripping bones out of skeletons and resisting the instinct to lay down and chew on them when she was suddenly hit by fire and then water. The golden mabari was just shaking the water from her fur when she heard Dartmoor scream and then she was hit with the smell of his blood.

Instantly she was running down the hall toward her lover. She shifted to elf form as she reached his prone form on the ground. She lifted his head into her lap and wiped the hair from his face gently as she began to reach out with her magic to check the damage. She wasn't nearly the healer Takara was, but she could keep him alive until she arrived.

"Shhh.. Silly boy. Why go hurt self?" The elf began to hum one of the lullabies Dartmoor had taught her as she slowly wrapped him in healing magic as Takara had taught her, slowing the bleeding and lending his body her energy.

Takara was sitting on the cold, wet floor, trying to catch her breath when the templar approached her. She was confused when he reached out and gave her some of his energy. She was confused by his words amd abpit to ask who she was supposed to ask when her spells kicked back in and she could feel Dartmoor's pain.

Instantly she was on her feet and running. Kassina was already starting the healing when she arrived. The two women had had plenty of opportunity to practice healimg together in the last year. Takara knelt down beside Dartmoor and began to examine his injuries while Kassina kept him stable. "Wh...what have these nasty sk..skeletons done to you?" She asked, more to herself than anyone else.

There was a fair bit of internal damage along with all the minor cuts and the burns. The little stuff would have to wait as it would take all of her and Kassina.s energy to heal the sword injury. "R..ready Kassi?" She asked as she prepared to get to work.

When the blond girl nodded Takara took a deep breath and began to blend her spells with Kassina.
She repaired the ripped muscles and blood vessels, double cheching to make sure she didn't miss any so he wouldn't bleed internally. She wasalready exhausted and drawing heavily on Kassina by the time this was done. She did the best she could to close the wound, but it wasn't going to look pretty for now.

Finally she had done all she could. "His arm will be sore and w..weak for awhile. W..we'll try more l..later." She said between gasps. Then she let all the spells go and both women slumped to the floor barely concious.

Shade sat on the ground his body still coated in flames from the waist down and his eyes glowing white as ancient had come in to ease the power through the young mage who seemed to be absorbing his power without the knowledge of when to and not to use magic especially a elemental summon. The golden lover of the young elf walked up and he looked up with shades head and sighed. "I'm sorry golden one he got into a more powerful place than I intended. He was worried about you and he pushed right through my barriers I couldn't stop him." Ancient guided a soothing spell through the young body and wrapped a barrier around the elemental fire. "I am very impressed though, it took me two hundred years to channel a elemental spell of that magnitude and he summoned a fire elemental into his body at the same time very difficult...he is very strong or so deeply in love with you he threw caution to the wind."

The body let off the flames and the color in his eyes vanished as ancient went back to the mind and Shade opened his eyes groggy as he looked at the damage to the hallway it was covered in ash and undead. "Oh man my head, what happened?" The young elf put his hand out balancing himself up and leaning on his staff. Under his flesh he could feel a writhing form and smell sulfur and taste ice. He shook his head trying to get his senses back to normal. "Is everyone ok and alive?" He stared lovingly at Tatsoo wanting to embrace her for he wouldn't admit it to her but the rage and destruction that raced through his veins before the fire exploded out had shocked him more. However his face was still the same impassive look as he had since he stepped out of the fade. "We...we have to go there isn't much time left." Shade took a step and leaned heavily on his staff feeling as if he had used spell after spell for a month with no break.

(Sorry my comp has messed up)

"This one has the potential to finish what you began. All he needs is someone to teach him how to utilize it." the spirit of Valor said as he watched Takara and Kassina heal Dartmoor's wounds. Bryant's eyes returned to their normal, non-glowing state and Bryant almost fell back. He caught himself, surprised to not only on his knee, but lacking his shield and sporting a couples of arrows. He also found himself wearing uncomfortably hot armor and felt as if he jumped into Lake Calenhad. He almost didn't want to know what he missed.

After forcibly removing the arrows, he began to strip himself of armor, only to find a singed shirt underneath. He figured it would be better to continue on without the shirt, so that's what he intended to do. He removed the shirt, leaving him with only with that skirt-dress that the chantry or Templars believe is a good idea to wear. He got back to his feet and fetched his shield only to turn around and see that the man named Dartmoor was badly wounded and needed the help of two healers to stabilize him.

His foot knocked against something as he attempted to walk away. He looked down seeing the remnants of a stone shape, that must have fallen from a few feet up. They looked...almost like a fist. This wasn't the first time one of his blackouts yielded troubling signs like this. It would probably be good to look into that. He heard the healers words and looked back the way they came. "There may be some lyrium potions in the keep that could help you, but...we don't have..." Bryant tried to explain before they collapsed. He couldn't even tell if they were awake. "Should...should we leave them here?" He asked Tatsoo and Shade, the only other two still standing. "If we stay and try to revive them...the Darkspawn may overrrun us before they get to the Hero of Ferelden...right?" Bryant asked, trying to convince himself that it was okay to leave them.

Dartmoor was breathing slowly, exhausted and aching. He needed to rest at least for a while as he was worn. He opened his eyes to look at Kassina through fuzzy sight. His eyes closed and he sighed, falling off to a peaceful slumber.

So this was Shade's own doing out of concern for her. That in itself was understandable but the fact that Shade was able to draw on such power in a state of reaction was a concern. If there was one thing she learned from watching mages and listening to Kraven's teachings it was that a mage required control above and beyond others' skill sets. The danger was extreme when losing control, as noted from what had just happened. If you do not control the power then it controls you.

"Ye have ta ... oy vey. Ye be talkin wif me sometime ye fricken spirit!" Her eyes rolled as Valor stopped speaking and left the scene. That spirit was going to make her want to crush his ethereal skull for not letting her get a word in edgewise. Once they were done with this mission she was going to force that spirit to talk WITH her and not to her.

"There may be some lyrium potions in the keep that could help you, but...we don't have...

Tatsoo looked over at the two women healing Dartmoor and sighed as they both collapsed. Great they had another problem to deal with because of Shade being able to access so much power. He wasn't ready for that much as he could not control it to the extent he would need to. She growled under her breath then looked back to Bryant.

Should...should we leave them here? If we stay and try to revive them...the Darkspawn may overrrun us before they get to the Hero of Ferelden...right?"

"Ah ..." She began to answer Bryant when she felt Shade stirring next to her and looked back at him.

"Oh man my head, what happened? Is everyone ok and alive?"

"Ye took on too much powa, love. Ye worried an threw a fire wall. It na hit us but it was na expected." Tatsoo rubbed his cheek with a hand, "Bryant be hurt. Dartmoor be run through an de girls dey healed him but dey are worn from de work dey did."

"We...we have to go there isn't much time left."

She stood and grabbed him by the waist, "Dere be lyrium in ma pack. You stay dere." She took a vial out of her pack and handed it to him, "We canna go quite yet."

The golden woman handed another vial to Bryant, giving him a slight nod of the head, her eyes saying her thanks for everything. She then went over to Kassina and Takara to give them a vial each as well.

"Ah think Dartmoor an Kassina be staying here. Dartmoor canna go anywhere an Kassina be best ta protect him. Da rest of us ken go stop de horde."

Takara groaned groggily and reached up with a shaky hand to take the offered lyrium potion. As the potion surged through her body she began pulling more energy from the water around her. Across from her Kassina had also taken a lyrium potion and was beginning to recover.

Slowly Takara stood and looked down at the other two. "I d... Don't like the idea of sp..litting up. I should be able to heal Dartmoor enough n..now that he can be m..moved if Kassina can carry him." She looked down at the other woman who was still on the floor with her lover's head in her lap.

"Kassina horse. Dartmoor can ride. Or big cat. Cat softer. Not stay here but no can fight. Cat fast, good nose. We go find small alpha, find pack, find help." The elven girl replied tiredly. She didn't like the idea of leaving the others but she and Dartmoor would just be liabilities if the stayed together.

"Me? Hurt? Ha! A few arrows in my arm is how I start most of my days," Bryant joked before dwelling on what time it might be. "That is, if today isn't the day it was when I fell asleep."

Bryant stood by and watched Tatsoo try to get a grip on the situation. He didn't say anything until he was handed a lyrium potion. "No offense, but Templars only use lyrium to help them fight mages. I don't know where your getting the idea it can be of use to me."

Bryant's attention turned to Kassina, who was planning on transforming and having Dartmoor ride on her back. "I appreciate that you don't want to be left behind, but it might be safer here where there isn't any combat instead of following us into combat. Besides, unless the Deep Roads are right around the corner, we might come across stairs and that might make it hard to balance him."

Bryant paused for a second and looked back at the potion and remembered he did black out. He turned back to Tatsoo,"Did I do something during my blackout? I last remember plowing into a skeleton that was hit by Shade's flames then I was kneeling on the floor with two arrows I haven't gotten around to meeting sticking out of me."

Shade looked at the others and sighed. "We're not supposed to leave anyone behind. That was Kraven's words and he always seemed to be right so we're staying together no matter what. He said we had to seal the door ahead of us but if they stay behind the Darkspawn may get in behind us and they would be swarmed being alone so let's not split up." Shade threw the Lyrium away and placed his hand on the stone feeling the life force and pooled it into himself.

The silver elf turned his head eyes glowing as a loud bang was sounded against the roots and the stone. "Looks like we got some big guys we need to go...we don't have enough to stop them and I am drained." Shade looked at Kassina and Dartmoor then Takara. "We have to leave together ... none can be left behind or they won't come out alive." Shade looked at Bryant and nodded before limping forward. "Come on we leave now no arguments or we die."

Shade stopped by Tatsoo and stared into her deep honey gold eyes and leaned over kissing her softly. "Lead us my love I have to be the last, it is my job to seal the passage and I need to know you are safe or else I will hesitate. Go." He turned to look at Bryant and moved his hand so only the Templar could see. He moved his hand indicating everyone except himself and then pointed at Bryant signaling it was the Templar's job to keep them moving.

"I d... Don't like the idea of sp..litting up. I should be able to heal Dartmoor enough n..now that he can be m..moved if Kassina can carry him."

"Kassina horse. Dartmoor can ride. Or big cat. Cat softer. Not stay here but no can fight. Cat fast, good nose. We go find small alpha, find pack, find help."

"No offense, but Templars only use lyrium to help them fight mages. I don't know where your getting the idea it can be of use to me."

Tatsoo waited for the others to talk before she would do anything. She was the eldest of her group, even if Bryant may have been older, and she viewed herself as a pack leader. With her tribe having been werewolves it was normal for one to react in a pack manner. Her senses told her that everyone needed to put in their howls before one could make an informed and workable decision which would hopefully come out alright.

She took the lyrium from Bryant and gave him a sideways glance, "Ah admit that ah've gotten used ta de mages but ah also know de Templars be caught on de lyrium. If ye do na need it den ah shall save it fer de mages."

"I appreciate that you don't want to be left behind, but it might be safer here where there isn't any combat instead of following us into combat. Besides, unless the Deep Roads are right around the corner, we might come across stairs and that might make it hard to balance him. Did I do something during my blackout? I last remember plowing into a skeleton that was hit by Shade's flames then I was kneeling on the floor with two arrows I haven't gotten around to meeting sticking out of me."

"We're not supposed to leave anyone behind. That was Kraven's words and he always seemed to be right so we're staying together no matter what. He said we had to seal the door ahead of us but if they stay behind the Darkspawn may get in behind us and they would be swarmed being alone so let's not split up."

Tatsoo grabbed the lyrium vial out of the air and growled at her mate, giving him a glare, "If ye do na need it den give it to me. We canna waste de lyrium tossin it about and ye know it." She turned her attention to Bryant, "Ah do na know what ye did cept that it included saving Dartmoor. Fer dat we have to thank ye. Takara, ye be healing Dartmoor more, yes?"

"Looks like we got some big guys we need to go...we don't have enough to stop them and I am drained. We have to leave together ... none can be left behind or they won't come out alive. Come on we leave now no arguments or we die."

The golden haired lady heard the thud against the roots and mentally assessed where they were placed. They were well away from the entrance so... yes, they were under the keep so no worries about whatever it was being behind them, yet, "We do na know where de wardens be. Dey ken be in de keep or just outside a it. Shade's trees will stop de Darkspawn attop fer a bit but not all dat long. If da wardens not be there and Darkspawn get in the entrance den Kassina an Dartmoor be in trouble. So we all go to de deep roads door an close it."

"Lead us my love I have to be the last, it is my job to seal the passage and I need to know you are safe or else I will hesitate. Go."

Shade kissed her and she returned it gently, "Kassina, Takara an Dartmoor. Ye be in de center." She started off at a jog not seeing Shade's motions to Bryant.

((As it happens it was all miscommunication. Shade had meant that Darkspawn could come in from the entrance and he was correct that none of the group would know whether the wardens were in the keep or not. There were two spots where he had roots. One was at the entrance and the other in the hallway just outside of the room they fought the undead. Everything is better now. Let's move on. And ... sorry for my lateness. I've been distracted and lost my last really good post ... grrrrrr.))

As Takara went to work healing Dartmoor enough that he could be moved Kassina began looking through packs to fashion a way to carry Dartmoor safely. After a few minutes work she had fashioned a crude and odd looking saddle.

"Kassina cat. Softer. More easy move with no bumps." She explained to Takara before showing her how to put the saddle on and put Dartmoor in it. Speaking done Kassina shifted into a giant fluffly black cat. The talisman from Kraven allowed her to alter away from conventional animal forms, combing the useful bits from animals she knew.

Kassina waited while Takara secured the saddle. Once it was in place the black cat seemed to grow until the saddke was tight. Finally Dartmoor was securely on Kassina's back and the three were ready to move out with the others. Dartmoor was well enough secured that Kassina could have walked on the roof with little fear of losing him.

Neither woman was at all happy about taking an injured man into battle but there seemed to be no other choice.

(Where is everyone?)

(sorry to say, but Shade's little hand movements to Bryant kinda threw me for a loop as to where you actually want Bryant positioned in the group. Did you want him on point, or last before Shade so he can make sure they are moving ahead?)

((I believe Shade wants Bryant ahead of him but behind the rest with Shade taking up the rear.))