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Pair of Hawkes: Legacy

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They had trekked for miles into the seeming middle of nowhere, but Varric seemed positive of the location. For what must have been the hundredth time that day, Amber wished her sister was there. But Adia was back in Kirkwall, recovering from the attack that had brought the group to this forsaken place. The red-eyed mage shook her head as her mind wandered back to that night…

She and Anders had been visiting Aveline and Donnic on one of their few nights off, and had gotten back late to the estate. But instead of Bodahn greeting them cheerily at the door, they’d seen blood tracked through the foyer through the open door. Terror had swept both of them as they’d charged in, seeing the bodies of Dwarves scattered about. Diego had come surging from the library, wounded, but ready to defend. Amber had screamed her sister’s name, but only Fenris answered. Adia was lying in his arms in the library, covered in blood. Anders had quickly gotten to her, and not a moment too soon. Her wounds had been extensive, and far more than the healer could fix in one sitting. When everything was all said and done, Varric found out who had attacked them, and Amber was determined to make them pay. Adia was in no condition to travel, much less fight, and they’d left Merrill, Aveline, and Fenris behind to watch over her. Carver and Isabella had insisted on coming with them, Varric was leading the way, and Anders wasn’t going to leave her side...

“Fire Eyes,” Varric interrupted, pointing to a distant structure. “There it is.”

“It doesn’t look very Dwarven,” Carver pointed out.

“Well, Carta Dwarves are smugglers and thieves, so they probably took something over rather than build their own. Although they’re usually not this stupid.”

“You mean attacking the Hawkes?” Isabella pressed. She’d wanted to come along because watching Adia recover would’ve made her too fidgety and guilty.

“Sweetheart, are you all right?” Anders asked, taking Amber’s hand. She didn’t look up, her eyes focused on the structure.

“No, and I won’t be until those bastards pay for this.”

“You have a plan, then? I found their hideout, but my sources couldn’t tell me anything else. It’s all very… strange.” Varric sighed as he looked at the two Hawke siblings who were there. They all wanted answers.

“It’s just the Carta, isn’t it?” Carver wondered, raising an eyebrow.

“As far as my contacts in the Carta know, they shouldn’t be here. There shouldn’t even be a here. This place is invisible. A big blind spot on the map. Bianca’s never been this suspicious, and she’s twitchy to start with.”

“As long as they stop trying to kill us, what does it matter?” Varric looked from Carver to Amber, walking over to the mage.

“So… What’s the plan?”

“We find out what they want. And then we kill them.”

“Fire Eyes, are you-”

“They almost killed my sister, Varric. They attacked our home. Fenris said they wanted any of us, but Adia happened to be there at that moment. They will tell us why they did this, and then I will burn them to the ground.” The intensity in her eyes made the Dwarf shiver for a moment, and he nodded. He wouldn’t have expected anything less if Adia were there, so why did it still surprise him when her twin talked violence?

“Then let’s get this over with.” The group headed down a cart trail, weapons at the ready. And it wasn’t long before they ran into a small group of Carta. The attack was swift and brutal, but a straggler did manage to get past them, heading deeper into the rocks. Carver and Isabella gave chase, with Amber not far behind. Anders and Varric brought up the rear, both wary of an ambush. But a Dwarf came out of an archway to meet them, arms outstretched as if in greeting.

“Two siblings! You’re here together! You’ve come!” he shouted, looking happy. Carver and Amber stepped forward, the former Templar staying in front of his sister.

“Is he referring to you and me?”

“You see any other siblings here?” Amber shot back. “But how-” And then the Dwarf turned, calling out to others who popped up from the rocks and ledges.

“Everyone, it’s the children of Malcolm Hawke! They’ve come to us!” Amber’s heart leapt into her throat at their father’s name, and her eyes narrowed.

“What does my father have to do with this?!”

“It began with him and ends with you. Blood for blood, that’s what we were told.” The Dwarf seemed even more excited, and now there was a crowd starting to form behind him. “We must have the blood!”

“You will have nothing!” Justice manifested and stepped next to Amber, drawing Aveline’s sword from where it hung at his side. The Guard Captain had insisted he take it, after the whole issue with Spite had been told to her.

“We will take it!” the Dwarf insisted. “Corypheus will walk in the sun once more!” Amber had heard enough, and a fireball exploded in the middle of the crowd, sending screaming, burning Dwarves scattering. The rest of the group engaged as well, picking off assassins, while leaving the archers to the mage and Varric. The fighting led to what seemed like an arena, where a trained bronto needed to be dealt with. Finally, all was quiet again, and they regrouped.

“I’ve heard some crazy things before, but this takes the cake,” Varric said.

“What was all that talk about your father and blood?” Isabella wanted to know.

“Damned if I know,” Carver replied with a shrug. “Maybe Father crossed the Carta at some point?”

“Then why did it take them this long to find you?” Anders asked, feeling very odd holding a sword. “And who is this Corypheus?”

“Well, that’s not a Dwarven name, that’s for sure,” Varric revealed. “Maybe these guys are working for someone else.”

“They want our blood,” Amber spoke up. “And they won’t stop until they’re dead or we are. But if we find this Corypheus and take him out, maybe the attacks will stop.”

“So, further in?” Anders suggested. Everyone nodded, and the trek began again. This time though, they came upon what seemed to be an abandoned town. A few ambushes were set up in the buildings, but nothing they couldn’t handle. Deeper into the town they went, finding scraps of paper that rambled on about blood and “the Master”. None of it made any sense, but they pressed on. Carver and Amber were squarely in the lead, both of them needing answers. They came upon a door that looked like it led into a mine, and with reassuring looks to both Anders and Varric, went in. More brontos and Carta greeted them, but they were easily dealt with. However, they soon came across a lone Dwarf that came up to them, unarmed.

“The Hawke’s blood! The Master will rise! He will be free!” Amber raised her staff, but Varric held up a hand.

“Gerav?” he asked as the other man took a step back.

“Varric? N-No one told me you would be part of this. We were just going after the Hawkes.” Amber glanced between the two Dwarves.

“Varric, who is this?”

“This is Gerav. He’s a greedy, brilliant, bastard, son-of-a-nug from the Carta. Gerav, this is Amber and Carver Hawke. The ones whose blood you want to drink, or bathe in, or whatever. But if you’re after eternal youth, I got to tell you: They’re no virgins.” Rolling her eyes, Amber looked back at Gerav.

“Why is the Carta attacking us?”

“I c-can’t say. The Master must be free.” Varric shook his head.

“Really, Gerav? I thought better of you than this. I mean, gutting the occasional competitor for fun and profit, that’s the game. But what are you all even doing here? Worshipping demons?” Anders felt a slight buzz in the back of his head, one he dreaded feeling. And it seemed centered on this Gerav. Did that mean-

“We drink the darkspawn blood. He calls us…”

“You taint yourselves?!” the healer yelled. “Why would you do something so stupid?!” Gerav blinked, looking at the ground for a moment.

“It’s the only way… To hear the music.” Both Anders and Justice were suddenly very afraid of what this “Corypheus” could be. But Varric wasn’t taking this well either.

“Oh, come on, you nug-licker! Snap out of it! There’s no gold in hallucinating.”

“The Master is calling! He needs the blood.” Varric cringed.

“Gerav… Buddy… This isn’t like you. Look, I’ve still got Bianca.” He removed the crossbow from his back. “Never misfired a day in her life. You don’t want her to see her papa like this, do you?” He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder, and looked up into red eyes. However, those eyes held understanding in them.

“You want to spare him, Varric?”

“Not if he’s after you, Fire Eyes. And especially not after what happened to Birdie.” He leveled Bianca at his former friend. “Bianca, I think it’s time to say goodbye.” Gerav attempted to throw a smoke bomb, but Varric’s finger was faster. A bolt shot from the crossbow, hitting Gerav’s heart. He dropped without a sound. A couple more Dwarves came racing in, but Isabella dropped them with two well-placed daggers. Varric approached his friend’s body, shaking his head. “I used to do business with the Carta, back in the day. Gerav was a nutcase then, too, but in a good way. He was trying to design a new type of repeating crossbow. Bianca was the only one that ever worked.” He closed the other Dwarf’s eyes and stood up. “I can’t believe he ended up like that.”

“The more people we come across, the more questions we have,” Carver mentioned. “What is going on here?”

“These Dwarves are purposefully tainting themselves,” Anders stated. “You don’t just wake up one day and decide to do that.”

“So this Corypheus is forcing them,” Isabella suggested. “Which means they’re more scared of him than dying horribly.”

“Wouldn’t drinking darkspawn blood make them Wardens?” Carver wondered.

“No, there’s more to it than that,” Anders answered. “When you just ingest darkspawn blood, you’ve got days, maybe weeks to live. The Wardens add other things so that the taint doesn’t outright kill you.”

“The plan hasn’t changed. We find this Corypheus and kill him. And then we send word to Amaranthine about what’s going on here.” Amber walked forward, her head swimming with a thousand questions. But deep down, she knew they’d stumbled into something that was going to have serious repercussions. Further into the underground area, they came across another group of Dwarves. These were more heavily armored than the previous ones, and one among them stepped forward. Now that Amber knew she had a moment, she took a good look at him, and saw confirmation of something wrong: His eyes were clouded. Anders’ breath hitched a bit, and that was all that she needed to know. They were tainted as well, and probably just as insane.

“Ah, one of the Hawke Twins. And you brought your brother. How generous. I swore to Corypheus I’d bring him Malcolm Hawke’s blood. One way or the other.”

“What does this have to do with my father?”

“The Master wants you. I don’t ask why.”

“You want my blood?” Amber’s eyes narrowed. “Come and take it.”

“Corypheus, we have done as you command! Your sacrifice is here! You will see the sun once more!” Gates crashed into place, trapping any escape, but Amber and Carver charged forward. Varric and Anders gave them support, and Isabella leapt around to deal with various reinforcements. Finally, there was silence again, and Carver kicked the body of the leader. However, when he did, he noticed a glow come from it.

“Uh Amber, what is this?” She came over, following the purple glow to a small orb that was tucked into the Dwarf’s armor. There were runes and spells engraved into it, and the energy in them was… Familiar.

“This feels like-” Her hand reached out, brushing against the metal surface. It was warm to the touch, and then it pulsed. Her magick reacted, and a moment later, all hell broke loose: A surge of power came from the orb, knocking Carver back. Amber could feel the magick enveloping her, and she fought back.

“Sister!”

“Amber!” Anders tried to touch her, but was also knocked away. Finally, Amber got the power under control, taking a deep breath as she opened her eyes. The orb had transformed into a thin staff.

“I’m all right,” she assured them, grateful when both her brother and husband steadied her. She looked at Carver. “This feels like Father’s energy.”

“The enchantment needed to do that…” Anders sounded both impressed and frightened. Carver swallowed nervously as well.

“What did Father know?” Amber looked at the staff, determination in her eyes.

“This is going to take us to this Corypheus, and we will end this.”

“Hey, some stragglers are getting away!” Isabella called out, seeing a couple of Dwarves fleeing deeper. The group gave chase, their focus only on their quarry. Down a flight of stone steps, and then there was a flash of energy that grabbed the mages’ attention. Amber turned, seeing a gold shimmer across the door they’d come down, and turned away quickly. The power of that barrier was like nothing she’d ever encountered.

“There was a purpose to this," Anders realized. “You could enter, but you can’t leave. At least not the same way.”

“Then we keep following those Dwarves. They seem to know where they’re going,” Carver suggested.

“Then let’s hurry before they get too far ahead of us,” Amber agreed. Once more they took off, but as they rounded a corner, Anders stumbled and grabbed his head.

“No. No, no, no!” he said through gritted teeth. Amber knew that look, and took his arm, forcing his gaze up. “Darkspawn ahead.”

“I figured. Let Justice out to handle them. We have to keep moving.” The Spirit quickly took the front, gripping Amber’s hand.

“Let us deal with these new foes.” She nodded, and with Carver right behind them, they charged down the hall. The sight that greeted them was an unpleasant one: The two Dwarves they’d been chasing were currently being feasted upon by short, squat darkspawn in rudimentary armor. The creatures noticed the newcomers and gave guttural roars as they turned to them. Justice and Carver dove into the fray, while Varric and Amber launched volleys from further back. Isabella finished off any weakened enemies, trying not to get too close to them. When the last one fell, there was silence for a moment. But Amber heard something; what seemed to be someone talking further into the room. She followed the noise, only to see what looked like blue smoke hovering in front of a cell that held a Shade. And from the smoke was coming the voice:

“…be bound here for eternity; hunger stilled, rage smothered, desire dampened, pride crushed. In the name of the Maker, so let it be.”

“That sounds like…” Carver started, before Amber turned to him.

“Father. That’s Father’s voice.” She approached the cell, feeling the staff in her hands heat up, some of the spells on its haft pulsing.

“Amber, be careful,” Anders warned. “You don’t know what-” But she reached her hand towards a barrier on the cell, and it shattered as the staff let loose a beam of light. The Shade attacked, but was easily beaten back. And still, the smoke continued:

“I can do nothing about the Wardens’ use of demons in this horrid place. But I will have no one say any magic of mine ever released one into the world.” For a moment, there was a figure in the smoke, but then it faded out.

“Okay, I think I’ve reached my quota of seriously weird shit, and I doubt it’s even midday,” Varric mentioned. Isabella turned to him with a smirk.

“Varric, you’re here in a place that shouldn’t exist, with Carta members drinking darkspawn blood, all so that someone named Corypheus can take the blood of the Hawkes for something their father did decades ago.”

“See Rivaini, when you spell it out like that… It sounds even worse.”

“Amber, Carver, are you two all right?” Anders asked softly.

“I… I don’t know. I wasn’t expecting to hear my father mentioned in all this, let alone his voice. The Veil must be very thin here.”

“He must’ve done this before we were born,” Carver added. “But why didn’t he say anything, even to you, Amber?”

“Only one way to find out: We keep going.” But rounding the corner presented them with a sight that was hard to believe: A tower, stretching far underground. And crawling all over this structure were hundreds of darkspawn. Anders leaned against the wall, eyes wide.

“That is a lot of darkspawn,” he whispered.

“What are they doing here? Are they trapped as well?” Carver wondered. Amber took in the sight, noting everyone’s fear. She couldn’t blame them, either.

“We need to be careful,” she advised, looking at Anders. “And I’m very glad you’re a Warden right now.”

“Glad one of us is,” the healer shot back. Traveling through a few more rooms and hallways, they came across a curious sight: A man, scavenging through the sand and loose stone. He saw them, and came trotting up, all excited. Carver stepped in front of Amber, even as Anders pulled her back. Even though the man was wearing Grey Warden armor, neither of them trusted him.

“The key! Did they find it? The Dwarves? I heard them… looking… digging. How do you bring the key here?” Amber stared at his rusty armor, patches of missing hair, and taint-filled eyes. But he wasn’t asking for her blood, so maybe…

“You mean this?” she asked, showing the staff that had formed from the orb. “How is this a key?” The man looked away for a moment, then shrugged.  

“Magic, old magic, it is. Magic from the blood. It made the seals. It can destroy them.” Carver made a face, and Amber knew he was thinking the same thing she was: Blood magic. This was not good. “You are the blood of the Hawke, then? Yes, I smell the magic on you…”

“I am the daughter of Malcolm Hawke, yes. We came here looking for Corypheus. Do you-”

“Do not say his name! He will hear you! Do not wake him!” the man interrupted, terror in his clouded eyes. “Not when you hold the key.”

“Look, all we want is to get out of here. Is there another way out, because there’s a barrier across the way we came in,” Carver brought up.

“Preferably an exit near whoever this Cory- This person pulling the strings is,” Isabella added, shivering a bit. Truth be told, she was getting the creeps from this place.

“No way out when the walls stand. The Wardens built their prisons well. If the center holds, who cares what else is trapped.”

“Is that what happened to you?” Anders questioned.

“Me? No, I am here for other things.” He once more looked at Amber. “But you hold the key! The key to his death… Yes, I can show you out, yes.”

“Are you… All right?” The man looked confused by that question for a moment, then shook his head and looked at the group.

“You ask me that, when I am the one that belongs here?” His gaze rested on Anders for a moment. “You hear it, no? Hear it calling? I smell it in you.” Now Anders was convinced that this man was a Warden. But his mind was so far gone, why was he… “I know the way out. Follow me. Down and in. Down and in.”

“And we’re just supposed to trust you?” Varric asked.

“The only way out is the seals. Every seal, you touch the key to it. Only then they open. Only for the Hawke. Not back, Not up. Only way out is down and through the heart. Down in the depths…” He began walking away, and the group reluctantly followed.

“So, we’re listening to the nice madman?”

“We don’t have much choice, Isabella.”

“I wish your sister was here.”

“Me too.” Across a bridge and into a room, where there was a glowing, enchanted circle engraved onto the floor. Amber took a deep breath before approaching it, feeling the pressure of magic build up behind her eyes. The staff began pulsing in her hand, more markings lighting up. Something shimmered in the circle, and her eyes widened when she saw what it was: A Pride Demon. “Weapons up!” she called, the staff vibrating with energy now. Justice and Carver were at her side, Varric and Isabella hanging back a bit. The moment she touched the staff to the circle, she felt the bindings shatter, and the Demon came forward to attack. The five of them made short work of the creature, but the circle held onto its magic. The strange man came out from where he’d been hiding, staring at Amber. “The first seal?”

“Two thousand years, the magic holds. Never broken. Give it the key. Let it take the magic back to itself. Absorb it, all who came before…”

“Sister, are you sure about this?”

“No Carver, I’m not. But if it’s the only way to get out of here, I’ll do it.” She stepped to the center of the circle, staff out in front of her. Calling her magic to the front, the staff responded, sucking in power from four sconces set around the seal. For a moment, Amber thought the power might overwhelm her, but she grit her teeth and pushed back. She felt another snap of power unlocking, and then all was quiet.

“The blood works. It is good.”

“Before we go any further, I want to know who you are. What is your name?”

“Name… So long since I’ve said my name. La- Larius! I was Larius.” He turned to face a large symbol of the Wardens set on the wall. “There… was a title too. Commander... Commander of the Grey.”

“Did you come down here on your Calling?” Anders wasn’t sure he wanted to hear the answer, but he needed to know.

“Yes! The Calling… The songs get louder. Only death stops them. I am dead. But I never died.”

“Blondie, what are you two going on about?” Amber kept looking at Larius, and the healer sighed heavily.

“Wardens aren’t immune to the taint forever. In time, we start to hear voices. The same ones darkspawn hear.”

“The Calling,” Larius continued. “It comes to us all. The voice we can’t resist. Our death.” He nodded sadly at Amber. “You favor him?”

“He’s my husband.”

“Then I am sorry.” She shook her head, trying to stay focused.

“What does this have to do with my father?”

“The magic, it calls to the blood, reads the thoughts of those who hold it. The last to hold it, the Hawke. I… I was there when he laid the seals. Before I became this.” Larius suddenly stiffened, looking around frantically. From the side of her vision, Amber saw Anders reach for his head. “C-Corypheus calls! In the darkness! What waits there?” He quickly limped away, and Anders was leaning against the wall, head in his hands.

“Anders? What’s wrong?” she asked, coming to his side.

“I’m not listening,” he said through gritted teeth. “I’m not listening!”

“Come on Blondie, you’re strong enough to overcome this,” Varric reminded him. Amber put her hands on her husband’s, calling a small bit of barrier magic to surround him. After a few minutes, Anders’ eyes met hers.

“I’m sorry. I can… Hear something now.”

“Darkspawn?”

“No. A voice. An ancient, powerful voice. It wants your blood, and it wants my compliance. I didn’t hear it before you broke that seal, but now…”

“We’ll get though this, Anders, I promise.”

“I know.”

“On to the next seal, then?” Carver wondered.

“The sooner we break them, the sooner we get out of here,” Isabella added. The mages linked hands, then led the group further into the prison. Down a long flight of steps they went, until they reached a lower floor. They fought through more of the squat darkspawn, which Anders said were called genlocks, and came upon another cell with a barrier on it. Amber heard her father’s voice again, and broke this barrier as well, fighting the abomination kept within. Once it was down, the blue smoke floated across the chamber, only now it said:

“I may have left the Circle, but I took a vow. My magic will serve that which is best in me. Not that which is most base.” Carver smiled wistfully.

“I… I remember Father saying that to you when we were younger.”

“It was one of his first rules,” Amber agreed. “And it always sounded better than “magic is meant to serve man”, and all that nonsense.”

“Boundaries are important in magic,” Anders chimed in. “Without them, you can justify anything.” Hoping to find another “message” from their father, Amber and Carver dashed ahead again, until they ran into a group of regular darkspawn- hurlocks as Anders called them. This group was led by a larger once that attacked the former Templar relentlessly. Justice fought it off, and they defeated it together while the others took out the minions.

“At least we can take out our aggression on these things!” the pirate called out.

“I’d prefer a leisurely stroll through the creepy prison, Rivaini!”

“Less talking, more fighting!” Justice chastised.

“Your heard the man, let them have it!” Carver yelled. They pressed on to yet a third cell, this one holding a Desire Demon.

“Oh, is that thing going to promise me a new ship too?”

“Isabella, it won’t live long enough to speak,” Amber shot back. She broke the barrier, and the battle commenced. However, the Demon summoned undead to aid it, leaving the female mage to fight it one on one.

“I shall have my vengeance on the progeny of the one who sealed me here!” it told her. Amber responded by sending a lightning bolt coursing through it.

“This progeny learned all his tricks, though.” When the Demon was dead, the power keeping the undead up left, and the bones clattered harmlessly to the ground.

“I’ve bought our freedom, Leandra,” the voice said from the smoke. “We can go home now, us and the baby. We’ll be together.” Except now the smoke formed a body, and Carver and Amber stared in wonder at their father twenty years younger. “I hope it takes after you, love. I would wish this magic on no one. May they never learn what I’ve done here.” The look of anguish on Malcolm’s face was heartbreaking, and then he vanished once more.

“Father didn’t want a child with magic? He got that wrong.” Carver realized how the words sounded the moment they were out of his mouth. “Amber, I… I’m sorry.”

“He never made it seem like he regretted me being a mage.”

“But you did want to be normal. Like Adia.”

“I used to see my magic as a curse. After all, it… What I did when it first manifested changed my eyes. I could never be normal after that. But if I didn’t have magic…” She looked over at Anders, who smiled. “Normal is overrated.”

“That’s my girl,” Isabella said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

“And at least you know how to deal with all the weird shit that happens to you,” Varric pointed out with a smirk. “Speaking of which, we should keep moving.”

“In a moment. I need to take a breather after that.” Carver shooed the other two away as Anders pulled his wife into a tight embrace.

“Are you all right, love?”

“I don’t know. The things we’ve seen here have shaken me a bit. My father sealed Demons, Anders. That takes blood magic. I didn’t think he would ever-”

“It sounds like he didn’t have a choice. Maybe someone had threatened your mother. And she must’ve been pregnant with you and Adia at the time, just unknowingly. But… I don’t think your father did what he did lightly.”

“You won’t regret having a mage child, will you?” Her voice was softer than she’d hoped, and Anders lifted her face up.

“Never. Besides, I wouldn’t know what to do with a “normal” child, anyway. Now come on, let’s get out of here and back to Kirkwall.” They rejoined the others, and through another short hallway was the next seal. Amber approached it, looking at Anders as she went. “I’ll be all right,” he assured her.

“Here goes nothing.” The staff pulsed in the center of the warded circle, drawing from the sconces. Again, Amber fought down the power, struggling to catch her breath when it was all over. Carver steadied her, even as Isabella caught Anders when he stumbled into the wall.

“This is taking its toll on both of you,” the younger Hawke said with a shake of his head. “How many more seals are there?”

“I don’t know, but we don’t have a choice.”

“Blondie, can you hear me in there?!” Varric called out.

“No! Get out of my head!”

“Deep breaths, Anders,” Isabella said, rubbing his back. “You’ll be okay.” Amber ran over, prying Anders hands away from his head. She saw the blue lines starting to form, and wasn’t sure what to make of it.

“Justice, help him fight back.”

“It… Is difficult,” the Spirit managed. “But…” The lines pulsed, and Justice went to his knees. “There. That is better.”

“Did you hear that?” Isabella wondered, looking around.

“Rivaini, I don’t hear anything.” Varric looked uneasy.

“No, she’s right. Bloody voices in here, I’m sure of it,” Carver brought up. Amber was about to question her brother, when the staff lit up like a flare. A moment later, the three who were hearing things shook their heads.

“Justice, can you continue to fight this?”

“I do not know, Amber. I can hear this Corypheus calling out. He is… Strong.”

“And now the rest of us are beginning to hear him. This is not good.”

“Junior, this hasn’t been good since we set foot in this cursed place.”

“Do you all need a moment?” Amber questioned, looking at the group.

“No,” Isabella assured her. “Let’s just go. Quickly.” They left the room, crossing another bridge, when Larius came towards them.

“He is waking. The magic grows lax. He feels us walk where no step goes.”

“You mean Corypheus?” Larius cringed at Amber’s use of the name, but nodded.

“He calls. Like an Old God. He mimics their cry. He calls them to free him. The dark children and the light; any with taint in their blood.”

“That would explain a few things,” Anders said with a wry smile.

“But not how we can hear him too,” Carver countered.  “What is he?”

“More than darkspawn. More than human. He thinks. He talks. He pierces the Veil.” Anders heart sank straight to his stomach, and even Justice was taken aback.

“An awakened darkspawn. An emisasary. We ran into one in Amaranthine. It was… Powerful.”

“He wants what once was his,” Larius added.

“How could he be sending people after the Hawkes if he’s asleep?” Varric wanted to know. Larius shrugged again.

“He can call. Dream. But not know. When the seals are gone, he will wake. And he must die.”

“Speaking of dying: How have you not been killed down here?” Isabella asked, hands on her hips. “Can’t the darkspawn sense you too?”

“Not with the taint that far gone,” Anders revealed. “It’s the last advantage we have, when we go to the Deep Roads to die.”

“Yes. I lived, but I died. The corruption feeds me. So many years in darkness…” And with that, he shambled off again. The group looked at each other, then at Anders.

“What?”

“I told you I’d be involved in something related to the Wardens. Just didn’t think it would be this big.”

“Amber… I’m sorry you got mixed up in this.”

“Well, it’s not like you knew about this either, Blondie.”

“This other awakened darkspawn you ran into; what happened to it?” Carver wanted to know.

“Elissa killed it. It was trying to do a… reverse Joining. Instead of Wardens drinking darkspawn blood ritually prepared, they would drink ritually-prepared Warden blood. This thing called itself the Architect, and it was this ritual that caused the Fifth Blight. He found the Old God Uthermiel and gave it Warden blood, but it awoke like all the others and called the darkspawn to it.”

“What was he hoping to accomplish?” Amber asked.

“He wanted to free the darkspawn. Allow them to be independent of this need to rampage across the surface. But… we couldn’t let any of them wake up at all, let alone be “free”. So, Elissa took him out.”

“So they can be killed? That’s a relief,” the pirate said as she took a deep breath.

“I think this Corypheus is more powerful though,” Anders brought up. “The Architect couldn’t control us, even when awake.”

“There must be some way to take him out,” Amber countered. We just need to find it. Now let’s get going.” Down another flight of stairs, and they found themselves… In the Deep Roads?

“Oh wonderful,” Varric quipped. “We should’ve seen this coming.”

“Forward,” the red-eyed mage commanded, tugging Anders after her. They wound their way through the ruins of a Thaig, battling darkspawn and two-legged, fierce lizards called deepstalkers. Finally, they got to more solid rock, and the path seemed to lead up. They came across a long-abandoned camp, and Varric noticed a journal tossed to the side. He looked at it, then shook his head.

“Dry reading?” Isabella wondered.

“Someone’s speculations on why Kirkwall has all its issues. Apparently the Wardens were convinced that some “malevolent force” is shaping its history. That’s ridiculous!” However, he put the journal in his bag just in case.

“We’ll send that to Amaranthine as well,” Amber stated, sitting down on a rock. She was tired, and wasn’t sure how much longer they’d need to go on. “Everyone take a break. We’ll continue in a bit.” Rations were divided up, and they all ate in silence. Justice was becoming more agitated the further they went on, and Anders couldn’t blame him. Varric and Isabella both seemed to be near their breaking points, and Amber was tired from fighting the darkspawn and those seals. Carver seemed to be doing the best of all of them, and Anders had to admit that the young man had drastically changed in the last couple of months. All too soon, Amber called for everyone to pick up their gear and move on. They were headed up the path to the base of the giant tower, when it happened: Anders stumbled, the insistent voice that had been in his head now growing louder and much more insistent. Dimly, he was aware of Amber calling to him.

“Anders! Anders, what’s wrong?”

“Stop! Just make him stop talking! Make him stop!” Amber pulled his face up, and the healer realized he was on his knees. “Please love, help me. The Joining. The Wardens. I’ve got too much taint in me. I can’t-” The lines of blue cracked through, and Justice quickly pushed Amber back.

“I… Will not be… Controlled!” She landed on her butt, gazing fearfully at him. Slamming Anders’ staff to the ground, Justice summoned Shades.

“NO!” she screamed, on her feet in an instant. Carver rocketed forward, catching the staff with his sword.

“Deal with those things while I handle them!” her brother shouted. Amber nodded, focusing her attention on the Shades. Isabella and Varric helped, though the mage’s attention kept faltering back to Anders and Carver. She could hear her brother trying to get through to the healer. And she could occasionally catch Anders trying to fight through the control. Suddenly, a bright blue glow made her look at them, and she saw Carver on one knee, praying. His sword was glowing blue, and Justice seemed to momentarily gain control.

“Do it, Carver Hawke!” the Spirit yelled. Carver grit his teeth and thrust his sword forward. The blade impacted, and Amber screamed. A flash of light blew both men backwards, and then Amber was running towards them. The Shades faded away, and Isabella and Varric were right behind her. Anders was lying curled up, blood staining his jacket where Carver’s blade had sunk into him.

“Is he all right?” her brother asked, worry clear in his voice.

“You should have killed us.”

“Anders, what are you-”

“If we lose control like that again, you have to. Promise me, Carver.” Amber snapped her mouth shut, staring at her husband.

“Uh, Fire Eyes, we’ll just be-”

“Go. Now.” Varric and Isabella hauled Carver to his feet, and headed up the path. When the others had rounded the bend, Amber turned to Anders, who was now sitting with his knees against his chest and arms wrapped around them. He hadn’t even bothered to heal where Carver’s sword had hit him, and the bloodstain on his shirt was growing steadily larger.

“I shouldn’t have come,” he told her, voice barely above a whisper as he closed his eyes. “I’m only putting you all in more danger. Even Justice couldn’t fight against Corypheus. If we had hurt you-”

“Stop it!” Anders’ eyes flew open, staring at the other mage. Her fists were clenched at her side, jaw set tight, and tears were in her eyes. “You didn’t hurt me, and you never will. Even with this “emissary” trying to control you, Justice was able to push me away before those Shades appeared.”

“He used us to summon them, Amber! He worked blood magick through my body somehow.” She was torn between wanting to comfort him, and trying to snap him out of this depression. They needed Anders focused, or else they were all in trouble.

“I don’t blame you,” she said gently, taking a step towards him.

“I meant what I said to Carver,” he told her. “If we lose control again, he has to kill us.” Amber was in front of him not a second later, one hand twisted in his shirt as she roughly hauled him to his knees. She heard the sharp intake of breath as the cloth rubbed against his wound, but she did not care at that point.

“Over my dead body,” she whispered through clenched teeth. “You are stronger than this, Anders. The darkspawn can’t have you. Not yet.” One hand went to her stomach, and the healer placed a shaking hand over hers. “Our baby needs you.”

“I’m sorry I upset you, love.” He moved their hands and nuzzled her, wishing he could kiss her skin instead of her clothes. One of her hands combed through his hair, and the other loosened the side lacings of her robe, allowing him some access. Anders settled a hand on her side, letting his magick wash over them both. Eyes closed, he focused solely on the magick, shutting out everything else. He knew it was a dangerous move, what with the possibility of darkspawn being around, but he needed to make sure the baby was still all right. And now he could almost see what his inner senses picked up, and the sound of the little hearts beating- Hearts? Anders immediately dove deeper into the magick, trying to make sense of what it was telling him, and felt his own heart skip a beat. All this time, he’d assumed it was his lack of concentration that was splitting what he felt. But no, there were two life signs. Two healthy children. “Maker’s breath,” he whispered, coming back to himself.

“Anders, what is it?” Amber sounded worried, and he wrapped his arms around her waist as she stiffened. “Is the baby okay?”

“Shh, they’re fine, Amber.” He felt her breathe a sigh of relief.

“Andraste’s tits, don’t scare me like that! I thought-” Her eyes widened as his words finally registered. “They?”

“Twins,” he told her, looking up with a smile. Tears slipped down her cheeks as she dropped to her knees. “Sweetheart, are you-”

“I’m fine,” she assured him as he stood and pulled her up with him. “Just very happy.” They embraced, and Justice stirred in his mind.

‘Corypheus will not have us again,’ the Spirit vowed.

‘Not without a fight, anyway,’ the healer agreed.

‘He threatened Amber and the children. He will pay.’

‘He will indeed, my friend. For now, we must keep going.’
Amber shifted, taking his hand. “I will not let the darkspawn control me,” he promised. She pressed a hand over his heart, and quickly healed the damage Carver had caused him. Anders smiled at how much she’d picked up in the weeks following the incident with the Pride Demon. Hopefully she wouldn’t have to use the magick to heal him too often, and could just stick to killing enemies.

“Good. Because if that bastard thinks he can take my men from me, then he’ll get a taste of Hawke magick like he’s never seen before.” The smile on her face was slightly feral, and both Justice and Anders felt a twinge of fear.

‘Amber can be very frightening at times.’

‘Isn’t that part of why we love her? She is utterly devoted to protecting those she cares about,’
the Spirit pointed out.

‘True enough.’ The couple rounded the curve, seeing the others waiting for them.

“Sorry we took so long,” Amber apologized, finishing up retying her robe.

“That was an awfully quick quickie,” the pirate teased. Both mages turned red, and Varric chuckled.

“Let’s… Let’s get out of here,” Carver said, shaking his head. They climbed for what seemed like hours, finally coming to a carved room with another seal.

“Everyone ready?” Amber asked. Anders sat against the wall, Carver and Isabella standing over him. Varric was by Amber, ready to catch her if she fell. The seal was broken, and she stumbled, but the Dwarf was instantly at her side. Everyone else seemed no worse for wear, and Larius emerged from the shadows.

“He feels the seals weaken. He knows you are close. You must be ready…” A tremor shook the structure, and everyone looked around. Larius looked very upset, and turned to another passage behind him. “What’s that? No… no. They’re here.”

“Who? The Carta?” But Larius shook his head at Amber, voice lowering.

“No. Worse. More treacherous, more dangerous. The Wardens. They listen to Corypheus. They want to bring him the light. Stop them. You must stop them.” Then he was gone again. But a new group was heading towards them, all in Warden armor.

“Something’s happening. The prison’s breaking down. But it’s stood up to tunneling before. What can-” The woman in the lead saw them, and looked excited. “You! You have the key! And you’ve come through the seals! But how?”

“I am Amber Hawke.”

“The child of Malcolm? The Carta said they were close. I am Janeka. I lead this unit of Grey Wardens.”

“Why are you interested in our father?” Carver asked. Janeka seemed surprised.

“Then you don’t know? Without Malcolm, this prison would’ve fallen thirty years ago. The Grey Wardens built this prison to contain one of the most powerful darkspawn we’ve ever encountered. But even the best magic fades. The Wardens need to reinforce the seals. This requires the blood of a mage untainted by… Warden training. The last to perform the ritual was your father.”

“Father performed blood magic?” Amber knew what the answer was, but she needed to know once and for all.

“To avert the Blight, forbidden magics are sometimes necessary. He did not bind the demons, if that is your concern. That was done in another era, before the Chantry’s laws.” Amber shook her head, now able to focus on the next issue.

“You sent the Carta after me, then?”

“We need your help. I have done extensive research on this darkspawn, and I believe the original Wardens were wrong. He isn’t a threat to humanity- he’s our greatest opportunity. A darkspawn who can talk, feel, reason…”

“Is a danger,” Anders finished, crossing his arms.

“Corypheus cares nothing for Blights! He used you!” Larius limped back to them, and the other Wardens all looked shocked.

“The Warden Commander!” one of them whispered. Janeka turned to her unit.

“Don’t listen to this… creature. He’s half darkspawn himself. I know how to harness Corypheus, use his magic to end the Blights.” Larius shook his head.

“No! The Wardens knew. Corypheus is too powerful. Corypheus calls her, and she listens. She brought him the Carta, sent them for you.” Janeka looked at Amber.

“I have a spell which can control Corypheus, bind him to my will.”

“You honestly think you can control this thing?” Anders demanded. “He’s more powerful than you could ever imagine!”

“And besides, you sent the Carta after us. What they did to my sister… Is unforgivable. We will not be freeing any ancient darkspawn.” Janeka narrowed her eyes, unhooking her staff.

“I will find a way to do this, with or without you!” She called up a wall of fire, and her unit ran up a flight of stairs. Larius took Amber’s arm, motioning to a side door.

“With me! We will beat them to the seal!” They followed, taking care to avoid switchplates and other traps the former Warden pointed out. Carta attempted to stop them at points, but they plowed through them. Twisting and turning, they followed Larius through passage after passage. Finally, they emerged into moonlight, crossing a bridge towards a lit rotunda. Amber could feel the magic kept in that place, but grit her teeth and kept moving forward. They were almost out… And then Janeka stepped in front of them, smirking as her Wardens took up positions behind her.

“Hand over the siblings, and I’ll give you a quick death, Larius.”

“Never! They have made their choice. The right choice.”

“The right choice, or the only choice? Malcolm Hawke was not allowed to disagree.” She was laughing as she said it, and Carver turned to their “guide”.

“What is she talking about?”

“It’s the past, it doesn’t matter!” But Amber locked eyes with him.

“Explain. Now.”

“Malcolm Hawke was reluctant, had to be… persuaded. I was Warden-Commander. It was my duty. I delivered an ultimatum- help us, or you’ll never see her again.” Understanding made both siblings tense.

“You would’ve killed our mother?!” Carver demanded.

“No, never! He came with us. I never had to decide her fate. She was never told about what passed between Malcolm and me.”

“You see! How can you trust anything Larius says?” Amber turned to Janeka, raising an eyebrow.

“Because him threatening my father about possibly hurting our mother is the same as wanting to bind an ancient darkspawn to your will?”

“You can come willingly, or not.” Weapons were drawn and leveled at the group. “I just need your blood.” The counterattack was swift and merciless. Anders squared off against Janeka, leaving the others to deal with the other Wardens. Soon, there were four more bodies on the ground, and Larius seemed upset. But the final, shimmering seal drew their attention, and they all walked forward.

“He stirs. Slay him now, before he wakes. Before his strength comes. The key. It’s not strong enough. Use your blood. Free him and slay him.” Amber nodded, approaching the final seal. Carver hurried next to her, taking her hand.

“Let’s do this together, okay? I won’t let you carry this burden alone.”

“I… Thank you, Carver.” The former Templar drew his sword, and they both sliced their palms, letting the blood fall into the central rune. Golden light spiraled up from it, and Amber released the key into it. The staff floated there for a moment, before a spike of power blew them both back. Anders hauled Amber up, and Isabella got Carver standing. They all beheld the scene before them: Rising from the light was a humanoid darkspawn. It was at least ten feet tall, with tattered, feathered pauldrons clinging to its shoulders. Armor seemed imbedded in its chest, and it wore the bottom part of a robe around its legs. Wicked claws were on the ends of its hands, and rock seemed to be coming out of its face. The creature looked around, seemingly confused.

“Be this some dream I wake from. Am I in dwarven lands? Why seem their roads so empty?” He caught sight of the group and pointed at them. “You! Serve you at the Temple of Dumat? Bring me hence! I must speak with the first acolyte.”

“He speaks of the Old Gods,” Larius realized. “The Imperium.”

“Whoever you be, you owe fealty to any magister of Tevinter. On your knees! All of you!” Anders and Amber looked at each other.

“I bow to no magister,” the female mage told him. The creature stared at her.

“You are what held me. I smell the blood in you.” He began looking around again, and then turned his back to call into the sky: “Dumat! Lord! Tell me. What waking dream is this? The light. We sought the golden light. You offered… The power of the gods themselves. But it was… black… corrupt. Darkness… ever since. How long?” He turned back towards the group, head down. Larius gasped.

“The Golden City. The first violation. The magisters who brought the Blight. He tainted the world. He speaks to any who carry the corruption. Darkspawn, Wardens…”

“That is a story,” Anders countered. “I refuse to believe there were ancient Tevinter bogeymen who tainted the Maker’s City.”

“The city!” Corypheus again focused on them. “It was supposed to be golden! It was supposed to be ours! If I cannot leave with you, I will leave through you! I seek the light!” He floated up, power gathering to him.

“Scatter!” Amber yelled, diving for cover behind a statue. The others all took cover as well, with Larius racing from the room.

“What’s the plan, sweet thing?”

“Kill it! Kill it however you can!”

“My kind of plan!” Varric teased, leaning out to shoot with Bianca. Lightning began crackling around the room, and everyone dodged as best they could. Anders and Justice switched as fast as they could: The Spirit doing damage, and the healer keeping everyone standing. They managed to deal some damage, and then fire began rotating across the room, further dividing them. But Amber took a moment to gather herself, and managed to turn the fire against Corypheus. He responded by summoning walls of rock that the lightning seemed to pool around.

“Amber, we can’t handle much more!” Carver called out.

“I’m working on it!” Justice was next to her, sword out in a defensive position. “Wardens can defeat Old Gods, right?”

“Not without the Warden dying, unfortunately.”

“But Corypheus isn’t an Old God. Give me your sword for a moment.” The Spirit did as asked, seeming confused. She coated the blade with the blood that was still leaking from her palm. “Carver, put your blood on your sword. And start praying again!”

“That was really draining before, just so you know!”

“I’m sorry, but I have an idea.” He sighed, doing as his sister asked. “Isabella, Varric, on my mark, we hit him as hard as we can!”

“You got it, Fire Eyes!”

“Anything to get him to stop, sweetie!”

“Justice, you and Carver stab him while we have him distracted.”

“Understood, Amber.”

“Good. Now, GO!” She flung a fireball at him, while Varric fired a hard draw from Bianca. Isabella managed to sneak up behind Corypheus and stab him in the back, while Carver and Justice charged towards him. When the blood-covered blades pierced what was left of his flesh, Corypheus gave a gasp. Amber picked up the “key”, ramming it straight through his chest. Blinking once, Corypheus toppled to the ground, unmoving. Justice went to his knees for a moment, as did Larius. They both stood up, and Anders resumed control.

“Are you all right?” she asked him.

“Fine, I… It felt like he was trying to take control one last time, but Justice fought him off.” The others came up, and quick health checks were done.  With everyone in traveling condition, they made their way over to Larius.

“You did well. More than the Grey Wardens of old were able to accomplish. I will tell the Warden-Commander of your service here.”

“We don’t usually come back from the Calling,” Anders reminded him.

“I must try. You’ve gained an ally today.”

“You seem… Clearer suddenly,” Amber noticed.

“My head is clear now. Without Corypheus’ call, I can think again. I thank you for my freedom.”

“Still, I’m sorry about Janeka and the others.”

“She disobeyed a direct order when she sought to free Corypheus. They will be relieved that she’s gone. The prison stands no more. My gratitude you have, for my freedom.” When he turned to leave, Amber thought she saw… Something for just a second in his eyes. But then exhaustion caught up with her, and she looked at Anders.

“Can we go home now?”

“Home, and back to Adia and Fenris. They won’t believe what they missed.”

“I doubt anyone will believe this one, Blondie,” Varric added as they headed off back towards Kirkwall.
The Carta attacks, and Amber and Carver follow them to the Vinmark Mountains. There, they stumble upon a long-held Warden secret that could threaten the entire world. 

Preview pic by :iconnazgullow:

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