Part one
The early morning light glowed through the window of the room. Kale Cousland rolled over in the bed, it had been a week since the fall of the archdemon. He was staying as a guest of the new king Alistair for now, apparently a messenger was being sent from Weisshaupt to address the situation. He rolled out of bed and looked over towards the door, next to it stood starfang his huge two handed blade and his armor taken from the possessed body of sophia dryden. The twin griffons on the chest plate glowed in the sun light.
Kale dressed in simple clothes; brown slacks and shirt. It felt good, he hadn't worn something not crafted from metal since before his parents had been murdered by Howe as part of Loghains plot. He stepped in front of the mirror and tidied up his hair, he pulled it out of his face; it brushed the back of his shoulders as he did so. Kale looked himself up and down and his eyes caught the small ring of twisted wood on his smallest finger; a gift from someone he thought loved him but now she was gone and with what might have been his child. He sighed and walked out of the door down to the grand hall.
A long wooden table sat in the hall, Ferelden's new king and queen at its top. The room was suprisingly clean, with no sign of the gore that was unleashed when Loghains head left his neck. Alistair waved at Kale as he saw him in the door way.
"'Morning Alistair" Kale said as he dropped into a seat the kings left, Anora huffed as he did.
"Your highness or majesty would suit him better warden" She muttered
"Oh it's alright 'nora, the Hero is allowed some freedom" Alistair chuckled, a peice of egg hanging off his chin.
"Alistair, chin" Wynne said from across the table while pointing at her own chin.
Kale looked down the table, wynne sat directly opposite him as High mage of the court and advisor to the king, next to him sat leliana humming a tune as she stirred a drink. Zevran was next disecting a steak with amazing finesse. Sten was next to Wynne eating a huge slice of cake, the image just didn't look right. Then of course at the end of the table sat Oghren face down on the table, between his snores Kale heard mutterings about a "Nugglet uprising".
"So whats the plan then"? Alistair asked rubbing the egg off his chin
"I'm joining a group of soldiers going up to Drakon, we need a refill of archdemon blood for the joining and then out on patrol for few hours" Kale said as he drank a mug of water.
"The Archdemon eh"? Alistair said "Well I'm coming with you then, just in case"
"Are you sure Alistair"? "It could be dangerous" Anora said
"What could go wrong" He asked as he scoffed down more food
***
It crept through the woods in its tiny body, a hood taken from a Dalish hatching not wise enough to hide covered its face. it was angry, it could no longer crush beings under its claws, fire would spit from its maw no longer and worst of all it could no longer hear the cries of its children. He was glad of several things, he could now communicate with the words of people and to top that off he did not have that whiny pathetic Tevinter lizard screaming in his head anymore. He emerged from the woods as a caravan passed, its leader a small man, like the ones from the deep places stepped forward arms open wide.
"Welcome friend to Tegrin's bazaar, the shop endorsed by the hero of ferelden"
It twisted its head at the dwarf from beneath the hood.
"well...he shopped here once" He stammered "Well now Orzammar has its king I'm going back, but I suppose I could open up for you".
It growled from underneath the hood. It's voice sounded like stones being ground together.
"....warden....grey"
"Yes he came here, the hero of ferelden" Tegrin said, one of his guards nicked an arrow on his crossbow in defence
"Where...find" It growled at them. The arrow let loose at it. it moved with a strange grace, catching only the hood.
It fell away from its body, Tegrin screamed in horror.
It stood tall as a hurlok, with its grey shallow skin and fanged teeth. Its arms drooped like those of a shriek clawed and bloody. On its head were a pair of horns crooked and dull.
"What...what are you"? Tegrin stammered
It seemed to laugh in its gutteral tone
"..Hungry....so very hungry" it moaned
The caravan's screams filled the nights sky
Part 2
Kale pulled the Gauntlets of his
armor on and walked the halls of the palace, it seemed so busy. Busier
than Highever castle ever had, it seemed insane compared to he months of
quiet camping he had lived though. He'd accepted that as his life. He
stepped into the courtyard; a squad of 30 men in polished bronze armor
stood waiting for him. One of them stood forward, He stood a good half a
foot over Kale, a shaggy mop of hair covered his head.
"Warden it is a pleasure to have you with us today" He almost yelled in a booming voice
"I am captain Sweltson of the Denerim guard, my men and I will be with you today".
Kale offered a hand in acknowledgement which Sweltson took eagerly.
"Thank you Captain you'll be of great assistance" Kale noted.
"I needed someone to carry the vials", Kale pointed to a large case of small glass bottles by the pantry.
"Oh well I uh..."
Sweltson
began but was drowned out by the sound of marching. Another group of
guards entered the courtyard, each one of them carrying a shield with
the emblem of the Royal house. The group stopped in front of Kale, and from behind them Alistair emerged grinning from ear to ear.
"What are you playing at"? Kale asking with a slight smile.
"Apparantly the king must have a royal entourage when he travels"
Kale nodded and headed out towards the heart of denerim, the sound of marching followed him. Soon after alistair dashed from the circle of guards and caught up with his fellow warden.
"Not having fun back there then I take it? Kale asked watching as the guards began to yell for the king to return.
"It's ridiculous, I can't even go for a leak without someone following me" Alistair sighed.
"Yeah, being King is a hard life" Kale sniggered.
As the party crossed Denerim square the evidence of the battle was obvious, the bustling Capital of commerce was in tatters. The knawed noble was missing a roof, Wade's emporium was gone. Dispite this Wade was still scruyying around in the remains searching for what his could of his masterpeices. Then they came across a house or what had once been a house, it had been totally swept away. Five children sat in the remains; a chantry sister sat with them. Kale had brushed it off as a house, another poor victim of the blight.
"Oh Maker no..." Alistair said in a near whisper and ran to the children.
"What happened" He asked as he knelt down beside the children, each of their faces smudged with dirt and tears.
"Mama took us to the chantry...but then she ran back for grandmama's amulet and the dragon dropped something on her" The oldest sobbed, clutching the amulet.
"They have been sleeping at the chantry your majesty, but everyday they return here." The Sister said
"Their mothers name was..."
"Goldanna" Alistair finished her sentence.
"Guards take these children to the Castle" Alistair announced.
The children huddled together, the oldest: A ten year old girl with fiery red hair stood in front of her siblings.
"NO!" "We're not going in the dungeon" She yelped
Alistair removed something from around his neck and showed it to the little girl.
"Grandmama was my mama too" He smiled as tears trickled down his cheeks
Kale watched as the guards took the children in their arms and carried the children off
"You alright"? Kale asked as Alistair came back.
"I will be, lets just get this done" He replied wiping his face.
***
By the time they arrived at the peak of Fort Drakon it was late afternoon, the suns amber glow was obscured by the body of the archdemon. The beast's body lay undisturbed surrounded by the bodies of its servants. Kale walked the length of it, he stared into its dead eyes. He stood reflected in the thin black slit of he dragons pupil. He could still remember landing the final blow, feeling it's soul running through him and then into Morrigan, into his son.
"Odd isn't it" Alistair said "To see such a creature like this".
Kale came to his senses and brushed off Alistairs comment
"I didn't think it could smell any worse". He said as he dropped to one knee.
"Well then, lets get this over with" He took a vial and a knife and stuck the blade into the beasts throat. He held the vial there until it was full, and did so with ten more. Once it was done, Kale handed them to Alistair.
"Take it back with you" He said and turned away from the king
"You're not coming"? Alistair asked, passing the the vials to a guard.
"No I've got something I have to do" Kale said.
Kale sat and waited until he was the only one left on the top of the fortress. He took the buckets of oil that were left sitting by each of the torches, he hurled them over the body of the archdemon. He took up one for the lit torches and threw it onto the remains. Kale sat and watched though the night as it turned to ash.
Modifié par kablekarr, 09 septembre 2010 - 12:36 .
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