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Blood Song	By : Hikari86 Category: +A through F > Dragon Age (all) > Dragon Age (all) Views: 1631 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Bioware owns everything Dragon Age. I claim no ownership and make no money/profit.

Chapter List
- 11
- 12
- 13
A Misunderstanding

It took them some time, but eventually they had all the dead in proper graves. Lisha had found in the forest enough seeds to plant over the graves. Only a few got trees, since she could only find a small amount of saplings. It was enough for her, and she was grateful to the others for helping.
“Thank you, everyone, for this,” she said as they stood in front of the graves. “I appreciate you putting up with my tradition.”
“It's no problem,” said Sigrun. “I know you would do the same for me if I asked.”
“Do you think we could rest now?” asked Anders. He sat down on a large boulder and wiped the sweat from his brow. “Digging twenty holes isn't easy, and it's made me hungry. Ser Pounce-A-Lot could use something to eat, as well. Right, kitty?” An orange cat head popped out of his robes and meowed. Anders scratched behind his ears.
“All right, that sounds good to me,” said Lisha. “Sigrun, Anders, set up camp here. Nathaniel, you come with me. We'll go find something to eat.”
“But don't we have food?” Nathaniel questioned.
“Rations, but nothing of substance. Or at least nothing that would satisfy Anders. Come on,” she smiled. “Besides, I want to see what you can do.”
“Oh! I think I understand now. Is this the challenge?”
“Only if you want it to be.”
Lisha walked into the trees and down the hill, Nathaniel following right after her. Before disappearing completely, she saw in the corner of her eye both Anders and Sigrun watching them funny. Probably wondering what they were talking about.
When she reached the bottom, Lisha picked out a spot in a clearing. She stood and listened, hearing the sounds of the forest as birds chirped in the trees. It was slightly dark, the sun still covered by clouds and the canopy blocking any light that tried to make it through. It was perfect.
“Well? Are we hunting?” Nathaniel asked.
“We will, but first I want to see what I need to teach you first. How about we start out with the basics?”
“I'm far beyond basics,” Nathaniel smiled.
“Then prove it.” Lisha notched Sulhigil and fired the arrow at a tree thirty feet away. “Hit that arrow for me, please.”
“You're joking, right?” Nathaniel smirked. “That's too easy.” He took out his own bow and arrow, aimed and split Lisha's arrow in two.
“Good,” Lisha said staring at the two arrows. “You have good aim, distance. You're able to compensate for wind, but how good are you when it's dark?”
“This forest is dark enough, I should think. It's hard to see, but I've been in darker places before.”
“What about complete darkness? Blind?”
“I... Never anything like that,” he stuttered. “I don't see how one could.”
“Then I found something to teach you.” Lisha pulled out a blindfold and wrapped it around Nathaniel's eyes before he could say anything. “Just relax and let yourself completely lose your sight. Start using your other senses instead. Hear the birds. Smell the wind. Feel the coldness of the air.” She circled him, her fingers tracing around his abdomen to his back. Nathaniel stood where he was listening to her, breathing in deeply and slowly. “What do you hear?”
He stood silent for a moment, listening, tilting his head. “I... I think I hear something to the west of us. Something moving through the trees.”
“Good. Anything else?”
“It's big... and I think there might be two of them.”
“You're doing very well,” said Lisha. “You've picked up on the two white-tailed deer already. I don't think any of my other students detected anything that fast.”
Nathaniel smiled. “I'm glad I could impress you.”
“It is impressive,” Lisha said as she made her way to his front. “But this is the easy part. In order for any of my students to graduate to a true hunter, they must first hunt and bring back a pelt. Alone. And blind.”
“Really? What's stopping them from taking off the blindfold?”
“It's called honor, Nate. If I find any of my students don't have it, then they cease to be my students. Plus there's the fact they think they're alone, when in reality, I do follow them in stealth.”
Keeping the blindfold on, Nathaniel shifted his head, pointing his ear right where Lisha stood. “What do you want me to do?”
Lisha smiled. “Go hunting. You already know where they are.”
Nathaniel nodded his head and grabbed his bow. He took a few steps forward but stumbled a little. “Uh... okay, this isn't going to be as easy as I thought.”
“It never is. Just listen to your instincts, and remember... I'll be close.”
“Close? Wait, what?” Nathaniel turned around and lifted the blindfold up a little to see. Lisha was no longer anywhere in sight. He looked around for a moment before taking a deep breath and replacing the blindfold. He then began to move forward with careful steps, listening along the way as well as using his other senses.
Lisha had settled herself on a low tree branch. She missed having someone to teach, and was glad to have Nathaniel listen to her. This was something she had planned on doing with Arawin, but her pregnancy postponed her training.
As she watched Nathaniel make his way through the forest, straight to the two white-tailed deer she could also see only a short distance away, something then began to come to her. It crept up her spine, sending an electric chill through her body. It was the feeling of darkspawn close by. The first time she had felt it sense entering the forest.
The feeling was coming from behind, the opposite way Nathaniel was heading. Lisha turned her head to look past the trees to see a clearing far beyond. It looked darkened and she thought she saw something lying in the grass. Looking back, she saw Nathaniel was getting closer, but the deer were also somewhat aware of his presence.
“He'll be fine,” she whispered. “But I need to see what's going on over there.”
Lisha leaped down from the branch and made her way to the clearing. It was a wasteland, the taint strong as she saw decaying bodies and corruption beginning to take over the plants. One body stirred in the corner. A head flopped to send dull, taint-filled eyes her way. It was a man, a human. Once he saw her, he grunted and looked away.
“Don't...” he said covering his face. “Don't look at me!”
Lisha made her way through the clearing and crouched in front of him. She could see and feel the taint all over him. Black splotches covered his face and any other flesh she could see. “I'm not going to hurt you,” she said. “Tell me... who are you? What are you doing here?”
He turned toward her, looking her up and down, sensing her. “Olaf...” he spoke slowly. “My name. Came with friends to... to drive out... away the elf. But... the darkspawn were too quick. We were ripped apart... biting claws and teeth from the darkness. And... then I woke... flesh and bone and gristle under me... around me. Everyone dead... dead soft meat melting into the ground. I... I crawled away... came here. Can't stand to... see it...” He covered his eyes again.
“You came to drive the elf away? Did you kill the elves at the camp?”
Olaf blinked before looking around. “No. No. Darkspawn came first. They slaughtered us... took our steel. Brought it to the elven camp. Tricked us, tricked the elf. Now... she thinks we are to blame. Hunts all in her rage... while they watch...”
Things were starting to come together now, or at least part of it. The weapons discarded at the elven camp were the humans, who had been sent to take care of the elf. She had mentioned darkspawn, who had apparently taken care of the humans. But the thing that made Lisha wonder was why the darkspawn would do such a thing. They were not this clever to plant weapons to make the Dalish elf think the humans killed her clanmates.
“The dark ones,” Olaf whispered. “They're curious about you. They watch you as well as her. Can you feel them?”
She could feel them, feel them now at least. It was another strange thing that it took her this long to feel the darkspawn. They were close, and getting closer. “Do you know anything about the elf's sister?” she asked. “Did you take her?”
“Sister? I... have a sister... do I? Elf-sister, no... we did not take her. Probably dead. Or eaten.”
Lisha kept her eyes on him, studying, feeling the taint within was too strong. It wouldn't be long. “This disease, it will kill you. I'm afraid there's nothing I can do.”
“No,” he whispered shaking his head. “Am already dead. Am already gone. Make... make an end... please.”
“As you wish.” Lisha took her knife and pushed it into his heart. Olaf closed his eyes and laid dead. She stood and stared down at him, everything he had said going through her mind. Some things made sense, while others didn't.
Something flickered up her spine.
Lisha turned just in time for her knife to block the crude sword of a hurlock as the darkspawn brought it down on her. The impact forced her back, as Lisha flipped out of the way, grabbing Sulhigil. She struck out with her bow, hitting the hurlock across the throat and pausing his pursuit. An arrow then flew past her head and Lisha saw more darkspawn coming from behind the hurlock she was fighting. Another hurlock came to her left, slamming her side with his shield, making her go off balance. Quickly, Lisha regained her footing, backing away while using Sulhigil to block both hurlocks. More arrows passed by her, one finally hitting its mark as it embedded itself in her shoulder.
Lisha grunted from the impact. It became harder for her to lift her arm, having to use the other one to keep up her defense. With the two hurlocks and the arrows coming at her, it was hard to do anything but defend herself. She fought hard but was beginning to feel her strength wain.
The first hurlock raised his sword above his head, ready to bring it down on her. He bellowed, but then stopped and fell to the ground dead. An arrow was sticking out the back of his head. The second hurlock went down just the same and Lisha saw Nathaniel standing on the other side of the clearing.
“Lisha!” he screamed running to her. “What happened?”
“Darkspawn were able to sneak up on me,” she said.
He looked at her surprised, but had to turn away and loose an arrow as a genlock came running toward them. More arrows passed by their heads and Nathaniel let out more of his own at the darkspawn archers. With her arm, Lisha found she was useless until she was able to get the arrow out of her shoulder. She could feel more darkspawn coming, and one of them was an emissary.
He came into the clearing, lifting his staff and immediately sending a spell their way. Both Nathaniel and Lisha leaped in different directions just before the spell hit, exploding on impact. Nathaniel went to one knee and shot an arrow at the emissary. The arrow bounced off a magical shield , making Nathaniel curse. The emissary then raised his staff again and a spell emerged out the end, straight for him. The spell hit but dissipated as if hitting a magical shield as well.
The emissary snarled then turned his attention behind him only to be hit in the face with an ice spell and shattered with a dagger. Anders and Sigrun made their way into the clearing, finishing off the rest of the darkspawn. Nathaniel soon made his way over to Lisha again and took a look at her shoulder.
“Ooh, that went in deep,” he said. “Do you want me to try and get it out?”
“Wait,” she winced. “Anders... how did you two know?”
Anders knelt before her. “We decided to do a little exploring,” he explained. “Good thing, huh?”
“Yeah, and thank you all for that. But get this arrow out of me, quick. I just found out some things I need to tell you.”
***
“Are you saying all those people died over a... misunderstanding?” Anders said shocked as he tried to take in what Lisha was telling them. “Maker that's horrible! We... we have to stop her!”
“Yes, I know,” said Lisha. She had just finished telling them what she was told from the soldier before being attacked by darkspawn. “But it's odd that darkspawn would do this. I would say maybe one of the talking ones planned it out, but I haven't felt any of them around here. Course, it wasn't until recently that I could actually tell there were darkspawn in the area. I'm not sure what all this means.”
“I think we should go back to the Dalish camp,” Nathaniel suggested. “You, uh...we can rest there and come up with a plan.”
“That doesn't sound like a bad idea,” Sigrun agreed.
“Right.” Lisha stood, discarding the arrow in her hand Anders had taken from her shoulder. She stretched it out, cracking the joints before leading them forward. She then placed in her pouch a bracelet, one she had found on the emissary. It was Dalish, unscathed and old. Lisha did not want it to stay in the hands of the darkspawn, so she took it, thinking it would be important.
“I'm sorry I didn't make it in time,” Nathaniel said as he made his way to her side.
“What are you talking about? Of course you made it in time. I probably wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for you.” Lisha smiled at him, trying to turn his mood around.
“Yeah, but if you'd like to know, I did kill one of the deer. Although I must confess... I did take off the blindfold.” He looked away from her, seeming disappointed.
“You don't need to feel horrible about it, Nate,” said Lisha. “It was your first time.”
“But you said taking off the blindfold was dishonest.”
“It is only if you don't tell me about it. If you had killed that deer and then said you had with the blindfold, then that would be dishonesty. But since you told me the truth, then there is no shame.”
He was able to look back at her, a slight smile creeping up his face. “So... when will the next--”
CRACK!
A large tree branch swung over their heads, forcing everyone to duck and roll on the ground. The branch came flying back, hitting the ground, trying to pound them down.
“Okay, I was starting to like trees,” said Sigrun as she rolled away from the branch. “But now I think I hate them!”
The tree connected to the branch moved its trunk-legs, moaning a hollow breath as it smashed its roots down. The tree swung its branch-arms, clawing at them as they all moved out of its way the best they could.
“I don't believe it!” cried a familiar voice. Lisha and the others looked up at the hill to see the Dalish elf perched, looking down. “Why are you still here? I told you to stay away from me! I warned you! This place is not for you!”
“Neither is it for you!” Lisha yelled back. “We know the truth and you need to hear us out. The humans did not kill your clan and they did not take your sister!”
The elf glared down at her. Even from the height she was at, Lisha could still see the fire in her eyes. It was the same fire she recognized from many Dalish. A fire that eventually brought them more pain and suffering than relief.
“I know a human crime when I see it. I have experienced more than enough of them. You will pay for repeating their lies.” She lifted up her hand, green magic swirling all around it. The tree attacking them had stopped when she spoke, but now it was back, fighting them. Another tree then sprang to life, the same green magic twisting around its branches. The elf then speed off, going up the hill and straight toward the Dalish camp.
“Run! Go after her!” Lisha cried. She ran, dodging the swing of the first tree and rolling under the second. The tree reached down to grab her, but instead collided with the second. The two trees bellowed from the impact and their branches tangled. “Okay, Anders. Now you can use fire!”
“Already ahead of you, Commander!” Anders released a giant fireball from his hands. It hit the two trees, exploding and coating them with flames. Everyone ran out of the way as the two trees struggled to untangle their branches and find a way to put out the flames.
“Come on, you three,” Lisha said as she ran up the path. “She's at the camp! We need to get her.”
They left the two burning trees behind, making their way back up the hill to the Dalish camp. When they reached it, they found the elf there, staring at the fresh graves. “How can you believe them?” she whispered. “How can you claim to be Dalish and believe humans did not do this?”
Lisha gestured for the others to stay back as she took a step forward. “I know it's hard to understand, but they really didn't. It was the darkspawn, they staged everything. They killed both your clan and the humans, then they planted the human weapons here to make you think the humans did it.”
“What?” the elf laughed. “Darkspawn did this? You can't be serious! They're mindless creatures. There's no way they could have done this!”
“I know it's hard to believe, but think about it for a moment. The weapons here, why would anyone discard them like that? And the darkspawn may be mindless, but there's something about them that's changing.”
She turned around to stare at Lisha and the others. “I... I guess you have a point,” she said. “I did wonder about the weapons. It didn't make sense to me. And I guess I was just too anger to think clearly about it. Argh! How could I let this happen!”
“It's all right,” Lisha said calmly. “But...” She looked at her closely, seeing her face fully for the first time. The tattoos on her face looked familiar. “You have marks of a First.”
The elf looked away from her and stared back at the graves. “Did you do this?” she asked.
“Yes, we all did.”
“Thank you. I was going to come back and bury them properly. I just didn't want their bodies ransacked by wolves or darkspawn.”
“It's understandable. You did what you could.”
“Yeah,” she laughed. “What I should have done was not lead them astray.” She turned back to face them. “You said your name was Lisha? I'm sorry, I did not tell you my name. That was very rude of me. It's Velanna.”
“Andaran atish'an, Velanna,” Lisha bowed. “As you know, I am Lisha, Commander of the Grey, and these are my Wardens: Nathaniel, Anders, and Sigrun.”
“Hi there,” Sigrun waved.
“Ma serannas,” Velanna bowed back. “Lisha? Tell me: were you apart of the clan that helped the Heroes of Ferelden defeat the archdemon?”
“I was. In fact I was there when the both of them delivered the final blow.”
“My clan wanted to help. We tried to get there, but we didn't make it in time. The battle was already long done.”
There was a moment of silence, nobody saying anything for some time.
“So what now?” Velanna asked, breaking it. “Are you going to take me in?”
“No, that was not my intention,” said Lisha.
“Then what was your intention?”
“I want to help you. Obviously something is going on in these woods that need my attention. Darkspawn are doing strange things, and they must be dealt with. I also think both our missions will lead us to the same place. Where the darkspawn are, is probably where your sister is as well.” Lisha took out the bracelet and handed it to Velanna.
“This... this is Seranni's,” she said examining it. “Where did you find this?”
“In the clutches of a darkspawn emissary.”
Velanna looked stunned. “What... but why? Why would they take her?”
“There are many reasons why darkspawn take women,” said Anders. “One is because—Uh!”
“Anders, hush,” Sigrun said elbowing him in the ribcage.
“Right. Ouch.”
“We can find out together,” Lisha continued. “Come with us, and we'll solve this mystery.”
Velanna nodded. “Alright, then. I'll come with you. Where do you think the darkspawn might dwell?”
“In tunnels, most likely. They like darkness.”
“Hmm.” Velanna thought for a moment. “Then I think I know where they might be. There is an abandoned mine some ways to the north of here; the tunnels run far into the earth.”
“Then that is where we'll head,” said Lisha. “Go ahead, Velanna. Lead the way.”
***
“Maker's breath! Sigrun, why didn't you tell me this was here?” Anders stood at the edge of a large pit, holding himself up straight to keep from falling in.
“I didn't know this was here,” the dwarf said. “If I did, then I would have warned you!”
Lisha came to the edge and looked in. It was a bloody mess and stank of death. Within were the bodies of the human soldiers, discarded in a pile of decay. Velanna looked in as well, her eyes darting around, no doubt looking for anything familiar.
“Thank the Creators,” she sighed. “I don't see Seranni, but then again... I don't really want to look too closely.”
“They wouldn't discard her like this,” said Lisha. “Although why they would just throw these soldiers in here like this is... perplexing. Normally they take the dead and... eat them.”
Velanna made a disgusted face. “Well, what are we standing around here for? The mines are over this way.” She moved quickly away from the pit and back into the trees.
“This place is a death trap,” Anders said as he stared into the pit. “If I have to step in the bushes to answer nature's call, you're coming with me.”
“Uh.... no,” Sigrun answered. “You're on your own with that.”
“I was talking to Ser Pounce-A-Lot, thank you.”
“And I'm sure Mr. Kitty will be able to protect you from anything.”
“Of course he will! Won't you, Ser Pounce-A-Lot?” Anders took him and rubbed his nose to the cat's.
Velanna rolled her eyes at Anders's affection and stopped short when she almost ran into a hidden statue. “Damn these things!” she cursed. “Why are all these awful statues all over this forest?”
Lisha walked up and removed some of the vegetation from the statue to reveal a woman. It looked similar to the Andraste statue sitting in the Vigil's courtyard, and the one outside the chantry. “Is this Andraste?” she asked.
“It doesn't look like her,” said Nathaniel as he peered at its face. “Well... maybe it is. This statue is obviously old. I know that sometimes scholars liked to come here, looking for things just like this. There's a whole lot of history in these woods. Maybe this was what they thought she looked like before.”
“So then why did they change her?” said Anders. “I like her better this way. Look at that bust! Andraste really had some heavy knockers, didn't she?”
“Anders...” Lisha said shaking her head.
“What? I'm just saying...”
“Is that all you human males think about?” Velanna snapped. “Seriously, there's more to a woman than just her chest.”
“Well sure, especially when it comes to you elves. But our females do provide something for us to hold with two hands.”
Velanna growled and narrowed her eyes at him.
“You know, you look very lovely angry like that. And did I mention I just love a woman with tattoos?”
“No, but I'm sure I told you I find you both physically and morally repulsive! How can you stand him?” Velanna said to Lisha.
“It takes some time, but you'll get used to it.”
“Yes, all you have to do, Velanna, is give in to my charms and all will be right!” Anders smiled at her, flicking his eyebrows up and down.
Velanna made to gag.
“Leave them alone, Anders,” said Nathaniel. “Could you be civil for once, and not some drooling lecher?”
“Hey, you have your Dalish elf. Let me try and get mine.”
“My what?”
“What, you think Sigrun and I didn't notice? The two of you going off alone into the woods to do some 'challenge'. Please, it's obvious.”
“I have no idea what you're talking about, mage,” Nathaniel said, looking away from Anders.
“You know, I've noticed,” Sigrun chimed in. “He's not so grumpy when she's around. In fact, I occasionally catch him looking at her when he thinks no one sees him.”
“You're right!” Anders smirked. “I've noticed that too. So I wonder what that challenge really was?”
“It was nothing,” Nathaniel defended. “She was just showing me a few things about hunting. That was it. Both of you, get your minds out of the gutter.”
“Sure, hunting. If that's what you want to call it.”
Lisha could hear everything, but she kept her eyes forward and pretended like she couldn't. She didn't want to embarrass Nathaniel more than he probably already was. She couldn't help a slight smile curve her face, however, finding it somewhat flattering that even at her age, a young man might fancy her. Nathaniel was a handsome man, even for a human, but there could never be anything between them. Not just because she was almost perhaps half his age, but also because of her husband, Dayno. The thought of him made Lisha lose her smile. She missed him a lot, and wished he would come home or at least contact her. She didn't want to think of the reason why he wasn't doing either.
Velanna was right ahead of her, having stormed her way to the front after her spat with Anders. Things became somewhat quiet for a while except for Anders and Sigrun's occasional snickers before Velanna brought them to the entrance of the mines. They were locked with a heavy chain, and when Lisha examined it, she knew she couldn't pick it. She wasn't that great with locks anyway.
“Sigrun, Nate... can any of you open this for me?”
“Go ahead, Nate,” Sigrun said pushing him forward. “You're a much better lock picker than I am.”
He eyed the dwarf, who smirked at him, before reaching in his pouch and pulling out his lock picking kit. He then went about opening the lock. When he was done, Nathaniel pushed open the door to reveal a rickety wooden staircase that lead down into a dark cavern.
Lisha took a step forward and peered down the stairs. She couldn't see the bottom nor could she feel any darkspawn presence. She could, however, smell something foul, something that smelled familiar.
“It smells like the Deep Roads,” said Sigrun. “It's hard to forget that smell.”
“Could these mines lead to the Deep Roads?” Lisha asked.
“I don't see why not,” Nathaniel answered. “These are old mines, past when the Howe's were the ruling family. They could have lead to the Deep Roads, or the darkspawn could have tunneled to them.”
“Right.” Lisha nodded her head. “Anders?”
The mage took a step through the doorway and stomped the end of his staff on the ground. Instantly a ball of light shined at the top, illuminating the cavern. Lisha went beside him and saw at the bottom of the stairs was a circular room with another tunnel leading further into the mines. There was also a wooden platform on the other side, high above the room with another tunnel behind it.
“Are we heading in?” Sigrun asked.
“Yeah, come on,” said Lisha. “But one at a time. I don't know how old these stairs are.”
They made their way down slowly, the wood creaking below their feet. Lisha felt the same way she did when they were going across the bridge in the Knotwood Hills. The shifting of the wood as they went down made her stomach flutter with every step. When she finally reached solid ground, Lisha took in a deep breath and surveyed her surroundings.
Lisha didn't like they were going back underground, but she had already promised Velanna they would find her sister, and the darkspawn did need to be dealt with. The cavern looked like it had served as the mine's entrance. The tunnel had tracks going all the way down, and several overturned carts laid next to the stairs. She took a step forward, heading to the tunnel and ready to go straight down when suddenly things slowed.
“Wait, Commander, no!” Anders cried, but it was too late.
Lisha felt something come over her, sleepiness and vertigo. The room spun, everything slowed. Anders's cry sounded distant. She felt herself falling, seeing the ceiling come into her view. Also a glimpse, something standing on the platform. Two figures, one short, one tall. For a moment she felt them. One was a powerful darkspawn, something that felt very different to anything she had felt before. The other, almost like it was a Grey Warden, but deep within the taint. She tried to glimpse them again, tried to feel them through the taint, but everything went dark before she could.

Paraphrasing from Dragon Age: Origins: Awakening
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Blood Song