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The Last of the Couslands	By : MistressofMagic Category: +A through F > Dragon Age (all) > Dragon Age (all) Views: 4401 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Bioware and EA own everything associated with the Dragon Age universe. I am making no money off of this fan fiction.

Chapter List
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The Wyrming Lair
Bridget looked around and drew her brows together. Apparently, they were no longer in the temple…but instead a cave of some sort. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up as a chill traversed her spine. She wasn't sure if she imagined it or not…but Bridget thought she heard something…breathing. The others heard this too, as they all carried worried looks across their faces. Bridget gripped the handle of her sword tighter as she slowly led her friends deeper into the mysterious cave. An awful smell filled her nostrils, making her almost gag.
"W-What is that awful smell?" Leliana asked.
Squish.
Bridget and the others turned to look where the sound came from to find that Alistair had unfortunately stepped into a large pile of…well, poo.
"Aw come on!" he exclaimed as he slowly removed his foot from the gross mess.
Zevran swallowed.
"I really hate to point this out, but this dropping looks rather…fresh."
Alistair raked his foot against the floor of the cavern, mumbling and shaking his head.
"Why's it always me?" He asked Bridget as he finally removed the majority of it from his foot.
She shrugged, biting on her lip to not chuckle at his predicament and urged the others onward. So far, they had not run into any cultists, although Bridget would take cultists over a dragon any day. They stumbled into a nearby opening in the wall and discovered a room filled with cages. Some housed large pigs while others were a home to some goats.
"Dear Maker…these poor animals are being fed to…" Leliana began.
Alistair shook his head.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves now! Maybe…Maybe the cultists keep them here to eat them themselves!"
That was when Bridget heard a deep, rumbling growl from a shaded corner of the room. She and the others turned to see gleaming, yellow, snakelike eyes stare back at them…eyes that looked displeased, nonetheless. The dragon emerged from the corner, licking it's bloody lips and baring it's razor sharp teeth. Thankfully this dragon was not fully grown and was only a Drake…but still, he was a dragon no less. Bridget dodged a breath of fire as Alistair bashed his shield into the dragon's side. Zevran and Leliana stayed at a distance, trying to determine when to catch the beast off guard and take it by surprise. Alistair slashed at it's side as Leliana finally found an opening and shot a poisoned dipped arrow towards him. The arrow flew through the air and pierced the side of the Drake's head. The monster, due to the effects of the poison, became woozy and clumsy on his feet. Bridget ran her blade through him and ripped it through his flesh. The Drake fell over, dead. Bridget took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Leliana grinned as she climbed down from her vantage point, with Zevran's help.
"You're a deadly little vixen with those arrows, mi amour." He purred.
She giggled and Bridget couldn't help but smile. She cast a glance at Alistair to see him smiling at her and cleared her throat to bring attention back to the matter at hand.
"Let's keep moving you two love birds." Alistair stated in an effort to help Bridget.
Zevran dropped his hands from Leliana's hips and raised an eyebrow.
"As if you are one to call anyone a love bird! Next time we book rooms in a tavern, remind me to get one far away from you and our leader here so I may catch my sleep peacefully."
Alistair's jaw dropped as Zevran merrily pounced back in his usual place behind Bridget with Leliana at his side. Bridget chuckled under her breath and led them back out through the passageway and down the dark depths of the cavern once more. Upon entering another passageway, they were ambushed by a mage and a few archers. Leliana rained arrows down on the mage while everyone else took care of the archers. Once they were dead, Bridget looked around the spacious area and felt her stomach knot. There were eggs scattered about the room, some were sitting atop tables while others were nestled in hay on the floor. She shook her head.
"Dear Maker they're breeding these things!" she exclaimed.
The others looked at one another and shifted uncomfortably. Bridget turned back to them and sighed.
"Let's move on and find the Urn as quick as we can." She stated.
Nobody hesitated as Bridget led them out of the 'hatchery'. What exactly were these people planning with all of those dragon eggs? Did they intend to…unleash them? Alistair shuddered at the thought. They entered a large passageway, and Bridget immediately grabbed her sword as she saw a man standing with a dozen or so other cultists. This man carried a large battle axe on his back and had a very strict demeanor. Zevran already held a concealed dagger in his hands, waiting for an opportunity. If this man intended to talk business, he highly doubted Bridget would take a part in it. The mysterious man narrowed his eyes.
"Stop! You will go no further!" he spat.
Bridget raised an eyebrow.
"And just who may you be telling me where I can and cannot go?" she replied.
The man spat at her.
"You do not have the right to demand my name!" he shouted.
Bridget crossed her arms.
"Just like you don't have the right to tell me where I can and cannot go!" she yelled back, her voice echoing off of the surrounding walls.
"You have defiled our temple, spilt the blood of my brothers and sisters and slaughtered our young!"
Bridget narrowed her eyes.
"You're young?" she asked.
The man began walking towards her. Zevran gripped the dagger even tighter.
"You will explain to me, you filthy lowlander, why you have done this! Why have you come here?" he demanded.
"You may want to take a few steps back." Bridget warned as the fool had gotten right in her personal space.
He looked at her for a long moment before taking a step back, though it was a very small step. Bridget looked at him.
"If you tell me your name then I will tell you why I am here." She stated.
The man bowed his head for a second and replied,
"I am Father Kolgrim. I am the leader and guide to the Disciples of Andraste. If you kill us, then you will face Andraste herself. She will smell our blood as well as the blood of her children upon your filthy bodies. Her wrath will be great."
Bridget looked at him.
"Children? The dragons? You mean 'Andraste' is a dragon?" she asked slowly, slightly afraid of the answer.
Kolgrim's face grew furious.
"She is so much more! She is more glorious than all of the Old Gods combined! Andraste has prevailed over death itself to return to Her faithful…in an even more radiant form than before."
Bridget felt her stomach knot. This man was a complete lunatic! What she feared now, more so than the thought of another High Dragon…was that the Ashes themselves may have been defiled. She chanced to ask Kolgrim and hoped that she had made the right decision.
"What of the Ashes?" she demanded.
Kolgrim considered her for a second before replying,
"Why they are still here within the temple of course. Why would we bother with them when we have the risen Andraste?"
Leliana shook her head.
"You treat the Ashes with such condescension!" she exclaimed.
Kolgrim crinkled his nose and motioned his hand as if he were brushing the Ashes aside.
"What are they but the remains of a dead, human woman?"
Bridget raised her eyebrows.
"Then you should have no uncertainties about giving them to me then, since you think them so unimportant and below your 'Andraste'."
Kolgrim raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms. Suddenly he looked very interested in Bridget and the others.
"So you're after the Ashes…perhaps there is a way then for you to make up for your sacrilege of our home and temple then…"
Alistair narrowed his eyes.
"Why are you so willing to cooperate with us all of a sudden?" he asked.
Kolgrim cast his dark, unfeeling eyes on Alistair and replied dryly,
"Perhaps I believe in second chances."
"That, or you want us to do something that you and your followers can't." Zevran chimed in.
Kolgrim ignored him and turned his gaze back to Bridget.
"Perhaps Andraste's greatest enemy will in fact turn out to be Her greatest champion!"
Bridget raised an eyebrow.
"Just get on with it and say your piece." She stated.
An unsettling smirk played at the corner of Kolgrim's mouth as he continued.
"The Ashes reside in this very mountain, however, they are guarded by an immortal guardian who refuses to accept the truth of the risen Lady."
I'll be he does. Bridget thought.
Kolgrim continued.
"You see, these Ashes prevent the newly risen Andraste from realizing her true form, as they are remains from her past life as a mortal. She cannot move on while they exist…"
Bridget's jaw dropped.
"You would destroy the Ashes? I will see your head on a pike first!" she shouted, grabbing her sword and shield.
"To arms my brethren! Andraste will grant us a victory!" Kolgrim shouted.
Oh but Andraste in fact did not grant them a victory, it would seem. The ensuing battle was terribly tough. Leliana climbed on another high perch again to aim her arrows at the distant mages. Alistair and Zevran took on the other cultists members whilst Bridget and Kolgrim squared off. Being that he was a two handed warrior, he was already at a disadvantage. Bridget remembered Fergus always telling her that two handed warriors required more time and strength to draw back their great sword and thus, if you were quick enough with your movements, could be taken down fairly easily as long as you kept your guard up. Bridget raised her shield as Kolgrim swung his axe down on her, nearly breaking her arm beneath her shield. As he drew back, Bridget bashed him with the shield, wincing at the pain in her arm beneath the iron. She raised her blade and swung it towards him, tearing a bit of the chain-mail he wore on his arm. She saw that she drew blood, but it was just a scratch. He rounded on her again, and this time Bridget dodged out of the way. Her right foot landed on a loose rock and caused her to loose her balance slightly, but that was all Kolgrim needed. He swung at her again, grazing her side. Bridget fell back and before he could throw his axe down upon her, he froze in place. Bridget quickly rolled out of the way as Kolgrim fell, a small dagger protruding from the back of his head. She looked to see Alistair running towards her while Zevran took care of the last cultist.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
Bridget, with his help, sat up slowly and winced. She brought her hand to her side and placed it there. She felt warm liquid against her hand and removed it to see it covered in her blood. Leliana hurried over to her, as did Zevran who was already removing his pack and grabbing bandages. Leliana sat next to Bridget as Zevran handed her the bandages.
"I can bandage you up really quick. Boys, go over there, I have to take off her armor."
Alistair and Zevran complied with Leliana's request and walked over towards another side of the cavern. Zevran took to searching one of the cultist member's dead bodies. Alistair watched him before whispering,
"Thank you."
Zevran looked up at him.
"For what?" he asked.
Alistair glanced over his shoulder to see Leliana already wrapping the bandage around Bridget's side.
"For throwing that dagger…if you hadn't…"
Zevran grinned and stood, pocketing the few silver pieces he found and hit Alistair on the back with his hand.
"It's what I'm here for!" he exclaimed.
Alistair sighed.
"You know…I was wary when you first joined us. To be completely honest I was afraid you would kill us all in our sleep…but I take it all back. You're a true friend, Zevran." He stated.
Zevran smiled warmly.
"Thank you, and you are a true friend to me too."
They were quiet for a moment before Zevran asked,
"May I offer you some advice?"
Alistair looked at him and nodded.
"Of course."
Zevran smiled cheekily at him.
"Last time we were in camp…it rather did seem that you and Bridget just got going when all grew quiet. Surely you must be exhausted! I have some roots you may chew if you need energy you know, they are wonderful! And if it's volume you're concerned about, maybe you should try arching your,"
Alistair buried his face in his hands.
"Oh Maker…can't you think about anything else? I thought we were having a moment!"
Zevran raised his eyebrows.
"We did! That moment has past, now I'm trying to offer you some crucial advice lest you fail in your future love making escapades with our beautiful Bridget."
Alistair grumbled something inaudible under his breath. When he turned, Bridget and Leliana were walking towards them.
"You should probably have Wynne heal you once we're back at camp." Leliana suggested.
Bridget nodded.
"I had already planned to. Thank you for fixing me up."
Leliana smiled and nodded. They both turned to look at Zevran and Alistair and frowned. Zevran was innocently whistling and Alistair's face was completely red. Bridget, not knowing but already guessing what they had been discussing, decided to not address the topic. She thanked Zevran for saving her and turned to the entrance leading out of the caverns…not knowing that 'Andraste' was perched on the mountainside, sleeping soundly and very, very hungry.
A/N: See, I told you I'd deliver a longer (in my opinion far better) chapter than the last one! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Hopefully another one will be coming real soon! I don't usually write fight scenes…I would love to hear what you guys thought of it, as there will be plenty more later! Thanks again so much for reading and reviews are really appreciated!
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The Last of the Couslands