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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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Chapter 42
Broodmother, Branka, and Caridin's Traps.
Bridget gaped at the creature that lay ahead of her screeching and groaning and shuddered. Yes she had seen many terrible things before, she'd seen the destruction the demons caused at the Circle Tower, had seen Uldred turn another mage into an abomination right before her very eyes. She had seen the dead walk once more. She'd seen giant man eating spiders and thiag crawlers and other many horrible things…yet she had defeated them all. She'd stared into the face of an ogre and hadn't even flinched and yet this…thing…this was enough to make her falter out of sheer fear. Knowing that what lay ahead of her used to be a woman, a normal being is what caused her to quake in her boots. This is what the Darkspawn are capable of, catching women and violating them…turning them into this disgusting, horrible, yet pitied creature all for the purpose of breeding. Bridget stepped forward cautiously, gripping the hilt of her sword and swallowing nervously. The closer she got the worse the stench and the thing that Hespith was calling 'Broodmother' looked. It had multiple breasts growing out of what used to be it's chest in many layers that all formed together in one mass. Tentacles shot out of holes in the floor in every direction, curling up and lashing out, already trying to attack Bridget and the others at a distance.
"By the Gods…" Alistair said warily, his own look of shock and fear present on his face.
Bridget said a silent prayer to the Maker before nodding towards the others and dashing forward, dodging one of the tentacles and jumping over another one. She deduced that they would have to get rid of them first and thus began to cut and slice at one that was closest to her, slicing it and causing it to gush with blood. It immediately retracted back into the hole and Bridget turned to see that the others were doing the same. She took that opportunity to attack the Broodmother herself…only to wish that she hadn't. After getting only a few hits in, Bridget realized her feet were no longer on the ground and she was being lifted into the air. She screamed when she came face to face with the horrible creature and turned her head and held her breath as it belched in her face, it's grip only becoming tighter around her body. Alistair, who had been busy with another tentacle looked up at Bridget's scream and went pale. He rushed towards the arm that was holding her and sliced his sword through the air, cutting deep into it's flesh. The Broodmother shrieked in pain and flung Bridget from her hand and across the room. She landed hard against the stone and was knocked out cold. Alistair hurried over to her as Zevran shouted that Darkspawn were starting to spill into the room. Alistair bashed a Genlock with his shield and turned quickly to a Hurlock that had almost caught hold of Bridget's ankle. Zevran hurried over towards Alistair and helped him with his quick movements.
"Go help Oghren with that thing, I'll keep Bridget safe."
Alistair nodded and hurried to Oghren's aid, slicing him free of a tentacle and turning his attention to the Broodmother once more. Zevran quickly moved between his targets delving his Crow daggers into their bodies and quickly pulling them back out again, ripping through their flesh and scattering their tainted blood everywhere. Zevran noticed that these Darkspawn were a bit fiercer than others that they had fought before, probably because they were attacking the thing that was spawning more of their kind. In one final, horrible shriek the Broodmother slumped over and all the tentacles that remained in the air fell to the ground sending dirt and bits of rock up into the air upon making contact. Zevran killed the last Hurlock that was in the room and sheathed his daggers turning towards Bridget's body and kneeling beside her. Alistair hurried over to her and dropped to his knees, slowly lifting her head to inspect it. He let out a heavy sigh of relief.
"I don't think she hit her head." He said softly
Zevran released a sigh as well and soon enough, Bridget's eyes fluttered open. She winced and placed her hand to her side.
"Ow…what the hell happened to me?"
Oghren walked over to her and held out his flask.
"Here drink this, you'll forget all about your pain."
Bridget took the flask from him and pressed it to her lips, taking it's contents into her mouth before tearing the flask away and spitting out the liquid.
"Blah! What is this?"
Oghren chuckled.
"Finest dwarven ale you'll ever get. Secret family recipe…guess you can't hold your liquor." He said.
Bridget rolled her eyes and threw the flask back, downing a bit of it's contents in one gulp. She swallowed and coughed a bit, shaking her head.
"Ugh…I want to get out of here…"
Alistair shook his head.
"Rest a few minutes and then we'll move on."
Bridget nodded and sighed. She looked up to see Zevran standing in front of the Broodmother looking rather pale.
"You okay Zevran?" she asked.
Without taking his eyes off of the Broodmother he replied,
"I never want to see another pair of breasts again…"
Bridget snorted. Zevran looked at her and shrugged.
"Okay…maybe at least for a few hours then. This thing is enough to turn men away from ever admiring a woman's chest ever again. Then again…if it is your chest…"
Alistair frowned.
"Why don't you go and talk to Oghren?" he asked.
Zevran raised his hands in defeat.
"Haha okay, I can see when I'm not wanted." He chuckled before going to the other side of the room and striking up a conversation with the dwarf.
Alistair turned his attention back to Bridget.
"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked.
She nodded.
"Yeah, I landed in dirt…mostly. I'm probably going to be a little bruised though, I can already feel one forming on my side, but I'll be fine."
Alistair smiled and bent to her lips to place a sweet kiss.
"Though I wouldn't mind another massage after all this is over with…" she mumbled against his lips.
Alistair chuckled.
"You're wish is my command." He replied through his laughter.
Bridget grinned and patted him on his side.
"Okay let's get a move on. We've still got to find Branka."
Alistair nodded and helped Bridget get to her feet slowly. They rounded up Oghren and Zevran who were both snickering about something, and were about to turn to head out the opposite end of the tunnel when Bridget noticed Hespith standing atop a ledge rubbing her hands together.
"That is where they come from…" she said slowly as she motioned towards the Broodmother.
"That's why they hate us…and need us…and feed us…and take us…." She trailed off, closing her eyes in pain and shaking her head.
"These things are all terrible things…but the true abomination is not that his occurred…but that it was allowed. Branka…my love…I am dying of something worse than death, dream friend. I am dying of Betrayal."
With that Hespith disappeared into the shadows and the air no longer carried her song. Oghren grumbled something under his breath before kicking a rock out of his way. Bridget took that as a sign to move on, and she did so leading the others out of the opposite tunnel. Upon reaching the next clearing, Bridget jumped as a roaring sound startled her. She and the others turned to see a metal gate sprout from the ground and seal off the entrance back from where they came. Bridget furrowed her brow and turned back around cautiously as she heard a pair of feet approaching them. Another dwarven woman appeared on a nearby ledge fully clad in armor. She held a stern look on her face and didn't look very pleased.
"Let me be blunt here, I have no tolerance for social graces. I hope this doesn't bother you."
Before Bridget could reply, Oghren nearly knocked her over as he ran forward.
"Well call me a nug's uncle, Branka? I barely recognized you!" he exclaimed.
Bridget raised her eyebrows. That's about as much excitement she'd ever seen in Oghren since she first offered to help him. She turned her gaze to Branka and it appeared that seeing her husband after so many years didn't even faze her.
"Oh Oghren, it's you. I figured you'd find some way down here. Hopefully you can find your way back more easily."
Zevran crossed his arms.
"Ouch…what a bitch."
Oghren sort of just gaped at Branka as she turned her gaze to Bridget.
"Hmm…I suppose you're the hired sword of the latest lordling to come and find me? Or perhaps you are the only one who doesn't mind Oghren's stench."
Oghren shook his head.
"Be respectful would you? You're talking to a Grey Warden, woman!" he shouted.
Branka blinked and continued addressing Bridget.
"Well I guess that just makes you 'important' hired muscle then. I assume something has happened? Endrin is dead I take it?"
Bridget looked up at her and nodded.
"Yes he is dead. Orzammar needs a new king to help stop the Blight." She stated.
Branka rolled her eyes.
"King's don't stop Blights girl…they're nothing but pompous nobles that sit their fat asses on a throne all day. We have had forty generations of kings and we have lost everything."
Bridget raised her eyebrows. Branka continued.
"I could care less if they put a nug on the throne. The thing that we should be worried about, the thing that once made our armies unbeatable has become lost to the very Darkspawn it should be fighting…The Anvil of the Void."
Bridget and the others looked at each other uneasily. Branka went on to describe how powerful the Anvil of the Void is, what it could do and that she would sacrifice anything and everything to obtain it.
"Does that mean you would sacrifice Hespith and all the others of your house?" Bridget asked sharply.
Branka stopped mid sentence and clenched her jaw.
"Enough questions. The only way out is forward through Caridin's maze." She replied.
Oghren clenched his fists.
"What has this place done to you? I remember marrying a girl who I could talk to for less than a minute and see her brilliance!" he yelled, his temper exploding.
Branka looked down at Oghren with cold, unloving eyes and replied simply,
"I am your Paragon." Before turning on her heel and walking away.
Oghren's jaw dropped as the others stared after her with the same expression. Bridget drew her brows together and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Oghren I,"
He shook his head.
"Let's just move on." He replied in a gruff voice.
Bridget nodded and removed her hand, taking to the front of the group and leading the others. As they walked down the short tunnel leading to what was left of Branka's camp, her voice echoed off of the walls as she explained that the members of her house would follow her to the ends of Thedas and back and thus she sent them through Caridin's mazes because they would not refuse her. Alistair shook his head.
"She is obsessed with this…" he whispered so that only Bridget could hear him.
She nodded slowly.
"I can see no way this is going to end well." She replied softly.
Passing Branka's camp, a great number of Darkspawn ran towards Bridget and the others, brandishing their weapons or staffs. An ogre was amidst the horde so Bridget took to taking him down first, which she did and he landed on a Genlock Emissary. Bridget turned to see a golem amidst the fight and sighed having the slightest inclination that there would be a lot of them ahead. After slaying all the Darkspawn in the area, Bridget led the others on cautiously down the tight passageway and towards a doorway. Upon stepping into the new room, Bridget closed her eyes tightly and began coughing. The room was filled with a poisonous gas…as well as five golems. She opened her eyes despite the burning sensation she felt in them and did her best to fight off the golem that was attacking her. While slashing at the rock creature, Bridget noticed a few levers placed precariously about the room. Since Zevran was quick on his feet and was wearing the least amount of armor to be weighed down (or protected from a golem's smash), she shouted to him to pull all the levers, which he did. The toxic fumes dispersed and they could all finally breathe easily once more. Not having the gas stinging their eyes made the fight go in their favor and soon all the hostile golems had crumbled to the floor. The next room posed to be just as difficult as Alistair accidentally set off a blade trap before Zevran could alert anyone to it thus receiving a nasty gash in his arm. To make matters worse, the room was also filled with golems and they wasted no time at all coming to life and throwing large rocks at Bridget and the rest of her party. She grabbed Oghren out of the way of one and winced as it scraped up against her armor. It didn't tear through it but the sound of rock scraping up against metal is never a pleasant one. Finally after fighting their way through golem after golem, Bridget stepped through to the other side of the tunnel. They took a little break to regroup and bandage up Alistair's arm.
"Next time we're near a shop, I'm getting you some better armor." Bridget stated as she wrapped the bandage around his arm.
Alistair nodded.
"That sounds good to me!" he exclaimed.
They pressed forward, wary of what other types of traps Caridin could have possibly come up with. Entering the next room, Bridget furrowed her brow as she tried to make out what lay ahead of them. It looked like a large stone that had faces carved into it…but once they approached it, the structure began to move and Forgotten Spirits flew out of the open mouths of the stone faces and stood in front of anvils. The eyes of the stone faces glowed an eerie blue color…color that resembled the lyrium veins placed sporadically throughout the cave. There was one in front of each face. The spirit that was closest to Bridget engaged her in a tricky battle, but eventually she was able to defeat it. Once she had, the anvil that he originally guarded over had a strange glow erupt around it. Bridget swung her blade down on it and once she had, the stone face that was in front of it exploded and it's eyes, instead of glowing blue like before, now seemed to be crying blood. Bridget smirked. The solution to solving this trap had just clicked in her mind. She repeated the process of vanquishing the Forgotten Spirits and then destroying the anvils that they stood in front of. Soon enough, the entire contraption came crumbling down. Bridget nodded towards the others and moved on to the next tunnel. She hoped that this was the final trap. Stepping into the next room however, Bridget had a feeling that there would be one more…and probably the toughest yet.
A/N: I don't know about you guys but every single time I fight the Broodmother, my Warden never makes it. One more chapter to go and we'll finally be out of Orzammar! YAY!
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The Last of the Couslands