Vigil's Keep

As Selora headed to the graveyard, the evidence of the torn wards and wreckage was present. The Fade there was angry but there would be shadows of the past echoing around.

A number of angry spirits reenacted the scenes where when the graves were opened, they manifested as rage demons to strike at the Venatori. They had taken down some of them, but were banished soon after. Real as they looked, they were but echos. Selora could move through them and they'd not notice her.

Yet there were other bits of the past, overlapping the fighting, with memories of loved ones bearing their dead and tenderly lowering them into the ground.

In the middle of it all, a lone armoured spirit stood, gazing over the entire scene and it turned to regard Selora as she entered the area.

The Venatori had paid a cost already, at least. Rage Demons were powerful but their limited capacity for tactics rendered them less potent than if they could properly formulate a plan of attack. That was to the advantage of any who had to confront them, such as she had some earlier.

Selora maintained her composure as the emotions of the place swept over her. Anger, sorrow, reverence; memories of feelings projected by this otherworldly place. The armored spirit, as she saw it, drew her attention immediately. Her ears perked with curiosity and she kept a cautious, respectful distance. It could be a spirit... or a demon in disguise. Perhaps even both, depending on her perceptions of it, and Selora did her best to focus her mind on not making assumptions while remaining wary.

"Andaran atish'an." She used an elven greeting, her pronunciation that of a second language instead of something she'd been raised with. "I am Selora. Who are you?"

The figure turned to regard Selora.

"I am Justice," the spirit replied. It was a spirit of Justice... but one that could easily be corrupted soon enough from the looks of things. "The souls that were torn from their rest called for me," it said as wandered over to a grave, picking up the soil along the way. "It is my duty to see that justice is done for them.

There was a damaged path leading to the crypt where Selora had encountered the rage demon. Looking at the Echos, one could see that the Venatori had triggered more traps than expected. The Dalish were trying to protect something and the Venatori had gotten their hands on it. Wards which commanded spirits had been drawn and broken. In the Fade, what they had stolen glowed brightly. An orb with intricate markings. Power brimmed from it, even from the echos.

A spirit then... though of a potentially volatile concept. Justice was easily perverted into vengeance and rage. Things that would make it a demon, instead. For now, she felt moderately safe... it hadn't been she, after all, who'd defiled the graves. That orb though... now that was definitely interesting. Even it's echo had a sense of power. Whether the artifact in truth was as powerful as the echo remained to be seen. But clearly, either it possessed special worth in and of itself or very strong impressions by others had given it said worth in the Fade memory.

Only one way to find out for sure; retrieve the orb.

"My companions and I seek a like goal. The damage here was done by a group calling themselves the Venatori. They are nearby." Selora answered. "There is a Pride Demon with them which makes a direct attack tactically difficult. If you were able to occupy it's attention, together, we may be able to successfully get justice for what happened here."

Selora kept her mental walls up; she was not going to let Justice inside of her any more than she'd allow a demon.

The spirit nodded its head.

"I will see what I can do. It the spirit is bound I should quite like to see it freed rather than destroyed, but what must be done, must be done. I will aid you when the time comes," it said reassuringly. It had no interest in possessing a mage at this point.

"But I will bind you to your word that you will see that Justice is served to the dead. Are we in agreement?"

"None of the Venatori who did this will escape the consequences of their actions." Selora agreed, mindful of her wording. "Your aid is appreciated, Justice."

She was unsure what the spirit would do, precisely, when the time came, but an ally was an ally. Especially when one considered how outgunned her small group was, beggars couldn't be choosers. Selora wished she had more time to study the reflection here but also knew she could learn little else at the moment, in this location at least. She also wanted to save some of the lyrium for the coming battle, where it could aid her magic.

Selora began the trip back, after bidding farewell to Justice. She headed in the direction of the Venatori camp, taking much greater caution of the likely proximity of the Pride Demon. Perhaps, from afar, she could divine some of their purpose in being here. Whatever it was, it required an artifact of real or believed power.

The spirit nodded and waved its hands, turning back to regard the scene.

It wasn't hard to find the Pride Demon, and it was easy to hear it roaring through the Fade. The area closer to it were scattered with Rage Demons and Selora could observe it at least from afar. The ripples in the Fade could even be felt. Whatever the Venatori had found, it was having a profound presence in the Fade.

The she-elf would then hear a voice behind her. "Tempted by what you could use the power for?" came a quiet yet sultry voice. If she turned around, there would be a Desire demon... or perhaps a Spirit of Purpose? Being this close to the Venatori's presence was corrupting to a degree.

Selora didn't risk getting any closer than that view from afar, that many Rage Demons to say nothing of the large Pride Demon, would make short work of her. Beat her mind and will down until she was a hollowed out thing without the strength to repel them. Then her companions would pay the price for her arrogance. Javier, at least. Her feelings towards him were the warmest of the three men she'd left behind.

Whatever it was the Venatori had found, it was having a very real effect on the Fade. They'd have to be careful when the time came or they'd be overwhelmed by those Rage Demons crossing into the physical world. She's rather assume the Veil was being thinned by so much magic than the opposite. Selora was very glad they'd called for reinforcements before attacking. Having just about decided she's learned everything she could via the Face, or at least everything she could learn with an acceptable degree of risk, she prepared to return to her body only for a new voice to draw her attention.

The Desire Demon seemed apparent; perhaps it was a different spirit but Selora also knew her own heart. She did desire whatever artifact it was that her enemies had found. It's power seemed obvious and as a tool of an object of study, it compelled her to investigate.

"Naturally." She answered, not bothering to deny it to a creature that embodied said desire. "Not the place I'd expect to find a demon like you. Waiting just for me? I'm flattered."

The desire demon chuckled quietly.

"I go wherever I hear the calls of desire and your song has been singing ever since you laid eyes on it," the demon said as it leaned close towards Selora, reaching out with its hands to cup the she-elf's chin. "It would certainly be something worth bringing back to the Imperium wouldn't it? Something that might even earn you a place on the Magisterium. Imagine, the first elf Magister. Your name will go down in history."

A slight vision of what could be shimmered into view as the demon worked its magic about Selora.

There was no helping it; her skin goose pimpled along her chin where the demon touched her and Selora saw the image of what it offered. A Magister... it would be an enormous upset, a sudden influx of power and position in a notoriously limiting society. The last time there had been a nonhuman Magister, the Elf had been assassinated in short order and it had caused a brief civil war. With Dorian Pavus's reforms, maybe such a thing would be possible... if not now, than soon...

Oh, this demon was good.

Selora took a deliberate step.back, away from the creature. Her eyes refocused and her spine stiffened. She forced the mental image out of her mind with concentration techniques she'd learned as a novice. Focused on nothing, in truth. Just a tiny void with a single candle burning inside of it. Into the flame, she fed her ambitions and thoughts to empty her mind. It wasn't a foolproof defense, nothing was, but it had helped her resist temptation before.

"A beautiful dream. But just a dream." She said. "And if such a thing is to happen, it will be through my own efforts. No, Desire, I can manage quite well alone."

Her grip on her staff tightened and the top of it glowed with whisps of heatless flames.

"I take my leave of you."

She had to let the others know what she'd learned.

The demon sighed. "Pity, you could have been so much more," it said. It clearly wasn't as interested in Selora as it had come of as, its attention turning towards the Venatori. After all Selora had her Purpose, and that was sufficient enough for the spirit.

When Selora came back to the waking world, it was about the second watch. Someone had placed a blanket over her and Percival was on duty. He was quietly sharpening his sword, using his hair to test the sharpness of the blade. Beside him Javier was fast asleep.

Perhaps she could have been more... but Selora was also aware her situation had ended up far better than it might have otherwise. If her magical talent had been discovered in Fereldan, she'd have been shipped off to a now-broken Circle or if in the wilds, maybe taken in by a Dalish Keeper. Or simply caught by a Templar and killed. She would bet more gold on that last option than any other. The Denerim Alienage had taught Selora much of what she needed to know about most humans from a young age. Not every human was a loathsome being; indeed, she found Commander Vimes and Javier to be refreshing members of their race. But all humans were dangerous.

When Selora's senses returned to the waking world, she stoppered off what was left of the lyrium. When it came time for a fight, she could use it to empower her magic. The blanket was appreciated and a surprise, though she'd rather hoped it would be Javier who'd watched over her instead of Percival. The young Warden was exhausted, no doubt, but of all three companions, she trusted the Orlesian the least.

"The Venatori have helped spawn a large number of Rage Demons in the Fade." She said quietly to the warrior preparing his sword. "When the time for battle comes, we can expect some may breach the Veil."

And attack everything in sight.

"We can discuss it more in the morning, however. I've been asleep for some time and you should rest, Sir Percival. I'll take the remainder of the watch."

Percival frowned as he listened to the she-elf's words as he continued to sharpen his blade.

"It is fine, it is my watch and I had slept earlier. Javier is getting the third watch... although I'm debating if I should let him sleep through it. He was a lot more shaken by our find at the camp than I was, even if he didn't want to admit it. A good rest should help him recover himself. I'm not that familiar with the boy but I'm not an idiot. When a chatterbox shuts up, they're not themselves," Percival said casting a worried look to the Free Marcher.

"I mean I knew he was green but not that green. Poor kid's just going to get the innocence knocked out of him at this rate... that being said, if demons are abound.... no offense to you as your abilities as a mage but I rather have a non-mage on watch just in case. Dreams are but just a hair's breath away from the Fade from what I've been told... and with the demons about..." Percival trailed off.

Selora herself had instructed them to kill her if she was possessed after all. "Go and rest Lady Selora... I'll keep watch."

Selora wasn't of a mind to argue with the man and Percival may have even had a point. With as much demon activity as there was in the area, the risk of possession was higher. It wasn't something that terrified her every waking moment, but as a mage, it was something she constantly had to be aware of. Lifelong vigilance was one of the costs of magic. As an Abomination, she doubted the three men could save themselves if caught unaware. Yes, Percival did have a point. She didn't necessarily enjoy the idea of sleeping with only the Chevalier watching over her but needs must and a rested mage was more useful than a tired one.

"Very well. Thank you." Selora conceded without need of an argument. "Good night, Sir Percival."

She laid down and cast her customary ward before closing her eyes. The elf turned her head, glancing towards Javier as she did so. They were all under great strain and she'd seen Javier have difficulty coping with violence before, or more accurately, mutilation. Selora hoped the young man would pull out of it as more and more of that initial innocence was chipped away, but also that it wouldn't destroy him in the process. She briefly contemplated searching for Javier's dreams in the Fade but decided against it after a moment's thought. It would be an invasion of his privacy and risk drawing demon attention to him. It was rare for a non-mage to be possessed but not impossible.

When morning came, Javier was up and about, quietly cooking a stew over the fire while Percival was off among the trees. He gave a slight smile to Selora when she woke, carrying a bowl of stew over to her.

"Morning Lady Selora. Rabbit stew with potatoes, couple of leeks," he greeted tiredly. It was much better than what they had been having for the past few days, a lot more wholesome, but the food supplies had been taken from the Dalish. Javier hadn't slept well and it showed. The dark circles around his eyes and he looked paler than usual. "Hopefully Skaldrin and the lot will be coming soon, haven't seen any dust trails from afar."

"Thank you." She accepted the food without complaint; her stomach didn't growl but it felt like it would at any moment. "A heartier meal sounds very agreeable."

Lucius ate his own without much comment, par for the course where the dour warrior was concerned. His armor was on already and he was eating steadily, eyes scanning the horizon towards the Venatori as he did so. The mage, for her part, began to eat as well while taking care not to spill on her robes. She felt as rested as she could, sleeping on the ground in hostile territory.

"Hopefully, when they come, they'll have the good sense not to raise an overly large dust trail." Selora sighed. "If we can see it, so can the Venatori."

Or at least she hoped Skaldrin would have the sense to send forward scouts. She wasn't sure how many men were coming but she wanted to ambush the Venatori, not vice versa. Especially if they were in possession of a powerful magical artifact, surprise could be the difference between victory and defeat. Selora tilted her head, ears perking like a cats and wide eyes studying Javier.

"You've been sleeping poorly. Combat fatigue or Warden dreams?"

She was not a Warden herself but heard they dreamed of the Darkspawn and Blights often.

Javier nodded his head in agreement about the dust cloud.

"I've been looking rather far off. I haven't encountered any Venatori in the trees and I doubt they're used to climbing. Its where I've been trying to spot... but I doubt they would raise a large one, unless they want it to be seen. A good number of the wardens are seasoned enough combatants and trackers, especially the good lot who can't adjust back to a peaceful life. Life has not been kind to those of us in the Dragon Age," the boy said as he sat down next to her.

His eyes widened in surprised as she mentioned about Warden dreams.

"I'm surprised you know of them Lady Selora... but then again you've been living with us for a while now. Probably overheard about them or something. But no, we're rather far from any Darkspawn at the moment and my dreams are not bothered by them," he said looking at their fire before hugging his own leg towards him.

"Just bad dreams." He paused before continuing. "Nothing to worry yourself over Lady Selora, I'll be all right."

"I read a lot." Selora merely smiled at the corners of her mouth. "Gray Wardens are a popular topic given my present assignment."

The library at Vigil's Keep held numerous books of interest and she'd done some research before leaving the Imperium as well. Add to that her nascent skills as a Dreamer and the combined dreams in the Fade of an entire keep full of Wardens... Selora could be well informed at times.

"I'm pleased you don't sense Darkspawn, at least. They would only complicate the situation." Small miracles. "You would be correct about the Dragon Age, however. It has not been kind."

She merely sat there, letting the soup warm her up.

"I was born in the Denerim Alienage. Technically, I'm Fereldan, not Tevinter. In so far as elves have a nationality." She decided to share. "I was five when we left. Those of us who did fared better than the ones who remained when the Darkspawn arrived. Tyr Loghain did us a favor, in a way. Not that he saw it as such."

Not that being sold as slaves would count for much if she'd met the man after her magical talents had awoken. Selora remained rather mixed in her opinion of Loghain.

"At this stage of our travels, Javier, I'm quite comfortable with just being 'Selora' without the 'Lady' prefix. As we've fought and risked our lives together, some familiarity in terms of address feels proper."

Javier listened to Selora's tale with interest. Well he hadn't known much about her and had heard rumours here and there. He looked rather surprised when she mentioned that she was from Denerim. The young warden paused to regard her and nodded his head.

"A hard life indeed," he murmured before looking at the fire. "I suppose it's only fair that I share a bit of my tale," he said picking up a stick to poke at the fire.

"I'm the fourth-born son of a one of the smaller Free Marcher noble houses. Nothing too grand like some of the more well known families. Went to the University of Orlais for a while but I... wasn't really the best student there."

Javier seemed hesitant and uncertain as he continued his story, as if he was trying to figure out how much to tell. Although he wasn't looking at the mage when he did so, he looked at the fire.

"I got into trouble and was expelled and I... well... My family thinks I perished somewhere in the War of the Lions or sometime during the Inquisition. I think. I don't really know, I haven't really bothered to check if they knew what was going on, and they haven't been able to find me. Joined a mercenary group and ended up in some plot by an Orlesian noble to kill another and got turned into a scapegoat when we failed the job. Was sentenced to death but it a Warden recruiter was around and I took the chance."

His usual flair with words was not present as he spoke about himself. While he could prattle on endlessly about all sorts of birds and his love for them, it was clearly not the same for himself.

Selora listened in turn as Javier shared some of his own life. A life among the nobility, even of a minor house, was one she had little reference for. Her master had been wealthy and lived on an estate, where he'd brought her family, but they'd lived as slaves, not as guests or members of the family. It wasn't until the Magister had taken her mother as a paramour that the family had begun to be treated, not as equals, but better than the other slaves. The thought reminded Selora that she was due to write her mother when she was done here.

Javier didn't specify what kind of trouble he'd gotten into and she didn't pry. The man was already sharing more than she'd expected. Lucius was likely listening as well though her bodyguard was too far away to hear with total clarity. The terse soldier would not be joining in the shared histories, Selora well knew. Lucius had expressed his sentiment to her, more than once, that Fereldan and the people in it did not agree with him. The mage, for her part, still wasn't sure why her master had sent such an undiplomatic person to accompany her. Lucius was pushed out of her mind as a side thought and she returned her full mental attention to Javier.

The War of the Lions... she'd heard of it. Empress Celene and Gaspard... the elves being crushed at Halamshiral... fairly standard Thedasian history. Celene had emerged the winner, though for how long, who could say? Especially with the Inquisition disbanded.

"It's amazing how many lives get swept up in the bickering between rulers." Selora said when he finished. "And how much like gambling choosing a side, any side, or trying to remain neutral, can be."

Orlais. Tevinter. Fereldan. The same game, by slightly different rules and tactics, was being played out everywhere.

"Now you get to be cold outdoors with odd company and a group of cultists waiting to kill us." She smiled again. "I'm not sure how much improvement that is over the headsman's axe. What became of the rest of your mercenary company?"