A Road Paved With Blood[OPEN]

[Arley Voegeli]

"Do I wear the traditional blue and grey armor? No. Most people dont even see the griffon on my armor, so it doesn't matter, I know people and the Tempys dont know that its a Grey Warden killing their brothers, the ones that did....Well they aren't around to talk about it," He told him. "I wear black, most people dont even notice that I am a Warden. Sorry for threatening you, I just didn't expect another Warden to oppose me so out right. If you wish to duel I can only accept, but I would prefer not to. You are not much older than I, we should be working together to stop all this, there is no need for such rash action, and I apologize for how I acted," Arley was sincear with his words, he never lied, especially to another Warden. He respected Darin only because he had to. His proudness got in the way, but Arley's compassion didn't sereve him well sometimes.

"But enough talk, what we should be doing is keeping your Mage friend from the Templars when we enter Denerim," Arley cackled with a smile. "Oh, and by the way. I do have a bounty on my head, in Kirkwall, I had a Seeker chasing me, he followed me here, and he was the last to know I was a Warden, a friend of mine killed him, and his whole group he brought with him. And again, my apologies for acting how I did, but we should move on," Arley stated, but then, he heard a sound, a sound that wasn't abundant in the forest, the sound of clanking metal.

"Wait...Did you hear that?" He said as he hear it again. Clank, Clank it was definitely a mans armor. Then again he heard it. Suddenly a group of Templars circled the two Wardens and the Mage. "Ohhhhh, man. This isn't going to end well..." Arley trailed off, there where atleast eight surrounding them, quickly Arley unsheathed his daggers. "Stop now! I do not want to have to kill you Rouge, lay down your arms!" A Seeker stepped out, and Arley was thankful that he didn't know he was a Warden, the black clothes served him well. "What do you want with us Seeker!" He exclaimed, Arley would not keep his cool, he knew why they where here, they where here for the Mage.

"We are here for the Mage, now let us have her or die." The Seeker was blunt, but it made no difference to Arley. "If you want a battle come and get it Templar pig!" Arley sneered. The Tempys charged at the group well three did, bad choice. One swung his giant blade at Arley's ribs, he barely moved out of the way, but reacted swiftly, he delivered three blows, one to the seam in his armor to each shoulder tendan, then one to the barely uncovered spot on his neck, blood splattered on to his face. "Ill kill you all!" Arley screamed in blood lust.

[Warden Darin Cathar]

Darin and Mavenna watched startedly as the young Warden going crazy of bloodlust. Or he seemed to - his voice certainly hinted at some sort of fanatical hatred of templars, Darin noted. Grimacing, he took three long, flowing strides, reaching Arley by the third. Templars and a Seeker? Matters were worse than he had thought... how did they know that Mavenna was here? Surely the three survivors couldn't have ran back to Denerim by this time already. The only chance was that they had ran into an another group of templars, led by the Seeker, looking for Arley...

Snarling, he flowed into his battle forms, catching the first templar with his guard down. Taking the sword in both hands, he lunged the sword at his sword-hand, slashing a gaping wound across the elbow. The templar gave a cry and dropped his sword, but soon began to fight back with his shield still in hand. Other templars rushed in, now defending their wounded brother like a pack of wolves.

Suddenly he heard a shrieking warning through the sounds of battle. Only barely he heard what it was.

"Duck!"

Dropping to one knee, sword slashing in a wide arc towards the templar's chin, a bolt of rock surged past him to his opponent's chest, launching him a few paces backwards. His helmet dropped as he fell on the ground, blood running from an open gash on his neck. Just as easily he whirled around to meet another templar, sword raised high to strike. Just then another templar rounded behind him, trying to bury his sword in his back; it was the chaos of battle. Today the chaos could've been a little less chaotic, though.

Darin saw no chance but to attack, hoping that they would die before him; he was cornered, and he intended to fight like a cornered wolf at least. His sword took the templar in front of him through the ribs, allowing him to wheel around his back. Now he faced six templars, one on his either side and four in front of him. This wouldn't do for long.

[Arley Voegeli]

"Why does your Chantry continue to send you after me? I kill you before you can talk you your Lord!" Arley raved, rushing the other Tempys. Two swords came in an arc toward his head, he crossed his blades blocking the strikes, then recieving a kick to his chest, he got knocked back by the heavy steel boot, and it was going to leave a bruise. Arley threw his dagger and hit one a templar in the eye slit. Jumping on his falling body he retrieved his dagger and dodged a heavy strike to his shoulder, the blow was powerful, knocking him to on knee, he sliced the templars groin. He dropped to his knees holding his crotch screaming like a child; Arley ended his life in that instant. That left 5, with graceful speed he dispatched the other templar by stabbing him multipule times in his chest and neck.

"NOW SEEKER! Come and meet your destiny!" He snarled, not paying attention to the others with him, he figured they could take care of themselves for now. The Seeker employed a sword and shield, so Arley would have to be careful. He was a rouge, so he always was cautious. The Seeker paused and looked at his armor. "The rumors are true! It is a Warden killing my brothers! I thought it was just a story," the Seeker yelled in anger. "Does it matter what I am?" Arley asked, knowing the Seeker would have something to say.

"I will have your Order banned from Thedas and you will suffer, suffer badly for what you have done, Maker preserve you," Arley looked at the Seeker as he said that. He laughed his dumb religion had no bearing on what Arley could do. "Your Maker will not stop me from cutting your throat. I will enjoy it too, you will die at my hands." Arley bowed as if it were a duel. Quickly he came in with three fast strikes to the Seekers face, he had no helmet, but he blocked and knocked him back with his shield. Arley was relentless, gnashing at him with his daggers, and he would kill the Seeker, he wouldn't get injured like last time.

The Seeker pushed foward with his shield, and swinging his sword wildly, bad idea. Arley dodged his strikes easily, this Seeker must have been new because he could not fight, it was like fighting a normal solider. He swung and swung untill he was exausted. "I thought Seekers where supposed to be mighty warriors. If this is the best you have I am not impressed," He was toying with the Seeker. Arley wouldn't be beaten, not this time. The Seeker lashed out with this remaining enegry, and Arley blocked his three strikes with masterful grace. Stabbing the Seeker in the leg then going lower to cut his tendans at his feet, the Seeker collapsed with a loud thud. "Do you give up!? Or will I have to end your life?" Arley demanded

[Warden Darin Cathar]

He fought with everything he had, now, but more templars came. Six, instead of four, encircled him now, each blow coming closer to wounding him. Without a warning he spun from a blocking templar to face one with his guard down, driving the griffon-marked sword in his stomach. Just then he felt something brushing his cheek, something throwing him on the ground--

Abruptly the ground beneath the templars crackled open. Darin watched, legs sprawled, as the fires bursted out of the hole. He grimaced; the fire seemed to have completely destroyed the upper parts of their bodies, leaving staggering legs that fell on the ground, imitating the screams that never came. What could a man say when the upper part of your body was completely destroyed? Darin shot furious glances at Mavenna, mind darting to disturbing conclusions, only to find the woman whirling towards another group of templars.

A dozen templars with their swords behind their shields, throwing their traps at her. Suddenly one of them screamed loud, and just then something seemed to explode; the templars around him were knocked a few paces to each direction, but the effect of it on Mavenna was much more horrifying. Screaming, she clutched her head with her both hands, knees sagging of the pain.

It all came without thought. Jerking on his feet, he started for the templar that was now casually striding towards her, sword raised, ready to execute her on the spot. The blade fell down just when Darin leaped to meet him in combat. The templar's blade stopped abruptly only a few inches from her neck, blocked by Darin's; the force of the strike sent shockwaves through his body, but he held the sword where it was as if his life depended on it. Well, it did.

The templar slid his blade off, holding it in his both hands, but the look on his face was puzzled. Darin flowed from block to blow, slashing three times in quick succession as if fanning the templar, but he met him blow for blow. Darin noticed his opponent was sweating, and although his face was determined and concentrated, it was also strained. Darin had been more on the defensive at first, but now he suddenly rushed onwards and lunged thrice at the templar's chest, feinting along the way. The first blow was met, and the second, but at the third he managed to knock his opponent's blade aside. Darin felt the triumph of victory in him, and he saw the fear of death in the other; a moment before he buried his blade deep in the templar's chest, ending the fear.

[Arley Voegeli]

The Seeker spat in Arley's face, he wiped it off and cicked the Seeker in his face. "I have to assume that is a no, Sorry it had to be this way. Say your prayers as I send you to whatever god you worship," Arley said raising his blade, with a swift strike he threw his arm a downward swing, ending at the neck, the blood from his juggular vein spurted out into Arley's face. 'Great...Spat on twice in one fight' He thought to himself. Quickly he dropped to the ground, almost getting his head taken off my a sword that was just way to big, what was the need for a sword thats bigger than a small child? Arley would never know, he stayed out of the way trying not to block his strikes; he didn't want to get knocked off balance. This Templar charged at him like the Seeker, but this man was graceful, powerful, controlled. Arley thought this was some kind of joke, 'Was that man really the Seeker, it seemed like this guy was, the other guy was a straight pushover... he thought, but the Templars onslaught didn't stop he kept going and going and Arley couldn't do this for much longer. Finially he tried to block a strike coming to his head, but failed as the sheer force of the man over powered him, and the tip of the blade cut down his right eye, thankfully he got mostly cheek and eyebrow, because he could have blinded his right eye.

The Templar said nothing, Arley stood there in stance ready for his next onslaught, he glared at Arley, he was a big man, about 6'7" he was extremely buff, and he was bald with eyes black as night, and bore a tattoo of the Makers Sun on his face. He was a very intimidating guy. He was tremendous in stature, but that didn't bother Arley, bigger you are harder you fall right? He looked like he was about to say something, he lowered his guard. He took that chance to take the Templar off balance, Arley ran three paces and jumped in the air, blades pointed right above the collar bone, he stabbed the burly mans lungs. He died almost instantly, or atleast thats what it looked like.

Arley turned his attenton over to Darin, more Templars came while he fought the other two, the first man couldn't have been a Seeker it just made no sense. Darin was surrounded, protecting Mavenna, Arley decieded to dispatch the two closest ones to him with his bow. Quickly he sheathed his daggers, and unslung his bow. He took out and arrow and notched it, holding his breath he steadied on his target....Woosh! The arrow cut the air, and a second later the Templar screamed from the poisoned serrated arrow, the man could do nothing now, he would die soon. The ones closest to him turned to see what the screaming was about, by that time another arrow was already flying through the air as he hit another one it the throat. The other one rushed him, in blind rage took am arcing, powerful swing, Arley had an arrow in hand, and he was too close to shoot. As the Templar recovered from his swing, Arley stabbed him in the eye with the arrow, he sling back his bow and took out his blades again.

Running he went to Darin, and stood right beside him. Battle ready, Arley asked: "How do you want to handle this? We have a few options: We could run, stay and fight, or I stay while you guys get to Denerim?" Arley stated the choices, all Darin had to do was decide. Arley might beable to hold off the Templars long enough for them to escape, then Arley would move to the woods, he would fair better there if he was alone. Though...He hoped Darin stayed to fight, this was a lot of Tempys, and Arley was better at one-on-one combat.

[Warden Darin Cathar]

Well, the man was right. It never hurt to consider your options, but those templars were close. His voice lowered so that only Arley could hear him, but he kept a close eye on the approaching templars all the time.

"Look, we're going to kill them, so you just round up on the farthest one and let me handle them on the front."

The first templar came, his blade falling down to split his skull, and he raised his own to block the incoming strike with both hands. Darin could feel the force of his own block, pulsing through the templar's sword back to his own arm. It gave him only a second of time for his attack of opportunity, and his blade slid across the templar's plated gauntlet; strongly and sharply, and then jerked back to cut the arm off completely.

Another templar charged at him with his shield; not in time to save his brother's arm from being severed, but quick enough to send Darin staggering backwards. Somehow he managed to avoid being hit by the templar's whirling blade; sidestep, block, duck and he was back in action. Posed on the ground, leaning on one knee, he cut a long gash from hips to heart. Two templars fallen, ten more to go.

He brushed his way across something he could not see, giving it as much thought as he would a beggar, and moved to engage four templars. One of them stood out by his armor, an ornament platemail, and he had a sword in each hand. Not shortswords; two curved scimitars, both readied to launch into a deadly flurry of swings. Thoughtless, he entered the fray. The... Seeker - Was it a Seeker, or just another high-ranked templar? - came very close to slaying him with several of his strikes, wounding him on several places, but he still kept his pace in the battle.

A templar received a sword stuffed right through the open sallet of his helmet, rewarding Darin with another blow of the Seeker's - yes, probably a Seeker - scimitar. Bleeding from several spots, he felt as if he carried a mountain on his back, every step, every strike requiring more and more of his willpower, and he couldn't maintain his pace any longer. He fell on the defensive, now only trying to avoid or block the templars' blows; little thought slid across his mind, but one of them was a hope that Arley was close and ready to stab the Seeker in his back.

[Arley Voegeli]

Darin was a skilled fighter, Arley obsereved that as he left, dissapearing into the trees. He saw some of the Templars looking around, as one of there enemies dissapeared. He saw that Darin had dispatched two of the Templars with ease, but there was a Seeker, and he saw him start to slow down. Arley used his steath abilities to flank the opposition, his target was the most dangerous, the Seeker. He ran as fas as he could, daggers in hand, he lept sinking his vicious blades into his back, between his armor, there was blood everywhere, and as Arley turned to face the others, the pommel of a sword hit him in the face.

His nose started to bleed and he could see the lights, but he recovered quickly and kicked the man in his knee, he heard a loud pop as he fell to the ground. He had broken the Templars knee, foolish Templar, you never fight straight legged. He did not hesatate he sunk his blade into his throat. That left only 8, a daunting battle for most, but, they are Grey Wardens. Eight men was a remedial fight, even though they are skilled soldiers, Darkspawn where more intimidating and more vicious in their demenor. Two charged him with their shields, Arley ducked delivering his blades into the legs of the Templars coming up to slash their faces; his accuaracy was impecible he hit both of them in the eye, doing a whirlwind move hitting their throats.

Now they where down to six. "I thought that Templars where highly trained, and fearless? I frankly am not impressed," Arley was instulting them to bring down their morale and make them easier targets. Demoralization is a great tool in battle, and Arley was good at it, an angry fighter is a bad fighter. He decided to wait for Darin, they would be more efficent if they fight together. One strand of rope is weaker than two strands.

[Warden Darin Cathar]

Well? What was the waiting for? If not for his injuries...

Another templar ran up behind him, his blade coming down just a microsecond too late; Darin whirled, too fast for the templar, and knocked the shield off his hands. Much easier to kill them without the damn shields, always preventing clean hits, always there to bash you down no matter how many times you battered it with your weapon.

The templar quickly set himself in a defensive stance, feinting with his sword he now held in his both hands. He stepped back, stepped towards him again, all the time feinting with that longsword. More templars began to creep up on him, too. There had to be something decisive here, or he'd die.

Suddenly he rushed onwards at the feinting templar, apparently cathcing him off guard; a frightened grunt rose deep within the man's throat as Darin knocked his blade off, too. Instead of pleading for mercy, though, the man charged at him, fists first. Only to run himself into his sword.

His wounds bled badly, and suddenly he noticed he was surrounded by four more templars. He blocked left and right, dodged up and down, but once and again their blades found his flesh. Time after time, until he collapsed on the ground, on the brink of death, but still clutching his sword in his both hands, clutching to it until his face paled of the effort.

A templar raised his sword to end it, to end the pitiful show he had put up for a time, until abruptly the sword fell from it.

For a while he couldn't notice anything at all, but then he saw the templar leaning over him, crying out in pain, holding his chest. The other three did the same, all around him, until his head began to spin uncontrollably.

What was happening in here? What... what was that... the templars?

Suddenly he felt the injuries tying themselves up, the blood running back to his veins, the wounds closing as if they had never been there at all. He gasped, relief clearly shining through his tone. Healing.

Memory of the pain took a longer time to fade away, but he felt strong enough to stand up again. Four templars around him lay in pools of blood, each of them still stuffed in their platemail, each of them still trying to maintain that look of command and power. Not anymore.

He turned to face his savior, Mavenna. She had killed the templars, although he hardly remembered how. He only remembered screaming and a smell of blood in the air.

There was a dead templar behind her, and she carried a fresh cut in her robes, blood surrounding it. Since there appeared to be a small pause in the fighting close to them, it would not hurt to ask her what happened.

"Are you alright? How did that templar get there?"

"He sneaked behind you when you were busy fighting the rest of them. I killed him, but he managed to do this to me. Don't worry, it's healed already."

"Well, fine. Do you feel strong enough to handle the last one?"

"I do," she said slowly, but stared at Arley. Darin whirled to stare, too.

[Arley Voegeli]

Arley saw what had happened to Darin and he rushed to his side even faster. "Are you alright!" Arley said frantically. But he quickly knew he was when he saw Mavenna standing over him, she had also healed his wounds with magic. "Sorry about my yelling, I dont take well to Templars," Arley grimaced, there were still 3 more to deal with. "Dont worry Ill deal with these pigs," Arley's face was cold. A rare sight for anyone who didnt do battle with him.

The Templars stood in their spots as if frozen by an invisible force. One who had no helmet stared terrified at them. Arley smiled, and dropped his daggers, he quickly unslung his bow and notched an arrow, they had tried to dispurse but they weren't fast enough, an arrow landed in the chest of a Templar. He looked down, ghasping for air as blood flowed out of his punctured lung. The others tried to run, but their heavy armor made them slow, he notched arrows and dispatched the other two with ease. Arley picked up his slung his bow over his shoulder, and picked his daggers up and sheathed them. "Mavenna is it? I havent seen a Mage with your skill for a long time, its nice to see beautiful women who are capeable," Arley smiled flirtaciously at her.

Then he looked down at Darin. "You are an extremely skilled warrior my friend, Im happy to have met you because I dont know if I would have survived if you hadn't showed. I am sorry about our earlier meeting, but are you alright?" Arley asked he was concerned, he was wounded the worst. "I have experience fighting Templars, most dont fare as well as you two have, its nice to see." He shot another smile at Mavenna. "I hope you are okay," Arley stuck out a hand, an offer to help his fallen comrade up.

[Warden Darin Cathar]

"I'm up already," he said to Arley as he stuck out a hand apparently to help him up.

"And the templars are dead," Mavenna added grimly.

"And now we're being hunted by templars, too." Darin stared sharply at Mavenna. She looked back, face all serenity as if they had never fought a battle that day.

"You decided to help me. Don't throw away your duty now that it calls you, Darin," she said as if telling him the sun was on the sky.

How she always managed her way around his arguments, he could not tell. He'd drop her off at Denerim, though.

"Fine, but promise that you will leave me in Denerim." It had a pleading tone to it. She just smiled, though: one of those smiles that suggested she knew something you didn't.

"I will leave you when the danger to me has ended," she said patiently. The woman made it sound like he was the one testing her patience instead of the other way around! He couldn't find a way around it, though. She was going with him.

"You have my word," he said curtly. She just smiled in a satisfied manner before turning to Arley again.

"You are a very skilled fighter, too. Perhaps, without your help, we could have died here."

Darin eyed her askance. What she had not said was the more important part of that, he was sure. Without Arley there probably wouldn't even have been any battle with templars and Seekers.

[Arley Voegeli]

"Why thank you very much, but I have an obligation to fufill, I told a friend that I would help the Mages in the war, and I will not go back on that, though I do have the political difference too, eventhough I'm not supposed to. But what the Chantry is doing is wrong, and I will not stand by while innocent people get killed due some crazy religious fanatics. But you are welcome for the help, I would do it anyday too." Arley vowed, though he was not supposed to have any political views he couldn't help it.

He thought it was ironic when the Chantry pursuades people that Mages are evil beings who need to be controlled, or eliminated, then their children turn out to be a Mage, or an child of a Templar thats a Mage. They say if they are in the Circle and trained right then they are ok, but if they leave they are Apostates, or branded evil Maleificar. People are content with that if it doesn't affect their life. 'Dispicable' Arley thought, it was a pathetic display of control on something they are not ment to understand. But still....He sometimes had to abstain from showing his allegience, but he figured in time other Grey Wardens would see what is right and join the cause. But you never knew what the future would bring.

Arley looked at Darin, "If I may interject, we are not being chased by Templars, we killed these so no one will know we did it. The only problem would be, Mavenna," He turned his attention to her. "Are you a Circle Mage, do they have your phalactery? If they do then you dont have a whole lot of choices other than to run, and another thing, but it would be fortunate for you not to be of the Circle, but if so there are things we can do." Arley explained, he really hoped they didn't have her essence so they couldn't track her down.

[Warden Darin Cathar]

She dodged his stares deftly. This was not a topic she really wanted to talk about. She waved his hand indifferently, as if the thing didn't mean anything to her, and even her voice was somewhat absent.

"My phylactery is gone, yes. What about it?"

Abruptly Darin broke in.

"Stop talking, please. You can talk on the journey, but now we need to get out of here fast. Before the word reaches Denerim. We want to have our tracks long removed when they receive the information. The templars in Denerim. Besides, I don't want to be here when the bodies start to rot."

This truly was no place for discussion. Not on a field filled with dead templars, and... and Seekers. He had to learn more about those people. They interested him, and not only because of their immense skills in battle - they must have an interesting background. If he could interpret the latest events correctly, the Seekers held a great influence over the Templar Order.

Two Fereldan Seekers killed in battle during the day, not to mention fifty-odd templars dying alongside them. That was too many. Why could these two not understand it?

[Arley Voegeli]

"Yes Darin you are right we do need to leave and now, and the bodies are already starting to smell. But I'm just saying if they have your phylactery we have lots of new problems." Arley agreed, but he guessed that didn't matter now, he decided to start walking again toward Denerim, the Templars would not be happy about this, but they have no idea who did it. Hopefully they never will, killing Templars is not really a great idea, but they seem to attack people whenever they see fit, so Arley didnt feel bad about them dying he could careless about some religious freaks, even if they are just doing their jobs.

"After we get to Denerim what do we do then? I would figure you might want to stick together, because you two are going to be having alot of problems," Arley stated, and it was very true at that, traveling with an apostate mage was never safe, especially now in these times. It seemed to Arley that there was always something going on in Thedas, it was never really peaceful, only at times, but there is always some sort of War.

[Warden Darin Cathar]

Accompanied by the surprisingly cool wind, the trio made their way towards Denerim, its high walls already on sight in the horizon, but there was still a few miles to travel. They ascended down the winding road occasionally meeting lone sheepherders - if they could be called lone, herding dozens of sheep - but other than that, the journey was very uneventful. Darin was very grateful for that part, too; this had been his worst journey... ever. Seekers and Templars. Apostates. A Grey Warden traitor, betraying his order's laws and he himself unable to do anything about it. He would have to contact Warden-Commander Anna about him later. What if the templars discovered he was a Grey Warden? Or what if they knew already? Eventually, the Lord Seeker would learn of it, and that would mean something bad for the Grey Wardens.

And he, himself, killing templars. That was against everything he had been taught. It was wrong; no, it was folly, suicide, something you should never do. But they had. He had not wanted to, but... he could be responsible for a war between templars and Grey Wardens, if it came to that. He had forsaken his honour already. What more was left?

Punishment. He supposed he should at least face punishment, and bring Arley to it, too. Although, he knew it wouldn't matter. Unless Arley really did not want to face that punishment for breaking the rules. This was very bad, a disaster.

He had heard about wardens breaking the rules before, of course. They had been frightened with tales of wardens executed for breaking them. Would he tell her? He wasn't sure, really. Maybe he'd run. Maybe with Mavenna. It was her fault. Her fault that he had strayed from his path. She better share that new road with him, then.

He turned to Arley gloomily, the bitter tone glowering in his heated voice.

"So, now when they find out what we've done they're going to execute us. Happy now? You're running from your own brethren and from the templars! You're a wretch, and you pulled me in this mess. You're going to stick with me until the end, hear me? And you too, apostate! You will not abandon me after this sacrifice, hear me?

His tone took in a note of sadness and melancholy as he continued.

I have forfeit my life for the both of you. Forfeit my honour, the honour of the Grey Wardens."

Mavenna was silent, eyeing Arley and Darin both in turn, barely hiding her surprise. She had not known about this. But she was on the run, anyway... sticking with the Wardens was no bad plan at all. Until better options arose.

[Ash]

So, there was a Mage-Templar War. That seemed to be the biggest problem amongst the countries right now. All the countries. She learned of the Circles, those places their keep their mages, falling across the continent. The only place they were still active was Tevinter, and that was no surprise. Tevinter's economy and politics were separate from the others. There it seemed the mages ruled, unlike the other countries where they were feared. The heart of this war: Orlais.That was apparently the location of that in which looked over all the Mages. The 'White Divine' or something along those lines.

Now if only these people could bring themselves under control like the Qunari had. They were able to do it, they kept their mages the most oppressed, and you didn't seem going at war with themselves! It seemed the Qunari were the least of the problems here down South. And that was good for the Qunari. The less they were on the minds of those here, the easier it would be when they finally invaded.

The longer she stayed here in these lands, the more and more unstable these societies became. They were all constantly at war with each other. They were constantly killing their own flesh and blood for power and wealth. Constantly at each other's throats for land. Robbing each other blind and mugging any hopeless bugger on the street. Raping defenseless women, and kidnapping innocent children. These people were like animals. They even needed specific people dedicated to watching over one another. You didn't see that with the Qunari.

Ash finally reached the outside of the city, leaving the large city walls behind her and headed off into practically another new world. If Orlais was anything like Ferelden, well, she could only hope that this wouldn't take long and she could escape back into the security of her Qunari lands.

The land here was beautiful though. That was for sure. It was much different than Rivain. Rivain was very lush, rainforests every which way you looked. But Ferelden? Well, to start there were the icy mountains. One did not see that farther North. Then there were the wide open plains. Fields that went on for hours every which direction, rolling hills that spilled into the horizon. It was just a shame that it all belonged to such... people.

Ash stopped in her tracks when she heard voices coming from afar. She sneaked up behind the nearest tree, nearer the voices, as she peaked around it and caught the sight of three others. Two men, one woman. One of the men was wearing a full set of armor; was he a soldier of some kind? The other two, however, were wearing clothing that resembled more of robes than armor. Plus, the young woman was carrying a weapon that looked like a staff. Of course, that didn't always mean it was, but it was most likely.

She couldn't hear what they were saying, but the man in large armor was talking to the other. By the tone of his voice, he wasn't pleased. And then came the phrase, "Grey Wardens". She wasn't exactly sure what a "Grey Warden" was, but they must have been someone of higher status amongst the people. The woman and man? It was still unknown of their importance, and when they were finally done. It seemed she would never know.

The other man in lesser garb walked away, while the other two were left alone and began their walk once more. The dark skinned elf backed away from the tree, and continued onward, raising the hood of her black cloak, and heading in their direction with only the intent of passing them without notice. Hopefully her bow and sheath of arrows didn't draw any attention.