The Dalish Warden (The Daughters of Thedas Book 1)

23: Uldred

Bright flashes of light greeted us. The Mage that had questioned Cailan's use of the beacon at the meeting before that fateful battle at Ostagar was controlling the lightning. Two Abominations stood on either side of another Mage. His wrists looked like they were bound by the same light that was assaulting him and he was the source of the screaming.

"By the Creators," I whispered.

Near the wall, three more Mages were struggling against their own bonds. The lightning stopped and the Mage from Ostagar walked over to the tortured Mage and lifted his head.

"Do you accept this gift that I offer?" he asked.

The Mage nodded. The binds disappeared and he fell. The two Abominations joined the first Mage and made a circle around him. The lightning began again. The Mage screamed and flopped around like a fish. When they were done, he stood an Abomination. I couldn't believe what I had just witnessed. This had to be stopped. We walked forward and the Abominations turned and looked at us. The Mage turned to see who they were looking at.

"Ah, look what we have here." He stepped a few paces away from the Abominations and towards us. "Intruders. I bid you welcome. Care to join us in our... revels?"

"I take it you're Uldred," I said.

"Oh. Very observant. For a Dalish." I knew he was trying to rile me. "I'm quite impressed you're still alive. Unfortunately, that must mean you killed my servants. Ah, well, they are probably better off dying in the service of their betters than living with the terrible responsibility of independence."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Sarcasm dripped off my tongue. "Are you upset that we killed your lackeys?"

Someone snorted behind me, obviously trying to keep from laughing.

"We needn't fixate on who killed whom. That doesn't help our relationship."

"There's no relationship to speak of. You're an Abomination."

A Mage is but a larval form of something greater. Your Chantry vilifies us, calls us Abominations, when we have truly reached our full potential." Oh, how forgetful Abominations were.

"Not my Chantry."

He ignored the comment and motioned towards the captive Mages. "Look at them. The Chantry has them convinced. They deny themselves the pleasure of becoming something glorious."

"You're mad!" Wynne said. "There's nothing glorious about what you've become, Uldred!"

He laughed. "Uldred? He is gone. I am Uldred and yet not Uldred. I am more than he was. I could give you this gift, Wynne. You and all Mages. It would be so much easier if you just accepted it. But some people can be so stubborn."

"Say what you like, I'm still going to kill you," I said.

Uldred threw his hands up in the air. "Resistance! Everywhere I go, resistance! How very inconsiderate." He motioned to one of the Mages, an old man with grey hair and a grey beard to match. "I even have the First Enchanter on my side, don't I... Irving?"

"What have you done to him!?" Wynne cried, horrified.

"Stop him...," Irving said, weakly and full of pain. "He... is building an army. He will... destroy the Templars and--"

"You're a sly little fox, Irving, telling on me like that. And here I thought he was starting to turn."

"N-never!"

"That's enough out of you, Irving." He turned back to us. "He'll serve me eventually. As will you..."

Never again shall we submit. The Oath came to my mind instinctively.