The Dalish Commander (The Daughters of Thedas Book 2)

23: The Architect

Soundtrack:

Martyrium ~ Adrian von Zieglar (The Architect)

After killing the Darkspawn guarding the entrance, we entered the abandoned mines. The taint was strong here.

"Keep your wits about you," I said. "There's Darkspawn about."

"What else is there to make you look disturbed?" Justice asked.

"We're not the only Wardens here."

"The Orlesian Wardens?" Anders asked.

"I wasn't aware that any of the Wardens had been sent here."

"Maybe Varel didn't know?"

We'd descended the stairs as we conversed. As we headed towards the only tunnel not blocked, I felt the taint and an extra Warden behind me. I stopped and turned as a tall, strange-looking creature appeared on a scaffolding with a bald female Dwarf at its side. I sensed the taint in the creature but I hesitate to call it a Darkspawn as it was one I had never seen before. It was slender with long bony fingers and intelligent eyes. Its head rose into a tall crown and I knew that it was part of its body. Its left hand looked to be made of crude metal shaped like a hand. The Dwarf at his side I had no doubt was a Warden. But the taint looked like it had taken its toll on her body and I think I now understood why Wardens went into the Deep Roads to die fighting.

The creature waved its right hand. "Shh... sleep..."

I immediately felt exhausted and I fought it, thinking now that this creature was a Sloth Demon and I would be damned if I was going to fall for that again. I fell to a knee, struggling to stay awake.

"Unhand... them,... demon!" Even Justice seemed to be struggling. I lost the battle and fell. "Commander!"

~~~

I did not know how long I was out when I opened my eyes and found myself laying on something hard. I blinked several times and the first thing I saw was a cage on the wall. What the hell kind of dream was this? I blinked several more times trying to get the room to focus before I realized my arms and legs were pinned down. I looked down to see iron bands around my forearms and wrists. I tested them, actually hoping I was having a nightmare of my time in Fort Drakon. I didn't remember much about it, true, but it didn't take a genius to figure out what Loghain's men had done with the injuries I bore that I knew did not come from a fight.

"So you are the Commander of the Grey Wardens," a gravely and breathless voice said.

I looked towards the source to see the creature from the scaffolding. Now that I had a better look at it, I realized that the large part on its head was a headpiece, not a part of it. It also wore some sort of mask that only covered around his eyes, a piece curving upwards on the right side.

"Do not be frightened. Your injuries have been tended to." This creature was intelligent, much more than the talking Darkspawn I'd already come across. He gently placed a hand on my stomach. I tensed, pulling on the restraints again. "I apologize for what I must do. I do not wish to be your enemy."

"No? Is this just how you treat guests? Who are you? What are you? And what do you want?"

"Now is not the time for this. Rest."