Dragon Age: Origins | The story behind Cousland

Chapter 11- Circle of Magi

Chapter 11- Circle of Magi

There's blood and dead bodies everywhere. Templars and mages lie on the ground, lifeless. "This is so horrible," I hear Leliana whispering for herself. I go forward, trying to ignore the smell of rotten flesh. Baby growls and the hair on his back rises. I get my bow out when I see the rage demon in front of me, but a mage kills it before we could. It's the woman that I asked about Alistair, at Ostagar. She seems to recognize me as well. "It's you! No... come no further. Grey Warden or no, I will strike you down where you stand!"

"What are you doing here?" I ask the woman.

"I am a mage of the Circle. More importantly, why are you here? The templars would not let just anyone by."

"I came here seeking the aid of the mages." I tell the woman in front of me.

"And you were told that the Circle was in no shape to help you, I suppose. So why did the templars let you in? Do they plan to attack the tower now?"

I shake my head. "Don't worry, the Right of Annulment has not arrived."

She sighs. "They sent for it, then. I feared they might have. What else could they do? So Greagoir thinks the Circle is beyond hope. He probably assumes we are all dead." She starts to walk. "They abandoned us to our fate, but even trapped as we are, we have survived. If they invoke the Right, however, we will not be able to stand against them."

"What happened here?" I ask the mage.

"Let it suffice to say that we had something of a revolt on our hands, led by a mage named Uldred. When he returned from the battle at Ostagar, he tried to take over the Circle. As you can see, it didn't work out as he had planned. I don't know what became of Uldred, but I am certain all this is his doing. I will not lose the Circle to one man's pride and stupidity."

I cross my hands. "So what do you intend?"

She gets out of the way and shows me the door, that is protected by something blue. "I erected a barrier over the door leading to the rest of the tower, so nothing from inside could attack the children." I look at all the mages in here. There are three children and four adults. "You will not be able to enter the tower as long as the barrier holds, but I will dispel it if you join me to save this Circle."

I think about it for a second and then look at my companions. Alistair subtly nods while the others don't say anything, but I can read on Morrigan's face that she disapproves. I look back at the woman. "Very well. I will help you."

She smiles. "Once Greagoir sees that we have made the tower safe, I trust he will tell his men to back down. He is not unreasonable."

"Greagoir will only accept it if the first enchanter says so."

"Then our path is laid out before us. We must save Irving."

I look again at all the children in here. "Will the children be safe?"

"Petra and Kinnon will watch them. If we slay all the fiends we encounter on our way, none will get by to threaten the children."

"Very well—if you think that's best."

Morrigan looks at me. "You want us to assist this preachy schoolmistress? To rescue these pathetic excuses for mages? They allow themselves to be corralled like cattle, mindless. Now their masters have chosen death for them and I say let them have it."