Dragon Age: Origins | The story behind Cousland

Chapter 7- Justice

Chapter 7- Justice

"I'm scared. Hold me," Anders mutters and grabs my hand. I feel chills going down my spine as I look at the forest in front of me, that once was Blackmarsh. "This is an unnatural place," he continues. "The Veil is thin and spirits abound."

"I don't sense any darkspawn," I tell them, holding my bow in my right hand.

"Dawn..." I hear Zevran calling my name. "What are those?" he asks pointing at something in the distance. "They look awfully familiar--"

"Werewolves," I end his sentence. "Not any kind of werewolves – but blighted werewolves. Guys, be careful." Anders' palm still holds my left hand tightly while we make our way through the marsh. "It's so... eerie. You can tell this was once beautiful," I say, looking at the crooked trees and fallen buildings. As quick as I can I rip my hand from Anders' hold and put an arrow on my bow, shooting at the werewolf in front of us.

Anders projects a protective aura around us, that absorbs the damage. I roll to my right and shoot the werewolf in the head, making it fall on the ground. "I don't like it here," Anders says. I get up from the ground, rubbing the dirt of my armor. I moan in pain when my hand reaches the burn, my foot trembling and making me fall on the ground.

Zevran and Oghren help me get on my feet, while Anders looks at the burn. "It's better than when you got it," he says and I chuckle. "But you still shouldn't put too much pressure on it."

I look back at the horses that are tied to a tree, at the entrance to Blackmarsh. "I don't want to bring a horse in here, they startle easy."

"Then let's walk a bit slower," Zevran suggests. "Is that a corpse?" he asks.

I narrow my eyes and look at the torn camp in front of us. "Kristoff!" I shout and run towards the body, my foot pulsing. I crouch near the corpse, looking around us. It looks like there has been a fight here. I look at his Grey Warden outfit and at the sword covered in dried blood. I feel the need to vomit while my blood stirs into my veins. Quickly turning around, I am face to face with a dozen of darkspawn and another talking one. "Yes, that is your Grey Warden. The Mother told it to me that if he was lured to this place and slain, that in time you would come. And the Mother, she was right. The Mother is always right."

Being only 5'3 the darkspawn towered over me, but I still managed to stare into its dead eyes. "Did she also say that you'd pay for killing a Grey Warden?"

"The Mother she is no prophet, but she is most clever. Oh yes, that she is. I... here before you is the First, and I am bringing you a message. The Mother, she is not permitting you to further his plan, whether this you know or not. So she is sending you a gift."

I frown at the darkspawn that calls itself the First, and take a step back when he raises his arm. I grab my daggers as a bright green color – the color of the Fade – appears from his hand and surrounds us, creating a rift. Gasping, I close my eyes when the lights blind me, only for them to disappear in a second. Opening my eyes, I look around us. We are in the Fade. "No!" The First shouts. "We have come to the Fade as well? It cannot be this!"

"What have you done?!" I shout at the darkspawn, pointing my daggers towards it. "I want answers!"

"As do I! This is not what she said! I am betrayed! Now I am being trapped in the Fade with you! Ah, I am the fool!"