Taking sides

Chapter 4: Joining the red templar's

Reading Cullen's reports on the movements of the red Templar's narrowed down my choices of where to find them, I had to time it right to get there before the red Templar's, pulling in on their heels would be chaos. In such Chaos I would be reckless, and I could not afford to be. I found the small town on the outskirts of the Emerald graves, I felt a cold stab through my heart when I was greeted so cheerily by the townsfolk, they had no idea what was to come. Sitting in a tavern awaiting the red Templar's was a trial in itself, I sat here knowing if I lifted a hand in defense of the poor townsfolk they would cut me down, and I could not warn them it was too late. This knowledge did not take away the guilt, tears burned my tired eyes. I had slept rough, but had made sure to clean up to look as if I was one of the townsfolk. I had to succeed and to succeed they had to happen upon me, walking into red Templar a camp was too risky, too many things could go wrong, my uniform was no guarantee they wouldn't see me as a threat. The red Templar recruits themselves were unstable, so a more controlled environment was my only hope to appear genuine in my efforts to join them. I wasn't sure how long I could remain silent when things turned ugly.

When they entered the town you knew. The door burst open, a mother and son rushed in, followed by more cried, "The red Templar's are here. Maker help us. They are here to turn us into those things."

I held back the urge to rush to the rescue, a wave of emotion threatened as I heard cries of agony outside, but I had to hold to a facade of calm, disinterest. My conscience was burdened by the horrors occurring; 'I should be helping these people.'

The silence outside was not comforting; it had myself and the townsfolk hiding in the tavern on edge. The only thing to break the tense silence was the desperate whispered prayers of the waif of a girl who had taken up beside me. She spoke no sense, her words were incomprehensible. I had tried to calm her but she seemed beyond my words, lost to me. She must have seen the armor and hoped I would protect her.
The eerie silence was broken with a loud crash. They broke down the door with ease, startling the poor townsfolk who had hoped to find safety here. The man who swaggered to the front of the group had to be Samson, he looked different. The red lyrium had ravaged his once youthful appearance, he now looked haggard, but his demeanor was more commanding. "So this is where they are all hiding, slim pickings out there." He stated to his beasts that followed in step behind him. "You have two choices you can join us or you can die." he declared to all who had sheltered in the tavern. A twisted smile crossed his face as he looked around at all the villagers cowering, none stood against him, but all remained silent. I may not have been sure if I believed, but given Samson's escorts being beasts twisted with red lyrium growths I prayed no one would try and be a hero.

His eyes were bloodshot, his skin pale from the long years of lyrium abuse. But I recalled Cullen's warning so I could not underestimate him. His jagged armor seemed to be infused with lyrium. This and the beasts at his side made him appear intimidating.

His eyes stopped on me, narrowing momentarily before he declared "What a sorry bunch you are, couldn't make a red Templar out of most of you lot, but we will see won't we."

"You won't take my boy from me." An older woman declared protectively holding her young son.

Samson's neck almost snapped round as he glared at her. He walked over smashing his fists against the table before them, which broke under the force. "This is the kind of power you may yet wield." He stated as a warning and encouragement of some kind, none of the villagers found it reassuring. But they looked more terrified; any looks of defiance seemed to fade as eyes cast to the ground.

He pointed to the poor girl next to me who had begun to pray and cower behind me. "You. Would you like to be a red Templar?" He teased.

This was some kind of game; he could clearly see she was not red Templar material. The poor girl shrunk before him, she was a quivering wreck unable to find her voice. If his plan was to provoke a reaction from me he had succeeded, I couldn't sit there and watch this, I pulled up and took in front of the girl, and I stood firmly in his path. He glowered at me as if I had ruined his fun. "Leave her be, I will take her place." I offered, my heart racing.