The Blood that Binds

Justice and the War

Velanna, like Sigrun survived the Joining. As soon as she was ready, Solona took her with Anders and Nathaniel and headed for the Blackmarsh. There had still been no word from Kristoff, but she wanted to leave some people behind in case there was more trouble. Oghren and Sigrun seemed good choices. It took a week to trek to the desolate bog. How anyone had ever lived there was beyond comprehension. As they came within viewing distance of the old mansion, that had served as the lord's estate, Nathaniel shuddered with both disgust and excitement. "My father used to tell me stories about the Blackmarsh when I was young. He said evil magic killed everyone here. This was just before the rebellions... a great mystery at the time."

"Your father told you stories?" she asked with a cock of her brow.

Nathaniel snorted in amusement. "This was a long time ago. He was a regular father once, you know... They never found out what happened here. Once the monsters appeared, the marsh was abandoned. I used to dream of coming to the Blackmarsh and setting things right. Little boy dreams."

"You're doing it now, aren't you?" she said with a smile, nudging his shoulder with hers.

"So I am. If someone had told me I'd end up here, I'd have laughed at them. But times change. When I was in Kirkwall, I thought I would return to Ferelden to take command of my father's garrison. Now, here I am, a Grey Warden and fighting both Darkspawn and demons. Interesting." He chuckled, a rare smile on his face.

She backhanded his chest. "Stick around. This happens all the time."

"And the fun never ends, I suppose. Good to know," he grinned. "Anyway, the haunted marsh awaits."

Not long after they passed through the city's gates, they came upon a disturbing sight. The body of a hurlock laid strewn across the path, ripped to shreds. At a howling in the distance, Solona shuddered. "That answers that, I suppose," Anders said with an uncharacteristic seriousness. "The Darkspawn are definitely here."

Before anyone responded, the pattering of galloping footsteps broke the silence and Ser Pounce-a-lot hissed and bolted from Anders' shoulder, growling all of the way. They were all on edge as the footsteps grew louder. The second the creature broke the corner and practically fell into sight, Nathaniel loosed his bow and it skidded to a halt on it's face. "Oh, Sweet Maker," Solona gasped, casting a rock armor spell around herself on pure instinct.

"What in the Maker's name are those?!" Anders shouted as more of the creatures bounded into sight.

In a panic, Solona unleashed a thick wall of fire between them and the creatures and back pedaled to lay down a second wall, this one of ice. Then she unleashed a maelstrom of fire, to burn the blighted creatures from the earth. When the sounds of howling dwindled, she dropped her hands to her knees and had a mild panic attack. "What's the matter with you?" Velanna grunted, shattering Solona's ice wall so they could get through. "Haven't you ever seen a werewolf before?"

Solona's eyes shot up to glare at Velanna. The woman looked less harsh in her Warden armor, not draped in animal skins. "I am intimately aware that they exist. I almost was one, Velanna."

The elf opened her mouth to retort, but quickly closed it again recognizing why Solona might be just a little bit cautious when it came to the creatures. These ones were nothing like the ones from the Brecilian forest. For one, she had no idea how they had been cursed. For another, they were mindless animals corrupted by the Darkspawn. Their fur was matted, and sharp, black, spikes jutted from their hunched backs like overgrown porcupines. Black tainted saliva dripped from their jaws. Solona grudgingly knelt by the nearest corpse to get a better look.

"Whatever you do," she whispered, before standing to look at her companions one by one. "Do not let one of them sink their teeth into you. You have no idea how lucky I was to escape the curse in time."