"Look I don't think we should do it!"
"Don't you dare getting cold feet on me!"
"I really think we shouldn't do it".
She turned around slowly, as she crossed her hands on her chest, "Then what do you want us to do, Karl?"
Karl was a young elven man with trimmed cut that reach behind his long ears. He skin was pale, and his eyes azure blue. He cough softly as he looked into her violet eyes. They were usually the eggplant shade-almost dark, but when she was in very dire emotional state, they will glitter and change to a shade of Pansy flowers. He could tell that she was furious.
"You don't know, do you?"
"No, Illvani, I don't..."
"Well, we can't go back now..."
"Yeah, we just wounded a templar badly"
"Gah, you are just impossible!- We can't go back because knight commander Meredith wants us dead- Do you even understand what the rite she invoked means", she said, grabbing his fancy clothes he saved only for special occasions. It was his keeper's robes, which marked him as a student of the dales. Although he was never going to be acknowledged as a First, he always hoped the elder of his clan, or maybe his keeper, will somehow track him and get him in back into the clan someday. And he in turn, will show his loyalty, by appearing dressed as he were when he was forced outside- but to do so he had to keep his robes well preserved. But now that they were on the run, it was the only thing he bothered taking with him, and since he feared losing it, he dressed himself in it.
This sad story of his, was kinda what draw Illvani to him- he was so pure and naive, and something about him just constantly made her recall of better, sweeter years. As impossible as he was with his dreams and fantasies, she always protected him like a little brother, and he treated her as family. Not human or elf, but a bounded family.
"But Gabriel is different- she cares-".
"She is a templar... she will obey rules... no Karl, we cannot trust anyone other than ourselves, and while the others run away or fight for dear life, we must destroy our Phylacteries- Because if we don't, they will be able to track us with it!"
"I... I understand", the elf said and Illvani let go of him, "Good- now start looking".
And so they moved all over the room and checked each and every vial in the room, opening drawers, climbing ladders... There were just so much of them...
"You will know it's yours, it will glow once you reach it".
"I think I've found it!", said Karl as he moved down, holding a lovely looking brooch with a small glass in the shape of a sand clock in it. It was red as it was made from his own blood.
"Pretty!", he said, admiring the thing.
"Stop ogling it. Shatter it already and help me find mine"
The young elf did so- and joined Illvani search- but before long the sounds of havoc reached their ears.
"I can't find it", Illvani said and her eyes brightened once again- Karl knew she was growing extremely worried.
"Could it be in another room?"
"No- unlikely- this is the only well guarded room -Could it really not be here!?"
"Very unlikely- Orsino likes you, true, but there is no way your Phylactery was moved to the silver spire- You are not first enchanter candidate! and not even a senior enchanter like Bethany", Karl said, "Look, it's gotta be here, and we just missed it", he stopped for a moment, "I can hear them- They are almost here- we gotta go- Let's just destroy all of them"
"They will know we are here if we do, but---", Illvani summoned her spells, "Quick cast something, I will invoke it"
Illvani had many talents, but offensive magic was not exactly her area of specialty. She had really rough time during her harrowing because of it. It was also another reason she relayed on Karl to cast some explosive which she would booster with her spells.
And soon the young elven man casted a fire ball which spread around. Illvani then increased the effect and made the vials to shatter, the blood which was touched by the fade's magic gathered around the stormy fire and seemed to making a strange sound.
"GO! THIS THING WILL EXPLODE!", Illvani shouted, pulling the hand of the elf and running for the door. They slide behind more templars that wanted to check within the basement, but before long a huge explosion happened, which pushed the both of them from the nearest window.
***
"GAHH!", Illvani gasped and coughed as she pulled her head over the waves, her long black hair trailing around her. Her back hurt from hitting the waters but she was happy to have her landing being uneventful.
She then realized Karl was missing.
"Karl?!", she called to him as she looked at one direction, "KARL?!", she called again, looking around her. She then dived in and started to swim downward. Noticing his body she swam faster, picking him and carrying the both of them upward.
Once up he also gasped for air.
"You can't swim? what kind of a hunter will you make?"
"Mythal's grace! Woman, I was admitted to a Keeper, mind you- and then I was to be relocated before I was moved to the circle- any chances of me learning something useful was lost then", he then started to laugh like crazy, "HAHAHAH, we did it! we did it, we actually-!"
It was then that an arrow stroke with full force at Karl's heart.
"Karl?!", Illvani's shook his body constantly, "KARL?!"
Blood started to spread on the water around her, and as she continued to shake his body she looked around and saw Gabriel Caron- a beautiful templar, which resembled Meredith so badly, one would assume them both mother and daughter. She was holding a bow and seemed fixed on hitting something more.
And since Karl was dead---
Illvani felt something hitting her shoulder. She moved her right hand to find that it was soaked with blood. her own blood. She could no longer hold onto Karl and she helplessly watched as his body sank to the depths.
Gabriel had a sad expression, which she could have easily decipher as 'forgive me', but that didn't stop her from loading another arrow into her bow.
Illvani gasped as another arrow pierced into her flesh, and she too, sank into the water.
***
Illvani gasped hard and almost choke as she woke up in a startled. Looking around her she realized that she lived, and that someone pulled her out of the water and bandaged her.
"Easy now, you're safe!", said a familiar looking dwarf. He was strangely good looking for one of his kind and dressed in style. Also he seemed honest, unlike those she met before, "You had some sea salt in you, but the wounds are not too lethal. Don't worry, I didn't patch them myself, I got a nice girl from the pharmacy to do it for me- made sure she wasn't from the chantry, I don't want things to be more complex".
Illvani lifted her hand to rub her shoulders, but she regretted doing so, as surge of pain paralyzed her whole body and she moaned and cried.
"Yeah, they drilled you good with holes, best not to move around"
"You--", she said, "I remember you, you took Bethany with the Captain of the Guards just before the attack".
"Yes, my name is Varric Tethras, rogue, story taller, and occasionally bullshitter, at your service", he said, before approaching with a tray of food, "Eat up kiddo- the medic told me to condemn you to soap for now-- she also own me 3 Sovereigns, she thought you won't be up before the next day"
Illvani then placed her hands on her mouth as she began to wail, "KARL!".
The dwarf looked unsure and as he tried to pet her but she aggressively pushed his hand away. He looked sorrowful but shook his head, "I understand kiddo. I will let you mourn. I saw the whole thing. Can't be easy to lose a friend like that... I best... get the medic to check on you?", he smiled gently, "Just let it all lose and lie down, you barely escaped death there, kid..."
He closed the door, and once he did, Illvani kicked her legs on the bed in anger. Of course she nearly escaped death. It seemed to be her only attribute of good luck. It is always other people around her that are getting hurt. Her mother, which needed to suffer because of her, and now Karl... it was all too much..."
She got up slowly, barely able to carry her own weight. She looked for her clothes, but found them hanged from a chair. They were soaked but luckily there was a closet and many outfits inside. Most of them were of a man, but it was not a dwarven seize. Apparently this was not the house of that dwarf Verric fellow- and luckily so, for she needed to get out of here and fast.
Even if this Varric was honest about helping her, something will go wrong eventually for sure, as it always does. She was a half-breed and a mage to top it all. There was no safe haven for her. And besides, she had to return to Ferelden- to her mother.
She dressed- and it proved to be a terrible task. She was hurt all over and her wounds were opening with every movement, making her bleed over the clothes she "borrowed". It seems that her shoulder was still somewhat numb too. Magic was not enough to fully heal herself either, for she was too weak. Once she was dressed, and looking decent, more or less, she stumbled outside.
There was a smell of smoke everywhere, and fighting was all around her. She covered her head with a cloak and made her way for the port. She knew ships were probably bound to leave during this time of ordeal, and she needed to get out of this accursed city, and fast. She was penny less, and wasn't sure anyone would agree to take her just like that.
"Get the cargo loaded in the hour!"
Someone said and she noticed pile of wooden large boxes. The idea on itself seemed repulsive, but she really didn't had time to consider any other option, beside, she knew she was about to pass out any given moment.
She opened one box and found it to be full of apples. She slide inside and covered herself completely, squeezing some wood away so she could breathe.
"Hey get this closed and up on the boat!".
The lid was on her, as well as darkness.
She took a deep breath and fell asleep.
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