Soundtrack:

Faraway ~ Nave Artificial (The Ruins in the Forest)

With the branch gifted to us by the Grand Oak, we were able to pass through the barrier that the forest had erected to protect its heart. Minutes afterward, we ran into Swiftrunner.

"The forest has not been vigilant enough. Still you come," he said. "You are stronger than we could have anticipated. The Dalish chose well. But you do not belong here, outsider. Leave this place!" As he spoke, he was joined by others.

"You don't actually expect us to just leave, do you?" I asked.

"You came even though we warned you not to. You are as treacherous as the Dalish. We will not allow harm to come to Witherfang!"

"Does he not realize she is Dalish?" Oghren asked in a low voice.

"Apparently not," Zevran responded in a voice just as low.

"Why do you call the Dalish treacherous?" I asked. "You attacked them."

"And they deserved no less! You are an intruder in our home! You come to kill as all your kind do! We have learned this lesson well. Here Witherfang protects us. Here we learn our names and are beloved! We will defend Witherfang and this place with our lives!" He howled and launched at me.

I dodged to the left and drew my swords. He landed where I had been moments before. He had attacked me; all bets were off. The three werewolves with him attacked. Sten dispatched one when it tried to pounce him. After a few moments, Swiftrunner and the remaining werewolves backed away. I advanced on them, a few paces ahead of the others. I raised a sword, intent on Swiftrunner. Suddenly, I was knocked on my back and slid backward, covering the space between myself and the others. I stopped at Alistair's feet. A white wolf barked and snarled but did not advance. Alistair helped me to my feet. The wolf howled as the werewolves retreated and then followed them.

"Are you alright?" Alistair asked, his hand still on my arm from when he helped me up. And I could hear the concern in his voice.

"Been a while since I've been knocked on my ass like that, but yes, I am alright. Let's go see where those cowards have run and hidden themselves." We jogged in the direction they had retreated. We came upon another werewolf. He took a few steps back when he saw us.

"We are invaded!" he cried. "Intruders have deceived their way into the forest's heart! Fall back to the ruins! Protect the Lady!" He howled and he and several werewolves fled.

"I didn't realize we could scare the Blight out of a werewolf," Zevran said

"I want to know who this Lady is they're protecting." I walked past the ruined archway and stopped. Before us was a massive ruin. The memory came unbidden.

 "It looks like the Shem was telling the truth. But these ruins look more human than Elven," Tamlen said. 

I stood looking at what used to be a massive building. It was leaning and looked as if the earth had claimed half of it.

"I think this is it," Alistair said, stepping beside me. "Werewolf city. Kind of flea heaven, isn't it?" I must have had some sort of look on my face, because he suddenly became worried. "Is everything alright?"

I sighed. "Yes." He didn't seem convinced. I sure wasn't. My last venture into ruins in the middle of the forest didn't end happily. "Anyone attempts to touch any mirrors, I'm kicking their ass." I hesitated a moment longer before entering the massive doorway, the door having long rotted away.

~~~

We made our way through the ruins. I had drawn my swords the moment we entered, half expecting giant spiders to drop down as we entered. As we approached a flight of stairs leading downward, two hidden doors on either side of us opened. Instead of spiders, several skeletons rushed out at us.

"What the...?" Oghren started to say before cleaving one in two.

They fell quicker than the corpses Tamlen and I had returned to the dead. We went through the ruins, fighting spiders and skeletons. We even found a small dragon in the lower level. After we killed it and I disarmed a few traps, we entered a hole in the wall and continued to look for the werewolves' lair.

~~~

We searched through many side rooms to find some sort of entrance. In one room, I found a strange gem-like artifact with what looked like fresh blood inside. "What do you think this is?" I asked.

"That's a phylactery," Wynne said. "The Circle uses them to keep tabs on the Mages and to track them down if they go rogue. But this," she motioned to the gem. "This can't be from the Circle. The ones they use look like vials."

"We have little knowledge of the magic used by the Elves of Arlathan's time," Leliana said. "The Magisters of Tevinter were more interested in subjugating the Elves than recording their history."

"Really?" I asked sarcastically. "I didn't know that."

Zevran chuckled and Alistair grinned.

"It looks Elven, all right," Zevran said. "Considering what I know of my ancestors you could fit into a gem half that size, that's all I could really tell you." I was in the same position.

"Is that blood in there?" Alistair asked. "Whose, I wonder. You'd think it would be all dried up after so long. There must be magic involved."

"What do you think a phylactery is, Alistair?" Morrigan asked. "You'd think as a Templar you'd know that."

"Bite me."

"I can think of better things to put in my mouth."

"Will you two shut up?" Leliana said.

I touched the gem, realizing too late I may have just made the same mistake Tamlen had. But instead of a bright flash or odd ripplings, images and memories that were not mine flooded my mind. "Whoa."

"What?" Alistair asked.

"There's a presence within the gem," I said slowly. The presence seemed alarmed and I felt fear that was replaced with a sense of loneliness and imprisonment. "I didn't mean to frighten you."

 Please, don't leave. It has been so long since I have seen another. It sent more images, this time they felt so real, like I was actually there. It swamped my mind with so many visions. I couldn't make sense of most of them. I have been in this Life-Gem for so long, I do not recall the name I was once called. I saw the image of a proud Elf in shimmering silver armor. I couldn't make out the gender.

"What is this place? What happened here?"

It showed me a place of serenity from the time of Arlathan. I saw an Elder in slumber and younger Elves coming to pay tribute to him and the Creators. Then it flashed to a war, human and Elf, men and women, laying dead.

"Was this a war with the humans?"

 Humans... It was the humans who built this place to honor the Elves and their Elders and their gods. Maybe the war was with other humans. Or perhaps with something else that came and killed both the humans and the Elves that were here. I cannot recall...

"How did you end up in this gem?"

It answered with an image of a great battle. Elves and humans fighting and dying side by side. Those same Elves and humans fleeing, many screaming. I could sense a terrible presence but the image was not clear on what it was.  I escaped the destruction by fleeing my body, sending my spirit into the Life-Gem. I was sure someone would come for me. To rescue me. But no one came. No one came for me. They left me here. No one came for me. Until you.

"You were a Mage?"

I saw the image again of the Elf in armor.  I was a Mage and a warrior. We were called Arcane Warriors. We were an order of Elven Mages that could channel our spells into our strength. We could fight as Arcane Warriors to defend our charges. I can give you what knowledge that remains in me on how to become one. I can sense you are no Mage but you can perhaps teach this to those that are. This is all I have left to offer. In exchange, I only ask for oblivion.

"How would I give you the release you seek?"

It gave me an image of a stone altar. Then I saw my hands placing the gem upon it. The gem vibrated a bit and then exploded, destroying both the gem and the spirit within. This is all I ask, stranger.

"Alright."

 I do not remember where the altar is. I only know the Life-Gem must be placed upon it. It sounded desperate.

I stood and looked around, seeing the altar, and my companions' worried faces. I walked towards the altar with the gem.

The spirit in the gem was suddenly overcome with emotion. Could this endless nightmare finally be over?

I stood before the altar, the gem laying in my palm.

Do you still wish to learn the skills of the Arcane Warrior? To teach to those that can use the abilities? Morrigan would make use of those skills I knew.

"Yes."

Images flooded my mind, hazy and incomplete but one could glean the abilities and talents of the Arcane Warrior from them.  I ask now that you keep your word, stranger. Release me from my imprisonment.

I placed the Life-Gem upon the altar. I felt joy coming from it. Thank you. May the Creators guide your path.

"May the Creators guide you to a peaceful rest."

The gem exploded and I staggered back now that the contact had been severed. Alistair steadied me. I hadn't realized he'd moved in so close. I shook my head.

"What was that? Are you alright?" he asked.

"It was once an Arcane Warrior. Either there was a great war or something attacked the people that lived here and its spirit fled to the Life-Gem, as it called it. It's been trapped within the gem since then. Thousands of years."

"An Arcane Warrior," Wynne breathed, astonishment in her voice. "I have heard many, many legends about that order."

"If you and Morrigan can access the memories it gave me, then you both can be one."

"Truly?" Morrigan asked. "It gave you the knowledge of the Arcane Warrior?"

"Yes." I was aware of Alistair's hand on my back and I didn't want to break that contact. And he didn't seem to either. "We need to find that lair," I added before I forgot our purpose.

~~~

We continued down the musty and dusty halls. And Wynne, of course, broached a subject that was not for everyone's ears. "Alistair."

"I wasn't looking in that direction!"

Wynne chuckled. I smiled to myself, remembering the conversation between the two in Orzammar. "I'm sure but may I have a word?"

"Of course. Anything for my favoritest Mage ever."

I heard someone snort, no doubt suppressing a laugh. I'll bet coin that it was Zevran.

"It seems you and our fearless leader are inseparable these days. Joined at the hip almost."

"That's a bit of an overstatement, don't you think?"

"Well then. Now that you're in an intimate relationship, you should learn where babies really come from."

"Pardon?"

I knew she wasn't about to do what I thought she was going to do. At least I hoped she wasn't.

"I know the Chantry says you dream about your babies and the good Fade spirits take them out of the Fade and leave them in your arms..."

I stopped, my jaw dropping in surprise. She was not!

"But that's not true at all. What really happens is that when a girl and a boy really love each other—"

I turned around. Alistair's face was bright red, to the amusement of Zevran, Leliana, and Morrigan.

"Andraste's flaming sword!" Alistair exclaimed. "I know where babies come from!"

"Do you? Do you really?"

"I certainly hope so!"

"Oh alright then. Aww, look, you're all red and mottled. How cute."

"Wynne," I said, giving her an exasperated look. Now I knew how Hahran Pavial felt when I did stuff like that.

"You did that on purpose!" Alistair accused.

"Now, now, Alistair. Why would I do such a thing?" Wynne had an innocent look on her face.

"Because you're wicked. That frail old lady act? I'm so not fooled. I'm onto you now!"

I laughed.

"What about you, Realin? What do the Dalish say about where babies come from?"

I felt my own face flush. Why did she think we didn't know this? I had seen almost twenty-four springs. I would hope by now I knew where babies came from. "By the Creators, Wynne! I believe my mother gave me this talk when I came of age! I know where babies come from!"

She smiled. She was like the grandmother that had to say something to embarrass the grandchildren. "Judging by your cheeks, I think you do."

"I'm with Alistair on this. You're an evil person."

Wynne laughed.

"I didn't think anything could make her blush," Zevran commented.

"Shut up, Zevran!"

Even Sten looked amused.