[Rosekitten]

[M] for possible violence, language and suggestive themes.
Putting this here just in case read at your own disclosure.

Intro
The world is being thrown into a violent era of chaos and destruction everywhere. In the city of Kirkwall the Templars and Mages are at one another throats as well as the number of underground groups that seem to be ready to stir up trouble at a moments notice. The blight is still active at this time and darkspawn seem to be popping up everywhere as they crawl from their home in the deeproads. With very few wardens remaining in these areas there is little that can be done to control the spread further.

There are also reports of a number of rogue mages and tears in the veil in and around the city of Kirkwall. Templars are doing their best to control these outbreaks as well as trying to locate and capture or kill the mages responsible for them. Of course there are a number of rouge mages who go through out day to day life and do nothing against the common folk that get dragged into this mess. But the orders are clear, capture or kill any mages that are not within the protection of the Circle.

This is the setting in which this tale takes place. Two unlikely companions having to put aside what differences they have and what drilled hatred they might possess for the other in order to survive in this world that has been turned upside down and seems to be on the brink of breaking. Or the two could just end up killing each other.

Rules
~ I shouldn't have to post any but here they are none the less.
~ Follow the rules and ToS of the site.
~ Do not post here unless you are Natsu or myself.
~ Feel free to read along, I'm sure it will be a boring read.

Character Profile

Volke Esteed

Name: Volke Esteed
Age: 27
Race: City Elf
Gender: Male
Appearance: Reference. Stands at about 5'7, still short compared to most human males. Has copper brown hair that is kept short cut. His eyes are a deep forest green and can almost appear black in certain light or a slightly brighter green. Tends to keep his right eye closed if he can help it due to the mishap with the first rogue mage he fought with before being vowed in as a Templar. The eye still works but it's vision isn't as good as his left and the color is lightly different, when they are both open you would hardly notice a difference unless you were looking for it. Has a shallow scar from his brow to midway of his cheek over his right eye. Tends to keep a goatee and his appearance favoring the look of common humans. His ears are pointed as are all elven kind, the main feature that gives him away that he isn't human, other then his voice that has a bit of an Irish accent from picking it up from his mother and how she spoke. More often then not he is found wearing the Templar uniform armor and all (Though this is bound to change later).
Class: Warrior
Specializations: Ranger, Templar, Reaver (at a later date)
Talents:
Skills:
Ranger
-
Templar
Righteous Strike - Melee hits drain mana (passive).
Cleanse Wave - Purges area of magic, also makes enemies unable to cast for a short period.
Holy Smite - Lash out with righteous fire, inflicts spirit damage on target and near by enemies. Has a chance to drain mana and stun (ranged).
Silence - Surrounds foe in negative energy, prevents casting for short time.
Reaver
-
Personality:
Bio: Only child of Vyri and Alder Esteed. Volke's mother, Vyri of the Sabrae clan, was once of one of the wandering Dalish clans. One of the few clans wiling to make deals with the Shelmen (humans or quicklings) in order to get materials for their craft. Often sending small groups to the cities for trade and to keep exposure to the clan at a minimal. Volke's father, Alder, was a city elf born and raised in the alienage of Kirkwall.

Though this odd but happy family fell on rough times as a purge of the alienage came after a few of the other city elves seemed to rampage and slaughter through the streets of the town of Kirkwall. Managing to escape with the young Volke, Vyri had to find a new home, a home that would have Volke being raised without his father. Traveling from town to town being labeled as a city elf and with a young child was hardly a easy task. Soon enough she found herself in one of the port cities that had ships that traveled the seas to the distant lands.

This was where she seemed to get a break for herself and the child. Being offered a job (with poor pay but pay none the less) to work for a Orlesian noble. It allowed her to have a roof over her and Volke's head as well as a bit of pay to get by on. A fresh start in a way in a new land far from the memories she wanted to forget.

Years went by as they lived in the city of Val Royeaux, capital of Orlais and home to the capital Chantry of Andraste. As well as holding the seat of the Divine in the Grand Cathedral and being the location of the White Spire where the Knight-Vigilant of the Templars directs orders from. Templars are everywhere in this grand city. This is the same location where aging templars retire to when they start to lose their minds due to long term lyrium dependency.

The alienage here is one of the most populated ones with housing over ten thousand elves. Volke was lucky in that he did not grow up there, no Vyri and himself stayed in one of the servant houses that the noble that they worked for had. Though Volke grew distant from this noble as his mother passed from a illness that seemed to have no cure, or maybe not one a human was wiling to pay for a lowly servant.

On his own and in a town that still to this day felt like he was a stranger to Volke found himself in the service of the Chantry. Juggled between there and the different buildings the templars used to house their units and trainees. He knew more secrets about the Templars and the Chantry then he cared to know. No one paying much mind to a servant doing his job. Though that would change soon enough as well...

The more dangerous mages were brought back alive if they could be, maybe to have links to underground gatherings of other apostates and maleficarum. One day however a rouge mage seemed to decide to fight back. Breaking free of the bonds that he was under and killing the pair of templars that should have been more then able to keep him under control. Volke found himself in a room with a handful of wounded or dead Templars and a mage who was starting a spell that would easily take this building off of the map.

Having paid more attention thenhe should have to the Templars and their training, over the years he had picked up on some of the easy spells and counters. Using a silence spell he haulted the mage and it's cast for a short period. Volke was no Templar and he was far from immune to magic. This turned into a small battle as it was all he could do to keep his energy up enough to keep the silence on the rogue and in hopes someone would show up before this room was nothing but corpses.

A ice cast from the mage ended up striking him in the face and nearly taking all of the sight from his right eye. Though even when things seemed to look dire there was a bit of hope as one of the Templar commanders seemed to get word of this rogue being on the lose and came to save the day. Not before seeing a mere city elf doing a better job at standing up to an apostate then his trained Templars.

This in turn lead to questioning of Volke and how he knew what he did. City elves were not permitted to be in the Chantry so it was said, at the same time the commander was no fool to seeing talent either. Pulling a few strings he managed to get the permission to train the young city elf properly. Though this short period of things seeming to go well for Volke didn't last long either. A year after being vowed in as a official Templar and passing all of the tests he was sent off to Ferlden. Not quite home but it felt like he was closer then ever had been growing up. He hardly remembered even being in Kirkwall or anything of his father where he was too young to do so.
Other Notes: Temaplrs excel at anti magic combat, the ability to dispel and resist magic, servents of the Chantry. Guardian of the Circles of Magi, hunter of apostates and maleficarum. Ingstion of lyrium gives resistance to magic. The Chantry controls the lyrium trade.

[Natsunaine]

Name: Melissa

Age: 21

Race: Foxkin

Gender: Female

Weapon: A set of daggers at her waste, Each of a different color one black on white, She calls the the blades of balance

Class: Mage/Rogue

Appearance:

Personality: Melissa tends to be spiteful and mean, throwing wise cracks and smart offs at anyone that comes her way, She hides her true self behind a mask of anger to hide the secret women within her soul, But, If someone where to come along and removed her mask of hatred -cough cough- Volke -cough cough- They would come to find that Melissa is simply a scared little girl in a women's body still cowering from the past tragedies in her life desperately looking for someone to guide her to the right path of life.



Bio:As a young child, Melissa was a magic prodigy, at a young age she had already learned how to control her powers and fight at the temptation of the fade, Found in the forests near the Elf Dalish village young Melissa the foxkin mage was taken in by a Templar and raised in the tower, Her entire life, She has been told to hide her black and light blue tail from existence as well as her sharp like fangs using a spell that was taught to her by an elder mage, whom had witnessed the Foxkin tribe before.

Though because the foxkin where though to be all extinct, she was forced to hide in the case that someone would most likely mistake her for a fade demon...But one day, Something terrible happened, an attack on the tower was made, The entire tower was filled with Fade demons, and if it wasn't worse, The last of The grey wardens led by what was soon to be King Alistar where slaughtering anything that had seemed to be a threat, she hid scared and weakened behind her Templar father, and watched as he became corrupted,



She watched as the man possessed by the fade turned his blade upon not only his fellow Templar but her as well In a hope of protecting herself, Melissa used all of her might and magic to kill and slay the man that had raised her, all through her life, As her magic depleted her true identity came to pass and she was quickly forced to run being hunted by the Warden Champion and the king, That was years ago, and now, She still runs, Being hunted constantly by Templar for simply living In pride of her foxkin heritage...

~Reply post here~

[Rosekitten]

This was to be a routine scouting route. A handful of Templars in a group to make sure there were no mages causing any trouble in the town or in the lands surrounding it. Really to make sure no one was causing any trouble for the chantry at all. The templars have been stepping up their power as to what they watch over. Apparently just keeping tabs on the mages and possible rouges wasn't enough for them. Either way this group did fair rather well with having two senior members to it and the other three were hardly new recruits either.

The only thing that should cause them problems is if a mage turned into a fade demon or if they called forth such beats from the other realm. Though this was not exactly common, or not strong beasts anyway. Normally easily dealt with and the mage was normally killed in the process or afterwards. Either way this group wouldn't have much of a issue no matter what came its way. The bigger issue was the group working as such. Humans were odd beings in that they disliked things being different from them. One member of this group was just that. Even being one of the senior members he was still hardly treated as a equal.

Volke Esteed, a city elf who was born and raised for a short period in the aleinage of Kirkwall. Through a series of events the young elf found himself as a vowed Templar a few years ago and soon after that passed the test with flying colors. As such he had any of the abilities that Templars had, a slightly shorter temper then most humans and the perks of being of the elven kind. Not many could brag they could see in the dark, he thanked his mother for that trait every time that it was used during the night patrols.

being a city elf in the Templar ranks hardly meant he had things easy. He worked to get where he was today and he still worked to keep the spot he was in. A wrong move and he could be cast out and then he would be back to square one if not worse off having a dependency on lyrium. this being said he dealt with a lot of things that he could probably take care of or clear up if he so choose to. but in being vowed to serve the chantry and any given orders he kept his mouth shut on such things as to not cause further trouble. That and he became very talented at ignoring the Shem when they started acting stupid.

The city seemed clear for the moment,no current reports of anyone acting strange or some demon popping up. That meant for sure they would have at least one if not more reports outside the city walls. There were boats of those that were fleeing the blight arriving each day. The blight had not come this far, probably a good thing though this city was more prepared for such an attack with the leaders so foolish as to thinking they could hold the walls and protect the people inside of them against a endless army of corrupted spawn.

It was odd though, the routes and paths seemed to be silent as well. The only noise was a few of the humans in this group chattering back and forth. One growing bored and apparently trying to list off a bunch of insults to see if he could ruffle Volke's feathers enough to get a fight from the elf. volke merely looked at him a bit unimpressed as he had both eyes lazily opened. "Thats the best you can do?" He asked as the shem seemed to huff and curse under his breath that he didn't even get the other to bat a eyelash let alone fight about any of it.

There was always a bandit report though was Volke's thought. If they got too bored they could look into kidnappings or anything else. Well he could anyway after this patrol was done. Not really seeking the phrase for going above and beyond in work. No he just hated having nothing to do and was labeled a work a holic by most of his fellows in arms.

[Natsunaine]

Silence engulfed the walls of kirk wall, A silence that was all but perfect for one mage of the fox variety to take advantage of, with a smirk on her face, the fox like creature quickly took to the shadows and down a dark alley, to a door marked with a seal of magi.. Three times she did knock upon the door and soon after a gruff voice broke the silence.

"How does one kill a Templar?" The fox creature smiled and without a breathe to rest she replied. "One, kills a Templar by stalking their target, stealing their supply of lyrium waiting and watching, until the moment where the craving is unbearable, Then is where you strike with silence and quickness and slay the beings that have trouble us magi." Not a word filled the air once the foxkin finished only the sound of gears and locking mechanisms unfolding filled the air as the door steadily opened.

Melissa took a few steps forward before meeting the tough looking reaver that stood guard at the door, He quickly examined her head to toe, but not without hearing one of Melissa's famous quick remarks. "You like what you see big boy?" She giggled and patted him on she shoulder as he smiled and responded. "Welcome back, Melissa, It is saddening to see one with such beauty and talent as a neutral around the magi."

The women grimaced not even making contact with the other. "I have no need for petty fights, Nor do I have the need for more trouble, things are already hard as it is.." She frowned then moved forward to an older gentleman sitting over a counter. "Old man, I need the cloak I had ordered a week ago. You said it would be ready by now" The man looked up from his desk releasing a deathly sounding cough. "Well, Well, look who is back, a lot of us thought you had died you know?" The women scowled at the idea of her death glaring harmfully at the old man. "Who do you think I am some scummy novice, I would not die or get captured so easily..."

The old man let a hallowed laugh from his dry throat and nodded. "I guess not, As for you cloak I have it already set up, all you need to do is throw it on." From under the counter the man pulled out a black velvet like cloak, one of those Cliché robes you see in the movies that hides ones face and shadows the torso. Melissa quickly grabbed it from the old man and threw it on smiling and nodding as if to saying 'thanks', The women turned and made her way towards the door and out the alley.

Little did she know, that alley would soon lead her to an adventure that she would never fathom to happen in a thousand years, For as she exited she came eye to eye with the worse thing possible.. A wretched Templar..."Fuck"

[Rosekitten]

Hours into the patrol and after all possible routes were exhausted for the afternoon was when the group turned back to make the final round about the city. This was where the group would split up. If trouble came to light then they had a way of contacting the others. Though mot could deal with whatever troubles on their own easily enough.

Though normally the group stayed close to one another just in case. There had been a few tips and reports of magi going to certain buildings and doors with strange markings on them. Some markings were hidden while others were not. One of the group Volke had been traveling with was waiting near on of these reported buildings and seemed to get lucky when someone walked out of the alley. The response from the other was enough to make the cocky human grin a bit. "A little lost are we?" He boasted though the so called cornered target he had currently seemed to get away from him easily enough.

Cursing under his breath he moved to give chase to the woman having caught sight of the tail end of the cloak as she rounded a corner. Though this mage seemed to have poor luck as she ran into another of the templars from this group. This one right away picking up on her face and casting silence with no time for her to get far enough away for the effects to be weakened.

This pretty much just mage her into a feisty magicless fighter. Two against one was hardly fair but they had been watching her for some time. The plan was to use her to get information and then further deal with her. Though by this point the group of five were joined back up and even if she got free of the bindings she had currently it would do her little good and at least one of them would hardly hesitate to kill her on the spot. "Well I have to say I'm impressed you two caught her, though seeing as they did want her alive.. " He said glancing towards Volke who had a hood up, he normally did to save any needless trouble about what race he was from those who didn't know. Besides being a bit shorter then some humans he could pas as being one.

"Like any of them talk.. waste of time and resources." He said without skipping a beat, it was templars like that most mages feared. Other templars could be reasoned with or you could be sent to the circle but there were a number that would just kill a mage on sight. "Yes well that is out of our hands, the commander will be dealing with this one till we are told otherwise." Volke waved this off still thinking it was a waste of time. Keeping rouge mages alive in the city walls.

Never the less they had the task of getting her back to the headquarters. They were at the edge of town at the moment, still considered in town but not at the same time. There was no real quick way to go about getting her back to the holding cells that had guards there to ensure she did no casting. Honestly Volke didn't care why she was wanted or what they wanted her for even. The sooner she was out of their hands the better. Too many reports of rouge mages attacking templars in small groups.

[Natsunaine]

The arms that gripped tightly around her own caused the women to begin to get angry, The thought of being caught by such foolish troupe of Templars made her blood boil. "You know, this is no way to treat a pretty lady?" The women giggled a bit as she looked around to the faces of the men whom 'caught her"

"You aren't the pretties lot around, I was thought the Templar were supposed to look strong and handsome, You know I knew a handsome Templar once" As the foxkin slyly ran her mouth she slowly slipped her arms further and further out of the men's grip, and though she was almost free the women kept talking.

"Hey, do you know why I am wanted around these parts? Its a funny story, at first it was because the useless wardens tried slaughtering an innocent girl for killing a corrupted templer, But then, the little girl learned tricks of the rogue trade and began to know how to talk her way out of her problems.. Sorta.. like.. THIS!"

It was with that word that the women slipped from the men's grasp and dropping to her knees and delivering a skillful and accurate leg swipe to the two whom just had her in their arms, Watching the two fall with an awestruck look on her face made her do nothing but giggle.

Her attention quickly turned to two other Templar who stared at her like she was a bottle of lyrium, she thought it strange that the smaller one of the group had yet to make its move, but this was not the time to focus on such trivial matter. As she noticed the bigger of the three Templar charging her at a full pace, on his hip a small dagger, She simply smiled stepping to the side and showing the man into a brick wall nearby and skillfully taking the dagger and without a second thought throwing it through the air into the other Templars leg..

It was silent for a moment as she stood looking to the hooded Templar who had yet to move. "Well, are you going to do something or can I just go now?" She said with a cocky and sly grin. "Did you realize that I would be to much for you?"

[Rosekitten]

Volke didn't make a move of course. This was a sorry sight to watch as four templars were just bested by one female who couldn't even cast a spell at the moment. He almost wanted to walk away and act like he didn't see that sorry display but it was too late. Nope one by one they were grounded and he was left standing there alone. Oh wasn't this cute. He was going to have to deal with her now wasn't he? Here he thought today was going to be boring.

Her words soon enough met his ears. She was too much for him, oh that was a laugh. He was about to teach her just who she was mouthing off to. Though without killing her. At this rate it would be more enjoyable to watch her squirm as they try to pry information from her. He shrugged a little finally as she seemed to take that as a hint that she could go if she wanted. Though she got just far enough for her to be within a decent range of a arrow before he bothered to move.

Drawing the weapon in one swift movement as he released a arrow into the wall just beside where her head was. Upon impact to the wall the arrow seemed to do something strange. Templars had a limited range attack to stun mages and deplete mana. But the arrow seemed to do that ability but at a much greater range. "Pretty mouthy for someone who underestimated their opponent aren't you?" It was true enough she had turned her back and everything like she knew she couldn't lose. Though for the moment not like she could mouth off or say anything as she was stunned.

He didn't even bother rushing as he walked over to where she was standing currently. He was sure she was going over in her head what just happened. A arrow carrying a Templar ability? That wasn't common to say the least and it took him a while to perfect that little trick. Finally making it to where she was and knowing how much time he had left was when he put a pair of cuffs on her wrists and hand them behind her back. "Maybe next time put up a better challenge hrm?" Acting like there would be a next time. She'd be killed once they were done with her for sure.

Some small wounds and such,besides that the group was ok over all. prides a bit dusted as the larger one all but grabbed her and slammed her into the wall. "I say we kill her now! That b---- she-" He was cut off as the leader of this group stood finally and barked the order of enough. "She's going back and that is final. killing her is against a direct order." This seemed to make the larger man back down a little.

"Though it is sad that four of us were bested by a lone female and the elf had to correct a mistake that would have costs us capturing her." Volke growled a little at that word. He had a name! Though he said nothing about it but the clenched fist at one side said plenty. "Now let us get going before anything else happens and this report becomes any longer."

[Natsunaine]

As Melissa felt the hardened embrace of the Templar's arms once again holding her by force she couldn't help but to look over to the elf whom had just imprisoned her once more and scowl. How, How could she be caught by such a awful creature, The creatures whom her and her father had hated as long as she could remember...

"Wretched elf, Aren't you supposed to be cleaning the castle with the rest of your kind? You look like you would be more suited to a broom in your hand then a bow..." The women's blood boiled as the many simply scoffed and paid no attention to her. "Hey! Pointy ears! I am talking to you!" Still the man refused to even glance her way.


With a sly smirk on her face a devious scowled she mustered what ever saliva she could from the back of her throat and launched it towards the elf, hitting him smack dab in the middle of his face. Melissa cackled and giggled as the Elf was held back by what was left of the Templars, Hearing the man curse under his breathe brought joy to her heart.


"You are all the same, Templar and elves alike, So quick to judge and so easily aggravated." She then giggled and proceeded to look at the man whom now had wrappings around his leg to treat a wound that she had inflicted. "Hey Ugly, How is your leg? You can still move it? Awe, Too bad, I was hoping to cripple you for the rest of your miserable existence"

Once again she had angered yet another Templar causing him to thrash about and scowl more and more, This was almost to entertaining to let pass, But Melissa saw this as a window, She quickly lifted her leg and brought it to the leg of one of the Templar holding her, The man quickly fell to the ground groaning in pain and suffering. "Poor Templar, this just isn't your day is it?"


With a giggled and a swift kicked to the other mans abdomen, Mellisa was once again free, But not before the elf swiftly slammed her to the ground and proceed to tie her in shackles and chains. Melissa sighed in a sorrowing disbelief, Not only did she get caught once by this bastard but twice. Her father would have been disappointed to see this.

"You just never miss a beat do you slave?" She giggled and poked at the man trying to see if he would slip up, but by this time he had already guessed her tricks and proceeded in tying her up. "Well, This is just great, Sheesh." The girl closed her eyes and simply thought to her self. Well, this could be worse, they could have removed my cloak by now and noticed my tail..

[Rosekitten]

Volke was doing everything in his power to ignore the blasted mage. He had heard it all before and any elf insults were hardly new to him by this rate. Most were lucky he kept that quick temper of his in check or there might be more then a few Shem that turned up missing or as a corpse in the sewers or alleyways. Granted if he had stayed in the life he use to live the odds that he would have been the cause of more then a few deaths of humans would have been a understatement.

Though his patience was wearing thin with this one. She didn't shut up, why were most mages so chatty... Though that wasn't what settled that he wanted to take care of this problem on the spot. Oh no it was the fact that she spit on him, she was lucky that the others were able to hold him back or they'd have one less mage to deal with. Though he settled down after a moment and after this groups leader said he could kill her later if he wanted. "Tsk.. if I wanted to kill her I would have made sure the first arrow didn't miss." He half hissed.

The things he put up with, if he could get out of this work he would but that was easier said then done. Not only that but he really had nothing against mages, only the one that nearly killed him when he was younger and that one was long sense taken care of as far as he knew. No this position was forced on him with the choice of taking it or being made to be quiet. The chantry didn't like certain secrets to get out that was for sure. Not only that but they held a certain control over the templars.

Though it seemed the fight of this one wasn't done just yet. She started to talk of the one with the wound on his leg. Though this soon turned into a small opening for her to use against the two holding her once more. Taking advantage of the window and grounding one quickly and then the second one. Volke almost wanted to ask if they needed to go back to training with how sorry this lot seemed to be.

Though the mage didn't get far before he had her to the ground and already knowing a few of her tricks taking further precautions against them. Her words made his ears go back not that she could tell because he still kept the hood up. Honestly if it wouldn't hurt to the nine realms of hell and back he'd get his ears cut off to be the shape of the humans. A morbid idea he toyed with a couple times but thought better of it. Granted it would mean he didn't have to listen to the damned Shem talk of elves. Without them he could pass easily enough as a human if you weren't really paying attention.

"Tsk... keep running your mouth while your able to mage." He warned her before forcing her to stand after for sure she wouldn't be pulling any further tricks. She still mouthed off though, a gag was a great idea was his main thought. Though the group was intercepted before they got to the main building the Temaplrs used. Word from the commander to take any further captive mages to the cells outside the city walls. Apparently something about a mishap or something.

One thing after another it seemed. On that they had a long trip ahead of them with this mage running her mouth all the while. It was a shame knocking her out was out of the question, mainly because the leader of this little group didn't trust any of them to do so without killing her. Though this was a group of five templars, normally nothing would bother such a group let alone cause trouble for them. But the air seemed different as soon as the group got out of the city walls. Almost a feeling of lingering doom and death in the air. Maybe he was just over thinking on things again he settled his mind.

By now the group talked a little and the mage seemed to start to run out of insults as they grew closer to the cave system that they had fixed to hold mages far from the city. Though no mages ever came out of here so more or less this was the last time captive mages would see the sky. Well that is how it normally went. Though the easy going trip soon came to a sudden stop as one of the templars was talking right before a sickening gurgle noise came from the other.

One talking to the man with the wounded leg seemed to have a arrow sticking right though his neck from the back to the front before he fell over dead. This was when what was stupid enough to attack a group of templars came into view. A small band of darkspawn seemed to be the cause of the first death. The one with the wounded leg charged with watching the mage. Granted they weren't that worried about her the darkspawn could take her for all they really cared.

Drawing the blade Volke had at his side and slicing through a few of the closer dark spawn was when one of them questioned the commander what darkspawn were doing this far. There wasn't a answer, there wasn't a need for one. They had to survive and thats all that really mattered. Getting cut by one of the blades was out of the question, it would just mean a slow death. What a time to forsake bringing a shield.

[Natsunaine]

The minutes became what felt like hours, as they trudged further and further away from the walls or Kirkwall and towards the cave she had heard nothing but terrible stories about, It was said that mages were sent there when they were thought to be a danger to society, To be tortured and abused for information, That place was the definition of hell, It made the circle of magi look like play time at an amusement park.

"Oh, You are that scared of me huh? So scared that you have to send me to hell itself?" She giggled and shook her head. "What a shame, Its sad to seem Templars so pathetic as you result to this.." Melissa looked once more to the elf who imprisoned her, She was floored by how silent he had become, It was almost insulting.

"What's wrong pointy ears? Worried that you will never get to see my backside again?" It was amazing how that even in what could be the last minutes of her life, Melissa still found things to run out of her mouth, It was just like her.. "Hmm, Well, I do have to say it will be a shame to not be able to beat you guys up anymore.."

She looked to the wounded Templar and snickered still thinking of the moment she threw the knife into his leg, The Templar next to him spouted off a mean and hurtful "Shut up Witch, Or else I will feed you to Morrigan from the wardens group".

Melissa smiled with eyes as big as the sun as she turned to the man whom had said that. "You know Morrigan?! She is so pretty, I wanted to meet her before I died.. I guess that won-" Before, the foxkin women could finish blood splattered across her face as a blackened arrow pierced through the Templar's neck.

Melissa held back screams of agony as she quickly had a flash back of the incident she had been in at the circle of magi, and as if out of now where darkspawn appeared from the bushes holding black tainted blades quickly disposing of all but the elf, She watched in horror as they fell to the ground, her eyes emotionless.

She looked to the elf, without a stammer or stutter in her voice, she yelled to him. "Unlock me from these shackles before you get yourself killed! You can't kill them alone!" At firs the elf ignored her slaying a few dark spawn that dared make their way towards him but soon the man was surrounded with no back up.

"Look! I don't care if you chain me up again afterwards! Just don't let me die like this! No one deserves a death so horrid.." The elf huffed and turned to the women quickly unlocked the shackles around her hands and handed her the key to unlock her legs, She did so quickly and without a second thought she jolted to one of the downed Templar and took a short sword from his waist.

She quickly, without a merciful though in her head, decapitated those who had been touched with the dark spawns tainted sword, The elf looked at her and spouted something at her looking at her with hate, almost as if disapproving her actions.

"Look, They are dying anyway, Suffering in fact, If I wouldn't kill them this way, they would sprout back up and attack us in a blurry haze.." The women bent down to the accessory belt of the wounded Templar and from it a bottle of lyrium she smiled and quickly gulped it down.

Within moments, Melissa's eyes glew with a brightened sea blue color, She casts a huge Transformation spell turning her self into a blood thirsty dragon and making quick work on the dark spawn, but, Melissa was not used to using such a spell and quickly after wards reverted to her normal form, her cloak practically torn off, and with that, her tail lying in the wide open as her body laid there unconscious..

[Rosekitten]

He had grown silent. He couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong. Even with the mage spouting off insults left and right and trying to edge him on he couldn't shake that something was very wrong. Maybe because he wasn't just a city elf he could sense things like this. They never lead him stray before and he worried that they were right again. It wasn't like the wardens being able to feel the darkspawn. No this was more of just a bad feeling in general.

Still the mage went on and questioned him like she wanted him to snap at her. For someone who was being taken captive she certainly didn't shut up to try to make things easier on herself did she? Volke was too caught up in his thoughts though to care. Thoughts that soon became real as the attack came from no where on the group. Darkspawn against wardens, ok no huge deal. Against anyone else and if you got even a nick or cut you might as well consider yourself dead.

As each of the others fell one by one he heard the mage demand to be released before he got himself killed. Oh yeah that was a good idea, free the mage so he could get some fireball or ice blast to the back. Though it soon enough became apparent that he wasn't going to be able to take this many one. Sure they had fought darkspawn before. The things were everywhere, but this was a larger group compared to the others.

"Tsk.. damn it all.." He hissed before retreating enough to release the amge as she wanted. Hell he knew that death by darkspawn was one of the worse ways to go. The horror stories of it... could make anyone's skin crawl. The slow transformation and everything that went with it. The stories that surfaced in more recent times of what they used female captives for was worse. Broodmothers to spawn more of these fiends.

Right away the mage seemed to get to one of the fallen templars who was still breathing at the moment before taking the sword from his waist and ending his life before he became fully tainted and no longer considered human. Volke was a little taken back by this of course. To just stand there and watch someone end the lives of the ones still alive like that. Ones he had trained with or grew up around over the years. "You couldn't have waited for that?" He hissed at her before she made a valid point.

They were suffering he wasn't that blind. Still it wasn't a thought that settled well with him to say the least. Either way he had his own hide to take care of before he worried about the wounded or dead. Well all dead at this rate. He didn't even pay the mage any mind as he forced his blade through the next darkspawn that charged him. A lucky block with a wrist guard saved what should have been his own demise. Though the exhaled breath was short lived as a dragon seemed to come from no where behind him.

Backing up a bit he watched this display assuming that this should be the mage. You didn't see transformation spells too often they were difficult to master to say the least. The battle seemed to be over just as it had begun and after all the foes were taken care of the mage seemed to revert back to her normal form as she fell to the ground. Though that was not what he was watching. But he was looking at her but it was the fact that she had a tail. What the hell type of trick was this?

Panting a little to get his own breath back from the fight he almost was at a loss of what to do. The commander of this group was dead, he had freed a mage going against a number of rules he was suppose to be following. Let alone this mage he wasn't sure if she was even human or not, a tail or something abnormal normally meant void spawn or some deal with a demon. Let alone she was out cold and he couldn't even demand a answer from her.

Breathing out heavily he put the sword up after cleaning the blade off hastily. Right away binding the mage again just to be safe. Though if she was a void spawn these binds would only hold so long. With her taken care of he went about seeing if either of the others were even alive. Though the darkspawn were good at their work. Only the one she took care of had lived through the attack. They weren't too far from the caves and honestly the caves had not been used in some time.

Carrying the unconscious mage there he put her on a mat that was rolled out in one of the cells before locking it. Still having to take care of the bodies instead of just leaving them there. Though this was when he learned of more darkspawn in the area. With that he had to retreat back for now. The cave was well enough protected once inside and in the areas that had been fixed to be closed off. He needed to get back to town or a message back to the order. Easier said then done and he couldn't fight alone all the way back.

Plus he had to do something about this mage. Either way things were quiet now and moving he finally lowered the hood that he kept up all of this time. The poor lighting in here made it hard to see as it was. Though there were enough torches and candles to fix that and that was the first thing he moved to go take care of. If she was a demon the last thing he needed was to fight her in the dark.

[Natsunaine]

As the women woke up from what felt like a drunken haze and her eyes peeled open, all she could see was a darkened room, she sat up coughing and chocking the stress and the fatigue from her last spell still taking its harsh effect on her, for a moment, or so Melissa couldn't remember who she was, what she was doing or even where she was.

That all changed when the silence was broken by something the elf spurted off in a rage, though in her haze she was too dizzy to comprehend what he said, She placed her hand across her temple and struggled to stay standing. "W-w..-where are we?"

As her vision slowly started to come back she glances around only to find out that they were in what she had came to know as hell, and not only was she in hell she was locked behind cell doors in hell. Great..

Wait, How did she end up here? The women paused and staring into space trying to remember what had happened, all that she had remembered where Dark spawn everywhere.. and then.. . Her eyes widened as she suddenly recalled everything that had happened before she passed out. Did she really do that? More importantly why didn't the man slay her for turning into such a beast?..

Though these questions in her head were important the one that bothered her the most was why and how she had made it into this cell, It was then she almost wanted to hit her self it was so obvious the elf.. He must have picked her up and brought her here but why?

Being the smart-witted foxkin she was the women decided to use her god given talent of being a big mouth to use.. "So, Let me guess, You only kept me alive for information is that it?"

Before the Elf could even muster a response a cold breeze ran through the cave, making the Melissa shiver, which was weird because she had a clo... as Melissa looked to her shoulders it was then she noticed her cloak had been torn off, and being the girl she was she let out a angered scowl "MY CLOAK! I spent so much money on it, It was so pretty."

Yep, The girlish foxkin didn't even give it a thought that her tail was showing, Nope, She was more worried about the coins she had just lost by losing the cloak, Though it didn't take her long to realize and cast a quick cloaking spell around her tail. "I wonder if he saw.." She whispered to her self in silence hoping the other didn't hear.

[Rosekitten]

He was pacing a little while she was still asleep torn in his own thoughts really. Till finally he stopped and all but cursed at nothing. He should have killed the mage, she could change into a dragon and that meant this little cell ere was hardly nothing to hold her and he wasn't as bold or foolish to try to test his abilities against a dragon. Let alone one he was still swearing that she had some dealings with fade demons.

Though he had ignored her stirring up until she started with running her mouth again. Information she asked. Was that why he kept her alive? No he could have easily left her to the darkspawn and whatever cruel fate they would bestow to her. Maybe not, just because he was a Templar hardly meant he was that heartless. No one deserved a fate at the hands of those creatures. Though he didn't get the chance to answer her as she seemed to have a second outburst.

Well that was strange wasn't it? Squeaking about how she lost a cloak in all of that. Nearly dying, heck she could have died if he didn't carry her here, and she worries over the loss of some coin? She seemed to take notice that something was visible though surely she didn't think him that daft as to not notice before, let alone to not notice the spell. "You might as well save your energy, cloaking it now isn't doing you much good." Volke spoke up as he moved to walk over to the cell she was in. "Though if you must know the answer to your previous question... yes and no." There was a confusing answer for you. One he felt that it was fair to address as they were stuck here till the darkspawn left the area a bit.

"I do want information but that is hardly the reason why I carried you here. As much as I'd love to have just left you were you fell... No one deserves a fate at the hands of those fiends." Too many horror stories of them and if he had left her he would never sleep right again and he knew it. "Now.. the information I want... for starters you turned into a dragon and last I knew that was not a common ability." Now he was avoiding asking about the tail on purpose and she could probably read this easily enough.

"Though there is the other little detail that you are trying to hide still. Like why you have a tail. Not exactly normal and I'm not exactly fond of keeping fade demons or those who have dealt with them alive either." There were ways to test if she had done dealings with them or was one, it was easier on the mage to just admit such facts. Though about that time he seemed to act like he heard something turning his head towards the solid door that blocked the cave off from this section and was the only real barrier between them and darkspawn.

Whatever it was didn't seem close enough as he didn't linger on the door for long. "Though telling me anything is up to you, but I think we'll be in here a while till the other darkspawn leave the area." That or till someone came to get them one or the other. He doubted she could pull off becoming a dragon again and the last time was a short period and would hardly do them any good if she passed out again.

[Natsunaine]

For the first time today, Melissa smiled with the most sincerity she could muster, It was nice knowing that some Templar had heart. "Well, First I would like to thank you for saving me, I could have met a horrible fate out there, Though I am sure your intentions were more towards getting information and repaying a debt than anything."

Melissa took a moment to take a breathe and look around the room, She reached through the cell, only to meet the darkened gaze of the elf sharing the room with her. "Calm down grump, I am grabbing a candle.." She giggled as she pulled one of the candles that lit the elf's half of the room through the cell bars.

"How, am I going to tell a story and show you things, with no good light, every story needs a campfire right?" She giggled as she sat on the floor and placed it next to her signaling the other to sit with her, the other did so as asked but not before scowling and offering his attitude in exchange.

"Look, Its going to be a long story and I don't want to hear you whimpering about your legs hurting, Now shut up, Sit straight and listen" As the women started off a giggle she playfully dropped her hands to her knees and looked at the man dead in the eyes. "So, Where should I start how about your first question?"

The women looked up to the ceiling as if she were looking for the right words to speak. "First of all, I should tell you when I was young, I ran away once from the circle, I was naïve and immature, and adventurous, I found my self upon a forest, and spent what felt like years, but in reality was only a few days searching for food and water.. "

The women began to shiver as tears fell down her face, It was almost as if she had mental put herself back into that same situation once more. "I was young, I didn't know...I stumbled upon one of the small Dalish villages, The ones whom shun humans and anything to do with them, and back then.. I had just learned how to cloak my tail, So you know what I looked like.."

The women paused trying to get the courage to talk.. "Without warning, without even a cause, I was attacked arrows flying at me at high speeds. I thought for sure I was dead, but then, this wolf grabbed me by the ankle and took me swiftly yanked me up. threw me on to her back and swiftly towards a nearby river where we were safe."

A small beautiful smile engulfed her face as she reminisced of this part of the story. "That was the day, I met the witch of the wilds, The beautiful Morrigan.." She looked over and giggled at the elf who was looking at her with a impatient stare. "I warned you this was going to be a long story, and I still haven't answered your second question!"

The women took a deep breathe before continuing. "Anyways, To my shock, The wolf transformed into this beautiful women, She sheltered me fed me, and showed her affection to me, She told me stories and how she herself was a run away, and though I tried to hide it, She eventually found out I was a mage, and with the goal of getting me home. Day by day she worked to teach me the ability to change my form, She showed me many forms, for a small field mouse to a huge dragon as you saw before.. "

Once again the women paused for a breath. "Don't worry I am almost done." She giggled and patted his legged through the cell bars. "Eventually, I learned enough about her skill to turn myself into a bird, and I flew home, Ever since that Day I have longed to meet her again, To show her how much I have grown and how strong I am.."

Melissa smiled and looked to the elf who was giving her a surprised look, She wasn't exactly sure how to take it... "As for the second question, I will try to keep it short, Around these lands there used to live a race, A race of half human half fox, We are known as the Foxkin, We bare the tail and fangs of the fox, but the natural look of a human.. My race was slaughtered during the peak of the fade demons, though to be the demons in disguise..."

She frowned as a tear slid down her face. " As far as I know I am the last of my kind, All I remember is being an Orphan in the circle and Templar Olaf as my father..." She giggled and laughed a bit thinking of her fathers face. "He was a nice gentle Templar, Maybe you have heard of him... um.." The women paused and looked to the ceiling. "What can I call you anyways? I mean I suppose I could keep calling you point ears..."

[Rosekitten]

Ok so she had him on that it was kind of a mix of wanting more information on this... mage that seemed to be wanted. They did always say curiosity killed the cat. It was rare but it did happen once in a while that he questioned things or wanted to find out information. A trait he was sure he picked up from his mother, though having no memory of his father he couldn't really know for sure. Though he did owe her a debt for helping in him the fighting against the darkspawn. A debt that was paid as he saved her in return by not leaving her there.

He did glare at her as she moved and explained she was just getting a candle. Like he trusted her that far, he had pretty poor experiences with mages and they were more then tricky that was certain. Though she seemed to act almost like a child talking about campfire stories. This was the mage who had bested a group of five templar... twice?! Ok well maybe almost bested was a better way to word it. Asking him to sit and saying it was going to be long he seemed to comply with. They were stuck here till he didn't hear the darkspawn shifting about outside anymore anyway.

From there she went on to start her story. Long winded of one at that. Saying about how she ran off as a child and ran into a camp of Dalish elves. Most clans did not like humans, being the reason their history was lost and their life spans shortened now. Still to think that they would attack a child wasn't something he had really put much thought into. Not that he had ever met any Dalish, aside from his mother he had only been in cities all of his life. This only changed in recent years due to the patrol routes of the Templars.

The story seemed to effect the mage as she spoke, though the mood changed as she started into a bit about a wolf and how the wolf was the witch of the wilds. Ah that explained a lot about the transformation spell. Though at the mention of the name He almost wanted to shudder a bit. The witch had taken many lives of templars foolish enough to seek her out. It was a quickly growing legend. Only the foolish or crazy went after her now, it was like seeking out death itself.

Only to meet a fate of being lost in the woods, if you were lucky you stumbled back to a near by village or town. Most were never heard from again, probably she used them for her own gains. Rather that was his thought, he didn't know and he had no intention of going out to seek her either. Though This mage seemed fond of her saying she wanted to find her again to show her how strong she was now. Oh course he was a bit shocked to hear such words, someone wanting to seek out the witch.

Though soon enough she moved into the second question, much shorter then the first. A foxkin...he had heard something about them before. Probably from his mother she liked to retell old tales from her clan. Probably to pass on the knowledge or to keep it alive even though she had found herself so far from home and with no way to return to her clan as she was drafted a outsider for leaving. Never the less he still remained silent as she went over how she was a orphan and such.

Wait did she say Olaf? Sure he was nice to most but Volke hardly remembered him being nice so to say... He did remember him though that man was quite the role model if he liked you. Though he also remembered hearing some report that he had fallen in battle or that a circle he was on duty at was taken over by demons. Only a handful of the templars there survived and even those weren't the same after seeing the carnage. Though he was brought from his thoughts as she said he might know him. Oh he did...

This was when she asked for a name, or pretty much did. He sighed at that thought closing the one eye he had open, it hurt to keep the right one open all the time, side effect from the mage he had dealt with back then. Not that its vision was anywhere near perfect anyway. "Volke... but call me whatever you like I'm sure I've heard it all by now." He spoke before finally moving to stand. Sitting still wasn't something he often did well. Only certain times did he manage to sit still for any period of time. "I've heard of him.. Sir Olaf I mean. I also remember how against it he was of my training." Leaving out details that Olaf wanted him to just be silenced so they would be done with it. Apparently someone else that hated Elves. Something he was rather use to by now that was certain.

Thinking for a moment he didn't have her name either. "What about you then? I'm assuming you have a name, unless you want me to keep insulting you and just saying mage or some other term for rogue mage." Though his mind had already moved on to a new issue, the fact this place had been empty so long the odds of there being food stored here were slim and he had no idea how long they would be stuck here. He had some on him but between two people it might be enough to last a day maybe a bit longer and it wasn't anything large, just some dried meats and fruits really. Things that kept a while and were easy to carry.

[Natsunaine]

Melissa frowned as the Elf explained to her that Olaf, had disapproved of his training and had treated him so badly. "Daddy, had his own reasons for hating the elves, Please, for his soul's sake. Don't take it to heart, Elves killed his birth daughter, and my step-sister.."

A tear fell once more from the face of the foxkin, Melissa was getting really tired of this awful emotions and without even a second thought she flipped her attitude to one of a somewhat eager and happy attitude. "So your name is Volke huh? Well, My human name given to be by Daddy is Melissa." the women smiled and stuck her hand quickly through the bars to offer a hand shake to the elf only to be turned down.

She frowned and lowered her hand placing it on her hip in a sassy attitude style. "Well, Fine then, I was only trying to be friendly, I mean we are going to have to get along eventually, That is if you want me to help you get out of here alive." The women giggled and placed her hand over her mouths as the elf looked at her with shocked confused expression..

As the woman went to speak in response to her accusation, her words were interrupted by the terrifying growl of..... Her stomach? The woman quickly placed her hand over her stomach and groaned in pain, It had been days, since she had a meal, and weeks since she had a decent one. The women blushed and turned red as she looked to the elf.

"Sorry, Its been a while since I ate, and that spell took it out of me" The women raised her hand and placed it onto the cell bar, As she focused her energy the bar Vanished? No, This wasn't a vanish spell, It was clearly a cloak spell the item was still there by touch by cloaked by Melissa's magic.

"As I grew up and got stronger, I learned how to cloak my self and one other object or person, If you had a bottle of lyrium I could cloak us and we could get out o here." She let go of the bar, It quickly becoming visible. "But, I have one condition if I help you out of her, You will let me go free to do as I choose, You promise that and you will live to see another day."