Opposites Road

The horse was very skittish around Shale but after a few hours of walking, on Shale's part since Ealisay rode Rabbit, the beast was satisfied that it would not come to harm from the golem. Ealisay on the other hand kept to her map of the area and finally found the pass that would lead them to Haven. As they climbed the mountain the air grew cold and trees transitioned from broad leafed to the pines and firs of the higher climes. Thankfully she still had the cloak her bought right after the raid and and the others seemed fine with the weather.

A lone guard met them at the village entrance. "Turn back stranger." he replied sharply.

"I'm sorry, but I'm looking for sanctuary." she replied, pulling the helpless damsel eyes that only the most hardened man could turn away. "Or at least a shop that I may buy more supplies."

The guard sighed, at a loss for the strange woman at their doorstep. "The store is at the top of the hill but we don't like strangers so make it quick and then be on your way."

Ealisay nodded helplessly. "Maker praise you kind man." she replied and started for the incline that he had pointed her to.

Shale snorted in amusement once they were out of earshot of the guard. "Simpering little fool."

Ealisay wasn't about to be put out by a guard and turned towards a higher path that led to the chantry. There were the familiar sounds of the Chant of Light and she turned to Shale. "I'll go in first." she replied. "I have no wish to hurt these people but if you hear screaming come in to knock some heads okay?"

Shale sighed. "I suppose."

Ealisay quietly slipped into the chantry and watched the end of a service. Instead of a Mother there was a male priest chanting and there were no pews. The worshipers stood in a half circle before the bearded man and out of respect Ealisay bowed her head to follow along. She didn't see one of the guards go over to the priest and speak something into his ear. The priest stopped causing Ealisay to look up to see if she could speak the to man.

"You there," he replied calmly. "Come forward."

Ealisay did as he asked. "I do not mean to interrupt, Father."

"It is no matter." he waved the worshipers away. "What brings you here?"

Ealisay wondered how to approach the subject of Genitivi and decided that the diagonal approach would be appropriate. "I beg pardon but I am looking for an old friend of my fathers, he is a scholar on a mad search for the Urn of Sacred Ashes." she smiled sadly. "I think he might of come this way. Have you, perchance, seen him?"

The Father did not look disturbed by her question. "No my child I have-"

"I'm in here!" a faint voice shouted from behind a wall. "Help me!"

Ealisay's head snapped towards the sound of the man's voice. Out of the corner of her eye she watched the guards that were stationed around the chantry pull their weapons and the Father picked up his staff. "SHALE!" she shouted as loud as she could and flung back her cloak to reveal her sword.

The double doors to the chantry boomed open at her call. Major charged in to tackle the guard nearest her, his massive jaws ripping in to the man's upper sword arm. Shale was close behind throwing a boulder it had acquired into a group of two others. The priest flung his arm high into the air and she struck out at him her blade cutting into his torso leaving a swath of crimson red in its wake. She spun around to block another blade coming at her and plunged her dagger straight into the man's gut. The fight was dirty and bloody with great washes of red arcing over areas and floors spaces.

"Well that was satisfying." Shale replied flinging a bit of blood of it it's arm.

Ealisay went over to the wall where she heard the shout. "Hello? Brother Genitivi?" she called out.

"I'm here young lady!" Genitivi replied. "Press against the wall and it should open."

Ealisay pushed against the stone and it shifted forward and then slid out of the way. The man she was looking for was laying on the ground, he looked wane and pale. She came over to the man and knelt next to him. She saw that his leg was broken and he had a few other bruises and scrapes.

Tell me what hurts the most." she replied.

"Besides being tortured? My leg is killing me and I can't feel my foot." he replied seriously after she had given a look of rebuke for sass. "How did you find me here?"

"You knew the Scholar at Highever a few years ago." she replied. "I came looking for you in Denerim and a spy acting as your assistant, Weylon, told I could find you here. I'm going to get my pack and see about setting your leg."

I assume that Eirik is dead?" he asked and she nodded when she stood. "He was wearing a medalion, bring it to me."

The medalion was kinda bloody but she wiped it off with a clean patch of his robes and went out to get her healing kits. The man grumbled and hissed and whined as she set his leg and sighed when it was all over.

"Thank you," he replied. "But the Urn is so close."

"How close?"

He nodded northwards. "There is a hidden path..."


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The path was slow going and if it wasn't for the veiled warning Ealisay would have asked Shale to carry the poor man. Instead they plodded along with Major staying close to the man in case his crutch failed him. The temple was a crumbling mess tucking inside of a volcano, a dormant volcano but a volcano nonetheless. Using the medalion that Eirik had on his person Genitivi unlocked the Temple doors and they stepped inside.

The Main Hall must have been grand in its new state and even now the beauty with the slopes of snow and cold air made Ealisay step back in wonder. Off to the other end was a large bonfire, unattended but that could change at anytime.

"I think I'll stay here." Genitivi replied.

"Good idea." Ealisay agreed. "Do you want me to come get you when we reach the Urn?"

"I don't think I could get that far on this leg." he shook his head. " Maybe I was meant to show you to the Urn. Maker keep watch over you."

The Temple was not unattended by any means, scores of armored cultists kept watch with traps set to injure unsuspecting scavengers. Many treasures lay hidden in the ancient temple. Time and time again Ealisay wants to stop going for the Urn and run back to Genitivi with another treasure but instead she puts in her her pack. There is enough room for these things and Shale says nothing about it.

Beyond the Temple itself was a large network of tunnels filled with dragonkin. Little dragonlings that made unusually cute chirps and squeals as they slice and stab them to death. She remembered the book of dragon cults in the castle library when she was little and knew that somewhere there was a High Dragon. With just her, Shale and Major there was no way to defeat the monster. With the dragonlings' deaths came Drakes and Drakes were easier to kill than High Dragons.

It was when she reached the largest cavern after all the deaths did a small group of men finally wish to speak to her. He did not draw his weapon but he was furious.

"Enough!" he cried. "Why have you come here? Why have you killed our fellows and children?"

Ealisay narrowed her eyes. "Me? I was attacked first! All this bloodshed could have been avoided had your "fellows" not come after me with their swords drawn! So you have only yourself to blame for their deaths! I would have happily parleyed in a civil manner!"

She had used this argument with Fergus and Gilmore time and again and it had worked. Major was stiff with the intent of wrenching the throat of the first person to touch her. The argument seemed to make the man madder but she would not back down. Anger makes you stronger but it also makes you sloppy that is why good diplomats did not lose their cool.

"Why have you come here?" he spit out.

"I need the Urn to heal a dying man." she replied switching the volume from loud to calm.

"Andraste's ashes are nothing!" the man replied vehemently. "Our prophet has returned in a form beyond glorious to imagine."

"That's heresy." she replied. She took a step towards the man and Major started growling. "Where are the ashes?"

"Heresy?" the man shouted. "You are the heretic here! You're blasphemy ends here!"He brought up his battle axe and swung at her.

"Not again." Shale sighed and charged at the man nearest them.

"The mages!" she snarled at Major and the hound leapt to do his mistress' bidding.

Ealisay danced beyond the man's swing and thrust her sword under him to strike at his midsection. For a moment she was frozen in place by some magic and couldn't block the downward stroke of the man's axe. Her armor caught the brunt of it and she crashed to the ground. Before he could lift his weapon she swept a leg out and caught him in the ankle. He roared as he hit the floor and she rolled herself to her feet. Her sword landed another blow, this time to his left breast and it slipped neatly through and into his lung.

With a fear of him trying to get up she landed a swift kick onto his face and heard the crunch of breaking bones. Blood sputtered from his nose and mouth as she kicked head again. The thundering footsteps of Shale came bounding up to her left and she stumbled backwards. The man struggled to pull her sword from his chest and was merely able to roll onto his side before she picked up his axe and swung it down, cleaving his head from his body.

The cavern was quiet save for her panting and she looked over at Shale who decided to see if the man's head could roll. It was a morbid thought and to turn away from it she looked over at Major who was just as bloodied as she was. If the dragon that the man thought of as Andraste was about she would smell them from a mile off. She searched the man's body and found a few things that might be useful in the future.

Off to the side was a broad shaft of light and the incredible smell of rotting eggs. As they got closer the smell grew worse and when they exited the building into the caldera of the mountain the rank smell made her gag. From far off they heard the roar of a large beast the flapping of wings. Ealisay pushed Shale into the shadows of a few arches and she pressed herself against a stone block that had fallen out of place.

Slyly she peered out from her hiding spot and watched as the dragon roared down at the area and then curled up and went to sleep. Ealisay put a finger to her lips to Shale and got out of her hiding place. Major followed suit keeping dangerously close to her. The trio walked though the stench in a false calm on Ealisay's part. She couldn't tell if Shale was scared or not and when they entered the temple doorway on the other side Ealisay slumped against the door.

The Temple was cool and did not reek of volcanic gases at the other end of the hall stood another armored man but he did not seem to be a threat as she came closer.

"I bid you welcome, pilgrim." the armored man replied.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I am the Guardian, the protector of the Urn of Sacred Ashes. I have waited years for this."

She frowned. "For me?"

"You are the first to arrive in a very long time. It had been my duty, my life, to protect the Urn and prepare the was for the faithful who come to revere Andraste. For years beyond counting I have been here, and shall I remain until my task is done and the Imperium has crumbled into the sea."

"The Imperium is not as powerful as it once was."

"Then maybe this is the beginning of the end."

"You have come to honor Andraste, and you shall, if you prove yourself worthy."

she eyed him skeptically. "What if I'm not?"

"Then you will not go to the Ashes." he answered. "It is not my place to decide. That is for the Gauntlet. If you are found worthy, you will see the Urn and be allowed to take a small pinch of the Ashes for yourself, If not..."

"Alright then. Let us begin."

Before you go, there is something I must ask. I see that the path that led you here was not easy. There is suffering in you past—your suffering and the suffering of others." He paused. "You abandoned you father and mother, leaving them in the hands of Rendon Howe, knowing he would show no mercy. Do you think you failed your parents?"

Ealisay's eyed saddened. "Yes, I should have insisted that my mother come with me."

"Thank you, that is all I wished to know." he replied.

"It seems that reflection on past mistakes is a constant preoccupation of the religious mind." said Shale curiously.

"And what of those that follow you?" he turned to Shale. "Shale- the stone giant... there is so little I can draw from you. I feel the distant echo of a soul, dormant for so long, now awake..."

"Good for you." Shale replied snidely.

"And with the awakening the slow realization of all you have lost. Ah Shale... your entire existence is a test of your will and courage. You have my respect. The way is open. Good luck, and may you find what you seek."

The door behind the Guardian opened and the man was gone. The next room was a long hall with eight ghostly apparitions waiting patiently. The trio walked in and she went to the first spectre. The woman put to her a puzzle about dreams and revealed that she was Brona mother of Andraste. She spoked of the dream she had when with child. Each spectre put forth a riddle about the lesson they taught on Andraste. Jealousy, hunger, mercy, music, vengeance, home and the mountains that became her final resting place. When she had finished another door opened showing them the turned figure of a man.

As they came up to it the figure turned to reveal himself to be her father. The sight of her father brought a lump to her throat in grief. "My dearest child..."

"Father?" Ealisay sniffled.

"You know that I am gone, and all you prayers and wishing will not bring me back. No more must you grieve, my girl. Take the pain and the guilt, acknowledge it, and let go. It is time. You have such a long road ahead of you, and you must be prepared. And so I leave this in your hands...I know you will do great things with it." he handed her an amulet and vanished.

Ealisay studied the amulet carefully and smiled when she saw the fuzzy warm reflection within it. Maybe it was one of her family members: Oren, with his boundless curiosity or her mother with watching her with her gentle affection. Major whined next to her and she looked down at him.

"Lets go, you two." she replied softly.

The next room was a puzzle to make a stone bridge appear. It took them awhile with Shale complaining about the stupidity of it. "These ashes better be able to dry up the damned ocean that's all I'm saying." it replied when they had crossed the bridge.

She smiled at that and saw that the final test was a walk through fire...naked. Thankfully Genitivi had decided against going with them through the temple so that all she had to deal with was a dog who had seen her naked more times than anyone and a golem who would probably say something witty. She took off her armor and walked through the line of fire without feeling it.

"You have been through the trials of the Gauntlet; you have walked the path of Andraste , and like Her you have been cleansed. You have proven yourself worthy, pilgrim. Approach the Sacred Ashes."

The Guardian filled the hall with light and when he was gone she was clothed and the fire was gone. Ealisay turned back to the altar and started for it. The sight of the last resting place of the prophet was wondrous, awesome. She slowly climbed the stairs up to the Urn.

"What an odd thing to do with the honored dead... to store it in a pot. Bizarre..." replied Shale as she lifted the lid, took a pinch of ash and placed it in a small flask she kept for salves.

"Alright we're done here." she replied. "Let's get out of here before that dragon wakes up."


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Genitivi was waiting for them at the Temple entrance. "Welcome back! You were gone for quite some time. Well? Did you find it?"

"Yes."

What... what was it like? Coming to the Urn, I mean?"

"Grueling. There were tests." she answered.

"Test? Interesting. Very interesting. Perhaps my research will not seem so much like blasphemy to the Chantry now."

The group started off down the mountain towards Haven. Pity she had to slaughter all the villagers and the cultists but hopefully Andraste would forgive her that. The town was silent and Rabbit was still where she left him.

"We must organize an expedition. There is so much history here. It must be studied. And...and pilgrims should be allowed to come to the Urn."

"As long as you warn them about the High Dragon." she replied though Genitivi was not listening.

"I must return home. I have much to do. If you ever find yourself in Denerim, please visit me. I am not a rich man, but I have a small collection of...interesting artifacts, and I do owe you a reward for coming to my rescue." he clasped her hand in his. "I hope to see you soon my friend."

"Keep my horse, Brother." she replied pulling off her backpack. "You will need him more than I will."

"Really?"

"Yes, I'm tired of Shale complaining about not being able to ride him." she grinned.

"I was only pointing out about the bias of you riding the beast and not I." the golem replied sassily.