[IC] Dragon Blood Brotherhood (AC+Dragon age Prequel)

[ThePirapora]

Denerim. Market District. Year 9:15

Wulfram frowned beneath his helmet as he and two of his Templars made their way through one of the many narrow back alleys of the Denerim Market District. It was still surprising how the smell of dirt, feces and unwashed bodies managed to somehow get worse as they delved deeper and deeper into the labyrinthine pathways behind the Market. The nervous shopkeeper guiding them to their target continued to look over his shoulder, watching his surroundings for any hints of bandits lurking in the shadows. As if these ruffians would dare to incur the wrath of the Templar Order. Specially now that it was in the interests of everyone for the Templars to be allowed to carry out their mission without interruptions.

Ser Wulfram, a Captain of the Order commanded the group. With him marched Ser Reinholm, a bear in the shape of a man and rumored bastard of the Bann of South Reach. And Ser Vivian, a woman of Chasind origin who was raised by the Chantry. And of course, Yuriah, the owner of a fish stand and their guide. A couple of hours before the man had ran into the Cathedral screaming about a crazy mage threatening the market. Once he had been calmed down by the Sisters, he was able to explain that a street urchin had blasted one of his Mabari Hounds with a small fireball. Soon after a mob had been formed and started to pursue the kid. That was the last that Wulfram had heard. Maker willing he would still be able to get the situation under control.

As the group delved deeper into the twisting alleyways, the sound of a commotion grew clearer and louder. Eventually finding themselves facing the back of the mob, some 30 people armed with torches and a varied array of tools, all packed in a slightly less narrow back alley. The mage in question had to be on the other side of the angry mob.

"THE TEMPLARS ARE HERE! MAKE WAY AND DISPERSE IMMEDIATELY!" Ser Wulfram yelled to the crowd. Heads turned to face him and some people in the back of the group. Cheering was heard while those in the front resumed their threats to the urchin mage.The kid replied with an uncontrolled fire ball that thankfully spiraled out of existence before harming anyone. This only spurred the mob even more and soon rocks were being thrown at the kid. The fools were already underestimating the rogue mage, Wulfram had to act immediately before things could get out of control.

"STAND BACK! STAND BACK AND LET US HANDLE IT! TEMPLARS WITH ME!" The Templar yelled to the crowd and charged the urchin as he unsheathed his sword and unstrapped the shield from his back. Followed closely by Ser Vivian, armed with a mace and shield and Ser Reinholm with his greatsword.

As expected, the mage kid freaked out and tried to attack the Templars, extending his hands and threatening the Templars. Luckily for everyone involved nothing happened and soon the three Templars were already over the kid, easily overpowering and knocking him. The whole thing happened quickly and in less than a minute the mage was already bound, drugged and being carried across the shoulders of Ser Vivian like a dead deer.

The trio them started to make their way back to the Cathedral while the crowd cheered. No doubt already thinking of ways to embellish the story that they were going to tell about the incident. By the end of the day they would be telling people that the kid summoned an army of demons to fight the Templars or something like that. As for Ser Wulfram and his fellows, the kid could wake up soon, for sleeping potions were never to be trusted completely, and so they needed to remain alert. A scared and untrained mage was an even bigger threat than a trained one. With any luck they would reach the Cathedral soon. Once they would be able to calm down the kid and arrange for an escort to take him to Lake Calehand and the Circle.

After a few minutes of walking Ser Reinholm asked:;

"Do you really have to hold him like that Vivian? It's a kid not a dead animal."

"It's a dangerous mage Ser Reinholm. Caution is never enough around these types." The other Templar replied with a shrug. "You, as a Templar should be aware of that."

"I'm just saying that treating a scared kid as a bloodthirsty blood mage might be counter-productive. Don't you agree with me Captain?" Ser Reinholm replied.

"Do not underestimate those with the taint of magic Ser Reinhol. Who knows what kind of demon may be whispering to him right now in the Fade?" Ser Wulfram admonished his subordinate as he tried to retrace the path they took before. These damned alleyways were starting to look the same to him and the smell somehow had gotten worse.

"Maker's Breath!" Ser Vivian shouted angrily."The little bastard just pissed on my shoulder!" Ser Reinholm chortled and Ser Wulfram ignored the two, he still wasn't sure if he had taken the right path back to the Cathedral. The sounds of the market were getting more and more distant and they were still walking through trash-filled and dirt-ridden narrow alleyways.

Thirty minutes later and a lot of useless banter between Reinholm and Vivian, the trio had finally managed find their way out of the back alleys and into the main streets. Unfortunately they emerged right in front of the Pearl. It took them another long walk to reach the Cathedral. By then, the kid was already starting to wake up, so Ser Wulfram put him under the cares of the Chantry sisters and his two subordinates while he went on to deal with the necessary paperwork and arrange an escort for the trip to Lake Calenhad

[axleonex]

Rilum had scouted the Chantry Cathedral for two weeks before finally deciding to enter. The atmosphere itself felt generic to him. He was partially raised in a Chantry and could easily tell who were and weren't high priests and priestesses. He could see who were the gossips and hypocrites. By now he could identify among the young orphans who would grow up to be contributors of the church or criminals on the streets.

His target was a retiree. Eighty years old with no immediate family. He was a highly respected priest in his last few years of Chantry service, but has since then fallen iinto depression and alcoholism. Why would the brotherhood want him dead? They have a strict policy of "Kill for reason, not revenge." To Rilum he was just another object to play with. Although discretion is asked from him Rilum always makes sure to let his target know how and why they're going to die.

Rilum hid under the floor boards of one of the top bedchambers in the Chantry. After two weeks of learning the target's schedule he could now safely assume that the former priest was ready to drink himself to sleep. After four hours of waiting the door opened. Rilum waited quietly.

"Fuck'n bitches," the old man said. Rilum could smell the ale dripped into his clothes. "Thirty fuck'n years of war and thiss iz all I get?" Rilum slowly lifted the floor boards from under the bed. He slowly peaked out his sword out from under. The man continued to speak to himself, "Damn mage deserved to die. Good mages are dead mages." Rilum stabs the sword through the bed. He discreetly cuts far enough to pierce through the old man's skin. With the slow precision he put into it, the piercing felt like a pinch to the drunk man. "Ugh." The old man rolled over. Instead of standing up from bed he tumbles onto the floor. From there the man sees Rilum's sword peeping out from under the bed's floor boards. "Defuq are you?"

The old man's jaw goes numb. He's unable to speak as Rilum crawls out from the tight space beneath the bed. "Hello Halbert." Rilum stands up straight and stretches his back. His hours spent under that tight crawl space earned him a stretch. "My name is Rilum, and I'm the last friend you'll ever make." He swings his arms around and swings his hips around for a good stretch. After cracking his neck Rilum picks up the retiree and places him on his bed. "How does the poison feel? It'll keep you from moving but it won't reduce your pain." Rilum places a small knife on his cheek and cuts down along the face. "I enjoy speaking to people before they die, it's the only time I can see them honest. If you'd like to say something I would certainly like to hear it."