Аннотация: The initiation of recruits into the Grey Guards.
Chapter 8. Dedication
Chase was lying by the fire, his head on his paws, and whimpering. Sometimes his sharp ears twitched, catching extraneous sounds, but immediately relaxed again, not hearing anything interesting.
It was already dark, and there was no news from the recruits and Alistair. Intelligence reported that the horde would storm Ostagar again before dawn the next day, and there were many more of them than yesterday. They'll be at the walls in a few hours. Duncan had hoped that the recruits would return by then and be initiated, but he was getting more worried about them by the hour.
Mabari whined again and hadn't touched his food since they left, and only drank water. He was worried about his mistress and was sad. It reminded Duncan of the old days, when one of his fellow Guards also had a dog. They died together, distracting a crowd of darkspawn so that their friends could escape. Duncan sighed again. An officer spoke to him, relaying the king's orders for an imminent battle.
At that moment, Chase jumped to his paws, wagged his tail and barked in greeting. At that moment, Chase jumped to his paws, wagged his tail and barked in greeting. Elissa and her companions appeared at the gate that blocked the passage to the Wildlands. The dog happily ran towards him. Duncan turned around, breathed a sigh of relief, and returned to the conversation. The huge charging mabari almost knocked down the armored knight. Ignoring the human curses behind him, the dog skidded to a stop in front of his mistress and began jumping around her animatedly.
"Hello, baby," Elissa smiled and crouched down to pat her pet on the withers. "Have you missed me yet?"
"She's been walking around like a cloud all day, and then there's a dog, and she's smiling," Davet commented.
Chase barked affirmatively and happily wagged his little tail. Then he barked again, ran to the nearest bushes and brought a pie soaked in dog saliva in his mouth.
"Uh, and where did you get it..." the pie looked too solid for a soldier's meal, at least before. "No, I don't even want to know," Elissa sighed as Chase placed the loot in front of her. "No, I don't want to... I definitely don't want to, Chase. Eat it yourself... before some lord recognizes it as his former dessert."
Mabari devoured the delicacy with gusto and barked contentedly. The recruits were waiting for Duncan to be released.
"I hope this was the last test, and I won't have to prove anything else," Jory sighed.
Elissa was talking about something with the dogman who was examining her mabari. Davet was impatient. Alistair stood next to the others and was silent, staring at the ground.
"So, you have returned from the Wild Lands," Duncan finally told them. "Did you manage to find everything?"
Elissa took out flasks and papers from her bag. Duncan took only the blood, and asked to put the documents back for now. They will undoubtedly be needed later.
"We met a woman at that tower," Alistair began, "And her mother had the scrolls. They're both very... strange."
"Are they from wild tribes?"
"It doesn't look like it. They are probably apostate magicians hiding from the Church."
Alistair sounded like he was ashamed of his inaction towards those who broke the law. To which Duncan replied:
"Alistair, I know you used to be a Templar. But the Church has its own business, and the Grey Guards have their own. You have returned, and we can begin the Initiation."
"Finally!" Davet was inspired. "I can't wait to find out what it is."
"I agree. Let's get this over with," Jory nodded.
"Then let's get started. I asked the magicians to prepare everything. Alistair, take them to the old temple."
"And..." said Elissa, "do I have ten minutes?"
"Yes, but don't stay too long," Duncan nodded.
"The old temple is where you and I met."
At night, Ostagar shone with hundreds of lights. The shadows played beautifully on the statues and walls of the ancient ruins. The wind, which had been howling so much during the day, had died down. The camp was bustling, but Elissa, standing at the edge of the observation deck, could only hear the crackle of flames and the faint rustle of banners. The forest below seemed like a dark abyss, and the last streak of light was fading near the horizon.
"I don't see a path.
Perhaps there is only an abyss here.
Trembling, I step forward.,
Shrouded in darkness.
Although the darkness surrounds,
I will remain in the light.
I'll weather the storm. I will stand up."**
Elissa clutched the family portrait medallion in her hands and prayed. She prayed not so much to the Creator, but to the living, asking them to return, and to the dead, promising to fulfill her duty.
"Duty has always been paramount in our family."
"Become a Grey Warden and act according to your conscience."
Alice swears by it. By the memory of you and the name that you gave me. I'll take it out. I'll stand up. Alice swears by it.
"...what were you waiting for? Duncan had hinted before that Initiation was dangerous."
"How many trials can you do? I've already proved myself!"
The recruit guards were pacing back and forth and were restless. Alistair stood silently by their side and tried not to listen to them. When Elissa came over, he just nodded at her and stared at the ground again, picking at the small rubble with his boot. It wasn't like him.
"Maybe that's their custom," Davet continued. "In the end, it doesn't matter. The guardians are just doing their duty, right?"
"Is it their duty to sacrifice us too?" Jory was particularly agitated, and there was no trace of his former calmness.
"Wouldn't you sacrifice anything to save your sweet little wife from Pestilence, eh, sir knight? Wouldn't he have gone to his death for her?"
Jory had nothing to say. Former pickpocket Davet showed incredible determination. Duncan had given him a second chance, a second, more dignified life, and Davet was going to use it properly.
"We may die in this fight, but if no one stops the Pestilence, it's definitely the end of us and the whole of Ferelden," he concluded.
"So, we come to the Initiation ritual." Duncan approached as quietly as ever, placed a large silver goblet on the table, and turned to the three recruits.
"The Order of the Grey Wardens arose during the time of the First Plague, when the entire human race was on the verge of destruction. Then the first Guardian drank the blood of the creatures of darkness and was able to tame the fel."
"Do we... do we have to drink... this?" Jory asked, half in fright, half in disgust.
"Just like the very first Guardian before us, and like all of us before you. This is the source of our strength and the key to victory," Duncan said calmly.
"Those who survive Initiation become immune to the taint. We sense it in the creatures of darkness and use it to defeat the archdemon." Alistair explained.
"The ones who survive?"
The three recruits exchanged glances.
"Yes, not everyone who drinks this blood survives, but those who survive change forever. We don't say much before the Initiation, but these words have been spoken since the very first ritual. Alistair, are you ready?"
"Join us, brothers and sisters. Join us, hidden in the shadows, where we are vigilant. Join us, for we have a duty that cannot be denied. And if you are destined to die, know that your sacrifice will not be forgotten, and one day we will all join you."
"Davet, come here."
He exhaled and summoned all his willpower to accept the goblet of blood from Duncan's hands and bring it to his lips. A sip, and the poisoned blood spread through the body. Davet felt his throat burn, it burned as if he had drunk liquid fire. He screamed and scratched his neck, as if he was being torn from the inside out. His eyes turned white. Another scream, and Davet began to choke and tried to spit out the poison. He couldn't breathe and began to sink to the ground.
"I'm sorry, Davet," was the last thing he heard from Duncan before falling face down and falling silent forever.
"The Creator's Breath!" Jory blurted out.
Davet was dead. Elissa's breath caught in her throat. He had just aspired to become a Grey Warden, had been constantly chatting for the past two days, and now he had just died. Not from the sword, not from a creature of darkness, but from the ritual of the Guardians themselves. He died, that's all.
Alistair closed his eyes bitterly.
"Come here, Jory," Duncan continued calmly, as if the man hadn't even died in front of his eyes.
"No, no," the knight backed away, but his back hit the wall. "I have a wife, a child. You can't do that."
"There's no turning back," Duncan said sternly and handed him the goblet, but Jory shook his head and drew his sword.
"No, an inglorious death is too much...."
Duncan's eyes narrowed menacingly. He placed the goblet on the table and took out a dagger. Jory took a fighting stance, but his hand was shaking.
"Jory, put the sword away," Elissa whispered in horror, but he did not hear her and tried to attack the commander of the Gray Guards.
After two strokes, the dagger pierced into Jory's flesh, and blood stained his armor. Clutching the wound with his last strength, he fell to the ground with a groan and died.
Dead. He was killed by the same Duncan who took care of his charges, did everything to keep them in order, who worried about Elissa, treated her wound and saved her. He killed him. The blood of her recent comrade stained the dagger of the Commander of the Guards.
"The dedication is not finished yet."
Duncan looked into her eyes. Elissa shuddered. His eyes were scary, harsh, and cold. She continued to tremble as the Guardian handed her the goblet. Blood splashed against the elaborately carved rim as she clasped her trembling hands over it.... For the sake of all, surrender to this filth.
...and exhaled.
She swore.
Take a sip. Without thinking. Quickly. Bitterly. Painfully. It's hot. I think she was screaming. She scratched like a child. A sharp pain speared through her head. I clung to her. She wouldn't let go. Tormented and tormented. It made it difficult to breathe. The sky was disappearing. The earth was sinking into darkness.
Mom! Father!
Painfully.
"From now on, you are the Grey Guardian."
...Elissa fell into darkness.
When the girl started to fall back, Alistair caught her.
"She's alive," he breathed.
"Yes, she has a strong will," Duncan wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand and said sadly, "Stay with her, Alistair. I'll take care of the others."
He put the goblet aside, hoisted the lifeless Davet onto his shoulder and carried him somewhere. Then he came back and took Jory away. They no longer existed. Only their names as those who died at the Dedication will flash in the records in the distant fortress of the Gray Guards of Weishaupt.
Commentary on Chapter 8. Dedication
*See the book "The Calling" by David
Heyder
**Song of Light: Trials. Excerpts from verses 13 and 10. Elissa specifically chose these lines for prayer.
***The name "Elissa" means "the oath is my god"
You can follow the release of chapters by subscription or here: https://vk.com/akili_books
After all, there are important events ahead. Yes, yes, those are the ones!