No Real Haven

The Well of Emerald Waters

"What do you mean you heard a dragon?" Jongin asked for perhaps the tenth time. He rubbed his eyes and adjusted his clothes. Beside him, Luhan and the others did likewise. All except for the qunari who appeared confused now that everyone was up.

"Yeah, Kris, where is it?" asked Baekhyun.

The whole camp was awake and grumpy, eyes to the sky as they tried to make out the sight of... anything, really.

"I thought I heard..." Now that they were all awake, Kris' story was already starting to lose enthusiasm, even from himself.

"You just thought you heard a dragon? So you don't actually know if you heard one or not?" Baekhyun had lost all patience. They'd been awake ten minutes in full dress and armor, swords and shields out praying to Andraste that would be enough to fight off a dragon, all for... an incorrect hunch from the qunari who'd been on watch and woken them all up. Even Jongdae didn't have the patience for this. Before he could put on a full interrogation though, and he looked sleepy enough to maybe pull out his little friends to assist him, Jongin stepped in between the two of them. 

"Is it possible you misheard? Maybe it was just a bird or another animal?"

Luhan stepped up too, however, even as the large qunari visibly panicked, because he genuinely felt he was warning them of an imminent attack and now there was nothing. "Kris, you said you heard a dragon before on the other Imperial Highway. Was it around here? Did you actually see one yourself?

The answer to that turned out to be, yes, he'd heard one but no, he'd not seen one in person. Baekhyun sat down in disgust, probably intending to sleep away the remaining hour before sunrise and at this point, no one would blame him. Only Suho seemed to share the sentiment that perhaps it wan't a false alarm, and the dragon had just flown off. 

"But it sounded close!" Kris insisted, still lugging his two-handed sword across his back like it might be called into use at any moment.

"Maybe it could return?" Suho added, voice warbling with trepidation. Luhan realized the dwarf was actually quite frightened by the possibility, and it occurred to him that Suho as well had probably traveled this road before, and recently too, if the Carta's trade network to and from Orzammar was as extensive as he suspected. However, the dwarf had nothing to report either, and his answers reflected nothing other than vague fear. Rumors of this or that cult, but nothing concrete. Jongdae sidled up beside him and rested an elbow on his head. Fear was instantly replaced by frustration as he shook off the man's arm and scrambled away.

Like most of the times, Sehun remained silent, and Jongin didn't know if that was because he too was afraid or if his stoic nature just took precedence over everything else. All day he'd sulked because of Xiumin's disappearance and when nightfall came and still there was no sight of the mage. Luhan had caught both Jongin and Chanyeol pondering the boy's expression more often than night, like they suspected he knew more than he was saying. They probably suspected Luhan too, but he tried to act innocent in his apparent loss.

The others taunted him on the loss of his prisoner. He shrugged off their concerns and at the same time tried hard to pretend he was upset when really he just felt... nothing. He wouldn't feel anything probably until Xiumin came back. Like Sehun he was just kind of waiting optimistically. Being woken unexpectedly to Kris fussing over a supposed dragon was actually a really good distraction. The templar relaxed the quickest of all the party members, remaining calm even while the others now turned to taunting the qunari for being terrified of the skies.

"So, this dragon, was it large? Flying? What were the color of its wings? Its scales?" Jongdae pretended to wait Kris' answers like it was indeed important, brows furrowed, lips thin and it actually made Luhan want to laugh.

Kris continued to stutter over and over again and admit he hadn't seen it. He's only heard of it. And apparently heard it some minutes before they awoke. 

"So, basically there's no dragon," said Baekhyun, arms crossed even as he sat on the ground and looking completely unimpressed. "Well, if that's the case then we might as well pack up and get an early start. Unless anyone wants to sleep some more, but since we're all awake anyways!"

He smirked at Jongin, gained the warrior's approval, and they were ready to head off in less than fifteen minutes. 

For most of them it was unexplored territory. Haven had been a reclusive community, even in its supposed heyday. Situated on the western edge of Ferelden and hidden in the shadow of the Frostbacks, it was rarely frequented by visitors, outsiders. Only a few years ago had Luhan even heard of the place, heard tales of The Cult of Andraste, the entire set of villagers devoted for generations to the heretical notion that Andraste was not dead, but that she had instead been reborn as a... dragon.

If Luhan was a suspicious man, and also not a devout follower of the real faith of Andrastian worship, he might have entertained such a thought that the dragon Kris had heard... but that was a little far-fetched. Dragons were rare creatures, and if the cultists had indeed worshipped one, it was probably represented by the statue of an engraved idol, or else a mere notion. Besides, the cult was gone, decimated by the Hero of Ferelden in his/her quest to end the Blight. If the Chantry had told Jongin correctly, nobody should inhabit the town, although it would be a great hiding spot for a bandit camp.

And a rogue apostate, according to Jongdae's intelligence, if that was true.

The path to Haven was a slower one than the Imperial Highway though. Narrow, more and more trees hiding the road, the sunlight blocked from view even after it should have been high in the sky. Luhan knew there were mountains close by but they couldn't been seen from here, and the entire forest took on a damp, unsettling atmosphere. The mule Suho rode shied more than once at the screech of unseen wild animals, none of which came close, but eventually he had to get off and walk in order to calm the animal that way, and Sehun too, after almost taking a tumble from their horse, dismounted and lead the beast by the harness.

"This path isn't creepy at all," said Baekhyun once.

"Quite the little cross-country jaunt," said Jongdae.

A bird squawked from somewhere in the trees, and Chanyeol jumped, nearly falling into Luhan, who dodged quickly while holding out an arm to steady the warrior.

"Thanks." Chanyeol quickly dislodged himself, and pretending he'd never been startled, he took to muttering about how he wished he'd updated his requisitions lists back in Redcliffe because he was sure within some of these plans they were brushing past, there must be some rare and uncommon herbs.

"Give it up," Baekhyun said to him. "No one has time to stop and smell the blood lotus. I sort of feel like we ought to reach Haven before nightfall."

Jongin frowned. "We should though, if this path is correct, and I'm certain it is."

Baekhyun hummed. "I didn't mean we wouldn't get there in the allotted time, I mean we should get there because... because, at least in the village there might be some shelter."

"You are worried about something?" asked Jongdae. Both Suho and Sehun looked suddenly towards the elf, startled by Jongdae's question.

"Am I? I don't know. Just like to be cautious you know."

"And what if we find anyone in Haven?" the assassin continued.

"Like who?" Chanyeol asked.

Luhan and Jongin both exchanged glances. Bandits? Outlaws? A trace of the old cultists? How about that apostate that Jongdae was evidently hinting at already. And what if was a whole den of them?

Luhan wished suddenly that Xiumin would catch up sooner rather than later. Against magic users he had never been unconfident, but without an ally of their own, Luhan felt that much more exposed.

"I miss the dog," said Chanyeol glumly.

"Me too, actually," quipped Jongdae. "He was quite a mouth-breather, but still more silent than the rest of some of you. And even smelled better!"

Everyone in the party swiveled their heads to glare at him, even the dwarf who seemed to bristle and take it more personally than the rest.

"Oh, I didn't mean you of course!" cried Jongdae playfully, although Suho refused to acknowledge the 'correction' to his words. Jongdae smiled and chuckled. Sehun grimaced, ruffling his own hair. He froze when a few dead leaves caught between his fingertips and even Kris laughed when he tried discretely to remove them.

"Says the man with horns on his head," the boy actually muttered. Luhan raised his eyebrows, looking at Sehun with newfound approval.

Around noon of course, Kris swore suddenly that he'd heard something. And by something he meant the dragon, again. That was evident by his alertness, head tipped back as he stared through the treetops.

"I didn't hear anything," said Baekhyun. The elf's ears, however, were on full alert too as he tried to make sense of anything. Anything at all.

Now that everyone was riled up again, Jongin tried to be assertive. "Kris, are you certain there's a dragon?"

He didn't answer right away, cause to disbelieve him, although of course there was that itch in the back of Luhan's mind that said he couldn't be sure either.

"So... nobody heard that? I mean, I think it was far away but, now I'm not sure."

Baekhyun smirked, but he smiled sympathetically and patted the giant on his forearm, one of the only places he could reach. "There there. If we find a dragon ever, then we'll know. In the meantime, come on. I think we're probably close."

Close, according to Baekhyun meant another two hours. Finally though they stumbled out of the forest, cautiously because who knew what they would find. Jongin took the lead and each hastened behind him as silently as they could, no one speaking. They found a sloped path leading down towards a small lake with a partially destroyed dock, but they by-stepped it quickly. The town itself was barren, just as they'd been lead to believe.

"This place... wow."

A ghost town, and each of them shivered. Some houses still remained, others had burned, hollow shells with a few walls still standing. 

"You don't think... all of us need to explore this, right?" Chanyeol questioned before they could broach the the village where the hint of a fence remained. He immediately deflected his statement. "I mean, you really want to take Sehun into this? It looks haunted. Could be a trap even."

"A trap for who?" asked Suho, looking nervous. His hand hovered close to the hilt of the mace he'd been learning how to use but still wasn't overly confident about.

"I can fight. I'm no baby," said Sehun.

Jongin frowned, but he nodded all the same. "You're right, Sehun, but we should really split up. Chanyeol, you and Luhan, Sehun and Kris take the right fork, see if there's anything to be found around the back side of the homes. The rest of us will go down the center and see what we come up with. If nothing, we all meet at the ridge of that hill and go no further until we've assessed. Alright?"

Only Jongdae half-heartedly complained about being told what to do, but his grumbling put no halt on his actions. He followed Jongin willingly at this juncture, for lack of anything better to do.

"Right," said Luhan. "See you on the other side of the village."

 

 

 

 

Baekhyun really didn't like this place. "You know, Jongin, I know I said it was good to take a short detour, but this town, really? Why on earth can't the Chantry send some of their own to explore it?"

"You mean like the templars? Well, we have one of those too."

Baekhyun scoffed. "Luhan's just wasting time out here." He had more words to say probably, but the deserted village of Haven made him nervous. He'd seen places like this before, elven homesteads going to ruin, their inhabitants long run off. So many places in the world where one force of people had driven out another. Haven might not have included any elves, but people were people, and if a cult had lived and thrived here, those were souls too. How may ghosts were here, hiding in the shadows? 

And also, what kind of magic had they known? The place reeked of something, Baekhyun could sense it. Blood lust, or perhaps a skill tree even more heinous. In the entryway of one of the houses he entered, there was the remnant of an alter, table in ruin, cloths burned away, but a few bones littered the ground, including a human scull. Beneath the burned out wood, the flood was stained a dark kind of red, either from the person who had died here or from something else entirely.

"Reavers," said Jongdae, out of the blue.

"What?" Jongin turned to him in question. Baekhyun did not turn around, because the moment the assassin mentioned it, Baekhyun knew it made sense.

"These people were reavers."

"How do you know?" Jongin asked.

It was Baekhyun who responded though, pointing at the altar and at the ground, not asking out loud if Jongdae guessed it by the same symbols or if he knew more about Haven than he was letting on.

"It'll take a lot of work if someone the Chantry wants to reinhabit this town," said Baekhyun. "But there's absolutely nothing in the village here. I suggest we round this up and get up to that old Chantry temple. If anyone's moving back here, that's the first place they'll want to go."

"Yeah, and also the place where outlaws would hide," Jongdae added.

Suho shivered, and despite the others not carrying their weapons yet in their hands, Suho had out his mace, prepared for anything.

They made their way around a few other homes but found nothing dissimilar, and from afar they spotted the others scoping out the other side of the village with nothing exciting happening there either.

"So, this dragon," Jongdae inquired after a few more minutes of silent searching.

"What about it?"

"Do you think it's real? Kris seemed convinced."

Jongin was about to say no, but Baekhyun interrupted him, even surprising himself. "I wouldn't be too surprised actually, if there is one."

"What?"

"What!" cried the others.

"But, you said there wasn't one..." Suho's voice trembled again.

"I did, but you never know, really. This is the Frostbacks we're talking about here. Who knows what's beyond those mountain peaks."

"Have you ever seen one?" Jongin asked.

Baekhyun smiled. "Maybe..."

"Maybe?!" Suho cried once more. "Here? Here in Ferelden?"

Again he just smiled. "Maybe."

 

 

 

 

They met up with the other half of their party on the other edge of town, neither groups having discovered anything worthwhile other than that the town was a mess from when it was last inhabited, remnants of a grotesque  battle, and that it had since been looted many times over. The most interesting things of value were the rare herbs and mushrooms that seemed to have blossomed in the absence of regular traffics of people, half of which Chanyeol had stopped to harvest, almost to the point of being kicked in the shins by both Luhan and Sehun because he kept holding them up. Unnerved, he'd tucked his prizes into a satchel, promised to show them to Jongin later to show how useful they were, and that was the end of it. 

They stood facing a hilltop then, one lone structure there, what used to be the old Chantry temple which the residents had erted and desecrated. 

"They even had a male priest," Luhan confided to the party, and Jongin shivered because such a thing was quite unheard of.

"Worshipped a dragon, lead by a man," Baekhyun intoned dramatically, before he giggled. "How positively awful..." 

"We should investigate," said Jongin quickly, before the elf could say anything else heretical. Jongin might have a healthy obsession with using Andraste's name in vain, paired with various articles, but standing in the midst of a village whose inhabitants had gone so far astray made his bones tingle. Dragon worship paired with skillfully encouraged blood lust, and this was not a place he wanted to be. In fact, he already regretted taking the Chantry's coin to go on this mission, but since he had agreed, he refused to abandon the quest now. He was a completist like that. Protect Sehun and get him to his aunt's home, and help out the Chantry as well, those were the focal points in his life right now, until either or were completed and he could check them off. 

They ascended the fortress-like temple building several to a row, Jongin and Luhan in front with their shields out, Jongdae on the end. Behind them walked Kris and Chanyeol, Sehun in between and Suho making up the rear. Baekhyun disappeared halfway up the hill, to find a good vantage point, he'd said, in order to scout or protect them from the rear. Jongin watched him go covertly, almost swearing he caught the elf vanishing as he swept behind a tree. 

The front door to the temple was shut, but unbarred. Jongin opened it with one heavy kick from his boot, dust scattering from its ridges and settling into the space beyond. Luhan moved in first, Jongdae right behind him, the rest in a line, and Jongin made sure they were all in without incident before he checked behind them, and then entered himself.

He wasn't sure what to expect here. Other than Luhan's note about a possible apostate, there could also be bandits, or there could be none at all. At first glance it seemed to be the latter. The insides of the temple were dark, and the smell rather dank. A single stray of light played against the scene from a hole in the wall all the way across the nave, and that coupled with with the light from the entry way proved that indeed there wasn't a single person on the main floor. 

"Check the corners, any rooms off to the side. See if there are stairs leading to a basement," Jongin instructed them. Everybody but Sehun moved to spread out, the boy calmly paralyzed with his two training daggers wobbling within each hand.

"You can relax probably," Jongin tried to assure him. "I think this place is good and abandoned."

"A-are you sure?" 

"Probably," he echoed with a shrug, watching as most of the members regrouped, all except for Chanyeol who was casually shouting out reports of there being a dungeon down below. Even Suho had put his mace back into the harness across the back, when Chanyeol returned with a frown across his brow, lips opened as if to speak. 

"There's-"

But then Baekhyun appeared against the temple doorway, whispering harshly, "Bandits approaching!" before rushing into the temple as well, every one of them now trapped inside. 

All of them scurried into action, taking up defensive positions as Baekhyun warned of at least half a dozen humans, one of which had seen him, and therefore they were rushing to attack. 

"Let them come!" Jongdae sang happily as he drew forth his little friends. 

"Any mages?" Luhan asked, running opposite the doorway from Jongin so they could take on the first intruders who came through the door. 

"Nope!" Baekhyun replied. "All normal. Big hairy men, long swords, probably unwashed."

"As long as they're not leading in a dragon as well, I think we can handle this!" Chanyeol roared, just as the bandits yelled taunts from the outside. 

It was a surprisingly short battle. Regrettably, the first two bandits died horribly because they charged right in like human battering rams, and once behind the line of the two shield warriors, it only took one lash from Kris's greatsword to break them in two, literally; the other four, realizing they were outnumbered took off the way they had come in a ridiculously fast manner. It was all very, anti-climatic. Except that Kris was covered in blood and Suho, on accident, was also splattered. 

"Is that it?!" Jongdae in particular was disappointed. "And here I was all geared up for a fight."

Sehun hadn't even come out from behind Jongin's back. Chanyeol meanwhile chased the remaining bandits halfway down the hill until it seemed guaranteed they wouldn't come back. Baekhyun fired off one air just for good measure, and then they returned. Luhan hadn't even dirtied his sword. Suho was still grimacing to himself, too disgusted to even wipe his face. Jongdae held out his sleeve before the dwarf's face, as if that was an acceptable option. He snickered though, and Suho brushed past him in search of a cloth from his own bag of supplies. 

"Sorry," Kris muttered sheepishly at Suho shaking his head. 

Jongdae recovered from his disappointment fast. "Why be sorry? Two bandits are dead, and hey... look at the coin they carry! Who wants some gold pieces, come on. Suho? Need some gold? You can buy a new tunic the next time we run into a merchant. Else I can just give you mine." 

"I'm good, thanks."

The assassin smirked, then assisted Chanyeol and Luhan to drag the two dead bodies outside the temple. "Good riddance," said Chanyeol. "We can burn them later. In the meantime..."

Jongin finally remembered that before Baekhyun's warning, Chanyeol had been about to say something. When pressed though, the taller warrior frowned, confused, citing that he'd found a bedroll down in the dungeon but only one, like someone had been living down there even. Probably not a camp of bandits either. 

"And it seemed like this was recent?" Luhan asked, already stalking towards the staircase down to investigate. 

"Yes. There's even some foodstocks down there, unspoiled too." 

Baekhyun and Suho kept watch while the others ventured down, Luhan leading the way down the damp stone staircase, muttering how he wished they had a lantern or a torch. Their bodies cast shadows from the dull light from the main floor, and Jongin nearly ran into Luhan's back, the templar almost stopping completely when it grew too dark. Then they noticed how their shadows suddenly loomed in the other way, lit from below. Chanyeol had failed to mention there was light down here, a soft blue glow, unnaturally made. 

"Veilfire," Luhan whispered, stunned into a trance, before he gestured wildly to the cold, bluish rays. 

"What's veilfire?" Sehun echoed from behind him.

"Magic..." It was Jongdae who answered. 

Luhan charged forward, hitting the ground step with his shield raised, sword still hooked to this side, but his palm out instead, seeking the mage who must have lit the veilfire. Two of the bluish torches lined one wall of the dungeon, another one in a corner opposite right above the bedroll Chanyeol had already noticed. But there was no one here.

"It's a mage for sure though," said the templar, and by his look, Jongin was sure this was the apostate Luhan said might be here, which could mean anything. A local hideout, a temporary home. Or a trap. The veilfire flickered as one, as a cold air swept across the dungeon, an ominous sign that made Jongin's blood run cold.

"Everybody out now!" he ordered without fail.

Sehun was the first one to move, so startled that he tripped over his own feet, and he dropped one of his daggers which skidded across the stone floor. Luhan suddenly gasped. "Sehun, leave it!" But the boy was already moving towards his lost weapon, one knee hitting the ground, dirt scattering from the impact. Halfway into his reach, however, is when he crossed the line. Jongin saw it just as Sehun did, a faintly drawn circle that glowed against the ground. A rune. A trap. 

It set off the moment Sehun touched it, a blast of green like a million spirits rising from the earth. They rose and swarmed, a whirlwind storm that captured the boy within its midst, body convulsing as he was thrown on his back, head whipped back, body arching as he screamed and wailed. Luhan dropped his shield and rushed toward the circle, palms held out as if trying to calm the storm, tempering it with an anti-magic spell. 

"Luhan, can you stop it?"

"Can you get him out?!" 

Chanyeol was already inching towards the boy in the storm, Kris by his side. Even Baekhyun was flying down the stairs, Suho behind him, both panicked from the sound of the blast, and when the dwarf flew past the warriors in fright, Jongdae held him back. 

"I c-can't!" Luhan cried, face contorting, but for all his concentration the spirit whirl did not end. Sehun continued to writhe inside, tears streaming down his face and Jongin was just about to throw everything to the wind and dive in after him... when another blast crashed over their heads, initiated from behind them, and the spell came to an end.

Half of them rushed towards Sehun; the others twirled around. In a corner where no one had stood, there was now a man. A mage with a stern face, pale blond hair, cautious smile, and his arms up by his head. The surrendering posture was the only thing that saved him from an imminent counterattack. Luhan nearly tackled him. Kris actually did. He smacked into the mage's side, wrapping the man's arms behind his back, and the second reason the mage didn't die a horrific death from a dull bludgeoning was because Jongdae was still holding back the dwarf. 

"Everyone stop," Luhan cautioned. Baekhyun was cradling Sehun along the ground, the boy breathing shallowly but he was alive, tears streaking down his face. The mage wasn't squirming either, waiting judgment. 

"Luhan, what is it?" Jongin asked, weapon still raised.

"He stopped it. He's the one who broke it."

"What, the spell?"

"Yes," Luhan replied. The mage glanced slyly between them both, Kris' arms already loosening from around him. Next to the qunari, he looked like a doll, delicately fierce, and but with the glimmer of a smile, one shy dimple appearing upon his cheek. 

"I'm sorry," the mage finally spoke. "I wasn't expecting... visitors today." 

 

 

 


4,455 words

 

Ta da!! Meet our 11th character. I'm guessing nobody needs to ask me his name. ;)

Good news for progress and stuff, but I am officially back to writing chapters ahead of time, which means plan on get regular Friday updates for a while. Yay! I'm super happy to bring you this chapter, and sorry for the cop-out about the dragon attack! Or, am I? *makes plans for the dragon* Oh yeah, I'm just gonna let everyone sit on this for a while. 

Please, let me know how everyone likes the chapter. Even if you don't have much to comment, I get very giddy at every little notification! *hint hint: please comment* Or upvote. But comments are sweeter. :)

♡ Rosie

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Fic completion alert: Little Cat, Who Made Thee - Kittyau, 84k words [Taohun, Xiuhan, Sudo]. Please read if you have not. It is one of my favorite fics :)

 
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ShiningRose
Maker's Crap! Guys, this fic is NOW COMPLETE! *sets off fireworks, then takes a very long, long nap*

Comments

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imanma #1
Chapter 54: I literally could not get enough of this fic. Characters are awesome. The entire thing is so great from start to finish. So many great moments throughout. I’m kinda just in shock now that it’s over. Thanks you so much for writing this, authornim!
Xiuhanisloveok #2
Chapter 54: YO DUDE I FINISHED THIS IN THREE DAYS IN THE MIDDLE OF MY EXAMS AND I LOVE IT! SO! MUCH!
deerestwinter
#3
Chapter 54: I wanted to skip the coex but i can't find myself to do it. Hahaha i didn't realize this has been going on for 2 1/2 years already.. It was long but sure worth reading. And thank you for that. i guess we have to look forward to for more.
Rb2012 #4
Chapter 54: Congratulations on completing the story . Yaaaaaaaaaaay
pukkajoe
#5
Chapter 54: It's complete and I will miss your story so much. I really like the plot, the adventures, characters, and end(s all) were great! Thank you!
RedRoses96 #6
Chapter 54: OMYGOSHHH ITS THE END!!!! T-T ( >~<)
I THOUGHT THE ENDING WERE BETWEEN THE 6 /im bewildered so much especially the handsome baek's one tho/. and then i saw the epiloge x'''''D

Holy molly u should now how much i love this fic. After almost 2 years following this fic, its so hard to describe how i feel right now lol x"D *sob*
Thank u so much for writing this wonderful fic authornim *smooch both of ur cheeks* lop u and this fic so much, gbu! <333333
MoroccanBlackDragon
#7
Chapter 1: How did u make a map?
Rb2012 #8
Chapter 45: Whay happened T^T
RedRoses96 #9
Chapter 45: Is baekhyun dead?!? OMO O_o
OMG i'm not ready for the end T-T
This fic has been my jam for years
1fanfic #10
Chapter 44: ohhhh shoot. I just caught up up with the story, reading three chapters in a row, only to be left with another bloody cliff hanger! lol the frustration ;D