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In the flickering light of the Deep Roads, Aveline Vallen had a vision.
It was of the sacrifice and strength required to live every day as a last one. Of love foresworn, stolen only when all other things were done. Of honor and pride, centuries of tradition and training stretching back in unbreakable vows sturdier even than those uttered by Templars to the Chantry. Of rigor and hardship, endless training and watches stood in the night. Of that choice, defending the world against the tide of darkness that strained to overcome it. Of standing alone against that terrible darkness. It was of herself, leaving behind her entire life again and taking vows as a Grey Warden.
It made her gasp, silent and quick. Only the Warden noticed, his eyes flickering to her face with some understanding. Her companions knelt around a corpse, consulting in low voices about the darkspawn and returning back to Kirkwall. They would carry word to the Warden’s sister in the city of his safety and he would return to the Warden Commander with news of the Dark Spawn here.Except that suddenly, rashly, Aveline did not wish to return.
Aveline had argued against going further down these dark passages. The memory of the Deep Roads expedition that ended in Bethany’s death still made her feel a bit ill.
“Protecting fools from themselves,” she said with some rancor at the idea of going further. Hawke disagreed and she followed reluctantly. She would be damned for a fool rather than leave her last Fereldan friend to risk death without her. She even bit her tongue when they discovered no other survivors in the dark tunnels, only more darkspawn and spiders maddened by the blight.
She was not a mystical or religious person, little inclined to visions. It made the one she saw now all the more compelling. It was on her lips to offer her sword and accompany the Warden in the darkness, to leave behind Kirkwall and the guard and even Donnic in one dizzying gesture. The Warden checked her motion with a gentle hand on her sword arm, pulling her a step away.
“Your bravery does you credit, Guard Captain.” Nathaniel Howe inclined his head respectfully. “But I must leave now and travel swiftly to my brothers to let them know what happens here.”
“Alone?” she echoed. “That is folly. I would-” The Warden squeezed her arm and she stopped, glancing behind her. Hawke stood with a weary expression on her face, wiping blood from her knives with the ragged edge of her cloak. Beside her, Anders glared into the shadows and Varric rolled up his maps with a crisp rustle of parchment. For a handful of years, they had been her closest companions.
“This is the way things should be,” he said quietly. “They need you, Aveline. More than the Wardens, they need you.”