I Be Duncan on Deez' Fools

POV: Marcus

So I thought to be a better commander why not see what the soldiers see right. So I went through all the videos last night and some of them were... disturbing. I saw several soldiers, for lack of a better word, play, with the enemy troops.

When they had the chance to immediately eliminate the opposition they made overly exaggerated and telegraphed moves that allowed the enemy to dodge and run away. Hell one even went so far as to chase just at a moderately slower pace than the poor guy and ran him all the way to Highever where God Damn Duncan saw him.

Fuck me. What was supposed to be a fast Hit and run has now turned into a Bogey man story. And Forge seriously tried to shush the guy into silence. I know the Arnold line isn't the brightest of the bunch, but come on man.

Rubbing my temples I say Fuck it. Grabbing a hearty breakfast I train for a bit before heading down to Highever to try salvaging the situation. Why? I'm bored and need something to do. I'm a busy body remember? As for Forge and the others that decided they wanted to play, hehehe I have something very special for them to do.

Walking outside I am once again greeted with the sight of a dragon sunbathing on my runway. If my innate fear of Flemeth didn't stop me I'd kick her scaly butt. After stretching a bit, I take a running start and throw myself off the edge of El Macho. Letting the wind whip me in the face I start laughing at the exhilaration I feel free falling. Making it maybe 3/4 of the way down I angle my feet down and slowly activate my thrusters slowing my fall until I land.

As I walk along the road to Highever I can't help but enjoy the scenery around me. it only takes me around 10 minutes to make my way there, as for how to get in. I lied. "I have information for The Warden-Commander Duncan. His ears only." Both guards look at one another before one sighs and walks inside. A few minutes of awkward silence later and I meet one of the people I thought was a badass as a kid. Duncan.

He stands just under my height at about 6'3, covered in rippling muscles, with slight signs of age appearing. I reach out to shake the mans hand and he returns the gesture. He grips my hand and squeezes but I honestly can't feel it, I return the same manly gesture until I hear his bones cracking at which I immediately stop and release his hand.

Duncan brings his hand up in front of him and massages it gently. After a little stare down he finally speaks. "I take it you are part of the men that were here last night?"

I don't immediately reply and I think Duncan took my silence as a need for privacy cause he leads me inside Highever to what I assume is the guest bedroom he's staying in. He walks over to a stand with some wine sitting upon it and pours us a glass each.

Handing mine over we take a few sips in silence before I see Duncan get antsy. I take one more sip to ponder on how much to tell him when I realize, does it really matter in the grand scheme of things. I mean it's not like I'm being super secretive as of late and it's worked out in my favor so far.

Besides I don't have to show my full hand, just a card or two. Nodding my head to myself I speak. "Hello Warden-Commander Duncan, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Marcus and yes, last night my men had to put down some sleazy rat that tried to bite off more then they could chew. I took it upon myself to deal with such vermin. Unfortunately a few of them managed to run away faster then I thought possible. My men had to give chase and cut them down. You saw one such encounter."

Duncan sips from his cup before saying anything. "Since you stopped them in their tracks it means you know who they were correct?" I nod and he runs a hand through his hair while sighing. "Are you willing to share just who it was that would attack the Couslands?" I nod. "Howe." Duncan curses under his breath before taking a large swill from his cup draining it.

Duncan then sits back in his chair and jokingly asks, "You wouldn't mind becoming a Grey Warden would you?" Which he tappers off with a low chuckle. Well the jokes on him. "It would be an honor to join the Wardens, however I only have one stipulation before doing so that I need confirmation on." That makes Duncan sit up straight and proper. "And what would this stipulation be exactly?" We've all seen how Duncan will kill someone to keep the secret on how to become a Warden safe so I hope he doesn't over react. "I need to study the ritual on how Wardens are created before saying yes. If you agree, not only will I join, but so will the men under my lead. You have my word in this Duncan."

POV: Duncan

First the nightmares return and my calling grows closer, then all the Wardens under my command start having some visions as well , which normally signifies a Blight is on the way. Then the events of last night conspire and leave me without sleep. Pouring myself some wine that Bryce has given me I think upon the situation I find myself in. Before I can think to hard a knock upon my door is heard. "Come in." With that a man walks in and tells me I have a visitor.

Being somewhat confused I make my way to the gate following behind the guardsman. When I walk out I see a giant of a man easily standing 7ft tall waiting for me. He reaches for a handshake and I reply in kind. Wondering absent mindedly how strong he might be I grip harder then first attended, but much to my shock his hand gives very little and does not seem to even register on his face. Then he squeezed back and I felt as if he were trying to turn my bones into dust. Thankfully he soon stops and removes his hand, while I cradle my own for the amount of ache it gives me.

I question him but he does not reply back. I don't believe him to be here to silence me so that must mean privacy is needed or he's not the talkative type. Gesturing for him to follow I lead him to my temporary quarters where we should be able to speak freely.

I pour us both a drink from the wine earlier and sit down. We both sip in tension filled silence. My battle instincts are screaming at me not to make any sudden movements for a dangerous beast is nearby, and one wrong step is all it will take to meet my end. I watch as he takes another sip from the ridiculously small cup in his hands before he looks me in the eyes and nods. As if I just passed some sort of test.

Then he speaks and it's as if a mountain is talking. A baritone so low and gravely he causes the wine in my cup to jostle about. Then I learn he is the leader of the one I saw last night and that he had his men give no quarter to whomever they fought. I ask if it's okay to know who and he tells me It's Howe. I always knew him to be up to no good but to attack one of the Teyrns' of Fereldan.

The madman has gone to far. I down the rest of my drink, and jokingly ask the monster in front of me to join the Grey Wardens AND HE AGREED! Granted he wanted to know how the ritual was performed and even wanted to study it, but then he told me his entire group would also undergo the ritual as well. So long as I spill the secret of the Wardens to him.

This man is no monster, No. He is a demon in disguise tempting me with what I so badly need. I can't help but ask. "What do you wish to learn from it?" The man looks down into his cup before looking back up at me.

I was not expecting what came next. "Fresh blood of a darkspawn, and a drop of Arch Demon blood. These two ingredients I know, what I don't know however is if I could improve the ritual. So I need the list of all the ingredients and the supposed effect they have and in which order they go. Then I can have my people do their thing and I guarantee they can make a better version."

I can't quite believe him, so I ask for proof and he simply held it out for me to take. A healing potion can make all the difference in a battle if used right. They normally offer low returns however, but when I popped the cork off the bottle the smell alone felt as if it was revitalizing my by old wounds. Unable to resist temptation I down the whole bottle and feel a pleasant heat spread from my stomach to all other areas of my body. I felt old wounds and bones stop aching and even the calling felt lesser in some way.

If this is simply a healing potion then I can only imagine what he might do with the ritual. If all he says is true then I don't really have anything to lose. In fact this is a great opportunity for the Wardens. I can't let this slip by, "You have a deal Marcus. I hope you can improve the ritual as you've said. However even if you aren't able to you must still join the Grey Wardens. The ritual is a secret only those of the order should know and even then, the cost of trying to improve it is too costly. If there is any other way in which I may be of assistance please do ask."

With that I stand and wait for Marcus to do so as well. He nods and drains the rest of his cup without a change in his face. Then I walk him out of the castle and watch as he disappears into the distance.

POV: Marcus

So I was impulsive, so what. I got what I wanted and became friends with Duncan. It's a win-win in my book. Plus now I can get Billions of minds to focus on how to improve this thing. Thank God I've got infinite amount of resources I can pull from.

I'm going to regret that aren't I?