Dragon Age Origins: I Am Cousland

Chapter 22: Into Darkness

Chapter 22: Into Darkness

I barged out of the manor into the streets, spinning around to Alistair who had the same expression on his face. 

"The deep roads!" I yelled, pressing my hands against my face, "To find someone who is most likely long dead by now," I grumbled, braiding my hair.

"It's never easy," Alistair sighed, walking towards me. A look of worry plastered on his face, but he didn't say anything about it.

"Let's tell the others to prepare." I said quickly, spinning around to head back to the tavern.

We walked in silence back to the others, I was tense from what had just happened and burst loudly through the doors of the tavern, the others jumped up, staring.

"What's the matter?" Cullen walked towards me, arching his eyebrows.

"Harrowmont wants us to go into the deep roads to search for a paragon to help his cause." I growled, Cullen's eyes widened. 

"The deep roads?" Morrigan moaned, the red haired dwarf was glaring at us from the corner of the room. I narrowed my eyes at him and moved to look at Morrigan, nodding slowly. 

"I would suggest getting ready, we leave within the hour." I spat out, pushing away from the others and plopping into a chair in the corner. 

"You're heading into the deep roads?" A gruff voice awakened me from my thoughts.

"What?" I looked around, the red haired dwarf was glaring up at me, arms crossed.

"If you're going into the deep roads, I'm coming with you." He said quickly. I arched my eyebrows. "Branka was my wife." He said.

"Ah," I said, pushing out of the chair. "You can come if you really want to." I waved my hand at him.

"I'm Oghren." He growled.

"I'm Katria, you've met Morrigan." I smiled.

Oghren smiled wickedly, "Cullen is the brooding one in the corner, Alistair is well, Alistair." I laughed, "Leliana is the eccentric one and well that's all." I said. Oghren nodded and walked over to the group, saying something rather loud and stumbling out the door. I rolled my eyes and walked back over to the group.

"Can we get this over with then?" Morrigan spat, I glared at her.

"Let's go." I said motioning towards the door.

We walked through the commons and down a small alleyway until the stone floor turned to a red mud. "Through there." Oghren said, motioning to a large opening in the mountain that led into a narrow path.

Alistair puffed out air, "I hate the deep roads." he sighed, looking over at me. 

"Have you ever been in them before?" I asked, arching my eyebrows at him. He shook his head.

"Duncan told me stories," He said quietly as we walked through the narrow tunnel. "Lots of darkspawn," He said, looking down at his feet.

We walked through the dark tunnels for some time, until a orange color flooded the area and the tunnels opened into a large chamber with large pillars with faded geometric designs. The rock was chipping and collapsing into the chasm below. 

"Sodding deep roads." Oghren growled, Alistair agreed and walked on ahead, scouting the area. Cullen walked up to me, looking around the area. 

"What do you think we'll find down here?" He asked, looking at me concerned. 

I shrugged. "Hopefully most of the darkspawn are above ground now and it won't be too much of a struggle." I said quietly, I pulled my hair away from my face.