"In War, Victory. In Peace, Vigilance. In Death, Sacrifice."
- Grey Warden motto

He glided through Ostagar that night, a speck of white glimmering in the darkness. He had heard so many times that Ferelden smelled of mud and wet dog, and he noticed it all the more that night. The Tower didn't smell nearly this bad, but when it rained as often as it did and there were dogs and an entire army camped here, it was to be expected.

"I'll be just a minute, Alistair. I have to get this herb to the kennel master."

Alistair only nodded and he watched them continue on for a moment. His eyes wandered to the ground. It was dry now, but he could tell that the sky was threatening to fall at any moment. There would be mud again soon enough.

He was sweating by the time he reached the kennels. How could anyone live in this humidity? How could they think it was cold?

He heard a gasp and looked up from the ground to see the kennel master making a sign against evil.

"Oh, it's you! I do apologize, I thought you was a ghost..."

"I get that a lot," Kayden said as he handed over a white flower to the man, "Is this the herb you were looking for?"

"Yes, that's it! Thank you, this should help."

Kayden looked back at the ground for a moment. He wanted to ask, but he didn't know if it would be -.

"He should be fine in just a few days. Maybe come back and we'll see about imprinting him on you."

Was this man a mind reader? "Do you think that can be done?"

"Maybe, I've heard of it happening before. No harm in trying."

Kayden looked over the short fence at the sick and muzzled dog. He seemed to be having a peaceful sleep. That was good enough for him.

He nodded and thanked the kennel master when Alistair approached, "Duncan wants us to meet him at the temple. Let's get a move on, shall we?"

Kayden sighed, falling into step behind Alistair as they made their way to the old Temple where the Joining Ritual awaited him and the other recruits.

He had read about the history of the Blights back at the Circle Tower. The Blights, the Grey Wardens... It seemed so long ago that he sat in the Circle's library pouring over history books and magical texts. In all his time in the library, he had never come across anything about the Joining Ritual and he certainly never expected that one day he might join the Warden ranks.

Things like this seemed out of reach for him. The First Enchanter had called him lucky, and he really was. If it hadn't been for Duncan, who knew what sort of punishment would be awaiting for him now?

Alistair had a similar story about being rescued by Duncan. Alistair was an ex-Templar and that alone made him uneasy around the man. He joked often, though it seemed more of a defense than anything. He must be hiding so much. Kayden didn't want to pry, especially when it came to a Templar, but if they were going to be Wardens together, they would have to learn to get along. Alistair was nice so far, but Kayden still didn't trust him.

They walked to the temple in silence, the awkward type, finally breaking when he heard their other companions arguing. He wasn't interested in what they had to say and rolling his eyes he added, "Will the two of you quit it already? You're giving me a headache."

The Templar seemed amused, having wanted to say the same thing but had remained silent.

When Kayden met Ser Jory only a few hours previous, he had taken an instant disliking for the knight. The man showed the same prejudice he had come to expect from anyone that found out he was a mage. Maybe Niall had been right, people were always going to fear mages. He hadn't wanted Niall to be right, but here was his proof and it was only his first week out of the Tower.

Daveth wasn't much better. He was younger and less experienced than Ser Jory, but he had grown up on stories about the Wilds and their Witches and barbarians. Kayden may have not been an apostate or maleficarum from the Wilds, though he assumed that to people like Daveth there was little difference.

"Will the two of you just shut up already?" He crossed his arms, but again he was ignored. They only stopped when Duncan arrived, bringing a white, marble chalice to a small table nearby. He spoke of Joining and how he and the Wardens before him had drank the blood of the darkspawn and mastered their taint.

Ser Jory was not pleased by this. Kayden was not surprised; the man had seemed a coward the entire time they were in the Wilds and the younger Daveth seemed a sarcastic voice of reason. One that only annoyed him more.

Duncan turned to the Templar, "We speak only a few words prior to the joining, but those words have been said since the first. Alistair, if you would?"

He nodded, and slightly bowed his head as if to pray. Kayden closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, taking in the warm air around him. His heart was racing in anticipation. Mostly anticipation and a few parts fear; fear that he wouldn't survive the Joining.

"Join us, brothers and sisters. Join us in the shadows where we stand vigilant. Join us as we carry the duty that can not be forsworn. And should you perish, know that your sacrifice will not be forgotten. And that one day we shall join you."

"Daveth, step forward."

Kayden and Ser Jory watched in silence as the thief took the chalice and drank, and only a few seconds later the man clutched at his throat and convulsed in pain and torment until he lay dead at their feet.

Ser Jory looked on, pure terror filling his eyes as Duncan apologized to Daveth and asked the knight to step forward.

The horrified man was backing up to the stone wall behind him as he pulled out his sword.

"There is no turning back," Duncan said in a monotone. Had the man no compassion? He wanted to scream, but the young mage was too shocked to say anything. All he could do was watch.

"No! You ask too much! There is no glory in this!"

And then Duncan pulled out a dagger. The terrified knight lunged at him.

Duncan blocked a few blows with his dagger, still holding the chalice in his right hand and then plunged the dagger into the knight, "I am sorry, but the Joining is not yet complete."

Kayden's jaw dropped as the man hit the ground in a pool of blood. Duncan had been his savior, and now he wasn't sure what to think. He gulped, this would probably be it for him as well.

He closed his eyes, trying to drown out the images, hoping beyond hope that when they opened again, this nightmare would be over, or maybe his eyes wouldn't open again. It was either drink blood and the poison would kill him or he'd be killed by Duncan's blade. He wondered which was worse.

"You were called upon to submit yourself to the taint for the greater good," came Duncan's voice as he handed the chalice to Kayden. Everything was so far away now. He couldn't go back to the Tower, to Kirkwall...

He opened his eyes once more and looked down at the chalice, at the black blood and then, without thinking brought it to his lips taking a long drink. He stood there waiting to die, resigned to that fate. He could feel the hot tears forming in his eyes, and he mentally cursed himself for not leaving Alim on better terms. The elf probably hated him by now, and there was nothing he could to about it. They would never see each other again.

"From this moment forth, you are a Grey Warden."

Kayden turned to Alistair, and then his head began pounding. He could see the Temple no longer, instead there was darkness, and deep within that darkness a great dragon.

The dragon let out a roar, and Kayden could have sworn that it saw him. Then... nothing...