The Journey Begins and the Song of War
Ardyn and Atina mostly walked, Ardyn wanting to actually experience the world outside Serpentia, until they reached a new mountain range.
Atina became nervous as they walked along the uneven terrain. These mountains were vastly different from the two mountain ranges in Serpentia in that their color was a deep red and the ground was softer. As they walked, it crumbled below their feet, and when they got to higher elevations, they continually caused minor rock slides into the valleys and canyons below.
The pair came to a wide mountain pass – the red cliffs towering above them on either side – and even Ardyn began to get apprehensive. The sense of danger seemed to roll down from the cliffs like thick, billowy smoke off a raging fire.
Both warriors were instantly on guard.
They both sensed the change at the same time. Atina's shadow techniques began stretching out before them – a protective buffer between them and whatever was about to come at them – and Ardyn brought forth her vine staff and activated her runic mark.
An arrow was suddenly stuck in inky blackness right before Atina's face and then before Ardyn's. Arrows seemed to fly from all directions, and Ardyn felt the soul tie of protection formed between her and Atina pull her. She moved in a wavering S-shaped formation toward their back, and Atina moved forward.
Ardyn's vine staff struck out, vines shooting in all directions in an instant, and camouflaged humans cried out and materialized before their eyes.
Her runic mark spread out along the ground and claimed victim after victim, draining them dry of – first hope, then life – and feeding it all to the runic mark. Ardyn felt it pulse with life as it moved through the bandits, wreaking havoc through their ranks.
Atina moved out, leaving trails of shadow behind her. As the bandits encountered these trails, they stood frozen – like zombies quietly awaiting movement – as they were immersed in deep illusion. It was her [Shadow Trial] technique.
But she did not stop there. Her shadow seemed to have a life of its own as it rose up – sporadically – and seemed to consume bandits just to fall back down as regular shadow on the ground. She formed sigils with her hands as she spoke an incantation, and the bandits within a 300-foot radius froze, howled in agony, and seemed to slowly splinter and shatter to dust.
[Viper Cost]
The two wreaked havoc on the bandits and – after only a matter of moments – they all retreated back into the red cliffs surrounding the pass like roaches taking refuge in dark, hidden corners.
Ardyn and Atina allowed them to leave. Ardyn focused on her runic mark as it, once again, expanded upwards to just below her eye and downwards to just above her knee – but never crossing over to the left side of her body.
She frowned as Atina quietly observed. They quickly continued their trek up into the red mountains and made camp.
Atina – who seldom spoke – looked to Ardyn with a bow.
"I will watch over camp. Sleep well, My Lady."
With that, her form melted into shadow and was gone before Ardyn had a chance to respond.
Ardyn sighed, pursing her lips. 'I will tell her that we must share such responsibilities. She can't guard like that every night by herself. The Viper Cost looks too taxing.' She felt the fierce, protective loyalty of the viper but also the deep exhaustion in her own bones from the raw consumption of life by her runic lattice. The need to report this new, predatory nature to Varric settled over her.
She quickly lay down—her body eager to see Varric.
She entered her soul sea and sat in meditation—as if this was her long-learned habit. Varric walked onto the plain and smiled at her quiet tranquility, recognizing her inner growth.
He sat next to her, and she smiled as his scaled knee touched her pale one.
"Varric I need to speak to you."
"You never need permission. Just speak, my love."
"My song evolves rapidly and this mark as well. It scares me," Ardyn admitted, leaning into his warmth.
"It is because you are naturally powerful, Ardyn. Your power has set dormant all your life, and now it is allowed to drink all that it wishes. It will naturally increase quickly. It is catching up, trying to fill the space you have developed within your soul sea. You are very powerful. Master understood this from the beginning."
He paused taking in the intoxication of her closeness.
"Don't fear it. I will always protect you. You chose this journey and I love you all the more for it. Trust your power as you learn to trust yourself. "
Her love for him instantly swelled and they sat in an all encompassing sensual silence for a long moment.
After they meditated together, and as they did so, their bond began to evolve. Their souls expanded to match each other – Ardyn's growing and engulfing her own soul sea.
Varric helped her calm, contain, and balance her power, and once her soul sea calmed and began matching the quiet ebbing and flow of his, her inner song changed again.
A new ability sang through her being.
[Song of War]
Varric smiled as he spoke, his voice a deep tremor of pride. "You are incredible, my love. You are truly my most precious asset."