AN: Thanks once more to
@RedrumSprinkles for giving this a looksee, and fixing any issues. The train's still on the canon rails but I'm sure you can sense the weight of things soon enough.
The Castle immediately felt
wrong to Reinhardt. His amulet was pulsing, a comfortable warmth on his chest. Instincts honed over many battles told him this was a trap.
"I sense it too," Kat muttered in Reikspeil. "Though I don't think our new friends realize it."
"It's too quiet. Something is wrong about this place, though I know not what yet." Reinhardt replied as they passed through the castle's gates. "Do the winds at least blow favorably here?" he asked, eyeing the heavy plate these 'templars' favored as they glared at him and the rest of the entourage.
"Very." Kat replied. Reinhardt shivered at the answer. "Enough that I may cast some of the more… effective spells."
"Good." Reinhardt nodded. Kat worked best when the enemy surrounded themselves in the heaviest armor.
"Keep a sharp eye out brother," Kat nodded back. "It may be nothing, but from what they tell me this Order was founded to fight demons and abuses of magic. Yet they sit here with a portal of Chaos hanging above their heads.."
"What are you two up to?" asked a woman, her face scarred from many battles, and hair cropped short. She proudly wore her armor, emblazoned with the Inquisition's heraldry in white.
"Forgive us, as my brother is rather paranoid," Kat replied before Reinhardt could. "He's telling me he has a bad feeling about this place and I was merely trying to mollify his fears."
"We are surrounded by Templars under the command of Lord Lucius. We're safe enough here," she nodded back. "I'm Cassandra Pentaghast, a Seeker who trained under that man. If there's anyone who we can trust among all this… madness it would be the Lord Seeker."
"I'm afraid that to us foreigners that means nothing." Reinhardt replied, looking directly at her. "Still, if you're so confident… I'll try and not let my distrust show." he grunted.
"I understand," she said, her face still locked in that scowl of hers as they were approached by Eve along with one dark skinned templar in full plate. A Ser Barris if Reinhardt remembered, he greeted Eve at the gate and spoke of the unusual circumstances.
"I've decided," Eve said as she walked up to three of them. "I'll do the ritual. I'd like you and the others to watch."
"Oh?" Reinhardt asked, remembering the small request the Lord Seeker wanted them to do. Something to do with flags, incredibly trivial yet... "Why do this ritual? Why play into his hand?"
"Because I see no harm in performing it," Eve sighed.
"Inquisitor! Let's not keep the man waiting," said one of the nobles. Reinhardt never really got any of their names. A mere few hours with them was enough to convince him that their arrogance was almost as bad as the Bretonnians back home. Almost.
"We've time enough for this," Eve answered back as the noble stomped away. "Shouldn't take too long." she said as she walked up to one wall. On it hung three flags, one of a blazing sun, another a golden dog, and the last the flaming sword of the order.
"Take your pick as to what should come on top." Ser Barris, the templar that greeted Eve at the gate explained.
Reinhardt watched Eve stand there for a moment before heading towards the dog's winch, She hefted it high above as Barris explained it representing the people. Next she raised the sword, obviously representing this order of templars, leaving the sun last in importance.
"Interesting choice, picking the people and the order over Andraste. Any reasons?" Barris asked.
"They are my own thank you," she nodded back. Now if you could kindly?"
"Of course," he bowed before leading them deeper into the keep, a small escort of templars following them.
Yet the further they walked in, the more Reinhardt worried. Where there should've been activity, even amidst the heavy rain that began to pelt the castle, there was instead only silence. The castle's inhabitants waited with baited breath but for what, he could not say. Only that it wasn't going to be good for them.
Even Eve and the others, the… qunari, Bull foremost among them seemed most uneased by the silence. Only Cassandra and the foreign wizard, Vivienne, seemed at ease while walking through these halls, perhaps still trusting in these 'templars.'
They quickly arrived at a small room, maps and charts scattered about, but no sight of anyone. Reinhardt took the opportunity to take a look at the maps. He frowned as he took quick look, and though he was no cartographer, he saw nothing familiar.
""I see nothing either," Kat whispered in Reikspiel as she walked up to the charts. "And this place feels wrong."
"I agree," Reinhardt whispered even as one of the nobles argued with Barris. "I fear the worst is here," he continued in Reikspiel.
"A cult?" she whispered.
"An insidious one," he nodded, hand resting on his maul. "I'm certain that is the warning Sigmar is sending me now."
"I'm ready brother," she nodded back, leaning on her staff. "I'll follow your signal."
"I don't know what you two are talking about," Eve said as she walked up to the two of them. "But I don't like what the Lord Seeker is-."
"Wait," Reinhardt interrupted as he clutched his amulet. "We're in trouble."
"The Lord Commander has sent me here," said one templar, a captain if Reinhardt judged by his armor's ornaments. The moment he caught a glimpse of his and his guards faces though...
"Chaos!" he roared, as he drew his pistol and fired a shot, downing one of the guards as his head turned to pulp.
"You were supposed to be changed!" the captain roared as he pushed forward with his guard. "Now We purge the questioners! For the Elder One!"
More of them came from behind, taking down several of the uncorrupted escorts Barris brought along, oaths of brotherhood meaning nothing to these cultists.Their treachery ended as Kat turned their lauded armor into molten lead, their screams echoing throughout the chamber as Reinhardt chanted the Deus Sigmar.
"Though he was surrounded," he roared as he smashed in the skull of one treacherous bowman with his maul, "He persevered! He brought upon all who came against Him, His righteous wrath!"
Again and again, he brought down the enemies of man. Again he purged the corruptors. Again he brought justice, as he swung down with his maul, felling any who stood in his wake.
At last until only their captain remained. Reinhardt managed to corner him, even as he deflected each blow of Reinhardt's maul with his shield until with one deft strike, Reinhardt smashed his kneecap, bringing him to his knees.
"Wait!" Eve panted, even as Reinhardt had his maul raised. "I want him alive."
"You'll make him talk?" Reinhardt asked.
"By any means," she nodded back. Satisfied, Reinhardt decked the captain before he could talk further.
"Take him outside!" she ordered Varric and Bull. "The rest of us will go find the Lord Seeker. He has much to answer for."
"And you!" she scowled, finger pointed at Reinhardt. "What was that!? What if he were-"
"He had clear signs of Chaos taint. I thought you would have recognized it." Reinhardt stated, staring into her fierce, strange purple eyes.
"I have no damned idea what this, this this this Chaos taint is!" she bellowed. "This isn't over." she panted, finger at Reinhardt's chest. "We'll find the Lord Seeker, then you'll explain your actions."
"Of course," Reinhardt bowed, confident that his actions were vindicated. "Shall we then?" Reinhardt urged. "We must help them purge this place of these corrupted templars."
"Barris," Eve said, ignoring Reinhardt's quip. "Lead on."
"Of course, follow me." he bowed as he led the way deeper into the castle.
They quickly emerged into a courtyard, the last before the great keep, where this Lucius now awaited. Between them and that keep, was a battlefield of uncorrupted and corrupted templars.
With no need to hide, these cultists unleashed their more corrupted kin, red crystals emerging from their backs, talons sprouting from shattered gauntlets.More beast than man, these mutants were making short work of the loyalists as their claws cut through plate like it wasn't even there at all.
"Sigmar!" Reinhardt cried, digging deep into his heart. "Though our spirits may falter as we face Chaos, grant us the strength to carry on! For Sigmar! For the Empire!" he finished as a comforting warmth settled on him. A warm blanket against the cold of Chaos as Reinhardt and the others charged into the fray.
For Reinhardt, all that mattered then was the now. The crushing of skulls, and the spray of blood against his face. All while he recited the Deus Sigmar, swinging his maul left and right as Eve and the others dispensed death.
Vague glimpses of what went on around him passed by. Eve beheading a mutant, her sword sharpened by Kat's magic. The foreign wizard dispensing lightning like a Celestial, while the elf summoned fireballs to roast the enemy.
They turned out to be the deciding factor in the battle. What looked like a desperate battle for the righteous moments ago dissolved into a mop up as the cultists and their mutated ilk were slain by both spell and sword.
Panting, Reinhardt leaned on his maul as he took stock of the aftermath. The cultists were routed for now here, but from the sounds of battle still rang throughout the castle, this was but a temporary respite. There were more of these cultists lingering deeper within.
"
What was that?" roared Eve as she stomped up to Reinhardt. "Your chanting, in that foreign language of yours and the warmth and the the the the- you were glowing!"
"That's no magic. None I've ever seen." the shaggy elf said as walked over, eyes wide.
"Sigmar granted us aid," Reinhardt replied. "Though I find it strange that he aided you unbelievers, I am not one to judge. He must have judged the battle to be worthy to aid all."
"Your
god granted us aid." Cassandra stated, staring into Reinhardt. "Your
god."
"Aye. And you're hurt," he said to Eve, noticing how Eve clutched her side. "Broken rib?"
"Yes but- What are you doing?' she gasped as Reinhardt laid his hands on her shoulder.
"Blessed Sigmar," Reinhardt began, continuing in Reikspeil. "Though she is an unbeliever, grant her the strength to continue the fight. That we may dispense your will upon the great enemy, and fight off the horrors of the Old Night."
Sigmar was generous today. Eve gasped, her hands patting her ribs repeatedly. "Healing too?"
"Sigmar is generous today," he nodded, taking a moment to translate the verse he had in mind. "And lo against the Enemy, he united the peoples, and together, they brought down the enemies of man, and built the Empire."
"And your other gods… They answer you too?" Eve asked, almost whispering.
"I have seen priests of Ulric and Morr do great things, and I've owed my life to Shallyans countless times." Kat replied. "It is rare for a Templar to be granted blessings of Sigmar, and I'm proud to say that Reinhardt is one of the few I know to be be blessed with his ear." Reinhardt spirit
glowed at the praise from Kat. He didn't think he'd hear her give out praise in his presence.
"We'll
talk after all of this." Eve glowered. "For now, the Lord Seeker has much to answer for. If this this... Sigmar will aid us then all the better. If not, then we'll do this the old fashioned way."
Reinhardt nodded as he followed Eve further into the castle. The others in the party were giving him…. Looks. The elves especially, Sera and Solas, gave him glancing looks, as if they didn't know what to make of him.
Let them judge. He dispensed Sigmar's will to protect people. If they doubted his motives, let them. He knew what guided him every day. He will prove himself in deed as Sigmar did.
A few skirmishes with scattered pockets of cultists later, and the party found themselves at the base of the steps to the very doors to the Great Keep. From there, this keep commanded views of the surrounding hills, the rich soil turning to mud amid the raging storm.
Above those steps stood the man who was responsible for all this madness. The man who served Chaos.
The party crept forward, eyes peeled for any signs of traps. That he stood there unmoving, not even bothering to look down on them spoke to his bones that nothing here was right. Maul in hand, Reinhardt was ready to dispense His Wrath.
"Lord Seeker!" Eve demanded as she reached the top of the steps. "What have you
done?"
The man stood there ignoring them even as Reinhardt and Eve drew closer, weapons in hand. Reinhardt drew to strike, but Eve signaled him to hold. Fine, if he can speak of the source, maybe this Elder One, then mayhaps he can serve a purpose in his capture.
As they drew within range to strike, the man turned around and grabbed Eve. Without thought Reinhardt charged forth to tackle the man, even as a glowing green portal opened up right behind him.
"Siiiiiiiigmar!" he roared even as he, Eve and the monster was swallowed whole by the portal.