Anri's people eventually found a way out of the Astarium Cave. Iron Bull carried Alistair out on his back, who was still unconscious. Krem and the others never questioned why they had risked their lives to save a disgraced hero of the blight. But everyone felt it was worthy of their struggles. It was highly satisfying to save someone from a demon, especially a person who had a legacy they admired despite what bitterness had claimed him.

  "Puff out your chests proudly Chargers. We've saved a legend from a demon," Iron Bull said with honor as he readjusted Alistair's weight on his back. He would carry the man all the way to the keep and back if he had to.

  "It's the least we can do for the man who helped us live free from the Blight." Krem nodded and regreted his earlier talk of cutting their losses. Now that he had recovered, he saw how wrong that was.

  "Yeah, he and the Hero of Ferelden saved us from the archdemon. I'll never forget. It's their strength and selflessness that inspired my own," Stitches said with revered respect. He felt honored to have been one of the few to save Alistair this time. It was something he could do to repay the man's sacrifices that ensured he was alive.

  They calmly made their way back to Griffin Wing Keep, with Grim, Skinner and others less spent of energy clearing various beasts out of their way. Fortunately, they were far and few between and there were no other dangers to counter.

  Hawke and Fenris trailed the rear, feeling reassured that their sacrifices had been worth it. Alistair had no idea how many people respected him, and not one of the charges had forgotten what future he gave by ending the Fifth Blight. Hawke hoped that after all this, the man's eyes would finally be opened to see it.

  Rylen was only mildly surprised to see them return. Hawke explained a fabricated version of the demon they faced and Alistair being damaged in the process to save them. It was enough to see the former Inquisition agents attend to the warden's care and make sure he was recovering with the best comfort possible.

  "You said Alistair saved us?" Iron Bull chuckled when he sat down next to Hawke at their campfire.

  "Well, they don't need to know otherwise. And the man did when he destroyed those Venatori orbs, so consider it a delayed acknowledgement." Hawke casually stated through his swig of ale.

  Iron Bull nodded. "I agree by the way. The man deserves respect even if he doesn't want to give it himself."

  Hawke sighed and nodded. There was no way he would reveal what psychological baggage Alistair had kept with him since the day he was a stablehand.

  Fenris joined Hawke's bench and eagerly downed a full bottle of mead Iron Bull handed him. It tasted like shit, but right now it was the best thing he had ever swallowed.

  "Good to see you looking well." Iron Bull nodded.

  "You scared me for a moment." Hawke added.

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  Iron Bull laughed. "Both of you scared the shit out of Dalish. You looked like corpses back there."

  Hawke nodded. "We're in her debt."

  "I like fine wine." Dalish coolly suggested as she eased onto the bench next to Iron Bull. "Chief always insist on brutish drinks like ale."

  Fenris flashed a warm and charming smile that sent her heart racing, "Then I must procure the best fine wine for milady. Anything you want I'll get."

  "Oh, well, it's not a bother." She blushed coyly, which had Iron Bull roaring with laughter.

  "Sorry, lass, but Fenris is more than spoken for."

  "Yes, he is." Hawke frowned with his disapproval at his man's flirting.

  Dalish chuckled, feeling Hawke's jealous reaction was the best thing she had seen all day. It was no secret to some of the Chargers that she was an avid fan of Varric's side romance novels involving the pair. Seeing Hawke's devotion to Fenris was more than enough payment for her.

  "It is not a bother, Ser Fenris. I consider you friends of the Chargers. Any friend I would do the same."

  "I honor milady's respect." Fenris cordially bowed, which had her face full of blushes and Iron Bull laughing harder and patting reassurances on Hawke's back.

  Merry drinking and conversation went well into the night. Toward the morning Alistair finally woke in one of the officer's Inquisition tents on the upper level.

  At first he was confused, but then snippets of memory bombarded his brain and he remembered that he had been possessed. He had recovered. For the first time, he felt free. It was a hard feeling for him to explain as he had never felt it before. But this freedom he was feeling within himself was stirring long-dormant emotions of inspiration and passion. It confused him.

  "Oh, you're awake. Are you feeling better," Hawke gently said as he intruded upon Alistair's tent.

  "Define better. It's..." Alistair struggled to put words to what had been unlocked within him.

  "Freedom," Hawke knowingly answered for him.

  "Then, it wasn't all a dream was it? You were there! At least, I think you were. I don't know. I felt someone singing to me."

  Hawke sighed and nodded. "A rage demon possessed you, so my partner Fenris and I accessed a Fade Channel to exorcise the demon."

  "Fade Channel, exorcise?" Alistair looked further confused. "I know that it's possible to sever the connection to a demon in the Fade, but you'd need to be a mage for this."

  "My partner has a unique connection to the Fade via his lyrium markings. We can tap into channels like the Venatori can open fade rifts."

  Alistair slapped his forehead to make sure he was awake and remembered bits and pieces of what mattered. "Then it was you and Fenris who broke me from the rage demon's control?"

  Hawke nodded. "And Iron Bull and Chargers saved all of us."

  Alistair instantly rose and bowed low before Hawke. "Then I am in your debt."

  Hawke hastily assisted Alistair up. "You owe me nothing Alistair Theirin. If anything, we were repaying you."

  Alistair gasped, hearing his full name spoken for the first time in a long time. For so long he had just been Alistair, that drunk Alistair or Warden Alistair. Hawke acknowledged him by the name he had been born with and it didn't feel wrong. In fact, he liked the ring to it. His warm smile was the most genuine he had given in years.

  Shortly afterward, Iron Bull received another order from Anri via bird. The order was asking him to bring Hawke and Fenris and meet him at Hasmal near the Nevarra and Tevinter border. And if Alistair had been recovered, to also bring him along. If not, he would need to give an explaination.

  The stark ending phrase, "... give me an explanation," made Iron Bull gulp. It was just as well they had been able to save the man.

  Iron Bull burnt his orders and let his Chargers recover before telling them to prepare for a long journey to the Nevarra border. He also prepositioned the order of Anri wanting to meet Alistair directly to the man himself.

  Alistair had no reason to disagree. In fact, he was more than curious to see what kind of man this Anri Lavellan was so agreed.

  The next day they all set off for the long journey, saying a last goodbye to the Inquisition's control over the Western Approach.