(2 days ago in Redcliffe castle)

"My lady. Please confront this matter. Villagers are cowering in fear whenever night comes. They can't do their job day job properly. I don't think they can take it any longer!" Viscount Jascha Alatt raises his voice that echoes throughout the third floor of the castle.

"More and more militiamen and knights are wounded. But we still have to field them. Otherwise, we shall be overpowered. In the past two days, three villagers were killed. Seven militiamen were killed." Viscount Brian Haddock states the fact while looking straight at the Marchioness. 

"I believe this disaster could no longer be hidden. Merchants at the wharf experienced the first night and went fleeing on the next day. They must have spread their experience to everyone. Our situation will reach other great nobles, Queen and even church in no time." Viscount Keigel Hohmann elucidates gently as if trying to persuade the Marchioness who is almost as young as his daughter.

The restless Isolde immediately rises up from her chatedra and outcries,

"That's why we need to solve it ourselves. Otherwise, Redcliffe shall be looked down by others!" 

There was no heat in her voice, as if her heart beat so steadily, even though she took a different view from others. She implied this is her way of doing things.

Viscount Murdock immediately rebuts her,

"We had somehow two nights of undead spawning. On the second night, our men even sighted imps. So, now not only undead spawning but demons. It costs us everything. Obviously, such demonic disturbance is beyond us."

As not a single man from five viscounts back her up, she unnerves and drink the wine in glass in one gulp. She couldn't look them at their eyes.

She is already coming apart from the demonic chaos that came on nightly basis. 

Worse, her son, Connor is being possessed by a demon and Jowan is handling him alone in the basement. She is worried about Connor but she cannot let others know what happened. She couldn't let people know her son had practiced dark magic.

"It is that magician, Jowan's fault. He and his dark magic." Isolde is now spouting nonsense and even mentioning a scapegoat that will get back at her later 

"Then, shouldn't we report him to the church?" Brian Haddock asks her.

"Noooooo!!!" The word "church" makes her hysterical, hitting her fists on the table and almost screeching.

The five men before her become startled and ceases their interrogation to let her calm down. 

"Forgive me, my lady. Is there anything you are hiding from us? Don't bear the burden alone." Brian Haddock gently persuades the young widow.

A tear flows from her eyes. She quickly wipes it with her sleeves. 

"Connor has awakened a magical talent. That's I hired the magician, Jowan." 

The viscounts are speechless. Being magically talented alone disallow the only Eamon's male heir from becoming the future Marquis. They immediately understand the burden Isolde is bearing.

They instinctively know what she will say subsequently.

"I didn't know he was teaching Connor dark magic. The disturbance is probably caused by that." 

The older viscounts refrain from probing further but the young Jascha Alatt dares to ask,

"What happens to Connor?"

Isolde starts to weep.

"My son is being possessed by a demon."

Cold sweat starts covering the men's body. 

***

(Denerim Castle, 2 days ago)

Queen Anora Theirin is sitting on chatedra, listening to report from two men before.

A muscular man in his fifties stand while reciting reports on the paper held by his hands. He wears a shirt that reveals his sturdy arms and neck. Those parts are covered by bandages. The wounds inflicted at Abram has not yet recovered but as the Prime minister, Loghain Mac Tir, the father of Anora stands here. 

Another equally muscular but much younger man stands next to him. Unlike the clean shaved and long haired veteran beside him, the man in his late thirties has moustache and beard. He is the knight for special mission, Duncan Warden. 

Loghain Mac Tir reads out the report,

"From merchants guild. Demons and undead skeletons are wrecking havoc at Redcliffe village. Redcliffe fighters are struggling. That's all."

The three of them are still figuring this issue. Such thing never happened even once since the two predecessors. Cailan's father, Maric and Cailan's great grandfather, Brandel Theirin.

Duncan Warden voices up,."I studied this matter. It appeared that demonic disturbance occured once during the reign of King Brandel Theirin's predecessor."

Anora replies, "Before King Brandel Theirin is his father, Vanedrin Theirin."

"Indeed, your majesty. According to the chronicle, a noble's son practiced dark magic and   demons keep spawning at Denerim. It continued for a month until King Vanedrin Theirin and Circle if Mage killed the perpetrators." Duncan Warden explains.

Loghain Mac Tir asks, 

"Does it mean in the present case, someone practiced dark magic and causes the spawning?" 

"It seems so " Anora answers.

"Having said that, disturbance during King Vanedrin Theirin, was solved after a month with help of the church's Circle of mage. For Ferelden, tonight is the still the third night." Duncan says but Loghain rebuts him.

"The military strength of Vanedrin was its zenith. On the other hand, Redcliffe is at its lowest now. Eamon Guerrin Teagan Guerrin and many had recently died. They would be in disarray." 

After pondering for a while, Anora declares,

"We will only send reinforcement if Redcliffe asks our help."

Her father replies, 

"Sooner or later, the church will know about it. Marchioness Isolde will be in trouble."

***

(Third night of demonic disturbance in Redcliffe village)

Dusk comes sooner than expected, the last of the sun's rays cosseting behind soft grey cloud. The street takes on the look of an old photograph, every familiar thing a shade of grey. Slowly the view fades to blackness and the night begins. 

The trees are crazy silhouettes against a newly silver sky, its blue hue almost gone until dawn. Their branches sway in the wind, creaking into the gusting air. The first sound of the clanking weapons comes, footsteps of voiceless skeletons, villagers taking cover in their shacks. 

"Curtis. Did you have enough sleep today?" Scott Aldiss jokingly shouts at his friend who is at the other side of the streets separated by two houses and palisades. 

Curtis Blackwell hits back,

"I slept until evening. I could crush a thousand skeletons!"

"Hahahaha!" 

Meanwhile, other knights and militiamen are nervously looking at skeletons appearing from the ground,vine after another.

"One... Two" Curtis started his crushing spree while counting in loud voice. 

"One..two..." Scott also bludgeons skeletons near him.

"Guys. Nine hours. Survive for nine hour!" From somewhere in the village, the voice of See Perth is heard.