A few days after the attack on Vigil’s Keep, Anders picks his way through the forest, trying to find his way back to the road. He grimaces a few times, as Justice flares beneath his skin. It hurts, in a strange way, like his skin doesn’t fit.
Or maybe that’s how Justice feels.
"Might come back for another later, if that's okay," Anders says, squeezing Cia's shoulders. "How's your arm feeling, Ilska?"
"Good! That's good, but let me know if it starts hurting again, okay."
He heads over to the elf children, kneeling in front of them. They cower against the wall, whimpering. "Hey, hey. It's okay. We're not going to hurt you. We're going to take you to the Alienage, is that okay?"
"I can heal those," Anders offers quietly, pointing at the shackle bruises. The children don't move, but the youngest does look a little curious. Anders' hands glow blue, then the bruises seem to fade from their skin. The youngest gasps, looking a little excited. Soon the other two offer their hands, and their bruises are wiped away too.
"I'll take you to the local Alienage, it's not far-" Anders starts, but the eldest buts in.
"That's where we're from. They stole us while we were heading to the market," the child says.
The eldest nods. "We can go back to our uncle's. Warn everyone. But they'll be back. They always come back."
"Anything like this happens again, tell everyone to get word to me. I'll get you out."
"How will we find you?"
Anders looks around. Big, empty space, a few small rooms off it. Closed in, out of the way. Once the bodies are removed, this would be a perfect place for a clinic.
"I'll be here."
Ilska can see a hint, and starts moving the bodies, looking for somewhere to dispose of them to.
"Ilska, it's all right. It's all right. You don't have to-" Anders tries to stop her.
"All right, come on kids. Let's get you home."
Anders stays back while they stand up, holding himself back from helping them when they stumble.
Cia spots this, and tucks emself against his side, giving him something else to focus on.
The kids lead the way to the Alienage, Anders taking note of the route. Once they're back with their teary and grateful uncle, Anders heads back the way they came, back to the big empty room.
Ilska continues to be a silent, slightly uncertain shadow, and even Cia is a little subdued.
The ice wall has fully melted, leaving the ground muddied somewhat, That will have to be fixed. And doors are needed across a section, to close the clinic off. The cliff side will have to be reinforced too, can't have people falling off the side.
"We have got our work cut out for us, kids."
"Ilska had the right idea. First we need to get rid of the slavers. Then, we should set up a few makeshift beds, in case of patients."
Anders gets to work on moving the bodies into a pile.
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