So she gives directions while he carries her to the cave. There is the mirror, right where she said it would be.

On the way there, he says, "What was just done for you will stave off the taint for a time, but it isn't permanent."

"Meaning I'm still going to die?"

"You could," he says, "or you could join the Grey Wardens."

"Joining the Wardens seems preferable."

"I'm glad to hear it." They reach the mirror, with a few pauses to murder obscenely large spiders. He looks at it. He sets her down gently. "It is as I feared."

"Tainted somehow?"

"Yes," he says, and walks up to the mirror. His face sets when he sees what's on the other side.

"Can it be destroyed? Should it?"

"Yes, and yes," he says, draws his sword, and smashes the mirror.

"Good," says the new recruit.

He re-sheaths his sword and walks back to her. "Have you recovered enough that I shouldn't carry you back to the camp?"

"Unfortunately no."

He picks her up carefully and carries her back to camp.

"Thank you. Now I would like to eat something, and then I would like to sleep, and then I suppose you will want me to go with you somewhere to join the Grey Wardens."

"A reasonable order of actions," he agrees. "We're headed south, to Ostagar, where an army is gathered to oppose the darkspawn horde."

"Hopefully I will be of some use by the time the darkspawn arrive."

Nod. Dispatch a few more giant spiders. Arrive back at camp.

Food. Sleep. A normal amount of sleep, even.

And then she wakes up, and stands, moving easily.

"Well, that was exhausting and unpleasant."

"I'll bet," says Tev. "Breakfast?"

"What an excellent idea. You may have heard that I'm Shiral; what's your name?"

"Tev. Nice to meet you."

"And I'm Elissa and this is Seb."

Seb barks and wags his teeny tiny tail.

"Acara," the elf introduces herself.

"Daveth," the thief finishes.

"What a fascinating assortment."