Hey everyone
This story is something I came up with while practicing, from there I got sooo many ideas and so I put fingers to keyboard and started this! The first few chapters of this story follows my own version of the Mage Origin but the main character will not become a Grey Warden. That honour belongs to the nameless (as of yet) male human noble.
Please drop a review, criticisms and suggestions.
Chapter 1
The tower sat quietly and still tonight, the sounds of the patrolling templars steel boots echoed in the halls of the ancient tower. They were keeping an eye out for any apprentices out of bed sneaking off to where they're not permitted. Neria Surana, an elven mage sat reading at her vanity as a patrol passed the apprentice quarters. There was no candle light to announce her presence, she used a wisp from the Fade. She made it hover over the book, it made enough light to make out the words of the book, but not too much to awaken the sleep apprentices.
All circle apprentices within Kinloch Hold shared a living space, it was cramped at times, and luckily they separated the girls from the boys. The children had their own living area in another part of the tower, once they came of age they would be moved here. Apprentices that passed their Harrowing – a trial so secret no apprentice knew what it entailed, but those who passed became full-fledged mages and they moved to the second floor of the tower and have their own living space separate from others.
Neria wished she could live on the second floor so badly, it would get away from the others. She also didn't like how the templars flocked all of the apprentices to their shared quarters like cattle. She wanted a place where she could go to get away from others at her own choice. Any day now, they'll call me to take my Harrowing. I'll pass whatever test they throw at me and become a true mage.
The thought distracted her train of thought and she lost track of the text she was reading, forcing her to re-read the paragraph again. The book wasn't anything special, just a tome of spells for apprentices, it was full of basic spells. She was studying the page on spirits and spirit healing, though she had an affinity for the primal school of magic that didn't stop her from being fascinated by the other schools of magic.
A few weeks before she had sought out Enchanter Leorah, a fellow elf and asked the aging enchanter to teach her some healing magic. Leorah agreed, reluctantly of course, she wasn't the kind of person to teach, but it was her duty as an enchanter to do so. Neria was surprised at how easily she mastered the basic spell, so was Leorah. It took many mages months to fully master the spell.
Wynne a Senior Enchanter, impressed with Neria's abilities, briefly taught her about spirits, just enough to summon wisps. Wynne gave her such high praise and told of her skills to the other senior enchanters.
After that rumours began to spread amongst the mages and apprentices that Neria was skilled enough to her Harrowing. It was an exciting thought, but three weeks later she was still an apprentice taking the same lessons she took years ago.
Maker, will I even get my Harrowing?
She stayed up every night this week as long as she could, waiting for the templars to arrive and take her above to the Harrowing Chamber at the very top of the tower. It was the third day of waiting this week, the sound of the templars distant footsteps made her excited as they approached, but each time they passed the apprentice quarters her excitement dimmed. She cursed herself each time she passed.
Her eyes grew heavy as the hours passed, it seemed like minutes to her. It was not healthy to stay up this late every night, and the light shadows under her eyes were proof of that. She was not one to give much care to her looks, she wasn't like other she knew putting on make-up to look pretty, she was an elf the humans said she was beautiful. The boys all stared at her and whispered about her. She didn't care she had no interest in any of them.
She closed her book and sent the wisp back to the Fade. She placed the book in the drawer of the vanity, it was a common sight along with scrolls and hair brushes. She took a look at herself in the mirror and saw the shadows under her eyes. You look good, despite the bags. She never once thought of herself as beautiful she saw herself as an average looking nineteen-year-old.
She quietly sat up and tip-toed towards her bunk. She shared the bunk with an egotistical human who hated elves. Aaliyah was self-absorbed, believing herself to be more gifted than any of the apprentices, when in truth she was scored below Neria in both written tests and practical tests. Aaliyah and her gang would bully Neria every chance they got, in class and in the halls. They called her a cheater, that she got the answer from First Enchanter Irving.
Her gang had tried to make a rumour go around that something else was going on between Neria and the First Enchanter, but thank the Maker, no one believed it. And Aaliyah and her gang were punished. But it didn't stop them, the bullying became worse and Neria ignored them the best she could, but there were days when it was too much and they got to her and she could do nothing but find a lonely place and cry.
She hated that they made her do that. It wasn't the sign of a mage to cry, she thought
She had few friends, the ones she did have were boys and enchanters. She would have tried and made friends with the same sex, but it didn't help that Aaliyah made it impossible for Neria to make friends with the female apprentices.
Neria dreaded waking Aaliyah up, she would – of course – make a scene that would wake everyone up. Which would cause the templars to arrive. She made it to the bunk, thank the Maker that she slept on the bottom bunk as sneaking back up at night would be more difficult. She began to settle down on her bed…
"Back from waiting for the templars again?" That voice sent a shiver down Neria's spine and made her stomach sink. Aaliyah was awake, Neria cursed under her breath sadly
"You know they won't come for you. They'll becoming for me, I'll take my Harrowing. While they will force on you the Rite of Tranquillity. You'll become just like Owan and the other Tranquil."
Being a Tranquil scared Neria she didn't want to become a living husk, walking and talking but not feeling any emotion. It was the worst insult another apprentice could say to another. "You'll be made tranquil. You won't have any magic and you'll have to do anything that you are told!"
It made Neria uneasy just thinking about. As a child she had frequent nightmares about being made Tranquil. She trembled at the thought, she didn't want to be made tranquil, and it was – in her mind – a fate worse than death. She wanted to be a mage! Pressing her hands to her ears she tried ignored Aaliyah taunts, she was thankful that she didn't wake the other up.
"Just you wait knife-ears. The templars will arrive and take me to the Harrowing Chamber. After that I won't ever see your ears again…unless I visit the stockroom." Aaliyah laughed quietly.
Neria let her ears go. That was the last straw, she had enough of the bitch. She mustered all her courage and forced her mouth open "Shut it you bitch!" the words came out louder than she would have liked. In a rush she quickly put her hands over her mouth as she saw the other girls begin to stir, but they did not wake up. Aaliyah climbed down the bunk with such fury, Neria shot up and saw the rage on the girls face.
"How dare you speak to me that way, you knife-eared bitch!" She raised her hand, a slap was approaching Neria closed her eyes and raised her hands to protect her face and braced herself.
"What are you doing?" A male voice called out with a hushed voice.
It was Cullen, Neria was never so happy to see a templar in her life. She had seen Cullen with other templars a few times around the tower. She found it odd that she bumped into him often and wondered why that was. For a human he was quite attractive, she never until now realized it.
"Leave Apprentice Neria alone, Aaliyah." He warmed. He never drew his blade, but the two templars behind him had. Neria saw the fear in their eyes, they thought Aaliyah was about to attack her with magic. Cullen stared the human woman down. Aaliyah's hand fell to her side.
"I am sorry about that, just a misunderstanding." She said in an affectionate tone. She was trying to make out that she was innocent. Aaliyah smiled and her lips moved. "Are you here to take me for my Harrowing?" She boldly asked as her eyes were fixed on Neria as if she was saying. 'It's my Harrowing, not yours. You filthy knife-ear.'
Cullen approached them and gave Neria a compassionate look. He turned to Aaliyah and looked at her for a moment. "Could you please move."
The colour from her face drained and she took three steps back. Neria couldn't stop herself from grinning. It was her Harrowing. Aaliyah was shacking it looked like she was going to faint at any moment from the shock.
Cullen let out his hand toward Neria. "It's time for your Harrowing. Apprentice Surana." She took his hand and couldn't help but blush. It was like a romantic novel, but with mages and templars. She rose to her feet and was guided out of the apprentice quarters. The other templars gathered behind her. Neria wanted to look back one last time to see Aaliyah's face, but she chose not to. She would rise above the pettiness that Aaliyah had always shown her.
"I'll warn you now. The Harrowing will not be easy." Cullen said seriously.
A templar rushed next to him. "Quite Cullen. You are not to speak of this to her." The templar interrupted. Cullen shook his head at this.
"No, how are mages supposed to pass their Harrowing on such little information given? We send most of them to their deaths. If mages are to pass their Harrowing's they should not fear it."
The talk of death made Neria uneasy and scared. She knew of a few apprentices before her that had been taken for their Harrowing never returned. She had assumed they were taken to another Circle in Thedas. But now she knew that they had died. I could die? Is the Harrowing that dangerous?
Cullen then turned to Neria and saw the fear on her face. "Do not fear. You shall overcome the challenges of the Harrowing." He said, giving her a reassuring smile.
His words gave her some comfort. In return she gave him a weak smile, it was to hide her fear mainly. She was still concerned about the coming Harrowing. She did not know what to expect and the thought of it frightened her the more she thought about it. It was too late to back out now, they passed through the templars quarters the entrance to the Harrowing Chamber lay ahead.
Suck it up Neria, you have nothing to fear…nothing. You can do this.
She place her foot on the first step and took a deep breath and continued up the stairs, Cullen was a few steps behind her. His presence gave her the courage she needed to push forward. It was strange that a templar was giving her courage, she would normally fear them. Maybe she was wrong about templars. Just maybe there was away for mages and templars to get along.
The Harrowing Chamber was filled with several templars and the Knight-Commander himself, Greagoir. Cullen walked towards his fellow templars and took his place standing next to them. First Enchanter Irving stood next to the Knight-Commander, Irving was old man with a long grey beard, despite his age he was still standing. Greagoir walked towards her.
"Magic exists to serve man, and never to rule over him. Thus spoke the prophet Andraste as she cast down the Tevinter Imperium, ruled by mages who had brought the world to the edge of ruin. Your magic is a gift, but it's also a curse, for demons of the dream realm - the Fade - are drawn to you, and seek to use you as a gateway into this world." He recited the words perfectly.
Irving stepped forward next "This is why the Harrowing exists. The ritual will send you into the Fade and there you will face a demon, armed with only your will."
I'm to face a-a demon!
Every apprentice is taught not to seek a demon as they can corrupt a mage and possess them, now she was told to face one. Though she had learnt to protect herself from them, she never thought she would have to face against one. How would one go about fighting such a powerful spirit?
"Is there any other option?" She cursed at that, she knew what the other option was and she did not want it.
"There is only tranquillity." Greagoir coldly said.
"Is losing all your magically power and option? No, have faith child you can do this." Irving placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I've tutored you in the ways of the primal school. You are my most gifted apprentice. I know you can do this."
"Know this apprentice." Greagoir interrupted. "If you fail, we templars will do our duty. You will die."
Irving shot an angry look at him and shook his head disapprovingly. Greagoir ignored him and gestured to a pedestal in the centre of the chamber. "This is lyrium. The very essence of magic and your gateway into the Fade."
Irving turn her to face him and gave her a reassuring look. "The Harrowing is a secret out of necessity child. Every mage must go through this trial by fire. As we succeeded, so shall you. Keep your wits about you and remember the Fade is a realm of dreams. The spirits may rule it, but your own will is real."
"The apprentice must go through this alone First Enchanter." Greagoir said, breaking the two apart. He looked at her and sized her up. "You are ready." He gestured to the pedestal.
She took a breath, deep and long. She could hear the lyrium as she drew closer to it, it was singing a beautiful song. She knew that pure lyrium could kill her but it was needed for the ritual. Most of the power would be used up so it wouldn't harm her.
She reached out her hand towards the blue singing liquid – and touched it – the substance stuck to her hand and began to glow brighter and brighter until she could only see blue light. She closed her eyes as the magic began to flow into her, its power was warm and welcoming before long she passed out surrounded by darkness.
She awoke in the oddest place ever, the sky was green and she was surrounded by pillars, ancient Tevinter from the looks of them. A Tevinter statue stood next to her and beside that was a vase. A fancy Orlesian looking vase.
"This is the Fade." She said to no one in particular. She could feel the power of her magic had grown stronger. Mages were more powerful in the Fade after all, this place was the source of magic. She remembered Irving's words. Keep your wits about you.
The pillars sank into the ground revealing a path down to – somewhere – she looked up as her view was no longer obstructed and saw a tall mountain with warped rocks, deformed trees and…architecture that she had never seen before. She decided that it would be best to look for this demon, and confront it as soon as possible.
Making her way down a stony path she came across a mouse, a large mouse. A spirit maybe? Or a lesser demon. She couldn't tell the difference unless it told her. "I know. A wisp may be able to help." Using her magic she summoned a blue ball that bobbed and weaved around her in excitement. She could tell it was the same wisp she had first summoned and the one she used early to help her read. She could just tell somehow.
"You always seem to come when I summon a wisp, it's always you." He said as the wisp began to spark.
Wynne had told her that she would always get a different wisp whenever she summoned one. It was rare for the same wisp to be summoned more than once. Neria smiled as the ball vibrated and sparked.
"I'm going to give you a name. How about Sparky. I like it and it suites you. Do you like it?" She laughed as the wisp made an excited hum. It like its name. It whizzed around her for a while before stopping.
"Okay now on to why I summoned you. Is that mouse a spirit or a demon." She pointed at the large mouse that was just sitting there looking at them. It pure black eyes made her feel uneasy. The wisp looked to where she was pointing and zoomed towards the mouse and began circling the creature before quickly returning to her.
It made a sad hum.
"You don't know what it is?" Neria thought it strange, it had to be either a spirit or a demon it just had to be one of them.
"You have such an affinity with the spirits of this place." A voice echoed.
Neria jumped, startled by the voice she began to look around her surrounding trying to see where the voice came from. The wisp began to fly around her erratically as if it were scared by the voice.
"Don't be afraid." She gently grabbed the wisp and began to stroke it. However the wisp wiggled free and sparked violently at her hand.
"I'm so sorry." She winced as she rubbed her stinging part of her hand where the wisp had hit her with its magic.
"The wisps are easily spooked. They run at the first unknown sound and that saves them from the darker and more powerful demons." The voice spoke again.
"Where are you?" Neria called out. She didn't notice Sparky hovering above her hand using its magic to heal her hand.
"Down here." The voice called again.
Neria looked down at the mouse and quickly realised the truth. The mouse had been the one calling to here. "What are you?"
The mouse began to glow white and slowly took a human form. Neria was surprised to see a human in mage robes. Did he follow her in? She didn't remember seeing him in the Harrowing Chamber. Then what was he?
"I was once like you, maybe. It's hard to remember at times." He said, he had a sad look about him. His face was heavy weighed down by regret. She had seen that face so many times in the tower on recaptured mages who had escaped the tower and on female apprentices who became pregnant after a one-night fling.
"So you were an apprentice?" Neria asked she was concerned about the man's mental health he seemed off, distant.
"An apprentice? Yes – yes! – I took my Harrowing I was about to pass. But I ran out of time and the templars cut me down. I took too long and they took my life from me."
Neria could easily picture that. The templars killing mages for any reason. "We're doing the Makers work, protecting man from the curse of magic." If she took too long would they kill her? Would Irving stop them? If so why didn't he stop them from murdering this man?
"How long have you been here? Do you know Irving?"
"I do not know that name. I cannot remember how long I've been here. I've wandered for so long. It isn't fair that the templars do this to us mages."
Neria looked at him, was he a mage? He looked like one and he spoke with the knowledge of the injustices that the templars threw upon mages, but there was a feeling in the back of her mind. She couldn't quite place it. Sparky whizzed around in a circle next to here, Sparky had calmed down finally. But this man – or whatever he was – had begun to make her feel uneasy.
"You're right it isn't fair. But there is nothing we can do." She said, hopefully talking to him more might ease her mind.
"They send us mages in here fresh and as unprepared for the dangers that await us. There is a demon here, hunting you. You are snack dangled before them, a tease for the spirits of the Fade."
"Then…I'll fight this demon." She announced with confidence she didn't know she had.
"You can't just fight everything in here. What you face is powerful, cunning. There are others here, other spirits. They will tell you more, maybe help you if you can believe anything you see." He said pointing further down the path.
The man may be able to help her. If what he says about this demon is true she would need all the help she could get. Sparky could only help so much. Having spirits on her side would help a great deal when she faced this demon he spoke about.
"Thank you for the information... Erm, what can I call you? You didn't give me your name."
The man looked at her with confusion, he rubbed his forehead for a moment before answering. "Call me Mouse it will do. I have long forgotten my true name. I'll follow you if that's all right. My chance was long ago, but you… you may have a way out yet."
The Fade was just as warped and strange as she had read. Floating platforms and islands dotted the sky and were constantly moving and shifting. The only thing that wasn't moving was off far into the distance was a Black City, the one that the Chantry preached was once the Golden City and the seat of the Maker. Looking at it sent a shiver down her spine, it felt as if the longer she stared at it would engulf her entire being in darkness.
Mouse had shifted his form back into a mouse and was follow a few steps behind her, he was keeping to the wall that had arisen from the ground. A few rouge wisps attacked her, Mouse told her that they were sent by the demon to test her magical abilities. If that was true then why send wisps? They're too weak to face against a mage. She found it quite odd. If this demon was as cunning as Mouse told her, it would have sent more of a cunning challenge.
They came across an odd looking arena. It was almost a perfect circle and it had burning warped trees around it. The fire was coalescing among the trees but it was not spreading.
"That is where you will face the demon. It is unwise to wait here for it while it stalks you." Mouse squeaked.
"So it set up this? Is it waiting for me to prepare myself?" She asked as she was staring at the arena.
"I don't know. It is possible."
Neria pushed on but she couldn't stop picturing the arena. It was very familiar, like she had seen it before somewhere but had long forgotten about it. Her train of thought was disturbed by Mouse.
"A spirit lies ahead of us. Not the one that is in pursuit of you, maybe it can help – or not."
"What kind of spirit is it? Evil or benevolent?"
Mouse looked up at her in his mouse form, his tiny nose twitched a few times. "I can't tell from here. Be careful."
They approached another opening in the land, this one however was closer to the edge than she liked. It looked like a smithy, Neria had seen them only in books. She noticed a templar at the forge, no, a man dressed in a templars uniform. Was this the spirit that Mouse had told her about? The man turned around and noticed her and pulled a sword from the forge.
"Another mortal thrown into the flames and left to burn, I see." It said with a wise, but echoed voice. "Your mages have devised a cowardly test. Better that you were pitted against each other to prove your mettle with skill, than to send you unarmed against a demon."
"You know why I am here?" She said surprised. This man was a spirit she could feel it now were she couldn't before. But how did it know of the Harrowing?
"You are not the first sent here for such testing. Nor shall you be the last, I suspect." It replied placing the newly forged sword onto a nearby weapon rack. "That you remain means that you have not yet defeated your hunter. I wish you a glorious battle to come."
Neria looked around his smithy, she saw swords and shields aplenty a few bows and crossbows, but no staves and no wands. She was looking around trying to figure out what kind of spirit this was from the items nearby. Mouse was being quite, maybe he didn't talk to spirits much.
"What kind of spirit are you? If I may ask." Better to ask directly and be told than to waste time trying to figure it out.
"I am Valour, a warrior spirit. I hone my weapons in search of the perfect expression of combat." He showed her one of his weapons, a greatsword. She could feel the magic inside it. One of these weapons might boost her magical abilities enough to fight against the demon.
"You created this weapons? How? Your forge is not even hot."
Valour looked into his cold forge and let out a short laugh. "They are brought into being by my will. I understand that in your world, mages are the only ones who can will things into being."
"Then I create my own weapon?" If he was right than it would be easy for her to will a stave into existence. All things in the Fade are an expression of a single thought, what was stopping her from simply willing a stave into her hand.
"You…are not like the other mortals. Mortals who are sent her to be tested ask me to forge them a weapon. You understand better than they do, mortal." Valour said gesturing for her to come closer.
She walked towards him and he pointed to the forge. "Place your hands upon the coal and will your weapon into existence."
She reluctantly place both of her hands on the coals and she closed her eyes. She pictured a two headed dragon staff, one that she once saw when she first arrived in the tower. That staff belonged to a senior enchanter who was her first teacher. Sherlie was her name, her staff was said to be very powerful. Sherlie told her once that she made the staff herself, but didn't tell her what she made it out of and how she made it.
She concentrated hard on the image of the staff, she imagined its looks, its power. The coal began to glow with heat but it did not burn. Neria opened her eyes and closed her hands tightly shut and pulled the staff out of the forge. The staff was glowing hot, it began to take the shape of the staff that she had imagined, the top of the staff was a two headed dragon both eating a red oval crystal.
She was amazed at the power that the staff she willed into existence had. She swung it around and channelled a bit of her power through it and launched some magic off into the distance.
"A fine stave. You should be proud. With that weapon I am sure you will have a glorious battle and I believe you may even win." Neria looked at the staff in awe. She couldn't believe that she forged such a weapon, with her mind no less.
She turned to look for Mouse but he was gone. Sparky looked at her confused, he didn't know who this 'Mouse' she talked about was. A thought ran through her head and it sent a shiver down her spine. "Did you see a mouse with me?"
Valour looked at her, even though the helmet she could tell the spirit was confused at what she had asked. "I saw only you and your wisp approach. I never saw any 'mice'."
Neria grew concerned, maybe the demon had snuck up on Mouse and took him. Or maybe…and this gave her much pause, Mouse working for the demon.
"I wish you luck, young mortal." Valour crossed his arms across his chest and bowed to her before turning his back to her, returning his attention back to his smithy.
Sparky zoomed around her anxiously. "I know, I know. But I have my staff and my will. I should be fine." Sparky let out a low hum and then sparked up again. Neria smiled. "I know you've got my back. Just be careful now." Sparky vibrated with excitement and whizzed back towards where they came from.
"I know just where to look for you, Mouse."
The arena that Mouse had told her about was now no longer empty. Mouse stood in front of a being made of fire and lava. A rage demon. Mouse turned and his expression was that of shock. "You aren't supposed to be here yet." He called out in fear.
"So you're working with the demon. I should have known!" She yelled in anger. In her rage she griped her staff tightly.
"You are too naive young mage. Soon I shall see the land of the living through your eyes, creature. You shall be mine, body and soul!" The demon spoke with such rage and power. Mouse began to tremble.
"No, she is too strong for you." He whelped.
"Think of all the meals we have shared 'Mouse'. Some of them were greater than…her."
Mouse face contorted in pain, he seemed torn between the two. He couldn't take it and ran towards her. He turned into his mouse form and fled down a nearby mouse hole.
"Aww. The mouse flees! He has grown to like you! I don't see why!" The demon spoke again.
"It is over demon. I will not bargain with you. I will not take any deal you make." Neria said confidently as she could despite the fear welling up inside her.
The demon let out a terrible roar and sent a ball of fire her way. Sparky whizzed away while she rolled out of the incoming projectiles way. She regained her footing and sent a torrent of lighting at the demon. It stood there and absorbed the blow and redirected the power back towards her. She leaped chest first onto the ground as the lightning arched over her. She could feel the heat of the lightning above her touching her back.
Not lightning then, ice is the best course against a creature of fire.
She stood back up quickly and ran to the right to evade the demon, Sparky came back and encircled above her, it had gathered extra mana for her to use for her next spell. She could already feel the mana flowing into her, enhancing her already heighted mana pool. The demon drew closer to her, she wacked the demon's head with the end of her staff. It didn't faze the demon. Sparky zoomed towards the creature and let out a small blast of magic. The demon's head moved slightly back from the force of the wisps attack.
The demon laughed. "Such a brave creature you have there. It has intelligence and power beyond its fellows, so curious. I shall enjoy feasting on it!"
Sparky trembled with fear, it didn't stop it from pouring the rest of the mana it had gathered into her. The demon drew closer again, Neria side stepped trying to avoid it and put some distance between her and the demon. The demon stopped and roared, it began to gather flames above its head. She used the opportunity to use gathered mana against the demon and without warning she cast a cone of cold from her staff. The demon was enveloped in ice it didn't like it, its skin began to cool and became hard and it cried out in pain. She let out another cone of cold which froze the demon in its place.
It wasn't defeated yet, inside its icy casing it was glowing with heat that was slowly beginning to melt the ice that surrounding it. She carefully approached the frozen demon, her staff raised, ready to use if needs be. Sparky whizzed around the frozen demon humming. She had to end it now while she still had the chance. Not hesitating any longer she raised her stave above her head and brought it down with all the force she could muster upon the demon and it shatter into thousands of pieces. The demon was dead.
She looked around the field in which they had done battle. She couldn't help but feel that it was way too easy. Mouse had returned running towards her excitedly. "You did it. You actually did it!"
"Yes… I did." She sniffled as her eyes fell upon the melting ice with concern. It was way too easy.
"When you came, I hoped that maybe you be able to… but I never any of you were worthy." He said excitedly.
"You were working with that demon! How many did you betray before me? What were their names?" The angry from before returned to her, she would never normally act on her anger but she knew couldn't stay as she was. Being meek and quite was not the signs of a mage.
"What? They were not as promising as you. It was a long time ago. I… don't remember their names. I don't even remember my own name." He said rubbing his forehead as he tried to remember. "It's the Fade, and the templars that killed me, like they tried with you."
"Really? This seemed too easy. The demon fell to a simple spell of ice!" she pointed to the broken shards of ice scattered around them.
"You defeated a powerful demon, you completed your test. With time, you will become a master enchanter with no equal. And maybe there is hope in that for someone as small and as… forgotten as me. If you want to help."
She didn't like the sound of this. Maybe fighting the other demon wasn't the true test after all. She took a step back. Sparky hovered over her shoulder, it was weary of this… Mouse.
"There may be a way for me to leave here, to get a foothold outside. You just need to want to let me in." He said with a sly grin.
"I'm starting to think the other demon wasn't my test." She said raising her staff defensively.
Mouse suddenly became all defensive. "What? What are you…? Of course it was! What else in here that could harm an apprentice of your potential." Mouse lowered his head submissively and sighed.
"Mouse?" she took another step back, fear replaced the anger from before and began to build within her heart.
Mouse raised his head, he had an evil expression on his face. His eyes turned black as the night. "You are a smart one." He said as his expression levelled out. His gaze was firmly fixed upon her.
He threw his arms apart. "Simple killing is a warrior's job. The real dangers of the Fade are preconceptions, careless trust… pride." He said with a demonic voice. He proceeded to raise both his arms above his head and began to grow larger. Spikes erupted from his back and arms and his skin quickly became blackened, twisted and rotten.
Neria couldn't move from the fear, this was demon… a true, powerful demon unlike anything she had read about. It was larger than her all she could too was to look helplessly at the twisted creature in horror. The demon looked at her with its black eyes, a hunger burned bright within them… a hunger and longing. Its soon attention fell upon the sky of the Fade.
"Keep your wits about you, mage. True tests never end!"
The demon disappeared in a flash of bright light that came from the sky. Neria looked around for any signs of it. She slumped to her knees in relief. "By the void. That… that was…
Harrowing.