Welcome, to this story. I will be retelling the main storyline of Dragon Age: Origins with a few twists, you'll notice these twists as the story progresses, my updates are not going to be routine, I have a life to live and if I don't update for three weeks or more, then I am busy.
Hear me, sons and daughters of the People--
I am Sister of the Moon, Mother of Hares,
Lady of the Hunt: Andruil.
Remember the Ways of the Hunter
And I shall be with you.
The rain descended mercilessly onto the earth beneath the canopy of trees. The Brecilian Forest was quiet, except for the continuous pitter-patter of raindrops upon the soft earth. It was dark in the forest, and the trees seemed to whisper of evil deeds and dark foreboding messages.
In Neria Surana's eyes the forest was like an omnipresent entity, always watching her and closing in around her. But for the moment her chief concern was running. Her legs ached from lack of rest and the physical exertion forced upon them, her feet were bruised and cut from the roots of the ground and rocks she stumbled over. Her shoes had been lost miles back.
Her mage's robes, once a symbol of her status as a member of the Circle, were torn in places and clung to her body in wet shreds, only serving to make her even more miserable. Her once vibrant red hair was caked with blood and dirt and looked like she hadn't had a chance to wash in days.
Though she was exhausted, Neria kept running. The burning sensation in her lungs made her breaths short and ragged, but terror drove her on. She had to get further away.
She wasn't cut out for this type of physical exertion, the Tower was not a place to exercise and Mages were forbidden to leave except on urgent business. This made them physically weak and reliant on their magic. Maybe that was the point. Being physically weak made the Templars' jobs much easier. Additionally, a Templar could cut off a Mage's spell, leaving him to the whims of the more physically fit templar.
She looked back for for any sign of her pursuers but visibility was poor in this heavy downpour. Neria knew her pursuers hadn't given up yet, it was still too soon and they had her phylactery. She couldn't escape them.
"Stupid Jowan, you had to study blood magic. I was so stupid for trying to help you," she cursed, remembering her supposed friend who had used her to destroy his phylactery, and then betrayed her, leaving her to the mercy or lack thereof of the Templars.
Right now though, her only chance seemed to be with the Dalish if she could find them. Surely the Dalish would shelter her. She had heardrumors of elves among the Dalish who studied magic. Maybe one of them knew how to avoid a phylactery and could teach her.
She didn't see the upturned root in front of her and shouted as she tripped, rolling down an embankment and landing roughly in the mud.
Trying to stand was futile. Her body was tired and sore, but if she didn't get up and keep moving, the Templar pursuing her would kill her. She tried to move but fell back to the ground in pain. Maybe giving up was the answer? She couldn't outrun the Templar for much longer and there no sign of the Dalish anywhere.
But was it worth it, to stop here? To just give in to the fate the Circle had given her?
No.
She would not die here, she would find the Dalish and she would live. So she summoned all her strength and reached up, grabbing a low hanging branch and began to pull herself to her feet, gasping in pain and exhaustion as she did so. She leaned against the tree for support and dearly wished she hadn't lost her Mage staff so far back. It wasn't like she needed it to cast spells, Mages could use their spells regardless, but it would have been something to lean on.
As she rose, she blinked, convinced she was hallucinating. In front of her stood an old building made of of pillars ledto a door and even better it looked deserted. She stumbled forward, leaning on the pillars for support. Maybe she could hide here for an hour or two and rest.
As she got closer she noticed the walls and door were adorned with strange writing, it looked to be elvish but she couldn't be sure since she didn't know the language. Neria opened the door, ignoring the creaking sound it made, stepped in and opened her mouth in wonder.
The place was huge, and though it had clearly been abandoned long before, the tapestries, brass fittings, fine pottery and silverware remained in place. No looters had been here to plunder these treasures. Neria briefly wondered how such a place remained so pristine but soon had her answer when she detected magic emanating from the walls and ceiling. That meant one of two things, either the Fade had become weak here or spells had been put in place to keep everything in good condition.
Some part of her told her to be wary, but she was too happy to listen to it much. Neria looked around and soon found a sturdy stick to lean on. She also found a dagger and bow, both were in remarkably good shape. Further searching also turned up a quiver of arrows and a pair of cotton tunics, leggings, and shoes.
With a relaxed sigh she sat down and began to change into the clothes, leaving her torn robes behind. The quiver and bow were slung on her back and the dagger sheathed in a nice holster she had found.
Neria walked down the hall and opened one of the doors out of curiosity. She was pleased to see a bed and her shoulders slumped in contentment. Removing the weapons and placing them on a nightstand next to the bed, she went to bed, falling asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.
Two miles away a small group of individuals slipped silently through the forest. The rain that beaded their cloaked forms were the only indication of their location.
The deer had all been scared away. Something was wrong with the forest.
With that thought in mind they proceeded onward.
She didn't know how long she had slept but after what seemed like an eternity, Neria began to groggily return to the land of the living. She could hear the rain outside, the boots on the stone floors and the muttering of voices.
'Wait, voices!' she thought, alarmed, and quickly stood up, trying to shake off the last vestiges of fatigue.
Neria forced herself to remain calm. She could identify four distinct voices. All men. Templars? She panicked and panicking she looked around desperately for an exit spotting some stairs leading to a level of the ruins below ground. As quietly as she could, Neria donned her clothes and then seized her weapons.
Without really thinking she ran to the door, opened it quickly and ran inside. She sprinted, marveling at how much better her body felt. She didn't know how long she had slept but it was long enough.
The corridor was dark, and she could hardly see, but she could still hear and she didn't like what she could hear. Something was moving down here, besides her and it was most definitely not human. The noise was coming from all around her and the ground was so sticky she almost got trapped as she walked.
It would draw the Templar to her like a beacon but she had no choice. Thanking the Maker for her talent with spells, Neria drew upon her mana, summoning a small flame to her hand and then transferring it to the top of her walking stick, letting it serve as a giant torch.
Now she could the area around her.
Now she wished she couldn't see.
The walls and floors around her were covered in webs, giant spider webs. Which could only mean she was hearing giant spiders somewhere. They were coming for her. She had to get out of there!
She heard the spiders again, closer this time and ran down a different corridor, knowing her life depended on finding another way out of the ruins.
"Templars behind me, giant spiders in front of me, I am so screwed," she muttered as she ran.
The repetitious click-clack of the spiders behind her was the only sound she could make out as she sprinted down corridors, taking many turns and nearly getting caught in stray webbing as she did so.
Then as she rounded one of the corners, a spider that had been very still and quiet lunged at her, knocking her down and sending her torch off into the distance.
She kicked desperately at the monster, reaching for her dagger and swinging it in clumsy arcs.
The spider continued to lung, snapping and trying to hit her with its poison. She was lucky however and hit the spiders many eyes, causing it to screech in pain and back off.
That was all the time she needed to get up, grab her torch and keep running. The spider recovered soon after and joined her large number of pursuers and give chase.
The hallway ended in a large open chamber that was covered in webbing that seemed to be everywhere. There were eggs and cocoons of poor souls who had gotten caught by the creatures.
Too late she realized that she had just trapped herself. She turned and backpedaled away from the door, eyes wide in fear as a multitude of spiders streamed out of it, slowly beginning to surround her.
She slowly looked around as they began to circle her, her grip on her dagger tightened. If she went down here then by the Maker she'd kill as many of these monstrous creatures as she could.
The spiders screeched and growled, seemingly trying to decide their next move as they swarmed around her.
One spider lunged forward only to be warded back by the torch. Another attacked and was cut by the dagger before retreating.
Two came at once and she used an Arcane Bolt, a blast made up of pure mana, to send them back.
This didn't seem to deter them in the slightest as another spider advanced towards her. She snarled and stabbed it as it came in and it stumbled back whimpering in pain.
Neria didn't think this situation could get any worse, she was trapped underground with spiders all around her ready to kill and eat her, the templar were also somewhere in the ruins trying to kill her or worse, bring her back to the Circle and force her to become a Tranquil.
Six spiders charged forward, attacking from all sides and Neria was forced to summon up a magical barrier, deflecting their attack as it shone brightly against their advances.
This couldn't go on, spells were tiring and she was quickly losing what stamina she had gotten from her earlier nap.
The shield wasn't going to hold forever. If anything, the shield would only last for a few minutes more.
Suddenly the spiders stopped and backed off, screeching at each other, fangs clacking as they conversed. Then in a moment they began to leave, streaming out of the doors and away from her.
Neria blinked a couple of times before letting out a relieved gasp and dropping the shield. She ran a hand through her hair and nearly wept at how close she came to death.
Then a deep rumbling echoed through the chamber, it was low, rough, and utterly terrifying. It was terrifying because Neria knew or at least had an idea as to what it was.
Only one thing could live in a place like this without being killed by spiders, only one thing could command them to leave their prey, if she was right and this thing was controlling the spiders.
Only one thing could do all this, and that was a demon. So the Fade had broken here and a demon had slipped out.
She looked around, wary and stumbled back when the ground beneath her opened up and her opponent arose.
It was a hideous thing with a twisted and decaying gray body, its mouth was on the chest and rumbled with the creature's movement. The head was even more hideous, twisted and missing a jaw. Soulless black eyes glared at her, wanting, needing, desiring, and Neria instinctively shivered in disgust.
"Look who has stumbled into my domain," it rumbled, sizing her up. "A mage so far from your Circle, what a lucky find for me."
Neria glared defiantly at the demon and her grip on the dagger tightened.
"Leave me, demon or I will kill you," she hissed trying to look menacing.
The demon laughed and its entire body shook as it did.
"You have spunk I'll say that, but you are exhausted and can not fight much longer."
Neria knew that to be true but the reality of that statement made her acknowledge it again, she wasn't going to survive this meeting.
The demon advanced on her and swung one of it's long muscled hands at her. The attack caught her in the ribs and sent her painfully to the ground.
She rolled just in time to miss another attack and swung the dagger, embedding it into the demon's side.
The demon bellowed in rage and viciously backhanded her, sending her to the ground.
Neria groaned in pain and tried to get up but another strike to her chest sent her down again.
"You should not have done that girl. Now your death will be slow and painful as I drain you of your very essence!"
The demon punctuated this statement by hitting her repeatedly, again and again. She felt a rib shatter and then thing's began to get hazy.
"Congratulations Neria you have passed your Harrowing and are now officially a mage of the Circle."
'First Enchanter Irving, my mentor he always urged me to do my best, to never give up and always keep trying'
"My capacity to feel differs from yours, but you also differ from all other beings. You are no more a person than others, and I am no less a person than you are."
'Owain, he always gave me such great advice and believed in me, though he would never admit it'
"I recite the Maker's blessings every day. It brings me peace in troubled times."
'Keili, my friend and comrade'
"Ah, it's you again. Or at least I think it is. You all look the same to me."
'Senior Enchanter Sweeney, my teacher and the one who taught me to be me and no one else'
"Greetings again, Sister, I hope you are well."
'Eadric, the one who helped me escape'
"No! I won't let you touch her!"
'Jowain, still my best friend, even after all this'
'Have….have I let them down? Are they disappointed in me?'
"Believe in yourself always Neria"
"You can do it, let nothing stand in your way"
"The First Enchanter says you are gifted, so you should not worry"
'No'
"You my girl are my finest student, you will be a great mage one day, perhaps even the First Enchanter"
'I won't'
"The Maker will eternally watch over you my friend"
'I can't give up'
"We Believe in you Neria"
'I refuse to die here! I refuse to lose!'
The world came back into focus, anger and determination fueling her movements, giving her strength.
She summoned her mana and hit the demon in the face with an Arcane Bolt. It reared back in pain and Neria stood, ignoring the burning in her chest and the blood dribbling from her mouth.
She began to call on all she had left in her, every ounce of strength she could muster. The demon roared and lunged at her, aiming for the finishing blow.
And in that last second, right before the demon could land it's blow, she muttered one word.
"Inferno."
And the world exploded in fire, raging, white, hot as it cascaded into a pillar around her. The webs on the walls and floors burned and disintegrated, cocoons were sent flying back from the initial force.
The demon wailed and screeched in agony, pure agony as it was burned alive. The fire permeated it to the core, burning it from the inside and the outside until it was nothing more than a shattered husk.
Eventually the fires dimmed and Neria fell to the floor, her vision was blurry and was beginning to fade, unconsciousness called to her, inviting her into its warm embrace.
But she tried to fight it, she still needed to escape, they were still after her. And as her vision faded she saw them, there were four of them, there once gleaming silver armor and purple skirt were covered in bits of gore, presumably from the spiders that had tried in vain to stop their advance.
So this was it? For all her effort she was going to die here?
Neria tried to reach for something but unconsciousness claimed her at the last moment.
In front of her the Templars stared down at the body, tensing in case it was a trick to catch them off guard.
After a minute of deliberation between the four they stepped cautiously towards the prone form.
"Do you suppose she's dead Atono," one of them asked, bending down to get a closer look.
The one named Atono shook his head in dismissal.
"No, Aeche she is alive, albeit barely, but still alive."
The third Templar chuckled and lifted his sword at this.
"Well then, let us finish this apostate scum and be done with it." His blade descended downwards, right at her heart.
Suddenly a hail of arrows slammed through his armor and into his back. He choked blood and fell to the floor.
"Risage," the fourth Templar shouted as the other two whirled around to face their new foe.
There were 12 of them, wearing green cloaks that hid their bodies, but the hoods were down revealing pointed ears and tattooed faces.
"Dalish," Atono growled as he stared down 12 impassive faces.
"I'd be careful if I were you Shem, otherwise you'll join your friend over there," the lead Dalish said warningly.
He was tall for an elf, standing two inches above his brethren, his black hair was cut short, letting the Vallaslin, blood writing, on his face be displayed proudly. Unlike his companions he wielded a sword and by his stance, he wielded it well.
"You have no right to interfere with our mission," Atono challenged, but he understood that they were outnumbered 4 to 1.
"Yes, well there are 12 of us and only 3 of you. I suggest you leave before we're forced to kill you."
The three remaining Templar looked between each other warily before they sheathed their weapons and left.
The lead elf sighed and sheathed his sword as most of his compatriots sheathed their own weapons.
"Saelion, Alodith grab the girl," he ordered quickly as his eyes scanned the room.
"Yes, Keeper Mahariel," they said before carefully picking Neria up and moving her out and into the hallway, the rest of the elves following close behind.
Keeper Mahariel gave the room one last look before he followed them.
However both the Templar and Dalish did not take notice of the supposedly dead Risage. He was close to death, but not quite there yet.
He found himself hating the Dalish, hating that girl for causing them to come out this far, hated them all for insulting his pride as a Templar.
"Look at the little Templar, broken and about to be dead, we can change that."
"W-who's there," he called out, mind muddled by rage and confusion.
"We can help you get your revenge for the insult upon your pride. All you must do is let us take over."
Risage growled in anger.
"Yes, I'll do whatever you want, just kill them, kill those Dalish and especially that girl," he pleaded.
The voice chuckled.
"Very well, but remember you asked for this."
And with that the pride demon entered Risage's body and began to transform it into something stronger, better.
A Revenant.
Okay guys, that's chapter one. I hope you all like it and enjoy the story as it progresses. A big thanks to WendWriter for her help with the story.
See you next time.