Hi! This is my first time writing for Dragon Age, so please do not mind if I make a few mistakes with lore and such. Hopefully, I'll get better with time. Anyhow, Enjoy! :D
Prologue:
Golden rays of light fell through the windows of ferelden's very own Circle tower. But none fell here. I sat alone in the darkness of a storage room in the tower, with no source of light except the fire the burned in my left hand while in the right, I stared at a book.
Today was my Harrowing. I was told I would have five hours to study, starting from noon. That was 4 hours ago, and I was still trying to merely comprehend what this book was trying to tell me.
It was a fluke, really. Finding this book among the hundreds of thousands of book in the tower. And in the apprentice's library, no less.
Either way. Here I sat, stumped as I tried to grasp what the book detailed. I had gotten the general Idea of it, I may even be able to use it. But my place in the circle, my freedom, my LIFE depended on comprehending this forbidden knowledge. IF I could, then not only would I succeed, I would be one of the most powerful mages, maybe even enough to rival Irving. But that would take time.
I am sure you have guessed by now. The oldest, and most powerful school of magic to exist. You could do everything you could with mana, except there are things you could do with this you could never even dream of doing with mana. I am hoping for this, for my lifeblood will be my way out of the fade. My way to succeed the Harrowing.
For the next hour I sat, taking in the secrets of this book, for it may be the last time I read it. I have used it before, once. So I like to think I know what I am getting into. But that is a foolish notion. But, eventually, my time was up. I hid the book in one of the crates, and walked out of the room, into the apprentice dormitories. Just as I closed the door behind me, First Enchanter Irving Walked into the dorms. He looked around, spotted me, and waved me over.
"Come, child." He spoke. Irving was like a father to me. He looked after me, protected me. There were even a few times where he managed to get me out of serious trouble. So I like to think I was like a son to him, too.
"It is your time." I followed him, up through the tower, through the Enchanter's floor, which was forbidden to all save, well, the enchanters. And into the Harrowing chamber. There, I saw something I knew as Lyrium. The very essence of magic. It glowed a bright blue, and I swear I heard something coming from it.
There, was Knight-Commander Gregoir, the head of the Templars here. There were a few of the mage-hunters scattered across the room.
"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 is 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. "
"This is why the Harrowing exists." Irving spoke. "The ritual will send you into the Fade, and there you must face a demon, armed with only your will."
"I understand." I say, trying to sound sure of myself.
"Know this, Eyrie." The Knight-commander spoke. Unusual, for him to call and apprentice by name.
"If you should fail, and become an Abomination, we templars will perform our duty – you will die." Gregoir said, almost with a tinge of sadness in his voice. We never really talked as much as me and the first enchanter did, but we were on good terms.
He pointed to the pedestal containing the Lyrium. "This is indeed Lyrium. The essence of magic, and your gateway into the fade."
Just then, Irving stepped closer. When he does that, he has something important to say. Like, life-depending important, so it is best to listen.
"The Harrowing is a secret out of necessity, child. Every mage must go through this trail by fire. As we succeeded, so shall you." He sounded so sure. It actually calmed me a bit.
"Keep your wits about you," Irving said, making hand-motions, as he often did as he talked. "And remember the Fade is a realm of dreams. The spirits may rule over it, but your own will is real."
He looked as though he wanted to say more, before the Knight-Commander cut him off. "The apprentice my go through this test ALONE, Irving. If you are ready, Eyrie." Gregoir said, pointing to the pedestal.
I walked over to it, and was about to touch it was the lyrium… jumped into my hand is the best way to describe it. I felt myself go numb, I think. Then… Nothing.
I know, boring as a rock. But I have plans for it to be more exciting in the future. So, review if you have any feeback, otherwise, thank you for reading this far, and have a good day. :)