Ellan raised the dagger and stepped closer to the injured dragon, its shredded wings and a sword plunged deep into its chest kept it from flying away. Ellan took a deep breathe, she glance back at Wynne, Leliana and Oghren, her closes friends. She had told them what would happen once she killed the archdemon, and it was what she wanted. The elven mage knelt beside the unconscious beast, jamming the dagger into its throat to finish it off quickly. The thick black darkspawn blood poured out, coating her hands in the poisenous goo. Leliana knelt beside her, "Good bye, my friend." the tears rolled down the Orlasian girls cheeks.
Ellan forced a smile, as a wispy white light rose out of the archdemon and entered into her. The young elf gasped in pain as a burning sensation started in her gut, slowly spreading through the rest of her. Ellan saw herself clearly in that moment, a frightened elven mage playing at being a hero and failing so many times. She had often wished for death through out her seventeen years and now she would finaly have it and meet the Creators or the Maker, whoever. The soul of the tainted old god slowly burned Ellan away until at last she reached the beautiful, blissful, nothingness.
Ellan was surrounded by comfy pillows and thick blankets, she clasped a bowl of hot soup in her hands but the thought of consuming anything made her sick. Warden Commander Ivanka and Josef, the best Grey Warden healer, paced infront of her. "... spawn are getting weird." Josef was a short man with graying hair and beard, a mage from Orlais he had served the Wardens nearly fifteen years. "First Fiona, then the new song and now this?" he gestured helplessly at Ellan.
Ivanka's black eyes were intelligent and fierce, she had been the first person to speak with Ellan when the young elf woke up the day before. The Warden Commander had explained the Battle of Denerim had happened nearly two months ago, the elf had not died when slaying the archdemon but she had been in a feverish sleep ever since. No one had thought she would awaken.
"How am I alive?" Ellan asked. Her head was spinning as she tried to catch up, "Riordan said I would die."
"You should of died." Ivanka stated without emotion, "I hope, Josef, you have a theory."
The old man rubbed absently at his beard, "As you know I have been doing a great deal of research," he turned to Ellan, "I even went to Tevinter to consult with an expert in dark rituals, and I believe..." Josef placed a hand against Ellan's forhead, "I've found the answer."
"And?" Ellan prompted, she had noted the old man often times forgot he was talking and got lost in his own thoughts.
"Hmmm...? Ah yes, it is because of the baby." he finished.
"The baby?" Ivanka and Ellan questioned at the same time.
Ivanka stepped closer to Josef, a hardness settling over her, "What baby?"
The old mage wordlessly gestured to Ellan, a prolonged silence following as Josef' statement sunk in. Speechless the young elven girl placed a hand over her stomach, the baby?! A lump formed in her throat, her baby had saved her life. A babe she hadn't even known about. She remembered that night so vividly, just before leaving Redcliffe. His touch so soft and beautiful as they threw all the rules out the window and had one night to just be free.
"Explain." Ivanka snapped, bringing Ellan's attention back to the wardens.
Josef took the cold soup from her hands, "As best as my collegue could figure, the archdemon's soul now resides in the child." He fixed the elf with curious gaze as if waiting for an explaination.
Ellan felt slow and stupid as she tried to piece this new bit of information together. That was what Morrigan wanted. Had that strange witch done something? Ellan frowned, Morrigan did not seem the type to share power. Besides after Alistair turned Morrigan's offer down she had run away. The overwhelmed elf closed her eyes, the room was spinning faster, Josef's kind face becoming a blur. "Ellan!" someone shouted her name, she almost thought it might be him. It wasn't though, his duty demanded him to be elsewhere, he would never be hers. "I was suppose to die!" the tears came thick and fast, the world went dark pulling Ellan back into the peaceful nothingness.
She slept for only four days that time, Josef had feared they lost her but she kept struggling to breathe. "Your a fighter, you are." the old man smiled as he handed her a bowl of stew. Ellan wrinkled up her nose, "I'm not hungry." she couldn't keep anything down anyway.
"Just eat a few bites, you and the little one need food."
"I don't think the 'little one' likes food." Ellan sipped at the stew cautiously, it tasted really good.
"Ivanka has been demanding answers. "Are you ready for her?"
Ellan sighed, she had been dodging the other wardens for a couple weeks now, they wanted answers, but she couldn't give them any. "Any luck on finding Morrigan or Flemeth?"
Josef scowled, "None. Flemeth has disappeared, she won't show until she wishes."
"Guess I am on my own then." Ellan silently cursed those witches, one of them had to be responsible for what happened. Her hand went to her stomach, she still could not believe a child was growing in there. "Do you think my child will be..." Ellan hestitated, the fear of a child with soul of a tainted old god always pressed on her mind, would this child be an abomination? Josef patted her hand encouragingly, "The little one will be healthy and beautiful, you needn't worry about that."
Ellan only nodded, she had not spoken her fears out loud to the old healer, she could not bring herself to say that the babe might be evil. "I should not keep Ivanka waiting any longer." she put the stew aside and swung her legs out of the bed. Her muscles were weak but Josef had patiently helped her regain her strength over the past few weeks.
"Yes. Yes you are right." Josef absently rubbed his hands together, a far away look in his eyes. "What is it Josef?" Ellan touched his shoulder, bringing him back from his thoughts.
The warden smiled kindly, "Whatever happens, be brave Surana Levellan."
