I don't own either of the things, I never have, all of this is only for fun, blah, blah, blah. Note to self - Save a default disclaimer for repeated use.
Oh, I suppose I need warnings. Alright.
Well, it's Dragon Age. So, implied sex, violence, death, prostitution, slavery, coercion, other topics that can be upsetting that are also found in the game. Grotesque characters, foul language, so on and so forth. Drinking, alcohol, poisons, drugs. Sexism, racism, religion-ism, species-ism or whatever that's called.
Possible actual sex scenes - I'll put in warnings if I ever get to that point. Bisexual characters, straight characters, gay characters, rock golems...
Harry's bi, for the purpose of this book.
Look - if there's a warning for it, this book probably needs it. Dragon Age kind of had everything.
Chapter 1 - The Harrowing
The place he was in, it was cold. A hazy fog seemed to cover everything - a frost? An illusion? It mattered not. Strange structures, beautiful in their strangeness twisted into the not-sky, the horizon too blurred for him to see on.
The place seemed to be eating away at him. Why fight, why wonder, for didn't this place call to sleep? It was peaceful. A wafting call that reminded him of things; of rest and dreams and relaxation. Among other things too, things important, and less seemingly innocent, even though he seemed not to be able to recall what they were.
He shook his head. He had nearly fallen prey to the strange magic, and it would clearly be best to keep his wits about him. Constant vigilance and all.
A huffed breath passed his lips, the last tendrils of magic receding from his mind, no longer blurring both his knowledge of himself and how he had come to be in this strange place.
Not that he really had much of the latter.
Harry, as he knew himself, stepped from the hidden area the rise of land afforded him, unnoticed by an odd trio conversing below, words distorting into nothingness before they reached his ears.
Only two of the three appeared human. One was a young woman, a metal staff strapped to her back and dressed in a style of robes that was unfamiliar to him. It lacked the common runes that were often painstakingly stitched into robes of his world, though it was not to say she had none on her person. Her two rings on her hands pulled magic in from the air, separating it and leaving a small concentration of other magic, while absorbing different types into themselves, as well as, presumably, into her person.
A necklace and belt had the same effects, although the staff on her back did not. Instead, it seemed made of this place, of the same energy, even as she did not. The gentle hum around her pointed her out as a normal human, unlike the others.
The man next to her lacked the magical clothing and items, instead had the very energy of the place move in and out of him, concentrated on his head, much like it had been for himself when he first arrived.
The final being was grotesque - shaped in reminiscence of a bear, with sharp spines protruding from its body, and patchy, red-ish fur scattered throughout, like a beast with mange. The area around it was darker, almost denser, pulsing in a way the other's energies did not.
Harry watched as magic spread about the man, lingering and growing with him in a mist like substance - an animagus, but not. When it dispersed, it left the form of a bear, smooth and fully furred unlike the other.
Woman and bear turned and made their way down the hill, not looking back at the one they had left behind, nor him.
Harry calmly made his way down the steep slope, the sound of his footprints absorbed and creating an eerie silence. The beast didn't notice him until he was almost on top of him, and even then, only a slight twitch was a sign he had.
Howl's split the air, the only sounds that seemed to have any hold in the alien realm, announcing the presence of a small pack of wolves, running straight at the woman and bear.
"Greetings," Harry spoke, voice echoing slightly in the air.
"Why is it, that everyone must interrupt today?" The being spoke, with gravelly undertones in an otherwise human voice.
"I apologize then, I only wished to ask a few questions." It growled lowly, seeming to be more an inconsequential noise rather than a threat.
"Truly, it is tiring to answer. Go away now." Harry shook his head, eyeing the large beast.
"Is there not anything that will get me an answer?"
"I can offer you, a riddle, I suppose. Answer three and I will do as you ask." The being offered sleepily, yawning.
"I accept." The young man had heard many riddles over the years - having friends in different houses often came in handy.
"You measure my life in hours and I serve you by expiring. I'm quick when I'm thin and I'm slow when I'm fat. What am I?" The beast grumbled.
Harry ran his tongue across his teeth, musing for a moment.
"A candle, perchance?"
"Yes, yes. That is correct." A slight pause came to be before it spoke again. "I eat, I live. I breathe, I live. I drink, I die. What am I?"
He snorted, knowing the answer instantly. It had been a favourite of Seamus'.
"Fire."
"Correct. Last one. I have a face but no eyes, hands but no arms. What am I?"
"A clock."
"You are, once again correct. I suppose you can ask me some questions."
A slight smile came over his face, merely a twitch at the corners really.
"May I inquire as to where I am?" The great beast chuffed, almost a laugh.
"You are in the Fade." Harry thought over the statement, head titled.
"The Fade." The beast finally lifted it's head, looking at Harry with a slight curiosity in his eyes. Whatever it was looking for, Harry didn't know.
"The Fade is the land of dreams." Harry laughed, soft and cold, wicked amusement colouring his tone.
"The man who dreams this clearly has awful nightmares." It chuffed again, lowering its head and releasing a yawn.
"What were the two that were with you earlier?"
"Mouse, and a mortal. A spirit and a girl." Spirit. Not a ghost, then. Unless it was another word for such a thing
"Why was she with a spirit then?" Another chuff from the beast.
"I suppose Mouse thought she had a chance to survive."
He did not reply, instead settling back in place.
The two watched as a wolf struck a strong blow to her, more blood began to dribble onto the ground despite her spell casting.
"Any stronger of an opponent and she will be killed."
"Neither strong in body or magic, she has an intelligent mind and quick wit." He hummed in acknowledgement, he had no knowledge of either the woman or her companion, or at least, not enough to decide such a thing. His eyes fell back on the battle, watching as a wolf corpse fell to the ground and vanished as if it had never been.
He shook his head, hairs floating up against gravity. Another glance prooved the battle was over, they appeared to have survived.
"They are interesting enough, I suppose." He whispered, treading forward. He would follow her for know, see how she had gotten in, or would get out. Something about her, be it the colour in her features or the light that shone around her, told him that she did not belong wholly to this place.
The land itself seemed to form a path, the only way the two could travel - unless the place would change, which he could not rule out.
Few things stood out on the landscape, the colours all of one tone, brown and grey. He passed a spirit, lurking by a fire, a stand of staffs nearby, each one glowing with the same energy the women's had previously.
Brilliant blue crystals stuck out from the ground, glowing with energy, pure and bright. Making his way further down, he came across no other such things, only more twisted statues.
A turn allowed him a full view of a circle created from the land itself, holding what appeared to be something formed of lava. Small circles in the outer ring held a few orbs of light, striking out with weak bolts of lightning, and judging by the way they went up in frost and died quickly, they had little power.
The woman collapsed just as he reached her. A quick spell whispered showed she had no pulse anymore, and the bear-man had vanished from the scene. Where he went, Harry had no idea, nor did he care.
This place, the Fade, whatever it was - it wasn't a place where he was meant to remain. And this woman, her soul - her body remained in a different world, one he could just feel beyond his reach.
It's not like she could protest, she was dead.
Harry muttered a spell, the ancient words warping and twisting into a language most wouldn't be recognized, encasing the dead soul and himself in twisting black.
Agonizing pain flared through his very being, changing his body into a form identical to hers, pushing him into the place where she stood in the place outside the Fade. Making it to where he could take her place, no one the wiser.
He would explore her world, escape from this place, and maybe even figure out how to get home. Even if it killed him in the process.
