The Harrowing

Across Lake Callenhad my test is about to begin. What defines a mage from all of the other initiates… the Harrowing. My name is Tanner Shepard, and I am an initiate who is to enter the fade. I have dirty blonde hair, about the size of your average nineteen year old, and one of the most powerful mages you will ever meet. I walk into the Harrowing Chambers wearing my red and black robes, and lean over a bird bath like object

"This is the Harrowing Chamber," says the Head Templar, Gregor). "And you shall be entering the Harrowing, your rite of passage."
"Really, I thought I was just the only one who showed up at your birthday party! Of course I know it's the Harrowing, now let's get started!" I say.

"Ha ha, now get into the fade and get it over with" He said.

"Now now Gregor there's no need to get… an attitude." Says First Enchanter Irving.

"Yes, yes. 'Because I'm the one with the attitude." I ignore the banter and walk up to the Lyrium filled Bird Bath. I put my hands in the Lyrium and in a flash of white light, I'm in the fade.

All around me weird looking plants are growing, and I'm standing a floating piece of land. I see a glowing wisp in the distance. My hands feel freezing as the cover with frost. I cross my arms briefly and then throw them in the air, looking up. The wisp freezes and dies quickly. Then transparent wolves start coming after me, they have a faint trail following them. My hands then burn hot as I shoot a cone of flame from my fingers.

The wolves start burning in agony as I walk on. After a few minutes of eerie silence I run into a mouse.

"You're not going to make it back you know. I didn't, and neither will you." Says the mouse.

"You…. You talk?" I asked

"Of course I do. I'm actually a mage." He glows yellow for a second and then is in human form. He has red hair and in blue and tan robes, though the same design as mine. "Anyways, you'll never make it."

"Of course I will." I said.

"Then prove it, defeat the demon, pass your test."

"So… what's your name?"

"Mouse."

"Not your real name I take it."

"Of course not, I don't remember my real name, the Templar's destroyed my body, and with it my memories." We walk on in silence, though meet a man in a templar uniform. We talk to him, and he challenges me to a duel, If I win: I get a staff to use, If he wins: I die. Me and the spirit take a step back, and then he pulls out his sword and I spin my hands above my head. My hands start glowing blue as he makes an attack.

He slices my arm, but I still keep the spell going. After three more seconds I send a barrage of ice at him freezing him. Then I feel the earth around me as rocks fly to my arm. I fling my arm stopping it at the frozen templar, and a stone fist shatters him.

The spirit reforms and speaks to me in his deep voice.

"You are good. You will go far." He hands me a staff that twists into caduceus form with a white, frosted orb. Me and mouse walk on to find a spirit in the shape of a bear.

"Hello there!" I pipe up.

"What do you want?" He says in a drawl.

"I want to see if you can help me?" I asked.

"I suppose I could help your friend. Should he be willing to learn?"

"No, I think I'm good." Says Mouse.

"No, I don't think you are, now learn!" I say. The bear opens his mouth and a slight burst of energy pops out of his mouth and mouse, is a bear.

"Wow, I feel a lot better than I usually do."

"That's good. Now you can help me fight the demon!"

"I suppose so."

We walked on and then more spirit wolves run towards me and I spin around and shot a bolt of energy out of my hands. Then raised my hands and the wolves froze. A wolf came up behind and scratched my back.

"OWWW! Bitch." I said as a ball of fire exploded in my hands killing the last of the wolves around me. I look over at mouse and he's ripping them to shreds. We walked on and I walked into a half circle area, rimmed with flames. Then a demon arose from nowhere. Whips arrived as well.

"MOUSE! How dare you betray me like this! After all the wonderful apprentices we had eaten together." Said the demon. He looked like a red glob of lava, with just red slits for eyes.

"What did you do to other apprentices?"

"None of them were as promising as you are. They didn't deserve to be mages."

"We can discuss this after this demon is dead!" I said as I threw my hands up and I exploded with a burst of blue energy. The demon survived, but the wisps did not. Then the bear grabbed the demon threw him up and I shot a bolt of energy and he was destroyed.

"Very good Tanner! Very good." Said mouse. " Now, if I could maybe come with you… back to the real world, maybe I could get one foot out and, maybe find a body. I could use yours as a portal."

"What? I'm starting to think that the demon wasn't my real test."

"What of course it was… oh you are a smart one. Remember child, true tests… never end."

Then there was a flash of light and darkness….

My first chapter of my dragon age story! REVIEW! Note that I do not own anything of this story, only a few characters.