5/26/19 EDITS: More lore has been added, more interactions to show the friendship between Aria and Jowan. And more Cullen cameo's.
There will be future edits in the earlier chapters to fix plot holes or things that i think wouldn't make sense. There may also be new character development, dialogue or other scenes added to fix or fit new context given.
Things I know I will be changing:
Aria bumping into the hooded stranger in Lothering will be changed to FemHawke
Aria getting the control rod will be moved to after the 'Tower of the Unworthy' arc
Any other changes are purely me adding at my own will just because or from advice and suggestions of my beta reader.
Here is Aria's basic information:
Aria Surana
Age:18
Race: Elf
Origin: Mage
The apprentice dormitories were cold, as usual. No amount of built in stone fireplaces that were on either end of one room, or warming enchantment could ever supply the necessary heat for ridding oneself of the deeply rooted chill the tower instilled in a person's very core. Nevertheless, such was the norm in the Circle of Magi, why supply the feared with baser comforts like the feeling of home, or safety and acceptance when you want them to never forget that they are unwanted in a world cast in pious self-righteousness and centuries of fear tactics? Curling her thin frame into a tight ball under her thick blanket a figure tried to get but a few more winks of sweet sleep before evening lessons were to begin.
The branch of spirit magic that dealt in death was a hard to find talent in anywhere that wasn't Navara. Often shied away from because of how it appeared to others, twisting the dead to do one's bidding, or using what appeared to no longer have a use and was thus disrespectful to the soulless husk.
Aria, however, had a morbid fascination in death. Perhaps she should question it, but with little else to do for the rest of her life but study, study, study, why not do so with something unusual and eye opening to the nature of life itself?
Or maybe, she just liked the wide birth the more judgmental mages gave her. She had little need for social climbing. They were in a tower forever, no need to stir the pot.
Rapid footsteps penetrated her wandering mind, coming her way and told her any more attempts at rest would be futile. Lifting her head out of her bunks' blanket as the figure of an average size human man with dark brown hair came into the young woman's view. She inwardly sighed as she recognized the human as her friend Jowan. Jowan was much older than she was, in his late twenties and had been an apprentice Mage in the Circle since he was a bit older than her.
He had a nervous nature, and despite being younger than him, the two formed a fast bond. He was the first to make her acquaintance when she was brought from the Highever alienage. And being the lonely, scared little girl she was, she latched onto him like a lifeline.
The older boy seemed more than happy to have someone attached to him, to take care of and guide. Aria was relieved to have someone make the transition easier.
Jowan stopped just before her bed and slouched down to her level. He heaved a heavy breath of relief. Looking toward her with a thin lipped smile and tired eyes, he spoke
"Thank the Maker I found you before you went for your lessons, Aria." Jowan huffed. Aria yawned. squeezing large brown eyes shut before she questioned the man on why he was in such a hurry.
"What's up Jowan? You've got sweat on your brow, is everything ok?" Aria spoke as she sat up in bed, dragging her legs to the edge. She looked at him. Jowan slouched against the bed frame.
"Senior Enchanter Irving has called for you Aria…You've been approved to take your Harrowing!" Jowan revealed. His expression sallow and brow furrowed with intense worry. Dark eyebrows shot up as Aria looked up at her friend in shock.
"What? Me? I'm not even twenty. Jowan. H-how did I even, my study isn't finished." The suddenness of such news had caught her off guard and left her unable to comprehend what was going on.
Aria hadn't so much as used her magic in a practical setting. She's had been strictly monitored by the senior enchanters and Irving himself that acted as her teachers, she's learned control over her chosen fields. But her repertoire was shallow, and she had no experience in the mock battles.
Why was she being sent when she still had a good two years left to her apprenticeship?
The Harrowing, the final test any mage apprentice of any race from any Circle of Magi must go through before they are considered a full-fledged mage. Many residence of the Circle usually had to wait several years of strict training before being recommended for the test. One had to show the utmost skill and ability to control not only the magic that flowed through them, but of a clear understanding of possession and the affinity of a strong will. Though, while every mage in training is taught the dangers of demons and their natural susceptibility towards possession, only a few at a time are chosen to be deemed worthy of moving on in the ranks of the Circle every year.
This was no honor though by all means. The Harrowing was just a way for the Templars that guarded the mages that lived, chained to the Circle, to weed out the weak ones and crush them.
At least, that's how Aria saw it in the darkest parts of her mind.
The ones that do pass, however, move out of the apprentices dorms on the first floor and moved to the official mages dorms on the next floor. And this it would take year more to reach the senior enchanter milestone and be granted a much more private room somewhere on the third through fifth floors. The Circle itself consisted of about fifteen floors in the highest tower at the center of it all. With classrooms and studies in four connected buildings in the cardinal direction
But back to the more pressing matter, Aria had not been here or trained as long as many mages, like Jowan. She felt the pricking sense of foreboding and wondered nervously why the First Enchanter hadn't spoken to her about his interest in having her take the test so early.
"I always knew you would be called one day. You're a talented elf you know that, much better than I am." Jowan interrupted her tangle of thoughts. Quietly, she shook her head.
"I've done nothing different than you Jowan….I'm worried what being called before my studies are done could mean for me. I wasn't even asked if I wanted this, what if I fail?"
"Hey," Jowan walked out in front of her and grasped her shoulders, shaking her gently, "you are a talented girl, your control is strong, and you absorb the theory of casting like a sponge. I have full confidence you'll succeed." he praised her with a crooked, self-deprecating smile.
"Now poor ol' me on the other hand…"
Aria wrapped her arms around the taller mans' stocky body. The elf felt him relax in her hold and return the hug just as tightly.
"You're a good mage Jowan, and an even better friend. If anyone should be making it to becoming an official Circle Mage, it's you." She muttered into his robes.
"You'll see, you'll be next in line, I just know it."
"Such a sweet, sweet girl you are Aria. Good luck up there, I'll find you as soon as I know you're safe." her friend whispered. Aria nodded and they released each other from their hug. Slowly, they made their way towards the canteen so that she could grab a pastry for the girl to eat before climbing the many stairs to where the First Enchanters private study was located.
Aria's heeled uniform shoe's sent hollow clicks under toe from each step she took up the uneven tower stairs.
She and Jowan had to separate once they arrived at First Enchanter Irving's study. Two Templars barring all but the elder mage's pupil. They had hugged again, this time, with the elf squeezing a little tighter. For who knows if she'd survive whatever the Harrowing really was. No one was allowed to speak about it and all through the walk, both man and young woman contemplated out loud the most harrowing things they could possibly think of.
Fighting the Knight-Commander, fighting Irving, writing runes, reciting the Chant of Light.
Aria was then to be escorted by two armed and armored Templar's, and head for the highest point in Ferelden's Circle where the Knight-Commander and First Enchanter would wait for her. It was there Aria would take part in an apprentice's worst nightmare.
The clink, clang, and clack of her escorts' shin guards mixed with her steps without unison until the top of the stairs were reached. One of the Templars at her side was a young man she knew as Cullen.
For a Templar, he was kind. He had finished his Templar training and was transferred to the Ferelden Circle around two years ago when she was sixteen, and he eighteen. They've talked some prior to now, she worries she makes him nervous because she is a mage-he's always stuttering and stumbling over his words. She truely hope he doesn't fear her, the young man was always worth a few kind words and passing greetings. And he seemed to care a great deal about the well being of the mages here.
Her deep brown eyes met with Irving's in the strangely sparse top floor. A breeze from somewhere blew strands of short hair into her eyes. All around her, the windows were made of nothing but iron and stained glass. The foggy light that speared through the delicate images threw the nearly empty room into a rainbow of muted colors across the floor, walls, and people. Reds, oranges, yellows bounced off of the Templar's armor and brought a dream like quality to the space.
The First Enchanter was an old man, with worried wrinkles and a grey beard long enough to hide his neck from view. Aria had three regular teachers throughout her time at the Circle, the old man before her including. The elf didn't know what he saw in her to take her under his wing, but his knowledge was vast and her ability to wield spirit magic flourished under his aid.
Sometimes, Aria wondered if this was how having a grandfather felt like. For a strict mentor, he was also doting and she has perhaps spend many hours in his study just to get away from the crowds of others on the first floor.
Irving's arms opened to Aria welcomingly, but the imposing voice of the Knight-Commander interjected.
"Magic exists to serve man, not rule over him." He spoke as if disciplining a young child. It was after that the elf tuned the man out. Aria didn't like the Knight-Commander, he was easy to judge a mage and find fault with them and ignore the faults of the men and women under his leadership.
"…demons of the dream realm—the Fade-are drawn to you and seek to use you as a gateway into this world."
"It is for this reason the Harrowing exists," Irving continued. "the ritual will send you into the Fade. It is there you will face a demon…armed only with your will."
Aria listened to the First Enchanter's explanation of what was to happen. She showed only vague surprise that the Harrowing involved going into the one place Mages were at their most vulnerable. Lets face it, it could be worse, they could have told her they would make her get possessed and she would have to thrust the demon from her body herself. However, a question still plagued her.
"What if I fail to kill this demon?" she asked.
"If you do by some chance fail to eradicate the demon, the Templars will not hesitate to kill you on my command." Knight-Commander answered. Aria turned her head to look at the delicate altar with some sort of glowing lyrium mixture in a bowl to hide the rolling of her eyes. Yeah…no pressure right?
"….Then I am ready." She murmured without a stutter, no time to show fear now. Walking up to the altar Aria dipped one small hand into the bowl and watched as pale light enveloped the fingers, and then the palm. A warm, almost burning sensation started and shot up her arm in a jolt of pain and strange feeling of unbridled pleasure. She jerked her hand away from the altar in shock, but she stumbled in her hurry to get away, the few steps she took to back away cause her dizziness. Then, before she knew it the cold stone floor was at her back. Unable to speak, her eyes darted to look frantically at each face in the room. What was this, this burning feeling? It took over her body and she wanted to scream so bad, but her mouth felt like it was sewn shout.
Before she blacked out, Aria saw through blurry vision the First Enchanter clutching his hands together in an unheard prayer.
It was sudden when Aria's blindness turned into a hazy, dreamlike world where it was colored an early morning sunrise. She stood on an island that seeming to be floating in the clouds, there was complete silence in this world. No wind blew and no birds sang.
"So this…is the Fade?" the elf spoke only to herself, her voice seemed to fade away after the sentence was done. Glancing around for a way to go she breathed in as she found she could only go forward down an uneven path. It didn't take very long until something new came into Aria's sight, she squinted her eyes to examine the things since she was still quite the distance away from them. Whatever they were they looked like little pale blue balls of maybe magic. Wanting to get a better view, she stepped lightly on the path so as to not make a racket.
However, some way or another one of the balls of wispy magic spotted her, it sent a bolt of magic towards her and without thinking Aria stood still, unsure of what to do. The attack hit and was tough enough to knock the mage back a step. Gasping, a hand flew to her chest where the spark of power connected. It had actually hurt! Worried, Aria now on the defensive lifted her arm and formed a wispy spark of magic, she shot it at the attacking whisp and watched it dissipate. Any sense of relief was cut short though as more of the strange Fade creatures appeared around her. Knowing what to do now she remembered her training as an apprentice and felt no more apprehension towards the creatures. She let her hand flow with familiar magic, the simplest of kinds and shot an arcane bolt at one enemy until it disappeared, quickly the elf moved to the side and away from a retaliation and shot two more creatures dead. Lowering her hand after the last was taken care of Aria pushed forward.
All sense of time seemed to be lost to Aria while in the Fade she didn't know if it had been hours or only minutes since she entered the hazy realm. She had not found any one creature yet that could be considered a demon. The dirt path she had been following led to a tiled floor as the young woman starred with interest at the ruin-like structures she passed while on her journey through the Fade. Farther down the path the earth and stone started to rise. The stone stretched out like claws and curled around making a makeshift tunnel.
"Tch…Someone else thrown to the wolves. As fresh and unprepared as ever I see." Said someone inside the tunnel. Aria froze suspiciously and raised a hand to brighten the hollow with a small burst of fire. The warm orange light cast dramatic shadows around her and mixed oddly with the off green everything seemed to coat everything, even the sky, as she looked for the owner of the voice.
"Who's there." She demanded with narrow eyes. There was a scuffling sound some feet in front of her and a rat scurried out from the shadows.
"Eh?" Aria's expression lightened up as curiosity took over, "You're a rat." She stated simply.
"And you're real original." The rodent scoffed, "It just isn't right that they do this, the Templars. Not you, me, anyone!"
Aria furrowed her brows.
"You mean the Harrowing?"
"Sigh, It's always the same…" he started again, "But it's not your fault. You're in the same boat I was aren't you?"
Aria nodded silently. Did this creature mean he was a mage? How could that be if she was the one taking the Harrowing right now?
"Um…By the way…Who are you?" she asked, kneeling down to the rats' level in her ankle long uniform robes
"Oh," the creature said and let a flash of light envelope its body. The small flash grew until the shape of a man appeared in the place of the rat Aria was talking to. "Allow me to welcome you to the Fade, you can call me…well—Mouse." The shape-shifter introduced itself. Aria stood back up.
"You may call me Aria." She held out her hand to shake his, but Mouse stared blankly at her with no indication he understood the jester. Awkwardly she pulled her hand back to her side.
"So…Mouse, I take it that isn't your real name?"
"It's…fuzzy, the time before. They wake you up in the middle of the night and drag you to the Harrowing chamber and then…" Mouse's face contorted into one of disgust, "The Templars kill you if you take too long…you see. They figure you failed, and they don't want anything getting out."
"That's what they did to me, I think. I have no body to reclaim. And you don't have much time before you end up the same."
Aria thought about what he just told her. She knew full well she would die if she was possessed, but she didn't realize she had a time limit too, without a proper barring of time in this place she had no clue how long her body in her world has been unconscious. Worry shot through her like a rusty blade, it tugged and prickled at her skin and she gulped. But…would Irving really let the Knight-Commander's men kill her without knowing if she was truly possessed? Aria shook her head free of such grim thoughts. If she really was on a time limit like Mouse said then all the more reason to hurry to find this demon she had to kill.
"I don't think I would be killed so easily without being given a chance." She told Mouse determinedly.
"Mouse, don't you know where the demon is that I have to kill?"
The man furrowed his brows in thought.
"There's something here, contained, just for an apprentice like you. You have to face it and resist it, if you can. It should be just in the end of this tunnel." Mouse confirmed.
"But an apprentice is nothing more than a toy to such a powerful demon." He hesitated.
"Everything dies," Aria stated simply, "Even in the Fade." With that in mind, Aria turned back to the path she had yet to walk to get to the end. Mouse watched after her and after a moment, he too followed the apprentice closely behind.
"You would be a fool to attack everything you see with that sort of carefree mind set. What you face is powerful and cunning." He tried to reason with her.
"Yes…I've been told I can be quite the naive fool, but so be it. I rather be naïve to the danger than shaking in my robes." Aria commented as she continued full speed.
"I want to leave this place…it doesn't feel natural for me to be here…like this. I feel solid when I cannot even feel the ground under my feet when i know it's there." she muttered under her breath, a strange sinking feeling had settled in her gut and it made her sick.
The exit was just before her now so she extinguished the spark of fire she had used as a light earlier and stepped out into the sunset light. Aria looked around her and noticed Mouse pointing over somewhere. She turned her head in that direction and stared in awe at a separated hollow on the floating island-like land. It was the familiar tiled ground with violent flames of fire becoming a half circle fence around the unguarded edges. So not only would the little elf fall to her death if she went to close to the edge, but she would get burned too.
"That's the arena I will fight in then?" she asked her companion, he nodded solemnly and lowered his arm to look at her reaction.
"Then this is it….Mouse…why not help me fight? I'm sure you can turn into something other than a rat, right?" Aria asked.
"Well…actually I can, but do you really think we can do this? Fight a demon I mean…and win?"
"You never know until you try, right?" she smiled. Comfortingly she grasped the mage's hand.
"We are two up against one demon, we out number it in power and people, so don't think it's useless ok?"
Mouse looked down at their joined hands, but Aria was unable to clearly see his expression. When he lifted up his head he nodded confidently at her.
"Alright Aria, I'll fight, and we will win." Aria released his hand and watch as the timid man shifted his form once more. He became a bear this time, bone-like spikes protruded out of his body and ugly fangs showed in his jaw. Beady black eyes looked up at Aria and she nodded is readiness. The two walked together down the path until they stopped in the middle of the arena.
With determination blazing in her earthen colored eyes Aria waited for anything to indicate a demon near. Then, there was a low, rumbling chuckle. Not even a yard away from her feet a bubbling pit of lava appeared as if out of nowhere. From it a blobby limb broke out of the melted rock and grabbed at the earth, another then popped out causing the heated liquid the splash around it. Aria had to take a step back before some landed on her clothes. Another chuckle and an angrily glowing blob dragged itself from the lava pit. The heat from its body was so strong that even at her distance Aria felt beads of sweat start to form on her forehead. A creature with no eyes that she could see, made completely of lava slithered ever closer to her petite frame.
"And so it comes to me at last." The creature spoke in its gravelly voice. "Soon I will see the land of the living with your eyes. You shall be mine, creature, body and soul."
"It's two against one, are you sure I'm worth it?" Aria challenged, standing her ground as the waves of heat of the demons body warmed her to her very soul.
"Amusing, have you not told her of our…arrangement, Mouse?" The demon growled. Aria turned to her partner for clarification. Mouse gave the demon a cross look and shook his head.
"We don't have an arrangement! Not anymore!"
"Aww, and after all those wonderful meals we have shared?" The creature questioned mockingly
"Now suddenly the mouse changes the rules?"
"Mouse…." Aria murmured in confusion.
"I'm not a mouse now. And soon I won't have to hide! I don't need to bargain with you!" There was a pause between Mouse and the demons conversation.
"We shall see…" the creature growled, Aria tensed as it stretched its arms into the air. Around her she could hear other things appearing from seemingly out of nowhere.
"Enjoy your last bits of freedom mage." The demon threatened. A ball of fire materialized in the creatures hand and he chucked it at the elf.
Thinking quickly, Aria jumped out of the way before it landed. A spark of magic was sent to her own palm as she quickly shot an arcane bolt at her enemy. Mouse was just behind the demon with his gory fangs in another monster. Preparing herself for another attack, Aria let the influence of the Fade allow her magic to surround her in a faintly glowing shield just as another fireball came crashing towards her, the shield of magic protected her from it so she charged at the lava monster with glowing hands. Thrusting one into its face she watched the creature crack. Her other hand shot another bolt through its body. In pain the creature bashed at her shield, throwing her back. The elf landed hard on the ground and dodged the thrust of another monster, this one no more than a black blob, similar in shape to the demon she faced off against.
Before the black blob could attack once more, the mage burst the being into flames with an explosion. Sparks of fire caught onto the other ones surrounding Mouse and he roared in triumph as his claws ripped one creature in half. Then, before Aria realized, a fireball grazed her shield. Swiftly, she turned back to the most important opponent and shot a bolt of power at it. The demon flew back and dived into a puddle of lava before popping out of the ground behind her. Scalding fingers snakes around her upper arm and she hissed in pain as her sleeve burned off. Yanking free, Aria scurried farther from the beast and shot a flurry of arcane blots. The demon screamed until its body could no longer hold itself together, hardened lava cracked and melted leaving yet another puddle of the violent liquid.
Holding onto her sore arm, still in shock she had been injured so badly, Aria turned to her partner how now stood over the collapsed corpses of the Shades. Mouse, turning back into a human male form ran over to her and held out a hand to help her get back to her feet.
"You did it, you actually did it!" He breathed as he pulled the elven mage to her feet.
"When you came, I hoped you would be able to…But I never thought any of you were worthy." Mouse spoke excitedly, his eyes wild as he stared at Aria up and down as if to size her up. The apprentice furrowed her brows uncomfortably at his words. That same feeling of an old dagger stabbing her appeared again and she took a step back from her companion. He didn't seem to notice and continued to talk.
"…It's all a little too easy." Aria eyes him suspiciously.
"That's because you are a true mage, one of the few!" Mouse reassured, his voice echoed.
"The others, they never had a chance. The Templars set them up to fail, like they tried with you. I regret my part in it, but you have shown me that there is hope. You can be so much more than you know." He led on with an inviting smile. Aria didn't like the way he smiled at her her.
"What exactly do you think you can get from me?" she asked taking another step back, this time, Mouse took two forward.
"You defeated a Rage demon, you completed your test. With time, you will be a master enchanter with no equal…And maybe there's hope in that for someone as small and as…forgotten as me. If you want help." There was a strange edge to his voice. Like he was saying she had to help him, she had no choice. But Aria knew better than to trust such a questionable suggestion.
"There may be a way for me to leave here, to get a foothold outside. You just need to want to let me in." Mouse proposed.
So that's what it was. Aria gave the creature before her a knowing look.
"I'm beginning to think that other demon wasn't my test." She revealed her suspicion. Her words caught the being in front of her by surprise.
"What! What are you…Of course it was! What else is here that could harm an apprentice of your potential?" Quickly as the surprise came, it vanished and Mouse crossed his arms. Surprise morphed into arrogant while Mouse spoke his next words his voice changed, it grew deeper, darker.
"Heh…You are a smart one."
"Simple killing is a warriors job. The real dangers of the Fade are preconceptions, careless trust…pride." there was a pause in his speech and something in Mouses' shape began to change. Aria could only watch helplessly as Mouses shadow loomed over her every second it grew.
"Keep your wits about you mage. True test never end."
There was a flash of light, Aria threw her hands to shield her face and before she knew it, the demon she knew as 'Mouse' was gone. Looking forlornly in the spot he just was dizziness took over her body and that strange burning sensation was back again. Falling to the ground Aria's world once again turned black.