Dragon Age Origins: Gabriel

Chapter 1: The Recruitment

Gabriel awoke earlier than he normally would. He has been having these terrible dreams ever since Duncan had arrived. Duncan is a Grey Warden, they are the special forces used only in times of need. It has been more than four centuries since they have been needed, but that was about to change. After Gabriel went down to the kitchen to get some breakfast, he over heard his father and Duncan talking. His father, the Arl of Gwaren, was sounding a little bit excited.

'You want to take him?'

'Yes, I have seen him fight with the sword and the dagger. He will be a great rogue someday. He also isn't bad with the bow either.' Duncan said gingerly.

'He does like to sneak into the vault and take a few coins in the middle of the night. He manages to get that damn thing open with just two twigs in less than 30 seconds. Whereas it takes me ten minutes to get the damn thing to open with the keys!' Gabriel's father just noticed that Gabriel had been listening in for a while.

'Gabriel since you have heard so much why don't you bother saying anything?' Duncan said, while facing the Arl.

'Sorry. I didn't mean to be eavesdropping, but once I heard you talk about taking someone . . . I had to know whom you were talking about. Now that I do know, where will I be going?' Gabriel asked.

'You are going to go with Duncan to become a Grey Warden. You will make our family proud once again.'

Gabriel heard stories of the Grey Wardens. They used to be famous and highly regarded as heroes. Ever since he was a child he had always wanted to be a Grey Warden, and now he has the chance. But why was he hesitating? This was his dream, and it was coming true. Then he remembered that they don't live long lives, they either die in battle or die of the taint. But there was something else, he just couldn't put his finger on it.

'You know what, I'll give till dinner time to come up with an answer.' Duncan told Gabriel.

'All right, thanks. I'll think about it.' Gabriel replied.

After that Gabriel went off to the archery range to practice a few shots, shooting some arrows sometimes cleared his mind.

'I thought I might find you here' said a voice from the corner of the room.

Gabriel turned and saw his brother standing there, with two daggers on his belt and a bow and quiver filled with arrows. 'What are you doing here Brother?'

'I came to ask you what you plan on doing. For if you leave you will be leaving us all behind. I know father likes it now, but once you leave he'll get sad and Mother will be crying. She'll never get over you leaving and possibly dying out there. Please Brother, you mustn't go.'

'I haven't decided as to what I will be doing yet. Please Nathaniel, leave me while I try to figure out what I'm going to do.'

'No! I will not have my brother leave this family. If you leave, I will hunt you down and kill you!' Nathaniel pulls out both daggers, but Gabriel fixes an arrow at his brother.

'There is no need for conflict Nathaniel!'

'But if you leave there will be.' With that Nathaniel left the room cursing and yelling.

The dinner bell rang through the courtyard all the way to the practice ring. Gabriel knew he had to decide what to do now. As he was walking towards the dining hall, he saw his brother packing clothes and weapons into a sack. Gabriel dismissed the sight, he was never really close to his brother but he also didn't know what to say to him. Instead he just walked to the dining hall and once he arrived he had come to a decision.

'Ah! There he is.' His dad proclaimed.

Gabriel sat down at the dinner table and the chefs brought out the food.

'Yes it is I.' Replied Gabriel.

'So have you come to a decision yet?' Said his father whilst chewing his food.

'I believe I have. I think I will stay.' Duncan looked sad as I was saying as if he knew this would happen.

'All right, well I guess I will go somewhere else for more recruits. I hope you don't mind if I stay the night and leave in the morning.' Duncan looked at the Arl as if he expected to be allowed to stay the night without consequences.

'Yup . . . I mean . . . No problem, that shouldn't be much trouble.' The Arl stammered. 'Louisa fix Duncan a new, better room please.'

'Yes sir.' Louisa bowed and rushed off to prep a room for Duncan.

After that there was little chatter, sometimes it was Duncan complimenting on the food, but other than that it was dead silent.

Gabriel was having bad dreams again. He woke suddenly and was startled when he saw Duncan in his room.

'What the hell are you doing in here?' Gabriel asked.

'Shh . . .' Duncan whispered, with his finger over his mouth. 'Listen.'

Then Gabriel heard them as well. There were some faint screams in the distance. 'What is happening?'

Duncan got up and stood beside the door as if he were to breach it. He waited for a few seconds, then someone broke down the door and rushed in. Duncan had his daggers in hand and soon killed the guy who rushed in. Then another came in right after him and Duncan threw one of his daggers and it impaled itself in the guy's skull.

'C'mon, we're leaving. Now!' Duncan picked up his dagger and looked out into the hallway.

Gabriel picked up some clothes and shoved them into a sack and grabbed two daggers and a bow with a quiver filled with arrows.

'Hurry. We haven't much time before others arrive.'

'What is happening? Who is attacking us? And where are we going?' Gabriel asked in panic.

'We are being attacked by Teryn Howe. And we are heading off to Ostagar it is the only place you can go now. Howe will try to kill us, he has wanted this place for quite some time. He has pestered your father and now he is going to take this place.' Just then Gabriel heard his father scream. Gabriel tried to run towards the way it came from, but Duncan caught his arm.

'Let me go! I have to help my Father!'

'NO! We have to leave now. If we don't then we will be overrun and we won't be able to fight everyone. They'll be too much.'

'No!' Gabriel broke the grip Duncan had on him and ran off to help his father. This had caught Duncan by surprise and then ran off to get Gabriel, by the time Duncan caught up Gabriel was already fighting off ten of Howe's men. He was protecting his father who had a knife in his stomach and was lying on the ground.

'Back off!' Gabriel yelled as he shot an arrow at one man who fell to the ground with an arrow sticking out of his head.

Duncan decided to join in on the fight. He jumped and cut two guys simultaneously in the throat, who fell to the ground before Duncan got back to his feet. Gabriel shot two more with a single arrow. The men started to get closer, so Gabriel dropped the bow and pulled out two daggers and challenged all five guys. They were all focussed on him that they didn't notice Duncan coming towards them. Duncan got two in the back whilst Gabriel jabbed one guy in the stomach and twisted the blade then pulled it out. Then he threw another dagger at one other guy and Duncan slit the last guy's throat.

'Father!' Gabriel rushed toward him while Duncan retrieved both his and Gabriel's weapons.

'Make it quick, Gabriel.' Duncan said

'Father, don't worry I'm going to get you out of here.'

'No son, you won't. For I am about to die.' His father said weakly. 'I leave everything we have to you after this, and one more thing. I love you.'

'I love you too, father.' With that his father passed on. Gabriel closed his eyes and put him down. Duncan grabbed his shoulder gently.

'I know this is a very good time but we have to leave now. More of Howe's men will be here soon.'

'I know.' Gabriel replied sadly, but that quickly turned to rage. 'We are going to kill Teryn Howe if it is the last I ever do.' With that Duncan and Gabriel ran off away from the estate, away from the screaming people and away from the fires.