Avari sighed when she recognized the mysticism that had taken the place of her aravel, the motion of the dirt road that the halla pulled it upon and became numb to her body. She slowly pulled herself up to her feet, pulling the long white gown down when it stuck to her knees. She stood in a clearing, if she had not been in the Fade before she would swear she could feel the cold earth beneath her between her toes. The forest surrounded her, silent and dark giving her no view of what secrets hid inside its shadows. "Again with the same?" She groaned folding her arms. "Can you not try harder demon?" The wind caught her long chocolate hair blowing it back over her shoulders till it stretched in front of her surrounding her with the smell of fresh flowers. "And then the halla." She narrated a second before a large white animal jumped from the woods that surrounded her. It was comical to her how this demon tempted her with the same desire each night; yes it was something she dreamt of it was what every Dalish longed for. To return to the old ways of immortality, lands of their own and to understand their own language once again. The King had given them a small piece of land hidden deep into the Brecilian Forest and they had been so grateful to him for it but it could never replace the want and need to return to their homeland of Elvhenan. "I suppose you want me to walk this way?" She asked in an insulting manner. "What happens if I choose to just" She walked over to a downed tree and sat upon its trunk. "Sit here and wait until you either choose to show yourself to me or I awaken?" "You are infuriating, mage!" The demon roared appearing in front of the young Elf. Avari looked up at him, he may have frightened her as a girl but he had been trying to gain access to her body for years upon years that she had become use to him. She longer feared sleep or feared the demons tricks she had been turning them around on him every time he had coaxed her into his area of the Fade which would just push his anger more. She had joked in her mind how he had to be a stone's throw away from becoming an anger demon, maybe he would be more set for that then he was with desires and pride.
He reached for the mage but his hand froze inches from her neck when his illusion he had created for the mage began to dissipate. The Elf looked around as the normal, well what was normal to her, Fade returned. Boats in trees, statues twisted and molded to take the shape of what the demons eyes for saw in the mortal world. An older woman walked towards them a sly smile stretched her lips, her eyes as golden as a wolf. She wore the robs of a mage along with a necklace that clung to the material, Avari had seen the type of jewelry before in forests many of the bodies of the wild folk held them, her hair black as the shadows that Dalish archers stalked in was tied into a tight bun except for the shorter hair covering her forehead that swooped to one side of her face covering her eyebrow. "Be gone demon!" She shouted waving her hand in front of her. The demon screeched when the magic enveloped him and pulled at his very being forcing him away before he could protest. The Elf quickly stood up her magic dancing at her finger tips and a spell on her lips, if this demon was going to attempt to test her she was more than ready. "I am sure you are a strong mage, but twould be a horrible move on both our parts." The woman lowered her arms, Avari slowly following but her spells still fresh in her mind. She knew how the Fade played with mages she was not going to be a fool and trust this… being. The mage walked around the Elven girl, running the Elven mages hair through her fingers. "I see why he will desire you but if he is like his father you will no doubt cause his down fall." Avari's brow furrowed and she quickly turned her head to look at the woman. "Who is this he?" "Tis someone you do not know, but you two will come to meet soon and with it you will pull each other into something that nobody will be prepared for." The woman sighed with annoyance when the girl looked at her confused and opened her mouth to speak. "I do not have to break it down for you, Elf."
The cool air of Ferelden filled Avari's lungs in a sharp pain as she quickly sat up right with a gasp. "Emma lath?" Avari's Father hurried across to his daughter as feared washed over him he had never seen her wake so frightened. He pulled the girls hair away from her face; he frowned when she opened her eyes. He could see the discomfort in her green eyes, the usual joy that filled them was now replaced with fear and worry. "What is wrong, emm'asha?" "A dream." She answered rubbing her eyes. "Just a bad dream, Father, please go you need your sleep." She smiled taking his hand. The older Elf kissed her forehead before returning to his furs. Avari sunk back into the furs pulling them to her chin, her eyes stayed open and she chose to watch the shadows that the moon caused on the dark wood. She knew sleep would not claim her before they reached the forest. As the sun began to find its way to her the aravel came to halt and the sounds of her people broke the silence of the night and awoken the day. She quickly pulled her robe over her night gown her fingers quickly lacing the thick leather straps into their place before shoved her feet into the high black leather boots. She quickly braided her long chocolate hair, draping the long twisted hair over her shoulder before she stepped out in the morning the sun. She closed her eyes to reveal in the warmth while the sun caught the red marking on her forehead and down her nose. "Avari!" She opened her eyes and looked towards the Keeper who was waving for her to come. She hurried down the small steps and quickly made her away across the damp soil to the Keeper, she bowed her head when she reached the elder Elf. "Yes, Keeper?" "The hunters are preparing to seek out fresh meat in the forest. Can you accompany them? It may give you a chance to practice more combat." "Of course, Keeper." Avari replied bowing her head once more before she ran back to retrieve her staff.
"Lathi!" She called as she hurried towards the group of hunters that were grouped just inside the entrance to the forest. "Finally our healer arrives!" The young male elf smiled folding his arm across his chest. He was tall and lean, Avari's father had taken him in when his mother had fallen ill and they had been raised as brother and sister besides the fact that Lathi was pale and had hair as red as fire and Avari with skin that was touched by the sun leaving it a very light brown and chocolate hair that came to stop just at the mid of her back. They were far from brother and sister appearance wise but in her heart Lathi was nothing but her blood. "I am here to go with you into the forest." Avari breathed while she leaned against her staff that was secured into the ground next to her feet. "Perhaps you could lend me a bow and a few arrows?" she smiled looking up Lathi. "Are you not a mage, Avari? Don't you think it would be wise to focus on your staff?" He chuckled when anger covered her face. "I know my spells and enchantments! I can call on any creature in this forest for assistance as I can also take their form! I am asking you to lend me a bow, Lathi!" She held her hand out to him. He snapped his fingers and a bow along with more than enough arrows was placed into his waiting his hands. "You shoot one of us and it will be the last time I let you use anything but your staff." Avari smiled and shoved her staff deeper into the ground securing that it would stay put while she was absent. She took the arrows and quickly fastened the strap around her chest before taking the bow into her hand. "I will send you with the scouts, we will follow behind you." She nodded and quickly fell in line with the rest of the Elves that were quickly heading up the hill. Avari followed in silence, the bow ready in her hand with an arrow waiting to meet its target. She mirrored the other hunters and dropped to a crouch when they did, quietly moving towards a female hunter named Elora. "Lathi wants you to take the shot." Elora whispered pointing towards the large bear. "Do it quietly and quickly. Aim for rib cage if you can at least hit that you will slow it down enough that we will be able to finish it off." Avari nodded and slowly pulled the arrow back using her finger as a sight as Lathi had taught her when they were younger; she whispered a small fire enchantment that set the stone head of the arrow a blaze before she released it.
Just before the arrow was about to break into its target a figure appeared in front of the bear, it had happened so quickly that Avari had not seen where it had arrived from and from the reaction of the other Elves they had not seen the arrival of the figure either. Her jaw along with her heart dropped to the ground when the figure held up the arrow in its hand, extinguishing the flame with its own spell and snapping the arrow in two. The figure slowly raised its head, Avari could see its eyes they were golden like the woman… the woman in her dream. "Avari." Was it… talking to her or was she just going mad. She ran her hands over her body checking for some sort of poisoned arrow or dagger something that she had been hit with that would cause her mind to hallucinate. "Avari." The voice whispered again, she touched her face when the warmth of a hand pressed against her cheek. She was mad, crazy, maybe even possessed had the demon succeeded in finally capturing her body. She closed her eyes only to reopen them and see the golden eyes in front of hers; they did not belong to the woman… no they belonged to a young man roughly close to her own age. With the hood of his cloak now down on his shoulders she could see his black hair and strong face in front of her, he had just a hint of the woman in his face she could see it in his eyes that were identical to the mage in the Fade. "Avari." He breathed onto her lips while his fingers trailed her face until they reached the long braid which he then proceeded to wrap around his hand. Avari leaned closer to him; she just felt the need to be close to him. The smell of herbs rose from his heavy robes along with the smell of a campfire. "Emma vhenan'ara." She looked at him confused when he spoke in her tongue. Never had she heard a shemlen speak in the old tongue and know what they spoke, most would attempt but to the Dalish all it did was insult them and their culture. Her mind was confused by everything, she had no idea who this shemlen was or why she felt tied to him in some way. Humans had always frightened her and she had always kept her distance from them but with this man she had no fear all she wanted was to be close to him to feel his touch and listen to his voice. "You will know of me soon, Avari."