Prologue: Sky Blue, Ruby Red
The foam of the sea came in and enclosed my ankles. It felt both warm and cool at the same time. I sighed in contentment. Sometimes, I wished I could live out here. Alas, my life was of land. I gazed up at the sky, suddenly torn. Both the sky and ocean had captivated me since I was a child.
A large seahawk flew overhead and rose. It pumped its wings, its powerful beak aiming for the sky. It seemed it would pierce the atmosphere just as it flipped back. Now, its beak was pointed toward the water. Even from this distance, I could see its gray-blue feathers whip back, being tossed up and down by the wind. It folded its wings to gain speed. The raptor shop down like a bullet. In a split second, a fish with yellow and green, shining scales leapt out of the water. Sunlight danced off of the rogue droplets and over the disturbed ocean. The seahawk sliced through the air. Down, down, down it went. Just as the fish reentered the water, the bird disappeared under the wet surface.
My eyes didn't have to search for it for long. The bird burst through the water a yard away, the fish in its beak, squirming for dear life. It opened its wings as fast as it had closed them before and took flight once more to find a nice, quiet place to eat.
It was a truly magnificent sight; seeing a beast of the sky move with such grace even in the ocean. I found myself smiling in awe. It wasn't so much the predator and prey part, it was the ocean and sky meeting through a single existence. Even one as small as a seahawk.
I relished in one last breath of wind before turning away. Something hit my foot as the tide came in. With a look of confusion, I glanced down and something red glimmered. Before it could be pulled away by the blue fingers, I leaned down and swept it up in my palm. I went over to the massive rock that my shoes and socks were resting without looking at the piece I picked up. I sat on the hard surface and slipped on my shoes. Holding my hand up, I uncurled my fingers. A ruby the size of the center of my pal, sat there, staring at me. This thing had to be worth a pretty penny.
"No way!" I whispered.
I looked closer, finding a symbol within the stone. Although, it looked like a family crest. I wondered who. It was two white birds locking talons and their wings outstretched. I didn't recognize it.
As I gazed at it, I heard something. It sounded almost like a whisper. It drew me in.
The world around me began to fade away. My eyes darted around, trying to figure out what was going on. "What!" Blackness swallowed up the sky and ocean until I was left on a fraction of the rock. My eyes widened as I watched it disintegrate.
In piece-vigilance.
I couldn't find the voice, but that was the least of my problems.
In war-victory.
The stone was gone, so what was I standing on? I fell, screaming soundlessly into the dark abyss below.
In death-sacrifice.
The wind raced past me, smothering the 'da-dump' noise in my chest. Next thing I knew, I was underwater. I tried to struggle back to the surface, but this stuff wasn't like any water I knew of. This stuff was warm and thick. It made my limbs feel heavy. As numbness started to overcome my legs and arms, I thought I was going to die.
The heavy liquid began to pull me under. My frantic breathing came to a halt. I was dying, that was all there was to it. I couldn't breathe; I could barely move. I didn't want to die. It was as though it was because of the ruby somehow. It could've been someone else and I could've lived on. But, no. My fate was sealed. I closed my eyes, no longer afraid. I mean, we all have to accept death. I had to now.
The thick liquid disappeared just as a deep darkness began to enfold me and I was falling again. I couldn't grasp what was happening. Instead of a large rock on the beach at the edge of the low tides of the ocean, my destination was land. A rocky flatland with some trees and grass patches on fire.
I landed flat on my belly with an "Oof!" Surprisingly, I lived. I groaned and my body throbbed. I hurt like hell! I tried to get up. My arms felt like jelly and I failed. Distant screams reached my ears and vicious roars overcame them. Fearful, I tried again to stand.
"Don't be afraid, child."
Another voice, an old woman's, entered my mind, causing me to fall again. It was gentle and knowing.
"Don't be afraid," the voice repeated.
Too bad. I was beyond terrified. The dull throb in my body intensified to an acute pain and I screamed. An invading sensation touched me. Something dark and twisted and foreign whispered to me. I lashed out. Small fingers touched my mind; they were sharp and something within told me to fear them. Another feeling crept over me, tempting me to give in. I wanted to. No! I couldn't; I wouldn't.
"Don't listen to them! They'll consume you," the soft voice told me.
"Listen to me. I can give you what you desire," a cold, demonic voice murmured.
"Banish them from your mind. Gain control, young one."
Frustrated and swamped by the storm in my head, I shoved them out. All of them. It took me a moment to figure out I was shaking. I hoped the voices were gone.
Those hopes diminished when the pain assaulted me again and I was jerked into darkness. It faded to a translucent world of faded colors and ghastly people.
"Look at me, young one."
Author's note:
I decided to write this when I noticed there was only one HawkeXOC story. I wanted to throw in something different to spice up the DA library. In this world, the game actually doesn't exist. Instead, Thedas is simply a parallel world to ours. I hope you all enjoy this tale of fate. Please R&R, I would really appreciate it. Until next time…