Chapter 1
"...and so the Blight is defeated..."
"That's all?" she thought to herself. "After weeks of playing this game and that's the ending I get? I don't even get to marry Alistair," she sighed.
She placed her controller on the table and switched off her PS3 and TV. The feeling of exhaustion crept in as she thought of other things to occupy her life with.
Maia, a lady in her twenties lives alone in a one bedroom apartment in the city. She has never known who her real parents are and her adoptive parents passed away 2 years ago, leaving most of her life a mystery. With no adoptive relatives and no clues about her origins, she focuses her life on her work. She works full time as a nurse in a major hospital and it occupies most of her time but when she gets home, that's where the loneliness is felt the most. However, Maia is an introvert who prefers the calmness of home no matter how lonely she gets.
"Maybe I should get out of the city for a while. Hawaii or France or possibly even the Bahamas. I'll be on 3 weeks leave anyway. It's probably time I do something for myself for a change. Who knows, I might find my own Alistair out there." Grinning, Maia adjusts her loose black curls in the mirror. "No. Who am I kidding? Even if he does exist, he won't notice me." She tied her hair up in a ponytail and crawled under her covers, images of Dragon Age slips though her mind as she slowly drifts off.
Maia awoke to a loud peal of thunder. She jumped out of her bed to quickly close her window. Even though she only leaves one window open in her apartment, when it rains, everything gets soaked.
"Hmm, maybe I was dreaming. Or maybe it was something I ate," thought Maia as she looked out to the clear night sky with only the moon and 3 stars visible to the naked eye as the bright city lights polluted the sky. "Well, I might as well get ready for work, only 10 more minutes before the alarm rings."
As she stepped into the shower, she kept seeing flashes of the Archdemon. The Archdemon, in all of its unholy glory, ragged wings extended, dead eyes burning with evil and a distorted face with rows of razor sharp teeth beckoned her closer with its gnarled and blood stained claws. "I played too much Dragon Age," muttered Maia. The cold shower hits her like a brick wall and washed away all traces of her visions.
Maia kept hearing the rumbling of thunder as she was getting dressed, promises of an imminent storm. "I had better bring an umbrella today," she mumbled to herself as she smeared some strawberry jam on a slice of bread. Suddenly a loud clap of thunder was heard, shaking the whole apartment.
Unease crept in at her from the shadowed areas of the kitchen, turning into icy fear as she noticed a flickering from the corner of her eye, which in turn changed to downright terror as she turned toward the disturbance. Maia could see light coming from the direction of her bedroom. Bright, chaotic flashes of white, red and blue light strobe and danced on the wall opposite her bedroom door as if inviting her closer. Step by small, creeping step Maia took, trembling in fear as she wonders is she is going to die by being brave and if anyone would miss her if she does die? Nonetheless, her curiosity forces her to inch closer to the unknown, to the evil that may await her. So, she started humming a tune from Star Wars in her head to keep her going. While toying with the idea that Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker was having a light saber fight.
The beautiful lights got brighter and prettier as she got closer, her fingers gently on the edge, slowly peeking around the corner. Her eyes grew in wonder at what she saw: An open doorway in the middle of her bedroom, with gentle and colorful swirls of lights softly flowing out of it.
Braver but no less curious, Maia stepped out from the corner and made bold strides towards the door. The lights felt warm and welcoming as if embracing her like a lover. She reached towards this inviting wonder, and felt jolts of energy running from the tips of her fingers up to the rest of her body. It was very refreshing and rejuvenating. She had never felt so alive, so happy, so... invigorated.
Suddenly, a bloody, deformed and sharply clawed hand thrust out from beyond the lights of the door and dragged her in. With Such an expected turn of events, there was no time for Maia to register what was happening to her as she was snatched in. The once beautiful and welcoming lights now turned fiery red and the mysterious door disappears, leaving everything as it was as if nothing ever happened.