Chapter 1
The forest was dark and cold. Two lone figures ran quietly through the cold. Z'ev stopped, gasping for breath; he
leaned against to catch his breath. Krieg ran up a few moments later, dropping to his knees with exhaustion. Z'ev smiled slightly, they had been running nonstop since sunrise. Even for a Dalish elf, running for that long was tiresome. And if it was tiresome for him, it had to be for a human like Krieg.
Krieg was a Templar, a warrior trained to combat mages. Normally, a Templar wore heavy armor designed to resist magical attacks; however Krieg had discarded the heavy Templar armor in order to move more quickly and quitely. Now he worea simple green tunic and pants, his heavy sword rested onn his back. Z'ev wore deep green armor, bracers, and pants.
He had worn a pair of light boots during his time as a Grey Warden; but had taken them off during their run through the forest. As a mage his staff would normally rest on his back, but since he had lost it at Ostagar it would need to be replaced.
They made an odd sight together, a Templar and a mage, but they both never would make it to their destination.
"So how long till we find your clan?" Krieg said sitting upright. He was gleaming with sweat from the run but his eyes shone with strength. Their best bet after the battle had been to find the Dalish Clan Z'ev belonged to. The Clan would needlessly accept Z'ev back, however the problem was whether they would accept Krieg.
"We don't... we wait for them to find us." Z'ev said beginning to set up a camp. They wouldn't need to stay here long; he guessed by midnight the entire of the Clans hunters would be in the forest. That fact didn't bother him. The older hunters would recognize him, the problem was the younger apprentices he had never met. He was restricted in combat without his staff, but was still more than capable of handling a apprentice hunter. 'I wonder if Oneira will come out with them...' Z'ev thought as Krieg started a fire. Oneira was the Keepers apprentice, which meant she was a mage like him.
She had been a good friend to Z'ev before, and during, his time as a Warden. Night was falling fast, and by now most of the elves would know they were there.
Quietly he extended his mind into the Fade, reaching out to feel out their stalkers. He counted ten hunters after them. Two of them were moving fast towards them. Z'ev opened his eyes and rose to meet their attackers. The apprentices crashed to the bushes loudly. Each was armed with a long hunting javelin and were clearly not expecting any resistance.
As soon as they came through the bushes, Z'ev was on them. Before they could react, he had disarmed one of them , slamming his foot into the young hunter's throat. With a staff, he would be able to perform magic without restraint. The spear crackled with energy as he poured his magic into it.
"Stop!" The apprentice dropped his attack stance at the word, Z'ev however retained his stance. Another elf strode,
into the clearing. She was shorter than the apprentice, but radiated power. "Well," She said crossing the clearing. "When
I sensed another mage; I certainly didn't expect it to be you." She said hugging the other mage.
"Morbi malesuada ultrices noster." She said in Dalish.
"Oneira ... non desinis attonitus me." He responded quietly. Z'ev hadn't seen anyone from his clan since before
Ostagar. "Multa acciderunt quoniam novissima dixit. Illud ego loquor custodi." He told her after pulling away from her tight embrace.
Oneira's glance shifted over to Krieg, and then back to her friend. "All right, follow me I'll take you there."
She said turning back towards the woods. Silently Z'ev followed; Krieg hesitantly followed as well disappearing into the forest.