My head hurts. I lift my hand and felt a slimy liquid on my forehead. Blood. I tried to open my eyes to no avail. I let darkness engulf me.
The first thing I noticed was the smell of soup. I opened my eyes to the dimmed room and groaned.
"Oh good. You're awake. Mother would be pleased."
"What? Who?" I asked the woman with black hair and eery yellow eyes.
"Well now. Tis' proper to introduce yourself, is it not?" She asked, handing me a bowl of the soup she was stirring a while ago.
"I -" Then it hit me. My memories came crashing down.
I was in front of the computer in my room playing Dragon Age 2. I remember how pissed I was because of Sebastian Vael's proposal to a chaste marriage. Being that my character in Origins married Alistair and became queen of Ferelden. I wanted Hawke to marry Sebastian and become princess of Starkhaven. But then he offered to have that damn chaste marriage because of the chantry blah blah. Then the lights went off. My dad muttered something about a blown fuse and went down to check it out. I stood up and got my foot tangled in the cords, tripped then fell. So that's why my head hurts so bad. Wait, what?
I suddenly sat up from the bed. I looked around. Wait a minute. I know this place! This is Flemeth's hut! I looked at the woman who was stirring the soup again. Morrigan. I must've hit my head hard. Maybe I was lying in coma somewhere and this is my dream. Or maybe I was just sleeping. Maybe I'll wake up anytime now.
" You don't have to tell me your name if you don't want to. 'Tis fine with me." Morrigan said with an annoyed look on her face.
"Wow. This dream is so realistic. I think I'll wake up anytime now."
"What are you talking about? 'Tis not a dream. I assure that you are truly awake"
This is so weird. Oh well. Might as well go with the flow. It is a very good dream anyway.
"Morrigan, I think I'll go talk to your mother now." I said and for a moment there I saw confusion in her eyes.
"How did you know my name?" She asked, filled with suspicion.
Think fast. "I ugh. Just figured that since you look so witchy and all that Morrigan's your name. Didn't know that I'll hit the nail on the head." I shrugged.
"I see." She said, squinting her eyes with suspicion.
This seems so real. But I guess it's a good dream. Might as well enjoy.
"Mother will see you now. Just go out through those doors and she will be there." Morrigan said, breaking my thoughts.
"Thanks." I muttered. Something's wrong here. Everything seems so real. And my head hurts. It's not supposed to hurt if this is a dream. Wait what am I thinking. Of course this is a dream!
I walked out of the hut wearing loaned clothes from Morrigan. Tight leather pants that reaches just under my breast and a loose white shirt that hangs over my shoulder and showed too much of my chest and leather boots that miraculously fit well. Thank the maker for that. Oh look! I even talk like the characters. Fancy that.
There was a pond to my right and all around me were trees. I thought hard for a moment. Ah yes. I was in Korkari Wilds.
"You must be very confused right now." A voice behind me said with amusement. I turned around and saw Flemeth in her hag clothes.
"It's a very good dream. I must say. Very realistic."
"Tis not a dream child. I summoned you here for a reason."
"Sure you did! What was I thinking? I was just summoned from my world to a game I play. Sure." I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Feel the wind in your face girl. Smell the scent of the wilds. Do you still think this isn't real?"
"Of course it isn't! I -"
"You stood in the edge of precipice. And when you had a chance. You didn't hesitate to jump. This is where it brought you. To a past that no one believes. My bloodline kept our history alive. Through stories, legends and as the technology rose and left the magic in the past, they continued to retell the tale of the witch of the wilds in different ways. More so than I can tell even as I saw the future through the eyes of my blood. But you. You are different Aeryn Leigh. For after Morrigan's son died I never thought that the old god would be back in our blood again."
I shouldn't be laughing. I know I shouldn't be laughing. Must. Not. Laugh. I snorted. Ah can't help it can I?
"You think this is funny? That's right, go ahead and laugh at the old hag!" She said sarcastically and laughed.
"What? I don't understand! This is madness! What you're saying can't be true. Surely you don't expect me to believe any of this."
"It is true child." She insisted. Well erm. Dream. Right. Not real. I took a deep breath.
"Let's pretend that I believe this. So why am I here? Why did you summon me?"
"To prevent our line from dying."
"What do you mean?" I asked feeling a lump on my throat. This time it wasn't laughter and I'm pretty sure that puking wouldn't be polite.
"You were the last of our line and I couldn't leave you to that burning house. But now things have changed. Summoning you here drained me of my power. Which means it's now up to you to make sure that the Hero of Ferelden and that Champion of Kirkwall will survive. I have told Morrigan the ritual with the warden. I would be much delighted if you don't mention any of this to her." Flemeth said and turned her gaze away towards the mountains where towers could be seen.
"Wait! You said something about an old god." I tried to ask but saw something that caught my attention.
Fire. The tower of Ishal! The wardens!
"You have the soul of an old god child. Remember." She whispered as she gently touched the back of her hand to my cheek. She smiled sadly and turned away from me. She walked a few paces then suddenly her skin was melting. Or at least I thought it was melting. In place of the skin, feathers started to appear. I stood there with my mouth hanging open as Flemeth shifted into a very large hawk before my very eyes. What the hell just happened? I shrugged. Too realistic to be a dream, too much of a fantasy to be real. Did I believe or did I not?
I sat on a boulder beside the pond. What is it about her word that keeps bothering me? Aside from me being inside a game I was playing of course. Busy trying to dissect my thoughts, I didn't notice the soft footsteps of someone approaching me.
"I must say that the stench of roasted darkspawn doesn't whet my appetite."
I quickly cut the line of my thoughts and faced Morrigan. She doesn't need to know.
"Really? And here I thought it was just me." I quipped and forced a small smile.
"I take it that you're staying?"
"I guess. I have nowhere to go."
"Well, what's another mouth to feed?"
I smiled at her. Whether I was in a coma or really inside a game I was playing, I plan on making the best out of my situation.