Dragon Age 3: The Return of the Maker

Prologue: The Witch Hunt

So, I recently finished Dragon Age 2, and I didn't like all the cliff-hangers. I've heard they're already in production with Dragon Age 3, and this is my take on what should happen. Rated M for future chapters. Enjoy!

It took every bit of willpower Jacen Cousland could muster to walk up the small hill calmly, and not run up and crush her in a hug, or kiss her intensely, or yell at her, or Maker knows what…but paradoxically enough, it took every ounce of strength he had in his body to move his legs forward, not because of the heavy plate armor he was wearing, and up to that damn troublesome mirror, and to face her.

Not even the Archdemon made him stop like she could. It was in the eyes. Those piercing yellow eyes, like a cat. An adequate comparison, he thought, seeing as the shape shifter had transformed into a cat multiple times during her childhood. She was so calculating; he was always unsure of if what he said would be the right thing. And stubborn. At least he knew what to do when he saw the Archdemon. The thing that was supposed to have killed him, and if it had not been for her, he would be dead and buried now. Maker, was this woman fickle.

"The Illuvian," he heard Finn say behind him. His hand rose into the air unconsciously to stop him from going ahead. "And it's…glowing. We should-" Ariane must have successfully stopped him, instead. He no longer heard their footsteps behind him. Jacen kept walking. All he could focus on was her.

The mirror swirled a ghostly purplish color behind her as his faithful dog rushed passed him and up towards the witch, his small tail wagging a mile a minute. Her hand dipped and faded away into the mirror, turning it darker and eliciting more sparks from it. She turned then and glanced at him, with no discernable expression, and bent down towards the dog and smiled. She kneeled down in the dirt and petted his head softly. She seemed happier to see the mongrel, rather than him. No surprise, though, she had told him not to come after her. But how could he not after everything they had done? Especially with his child in her growing belly? She had put up a struggle, though, not to be found. Flemeth had certainly taught her a thing or two about being inconspicuous, he was sure of that. But he had found her now. The hunt was over.

Ariane came up behind him. They did not look at each, but rather their eyes were glued both on the ancient Illuvian, and the witch that stood in front of it. Morrigan. "I think she's….waiting for you," she whispered. If only she had waited for him after he slew the Archdemon, he thought, with his head bent. Jacen continued to walk forward. "Ask her about our book," the elf said. But his mind was not on such things.

Step, after step, after step, he inched closer to her, and he kept his eyes locked onto hers. Morrigan swayed back and forth, her small garments did little to cover her body, and Jacen felt that hunger for her once more.

Then he reached the small steps leading up to the Illuvian, after what had seemed like an eternity. There she was. Petite, tall, imposing, dark, powerful, attractive. Her raven hair was still up in her usual bun, with her bangs hanging lazily over her forehead. He could barely breathe.

Jacen motioned to walk up the steps to close the gap between them, but she crossed her arms and a sad frown crossed her pale face. "No further, please." He was surprised after all this time to hear her voice. "One more step and I leave for good this time," the words spilled coolly out of her mouth.

After everything, and she was threatening to leave again? Jacen remained calm, despite the wounds he was now feeling from the battle with the horrible creature that guarded this place. "Hello to you, too, Morrigan." His voice unfortunately displayed some of the anxiousness at seeing her that he was feeling. He cleared his throat.

Morrigan's stare did not falter, but she tilted her head to motion towards the still glowing mirror behind her. "I assume you know what this is." Jacen scoffed, that much was obviously, he thought. How was she not happy to see him? Well, the only answer he could find for that question was that it was Morrigan, and she never liked to be vulnerable, and she found happiness a liability. "I have gone to great lengths to find and activate this portal. Give me reason, and I'll use it, and you won't be able to follow." Her voice was soft now, with a hint of sadness that he was able to detect.

"I didn't come here to fight you." He ached to walk up the steps and be next to her.

"I did not think you had," she replied. Sadness again. "Tell me, why did you come?"

Wasn't it obvious? "I couldn't let it end like that, Morrigan." He wanted to tell her that he needed her, but Maker knows she would just think of him as foolish.

Her lips twisted up into a kind of smug-looking smirk. "And you once argued with me that love is not a weakness? I will never understand you." The smile faded as she said, "And you will never understand me."

"I could if you helped me. I'm a fast learner," Jacen said as he went up one of the steps.

Morrigan looked confused, an expression that seldom crossed her features. "I…would not even know where to begin explaining."

So many questions raced through his mind. Why did she desire the Archdemon's soul? Why did she have to leave? Why did she want the Illuvian so badly? What would become of the child that he knew was growing inside of her? But none more heart-pounding that, Can I come with you?

Question after question was answered with riddles, and puzzles of words of which he could not solve or decipher. He still felt as much in the dark as the night he performed the ritual with her.

She took a step towards him. "We performed the ritual together, and you have survived. But that does not change what is to come." A chill ran up the Warden's spine. "Change is coming to the world. Many fear change, and will fight it with every fiber of their being." He hated it when she spoke in such a way that he could not understand, it made him feel like a child again, but perhaps that was the reason she did it. "But sometimes, change is what they need most. Sometimes, change is what sets them free."

He had had enough of the dark prophecy. "And is that what you want?" He motioned forward, with his voice raised. "To be free?"

She looked at him blankly. "What I want…is unimportant now." Then Morrigan turned away from him, and walked back towards the sparking Illuvian. Jacen followed, knowing that she would not flee if he approached her. "I cannot tarry longer. The time has come for me to go."

"Take me with you," he replied quickly, but calmly. The words just came without thinking. He knew that it was what he wanted.

Her eyes widened and her eyebrows raised, Morrigan's expression did nothing to hide her surprise. "You cannot know what you ask," she said, "'twould be better if you stayed. For you, and us both."

Since when did he do the safe thing for himself? "I want to go with you. I need to go with you."

"Then come, my love. We will face the future together." For the first time in a long time, Morrigan smiled at him. He had forgotten about Finn and Ariane the minute he walked past them.

He moved forward, finally able to close the space between them, and his lips were upon hers, soft and gentle, they were the antitheses of her rugged life in the Korcari Wilds. Jacen could have stayed there forever.

But then it was over. And she was facing the Illuvian again, with an anxious look on her face. He stretched out his hand to test the mirror, and, not surprisingly, his hand seemed to evaporate just as hers had when she touched the ancient eleven artifact. Taking two steps forward, Morrigan walked into the mirror and was gone. Not looking back, Jacen followed close behind, and was swallowed up into a hazy purplish nothingness.

Did you like it? Sorry that it was kind of short. I'm not good at prologues...Anywho, please review~!