Disclaimer; I do not own anything that isn't obviously mine.
Also, I've hit a stump or bump in the road of sorts in my other story. Going to try to be an overall better writer with this story so that its actually bearable.
The mage's tower was different than I had ever imagined it would be. I imagined tall and evil looking mages, ones that peered out from around corners and would zap you if you were walking too loudly or if you interrupted their readings. I was a wild looking child, I'm sure. My hair was matted from the weeks I had been hiding from the Templars, and I was sure that the other mages were going to reject me.
The Templars had had some difficulty in catching me, I knew the alleys of Denerim far better than they. However, I was done in by hunger and eventually got caught stealing. Further investigation revealed...my rather 'delicate' situation. In a fit of rage I tried to escape and fire erupted from my core. Although it did very little damage to the tin men, it was all the proof they needed to drag me to that damned tower. I looked desperately towards the sky, as if someone or something would descend and take me into their loving arms and save me...but no such thing happened.
I was lead through the halls like I was a prisoner until the tall men came to a group older people.
"So this is the one you were talking about?" An older looking man with brown hair and a saggy beard asked.
"Yes, First Enchanter." I heard the hollow sound of the templars voice echo inside his helm. "She was caught stealing. She had evaded for weeks, but hunger finally got to her." he chuckled.
"Come to me, child." A woman with soft blonde hair beckoned for me. I scurried away from the Templar and into her strong arms. I began to sob, and felt soothed. "How about we get you cleaned up? I'm sure you're hungry too." I nooded, and meekly wiped away the tears.
The First Enchanter and the Templar continued their talk lowly, and this magical women lead me to a place where I was cleaned and clothed. She was quite nice and feed me.
I gulped down my milk and bread hungrily, I do not recall the last time I had eaten. The food was divine, and my stomach growled as I shoveled more in. She fussed over my hair, and gave me a rag to wipe my face.
"Now child, pray, tell me...What is your name?" Her soft blue eyes peered out brightly and I felt safe...I felt something in me tell me this woman was like my mom...
"My name is Aioni." I said meekly. I was getting sleepy.
"And I am Wynne." She took my hand and lead me to my shared quarters with other girl trainees. I remember he tucking me in, and seeing to the other children.
The following day, I was allowed to sleep in, and then was escorted by a Templar to the First Enchanter. He sat in his dusty study, light poured in faintly from a circular window and showed the pale shadows of many scattered tomes upon the floor. I stepped carefully, although my opinions of mages had drastically changed, I did not want to get zapped for tripping over any kind of book.
I was sat down in a creaky old chair, I felt the smooth leather grow warm as I sat down. The First Enchanter moved several books and starred at me for a moment. I had caused a lot of unrest in Denerim, he was probably trying to figure out where the power came from...
"Aioni, I am correct?"I nodded slowly. "You have some sort of magical power in you, and because we, as mages, are dangerous to the world, have all been sent here to live. We are allowed to study and live, but never to leave this place."
I starred up into his brown eyes, and I felt myself grow uneasy. I found a strange strength inside of me, growing, it wanted me to speak up. Maybe, maybe, it was heart trying for one last shot at freedom.
"But..." I began. " Um, this is my new cage?"
The Enchanter looked at me surprised, but nooded.
"Yes child...it is our cage." He fiddled with some paperwork, and snapped his fingers. Lights lighted by themselves and the room grew bright. "Can you read or write?"
I shook my head 'no'.
"OK, thats alright. Nothing wrong with that. You know of the Maker?"
I nooded ecclesiastically.
"Good, good...now..what I'm going to ask you is very important..Do you know what the Fade is?"
"The Fade?" I was interested. It sounded familiar, but I wasn't for sure if I had heard it before...
"Sometimes when we sleep we go there. Normal people do too, but they can't move freely...its like a dream, but...we have to be very careful. There are bad things there, and you mustn't let them come through with you.."
I was frightened, and looked at him horrified. " Will they hurt me?" I was on the verge of tears again. This was very emotionally trying.
"If you let your wits down, yes. So when you are there, when you dream, just be wary. Not all things in the Fade are terrible though, in time you will see. Be a good girl and follow your studies closely and you'll be fine."
" The Fade...is like a dream?" He nooded again. " I saw you, a long time ago. And there was something chasing you..." I couldn't grasp the rest, but he eyed me oddly.
"If you have any bad dreams, pray to the Maker, and talk to Wynne, she has an affinity of sorts for the Fade." I nooded and was lead off to begin my training.
I learned quickly, and excelled where others had difficulty. I was particularly skilled in the two schools of healing, and oddly enough, entropy. Wynne, after several years, became my teacher of meditation and of healing. She was impressed, to say the least with the graspings I had managed to learn. My other instructors passed me along, and enjoyed my arduous studying. Its not like when I was done with homework I was allowed to go outside and play for a bit, so I occupied my mind with trying to understand the Fade.
Luckily, until the time I turned 13, I had no terrible "dreams". I began to suffer from insomnia because the dreams themselves...terrified me. I wrote what I saw down in a small leather notebook Wynne had given me to write my thoughts down in. I wrote of the horrors of war, of the smells and sounds that manifested themselves to me, and before I was 14, I had filled up 4 books of similar details. Wynne didn't find them until I was nearly 15, and began training me intensely in the magic that others were not taught.
The Fade, it seemed, liked me. And that was terrifying...Surely, something there was influencing my dreams. I asked Wynne, and with the First Enchanters blessing, she was going to begin traveling with me into the Fade to teach me how to combat these demons. The Templars where quite displeased, as well as some of my peers. My peers however, congratulated me. If, at this young age, I was to be sent into the Fade with another, then the Circle Elders would have use of me and I would not be left without some purpose in the prison tower.
~~~Please Review. I rather like where I am going with this, so please let me know what you guys think.
Pheraphs this story won't give me writers block, and I might rewrite my other story in its entirety. Sorry for any misspellings, I know it can take away from a smooth reading.~~~~
