Dragon Age: Origins

Two Worlds, One War

Chapter 1: Awaken the Dark Templar

(Disclaimer: This is based off MY CHARACTER, which uses a few mods for armor and weapons and altered creature summons. I've taken what I've learned about DA:O about the Fade and Demons and looked between the lines a bit. Again, this is based on my character. I will update it as much as possible. I hope you enjoy the story.)

Outside of Denerim in a camp:

What makes an abomination? If a person retains their humanity and is able to keep their sanity, are they truly an abomination? And do demons specifically hunt those with power? The Circle mages in other words. Answers the Chantry refuses to look at. All they know is what they want to believe. The Maker will smite those that consort with demons or are abominations. Vorax never believed a word of it. Not since...it didn't matter. It had been over 12 years since it happened. A boy with no special abilities...and he was both blessed and cursed with his current abilities. He looked at the fire and poked it with a stick to stoke it. His mind wandered back to the time of his, well, what one might call ascension, or fall.

-Orlais: 12 years ago.
"Sleep well, Vorax. Your father would be proud to see how well you're doing in your swordplay." His mother, who was elven, ensured her son was safe. They were not nobles...but isn't it true that love is found in the oddest places? She kissed her human son on the forehead and stood to leave. "May the Maker and Andraste grant you safe harbor through the Fade as you sleep."

"Rest well, mother." Vorax closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Hours passed as truly, Vorax's spirit was in the Fade. His father had always told him to find a safe place to hide in the Fade until morning broke. Though his father was no mage, he still knew a great deal about the home of the demons and spirits. But tonight would be a night that changed his life. Vorax turned to hide in his safe "cave" after hearing the laughter of a Greater Rage Demon.

But after he hid, a voice boomed behind him. It echoed darkly, as if it was nearly two voices speaking. One voice speaking three words behind the other. "And here I thought you were braver than that, mortal. Your father would be disappointed to see that you hide from us. Perhaps our
mealtime is now. Though we could not devour your father, I suppose you will have to suffice."

Vorax spun around, looking up seeing the massive pride demon. "Stay away from me! I swear to the Maker I'll kill you!" A longsword forming in his hand in an act of sheer will.

The demon snarled. "YOU WILL LEARN TO BOW TO YOUR BETTERS, MORTAL!"

A fight ensued between the two. Even in the Fade, Vorax could still hold his own in a fight. Thanks to his father's teachings in swordplay. The fight lasted the entire night. And the boy was tiring with each swing of his blade. But even fatigued, it found its mark. Vorax's blade tore into the heart of the demon.

"NO! IM...POSSIBLE...!" The Pride Demon collapsed. But as the body of the lifeless Pride Demon fell to the ground, something began to happen. The spirit of Valor came to see the boy home and noticed the essence of the dead demon shimmering. It engulfed Vorax, "absorbing" into him, as it were. The demon would win one way or the other. He would kill the boy or corrupt him.

Vorax screamed in pain, which translated to the living, waking world outside of the Fade. Valor knelt before the boy, his eyes changed. "Leave...me...ALONE!" Vorax's voice began to sound like the demon's voice. His iris' shimmering yellow.

Valor spoke softly. "Listen to me, boy. Do not let pride consume you. You cannot let him win. Your father wanted nothing more for you except to always be valorous. To do what is right. If you let the essence of the fallen demon win over your own will, he wins even in death. I am not one to ask a person to learn from a demon. But if it saves you...do it. Learn from the demon and do the opposite of what he would do."

Vorax struggled. After a few minutes...his body stopped convulsing. Vorax opened his eyes after having them closed in pain. His eyes now had the look of understanding. He looked at Valor and smiled. "Thank you, ser. Thank you for your words."

Valor closed his eyes and sighed. "Maker protect you, boy. I pray that many of the mortals will hear past your voice and see past your eyes. You and the fallen essence of the demon are now one."

Vorax placed his hand on Valor's shoulder. His voice echoing like the demon's voice did. Two voices, one voice speaking three words behind the other. "Then I will do what I must to never fall to the demon's level. I will do what is right, as my father did."

Vorax woke up startled. His mother's hands shaking as she looked at her son's eyes. He looked up at her, his voice sounding like it did in the Fade. "Mother? What..." He noticed the change and ran to the mirror and saw his eyes. "So then it really did happen. It wasn't a nightmare. Then I will do as I promised Valor, and as I promised father. I will do what is right."

His mother ran over to him and embraced her son, crying that the demon had changed him. But she would still love him.

Time passed. Vorax learned the ability of the Templars. Never speaking unless in private. But he also learned about certain summoning abilities that were not part of the Templar training. He learned to summon Revenant. A demon possessed corpse that used their martial abilities to serve Vorax. Having the ability to psychically pull many enemies toward him and attacking twice to bring enemies down. Only one Templar knew about this. Ser Bryant. He was killed in Lothering during the Blight but was Vorax's mentor and trainer. Vorax was still human. But at the same time, was something more. He was no god. But he was not just as mortal. He would still bleed were a blade to pierce his heart, were it lucky enough to find it. Ser Bryant had the Chantry make Vorax special Templar armor. When the Revered Mother in Denerim stumbled upon a lesson that Vorax was training in, she saw him summon the Revenant and ordered the demon child gone. Ser Bryant tried to explain the situation. But she would not hear of it. The Revered Mother called Vorax a Dark Templar. And the name just stuck. He was soon reviled by the Chantry. Not hunted...but reviled.

Vorax was eventually recruited by Duncan before Lothering was hit and the fall of Ostagar. Even already demon-touched by the essence inside of him, Vorax still went through the Joining to become a Grey Warden. The only slight difference was that his ability to sense the Darkspawn was heightened. They told him of mastering the taint, but even Duncan wasn't sure what would happen or how the Joining would alter Vorax. But he said nothing to anyone. Alistair was leery of the Dark Templar. Even he heard of how the Chantry reviled him. But if Duncan recruited him, was he really all that bad?
Vorax never spoke to anyone unless they asked him a question. Supposedly the less people knew about him, the less they would find a reason to make poor judgments about him. He would let his actions speak for him. And no louder did his actions speak than during the battle at Ostagar. As they made their way up the tower of Ishal, the Darkspawn poured out of side rooms. Vorax had finished off the Hurloc he was fighting and turned to see a Grenloc Alpha charging at Alistair whose back was turned. Vorax charged at Alistair and shouted: "ALISTAIR! WATCH OUT!"

As the young Templar turned, he saw the Grenloc nearly on top of him. Vorax shoved Alistair out of the way and took the blade hit from the Darkspawn. He roared in pain and it echoed in his dark voice. That was enough to push him over the edge. He picked up his greatsword that he dropped and readied his shield. The sword glowed blue and both Vorax and the Grenloc Alpha fought. The fight lasted only a few minutes and the Grenloc made one error in leaving himself open. The Dark Templar stunned the fiend with his shield and brought his greatsword to bear, slicing in one direction, then in the other, cutting the beast open.

Vorax fell to one knee. Even strong enough to wield a greatsword with one hand and use a shield; his injury from the Darkspawn drained him. Alistair helped him up. "Are you alright, Vorax?"

Either Alistair became accustomed to Vorax's voice, or he made the decision the Chantry was wrong, he didn't shudder at words that came out in echoed succession. "I will be fine, just...drained. We must move on. The beacon will not light itself." Unsteadily Vorax stood. Could Alistair see his yellow eyes, he would see the pain he was in from the blade strike. But Vorax hardly ever removed his helmet unless he was in camp. But his left arm that held his shield sunk a little. Alistair noticed this but thought better about saying anything. Determination and will drove this Dark Templar.

When they finally made it to the top of the Tower of Ishal, they stopped dead in their tracks to see an Ogre standing there. Vorax glanced at the people behind him; he saw the fear in the eyes of those with him. He would not let these people, his people, be hurt. But this was a fight that would not be won easily. He was about to forgo everything he said he wouldn't do about summoning his Revenant, but this fight did not warrant the same caution. This was a fight for survival. He drove his sword into the ground and raised his hand. Dark energy surged from his raised hand as a Revenant rose from the floor.

"MAKER'S BREATH! WHAT?" The mage with them screamed seeing the Revenant rise. But there was no time to hold back.
Ignoring the mage, Vorax charged at Ogre, and the Ogre charged at him. The Ogre suddenly snap froze which gave him the chance to get in the first strike. Vorax overpowered the Ogre, sending the beast staggering back. The Revenant attacked twice seeing the opening its master gave it. Vorax was tiring quickly, the injury slowing him down from earlier. And overpowering the Ogre only made it worse. But he would not falter. He would not let his group fall to this abomination of a Darkspawn. The Ogre though was able to grab Vorax and literally pound him. Each hit from the beast blurring his vision more. But Alistair, Maker bless him, slashed at the Ogre's shin, causing it to drop their leader. Still dazed and vision blurred, Vorax saw his opportunity to finish off the Ogre. He leapt onto the monster's chest and drove his blade into the beast's neck. The Ogre fell to the ground backwards and at that point, Vorax drove his blade into the head of the monster and twisted the blade. Vorax staggered off the beast and Alistair trying to coax him over to light the beacon. He did but nearly collapsed. -

Vorax looked up from the fire and saw Morrigan at one end of the camp, Alistair sitting on the other log and the Mabari that "imprinted" itself on him. Vorax finally removed his helmet. Alistair for the first time looked at his friend's real face. He was rugged looking, with beard and stubble, and the irises of his eyes shimmering yellow and a tattoo over his one eye. Probably from the essence inside of Vorax that gave him the mark. It didn't matter. Vorax proved himself to Alistair. Why should he see this man as anything other than a friend and comrade? Dark Templar, demon-touched or not. Morrigan helped these two and Flemeth sending her possibly only daughter with them to help them. Morrigan made advances on him but Vorax declined. It annoyed her but...there was no changing his mind.
If Vorax had his heart set on a special woman, Morrigan told him because of what he was, he would be greatly disappointed. He just seemed to shrug it off. "Be that as it may, Morrigan. The Maker will grant me what he will if not end my life sooner rather than later. But I will do what I must and do what is right. A promise I made to someone very long ago. Like it or not you may return to the Wilds at any point." If there was one thing to Vorax, he would not back down from anyone that questioned him or pushed him into a corner.
The three of them rested for the night, preparing to move onto Lothering in the morning.

A/N: This was a story I did a couple of years ago and I was finally able to retrieve it. I will post chapters over a couple of days' time.