Hello everybody.
This story is a what if. A thought exercise of something I have always wondered. What if, you were suddenly sucked in to the world of your favourite game or story? How would that work? What would you do...? This is a Trevelyan & Cullen romance with this odd twist. Reviews and comments will always be welcomed.
"I will not go to the circle!"
"Yes you will. You refuse to keep your powers hidden!"
"No! I will not. I am not your puppet to be ordered around and posed pretty for your allies and I am not a cow to be married away and procreate endlessly!"
"You are a shame to the family. I found you a suitor and you cursed him, the man almost died!"
"You have no right to force me into a life I do not want!"
"Our lineage is the purest in Ostwick! He was willing to look the other way on your magic."
"That man is a monster! He has already discarded two wives, he killed them. Or do you think they died by accident?"
"Those are the pure speculations, I have word from the high councilor in Starkhaven that he is very high regarded by their court and the Chantry!"
"Even if the man was a human paragon I would not want it. I am not a broodmare. Would you trap me in a life I do not want?"
"Your life is mine, I gave it to you and it is mine to steer towards wherever I believe fits me better. I do not have another child, so I have to fix you."
"Well, mother, maybe you should try again." - Sena aimed low. She knew her mother was left barren after having her. Both of them had almost died. "The man is monster. His last wife was found half burned and the marks of his abuse were still visible on her back and wrists."
Gaya's eyes revealed nothing. The woman's face was permanently frozen in an expression which could only be described as disdain.
"You should have died and saved me from the shame of having a mage daughter. You are evil. I feel it in my bones, the day will come when you'll slaughter us all."
Sena's eyes flashed fire. She felt her body charge and ready to exact her most inner desire. To enflame herself in front of her mother's precious zealot allies and confirm all the rumors. She was a mage and she wasn't the tame and devoted daughter her mother made her up to be. She wanted the world, bowing to her, never hiding her superiority.
"Even if I have to conquer the whole of Thedas and bring back the Imperium, I am better than this!"
"To the circle with you, vicious snake. That teacher of yours was my gravest mistake. He was supposed to have taught you to subdue and negate your magic. Years of tutoring, and what I get in return is a disgrace of a daughter who lacks any care for the Chantry and the family."
"You can say whatever you want, mother, my loyalties lie with me and no one else. Whoever you consider your blood relations, are nothing but social climbers trying to milk the last drop of influence of this family. To the fade with all your scheming and lies."
Sena stormed away, leaving Gaya Trevelyan standing in the middle of the corridor that linked the guest wing to the main building of their home.
"You will be delivered to the circle. It is decided!" - Gaya spewed to her daughter's back. - "the templars will arrive in a month."
Oooo-oooO
Sena d'Aarde closed her computer. It was late at night, another headache was coming fast and she still had a pile of work to do. With a heavy sigh, she got up and out of her home office and ambled down the hall towards her bedroom. Curtains shut, AC on, she let her body fall on the mattress.
Nightmares and dreams of a far away land always accompanied the headaches. In them she was in another world... always angry, confined. Her mother kept demanding things she did not want to do, didn't agree with. Her screams echoed loudly in her head. "you will never cage me!"
These dreams were more and more common. It felt like she was pulled out from reality and taken to medieval times, tormented by the same antagonizing mother who bit her like a snake every time she could. Even in my dreams I'm not safe from her...
Oooo-oooO
Sena shut herself in her bedroom. She had little time. She needed to be gone with enough time to lose the templars. Athelan was already waiting for her at the ruins. If all went well, she would be long gone before those retched jailors arrived.
In a small backpack she packed simple clothing and camping equipment. A sleeping bag rolled at the top, a pair of knives and a wand. All carefully hidden between her back and the bag. The piece of wood wasn't the best focus one could have but it was conspicuous enough to prevent peasants from yelling mage at their first sight of her.
Although she could almost see her destination. White walls and odd contraptions. She was ready to flee even if her plans fell apart. Wherever she went, anywhere was better than the cage of this life.
Oooo-oooO
Sena woke up a few hours later. The apartment was blessedly quiet. Her mother had gone out and it was just her and the soft music now coming from a stereo.
She walked up to a window. Looking out at the hard skyline and lush trees. She imagined a way to leave this life. It all began when her father passed away. Sena had a good life and a bright future ahead. She was about to change majors and finally find her own path in life.
Peter d'Aarde was against it at first but after seeing her daughter miserable for years, he had finally relented. Her mother on the other hand soured at the prospect of a less important daughter. You see, she was supposed to be this great psychologist, to unravel the great mysteries of the human mind. Instead, her daughter wanted to be a glorified artisan, with only a very expensive piece of paper separating her from the hippies.
Sena's heart sunk all over again when, in in the recesses of her mind, she heard a phone ring. Memories of picking it up and answering, "yes, this is Peter d'Aarde's home. Who is it?" it all had come crashing down. Words like hospital, hot day, heart failure... Nothing they could do to help...
A tear escaped her eye. It had been 8 years. Her father had died on his way to an airport. It was a hot summer day so he had taken a cab instead of taking a bus coming back from a business trip. He probably thought he was being selfish for splurging on something so frivolous. He had been away from home for a week and just wanted a little bit of comfort. The taxi driver didn't have time to do anything. Minutes after getting in, Peter had suffered a massive heart attack and died instantly.
Before the memories of the trip she had to take to arrange the transport of her father's remains flooded her mind, Sena went to the bathroom. A shower will help her chase away the memories. It wasn't as if that was the only bad thing that happened. With her father gone, there was no buffer to protect her from her mother and she found out just who her progenitor really was. A manipulative snake who cared about nothing but to show off to her sisters. To constantly best them, no matter the cost. Even if it meant verbally abusing her daughter on a daily basis.
Oooo-oooO
Sena arrived at the ruins under the cover of the night. Athelan had already prepared the altar and marked the glyphs on the sandy patch at the center of the place. Three strangers were kneeling down just outside the markings. They were tied down and had a dreamy gaze in their eyes. The man and two women were thin and malnourished.
"They seem to be refugees from the blight. Caught them on the road."
"Good, no one will notice their disappearance."
"Are you sure you want to do this, Sena? I can take you with me."
The old half-breed apostate looked at her, he had what she learned to identify as a sick desire for her. He had never done anything to her. She was only fifteen and he has been her teacher for eight years now. But lately he was different. It was always a look, an accidental touch, an uninvited caress. He was growing bolder as she got older and she couldn't wait to be rid of him. Little did he know that he was to be the main piece in her plan.
She smiled back at him, holding back the bile creeping up her throat. "It'll be alright. If this works, we won't have to run. Ever."
The ruins where they were standing was at the top of a small grass covered hill. Ancient glyphs decorated what was left of the walls.
Sena set the offerings on each point of the triangle drawn on the floor and called for her teacher to stand with her at the center focus of the glyph. They began to chant and a strange violet light illuminated the connecting lines. With a dagger in hand, Sena drew the tip of it across the innocent victims' throats. One by one they fell and the blood flowed around them.
"Rothzun, hear my orders. I demand your presence!"
Athelan felt his pupil's power flow through him. She was the most beautiful and powerful mage he had ever encountered in his whole life. Never had he felt such a clear connection to the fade than when she was casting. He knew what to do. He taught her this summoning and she thought the demon would take her away. But he had other plans. He knew exactly what to request. Her complete devotion to him. He has been grooming her for this day since the very beginning. Soon, he could use her as he pleased, her powers and her body.
Oooo-oooO
"Sena! Come here. Have you done everything I asked you?"
"No, mother. I had to work."
"But I need it done now!"
"Do it yourself, I have my own responsibilities."
"You are as ungrateful as your cousins. Are you going to attack me for asking a simple favor?"
"I'm not anyone but myself, mother, and I will not enable you any more. If you want it done, do it yourself. I have taught you countless times how to use a computer. Whatever is the reason you don't do it, I have nothing to do with it."
"Disrespectful child. I am the ruler of this house and you will obey me."
"Mother, I have worked the whole day to pay for your bills. Just leave me alone."
Sena went to her room and locked her door. Thankfully, she had it well equipped and with a click on her phone and soft headphones on her head, she found peace while listening to the music she used to listen with her father.
It didn't escape her notice that she still lived as a teenager while clearly she was a grown woman of thirty three years of age. But with her father's death, the debts that he was paying were now her responsibility, and the superstitious man had never allowed to take life insurance. Her life stopped 8 years ago. She dropped out of college and took the responsibilities of the house. She stopped living and just survived.
Another headache on its way, Sena held herself tight, surrendering to the darkness of nothingness in the hopes the pain would go way.
Oooo-oooO
"Who dares call me?" - The pride demon pierced the couple in front of him with his blazing electric eyes.
Both mages stood side by side. Athelan prepared a bolt of electricity to incapacitate Senna and when he reached for her, the girl hid behind him. Maker, she is afraid… how quaint. He lowered his hand and gave himself a moment to enjoy her fear.
The old mage smiled. But his hubris blinded him to the fact that Sena had placed her hands on each side of his head. With a swift pulse of magic, augmented by the blood flowing around them, she robbed him of all senses, his voice failed him.
"I, Sena Trevelyan, demon." - Athelan knelt over, his last thoughts only laughed of his foolishness. Of course she was going to betray me.
"I see... What is your request, human?"
"I request transport to another reality. The one I often visit in my dreamscape. I know it to be real and I know I will be free at this other side. Take me there, demon."
"You ask much. No power can reach that far. I can only take your essence. Know, there is no going back, there is no flow from where you want to go to here."
"Do it." - Sena slit her master's throat and directed a thread of blood to envelop the demon. Any reality is better than this.
She closed her eyes and let go of all which tethered her to this world.
"I am free!"
