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Dragon Age: Chronicles of the Fateshapers

Book I: The Griffon's Cry

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Chapter 1

9:20 Dragon – 10 years before the beginning of the Fifth Blight

"Hurry," Arianwen's mother whispered as they ran for their lives through the thick forest known as the Wilds. "They aren't far behind. We must hurry…" Branches and low twigs slapped against their faces as they fled, only their Dalish blood helping them maneuver through the obstacles before them at such blinding speed. According to her mother, the Wilds had been the Clan's home for over a century. After years spent living in its unforgiving depths, the forest had become a part of them. Even Arianwen, at the age of six, already knew many of its stories, hidden paths, and dangers.

"Mamae," Arianwen whimpered when they hid behind a tree to catch their breath. "Emma ir har…"

"I know, da'len. I, too, am afraid," her mother sobbed, hugging her daughter to her chest. As she stroked her plum black hair to soothe her terror, the beautiful Keeper whispered – "Whatever happens, you must keep running."

"Where, mamae?"

"There is a human settlement north of here called Ostagar. You must make it there no matter what."

"Go to the shemlen lands?" she repeated, her golden eyes wide in surprise. "But you said shemlens are bad."

"We have no choice, emm'asha," her mother lamented. Arianwen's eyes settled on the staff on the Keeper's back.

"Don't shemlens hate us for our magic?" The Keeper's eyes hardened, a furrow cleaving her delicate brow.

"You must not tell them about your abilities, Arianwen. Ever." The girl nodded. Rarely did the child see her mother so serious, so she understood that the Keeper's warning about this matter was to be taken to heart. "They will kill you on sight if they find out what you are," the Keeper concluded, her tone grave.

"Why, mamae? Am I a bad person?"

"No, emm'asha," the Keeper reassured her with a kiss on her forehead. "You are just different, that's all. You have wisdom and knowledge beyond your years, and a power that Shemlens could never understand."

The shrill cry of a bird startled them both. For a moment, they fell quiet, terrified that they would hear the shrieks and howls of their attackers behind them. Arianwen shivered, remembering how the monsters had ripped apart everyone in the village. The attack had been so sudden. Nobody was prepared. One by one, the Clan hunters had fallen, savaged by black arrows and even blacker blades. Arianwen had only heard of these monsters in the legends the Keeper told occasionally. Darkspawn, her mother had called them – creatures of the darkest and foulest taint.

"Come, da'len," her mother urged, taking hold of her hand. "We must keep moving." They set off again, breathing coming in pants as they ran. Periodically, the Keeper stopped to give them a moment to rest. Arianwen was grateful. She'd never run so hard before. Every chance she could, she glanced over her shoulder, expecting the Darkspawn to appear from the shadows. She wanted to ask her mother more about what they were going to do. They'd left their friends and family behind. Were they never going to see them again? The thought terrified her.

"What about Timuriel and Andwen?" the girl asked, tugging on the Keeper's hand. "And Rashel, too. Are they going to the shemlen lands, too?" Her mother didn't reply - just kept pulling on her hand and running faster. "What about - "

"Hush, Arianwen," she commanded, quickening their pace. The girl struggled to keep up, tripping over her feet. She fell and felt the sharp twigs on the ground skin her knee.

"Ouch…" Tears stung her eyes. Her mother turned back to her and mumbled a word she didn't recognize. Without saying anything else, she lifted her onto her back and kept running.

"Almost there…almost…" she heard the Keeper murmur under her breath. Arianwen hid her face against her mother's clothes, hoping that her scent would help her forget the monsters. Her mother always said that crying was a weakness of the heart. She hoped that this time, she wouldn't notice Arianwen giving into it. Mamae is strong. She will keep us safe. I have to be strong, too. They ran until the sun began to set and Arianwen could feel the sweat on her mother's back.

"It's so dark," Arianwen whispered. "I'm scared." The Keeper paused, watching the last rays of the sun disappear over the mountains. As though waiting for just this moment, the previously silent forest came to life. Howls filled the air. "Are the monsters going to get us?" Once again, her mother did not reply, but the girl did not miss the tension in her demeanor. The Keeper took off again, deeper and deeper into the forest. Arianwen no longer knew where they were. She'd never traveled this far away from Clan lands.

"Can you run for a bit, da'len?" the Keeper asked, setting the girl on her feet. Arianwen nodded. As they linked hands, more howls pierced the night air. The sounds were louder this time – closer. A cold wind blew through the trees, making the branches and leaves come alive. The branches reminded her of giant fingers, reaching out to try and trap them. She struggled to see the path ahead and gasped when several pairs of glowing eyes blinked at her from the darkness. She frantically pulled on her mother's hand to get her attention, only to see that the Keeper was staring at more eyes that appeared from another direction.

"Blightwolves…They are hunting us," the Keeper cursed. She pulled her daughter closer to her, trying to hide her behind her back. Reaching over her shoulder, she unstrapped the staff from her back. Arianwen heard her begin a chant for a spell. She gasped when one of the creatures stepped out from its hiding place. Twilight illuminated bloodied fur, rotten flesh, and eyes devoid of life. The wolf was bigger than any she had ever seen. As it growled, blood and saliva dripped from its mouth. One by one, other wolves joined the first until Arianwen could see nothing but a sea of teeth and blazing eyes. Terrified now, she began to cry in earnest.

Above her, the Keeper finished casting her spell right as the creatures howled and charged towards them. Arianwen screamed and hugged her mother's leg as fire spread out around them. Huge orbs of flame scattered and hit each wolf in turn. Though the force pushed them back, the animals fought against it. Some were set ablaze yet still pushed on, growling and snapping their jaws even as their bodies melted away. Closer and closer they came until one of the beasts grabbed at Arianwen's cloak. The girl sobbed and tried to kick it away.

"Run!" her mother ordered, so focused on channeling the flames that she couldn't afford to look away from them. "I'll keep them off you! Run, da'len!"

"But - "

"Run!" the Keeper shouted. Too terrified to think of anything but getting away, Arianwen did as she was bid. One of the Keeper's flaming orbs flew around and knocked aside the wolf that tore at the girl's clothing. "Go now!" With a last look at her mother's face, Arianwen ran towards the cover of the trees. Behind her, she heard her mother casting one more spell before her chanting gave way to screams of pain and agony.

Tears streamed down her face. She wanted to turn around and go back, but her mother's last command and sacrifice would give her weakness no quarter. The wolves howled behind her, bloodlust and hunger thick in their call. She tried not to think about anything but moving forward, running as far and as fast as possible. Several times, she tripped over tree roots and obstacles in the road. Each time, she got up and forced herself to keep going. With each breath, she felt the beasts closing in on her. Their howls rose in volume until they were all she could hear.

Run. Run. Run. Run. Run!

She screamed when something caught the edge of her skirt, making her lose her footing and roll some distance away. She squinted to see anything as the darkness grew thicker and saw that the Blightwolves had caught up to her. Fear paralyzed her. With wide eyes, she watched the monsters close in. Their large bodies formed an impenetrable wall, giving off so much heat that she felt she was trapped in an inferno. Around their mouths, she could see blood stains and bits of flesh. One of the beasts held something in its jaws. A limp hand. As it came closer, horror mushroomed in her chest, for she recognized the ring on one of the fingers as her mother's.

Something inside of her snapped – a barrier she hadn't been aware of until now. She tilted back her head and screamed. Fire ignited in her veins. Something burst from deep within her soul. A bright light filled her vision; a roaring sound deafened her. For a moment, she was no longer sure of where or even who she was. The only emotion she could identify was the desire for the wolves to perish. Images burned the backs of her eyes – flashes of the wolves tearing her mother to shreds as she screamed for her daughter to get away. The memories carved themselves into her very being.

Then, as suddenly as they came, the pictures vanished. Exhausted, the girl fell to the ground. She smelled wet earth and dead leaves. As she tried to push herself up, she struggled to understand what just happened. Around her, bodies of wolves lay strewn about – some broken, some mangled beyond recognition. She stared at her hands in disbelief. Her mother had warned her about this – about the bad magic in her blood. She'd told her never to let it out. Dazed and confused, Arianwen struggled to her feet. Just when she thought that she'd been saved somehow, more howls cut through the eerie silence around her.

Mamae…I don't want to die…someone please…please help me…

Something massive landed in front of her, shaking the very ground she stood on. Arianwen stumbled over to a tree and held on for dear life when the thing let out a deafening roar. In the darkness, she couldn't see anything except for a colossal shape covered in scales as black as onyx. As it moved around, it uprooted trees, snapping them as though they were twigs. Only when the thing opened its maw and let loose a stream of flame could Arianwen identify it. With disbelieving eyes, she watched the creature burn the Blightwolves – and surrounding foliage – to cinders. In the aftermath, Arianwen huddled against the tree, hands over her head, certain that the beast would burn her alive, too.

"How interesting…" a voice whispered in her mind. Startled, the girl looked up, only to scream when she saw a single, golden, eye right in front of her face. Now that the surrounding foliage was on fire, she could see the creature in all its glory. A high dragon stood before her, its pearly, black, scales shimmering in the firelight.

"Please don't eat me," Arianwen begged, remembering all the stories that her mother had told her about the savage nature of these beasts. Then something clicked. Had the dragon just spoken to her? As far as she knew, there was only one dragon that could speak with the voice of a mortal. "Are you…Asha'belannar?" she murmured, momentarily forgetting her fear. She recalled her mother mentioning a woman who could change her shape like this.

"Very interesting…one of the People, are you?"

"I think I'm the last," Arianwen revealed, feeling tears start to prick at the corners of her eyes at the memory.

"So they are all dead…pity."

"Did you come here…to save me?" the girl ventured. A cold laughter reverberated in her thoughts.

"Don't be daft, girl. What interest do I have in saving a child?"

"Then you were hunting the bad things? The Darkspawn?"

"I was, until I saw something that caught my eye. A surge of magic I haven't seen in a…very long time." The dragon narrowed its eye. "Do you know what it was?"

"I think it was me," Arianwen admitted, ashamed. "I know it was bad. Mother said I should never let it out, but…but Mother is gone now." The dragon glared at her, shifting around to face her more fully. With each step, the ground shook.

"You?" it demanded. "That magic was your doing?" Arianwen nodded. A long silence stretched between them as the dragon seemed to consider this. "I see. You are her daughter, then. Now I know why she was so hesitant to mention you."

"You knew my mother?"

"Not well, but well enough. Tell me, girl, what will you do now that you have no family?"

"I have to go to Ostagar. Mother said so. I have to find the shemlens."

"And then?"

"I…don't know."

"Let me give you some helpful advice, child. The place you seek is days in the opposite direction."

"Days?" Arianwen echoed, clutching at her chest. "But what about the wolves? And the Darkspawn?"

"Darkspawn? I would say that if you wish to find the humans, the Darkspawn will be the least of your worries."

"What do you mean?"

"If they humans know what you are, they will strike you down immediately. Their faith in their Maker will compel them to do so, child or no child."

"The Maker? Who is that?"

The dragon chortled with laughter. "Maybe I'll let you figure that out for yourself."

"Then what should I do? I have nowhere else to go." As though it had been waiting for her to say those words, the dragon bent its neck and brought its face closer to hers.

"I can help you, for a price." It moved its front leg towards her chest, tapping her with one of its claws. It bared its fangs in what Arianwen thought resembled a smile.

"What can I possibly give you that you don't already have?"

"You think I have everything?" the dragon asked, surprised.

"Mother told me about you, Asha'belannar. She said you are immortal, beautiful, and powerful - that you can change your shape." She raised her arms and gestured towards the dragon's wings. "You can become a dragon and fly…you can protect those you love."

"And you think that's all I want?"

"That's all I would want. The power to protect the people I love," she sniffled, lowering her head in shame. To her surprise, the dragon touched the softer part of its knuckle against her cheek, wiping away a stray tear.

"How ironic, that someone like you would envy me," the dragon mused. It sighed, the single puff of air kicking up dust and leaves around Arianwen. "How much do you know about your power?"

"Mother said I shouldn't tell anyone…" She hesitated. "But, you are Asha'belannar." She shuffled her feet.

"If I wanted to hurt you, I would have done so long ago. That is the reason you don't want to tell me, isn't it? You are afraid…" Arianwen gripped fistfuls of her skirt. She wanted to trust Asha'belannar, but just as the dragon had said – she was afraid.

"I can help you," the dragon insisted. "But you have to tell me."

"I can go into people's dreams," Arianwen confessed, the words spilling out in a rush. "I can see things in the dreams and make things happen. Mother called it Setheneran."

"I see," the dragon murmured. "You understand how dangerous this is, do you not?" Arianwen looked away.

"Everyone was scared of me in the Clan, so Mother made me promise I wouldn't do it anymore." Her face crumpled. "But when the wolves…when I saw what they did…I wanted to hurt them. So I let the bad magic out." Her shoulders shook. "I couldn't save Mother…"

"What if I told you that I could give you what you wanted?"

"Can you bring Mamae back?" she asked, biting her lip to hold back her tears.

"No. I am sorry, child."

"Arianwen," the girl offered. "My name is Arianwen, Asha'belannar."

"A good name for one who will change destiny." The girl blinked up at the dragon, unsure of the meaning behind its words. "Will you listen to my proposition?" Arianwen nodded. "You say that you could not protect your mother. What if I told you that I could give you the power to make sure that no one you loved was hurt again?" The dragon once again tapped its claw against her chest. "You have something that I want, and I have something that you want. So let us make a trade. I will give you a small bit of my power, and in exchange you will agree to hold a piece of myself within you. For safekeeping."

"A piece of you?" Arianwen couldn't help but raise her voice. "Does that mean I could become a dragon, too?" The beast chuckled.

"Not for some time, but perhaps one day…"

"I agree," Arianwen blurted out, excitement filling her at the prospect. If she could become like the Asha'belannar, then nothing could hurt her again.

"Then let us make the exchange." The dragon reached up and touched a claw to Arianwen's forehead. "This may hurt. Do not move." A searing pain made her cry out. It took all of her resolve to stay still. A great force finally pushed her to the ground. Something warm and heavy settled in her chest, over her heart. She opened her eyes to see that she'd fallen prone. The dragon unraveled its wings. "With this, it is done…" it decreed. Arianwen's vision blurred. She felt so tired, as though all of her strength had been drained. As her sight dimmed, she saw the dragon towering over her, that same, eerie, smile still present on its face.