A/N: Disclaimer: Dragon age belongs to Bioware, but there are characters and plots that are mine, English is not my native language I'm sorry for the possible grammars mistakes.... all criticism and suggestions are welcome, if it help me with my skills much better. PS: I need a Beta reader.... don't be timid :D

EDIT 30/04/2010: changed of first person to third person I don't feel me good writing of this way, I recommend read it again, there is some things that you possible don't understand in a future if you don't, sorry for the inconveniences.

Rated M for violence and mature themes


Since he was a child, he has had always the same nightmare, a nightmare that made him awake in a cold sweat and with pain over his body, he hated these nights, he could not go back to sleep after these dreams, for fear of dream again the same.

'Now I wish to have these nightmares and no the memories of that night that haunt my mind day and night.' The young man thinks bitterly

When he wakes up the air is chilly and is drizzling outside, he's in a big tent that smell a cinnamon, and mostly of his wounds have been treated.

"What are you doing da'len? You have to rest more" a young Woman told him when I try to get up.

"Where am I?" the man demanded

"Don't worry, you are in a Dalish camp" she speaks as she examines the temperature in his forehead "we take care of your wounds, but these aren't totally healed yet" her voice for some reason is comforting

"How many days I sleep?" The man ask groaning and examining his body

"Barely two nights and this is your second day, we take care of you" she answer to the man

"The same elves that attack me in the forest?" he asked surprised, by many of the rumors that he heard in the past.

Dalish, elves that refused to relinquish their own ways. They instead chose to scatter to the winds, wandering the lands. But he doesn't have anything against the elves, Dalish or not, to the end if a sword can kill them, then they are equals.

"I'm sorry for that but we needed–" her sight fall for a moment and after a sigh she continue "the keeper will explain you later"

"A Dalish keeper?" his voice sound tired and cracked

"She is the Keeper – the leader of a Dalish clan, Her job is to both guide our people as well as collect the lore of our ancestors, her ultimate charge is leading the clan wisely and she does so in a very maternal fashion" she spoke with a tone of proud and fraternal love. "Wait here I will call her"

"That will no be necessary" the voice of a old woman was heard, as she entered to the tent, "Andaran atish'an, my name is Marethari, I'm the keeper of this Clan, What is your name da'len"

"I don't have name," he said an stop of speak, in that the two women glance the young man waiting some more and he follow speaking "I've failed everyone that I knew, I don't deserve one"

"You've done nothing of the sort. Do not blame yourself." Her voice was kind, she was worried about him. But what she thinks doesn't matter to him; he is more interested in his current situation, what is he? A hostage? A guest?

"Why you attacked me?" with a smirk in his face he turn to found the keeper eyes "why you saved me?" that was the question that really bother him, Why they saved a human?

"I knew you mother, and I promised her that I will help her, and that I'm doing" the keeper replied

"I doubt that you knew my mother, she would've told me" a groan escaped of his mouth while he tries to sit. "Anyway shooting me arrows poisoned is a hard way to help me"

"I apologize for the hunter; she had passed for many things in the last weeks." She took a deep breath "I know that you too had hard days and if we would ask you to come, you would have refused" with a warm grin in her face she retakes the words "You needed rest, and heal your wounds, because the journey that await you is hard"

"And what you know about me or my journey?" he ask with a serious tone

"Your mother help me to find a way to cure the hunter that you see in the forest, she is tainted by the darkspawn, and even if don't exist a full cure at least we can mitigate the symptoms" she told anguished

"My mother is dead, and she die a few days ago, what you say is impossible" he countered with rage in his glance and words "why the hell you dare bring her name now?"

"I know the terrible fate that suffer your family, and we share your pain"

"Swiftly do stars burn a path across the sky, hastening to place one last kiss upon your eye. Tenderly land enfolds you in slumber, softening the rolling thunder. Dagger now sheathed, bow no longer tense. During this, your last hour, only silence." That was a sort of pray to their god's, told by the young woman

"Ma serannas Merril" the keeper said with a look of sadness, but her words soon full the tent again "we know all that you have lived in the last weeks and don't worry we are here for help you"

"How you know that?" this woman knows much more of that he expected, and that worried him, much more that the thought of to be a prisoner of dalish or chasinid "where are my things? Where is my backpack?" the man said desperately

"There" the young woman, Merril, says pointing to his bag and cloak

"let me explain you; you mother speak me since the fade, how you the humans call it, she is the woman that you saw in your dreams when you was child, isn't it true?" she speaks with such certainty, like if she would've lived this and she continue "she is worried about you, and about the path that you are taking, she asked me to give you this"

She handed him a note with only a few sentences, he read many times the note, but it only says that he has to go to the circle of magi to found the key and the answers to the questions that he has now.

The last line say: 'be strong my child, hard times are coming, I regret not having been with you to watch you grow and teach you what you need know, but I'm sure that your family taught you and loved you like I would have done; You are always in my thoughts.'

"I need go, I need reach the south" his words leave now without hesitation "I don't know who she is, but I have to do things more important than follow the lead of a twisted spirit"

His words can be firms but his body is shaking when he tries to stand up, his entirely body jolt in pain, at least now he can feel and move the arm again, no without pain and the other wounds of his chest and eye are healed, they only need time for be completely cured.

"I wish that you reconsider your decisions, but you are free of to do what you consider that is fine" the Dalish keeper sake her head in disapproval and quit her look of him, "Here let you a armor" she said pointing to it "twas' made for you and too two of our best swords" before of leave of the tent she told him a thing more "I hope that you reconsider your path, a war is near and I want that you choose the right side"

The young elf Merril help him to dress his armor, but she doesn't speak him again, the tent is in an ominous silence only disturbed by the sound of the buckets of the armor. The young man check all his things, and nothing left no a single bit, even now he has some of bread and fruits. When he is ready to leave she tied the swords to the belt.

"Thank you, for everything" The man says almost apologizing

"You can wait that the sun finishes of warm the ground" she said quietly

"No, is better of this way" he said shaking his head

Leaving of the camp he found the raven haired hunter, she is looking him contemptuously like the rest of the elves that are with her.

"You can't run from your destiny" she told him while organize her quiver

"I will do my own destiny, and for that first I need to do my duty" he answer teasing her

"We will see" she says with a small laugh


Finally outside of the Dalish camp he has time for see where he is and the best route for Ostagar.

"You should be obedient and go to the circle of magi" a voice of nowhere said, the voice of a creepy man, but nobody is near of where he is.

"Great, now I'm crazy and listening voices" He didn't sound overly surprised.

"I can help you to control the powers that are awakening in you, I can help you to defeat all your enemies with only your will" continue the voice "I can explain what are that powers and how you can use"

"Thanks but I will take my chances alone" rolling a map the man continue speaking to himself "now shut up I need begin to walk"

Walk for the wilds is dangerous, you can't guide yourself for the sun or trees, they look like if had own life and were playing with you like if you were a mice and they were cats, and the fog don't let you see more than a few yards in front, even so the man is going for the right direction and soon he will be able of reach a road, but the rain and the moisture of the wilds made that the bandages wet and filthy… 'I need to find clean bandages' he thought taking into account the possible infections

The third day after leaving the Dalish camp he could see a group of men, soldiers and they are wearing the insignia of the king, a scout, ten, maybe more, 'they have clean bandages' he thought, he begin to run towards to them and when finally catch up them, he try to introduce himself, but they don't paid attention, there was someone or something else waiting in the wilds and they have fallen in a trap.

"DARKSPAWN" shout one of the men.

The darkspawn are beast twisted and his stench is like rancid cheese. The soldiers have fear but they know that run isn't an option, the darkspawn will follow them for hours if it is necessary.

Soon begin the fight, the soldiers are outnumbered 2-1, the battle is bloody and everyone is fighting only by their lives, the young man is fighting too against the darkspawn and he can see how one of the soldiers gave his life killing some class of mage, the men fight with against them but to the end only three humans are left standing or at least breathing, but the every darkspawn are already death.

A darkspawn kicked the young man in his chest and his wound is reopening 'bad day my friend' he mumble while he forced down his pain for a brief moments, but the other two men are worst, one has a arrow embedded in his chest, and he is mumbling the name of a woman but soon he stop of fight and die, the other man is in a similar situation he lost one arm and the bleeding does not stop with nothing, they try to start a fire, but with the weather is almost impossible, that man will die a few hours later… when he begin to suffer the young warrior help him to pass to the fade "maker guide you" he tell to the soldier and stab him with a dagger in his heart.

He takes some of the health poultices of the soldiers and save them for later, but then arrive two persons to the field battle a human and an elf.

"A terrible battle was fought here, wasn't it?" said the human somberly

"I believe that he is only a scavenger I say we have to kill him here" the young elf gave him a sideways glance

"A city elf with personality, that is some new" the young man answer with a glance to the woman and she returned the glance with fierce eyes, without any subtlety; with a little smirk he follow "yes, it was a hard battle but they fought and died honorably"

"I'm Duncan, head of the Grey Wardens in Ferelden." His voice sounded earnestly "Who are you? Obviously you aren't part of this scout, and your dress is a little different to the used for the army"

"I'm a nameless warrior, head of myself" he answered immediately to the Gray warden in a mockery tone

The elf turned and glared him; there was a tension in that look, her expression was dark, she walked over the grass in direction to the man, not for the disrespect to her mentor, but for the prior offense about elves; but the hand of Duncan stands in front of her indicating that she can not fight without his authorization.

"My order is in need of help, I hope you will join me. You would make an excellent Grey Warden." Duncan said at the same time that he takes a step closer

"What?" the elf shouts back, maintaining the distance that the Warrior had put between them. "You can not be speaking seriously, look him he is wounded, filthy and we don't even know if he can fight, if not how you explain the bodies of their comrades"

"You need learn many things Kallian" Duncan said plainly "look him again, that wounds are olds and he was fighting against darkspawn in that condition and for the traces of blood you can know that he was fighting to the end; he is an excellent candidate" turning his look to the young man he follow speaking "what you say young man?"

"You are sharp-eyed, old man" the young warrior answered taking position where he was able of defend himself of any attack "but I don't have intentions of join me to the orlesians and to be the new toy of our king"

Duncan looked him again studying the situation after a brief pause he laughed looking the attitude of the man; Kallian for other side was almost in a state of rage, because his mentor allowed him to speak them in that tone, she shrugged her arms resigned to obey Duncan's orders;

The young warrior is more concerned in look for any sudden move from them; 'it would be easier with two eyes' he drops a little smirk with the thought.

"You know that I can invoke the right of conscription and you will be bounded to follow me, right?" The tension was obvious in his voice

"Invoke your precious right of conscription" the man shouted, while pointed his sword to the warden, "because if you do it, one of us will die here, and I promise that you will be this one". He assured him; immediately he tries to reach his dagger even with his arm in pain he know that he will need it if they fight, he wields this and then he is ready to fight.

The ambient is darkened by the early sunset and the possible fight, Kallian's arms are ready for the first sweeping of her blades, but the senior warden is calmed and doesn't tell nothing to her, only let escape a high sigh.

"All right¡ I am not going to conscript you" the man retorted absently "you are ready for fight even if that cause your death" Duncan take a step more closer towards to the young man and continue "if we fight here you will die but my fellow or I can finish harmed and right now I need everyone that be possible but healthy"

"Wise of you par–" the young warrior countered but the senior warden follow speaking ignoring him

"Anyway the offer continue if you change your mind" Duncan said ignoring what the other man was trying to say "the night is near, maybe you want share the camp with us, in this zone there are many darkspawn and other dangers"

Kallian's green eyes launch a last look of discomfort; gesturing to the young man and making him know that she doesn't trust him. He doesn't trust them either but he nodded to Duncan, 'is better share the camp, I need some time for rest'