Disclaimer: I own nothing except for Sean and Caress. This is Bioware's World, I'm just playing in it.
This really wasn't my day. First I go to sleep and find myself in the Fade, meet a Desire Demon named Caress and now Darkspawn are coming at me. Think, Sean. Think!
In theory Caress taught me everything I should need. I should be able to call upon the magic inside of me. But knowing how to do something and doing it are completely different especially when faced with life and death situations.
I was panicking. My old life never prepared me for this. The Darkspawn were coming at me in their strange shuffling gait drawing ever closer as I froze up. Caress may have put the knowledge to fight in my head but she didn't teach me how to deal with the stress that comes with it.
My eyes were wide as I felt real fear. I never thought about it before but I didn't want to die. I was young at 20. I still had so much to live for. I hardened my resolve as I pulled from within myself.
My face took on a grim set as I held Frost Bite out in front of me. The knowledge Caress gave me told me what to do but now it was up to me to do it. A shimmering shield surrounded me as a Darkspawn shot a crossbow bolt at me. I ducked the bolt and charged forward with a yell. I pointed Frost Bite towards the Darkspawn and froze three of them instantly with a Cone of Cold. I slashed at the neck of a frozen Hurlock sending its head flying.
I was quite impressed with myself. I had never held a sword before and I actually managed to cut what I was aiming for. I caught a Genlock with a kick to the stomach that sent it tumbling to the ground. After that things became a bit fuzzy. I was fully engaged in the battle and adrenalin was pumping through my system. I saw things through a bit of a haze and couldn't really recall how I managed to survive the dozen Darkspawn that had come at me. I would have died if it wasn't for some unexpected help in the form of a human-shaped battering ram.
I was so focused on a Hurlock that was proving difficult to dispatch that I completely forgot about the other Darkspawn surrounding me. Thankfully there was no Emissary with this group or I would have died. Instead a Genlock almost stuck me from behind but Aveline Vallen in all her glory smashed her shield into its head.
I was surprised for a second and my disbelief must have shown on my face because she was quick to reprimand me.
"Focus! My shield can't be everywhere at once."
This was awesome on a whole new level. Aveline just saved my life ... and now she's glaring at me. Oh, right! The Darkspawn still need killing. I joined the fray and out of the corner of my eye I noticed that Aveline was not alone. There was Carver with that ridiculously sized great sword cutting a swath through the Darkspawn. They really didn't stand a chance against that obscene sword. I can't even imagine the amount of strength it took to wield it let alone swing it.
There was a flurry of movement ahead and I was just as much in awe of Hawke as I was of Carver. There she was spinning and flipping like some acrobat all while cut a path of her own. The Genlock that had been irritating me with crossbow bolts lay charred on the ground which told me that Bethany had dealt with it.
Literally between the Hawke's and Aveline I only had to deal with this one pesky Hurlock that just didn't know when to die. I had a couple shallow cuts from it but it was definitely in worse shape. I finally had enough and froze the thing before Aveline shattered the thing with her shield.
A quick look around confirmed that all the Darkspawn were dead and a quick bit of math told me that I barely put a dent in their numbers before the Hawke family and Aveline showed up. I had killed two of the beasts myself but the rest were dispatched by Hawke and company in record time. Seriously I had been fighting for my life but they made it look so easy. I was nowhere near their level of skill and it was humbling. Sure I didn't have nearly enough practice or their amount of experience but it still was humbling to a man to know that without doubt he was the weak link.
Hawke and Carver were making sure the Darkspawn were dead so I turned to Aveline. Her lips were pursed as if something displeased her. Still that didn't mean I wasn't going to show my gratitude. If it wasn't for her I'd be dead.
"Thanks for having my back. If you hadn't shown up when you did I'd be dead."
"Yes, you would," was her response. Really? Come on, I was outnumbered 12 to 1. What exactly was I supposed to do? Most of my time was spent being on the defensive, merely reacting to the Spawn.
"You were so focused on that Hurlock that you forget about the others. You got careless."
I wanted to be upset about that but she was right. I wasn't aware of what was going on around me and it nearly cost me my life. I gave her a small nod in acknowledgement.
"In any event, I am grateful. The name's Sean," I held my hand out for her to shake. Let me tell you that I now know why Isabela calls her man hands. Her grip was strong and this is coming from a guy who has an uncle that does metal work for a living. I also could see her muscles bulging on her arms. I was feeling less like a man by the minute. I'm not ripped or anything but I am fairly strong at least as far as it goes but this woman could break me if she wanted.
"Aveline Vallen. My husband Ser Wesley," she pointed to her husband who was giving me a death glare. What did I ever do to him? Oh, that's right. I'm an apostate here. A mage outside the Chantry's control. I really don't like how the Chantry treats mages. They treat them like property and don't think they are innocent in wanting only to keep people safe. I know all about the Tranquil and know for a fact the Chantry needs the money they draw in with their enchantments. I shot the Templar a glare.
"Does my freedom irritate you, Templar?"
Aveline looks back at her husband and sees the glare he is directing at me.
"Wesley, we've been over this. The Maker understands."
Wesley inclines his head to his wife and sends an apologetic look my way.
"I apologize. It is difficult to forget my training."
I nod at the admission from the Templar. That was likely the best I would ever get from a Templar. The Hawke family approached at this point. Hawke looked exactly like the default version of her. Very pretty overall and she had a smirk on her face that was full of mischief. Carver had a glare on his face and looked young. There weren't any premature lines around his eyes or mouth but you could see he'd develop them because that scowl was almost permanently on his face if I remember the game correctly. Okay, that right there has to stop. This isn't a game anymore and I need to remember that. I almost died a few minutes ago.
I looked to Leandra next. She looked younger than I would have thought. Sure her hair was gray but you could still see how beautiful she must have looked when she was younger. She was still rather pretty now. I wouldn't have guessed her to be over 50. She looked like a very kind lady.
Finally my gaze settled on Bethany ... and my mouth is absolutely dry suddenly. Bethany was definitely Leandra's daughter. She was drop-dead gorgeous which makes me wonder how she hadn't even kissed a boy yet. Sure she's a mage and protected by her family but this young woman should have been courted by now. She gave me a shy smile and stepped close to me. Warmth suddenly flooded into me and it took my addled brain a few seconds to piece together that she had just healed me and not anything else.
I heard several throats clearing and realized that I had been staring at Bethany. Great first impression Sean. It's not like she is likely to see anything in me anyway. It's not like I'm the best looking guy out there with my thick auburn hair and slightly husky build. I'm not all that tall either at about 5'10". Both Hawke and Aveline are almost as tall and Carver has about 4 inches on me. Plus the scruff on my face probably isn't the most appealing either.
Hawke was giving me a rather amused smirk, Carver was still glaring only more deeply and Leandra had a thoughtful look on her face. What is that about? Aveline and Wesley were relatively neutral about all this. I decided I needed to get everybody off of my blunder as it wouldn't do well to upset Hawke or Carver for that matter. Have I mentioned how obscene that sword is he carries around? Although Hawke's amusement seems like a good sign.
"Right, like I said to Aveline and Wesley, the name's Sean. Apostate Mage and a traveler who apparently picked a really bad time to come to Lothering."
Hawke actually laughed at that. It's good to see she has a sense of humor. If I didn't know before that she was the head of the Hawke household I would have found out relatively quickly.
"I'd say. We don't usually send out Darkspawn to greet our guests. I'm Marian but you can call me Hawke, everybody else does. The grumpy one is my brother, Carver. This is my mother, Leandra. And the one you were undressing with your eyes is my sister, Bethany. Also an apostate."
Ouch, Hawke. That hurts. I wasn't undressing her with my eyes. I was simply admiring. Not like she'd believe that though. They all welcomed me and I decided it was best to apologize for my earlier gaff.
"Right, sorry. I really didn't mean to stare." Carver decided this would be a good time to butt in but not about his sister thankfully. That doesn't mean I didn't roll my eyes at what he did say.
"If you're a mage why are you wielding a sword."
There really is only one response to this. Sarcasm.
"Right because mages are supposed to use staves! How could I forget? Look, it's rather simple. I like living. When a Templar, like good Ser Wesley here, decide I'm a danger there response is to hit me with a Holy Smite. That drains my mana and I'd much rather have something to defend myself with then a stick. I like living thank you very much."
"But what kind of mage carries a sword?" Carver apparently decided to ignore my sarcasm though Hawke seemed to appreciate it. I still couldn't help sighing at Carver not giving up on this.
"Look, if you want to put a classification on it you could say I'm an Arcane Warrior. I haven't been one for very long but the essence of it is that I use my magic to help augment my physical abilities. I still can use regular magic like I did when I froze that Hurlock but primarily I fight with Frost Bite."
"Frost Bite? You named your sword that," Bethany asked. Her voice was as pleasant as the rest of her. Yeah, I think I'm in love.
"Yeah, well it helps focus cold spells. That's why I call it Frost Bite. Look I'd love to play 20 questions but don't you think we should be getting out of here before more Darkspawn show up."
I really just wanted to get out of there. I mean there are so many better places to ask these kind of questions. Once we were safe from the Darkspawn I was more than willing to answer any questions they may have had. Hawke seemed to agree with my assessment of the situation and her expression turned more serious.
"He's right. If we stay here any longer the horde will be upon us. For now you can stay with us. Safety in numbers and all that."
With that decided I ran back to my tent and made sure I had everything of value. I fully intended to travel with Hawke to Kirkwall as I had no intention of joining the Warden or wandering off on my own. Despite my lack of overall ability I was still a mage and that meant Templars would hunt me. It was definitely safer to stick with the Hawke family who had kept Bethany and her father safe for years. It was never really stated in the game how long the Hawke's stayed in Lothering but it was definitely years. Malcolm had been dead for 3 years at this point and the family had been here even longer. I'd say probably since Bethany and Carver were 10 or so.
During my search I found a coin purse with a couple of sovereigns and about 50 silver pieces. It wasn't a fortune by any means but it was better than nothing. There was also a backpack with some clothes in it. I shouldered my load and left the tent where it was. It wasn't going to do us any good. Hawke led the way with Carver and Aveline following. I was walking at the back with Bethany while Leandra and Wesley where in the protected middle. Bethany gave me an encouraging smile as we followed. She looked a little worn out from the events of the day which made me wonder just how long they've been fighting through the horde. I wanted to say something but I really didn't know how. I've never been particularly successful in my attempts to talk to women. As it turns out, Bethany was curious about me.
"How is it you've managed to stay free from the Circle? I had my family to protect me from the Templars was your situation similar?"
Now this is one question I really didn't know how to answer. I've literally been a mage for a few hours at most. At least where it counts. Should I be honest here and risk being seen as a mad man? Or should I make something up? I looked into Bethany's eyes and realized I didn't want to lie to her. I never wanted to lie to her.
"That's not the easiest question to answer. My circumstances are rather unique. I doubt you'd even believe me if I told you."
"You don't trust me, I understand," was her response. Now there is no way I'm going to let her think that.
"No, that's not it at all. I can't explain just yet but I trust you. I trust your sister as well. Not so much your brother but I figure that will come with time. What I can tell you is that I didn't even know I was a mage until very recently."
Bethany was surprised by this. Not that I can blame her. I was just as surprised when I found out but for her it has to be more than that. They say most children show signs at a fairly young age. About 6 or so if my understanding is correct. So being only a couple years older then Bethany and just finding out probably rarely if ever occurs.
"That is strange. How old are you?"
"Just turned 20 a couple months ago. What about you? I figure you to be about my age."
"Hmm," she hums in thought, "I'm 18 as is Carver. You're actually closer to Marian's age. She's 21."
Really? I never really thought of Hawke as this young. Only a year older then me and she already takes such control of things. I'd figure age wise Aveline would be the leader. She is closer to 30 yet she still follows Hawke. What is it about her that draws people in? That thought leads me to Carver who looks sour like always. He always says that he is in her shadow and seeing it I can kind of understand. It's kind of similar to how my sister always had to work twice as hard to half as good as good as me. It's funny in a way because I know I always admired my sister for her work ethic. I wish I was as driven as her but I always found things easier and more likely to be boring. If it didn't draw me in I didn't give it my full effort. Hawke simply oozed charisma and skill, Carver didn't have the charisma but he certainly had the skill. He just needs to learn that there is nothing wrong with following and that he can earn respect for that. I'm sure that's all he really needs is respect and maybe a friend. Whether it be Hawke's or somebody else's. I opened my mouth to respond when suddenly Hawke called out.
"Darkspawn! Carver with me, Aveline protect the mages! Bethany deal with that emissary! Sean keep mother safe!"
Wow, relegated to babysitting. It'd be a lot more difficult to swallow if I couldn't see the look Hawke was giving me. She was trusting me to keep her mother alive. That was a lot of trust given to somebody she had only met a short while ago. I pulled Frost Bite free from her sheath and turned away from the battle taking place in front of me. I knew more Darkspawn would sneak up behind us. I was trusting Bethany and Aveline to keep whatever Darkspawn got free of Hawke and Carver off of my back. A guttural scream heralded the arrival of more Darkspawn and I engaged the ones trying to sneak up behind us. There were 2 Genlocks and 2 Hurlocks to contend with. Aveline came to give me a hand and I sent out a cone of cold which caught a Genlock and a Hurlock. A shield bash by Aveline shattered the Hurlock while I lopped the head of the Genlock. That left us each with one to deal with. I blocked a blow from the other Hurlock and then decided to do something different and hit the Hurlock I was facing off with a spirit bolt. While it didn't have the same potency behind it as my cold spells I need to practice all the spells I could to truly command my magic. The Hurlock was momentarily stunned and I followed up by running my sword through it's stomach. The Hurlock snarled at me and I kicked it off my blade. Aveline had dealt with her Genlock with ease. She really was a woman shaped battering ram. The poor Genlock's face was smashed in from her shield. Hawke called out to us.
"Well that was fun." Uh huh. Hawke enjoys fighting Darkspawn. Why am I not surprised by this revelation? Her next words turned my stomach though. "Maybe we'll get more of a challenge next time."
This seemed to jog my memory. The ogre. We were about to come up to an ogre. There was no way I was going to let this go without a warning. Earlier I was debating on telling Bethany about myself and all that entailed but there was no way I was going to let somebody get killed because I chose not reveal my knowledge of the future. Everybody else was turning to go when I called out.
"Wait." They all turned back to look at me. I must not have looked very good because Bethany rushed towards me ready with a healing spell. I merely shook my head at her. I looked directly at Hawke. She was the one I needed to convince.
"I know this is going to sound weird but when we get up that hill we are going to be charged by an ogre."
Everybody was staring at me. I hate being stared at. Hawke looked thoughtful though. I guess being in a family of mages made her listen when others would be quick to refute such statements.
"Is this part of your gift?" Hawke asked. I liked the fact that she referred to my magic as a gift and not the curse others would. This actually gives me a plausible excuse for what I know. I mean how much would anybody trust me if they knew that I was from another world where they were all characters in a video game. I can't let that part out even if I do tell Bethany about where I am from. I don't want to judge any of them by what occurs in the game anyway. There was so much that just wasn't covered. So I told my first real lie in my new world.
"Yes. I get these feelings. Sometimes they are very specific like now. Other times it's a bit more vague. Right now I know that an ogre is going to charge us and that Carver and Bethany are in danger."
I can't trust things to stay the same. I can't trust that it would be Carver to die because Hawke was clearly a rogue. There was no way I would let a sweet girl like Bethany die at the hands of that ogre. Hawke tilted her head slightly to the side as if weighing the truth of what I said. Finally she came to a decision.
"Alright, I'll trust you. This is my family we are talking about but I know there is something you are not telling me."
Crap! Hawke why couldn't you just take what I said at face value? Why do you have to be so damn aware of everybody?
"Stay close and nobody charge off on their own. I mean it, Carver! There is nobody I'd rather have fighting at my side but an ogre is not something any of us can take on single-handedly."
Carver's angry rant died on his tongue and he actually looked genuinely grateful at his sister's words. Huh. I guess they may be able to work out their differences after all. We followed Hawke and Carver up the hill and sure enough almost immediately the ground started to shake Leandra looked worried at her children. Suddenly the ogre appeared and charged us. We scattered and to my horror I found myself next to Leandra.
This is not good. This is really not good! I looked up into the face of the ogre and swallowed my fear.
"Leandra run!"
I pointed Frost Bite at the ogre and shoved out with a Cone of Cold. Carver's obscene sword and a fireball from Bethany did nothing to it in the game so I figured my best bet was to freeze the bastard.
Yeah, that didn't work out so well. The others were yelling at me as the ogre scooped me up in his hand and squeezed. So this is it. This is how I die. I didn't even make it out of Lothering! One day in Thedas ... pathetic!
I wasn't alone though. Apparently my warning was all Hawke needed to be on her toes because suddenly the ogre was roaring in pain. Hawke, Carver and Aveline were all hacking away at the ogre's legs and a well placed fireball from Bethany hit the ogre right between the eyes. Nice shot, Bethany!
The ogre's response was to throw me in anger. I flew through the air and hit the ground with a thud. It took my brain a few seconds to catch up to the pain that shot up my leg. My left leg was bent awkwardly underneath me and I could tell some serious damage had occurred. It was probably the most painful thing I had ever experience. At least he didn't slam me into the ground first. I don't think I would have survived that. As it was I was doing some seriously unmanly screaming again.
Leandra was suddenly at my side. She knelt down next to me and took my hand. She gave me a reassuring smile before calling out.
"Bethany! He needs healing!"
Bethany didn't respond but I assume that had to do with the ogre still being alive. Leandra did her best to take my mind off the pain.
"That was an incredibly brave and foolish thing you did, young man."
I was still in quite a bit of pain but still managed to grunt out my response.
"Hawke trusted me to protect you. That's what I did."
In some ways Leandra reminded me of my own mother. She was very protective of her children to the point of being over-protecting. All I could picture in my mind was my own mother as the ogre initially glared at Leandra. There was no way I was going to let her die. This pain was worth it. Leandra brushed my hair out of my face and kissed my forehead.
I was in shock by the time Bethany got to me. Hawke and Wesley were standing over me while Carver and Aveline were keeping their eyes out for more Darkspawn.
"The damage is too great. This is more than I can deal with now. The best I can do is strengthen the leg. Even still he will barely be able to stand. He will need help walking."
Every eye turned to Hawke. Bethany wanted Hawke to decide whether I would live or die and Leandra was beseeching her to aid me. Me? I was practically begging with only a look for her to save me. Hawke knelt next to me and put her hand on my shoulder. She gave me a reassuring smile.
"Heal him. He saved mother and without his warning who knows how many of us would have perished."
I felt warmth envelop me as my leg slowly begin to fix itself. The pain had receded but like Bethany said the damage wasn't all fixed. Carver apparently wasn't just looking out for Darkspawn. He returned to us with a couple pieces of wood that they tied around my leg to act as splints. I was actually impressed with that bit. Carver even gave me a nod of respect.
"Flames, we're too late!" Aveline shouted out.
Leandra and Bethany helped me to my feet as Hawke and Carver joined Aveline.
"There's no end to them!"
"We make our stand here! Leave none alive!"
Hawke was certainly confident. So was I but for an entirely different reason. Wesley wasn't looking too good but I figured that was the blight sickness that I knew was ravaging him. Hawke, Aveline and Carver presented a formidable front with Bethany and myself to back them up. Sure I couldn't fight like a normal arcane warrior but I certainly could add a few spells to the mix if necessary.
The roar of a dragon caused everybody to freeze. We all turned and watched as a high dragon swept in scorched the Darkspawn. In this case, I'm going to disagree with Alistair. Sweeping is good! The Darkspawn were absolutely decimated by the High Dragon Flemeth. Hawke and the others watched in awe as the High Dragon transformed into the legendary witch of the wilds.
"Well, well. What have we here? It used to be that we never got visitor to the wilds. But now it seems they come in hordes."
Hawke responded in sarcastic fashion but I pretty much ignored the rest of the conversation. Wesley had fallen down and Aveline was tending him.
I was still in some pain and wasn't really in the mood to deal with Flemeth's riddles. After having played both games I still didn't know if she was evil or not. I always helped Morrigan kill her but I just like the ritual I didn't really know if it was the right decision. Listening to Flemeth talk more wasn't going to help me figure that out either. Flemeth had other ideas after Bethany asked her about being an apostate.
"Yes, just like you." Then she directed the full power of her gaze upon me. It's like she froze me with her mere gaze.
"And another it seems. You, boy, have a very strange feel about you."
Everybody was staring at me again. I really hate that. I managed to stammer out a response nonetheless.
"Yes, well, I'm not exactly from around here. That's all that's strange about me, really."
The more I talked the deeper I was digging a hole. I knew it, Flemeth knew it and I swear that Hawke knew it too.
"That is certainly one way of putting it." Flemeth seemed to be staring into my very soul and when she continued on I really shouldn't have been surprised.
"Such knowledge you possess. You could rule the world with what you know and yet you allow yourself to follow others."
So now she's comparing me to Alistair. I guess there are worse comparisons out there.
"I'm not really a leader, Flemeth. Never have been. I'd much rather follow somebody I trust then lead to disaster."
At this Flemeth let out one of her cackling laughs. Yeah, that is creepy.
"Such wisdom and from one so young. In her your trust is not misplaced but perhaps in others yes."
At this I shift nervously. I really hope she is not talking about Caress. I'm not really ready to deal with the fact that she might actually be using me to her own ends. She very well could have been the one to draw me to Thedas. It's not something I can deal with now anyway. Flemeth returned her attention to Hawke and the two apparently came to some agreement while I shifted nervously on my feet. Flemeth turned her attention to Wesley and I turned my back on the scene. I really didn't want to see that particular mess play out. Wesley was already dead but only Flemeth dared state as much.
In the end Aveline ended her husband's life with a dagger to the heart. That really is harsh. No wonder it takes her 4 years to move on.
"Without an end there can be no peace," Flemeth stated with much more sympathy than one might expect.
Well here we were following Flemeth out of Lothering, away from the horde, and to Kirkwall, the city of chains, where our future awaited us.
