Author's Note: I would like to thank everyone that has read and/or commented on this story. I really appreciate it.

This is the chapter where things start following the Origins plot. But it's not going to stick strictly to that since, well, I have plans. Sort of.

Chapter Three: Harrowing

For his eighteenth birthday, Everard made himself a new outfit. He was sick of his robes and he wanted to stand out a bit more than he already did. Thus, on his eighteenth birthday, he ditched the robes and donned his new clothes. He had fashioned some doeskin pants lined with soft wool, which he tucked into his fur-lined boots. He also made a black leather vest that fastened up the front and he wore a white linen shirt with it. A black leather belt essentially completed the outfit.

He got all of the supplies to make his new clothes with by actually asking for permission. Irving had decided to humor Everard since the old man probably thought that the young man didn't know how to sew or anything of that sort. Of course, he was wrong.

Naturally, Everard thought that he looked quite dashing and adventurous in his new clothes. Jowan thought that he was just pushing his luck even further by defying the norm.

Yet, despite everything that Everard had done during his time in the Circle Tower, he was called to do his Harrowing. Before Jowan, who was now twenty and who had been in the Tower since he was six years old. They were both more than a little surprised but Everard was optimistic—he figured Jowan would get to do his Harrowing soon enough.

OoOoOoOoO

The Fade. It was obviously the Fade. Everard had just been told that he was entering that place. But, even if he hadn't been told, he would have known where he was because the sky was a sickly green color.

He did not have a staff but that was no surprise.

Everard encountered some wisp wraiths as he walked in the only direction this part of the Fade allowed. After he defeated all three of them with one spell each, he came across a mouse. But it definitely wasn't a mouse. In fact, it morphed into a human who was calling himself Mouse.

"Not your real name I take it?" Everard asked, raising his eyebrows.

Mouse remarked that he could not remember his name for the templars cut him down a long time ago. They had killed him for taking too long during his Harrowing. He went on to talk about how unjust the Circle was and Everard couldn't help but wholeheartedly agree. Mouse decided to follow the apprentice during his Harrowing. Everard was happy to have someone around to actually talk to. Although, he never got to say much because those wisp wraiths seemed to be everywhere.

They met a Spirit of Valor. The spirit told Everard that he'd give him a staff if he could prove his mettle in a fight. Everard remarked that it sounded more like the spirit wanted to kill him himself. This angered the spirit but Everard was persistent. Valor ended up giving Everard a staff without either of them fighting. Everard walked away with a smirk on his face, proud of himself for outsmarting the spirit.

Shortly after that, a pack of ethereal wolves attacked Everard. He sighed and easily picked the three wolves off. The staff certainly helped a bit. Mouse did not offer any assistance during the fights. He seemed to only be able to tell Everard what sort of spirit or demon was lurking nearby.

They soon came across a demon of sloth. Everard wanted it to teach Mouse how to change into a bear. Sloth refused at first but then he said that if Everard could figure out his three riddles then he would teach Mouse his form.

"Riddles? Are you joking?" Everard demanded, crossing his arms over his chest.

But Sloth wasn't joking. Everard didn't want to solve any riddles but, for the sake of having some help defeating the demon hunting him, he decided to accept the challenge. If sloth demons could smile, Everard was sure that this one would have. It clearly thought that Everard would never be able to solve his riddles.

Sloth sprouted out the first riddle, "I have seas with no water, coasts with no sand, towns without people, mountains without land. What am I?"

"Couldn't you have picked something harder? The answer is a map," Everard replied, shaking his head.

"Hmph. Correct. Let's move on," Sloth grumbled. "The second riddle: I am often touched, but rarely held. If you have wit, you'll use me well. What am I?"

Everard sighed and said, "My tongue, of course."

"Yes, your witty tongue. Fair enough. One more try, shall we?" Sloth said, sounding slightly irritated. "Often I spin a tale, never will I charge a fee. I'll amuse you an entire eve, but, alas, you won't remember me. What am I?"

"A dream," Everard responded, deadpan. "Maker's breath, I know ten-year-olds who can make up harder riddles."

"Hmph. You are correct. Rather apropos here in the Fade, no?" Sloth said, disregarding Everard's abrasiveness.

With the riddles solved, Sloth taught Mouse how to turn into a bear. As they walked away from Sloth, Everard jokingly asked Mouse, "So, should I call you Bear now?"

When Mouse didn't respond, Everard mumbled to himself, "The Fade is so dull that it's no wonder that demons want out."

At long last, Everard was ready to face the demon that was supposedly hunting him. He'd had his doubts about it until the rage demon popped up. The incredibly-easy-to-defeat rage demon, that is.

With all of this fuss about the demon, you'd have thought it would have been far harder to kill, Everard thought.

With the rage demon destroyed, Mouse returned to his human form and began talking. The moment that Mouse said, 'you just have to let me in,' Everard realized that Mouse was more than likely the demon he was actually supposed to face. Everard expressed this to Mouse and the 'spirit' tried to deny at first but then his voice deepened considerably as he said,

"You are a smart one."

"I get that a lot," Everard replied.

"Simple killing is a warrior's job. The real dangers of the Fade are preconceptions, careless trust, pride…"

After he said 'pride,' he began to morph into a demon.

If I have to fight him now, I'm rather sure that I could kick his ass, Everard mused as the demon grew.

Once the demon reached his full height, he said, "Keep your wits about you, mage. True tests never end."

With that, the demon vanished.

"What? No fight?" Everard said, raising his eyebrows. "Well, I suspect this business is done…oh." His stomach seemed to lurch. "That can't be good."