Into the wilds they go...
Chapter 4 – Haunted by Secrets; Past and Present
'How can something that looks so beautiful be so cruel? Fate is a tricky whore…'
Parean trailed behind as Daveth and Ser Jory followed Alistair through the Wilds in search of darkspawn. He wanted her by his side "for your protection", he said. She had convinced him that she should stay at a distance; her spells were "more effective when ranged", she lied. He didn't need to know the real reason she wished to be apart from their group and away from him.
She feared him.
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After her meeting with Teyrn Loghain, she was awakened by a gentle slap and several concerned voices inquiring as to her state of being. She assured the guards that it was merely a flush, perhaps from turning too quickly, and that she had regained her senses.
Heading north, she began to look for Alistair. She found him speaking to one of the senior enchanters in the far part of the ruin.
As she approached the pair, she stopped abruptly when she saw him. She stood, staring at the man speaking so glibly to the elder mage. He was young, early 20's she guessed, with long wheat-colored hair that was secured back into a braid. Deep blue eyes shone with amusement as he spoke to his companion. The mage shouted about not having time to speak with the Revered Mother. The man retorted something about naming a grumpy child after the mage. The senior enchanter stormed off.
The man turned and saw her, and began slowly walking to greet her.
Parean felt her heart pound. Her chest tightened so that she could scarcely breathe. Sweat beaded her face and ran down her head in rivulets, soaking into the collar of her robes. Every muscle began twitching involuntarily, causing her to shake uncontrollably. She wanted to flee; to get as far away from the handsome, smiling man now approaching her. She was paralyzed with fear. No matter how hard her mind screamed for her body to obey, she could not move.
As he neared, she sensed the power within him. She knew what that power was; what he was, and her terror intensified.
She couldn't comprehend what he was saying. Something about Blights bringing people together…asking her if she was alright….his name, Alistair. Her mind was racing; she was gripped with panic…only one thought….
'RUN! ESCAPE! I MUST GET AWAY!' she screamed internally.
But she couldn't run, couldn't escape. Duncan instructed her to accompany him and she must carry out her task. Parean, garnering every ounce of her strength, focused on controlling her emotions.
'Calm…quiet…peace…maintain control…this is not he…he is gone…focus…breathe…' she repeated her mantra until she felt her body relax and return to normal.
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Now here she was, following him through the Wilds. Duncan sent them to collect darkspawn blood for the Joining and retrieve ancient treaties from the ruins of a Warden fortress. Alistair escorted them for protection from surprise attack because he can sense the darkspawn.
Alistair is a Warden. Parean knew he was something else as well. He was a Templar; young, handsome, charming and kind…just like…
She quietly invoked her incantation to, once again, banish the memory. Would she ever be rid of this torment?
"Healing!"
Parean jolted. Ser Jory lay on the ground, writhing in pain with large amounts of blood spurting out from his numerous jagged gashes. Surrounded by Daveth and Alistair, darkspawn charged at them mercilessly, mouths agape as they cried out for blood. With careful precision, Parean engulfed the nearest darkspawn in flames. Their piercing screams died out quickly as their putrefied flesh melted from their bodies, tendons and ligaments crackling under the intense heat.
She ran to Ser Jory's side, casting a paralyzing spell, halting another group of approaching darkspawn. Daveth and Alistair moved in and quickly dispatched their helpless victims. Parean's hands, glowing with a brilliant blue, hovered above Ser Jory's body, easing his pain and mending the skin of his gaping wounds. Her mind examined him internally for any unseen injuries. Finding none, she stepped back as Daveth and Alistair gently helped him stand.
"What's wrong with you? Did you not see the darkspawn attacking?" Alistair gave her an incredulous stare.
"Forgive me, Warden Alistair. I am not accustomed, as of yet, to using my power in the presence of a Templar." Parean backed away as he took a step toward her.
"I've told you over and over. I am not a Templar. I am a Grey Warden and if you wish to live long enough to take your Joining, I would suggest you focus on our task." Alistair's admonishment fell on deaf ears.
Parean bowed her head slightly but kept her clear blue eyes fixed on him. "Pardon my boldness, Warden Alistair, but you possess the powers of a Templar. That fact cannot be denied or brushed aside merely because you did not take your vows." Her hand tightened around her staff. Even though she knew it was futile to use magic against one who had the abilities of a Templar, she would fight to her dying breath.
'To your dying breath…perhaps then you would be free of your ghosts…'
Alistair sighed deeply. "You are not an apostate and I am not here to hunt you. In fact, it's greatly to my personal advantage for you to use your magic to its fullest extent."
"Yes, Warden Alistair." She slowly replaced her staff into the holder she wore on her back and silently waited for them to proceed.
"And stop calling me that. I am simply 'Alistair'." He said with an annoyed tone.
"If you wish me to cease thinking of you as a Templar, then I must associate you with your 'warden' title. When it is firmly planted in my consciousness, then I will use your proper name." She knew it was a lie; she was incapable of ignoring that he was a Templar. She only sought to appease him and end the discussion.
Dejected, Alistair groaned, "Fine. Whatever. Let's move on."
After collecting three vials of darkspawn blood, they continued further into the Wilds in search of the fortress ruins. Everywhere they passed was covered in the darkspawn taint. Blackness permeated the landscape so that there was no tree, no crop, no flower, no blade of grass that was untouched by their repulsive filth. The mutilated and twisted corpses of humans and animals lay strewn on the ground, the decaying flesh giving rise to a horrendously putrid stench that caused even a seasoned Knight like Ser Jory to retch.
After what seemed like an eternity, they finally came upon the ruins of the old Warden fortress. Several darkspawn barred their entry, lead by a large Hurlock Alpha. He raised his weapon with a guttural growl and the darkspawn responded, racing forward with weapons at the ready. Alistair ordered the wardens to attack. Blood and ichor sprayed into the air as the two groups clashed.
Daveth, bow in hand, was taking aim on a Genlock when he was suddenly surrounded by a shimmering light. His head lolled back and choking sounds escaped his lips as the Crushing Prison spell bore down on his trapped body. Alistair turned and saw a Hurlock Emissary preparing to cast another spell on his incapacitated prisoner. Without hesitation or thought, he cast a spell to set Daveth free, and then charged at the emissary. When he was within range of the darkspawn mage, he used another of his Templar abilities to drain the spellcaster's mana and disable him.
He was unaware that Parean was standing near him and she was struck by the force of his Templar magic. Her scream pierced through the noise of the battle as her own mana drained away and she collapsed to the ground, barely able to move.
"No! Parean! I'm coming!" Ser Jory rushed to protect their helpless mage as she lay sobbing on the ground. With the last of the darkspawn dispatched, Alistair and Daveth hurried over to the fallen mage.
"Maker's sake! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I didn't know you were there!" Alistair's worried tone matched the distress on his face as he surveyed the damage his attack had done to Parean.
"Can you stand? Here, I'll carry you until your strength returns." He reached down for her.
Her blood-curdling scream and the petrified look of a trapped wild animal in her eyes shocked them all. They watched as she clawed the ground, feebly trying to drag herself away from him.
"NO! STAY AWAY FROM ME! PLEASE!" she begged, her body racked with her uncontrollable sobbing. Alistair, stunned, continued to move toward her. "Wha…I'm not going to hurt you…please…I…I just want to…"
Daveth grabbed Alistair's arm and pulled him back. "I don't think that's the best idea. Seems she is terrified of you. Best to let someone else help her."
Ser Jory moved toward her. "Please, calm down Parean. There is no need to fear." His words were soft and soothing. Parean looked at him like a scared child. "May I help you until you are able to stand?" He slowly extended his arms toward her. She flinched momentarily, then nodded her head and allowed him to lift her up. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he carried her, still weak and trembling, toward the ruined fortress.
Daveth followed them with Alistair, hurt and ashamed, trailing behind.
To the Alistair fangirls out there...please don't hate me...her reaction WILL be explained...