Author Note: Just another sample of a story I might work on later. Its not proof read.

Warden Gothic

Part One

The Wilds. The World Of Dragon Age.

Getting drunk had sounded like a good idea at the time. After all I wasn't going to have to pick up the tab as the drink was free. Plus there was the fact that I hadn't gotten sloshed in a good long while. So the party after the wedding seemed like the best time to let lose and get wasted.

I had already arranged a bed for the night so there was no need for me to worry about finding a place to sleep and since the room I'd be resting in was only a few floors up from the bar I'd be drinking at I hadn't needed to worry about transport either.

However while I'd planned out the excessive boozing well enough I'd forgotten that alcohol can even the most careful of plans.

Getting drunk can mess with your reasoning, your memory and can even change your sense of taste so you end up craving a chilly sauce covered kebab at one in the morning.

Oh, and sometimes you'll end up waking up in a place that, for whatever reason, isn't all that familiar.

Like damp soil for instance.

My eyes snapped open and I tried to shift around, looking for some idea of where I was. Sunlight streamed in from between the leaves on trees, birds chirped what they no doubt considered to be merry tune.

Which I understandably disagreed with as I didn't feel particularly merry what with the fact that I was dirty and suffering from a hang over.

Somehow I managed to rub a large quantity of dirt off of my face so that could I could take a look around.

When I went to sleep last night I was pretty sure that I'd found if not the bed in my hotel room then at least a proper bed. One with sheets and pillows rather leaves and mud

Now I wasn't so sure.

I quickly came to understand that I was in some kind of woods or maybe even a real forest.

"Bugger" I said to myself, trying to calm down.

At this point I started to panic a little.

I must have gone on some kind of pub crawl type bender thing and then maybe I got lost. I could of somehow ended up here in the countryside and then collapsed as I wandered around this wood.

There were admittedly a few problem with that theory.

For starters I was pretty sure that I couldn't of gotten out of the city I'd been in. Even I had gotten lost there was no way that anyone would of let me get on a train and no taxi service would drive out into the wilderness, if only because I couldn't of afforded the fair.

All of a sudden a might roar bellowed out directly in front of me interrupting my sluggish line of thought.

The ground shook and heaved as something most likely big and dangerous, heaved and stomped around.

I couldn't see what it was so my imagation took over at least until I remembered that I was in Britain. There weren't even wolves here in the U.K so there was no way there could be a bear out there.

A second loud roar served to remind me that there was something big and scary out there, and that denying its existence wasn't possible.

For the life of me I simply couldn't match the sound to any animal that I had seen in a nature documentary. It was totally alien to me and that made it a thousand times worse than if it had been a bear because then at least I'd know what I was dealing with.

Dread creeped up my spin and I quickly decided that the best course was to run away as fast as my feet could take me. Which given that I was out of shape wouldn't be very far but fear is a great motivator and it got me going.

I ran. I didn't know for how long I ran or how far I had run because there were no landmarks. One tree is pretty much the same as I another after all.

Some time later I had convinced myself that the possible danger was not nearby I managed to stop and rest. Sadly this only gave me time to think.

Okay so I was at least a few miles away from civilization and I had no way to get back. I had no survival skills whatsoever, no supplies and no equipment. I didn't know how to deal with the great outdoors as I was the kind of person who spent most of his time in his bedroom playing video games.

In short I was, fucked.

Due to all the running I was very sweaty despite the intense cold. Which was odd due to the fact that while English Summers are hardly tropical they normally aren't this bitter either.

Still it did lead me to deciding to build a fire. Which was very hard considering that nothing around here was dry so having a lighter wasn't helping much.

While I'd been fishing out the lighter I'd checked myself over

At least I had clothes. Jeans, a t-shirt, a shirt over that. Good solid boots and a leather jacket.

I my pockets I had my smokes and I lit up as that helped to clam me down. Also I had my mobile phone but I must of forgotten to charge it as it was dead. My wallet also couldn't help me as wildlife rarely accept a debt card payment in exchange for goods and services.

The trees around me seemed to whisper as wind gently and I level of cold increased as the sky darkened.

That was when I realized that I had been out here for the better part of a day, but I didn't feel that hungry or thirsty considering how much time had past.

All in all I was feeling fine. At least until I heard twigs snap as something disturbed the flora.

Something began to run towards me. It was shaped like a man but it wasn't human. The way it moved was wrong, and somewhere deep down in my soul I knew that this thing before didn't belong.

That was all I could make out because before I could get a proper look the thing had tackled me. The thing and I tumbled to the thankfully leaf covered ground so I wasn't baldy hurt as I fall.

Some how a move from I'd taken self defense classes came to mind. One of my knees came up as I grasped the man shaped things arms and I was able to get off me.

After using its own power against it the creature I ended up on my feet and I found myself looking at the rotting features of what part of my told me was a Darkspawn Hurlock.

Someone else in my situation might of spent the next few seconds either shocked to find a fictional monster come to life or if they didn't know about the Darkspawn they would be running for their lives.

As for met times blurred while I tried to dodge this fictional thing's attacks. His hands snapped at me like a crab, he was trying to grab my face.

I was too shocked to a be shocked.

Something must of clicked in my head because rather than run or stand there like an idiot I punched the monster

I wasn't really the warrior type, but something about me had changed I was somehow feeling brave.

However, sadly for me, the monster didn't care about the pain but at least now it was taking me seriously

The Darkspawn jumped forward and on pure reflex I quickly moved my back.

Unfortunately the ground was rather wet so I slipped. I grabbed for something to defend myself as my vision became blurred.

The Darkspawn got closer and began to reach down as if wanted to take its time in killing me,.

I knew it was over even as I tried to move away but then I felt something solid in my hands.

It was a rock and it was enough as the monster was close enough for me to hit in the head even as it slashed me open with its claw.

Hours later I opened my eyes.

The first thing I noticed was the body of the supposedly fictional character was laid bare before me. Judging by all the blood I'd cracked the creature's skull open with the rock that was still gripped tightly in my hand.

I tried to get up but was stopped by a burning feeling in my chest. I checked myself for wounds but found none save for the dark, sticky blood covering me. And then I remembered

"Shit" I said to myself

From what I could remember from the Dragon Age video game, Darkspawn blood is infected with the blight. If blight infection touches something the infection spreads.

Now I was infected with Darkspawn blood, had no idea where I was, and would probably die and turn into some sort of zombie type thing.

And to think that yesterday I was watching my cousin get married.

"Fuck!" I shouted out

Once that was out of my system I began to think and I even dared to hope.

Maybe I would be alright. If my clothes had absorbed the blood then maybe I could wash it out. Not everyone dies when they get splattered with Darkspawn blood because if they did no one would survive fighting them. Maybe the blood had to get with your own blood in order to infect you.

However before I could try to wash I first I had to get up

That was easier said than done. My legs were stiff and aching, but I didn't give up. I wasn't going to die just yet.

After some effort I managed to pick myself up just as the burning feeling in my chest started spread to my limbs and every step became agony. Still I didn't despair. I knew that the pain could just as easily be caused back when I'd fallen rather than due to some sort of infection.

That was when something really bad happened. It was as of the universe had taken offense when I decided to not die.

Another roar filled the air as a Darkspawn Ogre came charging through the woods. The massive creature shattered tree trunks and sent birds flying in all directions.

The monster glanced at me and time slowed down. Seeing it's next meal, the Ogre grabbed one of the shattered tree trunks. It threw it in my general direction but missed as I limped away quickly. The Ogre grew angry and started beating it's fists into the ground before charging.

"Fuck" I swore again.

I ran again but didn't get far, at least not under my own power.

The ground gave way. I fell hit some more ground and then I rolled to ground and landed on something thankfully soft.

I then felt a thumping feeling in my veins. My heart was trying to give me the blood my brain needed so it could find a way get me out of this alive while also proving fuel to my sore muscles.

The ogre was now peering over the edge of the cliff I had just half fallen and half rolled down.

Knowing that I needed something to fight with I looked around and found a discarded Darkspawn sword. I guessed that the Hurlock I'd already killed must of lost it.

Figuring that I was already, either due to being infected or because the big ass monster was going to get me, I picked up the sword so that I could at least die fighting.

Sweat caused by fear made it hard to handle the weapon so I gripped the sword tighter. The rough wood of it's handle dug into my skin causing more pain but I embraced it. Pain meant I was still alive and since I was still alive I could fight.

That was when I realized something.

I was going to win.

The ogre had quickly figured out what to do. It knew that it could jump and survive the fall so it had and was even now preparing to leap. The monster roared and jumped.

I should have been scared but I could feel a presence within in me. It was encouraging me, banishing my fear while also giving me hope and more importantly the will to survive.

My mind took a back seat as a new feeling began to fill me. I wanted to fight, to win. I felt stronger than ever.

My heart started beating even faster within my chest and I felt something moving through my veins. Power, it was real power. Nothing physical but it was there.

The monster landed nearby and began to approach me, no doubt it expected me to run but that wasn't going to flee. Instead I charged.

Flemeth's Hut. The Wilds. The Word of Dragon Age.

"Awake at last, you've been asleep for a while, but I suppose nearly being crushed by an Ogre would do that to man. "

"Flemeth?" I asked the darkness around me.

For a second or two nothing happened but soon enough the old witch moved into my line of sight and started speaking

"Ah I see you know of me, Your tales speak of me do they?" she said in the mocking tone of voice she uses in the games.

"Um, yeah" I said rather awkwardly "your fame presides you"

That made the old hag laugh.

"You're clearly not from this world, so how could my fame have spread that far?".

"It's complicated" was all I could say.

I had no idea how to explain video games to somehow living in a world as basic as this one.

Another thought occurred to me.

"So, you saved me after that Ogre landed in me".

I did remember that much. I'd killed the monster, somehow, but its massive form had fallen on me. I should have been reduced to the consistency of strawberry jam but somehow I'd survived.

"That power you used intrigued me. So similar to that of a demon".

She paused for a moment to let that sink in.

"I do not know your power, boy. But do not make the mistake of assuming that it means to harm you".

My mind began to race.

Something like a demon and it didn't want to harm me.

A Spirit perhaps? Maybe like Justice or the one Wynn had inside her during the first game?

"Why am I here?" I asked.

"You have a job" explained the witch "A task to perform".

Well that cleared things up.

"I know not, That's the frustrating thing, more so than those rats who keep finding a way into my food stores." Flemeth said while pacing around

"There is a power behind you. Something more than the Spirit something far greater than you and I. It has seen fit to place you here, and to give you something that will make you very dangerous. Being here is a gift"

A gift!

What creature in its right mind would think that sending me here to die at the hands of the Darkspawn was a gift! It was insane.

I mean sure I now something inside me that let me fight the monsters but it would have been so much better to put me down somewhere a little safer.

"Boy!" Flemeth shouted "Control yourself."

I hadn't realized until now but as I'd started to get mad the Spirit within me had either reacted or I had channeled its power. I was glowing. I could feel the power now. It was amazing but I had to control it.

"Listen young man" said the witch once I wasn't emitting light " I can not send you home so you must find a place for yourself in this world".

I already had some ideas about that, but there was really only ever going to be once choice.

I'm told you are in some way familiar with this world"

Told by who exactly?

"I'm also told that you have knowledge of things to come. You can use that knowledge to help or doom this world as you see fit".

She was right.

I could easily aid the peo

ple here. If the hero of this game and Alistair hadn't yet been brought here by the witch then that could mean that I could change things for the better, or for the worse.

"You know how things could work out. I suggest you find the Wardens and go from there" advised the Witch of the Wilds.

Seemed like a plan.

If I was stuck here, either because Flemeth couldn't or wouldn't send me home, then I had to make a life for myself here and that couldn't happen if the Darkspawn destroyed everything. So I had to fight them and there was only one way to do that effectively.

Join the Wardens.