When Destiny Calls

A Dragon Age Story

Author's Notes: Many thanks to the writers and developers of the original Dragon Age storyline, without which, this story wouldn't be possible. Thanks so much for keeping up with my story! I hope that everyone enjoys this new installment! I know that I did.

Chapter 28 – Of Abominations and Brethren

Within moments of hitting the floor, I heard footsteps rushing towards the door, several pairs of them from the sound of it. As the door flew open, I forced myself to find the strength to look up. "By the Maker! Toryn!" Irving said, lowering himself down to me. "How did you get..." I saw his eyes lift up to the glowing portal that was behind me. "Irving, what has happened?" I heard Greagoir's voice as I watched his feet enter the room.

Irving lowered his head to look me in the eye. "Toryn, can you speak." I opened my mouth, feeling every single muscle strain to do so. I never realized how many muscles controlled my lips and jaw before. I wasn't able to find my voice, only to gasp for air. Greagoir sat on one knee to look at me. "Andraste help him! His skin is practically transparent!" He gasped, his mouth dropping in horror. Irving looked at him, concern on his face. At least, I thought it was concern I was seeing. My vision was beginning to blur and shake.

"Greagoir, he must've figured out how to successfully utilize that teleport spell that Sonya experimented with all those years ago! He's drained himself down to almost nothing. That portal of his is still tied to him, draining him. In a few moments, it'll take all he has left to give it." He turned to look at someone that I could not see. "Marina, quick! Grab a lyrium potion from my desk! He'll die in moments unless we can provide him with mana."

Marina, the name sounded so familiar, but I couldn't remember where I knew it from. A new apprentice, perhaps? I was too weary to think. Breathing was becoming difficult. After some time had passed, how much I couldn't be sure of, I felt myself being rolled unto my back. The sensation was almost too much, my stomach churned from the spinning, and my vision went completely. A flurry of colors was all my eyes and mind could perceive.

Something cold began to roll down my tongue and I began to choke. There was a muffled sound, much like the sound of a person talking from behind a wall or two. The cold consumed me, pained me. I screamed, though I wasn't sure if it was just my mind's protest or if I actually made a sound. The colors began to solidify again, and Irving's face came back into focus. I saw his mouth move, and heard a sound, though I didn't understand what I was hearing. I saw him lower a vial to my lips, tilting it in such a way that the vibrant blue liquid began to pour down my throat.

Strength returned to me, enough to breath easily again. I even heard myself grunt from the odd sensation that was causing my fingers to tingle. Another vial, and with it another shock of coldness that rushed over me. The world snapped back into focus, and memory returned to me. Marina, she was the Blood Mage, whose life I spared when the Tower was almost lost. I was surprised to see her, in fact. I expected for Greagoir to have her hauled off to Aeonar by now. Such was not the case, as I saw.

"Toryn, do you understand me?" Irving asked, his voice carrying the burden of worry. I nodded, and coughed. "Yes, Irving." I croaked out. I felt someone help me to a sitting position. I glanced back to see that it was Greagoir. I smiled, "Thank you." I said, my voice beginning to return to it's norm. "I am truly amazed to see you here, Toryn." Irving began. "When I felt your portal open, I feared that the Circle was under attack by demons again."

"I apologize for that, Irving. I was in a hurry." I said simply, noticing that my throat was dry. Irving seemed to have noticed. "Marina, would you be so kind as to bring our unexpected guest some water?" He didn't sound as hurried as before, so I must be stable enough to calm him. "Yes, First Enchanter." Her sweet voice replied, as she hurried out the door. "What was so pressing that you had to risk your life to get here in this manner?" He asked me, curiosity burning in his faded eyes.

"It's Arl Eamon's son." I coughed again. Taking in a deep breath, I continued, "He's a mage. Isolde hired a mage to train him enough to hide it. But, something went wrong." I paused, and thanked Marina as she handed me a glass of water, which I took advantage of. "What went wrong, exactly?" Greagoir asked, his tone neutral. Setting the glass on the floor next to me, I explained the situation. "He made a deal with a demon to save his father's life, who was poisoned. Conner has become an abomination, and has weakened the Veil significantly. Enough to raise an undead army."

Both Greagoir and Irving seemed to be stunned into silence for a moment. "Surely you can take care of a single abomination, Toryn. You managed so much more here. Why would you need to seek out our help?" Irving's question almost sounded rhetorical. "Conner is just a boy, Irving, and the demon hasn't rooted itself in too deep yet. I need your aid to save him." Greagoir scoffed. "There is nothing that can be done. Once an abomination, always an abomination. You know that."

Irving stood, stroking his beard for a moment. "Perhaps not. If the demon hasn't taken the boy's body for itself yet, then it may be possible to slay the demon within the Fade before it can do so." I nodded. "That's the plan." Irving nodded as well. "And you needed lyrium to complete the ritual required to send you into the Fade. Now I understand. I will have the Senior Enchanters gather as much as we can spare to aid you. I will return shortly. While I am preparing, I would suggest you drink these. They are all that is sustaining you." He handed me several vials of the lyrium-derived potion that mages used to restore a little power back into their source.

Irving left the room, leaving me alone with Greagoir. "I commend your determination and courage, young man. Risking your life for the betterment of others. Perhaps I truly misjudged you all these years." I looked up, surprise lining my face. "You are a templar, and I was a mischievous apprentice. We were never meant to get along. Still, I thank you for your kind words, Greagoir. I may have misjudged you as well."

Greagoir laughed. "Truer words are a rarity. I am surprised to see that you went to such trouble to spare an abomination, all things considered. I'm assuming that there is more to this story?" I nodded, grimly. "Yes. It's my fault that this happened to Conner." An eyebrow on his face lifted. "How so?" I sighed. I wasn't sure why I was confiding in Greagoir, considering our past, but it felt like the right thing to do. "Jowan is the mage that was hired to train Conner. Had I not freed him, this may not have happened."

Greagoir didn't look surprised. "I guessed as much, actually. Few men really understand how their actions cause the very situations that they are forced to deal with. Those that do have a strong sense of duty to repair the damage that they caused. That's why you risked everything for this, isn't it?" I laughed a bit, and rested my head on the desk that I had been propped up against. "If only that were all. Alistair, my companion, the Arl raised him, and is the only father he ever knew. I couldn't live with myself if I didn't try my best to fix this. It's his family."

Feeling a little drained, I downed a vial of lyrium, and continued. "I may not remember my family very well, but I know that it's important to Alistair, and so many others out there. I refuse to be responsible for his loss." Greagoir had an interesting look on his face as he listened to me. "I see. Alistair should consider himself lucky to have such a loyal friend." He smiled at me. "So, this is why Duncan recruited you. I never understood until now. You are fiercely loyal." I found myself smiling a little. It felt good to share this with someone else. That Greagoir, of all people, was that man, and understood my actions, only made it all the better.

A shuffling sound from the corridor interrupted our conversation. Irving and several other mages walked into the room, each carrying several beakers of lyrium, in it's raw and most potent form. "We are ready when you are, Toryn." Irving stated. I nodded, and with Greagoir's help, brought myself to my feet. I drunk one more vial of the diluted lyrium, to make sure that our trip through the portal didn't kill me. Thankfully, the experience of that allowed me to prepare this time. Irving gestured towards the portal, and Irving walked through the portal, the other mages in quick succession behind him. I felt that unsettling tug on my source, and decided to drink one more vial before walking through myself.

"Mind if I tag along?" I heard Greagoir ask. I smirked at him. "By all means. We'll need you to make sure that Conner is brought back here for proper training, after all." He nodded, and rushed through the portal. I followed behind him, feeling that sensation of falling once again. This time, I made it to the other side without incident. "Toryn! You made it back! I'm so relieved." Wynne exclaimed. I didn't reply, as I had to destroy the portal, lest it return me to that state that Irving discovered me in.

Raising my hand to the portal, I slowly began to release the strands of magic that tied the two locations together. Much to my surprise, the portal seemed to weave itself back together. Apparently, as long as it was tied to me, I would have to take it down the quick and dirty way. Reaching out with my source, I grabbed the center of the portal, and tore it's link to me, unraveling the spell with a flash. I felt a surge of power return to me as the portal winked out of existence, returning what unused energy was left within it.

Turning my sight inwards, I examined my source. I was terrified at the sight of it. I had never seen my golden sphere of power so dull and transparent. A little further, and I would've lost everything. I couldn't believe how close I had gotten to leaving my burdens for others to pick up. I would have to be more cautious in the future. People needed me, and here I was, flaunting my abilities and my life without considering the larger picture. I would have to do better.

As the mages prepared for the ritual, I noticed that Jowan had retreated to the far corner of the Main Hall. I found myself feeling sorry for him. He was so misguided, and yet tried so hard to do good. He would most likely be taken to Aeonar for his past mistakes. I was so deep in thought about what was to become of Jowan, that I didn't notice that Alistair had walked up to me. I nearly jumped out of my skin when he spoke.

"I can't tell you how glad I was to see you come back. I was so afraid that you wouldn't come back." His voice was barely more than a whisper. I placed my hand on his shoulder, not unlike Alistair had done no more than a candlemark ago. "I promised that I would be careful." I said, just as quietly. A sigh came from him. "Listen, I think that you should let one of the other mages face the demon. I don't like the idea of you going in there by yourself." There was a sadness that I didn't understand in his voice.

"Alistair, I have to do this. This is your family, and I feel responsible for what's happened." I explained. "How hard could it be to face a single demon? We've been in far more dire circumstances. Don't forget that I managed to find all of you when Sloth trapped us in those nightmares of his. I can handle this." My words reflected the confidence that I felt, though Alistair didn't seem to be swayed by them.

"I guess I can't talk you out of this, can I?" I shook my head in response. "No, you can't. I'll be back before you know it." I said, allowing myself to smile. He smiled back, though it didn't seem to be a genuine one. There was something troubling him, I was sure of it. "Are you alright, Alistair? You don't seem like yourself." I inquired. Another sigh. "I'm fine." He walked off before I could push the issue any further. Considering all that had happened tonight, I decided to leave it be. It was very likely that he was still upset with our argument from earlier.

I walked over to Morrigan and Wynne, who were conversing amongst themselves. Wynne stopped mid-sentence, and looked me over. "You look like hell, dear. Almost too much for you, was it?" She said, her voice carrying that motherly disapproval that I was all too familiar with. I shrugged. "I managed, nonetheless. It was not what I expected, but at least I have that basis for comparison now." She threw her arms up. "And I thought only the very young believed they knew everything." I chuckled, and I even saw Morrigan smirk.

Wynne's finger almost impaled me with the speed that it flew towards my face. "This is no laughing matter, Toryn. I know how close you came to losing the spell. One slip, and you would've been gone. You are not permitted to terrify me like that!" She snapped. I frowned, feeling guilty. I never understood how she always seemed to make me feel guilty for almost anything. "I'm sorry, Wynne. I'll be more careful in the future." She snorted. "You had better be, young man."

"It was a very close call. I had my doubts that such a thing was even possible. Should you manage to find a somewhat more reliable way to weave that spell, it could have a great deal of use in the future." Morrigan said, muse-fully. Wynne's expression suggested disapproval of her words, but she didn't comment. "Well, it will be some time before I consider that spell again. Had I known what it was going to feel like, I would've been too afraid to actually attempt it."

"I have little doubt of that. Still, now that you have proven it to be possible, I would be interested to learn how you managed it." She replied. I opened my mouth to reply, and heard Irving call my name. "I'm sure that can be arranged, once this mess is sorted out." I said. Morrigan nodded, and I gave Wynne a hug. "Sorry for scaring you, Wynne." I whispered in her ear. "It's alright, dear. I understand. Now, get over there. You have to finish this."

I walked over towards Irving, who stood beside Greagoir. Behind them, the other mages formed a circle in the center of the room, just ahead of Isolde and Teagan, who were talking to Alistair. "Are you ready for this, Toryn?" Irving asked me. "Just about. I was curious, do you have any idea of what I may face?" Irving shrugged. "I'm not sure. From the sound of what has happened, I would expect that the demon you are to face is one of desire. It will likely try to strike a deal with you. You must not make a deal with it. You see the consequences of such a thing around you."

I nodded in agreement. "It has nothing that could interest me, anyway. Besides, considering the damage it's caused, it deserves death." I replied. Greagoir spoke then. "Are you sure you are able to face the demon? You drained yourself severely." I shrugged. "I don't see why not. Magic is different in the Fade. I would be immersed in magic. The deciding factor would be my will, as it was during my Harrowing, and in Sloth's nightmares. My source may be drained, but my will is as strong as ever." I explained.

Greagoir paused, looking as if he was contemplating something. If he was, he didn't share his thoughts on it. "Well, let us hope you are right. Let's finish this, Irving." He said, as he turned towards the circle behind him. Irving made a gesture with his hand, and the mages began the ritual. Irving crossed his arms. "Whenever you are ready, then. We will be waiting for your safe return." He said, his voice as neutral as I remembered it in from the lessons he taught me so many years ago. Funny how some things could change so dramatically, while time itself seemed to forget about other things completely.

I took in a breath, and walked into the center of the ritual circle. Alistair had rejoined Wynne and Morrigan, and the three of them watched me as the mages' ritual came to it's cusp. I felt a surge of power hit my mind, pushing my very soul into the Fade, where I would confront Conner's demon. As consciousness of the world around me faded, my eyes locked onto Alistair's. Perhaps the stress of the day was getting to me, but I thought I felt something pass between us as the world vanished. Before I could finish that thought, darkness fell over me.