Chapter 57: Night Terrors pt3
The Fade
With a strike of the blade, Ericks finally took down the desire demon and Isabela though not without cuts and bruises. Isabela's dream body was on the floor and disappeared…in a few minutes the pirate would be awake back in Kirkwall. With nothing left to do in this room, Ericks and Justice walked back to main courtyard. This time the yard was demon free and Feynriel was in the center…with the powerful demons gone, the boy's will was starting to assert itself. "I'm not sure if this real. If so, it is the second time I owe you my life"
"Heh, you keep this up and I might need to start charging you" Ericks said dryly. "So everything's in order? No more surprises from our friends from the Fade?"
"I…think so" Feynriel said. "The Fade feels different now. I see the stitches, the seams holding it together. I feel I could wake at any moment"
"It would seem in freeing the boy, he has started to understand his powers" Justice said. "A good first step in preventing this from happening again"
The boy looked at his hand. "I see why the Chantry fears us. I've heard tales of magisters who stalked their enemies and used their own dreams to destroy them" Feynriel said. "The spirit is right, I must master it, find someone to study under"
"The Dalish do not have what I need" he said. "Perhaps Tevinter. If these powers can be trained, it would be there"
"Whoa there, kid! I'm happy for you and all but let's not get ahead ourselves" Ericks said. "First we need to get back to Kirkwall and discuss this with your mother"
Feynriel sighed. "Mother…she would not look kindly on such a journey"
"Maybe I can set something up to help ease Arianni's mind"
The boy gave a huge smile. "Thank you for this, Hawke" Feynriel turned around and took a deep breath. "I can do this" He waved his hand and the Fade started to ripple like water. The boy walked through the veil like a door. The world then got dark and when Ericks and Anders woke up, they were back in the Alienage.
Kirkwall Alienage
Back in the Alienage, Feynriel and his mother was outside with the Keeper to discuss his decision to go to Tevinter. Merrill and Isabela were quiet since getting back; no doubt they were still shaken from taking the demon's offer. "I do not like this…Tevinter of all places" Fenris said with a frown.
"Not the first place I would choose, but it's better than going to the Circle" Anders said. "If the Templars find out about the boy's powers, he'll be made Tranquil on the spot"
"The magisters have coveted a somniari for centuries, mage" the elf said. "We would be giving them a weapon and a powerful weapon at that…this cannot end well"
"Well, if the magisters are going to find out about the boy anyway then let's make sure he's trained by the right one" Varric said.
"You have a plan, Varric?" Aveline asked.
"I can write a letter to Mae about Feynriel, she can pick the boy up and start training him as her apprentice" the dwarf said. "And don't worry, Broody, she's one of the good ones…she's trying to reform Tevinter from the inside"
"Who's Mae?" Ericks asked.
"Maevaris Tilani, Magister of Ventus and wife of my cousin, Thorold" he said. "She's quite the unique one; a lot of the magisters both fear and respect her"
"Sounds good to you, Broody?"
"I still don't like it, but I suppose there are worse choices" The door opened and Feynriel, Arianni, and Marethari all came back in. "Your decision?"
Feynriel nodded. "Mother has given me her blessing, so long as I write to her once in a while"
"It was wise for him to seek guidance. Kirkwall cannot provide what he needs" the Keeper said. "When we return to Sundermount, we will give him all he needs for his journey"
Arianni bowed to Ericks. "Thank you again for your help, my friend" Feynriel and Arianni walked out the door, ready to join the Keeper.
"I truly did not think what you did was possible. You are rare human, indeed"
Merrill walked up and lowered her head unable to meet Ericks' eyes. "Ericks…you have my apologies. It is easy to forget that one cannot bind demons with words"
"No one is immune to a demon's offer" the Keeper said. "You have accomplished a miracle with Feynriel" Marethari gave Ericks a book written in elven. "This book belonged to the last dreamer of our tribe, it has a rare magic beyond price. Please accept it with my gratitude" Keeper left with Arianni and her son for Sundermount. The gang split up and all went home for a good night's rest, Ericks walked Merrill home. As Ericks was about to go home, the elf reached out for his hand.
"Merrill?"
"I…I can't believe I turned on you…with the demon…in the Fade…I'm so sorry. Ma serannas" she said close to tears. "I'll understand if you can't forgive me" What happened in the Fade hit her harder than the rogue thought.
"If I held a grudge against everyone attacked me in a dream, I'd have no friends" Merrill then chuckled as she wiped away at tear. "There's that pretty smile"
"How do you do that? Make everything better with a smile? It's like magic that doesn't get you in trouble" She then sighed and leaned against the wall. "I've been so careful in all my dealings with spirits until now. To make such an obvious mistake…" Unlike the Chantry which categorizes spirits into benevolent or demonic, the Dalish believes all spirits to be dangerous like wild animals if treated carelessly. Spirits cannot be broken down into clear-cut categories and differ from each other, just as people do. "It frightens me. It takes so little for a mage to fall"
"How do the Dalish protect themselves from demons?" Ericks asked.
"The Keeper taught me…in the Fade you must believe nothing but yourself" she said. "Everything there is a lie, a trick, or a trap. I knew not to trust…I don't know why I did"
"What made you give in?"
Merrill hesitated at first. "It felt like…every demon spoke reached out and pulled at my heart" the elf said. "I didn't want to believe it…but I just...had to"
"You're already in a lot more danger than most mages" Merrill was silent for a while, all mages were in danger of being influenced by demons but blood mages, since they took their offer in the first place to gain their abilities are in greater danger of being corrupted. Blood magic can also be used to summon demons into the corporeal world, manifesting physically (e.g. shades) which can be bound to a mage's will or by possessing a host body (living or dead). Demonic possession of the living produces abominations, while possession of a corpse results in one of the living dead, a creature whose strength and abilities depends on the power and type of host and demon involved (it is unclear whether or not Dwarves and other magic-resistant beings can become possessed). Often, however, the demons will possess, kill, or completely ignore the blood mage who summoned them.
It is possible however, to influence creatures of the Fade to do one's bidding by forcing them into servitude via intimidation or pledging one's heart to them. Demons for example, require little in the way of bribery. Their natural state is one of longing for the world of flesh and blood. If a mage is strong, a demon will seek to possess him or her not through force but through guile. Should a mage offer them a respite from their eternal search for true life through a deal, a mage can negotiate a demon's compliance for a time though one should be aware that demons are well-versed in the art of manipulation and it will seek to possess the mage at any time. Should the demon get the upper hand, it will result in the mage becoming an abomination.
"I know. I'll be more guarded from now on" she said. "Thank the Creators, you were there…it won't happen again. I'll make sure of that"
The Hanged Man
The next day Isabela and Merrill was talking about what happened, and what they could do to prevent the demons from trying to influence. While talking, the two women started to bond. "I never have affairs with my crew. Once they see you naked with your ass in the air, they think they don't have to take orders" The elf giggled and Isabela grunted. "Men. You have to be twice as tough to earn half as much respect"
"So did the crew member mutiny? I mean, after…you know…"
Isabela chuckled. "Oh, no. I had the offending member removed. That got rid of the attitude" she said. "I…oh, look! It's Hawke!" Ericks entered the tavern and Merrill walked away…they had some things to discuss.
"We need to talk"
The pirate groaned. "Bugger. I knew this was coming" This was hard for Isabela, she wasn't used to apologizing and admitting she was wrong. But if life on the seas thought her one thing, it was to own up to your faults. She sighed. "I'm sorry I abandoned you in the Fade. That was foolish of me. I mean, I didn't even get the ship in the end"
"Water under the bride, it was our first time entering the Fade" Ericks said. "That could have easily been me"
"But I'm not the one with a mage for a father" Isabela said. "So, that's it? No angry rant? I have to say I'm kind of disappointed" She narrowed her eyes mockingly. "You're not going soft on me, are you?"
Ericks rolled his eyes. "Oh fine…you've been a bad, bad girl. Go to your room"
"That's better" she then yelled over to the tavern wench a far. "A jigger of your finest whisky for my friend over here!" Isabella said. "The Hanged Man's finest isn't much, but it'll get you just as drunk as anything you'll find in Hightown"
"And you'll wake up and find someone's stolen your trousers"
The pirate smirked. "That's when you know it's a party!" she said. "I thought I'd have to watch myself around you, but it turns out, you're all right"
"What do you mean I'm all right?" Ericks asked.
"You don't judge people. You're not afraid to get your hands dirty. You know little things like that" she said. "If I had someone like you onboard my ship when the…storm hit, maybe we wouldn't have be shipwrecked"
Ericks snorted. "Not likely, you'd be shipwrecked sooner. I'm a terrible sailor"
"Are you? I supposed I'll have to keelhaul you till you shape up"
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