Alistair smiled, leaning back in the chair he was sitting in, feeling warm for the first time in what felt like ages. For once he didn't ache with the pain of injury, or uncomfortable bed rolls, and he even felt well rested! Maker he was happy! How… strange? He shifted nervously, lowering the front legs of his chair back to the floor. He glanced around the homey interior of his sister's house, watching his nephews and nieces playing by the fire. A chill crept slowly along his spine, stomach twisting. Why was this so strange?
"Alistair dear, would you like more pie?" Goldanna asked as she paused next to him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. She smiled warmly, blue eyes tracking across his face. A chill raced down his spine in response. Something is wrong. Alarm bells clanged in his head as he gently shifted out from her grip, his heart racing. Noting his pale face she laid the plate in her hand down on the table in front of them, kneeling to be eye level with him. "Brother?"
Why did being called that sound so odd? he wondered, head spinning. His sister reached up, brushing his hair back from his forehead with a gentle hand, immediately his stomach calmed, the rioting in his chest stilling. "I'm fine." Alistair reassured her, turning to grasp her hand lightly. "I'm just…really happy to have found my family." He smiled haltingly, mind churning.
Beaming at him, Goldanna stood, squeezing his hand in return. "Of course brother dear!" Grabbing the plate on the table she pressed it towards him. "Eat up! And remember later you promised the little ones you'd teach them some of those sword fighting ways of yours."
He nodded, shifting to hold the plate. "Of course." Maybe he was imagining things? This was his sister after all! Unthinkingly he scooped up the pie, taking a bite contemplatively.
She chuckled, smiling as she made to move away. "For all the good it does me. Soon they'll be running off to join the Grey Wardens, just like their uncle!"
Alistair choked, the pie lodging in his throat as her words rang through his head, over and over. They rolled through his mind, but he remembered them sounding different. Harsh, cutting, flung in his face like a thousand knives. "For all the good it does me!" she had sneered, face twisting. Aidens soft voice next to him, telling him they had to leave now. Maker's breath, Aiden, the wardens, the tower! He staggered to his feet, upending the plate in his lap in the process. Reaching back he grasped the hilt of his sword, dragging it free with a metallic shriek. Memories flitted like gossamer strings around the edges of his mind, fleeting and tantalizing but cascading in a claxion of wrong.
"Alistair?" Goldanna gasped, spinning around at the noise. With a squeak of alarm she shifted, moving to protect her children as they entered through the kitchen door.
"Uncle?" One of them whispered, grubby hands clinging to her mother's skirts.
He ignored the soft plea, eyes locked on the apparition of his sister. He remembered, remembered everything, and there was no way he was staying here to become demon food. Especially not with the money grubbing harpy he was related to. Gathering at the tendrils of the Fade he reached beyond the room wavering in response. "Release me!" He ordered her sharply.
"Brother, I don't know what you-"
Shaking his head he stalked towards her, cutting off her no doubt pointless refusal. "Your little illusion has failed, demon! Now, I'm only going to ask you nicely one more time." Shifting forward he pressed the edge of his blade to her neck, a Smite gathering in his center. "Let me go."
With a sneer the fake Goldanna lifted her arms, the world shifting, shimmering, until they were standing on a deserted plain, green mist curling around them. Glowing softly, flesh faded and reshaped until with a flash a desire demon hovered calmly in her place. "Brave Grey Warden." It purred, reaching out to push his blade from its throat. "Was that not what you wanted? To have a family? Was this form not pleasing?"
"Where are we exactly?" he demanded, ignoring its words. He had to get out of here, find the others, and save the tower. Turning his head he caught the Black City floating ominously above him, his throat immediately sticking in response. I should not be here…
"Would this form be better?" it asked him, body glowing, changing until in its place stood Shepard, smiling up at him as she had the night they had spent talking. Except this Shepard was wearing very little. Oh Maker. He cringed at the sight, quickly shutting his eyes. With a throaty chuckle the not-Shepard pressed closer to him, running her hand up his breastplate. "I will do better this time, Grey Warden, just put down your weapon." Curling even nearer, she whispered softly, "I'll make you happy this time, I promise."
Reaching down he seized her hands in a vise-like grip, bringing his sword swinging around the side. With a thud, the demon's head rolled from its shoulder, body fading once more into garish purple. "No thanks." Alistair gulped in a deep breath, willing the nearly naked image of his new friend from his mind. I'm never going to be able to talk to her ever again! He groaned, blushing at the thought of seeing the real Shepard. "Stupid demon." He muttered, turning to face the endless expanse of floating islands before him. Right. Time to save the day! He'd deal with all… that later. Ignoring his pounding heart he walked forward through the mist, noting a pedestal set against a hill. "So, this is what the Fade looks like." He mused, tilting his head to watch the Black City, floating quietly in space above him. "Creepy."
Pausing before the pedestal, he glanced around nervously. Vague lessons from screeching chantry sisters filtered through his mind. Surely if mages could use will to navigate the Fade, the same could be applied to an almost Templar Grey Warden? Clutching the thought close he reached out for the strange glyphs pulsing before him, focusing his thoughts on the one person who could probably kick this demon's arse from here to the other side of the Fade.
With a blinding flash and a gut wrenching lurch, Alistair felt the world drop out beneath his feet. The sensation of weightlessness buoying him for a moment before gravity reasserted itself violently. With a muffled curse he landed face down on something hard, the wind momentarily rushing from his lungs.
Groaning softly he pushed himself to his feet, glancing up to take in his surroundings. Had it worked? "Andraste save me." Alistair whispered, rubbing his eyes roughly in disbelief. Stumbling forward he blanched at the sight before him. He had landed in the middle of some sort of market, but nothing like one he'd ever seen. Creatures of every shape and size had all stopped, gathering around him as if he was the weird thing, pointing and gesturing at him in alarm. Brilliant lights shone from the ceiling, shifting and flowing in shapes along the walls, and pulsing along the length of the walkway. Swallowing hard, he stepped forward hesitantly, ignoring the hum of a hundred languages as the strange beings tittered to themselves. Everything was so shiny! Like he was sitting on the interior of a giant armor suite. Heart pounding he maneuvered through the crowd. He had to find Shepard. This had to be her dream.
Clinging to the thought like a drowning man he started forward, chest seizing as he glanced to the left. A giant window allowed the view of metal arms extending forward for what seemed miles, and beyond that, the yawning brilliance of a billion stars twinkling through the pink haze surrounding the structure. Awe fought with terror as he realised he was in space! "Is this the Citadel?" he asked aloud, noting a strange creature with enormous eyes and horns gaping at him. Fighting down the urge to panic, Alistair turned quickly from the window and hurried away, willing himself to find Shepard quickly.
Well, one thing was for sure. She hadn't been lying. Smiling weakly to himself at the thought he rushed through the metal hall before him, jerking in alarm as the wall in front of him unfolded itself into an opening. Not wanting to test the wall's patience, he surged forward, careening clumsily into a small room with windows spanning one end of the room to the other. "Maker, if I get out of here, I promise I'll memorize all the proper words to the Chant." Sucking in a harsh breath his eyes tracked across the room, landing on the figure of a woman, silhouetted against the shining lights of the windows, surrounded by a group of people and creatures. Staggering closer he called out nervously. "Ah, Shepard?"
He watched her back stiffen, the man next to her turning to face Alistair in confusion. One of the creatures stepped closer to him, words falling from its mouth in a garble of dual toned gibberish. Instinctively stepping back,Alistair stared in fascination at the mandibles flickering along its face, and the faint light of whatever was strapped across its eye.
"That's a lot of teeth…" he huffed out nervously, watching as the creature's browplates dropped in response. "Um… hi?" He offered lamely, waving his hand in a weak greeting. "Garrus right? You seem to match the I um… speak to Shepard? If she's here that is."
A soft gasp echoed as a black armored hand reached to push the alien gently to the side. "Alistair?" Shepard shifted around till she was standing before him, green eyes wide in surprise.
"Shepard! Thank the Maker!" reaching down Alistair seized her in a bear hug, relief flooding through him. He wasn't alone in this anymore.
"Shepard, who is this?" a low male voice asked. Stepping forward a man came to stand beside her, brown eyes frowning at the display.
Shepard stepped back from his hug, turning to face the interloper. "Kaidan… I…" She blinked, turning to stare at Alistair in confusion. "I have no idea."