Chapter 55: At Rest
Sunlight filtered in through the windows, the cold winter winds lashed the walls of the ancient fortress.
Alim groaned and pulled the covers tighter over himself.
Maker, I hate the Anderfels, he thought, I just hate them!
The thought drew him fully back to wakefulness.
What?
What in Andraste's name was he doing in the Anderfels?
Where else would I be, he thought, with the war over most of the wardens have been recalled.
He knew the truth in those words, they…they made sense, but something…
Something still felt wrong.
His ears began to twitch nervously, he…he had been having the strangest dream…something about the tower and…
The sheets shifted next to him, Alim startled, he…he had forgotten that she had spent the night.
Who…I…I'm not sleeping with anyone!
The sheet pulled away revealing the cutest of elvhen faces, hair mussed with sleep a warm silly grin on her face.
"Morning emma lath," Bellethiel said happily.
Alim nearly sprang out of bed.
Belle…Belle was here…she…she was alive!
What a ridiculous thought, of course she is alive; she is a warden after all.
"Is something wrong Alim?" she asked pulling up the covers to protect her modesty.
The warden mage's head spun.
None…none of this makes any sense!
The Dalish girl slipped out of bed, the sheet wrapping around her lovely body. Alim tried to ignore the sight, but…it…it was still very fetching.
She wrapped her arms around him, kissing him lightly on the lips.
"Did you have a bad dream?" she asked with a pout.
Alim nodded, he…he had dreamed of the tower of Ferelden…
Or had he…
He kissed her lightly on the tip of her nose.
"I must go," he said searching for his clothes, "There are questions, questions that need answering."
"I thought you said we could share the day together?" she pouted, "Duncan gave you the day to yourself remember?"
Duncan?
The twitching of Alim's ears increased.
Wrong…what is going on here?
Everything feels wrong!
"I'll…I'll be back shortly," he promised, "I…I…I need to speak with Duncan."
"Alim?" she called after him.
He did not respond, even though he knew it was very rude.
Something was going on, something bad.
Everything felt wrong. It…it was too right somehow.
He needed to speak with a senior warden.
He needed to speak with Duncan.
IOI
"The darkspawn are gone," Duncan chuckled, he was amused by Alim's questions, "Do you not remember?"
Alim did, sort of; the memories of the final battle were vague.
Almost…almost as if I dreamed it.
"It was a triumph for all of us," Duncan said proudly, "We brought down the Archdemon and set the underground lairs ablaze, no darkspawn escaped."
He felt like he was on the edge of understanding, just a little farther…
"What shall we do now?" he asked Duncan, "The Grey Wardens I mean."
Duncan smiled broadly.
"We shall be the keeper of our history," he proclaimed, "Telling tales and singing songs of the days when we were needed to fight the darkspawn."
Alim's eyes narrowed, he remembered his trip with Duncan from the tower quite well.
This…this…person did not sound like the Commander, not at all.
"Perhaps we can find new threats to deal with," he suggested.
Duncan only laughed.
"What threats?" he asked, "The world is at peace Alim, totally and wonderfully at peace!"
Now, the elf knew he was right. Something was wrong! The world was never totally at peace!
He glanced skyward, searching for something…he…he felt.
"What are you doing?" Duncan asked, he sounded a little cross.
What don't you want me to see?
"Just…just thinking…commander," he said harshly.
Duncan's eyes narrowed.
"Perhaps you should return to your quarters," Duncan suggested, "Warden Bellethiel is no doubt waiting for you, and…you should prepare…your parents will be here the day after tomorrow, yes?"
Alim's eyes widened.
His…his parents?
Something clicked in his mind, like the last piece of a puzzle falling into place.
His eyes narrowed.
The last bit of glamour that had been thrown over his eyes faded.
He glared at 'Duncan.'
The elf thrust out his hand, he was unarmed but that did not matter, he thought of spellbinder, the way it felt, the hard leather of its hilt.
The blade appeared in his hand, he pointed it at Duncan's chin.
The elf grinned triumphantly.
His mind was his own again, now he knew he was right.
"Ohhh you are good," he said, "So very good, I nearly bought what you were selling."
"I…I…I don't know what you mean," Duncan said crossly.
"Knock it off," the elf growled, "You're clever, I give you that. Belle, this fortress, the final battle, you almost had me, but seriously," the elf laughed, "My parents alive too. That was a little too much. You got greedy, gave me too much too fast."
Alim glared at his enemy.
"You got careless," he spat, "Be gone…demon!"
"Foolish boy," Duncan spat drawing his sword, "So be it, have your war and your darkspawn, let them be your doom!"
The fortress vanished. Duncan transformed into an Ogre, it roared angrily and tried to pound Alim into the ground.
The warden was not afraid.
The elf summoned lightning down upon it. In the fade he did not have to have clouds to summon his power, he was a mage, his will made whatever he needed real here.
The demon had been a fool to challenge him like this.
The Duncan demon fell, crumbling into nothingness.
Alim glared at the spot where it had been, he…he remembered everything now. The tower, the abominations, and the demon…it…it had put a spell on them, sent them here.
The world was different now, islands floated, attached to nothing. The fade…the home of spirits and dreams. He was once again dressed in his travel clothes, his hat, coat, and weapons, everything he had taken into the circle with him.
He was ready to face the darkness.
Alim glanced up at the fade's yellow sky; he could see the Black City in the distances, its lights shining bright.
The Maker's city, corrupted by the Tevinter mages long ago, and as they corrupted it, they were corrupted themselves.
Alim remembered the tale; every mage did, the first violation, the violation that led to the birth of the darkspawn.
Why the world felt that all mages deserved to be prisoners now.
Alim cursed himself a fool; he should have seen this earlier.
"Hello Alim."
He whirled weapons at the ready.
His eyes narrowed in rage.
"This trick again," he hissed, "Go away creature."
But she did not go away; she gave him a sad look, her ears drooping slightly.
Bellethiel looked at him with such sadness.
Alim felt his heart soften, he…he knew this wasn't really her, just another spirit trying to trick him.
"What do you want?" he growled.
"I…I felt your presence," she said, "It called to me across the beyond," she said, "I…I left my place at the gods' side to aid you."
Alim felt his heart pound.
"You're not really her," he said, "You're just another spirit."
"I know," she admitted, "I died…I fell helping you free my people. You…you still carry the weight of my death?"
Alim whimpered.
No…I…I don't have time for this.
Belle approached him; her fingers lightly traced the point of his right ear.
He shuddered at her touch.
"There is another now," she said, "One who is starting to take my place in your heart."
He…he did not want to admit it, did not want to give this spirit more ammunition to use against him.
The shame, the guilt he was feeling was too strong.
He nodded.
Belle gave him a sad smile.
"Who is she?" the spirit asked.
He did not want to say, did not want to admit what his heart desired, she…she would never be his. He was an elf, a mage…he could never have…
"Leliana," he said.
Belle nodded.
"What you are feeling is not wrong Alim," the Dalish said, "You deserve to be happy, to move on."
"I cared about you," he confessed, tears ran down his face, "Had we had more time…I…"
"Shh," she said, "I do not blame you emma lath. You must go on, as must I. Give your heart freely to her, but save a place in it for me as well. Know that I cared, and visit what we shared from time to time. Ours is but a glowing ember now, save the fire and the heat for your love."
Love? Did…did he love Leliana?
He knew the answer. He had been afraid of it, but it was there.
He had fallen for her. He…he wanted the bard in his life, but that meant helping her now.
She was here…somewhere…they all were.
His eyes narrowed.
"Belle I have to save them."
The Dalish girl smiled.
"How do I find them?"
"We are in the beyond sorcerer," she replied, "It leads you to your desires. You know this."
Alim did, he remembered his studies.
"There is one who can help," she promised, "He is trying to escape as well, but I fear he has lost hope. Follow, I will show you."
He followed her path.
IOI
The raw fade stretched out before him in every direction.
Belle had led him to a small island with a magical font upon.
Here he met Niall, the mage they had seen lost in the demon's grip.
The man told Alim what had happened. He told Alim what had happened when the mages confronted Uldred. The senior enchanter had tried to explain his reasons for what he had done his rebellion, his excuses for siding with Loghain, and the battle that came after.
Apparently Uldred had sundered the veil, tried to summon demons down upon Irving and the others. One of the demons overwhelmed Uldred, and he had become an abomination himself.
Niall had grown weak; he had not been able to find a way out. Lesser demons protected the sloth demon that ruled here. They would have to be dealt with before their master could be dealt with. There were other dreamers trapped here as well, Niall suggested seeking them out, if the elf truly believed that it would make any difference.
The warden mage cursed the man's weakness. He had no intention of dying in here today.
He needed to save the others.
He needed save Ferelden.
He…he needed…he needed to save her.
He began to wander, Belle still tagging along at his side. She aided him against the lesser shades, and helped him find the first dreamer; this one had transformed himself into a mouse.
It reminded the elf of his harrowing; he had encountered another mouse that day, a demon pretending to be a former apprentice.
A demon of pride.
The dreamer gave its power to the elf as he passed away; he had been wounded by the shades that served the demoness that ruled this island.
Belle had smiled the first time he had transformed.
She started to walk away.
IOI
"Wait," Alim called after her.
She paused, but already she was starting to fade away.
"You are on the right track now emma lath," she said, "I have done what I set out to do. Now I return to place of my ancestors."
Alim whimpered, he…he had never gotten a chance to say goodbye before.
He…he knew that he should not waste such a chance now.
"Belle…I…I am so sorry," he whispered.
"You have nothing to be sorry for," she told him, "We saved my people. You gave me the chance to be the hero I always wanted to be. Remember me emma lath, never forget what I was."
"Never," he promised, "You will be remembered as a hero forever, I will make sure of that."
She smiled at him, now more mist than solid she stepped forward.
She kissed him lightly on the lips.
"Good bye, My Alim," she purred, "Know that I will always be with you,"
"Good bye Belle," he said, tears shining in his eyes, "I…I loved you…"
"I know," she said, her voice now a whisper on the breeze, "I…I loved you to…"
Bellethiel was gone.
Alim reached out with his senses, trying to feel the spirit's presence, but he felt none.
He sighed heavily.
Yet, he felt lighter, lighter than he had felt in months.
Belle was at peace. She…she did not blame him for everything that had happened.
She…she did not blame him for his feeling for Leliana.
She was now at rest.
Alim looked out across the fade; they were out there, somewhere. The rest of his companions were out there.
He would find them. He would save them.
He would save her.
He would save Leliana.
Alim adjusted his robe; he straightened his hat and drew his weapons.
The past was now at rest.
Now it was time to save the present.