Recap: "So you've returned... Reaper Din'an." Marethari said breathlessly.

Now

Several elders of the clan gasped in shock. He was back! The child that had stayed with them until they sent him away at age 5 had returned.

"Garas quenathra?" Marethari asked as she held her staff, ready for a fight. Several others followed her actions while others hid in the aravels. Reaper's followers readied themselves as well, showing their magical power.

"Why have I come? To make my dream a reality, of course." With that Reaper struck the ground with his staff. A shockwave emanated from it, hurdling everyone in front of him away. Marethari landed on her feet and skidded, as did some other warriors. The rest had landed on their backs or sides. Reaper immediately lunged at Marethari and began the fight. The followers attacked the warriors along with the humans joining in. Most of the humans were killed not being used to facing elven warriors. The followers were making up for the losses quickly enough.

Pride had immediately killed 3 warriors with chain lightning before fighting one with his staff.

Desire used mind blast to send 5 warriors who had charged at her back before finishing them with entropic death. The black fog encompassed the warriors who began to choke in it until their breathing stopped completely. Another warrior came through the dissipating black fog wielding dual Dar'Missan. He tried to scissor her, but she blocked him at the last minute.

Rage casted immolate on 3 warriors who were burned to a crisp while 2 others attacked him. He blocked them with his staff before fighting back. He swung and stabbed forcing the warriors on the defensive.

Envy had broke the minds of 4 warriors with waking nightmare causing them to lash out at anyone, friend or foe. She also casted several misdirection hexes on the archers further from them keeping the rest of themselves safe for the moment.

Sloth began using cold attacks such as freezing his enemies solid before turning to stonefist in rapid succession. The frozen elves shattered from the attack.

Hunger used death syphon before animating the dead elves to fight.

Reaper was driving Marethari back by sheer brute force as their staves clashed. Eventually, they were further away from the fight. Reaper shoved her back, creating some distance between them.

"What do you mean by dream?" Marethari demanded. Reaper looked at her with a neutral expression before he answered.

"My dream to bring down the wall. I wish to bring down the walls that have been built around us!" Reapers said, almost shouting at the end before he sent a bolt of lightning at Marethari who redirected it.

"What walls?" She asked before swinging her staff widely. Ice spikes shot out from the ground in front of Reaper. He responded by melting them with a wall of fire. He casually stepped through the flames as if they weren't there.

"You'll see very soon. I just need to pass through this area. Please lay down your weapons and my followers and I will spare you all. I do not wish to kill you, Aunt Marethari." Reaper lowered his staff to show her he wasn't going to strike. Marethari narrowed her eyes at him. She could scarcely believe the boy all those years ago had turned into... this.

"I can feel the aura of blood magic on you, len. I can feel it on your followers too. What have you done while you were away from us?" Reaper closed his eyes as he remembered what happened to him. How his mother told him that he didn't have a father because he was an evil man who hurt his mother. How the clan would glare at him constantly save for maybe a scarce few, including his mother's sister, Marethari. But once she became the Keeper, tensions arose within the clan about him. His mother died of a wasting sickness.

Nothing could be done. Not with herbs or magic. He remembered sitting by her side as the life left her. Not a day went by as more and more of the clan began to exclude him and treat him like an outcast. And when his magic showed at the age of five... it was the last straw.

Due to the pressure from all others from the clan, Marethari had no choice but send her own nephew out into the wilderness. All because of the fact his father was human while his mother was an elf. All because he was elf-blooded, a stain on their so called proud lineage.

When he made it to a village he had expected hardship, but not fear or blind hate. Once they saw that he was a mage, they threw stones at him and some tried to kill him. Eventually a mob was in an uproar before long and chased him out of town. For days he wandered down the roads, fighting off the beasts of the wild and bandits. Eventually, the templars found him before the winter set in and took him to the Circle. Even there, he was different. He never fit in or felt any connection to anyone else there. He merely studied and practiced until he passed his Harrowing. No real drive inside him, just simply going through the motions. That is until he came across something interesting.

A book of demonology. It sparked his curiosity and drove him to study more and more about demons until he eventually tried to contact them. It was easy enough when he was asleep. And there he called and was answered. Four demons came before him each presenting their name to him.

A desire demon by the name of Xebenkeck.

A self-proclaimed spirit of choice called Imshael.

A demonic arcane horror who proclaimed himself as Gaxxkang the Unbound.

And a demon who wouldn't stop changing forms. The creature called itself the Formless One as a result. The four demons known as the forbidden ones. The ones who taught the ancient magisters of old. The ones who revealed the power in their veins and incidentally started them on the path to creating an empire that would span the world and eventually doom it.

These demons told him of the power he possessed and what his inner most desire was. They taught him the power of blood magic and of the tome. He spent nights learning from them until one day he had enough. Enough knowledge and power to make his escape and begin his journey. He killed the templars, and with their blood, blew open the doors of the Tower at age 18. He fled as other students tried to stop him before he crushed them with force magic. Guided by the Forbidden Ones, he walked until he came upon a single bandit camp. He used his blood magic and enthralled their minds completely and utterly. When the templar hunters came, he had his new puppets kill them easily and destroyed his phylactery. Imshael then told him of the tome and the clan that possessed it as well as their location.

He took his bandits and marched until they came to the dalish camp. He knew by past experience that they would rather die than give up such ancient relic and so he attacked at night. He slaughtered an entire clan before pursuing the First who had taken the tome with her. He would've gotten it too, if that hunter hadn't intervened somehow wielding a sword that rejected people. When he grabbed it, he felt as if something had stabbed his hand multiple times... and that something was probing his mind. Fearing that his mind would be taken, he cast away the blade without any second thought giving the hunter a chance to harm him. Drained of power from the battle with the clan's Keeper and wounded from the blade of Shartan, he left to nurse his wounds.

It took merely a couple of weeks for his wounds to completely heal. The Xebenkeck even kept an eye on the two for some time until they settled in Denerim. Once he had learned of their location he had wanted to go there immediately but he realized that his current power would be of little use and so he needed more time and people. Most importantly however, he needed more mages. And so he searched, having traveled all over Ferelden and even into the free marches he found them.

The redheaded, yellow-eyed boy who never lost his pride even as others degraded him for his mixed heritage.

The blonde, purple-eyed girl working in a brothel of all places. Not as one the whores, but as some kind of maid. No doubt she would've been made a whore a few years later if he hadn't sensed her power.

The two brothers who one never lost the anger of having to kick and claw for his dinner while his brother had been wounded so badly that he had to move slowly just to not flinch from the pain. The angry brother supposedly inherited his father's looks while his brother inherited their mother's. The parents that had been murdered.

The young black-haired girl who looked at the nobles with sheer envy as they passed by, laughing at her poverty and misfortune. At her loneliness.

And the brown-haired boy who was skin and bones, as if he never eaten in his life.

All of them had been his age or younger when he was forced from the clan. All of them held magic but had not yet realized it. All alone. Each one orphaned and magical, but free. He took them from their poor lives. He fed and clothed them, kept them safe as he taught them their magical gifts. All of them pledged their undying loyalty to him later on and took to his teaching with zeal. Before he knew it, 6 years had passed since he tried to take the tome. He remembered his desire and left to get the tome, but not before leaving the children, his children, somewhere safe.

He teleported to Denerim and found the house that Xebenkeck had described. He walked in and was confronted by the Dalish First. He demanded where the tome was, but she tried to attack him with a fireball. He merely cast a shield around himself before the attack struck him. The explosion tore through the hovel, destroying it. He noticed a loose floorboard and glimmered the spine of the tome. He picked it up before the First threw herself at him in another attempt to stop him, but he merely grabbed her by the neck and dragged her out of the burning house. He remembered seeing the hunter, accompanied by a small child only to find another elf-blooded like himself and his own children. Then he murdered the two parents and merely left the boy there seeing as he had been traumatized by the scene.

When he had begun to leave, the templars interfered, but they were merely an annoyance that he dealt with by using blood magic. He was surprised as the child attacked him in a rage, even scoring a couple of hits, but Reaper didn't need his magic, merely his superior size. He sensed the boy's magic then. It was stronger than even Pride's which was shocking enough. He realized that this child could be a potential threat he wasn't snuffed out then and there! But before he could strangle the boy, he was burned by magic that the boy had unconsciously casted. He fled from the scene to recuperate. Teleporting a safe distance away from Denerim, he slept trying to speed up the healing spell and poultice he had taken only to find the child in the Fade.

After that, they talked briefly and he left with a death threat if the child ever got out of the Tower. The years went by as he trained his followers and gathered the materials and power he needed. And now here he was, years later...

Reaper opened his eyes and gestured to the aged tome on his hip.

"What I had too." Was all he said. Marethari gasped at the book.

"So it was you who wiped out Clan Hellathen!" Reaper nodded.

"Yes, and this clan will suffer the same fate if they don't surrender." Marethari charged fire around her staff and got into a battle stance.

"Never!" Reaper's eyes hardened at the word.

"Then fall!" And with those words, Reaper attacked with ice magic.

A half hour later...

Aedan was galloping through the forest at full speed until he saw smoke further ahead. Upon reaching the area, he dismounted and looked around, leaving his bag strapped to the saddle. It appeared to be some kind of ruined camp. What looked to be ships or something had been burned or smashed with a few remaining salvageable. Aedan cautiously walked inward until he came upon corpses. Some human, others were elves.

'Looks like Reaper and his crew had been through here.' Aedan thought as he studied the corpses. Humans had been pierced or cut. Either by arrow or by blades. The elves were not sporting such wounds. Most of them had been burned, frozen or simply unharmed. This means that they had been killed by magic. Aedan looked around the camp and began to feel for any other magical energy before noticing something.

'All of the bodies have spirit energy in them.'

'Just like the templar hunters.' Shartan replied. Aedan rolled his eyes as he heard shuffling and groaning.

"Great." He grumbled before drawing Shartan. Aedan paused as the corpses came closer before he let loose an anti-magic burst. The corpses fell to the ground like puppets cut from their strings as Aedan sheathed Shartan.

'What was the purpose of drawing me?'

'Simply put, I chose to use that spell right after I began draw you.' Aedan shrugged before looking around.

'Looks like Reaper has a Necromancer among his followers.' Aedan noted, gazing at the dead bodies before noticing a trail of recent activity. He followed it slowly, leaving his horse in the camp. As he did so, he sent a pulse of magic to his armor. The three armor runes switched their symbols from 'change' to 'protection'.

'It would appear so. We'll be prepared either way.' Shartan replied as the three weapon runes switched their own symbols from 'change' to 'Fade'. Both walked forward, not knowing that today, neither of them would not make it out of this fight unscathed.

With Reaper and the Clan

The clan, or what remained of it, was tied up near an old ruin that looked similar to a cupola except without the dome. A good amount of the hunters had been killed from the fight. Marethari had battled against Reaper and had held up for a while until Reaper had seemed to increase his attacks until all she could do was defend herself. When Merrill tried to help her, Reaper merely bound her with a blood spell. Marethari tried to attack Reaper as her First screamed in pain, but all he did was simply blast her onto the ground. Wounded and beaten, she looked up and saw that a majority of her warriors, her clan members, were dead or dying.

Mahariel had fought against the red-headed shem and was being electrocuted while Tamlen had tried to save her only to be stopped by the black-haired male shem who simply beat him into the ground until he was unconscious. Seeing what was happening she told Reaper she gave up. To spare the clan for their surrender. He agreed as he let go of Merrill. The First had fallen, unconscious from the pain that was inflicted on her.

Reaper and his followers bound the elves and moved them to the ruin afterwards. Marethari looked to her sides and saw that some of the children were crying and shaking from fear. Mahariel, Tamlen and Merrill were unconscious. Some of the hunters and warriors had been spared, but not that many. The rest were noncombatants such as the craftsman, Hahren, and the other elders. Marethari looked back to Reaper and his followers under the cupola. They had put some kind of alter that radiated magic and it had elven symbols all over it inside in the middle of the ruin. On top of it was a strange box. That was when she realized his intention.

"You plan to tear through the Veil, don't you? That is what you meant by tearing down the walls." Marethari stated causing Reaper to look at her.

"No. Well, yes. I do plan on tearing through the Veil for a short while, but no. That is not what I meant by tearing down the walls. This-" Reaper gestured to the altar. "Is nothing more than another stepping stone."

Marethari looked at him in sadness and confusion. What did he mean? Tearing into the Beyond was dangerous at best! What could he accomplish? Mahariel and her friends stirred awake and struggled against their bonds for a short period before giving up.

"You'll see what I mean soon enough." Reaper said before turning back. Once the altar was ready he and his followers circled it and began to chant an incantation. Halfway through within a few seconds, both Reaper and Marethari felt a huge mana signature away from the group.

Marethari turned to it to see a young human man. He was slim but strong. His mana radiated off him in waves and the look in his green eyes spoke of a cold fury welling up inside him, threatening to burst out. But the most shocking thing about him was what was strapped to his back. It was a burgundy Dar'Misaan that was well known to all clans for being a blade wielded by a famous elf and for having not been drawn for centuries. This blade had been thought to have been lost since the destruction of Clan Hellathen and yet now, it was in front of her in the hands of a human!

Reaper on the other hand swore he saw a ghost for a split second, but realized it wasn't the man he killed all those years ago. It was the boy! He had grown to resemble his father greatly, but he could definitely see some of the boy's mother in him, especially around the eyes. His scar burned as he remembered what had happen on that day. He felt the boy's signature and was honestly surprised by the power that he exuded. So strong, matching himself.

The others, elves and the followers, turned to where their leaders' were looking at to see Aedan Hellathen.

Aedan was doing all he could from shaking at seeing Reaper. Despite the years, he was still fairly recognizable. The scar was certainly enough to remember him for. His eyes wondered over the followers and recognized Pride who was giving him the best death glare he had ever seen. He guessed which maleficar was which given their expressions and body type.

His eyes turned over to the elves. He had to admit. It was difficult to believe that his mother dressed like that, but to him they didn't look much different from city elves save for the fierce independence in their eyes. He was able to tell who was the Keeper and the First easily enough before looking back to Reaper. Reaper spread his arms wide.

"Welcome, seth'lin!" The elves looked from Reaper and back to Aedan. "So you finally come to see me after all these years. I must say you resemble your father now more than ever before. Not only that but it's obvious you haven't spent these last two decades simply studying in the Tower." Aedan didn't speak. He merely looked at Reaper and to the Sins, as he called them sometimes. Reaper noticed this and smirked.

"Aw yes. How rude of me. Let me to introduce you to my students. Pride, whom you already know, I'm sure." Pride merely glared at him.

"Rage," Rage grunted to Aedan.

"Sloth," Sloth gave a lazy wave.

"Desire," She gave him a seductive look accompanied by a wink.

"Envy," The petite woman merely tilted her head at him in mild interest.

"and Hunger." The chubby man gave him a hungry grin.

"Children, this is the child who gave me my scar 14 years ago." Reaper gestured to Aedan who the Sins glared at. The elves looked at him in shock having done the math. That would mean the man had injured Reaper when he was just a child. How?! All the while, Aedan didn't move an inch. Reaper saw the sword on his back and glared at it.

"I see you found that sword." Everyone looked at the blade and the elders recognized it quickly enough. "I'm curious. Can you wield it like your human father did so long ago?" Reaper asked, his tone mocking. The elves gasped having heard that a human had actually wielded the blade. Everyone knew only an elf could wield it while a human could never hope to even touch it. Aedan still hadn't said a word as he turned his head to the Dalish. He raised his hand towards them, glowing with energy. Reaper and the Sins watched in curiosity while the elves eyed him more warily. Aedan's hand closed into a fist.

Suddenly, their ropes snapped and they were unbound. Everyone was stunned for a short minute before the elves made a break for the forest depths. Marethari conjured a wall of flame to buy them some time before running after her remaining clan. The fire wall was extinguished as Pride ran through, closing the distance quickly between him and the Keeper.

Marethari tripped having become exhausted from her battle with Reaper and having to cast such a strong spell. Merrill and Mahariel ran back after to pull her up and drag her along, but they could only do so much with their slim frames.

"Leave me, I'll only slow you two down." Marethari ordered. Mahariel shook her head.

"Not on your life, Keeper!" Merrill nodded.

"What she said!" Both looked over their shoulders to see Pride closing in on them. Seeing they couldn't outrun him, Lyna covered the Keeper and Merrill with her body, intending to shield them. She closed her eyes, waiting for the hit. The blow never came as the sound of metal clanged. She opened her eyes to see the new human had jumped between her and Pride, blocking him with the sword. Both struggled for dominance as their weapons clashed.

"I would help your Keeper get out of the area if I were you." Aedan spoke, not taking his eyes off of Pride who merely snarled at him. Lyna made to retort, but it died in her throat as she saw how the human in front of her was the only thing keeping the maleficar from reaching them. She nodded and draped Marethari's arm over her as she and Merrill took her to safety. Once they were gone, Aedan mind blasted Pride back. The maleficar kept glaring at him as he moved further back from him. Aedan studied him for a few seconds before smirking.

"Good to see they managed to fix your eye." He commented causing Pride to sneer at him.

"I'm going to enjoy killing you!" He prepared to attack before-

"PRIDE!" Reaper called out causing the two to stop.

"Leave him and continue the spell with the others. I'll deal with him." Reaper said shocking everyone in the vicinity. He calmly approached the two as he said those words.

"B-But Master-"

"Don't question me. Do as I say." Pride nodded and moved back to where the rest were and began to chant the spell again. Reaper stood in front of Aedan. Both had dreamed of this moment for years now. Reaper glanced at the sword.

"Your father wielded that sword against me a long time ago. You do know that, correct?" Aedan nodded as the runes on Shartan changed from 'Fade' to 'tempest'. The blade crackled with lightning causing Reaper to raise a brow.

"You've upgraded it. Let's see how well you can use it!" Reaper charged at him and Aedan did the same. Both clashed with their staff and blade. Reaper swung at Aedan's head who dodged and kicked him in the chest. Aedan casted stinging swarm on Reaper who replied with a misdirection hex.

As Reaper tried to get the biting bugs away from him, Aedan tried to attack him, but found his attacks would only miss. Realizing what Reaper had casted on him, and knowing if he tried to dispel it, he would also dispel stinging swarm so he used one of his newest spells called One With Nature. Roots grew out of the ground and tangled themselves around his and Reaper's feet, locking both of them in place. Reaper managed to finally destroy the bugs with a mana cleanse. The bugs were destroyed and the roots that held him withered slightly.

It was all he needed to break free. Reaper broke away and fell back a little before using flame blast. The river of flame flew out of the end of his staff as Aedan used cone of cold to counter it. Fire and ice fought against one another before they turned into a mist that surrounded the two. Aedan quickly undid One With Nature and ran to Reaper.

Reaper lost sight of him for a second before Aedan suddenly appeared in front of him and tried to strike him. His attack went right through him before Aedan seemed to fade in out of the mist and began to attack him. Reaper blocked each attack and tried to hit him, but only succeeded in hitting a shadow as Aedan seemed to appear just before the strike connected. When Aedan finally managed to slash his arm, he had enough. He growled before swinging his staff and cleared the mist. Aedan was revealed to be a few yards away, panting slightly. The shadow form had taken a toll on his stamina, but it had given him the opportunity he needed.

Reaper threw a fireball at him which completely engulfed his body. Reaper looked into the inferno, unable to believe it was that easy. He then saw Aedan's figure and was stunned. He hadn't been harmed at all! It was as if the fire wasn't even touching him. Suddenly, Aedan's form turned into and disappeared into thin air. Reaper's eyes widened in realization.

'A decoy?! Then where-?' He turned around to attack just incase before...

STAB

A roar of pain tore out of Reaper's mouth as Aedan plunged Shartan through his right arm, which held his staff and his left hand, which was poised to use a spell. Just as Reaper's roar sounded out the Sins completed their chant and Fade Portal opened up above the altar. The Sins turned upon hearing their master's roar of pain, a sound they were unfamiliar with, to see that the brat had actually managed to wound their master.

"MASTER!" They shouted and gasped. Reaper felt his mana draining away as the searing pain coursed through him. He immediately recognized the effects of concentrated magebane.

"So, I see magic isn't your only weapon. Clever boy." Reaper looked towards the portal and smirked. "You're too late, though."

"We'll see about that." Aedan replied as he pulled Shartan through and attempted to behead Reaper. He drew his blade down at his neck, but his body stopped abruptly. He could feel the blood in his veins tingling, indicating that blood magic was at work. He looked out of the corner of his eye and saw all the Sins with their hands outstretched to him. Reaper got up and walked to the portal and his Sins. Aedan struggled against the blood control. He had trained mentally and physically to fight against such things. It would work against one definitely, but against 6? Yeah, no dice. He was able to move his body somewhat as he turned to them with great difficulty. The Sins were obviously struggling to keep him in control as Reaper smirked.

Aedan's eyes glowed blue as he looked at the Sins causing Reaper to frown. The ground underneath the Sins exploded in a bright blue light. Aedan immediately felt his blood stop tingling. The Sins were on their knees panting from exhaustion as Reaper looked on.

'He used mana clash to get out of it. He's kept calm through this whole skirmish. Not only that, but to be able to resist blood magic on that scale takes an incredible amount willpower, both mental and physical. Impressive. He's managed to become so strong. I was right to see him as a threat.' Reaper thought as Aedan charged at him. Before Aedan could make it, he was blasted back by an arcane bolt. He landed on his feet, skidded back and fell to one knee.

'What the hell? I didn't see him or his Sins cast a spell! Who did it?'

'It came from the portal, Aedan. Be careful, I'm getting a bad feeling.' Aedan stood up as he looked at the portal. Two figures walked out of it to Reaper.

One was an arcane horror that radiated power while the other looked like a desire demon. However it was different from the few Aedan had the displeasure of meeting. This one was almost pure white, garbed in white clothing instead of the usual small almost see through that desire demons where. Not only that but physical differences too. While it had horns, they were much bigger. It had longer fingers and claws and even had wings. Instead of the usual pink fire that served as hair for desire demons, its fire was blue.

"Gaxkang, Xebenkeck. Welcome." Reaper looked as if he were waiting for more but the horror spoke to him.

"The Formless One has decided to stay in the Fade for a while longer as well as Imshael. They will join later."

"I see. What about-?" Then the desire demon spoke.

"You will have them. They are coming now. Be prepared and I do hope we meet again after you have done what you wish. Though I must admit, I'm sad that I won't get to see that elf-blooded child fight you anymore. He almost had you." With that the two flew to the north and out of sight. The Sins stood up and walked to their master. Reaper approached the box and opened it. 7 pieces of what looked like jewelry floated out. 4 were rings that held what looked like red crystals of power, 2 were amulets that held the same kind of crystals and 1 was a small red jewel, easily able to fit in a ring. The four men grabbed the rings while the amulets went to the women and Reaper took the small jewel. He looked at Aedan who was in shock and held out the jewel.

"Do you know what this is?" Aedan glared at him. Reaper merely smirked as well as his Sins.

"This is red lyrium." Aedan looked at him in confusion. Lyrium was never red or any color for that matter. It was always bluish.

"I won't bore you with the details seth'lin, but this what is going to give us the power to make my ambition, my dream a reality. Aedan raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? And why exactly did it have to be out here in the Brecilian Forest? What so you could let those demons out into the world?" Aedan accused. Reaper merely chuckled.

"Not just that, but to get other demons out here too. 7 to be exact."

"For what purpose?" Aedan asked but had a sinking feeling happening in his stomach.

"Why, to take control of, of course!" And 7 demons did come out of the portal. Aedan ran to try and stop it, but Reaper and the Sins erected a powerful barrier. Aedan struck at it with everything he had: Shartan, magic, templar abilities, anything. The barrier stood firm and all Aedan could do was watch in horror as each demon came in front of each maleficar.

In front of Pride was an Alpha Pride demon. Aedan had seen pride demons in the Fade before, but never an Alpha. It was slightly bigger, bulkier. Darker coloring of purple and its horns were bigger too. Not to mention its eyes glowed pure red with power.

In front of Desire was an Alpha Desire demon. It was more royal looking than a normal desire demon. Its horns were darker and bigger. Its skin was a darker pink with its eye glowing blue, matching its blue fire. It wore less clothing than a desire demon leaving almost nothing to the imagination. It also wore blue sleeves on its ankles and wrists. To complete the look it wore black and gold shoulder guards.

In front of Envy had to be one of the most freakish demons he had ever seen. It was all bendy, had no face of clothes. Just a mouth full of teeth. And it had what looked like cuts on its head.

In front of Rage was what was obviously an Alpha Rage demon. He had seen this kind before. A being made of fire and lava. A face on its abdomen as well as its head. It had claws for fingers unlike its lesser brethren, not mention spikes on its elbows and shoulders.

In front of Hunger was an Alpha Hunger demon. He had seen one once before and hoped to never see another for the rest of his life, but he now knew that what he had seen was probably the weakest version of the hunger demons. This was certainly different from what he saw before. Like the first, it was basically a large mouth filled with teeth and a stomach. The skin was also the same the color, a grayish green and it had three fingers on each hand. That was the similarities. The differences were bigger. It had horns on the top of what should have been its head. It had a black and gold metal plate on top of it that was held by said horns. Its mouth glowed red and its clothing was rags with two severed heads hanging on it like bells or trophies.

In front of Sloth was and Alpha Sloth demon. This creature looked somewhat human to a degree from the waist up. It's skin was light purple with its eyes glowing blue. Its skin showed veins going all round it and it was missing a jaw. It wore plates of black and red armor on its torso, and its hands along with a matching crown on its head. To top it off, it looked as if some type of wooden cross had been stabbed into its back.

But what caused Aedan to sudden in fear was what was in front of Reaper. The demon was one he had only heard of in stories, but one he remember well enough to recognize. At first it looked like a floating emaciated corpse dressed in rags until you saw the head. It was almost as if the corpse was wearing some kind of demonic squid as a head piece which covered its eyes. Its skin, grey and boney. And it held what looked like giant spider legs coming out of its back. This was what Aedan could only guess was a fear demon.

Reaper and the Sins held their jewelry in front of the demons who went still. One by one, each red lyrium jewel glowed until the light became to bright to see. Aedan shielded his eyes until glow was gone. He looked at scene infant of him and noticed that the demons were gone and the Sins were wearing their red lyrium jewelry. Each of there eyes was glowing pure red and their power was visibly radiating off them. Suddenly they began to convulse and spasm. They screamed in pain until they calmed themselves down. That was when Aedan saw Reaper. He wasn't wearing his and seemed almost completely calm.

"Go back to our hideout. I will take care of things here. It appears we will need time to get used to our new power. Pity." The Sins nodded and left the area by teleporting away in either fire, electricity or ice. Reaper turned to him and let the barrier fall.

"I think it is time we finish this, seth'lin."

"For once, we agree." Both stared at each other for a minute before Reaper spoke up again.

"I want you to know, I respect you. It most certainly couldn't have been easy to get where you are today." Aedan looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Let me ask you something before we do this. What was the point of all this? All this death and destruction?" Reaper didn't answer immediately. He merely sighed before speaking.

"You, my children and I are all elf-blooded." Aedan's eyes widened. "And I'm sure you've seen the stigma between our races, the humans and elves. Being a mage, you've also felt the stigma about magic as well. I have grown tired of seeing this over and over." Reaper dragged his hand across his face as if he was slowly wiping something from it.

"With this power, I will take control of Ferelden first through the annual Landsmeet and then once of consolidated it, I will move on to other nations. One by one, they will feel my power. One by one humans and elves, mages and non-mages will accept each other in harmony. That is my ambition. I seek to bring down the walls of race, fear and distrust that our worlds have erected around themselves!" Aedan and Shartan were both stunned. That was his plan? The goal was admirable but the means...

"You can't force them into doing something like that! You'll only make things worse! Trying to force people who have lived by such rigid negativity will only make it grow!"

"Perhaps. If that happens they will rebel and my children and I will give them a common enemy that they will hate then."

"United by hatred isn't much better. It's a fragile alliance at best!" Aedan said back with his hands tightening.

"It is still better than what it is now! Enough of this! I have no more time to waste on you and we both know you will never stop fighting me." Reaper held the red lyrium jewel in front of his face as it glowed with power.

"You got that right." Aedan said as he gripped Shartan with both hands and held the blade in front of him. Reaper took the lyrium jewel and placed it against his forehead. At first nothing happened until Reaper started growl and put more pressure on it. He was then screaming as he continued to hold his head until he let go. Aedan saw that the jewel was now embedded in Reaper's forehead. Reaper's body began to change. His wounds steamed as they healed at an incredible pace. At first Aedan believed that Reaper was going to turn into an abomination until he stood still. The grey in Reaper's hair turned back into dark brown. His aged look turned more youthful. The scar on his right eye suddenly moved as if it were alive. It moved from his eye to around where the lyrium was and took the shape of an eye around it. His eyes burned red with power and is aura became visible. The air grew hot with his power coursing through it.

"Now, let's finish this. Garas." With that Aedan attacked. He tried to strike at Reaper but the maleficar merely dodged as if there was no trouble at all. He slashed with powerful swings but Reaper merely dodged as if he could see them coming. Aedan continued until he felt himself start to loose focus. Reaper suddenly threw a fireball causing Aedan to dodge, barely making it out of the way in time. The fireball hit a tree and made an explosion that was bigger then the usual kind. Aedan looked at it in stunned shock.

"Yes, I'm no longer the same the person you fought a few moments ago." Reaper said causing Aedan to look at him. Seeing his attention was drawn to him, Reaper continued.

"Those demons were all Alphas and each them was incased in our jewels," Reaper pointed to his 'third eye' with a smirk, "and as we wear these, we have all of their strengths and none of their weaknesses, nor, when we master this power, will we run the risk of possession. Aedan looked at him in shock and a small amount of fear. Reaper sniffed the air and his smirk turned into a grin.

"Your fear is good. It will fuel me." His hands lit up with electricity.

'Aedan, if what he say is true then our only chance to stop his plans is now!'

'I know!' Aedan raised his hand to Reaper and shot lightning at him while Reaper did the same. Aedan's held against Reaper's... for only a few seconds before it was pushed back.

'SHARTAN!' The runes on Shartan changed from 'tempest' to 'dwarves' while all of Aedan's armor runes switched from 'protection' to 'elements'. The lightning struck Aedan head on.

"AAAAAHHHH!" Aedan fell to one knee in pain as his skin burned and tingled from the residual electricity going through him.

'If we hadn't switched the runes to the dweomer and immunity runes, you'd have died!' Shartan said in a whisper.

'Let's be honest here, there wouldn't have been ashes of me if I took that hit without any protection.' Aedan had a hard time wrapping his head around the power Reaper wielded at the moment. It was vastly different from before. Maybe only a third as powerful at best. Aedan thought up a plan quickly before Reaper suddenly appeared in front of him. Feeling a second wind go through him, he sucked in a breath and threw a flask onto the ground.

They were engulfed in a purple mist that made Aedan disappear just as Reaper struck. Reaper noticed that his attack didn't touch Aedan who had disappeared. Aedan popped up beside him, sword poised for deadly strike. Reaper merely coated his hand in pure ice and pierced Aedan. The young man's face remained stoic to Reaper's mild surprise before realizing that it was another shadow decoy. Suddenly more Aedans appeared. Reaper began fighting them, throwing fire and ice but the attacks merely phased through them meaning they were all decoys. Strange he hadn't done so before, so why now? That was when Reaper suddenly felt lightheaded. Of course! That mist must've been toxic. It was messing with his perception.

He roared in pain as he felt three stabs land in his back, each one worst than the last. Aedan smirked. His punisher worked perfectly and with it mixed with some perfect striking and seeing Reaper's weak points, he had probably finished-

BLAST

Aedan was sent flying backwards, loosing his grip on Shartan. The blade flew out of his hand as he landed on his back. He quickly got up and saw Reaper healing his wounds at a fast pace. The flesh knitted together quickly, almost stitching itself together. To Aedan's horror, he saw where Shartan landed. Right near Reaper. He jumped of the ground and took out the blades that Teyrn Cousland gave him and flickered to Reaper, intent on getting Shartan back.

'AEDAN, DON'T!' Shartan warned but it was too late. As soon as Aedan got close, his body seized up and froze. Reaper turned to him with neutral face. He picked up Shartan and his lit on fire as his hand touched the hilt. Reaper flinched before he gained control of himself again. He took his other hand and grabbed the tip of the blade and began to look as if he were trying to bend it. That was when Aedan saw that Reaper's magical prowess wasn't the only thing that increased. He could hear the blade straining and groaning.

"NO! DON'T DO IT REAPER!"

'AHHHH, AEDAN! I'M SOR-!' BREAK

Aedan's eyes widened in horror as he watched his friend break in two. His heart dropped and broke as he heard what his friend tried to say. The blade tip fell onto the ground as the flames on Reaper's hand died. Reaper studied the hilt of the broken sword for a second before he turned to Aedan. He raised his hand and Aedan was lifted off the ground. His daggers clattered on the ground as his feet left it. Paralyzed and seeing what Reaper was about to do, Aedan sent a pulse of magic to his armor and its runes changed back to 'protection' as Reaper noticed.

"You've created runes that can change into different ones with their abilities being the same as the symbol they represent. It is truly a shame that I must kill such a genius..." Reaper thrust the broken tip at Aedan and it clashed with a barrier around the armor. The barrier held before Reaper's eye glowed with power. The blade began to crackled with red energy until...

STAB

The blade went through his chest and into his heart. He coughed up blood with widened eyes. He stared at the blade as Reaper slowly drew it out of him, blood flowing from the wound until-

SQUELCH

It came out fully and Reaper dropped it. It clattered to the ground with Aedan joining it soon after.

"But I can't afford to have anymore obstacles like you in my way." Reaper said before taking his staff and leaving the area in a flicker, similar to the demon he took. Aedan lay on the ground. The pain in his chest, both physically and emotionally was becoming too much for him. He just lost his friend, companion and teacher and now he was going to join him. Reaper had won and he had lost. He was going to die alone.

And so for the first time since his first day at the Circle Tower, Aedan Hellathen cried. He cried in grief at the lost of his friend. He cried in despair at the fact that he wasn't able to stop Reaper. He cried at the fact that after this long journey... here he was, dying with no one beside him. He didn't want it to end like this. He thought he had resolved to face death, but that resolve had been broken in the face of the possible future he had seen. A future where things are far worse when Reaper and his Sins take over, with no one to challenge them. They had it now. The power, the army, the plan and the will to make it happen.

"Someone... please... halani... ma..." He whispered before his world went black.

Well, that was different. So tell me... what did you think? Obviously not the usual thing. What do you think will happen to Aedan? Will he be saved? Or will one of the other origins I've brought up in this story stop Reaper somehow? Come on! I want to know what you're thinking! Depending on what it is may help me write faster and please, follow and favorite.

For those of wondering, the title of the chapter, Din'an, means Death or the End in elvish. Take that for what you will.