Inquisition of the Elf Prince

by RantingRyuu728

Ralinor Lavellan, a Dalish Mage, seeks to continue his mother's work and restore a home for his people. Ancient evils are at work, however, and Ralinor finds himself leading the Inquisition while also trying to make peace with and among the Drow, cousins of the elves who have returned after centuries underground. Crossover/fusion between Dragon Age, LOTR, and Drowtales.

4. Magic and Sorcery

Disclaimer: I do not own or claim the rights to Dragon Age, Lord of the Rings, or Drowtales. They belong to their respective owners.

Special thanks to my beta reader, Milarqui, for his help in correcting my mistakes.

Also, special thanks to Budger1000 for his debate/advice about how to handle the magic aspects and more!

Chapter Four: Magic and Sorcery

Tower Davya, Orthorbbae

"Ralinor! Over here!" Ariel shouted while waving at her friend. She was waiting for the Elves nearby the entrance to the tower that would be there home for the next few years. Ralinor returned the wave as he hurried before his mother. "How did your meeting with the Headmistress go? Is she nice? What is she like?"

"I... I don't really like her..." Ralinor admitted after a moment. "She's looks beautiful, but something about her just feels... weird."

"Oh... well, some of our classmates have already arrived," Ariel revealed before she frowned. "I'm still wish I didn't have to pretend that I'm a boy."

Flashback

"What? Why do I have to pretend to be a boy?" Ariel asked in confusion at what her brother just told her.

"I'm sorry, Ariel, but this was the only way to convince Quain'tana to allow you to study at Orthorbbae," Kel'noz explained. "Due to what happened with Syphille when she was sent to Orthorbbae, Quain'tana declared that none of her daughters would enroll in Orthorbbae until the Sharens were eliminated."

"Also, Quain'tana knows that if Headmistress Snadhya'rune discovered that you were in Orthorbbae, Snadhya'rune would try to turn you against the Sarghress," Altariel added.

"But I would never turn against my clan!" Ariel denied.

"We are not saying you would, Ariel. However, putting you in the female section of the school will put you within reach of Snadhya'rune's influence. I know from personal experience that she will try to manipulate and persuade you to her views and ideas. Quain'tana doesn't want that, so you must pretend to be a boy for the next five years while living in the towers," Altariel explained as she patted Ariel's head in comfort. "Treat it like a game. Ralinor and I will help you keep your secret."

"There is another reason to keep your gender a secret, Ariel," Kel'noz spoke up. "Males and females have different social structures within the Drow society. Males hold onto what they have and females want to control everything. If the other boys in your tower discover your gender, they will hate you and make your life much more difficult."

"That is a silly way of thinking," Ralinor commented. "Why can't boys and girls be equal? Neither one is better than the other."

"It's just the way things are with the Drow, Ralinor. As a matriarchy, females are in charge, and males try to gain whatever is possible. It was different in the past, during the age of Elvhenan. Equality was much more widespread among the elven races then. Perhaps it could return someday."

Flashback End

"It will be alright, Ariel. I'm the odd one out because I'm an elf. We'll get through this together," Ralinor encouraged. The two of them approached the entrance to Tower Davya.

"Just so you know, some of them are jerks," Ariel warned Ralinor as they approach their classmates.

The first boy wore blue and emerald robes and had emerald-colored hair to match. His name was Gailen Val'Nal'sarkoth. He appeared slightly nervous as he held some sort of lizard in his arms. Ralinor guessed that the lizard was some sort of pet.

The second boy was Nau'Kheol, nicknamed Nau, from the royal Sharen clan. He had the more common white hair and wore grey and dull green cloths. He wasn't very friendly and seemed grouchy. He reminded Ariel of a mini Syphile.

Ralinor looked over at the third drow and... he blinked in confusion. Was this one a girl? The drow had longer hair than Ariel and was dressed up in an elegant style dress robes. The drow even wore some type of slippers!

"You're Dalish elves? My name is Sorane'saniil Val'Illhar'dro," the newly revealed Sorane introduced. "Your cloths and fashion are interesting! I've always been a little curious about elven style of dress. Are your facial tattoos apart of your fashion as well?"

Ralinor couldn't help but stare in shock. The drow was a boy and he was pretty enough to pass as a girl, which seemed... awkward to Ralinor.

"Dalish tattoos are worn in tribute to one of the Creators or Valar," Altariel answered the young boy in amusement. "Although mine are in tribute to Eru Iluvatar."

"I see," Sorane nodded before he turned to Ariel with a smile. "I'm happy to see another who appreciates beauty like the Illar'dro. Perhaps I've misjudge the other clans."

To Sorane's confusion, Ariel simply turned away with a pout. He's a boy and he's prettier than me, Ariel gruffly thought.

"Argh! This sucks! I have to have classes with two girly freaks and an elfy freak!" came the complaining voice of Mir'kiin of Clan Vloz'ress. His red Tainted eyes glared at them with disdain. He had white hair and a tattoo under his left eye. Ralinor also noticed that he had a portion of his left ear missing and wondered what had caused it.

"Why couldn't I be put in a different class?" Mir'kiin continued to whine and complain. "It's bad enough I have to deal with not one, but two girly freaks, now I also gotta put up with a dumb elf whose people are either slaves or homeless nomads? Why are elves even here at all?"

"Please, do not insult Altariel and her son," Kel'noz berated. "The Drow-Dalish agreement allows certain elves of the Dalish to study here in Orthorbbae. Altariel is also considered a foreign dignitary, so I expect you all to show her the respect she deserves."

Ralinor gritted his teeth and clenched his fist as he glared at Mir'kiin. There were two things that could rile him up and Mir'kiin had just done them both. The first was an insult to his people. Ralinor knew his people's history and therefor knew of how much they had sacrificed and suffered over the ages while battling against the dark forces in order to protect the world. Countless elves had given their lives in battling Morgoth during the ancient times. Ralinor hated hearing people belittle the elves because he saw it as insulting the elves who had given up their lives for the benefit of all.

The second thing that Ralinor despised was bullies. During a Dalish Arlathvhen, Ralinor saw two elven boys from clan Virnehn picking on a younger elven girl from a different clan. They had stolen her doll and were holding it above her head out of her reach. The young girl cried for them to give it back while they just cruelly laughed and teased her. Ralinor confronted the two boys and when they refused to give the doll back, Ralinor did not hesitate to punch one square in the face. Ralinor had ended up with a few bruises and a split lip while both bullies had their own share of bruises as well as one having his nose broken and the other had a black eye.

Before Ralinor could retort, his mother, remembering his temper towards bullies, stepped forward to try and resolve things peacefully.

"Now, now, there is no need for all this hostility," Altariel admonished. "I'm sure that, after getting to know one another, we can all get along."

"No one asked you, old hag!" Mir'kiin shouted back.

Ralinor immediately took a BIG step back, pulling a confused Ariel with him. He may have a temper when dealing with bullies, but it was nothing compared to his mother when she lost her temper. Ralinor had been on the receiving end of her anger when he got in trouble before and he did not what to experience that again.

Nearby, Kel'noz palmed his face as he too knew what was about to happen. Having known Altariel since they were younger, he also knew about Altariel's famed temper. It actually took a lot to get her angry. But, when someone succeeded in angering her, everyone else took cover. Kel'noz reminded himself that he did give Mir'kiin a fair warning.

Altariel stared at Mir'kiin for a second before she closed her eyes and a fake sweet smile appeared. She leaned forward before slowly opening her eyes. In his arrogance, Mir'kiin wasn't worried at first before he noticed water started to rise out of the ground into Altariel's hand and formed something that looked suspiciously like a whip.

"I see someone has failed to teach you proper manners. I will act in their stead and show you what happens when you don't show proper respect towards your elders." Altariel said, still smiling that creepy sweet smile.

"You think I'm scared? What's a freaky old elf like you going to do?"

A few seconds later... WAP! "Ow!" WAP "Hey!" WAP "Stop it!" WAP "Ow! Stop it! Stop it!" WAP!

The rest of the students present winced at the sight of Altariel whipping Mir'kiin. They mentally noted to not insult the elf woman to her face.

"Have we learned our lesson yet?" Altariel questioned.

"Go get fucked, old Hag! When Kharla hears about this she'll-"

WAPWAPWAPWAPWAP! "OW, OW, OW, OW, OW!"

"Kharla? Do you mean your clan's newest Ill'haress, Kharla'ggen?" Altariel mused in curiosity. "By all means, let her come and see me. I'm planning on paying a visit to her and Sene'kha sometime before long."

"Wow. I would never want your mom angry at me," Ariel whispered.

"Yeah it brings back nightmares for me." Ralinor whispered back as he felt phantom pains from when he was whipped before.

"Have we learned anything yet?" Altariel asked again.

Mir'kiin stared at the ground and didn't answer as he rubbed his behind. It seemed like he had wised up slightly and decided to not insult Altariel again. But, he was still too stubborn and prideful to answer.

"Well, I'll take your silence as a sign that you're starting to learn," Altariel remarked before she turned to Kel'noz. "Are the rest of the students here yet?"

"There should be several more. Ah, there's another," Kel'noz pointed out.

The current students were creeped out by the mount, if it could be called a mount, which the next member of their group arrived on. It was a drider, with the upper body of a drow, and the lower body of a spider. Ariel shivered a bit while Ralinor stared in amazement at the drider, having never seen one before.

Wow. I bet people on the surface would freak out and think driders were demons if they ever saw one, Ralinor thought. Judging by what he was told about the Chantry, they would react even worse.

The drow boy riding on the back of the drider gave a satisfied grin at seeing all their faces. His name was Khal'harror Val'Beldrobbaen, nicknamed Khal. He wore dark clothing and had white hair with black streaks through it.

"Hello, bunch of losers!" Khal yelled as he jumped down.

"Who are you calling a loser, freak?" Mir'kiin immediately yelled back.

"Ah! I knew at least one of you losers wouldn't admit my superiority, so I came prepared!" Khal replied as he reached under his cloak for something. He pulled it out and held it aloft in a dramatic fashion. "Behold! Bob the Chicken of Doom!"

... ... ...

"What is that?" Gailen finally broke the silence.

"My greatest invention! A golem made of chicken bones, Bob the Mighty!"

"You suck..." Mir'kiin stated as Bob the Chicken of Doom hopped onto his head and started to peck him.

"This blend of rusty white doesn't fit it," Sorane remarked as he examined the golem.

"A golem?" Ralinor asked in confusion. "I thought golems were big stone guardians used by dwarves."

"Drow Golems are very different from Dwarven Golems, Ralinor. This art of sorcery is known as Golem Engineering. The Drow have created many golem of various shapes and sizes that are powered by magic and foci crystals. An example would be a Sharen War Golem that takes the shape of a wingless dragon, like their mounts, that is large enough to smash a building," Altariel explained. "Or there are infantry golems that are like a large suit of armor."

"But... what is a chicken?" Ariel asked, having never seen a chicken before.

"It's a type of bird," Ralinor answered before turning back to his mother with a curious look in his eyes. "Mother, these war golems you mentioned, did the Drow ever use them during their war with Orlais?" Ralinor asked in curiosity.

"Only once or twice. War Golems are massive and require an enormous amount of mana in order to work. Here, below the surface, there is a lot of ambient magical energy in the air that makes operating a War Golem much easier. On the surface, the only places where there is enough ambient magical energy for a War Golem is where the Veil between our word and the Fade is weak. Without any ambient magic, the War Golems require whole teams of drow and dozens of foci embedded in the golem in order to provide enough mana to operate them properly. Hence, War Golems are rarely used on the surface," Altariel explained to her son.

The eighth member of their class then arrived with his guard. As soon as Ariel spotted the mount he was riding, her eyes glinted.

"Kitty!" Ariel exclaimed at seeing the tiger mount.

"Down Ariel, down," Kel'noz ordered with a sigh. He then approached the student. "Yafein Sullisin'rune, I didn't expect you to be here. Wasn't there an agreement to wait a few more years due to your physical condition?"

Ralinor noticed that Yafein was a little scrawny. He wore blue clothes to match his clan, had shorter hair, and he also wore glasses. He stuttered a bit as he gave his reply to Kel'noz.

"My family w-wanted me to be here t-this year. They said my birth weakness must be o-overcome by studying and growing s-stronger."

"I'm sure it won't be an issue. You have the look of a scholar and there is power in knowledge, as it could lead to strong magic," Altariel offered up.

Yafein took one look at Ralinor's mother and his face immediately turned deep red. He tried to look away, but kept sending glances at the elf woman.

Meanwhile, Ariel had snuck closer to the tiger mount and gave it a hug around its legs. The beast simply glanced down at her in curiosity.

"Please, let the tiger go," asked the Sullisin'rune soldier riding the tiger.

After Yafein's arrival, everyone waited for the last student to arrive.

"Where is the ninth student?" Kel'noz muttered.

"Master Kel'noz! I'm here!" yelled a drow boy that was sweating and looked exhausted. He had brown clothing and tannish-orange hair. "Dra'jyal Kal'yantra reporting."

"What took you so long?"

"Our vehicle broke down and I had to walk the rest of the way here," Dra'jyal explained.

"Broke down?" Ariel asked in confusion, wondering how an animal ride could break down.

"A golem vehicle, if I'm not mistaken. Clan Kal'yantra is a minor clan that is known for their golem engineering," Altariel spoke up.

"Now that we're all here, follow me," Kel'noz ordered and guided them to the entrance. "Welcome to Davya, the fifth tower of Orthorbbae."

"Master Kel'noz, why are only seven of the Great Val clans within our group? What about the other two?" Yafein asked in curiosity.

"The Val'Kyorl'solenurn have their own private section where they study," Kel'noz answered. "As for the last clan, the Jaal'darya, they do not have any males to send to the school."

Ralinor knew about the Kyorls having their own private school, but what he heard about the Jaal'darya shocked him. How could one of the nine largest and greatest clans not have a single male within their clan?

Once they were within the entrance hall to the tower, Kel'noz turned to address the students.

"Now then, we must go over the rules of conduct. Punishment for breaking any rules are severe, even death," Kel'noz said in a foreboding tone. "So listen up! Rule number one: Do not step outside the cavern of Orthorbbae without permission. One class semester begins, you are not permitted to leave, unless you have special permission from your clan Ill'haress or have been kicked out of the school."

"Rule number two: Never enter the lower levels of the school. If you do, we shall not come to your rescue."

"What's so dangerous down their? Demons, monsters?" Khal questioned.

"Worse... girls." Nau'kheol answered.

"How could girls be so dangerous?" Sorane asked before glancing up at Altariel. "We have a woman following us into the tower."

"The Drow-Dalish Agreement permits several privileges that allow Ralinor and myself to travel between the different sections of the school," Altariel explained. "We are not in any danger because anything happing to either of us would result in a diplomatic incident... most of the time."

Ralinor did not like the way his mother hesitated before saying 'most of the time'.

"As for the rest of you," Kel'noz continued. "You are not permitted because several classes the female students attend require live guinea pigs and stray males could be used as a host for demonic entities or used as subjects for torture classes."

Every one of the group was wide-eyed at this revelation. Well... almost everyone.

"Cool!" Khal exclaimed with a grin. "Hope we get classes like that!"

Ralinor looked up at his mother with worry, silently hoping this was a joke. Altariel noticed this and gave him a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, da'len. I never took any of those classes," Altariel stated.

That was not the answer Ralinor was hoping for. He now partially understood why his mother had once told him that she would never let him set foot in Orthorbbae if she had the choice.

"Rule number three," Kel'noz continued. "It is forbidden to enter the room of any of the masters. Rule number four: It is forbidden to kill or wound another student. We don't need bodies lying around so if you have to settle a dispute, have the decency to do it in a private duel and dispose of the body afterwards if a death occurs, so that no one ever sees it."

Wait, dueling and death? They forbid it unless they are kept subtle about it? What kind of school allows someone to get away with something like that! Ralinor mentally shouted. To the side, Mir'kiin was giving Ralinor the evil eye.

"Rule number five: Obey the masters. Remember that the teachers are not forced to teach you anything. Starting in your third year, you will have to request for permission from each teacher to attend their class. Also, each master has their own set of unwritten rules. If you displease them, you will get expelled. If any one of you are expelled from all possible classes, you will be expelled from the school altogether."

"Finally, the sixth rule," Kel'noz pulled out a number of amulets with a circular crystal in the center. "These are keystones. Never lose yours! They are what allows you to move around certain sections of the tower. If you lose yours, you are on your own."

Kel'noz handed a keystone to each student before continuing. "This is your first lesseon. You must power up the keystone by channeling your magic into it. Some of you already know how to do this, some of you don't."

Kel'noz then turned to Ralinor. "This might be a little difficult for you, Ralinor, since it is different that the Mage Arts used on the surface..."

"Ralinor knows how to channel both inner and outer energies, Kel'noz," Altariel interrupted her friend.

"Really? He does? At his age?" Kel'noz blinked in bewildered surprise. "Even for a grown up, it's rare for someone to channel both styles of magic."

"I taught him when he was younger to feel the difference. It is much easier to learn when you are younger. After all, I learned the different styles of magic myself when I studied here in Orthorbbae, remember?" Altariel explained.

"Of course. With the reputation you gained when we were in school years ago, I should have realized you'd jumpstart your son's knowledge."

"Master Kel'noz, what you do you mean by 'both styles' of magic?" Gailen asked with one hand raised, the other holding his pet tik'tikki lizard. "Are you talking about elemental differences?"

"Not exactly. The Mages on the surface use a different form of magic than the sorcery that drow are familiar with. You'll learn what I mean in your classes," Kel'noz replied. "Now then, everyone needs to seal their magical aura in the keystone in order to use it. Magic is everywhere, even if you cannot see it. An invisible sea of energy."

"Magic flows through the elven races as thick as our own blood," Altariel spoke up. "A gift from Eru Iluvatar, for we are his children. Magic is part of our very nature and being. A current of energy that flows between us and the world around you. Although many elves have lost the ability to use some forms of magic, there are some still available to us all."

"Now, try and seal your magical auras into the keystones," Kel'noz ordered.

The student focused on the task, each with varying degrees of success. Remembering the lessons his mother taught him, Ralinor focused on using his sorcery and quickly sealed his magical aura into the stone. To the side, Ariel's face scrunched up as she tried to focus.

"Now, now, Ariel," Altariel chided as she placed a hand on Ariel's shoulder. "You're trying too hard. Take a deep breath, relax, and close your eyes."

Ariel did as Altariel advised, closing her eyes as the elven woman guided her.

"I'm going to teach you a focusing method I taught Ralinor. You can use this method not only to enhance your focus on magic, but also on swordsmanship and hand to hand combat," Altariel explained. "This focusing method was developed by the first group of Arcane Warriors thousands of years ago. It is called 'Way to the Void' or 'The Flame and the Void.'

"In your mind, imagine a flame surrounded by an endless void. Now, put all your emotions, your thoughts, and your concerns into the flame. Once everything is in the flame, there is nothing to distract you and all that remains is you and the void. This will allow you to truly perceive reality as it is in the present moment. Pain and fear are nothing but passing phenomena. There is only the Void."

Ariel kept her eyes closed and kept her breathing steady as she tried to picture the void in her mind. To the side, Ralinor grinned in excitement.

"Open your eyes and look at your keystone, Ariel!" Ralinor encouraged.

Almost without thinking, Ariel opened her eyes and looked down at her hands, only to gasp in surprise. Ariel's arms were encased in a layer of purple hued magic while the keystone itself was sparkling as the magical energy flowed flew it and around it. The excitement she felt however, caused the Void in her mind to shatter and the bright energy faded until it a small glow in the keystones' fixed gem.

"You lost the Void and your magic weakened as a result," Altariel noted, but was still smiling warmly. "Nonetheless, you did remarkably well for your first time. It takes decades to fully master the Flame of the Void. Once you do, you will obtain a level of control beyond your imagination. Remember, you can use this method not just for magic, but also for physical combat."

"Thank you for the help, Lady Altariel!" Arial said with a smile of gratitude. "I'll do my best to master this."

"Is anybody having trouble?" Kel'noz asked the group of students before focusing on Dra'jyal, who was slightly shaking as he held his keystone. "Dra'jyal, take it easy. If you try too hard, you'll only waste your mana..."

Thump! Everyone sweat dropped as Dra'jyal fell on his back with spirals in his eyes. Kel'noz let out a sigh.

"I forgot to tell you all that if you use too much of your mana, you will probably lose consciousness."

A few moments later, Kel'noz was leading the group down a hallway. When Dra'jyal struggled to stand, Ralinor suddenly stepped forward and slung Dra'jyal's arm over his shoulder to help him.

"I'm fine. I don't need help," Dra'jyal insisted.

"I know you don't need help," Ralinor replied. "But I'm still going to give you some."

"Thanks," Dra'jyal spoke in gratitude. "I was tired from having to walk to the tower... and I'm not very good at magic."

"You'll get better," Ralinor encouraged. "I'm sure you have some type of magic you'll be great at. My mother said your clan was good with golem engineering."

"Yeah, I always liked golems," Dra'jyal smiled. "Maybe I can be a combat engineer someday."

Next to them, Ariel was speaking to Yafein.

"Can you present me to your big kitty some day?" Ariel eagerly asked.

"I-I don't know if I can," Yafein hesitantly replied.

The class arrived to a side room that contained a number of odd looking objects. They looked like someone had cut a rounded rock in half. The bottoms had a crystal embedded, while the flat tops had a pole rising upwards with a handle attached to the top. The handle had an inset for the keystones to fit in.

"These are called Floaters. When powered by keystones, they will lift you up into the air. These are smaller floaters that accommodate one person. Larger floaters, or lifts, can carry many people at a time," Kel'noz explained. "We will use these to move to the different levels of the tower."

As the children rushed to try the floaters out, Ralinor paused with a look of wonder on his face before turning towards his mother.

"Mother... the old tales... could these be how...?"

"I know what you're thinking of, Ralinor. The old tales about Arlathan speak of spiraling towers of crystal and palaces in the clouds. Perhaps our ancestors used similar magical technology as these floaters to navigate such wonders," Altariel explained before giving Ralinor an encouraging smile. "Why don't you give one a try?"

Ralinor quickly ran to get his own floater with a grin. Altariel and Kel'noz both chuckled at the children's excitement.

"No use in telling them to be careful. Kid will learn caution the hard way," Kel'noz remarked.

"Remember when we first tried the floaters as children? I seem to remember you tumbling out of control through the air before crashing into one of our teachers," Altariel said with a smirk. Kel'noz winced at the memory.

"You just couldn't let me forget that memory, could you?"

"Nope. Mel collapsed from laughter when I told her about it."

Meanwhile, Ralinor had placed his keystone on a floater and was rising into the air. He nearly fell as the floater tipped. His eyes narrowed in concentration and, after teetering a couple more times, smiled as he began to float through the air.

The rest of the class... had varying results of success.

"So... tired..." Dra'jyal moaned as he laid on his floater, still exhausted.

"Fucking pole!" Khal swore as held himself between the legs.

Yafein was yelling for help as his floater had flipped over and was now spinning in circles in the air while Yafein held on. Nau'kheol was ribbing his forehead as a bruise was forming. Mir'kiin had slammed into the wall and was spread-eagle while growing in pain.

"Come back!" Gailen yelled as he chased after his pet Tiktikki, which was flying around on the floater. Sorane seemed to have no trouble as he floated in the air with a smile. Ariel spun and zipped through the air with little effort, letting out a laugh as she did.

"Hmmm," Altariel hummed as she noticed several white wisps circling under Ariel's floater. "You see that Kel'noz?"

"I do," Kel'noz replied. "It seems that Ariel has some innate wind sorcery and it is helping her control the floater easier."

Before long, the students finally got used to managing the floaters. Kel'noz then briefly explained the layout of the tower, which had twenty-six levels. The group then traveled up the elevation tube, which was basically an empty tube that was in the center of the tower and ran from the top to below the first level. There weren't any stairways, the only way to travel up and down the tower was to use the floaters in the elevation tube.

After stopping on the cafeteria floor to get some snacks, they were then brought to the sleeping quarters to get settled in their rooms. Ralinor's new room was mostly plain with a bed, desk, chair, and wardrobe...and it was more than what Ralinor ever had before, since Dalish Clans couldn't have large and heavy furniture as they traveled from place to place. Ralinor walked over to the bed and stared at it for a moment before reaching out to touch it. He then sat and bounced on the bed for a moment.

"Different from sleeping with blankets in an Aravel, isn't it da'len?" His mother remarked from the doorway. "What do you think?"

"It's... bouncy," Ralinor answered. Altariel chuckled at this.

"It may take you a couple nights to get used to sleeping in a bed, but I think you'll like them." Altariel then set some of Ralinor's belongings on the bed. "Kel'noz will help you and the rest of the students find your classes tomorrow, but I expect you be on time and study hard, understand?"

"Yes, mother," Ralinor answered.

"I need to go speak with Kel'noz about something, then I'll come back to say goodnight," Altariel explained before she departed. Ralinor then arranged his few belongings around the room before he fished out several books from one of his bags.

Elsewhere, Ariel was chatting with Yafein. Kel'noz had suggested to her that she tried to make friends with Yafein as he was from an allied clan.

"Do you like cats?" Ariel was asking.

"Y-yeah. The servant who looked after my room was a feral," Yafein replied.

"What's a feral?" Ariel asked in confusion.

"Well... they are kind of a short furry humanoid, with cat ears, tail, and a cat face," Yafein explained.

"You stopped stuttering," Ariel noted with a chuckle while Yafein looked shocked at hearing this. Later, Ariel was returning to her room when Ralinor ran up.

"Hey, Ariel! Can I come in for a bit?" Ralinor asked while holding up an armful of books. "I want to show you something."

"Ok," Ariel replied with an eager look. She loved books. "Is it a storybook?"

"Some are... sort are not," Ralinor sheepishly replied. "But I think you'll like to see them."

They sat next to each other on the bed as Ralinor opened one of the books.

"These are all books that my mother brought with us. This one contains a translation for the elven languages: Quenya, Sindarin, and Dalish," Ralinor explained. "Your brother, Kel'noz, did say that I could help you learn them. This will help."

Ariel looked over the book with wide-eyed curiosity. The book didn't just contain all three languages, it also showed them written in different scripts. The words were shown in basic, elvish, and even drow script.

"Wow, where did your mother get a book like this? Three languages and in differently written forms. I bet books like these are rare," Ariel asked.

"Several different Dalish Keepers worked on them for years. Every Dalish clan has at least one. You won't find books like these anywhere else. Well, I guess it's possible that there might be books like these here in Chel'el'Sussoloth," Ralinor then showed Ariel some of the other books. "These other books are about heroes from the First Age, this one's about the Valar and the Maiar, and this book is one of the volumes about the Arcane Warriors."

"Wow!" Ariel said in amazement. She was very eager to read these books. She then lifted up the Language book. "What are the elvish words for cat?"

When Altariel entered Ralinor's room, she found it empty. But, she knew where her son probably went. She knocked on the door to Ariel's room, but received no answer. After quietly opening the door, she smiled at the sight that greeted her.

Ralinor and Ariel were both sound asleep side-by-side as they laid against the head of the bed. At least half a dozen books were spread out around them. Altariel realized they must have been reading together for an hour or two.

They look so adorable. I wish Mel could see this, Altariel though as she walked next to the bed. She summoned her magic forth and levitated the books off the bed and to the table. Then, doing her best to not wake them, she pull the blanket up before straightening a strand of Ariel's hair out of her face and then kissing her son's forehead. She then doused the light, silently wishing them luck on their first day of classes.

Redcliffe, Ferelden

The Grey Warden, Therin, stood outside of Redcliffe castle and looked out over the village and beyond. In the valley surrounding the village, hundreds and hundreds of campfires burned as Dalish Elves, Dwarves of Orzammar, the Circle of Magi, and Men of Ferelden went about their tasks and preparing to march against the Blight. There were so many soldiers from many different walks of life and this was not even the full army that was to gather.

Thorin, now King of the Dwarves, had arrived with a vanguard force that numbered thousands. His cousin, Dain Ironfoot, was expected to join them on the march against the Darkspawn horde with an even larger army. Even the infamous Legion of the Dead was among the dwarven ranks, thanks to Therin's successful attempt to convince them to join.

The Dalish clan that the Warden and his companions had helped at the Brecilian Forest had also arrived, but not alone. Therin's own clan, Sabrae, as well as clan Alerion had arrived to lend aid to the coming battle. Therin was happy that his own clansmen would be fighting by his side. But the biggest boon the Dalish would provide was made clear with the arrival of clan Ralaferin. Clan Ralaferin had a reputation gained first from the former Keeper Gisharel, who wrote much of the Dalish's history down and had them made available to non-elves in order to disprove false images of the Dalish. Under the current Keeper, Elindra, Clan Ralaferin was one of the largest and most powerful of the Dalish clans. Not only providing a large number of Dalish warriors and hunters, but they also had among their rank Warmaster Athran. Warmasters were the Dalish equivalent to generals, and Athran was one of the best trained and skilled Warmasters that the Dalish had.

A host of mages had also joined from the Circle of Magi. At the Circle of Magi's tower on Lake Calenhad, Therin and his companion had arrived in time to prevent the Circle's destruction at the hands of a treacherous blood mage named Uldred. If not for the presence of Gandalf, many mages would have perished to demons or turned into abominations. Before Therin's company had even arrived at the Circle Tower, Gandalf had stridden right into the tower and past bewildered Templars all by himself. When Therin and his companions reached the tower and followed, they discovered that Gandalf had saved dozens and dozens of mages before they were turned into abominations. In order to combat Uldred and his highly advance blood magic, Therin had to use an artifact called the Litany of Adralla. Gandalf however, seemed to be unaffected by any forms of blood magic and its power of controlling minds. Had the White Wizard not shown up, the number of mages in the gathered army would have been severely reduced.

The nobility of Ferelden had not gathered all of their troops together yet, but they would arrive soon. Therein himself had dueled the traitorous Loghain in Denerim to the death and installed Alistair to marry and rule Ferelden besides Queen Anora. Ferelden's civil war had ended and was now rallying behind the new king Alistair and the Grey Wardens. Therin couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at seeing so many working together.

"You are to be commended for your achievements, Therin Mahariel," came the voice of Gandalf behind Therin. The old wizard stepped up to Therin's side. "Soon, it will all be put to the test."

"I could never have gotten this far without you and my companions' help."

"Hold your friends close to you then and they shall aid you through the darkness that is to come," Gandalf encouraged. An encouragement that gave Therin hope.

"We should join the others," Therin suggested. Gandalf nodded in agreement and they walked into the camp. They reach a campfire where Therin's companions and a group of dwarves were gathered around.

"Hopefully it won't be much longer," commented a young dwarf named Fili.

"Agreed. I just sharpened my blade and I'm ready to dull it on some darkspawn," Spoke up Fili's brother, Kili, with a grin.

"We shouldn't be too eager to jump into battle," Leliana advised. "The darkspawn have managed to destroy the army of the king at Ostagar and their strength has only grown. It's a good thing the Dalish Elves had stalled their advance, or else Ferelden might have already fallen."

Leliana's words were spoken with truth. Large groups of Darkspawn had attempted to move deeper into Ferelden from Ostagar, only to experience ambush after ambush from the Dalish Elves. In forested areas, Elves hidden in the foliage would use their deadly bows to turn Darkspawn into pincushions, often destroying entire companies of Darkspawn. Then they would disappear into the forest before the Darkspawn could chase after them.

In more open areas, such as fields or hills in the eastern part of Hinterlands or the Southron Hills, the Dalish Elves made great use of their halla. Armed with spears or bows, the Dalish riding the swift and surefooted halla would quickly strike at the Darkspawn before quickly retreating, firing their bows at anyone foolish enough to chase them. Often, the Darkspawn that chased after the Dalish cavalry would be led into an ambush, where they would be slaughtered.

Up till then, thousands of Darkspawn had met their end at the hands of elven blades and arrows. However, despite the success of the elves, the vast horde of Darkspawn was still growing.

"Aw, don't worry, fair lady. Now you have the dwarves on your side!" Kili boasted.

"We've hacked off darkspawn heads time and time again!" Fili said in agreement.

"Drove them back from Orzammar!"

"Battered them down with war hammers!"

"Cleave them in two with good dwarvish steel!"

"And with elves, men, and mages we'll drive them back in the deepest, darkest hole in the ground. HAHA!"

"You two think this is all funny, don't you?"

Kili and Fili stiffened as they heard the sound of their uncle's voice behind them. They nervously turned to see the frowning face of Thorin Oakenshield.

"The armies of several nations and races have gathered together, tens of thousands, and still the darkspawn are believed to outnumber us at least three to one... and their numbers are still growing. Countless men, elves, and dwarves will die in the battle to come. You still think this is all a joke?" Thorin demanded.

"No... We didn't mean..." Kili hesitantly spoke.

"You two know nothing about war," Thorin stated dismissively before striding to the edge of the camp to be alone.

"He isn't very old, but Oakenshield is clearly a seasoned warrior," Sten noted. "He is like an Arishok."

"Arishok?" Therin asked, curious as to what the Qunari term meant.

"The Arishok is one of the Triumvirate, the governing body of the Qunari society. The equivalent of general or military commander, kadan," Sten explained to Therin. Sten held Therin in high regard ever since he helped the Qunari warrior retrieve his blade, Asala.

"That sounds about right, Qunari," spoke up Dwalin, the veteran dwarf warrior leaned on a axe nearby. "I've fought by Thorin's side in many battles against the darkspawn in defense of Orzammar and when we reclaimed the Iron Hills Taig."

"I remember hearing some tales about that," Leliana remarked with interest. "This was on the Storm Coast, correct?"

"Aye. Ages ago, a section of the land on the Storm Coast went by the name of the Iron Hills. The Taig that lies below the surface still bears the name," Dwalin replied.

"I'm guessing that's where Thorin got the name 'Oakenshield', didn't he? I would like to hear the whole story," Therin requested.

"It is a tale that won't be forgotten by the dwarves anytime soon, Grey Warden," spoke up Balin. The elderly dwarf stood and began to tell the tale.

"Thorin was always proud of his heritage, but was disheartened at seeing how much the dwarves had lost over the ages. He was determined to change that. Soon after Ferelden claimed its independence from Orlais, Thorin came before the Assembly and the former King of Orzammar, Endrin, to propose a bold plan to reclaim one of the larger and more valuable Thaigs that had been lost: the Iron Hills Thaig. This thaig was located within the Storm Coast, the northern coast of Ferelden. Reclaiming it would not only increase the dwarves control within the Deep Roads, but it was also an old dwarven port and would allow greater trade options with other surface kingdoms."

"There have been attempts to reclaim lost thaigs in the past, but they ended in disaster. Thorin's plan, however, was to use a bold strategy different from the past. Instead of trying to march through the Deep Roads, and through hordes of Darkspawn, Thorin proposed that the dwarves march across the surface and attack the Darkspawn from above."

"Many of the Assembly were hesitant to back such a plan, but King Endrin supported it, along with a number of powerful noble houses. After negotiating an agreement with Ferelden for passage, an army was assembled to march on the Iron Hills. Thorin, his father Thrain, his grandfather Thror, and his cousin Dain Ironfoot were appointed as the commanders of the army. Dain took the vanguard and marched ahead to pave the way for the main force."

"But, when we neared the region of the Storm Coast, we discovered that Dain was under attack. Somehow, the Darkspawn learned of our plans and sent a force to ambush Dain. Thorin quickly lead his troops to aid his cousin while the main force continued to march towards its goal. Thorin and Dain succeeded in destroying the darkspawn and then moved to rejoin the main army."

"But, when Thorin and Dain arrived at the entrance to the Iron Hills Taig, they found their fellow dwarves fighting a desperate battle, for a large army of darkspawn had marched out from the Deep Roads to destroy the dwarves."

At the edge of the camp, Thorin stared out into space as old memories came back to him...

His sword sliced through a hurlock's neck before he turned and raised his shield to defend himself from a genlock's charge. His cousin, Dain, was nearby swinging his warhammer into any darkspawn that got close to him. Dark clouds were overhead and a few drops of rain fell as dwarves and darkspawn battled all over the rocky terrain with a handful of trees scattered around...

"Wait, the Darkspawn marched onto the surface? How can that be?" Leliana asked in confusion. "This was many years ago and Darkspawn only march on the surface when there is a Blight. Without an Archdemon to lead them, Darkspawn are little more than mindless beast."

"Oh no, lassie. Not all Darkspawn are mindless..." Balin corrected with a grave look on his face. "I take it you've fought an Alpha Darkspawn before?"

"Yes, plenty," Therin answered instead, remembering the deadly creatures he had struggled to kill in the past.

"Over the years, dwarves have learn some of the hierarchy of the darkspawn," Balin began to explained. "Alpha Darkspawn are the commanders and generals of the darkspawn. They become Alphas by slaying others of their brood. But... there is a rank among the darkspawn that is even fouler than an Alpha. A monstrosity with terrible strength and power. When one Alpha slays many other Alphas, they become this beast. We call darkspawn who attained this rank... the Omega."

Thorin turned to see a massive figure charge through the dwarven ranks. A single swing of the monster's enormous mace sent several dwarves flying from the force of the blow. The monstrosity with pale-colored skin turned and revealed its hate-filled eyes.

"The darkspawn army that we faced was led by one of these Omegas. Azog... the Defiler," Balin continued, his face darkening in memory. "This vile Omega Darkspawn had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin."

Every instinctively turned to look at Thorin, who was still standing alone. They then turned back as Balin continued the story.

"He began... by killing Thorin's grandfather, Thror."

Thorin gaped in horror as he saw Azog lift the severed head of his grandfather. The monster roared in victory before tossing the head to the ground. All Thorin could do was yell in anguish.

"Thrain, Thorin's father, was driven mad with grief. He went missing, taken prisoner or killed. We did not know which. Our expedition, which began with such high hopes, was about to become the worst disaster that the dwarves have suffered in decades. Defeat and death were upon us."

Balin had a weary and tired gaze on his face while he stared at the ground for a moment. Suddenly, he looked up with a smile.

"And then... that's when I saw him. A young dwarf staring down the Defiler."

Thorin charged forward without fear. Azog moved to meet him with his mace. Thorin was taken by surprise at the speed that Azog swung with the mace. He was sent flying, his sword and shield knocked from his hands. He looked up to see the monster leaping forward to bring the mace down on him.

"He stood alone against this terrible foe!"

Thorin rolled away from the blow that would have smashed his skull in and found his hands grasping an oak branch that must have fallen from one of the few trees in the area. As Azog attempted to bring his mace down on him again, Thorin raised the branch, stopping the blow.

"Wielding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield!"

As Azog spun around with the mace in his left hand, Thorin swooped low to grab a sword. Then, with a quick slice, Azog's left arm went flying. The Defiler let out a roar of pain and shock as he grasped the stump that was left of his arm.

"Azog learned that day that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken," Balin said before sighing. "With Azog's defeat, our lines rallied behind Thorin and drove the darkspawn horde back underground into the Iron Hills Thaig."

"Du Bekar!" Thorin roar out over the battlefield as Azog was being dragged back underground.

"Baruk Khazâd!" Came the reply from the dwarven warriors as Thorin led the charge. Their spirits lifted by Thorin's victory, the dwarves slammed into the Darkspawn lines and began to tear them apart.

"Our onslaught was so great, we managed to completely clear the Thaig from all traces of Darkspawn. Rather than claim the Thaig for himself, Thorin gave it to his cousin, Dain Ironfoot. Then, over the next few months, Thorin and Dain had cleared the Deep Roads that connected Orzammar to the Iron Hills. They arrived at the gates of Orzammar tired and bloody, but were greeted with cheers and celebration. It came at a great cost, but for the first time in ages, the Dwarves had succeeded in regaining part of the Deep Roads. Thorin had gain great support for his achievement, allowing him to be a contender for the crown. I am glad he succeeded, for I remember telling myself... there was one I could follow... there was one who I can call my king."

After finishing his tale, Balin and his fellow dwarves looked towards Thorin as he turned to face them. Their loyalty was clear in their eyes. Therin noticed that Thorin's face briefly lost its usual stern look as met his fellow dwarves eye to eye. However, something bothered Therin.

"What of Azog the Defiler? What happened to him?" Therin asked.

"He slunked back into the Deep Roads. That filth died of his wounds long ago," Thorin declared in a dismissive tone.

Later...

As the sun began to disappear beneath the horizon, Therin felt a familiar presence slip by his side near the fire.

"You seem worried," Leliana spoke as leaned against Therin. "Even after all that we've already faced."

"Everything that we've already face seems to fall short of what's to come. We would have never gotten this far without the help of so many. Arl Eamon, Thorin, First Enchanter Irving, my fellow Dalish, and especially Gandalf. Not sure how we would have gotten without all their support," Therin replied.

"Tis true, you have had much help," came the voice of Morrigan as she appeared and sat on the opposite side of Therin, causing Leliana to give her a glare. "Admittedly, the... old white-bearded man may be useful. Still, you should not underestimate you own abilities, my dear Gray Warden."

"Hmm... Therin, where and when did you first meet Gandalf?" Leliana suddenly inquired. "I never thought to ask until now."

"I am a little curious, as well," Morrigan admitted.

"Well, I was actually rather young when Gandalf first appeared. It was during one of the Dalish Arlathvhen, the Meeting of the Clans. Gandalf appeared out of nowhere and approached the camp. I thought that our hunters were going to shoot him at first, but he said something to them. One hunter ran off and returned with several Keepers. They all looked shocked to meet Gandalf and they spoke with him for hours in private. I don't know what was said, but afterwards, all the Keepers seemed very troubled by something and there were a lot of debates going on between them."

"Later on, word was spread that Gandalf was one of the Istari and all the elves, myself included, were amazed at learning this. He was immediately treated as if he was one of the Dalish," Therin explained.

"I still find the idea behind these 'Istari' hard to believe," Leliana frowned. "The Maker watches over us and surly..."

"Oh, please. Not more of that 'Maker this' and 'Maker that" drivel," Morrigan interrupted in exasperation. "I question why you belief in a deity who abandon his own followers."

"Enough, both of you!" Therin interrupted. "I don't want to hear you two arguing for a while."

"As you wish," Morrigan replied, but was unable stop herself from saying another comment. "After all, we both know the only true deity is Eru Iluvatar."

"When did you become so religious, Morrigan?" Leliana challenged.

"Never. I just don't believe in the Maker," Morrigan replied with a taunting smirk.

Before more could be said, a horn sounded out from south-west of the camp. Therin quickly got up to see what was going on, with Morrigan and Leliana following. They arrived at the edge of the camp, where Alistair, Arl Eamon, Thorin, and Gandalf were already waiting.

"I can't believe my eyes. It's the Drow!" Alistair exclaimed.

Therin was just as surprised to see a company of the darker-skinned cousins of the elves marching to the camp. Many were even riding on massive Dire wolves! A drow woman at the head of the column, who Therin guessed was their leader, jumped off her wolf to meet them.

"Greetings, fellow warriors! My name is Quill'yate Yurun'hiir of Clan Sarghress," Quill'yate introduced before turning back to her troops. "Soldiers! Find yourself somewhere to sleep for the night! Get to it!"

The soldiers in the Drow company nodded and set out to do what they were told to.

"So, who's in charge here?" Quill'yate asked as she turned back to face Therin and his group.

"Well, I guess Alistair is technically in charge." Therin stated.

"What? Oh, right. Greetings, I am Alistair. I mean, King Alistair, the, um, king of Ferelden," Alistair stumbled with his words.

"I see," Quill'yate replied with a raised eyebrow. "Well, I've brought a hundred warriors from Clan Sarghress to help fight this Blight. They include some of the Assault Legion, as well as some of my own Highland Raiders."

"That is good to hear, Lady Quill'yate," Arl Eamon spoke up to help Alistair. "When will the rest of the drow armies arrive?"

"What you see here is what you get," Quill'yate replied. It took everyone a moment to realize what she was saying.

"What? You mean that this is all that the drow are going to commit to the war against the Blight?" Thorin demanded while glancing at Quill'yate's soldiers. "I expected a greater commitment than this."

"Chel'el'Sussoloth is experiencing a lot of political turmoil at this time. You should be glad you got me and my troops. I bet one of my warriors is worth ten of any other soldier you've gathered," Quill'yate stated with confidence.

"A bold challenge, my lady," spoke up Kili as he walked up. "Looks like the dwarves are going to have to show you why we are the best when it comes to killing darkspawn."

"Regardless of the reasons, I am glad you and your men are here, Lady Quill'yate," Therin interrupted. "We need all the help we can get in order to defeat this Blight."

Before more could be said, a shout sounded out as several Dalish hunters rushed up to the group with Warmaster Athran at their head.

"Mithrandir, Therin, King Alistair! Dalish scouts have just arrived. They report that a large army of Darkspawn is approaching Redcliffe!" Warmaster Athran informed them.

"They are marching here? How far out are they?" Therin demanded.

"About an hour."

"We must not tarry! Let us prepare our forces immediately!" Gandalf declared.

"Agreed. Dwalin!" Thorin began to shout orders.

"We just arrived and we get a battle? Excellent! Let's see how dangerous these darkspawn really are!" Quill'yate stated with a battle-hungry grin.

Therin quickly joined them to get the allied armies ready for battle. It was an unexpected move by the Darkspawn, but they will be prepared on time. However, it wouldn't be until after the battle that they learned that it was only a smaller part of the Darkspawn horde. The main horde was marching on Ferelden's capital, Denerim.

Tower Davya, Orthorbbae, Chel'el'Sussoloth

Excitement shot through Ralinor as he and his classmates entered the classroom for their first class, which was mana class. Ralinor enjoyed studying magic immensely and was eager to see what was in store for them all.

"Greeting, students. I am Master Soleam'ji Sullisin'rune and welcome to your first class of basic mana manipulation," The instructor greeted as they all sat down. He then focused on Ralinor. "Altariel's son, correct? We will be studying sorcery in this class and if you're struggling in this class, I don't want to hear excuses that you only know how to use the mage arts from the surface world."

"It's alright, Master Soleam'ji. My mother has already taught me how to feel the difference between the two styles and I can channel both," Ralinor replied to his teacher.

Master Soleam'ji blinked as he stared at Ralinor for a moment.

"You can channel both styles?"

"Yes, sir."

"Interesting. I should have realized your mother would have taught you this, given her reputation when she studied in Orthorbbae," Soleam'ji remarked as he stroked his chin in thought.

"Master Soleam'ji," Gailen spoke up. "I asked Master Kel'noz about this and he said we would get our answer in class. What do you mean when you say 'channel both styles'?"

"Ah, a fine place to start our lesson for the day," Soleam'ji replied and began his explanation.

"Magic is vast and mysterious, taking on many forms. But, all magic can be categorized into three main styles. The first two are Mana Arts and Mage Arts.

"Mana Arts is the general term that encompasses all magical arts used by the Drow. Sorcery is perhaps the term you will hear the most, but it is only one discipline within the Mana Arts. Other disciplines include Raw Mana Arts, Summoning, High Arts, along with many others.

"Magic users on the surface are referred to as Mages. This lead to the general term of 'Mage Arts' for their style of magic. Although, the term 'Fade Magic' has also been used. This style also has different forms that they call 'schools' of magic, such as Primal, Spirit, Entropy, and Elemental, to name a few.

"Remember: Mana Arts and Sorcery always refers to the Drow's style of magic. Mage Arts or Fade Magic refers to the style of magic on the surface world. If you're wondering what the main difference between these two is, the answer is that Mana Arts draws its energy source from within the user or caster. Mage Arts, on the other hand, draw its power from the Fade."

"Mana Arts are better, right?" Khal spoke up. "I mean, no way some pathetic mage on the surface can beat the Drow, right?"

"Not exactly, young one. No form of magic is truly stronger than another," Soleam'ji replied. "Both styles of magic have their own strengths and weaknesses. For Mana Arts, it is complex and restrictive. Each of you have a natural affinity that your magical power will be centered around. It takes decades for one to master their affinity. If you wish to learn another affinity or discipline of magic, it will take you a much longer time to study it or you will have to make use of Foci to allow you to caste a secondary magic. For example, if your natural affinity is fire and you wish to also study earth sorcery, your skill in earth sorcery will never be as strong as your natural affinity for fire sorcery. You must also keep in mind that if you use too much magic, you will eventually run out and collapse from exhaustion.

"The Mage arts, on the other hand, don't exactly work in the same way. A mage will not run out of energy and collapse from casting magic like a drow would, because they draw their power from the Fade. Therefore, a mage will be able to caste far more spells and for a longer period of time. However, because of this, a mage acts like a conduit for the magical energy and there is a limit of how much energy can travel through them. Powerful spells can overwhelm them in a matter that once could say is similar to exhausting their energy reserves. Also, Mage Arts are easier to learn, as mages can caste a variety of spells from different schools of magic, as well and learn then much quicker than a Drow can learn Sorcery. They do have limits, but, in general, a mage is able to learn more forms of magic and in a shorter amount of time than the majority of drow."

"That sucks..." Ralinor heard Nau'kheol mutter.

"But, as I said, no form of magic is truly stronger," Master Soleam'ji continued. "Even though Sorcery takes longer to master and you'll be limited in how many disciplines you can learn, you will have strengths that mages will not. There are three advantages that Drow have.

"One, most drow that learn how to channel sorcery also learn close combat. Mages on the surface almost never become skilled in close combat, while the drow have many fighters that are skilled in sorcery and close combat. Many spell that mages use require some casting time, while Sorcery is much more fluid and can be applied to close ranged combat better.

"Second, your natural affinity will be unmatched by any similar form of magic used by mages. For example, if you're natural affinity if fire sorcery, a mage using an Elemental school fire spells will be unable to match your power. Your limit is only your imagination. However, this also ties in with the third reason, which is age and experience."

"Age and experience?" Ariel wondered out loud.

"Yes. Humans live short lives, perhaps a hundred years a best. The Drow may no longer have their immortality, like our elven cousins, but we still live for hundreds, even thousands of years. That is hundred and thousands of years spent honing ones skill and power. In the short terms, the average mage on the surface is stronger in magical power and ability. However, the time goes by, the advantage is reversed as Drow who have lived for hundreds or thousands of years, and dedicate time to mastering their art, will wield power that is not to be trifled with.

"If you dedicate time and effort into your art, it will become a masterpiece. In summary, Mage arts has a greater variety of magic and is easier to learn in a short amount of time, while Mana Arts and Sorcery is more specialized and fluid, as you will excel at your nature affinity. It all depends on the individual." Master Soleam'ji summed up. "Oh, you should also know that both styles of magic are practically useless against Nether Demons, since they feed on magical energy. The only real exceptions are the sealing arts that drow can learn.

"Not to mention, on the surface, there is a group called the Templar Order that serves the religious organization known as the Chantry. These Chantry Templars have a unique power that suppress magic. Both styles of magic, in fact. The Chantry Templars were able cause some problems for the Drow during the Drow-Orlesian war. A Templar's ability to suppress magic is based on will, so it is theoretically possible for a magic user with a strong will to still channel magic, although it will be weaker than normal because of the Templar's power."

The students mulled over this information for a moment before Yafein raised his hand.

"Master Soleam'ji, you mentioned something about a third style of magic?" Yafein asked.

"Ah, yes. The third style of magic, if it could be called as such, is widely known as the Great Arts. Some call it the Eldar Arts or Great Powers," Soleam'ji then pointed at Ralinor. "Can you explain what 'Eldar' means, Ralinor?"

"Eldar was the first name given to the Elven races by the Valar, although today it is used to refer to elves in the first and second ages, the really old and powerful ones. Some tales claim that these elves could challenge the Maiar, maybe even the Valar," Ralinor explained. "All elves are descendant of either the Vanyar, the Noldor, or the Teleri, while the Drow, through their Dark Elf ancestry, are descendants of the Moriquendi."

"Moriquendi?" Ariel confusingly asked.

"It is the Elven name for Elves of Darkness, or the Dark elves. They did not make a great journey with the other elven races to Valinor, the Undying Lands and the realm of the Valar. Sharess was said to have traveled to Valinor, but I don't know if that tale is true or not. Technically the Drow are descendants of the Umanyar, a group of Moriquendi who made part of the great journey, but not all the way to Valinor. There are other groups within the Moriquendi, such as the Avari, but they disappeared long before Elvhenan was even created. No one has seen any of the Avari Dark Elves for ages. It's one of the biggest mysteries in elven stories," Ralinor explained to his friend.

"As Ralinor pointed out, very good answer by the way, Eldar is used to refer to elves in the ancient times. The Great Arts, or Eldar Arts, is...well, to give you the simplest answer possible, is believed to be the power of gods," Soleam'ji stated. All the students immediately perked up at hearing this, causing Soleam'ji to grin. "Caught your attention, didn't I? But keep in mind that I said 'believed to be'. We know it is the same power used by the Valar and the Maiar, but little beyond that. The Great Arts are very mysterious and break many traditional rules of magic.

"Scholars, historians, and sorcerers have debated for centuries on whether the Great Arts are truly magic, or some other supernatural force. That is why some even argue that the Great Arts should be called the Great Powers instead, since we don't truly know if it is magic."

Sorane raised his hand and the feminine boy asked, "Why don't we know if the Great Arts is magic or not?"

"Because, young one, the very nature of the Great Arts is a mystery as it has some very unusual habits, even by magical standards. For example, one can sense a person's mana or aura if they try, or they can sense magical energy from areas where the Veil to the Fade is weak. In other words, we can sense the magical energy sources for both Mana Arts and Mage Arts. The Great Arts, however, have no magical energy that can be felt or sensed. It's as if the power of the Great Arts is an invisible energy you cannot feel or sense in any possible way... except when someone is actually channeling its power. Only then you can feel it in the air around you."

"What does it feel like?" Ariel asked.

"Believe me, you'll know it when you feel it. It is like the air is suddenly heavy around you, or there is some sort of great weight or pressure on your shoulders. It is not a feeling you'll will forge," Soleam'ji explained with a grimace. "A practitioner of the Great Arts is rare in this day and age. I can count on one hand how many people I've met who can use the Great Arts with some level of skill. One of them is your mother, Ralinor."

"Really?" Ralinor exclaimed in surprise.

"Yes. Lady Altariel gain quite a reputation here in Orthorbbae when it was revealed that she could use the Great Arts to a rather impressive degree. In fact, she was the one who discovered that the Great Arts can affect and kill Nether Demons, while most Mana Arts and Mage arts cannot."

"One can actually kill Nether Demons with the Great Arts? Cool!" Khal exclaimed.

"As I said, the Great Arts go by their own unique rules. We also know that the Chantry Templars, who can suppress both Mana and Mage arts, cannot do the same to the Great Arts. The Great Arts are completely unaffected by Templar powers."

"What else can someone do with the Great Arts? How does it work?" Mir'kiin asked, a glint of greed in his eyes.

"The use of the Great Arts varies a bit. Some spells can be used instantly, while others require long chants in the old elven tongues, primarily Quenya. According to the old tales, it is said that one can use fire and light, summon storms and lightning, manipulate the land around you, or change one's form similar to shapeshifting. One tale speaks of how an elven maiden, by the name of Lúthien, was able to use the Great Arts to enhance her singing and was able to make Morgoth himself, the first dark lord, fall asleep along with the inhabitants of his castle.

"There are also tales of powerful Elven lords who could enhance the already powerful art of the Arcane Warriors by channeling the Great Arts to fuel the Arcane Warrior spells. Examples would include Glorfindel, an elven lord who manage to slay a Balrog, though it cost him his life to do so.

"Another famous of example would be the ancient High-King of the Noldor, Fingolfin, who dueled Morgoth himself. It is said that Morgoth could not be slain, for he was of the Valar and too high in rank among the Ainur. However, Fingolfin came close to disproving that declaration when he injured Morgoth seven times before he finally fell. Before Morgoth could kill him however, Fingolfin hewed Morgoth's foot and permanently crippled the Valar. Such is the potential power that even a mortal can wield, power to cripple one of the most powerful of the Valar, of all the Ainur race, second only to Eru Iluvatar. Such is the power of the Arcane Warriors combined with the Great Arts."

"Master Soleam'ji, foci crystals and other objects can enhance the Mana Arts, right? And Mages use staffs for their Mage arts, right? Are there some sort of similar objects for the Great Arts?"

"Ah, the only objects, that I'm aware of, capable of channeling and enhancing the use of the Great Arts are the Rings of Power. These Rings were forged by the famous elven smith, Celebrimbor. However, these rings are extremely rare. Most of them are lost or hidden. The only one I'm familiar with is Narya, the Ring of Fire, which is in the possession of the Empress Diva'ratrika. As for the other rings, I do not know where they may be.

"So, young ones," Soleam'ji began to finish. "While the Great Arts can grant you great power, it is extremely rare and mysterious in this day and age. It is unlikely that any of you will be able to call upon its power. Instead, let us focus on what you can achieve with sorcery within this class."

"Are we going to learn battle spells in the first year?" Mir'kiin immediately asked.

"Probably not, but it depends on how quickly you learn the basic skill."

"Sheesh! Don't tell me you're going to teach us how to concentrate for a whole year, dumb head?" Mir'kiin complained. A hint of annoyance entered Mater Soleam'ji's eyes and he tapped his staff to the ground. "What a bunch of crap-hrk! Wheeze! Wheeze!"

Ralinor's eyes widened in surprise as he watched Mir'kiin suddenly started to gasp and wheeze for air. Some of the other students rolled their eyes at Mir'kiin's foolishness.

"The name is Master Soleam'ji, and you are not authorized to interrupt me," Soleam'ji warned before he swung his staff and Mir'kiin was lifted into the air and slammed into the ground before the Master.

"That, my students, is an example of advanced air sorcery. Pulling air out of his lungs and throwing him around are only some of the things that can do with Air. Every element can be used in complex and creative ways. Air, fire, and water are some of the more familiar elements, but there is also steel, blood, bones, sound, and many other forms of sorcery.

"In fact," Soleam'ji grinned as he taped Mir'kiin's head with his glowing staff. "Even the color of clothing and hair are connected to an element, and can be changed."

Mir'kiin's let out a yelp of surprise as his hair and clothing suddenly turned bright pink in color. Ralinor, Ariel, and the other students burst into laughter at the sight.

"The only limitation to what you can do is your imagination. However, there is also one rule to remember: Nothing is ever truly destroyed, nothing is ever truly created. We can only transfer, reshape, and modify the elements." Soleam'ji then turned back to Mir'kiin. "Now then, student, come over to the table and place those materials onto the table."

Grumbling as he did so, Mir'kiin placed some water, metal, a branch, a feather, and other items onto the table.

"Master Soleam'ji, aren't' elements like water and ice the same? Or light and darkness?" Dra'jyal asked.

"Those elements are connected to each other, but they have different properties. Water is a liquid, while ice is solid and cold. Knowing how to manipulate water does not mean you know how to manipulate ice. Same with light and darkness. You may know how to create a light, but that doesn't mean you know how to create an absence of light. Hence, they are considered different elements." Soleam'ji explained. "If there are no more questions, we will now test to see which element you have the strongest affinity for."

Ralinor was very curious as to what his natural affinity would be. He knew that his mother had an affinity for water sorcery, and she was almost equally skilled in ice sorcery. Would he be the same and have an affinity for one of those elements?

The first to test their affinity was Khal. He had an affinity for bones, which was unsurprising considering his bone golem, Bob the Chicken of Doom.

Next to go was Ariel and she had a look of joy on her face when she found she had potential for air sorcery. She happily spun a feather between her hands with the wind spinning around it in a circle. However, something strange happened with the blood element. It stuck to Ariel's hand and she needed help from Master Soleam'ji to get it off her. Master Soleam'ji was unsure why this happened and advised Ariel to not interact with blood, bone, or any other body related element until she could find a specialist to help her.

As Ariel sat back down, Ralinor whispered to her, "Good job, Ariel! You can use air sorcery. It looks so cool!"

"I hope I can do some of those tricks Master Soleam'ji showed us!" Ariel said with a grin before it faded into a frown. "Although, I wonder why the blood reacted so weird to me..."

"Hmm... maybe Master Kel'noz knows why. Or my mother might know something," Ralinor offered.

"I hope so."

Next was Nau'kheol and he didn't seem to have a strong affinity towards any particular elements, much to his annoyance. Yafein followed after him and learned that he had an affinity to the earth element. Mir'kiin showed a talent for fire sorcery, which Ralinor thought suited his personality rather well.

"Ralinor, it is your turn," Soleam'ji declared.

Ralinor quickly hurried forth and began to channel his magic to see which element would react to it. After trying several material with no reaction, Ralinor began to wonder if he wouldn't have a strong affinity, like Nau'kheol did. Then, as he reached over to touch the piece of metal...

Bzzzttt! "OW!"

A spark appeared, causing Ralinor to jerk his hand back as a jolt of pain shot through it. Some of the students laughed at him while Ariel looked concerned for her friend.

"What's the matter elf? Can't control your magic?" Mir'kiin taunted.

Ralinor glared back, but Master Soleam'ji had a curious look on his face. He opened a nearby drawer and pulled something out. He then set it on the table.

"Ralinor, I want you to try again, but on this piece of metal instead. It's a piece of pure silver." Soleam'ji instructed. Ralinor hesitated for a second, but did as he was told.

BZZZZTTT! "ARGH!"

Several arcs of electricity travelled from Ralinor's right hand, to the silver, and then to his left hand. The resulting force of energy sent Ralinor stumbling away from the table.

"What is going on?" Ralinor asked as he cradled his now numb arm.

"It seems you have an affinity towards lightning sorcery. Pure silver is the best known conductor for electricity and your magic reacted as it passed from your right hand, through the silver, and then jumped to your other hand, shocking you as it took the form of lightning," Soleam'ji theorized. "Lightning sorcery is a very uncommon, even rare, form of sorcery. Lightning is powerful, but very wild and difficult to control. Be sure to practice a lot if you want to avoid shocking yourself."

"Yes, sir," Ralinor replied before he took his seat.

"Whoa... I've never even heard of Lightning Sorcery before." Ariel noted with interest.

"Neither have I," Ralinor replied. "I've used lightning spells while channeling the Mage Arts before, but never with sorcery. It feels much more... fury driven."

The last three student then proceeded to test their affinity. Dra'jyal displayed potential for manipulation of steel and other hard minerals. Sorane had an affinity towards sound, which Ralinor remembered being told that sound was a more common trait for the Illhar'dro Clan. Lastly, Gailen showed that he had a talent for a rare form of sorcery for wood and herbs. Ralinor wondered if Gailen could learn a few Keeper skills and spells, like some that he saw his grandmother Deshanna use before.

Afterwards, the class ended and the student were then sent to math and science class. The teacher, who told the student to call him Master Rae, frowned at Mir'kiin's still pink appearance.

"Young man, please dress properly next time. That dress is horrible. Youngsters these days..."

"Get fucked by a drider, old man! I didn't choose to wear pink!"

SLAM!

"Show some respect, young man," Master Rae ordered after he had slammed a book on top of Mir'kiin's head.

Math wasn't so bad at first, but as time when on, Ariel found that she had some trouble keeping her attention focused on the math problems. Her mind kept wandering to the stories she loved so much. She noticed that Ralinor had a little trouble keeping his attention focused as well. Still, it was nothing compared to some of the other students, as Khal had put pencils into his nose and Mir'kiin had opened his mouth again, resulting in a few more book slams onto his head.

"I hate math. Science wasn't too good either," Ariel remarked as the student left the class.

"Yeah," Ralinor agreed. "I don't think I'm going to become a scientist. Still, we should be able to get by with just the basics."

Their last class for the day was History and Politics. Ralinor had high hopes for this class, as he always loved history. He wasn't sure how politics would go, but he knew that since he was planning to help his mother try to make greater bonds between the elves and the drow, knowing politics would be necessary.

The classroom they entered was filled with pictures, books, and various pieces of artifacts that fascinated Ralinor. There was even a large skeleton of some sort of large lizard or dragon-like creature on display. They did not see their teacher at first until he suddenly stepped out from around a cabinet.

He wore a simple brown robe and had traditional white hair. What shocked the students the most... was that he was old. He had many wrinkles on his face, giving him an elderly look. This made Ralinor realized that he had never seen an elderly drow until that moment.

Like the Elves, the Drow had lost the immortality that they once had. Unlike the elves, the drow lived for hundreds, some even for thousands, of years. Ralinor knew that elves retained their physical prime for a good portion of their lives, perhaps the drow were the same as well. But, that still made him wonder how old their history teacher must be to have such an old appearance when so many other Drow didn't.

"How many Valar are there?" the master suddenly asked the students.

"Fourteen. Originally fifteen," Ralinor answered after everyone was silent for a moment.

"Correct. How many Creators are there?"

"Nine!" Ariel answered this time, remembering that Ralinor and Altariel told her this.

"Correct. What are the significant numbers to the elven and drow races?"

"Uh... three, seven, and nine," Yafein hesitantly answered.

"You are correct. These numbers have always been of strong significant to the Elves and the Drow since ancient times. Three, Seven, and Nine. There are Nine Great Clans of the Drow. There are nine Creators, Maiar sent to aid and advise the elven races. For the Noldor elves of Arlathan, there were seven Noble Houses. This is the same for when the Dalish Kingdom still existed, for there were seven noble houses that some of the Dalish clans are descendant from.

"Most importantly, there are three Rings of Power. Narya, the Ring of Fire, Nenya, the Ring of Water, and Vilya, the Ring of Air. Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky, Seven for the Dwarf-lord in their halls of stone, Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die," The history master cited. He then frowned and muttered so softly, Ralinor almost couldn't hear him. "One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne.

"Three, seven, and nine add up to make nineteen. Nineteen Elf and Dark Elf kingdoms, some as small as city-states and others much larger, swore fealty to the Noldor Elves of Arlathan. And so, the Elvhenan Empire was form from a total of twenty elven kingdoms that once stretched across Thedas. Our modern day finds its origins from Elvhenan. Even simple numbers can teach you much about the present day and the influences of the past.

"Knowledge is power. In order to survive, you must have power, you must have knowledge. Ignorance about your environment, about the people around you, about your past, can be deadlier than any weapon," the master continued to lecture. "Know your history, and you will know your politics. Because politics in nothing more than a verbal duel rooted in the past that seeks to choose our future. Politics rules this world. Rule politics and you will rule the world.

"By the way, my name is Tralyn."

This teacher is awesome! Ralinor thought as he continued to listen to Master Tralyn.

Looks like this class is going to be interesting, Ariel thought with a small smile.

The lesson continued like a whirlwind, with Master Tralyn not even giving the students a chance to speak or ask questions. The students attention was sucked in, even Mir'kiin did not open his mouth to make some foolish comment. Ralinor was even surprised that Tralyn knew a few things about elven history that he never knew. He wondered how much of it was true.

Later that day...

"And then he told us a little about the unification of Elvhenan! I didn't know that Gil-galad actually dueled King Thranduil in single combat!" Ariel was saying in excitement.

Ariel, Ralinor, and Altariel were sitting in Ralinor's room telling the elven lady about their first day of classes. The two children were sitting side-by-side on the bed while Altariel sat in a chair across from them.

"Oh, yes. That was before Gil-galad became the High-king and was still just the High-Prince of Arlathan. Gil-galad challenged Thranduil to a duel because he wanted to avoid open war between the Noldor and the Wood elves. Thousands would have died if war broke out," Altariel explained. "Thranduil was well known for his legendary swordsmanship, so Gil-galad asked his friend, Celebrimbor, to forge an elven glaive for him to use in the duel. That glaive was named Aiglos and would become famous in the hands of Gil-galad. Thranduil and Gil-galad's duel ended in a draw, and the two became good friends afterwards."

"I wish we could somehow meet heroes like them." Ralinor wished out loud.

"Tell me, did you two test your affinities today?" Altariel asked the two children.

"Yes! I have an affinity for air sorcery!" Ariel answered.

"Wonderful! How about you, Ralinor?"

"I have lightning sorcery! I'm not sure how to use it though. It feels really different from lightning magic I've used before." Ralinor answered.

"Lightning, you say? Peculiar... And I'm guessing you mean it feels different from mage lightning spells? Explain."

"It feels... furious. Like something trying to break free." Ralinor tried to explain.

"There are some who say that magic sometimes has a will of its own. When the storm rages, lightning does indeed strike with great fury. You will have to focus hard to control it," Altariel advised her son.

"Um, lady Altariel?" Ariel shyly began to ask. "When we were testing for our affinities, I had a weird reaction to blood."

"Blood? What do you mean?" Altariel asked with confusion.

"It stuck to my finger and I couldn't get it off without Master Soleam'ji's help." Ariel explained.

"Hmm, blood sorcery doesn't work that way normally... ah, I should have realized..."

"Realized what, mother?" Ralinor asked.

"Some abilities are inherited through genes, passed down through generations. This ability is a form of High Sorcery that is called Shapeshifting. Your sister Mel'arnach has the same ability," Altariel explained.

"Shapeshifting? You mean I can turn into different things?" Ariel asked before she blinked in realization. "Wait, Mel'arnach can do it too?"

"To your first question, yes and no. The mage arts have a type of shapeshifting where a person changes their form completely into, say, a bear or a large spider. Sorcery shapeshifting works differently, it is much more precise. You can change some parts of your body, such as make claws on your hands, but you don't change your entire body into a different animal. In fact, it would be dangerous for you to do so. And yes, Mel'arnach has this power."

"Why would it be dangerous for Ariel, mother? This power sounds pretty cool!" Ralinor stated.

"You wouldn't want to accidently move your heart or other vital organs into the wrong place, would you? Doing so would be quite fatal." Altariel explained, causing Ralinor's eyes to widen and Ariel to gulp in fear. "Don't be afraid of this ability, Ariel. Like any other power, you can master it with time and patience."

"Could you help me, Lady Altariel?" Ariel shyly asked.

"I cannot shapeshift myself, but I do remember a few things from my own school days with Mel'arnach. I'll do my best to help you," Altariel answered with a smile. "And, I will teach you some things about the mage arts too, if you wish."

"I would like that," Ariel replied.

"The two of you have great talent. But you've only barely scratched the surface of the world of magic," Altariel smiled at the two children. They both had a long ways to go, but they were off to a decent start.

Chapter End

There was so much more that I wanted to add. I wanted to properly introduce Faen and have several more scenes with important Drowtales characters. Guess it will have to wait for the next chapter.

Author's Request #1: I'm debating on making this a multi-pairing fanfic, AKA a harem. Due to the drow culture's fairly open-mindedness about relationships, this is a plausible occurrence. Ralinor will have several romantic interests and, currently, they are all drow. I am NOT making this a massive harem fic with a dozen or more girls paired up with the main character. Currently, there are only four drow girls that I have in mind and I don't want to go higher than that number.

The potential Harem members currently are: Ariel, Chrys'tel, Chirinide, and Kiel.

Let me know what your opinions are about this, and if you think the potential romances should change or not.

Author's Request #2: Some of the main Drowtales cast will, sooner or later, learn some type of 'mage art'. In other words, they will learn a mage specialization from the Dragon Age games. I already have a few ideas but I want to hear your opinion on which specialization should each character learn?

As a reminder, here are the specializations:

Arcane Warrior, Spirit Healer, Shapeshifter, Battlemage, Keeper, Force Mage, Rift Mage, Necromancer, Blood Mage

Knight-Enchanter will not be an option because it is basically the Chanty's attempt to copy the Arcane Warrior.

My current ideas... Ariel: Arcane Warrior... Chirinide: Arcane Warrior or Rift Mage... Faen: Spirit Healer or Keeper. I need ideas for Kiel, Chrys'tel, and maybe Shinae. Other characters may learn a specialization at some point as well, I'm not sure how many at this time. Let me know what you think!

Keep drow sorceries in mind as well. For example, there is no reason for Ariel to learn the Shapeshifter specialization since she has a type of high sorcery that gives her a form of shapeshifting. Same as with Chrys'tel, she has blood sorcery and therefore no real reason to learn the Blood Mage specialization. (Unless you have a very good argument for her to learn Blood Magic.)

Language translations (Sorry if I make a mistake.)

Kadan: A Qunari term of high affection or respect towards someone.

Da'len: (Dalish) Little one or young one.

Du Bekar: (Dwarven) To Arms!

Baruk Khazâd: (Dwarven) Means 'Axes of the Dwarves', a common battle or rallying cry for Dwarves.

Ma Vhenan: (Dalish) My heart. A term of endearment.

Chibi Kiel: Alright people! Quick summary time!

Drowtales magic: Often referred to as Mana arts or Sorcery. Very specialized magic, difficult to master, but more fluid in combat.

Dragon Age magic: Often referred to as Mage arts or Fade arts. (Does anyone have a preference?) Much more variety of spells, easier to learn, but not as fluid in combat. Power comes from the Fade.

Lord of the Rings magic: Referred to as Great arts or Eldar arts. (Again, any preference?) Very mysterious, very powerful magic. Some spells easy, some very difficult. Can kill Nether demons and immune to Templar powers. Users are very rare.

Chibi Kiel: Hope that helps you guys a bit! But, it can be confusing, so RantingRyuu is open to any suggestion you may have to make it easier!

RantingRyuu: Let me know if you want to stick to a certain name or not for the magic. Also, once again, special thanks to Budger1000 for his debate/advice on magic and more over on my deviant art page. It was a HUGE help. See you guys in the next chapter!