A Mysterious Mirror and Unknown Consequences

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Age, just Kallian as a character

After coming across a mysterious cave that no hunter had reported seeing before, Tamlen convinced Kallian into following him into the entrance at least.

The entrance had been looking on the verge of collapse, and as the Shem had said there had been a giant spider lying in wait in the entrance hall, another not too far away.

They had walked into the cave and found a whole nest of spiders throughout the ruins, and after wandering around they had found a strange statue that Tamlen had found familiar and unfamiliar. It was there that they were attacked by skeletons possessed by demons of the Beyond and then had to kill a bear that had been infected by some disease.

Kallian and Tamlen were inside an antechamber that housed a grand mirror, and Tamlen had seen something inside the mirror. Despite Kallian's warnings he had gotten closer, even touched the mirror, and then a great flash of light, a rough voice and a face before Kallian saw no more.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The smell reached Kallian first.

The smell of the clan and the smell of Paivel's fire burning gently. Kallian woke with a start, her hands going straight for her daggers, which weren't there.

It was then that Kallian realised that she was in the Healer's Tent, and she was naked.

Reaching for her armour, which had been put to a side, Kallian took several tries before all of her armour was in place. Finally dressed Kallian walked outside and was immediately blinded by the sun.

'Wasn't the sun lower when we entered the cave?' Kallian thought to herself, 'I must have been wounded and Tamlen brought me back to the clan'

Before she could do anything else, she saw Fenarel walk towards her looking solemn.

"You're awake!" he exclaimed, "You've the God's own luck Lethallan. You're back at camp, everyone is very worried about you. How do you feel?"

"I feel terrible," Kallian replied, "How did I get here?"

"A Shem brought you here two days ago," Fenarel explained, "You don't remember him?"

"I've been here for two days!" cried Kallian in surprise, "I thought it was only a night passed!"

"He was a Grey Warden and appeared out of nowhere with you slung over his shoulder," Fenarel recalled," You were delirious with fever. He said that he found you outside a cave in the forest, unconscious and alone. He left you here and ran off again. The Keeper's been using the old magic to heal you"

'Unconscious and alone. . . Then where is ma sa'lath!? Where is my vhenan'ara!?' Kallian thought desperately, before asking Fenarel if anyone was searching for him.

"Of course!" Fenarel said placatingly, "Most of the Hunters are off looking for him right now. But the Keeper wanted to talk to you as soon as you awoke. Stay here – I'll go get her"

When Fenarel had left Kallian alone, she fell to her knees. Tamlen wasn't with the clan. Tamlen hadn't saved her from whatever had hurt in the cave. Tamlen was still lost, and if she was hurt badly enough to need the Keeper's old magic for two whole days then what chance did Tamlen have.

Kallian looked up as the Keeper walked towards her. She hadn't the strength to return to her feet so she remained kneeling, using all her strength to look up at the Keeper.

"I see you are awake, da'len. It is fortunate that Duncan found you when he did. . ." Keeper Marethari spoke evenly as always, "I know not what dark power held you, but it nearly bled the life from you. It was difficult even for my magic to keep you alive"

"So Tamlen could be sick, as well?" Kallian nearly choked out.

"If he encountered the same thing as you did, yes. The Grey Warden said he found you alone outside a cave, already stricken" the Keeper explained, "Duncan thought there may have been darkspawn creatures inside the cave. Is that true?"

"There were many spiders in that cave, and dead men that walked" Kallian recalled after straining her memory, it hurt to think back to that time and she could feel a headache forming.

"Walking dead? Dark magic, but not darkspawn. I know not what the other creatures might have been" the Keeper said more to herself, "What else did you find? What is the last thing you remember?"

Straining her memory Kallian relived the last moments of her memories. She felt the headache form completely and placed a hand to her head, but she remembered the mirror that Tamlen had touched.

Kallian's head was aching badly, but she managed to pant out.

"A mirror. Tamlen touched it. . ."

Translations:

Da'len = Child

Ma sa'lath = My one love

Vhenan'ara = Heart's Desire