The dirt of the forest was cool on Avari's feet she loved the way it felt between her bare toes especially when they would cross the occasional stream that broke off from the larger river that ran through the forest. She loved the forest the smells of the flowers, the feel of the soft grass on her skin, and the sounds of the animals that called it home. She had always wondered how the flat ears could live in the large cities away from where they rightfully belonged. She sighed as she followed Lathi through the ruins that crumbled around them all her time in the forest and she had never seen these ruins before. They were mysterious in their origin and yet they did not resemble any of the other ruins that Dalish often came across at their camps. The veil felt thin in this part of the forest and Avari could hear the distant whispers of the spirits who had not found their way to the beyond. Many spoke in a language she could comprehend, she picked up the few Elven words that the Keeper had taught her but the rest was just gibberish to her ears. "What is this place?" She asked Lathi who held his hands out to her so he could guide her down into the entrance of the ruin. "The hunters and I found this place while stalking a deer." He replied looking up at the large ceilings that were crumbling from age. "There is great sorrow here, Lathi." Avari frowned wrapping her arms around herself. "The Elder Tree mentioned some type of battle. Not between our ancestors and humans it was something else." He replied taking her hand and leading her deeper into the ruin. She watched each corner of the old stone prison that held many who had become lost in their death. Lathi crouched down next to a freshly killed spider pulling off his gloves and touching the body while Avari walked deeper into the ruin. She could hear chanting or someone attempting to cast a spell, she looked over her shoulder to see Lathi still crouched next to the spider. She silently slipped around a corner and made her way down the stairs, she stopped next to a small fountain in the middle of the area. She pulled her robes up over her knees allowing her to kneel next to the fountain she carefully touched the surface of the water before submerging her hand. She slowly brought her hand to the surface watching as the water escaped between her fingers and returned to its sanctuary in the fountain. "Avari" She looked over her shoulder into the large room filled with beautiful stone sarcophagus that were scattered around. She pulled herself to her feet and cautiously stepped into the room.
A mage stood in the middle of the room upon a risen area where another sarcophagus laid, the Mabari that had been outside of the Keepers aravel was close to the man's side. Avari tilted her head as she walked closer to the mage. He wore heavy robes that were also covered with pieces of heavy metal armor, one on his shoulder and another on his chest. His chest piece bore the well-known Grey Warden Griffon the metal was black while the Grey Warden crest was silver. The robes under the heavy metal was a deep red while the fur that covered his shoulders was black and grey, it surely belonged to one of the great wolves that were found all around Thedas, a black hood hid his face from view as she approached him. He held out his hands to the elf that were wrapped in worn leather strips only his fingers visible. Avari slowly took his hands and allowed him to guide her closer to him the longing to be closer to him was just as strong as it had been in the Fade. "Did your Keeper tell you of this place?" He whispered while tucking her hair behind her pointed ear. She slowly shook her head no as she stared under the hood into the brightly golden eyes. "This is where the elves of old use to practice Uthenera." He explained turning to look at the lifeless skeleton. "I've been trying to tap into their memories to find out what exactly happened here. A great evil destroyed not only the elves here but the humans and I am curious in what this evil force was. My theory is that this may have been one the first areas attacked by the magisters who were tainted by stepping into The Golden City." "What are you?" Avari tilted her head to the side. "How do you know all these things?" Malik smiled and rested his hand on the elf's cheek and slowly rubbed it with his thumb. "I will show you in time." "How do you know so much about me? I have never been in any of the human city. Where have we met one another?" She stared at him confused. Malik chuckled. "Yes I remember you being upset in the Fade for not being able to see the bright colored dress." Her brow furrowed as she backed away from him. "How do you know this?" He followed her, catching her arm when she came to close to the edge of the stone floor. "Avari, I have been with you… well since I began having memories. Almost all my memories of the Fade are with you." She stared up at the mage squinting her eyes as she tried to scan her mind for any hidden memories of Malik. "The spirit!" she exclaimed as her eyes went wide. "You were the spirit! You were the one who protected me from the demons!" He nodded pulling the girl away from the edge and closer to the center. "There's something about you, Avari, something I haven't been able to figure out no matter how far I look into our destinies together." He looked at the confused girl and sighed. "Come, let us sit and I will answer what questions I can of the past."
"Avari?" Lathi called when he saw the girl sitting on the stairs with a hooded figure. He instinctively drew his dagger and held it towards the man. "Lathi!" Avari hurried to her feet carefully pushing the blade away. "Lathi, this is one of our guests at the camp." She turned to Malik as he slowly rose to his feet and adjusted his robes and armor plates. He bowed his head to the hunter. "Your friend here has been explaining your history." He smiled looking over at Avari. "I completely lost track of time, Lathi." She quickly grabbed the elves hand and pulled him with her as she walked towards the large door way. "Perhaps we all should make our way back to camp for supper. That is if you and friends would join us, Malik." She glanced over her shoulder at the mage who simply smiled. "It would be an honor." The three of them slowly made their way through the forest, Avari trailing behind Lathi to walk with the shemlen where she would laugh every so often causing Lathi to glare over his shoulder at her. He did not understand what was wrong with the girl especially when the shemlen stopped to pick a flower from the side of the path and Avari simply smiled when he placed it behind her ear. The shem seemed so strange, everything about him was different from his clothes to the few spells him and Avari had shared on the way back. While the fire on her fingertips colored the normal oranges, yellows and reds the shems fire sparked purples. When they had reached the camp the shem had again bowed and explained how he would gather his companions and would join their supper immediately, and when he walked away to the small camp the shem had built Lathi noticed that the man still watched Avari until she disappeared into her aravel.
Avari pulled her hair from its bun letting it fall lazily onto her shoulders and down her back, she slid her toes through the shores soft wet sand that formed around her bare feet until they reached the water and disappeared from view. She looked over her shoulder when she heard the sound of heavy boots behind her. "You look different without your… armor." She remarked when she saw Malik. He wore a cream colored tunic with his leather armor pants that were likely what was hidden under his robes, they were as black as night along with the leather boots that he had untied when he had sat in front of the fire at supper. "I thought I may seem odd wearing all those clothes." He smiled falling down onto the ground next to the elf. "Why did you come to our camp?" Avari asked picking a leaf from the moist sand to slowly break it apart with her fingers. "Besides to find you? We needed a guide to lead us into the Wilds, the path to my Grandmothers is more than overgrown and I need to retrieve something from her shack." He watched Avari's hands as she dipped them into the water and let it wash away the pieces of the leaf from her fingers. "Your Keeper willingly offered you to us. You are the one who knows the forests the best." She smiled at his remark. "When you are not allowed into the cities you find other ways to keep yourself occupied." She looked over at the shem who was staring out at the pond she moved closer trying to see the ring on his finger that he was fumbling with. "Do you have wife?" Malik chuckled and stopped messing with the thick ring. "It was my Fathers." He answered pulling the ring off of his finger and handing it to the elf. She tilted her head as she studied the ring that she had slipped on her index finger. The small carvings on the ring shifted from the animals of the forest to humans, Avari's brow furrowed and she tilted her head in curiosity causing her ears to perk up showing her large interest in the ring. She had never seen a ring so enchanted that it had the power to shit the forms of the carvings. She grabbed Malik's hand pushing the ring back down onto his right ring finger causing the ring to begin glowing a dim red she pulled the ring off and studied it again before slipping it back onto his finger and watching as it began to glow again. "Very… bizarre." She remarked looking up at the mage who simply smiled. She looked over at the shemlen's camp where two females and three large males sat next to the fire, their laughter echoing through the large Dalish camp. The human's mounts caught her eye; they mixed with the clan's halla in a large pen. "We leave at first light." Malik said before standing to his feet and offering a hand to elf. Avari smiled before she walked past him, glancing over her shoulder at the mage before stepping into her aravel.
Malik pulled the purple leather armor from his pack after tying Avari's belongings along with his own to his horse. "Here" He handed the armor to the elf. "Put this over your robes. The last thing we need is for you being downed by an arrow." He helped the elf pull the feathers of her robe out of the leather chest piece and buckle the straps. "Thanks" She smiled before walking off to her halla and pulling herself atop it. "Why is she not wearing shoes?" Hannah, one of Malik's female companion asked looking at the elf's bare feet that dangles off the sides of the halla. "They often do not wear shoes." Malik looked up at the woman before pulling himself onto his own mount. Lathi ran his hand down the neck of the halla until he reached Avari. "Be careful, lethallan." He took her hand in his. "Return to us soon." He whispered letting his friends hand slip from his as she followed the humans out of the camp.
Avari stayed quiet, choosing to listen to the shemlens as they laughed and joked with each other. Malik led the group joining in on the bashing of his companions every so often. She pulled the hood of her cloak over her head when they entered the human settlement. Malik quickly fell back to ride next to the elf. "We will be out of the main part of Lothering soon." He whispered keeping his eyes on the Templars as they passed. The circle had been free since the up rise of mages over twelve years ago but it did not stop the Templars from taking the route of the old methods, every mage to them was a threat and a danger and Avari screamed I'm a mage. Her staff was clearly visible on her halla and her robes were not those that a normal citizen would wear, along with her bare feet. "You there, elf!" A Templar called as he rode to catch up with the group. He blocked Avari and Malik's mounts with his horse. "We are not causing trouble we are just trying to pass through to the Wilds." Malik remarked dismounting his horse as several more Templars surrounded the two. He carefully helped Avari from the halla, keeping his eyes on the Templars. He removed her staff before giving the halla a swat on the behind sending it charging out of the small city. Avari stared at the Templars as she clung to Malik's arm, the Keeper had told her of the Templars and how since the rebel in Kirkwall the Templars had turned to taking mages that wandered far from the circles and slaughtering them, claiming the mages showed signs of possession. Malik pulled the girl closer till she was flat against his chest. "Did your Keeper teach how to shape shift?" He whispered as the Templars began to close in on them. "Yes?" She replied confused. Hannah cleared her throat as she pulled her bow. "So many well-armed men for such a tiny elf." "And a mage no less!" Chuckled a tall dark skinned man with black hair who followed Hannah's example and held his blade and shield in hand. "Shift now!" Malik barked as he used Avari's staff to pull one of the guards into the air. Avari didn't take the time of taking her robes off she just let them shred around her as her body began to transform its shape. She fell to her hands and knees; the only shape she knew was that of a wolf the Keeper was never able to teach her more. Malik began stripping out of the armor and robes before shifting into a large black wolf that dwarfed the elf's small white one. He followed Avari away from the Templars; she kept running even after they had lost the few Templars that had followed them. Avari kept running, she would stop every now and again to bury her nose in the dirt but by the time Malik reached her she would be off again.
Avari knew the shack as soon as she reached it the scent of magic covered the area around it like it was blanket. She shifted back to her eleven from and slowly walked forward through the heavy brush that had grown along the path, the ground had been taken by the marsh leaving it wet and soggy causing her to slip a few times and have to regain her footing. "This is Flemeth's hut?" Malik whispered from behind her after the dark purple magic had faded. She nodded walking to the door; she ran her hands along the door searching for a weak point where she could put enough pressure to open it. She quickly found where the door was weathered and pushed her body weight against it causing the rusted lock to break and allow the two entry. She quickly walked to the bed grabbing the heavy fur and wrapping it around her body with her back to the shemlen. He followed taking the thin cloth that covered the bed and wrapping it around his waist. She kneeled next to the fireplace placing her hand against the aged wood making sure that it had stayed dry throughout the years before she whispered her fire spell and lit the large logs. She stepped back to the bed taking a seat to pick out the small bush thorns that had lodged themselves into their feet. "Let me." Malik smiled pulling one of the heavy wooden chairs across the floor and taking the elves foot. "I thought I smelt something familiar." He said as he began to softly pull out the thorns. "You knew her?" Avari asked tucking the furs between her legs to keep herself covered. "No my Mother grew up here. I recognized her scent." He smiled running his thumbs across the now clean foot. He said a small healing spell removing the light poison that would cause the girl discomfort. "Will your companions know how to find us?" "They have my hound I am positive that he will lead them here." He took her other foot and began pulling out the thorns that littered it. Avari looked around the shack; the years had taken their toll on the small home. It smelt of rot and some parts of the wall had seemed to have begun giving out from the heavy weight from the rains that seemed to always plague the Wilds. She turned her attention back to Malik when she felt his hand pull on her ankle causing her to lie on her back. "What are you doing?" She gasped climbing further up the bed when Malik came towards her. "Do I scare you?" He grabbed her waist pulling her back down under him; he rested his hands on the bed on either side of her head. Avari stared into the golden eyes that watched her own so closely, she relaxed against the bed causing her long chocolate hair to bunch up behind her head. "No." She answered him. Malik smiled leaning closer to her till his lips brushed hers. "Then do not fear me, lath." He breathed. Avari cautiously pushed her lips to the mages. Malik clenched the elf's hair into his hands when their kiss deepened, his magic erupting around them feeling the room with the sparkling dark purple as it plunged them into the Fade. Avari kept her eyes tightly closed and grabbed ahold of the mage's arms, holding onto him not wanting him to slip away from her. Images began to flood into her mind… memories… memories that were not of her own.
She opened her eyes to darkness; she reached her arms out in front of her searching for Malik only to be met with cold solid rock. "Malik?" She screamed as she franticly searched her small prison only to find that she was alone, crushed under the cold rock. She called out his name as she clawed at the rock.
Malik opened his eyes and looked upon the elf when her body arched underneath him; the magic surrounding her like chains would a murderer. He set his forehead upon hers and tightly closed his eyes knowing what she was experiencing but he knew she would need to see what he was sooner rather than later but her decision would determine the destinies that were laid out in front of them. All he could do is watch as the old magic forced itself into the elf's mind.
Avari cried as her fingers became bloody, dripping the warm liquid on her face. She covered her eyes as light flooded the small area. "Malik?" She breathed reaching out into the blinding light. Fingers lightly touched her hand causing a burning trail up her arm, she screamed out in agony as the fire in her veins tore through her body. She laid back against the cool rock and tightly closed her eyes wrapping her arms around her body as she screamed fearing that her body was dying. The burning slowly faded away and Avari again slowly opened her eyes. Her jaw dropped when she saw the large dragon in front of her, fire erupting from its open mouth when a large Qunari drove the heavy sword into the beast. A mage surrounded the beast with frost before collapsing to the ground. She recognized her immediately; it was the mage from the Fade. The woman who had approached her before Malik. The dragon stumbled but quickly regained itself letting out another scream as the Qunari drove its blade into it again. It knocked the large man away; again it stumbled letting out a weak growl. She looked over to where a tall human was pulling his blade out of a dead Hurlock. He resembled Malik except his eyes where a deep blue and his hair a light brown. The man looked at the dragon as it stumbled and tried to regain its strength. He ran towards the beast dropping to his knees when the dragon attempted to down him with its fire, instead the man impaled the dragon's neck on his blade slicing it from beginning to end. Avari watched as the dragon screeched in pain its life source pouring out around him. The beast eventually fell to the ground its head falling at the warrior's feet. He roared as he drove his blade into the dragon's skull causing it to erupt with power. Avari fell to her knees and covered her head. "You hold great power, child. You have the soul of an Old God; you are cursed and blessed with its power and memories. Everything will fall down upon you and you will be forced to fight back. But you will fail."