Disclaimer! I don't own Dragon Age, or any of their characters. The only ones I do own are Radae and Alynna, and Dragon Age can use those if they want.

Alright! Chapter 3! I'm really sorry about how short this one is, but I promise the next one will be longer. Anyhoo, read on!

Radae let out a groan of pain, curling up from sheer agony. His stomach felt like it'd been stabbed! Was it the Darkspawn blood he'd drank last night? Whatever it was, it nearly blocked out his senses with pain. He heard shuffling near the flap of the tent, and a set of footsteps approaching. Radae cracked an eye open to see a pale face and yellow eyes, framed by pitch black hair.
"Well, well, well." A sarcastic voice mocked, "If it isn't the mighty Grey Warden Mage." Morrigans eyes glinted, her teeth visible in her smirk. "Mother wishes to see you, but I suppose you're in too much pain to oblige." The witch seemed to take a moment thinking before she knelt down next to him. "Don't think I'm doing this for you. Mother would be furious if I were to return to her alone." She held her hand over his abdomen, a faint white light emitting from her palm. "Feel better now?"
"N...No." Radae responded, still curled up from the pain. Her healing spell didn't work, which sent him into a panic. He didn't want to live with this pain forever! How would he survive? How could he possibly bear it? What-
"You dolt." Morrigan growled, "You're hungry." She held up a note. It read:
Dear Radae,
You'll be hungry when you wake up, it's a side-effect. There's some food in your pack, that'll hold you until you get to the mess hall.
-Alistair
"I really don't see why Mother is bothering with you." the Witch grumbled, digging through Radae's pack until she found a sack of food. Inside were three apples and four rolls of bread. Morrigan set them in front of the elf, "Eat." she commanded.
Radae eyed the food nervously, not quite trusting Morrigan. The pain was intense, though, so he took one of the apples. He took a large bite, and nearly cried. That apple was the best in the world. That apple was a divine gift from the gods, sent as a reward for surviving the taint and the Joining. That apple would lead the people to redemption and salvation. Three more large bites, and that apple was gone. The other apples went in a similar fashion, along with the bread. Morrigan raised an eyebrow in disguist.
"Must you eat like a barbarian?" She sighed. Radae ignored her, pushing the blankets off him. The pain had subsided, but he was still starving. "Come with me. Mother doesn't like to wait, and we can cook you something there." The elf seemed wary, especially since they'd be going outside the walls. However, he wanted to meet Flemeth again, to ask her what she knew about the Eluvian shards. Radae stood and gestured for Morrigan to lead the way.

Alynna awoke to what felt like a knife in her stomach. She doubled over in pain, eyes darting around the room for something that may ease the pain. There was a note next to her bag, which she quickly grabbed and read over.
Alynna,
You'll be hungry when you wake up, it's a side-effect of the joining. I've left some food in the pack next to you, it should hold you over until you can reach the mess hall. I'll be saving you a seat.
-Alistair
Alynna smiled at the note, grateful that he'd go as far as to ensure she'd have a place to sit. She turned and dug through her bag, thankfully finding four apples and five rolls of bread. The food was devoured almost instantly, and the pain in her stomach faded slightly. She could bare it now, at least enough to walk to the mess hall. She slipped out of her sleeping bag, a bit unnerved that the armor she'd been wearing during the Joining had been replaced with a cloth shirt and pants. Dalish weren't known for their modesty, however, so she shrugged it off and began the brisk walk out of her tent and towards the mess hall Alistair had mentioned.

Radae and Morrigan walked undisturbed through camp, reaching the gate to the Wilds within minutes. As they passed the guard, Radae noticed a glazed over look in his eyes, as though he were in deep thought.
"I put a charm on him when I entered." Morrigan explained, " It isn't permanent, have no fear, it should wear off in a few minutes." The two pushed the gate open just enough for them to slip through unseen, immediately leaping off the trail and into the thick underbrush of the Wilds.
Morrigan moved fluidly through the trees and bushes, her upbringing in the Wilds clear to anyone who could've seen her. Radae kept up, though not without difficulties. Despite being a Dalish elf, he'd been raised as the Keepers First, which meant more studying and meditation than it did leaping through the forest. He kept up with her, though, and they reached Flemeths hut much faster than it had taken the group of four he'd traveled with the previous day.
When the two Magi arrived at the hut, Flemeth was sitting upon a wooden chair near the door. The woman was as still as a statue, staring off into the Wilderness as though it was speaking to her. Radae cleared his throat, alerting her to their presence.
"Ah, Morrigan." She sighed, turning towards her daughter. "I see you took your time retreiving our guest."
"You know me, Mother," Morrigan replied, "I enjoy my leisurely walks through the forest."
"You should be more careful, there are dangerous things out there." With this, Flemeth turned towards Radae, "However, one of the most dangerous is standing next to you. Go prepare the stew, Ser Mahariel and I must discuss things in private." Morrigan sighed, turning and sauntering towards the hut.
"How did you know my family name?" Radae asked. A small smile graced Flemeths features, like a parent who'd just been asked about their child.
"I know a great deal, 'tis one of the advantages of age." She responded. "But such matters aren't important. What I've brought you here to discuss is the deal you've made." Radae gave a puzzled look, causing Flemeth to laugh. "I know about your adventures in the Fade. You should count yourself lucky, not many Mages have a demon servant."
"I-I... How did you know?" Radae asked, talking a half-step backwards. "That happened in the Fade, in my dreams..."
"I hold a certain... Affinity, for the Fade." Flemeth replied, "Like you, my spirit can pass freely between that world and ours. However, you seem to be doing it unwillingly." Flemeth stood and placed her left hand upon his cheek, "The gift you've been given, while some call it a curse, is a powerful one. I must focus and concentrate to slip between the boundaries of the Fade and my body, while it is natural to you. What I wish to do, is impart upon you the knowledge you require to slip willingly between realms."
Radae was silent for a few moments, digesting the information. She knew? Nobody knew, except for Lilith... And that Spirit that seemed intent upon hunting him down... Which meant half the inhabitants of the Fade must've heard... Damn.
"Could you really teach me to do that?" He asked, grey eyes searching her yellow ones.
"I have no reason to lie to you." Flemeth replied. Radae pursed his lips in thought, there needed to be a catch. Why would Flemeth offer him a skill so invaluable for free?
"What would I need to give you in return." He asked, brushing her hand from his face. Flemeths smile grew wider, as though pleased with his observation.
"When I ask it, you shall take Morrigan from here."
"When will that be?" Radae followed, brows furrowing.
"If I were to tell you, it would ruin everything." Flemeth chuckled mysteriously.
"Then... I suppose I accept." Radae replied. "Please, teach me how to pass into the Fade." Flemeth smiled, placing first one, then both hands on Radae's temples. What happened next flew by in a blur, the elf not able to recall it until several hours later. It reminded him of when the Eluvian Shards showed him something, a quick flash of nonsensical images that, for some strange reason, delivered a clear message within his mind. He suddenly knew how to pass into the Fade, how to concentrate, what to imagine, even how best to be sitting and what herbs would assist in the jump.
"There. You may stay for stew, I'm sure you have some questions about the Fade."

Alynna found the mess hall after a few minutes of wandering. She'd not realized how lost she could get in the sea of people milling about the camp, and without Alestha, or Radae, as he'd named himself, to accompany her, she found she froze up when she talked to strangers. Nevertheless, the Elf rogue successfully found the mess hall Alistair had mentioned. It was a rather large wooden building, the scents of bread and meats hung about it like a fog. The sheer size of the building dwarfed the entire camp she'd last seen her clan in.
Upon entering, Alynna found that it was even more crowded than outside. People could be heard talking and singing, most of it loud and off key. The tangy scent of some Fereldan liquor swam about the air, but it was easily covered by the smell of food. The elf searched the room for Alistair, happy to find him sitting near one of the back corners. Alynna rushed over to the Templar, taking a seat across from him.
"Glad you could make it." Alistair said, smiling. "How do you feel?"
"I feel hungry." Alynna replied
"Yeah, happens to all of us." Alistair chuckled, "I told the cook you'd be here, he's preparing The Special."
"What is 'The Special'?" Alynna asked, her stomach rumbling.
"It's the order we prepare for all new Wardens." The Templar replied, "Three legs of ham, a full tankard of whatever drink you please, four chicken breasts, and as much bread as you like." He paused, "Dalish do eat meat, right?"
"Part of nature is a larger animal eating another." Alynna replied, "We are not deer." She laughed softly, happy to know that he was as clueless of her culture as she was of his. The two talked for another few minutes before the meal arrived. First came the pig, the smell making Alynna's mouth water. She was about to begin eating, when a thought struck her.
"Where is Radae?" She asked, "He was not in his tent when I awoke."
"I told him to come here." Alistair shrugged, "He's probably with the mages, not to worry."

Radae took a sip of the stew Morrigan had handed him, not sure whether it was delicious or disgusting. He liked it, but hated it. It was strangely filling, each sip filling his stomach with a warm feeling. Flemeth had brought him into the hut, much to Morrigans disapproval, and sat on a worn wooden chair near the fireplace. She then began telling stories of her daughter when she was little, how she would run about the house naked, cry at the slightest thing, even of how she had once gotten stuck in a-
"Mother! Please!" Morrigan burst, "Stop speaking about me as though I weren't here!"
"Are you embarrassed, girl?" Flemeth asked, a ghost of a smile on her lips, "Is this not the job of a mother, raise a child and embarrass them?"
"I would hope not." The ebony haired witch muttered, "That would mean others must go through this torture."
For the next hour the two witches argued back and forth, until Radae stood and said it was time for him to go back to camp. Morrigan seemed happy, while Flemeth was as neutral as always. The elf thanked them for their hospitality and left, relieved to be away from the two. Their squabbling was humorous, yes, but rather frightening when one remembered they could bend the elements to their will.

"I am beginning to worry for my brother." Alynna sighed. She'd finished her meal in near record time, and spent the rest of her time worrying about Radae. "It is unlike him to disappear for so long."
"I wouldn't worry." Alistair comforted, "He's a mage, and a rather powerful one. He can handle any trouble that comes up." He paused at this, as if considering his words. "...About the other day... When he disabled the Witch's spell. Is that a common ability among your Mages."
Alynna thought for a moment, trying to recall the Keeper mentioning such a spell. "I have not been trained in the ways of magic like Radae." She sighed, "It is one of the few things he can do which I can not. However, my brother and I rarely keep secrets from each other, so it surprises me that he would keep such a strange spell from me. To my knowledge, no. That is not a spell that our Keeper knows. However, I have not trained with her, and know very little of the woman."
Alistair nodded, thinking on the incident. Granted, there were spells that could neutralize magic, such as the aptly named Glyph of Neutralization. The effect wasn't as alarming to Alistair as the way the spell was cast. Words aren't generally used in magic, and when they are it's usually Tevinter phrases. The words Radae had spoken held a different sound to them, a different language all together. Then there was the way his eyes darkened when the spell was cast. As a Templar in training, he'd been exposed to all sorts of different magics, and he himself was trained in techniques that could nullify any magic in the area. It was strange, though, that he'd never been told of such a unique spell. He'd meant to talk to Radae about it when they'd returned, but the Joining happened almost immediately after they'd arrived, and he hadn't seen the elven Mage since.

Radae stepped carefully over the roots sticking up at odd angles all around him. He could easily have run back to camp, but for some reason he wanted to relax and walk back instead. The Wilds were rather peaceful, once one was able to see past the rather spooky atmosphere.
"...aster...an...you hear me?" A voice whispered. Radae leaped away from where the voice had appeared from, his shoulder ramming into a nearby tree. A flame appeared upon the head of his staff, illuminating the area around him. His eyes darted around the small space between trees, searching for the owner of the voice.
"Who's there?" He asked, muscles bulging with the Combat Magic spell he cast upon himself.
"It's Lilith." The voice replied, right next to his left ear. Radae jumped again, though not as far.
"L...Lilith?" He asked, releasing the Combat Magic. "How are you talking to me?" He hadn't passed into the Fade, of that he was sure.
"The Veil is weak here." Lilith responded, "So much death and negative emotion has caused it to thin enough for me to speak to you." Radae nodded slightly, the explanation making sense. He'd sensed the Veil was weak, but the fact that a Demon could communicate to him from the Fade meant it was much thinner than he'd imagined.
"What do you want?" He sighed, returning to his walk back to camp. "I just saw you last night."
"Master, there are Spirits tracking me." Lilith replied, her voice tinged with panic, "I've managed to defeat one, but I've been injured. I was going to wait until you slept tonight, but they're closer than I thought." Radae nodded, though she couldn't see him, and sat upon a nearby root.
"I'll try to pass into the Fade from here." He said, reassuring the Desire Demoness somewhat. The Mage crossed his legs and placed his hands on his knees, a pose the Keeper had taught him for meditation. As Flemeths memories had shown him, he opened up his mind to the world around him. Even with his eyes closed, he could suddenly see the trees and forest around him. Everything he looked at gave off an energy, one that, with enough practice, he could use to form spells. Past that, however, he could sense the energy of the Fade. It was faint, and he had a hard time focusing on it, but he soon felt his soul leaving his body. He felt his body slump to the ground, muscles going limp as his consciousness left his body.

To say it was a strange experience would've been an understatement. When he found himself in the fade during sleep, it felt as though he was waking up from a nap. Passing into the Fade intentionally, however, felt as though the pieces of his body were slowly joining together. To literally feel his body being put together nearly made him vomit. However, he knew that he'd need to be ready for whatever may have been lurking around him, so he willed his mind into coherence.
When he was fully in the Fade and in control of his body, he began looking around. The landscape was the first thing he noticed. The ground sloped upwards on all sides, making it appear as though he stood in a crater. There weren't any burn marks in the land, though, so he simply attributed it to the strange nature of the Fade. The next thing he noticed was a faint sound coming from outside the hole. It sounded almost like the rasp of steel on steel, not something he'd expected, but it gave him a general direction to start his search.
Radae climbed over the edge of the hole, suddenly regretting the fact that he always appeared naked in the Fade. If he had to fight, he'd have no armor or protection. As he stood up he cast a shield spell around him, just in case he found himself in a fight. The Mage followed the sounds of clashing steel over a nearby hill, the sight both surprising and relieving him.
Lilith, longsword in hand, stood toe-to-toe with a Spirit. Radae could tell she wasn't accustomed to such close range combat, her movements unruly and clumsy. She managed to fend off the Spirits blows, however. Radae held out his hand, a cold mist developing around his fingers.
"LILITH!" He called, the Demoness turning to look at him, "MOVE!" He released the spell, a stream of freezing mist flying from his palm and towards the dueling Fade inhabitants. Lilith, hearing his warning, leapt to the side as the mist passed her and enveloped the Spirit. Radae breathed a quick sigh and ran to his ward.
"Good timing, Master." She wheezed as he approached, "Any longer and he would've overwhelmed me." She was cradling her left arm, which hung limply at her side. Radae moved her hand off her arm to inspect her wound. A large gash sat a few inches above her elbow, though there was no blood. The flesh inside was a deep black, almost like coal. Radae placed his hand over the wound, a green light appearing beneath his fingers. The wound stitched itself shut, causing Lilith to sigh in relief.
"Thank you, Master. " She sighed, "But you should save your strength. More are on their way." She gestured to the frozen one a few feet away, "That one isn't gone yet, either."
"There's a reason for that." Radae answered, walking to the frozen Spirit. He activated his combat magic, muscles bulging slightly in response. He released the ice spell holding the Spirit and grabbed it's neck, holding it in place. The spirit growled and lashed out, it's sword gleaming as it flew at Radae's torso. The mage caught the Spirit's arm with his free hand, holding the blade in place.
"Release me, impure scum!" The spirit spat. It's voice sounded feminine, but it's face hidden beneath an iron mask. It's eyes were the only thing visible, shining a brilliant crystal blue. "Thou and thine Demon bitch have no place in my Masters territory!"
Radae stared impassively at the Spirit before speaking, "We don't want to fight." He sighed, "Why do you and your kin insist upon attacking us?"
"Impure creatures such as thee have no place here!" The Spirit replied, "Even Demons are pure in their ways. Demons are Demons, nothing else. However thou art impure, a mix of mortal and Demon, and unfit for existance."
Lilith walked up beside Radae, arms crossed. "She spouts the same nonsense that her companion did." Radae nodded in agreement, "To top it off, she works for a Spirit."
"What do you mean?" Radae asked, turning to his ward.
"Can't you tell?" She replied, "She's a Demon. It's an unfortunately common occurance. Demons decide that they enjoy the methods and ideals of a Spirit, and align themselves with it. Rather sickening."
"I have found a higher purpose." The Demon said, struggling to escape Radae's grasp. "Upholding the Purity of the Fade is my calling!"
"Isn't it funny that a Demon who aligns herself with a Spirit would preach about purity?" Radae chuckled, "And to condemn me for being part Demon? Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?"
"Thou knowest nothing!" The Demon screamed, struggles doubling in strength.
"Master, there are more Spirits approaching." Lilith warned, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We should leave!"
"To leave would tell them that we are afraid." Radae replied, "We need to stay and fight, to show them that we won't be pushed around."
"To stay and fight would do nothing more than tell them that we want to fight!" Lilith argued.
"Stay or flee, it matters not." The Demon laughed, "My Master and his army will kill you no matter what you do." Radae returned his attention to their captive.
"Stay here. We'll continue this later." He released another burst of freezing mist onto the Demon, once more freezing her in place.
"Master, I beg you!" Lilith insisted, "We need to run! There are too many!"
"Lilith, make me a staff." He commanded, ignoring her plea. She let out a small sound, akin to a sob, but obeyed her Master. A replica of his staff appeared before Radae. The mage grasped the lyrium-infused wood, more confident now that he had it.
"They've arrived." Lilith warned, stepping closer to her Master. The blade she wielded earlier reappeared in her hand, along with a shield in the shape of a circle.
"SURRENDER, SCUM!" A voice boomed. Radae turned around to see a figure dressed head to toe in armor, with a shining sword in hand. It stood nearly seven feet tall, with broad shoulders and body. "SURRENDER, AND YOUR DEATH WILL BE QUICK!"
Radae laughed, pitching his staff at the figure. The Spirit caught the weapon in it's free hand and snapped it in two. The two broken staff pieces fell to the ground before evaporating into a dark mist. Another staff appeared in Radae's hand.
"AS YOU WISH!" The spirit called. There was a bright flash of light, blinding both Mage and Demoness. Their vision returned quickly, though Radae suddenly wished he was still blind.
Surrounding him and Lilith were dozens of glowing, armor clad Spirits.

Done! So, I've been trying to decide if I should do the Tower of Ishal in the next chapter. Leave your thoughts and input in the review, I'm eager to see what you think.