A/N : Certain Dalish dialogue in the story need to translate:
"Asha Vhenan'ara, Samahl Ma Vhenan'ara, Ashalin. " - Laugh all you want, Blood Demon!
" Emma San, Da'len. Emma Ir Vhenan'ara! " - I am not, my child. I only give pleasure!"
Other than that, enjoy.
Dragon Age: Origins
Levyn
Chapter Twelve– The Thaig Ruin, The Desire Demon With A Name
"You are… he is…," Levyn stuttered, having suddenly lost the ability to speak normally.
"Tsk, tsk, oh my. Why people always act so surprised whenever they see me with someone?" The Desire Demon giggled, her hands covered her mouth elegantly. "Wouldn't you be so surprised if I am—" Her figure became blurry, scattered and reformed in an instant. She transformed into a familiar figure: brown hair, auburn eyes, flawless porcelain skin, a warm-colored chantry robe. "—like this?"
The blood mage's jaw dropped. Standing in front of him, was one of many people that had been haunting him in his dream for at least the last six months—Lily. Her eyes glittered with playfulness, the smirk on her face suggesting she enjoyed the reaction on his face. It was a lot closer to the expression she had the first time they met, in the Tower's Chapel.
"And Eileen spoke unto the masses, 'My hearth is yours, my bread is yours, my life is yours. For all who walk in the sight of the Maker are one.'"
Jowan was attracted by a sweet voice he had never heard before as he hurried past the Chapel, on his way to the afternoon's herbal lectures. He had heard the Chant so many times since he entered the Tower, but today…it was different. The voice could only exist in heaven, and touched his heart deeply. He stopped, peeked into the door and saw a beautiful girl as she stood by the statue of Andraste. She was giving the Maker's blessing to a small group of apprentices.
"Let all repeat the Chant of Light." The girl, with hair just below her ears, was beaming with delight, from the enjoyment of reciting the Chant. Her deep brown eyes glittered with joy and absolute happiness, the smile resting on the corner of her mouth seemed intriguing. " Only the Word dispels the darkness upon us."
From that moment forward, the mage apprentice knew he had fallen, fallen deeply into the web of the acolyte of the Chantry, into Lily, one of the purest things he had ever seen in his life, like a faint light in the darkness. In his most depressing moment, he met her, his blinding ray of hope…
Levyn swallowed, subconsciously waving his hands in front of him. The memory was now filled with bittersweet and sorrow. Of course, what happened within a year after that was one of the most horrible moments of his life. Even now, he still could not forgive himself. Even after hearing that the sister of the Chantry herself had forgiven him. Even Gladys and most people around him were not bothered by his use of blood magic.
And now, this sinful creature had just changed into Lily?
He stepped backward, and his feet stepped onto something. Instinctively, the mage jerked his head around and saw that Wolf stood right behind him, stiff as a statue, color completely drained from his face and totally unaware of what his feet had just straddled. Levyn frowned at first, and then understood: Of course, the Templar was her brother. The emotional turmoil he had been through was just as great as the mage's.
Wolf groaned in anguish: "Lily, no!"
The Desire Demon sniggered, taking particular satisfaction in the shock on the two men's faces. Her long lashes batted as her dark eyes blinked. "Obviously, it's not normal she's here, no? What about—this?"
Her figure once again blurred. When it became focused again, the apostate gasped. It was another person he was familiar with: slender figure, opaque white eyes, hair braided and tucked neatly behind her ears, and a white, slightly haunted face.
"No!" he blurted out. His hand covered his mouth. His knees nearly buckled. He should have known this. He should have known the demon would transform into anyone his heart desired. He should have known the minute he encountered this devil being, that she would change into what he craved the most at this moment. The very person who had been filling his heart ever since they left the surface and entered the Deep Roads.
Gladys.
Levyn missed her. He missed her terribly. What they had before he departed was…. something wonderful, something promising, something blossoming, and something that was different from what he had experienced so far. If he had a choice, he would rather stay by her side and explore her true intention as to what they had between them. But like most events that had happened in his life, he did not have that kind of choice. Instead, he was here, staring at a hallucination that was conjured by a demon.
It broke his heart, knowing that the person who stood in front of him was not real.
He could feel his heart being torn into pieces.
"Asha Vhenan'ara," Lanaya next to him narrowed her eyes and whispered beneath her breath. " Samahl Ma Vhenan'ara, Ashalin. "
"Huh?" Not used to hearing the Dalish keeper speaking in her own mother tongue, not to mention his mind was kind of preoccupied at the moment, the blood mage turned his head around and looked at the elf quizzically.
The Desire Demon heard Lanaya speak, as well, and fully comprehended the elf's language. " Emma San, Da'len." Her voice suddenly changed into a male's voice. The sinister creature of the Fade watched with more pleasure as the Dalish girl's face flickered with horror, and obviously recognized who the male was:" Emma Ir Vhenan'ara! "
Lanaya growled. Her hands crackled with sparks. The Dalish elf glared at the demon for a while before walking away, pacing between Zac and her fellow Dalish clan.
"Your friend thought we demons only understand one language." The Desire Demon's voice now returned to normal, but she was still in Gladys' form as she laughed seductively and watched with pleasure that the blood mage's body shook uncontrollably. "She forgot we tend to live a lot longer than they do!"
"What are you doing here, Demon?" asked Wolf, who cast Levyn a quick sympathetic glance, before he returned his attention to the demon with a threatening tone. "Other than showing us the marvelous magic of transforming into someone we know?"
"Trying to find somewhere so we can be alone!" She replied, nodding toward her bespelled Templar, unfazed by the Wolf's glare and arched her eyebrow. "Surprised, no?"
"Shouldn't you be in the Fade?" asked Levyn, trying his best to remain focused, while casting a worried look at the bewitched Templar behind her. "Surely, there are plenty of places where you two can be i alone/i?"
"Don't worry about him; he's happy and content, more than you could ever imagine!" The Desire Demon giggled, seeming to be able to read people's thoughts. "As for you, Templar, who said the Fade is not here?"
"There is a Tear here?" Levyn felt as though his blood had stopped flowing within his body. He quickly scanned around, but there was no sign of a tear in the Veil in sight, or anywhere he sensed. Lanaya behind him seemed to be on edge, as well. She also quickly checked their surroundings before instructing her fellow Dalish scouts to verify the area further on.
"Near, but not here." The demon laughed. Her hand gingerly rubbed her long neck. " I can wander far enough without one. We are not as fragile as you mortals think, my sweet."
"Was the Tear made by a darkspawn?" Lanaya suddenly asked.
"Oh, surprise, surprise, someone's thinking outside the square. Alas, I am afraid I don't have the answer." The Desire Demon shook her head. "We do not know who tore it, you see. All we know is there was a tear and we seized the chance to slip into this world, once again. But I can tell you that the Tear is further up, once you step out of this ruin, and there's more than one."
"iMore than one /i?" All of them cried out. This was not good, not good at all…
"Whoever made these Tears was very powerful." The Desire Demon gleamed. "Oh, imagine if I would get my hands on that…. At any rate, this person, or being, is probably using the Tears as a defense system. Using those Tears as barriers, oh, how clever!"
"Are you saying whoever this person, or being is," asked Zac the KeyKeeper, "might be in the Fade, as well?"
"No." The demon frowned. "I did not sense anything foreign while I was in the Fade. I don't think this thing was in it. This … thing-of-meh-bob might simply use the Tears as some form of defense wall, like I had suggested." She suddenly did a cat stretch, purposely showing her body in a seductive way. "Now you've done all the questioning, can I have my turn? What are you planning to do with…my pet and I? Mind you, if you try to kill me, he will certainly try to protect his 'beloved wife.' And don't even think of awakening my sweet darling. The last group of people we encountered was wise enough to drop that and allow us to leave."
"Last group?" Wolf arched his eyebrow toward the demon. "How long have you been having him?"
"Oh, not long, my sweet." The 'Gladys' flashed her pearly white teeth, before she walked back to the bewitched Templar and rubbed her body erotically against him. Levyn had to tighten his fists to a degree that his nails dug into his palm to stop himself launching toward the pair: "Or are you suggesting to be the replacement? I do welcome different kinds of…refreshment, you see."
"Thanks, but no thanks." Wolf shook his head.: "I think I will pass."
"C…Come on, let's go." The blood mage regarded the demon for a few moments before walking away from her.
"You…you are not going to stop her?" Lanaya seemed surprised.
"No," replied Levyn simply. "Unless you can make him come back to his senses. Which I doubt any one of us here are capable of doing that, if the person himself does not have the will to do so."
"Armmmh…a wise choice, mage" The Desire Demon once again returned to her true form, much to the mage's relief. "To return the flavor, we shall depart here straight away, without bothering any of you. Before we go, a word of advice: What's waiting for you beyond the Tear is not a simple dark creature."
"We gathered as much, thank you," the Dalish Keeper snapped.
"The being," the Fade demon purred, "is hatching something. Something that involves that girl of yours." She pointed at Levyn.
"Gladys?" The blood mage paused, feeling his blood curdle.
"Is that what her name is?" The Desire Demon giggled. "The being had been corresponding with us for quite some time regarding that matter. Allow me to warn you: The ritual has started; either you stop the being from finishing the job, or your girl will diminish in time."
"Transforming into a darkspawn, you mean?" asked Wolf.
"Cha-cha," the Fade demon burst out laughing, her wicked voice echoing throughout the entire cavern. "A darkspawn? There are things much, much worse than a simple darkspawn, mortal. Have a good day!"
With those words, the Desire Demon turned around and returned to the bewitched Templar. Her hand stroked his arms softly and tentatively. She whispered something in his ear; at once, the Templar's face lighted up. He nodded eagerly, and his hand once again stroked the small of her back. The demon turned her head around and gave the group one last mischievous look, before disappearing in a poof of smoke with the Templar.
"I never knew his name." Wolf sighed. "I suppose that's not really important, now, yes?"
"We need to make haste." Zac threw his battleaxe over his shoulder. "From what she told us, there isn't much time. A passage ahead leads to old Gwaren."
"And that's where the Tear might be?" asked Lanaya.
"Quite possibly." The Dwarf chewed his lip. "Although I have no idea what a Tear looks like."
"I do." The Dalish elf nodded. Her lips thinned. "You will know it is the Tear when you see one, it's not something you get to see on daily basis."
Levyn stopped at the entrance of a passage. He glimpsed inside, and saw the familiar odd looking plantations and rotten fleshed glittering in the deep darkness. The mage drew a deep breath, and tightened his drip on his staff.
"We are getting near," said the apostate over his shoulder. "Possible darkspawn ahead."
Tabi ran across the square at top speed, nearly tripped over by the broken cobblestones and burnt body parts a few times. Her hair was disarrayed. There were cuts and bruises all over her, but she seemed to ignore them. Her face was filled with wild panic and fear. Tears streaked down her slightly plump face and, every now and then, a small gasp escaped her gritted teeth.
As soon as she saw the crowd gathered in the alleyway, she lost it. Her knees buckled. The Chasind woman collapsed on the ground, and suddenly lost all the strength to even stand.
"No…Boo…" She shook her head and mumbling meaninglessly. "No….Spirit of the Forest, please…NO!"
People in front of her stirred. A path was cleared and Gwen walked past them. A rather large gash was on the elder's forehead and bleeding quite heavily, but she did not seem to mind about that, either. The old lady approached the sobbing Chasind, placed a hand on her shaking shoulder and spoke gently. "Tabi."
Tabi's body trembled, but she did not look up.
"Tabi, listen to me." Gwen pushed the Chasind woman slightly. "Tabi, your son is safe."
"What?" The Chasind logger's wife jerked her face up and stared at the Gwaren elder with disbelief. "But I was….I was told…. The darkspawn…"
"Yes, the darkspawn had chosen to sneak along the coast and attacked from the coast, and we suffered causalities." Gwen smiled. "But, thank the Maker, your son is safe. He had minor injuries and seemed slightly frightened, but other than that, he's okay, Tabi."
Relief rippled through Tabi's body in waves. Her stiff shoulder slackened and tear swelled up her eyes again for completely different reason: "He's…safe?"
"Yes, Tabi." The elder smiled.
"Thank the Spirit…" Suddenly, she seemed remember something else: "What about Gladys?"
A certain hesitation flickered in the elder's wrinkled eyes. Gwen looked away for a few moments before returned the Chasind woman's worried gaze. "Gladys…she's safe, too."
"Oh, thank—wait, that's good news, isn't it?" Tabi frowned. "Why are you all here? What's wrong?"
"…I think you better have a look yourself, Tabi." The Gwaren elder sighed and stood aside.
The Chasind woman gathered up her strength and slowly pulled herself up. She approached her house, and saw Mihi sitting by the door, looked absolutely exhausted.
"Greetings, Tabi." The corner of the Chasind mage's lips curled up as she drew near. "You will have to excuse me for not standing up. It's a bit tiring, a whole night rushing around."
Tabi shook her head, and then nodded, without thinking. Her gaze looked past the smashed door and toward the room inside. Jethro was already in there, kneeling over Gladys curled on the floor and holding Boo in his arms. There were a few people standing around, as well. A large black mark was in the middle of the room, with smoke and a smell of stale meat still gushing out from it.
The Chasind woman scrunched up her nose and gingerly went past the darkened spot. She approached her husband slowly. His back obscured most of the Chasind girl's body, so she could not see what was wrong with her straight away.
"Jethro?" she called out, tentatively. "What's going on?"
"Tabi…" Jethro turned his head around slightly.
Then she saw her.
Gladys sat on the floor shaking, with one hand grasping a dagger that Tabi recognized as one of their enchanted weapons, and the other gripped her chest tightly. Both hands were completely black and had blisters all over them. Under her, there was a clean meter radius area free of dark marks. Behind her, the kitchen was a complete mess. Dark marks were dribbled all over the place, with plates and a shelf smashed and threw about.
"Tabi?" Hearing the new movement around her, the Chasind girl tilted her head up and search for Tabi. "Boo…is safe."
"I know, thank you." Tabi also knelt in front of the blind girl, her voice was full of gratefulness. "Thank you, Gladys."
Gladys smiled slightly, seemed relax a little.
"What happened, Gladys?" the Chasind woman asked.
The Chasind girl shook her head, looked unsure of how to answer.
"She fought them, and she won." It was Mihi who answered for her. "Hard to belive, no? When I arrived, that bug creature still writhing on the floor, with smoke gushing out of every gap in its body!"
"Wha—but how?" Tabi's eyes were widened in surprise.
They both looked at the Chasind girl. Gladys shook, seemed terrified with the memory. She withdrew a few breaths before she was able to recount anything that happened earlier.
"I don't…I don't know." Her voice shuddered. "They were coming in, I can feel them coming in. My body was burning hot. My head hurts like hell. The darkspawn was screaming, Boo was screaming, there were noises everywhere. Then I saw them."
"You…saw them?" Jethro arched his eyebrow: "But I thought..."
"Yes, I can't really 'see' them." Glady raised her hand and pointed at a blank spot in front of her: "But I sense lights, clustered lights swirled around them…I reached for the weapon and waved instinctively. My mind went blank after that. Spirits, their blood burned! They hurt like hell!"
For a while, they all stared at Gladys, not able to believe what they had just heard. Until an old, slightly sarcastic voice disturbed the silence around them.
"Oh, my. What do we have here?" Flemeth's voice drifted from the door. "The girl's giftbox has been opened, I take it? A gift from the darkspawn, tsk-tsk. Someone will need to train you, girl. Don't you agree?"
"Train…me?" Gladys tilted her head, seemed trying to digest the idea.
"Of course." Flemeth smiled. "To use the gift, and use it well, girl."