Sorry for the long wait ;P
Here is chapter 16!
Ok it might seem a bit 'WTF is happening?' at first but stay with me ok? All will be explained later.
(don't hesitate to ask me anything if you don't get what's happening)
Enjoy! Read and Review please!
'Nice eyes. I like the whole smoky possessed look.' A voice said over his shoulder.
James looked up briefly to see Jenny leaning over him. Her gaze was fixed on the piece of paper that lay before him.
'Is he part of the commission for that deal we landed yesterday?' she asked reaching down to slide the paper towards her.
'Um, no... I haven't started on that yet.' James said sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck.
Jenny frowned at him. 'You really do want to get fired, don't you?' she asked him, a hint of playful sarcasm in her voice. James looked up and smiled. He had always liked Jenny.
'I know, I'm sorry but this guy-' he said pointing to the sketch he had working on for the past hour, 'has been a bit of a distraction.'
Jenny glanced down at the picture once more. 'Well he's very nice, if you know what I mean?' she said with a mischievous grin. 'But perhaps it would be best if you get some actual work down. Your concepts are due next week.' She said and touched his shoulder.
James sighed. 'You're probably right.'
'Of course I'm right!' Jenny said slapping him softly on the arm. 'See you later James.'
'Bye Jenny.' James said and turned back to his desk. He picked up the picture and studied the face before him. Fair skin, marred only by a faint scar on his jaw. Dirty blond hair pulled back messily. Large golden brown eyes pulled into a slight glare, a wispy blue smoke coiling from them. Jenny was right, he did look possessed.
James drew in a deep breath before setting the page down again. 'Who are you?' he whispered to the stranger who he felt he knew so well.
The day dragged by with its usual monotony. James tried to concentrate on what he was doing but he kept on being distracted by the most random thoughts. He saw all these characters dance before his eyes and before long he would find himself sketching them. There was a dwarf with some blinding chest hair, a rather sultry looking pirate, a ginger chick with a sword and shield, two slight figures with pointy ears and a young woman with long dark hair and a staff. All these people seemed so familiar to him but he couldn't quite place them.
The blond man from before featured more often than the others. James had about three different drawings of him before he finally got up to go home.
Jenny came by to ask if he wanted to join her for some drinks but he lied and said that he wasn't feeling too great. She looked a bit sad but quickly put on a smile and said that she hoped he'd feel better soon.
James felt a little guilty at first but as he made his way to his apartment he really did start to feel terrible.
After a quick dinner and a long, hot shower he decided to go to bed. As he walked to the kitchen to fetch a glass of water he caught his reflection in the hall mirror. He gasped and nearly tripped over his own feet. The face staring back at him wasn't his face.
He walked up to the glass and placed his hand on the surface. 'What the hell?' he asked in disbelief, but his reflection didn't open its mouth as it should have. Instead it smirked at him.
'Don't you recognize your better half James?' a voice asked. James spun around searching for the speaker but found nobody. He was alone in the corridor. He turned slowly back to the reflection. The figure chuckled.
'That surprised to see me? Awww, I just got all warm and fuzzy inside.' It said, faking a sweet and innocent look.
'Who are you? How-'
'Sweet Andraste...' the figure cut him off, 'You seriously don't remember anything do you?' it asked with a sigh. 'They really screwed this up...' it whispered to itself.
'Who screwed what up? Holy shit... I must be dreaming or high or dead or-'
'Dead isn't far from the truth, but it's not quite there... yet'
'What do you mean?'
The shadowy reflection sighed. 'You really want me to explain everything? That's quite a bit of info...'
James nodded slowly, not quite sure how he was talking to a person in his mirror and not freaking out about it. Somehow he felt it was quite...normal.
'Fuck... It's like de ja vu...' The person grumbled. 'Well, were to start?'
James shrugged and leaned forward against the wall, waiting for the story that would most likely blow his mind.
'So... All these people I've been seeing in my mind are real?' James asked. He was sitting on the floor now because he was having difficulty standing and processing everything that the man in his mirror was saying.
'Jip. You've been living in a different world for the past 3 years. Well to tell you the truth... You still are.'
'What's that supposed to mean? I'm obviously not there anymore.' James asked, a bit taken aback by the comment.
'Well yes, you're not in Kirkwall... in spirit. But your, our, body is still there.'
James didn't know how to react to that. Up until that moment he had found it rather easy to believe what this 'spirit' or whatever was saying to him but now he found it a little hard.
'How is that even possible? I'm sitting right here on my apartment floor, not in some dream world.'
The figure suddenly burst out laughing. 'Oh, you have no idea how wrong you are.'
James eyed the shadow. 'Explain yourself!' He commanded, his frustration getting the better of him.
'You, my friend, are trapped within the Fade.'
'What's wrong with him?' one of the Templars asked as he prodded the unconscious , floating body of the mage they had just made Tranquil. All who were present had seen the ritual done before and never had this happened. Usually the mage would scream so loudly that it would shatter the occasional window, had they been in the Gallows, and then he/she would slump against the chains that held him/her in place before waking a few hours later as a mindless tranquil.
The scream wasn't supposed to kill the one templar who had been standing a little too close, the chains weren't supposed to melt clean off his wrists and the mage wasn't supposed to be floating in mid-air. Something had clearly gone wrong.
Alric moved closer to inspect the body a bit more closely when he heard the commotion in the tunnel. Men and women were yelling, some screaming, as they were attacked by some unknown force.
'Secure the door! Ready for battle!' Alric barked at those Templars who stood around him. He glanced briefly at the floating mage before pulling free his sword and turning towards the commotion and preparing for the impending conflict.
'Why would Templars use these tunnels?' Isabela asked as they hurried along.
'Lyrium smuggling. The sods are addicted to the stuff, remember?' Varric replied.
'Ah, of course.'
'Would you two be quiet? I think I hear something up ahead.' Anders whispered harshly as he slowed his pace.
'Sorry.' Isabela whispered sheepishly, causing Anders to roll his eyes.
The party, consisting of Anders, Varric, Isabela, Merril, Fenris and Aveline, crept forward slowly, not wanting to alert anyone of their presence. Tentatively Fenris peaked around the corner. 'About five or six armed Templars. I can't see them too clearly, the light's really weak.' He whispered back to the others. 'They seem to be guarding a door.'
'You think James may be behind it?' Anders asked, his voice straining.
'There's no way to know for certain, mage.' Fenris replied, emphasizing the last word, 'but there is a possibility.'
'Either way, it's the only path to take so let's stop wasting time and get going.' Varric whispered. There was nodding all around. Varric noted a bluish glow in Anders's eyes as he did.
Aveline and Fenris stepped out of the shadows first, both brandishing their blades as they charged. Isabela wrapped herself in darkness and appeared behind the startled Templars, delivering crippling backstabs. Varric let Bianca sing and grunted in triumph as she hit her targets expertly. Merril cast curses and hex's to slow and weaken the remaining foes while Anders stepped in to cause some damage with a few fireballs. Soon the group was panting with effort but it paid off in the end when the last Templar hit the ground.
Swiftly Anders advanced on the door and made to yank it open when he heard someone call out from the other side. He turned briefly to the others. 'Get ready. We're not done yet.' He said before kicking the door open.
They stormed the room, each member engaging a target. Anders made to attack the one standing at the back of the group, obviously the leader, when he froze in his tracks. At the far end of the room someone was floating. The floating was what had drawn his initial attention but as he gazed at the odd sight he saw the state that the person was in. He was only wearing tattered, rag-like pants. Blood, dry as well as fresh, covered most of his exposed skin. Horrible burns and cuts marred his flesh, especially on his chest and upper arms. His dark hair was slick with blood and sweat.
A pang shot through Anders as he realized who this person was. Pain boiled up from inside as he stared at the horrifying scene. He gasped as his eyes fell on James's forehead. There sat an angry red symbol he knew all too well.
Anders could feel his soul shatter.
So to summarize: The templars did the whole Rite thingy but it went hay-wire because of James and Garrett's 'situation'. James is now trapped in the Fade (his mind creating a type of 'safe zone' in the form of his old life) and Garrett is trying to get him to remember everything so that he can get out. Oh and his body is slowly dying because it can't take the beating that it's getting (mentally and physically) so there is a bit of a time limit...
Anders and the gang have stormed the smuggling tunnels in search of James, not knowing that it might already be to late and have engaged the Templars. Our favourite Apostate has also just discovered the fate of his beloved James. (expect some violent 'Justice' in the near future)
So what's next? Blood, guts, rage, death, sacrifice and more 0_o
Stay tuned!
P.S: Thanx Bonkz and Jinx for offering to run down the steet naked for me ;P Appreciate it *hugs*