Thank you so much to everyone that takes the time to review, story alert or favourite! You're all wonderful!
CCBug - Massani rules! :P
To my angelic twin and fellow Massani cheerleader, Jen - you are the best and I love you to bits! xx
O~~~~~~~~O
Blythe closed her eyes as she felt the sting of the sword at her throat and waited for death to come. Then she heard a cry and felt the sword drop onto her chest. She opened her eyes. The impostor stood before her twitching and writhing in agony as every muscle in its body began to spasm.
Crushing Prison? she thought, but who…?
"Blythe!" the demon cried, assuming Cullen's voice once more. "Help me, please! I love you!"
"Move aside, Blythe!" a distant voice called, just on the edge of her hearing.
"I can't," she croaked. "I've been smited."
She looked above into the sky. The house had disappeared, as had the bed, and she felt hard rock beneath her where she lay. She saw a blur of movement in her peripheral vision and felt the use of magic once more. Looking ahead, she saw the demon engulfed in flames, and heard Cullen's voice screaming as death claimed it.
Then, she felt arms lifting her into a sitting position and wearily turned her head. Allis sat beside her, his hands clutching her face as he looked deeply into her eyes. "Blythe? Can you see me?" he asked.
"Are you…real?" she mumbled. "Is that really you?"
"Yes, it's me, Blythe. Thank the Maker you're alright," Allis replied as he pulled her into an embrace. "Can you stand?" he asked as he pulled away.
"Just give me a minute," she replied, fumbling for a lyrium potion. Allis opened it for her and helped her to drink it. "What's going on, Allis?" she asked, hesitantly rising to her feet, "are we in the Fade?"
"Yes," he replied. "Do you remember? We reached the top of the Tower, where we encountered a Sloth Demon. It sent us here. We're all trapped in our own dreams."
"Yes, I remember now," she replied, her memory slowly returning to her. "Are the others alright?"
"I've found you and Sten so far," Allis said, his voice sounding quiet and distant. "I just need to find Zevran and Jowan, now."
"Allis?" Blythe cried, confused. "Allis? What's happening?" her vision grew dim and Allis seemed to fade away from her. "Where are you?"
Her vision returned and she looked around. The landscape appeared much the same as before - a series of barren, faceless rock formations - but Allis was gone. Sten stood next to her with a look of disdain on his face. "Sten!" she exclaimed. "Are you alright?"
"I am well, Warden," he replied as he looked around and snorted. "Another cage," he muttered, "this time of a mage's making." Blythe looked around more carefully. The rock formations rose up sharply on all sides, and were too sheer to climb. They were trapped within.
"Yes," she agreed. "I wonder why we are here. Is there no way out?"
"Do you think I would still be here, were that the case?" Sten replied irritably.
"No, I suppose not," she replied quietly. "Well, I'm glad to see you're alright, anyway, Sten. Do you need healing?"
"No," he replied abruptly, then, noticing Blythe's troubled demeanour, added, "thank you, all the same." Blythe smiled at him faintly, and they fell silent as they pondered their situation, and the dreams from which they had both been freed.
O~~~~~~~~O
"Blythe…!" Allis groaned as she disappeared, as had Sten, after Allis had freed the Qunari from his dream. Wherever they were, he prayed they were safe. Another glowing pedestal materialised in front of him. He drank a greater lyrium potion and reached out to touch it; as he did so, the landscape around him shifted. He stood atop a slope, at the bottom of which he could see Jowan, who appeared to be digging, although he held no shovel in his hands.
Allis descended the slope and approached Jowan, who looked up and wiped his brow. "Allis Surana?" he asked, "is that you? What are you doing here?"
"Oh, nothing much," Allis replied carefully, "I just thought I'd see what you were up to. How are you getting on?"
"I'm just preparing the ground for the new crop of potatoes," Jowan said proudly. "It's coming along rather nicely, I think. It is very thirsty work, though."
As if on cue, a woman with dark, braided hair appeared, carrying what appeared to be an invisible tray. Lily, Allis thought and shook his head, disgusted at the depths the demons were prepared to stoop to.
"Ah, here she is!" Jowan exclaimed, "my beautiful Lily! And she's brought tea! How thoughtful you are, my love." He took an invisible mug from Lily's tray and kissed her cheek, before turning back to Allis. "You'll stay for some tea, won't you, Allis?" he asked.
"Erm, yes, in a minute," Allis replied, "I just need to talk to you for a moment, first, Jowan. If you'll excuse us, Lily." Allis clutched Jowan's arm and led him a short distance away.
"What is it?" asked Jowan.
"Jowan," Allis said seriously, "do you remember what you were doing before you came here?"
"I don't understand," Jowan replied. "I've always been here. This is my home – mine and Lily's – and we have a small farmhold here."
"And how did you and Lily meet?" Allis asked.
"Well, we…" Jowan began, then hesitated. "I, um…I don't remember…isn't that the funniest thing? But it doesn't matter, does it? We're so happy, and everything is perfect!"
Allis sighed heavily, feeling like a complete bastard for what he was about to say. "You met Lily at the Circle of Magi. You are a mage, and she, a Chantry Initiate…"
"What are you talking about?" Jowan interrupted, anxiety apparent on his face.
"Listen to me, Jowan," Allis said firmly. "You were exposed as a blood mage. You attacked several Templars and fled the Tower. Lily was taken to…Aeonar."
"What?" cried Jowan, with a hitch in his voice. "B-but that can't be…Lily is here, and she's my wife! We're farmers!"
"No, she's not," Allis replied. "Lily is in the mages' prison. You know that to be true, Jowan. It must eat away at you. Whatever that is over there, it's not Lily."
Jowan backed away from Allis. "I don't care!" he cried. "Lily is alive here, and for the first time in my life I'm happy!"
"It's not Lily, you fool!" Allis exclaimed, "it's a demon! In the physical world, your life is slowly being drained away! Once you are dead, you'll be stuck in the Fade for all eternity, and there will be no more Lily – the demon will be free to torment you and use you as its puppet! Is that really how you want to spend the rest of your days? Do you not want to do something worthwhile with your life first? Something laudable?"
"I-I can't," Jowan replied heavily. "I'm a coward, Allis, you know that! The thought of me doing something heroic or brave is just laughable."
"I think you underestimate yourself," Allis replied, not entirely convinced of his own words. "Come with me. We have a dangerous task ahead, I won't lie to you. Yes, we may die – but it's better to die for a worthy cause than as the thrall of a demon, and if we prevail, we will save the Tower. And," he added, "you won't be alone, Jowan."
Jowan wrung his hands and looked over towards Lily. "But…what about Lily?" he asked, "I mean, the demon."
"I will deal with the demon," Allis replied. "I suggest you turn away, Jowan. I would not want you to see this." He pointed to the top of the slope. "Wait for me up there."
Jowan nodded slowly, turned away, and started ascending the slope, only pausing when he heard raised voices, then an explosion. He turned around, appalled, when he heard Lily scream, and saw her lying at Allis' feet.
Allis ran toward him. "I told you to turn around, Jowan!" he cried. "Don't look! It's not Lily, remember!"
Jowan looked at Allis for a second, then at the floor. "She was the only person who ever told me they loved me," Jowan said quietly.
Allis looked at Jowan with pity. "Oh, Jowan…" he murmured, shaking his head.
"Wait!" cried Jowan, "where are you going? What's…"
Allis watched as Jowan faded away in front of him. He sat on the ground and put his head in his hands. Am I doing the right thing? he wondered. Is this what I'm supposed to be doing? We may already be dead for all I know, and if we are, all I've done is take away the people they loved…
He stood up as another pedestal appeared. And now for Zevran, he thought, shaking his head. I may very well end up fighting him as well as the demon. Feeling weighed down and exhausted, he walked toward the pedestal and touched it.
The landscape shifted once again; it consisted of the same rocky formations as every other dream, only in a different configuration. Allis spotted Zevran immediately; the first thing he noticed about the assassin was how blissfully happy he appeared to be. At his side stood a stunningly beautiful woman; she was elegantly dressed, with olive skin, luscious thick, black hair that cascaded down to her waist, and sultry brown eyes. The two of them held hands and whispered to one another.
As Allis approached, Zevran gently took her face in his hands and kissed her deeply. Allis' shoulders sagged as he realised he would have to interrupt this tender moment. He cleared his throat. Zevran broke off the kiss and span round.
"You!" he exclaimed hatefully, "so, you have finally come to finish me off, have you? Well, I'd like to see you try!" he cried, unsheathing his sword and dagger.
"I haven't come to attack you, Zevran!" Allis yelled back, "I've come to free you!"
"Free me?" Zevran laughed derisively, "so now you are doing something nice for Zevran? What is your game, eh? You hate me!"
"No, I don't, Zevran," Allis sighed. "I was just looking out for Blythe, that's all. She was vulnerable when she left the Tower, and I didn't want anyone taking advantage of her. I thought that's what you were trying to do. But I saw the way you reacted after she had spoken to you at the Tower. I think you do actually care for her."
Zevran, caught off-guard, lowered his weapons. "You know what we spoke of at the Tower?" he asked quietly.
"I have an idea," Allis replied, "and you didn't react in the way I thought you would. I really didn't think you'd care. I thought she was just another conquest to you."
"And so she was, when first I met her," Zevran sighed, "but that woman had a strange effect on me. I was actually interested in her opinions. When she laughed, my heart sang, and when she cried, it ached." He shook his head and grinned. "I have not felt anything like that since…" he looked over to the woman with the black hair, who smiled at him seductively.
"But," Zevran continued, "I know that she loves the Templar, perhaps in the same way I loved my Rinna…"
"Loved?" said Allis. "So you know she is not really here, then?"
"Of course," Zevran said heavily. "I mourned her death for too long to know that she can never return to me, except in the Fade. I see her there often when I sleep."
Allis closed his eyes and sighed. "I'm so sorry, Zevran, truly I am," he said softly, "but that is not Rinna who stands before us. I think you know that."
"Then, it is a spirit of some kind?" he asked.
"A demon," Allis replied.
Zevran closed his eyes and placed his hands over his face. "Let me take care of it," Allis offered.
"No," Zevran replied firmly, moving his hands to his weapons. "It should be me. If you were to kill her, then I truly would hate you, and I already hate…" he fell silent for a moment. "Leave us," he said to Allis.
"Are you sure about this, Zevran?" Allis asked.
"Go." Zevran replied. Allis nodded and retreated.
Zevran walked over to Rinna and spoke to her for a few moments, then stroked her face as he kissed her once more. Rinna's arms wrapped around his back, stroking down its length, then her hands tightly gripped the straps of his armour, before flailing at the air behind him. Her body went limp, and Zevran gently lowered her to the ground, removing his dagger from her throat. He stood there for a few moments before turning and heading toward Allis, his expression grim. The two elves walked together in silence.
O~~~~~~~~~~O
Blythe, Jowan and Sten stood within their prison of stone, none of them speaking; their hearts were heavy and their thoughts dark. They had been there for what seemed like an eternity, with no explanation. Neither did they know what had happened to Allis and Zevran.
Suddenly, the air shifted as the two elves materialised in front of them.
"Allis!" cried Blythe as she ran to embrace him, "thank the Maker you're safe!" Allis returned the embrace, then pulled away.
"Are you alright, Blythe?" he asked softly. She nodded her head quickly without meeting his gaze, and looked over toward Zevran. The assassin stared at some distant point straight ahead, his eyes like glass.
"Is Zevran alright?" Blythe whispered. Allis held up his hand and shook his head.
"Well, what have we here?" a voice spoke, its tone both unctuous and jarring.
The five companions span round to face a grotesque parody of a mage; it wore the same enchanter's arming cap as Allis, and the same Tevinter mage robes; however, the robes hung redundantly from its skeletal body, and its head was a grinning, horse-like skull. The demon floated several inches above the ground.
"A rebellious minion?" it asked again, speaking directly to Allis, "a restless child? Well, playtime is over, now. Go back to sleep, and we shall say no more of this matter." As it spoke, it raised a skeletal claw into the air, and once again the companions began to feel drowsy.
"No!" Allis cried fiercely. "You cannot defeat us! You tried to break us up, but we have found each other, and nothing you do or say will affect us again! Your hold over us is broken! Now, release us, or die!"
"But I only ever wanted to make you happy," the Sloth Demon replied sadly.
"We want nothing you have to offer, Demon!" Allis exclaimed determinedly.
"You, perhaps," the Demon replied, "but what about the others? I gave them what they had always dreamed of, and you took it away from them. How can you claim to be their friend?"
"Don't listen to it!" cried Blythe. "It's trying to charm you!"
"It will not charm me!" Sten bellowed, brandishing his sword. "This aberration created false images of my dead brothers in an attempt to dupe me! Did you really think you could fool a Qunari?"
"And that bastardisation of my Rinna?" Zevran said thickly, "for that, you will bleed, make no mistake!"
"You see, Demon?" Allis sneered, "you no longer have a hold over us! Now, pray to whatever pig God you revere, for these are your last moments!"
"Enough!" cried the Demon, its voice like broken glass in their ears, as it levitated several feet into the air, and began to move its arms in an elegant pattern, a glowing ball of energy forming between its hands.
"Blythe! Jowan! Stay back!" Allis commanded. "Protect him, Blythe! He's just an apprentice!"
A Fireball threw them to the ground, with the exception of Sten, who resisted, and ran toward the Demon, swinging upward with his sword; two skeletal feet fell to the ground.
"Fool!" mocked the Demon as it prepared another spell. Allis, rising to his feet, cast Cone of Cold at the creature, slowing its movements. Zevran loaded his bow and began firing, as did Jowan, from a distance, with his staff. Blythe cast Mass Rejuvenation and Heroic Defence on Allis, Sten and Zevran; and a Glyph of Warding on Jowan and herself. One of Zevran's arrows pierced the creature's eye, breaking its concentration, and Allis hit it with Crushing Prison.
"No!" cried the Demon, which disappeared, only to be replaced by another abomination; this time an Ogre, much like the one Allis had encountered in the Sloth Demon's domain before finding his companions.
"Aim for its eyes!" Allis yelled. The Ogre leaned down on one hand and lowered its head, preparing to charge.
"Allis!" Blythe screamed as the Ogre connected with him, sending the mage flying through the air, and landing on his side. Blythe ran over to him. Zevran took the opportunity to leap onto the Ogre's back, and he held on for dear life as the monster stood once more. Zevran climbed atop its head, the Ogre desperately trying to swat him away.
"Three broken ribs, broken shoulder…" muttered Blythe as she examined Allis and wiped sweat from her brow. "Hold still," she instructed, looking frantically behind her as Zevran and Sten engaged the beast. Jowan stood before the two mages, and, though clearly terrified, was doing his best to protect them as he fired lightning bolts from his staff.
"Thank you, Jowan," Allis whispered as Blythe laid her hands on him and concentrated. Allis felt the pain melt away and took a deep breath as Blythe helped him to his feet and gave him a lyrium potion, drinking one herself.
An ungodly roar sundered the air as Zevran plunged his sword and dagger into each of the Ogre's eyes. The beast thrashed around, throwing Zevran to the ground.
"Winter's Breath," Allis instructed the two mages. Jowan and Blythe did as he instructed, as Allis cast another Cone of Cold. The Ogre stood as still as a statue, frozen solid. As Blythe ran over to Zevran, Allis and Jowan nodded to one another. "Stand clear, Sten!" Allis commanded, and as the Qunari retreated, Jowan and Allis cast Stonefist at the frozen Ogre, which shattered spectacularly into thousands of shards of ice.
Blythe cast Group Heal on her companions as they walked over to she and Zevran. "He has a head injury and several broken bones," she explained, "and I can't move him. This will take me a while. Something else is here, I can feel it. Be on your guard!"
"I agree," replied Allis.
"What are you waiting for?" he called. "Come and finish it!"
"As you wish!" sounded a deep, menacing voice from behind them. "No more games!"
Sten, Allis and Jowan span round to face the final incarnation of the Sloth Demon. Blythe was too busy healing Zevran to look. A truly abominable creature stood before them; its body appeared to be made of entrails, twisted into humanoid form. Blood and pus oozed from its every orifice, and Allis and Jowan had to swallow hard to keep themselves from retching.
"And now you die!" the creature spat as it raised its arms and cast Crushing Prison on all three men. Zevran, partially healed, pointed ahead. "Blythe…"
Blythe span round and hastily cast a Glyph of Neutralisation, encompassing the three men, which dissolved the spell but also drained Allis' mana. He sank to his knees. Blythe cast Regeneration on him as he reached for a lyrium potion, but the Demon hit Allis and Sten with a Spirit Blast before he could drink it, throwing them to the ground, their bodies twitching violently. "No!" cried Blythe as she fumbled for a lyrium potion.
The demon laughed as it advanced toward her. "I shall enjoy the sound of your bones crunching in my hands!" it mocked as it neared. Blythe scooted back in terror, laying over Zevran in a desperate attempt to protect him.
"No!" cried a voice in the distance. "Get away from her!" Jowan removed a small dagger from his belt and plunged it into the palm of his hand. Just as the Demon was upon Blythe, it screamed in agony and thrashed around wildly, weaving away from Blythe toward the three men, blood pumping from its every orifice. Blythe drank a greater lyrium potion and cast Group Heal, before returning to Zevran and completing his healing. Zevran, though still groggy, rose to his feet and staggered up behind the demon, leaping onto its back.
"Bastardi!" he cried as his dagger bit deeply into the Demon's throat and sliced upwards.
"Stand clear, assassin!" Sten commanded as he rose to his feet. Zevran complied and staggered backwards into Blythe's arms. A brilliant glint of metal flashed through the air as Sten cleaved the Demon's head from its shoulders; the creature finally slumping to the ground.
All five companions sank to the floor, exhausted, as a glowing pedestal appeared before them. "Jowan…" mumbled Blythe, struggling to her feet and heading over to him. His palm was bleeding heavily and she took it in her hands, closing the wound, although leaving a nasty scar.
"Why won't it heal properly?" asked Blythe, a deep furrow in her brow.
"Magi spells don't work as effectively against wounds inflicted by blood magic," Jowan explained. Blythe looked at him, not sure whether to thank him or hit him.
She cast another Group Heal, and Mass Rejuvenation. She and the four men walked over to the pedestal. "What's this?" asked Blythe.
"I have been using these to travel around the Sloth Demon's domain," Allis explained. "Niall told me how to use them…"
"Niall?" Blythe interrupted, "what's he doing here?"
"He was enthralled by the Demon, as we were," Allis replied, "but…I think it is too late for him. I think the Demon has drained him completely." Blythe looked at him sadly and cast her eyes to the ground.
"Is everyone alright?" Allis asked. His companions nodded their heads. "Alright," he sighed, "let's see what else is in store for us," as they all touched the pedestal.
They emerged where Allis had first encountered Niall, after he had escaped from his own dream. Niall stood astonished at their appearance.
"You did it!" he cried, "you actually did it! I…never believed that anyone could outsmart the Sloth Demon, but…perhaps I should have realised that the two of you were special," he said, addressing Allis and Blythe.
"Hello again, Niall," said Allis. "We're going to take care of Uldred, now. Are you able to come with us?"
"No," he replied sadly, "it is too late for me. I have been here for too long, but for you it will have been like an afternoon's nap. Take the Litany of Adralla from my body when you return; it will counteract Uldred's blood magic. We suspected what he was up to, and devised the Litany to stop him, but alas, he moved before we could. Now, go. You should not linger here for too long."
"Is there nothing I can do to help you, Niall?" Blythe asked sadly.
"No," Niall replied, shaking his head, "defeat Uldred. That is all I wish for now, so that the death of our friends will not have been in vain. Take the Litany and use it against him. Now, hurry."
Allis and Jowan shook hands with Niall, Allis briefly embracing him and thanking him for what he had done. Blythe took Niall's hands and kissed him softly on the cheek.
"Goodbye, Niall," she said quietly. "We'll see you again, someday."
"Goodbye," he replied, "and good luck."
The five companions moved over to the large pedestal in front of Niall and touched it; instantly they found themselves back in the Circle Tower, with the Sloth Demon and Niall lying at their feet.
"Forgive me, Niall," Blythe said softly as she searched his body, and, upon finding the Litany, read the verse out loud several times, she and Allis repeating it and committing it to memory.
"Where is this Harrowing Chamber?" Zevran asked.
"Not far," Allis replied. "Are we ready?" The others nodded. "Then let's go and put this bastard in his place," he said firmly, and took the lead as they headed to confront Uldred.