The twisted, tainted dragon I see before me is standing atop a pile of bones with a backdrop of fire behind him. The beast's jaw falls open and reveals hundreds of thousands of gigantic fangs the size of broadswords. Inside, a gaping maw is rolling and turning. A thunderous roar echoes in my ears and seems to shake the entire world. I cower away from the dragon as he lifts his wings and screams to the sky. His scales are thick, his size is too big to comprehend, and his claws are the size of carthorses. Very, very large and sharp carthorses. The dragon stops screaming and his muscles seem to tense. I barely manage to take a step backward when his head flips down and his neck turns.
The monster's white, soulless eyes meet mine. Something dark and evil causes a coldness to rush up and down my spine. This isn't a dream. I'm not wherever the dragon is, but he's definitely somewhere near me and I'm definitely seeing him. I see a slimy chunk of corruption slide off of the dragon's scale and land beside my foot. He's tainted. He has the Darkspawn's blight. The creature's white eyes roll over me. In that moment I'm frozen as my spine begins tingling. He's the Archdemon. This gigantic monster is the leader of the Blight plaguing this land. And he's currently looking me dead in the eye. I'm still frozen when the world breaks.
My ears are ringing and my vision is blurry when I wake up. I see Duncan and Alistair swing into and out of my vision. Finally, they snap into place as Duncan speaks.
"It is done. You are a Grey Warden.". I stand and expect to feel pride and honor, but instead I'm greeted by another feeling. Like I'm wearing my clothes wrong. Only 'clothes' is a bad word. It's like I'm wearing my skin wrong. Almost as if my bones and muscles and fat and whatever else makes me me isn't sitting right. Just a little bit wonky and enough to notice. I pop my neck and roll my shoulders. The sense of wrongness in myself seeps into my very core. Alistair hands me a necklace and I'm briefly distracted from the fact it feels like I'm walking in someone else's body.
"After the Joining, we make a necklace with a bit of the blood. To remember those who didn't make it.". I look at the two dead recruits and place the amulet around my neck. I hated all of them, but the necklace looks good on me. Plus, it has Darkspawn blood in it and that's kind of hardcore. Alistair and Duncan blabber on about meeting them and the king to discuss how everything's going to be going, but I ignore both of them. In fact, the second they're gone I go to find my tent. My soft bedroll awaits me as I snuggle down and close my eyes. A tiny bit of a nap isn't going to kill anyone.
I'm awoken by Alistair shaking me and screaming something at me. The human yanks me up and begins running with me, but it's not until we're halfway across the bridge that I manage to finally 'wake up' enough to talk.
"What happened?". A tremendous chunk of the bridge explodes in front of us in a fiery ball, so we're forced to briefly stop. Alistair explains things to me as the bridge settles.
"We couldn't find you! Duncan gave me the plan and told me to get you, but I didn't find you until a few seconds ago!". I nod and look over the side of the bridge. A tremendous battle is raging below. Darkspawn and Warden forces are meeting and swirling together in a sea of rage and hate. I stop looking at the mini war being waged and instead start heading across the bridge. Alistair follows behind me. I only have two questions for the man.
"Why didn't you start with my tent, and what are we doing?". As we jog across the bridge Alistair points to a tower in the distance with a small woods separating us.
"We need to light the torch up there and signal Loghain Mac Tir to send in the reinforcements. And, I didn't look there because...". He looks at the ground and mumbles while we finally reach the other side of the bridge. We're barely off when two people come rushing towards us. A mage and a warrior are both battered and bathed in blood.
"Help us, they're everywhere!". Oh, that doesn't sound good in the slightest. When Alistair and I get to him, the warrior steps forward and explains the situation.
"Darkspawn have taken over the entire tower! Nobody can get to the top to light the fire!". Well, sounds like a problem I need to go fix before these humans make it any worse. I pound off into the woods towards the tower and hear my companion scream after me. I scoff and ignore him until I reach a cleared path to the tower. A few wooden structures are in my path and lead up to stairs that'll take me to where I need to go. Currently, those structures are swarming with Darkspawn and tower guards trying to drive them off.
I take out my broadsword and hear my group arrive. Suddenly, my blade bursts into flames. I flip around to see a mage dropping his hands as my blade burns on. Nice! I swing my flaming sword around a tiny amount. Once I'm assured it won't burst apart, I charge forward into the mass of Darkspawn and begin hacking. Hurlock, Genlock, Alpha, it doesn't matter! If it comes within striking distance of my blade, then I swing at it until it falls to the ground and stops twitching. Each Darkspawn tries to throw itself against me in some desperate attempt to save its own life. My blazing sword shows them how weak they truly are.
I'm bathed in blood and my world shrinks as my rage lights up my insides. Alistair is right beside me with his own flaming blade and sturdy shield. I ram into his side more times than I can count, but the man refuses to leave my side. He even covers me with his shield from an incoming arrow that would have left one fine scar. I still don't like the man; I'll only admit that he's a fine person to have my back in a fight. Especially because my fighting is swinging my sword around and throwing myself at the enemy. When the Darkspawn are gone I charge up the stairs and reach the base of the tower. I check on my group and make sure they aren't all dead before barreling through the door.
The circular room we're in is surrounded by pillars and a small barricade of boxes is in front of us. The boxes force us to walk a few feet right before entering the entire circular area. Alistair charges ahead, but I dig my heels in and stay. I don't trust this. My caution proves smart. Alistair triggers a trap as a fireball streams across the room. Oil splatters my companion and a violent explosion causes him to be blow flat onto his back. Fire rages up and down his armor. I leap over the human and charge into the room. A Genlock Emissary is running away as three Hurlock archers take aim at me and begin raining down arrows.
The projectiles click off of my armor and fall to the ground uselessly. I silently charge the closest Hurlock and sink my weapon deep into him. The monster's tainted blood splatters across my face as he catches fire with a final scream. I rip my sword from his body and turn to see the other two Hurlocks taken care of by my group. The mage is a little ruffled and Alistair is still smoking, but nothing too severe that we need to stop. I see a hallway and quickly jog through it. My group rushes through a few abandoned rooms before being halted by four Genlocks. The little Darkspawn are guarding the stairs to the second floor. All of them scream when they see us and rip their swords from their sides.
I kick one in the gut and bring my sword down on his head. A mage implodes one, Alistair stabs one through the chest, and the tower guard kicks his hard enough to kill it. My battle rage is cooling, but not completely gone. I just need to move fast before I'm calmed and struggling to fight. The next floor is made up of one long hallway with Genlocks and Hurlocks crawling all over it. Alistair starts talking about a plan, but I charge forward and begin using every single move my mother ever taught me. Monster Swings, Sundering Armor, Pommel Strike, and everything I've ever practiced more than once.
I'm in the middle of decapitating a Hurlock when a sharp, stinging pain causes me to flinch and look down at my side. Thankfully, the enemies are cleared out enough that I can spare a few seconds. A Genlock's dagger is sunk up to the hilt in between two of my ribs. I feel my blade fall from numbed fingers as I slowly reach down and grasp the dagger's hilt. My blood spurts out of me and begins forming a shallow, black puddle on the floor of the tower. The Darkspawn's blade gleams and drips with the reeking liquid. I raise the weapon to my face and squint. What I see almost causes me to laugh at the irony.
The Genlock must have stolen the dagger from an elf's body. The blade is elvish make and has a few Dalish words scratched on the handle. I feel myself becoming lightheaded and my legs are shaking. I squint harder and whisper the elvish words to myself. My accent is horrible, but I know enough ancient elvish from my mother to say the words.
"Ar lasa mala revas.". I give you your freedom. My laughter echoes off the walls of the tower. Was this a mercy blade? Did someone use this to slit the throats of the wounded after battles? Maybe that's how the Genlock got it. He could have pretended to be dead, then attacked the Dalish who came to give him a merciful death. I feel my face pressed against something cold as someone screams my name.
The tower swings around me as Alistair is pulling and shoving me forward. Something wet is pressed up against my side. I turn my hazy vision towards the man. He's soaked in blood and seems to realize I'm awake. Alistair yanks me up in one swift motion, so now he's carrying me like a bride. I don't argue. Alistair's eyes light up as he looks down at me and tries to talk (while continuing to walk). I smash a bloody hand against his cheek. He's trying to save me. I've been terrible to him, and he's trying to save me. Hot liquid spills down my side. He won't succeed. Alistair leans in as we walk and looks at me with eyes fit for a puppy. I don't need to tell him as much.
"Ir abelas.". I whisper the same words my mother told me as I cradled her dying body close to me in some filthy back alleyway of Denerim. It's only fitting. Alistair looks like he wishes to speak again.
"Ma melava halani.". My arm loses all of its feeling and slides down his neck onto his chest.
"Mala suledin nadas.". Alistair's face grows grim even though he doesn't understand me and he starts talking.
"It was my fault. A Genlock Alpha aimed for me and I turned the blade right into you without thinking. You're one of the best damned warriors I've seen and now you're wounded because of someone else forcing you to take an attack meant for them.". Now I'm dying because someone else forced me to take an attack meant for them. I can't summon the will to be angry. My fire is gone. Let me Alistair go on thinking I died liking him. My hand dangles beside me and my vision is swinging. I summon enough strength in my numb body to whisper what I'm sure will be my dying words.
"Ma ghilana mir din'an.". I take a deep breath and pant out the human translation for Alistair.
"Guide me into death.". We were going up some stairs, but Alistair freezes and stares straight ahead. He knows what I'm asking. This wound will drag my death on for another few minutes. I want to die now. I want to die with strength in my body and a working mind. Like a warrior. I fear the nothingness death brings, but I'd welcome it if I could stop the hurt in my numb side. Alistair keeps moving. Coward. You're the reason I'm dead.
"Don't worry, we're here. I can take you to the healers once the signal is-". Alistair walks through the door to the top of the tower and instantly places me on the ground. I roll my head to the side and see why. An Ogre is feasting on the flesh of the tower guards. The Darkspawn screams and charges. Thankfully, I'm out before it reaches me.
Translations for the Elvish.
Halam'shivanas: The sweet sacrifice of duty.
Ir abelas: I am sorry.
Ma melava halani: You helped me.
Mala suledin nadas: Now you must endure.
Ma ghilana mir din'an: Guide me into death.
Note: I'd like to apologize for the wait. My house was getting carpet ripped up and I had to take care of that for a few days.