A/N: I decided to change up the dreams for the characters, they never seemed quite right in the game. I also took out the whole traveling through the Fade to defeat different demons, that was always boring. Enjoy!
Chapter Seventeen: The Fade
The first thing Yvaine felt when she awoke was a firm softness, like her mattress had been when she was still living in Castle Cousland, then she felt the unmistakable feeling of fur against her bare shoulder. Tentatively she opened one eye and saw a fur pelt laying across her, it was the same color as the one she had on her old bed and as she looked above at the canopy, she realized it was the same one she had slept under for years.
'Did I oversleep?' she thought as she sat up, her head slightly spinning. When she was sitting upright she took the opportunity to look around the room, the very room she had been living in since she was a small child. It was exactly as she had left it: her armor stand close to the door with her armor neatly put, beside it were her two sets of weapons one for training and one for fighting, across from her bed was her wardrobe and beside that her copper bathtub. The walls were adorned with her family's tapestries, the portrait her parents had commissioned of her on her eighteenth Name Day hung above the fireplace, and against the stone walls were her immense bookcases full of the books she had collected over her life. There was a blazing fire going and she could only guess that Gwyn had been in already before going to get her breakfast.
Yvaine sighed and stretched, her body ached a great deal though she was not sure why, she vaguely remembered something about sparring someone the day before but even still she should not hurt this much from just a simple training round. She swung her legs off the side of her bed then stood up, the room spinning as she did her legs feeling like they were made of lead, it was as if her entire body were protesting against every action she was taking. She ignored her body's protests and walked over to her armor stand, if it really was as late as she thought then she was already late for practice and needed to get going otherwise Ser Bertrand would make her do an extra ten laps around the ring. Yvaine reached for her practice garb but when she touched her breeches they felt wrong to her, she released the garment and went for her tunic but it too did not feel right.
'Maybe I should just put on armor,' she thought and she touched the armor on the stand, this felt right to her. Quickly she changed, putting on the tunic and breeches that were underneath her studded leather armor on first, very surprised to find they felt as right as her armor, then she buckled herself into her armor and reached for her training weapons. The moment she touched them she immediately let go, this was not right either, thinking that there was no harm in using her fighting gear she reached for her blade and shield, both felt as they were supposed to and she put the shield on her back. Just as she was about to buckle her sword onto her waist she paused and pulled at the hilt to expose the blade, she expected to find the smooth metal that she usually saw but instead she saw a bright silver metal shining at her, along with several ornate etchings that ran from the hilt down into the scabbard. Yvaine furrowed her brow in concentration as she looked at the blade, it was not her own but it was familiar. Suddenly an image flashed in her mind of a blonde boy stepping out of an armoire. "Bevin!" she cried out loud and then everything came to her in a rush.
She was at the Circle Tower, she was trying to stop Uldred a blood mage whom had thought to overthrow the Templars and side with Loghain, she and her companions had encountered a sloth demon, and she was now a Grey Warden! Yvaine was about to call out whatever the demon when the door to her room opened, looking over she froze: her father was standing before her.
"Pup," said Bryce, coming over to her and smiling. "We missed you at breakfast, are you feeling alright?"
"I am fine, Father," she said, taking several reassuring breaths to calm her racing heart. "Where are Mother and Fergus?"
"Fergus is outside in the courtyard with Oren," replied Bryce, his brown eyes twinkling at her as they used to. "That boy is going to make a fine warrior someday, mark my words. And your mother is downstairs in the parlor with Oriana and Anora, expecting you to join them soon."
Yvaine's pulse quickened. "Cailan and Anora are here?"
Bryce chuckled, obviously amused. "Of course they're here, Pup, they arrived night before last with Alistair. Don't you remember? Cailan's down with Fergus and hoping to spar with you when you're ready, he seems very eager for a rematch after the last time you sparred."
Yvaine's jaw dropped. "Alistair? He's here too?"
"Of course he is, Pup," laughed Bryce, the deep, joyful sound echoing on the stones. "Why wouldn't the King bring his own brother? Besides, you and Alistair are betrothed, it would be unheard of for him not to come see you."
'Alistair and I are betrothed?' she wondered.
"Are you alright, Pup?" asked Bryce, his brow furrowed. "You seem troubled."
"Is Howe here?" asked Yvaine, her body becoming rigid just mentioning his name.
Bryce's face went from tranquil to angry. "I thought we all agreed not to mention his name again, not after what he tried to do to us."
She felt her heart sink, she knew what he had tried to do and in actuality had succeeded in killing her family, save for herself and Fergus. Now she knew the truth: she was in the Fade and this was just a beautiful dream, none of this was real though in her heart she wished that it was. She remembered her uncle's teachings about the Fade, the moment she voiced that it was a dream it would change so that the characters would acknowledge the truth and she would wake up, or at least become aware of where she really was in the Fade. Though she knew she had to break the spell the demon had over her, part of her wanted to stay in this dream with her family, to just accept this lie and let her body waste away until she was able to wholly join her parents here.
'No,' she chided herself. 'No, you have to leave; you have to stop the Blight. Think of anything else except how wonderful this place is.' She closed her eyes and tried to imagine she was elsewhere, with anyone else except her parents but she could picture nothing else except Highever or her family members. Opening her eyes she saw her father looking at her with concern.
"Pup, are you well?" he asked and before she was able to answer, her father pulled her into a tight embrace. It did not feel as crushing as his embraces had felt in life it was more like an echo of what had been but it was enough to make her feel safe, as they used to.
"I know the truth," she choked out. "I know that this is a dream and you are really dead."
Bryce pulled away and looked at her with a sadness in her eyes that was so real she almost thought this must be his true spirit. "I know this too, Yvaine, and while I will be sad to let you go I am glad I was able to hold you one last time," he said and pulled her again to his chest. "Your mother and I will always be with you and with Fergus, and when the time comes for us to be together again, we will greet you with open arms."
Yvaine could not keep the tears from rolling down her cheeks so she closed her eyes. "I love you, Father."
"I love you too, Yvaine," he said, his voice sounding distant and then it disappeared altogether.
She could no longer feel his arms around her and when she opened her eyes, she was greeted not by the familiar surroundings of Castle Cousland, but by the strange and mysterious landscape that made up the Fade. Yvaine had learned with her cousins how to traverse through the Fade though she was not a mage, her uncle telling her that the magic in her blood was strong enough to venture consciously into the Fade but not strong enough to produce magic of any kind. This was her protection against the demons that lingered at the border; this fact alone saved her from temptation and possession. She remembered the few times that her uncle had brought all five of them, her and her brother and cousins, into the Fade together. They had to stop their little adventures when Bethany's magic grew stronger, having two powerful mages in close proximity in the Fade was just begging for trouble, her uncle had said. How she wished he were here now or perhaps Bethany, either would have been able to help her get through the Fade with little trouble.
"What do I do now?" she wondered allowed as she wandered aimlessly.
"You ask for help," said a sad voice and she turned to see a Circle mage standing by what appeared to be a tree though it very well could have been anything but.
"Who are you?" asked Yvaine as she approached the man. "What are you?"
"I am Niall," replied Niall with a slight bow. "I am a prisoner like you of the sloth demon's domain. As are the other mages that followed me and the ones who followed you."
Yvaine was surprised. "There are others here? Where are they? Are they alive?"
Niall gave a weak smile. "Yes, there are others and most are alive. They are trapped in nightmares like you were, unable to break free from Sloth's hold."
"How can I break the demon's hold?" asked Yvaine, frightened that her and her friends might be trapped here forever.
"You must defeat Sloth," said Niall in a very tranquil voice. "He lives at the heart of this realm, but in order to get to him you must break free some of his prisoners to weaken his power and the barrier that protects him. To get to the others, you must use that pedestal over there." He pointed to what looked like a dish sitting on a gnarled branch.
"If that is all I have to do, why haven't you already freed yourself?" asked Yvaine suspiciously.
Niall frowned and looked away from her in shame. "I made a choice from the start not to free them, in order to save what mages were alive upon entering the Fade, I offered myself to the demon. He uses my magic to fuel his own and he does not touch the others. I am bound to him now."
"How do you know the demon's kept his end of the bargain?" she asked, concerned that he might have been used for no reason at all.
"I can still feel that my friends are still in the Fade, trapped somewhere," he said, sounding cheerful for the first time since he started talking to her. "It is a feeling not even demons can imitate, no matter how powerful they are."
Yvaine nodded and was about to go to the pedestal when she remembered something from earlier. "Before I go, are you the one that asked Owain for the Litany of Adralla?"
"Yes I am," said Niall. "It does me no good here as it is on my physical body, but if you escape, it will help against Uldred and his blood mages. Good luck"
She nodded again and headed towards the pedestal. When she looked at it she was confused by the various runes, none of them indicated which one led to which person, she had not expected this to be easy but it would have been nice for a translation of the runes. She could feel the magic in this object and as she hovered over each rune she noticed that they respectively had their own vibrations. Carefully she listened to each rune, some felt unfamiliar and foreign to her but three felt familiar: one rune radiated strength and amusement but also hope, another emitted innocence and was almost singing but it felt lonely, the last rune issued a feeling of refinement and wisdom but loss as well. Yvaine was relieved, these three were definitely her companions there was no mistaking why she recognized these runes above all others. She pressed on the first rune, the one she was sure was Alistair and watched nervously as she and the pedestal were engulfed in swirling magic, taking her to wherever he might be in this realm.
When the magic settled, the first thing Yvaine noticed was a large wooden door directly in front of her, it looked just like the one at the palace in Denerim, almost exactly like it. She took a step towards it and was surprised to discover that she was no longer wearing her boots but was wearing high-heeled shoes, looking down her eyes widened in surprise. She was no longer wearing her armor but was wearing a dress! While she was not happy about losing both her sword and armor, she had to admit, this was a very pretty dress: it was a bright metallic blue similar to that of lyrium, with silver designs swirling around the silk fabric which clung favorably to her curves, flaring out in a pool of material at her feet in a long train. It rippled like water. Yvaine felt something on her head and when she reached up, she realized it was a crown and on her neck was a thick gold chain, glancing at her hands she saw bangles on her wrists and a gold band on her left hand. This was certainly a strange illusion though very specific.
With new resolve she pushed open the door and was immediately greeted by loud music and laughter, it seemed that a ball was going on and she was a participant. She had to find Alistair though she had no idea where to even start looking, perhaps he was somewhere near the front? The crowd was thick and seemed to be impossible to get through but surprisingly everyone simply bowed to her and let her pass as if she were the Queen or something. As she passed through the crowd she noticed some familiar faces such as Bann Teagan and Arl Eamon, Connor was running around with some other children and Isolde was talking in a corner with several other noble women, some of whom she recognized from the many salons she had attended with her mother. Glancing around she realized that she was in the throne room of the King's palace in Denerim, she had been here a few times but had mostly stuck to the kitchens and courtyards during her visits. She noticed too that the closer she got to the position in the room where the King's throne was kept, the crowd was much thinner and there was more room to move, perhaps this was to be used as the dance floor.
"Yvaine!" cried a familiar voice. She spun around to see Alistair coming towards her, wearing royal garb and a huge smile on his handsome face. Without thinking she moved to him, gathering up the material of her dress so she would not trip and then she was in his arms, he felt more real than anything else did in this illusion and for a brief moment she forgot they were still trapped in the Fade.
"Alistair," she breathed, looking in his warm brown eyes. "I'm so relieved to see you."
He chuckled warmly and kissed her cheek. "I was wondering where you had gotten to, Father and Cailan told me you were still getting ready for the ball but you were taking a long time."
She smiled weakly. "Alistair, we have to leave, now."
"What do you mean?" asked Alistair, slightly confused. "You just got here and now you want to leave? Sweetheart, I know you detest balls but this is in our honor, it would be terrible if we just left. Come, there is someone I want you to meet."
Before she could protest, Alistair had his hand on the small of her back and was guiding her to where the throne was located. When she looked up she felt her heart race, standing there were Cailan and Maric, both looking very much alive though she knew the truth, beside Cailan was Anora wearing a purple gown and ornate crown and on the other side of Maric was a woman she did not recognize. The woman smiled when she saw Alistair and for a fleeting moment Yvaine was jealous until she glanced over and saw a gold band that matched hers on Alistair's left hand.
'So his dream is to be recognized as Maric's son and married to me,' she thought with a small grin.
"Yvaine," said Alistair cheerily, "may I present my sister Goldanna. Goldanna, may I introduce my wife, Yvaine."
The woman who was Goldanna smiled at Yvaine, she seemed kind and nurturing like the ideal older sister should be, but there was something off about her.
'Alistair doesn't want to just be recognized, he wants a family!' she realized and was suddenly guilt-ridden for having to destroy this dream.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, your Highness," said Goldanna, bowing deeply with a wide smile. "Alistair has told me so many things about you, I feel like we are already sisters."
Yvaine struggled to return the apparition's smile, she knew now that this was just merely a conjuring of someone Alistair wanted to see, unlike how her father had been in her illusion this woman was just magic molded to fit an image. She curtsied slightly to Goldanna and then turned back to Alistair.
"Alistair, we have to leave," she said, unable to keep the urgency out of her voice.
Alistair frowned at her. "You're behaving rather strangely, Yvaine. Why do you want to leave so badly?"
"Perhaps she just wants some alone time with you, Brother," laughed Cailan and Yvaine immediately knew this was Cailan's spirit and not some conjuring, there was no way any magic could recreate Cailan's laughter so well.
"At least my wife wants to be alone with me," retorted Alistair and Cailan merely rolled his eyes as Anora's apparition scoffed.
There had to be something she could say that would make Alistair realize that this was all a dream.
"Alistair," she said suddenly when she realized there was something that might break this spell. "Where's Duncan?"
"Duncan?" repeated Alistair, obviously confused. "Who's Duncan?"
"Surely you remember Duncan," said Yvaine with a relieved sigh. "He was at our wedding, don't you remember? He gave such a wonderful toast at the feast."
Alistair looked even more puzzled, he was obviously trying to think back to that time but it was not working well for him. "Wait," he said in a strained voice. "I remember a place . . . Ostagar, I think. I was there and so were you . . . and we were Grey Wardens." His eyes suddenly shone with realization. "Duncan! He was my mentor!"
"Do not listen to her, there was no man named Duncan at your wedding nor were you ever a Grey Warden," said Maric, glaring maliciously at Yvaine.
"Do you remember what happened to him?" pressed Yvaine, she had to shake him of this dream before the characters decided to attack.
"It's hard to concentrate," he said and then looked at her. "Maybe we should go someplace quieter, so I can think."
There was no time for that now, not when he was so close. "Focus on me," she said and she pulled him close, wrapping her arms around his neck as he put his around her waist. "Don't focus on anyone or anything else, just on me and my voice. Close your eyes."
Alistair obeyed and closed his eyes; she pressed her forehead against his and was so close she could feel his breath on her lips.
"Alistair," she said softly, caressing the back of his neck. "What happened to Duncan at Ostagar?"
He was silent for a few moments before speaking. "He . . . He was with Cailan. They were fighting darkspawn . . ." His voice shook but he continued. "They died, they both died."
"How could I have died?" called Cailan. "When I am standing right here."
"Yes," said Yvaine sadly. "Now, do you remember what we were doing before we got here?"
Again he was quiet, apparently collecting his thoughts before he spoke. "I remember a tower, full of Templars . . . The Circle Tower perhaps? And . . . we were trying to . . . trying to get to the top."
Yvaine glanced around and watched as the image around them faded away, this was going to work. "Why, Alistair, why are we at the Tower?"
"To save the mages," he replied, his words more ready at hand it seemed. "To save the mages from blood magic and to save Connor! He's possessed in Redcliffe, and Eamon's dying! We went there to get help against the Blight!"
Alistair's eyes shot open and he looked around, everything he had wanted was now gone, except for Yvaine whom was still wrapped in his arms. She made like she was going to pull away from him but he held her fast, pulling her against his chest as his arms wrapped more securely around her body, there was no way he was letting her go after that.
"I'm sorry," she said, her voice slightly muffled against his shoulder. "I . . . I wish . . ."
He pulled away so he could see her face and he smiled at her. "There's no need to be sorry, Yvaine," he said, cupping her cheek. "I still have you."
"For what it's worth," she said, now smiling, "in my dream you and I were betrothed, and Cailan had recognized you as his brother."
Alistair's smile widened and he tightened his embrace on her. "Perhaps these dreams are telling us we should get married sooner rather than later, considering it is something we both want."
Yvaine sighed happily, nestling her face against his neck. "As wonderful as that sounds, perhaps we should find a way out of the Fade before we make declarations of marriage."
"Yeah, you're probably right," said Alistair with a nervous laugh, then his eyes rested on the pedestal. "Is that how you got here?"
She followed his gaze and saw what he was looking at she nodded. "Yes, it connects to other nightmares but I was able to pick you out from all others."
"You know me that well, huh?" he asked with an impish grin. "Shall we go rescue our other companions?"
"Of course," she said and together they went over to the pedestal. When she glanced down she saw that one of the runes, the one that had led her to Alistair, was now gone and the others had shifted to fill the gap it had left. She closed her eyes and moved her hand over the pedestal, listening to the vibrations until she found the one that was Leliana, quickly she pressed on the rune and grabbed Alistair's hand just as the magic began swirling around them.
When the magic settled, they came face to face with an ornate door; it was white wood with gold vines carved into it with bright green ivy climbing up the sides. Yvaine looked higher and saw the stone manor the door protected, there were several balconies extending out from the many windows, and the unmistakable tapestries that showed support for Empress Celene of Orlais.
"It might be the Fereldan in me," said Alistair as he looked at the house, "but this house is so Orlesian I can't stand it."
"Something tells me Leliana prefers Orlais to Ferelden," said Yvaine with a cheeky smile and she knocked on the door. They waited several moments before the door swung open and revealed a footman; he was tall and thin with a hooked nose that seemed to hook even more as he looked down it at Alistair and Yvaine.
'Even in dreams, Orlesians are impossibly snobby,' thought Yvaine, suddenly a little self-conscious about her leather armor that must have immediately given away the fact she was from Ferelden.
"And who are you?" asked the footman, his Orlesian accent very pronounced.
"I am Teyrness Yvaine Cousland, of Highever," replied Yvaine, squaring her shoulders and looking straight back at the footman. "I am here to visit the Lady Leliana."
"Ah yes," said the footman stepping aside, "she has been expecting you, your Ladyship. She is in the garden with your nieces and nephews, your brother has not yet arrived from his recent progress I am afraid so he is not here."
Alistair and Yvaine shared a confused look, neither had expected Leliana to dream of being married to Fergus, but they went inside anyway. Either way they had to get to Leliana to free her of the demon's hold. They followed the footman to the gardens, which was located in the middle of the manor and it was bigger than most of the courtyards Yvaine had seen in her life. The footman led them to a point before clicking his heels together and bowing to them, then he turned and left them there.
"Alright, that man was weird, even by Orlesian standards," whispered Alistair as they walked into the garden.
Yvaine tried not to laugh. "If you keep those opinions up, Alistair, you should have no problem being a noble."
Alistair was about to make a smart remark in return when a small girl with bright red hair came running up to him and Yvaine. The girl looked up at them and a huge smile broke out on her small face.
"Mama!" she called. "Mama! Auntie's here! Auntie's here!"
Being called 'Auntie' again was almost like a stab through the heart, the only child that ever called her that was now dead, and he had been the sweetest child that ever existed. She was sure the dream was not meant to hurt her but still, it pained her.
Before she could reply to the little girl, Leliana came into view. She was very much different in this world but she still looked like the Leliana they knew: her red hair was grown out and braided in such a complicated manner it almost seemed surreal with delicate white flowers placed throughout, she was wearing a gown of gold fabric that accentuated her swollen belly and she appeared happy. Around her was a large brood of children, all varying in ages and height, some with red hair and others with Fergus' dark brown.
"Yvaine!" she said happily as she approached. "I'm so happy to see you, Fergus mentioned you might be coming for a visit. How are things in Highever?"
"Things are fine," replied Yvaine, still shocked at Leliana's dream world. "Leliana, we have to leave, now."
Leliana's serene face changed to one of suspicion. "What are you talking about, Yvaine? Why must we leave?" She looked down at the worried faces of her children.
"Only you, me, and Alistair are going to leave Leliana," said Yvaine gently; this was a powerful spell the demon had her under. "Please, come with us. This place, these people, are not real."
The little girl that had greeted Yvaine now clung to Leliana's skirt, she seemed frightened. "Mama, Auntie's scaring me."
"Hush now, little one," said Leliana as she patted the child's head. "Your Auntie is just playing a game. Right?" She glared at Yvaine for upsetting her child.
Yvaine hated doing this but it was for her own good. "Fergus isn't coming home, he's not even close to where we are right now. Don't you remember? He's in Redcliffe with the others, trying to save Connor Guerrin."
"But . . . that happened years ago," said Leliana though she did not seem as strong in her belief as before. "We went to the Circle for help. We saved the mages, then ended the Blight."
"No," said Alistair sternly. "We're at the Circle right now, we're trapped in dreams or rather nightmares. Please, Leliana, try to remember what we were doing there."
Leliana was silent and closed her eyes suddenly she appeared troubled and her brow creased in concentration. "I . . . I think I need to go."
"No Mama!" pleaded the children, all gripping onto her. "Don't leave us alone! Don't abandon us!"
Tears started running down Leliana's cheeks but she said nothing as she approached Yvaine and Alistair, her eyes still closed. "You must guide me out, I realize this is a dream, but I fear if I see those illusions I will not be able to shake the demon."
Wordlessly Yvaine and Alistair agreed to her request and each took her by an arm. The children had yet to move from their spots but all were now crying loudly, begging Leliana to stay with them and to not leave the house. Yvaine and Alistair both expected more resistance from Leliana but the further they walked away from the children the better she seemed, apparently she was stronger than they had originally given her credit. When they reached the door, the imaginary world dissolved and they were left standing in the emptiness of the Fade, Leliana now back to how she normally looked, and the pedestal just a little ways away from their position.
Cautiously, Leliana opened her eyes and appeared very much relieved to see that the illusion had melted away and that she was back to her normal self.
"Are you alright, Leliana?" asked Yvaine as she and Alistair released their hold on the bard's arms.
"I am well," she replied in a shaky voice. "Thank you for your help, I do not think I could have broken it by myself, it was too powerful."
Yvaine smiled kindly, while she might have been able to free herself of her dream it was only due to her uncle's lessons, without those she might still be trapped in her dream. "Don't think too much on it, Leli," she said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "This demon's goal is to trap us here, so of course he would make our prisons too enticing to leave."
"I was just as convinced as you were that my dream was real," said Alistair with a reassuring grin. "I mean, even the cheese tasted real, so I had no reason to suspect foul play."
"Then I am glad Yvaine was able to break free of her prison," laughed Leliana and Alistair rolled his eyes.
"Now we need to free Wynne," said Yvaine as she went over to the pedestal. She noticed that yet again the rune that had indicated Leliana was now missing and the others had shifted to fill the hole it left, she sighed; once again she had to go looking for Wynne's rune. At least she knew what kind of feeling she was searching for. When she found that rune once again, she quickly gestured to the others to join her and when they were close enough that the magic would take them with her, she pressed the rune.
The Fade had shifted around them and they were now standing in a dimly lit room, one Yvaine recognized as the apprentice quarters in the Tower though there was no one else around. For a moment Yvaine thought she might have chosen the wrong rune, after all why would Wynne's nightmare take place in the apprentice quarters when she was a Senior Enchanter? Then there was a small sobbing sound that echoed through the empty room, it appeared to be coming from one of the bunk beds. Yvaine motioned for Leliana and Alistair to wait where they were and she went ahead, she had a feeling that the demon would not relinquish a powerful mage like Wynne without some kind of a fight.
She quietly crept through the rows of bunk beds, looking for the source of the crying sound. She was just about to turn around and head in a different direction when she saw a young woman sitting on one of the beds. For a moment Yvaine thought this was someone else, that they had come to the wrong dream but when the young woman turned her head, she saw that it was indeed Wynne, just a younger version. This was likely the demon's magic and when they free her, she will probably go back to looking like her old self. If they can break the demon's hold on her that is.
"Wynne," said Yvaine in a soft voice, approaching the bed she was sitting on. "Wynne, are you okay?"
Wynne shook her head, some strands of brunette hair escaping her bun. "They took him," she said, her voice hoarse from crying. "They took him away and now I'll never see him again."
Yvaine sat down beside Wynne and tentatively touched her hand, when she did not protest, she held it making sure not to squeeze too tightly since it was difficult to gauge strength in armor. "Who did they take, Wynne?"
"My son," sobbed Wynne, fresh tears pouring down her face. "They took my baby boy, the one thing in this world that was completely mine and those bastards took him!"
Wynne collapsed against Yvaine's shoulder, tears still running down her cheeks and soaking into the exposed collar of Yvaine's tunic. Cautiously, she wrapped her arm around Wynne's trembling shoulders and slowly rubbed up and down her arm, this situation had to be handled delicately considering how strong of a hold it appeared the demon had on Wynne.
"Wynne," said Yvaine softly and the mage looked up at her, tears still glistening in her grey eyes. "You know who I am right?"
"No," said Wynne, wiping her eyes on the sleeve of her robe. "You seem familiar but I can't place you. Are you a Templar?"
Yvaine shook her head. "No, I'm not a Templar. I'm a Grey Warden, and I've come to save the Circle and the First Enchanter from Uldred."
Wynne looked up at her with a confused look. "What on earth are you talking about, Warden? The Circle is not in any trouble and Uldred is teaching a class right now with the First Enchanter."
"Why aren't you attending your studies then?" asked Yvaine, trying to get her to realize that there was something very, very wrong here.
"Irving is giving me time to mourn and collect myself," replied Wynne automatically, this must have been the reason from before, when this event actually took place. "He advised the others to leave me be so I could have the necessary privacy."
"Wynne, this isn't real," said Yvaine, dropping all pretenses. They were running out of time and she knew the more time she wasted trying to placate to Wynne's illusion the less time they would have to save Irving and the others.
"What do you mean this isn't real?!" demanded Wynne, pushing herself out of Yvaine's embrace. "Are you trying to tell me that my pain isn't real? That I don't actually care for my baby?!"
Yvaine grimaced at the words, they were harsh and she wanted to apologize but now was not the time. "Wynne," she said, gripping the mage's shoulders. "You said I look familiar, right? Try to remember where you met me, close your eyes and focus. I promise you, it will make your pain go away. Please, just trust me."
Wynne seemed skeptical but she really was not in a position to argue and knew it so she humored Yvaine and closed her eyes, trying to concentrate on something. Instead of finding it easy to search her mind as it has always been, she found it clouded and full of vague shapes. This was disturbing to her.
"I'm finding it . . . difficult to . . . focus," she said, her eyes still closed and brow furrowed. "I've . . . never had so much trouble . . . before. I think . . . I need to leave here. Now."
'Thank the Maker!' rejoiced Yvaine as she helped Wynne to her feet. That was easier than she thought it would be. They took a few steps towards where Leliana and Alistair were standing with the pedestal when the room suddenly became ice cold, so cold that frost was forming on the stones and windows.
"Oh shit," muttered Yvaine and she started pushing Wynne towards the pedestal. "You need to go, Wynne, before—"
"You will not have her!" said a voice that seemed to emanate from the very walls. "She is mine! Her power will feed me for centuries!" The floor shook and started to come apart, Yvaine could see the beginnings of lava forming between the cracks, this was not going to end well at all.
"Run!" shouted Yvaine and this time she pushed Wynne so hard she nearly fell to the floor. "Go to the pedestal!"
Wynne nodded and started running towards Alistair and Leliana. Yvaine was about to go as well when a corpse rose in the corner of the room, a bow drawn taut with an arrow aimed at Wynne's back, she immediately pulled out her shield and ran to intercept the arrow before it could hit Wynne. She held up her shield and the arrow struck it, the force of it's collision so great most of the head came through and would have hit Yvaine between the eyes had she not put up her shield when she did. That was too close.
"Is Wynne with you?" called Yvaine to no one in particular.
"Yes!" called Leliana and Yvaine started towards them, just as she felt a tremor through the floor. She looked down and saw more cracks in the stones, lava now seeping through quickly, now she was running and the room seemed to be getting longer. Perhaps this was the work of the demon.
"Run!" shouted Alistair, looking frantic. "Run, Yvaine!"
"I am!" shouted Yvaine as she tried to keep ahead of the lava, she looked back and saw why Alistair wanted her to keep running: the floor behind her had fallen into a great chasm of lava. She looked ahead and saw that she was not getting any closer to her friends, and strangely their platform was not falling apart like the rest of the floor. Maybe the demon had figured out that they were free because of her and he was doing this to get rid of her so he could recapture her friends and keep them permanently. She would not allow this to happen.
Suddenly, she remembered something her uncle had taught her about being trapped in a situation like this, if she wanted to escape this seemingly unending obstacle she would have to perform a feat that would be impossible to do in the real world. Dream logic and real world logic were completely different things, and since running endlessly over a chasm of lava was already impossible, doing something like jumping towards her friends would break the cycle since the amount of space between herself and her friends was too much to make it. So if she jumped it would break the cycle and she would likely either land with her friends or the floor would give way and she would end up on a cliff. Either way, it would work.
Taking a deep breath she closed her eyes and stopped running for a moment then jumped, not straight in the air but as if she were trying to jump from a piece of furniture and dive onto another one, like she had when she was a child. Instantly she felt herself sailing in the air, something that should not have happened had this situation been one in the real world and not the Fade, she opened her eyes just in time to see herself coming in for a landing against the platform her friends were standing on. She collided with it and the force knocked the wind out of her, but she managed to grab hold of some uneven stones and held on with every fiber of her being.
"Hold on, Yvaine!" called Alistair as he knelt down and grabbed onto her arm, Leliana grabbing onto her other one. Together they pulled on her and Yvaine helped them as much as she could in the awkward position she was currently in, dangling over the side of a cliff with lava bubbling up around her. When they had her waist above the broken floor, Yvaine swung a leg up and managed to get it up though it was slightly bent to the side, she then applied pressure to her knee and used the momentum to help push her the rest of the way while Alistair and Leliana continued to pull. Before she knew it, she was on the platform and in Alistair's arms, her heart pounding in her ears but she was glad to be alive.
"Go!" she shouted and pushed herself out of Alistair's grip then motioned for them to get to the pedestal. Quickly they all ran over to the object and stood close to Yvaine as she pressed the rune she knew would take her back to Niall and that place in the Fade she had arrived in before finding her friends. The magic surrounded them just as lava exploded in the spot they had been standing previously. It had been too close.
"Maker's breath," panted Alistair as he fell to his knees, the adrenaline wearing off. "I never want to do that again."
"Neither do I," wheezed Yvaine putting her hands on her bent knees as she tried to recover her breath. "I had a feeling the demon might try something, that's why I had you and Leli stay with the pedestal. So you could get Wynne out in case—"
"No," snapped Alistair, looking right at her. "Don't even finish that sentence, Yvaine. There was no way we were going to leave you behind, even if we had to kill the demon then and there."
"The demon tried very hard to have you killed, Yvaine," said Wynne, now having regained her normal appearance. "That arrow was meant for you, not me, and so was the lava chasm."
Yvaine looked at the mage with a raised eyebrow. "What makes you think that arrow was supposed to kill me?"
"I doubt it was meant to kill you but it was supposed to draw you away from a direct route to safety," replied Wynne, looking slightly less upset than she had been in her dream. "The demon did not want me dead after all, just subdued into submission so he could feed off the magic released from my vulnerability. My guess is you were the first to escape from your prison and freed Leliana and Alistair before coming to find me, this likely angered the demon and he sees you as a threat. To gain a demon's anger and not even being a mage that rejected its offer is not easily accomplished, while it is dangerous, it is also impressive."
"That sounds like a backhanded compliment," said Alistair uneasily.
"I agree," said Leliana, pursing her lips in a thin line. "This does not seem like something that should even be noted, Wynne, unless there is some strategic advantage."
"I was getting to that," said Wynne wearily. "When we confront the demon, his focus will more than likely be on Yvaine, she has proven her ability to overcome his influence and is a threat to his realm. He will not want the rest of us harmed as he has something to gain from each of us: my magic, Alistair's Templar skills, and Leliana's faith. All have power that can fuel his and he wants to become stronger in order to dominate the other demons in different realms."
"Wait, how'd you know I was a Templar?" asked Alistair, never having mentioned this to her before.
"I noticed your skills during our skirmishes," replied Wynne. "They might have evolved but they are rooted in Templar origin and I know Leliana is a person of strong faith because she started to pray the moment the demon released his magic. As I was saying, we can use Yvaine as a way to trick the demon. We can confront him and the three of us can ask him to put us back in our illusions, since we have something he wants he will keep us at a safe distance as he attacks Yvaine. We can use that time to flank him in a coordinated surprise attack."
Yvaine was in shock, she was going to be used as bait against a powerful demon. "Are you sure this will work? How do you know he hasn't heard everything you just said and is getting ready to counteract our plan?"
Wynne smiled at her kindly. "This part of the Fade is not controlled by the demon, he cannot hear nor see what is going on here."
"But, Niall said the demon was at the heart of this realm, how can this not be part of his domain?" asked Yvaine, still convinced that the demon probably had heard everything they said.
"Niall is a smart lad but he never fully comprehended the workings of the Fade," replied Wynne. "Those runes on the pedestal represented the islands that are part of the demon's kingdom, the center one being where he resides. The one we pressed to escape my illusion was linked to the raw Fade and is just on the outskirts of the demon's realm."
"Oh, I understand now," said Yvaine brightly. "While under the demon's control, we are in his domain and at his mercy, but when we escape we are no long in his realm and are transported to a safer section of the Fade."
"Exactly," said Wynne. "Which is why the demon will not know our plan before we get there so long as we work out the details here and not give ourselves away one we are in his inner sanctum."
"Then let's get started," said Yvaine with confidence though inside, she was shaking.
Their plan was in place, all of the rough edges smoothed and they knew their parts well enough that it should convince the demon they want to be put back in their fantasies. Yvaine was still trying to calm her racing heart; her part in the plan was basically a sacrifice to the demon, though she trusted Wynne and the others, she still was anxious. If anything went wrong, they would be trapped in the Fade while the Blight swallowed Ferelden and then the rest of Thedas.
"Remember," said Wynne as they approached the pedestal. "The demon is greatest in his stronghold, a surprise attack is our only way to get him in a vulnerable position. We just have to wait until he is right about to attack Yvaine, then we strike."
Alistair crossed his arms. "I'm still not a fan about that bit, isn't there some other way we can do this that doesn't put Yvaine in so much danger?"
Yvaine was about to object, to tell him for the umpteenth time that she was willing to do this and that there was no other way when someone walked up behind them.
"I may be able to help," replied Niall. "The demon is using me to fuel his domain, so if I show up with you lot, I would be able to make a more convincing performance. He would likely believe that I was holding up my end of the bargain, and at the same time I could protect Yvaine from the demon without drawing attention. If he asks why I have magic around her, I could just tell him it is to make sure she doesn't disrupt any more of his prisoners."
They all shared a look and Wynne nodded, apparently sure that this would work just as well or better than their original plan.
"All right, Niall," said Yvaine brightly. "Looks like you're in."
Niall smiled. "Thank you, you are most kind to accept my aid."
"Shall we get started?" suggested Wynne, indicating towards the pedestal. "The sooner we escape this place, the sooner we save Irving and the rest of the Circle."
The others nodded in agreement and all headed over to the pedestal, Yvaine felt a sense of both relief and apprehension as they prepared to enter the demon's domain, soon this would be over and either they would all be trapped here or be free. Personally she hoped for the latter. She took a deep breath and pressed the middle rune, watching as what looked like black smoke swirled around them. There was no turning back now.
The smoke cleared far too soon and they were standing in a more sinister and twisted version of the Fade. Gnarled trees littered the landscape, with what looked like severed heads of past enemies hanging from the crooked branches, their faces fixed with expressions of true horror. The Sloth demon might not like fighting, but there was no doubt he was very good at it, if these trophies were any proof. Unconsciously Yvaine gently gripped her own throat and rubbed an invisible line where it might be taken off at, if things went wrong, her head might end up on one of those trees.
Suddenly she felt someone's grip on her arm and she looked over to see Alistair shaking his head at her, silently telling her that she would be fine and not to worry. She nodded and put her arm back at her side, giving him a slight smile before turning her attention back to the matter at hand. Niall was leading them now and he seemed very grim as he did so, perhaps he was rethinking his offer to help them after all, maybe he really would hand her over to the demon if just to save his own skin.
"Hold on a moment," he whispered and suddenly he cast a spell that wrapped Yvaine and the others in a golden light. "It's a barrier against most magic, plus it should protect your thoughts from Sloth. I thought casting it now might be a good idea."
Yvaine nodded and they continued walking, the path becoming more and more uneven the closer they drew to the demon's lair. They passed through a wide opening and into a circular clearing, in the center of the area was an imposing figure that closely resembled a reanimated corpse but in finer dress. This had to be the demon though why it appeared as it did she was unsure, perhaps it took on the appearance of something familiar to all groups and projected that instead of its true self. Either way it was frightening to behold, which was likely the goal.
"Master," said Niall loudly and the demon looked down at him, a ghoulish smile pulling at its mouth.
"Niall," said Sloth, his voice as slow and enticing as it had been in the real world. "I see you have brought fellow dreamers with you."
Niall nodded and stepped aside so Sloth could see them. "I found them wandering around the Fade, it appears they escaped the prisons you so generously created for them."
Sloth glared down at them, his eyes nothing more than two black holes but still, the glare could be felt. "And I tried so hard to make them happy, even going so far as finding their loved ones to include in the dream, such a shame this is how they repay me."
"It was not their fault, Sloth," said Niall with conviction, and then he turned and gripped firmly on Yvaine's arm and tugged her roughly up to the front of the group. "This woman somehow broke out of her own dream and then went about taking these others from theirs. I caught them before they could get to the rest."
"Good, Niall," said Sloth and he brought a hand up to Yvaine's cheek and caressed it with his long fingers. "I wish you had not escaped, little jewel, I very much enjoyed watching you. But I am afraid you will have to be punished for such a crime."
Niall cleared his throat audibly. "And what of the others, Master? They have expressed a desire to be put back in their prisons, wishing to remain in them."
Sloth cast his gaze on the other members of the party. "Since they did not willingly leave their dreams, I will grant them their wish. They fueled me with such power; it would be a shame to lose them. I will happily put them back in their dreams just as soon as I am finished with this disobedient slave."
Yvaine gulped but did not betray her fear to the demon.
"Should the others stand out of range so as not to be harmed, Master?" asked Niall though he did not sound as confident as before.
"Yes," replied Sloth, his finger now twisting some of Yvaine's hair. "But make sure the Templar recruit has a good view for when I destroy the woman he loves."
Without looking Yvaine could tell that Alistair had tensed up in preparation to strike at the demon, but she flicked her wrist in a motion that told him to not do anything rash. They needed this to work if they and the others were going to be free.
"Do not worry, Templar," said Sloth, his voice as slick as oil. "I will put her spirit in your dream and it will be as if she never left, I did the same with your brother, did I not? Now, go wait over there, this should only take a second and then we can all go back to sleep."
Yvaine heard more than saw the others move to the designated spot the demon had indicated, Sloth now having moved his grip to her throat. Someone had better do something soon; otherwise she was going to die.
"Niall," said Sloth suddenly. "I want you to kill this woman, prove to me what a loyal and obedient servant you are." He pushed Yvaine to the ground and stood back as Niall came into view, a jagged black metal dagger now in his hand and a serious look on his face.
She looked up at him horrified, this was not according to the plan, this was completely off-script but she could do nothing without betraying the true plan if that was even still going to happen. Quickly she glanced at her friends and saw them all sitting on their knees, their arms at their sides as if they had been chained to the floor all looking just as alarmed as she was. Alistair in particular looked the most distressed as he struggled against his invisible bindings, their eyes met and she gave him a brief smile just as Niall raised the dagger high in the air.
"Please don't," she whispered, the fear now evident in her voice.
"I have no choice," replied Niall with a deadpan stare. The blade came rushing through the air; it made a small cutting sound as it came down, Yvaine closed her eyes and braced for the inevitable bite of cold metal against warm flesh but it never came. Tentatively she opened her eyes and saw Niall standing there but looking closer she saw that the dagger was no longer in his hand, then her eyes came to rest on the hilt of the blade protruding from his abdomen.
"No," she said just as Niall collapsed to the floor.
There was a deafening cry that was almost inhuman in nature and all eyes turned to the demon. What looked like black tar was spewing from his own abdomen at a surprising rate and he was desperately trying to stop the bleeding but it appeared he no longer possessed any magical ability. Yvaine took the opportunity to rush to Niall's side, carefully turning him over so she could see him. The dagger was still imbedded deep in his body but if she removed it now, he might still live.
"Don't touch it," he said quickly just as her hand gripped the hilt. "You must end me, Yvaine. It is the only way to defeat Sloth."
Yvaine was confused. "What? I thought he could be killed like any other foe."
Niall shook his head. "No, once I allowed myself to be bound to him, our lives became one. If I die so does he and vice versa."
"Why didn't you say something sooner?" asked Yvaine, her chest constricting with fear and anguish as she watched this man die before her very eyes.
"I did not want you to hesitate," sighed Niall, putting his hand on hers. "Sloth needed to be stopped and only I could make sure he was, I knew if I told you about our connection you would try to save me. That's just the kind of woman you are, Yvaine, which is not a bad quality. Remember that."
"I will," she said solemnly and then she moved her hands to the hilt of the dagger.
"If you are ever in Denerim," said Niall as he closed his eyes. "Please, tell my mother I died well."
"Of course," said Yvaine and then she twisted the blade, causing more blood to spurt from his body and with a few shudders his body stopped moving. Looking up she saw the demon writhing on the ground, a few moments later he stopped moving and lay there dead beside Niall, his face twisted in an agonizing expression. She was glad he was dead even though it had come at the price of Niall's own life and possibly soul, it was fitting that the mage he had tried to exploit had been his end.
"Yvaine!" cried Alistair and Leliana as they ran to her, Niall's spell obviously having broken the moment he was dead.
She looked up and smiled weakly at them, while she was glad to see they were perfectly fine she was still upset that Niall had sacrificed himself for her.
"Thank the Maker!" said Alistair as he fell to his knees beside Yvaine, wrapping his arms around her in a bone-crushing embrace. "I thought that mage was going to actually kill you!"
"So did I," replied Yvaine weakly, returning Alistair's gesture. "How are you all? I saw you were some what restrained by Niall's spell."
"We're fine," said Leliana hugging her arms around herself. "It was just a shock, is all. At least it was for me, I had no idea he was going to do that."
"Neither did I," said Wynne, looking very shaken.
"So what happens now?" asked Alistair, looking up at Wynne.
Wynne smiled down at him. "We . . . wake up!"