Freedom Among Slaves: A Mage's beginning
Chapter 10: Bound in Blood and Lyrium
Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Age, Bioware or EA.
Author's note: Sorry, A fix for the line break problem I'm having has been suggested to me and I will try it out now.
Two years later:
Ostagar:
The young mage girl watched in horror as Daveth's life fled before her eyes and Ser Jory was cut down by Duncan just for wanting to go home to his wife and child.
Join us brothers and sisters…
Duncan approached her with the cup of Darkspawn blood.
…join us in the shadows where we stand vigilant…
She could see the Darkspawn blood glistening as she took the chalice from him.
…join us as we carry the duty that cannot be forsworn…
The foul liquid burned as it made its way down her throat.
…and should you perish…
She didn't want to die! Of course not! The pain…the pain was excruciating.
…know that your sacrifice will not be forgotten…
Her eyes turned milky white, no pupil, no iris at all as the taint took hold.
…and that one day…
She fell. Alistair moved to catch her and lowered her gently to the ground.
…we shall join you.
"From this moment forth, Bethany, you are a Grey Warden."
She would live.
Several hours earlier:
Kinloch hold:
Someone shook Hawke's shoulder. She pulled her pillow over her head.
"Go 'way." This had to be one of three people: Anders, Karl or Jowan.
Most probably Anders, returned from his quarantine after his latest escape, wanting to tell her about the outside world while there were no Templar ears around.
Her shoulder was shook again.
He was darn persistent.
Wasn't it bad enough that she'd been kept up by Jowan's ridiculous conspiracy theories? Jowan was always muttering or taking down notes from some obscure book in an out of the way corner. He was a walking, talking conspiracy theory.
Whoever it was shook her again. She felt the chill of an armoured gauntlet through the thin material of her shirt.
Cautiously, Hawke crept one hand towards the dagger she kept hidden under her blankets and gripped the handle.
She peeked her head out from under her pillow. It was the Templar, Cullen, and he was looking particularly nervous.
"Um… I-I've… uh… I've b-been sent t-to bring y-you to your ha-harrowing…"
Hawke breathed a sigh of relief and let go of the dagger.
Cullen had the decency to turn around while she changed into her mage robes. She cleared her throat when she was finished and motioned for him to lead the way.
The First Enchanter, Knight-Commander and a whole host of other Templars waited for them in the Harrowing Chamber.
Her drowsiness prevented her from panicking when Irving explained to her that she would be sent into the Fade to face a demon, and when the Knight-Commander informed her that if she failed, she would die.
When she touched the lyrium however she was wide awake. Lyrium wasn't addictive to mages, like it was to Templars; it instead resonated with the mana in her blood, in every cell of her body.
Hawke felt as if she could do anything.
Marian opened her eyes; she was in Hightown, her parents' estate. She was warm and comfortable, why shouldn't she be?
Yet something was off.
"Sister wake up! Come on sleepyhead!"
Bethany…?
Marian turned her head and saw her sister standing beside her bed, brown eyes bright and full of laughter.
Marian let herself be led out into the hallway.
A shield with the Kirkwall city crest was mounted on the wall. It always reminded her of a dragon or a bird; it looked like it had wings.
Wings…feathers…
Birds…hawks…
"Come on sister! Stop it! Stop looking at that! Stop thinking! Don't you want to be happy? We're happy! All you have to do is give in!"
"You're not…you're not my sister!"
"Marian-"
"I am not Marian! I am Hawke! Begone, demon!"
"If this is how you want to play it…" The voice was deeper, menacing.
Justice scrambled up the steep incline in the Fade. Hawke was there, in the valley on the opposite side.
He saw what the demon was tormenting her with: a dead facsimile of Bethany, her sister.
Justice refused to let her break. He could feel the link she had with her sister. He followed it with his consciousness.
Hawke felt like she'd been torn in half.
The witch lied to you…she didn't save Bethany…
"Shut up! You're not worthy to say her name!"
…I could give you power…
…power enough to defeat the witch…make her pay...
"Shut up!" Hawke sobbed.
…poor…sweet…kind Bethany…so young…
"…go away…"
That's it…yes…the witch deserves death…by your hands… The whisper was insidious and tempting.
"No! I won't…I won't give in!"
"That's the Marian I know."
Hawke looked up, her teary face frozen with shock.
"Garrett…Carver…Bethany…what are you all doing here?"
"Even the best of us need support."
"That's what we're here for."
"Marian, I'm ok, I'm safe."
"She joined the Grey Wardens. There was one present when she first used magic, and he conscripted her." Hawke could hear the pride and envy in Carver's voice.
"You've come too far to give up now!" Bethany implored.
"I couldn't have put it better myself," Carver put his arm around his twin's shoulder.
Garrett extended an arm to Hawke. They grasped each other's forearms.
"Remember; everyone is rooting for you, sis."
"How touching!" The demon appeared behind them.
"I'm not afraid of your little games anymore, pride!"
"Hmph."
Hawke and Bethany readied themselves to use magic, summoning staves from the Fade.
Garrett produced a wicked looking set of daggers from nowhere and Carver pulled a massive greatsword out of the ground where it materialized, hilt deep. Justice appeared beside Hawke, calmly shifting his shield from his back to his arm and settling the weight of his mace in his other hand.
"Thanks for the help." Justice nodded, eyes focused on the pride demon.
"Now!"
The two mages fired blasts of pure spirit energy from their staves. Justice found himself running beside Garrett.
"So…just what is your relationship with my sister?"
Justice glared at him.
"Joke…joke."
Justice ran ahead, Carver was drawing almost all of the demons attention. Justice came to a halt and turned, holding his shield at an angle, allowing Garrett to use it as a springboard. The demon roared when the daggers began sinking into its back, again and again. Garrett jumped off, landing nimbly on his feet. Justice and Carver attacked the demons kneecaps, running clear when it fell to its knees.
Hawke and Bethany combined their mana to launch a massive fireball, finishing the demon off.
At that point the harrowing ritual brought Hawke back to her body and her siblings woke up, leaving Justice on his own in the Fade.
Hawke opened her eyes; she was back in her bunk in the apprentice dorms.
Karl, one of the mages Anders had introduced her to two years ago, sat on the bed directly across from her, arms folded, grinning from ear to ear. He stood and walked over.
"Congrats on your harrowing!"
"Ugh…not so loud."
"And not a feather out of place!"
"Must you tease me about the pauldrons?"
"You're no fun this early. I can't wait 'till Anders gets out of the dungeons and you've woken up properly."
"He's getting out today?"Hawke asked, lacing up her boots.
"Sometime this afternoon, I think. You should go talk to Irving; he wanted to see you when you woke up. Jowan wants to talk to you after. Is it just me or has he been on edge lately?"
"He's been suspicious, that's for sure."
Author's note: Thanks to Pintsizedpsycho for the successful line break solution! Required a bit of fiddling, but worth it.