Month 7 - Solis, Blackmarsh, 9:32 of the Dragon Age.
The ground was hard and cold when the trio woke. Bright the sun in the sky as they roused from the spell cast on them.
"What just happened?" Lili'Enyel asked as she sat up. "It is day. How long have we slept?"
Groans from either side of her, both men shifting positions, looked at their surroundings as well. The grub human faced creatures were gone along with the twisted spell caster.
Lush the grass and trees now looked, shading them from the blistering sun. Everything looked different now.
Nathaniel glanced around. "What happened indeed? The body is missing." He pointed out once to his feet.
"Wha-? Oh, no." Anders pushed himself from the ground.
Lili and Nathaniel looked at each other, then the mage. "What 'Oh no?'" came from them both.
Anders raised a finger. He ran from the clearing the spell was cast. He saw he was right in his suspicions. The homes were intact and busy now.
"Hear me, people! She is evil incarnate! The countless evils I've seen her perpetrate in there… I'm ashamed to even recount them aloud!" a man pleaded with the villagers. Few nodded in agreement as they stood about. "I overhead, she had ordered for our children to be stolen in the night so she can…"
A group of large, heavily armored men pushed through the small gathered crowd. Anders saw the man who was imploring action hit on the back to the ground.
"No! Unhand me, you thugs! Wait! Don't let them take me!" he shouted.
People hurriedly gathered, calling upon neighbors to the square with pitchforks and other tools up the main walk.
Running back to the others, who came up shortly after him, ushered them along. "We are in the fade. There's something going on," he announced.
"What is a fade?" Lili'Enyel asked, taking in their surroundings once again. Paused, she gasped, looking at land and homes whole once more. "How is this possible?" She saw lively activity, people bustling, children told to go and stay indoors. Men and women gathered in angry fits with farming tools? Raising her eyebrow, she pointed at the crowd.
Anders shrugged. "There was someone taken away just a moment ago. Looks like they went up that way to the gate."
"We won't get answered standing about. We need to get back to the Keep to tell the Commander what happened." Nathaniel brushed past Anders, following behind the villagers.
Nodding in agreement, the three of them kept a lookout as they pressed on. They did need to leave to report back and still gather the body of Warden Kristoff with the information of his murder. They walked a short way when they stopped by a man dressed in full medium armor.
"Halt! Who enters the Blackmarsh?" The three gave the man a shortened explanation of what had happened to them moments before. "So they trapped you, same as we are. Locked in this endless nightmare." He sighed with a shake of his head. "We've been here so long at her mercy. I almost forgot what it was like, before."
The three looked at each other. Just how long had he, and subsequently others, been held here?
The armored man continued as they silently listened on. "There is a spirit that's come to free us. Perhaps you could help him? If only that were possible…" He whispered at the end.
Lili heard him clearly, wondering the meaning of his words. Would there be no way out for them? Could there be anyone who would stumble upon them and wake them from their slumber? They were asleep. It should be as easy as anytime to wake from one's dream. Though now it just hit her, they are collectively sharing this dream world.
Was an angry mob that formed clamoring, pounding on the tall gates in protest. A man dressed in full plate armor was leading them. Armor gleaming, voice clear, echoed as he led the call for the owner of the large manor to come speak with them.
"The mansion will not protect you, fiend! Come out and face your crimes!"
"We aren't afraid of you any longer!" A village woman shouted. With no response, they grew further irate. "The witch hides! Break down the doors!"
The shining man beckoned to the others behind him. "Be cautious, my friends. The Baroness has power within her lair, and she well knows it. We shall not rush in at our peril." He warned. Seeing three newcomers called them out. "And who comes now? More minions of the Baroness? Or yet more helpless souls she has tormented?"
"Neither." Lili'Enyel called. "We are here to be free of this place."
The spirit man nodded. "You clearly are a stranger here. Perhaps it is a sign. I am Justice. I have watched this place and seethed at the wrongs visited on these poor folk, and now I seek to aid them."
Anders wanted to know more about the 'her'. Was she the one the talking darkspawn named the First said? Or one and the same as the Baroness? "Who is the Baroness? I saw one of you people dragged away when he spoke of her. Something about her taking children?"
A woman stepped forwards her eyes sad. "Yes. Once we lived outside of the fade, and the Baroness ruled over us. She took our children and used their blood to work dark, evil magic."
Another spoke after comforting the young woman. "And when we burned down her mansion, she cast one last spell that brought our spirits here. She has trapped ever since, still under her rule."
"We finally rose up against her evil, and this is what she did to us. I can't even imagine what happened to our families. It was so long ago when we lived in the Blackmarsh… it feels… It feels like a dream we once had. If this spirit here had not come along… We wouldn't have known none of this nightmare wasn't real." The young woman with the sad eyes spoke up again.
Anders shuddered at the blood magic. Remembering what Nate said about the rumors of this place, shook his head sadly. These people were long gone, and it was the Baroness who did it. The magic that clung to the air they could feel was her work, a dark curse that somehow pulled them into the fade. 'These poor sods know where they are and could not free themselves.' Anders thought gravely. 'If they couldn't get out, how are we going to?'
"If you couldn't get out. You are telling me that you have been here… By the Goddess." Lili voiced Anders' thoughts. "We need to find a way out of here."
The spirit of justice spoke with firm askance. "Will you help us, strangers? If this wrong is to be undone, we will need your aid."
"If you will have us, we shall aid you." Nathaniel stated.
Anders held up a hand. "Powerful witch, who trapped an entire village, people's spirits, yeah? We are taking her on?"
Lili'Enyel nodded as her brows drew together. "I know that it sounds mad. I have spells, you have spells.. Nathaniel his bow… No offense." Nathaniel shook his head. "We use or find whatever it is she used on these people to get us out? Hmm?"
Anders bit his lip as his face scrunched. She was right. They were stuck with no way out if they didn't help. With a sigh, he agreed. "Andraste's tits. All right, let's get out of here."
The spirit and the trio stood before the locked gate. Anders hurled several boulders, weakening the gate. Justice sent a mighty kick, and the door broke further, opening the tall doors, allowing them entry. Above them, as they all stormed the courtyard, a balcony held a beautiful dark-haired woman dressed in a blood red gown, with two creatures on either side. Vile these twisted creatures that were shadowy flames, skeletal faces and long clawed hands, a great maw of teeth where their chest should be, sent shivers up the Rangers' spine.
"My, my. All that shouting outside, and now you finally decided to barge in. Without even a proper invitation!"
Justice's voice echoed once again as he called the Baroness to face her crimes. The villagers spoke more of what she had done to the children, and with it she took notice of the trio. Along on the balcony came that speaking Darkspawn. He made a bargain with her, the distance the others did not hear.
"There will be no bargain today! Give us the way through the veil!" Lili loosed an arrow at The First.
In a second they, Anders, Nathaniel, Lili and Justice stood facing the creature that transported them there. Swords clashed with guardsmen that defended the woman who did unspeakable things. Arrow after arrow between the Ranger and rogue pinned and mobility impaired men. Spells granting haste and healings, roots grasping at the foes. Weakening the whimpering Darkspawn that begged for the Baroness to send him through the veil alone.
"Oh, I'll sunder the veil alright, I'll send them all back, but you... your life is going to provide the power!" Displeased, the Baroness, disgusted by the weak creature that swore to defeat the Spirit and his companions, sent not just him, but all back from the fade. The blood of The First to fuel the spell. His pitiful cries silenced as his body ripped blood from flesh.
They awakened once again moments later, the night sky greeted them. Trees bare and withered stood not like the dream world, the body of the Darkspawn and the dream creatures lay.
Lili looked at the twisted bodies laying in a heap. "Slaughter on the other side, they do lay here. Curious." she figured. "Are you well Anders, Nate?"
Both stated nothing was amiss. They gathered themselves, collecting sturdy branches and old cloth to carry Kristoff back. So busy they did not notice the man they needed to bring back sitting up and looking at his hands.
"No… No, this cannot be I am flesh. I am in the mortal realm!"
"Well, shit." Anders gasped, dropping the cloth he gathered.
Kirkwall, Gamlen's Home, Old City Slums, Lowtown.
It had been a single night since Bethany's brothers left the city. It had been just twelve hours when their mother and uncle were shouting their frustrations. Bethany lay covering her ears, wishing to be elsewhere than hearing the continuous bickering the siblings are doing now.
"It is hard to believe that they left me with nothing. I am still their daughter. The eldest!" Leandra said.
Gamlen stood with his arms folded over his chest and barked laughter. "Ha! Mother was furious when you ran off with that, that, Ferelden apostate."
"So, is it fine and fair for my children to work in a seedy tavern to pay off your debts? A year, mind you. They should be treated as nobility!"
Gamlen scratched at his chin. With a roll of his eyes, failed to understand his sister. "If wishes were poppy, we'd all be dreaming."
Bethany came from the room, looking between her mother and uncle. "Please, enough, please. You know mother is right. Can we no longer fight about this?" She pleaded with them. "Was there nothing set aside for us? Anything at all? We came here on mother's word. Only other reason was to flee from the Blight."
Leandra placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders to calm her down.
"I'll have you know that the nobility you mother is now sorely seeking could have been hers had she married the Comte de Laurcet, instead she ran marrying that apostate!" Little would he ever admit that it was his doing that helped the lovers. "You don't get to stay the favorite doing that."
"Do not speak ill of my father!" Bethany demanded.
"Bethany…" Leandra soothed her daughter, pushing her behind her to face her brother. "Noted." With a deep meditative breath, she closed her eyes.
For over a year, her children had to do whatever it took from before the sun touched the skies to well beyond the setting sun, to help Gamlen with nothing to show. The gracious help of the Swiftleafs caused her discomfort unseen, a blessing she will always be grateful for.
With a sigh Leandra, evened her tone. "Where is the will? I will speak no more of this if I can just see it for myself." Her mind agitated, helping calm Bethany. Leandra must admit that the infighting had been more than it should have ever been.
Gamlen snorted with a shake of his head. Bethany, seeing this mouthed curses, rubbing her face in frustration. "It's not here." He admitted.
Leandra's hands went out pleading. "Who bought the estate? Was it the Reignhearts?"
With another proud shake of his head, he cared not for the disappointed gaze his sister held. "It went into the vault after they read it. No one had needed to look at it again." He stated.
Leandra's hands went to her mouth. With a nod, she reached into her pocket and pulled a key. Gripping the key, tears filled her eyes. She bid them a goodnight, turning to her shared room with Bethany.
Bethany's brows knitted solemnly as she watched her mother's retreating back. Left alone with her Uncle she glared harshly at him, taking a single step to be toe to toe with him.
"What is in there you do not wish us to find?" Harshly whispering, to not let her mother hear.
Taking a step back tripped on the low stool behind him. "Nothing." He snapped. "But you won't be seeing the bloody thing. It's locked up on the estate and with the current owners, possibly. Besides, it's long out of my hands."
Bethany's eyes narrowed. "Current owners.. Not take, you didn't take your parents' will?" Bethany's eyes widened as she was flabbergasted.
"Yeah, its old news. You think I sat around for twenty-five years waiting for her to slink back?" Gamlen jerked his head at the room his sister was in.
Bethany massages the back of her neck, pacing in a circle. "Just who brought the estate? Surely you can tell me that. Perhaps I can speak with them." Her tone went from hostile to needing.
"Slavers." Gamlen shook his head. "If you dare to go, with your little ability and all." Gamlen laughed out as he headed out of the door for the night.
The color drained from her face. Her arms wrapped around her body and hand went to her forehead. What was she to do now? It was no one that her mother could speak with, no familiarity, especially slavers. Bet let out a long breath. Her Grandfather's will, the hope now that they still had it locked away untouched.
Without either of her brothers, she would have to go alone into Hightown. She needed to get her hands on that will. Giving up felt it was pointless. Maybe she could sleep and think of another way, or wait until her brothers return home.
Opening the door to their room, Bet stopped.
The glint from the key caught her eye on the dresser, seeing her mother lay there on the worn cot with moth-eaten covers, asleep Bet glanced at the key once more. Sadness filled the girl as she felt the compiled stress her mother was under.
Since coming to Kirkwall, her mother's childhood memories have become ruined.
'If only to give you back some of that happiness.' Bethany thought to herself. There were no 'ifs,' "I will get it back, I will give you back some of your happiness." A snatch of the key. She quietly left her uncle's home.