CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The Fade rescue

The hall quieted as Alex prepared to enter the Fade. Ser Bryant stood close by; his face grim. Solona and Alistair flanked him, each offering advice.

"Remember, Warden," Bryant began, his tone stern, "the demon will try to manipulate you. Desire demons are cunning. Kill it on sight. Do not engage it in conversation."

Solona nodded firmly. "Ser Bryant is right. They are masters of deceit and persuasion. It will use everything against you—your hopes, your fears. Don't give it the chance."

Alistair crossed his arms, his expression unusually serious. "And don't underestimate it. It may try to bargain or appeal to your sense of compassion. It'll promise you everything you want. Don't believe a word of it."

Alex took in their warnings, his face calm but thoughtful. "Understood. I'll heed your advice."

Solona gave him a sharp look. "You'd better."

Nearby, Morrigan prepared the herbs that would help Alex enter the Fade. She worked swiftly, her hands precise as she crushed the mixture into a bowl. "This concoction will help your body rest while your mind wanders," she said, handing the bowl to Alex. "It is potent but safe—assuming you do not linger in the Fade longer than necessary."

Alex took the bowl, his expression determined. "Thank you." He drank the mixture, its bitter taste burning his throat. As the room began to spin, he settled onto the floor, closing his eyes.

The Fade materialized around Alex like a waking dream. It mirrored the castle but in a distorted, fragmented way. Rooms floated in the void, connected by crumbling bridges of stone and debris. Shadows twisted unnaturally, and the air hummed with an otherworldly energy.

"Hmm, must be Connor's memories," Alex muttered, recognizing hints of the boy's life woven into the surreal landscape. A sense of unease settled over him as he moved forward, navigating the treacherous terrain. He could feel the presence of the demon—a pulsing, malevolent aura that grew stronger as he advanced.

His first encounter was with Arl Eamon. The Arl was slumped in a corner of a broken room, his features pale and his voice faint. "Help… someone, help me," he murmured, his eyes unfocused.

Alex frowned and concentrated. Using his will, he shaped the Fade around Eamon, the fragmented room solidifying under his focus. "Arl Eamon!" he called. "Wake up!"

The Arl stirred, blinking in confusion. "What… what is this? Who are you?"

Alex knelt beside him. "My name is Alex. I'm a Grey Warden. You're in the Fade. You've been poisoned, and your son—Connor—has been possessed by a demon."

Eamon's face fell as Alex explained everything: the poisoning, the undead siege, and Connor's possession. When Alex mentioned Loghain's role in the poisoning, the Arl's expression darkened.

"Loghain did all this?" Eamon muttered, collapsing onto a spectral bed that materialized under him. He buried his face in his hands. "Things are more dire than I feared. If what you say is true, we must act quickly. We need a Landsmeet. Loghain must be stopped, we cannot allow a traitor to lead Ferelden."

Alex nodded. "But to do that, you need to wake up. My companions and I are already pursuing a way to cure you. We've heard of the Urn of Sacred Ashes. Do you know anything about it?"

Eamon looked up, his eyes filled with faint hope. "Yes. I know of a Brother Genitivi, a scholar, he has researched the urn for years. He is the best place to start. Find him, and you may find the ashes."

"We will, Arl Eamon." Alex promised. He rose to his feet. "But first, I need to deal with Connor and the demon. I'll get you out of here."

Eamon reached for Alex's hand, gripping it tightly. "Thank you. And…in case I do not survive, please tell Isolde I love her."

"You can tell her that yourself," Alex said, his voice steady. He left the Arl and continued deeper into the Fade.

The aura of the demon grew stronger, guiding Alex to a room that resembled a child's bedroom. Toys lay scattered across the floor, and a small bed sat in the corner. In the center of the room stood Connor, his face pale and his eyes wide with fear.

"Are you here to help me?" Connor asked, his voice trembling. "Please, I don't want to be here anymore."

Alex stopped, his eyes narrowing. The boy's voice was too perfect, too plaintive. He could feel the demon lurking beneath the surface. "Stop playing games, demon. Leave the boy alone."

Connor's innocent façade twisted into a cruel smile. His voice dropped, mocking and melodic. "You're no fun, Dreamer. But you won't ruin my fun."

With a laugh, the demon-Connor vanished, leaving the room cold and empty. Suddenly, the floor quaked, and four rage demons materialized, their forms blazing with fire. They roared in unison, advancing on Alex with deadly intent.

Alex braced himself, his fists glowing faintly as he summoned his will. "Fine," he muttered, his voice steady. "Let's see what you've got."

The battle had begun.

Alex gripped the shimmering sword and dagger he had conjured, their blades coated with a thin layer of frost. The rage demons roared, their fiery bodies radiating heat that distorted the air around them. Their misshapen limbs clawed at the ground as they charged, leaving trails of flame in their wake.

With calculated precision, Alex lunged forward. His frost-coated blades hissed as they met the demons' fire, steam rising where ice clashed against flame. He ducked under a fiery swipe from one demon, his dagger slicing through its molten torso. A cone of ice erupted from his outstretched hand, freezing two of the demons in place. Their fiery forms dimmed, struggling against the icy prison.

One broke free, charging him with unrelenting fury. Alex sidestepped, twirling gracefully as his sword cleaved through the demon's neck. Its body dissolved into embers and ash. The final demon lunged, but Alex countered with Winter's Grasp, freezing it mid-air before shattering it with a powerful downward slash.

The room fell silent, save for the faint crackle of lingering embers. Alex took a deep breath, surveying the area for any remaining threats. Despite the ferocity of the battle, he had barely broken a sweat.

Alex stood amidst the dissipating embers of the rage demons, their forms crumbling into nothingness. The icy sheen coating his dual weapons shimmered faintly as he dismissed them with a thought. The battle had been fierce but efficient, and Alex felt a surge of satisfaction at how quickly he had overcome the foes. Still, there was no time to linger. The demon of desire remained at large, and Connor's life hung in the balance.

He scanned the fragmented realm of the Fade, its distorted architecture offering no clear path but an unmistakable pull toward a particular direction. A new floating island hovered ahead, its features warped and unfamiliar. As Alex stepped onto it, he recognized fragments of Connor's room, though the details had shifted—furniture rearranged, colors muted, and toys replaced by faint, shadowy outlines.

Connor stood in the center, though he appeared older than before, his figure more mature, his expression worn. He looked up sharply as Alex approached. "Stay away!" he shouted, his voice tinged with both fear and warning. "You're bringing trouble with you. You'll only make it worse!"

Alex stopped, his eyes narrowing. He could feel the demon's presence saturating the air, its oppressive aura unmistakable. He had grown tired of its games. "Enough," Alex said, his voice calm but firm. He clenched his fist, willing a blade into existence once more—a gleaming longsword, pulsing faintly with his will.

With a powerful slash, Alex cut through the illusion, the room unraveling like fragile threads. The scenery around him shifted, bending and contorting before settling into something darker, more sinister. He focused his will further, weaving the Fade itself to reveal the demon's hiding place.

The false Connor vanished in a swirl of smoke, and standing in its place was the demon of desire. Its form emerged from the shadows, beautiful yet unnerving. It had the shape of a voluptuous, naked woman, its curves exaggerated to a degree that bordered on caricature. Its skin shimmered with a faint, otherworldly glow, and its horns curled gracefully to either side of its face. Its legs ended in cloven hooves, completing its unsettling, alien appearance.

Alex felt a flash of recognition as he stared at the demon. It wasn't just any desire demon—it was the same desire demon that occasionally tried to tempt him during his nightly visits in the fade, the one he had started to call Desire. What made it worse, was that it had taken on the shape of Solona, his companion. The resemblance was unmistakable, from the confident sway of her hips to the curve of her smile. The realization hit Alex like a thunderclap. "Oh, that's just low," he muttered under his breath.

The demon approached him slowly, every movement deliberate and sensual. Its smile widened, revealing perfect teeth. "Well, Dreamer," it purred, its voice rich and melodious, "you've finally caught me. Will you now claim your prize?" It stopped a few steps away, tilting its head as it studied him. "We have been at this for some time, haven't we? Tell me, do you not tire of the struggle? Would it not be easier to just give in?"

Alex inhaled deeply, centering his thoughts. He cleared his mind of distractions and strengthened his resolve. "I am not here to converse, Desire," he said evenly. "I am here to save an innocent boy from your clutches."

Desire's laugh echoed through the Fade, its resonance both mocking and seductive. Her voice carried a haunting similarity to Solona's, a parallel that Alex noted with grim resolve. He shook his head sharply, banishing the intrusive thoughts that threatened to cloud his focus.

"I did not trap the boy," Desire said, her tone dripping with faux innocence. "He came to me willingly. A noble sacrifice to save his dear father. The Arl breathes today because of my influence. Without me, he would have slipped into the Void long ago."

Alex's eyes narrowed as he stepped forward, each movement purposeful. "If your intentions are so pure, then explain to the villagers why their numbers are dwindling, hunted by the undead every night, by your orders."

Desire's smile widened; her eyes gleaming with amusement. "Oh, dear dreamer," she purred. "I only followed the boy's desires. All of it—their obedience, the deaths, the sacrifices—it's his interpretation of what it means to rule. A spoiled little princeling who believes power is his birthright and service his due. All I did was… nudge him along."

Alex clenched his jaw, disgust curling in his chest. "Is it all just a game to you, demon?"

Her expression shifted; her amusement laced with condescension. "A game? No, my dear dreamer. It's survival. You see, not all demons are strong enough to claim mages of your caliber. The weaker ones, well… we feast on the fragile, the unprepared. But the likes of you? A rare and delectable prize indeed, but not worth the hustle."

As Desire spoke, Alex forced himself to maintain his composure, his gaze firmly fixed above her shoulders. The demon's form continued to shift subtly, its likeness to Solona becoming disturbingly precise. The more Alex tried to avoid the resemblance, the sharper the details became. Frustration bubbled within him, but he channeled it into action, focusing his will. With a decisive wave of his hand, a shimmering loincloth materialized over Desire's form, veiling her provocative nudity.

The demon paused, a rich laugh spilling from her lips. "You're no fun, dreamer," she teased, her tone both mocking and alluring. She stepped closer, her movements deliberate. "You know, you and I could stay here forever. I could give you pleasures beyond your wildest imaginings. That clueless trollop doesn't realize what she possesses.

But I…" She leaned in, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I would give you everything. All I ask is that you let me keep the boy. I'll leave him, let him grow stronger. And when the time is right, I'll return to claim my due. A fair price, wouldn't you say?"

Alex didn't hesitate. His resolve was as unyielding as steel. "You think I can be swayed by lust, by promises of power? Most men might fall for your tricks, but I am not most men. I would never betray Solona, nor would I abandon an innocent boy to your clutches."

Desire's smile faltered, the seductive mask slipping to reveal a glimmer of frustration. "Pity," she murmured, her tone colder now. "I had hoped for a more… entertaining resolution. But if you insist on resistance, then so be it."

In an instant, the air around them shimmered and twisted, and dozens of copies of Desire appeared, their forms identical and surrounding Alex in a perfect circle.

Alex's lips curled into a wry smile. With a flick of his wrists, his weapons materialized once more—a blazing sword and a dagger crackling with lightning. The elemental energies coiled around the blades, humming with barely contained power.

"Come, demon," Alex said, his voice steady, his stance confident. "Let us fight."

The first copy lunged at him, and Alex met it head-on, his blade slicing through its form in a burst of light. The battle had begun.

The Fade trembled as Desire lunged at Alex, her form rippling like water as sharp, gleaming claws extended from her fingers. Her attacks were swift and unpredictable, shifting from brutal physical swipes to bursts of raw magical energy that lit the twisted landscape in blinding flashes. Alex gritted his teeth, forced into a defensive stance as he parried with his crackling sword and evaded her strikes with calculated movements.

Desire's voice was a taunting melody as she pressed her advantage. "What's wrong, dreamer? Is the Fade too much for you? Or are you simply afraid of what I could show you?"

Alex didn't answer, instead focusing on finding openings in her assault. He summoned a shimmering barrier of magic to deflect her next wave of attacks, buying himself a moment to regain his footing. He took a deep breath, centering himself before counterattacking.

With a precise flick of his wrist, Alex cast a Misdirection Hex, causing Desire to falter as her senses distorted. Her attacks grew erratic, and Alex seized the opportunity to weave in his own spells. A bolt of lightning struck her side, followed by a cone of freezing air that slowed her movements.

"Your games end here," Alex growled, his voice resonating with resolve. He unleashed a Crushing Prison spell, the arcane energy encasing Desire in a shimmering, translucent sphere that constricted around her form. She writhed and shrieked, her claws scraping futilely against the magical confinement.

While she was immobilized, Alex closed the distance. He rained down blows with his flaming sword, each strike sending sparks and embers cascading through the air. His dagger, wreathed in lightning, carved into her shifting flesh with deadly precision.

Desire screamed, her form flickering like a candle in a strong wind. When the spell dissipated, she fell to her knees, her body battered and flickering between its demon form and something less tangible.

"You've lost," Alex said, his voice cold as he raised his sword for the final strike.

But then, Desire shifted again. Her form began to solidify, reshaping itself into a figure Alex knew all too well. His breath caught in his throat as he stared at the image of Solona, her familiar blue eyes locking onto his, her face framed by the golden waves of her hair. She looked perfect, every detail etched into his memory mirrored in this imitation.

"Alex," the Solona-shaped Desire said softly, her voice trembling with a blend of sorrow and pleading. "Please… don't do this. You don't have to kill me. I can change. I can help you."

Alex hesitated, his grip on his sword faltering as the demon's mimicry gnawed at his resolve. It wasn't her, he reminded himself. It couldn't be her. But the way she looked at him, the way her voice carried a note of desperation, tugged at his heart.

"Stop it," he hissed through clenched teeth, his knuckles whitening as he tightened his grip on his weapon. "You can't trick me."

The demon's Solona-form stood slowly, her hand reaching out toward him. "Am I tricking you, or do you already find me pleasing even in my original form? Tell me that there's a part of you that does not want this?" She stepped closer, her presence overwhelming, her words like daggers aimed at his mind.

Alex growled, his frustration building as he fought to push the image from his mind. He raised his sword, his resolve hardening. Just as he was about to strike, a calm, familiar voice cut through the tension.

"Wait," the voice said firmly, carrying a quiet authority that froze Alex in place.

Alex turned his head sharply, his eyes widening as he saw Knowledge materializing beside him. The spirit took the form of a tall, robed figure with a serene, ageless face, its glowing eyes exuding wisdom and calm.

"Knowledge," Alex said, his voice a mix of surprise and relief.

The spirit inclined its head, radiating calm authority. "Alex, my friend, it is good to see your strength prevail against this spirit. Yet now is not the time for rash decisions driven by anger. This demon, though cunning, is also desperate. Killing her will free the boy, yes, but nothing more. Consider—what if she could serve a higher purpose here in the Fade?"

Alex's grip on his sword tightened as he kept his gaze locked on Desire, who still wore Solona's visage. "And if I spare her, what guarantee do I have that she won't return to preying on the weak? She admitted to her nature, Knowledge. She's dangerous, and I can't just let her go unchecked."

Knowledge raised a placating hand, his calm tone unwavering. "You have the strength to ensure she doesn't. You must choose: bind her to a cause greater than her instincts, or if you truly deem her irredeemable, end her existence. But understand, every choice in the Fade carries weight."

Desire chuckled weakly, her voice like silk, though her confidence wavered. "Ah, the wise spirit, always playing the mediator. Tell me, Knowledge, will you have him enslave me to his will, or let him strike me down to claim his hollow victory?"

Knowledge didn't rise to her taunt. Instead, he looked back at Alex. "The choice remains yours, Alex. But remember, mercy is not always weakness. Sometimes, it is the greatest strength of all."

Alex took a deep breath, steadying himself. He closed his eyes for a moment, considering Knowledge's words. When he opened them, he forced himself to look past the illusion, past the enticing form of Solona. Gradually, the cracks in the facade began to show, revealing Desire's true nature—a twisted yet strangely beautiful form, alien but compelling in its uniqueness. He focused deeper, and the corruption within her became evident. It was clear she had been bound, manipulated against her will, forced to become the demon she was now. Knowledge's earlier insights resonated in his mind. Desire's true nature might yet be restored, though the risk was great.

Turning to Knowledge, Alex found the spirit's steady gaze and nod reassuring. Summoning his willpower, Alex unleashed a surge of pure magic, a blinding light that engulfed Desire. Her scream pierced the air, and the sound of invisible chains shattering echoed through the Fade.

As the light faded, Desire's form was transformed. She now stood before him in her original, alien beauty—curvaceous and striking, yet no longer cloaked in manipulation. Her expression was one of shock and confusion. She looked between Alex and Knowledge before speaking, her voice trembling with disbelief. "After all I've done, after everything, you still chose to free me? Why?"

Alex lowered his sword but kept his stance firm. "Because I saw the truth. You were bound against your will, and I wouldn't wish that on anyone—not even my enemies. But understand this, Desire: this is your second chance. Use it wisely."

Desire tilted her head, her tone softening, though a mischievous edge lingered. "And what do you wish of me, Dreamer? Surely you didn't free me without expecting something in return."

"Release the boy," Alex said firmly. "And leave here without harming another innocent. But mark my words—if you ever prey on the innocent again, I will find you, and I won't be as merciful next time."

Desire let out a theatrical sigh, feigning disappointment. "You spoil all my fun, Dreamer. But I will honor your request." She raised a hand and snapped her fingers, her smile shifting to one that felt genuine, devoid of her earlier seduction. "It is done. The boy is free, and I shall leave this place. No harm will come to those undeserving of it. You have my word."

Alex nodded, lowering his weapon completely. "Then you're free to go, Desire. Make the most of your freedom."

Desire's shimmering form began to dissolve, but before she disappeared entirely, she cast Alex one last smile—a genuine expression of gratitude. "Perhaps there's more to you than I thought, Dreamer. Farewell… for now."

As she vanished, Alex turned to Knowledge, his expression uncertain. "Did I make the right choice?"

Knowledge smiled faintly. "You returned her free will. Whatever she becomes from this point on is her choice. That, my friend, is a victory greater than any blade could deliver."

They spoke a while longer, Knowledge offering reassurance and promising to watch over Desire's actions. Finally, the Fade shifted, and Alex felt himself being drawn back to his body.

With a sharp gasp, Alex jolted awake, his surroundings snapping into focus. Ser Bryant, Solona, Alistair, and Morrigan leaned over him, concern etched on their faces.

"Is it over?" Isolde's voice broke through, trembling with desperation. "Is my son saved?"

Before Alex could respond, a small, timid voice called out from the entrance. "Mother?"

Everyone turned, and Isolde let out a cry of joy. "Connor!" Tears streamed down her face as she rushed to her son, enveloping him in a fierce embrace. Her Orlesian accent grew more pronounced in her emotion. "My son! Thank the Maker, you're safe!"

Connor clung to her, his small frame trembling. "Mother, I'm scared… I—what happened?"

Isolde smoothed his hair, her voice thick with emotion. "You're safe now, my sweet boy. The Maker has delivered us from this nightmare."

Alex watched the scene with a small, tired smile, relief washing over him. For all the risks, the gamble had paid off—for now.