The Harrowing Chamber. It was a place in the Circle Tower that Solona had never been. Her hands trembled as she approached the group of Templars that were congregated around a small pedestal topped with a bowl full of glowing Lyrium. There had been no warning. She had gone to bed that night thinking it was just any other night. She had been sound asleep when the youngest of the Templars in the tower, Cullen, had gently shaken her awake and asked her to dress and follow him. In a way, she had been preparing for this moment since the day she had been ripped from her parents at age 6 and brought to the tower. She could not remember a life without magic. Her power had flared early in life. One of her most vivid memories was the one of the woman she remembered as her mother sobbing on the street, crumbling as her father held her back from attacking the armed and armored men who were dragging her baby from her. She cringed as the memory resurfaced. She paused as she caught sight of First Enchanter Irving, his aged face surrounded by gray hair and a bushy beard held an expression of fear, pride, sadness and confidence all wrapped up in one.
She stood with her own back stiff and straight, her brown hair falling around her shoulders. She had not even had a chance to pull it into a tail after pulling on her blue apprentice robes. A few of the other apprentices had woken up with the commotion and watched on in horror as she'd been led out of their dormitories by a Templar. Knight Commander Greagoir stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his shiny silver plate armor looking extra spiffy. For me? You shouldn't have... she thought as he cleared his throat and began to speak a Canticle from the Chant of Light. "Magic exists to serve man and never to rule over him..."
Solona blocked out the hollow words, returning her attention to the First Enchanter. He seemed to be attempting to tell her something with his eyes, but she was not close enough with the man to really understand what he wanted to tell her. She had never made many friends in the tower among her fellow mages. Some had been afraid of their own power, others had been afraid of the Templars. Only a couple had the sense of adventure that she herself seemed to shoulder like a burden, marking her as an outcast. She had forced herself into the lives of some of the older mages, ones who had already passed their Harrowing and had been allowed to leave the Tower. She was eager to learn all she could of her gift. She'd studied hard and surpassed her peers, able to perform spells from many of the branches of magic, unwilling to choose a specialty as some of the others had. The First Enchanter had always struck her as a pious old man with far too much respect for the Templars' rules. He had great power, but he never used it to change things. Instead, he spent his days arguing with Greagoir.
When the Templar Commander finished his speech, Solona returned her green-blue gaze to him and narrowed her eyes. Had he just said he was sending her into the Fade? So it was face a demon or be forced into the Rite of Tranquility. She shuddered at the thought. The tranquil around the tower frightened her. The large Chantry brand on their foreheads added an ominous look to the soulless gaze of their eyes. They were so empty. She refused to become that. She clenched her fists and drew herself taller, her chin jutting outwards in confidence. "And if I fail?" she asked, with a surprising amount of steadiness in her voice.
"Then the templars will do their duty and strike you down," Greagoir said without feeling, his gaze flicking over to Cullen. She moved her eyes to him as well and he shuffled his feet, his hands grasping the hilt of his sword tightly as if he didn't know what to do with them. His eyes roved over her and his cheeks reddened before he looked away at anything but her. She had seen him taking interest in her as she roamed the halls on her time off. She had been to every part of the Tower she could get to, which until that very moment had not included the large open room they now stood in. It was dark and cold, with no furniture besides the pedestal where the bowl of Lyrium sat, glowing eerily and casting strange shadows all around them. She had even found the dark dungeon that the Templars had turned into a solitary confinement. On one of her recent visits there, she had met a very interesting mage who called himself Anders. She had not gotten a look at his face in the darkness, but they had talked for quite some time about his six escape attempts from the tower. She had left wishing she was as brave as him to risk the Templars' wrath by running away. She had not returned because the ever vigilant Cullen had nearly caught her leaving. Perhaps after passing her Harrowing, she could add him to her short list of 'accomplishments' around the tower, gleaning some Templar favor and a bit of leniency.
The First Enchanter held his hand out, indicating the Lyrium and drawing Solona from her musings. The last thing on her mind should be who she was going to hop in bed with next. The next few hours would determine the rest of her life. "What happens during the Harrowing is a secret for a reason, child. Keep your wits about you while you are in the Fade..." He continued lecturing, his voice becoming quieter and quieter as he tried to guide her.
Greagoir stepped in and said, "The apprentice must pass this test alone, Irving." Solona glared at both of them. Did the First Enchanter think so little of her that he thought she needed guidance in her Harrowing? From Greagoir's reaction, it seemed that the warning was not something Irving offered to all apprentices. "You are ready," Greagoir said gently, offering her more confidence than the First Enchanter had.
She nodded and approached the pedestal. The Lyrium ebbed and flowed as if it were hungry to be free of it's confinement. She reached out her hand and the silvery-blue liquid reached back, her fingers touching it. It was warm and she dipped her fingers further into the bowl, her nails tapping the bottom as the liquid crawled up her arm. It burned like fire against her skin and she gritted her teeth as it reached inside her. There was an enchantment on the Lyrium. She could feel it seeping through her pores. Her lids became heavy and her limbs leaden as the Lyrium was absorbed into her skin.
She awoke in a wide open area that strangely resembled a warped representation of the Harrowing Chamber itself. Around her stood several disturbing statues that reminded her of the statues she'd seen depicted, in books, of Maferath, Andraste's earthly husband. Only these Avvar statues had long tentacles for arms. Everything in her peripheral was fuzzy as if it didn't really exist until she looked directly at it. She tested her magic, drawing power from her core where she spindled her mana. The cool familiarity of her magic wound down to her fingers and small sparks of lightning crackled in her palm. She smiled, glad that she at least had protection.
She pulled the mana back to her center, saving up all of her strength to use against the demon that was likely to attack her sooner or later. That was the test of the Harrowing after all, to see if she was a good enough mage to fight off possession. She glanced around, looking for a way out of the clearing she was in. She began walking, her body feeling oddly light. She hadn't gone far when curious little wisps took an interest in her. They floated around her, like little balls of light. She reached out and as soon as her fingers touched the nearest one, they turned hostile. They zipped around her at lightening speed, throwing short bursts of energy at her that stung like little needles when they made contact with her flesh. She grunted and batted at the wisps, trying to conserve mana, but they kept coming. Finally, she raised her hands and brought down a barrier around her to keep her safe from the shocks and then unleashed a flurry of icicles that sought each wisp like a beacon. They disappeared into Fade nothingness when struck and Solona sighed, dropping her barrier and coiling the remainder of her mana back in her chest. She made a mental note to not touch any more wisps and pushed forward. The faster she found and defeated the demon, the faster she could leave.
Not far along the same path, she spotted a mouse sitting rather obviously in the middle of the road. She glanced around in suspicion of the strange occurrence, and then made to walk around it. "Another apprentice thrown to the wolves."
She yelped and jumped backwards as the mouse spoke to her. "What in Andraste's name..."
The mouse began to shimmer and then it grew, reshaping itself into a person. He was a young man, probably a year or two older than her 19 with light brown hair and a ruddy complexion. He was dressed in apprentice robes that resembled hers, but looked old and shabby. "It's always the same," he sighed. "They toss you into the Fade to face a demon without so much as a warning, then you wind up like me."
"Who are you?" she asked, swallowing her heart and crossing her arms.
"I was once like you. An apprentice. I took too long with my Harrowing and the Templars cut me down. Now I'm trapped here without a body to return to," he explained, sadness on his face.
Solona refused to panic. "How long exactly do I have?"
"Not long. You can call me... well, Mouse. If you like, I can accompany you. I've become quite accustomed to the Fade around here," he offered.
Solona was unsure whether she should trust this 'Mouse', but she had little choice. If he knew the area, possibly he could get her to the demon she needed to face. She nodded her consent and the man disappeared to be replaced by his mouse form. She was curious where he had learned that little trick. Shapeshifting was an extremely rare talent to master. It certainly wasn't taught in the Circle.
He followed her for a time, warning her away from a clearing to her right where the demon dwelled, assuring her that she wasn't ready yet to face it. She sighed and followed the path laid out before her, noticing a small armory that was set up at the top of a small hill. When her eyes fell on a spirit guarding the armory, Mouse spoke up. "A spirit of Valor. Perhaps it will help you."
Solona warily approached the being and it cocked it's head at her. It was not curious, of that she was certain. A feeling of pity washed over her and the spirit sighed. "You have come to face the demon that dwells in these parts as so many before you. I wish you luck."
"I could do with a little more than luck. Did you forge all of these weapons?" She glanced over the arsenal and her eyes fell on a beautifully crafted staff with elegant runework.
"They are brought into being by my will," it explained. "Is it true that only mages in your world can will things into being." With a nod from Solona it sighed sadly. "Those other poor mortals must lead such hollow lives."
"Would one of your weapons affect the demon here? If so, might I borrow one?" Solona asked.
"Indeed they would. Do you truly wish one of my weapons? I am a spirit of Valor. I exist for battle. Duel me and I will allow you to depart with the weapon of your choice, should you defeat me."
Solona stepped back and frowned. "It seems you wish to kill me yourself."
The spirit growled. "How dare you accuse me! I am no demon preying on helpless mortals to steal their essence. I am a being of honor!"
She crossed her arms. "So instead, you challenge helpless mortals to duels they can't win without one of the weapons that you refuse to hand over unless they win an impossible duel?"
"You are insolent," the spirit said with a sneer. "But you have the will that matches only the strongest warriors. Fine. You may take a weapon, for you possess the strength you will need to face the demon here."
Solona smiled and accepted the staff that the spirit handed her. She had only ever practiced with staves before. As an apprentice, you weren't allowed your own staff. It was too much power handed to one that was not yet skilled enough to wield it. The wood hummed in her hands, the magic of the Fade reacting to her own. It was a pleasant feeling and she gripped the shaft tighter, relishing the power. Now she had a staff, but Mouse was still wary. She continued on, keeping her staff clutched in her hands. Soon, they came upon another demon that seemed much more interested in sleeping than in caring about what they had to say. It was curled in a ball, it's shape vaguely that of a bear. When Solona approached it warily, it lifted its head slightly to look at them, but yawned and merely asked if Mouse was to be a snack for it. When Mouse turned back into his human form and tried to tug her away from the demon, it sniffed indignantly. "The demon will catch you eventually and perhaps I will be allowed some scraps should there be any left."
"Are you certain there is nothing you can do to help me?" Solona asked.
"You have that... lovely staff. Go, be valorous..." the large bear yawned.
"Perhaps he could teach you to be like him," Mouse suggested, looking over the demon's form.
The creature let out a half laugh. "The mortal is too attached to it's form to be taught any different. You might be a better student since you already have another form."
Mouse trembled nervously. "If I were a bear, I couldn't hide very well." Solona glared at him, and he sighed. "But I will become a bear if it will help. Teach me."
The demon yawned again. "That sounds an awful lot like work. I am not fond of the idea. Be gone."
"You can't just offer to teach Mouse and then change your mind," Solona nearly shouted.
"Fine. Fine... I offer you this. Answer three riddles correctly and I will teach the mouse to be a bear," the demon offered.
Solona frowned. She was generally good at riddles, but this was the Fade. Maker knew what the demon might ask. "If it will amuse you, I'll do it," she said, leaning on her staff.
"Oh, goody," the bear said, finally getting to it's feet with a massive grunt of effort. "Listen closely mortal. Fail and I shall devour you both... My first riddle. I have seas with no water, coasts with no sand, towns without people and mountains without land. What am I?"
Solona mumbled the riddle back to herself, her brain rapidly working the riddle out. "A map," she said confidently.
The demon grumbled sadly as she presented the correct answer. "Correct. Let's move on... I am rarely touched, but often held. If you have wit, you'll use me well. What am I?"
Solona had spent her life being told that her wit would get her in trouble some day, so she didn't even need to think about this answer. "My tongue," she said immediately.
The demon grunted. "Yes, your witty tongue... I am running out of chances to earn my supper. One last riddle, then... Often will I spin a tale, never will I charge a fee. I'll amuse you an entire eve, but alas you won't remember me. What am I?"
What a silly question to ask the person that was actually experiencing the answer at that very moment. "A dream. Make these riddles harder next time." She crossed her arms and the demon leered at her.
"Correct... rather apropos here in the Fade, I suppose. Very well. You win. Listen closely little one, for I shall only teach you once..."
After a few moments, Mouse was thinking rather hard, his face looking strained. Suddenly a bright flash appeared and when Solona looked back at the man, he was no longer a man, but a large bear. "Did it work?" he asked excitedly. "I feel heavy."
"Now be gone. I tire of you both," the demon sighed and dropped back down to resume it's nap.
"Now that you're a bear, we can defeat the demon hunting me together," Solona exclaimed, turning back in the direction they'd come.
Mouse followed, returning to his smaller form while they traveled. Solona marched back to the clearing that he had warned her away from and when she stepped into the circle, a barrier lifted, barring her escape. "Finally you have come to me," a deep liquidy voice chortled before a creature bubbled into existence across the field. It was made entirely of pure lava. A pool of magma served as it's base, stretching up to form a mildly human form with two arms and some semblance of a head. Mouse stood beside her in his human form and the demon glanced at him. "It will be so nice to see the mortal world through your eyes. What took you so long to bring this one to me, Mouse?"
Solona's eyes flicked to her companion and he stepped forward threateningly. "I am not a Mouse anymore. I don't need your protection."
"So quick to give up our arrangement after we've shared so many wonderful meals together throughout the years?" the demon mocked, it's body morphing constantly from large to small like the waves of an ocean. "A pity!"
The demon reared back and lifted it's arms. Solona gripped the staff tighter and immediately began to channel her tightly coiled mana into the shaft. It's rune work glowed softly as it accepted her magic and she called forth her ice magic in an attempt to cool the fire of the demon's body. Mouse slipped easily into his bear form and lunged for the creature, clamping his jaws around the arm that had come down in an attempt to slash at him with long claws. The heat did not seem to bother him as he mauled at the creature. Solona thrust the staff forward and a jet of ice burst forth, slamming into the demon. It shrieked as the cold hardened it's flesh into a dark coal like substance. She remembered reading somewhere that frozen of petrified enemies could be shattered to bits if hit before the spell wore off. She gripped the staff and swung the head of it into the demon's chest. It did not shatter, but bits of it flaked off to hit the ground. Her magic was not strong enough to freeze it to its core. She backed up and erected a barrier to protect her from the spurts of flame that the demon was drawing up from the ground below their feet. She then summoned a blizzard in the small area, dealing constant damage to the demon as it attempted to slither in her direction. Her next spell was a wall of ice that she slipped into the staff and then drug the head of the staff around to release the magic in an arc before her, blocking the demon from approaching too closely. They whittled it down, she with her magic and Mouse with his teeth and claws. Finally, the demon wailed in anger and defeat before it melted back into the ground that it had come from. When it didn't return, and Mouse turned back into a person with a grin on his face, she turned her staff to point at him. He ignored the staff in his face and said, "You did it, You actually did it."
She had done it. Then why had she not awoken? She narrowed her eyes and asked, "How many?"
"What?" he asked, his eyes flicking finally to the staff she was brandishing.
"How many others before me? The demon seemed to think you had brought me to it as an offering..."
"That was... It was a long time ago. None of them showed the promise you did," he sputtered. "You defeated a demon! Someday you will be a Master Enchanter with no equal. It gives me hope that I may one day escape from here..." he sighed. "That is if you help me in exchange for the help I gave you."
Solona removed the staff from his face, but she was not fooled. "You know. I don't think that demon was my real test."
"What?!" Mouse asked, crossing his arms. "Of course it was. Nothing else here could harm someone with your brilliance..." Solona pursed her lips. Mouse was really laying the compliments on thick, attempting to bolster her ego. She knew she was a good mage, but she also knew that she had room to learn. No apprentice was as good as Mouse was trying to say she was. So her test was pride, was it? It figured. With the reaction to his words, Mouse seemed to realize he was caught. He sighed and grinned. "You are a smart one... Simple killing is for warriors. Mages face many other challenges, especially in the Fade." He lifted his arms and the bright light of transformation spilled into existence. When it disappeared, he was 15 feet tall and twisted into a monstrous shape. His voice boomed as he spoke. "Never trust your eyes in the Fade, and never trust that anyone is offering you help."
Solona stirred. Someone was shaking her. She groaned and flapped a hand at whoever was disturbing her. "Hey... Wake up," a familiar voice seeped it's way into her consciousness.
"Jowan?" she grunted her voice raspy and her throat dry. Her skin felt cold and she curled in on herself, shivering. "What do you want?"
A short derisive chuckle bounced around in her head. "What do I want, she asks... The templars came in here last night and dragged you off to Maker knows where, then deposited you hours later in your bed where you've been sleeping like the dead for even more hours. What happened?"
She peeled her eyes open, the bright light of the mana powered crystals along the walls hurting her head. She sat up, calming a dizzy spell. "It wasn't a dream, then?" she sighed, the heels of her palms digging fiercely into her eye sockets.
"What happened?" Jowan repeated, anxiously. "Did they... Did they hurt you?"
She snorted, her headache beginning to fade as the last vestiges of the Lyrium high wore off. "No. I took my Harrowing."
"You... Your Harrowing? But I've been here longer than you... What was it like?" he asked in awe, sitting down beside her on the bunk.
She glanced over at his curious expression. His dark blue eyes sparkled and a strange feeling of unease settled over her. She and Jowan had grown up together, like brother and sister, they had been inseparable, but something now was warning her away from revealing anything about the Harrowing to him. "It was... Harrowing..." she smirked, patting his leg. "You'll see soon enough."
"You are such a tease, Solona." His face twisted into disappointment and then into sadness. "Sometimes I think they don't want to give me my Harrowing."
She frowned. "Why would you think that?" she asked in curiosity.
"It's just a feeling," he sighed. "Anyway, the templars asked me to tell you when you awoke that First Enchanter Irving is waiting to speak with you in his office whenever you're ready."
With one last forced smile, she patted his leg again and said, "Thank you, Jowan."
She stood on slightly wobbly legs that got stronger with each step. She left the apprentice's quarters, still dressed in her blue robes. She assumed that since she wasn't dead that she had passed her Harrowing. She followed the rounded hallway that circled the entire lower level of the tower. She passed by the rest of the dormitories reserved for apprentices and through the large sitting room that housed the door to the basement and the repository. Through there she stepped into the massive library. Even at this early hour, apprentices and their mentors were practicing spells amidst the thousands of books that reached two stories high on hundreds of shelves. Solona had always loved the library. It was her only real link to the outside world. The books she read for fun transported her to far off lands that as a mage she could only dream of visiting. At the far end of the library, she reached the catalog section and then the stairs up to the second floor. At the top of the stairs, was the stockroom where the creepy tranquil spent most of their time. Lording over it all was Owain, the tranquil in charge of the rest. She passed by his scrutiny, tucking her hair behind her ears and trying to ignore his gaze on her. A few hours ago, that could have been her had she chosen to not undergo the Harrowing. From what she understood, Owain had indeed chosen to be put to the brand instead of taking his Harrowing. She could not understand actually choosing to have the magic burned from your body along with the ability to dream and feel. It was monstrous, though she knew that there were some apprentices that saw their magic not as a gift, but as a curse. She shuddered and hurried out the door and into the hallway that similarly circled the stockroom much like the hall on the first floor. The much smaller library on this floor was where they kept the books that weren't meant to be viewed by apprentices unless they were under supervision from their mentors or a senior enchanter. She passed by with curiosity, only having been allowed in there herself a handful of times. Vowing to return later, she continued on. She spotted Cullen standing dutifully outside the guest quarters where visitors to the circle were always given a bed and some privacy for their stay.
She slowed her pace and smiled at him, wishing she had taken a better look at herself before venturing out. Most templars would not give you the time of day as you went about your business, but Cullen was always friendly. He returned her smile and she paused to speak with him. "Oh, um, h-hello. I... uh, am glad to see your Harrowing went smoothly," he sputtered nervously, glancing around to be certain no one was watching them speak.
"Hello, Cullen," she said, her voice lowering to tease him with her tone.
He flushed, and his hand found the back of his neck. It was an adorable nervous tick that she memorized for later. "Th-they picked me as the templar to strike the killing blow if... if you became an abomination," he admitted sheepishly. "I-it's nothing personal, I swear! I...uh, I'm just glad you're all right. You know."
"Would you really have struck me down?" she asked, taking another step towards him.
He fidgeted. "I would've felt terrible about it..." he said with a sigh. "But... but I serve the Chantry and the Maker, and I will do as I'm commanded."
She cocked her head. "Perhaps we should go elsewhere and... continue this discussion?" she asked, her eyes flicking from his face and downwards then back up to meet his amber eyes.
"Elsewhere? What do you mean?" he asked, the redness in his cheeks darkening as he worked out what she was suggesting.
She smirked and moved closer to him. "I've seen the way you look at me..." she purred.
"Oh, my goodness," he blanched, realizing how close she had gotten to him. He took her arms in his hands and moved her away. "If you're saying... what I think... that would be really... inappropriate and... I couldn't... I- I should go." He stammered through his response, embarrassed chuckles and even more reddening of his cheeks accompanying the words. When he finished, he slunk by her and nearly ran to escape her.
She smiled after him. Teasing the Chantry out of that one would make for some very interesting free time. For now, she had a mission. Get to the First Enchanter. Irving's office was on that floor past the laboratories and the Chapel. She hurried along down the hallway and saw the door was open. When she stepped into the office, she realized why Cullen had been posted outside the guest quarters. There was a man standing between the First Enchanter and Knight Commander Greagoir. His hands were clasped behind his back and he watched with deep, soulful dark brown eyes as the two argued. His black hair was pulled back in a tail at the back of his head, his skin so deeply tanned it was almost brown. He wore strange armor that she did not recognize but the two daggers at his back marked him as a rogue. He sported a short beard that barely hung an inch from his chin. His eyes flicked up to her as she entered and he held up his hand to interrupt the bickering between Greagoir and Irving. "Gentlemen, please..." His voice was a deep as his gaze, with barely an accent to give her a clue as to where he was from. His skin marked him as Rivaini or possibly Tevinter, but she could not be certain. "Irving, you have a visitor."
The First Enchanter turned his gaze on her and a bright smile lit up his weathered features. She tipped her head in thanks to the stranger and said, "I was told you wished to see me, First Enchanter."
"Yes!" he said in excitement. "Come child, I wish to congratulate you on passing the Harrowing and welcome you as a full fledged Mage." He turned and shuffled to a table that stood along the right hand wall in front of some book shelves. Leaning against the table was a staff and folded neatly atop the surface was a yellow set of robes fashioned similarly to the ones she wore. A small ring that hummed with magic was nestled atop the robes.
"This is...?" the stranger asked with curiosity, his eyes studying her with interest.
"Yes, this is she..." Irving said as he lifted the robes and balanced them in one hand so he could pick up the staff as well. Greagoir huffed at being suddenly ignored and left with a curt warning that he and Irving would continue their 'discussion' later. "Irving glared at him as he left, his armor clanking loudly. When his gaze returned to her, he held out the items for her and she took the ring, slipping it on her right hand and shuddering as it's power caressed over her arm. Then she took the robes and the staff, admiring the craftsmanship of the weapon. "Solona, this is Duncan, of the Grey Wardens." Irving said as introduction.
Her eyes immediately left the staff to land back on the stranger. He was now even more of a curiosity. What was a Grey Warden doing at the Circle, and why were Irving and Greagoir arguing about some Senior enchanters that had left the tower? "It's a pleasure," she smiled, shuffling the items in her arms to her left and holding out her hand.
Duncan took her hand and shook it firmly with his before returning to his stance, hands behind his back, legs apart. Irving began to explain about the war brewing in the South. "Duncan is here to recruit mages for the King's army at Ostagar."
Solona immediately forgot her place, "If they need more mages to fight, I volunteer."
Irving chuckled, his tone making her think he was only falling a centimeter short of patting her on the head, although Duncan's expression seemed to convey that he had expected her to respond as she did. "With the Darkspawn invading, we will absolutely need all of the help we can get."
Irving stopped laughing and cleared his throat. "Darkspawn?" she asked with curiosity. She had only ever read about the creatures that came to the surface every few centuries to unleash a blight upon the land. No wonder a Grey Warden was here.
Duncan nodded in agreement. "They have formed a horde in the Korcari Wilds, threatening to move Northward. We are hoping to stop them at Ostagar before they can spread."
Irving held his hands up. "Duncan, you are talking of blights and Darkspawn when this should be a happy day for the girl." He turned his attention to her and smiled. "You passed the Harrowing and your Phylactery was sent to Denerim. You are officially a mage within the Circle of Magi."
"Thank you, first Enchanter," she sighed, pursing her lips in disappointment that her request to join the army had been brushed aside.
Irving informed her that the day was hers to do with as she wished and she thanked him again. Duncan told Irving that he would return to his quarters and Irving asked Solona to escort Duncan as a favor. She gladly agreed, hoping to pick the man's brain. Duncan was stoic, but he answered her questions as she walked him slowly back to the guest quarters. He was light on information from the outside world, his mind focused on mostly the Darkspawn and the Blight he feared was coming. She again expressed an interest in going with him and he cracked a smile. The first she'd seen on his serious face. "We shall see what Greagoir and Irving agree on. I certainly will not turn down such eager help."
Solona left Duncan in excitement, hoping to possibly head to the baths and wash away the Fade that she could still feel was clinging to her skin, even though she knew that was not the case. Only her mind had entered the Fade. Not her physical body. She hurried down to the apprentice dorms where she knew most of the occupants were probably in class by now. The baths called to her and she quickly heated the water with a touch of her palm after dumping one of the buckets full of water into the shallow tub. She stripped her apprentice robes and flung them over the screen that hid the tub from view and lowered herself thankfully into the warm water. She had the day off, she was not going to waste it taking a bath. She scrubbed down in a hurry and then dried off and donned her new yellow robes. She couldn't say much for the color, but they were certainly comfortable. She pulled her hair into a lazy tail and attached her new staff to the harness that had come wrapped in her robes. With the surprisingly comforting weight on her back, she tossed her old robes in the laundry and left the dorm. She was halfway down the hall when Jowan's voice stopped her. "There you are. I've been looking all over for you," he said in a whisper.
She frowned and glanced around at the few other mages and templars wandering about. "Why are you whispering?" she hissed. "It looks suspicious."
He grunted and took her elbow to lead her toward the library. "Come on, just follow me. There's something I want to discuss with you if you're finished with Irving."
There went her relaxing day off. She sighed and followed Jowan through the tower to the Chapel. It was eerily quiet, save for a lone apprentice praying softly in one corner and a Chantry initiate on the opposite side of the room. Candles burned softly all around the only room in the tower not lit by the mage crystals. Jowan quickly approached the initiate who smiled widely at them both. Solona paused before them as Jowan turned to stand side by side with the woman. "We should be safe here," he said, his voice no longer a whisper.
"Safe from what?" Solona asked, her hips cocking as she crossed her arms. "You're starting to worry me, Jowan."
He sighed. "Do you remember a few months ago when I told you I'd met a girl?" Solona nodded her head and he pushed ahead. "This is Lily."
Solona took note of the Chantry Initiate. She was a slip of a girl. Solona had seen her around the Chapel, but had never paid her much notice. She had her dark brown hair done up in a half tail that flowed from a twisted braid that was styled to look like a flower. It was a bit much for Solona's taste, but she figured if she were stuck wearing the salmon colored Chantry robes that she might feel the need to do something more with her hair to draw attention away from the ugly. Solona harrumphed. "I was beginning to think you'd made her up," she said with a smirk.
Jowan looked less than pleased with her humor. "You know it is forbidden for an apprentice and and initiate..." he sighed. "Lily is promised to the Chantry. She isn't allowed to... fraternize with men."
Jowan's cause for concern was beginning to make sense. Solona rolled her eyes. "Okay, I won't tell anyone, but I'm still not sure why you're telling me this."
Lily finally spoke up, her voice was soft and sweet, like a melody. "I recently discovered a plot against Jowan..."
"There are rumors floating around that I am... a blood mage," he admitted, his eyes flicking away from hers to glance sadly at Lily. Solona snorted at the silly notion. She had known Jowan her entire life. He had been the first friend she'd made in the tower. He didn't have it in him to be a blood mage. "Of course the rumors aren't true, but it hasn't stopped Irving from signing over my life to the templars. They don't want me to take my Harrowing. Irving has agreed to the Rite of Tranquility."
Solona's arms dropped to the side and her mouth fell open. "How do you?... Are you certain?"
"I saw the documents on Irving's desk with my own eyes," Lily said gently.
"They'll take everything from me, Sol. My hopes, my dreams, my love for Lily... all gone," Jowan nearly wailed.
Solona glanced around, to be certain they were still alone. "I am assuming that if you wanted to tell me that you have some kind of plan to get out of this?"
Jowan and Lily exchanged a glance and Lily spoke up. "We need to get into the phylactery chamber and destroy Jowan's phylactery so he cannot be tracked. Then we will escape under cover of night."
"Impossible. How do you plan on getting in there?" Solona asked.
"The door inside needs two keys to be opened. Both Irving and Greagoir each hold a key. We will never get both keys, but there are other ways to open a lock," Lily said.
Who in Andraste's name was this girl? Solona regarded her as Jowan spoke up. "I saw a Rod of Fire melt through a lock once. Perhaps if we can get our hands on one, we could do the same."
"I could check the stockroom," Solona suggested, none too thrilled with having to speak with Owain.
Lily was all too eager to fall in with the plan. "We should probably wait here. One mage will attract much less attention than the three of us together."
Solona glanced at Jowan whose expression begged her to help him. "I'll be back as soon as I can," she agreed.
Getting the Rod of Fire proved a bit more difficult than she had anticipated. Owain requested she get a form authorizing the release of the rod to her signed by a senior enchanter. She knew that several of the Senior enchanters had already left for Ostagar. She roamed the hallways, on the look out for the red robes of a senior enchanter. Beside the chapel in the laboratory, she noticed an elven woman standing outside the storage rooms where they kept herbs and other alchemical ingredients. She was glancing around nervously, her lip between her teeth. Solona approached her and she jumped when asked about why she looked so shifty. She tried several different excuses before Solona crossed her arms and cocked her head. With a sigh, she revealed that there was an infestation of giant spiders in the storage room and she was at a loss on how to get rid if them. Solona bargained to get rid of the spiders if she would sign the form for her.
The woman let Solona into the room and shut the doors behind her. Solona drew her brand new staff and decided to put it to the test. She twirled it awkwardly, getting a feel for how to physically charge her staff outside the Fade. She nearly dropped it a few times before her fingers remembered how to twist around the wood while tracing glyphs and spindling mana into the staff. It was a lot of multitasking. She cautiously made her way toward the moldy smelling bowels of the cave like storage tunnels. It was lit with mage lights and the bright shine showed her where there was evidence of arachnid activity. From the size of the web cocoons, the spiders were indeed giant as Leorah had indicated. Solona kept her ears peeled for any hissing or skittering. The first one attacked her from above, dropping from the ceiling on inch thick webbing. It came, gnashing at her with teeth and pincers as big as her hands. She panicked, shrieking as it scurried toward her on eight ridiculous legs. Disregarding the use of her staff, she channeled her magic directly to her palms, throwing fire before her to light the furry thing up. When it hissed and gurgled, burning alive in it's own skin, the smell of charring flesh gagged her. She scolded herself once she'd recovered, She needed to get used to her staff. If she was to go with Duncan, she needed to be worthy of the King's army, not some bumbling fool who panicked at the sight of a giant spider. From what she understood, Darkspawn were even more monstrous. She took as deep a breath as she dared around the spider that had rolled onto it's back, it's legs curling around it's body and drew in her focus. While she walked forward, she practiced charging her staff on the move. It was somehow less trying to do as she walked versus standing still. Perhaps it was because her body was concentrating more on keeping her going than what her hands were doing. The runes etched into the shaft began to glow with power and she smiled in triumph. If practice made perfect, she would need to do a lot of practicing.
She killed her way through the circular tunnel, destroying all of the living spiders as well as their cocoons. When she emerged from the storage rooms no worse for the wear, Leorah was so thankful that she immediately signed the request form. Solona hurried it back to Owain who greeted her again in the same monotone greeting that he had used previously. "Do you use that greeting on everyone?" she asked, teasingly, forgetting who she was talking to.
"Do you find it displeasing? I am not inclined to change it," he said handing her the well earned Rod of Fire.
"Nevermind," she sighed and left him staring after her with those dead eyes. No way she was letting that happen to Jowan if she could help it. When she returned to Jowan and Lily, they were waiting nervously. "I've got it. Not that it was easy."
"Let's head down to the basement. There isn't likely to be anyone around there at this time of day," Lily said.
They moved as a group, Solona trying to look as inconspicuous as she could. It was likely a good thing that she had embarrassed Cullen so thoroughly earlier. She was not likely to see him following her about for a few days at least. They slipped down the basement stairs and came to the first door in their path. "I'm so nervous things will go wrong," Jowan mumbled as soon as the darkness of the dimply lit stairwell closed around them.
Lily turned and smiled at him before indicating the door. "The Chantry calls this the Victim's Door. It's made with two hundred and seventy-seven planks of wood to symbolize the original number of templars..."
"That's all well and good," Solona said cutting her off. "but a history lesson won't get us through it. It's a magical door. I can feel the charge in the air. The Rod of Fire won't work here."
Lily nodded. "Yes. This door requires a password which is held by the Chantry and then it needs to feel the touch of mana from a mage that has undergone their Harrowing."
"That would be me," Solona said. "I assume you have the password."
Lily turned to face the door and held up her palm as if she were blessing the door. "Sword of the Maker, Tears of the Fade." Solona heard an audible click. "The door is primed. Now you must use your magic on it. Any spell will do."
Solona called frost to her fingertips, not bothering with her staff to just unlock a door. When the spell hit the door, it flowed open on it's own. They moved through the door into another dark hallway. A second door stood before them. "This is the Phylactery Chamber, isn't it?" Solona asked.
"Yes, hurry. Use the Rod on the locks!" Jowan urged.
Solona pulled the Rod from her robes and aimed it at the door. Nothing happened. She frowned and attempted to draw on her mana and again nothing happened. "I can't cast here..." she glanced again at the door and groaned when she realized that there was a reason that Irving and Greagoir had two regular keys for the door. "The runes. They are blocking magic around the door."
"Of course!" Lily cried in dismay. "How do you keep a mage from entering a door? Make his spells completely useless."
Solona tapped the door with the Rod, fighting the urge to give it a swift kick. "We can't give up." She glanced around and further down the hall was the door that led to the repository where the most dangerous magical artifacts were housed. "Maybe there is a way in through the repository."
"We have to try. Let's hope that door isn't warded as well," Jowan said, immediately heading for the other entry. Solona followed on his heels with the Rod, ready to melt the locks. She felt her mana surging back into play as they moved out of the influence of the runes on the chamber door. She sighed, not realizing how uncomfortable that had been. She held the Rod up to the lock and this time when she channeled her magic, the Rod spat red hot flames from it's tip. She shielded her eyes as sparks flew from the melting metal of the lock. When she pulled the Rod away from the door, the metal dripped down over the wooden door and the door cracked slightly ajar. "Oh, that's not good."
She turned at Jowan's words and slipped the surprisingly cool Rod back in her robes. "Oh Maker," Lily gasped as the nearby sentinel suits of armor came to life, brandishing weapons at them.
"Get back!" Solona cried, pushing Lily back toward the wall and reaching for her staff. Wielding the weapon was becoming second nature. Her runes glowed brightly as she channeled her magic through the staff to throw at the magically animated suits. She was able to dispel two that were close together, breaking the magic that animated them, but the third was out of her range. She stepped forward and spun the staff, flicking a fireball from her hand into the shaft and then jutting the staff head first toward the sentinel. It erupted in flame but continued to advance. Jowan added a few spells of his own, but compared to her charged staff, his palms were simply not powerful enough to do much damage. Between the two of them, they managed to take down the thing and it crashed noisily to the ground in a dozen pieces. "Let's hope no one heard that. Is everyone all right?" Solona asked, glancing at her co-conspirators.
Jowan nodded, checking on Lily. "We're fine. Let's go."
They made their way through the dozens of rooms that made up the repository. Several more sentinels attacked them as they went, Solona wishing she had some Lyrium potions to replenish her mana. Even with help from her staff, her reserves only went so deep. Finally they reached a room that was filled with a large amount of oddities and curiosities. Solona couldn't help but to poke around. She approached a Tevinter statue that stood in a corner, collecting dust. She reached up and brushed a layer of dust from the top of it and nearly had a heart attack when the thing spoke to her. "Greetings." The voice was throaty and dual toned, reminding Solona of how spirits in the Fade sounded when they spoke. She moved closer to it again and cocked her head to study it.
"Maker's Breath, did it just say something?" Jowan squeaked, stepping up beside her.
As she nodded, the statue spoke again. "I am the essence and spirit of Eleni Zenovia, once consort and adviser to Archon Valerius. Prophecy my crime, cursed to stone for foretelling the fall of my Lord's house."
"Archon Valerius?" Solona asked, crossing her arms. She had never heard the name before.
"I'm not sure," Jowan said, his curiosity as piqued as hers. "The Archons were the Lords of the Imperium."
" 'Forever shall you stand on the threshold of my proud fortress', he said. 'And tell your lies to all who pass...' But my Lord found death at the hands of his enemies and his once-proud fortress crumbled to dust. as I foretold," the statue said sadly.
"Don't listen to it. The Tevinter Lords dabbled in many forbidden arts," Lily said with fear. "This is a Wicked thing!"
"I wonder how it got here," Solona said softly, rolling her eyes at Lily's naivete.
"It must have been here for years," Jowan mused. "Judging by the dust. I almost feel sorry for it... her."
"Weep not for me, child," the statue sighed. "Stone they made me and stone I am, eternal and unfeeling. And I shall endure 'til the Maker returns to light their fires again."
Solona frowned. "What does that mean?"
Jowan scoffed. "Ambiguous rubbish. It could mean anything. I can do it, too. The sun grows dark, but lo! Here comes the dawn!" he said in a mocking tone.
"Stop talking to it. Please, both of you," Lily begged.
"We really can't do much with it anyhow," Solona sighed. She tipped her head to the statue and it simply went silent, content to ignore and be ignored. She began to hunt about for another exit from the room that might help them get into the Phyactery chamber. If her mental map was correct the chamber should be right next to them at the other side of the room. She noticed a cool draft that was slipping through the wall. "Over here. Jowan, help me shift this book case."
Together, she and Jowan moved the heavy shelves and behind it was a wall ready to crumble. She could feel the cool magic of the chamber seeping in from the other side. She stepped back from the wall and ushered Jowan and Lily out of the way. Using her staff to focus the energy, she jabbed a stone fist spell at the wall, bringing down the already crumbling wall. When the dust settled, they were in side the chamber they had set out to get into. It was guarded by three more sentinels and Solona and Jowan dispatched them before allowing Lily to pick her way thorough the rubble and enter the cold room. Ice magic was in use all over the room, working to keep the phylacteries cool and unspoiled. "I can't believe we're here," Jowan gasped.
Solona sighed belatedly. "It's a shame my Phylactery was taken to Denerim after my Harrowing."
"Would you have destroyed yours too?" Jowan asked, his eyes widening.
She had never thought such a thing was possible until they stood here. "It's too late to worry about 'what ifs'. Let's just find yours, Jowan, and get the hell out of here."
They climbed up into the coldest area of the room where piles of snow were kept magically all around the small bottles labeled with each apprentice's name. It was easy to find Jowan's and he stared at it in awe. "It's so tiny. Hard to believe that such a small thing has kept me chained for so many years." He held the glass vial out in front of him and dropped it. The glass shattered, spilling his blood and allowing it to soak into the white snow. "Let's go," he sighed.
They left through the original door they had meant to get in through, the runes not a problem from that side. In a matter of moments, they were climbing the stairs out of the basement. Solona was trying to figure out the best way to get Jowan out of the tower itself now that his Phyactery was destroyed when at the top of the stairs, they were met by half a dozen templars and the First Enchanter. "Well, shit," she mumbled, stopping short and her fingers twitching. She yearned to draw her staff, but that would label her a Maleficar and she would either be killed or put to the brand. She decided to let the scene play out and hope for the best. She noticed Duncan standing to the far back of the room, leaning in the doorway that led to the library.
"So what you said was true, Irving," Greagoir said with a sneer. "An initiate, conspiring with a blood mage. I'm disappointed, Lily." He approached Lily and studied her. "She seems shocked, but fully in control of her own mind. Not a thrall of the blood mage, then." He sighed and turned back to the First Enchanter. "You were right, Irving. The initiate has betrayed us. The Chantry will not let this go unpunished. And this one," his eyes then fell on Solona. "Newly a mage and already flouting the Circle's rules."
Irving sighed audibly and lifted a scolding finger at her. "I'm disappointed in you. You could have told me what you knew of this plan, and you didn't."
Jowan stepped ahead of her and growled angrily. "You don't care for the mages. You just bow to the Chantry's every whim!"
Solona reached out and touched his shoulder, trying to pull him back. "Jowan, please don't make it worse."
"Enough!" Greagoir growled, slashing his hand downwards in finality. "As Knight-Commander of the templars here assembled, I sentence this blood mage to death. And this initiate had scorned the Chantry and her vows. Take her to Aeonar."
"The mage's prison?!" Lily gasped as the templars began to approach them. "No, please, no. Not there!"
"NO! I won't let you touch her!" Jowan shouted, a knife appearing in his hand. He stabbed down into his own palm. Solona backed up in horror as his blood and mana swirled around each other sucking the air from the room as he drew on the power in his own blood. He lifted his arms and then thrust them forward, a spray of blood and energy slamming into the templars and the First Enchanter. They all fell before him and Solona prayed they were simply unconscious and not dead.
"By the Maker!" Lily cried. "Blood magic? H-how could you? You said you never..."
Jowan turned his gaze on Lily and the rage from moments before disappeared as he stepped toward her. "I admit, I... I dabbled! I thought it would make me a better mage..."
"Blood magic is evil, Jowan." Lily wailed as she backed away from him. "It corrupts people. Changes them..."
"I'm going to give it up! All magic. I just want to be with you, Lily. Please, come with me..." he begged.
"I trusted you. I was ready to sacrifice everything for you... I.. I don't know who you are, blood mage. Stay away from me..." Lily spat angrily, making Solona flinch. If the blood magic had truly corrupted him, he would have made her a thrall right then and there and stole her away. Instead, a great sadness washed over his features and he turned, clutching his bleeding hand to his chest and ran.
Solona dragged her attention to the men and women lying around her. She ran to Irving first, kneeling beside him. Her knees beneath her robes felt damp as the blood all around seeped into her clothing. "First Enchanter!" she gasped, rolling him from his stomach onto his back.
The movement woke him and he groaned, glancing at her. "Are you all right? Where's Greagoir?"
"I knew it..." Greagoir growled, sitting up and clutching his head. "Blood magic... but to overcome so many... I never thought him capable of such power."
Solona hung her head before helping the First Enchanter to his feet. "I can't believe he just did that."
"None of us suspected this. Are you all right, Greagoir?" Irving asked, clutching a small wound in his side.
"As good as can be expected, given the circumstances. If you'd let me act sooner, this would not have happened!" Greagoir scolded. "Now we have a blood mage on the loose with no way to track him down!"
"He can't have gone far," Solona said timidly, bending under the anger of the Knight-Commander.
"He will be very difficult to locate without his Phylactery," Irving sighed.
Greagoir ignored them and grunted. "Where is the girl?"
"I... I am here, ser," Lily said quietly, stepping from behind a pillar near the basement stairs.
"You helped a blood mage!" Greagoir accused, bearing down on her. "Just look at all he's hurt."
"Lily had no idea Jowan was a blood mage," Solona spoke up.
The girl hung her head and closed her eyes. "You have been a kind friend, but you needn't defend me anymore. Knight-Commander, I... I was wrong. I was accomplice to a... a blood mage. I will accept whatever punishment you see fit. Even... Even Aeonar," Lily said boldly.
"Get her out of my sight," Greagoir growled to the couple of templars that had made it to their feet. "and you..." he turned his ire on Solona. "You know why the repository exists. Some artifacts some magics are locked away for a reason!"
"Did you take anything important from the repository?" Irving asked her calmly.
She shook her head wildly. She knew better. "No."
"Very well, I believe you," Irving sighed.
"But your antics have made a mockery of this Circle!" Greagoir looked her over and growled in frustration. "Ah, what are we to do with you?"
Solona opened her mouth and the only thing that came out was a lame excuse. "I didn't know he was a blood mage."
"And you think this excuses you?!" Greagoir said in outrage. "You helped a blood mage escape. All our prevention measures for naught! Because of you!"
Solona had no arguments left. She was done for. Greagoir was going to lock her up and throw away the key. Suddenly, Duncan appeared beside her and spoke calmly. "Knight-Commander, if I may. I am not only looking for mages to join the King's army. I am also recruiting for the Grey Wardens... Irving spoke highly of this mage and I would like her to join the Warden ranks."
Before Greagoir could protest, Irving did so for him. "Duncan, this mage has assisted a Maleficar and shows a lack of regard for the Circle's rules."
"She is a danger. To all of us!" Greagoir added.
Duncan scoffed. "It is a rare person who risks all for a friend in need. I stand by my decision. I will recruit this mage."
"No!" Greagoir seethed. "I refuse to let this go unpunished!"
Solona found herself shrinking back away from Greagoir and closer to Duncan as they argued over her like a piece of meat. "If the Grey Wardens will have me, I will gladly go," she offered timidly. This was her chance to not only escape imprisonment, but to see the world.
"Greagoir, mages are needed. This mage is needed," Duncan said pointedly. "Worse things plague this world than blood mages. You know that... I take this young mage under my wing and bear all responsibility for her actions."
"A blood mage escapes, and his accomplice is not only unpunished, but is rewarded by becoming a Grey Warden!?" Greagoir was furious. "Are our laws nothing? Have we lost all authority over our mages? This does not bode well, Irving."
"Enough," the First Enchanter sighed. "We have no more say in this matter."
"So, I am to be a Grey Warden?" Solona asked, barely checking the excitement in her voice.
"Yes." Irving smiled slightly. "Be proud, child. You are luckier than you know."
She returned his smile and Duncan held out a hand for her to come with him. "Come. Your new life awaits."
It took them actually leaving the tower and getting all of the way across the lake and an hours' trek south through the woods before Solona could believe that she was actually free. Her hands were still trembling as Duncan stopped them for the evening to set up camp. He pulled from his pack, two bedrolls and a small bag of jerky, offering her some of the jerky. It took her stomach rumbling for her to realize that she had not eaten since supper the night before. She accepted the offered food with a smile and sat down on the bedroll that he had laid out for her. He silently gathered some firewood and began to build it up inside a ring of stones. When he pulled out his flint, she chuckled and held up a hand. "No need." He backed away from the pile of wood and she wiggled her fingers, releasing a small amount of mana to spark the fire.
"I'd forgotten how useful it was to travel with a mage," the normally stoic man said with a chuckle, sitting down on his own bedroll. He studied Solona as she nibbled on her jerky. She had been allowed to pack a bag before leaving, but she had few things of value that were truly hers. "Did you wish to change out of those robes?" Duncan asked, indicating the blood stains on the front of her skirts.
She glanced down at the stains, but looked away quickly. "I don't have anything to change into," she sighed.
He reached over and drug his own pack closer. "You may not have taken the joining yet, but I believe I can allow you to wear the armor of the Grey Wardens, even so." He pulled out a pair of light leather pants lined with a thin fur for warmth and a blue and silver hauberk striped vertically and crafted with both metal and leather for a lighter, easier to move in style designed with mages in mind. The shoulders had an additional layer of protection in the form of blue quilted and studded pauldrons. Brown gloves and simple brown boots completed the ensemble. "I do hope they fit."
She accepted the armor with care, cradling the pile to her chest. "Thank you," she said, reveling in the fine make of the clothes. She moved into the woods to find a tree to change behind out of the light of the fire. She slipped out of her robes that she had worn for no more than 12 hours at best and quickly found her way in to the complex Warden armor. Hoping she had everything in the proper place, she secured a few buckles and pulled on the boots. Amazingly, they fit her perfectly. The armor was lighter even than it looked, the front of the hauberk reaching just above her knees in a single piece and the back to the tops of her calves in a piece that split in two below her rear. After all of the years that she had been wearing robes, she wondered how these clothes could feel so comfortable. She debated setting the bloody robes on fire, but chose instead to gingerly pick them up and crumple them into a ball to stuff in her pack to deal with later. She made her way back to the fire and sat down on her bedroll again. Duncan offered her a smile and she said. "Thank you again. Everything fits like a glove."
Duncan shrugged and grinned deviously. "I had a feeling I would be leaving the Circle with a new recruit. Irving and I had been exchanging ravens for some weeks now. It was no coincidence that your Harrowing took place last night. I did not, however, realize we would be leaving with quite the bang that we did."
She dragged her newly gloved fingers through the dirt in front of her. "Neither did I," she agreed. "How did I not see that coming? Jowan has been a good friend to me for so many years."
Duncan clucked his tongue. "Sometimes our friends are the ones who can deceive us better than others. It takes an extremely uncaring person to not accept their friends' word at face value. It speaks to your character that Jowan was able to deceive you. It is indeed what sealed my decision to conscript you."
His words made her feel better about herself and she brushed away the doodles in the dirt that she had drawn, suddenly exhausted. "If you don't mind, I could use some sleep. It has been a very long day."
"Of course. Enjoy your rest... Lady Amell," he said, testing the name on his tongue.
"Ugh," she grunted, her lip curling. "Solona, please."
He nodded and smiled. "Solona it is. Good night."