Dragon Age: Origins

Fury Of The Magi

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Age: Origins. And stupid me, I didn't buy any shares in the company before it went public. Don't I look like an idiot now?

Chapter 02

A thunderous crack split the air which lay still across the Bannorn, louder than any cannon-blast the Quanari could create. Flocks of birds took flight as the sound boomed across the flat landscape with trees offering little protection against the almost physical noise.

Duncan stirred as his mind processed the thunderous crack and he slowly sat up, blinking groggily. Glancing around to determine if there was any trouble in the immediate vicinity, his eyes passed over Lessia's empty bedroll without comprehension.

A moment later and his eyes snapped back to the empty bedroll. Swearing violently as he registered that Lessia was indeed missing, he threw the thick blanket off his form and scrambled to his feet whilst snatching up his two long-swords.

"Damnit! I don't have time for this" he growled out and immediately looked around whilst trying to process where the deafening sound had come from. With the lands as flat as they were, it wasn't particularly easy to determine its source.

Taking another look around, he spotted something odd with a tree almost a hundred paces distant from the camp-site. Far away from the camp and definitely beyond his earshot.

The tree was split almost down the middle.

Bursting into a sprint towards the tree whilst gripping the blades tight, he slowed to a jog when his eyes picked out a hunched-over figure ten feet from the base of the tree.

"Lessia, what the hell happened?" Duncan demanded.

Finding Grey Warden initiates was rare enough that every single applicant had to be guarded zealously until they were deemed ready to venture out on their own.

Lessia stared up at Duncan with blood-shot eyes whilst every inch of her body trembled with exhaustion and anger.

"I…remembered something. From the Alienage" she whispered quietly and made to stand. As she rose, her legs gave out and with a pained cry she fell onto her knees.

Wincing, Duncan nodded. "Do you want to share, Lessia? It can help to share the burden" he stated, his earlier ire fading.

I know its bad in the Alienage's but…what could have happened to provoke this kind of response?

As she took a moment to compose herself and formulate an answer, he looked at the tree and his eyes widened whilst a faint grin tugged at his lips.

Every inch of the tree was coated in ice which shimmered like jewels in the early morning light whilst it was split completely down the middle as if cleaved in twain by a massive axe.

Very impressive. I've seen lightning do this to trees before and from what I know, the cold would only intensify the strike.

Having spent some time in the colder wilds in his younger years, Duncan knew that at low temperatures that a tree could potentially explode. And with the water in the ice acting as a conductor for the charge.

"I…I guess" Lessia whispered and she settled into a seated position with her legs drawn up in front of her as if huddling to preserve heat.

Duncan slowly sat and watched Lessia gather her strength for what would be an obviously arduous tale.

Flashback

Lessia slept soundly under the covers of her bed with only the occasional breath stirring her soft red hair which lay under her cheek. Her small hands clasped the top of the blanket that lay atop her and keeping the cold out albeit somewhat ineffectually.

Bed was rather a grandiose term for the straw pallet she slept on with a few stalks poking her back though she had gotten used to it enough that it never woke her. And the blanket was a tattered scrap of cloth that her mother had purloined from the trash of the Arl.

Her mother was Eärlindë Súrion, one of the newer elves to the Alienage and certainly not one born into the quasi-prison. She had come from further north although she either never spoke of it nor remembered for she was declared a runaway from another Alienage or the Dalish elves.

The night air was split suddenly by a loud bang as the door to the house slammed open followed by another thump as the door was locked and bolted.

Slowly sitting up and looking blearily in the direction of the noise, Lessia blinked.

"Mommy? What's happening?" she inquired tiredly before yawning massively and tugging the blanket up to cover her now-bare shoulders.

"Lessia, get under the bed now!"

Sitting there dumb-founded, Lessia yelped as her mother grabbed her wrist and yanked her harshly.

"Now, Lessia! And stay quiet. And above all else, focus on not being seen" Eärlindë hissed and helped her daughter get under the bed as fast as possible. Ignoring her daughters yelp of pain when her head banged off the wooden frame, she tugged the blanket down a bit to hide as much as possible.

A moment later and the door seemed to explode inwards and a fully-armoured Templar could be seen in the wreckage with two more following him in with their own blades drawn.

"There she is! Get the bitch!" the first one roared and the two others surged past him to tear Eärlindë away from the bed to bring her to their leader.

Lessia peeked out from under the edge of the bed just in time to see the lead Templar backhand her mother violently enough to send a few teeth tinkling across the floor.

The lead Templar easily picked Eärlindë up by the throat and held her above the floor as she struggled weakly against his iron grip.

"What do you guys say to having a bit of fun with this elven bitch before we rip her head off?" he sneered and was rewarded by the cheers of his other two compatriots who were obviously drunk.

"No! Anything but that!" Eärlindë screamed though not for her own benefit.

She didn't want her daughter to be forced to listen to her cries and whimpers, the harsh grunts and moans and the final scream as she was killed.

"Shutup, whore. You don't get a choice in this. If you play along, we promise to make it quick" he snarled out and threw the woman toward the bed as hard as possible.

As she slammed into the straw pallet and cracked her head against the wall, Eärlindë managed to retain enough control to whisper one thing to Lessia.

"Stay quiet…please. You're too important…"

A moment later and the men descended on her like ravenous wolves, their armored hands ripping away cloth whilst bruising her flesh.

Lessia kept a hand clasped over her mouth as hard as possible to stop her own cries and whimpers from escaping. Focusing on not being seen as hard as possible, the world took on a somewhat monochrome tone.

The bed creaked alarmingly with every movement atop it whilst the fleshy smack of fists hitting flesh providing a horrifying counter.

Lessia began to count the passing seconds in her head to try and distract herself even as she focused on not being seen or heard.

It's been two hours…please, please go away! Lessia begged to herself and seemingly as soon as she thought that, the creaking stopped.

"Stupid whore. Shouldn't have slapped the Arl" the lead Templar growled out as he slowly drew his blade and stared down at the woman.

Every inch of her face was bruiser and blood oozes from her nose, mouth and ears whilst her body was similarly bruised with a few gashes decorating her stomach and breasts.

"Go back to your heathen gods, bitch!" the Templar growled out and drove his sword done as hard as he possibly could with the blade glancing off her spine and diverting the blow two millimeters.

Those two millimeters saved Lessia's life.

Instead of ripping into her skull and pulping her brain as it should have done, it chipped the ground a bare hair from her ear with a few of the shards scratching her.

Despite all her focus, she let out a whimper behind her hand.

"What was that?"

Two gauntleted hands gripped the frame of the bed and with a roar and a mighty heave the bed was thrown against the wall, shattering due to the force of the blow.

"Nothings…there?" he stated though it came out more like a question.

"Probably just a dying sound. Come on Greagoir, let's go. We shouldn't have left the barracks."

Greagoir nodded and looked around once more before turning and stalking out.

"Just a month to go and I'll be promoted to Templar-Commanded to oversee the Circle of Magi. Finally."

As the three Templar left, Lessia slowly stood and blinked as the colors took on their rightful tones. As the exhaustion struck her, she slowly padded over to the cooling corpse of her mother.

"Mommy…wake up…" she begged, sinking to her knees in the pool of blood slowly spreading across the floor.

"Come on mommy…please…I'll be a good girl…I won't do anything bad…please just wake up!"

Only silence greeted her pleas.

End Flashback

Duncan looked nauseated as Lessia finished the tale.

"The Templar-Commander did that?" he asked though his lips had curled into a snarl.

Blinking, Lessia's own eyes filled with rage as she connected the two names to the one person.

"I'll kill him" she ground out before her eyes rolled back in her head and she knew no more.

Duncan sighed as he picked up the elven girl.

"You had best be ready, Greagoir. When this girl comes for you, I will truly pity you and all who stand before her."

Lessia woke slowly, reveling in the feel of a warm and soft bed that seemed to mould to her every contour and need. Her eyes opened slowly due to the tears which had crusted upon her eyes and she beheld a marvelous wood-panelled ceiling.

"Where…where am I?"

The words tumbled from her lips before she had even thought them and her voice sounded off to her ears. Rough and pained as if she had been crying all night.

Then the memories resurfaced and she bit back a whimper.

Sparks of magic danced angrily across her hands as she fought back the rising tide of both bile and rage that threatened to swallow her completely.

Looking around and finding she was the only occupant in the room, Lessia rose from her bed and padded to the small table near the door to retrieve the note she saw whilst in the bed.

Gone to retrieve supplies for the last leg of our journey. Ten sovereigns are in the pouch under this note. Prepare wisely.

Lessia looked down at the amount of gold in shock. Being a mage in the tower meant that most if not all your material needs were taken care of. Specialist items were usually traded for favors within the upper ranks with some of the Enchanters or even Senior Enchanters taking advantage of the Apprentices and indebting them heavily.

Picking up the ten golden coins gently as if terrified they would shatter, a smile spread across her face.

A smile of girlish glee.

Leliana easily slipped into the small store without being noticed by the few patrons within. Whether it was in part to her training or just the degree with which she had been accepted, nobody could tell. Making her way to the back of the store where the more esoteric and foreign items were stored, she let out a sigh when the bare shelf greeted her.

Again.

She came in each chance she got to peruse the stores contents for anything that would provide a spark to her current life.

It's not that I hate the Chantry or the village. On the contrary, I love the peace and contentment here. I just want something unique, something undoubtedly mine.

Turning to leave, Leliana stopped as her eyes caught something interesting.

A young woman stood eying the collection of staves the store had in stock, which ranged from simple lengths of wood to the ostentatious and over-compensating.

Visitors to Lothering were rare given its position. At most they would get the random guard patrol that kept the roads safe with a larger company stopping by on their way to Ostagar.

But this young woman had not the muscles of a soldier nor the wary countenance of one who was expecting a pick-pocket.

Stepping closer, Leliana peered at what the woman was examining with such rapt attention that none of it was spared to protect herself from a thief.

It was a fairly plain staff, approximately six feet long and made of an indiscernible wood. It was black as pitch which lead some to think it was from the colder regions of the Korcari Wilds but the occasional fleck of gold running through it disputed that claim.

Besides the odd wood, there was little else remarkable about the staff.

"I heard about these…but I thought they had all been destroyed when the Imperium collapsed."

Leliana's ears perked up at hearing the soft voice come from the woman. Pretending to be focused on the shelf before her, her eyes darted back and forth.

"An Origin Staff…incredible. And in its most basic state. The Circle of Magi would pay for a fortune for this."

Leliana blinked at that before her eyes widened as a small passage in a history book sprang to mind.

The Tevinter Imperium was ruled by magi for as long as history documents them. And among perhaps their greatest achievement was the Origin Staff. In its most basic state, it is essentially powerless and acts as nothing more than a crude channel for the mages power.

But by being so basic, it allows the mage to augment it. To carve runes into it and add accoutrements that magnify its power.

Leliana watched the girl carefully heft it and test its weight. She struggled with it for a moment but was able to mostly wrap her hand around it.

So this girl must be a mage…but why is she here?

Lessia hadn't noticed Leliana shadowing her as she made her way up to the register. Whilst she managed to conceal it albeit barely, she was brimming with excitement at this monumental fine.

"Fifteen sovereigns."

At that, Lessia's joy vanished.

"W-what?" she inquired, her voice trembling as she stared up at the shop owner.

"You heard me. Fifteen sovereigns. I've had this damn thing here for a year so you can bet I'm going to get my moneys worth for it."

Leliana frowned minutely at that.

Lessia bit her lip and looked around sadly as if trying to spot a spare sovereign on the ground.

"R-really? B-but…" she whimpered.

Leliana had had enough of the shop-owner. Walking towards the counter, she frowned at the portly man who was smirking at the younger woman.

"Here's the extra five sovereigns" Leliana snapped and dropped the five extra coins to the bench contemptuously.

Lessia stared wide-eyed at the woman whilst hugging the staff close to her body.

"T-thankyou" she mumbled out, her eyes still wide.

Leliana smiled down at the younger woman who was nearly a half-foot shorter and crouched a bit. Nodding coolly to the store owner, she turned and left quickly.

Lessia stared at the door the woman had vanished through before racing after her, all the while making sure to keep the staff from knocking merchandise. As she stepped outside though and looked about, no trace could be found of the red-headed woman.

Making her way back to the inn which was across the dirt road, Lessia didn't notice the duo of armed guards angling her way until they were but three feet away and already herding towards a back alley.

The first inkling Lessia had of trouble was the cold armored hand on her shoulder.

The second inkling was the other hand clasping over her mouth to stifle any protests as she was dragged suddenly into the shadow.

"Whadda we have here Gus?"

"Looks like some pretty lil thing" Gus replied and grinned down at the woman.

Lessia looked between the two, clearly terrified of the soldiers. Although soldiers seemed far too grandiose a term for the two men who were dressed in cracked, muddy, blood-splattered leather boots and cuirass.

"Let's have some fun huh? Nobody will miss her, bein an elf and all"

Lessia's eyes which had been closing and prickling which tears, snapped open and she glared at the both of them with such hatred that it stopped Gus for a moment.

"Looks like this little thing has some teeth. No matter" Gus said and leaned forward, his stubble and foul breath assaulting Lessia.

A second later he started to scream.

It sounded of agony as deep as the soul, one which burns through every nerve ending and to make one bite off their own tongue.

The next second, Gus erupted as fire exploded from his every orifice and consumed him in a pyroclastic display that charred the ground. No screams came from the fireball for all the air around the flaming soldier was consumed faster than it could be replaced.

Lessia stared coldly at the soldier as he was immolated.

All she could see was Greagoir's face glaring down at her without seeing her the night her mother was butchered like a pig. A moment later and the flames snarled out of existence as the last vestiges of air was consumed. All that was left standing there was a pillar of smoking charcoal, steel glowing white hot and the leather armor incinerated.

"Y-you little bitch! You're gonna pay for that!"

Thrown violently against the wall, Lessia turned and flung a hand towards the man as if guided by some primal impulse even as she slammed into the wall brutally.

Lightning erupted from her fingertips and the alley-way was bathed in a fierce white light.

As it faded, it became obvious what had happened to the second guard.

The entirety of the left side of his chest had been disintegrated from the blast and what hadn't been vaporized had been seared so completely that the flesh appeared glassy whilst no blood at all flowed from the corpse. The rest of the corpse twitched as resultant electricity arced through-out it and caused nerves and muscles to twitch spasmodically.

Lessia slowly shook her head and glanced at the two bodies. Then in a flash she was on her knees vomiting what little left she had in her stomach. With the bile burning her throat and the stench of incinerated flesh and hair filling her nose, Lessia forced herself to her feet with the aid of her staff. Staggering out of the alley-way, she winced at the strangely bright light.

Making her way towards the inn once more with all the speed of a century-old woman, Lessia ignored the few people glaring angrily at her. Entering the inn and limping upstairs, she collapsed on her bed with her staff still clutched to her thin frame.

Duncan could have sworn until he passed out as he was lead into the Chantry to meet with the Revered Mother. The only details he had gleaned from the guard had been that Lessia had been involved, two men were dead and magic had been used.

Given that Lessia was not a Grey Warden yet, she was not yet granted immunity from most laws regarding magic and its use.

"Good day, Revered Mother" Duncan murmured as he was lead into the small cloister the elderly woman occupied.

"Your little miscreant butchered two of our guards, Warden" the Revered Mother ground out. Whilst she had a kind face, Revered Mother's weren't chosen just for their kindliness.

No, they were chosen to uphold the faith and so had to possess a core and will of iron, to act as both an example and deterrent.

Duncan raised an eyebrow at that.

"And what were the two guards doing troubling my companion?" he inquired lightly.

The Revered Mother stared at him in annoyance.

"No doubt they noticed signs she was a wielder of magic. She was carrying a staff after all."

Duncan paused at that before forging ahead.

"Can you describe this staff to me? I had instructed her to buy a walking stick for the journey ahead for when we had to leave our horses."

The Revered Mother barely suppressed a snarl as she stared at the man.

This insufferable Warden! He knows as well as I do that she's a mage. But I lack the proof and he has all the advantages!

"Fine! Just get out of town before the sun rises tomorrow!"

Duncan nodded before turning on his heel and leaving.

"Leliana, I am told you were spotted in the company of this mage. Care to explain why?" the Revered Mother inquired whilst closing her eyes.

Walking out from between the towering book-shelves, Leliana blushed to hide a smile. She had purposefully allowed the Revered Mother to discover her.

If you tell the truth the first time, they will not suspect a lie the next time.

"Revered Mother, I encountered this mage when I was at the store. The owner was giving her some trouble so I helped her out. This was before I realized she was a mage. What happened?"

The Revered Mother slowly rose and sighed.

"Two of the guards lie dead. They were the new recruits. Gus and his friend."

"And this is bad, Revered Mother? Both were little better than bandits and given almost free reign."

The Revered Mother sighed.

"I agree. But you must understand, there is a fine line. Had they been slain with sword or arrow, there would be no issue here. I would have even compensated Duncan. But since they were slain with magic, people will see it as a senseless murder of two guards."

Leliana nodded.

"You may return to your prayers, Leliana. If you wish to see the mage off, be sure you are not seen. By them or others."

Leliana nodded, a true blush staining her cheeks at how easily the Revered Mother had seen through her.

I may have been an Orlesian Bard but I am still a child when compared to the wisdom of the Chantry.

Duncan entered the room he had rented for Lessia and before he knew it, he had reached up and was massaging the bridge of his nose to fight off the impending migraine.

"You managed to stir up a hornets nest, Lessia."

Slowly cracking open tear-encrusted eyes, Lessia winced at the sight of Duncan.

"It's not my fault! They were going to…to…"

As she processed the events, she began to shiver and bit her lip.

"Yes they were, Lessia. I am proud that you defended yourself with whatever means you had. Next time though I urge you to be more circumspect."

Lessia blinked at the lack of scolding.

"I am not some parent, Lessia. I am first and foremost a Grey Warden. A warrior and bulwark against the darkness. I would be embarrassed had you not defended yourself."

Lessia nodded, somewhat reassured.

"A Warden must use whatever tools are at his or her disposal. Sometimes the only thing that can defeat the dark is another type of darkness. That is why we do not punish Maleficarum in our ranks."

Lessia nodded and dried her eyes on the sheet covering the bed.

"What did you buy with the ten sovereigns I left you?" Duncan inquired, hoping she had been wise and purchased supplies, a pack and even a crude weapon.

Lessia pointed to the staff that she had propped up against the wall.

Duncan quirked an eyebrow at her before shaking his head.

"Very well. That staff had best be worth it though, Lessia. You won't be eating until we reach Ostagar."

Lessia paled.

There was little fanfare as Duncan and Lessia rode into Ostagar what with most, if not all the troops participating in combat drills or out scouting.

Duncan kept his gaze steely and focused forward as he rode into the ruined fortress of Ostagar. Ruined was a matter of objective though, given that the Ferelden nobility had yet to construct anything even half as grand.

Lessia seemed to be a perfect example of what Duncan wasn't doing. She was gazing around with her mouth open in shock and awe.

"Amazing…its so massive. Magic was used on a scale that most magi can't even comprehend" she whispered.

"It is a Tevinter ruin. Their primary bulwark against the Chasind that rode up from the Korcari Wilds" Duncan explained tersely.

The reason for his anger was not obvious at first but on closer inspection it could be observed that one of his eyebrows had been incinerated and his left cheek was a light pink from the heat.

Lessia pouted at the tone and crossed her arms petulantly. "For the last time Duncan, you shouldn't have woken me so early. I actually managed to name some visible stars!"

Duncan slowly turned and fixed her with a gimlet eye.

Wincing at the glare, Lessia ducked her head.

Duncan nodded and turned around.

"May have to paint on a new eyebrow though."

The sharp sound of reins breaking filled the air as Duncan ripped his apart in an effort to control his anger.

Lessia continued to look around in awe. The fortress was so majestic even in its crumbling state that she found it hard to imagine what it would have been like at its prime.

"Has anyone ever explored Ostagar?"

Duncan took a deep breath to calm himself.

It's not her fault. She is unused to the rigors of war.

"There have been so preliminary expeditions sent in but they all reported back that the ruins stopped about three floors down. Most assume that its just a massive slab of stone."

"And you don't?"

Duncan paused and chose his words carefully.

"The Tevinter Imperium was a very…conniving race. It would not surprise me that they just sealed it all away when they left. Unfortunately, none of the magi who have probed its depths have managed to unlock its secrets."

Lessia felt a spark of curiosity flare within her and she idly touched the staff that sat lengthways across the horse. It had proven a mild inconvenience at first but she had quickly adapted to its weight.

As part of the limited martial training that the Circle's magi undertook, staff combat was the primary focus of the curriculum with a few other options such as daggers and the rare few learning sword-craft.

The first lesson learned in staff combat was not to fire bolts of magical energy from it but how to hold and use it.

A mage who doesn't know the top from the bottom of their staff is a big a liability as any blood mage.

That was the first lesson drilled into all of the apprentices on their first day. They were taught how to hold the staff and the correct stance to use in battle, one with their legs spread slightly and their right foot placed behind them to compensate for any recoil suffered in combat.

But my staff has no top or bottom. It's an Origin Staff she mused. She had tried to fire a few bolts of magic from it but had gotten zero response from it except to cause the tree she was aiming at to smoke a bit.

Lessia smiled as she recalled one of the passages concerning Origin Staves.

The first course of action that must be taken when crafting an Origin Staff is the engraving of runes upon its wood. Each rune must be placed perfectly and there can not be any error in the inscribing or placement of the runes for if there is but one tiny error then the energies can implode violently.

The next step is the application of artefacts. Also known as talismans, these help to further amplify and focus the power of the staff. Often these talismans act as foci so as to boost the power of the mage in turn.

Looking at her staff, she smiled faintly.

"Pay attention, Lessia. We are approaching King Cailan Theirin. Be civil" Duncan warned as he well knew Lessia's opinion of humans.

Lessia frowned faintly before paying attention to the man in gold armor.

"Welcome Duncan! It gladdens my heart to know you will be upon the field of battle with me."

Duncan nodded formally at the king before dismounting. Turning to Lessia, he barely suppressed a sigh as she tried to scramble off the horse and fell with a yelp.

"And who is this? A new recruit Duncan?"

Duncan nodded and watched as Lessia scrambled to her feet with a smudge of mud on her cheek.

"A mage? Well, that is fortuitous!"

Lessia blinked before she coloured faintly at the attention. She was used to being despised for both her Elven heritage and her gift but here was the king and complimenting her.

He's…handsome she thought and flushed a deeper red at the thought. Few times had she ever considered any person attractive.

Duncan nodded. "Indeed, and from what I was told by the First Enchanter, a very powerful one. She will be a great Warden…should she survive the Joining."

Cailan nodded and smiled minutely at Duncan. "I assume that Alistair will be accompanying her into the wilds?"

Duncan noticed the slight glint to Cailan's eye and nodded. "Indeed. Being the most junior in our order, he could always use more experience."

"Actually King Cailan…might I make a request?"

A gasp was let out by one of the King's attendants at the form of address but Cailan quashed the squawk of outrage with a quick glare.

"Of course, miss…"

"My name is Lessia, your majesty. Lessia Tinehtelë. I was wondering if I might explore the ruins a bit before the Joining. I'm just out of my apprenticeship so I would truly value anything I could glean from this ruin."

Cailan frowned slightly as he thought it over.

On one hand, we don't really know what's inside this ruin. But on the other hand, we don't know if theres any tunnels the Darkspawn could use.

Cailan paused before nodding. "Very well. You have four hours to explore before you are to report to Duncan for the excursion into the Korcari Wilds."

Duncan made to protest before he caught Cailan's tiny shake of his head. Trusting in the kings logic, Duncan nodded to Lessia.

"Very well. Go find Alistair and then proceed into the ruins. You have leave to use whatever magic you deem necessary."

Lessia allowed a small smile to slip across her face at that.

Complete leave to use my magic! At last!

Alistair sighed as the brown-skinned mage stormed away angrily with his back hunched up as if to make himself look more imposing.

"You must be Alistair."

Blinking at a voice that was new to him, he turned and smiled in what he hoped was a charming manner at the slight waif of a girl who stood there with a raised eyebrow.

Lessia stared at Alistair with a great lack of comprehension. She could feel something…off about him, like a figment of a scent in the wind. Just enough to be noticed but too weak to conjure up any sort of memory that could provide a hint as to what it was.

"One good thing about the Blight is how it brings people together" Alistair commented, hoping to break the tension such as it was.

"You…are a very strange human. But war has always united the common folk" Lessia replied.

Alistair frowned at that before he nodded. "I take it we are going into the Korcari Wilds now?" he inquired with a slightly bored tone to his voice.

"Actually…wait…how did you know I was a recruit?"

Alistair chuckled dryly. "I didn't, but you just confirmed it" he replied and smirked wryly.

Groaning and shaking her head, Lessia nodded in acknowledgement of the point scored.

"We're heading into the ruins first. I've been given leave by the King and Duncan."

Alistair blinked before he smiled properly at her, one full of happiness and curiosity.

"Excellent! Something new and interesting! Let's get going."

"Actually…I spent all of the gold Duncan gave me on this staff…I don't really have a backpack" she mumbled and ducked her head to hide her flaming cheeks.

Alistair rolled his eyes and nodded. "Fortunately the Quartermaster here sells them cheap to Grey Wardens. I can probably loan you the fifty-seven silver needed for one" he offered and nodded at her stunned face.

Lessia smiled at him before looking about. "Uh…where is the Quartermaster?"

Grinning, Alastair began walking.

Lessia shifted the straps of her backpack again and still the straps continued to dig into her shoulders. Even though it was hardly massive, perhaps big enough to fit in a canteen or two with some room for books, it still weighed enough to be noticeable.

Fortunately I'm carrying my staff so it isn't worse she thought.

Finding the entrance to the ruins had been easy and as they progressed down the ramps and steep stairs, they could see signs of previous adventurers in the trash left behind as well as the remnants of fire-pits. The walls had been rubbed bare or had chips taken out of them as souvenirs.

"So, can you explain magic to me? When I was training to be a Templar, we only got the basic facts and they were mostly one-sided. You know, magic is evil and blah blah blah."

Lessia glared at him with the recent admission.

Feeling the heated glare, Alistair coughed. "I never completed my training. If it helps, think of me as a failed Templar."

Lessia's expression brightened.

"That DOES make me feel better. So…you want to know the Circle's understanding of magic or my own?"

Alistair pondered that for a moment before replying.

"Since we're probably going to be adventuring together for a while, let's go with yours. I can always buy a book later on to find out the Circle's view."

Authors Note

Alright! That's chapter two complete. I ended it a bit short since the explanation of magic is going to be fairly large. Now, a bit of warning. There will be a tiny cross-over in a sense and I will explain why.

We don't actually know what Tevinter runes look like and by that I mean the basic alphabet. To that end, I'll be using the Daedric language from the Elder Scrolls Universe. You can find the link to it in my profile.

If you have a problem with this, just click "Back" twice.