Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Halcyon508 »

The woman approached Sera with a blood stained smile. "The Circle of Mages here is weak to be controlled by such fools." She kicked a templar body. "They put up a good fight. Unfortunately I have years of experiance at defeating such foes. They rely on disabling a Mage's skills and when they cannot stop the flow of power, when I do not allow them to, they simply cannot withstand me." The blood on her arms and clothing started to move being absorbed into her flesh through her mouth. "And with every drop." She said in a gurgling voice, "With every drop I become more powerful." The blood cleared and she was suddenly spotless except for the extra rose red around her lips. "Lyrium infused blood tastes so good." Now her eyes started to glow as she stared at Sera. "Now why did you really come here?" She asked softly. "It wasn't to further my goals was it?"
Domani, forget domani
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Pryde »

You could say that, Sera thought to herself but she didn't say it aloud. "I thought you blood mages were good at reading minds. Is there some reason you can't read mine?"

"Who says I can't," the woman answered.

Sera smirked at that. "Would you like to play a game then? I'll think of a number between one and ten and you try to guess what it is."

Stupid bitch is blocking my escape. Why the hell did she even bring me here in the first place? She stepped closer to a Templar body but made no move to reach for his sword. The woman obviously wasn't going to let her go without a fight and she would need every weapon at her disposal if she were to survive. This woman is a magister, a mage on a completely different level from her but if she could catch her off guard perhaps she could tip the scales.
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Halcyon508 »

"You're not thinking of a number dear." The Woman said softly. "You're thinking of picking up that sword and running me through!" From her hands lightning shot striking the metallic weapon and forcing it away from the girls reach. "Little girls shouldn't play with knives!" Wind started blowing and swirling around her and the air began to freeze. Small droplets of water at first and then of snow fell from the sky. The cold chilled Sera to the bone causing her to shiver nearly uncontrollably. "And now you see the power of a true mage!" The woman cried finishing the spell to summon the blizzard. It was powerful magic not often seen, and dangerous. As the blizzard swelled in the sky lightning shot from the woman's hands at the girl adding to the storm of sleet and snow.
Domani, forget domani
Let's live for now and anyhow who needs domani?
~ Frank Sinatra, Forget Domani
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Pryde »

Sera just smiled and stepped on the end of the Templar's shield at her feet causing it to stand up in the dirt as she knelt down to sweep it up onto her arm. By the time the lightning struck her she had the shield raised and ready to block. The lightning struck the thin sheet of metal and forced her back several feet almost to where the sword had been pushed away. After the energy had dissipated she summoned a ball of fire to her hand and threw it at the witch. She didn't bother to see if the spell had struck her or not as Sera didn't expect it to. Instead she dug her shoe under the blade of the Templar's sword and kicked it up into the air. Sera caught the weapon by the blade, cutting her hand in the process as she hurled it at the blood mage...
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Halcyon508 »

The woman smiled as the fireball flew towards her. Her wings sucked it up and threw it from its course knocking into a tree and extinguishing the flame. "You have to do better than..." before she could finish a sword flew at her face. in a rapid motion she lifted up her hands and cast a spell shooting violent torrents of wind at the deadly blade trying desperately to push it off course. The sword missed by a hair falling harmlessly to the ground several feet behind her. In a fit of rage she continued the spell sending torrents of lightning down around the girl. As the lightning cracked the sky the woman started to laugh menacingly. "To pay the blood price!" she yelled. "I could have taught you how to not bargain with a demon but to conquer them completely!" A tear in the fade appeared, hands began to come out of the cracks in reality and grab for Sera... "You cannot escape me wench! If you will not join you will die!"
Domani, forget domani
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Pryde »

Sera tossed the shield aside, she could not run while carrying it. Then she spun on her heel and darted off into the woods just narrowly escaping the grasp of one of those demonic hands. The blood mage of course gave chase but Sera tried to hinder her movement by starting several brush fires with a few fireballs spaced evenly behind her. The witch used her blizzard to put the fires out but the time lost gave Sera a little bit more of a head start.

Where was the camp, she asked herself, trying to get her bearings. This way? A thrown ice lance grazed her shoulder and threw her off balance. Sera bit her lip against the pain as she fell, rolled a few inches then stumbled back onto her feet and kept running. Her shoulder burned with fire now where the ice lance had cut her but she ignored it, running as fast as her legs could carry her. She burst out into the clearing where the Templars had set up their camp, pausing briefly only to turn and toss another fireball behind her. The tree she struck was instantly set ablaze and the fire spread quickly. Unfortunately, she was tired and the act of turning and casting had caused her to lose her balance and fall.

She fell backwards on her rump and sat there dumbfounded as a sudden gust of wind blew out her fire. The blood mage from before emerged from the clearing with a maniac smile on her face, her arm raised and pointing at Sera. "There's no escape for you now, child," she said and a spell began to form at her fingertip.

This is it, I'm doomed, Sera thought as she closed her eyes and held up her hands to shield herself...
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Halcyon508 »

Ice broke upon the shield and lightning crackled and dissipated against it. Tristan stood weakly with his shield raised up in front of Sera. Defiantly he stared at the woman across from him and pulled his sword from his side. "You cannot have her!" he yelled at the woman. Blue flame seemed to pulse from his sword as he pointed it at the mage and unleashed a holy fire against her. The concussion of the blast knocked her to the ground and unbalanced her. The spell creating the blizzard began to fizzle out slowly the production of ice and snow. "Such a spell must have drained you my dear." Tristan said walking forward with a bit of a limp in his right leg. "I have fought demons, a mere witch who lacks subtly cannot compare!" He raised his sword to strike at the witch when a blast of energy from her hands struck him dead in the chest. Although the shield took some of the brunt the wounds in his chest felt heavy and burned. The witched writhed her hand and blood started to stream from Tristans body from the wound toward the witch's hand. Redoubling his efforts Tristan quickly raised his sword and lunged chopping the hand from her body. The witch screamed and stood running into the woods as fast as her legs could take her. Tristan started to move when his legs gave out and his body crumbled beneath them.

"Tristan!" The boy yelled. He was inside the cage with the Mage from before. Sera watched as Degove the Mage fiddled with his pockets and pulled out the key tot he cell. They had been kept there by the Templar boy to defend them from wolves. As they fiddled with the lock and opened the door the boy came running first gripping Tristan in a hug. Following him was the Mage. "Your wounds have reopened." he said "You'll need a proper doctor."

"See to the girl." Tristan said jerking his shoulder to release himself from the Mage's touch. "Make sure she is unharmed."

Degove looked over the girl. "Her shoulder, looks like it was pierced." He said casting the basic healing spell. "This won't fix it, but it should take away some of the pain."
Domani, forget domani
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Pryde »

Sera suddenly stood before the man could finish casting. "I'm fine," she told him.

"But--," he started to say.

"I said I'm fine!" Sera shouted, stepping past the man and walking straight over to Tristan. She stared at him long an hard for a moment and all the boy could do was stare back, a slight dread coming over him at the prospects of what she might say or do.

"Listen, I--," he started to say before Sera interrupted him.

"Thank you for saving me," she said, bowing her head slightly out of respect. "But," she continued and their eyes met once more, "If you come near me again I will kill you."

Then she turned away and walked deliberately towards the woods, her face a torrent of tortured emotions. It was the Templars who had killed her family, but to be saved by one today... She didn't know what to think. She should have killed him when he was lying helpless, but if she had done that then she would be dead too or worse. For now she would let him live as payment for saving her, but if she ever saw him or another Templar shield again she would not hold back...
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Halcyon508 »

Tristan stood up to follow her not knowing what he intended to do. As he does so he collapsed and fell tot he ground. Degove rushed over to him and looked up at the girl walking away. "You might as well stay with us for a little." He said looking at the boy. "It is better to travel in a group, and this Templar won't be trying to hurt you anytime soon." Thinking about the situation he added, "Plus we have blankets and food still on the wagon, the horses are dead but we can salvage the supplies. And if the blood Mage comes back won't you want to be with a group?"

"Let her go" Tristan said. "If she can't stand my presence then let her leave abandon us." He was so weak his words wre barely audible. Finally with a final bit of effort he yelled. "Let her leave us here to die! Prove that Apostates are selfish killers, waiting to become abominations just like Ser Uriens thought!" Indicated the dead Templar, the mean one he frowned and collapsed.

"You shouldn't be thrashing about." Degove said looking at the boy. "I wish I could put you to sleep...but I don't know the spell."

"I do." Rodrick said softly. "That's how they found me. I was tired and yawned and then put half the village to sleep... then they chased me and I was hiding until Tristan found me." the child wrapped his arms around Tristan and yawned loudly concentrating as best he could. Tristans eyes started to get heavy and squinted. "Go to sleep Tristan." the boy replied. "Go to sleep." And Tristan drifted into slumber.

"Now... he can't hurt you girl. Are you staying?"
Domani, forget domani
Let's live for now and anyhow who needs domani?
~ Frank Sinatra, Forget Domani
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Pryde »

Selfish killers? "How...," she muttered quietly, barely audible enough for her voice to be heard. The older wizard, Degove, took a step towards her but stopped when she suddenly spun around. "How can he say that to me!?"

Her face was wracked with pain and tears were now visibly falling from her eyes. "Templars are no different! They kill without mercy! Without question! How can he even claim to be any better than me?"

Degove silently watched her, studying her. He could tell she was suffering, just being near a Templar was enough to awaken terrible memories. Though for all he could see with his eyes he could not understand her with his heart. He did not know what she had been through, he was not there to see all that she had seen. "Come, rest yourself by the fire," he said finally, "Traveling out in the woods with those wounds left untreated is foolhardy. You'll be dead within a week's time."

Sera looked away, he had a point though she did not want to admit it. Finally, her shoulders fell and she walked over to the camp site and sat down next to the fire. Degove followed her after fetching some healing herbs and bandages from the wagon. "Here, let me treat your wounds," he said quietly, gently undoing her collar and pulling her blouse aside just enough to see her wounded shoulder.

Sera said nothing and sat there staring into the fire, her mind on happier days...
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Halcyon508 »

Tristan slept until he woke up from a nightmare of the killer mage the group encountered. She was powerful with vast magic. Most mage's couldn't perform the spells to make a blizzard appear out of nowhere like she did. And those that could often didn't have the energy to perform any more magic after the fact. A cold sweat dripped down his body. The youth sat up and stared at the group around him. All mages. "A boy who couldn't control himself and dreamed of demons trying to possess him, a wise man who had lived most of his life alone hiding from the chantry and the people around him. And then there was her. Tristan stared at Sera for a long time. She was defiant, and angry. He wondered about her life, he knew so little. She was at a nobles estate when a demon had taken hold. According to the noble who confided in Tristan it wasn't her fault just coincidence. But was it truly? Demons are called from the fade by magic, so could she have been someone responsible if only indirectly?

Even though he was weak he stood anyways using a sword to steady himself and stand. Although it was only superficial Degove's healing abilities had mended him this far. Tristan started to walk into the woods. The blood mage would come back, it was his duty to protect the others.

"Tristan." He heard a voice call behind him. Turning he noticed Rodrick sitting with dreary eyes staring at him. "Where are you going Tristan. I don't want you to leave me."

"I'm not leaving you." Tristan said. "I'll be back. I just need to make sure you are all are safe." Hefting his shield he began to walk into the woods. "I need to take care of the blood mage and make sure she never hurts anyone again. No Templars, no Mages, no more innocents."
Domani, forget domani
Let's live for now and anyhow who needs domani?
~ Frank Sinatra, Forget Domani
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Pryde »

Sera could feel the Templar watching her but she ignored it. The mere presence of the boy angered her to no end. She wanted nothing more than to kill him, to end his life the way the Templar's ended her father's but even so she knew it was wrong. Father raised me better than this, she thought ot herself, so why do I feel so much hate? Out of the corner of her eye she saw Tristan stand up and head towards the woods and the little boy Rodrick call after him.

He can barely even stand yet he wants to fight? What a fool. For a moment she debated letting him go but even she couldn't just leave it at that. The blood mage was a danger that needed to be dealt with but the boy wouldn't be a match for her alone. The only one here who might have a chance was Sera, but were the lives of these three worth saving? Sighing heavily she got to her feet and walked over to the boy.

"Wait," she said, drawing his attention.

Tristan stopped to look at her and she quickly closed the gap between them. "What do you--," he started to say when Sera suddenly kneed him in the gut. He felt the wind forced from his lungs and fell to his knees gasping for air.

"You just sit right there," Sera said to him as she reached down and retrieved his sword. "I'll take care of the witch."

Then she turned and ran off into the woods...
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Halcyon508 »

Sera looked around the woods tracking as best she could for the witch but found no trail. After what seemed like an hour to the girl she heard a noise behind her, the rustling of branches. She turned prepared to strike only to see Tristan walking up to her. "She isn't out here." He said gripping his stomach. "I thought she'd come back. She seemed twisted set on death." Tristan looked at the girl and smiled, "You're not like her." he responded, "And I'm sorry for my earlier comment about Apostates. It was rude and I spoke in anger."

Staring at his surroundings he took stock of the situation. This woman hated him and would kill him if given the opportunity, but yet she hadn't. Was she fighting herself trying to decide between what to do? "Tomorrow we need to make to the next town, get our wounds healed." Tristan was unsure of what to say next. "After that." Assessing the situation he thought about his next statement carefully, "After that I wasn't able to bring the Mage's in by myself. I believe they were planning to travel to Orlais." Taking a deep breath he added, "I will only take Rodrick if he wants to go still and if he doesn't you and Degove will be responsible for him. If he becomes an abomination on your watch I'll never forgive you." Feeling fatigue from the search come over him he finished by asking, "And if you wouldn't mind helping me back to camp. I don't feel too good right now."
Domani, forget domani
Let's live for now and anyhow who needs domani?
~ Frank Sinatra, Forget Domani
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Pryde »

Sera sighed and looked away. "You really are pathetic, aren't you," she said but she still threw his arm over her shoulder anyway. I shouldn't even be doing this. This is crazy. No matter how much she wanted to leave him behind her better nature got the best of her. She led him all the way back to camp and sat him down in front of the fire. After he was situated she stood and turned away.

"Take Rodrick to the Circle," she told him, "He needs training and neither Degove nor I can give it to him while we're on the run. The Circle is his only chance."

Then she walked some distance away and knelt down to inspect one of the bedrolls left behind by the Templars. Once she was satisfied there was no blood on it she laid down and covered herself up, purposefully rolling onto her side and turning her back to Tristan.
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Halcyon508 »

Tristan smiled at the girl and sat down with his back against a tree to fall asleep. As night was broken by the sun of early morn he awoke to find Degove packing up what few belongings that weren't claimed by the fire. Tristan still had trouble moving and was pleased to see that the man had created something strikingly similar to a litter to carry him until they reached the town. "Hop on boy." He said to Tristan who dutiful obeyed. Although he probably could have walked for awhile he was exhausted from searching the woods the night before, and his body was weaker than it aught to be. Degove started to drag the litter behind him, each time a rock or slight lump in the road intersected with the posts of the litter Tristan bounced nearly uncontrollably. As they continued down the road Rodrick would take occasion to jump onto the litter grabbing for dear life playing some game the others could only guess at.

It was nearly two full days until the town was in sight. Rodrick saw it first calling it out and smiling a wide toothy grin. Tristan roused from his resting state and slipped off the litter provided to him. He wanted to walk into town. The others took the opportunity to relive themselves of their baggage pouring it onto the litter. Degrove gave them a silent but stern look. "What they can't be heavier than Tristan!" Rodrick said in an innocent tone.

The group headed into the town. For a town of it's size it was nearly dead. Few people were on the streets and fewer more acknowledged the travelers. "We need to get our friend here to a physician or a healer." Degove said to one of the townsfolk. The man curtly nodded and pointed them down the road.

The group arrived at the house of healing and deposited themselves. The doctor was an elderly man, sterotypical to his role in appearance, and spoke slowly with purpose. "These are superficial." He said to Degove who was first to get checked out. Handing the man a small bottle he instructed him to drink it. "It will heal you within the day." His attention turned to Sera whom he prescribed a strange looking root and a salve to rub over the wound, afterward it would take little to no time in which to heal. For Tristan though a stronger remedy was needed. The boy drank from a large bottle and had his wounds bled out to cleanse them of taint followed by a salve to bind the flesh and the crushed pedals of some flower to dull the pain. At the end he felt great, "And no scars either." The Chirurgien stated. "No you should be okay to walk now, but I suggest you take it easy for a few days."

Tristan gave him a nod. "May I ask you a question?" He said in a hushed tone. "Why is everyone here so," he struggled to come up with a word, "depressed...."

"Oh that." The doctor said looking away. "A woman came here and started talking about weird things. Turns out she was a mage, she threatened to curse the village and killed a man for refusing to give her free food. We drove her away but she entranced some of the young man who fought us and said she placed a curse upon this town." Tristan gulped. "And then a day later, last night she came again singing a tune and many of the children came out of their beds and followed her. We tried to follow but a great storm of ice blocked out path. Now we fear we'll never see our children again."

"Did this woman have only one hand?" Tristan asked standing quickly. "Was she missing a hand?"

"Yes." the doctor said after a brief respite. "She was."

Grabbing his sword Tristan headed towards the door, "Which way did she go?" He asked staring at the horizon. "Which way?"
Domani, forget domani
Let's live for now and anyhow who needs domani?
~ Frank Sinatra, Forget Domani
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Pryde »

"What the hell do you think you're doing," Sera snapped suddenly, interrupting Tristan's frantic effort to follow the witch. He just stared at her dumbfounded trying to figure out what made her so angry. That look infuriated her more and Sera closed her eyes and turned her head to avoid seeing it. Is this the typical behavior of a man? To charge in howling like an idiot?

"Sera, why are you so--,"

"Think about it, Tristan," she told him, "If you follow the witch who do you think she'll put in your path?"

His eyes widened as the realization suddenly hit him. "The children," he said quietly and Sera nodded.

"We can't just charge in swinging a sword, we have to think about this," she continued, "First we need to know where she is then we need to figure out how to get to her without putting the children at risk."

Then she turned to the old man. "Do you have any idea where she might have taken them?"
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Halcyon508 »

"There are some old farms." The man said staring at the ground. He looked up from his stupor, "Some old farms over by the hillside that were burned out during the war." Thinking for a moment he added, "Some of them still had roofs if she was looking for shelter and a place to hide."

"Alright." Tristan said, "We know where to start looking."

The old man stared at the two for a moment. "Are you really going after her?" He asked in a tone of disbelief. "Are you really going to find her? And if you do then what?"

"I cut off her other hand and then her head!" Tristan said, "And get all the children back safely to their homes." Standing in the doorway now he turned, "I made a vow when I became a Templar to protect everyone from evil people such as this woman! I intend to do just that!"

The old man stepped forward and grabbed the boys shoulder, "My... My grandson is with them." He said choking on the words. "Can you please save him? Can you please bring him back to me. He's all I have left in this world after bandits took my boy and labor took his wife."

"We'll get him back sir." Tristan said. "We still owe you for treating us, it is only fair that we give a service for the service you gave to us."
Domani, forget domani
Let's live for now and anyhow who needs domani?
~ Frank Sinatra, Forget Domani
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Pryde »

Sera said nothing as she walked out the door out onto the street outside the clinic. She waited only momentarily for Tristan, Degove and Rodrick to meet her outside then turned to look at Tristan. "You shouldn't be making such empty promises," she told him sternly.

Tristan looked surprised and angered at the same time. "Who said it was empty?"

"Until you actually save his grandson and bring him back alive everything you say is empty," Sera told him, "We don't even know if his grandson is alive yet here you are filling him with false hope. How do you think he would feel if we should come back and tell him his grandson died?"

The boy's hands tightened into fists and he stared at the ground at his feet. He wanted to say something back to her but he didn't know what. Was it wrong for him to say what he said? He wasn't sure he had an answer. Sera was no less wrong in her belief, but what would she have done?

"You tell him we'll do everything we can, that's all we can promise," she said almost as if reading his mind. Then she turned to Degove, "You should stay here with Rodrick and watch him. Tristan and I will find the farm and figure out what's going on. We'll meet back here before sundown to tell you what we've found."
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Halcyon508 »

The two approached the old farming community and noted the ramshackle buildings. The two tried their best to use the arts of stealth, though neither possessed the craft. They crouched and hid behind a wall on-top of a hill overlooking the small hamlet. Fire had torched many of the homes in years past and the elements had further deteriorated the buildings. None remained in any habitable shape except for one. "She has to be in there." Tristan said looking down at the old barn. "We should get a closer look." He jumped over the rock wall and sliding down the grassy hill.

The boy approached the barn and could almost instantly hear the sound of whimpering children. I have to save them! Tristan thought. Sera's words suddenly filled him with a sense of foreboding, but I need to be smart about it. Sera had followed him and was sitting next to him. He approached the door to the barn and laid down on his stomach. He had once heard a Ranger say that if you low crawled people never seemed to notice you. So he dragged himself across the ground on his belly poking his head around the door to better see the inside of the barn.

Several of the kids were bleeding as the witch used the red liquid to form a circle in the ground. What type of magic is this? He asked himself staring. Before the witch could see him he quickly sat up and pressed his body softly against the barn wall. Walking back in a squat he approached Sera's position. "I think she plans to sacrifice the children. She's preparing a circle of blood." he thought about what the Templars had thought him. Circles were used as glyphs of warding and sometimes for powerful magics. "We need a plan." Tristan spoke. "If I rush in and distract her can you get the children to safety?" he asked simply.
Domani, forget domani
Let's live for now and anyhow who needs domani?
~ Frank Sinatra, Forget Domani
Pryngles
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Pryde »

Sera resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she watched the boy crawling around on his stomach. He looked ridiculous and she wasn't even sure he accomplished much by doing it. Finally he came back to her and explained to her what he saw inside and when he mentioned his plan Sera nodded. "That sounds good, are you ready?"

Tristan took a moment to steel himself then pushed off from the wall only to end up on his ass. At some point while she was talking to him Sera froze the ground at his feet. He tried to get up again and ended up the same way facing a different direction. As Tristan fumbled around Sera stood and boldly walked around the corner. "I'll keep her distracted," she told him just as she disappeared from view, "You save the children."

She marched openly into the barn making each step as deliberate as possible while ignoring her rising fear. She wanted the witch to see her but she didn't want to present a threat. Sera would play the little lamb and hope she could get close enough to end this woman once and for all. "After we had parted in the woods I had wondered where you'd gone," she announced to the witch and the children in as loud and clear a voice as she could. "Hiding out in a shabby barn, though, the thought of it never crossed my mind," she added while pretending to examine the woodwork overhead.
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Halcyon508 »

"One must do what one has to." The witch replied. Smiling wickedly she then added, "I have to thank your boyfriend for this." Raising her hand she revealed a bloody stump. Blood was forming and blowing around it slowly comming together and forming the shadow of a hand. "Not that it's a permanent condition." she added quickly.

Moving to hover over the children the woman stared at Sera. "Why are you here?" she snapped. "Thought you could finish me off did you? But how will you do that without risking these innocents." she pulled a blade down and cut the shoulder of one of the kids. The blood seeped out and then miraculously flew into the air forming around her hand. Bone could be seen forming int he skeletal structure of a hand with blood swirling around each finger. "Have you ever wondered about the power of blood, the power of life and death. My master has taught me about such things. I was willing to teach you. All you need to do is take one innocent life..." Kicking one of the children forward toward Sera she smiled. Hiding behind the others she knew the woman would be unable to make a move.


Tristan groaned about but as he began rubbing his hands against the ice to melt it. After a few moments of little progress he pulled his sword and started chipping around his foot as silently as possible scraping instead of chopping with the blade. "Damn that girl." He mumbled as his feet began to move under the ice. Numbness overtook his feet and he worried that he would be too late. After a few moments his foot began to shift under the ice until finally he was able to pull it free. Getting free he worked his way behind the barn. Seeing a tree extending up to the window which he presumed was the loft he dropped his shield and climbed to the top. Fearing that he would break the branch he risked walking across it and gently jumping into the window. He made little sound on the hay covered floor. Crawling he watched the exchange between Sera and the witch. "You need to get her away from the children." He said inaudibly peeking over the side and trying to make eye contact with Sera. There was a ladder, and he'd be able to sneak the children up and out the window if only the girl could distract him...
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Pryde »

"Is that so, I wonder," Sera said thoughtfully as she walked around the circle of children to the other side of the barn, deliberately turning her back to the witch. She was taking one hell of a risk here but she needed to coax her away from the children. "I know of the power of blood magic and I know of how it might be acquired. Taking a life, though, is that an amusement for me? Or you?"

She turned to look back at the witch to see her reaction, but she still had that same smug look of superiority plastered on her face. Looking away again and taking a couple of steps towards the back of the barn underneath the hayloft where she suspected Tristan was hiding she added, "If you want me to kill a child then fine, but not that one. A little girl would be much sweeter, don't you think?"
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Halcyon508 »

The witch walked up to the girl and wrapped her arms around her. Her sickly newly forming hand placed in front of the girls face as the other wrapped slowly around her throat. "You would sacrifice a child?" The woman said in a sultry voice. Tristan saw an opportunity and threw a piece of hay onto one of the children below. The ladder may creak under his weight but a child should be supported firmly by the wooden beams, or at least that was his belief. The child tapped another on the shoulder and so on down the chain and they began to climb the ladder one by one. Tristan would point them towards the old tree adjacent to the window and help them down to the ground.

"Power my dear, you either crave it or you don't. You have twice refused my offer, why should I believe you would accept a third time?"
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Pryde »

"Because I did not believe in your power until I saw it first hand," Sera lied, "I foolishly thought I could beat you but our battle in the forest taught me that I was wrong."

She could feel her body tensing up as the woman's hand wrapped around her throat but she forced herself to try and relax. Now isn't the time to be afraid. Be strong, Sera, be strong. "I want to learn this power for myself. I want to become stronger than you so that I will never again lose to anyone."
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Halcyon508 »

Watching the display below made Tristan's spine tingle. There was something in the way Sera talked that disturbed him, like his greatest nightmare was coming true even though he was nearly positive the girl was lying to the older witch. Only two more children needed to be lifted up. The last limped up the ladder slowly and Tristan helped him up into the loft. The boy smiled in apreciation though his eyes were still filled with dread. "Get out of here and run to the village." He said softly. The boy nodded and made his way to the tree.

"You want power?" The woman said as Tristan watched the crippled boy make his way to the bottom. Without hesitation the child started to run as fast as his lame leg could take him. Quickly. Tristan mouthed without speaking. The others seemed to get the hint and ran at a jog after the other boy. "And why do you want power?" The witch asked.

Tristan didn't wait for Sera to speak. He placed a foot on top of the ladder and pushed over with the other. "To protect everyone!" Tristan yelled as he fell towards the witch propelled by the ladder sword in hand! As he arced the witch turned and shot a shard of ice at him while ducking out of the way. Tristan lifted his sword and strike the ice from the air. The motion of swinging his sword however made him lose his balance. Suddenly he was careening downward towards the floor unable to make a perfect landing. The youth hit the ground hard tumbling as he did and landing head over feet against the barn wall.

The witch sat stunned on the ground searching for the children to execute to punish the Templar. "What?" She yelled seeing no one. Ice started to form around her as cold penetrated the walls of the building. "You both die!" she yelled harshly shooting more icicles at the two. Tristan tolled over avoiding them as they stuck into the wooden walls. "You cannot defeat me!" she yelled as Tristan proffered his sword with two hands preparing to attack.
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Pryde »

Guess there's no point in running now, Sera thought as she rolled back up to her knees. Tristan's little stunt forced her to roll out of the way or risk getting hit by his sword. She would have to have words with him about that if they survived this. Right now, though, her mind was a bit preoccupied. Focusing her energy she clapped her hands together in front of her then spread them out over her head. Three balls of fire appeared in the air above her and one by one they shot towards the witch. The first two she swatted aside, the third she had to dodge. Sera was ready for this and created a javelin of pure ice above her hand. She gripped the ice and threw it at the witch hoping she would dodge right into it...
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Halcyon508 »

Tristan watched in amazement as Sera threw her spells. The witch didn't even move as the Fire lanced towards her followed by a spear of ice. As the balls approached the exploded in a fascinating display of light. White mist and smoke enveloped the room as Tristan stood and put his sword into the guard position. The fog began to clear and the image in front of him was something most unexpected. A wall of ice had blocked the fireballs and the lance of ice thrown by Sera was now embedded into it. "Where is she?" Tristan asked looking around. A block of ice struck him in the head from above. He fell to the ground with a bit of blood leaking from his hair.

The witch stared at the group. Tristan summoned his power and launched an attack of holy fire against her. The fire broke through ice and forced her to dodge as her shield proved ineffective. Several arrows in the shape of icicles charged him and he staggered to the side. Then her attention was drawn towards Sera. Ice and cold darted at her from several directions. It would be hard to dodge for her. Tristan stood up and threw his body in front of Sera and cut with his sword into ice breaking several of the missiles but not before another struck into his armor and knocking him back into the waiting arms of Sera...
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Pryde »

Sera was about ready to cast a wall of fire to protect herself when Tristan suddenly threw himself in front of her. He made a valiant effort at cutting down the ice spears but missed one that pierced his armor and threw him back into her. The girl simply reacted and caught him, barely managing to keep him steady and on his feet without knocking them both over.

"You didn't have to do that," she told him, "I had a plan."

"Well, I--," Tristan tried to say but he never got the chance to finish before Sera threw him to the side before dodging out of the way herself.

A fireball had erupted in between them and the force of the blast picked them both up and tossed them several feet apart. Sera hit the ground in a roll and quickly got back up to her feet. She spun around and with a wave of her hand she sent a wave of icicles stretching out towards the witch. The ground froze in front of her and the ice reached up like little frozen pikes threatening to impale anyone who got in their way, but the effort proved to be too much and Sera fell to her knees in exhaustion. She couldn't see what had happened to the witch nor did she have the energy to stand. Whether they survive this fight or not was up to Tristan now...
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Halcyon508 »

Seeing the girl fall to the ground from exhaustion and out of power Tristan struck up a defensive pose. A lance of ice arched toward the defenseless girl but was easily deflected by the boy. "You should have let her die and used the gap in my defense to attack." the witch said to him. "Your foolishness knows no bounds. Would she do the same for you? I think not templar." the hate that filled her voice consumed Tristan with a rage. He ran forward sword in hand and charged her. As he did so a spear of ice formed in front of him. He crashed his armor into it and ran on unsteady feet forward. The woman sidestepped and slapped down with a hand covered in ice. The blow struck the boy in the head and knocked him to the ground in front of her. As he stumbled to recover she threw a cone of cold and ice at him. The blow struck the ice forcing him into a fall and barreling him into the wall. "It is a shame you would not submit. I could use a slave of your caliber, and you aren't hard on the eyes either." The woman blew him a kiss which landed on his check and froze the sweat over his skin.

"Like I would ever submit to you!" Tristan yelled standing up.

"You did once..." the woman said her eyes beginning to turn into an icy blue. "I could make you again."

Quickly Tristan averted his eyes and felt the surge of energy within him release. A cleansing wave of energy dispersed around the boy negating the effects of her ocular technique. "No you can't!" Tristan said staring the woman right in her icy eyes. A look of shock was on her face as he charged her. Striking up a defensive wall of ice Tristan summoned fire into his blade and burst through the wall water soaking him as the blue fire melted the ice. The sword blade struck him piercing the woman's shoulder. He pushed the blade, and thus the woman, until her back met the wall. A blue light burst from the boy, and struck the woman. "And now you cannot use your tricks maelificar!" He said as he heard the doors to the barn open. Several soldiers came in as he wrenched his sword from the woman. The blade cracked from the heat of flame being rapidly cooled. "We have the witch." Tristan said and the woman laughed.

"Tristan Pentestre!" The soldier cried, "You are under arrest for assault on a foreign dignitary!" The soldiers brandished their weapons threatening the boy with them. "You and your accomplice will be taken into custody where you will be hanged for your crime!"

"Dignitary?" Tristan asked. He lowered his sword and leaned on the blade which cracked and broke snapping in half as it felt his weight.

The witch moved forward toward the nearest guard. "The Magister will be pleased that you have remembered your oaths." She said smiling. "I am ambassador Lucrecia Vorencia of the Trevinter Imperium." She winked at Tristan. "and I will beg the courts sentence you into my care pretty boy. I shall put you to good work..." And the woman walked out of the dilapidated barn.

The soldiers closed in lifting up Sera and Tristan easily taking them into custody. Both were exhausted from the fighting and gave little resistance. There was a wagon waiting with a cage. "I'm sorry this all came to pass." Tristan said to Sera after about twenty minutes of travel. "I'm sorry for everything..."

An arrow burst through the chest of the driver. Another quickly followed slicing into one of the guards. Soon two were joined by twenty and the sounds of arrows being loosed seemed to echo in the wind. The witch tried in vain to block the multitude of blows but was soon struck down by a hail of black shafts. A defiant roar was heard as men with pitch forks broke from the cover of bushes and rushed the remaining guard. At the head of the vanguard was the Good physician who had tended to their wounds, a limping boy next to him. It was over in minute. The physician took a bottle out and poured it onto the lock of the cage. "You saved my boy." he said softly. "You saved all our children." the villagers formed a loose perimeter around the cage. The liquid began to melt the internal working of the metal lock until finally the doctor yanked it and pulled it loose. "It is only right that we pay you back in kind."

"But what will you do when they discover that we've gone missing?" Tristan asked. "Surely they will ask."

"Black arrows." one of the farmers said picking up the shaft from the ground. "There is a band of bandits in the area known to use them. They are the culprits Magistrate!"

Tristan felt a tear welling up in his eye as he exited the cage and extended his arm for Sera to take. "Thank you." he said taking a deep breath. "Thank you all."
Domani, forget domani
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Halcyon508 »

Part 3: Alone in the Dark

His foot sunk into the deep mud as he walked down the path. Tristan looked behind him to see Sera trodding along. He had cut up one of the two blankets in their packs to make a parka, however it was now soaked from the rain. Rain in sheets for days had hounded their every movement. The stuborn girl had taken alot of convincing to wear the makeshift ponchi, insisting that Tristan needed it more. A fallacy to be sure, Tristan was only mildly agitated by the wet and cold having a perpetual runny nose. Sera on the other hand had used up most of her magical power, a power that is life to a mage, and was now on the verge of a fever from the elements.

"We should find a place to rest." Tristan said, though he doubted the girl could hear him over the rain. "You need to rest." He added quickly. She shook her head ignoring his comments. The sucking sound of Tristans boots coming undone from the mud eclipsed even the rains tapping. "We both need a rest." He said to himself. As he walked down the path he started to search for an overturned tree or some other object they may use for shelter along the road but the countryside seemed devoid of all such features. In the distance as they turned a wide corner and the scenery opened up Tristan could see a small house. "There." He said. "Let us hope for friendly farmers!" he yelled over the rain.

The two approached slowly and the first thing they noticed was the ramshackle state of the dwelling. Tristan knocked twice and received no answer. He knocked two more times and once again silence followed. He opened the door gently with his shield in hand cursing the loss of his sword. The house was a small one room home with a leaky ceiling. The floors were wet from the rain save for a raised wooden floor surrounding a fireplace. Tristan walked over to it and smiled a bit. "I think I saw some wood outside." He said staring at the ash strewn log. He went back out and examined the wood pile returning seconds later with a small pile of logs. "Only the top one is dry enough to burn." He said with a frown. Looking around he found a dusty chair and lifting it threw it into the stone wall breaking off it's legs. "we'll have to improvise." he said placing the debris into the fireplace.

With tinder and kindle he started to light a fire. "Don't use magic!" he warned Serra as if reading her mind. "Magic fire burns too quickly." the fire lit in his hands and he set the log and chair alight. He put the others close and pulled another chair near to the fire in case they needed more dry wood in the night. He took off his shirt and placed it on the chair for the fire to dry it. "Get out of those wet clothes." he said with a frown fetching the blanket. "And come sit by the fire." water dripped down his half naked body where it had soaked through his clothes and wet him in the process. His cheeks blushed a little as he stood in front of the girl, from the flame he tried to tell himself. The scar on his chest was gone now, a testament to the healing magic and doctors potions to be sure. "The blanket in my pack should still be dry." He said rummage theough his bad and picking out the planet. Sitting on the floor with his back leaning against the wall he unfurled it on the dry wooden floors and checked it for dampness. "Dry as can be." Letting out a sigh he stared at Sera and smiled. He diverted his eyes and pulled the blanket up with both hands wide to obstruct his view. "Disrobe out of those wet cloths and I'll cover you up." he said softly.
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Pryde »

Sera stared at the boy an obvious objection lingering on her lips but she said nothing. He was right, she needed to get out of these clothes before she caught pneumonia. She knew that and she would have done it anyway but the way he kept telling her to do it, treating her as if she didn't know, it was infuriating. "I don't need you to baby me," she said aloud as she began stripping off her wet blouse, "My father taught me everything I need to know to survive."

"Your father?" The boy asked, "You mean the lord of the manor?"

Sera stopped unbuttoning her shirt and stared at the blanket Tristan held between them in surprise. That's right, he doesn't know. For some reason that made her even angrier. Templars had killed her whole family and left her alone and here she was stuck with one of them in the middle of nowhere. To make matters worse he was completely ignorant of his crime. One Templar is just like another.

"No," she finally told him, "My father is dead."

Tristan's shoulders slumped slightly and he shook his head. "I'm sorry."

The blanket shifted slightly with the motion and Sera translated it the wrong way. "No peeking," she shouted.

Tristan was surprised. "I wasn't," he tried to say but Sera would have none of it.

"You drop that blanket and I swear the chair won't be the only thing on fire," she said hotly.

Tristan fell silent, his arms held stiffly out to his sides as he dutifully held the blanket between them. As he stood there he could feel his arms aching from the effort and resisted the urge to grumble to himself as he waited patiently for Sera to finish. It almost seemed like an eternity and Tristan almost swore she deliberately took her time. Finally she gave him the signal and he wrapped the blanket around her, then he took her clothes and hung them near the fire to dry. Meanwhile, Sera was busy looking around the room, her eyes lingering upon dusty counter tops and ramshackle cupboards.

"Doesn't seem like anyone's lived here in years," she said quietly but loud enough for Tristan to hear. "I think we'll be fine as long as no one else wanders into the clearing."
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Halcyon508 »

As Tristan wrapped the blanket around the girl he rubbed her shoulders a little to keep her warm. "Suppose this place was an old logging cabin?" he asked watching the rain outside. The ground grew muddy. "The forests the pile of wood and the spartan nature of the entire thing." he frowned a bit. "This lodge has also been abandoned for awhile." Shaking his wet hair a little he stepped closer to the fire. "I should go out and check to make sure that the roads are still clear, check the perimeter and make sure no one is around." Pausing he turned and gave her a weak smile. "Will you be alright here?" his eyes showed concern and caring as he frowned.
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Pryde »

"Of course I'll be fine," Sera said impatiently, "If someone unfriendly shows up I'll just set them on fire."

Tristan frowned at that. "I wish you wouldn't say that so seriously."

Who said it was a joke, she thought. "Just go do whatever it is you have to do."

He lingered a moment at the door, torn between staying with her to protect her or to protect anyone who happens to bump into her. Sera wasn't sure which. Finally, he ducked out the door and quickly darted across the clearing to the trees. For a moment Sera toyed with the idea of leaving him but with her clothes soaked the way they were and her supplies dangerously low she wouldn't make it very far. Hell, chances were neither of them would make it very far. They were days away from any settlements and most of whatever food they had had either been destroyed or taken. Just my luck to die of starvation in the middle of nowhere with a Templar.

She wandered around the small cabin peeking into drawers and cabinets. The place looked uninhabited so she didn't expect to find any food but it didn't hurt to look. At the far end of the dining area she found a cabinet that wouldn't budge. She quickly tied her blanket around herself to free her other hand then used both hands to grip the cabinet door and pull. After a moment the door snapped free and something jumped out at her. Sera screamed in surprise and fell backwards onto the floor as rat jumped out of the cabinet and scurried under a shelf on the other side of the room.

"Stupid rat," she shouted grabbing a wooden chalice and then throwing it at the bookcase under which the rat had disappeared. I'm glad Tristan wasn't here to see that...
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Halcyon508 »

The youth waded through the muddy path down towards the road. Things looked clear, although with such limited visibility from the rain that was a bit of an ironic statement. The weight from his shield and armor caused him to sink. With ever step he struggled with the mud to pull his foot up, and lost his boot in one such confrontation. Now he was muddy and cold. Frowning to himself he made his way towards the tree line hoping to find a dry spot where he could watch the road. As he approached he saw a fell tree trunk. Taking the opportunity to have a more stable footing he stepped up onto it, his weight cracking the waterlogged rotten wood and sending rear end first into the muddy ground. After his fall he heard a noise. The youth remained still, sitting in the mud without any movement hoping to hear the noise again. Rain droplets falling drowned out nearly all noise, but this was something metallic clanking.

Determined to find the source of the noise, and praying to Andraste that it wasn’t soldiers, Tristan walked through the woods. He hadn’t the craft of hiding or sneaking and was soon fumbling though the forest as he clumsily attempted to approach hidden on the noise. Pulling a branch aside he could see clearly what the sound was. A pan handing from a wagon was being pelted by rain drops, causing it to swing ever so slightly where it hit a screw or nail on the carts edge.

Tristan crept closer. As he did so he came upon on a scene that made his stomach wretch. Bodies lay hewn across the ground arrows piercing them. He pulled out his shield as he approached and surveyed the scene. It looked like there was a dozen dead, women and children felled besides armor clad men. Attached to the cart was a lonely mule whose features seemed to express a foreboding knowledge that his purpose was at an end. Tristan approached, sickened by his instincts to plunder the cart for any useful items. Much of the wagon was covered, and he could see bread and other foodstuff untouched by the rains. Many of the provisions he merely threw aside, water damage having long eroded any nutritional value.

A groan was heard and Tristan pulled his shield up brandishing a shovel from the cart in place of his lost sword. He looked down to see a young man, perhaps a year or two younger than himself, on the ground moving ever so slightly. A survivor. Tristan hauled the lad to the cart, each step he took sinking him into the mud. “Come on now.” He said placing him onto the cart and covering him from the elements as best he could.

“We need to get you back to the cabin.” Tristan thought aloud as he took the reins of the mule and started to pull. At first the creature was true to its name and stubbornly refused to move. Then through coaxing Tristan managed to appeal to its helpful nature and set it in motion.

The Cabin was only a few minutes up the road, and with the supplies in the cart, which hasn’t spoiled, they would be able to survive for a bit longer, and with luck they would be able to nurse this poor soul back to health.


The cabin door opened, “It’s me.” A voice called and a Mud covered Tristan entered. He hadn’t forgotten Sera’s threat to light any interlopers on fire, though if she could manage in these rains the lad couldn’t tell. Behind him he dragged the other youth whom he could now see better in the light of the fire. The injured boy was about the same height and dimensions as himself, a hair that was brown, but lighter than his own, and with him shared the same crystal blue eyes. An arrow has pierced his shoulder and although the shaft was broken the head still remained. Water, mud, and god knows what else had gotten into the wound from his time aground. What a mess. Tristan thought.

“I need help.” He called. Then he remembered the girls clothes were drying and he sighed to himself. “I’ll need you to boil some of the water in those buckets,” He indicated the kitchen pots that were catching water from the leaky roof, “and help him to the fire when you’re able.” Tristan dropped the boy just beyond the muddy area of the cabin on some wooden slat board. “I will be right back.”

Tristan ran out the door and over to the cart. He pulled the Mule viciously until the animal, and the cart and its contents rested safely under the roof of the cabin and safe from the rain. Then he pulled back the canvas tarp and rummaged through the supplies. There was a bottle of liquor with a label he couldn’t read, and several dry sets of clothing. He picked up a shirt and ripped it into strips for bandages. Taking a deep breath he grabbed the liquor and a loaf of bread and set them aside. Quickly he covered the cart up again and ran into the cabin just in time to see a naked Sera starting to put on her clothes. His face immediately turned red as he turned his back to the girl. “I got bandages, and something to clean the wound.” He said pretending he hadn’t just seen what he saw. “I also got some bread, for you…” he added mutely holding out the loaf. “There is more outside.”
Last edited by Halcyon508 on Fri Oct 14, 2011 8:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Pryde »

The sudden pause, the slight shake in his voice and even the way he deliberately set his back to her, all of these sent of warning bells in Sera's head. He had seen something but there was no point in getting angry at him now, the fault had been hers in the first place. "You said you were going to check the roads and you bring back a stranger half dead," she asked him pointedly when she had finished dressing.

"Would you rather I leave him to die?" He had a sharp note in his voice and a hard set to his eyes. Sera feared she was a moment away from confirming his beliefs about apostates.

"I'm not saying that," she told him placatingly, "It's just that we barely have enough to survive ourselves how are we going to support a third?"
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Halcyon508 »

All she had to do was boil water. Tristan's face reddened suddenly forgetting himself, "Damn you witch." he snapped, "Provisions came with the half-dead stranger." Pausing he calmed himself and took out a knife cutting the lads shirt. He stared at the arrow and looked back to the pot. "Once we tend to boy we can ramshackle the cart." How can she be so heartless? Tristan thought with a frown. He pulled took some of the alcoholic and poured it over the wound enticing a squeal from the unconscious boy. Taking some of the clothes he cleared the mud from around the wound and then pulled the arrow head from his body placing a bandage in the place. He folded the cloth multiple times and placed it on him. "Veridium Arrowhead." he said placing it to the side, "we can sell it, if we clean it." Then he murmured waiting for Sera to clean the water by boiling it. He regretted what he said, but didn't have the words or experience to come out and tell her. He had sworn to protect the lady but found himself constantly at odds with her coarse and sometimes cold demeanor. "I..." he paused, "I could use some clean water, and maybe a cold cloth for his head...."
Domani, forget domani
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Pryde »

"Get it yourself," she told him and her tone left little room to argue.

"The boy is dying! All I'm asking for is a little water!"

"As if I care, I'm just a 'witch' aren't I?"

Tristan immediately regretted calling her that. "I didn't mean--,"

"No, you did," she interrupted him, "all apostates are the same, aren't they? Cold, heartless bastards who kill and murder people for their own amusements."

"No," he said, holding his hands up to calm her, "I know you're not like that now, it's just--,"

"Just what," she asked, interrupting him again. Tristan was finding it very difficult to get a word in, "My practicality is akin to murder? I asked you a question, Templar. All I wanted was for you to think about it."

She stormed away then, heading for the door. "Where are you going," he asked her.

"Out."

"Out there? In the rain?"

"And why not?" She said, shooting him a harsh glare, "Should I get sick and die that's just one less mage in the world for you to deal with."
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Halcyon508 »

Tristan frowned speechless. He hadn't had any practice dealing with situations like this. He lived too sheltered of a life. "you shouldn't go out there." he said leaving the wounded man. He felt guilty, but what was he to do? "There could be bandits about!" he called following her into the rain. "I found him outside around a slaughtered cart." Grabbing the womans arms he then firmly said, "I've vowed to protect you, please... let me." Begging didn't become a Templar, although he was sure Sera got some sort of entertainment from it. Stubble was starting to appear on his face, a casualty of life on the road, giving him a more adult look than his former clean shaven appearance. "Just come inside." He pleaded once more. "Else you'll catch cold."
Domani, forget domani
Let's live for now and anyhow who needs domani?
~ Frank Sinatra, Forget Domani
Pryngles
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Pryde »

"Why does it matter to you," she shouted at him, she looked like she was crying but it was difficult to tell because of the rain, "I'm just an apostate to a Templar! Why don't you just do your job and kill me like the rest of your damned order killed my family?!"

That was it, Tristan knew it now. That was why she harbored so much hate for the Templars, it was just because she was a mage. "Magic is a curse," she continued, "just because I can set people aflame with my mind you bloody Templars believe I should be locked away or destroyed. Are we even given a choice? My father hadn't killed anyone until the Templars came but that didn't stop you from putting him to the sword. Nor did it stop you when my mother and sister tried to defend him."

"Sera, I wasn't there," Tristan tried to tell her. He wanted to appease her, to calm her down but she was spiralling out of control.

"But you joined their blighted order," she practically screamed at him, "You took their vows, swore their oaths! You vowed to put to death any mage that went against Andraste's will. Well, all we want is to live free and in peace. How could that not be Andraste's will?"

"I--," he started to say when movement caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. "Get down," he shouted, lunging towards Sera and dragging her to the ground. Several arrows flew overhead, impacting the wooden post behind Tristan's head or crashing through a window.

Tristan leaned over Sera protectively and drew his shield. "Get inside," he told her and Sera quietly nodded. He jumped up to his feet and she took off running towards the door. More arrows followed them in, some ricocheting off Tristan's shield while others buried themselves in the door as they were closing it.

"I didn't see how many there were," Sera said as she carefully peeked her head out the window, "They looked Dailish, but I hadn't heard of any camps in this area. What do we do?" She asked, looking to Tristan to make a decision.
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Re: Dragon Age: An Apostates Tale

Post by Halcyon508 »

The two ducked in the cabin and Tristan frowned. "Board up all the windows we're able." he said lifting up his shield and closing the shutter on one of the windows. As he used his shield to block arrows from the entry way Sera quickly came up beside him and closed what shutters she could. Only a single small window remained open, it's shutters long fallen from it's wooden hinges. Tristan stood up and put his shield in place over it as arrows struck vainly. "The bookcase!" he said moving down the wall to the large piece of furniture. He pushed and pulled to no avail. Sera came over and helped him until it fell sidewise blocking all but a tiny peephole in the window.

Tristan sighed and thought for a moment. "We can't fight them." He said finally. "I haven't a sword and you're fire won't last long in this weather, you may not even be able to set anything alight." Pointing he indicated the damp wood that was still sitting incombustible in the lit fireplace. "Maybe we can hold on until they lose interest, or until someone comes." Hopefully not Templar or guards. he thought bitterly. "We need to bring the cart inside." He looked over at the front door. It was wider than most doors, no doubt because the structure was indeed a logging cabin or else used for some other economic endeavor. "It will be tight, but the cart should fit through." he said finally. "I can use my shield to cover you from arrows as you pull the old mule into the cabin. We should be able to last awhile if you can manage to move the stubborn creature."

Sera stood up and was about to make a witty remark when a look from Tristan silenced her. "Alright." she said getting herself ready to run through the door. Tristan moved to the door and opened it holding his shield up high. Sera stood behind him, holding to his belt with one hand as he slid across the door and to the cart. Sera grabbed the mule he refused to budge from it's spot as Tristan parried an arrow with his shield. Finding the mule less than cooperative Sera suddenly cast a small fireball behind it. The creature set off in a mighty burst almost overshooting the door before the woman could reign it in and redirect it.

Because of the angle it had attempted to enter the door the wagon got caught in the door. Tristan moved and took up a position behind the wagon. Sera desperately tried to realign the mule and wagon. "Cut the mule free!" Tristan yelled as the creature struggled against it's restraints. Taking out a knife the woman complied and cut the reigns. Tristan threw his shield on top of the cart and turned lifting the back of the cart ever so slightly and repositioning it. His feet sank deep into mud as he pushed the cart the rest of the way into the building.

Tristan turned to shut the double doors just in time to see a dalish charge him with a Veridium blade in his hand. The blades greenish tints seemed muted in the weather but shone clear as day as he aproached. The elf jumped in through the door. Tristan countered by jumping into the man and wrestling with him. He grabbed at the sword and kicked the man through the door. As he did so a fireball flew from Sera's hand knocking him back further into the rain. Tristan quickly closed the two doors and pushed the cart back into it sealing it off. "Now we should check the cart for supplies." he looked over at the door. "I'll keep watch while you check our provisions."
Domani, forget domani
Let's live for now and anyhow who needs domani?
~ Frank Sinatra, Forget Domani
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