Chapter Text
Linn attempted to feign attentiveness as the Knight-Commander Greagoir went on about Andraste and this world’s strange views on magic. However, a quick glance at First Enchanter Irving told her that he was quite aware of her lack of focus.
Irving gave her a look of warning before he said, “This is why the Harrowing exists. The ritual sends you into the Fade, and there you will face a demon, armed with only your will.”
“I’m ready,” Linn said as she straightened her shoulders.
Irving gave her a smile of approval before Greagor continued, “Know this, apprentice: if you fail, we templars will perform our duty. You will die.”
Irving quickly spoke up with a gentleness that the Knight-Commander lacked, “This is lyrium; the very essence of magic and your gateway into the Fade. The Harrowing is a secret out of necessity, child. Every mage must go through this trial by fire. As we succeeded, so shall you. Keep your wits about you and remember the Fade is a realm of dreams. The spirits may rule it, but your own will is real.”
Greagoir warned in an irritated tone, “The apprentice must go through this test alone, First Enchanter.” Despite his clear distaste for magic, Greagoir’s face softened slightly as he turned to Linn and said, “You are ready.”
Linn glanced at the glowing, green stone in front of her with trepidation. After taking a deep breath to steady herself, she touched the stone, and the world around her faded out of existence. Twisting rock passageways spread out before her as she wandered around the world of “the Fade”. Oddly enough, there was a vase standing alone and intact. Linn glanced inside to find three glowing, blue orbs of energy. Linn put them in the pack around her waist. Perhaps they would come in handy.
Following the twisting path, she noticed a blue ball of energy in the distance. Pain shot through her as she realized that it had blasted her with lightning magic. Quickly drawing on the residual magic, she shot back a blast of her own. Her attacker quickly vanished into the air.
“That’s what you get, you… glowy bastard,” Linn muttered as she rubbed her arm where she’d been hit.
The next time she saw one of those zappy things she quickly zapped it out of the air, still somehow receiving a blast of electricity in return. With a grumble, she continued up the path when she noticed something scurry out in front of her. She jumped back in surprise. A rat rose up on its hind legs and stared at her.
“Someone else thrown to the wolves,” a voice spoke into her mind, and Linn flinched at the sudden intrusion. “As fresh and unprepared as ever. It isn’t right that they do this, the templars. Not to you, me, anyone.”
Linn couldn’t help but feel crazy as she asked, “So is… this the Fade?”
The mouse sighed and said, “It’s always the same. But it’s not your fault. You’re in the same boat I was, aren’t you?” The mouse suddenly glowed before transforming into a man in mage robes. “Allow me to welcome you to the Fade. You can call me… well, Mouse.”
Linn looked the stranger up and down before she asked, “So you took the Harrowing?”
The man seemed uncertain, but he answered hesitantly, “It’s fuzzy. The time before. They wake you up in the middle of the night and drag you to the Harrowing chamber and then… The templars will kill you if you take too long, you see. They figure you failed, and they don’t want something getting out. That’s what they did to me, I think. I have no body to reclaim. And you don’t have much time before you end up the same.”
Linn shifted uncomfortably and replied, “I’m sorry that happened to you.”
“Don’t waste time with that talk,” the mage snapped before his voice lost its edge. “You don’t want to end up like… this. There’s something here, contained just for an apprentice like you. You have to face the creature, a demon, and resist it, if you can. That’s your way out. Or your opponent’s, if the templars wouldn’t kill you. A test for you, a tease for the creatures of the Fade.”
“Why do the mages think that this is a necessity? Aren’t there safer ways that they could test us?”
“A question for those in the tower. Maybe you’ll be lucky enough to ask. Maybe someday, so will I. There are others here, other spirits. They will tell you more, maybe help. If you can believe anything you see.” The man hesitated for a moment before he continued, “I’ll follow, if that’s all right. My chance was long ago, but you… you may have a way out.”
The mage transformed back into a mouse and waited for Linn to walk further up the path, which led to an odd semicircle of lava pits. Mouse warned her not to step inside until she was ready to face the demon as that is where the demon would appear. Linn carefully stepped around the outer edge. There were more of those lightning pests as she made her way down the path. After fighting through the static-spirits, she noticed a glowing figure in the distance. As she approached, Mouse gave her a warning to be careful.
“Um, hello?” Linn said with a wave as she approached the glowing knight. Literally a knight in shining armor.
“Another mortal thrown into the flames and left to burn, I see,” the knight spirit said with pity. “Your mages have devised a cowardly test. Better you were pitted against each other to prove your mettle with skill than to be sent unarmed against a demon.”
“Oh… You know why I’m here? Are you a part of the test?”
Ignoring her question, the spirit continued on with authority, “You are not the first sent here for such testing. Nor shall you be the last, I suspect. That you remain means you have not yet defeated your hunter. I wish you a glorious battle to come.”
Linn crossed her arms and glared at the spirit. “So just what kind of spirit are you? …if you don’t mind me asking.”
“I do not mind at all. I am Valor, a warrior spirit. I hone my weapons in search of the perfect expression of combat.”
Linn glanced at the glowing weapons before asking, “Did you create all of these weapons?”
“They are brought into being by my will. I understand that in your world mages are the only ones who can will things into being.Those mortals who cannot must live such hollow, empty lives.”
“Could they help me defeat the demon?”
“Without a doubt. In this realm, everything that exists is the expression of a thought. Do you think these blades be steel? The staves be wood? Do you believe they draw blood? A weapon is a single need for battle, and my will makes that need reality,” Valor explained with an appraising glance. “Do you truly desire one of my weapons? I will give one to you… if you agree to duel me first. Valor shall test your mettle as it should be tested.”
That was not at all what Linn had wanted, so she snapped at the knight, “Oh? All this talk of a demon, and it seems like you would prefer to kill me yourself!”
Valor glowed red before he shouted back, “How dare you accuse me! I am no demon, preying upon helpless mortals to steal their essence! I am a being of honor and valor! I am a warrior!”
“You could have fooled me! If you’re so valorous, then prove it! You’ve seen other people fail this test, and what did you do? Nothing? Prove your valor! Help me fight the demon!”
Valor glared at her in quiet fury. Finally, he replied, “You are insolent…. But your will is unquestionably strong. Very well, mortal. You prove to me that you possess the strength to resist this demon. Go, prove your will as you must. I am confident you will succeed.”
Linn watched him disappear as a staff appeared before her. She gripped onto it. The feel of solid wood in her hands made her feel better about the fight to come. She gestured to Mouse to follow her as she continued up the path. Maybe she could find something else to help her defeat this demon…
Linn didn’t have much time for her thoughts as three glowing wolves attacked her. She quickly blasted the closest one with lightning, and then she hit it with her staff as it lunged at her. The impact knocked the wolf back. Linn focused on the other wolves as it faded away. After defeating the wolves, Linn took a seat to catch her breath. Mouse’s whining that she shouldn’t rest too long made her stand back up and continue.
There was an odd looking bear further up the path. As she got closer, she saw thorns sticking out of the animal. Keeping her staff raised and ready, she approached the beast.
The beast didn’t even open its eyes as it said, “Hmm… so you are the mortal being hunted? And the small one… is he to be a snack for me?”
Mouse transformed back into a man and tugged on her sleeve.
“I don’t like this. He’s not going to help us. We should go.”
The beast opened its eyes to give Mouse an irritated look before he sniffed. The creature laughed at Mouse’s panic and said, “No matter. The demon will get you eventually, and perhaps there will even be scraps left.”
Linn held her ground and asked, “What do you know about this demon?”
The bear let out a slow, mocking laugh and replied, “I know that you will fail your test and he will eat you. Begone! Surely you have better things to do than bother Sloth, mortal. I tire of you already.”
Linn could feel Mouse shaking beside her. Putting a hand on his to comfort him, she turned her full attention back to Sloth and said, “What would it take for you to help me fight the demon?”
Despite the creature feigning indifference, Linn noticed its eyes light up with amusement. It replied with a yawn, “You have a very nice staff. Why would you need me? Go. Use your weapon since you have earned it. Be valorous.”
“He looks powerful. It might be possible that he could… teach you to be like him,” Mouse whispered in encouragement, but the creature heard him.
Sloth asked with obvious mirth, “Like me? You mean teach the mortal to take this form? Why? Most mortals are too attached to their forms to learn the change. You, on the other hand, little one, might be a better student. You let go of the human form years ago.”
“I… don’t think I’d make a very good bear. How would I hide?”
“Eventually you’re going to run out of places to hide,” Linn pointed out. “We’re going to need to be braver if we want to defeat that demon.”
“‘We’? I have faced more in this place than you can imagine. Fear is… Just one more thing,” Mouse said with anger. His eyes glanced around the shadows before he continued with a sigh, “But… you are right. Hiding doesn’t help. I’m sorry, it’s the Fade. It changes you. I’ll try. I’ll try to be a bear. If you’ll teach me.”
“That’s nice. But teaching is so exhausting. Away with you,” Sloth said tiredly with another yawn, and Linn could feel her blood start to boil.
Mouse sighed and said, “I told you he wasn’t going to help us.”
Linn gripped her own shoulder as she demanded, “Mouse wants to learn. Teach him.”
The creature looked at her for a moment before it said, “You wish to learn my form, little one? Then I have a challenge for your friend: Answer three riddles correctly, and I will teach you. Fail, and I will devour you both. The decision is yours.”
Linn quickly replied, “I accept your challenge, Sloth.”
“Truly? This gets more and more promising. My first riddle is this: I have seas with no water, coasts with no sand, towns without people, mountains without land. What am I?”
Linn looked at Mouse in confusion to see him looking at her with the same confusion. Seas without water could maybe be a desert, but then coasts with no sand wouldn’t make sense. She cycled through different ideas before a picture popped into her head.
”A map?”
Sloth growled in frustration but replied, “Correct. Let’s move on. The second riddle: I’m rarely touched, but often held. If you have wit, you’ll use me well. What am I?”
Linn bit her lip as she pondered the question. Was the answer ‘my temper”? No… A temper can’t be touched… My breath? No, then the wit line wouldn’t make sense. Linn watched Sloth’s eyes almost glow with glee as she thought about her answer.
“Wait… My tongue? It’s my tongue.”
Sloth groaned but answered, “Yes, your witty tongue. Fair enough. One more try, shall we? Often will I spin a tale, never will I charge a fee. I’ll amuse you an entire eve, but, alas, you won’t remember me. What am I?”
Linn furrowed her brow as she concentrated. A book? No, you pay for books… Music? No, you remember music… She stared into the distance as she repeated the riddle to herself. It came to her in a flash, but she hesitated. The right answer almost seemed to be a trick. Sloth had a lazy smirk as it waited for her answer.
“A dream,” Linn answered as she gripped onto her staff in anticipation.
Sloth’s eyes widened as it stared at her. With another frustrated growl, it admitted, “You are correct. Rather apropos here in the Fade, no? But you’ve won my challenge and proven yourself an amusing distraction. So, I shall teach you my form. Now listen carefully…”
Linn watched and waited as Sloth taught Mouse how to transform. After a couple of tries, Mouse finally managed to transform into a normal looking bear.
“Like this? Am I a bear? It feels… heavy.”
Sloth gave Mouse an appraising look before it said, “Hmm. Close enough. Go, then, and defeat your demon… or whatever you intend to do. I grow weary of your mortal prattling.”
Sloth curled back up and closed its eyes. Linn took the lead back down the path toward the semicircle. More glowing wolves attacked them on the way, but it was much easier with Mouse in bear form. With newfound confidence, Linn led the way back to the circle of stones.