The Dalish Commander (The Daughters of Thedas Book 2)

14: Return to the Fade

Soundtrack:

Requiem for the Nameless Dead ~ Adrian von Ziegler

When I opened my eyes, I was lying on my side. In the bright daylight. Wasn't it just dark a moment ago? I pushed myself up and shook my head, trying to clear it. I staggered to my feet and looked around. My companions were picking themselves up as well. As was the First. My surroundings were completely different from a moment ago. I immediately knew where I was.

"Damn it. Not again."

The First looked around once he was on his feet. "No!" he cried. "We have come to the Fade as well? It cannot be this!"

"You weren't 'first' in your class, I take it?" I said, unable to resist the jab.

"The Mother, she has deceived me! I am betrayed!"

"And it seems so shocked about that," Anders quipped.

"I never could trust my mother either," Oghren said. Anders snickered.

"Now I am being trapped in the Fade with you! Ah, I am the fool!"

"I'll deal with you first and the Mother later," I said, drawing my swords.

"I am thinking the Mother, she cares not what happens to the First so long as the Grey Warden is defeated." Several grubs joined him. "I will be leaving you to the Children. I will be finding my own path back into the world. Back to the Mother!"

The First took off and the Children attacked. My blades were a blur as I defended, cutting into the Children as they came for me, jaws wide. As I was in the Fade, I couldn't sense their taint.

"Commander! Behind you!"

I spun around as a grub actually leapt at me. I held my swords up to allow it to impale itself when it suddenly stopped in midair, screeching and wreathing. I glanced over at Anders. He was engaged with his own grub. Which meant only one person was doing that. He always seemed to know when I was in the Fade. The screech was cut off and its body fell at my feet. I smiled and nodded my thanks to my father. Ainnileas and I attacked one that had knocked Nathaniel down. I helped him to his feet and together we finished the rest.

"Who is the Mother? Another Darkspawn?" Anders asked. Nathaniel was looking at Ainnileas suspiciously.

"Wait, what did that snarly bastard say?" Oghren asked "The Fade? We're in the Fade? That's where humans dream, isn't it?"

"And Elves," I added.

"Dwarves shouldn't be here! We don't dream. We sleep like the Stone!"

"I need you to be calm and keep your wits about you."

Ainnileas was leaning on his staff, giving Nathaniel time to decide if he was a threat or not.

"Realin, I couldn't keep my wits about me if they were strapped to my back. And what happens to my body while I'm here? Someone could outrage my modesty! What little's left of it."

I smirked. "I didn't know you had any left."

"Har har har."

Anders finally noticed Ainnileas and immediately swung his staff around.

I stepped between the two and held my hand up. "Anders, wait."

"The Fade is full of demons, Commander," he warned.