The Youth of the Dalish: A Dragon Age Fan-Fiction Story

Playing The Hero

It had to be dozens of rows before they could reach the door. Row after row of foul and wicked darkspawn hungry to devour flesh. Juli readied his bow.

"What do we do?" Quinn nervously asked Gyles, whom still knelt next to his deceased friend.

The flail wielder whispered something on Marcus' ear, and then stood tall with flail at the ready, "We fight."

The unnatural and corrupted creatures charged towards them. Juli took the first shot. The arrow coated itself with that powerful green smoke. At arm's length from the frontline of the enemy, it went through the hairless skull of the darkspawn in the middle. It's blackened skin started smoldering with green, eventually exploding. That explosion, to Juli's surprise, chained to the next creature—eradicating the first row with one shot. He noticed that Mother looked at him as if her son was a stranger she'd never met before. Half of his face was lightened with green, baring one side of the wolf painted with black on his face.

"Juli." She whispered his name. He could see how scared she was of her own son.

"And you haven't seen the least of what he and Doreen can do." Theresa boastfully said to her. The sturdy woman showed nothing but praise for Juli's gift.

"The least that you won't get to see." Eva chimed in. "Remember our deal, Juli?" The tall and limber woman arched an eyebrow.

"We can't leave you to die here." Omar said anxiously as there was no time for talking, the next row of foe was closing in.

The woman grinned."We're grey wardens, dying to prevent the Blight is our duty."

"Eva is right." Tailor's voice was barely understandable as the groans of the darkspawn grew louder. "The deal was you get your people and go back."

"It's too many of them, you won't make out alive. " Omar tilted his staff forward, a green barrier appeared in front of them.

The creatures banged hard on it, however, the barrier was too strong for their claws to break through.

"I'll stay with them." Theresa said plainly. She glanced at Erick. The young hunter bared a face of horror as the woman proposed this. "If I stay," her gaze was fixed on Erick, "and I help them, they will have chance at making it back."

For a moment the two of them spoke that unspoken language that was only understood by lovers. "Why do you always have to play the hero?" Erick pleaded.

She stepped forward and pressed her lips against his. She pulled back."I'll come back. I promise."

"You won't have to. You're not staying with us. I won't lose anyone else." Eva said definitively.

"There's too many of them. I know I'm not a grey warden and I don't know anything about darkspawn." She was being solemn,"But I bloody know that there's way too many for three to handle. Now four, have a greater chance at making it out of here alive. You've done so much for us." She gestured towards Cathy. "Let me repay you with laying you a hand in battle."

It was hard to argue—she had a point. The wardens glanced at each other.

"Fine." Gyles said, the struggle in his agreement was palpable.

"I'll stay too." Erick enthusiastically offered.

Theresa turned to face the young and blonde hunter. She placed a pale hand on his cheek. "They need you." Her voice was just loud enough for Juli to barely hear it. They gazed at each other intensely. The hunter's eyes shimmered in the dark with tears. He didn't want to leave her here. "Promise me you will protect Cathy with your life. Promise me."