Tales of a Dalish Elf

Chapter 1

How did I get here? Where even is here? The sky green, the ground yellow, lightning flashing all around me. Things started to approach me, no not approach stampeded, they were coming right for me. I did what my instincts told me to; I ran. I ran until I could run no more. Mountains started to grow around me. Trapping me. A golden figure stood atop one of these peaks. Her arm stretched towards me. I climbed upwards, those things started to climb too. The last thing I saw was a group of men running towards me.

When I awoke my hands were bound. The bounds on my wrists were heavy, weighing down my arms. My left hand ached, a green mark glowed on it. With each glow it became more and more painful. I was forced onto my legs, the lower half of them underneath me. The room I was in was small, damp, and dark, empty cells surrounded me. The stonework was rough, cold to the touch. Four men surrounded me each with their sword drawn, aimed towards me. There was a gentle dripping lulling me asleep. Before I was fully aware the door swung open Not long after two women with the look of authority walked in. Soon the two women stood towering over me. One had her hair covered, her ginger hair slightly visible. The other wore armour with an eye in the centre of the chest plate, her hair was cut short with a braid crown. The soldiers returned their blades to the sheaths.

"Tell me what an elf was doing at the Conclave, and how come you were the only survivor out of all of those who attended," her voice was harsh, and with each word the woman in armour stepped closer, getting into my face.

"I don't understand what you mean." I responded.

"Explain this," she held my left hand up, causing me to gasp out in pain. She threw it back down in disgust. She began to circle me, and so did the other woman who had been quietly observing so far.

"I don't know what it is. I don't know how it got there. Please just let me go." My response seemed to anger the woman as she lunged forward in an attempt to grab me.

"You're lying!" This time she successfully grabbed me, but before she could do anything else the ginger woman forced her back.

"We need her, Cassandra," the ginger woman spoke with authority, and I had finally learned the name of the woman who was interrogating me.

"Whatever you think I did, I didn't do it," my voice aggressive trying to change their minds about this matter. As soon as the last word left my mouth, the ginger woman walked towards me. Her approach to me was different from Cassandra, she seemed more kind in her movement. As though she was an older sibling trying to find out what the younger one had done.

"Do you remember how this began? How you came to be here?" Her voice was soft, gentle. She managed to soothe me with it. I felt more relaxed than I had done since waking up.

"I remember running, being chased by these things. And then I saw a woman. I can't remember anymore than that." My response seemed to please Cassandra as she started to push the ginger away.

"Go to the forward camp, Leliana. I will meet you there. After I take her to the rift." she pushed Leliana out of the door, than grabbed me by my arm, pulling me to my feet.

She lead me outside, the evening air was cold, snow drifted in the breeze. My eyes took a minute to adjust, before I looked up, and saw it. A giant green cloud in the air, within that cloud green lightning flashed. The cloud extended downward, stretching towards the ground. Cassandra dragged me around a small settlement, groups of people stared at me. I heard cries of anger, and shouts of 'knife-ear' as I was escorted around.

"The people have decided your guilt, they need this," Cassandra spoke, even though I already guessed that is what they had done. People always wanted to blame something, they wanted a scapegoat for whatever had happened, and my unfortunate luck had granted me that role. It didn't help that I was Dalish.

After walking for ten minutes we approached a gate situated on a stone bridge. Before we exited through the gate Cassandra released my hands from their bindings. I rubbed my wrists in a futile attempt to alleviate pain caused from the long use of the cuffs. She quickly ordered a guard to open the gate, she rushed through me shortly behind her. The other side was chaos, men ran down the hill, streaks of green rushed towards the earth causing small explosions on impact. With each impact, a black scorch mark was left behind.

As soon as I reached the top of the hill, a sharp and sudden pain erupted from my left hand. The pain was immense, forcing me to the ground. Instinctively, I grabbed my wrist with my right hand.

"Each time the breach grows, the mark on your hand does too. Come," Cassandra spoke, dragging me to my feet. My hand still hurting. We reached another stone bridge, this time groups of men ran to either side, as me and Cassandra stepped on the bridge. No more than half-way across, the breach once again rained down explosives. Unlucky for us one hit the bridge causing it to collapse, and for us to fall down onto the frozen river below.