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Tainted Dreams	By : wyldehart Category: +A through F > Dragon Age (all) > Dragon Age (all) Views: 3478 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: All characters and Dragon Age are property of Bioware/EA. I made no money, sadly.

Chapter List
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Well, here we are. This is the final chapter before the epilogue. This is by far the hardest, most violent chapter I have had to write and it was a great deal of agony to decide which direction to take it. Oddly enough, it was plotted months ago but because things changed, some things I expected to happen did not happen the way I expected them to. And I'm glad for it. The rest of the knots get untied in the upcoming epilogue as well as a teaser for the the next story which, for you fans, continues where this leaves off. So grab a hanky and prepare for…

Elissa's eyes snapped open and she gripped the staff with her hand. It flared to life, causing one startled, dazed blood mage to stagger backwards. The cuffs binding her wrists to the head board of the bed disintegrated into dust and she sat up, startling another mage. Her belly was huge now, much larger than it had been before she closed her eyes and the twins were actively reminding her that she would be a poor match in a fight.
Her eyes scanned the room and she noted Garrick, chained still against the wall. His chains also soon became dust and he staggered to his feet, his hand steadying himself as he stood. A blood mage prepared a spell and, Elissa's senses heightened after her recent visit to the fade, felt the stirring of mana. She pointed the blazing staff at the mage and watched him melt to the floor into what looked like a puddle of blood and decaying, black viscera. It was horrific but effective as the other mages remaining shrank from her in terror. Garrick grabbed her arm and pointed to the mages that remained. They looked confused, frightened even. One flinched when she lowered the staff at him. She marveled that he was frightened of one small, nude woman who seemed about to bursting with pregnancy. She figured it must be the staff though the thought of him being afraid of her was amusing.
"Speak! Where is your mistress?" she demanded. The mage drew away from her. "Hold your tongue and you will find that my compassion will swiftly run dry. Now. One more time… Where is your mistress?" She shoved the staff into his face and he stared at the head of it as if transfixed by some vision. His eyes widened and he pointed weakly at a slight upward angle.
"Th-the balcony! She's watching the battle!" he stammered hoarsely.
"Battle? What do you mean 'battle'? You mean my husband and our friend? They brought an army?" she asked, hope and relief washing over her, softening her features. The mage nodded quickly. She looked over at Garrick, who was searching the room for paper, a quill already in hand. She pointed the staff at him and murmured, "Voice". A tiny bolt of light streaked out, causing him to glow briefly.
He turned to her and in her mind, she heard him say, "Now what did that crazy woman do to me?"
Elissa smiled and touched his cheek with her fingers. "Watch what you think, Garrick. Though you no longer may use your voice, you can project your thoughts into anyone's mind or minds that you wish to. Stray surface thoughts like the one you just had admiring my breasts, yes it's cold in the room, will be overheard just as easily as if you spoke them. So learn control and project, I suppose. Now…we need clothing. There must be something in here… You! Mage… Stay or I will feed you your cock in bite-sized pieces," she reminded the hapless sorcerer as he attempted an escape on all fours. He obediently remained still, his wide eyes on the staff.
The young woman then turned to the closet built into the wall next to Ambrose's ornate dresser. Garrick dug through the drawers as Elissa scanned the closet with her eyes. He pulled out some small clothes for himself and an oversized shirt for Elissa. She slipped it on as she rifled through the various items of clothing. Ambrose had leather armors and luscious silks sitting side-by-side, mostly in black and red. His color palette was somewhat limited, it seemed, something she found it rather sexy much to her amazement. Sadly, none of it would fit her so she kept digging.
In the back of the closet, she found a long, heavy box. She didn't want to be nosy but she needed a weapon and this looked like a locker of sorts for something important. It wasn't locked. She turned the latch and lifted the heavy lid. Inside was a long item lovingly wrapped in yards of fine, black satin. She withdrew it and carefully revealed the blade within. It was short with jagged, deadly points, three along each edge and it ended in a sinister-looking razor-fine tip. There was a purple/black "glow" that enveloped it from hilt to blade. So… It was enchanted as well! She smiled and filched a belt from the many hanging on the wall behind the door. Ambrose was so skinny that she needed to bore a new hole through the expensive leather so that she could wear it tucked under her belly. She slid the blade into its scabbard and hooked it to her "borrowed" belt. With that done, she tossed a set of leather armor to Garrick who nodded his thanks and set about donning his borrowed gear. There was another sword, a much simpler blade leaning against the wall of the closet. This too she handed to him.
There was one more thing. A final search of the locker revealed a small, ornately carved box made of some reddish wood. She withdrew it and started to open it when Garrick grabbed her arm. She dropped the box back inside the locker and allowed him to pull her to the bed. He handed her some silk pants he'd found and urged her to dress. *Forgive me, my lady. You must defeat the demon quickly! It is imperative that we end this all before she figures out a way to defeat your men-folk.*
She looked into his eyes and then looked away. "His children… I have to help them. I have to try at least!"
*I will take care of the children,* Garrick said in her mind. *Go. Kill that bitch for me. For us all.* Elissa hesitated a moment later before darting up the hall and towards the dark stair leading up into the area belonging to the children and the guest apartment. It was here that the demon dwelled. She didn't exactly sleep so she played mental games and strategized using pawns. Strangely, she had modified the room's appearance but little. The curtains were drawn and she wasn't neat in the way she kept the pleasant room with its four-poster bed and twin chairs.
Elissa looked at the bed. It was the bed that Elissa discovered one of the demon's other pleasures. She cringed as she saw it was black with blood, the mattress saturated and the comforter and sheets torn. No, they were shredded. Elissa cringed at the thought of what Ambrose's wife might think of the things the demon had done to her body. The thought of what that body had done to the bodies others filled her with horror. She had to look away from the grizzly scene.
Shrugging the thought off, she slowly crept to the open doors leading out to the balcony. It was late, the stars bright and the moon hanging like a bloody splotch on the velvet dark sky. Beyond the balcony, men fought and if she listened, she could hear Ambrose and Alistair among the voices. It gave her much-needed faith. The abomination was there, watching and barking orders in her sheer robe. Elissa readied her weapons and then she leapt. Her sword bit deep into the demon's backs, spraying her with a heavy splatter of dark blood. The creature whirled and grabbed Elissa's face with her hand, shoving her away to the far wall of the balcony.
"That ridiculous sword can do nothing to me! See? I heal already," the creature cackled. Elissa fixed the demon with a cold, hard stare and rose to her feet, her back pressed against the wall for support. She then held out the staff horizontal to the ground. It glowed, illuminating the walls and floor as if empowered by the light of the stars themselves. The abomination flinched and drew away, a hand protecting its face from the bright light.
"The sword may be useless but I have something here that is not. Look inside yourself, Demon. Tell me… Is something missing?" Elissa pressed forward and the demon tried to shove her away. She succeeded in knocking her back a bit but the foolish human just kept coming. The staff was lowered, the butt pointing at the demon. She was about to run her through!
As if by request, an errant fireball lit up the balcony, blasting through the rail. Instinctively, Elissa held up the staff and watched as a shield of magic enveloped her like a solid bubble of magic. The fireball spell dissipated around her harmlessly, though she could still feel the heat emanating from the stones. Her quarry was missing, however. She crept closer to the crescent –shaped hole that was the result of the fireball. Elissa wondered as she peered over the edge, where her quarry was. Her answer came in the forceful shove from the demon's hands.
Elissa cried out as she was thrown over the edge and clawed at the demon's diaphanous clothing. It not only slowed her descent over the side but rather it had the added benefit of taking the demon with her. She dropped the sword on the ground and managed to soften her impact with magic from the staff just enough to prevent bones from breaking. It was rattling though and forced the wind right out of her when she hit. She rolled just in time to prevent the demon from landing on top of her. "Rolled" was not exactly correct, she thought as she flopped over, shoving herself with her bare feet. The added awkwardness of her massive belly prevented her from using most of her athletic evasion techniques.
Carefully, she rose to her feet and turned just in time to see the demon rush her. It held her borrowed sword! Elissa suddenly remembered that she could do magic, almost as an afterthought. She raised her left hand and held out the weightless staff. A bubble of power reached out and shoved the demon backwards, onto her back. Elissa ran over to the prone abomination and raised the staff, hoping to impale it. The demon's legs kicked out at her, striking her thighs hard enough to upset her balance. The young queen staggered and fell backwards to the ground, landing on her butt. Once again, her fierce opponent stood over her, the enchanted blade held high. Elissa laid back, her back pressed to the ground and kicked up her legs, jamming them into the ribs of the Pride Demon. Its fragile body was lifted off its feet and thrown by Elissa's powerful legs.
Exhausted, she staggered to her feet and took a moment to survey the "battle field". It encompassed the entire area around Ambrose's large house, a house that was swiftly falling to pieces. Chevalier, Grey Wardens and Orlesian guardsmen fought side by side against Darkspawn and Malifacarum alike. Many fell to the superior numbers but the rest bravely pushed on. She knew that until she "cut the head off the snake," the enemy would have the advantage. That "snake" moved on the ground, drawing Elissa's attention away from the decimated village. She watched the demon claw its way back to its feet.
"You have no hope, no chance to succeed, child!" the demon said as she walked up to Elissa. "I have you! I have won! My warriors are decimating your lovers' army. Their blood feeds my mage's spells, granting them strength." Elissa frowned, tears cascading down her cheeks, and then she took a step forward and dug her heel into the bloody mud as she rushed the demon, impaling it with the butt of the staff, which had shifted into a sharp spike. The creature blinked at her in shock as it realized what she'd done. Its pride, the curse of its existence, had made it underestimate the young woman. It began to light up with a bright glow, which spread into her, illuminating them both.
Because Elissa was not a mage, she had no mana for the magic to draw from so it stole what it could of her stamina, weakening her to the point where she could barely stand. "No, demon. We won the moment you let Ambrose escape. Your hubris is the death of you," she growled as she leaned her weight into the staff. She may have been using it for support but those who watched saw her ensuring her mark was finished.
All around her, mages dropped to the ground, many crying out as the demons that had served the Pride demon fled back into the fade, leaving their hosts empty and some lifeless. Those who were not possessed were drained of their mana as the staff used all sources of it to destroy the creature writhing on the end of the staff. The Darkspawn, however, were not so easily defeated. In fact, they seemed to grow more aggressive as they doubled their attacks on their human and elfin opponents.
Before, the monstrous Darkspawn had been oblivious of Elissa as the mind controlling them told them not to harm the bearer of their lord. Once that mind was snuffed out, they regained their desire to kill all the humans. Indeed, they now regarded Elissa dangerously. Perhaps she was distracted by her weakness or perhaps she just didn't think they would regain their composure so soon after she killed their mistress. Either way, she never saw the arrows that soared through the air and buried themselves into her body. There were three of them. One went through her shoulder, near her neck. Another lodged itself in her thigh. A third buried itself into the fleshy part of her hip, narrowly missing her belly.
Bleeding from her wounds, she jerked the staff out of the body of what was once Ambrose's wife and leaned heavily against it. She needed to find safety or she would die. Blood poured down her body, gushed down her thighs and dripped hot and red at her feet as she dragged herself closer to the house. Somewhere not far away, she heard a voice screaming her name. Over and over it cried out to her until she glanced up and when she did, her eyes went way up. "Maker…no…!" she whispered. Standing some several feet away from her was an ogre, its massive head lowered, horns leveling as it prepared to charge. She stumbled and almost fell, catching herself on the staff. "Oh but to die after withstanding so much! Is there no justice in this world?" she whimpered as she helplessly watched it flex its body to gore her.
It all happened as if in a dream. Slowly she tried to force the staff to shield her but its power was all but snuffed out. She noted that a few scrapes on her arms were healing from the magic but it refused to do anything more than that. Then, a figure wielding two lyrium-enchanted blades and dressed in black jumped between her and the demon. He shoved her aside and into the sticky, cold ground. Blood and dirt had made the ground ridiculously slippery causing her to slide to the ground on the thigh that was not injured. The man used the creature's forward movement against it and swept his blades up the abdomen of the ogre, the edges drawing intestines out of it body in an arc above them. But the human was not the only one drawing blood in this fight. The horns that were originally meant for Elissa buried themselves into the man's belly. It lifted its head and ripped muscle and skin away, spilling his entrails to the ground in purple loops. The man's blood splattered across Elissa's terrified form.
The ogre's momentum carried it into her savior, shoving both into the blood-slick muck. They ended up laying together, the ogre dead and the man on his back underneath it, moaning. Elissa crawled to the man's side and wiped away the bloody mud caked to her face and hair so that she could see the man more clearly. She held up the staff and pressed it against her rescuer's chest and then her teal eyes met blue. She choked and screamed, "AMBROSE! No! No! No! No!" She wept, screaming his name as he gazed up her, blood bubbling from his lips. He spat it out and reached a bloody hand to her face.
He caressed her cheek and tried to smile but it was hard, so hard for him to breathe. "Mon…ce'aire…you are…wounded. My love…" he whispered to her as she sobbed hysterically, her arms around him and her wounds forgotten in her grief. "Shh… All things end and it…it…is my time. I…love…you…"
"Stop! Just…stop! I cannot let you die, Ambrose! Not like this. I love you! I really do love you and I…I would give anything to heal you. Staff! Heal him! Please…if the Maker is real, surely he must feel my sorrow and know that I would give myself to…" she was shushed as he chuckled and curled his fingers around the back of her head, drawing her lips against his. This kiss had the touch of finality and she tasted his blood as he coughed again.
"My…will. Follow it…to…to the letter. My wife's family…must not…not have…" he started coughing and more of the red, sticky fluid sprayed her. She didn't care. Though she was fading quickly from blood-loss and exhaustion herself, she clung to him with desperation. As she wept into his black hair, she opened her eyes to a small, white fox. Its feet were stained red and black with blood and mud. It walked up to them, and jumped onto Ambrose's upper chest. The rest of his body was covered by the ogre, doubtless their internal organs mingling together. Elissa shuddered with the thought as the little creature watched her closely with clear, moss-hued green eyes. Then it started licking her face. A moment later, she slumped unconsciously over the body of Ambrose Fazsile and the white fox retreated, his tail wagging slowly.
The staff that once laid across him, was gone, its magic absorbed completely by the need of one desperate young woman. But she didn't see this. Two elves eventually carried Ambrose's body away. But she didn't see this either. Nor did she see them reverently replacing his internal organs back into his abdomen and cover him, all but his face, in a soft blanket. She never saw them place Ambrose's body on the back of the Halla and she never watched them lead the graceful herbivore away and toward the great forests west.
Finally, she never saw the fox transform into the tall, handsome figure of Veranon Krae as he, weeping softly, walked away.

She opened her eyes and looked around the room. She was in a bed, covers drawn to her chin. It was soft and warm and she was clean. Gingerly, she pulled herself up to a seated position and looked around the room. Out of habit, she reached a hand for her massive belly and shrieked when she found it wasn't there. Someone ran in, a finger held up, telling her to be patient just a moment before darting around the door-frame. Some moments later, two figures walked in then, one a pretty young teenage girl of about thirteen or fourteen and a taller, blond-haired man Elissa knew was her husband. They each carried an infant, the babies sharing the same red-gold curls and pale skin though one was notably larger than the other.
Alistair sat on the bed and handed her his precious burden. The girl held onto hers though she smiled warmly. "Elissa, I would like you to meet your children. This is Clausette; we've agreed to adopt her as per Ambrose's wishes and the one you are holding is Duncan Bryce. The one in Clausette's arms is Amber Rose. They were born a bit early, even for the advanced gestation the mages put them through. Otherwise, Alainala, the Halamshiral Keeper and the woman who healed you, said you would die."
Amber Rose soon joined her brother and the babies, fussy at first, quickly settled in to nurse at each breast. "You…named them?" Elissa said in awe.
"Well, somebody had to," Alistair chuckled. "There's a lot we have to do before we leave for Ferelden but suffice to say, Empress Celene is in our debt. Yours especially. You saved us all! And Ambrose…he died to save you. We never did find his body. It's the strangest thing! But I was told about what he did and I guess this is the way he wanted to die. For what it's worth, I know what he meant to you and I'm…sorry. It's a small consolation but at least you still have me, right, my love?" Elissa was unsure what to say as she nestled in against her husband and Clausette settled in on the other side of her. The three of them bowed their heads together and began to weep for Ambrose, who was a true hero, Grey Warden, father and lover.
To Be Concluded
The final chapter is an epilogue of sorts. But don't despair…
The story isn't finished…
Tainted Memories is on its way and continues the adventures of Elissa and Alistair. And someone else!
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Tainted Dreams