Our Story

“Tell me why we shouldn't kill you now”

My brain was so addled I barely understand the words. Groaning I lift my gaze to meet her fierce eyes glaring at me. I blinked a few times to clear the haze away. I tried to stand but found my hands bound and locked to the floor. I groaned and stared back down at the ground.

“Where do you think you are going? Answer me now!” She grabbed my hair and thrust my head back exposing my throat. I felt a cool blade press against the tender flesh. I hissed in pain as it sliced into me. A dribble of blood pooled and slowly trickled down my neck.

“What... are you... talking about?” I croaked. My throat was dry and raw. I needed water. I needed to get out of here.

The woman grabbed my closed hand and forced it open. “This! Tell me about this mark on your hand!” My eyes open wide in alarm. Studying my hand, I found a bright green light. It pulsed with energy shooting pain through my whole body. I groaned with pain and slumped to the floor. I clutched my hand to my chest.

The woman backed away from me as the waves of pain flowed across my body. “Everyone at the Conclave is dead! Only you and one other survived. Explain this!” She hissed at me. she grabbed my hand and thrust it into my face. The bright glow from my hands caused me to squint.

“I can't explain this” I said in disbelief. “I have no idea what's going on.” She threw my arm down and it cracked against the cobblestone ground. I winced and drew it back close to my chest. I hugged it hoping it would make the pain go away.

The woman walked away and paced frustratedly.

I tried once again to crawl away from the woman standing before me. She turned to look at me when she heard me shuffling. She looked at me and disgust and sneered.

“What do you mean you don’t know! You are lying! Guards!”

I glared back at the woman. “This is all got to be in my head or something because I don't know what is going on or who you are or what I am doing here.” Please just untie me and maybe I'll wake up from this strange dream.” I said pleadingly.

as I finished speaking four men surrounded me and pointed their long swords at me threateningly.
They inched closer unsure of the woman's command

I glared back at the woman, “look wouldn't I have told you by now if I actually knew something.” “Please just wake up. This is all just a strange dream” I murmured to myself.

It was the wrong thing to say. She whipped out her sword and yelled. She swung her arm back to strike! I smashed my eyelids shut not wanting to see the blade bringing its swift end to my life.

“Stop Cassandra! We need her!” A new voice interrupted. I heard the clang of metal against metal

I looked up to see the second woman standing in between me and Cassandra. Her dagger easily blocking the long sword.

“Please, Let me go! I haven't done anything!” I squeaked out. My confidence in getting out of this situation alive was dwindling.

The new woman turned around and knelt down so she was eye level. “The conclave was destroyed, can you tell us anything you remember? It may help prove your innocence.” Her voice was sweet, almost caring. I didn't trust it.

I blinked a few times, “The Conclave? Destroyed?” I moaned and rapidly blinked my eyes. This was sounding vaguely familiar almost as if it was a memory from some other place. I shook my head. No, That doesn't sound right.

I continued, “Its all so hazy. I can't... quite remember” I looked into her eyes. “I... remember a bright light, running, pain. Something wasn't right, and I heard a... woman? She was reaching out to me. I can't remember what she looked like... and then nothing. I was here.”

The woman smiled and stood back up walking over to Cassandra. She whispered something to one of the guards. “Go to the forward camp Liliana, I will take the prisoner to the rift.” Cassandra said. Liliana nodded casting a quick glance at me and then walking out of the room the guards following her.

Cassandra sheathed her sword and quickly walked over to me. She took out a key and unlocked the chain that tied me to the floor. She grabbed the chain and turned around. When I didn't stand up quick enough she jerked the chain forcing me to move quicker. More pain raced through my body. Gritting my teeth I said, “What is happening, will you tell me this much?”

The woman turned to look at me, “It will be easier to show you.” She tugged the chain and I took it was my cue to start walking. She opened the door and I felt the cold air whip my long hair into a tizzy.

I stepped out my mouth gaping wide. The sky was an eerie dark black surrounding a giant green vortex of energy. I could feel the power tingling on my skin. The vortex spinning madly with no hint a to slowing down. The size of it spanning far to either side of the mountain range in the distance. I saw streaks of green plummeting to the ground. This was defiantly looking familiar.

“We call it the Breach, a massive rift opening into the world of demons. With it open, demons are freely able to enter our world. ” The Fade the word popped into my head suddenly. I know I've heard that from somewhere but where.

I racked my brain for any semblance of a memory. The Fade... The Fade. Slowly an image appeared in my mind. An image of me sitting on what looked like a long white blob. I was staring into this box of white light and I couldn't tell what I was looking at.

I felt a form in my hands, a solid form. I realized my fingers were moving. Push up. Push down. Mash the X button. Why does this sound so familiar. It was useful for something called... I thought a moment... Video games! Right I seem to be able to recall those.

Video games had discs that followed certain story arcs.... But what does video games have to do with... The Fade. Of course! The Fade! What what game involves the fade. Eyes widen in realization. But it couldn't possibly be. No way this was real.

I took a second look at my surroundings. Snow capped mountains loomed in every direction I looked. studied the woman in front of me. Her silver armor glinted and reflected the sun. Her familiar cropped hair and long scar running down her face reminded me of Cassandra... a character in... Could it possibly be that I was in Dragon age?

I shook my head no... that's impossible. Yet here I am. Snow crunching beneath my feet, wind buffeting my skin, chains slicing into my wrist. It has to be real but it makes no sense.

My thoughts were interrupted by the woman's booming voice,

“It is growing with each passing hour. It, and others much smaller, were caused by the explosion at the conclave”

I shake my whole body, trying to ease the prickling sensation of the power coming from that thing in the sky. “An explosion can do that?” I asked.

“This one did, and if we don’t stop it now, it will keep expanding until it destroys the world”. Geez Cassandra, way to be so dramatic there.

My thoughts were cut short when the Breach flared again sending an immense amount of energy towards us. I saw it coming and braced myself. Cassandra looked at me puzzled. Five seconds later the wave of energy passed over it. The power in my hand exploded with pain. I clutched it to my chest and screamed. The waves of pain rolled down my legs and I felt them give way. I fell over and smashed my head against a rock, thankfully loosing consciousness.

~~~~~

“Brooklyn!! Lyyyyyn! Open the door already!” I knocked on her front door eager to get inside. I was bouncing up and down on the balls of my feet. She wasn't moving fast enough and I was too excited to keep still. I heard her jingling with the keys and froze. The door swung open and I rushed inside! There she was my best friend in the whole world!

“Hermanita!!” I yelled and rushed over to give her a big bear hug. Picking her up off the ground we laughed as I twirled her around and around.

“Melina!!” She sqweed. “What are you doing back from class so soon? And take off your dirty shoes! Dont want you tracking dirt all over my clean kitchen!” I stuck my tongue out at her and began taking off my shoes. “My shoes are perfectly clean thank you. See the shiny sparkle?”

She lowered her eyelids clearly not amused. We had just become housemates in our 3rd year of animation school. Even though we had separate rooms, Brooklyn was always fussing at me to be cleaner.

“You were at the horse stable again weren't you. Honestly, where do you find the time when I'm drowning in projects.” She huffed.

My breath hitched, “Um... yes! But I swear I cleaned off my shoes! No dirt or muck or anything!” I wasn't gong to win this one so I quit while I was ahead.

“Uggh. I'm not even going to try to imagine what those spots are.” She replied, curling her lip at filth only she could see.

“I'm just going to dump your shoes in bleach.” She started walking away to find herself a bottle of the liquid cleaner, but I grabbed her elbow.

“No! No need, see they're going outside. All that nasty dirty nature staying faaar far away from your spotless kitchen.” I picked up my shoes and gently placed them outside. I smiled up at Brooklyn and closed the door.

She smirked and gave me a playful choke hold. I hugged her back and then placed my forehead on hers. This was always a special act for me. She was my other half, my best friend and fellow trouble maker. I stood there just enjoying being with her again.

“So...” she began, breaking the moment. She wasn't a touchy-feely kinda person. At least not until after I had worn her down with my repeated intrusions into her personal space. She had eventually admitted defeat and that had marked the beginning of our crazy friendship.

Pulling away, I rummaged for the plastic bag I placed by the door. “I have something for you!” Her eyes lit up as I handed her the bag. Tearing the bag apart, she opened the gift and her hands pulled out the new Dragon Age Inquisition game!

Her eyes widened as she swung an arm around me for another hug, “Thank you Melina!! I've been waiting to play this game for months now!”

I smiled wide and replied, “I have one request. That you only play it when I'm here, I HAVE to see how you react to the game because it is soooo good.”

She looked at the game and then back at me mulling over her options. “Hmmm, Deal!”

“Lets go play it! I have to tell you all about my character!” We race off to the living room where the PlayStation was.

“I always start of with an Elf Rogue! Elves cuz they are awesome, I mean come on ELVES! and rogues cuz I 'm such a trickster.” I beamed at Brooklyn who just rolled her eyes.

“Sure Melina, whatever you say.” She laughed.

I continued, “I named her Ayla! I have such a hard time with names. I tried to find Shadow or ShadowHawke in Elvhen, but the names just weren't sounding cool. So Ayla it was.”

Brooklyn just stared at me confused. I laugh and waved her off as the game was starting.

We watched the opening credits and Brooklyn began to generate her character. She quickly passed over human and elf. Not wanting to copy any of my characters.

“I know! You should be a dwarf!” I said. Brooklyn visibly sagged and glared at me.

“Whaaat?” I said, “Its perfect and you wouldn't even have to adjust the height to match yours!” My smile tweaked a bit and I ducked as Brooklyn threw the nearest magazine at me.

“No! I'm gonna be a Qunari! Just look how awesome they look! So muscular and scary looking! Im just going to run around and murder everything!” I chuckled as she began customizing her character. By the end, she had a very beautiful, scary Qunari woman. Now for her name.

I couldn't help myself, “I know, how 'bout: The Firey Puerto Rican! Or how bout Scrappy McFee! No no! The Juggernaut!” I laughed, too easily amused.

She set another glare on me, “You weren't kidding about the names. Those are terrible and two aren't even names. I'll just call her Talc and keep it simple.”

We both laughed as she typed in the name.

I should have known things wouldn't be so easy. As she hit enter to begin the game play, the game
disc started screeching inside the playstation. We both got up to see whats going on.

“Aw man!” Brooklyn huffed, “Of course the PlayStation would break at this exact moment.” She got up to turn of the console.

Before she could touch it the TV turned to static. I knew something was wrong. The tv went white and the buzzing grew louder.

“Unplug it from the socket! Quick!” I raced over to the wall socked and grabbed the plug. Electricity pulsed through my body. My body tensed and I couldn't move white light slowly covering my eyes. I felt someone touch my shoulder and the pain intensified. One final jolt of electricity before everything went white.