43 réponses à ce sujet

[Addai]

And now for some art!  This is my totally awesome commission work of Idun and Alistair from the wonderfully talented Payroo.  Kicking darkspawn ass with a smile on their faces, that's what we're all about. 




This drawing is not Idun, but a rendering of the artist's own Finn Mahariel.  However I love it so much and it looks enough like Idun that, well, here it is.  Props to all the talented artists who inspire us.

[Addai]

I am working on Idun's story and am going to finish!  Have three stories planned to wrap things up.

In the meantime, I uploaded another little story based on my Surana character, called Out of the Blue.

The description from ffnet:
"An aged templar, dying and lyrium-addled, receives an unexpected gift out of the past."

Modifié par Addai67, 04 août 2010 - 04:10 .

[Addai]

Updated.

"The Landsmeet brings a Dalish blood mage and the heir to the Fereldan
throne to a crossroads of the civil war, of the country's fate, and of
their love for one another."

Beware of mush.

[Addai]

Uploaded a story called The Wolf at the Edge of Camp.

Here's my preface note on it, which describes my take on the Dalish in general:

"As always, the world and character templates on which these  stories are based belong to BioWare. The lore of the Dalish elves is one area which in the game and novels are only lightly sketched. I color between the lines with impressions from Norse mythology, Native Americans, the Romani, and the Fremen of the Dune universe. Though I try to hew closely to established lore, I appreciate that others may interpret the Dalish differently. In this and my other stories, I have also taken a few small liberties with game events. The fun of writing fanfiction, for me, is to fill in things I missed during the game. This story represents a few of those things I missed.

Special thanks to Sandtigress for Dalish language suggestions, and to Sandtigress and SurelyForth for proofreading worth its weight in lyrium.  The poem that Idun recites to Alistair was inspired by the poem 'My Brothers' by Tchalai, about the Roma people. The seed for this story was not anything particularly elvish, however. It was, rather, the muster of the 'summer knights' in A Song of Ice and Fire.  Finally, a mature content warning.  This one dips into the sauce more than my previous pieces.  -A."

Some very appropriate screenshot inspiration for this story, thanks to the Improved Romance Scenes-Alistair mod by cmessaz.

Modifié par Addai67, 20 août 2010 - 06:09 .

[Addai]

Updated with story #10, called In the Dark.  Everyone's favorite dodgy fertility ritual offered by your friendly neighborhood swamp witch.

Story #11 will be the last and is already in the works.  Should be up this weekend!  *flaildance*

These last two are short and relatively mild in content so I'll post them here in the forum as well as on ffnet.

Modifié par Addai67, 20 août 2010 - 05:53 .

[Addai]

In the Dark


An ironbark dagger came out of the dark and caught Morrigan at her throat, bared from having an arm twisted back behind her. Neither woman move

"You thought to catch me unawares." Idun spoke close to her ear. "You overheard Riordan, I take it. Thought I would be too upset, too distracted to hear you skulking at my door, but you forget that I am Dalish. I know when I am hunted. I have been watching you for some time, Morrigan, and I know that your time is running out. Now we will finish this, whatever it is you came here to do."

"You are mistaken," Morrigan replied. Despite her usual bravado, the mage's voice was was edged with fear as the ironbark point rested on her skin. With a blade as sharp as this it would take only a light movement, even accidental, to cut her jugular. "Quite mistaken. I was in the hall, yes, but it is I who am distracted. If I was 'skulking, it was because of that. I only wish to talk. Can we do that? Or are you a murderer now, Warden?"

"Why not?" The Dalish woman's tone was cold. "Is this not what Flemeth has made us, you and me? She consumes life to feed her own, and that is what she taught me to do. We are both her daughters, in kind if not in flesh. I know what you want but I will watch you bleed before you get it."

Morrigan's lip twitched as though she would smile, but it didn't carry. "What is it that you think you know?"

"The darkspawn taint has power. You heard the Warden mage Avernus say it, but you already knew it before we met him. I have read the grimoire, Morrigan." Morrigan's eyes flickered with shock. When the Wardens came back from killing Flemeth, Idun had told her that they had not found Flemeth's grimoire, the book that held the secrets to the witch's power.  That had been a lie. The Dalish mage had been secretly studying the tome ever since. She had not worked out all the ciphers yet, not nearly all, but she was not going to tell Morrigan that. Besides, she had worked out enough that her suspicions had been confirmed

"The grimoire," Morrigan gasped, voice hoarse with tension as the knife point still rested on her skin. "But you said…"

"Neither of us has played our cards, Morrigan, but now we will lay them out. The grimoire speaks of the old gods.  The taint and the old gods are linked, one calls out to the other, and only Wardens can possess the taint and yet live.  So what is it to be? After we had done the work of gathering the armies, what was Flemeth's plan to get some Warden blood for herself? You possess me, mind control me? Use my life force or Alistair's to power some spell? And what do you hope to gain? I have overheard the friendly chats of the archdemon with his minions in my dreams, and I can tell you that he is not the sort who bargains with witches to augment their power. You and Flemeth should stick to demons."

Then something happened which was the last thing Idun expected. A tear formed at the corner of Morrigan's eye and, with a flicker of eyelash, began its course down the woman's cheek. In her surprise, Idun relaxed the blade a bit, and finally lowered it, releasing Morrigan's bent-back arm. The Dalish Warden remained wary, holding the dagger at ready, as Morrigan stepped away.

Modifié par Addai67, 21 août 2010 - 06:20 .

[Addai]

Morrigan brushed at the tear hastily. In the time it took her to slowly turn, her expression had hardened and her tone become bitter. "I see that have been an even greater fool than you are being now. I was surprised when you killed Flemeth even with no hope of reward. I had thought perhaps... Never mind, there is no time. You think the worst of me, I see, and that is your right. I can do nothing about that now.  In this much you are correct, Warden: I do seek an old god, I do want Warden blood for myself, and since the Orlesians will never make it in time, it must be Alistair from whom I take it."

"I will kill you first, I swear it. You will never…"

"A child! A child." Morrigan blurted out the words and they hung in the air a moment. "I want a child from him, nothing more."

The ironbark dagger clattered to an end table and then the silence was too thick in which to breathe. Finally Morrigan began to explain herself while Idun lit the fire in the hearth, all the while trying to make her mind follow yet another whiplash of emotions that this night had brought her. First Riordan had given them the news that a Warden must be sacrificed, body and soul, in order to kill the archdemon for good. Now there was this: A slim, crazy hope that felt more like despair.

"There must be another way," Idun replied, grasping.

"There is no other way."

"No.  No. You could… take the taint from me. Go find a soldier, anyone, there must be dozens who would sleep with you on a night like this. Get a child from him and then take the taint from me for its blood. The archdemon will seek out the child for its taint, but it needn't be a father's taint. I will not resist you, I will even help you. Surely with another blood mage…"

"Listen to yourself!" Morrigan shook her head and scowled. "You would dally about with Alistair's life, with your own life, and for what? Do you think that I am playing games, Warden?"  When Idun remained silent, her tone softened, reasoning. "You disappoint me, truly. You said that I had forgotten you are Dalish, but it seems to me that you have forgotten it. We are practical people, you and I. We know that survival is the only thing that matters. You are afraid of the battle as we all are, and you do not trust me, but do not let these things cloud your mind. It is one simple task:  Convince Alistair to lay with me. After the battle, I go. Neither of you follow.  You live as a hero, together with your love, and we put right what the taint did to an ancient power." There was a long pause, and the mage said earnestly, pleadingly, "This will work."

Idun sank into a chair and tried to make it all make sense. She had guessed that there would be a cost someday for what she took from Flemeth, but had been determined to take it on herself. When the witch had seen her and Alistair coming to her hut prior to Ostagar, she must have seen the opportunity then. It made sense now why she had saved both of them, not only Idun who was already indebted to and linked to her. If they went ahead with this, there would be a child in the world who was Alistair's but not hers. His child, if it lived, would become a pawn in Morrigan's and Flemeth's schemes more truly than she had ever been between Flemeth and her clan. Alistair's love for one night, Alistair's baby, his respect for Idun and for himself. It was so small a price, and yet it was everything. Morrigan was wrong. Survival was not all that mattered.

As through a fog, she heard her own voice speaking. "My keeper, Marethari, once had a dream about me. I stood before a great storm, held out my hand and the storm obeyed me. It did not destroy the clan, but I was taken up into it." Idun stopped and looked up. Morrigan was waiting, saying nothing, her eyes intent on the Warden. "What if the Creators will that I should die? What if this thing that must be done, to destroy the archdemon, is my fate?"

Morrigan's reply was a quiet appeal. "There will be other storms. Let this one pass you by. Or do you wish to risk that it might take up not only you, but your love as well?"

"I think it already has."

Modifié par Addai67, 20 août 2010 - 05:50 .

[Addai]

Idun was still hovering near Alistair's door ten minutes later. Eamon had given them separate rooms, though they had planned to spend the night in Alistair's. Meanwhile Morrigan waited in Idun's chamber for the outcome of this talk, if she could ever bring herself to do it. Idun could hear Alistair clattering around inside, removing armor and getting ready for bed. They had thrown back a darkspawn attack in Redcliffe only just that morning; a feint, as it turned out, for the movement of the rest of the horde towards Denerim. The Wardens and Eamon had made a strategic decision to wait one night to give the rest of their armies time to come up. The Fereldan and Orzammar forces, many weary from marching and battered fromtheir respective civil wars, also needed a last chance to rest. They would leave early, however.  Morrigan was right that there was little time tonight in which to ponder her options.

She had to get herself under control. When she approached Alistair, she must be resolute, calm, reassuring. The furthest thing from resolute or calm, Idun started up, and nearly ran into Zevran who had come up behind her.  The assassin moved quietly even when he didn't need to.

"Zev," Idun sputtered shakily, trying to smile. "How are you? I was just…" She fell silent with a vague gesture towards Alistair's door.

Zevran gazed at her appraisingly, eyebrow lifted. "You were just… falling apart, I think."

"Is it that obvious?" Idun's shoulders sagged. Alistair would see right through her and his defenses would be up in an instant. This would never work.

The Antivan smiled sympathetically and clasped her arm. "You are sorrowful," he judged, the warm accent of Antiva making even this word sound lush. "You have something to lose now, more than your own life. Once I might not have understood this, but I think now that I do."

In spite of everything, Idun smiled a little, but it vanished soon and anguish replaced it in her expression. "What do I do, Zev?"  There was no time to explain the details to him, but it was not the first time she had turned to her friend with this question. The former Crow always seemed to come up with something that made sense.

Zevran glanced from Alistair's door back to the Warden and paused. Finally he answered, "Do not trust to second chances. Regret lasts a long, long time, my dear Grey Warden."  Idun recognized that he spoke for himself as well as her.  Hesitating, she reached up and put her arms around him.  Zevran allowed it, even relaxed a little in it, but after a moment gently pushed her back. "Whatever you are looking for, carina, it is not found in hallways."

Modifié par Addai67, 20 août 2010 - 05:58 .

[Addai]

She lay motionless on her side in the dark, eyes closed. Every part of Idun's body ached with exhaustion, but sleep was far from her.  Silence hung over the bedchamber like an accusation. It felt like there was a weight on all her limbs, but this was only the paralysis of helplessness. There was no spell she could cast that would make this all disappear. There was no book to consult. No healing magic could take away the sickness in the pit of her stomach. She was the Warden; everyone looked to her for miracles, for action, but now there was simply nothing to do.

When he returned, he went to the washroom, saying nothing. Idun lay with her back to him, but listened as Alistair splashed water. She heard him sniffle once, then he seemed to hesitate, lingering longer than he had to. Finally he came to the bed and slipped in beside her, lying lightly against her back though barely touching.  After another moment his arm reached across her, and he carefully placed his hand over hers on the bed. He was shaking. She could feel the heat of exertion on his skin, which told her that it was done.  A soft, anguished noise escaped her throat. This stirred Alistair and he moved closer behind her, pressing his face into her neck and kissing it. It only made the hurt worse. He was trying to comfort her?

Idun tried to reach for something to say that would ease them both: Tell him how relieved she was that he had done it, how sorry she was for having asked him, how afraid she was that they would die in the battle anyway and that she had made him do this thing for nothing, on a night that should have been theirs alone.

"Thank you," she whispered through tears, turning her palm up and clasping the hand that covered hers. It was all she could think to say.

In pre-dawn they both awoke from the clatter of movement of soldiers and servants in the courtyard below their window, preparing for the day's march. Though they would have to move soon themselves, they lay quietly for a while, putting off the moment when they would have to don armor and be warriors, be war leaders. Neither spoke. For Idun, the fear of what lay ahead was mixed with the shame of the previous night. Much as she wanted to think it just a bad dream, it was not, and it was between them now. Therefore she murmured in surprise when Alistair turned and began to slide up her sleep shift. She had thought he might never want to touch her again, let alone on the very night she had sent him to another woman.

He pressed his mouth to her ear and whispered hoarsely,  "Please, one last time. We might not have another chance." Idun gave in readily, with a mixture of relief and sorrow. She wondered if he was trying to erase the memory of the other. They were tender, careful at first, though in the end the fear that they might lose one another gripped them both and mimicked passion.

When they had finished and lay quietly again, the morning grey had begun to fill the room. Some of the hurt was gone simply because they had been able to hold one another again and remind each other of what they had to live for. Morrigan was right that compared to her darker suspicions about what Flemeth could ask of her, the ritual was not the worst thing. It at least gave them all a chance at something better. Maybe it would work out. Regardless, it was done now. As she and Alistair rose and prepared for battle, other thoughts receded and Idun found herself fixed on one: Whatever Morrigan had done, Creators please just let it work.


-End-

Author's note:  This story relies heavily on the comic The Revelation, writen by David Gaider and illustrated by aimo.  Aimo's other works about the Dark Ritual also provided inspiration.

Modifié par Addai67, 20 août 2010 - 06:01 .

[Addai]

Updated!  Final story, entitled The Coming Storm.

Thank you to all who have been reading, and for the great feedback here and on ffnet.  It's been a lot of fun writing this!!!  Though I've been a Tolkien abuser for a while, I have to blame the nuts on the Alistair gush thread for introducing me to DA fanfiction.  This particular story includes a little smooch to the guys in the Morrigan fan thread, as well.

Since it's short and G-rated, I'll copy the text below.

Modifié par Addai67, 21 août 2010 - 06:48 .

[Addai]

The Coming Storm

Author's note: Dragon Age and its wonderful characters are all BioWare's. Thank you to the BW writers for giving us this playground. I should probably apologize to you for all my crimes of fanfiction. A heartfelt thank you as well to all who have read, reviewed, and/or sent nice messages on BSN, and to my ever-patient fanfic therapists who have previewed some of these stories. You make the effort and degradation worth it. Oh, and I have taken a few liberties with game events in this one. Flemeth made me do it! -A.

****

The fires were still burning, burning. They made an eerie reflection in the pools and rivulets of blood that had turned the streets to rust-colored mud. Idun had to brace with her mage staff to keep from slipping in it.  Slowly she made her way back down the slope of Fort Drakon, wondering where all the soldiers were. There were also no corpses. There had been bodies on the way up, lots of them. And where were Alistair and the others? Perhaps they had already made it back to safety, to the army camps outside the ruined city.  She would have to make her way back alone.

Idun turned a corner and emerged from the heaps of ruined, smoking buildings onto a featureless plain. It stretched as far as eye could see, with one narrow track that led from the city out across to the horizon. A lone figure stood leaning against a charred tree some distance down the path. As Idun got closer, she recognized her.

"Morrigan."

The dark-haired woman turned, looking unsurprised. "Warden. I had hoped you would pass this way."

Idun stopped in front of her and looked around, brow knit in confusion.  Finally, recognition came. "We are in the Fade."  Morrigan nodded to confirm this, and the Dalish elf's confusion turned to real worry. "What are we doing here? Where are we? In the physical world, I mean."

"I am somewhere safe enough and well away from the rest of you.  You…" Morrigan stopped to look at her appraisingly. "I am not sure. Do you remember nothing of the battle?"

Idun shook her head and looked around again, back to the echoes of a ruined Denerim that her mind had created here in the realm of dreams and spirits. "Am I dead?"  She dreaded the answer. This was certainly not how she pictured the afterlife, but perhaps the Creators had forsaken her.

Modifié par Addai67, 21 août 2010 - 05:59 .

[Addai]

Morrigan straightened and regarded the Warden once more, carefully.  "I think not, but we both know that it is not wise to wander here too long. You were not badly injured when I left, yet 'tis possible that something happened to you when you took the final blow on the archdemon."

"I killed the archdemon?" Idun asked, relief and shock mingling. She let this idea sink in for a moment. "It's over, then? We defeated the Blight! But… wait, what about Alistair? Is he alright?" Panic gripped her as pieces of memory began to drift back, Alistair calling to her but not able to reach her.

"Apart from blubbering over you, he was fine when last I saw him," Morrigan replied. Idun's body went slack with relief. "It was all quite exciting, Warden, 'tis a pity that you don't remember. The archdemon, sensing that its life was in peril from our attacks, used its last strength to flap to a part of the rooftop that was cut off by a collapsed floor and rubble. It must then have called all the remaining darkspawn in the area to defend it.  We were close to being overwhelmed. The only chance we had was to kill the archdemon itself, so you shifted into a wolf…"

"I remember!  Now I remember. We could not reach the archdemon, but as a wolf I was able to leap across the divide," Idun recounted. "I was running out of mana and had no lyrium, however. Someone put a paralysis spell on the archdemon…"

'Twas I in fact," Morrigan confirmed with a smile. "I did what I could, though we were all hard pressed and I had little power myself any longer. The arrows of your Dalish hunters also helped keep the dragon at bay. You called for a sword. Alistair squawked and dithered about, not wanting you to take the final blow. When he finally realized that he wasn't going to be able to sprout wings himself, he saw sense and tossed you the sword."

"And I struck the dragon's head," Idun finished. After that, she remembered nothing more. All had gone black.

Morrigan nodded. "Once the archdemon was dead, the darkspawn minions were thrown into confusion and it was child's play to defeat them. 'Twas all very heroic, truly. I am sure the Orlesian girl is writing songs about it as we speak." It was remarkable that even in the Fade, Morrigan could execute a perfect eyeroll.

The two women fell silent a while and the only sounds were the breeze on the plain that pulled at their hair and cloaks, and the crackle of rubble fires behind them. Finally Idun turned and regarded the other mage, eyes flicking to her belly. It was as slim as ever, yet unless Idun had been in the Fade for very long indeed, there would be no telltale yet. She asked quietly, "Did it not work, then? If I am here in the Fade, does that mean you did not get what you wanted?"

Modifié par Addai67, 21 août 2010 - 06:39 .

[Addai]

Morrigan paused a beat, seemed to check her response before she gave it, perhaps considering giving no answer at all. Finally she did reply.  "It did work, as I told you it would. 'Tis possible that in striking the blow, however, that something… happened to you. You were not destroyed in the process, but I believe that the soul of the old god may have passed through you first before it moved on."

Idun absorbed this information. It meant that she was unconscious, her spirit having taken some kind of trauma that was short of death. Morrigan had said that when the soul of the old god entered the baby (Alistair's baby, she recalled, and quickly brushed the thought away), the child would be changed. If that was so, then in passing through Idun, the old god could have changed her somehow, as well, possibly forever. Her eyes scanned the bleak landscape about her and Idun began to be truly afraid. There were dark clouds on the horizon that seemed to be gathering around them, closing in on the wide-open space of the plain.

"You gave me back the grimoire." Morrigan's voice brought Idun out of her thoughts. The elf hesitated, then nodded, remembering. Before they marched on Denerim, she had given Flemeth's tome back to Morrigan. "Why did you do that? You could have kept it for yourself. I would have done the same in your place. If you were able to read it, you could have used it."

"I was tempted," Idun admitted. "I have my own reasons for wanting to increase my power, not least because Flemeth will no doubt be hunting me now and not only you. If I can find my way back, that is. I gave it back to you because I decided that I no longer wanted anything from Flemeth, not at any price. And because… because it's yours. I am sorry that I lied to you, Morrigan. You kept things from me, as well, but about the ritual, there you obviously were telling the truth. Thank you for that."

There was a slight tremor in Morrigan's expression before she got it under control and replied brusquely, "You are welcome."

They fell silent again. Idun glanced up at the dark clouds in the sky, watching them for a time before she spoke again.  "You did not find me simply by chance, did you? You came here looking for me."  As their eyes met again, Idun knew it was true. "But how did you find me? In all the Fade, how in Mythal's mercy…" She stopped, considering. The archdemon had passed through Idun, affecting her somehow in the process, and then had gone into the baby in Morrigan's womb. If the old god had changed her, then perhaps something of her was left to the old god, as well.  Her tone sober, she gave voice to her suspicion. "We are connected now, aren't we, the four of us? You, me, Alistair, and the child. That is how you found me here."

Modifié par Addai67, 21 août 2010 - 06:42 .

[Addai]

Morrigan made no reply for a moment, but eventually a smile touched her lips. "'Tis possible, yes. And I allow that the thought is not entirely an unpleasant one. You are too valuable a person to be left floundering in the Fade." Her expression and tone grew firm as she added, "Yet I must insist again that when you find your way out of here, neither you or Alistair attempt to search for me. You gave me your word and I expect you to keep it."

"I gave you my word. Don't give me any cause to regret it, and we have a deal. But, what will you do now? Where will you go?"

Shaking her head, Morrigan replied, "That is not your concern. Truly, 'tis better this way, Warden. We both do what we must.  Do not worry for me.  Whatever will happen to you, my story is not yet at an end."

"Fair enough." Idun regarded her uncertainly. The memory of seeing Morrigan as a child at Flemeth's hut came back.  They had both been the same age.  The two mages were not so different, as it turned out. The abomination had a long reach, and what could a child do against it? Idun realized that Morrigan had never known freedom her whole life, and now that she had it, she would be entirely alone. Quietly she spoke up again. "If you ever do need us, find me this way again and we will do what we can to help you."

The human mage seemed unable to speak, though the emotion in her expression was plain. Finally she cleared her throat and looked up at the darkening sky. "'Tis time for you to go now, Warden.  Your memories are returned, your sense of self. There should be nothing holding you here any longer."

Idun followed her gaze to the storm clouds and then looked around her.  Not knowing how she had gotten here in the first place, she had no idea where to go. Thunder rumbled above them. The Dalish Warden's mind turned to her keeper's dream. Marethari had dreamt that Idun would hold back a great storm but be swallowed up by it herself.

The same thought must have occurred to Morrigan, because she clicked her tongue and snapped, "You are not thinking of that silly dream again, are you? You are all such fools, running off to save everyone but yourselves. And you with your portents!  Alistair's fate was not determined on such a basis, was it? You let him choose his own path.  Me likewise you have given a chance for freedom. So what will it be for you now, Warden? A pointless death?"

Idun smiled wryly. "I suppose not."

"I should think not. And hurry along. I cannot imagine the pathetic scene that Alistair must be making by now."

After a pause, Idun moved towards the woman and reached out. She had thought first only clasp Morrigan's arm, but went further, embracing her. The human mage was stiff as a board but did lift her arms awkwardly, and eventually she softened a bit. When Idun stepped back, both had moisture in their eyes. "Thank you, Morrigan. Be well, and be careful."

"You likewise, my... my friend. Live gloriously."

Idun turned and after looking this way and that, started back into the ruined city. It had begun there, and she hoped that there she might find a way back.

Modifié par Addai67, 21 août 2010 - 06:45 .

[Addai]

When her eyes opened, there were others in the room, but Idun saw only Alistair next to her. He sat at the edge of the bed, head bowed, clasping her hand.

"Alistair."

His head shot up. "Oh, thank the Maker."  Tears sprang from eyes already bloodshot and ringed with dark circles.  Leaning over her, he kissed her frantically and gasped, "I thought I had lost you. Maker, I thought I had lost you."

Idun reached up with her free hand to brush at his cheek. They smiled at one another, then laughed with relief and joy, then kissed again, then laughed some more. It was over. Against all odds, the Blight was ended and they had both survived. She brought Alistair's sword-hardened hand to her lips and kissed it gently before lowering it to her belly. "I'm fine, my love," she assured him. "I got lost for a while, that's all.  But I had some help from a friend."


-End.

***

Author P.S.: The premise about the effect of the archdemon on a Warden was based on comments made by Dragon Age lead writer David Gaider in the BioWare Social Network forums. When asked if a Grey Warden was needed to kill the archdemon even if the Dark Ritual had been performed, Mr. Gaider replied that a Warden was still needed, and that the writers' thought had been that the soul of the archdemon must first pass through the Warden who makes the killing blow. -A.

Modifié par Addai67, 21 août 2010 - 06:18 .

[FutileSine]

Ooooh....I love interesting takes on how the ending occurs, and this is definitely one of the most unique ones I've seen!



Also, I love how the image of "the coming storm" was a common motif, at least through this chapter and your previous one (I came to this story late, so I can't comment on earlier references.) It really helped to bring the two chapters together.



And thanks for the author's note on DG's reply about the killing of the archdemon - 'tis good to know!

[Addai]

FutileSine wrote...

Ooooh....I love interesting takes on how the ending occurs, and this is definitely one of the most unique ones I've seen!

Thank you!    Glad you enjoyed it.

Also, I love how the image of "the coming storm" was a common motif, at least through this chapter and your previous one (I came to this story late, so I can't comment on earlier references.) It really helped to bring the two chapters together.

The thing about the storm dream came up in Threats and Promises.  Basically, it was what moved Marethari to choose Merrill as her first rather than Idun who had been trained as a mage for that purpose all her life.  Marethari came to believe that Idun's fate was to be as a guardian of the clan and didn't want her to have the responsibilities of a keeper.

[Yankee23]

Great work! I like the way you worked in Idun's back story (and the liberties you took) throughout the series, it gave the character a depth beyond what's learned in game from the origin. Excellent!

[Addai]

Yankee23 wrote...

Great work! I like the way you worked in Idun's back story (and the liberties you took) throughout the series, it gave the character a depth beyond what's learned in game from the origin. Excellent!

Thank you for the read and the nice comments!