*Fireball exploded among the elves sending burning bodies and body parts flying in the air. Screams echoed in the ruins, "Fenedhis! kill the shemlen!" Arrows whistled through the air bouncing of his magical shield. Caius pulsated a hand of winter freezing all the elves solid close to him, a following energy pulse shattered their frozen bodies in thousands of glittering pieces. Dalish and city elves ran across the ruins firing arrows at him in a rapid pace.
Caius turned to face them calmly, a hemorrhage engulfed the attacking archers. Their screams of pain echoed in the ancient chamber for a moment, then died out as their bodies stopped twitching. More elves charged into the ruins from side tunnels weapons ready alerted by the sounds of combat.
"I am a Magister of Tevinter Imperium, kneel before me or die!" Caius shouted in a spell enchanted booming voice. Nazlik stood behind him sabres ready, eager to take on anyone getting close enough. Caius glanced her over his shoulder, "stay close, I need to clean this place".
The day had started well. He had taken her to yet another expedition behind the Eluvian. This time his idea was to try one of the Eluvians in the other side, a quick peek on the other side and then return. They had already done it once and found a collapsed chamber full of strange artifacts. They had taken as many items as they could carry with them.
Caius stood in the strange realm behind the mirror. He couldn´t stop wondering how strange and peculiar this place was. "I claim this place for Tevinter Imperium!" he suddenly yelled slamming his staff on the ground. Magical circle appeared below it glowing for a moment then disappearing.
"what was that for?" Nazlik asked curious. "I just felt like making my presence know, anyone with magical abilities can see my signature now. They know this place belongs to the Imperium now".
"Or you" Nakzlik said sarcastic. "Oh I intend to inform the Magisterium about this, in time, of course". He gazed around, "first I want to make sure there is nothing I can use for my own benefit".
He cast a spell and in distance some of the Eluvians he had touched in their last visit started to glow at different levels. "See that? Someone has been using those, some more, some less" Caius pointed at the mirrors with a smug look on his face.
"So we are going to follow who ever has been using them? What happened for being cautious?" Nazlik asked touching his shoulder concerned, "there can be something too dangerous even for you behind those mirrors".
"Don´t worry my love. I will protect you" Caius said smiling, "anyone trying to harm you will have to walk over my dead body". Nazlik poked him, "do not say that, not even joking". He took her hand reassuring, "you worry too much beautiful. What could go wrong?".
They walked closer to one of the mirrors that had glowed reasonably well. "Hmm... This seems to have been rather popular" Caius said contemplating, "lets try this one". "I hope you are right" Nazlik whispered.
He said the command word. While the Eluvian powered up he took her hand smiling, "here we go". One step took them through the mirror. On the other side Caius saw a huge ruined interior of some ancient temple. And it was full of elves, all staring at them. "Fasta vass" Caius cursed. Nazlik drew her sabres in haste, dropping her bag. Arrows flew at them in the air.
"Pathetic knife-ears" Caius muttered letting a volley or lightning bolts loose at the attacking elves. Lightning arcs jumped across the elves with a tremendous power burning and cutting limbs, carving holes into their bodies. Screams and cries filled the air. To finish up the result he cast a firestorm in the center of chamber. He swept couple of lone archers from the upper levels down into the fiery bombardment with well placed telekinetic bursts.
Caius stood there watching at the carnage with a cold smile. "Not even a challenge" he whispered in disdain. When firestorm died out he stood there for a moment to see if there was anyone left to challenge him. Only silence lingered in the ruins among the smoking bodies. "Well, that´s that then" he said turning to Nazlik, "shall we look around?". Nazlik glanced at the bodies and then whispered, "maybe we should just go back? They are all dead".
"Nonsense" Caius blurted, "I gave them a change. They decided to ignore it. Come my love, lets see what is in here". He walked through the rubble gesturing her to follow.
The destruction was thorough. Caius poked dead with his staff turning some of the around to see if there was anything worth noting. Then one of the bodies near the back wall moved wailing. He turned interested to see who it might be, "we have a live one here". Caius walked by the elf. Nazlik crouched sheathing her sabres and turned her around.
"Oh my, Briala!" Caius gasped with delight. "I have been dying to see you. And here you are! Of all the places!". He said with a sunny smile. Briala gazed upon him, "you.. how did you..?" she whispered.
"Let´s just say, I have my ways" Caius smiled. This turned out to be a good day after all. "Now that you are here, I want to invite you to my own tower. You have sent people to see me so it is only fair that I will give you a tour myself". He bent down with a cold smile, "we have so much to talk about".
Then a concerned look came upon him, "tsk tsk, you look ill. We can´t have you dying on us now can we?". He turned to Nazlik, "would you be so kind and fetch me a healing potion from your bag? She needs medical attention". Nazlik nodded and left for the Eluvian.
Caius was pleased with himself. A processed Briala would be a excellent asset to him. While he was contemplating of the possibilities something rustled in the doorway next to her. Caius turned to look.
His heart skipped a beat as the shock washed through him shaking him to the core. For a moment the world stopped spinning. All his strength seemed to be drained off him, he didn´t notice how his staff fell of his hand rolling on the floor. It could not be her. It was like she had stepped straight out of his memories, as fresh and young as ever. Golden hair tied in a knot, crystal blue eyes staring at him.
In the doorway stood Kalya, a bow in her hand arrow pointing at Caius. "Move away from her shemlen, if you want to live" she hissed. Those words flared up thousands of memories in him. He just stood there watching her. "I must be dead" was his first coherent thought.
"You! It is you!" Kalya gasped, "I.. I know you. I have dreamed of you...". She raised her bow aiming at him, "Who are you? Why do I feel like I know you?".
"Me... it is me.. Caius" he whispered after finally getting his voice back, "Don´t... don´t you remember me Kalya?".
"Kalya? Caius?" she said in wonderment. Her eyes opened wide and she fell on her knees grabbing her head. She screamed as the memories of her past life came rushing in like a powerful tidal wave.
Her life in the dalish clan. Capture by the slavers. A tower in Tevinter... and him, their love. Everything. Last moments. She remembered how she was dragged through the hallways by the Magister. "You will not take my only son away from me you filthy knife-year. You will die first" he hissed as he dragged her deeper and deeper in the catacombs of the tower. "Caius, help me!" she screamed desperately grabbing every corner to slow them down.
He dragged her into a small ancient chamber, there was a large stone table in the room. Surrounded by candles. Old dried up blood covered the table. Kalya screamed at the sight of it all. He cast a spell, it took the wind out of her. She just watched dazed as he lifted her on the table grabbing a dagger. "You can still serve me. Be proud, this will be best for him and you will help me to achieve it" the Magister said with a cold voice. He started chanting and raised the dagger. Kalya turned her head to the door, she could hear distant footsteps running towards them. "Caius" she whispered...
Pain ripped through her head. "What... what is this? Caius?" she turned to look at him tears falling down her face. "I saved you" Caius said with a silent voice. "I.. saved you".
"How is this possible?" Kalya gasped standing up, "I died? I died!" she screamed. "I brought you back... " Caius whispered looking at her gently.
"You?", she gazed upon him like she had finally noticed his presence. She remembered a bright eyed boy with a loving smile. This man standing before her had cold, so cold eyes. Long years had carved bitter veins in his face. A face that had seen many evil things happen over the years. Dark shadows seemed to linger around him. The boy she once knew was no longer.
"What did he do to you?" she gasped tears falling from her eyes, "what did he do?". She reached out to touch him but then pulled her hand back. "You are not Caius" she whispered, "what are you? He killed Caius and and you took his place, is that it? Demon!" she spit out the last words. Kalya bent down and grabbed her bow with trembling hands. She drew her bow. Caius took a step forward, "It is me.. Caius, it has been years. Don´t you remember me?" he spread his arms.
Arrow flew through the air, it struck Caius in his left shoulder. He looked at the arrow stunned. "Stay back demon!" Kalya hissed, "I will take her. Do not follow us". She bent down pulling Briala up. They slowly backed down to the doorway. Caius sat down dumbfounded.
Nazlik walked up the rubble. She heard a scream then someone talking. She assumed it had been Briala but as she approached she could see a elven woman supporting briala disappearing into a dark doorway. Nazlik started running pulling her saber. She saw Caius sitting in a pile of rocks arrow sticking in his shoulder.
"What happened?" Nazlik asked stopping by him. She gazed at the dark doorway. "Who was that? How was she able to take Briala?". Caius just sat there looking at her absent look in his face. "I need to take you out of here" she said pulling him up. Caius didn´t say a word while she walked him down to the Eluvian. Nazlik picked one of the black rocks from her bag and dropped it on the ground. "Maybe we will need this later" she tough, then she said the command word and took him through the mirror.
After the Eluvian died down a lonely figure appeared in the dark doorway leading to the large chamber. "I will destroy that demon" Kalya whispered, "I will find a way to let your soul to rest. Ir abelas, ma vhenan".*