I...should not be starting stories when I'm working on something else. Maybe I'll just make this a oneshot or something. Well, let's see what happens.
Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Age.
...
It started with a thought, as most things often do.
But before it was a thought, it was nothing.
Not even a barest hint of an idea yet.
It was not there.
Not yet anyway.
...
Once upon a time, there was a little girl.
She also started with a thought. A desire, a wish, from her parents' prayers. And on the third year of waiting, she was conceived. The only child of an eventually-loveless couple who had broken off their relationship after the woman was found pregnant with a child that didn't belong.
She was not expected.
She was not welcomed into the world.
She was shunned.
She was left to die alone in the dump.
Only strangers mourned the broken body of a child they never knew.
...
It started with a thought.
I am lonely, decides a demoness and watches through the Veil as a child is welcomed to the world. The tired smile on the mother's face was something she did not understand.
What is it like? The demoness thinks to herself. What is it like to have a child? What is it about babes that make their mothers happy so?
The demoness wonders and wonders and decides to ask a friend, or as close to a friend she can find.
"It is the relief from the pain of labor, is it not?" asks her sleepy sloth friend.
The demoness wonders some more but disagrees. It is not relief, she thinks, and so she looks for another answer.
"It is the release of the burden." states a pride demon disdainfully. The demoness thinks on it but disagrees once more. She looks for another.
"It is the liberation from the grip of fear, fear of dying in childbirth." says a fear demon factually. The demoness shakes her head and looks for another answer.
Each demon she asks, however, have no better answer. So she asks a spirit of wisdom.
The spirit looked confused at the inquiry but answers, "You will not understand unless you experience it on your own."
"Explain it either way." the demoness demands but the spirit shakes his head ruefully.
"You will not understand still." And the spirit disappears from view.
The demoness frowns and thinks.
"Perhaps," she says to herself, "I will get my own and understand."
...
What is the Veil?
The Veil is a metaphysical barrier that exists between the physical world and the Fade. Neither spirits nor mortal beings can easily pass physically through the Veil, but the consciousnesses of most mortal dreamers and all mages are a different matter, though it is only the mages who can arrive in the Fade consciously.
...
The demoness takes a lost little girl who died too young under her wing.
It does not take long for her to understand, and her realization changes her very being.
She is no demoness anymore. She is a spirit of motherly love and the change is quick.
The child learns and grows under the spirit. They bond and grow closer and where the Fade was once a lonely wasteland, it was now home.
She finds the spirit of wisdom and smiles.
"I have found my purpose." she says. "You were right. I do not think I would have understood it too."
The spirit only smiles in return and disappears as soon as it appeared.
...
It started with a thought.
I must survive my Harrowing, thinks the determined young mage.
I will kill all in my way.
...
The spirits were in the wrong place, in the wrong time.
"Demons!" cries the inexperienced young mage. "You do not deserve to live!"
The bolt hits the unaware demoness-turned-spirit at the back.
The little girl runs.
And she is lost once more.
...
The little girl wanders and keeps wandering, looking for the mother she left behind.
"Mama?" she calls. "Mama, are you here?"
She returns to where the mage last appeared.
He is different now. Older, more powerful.
And much more idiotic than he was before.
"You hurt mama!" was all the little girl said. Repeating it over and over again until the mage was swallowed whole by black fire and disappeared into ashes that scattered to the non-existent winds.
...
It started with a thought.
The little girl stares at the Veil.
I will be the Veil, thinks the girl. And Mama will not be hurt anymore.
No mages will hurt others, the little girl thinks as she feels her black fire.
I will be the Veil and I will stop them.
...
Time passes and the girl stands vigil.
Her black fire encompasses the Veil, hurting any who enter.
It is why mages do not dream.
They have nightmares instead.
...
The Veil is sometimes torn.
The little girl that is not so little anymore does not mind.
It is the demons and spirits that make the tear. She can mend it.
But when it is the mages.
It hurt.
...
The little girl is curious of the elf.
"You aren't a spirit." she blurts out.
The elf smiles and crouches, bringing his height closer to hers. "I am no spirit, but an elf, young one."
The little girl recognizes him. "You are often here." she says curiously. "Your magic is familiar."
"It was my magic that created the Veil child. The Veil which you are guarding so diligently." The elf says gently, sitting beside her in front of where the biggest tear was. "It is probably why you feel it familiar."
Then he must be very powerful, thinks the child. Perhaps he can mend the tear that appeared. The tear was recent, the child thinks, and it was the biggest that ever appeared.
The girl shakes her head sadly. "I cannot mend it." she points to the biggest tear. "I have mended the others but not that one. It is too big."
"The Breach is difficult to mend." The elf agrees. "Do not worry about it so. I will take care of it." And he pats her head much like how her mother did when she still existed.
"Will I see you again?" the girl asks when he makes to leave.
"Yes." he pauses. "If I may...I might call you into the physical realm." The elf says. "Is that alright with you?"
The little girl has never been where the mages are. "Yes." she agrees eventually.
The elf then leaves, but not without leaving his name.
Solas.
And the little girl returns to the Veil, still feeding her black fire to the remaining tiny tears.
Maybe, the girl thinks, Solas would like it if there were no tears left.
That sounded like a pretty thought.
I'm not entirely sure of what I made but I'm putting it up because it seemed like a shame to let it sit in my laptop. Thoughts anyone?