Arthion ran through the trees not caring that they cut his flesh with their sharp branches and thorns. He had been to the camp only to see that it had been destroyed by the black priests, those who lived either bead or fled. He ran to the Dalish camp that was hidden by a cliff, to there he hoped the surviving members of his clan lay hidden from the minions of the witch queen.

He reached a stone platform that looked into the land "thank the makers” he whispered for he saw a Dalish camp down of his clan.



A stone flight of steps led down into the camp which he now treed with eager feet to see how many members of clan now lived. He noticed as he descended that Alyan now approached him from below.



“Arthion” he cried with surprise when Arthion finished coming down the steps “I am surprised to see you alive and well my friend. Forgive me for what I did earlier, it was wrong of me and that I understand now.”



Arthion smiled “I am glad to see that your well too my friend and I forgive you. Now what has happened in my absence for I see that we have moved location?” Alyan’s look of happiness faded when he asked that question to him. To be replaced with a look of fear and worry.



“A few hours after you left us, a black fog rolled into the camp which was so dark and thick that it covered the light of the suns rays. Then they came, all in black robes so that they would not been seen until it was to late. They were led by that accursed dark angel of theirs” Arthion winced. If he had been their then it had been their own doing and not that of the queen’s as he only left the temple that was their own if he wanted to take souls, have some fun or he was personally summoned by Kalian.

Alyan gave him a cruel smile “yes he was their, if it was not for the keeper he would have taken my soul, if he had not been cut with a dagger by the keeper. We fled here taking as much as we can with us. I am sorry to you this but ... They found out about your sister gift.”



Arthion paled to hear that “what?” he asked, Alyan recoiled from him for a moment as he could sense his blood thirsty and murderous rage was a raising in him “we only noticed afterwards but they came and took your sister... I'm not sure it for some foul doing of black priests or the queen wants a new Dalish blood eagle”



With some directions from a nervous looking Alyan he entered the tent which contained the keeper. His eyes where closed, arms folded of his chest he seemed to be dead save from some few motions. “by the creators what did he do you? My keeper” the keeper turned his head towards him but his eyes where still closed.

“I saved Alyan but only to seal my own fate for when my cut hit my body felt like I slashed my own soul. Unfortunately I did not slay him for he escaped after I slashed him. I am sorry for what happened to your sister but I need you to see the seer child for she wants to see you especially” Arthion did not move “what will happen to you my keeper?” he asked. He coughed slightly before answering “my second, Marethari will take over as keeper after my death and soon after we may move on from the dales”

Arthion left him thinking that his clan the Sabrae clan, had been the biggest known Dalish clan until the many attacks of the queen’s forces had forced them to spilt the clan in two with Marethari leading them. They would join back up into one clan when the danger to them was stopped.



At a run Arthion entered the small building, which lived the seer child. For moment he stood their in silence until a voice echoed to him “well meet Dalish hunter.”



He looked around to see a blind girl looking at him though she seemed not see him due to her apparent blindness.

Many rumours and tales circled this child for her gift was that of foresight. She had foretold of the queen’s death and those of the people that she cared about who all had slain by the queen. Her name was Laurina, her parents where of a strange nature for her mother was the one that the queen processed to get near the prince for her father was Arthur himself. Given to the Dalish at the age of 4 after she had told the witch queen of her death and that her mother was killed by Vanessa.

“You feel of rage and hidden confusion my Dalish hunter” she told him “so tell me what makes you so like this.”




“It was beauty stuns me apart of you for the last I saw of you, you were but still a bade but now you are a fine young woman of beauty and splendour” she giggled “ah ha you charm me so for what I know will affect me so will cause harm to you maybe”. She swooned slightly before speaking for few charmed her so with such words of fanciful bless for she scared many boys of her age with her gift and her blindness.



Laurina blinked slightly before telling Arthion what she seen in the future when she spoke it seemed to him that the very wind had fallen silent to hear what she had tell. “The future of the nearest is dark for you. Darkness falls around and night shall be plunged into death for you will not be in time. For what happened with the queen’s plan succession well result in death and bloodshed. So is the future of your treachery” as she finished she rubbed her hands together to make her hands warm.



Arthion looked at Laurina with contained and silent fear for he knew what she truly meant that despite all their efforts they would ultimately fail. Their failure was foreseen and was unable to change that fate, that would slay all them.

“Then these can be cannot be changed with our original plan then ... In the shadow of the night. The queen shall breath her last” he started to run out not hearing what Laurina yelled after him “wait, wait the future can be” she fell silent realising that he could not hear her. She sighed and fell silent.



As he ran through the camp he noticed a lone elf with sitting on a log. He recognized her to be Saphira, he hoped he could keep his promise to her older sister. Saphira was one of the best hunters in the clan with her magical gift and her skills with a bow being of the highest skill. Thinking that she was protecting the clan he decided not to ask her or any of the other surviving warriors of their clan for their aid.

Arthion ran through the dark of the forest knowing where he needed to be to do what needed to be done. For he would not be stopped by either man or monster could stop his goal of bringing death to the hopefully still sleeping witch queen. For with luck, great skill she will be slain upon this night so her rain would end and her plan will succeed without anyone dying.

With those thoughts flowing like raging rapids he travel to Shadow Daine to slay the queen.