Dragon Age Campfire Tales

Magic

Note: This chapter fits better before Dreamscape but when I was typing up I missed this one as it's really short.  

Thank you to those who are reading these stories, I hope you are enjoying them.  Feedback is always welcome.   Anyway, on with the story...

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The Tower of Magi.  Lyna had heard of it from traders when she was growing up with her Clan.  She had learnt how the Shems and city Elves locked anyone who showed magical potential up in the tower because they were scared.  The thought of being locked in a tower of stone, not being allowed out into nature terrified the young Dalish.  Not that some of the other Dalish Clans were much better.  Keeper Marethari had told her once that many Clans would have no more than three or four magic users at any time, their Keeper, their first and second and occasionally one other.  Anyone else with magical potential were given a back and sent out to either find a Clan that would take them or to survive on their own.  Thankfully,  her own Clan didn't do this.  A good number in the Sabrae Clan had magical gifts which they were all training in but were also training in other areas too.  Many that had joined Clan Sabrae had been sent out from other Clans to find their own way.   

Though she preferred to use her bow and daggers Lyna herself was fairly strong in nature magic, though she was somewhat adept in fire and ice.  Keeper Marethari had wanted her to train as her first but she had always been drawn to the forest, preferring to train as a hunter instead.

Lyna had encountered one other Clan who were like hers in their view of magic, Clan Lavellan.  It had been when she was a child and her Clan had travelled for a short time in the Free Marches.  Lyna had had an argument with Ashalle and had run off into the forest, eventually getting lost.  When she had set up a small camp later and started her fire with magic to keep her warm she had been discovered by a hunter of Clan Lavellan who thought she had been sent away from her Clan due to her Magic.  They had taken her to their Keeper who had then welcomed her.  Once she had explained what had happened they helped return her to her Clan.  Since that day both Clans kept in contact and shared any information they gathered and occasionally some new members went from one Clan to the other. 

The small group had left Redcliffe two days previous and the closer they got to the Tower the more nervous she became. Since leaving her Clan to join the Grey Wardens Lyna had been extremely careful not to let anyone know about her gifts and tried to use only use them when she was sure she was on her own.   She knew that she would have to use her magic as she had seen what happened if you tried to contain it.  A young Elven boy who had joined her Clan had thought that if he didn't use his magic he could go back to his father's Clan.

Unfortunately the boy had been very strong in fire magic and one night as he slept he had lost control and burned down the Aravel he was inside.  Three of the Clan had been seriously injured and one died trying to save him.   The young Warden enjoyed her magic too much to try to contain it and risk everyone.  Lyna had been raised to accept her magic and she found joy in her gift.  After meeting Morrigan she realised that it wasn't only some Elves that believed magic was a gift.  She felt a kind of kinship with the Witch of the Wilds.  Morrigan was not afraid of her own magic and was also not afraid to be herself.  Knowing this the Dalish had decided that she would not take Morrigan into that Tower.  If the Templars found out about her magic she might be protected by her Warden status but Morrigan.  That was another story.  She would not risk the Witch to those Mage hunters.  

Trying to calm her racing heart she sat down by the campfire and added another log, sending a few embers up into the night sky.  Though they were only a few hours out from the Towers dock night had started to fall and so the group agreed to continue on in the morning.  Th Qunari,  Sten, and the Bard, Leliana,  were both asleep, as were the trader and his son, Bodahn and Sandal.  Morrigan was just curling up under her blanket and Lyna knew it wouldn't be long until she joined the others in slumber.  The Human Grey Warden, Alistair,  was patrolling the perimeter of camp as he had drawn the first watch.  He had been fairly quiet since they left Redcliffe,  no doubt concerned about the Arl.  This was one of the reasons they were making their way towards the Tower, to ask for help freeing the Arl's son from a Demon.

This whole situation gave her a headache.  Lyna wasn't even going to pretend that she understood why Shems and city Elves feared magic to the extent of forcing Mages to be locked away.  In her opinion, locking them away and having them constantly watched under threat of death was what caused many of the situations their Circle faced.  It was certainly this fear that had caused the situation in Redcliffe.  The Arlessa had noticed that her son was beginning to show signs of magic and so, not wanting her son taken away, had looked to hire someone outside of the Circle to teach him in secret.  Loghain had sent a Mage only he had also been ordered to poison the Arl.  The young boy had then made a deal with a Demon to save his father.  

Knowing that tomorrow she would be within those stone walls made the young Elf shiver violently.  Suddenly she felt a weight fall across her shoulders and a warmth wrap around her.  Alistair then appeared beside her and sat down, removing his gauntlets.  Feeling a little calmer with him nearby she snuggled more into the blanket, nodding her thanks to the Warrior. He nodded and gave her a small smile in return before taking out his whetstone and started sharpening his sword.  

Even though no words were spoken Lyna felt more relaxed and calm.  Laying down on her bed roll next to the fire she let the sounds of the whetstone scraping across the blade and the crackling of the fire lull her to sleep.  As she drifted to the Beyond she knew that one day she would have to tell her companions about her magic, but not yet.  Right now wasn't the time, there was too much happening.  As sleep finally claimed her she let all her worries go.  Tomorrow would be alright, as long as she had Alistair and her friends with her.