Atish'an's Story (DA:O Fanfiction)

Ch: One

The Dreamer

When Atish'an woke that night the light that shimmered through his splintered window was far too cool to be from the sun, and no air flowed in from the outside. There were no birds singing, nor people opening their doors and starting their tireless day. Atish'an laid still under his sheets the silence around him deafening, and it was only the coloured lights that danced around his walls, leaping and spinning to create patterns and stories that kept Atish'an mesmerized. This was not the boys first slip through the vail, in fact it was coming up to his third and each time the strange yet familiar world became unmistakably real. The first night Atish'an tried to scream but was met with only silence, the second night he sat up and tried to leave his bed but the icy floor made him cower back under the covers, however tonight was different, tonight this six year old was brave. 

Atish'an sat up the straw from his mattress pinching at his pale skin, he ran his hand over the place where his mother should have been sleeping but all that was there was an indent of her form. He laid over her shape and inhaled trying to catch a fragment of her being, only there was no scent, no warmth the only indication that she existed at all was the silhouette left behind. Atish'an rolled over his mothers side and to the edge, slowing pushing himself off the side and pressing his bare feet onto the wooden floor shuddering as ice seemed to shoot up his legs and into his spine. He stood still his bare feet firm against the floor as he let the ice take over him and seep into his soul, embracing it and becoming a part of the room. He took one step, and then another towards the dancing lights splattered all over the walls taking shape as animals, people and monsters. The coloured light flashed through Atish'an's eyes from the walls and played out scenes of adventure, scenes of love and scenes of horror. The boy was unable to tear his eyes away as stories played out in front of him, everything muddled together like hundreds of people trying to speak all at once. Atish'an took in a long deep breath so that his lungs were heavy as he reached over and placed his palm on the wall, all the light suddenly rushed towards his hand as though he were absorbing it into his skin and his body tingled, and burned through the sensation causing him to cry out and try and tear his hand away. 

The boys screams were drowned out by the whispered that flooded his mind, crying, begging, laughing all of it coming to him all at once. Some of the voices were strange and unfamiliar while others were close to his heart, Atish'an could hear this neighbour Alarith sobbing over his parents corpse, he could hear  the strange girl Shianni laughing as she ran in flower filled fields with the dalish, and he heard hear the Earl's son jeering at young elven children cleaning his floors. These events were happening yet at the same time they weren't, it was as though Atish'an was peaking into the minds and hearts of everyone around him, as though he were spying on their dreams. Atish'an managed to pull his hand away and he fell back, back down into his best as the rough sheets strangled him awake. The sun was blaring through the window and flies were buzzing around and landing on the droplets of sweat on his face. His trip has ended once again and the world of dreams was long gone, and yet his hand still tingled. 

'Ann are you all right? did you have another nightmare?' A slender elven woman with bright blue eyes and dusty blonde hair pulled back into a messy bun sat on the side of the bed, placing a hand on Atish'an's forehead. 'Are you ill? how are you feeling?' she asked her voice laced with honey. 

Atish'an leaned into his mothers touch and smiled up at her, his eyes reflecting hers. 'I was watching their dreams ma.' He stated. 

His mother's brow furrowed. 'What do you mean watching their dreams?' she asked. 

Atish'an sat up and took his mothers hand in his. 'Alarith, and Shianni everyone! I was watching them dream like I was there.' He mused as his mothers face only darkened. 'The walls whispered to me and shone bright like the shy! but without any sun.' He continued until his mother placed a hand over his mouth shushing the boy.