Dragon Age Inquisition: The Legacy of Dorian Pavus

73: Reunion

Nathaniel

I still didn't quite understand what we were doing, but I had no time to consider the matter. As soon as I closed my eyes we were transported into the Fade. I blinked and looked at Feynriel, knowing as I did that I wasn't truly blinking my eyes and I banished the thought. Thinking about where I was in relation to what I was seeing wasn't going to help right now.

"Now what?" I asked him.

"Follow me." He said, heading off in the same direction he faced. "I can sense a piece of Dorian just ahead."

Wordlessly, Dorian and I fell into step behind him. We walked only a short distance before Feynriel came to a stop beside what looked like a small clearing. Looking past him, I gasped aloud at what I saw. Dorian, or at least a part of him was there. I wasn't sure what to call it but I didn't like what I saw.

He'd been stripped of all his clothes, save for his breeches. His eyes were hidden behind a blindfold, his wrists bound and shackled to a nearby tree. My heart pounded at the sight of his vulnerability and I was frozen with horror.

"Now what?" I whispered, hearing my voice break.

"Dorian. You must claim the part of you that feels weak and inadequate."

"How exactly?" He asked, his voice filled with more fear than courage at what he saw.

"Merge with what you see before you and trust that you are enough."

"You mean strip to my underclothes and stand there helpless?"

"Yes." Feynriel nodded. "You must in order to reclaim your lost parts."

"I don't think I can do that."

"Yes you can Dorian." I said, tearing my eyes away from the vision before him to meet his gaze. "I'm here with you. Draw on my strength."

"I..." Dorian stammered, his eyes returning to his exposed self and back to Nathaniel's. "Alright. I'll... try."

Stepping into the clearing, he stripped down to match the vision before him. My heart pounded as I watched him. I'd had no idea his feelings of inadequacy ran so deep as to become trapped here. He hesitated only a moment before stepping behind his memory self, closed his eyes and merged into it.

I waited, watching to see what would happen. I wanted to go to him, but Feynriel only shook his head at me. "Wait Inquisitor."

After a moment, Dorian began to tremble and then the chain holding him to the tree disappeared. He trembled again and the shackles on his wrists fell away and he lifted his arms, removing the blindfold as he did. His eyes met mine as he tossed the blindfold away and smiled at me.

"Amatus." He said and it was all I needed to hear before I was in his arms, kissing him.

"Dorian." I whispered against his lips. "Are you all right?"

"Much better now." He said, smiling at me.

"Very good." Feynriel said, joining us. "Retrieve your clothes Dorian. There is another part to recover."

When he was ready, Feynriel once more led us onward. This time we found a part of Dorian crouched on the top of a tall tree stump, surrounded by a pack of snarling wolves.

"Maker's breath." I whispered. "How do we retrieve this one?"

"Imagine yourself being the one on top of that tree stump."

"And then?" He asked, his voice wavering.

"Then it is up to you and the Inquisitor. You must conquer this fear. It isn't yours and it doesn't represent the one you think you see through the illusion. Don't worry, you will succeed here."