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.
'Hush now Ann don't speak of these things, this sounds like fade magic and you can't talk about that here.' She said with a firmness to her voice.
Atish'an frowned. 'Why?' He asked.
His mother couldn't help but sigh at her sons innocence and naivety, and she offered him a weak smile pulling the child against her. 'If you talk like that people will think you have magic, and you know what they do to children with magic don't you?' She asked.
Atish'an nodded his nose crinkled at the thought. 'They take em away.'
'You don't want to be taken away do you?'
Atish'an teared up at the thought and shook his head aggressively. 'No! no ma' I want to stay here with you forever.' his mother laughed although the sound was soft before she picked him up and carried him off the bed to a small table in the middle of the room where a bowl of mush sat steaming.
'Eat up Ann and no more talk of dreaming, we have work to do today.' She said as she placed the child down in a wobbly wooden chair.
Atish'an nodded as he began to spoon tasteless goop into his mouth rocking on the chair that was dangerously close to collapsing under his weight. His mother sighed placing one hand on the back of his chair and the other on his shoulder, her eyes clouded and her brow furrowed. This was now the third time her son had mentioned something strange about his dreams and everyone knew that was the first sign. She might not have worried so much if he hadn't also said that he was speaking to his father a few months ago, a man that had been dead since Atish'an was only three. She whispered a short pray to the maker as her son finished off the last of his food licking the bowl before pushing it aside an jumping off the chair smiling brightly up at her, and she smiled back placing her hand on the top of his head. There was no way a someone so sweet and pure could be corrupted by a demon, and so if the boy ended up a mage she would hide him, keep him close and make sure no one could take him from her.
'Ready to get to work my love?' Atish'an's mother asked.
'Ready!' The boy replied.
Atish'an radiated such a pure energy that his mother found it hard not to laugh and smile along with him, even with times so hard he managed to be a shinning beacon that would lighten the Alienage. Atish'an opened the door while his mother carried out a large basket fill of washed and dried clothes. Unlike many other elven women left without their husbands she managed to keep herself afloat with a business, and it may not have been the most glamorous thing but it was enough to keep a roof over her and her sons head in those hard times. The woven basket was heavy and blocked her view as they walked to the side of the house, Atish'an holding her shirt to lead her to the wash basket and clothes line. She set the basket down in a small pull kart placing he hands on her hips, the basket was almost too big and if pulled to fast they were going to fall out.. it may be better if she delivered them herself but if she did she would have no time to wash the basket of dirty ones sitting still in the house. She glanced down at Atish'an who was staring up at her beaming and practically bouncing in place, and she smiled softly. Ever since he had been able the boy was so willing and eager to help her, she often wished he didn't have to, that he could just go off and play with the other children, but alas there world was not so simple and with his recent nightmares that may have just been a good thing.
'Remember the route? take all the clothes to each house and make sure they give you a copper when you do.' She said.
Atish'an nodded enthusiastically. 'I remember! it's okay I can do it ma.' Atish'an replied taking a hold of the karts handle. The wooden kart came up to his waist and with the basket inside it towered over the boy and wobbled slightly as he pulled it through the mud. The wheels squelched as they left a trail behind them and the sides trembled as though struggling to keep everything inside. Atish'an's mother stared down with worry as her boy struggled to pull the kart out of a particularly stubborn area of mud but there was little choice in how they could run this business.
'Be careful.' She said.
Atish'an scoffed tugging the kart out of a particularly stubborn puddle of mud. 'I, I got this ma.' He stated grunting as strained to pull the kart to a dryer area and letting out a relieved sigh once the wheels moved how he wanted them to. 'Don't worry so much.' He added smiling over at her. His mother shook her head but found it hard not to let his smile infect her as she waved him off turning to go back inside for the clothes she still needed to wash for the day.
The sun had barely risen and the streets of the Alienage were already bustling with activity, workers were heading off into the city, couriers were running off to send their messages and all those left without a job were getting ready to set up in the streets and either beg or preform for what little coin humans would offer them. However some elves were still in their homes, wives who took care of things while their husbands worked in the city, teenagers and children who have yet to have a job. Those were the people that Atish'an delivered to, the only elves that could afford to have someone else clean for them and the only reason his mother had a decent job. As Atish'an pulled his kart along the street he was passed by other children running by and playing with bare feet and dirt in their hair, this sight caused him to pause as they ran together laughing and his chest tightened until he remembered his mother, knowing well that she was kneeling in the dirt scrubbing clothes, after clothes until her hands were red and blistered. That image was enough for the boy to push on every day for hours through the blistering sun, or ravaging winds, or even piercing rain. For his mother Atish'an was willing to do anything, she was all he had and made up the child's entire world.
By early noon Atish'an had given back most of the clothes in his basket, and had a hefty bag of copper to show for it however the sun was unforgiving and he had started to sweat through his shirt and his hair was sticking to his face. The only upside to the heat was that the mud had dried enough to pull the kart easily, but that didn't stop his feet form burning as he walked. And so as the heat beat down on him he sought out an ounce of shade under the vhenadahl, taking a few moments to himself that he would likely not get until the day had ended. As he lent against the tree taking in the cool breeze that danced through the branches a strained chirp reached his ear. The boy looked down and beside him was a small brown bird only just learning to use it's wings, the creature was laying, panting it's let twisted the wrong way. Atish'an's chest tightened at the sight as he stared down at the little bird, and above he could hear the distressed chirps of it's family almost deafening to the ear. Without thought Atish'an picked up the little bird and cradled it close to his chest, his eyes soft and hands warm. The bird weighed almost nothing and he could feel how fragile the poor creature was, and it opened its little black eyes staring up into his blue ones. At that moment it was as though he could hear it's thoughts, it's pleas, as though the bird was asking, no, begging him for help. A warmth radiated from within Atish'an and his limbs started to tingle as a soft blue light travelled over his arms and out through his hand enveloping the bird, a similar light to what Atish'an had seen in his dreams. Once the light faded the bird was sitting up in his hand looking around as though confused, it looked around and shook it's leg before chirping loudly and flying off back up to the nest in the tree. Atish'an watched wide eyed unable to pull himself away from that moment, that was until a gasp came from in front of him.
'You used magic!' an Elven child Atish'an had seen around stood there pointing at him. The child was a little older than Atish'an and his clothes didn't fit him well.
'No I didn't!' Atish'an stated standing up from his point.
'You did! I saw it!' The boy shouted and Atish'an flinched looking around. People in the street had started to stop, stare and whisper to each other and his mothers words rang loudly in his head. /They'll take you away/
'Did not! you're a liar!'
'Am not! I saw it! you is a mage!' the boy stated louder than before and some of the adults nearby started to walk over to them.
'I ain't! I ain't!' Atish'an shouted as a surge of warmth flushed through his body and into his finger tips.
'Is! is!' The boy repeated, and an adult elf came over kneeling boy Atish'an.
'Did you use magic boy?' the elf asked. Atish'an panicked, and his body trembled as he shook his head and took several steps back until he bumped into the tree. The sensation of something against him startled the boy and a blue shock of energy left his hands making everyone around them scream and move away. 'Careful boy you'll let a demon in!'
Atish'an shook his head again. 'I won't! I ain't a mage!' He shouted before running off past the adult, past the boy leaving his kart behind as he darted for his house. Everyone he passed stared, pointed or screamed as Atish'an ran past them into his mothers arms. The women was shocked at the sudden appearance of her boy looking off behind him and seeing the commotion.
'What happened love?' She asked pulling the child close.
'They saying I'm a mage! I ain't ma! I ain't' Atish'an sobbed into his mothers chest and her arms tightened around him as her face paled.
'It's alright... it's alright love.... it'll be alright.' She whispered picking the child up and running into their house, slamming the wooden door behind them and leaving her work unfished in the dirt.
*I hope you enjoy my unedited fanfiction of my favourite game, the first few chapters will follow Atish'an through his childhood however it will end up going into the game when he is an adult*