InsaneJournal

WHO: Alistair Theirin & The Fade
WHAT: Alistair was sure there would be no temptation that he couldn't resist. Unfortunately, he doesn't know the whole truth, and that's not something he could have anticipated.
WHERE: The Fade/Alistair's Apartment
WHEN: Evening
RATING: PG
STATUS: Narrative; COMPLETE

Alistair was slowly getting used to his new circumstances. He'd managed, at least, to stop randomly spurting the abilities at anything that came anywhere close to his hands, and his concentration had been able to focus enough to ease the worst of Anders's hangover. It wasn't much, but it was certainly a decent start when he'd only been a mage for a handful of days. The most harrowing parts, pun completely unintended, didn't come during the waking hours. Alistair was used to bad dreams, his thoughts over the last few years having been plagued by visions of the Archdemon, but these were far more frightening. Fears, temptations, attempts to bolster his nonexistent pride, he'd had to battle them all off each night and woke the next morning breathing a heavy sigh of relief that he'd made it through the night.

It certainly couldn't have been this difficult all the time for mages, could it? It was just the fact that they were sensing a weak and untrained mind in him, he was sure. At least, he hoped. If every mage truly had to go through this every evening, it was a wonder that more of them didn't succumb. It was something that more people should be willing to appreciate. But even if the circumstances didn't hold for everyone, Alistair still knew that when he laid down at night, until this was over, he'd have to face those things once again.

He'd been prepared for another evening of hollow offers and things that he could easily ignore despite the draw, but as Alistair found himself falling into a sound sleep, what greeted him this time were not the same whispering voices. The scene that he came across this time was a happy one, one that provided him with a warmth of spirit that he hadn't had in some time. Even at the same time as his mind was screaming that this was all too similar to the visage the sloth demon had put him in, Alistair didn't want to extract himself from this dream.

The room was filled with people that Alistair had lost, all alive and well. King Maric, King Cailan, Duncan, Eamon, the few individuals that Alistair had ever or could ever consider family, all alive and happy to see him. It didn't make sense if he thought about it too much, but Alistair's mind was attempting to rebel, refusing to acknowledge that this was all wrong and simply accept it for the glorious reassurance that it was. After all, this was still just a dream. There would be no harm in just letting himself relax just a --- No! His mind reeled away from the illusion, dismissing it with prejudice and feeling his heart sink the second that all of the faces he so wished he could see again disappeared into the mists.

"Shame. It was such a pretty picture," a silky smooth voice tickled at his ear. "Your desires are so simple, so simple, yet so difficult to fulfill."

The lithe, enticing figure out the desire demon swam just outside of his vision, his sight distorted in this situation despite how he tried to turn to face her. "You can't give me any of them back," He said, his voice hard despite the emotion tinging it. "Or give me the time that I lost. I might not deal much with the Fade, but I do know the limits to your abilities. All you can do is provide illusions, fragile ones. The only family I have left wants nothing to do with me, so be on your way and leave me alone."

"Ah, so you think," the voice seemed amused even as the expression on the figure didn't change. "Silly little mortal so easily deceived by another, especially in youth."

"I'm not going to fall for this," Alistair said, irritated by the sudden presumption of the creature. "That's what you do, spin a quick line, try and hook my curiosity, and then BAM, I'm murdering my best friend in cold blood just because you say so. So you'll excuse me if I don't indulge you."

"Shame," the desire demon sighed, drifting closer to Alistair. "You could learn so much. I have so much I could tell you, so much that Eamon concealed, so much that your darling sister didn't bother to explain. Such a clever one, that, trying to get something that she had no right to because you didn't know any better. I could help you, child, to find what you're looking for."

There was something about that statement, something that left Alistair feeling drawn to the situation and wanting more information, but he knew that it was a risk. It was a risk in his newly vulnerable position to even accept the offer of information. One favor often lead to another and then, then... But he still wanted to know. He needed to know.

"What am I missing?" Alistair asked quietly, practically feeling the demon's delight envelope him as she slipped in next to him, leaning over to whisper in his ear.

"So much, elvhen'len."

The sudden release from his dreaming state came as a surprise, his whole body jerking upright in the bed. Sweat that was pooled on his brow, his heart beating at a rapid pace as he tried to calm himself and sort out the events in his mind. He wasn't surprised that he hadn't gotten much information, but what he had... What he had made no sense.

Right now, all he could do was be grateful that he'd gotten out the otherside intact.