I stood there in the midst of battle, overwhelmed by the final moment. The bodies around me reeked of victory, but the battle had not been won yet. In that moment, every single swing of a blade leading up to this moment echoed in my mind, and it made me grip the hilt of my sword to the point my knuckles stung with pain. My hair whipped across my face, but I didn't need vision to see what stood in front of me. The threat had finally emerged.

Keeping composure was becoming difficult while facing such an extraordinarily beautiful creature. Majestic and deadly, the dragon's gaze met mine and our stares locked until its mouth opened and a blaze of blue-black fire rushed over me, barely kept from burning me by my shield. The gaze of the arch-demon fell upon me again, as if it were speaking to me. It did speak to me; it whispered its bitter vow into my ear:

Death is inevitable, for you and your order. The blight shall swallow your kingdom when you fall in battle, killing those you fought for.

My ears felt hot, despite the freezing winds that bit at my skin. No training I went through could ever prepare me for this. I owed this to my kingdom, I owed this to Duncan, I owed this to my father, I owed this to everyone I couldn't save.

I started to charge, with all my power, I held my sword and with all my heart, I sprinted to my target, wanting nothing more than to slice the head off of the body that towered over mine. I gritted my teeth and let a growl rumble from my chest, filling my throat, and then escaping my mouth as a battle cry. I bounded to the ledge separating me from the enemy, and then took a leap of faith. I soared through the air with my sword at ready position. I felt the glare of the menacing dragon and the stares of the hopeful army that fought off the minions. Pride surged through every fiber of my being, knowing I would save my kingdom and send the armies of men back home to their families. I would avenge those I could not help, including my beloved family.

Landing on the top of the dragon's skull, and I sliced through its neck. I swung, and I decapitated it, detaching its connection with the army of monstrous darkspawn. I tucked and rolled as I landed on the roof of Fort Drakon, then I stood next to the severed head of the arch-demon. I spat on it and sneered, gripping my bloody weapon and turning it upside-down. The hilt held the shining silverite sword below, and I moved with haste. I sunk my blade into the beast's head, unleashing its soul and ending the final battle.

I fell back in a daze, overwhelmed with the joy of saving my land. Everyone cheered, with the kingdom finally safe. I stopped a civil war and ended a blight. The darkspawn retreated to the Deep Roads where they had resided before. The men let free their bursts of mixed emotions; they must have felt what filled every vein of my body. It was pure adrenaline, powered by hope, gratitude, and relief. I had accomplished what had been done four centuries ago, by a trained Grey Warden; a noble knight with battle experience, and here I was, with little knowledge of the battlefield and only a heart aching to avenge those lost.

I landed on my knees and cried, looking to the sky. I mumbled a silent prayer for my father, letting him know he had helped me every step of the way. I rose to my feet and let out the breath I held since laying eyes on the arch-demon. It was over.