Author's note

Welcome to Part two of Lyla's story. I really do recommend you read "From the Dales to Denerim – Lyla Mahariel's Tale" first. But here is a brief recap if you don't want to read that massive beast.

Lyla Mahariel started as a racist Dalish Elf, hating all humans and especially Templars for the trauma they gave her. She is a rape victim. She falls in love with Leliana.

Neria Surana is a Dalish Elf who was kidnapped by the Templars at a young age and placed in the circle. Lyla took her with them when they saved the circle. Neria made a deal with the demon that took over Connor Guirrin. It taught her some magic but eventually took control of her body until the Guardian of the Sacred Ashes freed her.

Natalie Cousland is a transgender woman who the party saved from being killed. She has vowed to help Lyla and the Wardens to ensure her revenge.

Lyla saved the circle, saved Connor, and made peace between the Werewolves and Dalish elves. She has saved Soldier's peak.

The party worked towards Haven, where Lyla was severely injured fighting the Dragon at its peak. She lost her left eye.

Alistair and Leliana worked towards retrieving the Sacred Ashes of Andraste whilst the group recovered.

And now, onto the story…

Chapter 1 – Survival

Lyla screamed.

Pain she was used to, fear as well but what stood before her shook her more than any creature she had ever faced. Over the course of the blight, more horrors than any one person should ever experience had been seen by the whole group, and some part of Lyla wept for her soul. The larger part was more worried about the monster before her.

The Archdemon.

The nightmarish creation that they had spent the last year fighting against, and now they were ready. Lyla had left Alistair at the gates, holding the walls with the armies they had collected, and the majority of their party. Only Neria, Leliana, and Natalie joined her now. They were a small targeted strike force, with the power of the Dalish elves helping them of course. Lyla trusted their arrows against the Archdemon more than she trusted anything else they had collected.

The tower of Fort Drakon had been a harsh climb, fighting more darkspawn than Lyla had ever imagined seeing, more than she had even seen in the deeproads, their home, but they had done it. Too many people had been lost in this battle, more Dalish than Lyla could have ever known and more shemlen than she cared to. The durgen'len and the mages had lost many, but as Lyla had kept them to the walls, they had had the least casualties. However, right now that was the least of Lyla's problems.

Right now, she was in the air.

Falling wasn't the most enjoyable feeling in the world, it was even worse when you could see the sharp fangs of a dragon waiting to catch you. Lyla screamed again.

A green haze grabbed Lyla out of the air, pulling her to the side, just enough to avoid the gaping maw of the Archdemon. Lyla gasped in relief but gave no time to savour it. She charged, as she was wont to do and with her axe raised high, she cut the dragon's neck. Killing it swiftly, and dooming herself in one fell swoop.

A brilliant, beautiful explosion of light burst from the dragon as it fell to the ground. It darted up towards the sky in a fantastic column of colour before shattering and covering the city in pure white light.

Lyla collapsed as the light washed over her, turning as she fell. She searched out for her Leliana, determined to make her the last thing she ever saw.

Leliana bawled as she made eye contact, "LYLA!"

Lyla let consciousness fade away for the last time as her life flashed before her eye.

She flew back to the last time she woke up after fighting a dragon. Back when she lost her left eye.

Haven, six months ago.

OoOoO

She woke up in confusion. Not really sure if she was really there or not, but that was a fairly familiar feeling for her. Over the last few months, she had survived more stupid risks than any one of the people should. That was Lyla though, a survivor. As much as she hated to admit it, it wasn't down to her, not really. She had a good clan around her now. Wynne was the best healer that she had ever seen, better than Keeper Marethari by far, not that the Keeper would ever know. Creators, the anger that old woman could have. Lyla shuddered just thinking about it.

She opened her eyes slowly and immediately felt strange. There was something wrong but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Regardless, it was the least of her problems. In one corner of the room, she could make out the frail figure of Neria huddled into a ball with a severe looking Wynne standing over her. When she turned her head, a strange amount of movement needed, she saw Natalie looked dismayed, and further still an extraordinarily angry Sten.

One thing at a time, Lyla, she told herself.

Her first would be first naturally.

She tried to rise to at least a seated position but found her body wouldn't respond to her. With great effort, she attempted to lift her head but was distracted when Sten exploded.

"Parshaara!" He erupted. "This is foolish!"

"What?" Natalie stammered, suddenly looking very small next to the giant of a man beside her. "I don't understand."

"We are searching for the charred remnants of a dead woman when we should be fighting the Archdemon," he growled. "I have had enough of following in the shadow of the elf whilst she runs away from our goal."

Lyla tried to growl a response in return but her throat refused to work. With serious force, she rolled her body onto her side, watching the cave she was in rotate as she did. The rest of her clan rushed towards Sten, huddling around Natalie. Lyla looked towards them, seeing the fire of rage in the Qunari's eyes and knew what was coming before the group reacted.

"I am in charge now," Sten roared, brandishing the large sword the group had acquired for him. "If any wish to challenge me, let them defend themselves."

To their credit, the group instantly stood ready to fight for Lyla's honour but it was unneeded.

On the floor, before Lyla was one of Leliana's daggers, one of the many, many daggers her woman held, and Lyla had crawled towards it as Sten spoke.

With practised aim and the Creators' own luck, she managed enough momentum to throw the weapon directly towards Sten. Or so she had expected.

She had thrown daggers more times than she could count and never missed. She was not the practiced marksman of her people but she could hit a target this close with her eyes closed.

The dagger clanged against the stone wall behind the Qunari and he turned to look at her with a feral grin.

She panicked for the first time in forever. She never missed. Never.

It was then that she realised what was wrong with her body.

The whole left side of her vision was black. Where she should have seen Neria and Wynne, instead she saw only the void.

She screamed. A primal, horrific sound that would have sent shivers down the spines of the bravest warrior.

"What has happened to me?" She whispered.

"You are in no position to challenge me. You would have been a worthy opponent. I will grant you a worthy death," he ordered.

He marched towards her with his giant sword raised high. Lyla tried to move, Creators, did she try. But all the fight had left her. Lyla Mahariel was a survivor, but perhaps Lyla Mahariel was no more.

She closed her eyes, no her eye as Sten stood before her and waited for the blow that would end her life. The blow that wouldn't come.

"Bâtard!" Leliana screeched. And Lyla heard rushed footsteps and the soft wet sound of a dagger piercing flesh.

Blood washed over Lyla and as she opened her one good eye, she was delighted to see her woman standing over her. And Sten lying beside her.

Lyla Mahariel was a survivor, but it was never down to her.