"Mother leave it!" commanded Ellendrya Hawke, eldest daughter of Leandra's three children.
Reluctantly, Leandra left the picture behind as Ellendrya dragged her out of their little home on the outskirts of Lothering. The Blight had finally arrived, but much sooner than expected. Only gathering a few coins and other supplies, Ellendrya met her twin siblings, Carver and Bethany, outside.
"We should go. There's no time left," Bethany stated unusually calm. Being a mage, she had learned control as a child hiding from the circle.
They made off through Lothering to escape the opposite direction the dark spawn were attacking from. Before the family made it far though, it seemed as though Lothering had been overrun with dark spawn. There were refugee corpses all over the path on which the small group traveled. Before long, they encountered the beasts on their own.
Breaking into a run, Ellendrya and her family tried to avoid fighting, but to no avail. Finally breaking the boundary of Lothering, Leandra all but collapsed in the middle of the path, the dark spawn close behind. Each drawing their weapon, the three Hawke children sprang into action. Taking the first two out with her magic, Bethany willed the fire, burning her victims. But that didn't stop the rest. Jumping through the flames, the other two dark spawn followed. Wielding her daggers, Ellendrya sliced through the first one easily, but only had time to deflect the second as it came charging at her. Carver, with his two-handed sword cut through the dark spawn as it stumbled.
"I think that's all of them…" Carver stated.
"For the moment," Bethany said begrudgingly.
"Maker save us…" Leandra finally spoke. "We've lost it all. Everything your father and I built."
After a moment's hesitation, Ellendrya attempted to comfort her mother. "I- know how much Lothering meant to you, but we have to move."
"Yes. You're right." Leandra sighed, a pained look on her face.
"We should have run sooner! Why did we wait so long?" Bethany exclaimed.
"Why are you looking at us?" Carver retorted. "We've been running since Ostagar!" It was true. The three had been at Ostagar, barely making it out of the battle alive. Carver and Ellendrya herself had come out with quite a few nasty wounds.
'All thanks to that bastard Loghain…' Ellendrya thought to herself angrily. But now was not the time to dwell on the past.
"Listen you two! The dark spawn will be on us at any minute," She said through a clenched jaw. Now was not the time for this.
Picking up on her aggravation, Leandra said, "Please, listen to your sister."
Carver sighed and shook his head before saying, "Well, lets go then. Lead on El."
Encountering more dark spawn, the group fought well, always watching each others backs, trying their best to survive and protect their mother. All the while, Ellendrya drove herself to keep going, keep surviving until they reached it out of Lothering.
'If we get out of here,' She thought wearily. 'No!' She shook her head. 'We have to make it out. I have to believe that we can.'
Reaching the summit of the hill, Bethany stopped abruptly, forcing the rest of the group to a halt.
"Wait!" She said, exasperated. "Where are we going?
"Away from the dark spawn! Where else?" Carver retorted, slowly losing his patience with his twin sister. Bethany nearly rolled her eyes.
"And then where? We can't just wander aimlessly…"
"Wherever we go, it's important that we don't separate." Ellendrya said forcefully. Her family was all she had left of her home. She wasn't going to lose them so soon.
"We can go to Kirkwall," Leandra stated unexpectedly, pulling a surprised "Kirkwall?" out of Ellendrya. "Are you sure that's wise?"
"There's a lot of templars in Kirkwall, Mother." Bethany said warily. Being an apostate, that wasn't a superb idea in her mind.
"I know that…" said Leandra defensively. "But we still have family there! And an estate!" Ellendrya knew she was right. Where else could they go? But that didn't mean she liked the idea. Bethany and Ellendrya were closer than most sisters. The idea of Bethany in constant danger from the templars wasn't the most appealing thought.
Bethany sighed, thinking along the same lines as her sister. "Then we need to get to Gwaren and take ship."
"If we survive that long…" Carver said depressingly. "I'll just be happy to get out of here alive."
Ellendrya shook her head, trying to remain positive while Leandra had a look of pity towards her son. Walking a little farther down the hill, the group once again ran into more dark spawn. But they weren't the only ones drawing their attention. A few yards away, a well built woman with red-orange hair and a templar were also fighting. Ellendrya watched as the woman fought with an overbearing ferociousness. She just glanced up from her former opponent to see the templar get cut from behind and drop his shield. As the dark spawn went in for the finishing blow, Ellendrya was surprised to see the woman charge the dark spawn and tackle it to the ground, eventually slitting its throat.
"They will not have you," Ellendrya heard over the noise of the battle as the woman helped the templar stand up. "Not while I'm breathing."
'We'll have to see how long that is…' Ellendrya thought pessimistically.
Finishing up the rest of the dark spawn, Ellendrya turned around to see the woman helping the templar up.
"Stop squirming Wesley." The woman said gently. "You'll make it worse." Unexpectedly, the templar got up with energy.
"Apostate! Keep your distance!" He exclaimed. The entire Hawke family all rolled their eyes. This was definitely not the time for this.
"Oh, the Maker has a sense of humor... Hmph. Dark spawn and now a templar? I thought they all abandoned Lothering?" Bethany sneered accusingly.
"The spawn are clear in their intent. But the mages always are not." Wesley retorted. "The order dictates-"
"Wesley…" The woman commented.
"That woman is an apostate!" Wesley exclaimed without taking his eyes off of Bethany. He then began to walk towards her. "The order dictates-" He was cut off by Ellendrya stepping in his path, anger and aggravation rolling of her in waves. Despite the templar being at least a head taller that she was, Ellendrya stood her ground.
Growing wary of the increasing tension, the woman spoke up. "Dear, they saved us. The Maker understands." She said soothingly. After another moment of tension between Wesley and Ellendrya, the templar stepped down.
"Of course…" he said blandly.
"I am Aveline Valen," the woman said as Wesley returned to her side. "This is my husband Sir Wesley. We can hate each other when we're safe from the horde."
'Well she's certainly blunt…' Thought Ellendrya. "So long as you know I stand with Bethany, templar," she spat.
"U-understood…" Wesley responded, almost intimidated by the woman's forceful temper.
"Well…" Aveline started awkwardly, "For now we move with you. North is cut off," she said, speaking strategy now. "We barely escaped the main body of the horde."
"Then we're trapped!" Carver said, exasperated. "The wilds are too the South, and that's no way out!"
"We have no choice." Ellendrya said simply, but with an edge. There was something about her that commanded obedience and respect, thought Aveline. "The dark spawn have us fenced in so we go South." she finished as she began walking, giving the rest of the group no choice but to follow.
It seemed every few steps, the party ran into more dark spawn and corpses. The routine became tiresome: doge, backstab, hit, dodge… all over and over again. Ellendrya was glad her daggers were daggers and not a cumbersome sword and shield, though it seemed that Aveline was holding her own.
'It seems she has something to protect as well,' thought Ellendrya, gaining respect for the fierce woman.
As they reached a small clearing at the crest of a hill, Aveline and Ellendrya were the first to notice the ground seemed to be trembling. Stomach dropping in dread, Ellendrya realized what it must be. Before she had time to warn the others, the ogre charged up the hill and let out a deafening snarl. It charged through the group, each member only barely diving out of the way. Then the ogre turned towards Leandra. Seeing it's intent, Carver bravely jumped in front of his mother.
"You soulless bastards!" Carver cried.
In his rage, he attacked the ogre, but the massive gauntlet on its arm easily deflected it. Frozen in horror, Ellendrya could only watch as her younger brother was snatched up by the ogre and smashed to the ground again and again before being thrown to the side.
"Carver!" she finally broke through the fear.
With her vision tinted with tears and anger, Ellendrya charged the ogre. Within moments, the rest of the group also sprang into action. While Bethany did her best to hold of the lesser dark spawn that followed the ogre to the clearing, Aveline and Ellendrya focused on the massive beast that Ellendrya knew killed her brother.
Realizing she would have no luck killing the monster face to face, she yelled to Aveline,
"Aveline! I need you to keep it focused on you!" Aveline nodded and made a challenge to the ogre.
Slipping behind the beast, Ellendrya slashed ferociously at the ogre's legs and back. As Ellendrya made a deep cut behind the knee of the monster, Aveline took the opportunity to run her long sword through its throat as it lowered to closer to the ground. With that finished, Aveline and Ellendrya helped Bethany finish off the rest of the hurlocks. Turning wearily towards where Carver lay, Ellendrya saw her mother already at his side.
"Carver… Carver! Wake up! The battles over, we're fine!" Leandra spoke hysterically, not wanting to accept what was before her eyes.
"I'm sorry mistress… your son is gone." Aveline said mournfully.
"No!" Leandra said, choking back sobs. "These things will not take Carver!"
Kneeling beside her mother, Ellendrya withheld the tears that threatened to spill over as they already had with her mother. Stumbling for the right words to say, Ellendrya said softly, "Mother… I- Carver gave himself to save us."
"I don't want a hero! I want my son!" She cried. "How could you let him charge off like that? Your little brother! My little boy…" She finally broke down in sobs.
Ellendrya closed her eyes and bit her lip. She had already blamed herself the moment it happened. She couldn't do anything fast enough; she was frozen into place. And for that her brother had died.
Tears glistening on her cheeks, Bethany spoke. "Mother… we can't stay here. Carver wouldn't want his- his sacrifice to be meaningless…" she choked out.
"Allow me to commend your son's soul to the maker, mistress." Wesley stepped forward. Putting his fist over his heart, he chanted, "Ashes we were, and ashes we become. Maker, give this young man a place at your side. Let us find comfort in the peace he has found in eternity…"
Leandra, tears still streaming down her cheeks, lifted Carvers head off her lap and placed him gently on the cold ground. "I will never forget you, Carver," she said finally, finding her voice again.
Lifting her head, Ellendrya said gently, "Our lives are more valuable to him than our prayers. We need to go." Regaining control of her emotions, she stood up and turned, taking a breath before walking away. But it was no time after she turned when more dark spawn appeared.
"Flames!" Aveline spat. "We're too late!"
They attacked from all sides. Back to back, Ellendrya and Aveline did their best to keep Bethany out of range of the hurlocks' melee attacks, but there were so many. Fueled by her anger, Ellendrya's attacks became faster and faster. Constantly slipping behind her enemies, she continually stabbed them lethally. But from all the fighting previous to this, each woman began to become more and more weary. Bethany began to use more basic attacks as they didn't take up as much energy. Aveline and Ellendrya we're forced on the defensive. No matter how many dark spawn they cut down, more just seemed to arrive.
Finally being backed up against the cliff facing the clearing, Ellendrya held her daggers loosely, trying to force energy into her arms, willing them to continue to move.
"El!" Bethany called. "There's no end to them…" Hearing the desperation in her sisters' voice, Ellendrya only had time to glance at Bethany with a flash of anguish.
'We cannot die here! I will not die!' Ellendrya thought, fists clenching around her daggers. Jaw set, she readied herself for the rest of the dark spawn that had surrounded them. But before anyone could attack, the ground began to tremble, and Ellendrya saw the dark spawn look above them with what would be fear, were they human.
Looking to the top of a cliff, she spotted a huge dragon. Teeth bared, the dragon let out a deafening cry, making Ellendrya automatically jump into a ready position, daggers gleaming. Bethany could only watch with dread, having no energy left to fight, let alone fight a full-grown dragon. Leaping off the cliff, the dragon dove downwards, barely missing the heads off Ellendrya and Bethany. It spewed fire from its mouth already dealing with a good few dark spawn. Then, circling back around, it snatched up two dark spawn before flying higher and then dropping them to their death. Diving down again, the dragon landed among its own flames, producing more fire from its mouth. A hurlock attempted to attack the ferocious beast but did little damage. Using its tail, the dragon lased out at the dark spawn behind it, then grabbed another with its claws, crushing it to death. The dragon then turned its attention to the three women, who's weapons were still bared. Tensing, Ellendrya watched as the dragon became smaller and smaller, and before she knew it, a woman stepped out from the dust. She was older looking, probably 50 or so, but something in her eyes told Ellendrya she had seen things beyond her years. She had white hair and flashing golden eyes. The dragon-woman stepped towards the group, the last of her victims still in her hand. She had on an armor that reminded one of a mage, but with metal plates on her arms and legs.
Smirking, the woman finally spoke. "Well, well… What do we have here?" Ellendrya and her sister warily walked towards this new woman, while Wesley collapsed, Aveline helping him to the ground. Leandra was still at Carvers side, eyes bright with more tears.
"It used to be we never got visitors to the Wilds, but now it seems they arrive in hordes," the woman stated, still smirking. Feigning confidence, Ellendrya was the one to respond.
"Impressive. Where did you learn how to turn into a dragon?" she said, mirroring the dragon-woman's' smile. This caused the woman to laugh.
"Perhaps I am a dragon…" The woman said, seemingly with more meaning that the simple statement. Ellendrya's smile only faltered for a moment before returning. "If so, count yourself lucky, for the smell of burning dark spawn does nothing for the appetite," she continued. "Now, if you wish to flee the dark spawn, You should know you are heading in the wrong direction," she said as she began to walk away.
"W-wait!" Bethany stepped forward. "You can't just leave us here!" she said, a tinge of hope in her voice.
"Can I not?" the woman asked gravely. Turning back around she said, "I spotted the most curious sight. A mighty ogre vanquished. Who could perform such a feat? But now my curiosity is sated, and you are safe. For the moment. Is that not enough?" As much as she hated to admit it, Ellendrya couldn't protect what was left of her family on her own.
Stubbornly, she said, "You could teach me that trick of yours. That looks useful." This caused the woman to laugh, more freely this time.
"Oh, If only a clever tongue was all one needed! Tell me, clever child, how do you intend to outrun the blight?" The woman asked, smirk returning. Ellendrya's smile faded.
'She's sharp… I'll have to be careful with this one.' Ellendrya thought warily.
"We need to get to Kirkwall, in the Free Marches!" Bethany said with urgency.
"Kirkwall? My, that is quite the voyage you plan. Your king will not miss you hmm?" She almost stated. This caused Ellendrya's anger about the betrayal of Ostagar to emerge.
"King Calin was betrayed… There is nothing for us here." She said through clenched teeth.
"I see…" The woman grew serious. It almost seemed the woman was no longer looking a Ellendrya as she said, "Hurdled into the chaos you fight, and the world will shake before you." This drew a quizzical look from Ellendrya as the woman turned around. Very quietly, the woman mumbled to herself, "Is it fate? Or chance? I can never decide…" Then once again facing Ellendrya and Bethany, she said, "It appears fate smiles on us both today. I may be able to help you yet."
Surprised by the woman's sudden willingness to help, Ellendrya stuttered, "A-anything you could do for us would be appreciated." But Bethany then became suspicious.
"El… Maybe we shouldn't trust her… We don't even know what she is." She said. Then Aveline spoke up.
"I know what she is. The witch of the wilds!" she said without hesitation. The woman just shrugged, unfazed by Aveline's statement.
"Some people call me that. Also Flemeth, Asha'bellenar, an old hag that talks to much." She said chuckling. "But does it matter? I offer you this: I will get your group past the horde in exchange for a simple delivery made to a place not far out of your way. Would you do this for a witch of the wilds?" she asked, almost a challenge. Keeping her temper under control, Ellendrya jokingly made a challenge of her own.
"Well, if you scorch a few more dark spawn, I'll do anything you want." But the woman was not amused.
"Unfortunately, my charity as at an end." The woman said dryly. Ellendrya felt a little better that she pulled some sort of emotion out of this woman, Flemeth.
"There is a group of Dalish elves near the city of Kirkwall. Deliver this amulet to their Keeper. Do as she asks with it, and any debt between us is paid in full." Flemeth said, handing the amulet to Ellendrya. Bethany sighed with small relief.
"But," Ellendrya slumped a little as Flemeth continued, "before I take you anywhere, there is another matter," she said, turning her gaze upon Wesley.
Ellendrya had guessed as to why the templar was fairing so badly, and hated to have it brought to light. Together, Flemeth and Ellendrya solemnly walked towards the dying man.
"No!" Aveline cried, knowing what was going to happen. "Leave him alone!" She growled.
"What has been done to your man is within his blood already." Flemeth tried reasoning. Ellendrya was a bit surprised by the sadness in her voice.
"You lie!" Aveline cried again. Ellendrya said nothing and looked at the ground. This had just happened to her minutes ago. She felt for Aveline.
"A-Aveline… She's right. I can feel the- the corruption inside- me…" Wesley coughed. A pained look came across Aveline's face.
Finally speaking up, Ellendrya said, "There must be something we can do!" Flemeth looked at the rouge sadly.
"The only cure I know of is to become a Grey Warden."
"And they all died at Ostagar," Ellendrya whispered hopelessly.
"No, not all." Flemeth stated simply, causing Ellendrya's head to snap up in surprise.
"But the rest are now beyond your reach." Aveline walked, defeated, back to Wesley's side.
"Ave-line. Listen to me…" Wesley choked.
"No… Don't ask me this Wesley!" Aveline fought the tears in her eyes. "I wont!"
"Please… the corruption- is a slow- death. I can't…" Wesley's breathing became more ragged. Aveline looked at Ellendrya for support.
"Hawke…"
"He's your husband, Aveline. I can't decide his fate." Aveline looked down at her husband for a moment before meeting Ellendrya's eyes. She nodded gravely as she turned her attention back to Wesley.
"Be strong- my love." Wesley whispered.
With a look of anguish and tears in her eyes, Aveline put her hands over Wesley's on the dagger he held weakly. Squeezing her eyes closed, both Aveline and Wesley brought the knife to the templar's chest. Only a moment passed, and Wesley nodded. Aveline pushed the dagger into her husbands' heart. He let out a muffled grunt, before falling limp. Aveline reached up and caressed her dead husbands face before closing his eyes for the last time. Flemeth took a step towards Aveline.
"Without an end, there can be no peace." She said solemnly. "It gets no easier." Turning back towards Ellendrya, she said, "Your struggles have only just begun."
Thanks so much for reading! This is my first story so any input is appreciated!
Disclaimer: Bioware owns everything!