Brailwyn Aeducan stood at the entrance to the Deep Roads, his walking stick supporting the right leg that was no longer trusted to hold him up, his beard and head of hair grey, where it had once been a striking ginger. His old Grey Warden armour was heavy on him, much more than it had been in his youth.
He was out of practice as a Grey Warden and could barely take down a child with his gargantuan axe that was worn on his back, let alone a darkspawn. He had sprouted disgusting hair from his ears and nose, which he, being him, had never bothered to cut. It now looked as if he was being taken over by an elderly Lady of the Forest.
He chortled lightly at the memory of his previous adventures; of Alistair, the man who you could always count on for a smile. Morrigan, the witch who always pretended she wasn't having the time of her life. Sten, the man who's vocabulary only consisted of ,"No" and "Parsheera". Wynne, the elderly mage who still had a fight in her. Zevran, the elf who flirted with everything that moved. Shale, the appropriately named rock giant, who never ceased to ask Brailwyn the most inane questions. The faithful hound, Barkspawn, who was ready to take an arrow for his master. And Leliana, oh, Leliana...
Brailwyn still remembered her final words to him on top of that tower with the Archdemon all those years ago, as a tear rolled down his old, wrinkled cheek.
"My fight ends here but yours does not. You live your life to the full, Brailwyn and do not stop for anyone. And when you know you will join me soon, you go down fighting, my love."
Brailwyn had started having the dreams again. Of darkspawn calling to him, inviting him to the Deep Roads, beckoning him to join them. They screamed at him, as he awoke doing the same thing every night for the past 6 months. He delayed it for so long, knowing all his friends had left him and that he was to be the last one. The last of his friends to stand in front of the Blight and stand defiant. The last to leave the world to whatever may come next.
Go down fighting...
Brailwyn bent over to pick up his helmet, pain shooting up his spine. He then straightened up, placing the dusty battle helmet that had protected him so many times. He drew his axe from his back and held it in front of him. He had handed the note giving the reason for his departure to a guard, who read it and let him through without another word.
Brailwyn stared at the entrance to the Deep Roads, staring into the darkness and what lay beyond it. Somehow, he was even less scared now than he was when he was a Warden.
He took a slow step forward.
And another.
And another.
And slowly but surely, Brailwyn Aeducan, Paragon of Orzammar, Grey Warden Commander and last to stand defiant, entered the Deep Roads.
And went down fighting.