And so it was finished. With the Archdemon defeated, the darkspawn retreated to the deep roads. Ferelden had been saved. But at what cost?
Lyna Mahariel cried as she was blinded by light. This was it, the moment she'd been fighting for all along. She could feel the tainted soul entering her, corrupting her own soul until there was nothing left. With a blast, she was thrown back. As her eyes fluttered closed, she saw Tamlen's face. He was healthy and alive, smiling at her. She smiled back, remembering.
Lyna ran through the forest, bounding as silently as a deer. When she found Tamlen, she smiled and snuck up on him, tapping his shoulder. When he turned around, she grabbed him in a hug.
Tamlen laughed. "Ah, lethallan. But I thought you were assisting Master Ihlen today."
Lyna smiled. "I asked to come with you on your hunt instead."
Tamlen smiled and nodded, walking on through the woods. Lyna accompanied him, then stopped as three humans ran at them. The elves trained their arrows on them. Lyna didn't believe a word they said of the cave or ruins, but agreed to go with Tamlen to investigate them anyway to be with him and keep him out of trouble.
As the two elves entered the ruins, Tamlen began to look uneasy. Lyna put a hand on his shoulder.
"This place makes me nervous."
Lyna smiled reassuringly. "So talk, if it'll make you feel better."
"I suppose so. Why did you want to come, anyway?"
Lyna looked down, blushing. She looked at him and smiled. "I wanted to be with you."
Tamlen smiled, relaxing. "I thought that might be it. I'm glad. Let's keep going: we can talk later."
Lyna nodded and they continued through the ruins until they found a large mirror. Lyna instantly wanted nothing more than to return to camp, but Tamlen insisted on looking inside. He touched it and soon, realized he couldn't look away. A blast of energy knocked Lyna back.
Lyna awoke for a brief time outside the ruins, long enough to see a dark skinned human, then she passed out again to awake in camp. When she returned to the ruins, she found no sign of Tamlen.
Many months later, Lyna and Allistar had a dream just before the camp was attacked by shrieks. Amongst them was Tamlen, twisted and defiled. Lyna ran to him, smiling. "Tamlen, is that really you?"
"You, lethallan! Don't come near me!" He ran off.
Lyna shook her head and ran after him.
"Don't look at me! I am...sick!"
"Can we cure you, Tamlen?"
"No help for me!"
Lyna bit her lower lip and looked down, trying to stop the tears.
"You must stop me. Don't want to hurt you, lethallan."
Lyna closed her eyes and shook her head. "Don't ask me to do this, Tamlen!"
"Then you leave me no choice! Always loved you. Never wanted this."
The Archdemon's singing voice then compelled Lyna's former friend and companion to attack her, forcing her to kill the first man she'd ever loved.
Now, Lyna smiled as she felt her life slip away. One last sound came from her lips, heard only by the tan elf who held her. "Tamlen..."
Hope you liked that!
