An: A rather dark one shot I wrote during my ten minute break at work. Trigger warning for implied rape and torture.
The circle tower was filled with the agonized screams of Templar and mage alike. Surana and Cullen were trapped in the room before the Harrowing chamber, the door before them straining against the force of demons and the like. Cullen's sword shook in his hands even as Surana stood frighteningly calm beside him.
Strange that it was with the object of his desires that he was to die beside. He would fulfill his duty, he would defend her against the coming horde not just as a templar but as the man who could have loved her.
So distracted was he that he by his thoughts and the shuddering door, he almost did not hear Surana begin to speak to him.
"I'm sorry Cullen….For what it's worth, you gave me hope that your order was not entirely weak and corrupt. So, goodbye…and thank you." She finished quietly, the sound of abominations and pained screams growing closer.
"Surana, what are you talking about-" Cullen started only to be cut off as Surana pressed her palm against his chest releasing a wall of force that sent him spiraling against the far wall near the stairs to the Harrowing Chamber. The Templar could only lay there shocked as a impenetrable barrier of force magic surrounded him.
"Surana!" Cullen shouted, anger and fear filling him as demons and blood mages burst down the door, shards of wood bouncing off of his barrier and the floor and walls. Surana stood impassive as she was surrounded, eyes on the floor, shoulders slumped as if a huge weight had been settled there.
"Surana," One of the blood mages spoke, "You don't have to die here. We both want the same things." He spoke as if a friend even as the shade's, melificar, and rage demons circled around her, twitching to tear her apart if the moment came.
She did not speak for a moment, but when she did her voice was steady and determined. "No, no we do not. You wish me to obey you wishes..But I am tired living as a slave to others desires. I choose…I for the first time decide to be free." Her eyes turn angry as the last words leave her mouth, her face the picture of determination, her knuckles white on her staff.
"I choose to die a free woman!" and with that Surana released a shout and fire exploded around her.
Cullen screamed for her to release him as the short battle raged to let him fight beside her. But the barrier never faltered even as Surana's strength did.
Surana's back was flayed open by a Shade's claws. The barrier did not falter.
Surana was knocked to the ground by a wall of force. The barrier did not falter.
A blood mage boiled Surana's blood, her screams echoing through in Cullen's ears. The barrier did not falter.
The blood mages and melificar laughed as they used spells, and blades to draw more screams from her. The barrier did not falter.
Her arms were broken. The barrier did not falter.
Surana's ruined robes were torn off and body after body laid upon her broken one. The barrier did not falter.
Surana looked at Cullen as a melificar drew his blade across her throat, blood spraying onto the delighted melificars hands as Surana ceased to breath.
The barrier did not falter.
