Notice: **This is your final warning! If you have not played through the story chapter Hearts and Minds in HoT, then this fic will have spoilers for your gameplay. Wait to finish Hearts and Minds and then read this!**
In this version of the story, Trahearne does not die. However, he is still injured by the dragon. I hope that this will be a much preferred or at least more peaceful ending for other Trahearne fans out there, too.
The Commander had finally reached the dragon's lair, found Zojja and Logan, and was ready to find Marshall Trahearne and pay the dragon back for what it had done to Eir. Their crew followed along with them into the belly of the beast, and it was there that they saw a horrifying image. Mordremoth had spared no expense in the torture he had put on the Pact Marshall. He had been partially integrated with the vines of the dragon, but he was still holding on and had refused to be turned.
Aghast, the Commander approached the tired and hanging image of Trahearne, "Marshall? Can you hear me?" Slowly he began to open his eyes, a look of disbelief crossing his face, "Commander? No.. You can't fool me again, Mordremoth. Stay back!"
The Commander felt their heart wrench, "No, Trahearne. It really is me this time." Slowly they approached Trahearne and laid a hand on his cheek. He flinched under their touch, but seemed to snap out of whatever vision he was in, and looked out across the group, "Yes this is... Different. I believe you. How did you even get here?"
"Well, we weren't going to leave you, Marshall. And we owed the dragon a little visit, anyway. We won't leave here until every person Mordremoth has killed has been avenged."
Trahearne was solemn and tired, "How do you all plan to do that?" The group was collectively silent for a moment, until the Commander spoke up, "Well, we had hoped to figure that out on the way here."
Trahearne groaned, "Commander... If that is a joke, I would like to point out that this is hardly the time."
The Commander smirked, "Hey, I had to try. So far our efforts at attacking Mordremoth from the outside have been a colossal failure. So, I think it is time that we attack Mordremoth the way he has been attacking others- through his mind. If we can get to him from the inside, maybe we can destroy him once and for all."
The others didn't seem so sure, "Commander, how the heck are we supposed to get inside the dragon's mind?" Braham asked first.
"Hm- I am not sure it is implausible..." Trahearne interjected, "And perhaps I can help. I have a connection with Mordremoth- one he has set in his attempt to turn me. I may have enough power to connect you to the dragon's mind. But I am afraid I have little energy left."
"That's alright, Marshall. If you can get me and two others connected to Mordremoth, the others can stay here and protect us so you can conserve your energy. Then, after we defeat him, we will take you home and you can get some much needed rest."
Trahearne frowned, not seeming very hopeful for getting out, but he wouldn't trouble the Commander with that just yet, "Oh- Commander. You should take Caladbolg with you into the dragon's mind. Because it was forged from Mother's bough, and thus a creation of Mordremoth, it may be the key to his defeat. I believe it was flung over there when I was dragged down here."
"Great idea, Marshall. Give me just a moment, and I will let you know when we are ready." The Commander picked up Caladbolg and went to discuss with the others who would go and who would stay.
[[The battle with Mordremoth goes much the same as in game, with Caladbolg winding up being a powerful weapon against the corrupt dragon. He is killed and the party members returned to their own minds.]]
The Commander blinked as a hazy world came into focus. "They are awake! Thank goodness, Commander. We all thought the worst." Caithe helped the Commander to their feet, where they noticed that everyone else had woken up before them. They felt like a train had run them over. But there was one more important bit of business they had to tend to, "Where is Marshall Trahearne?"
The others seemed bemused, "He is still right behind you, Commander." They turned and, sure enough, Trahearne was still hanging from the dragon's vines, and barely hanging onto consciousness. He was grinning and relieved, though he looked spent, "Well done, Commander. I am so glad I was able to see you put an end to the jungle dragon. Tyria owes you a great debt."
"And so will you, after I cut you down from there." Commander responded, gripping Caladbolg and approaching him.
"Actually, Commander, I have one last thing to ask of you. This isn't easy for me to say but- I still feel Mordremoth inside of me."
"What are you talking about, Trahearne?"
"The dragon has left a little of himself inside of me- perhaps a seed- one that will grow, and if not taken care of- all of your work will be for nothing."
"How can you know for sure? You are exhausted- and Mordremoth hasn't been out of your mind for some time. This could be a hallucination."
"We can't take that chance. Commander, you have to kill me."
"Marshall! No. I can't do that."
"It is for the good of Tyria. If the dragon comes back you may not be able to take it down again, and I will be lost to him, anyway."
"Stop it. You can't ask me to kill you."
One of the others put their hand on the Commander's shoulder, and they shrugged them off, "Commander- what if he is right? We can't risk Mordremoth rising again."
"And," Trahearne added, "If I had to choose- I would pick no one else to finally put me at peace, Commander."
The Commander was conflicted, waiting for a while as they processed everything that had been said. Finally they drew in a deep breath and held up Caladbolg, "Alright, Marshall. If peace is what you want, I can give you that much." They raised the sword, and everyone else turned away, except for Trahearne, who gave them a soft smile, "Thank you, Commander."
With a swift movement Trahearne began to fall from the vines. The Commander had sliced through the thick vine that had held him up at his legs, and caught him before he could hit the ground. Sap dripped all over the dirt as the remainder of the vine detached itself and sloughed off of its captive. Shaking in pain and exhaustion, Trahearne put a hand on the Commander's shoulder, but passed out before he could say anything.
The others now came up to them, "Commander, what are you doing!"
Commander held tightly to Trahearne, dropping the shattered base of Caladbolg, "Mordremoth is dead. He will claim no more lives this day."
No one knew how to respond, so they waited for Commander to give an order.
"Get an airlift in here and take him to my home. I'm going to call in the best medical professionals I know. If there really is a seed in there, it will take time to grow- and we will destroy it before that happens."
No one dared question the Commander a second time, and so they all obtained transportation back home.
The Commander made sure to have a room made ready for Marshall Trahearne to recuperate in after he was seen by their specialists. It had been too long since the Marshall had given himself time to sleep even before Mordremoth had awoke, and the Commander was going to make it their job to ensure he had a quiet and restful recovery. The best place they knew for the job was in their own house, away from what was left of the pact.
"Well it is a good thing you didn't kill Marshall Trahearne." An asuran doctor met the Commander as they entered the medical facility, "We have set up appointments to keep periodic checks on him, but so far no foreign or anomalous objects have been found. Our machine is created to detect pinhead-sized tumors with a 99% accuracy. If there was a jungle dragon remnant anywhere still in him, we would know. Thanks to the scan we were able to extract all of the dead vines still attached to him, though. This significantly lowers the chance of infection- but I will be straight with you, Commander. His recovery isn't going to be short or easy. He will need round the clock care until we feel we can release him from the facility."
The Commander felt both relief and anxiousness, "Thank you. I suspected that might be the case. But I am willing to do whatever it takes for Trahearne. Er- Marshall. Marshall Trahearne." Commander shifted awkwardly, "You know, until I met the Marshall I had thought of myself as damaged goods. But he made me see that I am more than my past. He helped me to heal. I owe him more than he could ever imagine for that. So, it is only right that I am there for him while he heals, too. Inside and out."
The doctor smirked, "Why don't you two just kiss already?"
Commander blushed, leaving the doctor and heading into Marshall Trahearne's room. He was asleep, of course, resting soundly as asuran and charr tech whirred around him, keeping tabs on his condition. Commander rested their hand gently over Trahearne's, laying their head on the bedside table. The sleep here would be rough, but Trahearne had never left their side, and they would lot leave his. Not for another moment.
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