Orlais
Val Royeaux
After saying another blessing, Leliana managed to slip away for some reprieve.
"I see it hasn't changed a bit."
Leliana looked up and over to the only other occupant in the Chantry Garden.
"I'm sorry, do I know you?" Leliana asked.
The dwarven woman moved to her slowly.
"I'm not surprised that it does not remember me. I've lost quite a lot of weight since it saw me three years ago."
While she had definitely changed appearance wise, Leliana knew only one person who referred to others as 'it'.
"Shale!?" Leliana exclaimed, jumping to her feet.
"Correct."
Leliana caught the dwarf in a tight embrace.
"Leliana, put me down!" The dwarf cried.
Leliana just laughed as she placed Shale back down.
"You managed to reverse the process?" She asked, taking in her new form.
Shale tapped a necklace around her neck.
"It's not permanent," she stated. "Evangeline showed me to a mage who worked with transfiguration magic and he created this charm for me. When I take it off, I return to a Golem."
"Have you enjoyed the life of a dwarf so far then?"
"It was hard at first. I can't believe you all can be bothered with things like clothing. As a Golem I had no need for such things. Now I have to wear shoes!"
Leliana laughed as she and Shale caught up from when they last saw one another. With their conversation, her worries began to ebb away. That was until the earth seemed to shake beneath them.
"What in the Makers' name was that?" Leliana hissed.
Shale looked around warily.
"I don't think it's safe here. Let's go," she said, grabbing onto Leliana's arm.
"Right."
The two moved through the Chantry where people had stopped short. Having remembered what had happened to Kirkwalls Chantry and the Conclave, Leliana had no reservations about evacuating people from the Chantry.
"There is no need to worry," Leliana called, addressing the faithful. "If everyone could make their way out of the Chantry, we can begin our investigation into what the cause of the earthquake was."
As people began filing out of the Chantry, Leliana's stomach dropped. An explosion rocked the Chantry, causing her left ear to go deaf as Shale tackled Leliana away from the bomb.
"The Chantry is under attack?!" Leliana exclaimed.
"No, I think their main goal was you!" Shale yelled back as explosions went off around them.
As she looked up from under Shale's tiny body above her, she saw the beautifully coloured roof of the Chantry falling on them. She covered her face with a scream and a silent prayer.
'Maker have mercy!'
Celene giggled as Briala kissed down her neck. She sucked on her collar bone, pulling a moan from the Empress. There was a slight rumbling that caused the two to break apart.
"What was that?" Celene asked, sitting up.
Briala backed away from the bed to where a couple daggers were hidden around the room for Celene's own protection.
"Stay here and lock the door behind me, Celene," Briala warned as she took off out of the room.
Doing as she asked, Celene locked the doors after Briala left and grabbed the dagger under her pillow.
A large explosion went off by the palace. Celene ran out onto her balcony, her horrified eyes catching glimpse of the Chantry collapsing in on itself.
"What is happening!?" Celene gasped, hand covering her mouth.
The dagger was stolen from her grip and held to her throat as an arm was wrapped around her waist to hold her in place.
"The rise of the Tevinter Imperium," a voice hissed into her ear.
She struggled in the hold enough to see the door to her wardrobe was open and one of her hand maidens lying dead inside. The man had to have been hiding in there for some time. Waiting for the perfect time to strike.
"You will never get away with this," Celene snapped before it was cut off by the dagger tearing into her throat.
She clutched at her slit neck but it was futile as she bled out. She collapsed against the barrier wall of her balcony, draping over it as her assailant jumped down and disappeared from sight. From her place hanging over the edge of the balcony, she spotted the white roses of her garden being tainted by the blood dripping from her wound.
Her last thought was one of vengeance.
'Don't let them get away with this...'
Free Marches
Kirkwall
As Aveline exited Viscount's Keep to do another routine patron, she was stopped by several of her guardsmen running to her.
"Guard-Captain!"
"What's going on?" She asked.
"Kirkwall is under attack!"
"By who?!"
"They bare Tevinters heraldry and I saw a couple of silver griffons in there."
"Grey Wardens too!? They are supposed to be politically neutral!"
Aveline went to run down the stairs when she remembered Bran.
"We need to protect the Viscount!"
She ran in with her guardsmen following, back to where Bran had returned to finish his lunch.
"Viscount Bran!" Aveline called but stopped short upon finding the Viscount unmoving at the table, his head in his soup bowl.
Running to him, she pulled his head out but it was too late. He was dead.
"What do we do, Guard-Captain?" One asked as they ran back down to Hightown.
"We need to evacuate the city. Kirkwall will not survive another attack, especially against Tevinter," Aveline spoke, thinking of how much the city had put up with.
"Are you sure?" Lisa asked. "We can't fight back?"
"No, the Tevinter mages have nothing against summoning demons. This will be worst than the Mage-Templar War and there is no Champion here to save us."
"Where will we go?"
Aveline thought hard about it.
"If Tevinter and the Grey Wardens are attacking, it would be suicidal to head north or east. They were either hit before us or are just about to be hit."
"Are you saying-"
"Yes," Aveline nodded. "While we hold off the attackers, everyone else will evacuate to Ferelden."
Nevarra
Nevarra City
Henry turned slightly to the entrance into the throne room. Something didn't feel right as six men entered.
"Who are you?" Henry questioned, drawing his staff.
"Brother Henry, be calm. We are to welcome guests that wish to have an audience with King Markus," Matthew stated.
"No, something isn't right," Henry continued. "I sense strong magic from these people. Tainted magic."
"You, yourself, use blood magic, right?" Anna questioned.
"Yes and that is how I can tell. They also wield blood magic like me but I sense more darkness from them. Unwilling participants."
Deciding to take a chance on their newest member, Matthew followed his example.
"Who are you?" He questioned.
Instead of talking, the unwanted arrivals drew their staffs.
"Protect the King!" David yelled.
Anna ran to stand before Markus, putting up a barrier around him and herself while David, Matthew and Henry cast their spells. Heart racing and blood pumping in his ears, all Henry could think of was to never stop the onslaught of spells he sent their way, backing up Matthew and David here and there. The odds against them two to one, all they could do was hold on and wait for back up to arrive but with how things were going, they weren't going to make it.
A scream from Anna drew his attention away from his fire fight. He managed to catch a glimpse of Anna within her distorted barrier, pierced by an ice spike coming up from the floor before his vision was blinded by light. Scorching pain erupted all over his face as he took a fireball to the face. He screamed and grabbed for his face.
From his place on the ground, he watched with his only working eye as David got thrown into a wall at break neck speed. There was no way he would have lived from that.
"My king!" Matthew yelled.
Henry turned to Markus, only to find him being mauled by Shades. Matthew called to Henry.
"You need to escape! Warn Nevarra!"
With what magic he had left, he used blood magic to teleport away but not before hearing Matthew's pained cry as he was flattened by Crushing Force.
Free Marches
Starkhaven
Sebastian walked over to the balcony that overlooked all of Starkhaven when he heard the sound of clashing steel. He could here the sound of people storming his palace and was quick to draw his bow. When the first wave of men ran in, he didn't hesitated to send the arrows flying. But as they kept coming, he knew he would run out long before the wave of men ended. A glimpse out to the balcony revealed Starkhaven was burning.
As he fired his last arrow, he withdrew his sword though he knew he was only delaying the inevitable. His guards had been disposed of and he was outnumbered ten to one.
"Give up!" One yelled, baring the Grey Warden symbol.
Seeing no other way out of this, he put down his sword.
"I surrender," he declared, getting onto his knees and putting his hands behind his head.
They all moved to surround him as the one in charge smirked.
"Unfortunately for you, we aren't taking prisoners."
As he pulled his sword back to deal a killing blow, someone called out to them.
"Stop, Gallus. Last time I checked, I was the Warden-Commander here."
Looking at the door, Sebastian instantly recognised the woman as Rebeka.
"But we are to kill everyone," he argued.
Rebeka merely looked Sebastian up and down.
"I know but I want to play with him a little bit," she smirked as she approached him.
She leant down to his level.
"You should be thanking me," she stated as she held his chin to look up at her.
"And why is that?" He asked.
"I'll be taking you to your precious Anders."
She looked up at the man behind Sebastian and nodded. The man nodded back and knocked out the religious prince.
Ferelden
Denerim
He laughed as Amethyne blushed, quickly rubbing the crumbs off her face. A soldier ran in.
"Your Majesty, Master Zevran has arrived with urgent news-"
"I am here, I will tell him myself, no?"
A man hidden by a cloak entered but was quick to remove his hood to reveal his identity. It was indeed the Leader of the Crows, Zevran Arainai.
"Zevran, what's going on?"
"I got here as fast as I could but we do not have much time."
"What is it?"
"Tevinter and the Grey Wardens of the Anderfels have formed an alliance and are planning an attack on most of the heads of Thedas. Antiva and Rivain were spared because of Antivas past relation to Tevinter and the Anderfels thanks to the Mother Queen of Thedas and Rivain is tied too closely to the Qunari."
"Wait, so you're saying Tevinter and Grey Warden soldiers will be coming here?"
"They are already here," Zevran stated. "Can you sense them?"
Alistair immediately closed his eyes and listened. There was a slight thrumming sound he could here coming from somewhere within the city. It wasn't alone though. There were several that he could hear. He opened his eyes, a frown set upon his face. Gone was the babbling idiot, replaced by a hardened king.
"Let the palace know to be on guard. Warn them all of possible demons as well."
"My men are already on it," Zevran stated. "I have also sent word to the Inquisitor and her husband, Cullen. I thought they should know what was about to go down and offer you help."
"Thank you for the warning, Zevran," Alistair spoke, placing a hand on his shoulder.
Zevran nodded, bowing his head slightly.
"What are friends for?"
The palace was suddenly more alive as everyone came to attention but without raising the suspicion of those lying in wait.
"Do you have a plan?" Zevran asked softly.
"We are going to hunt down the Grey Wardens before they have the chance to hunt me down."
"Stealth...my favourite," Zevran chuckled.
"What of the other countries?"
"It will take a few days for my people to send a message to me. I hope you do not mind but I have given them the order to persuade the other populus to come to Ferelden."
Alistair nodded. "It's the only logical place if the North is attacking. Once we take care of this attack, we will start preparing to take in the refugees that come. There is plenty of room here in Ferelden."
Alistair and Zevran fled the palace, hidden by cloaks. Pinpointing them came easy to Alistair, considering he'd had the taint within him for thirteen years. It helped that Avernus had made that potion to enhance his life-force and abilities given to him by said taint.
Walking down an alleyway, Zevran played the part of a drunken elf, stumbling with a giggle. He was quick to recognise the mages and archers and as he barrelled into their group under the pretense of too much alcohol, he stabbed one of the mages in the eye, slitting anothers' throat. As they realised what was happening, Alistair charged them, knocking a few down with his shield and finishing them with a precision strike straight through their heart or their head.
As Alistair tore his father's sword from a corpse, he let out a puff of air.
He and his wife fought too hard to save Ferelden to just let Tevinter take it. With blood drying on his armour and sword, he headed for the next group.
'They can take Ferelden over my dead body because I'm not going to stop fighting until I breathe my last breath.'
Orlais
Andoral's Reach
The forest was silent of man-made noise, only nature to be heard. The trees swayed in the breeze, their leaves rustling softly.
"Thank you for helping me," Fenris spoke up from behind her.
"It's my job as a Warden-Commander to take a look at the situation for myself," Donna told him.
There was a loud bird call, drawing their eyes skyward. Donna's eyes narrowed on the bird while Fenris looked confused.
"A...crow?" He wondered. "Why is it circling above us?"
Letting out a caw of her own, Donna raised her hand skyward, calling to the bird with her ranger instincts. To Fenris's amazement, the bird swooped down, landing upon the outstretched makeshift perch.
"You..."
"Do you remember Zevran Arainai? The ex-assassin back in Kirkwall you were tasked to return to the Crows?"
Fenris nodded slowly.
"Funnily enough, not only did he return of his own free will, but he took over as well. By killing the old leader, he set himself up to lead them. He's been keeping in touch with me since we all went our separate ways, keeping me up to date with everything going on," she told him, stroking the bird gently.
It let out gutteral caws, fluffing its wings every now and then and Donna smiled.
"I've heard of rogues with ranger abilities but I've never seen it myself. I am lead to believe that it is now a rare ability," Fenris murmured in awe as if afraid to startle the bird.
"It is. The earlier one begins to practice the ability, the more time it has to grow and easier it becomes. Not many do get to see it nowadays."
"I consider it an honor then."
Looking into it's eyes to strengthen the connection she began.
'What is Zevran's message?'
Instead of speaking back, it replayed a memory of Zevran reciting his message for her.
'My spies tell me Tevinter and the Anderfels Grey Wardens are planning an attack on almost all of Thedas. I say all because I know Rivain and Antiva will be spared. From what they've heard, the heads will be attacked. By the time you get this message, I will already be by our Bastard King's side, you need not worry for him. My people have been told to encourage those fleeing their countries to head to Ferelden for refuge as it is furtherest from Tevinter and the Anderfels. I have some men by Leliana to make sure no harm comes to her either but I've heard Shale was headed to her so she should be fine. I hope you are well and wish you a safe but swift return. I think you should put your quest on hold for there will be no Grey Wardens to save if they all die in this war.'
"Are you okay?" Fenris asked.
Donna looked up, realising her face had been contorted into a look of pain.
"Tevinter and the Anderfel Grey Wardens have allied themselves and have possibly attacked the heads of Thedas by now."
"What!?" Fenris bellowed. "What are we supposed to do now?"
Instead of answering him, she looked at the crow.
"Return this message to Zevran," she spoke and the crow nodded, ready. "I am going to Weisshaupt to free the Wardens that they have been kidnapping and taking prisoner. Mary Hawke is among them. I will be sending Fenris, an old companion to Hawke back to you with my swords for safe keeping. Once I have freed the other Wardens, I promise to return to Ferelden and take up arms beside you and Alistair. Thank you for helping my husband and keeping up to date with the happenings of the world and please continue to aid and support Alistair. I pray the Maker watches over you, Zevran."
The bird cawed to let her know it was down and after rubbing her face against the crow's, she released it to the sky. It flew around for a moment before going back the way it came.
Donna turned to Fenris who nodded his head having heard the plan.
"How do you plan to free everyone?" He asked.
"I'll go in undercover and free them from the inside."
"How do you plan to do that? The First Warden will only have his most faithful in Weisshaupt."
Donna gave him a wistful smile.
"Who says I was going in 'willingly'?"
"You mean-"
She nodded.
"I'm going to be captured."
Take note that the reason its morning, lunch time and night time in some places is because I want there to be some sort of time zones. I tried being specific at the start but it made things much more complicated.
So what did you think?
Sorry if it's rushed.
That's a weakness of mine.