Chapter 8: "Heroes are not made, but born, Luke."

We had been traveling for a long and boring time, at best a few monsters attacked us, but that's about it, we had very little trouble getting there, but as always the hard part was coming up. As we got to Hellena, Lavitz jumped up, and climbed into the damn Prison, killed someone, and lowered the Drawbridge single-handedly. I felt an odd feeling in my gut, as that happened, the feeling last happened when I met Riordan, beforehand with Duncan, Daveth, Jory, among other people, who soon died afterwards, which made me think that maybe Lavitz was doomed to die here in Hellena Prison, but to who? I wonder, but it's hard to say in the end.

With a bit of blood shed slaughtering Hellena Wardens we had found ourselves deep inside the Prison, and to be more specific the room where Dart and Lavitz had found the cell-key, those few weeks ago…was it only a few weeks? It seemed longer than that, in my opinion. But then, I was apart from my beloved, from my Mate. I didn't think much of the grate we were standing on…until the guards surrounded us. "Shit, move!" I yelled, but was too late, as the Wardens pushed the button, and we fell into the hole the grate covered. "Not like this!" I yelled, before hitting the ground, and getting up, shaking my head lightly.

"Is everyone alright?" Dart asked.

"I'm alive." Zevran said, with a smile.

"That fall made me lose my hip-flask." Oghren grumbled.

"I have taken worse hits in my life." I said, dusting off my armor and sighed quietly.

"I'm OK!" Shana replied cheerfully.

"I am alright." Rose said, moodily.

"I'm perfectly fine." Lavitz answered.

"I'm alright." Haschel said, which made me smile, 'strong old bugger isn't he?' I had thought to myself, and sighed.

"Alright well…we're trapped, and possibly going to die of starvation…" Dart said, quietly.

"No. Something else will get us first; didn't you say that Hellena Warden say he was going to make the POW's into feed?" I asked Lavitz, and he nodded.

"One did, yes. But I thought it was a ruse to demoralize my captured Knighthood." Lavitz said, honestly.

"Well…what does your Warden Senses say Luke?" Oghren asked.

"They're tingling, which is a bad sign, prepare for a fight, to-the-death, and worse than most…" I said, my eyes almost becoming blood-red flames, as I unsheathed my blades, readying myself, and letting the beast inside me take over, or well…not the Werewolf, but the anger, the untapped hatred. I let out a feral snarl; Oghren and Zevran were confused, and stepped back lightly.

Dart and Shana said something, but I didn't hear them, I focused all my energy into feeding my blood-lust, letting my Berserker Rage take over, the beast attacked, I wasted no time in charging, climbing up its back, slashing, shanking, stabbing, and hacking away. Zevran took aim, and fired at will, giving heavy ranged support, Oghren was readying a Crossbow to help, Shana primed an arrow, Rose, Dart, Lavitz, and Haschel charged, for melee, keeping the beast distracted for me, as I carved into its flesh, it ripped a chunk of earth out, and threw it at Lavitz, who grit his teeth, and all-but passed out at the attack. The sounds of combat only drew me into a further, deeper blood-lust, not to mention the beast blood that was, and always would course through my veins.

I didn't hesitate as I kept attacking, enjoying the pained sounds the beast made, and the sickening punches Haschel threw were audible above the greatsword and Rapier combo-attacks. In the background, arrows and bolts pounded into the beast's flesh, but I ignored that, it wasn't much of a difference it seemed.

After a while, Lavitz got back up, and started his lance/spear combos, I heard flesh be torn several times, and bone snap, occasionally on the damn beast. Yet it still kept alive, grabbed Lavitz, and Dart, and threw them at Haschel. That move alone kept Haschel down, with the two armored warriors dazed atop him.

I let out a feral roar, put almost all my energy into a final thrust of my blades, twisted them, rolled off, after pulling out my blades, the beast fell dead, smashing into the wall, and creating a hole, that could possibly lead us out of this hell-hole. I think it's safe to say no one looked back, except me, and Rose to be sure it was dead.

"Well…that was fun, what's next?" I asked, with a smile, as the Berserker rage ended.

"We go onward, to save King Albert!" Lavitz cheered out, spear ready, and I nodded, to say most of Hellena was a blur, was a truth, and before long, we came across Frugal and his two goons, Gunthaz, and some other thing I didn't quite catch the name of. Zevran, Oghren, and myself focused on Gunthaz, the rest of the party did what they did best, fighting the good fight. The three of us were for sure taking hard hits, but we were dealing back just as much, my signature backstabs were helping out, while Zevran took aim, and fired an Arrow of Slaying, I smiled as I heard the beast take the hit badly, bone snapping, and growls of pain.

"Well done. We got it in its ugly face. Now, FINISH IT!" I yelled out, striking with even more anger and quickness, before long both of Frugal's beasts were dead, and only he was left standing, with some well-timed strikes, we managed to do plenty of damage, and took a small amount in return. I took to firing my bow, as did Zevran, while Oghren kept taunting Frugal into focusing on him, causing the others to give it all they had, mercilessly.

I'd growl, an charge at him with my blades as I ran out of arrows, running up to behind him, back flipped onto his shoulders, and began an almost dance-like attack, every moment was fluid, yet weak, I was for once going quantity over quality with damage. Frugal would try and shake me off, but being the dexterous person I am, I had little to no problem with him trying to knock me off. I jumped into the air, used my dragoon-spirit, and fired Iron-Ball's at Frugal, who had before long hit the ground, dead or out cold, I didn't know, but this time I had a feeling he was gone.

It was as I looked ahead, that I saw someone, and cursed. "Of course, Lloyd's here." I looked over, and saw Lavitz do something foolish, transforming into his dragoon form, and charged right at Lloyd, who remained still, but unsheathed an odd glowing blade, that struck into Lavitz, and came out his back, like it was nothing. 'So that's how Lavitz will die…' I thought to myself, before watching, feeling bad for my friends.

Dart ran over, instantly, Lloyd however walked away, with his prize, and didn't look back, "Laaaaaavitz!" Dart yelled, as his good friend passed on, and the Dragoon-Stone took itself from Lavitz, weirdly enough leaving his body as it was.

Almost a minute went by, before the Dragoon-Stone returned, floating in front of King Albert, of Bale. He was shocked, but nodded; he had a job to do for his fallen friend, and soldier. I smiled lightly, and looked at King Albert, there were only a few things to do now, one of which was to bury the fallen, and without looking at Dart, I said. "I should be buried in Seles, to be a guardian of the city, unto the end of time." I could feel Dart's approval, more than anything else, and with a short vote, all but Rose in favor of it, Rose didn't care to vote, as it was.

With that settled, Dart, Zevran, and myself carried out our fallen comrade, Oghren took point, with Griffon's Beak, Shana was ready to get an arrow out, Haschel took over the rear, and Rose guarded the left flank. We killed anyone and anything mercilessly if it got in our way, and in what seemed to myself, Dart, Zevran, and most of the party as it was, an eternity had passed, before we made it to Seles.

"I can't believe Lavitz tried that, he might've been born a hero, but he could still die like one." I said, and looked at Albert, who had a slight disapproving frown on his face.

"Heroes are not born, but made Luke." He said, and I sighed, nodding in agreement.

"A fair point if I ever heard one." I admitted.

I couldn't deny that I wanted to kill Lloyd alone, with my blades poisoned, but I just couldn't abandon this group to their own mission, we had a mutual goal of revenge, and well, I knew that the beast would not let me ignore an easier path to getting revenge either. So it was we stood in a sort of catacombs under Seles, having out moment for Lavitz's death, and I admit I wish I had been quicker, maybe I could've saved Lavitz, or maybe I'd get myself killed, who knows.

Five Days Later

Not much had happened until now, well...we're in the "Black City" and we've snuck through a good portion of the damn place, made a few friends, killed some Sandorans, I got to personally met the Great Commander who captured Seles from me, and promised him I would save Doel if I could, making a warrior's promise.

End of Chapter 8

(A/N: So…yeah, sorry guys, but I'm just not feeling it for a longer chapter at the moment, sorry. I wanted to make the deadline I put for myself and I just don't see myself making it by December 30th, to get the fight with Kongel in, however Dragon Age Inquisition and the Dalish Dragoon which is technically third in the series, will be started, at least the prologue of who my Inquisitor character is to Luke, and why I consider him an honorary Dalish, so yeah, it will likely involve several OC's, a Demoness I've made for DA and fantasy in general, a Giant Spider OC perhaps, if anyone's curious, yes Hawke will be in it, it wouldn't be right if I didn't have Hawke in DAI in my opinion.

Although I doubt I'll be as foolish as I had been with Zen in DAI…may Hawke rest in peace. Not that I meant to kill Hawke, nothing of the sort, I just didn't realize I could not save him and Stroud. I sort of used the default word state, because I don't know how to set up my own world, and didn't have Xbox Live.

So…what are your guys' thoughts of the FF? Am I that terrible that I am one of my only fans? Have my decisions been good so far? Do let me know, until then…I will catch you guys later, hopefully with a review or two to respond to when I am back at my mom's for until whenever school starts back up for me.)