Rebellion

Fear and adrenaline pumped through Eve's veins as she jumped from the window seat and immediately raced out of the library. Soon the screams were all around her, accompanied by the sound of fighting. The scrape and clash of steel came from every room, and in the air hung the thick, oppressive residue of magic. She reached the hall and the torches dimmed and flickered as though sharing her fear, and she saw at once that there was much to be afraid of.

"Get out of my head, witch!"
A blast of energy knocked the woman back, and while stunned, the Templar surged forward and stabbed the blood mage through the heart.
Knowing the man's voice, Eve ran towards him. "Adir, are you all right? What's happened?"
His hand drew back, tightening around the hilt of his sword, ready for an attack, but stopped when he saw Eve. He eyed her warily. "Are you on their side?" He nodded in the direction of the blood mages fighting the Templars.
Eve vehemently shook her head. "No, of course not."
Looking weary, he glanced around the room. "Uldred attacked using blood magic and was supported by a group of blood mages. Then to cap his idiocy, he attempted to summon a Pride demon but was overwhelmed and possessed."
"Maker's breath! Where is Uldred now?"
"The Harrowing Chamber. We're trying to reach there, but these damnable abominations, mages, and demons are hindering us every step of the way."
"All right. Tell me what I can do?"
Adir rubbed a hand over his face. "Not much, just get to safety."

If he'd said that to her while she'd been in the library and still shaken from the screams, she might have taken him at his word. But when she'd entered the hall and looked upon the devastation, there had been a moment where she knew she had a choice: fight or flee. Never one for confrontations, she had almost turned on her heel and ran, but then something had reared up inside of her – courage, determination, or loyalty – she couldn't say for certain. Perhaps it had been all three traits, whatever the case she'd found her reason to fight.
"No, I stand and fight by the side of the Templars."

Adir smiled. "Do your best to take down the demons, but stay out of the line of fire from Templars. If you get hit by one of our abilities, you'll be as defenceless as the mages we fight."
She nodded her understanding and moved forward to help out the few mages who had retained enough sanity to stand with the Templars and try and stop the madness that had infected the Circle.

In shock, Eve watched as people she'd once called friends now seemed unrecognisable, warped by their hate and anger. Droplets of blood swirled around in the air making the scene that much more macabre. It was chaos. There was no order to the fighting, just a free for all where people went after the closest enemy while simultaneously trying to keep watch over nearby allies. Eve had stopped thinking, because she knew that if she took just one minute to consider all the death and destruction around her, then she wouldn't have been able to go on.

Tears filled Eve's eyes as she saw the young apprentice, Keili, a dark smile on her face, blood spinning around her like a small tornado as she fought the Templars. It seemed inconceivable to Eve that this young woman, who had been so scared of her own magic, would not only condone but join Uldred's rebellion.

Keili's grin grew and then Torrin screamed. His body twisted and contorted in an agonising and abnormal manner until something cracked. The Senior Enchanter slumped to the floor, and Eve ran to him, hoping that she might be able to help. As soon as she saw his wide-open lifeless eyes, Eve knew she'd made a mistake in going to him. Stumbling back from her dead friend, the first cracks appeared in the emotional wall she'd built around herself, and the terrifying truth started to seep in.

At that moment, she let her guard down and immediately regretted her mistake when hot agony seared her skin. She screamed as a molten hand of fire wrapped around her wrist. The smell of burning flesh filled Eve's nose and panic overrode her common sense so that instead of fighting back, she desperately tried to scrabble away. The demon slithered closer, and then a gleaming blade appeared through its middle, and with a snarl of rage, the demon sank into the stone floor.

An armoured hand reached down to Eve and she clasped it gratefully, thanking the Templar who's face was hidden behind a helmet.
"Drink this." A cool, glass vial was placed in Eve's hand and deep red liquid sloshed around invitingly. Quickly, she swallowed the health potion and felt relief as the fiery pain eased.
"Grab the lyrium off Torrin; he won't be needing it anymore."
Catching a slight inflexion in the muffled voice, Eve turned to look at the Templar again. "Cullen?"
A nod of the head and then he was moving away, ready to fight another wave of demons and abominations.
"Andraste, preserve us all," she said. Then, with tears stinging her eyes, she took the three lyrium potions hanging on Torrin's belt and stowed them away before jumping back into the thick of the battle.

Time seemed to pass in a blur as those fighting to save the Circle took down anyone between them and the Harrowing Chamber. Eve reached for a lyrium potion only to find that she'd run out. "Shit!" Exhausted and low on mana, her hands trembled slightly as she stopped to search a nearby corpse.
"Eve!"
She glanced up to see Adir running towards her and behind him Cullen, Beval, Farris, and Annlisse. A shiver raced down her spine, and Eve knew someone was behind her. She started to turn, but too late. The bewitched Templar's sword punctured her side, and for a split-second, she stared at the blade protruding from her body, then the sword was quickly withdrawn. A painful breath, sharply exhaled, was cut short as the pommel cracked against her skull.

With her vision wavering and blood pouring from the wound, Eve's knees buckled and she hit the ground. Abominations and demons poured into the corridor and attacked the last remaining Templars. Frantic with the need to help, she tried to rise but that was the final straw for her exhausted and damaged body. As darkness closed in around her she saw the three Templars being overwhelmed and dragged away, Cullen amongst them, and she was powerless to help them... to help him.