Chapter 10
Music could be heard throughout all of Haven as the people celebrated the closing of the Breach. Folks were dancing, eating, singing and laughing for the first time in months. The Commander was watching from the steps of the Chantry, his arms crossed over his chest.
Some of the village women had come up to him giggling, asking him to dance. He had politely said no, insisting that he had other duties to attend to. But instead, he watched the others from afar. But there was one person he was watching much more closely than the others.
Ashlyn had just finished talking with Cassandra, her face relaxing slightly as she was invited over by a wave from her friends. The Iron Bull passed her a silver tankard, a large smile on his face as she joined the group. Varric and Dorian crowded around, talking excitedly with her. Cullen felt a wave of jealousy as he watched the men standing and chatting with her so easily. How did they get so lucky as to become her close friends?
His mind had been racing with images of her all day. The way her eyes sparkled after closing the breach. Her scarf flicking in the wind as they walked back to Haven, closely surrounded by her comrades, and how the corners of her mouth kept flickering while she smiled, showing how exhausted she was.
Now, he was staring at her dark waves, framing her face like curtains. She raised her tankard to her mouth, taking a long sip from it when suddenly she sensed someone looking at her. Turning, she made eye contact with Cullen, a smile playing on her face. She licked the extra ale left on her mouth, leaving her lips glistening. Cullen felt temptation shiver through his body as he watched her, gulping deeply before feeling his face turn hot. He was blushing, looking down at the snow when he heard it.
It was the unmistakable cry of the bell of the watchtower. His stomach knotted as shrieks of terror and worry spread throughout Haven. Without thinking, he was sprinting to the gates, his cloak swirling around him as he ran.
Thrusting her mug at Varric, Ashlyn's wide eyes followed the Commander. "We must go." She ran off at the same pace behind him. She met him at the front gate just as Cassandra arrives, who too look bewildered.
"Cullen?!" She asked, demanding more information.
He grimaced, "Our watch guard reported it's a massive force, the bulk over the mountain." Cullen pointed.
Josephine appeared suddenly, her eyebrows furrowed together into a dark line. "Under what banner?"
"None." He said simply with a shrug.
"None?!" The Ambassador was stunned.
Ashlyn was watching the crack under the main gate, which was now flickering orange. Suddenly there was a loud, violent knock that caused the door to shake. Josephine jumped at the noise.
"I can't come in unless you open!" A mysterious voice shouted.
Ashlyn looked to Cullen, who gave her a nod. Together they pushed the grand gates open, which revealed a man in ginormous armour. But with a large thud, he fell to his knees, with a dagger in his back. A small figure was revealed as he fell. It was a scrawny, young man with a large brimmed hat, that cast a shadow over his face.
Taking her daggers out, Ashlyn pointed them at the mysterious man. He lifted his head, revealing gentle eyes. He raised his hands up cautiously, showing he meant no harm. "I'm Cole. I came to warn you, to help! People are coming to hurt you. You probably already know…," He spoke in a monotone voice, but his face was etched with worry.
"What is this? What's going on!" She pointed her daggers out again, waving them at the impending army marching down the mountainside.
"The templars come to kill you," He said simply.
"Templars?" Cullen interjected, a pained expression on his face. "Is this the Orders response to our talks with the mages? Attacking blindly?!"
"The red templars went to the Elder One. You know him?" He asked Ashlyn, his eyes wide. "He knows you. You took his mages. There." Cole pointed up high into the mountain, where a monstrously tall silhouette and a Templar Commander could be seen. "The elder one."
"Samson..." Cullen hissed, as he followed Cole's finger. "I know that man! But the Elder One…"
Cole trembled, "He's very angry that you took his mages.
Ashlyn watched as the army of Red Templars marched closer, "Cullen, give me a plan! Anything!" She begged.
"Haven is no fortress. If we are to withstand this monster, we must control the battle. Get out there and hit that force." Ashlyn watched him point to a trebuchet, completely mesmerized. She hadn't seen the Commander actually command before.
"Use everything you can." He gave her a reassuring nod before turning around and facing the gathering crowd surrounding the open gates of Haven. "Mages! You — you have sanction to engage them. That is Samson, he will not make it easy. Inquisition, with the Herald! For your lives! For all of us!" He raised his sword high into the air, his voice echoing through Haven.
The mages and soldiers let out a mighty battle cry as Ashlyn turned on her heels and headed towards the trebuchet. The first of the red templars has pushed into the line of fight. They were gruesome creatures, glittering with fire red stones and yielding Templar axs and swords. Suddenly a bolt whizzed by Ashlyn's head and landed in the heart of one of them. Swirling around she saw Varric reload another bolt into his crossbow. "What's going on?!" He yelled over the sounds of the fighting. Dorian and Iron Bull appeared from behind him, joining in the battle.
"Defend the trebuchet! Our soldiers will load it while we fight." Ashlyn ordered her companions.
They all took their positions, swinging, aiming and grunting. Sweat was dripping down the Herald's forehead and neck, turning cold as the winter air wiped around them. When she had ripped her dagger out of one of the last attacking red templars one of the soldiers called out to her. "Centred and cleared! Firing! They felt that! We'll reload — you get to the other trebuchet! It isn't firing!"
The foursome headed further south, where they found the second trebuchet overloaded with Red Templars. None of the soldiers were near it, as they had abandoned it to swing their swords and shields at the Templars. It was left unguarded and loaded. "Shit!" Ashlyn shouted as she realized that one of the enemies had just perceived the same thing. She sprinted towards the contraption at full speed, knocking into the templar. They fought in the snow together, until she heard the quick snap of his breaking neck. With a grimace she quickly got up, shaking the snow off of her.
One of the soldiers finally noticed the Herald, "Quickly! Just aim for the left peak and turn the other lever!" He screamed at her, his face red from the fighting.
Scrambling, Ashlyn used all of her arm strength to turn the stiff wheel to the left. Closing one eye, she checked her aim before yanking hard on the other lever. There was a sound of rattling chains and then the stone was whizzing through the air. It collided with the mountain, causing a rush of snow to come crashing down. It crushed trees and buried a large portion of the marching army.
She felt a clap on her back and found Varric smiling behind her. The soldiers around them started cheering as the flames of the torches of the impending army were extinguished by the snow. The hairs on Ashlyn's arms began to rise, as she heard a terrifying screech echo through the air. Snapping around just in time, she watched as a giant orange ball of fire flew into the trebuchet, exploding against the machinery and sending it into splinters.
There was a combination of grunts and panicked yells amongst them. "Shit, who ordered the end of the damn world?!" Varric shouted, scrambling away from the remains of the smoking trebuchet.
"Everyone to the gates!" Ashlyn yelled, her fingers twitching at her side.
Her squad and the soldiers ran back together, watching the sky wearily for the fire-breathing beast. As they neared Haven, a loud banging caught their attention.
It was Harrit, throwing himself against the locked door of the Smithy. "Blasted shoulder!" He bellowed, before ramming into it again. Before he could give the door another go, Ashlyn caught his arm grabbing his attention. "Herald, help me with this door!"
Shoving him to the side, Ashlyn and Bull both kicked the door in together — sending it flying into the Smithy.
"Thank you, Herald! Just grabbing the essentials, won't die for the forge." Harrit said quickly. But before he could enter horse master Dennet emerged from the building looking bewildered.
"I — what's going on?!" He exclaimed, taking in his surroundings.
"Oh, you're ok! Thank the maker." Harrit grabbed onto Dennet, pulling him out the of the building
Ashlyn interrupted them, "Quickly, while you have the chance both of you take the horses and go. We will evacuate the others."
The pair nodded with wide eyes, before grabbing some bags and stuffing them with tools before running to the stalls. The sounds of hooves were all they could hear as they moved towards Haven's main gates. Ashlyn did her best to ignore the bodies littering the snow.
Cullen was standing at the gates, ushering in the last few of the soldiers and mages fighting outside of Haven. "Move it! Move it!" He shouted, waving the Herald and her companions through.
Ashlyn took the Commander in — his hair was disheveled from sweat and snow, his eyes ablaze, and his scared lips were contorted in a scowl. His sword was at the ready at his side, it's blade covered in blood.
"We need everyone back to the Chantry. It's the only building that might hold against the beast." At the sounds of more shrieking and the cackling of the fires raging within Haven, he spoke again, "At this point, just make them work for it." He ran off without another word or glance at the squad, chasing after the red templars that had broken through Haven's defenses.
Ashlyn's eyes scanned around her, noticing the trails of blood, the smoke from the cabins swirling high into the air. Haven was in shambles. "The villagers will need help if they are to survive this."
As if on cue, a voice pierced the air. "Help!" Darting over to the noise, they found a soldier pinned into a corner as a handful of red templars moved towards her. The four of them sprinted towards them, swinging and aiming before eventually killing them.
The soldier thanked the Herald profusely.
"Just look for others on your way to the Chantry!" Ashlyn commanded whilst sprinting away. Her leather boots floated up the cobble steps as they rushed up into the main landing. They were bombarded with red templars as soon as they passed.
"Do you hear that?!" Varric called over the fighting. "Sounds like people!"
Ashlyn watched as the flickering flames of the pub suddenly turned into an unstoppable blaze, "Hold them off!" She cried, running into the crumbling building. A wooden column had fallen on the innkeeper Flissa. Ashlyn scrambled to move the boards on top of her. Dragging her out of the building, the pair gasped as the rest of the building fell where they just were. Trying to catch her breath, Ashlyn helped the fair woman up before instructing her. "Stay behind him." She pointed to Bull, who nodded in agreement before placing himself in front of Flissa like a shield.
Craning her ears, Ashlyn heard another shout. "Up there!" Booting up towards Adan and Solas' cabins, she found that they too had been attacked by the beast. Noticing two odd looking piles burning with embers, she began frantically digging at one. "Quick, the other!"
Dorian stepped forward, casting a spell with staff. Suddenly the boards were floating in the air and placed down a distance away with ease. Adan and the scholar Minaeve has been laying under the piles and were on the verge of being burnt alive.
"Herald what's happening!? Thank you! Thank you!" They both asked frantically as the picked them up off of the snow-covered ground.
Ashlyn ignored their question but instead directed them to stand behind them. "We will take you all to the Chantry. Stay with us."
Weaving through the cabins and some bushes, Ashlyn led the group around to the Chantry avoiding the majority of the fighting. Looking back at their party, she let out a short "Quickly!", before sprinting across to the Chantry. Throwing the doors open, she waved all of the villagers in. Peeking her head inside, she saw the Sisters of the Chantry welcoming them in, asking if they were hurt.
"Someone is yelling! There! " Dorian blurted, pointing to a soldier who was being pinned into one of the cliff sides by red templars. Yet again the squad went to her rescue, sweat was drenched across their faces from all of the fighting. Ashlyn's eyes were heavy with exhaustion when she heard another faint cry.
"I hear a voice." She said, craning her neck to her where it was coming from. Noticing a burning cabin, she raced up the ladder of a nearby watchtower, skipping every other rung. Flames were licking the roof of the building, a large hole gaping in the shingles. Without thinking she jumped across onto the rafters before diving in through the burning hole. Landing with a thud, she squinted at the smoke filling the room. A body was laying on the floor, their hands covering their face and head. Wrapping her scarf around her mouth, she grabbed onto them and pulled them up off of the floor. It was Seggrit, his face was covered in black dust.
"Bull, the door!" She screamed through the fabric of her scarf, and within an instant the wooden door was off of its hinge, laying on the ground.
Scrambling out of the building the pair gulped at the fresh air. Suddenly another screech from the flying beast filled the air, reminding them of their fast-approaching doom.
"To the Chantry quickly!" Ashlyn ordered. They sprinted back up through Haven, completely out of breath by the time they had reached the open door.
Chancellor Roderick was ushering the final few soldiers in. "Move, keep going, the Chantry is your shelter." He said gently, as he shut the door behind them once inside. With a grunt, he collapsed into Cole's arms, grabbing his side.
Noticing everyone's panicked expression, Cole explained, "He tried to stop a templar, the blade went deep. He's going to die."
The Chancellor grimaced, "What a charming boy." Ashlyn helped Cole move Roderick, setting him down carefully on the tiled floor as he grasped at his stomach.
Brushing her hands on her leather trousers, Ashlyn pushed herself up again, eyeing everyone in the Chantry. The Sisters were attending to wounded soldiers and villagers, they were working frantically but quietly. Other villagers were at the back of the building, surrounding their crying children. Ashlyn felt a lump form in her throat as she listened to a father trying to hush and calm his daughter, smoothing her hair as he cradled her. Her companions were catching their breath — they had been defended the inner walls of Haven as Ashlyn, Bull, Varric, and Dorian had fired the trebuchets. They were leaning against the walls and columns of the Chantry, their chests heaving as they replenished their arrows, lyrium, and stamina.
The clinking of boots warned Ashlyn someone was approaching. Snapping back to reality, her eyes met with Cullen's. "Trevelyan, our position is not good. That dragon stole back any time you might have earned us."
Ashlyn bit her lip, nodding in agreement.
Cole's mysterious voice entered the conversation. "I've seen an archdemon. I was in the fade but it looked like that…". She noticed the odd haze in his eyes.
The Commander scoffed, "I don't care what it looks like. It's got a path for that army. They'll kill everyone in Haven." He said through gritted teeth.
"The Elder One doesn't care about the village." Cole's misty eyes flashed to Ashlyn, "He only wants the Herald." He lifted a pale finger towards her.
"If it will save these people, he can have me," Ashlyn said without hesitating.
Cullen blinked at her answer, his mouth agape.
"It won't," Cole said. "He wants to kill you. No one else matters, but he'll crush them, kill them anyway," His eyes flashed down to the ground, "I don't like him."
Cullen was exasperated,"You don't like…" Shaking his head, he addressed only her. "Ashlyn, there are no tactics to make this survivable. The only thing that slowed them was the avalanche. We could turn the remaining trebuchets, cause one last slide."
Her eyes flickered back and forth as she studied his face, attempting to understand what he meant, "We're overrun… to hit the enemy, we'd bury Haven."
He pursed his lips, stretching the white scar that laid on them. "We're dying, but we can decide how. Many don't get that chance."
The pair stood together, thinking intensely of their impending fate. Cullen watched as she avoided his eye contact, her knuckles turning white as she squeezed her fists.
But Cole's gasp next to them grabbed their attention. "Yes, that. Chancellor Roderick can help! He wants to say it before he dies."
Roderick gave a cough, ignoring the blood that splattered on his hand and continued to speak, "There is a path. You wouldn't know it unless you'd made the summer pilgrimage, as I have. The people can escape. She must have shown me… Andraste must have shown me so I could tell you."
Ashlyn kneeled down in front of him, "What are you on about, Roderick?"
"It was whim that I walked the path. I did not mean to start — it was overgrown. Now, with so many in the Conclave dead, to be the only one who remembers… I don't know, Herald. If this simple memory can save us, this could be more than mere accident. You could be more." His eyes were filling with tears, his hand clutching his stomach much more tightly now.
Turning to face the Commander, Ashlyn asked, "What about it Cullen? Will it work?"
"Possibly… If he shows us the path. But what of your escape?" He asked, his amber eyes wide.
Ashlyn planted her feet, saying nothing.
"Perhaps you will surprise us, find a way." His eyebrows were high on his face, his pink mouth open. She attempted to look hopeful, the corners of her mouth moving up weakly. With a gulp, he turned his back on her to speak to the rest of the Chantry. "Inquisition! Follow Chancellor Roderick through the Chantry! Move!"
Cole and Cullen grabbed onto the elbows of Chancellor Roderick, helping him up as they escorted him towards the back of the Chantry.
Ashlyn's personal squad approached her, their faces etched in worry. "What's going on?" Varric asked, his crossbow slung over his broad chest.
"Let me tell everyone at the same time." Ashlyn waved everyone over until all nine of her companions stood in front of her. "Chancellor Roderick knows a hidden path out of the Chantry, he and Cullen will be leading the rest of the Inquisition and the villagers to safety. I will be staying to fire the final trebuchet to cause an avalanche, that will bury Haven and everything in it." Her eyes lowered to the ground on the last few words. "I will need a few of you to stay, not till the very end but just long enough to get me to the trebuchet. The rest of you will leave with Cullen, protecting the others."
Cassandra stepped forward, her shoulders set back. "Let's do this."
"No Cassandra. It can't be you, you are too important to the Inquisition." Ashlyn's eyebrows furrowed. Cassandra opened her mouth to speak again, but she cut her off. "I said no."
Dorian, Bull, and Varric moved up, "We'll stay." The Qunari said seriously, his hand already twitching for the ax on his back.
She nodded a thank you to her three friends, before sending the others off. "Protect the villagers." She ordered as they silently moved towards the back of the Chantry were the rest of the Inquisition was leaving.
Turning on her heel, Ashlyn made to move through the crowd towards the front doors. But a hand found her elbow, and she stopped. It was the Commander again, his amber eyes were ablaze, transforming the colour to the yellow of a lion's. "Ashlyn…," He said softly. Her name on his lips caused her heart to leap up into her throat. "If you are meant for this, if the Inquisition is meant for this, I pray for you."
Ashlyn blinked, "I —", She scrambled to find something meaningful to say, to express what the Inquisition means to her, what he meant to her. But instead, she simply gulped before spitting out, "Thank you, Cullen."
His eyebrows quickly furrowed, but as Dorian, Bull and Varric approached he became serious again. "They'll load the trebuchets," Cullen instructed, pointing to a few assertive soldiers, "Keep the Elder One's attention until we're above the tree line. We will send red sparks into the sky. If we are to have a chance — if you are to have a chance," His eyes flashed to Ashlyn once more, "Let that thing hear you."
With one final look, Cullen joined the rest of the Inquisition, slipping through a door and was gone. The group left behind took a few deep breaths, before walking back into the cold. A few red Templars had broken in past Haven's main gates and were sprinting up the stairs towards them.
"Quickly, you three go around and start loading the trebuchet! We will fight them off." Pulling out her daggers, Ashlyn swirled them in the crisp, winter air before lunging towards her enemy.
They moved through the snow, defeating Red Templars as they moved closer to the mines attached to the outskirts of Haven. The bodies of their enemies were littered behind them. They made it to the open field of the mine just as the soldiers had finished loading the trebuchet. Suddenly, Red Templars were climbing over the fence into the mining field.
"Go! We will do the rest!" Ashlyn screamed at the soldiers. They clambered through the snow, leaving white trails of powder as the sprinted for their lives.
The remaining four fought furiously — daggers, ax, bolts, and staff swinging through the winter air madly. Their hearts were pounding in their chests, their breath ragged as they sprinted around each other, protecting and attacking. As the Red Templars numbers dwindled, Ashlyn started shouting through the fighting.
"Once they are finished, I alone will aim the trebuchet. I will give you all time to get back to the Chantry!" She screamed, before letting out a grunt as a Red Templar's shield hit her from behind.
"We aren't going anywhere!" Varric howled from behind her, taking the templar out with a bolt to the head.
"Yes. You. Are." She said, her nostrils flared. She readjusted her daggers in her hands, before joining Bull in fighting one of the larger horrors.
"We…," Iron Bull began, trying to catch his breaths between swings of his ax, "We can't just leave you behind."
"You can and you will," Ashlyn replied, sinking her dagger into it's back, sending shards of red lyrium scattering across the snow. "He only wants me. You can still make it out of this."
Scanning around them, they realized that they were now alone in the mining field. She saw Dorian open his mouth to argue, but she quickly interrupted him. "I've already seen you sacrifice yourself for me. I will not allow it again." His eyes drooped, his mind flickering back to their time in Alexius' alternate reality. "That is final." She said with a growl, before turning on her heel and sprinting towards the trebuchet.
With great effort, she began turning the gigantic wooden wheel with great force. Craning her neck, she saw her companions still standing there, their weapons dangling in their hands. "Go! Now!" She wailed, her voicing ripping from her throat. They exchanged one final look of dread with her, before sprinting away in the same direction as the Chantry.
With one final tug, she double checked her aim on the trebuchet. It was lined up to the peak of the mountain, the perfect catalyst for the avalanche. Now, she needed to wait for the sparks. Remembering Cullen's words, Ashlyn bent down and took the shield off of a dead templar, before she began banging on it loudly. She needed to keep it's attention, long enough for the Inquisition to get past the tree line. She had only struck the shield a few times when she heard the screech and cry of the dragon. Red sparks suddenly crashed into the ground in front of her, and the impact of the energy caused an explosion, which sent her flying back. She landed with a thud in the snow.
She laid, staring at the cloudy night sky for a moment, dazed from her fall. Rubbing her head, Ashlyn turned over onto her side to watch as a ghoulish, tall figure walked through the flames of the explosion. The Elder One's face was scarred and mangled, pieces of it stretched across to red lyrium. His fingers were long claws, that were now curled into angry fists as he walked towards her. Ashlyn felt the ground rumble as the dragon landed right behind her. Wiping around, she faced it. It was terrifying, it's white teeth revealed to her as it opened it's mouth to let out an ear-splitting screech.
"Enough." The Elder One ordered, sending red sparks out of his hands that immediately silenced the dragon. Ashlyn attempted to control her trembling, as she turned her back on the dragon to face the Elder One.
"Pretender." He spoke in a deep, rumbling voice, "You toy with forces beyond your ken. No more."
Ashlyn's eyebrows pushed together in confusion, "What are you? Why are you doing this?"
He scoffed, "Mortals beg for truth they cannot have. It is beyond what you are, what I was. Know me, know what you have pretended to be. Exalt the Elder One! The will that is Corypheus! You will kneel."
Anger flared through Ashlyn, "You'll — you'll get nothing out of me!"
Corypheus' face broke out into an evil smile. "You will resist. You will always resist. It matters not." Suddenly, he held out a glowing orb, that floated just about his hand. "I am here for the anchor. The process of removing it begins now." With his opposite hand flaring red, he raised it towards Ashlyn.
Ashlyn felt her mark growing hot, her entire left arm began shaking uncontrollably. She watched as her arm began to rise on its own, her mark growing brighter.
Corypheus spoke again, "It is your fault, "Herald". You interrupted a ritual years in the planning, and instead of dying, you stole its purpose."
The connection between the orb and her mark became even stronger. A scream escaped Ashlyn as searing pain struck through her arm.
"I do not know how you survived, but what marks you as "touched", what you flail at rifts, I crafted to assault the very heavens."
Ashlyn fell to the floor, crumbling in agony. The pain from her mark was consuming her, sending her into blind suffering. She couldn't even sense the dragon that was closing in behind her. The green of her mark was now had red flickering around it.
"And you used the anchor to undo my work! The gall!
She fought to come back to her senses, words falling out of her mouth. "Why did the divine die? For the chaos?!"
He let out a wicked chuckle, "The "chaos" will empower me, and ensure we no longer beg at the feet of the invisible."Corypheus cross over to her, grabbing her by her wrist and lifting her up high into the air. Another tortured scream escaped Ashlyn's mouth as her recently injured shoulder popped out.
"I once breached the fade in the name of another, to serve the Old Gods of the Empire in person. I found only chaos and corruption. Dead whispers. For a thousand years I was confused. No more. I have gathered the will to return under no name but my own. To champion withered Tevinter and connect the blighted world. Beg that I succeed, for I have seen the throne of the gods, and it was empty." He snarled, before throwing Ashlyn, hurling her through the air.
She landed with a thug against the heavy trebuchet. Noticing the glitter of an abandoned sword, she quickly grabbed it with her good hand before pointing it at Corypheus and the dragon, who were drawing closer.
"So be it. I will begin again, find another way to give this world the nation — and God — it requires." The Elder one was still speaking, not noticing Ashlyn craning to see behind her.
That's when she saw it, a single red spark flying through the sky. That was it — her signal.
He continued, "And you. I will not suffer even an unknowing rival. You must die." He clenched his long claws into a fist again as he moved closer to her.
Through gritted teeth, she spoke back with a new found fury. "You expect us to surrender and kneel. We. Will. Not. You will face us all. When we choose!" With a heavy kick, Ashlyn pushed the handle of the trebuchet. There was the clatter of chains as they began spinning around each other rapidly until the contraption was fired. The large stone soared through the air, hitting the highest peak of the mountain.
A triumphant smile spread across Ashlyn's face as she turned back around. Without even glancing at Corypheus, she began sprinting — faster than ever before. Her boots scrambled to find purchase on the snow as she fled from him. She did not look back when she heard the loud swoosh of the dragon's wings taking off. The sound of crashing avalanche grew louder in her ears as she ran until suddenly she felt nothing under her boots anymore. She was falling, everything around her was so dark it seemed like her eyes were closed. And then — thud.