She watched. She worried. Is there really a place for 'us'? She didn't know the extent of being a Grey Warden, didn't know the extent of the taint that ran through his veins, Larius had mentioned the calling, seeing him, in madness and delusion, is that what Jennifer and Anders had to look forward to? Tears shined in her eyes as they came upon the prison containing this Corypheus. The ex-Warden said that he laid dormant within, but what would happen with Anders when he surfaced? When he was fully released? She shook her head, refusing to think of it but it's niggled at the back of her mind as they stepped through the stone archway leading to the platform within its center.
Jennifer gulped loudly then winced at her own fear. They walked carefully towards the platform, Jennifer felt a deep pull of the Fade. She recoiled slightly wrapping her arms around herself. Anders laid a comforting hand on her shoulder with a faint smile playing across his lips. "Ready?" he asked.
Jennifer chuckled nervously. "Is it too late to turn back and run away?"
Anders scoffed. "Can I join you?"
Hawke came to them with a grin. "Come on, it's not that bad. Larius says we kill him and we're done." They broke the seals containing the spell that imprisoned Corypheus, when the last seal was broken, the braziers lining the platform snuffed out. Hawke stepped onto the dais and held a dagger against his palm, when he dragged the blade across the tender flesh, it trickled blood, dark and heavy onto the dais' center.
The platform ignited in bright gold light, etching runes and shapes onto its surface and a bright light shone upwards. Hawke relinquished his key into the light, it held, suspended in the golden glow. Whispers echoed in Jennifer's and she noticed Anders wince and grunt in exertion to fight against the sounds resonating throughout his mind. As the voices increased, the light shattered sending the Key and Hawke back onto the floor of the prison. Quickly he stood and watched as a tall and disfigured darkspawn arose through the center of the dais.
"Be this some dream I wake from?" Corypheus asked as he looked around the prison that had housed him for countless years. "Am I in dwarven lands? I see no roads, so empty." He pointed to Hawke and frowned. "You. Serve you at the temple of Dumat? Bring me hence! I must speak with the First Acolyte!"
Anders frowned and turned towards Hawke. "Dumat was the first Old God to become an Arch Demon There haven't been temples to him since ancient Tevinter."
"You look human. Are you not citizens of the Empire? Slaves to the dwarves then? Why come here?" He asked, an astonished expression twisting his face with the too tight skin and rotten flesh. "Whoever you be, you owe fealty to any magister of Tevinter! On your knees. All of you!" He roared.
"You're a darkspawn. Dark…spawn. Ravaging the Deep Roads, spreading the Blight. Does that ring a bell?" Hawke asked with a cheeky grin.
"You are what held me. I spell the blood on you." He pointed to Hawke once again. "He looked around once more before gazing up at the sky. "Dumat! Lord! Tell me! What waking dream is this?" He spread his arms wide, pleading. He slowly lowered his hands. "The light. We sought the golden light. You offered… the power of the gods themselves." But it was black…. Corrupt. Darkness… ever since. How long?" He growled.
"The Golden City." Larius exclaimed as he stepped to Hawke's side. "The first violation. The magisters who brought the Blight."
"That's ridiculous! There were no magical bogeymen who trespassed in the Maker's city. It's a story." Anders hissed, glaring at Larius. "It's Chantry propaganda."
"Unless Corypheus is for real, everyone who knows what happened is long dead." Hawke peered at Anders.
"You don't think it is a little convenient?" Anders frowned. "What does every sane man and woman in Thedas fear? The Blights. Why not pin those on mages too?"
Corypheus stepped forward with a questioning look. "What manner of speech is this? How long have I slumbered?"
"He tainted the world. He speaks to all who carry the corruption. Darkspawn, Warden. He brought Janeka here. Brought you.." Larius looked questioningly at Hawke.
"First he went after the Maker in His house, then me in mine. I'm honored." Hawke quipped lightly.
Corypheus roared again. "The city! It was supposed to be golden! It was supposed to be ours!" His lip curled painfully in disgust and anger, he clenched his first before him and glared at Hawke. He floated into the air, arms wide spread. "If I cannot leave with you, I will leave through you!" Larius bolted for the archway. "I seek the light!" He shot a spell at Hawke and the party. Hawke leapt into the air, dodging the spell, flipping backwards before landing on his feet once again. He charged forward and the battle had begun.
-ooo-
This was madness! This ancient magister bent the very elements to his will! At first the darkspawn magister shot flames from his palms, chasing the group throughout the area with searing fire that nearly caught Varric's coat tails, they rained magic, arrow and blade down upon the creature but he did not tire! When he summoned the power of the earth, rocks jutted up from the floor, turning the once clear path into a twisting labyrinth and slowing the progression from alcove to alcove to disrupt his power.
The party began to weaken. Their strength giving under the consistent onslaught of the darkspawn magister, still they battled and as Corypheus drew the power from the last two griffon statues, a great storm erupted from around the prison, causing the rocks to gather the electrical energy, and in his desperation for more power, Jennifer hoped that he was waning. So they ran, through the alcoves, through the labyrinth. There was only one more to go and Jennifer wanted it to end quickly. "Go! I've got this one! I'll catch up with you!" She swiped at the guardian with a one-two of blocking and defending and when the creature withered into the void, Jennifer looked around and darted into the maze quickly scouting a way through towards the others, the guardians were almost slain, so she weave through an opening, but she was caught in a current as it jumped from stone to stone.
She screamed in agony, the pain of the current tightening and coursing through her body as it traveled through her to the nearest stone, her screams were drowned out by the massive storm just outside the tower. Her body spasmed as she hit the floor, she clawed against the ground as she tried to get up, tried to move away from the stones, her skin was so sensitive, too sensitive, too alive that the gentle scrape of her shirt felt like a thousand needles running across her back, her boots too heavy now. She looked warily at the last alcove and the guardian had fallen. She mustered all her strength and shakily got to her feet.
-ooo-
She pounded on the barrier, screaming at those within! She looked to Larius and glared, "They weren't even supposed to be here!"
Larius bowed and nearly coward away from the woman standing before him, with dark black hair and hazel eyes. She turned and readied her staff aiming at the barrier.
-ooo-
He was teleporting, Jennifer knew, but she couldn't see. She didn't know where to look, her eyes couldn't- wouldn't focus. Damn it all! She stumbled forward, Anders called out a warning, but his attention was on Corypheus. Suddenly he appeared in front of Jennifer, the force of the spell knocking her into another stone, thankfully with no charge. She gulped in great breaths of air and she shook her head. Why won't my eyes stay open? She thought frantically as she fought to hold on to the heavy maces within her palms.
Corypheus stalked forward and as Jennifer prepared to defend, his too-quick claws lashed out and caught her along the belly, the soft flesh tearing away under his massive talons and Jennifer dropped her maces in horror as the heavy crimson blood flowed too fast from her stomach. She made to speak, even whimper, something- anything! But she fell to the floor in a heap, clutching her stomach to stem the flow. Her mana was low but she had to try, she focused as well as she was able and slowly a green light danced along her fingers faintly, the pain was too great, the flow of mana too little, the loss of blood to much. Too much… she thought as she emptied the blood in her stomach onto the floor.
AN So who is the mystery chick and why is she there and why is she griping at Larius? :3 Find out in the next one. If there is one- cause you know Jennifer might die and all, that would suck a whole lot too.
