The Fall
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Author's Note: Took a year but this is the end of this story. I thoroughly enjoyed writing this story and I seriously hope that those of you that have been here since the beginning have enjoyed the ride.
"Talking"
As we broke out onto the roof the Archdemon breathed fire which engulfed the remaining soldiers on top of Fort Drakon. Anyone who was left was quickly swept off the roof with a mighty strike of the Archdemon's tail.
"Maker, we're fighting that!?" Allistar yelled out as he blocked a strike from a hurlock and quickly countered scoring a direct hit to the darkspawn's throat.
"Yeah!" I yelled back as I grabbed Starfang with two hands and chopped through a Genlock's shield and sunk my sword halfway through its face.
"Warden! You throw the best parties!" Oghren shouted as he used his double headed ax to clear two darkspawn off the roof.
"Enough! Focus!" Leliana shouted as she fired arrow after arrow into the darkspawn that remained.
After a few minutes the darkspawn thinned out enough to eventually see the Archdemon try fitfully to mend its torn wing through whatever magic it held in its power.
"We can't let that wing mend. If we do then we'll lose it. This has to end here, now!" I ordered as Denerim burned around us.
"Aye!" Oghren shouted as he charged the Archdemon while plowing over any darkspawn dumb enough to stand in his way.
We quickly made short work of the fallen darkspawn before Oghren flew toward us and with a heavy crash fell against the floor.
"Ugh…he's a tad bit madder than I expected." Oghren groaned out.
"Come on." I reached down and pulled him onto his feet.
"Leliana!" I shouted.
"Yes." Leliana answered calmly as she stabbed a shriek who had tried to sneak up on us.
"Man the ballista! When I give the order fire." I ordered and watched as she nodded before heading to the nearest ballista.
"Oghren guard her back." I pushed Oghren toward where Leliana before turning toward Allistar and standing shoulder to shoulder with him.
"I'll never complain about a drill session again." Allistar said tiredly.
"It's just us for now." I said seriously as I silently cursed my lack of Fade Essence.
"Are you sure Morrigan's ritual worked?" Allistar asked worriedly.
"Doesn't matter. I'll strike the final blow and take on the Archdemon's soul." I replied as I stared at the Archdemon who was glaring at us.
"Art…I'm ready when you are." Allistar said.
"You once said that the world needed me. After this battle the world will need you. For Fereldan, for our friends, and loved ones gone. To the end of this miserable Blight and to the beginning of another era of peace." I said as I began advancing with Allistar at my side.
"Please don't tell me you practiced that." Allistar groaned.
"It's not every day that a man chooses how he dies." I said grinning.
"I suppose you're right." Allistar said with a matching grin.
With that Allistar and I charged toward the Archdemon. Its jaws with short sword length teeth snapped at us causing us to separate. Before it could retract I slashed with Starfang leaving a long shallow cut from the back of its jaw to its shoulder. In response the Archdemon roared and in a predictable fashion lunged its body to the side toward me. Reflexively I ducked below its body and ran underneath its underbelly to Allistar's side where he was slashing at the Archdemon's leg. Black ichor ran down the wounds and I saw the Archdemon begin to tense up its body.
"Get down!" I shouted as I tackled Allistar to the ground just before a burst of purple flames scorched the air above us.
For five blistering seconds the flame continued and we rolled as fast as we could away. Thankfully Allistar managed to escape unharmed and despite the odds I too walked away with little damage. We both scrambled to our feet before immediately dodging a clawed hand. The Archdemon roared in annoyance and turned toward us.
"Leliana now!" I shouted and watched as a five foot long feathered shaft slam home into the side of the Archdemon causing it to roar in pain.
"Allistar remember the Ogre in the tower?" I asked and he nodded as we both ran toward the distracted Archdemon.
Allistar knelt down four feet away and with a whispered prayer I leapt onto his shoulders and then used my momentum to leap higher. I jabbed Starfang deep into the Archdemon's shoulder and my ears rang as it roared at the sudden sharp pain. I quickly scrambled up onto its back and yanked Starfang from the Archdemon's flesh.
"Art watch out!" Leliana shouted out and I barely caught a glimpse of a wall before I jumped forward and narrowly dodged the masonry as the Archdemon ran into it.
I breathed out heavily in relief before standing back up again before the Archdemon could recover and began running along its back. Anything I thought was vulnerable I struck at causing open wounds that spewed foul smelling blood. I felt a thump beneath my feet and realized that Leliana had sent another bolt into the Archdemon, this time into its knee and caused the Archdemon to fall to its' side.
"OH SHIT!" I screamed as I was flung from the Archdemon and onto the stone floor.
I felt my vision darken before I shook it away just in time to see a large tail coming my way. With no time to move I felt the tail and the force behind it jettison me into a pile of boxes and I felt something penetrate my armor and cut into me before blacking out.
Still, I felt myself fading in and out and I caught glimmers of what was happening around me. Allistar and Oghren were distracting and attacking the Archdemon and above me Leliana was saying something. After a few seconds I began to hear her voice.
"Art!... Get up!... Come on!" She yelled out as she dragged me away from the broken splinters of what remained of the boxes.
"You're still in the fight!" Leliana screamed as she dragged me onto my knees.
"Yeah." I groaned as I felt something between my ribs.
"Art…"Leliana gasped out as she finally saw my wound.
A large fragment of wood was lodged in my stomach. With a shaky hand I pulled it out and saw a torrent of blood begin to pour out. Too much blood. With a slightly firmer hand I pushed the wooden fragment back into the wound.
"You can't fight like this." Leliana gasped out.
"Move." I ordered and despite it and what was happening in front of us she stood defiant.
"Leliana…we don't have time for this. Move." I said once more in a pleading tone and I could see whatever resolve she had collapsed.
"I'll be by your side." Leliana promised and I nodded.
I bent down painfully and picked up Starfang and set my gaze onto the Archdemon. I charged it from its flank and as it turned toward me it lunged with its jaws. I turned just barely enough to dodge its gaping maw but still close enough to remain in striking distance. With a roar I struck from above point first and cut straight through the armored scales, flesh and bones before slamming my blade down to the hilt through its mouth effectively sealing its mouth shut. In pain it reared up and tried to shake the blade off only for two arrows to hit it straight in the right eye. Blinded and in horrendous pain the Archdemon fell onto its back with a thunderous crash. Without thinking I grabbed a nearby Greatsword from the ground and charged it before it could recover. As I reached it I jammed the blade deep into its belly and dragged it upward along its chest causing it's intestines to burst through and spilling onto the ancient stones. The Archdemon tried to move, tried to force itself up, but collapsed with all the fight draining out of it.
I pulled the sword out with a grunt and let the too heavy blade fall onto the ground. My movements had pushed the wooden fragment out and I felt blood flow freely down my side. I kept a firm grip on the handle of the Great Sword and the sound of it against stone was sharp and gritty. Finally I reached the Archdemon's head and as I did its massive eye turned to me.
A silent understanding formed between us, as much as an understanding can be formed between a man and an Archdemon and with a grunt I raised the Great Sword above onto my shoulder and I swiftly brought it down onto the base of the Archdemon's skull decapitating it in one stroke. Suddenly the world turned blinding white and I felt the force of an explosion knock me off of my feet. With no control of myself I suddenly felt like I was falling before something grabbed me tightly around my wrist.
"Art!" I heard someone scream, numbly I looked up to see Allistar with a look of exertion as he struggled to maintain a grip on my arm.
"Give me your hand!" Leliana's face appeared over the lip of the edge of the roof.
I numbly raised my left arm and was surprised to see a bloody stump that extended from just below my elbow before looking back up to them.
"Guys, this is bad." I said dumbly.
"We can still save you!" Allistar grunted out.
"I can't feel anything." I said as I let whatever remained of my arm drop to my side.
"Art, don't give up. Please!" Leliana begged as she tried eagerly to get ahold of me.
"If you see Morrigan again, tell her I had no regrets." I said with a smile before I yanked my hand out of Allistar's grasp.
The air drowned out whatever they might have said as I fell. I enjoyed the coldness and tried my best to ignore the smell of death on the wind. I closed my eyes and finally everything went black.
*****Next Day*****
The celebration feast was somber, at least it was for the remainder of the party. Everyone else was talking and feasting and drinking to their hearts content. I felt a hand grasp mine and looked up to see Leliana's face. Maker she was beautiful.
"Come on love." She whispered as she pulled me to my feet.
Despite what anyone said I had chosen. Leliana to be my bride and the new Queen. Arl Eamon had warned about such action but I remembered what Art had told me the night before the final battle at Denerim. Nobody tells a King what to do. While there was some fuss from the Fereldan Nobility the goodwill generated from ending the Blight and Leliana's own personality and charm had made the decision go over lightly and almost everyone accepted the engagement. I walked over to my once enemy and he saluted promptly.
"Art, was a good man. I didn't know him long but I learned that much from him. I was wrong my King. I made horrible mistakes." Loghain said somberly.
"Your actions in defending Denerim saved a lot of lives Loghain but it is not enough to redeem yourself. Effective immediately I order you to take over as Grey Warden Commander of Fereldan." I said heavily and with much shock from Loghain.
"I-yes. Of course my King." Loghain bowed.
"You will be in charge of directing Grey Warden movements, recruiting, and preparation for the next Blight. There has also been reports of surviving pockets of darkspawn. You will eliminate them. Amaranthine will be the new base of the Wardens. You leave tonight." I ordered and with that Loghain bowed once more before making a swift exit in order to prepare for the trip ahead.
With that business done I walked around the room and made small talk with the nobles before talking to the rest. Zevarn had chosen to stay in Denerim and he and Leliana were beginning to coordinate a spy ring. Sten was going to return to the Arishok and fulfill his duty. Oghren and Shale were going to go back to Orzammar where he was promised a reward from Dorn Aeducan. Wynne was heading back to the Circle where she heard that Dagna, a dwarf with a curiosity for magic, was helping aid the construction of the tower with unparalleled speed. Morrigan had fled after the battle was over. No trace of her was ever reported despite Leliana and Zevarn's efforts. I finally finished the rotations and sat down on the throne. After a few moments Leliana sat next to me in a similar throne.
"Thinking about him again?" Leliana asked and I nodded slightly.
"I wish he was here to see this. I wish he was alive. He seemed to know everything. If there was a problem he could fix it, if there was trouble he was the first to run to it. I just hope I can live up to that." I said as I felt my throat tighten slightly.
"You can. I believe in you." Leliana reassured me and I smiled once more at her.
"Thank you Leliana." I said as I took her hand in my own and squeezed it gently.
"Wherever he is, I hope he is in a better place." Leliana said as she smiled at a portrait of a stern looking Art Cousland whose image was ruined with a devilish grin.
"Me too." I replied.
*****Two Months Later******
Two figures walked down a dirt road. One a tall figure wearing a well-worn travel cloak with the hood pulled up to block the sun, the other cloaked figure was much smaller with the lithe frame of a child on the cusp of turning into a teen. She was young and anyone with a wise eye knew that one day she would become a beautiful woman. Tips of her ears peaked out of her Blonde hair and she smiled brightly as she walked to the side of the road to pick at a few pretty flowers.
"Amethyne." A baritone voice called out and the young girl turned toward the cloaked man and ran back with a flower in hand.
"Look! Andraste's Grace. Mother would always pick one whenever she could." Amethyne said with a smile.
"It sounds like something she would do." The man said with a smile in his voice as he raised his left hand and as it reached out of the veil of his sleeve something shiny appeared.
A metallic hand appeared and gently grasped the flower by the stem. With a careful motion the man raised it to his nose while brushing his hood off with his right hand. The man was handsome despite the scars that ran over his face. With shaggy black hair, gentle features and charming brown eyes, he smiled as he breathed in and was reminded of simpler times.
"Do you miss her?" Amethyne asked quietly.
"Every day. Do you remember what she was like?" The man asked as he handed the flower back to her.
"I was really young when she left. But I remember she had hair like mine." Amethyne said somewhat sadly.
"She was as bright as a sunbeam. One day-" The man stopped as he heard faint screams not far away into the forest.
"Amethyne stay behind me." The man said as drew a longsword from his hip, the blade glowed a slight blue and hummed once more.
With barely any pause the man sprinted into the trees and found the source of the screams. A darkspawn group was surrounding the remains of a Dalish Camp. With a roar the man threw himself into the rear of the darkspawn band. With experience gained from hard won battles and fights the darkspawn were immediately cut down, leaving only the dead bodies of Dalish adults, and a child here and there, and darkspawn and a fatigued soldier.
"Art!" Amethyne screamed in worry as she ran into the small clearing.
"I'm fine." Art grunted out as he double checked to make sure his wounds which had healed greatly were not reopened.
"Do we need to head back to Orzammar?" Amethyne asked worriedly.
"No, no, I'm fine. You can come out now." Art shouted causing Amethyne to look around.
Silently a group of five elf children crawled out of a broken Aravel. The eldest, a male elf in his teens, wiped a few tears from his face before bowing as well as he could.
"Thank you human." The boy said.
"His names Art!" Amethyne shouted looking angry on Art's behalf.
"Calm yourself Amethyne." Art scolded her gently and Amethyne looked hesitant but nodded.
"What is your name?" Art asked as he sheathed his sword.
"Dathenal." The boy answered as he looked around whatever remained of his home.
"Dathenal, what do you plan to do now?" Art inquired.
"We will bury our dead, burn the vile creatures and continue to move. As we have always done." Dathenal answered mechanically.
"Doesn't sound like much of a life." Art whispered.
"And what would you know Shemlen!? This is our history! Our Culture!" Dathenal yelled out.
"I know enough to know that in time the Dalish will die. That being scattered to the winds only leaves you vulnerable. I know that you five will die within a month." Art said with a coldness that could only be associated with the truth.
"What do we do?" One of the younger elven children asked in despair and was quickly mimicked by the rest of them.
"Follow me." Art said confidently.
"A human? Why?" A female child stepped forward, this one the second eldest.
"What is your name?" Art asked.
"Mithternas." The girl said proudly.
"Well, Mithternas, if you follow me I'll help the Elves, not the Dalish, reclaim a future for themselves." Art stated boldly.
The children fell into a huddle and began to talk amongst themselves.
"Art, is this a good idea?" Amethyne asked worriedly.
"I have no idea." Art said before looking back at the group of children who seemed to have come to a decision.
"We will follow you on one condition, we will earn our future." Dathenal stated and almost took a step back as a manic smile appeared on Art's face.
"Oh, I had every intention that you shall." Art said with a dangerous glint in his eye.
*****A Few Hours Later*****
"By the Elven Gods and the Maker!" Dathenal groaned in agony as he laid on the ground surrounded by the other children.
"Training is important. Might as well start as early as we can." Art said casually as he handed out bowls of delicious smelling soup to the children.
After doing that he sat down next to Amethyne, who looked un-phased by the brutal pace they had set today, and ate next to her.
"They are weak." Amethyne said almost with contempt.
"You were too not so long ago." Art chuckled much to Amethyne's embarrassment.
"True." Amethyne conceded grudgingly.
"You will be the best of them, and when I am gone it will be up to you to lead them. Always remember where you have come from." Art said sagely as he finished his soup.
"Yes Art." Amethyne said studiously.
"I wonder where this adventure will lead me." Art said as he looked up at the stars.
Well there you have it folks the end to this story and with some groundwork for the next. I hope you've enjoyed this journey with me and hope that you all will continue to like my future works. Take care everyone.