Leliana lived and breathed battle. Her bow seemed another appendage which marked everything for death and then followed through with the promise. She ignored the wind whipping her hair into her eyes and let loose arrow after arrow. Her aim was remarkable and Ilina often admired her skills during moments of respite. Today, however, the gash on Leliana's arm seeped down to her fingers and as her bow began to slip she cried out for healing.
Zevran dodged the tail swipes, daggers dancing in riposte at the dragon's back. Blood dripped from the tips of his knives and pulsed from the dragon's hind legs. Ilina could only be grateful he was unharmed. She had only one focus.
Breathless, Ilina pushed more healing into Alistair's battered body. The templar was gritting his teeth in what she knew was pain from unhealed damage as well as the many wounds which twisted together under his skin. Tears stung her eyes as she flung spell after spell into his body.
Leliana's battering quietly called out to her, but Alistair was depleting her mana. For now Leliana was left to deal with her own injuries.
A collective breath held as the beast turned to Zevran, shrieking. Alistair's sword pushed through its cheek. The creature's angry howls intensified as Alistair thumped the wound with his shield, but everyone's breath expelled in a short sigh of relief as it turned back to the templar.
The relief quickly turned to terror as the animal grasped Alistair between its immense jaws and bit down hard. The dragonbone armor took the brunt of the assault, but even as the beast shook Alistair, something crunched under the force of the beast's jagged teeth.
Ilina's scream was savage as her senses were swamped with the knight's broken bones. She dropped to her knees, panting.
Abandoning her staff, she pulled energy from the sky with both hands. The exertion caused sweat to drip down her body, sticking her robe to her skin; the freezing wind blasted against the fabric, chilling her bone-deep. Her strength and magic were rapidly draining even as she consumed Lyrium at an advanced pace. Shivering with cold her body began to succumb to exhaustion.
As the creature released him, Alistair weaved slowly to his feet. She marveled out how he still stood with the pain of flesh and bone weaving together even as new misery was inflicted.
Finally the creature lurched to the right and Alistair took advantage of the faltering to leap onto its head and drive his sword through. The beast shuddered a final breath and lay still.
Ilina's hands dropped to the ground as she bent forward sucking in the frigid air. Her knees were numb from the cold ground and the rest of her body shivered from sweat-soaked clothing.
Although she could still feel Leliana's wounds, Alistair commanded her attention and she began to crawl towards him. Maker, she was so tired. She wanted to sleep for days. Lie here and rest, just a little while…
Alistair groaned and somehow she managed to push herself up and stumble over and kneel beside him.
He let out a whoosh of air and cried out her name. "Ilina, Maker's breath!"
"Yes, Ali." She frantically searched him for wounds. She was panicked at the thought that she couldn't sense anything but a little pain and discomfort. No broken bones, no blood…Where? She thought frantically.
"Ilina!" His voice boomed in her ear. "Get! Off! My! Fingers!"
Her eyes grew wide as she followed his outstretched arm to the hand, buried under her knees. She fell backwards off his hand and bit her lip, wincing an apology.
He smiled in forgiveness and she let out a relieved breath, smiling in return. Then they both looked at the door across from them and at each other.
Alistair stood and held out his hand to her. As he pulled her up, he ruffled her hair. "We can do it," he whispered and squeezed her hand.
She nodded up at him and threw her arms around his waist. "We can do anything, Ali!"