Dragon Age: The Helldiver Saga - The Blight
Chapter 14
Hey guys! Here's the chapter you've all been waiting for! Here, will be the major change I've told you about. Read on!
Austin and his Companions were running to King Cailan's Tent. It didn't take them but a few seconds. They caught him in time while he was just leaving the tent.
"Ah, there you are! Ready?" He asked them.
"Ready as we'll ever be, your majesty." Austin replied.
He nodded, "Good, now let's go!"
They followed him, and Duncan came along.
"You're joining us?" Sul asked.
"Yes, I'm guarding him also." He replied.
Sul nodded.
Duncan has Tasked Alistair and John to lighting the beacon. Austin hoped they will reach it in time. He can handle himself but not against the infinite horde of the Blight.
Austin, his miniature army, Cailan, and Duncan were in the valley beneath the bridge of Ostagar. They were on a small hill, overlooking the massive army that The King has gathered. There were Archers in the front lines. Ready to bombard the horde with fire arrows. Chantry sisters were slightly swinging small pots of some sort of mist, perhaps blessings or so.
"Mia, I want you to light up three arrows, lay them on your bow, and fire when Cailan says so." Austin told her.
"Ok." Was her response, she equipped her bow, took out three of her coal-powdered tip arrows, and lit them on a nearby torch, "Ready."
Austin nodded.
"The Plan will Work, You Majesty." Duncan told the King.
"Of course, it will. The Blight ends here." Cailan replied.
They watched as the red covered the forest in front of them. They could see the Darkspawn horde ahead. The ogres' footsteps shook the ground, reinforced by the growling of the Darkspawn.
The Hurlocks were taunting them, roaring, waving their weapons in the air. A Vanguard stepped up ahead of the Massive Horde, after a few seconds, he pointed his sword at them, yelling.
The Horde charged.
"Archers!" Cailan bellowed.
The archers and Mia readied their bows, she waited for the man with his hand up. She had three fire arrows ready to go. Glenn took a few more and lit them also, Mia smiled at him and Glenn returned it.
"Go get 'em, girl." Glenn told her.
"Oh, I will." Mia replied.
Austin chuckled.
"Alena, Selina, remember what you did to that ship?" Austin asked as he smiled.
Selina grinned and Alena nodded.
"Fire!" Cailan shouted.
Austin watched as countless fire arrows entered and soared through the air, leaving trails of smoke behind as they Buried themselves in either the ground or the Darkspawn. Many of them fell but continued marching. Mia let more of her fire arrows go as Selina and Alena combined their magic to summon something else.
"Hounds!" Cailan yelled.
Again, Austin watched as the War Dogs took off from their masters and towards the Darkspawn. A few were taken down, but the others took the Darkspawn down as well.
"Your Majesty, Watch this." Austin said, pointing to The sky.
Selina and Alena smiled as they unleashed the beast. Cailan and the army below stared in awe as meteors on fire rained down on the Darkspawn, exploding on impact. One by one came, obliterating anything they hit. As a Final, The mages summoned a very large meteor. It came crashing down at the forest and it went. Leaving a small mushroom cloud as it exploded.
The army cheered as they watched. Cailan took this advantage.
"For our families! For FERELDEN!" He shouted.
The Army roared as the warriors ran forward to meet the approaching Blight.
Austin watched as the two massive armies clashed. Fire arrows were being exchanged back and forth. Along with siege machines. A round of the siege ammunition hit the top of a tower, the top of the building collapsed and there was smoke erupting from their landing. Ballistas were going off, archers letting their arrows loose upon their targets. Parts of the bridge fell from under the pounding of the siege machines.
"Alright! Time to go! Alena, Selina, Glenn, and Mia, stay up here and provide whatever you can."
All three ladies and Glenn nodded.
"Everybody else! Let's go!" Austin said as Cailan and Duncan took off.
"Oh Hell Yeah! Time to kick some ass!" Sul said eagerly.
Austin drew Excalibur and jumped off the small cliff, along with his warriors. They took off after Cailan, who was already in combat. He cut down three Hurlocks in one swing.
"Damn." Austin thought.
The Commander thrusted into the nearest Hurlock, pulled out, and slashed another to the right. He moved on to another target.
Saras stormed towards an Ogre, he roared at her and she responded with a side slash to the face while jumping, causing him to look the direction she Swung. She landed and performed an uppercut with her Greatsword. Knocking him back slightly. A Hurlock came from the side and she swung over her head, slicing the head clean off. She turned back to the Ogre. Saras backed up and ran with her Greatsword's tip pointing towards the Ogre. She jumped, impaled the Ogre by the chest. She clinged on as she pulled and stabbed as the Ogre fell backwards. When he landed, Saras pulled her sword out and brought it down on his head, then twisting to execute him. She pulled it out and jumped off as she went to hunt more hostiles.
Garaoff slashed Hurlocks and Genlocks as he went. the Dwarf was having the time of his life. He cackled as he killed, one by one. He looked behind to see a trail of dead Darkspawn. He chuckled to himself as he went after for more.
Mia nocked one arrow after another as she unleashed hell on every single Hurlock, Genlock, you name it. She pulled out one of her special arrows that Garaoff made for her. She lit it up on the torch, nocked it, found a group, and let loose. The arrow hit and exploded. Killing the surrounding Darkspawn. She readied another, and found a crowd, and unleashed. She smiled evilly to herself as she watched. She pulled a regular arrow out and started picking off single targets.
Selina sent spirit bolts at her enemies next to Mia. She tried helping anyone in trouble to keep them alive. She saw a target. She sent three bolts. The Hurlock acted like he got hit in both shoulders, right, left, then right again before he went down. She readied a stone and tossed it at an Ogre. The monster looked at her and roared before being downed by a couple, quick, arrows from Mia.
Alena summoned Fire geyser after geyser upon her enemies. They all burned alive and fall to the ground, writhing in the flames until they finally died. She even combined her Fire and ice elements into a spiral, flying spell, causing an explosion mixed in ice shards and fire spikes. Killing a lot of Darkspawn in the process. A very deadly combination.
Jen blocked an Attack from a Hurlock. She reacted with two slashes in an "X". She turned to another, who was facing away, she thrusted and kicked the Hurlock off. She faced a Genlock, bashed it with her shield, and drove her sword home. She pulled it out and kept slashing away at other hostiles.
Glenn was surprised on how many would come up to the small cliff that the girls were shooting off of. He didn't mind, he got to have a little fun also.
A few Hurlocks came up, they were after the girls and one of them was his girl. He didn't take too kindly of that. He snapped into action as he drew both of his daggers. He went for the first one. (They were in line.) The Elf stabbed the first one several times in a quick succession. He jumped and roundhouse kicked the Dead Hurlock out of the way. The next came up, and Glenn threw his left, and it landed in the heart. He shoved that out of the way and impaled the one behind it. He drew his dagger back out and the Hurlock fell down. Before Glen could retrieve his other dagger, he narrowly dodged a slash from an Alpha.
He had only one dagger and the Alpha had a sword and a shield. Glenn had to be careful. The Alpha was skilled than the others. It was placing precise strikes. Glenn was parrying them, but the Alpha had more weight, and power. He wasn't going to last long.
Glenn kept on parrying the strikes, the Alpha was pushing. Glenn needed to go on the offensive, put the Darkspawn on defense. He started slashing back. He used speed, and it was working. The Alpha, of course, was parrying Glenn's strikes and backing up. Glenn's plan was going the way he wanted. He pressed the Alpha far enough and they into a lock. Glenn kicked the Darkspawn back and quickly drew his other dagger out of the dead Hurlock from earlier.
He finally had what he needed to kill the Alpha, but that went all wrong. The Alpha was smarter than he looked and Bashed Glenn.
"Ah! You bastard!" Glenn said as he wiped blood from the corner of his mouth. He was knocked to the ground from the bash.
Alena turned upon hearing his words and saw the Alpha looming over him. A fire burned in her eyes.
Glenn crawled backward as the Alpha closed in on him, then it was frozen in deep ice. Followed by a very bright red geyser of flame. The Alpha was nowhere to be found.
Alena slid next to him, "Are you ok?" She asked, worriedly.
He nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks to you." He said as he smiled.
She smiled back, the same smile that captured Glenn's heart. The smile he loved to see. He would die for her.
She helped him up.
"Now, Let's kick some more Darkspawn butt!"
She nodded and returned to her position.
Glenn got up, retrieved his daggers, and readied for more.
Sul ducked under a side swing and spun, driving his Greatsword into the Hurlock and another behind him. Sul grunted as he lifted his Greatsword into the air and swung the dead Hurlocks off, with them landing on an Ogre who got angry and roared at him.
Sul chuckled, "Come to Papa!" He taunted.
The Ogre headed in his direction, eyes on Sul. It tried to ram Sul, but he got out of the way in time. The Ogre turned and Sul cut both of its legs. It roared as it fell to the knees. Sul finished it with a Greatsword through the head. He let go of his Greatsword as the Ogre roared again as it fell back to the ground. Sul jumped on top, grasped his sword and twisted.
Sarah bashed a Hurlock with her Shield. It goes hitting the ground as Sarah arches a slash to her right, cutting another down, then does the same to her left, taking down one more. She jumped on top of the one on the ground and drove her sword home.
She jumped back off. And turned to face three more. She smiled evilly as she stormed forward to cut the One in the middle to the ground, dead. She hit the one on the left with the rim of her shield and drove her sword into the one on the right. Sarah spun as she pulled out and inserted into the last one.
Duncan used his dagger and sword as he slashed Hurlock after Hurlock.
The Helldivers were doing fine, but the regular army wasn't. Very soon, they would be outnumbered. He hoped John and Alistair reached the Beacon. Just as he thought that, it lit up.
They have succeeded. He looked and saw an Ogre rushing toward him, before he could react the Ogre slapped him out of the way. Cailan was behind Him. Duncan was sent flying.
The Ogre kept charging at The King. He swung at him, but it didn't hold the Ogre back for a second. The Ogre grabbed him and Cailan stared face to face with the Monster, then it roared as Cailan saw a staff embedded in the head at the side. The Ogre dropped him and Cailan fell to the ground. He watched as Austin ran up the Ogre as it fell back. Austin took Excalibur, and drove it in. He did so several times before holstering it, dropping to the side and pulling his staff out. He used the staff for a minute as he slashed away with the sword tip.
"Where the Hell's Loghain?!" Cailan said to himself.
Duncan came to Cailan's side, "Are you Ok, your Majesty?"
"Yes, I am." He replied.
Before Duncan could help, a sword erupted from behind. Cailan saw the act as well.
"Duncan!" Sul shouted.
Cailan looked to see Sullivan cut down a Vanguard. He clashed furiously as his rage built up.
The King tried getting up but he was cut from the side from a Genlock, who ended up getting an Arrow to the head.
Austin saw the scene and ran to The King's Side.
"Here, take this and spread it on your wound, quickly!" Austin said as he handed a vial of a dark substance that looks like blood, then went back to fighting.
Cailan took his word and into his hands. He rubbed the substance over the wound. The scar burned at a very high amount of pain, he winced as the substance burned.
Austin and Sul continued circling the King, defending him.
"Saras! Garaoff! Jenny! Sarah! Defend Cailan!" Austin bellowed.
Saras heard him and started making her way back.
Garaoff did the same, along with Jen and Sarah.
"We're going to get overwhelmed, Commander!" Sul said.
"I know! Just a little longer!" Austin replied.
Sul nodded as he cut another Hurlock down.
The Substance paralyzed The King's Leg, in order to heal properly.
The Substance given to The King was a mixture of Darkspawn blood and a special type of herb from one of Arkadia's flowers, it purifies the taint left by Darkspawn weapons as well as healing the wound. The Chemical was called the "Darkspawn's Cure". It burnt when it's healing and paralyzes. All Helldivers in Ferelden were required to have a couple of the vials or whatever can carry the substance, whenever a Blight could occur. Austin was glad the Arkanes had done so.
The Arkanes were culturally and technologically advanced. They acquired knowledge from the ancient civilization that was in ruins on Arkadia. They could tell the owners of the ruins were more advanced than the other countries, but it was unknown of who they were.
The Five continued defending the King. The army he has gathered was mostly either killed or wounded. The wounded wouldn't last long, Austin prayed to the Maker that their deaths were quick and as painless as possible.
Austin had his staff out instead of Excalibur to take on more enemies at once and in a greater arc.
He held the Staff by the bottom and swung in wide, long arcs. He slid his hand up a little bit to put more power into the swings. He cut down, wave after wave as more and more poured into attacking them. Alena, and Selina were trying their best to help them. Mia was running out of arrows, she focused on the stronger targets, such as The Vanguards, Darkspawn Mages, and The Alphas. Placing precise shots in killing them with the fewest arrows she can.
Austin knew they were going to need help.
"Alena! Signal the Helldivers! We need them out here!" Austin shouted.
She nodded and prepared. She sent it up. The ball of fire rolled in the air, than exploded when it was above the bridge.
The Five kept fighting the best they could until The Reinforcements came. The Warriors entered the battle. Archers with the Mages rained down death with a variety of enchanted arrows; ice, fire, spirit, explosive, and Rock.
"Sul, help the King up and fall back!" Austin commanded.
"But..." He tried to say.
"But. nothing! Go! We've got your back!" Austin told him.
Sul gave in, rushed over to Cailan and helped him up. Sul supported him as they fell back to the entrance to get back up to camp.
Captain Jenkins came by Austin's side.
"Have the Warriors form a line, retreating while keeping the Darkspawn off of us!" Austin said to him.
He nodded, "Got it!"
Austin, then, heard a Dragon. He looked up and saw a red dragon fly over the valley and into the Tower of Ishal.
"Damn, I hope John and Alistair's alright."
Austin met up with Mia, Selina, and Alena.
"Come on! We're retreating!" Austin told them.
They all nodded and went along. Austin looked back to see how his Helldivers were doing, he quickly counted all twenty-five of them. They were all working together to keep each other alive and kill the Darkspawn at the same time. It was incredible.
Then, he heard a scream, he looked behind and saw Alena on the ground with her back cut in a short, diagonal cut from a Hurlock.
"You son-of-a-bitch!" Austin yelled.
Glenn was already ahead, and he didn't see the act.
Austin stormed to the Hurlock, causing it to turn to face him, only to meet a sword in the middle and Austin tossed the Darkspawn aside and holstered Excalibur. He rushed to Alena, her back was bleeding heavily. She passed out.
"Shit, Shit, Shit!" He said as he fumbled in his pouch for another Vial of the Cure.
He found one and opened it. He put some on his hands. He applied the medicine to her wounds. He also applied a balm so it wouldn't paralyze her spine.
He looked behind to see Jenkins commanding the Helldivers. He was one of the best.
"Jenkins! Hold those fuckers off! One of my own is wounded!" Austin told him.
He nodded, "You Got It!" Then he turned to give more directions. They haven't lost a man yet.
Austin heard that same dragon flying by, but back the same way it did.
He didn't have time to worry about the Dragon. Alena was near death. He took out a piece of very large cloth, wrapped it across Alena's back, around her back and tied it in a knot. He flipped her over to her back with his arms keeping her back from touching the ground, and lifted her up.
"I got you, Alena, I got you." Austin said to the unconscious elf.
"Jenkins! I'm moving!" Austin told him.
He nodded, "We got your back!"
Austin nodded back and made his way to the top.
The companions made it to the top.
"Where's Austin?" Selina asked.
"I thought he was following us?" Sul said.
"Wait, Alena isn't here either! Where is she?" Glenn asked very worriedly.
"We have to go back!" Mia said.
"No! We stay here! He told us to go!" Selina replied.
Glenn fell to his knees, looking past his comrades.
"Glenn? What's wrong?" Mia asked.
They all looked to where Glenn was looking and all of their faces turned to shock.
Austin was walking up, with Alena in his arms.
"Alena..." Glenn croaked, with tears nearing his eyes.
Austin saw him, "She's still alive, Glenn! Now, Come On! I patched her up. But she needs a safe place!"
Glenn was instantly relieved, but that didn't stop his concern for Alena, or the love he had for her.
The others were relieved as well. It would be hard to believe they've lost their own.
"Where do we go?" Mia asked.
"Kocari Wilds." Austin replied.
"What?" Cailan asked.
"It's the only way." Austin told him.
Jenkins came running up to Austin, "What are you going to do?"
"I'll take the King through the Kocari Wilds. Lose the Darkspawn in there. I want you to take all of our Hellidvers back to Arkadia and report what happened."
He took a minute to understand, "Ok. Gotcha."
Austin nodded and turned back to his crew as Jenkins took off.
"Now, Let's Go! I'm not setting Alena down until we're good!" Austin said.
Everybody nodded and turned to see a Woman.
"Morrigan?" Austin asked, surprised.
"Yes, 'tis is I. Come, I am to take you all back to The Hut. We have John and that dim-witted other Warden." She replied.
"What? We have to go with her?" Cailan said.
"Yes, Your Majesty. It's our only option." Austin said.
"Let's go." Cailan gave in.
Austin nodded, "Ok, Thanks, please, we must hurry. She's dying." Austin said, motioning at Alena.
She nodded also and turned to go back out the gates. Everybody followed. They ran into Arnold.
"Austin! Thank the Maker, you're alive! What's happening?" Arnold asked.
"Jenkins is pulling back. You and your squad go with him, he's retreating to Arkadia. We'll take Iona and The Hound."
He nodded, and turned to his Mage, "Go get Iona and the dog."
The Mage nodded and ran back toward the camp and came back with Iona and B.J.
"Austin! Is John okay?" She asked worriedly.
"I don't know, Iona, He's somewhere safe and we need to get there also." Austin replied.
She nodded.
"Now, Let's get the FUCK out of here!" Austin said.
Arnold hit him on the back as he ran past, along with his Squad. Austin and his Companions followed Morrigan, once again, out the Gates of Hell.
I gotta say, that was a good one! I think.
I couldn't come up with a better name for the "Cure", I made it up. As it says in the description, it gets rid of the Taint inside of the person injured by Darkspawn weaponry. They need some sort of medicine to protect themselves against the Taint.
Thanks for reading and Please! Leave a review on how I did with this one! I need constructive criticism if I have any flaws! I'm always open for improvement!
~Dark