Authors note: So here we are at the final battle. It's been fun hasn't it? I know that I've had a blast! We have one more chapter then the epilogue to go, but do not fret my lovelies. You shall see all these beautiful characters again soon. A special thanks once again to Enchantm3nt, without her this wouldn't have gone as far as it had, and I owe her a lot for being a brilliant beta and advice giver. Thank you to all who have followed and favorited not only this story, but me as well. you've all been so amazing! :)
SERENA
The Archdemon thrashed its tail upon their approach, nearly sending Carmine flying across the field; Sereda had yanked him out of the way however, and slashed into its tail with her poisoned daggers. Serena was firing shot after shot into the beasts hide, attempting to slow it down rather than kill it. Alistair threw a sticky grenade at its other wing, the appendage exploding in fire on contact. The dragon was completely grounded. Darkspawn had begun to surround them then, slashing and stabbing at any who dared harm their Master. Serena saw a hurlock try to flank Alistair, and with a speed she never knew she possessed she was on it, snapping its neck before its sword could make good on its threat. Alistair looked behind him at her and smiled, then turning back to fire at the Archdemon once more.
The battle was chaos, noise and lights, fire and blood, bullets meeting swords. It seemed like the battle would be won until every darkspawn they killed, another took its place. They're numbers were near overwhelming, but the army pressed on with tanks firing at ogres, and she spotted Isabela in her 'updated' uniform. A pair of grey shorts and low cut black tank top; she had the good sense to put her hair up however, which was a step in the right direction.
She turned to see an ogre stomping towards Carmine and before she could shout, it had him; the massive creature had picked Carmine up by one leg, crushing it in its fist. Carmine howled in pain and tried to shoot the beast, but it wouldn't go down. Suddenly, two spectral hands came out of the sky, grabbing the ogre by its arms, causing it to drop Carmine. The ghostly hands tore the ogres arms from its torso, and the monster dropped dead on the ground. Serena looked around the battlefield for any signs of Flemeth, thinking that she had been the one to cast such a powerful spell. She found Morrigan on a hillside, and with a nod the swamp witch disappeared once again.
Serena ran to Carmine and helped him to the medics tent on the far side of the battle field, nearly dropping him when he saw who was inside, "Hawke?!"
"In the flesh," Hawke gave a sarcastic bow, "Isabela sent for us. Fenris and Varric are already on the battlefield and I'm here to heal any injuries and then join you. Lay him down on the cot, I'll have a look."
Once she'd gotten Carmine on the cot she looked at his leg. His knee down was completely mangled, there would be no way for him to keep it, even healing magic couldn't repair a pulped leg, "Carmine I'm so sorr-"
"Don't. I wanted to fight, I made this choice. If my legs gone so be it. I'd rather lose my leg than let this world go to shit, now go. They need you out there." Hawke had put a sleeping spell on him then, telling Serena she needed to leave, so that the she-mage could amputate and heal him.
She left the tent and headed back out to the battlefield, just in time to see Alistair caught in the path of the Archdemon's tail. She ran as fast and as hard as she could but it was too late, Alistair was sent flying back into the hill where she saw Morrigan. She screamed and ran, shooting down every tainted creature she could along the way, a Shriek came out of nowhere and tried to slice her with its claws but she out maneuvered it and used the knife in her belt to stab through its neck, then kicked it off. She wiped the blade on her pants and kept moving, killing darkspawn after darkspawn, until she finally reached him.
"I'm alright, love. I cracked a few ribs, but I'm ok." He'd said before sitting up.
"Having fun yet?" She'd asked while firing another shot at a genlock who got too close.
"Oh yes! It's like Satinalia and my Name Day all at once." He grabbed her hand and they moved through the horde back to the Archdemon, who was snapping its huge jaws at Sereda, who just kept on stabbing at its neck.
"Go help her! I'll take care of all these assholes!" She'd sent Alistair back to the Archdemon as she continued to lay waste to every darkspawn she saw. Another ogre came barrelling towards her at a remarkable rate, and she'd fired and fired but the beast wasn't slowing. She saw a flash of blue light to her left and before she knew it the ogre had dropped dead, Fenris glowing behind it. Hot damn I wish I could do that.
He'd approached her quickly, slicing darkspawn with his giant sword as he walked, "You are the friend of Isabela, correct?"
"Yes," she spoke quickly, trying to get back to the task at hand, "We can make introductions later, we've got a battle to win."
He nodded and sped off, his markings leaving a glowing trail behind him. Serena returned to fighting, shooting and stabbing, kicking and punching any darkspawn she could, when suddenly a sharp pain pierced her gut, she looked down to see a jagged arrowhead sticking out from her skin. She could've sworn she heard Alistair screaming, but she fell down and passed out before she could look up.
ALISTAIR
"SERENA!" He'd seen her get shot by the hurlock's arrow, but couldn't move fast enough to get her out of the fray. He ran but it seemed the harder he ran the further he would be from reaching her, he saw a white haired elf at her side, lifting her from the ground and running for the medic tent. Thank you! Oh please be ok, please Serena please! He turned back to the Archdemon with fury, shooting everything he could at the beast, but it still kept on. Never falling, but slowly starting to lose its gusto. He saw Sereda slashing at its legs, dodging its head and tail. She had a fury in her eyes that matched Alistair's, and he knew that it would be over soon.
The darkspawn seemed to only grow in numbers, outnumbering them 2:1, the battle would be lost soon if the Archdemon wasn't dead by the suns rising. Then overhead he saw the planes. Three fighter jets with Flemeth in her dragon form at the head, charring darkspawn as she passed. The planes shot from the sky, darkspawn falling dead by the dozen; Flemeth had landed, and used her tail, claws and teeth to rip apart the creatures at her feet, never showing mercy. He noticed a dwarf with a crossbow firing bolt after bolt. Taunting the darkspawn all the while. The soldiers had seemed to be faring well, but soon they'd be overwhelmed as the darkspawn were slowly wearing them down. He turned back to see Sereda in the beasts maw, its head shaking and jaws clamping down.
"NO!" He let out a battle cry and ran for the Archdemon, grabbing a darkspawn sword before jamming it into the dragon's neck and yanking, tearing through scale and flesh, black blood spraying through the wound. It dropped Sereda and he rushed to her, hoping against all hope that she was alive.
"Alistair...you big...lug...thank you." She rasped, blood pooling around her armor, "No, you can't die. You can't die! We have to finish this!" he sobbed, trying to put pressure on the wound at her side.
"Then… let's... finish it. Help me up." He helped her to her feet, wrapping an arm around her shoulder; they walked towards the slowly dying Archdemon, stopping to pick up the blade by its neck. They each wrapped a hand around the hilt, placing it above the dragon's skull.
"You have been an honor to fight beside, Sereda Aeducan."
"As have you, Alistair," Sereda coughed, blood staining her lips,"As have you."
They plunged the blade into the Archdemon's skull, a blazing light surrounding them. Alistair's head felt like it was burning, his mind set ablaze by the Tainted God's soul.
"Did you think I would go down so easily, Bastard Prince?"
"No, I knew you'd put up more of a fight this time, that's why I've come prepared."
The creature laughed, "What could a fool such as you prepare for? You spout threats to prolong your death, Bastard Prince. It shall not work on me!"
The pain in Alistair's skull grew, making him scream in agony. He dropped to his knees and clutched his head, trying to force the beast's spirit from his mind.
"YOU HAVE FAILED! Give in to death, it is inevitable."
"NO! I WILL NOT BREAK!" Alistair mustered every ounce of willpower he possessed, pushing as hard he could against the force attempting to kill him from the inside, but power of the Archdemon was too great, and Alistair found himself weakening under its assault. It didn't work, it was all for nothing. Serena... no. NO!
He conjured the face of the woman he loved, wishing he could really see her smile one last time, wishing he could stay and hold her, marry her, and love her until his calling took him. He could feel his life ebbing away with every shove of the Archdemon's soul against his own. He collapsed, waiting for the darkness to consume him...but it never came.
"What?! Why are you not dead yet, Bastard Prince? ANSWER ME!" The Archdemon roared inside his mind.
"I...told...you...came...prepared..."
He opened his eyes to find Morrigan beside him, and he knew it was done. The Archdemon's hold on him started to break, and the burning in his head began to vanish.
"NOOOOO!" The Archdemon had screamed before fading from his mind completely, leaving him exhausted but alive.
He slowly sat up, and looked at his surroundings, the darkspawn had begun to flee, the soldiers gunning them down before they could reach the tree line. Sereda was being tended to by a woman with short black hair and piercing blue eyes, Isabela was limping towards the mystery woman, Serena's white haired saviour helping her walk. The beardless dwarf was sitting on the ground, an exhausted but joyous look on his face.
He scanned the field but there was still no sign of Serena or Carmine. He stood, wincing at the screaming pain in his ribs. He walked as fast as his exhausted legs would carry him, towards the medic tent where Serena would no doubt be. Please be ok, please be ok. He saw her emerge from the tent and let out a relieved laugh. She's alive!' She bounded towards him and leaped, knocking them both to the ground. He let out a cry of pain and she immediately jumped off, whispering apologies and 'I love yous' between the kisses she peppered across his face.
When she pulled back she had tears rolling down her cheeks, the smile she only gave him glued to her face, "We did it," she whispered, "We did it! Thanks to Mor-" she paused to look around, "she's gone. I didn't get a chance to-"
"What happened to her being an evil witch?" He'd asked with a wheezy laugh, Damn I hurt!
"She brought you back to me, I can hate her later."
"Help me up, I want to hug you. You mad beautiful woman." She got him to his feet and he wrapped his arms around her, revelling in the feeling of the woman he loved, and all that they had accomplished.
SERENA
The body count for their side was higher than they'd have liked it to be, and twelve men and women had gotten tainted, Carmine among them. He'd been tainted since the start of the battle, the darkspawn blood seeping into his veins through his openly crushed leg.
"We have everything we need to do the Joining! We have the darkspawn and Archdemon blood, we could make them Wardens!" Serena pleaded with Alistair and Sereda, hoping they wouldn't resort to killing these brave men and women.
"We don't have a mage who knows how mix it all together, I'm sorry love. We can't let them suffer." Alistair moved towards the medic tent, but the all too familiar voice had stopped them all in their tracks,
"I know how the Joining works, collect me what you need and I shall get started,"
The only time I can say I'm glad to see Flemeth! "Thank you so much! You have no idea-after all they've sacrificed..." Tears sprang from Serena's eyes once again, grateful that at least some of them may live.
As Alistair went to go collect the blood necessary to do the Joining, Serena went into the tent to check on Carmine. He was feverish, his skin pale and lips turning grey, the milky film of the Taint clouding his eyes. Sereda was at his side, clutching his hand and crying quietly, it made Serena's heart ache to see her Thedosian counterpart so sad.
"Alistair said you were badly injured, are you alright?"
Sereda sniffed, eyes never leaving Carmine's face, "Yeah, that Hawke lady patched me up, she's a kick ass healer."
"You love him don't you?" Serena asked, looking down at the gravely ill man on the cot.
Sereda shrugged, "I wouldn't go that far, but I'm definitely on my way."
Serena had to giggle at that, even in trauma Sereda refused to let her guard completely down. Alistair had returned and Flemeth set to work on the Joining Ritual, while Alistair, Serena, along with Hawke and her group gathered the Tainted to the field, helping to keep them on their feet while Alistair spoke the words that have been said since the First:
"Join us, Brothers and Sisters. Join us in the shadows where we stand vigilant. Join us as we carry the duty that cannot be forsworn. And should you perish, know that your sacrifice will not be forgotten. And that one day, we shall join you. Step forward, Alice."
Fenris helped Alice move for the chalice, and she took a drink, her body instantly rejecting the liquid. She convulsed then died; Alistair muttered an apology and closed her eyes.
Only two had made it before Carmine's time had come, he took the chalice and drank, his eyes rolling back in his head. Sereda laid him down and checked his pulse. And everyone burst into relieved laughter when he sat up and planted a firm kiss on Sereda's lips, much to her surprised delight. She helped him get back on his feet Well foot but whatever and Alistair beamed at his three new Wardens, "Congratulations! Carmine, Thomas and Susan. You are now Earth's first Grey Wardens!"
The small group erupted into cheers, clapping each other on the back and shaking hands. It warmed Serena's heart, the Blight was over and Earth had found its first and only defense against another occurring in the future, if that ever came to pass. They were all finally safe.