Annnnnnd, finally the conclusion to the battle and the epilogue, for those still receiving updates. I can only apologize for the 2 year delay, and hope that this chapter lives up to the wait. So, straight from Iraq I present:
DISCLAIMER: Bioware owns all. Except Aiden. Aiden is my creation and is a direct representation of all that is awesome in DA: O.
Chapter 19
Shouts, metal on metal, and screams pierced the elven rogue's ears as he crept along the out skirts of the battlefield. He had been able to avoid most of the fighting, though a few qunari had caught his movements and tried to intercept him—they were now immobile corpses never to see life again. His mission was a simple one—he would wait. Watch. Look. His target was Sten, the leader of this force and he wouldn't subject himself to needless battle until he found the man. He wasn't where Aiden expected—in the fray—which meant he must have been at the back of the battlefield, planning. Or waiting. Regardless, the qunari force had met Denerim's—and the Chantry's—Army at the gates of Denerim and their forces clashed. The qunari were out numbered, as Denerim's Army held soldiers, priests, magi, and even peasants who had come to defend their faith in the Maker, their city, and their very way of life. It was a battle of faith, and it pained Aiden to admit it…but the qunari seemed to be the more faithful. Guided by the qun, they were cutting through the peasants, mages, and even the soldier's while taking few casualties themselves.
Despite all this, Aiden had finally reached the rear of the formation and saw that Sten was indeed present, along with him were several chained qunari—bound by ropes, chains of course, and it seemed like their mouth's and eyes had been sewn shut. They stood in a circle, and Sten and an elder qunari stood behind them, watching as the circle of qunari seemed to be channeling something. Aiden was no mage, but he was certainly an elf—and elves knew magic when they seen it. With his mark in sight, Aiden knew he had only to wait….
Alistair watched as the soldiers were slowly pushed back towards the gates, the qunari force of only three hundred or so over whelming the ragtag for of nearly a thousand. The peasants were no match for them, the magi could only cast so fast, and the priests could only heal so many wounded at a time—and naturally the wounded soldiers came first.
"Where's Aiden," came the sweet voice of Leiliana, and Alistair looked back to see the mahogany haired woman creeping along the wall towards him.
"Oh, you know. Sneaking here, stabbing there…I'm sure he'll turn up soon enough," Alistair replied, giving an armored shrug as he turned his gaze back to the battlefield. Fighting darkspawn was easy. Fighting mages was easy—hell fighting Flemeth twice was easy compared to defending the city from a mass of pissed off qunari hell bent on their qun. This was going to be tough….
"Provide the soldier's some cover fire from here, Leiliana. When the qunari breach the gate, fall back and join the rest of us," Alistair said, and Leiliana nodded. Alistair turned to descend to the ground and Leiliana spoke.
"May the Maker watch over and protect you, Alistair," she said with a small nod and Alistair replied in kind before climbing down.
"And may the Maker protect that crazy elf…"
Aiden sat in the shadows, hunched and ready to pounce. His daggers were poised, and coated with poison that was, as Zevran explained, the bane of mages. Aiden wasn't sure of the specifics, but apparently small doses increased the amount of energy it took to cast spells, while a large dose could cut off their resource of magic completely. His plan would be simple—kill the qunari mages first, then assault Sten and the older man. All he needed…was the sign.
"Sten," came a voice, and Aiden watched as a qunari rushed into the clearing, immediately taking a kneeling position by Sten and the elder qunari before the two turned to face them. "We have reached the gates. It will be only a few more moments before it falls."
Sten looked at the man before nodding. "Very well. Head directly for the Chantry, destroy it. Kill all who stand in your way, and leave no priest standing," Sten replied and the young qunari stood and left.
"You serve the qun well" said the older man as he gazed to Sten, "I thought your time here would have made you soft."
Sten didn't respond, and instead watched the circle of magi as they continued their channeling. The gate was to fall soon, and Aiden was getting anxious. He wanted to end this as quickly as possible. He didn't want to kill Sten…but he would if he had to. He didn't care about the Chantry, honestly—it wasn't his problem. Denerim, however, was his home. Grant it, the alienage was a horrible place…but it was his home, and he wouldn't let that be destroyed. Now where was that signal!
"Defend the gates," a soldier cried as dozens of them moved to brace the wooden structure. Others were moving to lower the metal grate to help reinforce it. Alistair and his companions stood to the back of the gathered soldiers, elves, peasants, magi and priests that had opted to defend the city, should the others have fallen—which they had. The magi were few, and counting the apostate along side of him, Alistair knew that they would be key to helping defend this place.
"Ye nervous," Oghren asked, hefting his large axe to his shoulder as he looked to Zevran.
"My dear, dear stout friend. I think you should be more worried for yourself than me—for you see, you cannot see past their waists. Try not to be lost in the battle," Zevran replied and Oghren merely shot back a burb, causing the elf to step upwind.
"They're breaking the gates," another soldier yelled, and Alistair noted as the wood gave the tell tale signs of buckling from the qunari's immense force. It was only a matter of seconds now. Luckily, the metal cage had lowered to the point that the men holding the gate could move, and the sounds of the metal falling into place on the ground echoed down the street.
"The gate is secure! Fall back to your positions," a captain yelled, the guards complying immediately.
"This plan is foolish. They will not break the gates, and that elf is behind their lines. When they cannot make it through, the will look for another way around—possibly noticing him. He'll be killed," Morrigan said cooly as she folded his arms.
"My my, is that a tinge of worry I hear in your voice, Morrigan," Alistair asked with a coy smile, and the woman's amber eyes shot to him.
"You wouldn't know what a woman's worry sounds like, Alistair."
The sounds of wood splintering cut off Alistair's response as the wood finally buckled and shattered with the force of a hundred qunari. They went no further, however, as the metal gates stopped them in their tracks.
The air thickened at this point, and Alistair knew exactly what it was before Oghren pointed it out.
"Bloody nug humping my ancestors, what is that," the dwarf asked, pointing a stubby finger above the gate. Their eyes followed and they noted the clouds swirling, a crimson hue showing from their depths.
"Get down," Alistair shouted.
From even this distance, Aiden heard the sound of wood caving in, and the shouts of the qunari's triumph ringing loud. The roars were short lived, though, as words made their way back in an instant. Aiden was unsure what it meant in their tongue, but he could only ascertain that it was the metal gates that they had met next.
Sten looked to the elderly man and nodded, who in turn looked to the circle of qunari magi and spoke a single word in the qunari language. Immediately, the magic in the air made his hair stand on end before the cloud's themselves seemed to pool over Denerim, a crimson hue filling the area. From the corner of his eye Aiden saw it—a fiery column explode down from the sky. It was large, and from what he could make out, aimed at the gates. It struck with enough force to shake the ground, even at this distance, and sound of the qunari's triumph rung loud.
They had broken through.
So that's what the mages were there for. Aiden waited for a moment…for what seemed like several minutes, and no signal came. Patience be damned. He sprung into action, elven agility carrying him the short distance toward the circle of qunari magi. His daggers flashed once, then twice, and two of the four qunari mages had been killed before Sten, the old man, or even the other mages could register he was there. The remaining magi turned to him, and the old man shouted something before Aiden felt his hair prickle for a second time in seconds.
The elf leapt to the side, narrowly avoiding a strike of lightning that he sword erupted from the qunari's chest. The attack from the second one wasn't easily blocked however, the bolt of lightning striking him while he was in mid air. The surge of electricity jarred his muscles and his mind, causing him to limply fall to the ground. He felt the ground shake somewhat as he heard footsteps rushing to him.
He sprung to his feet, and leaped over the massive blade of Sten's, before darting away once he landed. His lunge had taken him to another mage, and he acted quickly. He wrapped his left arm behind the man's head, bringing him down in a headlock before one, two, three stabs had went into the center of the qunari's chest. Twirling the body away, and towards Sten, the elf leaped at the last mage. This one, however, had been preparing a spell, and the massive fire ball struck Aiden fully on as he was in the air, sending him flying backwards. Pain registered throughout his body as he felt cold steel across his lower back. The fireball had sent him directly into the path of Sten's massive sword.
Aiden managed to hit his feet, but he stumbled to the side as he felt the warmth of his blood trickle down his back. He grunted in pain, but remained standing as he glared at the two.
"Kedan," Sten said, and Aiden wasn't sure if it was a warning, or an acknowledgement.
"Sten," Aiden shot back. His hair prickled again, and another bolt of electricity came. Aiden was ready though, and wound or not, he leapt away, hitting his feet at a sprint. He darted for the last mage, and Sten moved quicker than Aiden felt was fair, intercepting him with a large arc of his sword.
Aiden proved quicker, and ducked under, coming up with a hilt of his dagger to the qunari's temple. Whirling around under the qunari's left arm, Aiden kicked the small of his back with all the strength he could muster, which was enough to send the dazed qunari stumbling forward. His hair prickled again, and Aiden ducked under another arc of lightning—just as Sten stepped out of the way. He roared something to the old man, but Aiden cared not. He rushed the mage and dove, driving both of his daggers into the qunari's neck, and driving him to the ground, stabbing the whole way. When the qunari hit the ground, Aiden rolled forward and stood, whirling to face the old man and Sten. Pain wracked his body again, and Aiden grunted as his legs shook.
"Kedan, what are you doing," Sten asked calmly, as he approached the man.
"Stopping you from destroying my home," Aiden shot back. "Your war I care nothing about, but Denerim is my home—it won't be destroyed while I still draw breath."
"You said you would not interfere, Kedan, are you not a man of your word," Sten asked forcefully. The older qunari said something, and Sten stuck out his arm to silence him.
Aiden was silent for a moment before he fell into a combat stance. "I changed my mind," he replied flatly. "Call of your army, Sten. I don't want to have to fight you."
Sten was silent as he regarded the Warden for a long moment. "I said that I did not want to meet you on the battlefield, and this is still the case, Kedan, but I do not do this for myself—I do this for the qun. Even if you stop me here, there are more qunari on the way."
"Then I will stop them too," Aiden said before he rushed forward again, this time directly at Sten. Sten did the same, bringing his sword over head. A feint of a strike came in the form of an over head chop. Aiden went to dive, but instead was met face first by Sten's knee—who had anticipated the attack. Aiden fell back and Sten moved forward quickly, stomping hard on the elf's chest. Aiden let out a yelp as he felt several snaps in his side. His ribs.
"You lack conviction, kedan. You do not fight me truly because you want to protect your home. If your beliefs were truly strong, you wouldn't be so weak, and easy to read."
"If you hadn't of hacked me across the back….I wouldn't be so slow," Aiden shot back as he gasped for breath. He pushed up at Sten's foot, but to no avail. He couldn't muster the strength to push the qunari off of his small frame.
Sten looked down at him before he raised his sword, reversing the grip and pointing the tip of his large blade at the elf. "Farewell, kedan."
Aiden looked up at him in a panic. He had no choice. He didn't want to do this, as it would surely condemn him, but some things were worth more than his own happiness. He closed his eyes and pushed harder, allowing his anger to take hold. His drive for survival spurred his instincts, and it was his instincts that took hold. With strength that went far beyond normal means for an elf, Aiden thrust the qunari off of him, and off balance. The elf flipped up, leaving his daggers on the ground as he reached back and drew both of his elven blades. Whirling them around, Aiden opened his eyes and Sten's face remained stoic as he looked at the elf.
"Kedan…so this it is what you've become—a thrall to the dark spawn," Sten said as he shook his head. "Very well."
Aiden grimaced internally. The fire that coursed through his veins as he called on the taint of the darkspawn made him want to scream. It hurt, as it had before, but this time he knew would be his last. He could feel the burning as it spread through him, corrupting his body at a rapid rate. He would make it through the fight…but he would not survive after, this much he knew. He whirled the blades around again, and raced at the qunari a second time. This time, there was no feint, and there was no dodge. Aiden met Sten head on in a flurry of blows, each causing metal to ring loudly.
Sten could feel the force behind the blows, and they made even his large arms quiver from the strikes. They were fast, and they were hard. He knew not what this taint caused Aiden, but he knew that it gave him strength that was near equivalent of an ogre. If this is truly what Grey Warden's were like when they fully became taken over by the taint, it was no wonder they went to their death's below Orzammar.
Aiden's whirlwind of blows continued and with a final horizontal strike, Aiden kicked forward, his foot catching Sten in the stomach and doubling him over. As the qunari stepped back from the force of the blow, Aiden leaped up and rammed his head into the qunari's chin, sending him to his back. Aiden whirled to set his sights upon the old man, and found that he had left….likely to get reinforcements from the army. He had to finish this quickly, that much he knew. Wheeling back around, he caught sight of Sten just as the massive man brought his sword down. Aiden turned his body away from the cut, but it still struck home, cutting through his armor and down his back. Aiden roared in pain as he stumbled forward, away from Sten and turned around, lunging back at the qunari with a roar of anger. Another whirlwind of blows came, faster and faster. Finally, Aiden caught an opening and brought his sword down, striking Sten across his face and cutting his right eye deeply enough that the orb fell out of it's socket. Sten stumbled back and Aiden leaped forward, ramming his blade to the hilt into Sten's side—not a fatal blow, but it could be if left untreated. Aiden placed his foot on Sten's chest and pushed—pulling the sword out. Sten fell back and Aiden pointed his blade at the down qunari.
"Kedan," Sten mumbled as he held a hand over his eye. He did not retreat from the elf, and Aiden knew he would not. Aiden knew that the man would never run from a battle, death, or even hell itself, and still…the elf lowered his sword.
The burning that was running through his veins caused him to grit his teeth. He had almost lost himself there…almost allowed himself to kill Sten, a trusted companion and friend. He knew that even now, Sten would not retreat. He wouldn't leave the battlefield except as a corpse. This victory wouldn't come, truly, unless Sten was killed. He raised his blades again, and Sten merely looked with a stoic gaze, despite his wounds.
"Sten," came a voice thick with an accent. Aiden turned and was caught squarely in the chest as an arrow thudded into him. He stumbled back, his swords lowering somewhat. The other qunari had arrived, and the old man—Aiden noticed—stood at their rear. He looked down to the arrow, anger swelling again and he let out another piercing cry. Looking back forward, the enraged elf move to lunge forward, though a qunari had already closed the distance and rammed a sword into the Warden, the man's strength burying the metal weapon all the way to the pommel in his chest, just below the arrow.
Aiden felt his strength leave him, the burning in his veins subsiding as he dropped his swords. He couldn't make a sound…couldn't breath. The qunari in front of him, regarded him with a cold stair before pain flew through the elf as the blade was twisted and withdraw. Aiden fell forward, his vision instantly tunneling as he met the could Ferelden ground. He moved to lift his head, even that movement taxing his strength. A hand moved to reach for his sword. Shianni, Morrigan…Selene, even Alistair was counting that he do this. He had to win. An armored foot met his hand, crushing the bones and Aiden let out a whimper of pain. When the boot lifted, he saw his mangled hand and then looked to the qunari above him. The same cold stair. The air felt colder to the elf, and he saw the sky begin to darken. This was it, he knew. He had lost, and soon his entire family would be too. The alienage, Alistair, Morrigan…even his daughter would pay for his loss.
As the sky continued to darken, Aiden paid little mind to the qunari as he raised his sword, poised to deliver a final blow to the elf. His hearing was still clear, though, and he heard the command—even in the qunari tongue, he knew what it was. "Do it." The piercing sound of the blade coming down seemed to echo through the air. Aiden's head had bowed, and he felt no pain as he heard the sound continue. He lifted his head, slowly, only to see that the qunari before him was no where to be found. His head rolled around and he took him, slowly, the scene.
The qunari had been driven back, the old man shouting things at the soldiers and they seemed to want to comply. They moved forward, but backed away shortly after. They were looking at something over Aiden, and he felt someone grab him roughly.
"Damn…for such a tiny guy, you need to lose some weight," came a voice.
Alistair. Aiden tried to speak, but the blood in his lungs and throat caused him only to gurgle. Aiden's head rolled around and he saw what had chased the qunari off. A full sized High Dragon stood just a few feet away, it's mouth poised to strike and it's teeth bared. It's skin was purple in color, though its eyes a bright emerald. It regarded him, and Aiden could have swore it was one of sadness. That gaze was the last thing he seen before darkness claimed him.
Alistair hefted the broken elf up towards Leiliana, who grabbed Aiden and carefully laid him on the Dragon's back. Alistair followed suit and the Dragon roared a second time, this time letting waves of fire wash over the clearing, burning the qunari, and the corpses. Massive wings beat quickly, as more fire was spewed before the Dragon took to the air.
"Is he…," Leiliana asked, and Alistair gave her a soft shake of his head.
"No…but he's dying for sure. I can feel the taint within him as well…even if we save him, he has a few days at the most before he becomes…one of them," Alistair said simply.
Leiliana was silent. Even though they had managed to drive the qunari out of Ferelden, even though Aiden had finally tracked down his child and the woman he loved…he would still die, regardless of whichever action they chose.
The Dragon set down at the edge of the city, Alistair and Leiliana dismounting as Morrigan and the others gathered around.
"Oh my…I believe that's twice this week he's gotten himself beat up," Zevran spoke, trying to make light of the situation. Oghren grunted in reply, though Morrigan merely scowled at the broken body. The Dragon turned to them, being engulfed in a white light before Selene rushed to the body of her father. She squatted down, tears running down her face.
"Dry your tears, girl, and heal him," Morrigan said forcefully. Selene looked to her mother, then Alistair who spoke.
"Morrigan he….the taint is incredibly strong in him. Even if Selene heals him…he will only live a week, tops, before he becomes…becomes a Dark Spawn."
"So what do you propose then, Alistair, hm! That you just let him die," Morrigan asked, her voice raising. Alistair would have retorted, but he refrained. She was distraught, he knew.
"Couldn't we," Leiliana began, her voice trailing off, though the others looked to her. "Well…there might be a way," Leiliana said. "Something that cures all illness'. We could see if that cleansed the taint too…"
Alistair looked at her, dumbfounded for a moment before his eyes widened. "The Ashes of Andraste…"
Leiliana nodded and Morrigan scoffed. "Yes, the remains of a mad woman will cleanse him of his ailment," she cried in sarcasm.
"Mother," Selene said, looking to her. Morrigan looked down at the girl, surveying her with hard amber eyes.
"Heal him…and we will see," she mumbled.
Annnnnnd, that's it! :D Does Aiden survive? Does he die? Well…I leave that to your imagination. Be on the look out though, as I intend to start another story (and not drag it out like this one, promise) about Hawke and the Chantry.