Walls that belonged to a cave surrounded the woman that wore a hood to hide her face. She walked down a corridor and turned a corner. The woman found herself in a room; a roaring fire blazed in the middle of the stone floor, lighting up the dark room. A thin boy faced the flames, his eyes closed in a relaxed state. His tall shadow danced around the room.
"Sire," the woman greeted him, "I have news about the King…and the girl."
He cocked his head to the side, his eyes still closed. "What is it?"
She moved gracefully around the edges of the room, watching the boy carefully.
"King Alistair has returned to Denerim from his trip to the Free Marchers," the woman informed.
"And Hope?"
"The security has slackened, even for the King. We could attack now –"
"No." the boy snapped, "You're forgetting Tabris."
The woman scoffed. "She is but one woman!"
"And you mustn't underestimate her." He interrupted, "She is willing to kill for those she loves; that is why you must have a diversion."
The woman walked to his side and asked, "What do you suggest, my Lord?"
His hand stretched out to the flickering fire. When he pulled it back out, his hand was unscathed. He was however, holding a small ball of fire.
"We burn the heart out of the Hero."
His lids flashed open to reveal his piercing golden eyes.
Wren's eyes snapped open. Her breathing was fast like she had just run a mile. Her hands stretched out to find Alistair, but his warmth wasn't there.
"Get dressed – quick!" he ordered, coming out of her bathroom and chucking her clothes on her bed.
"Wha –"
"The city's under attack!"
She shot out of the bed and quickly chucked on her clothes, collecting her blades as she did. Out of her window she could hear screams and smell smoke. When they left the room, there was no one to be seen.
"They must be already out there." Alistair said quietly. Wren took his hand and ran down the corridor. "We need to check on Hope!"
And so they did, but Hope was nowhere to be seen. Blaise was sprawled unconscious on the floor.
"He's been attacked," Alistair frowned. Wren wanted to check on him, but she needed to find her daughter first. Fear rose up inside her. It writhed like a pit of live snakes. They ran through the large entrance to the castle, seeing the chaos for the first time. Not too far away, Wren could see where the smoke came from. Balls of fire rained down continually.
"No," she whispered, seeing the top of the Alienage in a blaze of fiery red. Her hand broke away from Alistair and she sprinted in the direction of her home. The gates were open; elves spilled out, crying for help. Wren couldn't see her cousins in the crowd.
"SORIS! SHIANNI!" she screamed out, but no one answered. "SORIS! SHIANNI!"
Wren shoved her way through the frightened crowd of elves, calling out to her family. She saw faces of people she knew, some that she didn't, but they all shared the same scared look.
"Please, my cousins are in there!" Wren cried to the city guards trying to help the last of the elves out. Nobody heard her pleas. Chucking caution to the wind, she ran towards the fire, but someone caught her around the chest, pulling her back from the smoke.
"You can't do anything for them now," she could hear Leliana say in her ear. Wren tried to fight out of her grip, but her friend wouldn't budge.
"No! NO!" Wren sobbed, "SORIS! SHIANNI!"
Leliana pulled her away from the fire. Pain tore at her heart, but her head continued to say there was a chance. It was slim, but there was still a chance, even when apartments started to collapse. Something snapped her out of it, though - a shrill scream in the distance…
"MOTHER!"
Hope was thrown over the shoulder of a man who was surrounded by a group of mages, rogues and warriors. The Crows.
Leliana saw them too and sprinted off with her friend. She sent arrows flying towards them as Wren cut down the assassins who tried to stop her. One of the mages created another rain of fire. Leliana went flying as one of the fireballs hit a cart and exploded.
"Keep going!" she croaked to the elf, cradling her arm. The Bard used her good arm to chuck her bow and arrows at her friend. As Wren continued, she shot arrows at the remaining the group members, leaving the Crow that held Hope, vulnerable. The last arrow left her finger tips and hit the back of his skull. The assassin's body crumbled to the ground. Hope hit the dirt and rolled to her side.
"Hope!" Wren cried, running over to her. But she wasn't quick enough; a black cloud surrounded the child's small body. The smoke disappeared and the same woman in both of their dreams appeared. She was holding Hope at knife point. A blood dragon was tattooed on her forehand. Flames erupted in the little girl's hands, trying to burn the woman. She escaped from her arms, but her would-be attacker snatched her wrist. Hope's struggle against her hold made the woman's hood slip off, light her face from the fire. The back of the woman's hand collided with the side of Hope's face.
"You can try to fight, dear, but it is no use!" Norah Angelo hissed. Wren pointed Fang in her direction. There was no way she could attack without harming her daughter. More assassins and mages wearing the same robes and branded with the same dragon as Norah, circled them, ready to strike.
"You treacherous, shit!" Wren snarled, "Let go of my daughter!"
Norah laughed. The sound of running feet came closer towards them.
"Wren? Hope?" Alistair called out. His voice dropped to an angry growl when he saw Norah, "Norah. What fuck are you doing? Let her go!"
Not once had Wren heard him swear that way. Norah pulled Hope close to her again.
"I am fulfilling my duties, sweet heart," she smiled, "And one of them is taking dear, little Hope away from both of you."
"I won't let you." Wren spat. She met her daughter's fear filled eyes. A tear ran down her cheek. She mouthed, please mumma.
"You won't have a choice in the matter," Norah said simply. She stroked the top of the girl's head softly. "You do not fear death, Wren Tabris, but you do fear the death of loved ones."
Norah continued with a satisfied smirk, "So let's test this theory: who will you choose to save? The daughter you cherish, who I will take, no matter how hard you fight. Or the man who you love? Think quickly Hero."
Wren looked at Alistair and he gave her a nod. With that, he attacked a rogue and all hell broke loose. Wren lunged for Norah and Hope. Her fist connected with the woman's face, unbalancing the mage. Wren was about to attack again, but black smoke clouded her vision. Before Hope could get away, Norah reappeared and snatched her arm. They disappeared in another cloud of black smoke. Wren spun around trying to find them, but to see the mages and the Crows disappearing in the same way…all but one. The rogue snuck up behind Alistair and struck him with a knife that glistened with a green coating. He fell to his knees as the rogue disappeared.
"Alistair!" Wren cried, rushing to his side and supporting his weight. With her hand, she held onto the side of his face. He looked at her with his chocolate brown eyes. "You're going to be alright! I promise, I promise…"
In the small space of time, the Hero had lost so much. Her pained screams carried through the burning city.