17th of Drakonis, 9:42 Dragon
It was the night before the assault on Adamant. It had taken them three weeks to reach the fortress from Skyhold and for Runa, they were a miserable three weeks. She had tried to tell Cullen how she felt about him, but it didn't go as well as she had hoped. And now, she avoided him like the Blight.
As they took advantage of the chance for some much needed rest before the big battle the following day, Runa stood at the edge of camp and wondered if she had made a mistake telling Cullen anything.
"Runa, is everything alright between you and Cullen?" Molly asked, coming to join her. "You've been avoiding him lately."
Runa sighed, looking up at the moon. "I tried telling him how I felt about him before we left Skyhold... and it didn't go as well as I had hoped. I just... it's been difficult trying to work with him while I figure things out..."
"What happened?"
Runa sighed. "I'd rather not talk about it, if you don't mind?"
Molly nodded. "Of course. But we're always here if you need to, I hope you know that."
"I do. Thank you, Molly."
"Try to get some rest, Runa. We need everyone at their best."
Runa nodded, turning back as Molly left her in peace. 'What was I thinking... how am I going to be able to focus on the battle now...?'
Deciding Molly was right, she headed back into camp and towards her tent- passing Cullen along the way. As they just happened to glance at each other at the same time, they held each other's gaze for a moment before Runa broke eye contact and hurried away. Cullen sighed, hoping that this situation between them didn't affect their ability to focus in the midst of battle.
18th of Drakonis, 9:42 Dragon
"Load the trebuchets!" Runa ordered, raising her hand. "Fire!"
She stood next to Cullen and watched as the trebuchets flew through the air and slammed into the ancient walls of Adamant Fortress. They began issuing orders to fire the next shots, orders to bring the ladders, orders to bring the battering ram forward. Runa stood with her Commander and watched with him as their men broke through the gates and Camren made his way through with Blackwall, Varric, and Solas.
Cullen went into the main gate area with Runa at his side and addressed Molly. "Alright, Inquisitor, you have your way through. Better make use of it." he started.
Runa watched the Wardens falling back. Stroud- the Warden who accompanied Hawke- and Hawke himself readied themselves to move forward.
"We'll keep the main host of the demons occupied as long as we can." Cullen continued.
"I'll be fine, just keep the men safe. Keep each other safe." Molly said, looking at Cullen, then at Runal before she looked back at the Commander.
Cullen glanced over at Runa, then back at Molly. "We'll do what we have to, Inquisitor. Warden Stroud will guard your back. Hawke is with our soldiers on the battlements. He's assisting them until you arrive."
A scream came from above and Cullen looked up to see a demon throwing a man off the wall.
"There's too much resistance on the wall. Our men on the ladders can't get a foothold." he said, looking back at Molly. "If you can clear out the enemies on the battlements, we'll cover your advance."
"Good luck, Molly." Runa said, then ran back to their men with Cullen, her hair and robes billowing behind her.
As the battle began to rage on, Runa and Cullen met demons with their men and fought them back, trying to cover Molly's advance as they promised. They pushed forward, slashing through the demons, cutting down Venatori and rogue Wardens.
'I hope Molly will be OK.' Runa thought, looking up at the battlements. She looked around and raised her staff as a rage demon threw a fist of fire at her. The force of the fireball threw her back, slamming her into a wall.
"Runa!"
Cullen cut down the rage demon and ran to her, helping her to her feet. "Are you alright?"
She nodded and looked at him, shaking off his hand. "Yes, I'm fine."
Cullen was going to say something more, but the sounds of battle called his attention back towards the center of the fortress. "We have to keep moving."
Runa nodded. "Yes, of course. Let's move."
They continued forward, cutting down more and more demons, Venatori, and Wardens. They forced their way through, but Runa got separated from Cullen when a fireball landed between them.
"Cullen, keep going!" Runa called. "I'll find Molly and the others!"
Cullen knew she was closer to the Inquisitor, but he didn't want her going alone. "Runa, wait!" he called, watching her run up the stairs towards the center of the fortress.
As she ran deeper into the fortress, Runa looked up as a dragon came flying into the fortress. "Molly!" she called, running to join her. She looked up in horror as the woman she assumed was the Warden-Commander ran off after a mage who attacked her.
"Help the Inquisitor!" the woman cried and all hell broke loose.
"Runa, why are you here?" Molly asked, fighting at her back.
"I got separated from Cullen and the others so I came to help you!" she replied, slashing down a Warden mage.
The demon that had been summoned was a Pride demon and it was advancing quickly. It knocked a Warden warrior down, then turned its attention to her.
'You have so much raw power, young girl.' a voice said in her head. 'Let me have a taste, mageling. Let me taste the delicacy of your raw magikal power.'
Runa shook the voice away, ignoring the demon that was trying to talk to her. She felt her head aching as the demon tried to prod its way further- hoping the sigil would hold- and she looked at the Inquisitor. "Go, Molly! Go after them! I can hold them off here!"
"Runa, you're not strong enough alone!" Molly retorted.
"Watch out!" she cried as the Pride demon raised a clawed hand to strike at her, then raised her staff creating a shield of mana before she cast an immolation spell at it. "I'll handle things here, Molly, just go!" Runa ordered, looking at her. "Be careful!"
Molly nodded and took her companions after the Warden-Commander and the mage she pursued.
"Runa, where are you?" Cullen called, finally having reached the area where the Fade Rift was. Demons were still pouring out of it and he saw Runa at the center of them. "Runa, hold on!"
Runa looked up and saw Cullen joining her. "Cullen!"
He fought his way towards her. "I'm glad you're alright. Where's the Inquisitor?"
"She took after the Warden-Commander and the mage she pursued. The dragon disappeared, but I'm not sure if that fucking monster is coming back." Runa said, then looked behind Cullen. Another demon came through, the largest rage demon she had ever seen. "Cullen, look out!" she cried, pushing him behind her, raising her staff.
Cullen looked behind him as Runa fought off the demon. She was beginning to waiver, struggling to fend it off before she was thrown into a wall. "Runa!" He took up his sword and tried to fend off the demon.
Runa's vision blurred for a moment, then cleared, and she felt her eyes widen as Cullen lost his footing and the rage demon loomed above him. "Cullen, no!"
She ran to stand above him, protecting him. She raised her hand and threw a blast of blue fire at the rage demon, freezing it solid at its core while burning its own flames out. "You will not have him!" she yelled, then took her staff and smashed the demon into pieces with it. The demons were still coming, though, but now Runa was pissed.
"This ends now!"
Cullen and the rest of the Inquisition watched as Runa started to glow as her blue fire danced around her, spreading out to each of the demons and consuming them from within. The battlefield had just become a stage for an apocalyptic firestorm of cold flames. They watched in horror and awe as the majority of the demons crumbled into ash, scattering to the wind as Runa let the fires extinguish themselves. As the flames dissipated, the giant rift flickered as Molly and the others- aside from Stroud- leapt through it. Runa stepped back and watched as Molly turned to the rift and closed it with the Anchor, seeing the rift surge as the remainder of the demons in the vicinity of the rift screeched in pain and faded as it closed shut.
"Thank the Maker, you are safe." Runa said, hugging Molly.
"Good to see you safe, Runa." Molly said, hugging her back. "All of you."