Having left the system of caves they'd escaped through behind – Garrett got the sense that the caves were not natural, someone had made them, like a secret tunnel – the group had found themselves into what had to be another part of the city...a palace.
Or so Garrett believed, with no windows that could help him orient himself, he was reduced to guessing on the décor.
The walls they passed were white, with decorative inlays of gold everywhere one's gaze turned, the high ceiling covered with poorly glowing runes that still emitted enough light to cast the long halls in a perpetual – and foreboding, in Garrett's eyes – twilight.
There was no furniture.
Nor any dead.
Not even a speck of dust.
The place seemed forgotten by the world, even the air only reluctantly parting before the group as they moved forth, making them feel like intruders.
Garrett feared it, feared what it might mean...the implication made him shoot Anders a glance. Was it just a trick of the light, or were the weary-looking mage's scars glowing ever so slightly? Looking back, Garrett could also see the others in the group...and what he saw worried him even further.
Fenris was scowling, the elf refusing to sheathe his sword as he slowly stalked forward, as if expecting the very walls to attack him at any moment, the man was also favouring his left leg, the healed wound in his side apparently still bothering him. Yet despite that, he was the one that looked most capable of handling a fight, if it came to it.
Merrill was shaking, the elf again and again looking back the way they'd come from, a look of guilt and horror on her face as she kept hugging her chest, no doubt thinking of all those they'd left behind. Understandable, even if they weren't our group, given her way of thinking, I can understand...I hope she can get over it soon though, we're in a tight situation as it is without her being in shock... Garrett grimaced at his thought. I'll...try to give her some time, she wasn't at Ostagar, this level of slaughter is new to her.
Bodahn and Sandal were trudging on, the pair looking very out of their element among the warriors. Bodahn was still being supported by Sandal, as his breaths came out in pained wheezes. For a brief moment, Garrett considered leaving the two dwarves behind – they'd be of limited help now – but a quick glance at Merrill and a spike of guilt in his chest made him push the idea aside. We need to stop, rest, but we don't have the time...not with our levels of supplies. Everyone was carrying their packs, but those were small packs, and none but Garrett had bothered to fill theirs since their last meal, making each only half-full...water-wise they were even worse off, with each one only carrying a half-empty sack. We need to leave this tomb of a city, leave and find food and water, nugs, or even the moss in the caves, if need be.
Then there was Varric...the man's every step was dejected, his shoulders slumped and head bowed. Even with Bianca strapped to his back, he seemed like anything but a fighter. Yet there were no tears in his eyes, no grief...only a frustration and bitterness Garrett couldn't quite get to grips with. I've spoken to him many times, and never has Varric expressed any love or warmth for his brother, only brotherly duty...more to do with his mother than his brother...how must it have been, growing up without such love? The thought made Garrett think of Carver, of how the man hated the burden of duty to the family. Then of his own duty to the family, of how it had shaped him, worn him down, yet how he'd drawn strength from his love of his family. To not have that love, yet to struggle on to protect those closest to you... Garrett shot Varric another glance, a sliver of admiration in his eyes. I suppose I shouldn't be too harsh on you for not grieving as I would...
Unbidden, Garrett's gaze was drawn to Bethany, making his heart quake. Maric was walking besides the young woman, as if wanting to lend support, but unsure how...and the why was painfully clear. The Deep Roads had never agreed with Bethany, Garrett had noticed that a mere week into their expedition, but by now she was pale as a sheet, and she'd also picked up a small, but noticeable, cough. And all the medicine is in the carts we left behind... Garrett grit his teeth in his efforts to suppress his worry. Even as he watched, Bethany stumbled and caught herself on Maric, a little fitful cough escaping her. This reminds me of the one time you had the chickenpox, I fed you soup in bed every day... The memory made Garrett smile...and then he turned his head away from the sickly woman, fist thumping into his hip in frustration. We need to get out of here!
A growl from Anders made Garrett turn his head back though, noticing the mage staring ahead, a flicker of blue light in his eyes. Huh...? Turning to look forward as well, Garrett motioned to the others, making them tense and reach for their weapons even as Garrett himself drew his sword and – with Fenris keeping close to him – slowed his advance into a wary crawl.
Ahead, yet another doorway was open to them. But here, the cylindrical door was not just open, it was on the floor, hinges broken, the rounded surface dented and ripped open to the point that Garrett wouldn't have recognised it as a door if it had been anywhere but near the doorway.
Garrett and Fenris exchanged a frown, the later gripping his blade just a little bit tighter. Garrett arched an eyebrow, nodding towards the opening. More demons? The elf grimaced, nodded, and let Garrett move a step ahead, the human covering them both with his shield as the two warriors looked left and right while they advanced closer and closer to the new room.
The place opening up before them was round, large and – as everything else in the palace – completely bereft of furniture.
Except for two high chairs at the far end of the room, seemly chiselled out of the same white stone as the floor, all a single piece of stone. Like two pieces of jagged cliffs, not quite breaking the surface of the water as they reached up towards the sky. Thrones, they have to be.
Inching his way into the room, the rest of the group fanning out behind him, Garrett noticed the closed door to the left of the room...and then fixed his gaze on the two figures seated on the thrones at the far end of the room.
They were dead, and had obviously been so for a long time. But given recent events, who'll take any chances? Garrett motioned to Fenris, and they both picked a figure each, Garrett approaching the man seated on the slightly bigger throne. Both were dwarves, and probably royalty, given the fancy cut of the threadbare clothes still stuck to their bony figures. The one Fenris was approaching was wearing a dress still in a faded blue while Garrett's target wore some kind of black coat...yet despite their royal seating, neither wore a crown. Did the demons take them? I...it was like they defended the gold... Both corpses looked partly mummified, their browned and dried skin clinging to bones and the odd cord of tough ligament...and both had had their throats slit, crusted blood still clinging to the skin underneath the clean cuts.
Garrett cocked his head to the side at the sight. Suicide? As the demons tried to enter the last chamber, the king and queen, their city dying...killed themselves? Or did someone betray them? Garrett tried to imagine what it would be like, to be trapped, horrified of your entire nation being slaughtered as you yourself faced death...and shuddered. We need to get out, we must get out!
With a sigh and a chuckle, the dead dwarven king before him rose to its feet, a whisper resounding in Garrett's head. You do, do you...?
For a moment, Garrett stood frozen to the spot...and that was all that the corpse needed as with surprising grace it jumped to its right, further away from the more reactive Fenris who with a curse cleaved the throne the undead had been sitting on. Then, with another curse, the elf slashed apart the female corpse still on its throne before turning to face the undead king. Garrett, next to him, now stood ready to fight.
Only to freeze a second time as the skeleton placatingly raised its hands in front of it, dry lips curling in what Garrett assumed to be a smile, though it more resembled a grin on the dead man. The voice fitted ill with the skeleton. It was soft, vibrant with life...and a woman's? "Be at ease, warriors, I mean no harm."
It took a moment for the words to sink in...making Garrett hesitate...and then he remembered his father's lessons on the words of demons and advanced with a growl.
Again, the demon leapt backwards, dry bones moving with a dancer's grace even as the entire group advanced on it, weapons ready. "Do you not wish to hear my offer? I thought you said you wanted to get out...?" A soft chuckle followed the question.
Anger...Garrett liked to think he was a calm man, but to hear a demon taunt him...he advanced even further with a snarl, raising his sword...
"WAIT!" Merrill's voice was shrill as she raised it in a shout, making Garrett stop despite every inch of him screaming to attack. Turning his head, he found himself not the only one looking at Merrill as if she'd lost her mind...except for the glowing Anders and Fenris, who both regarded her with disdain. The elf ignored all though, her big eyes fixed on the skeleton as she slowly lowered her spear. "You...know a way out?"
Garrett couldn't help but growl, his every nerve on edge at the thought of what Merrill was trying to do. "It knows that because it read my mind!"
"I'm sorry, mind or words...the difference is hard to make out for the likes of me..." The demon replied, sounding like it was actually remorseful with a bow of its head. Garrett glowered back, father's lesson all too vivid in his head. "Do not trust the words of demons, children, those intelligent enough to speak are intelligent enough to lie, and a demon never has your needs in mind, only their own." Again, the demon smiled, though softer this time, carefully. "I merely sensed your need, your desire...and my kind thrives on full-filling such needs..."
"Lies!" Anders exploded, his voice dark and foreboding, an ethereal echo to his words as his body glowed blue. "Spawn of desire, I name you mistress of trickery! Your existence in this world is unnatural and befouls it!"
This time, the demon's smile was wide and taunting as it drew away from the glowing mage. "Ah, Justice, always so high-minded...yet I see you possess a barely living corpse yourself, perhaps you ought to rename yourself spirit of hypocrisy?"
For a moment, the glow covering Anders' scars flickered, the man's eyes his own as with a grimace he took a step back. Then he took a step forward, once more glowing as he pointed an accusing finger at the undead beast...only for his hand to be pushed down by Merrill as the smaller mage kept her eyes fixed on the demon, stance tense and wary, yet attentive. "You are that, then? A demon of desire? Drawn to our desire to escape?"
"Well...in a sense, I've been here for a long time before your arrival, even I can sense that." The demon chuckled, a soft, sultry sound, completely in conflict with the corpse they were watching cackling. "I came here to..." The skeleton's head twisted, looking about, as if seeing past the walls of the palace, to the rest of the city. "...feed." Garrett shuddered at the hungry sound of the last word.
He couldn't stop himself though, despite his father's lessons, the words were blurted out. "You know what happened here."
"Yes...I know you desire the knowledge..." The demon turned to look at him, head cocked to the side...and Garrett shivered as its gaze bore right through him...yet the smile aimed at him was almost friendly. "So I will tell you."
"Do not listen, it means to trick us." Fenris growled, the elf balancing on the balls of his feet, ready to strike at any moment.
"Trick? When you could make such good allies? I need you as much as you need me." The demon gave voice to another seductive chuckle, then shrugged. "Long ago, I came here to feed on these demons, lingering in this cave. They are demons of hunger, or more specifically greed...a simple emotion, certainly, but greed is a form of desire, so their desire to fulfil their endless greed was a bland, but constant source of nourishment. It is from them I learnt of what happened, piecing across the story across centuries. If you wish to know, just...ask."
Even before he saw Bethany shake her head in fear, Garrett ground his teeth shut, refusing to rise to the bait. Merrill, however, didn't even hesitate, making Garrett grit his teeth even harder. "What happened then?" Merrill...!
"Greed happened, greed and a poor understanding of spirits of the Fade." The skeleton looked down at the broken remains of its 'queen' with a shake of its head. "These dwarves were rich beyond compare, rich and powerful, trading with the great Tevinter Imperium at the height of its power as equals." The skull of the corpse grinned, a grin rhyming badly with the feminine voice speaking. "However, their greed for more clouded their vision...they brought in Tevinter mages, young acolytes, to handle the dead of the lower classes. They imbued these corpses with magic, forcing small and stupid demons of greed into the bodies. Driven by the greed still lingering in these bodies, as well as that of their masters, these creatures began to mine. Tireless, swift, and after a few generations, growing beyond the numbers of living miners, these creatures were a great boon for the city...for a time." There was no mistaking the grin now, one of amusement. "But you see...spirits of greed are such simple creatures...they don't understand how the world works, or the value of a long term meal over a single feast."
Garrett blinked, confused...yet with a foreboding pit in his stomach.
"Over time, they realised that the greed they so hungered for didn't reside in the gold they were mining...but in the dwarves they were mining it for." The soft chuckle was one of wry amusement. "So...they started to mine the dwarves."
"Maker's breath..." Bethany whimpered, hands over her mouth even as Anders and Fenris both growled in anger. Merrill, on the other hand, was just shaking her head, looking sad. As was Varric, the dwarf glancing back, thoughts no doubt on his brother.
"Of course, they swiftly ran out of dwarves..." The demon shrugged. "...so they mined the gold again, trying to satisfy themselves with what little greed was still lingering in their corpses...until they, still trapped in these bodies, simply laid down, without enough energy to drive themselves forward." A pause, the demon regarding them. "Seems you people gave them some new motivation though, however brief it'll be..."
"That's...horrible..." Merrill whimpered, then she shook her head, looking troubled as she eyed the demon. "...and you've been here for long too? You can't be getting much food now either, and you're as trapped as they are, in this corpse..."
Is she...is she feeling sympathy for the creature!? Garrett couldn't help but glare at Merrill...she shrunk back under his gaze, but then straightened, eyes on the demon. A demon nodding. "Exactly, there's no point in me staying, which is why I need your help, as much as you need mine."
"I don't trust you." Garrett snapped, tiring with the charade as he gestured at Anders and Fenris in turns. "Neither do they." Then Varric, the growling Maric and the pale Bethany. "Or them." He scowled at the creature before him. "You say we need you, yet it seems to me you're the one needing us, or else I'd doubt you'd even speak to us."
"Oh come now...Hawke, is it?" The demon purred the words, words making a cold shiver run down Garrett's spine as the demon regarded him. How...it's in my head! He gripped his sword tighter, taking a step closer...and the demon raised a hand, speaking swiftly. "Merrill will surely vouch for me."
"You...I thought you sounded familiar..." Merrill was blinking furiously even as the rest of the group stared at her and the demon in confusion. "...b-but how can that be? You're trapped in the Eluvian..." There's a demon trapped in the mirror you brought? Garrett put his head in his free hand with a sigh. Why am I not surprised...? Maker, you...you make it hard to view you as intelligent at times! "...Dh-Dhavine...?"
"The same, at your service." The demon made an elegant curtsy, something that looked obscene on the bony remains that was its body. "And yes, I'm still trapped in the Eluvian...or at least most of me is...but I'm not truly corporeal, am I? Being limited to one place at any time sounds soooo dull..." The demon purred, apparently amused at the way the others exchanged puzzled glances. "Yet now this part of me is trapped in another prison...one I can't use to its full potential while in this cave...so could some chivalrous gentleman please help a lady in need...?"
Fenris gave voice to a chuckle, as amused as it was hostile. "The thing seems to think it's a woman and not a male corpse...and that we'd be stupid enough to listen to it."
"Aww...that hurts my feelings..." There was a pout in the demon's voice, a teasing pout that made Garrett grimace in disgust. "Besides, you want a way out, and I can give it to you...I can give you what you desire...don't you understand...?"
For a moment, Garrett hesitated, his guilty eyes drawn to the pale Bethany...who was staring at the demon with a weary look on her face while softly coughing.
And that was all Merrill needed, the elf taking a step closer, voice sure in itself. "We should listen to it, we have nothing to fear as long as we give it what it wants and stay careful. We feed it by getting what we want, and it helps us..."
"Exactly, exactly..." Dhavine murmured, the demon nodding ever so softly.
"Do not trust the demon, they will offer you something you want, but their offer is hollow. Either they offer what you already have, or a pale reflection that is not truly what you wanted." Father's words rang in Garrett's ears while he bit his lower lip, tortured as to what to do. Merrill's words stood in stark contrast to those lessons, promising what he wanted above all else. "So we give Dhavine what it wants, freedom...and we ourselves become free, it's fair, isn't it?"
I...Maker, Bethany, I...I...I don't know what to do. Garrett clenched his hands tight and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to think, well aware that his decision might well leave all of them dead. And certainly Bethany...
"You'd let this thing go free?" Anders', or perhaps it was Justice, growled. "This base creature is giving empty promises of escape and you believe it?"
"Empty promises?" The demon echoed, a smirk in its voice, making Garrett open his eyes and glare at it. "Not at all...beyond this door, if you proceed straight ahead for an hour...you'll find the treasury." Huh? The demon grinned at him...and again, Garrett felt like he was transparent under its gaze. "Oh yes, the treasury, the finest items these dwarves created, too fine to decorate their walls with...you can imagine the worth of such things, I'm sure?" Garrett felt his fingers itching, their objective, safety and wealth, suddenly within reach again. Tempting, Maker, so tempting...damn you! "There's also an exit there, a back door, as you humans call it..." The demon grinned at him, sensing his hesitation. "...but how to get it open? Well I know how...get me there, and I'll open the path for us all...we can part ways, free, and you oh so wealthy..."
Damn you! Garrett opened his mouth to reply, but to his surprise, Varric was swifter. The dwarf was eyeing the demon with a tired and grim look...but also with an intellect Garrett was well aware of. "That sounds too easy. If you can open it, why haven't you gone yourself already?"
"Ah, an excellent question..." If the demon was anything but delighted at the question putting its sincerity in doubt, it didn't show it. "Well...a treasury is of course not unguarded-"
"Of course not." Varric dryly interrupted, triggering a small titter from Bethany that turned into a wheeze and a cough.
Was it just Garrett, or was there a flicker of purple energy in the sockets of the skeleton before him at Varric's interruption? Its words were gentle and friendly though. "Yes, of course not...the guardian has stood there for centuries, so I'm sure it's quite weakened compared to what it once was...but as you can understand, I don't feel quite up to the task of fighting it in my current state..."
Garrett exchanged a glance with Varric, then took a step forward, eyes narrowed at the demon. "So let me get this straight, the guardian you almost neglected to mention needs to be beaten, at which point you promise to help us escape?" He snorted. "Seems like you want us to do your work for us and then simply open a door in return, something we're quite capable of doing ourselves."
"Now, now, you want your freedom, don't you?" The demon smiled back, a frightening grinning skull speaking with a voice like velvet brushing your skin. "Without my help, you won't be able to leave this place, without my help you and all you care about...will die." The grin still remained as the demon glanced over at Bethany.
You...dare!? Garrett glared at the demon, stuck between his want for certain escape and his distrust of the creature...not to mention a slowly growing personal hatred of the demon before him. You invade my mind, use my feelings against me, and speak of working together!? The demon just smiled back, confident as Garrett grew more and more frustrated. I...I...wait...a dwarven door will surely not be opened by magic, so...could...could it be...? The thought entering Garrett's mind made him blink, afraid yet unable to let it go. Could I...could I risk it? But what if I'm wrong? Bethany...poor Bethany...I...but father had to be right, and...Maker...I can't...can I?
"Garrett..." Looking down, Garrett found Merrill gripping his forearm, smiling reassuringly. "It'll be okay, I promise...trust me."
I'm... Garrett looked to the demon, then back to Merrill, torn. I...I think I do trust you... He didn't look back as he barked out a single word. But not in this. "Fenris!"
"Wait!" Dhavine cried out even as Fenris rushed forth with inhuman speed, his sword loudly cleaving the air, then the undead's neck, sending its head tumbling along the floor while the now truly dead body dropped like a puppet with its strings cut.
Merrill's hands pulled away from Garrett's arm and shot up to her mouth, covering it as her eyes widened in shock, as if Fenris had just killed a real person, rather than the stolen body of a long dead man.
Garrett, a thick lump in his throat, fear gripping his heart, moved away from her, shot Bethany a terrified look and turned to march over to Fenris and his slain foe. The elf was looking down at the corpse with a look of grim satisfaction, and even shot Garrett an approving nod as he respectfully stepped aside, letting Garrett crouch down next to the corpse. Please, please let me be right... Reaching down, Garrett pulled open the corpse's cloak, making Bethany groan in disgust. Please...please... He dug, pulling a ripped and soiled tunic to the side...
And found his head drop to his chest as he shuddered, nearly sobbing.
Thank the Maker...
Rising to his feet, Garrett found himself blinking away a tear of relief as he held up his prize with a smile. In the poor light offered by the runes, the golden key in a rusted chain glimmered like fire...and the others smiled at the sight, visibly relieved as well as with the feeling of hope, of a goal. Only Merrill looked less than happy, the elf visibly pouting at him, looking down at the corpse at his feet and the key in his hand...and the pout turned into a somewhat miffed glare. He opted to shrug back, not about to rub him being right in her face after her having rescued him from the Darkspawn, yet neither about to apologise for getting rid of a demon. Or for securing our freedom without someone at our back, ready to betray us...
Garrett's satisfaction was muddled by Dhavine's words, however.
Now, to deal with that guardian...
8
8
8
"That...is hardly fair." Anders' quip would have been more amusing, had Garrett not felt all the blood leave his face at the sight of what was before them.
They had walked for quite a while to reach the treasury. The fine palace walls slowly making way for darker shades, telling them they were entering quarters not often visited by the royalty, quarters lined with metal pipes from which steam now and again puffed out, whatever machinery the water within was powering still active, apparently. Garrett had postulated that they might be used to power the runes in some manner, or perhaps a forge, but no one else had had the energy to reply, and Merrill had still been unwilling to reply, or so her pout had told him.
Finally, however, they had found the treasury. A round and wide chamber they had to climb down via a ladder...a ladder Garrett couldn't help but notice was being retracted behind them...
The walls of the treasury were nothing but metal pipes that hissed and puffed out steam now and again, as if the treasury doubled as some kind of furnace...the heat certainly suggested as such. Yet all they had seen was the treasure itself. Chest upon chest lined the wall, big ones, bigger than a cart...and each lay open, putting on display a wealth of uncountable magnitude. There was not a pebble of gold in them...only diamonds, emeralds, amethysts, rubies and sapphires. It was a mind-boggling wealth of precious stones where many had somehow been forged together, creating crowns, bowls, plates and daggers of a mixture of stones..some glittering with all the colours of the rainbow in the dim light of the runes above.
Garrett had also noticed the round door at the far end, a door with a single, simple, lock at its centre.
A door now blocked as a hole in the floor was sealed by a platform silently sliding up from the darkness, atop which the guardian stood.
The demon wanted us to take on that!?
Garrett had read of golems, even seen a picture...but nothing he had read could prepare him for what he now saw. Of polished black steel, the golem rose as high as two people. Hands the size of battery-rams closing into fists. Its chest heaving, as if it was alive and breathing...and with each exhale, an orange fire within the gaping maw in its visored head glowed nearly white. In each gap of the many plates of solid steel that formed the golem, more orange glow escaped, as if it was nothing but black steel encasing a warrior of fire.
Over its visored maw, the two glowing embers that were its eyes dully regarded the group.
Keeping his eyes on the golemn, Garrett managed to whisper back to Bodahn and Sandal. "Stay back and don't move a muscle..." There was a scuffle as Bodahn pushed Sandal towards a corner, hiding behind one of the gigantic chests. "Errr..." Garrett swallowed before speaking to the third dwarf in the group. "...Varric? You're the talker..."
A terrified chuckle escaped the other man, yet despite that, he took a hesitant step forward and raised his hand, making the golem fix its gaze on him. "Ummm..." Varric forced an uneasy smile. "...hi?"
With a roar that shook the chamber, the golem charged.
"Scatter!" Garrett threw himself to the side, the others doing the same, more on instinct than due to his order as the massive creature of steel and fire thundered at them.
Grinding to a halt before it would crash into the wall, the golem whirled about, ignoring the crossbow bolt bouncing off its head as Varric with a curse back-pedalled, fumbling with Bianca. "I'd like some ideas here!"
It's steel and fire, fire needs... "Mages! I want ice on that thing!" Garrett, trying to advance, quickly found himself jumping back as the guardian smashed a fist into the ground before him, cracking the stone floor...and sending him stumbling another two steps as the ground shook with the force of the impact. A moment later, two streams of pale blue light caught the massive golem, one across the right shoulder, the other the left knee, both leaving the armour temporarily blue as the cold worked into the metal. "Fenris!"
With a roar, the elf surged on...and whatever Garrett thought of the man, it was impressive to see him dodge a sweeping fist, roll onto his feet and slash at the frosted metal the golem's knee.
It was less impressive to see the slash chip off the tiniest sliver of metal before the elf was sent flying by the golem's foot though.
With a crack and a groan, Fenris crashed into a chest full of sapphires, his limp form nearly disappearing in the sea of precious stones.
"Anders, heal him as best you can!" Garrett, feeling the situation near to slipping out of his control, decided to mimic Aveline as he advanced on the golem's flank and crashed his sword against his shield. "Here! Face me!" The golem turned towards him, a growl that made the fire in its mouth flicker escaping it as it advanced. "Merrill!"
The bolt of lightening struck the creature's back, making it howl as arcs of energy shot through its body, freezing it still for just a moment. Garrett, not wasting the opportunity, ran forward, down between its feet and slashed at the inside of its left knee. His strike bent a plate at the joint...and the gout of white-hot fire shooting from the 'wound' sent him stumbling on, purple and white dots dancing before his vision. Maker, my eyes... Groaning, he tried to rub them with the hand holding his shield, terrified that his lack of vision would allow the golem to blindside him.
A bark made him turn though, blurry vision widening at the sight of Maric drawing the golem away, the Mabari's claws uselessly raking the golem's ankles before darting away, skilfully avoiding the large construct's swings, swings made somewhat sluggish by the distraction caused by Varric's bolts again and again bouncing off the golem's head.
A growl...and the golem turned its gaze away from the far too agile hound and to a more easy target...Anders kneeling by a weakly struggling Fenris, desperately healing the elf's mangled body.
With new purpose, the golem marched on, heedless of the claws scratching at its ankles or the thin vines that managed to push through the gaps in the stones under its feet to grab at them...neither would stop or distract the machine.
Instead, Bethany drew up in front of it. "Bethany, no!" Garrett's eyes widened in horror, barely aware that he'd screamed the words.
The pale woman ignored him though, staff in both hands as she levelled it at the golem as if it was a spear, the entire staff glowing white as the mage narrowed her eyes...and with a grunt, lunged forward.
The stream of white energy was so pure, it glowed, so strong, it made the golem stagger backwards...and then it roared as the stream stuck its head, making the flames within its mouth flicker before it could put a hand in front of its head and resume its advance.
Slowly, ever so slowly, it moved to close the distance. Each step a struggle, it looked like a man walking against a storm while shielding his face...and Bethany kept pouring in more and more icy energy, making ice cover its arm, then chest, frosted crystals hanging from it as every joint in its body struggled to move it forward.
Yet it kept closing the distance.
No!
Running, screaming, Garrett launched himself forward. Over his head, a fist of magically contained stones hurtled forward, striking the golem's right shoulder even as Garrett leapt off the ground.
The impact from the stones made the golem spin, its burning eyes staring into Garrett's as he landed atop its ice-covered chest. His left hand shooting forth, Garrett grabbed a hold of the 'collar' to the golem's breastplate, his right hand swinging a brutal slash at the left side of its head.
A clang as sword met head, and the golem staggered to its right, and away from Bethany.
A reverse of Garrett's swing, striking the creature across the forehead, and it staggered backwards, further away while roaring in anger at him.
Garrett roared back, smashing his pommel between its eyes, denting the metal and driving it yet another step back. "Get away!"
He raised his sword again...and the golem grabbed it by the blade.
Huh?
Too surprised to release his grip on the weapon, Garrett found himself pulled off and hurled through the air, the world spinning around him...and then coming to an abrupt halt as he slammed into something surprisingly soft.
Turning his head, he found Maric lying under him, the hound whimpering in pain, but smiling at him like only a dog could. Thanks...you okay? Garrett was too dizzy to talk, yet the dog barked an affirmative. Okay then. Garrett, grunting, rose to his feet, holding up a sword whose edge had now been rendered completely dull by the golem's grip. I can still bash its head in with it... Growling, Garrett took a careful step forward while trying to make sense of the situation before him.
Bethany was on her knees, and slowly dropping onto her left hand as her right clutched at her chest, her coughing echoing across the chamber, the powerful spell no doubt having drained her completely.
She was alive though...as was Fenris, the elf now on his feet, and circling the golem warily, a golem now missing a finger from its left hand, the still frozen digit laying next to Anders as the exhausted-looking mage tried to cast some spell on Bethany, probably to get her back up and fighting. Merrill and Varric were being more hands-on, the two kneeling by the woman and trying to help her to her feet, the elf's spear levelled at the golem, the tip crackling with energy while Varric struggled to keep Bianca aimed at the thing with only one hand.
Garrett, running again, felt nothing but frustration as Fenris' blade bounced off the golem's chest while its gauntlet deflected Merrill's lightning bolt and sent it into a wall with a hiss of released steam.
Steam... Garrett ground to a halt. ...from water.
Watching as another weak blast of lightning and white ice did no harm to it while Fenris darted around the golem, futively trying to actually harm it...Garrett found himself moving to the left, eyes on the golem and its roaring maw. "Everyone! Retreat! Get back!" He felt several surprised looks on him, but his eyes were on the golem even as the group moved to obey as best they could. At the same time, Garrett slammed his sword into his shield again. "Hey! Over here!" The golem turned its glowing eyes to him. "Remember me!?"
A roar, and the construct marched at him, eyes glowing orange.
"Come on!" Garret felt his heart shake with fear even as he jumped onto a chest by the wall of the treasury. "Is this what you want to protect!?" He reached down and picked up a tiara of blue sapphires. The golem's eyes instantly began to glow white as its steps widened. "Then protect it!" Garrett jumped upon the open lid of the chest, rising him high above the ground...and hurled the tiara against the wall, shattering the priceless item.
A roar, and the golem's march turned into a charge, fist hurtling forth...and hitting nothing but the wall as Garrett went limp, letting himself fall down and into the chest of precious stones.
The creature glared down at him, maw glowing white as with a roar it pulled its fist free...and then cried out, a cry nearly lost in the hiss of extinguishing flames as the steam released from the pipes it had smashed poured right into its face. "Anders! Ice!"
The magic struck the golem's face like a spear, twisting it sideways even as the steam stuck to its face was frozen solid, sealing its head in a mask of ice.
"Merrill! Stone!" The fist of stone slammed into the back of the golem's head like a the fist of the Maker himself, driving the golem to its knees as its head twisted forward, the plates covering its head coming askew under the remaining ice as that in the back of its head was shattered along with several pieces of crumpled metal.
A roar, and Garrett launched himself from the chest, the dulled blade still managing to hack into the ice stuck to the golem's face as he drew back his shield and furiously began hacking into it, denting and breaking metal with each furious strike.
Then Fenris was standing atop the golem's shoulders, looking down at Garrett with an arched eyebrow as he raised his sword. A sword he now held by the blade, with the crossguard and pommel at the end, it was now seemingly a hammer in the elf's hands. Blunt, hard. Grinning back, Garrett nodded.
With a grunt, Fenris swung...and then Garrett fell to the ground, the golem's head in his lap as the creature itself crashed to the floor.
A ragged cheer rose from the group, Varric's voice rising over the din. "So what's that, Fenris, your third decapitation today?"
"Not a personal record, but I judge it a good day's work, none the less." Fenris drily replied, though with just a hint of humour somewhere underneath.
Garrett didn't care however, he had already thrown aside the golem's head and rushed to Bethany's side, shoulders slumping with relief as she offered him a reassuring smile.
For a moment he just stood there.
Scenario upon scenario of her dying sweeping through his mind. Of her being ripped apart by genlocks, cut down by demons, crushed by a golem's fist or possessed by a demon as she cast a spell beyond her limit.
He couldn't quite grasp that it was over.
Then, unable to help himself – the relief flooding him overpowering – he gripped her by the shoulders and kissed her forehead before wrapping his arms around her as tightly as he dared.
Somewhere in the distance, he could hear Merrill give voice to an 'awww'...but Garrett didn't care as he pressed his face into Bethany's neck, breath hitching at the way she burned with fever. So close, that spell you cast...you nearly...you nearly... "I thought...Maker, sister..."
"B-brother...?" Bethany squirmed as much as his grip would allow, voice a breathless gasp. "...you're starting to embarrass me..."
Garrett only gripped her tighter. "I don't care."
You're safe now.
8
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8
Thank you to Abydos Jackson for being such a stubborn fool.