"Oh, oh my…he's, he's really big isn't he?" Merrill whispered, clutching at her staff as she watched the Arishok stride towards Cameron. Varric lightly tapped the tiny elf's back reassuringly.
"Don't worry, Daisy. The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Remember that time I told you Hawke took down an ogre? And those things are bigger than the Arishok," he whispered.
"She wasn't alone then," Aveline muttered her jaw clenching; why was she risking her life for that damned whore; that same whore that put them in this position. Fenris said nothing, his mind empty as he watched Cameron. He couldn't think about what might happen if she were to fall. Sebastian clasped his hands together, praying softly.
"Maker, watch over your children."
Cameron stepped into the center of the makeshift arena. She looked up at the giant that stalked towards her and felt very, very small. She couldn't even begin to fathom what was going through her mind when she threw this challenge down. She didn't have anything to prove. She'd already saved Kirkwall; nearly single handedly. Her hand tightened on her staff. No, she knew why she did it. Isabela had come back. Yes, it was probably the pirate's fault that the city was in this situation, but she came back. And that really was all that mattered to Cameron.
The Arishok wasted no time, charging the small mage with a deafening roar. Cameron moved quickly to side step, but was not quite fast enough. Like a top, she spun from the force of his blow. It was sheer luck that she spun out and away from the back handed swing of his blade. Bean jumped in, catching a massive calf between his jaws and diverting attention away from his dizzied mistress.
Cameron shook her head, trying to realign her perspective. She knew he was big, there was no hiding that, but now she knew he was fast. She wasn't going to get a second to breath, or think. He had already kicked Bean off his leg and was coming around for another swing.
She timed it perfectly. The Arishok rushed her, but instead fell upon the cone of ice she fanned before her. She did not let up on the offensive. With him stalled on the ice shards, she knocked him back with a fist of earth. Bean bolted in and out between spells, nipping at any bit of flesh he could sink his teeth into.
The Arishok was growing frustrated. Each time he managed to close the distance, some new spell would force him back. And the damn dog's teeth sunk deep into his flesh, crushing tendons and splitting veins. He could not fathom how this puny human could strike so hard and quick. With a snarl, the Arishok threw down one axe as Bean dove in to strike; with his suddenly free hand, the giant caught the bounding mabari by his neck. A sickening crack and whimper reverberated through the room and the limp dog was tossed to the side.
"NO!" Cameron screamed, rushing the horned giant, staff spinning with trails of ice behind her. Her careful, precision strikes shifted to wild flailing smacks. The Arishok grinned; the mighty Hawke was about to fall. She had toyed with him, it was his turn now.
Her staff swings were wild, but predictable. He'd parry her swings, knocking her back with the shear power behind his blade. Tears rained down from her eyes as she kept swinging. She no longer had a plan; she had no idea what she was doing. She couldn't hear her companions screaming at her, urging her to think; to pace herself. All she heard was that crack and whimper; over, and over. She was slowing down. Her staff was getting heavier in her hands. It was only a matter of time.