"We're too late."
Velanna didn't answer Nathaniel's muttered conclusion, staring at the sight stretching before them with a dawning feel of horror.
Around the wardens the knights had already formed up in tight ranks from their marching column, the horses shimmering with sweat from the intense pace and the knights panting with exertion. Save that they were silent though, all staring ahead, torn with indecision, waiting for the order that could either send them hurtling down the hill...or to turn tail and retreat.
Velanna hated the city, it was too cramped, too full of people, too dirty. Yet she had never wished what she now saw upon it...and was far too aware of how many people there was in the city...she tried to fathom so many people dying, slaughtered beneath her...
She couldn't.
There was still some sunlight left, half an orange orb in the far distance, slowly retreating before the growing darkness of the sky above them. The rays of the dying light played over the large field before them, making the few trees growing among trampled fields of wheat throw long shadows across the ground.
The few buildings outside the city were mere rubble, a few still burning, the flickering flames illuminating the desperate fighting as human militiamen having taken up position between two of the larger structures struggled among piles of corpses and debris. A couple of siege engines, perhaps their own, perhaps stolen from the darkspawn, were being used by the militiamen.
Firing at point blank range into a buzzing horde of darkspawn.
Darskspawn clawing at each other in the struggle to rush into and destroy the struggling defenders.
Velanna couldn't see all that well how many humans were fighting in the outskirts of the city, not many though...and the darskpawn swarming over them had to number at least a thousand in numbers, a dark blot covering the road up to the gate of the city.
A gate that stood open.
There was nothing but a few struggling figures atop the city walls, a few humans vainly fighting darkspawn that came at them, not to defend the wall, but simply to survive.
For the darkspawn came at them from within the city.
Already, black plumes of smoke was rising from the city where the odd building had been set afire, flickering lights of torches moved erratically across the distant streets cast the buildings in an eerie light, making the city seem unreal, as if it was really made of glass.
The sounds were the worst though.
Despite the distance from it Velanna could clearly hear the crash of steel versus steel, but mostly screams, cries of anguish and pain, of death. All over the city the cries echoed against the walls and houses, rising into a crescendo where every voice was just a small point of the painful wail reaching the group staring in horror.
It was as if the city itself was crying out in pain.
An entire city...
Atop the hill it almost felt as if Velanna could take a step forth and fall right into the city, right into the chaos...it was a sickening feeling, making her feel as if the blood of the slain was being splashed over her skin, making her shudder.
Shudder in shame.
"No, we're not." Lynn's growl cut through the silence that had descended upon them, punching into the shame, forcing it away.
Velanna found herself nodding. Cries means people are alive, we can do it...
Nathaniel sighed though, making doubt once more slither into her stomach. "Don't be-"
"We." Lynn's growl was almost animalistic, making Velanna shoot the other elf a glance. The woman's visor was down, the slits dark with a hidden rage as she stared straight ahead, focused on nothing but the city. "Are." The Commander raised her fist, making the knights at her back jerk up in readiness. "Not!"
A chopping gesture and the entire squadron broke into a gallop, making Nathaniel's protest disappear in the wind.
Surprised, Velanna realised she too had broken into a gallop, the human-tamed beast under her obeying her commands as she slammed her heels into its side. She didn't have time to ponder the irony of riding a beast tamed by humans, something she as a Dalish should abhor, though, her breath hitching as she felt herself flying forward, the rumble of the rushing knights around her making her heart shake with the sheer power behind it.
She gasped, finding the distance between them and the darkspawn horde ahead shrink with alarming rapidity.
They're so many...
Then she felt Nathaniel riding next to her.
Glancing at him she found the man's eyes narrowed in what almost looked like irritation, as if the impending fight was more bothersome then dangerous. Then again he might have been in charges such as this before... Velanna swallowed even as she freed her staff, feeling awfully awkward upon the giant beast she rode. Neither hers or Nathaniel's horses sported the heavy caparison the knights' had, making the two outstrip the rest by a good horse's length.
Past Nathaniel she could see Sigrun, the dwarf bouncing nearly comically on her un-caparisoned horse. The woman's face was one of glee however, bloodthirsty glee...and Velanna gladly turned her head to look at the others in the group.
Mhairi was nearly right next to her, despite the heavy caparison on her horse, the woman's sword raised above her head as she eyes afire with determination glared at the backs of the nearing darkspawn. Slightly behind and to the knight's right Justice rode, the undead warrior carrying a lance with the ease of the Orlesian he was inhabiting. And next to him...Velanna found herself looking away.
She had only seen a brief glimpse of her Commander, but it had been enough.
Lynn's sword had been drawn, the woman practically standing on her saddle as she whipped her horse with the flat of her blade, drawing blood even as spittle exploded from the horse's mouth as it was forced into a breakneck speed.
She was practically glowing with hatred.
With something close to relief Velanna turned her attention back to their target, finding the sea of darskpawn ahead get closer with such rapidity that it felt as if she was falling straight into a black ocean.
None of the darkspawn had seen them though, their frenzied eyes fixed upon their prey struggling for survival among the ruins of the buildings outside the city gates.
Good. Velanna gritted her teeth, her thoughts flittering to Nathaniel, to his sister, then to her own. Seranni...you will pay for this!
The rage came, a purifying wave washing away the fear and doubt, pushing all else aside.
She raised her staff, her eyes closing as she let her focus narrow into a point, the rage flowing to the point...the heat emanating from the spot above her staff was searing, painful...and she welcomed it.
Opening her eyes she prepared to hurtle her focus onwards, to send her searing rage ahead...only to see one of the darkspawn turn. With its eyes covered by a filthy rag and holding a gnarled staff of black wood there was no doubt the creature was an emissary...and she felt its unnatural gaze bore into her, meeting her hatred with that of its own.
Its mouth opened, revealing sharp fangs dripping with the blood of some slain foe, its lipless mouth moving to cry out a warning, or to throw a spell to counter the imminent attack, Velanna couldn't tell.
Then an arrow was protruding from its maw, black ichor exploding from its mouth and down its chin, its staff falling from limp fingers as its hands vainly moved to reach the missile that was nearly completely lost within its mouth.
It fell, and Velanna couldn't help but shoot Nathaniel a glance, finding the man standing in his saddle as he calmly drew a fresh arrow.
Then she stabbed her staff forth, hurling the orb of barely contained fire ahead...the glowing fire hissing as it arched through the rapidly closing gap between the two forces.
The world shook as the fireball struck the closest darkspawn in the back.
Instantly the foremost of the creatures were torn apart by the force of the explosion, burning chunks of flesh and torn steel flying in all directions.
With the darkspawn so tightly packed the fire was physically held back from the ranks before the nearest ones, but instead the shock wave of the explosion struck them without mercy, sending dozens of them spinning as they were sent flying through the air like rag dolls tossed aside by a bored child.
Wow, that was-
"DIE!" Lynn's horse flew past Velanna's, the elf standing atop the beast clearly at the point of dying by the intense pace.
The nearest darkspawn turned, its eyes widening as in panic it swung its blade at the horse.
Lynn made no attempt to veer off, to control the charge. Instead there was a splash of blood as the horse's neck was opened up...and the elf flying high into the air even as the limp horse crushed the swinging darkspawn and then crashed into his closest allies like a rolling boulder, punching a hole into their ranks.
The elf was already drawing her axe mid-fall, spinning with surprising grace as she plunged down towards the darkspawn-
Velanna lost sight of her Commander, of everything, as the knights smashed into the darkspawn. Having charged straight at the hole Velanna's fireball and Lynn's suicidal rush that had punched the darkspawn crowd open, the packed ranks of the knights was a fist of steel punching into the black filth ahead of them.
Everywhere lances smashed through flesh and bone, even steel, as if it were paper. Flailing hooves and kicking feet sent darkspawn falling to the ground, the sheer weight of the horses bowling them over and crushing hem underfoot.
Then there were swinging swords, wide slashes cutting apart heads and limbs with frightful ease, shields striking down, smashing down their opponents into the dirt.
And then the Mabari caught up, howling beasts weaving between the legs of their masters' mounts and throwing themselves at darkspawn that had yet to turn to properly face the new threat, only to be bowled over and torn apart by snapping fangs and shredding claws.
Velanna swung her staff wide, throwing out a spell of fire at the nearest darkspawn, making them howl in pain as they stumbled back, only to be crushed under the hooves of the knights as they hesitated.
Next to her Nathaniel's bow sung, three arrows hurtling out in quick succession over the heads of the nearest darkspawn, only to come down somewhere within their ranks with plumes of flickering iron dust. Sigrun was crying out, the dwarf completely hidden from Velanna's sight, though the answering cries of dying darkspawn spoke of her success.
Justice now swung his sword next to Mhairi, the two carving a bloody swath through the darkspawn through which the still charging knights poured into, breaking through the ranks of the darkspawn by sheer momentum.
She felt it.
A shudder.
And the darkspawn broke, their ranks dissolving into chaos as genlocks and hurlocks alike turned away, several even dropping their weapons as they turned to flee.
Their ranks were too tightly packed however, many being cut down by the knights before they could even take on step, others becoming wounded by the desperate clawing of their brethren, only to be crushed into paste under the trampling hooves of their enemies.
An ogre roared in anger, swiping at two hurlocks and sending them flying as it tried to break out of the sea of darkspawn. A second swipe was aimed at a knight, but the man swayed aside of it in his saddle even as two mabari dug their fangs into the ogre's legs, making it howl in rage...and then splutter as the knight came swinging back and thrust his sword into its chest, making black ichor pour over him even as the ogre fell back, right on top of half a dozen wailing genlocks.
"Halt! Halt dammit!" Velanna blinked, and pulled her horse back, realising that the order had been cried out for some time now, without her hearing it.
It was Nathaniel who had called it out...and only now the knights obeyed, breathless but successful as they with grins hidden under their visors watched the darkspawn survivors stumble through the gate of the city that by now as awfully close.
How long did we fight? Didn't feel like more then a moment...
Yet the sky was now darker, the shadows of the city walls close to them looming over, promising doom.
At that moment though, none of them could help but grin in defiance.
As one they turned their horses, silently watching the broken corpses covering the ground with a feeling of awe. Three hundred slain? Four hundred? It was impossible to say. A quick glance back told Velanna that only a few of the knights were missing, no doubt hidden among the many darkspawn corpses, along with a few of their mabari.
A small price. Velanna grinned as she found the city militia appear from where they had mounted their desperate defence. A mere hundred in numbers, most visibly cleaved and wounded from their fight, many swaying where they stood...yet a ragged cheer broke from them as they stared at their saviours, many crying with the sudden realisation that they would live another day.
"Dismount!" Nathaniel's order called out, it was unnecessary though, most were already doing so, gingerly leading their mounts towards the militia with grins on their sweaty faces.
Where's-
A grunt, a heave...and a pile of darkspawn moved, fell apart.
Revealing a blood-soaked Commander.
Standing straight Lynn's armour was covered in black gore and blood, her enchanted weapons sizzling as their runes burnt the darkspawn stains upon it.
She looked larger then life.
Then the moment snapped, the elf stalking over to the militia with purpose. "Who's in command here!"
The other wardens exchanged worried glances, but none the less moved to their Commander's side.
"I-I...guess I am." A man volunteered from the ranks, the man stepping out from the still panting militiamen dressed in an ill fitting suit of chainmail. He looked awfully young, his face pale and almost childish...if it hadn't been for the bleeding wound across his forehead that the man didn't even seem to notice as he managed a wavering salute. "Just a sergeant but...the others..." He made a small gesture at the carnage around them, then shrugged, too weary to explain further, and not really needing too anyway.
"What happened?" Lynn's voice was rapt, hard, dangerous.
The sergeant didn't seem to notice though, swaying where he stood he turned his head to look over at the open gate of the city, a haunted look in his eyes. "They...came from the cellars, tunnels...the walls themselves...I swear...one moment we were all staring out from behind our wall, ready to defend it...the next we hear sounds of battle within the city..." He shuddered at the memory, his eyes tearing. "They came out of the walls..."
"And then what?" Nathaniel asked and took a step forth, shooting Lynn an oddly rebellious glance that the elf ignored, her gaze fixed upon the sergeant.
"We..." The man swayed again, a hand coming to his head, when he lowered it he looked at the fresh blood on his gauntlet with a near bored look in his eyes. "...tried to fight." A worn chuckle escaped him, as if it was something amusing with the idea. "There were...more of them than we thought..." His eyes once more turned haunted. "We...thought it better to try our chances with the thousand outside the walls then those within..." Another small chuckle, a hint of madness in it. "...desperate but...unfortunately...logical..." He eyed the once before him with wide eyes, his breathing shallow. "There's thousands of the monsters within the city...thousands!"
Silence.
"Then there's nothing we can do." Nathaniel muttered, his face neutral as he eyed Lynn, waiting.
But...your sister... Velanna felt tears welling up and tried to find Nathaniel's gaze, but he refused to meet hers, his eyes fixed upon their Commander, demanding an answer. Instead it was Mhairi that spoke, a growl of anger. "Stop saying that! We can still save some people! We can still do what's right! These are Fereldians! We owe them our help!" She glared daggers at the man, who summarily ignored her.
"If there are several thousands in the city..." Velanna muttered in Nathaniel's support, unwilling to really voice it, pained by what it meant for him, yet aware that he was right...
"Dying here would be useless." Sigrun muttered, then shrugged, no smile came though, not this time.. "Then again, why not? Would be interesting to give it a shot..."
Justice hesitated, then looked over at the city. "The memories of Kristoff are...conflicted at this point. As to myself...justice should be brought to these monsters, though I am unsure as to how...the punishment must be felt, but would slaying many here be felt?"
"I can't believe you!" Mhairi snorted in disgust and shook her head, inching away from the others and towards the militiamen, her voice raised: "What say you! Shall we take back our city!"
Despite their ragged appearance, their cleaved bodies, the men raised their weapons, a worn cheer escaping them.
"No." Lynn's whisper cut through the cheer, silencing the militiamen as efficiently as a signal horn.
"No?" Mhairi echoed, staring at the elf in disbelief.
The elf turned away from the stare, from everyone's stares. "Nathaniel is right, we retreat back to the Keep..." Her voice was muffled by both facing away from them and her helmet, muffled and...sad.
"I..." Mhairi's mouth worked without any words escaping, the woman's face cycling between shock and a growing anger.
"Sergeant..." Lynn's voice was small, small and frail. "...have your archers and siege engines turned towards the city, burn it down, burn its attackers down..."
Shocked Velanna realised Lynn was shaking.
"What!" Mhairi exploded, her sword falling from limp fingers as the meaning of the words sunk in. "B-but the people...!"
The elf visibly trembled as she took a step away from Mhairi. "Burn them all...it's th-the only..." She shook, stiff as a board the elf shook so violently that Velanna thought she would fall. "...do it..."
Velanna felt disgust swell within her, like a filthy worm slithering within her gut. So many people...yet she saw Nathaniel, reluctantly, nod his head in agreement...and knew she would agree to it. What else could they do? They couldn't fight, they had to leave...and if they at least set the city aflame they would kill many darkspawn. But there were the people too...
But they're already dead. Velanna straightened, held her chin up...and accepted the truth.
Mhairi shook her head though, fury in her eyes. "No...no! You can't do that! Don't you have any compassion!" Lynn swayed at the words, her shaking increasing. "We're supposed to help people! Not kill them! I've already realised you're anything but a hero! B-but this is taking it too far! This is...it's monstrous!"
A shudder ran through the Commander, the woman still refusing to turn and meet the other's stares. "I've always been the monster..." She trembled, shaking like a leaf, and Velanna felt it...the danger. "...someone has to be..."
"No! Not acceptable!" Mhairi took a step towards the elf, eyes aflame with righteousness. "You are not fit to be our Commander if this is your order! You are not fit to be a Warden even! You are the Hero of Ferelden! Act like it!"
"Uh...Mhairi..." Velanna muttered, eyeing the shaking Commander with worry. She can't break...not now...
"What say you men!" Mhairi turned to the militiamen, a fist raised. "Would you commit such a crime! Or would you do what's right!" There were cries of agreement from the soldiers, all too willing not to destroy their own city, to slay their own citizens. Mhairi turned a hateful sneer at the Lynn's back. "See! That's what's right! Now you will step aside!"
"No..." Lynn muttered, her body shaking like a sword striking stone, at the point of shattering. "No..."
Mhairi took another step forward, face red with rage. "You will-!"
"NO!" Lynn whirled about, stance low as she turned to glare at Mhairi, her drawn sword at her side, ready to fight.
Everyone took a step back, instinctive fear forcing even the undead Justice a step away from the hatred blazing from Lynn's eyes.
All but Mhairi, the woman staring at Lynn with a look of disbelief on her face.
Then blood began to trickle from her throat.
The trickle turning into a flow...
Mhairi fell to her knees, hands limply dropping to her sides.
Her head tilted...then toppled forward, a spurt of dark blood shooting out from her neck before the woman's body collapsed.
Silence.
Then Lynn took a step forward, her blazing hatred boring into the militiamen at the now dead warden's back. "You will burn the city! NOW!"
Instantly the men scrambled to obey, not one daring to meet the elf's glare.
A glare that instantly faded as the elf's shoulders slumped in defeat. Her shaking stopped, her trembling stopped, she became still...her head hanging low as she looked down at the woman she'd slain.
As were the other warden's, stunned beyond word.
She...killed...her... Velanna couldn't' believe it, it was impossible.
Yet she had seen it with her own eyes.
It couldn't be true though, it couldn't.
It was like a dream as she stared at Lynn moving, the elf rousing herself with a flinch, as if awakening from a deep slumber. The Commander sheathed her weapons, her movements careful, as if afraid the weapons would suddenly shatter...her movement oddly hesitant and careful as she moved towards the slain warden's sword...
A bow came between the hand stretching out and its target however, making the Commander go still mid-movement.
Nathaniel stood before her, face a grim, but not condemning, mask as he kept the tip of his bow against the ground just between the elf's reaching hand and the fallen weapon.
Oh Gods no...Velanna stared in horror as the two looked at each other, one grim and resolute, the other unreadable in her expression.
They stood there, waiting, silent.
Then Nathaniel spoke, voice as grim as his face: "You do not have the right to take it."
Lynn flinched, as if struck.
Then her shoulders slumped.
Her head turned, looked away.
Then...she simply nodded, a mute acknowledgement.
She turned away, eyes upon the city as the militiamen's siege engines and bows begun to loose their missiles over the city walls, already making a bright orange glow appear from within it.
Nathaniel didn't relax as the elf walked away, he only looked...pensive...as he watched the elf look over at the city burning.
A small shake of his head...and the man bent down to pick up the sword, looking at it with a thoughtful frown.
There is nothing to say...Velanna moved past the man, offering him a light pat on the shoulder to show her support...then moved closer to Lynn. She should perhaps feel fear of closing with a woman that so easily could slay a fellow warden...but all she felt was worry... A mad dog is dangerous...but only worth of sympathy...not hatred.
The Commander made no sign to show that she knew Velanna was there as the Dalish came to stand beside her, her eyes hidden within her closed helmet as she stood and stared at the growing fire.
Silence.
Then a whisper, grieving: "It's a funny thing...failure..."
And she had no answer.
8
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Thanks to Abydos Jackson for her intense corrections for this one.