Ari'elle pulled the bridle off her mare and set it on top of the discarded saddle. Hopefully someone in need of such gear would find it. It was unlikely she would use it again. She brushed a slightly wavering hand down her mare's neck, then stepped away from the last tie she had to the Inquisition. And to Cullen.
Wearing her Dalish clothes and pack, and with her bow and quiver in place, Ari'elle stepped into the forest. Her last few hurried days had shown her the extent her Mark was guiding her. It was like an arrow pointing her in the direction of Corypheus. Veer away from the direction it wanted her to go, and it would send shooting pain up her arm. Delay too long, either, and it made its displeasure known. It was herding her towards her fate.
Ari'elle took a deep breath of the familiar scent of the woods. This was around were she had first left the forest, but it was different enough that she didn't have any markers to orient herself with. At some point there would be the river to cross, but she wasn't sure where. Or even if she was being led that far.
A flicker of white zoomed above her head, pulling her eyes upward. There, hopping along a dead branch, sat a snowy white owl. "Oh," she gasped, recognition filling her, "Noble!" The largest of her four owl friends and the quietest, Noble's striking yellow eyes bored into her. Ari'elle swallowed as the stare continued, feeling as if he were reading much more than what was obvious. A dizzy sensation washed over her as the connection continued, her quiet friend unmoving.
Abruptly he blinked, hooted, and then took off into the air. Ari'elle shook herself from her fancy, and watched him depart. He wasn't flying away quickly, and while she was standing still and watching him, he alighted on a branch further down. He turned back to her, ruffled his feathers and blinked at her slowly.
A crackle of pain from her hand snapped her attention down to her Mark. Gritting her teeth at it, Ari'elle absently rubbed her hand against her thigh and started forward. Noble watched her progress and when she had almost reached his position, he took off again.
He was following her, Ari'elle realized with dawning amazement, watching his wings flap, body dodging between trees. Except he was leading her. But he didn't know where he was leading her; she didn't even know where she was going, so how could a wild animal be keeping in such perfect pace before her? Ari'elle gulped and felt that same dizzying sensation sweep through her. What was going on here? It was true her friends had never quite acted like normal wild owls… but this was beyond even that.
Confused, Ari'elle continued deeper into the forest. It grew later and darker, and she knew at some point she would need to stop and sleep. She forced herself to have some of the hard meat Inquisition soldiers used while out on missions, and foraged from any edible plants she passed by. She wasn't hungry, but she knew that if she had any chance of surviving the upcoming meeting she would need to keep her body nourished.
Late, just after she decided to find a place to sleep, she and Noble came to a tree with another owl sitting in its branches. Faint moonlight showed that he was smaller, his beak clacking as he chattered down at her. Oh Creators, Ari'elle marveled. It was Key, the smallest, bossiest of her feathered friends. And he was mothering her.
Despite her exhaustion, Ari'elle couldn't help but let out a little laugh. Noble glided down and sat next to his brother, the two bumping against each other as they jockeyed for the best position. Ari'elle sank to the moss beneath the tree, leaning her aching back against the bark and closed her eyes. For the first time since she had left Skyhold, she felt safe. Safe enough to actually sleep. Her friends would warn her.
Above her, Key finally listened to Nobles soft words and quieted, and Ari'elle dropped off rapidly into a heavy, fatigued sleep.
Her heart still ached. It wasn't easy for Ari'elle to push away the feeling, to look beyond it, but her current work helped. There was so much uncertainty in the coming encounter, she couldn't help but replay scenario after scenario. And since she was busy with that, she didn't think as much on Cullen.
But in dreams, Ari'elle could remember. She dreamed of being tucked against a warm chest, her head nestled beneath a chin, legs entwined. The spicy scent of his skin called to her, made her want to spread kisses over the smooth chest but also just to stay still and relax into the feeling of being cradled against his body. His big hand moved up and down her bare back, soothing, and she felt the tension drain away from her muscles.
Cullen, her heart sighed. In her dream, Ari'elle clutched him closer, relishing in his solidness. Part of her unconscious knew that he was not actually with her. But it didn't matter, not right now. In her dreams he was close. He was her courage during this ordeal. Because of Cullen, all she wanted his future to be, Ari'elle could keep up with her plan.
It was early dawn when Ari'elle blinked open her eyes, feeling calmer and more centered. The world was sideways; at some point she had fallen over to her side and curled up. Memories of Cullen urged her to escape into dreams once more, but she shook her head. It was time to face reality again.
She rolled over onto her back and stretched mightily, and when she opened her eyes two pairs were staring down at her in consternation. Owls didn't understand the strange habits of diurnal bipeds. And there were things to do still, while this one slept for hours.
Ari'elle blinked away the sleep from her mind, and realized that the two owls staring at her were not the two who had watched her fall asleep. No, here now was Leaf and Grouse. Leaf cocked his head to the side, watching her carefully. And Grouse started to complain, telling her she needed to get up and get ready or they would never make it in time. The tiny clearing Ari'elle lay in was filled with the sound of his scolds, and she dutifully obeyed him.
The river was just a little ways away, she realized. Key must have picked this spot for her, not wanting her to cross the currents at night. There was a natural formation allowing for easy passage across, if you were able to see it. And in the brightening morning, it was simple enough to drink her fill of the icy water and then carefully maneuver across the racing waters.
Ari'elle continued now more guided by the path of her friends than by her hand. It almost seemed like it knew now she wasn't going to disobey it, so the Anchor quieted. But the butterflies in her stomach built. If it stopped paining her, could she run? Would it start up again if she decided to abandon her course?
Ari'elle couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips. Corypheus would be surprised, wouldn't he? The man who imagined himself to be a God; his demands disregarded by a little Dalish elf. It would serve him right! That alone was almost enough to cause her to try to alter her direction.
But the idea of a little Dalish elf somehow defeating this… to borrow one of Sera's words, this arsehole of a 'God', was even more delicious than thwarting him with disobedience. Ari'elle knew she had little chance, but a little chance of defeating Corypheus was a greater chance than just running away.
Besides, an image of Cullen's tender smile lingering in her head, there were people she loved who deserved to live happily in a world without Corypheus in it.
So Ari'elle continued. Through the morning the owls leading her changed periodically. There would always be two ahead of her. One would fly in from somewhere in the forest, and another would peel off and disappear among the trees. Ari'elle got the distinct impression they were reporting… which was ridiculous. Except who ever heard of owls escorting an elf through the woods with such organized precision in the first place?
She shrugged away her questions. She was admittedly extremely curious, but in the end the answer did not make much of a difference. She was just pleased she wasn't alone. It was easier to keep calm with friends around.
Abruptly Leaf and Noble, the two escorting her currently, settled on a branch and stared unmoving. Ari'elle blinked up at them, and then followed their gaze. Just ahead of her there was a super dense thicket of trees. Almost a wall, she thought. And there was something in the air. A hum of ancient magic and a cloying, sticky feeling that almost overpowered it.
Ari'elle huffed out a breath and readied her bow. Well, it seemed like she had arrived.
With one last look up to her friends still watching the trees with narrowed eyes, Ari'elle dropped her pack, crouched and crept forward. As she approached, she realized that the trees actually were surrounding a wall, the stones mostly covered with foliage, blocking the view of the structure. And she faintly could hear noise coming from inside.
She looked around for a moment, but saw no entrance. She could go around looking for one, she supposed. Or, her eyes narrowed and looked the trees up and down, she could just go over the wall.
It would be a surprise, she thought smugly. Poor Corypheus probably never thought of something as undignified as someone climbing trees. Therefore, it was perfect. Dignity? Like she cared about such things.
Slinging her bow over her shoulder and back, she hastily braided her hair and bound it. No flowers for her this trip; being unnoticed was what was important. Ari'elle dug her fingers into the bark of one of the ancient trees and agilely scaled the branches, smoothly making her way higher. Within moments she reached the top of the wall, and kept herself low as she looked inside.
Now she knew where that oily feeling came from, Ari'elle shuddered. Inside the courtyard half a dozen fully turned Red Templars were roaming around. She made herself even smaller against the wall as she nibbled her lip, debating her options.
Well. She wasn't going to be able to take them all on, not by herself. If she had Varric, Dorian and The Iron Bull with her, they would be able to cut a clean swath through them. But she was unfortunately by herself at the moment. So she would have to get through a subtler way. Ari'elle's eyes hunted around the ruins, searching for another passage. Corypheus wasn't right here; therefore, he had to be somewhere close by, deeper within the crumbling structure.
The open courtyard before her had one gateway leading out into the forest, and another set of doors leading into a building. Whatever the purpose the ruins had held, it was obviously Elvan in origin. With slow and cautious movements, Ari'elle moved along the edge of the wall. Hidden by more trees hanging over the roof and plenty of other overgrown plants, she couldn't tell how big the structure really was. What she could see was extensive though, obviously it was some place of import.
She saw statues of the Creators around and items she had learned about from Keeper Solas. But these ruins were new to her; something so close to her Clan's usual circuit and she had never heard of it before? It must have been sealed or hidden with some very powerful magic.
How had Corypheus found it?
She reached the end of the wall and climbed up into a tree grown up inside the courtyard. The doors leading inside were a little way from the base of the tree, but she couldn't use it. Instead, another path opened its way for her. The ceiling of the place beckoned, only partially intact. There were a places with holes, areas where trees had pushed through stone. If she could just make it across the roof, she could climb down inside using one of those trees.
Licking her lips, Ari'elle scooted out on the edge of a branch and carefully lowered herself onto the slanting stone, testing to see if it would hold her. Beneath her toes the old tiles were slick with growth, not offering much grip. Ari'elle eased down to a crouch, using her hands as another point of contact as she carefully picked her way along the roof line.
Inside the room below her, Ari'elle figured there would be traps laid for those who were not supposed to enter. Perhaps Corypheus was tangling with those still and she could surprise him. She could hear more voices speaking, but they seemed to be coming from deeper in the structure. Or maybe she wouldn't be so lucky.
Her target tree lay just before her, and even more carefully now Ari'elle crept to the edge of the broken roof. She could feel the stone shift slightly as she stepped and her heart pounded in her throat. She made it to one of the arches holding the roof in place and practically leaped to the first available branch. The rocks behind her grated at the absence of her weight, and the branch she was on shook with her landing.
Ari'elle held her breath as she waited for the shouts of her discovery to ring out. But there was nothing. Just that muffled discussion further in.
Ari'elle shuddered out a breath and resituated herself, hunkering down as she looked for her next target. The room she was now in was vast, about twice the size of the courtyard outside, and filled with even more Elvan culture. In here she could see the glint of colored murals in the torchlight, the patterned mosaics laid out in detailed pictures. Several glowing red bodies lay in unnatural poses, but Ari'elle didn't know if they were dead from the defenses of the area or from the slow overcoming of the red lyrium.
There was no living soul visible.
Ari'elle worked down to the lowest branch, aware that she would be visible if someone were to look up to this part of the room. But as she scanned the area, she still saw no one patrolling. There was just a massive set of doors at the top of sweeping steps, ajar and beckoning. Whatever traps had been here, Corypheus had disabled them or triggered them, and then moved further inside.
Silently, Ari'elle dropped to the ground, keeping to the shadows. She pulled her bow from her back and nocked an arrow, at the ready. She swept her gaze around the room once more before she wisped from shadow to shadow.
It was a temple, Ari'elle realized, her gaze tracing the figures of the Creators done in beautiful work on the walls. Keeper Solas would have undoubtable been enthralled with such a place if he had known it were here. Which again made her curious as to how Corypheus had been the one to discovered it.
Ari'elle looked around once more, trying to determine if there were any enemies in the room before she stepped out of the security of darkness. But there was nothing visible, only the lure of sound from the next room. She took a deep breath and steeled herself. Whatever happened now… well, this was certainly it.
Ari'elle stepped from the shadows and made her way up the stairs. Her ears twitched nervously, sounds bombarding her, heightened as things seemed even more amplified with each step closer. The next room was not ablaze with light, actually seemed as if the tiny area inside the door she could see was darker, but it drew her as if the sun was pouring from inside.
She reached the top of the stairs and flattened herself against the closed door, listening to the voices. She could hear Corypheus speaking, his strange accent and multilayered voice echoing inside. Ari'elle thought that he was speaking in another language; the words meant nothing to her. And currently he was the only one saying anything. Earlier she had sworn she had heard other voices, which meant that there was at least one other in there with him. Probably more.
Ari'elle licked her dry lips and quietly breathed out a shaking breath. She would only get one chance at this. She closed her eyes and thought of Cullen. Oh how she wished she could hold him one last time. To actually tell him that she loved him and kiss him with the desperation she felt. She swallowed at the ache in her chest, felt tears prickle the back of her eyes. No! She needed to stay focused, calm. Even though it was cold comfort, she had told him the truth of everything in her letter. She had her memories, and the knowledge that she was doing the best for him.
Ari'elle forced her eyes open and pushed away her feelings as best she could. The last few weeks had given her practice at better controlling her emotions. She supposed now that things had come to this, she was grudgingly glad for Evangelina's entrance into her life.
If she and Cullen had been in love, or at the very least like they had been before Evangelina? Ari'elle didn't think she would have had the strength to leave him.
Ari'elle opened her eyes, her brown eyes sharp, her resolve hardened. She was doing this for him, and all of her friends in the Inquisition. No matter what happened, she had hurt Corypheus's plans by not killing Evangelina. And maybe she would be lucky enough to kill him today, stop him in his tracks.
She carefully peeked inside. And there he was. Corypheus's tall and thin figure stood towards the back of the room, facing away from her. His arms were raised at something before him, but two giant Red Templars turned behemoths glowed at his sides, obscuring everything beyond. Around the room others in various forms of transformed Templars stood facing the Tevinter Magister, nothing of intelligence left in their eyes. No one was facing the door; no one was paying any attention to anything else except the ritual taking place.
Ari'elle slipped inside the room, keeping to the darkest part of the stone walls. She silently stepped away from the light from the previous chamber, but she didn't move too far. She didn't want to catch the eyes of the men formed in a half circle around Corypheus.
Corypheus's words grew in strength and became louder, and he reached up above his head. In one hand a wicked looking dagger flashed over the flesh of his wrist, and blood poured out. Before the fall of liquid could reach the floor, the blood curled up and moved, manipulated by the gestures of Corypheus's hands.
Blood magic. Ari'elle suppressed the shudder that wanted to jangle her nerves. She had seen the power Corypheus expended with such magic; it was a formidable thing. And it made the air in the room feel pure evil.
Ari'elle positioned herself and lifted her bow, arrow drawn back. The ease of her pose now spoke to the hours she had spent perfecting her skill; of her hours of fighting and training. Ari'elle took one steadying breath, calming her heart rate. Lining up her shot, she inhaled once more and exhaled. At the end of her breath, when there was nothing to jar her aim, her fingers released.
Across the room Corypheus tried to scream in pain, the blood he had been manipulating falling to the floor as the evil spell disintegrated. Pandemonium around the room struck as he gurgled, his hands frantically scrambling at the arrow Ari'elle had placed in his throat.
Fierce emotions caught in her throat as she notched another arrow, sending into one of the franticly moving Templars and she moved towards the door, keeping her eyes trained on Corypheus as she fired. She wasn't leaving until she knew he was dead.
He slumped, falling to the side and crumpling in on himself. Her arrow had struck true, severing his spine. There was no way he could recover from that. He couldn't use magic to mend himself; he couldn't use his hands. She had done it. She had killed him.
But the mass of Red Templars were catching on, and she was no longer hidden. There was a chance that she could escape. But even as she let loose another arrow and turned to run, a bellow from outside announced that those in the courtyard knew something was wrong and were ready for a fight.
Ari'elle ran out the door, sprinting towards the tree she had climbed down. It was her only chance for escape now. If only she could get to the tree.
Behind her the heavy doors were flung open and the crashing sound of a behemoth's crystal hand breaking the stone as it pounded on the ground echoed in the chamber. But Ari'elle was faster than a behemoth. She dropped her bow, freeing up her hands. As much as she would have liked the protection of having a weapon, speed right now would be her only ally.
Ari'elle reached the tree, and she jumped, her fingers grabbing around the lowest branch. Hope bloomed in her chest as she swung her legs up.
But she wasn't fast enough. Hands grabbed onto the clothing at her waist and yanked downward. She screamed as the incredible strength behind it caused her hands to slip from the branch, and she came crashing down against the stone.
Her breath knocked from her, Ari'elle lay dazed for a second. Long enough for more hands to haul her upright. Limp between two only slightly turned Templars, with her arms locked against their bodies, Ari'elle hung, sucking in breaths, her heart racing franticly.
Suddenly her brain snapped back to attention, and Ari'elle lifted her head. She was still alive. Immediately she started to thrash, yanking at her arms, trying to escape their grasp. But she didn't make any difference as they began bodily hauling her back to the room Corypheus had been in.
Why was she still alive? She kicked at the one on her left, hoping to cause him to stumble. Instead her bare feet just cracked against metal plate, doing far more damage to her than to him. Why not kill her right now? With their leader dead, did they even have a plan?
Lifted from the floor, Ari'elle kicked and screamed, fear and anger coursing through her. It wasn't until they halted that Ari'elle realized what was before her.
"No!" She gasped, falling still. Terror ran through her body, making her tremble. "No!" She cried out louder.
Corypheus stood before her, angry and sinister and very much alive. "You were dead!" Ari'elle's gaze flew back to where she had killed him. Instead of his body lying crumpled on the floor, though, a Templar's body had that position.
Corypheus reached out and circled her left wrist, hauling her into the air and out of the Templar's hands. Ari'elle cried out in pain at the movement, her shoulder screaming in protest. She wriggled, clawing at his gauntlet, before Corypheus encircled her throat with his free hand and squeezed. Ari'elle choked as he continued to apply pressure, her eyes locked with the malicious curl of his twisted, tainted features. Black spots winked in her vision and her thrashings became weaker and weaker with each second she was deprived of oxygen.
"You will be paid in kind for that, eventually, rattus." Corypheus growled and suddenly released his grip on her neck.
Ari'elle gasped for air, her breaths harsh as they came in through her raw, abused throat. Shivers now raced through her body, the trembling having mastery over her limbs.
"How?" She finally croaked out, the pain in her shoulder increasing as she continued to dangle in the air.
A smirk pulled his features again. "I am God. You cannot fathom to kill a God."
Abruptly he dropped her, and Ari'elle crumpled to the floor. It was then that she noticed what Corypheus had been standing before. An Eluvian. She knew what the artifact was from lessons with Keeper Solas, but she had never actually seen one before. Luckily it was inert, the key to turning it on not triggered.
"I thank you for coming," Corypheus mocked down at her, a terrible laugh rolling through the room. He took the same stance he had before, and a panic seized Ari'elle. Whatever was to happen next, Ari'elle knew she had to stop it. Eluvians were powerful, dangerous tools. He couldn't gain access to it.
"Why," She pushed past her pain, "Why did you want me to kill Lady Trevelyan?" It wasn't a question she though he would answer, but it was the first one that came to mind. "Why kill the Herald of Andraste?"
Corypheus turned and glowered down at her. "The Herald of Andraste," He snorted, then unexpectedly turned and crouched, looming over her prone body. "There is no Maker, no Andraste, ruling from a golden city. But I knew you would lack the capacity to kill her. There is nothing you would do to cause harm to your precious Cullen," his words spat out. "And I calculated on the fact. Your weakness played right into my plans."
Ice flowed through Ari'elle, and she stared at him, her eyes wide and mouth open.
Almost tenderly, Corypheus ran one grotesque finger down the arrow of her vallaslin. "One of Andruil's Chosen." He stood and turned. "It would have taken me long to find this place without you. I had searched for one such as you for long, until you stumbled your way onto the scene. Your blood unlocked the secrets of this place. As it shall again."
Ari'elle's head swam as she took in what he had said. Why had he been looking for Andruil's chosen? Had her blood somehow revealed the location of this place? Why would it? Then, what she hadn't seen before now became clearer. All around the room were statues and murals of Andruil. The largest one towered over the placement of the Eluvian.
One of Andruil's chosen. Somehow she had had the capabilities of finding Anruil's lost temple.
"The Herald of Andraste," he snorted once more, "She was an infinitesimal step. I thought her magical abilities of sufficient strength, but they were not enough to break the magics hiding this place. She wanted to be famous, powerful and immortal. In her frail mind, Andraste was the highest she could aim for. I furnished her with a corrupted Spirit of Faith. One who demanded absolute Obedience to its will." He looked down at her with mad eyes, boasting as she lay dazed at his feet.
"She was controlled to my advantage for an interval. She believed she was the one constructing others to submit to her will, but she was made to conform when it suited me. Obedience knows who to bow to. Even the Fade dwellers recognize that I am God of all. She was immensely connected through her noble Free Marches family," He sneered, disgust for the place obvious. "Exceptionally placed to manipulate. Nevertheless, I required you."
Ari'elle couldn't comprehend what Corypheus had just told her. Evangelina was working for Corypheus? She was possessed with a spirit of Obedience? Not really a spirit, it sounded like. More like a demon. Is… is that why Cullen had been acting like he had? Could Cullen actually still care for her underneath a spell?
Was he in danger? He must be. Ari'elle had to figure out a way to warn him!
Corypheus grasped her wrist again, her questions disappearing as he pulled out the Orb.
Instantly both her hand and the Orb flared green, and she felt the sting of it racing up her arm. Ari'elle cried out, almost missing his words. "It demands of you, does it not? Elvan blood is what it requires. And you were so impatient to agree to my terms. To play with the other rattus of the world. Trevelyan's Anchor was always weak, the Orb rejecting her pathetic blood. The stronger your power grew; the weaker Trevelyan's became. And I knew it was time."
He hauled her up again, yanking on her arm, "Your blood will soon reveal the path to unlock the Eluvian for me." He hissed down at her face, a maniacal light glowing in his read eyes. "I will acquire it!"
"Never!" Ari'elle cried out, and kicked him in the stomach.
He backhanded her, and she sagged at the force of the blow, the orb adding weight to his hand. He lifted her higher and spun, held her with her back to the mirror. A chant started to flow from his lips, dark and dangerous as he offered both the orb and her up in offering. Ari'elle thrashed, swinging her legs back and forth. When she had gained enough movement, she kicked up, catching Corypheus in the jaw with her heel.
He howled out in anger, and snapped. With a vicious snarl, he hauled her body back and then tossed her away from himself. The force of her moving away while he still held her wrist pulled her arm from her socket, and the pain of made her scream, cut short as she smacked into the wall and crumpled to the floor.
Ari'elle curled around her dislocated arm, tears forming at the agony she was in. She was bleeding; she could smell the metallic tang of her blood, but she didn't know what in this fight what had done it. The blow to her face? The force of her hitting the wall? Her head felt like it had been cracked, her spine at the least bruised from the stones. Bruises would be around her foot, wrist, and neck. There felt like no place on her body that was not unharmed in some way. Her ears were ringing and she whimpered as she saw Corypheus stalk towards her.
Across the room, a war cry echoed from the door, jerking all eyes towards it and pulled Corypheus around. Pouring through the gap, men and women dressed in battle gear emblazoned with the signal of the Inquisition took the Red Templars on. The creatures had been paying as much attention as before and again were caught unawares as the fighters crashed against them. Ari'elle thought she heard the laugh of Sera, and she saw Bull and Dorian working in tandem, Varric's bolts shooting between their practiced formations.
Adorned in all his gear, a man with a sword and shield and a lion's helmet squared up with Corypheus, battle ready.
"Cullen!" Ari'elle cried out, but it came out weak, reedy. He couldn't have heard her.
Shock, joy, amazement, relief. She couldn't contain her emotions, and tears slipped down her face. She tried to stand, but agony shot through her body. Something was off with her leg, but it was her shoulder and arm that were paining her uncontrollably. She couldn't just sit here though. Corypheus was too strong.
Abruptly two Templars appeared before her, reaching down as if to grab her. She shrank back, tried to scoot away from them, but she couldn't move fast enough to avoid their reaching hands.
"Imperial! Guard!" Cullen's voice rang out, and suddenly there was his silver stallion, screaming a battle cry. He galloped across the room, spun and kicked out with his hooves, catching one enemy in the chest, sending him back. The other struck at Imperial with a sword, but the war horse had spun again, lips peeled back from powerful teeth and Imperial bit down on the transformed man's arm, tearing through skin.
The Templars retreated from the giant horse, and Imperial planted himself in front of her, lashing out at all that tried to get to her. Even though it seemed as if Corypheus's plans were ruined, apparently he still wanted her in his control. Imperial, though, was an impenetrable guard, fierce and powerful.
Bolt after green bolt flew from the Orb in Corypheus's hands, striking at Cullen, at others around the room. Was that Keeper Solas at Cullen's side? Ari'elle blinked in amazement. Her mentor slammed the butt of his staff against the ground, bolts of energy flying at Corypheus, curling around behind the shield and hitting the Magister in the back. The battle ranged, and she saw that Cullen's soldiers were pressing their advantage. But she had killed Corypheus once, and it had done nothing.
Frantically, Ari'elle whirled through ideas, discarding one after the other. Another brilliant green light blinded the room, and her arm burned in shared energy, paining her.
Yes. Ari'elle's eyes locked on the Orb. She knew what to do.
Ari'elle tried to lift her left hand, but she couldn't do anything more than wiggle it. That small movement caused tears to threaten again, from the pain in her shoulder but also from the fear that she might not be able to do what she had planned.
Gritting her teeth, Ari'elle used her right hand to hold up her left, extending her palm. Then, calling on the magic tying her and the Orb together, she pulled. The connection between her palm and the sphere locked, magic surging into her arm. Ari'elle screamed through her teeth, waiting for that solidifying tether to form.
Corypheus raised the Orb glowing on high, and gestured. Instead of the magic obeying like it had been, the Orb stayed connected with Ari'elle, not obey his commands. He glared up at the implement, then Ari'elle saw his eyes flare. He spun to look at her.
Cullen pressed his attack, slashing out with his sword and striking at Corypheus's side. The metal bit into his robes, catching him at the waist, but Corypheus didn't even seem to notice. Instead, he jerked away from the blade still stuck in his flesh and ran towards her.
Ari'elle's eyes widened and she stopped breathing. Come on! With one last push of power, the connection finally caught. With a scream, Ari'elle yanked her left hand back. The Orb sailed through the room, flying through the air to where she lay crumpled.
Ari'elle dropped her left arm and it flopped uselessly to the side. Relying on her training, Ari'elle caught the Orb with her right hand, shifted just slightly, and then threw it with all her might.
As if all fighting had stopped, Ari'elle watched the Orb fly straight and true. It hit the Eluvian at its far side, the dense stone of it breaking straight through the fragile glass. In slow motion, Ari'elle saw the cracks spread out from the spherical damage, shattering the magical mirror into millions of pieces. In the spray of silver, the Orb smacked into the wall, breaking the mosaics of the Andruil mural where it hit. And she saw it fall in three pieces, the glow of magic slowly dying until it was just shards of carved stone rocking on the floor.
Ari'elle felt numbing relief spreading all through her, and she dropped to her side, jarring everything in her body. She couldn't feel her body anymore, had no energy left to right herself.
Black stars winked in her vision again, but before she blacked out, she noticed two things.
The first was Cullen, screaming. "Ari!" She couldn't see him, but something about her name tugged at her. He sounded… genuinely worried for her. More emotional than she had heard him in weeks.
The other caught her attention more, though. Ari'elle stared at the mural now completely exposed by the breaking of the Eluvian. Andruil stood, surrounded by four snow white owls. Each pair of yellow eyes stared down at where she lay, reading deep into her soul. They ruffled their feathers and blinked once.
Owls. Andruil's personal messengers. Every elf knew that Andruil sent them to her followers, to guide them in their life when they needed her.
Andruil, her messengers around her and holding her bow, then coolly smiled her blessing at Ari'elle.
Moving murals. It was the last straw. Ari'elle fainted.