Chapter 38: Archdemons and Arls
She knew she was dreaming.
Solona found herself walking down the halls of the tower, her nose buried in a book. Fellow apprentices and Templars moved out of her way to let her pass.
This was how she knew that she was dreaming; no one had ever gotten out of her way in the tower before. She had always needed Jowan to clear a path for her.
She caught her reflection in one of the suits of armor. Apprentice robes, long unruly hair hiding her features. She knew the face was hers, but it almost seemed like it belonged in another life now. The Grey Wardens had replaced everything she had been with what she was now.
She was simply not that shy little bookworm anymore.
There were two people standing at the end of the hall, she couldn't recognize them at first, but she could see that one was a woman in fine robes and a man in plate armor. The man headed upstairs vanishing from her view. The woman…the woman turned and approached her, a welcoming smile on her face.
It took Solona a moment, but she realized that she knew who the woman was. She had seen paintings of her before, both in books and in portraits marking famous occasions.
She was looking and Queen Rowan Theirin of Ferelden, King Cailan's Mother.
What an odd thing to dream about she thought, Queen Rowan had died several years before Solona had even been born.
Why in Andraste's name would she be dreaming about her and here in the tower?
The Queen smiled warmly.
"It is good to meet you at last Warden," the queen said, "but to be honest…I was expecting something…well…more."
Solona's eyes narrowed, even though she knew this was a dream, and she was in the fade, she could feel her Warden sense burning, this wasn't like it did when there were darkspawn about, but something far, far worse.
It wasn't hard to guess what was talking to her, and it wasn't the ghost of the Queen of Ferelden.
Solona smiled wanly.
"I don't think the Queen would have appreciated you wearing her form Lord Urthemiel."
The Archdemon smiled.
"Well done Warden," the creature smiled with a dead woman's face, "It seems you are wiser than I have given you credit for. Which is why I am here, I have an offer for you."
"Oh…this should be good," Solona quipped.
The creature's eyes turned cold.
"I would not be so arrogant Warden. My patience is not infinite; you would be wise to hear me out."
Solona nodded in apology. She wanted to drive her staff through the creatures leering mouth, but that would do nothing here.
She couldn't kill the Archdemon in the fade.
"I am offering you a chance to flee Warden, run to your fellows. Tell them I am not without mercy. Your Ferelden is already lost; your enemies cannot hope to stand against me. Let them die, you can live and your revenge against them will be assured."
"And what of the innocent people of Ferelden?" Solona responded.
"Is anyone truly innocent warden?" the Archdemon asked, "Are you?"
"There is no reason for you to die here, none." The Archdemon smiled, "You cannot end me by yourself. Your boy King cannot end me. There will be other battles. If we fight, I will kill you both."
"So I should just run away?" Solona shook her head, "I have a counter proposal my lord."
The Archdemon raised an eyebrow it was curious.
"Let's meet, just you and I," Solona smiled sweetly, "no armies, no innocent people need die. We battle…I kill you…the Blight ends."
"You can't kill me child," the creature laughed, "I'm a god."
"No," she said coldly, "You're just another darkspawn, and when we finally meet, only one of us will walk away alive."
The monster growled it began to change, skin darkened, becoming scales; wings began to sprout from its back.
"Foolish child," the archdemon shook its head, "you think you will survive an encounter with me? You know nothing."
Solona regarded the creature coldly, she was through talking.
"I offered you a chance and you spit in my face. Fine. Do your duty, but you will never face me, you see I know where you are," the archdemon smiled, "good bye little warden."
Solona woke.
"Alistair," she said, but there was no need. He was already awake. Her lover looked into her eyes.
"It saw us," he said in horror.
Solona nodded.
"Did you hear that?" he asked.
She heard and she could feel it.
"Darkspawn!" she cried, Solona and Alistair leapt from their tent. Shrieks swarmed the camp. Shale crushed one, only to have a second one leap onto her back. Oghren had been on watch, the dwarf roared, frenzying with rage. He lashed out at the invaders.
"EVERYBODY UP!" Solona cried, "WE"RE UNDER ATTACK!"
The mage transformed, her spider form leapt onto a shriek alpha.
Leliana, Zevran and Wynne were still in their nightclothes. Zev only in a pair of trousers battled the creatures bare chested. Leliana in her boots and a nightgown. The bard fired arrows at the invading assassins.
A roar shook the ground.
An ogre had arrived.
Solona in her spider form leapt onto the creatures back, she plunged her venomous fangs into its back.
The creature roared with fury.
A bereskarn appeared, Alistair was about to attack it but stopped when it plowed into the Ogre.
Morrigan had just joined the fight.
The element of surprise was lost, without it, the shrieks found themselves outmatched.
The Ogre fell under the assault of the two shape shifters.
Silence returned to the camp.
"Fortifications should be built as soon as possible," Sten offered.
Solona transformed back, her arm was broken, her night shirt torn and bloodied...
The mage collapsed to her knees.
She could hear a voice in her head.
"You had your chance," the Archdemon hissed, "Now die with the rest of them."
She glared with both anger and determination, she would not die easily.
Morrigan came up next to her, the witch's hair was down for once, she regarded her friend with a shake of her head.
"What is next hmm Warden," the witch sighed, "Darkspawn tax collectors?"
Solona chuckled grimly.
"No Morrigan," Solona said grimly, "Next we kill the Archdemon."
The witch let healing energy flow into Solona's arm.
"We shall see to it my friend," The witch clucked softly, "We shall see."
IOI
They managed to reach Redcliffe without further attacks.
They brought the ashes to Arl Eamon's bedside. Solona was surprised to see First Enchanter Irving there already, as well as her old classmate Alim Surana.
Solona had always liked the elf, like her he had also been a contender to become Irving's apprentice.
Who knew, if he had maybe he would be leading the charge against the Archdemon now.
Irving and Alim sprinkled the ashes over the ill nobleman, Isolde and Teagan watched from a corner. As the Revered Mother read a prayer over the Arl's bed.
Solona felt it when the magic began to work; she could sense the power, cleansing the Arl's body, just as the flames in the temple had cleansed her.
The Arl stirred…
His eyes opened.
"Wh…where am I?" the nobleman asked.
Isolde fell crying at her husband's side.
Eamon brushed his wife's face with his hand.
It had been a hard road, but it had been worth it in the end.
The Arl of Redcliffe was back.
IOI
Solona had to admit, the Arl impressed her.
Though he clearly mourned his son's passing, the first thing he did when he awoke was to dispatch riders into the Bannorn. They would have to be wary to avoid the horde, but their mission was necessary. The nobles needed to meet in Denerim; it was time for a Landsmeet.
Ferelden need a new King to defend against the Blight.
Eamon intended it to be Alistair.
Solona could tell that Alistair hated the idea, but she, like Eamon, reminded him of his duties. That if Loghain was to be stopped, they needed someone whose claim to the throne was stronger than Teyrn's daughter.
Anora's claim was through marriage, Alistair through blood…royal blood.
The importance of that could not be understated.
Kallian arrived two days later. She brought word from the Teyrna, promises of support when it came time to end the Blight.
"My Lady will help in whatever way she can Wardens," Kallian said proudly, "But sadly she will not be able to attend this Landsmeet."
Eamon's brow furrowed.
"Doesn't Elissa know that we need her voice," Eamon asked, "Highever could do much…"
"My Lady does not rule Highever," Kallian said flatly, "Rendon Howe does, and as long as that man and Loghain control the capitol, my lady will not set foot with in a league of the city. Too many of her allies have died responding to Loghain's false calls of parlay. What if the nobles arrive for the Landsmeet and Loghain arrests and executes them all. The Teyrna cannot afford to take that chance."
"Elissa is right," Solona nodded, "if we fail Ferelden will fall, if Loghain manages to seize the throne, there will be no one to stop the Archdemon before it destroys all of Ferelden. We may need her to lead the survivors out."
Both Alistair and Eamon shot the mage a dirty look.
"I am merely being realistic your grace." The mage offered.
Eamon sighed.
He hoped it would not come to that.
Solona did not entirely trust in this Landsmeet idea. Loghain could use it as a trap, and if he did not, it could still fail if the nobles voted to make him King.
It was a matter of who they believed now, Eamon or Loghain.
It was not the best of situations.
The strategy session broke up. Kallian and Leliana went off to spend some time together. Solona and Sten went to go and check on their allies who were now starting to trickle in. The first dwarven units had arrived yesterday, and Dalish hunters representing two of their clans arrived this morning.
The army that Solona had spent the last eight months building was finally forming up.
It would be several weeks before the Lands meet would be set to begin.
If she was going to spend any time with Alistair, now would be the best.
The warden mage feared her time with her lover was ending; she fought against the urge to rage against that injustice.
Enjoy the time you have with him, and then let it pass.
Late summer would bring an intense dry heat into Ferelden; it would also favor the darkspawn, the plagues the creatures spread would flow unchecked as they attacked refugees fleeing the south.
Solona could not help but wonder if the Archdemon was right. Should she have left Ferelden to its fate?
NO!
She could not afford to think like that, they had come too far to stop now.
She would have to put her faith in Alistair… that he could rise to the occasion.
There was one other thing she could give him however.
She sent word to Levi Dryden at Soldiers Peak, there was something there that Alistair would need.
A symbol that the nobles could rally around.
She only hoped that when all was said and done at the Landsmeet, that there was still enough left of Ferelden to be saved.
THAT was her greatest hope…and fear.