Dragons and Thrones: Final War – The Dragon Queen Rises

Chapter 37 of my crossover story, enjoy.

Reviews

Boris Yeltsin: Thanks.
Marina Ka-Fai: Thanks.
Wolfgirl2013: Thanks :)
Ahrimal: Well, not quite yet, still a little bit more to go, but here it is :) Well, wait and see what happens in this chapter :) Not really, as I said, they've washed their hands of the matter, as for the Crows, not really going to see anything there, no time after all, what with everything that's going on.
Veridissima: Thanks.

Now onto the story.

Disclaimer: Game of Thrones belongs to George R.R. Martin, Dragon Age belongs to Bioware.

Varric

Varric shook his head as the Assassin fell dead at his feet, without pausing to reload Bianca, he spun and used the bayonet to impale the second.

"Too damn close." He muttered.

Taking a moment's reprieve to reload his crossbow, he continued onwards, all the while considering his and Hawke's plans.

'So, it's time for the Faceless Men to end, this is where we demolish them, any we don't kill will be trapped inside.' Varric reflected. 'I soon have this place ready to come down, killing anyone and destroying everything, inside...Damn how did I end up doing this?'

Looking around he decided that his current location would be a good starting point. So, kneeling down, he opened his pack and pulled out one of his Lyrium bombs. He carefully began setting it up, noting that the Lyrium seemed to be resonating with the magical energy in the barrier Hawke had set up at the main doors.

He grinned. 'It's feeding off the magical energy, which means...Oh this has worked out better than I thought it would...just hope I got everything right.'

That was his chief concern, since he didn't want things to go too far. Satisfied he had set up the first bomb, he got to work, moving as stealthily as he could through the House of Black and White, killing any assassin's he came across, setting up more of his Lyrium bombs. He could hear the noises and knew it was Hawke at work.

Hoping he'd at least be able to keep pace; Varric continued his work, firing another bolt at one Assassin who had his back turned to him. He had to be wary, he knew about their tricks. Luckily Hawke had prepared for that too; he just hoped that Hawke's magic was powerful enough to disrupt whatever 'magic' the Faceless Men used in regards to their masks and other such tricks. Thankfully it seemed he really had killed this one. He smiled and continued his work, setting up yet another Lyrium bomb.

'Nearly there, one more to set up.' He noted.

Continuing onwards, he reached a door and eased it open carefully; Bianca still had two more shots before needing reloading. The room was empty however, so he slipped in. The room was full of various papers he noticed and, as he worked on setting up the last bomb in this room, he reflected on that.

'Well, well, I've found where they keep their contracts...' He noted. 'I wonder.'

One thing still bothering Varric about the whole incident with Anders, who hired the Faceless Men. Hawke was disturbed by it too. But now, Varric couldn't believe his luck. He had found himself in the room, with all the contracts the Faceless Men had taken or dealt with recently.

Finished with the bomb he straightened up. 'It's here, it's gotta be...If I can find the contract on Anders, maybe I can find...who hired them.'

He quickly began searching; although from the explosion he heard, he knew he didn't have much time. Hawke had done his bit and was on his way out.

It was at that moment he found what he was looking for.

'Ah, perfect.' He thought as he checked the contract. 'As I thought, this is the one for Anders...genuine article, no doubt about that...what the…?'

His eyes widened as he read the name of the person who had hired the Faceless Men, it was a name he was familiar with, yet couldn't believe it.

'Of all people, him…?' Varric wondered in disbelief as he slipped the contact into his inner pockets.

Then, reacting to his instincts Varric turned and fired Bianca, unfortunately he missed and cried out as he was cut by the blade of the Assassin. He staggered back, out of reach and finally beheld his attacker. It was actually a woman, another one they had been warned about; the one that was apparently called, for some reason, the Waif. She was glaring at Varric who already felt the numbness and realized her blade had been poisoned.

"You fool." She snarled. "You dare, you dare try to stop us."

Varric shook his head. "Just doing, what should've been done long ago."

As he spoke he noted a few other things which matched up what he had been told. Waif was an expert in poisons, sometimes even testing them on herself. She always kept antidotes to said poisons handy, he saw his chance, if he could just get near enough.

"You and your friend have ruined our sacred mission, ruining so many people!" She berated him. "All this that you have done, will destroy us and so many others, so many more that will be ruined."

Varric shook his head, feeling light-headed. "What about the people you've ruined?"

He saw her freeze, looking at him in outrage and knew he'd struck a nerve.

She glowered at him and actually stepped closer.

"What was that?"

"The people you've ruined, the lives you've taken..." Varric pressed her. "The lives the others have taken, what of them, what of their families, they are ruined, thanks to you...so it seems this is all simply fair play to me. No harm, no foul."

Waif was clearly irritated as she got right up in his face. "You don't have the slightest idea what you are talking about, someone as soft as you could never understand, we are..."

"Finished."

Before she had time to react, Varric swiped the vial she wore around her neck, pushing her back, knocking her into a shelf. He knew he was taking a massive gamble, but had no choice, he quickly drank from the vial.

Her scream of outrage gave him the hope he needed. Sure enough, it turned out to be the antidote to the poison. He straightened up, his wound thankfully wasn't deep and with the poison treated, it could be seen to in due time.

"You…!"

She never finished for Varric fired the last arrow currently loaded into Bianca, which was tipped with an explosive head. The resulting explosion certainly killed her, striking her in face as it did. Even if she wasn't, what he had planned would surely finish her. Varric knew he couldn't waste any more time. Moving as quickly as he could, he began to race back, desperate to escape the House of Black and White.

Fighting to catch his breath, Varric stood by Hawke, in the same place they had been before entering.

"Varric, are you…?"

"I'll be fine just..." He replied, gesturing to his wound.

Hawke nodded and swiftly healed it. "So what now?"

Varric explained. "Just dispel that barrier; my Lyrium bombs should then go off...As I said, almost positive I set them right, explosion should be confined to the inside, the damage will wreck the structure which will collapse in on itself..."

Even as he spoke Hawke apparently dispelled the barrier for at that moment, there was an explosion and the House of Black and White seemed to implode. All that remained in the end was a burning, smoking pile of rubble.

"I feel it...That strange sensation, it's gone...we did it Varric." Hawke said.

Varric grinned; the Faceless Men had to be finished now, only those that hadn't been in the House were alive and had nothing to come back to.

"So, this the result you hoped for?"

"Indeed." Hawke said. "Justice for all those killed by those creatures...justice and vengeance for Anders...There is no recovery for them."

Varric nodded; there was still one thing left to do.

"Hawke, you need to see this...it's the contract for Anders." He said, handing it to him.

Hawke took it and began to read; sure enough, as Varric suspected, he froze in disbelief, seeing the name of the one who hired the Faceless Men.

Hawke finally tore his gaze from the contract to face Varric again.

"You are certain of this, it's real?" He asked.

Varric nodded. "Yes, I know a fake when I see one...That's who hired them...I hope you know what you're doing, regarding this?"

Hawke did not reply at first, not until they were back on their boat, away from the crowd that was gathering outside the destroyed building. Not until they were sailing back to Meereen. Hawke sighed heavily and finally answered.

"I do, Varric, I know exactly what I'm doing."

End of chapter, hope you enjoyed it, read and review please.

Well, this is the end of Varric's storyline now, but Hawke still has another chapter to come.