So, what's my surprise? You'll have to read on and find out! As always I send out my love to my fabulous reviewers of the previous chapter: DarkRook, Melysande and Pint-sized She-Bear!

My original plan was to write the Silverfalls battle within one chapter, but as it grew and I developed it more and more, I realised that the sheer size of it was too much. So, guess what? I've split it in two and you are all getting an unexpected double update! (Okay, so you might have to wait a day for Part 2, but I'm sure you call all wait that long :) )

Disclaimer: I do not own DA:O or any of its characters. I do however own all of my own characters and my own little nation of Nileesa.


Chapter 44: Divided We Fall

The atmosphere among the Silverfalls guards was so thick that you could cut it with a knife as they prepared for the darkspawn attack. What little preparation they had been granted by the Wardens would probably save the lives of a few of them, but just the warning alone had given the town a chance. Alistair had informed them that the forces attacking numbered roughly two hundred and fifty, far more than anyone except the survivors of Ostagar has been witness to, and it had caused a great deal of apprehension. Arria knew that Alistair's presence would probably have helped the morale of those she was commanding, but this was one battle he would have to sit out. They couldn't risk him being permanently crippled by his leg, not with what lay ahead. She could survive the day as a lone Grey Warden, but to survive the whole Blight? That was a challenge she didn't think she would be up for.

A hand came to rest on her arm and she turned to find Lyle looking at her in concern. "Are you all right, Arria?" he asked softly, brushing her skin lightly.

The move provided some small comfort and she swallowed before answering. "I'm afraid, Lyle. Not of the darkspawn, but of letting everyone down. I've never commanded a force this size before on my own. I guess I'm just that used to having someone to help me that I'm doubting myself," she admitted.

He smiled in understanding. "Don't be. Everyone here had been inspired by you and Alistair, and just having you here must be a great reassurance. We know you will guide us to a victory, Arria. There is nothing wrong with believing in yourself again. You can do this."

She turned unshielded eyes towards him. Lyle was one of only two people she could completely open her heart to. "How do you do that?" she questioned in a small voice, trying to not let all those around her see her vulnerability.

A sad smile appeared on his face as he answered. "We shared the horrors of a lifetime together in that short time we crossed paths, Arria. You may not remember all of those days but there were many conversations we shared, even if you were barely conscious or aware of what you said. I saw you at breaking point and I can see all the way to your heart, even if you wanted to conceal it from me. There is a connection between us now, one that I don't think we could ever break; and one that I hope we never shall."

Tears pricked at her eyes and she held them back as best she could, unwilling to let her emotions show to those under her command. She instead held his hand tightly, so thankful to the Maker that he had found a way back into her life after all they had suffered through together. They would have to speak in more after this crisis had passed: about many things past and future. "That is my wish too," she confided, earning a gentle smile in return. It flitted through her mind about how things could have been so different had Lyle accompanied her from the start. Had he been a part of her journey from Ostagar it could have been so much easier, but she knew had that been the case she might not have such an absolute relationship with Alistair now. Striking a dynamic between them would be difficult, but she was sure she would achieve it.

Anders and Morrigan soon approached, having returned from the mission Arria had sent them on. "What did they say?" she probed, hoping the news would be good. Her whole plan hinged on the involvement of everyone who could fight.

"The mages said yes," replied Anders. "Some of them took a bit of convincing but I think having us ask for their help instead of you was a good call, Arria. They were a lot more willing to trust fellow mages than a Grey Warden, even though the Wardens hold no animosity toward our kind. I've gotta warn you though, a couple of them are very young, and they haven't gone through a Harrowing. I'm worried if they start wielding too much power it might lead to disaster."

Morrigan scoffed. "Such a pathetic ceremony has no bearing on a mage's capability. Your barbaric methods do nothing more than contain and undermine future wielders of magic," she snapped.

"I've got to admit, Anders, I am in agreement with Morrigan on this matter," added Arria. "No-one in Nileesa ever went through a Harrowing or anything of the sort and we had no more incidents that you do; if anything we had less. I can see the reasoning behind it, there is no arguing that, but such a practice does seem rather outdated. Let this battle be their test: if they survive, they can be considered as no danger to society."

While Anders had some reservations about letting all the mages have so much freedom without at least some training, he appreciated that Arria was willing to let them prove themselves without the use of a Harrowing. He kept forgetting just how different she was from the rest of them, and what those differences meant for her opinions on everything. She had grown up in a country where mages roamed freely and stood on an equal footing with elves and humans. While there was that in a sense at the Circle Tower, the Nileesans didn't have the threat of the Templars hanging over them. Somehow they had managed to keep the Chantry's meddling out of their society and taken the country in a direction he couldn't even imagine. It's such a shame it's all gone now…I'd have loved to live in a place with that kind of freedom.

Arria bowed to her companions and instead approached the apostates, thanking them for their help while passing on her plan of attack. A few shocked faces began to appear as they heard the details and Lyle was curious, but a hand to his shoulder stole his attention away. He was surprised to see it was his brother, and the seriousness of his gaze had him concerned. "Rod?"

Rod moved his stare past his younger brother to the woman who had seemed to have captivated him. "You care for her, don't you?" asked Rod, not having missed how often Lyle's attention seemed to focus on Arria.

Lyle sighed, having wondered when this was coming. Now he had to somehow explain their connection without telling his brother the truth. "I hold an affection for her, yes, but it is not romantic. Her heart already lies with another and I am not that way inclined towards her."

"Then what is it that you share? You two seem to have become very close in an incredibly short space of time."

The brown-haired man struggled for a few seconds before answering. "We saw the limits of mental and physical strength together from different sides. She endured and I could do nothing but watch. My efforts to save her failed and I caused her more hurt than you could ever understand, Roderick. Our father's sins are nothing compared to what I inflicted upon her. The debt I owe is something I can never repay and I know I could never be absolved of it: I just hope that I can someday at least give her peace of mind and spirit."

"What do you mean…? How can that bastard's actions be incomparable to yours? What could have possibly happened for that to be true?"

"That is a story for another day, brother. A day when I can admit my shame to another and when the speaking the painful truth does not bruise my heart. You don't know everything behind the events which led to the meeting of our father and Arria, nor how it was his only choice."

"He always had a choice, he took the coward's way out."

Lyle sighed, having expected no different from Rod. "When this is all over, I want to go back to our home with you. I want you to know the truth; it wasn't our father's life at stake when he was offered Arria. He did it to save ours."

"What…?"

"I promise to tell you everything I know, Roderick. Tonight I will tell you all, and if you still choose to hate him after that then so be it. He was only trying to save us and I hope you can find at least some acceptance, if not forgiveness. His actions were out of love, after all."

As the brothers conversed some distance away another person joined the ranks of those on the front lines. Arria finished with the mages and turned her attention back to those under her commands when she spied Mellia among them. Her heart leapt into mouth and she beckoned the girl toward her. Mellia wasted no time in rushing to Arria and the Nileesan woman brought the girl into her arms. Mellia gripped back tightly for a few seconds before Arria pulled away and looked at her hard. "What are you doing here? It's far too dangerous for you to be with us," she demanded.

Mellia looked sheepish for a couple of seconds before finding her voice. "I came here for Alistair. He's going crazy up on the hill and Zevran is barely able to stop him from charging down here to fight, even though Alistair isn't physically capable. I wanted to help reassure him somehow, so Zevran suggested I act as a runner between the two lines of defence, warning them when you were about to pull back into the town. Alistair wasn't too happy with it, but I promised him I wouldn't enter the combat. I'm sure that he also thinks that if I'm here, you won't take too many risks. He's petrified that you'll throw yourself headlong into a fight and not have someone so willing to charge in with you and watch your back," answered the teenager, keeping her eyes down.

Arria nodded, having known there was no way that Alistair would have stayed put without someone holding him there. She was infinitely grateful that Zevran and he were such good friends now, else no-one might have been able to convince him to remain behind; but she knew that wasn't everything. "All right, and what's the rest of it?"

"…The rest of it?"

"Yes. You aren't making eye contact with me, and that's a big clue that you aren't telling me everything."

Mellia looked reluctant to share but knew if she didn't, Arria might not let her stay. Deciding to finally admit the truth, she turned vulnerable eyes to one of the three people who now meant the most to her. "I felt alone in this world before Ciéra and I were rescued by everyone here. When that happened, I was at first afraid that you would all discover my secret. Except when you did find out, I discovered not only was I not alone as I thought, but that it was possible to be accepted. You and Alistair showed me that my mixed heritage isn't a death sentence, and that maybe I can find some sort of a peaceful life; I know it won't be easy, I'd have to search far and wide for somewhere like your homeland where everyone was equal, but you've both given me hope. Ciéra means the world to me as she is the last trace of my family, and I'll always treasure her for that…but I felt like I was being forced to grow up too fast. I'm not mature enough to look after my sister, I can barely fend for myself let alone care for a baby.

"But, I feel everything has changed with meeting all of you. Everyone has been so supportive and helped me; even Sten came and spoke to me the other day, which blew me away. He handed me a flower and told me to take inspiration from you, since he sees us as younger and older versions of each other." Arria's eyes widened and she briefly shot a look at the qunari, whose eyes were rolling at the nervousness of the town's guards, before turning back to Mellia. "I have a sense of belonging at long last, and more that, I…I feel like I have a family again. I look at you and Alistair and I feel like I'm looking at the closest thing I could ever find to having parents again." Exhausted from her confession Mellia drew in a shuddering breath, struggling to bury her emotions again after having kept them locked for so long. Through sudden tears she managed to stutter out the rest. "That's why I had to come…I can't lose my family again, not so soon. Not after I've just found the two of you."

A single hand cupped Mellia's face and she lifted her gaze to find the almost shell-shocked eyes of Arria. The teenage girl's confession had completely blind-sided the Nileesan woman, but a powerful instinct rose up with her, making her look at the blond-haired girl in a new way. Trusting in the new maternal urge which she had begun to feel since learning of her tragic daughter, Arria brought Mellia into her arms and hugged her tightly. With barely any thought Mellia gripped back hard, letting a few of her fearful tears fall at the thought of the battle ahead, and the potential for disaster which lay within. As Arria held the teenager she couldn't help but think of the parallels between them: they were both of mixed birth and seen as a scourge on the world, both were orphaned and left to look after their younger sisters, but that was where the key difference appeared between them. Mellia had been left alone to care for her infant sister, whereas Arria had Garros to look after her. Granted, Arria herself was a very young child at the time so their circumstances were quite different there, but Garros and Mellia were similar ages when being thrust into the situation of having to raise a baby. Oh Garros, only now can I see what courage you had at such a young age to take in Rena and I. It looks like I am about to tread the very same path with two girls who need just as much care as we did.

A familiar sense of dread took over Arria's senses and she stiffened as she felt the imminent arrival of the darkspawn. Mellia noticed it too and as soon as she pulled away, she could tell from the look on Arria's face. Before she could leave at take up her position, however, she found Arria looking at her meaningfully and holding her complete attention. "We can't discuss this now, but I promise you we will. If all you ever wanted was a family, Mellia, then you just had to say." Arria saw the girl's eyes light up briefly before she continued. "Go, get yourself ready, and I promise you I will be careful. I don't intend on abandoning anyone for the Maker's judgement tonight." With an enthusiastic nod Mellia dashed off, taking up her position on the outskirts of the front line.

"Sten." The qunari heard the Warden's call and approached, bowing to her briefly as she reciprocated the gesture. "I need your skills on this battlefield, Sten. You are one I know will give everything they are and more to see their task completed, but I place upon you one further charge this night. I entrust with you a piece of my heart, and I expect you to guard it." Arria turned away from the girl to face her imposing companion, looking him in the eye to make sure he understood the importance of his task. "Protect our young flower, and make sure she is safe. One so young needs guidance in a battlefield such as this when she has not had the proper training. See to it that she is shielded, and is free to complete the task she has been assigned."

The qunari raised an eyebrow at the request but did not question Arria's order, respecting her judgement and command. "As you wish, Warden. Is that all, or is there anything else you require of me?"

"Let hell rain down on them, Sten. Unleash your fury on the darkspawn."

The smallest smirk left the qunari and he bowed once again before heading to his new assignment, but Arria could see the way he walked slightly taller, the only outward sign of the qunari's elation. She knew that offering Sten the chance to use all of his fearsome strength might be a mistake, especially if some of the mercenaries managed to cross Sten's path unintentionally and were caught in the crossfire. The Qunari were not known for their self-control when utilising all of their power.

Her eyes turned to the horizon, using her senses to watch the darkspawn's every move as they rapidly came closer. She wished Alistair was here with her, but this was one battle she would have to survive without him. Thoughts of him drew her attention briefly to the summit of the hill, where she was sure he would be going crazy and by association driving everyone else mad. Please stay safe, she prayed, waiting for the attack to hit. This battle was going to be a huge test for their later campaign against the Archdemon: if they failed to save Silverfalls how could the people of Ferelden rally behind them? They needed Ferelden's citizens to believe in them, and that belief would either begin or be shattered here.


Alistair kept pacing at the second line of defence atop the hill of Silverfalls, glancing out over the waterfall to watch the barricade far below him every so often. He'd seen Mellia run down the hill to join them, wishing it was him instead, but Arria wouldn't let him get close. Not only that, but he would somehow have to slip away from his new permanent shadow in the form of Zevran, the assassin finding ways to stop his every attempt to join the front line. He knew he couldn't really fight to any level, but staying still and leaving the rest of their group to face the danger alone was killing him. This felt like the Tower of Ishal all over again, where he had been forced to the fringes and couldn't save anyone save except himself and Arria. His heart still clenched at the disastrous outcome of that day and he couldn't shake the strong sense of déjà vu which has settled in his mind. If events did repeat themselves today, it would lead to a far more catastrophic sequence of events.

He aimed an icy glare at the assassin standing a few paces behind him before turning his gaze back to the town below him, watching uneasily as he saw Arria setting up her defences. Zevran understood the male Warden's feelings and didn't take the look personally, concentrating on making sure he didn't do anything stupid. They had even tried letting Wynne tackle Alistair's leg again in attempt to give him more strength but she had simply confirmed what they already knew: only rest and not exerting the muscles would allow his injuries to recover as they had reached the limits of healing magic. That had only infuriated Alistair further; and compounded his worries. He couldn't shake what happened during their last encounter with the darkspawn from his mind: how Arria had collapsed under the strain of the fortified Taint and it how it had stolen away some of her, already limited, time. That battle had been much smaller than this one and though they would have a great deal of back-up this time, the mercenaries had no experience what-so-ever with a force of this size. Everything they had seen thus far was nothing compared to what was about to befall them. And she is out there alone with a ticking time bomb inside her. He wanted nothing more than to scream his fury out, but that would achieve nothing.

A soft grip to his shoulder broke his intense gaze on the plains below, drawing instead to the elf at his side. Alistair clenched his fists tightly before releasing a deep sigh, knowing he could tell the truth to Zevran. The Crow was one of the few in their group he could confide in, safe in the knowledge that what passed between them would never be repeated without his permission. "This is more than I can bear, Zevran: to stand here and watch as she stands before such a darkspawn army," he admitted quietly, making sure that they could not be overheard.

The elf nodded his head in understanding as he turned his sight to the barricade, seeing Arria converse with Lyle briefly before instead speaking with Morrigan and Anders. "Our Dancer is more than capable of facing such foes, my friend. What is that is really on your mind?"

Alistair chuckled darkly, realising that Zevran was able to see through him just about as well as Arria now. "That Taint she is carrying inside of her…I know Morrigan said it wasn't lethal in any single dose, but the effect it could have on her body could be catastrophic. What happens if her progression advances by several months, or worse years, in just a few minutes? If there were enough darkspawn down there its possible, and we don't know how much pain that stuff puts her through. Our companions know about it, but how many of them will watch for the starting signs of it during such a battle as this, where they might not have time to think? When Arria and I fight it is always as a team, we are never further than a few metres from the other in case we either need or can be of help. I don't think any of them realise that she needs someone watching her back, or it could be the end of her."

Zevran felt the anxiety pouring off the male Warden and he could empathise, but he noticed something he was sure that Alistair had not. While Arria was readying all the various factions for the battle but a short distance away, she had a silent and ever present shadow in the form of Lyle. The younger Gilmore brother wasn't too many steps away and almost always had an eye on her. The assassin had noticed the deepening relationship of the pair, but had seen from the way they interacted that it was tragedy which bound them together more than anything. There was a definite affection there, if only at a platonic level for Arria at least, but it meant there was someone down there keeping her under their watchful gaze. Zevran's small smile caught Alistair's attention. "Be at ease, my secret prince. She has a guardian, and he is not letting her out of his sight."

Almost without looking Alistair could tell who Zevran meant but his heart prayed he was wrong. As soon as his gaze drifted over the organ dropped, seeing that it was indeed Lyle. No matter how he tried he just couldn't shake the dread growing in his stomach at seeing his connection with Arria continue to grow, nor dispel the growing jealousy over the more time they spent together. A quiet laugh from the elf did nothing to pacify him. "Something you find amusing?" he snapped, resisting the urge to run down there for no other reason than to warn the other man away from his Arria.

"I would be careful, my dear Alistair, or else your skin may turn green with such envy. I have never seen you so hostile towards another who has done nothing to draw your ire."

"Perhaps, but Lyle and Arria's past association doesn't exactly make me comfortable, yet she trusts him entirely. Why?"

"That I cannot say, but if you look closer it is something other than romance which joins them. It is sadness, a deep and consuming sadness in which they draw comfort from each other. I believe that something happened during our dearest's captivity which nearly broke the spirits of them both. Have you noticed a greater sorrow in her eyes than before?"

A startled look came across Alistair's face as it clicked. So that's what I've been feeling…He hadn't told Arria, but she had been subconsciously channelling her emotions via her Song while they had been training the guards, and he had felt such grief and anger that it had forced him to break it as soon as he could. While he had shut his senses, the echoes had remained and haunted him; every other time he had attempted to listen in he had found the same response. That has been cause for concern alone, but there had been one other thing which had been bothering him.

Ever since she had remarked on the danger of her own people when they lose control, he had been keeping a close eye on her Mark. It had been glowing very dimly since her near breakdown the night before last, barely noticeable unless you knew what to look for. Her Mark was one of his favourite features about her and he always liked to look at it as she slept, and it was only with being that close he had noticed such a difference. It may be small, but he couldn't shake the feeling that it meant something: something potentially devastating. As the male Warden was lost in his musings he was suddenly hit with a dread that took no time at all to recognise.

Zevran saw the change in the Warden's posture and eyes, and it didn't take much effort to figure out why. "They are here?"

"Yes, and I am finding some way into this fight, Zevran. Lyle might protect her, but it's my job. She's not only the person who means the most to me, but she is a comrade in the most dangerous duty on Thedas. I can't abandon her now."

The elf's face was sympathetic as he could see how determined Alistair was. "Unless we can find some miracle cure for your leg, my friend, that will not be happening. I made a promise to our Dancer to keep you safe, and I fear her more that you I am afraid."

Alistair stormed away, struggling to keep his emotions in check as he turned his gaze back to the land below. He could now see the first wave of darkspawn incoming and this time he couldn't stop a small scream of rage from leaving him as he was condemned to watch. Little did he know, that a plan has begun to form in the mind of one of their companions: a possible lifeline to give him exactly the chance he was looking for.


Arria stood at the head of her forces and watched the horizon, waiting for the darkspawn to arrive. They were but a minute away now and they were as ready as they were going to be: including her own companions, they had seventy-five ready at the wall of the town to take the full force of the attack while another forty stood guard over those unable to fight at the top of the hill. The extra forces meant they were not so badly outnumbered this time around compared to a few days ago, but there was one factor which was going to change this battle drastically from the previous one. The darkspawn army which was heading toward them didn't boast too many Emissaries, Alistair had felt only half a dozen from long range and Arria could now sense herself there was just that many, but what would be of greatest concern was the seven ogres present. So far they hadn't been able to handle more than three at once, and the mercenaries hadn't been trained in how to cope with them yet. If it came down to it, her own companions were going to have to tackle them alone to minimise casualties.

Another thing which was giving her a headache were the young mages Anders had convinced to join them. Some of them had next to no experience of using their magic in combat, but that wasn't what was concerning her the most. What was worrying her was the leaders of that little group, all of whom had used their spells in battle before: and as a result were rather overconfident in their skills. Had there been time she would have asked both Anders and Morrigan to speak to them more about limiting the amount of power they used in case they overtaxed themselves or potentially hurt some of their own. For now she would just have to pray the extra mages in their line of defence was going to be a help more than a hindrance, and would tip the scales in their favour.

I am coming for you.

Arria shook her head vigorously, trying to block out the hideous voice which had made itself known in the past few minutes as she felt the Taint beginning to awaken. Now that she knew to look out for it, she could feel the fortified Taint within her, and with being able to sense it she had discovered something far worse. The Archdemon itself could now speak within her mind, and it was terrifying her. Somehow it had invaded and was trying to steal her attention away from the approaching battle.

I am coming for you, inferior being. You will fall before me and my spawn.

Like hell I am.

She didn't know if it heard her mental reply but the voice stopped for the moment, allowing her momentary peace before a fierce wave of pain seared up her back. It took almost all her effort to manage to choke back a scream and her balance wobbled slightly, leading to an arm to stretch out and catch her. Without looking up she thanked Lyle, glad he was so near. He looked at her in great concern but their full attention was soon grabbed by a single terrifying shriek from just a hundred metres away.

A single Genlock stood atop a boulder, rallying the darkspawn army which stood behind it as the town's defences began to shrink back. Now that they were confronted with such a force some of their courage had deserted them. "Hold, everyone," commanded Arria in a steady voice, hoping that they wouldn't lose their composure. She could practically feel the fear rolling off them as the darkspawn prepared to charge with the sole intent of destroying everything in their path. The hissing made itself known again and she shook her head, trying anything to break the connection.

Die.

The dark voice echoed through Arria's mind as she simultaneously felt the darkspawn charge. Mustering her own strength and courage, she ran toward the fray and called upon the mages to launch all their spells. Morrigan and Anders both unleashed tempests over the centre of the horde as the rest of the mages hurtled smaller spells in an attempt to halt the ogres. Four of the rampaging beasts were stopped dead in their tracks, one frozen while the other three skidded to a halt in front of a wall of flames before being petrified in place. The final three continued their rampage and Arria hurtled toward one at top speed. Calling upon her full Song, she Shifted through one's swipe and returned to solid form as she skidded along the ground, slashing at its legs and causing it to lose the use of one of them. With its progress halted it released a deafening roar, drawing the attention of the other two and enraging the main horde further. Several spells shot toward her and were either intercepted by those from her own forces, or deflected by her Spirita shield. Another ogre shattered through the magical barrier and she had to tumble away to avoid its deadly swing as the other threw a boulder toward her. Using her momentum she Shifted away, escaping unharmed before running back towards her own people.

Elissa co-ordinated the archers as they rained down a hail of fiery arrows, covering Arria's retreat until she returned to the barricade. Invigorated by the fearlessness shown by the female Warden, the town's mercenaries stood firm as the darkspawn charged toward them. The mages managed to immobilise the final two ogres with freezing spells, leaving them vulnerable as they approached the front line, making it easy for Sten to shatter one, with Lyle and Rod shattering the other. Arria set out another shield to protect her troops as several spells collided above them, the resulting lightning strikes and explosions kept out of reach as the main darkspawn horde finally hit. Battle cries were wrenched from the throats of the mercenaries as they fought tooth and nail with the creatures, trying to keep them away from the mages who were resetting for more attacks as Arria's comrades thrust themselves into the heart of the battle. Elissa, Rod, Morrigan and Anders stayed together, the two non-magic wielders following the lead of their companions in when to attack and defend as they kept up as steady barrage of attacks while Sten followed Arria's orders to the letter: he cut down any darkspawn which slipped past and stopped them before they breached the barricade, protecting their young runner standing by for Arria's signal.

The female Warden and Lyle teamed up to break up the attacking force, using a combination of his shield tactics and her magic to distract some of them and ease the strain on the main wall. As several dozen of them charged the pair retreated, drawing them towards their other companions, who were ready with a barrage to cut them down. Arria and Lyle hit the deck as spells shot overhead and detonated, blowing apart the group. Rod joined the pair as they threw themselves back into the middle of the fight, with Elissa firing her arrows at any easy targets. With the darkspawn either downed or singed, they managed to kill a good number before they sensed they were about to be over-run again. Arria called on them to retreat to the barricade itself, taking shelter behind it as she called upon their young mages again. A stream of spells flew past them, striking their targets and culling most of the remainder. With a spark of hope Arria burst forth, yelling out a battle cry as she sliced and diced through the few still standing. Unaware of the danger hurtling towards her, Lyle broke from cover and knocked her to the ground as a boulder sailed above them, impacting the ground behind as the ogres began to break free from their spells. The mages immobilised them again with either ice or petrification, but the strain was beginning to show as the spells' potency dramatically decreased. The ogres were barely being held back and Arria knew there was a chance they were going to lose the barricade. A quick glance at the mercenaries showed they were losing ground and being forced back into the town itself despite reducing the darkspawn numbers; and more were coming. Knowing they needed a way to funnel the beasts into more manageable numbers, she turned her attention to their runner.

"Mellia, go!" The teenager did not need to be told twice and took off at top speed. Sten looked back to the female Warden and she nodded in acknowledgement, encouraging the qunari to protect the girl. He obeyed without question and gave chase, though he could not hope to keep up with someone who possessed the light-footedness of an elf like Mellia. Arria was about to give the order to retreat when she felt an arm pull her into a warm body as several impacts made themselves known into a shield. The burn she felt up her back was steadily getting worse as was the headache making itself known, further detracting from her attention and making her vulnerable.

When the body freed her from its grasp she watched as Lyle cut down three darkspawn while more spells shot past, halting the darkspawn advance temporarily. The younger Gilmore then came back towards her and looked deep into her eyes, seeing how she was struggling. A quick look at her side confirmed his fears as the black parasite marred her skin, confirming that the Taint was affecting her. "Arria, this is too dangerous for you. This many darkspawn is going to seriously hurt you," he informed, knowing all too well what her answer was going to be.

"Lyle, I can't pull back now. I'm the only one safe from being Tainted by these things. I'm a Grey Warden, it's my duty to combat the darkspawn no matter the cost," she argued, knowing this wasn't the time for such a discussion. "We are in a battle!"

"And you aren't seeing all the danger as it's coming! Arria, you are vulnerable, and we are starting to lose this. We have to pull back!"

Before she could argue further several screams from nearby caught their attention, and they watched in horror as they saw a mage's power swirl around them, clutching their head in agony. "Don't…Stop! NO!" he screeched before a primal yell was wrenched from his throat. Arria felt the change in the air and the breath froze in her lungs as she realised just what was happening: the mages had been pushing their limits without being careful of how much power they were using, and now one of them had paid the ultimate price, possibly dooming the whole of Silverfalls with it. By forcing themselves too much they had left themselves vulnerable to the influence of demons, and he had probably not known that a demon had tempted him with the offer of more power, only to leave his mind open and corruptible. It wasn't even certain they could hold back the darkspawn, if an Abomination entered the fray and summoned all its undead minions, it would mean grave casualties at best. She knew that if the demon which was invading the mage's mind managed to fully manifest, the people taking shelter within the town itself would be completely exposed; having seen such a massacre when Merlinne fell.

With a defiant shout Arria charged in, Lyle right behind as she attempted to end the threat before it began. Just as she reached the mage a burst of energy threw back everything within range, leaving in its place a Pride demon of frightening power. To all of the town's defences it was a crippling blow but most of them were forced into turning their attention back to the darkspawn, their march unrelenting. The Wardens' group switched their focus to the new, more dangerous, threat as they left the rest to deal with the fiends as best they could, though without Arria's direction their line soon faltered. The darkspawn charged into the town and the mercenaries gave chase, intent upon stopping them from reaching the summit.

Anders and Morrigan began building simultaneous blizzard spells as Arria, Rod and Lyle drew its attention while Elissa launched arrow after arrow in a desperate attempt to slow it down. Everyone could feel the beast building a spell and they knew they had to stop it, though none but Arria had ever faced such a creature. The female Warden's strength was beginning to fade with the Taint in her back sapping all her energy and it took all of her effort just to evade, unable to launch a successful attack. Pulling back to try and take a breather, she crashed to one knee as her vision began to blur. Rod and Lyle could not get close to the beast and the spell continued to gather power at an alarming rate, a rate much faster than Anders and Morrigan could launch their own attacks. With Elissa's arrows not causing much damage and Arria too frail to enter close combat the Pride demon successfully completed its spell, and with a deafening roar it released the energy to devastating effect. Arria cast a shield in front of her allies to protect them from the shockwave generated but it caused a lancing pain to make itself known all the way down her back and sides.

Though she may have saved them from being left vulnerable by the attack, they could not stop the catastrophic effects dealt to the town as a result. Anders and Morrigan finally completed their blizzard spells and unleashed them upon the demon, the rest of the Wardens' group withdrawing. The combined power of the two mages proved to be enough and the dual swings of the Gilmore brothers destroyed the fiend, but the damage had already been done. Elissa screamed in horror as she saw undead skeletons begin to rise out of the ground in alarming numbers, reducing their chances of saving the town to near zero. They laid waste to all around them but realised that there would be many more within the town itself, the shockwave having passed through all of the surrounding landscape. Arria called upon all her allies to follow her into the heart of the town, pushing away the pain as best she could and surrendering to her Song entirely.

The centre of Silverfalls had become a war zone with almost everything the darkspawn having touched aflame as the town was ripped apart. Breath was stolen away from the bodies of almost all Arria's group as they saw the devastation but the Dancer raced ahead, with pain both physical and from her memories blazing in her mind. She knew it was only a matter of time before the Taint caused her strength to completely fail and the damage became much more serious. Thoughts of how much damage had already been caused didn't even enter her head as she threw herself into battle, using every skill at her disposal to cripple both the darkspawn and the undead army which had arisen. Human voices were becoming more scarce and it slowly began to dawn on them that they were losing all their forces to the dual assault.

With the rest of her companions following her bold lead they led assaults upon smaller groups of the many creatures, but the crumbling of the town around them meant they were in danger of becoming separated. As they finally broke through to where the buildings were not yet ablaze the group were faced with a new danger. Only a handful of mercenaries were left standing, almost all of them having fallen to the dual dangers of the darkspawn and the undead hordes as Arria's band approached and the three mages used their magic to catch the attention of all that they could. What they did not expect to find in response was myriad of spells hurtled back in their direction from a cluster of Emissaries and Arria was forced into using her shield. Though she managed to deflect the first few she knew that to take the impacts of the rest might cause her to collapse under the strain, a horrible truth having become obvious to her. Somehow her Spirita abilities, especially her magic shield, were acting like a catalyst to the fortified Taint and hastening her downfall; in an effort to keep herself in the battle she would have to sacrifice that defence. She ordered them to hit the deck and the last waves of magic passed overhead to collide with the buildings behind them, triggering a hail of debris to rain down on the area.

All of Arria's group managed to escape unharmed by diving away at the last moment, but they were left divided. Morrigan was isolated but safe from harm due to the blockade while Rod, Elissa and Anders were left trapped with a fairly sizable group of darkspawn, though their numbers were greatly reduced due to the collapse killing many of the fiends. Arria and Lyle were stuck with the last surviving Emissary and Arria managed to kill it with one of her daggers before it regained its senses, leaving them with a handful of skeletons and three darkspawn. Lyle sliced through the skeletons with little effort as Arria retrieved her blade while exterminating the darkspawn as swiftly as she could. Just as they thought they were safe an explosion of magic from beneath the blockade threw them back and they hit the ground dazed. Arria's mind was clouded with the impact and the intense pain of her body but through her blurry vision she could just make out the outline of a Revenant approaching, its hand raised as it prepared to launch its Spirit magic. Left with no choice, she forced her exhausted body to its feet and used her Spirita shield to protect both her and Lyle. "Arria!" he cried as he got back to his feet, watching in horror as he saw spell after spell crash into her barrier until one large wave of magic caused it to literally shatter before his eyes.

As it broke into a thousand pieces Arria felt her last strength evaporate and stumbled backwards, her body feeling weightless as she somehow stayed on her feet but her awareness left her. Her mind was trapped in her memories as she recalled how she saw her whole civilization collapse under the attack of those who feared them: how their power deserted them in their time of need and how she was powerless to stop her people's demise. Despite all the chaos and destruction around her she had somehow lived through it to see the aftermath and a world where she was a scourge, condemned to living in hiding. As her mind's eye forced her to re-live those times she was oblivious to reality and the advance of the Revenant. Lyle, realising that she was completely blind to the danger it presented grabbed his blade and stepped between the fiend and the woman he had come to cherish like family.

The being roared in displeasure as Lyle's blade clashed with its own, deflecting a killer blow meant for Arria and the knight swung out to keep it away from her as she continued to stare off into space. The empty look in her eyes frightened him as they glazed over to appear completely sightless, suspecting that the Taint was taking hold of her. The Revenant struck out again, forcing Lyle into parrying but the Gilmore brother could not really stand up to the might of such a being, not without the magical protection. Spirit magic caught his shield and forced it away from his body, immobilising his arm. Pinned in position, it was only a matter before his defence faltered. Lyle managed to fend off several blows before the Revenant channelled more energy through his lasso, causing Lyle to scream in agony and drop his sword from the shock, leaving him defenceless.

Arria's mind flew through scenes of her final battle in Merlinne and what remained of Nileesa in the days that followed: of a wasteland incinerated and bodies scattered across that landscape. A sharp, but brief cry rang through her mind and some of the fog cleared, her memories of more than a year ago mixing with scenes from that day as Silverfalls stood upon the same precipice. Bodies of her people from Nileesa morphed into Ferelden mercenaries, bodies ravaged by magic and blades were instead mutilated by darkspawn and the undead until her sight finally returned, but as it did her breath froze. Lyle was immobile before her, his arm pinned in a stream of Spirit magic as the Revenant's blade had pierced straight through his chest. The metal implement was all that was keeping him upright, the wound bleeding profusely. "No…" she whispered, unable to believe what she was seeing but the Revenant did not give her a chance to strike back, instead releasing a wave of magic which sent the pair of them hurtling into a broken building as they were buried beneath a pile of debris from the impact. As the objects came crashing down one struck Arria in the side of the head, dazing her once more as waves of pain ripped through her body.

Looks like this is it…


Aren't you all glad I'm uploading the second part in quick succession? I'm not so cruel as to leave it on that cliffhanger for long. Less than 24 hours to the conclusion!

Negative Angel