9:34 – Kirkwall – Lowtown, Hightown

Demands of the Qun


"…"

"What? No questions, Seeker? Thoughts? Concerns?"

"Shut up and talk, dwarf! This is my favorite part."

"…Wait, did you actually read this before dragging me here?"

"Yes, it was my copy I threw at you."

"And stabbed."

"Yes." There is a brief bit of awkward silence. "Now talk."

"Right then."


The screams were worse in Lowtown than at the Docks. Aveline and I had to constantly change our path because burning debris blocked our way. The smoke choked everything, and at one point, I made us stop and wrap magically-soaked cloths over our mouths, just to lessen the damage to our throats and lungs.

At least the Alienage was safe. Merrill and Anders had taken care of that.

"I figured something was wrong when Darktown started to overflow," Anders panted, gratefully accepting a little bit of water from Aveline. I was checking the gates with Merrill, making sure they were firmly shut and secure. "I think there are even some nobles down there."

"Maker, this is a mess," Aveline sighed. She rolled her shoulder, wincing at the movement. Anders immediately started tending to her. "Thank you."

"So, Hawke, are we under attack?" Merrill asked me, drawing me out of my eavesdropping. I couldn't help but give her a look. "An attack-attack, I mean. Not like 'oh, some strange people have made a big mess of things'?"

"Actually, Merrill, that can sum up basically everything in Kirkwall," I sighed. I checked the gate one more time, just out of paranoia. "But, you're asking if this is some local gang, or perhaps one or two blood mages again?"

"Yes, that. So?"

"Nope. Qunari."

"Oh." There was a long pause. "I wonder if they'd been so cranky if they could've gotten their horns scratched." I honestly couldn't help the bit of laughter that escaped. "Oh, yay, you smiled!" She bounced a bit on her toes. Seeing how she was barefoot as always, I prayed she wouldn't step on something sharp or burning. "But this is a bit of a mess, isn't it?"

"It is." Rattling the gates one more time, I knocked on it to call through, "all right, it's secure." I knew there had to be at least one elf on the other side. "Will you all be all right in there?"

"So long as the fire doesn't spread to here, and you don't take forever," someone replied instantly. An elderly man, if I had to guess from the voice. "We'll keep an eye out for the shem as well. Might not like them, but death by ox-horn isn't something I'd wish on them."

"It's more kidnapping, actually," Anders mumbled absently, finishing up on Aveline's shoulder. Oh, that was so much better. "At least, that's what I've heard."

"Even worse. Go get them!" Nodding, I briefly caught his hand in a reassuring grip and released it, already running towards the stairs that would lead to Hightown. The footsteps behind me told me that the others were following. Good.

I turned a corner and stopped suddenly, staring. There was a group of Wardens in Lowtown, for some reason, and right in the center of them was Carver. "Guys, go on ahead," I requested. Anders was, unsurprisingly, the first to obey, no doubt still worried the Wardens would drag him back. Aveline wasn't far behind, moving to keep herself between our healer and the Wardens. Merrill trailed behind, waving happily as Carver lifted his head and saw them. He blinked slowly before turning to where I was. I smiled half-heartedly, and he immediately broke off from his group to come to me.

"Somehow, I knew you'd show up in this mess." Despite the surly words, the hug he gave me was warm, if awkward from all the armor both of us wore. "You're always in trouble, Sister," he murmured. His voice was strangely shaky. "Can you even take a walk without someone trying to kill you?"

"Well, at least it's not completely my fault?" I tried to joke, patting his arm. He pulled away and I looked again at the Wardens, noting their light injuries, likely from fighting some qunari. One of them looked familiar a bit familiar to mes, and I called the first name I thought of, "Stroud?" The Warden turned to face me, confirming I suspected. "Well, it has been a bit."

"It has indeed." He walked over to me, bowing slightly. "This is… not something I expected when I recommended we take a shortcut through Kirkwall." Ah, that was the problem with shortcuts. "Clearly, I need to pay more attention to my stories." He shrugged and I couldn't help but smile. "Regardless, as painful as this is to say, we… will not be able to assist you in this." Oh? What a surprise. "We are already late for our latest duty, and it is of utmost importance."

"It's fine," I told him, glancing to the side to check on my own little group. They were just within sights, fighting a group that had been guarding the stairs. "I wasn't expecting reinforcements."

"We will let the other cities know." There was something in his tone that made me think he both wished and didn't wish that he could help me further. Weird. "They should be able to send their armies. The Qunari declared war with this, and perhaps invite another Exalted March."

"Because of course what the world needs is another march killing everyone, right?" I smiled wryly and he gave me an equally sardonic one in return. "Please keep an eye on Carver. I'm sure he's still a handful."

"Sometimes, but he has all the skills Anders promised and more. I am grateful for Commander Tabris calling the Right, though I do wish he wasn't required to spy on us for her." I gave Carver a questioning look, but he smiled innocently and shrugged. "We must move."

"And I need to return to my friends." I shrugged. "Safe travels."

"To you as well." He nodded a goodbye and signaled his fellows to continue going. Carver briefly gripped my hand before turning away, and I left them without turning back, noting how the qunari were dead and Anders was tending to Aveline and Merrill. Good, now I just needed to catch up and-

"There you are!" It took me a minute to recognize Uncle Gamlen as he stumbled towards me. He was much thinner than when I last saw him, with dark circles under his eyes. "What are you doing out here?" he demanded, taking my arm and dragging me towards the Hanged Man. I saw others heading in and wondered if it was being set up for a shelter. "Those damn qunari are attacking if it wasn't obvious. Let's get into shelter!"

"…Uncle, I'm fighting them," I told him, absolutely startled by his reaction. No one had ever tried to put me out of danger before.

"No, enough of that!" He tried to pull me, but I dug my heels. I glanced back at the others, and saw they hadn't noticed anything yet. "You're going where it's safe!"

"No one else is doing anything!"

"Aveline is! I just saw her!"

"She's limited! I'm not!"

"You…!" And then Uncle Gamlen started sobbing, and I was just staring. "Damn it, girl, why can't you be selfish like Leandra? Like your father? Do what's best for you and no one else?" I… actually, good question. Maker knew I was tired enough. But still…

"I've got to go." I hugged him tightly, pressing my cheek against his. "I'll see you later." Then I let go and ran, leaving him behind as I took the stairs two at a time.

Why was I doing all this? No one would blame me if I just took care of the civilians. Was it just because Aveline asked or…?


There was fighting in Hightown. That automatically made me mad. But it was worse because I saw Orana and Bodhan huddled in the corner, with Fenris and Knight-Commander Meredith defending them.

"Serah!" Bodhan yelled, waving at me as the enemies thinned. "Oh, thank goodness you're all right!" He held my hand as I rushed over to hug them both. Orana shook so badly as she clung to me. "I've been so worried!"

"Where's Sandal?" I asked, resting my chin on Orana's head. "Is he all right?"

"I'd assume so. He's back at the estate." Here was hoping nothing was burned. "Fenris saved us. Knight-Commander Meredith ran up after from the docks."

"I saw Master Tethras there, assisting some people to hide in the… brothel," Meredith added, casually slinging blood off her greatsword. "Well met, Lady Hawke, Guard-Captain. I gather negotiations did not work. As I expected."

"They might've if someone had bothered to do them sooner," I growled, frowning at her. I stood up, carefully helping Orana up with me. "Feed your ego later, please."

"Hawke, that was aloud," Fenris whispered in my ear.

"I know."

He gave me a bit of an odd look before saying something to Orana in a language I didn't understand. The fact that she spoke it back perfectly made me think it was Imperial. "She's calm enough to walk to a refuge. Bodhan can keep them both safe."

"I'll just namedrop my lady, and I think no one with think to bother us," Bodhan laughed cheerily. He patted my arm. "Good luck, serah." As I watched them leave, I saw Meredith had decided to talk with Aveline and completely ignore me. That was fine, so long as she continued to ignore Anders and Merrill as well.

"Are you all right?" I glanced at Fenris, a little startled by the question. He simply stared right back at me, and repeated, "are you all right?"

"Never better," I lied with a smile. I walked past him and thought I felt his hand brush my own, but surely it was my imagination. "Okay, people, how are we on injuries and the like?"

"Injuries? Few," Anders answered as he bandaged Aveline's face. An arrow had grazed her. I could see his fingers twitch to use magic, but Meredith was right there. "Exhaustion… that's probably more of a problem."

"I… can agree to that," Merrill whispered. She leaned against an abandoned stall, complexion ashen. "I thought I was used to running around, but I guess I'm not anymore, huh?" It… had been a long while since she'd accompanied me on one of the various things I did around Kirkwall. "Oh, but don't slow down on my part! I can… keep going. I think."

"All right," I murmured, frowning a little from worry. She simply smiled back. "Now, then… ah, Meredith, how are your injuries?"

"Non-existent," Meredith answered bluntly. She slowly stretched out her arms. "I must make it to my templars. They should be with the rest of the mages."

"How were you separated?"

"Aside from the general chaos?" She gestured to the nearby piles of fire for emphasis. "Some had the idea of attacking the Gallows, where we left behind the younger of our recruits and apprentices. I chose to show them the error of their ways." Ah, right.

"Oh, look, everyone but Rivaini!" A smile found its way onto my face as Varric walked down the stairs towards us, Bianca in hand. "Glad to see everyone all fighting fit," he continued dryly. He winced as a burning stall collapsed. "Andraste's tits, this is going to be a big scar. And that's not counting what the people are going through."

"Varric, do you know where everyone seems to be hiding?" Aveline asked him, heading his way. I frowned when I noticed her limping. Had something managed to slip between the joints? "My guards?"

"The guards that didn't get rounded up are at the Blooming Rose, defending the people who hid there." There was something amusing about the idea of the brothel being a safe haven. "Well, those that couldn't make it to the Chantry, I'm sure. I thought I saw your Donnic head that way." Varric smirked and Aveline flushed, muttering something no-doubt unflattering under her breath. "The biggest fighting is in front of the Estates near the Keep." Oh, joy. I hoped Sandal was all right. And that I had a house to keep them safe when all this was over. "I was heading that way when I thought I saw you lot."

"If it is in front of the Keep, then they may already be in control," Meredith declared. She was already heading for the stairs. "We must deal with them." Well, thank you for stating the obvious. "They must be taking hostages, to force everyone important into one place to be executed." She glanced at me. "We need to go. They must pay for this outrage." She stormed off then, without even checking to see if anyone was following. Exchanging a look and a shrug with the others, we all began to head after her. Varric caught my hand as I passed and I stopped to face him. Fenris lingered a bit when he saw us, but I gestured for him to continue without us and, with a brief bit of hesitancy, he did as I asked.

"So, where's Rivaini?" Varric asked when it was just us. I sighed, trying to think of how to answer. "Did she leave?" Relieved he figured it out, I nodded. "Ah." He gently took my hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "You up for this?"

"Is there a choice?" I asked in response.

"Technically. But you probably wouldn't pick another way." He and I exchanged looks and rushed to catch up with the others who'd gone ahead.

We found chaos. Mages and templars were fighting for their lives as the qunari swarmed them. My friends had joined them, attempting to help, but even as Varric shot arrows with an accuracy only Bianca could do, I realized that if the battle didn't end soon, we wouldn't be able to do anything in the Keep. So, I ran into the fray to try and find Meredith and whoever had been leading this group, hoping to coordinate a strategy.

"First Enchanter Orsino," I heard Meredith call. I turned in time to see her crash through the battle to reach the elven mage's side. So, Orsino had been handling things here? "You've survived."

"Your relief overwhelms me, Knight-Commander," Orsino snapped back, casting a fireball as his back hit hers. "Truly, I am grateful." While I was all for sarcasm, was now really the time?

Meredith glanced around, glaring at all the qunari. "All right, listen to me."

"Are you joking?! We already have a strategy!"

"It's obviously not working, so-"

"You can't just jump into a fight and give orders!"

As they continued to squabble, I just stared, not believing my eyes. We were in the middle of a crisis, and two of the supposed leaders of the city were at each other's throats. Instead of, I don't know, working together to fix this. "Oh, screw this," I growled marching right past them. Something crackled in my head. I was done. I was so done with all of this. "You're both incompetent!" And, not caring on who saw, I slung my magic at the pillars, commanding it to freeze and build into a towering ice wall that shut out the charging qunari warriors and blocked the qunari mages from attacking. "Argue like children when we're out of the crisis!" And everyone wasn't bleeding and dying around us!

"Sister!" Oh, Bethany was here. She caught my sleeve, tugging on it with a bloody hand. "Sister, I can't close this wound!" she sobbed, tears streaming down her face. I noticed she cradled Ella in her arms, and the deep axe wound bled sluggishly. "The heal spell won't catch!"

I knelt beside her, and held a hand over the wound, using my magic to study it. I titled my head to the side and called upon the Spirit I made a pact with for my Spirit Healer abilities. A quick pulse of power, and the wound began to knit itself up. "There we go," I murmured. I wiped the tears off Bethany's face. "She'll be fine, though probably scarred."

"Thank you…" She breathed a sigh of relief before gasping. "Wait… oh! I'm sorry, Sister!" Hmm? "I panicked, but… oh, there are…"

"If you're worried about the lovely templars finding out I'm a mage, don't be." I slowly stood up and stretched to pop my back. "I'm sure Meredith and Orsino both knew as soon as they saw me." I twisted to face them both. Orsino simply shrugged, while Meredith glowered. "After all, both, I'm sure, are aware there is only one way I could have white hair, since Father's wasn't natural." Bethany made some sort of sound, but I focused simply on the two leaders. "So, done with your… debate?"

"No, but there is no time to talk," Meredith declared, crossing her arms in front of her to appear more intimidating. "We must strike back, before it's too late." Wait, was that not what we'd been doing? Killing people?

"And, let me guess, you are going to lead us into battle," Orsino retorted dryly, kneeling to tend to a bleeding mage close by.

"I will fight to defend this city, as I have always done." Oh, Maker, were they arguing again?

"To control it, you mean. You know nothing of how mages can coordinate to fight armies, and I won't have our lives tossed to the flames to feed your vanity." Oh, they were. I glanced around and caught Cullen rubbing at his temple like he had a headache. I got his eye, pointed at the two, and mouthed 'are they always like this?' to him. He simply nodded and I bit back a groan. For crying out loud, we needed to do something, not kill each other while debating who led what.

Feeling a headache coming on, I returned my attention back to the wall I had created, and noticing the cracks forming, no doubt from the qunari trying to break through. I held my hand in front of me and called to the magic still lurking in the ice to follow my orders. It hummed in anticipation as more cracks appeared. As the shouting grew louder behind me, I clenched my hand into a fist to shatter the wall into thousands of shards. The qunari behind stared in fear at the hovering pieces, but only started running when I used my hand to slice the air, silently launching the ice shards like knives. By then, of course, it was too late to escape.

By the time all the ice ran out, every qunari between here and the front of the Keep was dead.

"Well, look at that," I declared lightly, glancing at Meredith and Orsino over my shoulder. Both were silent, wide eyed and pale with shock, slack jawed as they stared. "I seem to have taken care of them all." I smiled wryly. "Who'd have thought I was doing your jobs again, right?" Yeah, I was so done with everything. "Look, we can discuss my whole 'going into the Circle' thing later, when we're not in a crisis. As for what you two groups do, I don't frankly care. I've a plan of my own, and I'll carry it out without you." As they both continued to stare, I turned to Aveline. "Our typical group well and good?"

"Yes," Aveline confirmed. She shook some blood off her sword, studied me, and nodded. "You want the side entrances used by the guards. A small group like ours can fit in easily." Perfect. "I'll lead the way."

"I love you, Aveline. Let's make this as quick as possible." Then I could go back to… figuring out what in Andraste's blood I was supposed to be doing nowadays.


We got in easy. No problem. But then we got out of the barracks without trouble. No one was there as we hunted around the Keep, narrowing down the murmurs and muffled screams to the locked throne room, way in the back.

"Why doesn't the Viscount do anything?" Aveline whispered as we fumbled with the door. Why did they have to lock it?! "I know he is in mourning, but surely…" Deciding to just screw everything and be dramatic, I stepped back, launched a stone fist to destroy the door, and walked inside, right over the sad little splinters of the proud door. But to make it even more dramatic, my entrance was perfectly timed with a head bouncing down the staircase to the throne.

If I hadn't recognized the head, I certainly recognized the iron crown that slipped off it, rolling to hit my feet. "It's because he's too dead to care, Aveline," I whispered, stepping around the crown, ignoring the huddled crowds against the wall. My focus was on the Arishok, who had not yet noticed us, his back still towards the door. "That's why."

"Must you joke now?"

"It wasn't meant to be one." Strangely, there was no answer to that. "Come now. No sarcastic comment?" I turned around and balked when I saw they had all been captured without my noticing. I wondered how it could have been so silent, considering my friends, but realized the nearby children had blades at their throats. Using hostages to get more hostages… that was just sick, though I was certain my destroying the door had done nothing to help. Damn my impatience…

The qunari holding my friends nodded at me, gesturing for me to continue walking, and threw my friends into the small crowd of hostages. I debated ignoring their obvious hint to try and get them, but one look was enough to see that wasn't possible. Not with all the civilians. The dark looks on all their faces told me they'd realized the same. So, I was forced to turn away, and return my attention back to the Arishok, still standing up by the throne. But, by now, he had turned to face the room, and his face was already purpling with anger. This… wasn't good.

"Look at you…" he scoffed in disgust, a dark glare fixed to his face. "Like fat dathrasi, you feed and feed and complain only when your meal is interrupted." He descended the stairs, snarling as the hostages whimpered and skittered away from him and the other qunari. "You do not look up. You do not see the grass is bare. All you leave in your wake is misery." He reached the bottom and growled menacingly, as if he weren't intimidating enough. "You are blind. I will make you see." He suddenly looked up, straight at me, and calmed almost instantly. "But we have a guest."

"I apologize for not knocking," I stated lightly, tilting my head back to indicate the splinters, as I walked to stand in front of him. "I hope the sound didn't startle you."

"No, I did not hear them over their mewling." Or, you know, the blood rushing to his ear in sheer anger? That made far more sense. "Shanedan, Hawke. I have been expecting you." He bowed slightly to me, before palming his still bloody axe. "Maraas toh ebra-shok." What? "You alone are basalit-an." Was that a good thing? "This is what respect looks like, bas!" And he was back to yelling at the poor hostages. "Some of you will never earn it!"

"They certainly won't if you make them die of heart attacks." I saw a small girl whimpering and staring at me, so I smiled reassuringly. "Why take them?"

"The qunari waste nothing." Oh, well, that was good. "And I knew by taking them, I would draw you out." That… damn it. "So, tell me, Hawke." He rested his axe on his shoulder again. "You know I am denied Par Vollen until the Tome of Koslun is found."

"And I told you it was no longer in Kirkwall," I reminded, making sure to look him right in the eye, even as an annoyed glower forced its way onto my face. "You could try to go after it."

"But that will not solve this conflict now." No, I guessed it wouldn't. "So, how would you see this conflict resolved without the tome?"

"Hey, who broke the door? I was going to kick it in and be all dramatic!" …I knew that voice. But it was impossible. She shouldn't be… she couldn't be… And yet, when I turned to look at the source of all the gasps, I saw Isabela waltz in, book tucked firmly under her arm. She smiled briefly at our friends among the hostages, but she came directly to my side, right in front of the Arishok. "Anyway, I believe I can answer that," she declared lightly, with her carefree smile. "It's… mostly undamaged, at least." She handed the Tome to the Arishok, as if she hadn't just done the exact opposite of what I expected her to do. What all of us had expected. "Sorry, Hawke, that it took me a while to get back." I blinked slowly, not quite comprehending anything. "All the fighting… well, you know how it is." Oh, she was talking to me. Right. Well, the Arishok was paging through the book, so I could afford to ignore him for a second, right?

"Shouldn't you be long gone by now?" I asked, unable to think of anything. Tears stung my eyes, and I had the overwhelming urge to just laugh. "You left. There was a note and everything. How did you even write it, anyway?"

"Eh, I just used his blood. Not like I carry a pen on me everywhere like Varric." She shrugged, looking off to the side awkwardly. "Anyway, this is your damned influence!" She shook her head, laughing at herself. "Pathetic, huh? I was halfway to Ostwick before I just knew I had to turn around."

The sound of a book snapping shut caught my ear, and I returned my attention to the Arishok in time to see him hand the Tome over to another qunari warrior. "The relic is reclaimed," the Arishok announced. I felt like sighing in relief. "I am now free to return to Par Vollen." And the invasion was over, as well as the fighting, thank the- "With the thief." Only Isabela's paling face, and the yells of protests from my friends, in particular Aveline, told me I had heard correctly.

"Is there a point to that?" I asked. I stepped in front of Isabela protectively, glaring at him. "You have the tome. Leave her with us."

"No, she stole from us." I hated how stubborn he was. "So, she must return. For our judgment." Yeah, to force her into the religion, in a best-case scenario.

"You can't have her." I drew myself tall, to match him. "I won't let you."

"Then you leave me no choice." But the slight smile told me he'd been expecting this too. "I challenge you, Hawke." What. "You and I will duel to the death, with her as the prize." What.

"I'm no one's prize!" Isabela snapped behind me. Yeah, I knew that would incite her. "If you're going to duel, duel me."

"No, you are a thief and a liar. Unworthy." And I was. Somehow. Ugh, how did I make him and the other qunari like me enough to do stuff like this?

"I'm a mage," I reminded him. There were gasps all around, but I focused on him. "Saarabas."

"No, you are basilit-an," he corrected easily. "You simply have something in common with the saarabas."

"That's convenient."

"That is the way of the Qun." He suddenly smiled, and all the fear in the world surged down my spine. "Besides, I was Avaraad before I was Arishok." Oh. Oh, flames, he was basically a templar. Maker… I was so done with everything. "So, your answer?"

"I accept the challenge." There was another set of gasps, and I half-thought I heard protests and sobs mingling in the sound.

"Meravas!" he suddenly boomed. Everything quieted instantly. "So shall it be! Take the thief with the other hostages."

"Hawke, don't do this," Isabela hissed in my ear even as the qunari guards grabbed her. "Just say 'no' and run."

"Tell Aveline to try and organize an escape," I told her, walking towards the center of the room. The Arishok walked beside me, and his fellow qunari dragged everyone towards the sides, to form a ring around us. "I'll buy her all the time I can."

"Hawke!" But she was dragged away, and the Arishok and I set up on opposite sides of the room. I glanced around and thought I saw my friends trying to get through to help me, only to be pushed and punched back. Near the entrance, I saw Meredith and Orsino, held still only by the swords at their necks. I had no idea about any other mages and templars, but I was certain they were spread around, kept in check just like everyone else. It was around this time that I realized all the problems with agreeing to this. He was the leader of the Qunari military for a reason. And I was tired. Whenever I'd try to cast a spell, he'd deflect it easily and I had no way of knowing if it was similar to a templar's.

Still, I wasn't going down without a serious fight. If I could just buy time for my friends to hatch a plan and get everyone out, then it would all be good. Just had to last until then.

Or so I hoped. As it was, well… after casting a couple of useless spells, I tried to fight him as a warrior, just to keep fighting. Just to buy more time. But he blocked it easily, shaking his head, and the axe handle thudding into my head really made me want to just stop, with pain exploding in my temple and blood pouring down the side of my face. As I stumbled, thought about collapsing, he slammed a fist into gut and my breath came out in horrible choked gasps. A blow to my shoulder sent another wave of pain ricocheting through me, and I couldn't move my left arm at all as I was kicked back, crashing to my back, seeing stars, hearing screams, sword clattering somewhere at my side. Maker, even as I rolled over automatically, to cough up the little bit of blood choking me, I just felt like stopping. Because everyone was just starting, everyone was just watching, and maybe if I stopped, they'd move.

I looked up and saw the Arishok throwing a dagger at me. My treacherous body rolled out of the way. A scream caught my attention. A child, caught behind me, now in the path. Without even thinking about it, barely looking as I tried to get my feet back under me, I used my only working arm to cast an ice spell. Froze the knife solid and crushed in into flakes that fell harmlessly to the ground.

As I still struggled to push myself up, though, I had to ask why. Why had I moved at all? Why was I still moving? Why, when I just wanted to stop, had I wanted to help that little boy? Why hadn't I let someone else deal with it?

Because that child hadn't done anything wrong. That child still needed a protector. So did the others here, caught between worthless, blind leaders who cared more for their own power, prestige, and paranoia than doing their jobs. Who cared more about waging wars on principles than anything else?

And I wanted to be that protector. I had always wanted to be that protector. I wanted to be the someone who protect the innocent, if ignorant, citizens when everything fell apart. But I denied it, because I had my family to guard. I denied it, because after Father's death, I felt I had no choice but to take up his mantle.

That was what Mother meant, wasn't it? This is what she'd been apologizing for. She'd been trying to tell me it way okay. Escape the chains; escape the cage. Fly.

And, Andraste's burning blood, I was going to fly.

Finally getting myself up, I focused on my breathing, shaky but deep, and I conjured up a Spirit Aura to heal myself. For the first time in years, my head felt clear. Why had I been fighting like a warrior? Why was I hiding? I was a mage. I declared myself such. I should fight like a mage. Even if he deflected it, there were ways to use it in a different way. Magic was versatile. Magic was beautiful. Magic was not simply a weapon, designed only for attacking, like a warrior. Magic could be used to deflect like a shield, to heal, to trap.

No more hiding. No more chains. I could do this. I could do this.

When all the wounds were healed enough to move, I deactivated the aura, picked up my fallen sword, and lifted my head at last to look right at the Arishok. He had been waiting for me, and when my gaze met his, he grinned.

There were gasps all around, murmurs, cheers of encouragement I was certain were from my dearest companions, but I just smiled. "Sorry, I think I'm ready now," I told him, adjusting the grip on my sword. I had a plan now. I'd only get one shot to make it work, but I had one. A way to figure out a weakness to that anti-magic shield of his. "Let's get begin this again."

"Yes," he agreed easily, palming his axe. "Now that you have the fire in your eyes at last."

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

Without another word, the two of us both lunged forward, blades striking and fleeing as we fought. As I parried and dodged, I waited for the right sort of movement from him, trying to minimize the slashes and blows. A slash to the arm spurted blood, but was healed with a simple healing spell. A hilt to my knee nearly lost me my head. Twists to dodge reopened the earlier wounds. But I still kept moving, fighting, wiping and slinging blood off as he grinned, swinging precisely and continuously, not letting up at all as he tried to force me into a corner. Then, at last, I saw the opening I needed, the rhythm of the fight lulling us both into complacency. So, taking the gamble, I purposely put a hole in my guard, knowing he'd seize it, even if it couldn't be a killing blow.

There was a gasp in the crowd as the axe bit up and into my side, but I smirked through the pain, ignoring his frown, and dropped my sword to grip his arm tightly. "Well," I began lightly, lightning crackling at my fingertips. Ha! "It seems you have the same weakness as the templars." He had just enough time to gape before I shot chain lightning through him to stun him. Taking advantage, I knocked out the weapon, gritting my teeth at the second shot of pain, and launched a stone fist at him to send him flying back. As he fell to his knees winded, I cast a simple healing spell to patch it up, backing up to get some distance. Then, as he tried to get his footing, I iced the floor around him to make him slip, before casting another lightning spell to crack the ceiling above him, letting the pieces crash down on his head before throwing a fireball to disorient him further. Mages. Fight a mage without the fancy shield, and see just what could happen.

Unfortunately, the fireball wasn't as effective as I hoped and he recovered fast, charging for me without weapons. In an attempt to dodge, I stepped wrong and he took advantage of it to slam his fist into my abdomen, sending me up into the air, crashing into a pillar. But even as I coughed up blood, I got my feet under me, fire wrapping around my hands. I saw his eyes widen before I lunged forward, taking advantage of the height to grab at his face. One fiery hand simply wrapped around his horn. The other? Right over his eye.

He roared in pain as I flipped over him, and the screaming continued as I landed, placed my hand right on his back, and sent another lightning spell into him. I half-wondered if that would be the killing blow right there, but then he jerked his elbow back and it crashed into my chest, sending me skidding back, tripping and crashing onto my ass.

Both of us were breathing heavily. Both of us were wounded, me more so than him. If this didn't end soon, we were both going to die, and we both knew it.

So, I pushed myself up. He slowly turned to face me. We stared at each other for what seemed like a while, everything silent around us. I glanced briefly to the side, noting my fallen sword. Okay, I had an idea. If I failed, I was dead, but if I didn't do it, I was dead, so why not take the gamble?

I stepped back, shoulders slumping briefly before I straightened, bringing my arms up. I wanted to close my eyes to help with my concentration, but I knew if I did, he'd lunge forward and kill me. So, I kept them open, watching as the air warmed and crackled. Watching as I cast not only Firestorm, but Tempest as well. I watched him growl and conjure up his anti-magic barrier, stepping to avoid the debris the magic kicked up.

What he didn't see was me running for my sword and scooping it up. At least, not until I had it in my hand, racing for his blind side and wrapping lightning around the blade. He swung for me wildly as soon as I was close enough, but I dodged, whirling as I jumped up, braced myself against his back, and, with all the strength I had left, drove my sword deep into back, letting my lightning magic course through him one more time. He loosed another bellow and tried to fling me off, but I just shifted my feet on his back to keep my balance and, soon, he lost the strength to do anything but talk.

"One day…" he rasped. Last of his breath. This, surely, had to kill him. "We shall… return…"

"Go ahead," I hissed back, tightening my grip on my hilt. "I'll be right here."

"Ha… ha… basilt-an…" He slumped and I tore my blade from him and jumped off, kicking him forward. He hit the ground with a wet thump and didn't move.

…I did it. I killed him. And was somehow not dead. Yay? Ow, everything hurt, though.

As I shifted my feet, trying not to collapse into a panting, bloody mess, I saw the qunari nod to each other, pick up the Arishok's weapons, and make their silent way outside, stopped by no one. A few nodded to me as they passed, but they ignored everything, and everyone, else. Oh, why couldn't they have just done that? I'd hurt a lot less.

"The city has been saved!" someone suddenly shouted, and then there was a storm of applause and cheers. Happy tears and laughs. Bouncing, hugging, kissing. The relief in the room was incredible and the lack of tension almost made me faint. Certainly, my vision blackened. I slowly turned, smiling slightly at everyone as I saw just how giddy they all were to have survived. My smile widened when I saw my friends, forced to stay back by the crowd, and they waved, and mimed blows at me in turn for worrying them. Closer, but still too far to break through the people, I saw Bethany sobbing, hands clasped in thankful prayer, and Cullen, close by, saluted me when he saw me looking. Then I saw Orsino and Meredith making their way towards me. While Orsino was beaming, Meredith glared, even as they both came right in front of me.

"It seems Kirkwall has declared itself a 'Champion'," Meredith muttered, sounding like each word had to force itself out. "Congratulations, Serah Hawke." But, as the cheers and whistles increased in a show of enthusiastic approval, all I felt was a pit of dread pooling in my stomach.

Oh, what did I just get myself into?


Author's Note: Here we go. End of Act 2, rise of the Champion. Some pieces here are based on one of the trailers (such as the Arishok having templar-like abilities). Others… well, they were to get Althea into her endgame personality. If you're wondering about the whole 'Arishok not recognizing Hawke as a saarabas', it actually comes from notes David Gaider mentioned, a sort of 'willful ignorance' the qunari do when they have two things that possibly contradict. (God, this chapter took way too much thinking to write…)

Next Chapter – Year five.