And then it was time to face the Nightmare, the Great Fear Demon.
It was quite unimpressive, as far as bosses go. Though it was tall, creepy, and powerful, it went down with its only minions being tiny spiders.
Hawke, at least, saw them as spiders, but there was something else there. Something deeper. A fear of losing herself to the blood magic she had resorted to within recent months. A fear of losing Fenris if he ever discovered that secret part of her. A fear of being exactly like the mages that had caused the mage-templar war and nearly destroyed Kirkwall.
Of course, Hawke would never tell anyone what she truly saw. For now, the only goal was to beat the fear demon.
The monster that had grown gluttonous on the nightmares of demons, darkspawn, and power-hungry men dissolved beneath Hawke's feet, going who-knows-where into some recess of the Fade.
And then the spider came.
A beast larger than a high dragon, it chittered with its wide mouth and rolled its too-many white eyes. Its pale, hairy legs brushed against the black towers with their ever-watching occupants. Whatever the spider was, it was big. Too big.
A Fade rift sparked to life beyond the creature, too late for those mortals of the Inquisition.
"You must go!" the spirit of the Divine commanded.
They waited for Sulahn's orders. Even with as many people as they had with them, facing the enormous spider would be a losing battle.
Judging by Sulahn's expression, she knew this. And she knew what had to be done. She began to step forward before Solas caught her arm. An expression of utter agony crossed his face, the realization that the Inquisitor meant to sacrifice herself dawning on him.
"No, vhenan," he whispered. "Thedas needs you. And the Mark."
"How could I let anyone else go?" she protested, ripping her arm from his grasp. "I'm the one who led us here."
"But you are the Inquisitor." The second sentence came out of him grudgingly, "And the Herald of Andraste. You are Thedas's only hope."
"But it wasn't Andraste, or the Maker. It was all coincidence, wrong place, wrong time."
"No," he said, taking her hands in his. "Anyone could have gotten the Mark. Anyone could have stood up to Corypheus. But it was you, ma vhenan, who rallied the mages to your cause. It was you who inspired the people after the demise of Haven. It was you who earned the title of Inquisitor. The world still needs you. Do not be so swift to throw yourself to the wolves." He grimaced at the last words that came out of his mouth but squeezed Sulahn's hand reassuringly.
"I understand," she answered reluctantly. She turned her gaze to the others with her, asking without words who would complete the task that needed to be done.
Arya found herself stepping forward.
"Arya, no." Aaron pleaded, hurt crossing his face. "I'll do it," he told Sulahn.
Meanwhile, the spider came slowly closer, poised by the Fade rift as if waiting for them to make a move toward it.
Hawke set a hand on Varric's shoulder. "Tell Fenris I love him." And then she took a step forward.
"What?" Varric froze. "Hawke, what are you doing?"
Hawke flinched at his use of her name and turned toward him with tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry I won't get to edit your books, Varric." She gave him a crooked smile. "You'll always be my favorite dwarf."
"No. No, you're not staying here. I won't let you." Varric reached for Bianca, but Hawke soon enveloped him in a hug.
"I love you," she whispered tearfully, and kissed him on the cheek.
"Hawke . . ." Varric's voice broke.
"Tell Fenris," she said when they parted.
Varric shook his head, swiping a sleeve against the tears running down his cheeks. Cassandra moved to his side, setting a hand on his shoulder.
"Hawke . . ." Varric repeated.
"We have to go," Cassandra said quietly, guiding him with a firm hand on his shoulder.
Hawke moved toward the spider.
Aaron followed her.
Arya followed him.
Aaron stopped Arya. "Ferelden needs its heir, and the Wardens need a leader."
"And Morrigan and Kieran need you," Arya protested.
"I know." He closed his eyes for a moment as if in mourning and at last opened them. "But I should have died at the battle against the archdemon. If I had, Sage might still be . . ." He shook his head. "Morrigan and Kieran have done well enough without me. I'm not even Kieran's real father."
"Let's agree to disagree," Hawke said before smacking Aaron in the back of the head with the blunt end of her staff. Aaron collapsed, unconscious.
The group stood in silence for a moment.
"Go," Hawke commanded them, "before another idiot wants to join me."
"Come on," Sulahn told them with a nod at Hawke, silently thanking her for her decision. The Inquisitor's troupe followed the Inquisitor toward the Fade rift.
Varric struggled against Cassandra's grip.
"She's not staying behind! She's scared of spiders. Fenris is waiting for her. She has to . . . She has to edit my next book . . ." Varric broke down.
"I know." Cassandra's own voice sounded strained. "We'll find a way to get her back, but we have to leave now."
The Fade rift slid over Arya's skin like burning ice, and the Fade gave way to Thedas.