"Yes!" I hissed through my teeth. The forward team was rushing for the final attack at the demon and it was about to fall. I yelled at my Lieutenant for the archers to send a bought of arrows at the beast.
"Aye Commander!" The Lieutenant made the order and arrows flew over our heads at the demon. It roared in pain as it fought in a rampage now, aware of it's impending doom and trying to cause as much damage as it could before it was defeated. It was so close to being defeated, just a little while longer. We had it!
Suddenly the Elven mage – the companion of the Marked One – seemed to gain the attention of the Demon and it directed attack after attack at the woman.
"CASSANDRA! SUPPORT!" I bellowed over the sounds of battles, her head whipped to meet my eyes in horror and then back to the mage as she reached out to try and her aid. The mage dodged the first attack, rolling out of the way but exposing her back. She turned to look in horror as she tried to shield herself, pulling her hands in front of her face and trying to make herself smaller. The attack slashed across her back, from shoulder to hip and she let out a blood-curdling scream, rolling in the dirt and dust a moment and then stilled.
"NO!" Cassandra yelled as the mage was struck down. Cassandra started running towards her, but we looked on in horror as the Demon laughed deeply, a sound that will always turn my blood to ice. The demon whipped around, turning from the fallen mage to lock its sights onto the Marked one. The woman's hand was pointed at the sky and magic was flowing from her hand into the rift, trying desperately to close it. She was completely unaware of the imminent danger or the fate of her now fallen companion.
I watch as our one and only hope was about to be extinguished. The one person who could help us control these rifts was about to die before we could move a muscle. The demon took one final swing and the lightening whip attack closed in.
Suddenly, as if appearing from out of thin, was the mage companion that had fallen. Momentum made her slide in front of the Marked One with arms open wide in order to protect the woman behind her. She had borne a bloody snarl at the demon and was screaming in rage as the magic hit her square in the chest. The shockwave of the magic blew hew body backwards like a rag doll, flying into her companion and knocking the Marked One down just as the Demon disintegrated and its essence was sucked into the closing rift.
Suddenly a deep boom caused everyone to look up to the sky above. Magic from the closed rift splintered up like electricity upwards towards the Breach. The magic seemed to shrink the green hole in the sky slightly and as the magic finally reached the sky, caused a blast of energy and suddenly the sky turned its normal shade of blue. The Breach was still open, but it at least seemed stabilized and we weren't at risk of being swallowed.
My gaze fell then, in awe and in heartbreak at the two women were lying in a heap under where the Rift had been. The immediate silence after the breach stabilizing felt like my ears were ringing and everyone around me felt frozen. I couldn't even find my voice.
"Healers! Quickly! Quickly!" Shouted Cassandra jumping into action and pulling everyone from their shock.
"Secure the perimeter, make sure no demons have broken the line. Lieutenant! Commence injury reports." I shouted as I ran towards Cassandra, jumping over the edge of the upper wall and landing hard on the ground below. I sprang forward to Cassandra who was leaning over the Marked One searching for a pulse and leaning over to try and see if she could hear her heart beating in her chest. I slid to my knees at the body of the mage and I stared in horror at the bloody mess before me.
Her skin was crackling and still burning at the magic that seemed to leech into like a poison. I used a dispel attack to try and cancel out the magic- knowing that it could kill her as well – but it had to be done to stop the magic that was killing her now. The magic fizzled and the skin stopped burning, only to begin bleeding in earnest.
I rolled her slightly onto her side, trying to keep from getting dirt in her exposed wounds, to search for a pulse. I pulled off my glove with my teeth and threw it away to try and search her neck for… yes there! I could feel a faint flutter of a pulse.
I reached onto my belt and took out a healing Polyjuice and poured it over the worst injuries. While it wouldn't be as effective at healing as ingesting, we didn't have the time. I ripped my cloak into a long strip and begun winding it around her body to hold the Polyjuice in her wounds. I kept calling for a healer, again and again.
"The other one!" I heard Cassandra yell and suddenly Solas landed beside me, throwing his staff to the side and pushing in to see her. His hands glowed and he places them right on the woman between us. I shivered at the closeness of magic, but I couldn't let it distract me.
"Will she make it?" I asked softly.
"I don't know." Solas mumbled. "I hope so."
"Maker, I hope so too." We sat in silence a moment, holding the small woman in my arms as Solas' magic spread over her body to stop the bleeding that had already soaked though the bandages. Her breathing remained shallow and I watched her closely to make sure she continued breathing. Finally, Solas's hands dropped to his side and he half sat, half slumped back.
"That is all I can do at the moment. The rest is up to her now."
"She is strong." Cassandra's voice came from behind me and her gauntlet came to rest on my shoulder in support; but I couldn't look away from the woman in my arms. Too terrified that if I did, she would die. "The other one is already back in Haven receiving treatment. Most of the men have retreated and are being tended to as well. We should head back; it is getting cold out." I could feel the cold seeping into my own muscles.
Cassandra came into view and bent over to help Solas up, putting his arm over her shoulder to help him; only realizing now that Solas was hurt as well. He had bloody bandages wrapped around his foot, and he leaned heavily against Cassandra as they walked away.
"Cullen, she can't stay here." Cassandra spoke over her shoulder and I finally struggled to stand up, lifting her careful as not to agitate any of her wounds. I walked slowly, still not letting myself take my eyes off her. She was one of the Inquisition – like it or not - the moment she stepped forward to battle with us. And that meant she was under the protection of the Inquisition. And as the Inquisition's Commander, she was under my protection. She needed to stay alive, if only to prove that I was on the right path here.
XxX
"You saw how severely magically wounded she was." Solas pointed to the magical burns that were still haling along the side of her face, her neck, and along the visible skin that disappeared under the blanket. The skin looked blistered and cracking but at least it wasn't bleeding as before. A ghost of a sensation passed over my shoulder and I winced, remembering how wounds like that felt.
"Yes, I know how bad those wounds can be. But she needs to wake up." I growled back, agitated. It's been three days already.
"What she needs is time to heal." Solas sighed, healing her with magic again. The few healers of the Inquisition – along with Solas – had been taking shifts to watch her. It had been a rough three days where she had come close to giving in to her wounds.
The woman looked peaceful, breathing so shallowly that I was worried she might not pull through. It was hard to imaging this small woman had faced down a Demon head on. I shook my head in disbelief. She looked so pale now, so small and sick. The starkness of her red hair and intricate face tattoos seemed to make her skin take on a grey parlour and her face seemed gaunt now from the lack of food. I had sat with her a short time, spooning broth into her mouth in hopes that it would help her regain some strength. Nothing we seemed to do was helping her heal and faster. Her wounds had been much worse than I thought initially, and have been providing challenging to heal. The only relief was that she was asleep and hopefully avoiding the pain of the injuries. If only I had been so lucky in my own recoveries.
Suddenly she sat straight up, shocking both Solas and I. Her body shook violently and suddenly she was covered in magical blue lightening. I readied to blast the mage with a Purge attack, gripping my sword and ready too attack if the mage attempted to retaliate.
"Stop Commander!" Solas held out his hand and I stilled, waiting and watching.
"She is still charged with magical energy from the Rift, there are… aftershocks." I watched the burns along her skin worsen and what healed skin she had reopen and bleed when the blue lighting jumped across her skin. Tears fell from her eyes as she let out a silent scream as her body shook.
Solas grabbed her arm and cast a barrier spell which encased the woman's body with a shimmer of magic. The electricity seemed to fade and the woman started teetering, all strength gone from her body. Just as she was about to fall – Solas didn't seem to notice – I jumped forward to catch her. I quickly laid her back down and she moaned in pain.
"Why did you say nothing of the danger she is? Has this been happening the whole time?" I spat at Solas. "She could have killed us." I shook my head, my skin felt like it was boiling hot. "I will be posting a Templar guard to watch over her."
"Commander, the aftershocks are subsiding. She needs to treated as a patient, not monitored like a prisoner. This is not the Circle."
"She cannot control her magic. Simple as that." I spat back. "What if this magic is a work of the Demon! She could turn into an abomination at any moment."
"No." Solas spun around and stood between me and the bed, blocking the view of the woman. "This is not the work of a Spirit. It is her own magic from what I can discern." Solas shook his head. "The rift seemed to amplify her magic. But I can't figure out why it keeps hurting her like this." He shook his head and glared back at me. "I will remain as required to ensure she poses no threat to your Inquisition or herself." The Elf spat back at me and I squeezed the grip of my sword, making the leather squeal in my frustration. "You saw what she did fighting the Demon, Commander. She is too valuable, both as the Sister of the Herald and in her own right. I will not have you murder her where she sleeps." We glared at each other.
"Ahh…." A flash of pain went over the woman's face and sparks flew across her face again as she gasped in pain, eyes fluttering.
"Hush, Da'len. Sleep." Solas placed his hand on her forehead and I saw the healing magic aura flow into the woman. She wrestled fitfully before sighing softly, her body going limp as the magic took hold. Solas glared over his shoulder. "I will stay as long as the aftershocks continue. You can post a guard outside if you must, but they are not to intervene unless I specifically request. I'm sure you have more important tasks to see to, Commander."
I pressed my lips into a tight line, feeling the scar tug at my lip. I didn't bother with a response, turning on my heel and marching out the door, letting it slam shut behind me.
I walked briskly back towards the Chantry, but my path took me past Varric's tent. I ignored him and walked faster.
"Woah there, Curly! Where you off to, looking so sour? Pretty sure that's Cassandra's thing." Varric stepped into my path and I tried to pass him but the dwarf grabbed my arm. I shrugged him off and immediately felt ashamed. I turned back to him.
"I'm sorry Varric. It's been a difficult day." He scratched his chin.
"You coming back from visiting that fiery little mage?" he asked and I winced.
"Yes, no change….." I trailed off and started to walk away.
"She's pretty fierce from what I can tell, and I pride myself in judging other's character." I stopped a moment, wondering if he was speaking about something else. Varric shook his head and chuckled, trying to keep the mood light. "She went into the Mountain Pass to save the scout group with just a small team. She didn't want anyone left behind. She's good people Curly, despite what you think about Mages."
I grunted, nodding my head and looking at my boots, unsure what to say.
"I've got a feeling about that one. Don't go screwing things up. Plus, I think Cassandra likes her." I raised and eyebrow and smirked at him showing my amusement at his admission.
"Sure, she does Dwarf. I'll believe it when I see it."
XxX
Cassandra and I had eaten our afternoon meal in the War room today, speaking about plans for our next move for sealing the Breach for good.
"I went to see the mage today." Cassandra raised an eyebrow.
"Nimue." She said.
"Sorry?" I asked, confused by the word.
"The Elven mage woman, her name is Nimue Lavellan. Her sister - Nesrynn – is the Herald. Leliana did some digging."
"Ah yes. Anyways, I went to see the mage and how she was healing. She… had an episode while I was there." Cassandra looked up confused.
"Has she woken up? Did she try to attack you?" I shook my head.
"She lost control of her power for a moment. Solas thinks the demon or the rift somehow amplified her powers. It's why she's having a hard time healing. Each burst of energy reopens her wounds." I took a sip of wine as Cassandra thought. "I think it would be best if there was a Templar stationed in the cabin while she heals."
Cassandra grunted in disgust and I already felt chastised. "Really Cullen? I do hope you know this is not the Circle?" I blushed and rubbed the back of my neck. She shook her head in disappointment. "Not to mention that if we want to persuade the Herald to continue fighting with us, we will likely need to persuade the sister to join as well." We are in silence a moment, then she sighed and threw down the quill she had been righting with. I watched as droplets of ink stained the edge of the map from her careless action. "Cullen, this is an opportunity to truly prove you are not the man you once were. To show that you have moved on from your past prejudices and truly do belong with the Inquisition." Cassandra threatened and I looked at her darkly.
"You're…. you're right." I sighed, finally speaking. "I can't fall back into…. Who I was before." There is no way I would survive it.
"Take some time to get to know her. Learn to trust her. See her as something more than a Mage." I nodded and started to get up. "Cullen wait…" I turned back to her. "Do not forget that she is Dalish. She might not understand the implications of your role as a Templar. Don't hide it from her or she will never trust you. But… that is just my opinion." I nodded.
A knock sounded at the door. "Enter." Cassandra spoke firmly. The door opened to reveal the elf-mage Solas and I felt guilty of our earlier conversation. I averted my eyes when he glanced at me.
"The Herald has awoken and I instructed her to speak with you. She will be here shortly."
"Good, I will collect Josephine and Leliana." She moved past Solas in the doorway and he turned to follow. I jumped up and trailed behind. Maker's breath he took long strides.
"Solas!" I called out, wincing at the awkwardness. The man slowed his pace and glanced over his shoulder. "Wait." He paused and waited for me to catch up, moving smoothly around. The chantry was abuzz with activity around us. I motioned towards the side, slightly away from the others. Solas nodded and complied, keeping silent.
"I…. I wanted…. I wanted to offer my apologies." I blushed and rubbed the back of my neck which always seemed to heat up when I was anxious or nervous. "I acted brashly… spoke brashly, I mean, and…." I sighed, "I hope you can forgive me." I hung my head in shame. "I want you to know that I'm trying to let go of my past as a Templar. I treated you and… Nimue…. Unfairly. I apologize and I hope I can earn your forgiveness."
I felt Solas' hand grab my forearm softly and squeezing before letting go. "We all make mistakes. I appreciate your apology and…. If you have any questions about mages or magic or spirits, you know where to find me." We nodded at each other and he left quickly. The Chantry opened and I saw the others heading my way with the Herald in tow. I moved back to the war room and held open the door as they passed through and closing it behind the group of women. It was time to meet our Herald.
XxX