~Against Accusations & Demons~
Rajmael found himself crawling on all fours out of nowhere on a ruined floor covered with rubble. The air was filled with searing heat from fire and the freezing chill of the mountains. What happened? Where was he? Why couldn't he remember? It felt as if a mountain had just crushed him and he just crawled out of it with every bone in his body crushed into gravel. He heard footsteps approaching before he blacked out again. Well, shit.
After what felt like an eternity Rajmael woke up once again, he had the hangover, but couldn't remember the party. This time he was in chains and surrounded by a bunch of pissed off humans pointing their swords at him, and what's worse was his sword was gone.
A searing pain burned through his left hand. He looked down and saw a flaming green mark burning in his palm. What in the name of Sylaise was that? It was like one of those cautionary tales his Keeper told him what would happen if he kept jerkin' on his nerkin. Only worse.
"Tell Seeker Cassandra that the prisoner is awake." One of the guards ordered.
~XoXoXo~
Cassandra was never the most even-tempered of people. Her family, superiors, and instructors have always lectured her about her bad temper, but now her anger was rightfully justified; Divine Justinia had been murdered! Now all the effort that she, Divine Justinia, and Leliana put into arranging this Conclave had been snuffed out along with thousands of lives. Templars, mages, even innocent civilians gone in a green explosion of light. They had no idea what could have caused it, the destruction of the Chantry at Kirkwall paled in comparison to the death toll that was found at the Temple of Sacred Ashes. What that vile mage, Anders had done required some volatile and dangerous ingredients but what was done here and now couldn't have been done with alchemy could only have been done with very powerful magic. And now there was a great hole in the sky…with demons pouring out of it! Were the mages involved? Was this done by a political rival of Her Most Holy? Or something else entirely?
Well they had someone to give them answers. Not long after the destruction her soldiers had found a single survivor amongst all the carnage and the only way he could survived this disaster is if he was the one who perpetrated it. And shortly after they had gained the prisoner a strange elven apostate approached them, what was his name? Solas! And now the prisoner had a strange glowing mark on his hand the mirrored the Breach. This was no coincidence. This elf must have had something to do with the Divine's murder.
"Seeker Cassandra! Sister Nightingale!" The guard saluted.
"We need to be cautious and tactful." Leliana informed Cassandra. "We will not learn anything if we use your…usual approach."
"Leliana, the sky is split open with demons pouring through." Cassandra argued. "We don't have time for subtleties!" She began to feel her fists clench and the veins in her head tighten. "He will tell us what he did and how to undo it, or I will make him curse the day his parents ever met!"
Leliana gave an exasperated sigh. "Very well Cassandra, we'll try to get answers from him quickly. If he knows anything then we must keep him alive. Cullen's forces aren't going to last long."
The Right and Left Hands of the Divine entered the jail holding the murderer. He was a Dalish Elf judging by the elaborate tattoos on his face. The Dalish were elves who refused to submit to human rule and resolved to live in the wilds, away from society. This one had dark red hair that was pulled back into a ponytail but with the sides of his head shaved. He seemed to be somewhere around her age with fine, angular features and brilliant eyes like molten gold. Cassandra had to admit, he was quite attractive for an elven heathen. He was staring at her with a look of arrogance and contempt that set Cassandra's anger aflame even further.
"Oooh, a Seeker." Rajmael thought to himself. This should be fun. The guard returned a short time later with two very attractive shemlen women. One was a flaming redhead wearing a hood. She walked with a quiet grace that was almost similar to a hunters, she probably had some great legs. The other was a tall dark-haired women wearing a tunic with a sunburst eye over her armor. Her features were sharp enough to cut paper, and had a figure most women would murder for. And despite having a scar on her cheek, and a murderous scowl on her face, she was quite lovely.
For the sake of being an ass, Rajmael gave the dark-haired woman an arrogant wink. His gesture worked better than he hoped, and practically sent the woman into a frenzy. The dark-haired one reached for her sword but was stopped by the redhead.
"Wait, Cassandra!" She said. "We cannot kill him yet, we need him."
"This man murdered the Most Holy, Leliana." The dark-haired one snarled. "He must be punished!"
"And that may be, but first we must know why he is here and how this happened." The redhead insisted.
The dark-haired one relented. She turned her gaze to Rajmael, her eyes burning with anger, and for the first time in his life Rajmael was chained to the floor with two beautiful women in the room and he wasn't having any fun.
"Tell us now, who are you and what have you done?" The dark-haired one demanded. "The Conclave is destroyed. Everyone who attended it is dead. Even our Most Holy."
Rajmael gave the Seeker an arrogant grin like her words meant nothing. "There must have been over a thousand people in attendance. Looks like they missed a couple."
The Seeker's face twisted in in rage. How dare this man be so arrogant? She grabbed his left wrist in a vice-like grip and yanked his marked hand. "Explain this! Or I swear on Andraste's pyre, you will hang before the day is through!"
Rajmael looked at the foreign mark on his hand. He had no answers. "I…can't"
"What do you mean you can't?" The dark-haired women echoed.
"I don't know what that is or how it got there."
"You're lying!" The Seeker growled.
Judging from her accent Rajmael could tell she was Neverran. Oh, this was going to be so much fun. "Wait. Are you Nevarran?"
The Seeker paused for a moment. "What if I am?"
Rajmael tried to keep a straight face. "Okay, what you need to do is to return to your country, go to your to your family's necropolis…and go FUCK YOUR GRANDADDY"S CORPSE SOME MORE!" The elf cackled like a madman until the Seeker's mailed palm backhanded him across the left cheek. "Ha! You even hit like a Nevarran!" This time her fist socked him across the right cheek. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, miss." Rajmael said insincerely through stifled chuckled and fake sobs. "You hit like a Nevarran…GIRL!"
The air became very still as everyone in the room was shocked into silence. One of the guards actually dropped his sword, and the redhaird lass gasped and her face was painted with utter shock. The Seeker, however, looked pissed. If looks could kill Rajmael would have exploded into a pile of ashes. She reared her fist back to knock the mouthy elf's head off, only to be stopped by the redhead.
"We still need him, Cassandra." She reminded.
Cassandra strutted back from him in anger, before she let her temper to get the better of her. It'd be best to let Leliana question this elf. "Do you remember what happened? What that mark is?"
After that Seeker possibly loosened some of his teeth, Rajmael decided he had enough fun. It was time to get serious. But he truly couldn't remember what happened after he arrived at the Conclave. "I remember…running. Things…were chasing me. And…a woman?"
"A woman?" The redhead echoed curiously. "Do you remember nothing else?"
"I told you, I don't know what the fuck is going on." Rajmael snapped. "Now will someone mind telling me why the fuck I'm in chains and being interrogated!?"
The two women nodded at each other. "It would be better if we showed you." Cassandra answered.
The Seeker undid the chains that held him to the ground, but left his hands lashed together and led him outside. The light of day was brighter then he remembered, until he got a good look at the sky.
A sense of shock and dread filled him as he gazed upon the ruined sky. A void like a sickle green sun had broken into the heavens and cracked it open as a pillar of burning green speared down to earth with comets from another world falling from it.
"We call it the Breach. It's a massive rift into the world of demons that grows larger with each passing hour." Cassandra informed. "It's not the only such rift, just the largest. All caused by the explosion that destroyed the Conclave."
"An explosion can do that?" Rajmael asked in disbelief. He could feel the magic around the mountain was completely out of balance, like the world was trying to tear itself apart.
"This one did. And whatever that mark is, it's the key to all of this." The Seeker explained.
"The key to what?"
"To closing the Breach. Whether or not that is possible we shall find out shortly." Cassandra's tone was heavy with doubt. "It is our only chance, however. As well as yours.
A pulse burst forth from the Breach and shook the very ground. Rajmael felt the mark grow larger and send a burning pain through the very bones of his arm and throughout his whole being. It was so intense that he couldn't help but cry out in agony as he went to his knees.
"Each time the Breach get bigger, your mark grows larger. And it is killing you." Cassandra continued.
"You still think I did this? To myself?" Rajmael growled through the pain.
"Unintentionally, something obviously went wrong." Cassandra surmised stoically.
"And if I'm not responsible?" Rajmael demanded.
"Someone is. And you're our only suspect. If you wish to prove your innocence, then this is the only way."
As much as Rajmael wanted to prove his innocence, he wasn't going to be forced into anything he didn't agree to, least of all by some Chantry lapdog. "Two minutes ago you wanted to knock my head off! Now you want me to assist you? If I help you, I want you to swear that you'll release me."
Cassandra's eyes went wide with outrage. "That is out of the question! You are our only…!"
"The only method to closing the Breach!" Rajmael interjected angrily. "You said so yourself! And if you want me to close then you have to promise you'll let me go if I am able to. Otherwise you'll have to kill me now, and then you lose your only method of closing that anus in the sky."
Cassandra's scowl could have shattered a mirror. "There will be a trial. I can promise no more."
"You think a Dalish Elf can get a fair trial from the Chantry?" Rajmael demanded indignantly. He knew the answer to that question all too well. "If I can seal the Breach I want you to let me go. Or else we're all going to die here, and you'll never learn who really killed your precious Divine."
This elf was putting her up against a wall. The more he demanded to be released, the guiltier he seemed in her eyes. But right now he was possibly the only one who could close the Breach, and if she didn't get his cooperation they'd all die here. She had no choice. "If you can seal the Breach, I will let you go."
"Not good enough!" Rajmael snapped. "I need a promise I can trust."
"I swear in the name of the Maker and his Holy Bride that you will not be harmed." Cassandra vowed.
"You think I give a shit about your god and your dead prophet?" Rajmael retorted, very offended. "The worst things in your race's history have been done in the name of your wretched god. I know that from personal experience."
Cassandra couldn't believe this. How could this elf, how could anyone, doubt a promise made in the name of the Maker. She reminded herself to bare in mind that this man is a Dalish elf, and therefore holds no loyalty to the Maker. Indeed, given the history between the Chantry and elves, she had no doubt this man had nothing but contempt for the Maker. What promise could she make that a nonbeliever could trust?
"I swear, on the grave of my beloved brother, Antony Pentaghast, that when this is over, I will let you go." Cassandra swore solemnly and with respect. She had never invoked her brother's name before, but right now, it was the only other promise she could make that meant anything.
The intensity in Rajmael's eyes relented, and he believed Cassandra's promise. "I can accept that. Lead the way."
Cassandra grabbed the elf's arm and dragged him through the base camp. Everywhere he looked there were humans giving him their hateful glares. Typical shemlen.
"It's him! The murderer!" One of them cried. Some dim-looking soldier with more muscles than brains. He strode towards Rajmael with the obvious intent to hurt him.
Cassandra, however, got in his path. "Stand aside!"
"Lady Cassandra? What are you doing with this elf? He should be hanged!"
"I said stand aside!" Cassandra ordered.
"He killed the Most Holy! He killed all of them! He should…!"
Rajmael spun on the ball of his left foot and did a spinning back kick right under the man's chin. The man flipped backwards and landed on his head, out cold.
"Fuck you, and your justice." Rajmael spat at his aggressor. "You hear me, all you shemlen, inbred, hairless apes!? You can all kiss my Dalish ass!"
Rajmael's words and violence added fuel to the people's already burning anger, and they all approached to take their anger out on him. Still, Cassandra stood her ground against them.
"I said ENOUGH! Until the Breach is closed this man is under my protection. Now stand back!" When Cassandra reached for her sword everyone obeyed. Few dared to question a Seeker, and fewer still dared to question a Seeker's sword.
"What's the matter? You still want to kill me yourself?" Rajmael asked blithely.
"I will not throw you to the wolves simply to assuage their anger." Cassandra explained aloofly. "Though, I can hardly blame them. They mourn our Most Holy Divine Justinia. The Conclave was hers, a chance for peace between mages and Templars. Now their leaders and all those attended are dead."
"And now you shems want someone to blame?" Rajmael scoffed.
"What you said and did just now didn't exactly deflect an guilt away from you." Cassandra glowered.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I guess waking up in chains and being held responsible for a crime I didn't commit has a negative effect on my disposition." Rajmael said sarcastically. "Next time I see lynch mob, I'll just kindly ask them to leave me alone."
Cassandra groaned in frustration. This was difficult for her, but she needed to not think with her heart and concentrate on their objective. "We lash out, like the sky, but we must think beyond ourselves, as she did if we're going to survive this crisis."
"Ohhh. So you do want me all to yourself." Cassandra answered him with a punch to the arm. "Heh-heh. I have to admit, Seeker. You're kind of cute, when you're being aggressive. You must have suitors pounding your door down."
Cassandra groaned in annoyance as he rolled her eyes at him. She pulled out a dagger and Rajmael thought she was going to stab him, but was surprised when she cut his bonds off instead. "Come, the nearest rift is not far."
"What exactly happened?" Rajmael asked as they ran towards the bridge leading to the Temple.
"They say you…stepped out of a rift, then fell unconscious." Cassandra spoke as though she couldn't believe her own words. "They say there was a woman with you. No one knows who she was."
"A woman?" Rajmael's curiosity was quickly replaced with dread as the bridge beneath them crumbled when another comet fell from the Breach. The two of them rolled into the frozen gully below, seemingly unharmed. Until they saw the three shade demons waiting for them at the bottom.
Cassandra sprung to her feet like a cat with her sword and shield ready for action. "Stay behind me!" She ordered as she engaged their other worldly assailants.
Rajmael was not one to let someone else fight his battles for him. If only they hadn't taken his sword! He scrambled to find a proper weapon and found a crate with the right gear. It wasn't The Vir Enasalin, but it would work.
Cassandra charged the three shades with a shield bash, these things would regret stepping out of the Fade. She had to finish them quickly before the prisoner tried to make a run for it. Before she could even stab the first one with her sword a ball of fire flew past her and engulfed the demon in flames while a bolt of lightning struck down the second, and the third froze into a solid statue and shattered into a million pieces. What in the bloody breath of the Maker just happened?
Cassandra looked over to the elf and was shocked to see him with a staff in his hand and could now sense the magic radiating from him. He was a mage?! This made him even more dangerous. "Drop your weapon. Now!"
"I save your sorry ass and you still want to cut my head off? Typical human." Rajmael scoffed.
"I can take care of myself." Cassandra snapped. "You, on the other hand, are a prisoner and now you are armed. I cannot fight demons while watching my back."
"I could have blown your head off while your back was turned." Rajmael reminded his captor. "But instead I chose to help you, Seeker."
Cassandra sighed in defeat and sheathed her sword. "You're right. I cannot protect, and I cannot expect you to be defenseless. I should also remember you did not try to run." Cassandra turned to press forward, but turned back to her prisoner. "By the way, I never got your name."
"Rajmael of Clan Lavellan." The prisoner answered with a proud smile on his face.
Rajmael? Cassandra, and any Chantry-goer, knew that name well enough. It was the name of the elven general who recanted his heathen ways in an unholy temple before letting the champions of the Exalted March on the Dales slay him. That was proof positive that he was Dalish. No Chantry-going elf would take pride in such a name.
The two of them ran through the ravine, dispatching any lesser demon that got in their path until they made their way to another part of the ruined temple where Chantry soldiers and a bald elven mage, and a dwarf with a crossbow were engaged in battle with demons pouring out of a rift.
The rift was like nothing he had seen or heard of before in any of his studies on magic. It was like a tear in the fabric of reality, a void that was bleeding into the real world and bringing demons into it like an evil tidal wave.
The two of them quickly joined the fray. It had been a longtime since he used a staff to channel his magic, but they were able to quickly dispatch their demonic foes. When the last of them was slain. Just when the last of them was slain, the bald elf grabbed Rajmael's hand and raised his mark towards the rift.
"Quickly! Before more come through!" The elf cried. Rajmael felt the magic of the mark reach out to the rift before him and felt the Fade as though it were physically connected to him. And as he closed his hand he felt the rift close and seal the tear in the Veil with it, with a resounding crash.
Rajmael had never seen or done any magic like that before. "How did you do that?" He asked the bald elf, completely confounded.
"I did nothing." The elf assured. "The credit is all yours."
Rajmael looked down at the glowing mark on his hand and noticed how the burning sensation had receded after he closed that rift. "You mean this mark did that?"
"Whatever magic opened the Breach also placed that mark upon your hand. I theorized that it could be used to close the rifts made in the Breach's wake, and it seems I was correct." His explanation made sense. Strange. From the way this elf dressed and held himself, he was definitely not a Circle Mage, but he spoke with the wisdom of learned and even enlightened man.
"Meaning it could also close the Breach itself." Cassandra surmised.
"Possibly." The elf answered. "It seems this man holds the key to our salvation."
"Good to know!" The hairy-chested dwarf boomed. "And here I thought we'd be ass-deep in demons all day." The dwarf casually approached as though they already knew each other. "Varric Tethras: rogue, storyteller and, occasionally, unwelcome tagalong." He winked slyly at the Seeker. Did these two know each other? From the way Cassandra scowled at him, he doubted they were happy acquaintances.
"Wait a minute." Rajmael could barely contain his excitement. "Varric Tethras? As in 'Wrote the Tales of the Champion' Varric Tethras!? Oh! I must've read your works dozens of times! And that must mean that that's Bianca straddling you."
"Ha! Bianca and I are always happy to meet a fan. And she'll be great company down in the valley." Varric began to stroke his…crossbow in a most obscene manner.
"Absolutely not!" Cassandra denied. "Your help here is appreciated, Varric, but you are not…."
"Have you seen the valley today, Seeker? The only way any of us is getting out of here alive is if you start letting us lowly bystanders pitch in."
Cassandra grunted in anger, but relented. She didn't want to admit Varric was right.
"My name is Solas, if there are to be introductions. I studied the mark as you slept, and I am pleased to see that you're alright." The elder mage said sincerely.
"What he really means is, 'I kept that mark from killing you while you were sleeping'." Varric informed.
"And, like you, Solas is an apostate." Cassandra notified with a hint of distaste in her voice.
"A shemlen word." Rajmael denounced venomously. "One used to label a person they don't own or have put on a leash. And at this point in history, it is meaningless."
"Well said." Solas chuckled. "Seeker, this man is a mage, but I find it impossible for any mage to possess the power to rip the very fabric of the Veil. Whatever answers we seek, we may find it at the rift closest to the Breach."
"Understood. We must get to the forward camp immediately. Hopefully we can close that rift before any more of our people are killed."
While on their way Varric explained to Rajmael that Cassandra and Leliana were the Left and Right Hands of the Divine, respectively. That they were in charge of gathering information and the forces necessary to convene the Conclave. And apparently, Cassandra's latest task was finding and interrogating Varric about the Champion.
"So, I'm curious. What's a Dalish elf doing at a Chantry Conclave?" Varric asked inquisitively.
"He came to commit murder and destroy Thedas' only chance for peace. Apparently." Cassandra answered spitefully.
Rajmael was getting a little bit tired of this woman's suspicions. "Oh, I'm sorry, but if I'm truly guilty of killing the Divine, then that means that you're guilty of failing, Seeker."
"We were…delayed in Kirkwall." Cassandra defended adamantly. "If we'd have been there sooner I'd have stopped you!"
"Aha! So, the Divine's closest agents conveniently get delayed and manage to survive the explosion the destroyed the entire Chantry hierarchy and then show up with a convenient scapegoat already in hand. I dare say, you look as suspicious as I do, Seeker."
"Oh! He's got you there, Cassandra." Varric laughed.
"It does seem rather suspicious." Solas confirmed.
"…I see your point." Cassandra seethed. There was no point in continuing this argument. They had to press on.
They made their way to the forward camp. The Chantry soldiers here had fortified themselves well enough, but they were losing ground and they knew it. Rajmael saw Leliana arguing with some fat Chantry official.
"Chancellor Roderick, we must prepare the soldiers for another attack." Leliana informed.
"We will do no such thing!" The Chancellor bawked back.
"The prisoner must get to the Temple of Sacred Ashes! It's our only chance of sealing the rift!"
"You have caused enough trouble with your meddling, Sister Nightingale! This exercise is futile, we must retreat."
"I have caused trouble?" Leliana asked insulted.
"You, Cassandra, even the Most Holy! Haven't you done enough already!?" The Chancellor blamed.
Before Leliana could argue any further, her attention was directed to Cassandra with the prisoner in tow. Rajmael didn't give two shits about the chancellor; he only cared that his sword was resting on the table next to him. "Ah. You made it. Chancellor Roderick, this is…."
"I know who this is!" Roderick spat. "As Grand Chancellor of the Chantry I order you to place this elf under arrest to be taken to Val Royeaux to face execution!"
"Order me?" Cassandra huffed indignantly. "You are a glorified clerk. A bureaucrat!"
"And you're a thug." Roderick reminded. "One who supposedly obeys the Chantry."
"We serve the Most Holy, Chancellor, you know that perfectly well." Leliana reminded.
"Justinia is dead!" Roderick shouted as a matter of fact. "We must elect a new Divine, and obey her orders on the matter."
This was an utter mess. This shemlen wouldn't be able to find his own dick if it wasn't attached. "You humans really can't do a thing without a Divine telling you how to wipe your own ass, it seems."
"The Divine would still be here if it weren't for you!" Roderick hissed as he turned his attention back to Cassandra. "Our position is falling, Cassandra. We must call a retreat."
"We can stop this before it is too late." Cassandra said confidently.
"How? You won't survive long enough to reach the Temple, even with all your soldiers."
"We must get to the Temple, it's the shortest path."
"I disagree. That is not the safest course action" Leliana said. "There is another path through the mountains. We can have our forces attack as distraction and make our way through the tunnels. We lost contact with an entire scouting squad, we might be able to save them."
"But that's suicide!" Roderick denounced. "Listen to me; abandon this foolish endeavor before more lives are lost. We cannot stay here."
Another pulse from the Breach shook the earth and Rajmael felt his mark burning once more are it grew again. Something needed to be done immediately.
"What course do you think we should take?" Cassandra finally asked her prisoner.
Rajmael couldn't believe this woman. "First you're accusing me of murder, now you're asking me for tactical advice?"
"You have the mark." Solas reminded.
"You're the one we need to keep alive if we're going to seal that rift. And it seems we cannot agree on our own." Cassandra continued.
With the mark on his hand bursting out like wildfire, he only had a moment to decide. "We will take the mountain pass. Have your soldiers draw the demons away from the rift and we'll come in from behind."
Cassandra nodded her head in confirmation. "Leliana, gather everyone that is left into the valley. Everyone. We'll handle the rest."
"On your head be the consequences, Seeker." Roderick warned.
Rajmael really couldn't stand that well-fed, pompous shem. He approached him in a very threatening manner and could feel the Chancellor's pomposity fade away in the face of a possible threat. Rajmael snatched his sword off the table and flashed the blade at Roderick.
"This…is mine." He growled and then turned from the pompous little man and made his way to the mountain path.
At the Temple of Sacred Ashes
They were able to make it through the mountain pass and tunnels safely and managed to save the squadron of scouts before they were killed by more demons. As they made their way closer to the temple, they came across another group of soldiers, fighting desperately to push back the demons, but the nearby Rift kept spewing out more. They were being led by a blonde-haired human who fought with more discipline and experience than most of them. This man was a trained veteran. Rajmael could sense that the man was a Templar.
Rajmael and his newly made companions joined into the fray. One after the other, each of the demons were slain, and Rajamel was once again able to seal the Rift in the Veil.
After everything Cullen had seen and been through, both during the Blight and in Kirkwall, he thought nothing could surprise him any more. But seeing a tear in the Veil spew out demons, then be repaired so easily was definitely a new one. Seeing that the Seeker had survived was a welcome sight. They were going to need some really good sword arms if they were going to seal the Breach.
"Seeker Cassandra, you managed to seal the Rift. Well done." Cullen praised.
"Do not congratulate me, Commander. Thank the prisoner, it was his doing." Cassandra said honestly, if not solemnly.
"Is it? I hope they're right about you. We lost a lot of good people trying to hold the demons at bay." Cullen said seriously.
"Yeah? Well, coming here wasn't exactly my idea, so forgive me if I am less than enthusiastic to want to be going towards the demons instead of away from them." Rajmael said sardonically.
"Trust me, no one in their right minds is having a good day right now." Cullen turned his attention back to Cassandra. "The way to the temple should be clear now. Leliana will try to meet us there."
"Then there is no time to waste. Give us as much time as you can, Commander." The Seeker instructed.
"Maker watch over you all, for all our sakes." Cullen prayed.
The commander gathered up one men he had and rallied them into formation. They would hold the demons off here and make sure that they didn't follow behind Cassandra and the others. The only way any of them were going to see the end of the day is if the prisoner sealed the Breach.
~XoXoXo~
The Temple of Sacred Ashes was now a smoldering ruin of crushed rubble and petrified, burning corpses. After two thousand years of existing in secret, it was destroyed after merely a decade. That had to sting.
They finally made it to the rift closest to the Breach and Rajmael was in shock and awe at the sight of it. A great burning vortex burning across the worlds of the physical and the spiritual and, splitting the sky as it bled into both sides of the Veil.
"This is your chance to end this." Cassandra finally said. "Are you ready?"
"How in the name of Elgar'nan's flaming butthole am I supposed get up there?" Rajmael asked satrically.
"You can't close the Breach, yet." Solas answered. "But this rift was the first, and it is the key to our survival here."
"Then we need to get down there as soon as possible." Cassandra affirmed. "Let's go."
As they approached the rift they noticed that the epicenter of the explosion was covered in a strange, glowing red crystals. Rajmael could feel the magic emanating from them, but it felt different. Dark, sick and…tainted?
"This is red lyirum, Seeker." Varric warned dreadfully. "What's it doing here?"
"I have no answers for you, Varric."
"Perhaps the explosion that caused the Breach corrupted the lyrium beneath the temple?" Solas suggested.
"It's evil. Don't touch it!" Varric warned.
Another pulse resonated from the rift.
"NOW IS THE HOUR OF OUR VICTORY." A powerful voice said as it filled the air. The voice was unfamiliar, but it filled Rajmael with a sense of dread he'd never felt before.
"What is that?" Cassandra gasped.
"The Fade is bleeding here." Solas here. "We are hearing the memories of what happened here."
"Someone help me!" Cried another voice. The voice of a woman.
Cassandra couldn't believe her ears. "That was the Most Holy!"
They began to see images through the rift, the memory of what happened in the Fade. The Divine was trapped by some unknown spell, crying for aide. Rajmael charged in through the doors, sword in hand. "What's going on here!?"
Then they all bore witness to an immense figure whose shadow clouded over all of them. They couldn't see his face, it was as though his very being was made up of darkness with only clawed hands and burning eyes that could be seen. "We have an intruder." The voice said to its invisible cohorts. "Slay the elf." Before they could see anymore, another pulse pounded from the rift and shattered the memory like glass.
"You were there!" Cassandra yelled. "Who attacked you? And the Divine, is she…? What are we seeing!?"
"I still don't fucking remember!" Rajmael screamed agitatedly. "Yelling at me isn't going to jog my memory!"
"Seeker!" Solas called. "This Rift is closed, albeit temporarily. We must use the mark to open and then reseal it, for good this time. However, such action is likely to draw some very unwelcome attention from the other side. We must be ready."
"Understood." Cassandra confirmed. She looked to the scouts and soldiers that had gathered. "That means demons. Stand ready!"
The scouts and soldiers formed up around the rift swords and bows at the ready.
Cassandra and the others readied themselves as Rajmael stood before the rift, and prayed to Mythal that he could make this thing work. He raised his hand before the rift and felt the mark extend out to it, at was as if the magic of the mark knew his will and reopened the rift. And just as Solas said, something emerged forth from it.
"Fenhedis'lasa!" Rajmael cursed in elven. "Solas'heral! Pride Demon!"
A massive demon with a horns seated on its head like an evil crown, and multiple eyes. It was a creature born of heinous pride and vile accomplishment. One of the most powerful creatures in the demon hierarchy with the power to wield lightning. It cackled as it emerged from the rift and gazed at its mortal banquet.
And it didn't come alone. A whole variety pack of demons emerged from the rift, all looking to inflict their destructive nature upon the physical world. Demons of rage, despair and hunger and ash wraiths descended upon the Chantry soldiers, unleashing fire, ice and terror upon their victims.
But amidst the chaos they still managed to hold their ground, in no small thanks to Solas who set up a protective barrier around the soldiers and unleashed dissipating spells that banished some of the wayward demons back to the Fade.
Varric stood on a balcony overlooking the demon-infested courtyard and fired precise volley shots into the demons alongside Leliana and the other Chantry scouts, as well as throwing some well-placed mines and grenades down into the fray.
"AHA-HA-HA!" The creature bellowed. "Thank you mortals for granting me such easy access to this realm. It has been ages since I feasted so well!"
A spiked-chain of pure energy crackled forth from its giant claws and swung in a wide arc across the entire courtyard.
"MOVE!" Cassandra screamed as she narrowly ducked beneath the lightning whips. Several of her men were not so lucks and were incinerated upon contact.
More demons poured through the rift and engaged all the soldiers in the yard, while the Pride Demon set its sights on Cassandra. She scrambled back to her with her shield raised, but before she could get proper footing the demon smacked her with the back of its claw and hurled her into a wall.
The creature's laugh resonated through its whole being.
"Yes, the Right Hand of the Divine and Hero of Orlais." It mocked. "If your Maker couldn't save your Most Holy, what makes you think He'll save you? Haha-Ha!"
Cassandra was completely stunned by the demon's attack. Pride Demons were amongst the most powerful creatures in the Fade. Just touching them could poison you. She had only faced a few of them in her whole life, and even then just one slip up could've cost her life. And right now, it seems she slipped up.
The demon faced its claws together and gathered the energy around it into a condensed ball of pure energy between its monstrous palms. Cassandra tried to pick herself up, but she was still too dazed to move fast enough. The demon launched the sphere of pure lightning from it claws right at her. Cassandra prepared to greet the Maker.
Out of nowhere, a shimmering figure stood between her and the demonic attack. He drew a blade of white fire and deflected the projectile towards the heavens where it exploded into a thousand stars. Sweet Maker, who was that? Cassandra couldn't believe her eyes.
It was Rajmael.
A shimmering shield that glimmered like stars shined around the elf's very being as his liquid golden eyes flared with immense power. His sword was engulfed in an otherworldy white flame that burned gently along the blade. Rajmael assumed his stance and stood his ground against the immensely powerful creature. Was he mad?
"Aha-ha-ha!" The Pride Demon laughed maliciously. "Dirth'ena Enasalin!? Do you think you can challenge my might?!"
The flames of Rajmael's sword burned more intensely as he clutched the grip in his hands. "I've no intention of challenging you, demon. I'm just gonna kick your ass out of your throat and back into the Fade, where you belong."
"Ah-haha! You amuse me, seth'lin!" Rajmael twitched in anger at the mention of that word. "Ar enaste ar'tu nadin! I'll enjoy killing you!" The Pride Demon conjured the lightening chains in its claws once more and swung them with immense power at the elfling in front of him.
The Dalish mage flipped backwards at an impossible height and completely evaded the assault. He bounded off the nearby wall and lunged his sword at the demon like a lance and landed a devastating blow to the demon's body. The elf landed on his feet and darted in and out of the demon's reach, evading each clumsy attack and landing a searing cut on the demon's body with alarming speed.
A trumpeting bellow like none of them had ever heard before echoed. A shadow descended down on the Pride Demon, and when it looked to see what dared to approach it, the demon's face and several of its eyes were gouged out by what must have been a dozen spears lanced into its head. The Pride Demon stumbled back, screaming in enraged agony, and it's new assailant landed on the ground. It was Rajmael's white halla, Neirin. His enormous antlers covered in black blood. He stomped his hooves to the ground, ready to assist his elven companion.
"Neirin! Halani ma nadin elgara!" Rajmael yelled in elven.
As if he understood Rajmael's words, the white hart bounded towards the elf. Rajmael leapt onto the halla's back without interrupting his stride. Elf and halla charged down the now half-blinded demon on his vulnerable side. Neirin charged faster and with more force than any Orlesian war horse, and Rajmael rode him like he was born to it, without a saddle or stirrup. Rajmael slashed his flaming sword at the Pride Demon's flanks, cutting deep wounds into its body that spurted out torrents of black blood.
The demon clawed and swung at his attackers, but every time he was able to get his remaining eyes on them, they moved too quickly for him to attack. What felt like a wave of mosquito's stinging it turned out to be those pathetic little mortal firing arrows at it. The demon pounded it's massive claws to the ground and roared an ear splitting cry of rage. The ground shook and the archers were sent flying by its sheer force.
This was taking too long. The Pride Demon was the most immediate threat, but the longer that Rift stayed open, the more demons would surge through it. It was time to end this.
"Neirin, nada shiral anetha. I'll take care of the rest." Rajmael ordered and dismounted his halla. Neirin did as he was bade, and bounded off to safety. Now, it was just him and a pissed off demon the size of a barn that could wield lightning. Rajmael wouldn't have it any other way.
Rajmael waved his sword in wide arcs with incredible grace and precision then threw a wave of white, spirit energy at the demon and sent it stumbling back. The demon's pride had been wounded as badly as its body, and its temper had been lost. It was time to end this annoying gnat. It snapped its claws forward and the lightning chain attack bust forth from its arms. It swung the chains wildly over its horned head then brought it down upon the miserable elf and eliminate it.
The chain shattered into pieces and evaporated into light when Rajmael cut it in half with his sword and perfect timing. He maintained his stance as an aura of power surrounded his whole being, and magic flared through his sword like a crucible. The Pride Demon reared back its powerful claws to rip the miserable elf to shreds.
The powerful swipe should have torn the elven mage in half, but instead the giant claw met Rajmael's sword in a counter-riposte that set the demon's arm aflame with searing white fire. The creature stumbled back, roaring in horrible agony as its arm burned and fell off its loathsome body like a diseased appendage.
The shimmering aura surrounding him intensified and his liquid golden eyes burned with power as he raised his sword towards the sky, a surge of power burst from the blade and a column of white ascended to heaven.
"ENASALIN!" Rajmael's war cry resonated through the ruined temple as his sword descended upon the demon and the column of burning magical fire split the demon in two, and sundered it to ashes.
Cassandra couldn't believe her eyes. That elf actually managed to kill a Pride Demon in single combat with a form of magic she didn't even know existed. What in Andraste's name was he?
"Quickly, now's your chance!" Solas cried. "Seal the rift."
Rajmael extended his hand and once again felt the mark connect to the magic of rift. He could feel the mark draining him as he tried to close the rift. The last of his energy was spent as he felt the rift close, he fell to the ground once more and blacked out again.
Before Rajmael collapsed on the blood-slicked ground, Cassandra caught him in her arms and gently set him down. The incredible aura that had surrounded him had disappeared and the mark on his hand was now stable. This elf, who they were all ready to execute, had just saved all their lives and granted them victory in this battle.
Cassandra gently removed a few out of place strands from his face and took a few seconds to admire how beautiful his face looked as he rested. When he saved her from that demon, she actually felt her heart skip a beat. Why did she feel this way?
"What manner of mage is he? That he'd stand alone against a demon of pride with nothing but a sword, and emerge victorious?" Cassandra asked, still unable to believe what she just witnessed.
"I believe our mysterious savior is an Arcane Warrior, Seeker." Solas answered. "A very powerful mage discipline from the time of Arlathan. Do you truly believe that providence is not on your side now, Seeker?"
"Yeah, I have to admit, a mage fighting a Pride Demon one on one? Not even I could make up something like that." Varric laughed as he collapsed Bianca and strapped her to his back.
"Seeker Cassandra, what should we do with the prisoner?" One of the soldiers asked.
"He is no longer our prisoner." Cassandra answered. "Get him to Apothecary Adan, and see to it he is healed. After all, he just saved all our lives." As Cassandra watched as the soldiers carried Rajmael away something fell off his person. She picked it up and discovered that it was some kind of pendant made of brilliant amber with a silver, heart shaped leaf set inside. It was beautiful.
Cassandra held the necklace in her hands, looked towards the ruined sky and wondered. A man with power that none could explain showed up in the nick of time and managed to, not just everyone at the temple and in Haven, but saved her life when all hope seemed lost. Could it be…could it be that this man had truly been sent by the Maker to save them?
Language Codex:
Enalsalin: Victory.
Dirth'ena Enasalin: Translates as Knowledge That Leads to Victory.
Seth'Lin: "Thin Blood". A profane elven insult.
Fenhedis'lasa: An elven swear word.
Solas'heral: Roughly translated as Demon/Nightmare of Pride.
Ar enaste ar'tu nadin: I will enjoy killing you.
Halani ma nadin elgara: Help me kill this spirit!
Nada shiral anetha: Go somewhere safe.
Author's Note:
Okay! So I finished my first fight scene with this character. And, surprise! He's an Arcane Warrior! Please tell me what you think.
Also, it must be said, I do not own anything. Dragon Age and all its content are the property of Bioware.