The Battle of Denerim ... From the Sidelines

Before the first major assault, it seemed that the Archdemon did not notice the industrious citizens of the city had been preparing for an Archdemon attack instead of their normal day-to-day activities.

Even though the wealthier merchants sailed north to avoid the coming Blight, the merchant stalls had been manned and filled with customers. The city guard went about daily activities, but soldiers were careful not to congregate in large enough numbers to be suspicious to a dragon that might be flying overhead … although, the Archdemon might have spared a thought or two to the spiked fencing around Fort Drakon. Hopefully, it wouldn't occur to it that the spikes were meant for a disabled dragon falling from Drakon's high roof.

Before the attack began in earnest, the Archdemon seemed convinced it was terrorizing an unready population. Why else would it take its time to begin the main assault? However, the attack was inevitable. The Archdemon led her darkspawn to swarm Denerim in the darkest hours before dawn.

Even after that first night-time attack, the citizens of Denerim who had not fled had responsibilities and duties whenever the darkspawn went to ground. Some daytime duties were still possible, at first, but those daytime duties away from assigned places of protection and refuge quickly became fewer and fewer as some genlock squads began to patrol during the day. The wardens did what they could to escort people who had a reason to be out and about.

Fear was all around. There was little time for talk or meetings. The plan in place had to be the one implemented and, so far, it was working.

Many of the elderly and disabled stayed in the Chantry. Tavish and his Denerim Templars were as organized — albeit, much smaller — of a military force as Ferelden's army. Grand Cleric Elthina gave a call for each Chantry in Ferelden to send at least one of their Templars to Denerim to help Tavish. So far, the only Chantry to deny this request was Highever's Chantry. Elle could not even put to voice her opinions of that … and there was still no Divine to send a complaint to.

Even though Elle and her father explained the situation with the Highever Chantry, Elthina's only response was, "Highever must have their own problems or I'm sure they would send some help." It just pointed up Varric's assessment of her. Elle felt that it wasn't so much about Elthina being indecisive as it was her preference to avoid confrontation; however, Elle still appreciated and respected the Denerim Grand Cleric's devotion to duty.

The Palace was bursting at the seams with everyone else who needed protection, but Cailan and Anora found room for them all. Elle heard more than one person tearfully exclaim how much they adored their King and Queen. Many times Anora would be directing and arranging accommodations while holding Gareth … usually just before or after having to retreat to feed the very hungry young Theirin! Cailan kept his promise of staying in the Palace … by holding all military meetings in the War Council room there.

Things were extremely crowded in Highever House, as well. Not unlike the setup in Ostagar — except this one was without any Templars present — Elle arranged a room close to the bottom of the rooftop stairs as a communications room. Many of their elven guests were more than glad to help with the coordination between arriving and outgoing messages. Anything was better than just sitting there being afraid. Curiously, even though most of the elves in the Alienage were devout Andrastians, they had little to no fear of magic. Perhaps the presence of Relia from time to time tempered that tenet of the Chant.

As Elle had predicted, it didn't take long for darkspawn to pour out of the dungeons of the Arl of Denerim estate while the Archdemon lit the Alienage on fire. They just hadn't had the time or manpower to close off the Arl of Denerim's dungeon beforehand. And, sadly, Valendrian hadn't been able to convince everyone to leave their homes in the Alienage. Many prayers went to the Maker for the souls of those elves who stayed behind.

One was Warden Alesa Tabris' father, Cyrion. He had taken ill recently and just could not bear to leave the home he'd shared with Alesa's mother, Adaia. The day after that attack, wardens and soldiers had been able to rush into the Alienage to look for survivors. Surprisingly, many of the elves' apartments ... as well as their sacred tree ... weren't burned. Unfortunately, the block with the Tabris apartment had been destroyed. Cyrion and others weren't able to escape. Alesa's cousin Shiani was in a fairly deep depression because she had been unable to convince Cyrion to leave with her and Alesa. Elle tried to keep Shiani extra busy in the comm room.

The Chantry was able to perform quick pyres and remembrances. The first in what everyone feared would be a long, long line of funerals. The Chantry tried to keep up the best they could. Some of the elves in Highever House not involved with the communications effort moved to the Chantry to help out there.

The haphazard pattern of destruction was like that in other parts of Denerim, as well. Gorim and Varric surmised that a flying fireblaster would have a hard time with accuracy among Denerim's disorganized streets and buildings. One cheer for being disorganized! The areas the monster hit were well and totally destroyed while neighboring areas were untouched ... so far. Everyone agreed that this Archdemon had to go down as soon as possible.

Thanks to the almost two-week delay in its attack, Denerim currently had many more wardens and soldiers as they poured in from Lothering and other parts of Ferelden. Duncan was able to keep fairly constant contact with Loghain thanks to Morrigan's talents.

The entire city was barely holding together, emotionally. However, everyone hoped that the Archdemon was shocked that it didn't get a quick decisive win in Ferelden. Elle knew that darkspawn were an almost inexhaustible source of destruction; that the dead darkspawn were easily replaced. But, Ferelden would not go down easily! More than once, she started the chant: "Come Orlais! Come Tevinter! Come Archdemon! You will never keep us down for long!"

After Alesa came up to the Highever rooftop to begin her shift the evening following her father's funeral, Elle put an arm around her shoulder. "The Maker has your father's wise council now, Alesa."

Alesa wiped her eyes and took a position on the edge of the Highever House rooftop. "Only makes me more determined to kill every darkspawn that dares to come near." She sent a weak smile to Elle. "Now, go down and get some sleep. Someone will be awakening you for your shift up here before you know it."

After a final tightened hug, Elle carefully walked down the stairs from the rooftop with Midnight and Gorim in tow. Many of the elves had to sleep on some of the stairs or huddle in fear at the dragon's screeches and the darkspawn's shouts and growls outside on the streets.

The darkspawn had made a half-hearted attempt to siege Highever House, but gave up when they were showered with arrows from the rooftop. Duncan was right. They seemed to go after the easier targets first and Highever House was well protected. Unfortunately, there were plenty of those easy kinds of targets in the city. Numerous wood buildings drew their attention, instead.

Fortunately, most of the people in those buildings were being housed behind stone walls for the siege. However, occasional screams of those caught by darkspawn still filled the air at night … which did nothing for any feelings of security the stone walls may have afforded.

Varric awaited them at the bottom of the stairs with small bowls of stew. "Everyone else has been fed. Eat and get some sleep. Your bedroll is in your father's office tonight, Elle. Your father is already in there asleep."

Every square inch of space was filled. No one had any privacy. Between the Highever cooks and the elves' cooks, everyone was able to eat small, but nutritious and tasty meals. The stores were well-stocked for the moment.

Extensive latrines had been dug in the back gardens inside the walls of the estate. They were well-guarded by Highever soldiers. Elle was rather proud of herself for thinking about that. They would have a big mess to clean up later, but it made for one less worry now.

As Elle looked around for some place to sit and eat, someone beat on the door in the prescribed code. Once it was opened, Alistair walked in. Right into Elle's arms ... after she passed her stew back to Varric. Everyone nearby smiled. Some applauded. And, there were even a few whistles.

"We just got here. Fergus is helping to coordinate the main gate defense." Alistair grinned. "He said to tell you not to worry. There was no way the Maker would put his little sister up as heir regent of Highever." He pulled back and looked into her eyes. "I had to make sure you were safe before we headed to Fort Drakon to check in with Loghain and Duncan."

He looked at the rest in the room, hanging on his every word. "Ser Bryant is taking many of the Lothering refugees to the Chantry. The rest are going to the Palace before they head out to Amaranthine as soon as they can. Wynne has enlisted a talented young mage, Bethany, to help her out at the palace makeshift infirmary. She came with us from Lothering."

Elle put her hand on the side of his face. "Don't tempt me to knock you out and tie you up, Warden."

Alistair smirked. "You could try."

Gorim replied. "She would ask me to do it … and you know I would, Warden." However, he had a grin going.

"I'm suddenly afraid," Alistair replied … mostly kidding, Elle could tell.

Elle dropped her hands to grasp his hands. "I'm glad to see you're here, but dearly wish you were still in Lothering, wringing your hands about not being here." She put a finger on his lips to keep him from interrupting. "However, that would be a traitorous thing to wish for, so I will let you go with this."

She kissed him … a brief soft kiss. "Remember, you will need to survive to continue this conversation," she whispered to him amid chuckles and more whistles.

He put his forehead on hers. "More motivation than anyone else has out there right now … my lady. And, we wardens are pretty motivated after all our losses." He pulled his head back and took her shoulders. "We were also just told that Anders had arrived with new potions and ideas to stem the tide."

Someone came up to the door and said, "Daylight is breaking and the darkspawn are scurrying for cover. We need to go now, Alistair."

Odonna stepped in and gave Gorim her own kiss. "I know. What Elle said."

And, just like that, they were both gone.

"At least you guys know they're alive," Varric said with a smile.

"I messed up, Varric. I should have become a Grey Warden. Then, I would be …" Elle stopped and looked around at all the nervous, worried, frightened faces around her. "Forgive me. That would have been a grievous mistake as then I wouldn't be here surviving with all of you fine people. Make no mistake, my friends, the wardens and soldiers will end the battle for us, but it will be up to us to restore Denerim to the glory it was before the Archdemon tried to take it all away from us! Without us, civilization could not continue. Without us, our brave wardens and soldiers would have no reason to fight on. Their sacrifices would have been in vain." Elle was proud of thinking of that … although saying "Denerim" and "glory" in the same sentence almost burned her tongue.

"Have you heard about the time I …" Varric went on to tell about meeting Elle and receiving his title of Personal Historian and Storyteller.

Elle didn't make it to her bedroll. She sat against the wall while she and Midnight ate and listened to Varric's tale. She was so very tired … so relieved to see Alistair and hear that Fergus and Anders were near … that she went to sleep right there.

And, so it went for another three days. Get up. Rain down arrows on darkspawn dumb enough to come near Highever House. Keep comm lines up and running. Eat. Sleep. Repeat.

Shortly after dark on that third day, Morrigan — as her giant eagle — flew down to the rooftop and reformed into her tired, frazzled self. "It's not working! The Archdemon just flaps its large leathery wings and buffets our eagles away. We can still do fairly significant damage with arrows from our riders, but not enough to ground the beast!"

Varric just handed up a wineskin … and was surprised when Morrigan took it and almost finished it.

"Thank you, storyteller. I needed that," Morrigan said with one of her rare, sincere smiles.

"No problem!" He nodded to Gorim. "I'm going downstairs," he said as he held up the near-empty wineskin.

"What about Anders' idea?" Elle asked.

Anders' recruitment of Niall had been priceless. The reclusive mage spent all of his time in the Soldier's Peak mage tower pouring over Avernus' journals and found a formula to use against broodmothers. It made them infertile simply by dusting known darkspawn areas. The darkspawn would get coated in the stuff and then take it down to the broodmothers. Not a monumental idea for the current crisis; however, it might make future Blights harder to get going.

Anders sent the recipe for the formula to the First Warden who sent out the order to other countries' wardens to enter the Deep Roads and spread the formula around. The eagle mages had been dumping it out over the Korcari blighted areas. Depending upon how long this went on, the Archdemon may not have all the reinforcements it would expect to have.

Morrigan shrugged at Elle's question. "We will have no way of knowing if it is working unless the darkspawn simply disappear in the future. For now, things are heating up here, so that project is very far down the list. The special warden boosting potions are working very well. Wardens heal faster and have incredible stamina." She got a quirky smile on her face. "Alistair had to be ordered to drink it."

"Archdemon heading this way!" one of the rooftop archers said.

The blasted monster had begun strafing the rooftops of nearby buildings, so everyone went down into the stairwell until it flew away. This time it hit the rooftop of Highever House and flammables went up. Morrigan was almost a second too slow, but made it to safety just in time. Fortunately, since the garden had been repotted and moved, there wasn't much left up there that could burn ... except for the nearly empty barrels of arrows ... but they were quickly extinguished and saved.

Alesa came up to the rooftop. "The Archdemon must have heard her darkspawn whining about how good we were!" she said as a muted cheer went up.

Then, a surprise then showed up.

A second dragon chased the Archdemon away. It was a red dragon. Flemeth's dragon? They were unable to see much of what was happening in the darkened, blighted sky, but it sounded like the red dragon was engaging the Archdemon in an aerial fight.

Morrigan confirmed Elle's suspicions. "Mother," she whispered loudly enough for only Elle … and maybe Varric and Gorim to hear. Of course, Midnight heard it.

Sure enough, the two dragons, locked in a death embrace, started to spiral near the ground, broke apart, and then flew off one after the other. This dance occurred two more times until they both crashed onto the roof of Fort Drakon.

"I need to go," Morrigan said as she looked around for Relia. "Relia, get word to the palace. The final battle is upon us."

All Relia did was nod, shapeshift into a small bird and take off.

Morrigan walked to the edge of the rooftop. "Stay here, Elle. You know why." Then, she shifted into her magnificent giant eagle and took off.

Elle noticed Varric pulling Bianca off his shoulder. "I gotta go, too, Elle." He smiled. "You know why."

Elle was chaffing at Morrigan's advice, but knew it was good advice. Elle's presence would put too many good men and women in harm's way because they would worry about her. She knew that the grandiose tales of great battles led by noble leaders where usually written by the noble leaders. The successful battles usually took the noble's input into consideration, but were lead and fought by their highly trained military … who did not want to have to protect the noble and win the fight. She put her hands on her hips, took a very deep breath ... and growled, "I do. Follow me to the door."

Then, Elle turned to the archers already vigilant to any darkspawn trying to breach the walls. "This looks to be the final act of this tragedy, my friends. We have no idea what's to come once the Archdemon is in jeopardy. Stay alert." Then, to answer everyone's unspoken question, "I will be back up here with you shortly."

After gathering several of the sneakier of Highever's troops to go with Varric and sending him off to witness the story ending of all story endings, Elle went into her father's office. He was standing at the large window that faced Fort Drakon.

"So, this is to be it then?" Bryce turned with a shake of his head. "And, we have Flemeth to thank. By the way, I did notice you failed to mention to Cailan and the others that Morrigan's mother was Flemeth."

"It would seem to be the finale, Father." Elle smiled and hugged her father. "And, I believe we should just keep that knowledge about Flemeth a family secret for now," she whispered before adding, "I know you are going stir-crazy here, but so am I."

"I know, Pup," he said, returning the hug. He pulled back, but held Elle's shoulders. "Due to our vigilance and planning, they do not need us to do anything but stay alive for the future of Ferelden. I just hope Cailan stays with Anora." He chuckled. "I assume Varric is going over there."

"Varric is on his way with a few of our scouts. The streets are fairly clear at the moment. As for Cailan, he realizes that the Archdemon battle is the wardens' show. Like us, he would just jeopardize the effectiveness of the battle." Elle sighed. "No way I'm going to be able to sleep for a while so I'm going upstairs. Want to join me?"

Bryce clapped his hands. "Now that is something I can do!"

After waiting for Bryce to wisely don his armor and grab his bow, they both went to the rooftop to help in the vigilance and keep an eye on Fort Drakon.

Alesa smiled at Elle. "The red dragon flew away, but the Archdemon hasn't yet. Whoever convinced that dragon to come to our aid should have a statue made!"

Elle whispered to her father. "I believe it was only a mother's vengeance."

"Or guilt," Bryce whispered back.

Several times during the hours to come, darkspawn surged by Highever House. One time, Elle spotted several huge ogres lumbering down the lane east of the estate, heading toward the palace. She was torn between wanting to engage them and running to hide.

Her father made the decision for her. "Everyone down," Bryce ordered as quietly as he could. "We don't have the manpower to even begin a fight with them."

Fortunately … or unfortunately for the palace … they went right by without a thought to Highever House. Relia had returned by then, but shifted back immediately and flew to warn the palace.

Bryce's strategy turned out to be the correct one as an hour later, another squad of ogres came by with a leader of some kind. Without even being told, a tiring Relia shifted again and headed back to the palace with a warning.

When Relia returned from the second warning, she reported that Dalish archers and their longbows killed the first two ogres before they even got close. Along with a large group of wardens and Ferelden archers, they completely routed the first group at the palace. They were ready for the second group, as well.

All the while, increasing sounds of a fearsome battle spilled down from Fort Drakon. They witnessed more than few bodies fall from the top. Elle prayed they were dead or unconscious … or that they were darkspawn. She would have thanked the Maker in the second case.

More and more darkspawn flowed by Highever House and didn't stop, even when their comrades fell to Highever's archers. They were all intent on joining their leader atop Fort Drakon.

Fewer and fewer communications were received or sent out.

Everything was happening on top of that tower.

After almost an hour from when Morrigan left, a horn was heard. "Duncan is signaling that all non-wardens need to stop any attacks on the Archdemon," Elle told the rest. She even hazarded a small smile as she looked around at the exhausted and grime-coated faces surrounding her on the rooftop.

Bryce added, "It should be over soon. Stay alert in case that is a bad assumption on my part."

Not ten minutes later, a blinding column of light shot into the sky from the roof. Darkspawn that had been running toward Fort Drakon stopped in their tracks even as the archers and Elle took advantage of that and killed them where they stood. "They're awaiting instructions!" Elle shouted as she took the last arrow from her quiver. "This had better be the end. We have no more arrows left," she mumbled to her father who had just fired his last arrow.

Seconds later, a ring of light burst outward from the Fort Drakon force of it blew even more bodies over the edge. The darkspawn then turned and ran for escape to the front gate or the Arl of Denerim's estate.

Cheers erupted from everyone on the Highever rooftop.

Cheers could be heard all over the city.

But Elle knew what that column of light and ring of force likely meant. With tears running down her face, Elle stood tall in salute toward Fort Drakon. Those around her saw her and soon joined in.

Yes, it was likely over.

Yes, they had prevailed over the worst evil in Thedas.

Yes, the sun would arise tomorrow to illuminate a devastated Denerim ... but the sun would shine bright.

Yes, they would rebuild, replant and restore.

Yes, they would survive.

But, tonight, a brave warden had to give his or her life to make sure those things would happen.

A small bird plunged toward Elle, who reached out her hands to try to catch the careening creature, obviously not in control of its flight. Others joined Elle and they managed to safely catch the mage that the bird shifted into her human form much too soon. They caught Leorah in time, but she was very injured.

Relia knew enough healing magic to keep Leorah from dying at that moment. She found a note still clutched in Leorah's hand. "This is addressed to you, Elle."

Elle,

You have become a good friend to me. Stay alive. Do great things. Duncan told me once that he felt the same about you as I. He was the warden who sacrificed his life to end the Fifth Blight. I had hoped to protect him, but the forces released were just too strong. He's gone and I am broken-hearted. They're calling him the Hero of Ferelden. Alistair is also distraught, but alive. I will probably not see you again for quite some time, if at all. Who knows if Mother will grace you with her presence. Until then ... M

"Duncan sacrificed his life by making the killing blow on the Archdemon. Warden Commander Duncan is the Hero of Ferelden," Elle said quietly to the expectant group. She couldn't say more. The words wouldn't come.

Bryce hugged her. "I'm so sorry, my girl." Then, he pulled back and addressed the group. He gave them an encouraging speech, saying that the upcoming days were going to be difficult, but Fereldans were strong and so on.

All the words they needed to hear.

"I'm going to Fort Drakon," Elle said and turned to head down. She heard Gorim following her. Of course, Midnight had never left her side.

"I'm going as well, Pup. Wait up," her father said.

Alesa and the five elf wardens with her also said they were going. "We're the best chance you have to avoid any surprises."

Once they were at the front door, Bryce divided the Highever guards so the manor and its precious inhabitants were still protected.

It wasn't too far and most of the darkspawn had left the area. However, once they arrived at Fort Drakon, they came upon a group of dwarves trying to kill some stragglers that were trying to leave. That's where they ran into Alistair. It looked like he and an honor party were trying to take Duncan's body to the Chantry. He was very angry and took it out on any darkspawn he saw. Alesa demanded that Elle and her father and non-wardens stay back until the last darkspawn was killed.

"I thought to suggest they just let the darkspawn run away, but it seems more fitting that Alistair and the others take out their aggressions on them," Bryce said quietly.

In short order, all the darkspawn were dead. Elle and Midnight stepped forward a few steps and Alistair noticed them. She repeated the fist across her chest in salute to Duncan and the Grey Wardens. Midnight sat at attention. Even with the grime and soot covering his face, she could see the look of appreciation. He walked over, but just stood in front of her. "None of us dares to touch any of you, but I have nothing but gratitude for your appearance here." He smiled at Gorim. "Odonna's up there organizing the dismantling of the Archdemon and Anders is helping the injured. They'll be along shortly." Then, he turned toward the bier being carried by a limping Rodrigo and other wardens. "We're headed to the Chantry. Loghain went ahead to alert them." Then, he walked over to take his place at one of the corners.

Bryce organized an escort formation to precede and follow Duncan's bier. Varric walked around the wardens and up to Elle. Even in the limited torch light, his face was ashen. He had no words at that moment. Elle just squeezed his shoulder lightly.

As they left the gates to Fort Drakon, they could hear the cheering in the streets. Cheering which quieted to sobs and prayers as the bier passed by. There were also many words of gratitude to the Grey Wardens.

Elle tried, but just could not stop the tears, even with Midnight's constant presence by her side. She was tired. She was sad. She was glad it was over, but horrified at the cost. Duncan thought of her as a good friend. That's what Morrigan had written.

Elle had just lost a good friend.

The Templars lined the destroyed Market streets as best they could and stood at attention as Duncan's body was slowly walked through the beaten and nearly destroyed walls and gate of the Chantry.

Grand Cleric Elthina was there to meet them. Her robes were no longer pristine. They were torn and bloodied, no doubt from helping the injured and dying. "There are no words sufficient to honor this great man, this great Grey Warden and his sacrifice. So, I turn to the Chant and use the words that have always comforted me. 'Blessed are they who stand before the corrupt and the wicked and do not falter. Blessed are the peacekeepers, the champions of the just. Blessed are the righteous, the lights in the shadow. In their blood the Maker's will is written.' There is no doubt that this man is now standing at the Side of the Maker."

With that, she led the honor guard inside to the dais already prepared befitting a king. Cailan was there — greatly disheveled because apparently he had fought at the palace alongside the protectors there. He was standing alongside Anora and Loghain. All of them stoic, but sorrowful.

As she entered the Chantry, Elle looked back to a sea of sad faces. It was as if the entire city turned out there. If that many people were still around, there was joy to be found.

Duncan's sacrifice had not been in vain.

AN: I love Duncan. After I learned that he was about to go on his Calling anyway, I felt he should have been the Hero of Ferelden. So, now, he is. :) And, thanks to non-idiotic, blood mage-driven ideas, it was not in vain. You may have guessed that he did the ritual with Morrigan. Probably did. ;) But, with all those forces blowing up and out from the Archdemon, I always questioned how the Hero — standing at ground zero — could survive anyway.

The next chapter may take two weeks to put up. It may not … just a warning. Holidays and other things have chipped away at my creative juices.

The Invisible Pretender, thanks for your review! Yes, the kid is here … and next time … someone else? ;)