As Alistair and Elissa made their way across the gorge, the watched as Cailan gave his orders as the darkspawn drew closer and closer. They hurried across as showers of flaming debris was flung at the battlements. They dodged them with ease and were soon at the base of the stairs leading to the tower. A few men came running down the stairs and stopped when they saw Alistair and Elissa.
"You… You're Grey Wardens, aren't you? The tower… it's been taken!" the soldier said.
"What are you talking about, man?" Alistair asked. "Taken how?'
The soldier looked back towards the tower. "The darkspawn came up through the lower chambers! They're everywhere! Most of our men are dead!"
"Then we have to get to the beacon and light it ourselves!" Alistair said.
The soldier ran off to find more men and the mage who was with him followed Elissa and Alistair as they ascended the stairs and made their way through the darkspawn outside the tower and pulled open the door.
Entering the tower was easy enough, but if the soldier spoke the truth, then it would be no easy task clearing out the darkspawn within the tower and heading up to the top floor to light the beacon. And easy it was not. As they made their through the tower, they came upon a gaping hole in the floors that stank and led down into what looked like a network of tunnels. As they passed by it and went into the next room, Alistair shook his head.
"Maker's breath! What are these darkspawn doing ahead of the rest of the horde? There wasn't supposed to be any resistance!" he exclaimed.
Elissa looked at him with a sly smile. "Weren't you complaining that you wouldn't get to fight?"
Alistair smiled and said, "Hey, you're right. I guess there is a silver lining here, if you think about it." Then, the smile faded and he added, "At any rate, we need to hurry! We need to get up to the top of the tower and light the signal fire in time. Teyrn Loghain will be waiting for the signal!"
Elissa nodded. "Then let's be quick."
She led them up and through the floors of the towers, cutting down any darkspawn that got in their way. She led them up and up and they finally reached the top floor. As they hurried up the stairs and started to make their way across the room to the fireplace where the beacon needed to be lit, they stopped short as an enormous ogre. Elissa gave the orders to attack and each of them took their position. Elissa and Alistair attacked from the sides and behind the ogre while the mage attacked from a distance and Reokai bit its ankles. When they managed to bring the ogre to its knees, Elissa sprang up onto its back and climbed up to its shoulder. She then took her family's sword and drove it into the ogre's heart, twisting it so that it shredded the ogre's heart. She leaped off its back as it fell forward and Alistair watched in amazement as she landed gracefully in front of him.
"Where do we light the beacon?" she asked.
Alistair pointed and she ran over to it, lit it, and looked over at them. "Let's hope they see this in time and come to aid the king."
Alistair nodded and smiled in relief. He went to stand by her side as she came over to investigate the ogre.
"I've never seen an ogre before." She said, kneeling down next to it.
"Neither have I." Alistair added. "I just can't believe that you actually managed to take it down. By yourself!"
"Well, you and the mage helped." She said, looking up at him with a smile. Then to the mage, she said, "Thank you for coming with us. We couldn't have lit the beacon without your help."
The mage smiled and bowed in respect. "I was only doing my duty, Lady Cousland, nothing more."
Elissa smiled, but it quickly vanished as the door burst open and darkspawn flooded the room. Before any of them had a chance to react, the darkspawn shot them down with arrows. Elissa tried to get up and fight, but she felt the darkness pulling at her.
"No, I am not ready…." She managed to say before she passed out, her world black.
Elissa woke with a start, finding herself in naught but her underclothes as she sat up and looked around.
"Ah, your eyes finally open. Mother shall be pleased." Someone said.
Elissa looked over and saw the young woman from the Wilds, the one whose mother had protected the scrolls. She put a hand to her head, feeling it pounding. She had sat up too quickly. "Err… yes. Where am I?"
"Back in the Wilds, of course. I am Morrigan, lest you have forgotten, and I have just bandaged your wounds." The young woman said.
Elissa looked at her. "I remember you, Morrigan."
"Good." Morrigan said. "You are welcome, by the way. How does your memory fare? Do you remember Mother's rescue?"
Elissa shook her head. "I remember being overwhelmed by darkspawn… We had just taken down an ogre and lit the beacon…"
Morrigan looked at her. "Mother managed to save you and your friend, though 'twas a close call. What is important is that you both live." She came to stand in front of her, handing Elissa her armor and clothing she had been wearing. "The man who was to respond to your signal quit the field. The darkspawn won your battle." She watched as Elissa slipped into her pants and tunic, then helped her to strap her armor back on. "Those he abandoned were massacred. Your friend… he is not taking it well."
Elissa thanked her and turned to look at her, asking, "What happened to the Grey Wardens? And the king?"
Morrigan shook her head. "All dead. Your friend has veered between denial and grief since Mother told him. He is outside by the fire. Mother asked to see you when you awoke."
"Thank you, Morrigan, for saving us." Elissa said.
"I… you are welcome, though Mother did most of the work. I am no healer." Morrigan replied.
"You still helped us and we owe you and your mother both our lives." Elissa said.
"'Twas nothing, but you best go see Mother now that you are awake." Morrigan added.
"Of course." Elissa said, then left the hut and went outside.