A/N: Just posting this while I have internet available. This is the last complete chapter I had on my laptop so the next one will take a while. Thanks guys for the support=)
Chapter 12
Warm, golden sand shifted restlessly beneath Abby's booted feet as she strode along one of the well-worn pathways that followed the Wounded Coast. A restless wind played around her, toying with strands of her ebony hair and tossing stinging grains of sand into the air. Her willowy frame and long, dark blue robes saved her from most of the force of the sand, but Varric, whose head was significantly closer to the ground, wasn't faring so well. The dwarf's hand was raised protectively against his face, his light brown eyes narrowed against the onslaught.
"Aveline's love life had better be worth this," he complained, for what seemed to be the thousandth time that hour. Fenris grunted his agreement. Sighing softly, Abby glanced down the slope of the dune towards the path where Donnic and Aveline walked. The beaches of the Wounded Coast held an intricate and confusing maze of pathways through the sand dunes which had made it all too easy for them to stalk the Guard Captain as she and Donnic sauntered along their patrol. Had it not been for the wind that swirled around them, they might even have been able to catch a few snatches of conversation where the pathways ran closer together. Not that it looked like much conversation was taking place. Donnic's face bore much the same expression as it had the previous night.
"Not even the bandits are out in this," Varric continued his grumbling. "We're the only idiots who decided to patrol the coast today,"
"We're almost done," Hawke reassured him. She couldn't blame him for being disgruntled. Especially when they were all too well aware of the fact that a warm and inviting tavern awaited them back in Kirkwall. A pint of bitter ale and a bowl of Corff's mystery stew sounded like pure heaven at that moment.
"You owe me a drink for this," Varric added, seemingly reading her thoughts.
"I would think that Aveline should be the one to buy you the drink," Fenris pointed out. "We're doing this for her, after all,"
"Not that it's doing her any good," Abby sighed, her eyes still fixed on the path below them. The pair had rounded a corner ahead and was no longer in sight, but Hawke could imagine all too well the awkward silence that would still be between them. "Do you think we should have perhaps… you know… given her some pointers beforehand?"
"Like what?" Varric gave her a bemused glance. The skin on his face was ruddy from the combination of wind and sand that had been lashed against it. "She's a little too old to be giving her 'the talk',"
"Not that," Abby protested, blushing. "I just meant some tips or something. You know? Like conversation topics she could bring up, or some basic flirting techniques… Anything, really. I feel like we sent her into this mission unprepared,"
"Mission!" Varric scoffed. "She's a woman, he's a man. It should be as easy as that. You're making this more difficult than it needs to be,"
"Try spending three hours in Donnic's company and then we'll talk," Abby said knowingly. She nibbled at her bottom lip, wishing she could have come up with a simpler solution. Perhaps Merrill might have been able to create a love potion or something, she should have asked her…
Wait a second… It's too quiet, she thought, grimacing.
She stopped dead on the pathway, turning around and shielding her eyes with her hand as she stared back down the slope. "Where did Merrill go?"
The elf had been with them not ten minutes ago. She had been jabbering some nonsense or other about some herb that she had found growing in the shallow yellow sand that hugged the shore. Hawke should have realised that the sudden silence was too good to be true.
"She can't have gone far," Fenris shrugged, glancing around as though he expected the elf to materialize from out of one of the surrounding scraggily bushes at any moment.
Varric was incredulous. "This is Merrill we're talking about," he muttered. "She has getting lost down to an art form,"
Abby gritted her teeth in frustration. "We'd better retrace our steps. Who knows what kind of trouble she'll get into without us?"
"What about Aveline?" Fenris asked, casting an uncertain glance back up the path.
Abigail shook her head. "She can deal with a few bandits. It might even give her and Donnic something to talk about," she added, rolling her eyes. She motioned Fenris forwards. "Let's just find Merrill so we can get the hell out of here,"
"Agreed!" Varric said instantly, looking relieved. He fell into step beside Hawke as they strode back down the pathway.
Abby walked swiftly, pushing the pace, driven by some indefinable instinct within her that boded trouble. Her brow furrowed with annoyance.
Next time, she promised herself. I'll tie a leash to that elf before I agree to take her anywhere,
She glanced half-heartedly down at the sandy path, hoping to catch some glimpse of Merrill's tracks, but the wind had already swept most of the shallow impressions away. They reached the bottom of the slope once more and Abby felt her heart clench in fear. There was still no sign of the little Dalish elf. Varric and Fenris seemed to have caught onto her anxiety. Their expressions were grim, their eyes dancing around the wide open expanse of beach to their left.
"She's not there," Abby said in frustration. She indicated another path, one which led away from the beach towards the rocky crags of Sundermount. "That way," she decided. Without waiting for an answer she pressed forwards again, lifting the edge of her robes with one hand so that she wouldn't stumble on the hem as she ran. The sand gave way to rock a little further up the path and Abby increased their pace, no longer hindered by the sinking, shallow sea-sand.
"There!" Varric called suddenly, pointing to a narrow pathway which led away from the main path, to a round, open area surrounded by high black boulders. It took Abigail a moment longer to spot Merrill's lithe frame. The elf was standing in the centre of the clearing, staring up at the boulders with rapt attention.
"Merrill!" Abby's voice was sharp with annoyance. She strode towards her and placed one hand on her shoulder, whirling the girl around to face her. "What are you doing here?"
Merrill's face was white with fear, her green eyes impossibly wide. Abby could feel her shivering beneath the tight grip of her hand.
"Can't you see it?" The elf whispered, sending a bolt of fear flooding through her. With a cold feeling of dread, Abigail realised that Fenris and Varric hadn't followed her into the clearing. They still stood on the pathway, their eyes pinned to a point just ahead of her. Slowly, Abby turned her gaze back to the high black boulders that surrounded them. It took her several seconds before she noticed the pair of luminescent yellow-gold eyes that watched her. A high dragon lay sprawled across the boulders which surrounded the clearing, the unusual, jet-black colour of its metallic scales allowing it to blend perfectly against the rocks. It was easily the largest dragon she had ever laid eyes upon. Its appearance was nothing like the usual high dragons which made Sundermount their home. Those dragons were smaller, sleeker and covered with dark red and purple scales and spines. This dragon had a heavier build, its neck was shorter, its head heavier, its body wider. The scales which covered it were ink black and glittered like a thousand onyxes in the sunlight. The dragon's long tail twitched and Abigail's eyes were drawn to the wicked looking spikes at the tip. Lazily, the dragon raised its head towards her, its dark blue forked tongue tasting the air curiously. It stood up slowly, a low, sleepy groan escaping its chest as it clambered down the rocks and into clearing. Abigail stood still as a statue as the monster approached her, her heart hammering in her chest. From somewhere just behind her, there was a metallic hiss as Fenris drew his greatsword.
"Fenris!" Abby screamed as the elf charged past her, his sword levelled towards the giant dragon. With a blood curdling yell he flung himself up at the dragon, his blade biting deep into its black belly. The beast gave a blood-chilling roar of pain and agony. It dipped its head, snatching Fenris up in its jaws and tossing him high in the air. The elf landed in a broken heap a few feet away.
"No!" Abigail sprinted to his side, while behind her Varric and Merrill continued the fight. Fenris's eyes were closed, his body pouring dark red blood out of several deep wounds that had gouged through his heavy armour. She pressed her shaking hands against Fenris's pale cheeks, feeling a buzz of energy grow within her as she poured her healing magic inside of him. The tide of blood was halted and his green eyes flickered open, dazed with pain and confusion. Satisfied that he would be all right, Abby turned back to the dragon. She snatched the wooden staff from her back, feeling it hum with power beneath her hands as she cast a glyph of paralysis over the monster. The dragon shrieked out its fury as its legs were caught up in the spell, and it snapped at the air with its impressive jaws. It twisted its head towards her, breathing out a blast of blue and yellow flames through its nostrils. Abby threw herself sideways, the heat searing her leg as she scrabbled out of the way of the fire. The edge of her robe had caught alight. She stamped out the flames and pushed herself back to her feet, sending a cone of cold flying back towards the dragon. It roared again, a terrifying sound which seemed to shake the very earth beneath her feet with its fury. Its black tail whipped forwards with lightning speed, sweeping Merrill clean off her feet. Abby felt her heart lurch in terror as the dragon snapped its jaws towards the Dalish elf, but Merrill quickly rolled out of the way, sending an arcane bolt flying towards the monster to distract it. Out of the corner of her eye, Abby saw Fenris manage to stand. He staggered forwards, snatching his sword off the ground from where it had fallen a few feet away. The dragon turned its attention back towards him, hissing in anger as it caught sight of his blade. The deep wound in its stomach was still oozing dark blue blood. Fenris charged forwards, but this time the dragon was ready for him. With another impressive sweep of its tail it knocked the white haired elf off his feet, sending him tumbling into the dust. It sent another blast of fire towards him as he rolled out the way. In seconds he was back on his feet, staggering forwards again. Abby cast a protective shield over him as he ran, knowing all the while that her magic would be of little consequence should the dragon's great jaws clamp down over the elf.
"Varric!" she screamed. The dwarf lifted his head towards her, his brown eyes mirroring the same panic that was eating her inside. "You have to get out of here!" she yelled.
He was the closest one to the pathway, the only one who was not blocked in some way by the dragon. He shook his head wildly at her words.
"I'm not leaving you!" he yelled back.
"You have to," she insisted. She sent another cone of cold towards the dragon, staggering slightly as the mana steadily drained from her body. Fenris's shield was taking a lot out of her. "You have to go and get Aveline!"
Varric hesitated, obviously seeing the merit behind her words. Aveline and Donnic couldn't be too far away, and if they came, it would help to turn the fight in their favour. Even then, Abby wasn't certain they could win this.
The dwarf gave a single nod of his head, his face ashen with fear. He turned quickly, escaping back down the path while Abby distracted the dragon with another paralysis glyph. They needed help, and fast. Without it, she was certain they were doomed.