Nightmares Should Really Stay in the Fade Re-Write
Chapter 4
A/N: Wow, I actually updated in a timely fashion! (Said no fan fiction writer ever!)
Fenris let out another shout, something Hawke could not understand, and that she'd never heard him say before in Arcanum, and then charged the slaver, ready to kill. The leader of the group dodged the elf's ferocious attack, and then swung his own long sword, missing Fenris by inches. Two more slavers tried to grab Hawke, but she knocked one of them over and badly wounded the other with the sword in her right hand.
Another archer tried to aim for Fenris but the elven warrior was moving much too fast, taking out slaver after slaver, in desperation to protect Hawke and himself. But more kept coming, and fighting. Te Champion of Kirkwall was bruised now, but far from defeated. She was a rogue and a seasoned fighter, and it took a lot to bring her down.
But then, along came a woman, with black hair and icy, cruel blue eyes. Six slavers remained, but the black haired woman smirked as Fenris saw her and recognized her.
"Hadriana." he snarled. Annabelle was managing to hold back the rest of the slavers now and Fenris were back to back.
"Stop!" cried the head warrior, one of the last slavers standing. "Fall back and let the mistress deal with this lot!"
It was now that Hawke turned slightly to face the woman she'd heard little about, other than her cruelty and that she was Danarius' apprentice, and now a magister too. The robed woman began to cast a spell and Fenris let out a pained cry as she let it loose. It was a powerful shock spell, and the elf struggled to keep his footing, as the pain shot through his body in quick pulses.
"Fenris! No!" Annabelle watched in horror as he fell to the ground, barely conscious and twitching. She froze as another mage entered the fray. Fenris was only a few yards away now, if only she could get to him…
The other mage looked at least twenty years older than Annabelle, with grey hair, and a thick grey beard. His eyes were blue grey, a cold, and cruel expression on his face.
Fenris recovered quickly, or at least faster than Hawke thought he would. His markings pulsed violently, and he was standing before Hawke could think to plant herself between him and the mages. There was recognition, as well as pain, in his facial features, and he whispered something, and Hawke knew that moment who the other mage was, and she didn't like it one bit.
"Fenris, we have to get out of here!" Annabelle cried.
The two mages smirked at each other and the older mage began to cast a spell.
"And let them flee as well?" Fenris asked, refusing to back down. He picked up the dagger quickly as adrenaline kicked in, then tried once more to reach the mages. His blade was feet away from the throat of the man he hated so much when the spell zapped from the mage's fingertips towards Fenris, and sent the elf stumbling backwards, nearly bumping into Hawke as he staggered to regain his footing.
"A fine attempt, my pet, but that will be quite enough." said the mage calmly.
"Shut your mouth Danarius!" Fenris roared. Hawke charged forward towards Hadriana and lacerated the mage's belly, interrupting the spell she was brewing. Her cry alerted Danarius, who did not bat an eye. Instead, he frowned.
"Now, Fenris, is that any way to greet your master?" he cast another lightning spell on Fenris, stronger than the one Hadriana had cast and it knocked Fenris to the ground. Hawke stopped dead in her tracks, not worrying about the other mage, whom she'd injured badly.
Danarius looked her in the eye. "You've made quite a big mistake, my dear." he said, and odd calmness still lingering in his voice. Fenris was not stirring, she could see out of the corner of her eye. She knew he was hurting but she had to put her worries aside now and try to be diplomatic.
"I stand by my decision, Danarius…" she began.
"You are compassionate. A rare trait, and also a fatal one." the magister stepped towards Fenris. Hadriana was out of the picture almost completely, as she had begun to heal herself. Hawke paid her no mind, at that moment.
"Don't you touch him, you filthy blood mage!" she cried, planting herself between Fenris and Danarius.
Fenris lifted his head weakly. "Hawke…Annabelle," he managed. "Get out of here. Run while you still can!"
Hawke shook her head stubbornly. "Never." her eyes didn't leave Danarius' face even though she grew more and more angry the more she stared at him. This man had done so many terrible things. And he had to pay. And she wanted to make him pay dearly.
"Hawke-" Fenris began.
"Death first!" Hawke cried boldly.
"Ah, well that cannot be, I'm afraid." said the magister. Hawke watched as he stepped closer, with a defiant gleam in her eyes. "That would be too simple a punishment for all the anguish you've caused me, dear girl."
This struck a nerve. Annabelle's anger was evident in her voice now, as she spoke, her body quivered, not knowing what was stopping her from using her swords. She was frozen, but she could speak. And she did. "What about the nightmares Fenris had?!" she snapped. "Does that not qualify as anguish?"
"An eye for an eye." he said coldly. Hawke spat in the magister's face. But then she felt pressure on her side, a sharp blade cutting right through her armor, and Hadriana had a death grip on the blonde rogue's shoulder.
The former apprentice had finished healing herself and was now at Annabelle's back. "If either of you move, it goes in." said the robed woman.
"Hawke." Fenris said with a hopeless, defeated look in his green eyes.
"No. I won't let them take you!" Hawke cried, but she was running out of options, and Hadriana's blade pierced all the way through her armor now and she felt it poking her skin painfully. She hissed, and Fenris said her name again softly.
"Drop you swords and we let you both live." Danarius demanded.
Fenris nodded to Hawke. "Annabelle, it's not worth it, just do it." The first of many tears trickled down Hawke's cheek but she let one dagger drop next to Fenris's feet, and the other she threw a distance away and one of the armed soldiers cried out as it hit his belly, killing him almost instantly. Fenris squirmed at her feet, trying to sit up.
Satisfied with the fact that she'd killed at least one last enemy, Hawke relaxed slightly. Danarius whistled and his men came hustling over.
"Get her to the ship," he told the head warrior. "My apprentice and I will restrain my pet and then we shall join you. Make ready to sail.
A/N: Ok, who caught the Princess Bride reference in this chapter? ;)