Author's note:

I do not claim ownership of Dragon Age or any of its characters. This is not intended for monetary gain.

The Lady's First Trial – III

~..*..~

Elnora and her party hurriedly climbed the remaining distance to the Temple of Sacred Ashes, sounds of battle becoming louder.

She jogged towards the courtyard; her companions following close behind her.

Elnora paused as both dead and wounded people lay on the frozen dirt. More soldiers gathered on the patio, supply boxes laying around as they cared for the injured.

She closed her hands into fists, trying to tone down the fear and sympathy that gripped at her. A hand on her shoulder drew her eyes away from the picture before her.

"More will fall if we do not hurry," Cassandra shouted over the loud war cries originating from behind the gateway to the Temple ahead.

They then ran forth, crossing the courtyard to the steps leading up to the entrance.

She went through the open arch. What had once been Temple of Sacred Ashes and the resting place of Andraste, was now a giant crater with ruins and burnt bodies scattered within.

Elnora surveyed the area, thirty soldiers fought within, while a much larger rift floated at the center of the battlefield. Small hordes of demons emerged from within it, replacing those put down by the human forces.

"Man what a mess!" Varric voiced from behind her, "How the hell are we supposed get through?"

"We need to close that rift—take the pressure off the soldiers, " Elnora told him and bit her lip, trying to think quickly.

She turned to the mage, "Solas, set barriers and keep them up until I close the rift."

"Understood," the elf bowed his head.

She then looked around, eyes falling upon a collapsed column that was now a makeshift ramp to a high pile of ruble, "Varric, you climb up there and take down anything that tries to interrupt me."

"Got it," he loaded a bolt.

She and Cassandra looked at each other.

"I will open a path for you," the Seeker told her, drawing her sword and shield.

Elnora nodded firmly, pressing her pink lips together. She readied her weapons, "All right, let's go."

At her signal they rushed forth, the two men splitting up as Cassandra ran ahead of her. As soon as they reached the edge of the frontline, the Seeker began taking out several Shades and Wraiths that blocked their path.

They slowly advanced, Elnora stabbing through a Shade and pushing it out of the way. Cassandra slammed her shield against another demon, dropping it to the floor to thrust her blade through its chest. When they neared the tear, Elnora pushed past her companion and through a group of soldiers engaged in combat.

Her eyes trailed up to the rift as she put away her shield to raise her mark. The chain of power erupted, connecting with the crystals, making them contract.

She heard a wail from beside her and she turned her head to see a Shade fall, a bolt protruding from its forehead. She swallowed then focused on the tear once more.

A strange feeling under her feet made her snap her head down, just in time to see the ground swirl green and a blur jump out of it. It hit her, throwing her to the ground and onto her shield with a startled squeal.

Her wide eyes stared up at a large, slender demon—a Terror. The evil spirit could teleport through the ground. She quickly brought her sword up to block as it slashed down at her.

She glanced in Varric's direction to see he was now being overwhelmed by Wraiths, struggling to dodge their ranged attacks.

Elnora grimaced and attempted to roll, but the demon stabbed the ground with its tail, pinning her to the ground as it swung heavy blows to keep her down.

"Damn it!" she breathed out, grey-blue eyes wide with fear.

A blade suddenly stuck out from its middle, its blood splattering upon her as it screeched in agony. It then fell to side, revealing a blonde man dressed in a maroon coat and silver armor. He stared down at her with a steely look upon his handsome face.

"I hope that shield of yours is not just for looks!" he shouted over the sounds of battle.

She opened her mouth to explain, but before the words came he put away his shield and grabbed the shoulder of her coat, lifting her up to her feet in one fell swoop.

Elnora briefly met his gaze, and despite the raging battle around her, she found it hard to ignore the intensity of his brown eyes.

"I appreciate the help!" she yelled back with a firm nod.

"Don't thank me just yet!" he responded before turning to engage the Shade hurling towards them.

"Elnora!" Cassandra shouted, taking out a Wraith, "Hurry!"

"Yes!" she raised her open hand and the rift continued compress.

She kept her blade ready; this time nothing would get in her way. She watched from the corner of her eye as more Wraiths flung green fire her way.

She swung her sword, deflecting them.

"Everyone!" Cassandra shouted at the soldiers, "Keep the demons away from the girl!"

Some men moved to stand around her, facing the demons that strayed to her.

The rift continued to crack, the tear becoming smaller with each passing second. It then exploded, sucking in all the remaining demons into it and locking them away.

Elnora released a soft breath, sheathing her sword to wrap her fingers around her wrist.

The soldiers still standing put away their weapons, and approached those who were injured. Cassandra and the other two party members gathered around her.

"Sorry," the dwarf gave her an apologetic stare; "I tried to keep them off you."

Elnora shook her head with a small smile, "It's all right Varric. I know what happened."

"How are you faring?" Cassandra asked her while sheathing her weapons.

"I'm fine," Elnora replied, inspecting her hand.

"Good," She nodded, "This is the last push to the Breach. Be ready."

"Lady Cassandra."

The group turned to the man jogging towards them.

"It looks like you found a way to close the rifts," he told Cassandra.

"No, Commander Cullen. The credit belongs to this girl," Cassandra gestured to her prisoner, "Her mark had the power to close the ones on the way here, so we hope it will also seal the first."

"I see," Cullen said, his eyes trailing to Elnora, " So it was you. That explains things."

"Yes—" she bowed her head, "—thank you again for helping me back there."

"You can pay me back closing the Breach," he told her somberly, "We lost many soldiers getting you here."

Her eyes didn't waver, "I can't promise anything, but I will do all I can."

"That is all we can ask of you," Cullen dipped his head to her firmly, then glanced at everyone in the party, "Maker watch over you, for all our sakes."

Elnora then watched as he left them, retreating towards the Temple courtyard while helping a wounded soldier on his way out.

Her hands closed into fists and she turned to her companions.

"Let's go."

~..*..~

Elnora and the others rushed into the ruins, Leliana and her scouts coming in behind them. It was a large central chamber, with a hole above through which a rift connected with the Breach in the sky.

"We made it," The spymaster told them.

Cassandra motioned to the ridges that rimed the high points of the room, "Leliana, tell your people to get into position."

Leliana nodded, turning to shout her orders at her young rogues. Every scout scattered, climbing up the broken stonewalls with bows attached to their backs.

"It's so far up…" Elnora uttered, looking up at the swirling mass of clouds above, "I don't think I can reach it."

"No," Solas pointed down to the rift floating a level bellow, at the center, "This rift was the first, closing it should also seal the Breach."

"All right," she replied, "How do we get to it?"

Cassandra motioned for a path circling down, "Through here."

With a nod, the four began to walk down in haste, following the Seeker closely.

Varric suddenly reached out, grabbing Elnora's wrist and making everyone stop in their tracks.

"Seeker."

Cassandra took a few steps forward, her eyes wandering over the glowing red rocks protruding from the ground, "Red Lyrium?"

"What the hell is it doing here?" he glared at the strange mineral.

"The explosion must have corrupted the lyrium buried underground," Solas theorized.

"Don't touch it," Varric told them, "It can do some nasty things to you."

Elnora nodded, curious as to why Varric was so concerned about it. With that, the party moved forward to their destination, stepping over and around the red rocks.

They finally made it to a small drop. She jumped down first, the others followed.

Elnora narrowed her eyes at the rift as it crackled and bled lime liquid upon the ground.

A deep voice filled the empty space, startling everyone within it.

"Keep the sacrifice still."

"Help me!"

"That is…Devine Justinia's voice!" Cassandra's eyes widened, "But who is the other?"

An image materialized over the warped green swirls of power before the rift; a woman with her arms spread. A larger shape took form before the old woman, glowing red eyes staring down at her.

"Let us begin the ritual."

"Someone Help me!"

"What's going on here?"

Cassandra and Elnora exchanged puzzled looks.

"That was your voice!" the Seeker stared in shock, "Most Holy called out to you…but why?"

"Run! Warn the others!"

"An intruder... Kill her, now!"

"So you were there!" Cassandra stepped closer to her, "What happened?"

"I don't remember!" Elnora gave her a frustrated frown.

Cassandra's jaw tightened in irritation and she shifted her attention to Solas, "Is there any way to see more?"

"I'm afraid that is not possible," the elf shook his head, "The death of so many in one place can trap the memories of the dead within the Fade. What you just saw was just an imprint of what happened here, bleeding out of the rift."

Cassandra looked down, lips forming a thin line as her hands closed into fists.

Elnora gave the woman a sympathetic glance, and then looked up to the rift, noticing something strange, "There's nothing coming out of it."

"That is because it is closed, in a sense," Solas approached the fissure, "You must use your mark to reopen it and seal it properly."

She frowned, "Then that means…"

"Yes. That will attract attention from the other side."

"That means demons!" Cassandra yelled up at everyone in the Chamber, "Be ready!"

The rogues drew their arrows and the warriors readied their blades. Varric and Solas gave Elnora confident looks before backing away to the outside of the battlefield.

Cassandra stood fast by Elnora, waiting for the sounds of stretching strings and armor to die down.

Silence followed, she watched her nod.

Elnora then raised her hand, linking her mark with the rift. She grit her teeth, the larger tear pulling at her harder. She tried to ignore the sharp pain and pressed on, breaking the rift open.

It pulsed, shooting strings of power in every direction as demons pushed their way out into their world. A large roar then tore her eyes away from the gap to a new foe.

It was a Pride Demon, known to possess those with weak hearts and large egos. The beast was the height of three men, with great muscles that tensed up with every mighty step.

It had a reptilian appearance yet stood upright on two legs. Its powerful arms sported large, sharp claws. Its face carried a permanent grin, showing off jagged teeth.

"Now!" Cassandra shouted to the soldiers, pointing her blade in its direction.

The soldiers rushed the monster, swords and arrows piercing scaled skin.

Cassandra slashed at its legs in an attempt to bring it down to its knees.

Seeing that the monster was tougher than the rest, Elnora cut off from the rift and drew her weapons to help their forces.

She bit her lip and ran towards the fighting, raising her sword and following Cassandra's same tactic. The demon swung its giant claws down at them in retaliation and she grunted, ducking the swooping claws and swinging her sword at its ankles.

The blade cut the skin open while blood began to ooze out. She ducked again and side stepped, moving around to attack the back of its knees. This time, however, the skin of the demon hardened, enveloping in metal-like scales.

She slashed, her sword vibrating on impact. Electricity then shot out of its talons like a whip, sending several soldiers flying backwards over the ground.

The Pride Demon then set its sights upon her.

Her eyes widened as it pulled its arm back to attack her, a loud roar erupting from its chest as if it were laughing. She raised her shield and blocked, but the hit was solid as rock. It lifted her several feet into the air, throwing her back and away from the fighting.

She landed painfully on her back, the fall stealing all the air out of her.

"Maker!" Cassandra yelled in alarm, glancing over at her, "We have to weaken its defenses! Quickly!"

"Damn it," Elnora bit out in a groan as she slowly pushed her aching body off the ground. Yet despite the bruises, she was quietly grateful for her chainmail and her shield.

Her strained eyes trailed over the Pride Demon, still busy with the men surrounding it. They wont harm it unless they found a way to get rid of its armor. Then her glare shifted to the rift, realization suddenly dawning upon her face.

Rifts were the lifeline of the demons in their world, disrupting it would weaken them.

She pressed her lips together and ran, putting away her shield to reach out to the gap. Her mark strained it, compressing it until it let out a wave of energy as it collapsed.

A roar echoed through the ruins once more, as the Pride Demon's defenses suddenly dropped.

"Its shields are down!" Cassandra commanded, all soldiers attacking at once and piercing through the unprotected skin of the monster, "Strike with everything we have!"

The demon cried out in pain as blood poured from its fresh wounds.

"Aim for the chest!" Leliana shouted to her archers, calling forth a rain of arrows from above.

Elnora kept her attention on the breach; her arm shaking as more power was released. Wraiths and Shades began to spawn around them, desperately trying to leave the Fade.

They didn't go far—scouts targeted them, dispatching them before they could attack her.

She tensed her jaw, bearing her teeth as one last wave of power erupted from her mark and the rift finally closed. The Pride Demon growled in pain, other monsters within wailed, disintegrating.

The rift blew up then, releasing a large shock wave, pushing everyone to the ground. When it dissipated, soldiers stood and cheered at their victory, swords raised high.

Elnora remained on the ground panting, holding her shaking wrist as beads of sweat slid down her brow. Cassandra's face came into her line of sight and then everything turned dark.