Chaos. That was all that could be described of the world on the outside of the chantry. As soon as the doors closed behind the Herald air around her shifted into a dangerous and charged one. Her eyes shot to the side spotting a mage who gathered up the energy within their body to fire a spell at her. Quickly her body reacted now shooting down the steps and out towards cover just before fire shot past her skinning the sleeve of her robes. Breathing heavily as her heart raced she slammed her back against the wood planks of a buildings side before heat at her side caught her attention.
Looking down she gasped when she noticed her sleeve was on fire. Yelping like a child she jumped forward dropping her staff now grasping at the seam at her shoulder before tearing the burning cloth from her body and throwing it into the snow. Standing there staring at the slowing evaporating flame the elf looked over her arm finding no burns upon her skin but that soon became the least of her problems as the sound of clanking metal caught her attention. Averting her gaze from herself and now to her right she was greeted by the sight of a Red Templar with a raised sword poised to cut her down. Her body reacted for her once again.
A circle mage she might be but an Elf foremost she was firstly, nimble and swift. Digging her toes into the cold earth with tense muscles that exploded sending her to the side dodging the swing of the sword that came down at a fast pace. Rolling away her fingers captured the wood shaft of her staff before whipping around smacking it directly into the face of the Red Templar. Twisting at the surprising power she put into the swing he stumbled back and the elf spun the staff into its upright position before gathering her energy now firing a lightning bolt into the Red Templar with a deafening crack.
What were just the hurried breaths of the two opponents as they fought that filled the area was now silenced by the crack of electricity. Standing there victorious the Herald panted as he fell to the earth still and smoking from the attack. Forcing her mind awake she now reminded herself of the task that was ahead of her so she pulled her gaze from the still body now searching for the last trebuchet. Catching it with her eyes her body immediately reacted by sprinting through the dirt streets towards the machinery until the roar of the beast tore her gaze to the sky.
Some distance off in the sky was the black creature. Her emerald irises took in the huge beast whose muscles rippled with power at each beat of its wings as it made its way straight for her. Her eyes instantly widened as the beast opened its mouth spilling out flames and heat preparing to launch it straight for her.
"Shit!" She breathed out now her wooden staff lighting up as she stopped in her tracks casting a shield around her body. She was no Solas, his shields let nothing through while she was just adept at it. Preparing herself for the attack her hands tightly wound around the shaft of the staff now lowering her body onto that of a cat ready to pounce on prey. Remaining relaxed was the key, letting the energy that was tightly coiled within a mage's body like a winding highway just smooth out into a straight line as it left the body. But the ever jumpy Evelyn Trevelyan who has always had to watch her back and count as every noise around her as a danger... had a difficult time relaxing.
But her concentration was thrown off when she heard the beast bellow throwing the flames out at her and of course her shield was no match for it. Cracking and then shattering in a matter of moments Evelyn was instantly thrown back onto her back feeling scorching pain ride up her sides, arms, and legs. This past week has been injury stacked upon injury without proper time to heal. Now laying upon her back squirming and whining underneath the new pain of burns covering her arms and legs she tried to get her mind under wraps but with her vision blurring it became increasingly difficult.
Oh Maker's breath! Why must I do this? I don't want to die! I want to live! I want to have a life that I can rest easy... constantly getting injured and constantly fighting is not something that I want to endure! Someone, anyone! H-HELP ME!
Her thoughts ran for miles in this direction as her head felt as if it had split in two and her body just moved on its own complaining about the pain over and over again. But she was silenced and thrown still when a voice filled her thoughts and ears.
Life. It takes courage to live. But courage to die too. Life hangs on you. Depends on you. Counts on you. Think of the Inquisition.
Leaving her stunned in silence she stared up to the smoke filled sky with piercing green emeralds filled with tears.
But to get courage to live, one must have courage to face death. The innocent can't handle that courage. They can't comprehend. That is why you are relied on. Wanted. Needed. Death fears those who fear it but stand up against it. Fight. Fight for your survival so the others can survive. They need you, Evelyn...
"Who are you?" The elf had gained control of her panic enough to look around for this voice, this man whose words both confused her and comforted her but there was none in sight.
Stand.
Now she followed without question. Rolling onto her stomach with much strain she now pushed herself to her feet not before wavering now threatening to fall again. But a hand caught her, pressing into her back holding her still till she gained balance again.
"Fight for those who cannot." Her head whipped around trying to caught sight of this man but there was no one around her. The voice and the warm aura that had enveloped her in a healing bubble disappeared leaving her standing and breathless. All that plagued her mind beforehand was gone leaving her with the thoughts of the hundreds and thousands of people who were depending on her, counting on her to ensure their escape. All those faces that she has helped protect over these past few months filled her mind... faces that were once twisted in distrust and hatred towards her now expressed respect and admiration. She fought to protect them and they took that and did the same. How could she not do any less now?
"...whoever you are... thank you." With that her body didn't hurt or cry that much anymore. For the first time since she had stepped out of the fade she now knew what her goal and motivation was. She no longer could play the card of the victim, a mage forced into a duty that she did not desire. Who did not want to soil her hands in affairs she considered not her concern. The breach, the Elder One, and that bloody dragon is everyone's problem... fears. She held the fate of the world in her hand but so did the Elder One. But what decided fate was the one who pushed harder to accomplish their ideals.
A hiss passed her lips as she bent down now grabbing her staff now making her way to the trebuchet with a renewed fire burning in her chest and eyes.
I won't let him win... I hate to lose.
Finally making her way to the trebuchet she gazed upon it her mind running with the instructions of how to use it. This might have been easier with Bull... or at least three others. Dropping her staff she now moved up the small stairs to get to the wheel that changed its position and with a crack of her knuckles she gripped the wheel now beginning to turn it watching as the machinery began to spin.
"D-damn! I...ack... n-need to w...work out...!" She jested with herself as she focused on the task before her. This called for many people to work this but for a small elf like Evelyn… it was incredibly difficult, not to mention very draining to attempt. But moments of struggling with the wheel she finally got the trebuchet aimed up to the mountain above Haven. All that was left was to arm it and that is when she jumped down to the final wheel that was at the back of the trebuchet turning it as well. The wooden machinery churned and creaked as the ropes tightened and coiled up preparing to fire up at the mountainside.
But her success so far was beginning to wain when the horrid screech of the beast once again filled the air causing her to look around for the origin of the roar. But there was circling back towards her causing her to panic and move faster. She knew that if she didn't hurry up and finish that the beast would destroy this trebuchet as well and there would go everything that she and the Inquisition had sacrificed. Turning and turning the wheel glancing back to the dragon every other moment she finally heard a satisfying click from the machinery now fully loaded and ready to fire. But she had no chance to fire it for the beast was there and it had landed... right next to her.
With wide eyes she turned to run but a simple wave of its claw it ripped through her skin, severing nerves and muscles in one fatal swipe. Flying many feet back she crashed into the snow next to the many bodies of fallen comrades as she screamed out. Screaming in pain now reaching up to touch the massive cuts that stretched like caverns up her collar bone and neck. She could feel the warm, crimson liquid pour from her wound without needing to look down at her bloodied hands as laughter filled the air. It was cold... evil pitched laughter that made her entire body freeze at the cold tone that responded to her screams.
"HA! This is the famed 'Herald of Andraste?' How incredibly pathetic and demeaning to think that a mortal like you could be thought to defeat me! HA!" Clutching her shoulder she now grunted as she rolled onto her side to gaze upon this strange, yet oh so familiar voice. There standing at the feet of the mighty beast was a creature so foul looking as his body was twisted with red lyrium and skin taking on the look of leather. Fingers long and pointed while sporting a face that spoke nothing but pride and superiority. She wished she could say she was surprised by his appearance but those long faded and blurry memories cleared into perfect and clear memories.
"...Corypheus..." She simply whispered out which gained a small smirk from the grotesque...thing. With no feet touching the ground he now floated forward towards the female as the great beast moved in the other direction walking in small circles around them both now just observing the interaction.
"Ah. So you remember now... little elf? Well then you know well enough that you interrupted a process that has been spent years in the making... you stole the anchor." His once amused demeanor changed as his words slurred into a sharp hiss stepping forward grasping her wrist that contained the anchor on her hand pulling her off the ground. He held her by her arm as she whimpered at the pain in her other shoulder as he now stared at the green pulsing anchor. Pushing energy towards it through their contact she grasped at her marked hand before the anchor reacted by sending out a huge wave of pressure separating the two from each other. Falling once again onto the ground now curling up in a ball pressing her hand to her chest she struggled to maintain consciousness at the pain that was now once again chipping away at her thoughts.
"Argh! You bloody fool of a woman! You have tampered with the anchor... I cannot recover it." The creature spat angrily now flying backwards at the wave holding his own hand staring at the elf just enraged. "I am going to have to kill you and start over... but don't worry I will deal with your little Inquisition in the years to come. One by one I will cut them down until none remain! Then, and only then, I will gain the anchor then reach the Black City once again! I will become a God! A true God!"
Evelyn stared at him just disgusted by his words now shaking from head to toe as she attempted to sit up. Her eyes narrowed into harsh slits she stared daggers at the creature before seeing him for the true evil he was. She loathed that someone so annoying and so full of himself could actually aim for goals of a madman.
"...y-you won't succeed... you will die. If not by my hands... by another. That I can assure you." Her words shot like arrows into his pride rattling him to the point he now made his way closer to her. "You are nothing Corypheus. The Grey Wardens imprisoned you and some will come along to silence you." Now her eyes shifted to the trebuchet seeing the very rope that could and would initiate the firing mechanism. Her hand went to the pouch on her side where she kept potions, herbs, and a single dagger. Digging into the satchel she grabbed the cold metal now pulling it out and raising it above her head. The creature stopped in his tracks before snickering and laughing in quick succession challenging her.
"You think that little knife will kill me? HAHA! I HAVE SEEN THE BLACK CITY AND WALKED ITS STREETS! WHAT POWER COULD POSSIBLY STOP ME NOW WHEN I AM SO CLOSE TO GODHOOD!" Raising his arms in the air and twisting them in an overboard explanation of his superiority of mortals before he turned to face the sun. Evelyn just watched him with disgust before summoning her energy now throwing the dagger with precise aim cutting right through her target rope just setting off the machine. The weapon heaved now twisting now throwing the large burning rock out into the air with a great heave which, finally awakened the lunatic, now caught the attention of the raving man.
"You talk too damn much..."She hissed before the flaming ball of earth collided with the face of the mountain now gaining a huge roar from the mountain. Earth broke, sliding down taking more earth, trees, and snow down towards the small town and of course towards Corypheus and Evelyn. The darkspawn looked upon the raging avalanche plowing its way straight for him before he whipped around staring at her with a harsh, heated gaze. The dragon responded with a roar of its own now bounding right past Evelyn and to its master just sweeping him away leaving the elf sitting there staring up at the avalanche that plowed towards her.
"...well I guess it is up to everyone else..." Despite her fears of dying and not getting to live that life she thought she deserved she sat there still and calm accepting her fate. She was in no shape to run... to escape the blast of the mountain. So she let fate take its course... her vision just filled with the power of the Maker until it too shifted into nothing but white and then to black. All was still and cold as her world faded with the simple voice that eased her into nothingness.
Sleep. Herald.
