Humph, last chapter left me at a crossroads as the plot bunnies develop, too many options to take with this story right now.

Right now, this chapter will show the light of which direction the story might be going. And, it seems as if my original 4 chapter fic idea is scrapped now, as this is properly going to be longer than that. I guess it will end up as long as it needs to be now.

THE SHOW MUST GO ON

0:3

"Torn between the lover; and the love you leave behind.
You're headed for disaster, because you never read the signs.
Too much love will kill you.
Every time."
-

The battleground was significantly different from what they had been prepared for, or had been used to. The remains of the bodies around them- both darkspawn and others alike - were mortifying, the numbers of the fallen being significantly larger than the amount that had lost their life's at Ostagar. Elissa swallowed. So this is what a real war looked like?

The group were already covered in blood, having had to fight their way to reach the gate. They were already worn out, but everyone knew they had much farther to go. The archdemon had appeared at the top of the tower, and it was a long journey to get there. And having to check their backs every few seconds to fend from oncoming darkspawn was not helping the situation.

Elissa thought to herself quickly. They couldn't go on like this. If they did, they'd never reach the archdemon in time – and instead would use all their energy on fending off the small fry. Acting in a flurry, she signalled to a group of elves. They noticed, and one walked over to her whilst the others continued to fight.

"What is it you order M'lady?" Came the elves question.

"We can't carry on like this. I need a small fraction of your men to follow me to the tower," she ordered. "And quickly!"

"By your command," and he ran off to inform the group.

Elissa looked around her frantically once again, looking for her friends. As if right on cue she noticed Wynne, Oghren and Shale all take down an Ogre, and decided to run to them.

"I need your help reaching the tower," she hurriedly ordered. Seeing the group of elves hurry to reach the group, she nodded. "I trust you'll follow me?"

"Heh, it would be an honour to follow you into battle, Warden. I've been waiting to show that archdemon what for a long time now." Oghren spoke.

Elissa nodded, the elves had reached their small group by then, waiting to follow orders and be led into the tower. She stole one last glance at Alistair – currently involved in battle with Zevran nearby. Elissa silently said sorry a thousand times over in her mind, knowing that she properly wouldn't see him again – let alone have the chance to talk to him again. She then looked around her small group, pushed back her sad emotions, and nodded.

"Right, let's get going." She said, ignoring Wynne trying to hide the sadness in her own eyes.

They began to run, not wanting to waste any time. On their way they passed Leliana shooting down the darkspawn that were resided in taking the high ground with her bow and arrow, and Sten was not far away fighting a group himself. Fighting off the straggling darkspawn around them on the way, the group rushed to the tower door.

They reached the door, and Shale closed it after everyone. The hall was silent, but that didn't stop Elissa from remaining on her toes. She grabbed a hold of her sword tightly, her knuckles going white in anticipation, and began to walk forward slowly.

"Careful, I have a feeling the darkspawn are running amok in here as well," she called back to others when she heard they had begun following her to. "Keep your eyes open for any sudden movements."

Elissa momentarily reminded herself that the lessons in stealth she had been taught when back in Highever we're finally being put to good use, after so many years. Not that back then she would have ever thought she would end up in such a situation such as the one she was about the face now.

It was then, they began their long descend upwards to the final battle, tackling various darkspawn along the way.

They finished killing the horde of darkspawn that had plagued the area, and had a few moments to regain stamina before the next wave would appear. This was madness, the archdemon needed to be destroyed, and soon, before the armies were too few in number.

Zevran began cleaning some of the blood of his blade, getting ready for it to only be dirtied again by the next onslaught. Leliana and Sten joined up with them, ready to discuss what would happen next. Alistair on the other hand, had other matters on his racing mind. He could have sworn that Elissa was there with them only a short moment ago, but now she was nowhere to be seen. Worry began to creep over him as his mind raced to the worst case scenarios. What if something had happened? What if a darkspawn had got her when they hadn't noticed? What if he'd failed in protecting her?

"Where are the others?" Came Stens monotone voice. Alistair looked back to the group, and that was when he noticed it. They were missing Wynne, Oghren and Shale along with Elissa. But, they couldn't have all disappeared could they? It was then that everything began to sink in. She wouldn't. Or at least, he prayed she wouldn't.

He turned to Zevran, a look of worry and anger written on his face.

"Zevran, where are they? No, where is she?" He commanded, thunder resonating in his voice.

Zevran merely looked at him and blinked in astonishment, clearly trying to play his innocent role well.

"How am I meant to know Alistair? I know as much as you, who knows where they all decided to run off too!"

"You must have seen them or – something. Any of you," he turned to Leliana and Sten aswell. "Someone must have seen them; they can't have just – disappeared!"

Sten maintained his cool expression whilst Zevran tried to hold his innocent mask. Maker Elissa would kill him herself if he failed now in his deception. Leliana on the other hand, was battling with her own emotions and loosing. Badly. Tears were beginning to flow down her face.

"I'm sorry Alistair – I'm – I'm so sorry," She stammered, trying to talk through her tears.

Alistair's stare turned to Leliana. He decided he did not like Leliana's terrified expression one bit, his mind racing through his nightmares once again.

"Leliana if you know anything, please – tell me." He said, trying hard to maintain his anger and worry.

Leliana sniffed. The joke was up, the cards had been played. There was no turning back.

"I'm sorry Alistair I- none of us liked the idea. But – she was so insistent and- well, once Elissa get's an idea stuck in her head-"

Alistair felt his breath get caught in his throat just by hearing her name. Panic began to strike him now, along with the rest of his tangled mess of emotions. He grabbed Leliana by the shoulders, and shook her lightly, as if they would reveal all the answers that we're being hidden from him.

"Leliana. What's happened? Where is she? Where's Elissa??"

Leliana's tears fell ever harder. Zevran sighed, giving up his innocent masquerade. Instead, he decided to speak on Leliana's behalf, sadness evident in his voice.

"She's on her way to the tower. With the others. She – wanted to do it herself."

"We knew Alistair, and we're so sorry. But she didn't want you to know, she wanted to protect you."

Alistair let go of the young Bard's shoulders then as if she were boiling. He felt his blood run cold. It was as if time had stood still in that moment as he processed what the two were trying to tell him. Elissa had gone to fight the archdemon alone, or without him at least. She was going to sacrifice herself. And she'd planned this without his knowledge, without even telling him. He'd be damned if he was going to let that happen.

Picking up his sword from the ground, Alistair automatically ran in the direction of the tower. Perhaps if he ran now he'd make it in time. They couldn't have got far ahead, could they? And if the tower was swarming with the darkspawn like the rest of the place was – which was likely – they could still be battling their way through it.

He could hear Zevran and Leliana calling his name from behind, but he didn't look back. He wasn't about to waste precious time, every second counted. He didn't look back either when he heard Sten suggest they follow him. Let them if they wanted. To him, the world didn't matter right now. The only thing that did matter; was saving a life.

And so the beginning of the end is beginning to unravel ~

Feel free to leave a review if you like, I might get Sten to give you a bag of cookies :)