Chapter 16: Pirate versus Reaver

"We must beat them to the great seal!"

Larius led them through the old tower; the tainted warden would stop every now and again, pulling switches, and levers.

"We must stall her…stall…stall…stall. The fortress's old defenses, powerful, dangerous, they will be able to slow Janeka."

Hawke shook his head, it was bad enough to have the Carta after him, now it turned out he a part of some Grey Warden rebellion. Janeka was being controlled by this Corypheus, and if what Larius said was true.

Whatever Corypheus was, he could not be allowed to flee the tower.

They made their way across a long bridge, s shortcut to the next area at least that is what Larius thought. Hawke looked up, he could see Janeka, she was gesturing at one of the magical barriers that Larius had put up.

Her wardens were with her, as well as a small company of Carta dwarves.

Hawke's eyes narrowed.

So, it was all true, Janeka had sic'd the Carta on them, and all because she wanted them to help her free this monster, the monster that father had helped cage.

Garrett felt fury wash over him like a cold spring.

Malcolm Hawke had been one of the best mage's that Garrett had ever known. He taught his children the true meaning of power, and that magic was to serve and not rule. He had not needed to be locked up in some tower to be true to his conscience.

If Father felt it was necessary to use blood magic to bind this Corypheus, then he must have had a damn good reason.

Garrett would not allow that bitch to undo all that Father had done.

He would stop her.

He had to.

IOI

They came to another section of the tower, this one filled with streams of magic, magic that powered the various barriers throughout the tower.

Carver fell to his knees, he gasped for breath, trying to push back the song in his head.

Too loud, it was just too loud.

Merrill came to his side, her eyes shown with worry.

"Carver, what is wrong?"

"I can't," the young warden groaned, the song touched the darkest parts of his soul; it promised him so much…everything he had ever desired.

All he had to do was deliver his brother.

"I'm sorry," Carver whimpered, "I…I just can't!"

"Hawke stop," he heard Isabela call out, "Something is wrong with Carver!"

Garrett was at his brother's side in seconds.

Larius came as well.

"It is the song," the tainted warden warned them, "Corypheus is trying to make him like Janeka, make him help her."

"He can't," Garrett growled, "Carv won't submit…will you Carv?"

"Leave me," Carver gasped, the strange green glow limed his eyes, "I…I don't want to hurt you brother, run…leave me!"

Arika and Lin approached; they could feel Carver starting to give in.

They watched and waited.

Their new god was pleased.

"I'm not leaving Carver," Garrett Hawke snarled, "I let the darkspawn take Bethany, they can't have you too."

Hearing his twin sister's name enraged Carver, all those insecurities came to the surface, all the old grudges.

Corypheus fed them.

Garrett had gotten Bethany killed.

Garrett had always held him back.

He would never step out of his brother's shadow.

It was too much!

"I…I can't fight the song," Carver said angrily, it was all he could do to keep from drawing his sword on his brother.

Isabela watched Carver closely. She did not think for a minute that Carver would harm his brother, but he was not in his right mind. Larius said that this creature could control wardens and darkspawn both.

She would not allow Carver to hurt Garrett.

"Come on Junior," Varric said gently, "Get up, we are almost at the end. You can't give up now."

Garrett was not as gentle.

"GET UP BROTHER!"

"I… can't,"

"YES. YOU. CAN." Garrett growled, "You're a Hawke, You are a soldier, and you're a Grey Warden, none of those give up. You aren't some little girl are you? You want Merrill to braid your pig-tails?!"

Carver glared at Hawke, the insult was an old taunt from their childhood.

It always got Carver moving.

"I did not think so," Garrett said imperiously, "So; get up, on your feet soldier, ON YOU FEET!"

Carver's training took over, he rose, he tried to focus on his old training, not to mention his Templar training from Brother Nigel. Garrett was right! He was not weak!

Malcolm Hawke's youngest son did not yield!

He was on his feet, he glared at his brother, his blue eyes had a slight green glow to them, but he was on his feet.

"You can be a real bastard when you want to be, brother." He said coldly.

"It got you up didn't it," he smirked.

Carver snorted, just like old times; still…the ends had justified the means…

"Thank you," he grumbled drawing his sword.

He took point for the group.

Hawke nodded, he was proud of Carver, he might not say it, but he was always proud of him.

Merrill came up alongside him.

"I did not think Carver had pig-tails Hawke?" she said innocently.

Garrett smirked.

"He doesn't Merrill," the apostate chuckled, "Not anymore."

"We got company," Varric called out, "Bianca, baby, introduce yourself!"

Garrett drew his staff.

Carta dwarves flooded the chamber.

Janeka had apparently decided to leave a rear-guard.

"I thought we killed all of you lot," Isabela snorted, "They are like rodents, Hawke I swear."

"You shall go no further," the Carta captain growled.

"So you take orders from a cloud-gazer now?" Varric said with distaste, "Pathetic, I thought the Carta had bigger balls!"

The captain did not respond to his taunt.

"Janeka shared the secret of Corypheus with the Carta. When he rises, we shall be rewarded after death."

Hawke rolled his eyes, more mindless fanatics…GREAT!

"Kill them," the Captain ordered, "And pray that Corypheus honors our sacrifice!"

The Captain reached for one of the magical streams.

"NO!" Larius cried out, "DON'T!"

The dwarf moved it, the chamber's barriers came on, sealing them all inside.

They were all trapped!

Garrett's staff spat fire at the Carta, if they had not stopped him up to this point they would…

URGK!

The blade tore through his back, it came out the front, Hawke looked down in horror.

It was an imperial edge!

"WH…what?" he gurgled.

He fell forward.

He looked up in horror, Arika stood over him, a cold savage gleam in her eyes, her glowing green eyes.

"Praise Corypheus," she purred.

IOI

"Noooo!" Merrill wailed; she raised her staff, looking to take revenge for Hawke.

One of Lin's arrows pierced her shoulder, she fell back.

Arika glared at the archer.

"You missed," she spat.

Lin gave her a confused look.

"I…I don't…"

Arika lunged at Fenris's back, eager to take his head for her god.

A great sword blocked her blade.

She glared at Carver, who looked completely and utterly shocked.

"Arika? What have you done?"

"Served my god and master, Charity?" she spit.

She attacked her lover savagely. The taint in his blood made him not as valuable as his elder sibling, but Corypheus might still have some use for it.

She intended to deliver what her master needed.

IOI

Isabela had just finished dealing with one of the Carta, when she saw Hawke fall to Arika.

Fury blossomed in the pirate queen's heart.

She finished off the dwarf with barely a thought, she ran to Hawke's side.

"Garrett, oh Garrett no," she whispered.

"Stop them," he said spitting blood, "Corypheus has taken control!"

Isabela glared at the reaver, a cold deadliness settled over her.

She twirled her daggers, and made for Arika.

The bitch was going to pay for that!

IOI

Fenris blocked Lin's arrows with his sword, while Varric tried to wound her, to stop her.

The elven archer was just too fast!

"Damn it girl stop," Varric shouted, "We don't want to hurt you!"

Lin fired again.

Fenris had had enough!

HE sprang forward, his markings glowing.

Lin fired again, and again, she missed each time.

Fenris was shocked; he had seen the girl shoot.

Lin did not miss, not at this range.

She threw down her bow and drew a pair of curved daggers.

Fenris drove her back, their blades clashed with a loud clang.

His green eyes stared into Lin's copper ones.

He was shocked.

Lin was crying.

"Kill me," she sobbed.

"No," he spat.

"He is too strong, the god is too strong," she whimpered, "I don't want to hurt you Fenris. I…I'm lost…kill me!"

"This thing is no god, "the Tevinter elf hissed, "And you are stronger than this."

"I…I…"

"You can stop yourself," Fenris said, "Carver did, so can you."

She gave him a sad look.

"I…I can't…I'm sorry."

She pushed him back, she lunged with her daggers. He caught her arms pushing her back against the wall.

She struggled mightily, but against him, it was nothing.

He did something she did not expect.

He leaned forward.

He kissed her.

The move shocked the archer, her eyes widened; her daggers fell from her grasp.

His left hand wove down her arm, her thoughts were only on him now, not even Corypheus could reach her.

He thumped her in the back of the head…hard.

She winced, and let out a muffled cry.

She slumped, unconscious in his arms.

He lowered her to the floor of the chamber.

"I am sorry," he purred. He stood before her, defending her, there were still Carta dwarves in the chamber.

He would defend her with his life.

This Corypheus would pay for hurting Lin.

He would pay greatly.

IOI

"ARIKA!"

Isabela had eyes only for the reaver now, she was currently fighting Carver, but that fight was about to end.

Arika had hurt Hawke…she had hurt Garrett.

Isabela owed the little bitch, she intended to collect.

"Arika!" she repeated.

The reaver did not respond; too busy trying to finish off her boyfriend.

Isabela's eyes darkened with fury.

"Arika you Nevarran Skank, turn and face me!"

The reaver spun Carver around keeping him between her and the pirate queen.

She had a savage look on her face, savage and gleeful.

"You must really want to die whore!" she laughed.

Isabela dropped into a fighting crouch. She looked at Carver.

"Out of the way, sweet thing," she purred, "I have a bone to pick with your girlfriend."

"Isabela don't" Carver said, "She isn't in her right mind, she will kill you, and if she doesn't you might…"

She smirked at the young warden.

"No worries, sweet thing," she said with a dangerous purr, "I'm not going to kill your little reaver, just bleed her a bit, and kick her ass. See what you can do to help Garrett. I go this."

Carver backed away, leaving nothing between the two women.

They both glared hatefully at each other.

"You cannot defeat me wench," Arika said triumphantly, "Corypheus's power and love sustains me. You are nothing compared to him. NOTHING!"

Isabela sneered at her.

"Shut up and fight, bitch." Isabela snarled.

The two women collided.

IOI

Hawke gasped for breath, it came in hard ragged gasps.

He…he was in a bad way, he knew that.

Merrill was at his side.

The dalish looked terrified.

"Hawke?" she said quietly.

He coughed, getting hard to stay awake.

"Hawke?" she repeated.

He looked at her.

"You know what to do," the dalish said sagely, "You know the spell, use it."

"No," he coughed.

The Dalish gave him a stern look.

"We have no time for standard healing spells," she reminded him, "Besides I'm no good at them. You have what you need to save yourself. Use it…please."

Garrett sighed, he knew she was right, he hated it, but she was right.

Only one thing to do now.

Merrill handed him her dar'misu dagger.

He took the blade.

Here goes nothing, he thought.

Garrett Hawke slashed his hand.

The blood did not fall, it rose

Garrett Hawke howled.

It was not right; it was not good, it was necessary!

IOI

Isabela and Arika fought like to maddened dogs.

Dozens of cuts graced the pirate queen, but Arika was not much better, an ugly gash now decorated her cheek.

She was laughing.

"Pain means nothing to me harlot," she cackled, "A reaver feeds on death, and I shall feat on yours!"

She lunged, her strength actually increased by the damage Isabela had done.

The Pirate flipped away, kicking the reaver in the jaw. She lunged anew; she had given Carver her word that she would not kill his pretty little blonde, but…

To be honest…she was really starting to piss Isabela off.

"You stabbed Hawke in the back, where was your vaunted reaver was honor there? Huh, bitch!"

Arika grinned.

"Careful Isabela," she said, "You almost sound like you want to be Hawke's woman now. Not that you deserve to be. You are nothing but a dockside whore. A quick bang, easily discarded, one day Hawke will grow bored with you and…"

Isabela lunged.

The reaver was good, she was very good, but so was Isabela…

And the Pirate Queen was furious!

She whirled like a hurricane, too fast for the reaver to touch. Her blade cut long shallow gashes in the girl's arms and legs. When the reaver tried to frenzy, Isabela tackled her, she was stronger than the pirate, but surprise was on Isabela's side.

Arika lost her blade; Isabela seized it and tossed it away.

She ended up straddling the reaver, backstabber at the girl's throat.

The reaver was still grinning.

"Yes," she gasped, "Kill me; spill my blood for Corypheus, so that he may know my loyalty, my sacrifice! I…"

Isabela cracked her in the side of the head with heartbreaker.

The reaver's eyes rolled back into her head as she lost consciousness.

Wincing, Isabela rose to her feet.

"Oh shut up," she spat.

She limped away from the unconscious reaver.

"Tough little bitch," she grumbled.

She nearly collided with Hawke.

"Isabela," he said his voice full of concern.

Her eyes widened, Hawke stood before her, he was fine, he was healed…whole.

How?

"Hawke," she murmured, "I…"

She collapsed into his arms.

Everything went dark.