Author's Note: Thanks to all of you reviewing and following. Much appreciated! This was originally just a realllllly long chapter, but I decided to break it up into two. Hope you enjoy!
Chapter 26 - Dead Things
The evening came swiftly with everyone jittery about the coming battle. Most of the women, save Serena, Morrigan and Leliana, were staying with Bann Teagan and two of the arl's knights in the Chantry. They had boarded it up from the inside, so if everyone fell outside, hopefully those left inside could hold out until the dawn and flee the village if necessary.
Serena really hoped it did not come to that, though.
She surveyed their preparations carefully. With the help of Leliana and one of Ser Perth's knights, they had built a contraption similar to the one Serena had seen the darkspawn try to use in the Tower of Ishal up on the hill leading to the castle. The knight, Ser Moric, had told them it was the first line of defense, since the monsters usually came across the bridge from the castle directly.
Leliana had set up a line running from the barrels across the path, so when it was tripped, the oil was spread all across the passageway. With a quick fling of a torch, it would be lit up and, Serena hoped, the monsters would almost be burned away by the time they reached the first wave of fighters.
Serena, Alistair, Leliana and Peanut had gone with most of the knights to the top of the hill to be part of that first wave. Morrigan had chose to join the majority of the militiamen down near the Chantry, with Sten standing with the dwarf, who Serena found out was named Dwyn, and his bodyguards right in front of the Chantry doors as the very last line of defense.
Serena stood at the bridge overlooking the village below. "Well, if all goes according to plan, they shouldn't see much action down the hill, right?"
"Because we've seen how well plans tend to go for us," Alistair grumbled from beside her. Serena wondered if he was still sore from her stunt in the storeroom with him earlier. She wanted to feel bad about it, but didn't it serve him right? Just friends, indeed, Serena thought.
Leliana batted him in the shoulder playfully. "Do not be such a sourpuss, Alistair," the redhead chided him. "How often do you get to see dead people up and walking about?"
"And with such healthy appetites! We should ask them to become Grey Wardens," Serena added, pinching his cheek and was relieved when he smiled back at her. She stared down at the large chantry building below longingly. "Although, I wish there was more time until proper sundown... I wanted to pray."
"But you do not need to go to the Chantry to pray," Leliana replied, following Serena's line of sight. She moved around Alistair to grasp Serena's hand. "Here, come with me. I will join you." She towed Serena over to a spot by the large windmill, settling down onto her knees. Serena saw Alistair wander over to them, standing somewhat apart. Peanut stood by him, nosing his hand gently.
"Maker, my enemies are abundant..." Leliana began.
Serena closed her eyes, her hands finding Leliana's easily. "Many are those who rise up against me," she intoned.
Leliana looked to Alistair, motioning him to join them before she said the next line. "But my faith sustains me."
"I shall not fear the legion," Serena continued. She heard Alistair's clink of armor as he sat down beside her, and she let go of one of Leliana's hands to grasp his as well.
Alistair's voice was quiet as he finished the passage. "...Should they set themselves against me."
"Maker, tonight we join together in a fight against those who have turned against Your children. We humbly ask for Your guidance and Your courage, as we attempt to walk the path of righteousness." Serena felt her body permeate with an inner strength as she spoke the words to the evening sky. Leliana's grip tightened on her hand and she smiled. "And should we perish in the struggle, we ask that you set us by Your side always, in Your kingdom of the Beyond, where we may always bask in Your eternal light."
Serena opened her eyes to find Alistair's head bowed, his hands holding one of hers and Leliana's. Leliana smiled at her, her bright blue eyes misty. "That was incredible, Serena. You... have an uncanny ability to make the Chant sound..."
"Like a real thing," Alistair said, his voice still soft. "I mean, when you speak, it sounds... real. You make me feel it in a way I never did when I was living in the monastery." Serena felt herself blush slightly at his kind words.
"I would not take you for someone raised within the Chantry, Alistair," Leliana said.
"Yes, well, it wasn't my choice, I assure you." Alistair stood, offering a hand up to each lady. "But we don't always-"
"My lady?" Ser Moric ran down the hill to them, his armor clanking loudly. He paused at them, catching his breath. "My lady... Ser Lannister... is at... the bridge. He bayed me run here to let you and Ser Perth know, there are noises... coming from the castle. We think the battle shall be upon us soon."
"That poor man cannot stay on the bridge alone, surely he would be the first to perish!" Leliana cried.
"He will fall back, as soon as the first fiend appears, miss," Ser Moric replied, bowing his head to Leliana. "We have always trained together, he shall be at my side in battle, do not worry." The knight peered at the sky, watching the white clouds rolling in over Lake Calenhad.
"I am not sure if anyone has told you all, but we are... so grateful, to have you help us." The dark haired knight sighed. "I suppose I just wanted to say thank you. I must... speak with Ser Perth now." Ser Moric waved briefly at the trio then jogged over to the group of knights, Ser Perth among them.
"Well, at least someone appreciates us," Alistair said. "Here I thought everyone in the village had resorted to that doom-and-gloom point of view." He leaned close to Serena, dropping his voice. "Are you... nervous? I mean... nobody has been very direct with us about what we're facing."
"I don't know what to think, honestly," Serena replied. "They told us they were... walking corpses. Call me old-fashioned, but I happen to think when something is dead, it ought to stay that way."
"What do you think is causing them to... rise?" Leliana asked.
Serena stared out at the lake, where Redcliffe castle could be seen in the moonlight just below the rolling clouds. "I'm not sure... Magic, maybe? Ser Perth mentioned bringing in a mage to help the arl... I ought to ask Morrigan-"
"They're coming! They're coming from the castle!" The knight, Ser Lannister, ran down the hill, jumping over Leliana's tripwire easily. "I saw them nearing the bridge! A whole horde of them, ser!"
"Alright men! This is it! Get to your positions!" The rest of Ser Perth's knights pulled their weapons, joining Serena, Alistair and Leliana. Together, they formed a barrier just past the windmill, blocking the path down into the village.
Serena could see a yellow cloud rise up along the bridge that led out to the island castle. Had it been out on a road, she would have thought it just a group of riders, kicking up the dust as they raced past. Then the cloud moved faster, and the stench of decay traveled to her nose.
"Oh, Maker- do you smell that?" She pulled Alistair's handkerchief from her neck and tied it around the bottom half of her face to shield it from the horrible smell. Beside her, Peanut whined loudly, putting a paw over his nose.
Nocking an arrow into her bow, she saw another knight do the same, the two of them stepping forward from the melee combatants. "Aim for their heads if you can!" one of the knights shouted over the low pitched wail that had begun. "We'll want to knock back the stragglers so we can light the majority at once!"
Suddenly, two figures rushed out from the strange yellow mist, brandishing small swords. Serena could see they were emaciated, their skin hanging off their bones as they ran. She loosened one of her arrows into the corpse, landing it right in the neck as it fell to the ground. Beside her, Ser Tanner shot the other fiend in the face, knocking it backwards into one of its fellows.
More of the creatures appeared out of the mist, screaming and wailing. Serena pulled arrow after arrow, shooting as many as she could, but as one went down, another ghoul was quick to replace it. She noticed even the corpses she and Ser Tanner had shot down were crawling on their bellies towards them.
Ser Perth ran forward, his sword and shield at the ready. "The barrels are down! Tanner, light them up!"
The knight rubbed the tip of one of his arrows against his gauntlet and it erupted into flames. He pulled it back and fired, landing it right in the middle of the path. The oil immediately caught fire, flames licking across the narrow passageway and up the ghouls' arms and legs as they slid through the slick.
But to Serena's utter horror, the oil trap only slowed them down, it did not stop them entirely like it would a living person. Flaming corpses now threw themselves through the fire and out into the open clearing where Serena and the rest stood waiting.
"Maker preserve us..." Serena whispered as she switched to her long daggers.
"Serena, back to back with me! I don't want them flanking you!" Alistair shouted, motioning her over to him with his shield arm. Serena sprinted to where he was, seeing some of the knights already engaged with the flaming corpses.
Alistair swung his sword around, lobbing the head off a nearby skeleton, the jaws of it still snapping as it rolled across the clearing. Behind him, Serena crushed the skull of one of the carcasses with her boot, as it tried to crawl towards a battling knight nearby.
Wave after wave of monsters crashed down from the castle pathway, each clamoring for the blood of the living. Serena dodged and ducked, slashing at the throats or whatever was left of the skeletal corpses intent on trying to devour them all. She felt hands claw at her all over, their bony fingers scratching at any exposed skin. The knights and Alistair bashed the dead relentlessly with their shields, the clanging of meaty flesh hitting the metal made sick pops through the night.
"Lifeless bastards!" Leliana had moved up near the flames, brandishing her own short sword and another long blade she must have taken from one of the dead. Spinning so fast Serena thought she might faint watching her, she saw Leliana decapitate two mostly burned bodies in one fell swoop, her dual swords flipping back to engage another opponent.
Serena heard one knight scream as a skeleton grabbed him, attempting to bite down into his calf, and she raced to his side, driving her dagger deep into the fiend's empty eye socket. It shrieked, dark blood spurting out onto the ground. The knight swung his sword and hacked it right through the neck, cutting off the terrible sound.
"Thank you, my lady," the knight said quickly, rushing to help one of his fellows. Serena peered around, searching for Alistair, but she couldn't see his tall form through the mist that now pervaded the entire clearing.
"Serena!" She heard his call to her left, and she sprinted towards him, landing a running kick into the soft chest of a corpse that had avoided the oil. She knocked it to the ground, running her dagger across the decomposing neck of the creature. Bits of filth and skin clung to her dagger and she felt like gagging. The stench of them made her stomach turn, even with the handkerchief blocking much of it out.
"There's only a few more," Alistair called, thumping another creature to the ground with his shield. His sword slid into its flesh easily, the entire top half of its torso coming free with the blade. "Maker's breath, I'm going to gag!"
Suddenly one of the militiamen appeared, shouting frantically. "Wardens! The monsters are attacking from the lake! Coming right out of the water!" He grabbed his side and Serena could see a gash there, blood starting to flow out over his armor. "They're attacking the barricades! We need help!"
Serena shouted to Ser Perth. "Stay here! In case more come down the path! We need to go to the village!" The knight nodded quickly, motioning for a few of his knights to spread out and hold the line.
"Come on, we have to hurry!" the militiaman pleaded. "The barricades won't hold for long!"
Alistair called to Leliana, waving her over. Peanut followed as they ran down the hill to the village, Serena sprinting after the militiaman. Over the bridge, she could see corpses rising, coming out of the waves of the lake. She could see bursts of magic as Morrigan attempted to hold off the flow of undead with her spells.
"Hurry!" Serena yelled, hurtling over a table working as a barricade and into the range of the Chantry. She pulled one of her throwing knives from her belt and hurled it at an oncoming fiend, hitting it so hard it fell back to the ground. "That's right! Stay back, you foul smelling creeps!"
Alistair and Leliana were immediately beside her, crashing across the barricades and engaging the fiends with their swords. They quickly developed a natural rhythm of Alistair bashing them to the ground with his shield and Serena and Leliana hacking them to bits with a flurry of blades. The militiamen surrounded them, shooting at the corpses as they came into view from the lake and nearby houses. Serena's mabari bounded towards the water, smashing into a crowd of ghouls and ripping into them with his teeth.
"Wardens! Thank the Maker!" Murdock ran forward, bow in hand. "Your mage has done wonders keeping them back, but I think she is tiring and they continue to rise from the lake!"
"We'll hold them off, but I think they are drawn to that fire!" Serena yelled, pointing at the huge burning pyre in the center of the chantry yard.
"We cannot extinguish it, or else we'll be fighting in moonlight alone!" one of the militiamen shouted. "No way am I facing these monsters in complete darkness, too!" Serena shook her head, waving the man off.
"Fine, it stays! Sten!" Serena called to the qunari. "Protect Morrigan, she needs a rest!" She saw the giant man nod and move towards the witch, picking her up in his huge arms and setting her down near the Chantry doors. Morrigan protested, waving both her arms and shouting something up at Sten, but he shook his head firmly, moving away to swing his greatsword into a clump of waterlogged ghouls. Morrigan frowned, slumping against the Chantry doors in defeat as she pulled a potion from her pack and knocked it back.
"Well, at least she listens to someone," Serena muttered, turning back to Murdock. "Get your archers on top of those houses and aim for the ones coming out of the lake! That'll help stem the flow, since they're coming for the mass of people here and the fire."
Murdock nodded, motioning for a few of his archers to move. Serena saw them scramble up the side of one of the small wooden houses, firing arrows out onto the sand as creatures rose methodically from the water, their wailing filling the night air.
"Ah, good to see you down in the trenches with us common-folk, Warden." Dwyn the dwarf appeared at her side, his large sword skewering one of the ghastly fiends through the middle. His two bodyguards were working together to bring down another decaying body nearby. "Thought you might stay up on the hill with the pretty boys all night!"
"And miss out on the stench of seawater and death?" Serena called, kicking another corpse back and slamming her dagger into what was left of another's face. "How could I ever resist?" She spun and stomped down hard on the first ghoul as it tried to crawl back towards her. It went on like that for what seemed like hours, the waves of corpses were unrelenting in their pursuit of the living.
Eventually the last of them appeared in the waves, one of the archers taking it down easily. For a moment, all the fighters left standing simply stared at each other, unsure of what to do. Corpses of a few of the living and many of the undead littered the chantry's yard, the smell of blood and death lingering over all of them.
Then a cheer rose up from one of the archers on the house, as he stood up and yelled, pumping his fists in the air, and slowly his call rippled through the yard, catching in everyone as they all shouted and called and cried in happiness. Peanut barked happily, running in circles around Serena.
"They're gone! Sweet Maker, they're all gone!" One of the militiamen collapsed in a heap onto the steps of the Chantry, a long cut on his face bleeding sludgishly. "I never thought... oh, Maker..." Behind him, the Chantry doors were opening and people were starting to make their way outside, reuniting with fathers, husbands, and sons.
Serena glanced around, looking for the one face that mattered most to her. And then she saw him, tired and aching, rolling his shoulders to work out the kinks, his blonde hair a mess with streaks of filth and blood, and she ran. "Alistair!" He turned and saw her, dropping his sword and shield at his sides as he caught her and spun her around happily.
"We did it, Serena! I didn't think we could, but we did it!" He held her tightly as she wrapped him in a hug, her face disappearing into his neck. "And for once you didn't break your arm or something."
Serena laughed. "You sound so disappointed! I thought I would do you a favor, you know. So you didn't have to patch me up again."
"Aw, but I like patching you up," he whispered into her ear. "Are you sure you don't have any cuts? How about bruises?" Serena giggled, about to respond when someone called across the yard.
"The pass is cleared!" Ser Perth and his knights appeared at the bottom of the hill, looking battered and bloody but smiling wanly. "We went all the way to the other side of the bridge, and I think we got them all!" Another cheer went up at the news, as more of the women and children poured out of the Chantry doors, and Bann Teagan joined them. Serena separated from Alistair, curtsying politely to the nobleman.
"Well done, my friends. I daresay, we couldn't have done this tonight without you and your companions, Alistair." Bann Teagan clapped a hand on Alistair's shoulder, smiling broadly. "We'll take everyone that can fit into the Chantry tonight, wounded first, of course, and set about cleaning this place up in the morning." He grinned at Serena as she noticed Leliana, Morrigan and Sten gather around. "I know I speak for the arl when I say you and your friends are welcome guests at Redcliffe, always and forever."
"T-thank you, Bann Teagan," Alistair said, bowing to the man. "This means... a lot... we're just glad we could help." Serena could see his eyes were misty, and she squeezed his hand gently.
"Oh, goody, we can now visit corpse castle whenever we please," Morrigan muttered to Sten. "I know where I shall plan my next vacation."
"Mother Hannah and I have set up cots for the wounded, and many of the women have volunteered to take care of the wounded throughout the night," the bann was saying. "We also collected all the bedding we could for the fighters to sleep, I can show you to the area we set aside for you and your friends right now, if you'd like."
"Thank you, that would be lovely," Serena replied, motioning to the others to follow her. Many of the fighters wandered in after them, stripping their armor off in piles and falling down into bedrolls. Chantry sisters moved through the room, handing them bowls of soup and hot towels for the men to wipe their hands and faces. Serena saw Bodahn and Sandal off to the side, helping one of the wounded.
The bann lead them into a room off to the side, where pews had been stacked to provide some privacy. "In the morning, after we finish cleaning up perhaps, I would like to have a small ceremony, honoring you and your companions, my lady."
"Oh, well... thank you. We certainly appreciate your kindness towards us," Serena replied, taken aback by his words. Bann Teagan waved to them, then turned and disappeared back into the main hall. Serena assumed he was surveying the wounded, and taking note of who had and hadn't made it.
"So, that was exciting," Morrigan said sarcastically, tossing her pack into a corner. "If 'tis no matter to you, I wouldn't mind going to sleep now. 'Tis past midnight after all and I am spent." She pulled out a bedroll and laid it out behind a pew, disappearing from view.
"I feel a bit too anxious to go to bed just yet." Leliana dropped her own pack and sword, laying them gently against a small bookcase. "I think I will check with some of the sisters, see if there is anything I can do."
"I would prefer to sleep with the rest of the fighters," Sten rumbled, heading out of the room. Peanut followed him, his little tall wagging after the huge qunari.
Serena shrugged, pulling off her armor and laying it down in a pile near her pack. She saw Alistair quickly do the same, as they both took towels from one of the Chantry sisters and wiped down their arms and faces. Serena looked at the towel, disgusted with the bits of filth she'd been covered in. For the first time in hours, she felt somewhat clean, and relaxed, with her armor off and no fighting to be done.
She pulled a pack of cards from her bag and shuffled them enticingly at Alistair. "Want to play a quick game? I'm a bit too wound up from all the fighting to go right to sleep."
"Oh, well, uh..." Alistair looked around them. "I actually wanted to talk to you about... the battle, and things." He dropped his voice, leaning close to Serena. "Walk with me outside?" Serena nodded, putting the cards on her bedroll, and followed him back out the door, leaving the Chantry, it's wounded, and the vestiges of the undead battle they had just finished behind them.