Just one more to go and we're already hard at work on it.
"Fuck."
The final expletive slipped weakly from Sera's lips as she slumped down into the softness of the massive bed. Her earlier curses had been more forceful, but now, a sheen of sweat covered her naked body and her throat was sore from screaming. Her trembling hand reached for the mug of water by the side of the bed, but in spite of the blissful aftershocks that still hummed through her body, she was uneasy.
Crawling out from between her legs, Herah joined her at the head of the bed, and Sera nuzzled into the Inquisitor's broad chest. It felt so good to be pressed up against her, and Sera's instinct was to just settle in for a nice post-shag nap. Even without words, though, she could tell something was wrong. Herah should have been as relaxed as she was, but Sera could still feel the tension in her frame. She forced her drowsy head up so she could look into the Inquisitor's big, brown eyes.
"Everything right there, Inky?" she asked, a question she suspected she already knew the answer to.
"Why?" Herah bent down to kiss the top of Sera's messy mop of blonde hair. "Wasn't it good?"
"Oh, yeah. You've got a great tongue. Spend lotsa time down there using it too. No complaints. 'S not that."
Herah smiled at the praise, but only briefly. "Then what is it?"
"You were... I dunno, too wound up. Even after. After, you usually melt proper. And I know I didn't do a shite job, so I figure something's not right."
Herah laughed. Sera usually enjoyed the sound greatly, but there was a nervous edge to it now. "You know me too well. You're right, I guess I am too tense to really relax right now, even after a couple of great orgasms. But aren't you? I mean, in the morning we have to leave for the Valley of Sacred Ashes. The big final showdown, and we don't even have most of our army. Who wouldn't be a least a little bit scared of that?"
"Me." Sera was surprised to hear herself say the word. After all, she'd been terrified of so many of the terrible things they'd encountered. Bizarre magic and weird monsters seemed to swarm around them all the time, freaking her the fuck out. And yet here they were, getting ready to confront the monster king of bad magic, Coryphy-spit himself, and Sera was oddly calm.
Herah seemed surprised too. "Really?" she asked, a welcome smile appearing on her face. "End of the world, valley full of scary demons, Corypheus... none of that's getting to you?"
"Probably should," Sera declared. "But hey, did that already. Weird stuff happens, I freak, you tell me things'll sort out okay. And I believe you, Inky. Look, 's not easy for me to trust people, 'specially not scary mage people with glowing hands, but I figured out I can trust you. Every time you say we can do this shite, we do. Baddies go down, we walk away, go have a drink and a shag. I gotta think you got one more ass kicking in you, yeah?"
Herah's smile broadened. "Just one more?"
"Probably lots more. But one more for sure, just for Cory-pus. Pay him back for all the bad crap he pulled on all of us. And on the sky. Not right messing with the sky like that." To Sera's relief, Hera's muscular body finally relaxed beneath hers. She let out a long sigh, and Sera laughed as warm breath tickled the top of her hair. "Feels good, this. Right? You and me."
"Better than good," Herah said, sounding much more confident than before.
Sera grinned. "And once this shite's over, it'll feel like this all the time. Sera and Inky, biggest damn heroes in Thedas."
"I didn't think you wanted to be a hero," Herah said. "Won't all the praise and self-importance get to your head?"
"Pfft. Right. Never. I want to be one of those wandering, legend-y type heroes. The kind that helps some poor family rebuild their shack and puts arrows through a few bandits, then disappears into the night, and when she leaves, they realize, 'Oh! That was her!' And then you get songs written about you, with two times the bandits and maybe a dragon too."
"Sounds like you've got our retirement all figured out," Herah chuckled. "Wandering heroes it is."
Sera wasn't entirely sure if the future she envisioned was something that could happen—Herah was the Inquisitor, after all—but the thought that it might, and that Herah could see the dream as clearly as she could gave her even more hope. "This is your fault, yeah? Me wanting to be a hero."
"My fault?" Herah peered down at her with raised eyebrows. "You left a trail of weird clues leading to a spooky courtyard, stole a bunch of guards' breeches, and demanded to join me. You wanted to get involved in all this from the start."
"Right, but only 'cause you were so tall and... yeah, tall."
"Yes, we've established that you like your women tall. Let's hope you don't meet any other qunari taller than me once we become wandering heroes."
Even though there wasn't a trace of insecurity in Herah's voice, Sera flipped over, straddling her waist and peering down at her with a soft look. "Well, she'd have to be a right good kisser. And brave. Pretty eyes... Horns are nice too. Useful, them."
"Useful?" Herah asked, smirking a little.
"For holding on to, Inky." She scooted up further on the bed, until her knees were on either side of Herah's shoulders and the aforementioned horns were well within reach of her hands. "Here. I c'n show you if you like..."
"You'd better," Herah said, running her tongue over her lower lip. "I think I'm going to need a lengthy demonstration."
Morrigan drew back her crackling fist, watching the terror demon before her crumble in a shower of icy shards. She hurried around its remains, keeping her eyes always on the back of Cassandra's head. Their party had already met considerable resistance, but she knew this was only the beginning. Corypheus was a being of great power, and he would not be easily destroyed.
The others knew it too. Although they dispatched the nearby demons with deadly efficiency, there was none of the joking banter Morrigan had become accustomed to on their quests. The Inquisitor and Sera stood back to back, their spells and arrows making sure that most of the creatures were cut down before they could get close. Vivienne's spectral blade took care of those that remained, while Cassandra's shield seemed to be everywhere, blocking the incoming attacks of the far-away wraiths. Further in the distance, Morrigan could see the flashes of metal and magic as the rest of the Inquisition's warriors fought to keep the mass of the demons away from their strike force, but they were too far away to help with what was coming. It was up to this small group to defeat Corypheus.
And it was up to Morrigan to defeat his dragon, which was why she had been limiting her magic as much as she could afford to. Thanks to her mother, she knew how to make the transformation, but it would be a strain beyond anything she had ever before attempted. A raven or a bear was one thing, but this…
There was no time to dwell on it. Cassandra's blade cut a terror demon cleanly in half, Sera's arrow pierced the skull of another, and as the creatures fell, Morrigan could see clearly the massive figure of Corypheus waiting for them amidst the ruins of the Temple of Sacred Ashes. The magister loomed over the bodies of two slain Inquisition soldiers but he looked up at their approach, making a mocking bow in the direction of Herah.
"I knew you would come."
Every syllable of his deep, resonant voice seemed to echo through Morrigan's bones. His power was unconcealed and undeniable, but the Inquisitor was not cowed. She stepped forward, raising her staff and reinforcing the barriers around all of them. "It ends here, Corypheus."
"And so it shall."
Corypheus raised his hands. Red lightning wrapped around them, but rather than being flung at their group, he directed it down into the stone floor. A hideous grating followed, and Morrigan stumbled backwards, falling into a heap as, impossibly, the ground on which she stood began to lift up into the air. She could only stare in shock as all around her, huge masses of land followed suit. What remained of the Temple of Sacred Ashes ripped free from the earth, rising up into the night sky in a display of raw might that ensured no one else would be able to interfere with what came next.
From this height, Morrigan had a spectacular view of the valley below, but she had not come there to admire it. As their team staggered back to their feet, Corypheus spoke once more. "You have been most successful in foiling my plans," he declared, "but let us not forget what you are. A thief, in the wrong place at the wrong time. An interloper. A gnat. We shall prove here, once and for all, which of us is worthy of godhood."
Herah shook her head, and Morrigan could see why. The magister clearly had no idea of what drove her. "I didn't come here to become a god, Corypheus. Just to stop you."
The Inquisitor's eyes locked with those of her enemy and for a moment, it felt as if the world was standing still, waiting for one of them to make the first move. As it turned out, neither of them did. A low, loud growl boomed from behind a shattered wall and a massive scaled head rose into view, followed by a pair of heavy claws. Great, ragged wings unfurled themselves, and Corypheus's dragon peered down at the Inquisition.
At Cassandra. Though the beast threatened them all, it was the Seeker who stood at the front of the group, a wall to shield her friends. And I must shield her.
The dragon roared, and its feet shook the stone around them. It reared like a serpent preparing to strike, but as its muscles bunched, Morrigan felt raw power course through her. What happened next was pure instinct. She swelled outside of herself, drawing on every scrap of magic and protectiveness and ferocity within her. Her body grew and hardened, and great wings sprouted from her back. The transformation should have taken time, but there was none. The dragon was already charging, its eyes fixed straight on Cassandra.
Morrigan didn't hesitate. She leapt, jaws gaping wide in a roar of her own. She would not allow this monster to harm her lover. Their bodies collided, and they crashed sideways, tumbling through walls and smashing boulders in their struggle. Suddenly, the ground beneath them gave way. She and the dragon toppled over the edge of the floating platform, free-falling through the air.
The dragon spread its wings, kicking hard at her underbelly in an attempt to shake her off. Morrigan struggled to keep her hold, but the fall had disoriented her. Her grip wavered as they plummeted toward the ground, and somehow, the beast managed to writhe free. It rounded on her, shrieking in rage, but Morrigan didn't lash out again. Instead, she was off like an arrow, soaring through the broken sky and taunting it to follow. As long as the beast was pursuing her, it couldn't harm Cassandra or her friends.
She darted through the crumbling chunks of earth Corypheus had dislodged, ducking and weaving around them, but wherever she went, the dragon followed. She could feel the beating of its wings and the heat of its breath behind her. When it drew too close, she kicked out at one of the rocks, sending bits of shale raining down on the beast's head. It fell back, losing ground, but she knew the reprieve was only temporary. Despite her transformation, her brief grapple with the dragon had convinced her that it was both faster and stronger than she was. Her only hope was to be cleverer.
Instead of circling back to take refuge in the rocks, she opened her wings and changed direction, speeding up toward the glowing green light of the Breach. She flew higher and higher, until the platform was a mere speck below her. Whatever happened, she could not allow the dragon to destroy it. Not while it was the only thing standing between Cassandra and the ground far below. But movement stirred behind her, and she could feel the dragon gaining ground again. It was following her up, and soon, it would catch her.
There was only one choice. She turned, folding her wings close to her body and diving straight down.
This time, the collision was hard enough to rattle her bones. They locked together with teeth and claws, battering each other with their wings as they spiraled downward. Searing pain exploded along her side, piercing her scales, and Morrigan screamed. Her jaws snapped, but she couldn't find a hold. They veered into a wild spin, and as Morrigan saw the flashing lights of the battle beneath them, she realized that they were streaking straight toward her companions.
She summoned the last of her strength, raking every inch of the dragon's armored hide that she could reach, but it wasn't enough. Her tearing and thrashing came too late. She crashed to the ground with its bulk on top of her. Suddenly, she was very small again, and darkness swam everywhere. Morrigan groaned, trying to pick herself up, but it was useless. Blood pulsed out of her with each heartbeat, streaming down her side, and she collapsed, lost in a fog of pain and exhaustion.
She saw the glint of green light on a metal shield, and tears welled in her eyes before everything went black. Cassandra... I'm so sorry…
The muscles of Cassandra's arm burned with the strain of holding her shield up in the face of Corypheus's magic, but though the flow of energy coming from his hand was unrelenting, she wouldn't give in. Fortunately, she didn't have to hold out forever. An arrow from Sera's bow struck the magister in the shoulder, and he staggered backwards, only to be seared by a burst of Herah's flame.
"Enough!" Corypheus roared. He threw up his hands, and a burst of red light flew forth, staggering the Inquisition members long enough for him to fly further up the cracked staircase behind him.
"Is everyone all right?" Herah asked as soon as she caught her breath.
"Yeah, Inky, just…"
Before Sera could finish her sentence, her head jerked around, swiftly followed by the other members of the Inquisition. From above them, there was the rush of a great wind, and when Cassandra looked up, she saw the two dragons crashing toward the ground. Their claws and teeth were raking into each other, but Cassandra realized to her horror that Corypheus's monster had the upper hand, its teeth on Morrigan's throat.
"Morrigan!" Cassandra screamed, but there was nothing that could be done. The pair slammed into the ground with a sickening crash, the impact throwing up a massive cloud of dust and debris that temporarily blinded her. When it cleared, however, Cassandra could only see one of the combatants. The red lyrium dragon staggered out of the crater, wounded but still alive, while of Morrigan, there was no sign.
At least not immediately. A moment later, Cassandra's frantic eyes found the object of her search. The force of the impact had apparently broken Morrigan's transformation. She lay sprawled on the hard stone some distance from the dragon, back in her battered human form. Cassandra's first impulse was to run to her, but as badly as she wanted to offer aid, she realized there was nothing she could do if they were all eaten. The dragon roared, and her worry became rage. The creature who had hurt her lover would die, and it would be at her blade.
The rest of the Inquisition moved to attack as well, but Cassandra outpaced them all. Even before Sera and Herah's ranged attacks could reach the dragon, she was already upon it. A blast of red energy flew from its mouth, but between her shield and the fresh barrier Vivienne had hastily erected, she didn't even slow down.
When her longsword crashed into the dragon's armored side, the impact shock ran up her arm, but Cassandra ignored the pain. The sooner the creature was dead, the sooner she could see to Morrigan, and she wouldn't let anything get in the way of that. Over and over, she struck, hacking and slashing until sprays of black ichor were running down her blade and onto her gauntleted hand. Dimly, she was aware of other attacks, of arrows, and spells, and spectral blades aiding her efforts, but her focus was on her enemy.
She knocked back the dragon's claw strike with her shield, and when it turned its massive head toward her, Cassandra saw her opening. This time, she let the swipe of its jaw knock her shield from her grasp, instead taking hold of her sword with both hands and striking at the exposed flesh of the dragon's neck. The most horrid screech came from its throat as she hit home, and while it was distracted, Cassandra leapt upon the creature's back for a better angle.
Her second blow slammed home with even greater force. The beast thrashed, spraying more of its burning breath up at her. The heat was intense even through layers of steel and leather, but Cassandra wouldn't be deterred. The next strike stilled the movement of the dragon's head, and a fourth severed the spine, the blade descending deep into its exposed innards. Its enormous bulk collapsed, making the ground shudder, and its head lolled off to the side, severed half-way from its body.
Cassandra clambered down the dragon's arm, eyes already locked on Morrigan, but something else demanded her attention. The dragon's corpse gave one last lurch, and a glowing red light pulsed from within its great jaws. It emerged, gathering into a crackling ball of flame and soaring through the air toward Corypheus. He climbed astride the crumbling rampart above them, hands raised to the sky as the light sank into his chest and seemed to set him ablaze.
"Let it end here!" he cried, holding the glowing orb aloft in his bony hand. "Let the skies boil and the world be rent asunder!"
"Balls," Sera muttered from beside Cassandra's shoulder. "Knew it wouldn't be that easy."
But Cassandra's eyes narrowed with determination. She retrieved her fallen shield and raised her blade again, spattering globs of blood and gore everywhere. There was not a drop of fear left in her except the fear of losing Morrigan. "Hurry," she panted, practically dragging Sera up the stairs. The slower they were, the more precious time they wasted.