Chapter 87

There were no words to describe what it felt like to be in the midst of a full-scale battle although terrifying would be a good start. However, countering the fear was a rush of adrenaline, such as she'd never experienced before. As they fought towards the gates, she saw glimpses of her friends, their expressions vicious, their lips drawn back in fierce determination as they took down one darkspawn after another.
Eventually, they were through the gates and the Grey Wardens split up into teams to clear out the remaining darkspawn, with Aedan taking Morrigan, Oghren and Revek; Emma with Zevran, Sten, and Frostie, while Alistair took Wynne and Shale.

It took some time, but at length, all the darkspawn lay dead. Soldiers poured into the area and took up a defensive position at the gates, while the Wardens and their companions headed back to Riordan for their final instructions. "The army won't last long, so we need to move quickly to reach the Archdemon. I suggest the Grey Wardens take a small party into the city, the rest will remain here and prevent more darkspawn from entering Denerim on our tails," the senior Warden advised.
"Are you travelling with us?" Alistair asked.

Riordan shook his head. "I'm going to draw the Archdemon to the top of Fort Drakon. Maker willing, I'll kill the creature before you get there." He looked directly at the three Wardens. "You should know, there are two generals in Denerim, one in the marketplace and another in the alienage. Killing them could make things easier on the top of Fort Drakon, however, it could also waste valuable time. I'll leave the decision up to you."

Aedan turned to his companions. "Morrigan and Sten, you'll be with us. Oghren, I'd like you to lead the party that will be staying behind. Make sure none of those bastards make it past you."
The dwarf grinned. "Bloody right they won't."

Emma looked over the faces of her friends, and she remembered their talks around the campfires, the laughter and stories they'd shared, the sadness and tears that had been shed throughout their journey together. Each person had joined for their own reason, but they'd stayed because of the bonds of friendship forged during their year together. She felt the sting of tears as everyone came up, and one by one said their goodbyes. It might have been easier to bear if she'd been staying in Thedas, but she knew that this would be the last time she saw them, and she couldn't hold back the tears, no matter how hard she tried.

Zevran approached her first. "You make sure to come back alive, yes? There is so much more to Wicked Grace that I have yet to teach you." She laughed, even as the tears rolled down her face. "Thank you for everything, Zev."
He smiled. "I would have followed you and your man to the very gates of the Black City. It has been an honour to fight by your side."
Leliana took Zevran's place and pulled her into a hug. "I will be most cross if you do not make it back."
Emma chuckled as she returned the hug. "Stay true to yourself, Leliana, no matter what you face in life." The bard looked at her sadly, and with a nod went to Zevran's side.
Sten, as always, was a man of few words, but what he said meant a lot. Morrigan approached next. "I will be gone after the battle, so allow me to say this; I did not know what it meant to have a friend once, but you, I would gladly consider such. We will see this through to the end, as it should be."
She didn't wait for a reply but moved away, making room for Oghren. "I ain't no sodding good at this type of thing, but you've been a good friend, Warden."
Emma smiled. "Work hard at your relationship with Felsi, and if you feel an urge to join the Grey Wardens, maybe think twice about it."
Oghren burped. "Aye, you're a strange one. Been good knowing ya, lass."
She told Shale, "If you're still a golem in 9:41, head to Haven. Don't go into the village, but wait on the outskirts."
Shale raised a stone brow. "And what would I be waiting for?"
Emma smiled. "You'll know, trust me. Anyway, you'll see a familiar face there. Join up with that person, and wait for a mage called Dorian; he's Tevinter and may be able to help you." Shale considered her words for a few seconds before speaking. "Very well, Emma. If I'm still in this form by then, I'll do as you ask."
Wynne came over to her after speaking to Aedan. "It seems you lost the staff I gave you in Ostagar." She held out her own. "This one is better, and you will need every advantage to end this Blight."
"I can't take this," Emma protested. "You're going to have a fight on your hands holding the gates."
Wynne chuckled. "I'm sure we will, but I can handle myself. I have but one request." Emma nodded as she took hold of the stave. "I want you to hand it back to me when this is all over." Wynne smiled and left to join Oghren's team, leaving Emma fighting back more tears, knowing that was one request she wouldn't be able to fulfil.
Alistair hugged her tightly. "I've always enjoyed this tradition of yours," he said with a chuckle.
Emma lost her battle with the tears. "You're going to be a great king, Alistair. Take care of Aedan when this is all over."
He pulled back sharply. "Wait! What are you saying? You'll be here too, right?"
She wiped at her eyes. "There's no saying what could happen before we reach the Archdemon." She moved away before he could ask any more questions, and Aedan's arms waited for her. She wanted nothing more than to stay wrapped in his warmth, with his scent surrounding her, and his lips against hers, but the Archdemon awaited. Remembering his words from last night, she repeated them. "I love you, Aedan, with every beat of my heart, with every thought in my mind, and with every breath that I take."
His thumb rubbed across her bottom lip. "I love you too, Angel." Then he kissed her long and hard.

The party of five entered the city of Denerim accompanied by loud cheers from the soldiers. They had no time to take in the destruction of the capital as ogres attacked them almost immediately. They fought hard, with all their strength, wanting to take down the beasts as quickly as possible, knowing that the hardest fight was yet to come. When it was done, they took a moment to get their breath back, which also gave them time to look at the destroyed buildings and the corpses lying crushed on the ground.
Alistair searched for his sister's home. "Do you know if she made it, Emma?"
Emma shook her head. "I'm afraid I don't, sorry."
His face hardened. "Just another thing to hold against the darkspawn. Let's kill these bastards."

They made their way through the marketplace, now unrecognisable because of all the damage, but soon, they found themselves outside the Chantry, facing their first General. Having fought together for so long the team worked like clockwork, each knowing what the other would do, which allowed them to set up opportunities for one another. With the general dead, they moved into the Alienage and were met by a frightened Shianni.
"Get yourselves to safety," Aedan shouted.
The Wardens ran around the corner and skidded to a halt at the large wooden gate being systematically smashed by yet another ogre. With a massive roar, the creature finally broke through but was quickly killed. The fight consisted of even more darkspawn and an Emissary. By the time it was over, there were a few wounds to heal, and everyone took advantage of the time to rest while Emma did the healing.

With that done, she swallowed down a lyrium potion and was ready to move forward. They'd just crossed the bridge, when the Archdemon appeared, swooping low, and destroyed the heavy stone structure with a powerful blast. "Well, that seemed unnecessary," Alistair quipped.
Aedan chuckled. "I think it just has a bad aim." There were a few sniggers as they made their way through the back streets of Denerim, encountering only a minimal number of darkspawn on the way.
"I wonder how the others are doing back at the gates?" Morrigan queried.

-x-

Oghren faced his team and the soldiers. "Let's show them our hearts, then show them theirs!" He raised his axe in the air, and the soldiers roared their approval, surging forward to face the darkspawn with renewed courage. It was a long and bloody fight, but in the end, Oghren and his team emerged triumphant.

-x-

Aedan and his party entered the palace district, and everyone turned their gaze towards the sky as the Archdemon flew high above them. Alistair squinted. "Is that someone on its back?"
"It's Riordan."
Alistair looked over to Emma. "You're kidding, right? Why would he do that?"
"Because he saw an opportunity to end the Blight as quickly as possible," Aedan answered. A terrified scream drew their attention back to the archdemon in time to see Riordan tumbling through the air. Alistair rubbed a hand over his face. "Why didn't you warn him, Emma?"
"Because without his actions, the Archdemon would not have an injured wing, which, as you can see, has forced it to land on Fort Drakon."
He sighed. "I'm sorry, that can't have been an easy decision to make. I don't envy you that ability sometimes."
She gave him a sad smile. "Yeah, there are moments when I'm not such a big fan of it, too."