Isabella rested in the lighthouse library as Lucanis and Davrin left to do their own things. Lucanis promised to return with coffee while Davrin went to find more information about the Wardens being called back to Weisshaupt. She heard him mention it was strange that the First Warden only called back Antione and Evka, essentially ignoring him completely. She decided to let herself take a moment to relax, knowing that something was brewing just beneath the surface. Something big was happening, and she needed to be ready.
She had sent messages to the rest of the team, hopefully in time for them to get back. Isabella mentioned in her letters that it was just a hunch, but Wardens were a cautious bunch for a reason. If something spooked them, it was probably for a good reason. Emmrich was the only one when they got back, who had returned early from his Mourn Watch duties an hour before.
Eventually, Lucanis entered the library with two cups of coffee, handing one to her. She thanked him before taking a sip, settling further into the cushions. He sat next to her, a little more rigid than she had hoped. Even after all this time, he always seemed so tense around her. Still, it was a peaceful moment, and Isabella wasn't about to take it for granted.
Once about half of the coffee was gone, Davrin entered the library from the eluvian room. Isabella sat up a little, watching him as he walked towards her. He looked concerned and confused as he approached.
"They're recalling every Warden back to Weisshaupt. Except me, of course," Davrin informed with a scoff. "I guess the First Warden didn't like me joining your team."
"Every Warden? In Thedas?" Isabella repeated, ignoring his jab at his leader. "Why would he do that?"
"There's a huge darkspawn hoard heading towards Weisshaupt, and there's rumors of an archdemon too," the Warden answered before he shook his head. "They say an archdemon only appears during a blight. None of the texts mention anything about elven gods."
"You might need to talk to Solas about this one," Lucanis mentioned as Isabella grimaced. She had informed Davrin about her circumstance with the Dread Wolf in passing, but they hadn't talked about it since.
"You want to take advice from the God of Lies and Treachery?" Davrin scoffed, bewildered by Lucanis's suggestion.
"And rebellion. Solas is the only one that might know more about these gods and their relationship with the archdemons, if there are any," the Crow answered before turning to Isabella. "You had talked about speaking with him a few days ago."
"That was before Weisshaupt was about to be attacked. I don't think we have time for me to meditate on this," Isabella countered, not even sure if she could get Solas to talk to her. Their last conversation had gone over poorly, and she had ignored him for the past several weeks.
"It's either that, or we go in blind," Lucanis reminded as Isabella groaned.
"Fine, I'll see what I can do. See if you can round up the rest of the team. If we're going to help, we're going to need everyone," Isabella informed as Davrin raised an eyebrow.
"We're going to swoop in and take out an archdemon and a hoard of darkspawn?" the Warden asked skeptically.
"No, I said we would offer help. If Solas has any insights, then we might be able to offer an upper hand. An advantage," Isabella clarified as she stood. She placed her coffee cup on the table before she took a deep breath. "I'll try clearing my mind or something in the meditation room. Last time I talked to him, I was unconscious. I'd rather be awake for this, but maybe meditation will work?"
"It's worth a shot," Lucanis shrugged before Davrin sighed.
"I'll hang out in the Crossroads for a little while and see if I can find the other four. Be careful," Davrin exhaled before leaving towards the eluvian again. Isabella watched him descend before turning to Lucanis, expecting him to follow the Warden.
"What?" the Crow asked.
"Aren't you going to go with him?" Isabella wondered as he rolled his eyes.
"He doesn't want me there, trust me. Besides, I told you that I would be in the room with you when you reached out to Solas," Lucanis reminded. Isabella nodded, remembering the brief conversation a few days prior.
"Then let's see if we can talk to a god," Isabella sighed, making her way to the meditation room.
Once they were inside, Isabella sat on the couch and did her best to relax. Lucanis stood in the back of the room out of sight, but she still couldn't focus on anything other than the fact that he was there for her. He had offered to watch out for her.
She cleared her throat and shook her head, remembering to focus. Isabella could remember Lucanis's kindness and thoughtfulness another time. For now, she needed to try to enter her own mind so she could talk to the Dread Wolf. With slow breaths, she slowed her heart rate and focused on the sound of her breathing. She kept her mind empty, staring at the fish tank in front of her.
"This is a surprise," a sarcastic voice remarked as it echoed around her.
She blinked and she was in the dreamscape she had seen Solas in after the ritual. Isabella stared straight ahead across the chasm into the eyes of the Dread Wolf. He looked irritated yet curious. She supposed that was a fair reaction to leaving him alone for the last several weeks.
"To what do I owe the pleasure? Are you here to tell me that the gods weren't as bad as I thought they would be? That you vanquished them so easily?" Solas taunted as he started to pace. "Or are you here to gloat about leaving me here in my prison for time unending?"
"The gods control the blight," Isabella blurted out as Solas froze. He turned to her, surprise written across his features. "Now an army of darkspawn and an archdemon are marching on Weisshaupt. You said that this is my responsibility, but I'm in the dark on this one. What do the gods have to do with an archdemon?"
Solas stared at Isabella for a moment before gathering himself. She could see the wheels in his head turn as he thought about her words. She swallowed, wondering if he was about to lie to her about the gods.
"Tell me everything," Solas replied calmly. Isabella paused before she nodded.
She started at the beginning, after she woke up from their last conversation. She talked about the eluvians in the Crossroads. She talked about her companions and how she found them. She explained their roles and why she recruited them. She told him about the blighted dragons in Treviso and Minrathous, and how both cities barely escaped destruction. She talked about the changes in the blight and how it was affecting the people around it. Any information she thought could be useful in this instance, she gave it freely.
Isabella would not call herself desperate at this point. There were other avenues of information that she could've used, but this was faster and straight from the source. She just hoped that he would tell her the truth. She didn't have time to check anything he told her before they needed to run off to the fortress to warn the Wardens.
Solas listened intently, keeping a calm and even face, even when she got heated during some points in her stories. Once or twice, she thought she saw him almost crack a smile. Once she was finished, he paused, putting the pieces together in his head.
"If the gods are blighting dragons, that is well and truly dangerous," Solas began before shaking his head. "However, what you must worry about is the archdemon. They used to be dragons before the gods used blood magic to bind the creatures to them. With the archdemons, the gods are invincible. They use their archdemons as their source of immortality and strength. It was how they influenced the people throughout the ages, whispering into the ears of the Tevinter magisters."
"So, the elven gods and the Tevinter dragon gods are the same?" Isabella realized as Solas nodded.
"Exactly, but that is something to dwell on later. For now, you must learn how to kill Ghilan'nain's archdemon, and you need to kill it quickly. What she's done to that poor creature is horrific beyond measure," Solas informed before pausing. "Once her archdemon is dead, you can kill the goddess."
"Alright, kill the archdemon, then kill the goddess," Isabella whispered with a nod. "A lot easier said than done."
"You will only have one shot at this, so you must be sure that you will succeed. You will only get one chance to catch her by surprise."
"Understood. I will let my team know, and we will get it taken care of."
"I do wish you the best of luck, Rook. Whatever happens, this will not be an easy battle," Solas warned as the dreamscape began to fade.
Isabella opened her eyes to see the fish tank in front of her, and she took a deep breath. The realization of the Tevinter dragon gods was a lot, but she needed to let Davrin and the rest of the team know that the archdemon was the key to the goddess's demise. One step closer to killing Ghilan'nain and ending the contract.
She turned to see Lucanis still in the back of the room, watching her. He raised his eyebrows with a silent question, wondering if she got what she needed. She nodded as she swallowed. She stood and walked over to him, standing in front of him.
"The archdemons are fueling the gods' immortality," Isabella answered, trying to keep the fear and worry out of her voice. Lucanis clenched his jaw as she glanced down at her feet for a moment. "We need to kill the archdemon before we can kill Ghilan'nain."
"I don't know what goes into killing an archdemon, but I know that a Warden has to be involved," Lucanis mentioned, folding his arms. Isabella sighed, not sure what it would entail. Once Davrin came back with the others, she could discuss it with him and see what needed to be done.
"We're in the last stretch, I think. At least for Ghilan'nain. We still need to find Elgar'nan, but he seems to be more elusive," Isabella informed, hugging herself around her waist.
"We'll find him once we deal with Ghilan'nain," Lucanis reassured, placing a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him as he smirked. "Crows never abandon a contract."
"We always finish the job," Isabella nodded with a chuckle. "We can do this. We can take out a god today."
"Are you sure? Is your back still bothering you?"
"It's feeling better. The initial soreness has worn off, and I have a few supplements I can take if it gets bad. I'm not going to let a sore back get in the way of finishing my contract."
"A Crow through and through," Lucanis grinned as she rolled her eyes.
"I'll go get my armor on, and you should too. I'll meet you down in the eluvian room when we're ready to go," Isabella instructed as he smirked, letting her rush out of the meditation room.
Isabella waited in the eluvian room with her strongest leather armor. Davrin had been able to direct and manage the other four, sending them to get ready for battle. As they came into the lighthouse, Isabella told them to meet back in the eluvian room as they would be going to Weisshaupt together as a team. It would be their first team mission, and Isabella was a tad nervous. She wasn't sure how everyone would interact in a high-stress situation, but there wasn't much she could do right now. They needed to act and get to the fortress.
"The gods are going straight for the throat this time," Isabella informed once everyone was gathered. "They've brought an army of darkspawn and an archdemon, but the archdemon is what the problem we need to take care of as fast as we can. It's the source of Ghilan'nain's power. If we can kill the archdemon, the goddess will be mortal. Then we can go in for the kill."
"Just get me close enough," Lucanis grinned as Isabella smirked.
"With pleasure," she remarked.
"The Wardens' have an eluvian in storage, and I think I calibrated ours to take us right to it. We don't have to go through the Crossroads this time," Bellara informed as she finished the last touches on the artifact.
"Perfect. So, we'll sneak in nice and quiet, and we'll find Evka and Antione once we're in," Isabella informed.
"What about the First Warden?" Neve asked, tucking her scepter under her arm.
"I would like to stay out of his way if we can. Antione and Evka should be able to help us maneuver around Weisshaupt without the First Warden noticing," Isabella answered. In truth, she was hoping to not get herself arrested a second time.
"And after that?" Davrin asked as the Crow shrugged.
"Take out a god, and send them running," Isabella replied. She waited a moment for further questions before turning towards the eluvian.
Isabella stepped through the mirror into the unfamiliar room as Lucanis and Davrin followed her closely. She glanced around, quickly realizing that this wasn't where they had planned to be. They were in a completely different part of the fortress, which would make improvising difficult. She went to complain about their circumstances as a large bang shook the room, causing the wall the eluvian was leaning against to crumble.
Neve, who had just barely stepped through, jumped back to the lighthouse for safety as the eluvian tipped backwards. Isabella ran towards it, not sure if she was looking to also jump back through or to try and save the mirror. Regardless, the eluvian fell a few stories beneath them, but it didn't break. She exhaled in relief as Neve crawled out with a loud curse.
"Sorry! We'll come fine you," Isabella called down before a small hushing was heard behind her. The Crow turned to see a small girl, no older than ten years old, hiding among the shelves. "Hello?"
"Quiet! The darkspawn will hear you," the girl hissed as Isabella stared at the door. The three of them stood still as they could hear the inhuman screams and shouts of the darkspawn already inside the fortress. The attack had already commenced.
"We need to get moving," Isabella whispered before she turned to the girl. "What's your name?"
"Mila."
"Okay, Mila, we need to find Antione and Evka, do you know them?" Isabella asked quietly as the girl nodded, her fear starting to subside.
"I think their in the war room."
"Do you think you can point us in the right direction?"
"I can take you there," Mila answered as a loud crash sounded outside the doors. She huddled behind a crate as Isabella grabbed her bow.
"You sit here, Mila, and we're going to take care of the darkspawn outside. Once we're done, we'll go to the war room together," Isabella suggested. Mila seemed to hesitate, but she nodded. The Crow signaled to the other two before she opened the door.
The courtyard was littered with Warden and darkspawn corpses with more darkspawn pouring in. Isabella drew back her arrows, shooting at the monsters as Lucanis and Davrin joined the fray. She did her best to do what she could with long range support until the ghouls caught up to her, forcing her to switch to her daggers.
After what seemed like an hour, the last Hurlock fell dead as Isabella sheathed her daggers. She evened her breathing, hoping to appear calm and collected, even though she was starting to think that she was in over her head. Mila ran out of her hiding place, gesturing to follow her as she found a shortcut through the walls of the fortress.
Isabella kept her bow handy with an arrow at the ready in case any darkspawn wanted to surprise them. Davrin tried to urge Mila to find a good place to hide instead, confident that he could find the war room. However, the girl argued that she needed to find her father, which broke Isabella's heart. She prayed to whatever benevolent entity existed that her father was still alive and well through the chaos.
Mila tried to open a pair of heavy wooden doors before Isabella took her place. Using all her strength, she shoved the doors open and was nearly thrown back as a large creature flew past her. Its wings created a gust that whipped through her cape and hair as she raised her hands to protect her face from any debris or dust kicked up.
"Grey Wardens, I wield the power of the blight," a booming voice thundered over them as Isabella lowered her arm. Her jaw dropped in horror as she took in the sight.
Nearly a hundred feet above her was a face in the clouds in the shape of Ghilan'nain's mask as her voice boomed from it. Blight boils rained down from the cloud, latching onto different parts of the fortress, creating almost like portals throughout Weisshaupt for the darkspawn to infiltrate through. Isabella froze for a moment as she took in the horrific sight before she gathered herself again.
"Today, you face the finest child of the gods!" Ghilan'nain announced as Isabella started along the wall, doing her best to ignore the growing panic and dread growing in her chest. She needed to get to the war room and Mila to safety.
"She's a cloud!" Lucanis shouted, walking up beside her as he pointed at the sky. He didn't sound angry, just baffled. "How am I supposed to stab a cloud?"
"We'll figure it out," Isabella replied, shooting at the boils in front of them. As they burst, they cleared a path along the wall. "Let's just focus on not dying, okay?"
"That's a tall order," Lucanis grumbled as he glanced over at the battle below the walls. Isabella followed his gaze, and she immediately wished she hadn't. Thousands and thousands of darkspawn were sprinting at Weisshaupt's walls, trying to get inside and destroy the life within. "Will Weisshaupt hold?"
"It's never fallen before, and it won't now," Davrin answered firmly as Isabella focused on clearing a path. She wanted to feel as certain as the Warden did about the safety of the fortress. However, she knew that everything had a breaking point, and she wondered if Ghilan'nain had found Weisshaupt's.