Chapter Text
“Good luck!” shouted Mila, running off to keep looking for her Dad. Davrien watched as she left, then turned to watch as Viera approached First Warden Jowin.
“Arch-demon's attacking the North Wall!” exclaimed Dimitri as they approached.
“Signal a retreat! Fall back to the trap!” commanded Evka.
“Can't see the signal fires through the smoke!” pointed out Dimitri.
“Try the horns!” suggested Evka, hoping that might work.
“The Arch-demon's too loud!” replied Dimitri, relaxing slightly as he saw Viera, Davrien, Emmrich and Davrin walk in with Assan. Davrien couldn't help but notice Davrin and Dimitri exchange a brief glance as they walked over. The First Warden was hunched over a map in the centre of the room, surrounded by what Davrien presumed was the remainder of the Wardens.
“No-one's retreating.” growled Jowin, raising his head to glare at Evka.
“There's no choice, sir – we're under siege, we have to fall back to the dragon trap!” snapped Evka, returning Jowin's glare.
“Forget the trap. Send word to Commander Janos. Rally outside the wall.” advised Jowin.
“Janos is dead.” declared Viera, throwing the remainder of the blade she'd picked up ealier down on the table as proof.
“Rook? What are you doing here?” asked Jowin angrily.
“Trying to save your ass.” replied Viera as Davrien came to stand next to her.
“Yours will rot in the dungeon.” snarled Jowin.
“Watch your mouth, ser. The only places our asses are going is right here to stop these blighted Gods and their Arch-demon. Once again it seems I'm having to clean up after the Grey Warden's mistakes.” said Davrien, stepping forward slightly so the light from the lamps caught the gold of his prosthesis, highlighting the engraved logo of the Inquisition on the back of the hand where a green magical crystal sat in the centre.
“Inquisitor?” replied Jowin, clearly shocked to see Davrien.
“Indeed. Have you ever met my brother, ser? He's here to help, too. And trust me, you'll be grateful for his help once you see him in action.” said Viera.
“I don't care for any of your wild conspiracy theory nonsense, or what your brother can do. Arrest them!” demanded Jowin, glaring at them both.
“Non! You need to listen to them! We are under attack by a God!” urged Antoine, stepping forward to block Jowin from arresting them.
“Do you hear yourself? There's no such thing. Stop finding excuses to be a coward.” spat Jowin angrily. “We'll stop the enemy outside the walls.”
“The enemy is outside the window!” exclaimed Viera, shrugging out of the grip of two Warden's that had taken hold of her on Jowin's command and stepping towards Jowin.
“Did you not hear her taunts a few minutes ago? Or are you deaf, Commander?” added Davrien.
“Grey Warden's don't hide in our castle. I won't ask good soldiers to turn tail and run. We're an army of steel holding back the blight. Order every blade out of Weisshaupt.” said Jowin.
“We'll all die, Ser!” snapped Evka, stepping towards Jowin again.
“That's an order, Warden!” retorted Jowin impatiently.
“First Warden... you're confused. Notice the blood in your ear? It's the calling, isn't it? The Arch-demon's messing with your mind whilst its master mocks you.” pointed out Viera, trying to get through to Jowin one last time.
“No one mocks the Wardens.” replied Jowin, glaring at Viera, a hand reaching up to touch his bleeding ear.
“Of course not. We're the only force in Thedas that can stop this – but not if they burn our castle to the ground.” pointed out Viera.
“Not on my watch.” said Jowin, starting to realise that maybe he'd been wrong about Viera and her team.
“This is your watch. Unless you become the leader who defied a God.” said Viera, applying to his sense of pride.
“They'll know our steel.”said Jowin determinedly. Davrien couldn't help but notice he hadn't instructed the Wardens to try taking them into custody again. They were winning him over. Just then, the Arch-demon flew past, destroying a good part of the room as they all ducked behind the table for safety as bricks came flying towards them.
“Get down! Antoine, the dragon trap – what needs to be done?” shouted Jowin above the noise.
“It's nine-hundred years old! Never been used.” replied Antoine.
“Rook, get to the trap; get it working. That's an order.” said Jowin, looking over at Viera.
“Me?” said Viera incredulously.
“You were right. I wasn't. Now go show this world what mortals are made of.” said Jowin.
“It's on the other side of the fortress.” explained Antoine.
“I'll keep Razikale occupied whilst you get to the trap. Signal me once you're ready.” said Davrien with a smile.
“We'll have your back.” added Jowin, wondering how exactly the Inquisitor planned to keep Razikale occupied.
“I'll hold you to that. Come on!” said Viera to Emmrich, Davrin, Dimitri and Davrien.
“I'll meet you at the trap – dareth shiral, Viera. And good luck; all going well, I'll see you very soon.” replied Davrien, getting to his feet. He headed over to the edge of the room where the wall had been taken out by Razikale and took a deep breath, taking his sending crystal in his hand for a moment. “Ar lath ma, vhenan.” he whispered into it before shifting into his dragon form and taking flight, soaring into the air and roaring out his challenge to Razikale.
****
Davrien flew high above the fortress as Razikale spotted him and gave chase, her fangs bared as she breathed a torrent of flame at him. He corkscrewed away to dodge it, and hit her back with a torrent of lightning, the sound crackling through the air and bathing both him and the Arch-demon in purple light for a brief moment as Razikale roared in pain, his lightning hitting her squarely in the chest. He flew off towards the other side of the fortress, searching for the dragon trap so he could keep an eye out for Viera's signal; he saw it quickly, a large, spiked metal contraption set in a large open courtyard near what looked to be the library. A roar from behind him told him Razikale was close by, and he turned to face her again, diving at her with tooth and claw; she had the advantage here, as she was larger than him and far more experienced at fighting other dragons. He clawed at her already weak chest from where he'd struck her with lightning, hoping to weaken her further and gain the upper hand in their fight. She roared in pain, and took his neck in her jaws in payback, causing him to shriek in pain. He briefly say Viera's signal below, a jet of flame shot high in the air; with a great effort, he shook Razikale loose and flew doggedly towards the trap, blood dripping from his neck as he flew. He flew low towards Viera and her team as Solas' dagger shone blue, and he veered up and away as he drew close and Razikale spotted it, making a beeline for Viera, only to suddenly find herself caught in the jaws of the dragon trap. Davrien hovered above, huge drops of blood dripping down onto the cobblestones below, waiting on standby just in case Razikale managed to escape the trap somehow. He watched as Razikale fell, pinned down by a series of cables that burst forth from the trap and immediately snapped tight around Razikale's body, preventing her from breathing fire too as it tightened around her muzzle.
“Davrin-” said Viera, stepping forwards, as did Dimitri, both of them with tears streaming down their faces.
“Give Assan a hug for me.” replied Davrin, taking a deep breath and approaching Razikale, sword held high ready to strike the final blow.
“Stay your blade, Warden.” came Jowin's voice from behind them as he swept past Davrin with his own blade drawn.
“May your blade strike fast and true.” said Viera, nodding her head at Jowin respectfully.
“Better late than never.”coughed Jowin as he limped towards Razikale; he'd taken a rather nasty beating from some blight tentacles on his way there, and was barely holding on. Even if he wasn't about to sacrifice himself to bring about the death of Razikale, he likely didn't have much time left before his own death anyway. At least this way, it would be quick. He came to a stop by Razikale's head, raising his sword high. “We mortals have a saying: In war, victory! In peace, vigilance! In death, sacrifice!” he cried out as he plunged his sword down into Razikale's eye, then suddenly cried out as Ghilan'nain reached out and grabbed him with a tentacle, strangling him. His sword clattered to the ground below as he struggled for breath.
“Racing heart. Ragged breaths. A waste of useful blood.” remarked Ghilan'nain as she drove her hand into his chest, causing him to yell out in agony as she proceeded to take some of his blood. She then used her own blighted magic on it to mix it with what was left of Razikale's dying body below. “Lasa helladin gellara...” she spoke as Razikale began to rise again, shaking off the cords that held her, slowly sliding into the water nearby and transforming into some kind of draconic creature with a split jaw, and an extravagantly long neck as Ghilan'nain dropped Jowin to the ground. “...fenathara mellas.” Ghilan'nainwent silent as her newly resurrected and transformed Arch-demon prepared to attack.
“What is it becoming?” remarked Emmrich as they all drew their weapons and began fighting.
“The real Arch-demon!” shouted Viera in reply as Davrien took a deep breath and launched himself at Razikale's head from where he'd been hovering quietly in the shadows nearby, trying to regain a little strength after Razikale's earlier attack on his neck. The bleeding had stopped for now, thankfully, but it still hurt considerably. He pinned Razikale's head to the ground and held her there as the others took advantage and pressed the attack, Davrin and Dimitri hacking at the almost boil like protrusions along her length; she cried out in agony as they pierced her hide there- clearly, they were her weak spots. Viera noticed too and was quick to hurl a fireball at the nearest protusion, Emmrich using a quick healing spell on Davrien's neck to help him out; he flicked his tail in acknowledgement as the pain in his neck subsided to a dull ache.
“So the other form was only a shell?” said Emmrich to Viera as they fought on.
“We have to kill it! Ghilan'nain's invulnerable until we do!” pointed out Davrin as Assan joined the fray, scratching at her hide with his talons.
“Unlike us!” replied Emmrich as Razikale screeched in agony from her wounds.
“Witness! A Warden's blood to birth your own destruction! Clever feints. Desperate plans. All for naught.” cried Ghilan'nain as Davrien felt Razikale stop breathing beneath him and let loose a savage cry of victory and pushed off back into the air.
“They take too much. Return!” snarled Ghilan'nain as Razikale's body slid back into the water.
“What's going on?” asked Emmrich uncertainly as they watched warily.
“We spooked Ghilan'nain. Maybe she wants to talk.” replied Viera, though she didn't really believe it. Davrien stood on the ground with the others, waiting for her next move, poised on all fours ready to move at a moment's notice.
“Essana elath vallan.” shouted Ghilan'nain, manipulating the blight, causing Razikale to burst forth from the water again – only this time, she had two heads. Damnit, thought Davrien. Razikale had become – or she was – some kind of Hydra, a creature he'd only ever read about in books, long since thought to be myth. “Vallasan inal lasa! My creation has many shapes. Take the mortals. Make their flesh your own!” shouted Ghilan'nain, issuing a command to the newly resurrected Razikale.
“I'm afraid diplomacy failed!” called out Emmrich as they began fighting again. Darkspawn rose up from the goop at the edge of the floor by the water as they began to fight.
“The power of flesh is limitless. New forms to be perfected. New appetites to be sated.” said Ghilan'nain as Davrien launched himself back into the air, beating his wings to get him high above Razikale. He opened his jaws and breathed a torrent of lightning upon her heads, determined to bring her down so they could kill her properly.
“I think we're wearing it down!” shouted Viera as she heard one of Razikale's heads give a roar of pain in reaction to Davrien's attack.
“Keep at it!” replied Davrin, slicing away at her scaled hide with his sword.
“We've got this!” shouted Dimitri from his place at Davrin's side, stabbing at her and causing her to bleed.
“Blood pulsing. Starved for flesh. She will consume you all.” taunted Ghilan'nain from the clouds. “Return to me!” she commanded, seeing that Razikale was looking rather worse for wear. Razikale slid backwards and submerged herself into the water once more as darkspawn swarmed everyone on land again whilst Ghilan'nain used her blighted magic to heal Razikale. They were still fighting the darkspawn when Razikale rose with her two heads again, and this time Davrien took no chances; launching himself at the Arch-demon with everything he had, he barrelled into the nearest head and bit her neck. The Arch-demon howled in agony, the second head whipping around and snapping at Davrien's wings. He snarled and beat his wings upwards, releasing Razikale's neck and narrowly avoiding the teeth.
“Wounded but hearts untouched.” commented Ghilan'nain. “Avenge yourself!” she ordered as Viera and the others made use of Razikale's distraction and closed in on her, Viera and Emmrich hitting her with fire spells and Dimitri and Davrin hitting her with their swords. Her heads began taking it in turns to slam themselves down upon the ground in an attempt to crush them, but each time they all managed to dodge. Davrien elected to stay in the air where it seemed to be safer, for the time being a least.
After what seemed like an age, a fireball from Viera finally seemed to have defeated Razikale.
“That’s right! I think it’s time you left, Ghilan’nain! You can’t win this!” cried Viera defiantly as she stood next to Razikale's limp form.
“They take too much! Return!” snarled Ghilan'nain, recalling Razikale once more into the blight infested water, only for Razikale to return moments later – only this time, the Arch-demon had three heads. Davrien immediately roared out his challenge to Razikale and breathed lightning down upon her as he flung himself at her, determined to bring her down once and for all. Razikale screamed in agony, all three heads turning to face Davrien as he made to attack the nearest of the three heads. All three heads of the Arch-demon grabbed him at once, causing him to let out a cry of agony of his own as her teeth pierced his wings and neck – then he found himself flung into the wall of the fortress, landing with an almighty thud as he collided with the wall, his form shifting back to his natural elven form as he fell unconscious. His last thought was of Dorian as darkness clouded his vision and he knew no more.