Adult-FanFiction.org : Games

Samahlen	By : BronxWench Category: +A through F > Dragon Age (all) > Dragon Age (all) Views: 1569 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Age: Origins, and I make no money from this story.

Chapter List
- 32
- 33
- 34
For Ferelden

"Maker's breath," Alistair muttered. "Is it me, or is the archdemon larger than a high dragon?"
From the vantage point of a ledge deep within the Dark Roads, overlooking a chasm whose bottom crawled with an endless parade of darkspawn, the archdemon had looked large as it exhorted its minions. As Wraith emerged onto the roof of Fort Drakon at Alistair's side, the archdemon turned its head and Wraith's eyes widened. This close, it did appear much bigger.
Wraith shook his head slowly, fighting an urge to turn around and flee. "Does it matter? It feels us."
The archdemon did seem to take note of the presence of the two Wardens, its baleful gaze following them as Wraith and Alistair ran to the nearest ballista platform. It was distraction enough to allow their companions to deploy themselves, Leliana and Wynne heading behind the archdemon while Morrigan and Zevran took up a position opposite them. Oghren and Sten simply charged the archdemon, joining the remaining members of the fort's garrison.
"We should be down there," Alistair said, frustration heavy in his voice as he watched the carnage. The archdemon turned, its tail crushing one soldier and leaving another screaming in agony.
Wraith looked at him. "The archdemon is still too strong, and we're the only Wardens left in Ferelden that we know about. One of us is going to need to kill that thing." Wraith raised a hand to silence Alistair's protest while he frowned at the ballista, this one unmanned and apparently jammed. "There's also the small matter of you being the king. As much as you hate it, part of your new role is sending people to die." Wraith waited for Alistair to explode, reaching in to tug at something caught in one of the gears inside the ballista's works.
"Do you remember when I asked you how you did it?" Alistair's voice was quiet and thoughtful, and when Wraith looked up at him, his eyes were troubled. "How you decided who lives and who dies?"
Wraith nodded, moving around behind the ballista to finish arming it. "It was when we found out there was a demon in Redcliffe Castle. We didn't know if we'd be able to kill the demon without killing Eamon."
"You never hesitated," Alistair said. "You would have sacrificed Eamon if it meant saving the lives of everyone else in Redcliffe. You've always understood how to choose. I think I know why now."
Wraith reached out to pull Alistair behind the ballista. He spun the wheel to aim the ballista, avoiding Alistair's eyes. "You do?"
"The more lives you save, the less it hurts." Alistair watched as Wraith waited until the archdemon was distracted by the mad dwarves of the Legion as they howled and ran forward. The Dalish archers loosed a storm of arrows, tiny wounds that barely seemed to slow the archdemon.
Wraith released the bolt and watched it sink into the archdemon's flank. He reached for another bolt from the nearby barrel, fitting it into place and beginning the laborious process of ratcheting the ballista back into firing position. "The less it hurts?"
"Tamlen." Alistair watched Wraith stiffen, his hands clenching the ratcheting wheel so tightly that his knuckles shone bone white. "Every life you save makes his death count for something."
Wraith resumed turning the wheel, still not looking at Alistair. "I stopped mourning him a while ago, but yes. At first it was that."
"And now?" Alistair watched as Wynne and Morrigan both loosed blasts of wintry power at the archdemon, pinning it briefly. The Circle mages joined in as well, the frigid air sparkling with icy flakes as another ballista across the rooftop fired.
Wraith turned around, his eyes dark as he looked at the taller human. "All of them. Elf, dwarf, human. All of them matter to me now. You taught me that." Wraith looked away, adjusted the ballista's position, and fired. "I saw the world in terms of the Dalish and everyone else, with everyone else being worth less. Much less. Even when Duncan brought me to Ostagar, and offered me the Joining as a way to live, I saw him as a shem. It wasn't until afterward, until you insisted on being my friend, that I learned to open my eyes."
Alistair reached into the barrel for another bolt, but Wraith shook his head. From across the rooftop, a ballista fired, and then another, and a great roar rose up as the archdemon was staggered. Black blood shone against its scales as it turned, ponderous now, one taloned forefoot sweeping several dwarves aside.
"It's time, Alistair." Wraith reached up to touch Alistair's cheek, looking into his lover's green-gold eyes. "I suppose it's useless for me to ask you to let me go in first?"
"Completely," Alistair replied. His hand crept up to cover Wraith's hand where it rested on his cheek. "I'm a Grey Warden. Being the king will have to wait until this is over."
Wraith nodded, and behind him the archdemon belched forth a gout of blue flame to decimate a group of archers. The doors leading to the stairs were all open, darkspawn emerging to answer their god's summons, and the Circle mages responded with deadly spells. From across the rooftop, Morrigan caught Wraith's eye and nodded, and he smiled. The archdemon screamed and staggered again, and all eyes turned to the golden king and his elven lover.
"Then we go together," Wraith said, and drew his weapons. "Let's see if I can live up to Garahel's legend."
Alistair drew his own sword, Duncan's shield on his arm. Raising his sword over his head, Alistair shouted over the din. "For Ferelden!"

Prompt word: Frigid
Reviews are cuddled, and replied to at: http://www2.adult-fanfiction.org/forum/index.php/topic/21690-bronxwenchs-review-replies/
- 32
- 33
- 34
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Adult-FanFiction.Org is not in any way associated with or related to FanFiction.Net

Adult-FanFiction.org (AFF, the site), its owners, agents, and any other entities related to Adult-FanFiction.org or the AFF forum take no responsibility for the works posted to the Adult-FanFiction.org by its members.

While AFF and its agents attempt to remove all illegal works from the site as quickly and thoroughly as possible, there is always the possibility that some submissions may be overlooked or dismissed in error. The AFF system includes a rigorous and complex abuse control system in order to prevent improper use of the AFF service, and we hope that its deployment indicates a good-faith effort to eliminate any illegal material on the site in a fair and unbiased manner. This abuse control system is run in accordance with the strict guidelines specified above.

All works displayed here, whether pictorial or literary, are the property of their owners and not Adult-FanFiction.org. Opinions stated in profiles of users may not reflect the opinions or views of Adult-FanFiction.org or any of its owners, agents, or related entities.

Website Domain ©2002-2017 by Apollo. PHP scripting, CSS style sheets, Database layout & Original artwork ©2005-2017 C. Kennington. Restructured Database & Forum skins ©2007-2017 J. Salva. Images, coding, and any other potentially liftable content may not be used without express written permission from their respective creator(s). Thank you for visiting!

Powered by Fiction Portal 2.0
Modifications © Manta2g, DemonGoddess
Site Owner - Apollo

Samahlen