Opening the doors reveal Chancellor Roderick and Cole helping the scouts through the doors. The Chancellor clutches his stomach, "Move! Keep going. The Chantry is your shelter."
We run inside and I turn to see him collapse into Cole's arms. The boy struggles to hold the Chancellor but Cole gets a grip on him and heaves him to his feet.
One arm draped around Cole, the Chancellor looks pale, deathly pale. And blood stains his robes.
The boy looks at me, "He tried to stop a Templar. The blade went deep. He is going to die."
"What a charming boy," murmurs Chancellor Roderick. Cole places the Chancellor in a chair.
"Herald!" comes Cullen's voice. He walks towards me, "Our position is not good. That dragon stole back any time you might have earned us."
"I've seen an Archdemon. I was in the Fade, but it looked like that," says Cole.
"I don't care what it looks like. It has cut a path for that army. They'll kill everyone in Haven," says Cullen.
"The Elder One doesn't care about the village. He only wants the Herald."
I swallow the lump forming in my throat. I can feel my hands start to shake. I will my voice to stay strong, "If it will save these people, he can have me."
"It won't," says Cole. "He wants to kill you, but no one else matters. He'll crush them, kill them anyway. I don't like him."
"You don't like…" Cullen seems at a loss, but turns to me. "Herald, there are no tactics to make this survivable. The only thing that slowed them was the avalanche. We could turn the remaining trebuchets, cause one last slide."
"We're overrun. To hit the enemy, we'd bury Haven," I say.
"We're dying. But we can decide how. Many don't get that choice."
I try to keep my face brave, but I can tell the façade will fall any moment.
"Yes…" comes Cole's voice. He's looking towards the back of the Chantry. Turning back to Chancellor Roderick, he nods, "That, Chancellor Roderick can help. He wants to say it before he dies."
"There is a path," murmurs the Chancellor, "You wouldn't know it unless you'd made the summer pilgrimage. As I have." He slowly gets to his feet, "The people can escape. She must have shown me. Andraste must have shown me so I could… tell you."
I nod in encouragement and turn to Cullen, "Will it work?"
"Possibly. If he shows us the path," he hesitates. "But what of your escape?"
My façade slowly dissolves and I look at my boots, no answer coming to my lips.
"Perhaps you will surprise it, find a way…" his voice trails off.
Looking at him, I nod, "Perhaps."
He stares at me for a little longer then clears his throat. Turning, he glances at the scouts around the hall, "Inquisition! Follow Chancellor Roderick through the Chantry. Move."
Cole helps the Chancellor to his feet and they begin their walk.
The Chancellor stops me, "Herald… if you are meant for this, if the Inquisition is meant for this, I pray for you."
I nod in thanks.
Some soldiers rush past me towards the doors, "They'll load the trebuchet," says Cullen. "Keep the Elder One's attention until we're above the tree line."
I take a step towards the doors, Cassandra, Sera and Dorian in tow.
"If we are to have a chance—if you are to have a chance—let that thing hear you. And… Lydia, be careful."
I blink at Cullen's words and the fact he called me by my actual name. Not Herald, not prisoner… Lydia.
And it gives me some hope.
We run towards the trebuchet and fear courses through my veins. How can I lead these three with me? It's suicide. They should be with the others.
Cassandra looks at me, and hefts her shield. With a small ghost of a smile, she nods, "We will exact a heavy price. They will not take us easily."
The whole village is on fire now, flames licking at the wooden buildings. It never stood a chance against an attack. I choke back a small cry, and continue on.
The dragon's roars still fill the air, but I can't seem to pinpoint where it is.
Reaching the trebuchet, I see it's loaded, but not aimed. That's got to be done manually. Leaping onto the platform, I grip the wheel and turn to the others, "I'm sorry to drag you into this."
Dorian shakes his head, "This is what I signed up for. Nothing like a night of slaughtering some Templars, am I right Cassandra?"
"Ugh," is her response.
A yell fills the air and we turn to see Templars rushing up the hill.
Cassandra whirls to face me, "Aim the trebuchet. We'll hold them off."
"This is our glorious end. All it needs is aiming," says Dorian.
A stab of guilt runs through me and I think back to the future where Cassandra and Varric had fought against the Venatori to give us time.
Dorian gives me a small smile and his expression seems to say, 'It's OK, we've got this.'
I give in and nod, "Fine. But if you get overwhelmed, I'm coming to help."
Hearing the clang metal and pierce of arrows, I glance around every now and then to see if the three need help.
A Templar horror charges towards the three, but they're too busy fighting off the other Templars. I leap from the platform, a warning on my lips. But it doesn't leave my lips as I barrel towards the horror, stopping its charge at the others.
Cassandra turns in time as I slam into her. The horror tries to crush us, but Cassandra's shield is in the way. I scream as it roars at us, its foot threatening to snap the shield at any moment.
It lifts it foot, ready to stomp us, but I jab my sword at it. The monster screeches, stumbling back as it tries to gain balance, but I stab its other leg and it howls in pain. With a final thrust, I tear the horror's throat apart.
"Go!" yells Cassandra.
I take hold of the wheel again, turning it at a painstakingly slow pace.
My breath comes out fast and heavy and I try to stop the tears from blurring my eyes.
I hear a scream and turn to see Sera get punched in the face.
The three are struggling against the force. But the trebuchet is nearly loaded.
I grit my teeth and rush towards them, pulling Sera to her feet.
"If this is our last fight, we fight together," I say.
The four of us hack, slash, shoot and throw our attacks at the incoming forces. I grunt as I dodge an arrow and whirl around to kill the archer. But a bolt of ice hits him before I can ready myself.
Our bodies are tired and I want nothing more to go to sleep, but I keep telling myself to fight. I can sleep forever when I'm done with this.
Cassandra falls to one knee as she blocks the Templar's attack. Dorian freezes the Templar with a flick of his staff. An arrow shoots through the Templar's eye and he drops to the ground, blood pooling in the snow.
A ferocious roar fills the air and we turn to see a giant monster lumbering towards us. Red Lyrium covers its whole body, protruding from its back, arms, shoulder, face and legs. One arm seems to be bigger than the other—a weakness maybe? And its massive, at least twice the size of a Templar horror.
Sera shoots and arrow and it bounces harmlessly of its armour-like Lyrium body.
It roars and sends its arm towards us, slamming into the ground. Its arm gets stuck in the snow and it tries to dislodge it.
"Now!" I yell. We rushing towards it, Cassandra and I hacking at its body, while Dorian tries his hardest to keep it still with frost.
Sera shoots at various parts of its body, trying to find a weak spot, "I got nothing!"
It can't be killed. It's too strong. I step back as it pulls its hand from the ground. Cassandra grunts in frustration.
My eyes search for a weakness. Anything that could help us.
And I lock onto its arm, "Its armour is weakest on its arms—cut them off and he can't attack us. Then we can try to find a way to destroy it."
The three nod at me, readying themselves.
The Templar… behemoth slowly walks towards us, its twisted face seemingly smiling wickedly at us.
I grip my swords and wait until its closer to us.
It takes one step. Then another. And another…
"Fire!" I yell. Arrows fly throw the air, hitting the monster just above its elbow. It stumbles back and I throw my sword towards its hammer-like arm. It strikes just in the right spot and Cassandra follows my attack by jamming her sword through the behemoth's arm. Its limb drops to the ground with a spray of snow and Dorian's ice bolt cuts through the other arm.
Its roar sends a tremor through the snow as it falls to its knees. And that's when I see the nape of its neck, completely armour free.
I rush towards it and leap into the air. I bring my sword above my head and with a scream thrust it down as I land on its shoulders, my blade driving into its neck. With a deafening roar, the behemoth's struggles begin to slow and it falls face first into the snow.
Jumping from its back, I rush towards the trebuchet and turn the wheel a few last times before it's in place.
A roar cuts me off—it's the dragon again. I see it flying towards us through the night sky, like shadow.
I step back, "Move! Get back to the Chantry. Now!"
We sprint from the trebuchet, as the dragon lets out a breath of red fire.
My foot catches a rock and I feel myself falling. I land on my knees and see the others continue to run. Good. They need to go with the others. Sera gives me a look of horror, but I wave her off.
Turning back, the fire around swirls and explodes.
I'm pushed through the air and land painfully on my shoulder. I scream in pain as I roll to a stop in the melting snow.
My back aches and my vision is blurry. Flames surround me, smoke bellowing through the air.
I lift my head with a groan and look around, slowly my vision returning to normal. That's when I see something walking through the flames. His robes are feathered, a black cloak swirling out behind him. His fingers are like claws, nails long and sharp. It's that monster that stood on the ridge. And now I can see his face as he walks closer to me. Twisted. He's twisted. His skin seems to have been burned, pulling his features back tight over his skull. His mouth is covered in scars, always open, teeth white. His has no hair, but Lyrium seems to jut from his face. And his eyes burn red. His chest, exposed seems to have a ribcage of Lyrium twisted through it.
The Elder One.
And he just stares at me.
A rumble makes me turn and I see the dragon come to land behind me. It growls at me, face so close I can smell its breath. And it smells rank.
Then it roars to the sky and I back away. Stuck between the Elder One and a dragon. My hands shake and fear bubbles through my veins.
"Enough!" yells the Elder One, his voice deep and oddly soothing. He sends a gust of wind in my direction. "Pretender. You toy with forces beyond your ken. No more."
"What are you? Why are you doing this?" I yell, but my voice cracks. The dragon continues to stalk closer towards me and I scramble away from it.
"Mortals beg for truth they cannot have. It is beyond what you are. What I was. Know me. Know what you have pretended to be. Exalt the Elder One. The will that is Corypheus." He points towards me, "You will kneel."
"This doesn't make sense," I say, eyeing the dragon and the Elder One. "Let me understand."
"Your understanding is not required." He holds up a black orb, its surface smooth. "If you gain it, consider yourself blessed." He looks to the orb, as it light up, red lightning crackling along its surface. "I am here for the Anchor. The process of removing it begins now."
His arm shoots up and pain cripples my arm. My mark lights up and I grit my teeth through the pain as my hand is pulled towards him. I try to stop it, but he's too powerful.
"It is your fault, 'Herald'. You interrupted a ritual years in the planning and instead of dying, you stole its purpose." He twists his hand and the pain becomes almost unbearable. I let out a scream, but this monster continues, "I do not know how you survived, but what marks you as 'touched', what you flail at Rifts, I crafted to assault the very heavens."
With a curl of his fingers, my mark—the Anchor as he calls it—brightens, pain shooting through my whole body. I drop to my knees with a scream, the pain like millions of knives stabbing into me. My body seems to be shutting down. I can't get to my feet, I'm too weak.
"And you used the Anchor to undo my work! The gall!"
I glare at him, "This was given to me by Andraste!"
Corypheus just laughs.
"What is this thing meant to do?"
"It is meant to bring certainty where there is none. For you, the certainty that I would always come for it."
He storms towards me and bends down, grabbing my wrist roughly. Lifting me, I can feel the pressure in my shoulder. My feet dangle in the air and Corypheus' eyes burn into mine, "I once breached the Fade in the name of another, to serve the Old Gods of the empire in person. I found only chaos and corruption. Dead whispers. For a thousand years I was confused. No more. I have gathered the will to return under no name but my own. To champion withered Tevinter and correct this blighted world. Beg that I succeed. For I have seen the throne of the gods and it was empty."
In one motion, his throws me from his grip and I fly through the air. In a split second, my back slams against the trebuchet and I grunt in pain, my breath leaving my lungs. I sink to the ground, too tired to move. Too scared to move.
"The Anchor is permanent. You have spoiled it with your stumbling."
I try to keep my breathing in check, eyes flicking back and forth between Corypheus and the dragon. I blink but tears and see a sword lying on the wooden platform. I scramble for it and stand up, gripping it in front of me. But it's too heavy—I need smaller weapons. But I lost them in the fires. My back presses against the wooden beam for support.
Corypheus and his dragon stalk towards me and I take a breath. Perhaps this is how I die.
"So be it," says Corypheus. "I will begin again, find another way to give this world the nation—and god—it requires."
My eyes drift to the mountains behind them and I try to control my thoughts. It's the only way. As long as Cassandra and the others made it to the path, they should survive. I managed to escape death once. Perhaps it's finally found me again.
"And you. I will not suffer even an unknowing rival. You must die."
I spot the trebuchet hydraulic that releases the boulder.
Though… maybe death won't found me.
It's my only chance. Stepping forward, I bring the sword in front of me, trying not to draw attention to my plan.
"You expect us to surrender and kneel. We will not," my voice is feral. "You'll face us all. When we choose!" And in a motion, I kick the wheel, sending the trebuchet into action. The boulder flings from its slot and flies through the air, landing with a sickening thud into the mountains behind us.
And the rumbling begins as the snow bears down on the village.
Corypheus turns in surprise and I have no time to think but I leap from the platform, in time to see Corypheus flying off in his dragon's arms.
I sprint as fast as I can, but I know I won't outrun the avalanche.
I never got to say goodbye. Not to my family, to my friends.
With one final push, I leap off another platform and land on wooden planks. But the planks crack and before I know it the snow is on top of me. But I'm falling, falling away from the earth.
Falling… falling… falling.