It was over… It was finally over – when Jason looked at the horrible twisted mockery on what once was Knight-Commander Meredith he understood they won… The devilish statue was all riddled with shining red veins gloving like there was some demonic blood running inside. But it was a fake, the illusion – Meredith was dead, in his life Jason Hawke saw too many deaths to be sure – that fractured stone… Lyrium - whatever – abomination is not alive… But its form showed the true self of Meredith very well!
First Orsino, now Meredith… what a horrible deaths!
Jason slowly came closer to that statue and narrowe his eyes, looking on his dagger – which melted into the chest of that malformed calculus… He missed, even now he saw that... For the first time in his life he missed, the eye flawlessly sought the weak spot in her armor, the blinding reflex flawlessly protected him from the mighty swing, the fulminant strike as always hit the spot…, but the blade didn`t pierce her heart – or she`d die immediately…
But regardless, it was over! Jason felt such relief, like he just saved all he cared for from certain death… no wait – he actually did! As the battle heat slowly let him go Hawke felt tiredness: his hands became heavier with every second, his legs refused to move, his breath… He barely could breath at all! The heart was beating so fast and loud like it was put in his ear!
But Hawke didn`t pay any attention – he exclaimed with great alleviation, feeling gentle hands on his shoulders – and he didn`t even needed the fresh smell of herbal hair balm to understand it was Merrill… Knowing that she is safe, that their baby is safe – that made his heart beat even more intensively!
"We did it, Ma'Venan!" Young elf hugged him by his neck and kissed his sweaty salty cheek, Jason felt his eyes filling with tears…
His gloved palm lovingly wrapped her waist and pressed the wife closer; her slim palm lay on his cheek and turned the face to her for a long passionate kiss… It was breathtaking; it was the moment of his life! … Unfortunately – literally…
The first thing Bethany Hawke felt when her eyes saw the orange "burning" sky above was a cold and uncomfortable stone under her back, then she understood she was laying on the ground and that all her body aches with nasty fiddle pain… the rest of her senses came back later. With heavy sigh she managed to sit and then stand up, though her lags trembled and her vision was like she poured her eyes with "Blue Topaz" vodka… Her furry circle robes were all dirty and bared numerous cuts and burns, but she was unharmed… more or less!
Young mage shook her head forcing blurry world shape back before her eyes, and then she leaned and took her new scepter – shaped in form of three twisted snakes… or maybe dragons – she never could decide… It was the only thing she had to remind her of the old master, of the only who loved her so much and cared for her… She wanted to remember him as he was, not as he… became!
"Rest easy, First Enchanter!" She gently kissed the old wooden staff and moved to the centre of the plaza, to the other companions.
All the others recovered as well – they found themselves lying on the ground in the places where they were thrown back by the last mighty explosion that killed or otherwise disabled all the remained Templars, our friends were lucky… Anders, Varric, Aveline, Isabella – everyone were alright, except for Fenris who`s flight was stopped by a massive stone column, the poor elf seemed to have marred his arm on the impact.
Bethany saw her brother – and Merrill, they were standing in the centre of the yard kissing… It was so romantic, that she barely held her tears. As she made few steps closer and called him, Jason looked at her – his eyes were filled with happiness! He let go his wife and rushed forward to sister… Only to fall on the ground the second later…
Jason didn`t understand how or why he suddenly appeared on his knees on the cold stones of the Gallows yard, but his blooded palms grasped the ground desperately, like he`d clench to the edge not to fall into the abyss…
'What is it...? What is happening to me...?!'
The straight square stones before his eyes started to blur, he suddenly realized he had nothing to breathe… and as a background to that all he heard only silence, like the entire world around him instantly bumbled, and to his greatest fear the only thing he heard was very loud beating of his heart…, his chest felt like it was crushed with the steam press!
'No!' His right hand desperately grasped the chest, that felt like it was roasted in the boiling oil, his teeth crunched of pain, Jason opened his mouth trying to breathe in, but he couldn't – he was suffocating! 'No, Maker... Not now!'
"Jason!!" The combined shout of two voices cut through the thick silence of the dead world around him, two pair of hands grasped him holding from falling on the ground. The next thing he saw were the faces of Bethany and Merrill looking on him, he realized he was lying on the back looking up, and two women fussed over him.
"Anders!" Bethany eased brother`s collar and started to unbutton his leather armor… "Anders, he is wounded!"
She looked back into his eye, the air shined around her as she summoned her magic.
"Please, big brother! Hold on! Don`t you dare closing your eyes!"
Hawke saw his right hand by it`s own will reaching to her face, but unfortunately the next second it fell on the ground and the world around collapsed into the darkness…
***
"No, Creators, NO!" Merrill desperately moved her fingers over husband`s neck seeking the pulse and dissolving with tears, when she finally hit the arterial her own heart stopped of fear.
"Anders!" Bethany was waving her shining palms on the brother`s chest trying to cure him…, but Merrill knew she couldn`t do anything! "Please help, he is dying!"
When the healer finally run to them and examined Hawke`s condition he only shook his head.
"Heart-attack!" He signed Bethany to move aside and started to heal, unlike her he knew what to do. "Everyone stand back; give him air… and me as well!"
All other companions formed a circle around them. Looking on the scene with worry and fear – they couldn`t believe Hawke was… hurt –left alone dying!
"Please, Ma`Venan!" Merrill took his palm and grasped it tightly, her right palm caressing his forehead – he was still alive…, but only just! "Please, don`t leave me!"
Anders closed his eyes, concentrating all his powers, but it was a doomed fight – he was almost out of mana from the intense fight with Meredith, and even with all his 'resources' he`d doubtfully cure such ailment!
"How is he?" Aveline slowly knelt before her fallen comrade, her always calm and determined face now was twisted with fear and worry. "Can we help?"
"He is still alive… but I cannot cure that, his heart is too… worn out, it will not work properly! And no, you can`t help... Unless make chest compressions... but no, magic will do better..."
"So…" Bethany`s voice trembled with weeping, "He is going to die? Ah, please tell me you can help him, Anders! You can cure anything, I know!"
"I can support his heart, make it beat, make the blood flow…" Anders averted his sight, couldn`t bear to look Bethany in the eye, telling this, "But this is only a matter of time… In the end I`ll run out of mana and he will…"
"NO!" The loud voice almost deafened them all, it was Merrill – and her eyes glanced with… red light! "I won`t allow it!"
The young Dalish cut her palm and moved closer, the blood from the wound started to flow around her hand like obedient dark-red snake.
"What are you doing?!" Anders caught her by the wrist, "The blood magic?"
"I can save him!" Merrill took one of Jason`s throwing knifes of his belt and, wrestling her doubts, made a small slick cut on his chest.
"You crazy?!" Bethany took her by the collar, "What are you doing?! He is dying and you bleed him even more!"
Merrill`s hands calmly laid on her wrists and she looked into her husband's sister eyes.
"Please, trust me! I can help!"
"Let her try!" the creaky cold voice got Hawke`s attention – surprisingly for everyone here it was Fenris… The one who always despised blood magic, mages and
Merrill in particular now stood up for her! Bethany instinctively let the Dalish go.
"I will need your help!" She looked up on everyone standing around, "I can save him and cure the heart… but I need blood… A lot!"
"We have plenty here, Daisy!" Varric looked on the dead Templars and mages lying around, literally all the square was in blood.
Merrill shook her head.
"No, it must be still alive blood… the sacrifice…" That made even Varric chock, the scene suddenly became quit once again, Isabella even nerviously touched her neck.
"So… Someone will have to die?" Bethany asked unsure, but fortunately for her and everyone else Merrill said:
"No… I won`t take one life to save the other… Not one of yours anyway!" She looked on her husband, if it wasn`t for Anders he`d already be dead – only the healer kept him alive, but his powers were not limitless, she knew that! "If you all sacrifice some of your blood this would be enough… I will collect it all and cure him!"
Her palm lovingly caressed Hawke`s cheek and she sobbed.
"You can`t do that, Merrill!" Anders reminded of his existence, "You are pregnant!"
"I know…"
"The blood magic will affect the fetus!"
"I know!"
"It can kill the baby, you idiot!" The healer shouted with anger, her stubbornness sometimes drove him mad!
"I KNOW!"
Her shout deafened them once again, and only then they saw the tears in her eyes, as she was sitting and wrapping her tummy, she was weeping bitterly, her groans of pain became howls! She was in pain, but not physical – her very self ached, her soul howled with remorse and guilt… It was agony beyond comprehension!
"I know..." her last words were frighteningly quiet and calm... even if she was
It was over… It was finally over – when Jason looked at the horrible twisted mockery on what once was Knight-Commander Meredith he understood they won… The devilish statue was all riddled with shining red veins gloving like there was some demonic blood running inside. But it was a fake, the illusion – Meredith was dead, in his life Jason Hawke saw too many deaths to be sure – that fractured stone… Lyrium - whatever – abomination is not alive… But its form showed the true self of Meredith very well!
First Orsino, now Meredith… what a horrible deaths!
Jason slowly came closer to that statue and narrowe his eyes, looking on his dagger – which melted into the chest of that malformed calculus… He missed, even now he saw that... For the first time in his life he missed, the eye flawlessly sought the weak spot in her armor, the blinding reflex flawlessly protected him from the mighty swing, the fulminant strike as always hit the spot…, but the blade didn`t pierce her heart – or she`d die immediately…
But regardless, it was over! Jason felt such relief, like he just saved all he cared for from certain death… no wait – he actually did! As the battle heat slowly let him go Hawke felt tiredness: his hands became heavier with every second, his legs refused to move, his breath… He barely could breath at all! The heart was beating so fast and loud like it was put in his ear!
But Hawke didn`t pay any attention – he exclaimed with great alleviation, feeling gentle hands on his shoulders – and he didn`t even needed the fresh smell of herbal hair balm to understand it was Merrill… Knowing that she is safe, that their baby is safe – that made his heart beat even more intensively!
"We did it, Ma'Venan!" Young elf hugged him by his neck and kissed his sweaty salty cheek, Jason felt his eyes filling with tears…
His gloved palm lovingly wrapped her waist and pressed the wife closer; her slim palm lay on his cheek and turned the face to her for a long passionate kiss… It was breathtaking; it was the moment of his life! … Unfortunately – literally…
The first thing Bethany Hawke felt when her eyes saw the orange "burning" sky above was a cold and uncomfortable stone under her back, then she understood she was laying on the ground and that all her body aches with nasty fiddle pain… the rest of her senses came back later. With heavy sigh she managed to sit and then stand up, though her lags trembled and her vision was like she poured her eyes with "Blue Topaz" vodka… Her furry circle robes were all dirty and bared numerous cuts and burns, but she was unharmed… more or less!
Young mage shook her head forcing blurry world shape back before her eyes, and then she leaned and took her new scepter – shaped in form of three twisted snakes… or maybe dragons – she never could decide… It was the only thing she had to remind her of the old master, of the only who loved her so much and cared for her… She wanted to remember him as he was, not as he… became!
"Rest easy, First Enchanter!" She gently kissed the old wooden staff and moved to the centre of the plaza, to the other companions.
All the others recovered as well – they found themselves lying on the ground in the places where they were thrown back by the last mighty explosion that killed or otherwise disabled all the remained Templars, our friends were lucky… Anders, Varric, Aveline, Isabella – everyone were alright, except for Fenris who`s flight was stopped by a massive stone column, the poor elf seemed to have marred his arm on the impact.
Bethany saw her brother – and Merrill, they were standing in the centre of the yard kissing… It was so romantic, that she barely held her tears. As she made few steps closer and called him, Jason looked at her – his eyes were filled with happiness! He let go his wife and rushed forward to sister… Only to fall on the ground the second later…
Jason didn`t understand how or why he suddenly appeared on his knees on the cold stones of the Gallows yard, but his blooded palms grasped the ground desperately, like he`d clench to the edge not to fall into the abyss…
'What is it...? What is happening to me...?!'
The straight square stones before his eyes started to blur, he suddenly realized he had nothing to breathe… and as a background to that all he heard only silence, like the entire world around him instantly bumbled, and to his greatest fear the only thing he heard was very loud beating of his heart…, his chest felt like it was crushed with the steam press!
'No!' His right hand desperately grasped the chest, that felt like it was roasted in the boiling oil, his teeth crunched of pain, Jason opened his mouth trying to breathe in, but he couldn't – he was suffocating! 'No, Maker... Not now!'
"Jason!!" The combined shout of two voices cut through the thick silence of the dead world around him, two pair of hands grasped him holding from falling on the ground. The next thing he saw were the faces of Bethany and Merrill looking on him, he realized he was lying on the back looking up, and two women fussed over him.
"Anders!" Bethany eased brother`s collar and started to unbutton his leather armor… "Anders, he is wounded!"
She looked back into his eye, the air shined around her as she summoned her magic.
"Please, big brother! Hold on! Don`t you dare closing your eyes!"
Hawke saw his right hand by it`s own will reaching to her face, but unfortunately the next second it fell on the ground and the world around collapsed into the darkness…
***
"No, Creators, NO!" Merrill desperately moved her fingers over husband`s neck seeking the pulse and dissolving with tears, when she finally hit the arterial her own heart stopped of fear.
"Anders!" Bethany was waving her shining palms on the brother`s chest trying to cure him…, but Merrill knew she couldn`t do anything! "Please help, he is dying!"
When the healer finally run to them and examined Hawke`s condition he only shook his head.
"Heart-attack!" He signed Bethany to move aside and started to heal, unlike her he knew what to do. "Everyone stand back; give him air… and me as well!"
All other companions formed a circle around them. Looking on the scene with worry and fear – they couldn`t believe Hawke was… hurt –left alone dying!
"Please, Ma`Venan!" Merrill took his palm and grasped it tightly, her right palm caressing his forehead – he was still alive…, but only just! "Please, don`t leave me!"
Anders closed his eyes, concentrating all his powers, but it was a doomed fight – he was almost out of mana from the intense fight with Meredith, and even with all his 'resources' he`d doubtfully cure such ailment!
"How is he?" Aveline slowly knelt before her fallen comrade, her always calm and determined face now was twisted with fear and worry. "Can we help?"
"He is still alive… but I cannot cure that, his heart is too… worn out, it will not work properly! And no, you can`t help... Unless make chest compressions... but no, magic will do better..."
"So…" Bethany`s voice trembled with weeping, "He is going to die? Ah, please tell me you can help him, Anders! You can cure anything, I know!"
"I can support his heart, make it beat, make the blood flow…" Anders averted his sight, couldn`t bear to look Bethany in the eye, telling this, "But this is only a matter of time… In the end I`ll run out of mana and he will…"
"NO!" The loud voice almost deafened them all, it was Merrill – and her eyes glanced with… red light! "I won`t allow it!"
The young Dalish cut her palm and moved closer, the blood from the wound started to flow around her hand like obedient dark-red snake.
"What are you doing?!" Anders caught her by the wrist, "The blood magic?"
"I can save him!" Merrill took one of Jason`s throwing knifes of his belt and, wrestling her doubts, made a small slick cut on his chest.
"You crazy?!" Bethany took her by the collar, "What are you doing?! He is dying and you bleed him even more!"
Merrill`s hands calmly laid on her wrists and she looked into her husband's sister eyes.
"Please, trust me! I can help!"
"Let her try!" the creaky cold voice got Hawke`s attention – surprisingly for everyone here it was Fenris… The one who always despised blood magic, mages and
Merrill in particular now stood up for her! Bethany instinctively let the Dalish go.
"I will need your help!" She looked up on everyone standing around, "I can save him and cure the heart… but I need blood… A lot!"
"We have plenty here, Daisy!" Varric looked on the dead Templars and mages lying around, literally all the square was in blood.
Merrill shook her head.
"No, it must be still alive blood… the sacrifice…" That made even Varric chock, the scene suddenly became quit once again, Isabella even nerviously touched her neck.
"So… Someone will have to die?" Bethany asked unsure, but fortunately for her and everyone else Merrill said:
"No… I won`t take one life to save the other… Not one of yours anyway!" She looked on her husband, if it wasn`t for Anders he`d already be dead – only the healer kept him alive, but his powers were not limitless, she knew that! "If you all sacrifice some of your blood this would be enough… I will collect it all and cure him!"
Her palm lovingly caressed Hawke`s cheek and she sobbed.
"You can`t do that, Merrill!" Anders reminded of his existence, "You are pregnant!"
"I know…"
"The blood magic will affect the fetus!"
"I know!"
"It can kill the baby, you idiot!" The healer shouted with anger, her stubbornness sometimes drove him mad!
"I KNOW!"
Her shout deafened them once again, and only then they saw the tears in her eyes, as she was sitting and wrapping her tummy, she was weeping bitterly, her groans of pain became howls! She was in pain, but not physical – her very self ached, her soul howled with remorse and guilt… It was agony beyond comprehension!
"I know..." her last words were frighteningly quiet and calm... even if she was
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