Dragon Age Origins: I Am Cousland

Chapter 30: So it Begins

Chapter 30: So it Begins

"What the hell?" I hissed as I barged into Alistair's room. He jumped slightly but his face softened when he noticed who was standing in the threshold, a pained expression was etched into his features. I puffed out air and walked over to him, plopping in the chair across from him.

"I didn't mean that." Alistair said softly.  

"I understand how you feel," I grabbed his hand and squeezed slightly. He rubbed his other hand over his face and sighed, not sure what to say next. I understood the pain he was feeling but there was nothing else I could say to help.

"Eamon has gone back to Redcliffe," I said after a long silence, Alistair raised his eyebrows. "The horde is pressing on them." I explained.    

"We have to go," He stood up out of the wicker chair. "He needs us, Redcliffe is going to need us." Alistair stared out the window towards the exit out of the city. I nodded and grabbed my pack off the floor,.

"Go get the others," I pointed to the doorway, Alistair jogged down the hall. I pulled my hair up out of my face and slung my pack over my shoulder and gazed around the room. For all I knew this could be the last time I see Denerim normal and beautiful; the next time I come to the city it will be under siege. Who was I kidding? I could die in Redcliffe and all this shit we went through would be for nothing. My stomach flipped at that thought, I quickly pushed it out of my mind quickly and ran out of the door. Alistair and the others were standing in the entrance hall, speaking in hushed tones.

"Ready?" I smiled weakly at the others. Cullen was worn out, his hair had grown out and the golden curls were dripping onto his forehead,  I smiled at him and walked over beside Alistair.

"Everyone's ready." Alistair sighed, obviously feeling the same dread that was rushing through my mind of what we were going to see.

We walked through the abandoned streets, the few people that had not gone into hiding had taken the news to heart and did the same. Dog barks echoed through the empty streets, black clouds began to roll over our heads and a steady rain began to fall as we hopped on our horses and galloped out of the city.

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I felt bile rise in my throat when I laid eyes on the plumes of smoke rising from Redcliffe, the outer arms of the blight had reached the town and it was beginning to rip it apart.

I could hear the shrieks of people as we barrelled into the ruined town. Alistair gulped, this was where he had grown up, his home. Alistair jumped off his horse and unsheathed his sword, bringing his shield off his back and in front of him.

We quickly followed suite, I over the decaying bridge and headed towards the castle. Down the hil Eamons soldiers were quickly dispatching the darkspawn and seemed to have it under control, we quickly cleansed the courtyard in the castle and began to walk up the stairs.

I lost my balance as the earth shook under me, Cullen quickly steadied me. An armored ogre was charging straight at us, it's roars made the ground itself shake. I rolled my eyes at the obstacle, Leliana quickly began firing arrows at it and Alistair charged, sword gripped tightly in his hand.

"Alistair!" I screamed at the top of my lungs and ran after him, he couldn't fight this monster, not with a barely healed leg. I threw my dagger at the ogre, nailing it in the eye; it shrieked out in agony and felt it's face, pawing for the sharp pain radiating from his skull.

I smiled at the corner of my mouth as Alistair slid underneath it, slicing his sword through one of it's legs causing it to collapse onto the cobblestone. Alistair jabbed his sword into it's skull, Cullen quickly did the same, the ogre let out another deafening roar and everything was silent, the screams from the town had stopped and the clanging of metal on metal had ceased.