Into the Chaos

chapter twenty-eight

Cullen

Cole

Josephine

We closed the Breach without a hitch. We had turned the third trebuchet to face Haven as soon as we got back. One less thing to worry about.

Decius and I are standing out by the lake, our eyes on the mountain. We are idly chatting to pass the time. We had both noticed Solas' increased attention on me since we got back from Redcliffe. It's weird, to say the least.

The sun is just starting to set.

And the first lights are beginning to crest over the mountain.

Decius goes to tell the towers to ring the bells and I go to stand inside the gates.

Cullen meets me there. Cassandra, Josephine, and Leliana not far behind. Bull, Solas, and Sera appear a moment later.

By the time Decius joins us, the army is well on its way over the ridge.

"There's a massive force. The bulk of it over the mountain."

" Under what banner? "

"None."

" None ?"

The doors bang, like someone is knocking.

" I can't come in unless you open !" Cole says from the other side.

We open the doors to see bodies strewn about. Cole is killing the remaining Red Templar.

" I'm Cole. I came to warn you. To help. People are coming to hurt you. But you already knew that the templars come to kill you ."

"Templars? Is this the Order's response to our talks with the mages? Attacking blindly?"

" The Red Templars went to the Elder One. You know him. He knows you. You took his mages. " He points, " There ."

"I know that man but who is this elder one?"

"He's very angry that you took his mages."

"Haven is no fortress. If we are to withstand this monster, we must control the battle. Get out there and hit that force with everything you can. Mages! You have sanction to engage them. That is Sampson, he will not make it easy! Inquisition with the Herald! For your lives! For all of us!"

We fight against the templars around the first trebuchet. Instead of coming in waves, like in the game, they come all at once. The fight is hectic. Decius uses his magic at will, as well as arrows. Sera darts around, even daring to climb up Bull at one point. Cassandra is at the front and Bull is backing the scouts loading the trebuchet.

This formation stays the same for the other trebuchet.

The break we get from the resulting avalanche is short lived. As the soldiers finish cheering, the dragon screams through the sky. Destroying the trebuchet.

On the way back down the path, towards the gate, I direct Bull to smash the boxes in front of Harrit's smithy.

We can hear Cullen yelling at the gate. "Move it! Move it!"

Some scouts close the gate behind us.

Cullen starts waking up the stairs, "We need everyone back to the chantry. It's the only building that might withstand against... this beast. At this point just make them work for it."

We have to fight our way to the Chantry. Rescuing Flissa, Adan, a scout, and the requisitions officer on the way.

"Move! Keep going! The chantry is your shelter!" Chancellor Roderick is leaning against a door.

" He tried to stop a templar. The blade went deep. He's going to die ."

"What a charming boy." Roderick has to struggle through the sentence.

Cullen marches towards us, "Herald! 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 ." Cole chimes in from his place next to the Chancellor.

"I don't care what it looks like. Its cut a path for that army. They'll kill everyone in Haven."

" The Elder One doesn't care about the village. He only wants the Herald."

I look over to Decius and grin, "Let's deliver then."

" He wants to kill you. No one else matters, but he'll crush them. Kill them anyway. I don't like him ."

"You don't like...? Herald, there are no tactics to make this survivable. The only thing that slowed them was the avalanche."

"Here's where we come in. We'll launch the trebuchet. Roderick, lead them out of here."

Cullen turns to a scout, "Follow Chancellor Roderick out of the chantry."

The Chancellor looks at me, "Herald, if you are meant for this, if the inquisition is meant for this, I pray for you."

I bow my head in thanks and go to take Decius' hand as Solas rushes over to us.

"Thalia, Decius, come back safely. Or all our sakes."

I try to project a reassuring feeling as well I can. "We'll be fine. Try to get everyone out of here." I turn to Decius, " Are you ready? "

" As ready as I'll ever be. "

" Good. This is my favorite monologue. "