Chapter 49: The Last (Frozen) Stand

A few days later…

"Fall back to the wall!" Evelyn yelled over the din of battle. Crimson lightning zigged and zagged through the air missing her as she ducked behind a portion of the ancient highway cutting high above them. When the attack ceased, she spun out firing off a slew of fireballs at the enemy in an attempt to cover the retreat of the others. A chain of lightning accompanied it as Sorin - from wherever he was -was synchronizing their attacks. She couldn't help but observe the fatigue and loss of discipline in her companions' movements, including her own. Yesterday, they noticed a sharp increase in Red Templar numbers, and today it felt as if they were facing double what they had been. The fighters were yelling out their kill numbers periodically for Varric to keep track of in his mathematical mind.

"Blaze, we're nearing our daily average total already!" The dwarven rogue fired off several explosive shots to keep the enemy off balance.

"You're fucking with me?!" She kept herself behind cover panting as she realized they weren't going to last the day at this rate. If she was already exhausted, the warriors on the ground were well past that. "Shit! Solas," the elf peered around from a wall further from the fighting, "get to Harding, tell her to expect us soon! She knows what to do!" Nodding, he fade-stepped towards town leaving the group without a healer.

From her position of cover, the Inquisitor took stock of their battle – a losing battle. Despite how many of the enemy were slain, their exhaustion and poor position gave the Red Templars the advantage. The battlefield was the only equalizer; the frozen river. To get to them, the monsters had to trek down a substantial length of the solid Elfsblood River, so in the meantime, they had planned to hound them on their slow march, but not break the ice. Should they compromise it, the Inquisition camp would be cut off from reinforcements and their only means of escape. The town boats had been scrapped for firewood, not doing anyone any good grounded. It seemed even the Red Templars had no desire to destroy it either, at least until they cleared the collapsed cave path to get at them. On its banks were ruined homes and other buildings that they used for cover, but each Behemoth let loose on them and destroyed more and more of it. The ranged fighters kept to the sides, while the warriors were out on the slippery ice, relying on the cover of the mages and Varric's crossbow for support.

The deep blue hue of the frozen waters was scarred by blades and chipped by heavy hits, yet it held as if made of gemstone. Evelyn had no fear of using her magic on it, for as hot as her magic was, the cold of winter was stronger. It would take excessive amounts of her mana to melt it, and as things stand, she could not afford to do that unless defeat was imminent.

"Uh, Blaze…" she turned back to Varric, "look!" Caught on the ice was Korbin and Bull. Everyone else had retreated into the cluster of ruined buildings, but the two Reavers must've got caught trying to provide cover. "We may need to retrieve Dwarfspawn and Tiny, I'm not sure they'll be able to handle them all!"

"Where's my brother?"

"Pickle? He's two buildings in front of you with Champ."

"Thanks! And Varric," the dwarven rogue fired off another explosive volley before turning to look at her, "these nicknames are about the only thing keeping a smile on my face."

He gave her a smirk, "I do my best."

With that, Evelyn spun around the corner, holding a lesser barrier up in front of her as she made her way to Owayne and Michel. Ducking behind their cover - a tall peach-colored wall with a broken window in the center - she huddled shoulder to shoulder with her sibling. "Bull and Korbin need help against the Shadows, do you have any more grenades or bombs? Something to help them see the blighted things?" With Korbin relatively new to fighting them and Bull's one eye, when the Shadows turned invisible, they began shredding the sides and limbs of the two warriors.

"I've been out of bombs for days, Evie! And apparently, I'm not talented enough to concoct them in my sleep." Owayne was slashed all about his leather armor and heavy coat. There was a cut resembling her own scar etched across his nose dribbling blood. "What I wouldn't give for one of Sera's Jar of Bees…"

"Well, we have to do something! I won't leave them!" A green spark lit up the ruined building, giving her an idea. Solas had cast a protective spell around her mark, perhaps it was time to put it to the test. The Inquisitor sighed heavily, "I'm going to open a rift to keep the bastards distracted while we retrieve them. Michel, can you help get me there?"

The Orlesian looked as if he had a pile of debris dumped on him, his golden hair was more gray as dust fell from him with each of his movements. His cheeks were bloodied and the shine on his armor had been gone long ago, yet he still managed to look dashing. "Oui, ready when you are, Inquisitor."

Owayne held out a hand crossing the swordsman quickly across the empty window before he could get hit by the Horrors' magic. "What do you want me to do, sis?"

"We're retreating to town," he gave her a disappointed face, and though she shared the sentiment, they were out of time. "We can't hold out on our own, we're nearly dead on our feet as it is! I don't like it any more than you do, but we have no choice. I have no idea how close our reinforcements are. I sent the raven four or five days ago, so they should be here soon. I told the Commander I'd hold this position, it's too valuable to lose!"

"Then you know Cullen is hauling arse to get here!"

Michel was in front of her peering around the wall waiting for the opportunity to make a break for Bull and Korbin, but she lowered her voice anyway. "You think he'll actually be with them?"

He scoffed at her, but a cough from the cold choked him mid-sass, "Of course! His damsel is in distress, there's no way he'd be content sitting around at Skyhold."

A small glimmer of hope twinkled in her eyes; when she had written the request for aid she didn't think he'd personally lead the soldiers. However, the more she thought about it, it was silly not to assume he wouldn't be in route with the troops considering it was his job. A jolt of resolve hit her, clearing the clouds of doubt as to her duty. They could hold on for a little longer.

A firm hand grabbed her forearm, "Now! Move, move!" Michel tugged her out from cover behind him but released her a moment later so they could dash forward in a line protected by his shield. His golden lion shield was tarnished, but still flashed in the lambent sunshine that tried to break through the heavy snow clouds. Owayne trailed them for a bit but broke off as they got closer.

Evelyn pulled her staff, hoping the enchanted weapon would help stretch her mana reserve. In her head, she solidified her plan of attack, and letting go of Michel, the Phoenix fade-stepped through him between the two meaty warriors. "Time to go, boys!" A quick set of stabs and spins with her staff took out two Shadows.

"By the Stone, no nug-shit, Inquisitor!" Korbin's gravelly voice rasped out as his maul cleaved a Knight's head open as if it were a plump melon.

"Harding is readying an ambush in town, fall back there!"

The Iron Bull was swinging his greataxe in circles trying to knock back the encroaching Shadows. "That sounds great and all, but… how do suppose we fucking get there, Boss?!" With a roar, the Qunari's frustration was showing as he wildly swung, severing crystal limbs off the corrupted rogues. Tapping into the anchor's magic, Evelyn's fiery wings spread as she prepared to open the rift. Rigidly she faced her palm toward the ground as the mark gathered strength from her mana. "Whoa, no need to be rash now…"

"I'll be fine," she gritted out and aimed her hand up above them, "start running!" The Red Templars seemed to be interested in her magical display and allowed the three warriors to clear the area. Just as she was about to release the anchor's power, a familiar voice paralyzed her.

"Inquisitor!" Samson greeted her with a cheery lilt. Her fellow Marcher came forward, flanked by Templar archers. When he halted, the ones in front took a knee, drawing their bowstrings back tightly. For the most part, he looked the same as when she saw him last with the addition of a carved red lyrium crystal protruding from his chestplate. It pulsed every so often like a heartbeat. "So good to see you again! You've been a very busy little mage rooting out my suppliers and destroying my supply lines. Though I'm rather surprised you bothered to do it yourself. Would've thought the Inquisition had people for that now."

"I'm the hands-on sort, always have been." There was a great skidding and shuffling behind her as her companions closed ranks on her. She didn't bother to look, but she assumed everyone was there. "Care to fill me in on your latest project here? You seem to not want me to see it."

"Simple," he gestured back over the mountain to the left, "I'm mining."

Evelyn scoffed, placing her hands on her hips, "Let's not lie to each other, Samson. I thought you and I were past such things." She chided him, making him chuckle.

"Fair enough, I suppose it's unlikely that you'll survive the day - well, you will Trevelyan, your friends not so much. The Elder One has plans for you."

"Forgive me for not leaping with joy, I'm terribly sore from slaying all your precious experiments."

"Yes, it was quite rude, which is why I'm here, to crush you and your merry little band of followers. You're ruining my plans of mining the primeval crystals that have grown here to feed to our recruits. With the help of a friendly demon by the name of Ishmel, the whole area has become a fertile bed for red lyrium." At his words, Michel hissed a curse at the demon in his native tongue. Even Korbin grumbled, lowly grumbling about what he was doing to the Stone. "High up in Suledin Keep, I've been keeping my eye on you down here, running ragged like pesky ants in a vegetable garden, destroying my crystals. Well, no more."

Evelyn was committing his words to memory, wanting to remember them for later when the reinforcements arrived - if they were still alive by then. "And how are you planning on stopping us? If you've been watching us then you know we've been kicking your arse for weeks!"

Even from this distance, she could see his face darken, "If I wanted to overwhelm you, I would've done so long ago. I admit that when you collapsed the cave trail, it did hinder us a bit, but I was just buying time to try out a beast of mine on you." Any smugness the Inquisitor was still wearing was whisked away as the ground trembled with heavy footfalls. Rising over the hill was the gigantic form of a grotesque giant. The shaggy blue skin of the monster stood out in contrast with its mantle of crimson spikes adorning its shoulders and upper back. From its forearms grew thick pointed shards like two large daggers. Red lightning crackled around its head and each step jingled with broken chain links from wherever Samson had the beast imprisoned.

"Craaap," Bull growled.

"By the beards of the Paragons… can your rift swallow that thing, Inquisitor?"

"No, Korbin, I don't believe it can," Evelyn's voice sounded distant and weary. With a groan, she tilted her head to the side, now addressing Samson, "Can we save the fight for tomorrow after some rest? I promise we'll give you a good show then."

"Tired, Trevelyan? I think I have something for that," signaling to an archer at his side, the glowing red-tipped arrow was aimed and fired at her. The missile flew with frightening speed, faster than her friends' shields could move to cover her. As she began casting a barrier, the arrow snapped and shattered in mid-air, hit by an expertly shot crossbow bolt. Looking back over her shoulder, Varric stared down the sights of Bianca, giving her a nod. Letting go of the breath she was holding, a steaming stream blew out of her mouth in relief. Seeing Samson bar his teeth at the failed attempt, he tried to get the other to shoot her, but in the small fraction of the time that they used to find the right arrow, the Herald used to release the rift magic that had built up in her marked hand. 

With a call to fall back, Samson's seemingly foolproof plan fell apart around him. Clawing, scraping, and guttural growls followed the emerald explosion as it sucked the corrupt back into the Void. In the distance, she could hear that their leader had escaped, leaving the clumsy giant and a few dozen men to finish them off. For now, the rift was enough to keep the Red Templars back, but the colossal monster stood in front of the tear in the Veil with its eyes fixated on the Inquisitor and her party.

Owayne whispered, "Maybe if we don't move…" There was a moment where no one did, but with a mighty bellow, the giant charged and the Inquisition's best fighters all screamed, "… it'll squish us like grapes! Run!"

Scattering in all directions like a game of marbles, they circled the beast. It was incredibly powerful, but also unsteady in its movements as if it wasn't used to having to fight with the extra weight of the crystals. The deep sound of the ice bucking deep below them was unnerving, and if it were possible despite already being frozen, a cold pit opened within Evelyn's stomach. The giant whipped its head back and forth as they spread out around it, unable to choose his first victim.

"Inquisitor?" Cassandra called from beside her, flicking her gaze between her and their enemy. The battered Seeker was favoring a leg. "Maybe now would be the time to break the ice?"

Evelyn switched out her weapons, brandishing her dragon bone spirit blade. "The river isn't going to kill that thing! Between the heat from the red lyrium and the fact that the giant is, well, a giant, it'd be more trouble than us hacking it down." There was some agreement from those around her, as well as mental hyping for the battle to come.

"Can we just… get this beating over with?" Owayne whined.

Blackwall, never easily rattled, tried to reassure her brother, "Easy lad, if we can slay a dragon, we can kill a giant. How bad--" But a surprisingly quick punch from the creature broke the two apart, "-- fuck, it's fast!"

The memory sparked something in the Inquisitor's frozen mind, "Blackwall's onto something. Let's take it down like we did the dragon in Crestwood! Sorin and I will blind it with spells, and the rest of you cut it down from its legs; alternate runs in and out from underneath it. Varric, start breaking it's crystals to weaken it!"

"This is a rotten plan," Owayne grumbled.

"Shut it!" Growled Evelyn and Cassandra in unison.

"Alright, I'm going in first! Who's with me?!" The Iron Bull roared with renewed vigor, followed by Blackwall, and the two of them rushed its legs slashing at the thick leathery skin. Sorin buzzed the giant's face with lightning making the big oaf swat at it like flies and Evelyn tried to set its straggly hair on fire. Cassandra and Owayne paired up for the next run, followed by Korbin and Michel.

For a time, this method worked, but when the rift closed itself, nothing was preventing the small force Samson left behind from attacking them. As the situation deteriorated rapidly, the group found themselves fighting for their lives. Swords and shields flashed through the cold gray fog; fire and lightning spells tore through the fighting, causing their targets to cry out; and pink mist from landed hits was the only color to be seen against the drab backdrop. Her swordsmen and woman were changing shields as they could upon finding ones in better condition than their own, and the same went for everyone's blades as they dulled from the carnage.

Fade-stepping to Sorin, she knew something drastic needed to be done, "I need you to impale the back of the giant's knees with me!"

"What?!"

"You get the right, I'll get the left leg. We'll cripple it for the others." His shoulders slumped, and she was going to say something like Owayne's whininess was rubbing off on him, but now wasn't the time. "Come on, we need to do something before we're overwhelmed again, and our spirit blades can cut right through its ligaments!" He nodded though clearly not happy about it, and the two shot into the beast like two angry wasps using their fade-step abilities.

An enormous roar descended on the battle, causing everyone to stumble back at the sudden noise. Meanwhile, the two Knight-Enchanters buried their magical blades deep in its flesh, cutting away at it and using their primal spell to increase the damage dealt until its legs buckled, grounding itself on the ice. At that, Bull and Korbin charged it like two berserkers landing devastating hits to the giant's chest. Owayne climbed its spine with his daggers, bounding up to its neck, and stabbed his dual blades into the base of the monster's skull. Two hard kicks to the pommels later, and the beast was flat on the ice, dead.

From atop the creature, Owayne shouted, flexing his muscles, "You see that, Cass?!"

The Seeker dropped her weapons in exhaustion but found it within herself to smirk and shake her head. "Yes, now get down!"

As he did so, his sister was already pacing and scrambling for a plan, knowing the reprieve from fighting was going to be a short one. "Even with Harding's ambush, there are too many."

"What are the sodding chances the reinforcements are here, taking their bleeding time back at camp?" Korbin panted leaning on his maul.

"I think we're on our own again," she frowned over at him. "There is one thing we, rather I, can do to buy us more time… I can take red lyrium." Evelyn hardly finished her sentence before mostly everyone yelled a stern 'no' at her. "You saw what I can do with it! I could easily kill all those bastards!"

Cassandra grabbed her arm, "This place isn't worth whatever price it decides to exact from you this time! Let us retreat, abandon the camp, and when our soldiers arrive we'll take it back."

"We've held it this long, " Bull cut in, "why give it up now?" The Legionnaire and Warden were quick to agree.

"Um, because there is an army of Red Templars a few dozen yards away and there are ten of us?" Owayne shrugged, then turned to Evelyn, "Evie, we've done all we could here, let's be reasonable."

Clenching her fist, green sparks sputtered out of it, "Samson is right over there! I'll not--"A sudden shock wave hit them all, sprawling them down on the ice. The force was such, that Evelyn barely had time to catch herself before cracking her skull against the frozen river. Picking her head up, she saw their glowing forms approaching through the mist. There were too many. Samson wanted them dead and her captured, and the only logical move was to overwhelm them with numbers. "Sorin, on my command we blast the giant at them… now!" The two Knight-Enchanters force-pushed the giant's body through their line. The slow and uncoordinated jerky movements of the abominations couldn't dodge the hulking body quick enough, toppling them and giving the Inquisitor's party time to get back on their feet.

Evelyn didn't, however. Digging into her coat pocket, she felt the warmth the crystal emitted. Bringing it out, she stared at the red lyrium in her hand. It was their only salvation. She had to use it. The demons, song, and nightmares be damned, she was going to use it.

"No!" Sorin rasped over to her from on the ground, "Don't do it!"

"I'll not let you all die!"

"At what cost?" His desperate plea was not enough to make her second guess her choice.

She shook her head, time was running out. Holding it steady before her, she pushed up her sleeve. Her veins began to throb and ache as if sensed the red taint. With the enemy bearing down on them she raised her hand, aimed her stab, praying whatever this demon wanted, she could afford to pay it.

***

The Commander was both relieved and aggrieved to arrive at Sahrnia. The whole journey he was plagued by terrible nightmares. Most were of the disastrous situation he was walking into and the fate of Evelyn and her party. A few days ago, word ceased coming from the camp altogether. Not helping his anxiety, he pushed the men to travel a few more miles a day than what was scheduled knowing that each stop could mean life or death for the Inquisitor. Despite his desire to not rest as they neared their destination, if his men were spent, what good would they be to step in as relief? Evelyn was a powerful mage, but only so much as she had mana, and if supplies were low somehow, they were surviving on their natural stamina alone - all of them were.

Arriving at the Inquisition's camp, he found it in a worse state than what he was prepared for. For one, there were hardly any soldiers around for the Inquisition to lay claim to it. The only ones they came across were wounded and bedridden in shabby tents. The village of Sahrnia looked as if it had been shelled by catapults for days. Cullen had yet to see a building that remained even partially intact. The homes of the once prosperous mining town looked ravaged by war as did the people. They absently walked around in a daze as he had seen in Kirkwall following the Chantry's explosion. Debris littered the ground, and his war horse grunted at having to step around heaps of it that no one bothered to clear from the road through the town. Watching the procession pass, the frozen citizens stood, speaking praise for their salvation.

On the outskirts was a haunting red glow rising from the earth. It distorted the horizon with a mirage effect, accompanied by a maddening hum the close one got to it. His head ached at the vibrations while his mouth ran dry - this would be a true test of his will and fortitude against lyrium.

"Commander, over here!" Scout Harding called and waved him over. He was shocked to see her and her scouts looking so slovenly. Yet, he supposed by everything he saw already he shouldn't be surprised. "Apologies, ser, that no one was here to greet you, but…" she turned with a cringe at hearing the fighting getting closer, "we have a situation."

"Report," he barked eager to find Evelyn. He hopped off his horse so the poor woman didn't strain her neck. Her red hair was torn messily out of her braids and bun by the harsh wind. Smudges of dirt stood out against her freckled skin, matching the other faces that flanked her.

"The Inquisitor sent word that she wanted us to set up an ambush for incoming hostiles. They swarmed their advanced position, overrunning them about an hour ago. They are leading them here as we speak. As you can see," she gestured with a hand to the dozen battle-weary scouts, "we won't have quite the impact as your men would."

"What happened to Captain Reid's men?"

Harding's green eyes betrayed the depth of their predicament as her posture slumped, "Captain Reid and his men tried to hold the forward camp… all were lost except for a few men. This is all that remains of us, with the exception of the Inquisitor's team. It was decided that her party pose as bait and hold them back from taking the town. We've blocked every trail here, forcing them to trek around the mountain and across the frozen river. They've kept them at bay for almost a week and a half. How they're managing to stay on their feet holding the line, I'm at a loss to explain aside from divine intervention. I suppose though I shouldn't be surprised, we are talking about the Inquisitor, after all."

"Get yourselves some rest and await instructions here." Missing her usual optimistic sarcasm, Harding saluted and signaled to the others to retreat. Turning to his men he relayed his plan, "Foster, we won't be setting up an ambush, but I want this place fortified the best you can. Join with what's left of Reid's force and find out what to expect from the enemy from Scout Harding. Dane, The Chargers, and I will lead the men to intercept the Inquisitor and her team, then we'll re-establish the forward camp. I'll send word once we've secured the position."

In the distance, he could hear Evelyn's distinct voice shouting back and forth with the others. Its sound gave him a fluttering jolt mixed with an impatient need to find her. With that, he pulled his weapons and donned his lion helm, for she needed him and he would not waste another second. His officers dismounted along with him spurring their horses with a smack towards the camp, for no one would be sidelined from this fight. They were facing augmented Templars. If their professional combat training and special skills weren't enough of a challenge, now the enemy was enhanced by red lyrium. They had fought them at Haven, but it was only a taste as they were spread out with the Venatori army. This force, however, was comprised entirely of corrupted Knights.

As he marched to the front of the column, he began reciting his orders, "Listen up! Out there, the Inquisitor is facing a large force of Red Templars. Our task is to rendezvous with her team and relieve them of the fight. Samson's creatures are incredibly strong, so do not seek to overpower them. Use speed and opportunity to strike at them, and work together! They cannot be taken down by one soldier alone. Stay by your officers and they will see you through whatever is up and over that hill." There were resolute nods but even more nervous ones. He knew they were thinking of the beating that awaited them from the brutes. He couldn't blame them, as he tightened his grip on his shield, hoping his healed fractured arm wouldn't splinter on the first hit. "Steady men, your Inquisitor needs you. She has been fighting them for weeks, are you going to let her do it alone?" There was a resounding 'no' that seemed to harden some of their faces. "Nor I! Maker watch over us, let's move!"