Spike slashed through another demon with his greatsword, the demon disintegrated into the ground. Another one came up from behind him. He didn't see it until the sound of ice was heard. The demon was frozen solid, its claws outstretched, ready to strike him. Spike gazed up, seeing Lily casting magic at the green floating demons and the dark hair women, Cassandra, plunging her sword deep into another demon. Spike looked back at the frozen demon and bashed it with his sword, shattering it. Lily finished with the floating demons while Cassandra killed the lasted one. With the demons gone, Spike let out a breather. It won't be long before they move out again.
He didn't know how long they were going. Cassandra lead them down the village toward the valley where the 'Breach' originated from. While on the way down, they received glares from the people around them. Cassandra explained that the people of 'Haven' mourned for Divine Justinia, the head of the 'Conclave', that they expect justice for the ones that did it. While a few did give looks at Spike, most were directed to Lily, a 'Dalish elf'. She also explained how Lily survived the blast by stepping out of the rift, and that she also found him next to her. Her plan was to go a 'rift' on the otherside of the brigde and seal it.
Of course, nothing goes as planned.
Just as they were crossing the bridge, a green fire ball headed their way, destroying the bridge completely. They tumbled down the bridge and into a frozen lake. No one was hurt. The green fire ball that came out of the Breach came crashing into the lake, revealing to be some sort of creature. It reminded him of those robed figures in the Temple of Mitra back when he and Twilight visited Aqualonia, land of the Griffins. It's face was messed up, it's claws were sharp and it was slugging towards them. Cassandra order them to get back as she drew her sword and engage the beast. Of course, another one materialized under them. With Cassandra engaging with the other demon, the were forced to fend for themselves. Luckily, a crate of weapons was near them. Spike had managed to procure a greatsword while Lily grabbed a staff with a mace on the top. The sword almost weighted nothing to Spike, guessing that dragons were probably stronger that way. They made short work of the demon before it could even strike. She used ice magic from her staff to freeze the demon before Spike destroyed it. He cringed when the demon screamed and crushed into nothing. He didn't like violence, since he was raised by ponies his whole life. But that didn't mean he would crawl into a small corner and hoped that the 'big, scary monsters' would go away. With the demons gone, Cassandra joined them and ordered them to drop their weapons. Spike managed to convince her that they won't survive long out there if they were unarmed. Cassandra was convinced, and the party continued their journey throught the demon-infested valley.
"We are clear, for the moment." Cassandra said, interrupting his own thoughts. She sheathed her sword and motioned for them toward some stone steps. "We're almost to the rift. You can hear the fighting ahead." Spike did hear some fighting above them, swords slashing and a sound of a crossbow firing. Both he and Lily wasted no time as the climbed the stairs.
"Who's fighting?" Spike nearly had to yell through the sound of battle.
"You'll see soon. We must help them." Cassandra answered his question as they ascended the steps. Spike saw what she was referring to. A ruined sites stood before them, with men and women fighting those lesser demons. In the middle of the ruin, a green crystal floated, its jagged edges were either growing or shrinking back.
Spike guessed that is was the rift they were talking about and wasted no time in joining the action. Lily threw fire bolts at the demons while Spike and Cassandra drew their swords and engaged them. He slashed through the first demon while it was engaging with a soldier, killing it instantly. Another was trying to get the drop on him, but Spike managed to spin around and block the incoming attack with the blade with one hand. The demon roared as it was on fire. Lily twisted her hand and column of fire came up from the ground. The demon was disintegrated, its body dragged to the ground.
Spike felt something in his stomach. It was as if he............enjoyed the battle.
"Quickly, before more come through!" A bald elf with stormy blue eyes took Lily's left hand and held her palm directly at the rift. Her hand was pulsing as it was held to the rift. Green energy funneled from her hand to the rift...........
........and it exploded, resulting in a popping noise.
Lily pulled her hand from his and glared at him. "What did you do?"
The elf looked at her with a neutral expression. "I did nothing. The credit is yours."
Lily looked confused. "I.......did that?" The mark on her hand dimmed down a bit.
The elf nodded. "Whatever magic opened the Breach in the sky also placed that mark upon your hand. I theorized the mark might be able to close the rifts that have opened in the Breach's wake. It seems I was correct."
Spike moved beside them. "So, what your saying is that she can.....end all of this?"
"Yes. That is correct." She looked at the Dalish elf once more. "It seems you hold the key to our salvation."
Out of the corner of his eye, Spike saw Lily frown, and he could understand why. The fate of the entire world was now resting on her shoulders, whether she realized it or not. He did understand her situation. Back in the pony world, before Twilight became a princess, she and her friends were sent on a mission to the Frozen North to protect the Crystal Empire from King Sombra. Spike came with them to the north. When Twilight found the Crystal Heart, the source of the Empire's energy, Sombra broke through Shining and Cadance's shield. Twilight was trapped in a ring of black crystals. In a last desperate attempt, she threw the Heart to Spike, but he missed it and went out of the tower. Without thinking, he went out the window after it and caught the Crystal Heart at the last second. He would have plummeted to his death if it wasn't for Cadance. To this day, the crystal ponies hailed him as a hero.
"Good to know. Here I though we would be ass-deep in demons forever." Spike turned his head and saw a strange site before his eyes. A short human with a blond hair tied to a pony tail and brown eyes. A smile was on his face. "Varric Tethras, at your service. Rouge, storyteller, and occasionally unwelcome tagalong." He winked at Cassandra, which she just glared at him.
"Lydi'aleera." She introduced herself. Before Varric could say anything, she interrupted him. "Just call me Lily."
"I'm Spike." He introduced as well to the short human.
"Funny. I was just going to call you that." Varric said. He squinted his eyes as he looked at his. "Nice eyes. A little creepy, but nice."
Lily looked down at him. "I'm curious. Are you with the Chantry?"
The bald elf chuckled. "Was that a serious question?"
"Technically, I'm a prisoner, like you two." Varric began, eyeing Cassandra briefly. "Except I'm not thrown in a prison underneath a Chantry building."
"I brought you here to tell your story to the Divine." Cassandra sighed. "Clearly, that is no longer an option."
"Yet, here I am, still tumbling into the weirdest shit possible." He looked at Spike. "No offence."
"None.......taken?" Spike said, ignoring the fact that he probably just insulted him for being a dragon.
Well, half-dragon now.
"Your help is appreciated, Varric," Cassandra began to say. "But-"
"Ha!" Varric laughed. "Have you been in the valley lately, Seeker? Your soldiers aren't even in control anymore. You need me."
Cassandra made a disgusted noise and strode away.
"It is good to see you alive and well, Lydi'aleera." The bald elf said, breaking the silence. "My name is Solas, if there are to be any introductions. I am pleased to see you still live."
"He means, I kept that mark from killing you while you slept." Varric filled in.
Lydi'aleera smiled. "Thanks, Solas. I really wasn't ready to die so young."
Spike gave him a questioning look. "You seemed to know a great deal about...........everything that's going on."
"Unlike your friend," Cassandra informed them from where she stood, already annoyed that the introductions lasted more than two seconds. "Solas is an apostate."
"Technically, all mages are now apostates, Cassandra." He said. He looked at Spike. "My travels have allowed me to learn much about the Fade, far beyond the experience of any Circle mage. I came to offer whatever help I can with the Breach. If it is not closed, we are all doomed, regardless of origin." He turned to Cassandra. "Cassandra, you should know that this magic is unlike any I have ever seen. Lydi'aleera maybe a mage, but I find it very difficult to believe any mage would have enough power to cause this. They are not responsible for this. I can assure you that much."
"Understood." Cassandra said. She motioned for the group to follow her. "We must go to the forward camp. Leliana will be there." With that, the group followed her.
Spike managed to stay behind, shaking off the feeling from earlier. "Well, Bianca's excited." Varric said as he strode past Spike. He soon joined the group as the may their way to the camp.
A rift was outside a wooden door as demons were clawing or banging at it. The group quickly dispatched them, with Varric, Solas and Lydi'aleera focusing their fire on the mist demons, while Spike and Cassandra fought the rest of them. While the demons were distracted, Lydi'aleera lifted her hand like before, feeling the energy reaching out to the rift. Pulling her hand, the rift exploded into nothingness. Her hand stung for a moment before the pain faded away.
"The rift is gone! Open the gate." Cassandra yelled to the people on the other side. The door opened to them and the group entered the forward camp. Well, calling it a camp was a bit of an understatement. It was set up at the bridge that lead to the temple. It was undamaged, save for a few cracks here and there. Soldiers and priests were moving to and fro, helping out anyone. A tent was set up in the middle of the bridge, along with a table with two people talking over something. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but she could tell that it wasn't friendly conversation. Cassandra murmured something under her breath as the group approached the two individuals. The first one, a women who she meet before, was talking to a man in white robes.
"Ah, here they come now." He said, his voice sounded like he was not happy to see them.
Leliana looked up form the table and saw them. "You made it. Chancellor Roderick, this is-"
"I know who they are." Roderick looked at them, a glare leveled at her and Spike. "As Grand Chancellor of the Chantry, I hereby order you to take these criminals to Val Royeaux to face execution."
"Order me?!!?" Cassandra spat out. "You are a glorified clerk, a bureaucrat!"
"And you are a thug," Roderick countered. "A thug that supposedly serves the Chantry!"
"We serve the Most Holy, Chancellor, as you well know." Leliana said, hoping to defuse the situation.
"Justinia is dead!" He exclaimed. "We must elect a replacement, and obey her orders on the matter!"
Lydi'aleera frowned. "Is there anyone that is in charge of the matter?"
"YOU KILLED EVERYONE THAT WAS IN CHARGE!" He yelled, pointing an accusing finger at them. "YOU AND THAT.......DEMON!" Roderick ignored the growl that emitted from Spike and looked at Cassandra. "Call a retreat, Seeker. Our position here is hopeless."
"We can stop this before it's too late." Cassandra said.
"How?" He countered. "You won't survive long enough to reach the temple, even with your ragtag team, which is consisted of an elven apostate, the criminal and the demon, and the dwarf that made the most obscured books I've ever read!"
"Good to see your a fan." Varric said next to Spike, which Spike just raised an eyebrow at him.
"We must get to the temple. The elf may close the Breach before it destroys us." Cassandra continued, ignoring the comment Varric made.
"But the route to the temple is not the safest." Leliana pointed to a mountain. "Our forces can charge as a distraction while we go through the mountains." Lydi'aleera looked at where she pointed at. Indeed, there was a path to the mountain itself.
"We lost contact with an entire squad on that path. It's too risky." Cassandra pointed out.
"Listen to me." Roderick began. "Abandon this now before more lives are lost!"
As if on cue, the sky rumbled and lit up, spatting out a couple of meteorites of green fire. Lydi'aleera's hand lit up, jolting pain through her hand. She stumbled and clutched her left hand to her belly. Spike managed to support her by cupping a hand under her elbow, trying to hold her steady. "Thanks." Spike nodded and supported her up.
Cassandra walked up to her. "How do you think we should proceed?"
"Why are you asking for my opinion?" Lydi'aleera was now confused at her. A shemlen was asking for an elf's opinion?
"You have the mark." Solas pointed out.
"And you are the one we must keep alive," Cassandra said. "Since we cannot agree on our own."
Lydi'aleera weighted her opinions. They could go and support the soldiers so that they can get to the temple quicker. But the demons could provide a problem for them. Sure, Spike and Cassandra could take the blunt of the assault, but even they have limits. A Dalish does not go out and charge head first into danger. She may not be a hunter like the rest of her clan, but she knows whats best for everyone present. With that course in mind, she looked up at the mountains. "I say we head up the mountains. It may take long for us to get to the temple, but at least we'll be out of danger."
Cassandra didn't like it, but nodded in approval to her plans. She looked a Leliana. "Leliana, bring everyone left in the valley. Everyone."
Lydi'aleera could feel the Chancellor's glare at the back of her head. "On your head be the consequences, Seeker." Glancing at Cassandra, she could see the human women with a cold gaze as they went across the bridge and into the mountain. She never expected a human to stand up for her against the human religious leader. But why? She will have a trial, as Cassandra has said, but the human managed to protect her through those cold stares.
'The world has truly gone mad.' With that thought in mind, she continued to the mountain path that lay before her.