"Wow"
That was Spike's first reaction when he saw the so-called 'Breach'.
They climbed the mountain so that they can get to the temple faster. The entered a cave that was once a mine that was long abandoned for reasons yet unknown. Groups of demons were occupying the place, but nothing to serious. The real problem was that both Solas and Lily can't use there magic at such close quarters, epically in an old mine. Spike and Cassandra had to go to the front of the group to protect them, while Varric used his crossbow to dispatched the demons from the back. They made it out of the mine in one piece. Along the way, they encountered the missing scouts, who were fighting a bunch of demons coming out of the rift. They quickly killed the demons while Lily sealed the rift. The scouts were grateful for the act and went on their way. They continued down the mountain and into the temple where the Breach originated from.
Spike had to stomach his vomit when he saw the burnt bodies of the people at the temple.
Right now, they were inside the temple, overlooking the green pulsing rift in the center of the room. The massive, spiraling rift in the center of what was once a great temple surged with energy. Spike had never seen this type of magic before in his life. Living with Twilight had improved his knowledge of magic. It would take a lot of focus from a very skilled unicorn, like Twilight or Star Swirl the Bearded.
"This was where we found you two." Cassandra interrupted his thoughts. He glanced at her as her eyes scanning the damage before her. "They say a women was in the rift behind her. No one knows who she was."
Spike saw Lily staring at the rift with a hint of pain and sadness in her eyes.
"You made it. Thank the Maker." Spike turned around and saw Leliana logging towards them, bow at the ready.
"Barely." Varric said. "We were greeted by more rifts, demons, and generally unpleasant things down the mountain that didn't bother with a cheery hello."
Spike raised an eyebrow at Varric. "Are you always this cheerful in a situation?" Among the company so far, Varric, the 'dwarf', was an odd fellow to Spike.
Varric chuckled. "Trust me, Spike. With half the shit I've seen in my life, you'd be surprise."
Out of the corner of his eye, Spike saw Cassandra ordering Leliana. "Take your men and position them around the temple." She nodded and motioned for them to ready themselves. Cassandra turned to Lily. "This is your chance to end this. Are you ready?"
Spike saw Lily look down at her glowing hand for a moment before looking at Cassandra. Spike could tell she was scared, and, in truth, he is as well. He placed a hand on her slender shoulders and Lily turned around to look at him. He smiled. "You can do this. I know you can." Spike reasserted her.
She smiled at Spike and nodded her head. She looked at Cassandra once again. "I..I think I'm ready."
"Then lets find a way down. And be careful." Cassandra lead the way downstairs, and made their was around the rim of the flat field where the explosion was created. Before they were even half-way to the Breach, a weird ringing filled Spike's pointy ears. He tried to cover his ears, but had done nothing to stop the ringing. Then, a voice filled the air around them, his voice was cold and gravel, vast and cold. A chill ran down his spine as he heard it.
"Now is the hour of our victory."
"Bring forth the sacrifice."
Spike wasn't the only one that heard it. Cassandra stopped and looked around, trying to find where the voice came from. "What are we hearing? Who was that?"
"If I had a guess," Solas said. "I say it is the person who created the Breach."
They continued to walked, despite what was going on. Spike managed to glace at a weird rock that was glowing red sprouting out of the ground.
"Don't touch it, Spike. It's Red Lyrium." Varric said. "That shit will mess with your head."
Spike did as he was told and avoided any 'Red Lyrium'. He overhead Varric questioning Cassandra how the Red Lyrium got here, and Solas answering his question. They continued on toward the green spire, the voice from before can be heard.
"Keep the sacrifice still."
They jumped down from a short ledge and into the charred remains of the room, the rift in the middle of what was once a great room. Spike saw Lily's hand suddenly started lighting up, but she didn't notice it. It was as if she was in a trance of sorts. Translucent shapes soon manifested themselves at the rift, like that of a film projector back in Equestria. He saw an elderly women in robes being suspended in mid-air with her arms spread out. She was held in place with red energy in her arms. In front of her was a dark smoking figure with glowing red eyes.
"Someone help me!"
"That was the Most Holy!" Cassandra stopped and looked at the rift in surprised. They saw another person enter the room.
"What's going on here?"
Lily.
"Run while you can! Warn them!" The elder lady yelled.
"We have an intruder." The misty figure pointed what looks like a finger right at her. "Slay the elf."
A bright flash from the rift and the group, except Lily, covered their eyes. When it was safe to look, the images disappeared. Lily sucked in a breath, as if she was holding her breath all along. Cassandra was the first to recover. "You were there! Who attacked? And the Divine, is she.....?" She grabbed her shoulder and jerked her body to face her. "Was this vision true? What are we seeing?"
"I don't know?!?!!?" Lily nearly yelled at her. "I can't remember anything!" She was scared, and Spike knew it.
"There just echoes, Cassandra. Echoes of what happened here." Solas said. "The Fade bleeds into this place."
"So now we know what happened to the place, and the Divine." Spike said. A thousand questions entered his mind, a few to the strange fog holding the 'Divine' in the image. He could be dead, for all he knew. Spike turned his head to Solas. "I assume you have a plan to close the Breach?"
"Indeed." He said. "This rift is not sealed, but it is closed......albeit temporarily. Lydi'aleera's mark can open the rift and seal it properly and safely. However, opening the rift will likely attract demons from the other side."
"That means demons. Stand ready!" Cassandra announced. By the time the order was given, they prepared. Spike drew his sword from his back, his group followed suit. The men on the ground withdrew their swords while the ones on the balcony withdrew their arrows and aimed them at the rift. Lily murmured something under her breath, clutching her staff as if it would be the last thing she will feel. Spike couldn't hear what she was saying, but he could tell that she was praying to someone.
With a breath, she extended her hand toward the rift. Green light sucked from the scar in her hand and funneled to her hand and, with a tremendous boom, opened the rift. Spike could see a painful expression on her, her slender knees nearly bucked from under her. Before he could help her, a spike of energy suddenly thrust past Lily, materializing something out of thin air.
The something, was a massive demon that can oversize a minotaur. It's skin was grey and spikey, hard muscle rippling beneath it. It's nine eyes scanned its surroundings before it let out a deep, demonic roar.
"Pride Demon." Cassandra cried. "Take it down!"
The archers from up top fired their arrows at the demon and Solas hurled ice shards from his staff, but it shrugged them off as if they were nothing. Spike and Cassandra charged at the demon, a war cry emitting from Cassandra. The demon swung its massive arm at Cassandra, but she dodged to the right side. While Cassandra distracted it, Spike had managed to get in close to the demon, striking its clawed legs. However, his blade bounced off the demons hide like a rubber band. The demon noticed this and turned its attention off of Cassandra. The demon stomped his arm downward, but Spike looked up at the last minute and rolled out of the way. He landed just a few feet from the demon. Before he could get back up, the demon was already on him. It swung its massive arm right at him. Spike felt a familiar tingle on his skin as the Pride's arm bounced off of him. He knew that Solas had created a barrier around Spike to protect him. The demon staggered for a bit. It was all the time Spike needed, as he was already on his feet again and dodged out of the way once again, right when the demons left arm almost grazed him.
Spike heard a sharp pop next to him and saw the demon fell to one knee, it's head hung low.
"It's vulnerable!" Cassandra yelled. "Quickly, attack it."
Arrows, bolts and magic sank into the demon, making a squish noise as they punctured the demons skin. Spike charged into the demon, his sword high above his head as he closed the distance between him and the demon. The barrier shimmered around Spike's skin as he thrust his sword into the demons gut. He could see Cassandra and the soldiers doing the same thing as well.
It soon stood back up to its full height, lighting forming around its clawed hands. Like a whip, the lighting arc through several soldiers unlucky enough to get in its way. Their armor wasn't enough to absorb the lighting and they fell like flies, electricity withering out of their burnt bodies. It soon turned to the archers on the balcony. With its arm outstretched, he released an electric ball towards them. A few unlucky ones were blasted away from the battlefield.
Spike needed to do something. The demon was now exposed, but it was madder than every, killing anything in its way. While it was distracted, he charged at the demon, feeling Solas's barrier spell forming around his skin. Once he was at base of its leg, he struck again, though it didn't bounce out like last time. It sank deep into its skin. The demon roared in pain, turning its attention to Spike. The raised his arm, an electric whip in his hand, and brought it down on him. It sent him flying a few feet, his sword was knocked out of his hand.
Spike slammed into a wall. Solas's barrier spell had given out during the fight, his back felt like a giant hammer has struck him. He fell to the ground with a thud.
He laid there, helpless as a deer petrified by a cockatrice. He wanted to scream for help, but his breath was ragged and hoarse, a few of his ribs were cracked, threatening to poke at his stomach. He coughed up some blood. He tried to get up, but his arms and legs were too weak to lift on his own.
I........need.........to..........get........up. Several times he tried, but he failed. He soon laid on his back, looking at the greenish hole in the sky. The voices on the battlefield became nothing but a distance sound. I.......can't......die...........now. His eye lids became heavy, blinking a few times. Maybe........I........should.........rest up............a bit. Maybe it was all a dream. Yeah, that sounds right. It was all a dream, none of it was real. He would wake up on his own bed in Twilight's castle. He would make her breakfast as usual and have a good laugh about Spike's dream.
He closed his eyes, smiling as he entered a dreamless sleep. Just a dream. Just a dream. Just a dream..........
"SPIKE!!!!"
He opened his eyes when he heard a familiar voice. He turned his head to the side.
Lily was fighting the thing before her, the already weakened demon roaring in pain from her magic spells. She aimed her staff downwards, pulled back, and fired a fireball at the demon. It did little than just hinder him. The demon roared in rage as it closed the gap between her. Once it was close, the demon smacked her with it's blade-like arm. She was sent flying a few feet from the rift. She laid there, unmoving.
Spike felt something in his stomach. His heart beat twice as fast. All his thoughts were nothing to him now. It was a feeling he had not felt in a while.
That was when Spike's world turned red.
Lydi'aleera's efforts in closing the rift were meet with resistance as the Pride Demon rampaged across the battlefield. Her companions did all they can to distract the thing while she started closing the rift. It was a hard, watching as the ones that helped her get to the temple were being ravaged by a beast twice their size. However, every time she disrupt the rift, the demon was vulnerable, allowing her companions to attack it. Solas uses his magic spells to hurt the demon, Varric fired his crossbow, Bianca, and Cassandra and Spike engaged it head on. She watched as they took a beating from the electric attacks, but never backed down.
At least, until Spike foolishly charged in and the demon hit him, sending him toward a wall.
Lydi'aleera watched as Spike was fledged towards the wall, his body flailing about like a rag doll. His back hit the wall and he slide off the wall. She saw him, laying limp on the ground. She called out his name, praying to the Creators that he was still alive. She wanted him to be alive, needed him to be alive. Ever since this whole crazy thing began, Spike had been nothing but supportive to her, regardless that she is a Dalish elf. Most, if not all humans, would run from them or foolishly fight them.
See cast a fireball from her staff onto the demon, which only just slyly pissed it off. The demon turned its attention towards her. Cassandra started to advance on the demon, but the demon was smart, and smacked Cassandra, sending her flying a few feet before colliding to the ground. Luckily, she had her shield raised at the last second, started coming towards her, the ground quaked with every step. She started casting spells at the demon, using elemental magic to slow it down. It done little than just piss it off more. Varric and Solas tried to get the demons attention away from her, but the demon shrugged it off. Once it was close enough, it smacked it's fist into her. The demon almost killed her, had she not thrown a barrier spell on her during the last moment.
Lydi'aleera grunted as she got up, her side hurt as she tried to get up. Her hand that held the mark sizzled once again, gritting her teeth as she felt her hand burn a little. Her head was pounding a little due to all the magic she casted at the demon.
A shadow casted over her form. She looked up and saw the demon towering over her. She tried to move out of the way, but her body refused to move. The demon have sensed this, and gave a demonic chuckle. It raised one of its arms in the air, the electricity ready to strike her. There was so much to do, even closing the rift that threatened to destroy everything she hold dear. She wasn't ready to die. But what can she do? Her body refused to move due to all the mana she wasted on the demon. So she waited for the inevitable, glaring at the demon in her final moments of defiance.
She heard a roar, and something that collided with the demon.
She saw the demon get tackled by a green blur, falling to the ground. With the last of her remaining streanght, she forced herself up. Once she was standing again, she looked over to her right side to see what had attacked the demon.
The Pride Demon that came out of the Beyond, or 'The Fade' as the humans called it, was staggering against a new foe. She couldn't see it's face, but it had scales that were purple, with green fins coming out of its head and all the way to its back. It's tail was long with a spade-like tip at the end. It's claws were dug into the demons chest as it struggled to get them, and it, off. It climbed up to the head of the demon and started to slash its face. The demon roared in agony as it tried to swat it out of its face. The beast ignored the scratches the demon gave it and continued the assault.
"Lily!" Someone from behind her said. She turned around and saw Cassandra running up to her. "Thank the Maker your still alive." She looked behind her and gasped. "By the Maker, what is that thing?"
"I don't know." Lydia'leera said. She looked back at the beast as it tackled the Pride demon again. "But it isn't attacking us, for the moment." She looked at Cassandra. "Where's Spike?"
"I don't know." Cassandra said. "But I'm sure he's fine. We must focus on the rift."
She nodded. She would check on Spike later. She knew in her gut that he is still alive. With great effort, she lifted her hand at the rift, the green energy shot out of her hand once again. She could feel the energy trying to leave the mark on her hand. She pulled her hand back, and the rift once again exploded. She heard the demon roared in pain as she saw the other demon swap at its guts. The demon staggered back and fell to its knees once again. The thing that attacked it didn't waste any time as it charged the demon again on all fours, an predatory roar filled the air.
"Look out! Demons!" Cassandra shouted. Lydi'aleera saw what she was saying. Demons were coming out of the Beyond, a desire to kill. It wasn't just Shades that attacked them. Long, stick-like demons, which she learn were called Lesser Terrors, were pouring out of the Beyond as well. A Shade was coming after her, claws outstretched. Lydi'aleera stepped aside and slammed the mace-like tip on the demon. Summoning some mana she has left in her, she set her right hand on fire and struck the demon. It went down in a pained wail as it was disintegrated.
She saw Cassandra dealing with the other Shades, while Solas and Varric fired everything they have on the Terrors. She looked at where the two other demons that are fighting each other.
The demon swat its left claw at the beast, but it sense the attack coming and jumped to the left. Like an arrow, it thrust forward and slammed into the demon with great ferocity, causing it to fall over. The demon wailed in pain, trying in vain to swat the beast off of its stomach. It started climbing towards where the heart would be. With it's claws, it shank into the demons left shoulder and with a twist of its arm, it looked like it pierced the heart. With a final cry, the demon lay limped, sinking fully to the ground. The beast roared in victory.
She watched as the demon shattered like grass and pulled back into the Beyond. The thing that killed it jumped down from it before it was pulled to the rift. She was able to get a clear look at it. It's chest is slightly green and muscular. It's face and jaws were narrowed, sharp teeth propping out of the mouth. Lyid'aleera was scared as it looked at her, but she was focused on something else. Something that seemed all to familiar to her.
It's eyes had slits, with emerald green eyes.
"S-s-Spike?"
Spike roared once again and charged right at her. Time seemed to slow down as Spike came towards her. Her breath became ragged. Lydi'aleera was to terrified to even move, seeing her.............friend, charging at her. She wanted to yell. To scream. To fight back. Anything!
'Is......is this it?' She thought. 'Killed by someone that looked out for me?'
Time resumed to normal as Spike continued coming at her on all fours. Once he was close enough, he jumped, claws aimed right at her.
She watched as the beast she once considered a friend jumped right towards her............
......and right past her.
She looked behind her and was surprised to see him tackle one of those Terror demons that managed to snuck in from behind her. The demon screamed at Spike. She had to cover her sensitive ears just to block out the high screech. Spike is not effective by this and slashed one of his claws across the demon. It dissolved into dust like before, and Spike moved onto the next demon he sees.
She stood there, petrified as a deer, under what had transpired. Lydi'aleera shuttered, looking at the creature in front of her. The one that supported her, the one that protected her through this crazy event, was no longer there.
Instead, there is a beast.
A beast filled with fury.
She shook her head, snapping out of her train of thought. 'I can't think about this now. I have to close the Breach.' Breathing in a sigh, she focused on the rift that was in front of a large statue of what she assumed to be 'Andraste'. Once again, she raised her marked hand on the rift. She felt the power from the mark into the rift. A stinging pain is felt through her hand, forcing her to clench her teeth. 'Just a few more----'
She screamed as her hand felt like it was on fire. Tears rolled down her face as she was forced to her knees. She wanted to pull her hand back, but it was glued to the rift she is closing. The swirling green energy around the Breach was disorientating, her hand continued to funneled the energy from her hand.
The rift was getting brighter and brighter, until it exploded, sending a shockwave throughout the land and sky.
Darkness soon greeted her once again.