Legacy - Chapter Opening

Hawke lifted her staff, swinging it down to bury the head of a deep stalker into the dirt.

They were surrounded, the vile creatures clawing and gnashing, the air filled with their maddening chitters promising a fight that would never end. Fenris was at her side, somehow managing to attack and cover her as she worked her most destructive spells, striking out from her unprotected flanks whenever she was forced to resort to hand to hand.

Varric and Anders were a short distance away, similarly surrounded, and a quick glance showed Hawke how overstretched they were. Anders was desperately trying to hold the deep stalkers at bay long enough for Varric to expertly pick them off, but they would soon be overrun – with all his on-going difficulties, Anders was too weak to keep up such an insane pace. Hawke could feel her own will depleted dangerously low, and with their lyrium potions spent their limited inner reserves were all they had left.

Enough of this. With a cry, Hawke unleashed a blast of kinetic energy, it surged out from her scattering the deep stalkers in all directions.  

“Fenris! Varric and Anders need help,” she called out breathlessly. Fenris automatically made to follow her unspoken command but stopped short when he realised Hawke wasn’t following. He reached toward her as if considering dragging her with him.

“Go!” she demanded, pointing in their companion’s direction, “and keep them back.”

He nodded his ascent, dark eyes deeply troubled as he left her out in the middle of battle alone. In a blur of movement he was gone; his blade of mercy reaping bloody swathes of deep stalkers aside to clear the path before him. Anders visibly scrambled back from the front line the moment Fenris intervened.

They’ll be alright now, she hoped, and turned to face the advancing horde.

*****

“What is she doing?” Anders cried out, watching Hawke simply rest her staff on the ground in front of her and bow her head. “Marian!?” Anders lifted his palm, incinerating a deep stalker snapping at his heels and made toward her, but Fenris grabbed his arm and wrenched him back. “Let go of me,” Anders roared, eyes flickering blue, “you left her out there alone!”

“Because she told me to keep you back!” yelled Fenris, pushing Anders away. He instantly spun back into the fray decapitating two more deep stalkers, his attention constantly drawn to Hawke’s lonely figure remaining perfectly still in the middle of the chaos, surrounded by a veritable sea of deep stalkers. Whatever you’re going to do, Hawke, make it quick.