Dragon Age Inquisition: The Legacy of Dorian Pavus

53: Archdemon

"Then maybe you should move faster my dear Blackwall." Vivienne retorted. "It's not as though Corypheus will wait for you to catch up."

Blackwall growled and shoved past her into the clearing ahead mere seconds before the dragon and Morrigan crashed to the ground before us. I shared a look with Cassandra and Vivienne as they moved to help Morrigan to her feet.

The rest of us formed a barrier between them and Corypheus' injured dragon. Roaring a battle cry, Blackwall and Iron Bull charged ahead intent on damaging the dragon's legs. It roared in pain, swatting Blackwall away with a powerful kick, missing Iron Bull by inches.

Magic filled the air as Solas and Dorian attacked from the edge of the clearing, while arrows rained down like hail to impale the dragon's flank. It roared again, spitting fire as I cloaked myself and my nearest companions in shadow, preparing to attack.

Morrigan had managed to inflict severe injuries upon the dragon while she'd battled it in the air and within a few minutes it was dead. As it's life drained away, a small, red glowing orb lifted free of it and sailed through the air to return to Corypheus.

I smiled to myself on seeing it. With the dragon defeated, his magical link to the dragon was severed and he was once again mortal. All we had to do now was wear him down and take the orb from him and he'd be finished for good.

"Let it end here." Corypheus shouted. "Let the skies boil and the world be rent asunder!"

"Hurry!" I cried. "The breach is getting bigger!"

"And then the Fade swallows the world right?" Varric shouted back.

No one answered as I reached Corypheus and slammed my blades into his back repeatedly. The air crackled with red lyrium as my attack was joined by magic from Vivienne, Dorian and Solas.

Weakened, Corypheus snarled, sending out a powerful bolt of magic directly at me. But Cassandra was there, fortifying my defences with her will and faith, protecting me from the worst of his power.

"Not like this!" Corypheus moaned. "I have walked the halls of the Golden City, crossed the ages. Dumat! Ancient ones I beseech you! If you exist, if you have ever existed, aid me now!"

My mark sprang to life as I neared him and the artifact and a bolt of green energy slammed into him as he prayed. He stumbled, his hand going to his side where I'd hit him, snarling at me even as the orb left his hand to land in mine.

With the orb in my possession, Corypheus fell to his knees in defeat, his lips curled with hate and disgust. Instinctively, I held the orb aloft, aiming it at the hole in the sky as a bolt of energy shot out of it. The pain coursing through my arm was overwhelming, but I held on as the magic inside the orb sealed the breach in the sky above.

The hole in the sky closed, the power in the artifact dwindled and I dropped it to the ground. Returning my gaze to Corypheus, I crossed to where he still knelt, his eyes filled with unmistakable hatred.

"You wanted into the Fade." I sneered, aiming my hand at him. "So go."

A jolt of green fire slammed into him, consuming and destroying him as he screamed in pain and outrage. With a pop, he disappeared and the ruins he'd lifted into the sky began raining down all around me.

Shit, we had to get out of here before the ruins crushed us all, I thought, as I lost my footing and stumbled to the ground.

Memory flooded through me as I regained my feet, my heart clenching in fear when I saw no sign of Dorian. The ground tilted and with a whistle of air, I could feel we were falling even as I collapsed back to the ground and blacked out.

----xxx----

I woke to find myself unharmed and Solas kneeling before the broken pieces of the artifact.

"Solas?" I said, moving to stand behind him.

"The orb." He said, sounding heartbroken.

"Corypheus is dead." I reminded him. "That's the important thing."

"Yet so much has been lost."

I frowned at his back. What was this about? I waited as he got to his feet and turned to face me. "There's more isn't there?"

"It was not supposed to happen this way. No matter what comes, I want you to know you shall always have my respect."

What in Andraste's name was he talking about? Whatever it was, it didn't sound good. I was about to press him on what he meant when Cassandra called out to me.

"Inquisitor? Are you alive?"

I turned to greet her, a smile on my lips and glanced back to see if Solas was coming. But he was gone, vanished as though he'd never been there.

Stunned, I turned back to Cassandra, my thoughts whirling at what my mind was struggling to tell me.

Was Solas the traitor we'd forgotten? How had he vanished? Why had he betrayed me and gone after Dorian? No. I shook my head. It couldn't be, could it? Cassandra was watching me, a frown forming on her face so I smiled and led her away from the ruins to join our friends.

My heart swelled with joy when I saw Dorian, alive and unharmed as he beamed up at me.

"Victorious I see." Morrigan said, holding a hand to her injured side. "What a novel result."

"And you're alive." Dorian said, unable to hide the happiness in his voice. "And I'm alive. Incredible isn't it?"

I smiled back. "It is indeed."

"And it seems the breach is finally closed." Morrigan added.

"Looks that way." I agreed.

"What do we do now?" Cassandra asked.

"We go back to Skyhold." I said, joining my friends and taking Dorian's hand as I led us all back to our home.