Breaking the Divide (remastered) - Cullen Rutherford

Chapter 2: First Impressions

Be a distraction.

Cullen grumbled under his breath as he ran his sword through another demon, anger pulsing through his veins with every passing second. What right did the prisoner have to give orders? What had Cassandra been thinking? The woman was a mage. She had no military training or practice to know which path was the best to take and yet, after being conscious for a mere ten minutes, the prisoner got to issue orders? He kicked the rage demon free as it went limp on his blade before bringing his sword around for the finishing blow.

"Easy there, Commander," Rylen said beside him. "Leave a few for the rest of us to fight. We'll look bad otherwise."

Cullen's lips lifted into a smile he didn't feel. His men came around from the sides, boxing in the demons that remained in the open stretch of snow, before charging inwards to deal with what remained of this wave. There'd be a few minutes rest before the next batch came barreling over the hill towards them.

"You and you," Cullen said, pointing to the soldiers who'd been there the longest. "Head back to Haven and take Breck and Wallace with you. Send up any reinforcements they can spare."

"Ser!" They said with a snapped salute. The four of them limped down towards camp, passing the pair of brothers who'd perished earlier. Another two dead. And the day had barely started.

Rylen came up to him, holding out a flask that had the Chantry symbol etched into the sides. He arched a brow when Cullen started to protest and all but thrust the flask into his hands. Cullen muttered a thanks between gulps.

"Do ye think that Solas was telling the truth?" Rylen asked after Cullen handed the drained flask back to him. "About the prisoner's mark, I mean."

"I hope so. We don't have any other plan."

Rylen chuckled, the sound bitter and cold. "Ye wouldn't think she was our only hope by the way people kept trying to kill her."

"Someone else made an attempt?"

He nodded. "A boy half our age tried this morning. Then an elven woman right before I left. Cassandra was the one to relieve me so I doubt anyone else dared to try after that."

"She does tend to put the fear of the Maker into people." Cullen turned towards the Breach and frowned. Demons should've been rolling over the crest of the hill by now.

"Commander?"

Cullen made an absent wave, telling Rylen to stay back with the others as he walked up the hill. Screams echoed in the distance. Unsheathing his sword, he dropped into a dead sprint when the column of green light pulsed up towards the sky. It grew, brightening until it blinded, the prickling sense of magic growing with it until—with an explosive shriek like metal scraping against stone—the rift disappeared. He blinked against the light. The Breach remained above their heads but no demons came forward.

"Commander Cullen!" Someone yelled in the distance. Snow crunching underfoot. Panting. A scout—hardly out of boyhood—came running from the direction of the rift. Grinning ear to ear, he slipped in the snow only to jump back onto his feet an instant later. "She did it! The Herald closed it!"

"Where is she now?"

"She lost consciousness, but she's alive. Seeker Cassandra was taking her back to Haven last I saw."

"And the demons?" Cullen asked.

"Only a handful remain in the entire valley. The soldiers who were at the rift are weeding them out now."

Cullen thanked and dismissed the scout before returning to his men. With half the group dedicated to carrying the dead back to Haven for proper rituals and burnings, he took Rylen and those who remained to join the other soldiers in the valley. It seemed impossible that he'd feared for all their lives less than an hour ago.