Gone. That damned son of a bitch! The thought of him getting away again, sent her flying into a heated rage. Quickly, she ran to the blast zone and melted the ice. Their guests fled while her advisors and companions converged on her position. A plethora of questions were fired at her, but she ignored them all with one goal in mind, growling out, "I'm going after him!" With that, she fade stepped out of the doors to the first landing of the stairs to the Great Hall leaving them to sort through the chaos.
Outside, searching for her quarry wasn't difficult, as the cryokinesis mage left a trail of frost in her wake. Moments later, she spotted the duo confronting a few Templars by the closing portcullis. While the Knights would buy her a few moments before she could get down there, she knew they were no match for a red lyrium-fueled mage. Wasting no more time, she jumped from the landing, fade stepping through the air down to the Lower Courtyard.
Landing dramatically behind them, the sight of the Inquisitor bolstered her men's resolve. "Fight me, you bastard!" She yelled at Ryker, allowing the might of her fire to reach out to them.
The mage's focus was on the Templars, while Ryker faced her grinning too widely for someone just sentenced to die. "I believe you've met Eira briefly before," the girl's straight blonde hair wafted about as she threw a glance back at her, this time unafraid. "She's been in my pocket for some time now, though I'm not sure how long typically mages last while taking red lyrium. From what Sampson told me, only you have been able to survive copious doses. Even as Eira becomes stronger, it's only temporary. She but a means to an end. Templars though, can not only withstand it but grow stronger from it." He pulled a large vial of the red from his vest, "Shall we up the stakes, Trevelyan?"
Evelyn's eyes grew wide, "No…" Instantly, he threw back the entirety of its contents. The next thing she knew, his body cringed and contorted involuntarily as a red crackling halo appeared about his crown. The brown of his eyes turned crimson as the lyrium dug its claws into him.
Flexing his muscles that surged with new strength, he narrowed his gaze back on her though he spoke to the ice mage first, "Do as you will, kill them all, but leave the Phoenix for me."
Spreading her arms wide, Eira summoned a blizzard that choked the sunlight from the sky. The temperature plummeted all but freezing any piece of exposed skin. Evelyn fought the frost with her own blazing aura, but it was slowly overpowering her, as well as the Templars still blocking their escape. Eira began to form a man-sized ice spike and aimed it at one of the Templars. Evelyn quickly conjured a fireball to counter it, hurling the flames at the ice mage. But her magic was effortlessly dispelled by Ryker. She watched in horror as the spike pierced the Knight's chest and impaled his body on the gate.
So that's how it's going to be, she thought. Fighting them while under the influence of red lyrium was bad enough, but Ryker was going to protect his new ally as she killed the Inquisition's people. I can do this, she thought, and even if I can't, I have to. She needed help.
***
"Shit," Cullen grumbled as Evelyn flew past him like a banshee set on revenge. He stomped ice off his boots, helping some of their guests up as he went. Rubbing a hand down his face, the others converged on him as he took command, "Ambassador, you and Lady Vivienne get these people down below! Leliana, have your agents set a perimeter around Skyhold in case they indeed escape, though I don't believe it will come to that."
"No," the redhead replied, "the Inquisitor is out for blood. I think it best we let her do this." A pained look caused her to frown, "I know what it's like to want revenge, but let's not let her do it alone."
Turning away to summon her agents, Cullen began to push his way through the panicking nobles to get to the others, "Cassandra, take Henley and his men and find that mage. They've dealt with red lyrium before, even if the Inquisitor is out for revenge, leave nothing to chance." As they exited the Great Hall, a magically induced snow squall enveloped Skyhold. Visibility was reduced to a few feet and the wind was so strong, it even knocked him back a step.
"At least Evie is a pyromancer, she'll make quick work of that bitch!" Owayne stared smugly into the storm.
"Yes, but that mage took red lyrium, so she's much more powerful. Even more so than the Inquisitor." The rogue's face drooped and morphed into concern. "Hurry!" Cullen shouted at them over the storm, letting them run ahead of him to the barracks.
On his way past the armory, he grabbed a shield finding Bull and the Chargers assembled and looking for a fight. "What's the word, Commander?"
"I'll tell you as soon as I find the Inquisitor. Follow me."
"Chargers, horns up!" They echoed his call, falling in behind them.
"Where's that mage of yours?" Cullen's mind was still working through the chaos erupting about them.
"Dalish!" Bull called back over his shoulder.
"I'm not a mage!" Came a call from the back of the pack.
Cullen ignored her protest as they reached the stairs by the Herald's Rest that led down to the gate. "Cast a barrier to our front and hold it," looking down the staircase nothing could be seen through the squall, "we have no idea what going on down there, but I can feel the magic, best be prepared." She nodded and did as he bid. Together, they descended into the fog of battle until a voice cried out of the din.
"No! Turn back, now!"
***
She didn't expect Cullen, Owayne, and Bull to be leading the Chargers down the stairs at the same moment Cassandra, Henley, and his men descended the one to her left. Either way, they were walking into the fight blind. The first icy blast fired at the Chargers was stopped by a barrier, but she could sense it would not hold fully against another. Thankfully, Henley had his men ready as she felt a hole forming in the magical storm around them. Distracted now by them, Eira absently formed a wall of ice blocking the Commander and Chargers from the Lower Courtyard. They couldn't even jump down having placed jagged ice spikes on the ground about it.
Seeing it as a simple thing to remedy, she headed their way to melt the ice, when a hard blow to her side sent her skidding across the snow. Ryker was stomping her way. Reaching for her staff, she realized she had left it in her room, but she did have her spirit blade from training earlier. Waves of light flashing behind him took her focus away for a moment as she watched Cassandra and the Templars clash against Eira. Until she spontaneously expired like Sampson's failed experiments, she would keep growing more powerful. There were only so many Templars Evelyn would be willing to throw at her before it was unjustifiably a waste of life.
A sword aimed at her head interrupted her thoughts, as her blade blazed to life, "If I can't have you, no one will!" The sickening scent of the corruption flowing through his veins accosted her senses. He pressed her close to the ground, causing her to turn her face towards her brother, Cullen, and Bull, who were feverishly trying to break the ice. From the depths of her core, came a mind blast that knocked Ryker back, giving her time to get to her feet, only to be seized by the throat. "Shall we make a spectacle of this? The death of the mighty Inquisitor!" His monstrous voice boomed through the fortress, even cutting through the cold howling wind, "Your Herald dies by my hand!" The sting from him draining her mana made her inhale sharply as she slowly felt the prickling touch of Eira's magic swirling about as her aura weakened. Knowing he was just going to do it again, she lashed out with a fiery explosion. He growled having been burnt, but it seemed he was more angry that he hadn't been strong enough even with the aid of the red lyrium to fully silence her.
In spite of it, she laughed at him, "What's the matter? Did you really think one dose would make you more powerful than me?"
His anger fled, as he snorted and laughed along with her, "True, but you know who I am stronger than?" His eyes flicked over to the side.
She struggled in his grasp, panic rising, "Don't you dare, you…"
"Eira, stop playing with them, I have need of you!" The mage looked back over her shoulder for a moment before she shot more spikes at the Templars' shield wall. With a stomp, a crystalline trail of frost snaked out from her feet. As it reached the group, it exploded out of the earth, making them jump and dodge. The few the ice caught unaware died quickly, their heads dropping to their chest almost instantly. Henley shoulder-rolled back towards the stables, to be lost in the squall. She saw Cassandra spin in the same direction to avoid them, but a dash of red at her head and side told her she didn't get away unscathed.
Evelyn cursed and kicked to no avail. With her hands holding the arms that had her throat, she tried burning him, anything to get the attention back on her, but she was silenced for good this time, hanging limply only able to watch the battle happening around her. Eira stalked towards the others on the stairs, but before she got there a small volley of arrows hit the mage. Craning her neck back, she saw Varric, Sera, and Harding firing down at her, but their momentary distraction ended as she threw the same spell at them that took Henley and Cassandra out of the fight.
"Come on, Trevelyan! That's it? That's all you've got in you?" He taunted her, throwing her down. Looking up, Bull had just smashed through the wall of ice and they were forming up in the courtyard. She could see the cautious looks on their faces, wondering how they were going to stop the enemy when the Templars and Inquisitor had failed to do so. Testing the magic of the mark, which sputtered and sparked, she tried to see if it'd do something, but nothing happened. Ryker laughed again, "Seems not even Andraste's supposed mark can save you! What a disappointment, but we all know you're a fraud anyway!" He bent low to whisper, "Watch now as I kill your friends, brother, and beloved Commander." He stood, suddenly kicking her in the stomach. She crumpled in on herself gasping for air, but still looking on after him as he and Eira squared up for battle.
Just as it looked like they were about to engage, a choked guttural sound came from the ice mage. She staggered back a step, and for a moment there was hope that the lyrium was finally taking her. Instead, sleek ice crystals encased her in an impenetrable armor. Red lyrium crystals, bumpy and misshapen, poked out from her back, making her look half-lizard.
At the sight, Bull straightened, grasping his battleaxe tighter, "Oh, for fuck's sake!" He called to her, "Boss, you alright? It's getting to be too chilly here, even for Skyhold standards!"
"The Iron Bull afraid of us? Now, isn't that something? I relieved our little firebird of her mana. She is as useful as a--" He wailed in pain as Evelyn twisted the dagger from her boot in the meat of his thigh. She had crawled there, her rage unable to allow her to let the man win after all these years. She wouldn't stop, she couldn't stop until he was dead. "I've indulged you long enough I think, my dear," he gritted out, but she didn't falter and stared up at him defiantly. With the swift upward arc of his sword, Cullen gave the command to charge.
"Defend the Inquisitor!" They were three words she had never hoped to hear in her life, for she was to be the protector. The groups split in half, Cullen leading the charge against the mage and Bull against Ryker. Owayne deftly slid between her and the Templar defecting his blade, before he was backhanded forcefully to the side. One by one, the Chargers were picked off as she watched helplessly. Dalish was silenced until she was out cold. Grim and Krem tried flanking Eria as Cullen held against a stream of frost being shot at him, but a mind blast knocked them out cold. Skinner made a go at the mage too, but ended up getting stuck in the leg by an ice spike. The others all succumbed to Ryker's brute force, leaving only Owayne, Bull and Cullen still standing.
"Commander, we've got the mage!" Dorian's voice was barely audible as he, Vivienne, and Sorin collectively fade stepped into the yard. Their hands all glowing as they wore strained expressions from the eminence amount of mana they were expending. They had encased Eira in a barrier and were struggling to keep her there even with their combined strength. Like a wild animal, she scratched and charged at it, desperately trying to find a weakness in it.
Ryker growled taking his wrath off on the three warriors before him, as Owayne recovered sporting a gash across his cheek. Her brother dove and rolled about flanking the brute, while Cullen and Bull alternated engaging him. Frustratingly, Ryker was always one step ahead of them, with one or two of the men bloodied and bruised on the ground at all times, they couldn't make any coordinated effort. Each hit on Bull's haft sent shockwaves through his taught muscles, and the Commander's shield was barely holding together. She knew his arm and back were probably throbbing as he switched to deflecting rather than blocking the incoming blows.
Having picked herself up, she tried to sneak her way over to the mages, seeing if any had lyrium on them. Before she could, Eira broke the barrier, which threw the mages back hard against the stone walls of the fortress. As they tried to stand, holding their ribs and other sore parts, she called out to them, "Don't engage! She's too powerful!" At her words, the fair-haired mage was on her. The numbing touch of her hand allowed her nails to dig deep into her arm without much pain, though it didn't stop the blood. Quick as lightning, Sorin was there, trying to piece her armor with his spirit blade. He sliced off the spikes and red lyrium crystals from her body, but they simply grew back. Dropping Evelyn to deal with the Knight-Enchanter, she heard the faint siren call of the lyrium.
Looking at the evil sword-sized shard on the ground, she ignored all else now having a decision to make. Does she allow her friends to die or does she take the lyrium and hope she can control it enough to kill her enemies? Her hand idly walked itself over to the large jagged piece, pulsating with a haunting rhythm as if calling her. When her fingers touched it, a warmth spread as if she was touching a flame, yet, in the back of her mind she wondered if it was purposely mimicking it in false comfort. The allure of power coupled with revenge pulled her closer until…
Ryker grabbed the shard from her, "Tsk tsk, and just what were you going to do with this Trevelyan? Thinking impure thoughts, were we?" He twirled it about as if thinking about who was going to stab with it. All her companions lay on the ground wounded and heaving for breath at his feet. Eira had frozen the mages' hands to the wall or ground to prevent them from casting and was now making her fist into a heavy bludgeon. They were truly going to make a show of their deaths, and hers. Ryker had thoroughly beaten the others who fought to right themselves and in the midst of it all was the useless Inquisitor. Her bones ached and her muscles were weak from the loss of her mana. The gravity of the situation ignited a fear in her similar to the dark future she had prevented at Redcliffe. It possessed her and from the depths of her being every last shred of willpower came to the forefront. Looking up into the eyes of the madman, his wolfish grin was spreading wide as he spoke, "I think you know who's going to get this, don't you? It's only fitting."
Ryker lunged for Cullen's chest, but it was as if time stilled. His arms were raising defensively, but he would be overpowered easily. A deep unknown force shot through her and before she knew it, she had fade stepped in time to stop him. The crystal came down piercing her chest by her right breast and exiting through her back. Choked gasps left her as the two of them held on to the long-jagged shard. They shared a knowing look, and to her surprise, he didn't seem pleased by what he had done. In fact, the slightest hint of panic flashed within his red eyes for the briefest moment. The voices painfully calling out to her from around her heightened her own fear that it was indeed as bad as it looked. They renewed their effort to defend her, but Eira was quick to freeze them in place. Even Cullen, who had been only a few feet from her, was stuck, reaching for her to no avail.
Gazing at the crystal protruding from her chest and feeling her fire slowly leave her, she knew then she had a choice; die or show Ryker just how far she'd go to see him burn. It was an easy choice though, for if she was to perish he was coming with her. Squeezing with the last of her strength, a hairline fracture appeared in the shard allowing the glowing lyrium to flee from its prison and into her bloodstream. The burn of the liquid had her whimpering in pain, but the violence of her power was already awakening.
"Clear us a path!" The Seeker's voice echoed through the blizzard still raging about them as she and a contingent of soldiers came barreling down the stairs. Eira immediately set to dispose of them viciously as Cassandra, Henley, Ilara, and Solas made their way over to the Inquisitor. Seeing Ryker move to stop them, she held up her hand glowing with the purest white light holding the Templar in place. The hand shook with the effort, and she was bloodied from earlier, but she was determined to halt him for as long as she could. Henley shielded the mages from the wild magic being thrown about as they made their way through the battle towards her.
Slowly losing herself to the Void, one ill-timed pull separated her from the red crystal as she fell to the ground. Blood sputtered from her chest as she caught movement near her. Owayne was raving in grief and anger, trying to dig himself out from the ice with his daggers, calling to her to hold on. While the others were similarly crying out to her, it was Cullen who her eyes were trained on.
He too was trying to separate from the ice, occasionally looking back to break some with his sword. "Evelyn, you stay with us! You…"
With her head to the side, her eyes began to roll back but she fought it, blinking a few times back at him. "Cullen…" a gush of blood bubbled up from her throat as she spoke, dribbling down the side of her mouth. Between the black of the Void and the red lyrium vying for her soul, she wasn't sure where she was. Her only constant was the Commander growling with effort beside her trying to get to her. She reached her arm out to him coughing and watching the pool of blood follow its trail through the layer of snow that had settled on the ground. "Cull…"
"It's alright, it's going to be…" he tried pushing out of the ice encasing his legs, but a defeated and pained grunt escaped him, looking up at her from his elbows. Her fingers still tried walking out to him, but were only moving snow and blood now. He reached out as far as he could for her, falling just an inch short. A tear rolled down her cheek and her eyes slowly closed. "No! Evelyn!"
Her head fell back into the cradle of a chilly but soft set of hands. She felt and heard the rush of a frantic Ilara to her side, pouring every ounce of herself into healing the hole in her chest. The foreign feel of elven magic was present as well, placing air into her lungs helping her breathe. Fighting to stay conscious, her eyes snapped open looking at her best friend. She had never seen her use that much of her mana all at once like that, as she glowed with a bright teal light. The two conversed frantically speaking to her, Ilara also invoking the Maker's help, but it all sounded disconnected to her. When she almost had the bleeding under control, the siren from within took hold and Evelyn heard herself scream in an otherworldly pitch. Their hands suddenly felt painful, "Don't touch me! Nobody touch me," they released her, and she flipped over onto her hands and knees clawing her nails into the snow and dirt beneath her. Bile came up from the nauseating disorientation, and she choked it out onto the ground. Having been healed enough to wield her body as the weapon it was, the song sought control in her weakened state.
I know what you want creature, and I have a deal for you, the pitch turned high as if mimicking the voice of curiosity. I will allow you to tap into my power, unhindered, if you help me defeat my enemies. Once defeated, you will relinquish your control over me. The song hummed hauntingly at her words. The notion that she had just made a deal with this evil "essense," as Dagna had called it, inside made her sick. Magic whirled around her floating her up to her feet. She no longer felt the pain from the gaping hole, but the burning of her mana pumping like lava through her veins. Despite the frigid cold, it felt as if her skin was going to burn off her body. Through the freezing squall, her eyes lit like two small embers in defiance of the snow and ice that swirled around Skyhold, like a beacon of hope. The song fed the unbridled rage of everything that she was holding inside for so long, finally unleashing it. The tight control of her power had been broken in favor of revenge, but it would be wielded in the protection of all those she cared for.
With the battle having come to a full stop, all eyes were on her. She stood still, eyes carefully calculating her first move. An eerie hum seemed to come from everywhere at once, but it was of her voice. The Inquisitor's face was dead calm, and she took a deep breath before growling out, "Everyone clear out." Waving a hand, those trapped in the ice were released, "Commander," he looked at her with both worry and horror, "no one comes down here until I've finished. Understood?" He nodded and hoisted one of the injured Chargers up onto his back.
"No, wait!" Ilara pushed through the crowd, with Owayne, Henley, and Sorin quick on her heels. It was Cullen's free arm though that halted her from going any further. "Evie you're not well, you need help!" As her unsettling gaze landed on her, it sent her grabbing for support from Henley.
"Later," came a terse reply to her protest. "Now, go. Whatever happens," she looked between the four of them, "don't come down here." She saw the arguments bubbling up, but a roiling wave of heat reminded her of the promised revenge turning from them. "Cassandra, release him and go." She did so reluctantly, never parting her gaze from them retreating away. As they got to relative safety, the mage and Templar waited with great anticipation for the coming fight.
Ryker laughed menacingly, "I'm failing to imagine you winning this fight, my dear, even in your natural form." The insult was not lost on her, as the song grew louder, which she hummed along with involuntarily. "Look Eira, she's lost her mind," the irony that his sidekick was a ticking bomb, and was most likely dead inside didn't escape her either. This time around, Evelyn had a much better mental grasp on the situation, perhaps having to do with the deal. She just prayed in the end the essence would release her.
Impatient to unleash the Phoenix, the red lyrium flashed each crime he committed against her through her head, even adding new ones to achieve a state of raw utter rage. With a growl, she activated her spirit blade and fade stepped over to Ryker. The usual gold glow of the blade was a deep red, and to her surprise, he was able to block her first run at him. Eira joined in throwing ice about but Evelyn's aura was hot, melting any projectiles flung her way. The melee was viciously fought, like three immortal beings bashing each other until one didn't get up. The ground shook with every punch, the air crackled with fire and ice, the earth was scarred, and the blood shared was generous.
While the Inquisitor was holding her own outnumbered, but by far the superior warrior, the anchor was not reacting well to its new handler. It would sting her periodically, with such a bite that at times it threatened to throw her completely off balance at times. It was possibly the only reason she hadn't finished the two off yet. That, and she had been stabbed through the chest, having to cough up blood here and there.
She had done a good job protecting her injury from any hits when the mark flared causing her to stumble into Ryker's clutches. Holding her arms, a crippling blow from a fist of ice hit her right in her wound. The pain was so unfathomable, she screamed causing a sweep of sooty fire to shoot out in all directions. Losing her in the rising black smoke she crawled away on the ground gasping for air, but it was just too much. Her head dropped to the ground and she looked up to see everyone watching above them gasp. The song panicked, actually giving her shocks to rouse her, but the wet feeling coming from beneath her chest told her everything was not alright. Somehow, she rolled herself over in time to see her two enemies standing above her.
Eira pumped her fist back, but Ryker stopped her from delivering the fatal blow, "You've done your job," he said tersely, "I want to be the one to do it." He lifted her by the throat, as she held onto his arms. The heat of her core rose to her defense and the air around her was all but aflame. Ryker struggled to hold onto her as she was too hot to the touch, and that's when she started bleeding lava.
At first, it came from the cuts strewn across her knuckles and the lost nail or two. When it made contact with him he squeezed her throat a bit harder before releasing her. As if he had dropped her in quicksand, she began sinking into the ground; she was melting. She looked at her hands, finding only the right one bearing the mark of beginning to weep into the puddle of growing lava at her feet. Panic raced through her mind, she had no idea what was happening to her but her body was liquifying into molten lava. The thought that the red lyrium had betrayed their arrangement brought on her fear as she clawed at the solid ground. Had it decided her body was too broken to use?
"Oops, did we go a bit too far, Trevelyan? You know I could help you and quell your magic, but I'll need to hear an apology first." He was bent over looking down at her as if she was a misbehaving child.
"Never!" Her breaths were ragged, feeling the pressure as if underwater. She continued to try and climb out, but her right arm, rather nub, was useless. Only the marked hand kept its form as she slowly sunk up to her shoulders into the pool. The last thing she saw before it swallowed her head was the commotion of the soldiers and her companions coming to her aid. The Inquisitor was gone, burned by her own magic leaving only the marked hand and part of her forearm raised above her like a morbid monument. The green crackle and glow slowly petered out and her hand drooped.