"On your command, my Lady," Dorian quirked an eyebrow up at her playfully despite staring headlong into what was bound to be a fierce battle before them. Lightning danced up his arms as she felt the exotic aura of his Tevinter magic rise trying to match the intensity of her own. "To be honest, it has been a while since I had a good fight. I'm almost looking forward to spanking them for ruining a perfectly good party."
Evelyn appreciated the light banter, "Say, don't cats sometimes toy with their prey?" Her eyes were dark and dangerous as her mark sputtered red crackling light. She swore since Hakkon touched her, the violence of her temper was quick to catch like wildfire. "Dorian," he looked over at her, "how large can you cast a static cage?"
He scoffed, "My dear, as large as you'd like. I may not have earned the mark of a god, but I am just as talented."
She smiled at him, "Good." Surveying the field of battle, she made her decision, as Cullen rejoined them for the moment. The large meadow was flat, with large boulders scattered intermittently about. The grass was all different heights, depending on whether one was close to the road out of Redhold or near the tree line. On one side were the walls of the Hold that stretched a long distance in either direction and opposite to it were the dense brush and trees of the Basin. "Let's divide their line. Their warriors are all riled up, let's give them something to fear." Axlan had charisma and could no doubt convince his clan to do anything he bid with a few words as he was demonstrating. The brute stormed up and down his long line of warriors roaring all the reasons to show no mercy to the lions of Redhold. "How does that plan sit with you, husband?" It was almost scary how naturally she used the title, and both blinked at each other for a moment letting it sink in.
"It sits with me just fine," he pointed, "Bran and Cassandra can then push their flanks into the center towards your attacks. I'll let them know."
"Wait," she grabbed his arm to halt him, "give us time to erode away their morale, then attack." War was a bloody business, and all the men and women standing on the opposite side of the field came for one thing: blood. If they wanted a fight, the Phoenix would give them one the likes of them had never seen. "Where will you be?"
"Wherever Axlan is." His whole countenance darkened. She would've protested, but this was personal for him. He turned and stomped away as vengeful as she had ever seen him with an eye fixated on his rival. Evelyn couldn't help the stab of worry she felt watching him leave, but she reminded herself that he was the best warrior in Redhold. Not only that, but Cullen was intelligent and insightful, making him resistant to rash action. It should be her and her drastic measures that they should be concerned about…
Calming her nerves after the situation had spiraled out of control after having just completed their vows, Evelyn opened her hand gazing into the mark. "Hakkon give me strength and all those whose blood I spill today is yours in tribute," at her whispered words, it hummed with magical vibrations, as if she had just struck a deal with her master. Blood was Wintersbreath's currency, giving him power. The more she'd give him, the stronger his influence would become.
The air was charged with anticipation as she harnessed the elemental power within her. With a commanding gesture, she summoned forth two towering walls of roaring flames, strategically positioned to cleave the opposing force into three distinct sections. The intensity of the fire walls danced with a mesmerizing brilliance in the wind that blew in cold contrast to the flames through the meadow. They roared and cracked, creating an imposing barrier that not only separated Axlan's people but also instilled a sense of awe and fear. As the middle section of the opposing force found itself encircled by the spiraling inferno, Axlan was off to the left of it trying to descry what was happening to his clansmen.
"Now, Dorian!" An orb of lightning appeared above the group of a few hundred warriors caught between the flames, who upon seeing it let out a gasp. Panic was already taking root as they tried to run away from it, only to be shocked back into the center. Thick smoke from the burning grass of the field reduced visibility as those outside the fire wall craned their necks to see what was happening to their brethren.
"They are looking rather nervous; shall we add some fear?" With his hands, the Tevinter mage circled them about conjuring a dark purple and black ethereal cloud of smoke. When it grew large enough, he shot it over into the center of their snare, and like a cloud of noxious gas, it filled the lungs of all those trapped. Their light panicking devolved into utter terror as the warriors of Wolf-Fang Hold screamed and pleaded to the gods for mercy. The other two lines of Avvar watched on in a trance listening to the tormented cries echoing through the once peaceful meadow. In the distance behind the smoke, she could see there were a few mages attempting to douse the flames of her wall to help their clansmen escape, but having had her mana unleashed by Hakkon, her spell was too strong to completely dispel. They tried winter magic as well, trying to counter her flames, but as quickly as the ground frosted over, the Phoenix's fire sparked up again. Another mage attempted to shield them from their offensive spells to no avail, for combined she and Dorian having the advantage of being trained for combat in the primitive schools of magic, overpowered their healers. Having the advantage of fighting at their home, the Redhold mages had an ample supply of lyrium should they be able to get to it, while those of Wolf-Hold had to ration what they brought, and soon their resistance ceased.
Pleased with how they had successfully turned the tide of morale in their favor, Evelyn knew by the way Cullen stalked up and down the line that his patience was wearing thin. "And now for the finale," at her words, the two mages looked at each other bringing forth all the fury of their primal energies. The Phoenix's eyes and veins were glowing like hot embers, cyclically changing colors to match the intensity of her emotions. As fire and lightning danced about their forms in a spectacular display, it attracted the attention of the enemy. Their archers fired a volley at them, but it was stopped by a magical barrier. Looking over her shoulder, Dhara stood on the walls beside their own archers shielding them. The quirky Augur winked at her, and just as the enemy barrage had ended, the two veteran mages were ready to unleash their apocalyptic wrath.
Grabbing her staff, she twirled it about raining fireballs down on the enemy line. Her wings sprayed out in a beautiful display of fiery feathers, stretching out wide and then up to the sky. At their sight, the warriors of Redhold roared a cheer of their own, knowing the Phoenix - the prophetic hero of their age - was on their side. While focusing her efforts in the center, she sent a few other fireballs wide of her target, keeping the enemy from charging forward. Her missiles were not softly lobbed, instead they were shot at them like whistling ballista arrows. On impact, everything from dirt to bodies was thrown up into the air. Dorian's bolts of lightning shook the ground, incinerating anything within each strike's vicinity. The carnage was so sudden and violent, that when it ceased abruptly, having spent a large amount of their mana, a hush fell over the battlefield.
As the smoke cleared, the enemy line watched in horror as hundreds of their clansmen's bodies littered the charred earth. Contorted in death, some were burned beyond recognition and ripped apart by the primal magic. The distraction lasted momentarily until an arrow embedded itself into Kitsa's shoulder. She roared tearing it from her in a fury with her teeth before charging across the field. In response, the shadowy dire wolf sprinted out to meet her, with its bright white fangs. Cullen had been beside her, and Evelyn wondered for a brief and horrid moment if that arrow had been meant for him. Not allowing their Hold Beast to attack alone, his plan of holding the shield wall was tossed aside to order a full-blown charge in Kitsa's defense. Evelyn watched him sigh from afar in frustration, knowing how he liked to be in control of every situation. She should have felt better about the odds, having just eliminated a large portion of their force, but her mark flared up, blinking as if it were speaking of hidden dangers.
Feral yells and roars from both sides sounded as they sprinted across the sparsely grassed field. Evelyn's gut twisted as she hung back knowing her friends and clan were about to fight a fearsome foe. The rumble of the earth beneath her feet and the sound of hundreds of Avvar stampeding like a herd of Druffalo was enough to unnerve most. Pair that with their war cries and it surely was a terrifying thing to behold - if you weren't a veteran as she was. With a loud thunderous clash of steel, the two lines met in the center. A red mist sprayed up into the air over the fighters, and the flowery scent of the field was soured by the tang of blood and gore. Dorian strode quickly into the wall to prepare for the wounded to start being carried in by volunteers from within the wall brave enough to navigate the field, leaving her the single Redhold mage outside of the wall.
Immediately, her attention was turned to a pack of their young recruits on the right flank engaging the enemy. Watching their training kick in, she felt a swell of pride knowing Cullen and Cassandra had prepared them well. Yet, this was their first time in a real battle, and having once been in their shoes, she felt her protective spirit spark within. As their Lady, she was responsible for the lives of her clansmen, and she would save as many as she was able to this day. They weren't on the training grounds any longer, and the change to a more unpredictable foe could be quite a startling adjustment. She had promised Cullen she'd stay behind the shield wall, but seeing how the battle devolved almost instantly after Kitsa took matters into her own paws, how could he be mad at her if she just happened to find herself on the battlefield? He knew she never listened anyway, why would he be surprised? In favor of asking for forgiveness later and having pocketed a few lyrium vials, she downed one to fortify herself before fade-stepping to the group of young warriors. "For Redhold!" She yelled garnering the looks of the fresh-faced warriors, whose resolve hardened seeing their Lady beside them. Remembering some of the formations they had taught, she chose one that was more defensive, for the wolves threw themselves at them without abandon. They were relentless, and she found herself needing to cast more mind-blast spells than was typically needed. Some of the enemy seemed deranged and even unfeeling as she slashed open their middles and continued to fight until the blood loss was too great. Red bulging veins snaked about their bodies and their eyes as if they had an infliction.
"Uh, sis, do all Avvar look like this? Is this some weird ritual thing?" Owayne had caught up with her and was taking them down with expert precision. Her brother had a way of making his blade work look effortless as if his enemies were made of butter. The rogue had a deadly eye for finding the breaks in armor with his dual short swords.
"No, I've never seen this before." To her right, one brutish enemy took down three of the young warriors in one charge, even though he had been impaled with a spear. Yelling at the others to leave him, she ran over kicking a leg down over the haft sticking out of his body. Evelyn avoided burning him, for she wanted to inspect this beast of an Avvar for similar taint. Shockingly unfazed, the hulking man swung at her a few times, growling at her agile movements. Stabbing the man through the back of the knee with her staff blade after ducking from his haymaker, he bellowed out a guttural wail as the young warriors swooped in to finish him off. A quick inspection of the brute revealed he too had the strange red veins about his body. "Whatever it is, it is making them incredibly strong. Stay with these young warriors, they'll need you."
"And what about you? That madman is after you as well!"
"Oh don't start, I've fought in more battles than you! I'm finding Cullen. You can catch up later, can't you? Just make sure they're alright first." Hearing a commotion over the other side of the battlefield, she spotted who she thought was her husband. Through the bodies moving about, the man certainly moved like him, and having shed his shirt, she couldn't be sure who it was without getting closer. Fade-stepping between foes and taking down those she could in passing as she ran, she made her way over to him. When she got over to the man surrounded by enemies, she was surprised to find it was her brother-in-law, "Bran? I thought you were your brother!"
"Yeah? So do they!" His voice sounded strained, as blades were coming at them from all sides. "I usually don't mind our likeness," he stabbed and kicked an enemy away after receiving a solid hit to the gut, "but today, I mind! As soon as one of them cries 'Thane,' it doesn't matter if you are or not!" One of the wolves called out over his shoulder to some of his friends that he found the Thane and his Lady, causing the two of them to get swarmed by hostiles. "See?! Goes to show how stupid these whoresons are, I'm not even blonde!"
"Well, unfortunately, I don't think me being here is helping much." With a sweep of her hand, she blasted a few of them with a stream of fire.
"You think?!" Branson's voice squeaked out unamused. As the two of them thinned the pack around them, in the distance she heard what could only be Kitsa and the dire wolf fighting. Knowing Cullen was most likely there as well, she tried to make her way with Bran in tow over to them. Embers and smoke followed the Phoenix wherever she went on the battlefield, alerting everyone to where she was. To remedy that, she shot a few fireballs in the tall grass and trees randomly in the hopes of disguising her whereabouts more. That in turn produced smoke that not only choked out any who got too close to the fires, but the light from the sun.
Suddenly, a massive bearded warrior roared and charged them. Pushing her back, Bran stepped in front of her taking the brunt of the hit, making good use of his shield. His feet dug into the soft spring-thawed soil, slowing the beast to a halt. Stumbling away after being pushed, Evelyn fell over an upturned root onto her back. Immediately she was grabbed, having her staff kicked away from her. Axlan wanted her alive, but that didn't stop them from trying to knock her out with kicks and punches. Flipped on her stomach, there were at least three of them trying to restrain her hands and feet with ropes, belts, and whatever else they had on their person. Bran, still engaging with the large warrior, yelled back to her telling her to hang on. Unknowing who she'd be cooking with her flames, she tried to use her melee skills instead. Her attackers hurled insults at her, and one even told them to kick her harder to kill anything that the Lion may have put in her belly. After her initial horror and panic of it all, she slowed her thrashing, curling in to protect her vital organs, and unleashed her aura upon them. Unable to burn through the bindings without burning herself in the process, she needed to buy herself time for either Bran to get to her or find her staff. The men and women holding her yelped and winced as the air about her waved as if she were a mirage in the desert. Looking up, as they backed away, Bran came to her rescue dispatching the three wolves, but not before having his side split open by the red-veined brute. Probably having thought he knocked the man out, judging by the gash oozing from the enemy's head, the Wolf-fang warrior seemed to have recovered and sought revenge. Her kin ducked and dodged agilely despite his size, reminding her very much of Cullen's fighting style, but his enemy was just raining down hard hits with his large axe waiting for him to make a misstep.
Rolling to her staff blade, Evelyn scooted and lined herself up with it so she could cut through the bindings, but froze watching the bearded man leaping at her with his weapon held high. His face was contorted in rage as his red eyes locked on to her with unbridled hate. As he fell toward her, she watched Branson dive into him, knocking him off course in mid-air. Able to take a breath having held it as she cheated death again, she quickly sawed her bindings off and got to her feet. When the two men landed, a wave of red sprayed about as the enemy's axe cut deep into Bran's shoulder. With a torrent of fire, she ended their foe before he could get up, and concealed the two of them in a ring of flames.
"Bran, stay with me!" She pressed a hand on his shoulder and tried to heal him with her paltry talent. He writhed and groaned despite her attempt. "I'm going to get you to a healer, just stop bleeding everywhere!"
He chuckled painfully at the humor, "Would if I could." From beyond the fire barrier, her brother arrived and she waved him in making an opening.
"Oh, shit." Owayne fumbled with a potion handing it over into her blood-covered hands. She poured it into his mouth as quickly as he let her, but it wasn't enough. The cut was to the bone and down part of his chest. Bran was losing blood quicker than they were healing him.
Taking out one of her healing potions, in frustration, she dumped it right on the wound having no idea if it would help. Tears were welling up in her eyes, as Bran's began to roll back into his head, "You need to take him to Ilara, please Owayne, as fast as you can!" For once the rogue didn't argue and threw the large auburn Rutherford over his shoulder. The spare Trevelyan heir was not as tall as these Rutherfords, but he was still strong and sturdy where it counted. Sweat glistened on his face with specks of dirt and blood sporadically sprayed about. "I'll cover you, run like I set your pants on fire!" Sucking in a few deep breaths, he nodded to her and she dispelled the wall of fire. With lightning speed, he was off in the direction of the hold walls. She trailed them incinerating any who sought to stop them until he had cleared the Redhold line.
Once again hearing the fighting Hold Beasts, she sucked up her tears, reprimanding herself for such weakness amid battle. She knew she could trust her brother with his task so she focused her mind now on finding Cullen. Rather than fade-step through the fray, she fought her way over there using immolation spells, fire mines, and her spirit blade. The Phoenix's white dress was soiled with dirt, blood, and scorch marks. Her ribs ached after the beating she took, but she could ignore it, allowing the mark to flood her with rage at what had befallen Bran after he saved her. Clearing herself a path, she came upon the animals but had yet to see her Thane. Kitsa was pinned under the weight of the great wolf, its black fur in contrast with the lioness' light coloring. Not wanting to get anywhere near their slashing claws and snapping jaws, she gave a hard force-push spell knocking the canine off Kitsa and into the trunk of a tree. The wood splintered and creaked as it fell taking the wolf down with it.
Jumping to her feet, the cat spared her a glance, Thank you, Phoenix, but you must go to the Thane. He needs you. Evelyn's brow creased with concern at Kitsa's words. Go. I've been waiting for this fight for months now, I will not fail the Hold. With a huff, the lioness threw her head in the direction Evelyn should go, just as the wolf was slowly getting back up. With a mighty roar, the cat pounced into the brush after the usurper.
Worried now, she fade-stepped around the carnage finally spotting him. He, Rylen, and Cassandra were fighting for their lives against Axlan and about two dozen of the infected warriors. They had closed ranks around their Thane when the battle plan went to the Void, focusing on cutting the head off the snake - or wolf so to speak. It was then she noticed a glowing red carved crystal strapped to Wolfbane's hip. Looking at some of the enemy, she couldn't understand how they hadn't succumbed to their injuries yet, somehow able to sustain more before dying. The three lions didn't look any better, but they weren't augmented by this red plague.
"Cullen!" She yelled jumping into the fray, but she was immediately slammed back by one of the enemy warriors with amazing speed. This time though, she rolled back to her feet blasting a stream of thick flame at the foe on the ground and another one who was running at her. Whirling her staff around, she shot a few more wolves with fireballs, giving the trio a much-needed reprieve as she fell into line with them.
"What in Korth's name are you doing here? You were to stay behind the line!" He was trying to be angry but his panting was making it difficult. A thick line of crimson ran down his face and lion helm, but thankfully it was not his blood. On quick inspection, however, he and the others had been cut up quite a bit. Rylen had been adorned with his ceremonial Master of the Hunt paint, which had since smeared from the grappling and melee. With no shield, he wielded two axes, leaving himself exposed which showed. Cassandra's decorative armor was just that and had taken a beating. She was missing various pieces from the exposure of the straps, that were usually hidden better on actual armor. Though she was more protected than the men, deep cuts were torn in the leather and the metal of her pauldrons and shield were dented.
From behind them the massive dark form of Thane Axlan Wolfsbane appeared, "Ah, Phoenix! Nice of you to--" Summoning as much power as she could in a quick second, Evelyn blasted the area in front of them with a mind-blast spell. Anyone within ten feet of them was thrown back a considerable distance, including that of Axlan and his nonsense.
She turned back to her husband, "Gods, he's annoying." They shook their heads, but for different reasons, "Considering that when you charged there was no shield wall anymore, I seemed to have found myself in the middle of the battlefield." He gave her a droll stare not buying her reasoning while he knocked back a potion. "I've crossed the whole bloody battlefield to get to you, you know!"
When his eyes went wide, he threw his shield up, tucking her into him behind it. The distinct crackle of magic enveloped them, and with their bodies huddled close together, he looked down at her, "Now that you're here, think you can do something about that mage?" An icy squall surrounded them as the other two warriors closed ranks to shield them all from it.
"Ask me nicely." When he gave her a look as if she was mad, she snorted a laugh, "Brr, it's getting a little chilly!"
"Evelyn!"
"Alright, alright," the warmth of her aura spread as she faded through their shield and the meager magic. Appearing behind the mage, she spun with her spirit blade decapitating the woman, putting an end to her magic. Looking up from behind their shields, she flashed them a smile at the simplicity of it. The victory was short-lived however, when Axlan stabbed her in the bicep with a red crystal. With a hard push, she fell back over to her three comrades, shaking from the intense sensation filling her veins. As she lay there, propped up by Cassandra, who pulled the sharp shard from her arm, they watched as the veins around the wound turned red. However, despite her shaking, she didn't feel weakened by the poison, "W-what is this? I-is it l-lyrium?" She rasped out, watching the red glow creep further up her shoulder.
"Aye, it is lyrium. We found it, along with this," he held up the oddly carved crystal idol. "There is a god within it that speaks to us." Evelyn grimaced as a high-pitched hum accosted her ears. "You will Her song soon, Phoenix."
Her hand shot to her head groaning against the crippling sounds and tones. "Evelyn?" Cullen was holding her face, able to do so as Axlan's warriors stood unblinking and unmoving around them… waiting for something. She looked up at him squinting, but the ringing in her ears was so loud she could only watch his scared lip-mouth words. Panicking feeling the burn of the lyrium swim up her neck, she watched her three allies talk above her before her Thane turned his attention to his counterpart.
Shutting them out by closing her eyes, she tried to fight through the cacophony, when it suddenly stopped. In the quiet, rose a haunting melody with a voice singing words of no language she had ever heard. Even though she couldn't understand it, she felt odd feelings and urges that compelled her to sit up and peer around her. Axlan seemed pleased by her reaction with a wolfish grin spreading across his handsome bearded and rugged face. The Phoenix blinked slowly, turning then to those crouched down beside her. The face she took in was of a woman with short raven hair. A braid coiled about her head and several scars were cut into her cheek. Evelyn felt as if she was looking at her friend for the first time as the voice spoke to her, trying to rewrite their personal history. Jolting from the trance, she grabbed Cassandra's hand as if trying to reestablish a connection with her, but the voice sucked her back in. The dark brunette man with the facial tattoos was next. Her eyes focused oddly as if her pupils were dilating in and out as her gaze bore into him. The hunter was taken back, speaking out of the corner of his mouth to the others as if she was frightening him. But he was not the one it was after, no, the song wanted the blonde man.
Turning to him now, memories of her initial capture came to the forefront of her mind: His refusal to contact her superiors; holding her prisoner under guard; making her an apostate; ending her old life; forcing her to marry him… The thought made her raise her hand to view the firey glow of her bonding mark. As she examined it, he held his up to hers as he spoke soundless and seemingly pleading words. When something chimed to her left, she winced again looking over to Axlan tapping his hand on the idol. In an instant, her vision went red and she lost control of herself. Her marked hand shot to the blonde's throat as she gritted her teeth. Her mana flared pumping fire through her reddening veins, and yet, her mana also seemed to bring some of her consciousness back. The more her fire pumped through her, the less control the lyrium had.
She was still looking into his amber eyes when his voice finally broke through the din of her mind, "… fight it. Whatever is possessing you…"
"Cullen?" Her voice was meek and unsure. A growl from her left followed by more ear-piercing chimes hammered her head causing her to lose her grip on him. She growled digging her fingertips into her hair, "Get out of my head!" The ringing only increased until she was all but banging her head against the ground. Through her squinting eyes, she could see that those around her had stood to argue with the other infected people around her.
"Release her now, Axlan!" Cullen commanded.
"No, for you see, She has a plan for your bride. It will make the Phoenix kill you before all the Hold and pledge herself to me. Together, she and I will rule the Basin and the name of Rutherford will be forgotten!"
"She will see through your lies!"
Axlan laughed with a dark haunting tone, "Not when the Goddess is through with her. She will break the Phoenix."
"What goddess?"
"She has no name, but she sings to us."
The song was becoming deafening but she clung to Cullen's voice as a lifeline. "You would dare worship another god? She is marked by Hakkon. I don't think He will be pleased…"
"Hakkon!" She suddenly cried out desperately, opening her eyes and thrusting her marked hand out. The magic of the mark spurted to life with a vengeance. An eerie laugh echoed about the field, and while the enemy before her paused swiveling their heads about trying to divine the source, she knew it to be her Lord. "Help me, and I will kill this heathen goddess," she seethed in an angry whisper, and a moment later the earth quaked as a sizable fracture opened. As if pulled in by an unseen force, she was swallowed by the earth.