Chapter Text
The air crackled with the magic of his failed ritual. This wasn't supposed to have happened. His carefully calculated plan blew up in his face. Years of planning and how he had painstakingly crafted every aspect to minimize the damage to the world are all gone, thanks to the bungling of mortals who knew not what they had done.
Around him lay the bodies of dying or dead companions of Varric Tethras. It only took mere minutes for the ritual to spin out of control, seconds for Ghilan'nain and Elgar'nan to free themselves of their prison, and in a blink of an eye for them to attack. The blow had been meant for him; Elgar'nan had never been one to show mercy as he began his assault on Solas, who stood an arm's length away. Ghilan'nain cackled madly as her magic and monstrous tentacles whipped about, lashing at all save for Elgar'nan.
With his magic consumed mainly by the ritual, Solas had little left to defend himself. He struggled desperately to cast a barrier, his hands shaking with the effort, a last-ditch attempt to shield himself from Elgar'nan's relentless attacks. Varric, his once friend and companion, was knocked from the staircase by the force of Elgar'nan's spell, his dwarven body tumbling to the bottom, heavily wounded. Solas, too, was overwhelmed by the spells, sending him tumbling down the staircase in a chaotic descent.
The ritual site was a cacophony of screams and cries, a symphony of chaos that filled Solas's ears. The Veil disappeared all around them as it began to fall. The sharp ringing that replaced the sounds of battle was a stark reminder of the intensity of the fight. Amidst the overwhelming chaos, Varric's muffled voice cut through, bringing Solas back to his senses with shouts of encouragement to rise and fight. Elgar'nan was descending upon them, and there was no time to waste.
A dark laugh burst forth from the descending. Elgar'nan. "The once proud Fen'Harel brought so easily to his knees." Ghilan'nain was still toying with Varric's allies, her insane laughter echoing against the walls. Solas made an attempt to stand from his position on the ground. Elgar'nan was quicker, casting another onslaught of spells his way, colliding with his failing barrier.
He knew he couldn't hold up his barrier if Elgar'nan attacked again. He could see the sickening, gleeful smile spread across his face as he raised his hand again to attack, his eyes glowing with immense magic stored up for thousands of years.
Solas did not see the movement but heard his name being screamed out. The force of another body pushed him to the side, now standing in his place. His eyes widened as he fell away from the approaching attack. It was not Varric who now stood in his place but his dearest friend. A watery smile plastered upon her face as her eyes shut, the ensuing attack overtaking her. The blow that had been meant for him, she had taken it upon herself. The force from the blast knocked her back onto the old, ruined walls. A sickening crunch, a cry of agony, and the thud of her body falling onto the water-bogged ground.
His heart wrenched, and a guttural scream tore from his lips. He scrambled to rise, Elgar'nan still approaching ever so close as he made his way to her fallen body. A myriad of words fell from him as he gathered her into his arms, her breath slow and ragged, scorched flesh adorned half her body, blood trickling from her mouth, and eyes searching till she finally recognized him. A smile weakly graces her face as she raises a hand to cup his cheek.
"Told you I'd save you." Her voice was weak, a crackling sound as she took a breath. He could feel her spirit fading as unshed tears welled in his eyes. Her other hand gripped something tightly as she brought it to his hand and clasped it to his own. "I never got to tell you, I've always wanted to tell you." She gasped as pain wrenched her body, and a cough ejected more blood from her.
"Don't speak, please." My mind and heart are in agony. I knew what she was about to say. I had always known the unspoken words, the kindness and love shown in her eyes, her willingness to always lend an ear, her boundless kindness and affection. But she was human, mortal, and everything he despised in this tranquil world. It wasn't her that he genuinely hated; it was himself, for he had grown to love her, a mortal human woman with no magic.
"Take this, turn back the clock, fix what can be mended." Her hand released my own as an object now in my grasp, her voice barely above a whisper. "I have loved you, Solas, always have. I always wanted to tell you; I just never had the chance; I'm too much of a coward." She weakly chuckled, her breaths growing weaker and weaker.
Her hand stroked my face, tears streaming down her face. I couldn't help but let a strangled cry out. "Please, no more, don't speak, I beg you." My heart felt as though it was being cut out of my chest. Her hand covered mine again. "You can still make this right." Her face glanced at the hand where she had placed an object.
My eyes followed her line of sight as I opened my hand. It was an amulet, not just any amulet, but the one Alexius had used to turn back time. "It's a chance, even a small one. Please, before it's too late." Her breath was now shallow, the light leaving her eyes, and her grip lost all strength. He could hear her last breath rattle out as a stillness washed over her body.
Sobs racked his body; she was gone. His hand clutched the amulet tightly. Magic welling up within his body.
A presence now hovered behind him. He dared not look back for fear of losing his last moments with his dearest friend, the woman he loved in secret. In his grief, the magic within him coiled tighter and tighter. Solas knew he needed to pour every ounce of his being into the amulet. The fade slowly filled him as magic began to return to the world. The corpse in his arms started to lose heat as he brought her to him to kiss her forehead.
"The mighty Fen'Harel mourning the death of a human. Oh, the irony. To think you could be brought so low as to give your heart away to one of her kind. Though it matters not, you shall join her forthwith after I have had my vengeance upon you." The dark voice of Elgar'nan taunted.
"No," Solas growled out as he gently laid her body down, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. He made to rise, power still pouring into the amulet. "After all this time, Elgar'nan, one would think you would come up with better quips after your centuries of imprisonment."
He turned to face Evanuris, face tight with anger and grief. "Your greed and tyranny know no bounds. I shall not make the same mistake twice. I shall rid this world of the last two Evanuris."
The air sizzled, crackling with the magic poured into the amulet. Elgar'nan growled, his arm jetting out to grasp Solas. Solas jumped out of Evanuris reach and into the ruin wall. The magic of the amulet reached a pentacle as light and magic swirled around him. A blast of magic scorched his body. A bellow of pain erupted from his lips. Elgar'nan cast another spell in haste, laughing as he did so.
"You've won this round, but I have time on my side now." He ground out as the world around him faded to black.