Work Text:
Get up.
Ears filled with ringing. It hurts.
Get up.
Head pounded. So heavy...
Get. Up.
I can't, she thought, eyes brimming with tears. Her face and arms burned. She felt something foreign in her side. Rocks dug into her back.
GET UP. OR DIE.
Her eyes flashed open. Where was she? She stared up and noticed that the light, pretty clouds that dotted the sky earlier were now angry, swirling, and grey.
Wha--? Where?! What's happening?! she wondered, panicked thoughts racing through her mind. What's happening? It hurts... it hurts, it hurts, IT HURTS--
No. Stop it.
Relax, she commanded herself and squeezed her eyes shut. Relax...Your training has to count for something... Remember. She took a deep breath in and wiggled her hands, then her feet.
Yep... that hurts, she grimaced.
She sat up with a groan. Her back twinged, and she winced as she lifted her arm to look at her side. A dozen small rocks had shredded her armor and embedded themselves into her skin. She groaned again and turned over the same side to place her hands on the ground. More bolts of pain shot through her back, freezing her in place on her hands and knees. She gritted her teeth, and, when the pain had subsided, took a moment to look around.
The sight was horrifying. Bodies were strewn everywhere, many she recognized, many she did not. Boulders were still rolling to a halt on the plateau she found herself and a light-colored ash fell, dusting over everything. Tears came to here eyes and flowed down her cheeks. She pulled her chin to her chest, shoulders shaking as she let out a sob. Another streak of pain lit up her spine, then the back of her legs.
She slammed her eyes shut and began a countdown.
3...
She stilled her shoulders.
2...
Took a breath in,
1...
And slowly exhaled, her tears immediately ceasing.
Her eyes opened again slowly, her peripheral immediately caught by a glow near her hand.
Wait. In... in her hand?
The green light pulsed every few seconds. Stunned, her body went rigid as she stared. She closed her eyes and opened them again. Still there.
You're seeing things.
Easily satisfied with that reasoning, she forced one foot under herself to kneel, pushing off her knee with a grunt to finally come to a stand. She swayed slightly and lost her footing before she caught herself. Her legs shook with each step as she made her way to the closest body. It's brown skin was splattered with blood, legs crushed under a huge boulder.
The silence was deafening as she limped over to it, her bare feet crunching against the rubble. She neared enough to recognize him. Valasan... she thought sadly. He was young, a boy in training to become a warrior. His head was lolled awkwardly, eyes rolled down and to the left, glazed and staring with tear-stained cheeks. His coarse, dark ringlets were matted with blood and dirt. She closed her eyes and turned her head to clench her jaw. After steeling her thoughts she limped closer to him and knelt down. As she whispered a prayer of remembrance she closed his eyes gently, his wet lashes leaving tears on her fingers.
Suddenly the sound of footsteps shook her from her trance. With a gasp of pain she snatched her clansman's sword from the ground and whipped around.
Soon a man rounded from behind a pile of rubble, hand carefully grasping the hilt of his sheathed sword. He observed the scene quietly and noticed the spot where she had been laying had been disturbed. His gaze quickly followed the trail she left and, with a slightly startled look, landed on her. His eyes narrowed as he took her in. She was about 15 feet away, beaten and bloodied. Her hair was frizzy and wild, sticking out in odd directions. Her hunched form clung to her weapon, which was held in his direction. Ragged breaths escaped from her mouth as she glared back. He took a step towards her.
"Hec aust lelyalmë!" she snarled while pulling her sword into a defensive position. Her form was immensely compromised, as it took all she had to even hold on to it. He was large, his broad shoulders cloaked in auburn furs. He stood several inches taller than her, was armored, and didn't seem to be injured. If it came down to it, she didn't stand a chance. She gave him her fiercest look, lip curled in anger and fear. He halted, mouth falling into a straight line. He watched her size him up and tighten the grip on her sword. With a sigh he removed his hands from his pommel and sheath, holding his palms up towards her.
"Do you speak common?" he asked, a cautious look on his face. She blinked at him. Had she shouted in Dalish?
Ugh Akta, does he look like he speaks anything but common?
She lowered her sword slightly, the movement setting off another painful spasm. "I do."
"Who are you?" He questioned. She took a deep breath, her body wrecked and shaking. Her vision began to cloud. She shook her head and let out a few more heavy, jagged breaths. It hurts...
His eyes widened as she began to sway, reacting with another pace forward.
"Not another step," she growled, repeating herself in common. Her grip was loosening, pangs of pain cascading down her back. She clenched her body and desperately reached for her pyromantic abilities. She was too weak, and as a result the small spring of power was completely barred from her.
"You're injured, and we can help," he insisted, sounding more irritated. "Just tell me who you are." At the slight change of his tone she raised her sword higher than before. A mistake, she soon realized, as she felt a snap in her lower back. Her face fell blank, and the last thing she saw was the man lunging towards her as her vision faded into darkness...
