Chapter Text
The dragon’s roar shook the very foundations of Minrathous.
It swooped low, clipping buildings and sending rubble showering across the street.
People screamed in terror, running in all directions to flee the terrible creature.
Blight bloomed from buildings shredded by its claws.
Venatori swarmed in its wake, mercilessly cutting down civilian and Shadow Dragon alike.
Harley struck down one advancing towards a defenceless family. The cultist fell as sparks tore through his armour.
She turned to the terrified family and offered a hand. “Come with me. I’m a Shadow Dragon. We can get you to a safe place.”
Harley led the small family to the catacombs entrance, guarded by Lorelei and Brem. They shepherded people inside and away as the dragon wreaked havoc overhead.
The mother swept Harley up into a hug, tearfully thanking her for saving her family. She hurried inside and away from danger.
Lorelei caught Harley’s sleeve before she could dash off again. “Harley. Come inside pup. You’ve done enough.” Her expression was tight and focused. Prepared for a fight.
Harley placed her hand over Lorelei’s, squeezed it. “There’s always more to save.”
Too many would die today, and she was going to fight to make that number as low as possible.
She would fight like the Void to save them. To save her city.
“Ashur and Quin are still out there. And there’s a damn dragon on the loose. I’m going to help drive it away.”
Lorelei pursed her lips, glaring at her with no heat. “I know you would sneak out the moment I turned my back.” She relented but did not look happy about it. “Go. Make sure they don’t die.”
Harley let out a sharp laugh that was cut short as the dragon swept overhead, far too close. Fire rained down over the city. Harley and Lorelei flinched.
“Go, pup. Come back alive.”
“Good luck, Lorelei.”
Harley moved off swiftly, keeping her head low and downing any Venatori she passed. She sent survivors back towards Lorelei’s hideaway.
Instinct took her towards the docks. The wide-open area would be perfect for trying to ground the dragon to take it down. They just needed to give it a reason.
In the distance, she saw it swoop low and fire lit up the sky. The smell of smoke and sulphur followed, thick and suffocating.
A shout quickened her steps.
Ahead, Ashur, Tarquin were pressed in an alcove out of site of the dragon. Ashur was pressed up against the wall; his armour was torn and pale green healing magic curled from his own fingers pressed into the wound.
Quin hovered over Ashur; expression pulled into a permanent scowl at Viper’s wound.
Neve Gallus was with them too. Her eyes were following the dragon, and she kept glancing up the road towards where the Shadow Dragon hideout was, her shoulders becoming more and more tense.
Harley stopped short upon seeing her. Her heart ached; she wanted to turn and run.
It had been far too long since they had spoken.
She knew Neve was working with her sister—Rook—Varric bestowed her with one of his famous nicknames.
Harley wondered if Neve had figured out their relationship. Knowing the detective, it was likely she suspected something.
In the same vein of thought, she wondered if Rook knew about their relationship… but there was no way she could. Rook didn’t know she was here.
Harley shook herself. Dwelling on her non-existent relationship with Neve wouldn’t do either of them any good at that moment.
The dragon landed on a building. It buckled under its weight. Rubble and fire rained down across the city. More blight crawled down the remaining structure, blossoming into terrible, bloated vines and boils.
Harley moved as the dragon took flight again, ducking into the alcove with her fellow Shadows.
“Harley…” Ashur’s breathless voice greeted her. He nodded and tilted his head to the side. Closer now, she could see his red eyes and the blight spreading across his face.
“Oh, Ashur…” Harley stepped closer. He put his hand up. His gauntlet was covered in blood and blight both.
“I’m fine. It only grazed me.”
“It blighted you!” Tarquin snapped, his worry feeding into his temper.
Harley looked towards Neve. Feelings that never truly left stirred her stomach and chest. An ache she hadn’t stopped feeling since their breakup twisted a knife in her chest.
“I’m fine.” Ashur insisted, pressing himself up to stand. “We have more pressing matters at this moment. We need to ground it.” He glanced upwards as the dragon swooped by, reining more destruction down on their city.
“It’s been sent by a God.” Neve snarled, fury and hurt coming off her in waves. “It’s not just some random attack.” She looked over her shoulder once more towards the Shadows hideout before her expression hardened. “The Gods won’t risk losing a piece for no chance of reward.”
She turned her head and met Harley’s gaze. It had been so long since Harley had properly seen Neve’s eyes.
She was tired. Deep bags settled under her eyes, but a icy cold determination burned in them. That was the Neve Harley knew so well.
The one that she had completely fallen for.
Maker, Harley had almost forgotten how beautiful she was.
Beyond the fatigue there was a storm of emotions reflected in her dark eyes. Tears gathered that she quickly swiped away. Harley leant closer, Neve’s expression vanished. A door slammed in her face; a letter that broke her heart.
“We have a dagger the Gods want. Rook does. This has to be what this is for.” Neve crossed her arms, looking pointedly away from Harley. “If she were here, we might have been able to ground it. Kill it –”
The dragon clipped the building above them, sending more rubble raining over them.
“Why isn’t Rook here?” Tarquin asked, eyes on the sky. “She—”
“She went to Treviso. There was a dragon there too.”
Harley realised at that moment the impossible decision that her sister had made. “We don’t have time to snarl and poke right now.” She cut in. “We need to drive the dragon away.”
“We can’t get up there.” Neve rounded on her. “The only way to do anything is to get it to land.”
“I can do something. And you know it.” A flash of fear crossed Neve’s face and she gripped Harley’s wrist.
Neve’s eyes widened and she realised what she had done and snatched her hand back.
“It’s a suicide mission.” Tarquin scowled at her. “You can’t fight a damned dragon on your own, in the sky.”
Harley grinned despite her fear. He was right, this was dangerous and would likely lead to her death… but this was her city. Her people.
“I don’t intend on dying tonight, Quin.”
Harley turned back to Neve, taking in everything.
She had been polite, had respected Neve’s wishes despite how deeply it had hurt.
But now, she was being just a little bit selfish.
Harley reached out and touched Neve’s cheek. Her eyes grew wide and she took a sharp breath.
In between one second and the next, Harley committed Neve’s face to memory. She was apologising and saying goodbye all at once.
Harley dropped her hand and pulled out her spell blade. Familiar sparks danced across the blade and across her gauntlet. She tossed it in the air and in the same motion shapeshifted.
As a raven, Harley caught the hilt of the blade in her claws and took to the sky, invisible against the inky night.
NEVE POV
Neve’s heart was still racing in her chest when Harley vanished into the night.
It had been years since she had been so close to Harley and her body still reacted the same was as it had as if she had seen her only yesterday.
After so long, surely the feelings would have faded.
Harley was safer out of her life… yet here she was flying up towards the dragon destroying her city and she hadn’t ever said those stupid three little words.
Neve tried to follow her movements by her sparking blade. Squinting into the night sky to spot the raven amongst the stars.
Small as she was, Harley seemed to evade the notice of the dragon until she was literally on its back. She had changed shape again.
Harley had landed on the back of the dragon.
It stopped midair, each beat of its wings drowned out by the blood roaring in Neve’s ears.
It bucked and shook itself, trying to dislodge loose the foolish elf as she carved her blade deep into its wing joint.
Fire lit the air as the dragon roared in fury. It bucked again and Harley was thrown upwards.
For a single moment, Neve forgot about the fate of Minrathous and Dock Town if it meant Harley was safe.
Neve watched with fear tightening in her gut as Harley flew into the air and off the dragon’s back. The dragon’s fire made her armour glow.
Sparks shot out from her hands and into the back of the beast.
At the height of the airtime, Harley shifted again, this time into a much larger bird. A raptor with a wingspan twice the size of a raven ducked under the dragon and into its blindspot.
It knew she was there now, and it was out for the kill.
A stream of fire burned through the air as the dragon tried to catch Harley as she flew about its legs, under wings and between its horns, dodging and weaving and pulling all its attention away from the city.
This was going too well. It was too easy.
This like this were never this easy. Neve knew that something had to go wrong.
Harley swept upwards in an arching motion and landed on the dragon’s face. Neve couldn’t see what she was doing but she heard the agonised roar of the dragon, saw it fighting to dislodge her.
It swept its claw across its face – across Harley.
Neve heard the screech of the bird morph into an agonised scream and then Harley was in free fall.
Neve couldn’t take her eyes from Harley as she fell, and fell and—
Neve shot forward without thinking. “HARLEY!” She screamed so loudly her voice cracked. This was it. She was going to lose her. She was going to die.
Neve threw both hands out, casting a last, desperate spell.
Time slowed. Harley’s rapid decent slowed.
She startled awake, realised what happened and quickly shifted again.
A bear took her place this time.
Time resumed.
As did Harley’s fall.
Neve was already running when she crashed through crates of food and supplies piled up by the edge of the water.
She’s alive. She must be alive. She has to be alive. Neve repeated in her head again and again, for once choosing to ignore her cynical side that told her that there was no way could have survived.
For once, Neve wanted her heart’s hope to be true.
Behind her, she heard Tarquin and Ashur’s footsteps.
In the shattered remains of boxes, food, blankets and other supplied Harley lay prone, unmoving and bleeding profusely.
Neve fell to her knees. Her hands were shaking too badly to do anything.
Tarquin’s hands shook too, but he reached out and touched Harley’s face and then fell to her neck. He let out a shuddering breath.
“She’s alive. I’ve got a pulse.”
Neve let out the breath she had been holding and suddenly felt very faint.
She stared at Harley, feeling relieved tears rolling down her face at the news.
“We need to get out of the open.” Ashur rumbled. “There is nothing else we can do against the dragon now.” He stepped closer but faltered, falling to one knee. He gripped his side where the dragon’s claws had caught him as well.
“You too. You’re injured and blighted as well. We’ll take care of you both.” Tarquin turned to Neve who was still quivering with relief, staring unblinkingly for each weak breath. “Gallus. Help Ashur, I’ll take Harley.”
Neve didn’t move; her knees were locked in place. Harley was bleeding terribly from the dragon’s claws, from the wood that had broken her fall. Splinters and destroyed wood had ripped through her clothes. Neve was sure she had broken bones.
Blight had started crawling across her skin like it had Ashur, blackened veins throbbing in time with her weak heartbeat.
“Gallus.” Tarquin said again, urgency coated his words as there was another terrible roar overhead. “We can’t do anything for her here. Let’s get her to safety, she’ll be okay. We need to go.”
This time his words snapped her out of it, and she looked up between the two of them and nodded harshly. “Yes. Okay.” She stood painfully and her eyes fell upon Harley again as Tarquin carefully gathered her up. She let out a quiet whimper.
Even that quiet noise calmed Neve’s racing heart.
She was still alive.
Alive, breathing – in pain but still here.
Neve joined Ashur’s side and the Viper nodded to her and the two of them moved swiftly as they dared to nearest catacomb entrance.