Anri saw the approaching Venatori, but felt too exhausted and in pain to move.
Cracking sounds and whoosh of fire magic soared toward him. But his vision was too blurry to see it's direction clearly. Then as soon as the bright, glowing, energy had appeared it changed course.
He heard squeals and an outcry of shock, and saw a burning man flailing about before he became ash.
All of the surrounding enemy was being made into burning men with fire magic they had not seen coming.
"No one hurts my Amatus and lives, die scum!"
He heard Dorian's voice amongst the crackling and sizzling sounds of heat, but couldn't keep his eyes open to see his lover's heroic run for him.
Dorian's heart raced with fear when he saw Anri and a young elven girl slide off Mellana's back. The hart reared with worry and nosed Anri, trying to stir him back to conciousness.
"Mellana." He saw the blood streaks from Mellana's ears and cast a healing spell on her, which also restored her spirit energy.
He raised Anri to him who was unresponsive and cast a healing spell on him, but stopped when Mellana alerted him to a fresh batch of Venatori approaching his rear.
Her snout pressed his arm to urge him to fight. Dorian understood her gesture. "Keep them safe." He gently lowered Anri to the ground, where Mellana stood guard over him.
"Boss sure does pull in the Tori fan club." Iron Bull scoffed, feeling pumped up for the fight.
He made a Charging Bull dash for the unsuspecting Venatori warriors, bowling them down with ease where he pulverized them into pulp with mighty swings and crushing strikes.
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"Finally get to crush some slaver vints." Fenris smirked with a madden look in his eyes as he dashed in with full strength to strike down nearby Venatori mages whose reflects weren't as quick.
"Anri did promise." Hawke commented as he did Deadly Strikes on the nearest rogues, who attempted to counter with Hidden Blade strikes. But that skill was a poor excuse when up against a Tempest's Lightning Strike.
"Just as long as you don't pulverize me in error." Dorian reminded Fenris who laughed maniacally as he took out another enemy with a glowing fist to the heart.
"I make no guarantees. All you Tevinter mages look a like when in a fight."
"And here I thought we got over our stereotypes to be friends." Dorian wittily remarked as he twirled and spun his dragonbone staff topped with the head of a three-headed-snake. Some would call it a symbol of corruption, but to Dorian, it was a symbol of a threesome afterparty between satin sheets.
Sparks of red, blue and white magic light was emitted from his staff at each strike to turn an enemy into blocks of ice or a flaming man. The atmosphere was charged with static and dry heat, affecting enemy senses to throw them off balance.
Alistair sighed, catching up to the fact that he was fighting alongside mages again. He entered the fray casting blows to knock off Venatori heads.
"Age didn't do wonders for your skills, slow poke." Maevaris sarcastically commented on Alistair's clunky fighting style, as she gracefully came up beside him to cast her spells from her slim magister staff.
"I can accidently swing my sword the wrong way, you know. You might want to reconsider where you stand," he offhandedly comment.
Maevaris let out a little chuckle.
Soon Anri's allies had turned the tide of the Venatori assault and wiped them out from the area.
"Anri." Dorian returned to his lover when all was clear. He saw him still comatosed. "We need to get him out of here."
Mellana nosed his arm and snorted. Dorian carefully carried Anri in his arms and mounted the hart who had lowered herself to ensure he got on okay.
Iron Bull carefully carried the girl, doing his best to keep his anger in check. Seeing the little ones caught up on all this dark magic and demon crap made him feel both sad and determine to protect the weak and the innocent.
Anri's friends followed Dorian's lead out of the Ash Hills where they headed further in land. Dorian's agents soon approached him with coordinations for a site they could pitch their camp. He gave them instructions to check on the city and provide updates.
Everyone welcomed the chance for a rest.

