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The Hammer swung down.
He could hear the sound of bones snapping.
He could hear the sound of organs being crushed.
He saw the body fall limp, the hand outreached now lay flat amongst the rubble.
He could see the familiar salt and pepper hair, the pale complexion, that long, green coat.
But no life lingered, not anymore.
Emmrich!
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Arendil jolted violently, flinging the blanket off from where it was neatly tucked around his body. He gasped for air, his whole body shaking, his eyes darting around the room. He was in the laboratory. Emmrich's room. A cold sweat broke out on his neck and he quickly leapt up, realizing the space next to him was empty.
No. No no no no. NO!!
Arendil quickly grabbed his night robe, tying the wool belt around his waist before rushing through the door. He sprinted down the staircase and immediately looked towards Emmrich's chair.
Empty.
Maker, please! Don't do this to me!!
He turned on his heel and ran to the kitchen. He burst through the door, his cheeks wet with his tears. His emerald eyes quickly jumped around the room. The fire was burning, but the room was scarce of life. Arendil wrapped his arms around himself, backing himself against the wall and slid down, curling himself up as tightly as he could. He let out a large scream, his lungs tightening with grief.
It can't be true! Maker, please! I'll do anything!
"Arendil?!" He heard someone yell. He saw a shadow shift behind his eyes as someone fell to their knees in front of him. Warm hands found his shoulders, their grip firm.
Lucanis.
Lucanis had jolted at the sound of the kitchen door being barged open, but regained his composure when he assumed it was Taash. They were always using their strength for everyday things, opening a door with too much force was common for them. Imagine the assassin's surprise when a scream rang out. He bolted from the pantry, coming to find Rook- Arendil completely breaking down. He had rushed to the elf's side, taking a tight grip on his shoulders. "Mierda! Arendil, can you hear me? You have to breathe!" He shouted, but it was as if Arendil was completely unreachable. The elf was only sobbing and trying to hard to curl up, as if wanting to disappear. He's never seen his leader like this before, it was unnatural to him.
As if blessed by Andraste herself, Davrin sprung through the door, coming to a stop at the sight before him. "What's going on? I heard a scream-"
"Get Emmrich! I don't know what happened but he might be able to reach him! Hurry!" Lucanis ordered, his eyes flashing purple for a moment. "Get. Him. Rook needs HIM."
Davrin, ever the saint, nodded and immediately dashed off. Arendil couldn't breathe. It was too much. He saw it all happen in front of him and he was powerless to stop it. He lost everything!
"Arendil, talk to me. Say something, anything!" Lucanis pleaded. He eyes were looking all over the elf, and for the first time since Arendil rescued him, he felt scared.
"I-I failed." The elf choked out, a sob following shortly after. "Emmrich's...dead. I saw it! I could have saved him!" More sobs followed, his breathing becoming shorter. "The man I love is dead and I couldn't save him!" Another scream followed.
'A nightmare?' Lucanis thought, unable to think of any other reason why Arendil would be acting this way about something that isn't true. He knew Arendil was often haunted by Harding's sacrifice and the trauma of watching Bellara being taken and plagued by the Blight, but this? He saw Arendil after those events, he'd hate to see what would become of him if his nightmare had been true.
But it wasn't.
"Darling?"
Thank the gods for that voice! Lucanis looked up, seeing Emmrich stood at the door, an expression of shock and fear on his face. Davrin stood behind him, looking over the necromancer's shoulder with concern. With quick steps, Emmrich knelt beside Lucanis, his hands hovering over Arendil's head. He gave a quick nod to Lucanis, who took that as his que to move away. He stood up, and backed away, meeting Davrin at the door. The two shared a look before leaving the room, allowing the couple to have some space.
"Arendil, darling. Breathe for me. You have to breathe." Emmrich carefully reached out, threading his hands through Arendil's caramel locks, tucking it behind his pointed ears. "I'm here, my love." He cupped Arendil's tanned cheeks, thumbs rubbing against soft cheekbones. He traced over the vallaslin that ran up Arendil's nose, knowing the motion helps to calm the elf. After repeating the motion a few times, Emmrich felt Arendil slowly start to stir. The elf slowly lifted his head, finally acknowledging the necromancer in front of him. Emerald eyes met hazel and for a second, Arendil was holding his breath.
"Emmrich?" All it took was one smile from the necromancer and Arendil threw his arms around the older man, his chest unravelling until he felt like he was floating. "You're here! You're alive!"
"Oh, my love." Emmrich returned his embrace tightly, a hand automatically find it way into Arendil's wavy locks. "It's alright, what you saw was not real. I'm here. We're both here."
The elf ran his hands up and down Emmrich's back, tracing everything he could reach. He felt up every vertebrae up Emmrich's spine, he traced every rib, he counted every heartbeat.
Alive. Emmrich was alive.
"It felt so real Emmrich. It was like I was there, watching the life just be stripped from you. I heard your bones break, I-I heard your heart be crushed." He lifted his head up, tears still falling. "You died. I was held by invisible chains, I-I couldn't move..."
"You're here, Arendil. I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere." Emmrich wiped Arendil's eyes with his thumbs, catching the tears clinging to the other man's eyelashes. "We made it, dearest."
Arendil let out a small sigh as Emmrich pulled their lips together. The fear that was wrapped around his heart uncoiled and was replaced by relief. Emmrich was here, alive and well. Arendil slowly pulled away, a smile on his lips. Emmrich returned the smile, happy to see the spark back in those emerald eyes of his beloved. He gently took hold of Arendil's hands and lifted them both up off the floor. "I think you need some tea, dearest. I doubt you'll want to return to sleep after that whole ordeal. I'm very certain you gave Lucanis a fright."
"Whoops..." Arendil chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck, a nervous habit he developed when he was younger. "Do you think I can make it up to him with some coffee?"
"It may take more than coffee to give that poor man back the years you may have taken off of him, dearest." Emmrich smiled, placing his hands on Arendil's hips. "I suggest a present, and you may want to think of something for Davrin too. He was the one who almost dragged me to you." He placed a soft kiss on the elf's cheek.
"Where even were you? When I woke up, you were not in bed. I panicked when I couldn't find you in the library or in here. I guess...when I couldn't find you it made me believe what I dreamt was true." He watched as Emmrich frowned, clearly feeling guilty for his absence and how it had caused his lover more grief. The necromancer took his hands and lead him to the dining table, the two of them taking a seat besides one another.
"Bellara caught me as I was stretching my legs. She was excited to tell me about the newest artifact she's been tinkering with. That dear girl, I swear she never sleeps most nights." Arendil laughed lightly at the comment, which made the necromancer's heart flutter. He cupped the elf's cheeks, pressing their heads together. "I am sorry, my dear. I apologise for not being present when you were having a haunted sleep. I will make it up to you, but for now, let's focus on being here, together."
"And alive." Arendil added, taking his hand and placing it over Emmrich's heart.
With each beat he counted, he felt himself falling more in love.
He was going to love this man for the rest of their lives.