Champions and Spiders

"Why must we always travel to dark, sunken places? Why not a beach? Or here's a crazy idea for you, somewhere sunny and warm?"

"Thank you for the helpful words Bela, they have improved our situation greatly."

"That's me Hawke, I'm a helper!"

Alia Hawke smirked at the pirate as they made their way further into the bone pit. The mine was now partially hers, so she felt responsible for the workers' moral.

Said moral was practically nonexist, Alia's own mood wilting as she took in all the sad faces.

Many were injured, several shambling along with blood splattered clothes and cuts on their faces.

"What's going on?" She asked, rushing with Fenris, Isabela, and Varric in tow towards the man in charge.

"We were ambushed," He explained, "some of the boy's must have broken through a spider nest, the creepy buggers are all over the place."

"Spiders?" Alia asked, feeling s twinge of fear slither down her spine. She hated spiders, was deathly afraid of spiders...

"Yea, buncha eight legged freaks. We can't finish our work until they're cleared out but we ain't warriors. I'm too busy tending to the wounded." A spark gleamed in his eye and he smiled hopefully at her.

"And here we go..." Isabela drawled under her breath.

"You guys seem capable enough, could you clear out the spiders?"

Damn it.

"Uh, sure...happy to help." Alia tried to keep the worst of her apprehension
hidden,knowing that if Varric ever got wind of her phobia she'd never hear the end of it.

"Is everything alright Hawke?" A deep voice rumbled next to her.

"Y-yes, yes everything is fine, why wouldn't it be?" She felt her cheeks flush, realizing the elf was closer than he needed to be.

Now Alia, cool your hormones for a moment, just cause Fenris is showing concern doesn't mean he wants to get in your pants.

He smiled softly at the added color to her face, "You seem nervous that's all."

"Oh, well...no worries about me!" She did her best to smile convincingly but by the looks of it she failed.

"Shall we proceed?" He asked, gesturing towards the gaping hole in the mountain's side.

It was incredibly dark, and she could smell blood.

Shit.

"I should have stayed at the Hanged Man." Isabela grumbled, "Less spider webs and more whiskey is always a good thing."

"Think of it this way Rivaini, you'll be able to get some excersize." Varric chuckled, readying Bianca.

Alia heard the snick of Fenris's blade being drawn, her hands tightening around her staff as she entered the mine.

Moving further in brought them to a wide chamber, rimmed with mining equipment and
several damaged tunnels leading deeper into the mine.

"I thought that chap said this place was crawling with spiders?" Isabela called, inspecting a few tattered remnants of webbing, "If so, where are they?"

Alia cringed as the sounds of hissing and clicking filled the room, "You just had to ask didn't you Bela?"

The pirate's blades twirled in her hands, "I like to live dangerously."

The first of the monsters trickled out of a crack in the rock, dropping down to the group as Alia conjured a fireball.

She flung the spell at the nearest spider, smiling as it whithered in the flames. Fenris and Isabela took up positions close to the opening, Hawke and Varric picking off any who
got past them.

Alia felt the pleasant tingle of power ripple through her arms as she worked her magic, she'd been cooped up in her mansion for far too long. It was good to stretch her muscles again.

A series of bolts whipped past her face, piercing into an oncoming spider.

Hey, this isn't so bad...

With a wild laugh She jammed her staff into the ground and propelled herself forward, boot slamming into the creature's face before she froze the bloody thing to the ground.

To her surprise, Isabela had leapt onto the back of one and was trying to ride it.

"Isabela!"

"Oh you never let me have any fun!" The pirate whined, jamming her daggers into the spider's abdomen. It shrieked and curled in on itself, Isabela dropping to the ground gracefully before dashing over to find another victim.

Fenris's blade gleamed as he cut a swathe through the spiders, the elf moving with a brutal power that scared her as much as it fascinated her. His markings shimmered as he lifted the greatsword, sending it crashing down to decapitate his enemy.

There was a shout from Varric, Alia turning at the last second to see one of the bigger ones leap off of Varric and come flying towards her, fangs outstretched.

With lightning reflexes she dropped her staff, hands moving in perfect syncronization as she produced a stream of fire.

The embers collided with the spider, the last of the arachnids melting at her feet.

"Ha! Take that you filthy little blighter!" Whipping her ivory hair out of her face she grinned triumphantly at her companions, "Who's the baddest mage in town? This girl, right here." She pointed to herself, Isabela snickering as Fenris and Varric's expressions faded from amused to terrified.

"Um...Hawke?"

"No, no need to tell me how awesome I am, I already know."

"Hawke...look behind you."

"What? Why-AAHHHHHH!!!!!" She screamed, leaping onto the closest person to her, who happened to be Fenris.

The spider was huge, taking up most of the chamber with fangs as big as tree trunks. it hissed menacingly, fangs clicking together as it began to crawl forward.

"So does the baddest mage in town have a plan to deal with that?"

"OH MY MAKER, JUST KILL IT!!! KILL IT NOW!!" She continued to climb Fenris, body clinging to his neck and shoulders as best she could.

"We'll tackle the spider Fenris, you guard our fearless leader!" Isabela cackled, rushing into the fray as Varric began firing.

"Hawke." Fenris said.

"...yes?" She whimpered.

"If you want the spider killed you have to get off me."

"...okay."

. . .

"It's not funny."

"Yes it is!" Isabela said, "Maker's breath, your face! Oh good grief, Varric did you see
it!?"

"I certainly did Rivaini." The dwarf chuckled, "So you face bandits, darkspawn, and Rock wraiths but spiders are just too much."

"IT WAS THE SIZE OF A HOUSE!" Alia cried, blue eyes flashing angrily.

"Oh calm down," Varric patted her arm, "Your secret is safe with me."

"It's not with me!" Isabela teased, dodging Alia's staff, "When I find Anders I'm going to sing like a canary!"

"Ugh!" Alia fumed, her anger soon faded as a heavily tattooed arm was wrapped around her.

"Let Isabela have her fun..." Fenris soothed.

"But she's bad enough as it is! Joined with Anders they shall be relentless!" She groaned, covering her face with her hands, "Oh Maker's mercy, I'm never going to live this down."

"So out of all the things you have to worry about, getting picked on about your fear of spiders is the one you focus on?" They'd stopped walking, Fenris smirking down at her.

"Yes! I mean, I know there are worse things going on at the moment but damn it Isabela's
going to be the death of me. And honestly, is a fear of spiders really so unusual? I mean the smallest ones are Mabari sized and they hiss and not to mention they have fangs as long as daggers and sweet blood of Andraste you must think I'm nuts."

Her eyes widened as Fenris's gauntlet cupped her cheek, the elf's lips ghosting over hers before he smiled, "No, I happen to think you're adorable." He murmured before turning back to following the others.

Alia stood there for a moment, Did that really just happen?

She touched her lips, grinning like an idiot as she began to catch up to the others.

Maybe I should find more spiders...