Chapter Text
The battle was a mess, as was usually the case. There were abominations everywhere, a pair of rage demons and... it. Xebenkeck the Undying, an incredibly powerful desire demon that was currently in the process of trying to entice him to turn on his companions. Not that he should need much enticement, mind: after all, Hawke had insisted on bringing an abomination and a blood mage of her own to this party, as if the enemies weren't enough already. But there was Hawke herself to consider, beautiful, strong Hawke who he had yearned for and almost thought he had a chance with before discovering how futile it was, and, even if not for her, it was truly not in his character to turn on those who healed and aided him in battle. He was many things - elf, former slave, fugitive, warrior, weapon - but he was not a traitor. He was fairly certain the others couldn't hear the demon's words, seeing how he heard no one else speak, and yet they seemed to be waging internal battles of their own in addition to the physical battle they were fighting - all except their pet abomination, that was. Presumably having a demon already inside prevented dealings with another. He could only hope the blood mage wasn't that eager to betray them all.
"I know what you most long for, Fenris. Love," the thing purred seductively while he was busying himself with slicing an abomination's head clean off its distorted shoulders, "love is all you've ever craved, isn't it? I could give that to you. You would never have to be alone again."
Even as he knew it was lying, it was nearly impossible to resist its offer. Love... he'd all but given up on ever having it. The longing was suddenly so strong his arms paused midway through the abomination's neck for a moment.
"Yesss... that's it, Fenris... Stay by my side and you will have your heart's desire," it whispered in his ear. "Come to me, Fenris. I'll make your pain go away."
It took summoning all of his willpower, but he finally managed to force his sword through the abomination and turn to face Xebenkeck - the sooner it died, the sooner he would be free of its poisonous promises.
"Be silent and die, creature. You have nothing to offer me!"
For a moment it appeared as though the battle would continue as usual. Then a rage demon came closer to Xebenkeck and the world did a strange flip, both demons seeming to merge temporarily in a horrifying new entity of hate and lust, its voices combined in a dizzying echo.
"You deny me? You will never have love, slave! You will never even be desired, unless you crawl back to your master. This is the truth of your pitiful existance!"
The thing flipped its claws in a complicated pattern, and, suddenly, Darktown was no more.
