Harding or Darvin

Doesn't make sense to me why either of them would die and it seems unnecessary I know they wanted a choice but it felt more like shock value

Harding is Basically a stone mage and she couldn't just close the hole or something

And Asaan could not help him at all at the end
It makes no sense to me the only thing I can think.is Neither of them is dead and this is a set up for a DA5