This is a companion piece to my other work in progress, Another Life. The stories will eventually meet, maybe even merge. I have to thank the amazing RewindedMiracle for being my inspiration; not just for this story, but for writing again. Sora is for you! :)

"Sodding Irving, I can't believe you're making me do this," I grumbled as I walked down the stairs into the basement of the Circle Tower. Jowan was my best friend; and I would rather see him made Tranquil than killed by Templars. If I put a stop to his plan before it started he would at least have a chance to explain himself. I just didn't expect the First Enchanter to force me to play along with the charade so he could punish a Chantry initiate as well. Jowan would never forgive me, but then again, he might not have to. Maker, that's an awful thing to think.

I reached the bottom of the staircase to see Jowan and his initiate, Lily, waiting patiently for me… with Evian Surana. I stopped dead in my tracks. This wasn't a part of the plan. What in the Fade was she doing here?

"Jowan, can I see you in the stairwell for a moment," I asked politely so I wouldn't alarm the young elf, not that she would actually notice. As soon as he was close enough, I grabbed his arm and dragged him up the first flight.

"Ow, Sora! What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? Jowan, what were you thinking? Why did you bring Evian into this?"

"I thought it was a good idea! She told me if I ever needed any help, all I had to do was ask. Well… I thought we could use the help! You may be the best with offensive spells, but you are no healer, Sora; even Wynne dumped you as an apprentice, and Wynne gives up on no one. Evian may not be the brightest torch in the Tower, but even you will admit that she is the best healer. What if one of us gets injured?"

"Bright? It's a bloody miracle that she passed her Harrowing! Did you even tell her what it is that we are doing down here?"

"No… she never asked!"

"Of course she wouldn't! We are talking about the girl that believed Anders's rumor about secret passages in the tower. I don't know how many times I caught her pressing on bricks in the library, trying to get the doors to open!"

"Well she's here, Sora. I'm not going to send her away now. What else can I say?"

"Fine! Let's just get on with it," there was obviously no swaying him. I followed him back down the staircase. There she stood, no idea about what we were about to do. Shit! Evian, why did you have to get involved in this? The elf was the kindest person that I had ever met, but it wasn't lost on anyone that her name spelled backward was exactly the right characteristic to describe her. Now, she would be punished by Irving as well, and I was responsible. Shit!

"Were you speaking about me?" Evian stared up at me with a curious look.

"Of course not. Whatever gave you that idea?" I was very purposefully being sarcastic, but I wasn't surprised that she didn't get the hint.

"Oh. I thought I heard you say my name," she actually looked sad to think that we weren't talking about her. Oh Evian… please forgive me.

"We did it!" Jowan shouted as we reemerged from the basement. "I can't believe it! Thank you… we could never have-"

"So what you said was true, Irving." We all looked to see Knight-Commander Greagoir approaching with the First Enchanter and a group of Templars. This had to look wonderful.

"G- Greagoir…" Lily breathed. I'm sorry, Lily, but there was no other way that this was going to end.

"An initiate, conspiring with a blood mage. I'm disappointed, Lily," he stepped close to examine her. "She seems shocked, but fully in control of her own mind. Not a thrall of the blood mage, then," he began to pace. "You were right, Irving. The initiate has betrayed us. The Chantry will not let this go unpunished. And this one, newly a mage, and already flouting the rules of the Circle."

"It's not her fault! This was my idea!" Jowan interjected.

"She is here under my orders, Greagoir. I take full responsibility for her actions."

"Wait… you… you led us into a trap?" Jowan stared at me in horror and disgust.

"I had no choice, Jowan! I didn't want to see you give the Templars a reason to simply kill you! And Irving has always been like a father to me. I couldn't betray his trust…"

"Don't you dare speak to me!"

"Enough! As Knight-Commander of the Templars here assembled, I sentence this blood mage to death. And this initiate has scorned the Chantry and her vows. Take her to Aeonar."

"The… the mages' prison. No… please, no. Not there!" Lily backed up in fear, as if she could escape.

"No! I won't let you touch her!"

And then he did it. The person I considered to be my best friend in the whole of Thedas pulled out a knife and drew his own blood, knocking out all that were surrounding us.

I stood there for a moment in shock. Did that really just happen? The bodies on the ground confirmed it. "Irving!" I broke from my stupor and ran to his side to check on him; to make sure that he was still alive. He was.

"By the Maker... blood magic! H-how could you? You said you never..." Lily slowly backed away from Jowan. I don't know if this was a bigger surprise to me or her.

"I admit, I... I dabbled! I thought it would make me a better mage!" Jowan tried to explain himself. He looked just as scared as Lily, though I'm sure his fear was stemming from her response to his actions.

"Blood magic is evil, Jowan. It corrupts people... changes them..."

"I'm going to give it up. All magic. I just want to be with you, Lily. Please..."

"I trusted you. I was ready to sacrifice everything for you... I... I don't know who you are, blood mage. Stay away from me..." she backed into the corner and tried to hide from him. His pleading wouldn't work. He rounded on me, but I wasn't going to cower before him.

"How could you do this, Jowan? You promised me that you weren't a blood mage! You betrayed me!"

"How is it any different than what you did to me? This wouldn't have happened if you hadn't run to Irving!" After all this time, he picks now to stand up for himself? Maybe if he would have shown some of this conviction before they would have actually put him through the Harrowing.

"I did it out of love! For you and Irving! I wanted to protect you! Now, you have put us all in danger!"

"I did what I had to, Sora. I was just trying to protect the person I loved too. Thanks to you, she now wants nothing to do with me!" My actions were so unforgivable? I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"Whatever you have to tell yourself to justify it, it still doesn't change what you've become!"

He looked like he was going to continue with his rant, but he sighed and hung his head. "So what happens now?"

What was going to happen? Jowan had branded himself a danger to everyone around him. If he stayed, he would surely be killed. Did he deserve that? In some ways, yes. Blood mages were too dangerous to others, as he had clearly demonstrated. But as he said, he did it to protect Lily. I could relate to that. It was the same thing I had just done.

"I should kill you where you stand, Jowan. But you're right. And believe it or not, I truly was your friend. So just go. Leave now and pray to the Maker that they never bring you back." Tears flowed freely down my cheeks at the thought of losing him. There was no going back though.

He stood there for a couple of seconds just blinking at me, as if he didn't fully comprehend what I had said. Finally, he turned and ran from the room.

I pulled a health potion out of my pack to give to Irving, when I heard a small voice speak up.

"Can I go too?"

Oh Maker, I had completely forgotten that Evian was present. It was my turn to stare in disbelief. Had she really just stood there for that entire exchange, saying nothing?

If she stayed, she would be in trouble; possibly made Tranquil. Where could she go? What would she do? If she left, it was going to take an act of the Maker himself to keep the girl alive.

I quickly wiped the tears from my face. "Are you sure about that, Evian? Do you have the slightest idea what it is like for us out there?"

"I just don't want to stay here anymore, Sora. I've actually wanted to leave for a very long time."

That would explain the search for the secret tunnels. "Then why are you asking me? You can make your own decisions."

Something in her face changed then. "You're right," she nodded, obviously determined. She started to walk away, but stopped and turned around. She cast a healing spell on the men lying on the ground, and then ran as they began to awaken. Even during escape, she still put her talent to use. Anyone else would have left them lie.

Irving and the others started to stir before me. "The blood mage is gone!" one of the Templars shouted to Greagoir.

"I can see that. So is the elf," he swayed on his feet as he stood. He pointed to Lily, "Take her and the mage to the dungeon."

"What? Greagoir, I told you, Sora was here because of me!" Irving finally regained his senses as well.

"And two of your other mages escaped! Someone needs to be punished for what happened here! Was that not your goal?"

Irving hung his head. After what I had done for him, he wasn't even going to put up a fight for me? "No! Irving, you promised!" I screamed as two Templars grabbed me and drained my mana. It was useless to struggle against them without it.

"I am sorry, Sora. There's nothing I can do now," Irving simply watched as they dragged me away.

Bloody dungeon. This was the first time I had ever even seen it. I paced back and forth in my cell. They had stuck Lily in the room right next to me. The only sound I could hear was her sobbing and it was driving me crazy. If it kept up, I would have resorted to blood magic as well.

I leaned against the back wall and sunk down to the floor. The dark, disgusting wall and floor. There's no way of knowing what I had just sat in.

This is what I got for being honest? I should have run away too. At least if I was caught for that they would have an actual reason to punish me. I thought the Tower was the prison. I didn't know it could get worse.

I hung my head and tried to think of anything I could say or do to get out of this mess. I started clicking my tongue against the roof of my mouth, like I always do when I'm deep in thought, and heard it echoing against the stone walls of the dungeon. That sound was joined by another though; an ominous sound to someone locked in a cage. The booted footfalls of a group of Templars.

As they came into view, I saw that Irving was with them. Surrounded by three Templars, this obviously wasn't going to be an apology.

"Stand up, Sora," he ordered as he came to a stop in front of my cell.

I reluctantly did as he said. "Here to make me tranquil, Irving? Maybe you'd just like to sentence me to death and get it over with?"

He looked genuinely ashamed at my words. Good. This was his fault, after all.

"I have argued with Greagoir all that I can. He believes that you need to take some of the responsibility, and there is no convincing him otherwise. All that I was able to do was lessen your punishment as best as I can. In fact, you might not even see it as a punishment." This was a poor attempt at reconciliation.

"How comforting. Tell me, what delightful activity have you planned for me this time?"

"Sora Amell, you're going to Ostagar."