Author's Note:
This is my first Dragon Age II fan fiction and this involves a fem Hawke with the famous rebellious mage named Anders! I wish Ser-Pounce-Ser-Lot was there! I bet he was adorable! ^3^ Anyway, I'll start this off at the beginning of the game. So this has SPOILORS TO THOSE WHO DIDN'T PLAY THE GAME! This is your OWN RISK!
Don't say I didn't warn you!
"Tell me again, why are we here?" Bethany asked her oldest sister as they were walking through the Under City. It's been a year settling in their new home; Bethany was still tried to accustom it. They did their best to avoid Templars and thankfully Bethany was still safe.
Varric – the story teller dwarf with a crossbow named Bianca – answered Bethany's question, "We need to get the maps to the Deep Roads, Sunshine. We can't go without it."
"And you believe this…Grey Warden has it? But why is a Grey Warden here?"
Zayna Hawke shrugged her shoulders and answered "Beats me, sis. But maybe we'll find out once we meet this Grey Warden."
"I wish I could get guards patrolling around here…" muttered Aveline as she looked at her surroundings of the poor refuges and elves lurking here. It's quite heart aching to see her own countrymen suffering like this. She bet most of them would be better off to fight the Darkspawn than to come here and starve yourself to death.
Hawke stopped when she saw two doors with lanterns hanging over them. "That must be the place," Hawke said to the group and they approached it. When Hawke opened the doors, she saw a mage healing a young boy with his magic.
She didn't wish to disturb so she just stood there while watching as the mage AKA the Grey Warden concentrating to heal the boy with his parents standing by the side with worried expressions on their faces.
The mage closed his eyes and the boy gasped for air as he sat up. His mother instantly went to his side and looked relieved. The mage however nearly dropped onto his knees as he stumbled back from exhaustion but he managed to hold himself up.
He slightly stumbled forward and used a nearby pillar to support his balance. The father of the boy went to the mage's side to place a thankful hand on his shoulder before he left with his family. Hawke watched the family walked past her and she approached the exhausted mage.
She stopped midway when she felt something from him, like she had been hit by a strong gust of wind. She heard a soft voice in her head *Turn…back…* it whispered in her mind, but she shook it off quickly.
*No! We need his maps!* she took a few more steps until the voice repeated, but it was louder.
*Turn…back!*
*Just shut it in there!* she screamed back the voice, and thankfully it obeyed this time. Bethany saw her sister's uneasy expression so she placed a comforting hand on her arm.
"Sis…?"
Zayna smiled at her younger sister and replied "I-I'm fine, Bethany. Really." But Bethany continued to look at her worriedly. Varric and Aveline glanced at each other and they shrugged their shoulders, unknowing what was going on. But the mage didn't seem to know they're there yet.
Hawke breathed out and finally approached the mage. But she had to stop again when the mage suddenly grabbed his nearby staff, spun around and said in defense "I have made this place a sanctum of healing and salvation! Why do you threaten it?"
Hawke groaned deeply because she hated surprises like this and replied "Relax! I'm not going to bite…much." He arched a brow at her and looked at her suspiciously. He scanned her carefully and he slightly lingered a bit longer on her chest. She felt annoyed so she said "Hey! Eyes up here!" she pointed at her eyes.
He quickly diverted her eye from her chest to her eyes as his cheeks started to flush from being caught. Varric snickered as the mage called Anders cleared his throat but the blush remained on his cheeks. He asked her quite stubbornly "Did the Wardens send you to bring me back? I'm not going. Those bastards made me to get rid of my cat! Poor Ser-Pounce-a-Lot…He hated the Deep Roads."
Hawke arched a brow at him by being surprised, she had to ask him "You…had a cat named…Ser-Pounce-a-Lot…? In the bloody Deep Roads?"
Anders sighed heavily and started to explain "He was a gift. A noble beast. Almost got ripped in half by a Genlock once. He swatted the bugger on the nose. Drew blood too. The blighted Warden said he 'made me too soft', I had to give him to a friend in Ameranthine."
Hawke shook her head and quickly get into the point, "Okay, listen. I just need to information about the Deep Roads. You can tell me…willingly or not."
He glared at her "Don't threaten me, little girl. You've no idea what you're dealing with."
She took a daring step so their faces were nearly inches from each other. She was glaring while grinning at him wickedly "Maybe I do and I'm willing to take it."
They both glared at each other for quite some time and this gave Hawke the perfect opportunity to examine his eyes. They were quite lovely, hazel colored eyes. He examined her eyes as well and was surprised to see her eyes were very golden, rare colors like that. Sure he had seen yellow eyes before, but not like her eyes. They were very…golden.
Suddenly they both heard someone clearing their throat so they looked to see that it was Varric "Can we cut to the chase?" Hawke looked back at Anders and he did the same to her. Then he took a step back from her.
Anders turned to face the group and asked them "What do you want?"
Varric quickly answered before Hawke could "We want the maps to the Deep Roads. That's all."
Anders narrowed his eyes at them and then he glanced at Hawke who was avoiding making any eye contact with him. *Perhaps they'll help…* he thought with hope. He crossed his arms on his chest and said "If you want the maps…you must help me with something first. Are you willing to make a deal?"
Hawke shot a dirty look at him and asked with a small growl "Depends what the deal is. What is it that you want?"
"…I came to Kirkwall to aid a friend. A mage. And he's locked in the Gallows. Help me break him free then you shall have your maps."
Hawke narrowed her eyes at him and asked "You want to make your friend an apostate?"
He quickly looked offended "That's such a weighted term. But yes. Andraste said 'magic should serve men, not rule him'. But I had not met a mage who wants to rule anything. It goes against no law for mages to be free just as any other men."
Hawke glared at him "But there are some mages who would fall prey to a demon. They can't ALL be free." Anders was going to protest but she quickly said "But forcing mages into servitude is not the right way to prevent another rise of an Imperium." Now Anders was shocked, because he usually gets the response like her first one.
"That was…surprising."
Bethany smiled and commented "Believe me. She's full of surprises."
"I'll…keep that in mind."
Hawke sent her younger sister a soft caring smile before she turned her attention to Anders with a blank careless expression. She asked him "How do you intend to break him out of the Gallows?"
"I sent a letter to Karl to meet me at the Chantry tonight. Maker willing, he'll be there. Alone."
"Tell me about your…friend?"
"His name's Karl. He was sent here from Ferelden. When the Circle required new talent. His letters was given to me by a maid servant in the Gallows. Then the letters stopped coming."
Hawke sighed heavily and glanced at her sister. She looked back with a worried and pitiful expression on her face. She looked at the others to see that they were looking at her, watching what her decision was. She sighed heavily again and grumbled "Why is it always me…?"
Anders was getting impatient so he asked her "So, what is your answer? Will you help me or not?"
She stared at him for quite some time and she could have sworn that he was pouting at her. Begging her like a cat. She groaned deeply and grumbled "Fine. We'll help you. But you better keep your end of the bargain."
"You won't see one page until Karl is free. Be at the Chantry tonight." Then he faced away from her and walked towards another patient as Hawke glared at the back of his head.
Hawke and her party walked up the stairs of the Chantry at night to meet Anders. When they reached the top, she saw Anders hiding in the shadows and he was looking at the doors of the Chantry. He turned his head to see the approaching group and informed them as he walked out of the shadows.
"I just saw Karl walk in a few minutes ago. No Templars so far. Are you ready?"
"Let's do this fast."
"All right. I'll handle the talking. You watch for Templars."
Hawke saluted to him and sarcastically replied "Yes, sir. Please, sir." Anders glared at her before he entered the Chantry with the group following him.
Bethany softly elbowed Zayna's side and gave her a look that screamed "What was that for?"
Zayna replied with a look "What?"
Bethany sighed and shook her head. Aveline closed the large Chantry doors behind while Anders was scanning the area, but no one was in sight. He told the group "When we find Karl…Just let me talk to him."
"Don't need to tell me twice…" Hawke muttered when she walked past him. He glared at her but he bit his tongue to say any remark. Don't want to alert anyone.
Hawke walked up the stairs while she checked the area. So far there was nothing. Then she stopped when she saw a mage with his back facing them. Hawke looked at Anders and nodded towards the mage.
Anders nodded and they approached the mage. When they did, Karl responded flatly "Anders, I know you too well. I knew you would never give up."
Anders narrowed his eyes suspiciously "What's wrong? Why are you talking like…?"
Karl turned around to face them and Bethany gasped when she saw the Tranquil mark on his forehead. He's Tranquil. Cut off from any emotional ties. Living but hollow. "I was too rebellious. Like you. The Templars knew that I need to be made an example of."
"No!" Anders said in disbelief.
"How else would mages master themselves? You'll understand, Anders." Hawke then heard some soft iron clattering coming from behind so the group turned their heads to see Templars appearing out from the shadows. "As soon as the Templars teaches you how to control yourself. This is the opostate."
Suddenly Anders jerked forward and fell onto his knees as he screamed "No!" He grabbed hold of his head as the Templars approached them with their weapons.
Hawke cursed under her breath and quickly pulled out her daggers as the rest pulled out theirs. Hawke quickly turned her attention to Anders who quickly stood up as he was glowing blue with lightning streaks on his skin and his eyes glowing.
"You will not take another mage as you took him!" Anders shouted in an unfamiliar booming voice.
Hawke stared at him shockingly but she quickly came back into reality when she had to dodge an arrow. She quickly dashed towards the nearest Templar and stabbed him in the heart with one dagger and used the other to block an attack from another Templar.
She quickly pulled the first dagger out of the Templar and used it to cut the second Templar's throat. She quickly jumped away when an Assassin Templar appeared behind her and intend to stab her on the back. She quickly pounced at him so she had tackled him to the ground and quickly cut his throat and stabbed him in the heart.
She could feel the Templar's blood upon her skin but she did not care. She looked at the others to see that they were all right as well and they were also covered in blood with the dead Templars lying on the ground. She looked at Anders to see that he was still glowing but then it quickly faded.
Karl who was standing behind him looked daze and then he looked surprised "Anders?"
Hawke quickly went to Ander's side as they approached the shocked Karl. Karl asked Anders "Anders, what did you do? It's like…you brought a piece of the Fade into this world. I already have forgotten what that feels like!"
"Um…no offense, Karl was it? But aren't you supposed to be…you know? Not feel ANYTHING as you are tranquil?"
"Yes, but Anders was glowing like a beacon."
Hawke suspiciously looked at Anders and mumbled "I'm also beginning to wonder where you learn that little trick. I don't suppose it was just for scaring Templars and little children?"
Anders glared at her but he quickly turned his attention to Karl "What happened? How did they get you?"
"The Templars here are more vigilant than in Fereldan. You cannot imagine it, Anders! All the color! All the music in the world! Gone!"
"This is what mother was protecting me from…" muttered Bethany as she looked at the ground. Hawke looked at her little sister sadly before she heard Karl saying.
"I would gladly give up my magic, but this…I'll never be whole again. Please, kill me before I forget again! I don't know how you did it, but it's fading!"
Anders shook his head in denial, "Karl, no!"
Hawke looked between the two mages pitifully and said to Anders "My sister being caused Tranquil…is far worse than death. Give him peace."
"I got here too late! I'm sorry, Karl! I'm so sorry!"
"Now! It's fading!" exclaimed Karl before he suddenly looked emotionless and he looked up at Anders blankly, "Why do you look at me like that?" he asked flatly.
Anders was sadly looking at him as he discreetly pulled out the knife that was tied to his belt. He walked a bit closer to Karl and said "Goodbye." Anders stabbed him in the stomach that made Karl to gasp and then he collapsed to the ground. Anders said to the group "We should leave before more Templars come…"
