Location-Anders' Clinic, Darktown
Time-Noon
It was around noon when the trio walked into the clinic, the eldest Human had short black hair and bright blue eyes, the second Human was a young man who held a resemblance to elder human while the last member of the three was a Dwarf with no bread but some impressive chest hair. The trio looked around the clinic looking for the Grey Warden they were told about that had maps of the Deep Roads, the found the blonde man;Anders working on a young boy with his magic. When the boy woke gasping Anders slumped forward as the boy's mother took him and left, the trio approached the Mage when Anders gripped his staff and turned quickly to the threat
"I have made this place a sanctum of healing and salvation! Why do you threaten it?" he demanded
"Are you Anders?" the elder asked "My name is Garrett Hawke and this is my brother Carver and our friend Varric Tethras"
"I can introduce myself you know" Carver scoffed looking more than a little put out by his brother and that fact that he was in the presence of another Mage
"What do you want?" Anders asked glaring, Hawke as about to answer when a female voice called out
"Anders? Whats wrong?" she sounded concerned as she walked into the clinic
The trio took in the beauty of women who couldn't be more than twenty-five, she had long dark brown hair which was held up in a high pony tail at the top of her head, she had big blue eyes and had a slim yet curvaceous body. Hawke had to pull his eyes away from her ample breasts to notice what she was wearing. She wore a long sleeved white off the shoulder blouse with a dark brown corset that made her breasts stand out. The shirt was tucked into tight dark brown pants with a belt and a large belt buckle, on her feet she wore black knee high heeled lace-up boots and she also wore a dark red pirate frock.
"I'm fine, Regina" Anders as the woman, Regina, came beside him
"Who are they?" she glared at the newcomers, it was no secret in Darktown that Anders was an apostate, Regina would go to her death making sure he was not found by the wrong kind of people. The younger man looked as if he would rather be anywhere else in Thedas than be there with them.
"Their here for the Deep Roads maps" Anders replied
"Why?" Regina's eye widened
"We're part of an expedition into the Deep Roads, those maps would save time and the lives of the men and women going." the Dwarf charmed
Anders looked at Regina who shrugged, Varric was right, the maps could safe lives down there. Anders sighed an lowered his staff,
"I'd be more than happy if I never had to think about the blasted Deep Roads again. Although, a favor for a favor, does that sound fair? You help us, we'll help you " Anders nodded
"Let's be more specific. I don't do anything involving children or animals" Hawke smirked
"We came to Kirkwall to aid a friend. A Mage. A prisoner in the wretched Gallows." Anders spoke
"We planed to free him, but the Templars caught wind of it. We had been exchanging notes with Karl through a maidservant in the Gallows, then the letters stopped coming" Regina bit her lip "Help us get him to safety and you'll get your maps"
"How do you plan on breaking him out of the Gallows?" Hawke asked
"I'm hoping it wont come to that. I sent word to Karl to meet us in the Chantry tonight. Maker Willing he'll be waiting alone, but if there Templars with him, I swear I'll free him from them" Anders' eyes turned dark "Whatever the cost"
"Knight-Commander Meredith has been getting worse" Regina spoke "The Mages in the circle are being treated worse here than anywhere else in Thedas. Not to mention that Meredith doesn't need a lot of reason to invoke the rite of Tranquillity on a Mage for so much as breathing wrong"
"I would help any Mage in such circumstances, maps or not" Hawke said shocked at how bad things were in Kirkwall.
"Better make this good, we're risking a lot of we anger the Templars" Carver spoke not happy that he was helping an apostate
"You have no idea how glad I am to here you say that" Anders breathed relived "Join us outside the Chantry tonight and we'll make sure all of us walk away from this free." Hawke and the others nodded and left the clinic. Anders sat down and Regina sat in his lap
"It'll be okay, Anders" she spoke wrapping her arms around his neck as he held her waist "We'll get Karl and then the three of us will leave the Free Matches and go back to Fereldan" Anders smiled and kissed her cheek as the got ready for that night.
Location- Chantry Courtyard, Hightown
Time- Midnight
Regina and Anders stood waiting for Hawke outside the Chantry.
"I'm nervous" she admitted to her Mage friend
"It'll be okay, Darling" Anders smiled as Hawke approached with his brother and Varric
"We saw Karl go in a few minutes ago. No Templars so far. Are you ready?" Anders asked them when they were close enough
"I didn't see anyone suspicious out here. Lets make this fast" Hawke nodded
"I'm Regina by the way" Regina piped up remembering that she never actually introduced herself "Regina Rodriguez"
They turned to Chantry and made their way to the doors. Once in the Chantry the group made their way through the large temple of peace to find Karl, they walked up the stairs
"It's quiet" Regina commented "Too Quiet"
They walked further, staying alert for any Templars
A man stood with his back to the group, he wore grey circle robes
"Anders, Regina I know you both too well. I knew you would never give up" Karl spoke but it was toneless
"What's wrong? Why are you talking like-" Anders was cut off when Karl turned around showing the group the sign of Tranquil on his forehead. Regina stepped back into Anders' chest shocked and saddened
"I was too rebellious. Like you." he spoke to Anders "The Templars knew I had to be...made an example off"
"No!" Anders cried out as Regina was frozen in shock
"How else will Mages ever master themselves? You'll understand, Anders. As soon as the Templars teach you to control yourself" Karl spoke as Templars crept from the shadows, surrounding the group making Regina snap out of her shocked state and draw her black katana from her side "This is the apostate and his friend"
A puff of black smoke erupted from Anders as his eyes flashed blue
"No!" he screamed and bent over. Regina stood by not interfering, Justice had his own mind. Anders stood back back and blue flames surrounded him for a moment. When they disappeared Anders stood with glowing bright blue eyes with similar glowing blue lines across his body. When Anders next spoke, his voice was deeper than before and held a rather sinister edge to it
"You will never take another Mage as you took him!" he shouted as the Templars attacked the group.
As the group worked together to dispose of the Templars, it seemed that every time a Templar was killed, two more appeared. Garrett used his magic with Anders while Carver and Regina slashed and stabbed with their swords and Varric using his crossbow. Once the Templars were dead, Anders became himself again and Karl spoke normally
"I-Anders, what did you do?" Karl asked frightened. Regina smiled and hugged Karl tightly who returned the gesture firmly "It's like you brought a piece of the Fade into this world. I had already forgotten what that feels like"
"I thought the Tranquil were cut off from the fade forever" Hawke spoke
"When you're Tranquil, you never think on you life before, but... it's like the Fade itself is inside Anders. Burning like a sun. Please kill me before I forget again!" Karl said panicked "I don't know how you brought it back, but it's fading!"
"Maybe we can find a cure" Hawke spoke
"Can you cure a beheading?" Regain spoke, her voice small with fear for her friend "The dreams of Tranquil Mages are severed-there is nothing left of them to fix"
"I would rather die a Mage, than live as a Templar puppet" Karl said firmly, he had yet to realise his hold on Regina, he was clutching her to him
"The Tranquil I've met seem content with their lot. Maybe it's not that bad" Hawke suggested
"You have no idea" Anders scoffed "Your emotions, your dreams, everything-stripped away on someone's whim! If I were made Tranquil, I would wish for a friend compassionate enough to kill me" he turned to Karl who let Regina go once he kissed her head for a final time "Karl I'm sorry-"
"Now!" Karl called startled "It's fading...Why do you look at me like that?" Regina sobbed into her hands as Karl's voice became toneless once again. Varric who stood beside her put his hand on her back as a show of sympathy as they watched Anders approach Karl
"Goodbye" Anders said sadly as he stabbed his friend through the gut with a dagger, he stepped away as Karl's body fell to the ground. Regina huddled into Anders when the Mage put his around around her "We should go before more Templars come"
Location- Anders' Clinic, Darktown
Time- Shortly after Karl's death
Regina sat on a chair with a blanket over her, dried tears on her face while Anders paced. Hawke walked in and threw a solemn glance at the young girl in the corner before speaking
"That wasn't normal magic what you just did, was it?" his tone was firm
"I...This is hard to explain. When we" he gestured to Regina and himself "were in Amaranthine, I met a spirit of Justice who was trapped outside the Fade. We became friends. He understood the injustice that Mages in Thedas face everyday"
"And that's...different than a demon?" Hawke asked uncertainly
"Just as demons who pray on the deadly sins of mankind, there are good spirits who embody our virtues. Spirits of compassion, fortitude...justice. They are the Maker's first children, and they have all but given up on us." Anders explained as he watched Regina worriedly as she was still sniffing into her blanket
"This spirit sounds like a useful friend to have" Hawke nodded
"He was far better to me than I have been to him" Anders sighed "To live outside the Fade, he needed a host. I offered to help him...we were going to work together, bring justice to every child that was ripped away from his mother to be sent to the circle. But... I guess I had too much anger. Once he was inside me he...changed"
"So you have this spirit of Justice living inside your head?" Hawke asked
"It's not like that. He's gone now. He's part of me. It's not like we can... have a conversion. I feel his thoughts as my own. Not even the greatest scholar could tell you where I end and he begins"
"This is obviously difficult for you" Hawke said feeling slightly sorry he brought it up
"For him?" Carver scoffed "We'll be hunted for sure now" making Regina glare at him for the comment
"I thought I was helping my friend. He would have...died, I guess. If that even means anything. And he wanted to help me. He what Mages have suffered. But my anger...when I see Templars now, things that have always outraged me, but I could never do anything about... He comes out and he is no longer my friend Justice, but a force of Vengeance. And he has no grasp of Mercy." Anders looked down, but he looked up when Regina huddled herself against him again
"Can Justice ever be separated from you?" Hawke questioned smiling when he saw Anders relax at Regina's touch
"I don't think so. The only way a spirit has ever been separated from a living host is by it's death. The curse is of my own making. All I can do now is hope to control it." Anders hugged Regina to him and smiled at her when she kissed his cheek
"Is there anything I can do for you?" Hawke asked
"Your the first person I ever told this. Regina doesn't count as she was there with me. Thanks for not running away." Regina smiled at Hawke
"Our maps are yours. As are we, is you wish us on your expedition" she spoke
"I thought I was done with the Grey Wardens, but if you have need of me. We'll be here." Anders spoke before Hawke and the others left.
"Come on" Regina pulled Anders gently to the back of the Clinic "Let go to bed" they undressed and climbed into the ratty double bed before they drifted off to sleep, but they were plagued by nightmares of Karl, Templars and losing each other.