Well, would you look at that - BioShock and Dragon Age... together... yikes! I know everyone hates OC characters in popular games and stories but I couldn't resist putting Marilyn in and totally having her fall for everyone's favourite broody elf Fenris. Blaspheme I know but meh, they work I think... I hope...

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. It's not as well written as I'd like but I'll edit it later. Constructive criticism please, not random hate...


Marilyn Ann Wright peered around the blood soaked corner of the doorframe, clutching her revolver tightly in her sweaty hands. The pale wails of the monstrosities haunting the corridors of Rapture echoed around her. Her lungs took in the moist air as the bright neon lights glowed like coals, advertising the nearby Gatherer's Garden. She shivered – something wasn't right.

Barely breathing she eased into the next room while her heart rapped a violent tattoo against her ribs. It wasn't as though she was new to this. The threat of death just seemed so much closer than usual. The floor beneath her boots was coated in thick blood. She fell into a crouch, narrowing her eyes as she trailed a thin finger through the gore. It wasn't fresh, already it had clotted. She straightened and moved on.

Her ears were pricked over her frantic heartbeat for any sounds of movement. She'd long ago learnt to be stealthy in Rapture. The threat of being torn apart by a Big Daddy hung over her like death itself. She hated this but she was running low on EVE hypos – she only had two left. This was the sole reason she was out here, risking it all. She either needed to hit a storeroom or find a corpse. She prayed to find the latter. Storerooms always had a few Splicers lurking in the shadows and she did not want a confrontation.

She began up the stairs, swallowing as the cracked wood creaked under her foot. Something definitely wasn't right. It was almost too quiet. She expected to meet at least one Splicer, not just hear them in the distance. She mentally shrugged. She shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth.

Just as the thought ghosted across her mind she heard a noise. She cursed herself, flaring her Incinerate! plasmid to life while cocking her revolver. It was best to be prepared. The low rustle of movement came to her on the still air. Quietly, so quietly, she inched further up the stairs, her heart in her mouth. If she made a single sound she'd be killed. She heard a muffled curse – nothing more than a swift expel of breath – and froze, being sure to take slow deep breaths.

Her whole body was tensed to spring and for a moment the whole world became still. There was the sound of footsteps and then Marilyn flared into combat. With a roar she launched herself upwards, twisting into the gaping doorway and hurling a ball of fire at the enemy. The Splicer shrieked in pain and she summoned her wits, forcing her body to dissipate into a cloud of rose petals. She dodged around the Splicer before solidifying behind it, aiming her revolver and firing as quickly at her fingers would allow. Six, seven, eight bullets later and the Splicer collapsed to the floor with a groan of pain. Triumphant she stalked forwards and hunkered down beside the burnt corpse, sorting through its pockets and finding an assortment of life saving items. Two packs of bandages, an EVE hypo and a bar of chocolate.

She tore open the chocolate bar, stuffing it into her mouth hungrily and chewing quickly. She did not savour the taste, instead tucking the bandages and the hypo into her belt before spiriting away. She was well aware that her fight with the Splicer would not have gone unheard and sure enough she could already hear the sounds of other Splicers scurrying to investigate the source of the commotion.

Their piercing laughter made her cringe – it went through her like a cold breeze.

She streaked through the corridors, reloading her revolver quickly as she went. She was low on ammunition too. She scowled, skidding to a halt before whipping into what looked like a kitchen. She gathered as many supplies as she could, listening as the Splicers around her came to life. The splinter of gunfire echoed around her and she looked over her shoulder at the closed door, stuffing food into her backpack before zipping it up. She was too exhausted to transport herself a second time. She'd have to make her way back home on foot.

She pulled a pocket watch out of her trousers, flipping open the cracked case and peering at the time. Nightfall was only half an hour away. She had thirty minutes to get to her shelter – it would be tight but she could make it if she avoided combat. She bit her lip nervously; if she was caught outside after dark she'd be in very serious danger. The night brought worse demons than Leadhead Splicers.

Setting her mind to the task at hand she scurried out of the kitchen and made her way back the way she'd come. Her pack was heavy and she felt ill with lack of EVE. The ADAM vial on her belt was a quarter empty – hardly enough to get an upgrade – but she'd go ADAM hunting tomorrow. Now was not the right time. All in all the day had not been a good one. She only had a couple more hypos at home. Tomorrow she'd have to cast her search farther afield.

She was loping down the stairs when it happened. There was a brilliant flash of light and something exploded. With a shriek she staggered away, blinded, and fumbled for shelter. Ears ringing, she felt her way under a desk, clutching her face in one hand while the other groped hopelessly for her revolver. Raw terror writhed in her heart while her chest rose and fell in frantic breath. She blinked frantically, trying to regain her sight so she could assess the danger. The quicker she knew what she was dealing with the quicker she could scramble to safety.

Slowly, very slowly her sight returned. The white light which had rendered her sightless had faded and the explosion was no more than a resonating memory. Marilyn remained crouched under the desk and kept her eyes closed, listening intently. For a moment there was nothing and her heart began to calm.

Then something (or rather someone) groaned. Her stomach leapt up her throat and she clamped a hand over her mouth, trying to stifle each rattling breath. A clamour of voices – anger was a bright spark in a strong female's voice, guilt in a male's before a deeper growl of fury. Marilyn clenched her jaw and cursed her curiosity to the lowest pits of hell. She took a moment to summon her courage before crawling into a crouch and peering up over the tabletop. Her revolver slipped out of her sweaty hand in shock, her eyes going wide as it clattered against the floor below.


Fenris hurried after Hawke's brisk footsteps. The hair on the back of his neck prickled in something like dread; the tension that had been bubbling in Kirkwall for the past three years was reaching breaking point. And now the Knight-Commander Meredith and Orsino were having another argument. Of course Hawke had been called upon. As Champion of Kirkwall it had somehow become her duty to have a hand in social politics.

Fenris brooded all the way to the Chantry steps. He had always known it would eventually come to this – a choice between the magi and the templars. And he knew Hawke well enough to know whom she would side with. The thought of fighting alongside the magi had disgust writhing in his stomach; his lip curled. Damn his loyalty to her! He owed her his freedom and he knew he'd fight at her side. Even if she trusted mages blindly.

The sky above Kirkwall was as dark as his mood and a drop of rain hit the yellowing parchment in Hawke's clenched fist. Beside him Merrill and Varric cast nervous glances to the clouds – his sharp ears picked up the distant rumble of thunder.

"I will have the tower searched. Top to bottom!"

Fenris spied Meredith's gauntlet gesturing irritably as she glared at Orsino. The mage scowled.

"You cannot do that." He retorted, anger making the elf's ears redden. "You have no right!"

The templars stirred slightly as Meredith replied, quick as a snake. "I have every right! You are harbouring blood mages and I intend to root them out before they infect this city."

Orsino continued heatedly, "Blood magic! Where you do not see blood magic? My people cannot sneeze without you accusing them of corruption."

At this the Knight-Commander growled dangerously. "Do not trifle with me, mage. My patience is at an end."

"A wonder that I ever saw it begin!"

"Why are you fighting again?" Hawke slowed to a halt before the two, turning her head first to Meredith and then to Orsino. Bethany eyed to her, worried.

"You would have to get involved."

Fenris hovered behind Hawke with the others, watching and listening nervously as Meredith advanced. Her tone was businesslike.

"Good. You've found us."

"The Champion will not stop me. The people deserve to know just what you've done." Orsino interjected. His grey eyebrows folded over his light green eyes, the wind teasing at the fine silver hairs on his head.

"What I have done is protect the people of this city, time and time again!" Meredith snapped, twisting to Orsino like a beast being stoked. Fenris felt his eyebrow rise slightly – he knew that movement only too well. "And I will not stop doing it. I will not lower our guard, I dare not!"

"Is there any truth to what she's saying?" Hawke asked politely, her crystal blue eyes examining Orsino carefully.

"These are only her latest accusations, nothing more!" Orsino said, fisting one hand against the other to emphasize his point. "And what if she does not find what she's looking for? How much further will she go to root out something that isn't there?"

"The Champion knows better than anyone how deep the Circle's corruption goes." Meredith said. "I must find the source!"

"There must be some way we can work this out." Hawke said and Fenris twitched; she was desperately trying to sooth the situation. But it was to no avail.

"What other options do we have?" Meredith said and her tone turned sad. "Tell me, Champion, that you have not seen with your own eyes what they can do, heard the lies of mages that seek power!"

"You can't use the actions of some to condemn them all."

"You would cast us all as villains, but it is not so!" Orsino charged forwards, glaring at Meredith. She looked at him.

"I know, and it breaks my heart to do it, but we must be vigilant." At this Meredith genuinely sounded regretful. Fenris shuffled uncomfortably, sharing a knowing look with Varric. This was not going to end well. "If you cannot tell me another way, do not brand me a tyrant!"

"This is getting us nowhere." Orsino shook his head. "Grand Cleric Elthina will put a stop to this."

The two squabbling leaders turned to the Chantry steps and Hawke watched, almost bemused, as the Knight-Commander grabbed Orsino's shoulder and twisted him around roughly.

"You will not bring her Grace into this!" she snarled, her armour flashing in the night. Orsino opened his mouth to retort when another voice joined the fray. It was a voice Fenris loathed and recognised at once.

"The grand cleric cannot help you." Out of the shadows Anders crept, his staff in hand. Fenris thought he saw Hawke shudder in sudden dread. If the Abomination got involved there certainly would be trouble. Meredith was on him like a dog, her eyebrows crashing together like rocks.

"Explain yourself, mage!"

"I will not stand by and watch you treat all mages like criminals," he said, standing offensively and slamming his staff against the ground, "while those who lead us would bow to their templar jailers."

He cast a disgusted look to Orsino who took a breath. "How dare you speak to –"

"The Circle has failed us, Orsino!" Anders interrupted. "Even you should be able to see that!" He continued as Justice flared. "The time has come to act. There can be no half-measures."

"Anders, what have you done?" Hawke asked. Anders turned away, avoiding her gaze as she stared at him, concerned.

"There can be no turning back."

And then the ground shuddered. Alarmed, Fenris stared down at his feet as the rumbling got louder and louder before snapping his head up to stare at the Chantry. Red light radiated out of its windows as three beams threw themselves towards the tumultuous sky. Like some great creature the Chantry disintegrated, coiling upwards before exploding in a blinding flash of white light. A great gust of wind swept through his hair, sending him a few steps backwards with the force.
Out of the last echoes ringing in his ears, Meredith's voice reached him. It was staggered in shock. "Maker have mercy!"

Fenris looked up and his stomach dropped in horror. The Chantry was gone and for a moment no one moved. Silence fell all over Kirkwall.

"Elthina!" Sebastian cried suddenly, falling to his knees and shattering the quiet with his cry. "No! Maker, no! She was Your must faithful, Your most beloved!" He hung his head, his voice becoming desperately, sickeningly hopeful. "Maybe she wasn't there. Maybe she made it out..." Sebastian struggled to his feet with effort, his impossibly blue eyes filling with tears for the dead. He held out his hand, muttering a prayer to the Maker.

"There can be no peace." Anders whispered quietly. Raw fury coiled in Fenris' heart. Hawke was staring at the Abomination with a mixture of unveiled despair and wild agony.

"The grand cleric has been slain by magic." The Knight-Commander said with trembling certainty. "The Chantry destroyed." She paused to consider before twisting on her heel. Terrible determination was etched over her face – Fenris watched the conclusion form in her eyes. "As Knight-Commander of Kirkwall, I hereby invoke the Right of Annulment. Every mage in the Circle is to be executed – immediately!"

"The Circle didn't even do this!" Orsino cried. "Champion, you can't let her! Help us stop this madness!"

"And I demand you stand with us!" Meredith glared defiantly at Hawke, launching her request before she could reply. "Even you must see that this outrage cannot be tolerated."

Sebastian cut in, having regained his composure and was glowering at Anders with unrestrained loathing. "Why are we debating the Right of Annulment when the monster who did this is right here?" He took a step forwards, his voice becoming a growl of wrath. "I swear to you, I will kill him!"

"It can't be stopped now." Anders said and Fenris restrained the urge to leap forwards and plunge his sword deep into the Abomination's gut. How dare he speak! How dare he stand there so smugly while the ashes of the Chantry swirled like snow around them! "You have to choose."

Hawke didn't reply, staring at Anders hopelessly. Her features bled sorrow for a moment before she spoke. Her voice was hollow yet so filled with aching anguish. "I could have stopped you."

"No." Anders replied. "This had to happen."

"Do you realise what you've started here?" She retorted, angry now. Anders nodded.

"I do. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you earlier." He paused before continuing; Fenris could see he could sense the eyes of the others on him. "The Circle is an injustice, in many places beyond Kirkwall. The world needs to see."

"Elthina is not the Circle!" Sebastian shouted furiously. "She was a good woman, and you murdered her!"

"Why did you come back?" Hawke said before Anders could defend himself. "For this?"

"I removed the chance of compromise, because there is no compromise."

"You fool!" Orsino exclaimed. "You've doomed us all!"

"We were already doomed. A quick death now or a slow one later – I'd rather die fighting!" Anders set his jaw, his hand tightening slightly on his staff. Hawke shook her head, her eyebrows furrowed in anger.

"You may have turned everyone against the mages now."

"Was anyone ever with us?"

As these words passed Anders's lips Fenris felt his tattoos begin to tingle. The hairs on the back of his neck pricked and he cast a wary glance around him. A flash of lightening sliced across the sky, illuminating Hawke's armour. Almost distantly he heard her offer her support to the mages and he spoke, hearing his own voice as though from a great way away. The words made no sense on his tongue, even if they did in his head. He felt as though the world was collapsing around him and his stomach jolted again. A bolt of energy burst up his spine, sparkling to his brain and for a few heartbeats everything froze. He heard a rushing sound and then his vision went blank. He was falling, slipping out of reality and hurtling away from Kirkwall, away from Thedas and away from all he knew.