Chapter 2. Read it, review it, and tell me what you people think. This is just here for people to enjoy. Enjoy! :)

NOTE: I don't own Mass Effect or Dragon Age movies go to their respective company creators.

Chapter 2: Tragedy Strikes

The next morning Hawke awoke from his pleasant sleep. The sunlight shown down through the drapes of his window. Birds chirped and sang under the glistening summer sun. He slowly rose up from his bed, yawning and stretching. Hawke then got washed up and fitted into his armor. He hindered out into the halls and down stairs into the living room. No sooner had he came down stairs, his mother Leandra comes out of her bedroom too.

"Oh! I thought you were still sleeping." Leandra smiled in surprise. "Did you have trouble falling asleep?" She asked in concern.

"No, I'm fine." Hawke gave his mother a reassuring smile.

"Are you sure? You've been acting kind of strange lately. I don't want Merrill and Varric having to worry about you." She said in concern.

"Oh stop worrying so much, Mother." Hawke chuckled. "I'll be back later." He said walking out the door to the town hall.

Hawk walked through the village towards the town hall. People were already out and about going to and fro about their daily lives. Working, eating, cleaning, delivering, and talking. When Hawke arrived at the town hall he saw Merrill was at the front the door.

"Good morning, Hawke." Merrill smiled.

"Good morning, Merrill." Hawke smiled back.

"Varric already went inside." Merrill informed.

"Well then, shall we go in?" Hawke gestured the door. Merrill nodded in response. Hawke opened the door and stood waiting. "Ladies first." He gestured.

"Why thank you kind gentleman." Merrill smiled as she walked in. Hawke fallowed.

The two of them walk in side the Captain's study room where Varric is waiting by the door.

"Hey, Hawke. The captain's waiting for you." Varric informed him. All three then went inside the captain's study, where captain Ewald himself came to them.

"Ah, there you are, Hawke." Ewald smiled. He then cleared his throat to begin his briefing. "To business, then. You made us all proud here yesterday. Repelling a bandit warlord with only the three of you, they tell me." He explains all impressed. "The townspeople wanted me to give this to you. Here, take it." Ewald hands Hawke a basket full of cooked pork and 5 bags of blueberries.

"What the…" Varric stares in disbelief. "Hey, this is Varric's favorite food! Why does he get special treatment?" He complained. Ewald only chuckled.

"It came from a 'fan' of Hawke's, that's all I know." He chuckled some more. "Well, regardless, keep up the good work, all of you." He complimented.

"It's not like we get stuff like we had yesterday very often." Varric complained. "This town'd be perfectly safe even if we sat on our asses all day."

"Varric! Knock it off!" Merrill scolded.

After the little comedic moment in the town hall Hawke and his party went out on another patrol. As usual the daily routine of life, working, eating, sleeping continued all throughout Lothering. However on one of their patrols they spotted a carrier pigeon. Hawke extended his arm and allowed the pigeon to land. He took the message attached on the leg of the pigeon off. The carrier pigeon flew off as Hawke read the note. It was from the captain Ewald. It said to get back to the town hall on the double. Hawke, Merrill, and Varric didn't waste anytime and ran back to the town hall.

Hawke and his friends ran inside the town hall where captain Ewald was waiting for them.

"You called for us, sir?" Hawke asked.

"Ah, Hawke. Good to see you here. We've got trouble. Take a look at this." Ewald held something in his hand. "A letter came in earlier." Ewald handed Hawke the letter. Merrill and Varric gathered around Hawke as he opened the letter.

Send help immediately. Mystery outbreak in Kirkwall. Residents suffering from high fever.

-Mayor of Kirkwall

"So what'll we do?" Merrill wondered.

"We go help them out, that's what!" Varric said in excitement and determination.

"The herbs that grow on the peak of Hunterhorn Mountains ought to do the trick." Merrill suggested.

"Wait!" Called a familiar female voice. A woman, a mage, came walking in.

"Bethany!" Hawke said in surprise. Bethany Hawke. Hawke's younger sister and a mage.

"Leave this matter to me." Bethany offered.

"Ms. Hawke. Will you go on our behalf?" Ewald asked out of curiosity.

"Yes. I don't think we have much to worry about with this mystery outbreak." Bethany said with confidence.

"But Bethany." Hawke stepped up. "Kirkwall isn't known for its hospitality towards mages. You know that."

"I do." Bethany nodded. "But unfortunately they lack the proper healing magic to do so. So I will offer to help."

"In that case I'll go with you." Hawke offered. "I don't want the Inner Circle laying a single finger on my sister."

"I'll be fine Hawke." She smiled sincerely. "I'm not a child any more."

"I know. I just worry."

"Much like mother." She giggled.

"Well, if the best healer in all of Lothering is on the job, it'd be a tremendous relief to all of us." Ewald smiled in agreement.

"I'll be back in a little while, all right? Stay away from Hunterhorn Mountains. It's too dangerous for you." Bethany warned her older brother in concern.

"Isn't that supposed to be what I say?" Hawke smirked. Bethany giggled and waved goodbye as she left off for Kirkwall.

Later that night Varric stood outside on night watch. But after awhile it was pass time to call it a day and head on home. Varric went back inside. Merrill was sitting on the sofa reading books while Hawke looked over the paperwork at the desk. No sooner had Varric walked inside the study, captain Ewald walked up to them.

"Well, I'm off. Have a good night."

"Yes, sir. We'll let you know if anything's up." Varric said. Ewald nodded and left the study. He was heading back home to sleep until tomorrow. Varric also saw Hawke looking out the window with a worried look on his face. "Come on, Hawke, lighten up a bit!" Varric said in chipper mood "Hawk, I know how you feel, but you've been acting weird lately. What's wrong? You can tell us." Varric offered an ear. But Hawke didn't have to say anything. Only one thing was on his mind. The safety of his sister.

Two Days Later

At the Hawke estate, Hawke was pacing around the living room. Looking anxious and worried like crazy. Merrill was sitting on the sofa near the fireplace. Just seeing Hawke all riled up was making her worried about him.

"Oh, by the Maker, Hawke! Would you please stop pacing around like that? You're driving my crazy." Merrill asked kindly.

"Bethany still hasn't come back." Hawke retorted. "That's it! I've got find her." Hawke said as he walked fast towards the door.

"You're not going, all right?" Merrill chased after him. "She said she'd call us if she needed us." (By carrier pigeon that is)

"But… but I can't just sit around and wait any more!" Hawke said with worry. When he got outside Varric was just arrived. "Varric."

"Good morning." He greeted them. Then their eyes were attracted to a carrier pigeon. Varric extended his arm and allowed the pigeon to land. He took the message attached on the leg of the pigeon off. The carrier pigeon flew off as Varric read the note.

"What's it say?" Merrill asked.

A powerful disease has struck Kirkwall. My methods are powerless against it, and even worse, I'm afraid I've contracted the disease myself. Casual skin contact is enough to spread the illness. It incubates for about an hour, but after it develops, the infected turn into stone in about three days' time. There is no hope for Kirkwall. Do not approach it under any circumstances.

-Bethany Hawk

Upon hearing this disturbing, horrifying, and tragic news, Hawke went wide-eyed in horror as he ran for the entrance of Lothering.

"Hawke! Wait!" Varric shouted. But his cry fell on deaf ears. Hawke was already out of Lothering village. "He's gonna head for Kirkwall all by himself! We've got to stop him!" Merrill nodded in agreement and they both bolted after him.

Hawke must have ran for miles non stop, and quite the speeding pace he was going. Merrill and Varric knew he was worried about his little sister and where he was going. They only hoped he wouldn't do something stupid and if they can reach him in time. However, when they were half way there to Kirkwall, Varric started to slow down and breath heavily. Merrill noticed this and stopped.

"What's wrong, Varric?" Merrill asked in concern. Though her first thought is his weight or lack of stamina.

"Nothing. It's nothing." Varric breathed and he instantly picked up his usual fast speed. Merrill thought it was strange. One moment he's tired and breathless, the next moment he's back to full energy. She thought nothing up and continued running down the path towards Kirkwall.

When they entered the gate to Kirkwall what they saw horrified them. The epidemic outbreak was worse than it sounded. Many people were turned into stone statues. Men, women, children, animals, elves, dwarves, elderly, everyone. There were a handful of people that were still alive but they looked depressed and helpless. Merrill was at a loss for words. She never seen so much sadness before in her life. So much death. Then Varric saw Hawke in the distance running towards a house.

"There's Hawke! After him!" Varric said. Merrill nodded and the two ran after him through the streets.

The house that Hawke ran inside was where his sister was staying. When Merrill and Varric ran inside, Hawke was standing there a distance from his sister. Bethany sat on a bed facing the window. Hawke then slowly approached her.

"Stay away from me!" Bethany whimpered a warning. Hawke instantly backed off. "No matter what you do, don't touch me."

"Bethany…" Hawke stared in despair.

"I am done for, Brother." Bethany whimpered.

"And you won't let me sit by your side, Bethany? I can't even hold you hand?" Hawke stared in sadness. "Maker! How could something like this happen?" He whimpered in frustration as he fell to his knees on the floor. Cursing at both the Maker and himself for this tragedy that has befallen Bethany.

"Merrill, Varric. Could you take my brother back to town for me?" Bethany asked trying to hold back her sobs. Varric slowly approached Hawk and placed a hand over his shoulder.

"Hawke, let's go." Varric said in sympathy. He felt terrible for Hawke.

"Goodbye, Brother." Bethany whimpered as she finally broke down and sobbed.

Chapter 2 Complete! Damn! Bethany is infected and can't return home. Poor Hawke. Wonder how the are gonna solve this. ALSO here's a heads up! Mass Effect characters and Dragon Afe characters will meet in the next chapter. Read it, review it, and tell me what you people think. This is just here for people to enjoy. :)