Dragon Age Origins and II belong to Electronic Arts and Bioware.

The Maker's Mercy

As the draught that Avernus had concocted slid down Anders' throat, he instantly felt an odd sort of burning filling his entire body. The feeling was strange; a typical burning sensation ached with pain and agony, but this was almost pleasant. It reminded him of a mother's embrace, or a familiar friend. He almost liked it. It raged on within his belly, and he could feel the burning glow seeking out the taint that corrupted his blood and obliterating it. With each passing second, the darkness that had veiled his world for seven years was replaced by a soft warmth that filled his chest and traveled through the rest of his body.

The effects of the potion eventually permeated so deep into him that it was affecting the spiritual bond that was formed with Justice. Anders could feel his connection to the fade waning, and not at all in the sense that he assumed would be like being made Tranquil. Justice's thoughts became muddled and convoluted in his head, much like white noise buzzing in his ears. It made him feel physically ill, the noise and the severed connection, which caused the man to double over as if he were going to vomit.

However accepting Anders was to what was happening, Justice was not going to be complacent. His host was weakened from the potion, which gave the spirit ample opportunity to take control and attempt to stave this off. Anders' body took on the familiar electric blue that he always did when Justice was in command, but the spirit had become erratic in anguish. His words came out as horrifying gurgles of pain as control rapidly fazed between him and Anders. He tried to hold, to remain in the body that he had known all of these years, but the draught was making it impossible. There was still too much for him to accomplish, Justice knew; the Chantry was just the first of many radical actions he had sought to convince his host of doing.

With a loud cracking noise, Anders' body begun to glow more intensely, until it lit up the outlying streets entirely with its ethereal glow. Everyone was blinded, and were forced to shield their eyes from the menacing lights. Soon, the light faded, and the mage collapsed into the cobblestone street face-first. If not for the rapid repetitions of his chest rising and falling against the ground with breathing, he would have appeared dead.

Hawke ran to her lover's side and slid to her knees. Her whole body was trembling from what she had just witnessed, and was still trying to make sense of it all. But, judging by the looks on everyone else's faces as she surveyed her friends, acquaintances, and people that she really didn't know, they were all facing the same confusion that she was. "Anders?" She questioned as she attempted to roll him over onto his back. He was heavier than he looked, though, and he wasn't exactly being the most helpful. When he was moved, the woman felt the caress of his hot breath on her skin, quelling her fears of his demise. She carefully swept away a lock of his hair that had fallen free of his ponytail in the commotion. At least he was alive, she told herself. That in itself was more than she could ever ask for.

Moments later, Anders' chocolate eyes fluttered open. He looked about quizzically, as though he was suspicious of his surroundings. Eventually, he sat up, his hands exploring his chest and face in curiosity. Something was different to him, and it was evidently obvious by the wide-eyed innocence that seemed to overtake his expression as he inhaled deeply. "He's…he's gone." Humored Anders shakily. His eyes befell Hawke, and in the heat of the moment, he couldn't resist but planting a firm kiss on her slightly parted lips in celebration. "He's gone!" Repeated the man in his exuberance.

Anders bolted to his feet and made an instant bee-line to Lyna, who he hugged tightly. For the first time in seven years, there was no darkness, no other person poisoning his thoughts with corrupt ones. And, for the first time, he truly understood how he himself felt on so many of the issues that he had faced in Kirkwall, but was jaded as a result of his 'passenger'. He whirled around his Warden-Commander as he lifted her up off of the ground in elation, but it wasn't that hard considering she was a petite elf. "Thank you, Lyna. I mean it. Thank you. I've been living in fear of myself all this time, afraid of what I would do to someone if he came out. But, not anymore." This implications that this development made about his relationship with Hawke were pretty staggering as well. He had feared not being able to give her a normal life because of Justice and because of the taint. Now, though, the only thing that was hindering them was his mage blood. And, as far as it was concerned to her, that was child's play.

"Don't thank me; thank your god for feeling that blowing up a Chantry was a small offense." Lyna joked lightly, mainly as it really meant nothing to her. Human and Dwarven religion were not her own, so she had no feelings towards their locations of worship. If her girlfriend were there, however, she could picture a slew of colorful insults uttered in her cute Orlesian accent, but that was not that point. "But, I believe that your lady has a date with Knight-Commander Meredith, so we should probably sort that out." The usage of the word 'we' was intentional, seeing as she planned on staying on through the end of the battle. And, based on the looks on Nathaniel's and Bethany's faces, they did as well. Stroud, as it was, seemed to already be making his escape, and without the other two Wardens. Lyna didn't really blame him; if she weren't tied to this issue due to her connection to Anders, Merrill, and Isabela (and in some sense, Bethany and Nathaniel), she probably would have left the fighting in the capable hands of Hawke.

Sebastian, on the other hand, was not as joyous about Anders being alive. His face was stained with the fresh tears he had shed for Elthina, and was not going to stand by idly as the man responsible for her death was allowed to walk free because some potion worked. He didn't care if Hawke loved him, or that other than that, he had been a good man; someone was going to pay for the Grand Cleric's death. He advanced upon Hawke, who had since returned to her feet, in a rage. His blue eyes burned intensely as he stared her down. "Anders must pay for his crimes now." He demanded coldly, neglecting his usual warmth in his time of fury.

"No, he doesn't." Responded the woman in the same tone of voice that the Prince of Starkhaven had taken with her. "I had decided that we would let the draught choose his fate, and it did; the Maker has spoken, Sebastian, and the Maker has sided with him on this matter." Her arms folded over her chest as she spoke, projecting the seriousness in her tone. While she understood his upset, she also sympathized with Anders' reasoning. Hawke was a mage at heart, even if her fingers couldn't weave magic, so she felt that if push came to shove, she would have probably made the same decision.

The ordained brother's brows furrowed at the response he received. Hawke was normally a rational woman, one who looked out for the greater good. But, here she was, putting her own needs and desires above the need to avenge Elthina because she would be upset to have to kill her boyfriend. "You have to reconsider, Hawke!" He pleaded. "Doesn't the Grand Cleric deserve her revenge?"

"And where will that end, Sebastian? Where will it end? If Anders is killed for killing Elthina, do I get to call for revenge and kill the person who did that to him? And what about that person? And my family? Don't you see? If we don't break the cycle now, people will be exacting their revenge for years to come, and over a matter that they will probably have long forgotten." Somehow, Hawke expected it to be Fenris to have something to say about her leaving his fate up to a draught, but the elf was oddly silent on the matter.

"Fine, you go and live happily with your precious Anders; start a family." Sebastian's words came out more as a growl than actual speech as he glowered at Hawke. She clearly was beyond reason, so he would have to make her see just how her choice would affect her life. "But know that I will return to Starkhaven, and I will rally my army and we will hunt him down. If I have to tear apart the whole of Thedas in my pursuit, I will."

The words that Sebastian hissed triggered a response in Hawke. Normally, she believed that threats were useless, and that problems should be worked out before grabbing for weapons. But, no one blustered Anders without her having a few choice things to say and to do to them. "You go and get your army, and tell them how you abandoned your people in order to hide in the Chantry that was decimated. Don't for one second think that I would eagerly sacrifice him to you if you find him; the Maker himself would have to strike me down for you to be successful."

In his rage, Sebastian skulked off. Though Aveline and Fenris were rather upset that Anders had survived the endeavor, seeing as both of them felt as though he deserved to die for what he did, they did not question Hawke's judgment on the matter. Rather, everyone gathered their arms and headed off towards the Gallows, where Meredith was waiting.

In the wake of the carnage, everyone looked over Meredith's disfigured corpse. Her face was twisted into a grotesque shriek of defeat, every bit of her skin taking on the same burnt, blackish-red that her once mighty lyrium sword had. Every soul in the area was much too horrified by the sight to brave stepping closer. That was, except the Templars, who, in their confusion, circled around their fallen leader to examine her corpse.

Hawke and her friends had since fled the blood-soaked field and were camping out near Sundermount. It was evident that there would be nowhere in Kirkwall for them, at least, not currently. And, now that the people of the city were waking up, word was probably getting out that their Champion had killed the Knight-Commander because she sided with her apostate boyfriend who also blew up their Chantry. That, in no way, was good for her reputation.

Both Hawke and Lyna were having trouble sleeping, seeing as the group had agreed to stopping around afternoon for a rest, and most of which had fallen asleep. The Dalish woman took this time to approach the human. She had been thinking, since the finale of the battle, that Anders probably wanted something of a normal life with this woman now, but it seemed a bit unattainable at the moment. Still, she thought that she could weave her Warden's magic once more and give them both the happy ending that she felt that they rightfully deserved. Her eyes turned to Hawke, who was examining a fresh wound she had received from the fighting earlier. "Have you ever thought of just running? Starting new somewhere? Now that Anders is normal again…well, as normal as he could ever be, the two of you could leave and start fresh."

When spoken to, Hawke's attention instantly snapped from her wound to the elven woman. She would be lying if she said that she didn't wonder what life with Anders would be like if there were no Justice and no taint. Now that it was there, she had no idea what to make of it. "Running seemed impossible when you've fallen head over heels with a man determined to stick his nose in the business of every Templar of Kirkwall, but I imagine that it's different now." Hawke shrugged, a light smile crossed her lips as she thought. "I don't think I would mind so much if I had the normal things, you know, starting a family and all that. But, I don't know how to start over."

Lyna smirked at the answer she received, finding that fortune was definitely favoring this woman. "Just go, then, both of you. Create a new identity and start again. I'll tell anyone who asks that you died. But, you need to get Anders up and go. Now."

The two women discussed a location where they could start anew. When they had come to an agreement, Hawke packed what few possessions she had and woke the male mage. They left without waking the others, leaving the explanation of their whereabouts to Lyna. Hours later, when everyone else woke, the Dalish woman told them the truth, that she had told them to leave. She practiced discretion, however, and did not disclose a location, but instead, offered to relay any messages that the remaining may have had to them personally.

Lyna kept good on her word to keep in contact with Anders and Hawke, who had since taken on new identities. Several times a year, she would pay them a visit in the rebuilt village of Lothering where they lived. And, every time she visited, there was seemingly a new child on the way. Bethany and Nathaniel were also trusted with the secret of their location, and took every opportunity to spoil the many little ones that filled the house. The Dalish often joked on her visits that they would never notice if she took one of the smaller children for her and Leliana to raise as their own. Under Lyna's orders, the Wardens made sure that the Templars never caught wind of the family.