It was a few minutes before midnight when Anders arrived at the Chantry. There was no sign of Karl or of Marian and her friends. At first, he was not sure if anyone was coming, but then out of the corner of his eye, Anders saw Karl heading toward the house of worship. Before Karl could get a good look at him, the mage hid behind the closest pillar, more to make sure that Karl was not leading helping the Templars with a trap than anything else.

Karl walked right past Anders hiding place and entered the Chantry. Anders waited for a few minutes, and there was no sign of either Marian or Templars. The mage was just about to enter the Chantry believing that neither would show when he heard voices.

"You could have just blasted them with a fireball, Hawke," stated Varric's voice, or what Anders thought was Varric's voice.

"Yes, I could have," Marian's voice retorted. "But that could attract half of the Templars in Kirkwall, and last time I checked, we are trying to avoid attracting Templars tonight."

Anders saw Marian, Carver, and Varric walk up the stairs to the Chantry. All three, especially Marian, had large amounts of blood on their clothes. For some reason, the appearance of so much blood on Marian made him feel uneasy.

"Maker's breath! What happened to you?" Anders walked over to Marian. "Are any of you hurt?"

"No need to worry, Anders," Marian said with that same smile that she gave him at his clinic. "It wasn't the Templars, just an old headache."

"Which could have ended faster if you used magic," Carver stated, giving Marian a harsh glance. "But then again, the Coterie wouldn't be setting traps for us if someone didn't keep stealing from them."

Marian sighed and turned to her brother. "I only stole from them a couple of dozen times which is no reason make it personal. Plus, we were working for Athenril at the time."

"I am sorry, Anders," She turned back to the mage, with a hint of regret in her eyes. "Has Karl arrived yet?"

"Yes," Anders heard Justice chide him for momentarily forgetting about Karl. "I saw Karl go inside a few minutes ago. No Templars so far."

"Are you ready or are you waiting for Aveline?" Anders asked, taking a look around for the guardswoman.

"She wasn't able to come," Marian answered. "And I didn't see anyone suspicious on the way here."

"Except for those who just tried to kill us," Varric sarcastically added.

"They don't count," Marian said with a cocky smile. "To count, they have to be an actual threat. Let's get this over with."

Anders nodded. "Alright. I'll do the talking, while you watch for Templars."

With that, Anders opened the door to the Chantry, and the four of them entered the house of worship. The huge wooden door led to a large, dimly lit, open hall. There were four golden statues of Andraste's followers flanked the hall with swords held aloft with orbs of burning incense hanging from them. The walls and floor was made of fine marble which all led to a giant gold statue of Andraste herself clad in armor holding a sword in the sanctuary where the Grad Cleric would preach to the people. Near the sanctuary, there were staircases leading toward other parts of the Chantry. Anders had to admit that the place was beautiful.

However, in the corner of his eye, Anders saw Marian give a small shudder and she kept her eyes down. Neither Varric nor Carver seemed to notice Marian's apparent discomfort. I wonder what is wrong. Anders thought.

"Are you alright?" Anders whispered to Marian hoping that the other two couldn't hear.

"I'm fine," Marian replied quickly in a hushed voice. "It just feels a little creepy in here without anyone else around."

Anders knew that she was lying. He did not know how he knew, but he did. The mage chose not to press the issue. She is a mage after all, and she must see this place as a symbol of oppression. Anders thought as the four of them walked down the large hall.

Changing the subject, Anders said, in a voice load enough for the others to hear as well. "When we find Karl, just let me talk to him."

"Where are we meeting him," Marian asked.

"Just up these stairs," Anders pointed at the staircase to the right of them just before the sanctuary.

Anders led the way up the pristine stairs. Once up the stairs, Anders saw Karl standing in front of a small shrine where people would light candles to represent dead loved ones who had passed on. Karl was standing alone his dark mage robes off set his salt-and-pepper hair. Best of all there was no sign of any Templars in sight.

"Karl," Anders called out to his friends walking toward his friend with the others following in toe.

"Anders I know you too well," Karl flatly stated not turning to look at Anders. "I knew you would never give up."

"What's wrong?" Anders asked, knowing this was not how Karl usually spoke. "Why are you talking like…"

Karl then turned around, and Anders saw the brand of the Tranquil on Karl's forehead. "I was too rebellious, like you. The Templars knew I had to be made an example of."

"No," Anders could not believe it.

"How else will mages ever master themselves?" Karl stated, his voice never changing from that flat, deadpan tone. "You understand Anders, once the Templars teach you to control yourself."

"Templars!" Marian called, reaching for her dagger.

Anders looked at the seven Templars coming up the stairs. They must have set this up to trap us! Anders thought, or Justice said. He was not sure where the thought came from. Justice's anger swelled up in Anders blurring his vision.

"This is the apostate," Karl pointed at Anders.

"NO!" Anders shouted, Justice taking over. "You will not take another mage as you took him!"

The next thing that Anders knew, the Templars were all dead with Carver and Varric standing as far away from his as they were able. The mage could see the fear in their eyes. Marian, however, was removing her dagger from the throat of a nearby Templar, not seeming to mind Anders at all.

"Anders, what did you do?" Karl's shaken voice questioned. "It's like you brought a piece of the Fade back into this world."

Anders turned to face his friend. The light was back in Karl's eyes, and he looked around ass if not sure how he got there. The brand that was on his forehead had vanished completely. Somehow, Karl was back to normal. Marian walked over to Karl with a look of utter confusion on her face.

"I'm not sure what to be more confused about," Marian looked at Anders and Karl trying to take in what she was seeing. "The glowing eyes thing or a Tranquil not being a Tranquil anymore."

"When you are Tranquil, you never think of your life before," Karl said, giving Anders a strange look. "But, it is like the Fade itself is inside Anders. Burning like a sun."

Anders saw the brand slowly start to reappear.

"Please, kill me before I forget again!" Karl pleaded. "I don't know how you brought it back, but it's fading."

"Karl, no," Anders could not kill his friend.

"Maybe we can cure him," Marian suggested.

"Can you cure a beheading?" Anders looked at Marian. "The dreams of Tranquil mages are severed. There is nothing in them to fix."

"Anders," Karl put his hand on Anders's shoulder. "I would rather die a mage than live as a Templar puppet."

Anders looked at his friend. The brand was almost completely back now.

"I would rather die than be Tranquil," Marian gave Anders a pleading look. "Help him or let me."

"I got here too late," Anders pulled out a small dagger from his robes. "I'm sorry Karl. I'm so sorry."

"Now! It's fading…" Karl's brand was back now, and the light in his eyes was gone. "Why do you look at me like that?"

Anders plunged his dagger into Karl's heart. "Good-bye."

Anders turned to the others. "We should leave before more Templars come."

Marian placed her hand on Anders shoulder. "Are you going to be alright?"

"I just need to be alone for while," Anders answered, walking towards the exit.