And here is the next chapter (: Typing so fast yay!

As Neria turned around from closing the door Jowan stood in front of her, "whoa!" Neria threw her hand to her chest, "you scared me, are you following me? I… What are you doing here?"

"Oh I'm glad I caught up with you," Jowan smiled weakly at Neria, who crossed her arms and frowned at him, but he continued talking, "I need to talk to you, do you remember what we discussed… This morning?"

"What? Yes, but we talked about different things… Be specific Jowan."

"We can't talk her, look I'll explain, if you just come with me."

"You're worrying me Jowan…"

"I've been troubled… I'll explain. Come with me please."

"Fine, but you better have a good reason for this," Neria clipped Jowan round the ear then nudged him to move along.

Neria followed Jowan to the Circle chapel, he stood next to a small girl, with short brown hair and a dainty, gentle face.

"Um, who are you?" Asked Neria looking at the girl.

"A few months ago I told you that I met a girl," Jowan grabbed the girl's hand, "Neria… This is Lily."

"Oh, but she's an initiate, its…" Neria stopped and thought of her love for Cullen, "my condolences Lily."

"Very funny…"

"No I mean it. I'm truly happy for you both."

"But there's something else," Jowan dropped his head, "remember I said that I didn't think they wanted to give me my Harrowing?"

Neria nodded slowly, "yes….?"

"I know why… They want to make me tranquil."

"What? No…. They wouldn't,"

"They'll take everything that I am from me! My dreams, hopes, fears… My love for Lily. All gone…"

"Oh Jowan… I'm so sorry. I - -"

"They'll extinguish my humanity. I'll just be a husk. Breathing and existing, but not truly living."

"But why would they do this?"

"There's a rumour about me… People think I'm a Blood Mage."

"But you're not."

"I need to escape. I need to destroy my phylactery. Without it, they can't track me down."

"Say you'll help us… And we'll tell you our plan."

"Anything for you Jowan, you've been a good friend to me."

"I can get us into the repository. But there is a problem," said Lily.

"Oh great, what?" sighed Neria.

"There are two locks on the phylactery chamber door. The First-Enchanter and Knight-Commander each hold one key. But it is just a door. There is power enough in this place to destroy all of Ferelden. What's a door to mages?"

"Wait… Are you suggesting we, break through… This door?"

"Yes, if you could find a rod of fire, that would break through the lock… I'm sure of it," grinned Jowan.

"I'll try and look for one, they're bound to have one in the stockroom right?"

"Thank you Neria," smiled Lily.

Neria walked away, sighing at what she had agreed to.

As Neria approached the stockroom, she noticed how Owain was stood next to the store room archway, motionless, staring straight ahead, a cold and empty gaze. Neria stood in front of him, "Um, hello… Owain?"

Owain changed his focus onto Neria, "welcome to the Circle's stockroom of magical items. My name is Owain. How may I assist you?"

"I'm after a roc of fire, I need one."

"Rods of fire serve many purposes. Why do you wish to acquire this particular item?"

"I need it for studying… fire and burning… things."

Owain rummaged through a box behind him, Neria smiled, happy he was going to give her the rod so easily, her smile was lost when he handed her a piece of paper, "here is the form - - 'Request Rod of Fire.' Have it signed and dated by a senior enchanter. I will release the rod once you have the signed form."

Owain went back to staring at the wall, while Neria was still staring at him with her mouth open in disbelief, "unbelievable," she muttered. She dragged her feet along the floor as she made her way to the senior mages library. As she stepped through the door, she noticed Duncan standing in the library, she smiled and quickly trotted over to him, tapping him on the shoulder, "hi!" she beamed up at him.

Duncan turned around to look at her, smiling, "hello again my young friend. I hardly expected to meet you here."

Neria frowned, "what? Am I not allowed to be in the library?"

Duncan laughed at her, "of course. You are. I enjoy perusing the wealth of knowledge here, myself."

"Oh, right. Are you looking for anything in particular?"

"Perhaps, I shan't bore you with the details though," Duncan frowned at her, "you seem… preoccupied. Might I ask what you're doing?"

"Not much, I've got a free day so when I passed the library, I thought, 'why not go read a book'… I'm just browsing really," smiled innocently.

"If you might indulge me, I'd like to ask you about the Circle?"

"Um, sure, but I thought you would already know a lot about it here…"

"Well, mages like yourself must have opinions on current affairs, such as the war. As you know the King is gathering an army."

"Yes?"

"Unfortunately men with pikes and swords are hardly a match for those who can control the primal forces of nature. Use must be busy, I will return to looking at the books."

Neria nodded and looked over at the elderly mage in the corner, he was old and no doubt a senior enchanter, "Um, excuse me?"

The mage turned around and eyes Neria up and down, "um… hello , I don't believe we've met, are you new to the Circle?"

"No sir, but I was wondering if you could sign this," she handed him the form.

"What's this? A request form from the stockroom, 'Rod of Fire'? I remember when the junior mages I mentored asked for some of those. Turns out they were burning holes in each others trousers," the old mage began to laugh, "one boy burnt a peep hole into the female apprentices dormitory!" he let out a loud and booming laugh, "you're not involved in any such rubbish are you? No… Of course you're not, look at you. So angelic." Neria smiled weakly at him, "well I won't ask why you need it. Tower's to boring lately. Tell you what, I'll put my name on this form…like so. And if you get a chance… Burn a big hole in thee seat of the trousers of the templar that patrols this library. Do that for old Sweeney won't you? Bastards always giving me the stink-eye."

Neria laughed with him, "I'll see if I can manage that."

"You be on your way now…"

"I've got the rod of fire," Neria shoved it into Jowan's hands.

"That was quick!" Jowan grinned.

"To the repository then? Freedom awaits," Lily smiled at me.

Lily lead Jowan and Neria down into the basement, where the first door stood,

"The Chantry calls this entrance 'The Victims Door.' It is built of two hundred and seventy-seven planks, one for each original templar. It is a reminder of all the dangers those cursed with magic pose," explained Lily.

"And how'd we get past this door then?" asked Neria.

The doors can be opened only by a templar and a mage, entering together… The Chantry provides the password, which primes the ward, and the mage touches it with mana to release it."

"So what do we do?"

"First… the password." Lily turned to the door and stuck her hand out towards it, "'Sword of the Maker, Tears of the Fade."

"What now?" asked Jowan.

Lily turned back to face Neria and Jowan, "the password only primes the door. Now it must feel the touch of mana. Any spell will do, but hurry."

Neria stuck her arms out to the door and closed her eyes, light streaming from her hands. The door lock clicked and opened.

"This way," Lily ran through the door, dragging Jowan, she stopped at the second door.

"Do you have the rod with you? Melt the locks off!" cried Jowan.

Neria touched the locks with the rod of fire. Nothing happened.

"What's the matter?" Lily's voice was slightly panicked, "Why isn't it working?"

Neria touched the lock with the rod again, "I don't know!"

"Lily… Something's not right. I… I can't cast spells here. Nothing is working…" worried Jowan.

Lily ran her hand over the door, "these wards carved into the stone… this must be the templars' work. They negate any magic cast within this area." Lily sighed, "I should of guessed! Why would Greagoir and Irving use simple keys for such a door? Because magical keys don't work!"

"How do you keep mages away from something…" said Jowan

"Make their powers completely worthless," Neria said in a monotone.

"That's it then, we're finished. We can't get in" cried Lily, dropping to the floor.

Neria pulled Lily back up, "there must be another entrance."

Lily looked at the door down the corridor, "you mean that door?"

"That door properly leads to another part of the repository. What are the chances of there being another entrance?" asked Jowan.

"Well, I'm going to try, you can either leave, stay here, or help Jowan…" Neria began to walk towards the door. Lily and Jowan followed as Neria stepped through the door.

They ran into the repository, it was full of artifacts and bookcases, from different ages and places. "That wall looks like it's about to fall down, the one behind that bookcase. Neria, Lily, help me move it." Jowan ran to the bookcase and began to pull it out of the way.

"We should be able to find something that can knock some of the bricks loose." said Jowan as he touched the wall.

Neria looked at the Mabari statue facing the wall, "Jowan, move…" she put the rod against the statue, transmitting the fire into it, causing it to spout out at the wall, knocking most of it down.

Jowan smiled and stepped through the hole into the phylactery room.

"We must find Jowan phylactery, quickly." cried Lily.

"Then lets look for it, up there…" Neria pointed up the stairs to the shelves full of phylacteries. All three ran to different shelves rummaging through them

"Hurry…" exclaimed Lily.

Neria held up a phylactery.

"That's my phylactery! You found it!" Jowan took it from Neria's hands, "I can't believe this tiny vial stands between me and freedom." Jowan stared into the vial as if possessed by freedom, "So fragile, so easy just to be rid of it… To end it's hold over me…" He dropped the vial. It smashed on the floor and Jowan's blood began to seep out. "And I'm free…"

"Then can we go? Please…" pleaded Neria.

Neria round down the stairs and over to the second door, "maybe we can open it from this side," Neria placed her hand on the handle and pushed down hard, releasing the latch and opening the door, "come on, we need to get you out of the Circle. Neria fled to the door to the first floor, with Jowan and Lily closely behind.

Neria burst though the door, Greagoir, Irving and another templar were standing just outside.

"So what you said is true, Irving," said Greagoir.

"G-Greagoir…" stuttered Lily.

"An initiate conspiring with a blood mage. I'm disappointed Lily."

Lily's mouth opened n disbelief at the word blood mage.

"She seems shocked." Greagoir said as he moved closer to her, "but fully in control of her own mind. Not a thrall of the blood mage then." He moved back to Irving, "you were right Irving, the initiate has betrayed us. The Chantry will not let this go unpunished. And this one" Greagoir point at Neria, "newly a mage and already flouting the rules of the Circle. "

"Irving shook his head, "I'm disappointed in you. You could have told me what you knew of this plan, and you didn't. "

"You don't care for the mages! You just bow to the Chantry's every whim!" shouted Jowan.

Neria reached out to pull Jowan back, "Jowan please, don't make things worse."

"Enough!" bellowed Greagoir, "as Knight-Commander of the templars here assembled, I sentence this blood mage to death."

"What!" exclaimed Neria.

"No! He's not a blood mage!" cried Lily.

"And this initiate has scorned the Chantry and her vows. Take her to Aeonar." commanded Greagoir.

Two templars advanced towards Lily, reaching out to grab her ,"not the mages prison, no…" she cried.

Jowan stepped in front of Lily, reaching for a knife in his pocket, "no! I won't let you touch her!" stabbing himself in his hand, and cloud of blood formed around him, Lily and Neria backed away cautiously. Jowan raised his arms and shot the blood forward, knocking Greagoi, Irving and the templars down.

"By the Maker…" Lily began, "blood magic! H-how could you? You said you never…"

"I admit I… dabbled. I thought it would make me a better mage!"

Lily kept backing away, "blood magic is evil, Jowan. It corrupts people… changes them…"

"I'm going to give it up. All magic. I just want to be with you, Lily. Please, come with me…" Jowan reached a hand out to Lily.

Lily grabbed her hand and pulled them to her chest, away from Jowan, "I trusted you. I was ready to sacrifice everything for you… I… don't know who you are, blood mage." Lily threw her hand out to push Jowan back, "stay away from me!"

Jowan looked at the floor, "I love you, Lily," he ran out of the Circle doors into the outside world.

Lily, broke down and sat curled up on the floor. Neria ran to Irving, "Irving… are you alright?"

He looked up at her, "where's Greagoir?"

Greagoir clambered up behind Irving, "I knew it… Blood magic. But to overcome so many… I never thought him capable of such power…"

"I swear I knew nothing of this…" Neria cried, "he lied to me!"

Irving put his hand on Neria's shoulder, "none of us expected this. Are you alright Greagoir?"

"As good as can be expected, given the circumstances! If you had let me act sooner, this would not of happened! Now we have a blood mage on the loose, and no way to track him down. Where is the girl?" Greagoir looked around for Lily.

"I-I'm here, ser." she said standing up, her face pale with shock and her eyes red from crying.

"You helped a blood mage. Look at all he's hurt!"

Neria stepped in front of Greagoir, "wait! Lily didn't know Jowan was a blood mage!"

Greagoir pushed Neria out of the way, "get her out of my sight," he pointed at Lily. "And you!" Greagoir advanced over to Neria, "you know why the repository exists . Some artifacts- - some magics - -are locked away for a reason!"

"Did you take anything important from the repository?" asked Irving.

"No?" said Neria.

"Very well, I believe you."

"But your antics have made a mockery of the Circle! Ah… what are we to do with you?" questioned Greagoir.

"But I had no idea he was a blood mage… It's not my fault!"

"And you think this excuses you? You helped a blood mage escape." He poked Neria hard, "all our prevention measures for naught- - because of you!"

Duncan approached them from behind, "Knight-Commander, if I may… I am not only looking for mages to join the king's army. I am also recruiting for the Grey Wardens." He placed his hands on Neria's shoulders, "Irving spoke highly of this mage, and I would like her to join the Warden ranks."

Neria's eyes lit up.

"Duncan…" said Irving, "this mage has assisted a maleficar, and shown lack of regards to the Circles rules."

Neria's face saddened.

Greagoir pointed at her, his voice vicious, "She is a danger. To all of us!"

"It is a rare person who risks all for a friend in need," assured Duncan, "I stand by my decision. I will recruit this mage."

"No!" cried Greagoir, "I refuse to let this go unpunished."

"Me a Grey Warden, this is… I have to go…" pleaded Neria.

"Greagoir, mages are needed. This mage is needed. Worse things plague this world than blood mages- - you know that," confirmed Duncan, "I take this young mage under my wing and bear all responsibility for her actions."

"A blood mage escapes, and his accomplice is not only unpunished, but is rewarded by becoming a Grey Warden. Are our rules nothing? Have we lost all authority over our mages? This does not bode well, Irving."

"Enough… We have no more say in this matter," said Irving gently.

Duncan turned Neria to face him, "we must make our way to Ostagar , where the King's army is camped. You will be initiated there. I will explain more when the time comes."

Neria turned her head to look at Irving, "thank you First-Enchanter, for everything."

Duncan pulled Neria away, come… Your new life awaits."

sooooo close to Alistair =3 3