Thank you again to those who reviewed.

To the guest who reviewed Chapter 2 (and I assume Chapter 3). Bethany will be quite a bit more prominent in Dragon Age II, at least until the end of Act II. She will also be one of the few people from Dragon Age II who will feature in Inquisition. And yes, poor Merrill. For now at least, without a demon messing with her for the better part of a decade she will be an overall more stable and well adjusted person by the end. It also nips her blood magic in the bud.

"So this is an Eluvian?" I said, looking up at the mirror.

Solona nodded. "Yes, and I had to kill a very powerful demon to get my hands on it, this better be worth it."

"Have you been able to figure out anything yet?" I asked, ignoring her comment.

"Not really." She pulled over some notes and said, "I think it has been infused with the taint. It will take me years just to work out how to fix that. Getting the damn thing to work could take a lot longer."

"You're up to the job I'm sure." I answered.

She sighed, "Of course I am." She shook her head, then asked, "Does Alistair know about this?"

I snorted, "Not likely. Can you imagine how he'd react to bringing something like this into the country? So far as he knows I'm still in Gwarren setting up a steward while I'm gone. Let's hope it stays that way."

I looked back as one of the new Wardens, a young man I didn't recognize entered and said, "Pardon me my lady, the expedition is ready to depart."

Solona turned and said, "Thank you George. If you would take my materials I will be out in a few minutes." He bowed and exited. Solona turned back to me and asked, "Any last advice?"

I shrugged, "I think I've told you everything I remember about the fortress. Try not to drink any weird mixtures the nutty old guy cooked up, and be ready to deal with demons."

"I'll do that." She was quiet for a moment, then said, "Good luck."

I nodded and said, "To both of us."

Chapter 3

"If we could stick to the actual topic that would be nice." Cassandra said.

Varric paused, then realized he had been talking about some of Hawke's more minor jobs around Kirkwall. He concluded, "Hawke ran deliveries, searched the city for lost items, and generally found work where he could for the next two weeks, without much success unfortunately. Then I found what we hoped to be a major payoff…"

"Varric, are you sure this Anso can be trusted?" Hawke asked as the pair surveyed the building their contact had specified.

The dwarf shrugged, "Not really, but we really need the money. At worst we find out there was no merchandise and don't have to fight our way through another gang."

Hawke sighed and pushed open the door. The entry room to the house was completely deserted and he said quietly, "Come on."

Varric quietly stepped up to the door directly in front of them, and Bethany followed a little behind Hawke. Without a word Varric pushed the door open a little with Bianca, then whispered, "Empty, try the other one."

Hawke nodded and used his shield to push open the second door. Almost immediately two crossbow bolts slammed into Hawke's shield, and a moment later two men leapt at him from inside the room with axes. He sidestepped one and batted the weapon the second thug away with his sword. He spun out of the way as he heard Varric ready Bianca to fire, and the bolt flew past him and into one of the men inside the room. Bethany flicked her hand as well, throwing a spell at the ax wielding men, and they both screamed as the magic hit them. Hawke stabbed the first, but the second fell to another bolt from Bianca before Hawke could finish him.

He charged inside the room where the one of the archers was trying to reload his own crossbow. Before the man could draw his dagger Hawke was on him, and ended the fight with a quick thrust of his sword.

Varric stepped into the room behind him and said, "It seems like they were waiting for us."

Hawke nodded, "Yes, it does, but the good are probably in there." He motioned toward a chest off to one side.

Varric gingerly stepped up to it and opened the lid with Bianca's extendable blade. He jumped back in case of a booby trap, but there was nothing. After a moment he looked into the chest and said, "It's empty."

Hawke almost slumped, "I guess we won't be getting paid then."

Varric sighed, "Let's get out of here. I want to have a word with our friend Anso."

They stepped outside the house and came face to face with half a dozen soldiers, more heavily armed and armored than their comrades inside. Hawke muttered, "It's just that kind of day isn't it."

The leader of the band, a woman, said, "That's not the elf."

One of her followers answered, "It doesn't matter, we were told to kill whoever came out. The woman nodded and said, "Kill them."

The soldiers rushed forward, and two were impaled on spikes of ice as Bethany threw a hand out toward them. The rest hesitated for a moment, but then continued forward. Hawke met two, including the leader, and was immediately on the defensive. Whenever he tried to attack the one their partner blocked, leaving the first free to launch an attack of his own.

Beside them Varric didn't have time to ready Bianca to fire and instead was forced to extend her blade and fight up close against another man. Bethany fought the final soldier with her staff, trying to get far enough away to cast a spell.

Gradually Hawke's pair of opponents started to wear down his defenses, each parry coming a little slower as the strain of fighting two opponents took its toll on him. He barely blocked a blow from the leader when he saw another coming from the side, then it was gone. The man had a crushed skull from the rock lying on his skull. The woman glanced away, leaving Hawke enough time to knock her blade away and finish her.

Without thinking Hawke turned and stabbed Bethany's opponent in the side, then slammed his shield into the man's head. Her opponent gone Bethany turned to finish Varric's opponent, but a bolt of lightning beat her to it.

"Thanks Merrill," Hawke called to the elf who had emerged from a nearby alleyway.

She smiled and said, "You're welcome Hawke, I was taking a walk and thought I heard someone being mugged. I think it's the Alienage greeting, but they don't like me well enough yet." Hawke blinked, not entirely certain what to say to that. He was rescued as the elf continued, "but its late now. I'm going home."

Hawke smiled and shook his head, "Good night Merrill."

As Merrill left Varric muttered, "Suddenly I don't mind paying that fortune. Now let's get back to Anso."

They had barely exited the Alienage when another man blocked their path and said, "I don't know who you are friend, but you've made a serious mistake coming here. Lieutenant, I want everyone out here now."

There was no sound, until an elf with markings covering most of his skin said, "Your men are dead. I would recommend running back to your master while you still can."

The man whirled on him and said, "I don't think so slave. You…"

He was cut off as the elf plunged one hand into his chest and said, "I am not a slave."

The man collapsed and the elf said, "I apologize. When I asked Anso to provide a distraction for the hunters I had no idea they'd be so numerous."

"You were responsible for this," Varric demanded.

"I am," the elf answered. "My name is Fenris. These men were Imperial bounty hunters, looking to recover a magister's lost property, myself. They were trying to lure me into the open, and crude as their methods were I could not face them alone. Thankfully Anso chose wisely."

"If they were trying to recapture you I'm glad to help." Hawke said.

Fenris smiled, "I have met few in my travels who would help so willingly. I have to ask, what was in the chest?"

"It was empty," Hawke answered.

Fenris shook his head, "It was too much to hope for. Even so I had to know."

"You could have just asked," Bethany said from behind Hawke. "You didn't need to lie to get our help."

Fenris considered, then said, "That remains to be seen." He plucked a document off of one of the bodies, studied it for a moment, and said, "My former master has come here in person. I know you have questions, but I must confront him before he flees. I will need your help."

"If it means killing slavers we're happy to help." Hawke answered.

Fenris breathed a sigh of relief, then answered, "He is staying a Hightown mansion, we must be done before morning.

"Denarius may know we're here." Fenris said quietly, "I wouldn't put it past him."

Hawke nodded, "He may have prepared magical defenses."

"They will not keep me from him, "Fenris answered.

He turned, and kicked in the door of the house, then charged in. There was no one waiting. He paused and shouted, "Show yourself Denarius."

Without waiting the elf advanced to the only door and knocked it in as well. Hawke ran to catch up, and as he did so a pile of rags rose in front of the pair, then solidified into a creature. Without thinking Hawke brought his sword down on it, only for the blade to be stopped just after penetrating the fabric. A moment later the monster lashed out at him, sending Hawke into the wall behind him.

Fenris raised his hand and slammed it into the creature, which convulsed for a moment before dissipating. He snarled, "The coward sends spirits to do his fighting for him." He raised his voice and shouted, "Your pets cannot stop me."

Hawke looked at the remnants and asked, "What was that?"

Fenris barely glanced at the remains before saying, "A shade, a lesser spirit summoned from the Fade. It can barely hold a shape of its own. It will probably be the weakest servant Denarius can send against us."

The group advanced into the house's main room, and another pair of monsters rose up against them, and behind those came a red demon easily twice the Hawke's size. Fenris said, "Rage demon, we need to…" he trailed off as the demon was engulfed in the ice spell Bethany threw on it. Without pausing he destroyed both shades with his hands, then smashed the rage demon to pieces as well.

Almost without a pause another creature rose on a balcony overlooking the room. It was easily eight feet tall and horribly thin. The monster gestured, and Hawke barely leapt aside before a stone spike shot from the ground. Varric fired a bolt and hit the creature in what should have been its shoulder. It ignored the blow and threw a bolt of magic at the dwarf, who took the blast, but was able to resist it. Hawke charged up the stairs at the monster, who promptly froze him in place with another spell.

Bethany finished her preparations and threw a fireball at the monster, which dissipated the blast with another wave. Another gesture saw a further spell shoot down at Bethany, and she threw herself out of the way. The blast knocked a hole in the room's wall, and the monster began preparing another attack.

As it raised its hand to launch it Fenris arrived behind it and shoved his arm into the creature's head. It screeched, then dissipated. Without waiting for the others to recover he said, "Gone. I should have known. I'm sure my former master left valuables in his hurry. You are free to them. Now, I need some air."

Hawke started to regain feeling in his limbs and Bethany stood back up as the elf left. Finally Varric said, "Real friendly person we've met today Hawke."

Despite the trio's best efforts to search the house there was little left. They found only a small string of pearls and a sovereign worth of coins. Varric looked at the meagre take and said, "It's not what I hoped to get from this job, but it still doubles what we've managed to gain for the expedition so far."

The trio left the mansion and found Fenris waiting, sword in hand. He angrily said, "It never ends. I escaped a land of dark magic, only to find myself surrounded by mages yet again."

Bethany snapped, "I'm right here. You can speak to me directly."

Fenris ignored her and said, "You harbor a viper in your midst. It will turn on you and strike when you least expect. That is its nature."

Hawke coldly answered, "My sister is stronger than you think."

"I am not blind." Fenris said. "There is a place for magic, but the nature of mages is to give into the corruption of their power. Even those with the best of intentions will eventually turn their powers on others. That is their nature." He paused then said, "I am sorry. I probably appear ungrateful, but that is not my intent. I am thankful for what you have done, and if you find yourself in need of help I will gladly offer it."

Hawke considered, then asked, "Will you have a problem with my sister?"

Fenris answered, "I will watch her in our travels, but will defer to you."

"Wait," said Cassandra. "Fenris, that name sounds familiar. Is this the same elf who…"

"The very same." Varric answered. "The ruler of Minrathrous if the rumors of civil war coming from Tevinter are true. He hated mages even then, though wasn't as extreme yet."

Three days later

Varric knocked on the Amell family door early in the morning, Hawke answered and tiredly asked, "What is it Varric? We were taking some time off."

Varric excitedly said, "I just got word from Aveline. The Fereldans are arriving in two days, I've even got information on what building they purchased for their embassy. Get ready Hawke, the first big step toward fortune awaits us."

The jobs Varric refers to above are basically those little fifty silver jobs you get quests for throughout Dragon Age II with no impact on the plot, and one or two that are a bit more active, but still ultimately irrelevant to the overall story. Hence Cassandra's irritation. And given the smaller scale of the reward Hawke is actually getting (usually closer to fifty bits, if that) combined with the rent Gamlen charges, and maintenance on his armor and weapons the actual income they've gotten is almost nothing.