Sebastian galloped into Wildhaven on his noble white steed. The streets were empty, the sun sailing high overhead in a puffy clouded sky. A woman wearing a blond wig and gaudily shiny white robes stood a few blocks into town, conversing in heated tones with a hook nosed man in paper mache armor and a taller man wearing blood red velvet robes and a fake white beard. Several townsfolk conversed nearby.

Sebastian rode up to the woman. "Pardon me. Have you seen a tall man, blonde, wearing black robes?"

The woman's eyes went wide. She pointed toward the chantry.

"You don't want to go in there, sir. The fellow's gone mad." The two men voiced their loud agreement.

"I know," Sebastian confirmed, sympathetic. "He's a dangerous maleficar. But I'm here to apprehend him." Sebastian dismounted, the sure nobility of his posture serving to quickly calm those around him.

"Thank the maker," the woman said. She looked up at the prince's shining armor and stern expression, noting his elaborate belt buckle. She nodded her head in trusting support. "Andraste guide you, ser."

"Thank you, my lady," Sebastian replied with a nod. He guided his horse the rest of the way to the Chantry and tied his horse to the sign announcing the play and its show times. His back straight, the prince strode fearless to the Chantry. He drew his trusty bow, then opened the creaking wooden door.

What he saw inside made his eyes go wide in concern. Fenris was barely recognizable on a raised stage in front of a representation of Andraste's pyre. He leaned back on his knees, weight resting on a red spectral figure beneath him, the two of them balanced on red spectral hands palms down on the floor. Their bodies were half-phased, joined together, their hips moving in a sick mockery of sexual thrusting. The red demon's head rested on Fenris' shoulder, his body almost twice the elf's size. The demon's skin was crawling forward like sludge, having already encased Fenris' arms and most of his legs.

Fenris' head fell back onto a chiseled chest, his brands pulsing with red light on exposed skin, his clothing having been removed. Added to the demon's glow and the pulsing brands, the light from a stained glass window lent the scene a ghastly air. The lights played upon one another, the shifting almost mesmerizing to watch. Fenris' body tensed as he came with an exhausted groan. The demon reached a hand forward to wipe the trickling seed from the elf's exposed cock, red hand glowing as steam rose from it. The being grew, its skin slurping forward until Fenris' hips were half covered. If Sebastian had not come in time, no doubt the red figure would have enveloped Fenris entirely.

Sebastian was unable to conceal his open disgust. "By what unholy travesty… Fenris?!"

There was no answer from the elf as he slumped back onto the figure behind him. Red glowing eyes peered over Fenris' shoulder, slanting into what Sebastian presumed to be a triumphant smile. The bald head rose up, a sickening mockery of Anders' facial features stained red and stretched across a wider bone structure, the recognizable long nose and thick lower lip jutting above an overly chiseled jaw. The demon lacked Anders' stubble and hair, his bald head matching the thick round muscles of his limbs.

YOU ARE TOO LATE. WHERE ONCE THERE WAS HOPE FOR JUSTICE, NOW VENGEANCE PREVAILS.

"No, demon. It appears I've arrived just in time." Sebastian took slow steps forward, aiming his bow. He tried to find a way to shoot the demon down without risking Fenris' life. "Fenris, can you hear me?"

Fenris merely swallowed in response. One eye opened, pupil wide and black. The elf's mouth hung open. The demon's skin continued its inexorable crawl, now sliding entirely over the elf's arms. With effort and a hoarse groan, Fenris pushed an arm forward to reach out, freeing it from its inexorable absorption. The elf tried to speak, but he could only manage a frustrated grunt. The red blob extended until it recaptured Fenris' arm, pulling it back into place at his side. Red skin closed in toward his chest.

"Unhand him, demon," the prince commanded. The demon responded with a sarcastic grin.

OR WHAT?

"Or I will kill you both," Sebastian replied. Fenris opened his other eye at this, his mouth closing into a frown. He had been hoping against hope for rescue, but he had also hoped to survive the ordeal. He would not have been surprised at his heart bursting open, but not from one of Sebastian's arrows.

Vengeance tilted his head to look at Fenris. He seemed to sense Fenris' fear. Spectral armor flickered onto their combined bodies, an outline of how invulnerable they would become once fully merged.

YOUR FRIEND BETRAYS YOU.

"No," Fenris whispered. "He is trying to save me. From you." Gathering what little strength he had left, Fenris squeezed his eyes shut, a single tear dropping to the ground as he willed his mind to still. Fenris concentrated on his heart, knowing from his exploration of Anders that Vengeance would try to settle itself there. He pushed with his mind, willing the demon out. He was rewarded with a thin blue light shining from a brand just above his heart. The glow of his brands elsewhere remained red but dimmed.

NO!

The demon's slithering outline retracted from the area above Fenris' heart, recoiling in sick shivers.

Sebastian grinned. "It appears there's life in you yet, my elven friend. Let us fight together." The archer let loose a carefully aimed shot. It flitted harmlessly through Vengeance's spectral helm, landing with a thunk into the painting of Minrathous serving as the stage's backdrop. The demon was forced to phase itself out to avoid the shot aimed at his skull. This provided Fenris with the opportunity to stumble forward and out of the demon's embrace. The elf clutched his heart, his lyrium brands sputtering out.

Sebastian removed a flask from his belt and threw it at the pair of them. Vengeance, though lunging back toward Fenris already, was frozen in place as a thick gas permeated the air around them. Sebastian rushed forward, leaping onto the stage while removing another item from his belt. He clasped a gold filigreed collar around Vengeance's neck. The lights behind the demon's eyes went out, the armor turning to solid iron as it solidified. The mage collar was fulfilling the shopkeeper's promise in full.

Before the demon had time to react, Sebastian dragged it forcibly back to the pyre. He glanced around and noted the chains on the stage that once held the tinkling bells aloft. He yanked them over forcibly, bells clanking as they dragged. Sebastian chained the demon to the pyre, knotting the chains in place.

"Sebastian," croaked the warrior from his place on the floor nearby. "Wait." The elf pulled his clothes into a bare semblance of propriety. He donned his tunic despite finding it torn crudely in half. The elf attempted to life himself from the floor, but found himself too weak to leverage above his own knees.

Fenris crawled on hands and knees to the demon's side. Sadness in his face, he reached up and removed the now solid helm. Instead of a distorted demonic visage, he whimpered to see blond hair and pale skin emerge from the helm. Sorrowful brown eyes opened to look directly into deep green pools of regret.

"I'm so sorry," Anders whimpered, a tear streaming down. "Tell them it wasn't me. Tell them I'm sorry."

"I will," Fenris agreed, face creased in resignation. "I too am sorry. I should have listened." The elf sat beside the armored mage. He pulled a metal glove off to reveal long thin fingers, grasping them in a show of understanding. Anders looked down. "Only you could offer mercy at a time like this. Thank you." The mage's eyes shined, an expression of genuine appreciation mingled with sad resignation.

"You are welcome," Fenris said. He looked up, expecting to see Sebastian cocking his bow for a final strike. He would not risk using his own fist on Anders again, having learned the consequence of doing so.

The rogue removed another flask, watching carefully for any sign of Vengeance. When he saw none, he searched along his belt to retrieve a metal seal affixed to a rod and a pouch holding a metallic powder. "He's right," Sebastian confirmed. "The Maker himself would have no compassion for Anders now."

Fenris found this hard to believe somehow. His face never left Anders. "Any last words?"

"No more words," Anders said sadly, shaking his head. "But maybe…" he looked up, "… a last wish?"

Fenris' eyebrows gathered. He said nothing, simply waiting for Anders to continue.

"A kiss?" Another tear fell down Anders' face. Just an hour ago, Fenris would have scoffed at the request and refused. Instead, with visions from Vengeance causing his mind to itch with questions, he found himself staring at Anders' lips. He felt disoriented. Without deciding, he found himself leaning forward.

Anders noticed the forward movement and closed the last few inches of distance eagerly, straining against his bonds. The kiss was tender, strangely sensual, fueled by years of Anders' longing and regret.

Anders moaned, mouth widening, his tongue licking Fenris' lower lip in a long slow swipe. Fenris shivered, suddenly feeling not so much the kiss as the strain at his heart, feeling something inside pull and stretch. He began leaning forward, hair falling over his eyes, and Anders' mouth followed, refusing to lose ground. Fenris tried to hold on by nipping Anders' lower lip with his teeth. Finally the pain was too great. Fenris' back bowed, his face falling forward and down. Their lips parted, far too soon, but also far too late. If it had gone on even one second longer, Fenris was sure, his heart would have broken.

Fenris' next words were mixed bitter accusation with sorrow and no small surprise. "You said nothing."

"I was keeping you away from him," Anders explained. "Keeping you safe." There was no need to indicate who he was talking about. Fenris mentally vowed to never speak the demon's name again.

"Then our reasons were the same," Fenris noted. One corner of his mouth turned up, the other down.

"Were they?" Anders' eyebrows arched up in pleased surprise. A last tear fell unnoticed down his cheek.

A clanking pull at the chains alerted Sebastian to the demon's reawakening. Anders' eyes had clouded over, the hint of red light starting to show despite the mage collar. Sebastian threw his second flask, concerned that one link in the chain already grew frayed. "I'm sorry, Fenris," said Sebastian apologetically. "There's not much time. I only have one more flask, and those chains won't hold."

"One moment," Fenris demanded, eyes flashing angrily, mouth tight. Sebastian sighed but waited.

Fenris turned back to Anders, eyes softening again. "I had thought to visit you," Fenris admitted, placing a hand on the mage's shoulder to reassure himself more than anything. "talk over our differences."

"I'm glad you didn't," Anders said, voice breaking, the edges of his lips turning up into a weak smile.

Fenris frowned, vaguely baffled. "How can you smile at a time like this?"

Anders smiled wider. "How can I not? I had thought… I thought I disgusted you."

Fenris shrugged. "You chose to take that thing into your body. So… In a way, you did."

"Oh," Anders said, looking crushed, shoulders dropping in resignation. "I see." Sad understanding shone in his eyes for the brief moment before they skipped over to notice Sebastian, who still stood nearby.

"Fenris," Sebastian interjected, hackles raised. "Are you quite finished with this?"

"Yes," Fenris nodded. He waited to hear the bow's string pulling taught. Instead, he heard a thunk.

"Then back away," Sebastian warned. He shifted his weight to his other foot as he dropped his bow.

Sebastian poured reflective red powder from his pouch into the seal and began reciting a little known liturgy. "Ego sententia vobis ad mortem vigilant. Tuus somnia amplius excrucies anima vestra." The powder sparked, catching aflame. The seal grew hot, glowing, as the powder melted into liquid metal.

"What are you doing?" Fenris asked, incredulous. He watched in horror as Sebastian carried the rod forward, the last flask in his other hand. Fenris could see now that the seal held the shape of a sun, the same shape that marked the heads of Tranquil mages. Anders saw what was coming and made a shocked gasp. Fenris attempted to stand, lighting his lyrium brands to supplement his strength. After a flashing pain in the center of his body, the light from the brands sputtered and went out. Fenris' knees buckled under him, forcing him down as a cry ripped form his throat. Sebastian stood by unconcerned.

"I'm doing what I set out to do," Sebastian said calmly. He returned to his liturgy. "Tertio modo potest autem oculus excaecatio anima excaecetur peccare!" Anders' mouth stayed open, but his expression froze. An inch long crack appeared at the center of his forehead. It opened, revealing a third eye. This eye had no pupil, all rich brown with specs of honey and gold. Fenris shrank back, horrified. The three eyes blinked together. When they reopened, all three eyes glowed crimson red from corner to corner.

DESIST, OR I WILL END YOU. The red light from the third eye pooled brighter. It grew in strength until it poured forward in an endless straight line, drilling a hole into the wall on the other side of the chantry. Sebastian, already on alert, dodged the beam while dropping his last flask. The demon slumped, eyes dark but still red. Sebastian whispered a prayer to Andraste as he slid the brand over the open third eye.

The smell of burnt flesh hit the air as the third eye crackled and sunk. The body began shaking as Sebastian removed the brand. He continued to whisper prayers in the common tongue. "Blessed are they who stand before the corrupt and the wicked and do not falter. Blessed are the peacekeepers, the champions of the just, the righteous, the lights in the shadow. In their blood the Maker's will is written."

As the armored figure's shaking eased, the metal armor grew translucent and then vanished. The human body left behind lay pale in the colored light from the stained glass window. No mark of the demon remained upon it. Anders' long limbs stretched along the stage, gracefully extended, his eyes closed as if he simply rested. Fenris reluctantly let go of the pale hand gone limp in his own, laying it down gently.

In silence, the wall across the chantry smoldered, rising smoke the only evidence of time passing. "Is he alive?" Sebastian asked. He tied the pouch of metal powder to his belt, blowing on the seal to cool it.

Fenris leaned forward hesitantly. He searched the face for clues, fearing to touch the body's pulse points with fingers laced with lyrium brands. He tilted his head to the side, placing his cheek near the figure's mouth. He could feel air gently wafting to his cheek, smelling elfroot behind scents of lyrium and bile.

"He's breathing," Fenris confirmed. He registered smells of burning metal and wood as he leaned back.

"Good," Sebastian said with a nod. "Leave him chained until he awakens. I'd best tell the villagers not to worry. Guard him until I get back." The archer gathered his bow and pressed a hesitant finger to the brand, satisfied at its temperature. After he stowed the brand away, he thumbed a small compartment on his belt. He pulled out a metal key and tossed it absentmindedly to Fenris. "Leave the collar on just in case," he said. "Don't know about you, but I can't recall meeting any tranquil abominations."

"I doubt there is any such thing." Fenris looked at Sebastian with incredulity, the metal key shining in his hand where it had been caught. He crawled over to use the pyre as leverage, standing slowly on shaky legs. He no longer cared that he was still only partly clothed or that his sword lay too heavy for his hands nearby. His muscles tensed as he decided whether to attack his own friend for what he had just done.

Sebastian had turned towards the Chantry door in thought, but he felt the elf's eyes prickling on his skin. He began answering the heat behind him even before he started a slow turn of his body, his hands up in surrender. "Don't you see, Fenris? Even with the collar, that thing was a risk and a liability." The Chantry brother paced slowly before the elf, careful enunciation belaying the care taken with his words. "A Tranquil mage will never preach sedition. He won't dare to blaspheme at the tribunal. He will answer truthfully. He will not lie about his possession by a spirit from the Fade. Nor will he volunteer the nature of the spirit if never asked. When the time comes for sentencing, he will show no remorse whatsoever."

Fenris clenched his fists, his gaze dropping to the wooden floor boards between them. He saw the sick elegance of the prince's gambit. There was a real chance that such a perfect public shaming might at least slow the rebellion. What's more, the deed was already done. Fighting would not save Anders now. Fenris looked back to at the blonde. It appeared he had a choice to make on the mage's behalf after all.

As Sebastian turned again towards the door, Fenris nevertheless whispered under his breath, "You have made a grave mistake." The archer paused a moment before stepping off the stage, unilaterally ending their conversation. His elongated gait made clear that he chose not to recognize the warrior's objection.

Sebastian strolled out of the chantry. He walked haughtily back to the theater performers. They were joined by a few other townsfolk from Wildhaven, including the local Chantry Mother. Sebastian bowed gallantly before them, an express of honest humility concealing any evidence of pride at his success.

"Citizens, Mother, my lady" he began by way of introduction. He addressed the last words to the actress in white. "I apologize for this… disruption to your day. I am Prince Vael of Starkhaven. My friend and I have apprehended the archmage Anders, wanted for starting a rebel insurrection in Kirkwall. Many people have died this day. But let it be known that the danger is over, and that Wildhaven saw its end."

The townsfolk spoke to one another in hushed tones, the general noise indicating alarm but neither positive nor negative judgment. Sebastian waited for someone to speak on behalf of the villagers, but none took the initiative. Finally Sebastian continued. "Now that he is captured, we will be on our way." An unremarkable woman at the edge of the small crowd bent down to a young girl in pigtails. The girl ran off down the road, no doubt to pass along the news about what had transpired at the Chantry.

The townsfolk looked toward Sebastian with horrified expressions on their face. Did they not understand what he just said? After a moment, Sebastian realized they were looking past him, not at him. He turned to look behind him, shocked to find the Wildhaven Chantry burning to the ground.