Daylen had only left the Grey Warden for a few seconds before Jowan approached him. "I'm glad I caught up to you. Are you done talking with Irving?"

He was still considering what the Grey Warden had told him, but he noticed the worried look on Jowan's face. "Going through another personal crisis?"

"Very funny," said Jowan dryly. He then leaned in close and whispered, "I need to talk to you. Do you remember what we discussed this morning?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Why are you whispering? It looks very suspicious."

"Shhh! I… I just want to make sure you were not overheard. We should go somewhere else. I don't feel safe talking here."

He placed his hand over his hips. "You're starting to worry me, Jowan."

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

He nodded and followed him into a small chapel where a young initiate was praying. Jowan nodded to Daylen. "We should be safe here."

He stared at him and looked at the young initiate. "You realise there's a priest standing right here?"

The young woman smiled. "Not a priest. I am merely an initiate."

Daylen rubbed his forehead, he wasn't liking the way this was going. "Jowan… what's going on?"

He then saw Jowan taking the initiate's hand squeezing it. He was liking this situation less and less by the minute. "A few months ago, I told you I… met a girl. This is Lily."

Daylen facepalm himself and looked at Lily prophetically. "My condolences, Lily."

Lily giggled as Jowan made an exasperated noise. "Very funny."

He then led to the two of them. "You can't have brought me here to chat about love."

"I wish that was the only thing I needed to talk about. Remember when I said that I didn't think they wanted to give me my Harrowing? I know why. They're… going to make me tranquil. They'll take everything that I am from the—my dreams, hopes, fears… my love for Lily. All gone…"

"That sounds terrible," he said as he tried to make sense of everything Jowan said.

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

He did his best to calm them down. "How did you find out about this?"

Lily's voice was bleak. "I saw the document on Greagoir's table. It flies the Rite on Jowan, and Irving signed it."

Daylen stared at her and felt the anger rushing into his body. "Why would they do this to you?"

"There's… a rumour about me. People think I'm a blood mage. They think that making me a Circle made will endanger everyone."

Daylen stared at him. "And are they right about this?"

"Of course not! But it's not safe here for me anymore! I need to escape. I need to destroy my phylactery. Without it, they can't track me down. We need your help. Lily and I can't do this on our own."

"Give us your word that you will help and we will tell you what we intend," said Lily stepping forwards and holding out her hands entreatingly.

"You have my word, Lily," he said clasping his hands over hers and giving her a reassuring smile.

"Thank you. We will never forget this."

"Tell me your plan and make it quick."

"I can get us into the repository. But there is a problem. 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 a power enough in this place to destroy all of Ferelden. What a door to mages?"

Daylen frowned. "It can't be that easy."

"What if it is? We have to try. I once saw a rod of fire melt through a lock. You could get from the storage room. But Owain doesn't release such things to apprentices."

Now we understood why they needed him. "I will go to the store room and retrieve this rod."

"We should stay here. One mage at the stockroom will attract less attention than a mage, an apprentice, and an initiate."

Daylen nodded. "Good idea."

Lily placed an arm around Jowan's arm. "Good luck. Our prayers go with you."

Getting the rod was not as easily as they thought it would be. First Owain needed a form signed by a senior enchanter second. Daylen had to go into the storage to deal with an infestation of spiders.

Once he was done he returned to Leorah. The elven woman congratulated him profusely before signing the form, and then return to the storeroom to give the form back to Owain. He took his time before he was satisfied and handed him the rod.

Jowan owed him big time for this. Part of him wanted a change Irving's mind, but he knew that will be fruitless. Firstly, Greagoir wouldn't allow it and second Irving rarely changed his mind.

When he ended back into the chapel he found Jowan pacing up and down. "I hate waiting, he said to Lily. "It makes me nervous."

"I need to talk to you about something, Jowan," he said as he entered the room.

"Really? What?"

"The rumour about you being a blood mage isn't true, is it?"

"Of course not! I'd never use blood mage!" Jowan yelled indignantly. "I've been sneaking around to meet Lily in secret. Maybe others have seen me and assume I must be doing something forbidden." Daylen raised an eyebrow. "I suppose we are, but… they think it's blood magic, and it isn't."

He looked at the two of them curiously. "How did you meet Lily?"

"She was saying the Chant of Light in the chapel one night while I was walking past…" he said and looked at Lily with a joyous look. "I've heard the Chant many times, but I realise how beautiful the words were until then. I'll never forget that night."

Hearing everything he wanted to hear he held out the rod. "I have the rod of fire."

Jowan blinked. "That was quick!"

"To the repository, then. Freedom awaits," said Lily.

Next thing he knew the two lovers were dragging him off with their enthusiast. It can help but think this was something out of a fairy-tale, a forbidden love and true love. It seemed too good to be true, which meant that everything was going to go downhill quickly, but he decided not to ruin the mood.

They soon came to the first door and Lily stopped them.

"The Chantry calls this 'the Victim's 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."

"But how do we get it passed it?" Daylen asked studying the door.

"The doors can be opened only by a Templar and a mage, entering together. The Chantry provides the password, which finds the ward and the mage is it with mana, to release it."

"I trust you have the password?"

"Yes. I got it from a Templar who recently accompanied a mage into the vault."

"So what must I do?"

"First, the password…" Lily then turned and faced the door. "'Sword of the Maker, Tears of the Fade.'"

Then they heard a noise sort of whispering sound.

"I heard something," said Daylen.

"The password only primes the door," Lily explained. "Now it must feel the touch of mana. Any spare will do, but hurry."

Daylen nodded and fired a fireball at the door and the door opens.

They didn't waste any time and ran down the corridor and in no time at all they reached the second door.

Jowan then turned to look at Daylen. "Do you have the rod with you?" He nodded. "Melt the locks off!"

Daylen pulled out the rod, but when you press it against the door nothing happened.

"What's the matter? Why isn't it working?" Lily panicked.

Daylen looked at the rod. "I don't know."

Jowan looked at Lily. "Lily… something's not right I… can't cast spells here. Nothing works."

Lily then began examining the door. "These wards carved in the stone… this must be the Templars work. They negate any magic cast with in this area." She smacked herself in the head. "I should have 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? Make their powers completely worthless! That's it then! We're finished! We can't get in."

Daylen then noticed the door nearby. "That door there, where does it lead?"

Lily gave him a hopeful look. "I don't know. Do you think it another way in?"

Daylen had no idea, but it was better than standing around. The door was locked, so he used the rod against it in the hopes that this door didn't had a protected ward over it.

The rod worked and they found themselves in another vault. The room was covered in many artefacts, books filled with lore and most of them were written in languages he did understand. Cautiously, they made their way through all these items and that's when they noticed a statue.

"There's something odd about this statue…" said Jowan.

"I don't like it. It's creepy," said Daylen examining it.

"Yes, I have to agree with you on tha—"

"Greetings," said the statue and they all jumped back.

"Maker's breath! Did it just say something?" Jowan looked at it disbelievingly.

"I am the essence and spirit of Eleni Zinovia, once consort and adviser to Archon Valerius. Prophecy my crime, cursed to stone for foretelling the fall of my lord's house."

That name rang a bell. "Archon Valerius?"

Jowan shrugged. "I'm not sure. The archons were lords of the Imperium."

"'Forever shall you stand on the threshold of my proud fortress,' he said, 'and tell your lies to all who pass…' But my lord found death at the hands of his enemies and his own proud fortress crumble to dust, as I foretold." The statue's voice was an earthly and distant, as though it was speaking through a long dark corridor.

At once Lily covered her mouth and began to shake uncontrollably. "A Tevinter statue! Don't listen to it! The Tevinter lords dabbled in many forbidden arts! This is a wicked thing!"

That explanation raised a few questions. "How did a Tevinter statue get here?"

"It must have been here for years. Look at the dust. I feel sorry for it… her," Jowan corrected.

"Weep not for me, child. Stone they'd made me and stone I am, eternal and unfeeling. And I shall endure 'til the Maker returns to light their fires again."

"What does that mean?" Daylen asked.

Jowan threw his hands dismissively. "Ambiguous rubbish. It could mean anything. I can do it too: The sun goes dark, but low! Here comes the dawn!"

"Stop talking to it. Please, both of you," Lily begged.

Daylen then remembered why they were here. "Yes, we have much to do."

Lily then pulled at Jowan's arm. "Come on, Jowan. Let's go."

They began walking around and sinking to a statue of a small dog.

"What do you think this does?" Jowan asked.

Lily sighed. "Why does the Circle keeps so many Tevinter artefacts and storage?"

"It's history, Lily… and it's fascinating."

Daylen then bent down and examined the statue. "I've read about these," he said. "They amplify any spell cast into them."

Jowan blinked and gave him a hopeful look. "Are you saying we to use this to break into the phylactery chamber?" His face then fell when he remembered about the ward. "But the door is warded. No magic will work."

"Then we won't use it on the door," said Daylen looking at a nearby bookcase. "See where the mortar is decaying behind that bookcase?"

He gestured to Jowan and they approached the bookcase. "It should be pretty easy to get this out of the way."

"You'll have to help me, then."

"If we work together, we can shift it. Come on."

It took some doing, but they were able to shift the bookcase. Once that was done Daylen began to examine the wall once he found a weak spot he gestured for Jowan and Lily to stand back. He then placed the rod of fire over the dog statue and watched as a stream of fire destroyed the wall completely within the staircase behind it.

"A little over the top, but that did it," said Daylen.

"Then let's go," said Jowan.

Without a second for they rushed down the staircase and the entered into the phylactery chamber. And once they began looking around for Jowan's phylactery. Daylen saw several of them stacked and after examining each and every one of them he was able to find Jowan's.

"That's my phylactery! You found it! I can't believe this tiny vial stands between me and freedom," said Jowan as he picked it up. "So fragile, so easy just to be rid of it… to end its hold over me…" He then let the virus lit between his fingers and smashed onto the floor. "… and I am free."

Daylen didn't like to stay here one bit. "Then let us move."

Lily then grabbed Jowan's hand. "I do not want to stay here a moment longer."

They soon exited the repository and both Jowan and Lily were hugging one another. "We did it! I can't believe it! Thank you… we could never have—"

However his face fell the moment they exited from the chamber. Standing in front of them was Irving, who looked extremely disappointed, Greagoir and several Templars.

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

Daylen placed his hand on his hips and shook his head. "I knew this would end badly."

"G-Geagoir," Lily stuttered.

Geagoir face was like stone. "And initiate, conspiring with a blood mage. I'm disappointed, Lily." He stepped forward and looked into our eyes. "She seemed shocked, but fully in control of our own mind. Not a thrall of the blood mage, then. You are right, Irving. The initiate has betrayed us. The Chantry will not let this go unpunished." He then turned his eyes on Daylen. "And this one, newly age, and already flouting the rules of the Circle."

"I'm disappointed in you," said Irving looking into his eyes, "you could have told me what you knew of this plan, and you didn't."

Beside him, Jowan looked at them in rage. "You don't care for the mages! You just bowed to the Chantry's every whim!"

Daylen placed a hand on his shoulder. "Jowan, please don't make it worse."

Geagoir reached for his sword. "Enough! As knight-commander of the Templars here assembled, I sentences this blood mage to death. And this initiate has scorned the Chantry and her vows. Take her to Aeonar."

Lily stared at them in horror as the Templars approached her. "The…the mages' prison. No… please, no. Not there!"

Daylen eyes widened in horror as Jowan drew a blade across his palm. "No! I won't let you her touch!" At once magic, mixed with his blood knocked the men off their feet. He then turned to Lily extending a hand. "Lily, we have to get out of here! I can't hold them belong!"

However, instead of reaching for the hand, Lily took several steps backwards. She looked at Jowan as if he was a stranger. "By the Maker… blood magic! H-how could you? You said you never…"

Jowan's face became pale. "I admit, I… I dabbled! I thought it would make me a better mage!"

Daylen rushed over to the Templars and found they were still alive, yet unconscious. He then began to heal their wounds and could only watch as Lily looked at Jowan in fear.

"Blood magic is evil Jowan," she said with tears in her eyes. "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 begged.

However, Lily took even more steps back. "I trusted you. I was ready to sacrifice everything for you… I… I don't know who you are, blood mage. Stay away from me…"

Jowan looked at her heartbroken and reluctantly ran out of the room.

Irving began to stir. "Are you all right? Where's Greagoir?"

He rushed over to Greagoir in order to heal them, but he simply just what it is hand away. "I knew it… blood magic. But to overcome so many… I never thought him capable of such power…"

"He lied to me!" Daylen said angrily clenching his fists.

Irving placed a hand on his shoulder. "None of us expected this. Are your right, Greagoir?"

Greagoir got to his feet. "As good as can be expected given the circumstances! If you had let me act sooner, this would not have happened! Now we have a blood mage on the loose and no way to track him down!"

"He can't have gone far. You could still capture him," said Daylen as he the other Templars onto their feet.

Greagoir gave him a disdained look. "Believe me, will use our every resource. Where is the girl?"

"I…I am here, sir," said Lily, emerging from behind the staircase. Her face was pale and she looked as if she aged ten years.

"You helped a blood mage!" There was no sympathy in Greagoir's voice as he gestured to the men that were still recovering from the injuries. "Look at all he's hurt!"

Daylen placed himself between Lily and Greagoir. "Lily didn't know Jowan was a blood mage."

Lily however placed a hand on his shoulder. "You've been a friend, but you need not defend me any longer." She walked over to Greagoir. "Knight-Commander… I… I was wrong. I was accomplished to a… a blood mage. I will accept whatever punishment you see fit. Even…" A tear trickled down her cheek. "Even Aeonar."

"Get her out of my sight," said Greagoir said with disdain. His eyes then turned to Daylen. "And you. You know why the repository exists. Some artefacts—some magics—are locked away for a reason!"

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

"There was nothing I wanted there." Looking at their faces part of him wished that he ran away with Jowan, but it was too late now.

"But your antics have made a mockery of this Circle!" He then looked at the injured Templars he healed. "Ah… what are we to do with you?"

"I had no idea he was a blood mage," said Daylen, still can't believe his best friend was a blood mage.

"And you think this excuses you? You helped a blood mage escape. All our prevention measures for not—because of you!"

"Knight-Commander, if I may…" said a voice. They turned and saw Duncan walking in with his recruits. "I am not only looking for mages to join the king's army. I am also recruiting for the Grey Wardens. Irving spoke highly of this mage, and I would like him to join the Wardens ranks."

Daylen could see that Irving was hiding a smile, despite his words. "Duncan, this mage has assisted a maleficar, and shown a lack of the regards for the Circle's rules."

"He's a danger. To all of us," said Geagoir.

"So he made a mistake, haven't we all?" said Faren.

Geagoir looked down at the dwarf. "A mistake for mage is dangerous for everyone."

"It's a rare person who risk all for a friend in need. I stand by my decision. I will recruit this mage," said Duncan firmly.

Geagoir then placed himself in between Duncan and Daylen. "No! I refuse to let this go unpunished!"

"You make it sound you have a choice in the matter," said Sereda. "The Wardens have the right to recruit anyone they wish, even if it defies the Chantry or nobility."

"If the Grey Warden will have me, I will gladly go," said Daylen.

Duncan then turned on Geagoir. "Geagoir, mages are needed. This mage is needed. Worse things plagued this world than blood mages—you know that. I take this young mage under my wing and bear all responsibility for his actions."

To say Geagoir was furious would be an understatement. "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."

Irving attempted to calm him down. "Enough. We have no more say in this matter."

"So I am to be a Grey Warden?" Daylen asked.

"Yes. Be proud, child. You are luckier than you know."

"Welcome to the club," said Faren.

Daylen looked around at the empty hall. "I guess there isn't much left for me here."

"You will carve out your own place in this world," said Duncan placing a hand on the shoulder. "Come, your new life awaits."

Before they left, Duncan allowed him to pack a few essentials. Always suffered moved up to another room, a room may never even got a chance to see. Duncan was also with him to make sure the Templars didn't try to take them away by force.

"You could have run," he said.

He blinked and looked at him. "Excuse me?"

"You could have left with that young blood mage."

"I don't know why I didn't run. Probably the same reason why Lily didn't."

Once he finished packing his bags they began heading out of the tower.

"So where are we heading to next?" Daylen asked.

"Highever, the Teyrn wants me to evaluate a possible recruit."

He nodded and he steps out of the tower for the first time in many years.