Hawke checked on Anders as he how he was faring in his clinic, fortunately the templars is didn't seem interested in the clinic itself. No doubt they believe that he was just a healer and his patients never mentioned to them that he was a mage, no doubt out of gratitude.

When he entered Anders looked troubled and he looked relieved to see Hawke. "Have you noticed how many Tranquil are in the Gallows courtyard lately?" Anders asked. "And don't tell me I'm just sensitive to it. I've been watching and every day there are new Tranquil, selling their bloody wares. Good mages, too. People I know passed their Harrowing."

Hawke frowned. "Doesn't Chantry law say that mages who passed their Harrowing can't be made Tranquil?"

Anders nodded. "Exactly. The templars are using the Rite of Tranquility to silence those who speak against them. They're working on a deliberate plan to turn every mage in Kirkwall within the next three years."

Hawke had a hard time to believe that that the grand cleric and the knight-commander would do such a thing. "Whatever you think of templars, you can't imagine they're so heartless—"

"They're worse," Anders growled angrily. "There are groups in Kirkwall who help those fleeing the Circle. I've talked to people on the inside. The plan is the work of a templar named Ser Alrik. I've had a run-in with him myself. He's the one who did the ritual on Karl. Nasty piece of work, likes to make mages beg."

He remembered Karl. His eyes narrowed. "What happened between you and Ser Alrik?"

"I've been involved in an…" Anders sighed reluctantly before continuing. "Underground resistance. Mages, living free in Kirkwall, who help others escape. I can't tell you any more, for your sake and theirs. You have too much involvement with the Guard and nobility. Suffice it to say, I've been in the Gallows. I've seen his work first-hand."

"What else do you know about Ser Alrik?"

"The knight-commander is at least sincere in her convictions. However misguided, she believes she's helping people. Ser Alrik's a sadist. Cold-blooded as a lizard. He likes to experiment on mages, find out what it takes to push them into the arms of demons."

"Then perhaps the blame can be laid on him, and not every templar?" Hawke suggested. He knew there were a few bad templars, but there are several good ones like Thrask and the templar that helped his father.

"That's what I hope," said Anders. "If we bring the evidence of this plan to light, there must be men who'll stand against it. Perhaps even the grand cleric will finally be forced to act."

He then looked around to make sure they weren't overheard and leaned in towards Hawke. "My friends in the mage underground know a way inside. A secret entrance under the walls of the Gallows. Come with me, tonight, please. Help me find evidence of Ser Alrik's 'Tranquil Solution'."

"What do you mean, 'Tranquil Solution?'"

"That's what he calls it. His idea of a 'peaceful' solution to the mage problem—to sunder the mind of every mage in the Free Marches. I'm told he's bringing his proposal to Val Royeaux, to the Divine herself. He would turn every mage in Thedas into a drooling simpleton under his command."

Hawke nodded. "I wouldn't let you face this alone."

Anders' gave him a relieved and hopeful smile. "You are the one bright light in Kirkwall. I've always feared being made Tranquil. Now more than ever. I'm ready to go when you are. Our entrance is concealed not far from here."

Varric and Merrill join alongside them when they heard about this solution.

After the clinic was clear, Anders led them further into Darktown to a sewer entrance. "This is it. This tunnel will take us into the Gallows. Are you ready to help me find evidence of the 'Tranquil Solution'?"

"Let's go." Hawke nodded.

They fought their way through a group of lyrium smugglers, then travelled further through the tunnel. Hawke tried very hard not to think about how much water was over their heads.

He heard voices. Several men and… He narrowed his eyes. A girl. Pleading. "No… please. I haven't done anything wrong."

An older templar was standing over a girl in mage robes. She couldn't have been much older than fourteen or fifteen. "That's a lie. What do we do to mages who lie?" The templar's voice was soft and cruel.

"I just wanted to see my mum." Tears fell from the girl's eyes. "No one ever told her where they were taking me."

Beside him, he heard Anders whisper. "No. No, this is their place. We cannot—"

Hawke feared what came next and feared most of all what he would do.

"So, you admit to your attempted escape?" Alrik's voice was smug as he moved closer to the girl. "You know what happens to mage girls who don't toe the line around here, don't you?" Hawke glanced at his other two companions. Varric looked horrified, while Merrill looked disgusted.

"Please, no. Don't make me Tranquil. I'll do anything."

"That's right. Once you're Tranquil, you'll do anything I ask." Alrik started to reach for the girl.

"What are you doing to that girl?" Hawke yelled.

Alrik turned towards him. "Who's this?"

Anders began to glow. The voice of Justice rang out through the chamber. "You fiends will never touch a mage again."

The templars quickly drew their blades and attacked them, Anders slammed his staff onto the ground and at once five templar burst into flames. Merrill quickly ran over to the girl in order to protect while the rest of them dealt with the Templars.

Alrik raised his blade at Hawke and used his abilities to prevent him from using magic. Fortunately, Hawke's father taught him how to fight without using magic and used his staff to block the sword and twisted his body so that he could throw Alrik off balance and then he stabbed him with the spear end of his staff.

He then looked down at the other dead Templars. Unfortunately none of them was Karras, but Hawke figured it was too much to hope for. Hawke started to put his staff away, then hesitated. Anders was still glowing. "They will die. I will have every last templar for these abuses."

"It's over Anders." He held up a hand. "They're all dead." He really hoped he wasn't going to fight the spirit.

The spirit continued to rant. "Every one of them will feel justice's burn."

The girl scrambled backwards. "Get away from me, demon."

"I am no demon." Justice started moving towards her. "Are you one of them, that you would call me such?"

"Anders, that girl is a mage." Hawke moved and he and Merrill placed themselves between the spirit and the girl. Varric had his hand on the Bianca. "We rescued her from being made Tranquil."

"She is theirs." Justice narrowed his eyes. "I can feel their hold on her."

"She's the reason you're fighting, Anders. Don't turn on her now." Please don't make me hurt you. And please don't hurt anyone.

"Please, messere…" the girl begged.

Justice started to raise his staff, and Hawke started to call up a barrier as he moved to interpose himself between the girl and the demon.

And then the glow vanished. Anders fell to his knees, and started shaking his head. "Maker, no. I almost…" He looked up at Hawke, his face horrified. "If you weren't here…" He scrambled to his feet. "I-I need to get out of here." He fled.

Hawke looked down at the girl, who was staring at him. "You-you saved my life, messere. What was that thing?"

"He's no demon," Hawke said. It wasn't the entire truth, but neither was a lie. "Just a deeply troubled man." That had been far closer than he liked. For a moment…

"Can I…" The girl looked around, glancing at his other two companions before turning her gaze back to him. "Go home now?"

"Find your parents, but don't stay there. You must leave Kirkwall." While he knew there were some good templars, he was afraid of the knight commander might point the death of Alrik onto the girl.

"I know. There's no in the city where Sir Alrik's men won't find me." She nodded. "Thank you again, messere. Andraste herself must have put you in that room." She fled through the tunnels.

Hawke closed his eyes for a moment, then bent to search Alrik's body. He read over the letter quickly before showing it to the others.

"Blondie wasn't far off," said Varric.

"You heard Alrik. That girl wasn't his first." Hawke stood, and kicked the man's body. "Too many damned monsters and fools on both sides."

"We're fortunate we came for that poor girl," said Merrill.

They walked to the clinic to find Anders furiously sorting things into two piles. "Trash. Trash. Keep. Trash. Trash… Won't be needing that anymore."

At least he was keeping something. Hawke walked towards him. "You're upset. We need to talk about it."

"Upset doesn't begin to cover it?" Anders stood. "You were the only thing that kept me from murdering an innocent girl. It's all gone wrong." Slowly he turned to face them. "You were right. Justice and I… it's a twisted us both into something… monstrous natural."

"So you're just going to stop?" Hawke asked. "Let the templars win?"

"Maybe they deserve to win. Maybe they're right. How can I fight for the freedom of mages, when I am the example of the worst that freedom brings?"

"Mages are dangerous." Hawke gestured at himself. "That's why this has been so hard. Make yourself the proof that we can control our powers."

"I don't know how. How can I even trust myself to heal anymore? What if that… creature of vengeance turns on a patient? Will he… will I… resist? Or will I loose his fury?" Ander's voice was thick with emotion.

"You were out of control." Hawke put his hands on the other man's shoulders. "But even then, you heard what I was saying. You knew, in your heart, that you had to stop."

"You have too much faith in me. Without you, I'd never have known who was there until it was too late." He sighed. "Did you… find anything on Ser Alrik? Or was the 'Tranquil Solution' just another of my delusions?"

"It exists, but it was Ser Alrik's plan, no one else's." He offered Anders the documents.

"Let me see that. The Divine…" Slowly a trace of a smile appeared. "Rejected the idea. Meredith rejected the idea. This was…" He shook his head. "Not what I expected. Perhaps I should try talking to the grand cleric. Maybe she's more reasonable than I thought. Thank you. I will think on what you've said."

"Isn't Ser Alrik exactly what the Seekers are supposed to prevent?"

Cassandra nodded. "We'd heard rumours about Kirkwall, but…" She sighed. "Well, you heard many of the same ones. With the Resolutionists, we…" She shook her head. "We should have looked deeper. Assuming, of course, the dwarf is telling the truth."

"The Divine received such a proposal. And she did, indeed, reject it." Leliana's voice was quiet.

"You know this for fact?"

"I was in the room when she read it over. It infuriated her that anyone could consider such a thing."

After a moment, Cassandra nodded. "Yet, if Varric is telling the truth, it seems Alrik was going ahead with the plan anyway, and the Champion learned of it."

"And even with Alrik's death, there remained others. Such as this Karras. We can talk to Cullen about him and Alrik later, see what else he can add."