It had only taken about a week before I was back on my feet.
But I had hardly seen any of Anders himself, other than when he came to bed late at night. And when I did, he avoided my gaze.
I couldn't help but feel hurt and upset.
But I returned to work for Varric, which made sure to double my pay from my last job, before giving me a new one. Most of the jobs I got after that mostly stayed around Kirkwall, and occasionally he would give me a partner to work with, which was mostly Fenris.
I felt that Varric was scared I might get badly hurt again, so most jobs were very easy.
Until one day...
The job was simple. Find out why there were Templars meeting in secret in the city, and find out what it was. If it was too dangerous, I was to kill them, or erase their memories, if I could. Varric also gave me Fenris to work with me on the job.
"So they've been spotted hiding down in lyrium smuggling caverns under the city, correct?" Fenris asked
"Seems so, which would make sense. That way, they've have a steady source of supplies, and it's hidden from the Chantry and all of Kirkwall. But besides lyrium, why would rouge Templars go there?"
"Well, let's find out..."
After finding out one of the ways into the catacombs below, we heard a scream come from deep within. It sounded like a young woman!
"Come on, Fenris! Let's go!"
Hastily cast silence and quickening spells, Fenris and I darted forwards towards the direction of the screaming woman.
"Why would a young woman be down here? Unless she's a Templar...?"
"I don't think so. I heard that some Mages also use this tunnel...? Oh my god..."
"What?"
"HURRY, FENRIS!"
Running as fast as our legs could carry us, we sped even faster towards the girl.
"What's wrong?!"
"THE MAGE REBELLION MUST ALSO USE THIS TUNNEL TO ESCAPE FROM THE TOWER! BECAUSE IT CONNECTS TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD!"
"Oh my... MAGES HAVE BEEN ESCAPING THE CIRCLE?!"
"I wouldn't guess regularly, considering the security in Kirkwall, but this MUST be how it's getting done!"
Turning a corner, we nearly ran into the crowd of Templars.
"Ah... looks like we've found some little rats to play..."
I recognized one of the Templar's faces.
"Well well, if it isn't Alrik..."
"Ah, you must be that filthy rouge working for that dwarf back in town. Yes, I know your employer..."
"After what you've done to both mages and him, of course I know you do! You're a sick bastard who picks on those weaker than him to feel more powerful. You're fucking sick..."
"Mages all need to be obedient servants of the Chantry. They're all dangerous! We need to snuff them out!"
"Are you out of your goddamn MIND?! THEY'RE PEOPLE! NOT OBJECTS!"
I finally noticed the mage girl cowering behind Alrik.
"Let her go, Alrik..."
"I don't think so... she's been a very bad girl... running away from the Chantry..."
"I DIDN'T FEEL SAFE! TEMPLARS LIKE YOU ARE WHY I LEFT!"
Alrik slapped her.
"Quiet, wench! The adults are talking!"
"NOOOO!"
I recognized that voice anywhere...
A blast of white light knocked us all backwards, as four figures came charging in from another way in the tunnels. I rubbed my eyes and blinked several times before I could finally see everything that was going on...
Sure enough, Hawke, Aveline, Merrill were there, fighting the Templars... And Justice...
"ANDERS!"
Justice literally took the neck of one of the Templars and snapped their neck with ease as the last Templar fell.
The girl screamed in terror.
"GET AWAY FROM ME, DEMON!"
"YOU WOULD CALL ME DEMON?! MAYBE YOU'RE WITH THEM?!"
I grabbed Anders's arm and shouted, "ANDER, STOP!"
Justice struggled against me for a bit before a flash occurred, and Justice was gone, leaving Anders weakened.
"W-what happened to me...?" he asked
I turned to the girl.
"Run. Go find your family and run. You are not safe in Kirkwall."
The girl fearfully nodded, and ran.
"K-Kelly? And Fenris? What are you two doing down here...?"
Anders looked at his blood covered hands.
"AND WHAT DID I DO?!"
Without another word, Anders fled.
. . .
"The Templars were not only using the tunnel to smuggle lyrium, but they had a secret plan to do 'Operation Tranquil Cleansing, which would make every mage in the Circle have to take the Right of Tranquility.
However, Commander Meredith and Grand Cleric Elthina refused the idea, and so a group of rouge Templars planned on operating the plan in secret. We saved their first victim, and they have fled the city undetected."
"Hmmm... and what did you do?"
"We did nothing. Hawke and the others came and slaughtered them. And Anders turned into Justice..."
"Alright, Kitty. Good work. I'm going to inquire with Hawke what he was doing down there."
Varric dropped a bag of money on the table.
"You're dismissed."
Varric looked very distressed, but Fenris and I didn't question it. We had learned that if we had tried, Varric would literally shove us out the door and not talk to us for days. I had a feeling he didn't want us to see him upset.
I left towards Darktown when Fenris grabbed my arm.
"Where are you going?"
"I gotta see Anders. He was so upset... he really needs me right now!"
"Just leave him alone! He'll be fine!"
I grabbed Fenris's hand that had my arm.
"You don't know him like I do!"
I threw Fenris's hand off of me.
"See you later, Fenris."