The Dragon Age world, plot, and their characters aren't mine but belong to Bioware. Some characters may be my creations. Reminder: this is mature material. I get no money for writing this sequel.

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Grey Warden Prison, Tower Base

Anders:

The whispering had gotten clear enough that his voice was a mix of a doddering Enchanter's lecture on defensive wards and the repetitive experimentation of a new fire spell effect. Those were almost tempting, until a vision of a work lamp shade and delicate traceries visible in the... hide made me sick.

Worse was his satisfaction in the power he wielded from the blood and life stolen from others. I saw flashes of those piles of bones in the cells above us, as fresh corpses being hauled out of the way for more. Imagination or his memory, the palpable pride and lust for power made me try to throw myself away from those visions.

He must die. Whatever the Chantry has said about him and those Magisters is shown by the injustices of his memories and desires.

Justice's words were outraged but the energy of them was subdued. Still we agreed.

Then visions were of pleasurable things, food and dancers, until even that became a horror with frightened or staring eyes of every color, like gems.

Make the words stop. This is like the cursed Vengeance's thoughts that twisted me. Twisted us away from ourselves. His victims deserve a too long delayed justice, like that creature in Blackmarsh.

I didn't know how, beyond resistance. Holding on was getting harder; my growing fear was that we would be smothered by the sleeping Corypheus.

Varric was brooding after he said those ceremonial words over his ancestor when we paused before crossing the causeway. I met the eyes of both Hawkes, and we knew there were darkspawn across the low bridge.

They weren't moving and Hawke wanted to speak to Varric.

I wasn't sure if the alarm was more my own or Justice's. Hawke and I were touching almost constantly, because she was part of the binding magics that held Corypheus.

Giving them privacy was beyond me right then; I just couldn't face it. I didn't want to sound like a frightened child at the idea of being separated from Dera. Old pain from losing my mother and home changed into something darker than angry Templars and their chains. I was slipping away from the light into the deep, and I clutched at Hawke, trying to keep her close.

Not that I minded her talking to Varric, but I needed her close.

Dera shook, and I got alarmed. That wasn't lessened when I realized that she was hiding her laughter at our fear.

"Shh, Anders." Dera caressed my cheek. "I'm sorry, I'm not laughing at your worry. I just thought it was funny that when you usually say you need me it's more sweaty and a lot more fun."

The acid in my middle spread out and dissolved, because she still saw me as that, not a crazy ghoul like Larius. "I want that too. You talk to Varric. I'll try to be quiet."

Varric didn't seem to want to talk for once, but Hawke persisted about the earlier Tethras' memory as being as important as his bodice ripping Heartbreaker books.

Hawke finally admitted she didn't read the books and she was trying to apologize while still making her point. I had been reading a couple of the books. I hadn't read anything for fun in years and the look on his face said he got my point.

But Hawke wasn't quite as pleased as she flushed. The Hawkes in those books weren't like her in some ways... but sometimes Varric got her so right I had to stifle a laugh as I read. I didn't mind the strange playacting in Varric's stories, I had the real woman.

When Bethany and Fenris came over to talk about lost relatives, I was quiet and Hawke dozed a little. Corypheus' whispering was quiet with both Hawkes so close to me. Even Paws' furry warmth helped.

Ser Mew seemed to have decided Varric's pack was acceptable, and I felt a little betrayed.

As well as a little glad.

Hawke stirred after only a cat nap.

The narrow causeway was only the width of a single wagon, with walls to prevent heavy loads from falling off. The tower would have required so much stone extracted from the crevice walls around it. When we were a third of the way across, the darkspawn waiting for us was clearer. A big one was out of sight in a gatehouse or turnaround, with more waiting at range.

For creatures that didn't speak or understand cause and effect, darkspawn still had a grasp of tactics.

When Hawke and Fenris moved ahead, the alpha brought out his shield to plow through them. But they split apart to prevent his focusing on either. Fenris took a glancing blow but the 'spawn ignored the continuing damage that Bianca and we mages delivered.

Even as the alpha stumbled I realized that Varric was already shooting the mostly ineffective archers. They died more quickly.

It was clear, we were a grimmer group this time. Hawke and Varric only compared noises over a ruby and then changed corpses.

Hawke started and looked back at us. "Did you say something?"

No. No. No! If Hawke, already part of the bindings was losing it, what hope did we have? How long did we have before we would be mad and only tainted tools? "No, Hawke."

Dera looked up at me, her eyes wide and scared.

'It's been quiet' I left unsaid as I moved closer to lean against her. I felt better, even if I was certain that Justice and I could not protect her from this.

The causeway ended in a branching of a path going around the tower. A rough rock wall went around the tower base, enough that we couldn't see the open area where the seal should be.

Hawke tested the hill of rocks to see if she could climb up and take a look, but a boulder half my size rolled out of the pile and nearly squashed me. We turned to the right path, which curved away.

Maybe a quarter of the way around, the path opened into a wider area. It was too bad that there wasn't passage into the base. All I saw was remains of an old campfire and some discarded possessions.

I picked up the tattered journal with a proud griffin in faded colors on the cover. How it resembled me was a topic to avoid.

Hawke put her arm around my waist and I wanted to smile at her, but my face was stiff from the screams that were echoing from different levels of the tower. I thought I was the only one hearing them as no one else was looking at the upper reaches of the tower.

I opened the journal, faded but still legible. The contents were similar to what we found before, and I read one later bit aloud. "The records say Corypheus has been trapped below the Vimmarks since the days of the Tevinter Imperium. Can it be a coincidence that the darkspawn besiege this area more fiercely than anywhere else on the surface of Thedas? Or that Kirkwall, the closest city, suffers from endless plagues of violence, lunacy, human sacrifice, and blood magic?

"If one studies Kirkwall's public records, it becomes hard to deny that some malevolent force has long shaped its history. Could a darkspawn, even a powerful mage, have such influence even as it slumbers?"

"Looks like we aren't the ones suspicious, even with little evidence." Hawke moved back against me, but I only slid my hand down her arm before stepping back.

Bethany looked up toward the top of the crevice. "I wish we knew who realized this."

"You missed the notes we kept finding in more remote corners of Kirkwall, Sunshine. A group of scholars like that Brother Genetivi were collecting what they could discover about Kirkwall when it was Emerius in the Imperium." Varric polished Bianca longer than was necessary and slipped Mew a scratch. "Many must have realized something was wrong, but how many knew about this prison?"

"And the Templars blame all mages. Does anyone doubt how unsound this prison plan was?" No one answered Justice and he settled.

After a long moment, Hawke peered upward. "There can't be too many more levels. I think there's only... five? This is the third we've been on and we know there's a top floor that had something."

She tickled my side and I frowned at her. I needed to keep my concentration against the flood.

Then we felt darkspawn back the way we came and I welcomed the chance to strike. When we fought, Corypheus' whispering was easier to ignore.

This was the first emissary we'd seen for a while and this darkspawn group was made of a larger number of hurlocks and another alpha. We finished the battle, unwisely strung out and apart as Hawke and the elf were drawn further ahead.

Hawke came almost sauntering back and I managed a smile. Once I'd healed injuries, we moved back and went the other direction around the base.

A few steps beyond the end of the causeway, and the whispering from Corypheus washed over me like a storm tide. His demands and orders of what he expected done to slaves and ungifted... I bent over, trying to hide from his attention. "Stop! Just make him stop talking! Make him stop!"

Hawke bent over and supported me, biting her lip while I could only breath shallowly.

"The abomination's hearing voices. How unexpected." Fenris' sarcasm wasn't important.

Bethany's voice had bite again, compelling attention. "Corypheus is calling to him, to all of us. He knows we're tainted."

"I hear something at times too, and I never drank blood like those Carta fools. I almost wish we brought Daisy to compare an untainted mage." Varric's easy rationality was calming.

Fenris gripped Bethany's hand where she held her staff. "Mages are in danger and more susceptible..."

"Shut it! For me, it's not much worse than the usual darkspawn nightmares all Grey Wardens have. But my blood is part of the binding, and I can almost feel the binding and the cracks that existed before our arrival." Bethany's hand twisted and she gripped Fenris' hand, letting her staff fall as she looked into the warrior's eyes. "I am probably safer than you."

He looked away, but didn't argue that.

I found it in myself to be amused, despite the topic or my situation. I remembered some epic attempts at Kinloch to seduce Templars, and those had cheered me when I was held there. I met Dera's eyes, and took a moment to brush her cheek.

The dried and querulous voice was still speaking, so speech was getting harder. Justice was objecting to just about everything right now, so I tried to tell Hawke... something important without words, but the thought washed away.

Hawke pulled me upright and pulled me along the path.

I lagged behind, afraid to let go and afraid of being too close.

Paws ruffed as he nosed by some rubble and we let her walk ahead. I admired her rear as she crouched to pull out a leather pouch.

Another wave swept through my mind like a tempest, and I was drowning far from the clean air, the light far overhead and my soul burning for relief. I heard myself scream as I dropped into a crouch to protect myself. My vision faded in the storm wracked water.

I felt Hawke's arms around me, smelled her close, heard her voice...

"What's wrong, Anders?" Hawke's voice came from far away, though her arms held me.

"I can't... the voices..." Storm surge and rip tide, I was being torn apart by two immortals within my mind. I almost wanted to reach in through my skull to rip out the disease, the voices, whatever might make them stop.

I had to... try to explain. "I have too much taint in my blood. I can't shut him out. Domna miri solia, help me, love..."

Air! Sinking further down under the waves of the Magister as Justice swelled.

Survive! Warden fire and taint and purpose that drove us.

Live! Freedom!

One more breath...

"I will not..."

"...Be controlled!" Everything here was a threat. The demon that lusted for power had its fingers in all of their minds and nothing could stop it. We must survive! There was no justice served by those who labored here, they sealed their own doom. We must survive.

Hawke smiled, showing teeth. "I can't take you anywhere, can I, Justice?"

Reaching back to ancient days in the Fade, I slammed our staff against the ground and summoned undifferentiatedspirits through the gossamer thin veil.

"You take the shades," Hawke yelled. "Guard Bethany! I will deal with this. I promised him."

Before they could move, I cast a compass ward against Hawke and I heard a the sound of a breaking jar as our body slowed as the field of existence here outside the Fade thickened.

Hawke's angry voice was close behind me. "Don't make me kill you, Justice."

I started to turn, swinging the staff like a sword. "His corrupted fingers creep into..."

She stabbed at me, and my wards bounced her back twice.

I laughed as I started to cast a firestorm, the others a cacophony of noise as the shadows weakened them.

Hawke appeared in front, her blades a blur as they sank into my flesh, leaving me with a bleeding heart full of steel.

I looked at her, dizzy as I collapsed to my knees.

She was weeping as she removed the blades.

I tried to reach out, but I fell forward onto my face.

Hearing Hawke sob let me claw through the fear and I seized enough to heal myself. Justice was watchful but not as convinced they weren't in thrall to Corypheus.

Hawke's blade had gone through my ribs, so very deeply. I had trouble breathing as I sat up and tried to clear my left lung.

She would have killed us, but she isn't in thrall?

She said she would after we left Kirkwall. See, she's watching us, expecting you to turn me into an abomination like demons do.

I am not a demon!

You didn't attack Corypheus. You attacked Hawke! If you had succeeded I would have done my very best to make sure I died in such a way so that you cannot possess my corpse.

Maybe the best justice for that is that you are trapped in a Tranquil body until the end of time. Tranquil can't go insane from their Calling, no magic, a mage's body that won't die until it falls apart. How old do you think Avernus is? I'm sure he'd love to experiment on a demon who used to be a just spirit.

The silence from Justice almost echoed, though the susurration of Corypheus had resumed.

Sure that Justice would be quiet, I finally looked up at Hawke, who was watching me with hard eyes. "Thank you, love. He's never really felt fear before, never that he could not control himself. He's never been a chained prisoner with magic beaten out of him and waiting to die. I hope I can hold against him, against them both."

Hawke stepped back, her face still wet as she watched me without expression. I couldn't meet her eyes.

I felt cold and alone, but I couldn't say anything against it. I was down long enough, she could have made sure.

This time, my... our betrayal was more direct. We attacked her.

She let us live, but it was very cold in the Deep Roads.

Fenris finally spoke. "You had better hold."

Varric chucked Mew behind the ears. "Let's not do that again. Bianca hates being turned on her friends."

I could almost meet Varric's eyes. So I told him, "I fear what this emissary can push me to do."

Hawke stepped closer. "He's not an emissary. He was a stupid, stupid man, and now an insane and powerful tainted. Once he could create life or spells and he chose to harm others for his magic instead."

Dropping to my knees, I put my forehead against the dirt. For the first time, I meant words the Chantry wanted us to say. "Lock me up, love. He would have..."

The silence seemed to last for hours, but all I could perceive was that my eyes were wet with sweat and tears.

A hand grabbed my blue and gray chest armor and yanked upward. I stumbled to my feet as she yanked me back not even a stone's throw.

We were alone, aside from Paws pacing watchfully with us.

Hawke shook me hard enough to make my teeth rattle before letting me go. "Fine. Let Justice out. I need to talk to him directly."

"He's not rational, lo..." I swallowed. I had no right to say that, after I'd broken those promises after Kirkwall. "...Hawke. He's afraid and that is new to him. Spirits don't know fear. He doesn't trust anyone and only mostly trusts me because he knows what I think."

"Let me talk to him directly. We can handle him."

The others seemed too far away. "Bind me. He never summoned before."

Drifting a little closer, Hawke put a finger on my lips. "Shh, you don't really want that." Pulling me next to her, her arms pulled me even closer. The binding magic, Hawke's blood, was so close and around me when she murmured, "Better?"

Now I could take deeper breaths that filled my lungs properly. "I wish we could enjoy this. I'll try to relax..."

"You are tainted, too, and are being corrupted as well. You reminded me of mercy's importance."

Hawke flicked a finger at me. "Mercy, we'll talk about mercy later. I'm not a mage, and Bethany is having far less of a problem. We'll both hold your hand if you think that will help. Are you better now?"

"We cannot fight with you wrapped around the mage like this."

She laughed.

"This creature's thoughts slide into us like Vengeance's did. I will not be controlled ever again!" I started to push her off, but she wouldn't let go.

"I promised that I would never allow you to become a threat like that. That promise is for both of you, always. I have the least taint, and we Hawkes don't hear as much as you do. You must work with us if you want to stop him. Or else you will be trapped in here, alone without any allies or rest."

"I understand." That seemed reasonable and valid, so I let the mage emerge in a flash of blue-white light.

Glad Hawke and I hadn't changed position while they talked, I kissed her forehead. "He feels a little calmer, Dera. At least for now."

She sighed, accepting the non-physical distance between us. I needed my concentration and attention for Justice and resisting the ancient Magister. This was too like our more chaste interactions after the Deep Roads.

Bending over a little, I slid one hand up to lace my fingers through her loose and longer hair and gave her a long and lingering kiss. "A promise, that it won't be long this time, Dera, One way or the other."

Her smile was lopsided, but she was smiling. That was enough for now.

We returned to Bethany, Fenris, and Varric, and we were hand in hand as a dry voice spoke nonsense inside my head again. The silence was a little brittle for a few minutes, but no one said anything.

The wide path, once used by an unknown number of dwarves to build or rebuild this complex, curved and finally climbed a smoothed hill to the tower's base chamber. This chamber was larger than the ones above, but this third seal was the same size once I paced its length. Like the other seal chambers, no opponents were present.

The pride demon was more transparent than fog, as unmoving as a painting or idea. They scattered to examine the chamber for traps or other threats. Paws almost grinned as he brought Hawke yet another pair of torn trousers from some dusty debris. His stump of a tail was wagging and Hawke chuckled before scratching his head. The others went through the motions of checking for traps or forgotten journals, but the true threat was out in the open. The magic echoed of Hawke and green energy from the Fade.

We knew what would happen, at least for the seal, and Hawke's very blood would return the demon to reality.

I hated that.

The choice of which school to use to reclaim the binding's energy didn't matter to me much. The choice made quickly for enhancing the power of her attacks, but the alternatives were lesser as well.

I just wanted it over with, I wanted freedom from the tainted's words.

Watching Hawke grow pale was too like all the times I was helpless, starting against the Templars who hauled me away from my family. It was clear that the bindings expected blood mages to reinforce them, that a mage could use the blood and power, but Hawke was only breaking the lock with a sledge hammer of blood volume. I watched as she grew paler and paler.

Was it more blood this time?

Was Hawke growing weaker than the last time?

Was I going to heal her too soon and we had to start all over again?

And worse, did Corypheus approve of our plans for his death? Was he that insane?

I looked around the room to resist calling healing immediately, and noticed some piles of bones, old and desiccated like the higher floor.

"Hey." Hawke trembled a little, where she refused to watch her blood drain. "Did anyone else notice that these basins are on urns like the ones spitting out Fade mist above?"

Before I could answer some rocks fell and the demon cracked like a broken mirror; he swept the spike of his arm through the space where we were standing.

Hawke pulled me away just in time, her blood still spraying over us, even as I tried to heal her. She sprang to attack the demon.

When it disappeared and reappeared, and there were now eight of them encircling the chamber.

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A/N: Some dialog is taken from or adapted from canon, not as much. Thanks to my beta reader who has been kind enough to read this and point out stupid flubs. Any typos that remain are not intentional... Reviews or a PM to let me know what you think would be very appreciated.