Chapter 35

Together once more…

Merrill couldn't believe how light she felt, this sense of weight lifted from her chest was like a boulder strapped her back for years, finally the straps broke and she felt as light as a feather. She couldn't stop smiling as she happily followed the path way back to the city again, Atisha following her closely as the cat occasionally rubbed it's neck into her leg, earning a giggle from the elf.

Standing upon a hill, she sees the city in her sights as the sun was slow descending behind her. Part of her was excited to see her friends again with this new revelation, maybe she could even put out the slow fires between herself and Fenris, Creators she and Anders might actually get along now. Yet the other part was fear. She left on such worrisome terms and even then she didn't have the courage to say farewell to their faces.

Merrill knew it would be difficult for her to apologize and face them all again after that but her worst fears lied with Hawke. Among them all she felt the more apprehensive when she thought of meeting Hawke again, every time she tried to muster up the courage to think of a way to approach him all it did was led her back to that horrible night she laid a hand on him and screamed at him like a bitter lover. Seeing that hurt look in his eyes masked by disappointment was probably one of the most painful sights she had ever seen in her young life.

Still after her chat with Shalla, deep down in her heart that shouldn't nor would it stop her from…confessing. Alright she was still scared out of her wits at the mere thought of telling him how she felt about the human but nothing ventured nothing gained as Isabela once said…then again she recalled the numerous amount of times she did venture in old caves and found nothing but trash.

This was going to be far harder than she had feared…

Well least she had company to share with.

'Why are you standing there?'.

…For the most part…

Fenris stood beside her as she took a deep breath through her nose and exhaled though her mouth. 'Just worried, that's it', she mused. 'About what?', the ex-slave inquired. 'Everything I suppose', she replied. Atisha mewled at her, hopping upon her shoulder and nuzzling into her neck. Gently Merrill smiled as she scratched her friend's neck softly, a gentle smile appearing on her face. 'What about you? Aren't you worried about the other's reactions after these past few weeks?'.

Fenris scoffed at this. 'The only one who'd have an issue with me is the abomination, everyone else I'll apologize to…maybe not to Isabela, she'll hold that over me for life', he answered plainly. 'That sounds like Anders', Merrill muttered. 'And what about me?', she asked. '…I suppose I do owe you an apology…', he grumbled as he rubbed his chin in annoyance. She gave him a grateful smile as they made their way to the city.

A day later after the elf left the clan she happened to encounter him. There was tension from him of course but after agreeing at a truce just to get some sleep, they did something Merrill didn't think was possible between the two.

Talk.

He actually told her where he had been after Hadriana and the slavers. Fenris had apparently been staying in a small village near the city of chains and actually took a job as an assistant for a blacksmith in the town, even earned some coin for himself. She was glad he at least stayed safe from the slavers and whatever dangers Danarius had in store for the white elf. He eventually cleared his head from all that had occurred on that day and he said he wanted to speak to Hawke about it.

Then came her reason for leaving, to which she told him everything that had occurred between him leaving and her fight with Hawke. Strangely enough despite their differences and dislike for each other, Merrill felt a lot better talking to him about it and part of her confidence boosted after it. Maybe confronting Hawke with this wouldn't be so difficult after all if even Fenris looked impressed by her choice.

They stopped talking after that and went to sleep and since then Fenris hadn't brought it up. Merrill was grateful for the fact he at least didn't berate her or gave her the usual scowl from him. No oddly enough he was just quiet and he'd occasionally glance at her. In the end though after she said she was going back to Kirkwall to face her choices, he actually offered to tag along. She asked why and he said he wanted to apologize to Hawke though she believed there was more to his story but decided against intruding on his privacy, she at least believed he deserved it.

So they began their long not so awkward walk back to Kirkwall, both feeling guilt for their absenteeism to their friends and each of their horizons expanded to a greater degree. 'Do you plan to stay in Kirkwall after all this?', she asked curiously. 'I don't know…maybe I'll move to the village', he answered honestly with some form of hesitance in his tone. She nodded in understanding and turned her eyes back to the road.

Kirkwall: Nightfall

After bribing the city guard to let the two in, and after Fenris tried out his power to pick a pocket to take his coin back, the two climbed up the long stair way that led back to Lowtown. They both agreed to head back to her place to drop their gear for the night and visit the Hanged Man to speak with its usual occupants. Atisha had scurried off into the city after Merrill gave her permission to go visit her friends and stretch her legs again.

'Nervous?', Fenris asked. 'Yes, do you think they'll speak to us?', she asked, anxiety in her body language and tone. Fenris rolled his eyes at her worries as they made a turn to the left. 'They'll forgive you, two days away isn't something to cry about', he said with a hint annoyance in his tone. 'Hawke…may not', she said with worry. Fenris patted her back a bit harder than she was used to, nearly stumbling forward.

'Don't be an idiot. Hawke wouldn't waste two seconds to forgive you', he said. Merrill rubbed her back with a grimace, does that elf seriously not know how strong he was? Suddenly her foot stepped on something that pricked her, causing the elf to jump with a yelp.

'Ouch', she groaned on one knee and rubbing her toe. 'Oh what now?', Fenris asked as he stopped to look at her. She looked at what assaulted her foot, expecting a pebble, broken shard of glass or whatever prickly thing that decided her foot was a delicious prey. Instead she found a locket, stained by sand, dirt and…blood. 'Wait a second', she mused. Gently the elf picked up the pendent and brushing the dirt off it, her eyes widened in horror.

It was a white steel pendent with the Amell family emblem painted upon it, the chain was broken though, almost ripped off. 'This is Leandra's', she gasped in horror. Fenris knelt down to check it, his own green eyes darkened. 'Yes I remember this, but what was she doing in Lowtown?', he asked. Then, a scent tickled Merrill's nose, a familiar scent that only heightened her fears. 'Fenris, smell this', she said, pushing it closer to his nose. He took a whiff and hummed. 'Lilies …', he mused but then realization grew on his face as fear expanded on hers.

White lilies…

'Maker the killer has her!', Fenris stated as the two elves stood up and looked for anything to follow the keeper. However Fenris looked at the locket then to Merrill. 'Can you trace the blood? It could be the killers or Leandra's', he said. Merrill nodded and took out the small knife she kept with her, placing it upon her palm-

She paused.

The cold steel touched her palm, still like a statue as she could feel the hesitance rise up again. Breaking her oath for something like this…after everything she had already been through. She shook her head and quickly sheathed her knife. 'I can't', she said regretfully. Fenris looked at her before the elf turned in to the left, her eyes falling upon the foundry near them. She jogged towards it, leaving the white elf behind in confusion before she heard him groan and follow her inside.

Within the foundry, Merrill and Fenris searched the old abandoned foundry, pushing crate over crate and opening old doors locked for decades. Just when they were about to leave though, Merrill felt her foot sink slightly. Looking down she spotted the wooden floor's plank was weak and wet. She knelt down and with a quiet chant, used her magic to break it and pull a set of the floor back to reveal beneath it a hidden locked door. 'Fenris over here', she called. The warrior joined her and seeing the door, took his sword off his back. 'Move', he ordered.

Stepping back a few feet, Merrill watched as the warrior plunge his sword upon the edge of the door, breaking the hinges off it and tore the metal door off the floor. No sooner did he toss the door aside, the foul stench of blood and decay assaulted both their noses. 'Maker's breath, it smells like a tomb', Fenris growled as he covered his nose with his forearm. 'I'll head down first, follow me when I call', he instructed as he sheathed his sword and climbed down.

Merrill awaited for his call, placing herself closer to the exit and channelling some mana in case of a fight. She heard him call her name and without another word the mage grabbed the ladder and slid down quickly. Reaching the floor, she turned to see what appeared to be a morgue of sorts, but more like a tomb. Several splotches of blood were scattered around the empty place, the stench of rotten flesh filled her nostrils and almost made her gag.

Upon a table was a body that looked fresher than what remained of the other bodies. Fenris and Merrill both inspected the body only for her to recoil in pure horror with a shriek. Fenris followed her gaze and even the hardened warrior had to look away in shock and horror. The poor woman's feet were poorly amputated, judging from the messy severing it looked as if someone took a hack saw on her feet and didn't bother to cover up the wound. The skin was deathly pale and judging from the horrific look upon the noble's face she was awake through the whole procedure and must have died from the amputation itself.

'Why would he do this?', Merrill asked in terror as she refused to look at the corpse. Fenris let out a groan as he helped her up and both continued down the corridor. 'I don't know nor do I wish to know why. If this is any indication, Leandra might be next', he said as they broke into a sprint to find their friend's mother, their hearts beat with fear for her and now horror latched upon them.

What was the man trying to do?

Lowtown

Hawke couldn't remember feeling this sense of terror in such a long time, the sheer desperation in this investigation of his and the terror that refused to release the cold grip on his heart. He asked everyone he could find in Lowtown, even beating on some criminals just in case his mother was caught by them rather than the killer. Varric and the company had been asking around for any information for the woman as well.

All seemed to end with no luck nor any leads, until Isabela and Gamlen managed to catch a young lad who apparently saw Leandra. 'Yeah I saw her, old looking woman, white hair, blue eyes, wore a dress', he listed. 'That's right, she wore that this morning!', Hawke said. 'Where did she go now? Did you see her with someone? Was she harmed?', Gamlen asked. Even his greedy uncle didn't hesitate showing his distress or fear for his sister, which was refreshing for the group but those fears may yet come true if they weren't quick enough.

'Can't say where old timer, didn't pay attention. But the guy she was with? He was an odd fellow', the boy said. 'He walked like something bit his leg or something, didn't see his face wore a cloak, but he was bleeding'. 'Go on', Hawke said. 'Hmm…the lady tried to help him but when they started walking, he started to rough her up a bit, I think he broke a necklace or something over there but scavengers picked it up'.

Worry itched on uncle and son as they tried to push the thoughts of Leandra being assaulted aside for answers. 'Did you see where they were heading after that?', Varric asked. 'Yes, near the foundry but that place's been really quiet lately, not a lot of people come back after it'.

'And this wasn't reported to the guards why?', Aveline accused. The boy shrugged. 'Sorry cap, but this thing happens here all the time', the boy responded casually as if he was talking about dinner. 'The foundry is where we're going then, lets hurry!', Hawke said as he quickly turned to the foundry. Several of the others followed leaving Gamlen and Aveline behind. Sighing Gamlen pulled out a sack of coin and handed to the boy. 'Buy yourself some food boy…and some shoes while you're at it', Gamlen said as he followed Hawke.

'Hang on, what did the scavengers look like?', Aveline inquired. At best they could be tracked down and she could manage to reclaim Leandra's necklace back from them. The boy hummed in response to this before he looked at the warrior. 'Two elves from their bodies, a lass with a stick and one warrior fellow…but he glowed, like a light you know? And the lass, she said "Leandra"', he mused. Aveline's eyes widened at this. Quickly she grabbed his shoulders. 'Did one of them speak with an accent? Something like an dalish?', she demanded. The boy nodded worryingly, allowing the guard to release him and quickly chase down the others.

"Bloody hell of all the times guys", she thought to herself, running to the foundry with her friends.

Morgue

Deeper in the two elves could only resolve their will as they braved through the paths of the dead and stench of rotten flesh and blood. Never had following down a pathway did Merrill felt so apprehensive nor afraid in her life, it was as if they were walking down a tomb of the dead and worse part of her felt the veil between her world and the fade shift and crackling in her ears, like the sounds of boots stepping on glass, cracking and almost breaking.

Every corpse here could be raised up to fight the two elves, delaying them and putting more strain on them in their attempts to rescue Leandra. Fenris had led the two down, catching the traps and carefully leading them past the dangers of the morgue. Eventually the two entered what appeared to be shrine, several shelves stacked with books aligned, a pedestal beneath a shrine with a large portrait upon the shelves.

'What is this?', Fenris asked as they looked at the portrait. 'Is that…Leandra?', Merrill asked in confusion. However Merrill turned to a single book upon a table near a candle, a purple hand upon the side of it gained her attention as she quickly picked it up and scrolled through it, her eyes widened with terror. 'Fenris, look at this', she said with fear. The elven warrior joined her as she showed him a single image of the human antimony with several words around each limb, skin and body part. 'What is it?', he asked. 'Necromancy, the school of using the dead as weapons but look here', she explained.

Fenris saw her finger tracing words upon the frame, confusion itched in his mind thanks to his lacking ability to read but the more Merrill read he sees, the more terrified she looked. 'This…this is…oh dear Mythal', she gasped. Quickly Merrill tossed the book down to the ground and grabbed the candle upon the table. Without any warning she tossed the candle on the book, instantly setting it a flame. 'We have to hurry', she said as she quickly ran further in the morgue, leaving the confused white wolf behind.

Shaking his head the chased after her, realizing if even the ex-blood mage would destroy a mages book then surely whatever was in it that scared her was better left to the dust.

Journeying deeper into the morgue, Fenris grabbed her arm and stopped her running just before she entered the next room. Looking in Fenris spotted a mage near Leandra, whose hands were tied to a wooden chair along with her legs tied around the chair's, mouth wrapped in cloth. Quietly the two elves climbed down the stairs, weapons drawn. The mage ceased what he was doing and stood up with his back facing the two.

'Do you know it's rude to enter a person's work place without his permission?', he asked in a manner that Merrill could only place as…polite? Strangely as there was no malice in his tone nor was there ill intent despite what he's done or what's trying to do, he turned to face the two elves, but upon seeing his face Merrill was never more certain that he was dangerous. His face was old and tired looking yet the eyes obtained her attention the most as she could see both sadness within them but worst of all delusion.

'We're a bit busy at the moment, would you kindly leave us to our business?', he asked. 'Release Leandra mage', Fenris growled as his lyrium markings glowed dangerously while Merrill's mana swirled around her hands. He let out a weak chuckle as he looked between the two elves and Leandra, before he placed a hand on the frightened woman's shoulder. 'I'll be but a moment dear', he said in such a loving tone.

He approached the two elves but once Fenris growled like a wolf, promising to render him asunder, he stopped. 'Do you two know what the most powerful force is?', he asked. 'Love. The thing that binds two people together like rope', he said. 'I've tried to…piece her together, from memory. I've found her fingers, her eyes, her skin…and now this face, oh that perfect face'.

Merrill's eyes grew darker. 'You're trying to bring your dead wife back by reconstructing her using body parts', Merrill said with disgust. The mage turned on her, his eyes now longer soft but now dark and twisted. 'Don't you dare speak of my wife like that! I have found her and I will NEVER lose her again!', he roared. 'That's not YOUR wife! That's an innocent woman who has a family!', Merrill retorted with hate. 'And the women you murdered had families and loved one of their own!', Fenris snarled.

'Give us Leandra or else we-

Merrill barely had time to throw up a barrier to protect herself from the sudden blast of mana from the mad mage as a single bolt hit Fenris in his stomach sending him backwards, his feet dragging in the dirt as he grabbed the ground.

'You will not take her from me!', the mage proclaimed as his hands were slowly being coated in a dark purple cloud like substance, suddenly below them hands pierced the earth, some with blades and some missing bits of their hands. Slowly dragging themselves out of the ground the dead marched towards the two elves. Merrill let out a shout as she fired a bolt of lightning upon one, destroying its decaying head as Fenris let out a roar while bringing his huge sword across in a wild swing, severing two in half.

As the white wolf tore his way through the horde of the undead, Merrill turned her attention to the mage as both mages faced each other. The mage casted a swirl of black magic at the elf but using her the earth beneath her feet Merrill erected a barrier of stone and rock that towered over her, blocking his attack. With a forward thrust of her palm, Merrill sent bullets of stone at the mage like cannons.

Whistling through the air like arrows several of the stones were then blocked by hordes of risen undead, their broken bodies used as shields to take the blows as the stone mashed their bones and cracked their skulls. The mage fired a whitish blue ball at Merrill's wall, dispelling the mana keeping it up as it slowly began to crumble and collapse. Quickly the elf jumped back before the huge tower smothered her in rock.

Lifting the end of her staff Merrill fired a bolt of magic at the mad man, violet lightning danced upon her staff as it soared towards him. One chain managed to strike him in the shoulder but that did little to deterrent his spell as he fired one skull shaped attack out of pure cloud like that upon hitting the elf felt like a horse's kick straight into her stomach. The blast sent the small elf flying until she crashed onto the ground, rolling until she came to a stop. Groaning from the pain and coughing from the air being knocked out of her, the elven mage raised her head up to see the mage channelling more magic, no doubt readying himself for the final attack.

Looking around the elf found a single corpse near her, in desperation she snapped the arm in half just as the mage approached her. As he thrust his hands down to cast what she guessed was lightning upon her body, with a yell and all the strength her arms would give her the elf swung the bone blade at him. Realization came too quick for the mad man as while he was able to retract one hand from harm his left unfortunately suffered for his slow wit as Merrill severed his hand.

Screaming in agony the mage clutched his stump arm as he backed away from Merrill, now holding the dagger in her hand as she channelled more mana from her staff. Suddenly Merrill's legs were caught and upon looking down more of the undead had grabbed her ankles, holding her there and another had grabbed her arms, forcing her to drop her weapons and hold them behind her back. She was about to call out to Fenris but to her worry the elf was slowly being swarmed by the undead as he wildly swung his sword like a wild beast, tearing them piece by piece.

The mage glared at the elf with pure hate and madness in his eyes as he reached down for the dagger and placed it gently on her neck. 'You…you… you've just ruined it! With one hand I cannot save her! My wife is dead because of you!', he screeched in absolute rage. Merrill's breath hitched as she felt the steel pierce her flesh, a trickle of blood trailed down her neck. 'I'll cut that face off and once I'm done here, I'll make sure no one will recognize your corpse!', he gloated.

However the sounds of footsteps and voices echoed in the morgue, several voices of both genders but many accents quickly filled the morgue. Seeing this, Merrill reeled her head back and after mentally regretting this, she slammed her fore head directly into the mage's nose, breaking his nose and hopefully not her skull. With him clutching his now broken nose with one hand, Merrill turned to the entrance.

'DOWN HERE! HURRY!', she called out as loud as her lungs could. With the sounds becoming louder and more clearer, it was clear to the mage that this fight was over. One last look at the elf, who was now glaring at him with a look of victory in her eyes, he cursed her and quickly clutched his hand as he quickly ran away from them, disappearing into the darkness of his tomb just as the party had arrived.

Quickly Isabela and Aveline tore through the remaining skeletons while Varric and Sebastian picked them off with incredible accuracy. Anders blasted what remained of the undead with ice and spirit just as Hawke purged what remained alongside his fellow mage, leaving nothing left.

With the battle over, Fenris collapsed out of exhaustion and was then tended by Aveline and Varric while Isabela took Sebastian and Anders to chase down the mage as Merrill instructed while Hawke tended to his mother, breaking her bonds and freeing her. Merrill let out a deep sigh of relief as she watched Leandra cry into her son's shoulder, thanking him profusely and whimpering just as Gamlen joined her, hugging his sister.

As the two Amells hugged, Hawke turned to face Merrill, both eyes locked in a silence that felt familiar yet alien to them at the same time. There was sadness within them, shame mixed with regret but there was something only they could see within each other…

Relief.

A/N: So that's an end to that~

Betcha you all thought she was gonna get the axe? Well no actually cause I wanna do more with this and trust me, I have big plans for later chappies!

Thanks for the read and expect HXM tomorrow, new ideas courtesy of readers! Stay safe and have a great day and don't forget to be awesome!