Judy: I'm glad you think so, here's hoping that you enjoy this one!


Chapter 202 – The delusion of illusion

'Maker, save your humble servant as she bathes in Andraste's flame and serves to protect the innocent and deserving!'

'Shit! Get back!'

'Blessed are those who stand before the corrupt and wicked and do not falter!' She screams as she plunges her sword into the ground. The power flowed through her, her blade felt as if it was merely an extension of her arm. Breathing heavily she felt at peace, she knew the Maker and his bride were watching over her. I will cleanse the land of the wicked, the purge will be clean. I will not allow another to die by the tainted hand of blood magic, such is my charge, my oath, Meredith thinks to herself as she closes her eyes. She could see the warped magic coming from the mages, the red oily aura of blood that condemned them as blood mages; their dalliances with demons. The claws of the fade resting on their shoulders, gripping them tightly and twisting their minds in only the way that demons knew. There was the creaking sounds of metal being manipulated and the Gallow's statues come to life, heavily dropping onto the courtyard. I am not weak like that dwarf, I am blessed my the Maker's hand as his divine will, she thinks as she watches the companions swarm to the nearest enemy.

'Uh, Hawke? How do you think we're going to get out of this one?' Varric asks as Garrett looks at the massive statue that threatened to crush him. They instinctively moved out the way before converging on the creature, trying to find a weakness.

Garrett concentrated a blast of fire on the ankle, hoping to cripple it. 'Survive first, chat later. All else fails? Aim for that fucking sword, just for the love of the Maker, don't touch it!' He says knowing that the others will be able to hear him. Carver blocked a blow directed at him and he nods his head in thanks, sorry that his brother has been put in this position but there wasn't much he could do about it. 'Alright, pick your target and make them wish they had never been born!'

Meredith's eyes dart over to Cullen, her second in command. She couldn't believe that now she knew of his corruption it was easy to see, the black tendrils that wound from his mind, a clear sign of his taint. 'I have been a fool, I should have trusted only the Maker, he has given me sight so I can see! I will cleanse this city of corruption and the demon's wicked touch,' she says to herself as she begins to descend down from the stairs. The Guard Captain rushed towards her and she had to pull herself from her moment of delusion, feeling the Maker's will flow through her, to parry and block a large sweep of the woman's axe. Meredith used the butt of her sword to knock her on the side of the head sending her to the floor. Poised with her sword ready to deliver the killing blow she brings it down mercilessly. There was a flash of light and her blade was stopped with a large screeching clash as Fenris appeared out of his charge, saving Aveline with a calculating look on his face. Meredith looked at the elf, his brands shone brightly and her fear began to rise. The lyrium wound across his skin and she could see the taint dance within them. It was just like that she knew who the source was. 'Lady Lorias,' she hisses.

Fenris' face clearly conveyed the fear he felt as the Knight Commander uttered her name. 'You will not touch her!' Fenris screams as he uses his strength to knock her back and swipe with his sword, catching her across the cheek. Meredith bellows at him as they begin to struggle for the upper hand, his ferocity and strength matched with her speed and insanity, her will to kill him.

'Fenris!' A shout came from across the courtyard. It was Isabela, he risked a look at her as she pointed at the large statue thundering towards him. Swearing he moved back from Meredith, barely missing the kick aimed at him. Meredith stood with a triumphant look on her face as his concentration was forced to change on the massive metal beast in front of him. The pirate ran up to him to help draw the attention that he gathered while he swung at it's ankles. 'What the fuck is going on?' She asked him as he drew upon his brands hoping to cripple the creature quickly.

'She is going to target Makatza,' he replies before vanishing, desperately trying to get to the Knight Commander. Isabela's face paled and she covered him as he vanished, she had already taken a nasty blow to her thigh and it made moving difficult. The health draught that Garrett had thrown at her had taken the edge off enough for her to keep moving. Isabela swung her blades only to be knocked to one side as she's used as a landing mat for Merrill. The elf moans and the pirate thanked whatever deity that was watching over them that she hadn't been accidentality impaled by one of her daggers. 'Merrill!' Isabela said grabbing her under the arms and lifting her up, 'what the fuck?!'

Merrill shook her head and rubbed her eye, 'Katza!' She said pointing over to where a figure was limping through the courtyard. 'She's been hurt an' she nae listenin'!' Merrill says getting to her feet and they're both temporarily distracted as they grab their weapons and back up from the enemies.

Isabela looked in terror as she figured out where Makatza was going, 'fuck! She's going straight to Meredith-'

'Fenris is fightin' Meredith!' Merrill cuts in. 'If he gets hurt, Katza will go all angry an' none of us will live,' the mage screams at Garrett trying to get his attention. 'We either gotta grab Fenris an' get him outta here or grab Katza an' hope he can take Meredith.'

'We can't let Katza near Meredith! That red lyrium will kill her!' Isabela says simply.

-x-

It hurts. I feel like I'm burning up. Being burned alive... Makatza looked at Meredith, the deep red aura that flicked over her. Then in a shocking contrast, Fenris' lyrium glowed brightly, blindingly as he appeared. Panting she covered her eyes, her body was healing but it was slow, the poison ravaging her body. Her inner wolf howled in agony and she could feel the deep pulse emanating from her necklace.

Meredith blocked the blow aimed at her shoulder and caught sight of the Viscountess walking towards them, her insanity reaching it's peak. 'Demon,' she hissed as she deflected Fenris to one side making him lose his balance as she changed her target. Charging towards Makatza she felt her Maker's divine power flow through her the closer she got. Meredith let out a cry of frustration as the Viscountess was tackled sideways by her cousin and she was forced to dodge as the dwarf appeared with a flurry of arrows.

'Katza, what the fuck are you doing?' Garrett asks swearing as he notices that she's badly injured and he probably made it worse. Makatza looked at him with unseeing eyes and simply raised her hand, throwing him from her as she staggered back up to her feet. He flew across the courtyard and landed against the wall hearing a deafening crunch as his elbow made contact with the stone first. Sebastian had finally awoken and made his way into the courtyard, helping the mage to his feet. Garrett saw that he was bleeding from his head, 'you too huh?' He asks with a pained cough. Sebastian nods and explains what happened as they were helpless to watch what was going on.

'Meredith!' Makatza screamed at her, flames beginning to lick at her feet as she grew more an more angry, her agony fuelling her rage. The Knight Commander looked at her with a feral expression and raised her blade, Fenris was being held back by Aveline, Cullen and Isabela, Varric attempting to help.

'By my hand the Maker's wrath will be known!' Meredith howled as she allowed the red lyrium to infuse her with it's power and she leapt into the air, sword poised. All sound had been dampened, Makatza standing tall, her dress billowing around her, ready for the blow.

I need to stop fighting what I am...

Meredith's sword ran through her chest, knocking her to the floor. Meredith landed on top of her, pinning her to the floor even more as the Knight Commander dug the blade deeper into her body. Makatza coughed and felt the searing pain and rush of adrenaline that hit her overwhelmingly. Instead of fighting Makatza exhaled, slowly reaching up with her good hand and grabbing the sword, letting the red lyrium flow through her. 'By Andraste's flame, you will be purified,' Makatza whispers lightly, knowing the woman was suffering from religious mania. Meredith found that she couldn't pull her hands from the pommel and she began to panic. The flames that had been flickering around Makatza began to grow, the heat becoming intolerable. Makatza's clothing began to smoulder and she smiled as she looked at Meredith. 'Beg for the Maker's forgiveness.'

Sebastian held onto Garrett's waist as he fought to get to the smouldering inferno that had enveloped his cousin. Tears streamed down the Prince's face as he desperately held his friend tightly. Hawke's cries of anguish tore at his heart.

Aveline and Cullen looked at each other as the fire created ripples of light across them. Fenris had gone limp in their arms and they let him go, watching the broken man fall to his knees and stare at the blaze soulessly. Isabela was grabbed by Merrill who wept into her friend's shoulder. Varric could do nothing but watch. Fenris felt his heart thundering in his chest, he couldn't believe what his eyes were seeing. Makatza was lying there one moment and the next there was nothing but a raging fire, only shadows dancing inside. Sound returned in an instant and time seemed to flow once more, faster than before. Cullen saw Fenris move before Aveline and grabbed him, causing the Guard Captain to jolt into life as they tried to stop the Tevinter elf from walking into the flames himself. Isabela became aware of screaming and tilted her head, it was Meredith.

The Knight Commander staggered out the fire, writhing in pain holding her sword tightly. There was a sharp, shattering noise and the blade began to fragment and bury itself into Meredith's skin, growing into her, warping her very being, smothering her until she was no more. A writhed statue, brought to her knees and smouldering. Templars began to approach her while the companions moved closer to the fire, Fenris still being held tightly.

'I can't... believe it,' Garrett says quietly holding his staff in the one hand, Sebastian's grip on his shoulder.

Fenris looks at Hawke, 'diminish it,' he says bluntly, coldly. The Champion nodded and raised his hand to quell the fire, but to his surprise he couldn't. He looked at his fingers and shook his head and tried again.'What is going on? Extinguish the fire!' Fenris snapped, unable to mentally cope with what was going on.

'I can't! It's... it's not a normal fire,' Garrett says shaking his head as he looks at it.

'What? What do you mean?' Aveline asks confused.

'He means... that it's not a normal fire,' Makatza says softly as she appears in the flames, raising her good hand and allowing the flames to die around her. She was still wounded, favouring her right side to her left and there was a large painful looking gape in her chest. Flickering around the wound showed that it was healing, she smiles at them weakly with a small wave of her arm.

Isabela shook her head, 'what the fuck just happened?'

'An illusion,' Makatza replies. 'Meredith felt the flame and the suffocation. I was able to direct all the red lyrium back at her. I stopped fighting it and gave it a path to follow, a purpose. It stopped hurting after I embraced it. I feel sick though and-' She's cut off from her words as Fenris was let go and he strides to her pulling her close. Makatza hissed and yelped in pain at her arm, the way she was held too tightly and her chest made it hard to breathe.

With a well meaning action Garrett gently pried Fenris from her, 'easy, easy,' he says quietly. 'We're all so relieved you're alive,' he says ignoring the filthy look that Fenris gave him. 'You need to heal,' Garrett said with a pointed glare at the elf who sighed.

'I will, in time,' she smiles. Looking over at Meredith she sighs, 'I tried so hard to solve this peacefully,' Makatza mumbles.

Cullen ran to her side, 'Viscountess! You are alive!' He says in relief. 'We must get you inside the Keep-'

'Oh, no. About that... I quit,' Makatza said simply making everyone wear an expression of surprise. She holds up her good hand and shakes her head, 'no, I don't want to hear it. I quit. I'm leaving Kirkwall. I'm going to Ferelden, I've had enough of politics. I'm going to go to Fereleden, get married and live without this shit,' she said simply with a massive grin. Cullen tries to protest but Makatza shakes her head more and basically ignores him.

Varric laughs as Fenris picks her up, ignoring his own injuries and they walk towards the docks to get back to the mainland. He looks at Aveline and smiles, 'I can't blame them,' the dwarf said to the Guard Captain who smiled brightly. The rest of the party leave the Templars to deal with their Knight Commander and follow to the docks.

It wasn't until they were on the boat, crossing the channel between the Gallows and Kirkwall that Fenris spoke. 'I thought I had truly lost you,' he murmurs. Makatza was on his lap, cradling her arm, her head resting against his shoulder. Healing everyone else in the party had been a lot easier than healing herself, so she had been given their health draughts to speed things up.

She nods and touches his face with her good hand, 'I know. I didn't know what I was going to do until she hit me. I thought I was really going to die,' Katza admits. They don't say any more and simply hold each other, wary of the risk that they had both taken. 'I want to leave this city,' Makatza says softly, although she knew that he was aware.

'You only had to say,' Fenris replies, kissing her temple and holding her that little bit more tightly. 'I will arrange passage and we will be gone by the week's end.'

'Fuck that, I've got a ship, you're coming with me,' Isabela grins as she had clearly been eavesdropping. 'We'll go tomorrow morning. Get your shit ready, we're hoisting anchor at dawn!'