Chapter 52: Dissent
To Knight-Commander Meredith, re. the so-called "Mage Underground"
Every Circle in Thedas suffers from individual mages who rebel and attempt to flee. These apostates are usually found and returned to the Circle or mercifully killed if they have fallen to demonic temptation. Until now, I have never served anywhere that the populace does not fully cooperate in hunting these rebels.
Here in Kirkwall, citizens actually help rebel mages escape. Escaped apostates have survived their freedom long enough to form the "the mage underground," a network that feeds and shelters escapees and even transports apostates into remote areas of the Free Marches and beyond our easy reach.
As of late, the movement has grown bolder, sending raiding parties into the Gallows in an attempt to break out mages who lack the skills or willpower to escape on their own. This is a grave concern. My recommendation is to fight back, both physically and in turning the minds and hearts of their supporters against them.—Knight-Captain Cullen
Darktown-Night
The gang gathered in the center of Darktown at night. Anders looked around for any guards and pulled up a hatch to a shaft. "This tunnel will take us to the Gallows"
"Infiltrating the Gallows…." Varric said shaking his head. "Well it was nice knowing you guys"
"It's a risk worth taking if it means saving my kind from this Tranquil Solution" Anders said. "Besides, security should be light at this time"
"And yet that feeling of dread hasn't left me, Blondie" The gang headed down the shaft.
Gallows Dungeon
The Gallows Dungeon is not a dungeon in the traditional sense but a network of tunnels running under the harbor built by lyrium smugglers who sell additional lyrium to the Templars of Kirkwall to feed their addiction. A small closed off section of this maze is used to punish the most troublesome of the Templars charges though what is considered troublesome tends to be very loose with Kirkwall's Templars. Finally giant spiders have made their homes in the older run down parts of the maze, however encountering them tends to be quite low. "So if we find this evidence, what happens next?" Isabela asked.
"We take it to the Grand Cleric" Anders said. "She will not be able to claim neutrality then"
Ericks snorted. "No offence to your plan, Anders but if its anything like the last time I wouldn't hold my breath on relying on Elthina"
The gang went forward navigating all the twists and turns of the dungeon, almost getting lost at times. They ran into smugglers and giant spiders but it was nothing the gang could not handle. After several hours, they made it the end of the passage where they heard voices "No…please! I haven't done anything wrong" Ericks looked over the corner and spotted a young woman in light purple robes backing away from a Templar, an older man with a closely shaved head, he had light blue eyes that were as cold as ice…even looking at them gave the rogue cold shivers.
"That's a lie. What do we do to mages who lie?"
"I take it that charmer is Alrik?" Varric asked.
Anders frowned. "Yes…that bastard makes me sick at looking at him" he said. "The dungeons must be where he's been conducting his Tranquil Solution"
"I just wanted to see my mum. No one ever told her where they were taking me" the woman said in tears.
"These are the types of men I hate" Isabela said angrily. "Cowards that would go after the weak" Ericks frowned; when it came to capturing mages Templars were under no obligation to announce to an apostate's family that they were hunting that person. Many apostates have been spirited away by the Templars with their family none the wiser of their fate. It was one of Ericks biggest fears growing up, that one day his father and sister would be captured without him knowing. Anders eyes started to glow, the fear of the girl and Alrik sadistic pleasure of her fear was enough to allow Justice to stir.
"No, no. This isn't the place…we cannot-"The gang looked back with wide eyes as they backed away slowly.
"Oh shit…"
A sick smirk wrapped around the Templar's face. "So, you admit your attempted escape? You know what happens to mage girls who don't toe the line around here, don't you?"
"Please, no! Don't make me Tranquil! I'll do anything!" the mage pleaded on her knees.
"That's right. Once you're Tranquil, you'll do anything I ask" Screams were then heard behind Alrik, he looked back to find his men scorched to death and Anders standing before him. Little did the Templar know, he was not facing the mage but a spirit.
"You fiends will never touch a mage again!" Justice yelled in rage.
"Abomination!" Alrik said with wide eyes. "Kill it!" The other Templars drew there weapons and attacked Justice. The spirit just raised his hands and impaled the Templars with shards of ice as he approached Alrik. Two Templars up the stairway came running and fired arrows at Justice, the arrows stopped in mid-air by a magic barrier. The spirit roared, angry at these interruptions and trapped the Templars in a cage of telekinetic force and crushed them into bloody bits. "M…Monster…!"
"You are the only monster here, Mortal!" the spirit said. "Justice will be done!"
"Blessed are they who stand before the corrupt and the wicked and do not falter" Alrik said. "The Maker take you, abomination!" With a yell, the Templar charged with sword in hand. With the greatest of ease Justice disarmed the man and grabbed him by the neck. Alrik gasped for air as his legs swung franticly…his eyes were full of fear and Justice gave a wide deadly grin, the Templar's fear pleased the spirit. "Andaste save me…!" The spirit ripped Alrik's head clean off his shoulder, blood gushed from the body and showered the room. Justice licked his lips; the taste of the blood of the unjust gave the spirit great pleasure.
"They will die! I will have every last Templar for these abuses!" Alriks head rolled at the mage woman's feet and she screamed in horror. Ericks ran out.
"It's over, Anders. They're all dead!"
Anders blew back Ericks and the rogue hit the wall hard. "Every one of them will feel justice's burn"
"Get away from me, demon!" Justice glared at the woman and gave a furious growl. The mage backed away.
"I am no demon! Are you one of them, that you would call me such?"
"Anders, that girl is a mage. We wanted to rescue her from being made Tranquil, remember what you came here for!"
"She is theirs! I can feel their hold on her!"
The mage went to her knees. "Please, messere…" Justice raised his hand; crackling with magic…nothing was going to stop the spirit from doing what it felt needed to be done. Inside, Anders was banging on the walls of his mind, yelling and pleading for Justice to stop.
"Shit! Blondie, don't do it!" Varric yelled. Ericks ran towards Justice taking a flask off his belt, he then jumped on his back. The spirit thrashed like a wild bronto, Ericks held on barely and got the flask to his nose.
"Nighty-night, Justice!" Eventually the spirit started to slow down until the mage's body fell on the ground and he was knocked out asleep. Ericks sat on the ground exhausted. "Always a handful you are, Anders" With Anders knocked out, the young mage wasted no time to run away from this nightmare, where she went no one knew.
"What was that?" Isabela asked.
"An insurance policy…"
Last night
"Templars really need to find a hobby, gardening is always good" Ericks said. "Might actually do something about that twitch of theirs"
"Come with me, tonight, please. Help me find the evidence of Alrik's 'Tranquil Solution'" The Tranquil Solution, Alrik's idea of a 'peaceful' solution to the so-called mage problem…to sunder the mind of every mage in the Free Marches. The Templar is trying to bring his plan to the Divine in Val Royeaux. If it's a success every mage in Thedas would be tranquil and under his command.
"You don't have to ask me twice…if he's really as bad as you're saying then that means Betty's in trouble" the rogue said. "Though this Alrik would be a fool to keep such a plan in writing"
"Then let us pray he's a fool as well as a bastard" Anders said. "Hawke…" Ericks turned and looked at him. "Alrik…Alrik is the type of person that will stir Justice awake"
"And while I wouldn't mind him killing the miserable bastard…he might go out of control again" he said. "When that happens, you need to knock me out with one of your concoctions"
Ericks raised a brow. "What makes you think that will work?"
"Justice is powerful, no doubt but he's a slave to the functions of my body…same as me" Anders said. "Please do this for me, Hawke…if…if an innocent person died because of Justice, I would never forgive myself"
Now
Anders stirred awake and looked around at the carnage. "Maker, no…I almost…if you weren't here" the mage said close to tears. "I…I need to get out of here"
"Blondie!"
"Let him go, Varric…he needs some space" Erick went to the headless body of Ser Alrik and looted the body. He felt paper and took it out.
To Her Excellency, Divine Justinia,
I am well aware both you and Knight-Commander Meredith have rejected my proposal, but I beg you to reconsider. The mages in the Free Marches are past controlling, their numbers have doubled in three years, and they have found a way to plant their abominations in our ranks. They cannot be contained!
The Tranquil Solution is our answer. All mages at the age of majority must be made Tranquil. They'll coexist peacefully, retain their usefulness—a perfect strategy! It's simply the best way to ensure mages obey the laws of men and Maker.
I remain, as always, your obedient servant,
Ser Otto Alrik
"Interesting…I didn't expect this" Ericks said. "Come on, let's get out of here before more Templars come" The gang headed back to Darktown, when they returned, they spotted the mage from earlier.
"You! You saved my life, messere. What was that thing?"
"Don't worry; it was all a trick by the Circle to scare you away from ever summoning demons"
The woman paled. "I…I wouldn't…I never-"
Ericks sighed, some people never gets his sense of humor. "It was a joke"
"Can I…go home now?"
"Alrik is gone, head back to the circle…you'll be safest there"
"Without Ser Alrik…maybe Bethany's right, maybe the circle isn't so bad"
"You know Betty?" Ericks asked. "Wait…you wouldn't happen to be Ella would you?"
Ella eyes went wide. "Y-Yes, how did you know?"
The rogue smirked. "When you go back, tell her hi for me"
"Um, okay" she said. "Thank you, messere" Ella went back to the circle and the gang went to check out Anders. The mage was sorting things at his clinic; he was still shaken by what happened.
"Trash. Trash. Keep. Trash. Trash…"
"Damn, he's a mess…" Isabela said. "I'm not too good at this…why don't you talk to him, Hawke?" Varric nodded in agreement and they waited outside while Ericks went into the clinic.
"Won't be needing that anymore…"
"You know throwing everything away won't make you feel better"
"Should I feel better?" Anders asked. "You were the only thing that kept me from murdering an innocent girl!"
"I-It's all gone wrong. Justice and I. We're just a monster, same as any abomination"
"So what? You're just going to let the Templars win?" Ericks asked.
"Maybe they deserve to win…maybe they're right" Anders said solemnly. "How can I fight for mage freedom when I am the example of the worst that freedom brings?"
"How can I even trust myself to heal anymore? What if that…creature of vengeance turns on a patient?" he asked. "Will he…will I…resist? Or will I release his fury?" Ericks rubbed his head; he had no answers for Anders' dilemma. He reached into his pocket.
"Well, maybe this will cheer you up…" Ericks said. "Looks like Alrik's Tranquil Solution began with him and died with him" Anders looked up and took the parchment, his eyes scanned the words and the mage gave a disbelieving chuckle.
"The Divine…rejected the idea, so did Meredith! This is…unexpected…" Anders said. "Maybe I should try talking to the grand cleric….perhaps she's more reasonable than I thought"
"Thank you. I will think on what you have said"
Renewed resolve! Next Time! Review and Comment!
