Saitada awoke, and reached for her blade. Around her, the others were stirring. She saw the body of the young man...the one that had spoken to them in the Fade. His fingers were still clutched around a scroll case.

"Lenore!" Cathiel's voice was frantic. Wynne and Lenore rushed over to where Cathiel was kneeling beside Jerath. The elf was pale and wide-eyed, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth as he gasped for breath. Together, the mages wove the healing spell over him. Morrigan joined them, and after a moment, the elf's breathing became steady.

"Is he..." Saitada started to ask.

Cathiel made a choking noise. "I shot him."

"I believe he will be fine. Injuries received in the fade do not transfer to reality, at least, not physically. His condition looks similar to that of an apprentice shortly after a harrowing. It is exhaustion, mainly. We seem to have escaped the fade in time for him," Wynne said.

Morrigan cradled Jerath's head in her lap. "Finish what you came to do. I will remain here with him."

"Are you certain?"

"I will keep him safe." She brushed his hair from his face possessively, shooting Cathiel a look as she did so.

Saitada hesitated, and then nodded. "The rest of you, come with me."

#

Lenore let out a gasp as she saw the templar inside the magical barrier. Bruises stood out starkly on Cullen's pale face. His eyes went wide when he saw her. "This trick again? I know what you are. It won't work. I will stay strong..."

"Cullen! Don't you recognize me?" She went to the side of the barrier and began looking for a way to bring it down.

"Only too well... how far they must have delved into my thoughts..."

Wynne came up next to her. Sympathy filled her voice. "The boy is exhausted. And this cage...I've never seen anything like it. Rest easy... help is here."

"Enough visions. If anything in you is human... kill me now and stop this game." Cullen tried to stand, and failed.

Leliana began rummaging in her bag. "He's delirious. He's been tortured... and has probably been denied food and water. I can tell. Here, I have a skin of-"

"Don't touch me! Stay away! Sifting through my thoughts... tempting me with the one thing I always wanted but could never have. Using my shame against me... my ill-advised infatuation with her... a mage, of all things." He looked at her, and Lenore took a step back. There was hatred in his eyes.

"Someone was quite the little heart-breaker when they were an apprentice. My, my." She nearly turned around and threw a fireball in Zevran's face as she heard his mocking words.

"I'm so tired of these cruel jokes... these tricks... these..." Cullen's voice trailed off.

Lenore knelt to look him in the eyes. "This is no trick. We're here to help."

"Silence... I'll not listen to anything you say. Now begone!" He looked back at her, and his eyes widened. "Still here? But that's always worked before. I close my eyes, but you are still here when I open them."

"I'm real, and I'm here to help you."

"Don't blame me for being cautious. The voices... the images...so real..." His voice was little more than a whisper.

She tried to smile. "I bet you wish you hadn't said those things."

He snarled. "I am beyond caring what you think. The Maker knows my sin, and I pray he will forgive me."

"I never wanted to cause you pain."

"You are a mage and I, a Templar. It is my duty to oppose you and all you are." He shook his head. "Why have you returned to the tower? How did you survive?"

"Is it so surprising that I've returned? This was my home."

"As it was mine. And look what they've done to it. They deserve to die. Uldred most of all. They caged us like animals... looked for ways to break us. I'm the only one left..."

"Be proud. You mastered yourself," Sten said.

"Be proud? What is there to be proud of? That I lived and they died? They turned some into... monsters. And... there was nothing I could do."

"You must stay strong," she said, as she used her magic to prod at the cage. The barrier held firm.

"And to think I once thought we were too hard on you." There was disgust in his eyes when he looked at her. Maker, he was looking at her the way Bratin used to.

"We're not all evil, Cullen." She felt tears pricking at her eyes.

"Only mages have that much power at their fingertips. Only mages are so susceptible to the infernal whisperings of the demons." He hurled the words at her.

"This is a discussion for another time!" Wynne put a hand on her shoulder. "Irving and the other mages who fought Ulred. Where are they?"

"They are in the Harrowing Chamber. The sounds coming out from there... oh, Maker..."

"We must hurry. They are in grave danger, I am sure of it."

Cullen managed to get to his feet. "You can't save them. You don't know what they've become."

"I am a mage too, Cullen." Lenore used her staff to stand up.

"They've been surrounded b-by blood mages whose wicked fingers snake into your mine and corrupt your thoughts."

Wynne's hand tightened on her shoulder. "He's suffered pain and anguish like few have had to endure. That and his lust for revenge have confused the issue - - "

"Do not presume to judge me, mage! I am thinking clearly - - for perhaps the first time in my life."

Saitada began walking to the stairs. "I want to save everyone who can possibly be saved."

"Are you really saving anyone by taking this risk? To ensure this horror is ended... to guarantee no abominations or blood mages live, you must kill everyone up there."

Saitada looked at him, then looked to Lenore. She shook her head. "I cannot decide on that before seeing what's going on."

"That is your choice to make, but I beg you to consider what I have to say. You cannot tell maleficarum by sight. Just one could influence the mind of a king, of a grand cleric."

"I've made my decision," Saitada said as she started climbing the stairs.

"Maker turn his gaze on you. I hope your compassion hasn't doomed us all."

#

Lenore felt sick as they entered the harrowing chamber. Leorah's body was sprawled near the door, her glazed eyes staring out of her ruined face. Her teachers, her mentors, writhed in cages of cruel magic. And there, standing in the center, an almost fatherly smile on his face, stood Uldred. His smile widened when he saw her. "Ah... look what we have here. I remember you. Irving's star pupil." His voice was strange, echoing inhumanly. "Uldred didn't think much of you then, and I certainly don't see your appeal now..."

Her staff glowed. "I think I'll just kill you, if that's all right with you."

He threw back his head and laughed. "Fight if you must. It will just make my victory all the sweeter."

"Don't forget the Litany. It will thwart Uldred's attempts to control the mages and win this fight for us," Wynne's voice whispered urgently.

Maker take the litany. Lenore called the spell to her and sent a blast of lightning right into Uldred's smug face. The mage flew backwards. She started to call up another spell. Across the room, he rose... and then kept rising, his form twisting and growing as it reshaped itself. Pride.

Wynne shoved the litany at Leliana and began weaving her own spells. Mages that had already fallen to Uldred began moving towards them. Cathiel began firing arrows rapidly as the others moved quickly, striking at the mages before they could fully gather their powers.

Lenore focused her power on Uldred. She could dimly make out Leliana's voice reading from the litany when Uldred tried to force the surviving mages into the fray. Brosca moved at her side, smashing his mace into a shade that tried to reach her as she continued hurling spells.

The pride demon screamed as it fell, twisting and decaying. A foul odor of rot filled the air as the thing dissolved into a pile of rags. A nothing that had once been one of the best of the circle. She closed her eyes for a moment.

Mages were trying to stand, freed from the spells by the death throes of Uldred. Wynne moved to help one of them. Lenore shook her head, and went to help another. There was work still to be done.

#

Irving managed to get to his feet after Brosca practically forced one of the restorative potions down his throat. "Maker. I'm too old for this."

"Irving! Are you all right?" Wynne asked.

"I've..." He groaned. "Been better. But I am thankful to be alive. I suppose that is your doing, isn't it, Wynne?"

"I wasn't alone. I had help." Wynne gestured to where Lenore was weaving a healing spell over the last of injured mages. Brosca glanced in that direction. His friend was pale, almost a bit wobbily as she stood. He went to her side.

Irving looked at her. "I was surprised to see you standing there. But I am glad you have returned." He looked around, taking in the wardens and their companions. "The circle owes all of you a debt we will never be able to repay." He leaned heavily on his staff. "Come, the templars await. We shall let them know the tower is once again ours."

"Very well, lead on," Saitada said, nodding at him.

"I'll need you to guide me down the stairs..." Irving said. Alistair immediately moved to the man's side and got an arm under his shoulder. "Ah, curse whoever insisted the Circle be housed in a tower."

#

When they came back downstairs, there were several more of the ambulant corpses lying around the room. The cage binding the templar had collapsed, and Morrigan was watching the man with a wary eye, her hand tight on her staff.

Jerath appeared to be unconscious. Sten walked over, and with a grunt, simply picked the smaller man up and began to follow the others out. Morrigan trailed behind, ignoring the presence of the other mages.

Cathiel put a hand on Lenore's shoulder. The mage kept looking over at where Brehan was helping Cullen get to his feet, her expression crushed. Gently, she guided the mage after the others.

#

Genuine relief showed on Greagoir's face when he saw them. "Irving? Maker's breath, I did not expect to see you alive." He took Irving from Alistair and helped the First Enchanter to a chair.

"It is over, Greagoir. Uldred... is dead." Irving accepted one of the restorative potions gratefully.

Cullen looked up from where Brehan had seated him. "Uldred tortured these mages, hoping to break their wills and turn them into abominations. We don't know how many of them have turned."

"What?" Irving shook his head. "Don't be ridiculous!"

"Of course he'll say that! He might be a blood mage! Don't you know what they did? I won't let this happen again!" He tried to stand up, and Brehan pushed him back into the chair.

Greagoir gave Cullen a surprisingly sympathetic look, but his voice was firm. "I am the knight-commander here, not you." He looked back at the others.

Saitada stepped forward. "I believe order has been restored to the Circle."

Greagoir nodded to her. Irving stood, and looked at the surviving mages. "We will rebuild. The Circle will go on, and we will learn from this tragedy, and be strengthened by it."

"We have won back the tower." Greagoir nodded to Irving. "I will accept Irving's assurance that all is well."

"But they may have demons within them, lying dormant... lying in wait!" Cullen tried to stand up again, and nearly stumbled before Brehan caught him and put him back in the chair.

"Enough! I have already made my decision." Greagoir gave them a small bow. "Thank you. You have proven yourselves friends of both the Circle, and the templars."

"It had to be done." Lenore pulled her eyes away from Cullen to look at Greagoir.

"I promised you aid, but with the Circle restored, my duty is to watch the mages. They are free to help you, however. Speak to them."

"And what will the templars do?" Saitada asked.

"For now, I will have to oversee a sweep of the tower. There may be some survivors and we should do our best to tend to them. Please, excuse me. And Irving..." He put a hand on Irving's shoulder. "It is good to have you back."

Irving smiled. "Ah, I'm sure we will be at each other's throats again in no time."

#

Lenore went to sit next to Irving. Brosca was almost hovering, and she sent him a smile.

"Here we are, the tower in disarray, the Circle nearly annihilated... though it could have been much, much worse. I am glad you arrived when you did. It is almost as though the Maker Himself sent you."

"I'm glad I could help"

"From what Greagoir said, it seems you came here seeking allies. The least we can do is help you against the darkspawn. I would hate to survive this only to be overcome by the Blight."

"But there are so few mages left." Her throat was tight. The templars had managed to find a few other survivors, but nearly a third of the mages and no few of the templars lay among the dead.

"You of all people should know that we are not to be underestimated. The mages you see here will be of great help to you. You have my word, as first enchanter. The Circle will join the Grey Wardens in the fight."

Wynne joined them. "Irving, I have a request. I seek leave to follow the Grey Wardens."

"Wynne... we need you here. The Circle needs you."

"I appreciate the sentiment, Irving, but the Circle will do fine without me. The Circle has you. These people are brave and good, and capable of great things. If they will accept my help, I will help them accomplish their goals."

Lenore smiled warmly. "We'd be honored to have you join us, Wynne."

Irving just shook his head in a fond manner. "You were never one to stay in the tower when there was adventure to be had elsewhere."

"Why stay when I can be of service elsewhere?" Wynne asked, shrugging her shoulders.

"Then I give you leave to follow the Grey Wardens, but know that you always have a place here. There is much to be done here, and I must go. You must forgive me for not being a proper host."

Lenore blinked as she suddenly remembered the reason they'd come in the first place. "Can the Circle go to Redcliffe to save a possessed child?"

"The child is possessed? But... killing the demon would mean killing the - Unless you intend to enter the Fade? Yes... yes, it can be done with a group of mages... I shall gather what mages I can and we shall leave promptly. A life is at stake." He stood, moving with a bit of his old vigor.

#

He woke to see the older mage standing over him. She reached to put a hand on his forehead, and he pulled away almost out of reflex. She blinked. "You're awake."

"Did we win?"

"The Circle of Magi is safe once more."

He swallowed, and tried to focus. "They made it out?"

"The wardens came through none the worse for wear," Morrigan said from where she was sitting next to him.

Something was off. He felt wrong, almost empty. He started to turn towards Morrigan, to ask her something, and darkness closed over him once more.

#

Wynne stepped out of the tent, closing it behind her. "He woke up a bit, asked if we'd won. I assured him we had, and that everyone survived, and he went back to sleep. He'll sleep a while longer, I think, but he will be alright."

Saitada nodded. "We are out of the tower now, anyway. What happened in there?"

"The demon trapped us all in the fade." Lenore answered. "In dreams. It's how it... feeds, I suppose."

"Oh, great. I just love the thought of being demon-chow." Brosca groused.

"It's similar, in some ways, to what we are going to do regarding Connor. Find our way through the Fade, find the demon, and kill it." Lenore finished.

"You'll be stuck in another dream?"

"No... I'd be in Connor's dream, not one made for me." She sighed. "It won't be able to fool me as easily."

Brosca sat next to the mage. "Cheer up, girl. It's not like you were the only one got hoodwinked."

"Jerath broke me out of it," Saitada mused.

"Me too..." Brehan said.

Lenore glanced at them. "He broke me out as well."

"It appears the young man had quite the busy time in the fade. No wonder he is exhausted." Wynne said, her tone matronly.

Lenore's face abruptly turned red. "I wonder how much of it he'll remember."

"He should remember everything, I suppose. Just as we do." Wynne responded.

Lenore drew her robes up around her. "Oh, Maker..." At Saitada's raised eyebrow, Lenore winced. "I was kind of... it was an embarrassing situation. And then I tried to kill him."

"Same here." Cathiel added. "Well, not the embarrassing situation part. The tried to kill him part."

Brehan sighed. "I shot him. A little, anyway."

"Huh." Brosca said. "I just offered him a mug of Tapster's finest."

Saitada gave Brosca a look of mock horror. "You... fiend..."

Lenore shook her head. "I wonder how he managed to break out... and then find all of us. He was wounded when my dream began."

"Same here." Saitada added. "Though he didn't appear to have been shot by anyone. Just set on fire."

"That er... wasn't me. I didn't set him on fire." Lenore glanced at Wynne.

"I did not cast any spells at that young man." Wynne said, disapprovingly.

"Might be why Morrigan is acting so mother-hen. She had her first feeling, and it was a guilty one." Brosca chimed in.

#

Brehan entered the tent, carrying a tray of food. Jerath sat up as he entered. "Good, you are awake. Thought you might be hungry."

"A bit."

Brehan sat the tray down before seating himself. "You feeling okay?"

Jerath nodded. "I would be up and walking, but Wynne gave me a Look."

"Yeah, she's good enough at those to be a Keeper. Um... I'm sorry about shooting you. In the fade."

Jerath nodded. "I am sorry, about Tamlen."

"We'd been friends since before we could walk. He should be here with us now. Wardening." He sighed. "Though you'd have probably killed both of us before we even got to Ostagar," he smiled fondly, before turning to look at the ground. "Anyway, I just, wanted to thank you. For breaking me out of it. I think some part of me knew it wasn't real all along, but..."

Jerath nodded.

Brehan smiled. "Anyway, if you want to get some food in you and get out of the way, Brosca and I will get your tent packed up and we'll be underway."

"Thank you."

"Oh, Saitada told Sten that if you don't get in the wagon on your own, he's to put you there and sit on you if needed."

"I appreciate the warning."

#

Brosca shook his head as he watched Brehan of all people try to fuss over Jerath. If Songbird didn't watch himself, he was going to find himself on the wrong end of Junior's sword. After two days on the road, the kid was looking like his old self again. Saitada was still insisting he ride in the wagon with Wynne.

He couldn't blame her. On the field with a weapon in each hand, it was easy to forget how young the guy was. Unconscious like that, he'd looked younger than some of the apprentices. Seeing him down and out had shaken Brosca more than he liked to admit. Cathiel had whispered something to that hound of hers, and Griffon was practically laying on the elf.

Even Morrigan was shooting the kid worried looks. He didn't blame her, the kid was the only person who seemed able to tolerate her. With a shrug, he caught the side of the wagon and pulled himself in. "Lazy," he said, as he plunked himself down next to Jerath.

A look that Brosca could only describe as full on petulant crossed Jerath's normally composed face. "I hate you."

"Nick anything good from the tower?" Wynne gave him a disapproving look. He grinned at her. "What? I'm just being a bad influence."

"I can see that."

"I don't steal from allies," Jerath said.

Brosca nodded. "Fancy a game of diamondback?"

"And now you are teaching him to gamble?" Wynne folded her arms.

"Gotta pass the time somehow, right?"

Jerath twitched a shoulder. "Sounds good."

"Right." Brosca dug in his pocket, then frowned. He searched his other pocket. "I coulda..."

Jerath offered him the deck. Brosca looked at it, and then laughed.