Hawke flew when the swinging arm of the animated statue hit her, armour scraping as she skidded across the courtyard of the Gallows. She staggered to her feet and a wash of healing magic coursed through her. She scarce had a moment to wipe the blood from her lips when Meredith found her again.

"By His righteous hand, you will pay for all they have done - each innocent who has suffered from their curse," Meredith cried, glancing blades with Hawke before a burst of energy radiated from her limbs and sent the rogue back a few feet. "In this - in this, my Maker, guide me!"

There was the clatter of metal as one of the reanimate slave statues tumbled to the ground, stiff and unmoving once more. The flash of magic arced over the square, lightning enrobing another statue as it spun to deflect the swords that sought it.

A crackle of red light lanced off Meredith's blade as Hawke deflected the swipe, rolling sideways to plant her hand and kick the Knight-Commander's leg. The lady templar turned and caught Hawke with the pommel of her corrupt sword, and the energies within it frizzled over her limbs. In their periphery, more of the statues clunked to the ground, half-frozen and swarmed with corrosive clouds.

"No - no it cannot be!" Meredith plead to the sky as Hawke hit her again. She clutched the ragged edge of her side where the dagger wound ripped wider, stumbling back. Frayed crackles of ruby light fractured over her form. "Give me the strength!"

A blossom of frigid air lit at Meredith's feet, and she broke through the ice threatening to slow her in time to deflect Hawke once more. The Champion was unrelenting, and kicked her back, her companions turning as the last of the statues lost the magic sustaining them.

"I will not be defeated!" Meredith cried. The unnatural light in her eyes grew as she faltered. The glow rose from beneath her armour, skin luminous and golden hair spattered with blood. She turned her eyeless gaze to Hawke, shaking her head.

Tremors vibrated through the ground as Meredith raised her idolized sword looked to the heavens, tainted light seeping through the creases of her armor as the fire consumed her eyes. Light siphoned towards her, the ground darkening at her feet, and the energy ascended the wide, corrupt blade. "Maker! Aid your humble servant!"

Clasping her hands on the hilt, a pulse of energy rose through Meredith's limbs, and the red glowing sword suddenly exploded, sending her and Hawke staggering. A vortex of power pulled in its place, a miasma enveloping her limbs and drawing a curdling scream. The light intensified, sucking from her very essence and the Knight-Commander crumpled to her knees, reaching for what was no longer there.

The woman's scream pitched higher, and Hawke shielded herself as the light grew. The ephemeral fire holding back the templar guards evaporated, and Meredith pawed at herself, trying to keep the evaporative mist within. The Knight-Commander's armour burned in the red fire that consumed her, skin and limbs sloughing to some foreign, inhuman matter. The sounds died away, leaving only the crackle and suctioned shriek vibrating through the stone, and a husk of a creature, still burning red and hot.

Hawke gained her footing as an eerie silence descended on the courtyard, unable to look away as Anders took her arm. A templar ran to their Commander, hands hovering over the glowing thing that remained.

"Now is our chance," he whispered in a hush.

The templars closed around them, and Hawke shook her head, backpedalling into the defensive circle of her friends. Beyond them, the gates of the Gallows were toppled, and only Knight-Captain Cullen blocked the path.

"Do you really want to stand in my way?" Hawke asked, eyeing him defiantly.

Expression weighted, Cullen took a few steps back, and the rest of the templars followed suit, widening their perimeter around the deadly group. Hawke kept her daggers raised as she backed towards the docks, only turning when they'd passed the gate. She put a hand on Bethany's shoulder as they made it onto a ship, kicking the mooring free. In the distant, smoke rose high from the scar of the chantry, and elsewhere across the city fires still smouldered. An unsettling quiet had settled over the city.

Clutching Orsino's staff, Bethany finally allowed herself to collapse, looking over the waters as the others paced and came to grips with their sudden flight.

"I suppose we have nowhere to go now," Merrill said, looking from her scarred hands towards Hawke.

Anders slipped his hand into Hawke's, and she looked down as he said, "None of us do."

"We can't just leave," Aveline said, strain in her words. She began to pace. "Where will we go… Donnic. He – he's with the citizenry."

"Your actions led us here – this is by your hand," Fenris said, arms crossed as he stood resolute, staring at Anders. "What will we do now?"

"I didn't think about now," Anders emptily replied, sinking down opposite Bethany. "I didn't... expect to be here."

"Marian," Aveline's furrow deepened, watching her friend.

Hawke hovered over her sister, resting a hand on her dark hair. Bethany hung her head, reddened eyes closed and voice hoarse as she whispered, "Thank you for not abandoning us. I think father would be proud."

Closing her eyes, Hawke sunk down and took Bethany into her arms. Her breath shuddered and she closed her eyes - closing them on the smouldering city growing closer by the minute. They crushed together, and Bethany's sob caught, much like her fingers did in her sister's armour.

"Come here, you hulk of an abomination you," Hawke scarce whispered, extending a hand to Anders. All eyes turned to him, and it was a moment before he rose. Letting go of her sister, Hawke stood and embraced him, lips by his ear, "We're in this together now. All three of us. You cannot keep us in the dark anymore."

Anders closed his eyes, tightening his grip on her, "I won't. I promise you."

Hawke stepped back, wiping her nose. Steadying the tremor in her voice, she put her hands on her hips and took a breath. "The city is in chaos. Everyone is still panicked... and the templars are at the Gallows. I doubt they will pursue us till morning. I'd hope for longer, but we need to be gone then." Her friends and the few mages still with them turned to her. She looked between their silent faces. "Go to your homes - or come with me if you have none - and gather any coin you can. We need to get out of Kirkwall. I - I won't lie, I don't know beyond then, but if we don't leave now, they'll find and kill us all."

Varric sighed, hanging his head and turning towards the front of the boat. They were nearing the docks.

Hawke looked down, "I didn't force any of you to stand by my decision. In the end though, you've become my family these years."

Aveline nodded, lips in a grim line.

"And I'll do anything I can to protect you. I've done anything I could to help you. And I'll die before I see any harm come your way."

Hawke waited on the boat as the mages and her friends gathered, "The Hanged Man by first light."

The last one off the boat, Hawke's shoulders hung heavy. Anders and Bethany were waiting for her. "An old hag once told me 'Without an end, there can be no peace," Hawke quietly said, wiping the grime and dried blood from her face.

"This is no end," Anders said, expression creased. "This is just the beginning."

"I know," Hawke whispered, taking both his and Bethany's hand. "But you cannot finish if you do not start."

Varric's Version: The Aftermath

This is the story I don't tell - what happened after the hollow glow of Knight-Commander Meredith was left on the steps of the Gallows. When the templars dared not touch us. Kirkwall was burning, her cityscape forever changed. The only home I had ever known.

Hawke was beside me, glazed eyes mirroring my own. The wind picked up, pushing us farther away. Her eyes are dry, but there is age in them. Wrinkles that weren't there when we met, and weight in her posture. There are wounded mages behind us, and the sound of magic slowly silences them, leaving just the hush of the wind.

This is the story I don't tell, because there is no one left to listen. The Champion has lost her city but kept her heart – and we are on the run.

.

.

A/N: Well I can't deny it's with a heavy heart I post the last chapter! I struggled a long time deciding if this would be the end, but realized I'm very big on having story arcs that have a defined finish! BUT take heart! I am working on a sequel, though it may be a few weeks before I start posting it, as there are plot points that I want to iron out - I want to make sure I can write a complete sequel hehe rather than just a few chapters and then run out of steam.

Thanks so much for reading it - I hope you enjoyed! It was honestly a blast to write it! And all your feedback & support really motivates me - and I know is one of the reasons I'm so keen on writing a Post-DA2 story about these two. I'll try to put a teaser here about the sequel before I post the new story if anyone wants to keep following Hawke & Anders heheh.