The next day Hawke, Isabela, Merril and Varric were lounging around Hawke's estate when he received a message from Orsino asking for him to come to the Gallows, immediately. When he got there he was stopped by a mage who told him that Meredith and Orsino were at it again. This time Orsino had gone to the Chantry to appeal to the Grand Cleric, Meredith had given chase and it looked like the fight was going to get bloody.
Hawke had sighed and headed to the Chantry, running into Nero and Fenris on the way, who had joined them. When they got there Sebastian and Aveline were standing to the side, watching.
"What's going on?" Hawke asked them.
"They've been going at it for ages." Aveline told him.
"I will have the tower searched, top to bottom." Meredith said forcefully.
"You cannot do that, you have no right!" Orsino told her.
"I have every right, you are harboring blood mages, and I intend to root them out before they infect this city!"
"Blood magic, where do you not see blood magic? My people cannot sneeze without you accusing them of corruption." Orsino spat.
"Do not trifle with me, mage. My patience is at an end."
"A wonder that I never saw it begin!"
Hawke decided it was time to intervene, "this needs to stop." he said.
Meredith turned to him, "this does not involve you, Champion."
"I called him here," Orsino said, folding his arms triumphantly, "I think the people deserve to know just what you've done."
"What I have done is protect the people of this city, time and again. What I have done is protect you mages from your curse and your own stupidity." Meredith faced Hawke again, "and I will not stop doing it. I will not lower our guard, I dare not!"
"Is there any truth to her claims?" Hawke asked Orsino gently.
"These are only her latest accusations, nothing more." Orsino said angrily, "and what if she does not find what shes looking for? How much further will she go to root out something that isn't there?"
"The Champion knows better than anyone how deep the Circle's corruption goes. I must find the source!" Meredith told the First Enchanter.
"You both set quite the example for your people, you know that?" Hawke told them.
"What other option do we have?" Meredith asked him sadly, "Tell me Champion, that you have not seen with your own eyes what they can do, heard the lies of mages that seek power!"
"I think she would explode if she went to Tevinter." Nero whispered to Fenris
Fenris couldn't help himself and snickered at the image, despite the seriousness of the situation playing out before them.
"You cannot use the actions of some to condemn them all!" Hawke said to Meredith.
"You would cast us all as villains, but it is not so!" Orsino added.
She looked at the elven mage sadly, "I know and it breaks my heart to do it, but we must be vigilant," suddenly she grew angry again, "if you cannot tell me another way, do not brand me a tyrant!"
"This is getting us nowhere, Grand Cleric Elthina will put a stop to this." Orsino said, turning to face the holy building.
"You will not bring her grace into this!" Meredith hissed.
Suddenly, Anders came strolling up the stairs leading from Darktown, "the Grand Cleric cannot help you!" he said.
Nero gaped at the appearance of the mage and slowly turned to look at Varric who was obviously stunned himself.
"Explain yourself, mage." Meredith demanded.
"I will not stand by and watch you treat all mages like criminals while those who would lead us bow to their templar jailors." the healer said as he slammed his staff into the ground like a gavel.
Orsino positively fumed, "how dare you speak to me-"
"The Circle has failed us Orsino! Even you should be able to see that!"
Justice made a flash of an appearance but Anders turned away from the Knight Commander and First enchanter, and this seemed to calm the spirit down a bit. It was then that Nero noticed how...defeated the mage looked, how worn and tired and guilty he was.
"Oh, shit." Varric muttered from beside him.
"The time has come to act." Anders continued, as if he didn't want to speak anymore but he had to "there can be no half measures."
"Anders, what have you done?" Hawke asked,
"There is no turning back." Anders said sadly, and then he tensed, as if he was expecting someone to hit him.
But that was not the case at all, he had tensed because he had known what was coming. Everyone looked up at the Chantry as a thick red beam shot through the ceiling of the building. The towers, the places where the brothers and sisters slept and the Grand Cleric held her offices, exploded as if in slow motion. Chunks of the building spread out, as if it had to move through tar to fly away. Nero found that it looked like a sort of puzzle, and all you had to do was push the blocks back into place to make the towers whole again.
But then the blocks floated up above the Chantry and swirled around the red beam, condensing itself so that it was as small as it could be. Just as the statues fell, and people began screaming in terror the red beam exploded outwards, sending the chunks of rock and the rest of the building flying. Rubble flew out all over Kirkwall, shooting through buildings and destroying them, killing countless people. Nero felt it strike the tree in the alienage and could feel the pain of the vhenadahl as it died.
The whole city seemed silent as everyone stood in shock, it was then that Meredith spoke, "Maker have mercy."
"There can be no peace..." Anders finally said, to no one in particular.
Sebastian broke free of his shock and fell to his knees, "Elthina! No! Maker, no! She was your most faithful, You most beloved. Why didn't she listen to me!" He screamed before raising his hand in a blessing, "blessed be the souls of the Maker as they ascend to Your right hand." he said quickly.
"Why?" Orsino asked as he turned to face Anders. "why would you do such a thing?
"I removed the chance of compromise, because there is no compromise."
"The Grand Cleric has been slain by magic, the Chantry destroyed." Meredith said sourly before turning to face the citizens that had gathered as well as the templars that had followed her, "as Knight Commander of Kirkwall, I hereby invoke the Right of Annulment. Every mage in the Circle is to be executed, immediately."
Orsino turned to Hawke, "The circle didn't even do this! Champion, you can't let her! Help us stop this madness!" he pleaded.
"And I demand you stand with us, even you must see that this outrage cannot be tolerated." Meredith told him.
"Why are we debating the Right of Annulment when the monster who did this is right here?" Sebastian demanded to know, "I swear to you, I will kill him."
"It can't be stopped now, you have to choose." Anders told Hawke, hoping people just wouldn't hear Sebastian.
"I...I could have...stopped you!" Hawke snarled.
"No. This had to happen.. The circle is an injustice, in many places beyond Kirkwall. The world needs to see." Anders explained.
"Elthina is not the Circle! She is a good woman, and you murdered her!" Sebastian snapped.
"You fool, you've doomed us all!" Orsino yelled at Anders.
"We were already doomed. A quick death now or a slow one later...I'd rather die fighting." the healer said.
"You're a murderer. The Grand Cleric, the mages...their blood is in your hands!" Hawke snapped at Anders.
"I know." Anders said painfully.
"It doesn't matter. Even if i wished to, I could not stay my hand. The people will demand blood." Meredith said.
"I don't want to get involved in this." Hawke said, unsure what to do. If he sided with the mages then his life in Kirkwall would be gone, everything he had worked to achieve and had gained in the last six years...gone. But if he sided with the Templars he would have to kill mages, people like his sister, he couldn't...
"You are already involved!" Meredith snapped. "you are the Champion of Kirkwall. Do your duty or fall with these mages. It is your choice."
Hawke hesitated, oh shit, what do I do. He looked from Meredith to Orsino, from the templars to the mages, and sighed "this wont be easy, but I'll defend you." he finally said to Orsino.
"Think carefully, Champion. Stand with them and you share their fate." Meredith said carefully.
"I can live with that."
"Thank the Maker" Orsino said quietly.
"You are a fool Champion!" Meredith said and turned to the small group of templars she had brought with her, "kill them all! I will rouse the rest of the order!"
"Go," Orsino said to his mages,"get to the Gallows before it's too late."
Fenris sighed, "and here I am fighting to free mages. It is a wonder."
The templars fell quickly, whether due to Hawke and his friends incredible might or because of their weakness, Nero wasn't sure. He preferred to pretend it was the latter. Even Sebastian was forced to kill the templars as they began attacking him as well.
Nero noticed, as they were fighting, that Anders was standing next to a crate against the wall, watching, but clearly not seeing. Nero made sure to kill any templars that tried to have a go at the healer, he knew that Anders would be unable to defend himself right now - if he even wanted to.
"So its come to this," Orsino sighed, "I don't know if we can win this war, Champion, but...thank you. I will leave your...friend for you to deal with. I must return to the gallows. Meet me there as soon as you can."
When the first enchanter was gone Hawke strode to where Anders was sitting on a crate, head in his hands.
"There's nothing you can say that I haven't already said to myself." the mage said, "Vengeance..took me over. I couldn't stop him. Justice once told me that Demons are just spirits perverted by their desires. I made my friend a demon and he did this."
"Do not hide behind your spirit! It was you who did this!" Sebastian snarled.
"Maybe Sebastian is right. Kill me now before there is nothing of me left." Anders said quietly, the pain of what he had done surrounding him like a black cloud.
"I'm sorry." Hawke said sadly as he pulled a knife from his belt.
"Wait!" Nero yelled as he approached Hawke. "I'll...I'll do it. He was once a good man, he doesn't deserve to die in front of an audience."
Hawke looked at him tiredly and flicked his gaze to Sebastian.
"That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard." the prince said.
Hawke rolled his eyes, "fine." he handed his knife to Nero, since he had left his own with Tallis, and bent down to whisper, "make it as painless as you can."
Nero nodded and pulled Anders to his feet. The mage was so lost in the devastation of what he had done that he could barely support himself and had to lean on Nero as he lead them around the corner and down some stairs. It was only when they were out of sight of the others that Nero urged Anders to move faster.
"C'mon, move." he said.
Anders frowned, "why?"
"Because I have to get you out of here, that's why, you git." Nero snapped.
Anders stopped in his tracks, "no, I deserve to die, it should be done."
Nero grabbed Anders by the coat and began dragging him, "I can fix this, I can fix you. I just need to get you somewhere safe and then I'll get rid of Justice, or Vengeance, whoever. You will not be a martyr."
"Nero-"
"Anders, Nero! Whats going on?" they heard a familiar voice say.
They looked up to find Bethany approaching them.
"Bethany!" Nero gasped.
Anders froze, not likes this, I don't want her to see me like this. Oh...fuck.
"There was an explosion?" Bethany asked when she reached them, then she looked at Anders "Oh, maker! Is he hurt?"
"Not physically," Nero told her, "but we have to get him out of here, out of Kirkwall, without anyone knowing. Will you help me?"
She nodded, "but why? What happened."
"It's a long story...I'll come with you to help get him out of the city, but then I'll have to leave you and get back to the others. I told them I was going to kill Anders and I must make them believe it."
Bethany blanched, "what is going- where will I take him?"
"I don't know a cave, an abandoned house-no! The Wardens! Would they take him, would they protect him?"
Bethany furrowed her brow, "I don't know, my cousin is back and he always seemed fond of Anders, and he's Warden Commander again. If he can't hide Anders I'm sure that he'll tell me where I can take him."
"Good, do that. When things have died down and you have a secure hiding place, send me a message, and I'll come. I think i can get rid of Justice." Nero said quickly.
"Really? How?"
"It's a long story. They're going to be looking for him Bethany, and they're going to kill him on sight I'm sure. Where will i message if I need to get a hold of you?" Nero asked.
"Vigil's Keep in Ferelden. Even if the Warden's can't protect him it's still safest to keep him in Ferelden...or Tevinter, but I'd really rather not go there."