A loud crack echoed through the empty halls as Linn hit the last of the sentinels. The armor fell to the ground. Jowan gave Linn a look of appreciation, and Linn quickly led the way up the stairs. It was better to do what they needed to do and get out of here before more arrived. On a table in the distance, there was a phylactery… as though left for them to find.

"That's my phylactery!" Jowan cried out in triumph as he grasped the vial. "You found it! I can't believe this tiny vial stands between me and freedom." Chills went up Linn's spine as Jowan stared at the vial and continued, "So fragile, so easy to just be rid of it… to end its hold over me…" Jowan dropped the vial and watched as it shattered. "And I am free."

"Jowan… I think I should probably tell you something-" Linn started to confess when Jowan interrupted her.

"Now?! Can't it wait until we're away from this tower?"

The irritation on his face immediately stopped her in her tracks. Why did she even want to warn him? It was obvious from the moment that they had told her the plan why they had asked for her help. As a mage, she was able to procure things and get through doors that they couldn't. They hadn't even considered doing anything to help her… So did she truly owe them anything?

With a smile, she replied, "Yes… I guess it can wait."

"We can talk later if you want," Jowan said flippantly, and Linn felt reassured by her choice.

As though trying to ease the tension, Lily spoke up as Linn led the way to the door, "Let's leave this place. I do not want to stay here a moment longer."

Linn quickly led the way out of the Circle Tower's Basement. Guilt and anger fought for dominance, but the anger was gaining ground. As they reached the first floor, Jowan turned to Linn with a happy grin.

"We did it! I can't believe it! Thank you… we never could have–"

The sound of heavy, armored footsteps made Jowan stop and turn as Knight-Commander Greagoir, First Enchanter Irving, and two templars entered the room. Jowan froze in shock at the sudden appearance.

"So what you said was true, Irving," Greagoir said as he looked at the three of them with contempt. "An initiate, conspiring with a blood mage. I'm disappointed, Lily."

Lily looked down at her hands clenched tightly, her face as white as snow.

"She seems shocked but fully in control of her own mind. Not a thrall of the blood mage, then," Greagoir mused as Lily winced with shame. "You were right, Irving. The initiate has betrayed us. The Chantry will not let this go unpunished. And this one, newly a mage and already flouting the rules of the Circle."

"It's not her fault!" Jowan spoke up quickly, and Linn felt that familiar pang of guilt. "This was my idea!"

"She is here under my orders, Greagoir," Irving admitted. "I take full responsibility for her actions."

Jowan took a step away from Linn. With a look of betrayal, he asked in disbelief, "Wait… you… you led us into a trap?"

"What choice did I have?!" Linn snapped back. "You wanted to destroy your phylactery, not mine. Did you even consider what would happen to me after your plan was done?!"

"Don't you dare speak to me!" Jowan retorted.

"Enough!" Greagoir shouted, and Linn and Jowan turned their attention to the Knight-Commander. "As knight-commander of the templars here assembled, I sentence this blood mage to death. And this initiate has scorned the Chantry and her vows. Take her to Aeonar."

"The… the mages' prison," Lily whispered in horror. "Please, no. Not there!"

Jowan suddenly stabbed himself with a knife, and Linn moved to put some distance between the two of them as he cast magic at the templars. The templars were thrown back. Jowan turned to Lily, and Linn watched as Lily turned away from him with fear. Jowan's face fell before he quickly made his escape. Irving had also been knocked to the ground, so Linn walked over to help him up.

"Are you all right?" Irving asked and looked around. "Where's Greagoir?"

Greagoir spoke up, "I knew it… blood magic. But to overcome so many… I never thought him capable of such power…"

Linn kept silent and helped Irving to stand. Irving thanked Linn before turning to Greagoir.

"None of us expected this. Are you alright, Greagoir?"

"As good as one can be expected given the circumstances!" Greagoir snapped at Irving. "If you had let me act sooner, this would not have happened! Now we have a blood mage on the loose and no way to track him down!"

"He's probably still nearby. Jowan has lived a scholar's life, so I doubt that he was able to run very far," Linn pointed out.

"Believe me, we will use every resource to track him down," Greagoir promised before he turned away from Irving and Linn. "Where is the girl?"

"I… I am here, ser," Lily replied with a subdued tone.

"You helped a blood mage! Look at all he's hurt!"

"And you're the one who sentenced him to death," Linn replied evenly, and Greagoir scowled at her. "You didn't exactly leave him with options… or try to find out why he had turned to blood magic."

"Blood magic is-!"

"Evil?" Linn interjected, squaring her shoulders and looking the Knight-Commander directly in the eyes. "Perhaps. But people aren't so black and white."

Greagoir gave her one last glare before turning his attention back to Lily.

Lily crept forward and said in a voice full of regret, "Knight-Commander… I… I was wrong. I was accomplice to a… a blood mage."

Greagoir turned from Lily and ordered the other guards to get her out of his sight. After Lily had been removed, Greagoir turned his focus back onto Linn.

"And you. You were in a repository full of magics that are locked away for a reason."

"Did you take anything important from the repository?" Irving asked, and Linn wrestled with her guilt for a moment.

"No," Linn lied and hoped that they didn't search her bag. "I was fighting for my life against those sentinels… I didn't exactly have time to look around."

"Very well. I believe you," Irving said and looked at Greagoir with a look of finality.

Greagoir shook his head and said, "But your antics have made a mockery of this Circle! Ah… what are we to do with you?"

"Absolutely nothing," Linn replied with a challenge in her voice. "I was only following orders."

Irving quickly spoke up to get in between them, "As I said, she was working under my orders."

"And this improves the situation?" Greagoir asked Irving with righteous anger. "The phylactery chamber is forbidden to all save you and me!"

"I had my reasons."

"You're not all-knowing, Irving! You don't know how much influence the blood mage might have had. How are we to deal with this?"

"Knight-Commander, if I may," a voice spoke from behind Linn, startling her. "I am not only looking for mages to join the king's army. I am also recruiting for the Grey Wardens. Irving spoke highly of this mage, and I would like her to join the Warden ranks."

Grey Warden Duncan now stood beside Linn as Greagoir looked at Irving with frustration and asked, "What? You've promised him a new Grey Warden?"

Linn focused on Duncan as Irving and Greagoir fought about whether or not she could leave. Duncan gave her a quizzical look but waited patiently for an opening to speak. Taking a moment to consider her choices, Linn turned away. Staying in the Circle would do her no good. She'd already learned most of what there was to teach her, and not a whole lot of it was particularly useful to her. Her anger had been close to the surface the entire time she was here. The templars reminded her of… things best left forgotten. She needed to leave here, and this could be her way out.

Besides… Grey Wardens fought the darkspawn. Creatures created from a "taint". Linn touched her shoulder thoughtfully. Was it truly so different from the mark she now bore? Perhaps she would learn more from the Grey Wardens than she had the Circle.
"I want to join!" Linn interjected, and Greagoir shot her a dirty look."The Grey Wardens… I think I can do some good there."

Irving spoke up before Greagoir could, "Greagoir, mages are needed. This mage is needed. Worse things plague this world than blood mages. You know that."

"I take this young mage under my wing and bear all responsibility for her actions," Duncan said as he gently steered Linn behind him.

Greagoir was about to snap back at the Grey Warden when Linn quickly spoke up, "I will allow you three to discuss this. I need to go pack my things."

Greagoir glared at her but allowed her to leave. Linn walked down the corridor to find Cullen pacing in the hallway.

"Are you okay, Cullen?"

Cullen jumped in surprise and said bashfully, "I- I had heard that you… Are you okay?"

The dark thoughts churning in her mind lessened as she looked at the sincerity plastered all over the young man's face.

Linn smiled at him and asked, "Would you mind walking with me? I need to retrieve some things from my room. Oh, if you're busy-"
"No! I mean, no. I'm not… I'm on break, and I- Um… I would…"

Cullen seemed to be having trouble finding the words, so Linn asked, "Can you walk with me?"

"Yes!" Cullen said gratefully, and Linn led him toward the staircase.

"I've been chosen for the Grey Wardens," Linn said and watched Cullen's face fall. "Grey Warden Duncan seemed to be in a hurry, so I need to pack what I can quickly… But I do have something for you."

Cullen's face brightened for a moment before he said, "The Grey Wardens… Well, I… Um. I wish you the best. And y-you don't need to get me anything."

Linn led him into the room with a smile and said, "I know that I don't have to. I want to."

Cullen's face flushed a bright red, but he followed her. Linn pulled a necklace out of the drawer. On the loop, there was a star surrounded by flames.

"I got this from a friend… It's said to ward off demon possession, and I want you to have it," Linn said as she placed it into Cullen's hands. "I have others… and to be honest, I've never really tested it out here, but…"

"I love it," Culled said quickly, clutching the necklace. "I- I mean, it's nice. Thank you."

"You're very welcome… and I also wanted to thank you," Linn admitted, and Cullen gave her a look of confusion. "I only came here a few months ago, so most of the mages didn't really care to talk to me much. But you did. It almost seems like I'm constantly thanking you… I really appreciate your kindness, Cullen. And I hope that we'll meet again someday."

"I-I… Me… I-" Cullen seemed to be at a loss for words as he clutched the necklace tightly. After taking a steadying breath, he gathered himself to say, "The same to you. You know, anytime… If you ever see me again… You can talk to me anytime… Anytime at all."

"The same to you. Now… I should probably get to work. I don't want Duncan to think that I've changed my mind."

After saying their goodbyes, Cullen left the room, and Linn grabbed her clothes out of the drawer. Linn briefly looked around the room before checking her bag, which had been enchanted to be bigger on the inside. Upon opening the bag, she found the ill-gotten staff immediately. Part of her felt bad about lying, but it would probably come in handy against the darkspawn. After putting what few items she had in the bag, she tied it firmly closed.

A familiar blue made Linn turn to see a butterfly drift inside through the window. With slight hesitation, Linn held out her hand. The butterfly landed and unfurled. On the note was a single line.

"I had thought that you were different."

Tears welled up in Linn's eyes as the stress of the past few months hit her breaking point. Focusing on the note, she burned it to ashes. After she'd dusted the ashes from her hands, Linn sat on the bed and hugged herself tightly. She took a few steadying breaths and wiped her eyes on her sleeve to prepare herself to head back down the stairs.

The room was quiet and still. Likely the other mages had gathered in the courtyard to gossip. No doubt that they had already heard of what had happened with Jowan, and she had no intention of giving them the full story. Linn left the room and walked back to where Greagoir, Irving, and Duncan had been arguing. Greagoir stood stiffly with arms crossed, but he didn't say anything as Irving wished Duncan and Linn luck.

Duncan led the way out of the Circle Tower silently, and Linn enjoyed the quiet. Mages watched them from the windows as they made their way to the docks. After one final look at the tower, Linn followed Duncan into the boat and took a seat.

"Irving was right about you," Duncan said thoughtfully, and Linn raised her eyebrow in confusion. "Among many other things… he said that you were very brave."

"My brothers would call it foolhardy and reckless."

Duncan gave her a small smile and said, "I think not… You said little, but your eyes spoke for you. You watched the Knight-Commander and First Enchanter argue and made your own decision after careful thought. That is not recklessness. However, I can see how it may appear to be so."

Linn stared at the water as she debated on asking her questions. Finally, she asked, "What exactly is the Blight? Does anyone know?"

"No… if I had to describe it… Corruption is the closest word that comes to mind."

Linn gripped her shoulder and took a deep breath.

"So I guess that there's some kind of test, right? Before I become a Grey Warden."

"There is," Duncan admitted. "But we have quite some time before we reach Ostagar. That is where you will take your test… There will be others with you. It is not like the Harrowing. You will not take it alone, but… it may affect you each differently. I can say no more."

"I suppose it wouldn't be much of a test if you gave me the answer," Linn replied and carefully watched his reaction.

There was a slight smile of amusement, and he replied more warmly than before, "There is someone that I want you to meet when we arrive. Alistair. I believe the two of you will get along quite well."