Dak entered the Hanged Man and found Varric telling the story to a crowd of people, and apparently, he was the main character. "… and then Dak tore the door clean off its hinges, walked into the room and…" He stopped when he saw Dak. "I guess we'll finish this later."

"Have you got a minute, Varric?" Dak asked as the crowd of people dispelled.

"Of course, Dak." They then wandered over towards the table and sat down. "Actually, I've been meaning to talk to you. There definitely seems to be something happening between you and Daisy these days." Dak groaned. Was there anyone who didn't know about his relationship with Merrill? "So, what's going on, Dak?"

Dak smiled. "Well, well, well. I never thought you were the type, Varric. I'm flattered."

Varric smiled as he placed a hand over his heart. "Dak, I know I'm damned near irresistible, but you're just too high-maintenance for me. Sorry."

Dak frowned. "You wouldn't bring this just for gossip. What's on your mind?"

"Shows you know. I would definitely bring this up just as gossip." Dak raised an eyebrow. "I didn't. But I would." He took a deep breath, and his face became serious. "Listen, as your friend, I feel like I'd be doing a disservice if I didn't say something. Merril is a sweet girl, but there's a whole lot of crazy in that little package."

Dak raised an eyebrow. "In all the time you've known me, have I ever given you the impression that I would turned off by crazy?"

Varric laughed. "Okay, point taken."

Leyla went to the Gallows to check on Emeric with Aveline; when she set foot there, Cullen immediately approached.

"Leyla. The new scion of the Amell family… Congratulations." Leyla wondered briefly if the man had figured out yet that she was a mage. But Cullen's smile seemed friendly enough. "I knew an Amell once. He helped restore order during Uldred's insanity, then left to become a Grey Warden." He stared off into the distance for a moment. "Anyway, what can I do for you?"

"Is Emeric around?" Lelya scanned the courtyard.

Cullen nodded. "He was over by the Formari a few minutes ago."

"Thank you." Leyla gave the man a small bow. It couldn't hurt to be polite to the second in command of all the local templars, but she decided it was best not to implicate herself in the death of Alrik.

"Maker, watch over you," Cullen replied before returning to his duties.

Leyla found Emeric just as the templar entered the courtyard. "Hello, Emeric. Aveline says you need my help again?"

Emeric nodded and gestured for Leyla to follow, leading him to a relatively empty courtyard section. "I've spent the past few years continuing my investigation into the murders of Ninette, Mharen, and the other women. I believe I finally have a suspect, a man called Gascard DuPuis."

"Is this man hiding? Am I to find him for you?"

Emeric shook his head. "No, I know where DuPusis is. I just can't get to him. When I became convinced of his guilt, I went to the city guard and demanded that they do something."

Aveline folded her arms defensively. "My men raided that house. There was nothing, and I've heard no end because of it. You were reprimanded, I hope."

Emeric returned her stare, then turned his attention back to Leyla. "Meredith forbade me from continuing my investigation. But she didn't say I couldn't seek outside help."

Leyla sighed and asked Emeric questions regarding what he'd found thus far. She nearly had to step between the templar and Aveline at a few points but got a bit more information than 'he's an Asgardian noble' to indicate guilt. Not that 'Asgardian noble' wasn't a good indicator on its own that this DuPuis was up to something nefarious. Or possibly even dastardly.

"What do you need me to do?" she asked.

Emeric gave her a grateful look. "I knew I could count on you. You'll need to go to Gascard DuPuis's estate after nightfall. Please figure out what DuPuis is hiding. If he's innocent, find evidence to prove me wrong." Emeric folded his arms. "It's just that simple."

Leyla felt it wouldn't be as simple as Emeric had made it out to be, and she was right. Once she finished talking to Emeric, she met up with Dak and informed him of what Emeric wanted them to do.

They soon made their way to DuPuis' house, and Varric picked the lock, allowing them to enter. However, the moment they set foot in the house, demons immediately attacked them. They quickly retaliated and managed to put the demons down.

"I don't think the guards raiding the estate may have that particular reception," said Aveline.

"So you admit that Emeric was right?" Dak smirked.

Aveline gave him a dry look. "Clearly, he's hiding something, but that does not necessarily mean he is behind these murders."

"I also imagine he did let these letters appear out in the open," said Leyla, who had made her way to a desk and grabbed a few letters. "It looks like Gascard is looking for a certain mage."

"And these vials," said Merrill as she grabbed a vial. "These were used for blood magic."

"Seem as if his guilt is mounting up," said Dak.

"This letter is rather amusing," said Varric as he grabbed one of the letters. "From our dear Knight-Commander apologising for the search. I didn't know she had in her."

"We need to find this guy and get answers," said Dak.

They suddenly heard a bloodcurdling scream from the room next door. Without any hesitation, they broke into the room. They saw a woman kneeling before a man in fine clothes, who had to be DuPuis.

The woman saw them and looked at them frantically. "Help me. Please. He's gone mad."

DuPuis turned around and was surprised to see them. Dak's eyes fell upon the knife in his hand and then to the screaming woman behind him.

"You're not…" He glanced at the woman, then back to them. "You're not him." He immediately held up his hands. "Shit. I…" He glanced at the woman again and then at the knife in his hand. "I know what this looks like, but I didn't hurt her."

"So the wild-eyed hysteria is just for show, then?" said Dak, narrowing his eyes when he noticed the staff. Staff. Demons. DuPuis was a mage.

"You don't understand." DuPuis wrung his hands. "Someone is after her. I had to keep her safe." He shook his head. "I don't know why you're here, but there's a killer out there, and I think he's playing us both. Just…" The man's face was desperate. "Just let me explain."

Surprisingly, Dak wasn't convinced. "All right, we'll see if you can talk yourself out of this."

"Twenty silver if he says, 'it wasn't me. It was the one-armed man," Varric added.

DuPuis nodded. "Several years ago, my sister was murdered. The bastard's now in Huttsgalor, killing again. The same way he killed my sister." He paced. "It starts with a bouquet of white lilies. He sends them to each new victim. Alessa was going to be next. I took her so he'd have to come to me. I was finally going to face my sister's killer, but then you showed up…"

"He's lying," said Alessa, clutching her arm, which had a nasty slash. "He hurt me."

Dupuis turned back to her. "I've explained this. I need your blood to track you down if he took you. It was for your protection."

"Let go of me." Alessa scrambled to her feet, and DuPuis stepped back to let her pass as she instantly bolted out the door.

"Who killed your sister?" Leyla asked.

"A powerful and experienced blood mage. I believe he uses the women for some ritual. His victims are attractive, healthy women with few social ties."

"Emeric was certain you were the killer."

"Of course he was. But I was trying to find the killer, just like him. Our paths crossed, and he just assumed I was the murderer."

Dak narrowed his eyes. "He'll want to know what happened here."

"Tell him whatever you like," said DuPuis dismissively. "I'll be long gone by then."

"Can't you just tell the city guard what you told me?" Dak questioned.

Aveline narrowed her eyes. "Yes. Can't you?"

"Why?" DuPuis spread his hands. "I don't want him arrested. This isn't about justice, I need to be the one to bleed him dry."

Aveline stepped up, her fists clenched. "Selfish little shit. How many have you risked by keeping this to yourself?"

Dak shared Aveline's anger, if he come clean early, then maybe not so many women wouldn't have died.

"We can help track down your sister's killer," Leyla offered before Dak could say anything.

"No, I can manage on my own." Fenris stepped out of the way as DuPuis left the room. DuPuis hesitated at the door. "I'm headed to Darktown. If you learn anything new about the killer, find me there. I've a score to settle with him."

Dak looked at the others. "What do we think?"

"He's clearly a blood mage," said Fenris.

"And he clearly wants to hunt down this merchant and isn't afraid to use any means necessary," Aveline added.

"But he could be useful in tracking down the murderer," said Merrill.

Leyla looked at Dak. "We should discuss this with Emeric before we make any kind of move. We should at least tell him what we discovered."

Dak nodded. "Then let's head to the Gallows."

They soon returned to the Gallows, but there wasn't a sign of Emeric.

They were then suddenly approached by a templar named Moira. "Aren't you Dak and Lelya? Emeric left not long ago. He said you'd arranged to meet tonight."

Dak frowned. "Perhaps you're mistaken."

"I'm not mistaken. You sent him a message half an hour ago. Look." She then handed him a letter, but it was not his handwriting.

"I didn't send this."

"Neither did I," said Leyla.

"You didn't? Strange," said Moira.

"That's not a good sign," said Varric.

"He's walking into a trap," said Leyla.

"We need to move now," said Dak.

"I'll gather some templars and meet you there," said Moria.

They went to the meeting spot, where demons immediately attacked them, and they saw Emeric lying on the ground. Among the demon's number was a desire demon, but Leyla destroyed her with an ice blast. Once all the Demons had been vanquished, they quickly rushed over to Emeric, but sadly, he was already gone.

Moria and a group of templars arrived, and she was somewhat distraught when she saw her mentor's body flat on the ground.

"Some mage sent that thing here to kill him," she said, looking at the remains of the demons. "Why would anyone…" She shook her head. Dak placed a hand on her shoulder, and she buried her face in his chest for a few seconds. "Oh, Maker. The murders. Emeric was right. He was getting too close." She looked up at him. "He suspected a man named Gascard DuPuis. Did he do this?"

Dak couldn't believe he had fallen for such a trick. "Gascard played me, and now he's escaped a Darktown."

"Darktown's a big place, but we'll find him. He is an apostate, and Meredith will want him hunted down. I will speak to the city guard about this. Gascard DuPuis will not escape."

"My men will cooperate however they can," said Aveline. "Tell them I commanded it."

"Thank you, Captain," Moira nodded.

Leyla looked at Dak. "Are we sure that it was DuPuis?"

"Everything points towards him," said Dak.

"Yeah, I know he is a blood mage and all, but still…"

"Ley, don't worry; if the murderer shows their face again, we will do everything we can to stop them."

Leyla didn't look particularly convinced, but Dak was satisfied that they finally put a stop to the murders.

Both Dak and Leyla had received a message from Hubert saying that the caravans had been attacked. After interrogating a miner at their estate and allowing him to go free, they and a Coterie girl named Lilley went to investigate. They discovered that another member of the Coterie, named Brekker, was responsible for the attacks.

Lilley left to investigate more into Brekker, but when they met up with her, she was killed, and then more members of the Coterie appeared. Fortunately, Leyla was able to convince them that they were not the ones responsible for her murder.

They continued their investigation of Brekker and eventually found him in the Undercity. It was revealed that he stole the cargo because he was envious of their wealth and said that didn't, he didn't deserve it because they were Midgardian.

Naturally, killing him was easy, and Hubert was relieved to hear that their shipments would no longer be attacked.

Later that night, Dak returned to his estate and found Merrill moving a small amount of things. He knew she had more than this, and despite his attempts, she refused to move everything into the estate.

He then pulled out a carved halla that he got from the Dalish craftsman. "I've got something for you."

He then handed the carved halla to Merrill. "Ooh. Did you get this from Master Ilen?" she asked. He nodded, and suddenly, she began to panic, which was quite adorable. "Mythal! Did I miss an important occasion? I'm so sorry! I'll make it up to you, I promise!"

"There's no occasion, Merrill," said Dak, restraining himself from laughing. "I just thought you'd like it."

"I do like it!" she then turned pink. "I'm sorry I'm making a mess of this…" She looked at the carved halla and back to Dak. "No one has given me a present before. Useful things. Tools or clothes. Because I needed them. Not… just because." She then kissed Dak. "Ma seranna. I'll find a good place for this."

"So they captured and handed over the man they believed to be the Huttsgalor Killer?" said Cassandra.

"Yes, but Leyla was convinced they didn't capture the right man. Regretfully, she was right," said Varric.

"But still, they did hand over a blood mage instead of aligning themselves with him."

"Starting to have second thoughts, are we Seeker?"

"Perhaps, but we're still far away from what transpired to turn the world upside down. I must know more."