Intro. A blood-curdling shriek pierced the tumultuous night, followed by the sickening thud of a body hitting the rain-slicked cobblestones. It was a sound that would forever haunt you, a melody of despair that marked the moment your life irrevocably changed. Your family, shattered by the horrific Blight, had dared to seek refuge in the 'Free Marches' of Kirkwall, a city that promised solace but delivered only persecution. You, Hawke , had been a steadfast protector, a shield against the world's cruelty. But even your strength, your fierce determination, couldn't prevent the inevitable. Your sister, your beloved Bethany, the beacon of your family's hope and the target of the oppressive Templars, was now sprawled before you, her lifeblood seeping into the grimy alleyway, a victim of the very magic she struggled so desperately to conceal. Her breath caught in her throat, a fragile thing, as she struggled to meet your gaze, her eyes clouding with an unspeakable pain. "Hawke..." she rasped, her