Believe me, I know how it sounds. Mage meets spirit, spirit hops a ride, bad things all around.
[Anders spreads his hands in a knowing gesture. That's how the story goes, and the story he'd believed in, too, but the uncertainty he'd displayed recounting Cullen's and Fenris' accusations gives away to a concrete surety when it comes to the spirit. Justice's intentions, he trusts without question, more than he trust his own convictions some days.
He can appreciate that it must be difficult for someone who hasn't been on the receiving end of Justice's finger-wagging to understand, but Justice is no demon. No more than he and Alistair are.]
But Justice is different. Let me explain. The only reason he's here is because he was doing what it says on the tin and trying to help free lost souls in the Fade, and got in between an actual demon and blood magic. Most curious spirits and demons are under the impression we have something they want and that's why they want a way through--he's told me we rarely see his kind because they aren't interested in those sorts of things. Honestly, I think it was more frightening for him to be on the physical plane than it was for us. He's the spirit of justice! Imagine trying to be that in our world. It's difficult for him, to say the least.
[The subtle affection he has for the spirit is evident in the way he sits again, calm enough to continue with an eye roll that hints at a long history of exasperating conversations.]
He's a preachy gasbag, he could drive you crazy with his need to fix everything without ever laying a hand on you. But he fought the darkspawn. He's saved my life. He's saved the Warden Commander. Eventually his body was going to give out, and we weren't sure what would happen to him afterward. Can spirits die if they're trapped like him? I don't think even he's sure.
[His gaze grows far away, fixing on the middle distance.]
We talked about... I don't know, really. Finding someplace for him that won't be compost soon. He pestered me constantly about helping mages down on their luck like me, championing the downtrodden and all that. I used to think he was mad for it. But spend enough time around him, you almost start to think it's possible to bring a little fairness to the world. It was an idea we threw around, anyway--if I shared my body, he'd help me in return. I don't know if it matters anymore, but he's my friend, it seemed like making the best of a bad situation at the time.
But that's where what they're saying stops adding up--Justice would sooner eat his boot than hurt innocent people. I'll be the first to admit my moral compass doesn't point as straight as his, but I wouldn't, either. It doesn't make sense.
action;
[Anders spreads his hands in a knowing gesture. That's how the story goes, and the story he'd believed in, too, but the uncertainty he'd displayed recounting Cullen's and Fenris' accusations gives away to a concrete surety when it comes to the spirit. Justice's intentions, he trusts without question, more than he trust his own convictions some days.
He can appreciate that it must be difficult for someone who hasn't been on the receiving end of Justice's finger-wagging to understand, but Justice is no demon. No more than he and Alistair are.]
But Justice is different. Let me explain. The only reason he's here is because he was doing what it says on the tin and trying to help free lost souls in the Fade, and got in between an actual demon and blood magic. Most curious spirits and demons are under the impression we have something they want and that's why they want a way through--he's told me we rarely see his kind because they aren't interested in those sorts of things. Honestly, I think it was more frightening for him to be on the physical plane than it was for us. He's the spirit of justice! Imagine trying to be that in our world. It's difficult for him, to say the least.
[The subtle affection he has for the spirit is evident in the way he sits again, calm enough to continue with an eye roll that hints at a long history of exasperating conversations.]
He's a preachy gasbag, he could drive you crazy with his need to fix everything without ever laying a hand on you. But he fought the darkspawn. He's saved my life. He's saved the Warden Commander. Eventually his body was going to give out, and we weren't sure what would happen to him afterward. Can spirits die if they're trapped like him? I don't think even he's sure.
[His gaze grows far away, fixing on the middle distance.]
We talked about... I don't know, really. Finding someplace for him that won't be compost soon. He pestered me constantly about helping mages down on their luck like me, championing the downtrodden and all that. I used to think he was mad for it. But spend enough time around him, you almost start to think it's possible to bring a little fairness to the world. It was an idea we threw around, anyway--if I shared my body, he'd help me in return. I don't know if it matters anymore, but he's my friend, it seemed like making the best of a bad situation at the time.
But that's where what they're saying stops adding up--Justice would sooner eat his boot than hurt innocent people. I'll be the first to admit my moral compass doesn't point as straight as his, but I wouldn't, either. It doesn't make sense.