A/N: Okay hahahahahaha.
Yes.
I am late again.
And this chapter is kind of short.
...
I am the worst.
CHAPTER 9
"Ser Martinez," said Knight Commander Meredith in her characteristically stern tone. She focused her icy blue eyes on us, "And Serrah Hawke."
"Knight Commander," began Anastasia in a clear, confident voice, "It has come to our attention that there may be a group of corrupt Templars working at the circle."
A deep frown twisted the Knight Commanders features, "That is a serious accusation—I assume you have some evidence to back this claim?"
I handed her the documents we had stolen from Karras' office, "Contracts for the illegal trade of mages. Signed by Ser Karras," I said.
Meredith took the documents and scrutinised them carefully. After a few minutes she looked up at us, "Slave trade... You do realise these signatures could have easily been forged," she said dismissively, handing them back to me.
"Yes, but if you look at the latest contract," I said, handing a page back to her, "An exchange is happening tonight at an abandoned warehouse near the docks. We could catch them red-handed."
Meredith looked up at us both, "I'm sorry, but I do not have time to investigate every accusation thrown my way, especially one with so little evidence."
"But—" protested Anastasia.
"That is final," interrupted Meredith harshly.
Anastasia held her superior's gaze briefly before storming out angrily. I nodded respectfully at the Knight-Commander and followed Anastasia out of the room.
"That woman is—" began Anastasia angrily, but she held her tongue when she noticed Ser Cullen approaching.
"Ser Cullen," said Anastasia dutifully.
"Ser Martinez, Serrah Hawke," greeted Ser Cullen, "I couldn't help overhearing your conversation with the Knight-Commander. Look, you must understand; the Knight-Commander will hear a dozen accusations in a single week. She holds the integrity and honour of the Templars as a matter of great importance," he said, a strange, dream-like expression inexplicably crossing over his face at this thought, "But she cannot investigate each one of these accusations."
Anastasia simply glared at him, unimpressed by his explanation.
"But," he continued, "Something about Karras has always put me off. I'd like to offer my services in your investigation."
"Thank you, Ser Cullen. That's very gracious of you," said Anastasia, obviously shocked by his offer.
"Meet us by the east docks at dusk," I said, "We'll get to the warehouse early and stake it out."
Cullen was already there when Anastasia and I arrived.
Ser Cullen was an admirable man—for a Templar. He took pride in his work and was a fair and understanding man. His hatred of mages was tangible, but stemmed from traumatic past experiences rather than the usual blind hatred exhibited by most Templars, which could be perceived as a more honourable hatred if hatred could be classified as thus.
I wouldn't go so far as to say I liked him—his participation in the oppression of mages prohibited this—but I could respect him; and his decision to aid us showed a compassion that was beginning to become a rare commodity.
"Alright," I said to our little group, "Follow me, and be as quiet as you can. We don't want to attract any attention to ourselves."
I lead Anastasia and Cullen along the docks and we ducked into a dark alleyway that ran behind the warehouse where the exchange should take place. It was an old, run-down warehouse that was supposed to be abandoned.
"We need to get to a place where we can watch the deal go down without being seen. Preferably somewhere high up," said Cullen, scanning our surroundings.
I looked around; the sun had nearly set and it was getting darker - we needed to move quickly.
I spotted a window high above us. There's our point of entrance.
We climbed up the discarded pile of rotted wooden boxes that littered the alleyway and scaled the decrepit building. Once I could reach the window, I stuck my staff through the glass. I peered inside the building; it was dark, but the many holes in the roof and walls allowed light to seep through. I could see rubbish and crates on the floor, but otherwise, the building was totally abandoned. A scaffold rested against the wall and I slid onto the windowsill. I stepped tentatively onto the scaffold and tested its strength. It didn't move. Reassured, I slid through and looked around for somewhere to obscure ourselves. There were some boxes on an adjacent scaffold that we could hide behind, but still easily see and hear anything happening on the floor of the warehouse. The others followed me and we took our positions. And we waited.
I was about to suggest that we must have gotten the date wrong when finally; a figure stepped through the door wearing a Templar uniform and a black hood that obscured his face. He walked into the middle of the room and looked around quickly before heaving open what must have been a trap door. Another individual looking identical to the hooded figure stepped out, followed by a skinny, probably teenaged boy in shackles. An even younger girl followed him, and then another child, and four others looking scruffy and tired and scared. Two other hooded Templars stepped out, and then the trap door was closed.
I sensed Anastasia looking at me and met her gaze, she gestured to the ground, she wanted to confront them now. I shook my head at her. We needed to catch them in the act.
One of the children was crying, and the older boy was trying to comfort him. One of the Templars barked at them to shut up. The crying child hid behind the boy; who stood his ground and met the Templars gaze defiantly. The Templar seemed amused by this action and started approaching them, my hand unconsciously moving to grip my staff, when a movement at the door stopped the interaction. Three more figures entered the room. The middle figure was short and fat, and was accompanied by two incredibly big, burly men, both of whom sported large tattoos down their arms and necks; evidently his body guards. One of the hooded figures walked up to the fat individual and shook his hand.
"Seven slaves, ready to ship," said the hooded figure, and though the hood slightly muffled his voice, I could easily identify the voice as belonging to Karass, "You better have the coin this time, Armond."
The little man, apparently named Armond, offered a menacing smile and handed him a small clinking bag.
I looked over at Cullen and Anastasia and nodded, and all at once, we stood up from our hiding place. I kicked the boxes off the scaffold and we jumped onto the ground. Anastasia and Cullen pulled out their swords. Anastasia was refraining from using magic around Cullen.
The gathering of people jumped back in surprise, "Don't move, and you won't be harmed. For violating the law and engaging in the illegal trade of persons, I must bring you in to custody," said Cullen.
Immediately, the two gigantic bodyguards and two of the Templar figures drew their weapons and rounded on us.
I sent a bolt of lightning towards an approaching Templar, stunning him temporarily. One of the tattooed giants had reached Cullen and swung a spiked mace at him, who swiftly blocked the attack with his shield and started slashing at him dangerously with his sword. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Anastasia deflect an attack from the other giant and slash her sword at him. Another Templar had approached me and I sent a rock fist flying into him, making him stagger backwards. The other Templar had backed away and was yelling at the other to do the same.
I was about to follow them when Anastasia shouted behind me, "HAWKE! BEHIND YOU!"
I spun around and managed to dodge one of Armond's charging bodyguards. He regained his balance and swung an axe at me, making me jump back quickly to avoid it. I charged a bolt of electricity between my hands and sent it mercilessly into the man's body, making his skin blacken with ash. He roared in pain and was about to charge at me again when Anastasia bashed him with her Templar-issue shield. He quickly recovered from the hit and knocked Anastasia back with the hilt of his axe, sending her flying into the ground. He held his axe menacingly in the air, ready to deliver a killing blow, when I cast a prison of crushing magic; temporarily paralysing the brute.
Anastasia got to her feet and smashed the side of his head with her shield; knocking him out cold.
"KARASS!" yelled Cullen, from across the room. The Templars were retreating to the doorway, and one of the figures turned slightly—involuntarily— at the call, but quickly continued running. The hooded Templars were out of the building before any of us had a chance to stop them, slamming the door behind them. I knew they were too far ahead to follow them, and I ground my teeth angrily. I looked around: Cullen had managed to incapacitate the man he was fighting, who lay on the floor now, arms tied behind his back. The short man Karass had called 'Armond' had vanished—obviously he'd made a run for it when the fight started.
The Templars had abandoned the young group of mages, who now stood huddled together, incredulous expressions on their faces.
"It's okay," I said to them, "We're not going to hurt you."
Cullen and Anastasia bound the other bodyguards' hands and joined me.
"Can we go home?" said a little girl, her big, brown eyes staring up at me hopefully. She was clutching her dress in her hands; her cheeks were smeared with dirt and tears.
"We're going to take you to the Circle," said Cullen softly, "You'll be safe there."
The oldest boy who had so determinedly stared down the Templar from before looked at me with the same expression he had given the Templar, making a painful tightening form in my chest.
He shook his head, "Right," he muttered angrily.
I closed my eyes and sighed softly. It had never entered into my head that Cullen would want to take them to the Circle. That I would be contributing to doing to these children something that I myself was terrified of happening to me.
"I'm sorry," I told him, making him roll his eyes and glare at the floor.
I ran out of the warehouse to grab a member of the city guard to take the unconscious bodyguards away, and Cullen and Anastasia took the children back to the circle, leaving me to wander back home by myself.
"That's not going to be enough to convict him," Cullen had said disappointedly before we all dispersed, "It was definitely him… But none of us actually saw his face."
I marched through the streets back towards Hightown, kicking a rock along the road as I went. I couldn't get that teenaged boy's expression out of my head. He was looking at me like I was one of the Templars.
Well, I thought to myself, now we know that Karass is definitely involved. Only, we can't prove it. And proving it is going to be much harder now that he's on to us.
