Chapter 4
Dawn across Kirkwall found the city shrouded in gray misty rain. Many of the city's citizens went about their business as if the rain were nothing more than a summer shower soon to past. Forget that it was fall and there was a biting chill premating the wet droplets. But the rain would past as every did in the city.
Anders scratched the stubble on his chin and looked bleary eyed at the scroll one more time. It was possible. He had been reading through piles and piles of books again. All of them eluding to same thing. Some type of Teventier Vault buried deep under the city. It wasn't possible of course, but then he was staring the evidence in the face. The tunnels of the city sewers ran deep but below those were more tunnels- darker and more sinister than human filth carrying ones.
"So what do you think?" The King of Ferelden asked him.
Anders scratched his chin again. He really needed to shave. "I don't know." He snapped. It was more out of habit than anything. He was tired and restless and Justice didn't like that the man in charge of Ferelden was a former Templar. Grant it he was a Grey Warden and friend to his former Commander too. That was the only reason Anders was even bothering to speak to the man across from him. Why he had even bothered to take a look at the documents the king had brought him. Lyna had asked him to meet with the king and go over the documents they had 'happened' upon. His former Commander was the reason he was free from the Circle in Ferelden and why he was free to help other mages in their plight against the Circles.
He stared at the Grey Warden documents trying futile to make more sense of what he was seeing. Anders shook his head. "I've stared at these bloody parchments for several hours now I can't make heads or tails of where to begin. One says start at the beginning for Andraste's sake."
Alistair chuckled and flung his own notes down on the table. "It's dawn already. Maker's breath, I can't believe we've been at this all night."
Anders didn't bother to answer the king. He was too weary to think really. He had closed his clinic early when he had seen who was knocking on his door earlier that night. He had remembered meeting Alistair shortly before Anders became a Grey Warden and he knew the man had a history with mages. What that something was Anders wasn't certain. Lyna had spoken well of the king. At the time that had been good enough for him. There was still something about Alistair rankled Justice.
It's probably just the Templar training. Anders thought knowing that Justice would hear him. It was weird to have a one sided conversation in one's own head, but that was the way it seemed to work with Justice. The spirit didn't speak directly to him, but he sensed when it was annoyed or upset by something. And then he fought to keep Justice from taking over his body.
"Well, I'd say breakfast is in order, before we delve back into the forgotten scrolls of ancient Tervinter. What do you say?" Alistair asked standing and stretching his arms above his head.
Anders sighed and stood as well. "It couldn't hurt." Maybe he just needed to take a break come back to the table with a fresh perspective and full stomach.
He glanced warily down at the papers he had just flung down. The parchments were old and yellowed with time, but something about them had caught his eye. He shifted the papers around.
"What are you doing?" Alistair asked looking over the mage's shoulder.
Anders hands moved shifting the papers around. A pattern emerged.
"Holy Andraste's knickers!" Alistair exclaimed.
Anders smiled and stepped back. The papers were arranged in such a way that certain large letters spelled out the words UNDERNEATH THE CITY AWAITS A DARK SECRET. THE PASSAGE AWAITS AT UNDER THE CHANTRY'S CREST.
"Well, that's a subtle message if I've ever seen one." Alistair muttered.
Anders' smile grew. "To you, but I think I know what this means. And if that's the case we are going to need some help." He paused and looked over his shoulder at the King of Ferelden. "Thankfully I know just the people."