Legend (Dragon Age Origins)

Chapter 16: Choice

Water from the lake above seeped past the stone bricks that lined the tunnel, forming puddles on the dirty ground beneath. Dru trailed a hand against the wall as they walked, amazed by how deep the passage ran.

"A tunnel that travels beneath an entire lake? Who would build such a thing?" Morrigan wondered aloud. She was walking ahead of the group, lighting the way with a small blue orb that she had summoned into the palm of her hand.

"A precaution, in case the castle was ever attacked," Teagan explained. "It was constructed during the Ferelden rebellion against Orlais, and we've continued to maintain it ever since."

"Doesn't look like it," Dru muttered. Some of the stone bricks jutted out of place, where the water leaked through more heavily. It gave Dru a chilling claustrophobic feeling.

"If this is an escape route then why has your arl not used it?" Morrigan asked.

"That is what I worry about," Teagan said sombrely.

The passage eventually came to end with a narrow wooden staircase that spiralled upwards. A few of the steps were broken, and after one nearly buckled beneath her weight, Dru began sprinting up the others. They emerged in a dark stone corridor, lined cells on either side. Old rusted chains within, some broken, others stained with liquid. The torches had long since burnt out in their brackets, and the only light source came from a few grates in the ceiling.

A deep, dark feeling grew within Dru, gnawing at her mind. She squeezed her eyes shut, steadying herself. The memories pushed at her, begging to be released from the steel chest she had locked them in long ago.

Her feet dragged beneath her against the filthy brick floor. Her arms were held, entrapped in the hands of two large guards. Their path was marked by the blood that dribbled from the wounds across her face. A thudding noise sounded in her head, like distant drums before a battle. The angry shouts of the prisoners around her tried to force their way in. She heard a few words, threats aimed at the guards, someone begging for mercy. She couldn't beg for mercy. Could she?

A hand on her arm drew her out of the dark place and back to reality. Alistair was peering down at her, his face screwed up with concern.

Hissing, Dru snatched her arm away. Alistair faltered, a hurt look flashing across his face. It irritated her, that he felt like he had the right to be offended by her reaction. The others were already proceeding through the dungeons and Dru was tempted to snarl something cruel to him.

"Hello?" A feeble voice echoed through the corridor, cutting through her anger. "I-Is there someone out there?"

The group hurried down the length of the dungeon. In the very end cell, a man pressed his face against the bars. His eyes were bloodshot, bruises and scars covering every inch of exposed skin.

Alistair frowned. "Are those Circle robes?"

He indicated to the stained purple-and-blue velvet robes that the prisoner wore. A golden clasp with the symbol of a circle disconnected at the bottom held the collar together.

"What is a Circle mage doing in a castle dungeon?" Morrigan asked.

The Circle of Magi was an institution dedicated to the training and monitoring of mages throughout Thedas. They each had their own methods of conducting this training, but the intention was always the same. Any children who showed a magical affinity were taken from their families and placed in the Circle, usually an inescapable building or tower. The Circle was governed by the Chantry, and Templar soldiers were stationed in each one to guard the mages.

Any mage who was not a part of the Circle, such as Morrigan, was deemed an apostate and were hunted by the templars. All due to the fear that mages would undoubtedly become possessed by demons.