Empire of Chains (World in Chains Book 1)

by Ryan W. Mueller

  "Then all the other barriers were Warrick's doing?" Nadia asked.

  "Yes, he is telling the truth when he says he's protecting the people from the chaotic magic of the Darkness Temple."

  Markus scratched his head, trying to sort through his thoughts. "But then, if we kill him, doesn't that mean those protections will fade away?"

  Cyrus looked away. "It is possible."

  Nadia frowned at him. "Then are you saying we shouldn't kill him?"

  "No, I never said that," Cyrus replied, but he looked away again.

  There was some secret he wasn't sharing with them.

  "During Warrick's rule," Cyrus continued, "the world outside the Empire has deteriorated. I'm not sure what Warrick's doing, but based on what I've heard from people who've made it outside the Empire, monsters now roam the world more than ever."

  "What?" Markus said. "People can get out of the Empire? I thought that wasn't possible."

  "There are two places where it is possible," Cyrus said. "One of them is near Mountainside. The other is through the Fire Mountains northwest of Bradenton. People from the Order and those serving Warrick have made use of these to spy on the external world. After all, once the barriers around the empire weaken—and that has already begun—Warrick seeks to bring his belief system to the rest of the world. He has always felt that the population in the Empire is too small for his ideas to show their true potential."

  Nadia cleared her throat. "You said the barriers are weakening? That actually makes sense. Recently, there have been more tornadoes outside the Plain of Storms. And then there's the Spirit of Malavia. Do you know what that is?"

  "Yes, I know of it. Have you encountered it?"

  "In the Crayden Forest," Nadia said. "It told me that Warrick was controlling it."

  "Not surprising," Cyrus said. "Warrick has powers we can't understand."

  "Do you know what the spirit is?" Nadia asked.

  "Unfortunately, I do not."

  This time, Markus felt that Cyrus was telling the truth. There'd been more truth than deception in what the sorcerer had said, but Markus didn't care for any information being withheld. Did Cyrus see, in those Webs of Fate, some reason to keep secrets from them?

  Voices filled the room, probably drowning out their conversation. Markus was surprised that none of these people seemed intent on listening. Perhaps Cyrus had shared this information with them already.

  "Why did you lie to us?" Markus asked. "You've left out a lot of information."

  Nadia gave him a sharp look, as if she hadn't noticed anything amiss in Cyrus's explanations. Perhaps she was good at lying herself, but it seemed she lacked the ability to notice when someone else was lying.

  "I have my reasons for keeping secrets," Cyrus said. "You'll have to trust me. In time, if you survive long enough, you'll come to know all the world's deepest secrets. Until then, it's best if you operate with only the knowledge I've given you. The Webs of Fate have shown me the paths that lead to success. I'd love to tell you more, but it would ruin everything."

  "That doesn't give me a lot of confidence," Markus said. He hadn't seen any signs of deception this time, but the secrecy still bothered him.

  Cyrus nodded. "I understand."

  After a few moments of tense silence, Markus said, "I have another question. What is a Death Speaker?"

  "Someone who can speak with the undead. Why do you ask?"

  "Well, when we went to Woodsville, I was able to talk with this army of undead soldiers. They called me a Death Speaker. I was able to command them even."

  "That could be a very useful ability," Cyrus said. "And it's a rare one. In fact, I only know of one other person who can do the same." He opened his mouth as if to reveal this information, then shook his head and looked away.

  Markus wanted to press Cyrus for more answers, but it would be pointless, so instead Markus glanced at Nadia.

  There were tears in her eyes. He shouldn't have mentioned Woodsville.

  She wiped away a tear. "Something else happened when we were in Woodsville. This strange silver orb touched my friend Kara, and she disappeared. That undead army told Markus that she was still alive, but that she was somewhere else. Do you know what happened to her?"

  Cyrus's expression turned grave. "Yes, I do. She was touched by the Silver Wisp. The touch of the Silver Wisp takes someone to the Shadowed Land."

  "The Shadowed Land?" Nadia said. "Isn't that where Krinir was sent after the Great War?"

  Cyrus nodded.

  "Can she get back?" Nadia asked.

  "I've never known of anyone who's returned. I'm sorry."

  She wiped away more tears. "Can she survive there?"

  "I'm sorry, but I really have no idea. We have very little information about the place. Many of the sorcerers who supported Krinir in the Great War are there as well. Perhaps they can protect her, if it suits them."

  "At least I know," she said. "That's something."

  Markus put an arm around Nadia, hoping he could comfort her. She didn't move his arm and looked up at him, her eyes moist. Then she leaned in closer, resting her head against his shoulder. When Markus had imagined love, this wasn't what he'd expected, but he did believe he loved her, and maybe she loved him too.

  Rik cleared his throat. "Did you know we can all do some form of magic?"

  "It doesn't surprise me," Cyrus said. "What can you do?"

  "Well, I can use a magical staff," Rik said. His voice lacked its usual energy and enthusiasm. "But I've only done it a couple of times."

  "And what can you do?" Cyrus asked Nadia.

  She hesitated a moment. "Well, I seem to have an ability to sense when something dangerous is going to happen, and when we were fighting these wolves, it felt almost like I could sense their hearts, like something other than pure skill was guiding my arrows."

  "I can also heal," Markus said. "At least a little bit."

  "Interesting," Cyrus said. "You can all use some form of magic. Rik needs a conduit, but that doesn't mean that what he can do isn't powerful. In fact, until you go to the temples to gain the powers of the elements, his abilities in battle will surpass yours."

  Rik smiled, but it looked forced.

  "Are you okay?" Markus asked.

  "I don't know. I was seconds from death. How many times can I come so close to death and escape? When this adventure began, I expected it to be fun and exciting, and I suppose it's been exciting in a way, but I'm not sure I like it."

  Cyrus chuckled. "That, Rik, is the nature of adventure."

  Nadia rested her head against Markus's shoulder, and he liked the way that felt, however upset and dirty she was.

  "Anything else we need to know?" he asked. He'd accepted that Cyrus would not reveal the world's greatest secrets.

  "There are many things you'll need to know eventually," Cyrus said. "However, Markus, there is something I need to show you. It's time you found out what happened to your parents."

  "How did you know about that?"

  "As I said, I've read the Webs of Fate." Cyrus motioned Markus over to him. "I'll need to hold your hands. Close your eyes, and the memory should return."

  Markus did as instructed, then waited for the memories to surface for the first time. His stomach swirled with anticipation.

  The first thing he saw was the moon over his mother's shoulder. Her breathing sounded strained, and sweat trickled down her face as she climbed an empty mountain slope beside Markus's father. She had Markus's blue eyes and blond hair, while his father looked a lot like Uncle Theo, but without a beard.

  "I still think this is crazy," his mother said. "No one's ever escaped."

  His father continued forward. "We have no choice."

  "Maybe we shouldn't have joined the Order."

  "Well, you can't change the past."

  The scene faded around Markus, then returned slowly. Now they were navigating the mountain's downward slope, following a narrow path strewn with rocks and boulders.

  "I wanna
go home!" cried three-year-old Markus.

  His mother hugged him closer. "I'm sorry. We can't."

  The sadness in her voice made Markus wish he could wrap his arms around her for real, comfort her like he'd comforted Nadia, but he had no control over what he did. He saw through his eyes but could not move, could not even feel.

  A distant voice sounded. "Stop right there!"

  "Damn, they've found us," his father said. "We need to go faster."

  But with the terrain so dangerous, that was difficult. Twice, Markus's mother dropped him, and he let out harsh cries as he scraped his elbows and knees on the jagged rocks. He felt no pain, though. Not now.

  A sudden crack split the air. Markus watched in horror as the rocks gave way beneath his father. He tried to grab on to something, but the rockslide carried him down the mountain. He tumbled head over heels, grunting each time he hit the rocks. Faster and faster he went, until the slope finally leveled out. Then he lay there without moving, a low moan escaping his lips.

  Markus's mother raced down the slope, slipping a few times herself. When they reached his father, there was nothing they could do. A bone protruded from his father's leg, and his blood had pooled on the moonlit ground.

  Markus's mother put him down and collapsed beside his father. "Jaden, no!"

  "Go on without me," he said, his voice thick with pain.

  "No, I can't leave you here!"

  "They'll catch up to you," he said. "Save Markus. I'm as good as dead."

  The commands of the Imperial Guards echoed down the slopes, and Markus knew all too well how this would end. Why had Cyrus made him watch this?

  "Mommy, they're coming," he said in a high-pitched voice.

  She looked up the slope, her eyes wide. Then, after one last despairing look at her husband, she cradled Markus in her arms and raced down the slope. More commands came from behind, but she only hastened her pace.

  Not that it mattered.

  Soon she reached a large ravine cutting across the mountain as far as Markus could see. It was too wide to jump while carrying a child.

  The Imperial Guards eventually reached her. A young man with a neatly-groomed beard stood on a rocky outcropping a few feet away. Something about him looked familiar.

  "Hand over the child," he said, his voice tight. "He is not to blame for your transgressions. He will be spared."

  She glared at him. "How can I trust you? You of all people!"

  Markus felt a jolt of recognition. This man was Uncle Theo. A lot of things made sense now. This was what Uncle Theo had been hesitant to tell him before he'd left. Uncle Theo had been there the day his parents died. He'd been part of it.

  "Warrick does not desire the deaths of innocent children," Uncle Theo said.

  You sure about that, Markus thought, remembering Crayden.

  "You really have no choice," his uncle added.

  His mother shook her head, then stepped forward and handed Markus to Uncle Theo. From his uncle's arms, Markus watched the following scene, though he wished he could close his eyes.

  Another Imperial Guard stepped forward, carrying a two-handed sword. The bearded man looked familiar, but Markus couldn't figure out why. The Imperial Guard swung his sword at Markus's mother, and her head fell from her shoulders. Her body hit the ground with a sickening thud, blood pooling around it.

  The next moment, Markus sat again on the stone floor, tears streaming down his face.

  "I'm sorry you had to see that," Cyrus said, "but it was necessary."

  Markus struggled to his feet, trembling with rage. This quest was personal now.

  Chapter 46

  Sitting on the stone floor in a small prison cell, Berig felt the crushing weight of disappointment. The Imperial Guards had led them away from the Red Plateau, through the Varner City gate, and into the dungeon of the Varner City garrison.

  Berig shared his cell with Aric and Ander, and none of them had spoken in a while. Talia and Danica sat in another cell. Farah, on the other hand, had proven a traitor.

  Somehow she'd notified the Imperial Guards of their journey. Did she have powers of magical teleportation? Berig did recall seeing her absent on a couple of occasions. She'd been so distant toward the rest of the group that she could easily sneak off.

  Berig stared at the cracked stone floor. "We should've known."

  "I know," Aric said. "We were too trusting. We should've listened to Captain Davis."

  "I gave her the chance to change," Ander said. "I thought she'd take it."

  "Guess some people can't change," Berig said. He looked across the dungeon, to the cell of the other man who shared the space. The man looked rough, with dark hair and an unshaven face.

  Berig moved to the bars. "Hey, you wanna tell us who you are?"

  "What does it matter?" the man said. "They're gonna execute me. Probably torture me first. That's the kind of thing those sick bastards like to do."

  "Why're they executing you?" Berig asked. He scanned the entire dungeon, noting that all the guards either stood outside it or weren't standing guard at all.

  "Killed a couple of them down in Levine. They don't take too kindly to that."

  "Why didn't they kill you right away?" Berig asked.

  "Who knows? Guess they really want to torture me." He looked up. "I suppose it can't hurt to tell you who I am. The name's Klint. I was a smuggler before they locked me up in here. Made a pretty good living that way."

  "Klint?" Ander said. "Now I recognize you. You've done some work for the Order."

  "Yeah, among others. I do work for anyone who'll pay me. Or I did." He chuckled without humor. "So what'd you end up in here for? You get caught with the Order?"

  "We were heading to Mountainside," Ander said. "We went through the Black Swamp and the Red Plateau. We lost some people along the way."

  Klint scooted closer to the bars. "Do they know you're with the Order?"

  "We never said that we were," Ander replied. "But we were headed to Mountainside. That looks like pretty damning evidence to me."

  "Not as damning as you might think," Klint said.

  They all gave him strange looks.

  "A lot of people try to get to Mountainside, and it's not technically illegal to go there. Just like you can go to the Oasis Outpost, though I wouldn't recommend it. The people there get kind of crazy about outsiders. You might actually be surprised if you get to Mountainside. Yeah, the Order's set up there, but most of the people don't do anything for it."

  "Strange," Ander said. "I would have thought everyone there was in the Order."

  "Nope. They're not as weird as the Oasis Outpost, but the official government of the city really wants nothing to do with the Order."

  "How do you know all this?" Aric asked.

  "In my profession, you get around. I've never been west of the Oasis Outpost. Too dangerous. But I've been just about everywhere else." He smiled. "In fact, I know another way you could get to Mountainside. I'll help you get there if you get me outta here."

  "And how are we going to do that?" Ander asked.

  "Well, the Imperial Guards are probably gonna let you go. Oh, they'll keep an eye on you, see if you do anything illegal, but they'll let you go." He lowered his voice. "And when they do, you'll need to get back in here. I know the layout of this place. There's a trapdoor at the top of the tower. You have to climb a cliff to get to it, but it's possible."

  "But we can't climb like that," Aric said.

  "Well, I probably can," Berig said. He felt queasy at the thought, but he wouldn't let them know that. He had to repay them for the sacrifices they'd made on his behalf.

  The door opened, and an Imperial Guard stepped through, looking vaguely familiar. When the man came closer, Berig's mouth dropped open. "Tylen?"

  Tylen smiled. "Never thought I'd see any of you again."

  "What the hell are you doing here?" Ander demanded.

  With another smile, Tylen said, "Life takes you in unexpected directions. Let's just say becomi
ng an Imperial Guard was the best choice for me."

  "I can't believe you," Ander said. "How could you serve Warrick after Crayden?"

  "That doesn't matter," Tylen said, looking away.

  Aric glared at him. "Did you come here to gloat, or do you have some actual purpose?"

  "No need for the attitude," Tylen said. "I actually came here to let you out. Since I'm the newest, they leave me the most unenviable tasks. Believe me, I'd rather keep you in here."

  Three more Imperial Guards entered the dungeon. Two stepped over to the cells, opened the doors, and gestured for them to step out.

  The third Imperial Guard wore the surcoat of a commander, marked by a black diamond border. "I'm going to give you a warning," he said. "At the moment, we can't prove you have any involvement with the Order. We must abide by the law. But that means we'll be watching all of you. Besides, even if you were only seeking refuge in Mountainside, I think it's punishment enough that you've been denied your goal. You are free to go."

  Berig's heart felt lighter, but then he remembered that he'd promised to rescue Klint, and a heavy weight settled over him.

  The Imperial Guards returned most of their things, with strict warnings that their weapons remain sheathed. Soon the party of six stood free, just outside the garrison. The Imperial Guards had taken Ander's stuff, but that was something to deal with later.

  Ander knew a family that would allow them a place to stay, so everyone else followed him to a large manor close to the red cliffs, where he knocked on the door.

  A servant answered it. "Do you have business with Lord William?"

  "Tell him that Lord Ander is here, from Crayden."

  "I will do that." The servant disappeared from view, then returned a few minutes later with a dark-haired man who looked a little like Tylen.

  The man beckoned them inside. "It's good to see you, Ander. I was afraid you'd perished in Crayden. I'll tell my servants to ready some baths for you." He smiled. "I think you might be in need of them."

  Berig looked at the dirt covering him, at his tattered clothes, and had to agree. In his impoverished life, he'd had little chance to bathe, but even he took the occasional dip in a river.