World in Chains- The Complete Series

by Ryan W. Mueller

  A terrible force was eating at Rik's insides. He couldn't lose Markus, not like this. Now he had an inkling of how Markus must have felt so many times on this journey. With each time Rik had come close to death, he'd grown more sullen, but he hadn't stopped to consider how it affected his friends.

  How could he have been so selfish? In the end, it had turned out all right, but he could have doomed Nadia and Markus by deserting them. He'd been cruel to them. He'd abandoned them. They shouldn't have accepted his return so easily, even if he did save them.

  Maybe that's how it was meant to be, he told himself. If he hadn't deserted them, he'd have been in prison with them, or even dead. Dead like Jakob, Garet, and Alana.

  Would Rik's presence have changed any of this, or would he have been in the way, like always? He wished he could reclaim the fierce, adventurous spirit he'd once possessed.

  Now he simply wanted to find a place to settle down.

  A distant rustling of leaves jolted him out of his thoughts. He peered toward the sound to see a large, rat-like creature. It was about four feet long, sniffing the air as it edged closer. Rik pointed his staff at the creature, though it didn't seem hostile yet.

  The rat was five feet away, looking up at Rik with beady eyes. It launched itself toward him. He raised his staff just in time and sent a burst of lightning at the rat. The rat shrieked as Rik threw himself to the ground to avoid it. It also hit the ground, tumbling sideways and rolling over.

  Rik shot back to his feet and sent a burst of fire at the rat. It shrieked again as the flames consumed it, and then it fell still. Rik wiped sweat from his brow.

  "Is everything all right?" Nadia asked from a few feet behind him.

  "It was just a giant rat. Nothing to worry about." Rik almost laughed. This was a sure sign of how crazy his life had become. Under what circumstances was a giant rat nothing to worry about? Grinning, he turned to Nadia.

  "What are you grinning about?" she asked.

  "Nothing. I was just thinking of something funny."

  But any chance for laughter was cut short. More rustling sounded, and Rik peered across the dark valley to see perhaps a dozen giant rats prowling toward them.

  "I don't think they're going to be happy with you," Nadia said.

  Rik barked a laugh. "You think?"

  When he turned back to her, she had her bow ready. She narrowed her eyes and aimed at one of the approaching rats. An arrow whizzed through the air, striking the rat. As it toppled to the side, it let out a hideous shriek. Then it fell still and silent.

  "Nice shooting," Rik said. He aimed his staff at the rats and moved it from left to right in a sweeping motion. A wall of flame erupted. It stood only a foot or two high, but that was enough to burn some of the rats. The rest retreated from the flames.

  Rik expected the rats to flee, but instead they shrieked with rage. The four that remained standing leapt over the short wall of flame, then charged toward Rik and Nadia. Rik shot a fireball from the end of his staff, hitting one of the rats. It kept coming.

  Nadia was launching arrows in rapid succession, but the rats were too close now and moving too fast. She kept retreating, trying to get off more arrows. Most of them missed.

  Rik could feel his energy waning. He expected the rats to tear at him with their sharp claws, but instead they raced past him. He turned and his stomach twisted.

  The rats were headed for Markus.

  "Shoot them!" Rik shouted.

  Nadia aimed her bow, but her hands trembled. "What if I hit Markus?"

  "You won't. You have the best aim of anyone I've ever seen."

  "You're right." She loosed two arrows in quick succession. Each arrow struck a rat in the back, halting its progress. The rats were still alive, crawling on their sides, whimpering in pain. Two of the rats continued closing in on Markus.

  They were too close for Rik to use his staff, so he took off after them, pulling his axe from his back. Nadia unsheathed her sword as she ran beside him.

  The two remaining rats leapt atop Markus and tore at him with their claws and teeth. Rik and Nadia were about twenty feet away. What would remain of Markus by the time they got there? Rik steeled his determination and sprinted across the uneven terrain.

  By the time they reached Markus, he was awake, struggling feebly against the rats. Rik swung his axe at one of the rats. It struck a gash in the rat's side, and the rat toppled over. Nadia slashed at the other rat, and it turned to face her, hissing with rage.

  It launched itself at her, and she threw herself to the side, narrowly avoiding it. Then the rat changed its course and tried to leap atop her. Rik caught it first, though, wrestling it to the side. He went rolling along the ground, holding the rat in his muscular arms.

  It squealed and hissed, trying to bite him. He used all his strength to hold its mouth shut. But he'd dropped his axe. It lay on the ground a few feet away, out of reach.

  He and the rat kept rolling around. One of the impacts with the ground knocked the wind out of Rik. He lost his grip on the rat and lay on the ground, unable to move, struggling to breathe. The rat turned to him, hissing louder than ever, then leapt atop him.

  Nadia stabbed it from the side, piercing it through the heart. The rat let out a soft whimper, then fell limp. Rik tossed it to the side with great effort.

  Covered in sweat, he lay on the ground. The rat hadn't scratched him too deeply. He moved a little, testing his injuries. They stung, but he could handle the pain.

  Nadia raced to Markus's side. She knelt next to him, staring at the many scratches gouging his chest and shaking her head gravely.

  Markus's voice was a feeble croak. "How bad?"

  Blood had stained his light tunic, and his face looked pale in the moonlight. Rik's stomach knotted as he stepped closer to Markus. Nadia had her hands on Markus's chest, and they were covered by blood as well.

  "I'll get the whiskey," Rik said. He raced to their supplies and rifled through the sack, finding the whiskey after a few seconds. He shuddered at the thought of pouring it on Markus. Markus didn't deserve pain like that.

  He looked up at Rik, contorting his expression in pain. "Don't do that to me. Please."

  "We have no choice." Nadia ran a hand along Markus's forehead. "There's no telling what sickness those rats might have on their claws." She grimaced. "I know this is going to hurt, but we have no choice." She glanced at Rik. "Let me do it."

  "You sure?"

  "Give me the whiskey, Rik."

  He handed the bottle to her, and she poured it on Markus's cuts with trembling hands. Markus screamed horribly, writhing on the ground, his eyes nearly bulging out of his face.

  Nadia turned to Rik. "Hold him still. Please."

  Rik used his weight to pin Markus's shoulders, remembering all too well how it felt to be on the other side of pain like this. But even Rik's arrow wound hadn't been as severe or extensive as Markus's current injuries.

  Nadia poured more whiskey on Markus's wounds. He thrashed and screamed, but Rik held him down. Markus gripped Rik's arm, his nails digging into Rik's skin.

  "We're almost done," Nadia said with tears in her eyes.

  Markus gritted his teeth, clinging to Rik's arms with a death grip. At last, the whiskey bottle was empty.

  Rik settled down a few feet from Markus. "How're you feeling?"

  "You don't want to know." Markus laughed bitterly. "And I thought I felt bad before."

  Nadia got to her feet unsteadily. "We have to get moving now."

  "I can't move feeling like this," Markus said.

  She gave him a severe look. "Well, you don't have much choice. If we don't find you a doctor quickly, you're going to die."

  Chapter 3: The Perils of Freedom

  Berig couldn't believe he was free. He had the chance to start anew out here, where no one knew his past. He could become anything he wanted, or so he told himself.

  The mountains grew more distant behind them as they crossed the vast plain, skirting the edges of a fo
rest.

  "How far to Luminia?" Berig asked.

  "It's on a different continent," Aric said. He kept up with everyone else despite his illness, but how long would it be before Cyrus's healing wore off?

  Berig pushed through tall grasses. "What's a continent?"

  Aric hesitated. "It's kind of difficult to explain. If you didn't know, most of the world is made of water. It's called the ocean. In this ocean are giant masses of land called continents. The Empire is just one small part of a greater continent, which is just one small part of an even larger world." He smiled. "I hope that helps."

  "I guess it does," Berig said. The sheer size of the world made him feel small and insignificant. "Looks like we'll just have to take it a day at a time."

  "That sounds like a good idea," Danica said. She looked happy and energetic, as though nothing could break her spirit. Berig felt attracted to her, but she was walking arm-in-arm with Aric, looking at him with affection. She was better off with him anyways.

  Klint walked at the head of the party, remaining silent and holding his staff ready. Cyrus had told them the world outside the Empire was unsafe.

  "What if there's no one out here anymore?" Berig asked.

  "There will be," Danica said. "This is a new start, Berig. Don't give up so easily."

  A new start. He had to repeat that again and again, or he'd return to old habits. Why was it so damned hard to change? He'd have liked to think their quest had changed him, but had it? Or was he always going to be Berig, the useless thief?

  No, you're not useless, he told himself. You got Klint outta prison.

  They walked for hours as afternoon faded to evening. The mountains loomed behind, but they belonged to a different world now. Just like Berig's past.

  That night, they found a cluster of trees and used some branches to start a fire. They hadn't caught anything to eat, so they took bread and dried meat from their supplies. During the meal, Berig watched the faces of his companions, listened to their voices. They were all happy and excited about this world.

  Berig wanted to feel the same way, but he wondered why he was on this journey. Cyrus had said Berig's presence was important, but he could have made his own choice.

  The others were laughing around the campfire. Lost in thought, Berig hadn't heard what was so funny. He resolved to become more a part of this party. It was difficult, though. He'd always been alone, ever since his brother's death . . . disappearance—whatever it was.

  "Berig," Danica said, "you've been rather quiet."

  "Just thinking, I guess."

  "And worrying," she said. "I can see it in your eyes."

  "You know me too well."

  "What is there to worry about?" Klint said, tossing a small branch into the fire, which he had lit with his staff. "We haven't seen any monsters, haven't seen anything dangerous at all? Yeah, we'll keep an eye out, but this world's gotta be better than what we left."

  "I guess I don't have your faith," Berig said. "Life's never given me a break."

  Klint leaned forward. "Let me share a story with you, Berig. You're not the only one who's lived a rough life. You think I've always had it easy?"

  "Well, no. I guess not. But didn't you choose this life?"

  "In a way," Aric said, "we all choose our own lives. It is our decisions that define us, not the circumstances that have been thrust upon us."

  Klint gave Aric a sharp look. "Thanks for the philosophy. As I was saying, Berig, my life's been rough. You don't end up in the smuggling business if you've had an easy life. I grew up in the poorest part of Marion. There, you learn to fight or you don't last very long. You learn to steal or you don't have anything to eat. You learn to kill."

  "I've heard some parts of Marion can be quite rough," Aric said.

  Klint was silent a few moments. "I killed my first man when I was nine. He tried to rape my older sister, so I slit his throat. Turned out he was a member of a local thieves' organization. I thought I was dead for sure, but instead they offered to let me join them." He chuckled. "Guess they weren't too fond of that guy either."

  Berig felt a greater kinship for Klint now. By the sounds of it, he'd faced similar struggles growing up. Not quite like Berig's, but close enough. And if Klint could make something of his life, however illegal, maybe Berig could do the same.

  "As a kid," Klint said, "I made a good thief and pickpocket. My family wasn't happy about my choice, but I got food on their table. I got them protection. Eventually, they came to see the benefits. As I grew older, I learned the art of fighting. Dagger. Sword. Bow. Give me a weapon and I can kill someone with it. In fact, I was even better at that than thieving. So my thief lord put me to other uses. I ran afoul of the law a few times, but I always escaped." He ran a hand through his messy brown hair. "Along the way, I lost a lot of good friends."

  "I'm sorry," Berig said. "I know how it is to lose someone."

  Klint looked down at the crackling fire. "I even lost my sister. Ironic, ain't it? In protecting her, I got a spot in the organization, and my role there made her a target. I tried to keep her away from my life, but I couldn't do it." He shook his head, and when he spoke again, tears constricted his voice. "I got her killed."

  Danica put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry."

  Klint pulled away from her touch. "You remind me of her, you know. She always had a way of staying positive through everything. I know she wouldn't blame me, but that doesn't keep me from blaming myself. Doesn't keep my mother from blaming me."

  Berig leaned closer with interest. It was strange to see a different side of Klint. For all the time he'd been with them, he'd seemed so strong, as if nothing ever fazed him. But beneath that stony mask, that rough exterior, there was great pain and sorrow.

  "I was fifteen when my sister died," Klint said, choking up. "My mother cast me out then, and I found my home with my fellow thieves. It was good for a while, but I wanted more out of life. That's when my thief lord mentioned the possibility of smuggling. Thieving was good money, but smuggling was even better. I won't deny it. I wanted money. I thought I could drown out my pain if I became rich. As if money could make everything all right."

  "When did you realize it couldn't?" Aric asked.

  Klint gave a hollow laugh. "Just a few weeks ago, when I thought I was gonna die in Imperial Guard custody. Nothing like prison and certain death to make you question your priorities in life. Don't get me wrong. I still like money, but maybe there's more out there."

  "I think you'll find something more now that you're with us," Danica said.

  Klint looked down at the ground. "I sure hope so."

  He fell silent. Exposing his vulnerable side had clearly taken a toll on him. For a few minutes, everyone joined him in silence broken only by the crackling fire. Insects chirped and buzzed in the distance, but otherwise the world seemed empty.

  "Where are all the people?" Berig asked. "Is there anyone out here?"

  Danica forced a smile. "Cyrus said there were people out there, and I trust him. He wouldn't have led us out here otherwise."

  "It's probably just a sparsely populated area," Aric said.

  A shuffling sound came from the distance, startling Berig. "Anyone else hear that?"

  They all shook their heads, so Berig listened more closely. Something was coming, stalking them through the darkness, its shuffling steps growing closer. Berig hopped to his feet and pulled out his dagger.

  "I don't hear anything," Aric said, and the others nodded their agreement.

  "Must be my strange senses," Berig said.

  A shadow was silhouetted against the eastern horizon, just visible in the pale moonlight.

  He pointed into the distance. "You sure you don't hear anything?"

  "Yeah, I think I might hear something now," Klint said.

  Everyone jumped to their feet and peered into the distance as the shadow grew nearer. It looked like an animal of some kind, tall and standing on two legs. The way it moved suggested that it wasn't human, but Ber
ig couldn't be sure.

  As if it sensed them, the creature burst toward them, moving with speed that looked impossible. Its long legs carried it across the gently rolling hills of the vast plain.

  The creature let out a piercing shriek, and Berig covered his ears. His dagger felt small and useless in his hands. To his right, Danica was pale. Aric and Klint looked ready, though—Aric with his sword and Klint with his staff.

  The creature burst into their thicket of trees. Once it passed within range, Klint launched a burst of fire at it. The monster recoiled, shrieking and looking enraged.

  In the light of the flames, Berig could finally see the beast. It stood about ten feet tall, with thin brown fur and nearly a dozen eyes ringing its head. Its shape was that of a man, but it moved jerkily on long, thin legs. Its arms ended in claws as long as swords.

  "You better keep those flames going," Aric said. "I don't know how to fight this thing." He stepped closer to it, then retreated. The beast had stopped as the flames hit it. It shrieked in pain, but it didn't retreat. If anything, it looked more eager to kill them.

  Berig rushed back to Danica, and she clung to him, trembling violently. There was no way either of them could do anything against this creature.

  Klint stopped the flames and switched to a burst of lightning. This time, the creature did retreat. It covered its head as though that could stop the lightning. For a moment, Berig felt sorry for the creature, but then he reminded himself that it intended to kill them.

  The lightning turned to a jet of water that struck the creature in the chest, sending it to the ground, where it twitched in pain. Klint advanced on it, and a cascade of sharp rocks emerged from the tip of his staff, striking the creature in the chest like dozens of knives.

  At last, the monster gave up. It scrambled to its feet and raced into the distance at its seemingly impossible speed. Berig's legs trembled until it disappeared from view.

  Klint wiped sweat from his forehead. "Guess we found our first monster."

  "I hope it's our last," Berig muttered.