World in Chains- The Complete Series

by Ryan W. Mueller

  "Then why are you taking us there?" Kara asked.

  "Because I want to find this sorcerer Lena mentioned. Because I'm tired of living in this place. If there's a chance, even the slightest chance, that there's a way out, I want to pursue it." He looked down at Kara with a smile. "For all this time, I've fought against the monsters of this place because it's a way to make a living. It's been expected of me. But now I think you've reminded me that there are other things worth fighting for."

  "Like hopeless causes?" Kara said.

  "What is our life but a hopeless cause?" Aren said. "I know I was hard on you before, but I think that battle helped me see more clearly. There's no hope left in this place. It's so nice to see someone full of hope like you. Someone who can long for something more."

  Kara's tears had stopped flowing. "I wish I felt hopeful right now."

  Chapter 9: Tales of a Cure

  At last, Nadia saw the edge of Stewart's Mill. From perhaps a mile away, it looked as large as Crayden, but it was clearly not as wealthy as any city she'd encountered in the Empire. The buildings were old and rundown, the streets made of dirt. The people were dressed in clothes that looked as if they might fall apart in the slightest wind.

  "This place looks awful," she said.

  "This is the world we live in," Kevin said. "It ain't a pretty one."

  Nadia turned toward Markus, who groaned feebly every now and then. She couldn't bear to touch his forehead and feel the heat radiating from him. His skin had turned red in spots, and whenever his temperature went down, he was drenched in sweat.

  But his arm was the worst of all. No longer was the black stain confined to a small area. Most of the arm had turned black.

  "You're going to make it," she whispered to him, teetering on the verge of tears. His eyes blinked open, but she had no idea if he was lucid. Occasionally, he'd say something, but when she'd ask him about what he said, he couldn't remember.

  Rik's expression had turned gloomy. He hadn't talked much and had spent most of his time staring at the countryside. As they'd traveled toward Stewart's Mill, they'd passed through a small forest, then across rolling hills covered with rich farmland. From time to time, a wagon had passed in the other direction, but they hadn't lingered to talk.

  Now the wagon rolled slowly through the outskirts of Stewart's Mill, passing people in outfits that all seemed some shade of brown. Most of the people had downcast expressions. Some eyed the wagon hungrily, then shook their heads in disappointment when they took a closer look and saw how empty the wagon was.

  "This is a poorer section of the city," Kevin said. "It does get a little better."

  "Is it safe around here?" Nadia asked.

  "There are plenty of guards," Kevin said. "As long as we stick to the main roads, we won't get robbed. Can't say the same for those poor folk who live in the worst areas."

  The two guards kept their hands on their weapons as the wagon passed buildings that looked on the verge of collapsing. The stench of human waste hung in the air, making Nadia feel sick. That was one thing she hadn't expected. In the Empire, there were complex sewer systems. Out here, there appeared to be little infrastructure of any kind.

  Eventually, the guards relaxed. They had reached a section of the city that didn't look so rundown. Still, few of these buildings would have passed as the homes of merchants in Crayden. It was in this section of the city that Kevin brought the wagon to a stop.

  He gestured toward a large and well-kept wooden building to their left. "This is one of our local hospitals. A doctor here owes me a few favors. Maybe he can help your friend."

  With the guards' help, Nadia and Rik got Markus down from the wagon. He groaned a few times but showed little concern for anything. They stepped through the door and into a dim building. A filthy stench hung in the air—waste and blood and things Nadia couldn't identify.

  A woman stared at them from behind a wooden desk. "Does he have the plague?"

  "No, it's a snake bite," Nadia said. "Can you help him?"

  The woman shook her head. "The plague has all our beds taken up."

  "I'm sure you can open one up," Kevin said. "Get me Doctor Reed."

  "I'm sorry," the woman said, "but we don't have any room."

  Kevin's expression tightened. "Look. Most of these plague patients are going to die anyways. I'm sure you've got a few who stand no chance of surviving. Let them die and give a bed to this young man. There might still be a chance of saving him."

  The woman sighed loudly, then turned to another woman who was passing at the time. "Can you find Doctor Reed, please?"

  The other woman, wearing stained white robes, strode out of the lobby. While Nadia waited for her to return, she took a seat in a nearby chair. Markus had collapsed against the wall, looking paler than ever.

  Coughing and retching came from Nadia's right. Someone screamed out in pain. Groans came from everywhere. They were some of the worst sounds Nadia had ever heard. How could Markus stand a chance of surviving in a place like this?

  Tears came to her eyes as she looked at him. She remembered how she'd felt when she'd believed she'd killed him in Warrick's throne room, and she felt even worse now.

  At last, the door to their right opened. A middle-aged man stepped through it. Sweat had drenched his brown hair. He frowned at Markus. "Is this the man?"

  Nadia shot to her feet. "Please! You have to do something for him."

  The doctor bent low, examining Markus's arm and running a hand across his skin. The man mumbled a few things and shook his head every now and then. After a long, tense silence, he turned to Nadia. "I don't think there's much we can do for him. I have some magical talent with healing, but I can only prolong his suffering. Is that what you want?"

  "Are you sure there's nothing you can do for him?" Nadia asked.

  "With healing, he'll live a few weeks yet. Without it, he'll last another few hours at most."

  "Heal him," Nadia said.

  Rik put a hand on her shoulder. "Are you sure. If I was in Markus's place, I wouldn't want to keep suffering. You really want to watch him die like that?"

  "I don't care!" Nadia said. "There has to be something we can do."

  Kevin leaned awkwardly against the wall, as if he felt he didn't belong there. "Rik makes a good point. Markus might not seem aware, but if he is, he's suffering horrible pain. It might be better to let him go quickly."

  Tears streamed down Nadia's face. She couldn't take this, not after they'd survived so much. There had to be something she could do. Anything.

  "Isn't there some kind of magic that can save him?" she asked, struggling to speak through tears. "Where I come from, there are these things called Miracle Fruits. They can heal all kinds of illnesses."

  "I've heard of them," the doctor said, surprising Nadia. "But even if you found one—and you'd have to go a long way to do so—it wouldn't save him. They are powerful fruits, but your friend's condition is too far along. Nothing can save him." He frowned at her. "Where are you from exactly? I know of only two places those fruits grow: Luminia and inside the ring of mountains, near the place that's said to house the Darkness Temple."

  Nadia blinked away tears. "I'm from inside the mountains. Not that it matters."

  The doctor chewed on his lower lip. "Then there might be something you can do. If you found a way out of the Empire, then you must know how to get back in."

  "I do," Nadia said, "but what does it matter?"

  The doctor had begun pacing. "In this world, there are three places that house the secrets of magic and technology. One is Luminia, but the journey is too long. Another is very protective about their secrets. The New Earth Empire, they call themselves. No one remembers what they learn there." He stopped pacing and met Nadia's gaze. "But the third one is Sandersburg, a city inside the mountains."

  Nadia felt a small flutter of hope in her stomach. "I've heard of Sandersburg, but Warrick destroyed the city long ago. It's nothing but ruins now."

  "That may be
so," the doctor said, "but that doesn't mean there aren't secrets within those ruins. These people protected their secrets well, and I'm sure they're still protected. After all, if Warrick knew these secrets, he wouldn't be trapped inside the mountains."

  "Why can't I have a sorcerer teleport me to Luminia?" Nadia asked. "That would be much easier."

  "Teleportation doesn't work like that," said the doctor. "You can only teleport yourself."

  "No, that can't be true," Nadia said. "I've seen Warrick take someone with him."

  The doctor shook his head. "Well, Warrick is a bit of a special case. There's a reason he was sealed inside the mountains. He has delved deeper into the secrets of sorcery than anyone else. Whether he's evil or not is up for debate, but the danger he poses is not."

  Nadia still struggled against tears. She couldn't bear looking at Markus, at the pallor of his skin and the glazed look in his eyes.

  "All right," she said. "Let's say I get back into the Empire and find these secrets in these ruins. What kind of secrets are they? How will I know what to look for?"

  "I'm afraid I don't know all that much," the doctor said, "but I know a local scholar and sorcerer who might. I'll get you in contact with her."

  "Can you heal Markus first?" Nadia asked.

  "Of course." The doctor kneeled beside Markus and placed his hands over the blackest spot on Markus's arm. A few moments passed, during which the doctor's skin grew paler and sweat streamed from his forehead. At last, he pulled away from Markus and said, "I've done all I can. I've probably given him a few weeks. We'll take good care of him here."

  Rik frowned at the doctor. "But I thought you didn't have any beds."

  "A couple of our plague patients just died, so we have room now."

  "Are you sure it's safe to keep him with plague patients?" Nadia asked. "For that matter, how do you keep from catching the plague yourself?"

  "It's in the nature of a healer," said the doctor. "Or really anyone with natural magical talents—well anyone except channelers. We're immune to most diseases."

  Nadia thought about that. Her father had always remarked that she never got sick. In fact, the only time she could recall falling ill was when she'd eaten those green berries in the forest. She'd never caught fevers or spent weeks coughing her lungs out with a bad chest cold.

  Her mother and father had become sick, however. She'd always thought she'd gained her intuitions and other talents from them, but perhaps she hadn't. Perhaps magic didn't pass from parents to their children. It was all a confusing mess in her head, and she didn't need these thoughts right now. All that mattered was Markus.

  "Markus has his own healing talents," she said. "He should be fine, right?"

  "Yes, he'll be immune to the plague."

  Nadia should have felt relieved at that, but she still felt as if some unseen force were suffocating her. "Can you take us to this scholar you mentioned?"

  "I have patients to take care of," said the doctor, "but I can write you a quick note that'll get her to talk to you." He grabbed some paper from the nearby desk, scribbled a message on it, then handed the note to Nadia. "You need this note because sorcerers are notably stingy about their time. For some reason, they think they're more important than the rest of us."

  "Well, they have made at least one Pilgrimage," Kevin said.

  "What's a Pilgrimage?" Nadia asked.

  "There are eight temples of magic in the world," Kevin said. "To become a sorcerer, you have to gain the powers of at least one temple. It's a major commitment, and the temples present you with great challenges. Many of those who make a Pilgrimage don't come back."

  "That's how you end up with people like me," said the doctor. "I have healing powers, so I could theoretically become a sorcerer, but I'd rather not die." He shrugged. "Besides, I don't really like most sorcerers."

  Markus groaned suddenly, and when Nadia looked at him, his eyes were fluttering. He tried to push himself to his feet but collapsed.

  "I think I feel better," he said.

  Nadia's throat felt tight. "It's only temporary. But don't worry, Markus. I'll be searching for a cure for you. It's out there. All I have to do is find it."

  "Yeah, that sounds nice," he said. Then his eyes closed. With a sudden surge of panic, Nadia tried to rouse him. He groaned feebly, but his eyes didn't come open.

  "There's nothing you can do for him," said the doctor. "Leave it to me, all right?"

  Nadia took a deep breath. "I will find a way, Markus."

  "Let's go see this scholar," Rik said.

  Nadia gave him a quick nod, then started toward the door, note in hand. While she, Kevin, and Rik stepped out the door, the doctor and one of the nurses dragged Markus into the other room.

  Nadia felt a twinge in her stomach, but she ignored it. She couldn't let her doubts and fears get in the way of saving Markus. They would do her no favors.

  "I know the way," Kevin said as he climbed into the wagon, where the two guards still waited. Nadia and Rik got into the back of the wagon, and Kevin led the horses slowly through the streets. Occasionally, they had to stop, for the throngs of people had grown large.

  They traveled into the first part of the city that looked wealthy. Here, the houses weren't quite the manors that used to stand on Crayden's western side, but they were enough to convince Nadia that the world out here wasn't entirely horrible.

  At the southern side of the city was a complex of well-kept stone buildings. There were pristine gardens filled with every color of flower imaginable. Intricate statues, sculpted from the finest stone, flanked the stone paths, which almost gleamed in the afternoon sunlight. Dazzling water features sprayed water in beautiful geometric patterns.

  "This is our local university," Kevin said. "A place for sorcerers and the wealthy." He gestured toward the lavish surroundings. "A bit excessive, don't you think?"

  "Perhaps a bit," Nadia said. She was reminded of the splendor of her castle's gardens, of how she'd always thought it excessive. She'd never understood how people could justify such excess when others were starving in the streets. Were these people truly so heartless?

  Rik fidgeted in the wagon, staring at the university's buildings with a deep frown.

  Nadia laughed softly. "I bet you feel out of place here, Rik."

  "Yeah, maybe a little. It's hard to believe some people live like this."

  "You haven't even seen the inside yet," Kevin said.

  There was no gate keeping them off the university grounds, but there were guards stationed every thirty feet or so. As the wagon moved along one of the wide paths, a guard moved forward and held up a hand to halt their progress.

  "What business do you have at the university?" asked the man. He didn't seem unfriendly. He was simply a man doing his job.

  Nadia stepped down from the wagon and handed him the note. "We have business with one of the scholars."

  He read it with a frown. "This does seem in order, but I find it odd that people in such ragged clothing would visit a place like this."

  "We've traveled a long way to get here," Nadia said. "Please, we need to see her."

  "Very well. Go on ahead. Leave the wagon here."

  Rik got out of the wagon and stopped at Nadia's side. Kevin hesitated for a moment, but then he joined them. The two guards remained with the wagon as Kevin led them down a narrower path, heading toward the largest building in sight.

  "Have you been here before?" she asked him.

  "From time to time. I'm a merchant. I don't care who I trade with for the most part."

  "Do you know this scholar?" she asked.

  "I know her by reputation. From what I've heard, she's not as arrogant as some of the other sorcerers you'll meet. I'm sure she'll help you."

  Soon they entered the building, and Nadia's jaw dropped. The tiles inside had been polished so that they nearly glowed in the light coming through the massive windows. There were also red carpets embellished with gold stitching, as well as sculptures grander than any
thing Nadia had ever seen. The artistry was superb, almost lifelike.

  Tables lined the halls, featuring countless gold and silver pots and vases and candleholders. There were so many grand sights that Nadia couldn't focus on any one thing.

  "And the rest of us have to struggle," Kevin muttered.

  The corridors were packed with students going about in robes of various colors. Kevin explained what each color meant, but Nadia's mind was elsewhere. Would she ever be able to talk to Markus again? Would she ever kiss him? Would they ever make love like they had by the river? She wanted to share the rest of her days with him.

  At last, they reached a place where they could sit and wait for the scholar, whose name was Angeline. Nadia fidgeted the entire time. Her father had tried to train her to sit still, but those lessons had never taken hold.

  Time seemed to stretch endlessly. By the time the woman at a nearby desk told them they could see the scholar, the setting sun had painted the room in orange.

  "You should go in without me," Kevin said.

  Steeling her determination, Nadia strode through the door. She wasn't sure what to expect from a sorcerer. She'd only known two sorcerers: Cyrus and Warrick. One seemed a great man. The other was evil. On which side would this woman fall?

  "Please sit," Angeline said. She was seated in an elegant wooden chair behind a desk carved with intricate swirling patterns. Most of the desk was covered in books and papers. The woman's brown hair looked a bit disheveled as well, as if she'd been twirling it around her fingers while reading.

  Nadia trembled as she took a seat. "Have you read the note?"

  "Yes, I have. Doctor Reed was right to send you here."

  "Then you can help me?"

  "Perhaps." Angeline shuffled through the papers on her desk. "I had to look through some of my documents here to confirm my suspicions, and I can tell you there is at least a little hope." She shook her head. "I wouldn't expect miracles, but you might save him."