In a way, it felt liberating, as if it were a release of emotions he'd held within him far too long. Every bit of anger, every memory of failure, leaked from his eyes. Sobs wracked his entire body, and he felt as if he'd vomit.
He no longer cared that the others might see his weakness. Why did it matter? He was weak. He always had been. Now it was out there for everyone else to see.
After a long silence, Captain Davis said, "We should get outta here. There's no telling when that thing might come back."
Ander got to his feet shakily. He'd never felt like this before, but now his emotions swirled like a giant maelstrom. He thought of all the people he'd lost, of the comfortable life he'd once known. Thought of Aric, whom he'd probably never see again. Ander couldn't carry out his mission and survive. No one could.
Sarah spoke in a soft voice. "Now I think you understand how I feel. If there were a way to bring Talia back, would you do it?"
"I would." He wiped tears from his face. "No matter the cost."
Captain Davis put a hand on Ander's shoulder. "You've gotta remember what we're fighting for. Talia and Graig died because of Warrick."
"I know." Ander took a few deep breaths. "Let's get out of here."
He had no idea how he managed to shove his emotions aside, but what other choice did he have? Too much depended on the success of this mission.
"Sarah, you should lead the way," he said.
They made their way back through the tunnel the monster had created. It was a long and arduous process, but they did finally return to the passage they'd been following before the attack. Sarah retreated to where she'd dropped the torch, and Ander relit it with flames from his staff. They traveled in the flickering light, never speaking, never looking at one another. Ander knew that he'd lose control if he looked into their eyes and saw their pain.
After perhaps an hour, they reached a place where light filtered into their surroundings. Ander's stomach churned as they reached the end of the passage.
Ahead of them, in a large valley, stood the Underground City. The greenish magical light filled their surroundings, and Sarah extinguished her torch. She stared at the city. "This place looks beautiful, but I can feel the cold and evil in the air. It's terrifying."
"Is this where we'll find the Silver Wisp?" asked Captain Davis.
Ander swallowed against the dryness in his throat. "That, and who knows what else."
They followed a rocky path that spiraled gradually downward, and soon they reached the city. Sarah had to stop a few times, for the evil in the place overwhelmed her so much that her legs collapsed beneath her. She clung to Captain Davis for warmth and support. Ander's skin was prickling, but he couldn't feel the evil here the way she could. He didn't want to.
The city seemed deserted, but that was no comfort. It had felt the same before.
They marched toward the giant building in the center of the city. Would the Silver Wisps make an appearance this time? Could Sarah trap the essence of one of them? Could the rest of the party escape once she did?
Ander stared into her eyes. "Do you still want to let one of them touch you?"
She nodded, looking so pale she might have been haunting this place as well.
"But you'll leave just the two of us."
"I know," she said, "but I have to do this."
"I understand."
Ander felt as if something massive weighed down his every step. His feet didn't want to move. He didn't want to think about what he'd lost, what lay ahead, what it meant if he failed. It was enough to make a man insane.
They reached the giant building and stepped through the open doorway. The cavernous chamber inside smelled old and dusty, but there was something else in the air, a chilling feeling that twisted Ander's gut. Sarah looked as if she'd pass out.
Ander remembered how Berig had felt in this place. He'd hidden his fears better, but surely he'd felt the evil just as intensely.
"Let's go up to the library," Ander said. "That's our best chance. Sarah, get the scroll ready. Once you capture the essence and give it to me, you can choose to go to the Shadowed Land. I won't stop you."
But he did want to stop her. He couldn't bear the thought of traveling with only the captain as a companion. It would remind Ander of all the people he'd failed. Yes, some of them had gone on their own quests, but it felt as though they were gone forever.
He inhaled deeply, struggling to control his emotions. "After that, we'll head to the teleportation chamber, and from there, we'll teleport to Taylorville."
"You make it sound so easy," said Captain Davis.
"Oh, I'm sure it won't be."
They climbed the stairs and stepped into the library. At first, the massive stone chamber felt deserted. Ander shivered in the chill air, praying the Silver Wisps would show up. That was a strange thought. He would have laughed if he hadn't felt so miserable.
They walked through the aisles, passing dusty tome after dusty tome. Ander thought of Aric, of his fascination with a place like this. Ander had never quite shared his friend's scholarly enthusiasm, and now Ander felt no desire to read any of these books.
"I feel them," Sarah said. "They're coming."
Ander held his staff even though it would do them no good against the Silver Wisps. His legs trembled as he peered around the magically illuminated library, checking for signs of movement.
It appeared in the corner of his vision: one Silver Wisp.
Sarah unfurled the scroll and raced toward the entity. It hovered closer to her, reaching out a tentacle. That tentacle touched her, and for a moment, Ander thought she'd vanish like Kara. But instead Sarah somehow grabbed that tentacle and pulled the struggling spirit toward the scroll. Her expression became tense, and sweat ran in thin streams down her face.
The spirit came closer and closer to the scroll, but now it must have sensed the danger, and it fought with everything it had.
But Sarah must have found a reserve of energy deep within her. Eyes closed, she directed the Silver Wisp into the scroll. Bright, silvery light filled the room, then vanished. Sarah closed the scroll before collapsing.
Ander and Captain Davis rushed to her side.
"Are you all right?" Ander asked.
She struggled to her knees and handed the scroll to Ander. "That was exhausting, but I think I'll be fine."
"We need to get moving," said Captain Davis. "I see more of those damned things."
Sarah glanced toward the approaching creatures. "Leave me here. Please."
It went against everything Ander believed, but it was the right thing to do. Sarah could make her own decisions. Ander tugged at Captain Davis's arm, and they turned to flee from the creatures.
Ander stopped. "Wait, Sarah! How are you going to let them take you to the Shadowed Land? If you're immune to their touch, it won't work."
"I'll have to hope it works."
Despite everything his common sense told him, Ander stopped and watched. All the Silver Wisps had focused their attention on Sarah. A circle of them closed in and touched her with their tentacles.
Nothing happened.
"No!" she shouted, sounding almost hysterical. "You have to take me there!"
"It's not going to work," Ander said, surprising himself with how calm he sounded. "Come with us. Maybe you'll find another way."
She pushed through the Silver Wisps and rejoined the party. Ander had never seen such a determined look in a person's eyes. It was almost terrifying.
"I need another scroll," she said. "I'm immune to their touch, but maybe I'm not immune to the magic once it's stored within a scroll like this."
"I know where we can find another scroll," Ander said. "Follow me." They raced out of the library with the Silver Wisps close behind. More were at the bottom of the stairs. Ander sent a burst of lightning at them, but it had no effect. He took a turn to the left, dragging Sarah and the captain with him.
This was the stupidest thing Ander had ever done. He would probably get himself sent
to the Shadowed Land, but he had to help Sarah. She deserved a chance to find her friends.
They darted into the room Aric had found so fascinating the last time they were here. Ander grabbed scrolls from a nearby shelf. It didn't take long to find an empty one, which he handed to Sarah.
"Thank you," she said, unfurling the scroll. "I'll miss you two." She peered toward the door. "Now get out of here while you still can."
Ander and Captain Davis sprinted toward the door. They made it through moments before the Silver Wisps would have blocked their escape. The Silver Wisps barely paid attention to them. It seemed as if the entities had sensed someone with magical talents, and they directed all their attention toward her.
Ander stopped a few feet from the doorway and watched as Sarah captured the Silver Wisp more easily this time. She closed her eyes and twirled the scroll in her fingers, and for a few tense moments, nothing happened.
Then silver light burst forth from the scroll, enveloping her. A moment later, she was gone.
"There's nothing we can do for her now," said Captain Davis.
Ander turned to race toward the teleportation chamber, then stopped dead. Dozens of the Silver Wisps had gathered around the entrance to that room, as if they knew where Ander and the captain intended to go. The evil creatures didn't pursue them. Instead, the wisps stood guard.
"Dammit," said Captain Davis. "What're we gonna do now?"
"I have no idea."
Chapter 18: The Path Out
Ander stood in the chilly building, waiting for the Silver Wisps to move, but they remained where they were, watching, their malicious presence chilling the air. He couldn't blast them with magic from his staff. There was only one choice, and he hated it.
"We'll have to find the normal way out," he said. "There's still enough time to reach the Prison City before Nadia needs us. It's the best we can do." He turned to Captain Davis. "Ready?"
The captain nodded, and they turned away from the teleportation chamber. Ander felt as if something heavy had settled over him. He couldn't dispel the guilt he felt over losing so many people he'd sworn to keep safe. Graig and Talia had died so senselessly. That wasn't how death was supposed to be. Death had to mean something.
"We'll find our way out," Captain Davis said, "and we will succeed."
"I wish I had your optimism right now."
"I avoided what should've been certain death," said the captain. "The way I look at it, I shouldn't be alive. Might as well make the most of every moment I have."
"That sounds like something Aric would say." Ander stopped at the exit of the large building, atop the steps leading up to it. "I wish I knew how Aric was doing."
"You'll see him again one day. I'm sure of it."
Ander shook his head. "I'm sure I won't. There's no way I can pull off what I intend to do without dying. I've accepted that. It's the only way I can make all these deaths matter."
"There's no law saying you have to die, too."
"No, but it's going to happen. I can feel it."
"That doesn't sound very rational," said the captain.
Ander shrugged. "I can't really explain it. It's just something in the way Cyrus looked when he told me what I had to do. I think he knew he was sending me to my death. I could see the regret in his eyes. Maybe I didn't figure out what it meant back then, but now I know."
"Just remember that nothing is certain as long as you keep fighting."
"Don't worry. I will keep fighting. If there's a way to survive this, I'll fight for it."
The captain clapped him on the back. "That's more like the Ander I'm used to."
Ander glanced back, expecting to see the Silver Wisps pursuing them, but the air was still and silent. This whole city, with its magical green light, was eerie. The sooner they left it, the better. He glanced around, finding the ramp they'd used to enter the city on their previous trek through these caves. That had to be the right way to go.
But these caves were unpredictable. He shuddered to think how long it might take to make their way out, or where they might exit when they did.
They walked the deserted streets of the city, each step amplified in the silence. Whenever Ander glanced back, he thought he saw shadows sliding out of alleys, but when he turned, there was nothing.
They followed the sloping path as it wound along the edge of the vast chamber. Soon they reached the top and entered a narrow passage. Ander had no idea if it was the same passage through which they'd entered the city before. In these caves, everything looked the same. It was suffocating. Terrifying.
Captain Davis lit the torch that Sarah had handed him before departing. As they walked through the dark and narrow passage, Ander kept a tight grip on his staff. Again and again, he thought he saw shadows stirring at the edges of his vision. He didn't think these caves had been so terrifying before, but now he'd seen the horrors that might lurk anywhere.
They walked for hours and hours, choosing paths at random. The caves seemed empty, but they didn't risk speaking. Soon the silence became oppressive. Ander felt as if the darkness were a thick blanket, smothering him.
Every now and then, they rested and ate from their meager supplies. In the chaos of their previous battles, they'd lost much of their food, and there was nothing to eat here in the caves. Ander didn't want to think of what might happen if they took too long to find their way out. This quest was too important. They couldn't fail like this.
But Ander had already failed so many people. Perhaps he'd fail everyone now.
In the tunnels, there was no day, no night. Ander and Captain Davis wandered in the darkness with no idea if they were growing closer to the exit. Days might have passed, but it was difficult to tell. Soon they ran out of food, and they could find nothing to eat. There were some mushrooms in the caves, but Ander wasn't brave enough to try them. Not yet at least.
They hadn't encountered anything more than a few monsters, which they handled easily. A few months ago, Ander would have been terrified to see some of these creatures. Now they were nothing more than a minor nuisance.
"What're we gonna do once we get out of here?" asked Captain Davis as they sat on the rocky ground, wishing they had something to eat.
"Well, if we want to get to Taylorville, we'll have to take a path farther north across the Empire. We should probably head for Marion and make our way from there."
The captain frowned, torchlight dancing across his face. "Across the Plain of Storms?"
"Yes. And the desert. I know. It won't be easy."
"At least we've got magic on our side."
Ander turned his staff over in his hands. "I hope it's enough."
He hated the way he felt these days. All his life, he'd been confident. Now he doubted everything, especially his own skills as a leader. Was he headed toward failure again? No matter how much he prepared, Warrick would know he was coming.
A low growl caught Ander's attention. He tensed, grabbed his staff, and peered into the darkness beyond their circle of torchlight. The growl sounded again, even closer, but Ander couldn't see anything. He took a few tentative steps toward the sound, figuring it was better to confront the danger instead of waiting for it to come to them.
Something shot out of the darkness with incredible speed and slammed against Ander's chest, knocking him back. He couldn't hold onto his staff, and it clattered away in the darkness somewhere. Struggling to get his breath back, he crawled along the ground.
He couldn't see the monster anywhere. Where had it gone?
Ander found his staff and illuminated its tip. He expected to see a monster, but there was nothing. When he felt in his pack, his stomach lurched. The scroll was gone.
He cast the light from his staff upon his surroundings, but he didn't see the scroll anywhere. A horrifying thought struck him. What if the monster had intended to take the scroll? Could a monster be that intelligent?
"We have a problem," Ander said. "That monster took the scroll."
"Then we've gotta find it
," said Captain Davis.
"But how are we going to do that? There's no pattern to this place. We could wander for years and never find out where that monster went."
"Well, we have to do something. We can't let everything we've sacrificed all be for nothing."
Ander paced. "Maybe we're just not seeing the scroll. I can't believe that a monster would know what that scroll is. I've seen a lot of strange things recently, but that's a little too strange."
He retreated down the passage, searching by the light of his staff, and still there was no sign of the scroll. Up ahead, a new passage had appeared. Ander stepped into it. A few feet beyond the entrance, the path ended abruptly, and beyond that was a drop of more than fifty feet. Ander directed his staff's light onto the ground far below. There, just visible against the rock, was the scroll.
Captain Davis stopped next to him. "How're we gonna reach that?"
"Isn't it obvious? We have to climb down."
Before Captain Davis could say anything, Ander strapped his staff to his back and started down the cliff. The rocks on the wall were uneven, giving him places to put his hands and feet, but he still felt as if the world were spinning around him.
Step by step, he made his way down the cliff. Blue magical light filled the chamber, so he didn't need the light from his staff. He had a few near-slips but made it safely to the bottom. The captain followed perhaps a minute later. Ander gathered the scroll, which looked undamaged. But how had it come to be here? Had the monster stolen it?
"Should we go back up the cliff?" asked the captain, breathing heavily.
"No. Let's see where this place leads us. One path is as good as another in this place."
They stepped across the large chamber, guided by bluish magical light. There was no sign of the monster that had collided with Ander, and he wondered if it had been a monster at all. Its behavior hadn't seemed right.
They kept an eye out for threats, but nothing stirred in the glowing light. At the other side of the chamber was a narrower passage, which they followed as it sloped gradually upward. Darkness returned, so Ander relit the captain's torch. There were no sounds apart from their steps, no signs of life at all.
World in Chains- The Complete Series Page 65