World in Chains- The Complete Series

by Ryan W. Mueller

  The clan chief laughed. "I might be chief here, but I'm only one man. By all means, kill me. But you won't leave this place alive."

  "They are only two prisoners," Aric said. "Are they worth your life? They haven't killed any of your warriors. They don't belong to any clan. Are you so cruel that you'll force them to fight each other. To the death. Think about what you're asking them to do. This isn't war. This is a disgusting spectacle, and there's no need for it."

  Klint admired Aric's ability to reason with the man so calmly, but it wasn't going to work. In his time as a smuggler and thief, Klint had seen people like this. Violence was the only language they knew.

  The clan chief laughed again. "You fail to understand our ways, outsider."

  While everyone focused on the chief, Klint moved toward the pit, using his staff to cast a shield around himself in case they loosed arrows at him. He reached the edge of the pit without incident, then climbed down the rocky wall, tuning out the conversation above.

  Berig and Danica turned to face Klint.

  "You've got great timing," Berig said. "So, how're we getting outta here?"

  "Haven't figured that out just yet."

  Berig chuckled. "My favorite kind of plan."

  "Let's just climb outta here," Klint said. He was about to start up the wall when he looked up to see four men pointing staffs down at them. The clan chief was among these men.

  "Did you think we had no channelers on our side?" he asked.

  A couple of guards shoved Aric into the pit. He tumbled down the rocky wall and hit the ground with a heavy thud, but he was up almost immediately, holding his sword ready.

  "I find myself in a surprisingly agreeable mood," said the clan chief. "You've made me think that maybe we should go about things differently." He flashed them a chilling smile. "You four are going to face off against one of our most fearsome monsters."

  "Don't like the sound of that," Berig said. "What the others faced was bad enough."

  Klint tightened his grip on his staff. "But we've got magic on our side."

  "Let's hope it's enough," Aric said.

  Chapter 24: Eyes of the Serpent

  Berig's legs trembled as a gate at the other end of the pit rumbled open. Deep in the shadows there, something stirred.

  Something enormous.

  The monster emerged through the open gate, its movements slow and hesitant. When it came closer, Berig felt as if his insides had turned to water. It was a giant snake.

  Slithering out from the depths, it focused its enormous yellow eyes on them. Berig looked into its eyes, and felt a horrible tingling sensation all over his body. His legs buckled, and he hit the ground hard. When he tried to move, none of his limbs responded.

  Aric and Danica had hit the ground beside Berig, but Klint remained on his feet with his eyes closed. He sent jets of fire at each of the snake's eyes as Berig watched, unable to move.

  The snake writhed as the fire burned it. Klint staggered but kept his balance. "I think it's safe to look into its eyes now.”

  The feeling was returning to Berig's legs. He got to his feet shakily. The snake was still reeling from the injuries to its eyes, which were covered in giant black blisters.

  "Good work, Klint," Aric said, using the wall of the pit for balance.

  At last, the snake calmed down. It couldn't see them anymore, but it could still use its tongue to catch their scent. Klint launched a few more fire spells at it, but the spells bounced off its scales. When he tried lightning, the spell arced back and nearly hit Danica.

  Aric smiled grimly. "Guess we're fighting this thing the old-fashioned way."

  It came toward them, but more slowly than Berig had expected. Aric darted toward it and had to leap to the side to dodge a snap of its giant jaws. It turned, trying to find him, and he rolled out of the way before leaping atop it. Clinging to the snake's neck, he tried to stab it through the head. His sword hit the scales but couldn't penetrate the thick armor.

  Klint's eyes were wide. He pointed his staff at the ground, and there was a low rumble. A jagged piece of rock burst from the ground, hitting the snake's belly. Berig's breath caught in his throat. If this didn't work, what would?

  The snake recoiled when the rock stabbed its underside, but it didn't look to be a serious injury. The snake hissed and launched its head toward Berig. He threw himself to the side, narrowly avoiding its jaws, but not its putrid breath. The impact with the ground knocked the wind out of him. He lay there, trying to get his breath back, wishing his body would move.

  Klint hit the snake with a burst of water, and it turned away from Berig moments before it would have eaten him. But now Klint stood facing it with nothing but his feeble magic. That magic had once seemed so powerful, but it couldn't do a thing now.

  Klint grabbed a dagger strapped to his clothing and threw it at the snake's open mouth. The snake jerked at the last moment, and the dagger didn't hit it. Berig scooped the dagger off the ground. The snake slammed its enormous head against him. Berig went flying, clinging to the dagger, and hit the ground hard.

  Heart pounding, he scrambled back to his feet. Now the snake had turned its gaze upon him again. All he had was his sword and now this dagger. Not much use in a situation like this.

  Klint used his staff to pull more spikes out of the ground, but none penetrated the snake's thick scales. What hope did they have now? Berig could hear it in the cheers of the crowd. The snake was going to kill them.

  Berig turned, spotting Danica at the edge of the pit, pale and terrified. The snake must have scented her because it slithered toward her. Berig couldn't let it kill her.

  He raced to Danica's side, dodging a couple snaps of the snake's jaws. When he reached her side, she was trembling fiercely. They stood side by side, with their backs pressed against the rock wall. The snake slid closer, scenting the air with its tongue. It stopped a few feet away, as if determining the easiest way to eat them.

  "What can we do?" Danica whispered, clinging to Berig.

  "No idea."

  After all, only the snake's blindness had kept it from killing them. All its movements were uncertain.

  The snake opened its mouth wide and launched its head toward Berig and Danica. Berig closed his eyes, expecting to feel its fangs sinking into him, but instead he felt a brutal blast of heat. He opened his eyes to see Klint sending fire into the snake's mouth.

  It recoiled from the heat, thrashing its massive body, then turned its sightless gaze upon Klint. When it closed its mouth, he let the flames die. They'd have no effect against the snake's tough skin, but at least there was a tiny flicker of hope.

  The snake couldn't eat any of them without Klint sending fire down its throat. Now Aric and Klint stood beside Berig and Danica.

  "Got any ideas?" Berig asked, trying to steady his trembling legs.

  Aric squinted toward the snake, which was keeping its distance. "Its scales are impenetrable, but that doesn't mean it's invincible. If I give it a chance to eat me, I can stab it from inside its mouth, and hopefully get the sword through its brain."

  "But what about its venom?" Berig asked. "It could kill you."

  "Somebody has to make the sacrifice, and I'm the best swordsman."

  "No," Berig said. "The whole reason we're out here is to cure you."

  Aric's expression was grim. "Maybe I was never meant to be cured. You heard what Cyrus said. Something about this quest is bigger than me or you or any of us. Maybe curing me was just an excuse to get things going along the right path."

  "I don't care about those damn Webs of Fate," Berig said. "You're my friend."

  "He's right," Klint said. "We'll find another way to kill it."

  The snake remained perhaps thirty feet away, as if scared. The battle had weakened it.

  "What's your plan then?" Aric asked. "Believe me, if there were another way to kill the snake, I'd gladly agree to your plan. I don't really want to die."

  "I have an idea," Berig said, and everyone turned t
o him. He felt queasy, but he ignored the feeling. "Maybe I can find a way to climb atop the snake and stab it through its eyes. I mean, the brain's behind the eyes, ain't it?"

  Klint chewed on his lower lip. "Sounds like a better plan to me."

  "I'll find a way to do this," Berig said.

  Aric nodded. "We'll distract it."

  Berig approached the snake from its left while the others went the other way. Klint launched spells at the snake, and it turned toward him. Danica and Aric remained close to Klint as though he could protect them.

  The snake moved with terrifying speed, closing in on Berig's friends. Its body had to be eight to ten feet tall, and though its scales looked sticky, he wasn't sure he could climb atop it.

  He reached the snake. It undulated, hitting him hard and knocking him backward. He hit the ground with a heavy thud, scraping his arms, but he was back to his feet in an instant. He stood facing the snake, trying to think of a plan.

  If the others died because of him . . .

  The snake continued twisting its body, making it almost impossible for Berig to climb it. Fire surged off to Berig's right, and he prayed that Klint's distraction would be enough.

  No point waiting. Berig launched himself toward the snake's body, jumping higher than he thought he could. He held his sword out, hoping he could use it to help him climb. The sword penetrated just enough into the snake's skin that it stuck. The snake twisted its head madly, turning its entire body so that it could face Berig.

  Holding to the sword with one hand, struggling to keep his feet from sliding, he plunged the dagger in his left hand into the snake's skin. To his relief, it also stuck.

  Now he could climb atop the snake. Staying on top of it . . . that was a different matter. It thrashed around more than ever. With every step he took, the snake's hisses sounded more enraged. It tried to throw him off, but he clung to the sword and dagger.

  Ten feet to go. He could do this. He had to do this.

  Five feet. The snake reared its body so much that Berig slid down its side. At the last moment, he gripped a small ridge on the snake’s back, holding onto his sword with one hand. His dagger clattered to the rocky ground.

  No time to waste. He launched himself forward, climbing atop the snake's head. Its burned eyes were so close now. He didn't hesitate to plunge his sword through its right eye. The snake thrashed wildly, and he clung to the sword with everything he had. Sweat poured down his face and coated his hands. He felt his grip slipping. Then, at last, the snake fell still.

  Berig's hands could no longer hold onto the sword. He fell and hit the ground with a jarring thud. Dazed and trembling, he got to his feet.

  Aric kneeled beside him. "You all right?"

  "Fine. Just a little exhausted."

  Klint looked at Berig with a rare smile. "Good job."

  Throughout the battle, the crowd's cheers had faded into the background. Now the crowd's silence felt almost deafening. Berig had no idea if the clan chief would hold to his word. The customs of this world still seemed bizarre.

  "Congratulations," said the clan chief. "That was well-fought."

  Klint gazed up at him. "Are you gonna stand by your word and release us?"

  "Of course. Among our people, promises are not freely given."

  "You're still a bastard," Klint said. "This kind of thing is beyond cruel."

  "Only to those who don't understand our ways."

  "Then I don't ever care to understand them," Klint said.

  Some of the clansmen lowered a rope ladder into the pit. Berig, Danica, Aric, and Klint climbed this rope ladder. Berig's entire body was shaking. No matter what the clan chief had said, Berig didn't trust these people. He glanced about warily as he reached the ground above.

  "You're free to go," said the clan chief. "But I never want to see you again."

  Klint chuckled. "Believe me, the feeling's mutual."

  Chapter 25: Danger in the Mountains

  Kara and her party continued through the mountains, keeping an eye on the Sunset Army. Whenever the mist cleared, they saw thousands of soldiers marching on Sierra City. Though Aren had revealed his true motives behind this journey, Kara had the feeling he still wanted to get to Sierra City in time to warn them.

  Her pain had faded due to Alia’s magnificent healing abilities. By now, Kara felt almost as if she'd never been injured in the first place.

  The mist had thickened again. Animals growled and shrieked in the distance. No matter how much Aren reassured Kara, she shuddered every time she heard one of these sounds. She peered through the mist but could see only the strange shadows the mist cast upon the mountains.

  After hours of walking, they settled down to rest and eat. Their food supplies were dwindling, and hunger had become Kara's constant companion.

  "We could sure use some of those monsters right now," Devin said. The former Millersville guard hadn't spoken much as they'd traveled, and Kara wondered if he felt as out of place among the trackers as she did.

  "I don't know about that," Alia said. "I'd rather not have to heal anyone else." She glanced at Kara with a smile.

  Kara felt her face flush. "I'll try not to get hurt so much. All right?"

  "I'm only giving you trouble," Alia said.

  Kara returned Alia's smile, finding that she liked these people. They were much kinder than she'd expected, and they retained a sense of humor despite the hardships they'd endured. She could learn a lot from them.

  A piercing shriek sounded perhaps thirty feet up the slope. Kara's stomach lurched, and she shot to her feet, drawing her sword. The rest of the party held their weapons ready. The shriek sounded again, closer.

  Kara's legs trembled. Heavy steps approached, accompanied by the shifting of rocks. She leaned close to Aren. "What do you think it is?"

  "No idea."

  A shadow moved within the mist, looking at least fifteen feet tall. It stopped, as if assessing the party, then let out another piercing shriek. A chorus of similar shrieks responded, perhaps a dozen, all coming from different directions.

  Kara swiveled to face each shriek, feeling as if she couldn't move fast enough. Her sword felt small and useless in her hand.

  The beasts, maybe fifteen of them, emerged from the mist. They'd formed a circle around the party and were closing in, hunger in their eyes. The beasts were manlike in shape and covered with matted brown fur. Their hands and feet ended in claws as long and sharp as daggers. Two long teeth protruded from each mouth.

  "What the hell are these?" Kara shouted.

  Aren glanced frantically around their campsite. "I still have no idea. There's a reason you don't leave the road when you cross these mountains."

  The beasts stared at the party as if planning their next move, but once they decided to attack, their movements were swift. They all closed in on the party at once, forming a tightening circle that Kara and the others couldn't escape.

  Standing in the center of that circle, Aren and Lena launched bursts of fire and surges of lightning. The beasts growled and shrieked but were undeterred.

  Devin was shooting arrows at them. He was a decent archer, but not as good as Nadia. Alia joined him in this, launching arrow after arrow and proving she was more than a healer. She struck three of the creatures in the eye, and they fell.

  Spells glowed yellow and orange in the mist. The creatures shrieked again and again, and Kara stood there with no idea of what she could do. She was good with a sword, but she couldn't fight such large creatures in close combat.

  She had to take a chance. One of the creatures plowed through a barrage of arrows and spells, heading toward her.

  She raised her sword and slashed at the beast's swinging arm, scoring a deep gash. It growled, staggering back a few steps, and she advanced on it, trying to plunge her sword through its chest. But a swipe of the creature's arm sent her flying.

  She hit the ground hard, and her sword clattered against the rocks a few feet away, heading toward a nearby precipice.

/>   Shouts and screams and growls came from all around, but all she could focus on was her sword, which had nearly tumbled off the mountain. She crawled toward it.

  The sword slipped off the slope, but she reached out, grabbing it at the last moment. With a sudden surge of adrenaline, she hopped to her feet, but now one of the monsters had backed her against the precipice.

  "I need help over here!" she shouted, but the others were surely too busy to save her. She planted her feet firmly. The beast swung an arm at her. She ducked the blow and thrust her sword at its groin area. The sword sank into flesh, and the creature pulled back, hopping about in pain. It let out the fiercest growl she'd ever heard, so loud it was almost deafening. Then it pulled its arm back, preparing to strike her.

  The air around her glowed a bright yellow, a surge of lighting struck the creature, and it toppled to the side, giving her a chance to get around it. She caught a brief glimpse of Aren charging the creature and launching more spells.

  The beasts still prowled in the depths of the mist, shrieking and howling. Somewhere, Lena must have been launching spells.

  An arrow whizzed by Kara's ear, and she ducked instinctively. A shriek came from behind her. One of the monsters had taken the arrow in its eye.

  But how many were left? The mist made everything hard to see, and she felt as if it were choking her. Panic coursed through her. Her thoughts had become scattered.

  There was movement in the corner of her vision. She turned, but not quickly enough. A heavy blow caught her across the chest, and she felt the sharp crack and searing pain of her ribs breaking. When she hit the ground, she couldn't move, couldn't do anything.

  The beast stepped out of the mist, standing tall over her. She tried to move, but her body refused. As if in slow motion, the beast's dagger-like claws came down right toward her heart. In a strange way, she accepted her death. At least she wouldn't be stuck here any longer.

  But then an arrow struck this monster in the eye. The eyes were large, yes, but it was still an impressive feat. The creature recoiled, trying to pull the arrow free.

  Finally, Kara could move again. She got to her feet gingerly, pain exploding through her ribs. Breathing was a struggle as she staggered across the rocky landscape.