World in Chains- The Complete Series

by Ryan W. Mueller

  "What about God?" Kara asked.

  "I have no idea if He exists. If He does, He has never taken an active role in world events." He stroked his chin again. "As I was saying, in the world of the gods, there was a war that makes our Great War look like a little skirmish. In this war, some claimed to fight on the side of God. Others fought against them, believing they were lying about God choosing them. I don't know who was right, only that both sides killed unimaginable numbers of people."

  Aren's expression was thoughtful. "And which side did Krinir fight on?"

  "Not the side you'd think," Tobias said. "He was one of the people who called themselves the Chosen. God's Chosen. With God supposedly behind them, they believed they could cast aside the blame for all the atrocities they committed. In the end, there were many of these atrocities, on both sides. Eventually, the gods decided that they could not fight any longer. They each traveled to the worlds that correspond to their magic. By separating themselves, they believed they could resist the temptation to fight once again."

  "And did it work?" Kara asked, resting her hand on a wooden crate. She checked the street beyond the alley. Empty for the moment.

  "For a time," Tobias said. "Each god had a role to fill on their new planet. Accounts aren't all that clear, but it would seem that humans existed on all these planets long before the gods came to them. These accounts mention people known as Travelers, people who can create gateways to take them, and others, from world to world.

  "On our world, there were three gods: Lionar the Restorer, Rador the Creator, and Krinir the Destroyer. For a while, they performed their roles, keeping the world in balance." He held up a hand to keep Kara from interrupting. "Yes, Destruction is a necessary force within the world. You may not like it, but without it, the world would fall out of balance. That is why I have trouble seeing Krinir as evil. He's the Destroyer. That makes him a natural force in the world."

  Kara peered out of the alley again. There was no one nearby. "I don't quite understand. Are the gods forced to perform these roles?"

  "It's tied to their magic, to the Machine, which give them their powers back on their home world. I don't fully understand it myself, but I was close enough to Krinir that he revealed a few things to me. The Machine, as they've come to call it, can make anyone with enough talent into an immortal, but only the first gods of a world seem to end up in these particular roles. Some say God created these roles to keep the world in balance. It's as good an explanation as any."

  "But something went wrong," Kara said.

  "I don't know what happened, but before the Great War, Krinir suddenly went insane. He was a force of destruction before, but always controlled in the way he did it. At the beginning of the Great War, it seemed as if he'd changed into a different person. I recognized it at the time, but he was the god I served. I turned a blind eye to the things he did."

  His expression became grave, as though he were recalling horrible memories. Kara didn't press him for more information. She could see the pain in his eyes.

  "People have a way of doing that," Kara said. "I've never understood how so many people can ignore the horrible things Warrick does."

  Tobias smiled faintly. "You might find that Warrick is not as evil as you think."

  "You know about Warrick?" Kara asked.

  "I meet the occasional person who has come here like you." He chuckled softly. "And Warrick isn't even the worst thing in your world. It's only natural for some of us to wonder why we should believe in God when He does nothing to stop such horrors."

  Kara leaned against a cool stone wall, trying to take in all of this. In truth, she'd always had doubts about her faith.

  "There is a theory behind why God ignores these things," Tobias said. "Some say that God is more of a distant and mysterious figure, that He's left the lesser gods to keep watch over the worlds. This is the theory I find most logical."

  "Then why do we worship Him?" Kara asked.

  "I have no answer for you," Tobias said. "I certainly don't worship Him."

  Kara hated that answer. The mysteries of existence had never been something she pondered too much. No, she always had to be practical and consider the task at hand.

  But now she wanted answers. "What about this Great War? What exactly happened?"

  "There were two opposing sides: those fighting for Krinir and those fighting for Lionar. Some would paint this as a simple battle of good versus evil, but it was more complicated than that. There were good and evil people fighting on both sides, as there usually are." He sighed loudly. "In the end, Lionar won. If it had gone the other way around, history would probably tell a completely different story of who was good and who was evil."

  Kara wasn't sure she believed that. There was evil in the world. Anyone who'd seen Crayden burn couldn't deny that. Still, she felt overwhelmed by everything she didn't know.

  She pushed those thoughts aside. Time to focus on getting home. "We need to find those tunnels again."

  "We can't do that," Tobias said. "The normal tunnels you use to get into the city are now guarded by the Sunset Army. They must have found a member of the Shadows and gotten the information out of them." He glanced around anxiously. "There is another path, but it's very dangerous."

  "Of course it is," Kara said.

  "I'll lead the way," Tobias said, and they marched deeper into the alley, passing behind stone buildings whose walls featured countless cracks. Foul smells filled the alley, garbage and waste and scents Kara couldn't identify. They passed a beggar, who watched them with an almost lifeless gaze.

  Mist swirled in the air, growing thicker. This place felt unnatural, barren of life and beauty. Even the people who lived here seemed hollow shells.

  Tobias stopped before a blank stretch of rocky wall, conjured a flame in his hand, and touched the wall with the flame. The wall rumbled open, revealing a dark opening. The air coming from within smelled dusty and stale.

  "Let me take the lead." Tobias stepped into the opening. "Some of the things we'll face in here are too powerful for you two."

  Kara felt a growing sense of unease as she filed into the opening behind Tobias and Aren. Tobias closed the opening behind them, and Aren lit his staff, casting their black shadows against the walls. The passage was so narrow they walked in a single line. The air was damp, and rats scurried between their legs, startling Kara at first.

  Soon the horrible stench of waste and filth reached them. Kara pulled her frayed and dirty collar over her face, but it failed to keep the smell away. More than once, she gagged and almost vomited.

  Tobias's voice was muffled by his clothing. "The smell gets better. Or at least you get used to it after a while."

  The passage opened into a wider stone chamber where the smell became almost unbearable. Sewage ran through a shallow depression, following a gentle decline. They crossed a narrow bridge that traversed this depression.

  The chamber seemed deserted, but Kara's skin prickled. Tobias scanned his surroundings as if he could sense something Aren and Kara could not. Kara recalled how Nadia and Markus had such a talent. With proper training, could they become sorcerers like Tobias?

  Kara, Aren, and Tobias stepped through an open gate and into another narrow passage, which twisted along for perhaps fifty paces before leading them into another chamber. The stench here wasn't so foul.

  Tobias raised a hand to halt the party. "There's something here."

  Kara couldn't see anything, but then something slammed against her. She flew backward and hit the ground hard, barely keeping her head from striking the stone floor.

  The dim orange light of Aren's staff didn't reveal her attacker.

  It hit her again, coming from the side, scooping her off the ground, and thrusting her against the chamber's damp wall. She hit hard, the impact knocking the wind out of her. Struggling to breathe, she clambered to her feet on trembling legs.

  A field of yellow light surrounded her, revealing a creature that looked as if it were made of black smok
e. It glided through the chamber, trying to escape the yellow light, but every time it neared the edge, the field followed it. Tobias guided the light, using it to push the smoke creature far away.

  Aren rushed to Kara's side and took her in his muscular arms. "You all right?"

  "I'm fine." She relished the warmth of his touch. Leaning against his strong frame, she felt the sudden urge to kiss him, but this was not the time or place.

  Tobias gestured toward a nearby passage. "Let's go before it comes back."

  "What was that thing?" Kara asked as they raced into the passage. "And how did you make it go away?"

  "It's a creature of dark, dark magic," Tobias said. "Eventually, it would have tried to possess you. But since it's a magical creature, the particular spell I used was effective against it. It's a field of light that negates and prevents magic within it. Quite useful, I must say."

  "Does it always work?" Kara asked.

  "No. Sometimes your opponent's magic is too strong."

  "What keeps all the monsters alive in a place like this?" Kara asked.

  "I'm not sure. They don't have enough food to sustain them. I think they're creations of dark magic—most of them at least. Something in that magic sustains them." He chuckled. "I've been alive almost a thousand years, and I still haven't figured out that mystery."

  "What is it like to live that long?" Kara asked.

  "It gets lonely after a while. Very lonely. At the same time, though, it gives you a chance to see the world develop, to witness the many twists and turns of history."

  They entered another open chamber. The horrible stench had dissipated, or perhaps Kara had grown used to it. Aren cast the light from his staff about the room, illuminating dozens of creatures. They looked human, but their movements were jerky, and they staggered a lot.

  "We should give these things a wide berth," Tobias said softly. "They may look human on first glance, and they were once human, but now they're anything but. You can't let them bite you or you'll turn into one of them."

  "But how can we get past them?" Kara asked, feeling suddenly cold.

  "They aren't the most intelligent of creatures. In fact, they're downright stupid. As long as we don't get too close, we should pass by them without incident."

  They crossed the flat chamber. Even though Aren's light hit the creatures, they didn't notice the party. The creatures shambled along, their eyes black and lifeless, no sign of intelligence behind them.

  Tobias kept the party moving quickly. His posture was commanding, his stride confident. Aren looked paler than Kara had ever seen him.

  He still had to be suffering the loss of Lena. Whenever Kara had a chance to think, she dwelled on all the people she'd lost, beginning on the day that Crayden burned. A rush of emotion swept over her, like a late-summer wildfire over dry tinder. She wanted to stop, but there was no time. They had to survive these tunnels.

  The creatures clustered more thickly toward the other side of the chamber, blocking the exit. Tobias gestured toward the creatures, and wind whooshed through the chamber, striking the creatures and toppling them. The party tried to race past them before they could rise again.

  Aren and Tobias made it without incident, but just as Kara passed the last creature, it took her leg in its hands and pulled her toward it. It opened its mouth, displaying sharp teeth that bore no resemblance to human teeth. Panic fluttered in her chest.

  Tobias and Aren had not turned back to see her distress. She shouted for help, but they wouldn't be quick enough to save her. The creature pulled her closer and closer to its mouth.

  She swung her sword downward, toward one of the creature's arms. The blade struck the arm, but not with enough force to sever it. The creature held on as though it couldn't feel pain. Kara tried another swing, but she was off-balance and managed only a glancing blow.

  Her leg was inches from the creature's mouth. She couldn't die like this, not after everything she'd been through. She pulled as hard as she could, but her leg wouldn't budge.

  The creature suddenly shrieked, and her leg came free. She darted away from its grip, reaching the spot where Aren and Tobias stood. The creature that had grabbed her now had a shard of ice sticking out of its chest.

  "Did you do that?" Kara asked Tobias.

  He nodded.

  "But why'd it hurt the thing? My sword didn't."

  "Your sword is a physical weapon. It takes magic to harm creatures like these."

  "Let's get out of here," Aren said. They filed into the next passage. Kara kept glancing back, expecting pursuit, but the creatures showed no interest.

  She felt suffocated, as if she'd never leave this place. "How much farther is it?"

  "Not too far," Tobias said. "But the worst is still to come."

  Chapter 49: The Journey Begins

  Kara, Tobias, and Aren came to a vast chamber where misty light filtered into their surroundings, revealing the imposing shape of the largest monster Kara had ever seen. It sat in the center of the chamber. Two of its three heads were asleep, but the third watched them with narrowed eyes.

  The creature resembled a giant cat and was larger than any building Kara had ever seen. For the moment, it looked sleepy and bored, but how long would that last?

  How could they find their way around this thing?

  "What the hell are we supposed to do here?" Aren whispered. All his confidence had faded away.

  Tobias examined the creature. "Stick close to me. I can camouflage us with a water spell. It works best if you're standing still, but if we move slowly, it should give us a chance." He shook his head. "Unfortunately, I don't have any magic that would work to fight this thing, or at least I'd rather not engage it in battle."

  Aren gave him a sharp look. "But you've been a sorcerer for hundreds of years."

  "Yes, I have, but a person can only be so powerful. As far as sorcery goes, I may be slightly above average, but I'm not a master. Not even close."

  Aren ran a hand through his dark hair. "Did you have to wait this long to tell us?"

  Tobias smiled grimly. "Would you have come with me if I'd told you?"

  "None of this matters." Kara stepped between them. "Let's find a way to get across this chamber, and then we can argue."

  Tobias nodded, and Kara could see the fear in his expression. He didn't expect this plan to work.

  She put a hand on his shoulder. "Did you know this thing was here?"

  "Yes, I've heard of it."

  "And you chose to lead us through here anyways?"

  "It was the only choice I had if I wanted to get you out of the city."

  "But why do you care so much?" Kara asked.

  "As I said, there's nothing left for me here, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to meet Krinir. I want to know why he has turned to such dark paths." He shook his head. "I used to believe in him. I have to understand. I have to."

  Kara could hear the desperation in his voice. She couldn't understand his feelings, though. As far as she was concerned, Krinir was nothing more than her way of getting home. She shuddered at the thought of meeting such a powerful and dangerous man.

  All three of the creature's heads were awake now, but it didn't move toward them. It remained where it was, as though it were standing guard.

  "Let's get going," Tobias said.

  Kara and Aren followed Tobias down a set of wide steps, and then they stood perhaps fifty feet from one of the creature's giant paws. It watched them warily, its movements restless. The water camouflage did not seem to be working.

  They took a few steps closer, and it opened all three of its mouths. Tobias wrapped his arms around Kara and Aren as a green substance sprayed from the creature's mouths. Kara felt a brief surge of warmth a moment before the green substance would have hit them. Instead, it dissolved against an invisible shield.

  "Fire shield," Tobias said. "It only works if you stay right next to me."

  "Will it protect us if it takes a swipe with its claws?" Aren asked.

&nb
sp; "No."

  They made their way across the large stone chamber by the misty light streaming through the open ceiling. The beast watched them with its enormous yellow eyes. It didn't appear to have any more of that green substance to spray at them.

  Crossing the chamber was a slow process. Kara felt as if her heart were going to beat right out of her chest. She took deep breaths, but gagged when she took in the beast's foul stench. The three-headed monster hadn't made any more aggressive moves, but the party was growing closer to where it stood guard.

  It was guarding the exit.

  One of the monster's heads shot toward them. Kara, Aren, and Tobias backed against a stone wall, narrowly avoiding a snap of its jaws. The beast swiped at them with one of its enormous paws, sending them flying to the side. Kara hit the ground hard, screaming as a few of her ribs cracked. Every breath sent stabbing pain through her chest.

  Gingerly, she got to her feet. Another claw took a swipe at her, and she ducked a moment before it would have broken her neck or decapitated her.

  There was a determined look in Tobias's eyes as he rose to his feet. "I'm going to distract it. You two need to run."

  Kara didn't ask him what he intended. She took Aren's arm, and they staggered away from the wall. Brilliant orange light illuminated the chamber, but Kara continued running, wincing at every breath.

  Whatever Tobias was doing, it kept the monster from focusing on Kara and Aren. They reached the other side of the chamber, raced up a set of stairs, then turned back to watch what was happening below from a safe distance.

  Tobias sent bursts of fire at the monster. His magic was much more powerful than anything Aren could do with his staff. A mesmerizing sight.

  But then Tobias stopped sending fire at the creature. Instead, he waved his right arm, and a giant ice crystal formed around him. He stood immobile within it, waiting for the monster to strike. Kara's breath caught in her throat. She knew what he intended. Was he insane?

  One of the heads lunged toward him, and the monster took the ice crystal in its jaws. It tried to crunch down on it, but the ice held strong. The monster growled in frustration, swallowed the ice whole, then turned its heads toward Kara and Aren.