World in Chains- The Complete Series

by Ryan W. Mueller

  "We should go," Aren said.

  Kara wanted to wait, but Aren was right. They took off toward a nearby tunnel as the monster made horrible screeching sounds. She resisted the foolish urge to look back.

  Once they were safe, they slowed to a brisk walk. Grayish light entered the tunnel, and after a turn to the right, they found a rusty ladder leading up to the surface, but Kara wasn't sure she could climb it.

  "You look like you're in pain," Aren said.

  "It's my ribs."

  "I'll help you up, then."

  "Are you sure it's wise for both of us to climb at the same time?"

  "It'll be fine," Aren said, but she could see the doubt in his eyes. She stepped onto the ladder first and winced as pain shot through her ribs. After a moment, the pain became more bearable. She took a couple of breaths, then stepped up a rung, aided by Aren.

  The rungs felt flimsy beneath her feet, and some were entirely coated in rust. She tried to ignore the groans of the ladder with each slow step they took.

  To her amazement, they reached the top of the ladder without incident. Now they stood on a mountain, too far from Sierra City to see it through the mist.

  "You think Tobias survived?" Aren asked.

  "I have no idea."

  "We should wait for him." Kara settled down on a flat section of rock and ran her hand over her ribs, testing their tenderness. She might have overestimated her injuries at first. The ribs were cracked, but not too badly. Still, she wished she had Alia to heal her.

  No, don't think about Alia, Kara told herself. It would only bring her pain to remember Alia's last moments as the rockslide carried her to her death. Too many people had died, and Kara felt as if she were caught in a raging current that drowned everyone she loved.

  "Let's go," Aren said.

  "No, we should wait for Tobias, shouldn't we?" If she understood immortality correctly, only magic could kill a sorcerer like Tobias, and being swallowed couldn't be magical. Could it?

  "I don't know," Aren said. His gaze was distant, his voice soft. He stared across the misty landscape as if deep in thought. Of course, he had a lot to think about. He'd lost so much—all to help Kara. And why did she even matter? She was nothing.

  Kara stared toward the exit from the tunnels, and jumped in shock when a figure emerged.

  "Tobias?" she said. She thought about running toward him, but as soon as she moved, her ribs complained. Wincing, she sat back down and waited. Tobias stepped closer as the mist thinned.

  Aren shook his head. "How'd you do it?"

  "I'm an immortal sorcerer," Tobias said, with a grin. "A little thing like being swallowed isn't going to kill me. I can't say it was pleasant, but my shield protected me from the beast's digestive juices. Then I cut my way out with a sword. A bit disgusting, but it worked."

  "Well, I'm glad you're alive," Aren said. "We could use your talents."

  "Do you have any healing abilities?" Kara asked.

  "I'm afraid not. Only a few sorcerers are healers."

  Kara grimaced against another stab of pain. "Then I guess I'll have to push through it. Where do we go from here?"

  "We should head east." Tobias gazed at his compass. "Green City is a few days east of Millersville. It's toward the edge of the Sunset Empire, and it's quite a sight." He smiled at Kara. "I'm sure you'll almost feel at home there."

  "No point waiting around," Aren said. He looked weary and depressed, and his tone was grave. Kara had to give him credit for keeping his mind on the task, but perhaps that was the only way he could avoid thinking about everything he'd lost.

  They followed an actual trail through the mountains this time. With the Sunset Army inside the city, the trail was deserted. Ward posts glowed blue along the edges of their path.

  "Will those really keep the monsters away?" Kara asked.

  "I can't say they're perfect," Tobias replied, "but they stop most of the monsters."

  Their journey was slow. They'd all suffered injuries in their recent efforts. Kara had to rest perhaps twice an hour, when the pain in her chest became too much to bear. They had little in the way of supplies, so Tobias ventured off the path to find monsters. He killed a few, which they ate around a campfire maybe a hundred paces from the road.

  Every day felt the same. Kara's pain gradually subsided, but she still felt she was slowing them down. Soon they left the mountains behind. The road led them to Millersville.

  The city was dead. The buildings remained mostly intact, but it was absent of people. Bodies of townspeople and soldiers still littered the ground, filling the air with a horrible stench. Kara covered her nose with her shirt, but it couldn't block the smell.

  Back home, vultures would have made a feast out of this city. Here, the air was eerily silent. Every step echoed in the mist.

  Kara shivered. "Why are there no vultures? Or monsters of any kind?"

  "The wards around the city are still intact," Tobias said. "Eventually, they'll fail, and monsters will overrun the city. Let's hope we're long gone by then."

  "But couldn't you handle the monsters?" Kara asked.

  "I can only do so much. One monster, or even a few monsters, I can handle. But if dozens or hundreds come at us, I can't stand against them all. Some of the most powerful sorcerers probably could, but I'm not one of them."

  Kara had the feeling Tobias was understating his abilities. Anyone who could battle that massive, three-headed monster in the tunnels had to be powerful. She didn't want to think that others might have more talent than Tobias.

  Aren had been silent awhile, staring at the city with tears in his eyes. He walked among the bodies, stopping a few times and whispering to people he must have known.

  His expression became hard. "I don't care what it takes. I will find whoever ordered this, and I will destroy them."

  Chapter 50: Clan Blue Fish

  Berig didn't look back toward the goblins' settlement as his party pushed through a thickening forest in the dark, leaving the battle far behind. They didn't stop until they'd put miles between themselves and the monsters. Aric looked ready to collapse but didn't complain.

  Around midday, they couldn't travel any farther, so they settled down in a small clearing, where Klint and Lara patrolled the edges of their camp. Danica and Aric remained at the center of the campsite, talking quietly.

  Berig walked alongside Lara. "You sure you wanna come with us?"

  "I do. You're special, Berig, whether you believe it or not." She shrugged. "Besides, I was growing tired of life in the clan. I could use a little adventure."

  "How could you possibly say that after last night?"

  "We all survived, didn't we?"

  "Not sure the goblins made it through."

  "They've been around this long," she said. "I'm sure they found a way."

  "We should've helped them."

  "Perhaps." She peered toward the trees as if she might have heard something. "But they recognized your importance, and they knew you had to survive. Can you truly believe—after everything you've been through, everything you've accomplished—that there isn't something special about you."

  Berig thought back over all the horrors he'd endured. Once, it had been easy to discard the notion that he might be special. Now, he'd seen far too much evidence. How many times could he survive dangerous situations? How many times did he have to save his friends before admitting he was worth something?

  He'd saved them back at the Clan Seagull settlement, when they'd faced that monster. He'd saved them last night. Without his realization about going for the eyes, they would have suffered losses. Hell, he'd even saved Tylen back in Crayden.

  Still, it was hard to erase a lifetime of beliefs. He felt like he was getting closer. Only recently had he realized how much his childhood had scarred him, making him into the sad and defeated person he'd been most of his life. Before Crayden, he hadn't known anything else.

  Now he knew friendship. He knew how it felt to sacrifice for those he cared about. "Ma
ybe you're right. Maybe I am special. But what about your father?"

  "Don't worry about him. I told him I wasn't coming back. I've been ready to leave for a while now. You gave me a good reason. I told you that I wanted to make the Pilgrimage, and I still do. I have natural magical talent, just like you, and we shouldn't waste that talent."

  "But isn't that dangerous?"

  "Life in a clan is dangerous. I don't see how this will be any different."

  Berig chuckled, realizing she had a point there. He prayed this was the last he'd see of the Clanlands. Sometimes he even found himself longing for life in the Empire, where at least he'd found stability living on the streets. Out here, the world was chaotic.

  Klint stepped around to their side of the campsite. "Seen anything dangerous?"

  "No," Lara said. "Seems like the monsters aren't following us."

  "Good," Klint said. "I've had enough of these bloody monsters."

  Berig could hear the bitterness in Klint's voice. The former smuggler had grown more and more uncommunicative with every passing day, and Berig couldn't blame him. They'd faced so many horrors. At this point, Berig figured Klint was only staying with them because he had no other choice. What would happen once they reached civilization?

  After resting, they traveled through the day, then stopped at night. They continued this pattern for days as Lara led them through the forest, taking a path that would keep them away from Clan Blue Fish. According to her, they were much like the other clans and didn't want anybody passing through their territory.

  Berig and the others encountered a few monsters, but nothing they couldn't handle. After tending to minor injuries, they continued on their way. The walking continued in a lifeless motion that felt as if it would never end. Only Danica didn't complain.

  The weather cooled as they traveled east. At last, autumn had taken a firm hold. It was amazing to think that everything started not that long ago, during late summer.

  Just when Berig thought he couldn't walk any farther, a vast mountain range appeared ahead of them. The sight made him want to collapse and lie on the ground forever. Lara hadn't told them how tall these mountains were, dwarfing the mountains of the Empire.

  "We're right at the northern end of Clan Blue Fish territory," Lara said. "The pass to the east of here is the easiest route through the mountains."

  Klint narrowed his eyes. "It sounds like you're about to tell us there's a problem."

  "That’s because there is a problem. A major problem. Clan Blue Fish guards the pass." She ran a hand through her black hair. "Well, that's not entirely accurate. They've found some way to make a monster do it instead."

  "What kind of monster this time?" Klint asked.

  "I've heard it described as a three-headed dragon."

  "There's gotta be another way through the mountains," Klint said.

  Danica squinted toward the mountains. "I don't understand. Why would they block the pass?"

  "To keep the Kingdom of Seaside out," Lara said. "If Seaside had their way, they would conquer all of the Clanlands. But they can't get an army through any other path. You'll see once we get closer to the mountains. They're so steep you might as well call them cliffs."

  "Then how did this pass come to be?" Aric asked.

  Lara frowned. "Magic, perhaps. That's the best answer I have."

  "Let me get this straight," Klint said. "Our only hope of crossing these mountains is to go up against this three-headed dragon. One head breathing fire is bad enough. But three?"

  Lara shifted her stance. "Actually, one of its heads breaths fire, another breathes ice, and the third breathes lightning."

  "Even better," Klint said. "Did you have to wait so long tell us?"

  "I knew you'd want to turn back if I told you," Lara said.

  Aric looked at the mountains. "I don't think we can face a creature like that. Klint is the only one of us who can do anything against it. No, we'll have to go south." He turned to Lara. "There is a way around the mountains to the south, isn't there?"

  "There is, but we'll be going through the heart of Clan Blue Fish. The narrow strip of land south of the mountains is well-guarded. It will also add a week to our journey. Are you sure you can last long enough? Everyone can see it. You're getting weaker every day."

  "Don't worry about me," Aric said.

  "Not gonna happen," Berig said. "The only reason we're out here is to cure you."

  "And I thank you all for sticking by me. Now I'm asking you to trust me. I can make it another week. I don't want everyone to die on my behalf. We can't reason with a dragon. We can only end up as dinner. Humans are different. Maybe we can make them listen to us. It's better than certain death."

  "I suppose you're right," Lara said. "I was hoping we might find a way to elude the dragon, but I can't think of any sound strategy." She shook her head. "But I don't know what will happen when we run across Clan Blue Fish. We've avoided them for years because they were so brutal to us the last time we fought."

  "Who wants to go through the mountain pass?" Aric asked, and nobody raised a hand, not even Lara. "All right. Who wants to take our chances with Clan Blue Fish?"

  Berig, Klint, Danica, and Aric all raised their hands. Lara did not.

  When they all looked at her, she said, "I don't care for either option."

  "Neither do I," Klint said. "But we've gotta get out of these Clanlands."

  They started to the south, skirting the edge of the mountains and keeping an eye out for danger. Lara steered them well away from Clan Blue Fish settlements. Once, they heard a Clan Blue Fish patrol in the forest nearby, but the patrol passed without incident.

  After a few uneventful days, they reached the edge of the forest. Beyond the forest, the land stretched into the distance, covered with long grass.

  "There's no hiding out here," Lara said.

  "Guess we'll find out what the clan thinks of us," Klint said. "Can't say I'm looking forward to it." His gaze became sullen as he stared to the south.

  Through the day, they encountered no one, and shortly after nightfall, Berig heard something that sounded like water. A lot of water. It made a rhythmic sound.

  "What's that sound?" Berig asked.

  Lara's eyes lit up with amusement. "You've never seen the ocean, have you?"

  "None of us have," Aric said. "I've read about it in books, but I never thought I'd see it."

  Lara started walking. "Follow me."

  They trailed after her, and soon they reached the edge of a cliff. Far below, moonlight reflected off the most water Berig had ever seen. It came together in giant waves, which crashed against the base of the cliff in a continual rhythm. It was beautiful. And terrifying.

  Berig felt queasy. "Does that water ever end?"

  "There are other continents," Aric said. "Or so I've read."

  "They do exist," Lara said. "Some of the clans have traded with them in the past, though there isn't much contact these days. No one trusts the clans anymore."

  "With good reason," Klint said with a dark look in his eyes. He turned away, shaking his head and muttering under his breath.

  They settled down by the ocean. At first, the sound of the waves bothered Berig, but eventually it became soothing, and he enjoyed the best night's sleep he'd had in a long time. The next morning, they set out toward the east.

  "We're going to come across a Blue Fish settlement and their army," Lara said. "We need to be prepared."

  Klint rolled his eyes. "Oh, and how do you propose we do that? I might have this magical staff, but I'm pretty sure I can't stand against an entire army. Either they decide to kill us or they don't."

  Danica turned to Klint. "I don't like the way you've changed."

  "Do you think I give a damn what you think?"

  Danica looked hurt. "You used to."

  "Well, I don't anymore. I'm sick of all this traveling. Sick of monsters. Sick of people trying to kill us all the time. And then you have to start talking to me with that relentlessly posi
tive attitude of yours. It makes me want to vomit."

  "I'm sorry it's been rough on you." Danica put a hand on Klint's shoulder.

  He brushed her hand away, forcefully. For a moment, it looked as if he'd shove her, but then he took a step away. "I don't want your reassurances. I don't want you to touch me. Just leave me alone."

  Berig advanced on Klint. "Don't talk to Danica like that. You're upset about everything. I understand that. Believe me, I understand it better than anyone here. But there's no reason to take your frustrations out on us."

  Klint avoided Berig's gaze. "Look. I'm sorry if I'm not meeting your expectations. But did you expect me to enjoy this? There's a reason I've always worked alone. Life is easier if you don't form attachments to anyone."

  "Are you saying you've come to care about us?" Aric asked.

  "Back when this all started, I was just looking for a place to hide in Mountainside. But I guess I felt some obligation to Berig. He did save my life, after all, back in Varner City. Still, I tried to keep my distance." He shook his head. "But it's hard to spend so much time with people and not care about them, and that's what makes this so damned hard. I don't want to abandon you. I really don't. But I'm not meant for this kind of quest. I'm not meant to help people. Anyone who gets involved with me is going to end up dead sooner or later. Just like my sister."

  "Is that why you have this attitude?" Berig asked. "You're worried that you're going to get us hurt, or even killed?"

  Aric chuckled. "We can manage that just fine without your help."

  Klint's lips twitched in a smile. "Can't argue with that."

  "I'll understand if you don't want to come with us the rest of the way," Aric said. "You've done so much for us already. You've more than repaid your debt to us."

  "And that's what bothers me," Klint said. "I've never been that kind of person. It's always been about the money for me. I hate to say it, but I've killed people, decent people, just so I could get away with crimes and make myself more money. You're all good people. You'd never do anything like that. I don't deserve to be part of what you're doing. I don't deserve the friendship of people like you."