Kara wished she could believe that, but she had blood on her hands. She doubted she could ever wipe away that blood. Yes, it was a normal assumption to make, but still Selene could have lived if they'd been more careful.
Kara felt a hand on her shoulder and looked back to see Warrick.
"Don't try to comfort me," she said.
"All right, I won't. But that doesn't change the fact that it wasn't your fault. You did what any normal human being would do when confronted with a monster. If you want to wallow in guilt over that, it's your choice. But it's a stupid one."
She took a step away from him, and he didn't follow.
Eliza's father glanced around. "Where's Rik? Is he dead?"
"He isn't dead," Kara said. "But he's been turned to stone by some monster in here. He's alive and aware, but I can't imagine the torture he's going through. The other man with us, Warrick—he thinks we can find a cure somewhere in this place."
"Then we shouldn't waste any time," he said, getting to his feet. "I'm Dirk, by the way."
"I'm Kara. And this might sound really strange, but I actually met Rik back on Terra."
Dirk nodded. "He's mentioned you. He feels a lot of guilt over what happened to you."
She cursed under her breath. "I should've told him that I've forgiven him for that. He might have been stupid, but he couldn't have known what was going to happen."
Just then, she realized that she was being too hard on herself for Selene's death. If she could forgive Rik for getting her sent here, then why couldn't she forgive herself for making a similar mistake—rushing into action without knowing the consequences.
"You'll get another chance to tell him," Dirk said. "Once we cure him."
Warrick stepped closer. "Then we shouldn't waste any time."
Kara nodded her agreement, but she felt sick at the thought of what else this place might throw at them. With Warrick in the lead, they filed through the gate at the end of the chamber.
Chapter 30: The Scroll's Secret
Kara walked through the dark passage, her mind in a fog. If she thought about killing Selene, she would surely go insane. But it was all her mind could focus on. No matter what anyone said, she couldn't accept what she'd done.
"It wasn't your fault," Eliza said. She must have noticed Kara's distress. Eliza was a very perceptive and unusual woman.
"I know it wasn't," Kara said. "But don't you ever wonder if you could have done things differently? There must have been a way that we could've known."
Eliza gave her a sharp look. "If it's anyone's fault, it's mine. I shot her with an arrow. That probably made it impossible to return her to her normal form. But I understand that it was an honest mistake on my part. We've never encountered anything like that."
"I don't feel like talking about this anymore," Kara said.
"All right. I'll let you work out your emotions on your own."
The tunnels branched along, going deeper and deeper underground. For now, they seemed deserted, but how long would that last? Every time Kara heard a sound, she tensed, but then nothing appeared. It was so quiet she could hear everyone's breathing.
At last, they entered a bright chamber. It wasn't as large as the last chamber and contained a pedestal at the center. On this pedestal were two items: a small blue stone and a scroll. Warrick stepped forward and grabbed the scroll.
Kara was about to grab the stone, but Warrick gripped her arm, holding her back. "We don't want to grab it yet," he said. "It's going to take us to another location. First, we have to find the cure for Rik." He pointed to the left. "We have to take that passage there."
"What else does the scroll say?" she asked.
Warrick hesitated. "It says we'll be meeting up with Krinir soon. That doesn't surprise me. He is even more skilled than I at reading the Webs. I figured he'd know we were here, especially once I realized how important this place is."
Kara felt sick to her stomach. "But what can we do if we meet up with Krinir?"
"When we encounter him," Warrick said, "you need to hide. None of you can hope to stand against Krinir for more than a few seconds. It's me he wants."
"But he also wants Rik dead," Dirk said.
"True," Warrick said, "but I'm still the most important. If he can capture me and get me back on his side, the rest of you are not nearly as important. He'll still try to kill you, no doubt, but you'll have a chance to escape." He shook his head. "I will not."
"Do you think he'll take your memories again?" Kara asked.
"Yes, and he'll probably do a more thorough job this time. He'll turn me into a monster meant to do his bidding." He closed his eyes for a long time, probably reading the Webs of Fate. "But it's the best we can do."
"There has to be something else," Eliza said.
"It doesn't matter," Warrick said. "We have a task to complete."
They entered the passage he'd indicated and followed it for a few minutes. Soon they emerged in another small chamber. This one contained two scrolls, arranged on a lone pedestal.
Warrick picked up both of them. "One of these holds the spell we need to cure Rik. I think it was originally deeper in this place, but I must have found it and put it here. It's sealed with my code again, so Krinir probably doesn't even know what it is. He's a god, but he has his limits." Warrick muttered something, and the scroll came open. "Yes, it's what we need."
"What about the other scroll?" Kara asked.
"This scroll is even more important. It contains the location of the place where I imprisoned Lionar." He chuckled. "It's no wonder I never saw any sign of him. Krinir and I imprisoned him in the distant future."
Kara raised her eyebrows. "What?"
"There are those sorcerers whose magic can manipulate time itself. They don't just read the Webs of Fate; they can travel to distant points in the Webs. They guard these secrets securely, but I must have found someone willing to help me. With that sorcerer's help, I sent Lionar to the distant future—or at least one distant future, one in which Krinir has taken over the world. Essentially, Lionar is Krinir's prisoner in that future."
Dirk was frowning. "I don't understand. Why wouldn't Krinir just kill him?"
"Because killing another god is not something you do lightly. Krinir told me that much, now that I'm remembering more and more. If he killed Krinir, he'd have to take the duties of the Restorer upon himself. He already spent too long as both Creator and Destroyer. He doesn't want those competing natures to fight within him again. Just as he has embraced his role as Destroyer, he understands that the world also needs a Creator and a Restorer."
"This is a lot to take in," Dirk said. "How can we know you're telling the truth?"
"I have no reason to lie to you. Not anymore." He turned the scroll over in his hands, then held it out for Kara. As she took it, he said, "I'm going to do something I've never done before. I'm going to teach you my secret code. I can use my magic to place the knowledge in your mind. When Krinir claims me as his own once again, I want you to come to me. Show me that you know my code. That way, I'll know that I can trust you."
Kara felt as if a heavy weight had settled over her. That was a lot of responsibility to bear. She didn't want to think that Warrick might once again become the monster she'd always known. This new Warrick, the man beneath the monster, was someone she could respect.
Someone she could care for despite what he'd done.
"Are you ready?" he asked.
She nodded, and he placed his hands on her head. A moment later, sharp pain exploded through her entire body. She didn't scream, though, because she didn't want to alarm the others. After a few moments, the pain faded, though she still felt a little dizzy.
"Try to read the scroll," Warrick said.
Kara read the scroll, and it felt almost as if she were reading normal words. The code was barely recognizable as a code. It was hard to believe.
"I can read it," she said.
Warrick nodded, relief blossoming in in his expression. "Good. Now you
'll have to hold on to that scroll. It contains the map you'll need to reach Lionar. If we're going to have any chance at defeating Krinir, we'll need Lionar's help."
"I understand," Kara said.
"Good. Now let's go and heal Rik."
They returned the way they had come, making the long journey in the dark. At last, they reached the place where Rik lay upon the ground, his body turned to stone.
Kara knelt beside him. "We have the cure. It'll be just a little longer now."
Warrick unfurled the scroll and read the symbols etched on it. Kara watched with bated breath. What if this didn't work and Rik was stuck like this forever? Would it be better to kill him than allow him to suffer in his petrified state?
White light burst from the scroll, colliding with Rik. That light encircled him, creating a swirling halo. His entire body glowed, and Kara could feel warmth in the air. The spell had to be working. She couldn't stomach any other possibility.
At last, the light and warmth died. Kara looked down at Rik, praying he was healed.
To her relief, his skin looked normal again. He groaned and tried to raise himself to a sitting position. "Those were the worst hours of my life."
Kara wrapped her arms around him. "Rik! I can't believe it! You're back to normal. You don't know how much it means to me to see you here. I wouldn't want you to be here, but it's great to see a familiar face after all this time."
Rik glanced past her. "Well, Warrick is certainly a familiar face. What's the story with him anyways? Why's he helping us?"
Warrick stepped closer. "We'll explain as we travel. Can you walk?"
Rik got to his feet with Kara's help. He looked unsteady for a few moments, but then he regained his balance. "Yeah, I'm fine. A little wobbly, but that should get better."
As they made their way back to the chamber with the blue stone, Kara and Warrick explained everything that had led them to this point. To his credit, Rik listened without asking many questions. He still looked at Warrick with hatred, but Kara doubted anything could change the way Rik felt about Warrick.
The worst part was telling Rik what had happened to Selene. He hadn't formed much of a connection with Selene, having met her less than a day ago, but he seemed to understand how much her death was affecting Kara.
"It really wasn't your fault," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I would have done the same thing. We can't go around blaming ourselves for honest mistakes."
Rik also filled Kara in on everything that had happened since they'd parted. She was amazed to hear how much they'd been through, and it was a relief to know that Nadia was still alive—or at least that she had been back when Rik was sent to the Shadowed Land.
It filled Kara with the hope that she might see Nadia again. That was a dangerous hope, but it just might keep her going through the worst the Shadowed Land had to offer.
They reached the chamber containing the blue stone.
"How do these stones work?" Rik asked.
"They're called teleportation stones," Warrick said. "Powerful, but not without limits. They only work twice, and once they're used up, they stop glowing. Unlike typical teleportation magic, these stones work almost immediately."
Rik grinned. "Then, if you found a bunch of them—"
"Once you've used up a teleportation stone, it can take up to a day for another one to work for you. You can't consider them an easy escape from any situation. Not only that, but they take a while to recharge after you use them."
Warrick instructed them all to touch the stone at once. A few moments later, Kara felt her feet leave the ground. The world dissolved around her, and when it came back into focus, she stood in a different chamber entirely. Rik scooped up the stone and held it in his left hand.
Then he stared at an open gate atop a nearby rock platform. "That shouldn't be open. Something's wrong here."
"I agree," Warrick said. "The fact that it's open leads me to believe Krinir is already here. Whether we go through the next challenge or go straight through that gate, it doesn't matter. Krinir will be waiting for us regardless. We might as well get it over with quickly."
"Why don't we just teleport out of here?" Rik asked, turning the stone over in his hand.
Warrick gazed at the stone with a frown. "Like I told you before, it takes some time to recharge. Right now, it's still glowing, but it's very dull. When that glow becomes bright again, it's ready. That could take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour. It's unpredictable."
Frowning, Rik slipped the stone into his pocket. Then they made their way up a zigzagging path toward the main gate. Kara's chest felt tight as they approached that gate. She knew how casually Krinir had asked Josef to kill her. If she faced off with the god himself, he wouldn't fail. Warrick couldn't always save her.
They all stepped through the gate.
It slammed behind them.
Chapter 31: The Battle of the Cavern
Rik glanced around the dimly lit chamber they'd entered. It was more of a cave than other parts of this place. Stalagmites and stalactites covered the ground and ceiling. Twisting paths led both upward and downward. For the moment, the chamber appeared deserted.
"You really think Krinir himself is waiting for us?" Rik asked.
"It's what I would do," Warrick said.
Rik had trouble believing Warrick was on their side, but he trusted Kara's judgment. Still, when he looked at Warrick, he felt hot stabs of anger. He remembered the flames in Crayden, the screams of children, the sheer devastation afterward.
But it wasn't the time to get into an argument.
As they ventured farther into the room, Rik gripped his staff firmly, ready for the sudden arrival of enemies. The chamber was so quiet he could hear every echoing footstep. Scattered magical torches provided enough light that they could make their way safely.
"It's so quiet," he said softly.
Dirk frowned. "Too quiet, if you ask me."
A moment later, a man appeared less than twenty feet from them. He was dark-haired, with a neatly groomed beard—entirely unremarkable in appearance. But when Rik saw Warrick tense, it became clear exactly who they were dealing with.
Krinir.
"I'm afraid this is the end for all of you," he said. "Nothing personal." He made a quick sweeping gesture with his right arm, and a barrage of lightning came to life, heading directly toward the party. Rik closed his eyes, waiting for the end.
But the lightning didn't strike. When he opened his eyes, he saw Warrick shaking with exertion, casting a magical shield around them.
"I can't hold the barrier very long," he said. "Run. Don't worry about me."
"But he'll make you his servant again," Kara said.
"I know, but there's nothing any of you can do about that."
Rik tugged at Kara's arm. "Come on. We have to go."
She spared on last glance at Warrick, then darted to the left alongside Rik. Dirk and Eliza were already a few steps ahead, racing toward a small passage leading downward. They all rushed into the passage a moment before Warrick's barrier died. Lightning crackled in the air, and they ducked as some of the spell bounced round in the narrow passage.
Once it was gone, they started running again. The passage twisted around, then came out again in the vast chamber. But now they were a good thirty feet below Krinir and Warrick. There was no light coming from above. Had Warrick given himself up now that he didn't have the rest of the party to protect? It seemed strange that he'd want to protect them at all.
"I think we can follow that path up," Dirk said, pointing to a spiraling path off to their left. No one argued, so they raced onto that path, then followed it upward. At the top, they found themselves at an intersection of three different paths.
Eliza glanced around frantically. "Which one should we take?"
"No idea," Rik said. "Let's just choose one."
They chose the center path and followed it as it rose and fell. The path turned every which way, and Rik felt lost. What if there was no
way out of this chamber and they were just going in circles? Then Krinir would finish them off.
But Krinir wasn't their only problem.
Up ahead, standing on a wide ledge, was the Sunset Army. Mathew stood at the lead, smiling down at Rik. Heart pounding, Rik froze and glanced around. He couldn't see any escape except the way they'd come.
Rik raised his staff just in time to form a shield, protecting them from the wave of fire Mathew sent at them. The fire surrounded them, wearing away at Rik's shield from all sides.
Mathew was a powerful sorcerer. He could keep his magic going much longer than Rik could cast the shield. Dirk was helping, but it wouldn't be enough.
"There's another path about ten feet below us," Eliza said. "We can jump."
With no other escape possible, no one argued. They leapt the direction Eliza pointed. Rik's stomach lurched as he fell, and he hit the ground hard a few moments later. He skinned his knees, but that was the worst of his injuries. Rik was amazed his staff had survived the fall, and he immediately used it to cast another shield.
Blistering heat slammed against the shield, accompanied by a brilliant orange glow. Barely escaping the flames, they sprinted across the uneven path. Then the flames suddenly died.
In their place was a massive whirlwind, and it was right in front of Rik's party. Rik knew instinctively that his staff couldn't protect them from this. He glanced down and saw the ground wasn't far below. The whirlwind raced toward them.
"Kara, grab on to me," Rik said, and she did so without hesitation. Dirk and Eliza must have read Rik's mind because they did the same thing.
Rik leapt off the path. The drop was almost forty feet, so he directed his staff downward, producing as much wind as he could. It didn't slow him quite as much as he'd hoped. He and Kara hit the ground hard, the impact knocking the wind out of him.
Struggling to get his breath back, he staggered to his feet. They were on a rocky bridge below their pursuers, but Mathew's whirlwind was still approaching.
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