World in Chains- The Complete Series

by Ryan W. Mueller

  "What do you think the Imperial Guards are gonna do?" Garet asked.

  Dave leaned one arm on the bar. "Well, if I know Commander Adams like I think I do, he's gonna try to keep this quiet. Not sure how successful he'll be."

  "Keep what quiet?"

  Garet turned to see the dark-haired innkeeper standing nearby, wiping down the counter with a wet rag. How long had he been listening?

  "I could have sworn I heard something about Warrick being gone," he said.

  Dave's gaze became stern. "Your ears must have been tricking you."

  The innkeeper took a step closer. "Look. I can tell you aren't Warrick supporters. Neither am I. I've thought of joining the Order quite a few times. You can trust me. The name's Liam."

  "He'll hear the truth eventually," Mara said.

  "Yes, Warrick's gone," Garet said before anyone else could stop him. "We sent him to the Shadowed Land. Not sure if he'll return or not, but it shouldn't happen right away at any rate." He wanted to take another drink, but his glass was still empty. "There's gonna be war."

  "War," Liam said, as if tasting the word on his tongue. "Can't say I know much about war."

  "None of us do," said Captain Davis. "Unless you consider what happened in Crayden war. But I don't. That was slaughter, pure and simple."

  Liam raised an eyebrow. "You were there?"

  Captain Davis nodded but said nothing else on the subject. Throughout their travels, Garet had noted that the captain didn't like to talk about what had happened that day.

  "I've heard it was horrible," Liam said, as if sensing the captain's discomfort.

  "Horrible doesn't even begin to describe it," said Captain Davis.

  Liam was about to say something else, but then alarmed shouts came from outside. Garet shot to his feet, swaying a little. "What do you think's going on?"

  No one had an answer, so they stepped outside. Immediately, Garet saw the source of concern. A strange shadow was coming from the east, bathing the city in darkness. It moved slowly, but soon it would engulf the entire city.

  "What the hell is that?" asked Captain Davis.

  A chill ran through Garet. "That's the Forest of Darkness."

  "But why's the darkness spreading?" Liam asked, looking pale.

  Dave faced the darkness, shaking his head. "Warrick is gone, and his magical barriers disappeared with him. We are in deep, deep trouble."

  Chapter 34: A New World

  Tylen was well northeast of the mountains, passing through wide open lands full of tall grasses. A slight autumn chill hung in the air, and sometimes he wrapped his cloak tighter about him. Then, only a few minutes later, he'd start sweating and cast aside the cloak.

  Farah remained with him, but he'd also been joined by his friend Will, who'd decided he'd be safer outside the Empire. Will had been a little behind Tylen's group at first, so Tylen hadn't realized that his friend had fled the Empire as well.

  "You think we made the right decision?" Will asked as they walked through the tall grass. He swatted at a fly buzzing around his face. "What if Warrick comes back and punishes us? We're still close enough to turn back."

  Tylen considered for a moment. "I don't know if I should tell you this, but Warrick wanted me to leave the Empire. Perhaps you were meant to come with me."

  Will ran a hand through his short brown beard. "Hope you're right."

  "Does it really matter at this point?" Farah asked. "We're outside the Empire. Even if Warrick did return, he'd have no control over us."

  "I think he'll always have his ways," Tylen said.

  They walked through the rest of the day, then settled down late that evening and ate from their packs. So far, they'd had little luck in catching anything. A few animals scurried through the tall grass, but they were all too quick to catch.

  Will leaned back against one of the few trees dotting the plain. "Did Warrick really tell you to leave the Empire? Seems a bit strange to me."

  "He did. I'm not sure exactly what he wants from me. I'd like to think I'm a free man now, but I don't know. All I know is we have to reach the eastern shore, however long that takes, and then we have to cross the ocean to reach Luminia."

  "The City of Light," Will said. "I've always wondered what it looks like."

  Tylen hadn't spent much time thinking about that. Above all, he liked to consider himself a practical man, and being practical meant he didn't spend time thinking about things he'd never have a chance to do. As far as he'd known, he was stuck in the Empire.

  He couldn't believe how much his life had changed.

  "Warrick also told me to go to Luminia," Farah said. As soon as she spoke, her expression twitched, as if she wasn't sure she should have shared that information.

  Tylen raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

  "He's been commanding me for a long time. My mother's family has always supported Warrick, and so he discovered my magical talents early. He met with me a few times, but he didn't start telling me what to do until shortly before he destroyed Crayden."

  Tylen could suddenly smell the smoke again. He felt the heat of the flames, heard the screams, saw that ring of fire closing in on him.

  No matter what Nadia might think of him, he couldn't be the same man after that.

  "I wasn't there when the city was destroyed," she said. "I waited in the forest near my—near that cabin we all gathered at. I went with a party led by Lord Ander, but I never owed any allegiance to them. It was always Warrick. He gifted me with the ability to teleport, and I used that to inform him of the party's progress and get them captured."

  "Well, it didn't matter in the end," Tylen said, staring at their crackling fire. "They escaped later."

  "Oh, it did matter," she said. "Warrick wanted them to escape."

  Tylen shook his head. "I wish I understood even half of what that man does."

  "Earlier, you mentioned your mother's family," Will said. "What about your father?"

  Farah looked down at the dirt, chewing on her lower lip. "I've never told anyone about this, but my noble father is not my father. My real father was an Imperial Guard. He doesn't even know that he has a daughter."

  "Is it somebody we know?" Tylen asked.

  "Well, you know him," Farah said. "Remember Theo, the former Imperial Guard who got so many people out of Crayden, the owner of that cabin? He's my father."

  "Interesting," Tylen said. He didn't know what to think of this revelation. Even though he'd rested outside the man's cabin, the two of them had never interacted. But he did remember the way he'd felt about Theo's nephew, in whom Nadia had shown too much interest.

  "You see that?" Will asked, disturbing Tylen's thoughts.

  Tylen faced him. "What?"

  Will pointed toward the horizon. "There's a fire burning out there."

  "Maybe there are people out here after all," Tylen said.

  Chapter 35: The Spread of Darkness

  Garet stood upon the streets of Bradenton as the darkness thickened. He remembered the Forest of Darkness and didn't relish the thought of a place like that spreading. Surely monsters would come with this darkness.

  Many of the people of Bradenton had taken shelter in their homes already, and Garet couldn't blame them. They'd lived most of their lives with that giant monster. Now that this darkness was spreading, they likely feared more monsters would threaten their city.

  The Bradenton town guard and the Imperial Guards both stood on the street as well. They normally didn't associate with one another, but there was a greater enemy now.

  The town guards were telling everyone to get inside, but Garet remained outside. They didn't force him or his party to take shelter, probably because they remembered that he'd played a role in defeating the monster that had plagued them.

  Garet strode over to the captain of the town guard.

  "You should really get inside," said the man.

  "I've been in the Forest of Darkness," Garet said. "I know what it's like in there."

  The captain frowne
d. "Yes, you're one of the people who got rid of the monster. I'm Captain Leon Young. I hope you'll be able to help us again."

  "We'll all try to help," said Captain Davis.

  Of the group that had exited the inn, only Liam had gone back inside. Garet didn't blame him. A man like that knew how to be a good innkeeper, but facing darkness and evil took an entirely different set of skills.

  An Imperial Guard approached them. Garet tensed for a moment, but it didn't appear that the man intended to arrest anyone. In fact, he looked as terrified as everyone else.

  Captain Young turned to him. "Gram, you know what's going on?"

  "Warrick's gone. The barriers have weakened."

  "How do you know this?" asked Captain Young.

  Garet stepped forward and whispered in his ear. "It's true. I was part of the group that sent him to the Shadowed Land."

  Captain Young's eyes widened.

  "What did he tell you?" Gram asked, stepping closer.

  Garet shot him a stern glare. "None of your business."

  "You can trust him," said Captain Young. "He's a good man despite his occupation."

  Garet felt anxious about telling an Imperial Guard, but now that this darkness was spreading, they had to join together. A divided empire would not survive this. With a twinge in his gut, Garet wondered if they'd sentenced the people to a fate worse than Warrick.

  "We sent him to the Shadowed Land," Garet said.

  Gram nodded. "I was wondering how he'd disappeared. I don't think anyone could have killed him. Not even Cyrus has that kind of power."

  "I know," Garet said, watching the darkening sky. "He told me so himself."

  "I suppose you've seen a lot, then," Gram said. "Not many people around here can claim to have met Cyrus. So I gather you've been through the Forest of Darkness."

  Garet nodded. "I guess that makes me useful now."

  "We'll need all the help we can get."

  Mara stood nearby, her face pale as she stared at the sky. "Did you know this would happen?"

  "No," Gram said. "Warrick never told us anything like this."

  "He didn't tell me either," Dave said. "Obviously, I wouldn't have gone through with it if I'd known it would release evil upon the entire Empire."

  "Well, we can't change the past," Garet said.

  "But how can we stand against something like this?" asked Captain Young.

  Garet stared to the east, where the darkness had grown thicker. In truth, he had no idea how they could get the people of Bradenton through this. Yes, Garet had survived the Forest of Darkness, but he was a seasoned adventurer. In Bradenton, there were old people and children and many others who had never held a weapon in their lives.

  Everyone outside stood now at the eastern edge of the city. Most of them were town guards or Imperial Guards, but there were a few other brave souls, or perhaps people who were too curious for their own good.

  Steel-booted steps clunked against the cobblestones behind them. Garet turned to see Imperial Guards approaching. At the front of that group was the last man Garet wanted to see: Commander Iven Adams. It wasn't that long ago that Garet had narrowly escaped the man.

  Gram snapped to attention and saluted, as did a few other Imperial Guards nearby. The town guards did not salute nor give any other sign of respect. Neither did Garet's party.

  "Sir, why are you here?" Gram asked.

  "Because Bradenton is the first city in the path of destruction." His glaze flicked to Garet. "That is what your little mission has done for us. Happy now?"

  Garet's stomach churned. "You recognize me?"

  "Yes, and I knew this was going to happen. Warrick told me."

  Garet glared at him. "Then there was no reason to kill Ander."

  "Where Warrick is concerned, there's always a reason." Commander Adams stepped toward the approaching darkness. "But we'll have to put our differences aside for the moment. We have a common enemy. Throughout the Empire, Warrick's barriers are failing. The Forest of Darkness is overtaking us here. Fierce storms are already striking in cities just east of the Plain of Storms. The evil of Woodsville, and the ghosts from the Ghost Forest, are breaking free."

  "How can we stop them?" Garet asked. He was surprised that this conversation was going so civilly. Deep down, he wanted to hurt this man, and he could see hatred in the commander's eyes as well.

  "As I said, we'll have to work together. I expect Cyrus to arrive here soon, once the barriers around his two refuges have weakened enough for him to teleport. As soon as he arrives, we'll discuss what we have to do."

  Perhaps an hour later, Cyrus appeared at the edge of the city. Appeared was the right word. One second, there was open space. The next, he was there.

  Commander Adams glared at him. "This is what your interference has brought about."

  "It had to happen," Cyrus said. "I'm sure Warrick told you that." He strode into the midst of their group as if there were nothing unusual about his appearance here. But there was. For hundreds of years, he hadn't seen the world beyond Mountainside and the Oasis Outpost."

  "Yes, he told me this was coming," said Commander Adams. He ran a hand through his neatly trimmed brown beard "He says that we're really on the same side, however else it might appear. I can't say I always understand the man, but I do trust him. If he says we need to work together, then we'll work together." He glared at Cyrus. "But that doesn't mean I have to like it."

  "Oh, I wouldn't expect you to like it," Cyrus said. He turned his gaze to the rest of the group. "It is good to see all of you again. I am sorry that the path I set you on was so difficult. I knew many of the losses you'd face. It wasn't easy sending you out."

  Commander Adams's expression tightened with impatience. "I don't care about any happy reunions. We need to discuss business. The darkness is spreading."

  "Very well," Cyrus said. "To begin with, I must explain the source of these magical regions Warrick has created. This is a truth I have known the entire time, but I have kept it concealed. Now it is time.

  "Before Warrick came to power, this was a notoriously unstable part of the world. The Darkness Temple has a way of twisting the world around it. This twisting of the world wasn't all that widespread, but where it struck, it did terrible damage. Entire towns could disappear in the blink of an eye. Warrick, however, learned to control these phenomena.

  "He channeled and contained the power of the Darkness Temple, using it to form the regions we've all come to know so well. The Plain of Storms, the desert, the Forest of Darkness, the Black Swamp, the Red Plateau, the Ghost Forest. Even such places as the system of caves between Varner City and Mountainside. He created all of these places, then erected barriers around them to protect us."

  Garet couldn't believe what he was hearing. Ever since meeting Cyrus, he'd always had the feeling the sorcerer knew more than he let on, but Garet never would have suspected that Cyrus was telling them outright lies.

  "You've been lying to us," Garet said. "Why resist Warrick's rule if he was actually protecting us? Or have you been manipulating us for your own gain?"

  Cyrus held up a hand. "Relax, Garet. I will explain."

  "Thousands of people have died opposing Warrick. If it's all a lie . . ."

  "I had my reasons," Cyrus said. "If you'll allow me to explain." He paused for a few moments, his keen gaze fixed on Garet. "Firstly, you must understand the nature of Warrick. He is two men: the man he is, and the man Krinir wants him to be."

  "Emperor Warrick told me about Krinir," said Commander Adams. "The emperor suspects that Krinir has a hand in obscuring the Webs of Fate."

  Cyrus nodded. "I believe Warrick is correct in his suspicions. Warrick is a powerful sorcerer, no doubt, but he is nothing compared to Krinir. Krinir is a god, the embodiment of the natural force of Destruction. His only goal is to destroy this world, to kill most of us and leave the rest of us in a world of perpetual suffering."

  "And this Krinir is the source of Warrick's evil?" Garet said.

  "Y
es, and no." Cyrus stroked his clean-shaven chin. "If I had to take a guess, I'd say Warrick is in control of himself most of the time, if not all of the time. It is more a matter of Krinir manipulating the Webs of Fate. He only lets Warrick see certain things in the Webs. I have glimpsed a few of these dark strands for myself. They are almost impossible to unravel."

  The small crowd had fallen silent, listening attentively to Cyrus's explanations. However, the sky continued to grow darker, and Garet could sense the unease in the air. The fear.

  "Now I'd like to explain a bit more about these dangerous regions," Cyrus said. "When we, the sorcerers of Luminia, sealed Warrick inside the mountains, we also sealed the Darkness Temple away. Our barriers did not let the Darkness spread to the rest of the world. Instead of allowing the darkness to plague the people of the Empire, Warrick somehow sealed it away in these locations, where it has been accumulating for five hundred years."

  "This is all terribly interesting," said Commander Adams. "But how do we stop it?"

  "It's quite simple, actually," Cyrus said. "We break the seal around the Empire."

  Everybody looked at him in confusion.

  "Five hundred years ago, we sealed Warrick within the Empire by making a journey to the Underground City. That place was once home to the world's greatest sorcerers. Most of them were people who'd sided with Krinir in the Great War. They escaped their exile to the Shadowed Land by going underground. Some might say there was little difference between the two."

  "Again, this is very fascinating," said Commander Adams. "But how—"

  Cyrus held up a hand to cut him off. "I do have a point to make here. You must understand what you're dealing with before we go there."

  Captain Davis looked pale. "I know what I'm dealing with. I've been there."

  "And I doubt you want to return," Cyrus said.

  "Yeah, you got that right."

  "In the end, it's your choice." Cyrus fell silent a moment, examining the people gathered around him, his expression unreadable. "Please allow me to finish explaining. As I was saying, some of the world's greatest sorcerers used to reside there. With their cooperation, we succeeded in sealing Warrick within the Empire. Now we will undo what we did five hundred years ago."