No one argued, so they took off running, leaping from one building to another. Then another, and another. Markus thought they might have lost their pursuers, but then he heard a sound from above. He glanced up and back to see one of the police vehicles closing in on them. Blue energy gathered in front of the vehicle as it prepared to fire.
"Get behind cover!" Markus shouted.
They found a bunch of metallic crates nearby and leapt behind them moments before the energy blast would have struck them. Instead, it hit the crates, partially melting them. Another attack would probably strike the party.
Markus wiped sweat from his face. "We can't stay here."
"We can't escape them at all," Nadia said.
A voice came from the vehicle as it hovered above them. "Lay down your weapons and put your hands in the air. If you don’t comply within ten seconds, we will shoot you."
They all exchanged nervous glances.
"We have no choice," Lara said. "Maybe we can find another way to escape."
Markus hated it, but she was right. He and Nadia both laid their TWs on the roof of the building, then put their hands in the air. The police vehicle lowered slowly to the roof. As soon as it touched the rooftop, half a dozen officers emerged, pointing rifles at the party.
"Well, it was nice to see you again, Berig," Markus said. He stood close to the edge of the roof, looking down at least fifty feet to the ground below.
And that was how he saw the flying vehicle. Its roof opened.
"Jump!" It was Daniel.
They didn't hesitate. The officers were just about to place force fields around them when they all leapt off the side of the building. The drop into the car was almost ten feet, but they landed inside without incident. Daniel closed the roof and maneuvered the car higher into the air, soaring above the buildings.
"Great," Markus muttered. "Now we're right back where we started."
"Don't worry," Daniel said. "I still have another trick up my sleeve." He worked on one of the vehicle's computers for a few moments, then turned back to them. "I'm going to fly low, and we're going to drop out of the bottom of the car. I've programmed the auto-guidance system to have the car fly higher into the air. Hopefully, they'll see that and follow the car."
He flew the car low, then pressed a button, which opened panel in the floor. Although the car was still moving, they dropped to the ground perhaps five feet below. Markus hit the ground and fell into a roll, skinning his knees on the street.
The others were right there with him, and Daniel joined them a few moments later, landing a bit farther along the alley. As soon as they were on the ground, the car flew higher. As if on cue, a police vehicle raced through the air, following the unmanned vehicle.
"They'll realize what I did eventually," Daniel said, "but I think I got us enough time to get back to headquarters. We're only a couple of blocks away."
To Markus's surprise, they reached headquarters without incident. As soon as they entered the main room, they all sank into some of the comfortable chairs scattered about. Markus wondered if he'd ever felt more exhausted. He had no idea how they'd escaped. It was time to rest and recover.
But he didn't get his chance.
"Yasmin wants to see all four of you," Daniel said.
Markus groaned, sitting up in his chair. "Does it have to be right now?"
"Yes, she was quite insistent."
With another groan, Markus got to his feet. Once the others all rose, Daniel led them to Yasmin's office. At the door, Daniel faced them. "I don't blame you for wanting a chance to rest, but Yasmin has a way of getting what she wants."
The four of them stepped into the room. Yasmin sat behind her desk, watching them with a curious expression. "I'm glad you're all here," she said. "Now let's get down to business."
Markus wasn't sure he liked this woman. There didn't seem to be a soft bone in her body. Nadia was hard in some of the same ways, but there was a softness underneath that rough exterior that made her so attractive.
"Sit down," Yasmin said, and they all took seats without hesitation. "Now that we have the four of you together, we have a great chance to save the world. All four of you are Weavers, and very powerful ones at that. There may be great things in your future."
"I don't know about anyone else," Berig said, "but I'm tired of being a Weaver."
Yasmin glared at him. "Allow me to explain your next steps before you decide to opt out." She put down the pen she was holding. "I've been reading the Webs of Fate a great deal in recent days, and they've led me to the conclusion that you must travel to the northeast, to the Great Desert. Out there, you'll find a region of the empire close to outright rebellion, and you'll also find the Earth Temple, the first step for you on the Pilgrimage."
"And if we decide we don't want to do that?" Nadia asked.
"That's your decision, but can you turn away when you've seen what Krinir can do? Can you allow him to destroy the world?"
Markus hated it when people put things in terms like that. How could they refuse when the outcome was the destruction of the world? He had his doubts about how likely that was, but he didn't think he could take the chance of ignoring the Webs of Fate.
"All right, what do we have to do?" he asked, surprised at his boldness.
"To be clear," Yasmin said, "you don't have to do anything. Whatever you do in life is your own choice. I can merely guide you on paths that I think would be most beneficial to the world. If you don't trust me, feel free to ignore my advice." She closed her eyes for a moment. "The Webs have shown me that you'll need the powers of the Earth Temple before we can hope to disable the Machine. They also show us a chance to get the rebellion going in the desert."
"All right," Nadia said. "How do we get to the Earth Temple?"
"That's where we have a problem. Our government has blocked access to the temple. They believe that they can limit the power of sorcerers throughout the world by preventing people from completing the Pilgrimage."
Nadia leaned forward in her chair. "Then how do we get in?"
"Simple," Yasmin said. "We need a distraction."
"What kind of distraction?" Markus asked, feeling sick.
"We start a war."
Chapter 46: Eastwatch
Kara and her party approached the walls of Eastwatch. She staggered across the rocky terrain, sore in so many spots after the battle in the cavern.
"How'd you know the teleportation stone would work?" she asked Rik.
Rik looked down at the stone, turning it over in his hands. "It had to work. It was the only chance we had. If it had taken any longer to recharge . . ."
The stone looked a dull blue now, as if it had lost all its energy.
"I don't think it'll work again," Kara said.
"Neither do I." Rik tossed it to the side.
A barred gate blocked the entrance to Eastwatch, flanked by two guards who scrutinized Kara's party.
"Let me do the talking," Eliza said. She stepped forward. "I am Eliza, daughter of Dirk, once a resident of Eastwatch. I have returned to the city with friends who mean no harm."
Kara's chest felt tight as she waited for the guards' responses, unable to read anything from their expressions. What if the guards turned them away? As far as she knew, there was nothing else around for miles and miles. It was impossible to tell through the thick mist.
One of the guards stepped forward. "Welcome home, Eliza. Haven't seen you since you were maybe seven years old. How's your father doing?"
Eliza shook her head. "He just died."
"I-I’m sorry," the guard said. He was a young man, maybe twenty-five years old, with a thin beard. "I don't know what to say."
"He died to save us," Eliza said, maintaining a calm expression. "To save me."
The other guard cast her gaze up and down, as if examining the party. At last, she said, "It looks like you've been through a lot."
"We battled Krinir himself," Eliza said.
Both guards' eyes widened, and the w
oman said, "I think the Elders would like to hear this story. Let's get you inside so you can rest a bit."
"Thank you," Eliza said as the guards called to their comrades on the other side, who cranked the gate open. It came open slowly, making horrible clunking sounds. Once it stopped moving, the guards ushered them through.
The woman joined them. She looked about the same age as Kara and Eliza.
Eliza stared at the guard. "I feel like I recognize you."
"Bella," the guard said. "We used to play hide-and-seek together."
Eliza smiled faintly. "I remember you now. You've grown up a lot."
"So have you. And you've been doing much more interesting things. Fighting against Krinir himself—if I didn't know you so well, I'd say you were lying. But I can see it in your eyes. You really did face off with him. How'd you survive?"
"We used a teleportation stone to escape," Eliza said. "We couldn't hope to fight him."
Bella's gaze became downcast. "I know that feeling. Here in Eastwatch, all we do is plan. We never actually take action because the Elders know we can't truly stand against Krinir. He is simply too powerful. We only survive because we've concealed our existence from him."
"How'd you manage that?" Rik asked as they walked along the wide stone streets, passing buildings constructed of light-colored stone. A few skeletal trees lined the streets, but otherwise it looked like the rest of the Shadowed Land. Bleak and cold.
Kara could barely remember the feeling of the sun on her skin, the smell of flowers, the incessant chirping of birds and squirrels—all things she'd once taken for granted.
And now she feared they'd never return. Krinir wanted to kill them, and he was the only path they had home. He wouldn't send them home, and they lacked the power to kill him, so what was the point in going to his fortress?
"It hasn't been easy concealing our presence," Bella said. "But we have some of the world's most powerful sorcerers here. They altered the Webs of Fate to cause dark strands whenever anybody tries to observe this place."
"It still sounds like somebody might get suspicious," Kara said.
Bella nodded. "That is a risk."
"That's why my father thought we should leave," Eliza said.
As Bella led them to a large building in the center of the city, they all introduced themselves. Kara felt so tired she could barely speak. How long had it been since she'd rested? Could she ever truly rest again? Even if they did find a way home, she'd have to convince Warrick to become the man she'd seen here in the Shadowed Land.
And then there was the revelation about Lionar. If they were going to kill Krinir, they needed Lionar on their side. But how could they go to the future and rescue him? It was a testament to the bizarre reality of her life that she didn't even question that she would undertake both these missions. How could she stand by and let the world suffer?
The building they entered was larger than many of the other buildings, but it was not a palace. Inside, Bella led them through corridors illuminated by magical torches. She stopped before a large stone door and knocked three times.
The door opened shortly, and a dark-haired woman stood in the doorway. "We're in the middle of our council meeting. Why are you disturbing us?"
Bella took a step back. "Eliza has returned with friends, and they have fought against Krinir. I thought you should know that Krinir is taking action again."
The woman's expression changed from tight-lipped anger to wide-eyed fear.
"Is that bad?" Kara whispered to Eliza.
"Krinir usually stays in his fortress," Eliza said.
The woman gestured for them to enter the council chamber. Inside, five people—three men and two women—sat around a rectangular table. The dark-haired woman directed the party to some empty seats farther along the table.
"What is the meaning of this?" asked a red-haired man.
The dark-haired woman quickly explained what Bella had told her. When she finished, she said, "These are the ones we've been watching in the Webs of Fate."
The red-haired man frowned. "Are you sure? Is it really them?"
"Introduce yourselves," said the dark-haired woman.
Once they revealed their names, and a little bit about themselves, everyone in the council chamber agreed that they were who the woman thought they were. Kara had no idea what that meant. At this point, she hated the Webs of Fate, and felt as if they were always controlling her life. Yes, she knew that there was no such thing as a definite fate, but the she still felt as if the Webs were controlling her.
Then again, perhaps she was the one controlling the Webs. She was a Weaver, after all.
The dark-haired woman and red-haired man were the High Elders of the council. They introduced themselves as Katherine and Zander, respectively. The other members stated their names as well, but Kara recognized who held the most power here.
After the introductions, she said, "What have the Webs shown you about us?"
Katherine leaned on the stone table. "You are all very strong Weavers. That much I can tell you with complete confidence. Beyond that, there are many threads. In those threads, however, there is one theme. You have to go to Krinir's fortress."
"And what are we going to accomplish there?" Kara asked.
"You just might find your way home."
"I don't understand," Kara said. "Krinir will not send us home. He tried to kill us less than an hour ago. Unless you know another way for me to get home, why should we risk our lives?"
"There is another way," Zander said. "Krinir has tried to create dark strands surrounding this, but we've been able to unravel some of them, though it hasn't been easy. What we've discovered is that he currently holds a prisoner with the power to open portals between the Shadowed Land and Terra. She has not yet managed to do so, but it likely will happen."
Kara felt as if her insides had turned to ice. "And if she does open such a portal, Krinir will return to Terra."
"Exactly," Katherine said. "But you might be able to prevent that."
Kara shook her head. "Why us? I have no magic. Eliza can only heal. Rik is a good channeler, but he's nothing compared to a true sorcerer. None of us could hope to stand against a god like Krinir."
"There is magic within you," Katherine said. "It is unlike any magic I've encountered before, but I can sense it. Rik is a not just a good channeler; he's one of the most powerful I've ever encountered. He has not reached his full powers just yet. As for Eliza, I don't quite know how to put this." She wrung her hands together. "Dirk was not your father, Eliza."
Eliza frowned. "I don't understand. What do you mean?"
Katherine hesitated for a few long moments. "We found you alone in the Wastelands when you were a baby. Dirk took you in as his own, but you were never his. I've investigated you with my magic, and you're not going to like what I have to say."
"Just say it," Eliza replied. "I can handle it."
"Your father is Krinir."
Chapter 47: To the Fortress
Kara couldn't believe what she'd just heard. How could Eliza, who looked so innocent and sweet, be the daughter of the god who'd tried to kill them? Had he known that she was his daughter? Did he not care? Could anyone be that evil?
"You must be mistaken," Eliza said. "Dirk was my father. He never told me otherwise."
Zander clasped his hands in front of him. "I know it must be difficult to accept, but it is the truth. We kept it from you all these years because it was not yet time to reveal it. Now that you are following the proper strands in the Webs, it is time."
Eliza looked pale. "All right, even if I am his daughter, how does that help us?"
"You're half-god, Eliza," Katherine said.
"Well, I've never felt like it. Are you sure you aren't mistaken?"
"We're certain," Zander said. "The truth is written all over your magic."
"But I'm a healer. How could the Destroyer give birth to a healer?"
"The healing must have come from your mother's side," Zander s
aid. "And before you ask, we don't know who your mother is. A sorcerer, no doubt, but that's all we know."
For the first time since Kara had met her, Eliza looked angry. "But you can read the Webs of Fate," she said. "Surely you can find out who my mother is."
"We would," Katherine said, "but Krinir has made those strands dark."
Eliza's face was lined with frustration. She shook her head vigorously. "You still haven't told me how this helps us. I have no magic I can use against Krinir. If we try to storm his fortress, the best that'll happen is we won't get in. The worst . . . I don't want to think about it."
Kara had always thought Eliza was one of those relentlessly positive people, but now that she'd endured hardship, including the loss of her father, perhaps that aspect of her personality was cracking under the pressure.
"It's simple," Zander said. "We've seen this much in the Webs, though Krinir hasn't made it easy. His fortress is designed to respond only to him, but since you are his daughter, it looks like it will respond to you. That means you can get inside."
"But how will we survive once we get inside?" Kara asked. After everything she'd been through, she was willing to accept that Eliza was Krinir's daughter. Ever since being sent to the Shadowed Land, she'd experienced revelation after revelation. By now, she was immune to surprise.
"Unfortunately," Katherine said, "survival is up to you."
Rik leaned on the table, frowning. "Why can't you come with us?"
Zander stroked his chin in thought. "Well, Krinir may not notice a party of three heading toward his fortress, especially since none of you are full sorcerers. If a larger party with full sorcerers marched toward his fortress, he'd notice. And it doesn't matter how many people we bring. He's too powerful. He would crush us."
Rik shook his head. "So our best chance is to go there and hope he doesn't notice. I've come up with a lot of crazy plans in my time, but that's reckless, even for me."
"I know it isn't ideal," Katherine said, her expression stern. "But it's the best plan we have. If we're to have any hope of defeating Krinir, you need to escape the Shadowed Land."
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