"Like killing a god?" Markus asked. "Because that doesn't sound very easy to me."
Berig chuckled. "You know, he's got a point there." He stared down at his knees. "Not that I'll be alive that long anyways."
"I just think it's time we took back control of our lives," Markus said. "If we're gonna take on Krinir, it needs to be our choice. Not some path in the Webs of Fate. Not something other people say we have to do. If we really have control of our lives, we can turn away from this. I don't know if that's what we should do, but we need to think about it."
"I have thought about it," Nadia said, "and I've made my decision. Krinir taught Warrick how to kill so many—that much is clear from the recording we saw. When I vowed to kill Warrick, it was about removing evil from the world. Well, Krinir's the greatest evil out there. And if you think I'm going to stand by and let him destroy the world, you don't know me at all."
Markus didn't know how to respond. He felt Nadia's gaze piercing him. "All right," he said. "If you're gonna go through with this insanity, I can't let you do it alone."
Berig shrugged. "It might be crazy, but I'm gonna die anyways. Might as well see if I can take some evil with me."
"And I'll go wherever you go," Lara said.
With that settled, the rest of their journey to the desert proved much more enjoyable. They recounted their stories again, laughed at some of Berig's stupid jokes, and felt almost like normal people for the first time in a while.
When they reached the edge of the desert, it was not sudden, not as it was back in the Empire. Instead, the landscape gradually grew more barren around them. Eventually, the road they followed cut through a vast sea of orange sand. The dunes here were not as large as they'd climbed back in the Empire, and though there were cacti, none of them were predatory.
They stopped in a few small cities spread throughout the desert, but their final destination stood deep within the desert. It was said that the power of the Earth Temple affected the region around it, making it into a desert. Daniel told them that the desert was dangerous if you strayed from the roads. The roads, however, were warded.
The desert's largest city, Sandfall, stood in the area directly surrounding the Earth Temple. Here, a chain of mountains cut across the landscape, jagged and unforgiving. Markus could not see the temple, for the city's buildings stood in the way.
These desert cities were not what he'd expected. They lacked the electronic billboards, the shiny buildings, and the flying cars. There was still traffic along the paved roads, but the people here appeared to live a slightly simpler and more familiar life.
The car stopped at a small inn located at the city's edge. Daniel checked them all in under false names. The Resistance had provided them with fabricated identification cards.
Markus felt tense as the man behind the counter checked their cards in the computer system. After a few moments, though, he nodded and gave them the keys to their rooms.
Markus and Nadia shared one room, Berig and Lara had another, and Daniel would stay in his own room. Those arrangements didn't bother Markus. After so long in the car, without real beds, Markus was relieved to sink into the comfortable mattress in their room.
Nadia lay beside him in the bed, her body warm against his. He didn't mind, though, because it wasn't warm in their room. Daniel had told them of a device called air conditioning. Although it was blisteringly hot inside, it felt like a cool fall day in their room.
Almost too cool.
"It's strange to think we might destroy all of this," Markus said. "This technology. It's a great thing in some ways."
"I know, but if that's what we have to do, we'll do it."
"I thought you were supposed to be the doubtful one."
"I've considered the options," she said. "It's not going to be easy, but it's the right choice."
Markus smiled. "That's why I love you. You do all the thinking for me."
"Oh, you're not that dumb yourself." She gave him a light punch on the shoulder.
That gesture reminded him too much of Rik, and he pulled away from her, just a little bit.
She stared at him, frowning in confusion. "Did I do something wrong?"
"It's nothing. You just reminded me of Rik, that's all."
"I know how that feels. Every day, something reminds me of Kara. Then I imagine her cold and alone in the Shadowed Land. Or worse, I imagine her dead. And I feel like it's my fault. I got her involved in all this. She could have lived a much different life if she hadn't been my friend."
"I could say the same about Rik."
"But we shouldn't spend our time thinking about them," Nadia said. "We should focus on what we can do and hope that, someday, we'll see them again." She brushed her hair out of her face. "I know it isn't easy, but what other choice do we have."
"You're right." He moved closer to her. "We should take comfort in what we have."
The next morning, Daniel woke them early. The sun had barely risen when he pounded on their door. Markus had some choice words for him, but Daniel was persistent.
Once he stepped into the room, he said, "The rebellion begins now."
Nadia frowned. "So soon?"
"We've had plans in place for a long time. I think Yasmin was waiting for you."
"What should we do, then?" Markus asked.
"We'll make our way to the Earth Temple."
Chapter 49: The Earth Temple
The rebellion had begun. The streets of Sandfall had grown chaotic. As Nadia made her way through the streets, she felt that danger was around every corner. People were running back and forth, carrying plasma rifles. Some even had TWs.
The police were everywhere, trying to stop the rebellion. Nadia, Markus, Berig, Lara, and Daniel had to stick to the alleys, avoiding the worst of the conflict.
"It won't be long before the army makes an appearance," Daniel said. "Once they do, the protection around the Earth Temple will be compromised."
He made it sound so easy, but Nadia still felt sick as they raced through the streets. Screams and shouts came from all around. Buildings were on fire. Plasma rifle bursts filled the air with their greenish glow.
"Stop right there!" shouted a police officer, approaching them. "Everybody needs to get inside or face arrest."
They exchanged a glance with one another, then darted into the closest alley. The officer gave chase but didn't fire upon them. How long that would last, Nadia had no idea.
"You are under arrest!"
They ignored him, racing farther into the alley as it branched in all directions behind large buildings. A few cars sat behind the building, unoccupied for the moment. Could they steal one of these cars and get to the temple much more quickly.
No, the officer was too close behind them, and the streets were too crowded.
"Stop right now, or I'll shoot!"
Nadia and Markus both channeled magic through their TWs, erecting a shield that would protect them. Moments later, the officer followed through on his promise. The energy from his plasma rifle dissipated as soon as it struck the shield.
"I'll take care of him," Daniel said. He waved an arm, and a powerful blast of wind came from his fingertips. When the wind struck the officer, it sent him flying about five feet. He landed hard and struggled to get back to his feet.
"You could have really hurt him," Lara said.
"That's the least of my concerns," Daniel said as they reached the street at the other end of the alley network. "That man was prepared to kill us."
Lara didn't have an argument for that, so they continued running in silence. The streets had grown even more chaotic. Bodies pressed all around. People shouted and chanted. Those who didn't have weapons threw rocks at the police. The police responded with their plasma rifles. Anguished screams came from the crowd, and then they all descended on the officers.
Using the distraction, Nadia's party continued racing through the streets. At times, the crowd was so thick they could barely make any progress.
"How muc
h farther?" Nadia asked, growing short on breath. Somebody's plasma rifle discharge came within a foot of her. She flinched away from the heat, then turned back to see a pair of officers pursuing them. They did look suspicious, after all. Everyone else was rioting in the streets, and they were racing determinedly in the other direction.
Nadia and Markus both raised shields again. They couldn't hope to hit their pursuers in all this chaos, not without hurting innocent bystanders. So they continued forcing their way through the crowd—a task that grew more difficult by the second.
Somebody shoved Nadia to the ground. She hit the pavement hard, skinning her knees and elbows. When she tried to get back to her feet, she got shoved down again. The crowd had become much more violent, screaming and shouting and cursing the government.
"Somebody help me!" she shouted, but her words were lost amidst the din.
She tried to get to her feet again, then gave up and curled into a ball, holding her hands over her head and praying she wouldn't be trampled to death. When would the others realize she wasn't with them? She looked for them, but the press of bodies blocked her view.
"Markus!" she shouted. "Berig! Somebody!"
At last, there was a gap in the crowd. She bolted to her feet, peering through the hundreds of people, hoping she could spot her friends. Either they weren't nearby, or she just couldn't see them. She pressed forward, praying she was going the right direction. As she moved, she held her elbows out, shoving anyone who got too close.
Sweat drenched her forehead, and her heart pounded in her ears. She peered through the crowd again and again, moving against its flow, trying to ignore the screams and shouts. More and more plasma discharges passed through the crowd, striking people. She conjured a shield, praying it would protect her.
Where had the others gone?
She came up against a line of people pressed close together, moving opposite her direction. When she tried to push past them, they resisted. She couldn't appeal to them. In the chaos, they behaved more like animals than people.
For the next few minutes, she was forced to go the same direction as the crowd. She tried to make her way around the thickest parts, but whenever she thought she'd found an opening, it closed quickly. She cursed under her breath, continuing to fight against the current.
Then she heard it.
"Nadia!"
"Markus, I'm here."
"Nadia!"
She shouted for him again and again, but she'd never had all that strong of a voice. There was no way he could hear her over the crowd, and if she screamed for him, it would fade into the multitude of screams and shouts floating through the air.
"Nadia!"
She jumped and waved her hands, but she was too short to see over the crowd. Fighting down panic, she shoved through the crowd with all the determination she could muster. She maintained her shield as plasma rifle bursts whizzed through the air all around her.
Markus kept shouting for her, and she forced her way toward his voice. Then, at last, she saw him, waving his arms above the crowd. But he didn't see her. He was looking in another direction. She had to do something, and quickly.
It came to her in a flash of insight. She pointed her right palm straight up and unleashed a burst of lightning. It crackled in the sky, showing her position.
And sending the crowd into a panic.
Well, more of a panic.
Immediately, she hit the ground. People trampled her, terrified of the magic they'd just seen. She curled up again, covering her head and trying to be as small as possible. Some of the people stepped on her. Others missed her. She didn't see how she could get back up again. Every time she tried, the force of the crowd sent her back to the ground.
Somebody's foot collided with her nose, and she heard bones crack, accompanied by sharp pain. Blood flowed from her nose, landing on the pavement. She tried to stand again when she saw a break in the crowd, but now she felt woozy.
Another person's foot slammed against the side of her head, and she blacked out for a moment. When she came back to her senses, her head was screaming with pain. She tried to push herself to her feet, but a wave of dizziness washed over her.
She was going to die here, trampled to death by the crowd.
No. She could not fail like this, so senselessly. Trying to ignore the pain in her head, she focused on channeling magic through her TW. A great gust of wind came from her palms, scattering the crowd directly in front of her. She staggered to her feet.
Where were the others?
She kept the wind spell going, clearing a space around her. A few people hit the ground hard, but she didn't spare any time thinking about them. They'd become part of this chaotic mess, and if they got hurt in the process that was their fault. Her mission was too important to die here. She might regret her actions later, but right now she had to survive.
Markus appeared in front of her, and she raced toward him, nearly losing her balance when she was struck by another dizzy spell.
"Nadia, you look terrible," he said, offering his arm for support.
"That's not what you're supposed to say to the woman you love."
He smiled nervously. "It's good to see you still have your sense of humor."
"Where are the others?"
"In an alley up this way. Stay close to me."
Nadia clung to Markus's arm as they pushed through the crowd. It had grown a bit thinner, but the city was still a scene of utter chaos. Police were interspersed among the crowd, trying to rein them in, but they only succeeded in getting themselves hurt.
Nadia and Markus reached the alley and leaned against the sandy wall there, trying to catch their breath. The others looked as if they'd accumulated a few injuries themselves. Blood clung to their clothing. Whether it was theirs, she had no idea.
"This rebellion has gotten out of control," Nadia said, pinching her nose shut.
Markus put a hand on her face. "Let me see if I can heal that."
A few moments later, she felt her nose snap back into place. The pain there subsided, along with the pain on the side of her head.
"Thank you," she said. Blood still covered her face, but it was no longer flowing.
Daniel led them deeper into the alley. "We're almost there, but we've gotta wait till the army goes out to stop the crowd."
Markus shook his head slowly. "How many people are dying today so that we can get into this temple? It seems wrong to have them sacrifice so much for us."
"It isn't for us," Daniel said. "It's for the entire world."
Markus glared at him. "That doesn't matter. I still find it hard to stomach. Does our end goal justify the sacrifice of all these people?"
"Now is not the time for a philosophical discussion," Daniel said. "We need to move."
Markus opened his mouth as if to continue arguing, then decided against it. They made their way through the alley, growing farther from the worst of the riot. When they emerged on the next street, though, it had grown almost as packed with people.
In the distance, however, was the largest stone structure Nadia had ever seen. It was made entirely of sandy stone. A wide set of steps led up to its entrance, which was flanked by dozens of columns. Two cliffs stood on either side of the massive structure, making the stairs the only access route.
And those stairs were guarded. Dozens of black-clad soldiers stood there, hands resting on their plasma rifles as they watched the rioting crowd warily. Thus far, the crowd had not engaged them. Perhaps they were more terrified of the army than the police.
"We can't get past that many," Lara said.
"I'll handle that," Daniel said. He pointed his own plasma rifle toward the soldiers, waiting for a break in the crowd. As soon as one appeared, he fired. His blast struck one of the soldiers, and the man fell.
Lara glared at him. "I can't believe you just did that."
"These people are our enemies. They're Krinir's allies. They deserve it." Daniel glanced toward the soldiers. "We don't have time to argue right no
w."
A few of the soldiers retaliated, firing on the crowd, and that was the exact wrong thing to do. The rioters went into a rage, charging on the soldiers. Some of them kept firing. Others scattered. Nadia's party moved with the crowd, holding shields around themselves to absorb those rifle blasts that did strike them.
Soon they reached the steps. Only three soldiers remained, their eyes wide with fear. One of them kept firing and was overtaken by the crowd. The other two fled into the temple.
Using wind magic to make their way through the crowd, Nadia's party reached the entrance before the rest of the people. They darted inside, and then Daniel pulled a nearby lever. The stone entrance came crashing down. A few people barely backed out of the way in time.
Daniel smiled. "That worked about as well as we could have expected."
"If this is your idea of a plan going right," Berig said, "then I don't want to know what happens when your plans go wrong."
"Let's pray we never find out."
Chapter 50: The Power of Magic
Markus felt as if the walls of the Earth Temple were closing in on him, just like the crowd outside. He had no idea how he hadn't succumbed to panic, especially when they'd lost Nadia. And now two soldiers were somewhere in the temple. Would they attack Markus's party?
The corridors branched along for what felt like an eternity. Every time they rounded a corner, Markus's heart climbed into his throat. Step by step, he was headed toward something big—magic or death. The air smelled of dust and disuse, tickling his nostrils.
"Are there any kinds of monsters in this place?" he asked. "Or traps, or anything like that?" He shuddered at the thought. They'd endured enough already.
"No," Daniel said.
Nadia's face was pale. "But there are soldiers in here. Somewhere."
"We'll worry about them when the time comes," Lara said.
Markus was surprised at how easily Lara maintained a positive attitude, keeping her thoughts on the present concern. In some ways, she reminded him of the way Rik used to be.
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