They were not in the Shadowed Land. They stood at her side.
Her headache became excruciating, and her grasp of the Webs slipped away. She fell out of her chair, covered in sweat, feeling as if a spike were being driven into her head.
"You went too far into the future," Yasmin said. "That was spectacular for a first attempt at reading the Webs, but it will take a lot more practice before you can go as far as you want."
Nadia trembled as she got to her feet. "Thank you for giving me the chance."
"See anything useful?" Markus asked.
"Not really. The images were too scattered, like most of the visions I used to get." But not the most important vision, she reminded herself. She could still recall every detail of the events leading to her mother's death, still wished she could have changed the future.
And perhaps it had been possible. If her visions were related to the Webs of Fate, then perhaps she was merely seeing a high probability strands. Perhaps she could have taken her mother on a different path, avoiding the Imperial Guards.
No. She couldn't think like that. The past was the past. She couldn't change it.
"Are you satisfied now?" Yasmin asked. "Are you ready for your mission?"
"I think so," Nadia said, but she didn't feel ready.
They returned to the secret tunnels through the same alley where they'd exited them before. Once inside, they followed the series of walkways down to the main platform, guided by the blue glow of the chamber's electrical lights.
Whirring and clanking noises filled the air. Somewhere in here, they would find the Machine, and destroy it. Nadia felt trepidation at the thought. She saw the same look in the eyes of Markus, Berig, and Lara. Even Daniel appeared uncertain.
"Follow me," he said. "I know the way."
They walked in a direction they hadn't gone before, growing closer to the unsettling noises filling the chamber. When they reached a stone wall, they skirted its edges, moving along a walkway that had no railings. Nadia tried not to look down, but she still felt dizzy.
Markus put a hand on her shoulder. "You okay?"
"I'm trying not to think about falling."
Markus chuckled without humor. "Yeah, it's a good thing Rik isn't here."
As soon as he said Rik's name, his expression became pained.
"I saw Rik in the Webs," Nadia said. "And Kara. They were with us."
"Really?"
"I don't know how," she said, "but I think we have a good chance of seeing them again. We just have to focus on getting through this place." Of course, that was a task easier said than done. Nadia felt as if the pressure of the task were crushing her. It didn't matter how many deep breaths she took, or how much she willed herself to relax. Nothing helped.
Soon they reached the chamber's far end. Nothing had threatened them, but Nadia's skin prickled as if sensing unseen danger. Here, they entered a narrowed corridor illuminated by blue electrical lights—an eerie glow that made her feel on edge.
"I really don’t like this place," Berig said softly, scanning their surroundings for threats. As they walked through the corridor, the clunking and whirring sounds grew louder.
"Is that the Machine?" Nadia asked, praying they were close.
"I think so," Daniel said. "It's massive. I've seen it before, but I've never gotten close enough to destroy it. Those undead soldiers are in the way."
"I'm not so worried about undead soldiers," Berig said. "I'm worried about the living kind." His gaze remained fixed on the path ahead of them. Nadia imagined that he'd honed his skills of observation in his former life as thief, and she was glad to have him on their side.
She was happy to have all of them. Markus because he loved her and would always protect her. Berig for his skills as a thief and his generally friendly nature. Lara for her determined attitude, which reminded Nadia of her own.
They reached the end of the corridor, and in front of them was another vast chamber. At its far end was the largest object Nadia had ever seen. It glowed so many colors she couldn't even begin to describe it. It had to stretch from one side of the chamber to another. There were computers all over it, as well as all kinds of levers and buttons.
The whirring and clanking was louder than ever. Daniel pointed at the object. "That's the Machine."
Between them and the Machine were two problems. First, the empire's soldiers guarded the way, dressed in their black uniforms and pointing plasma rifles at the party. Far at the other side of the chamber, beyond a series of elevated walkways, the undead soldiers waited for them. They were normal statues for the moment, but that would change.
"Put your hands in the air," commanded one of the soldiers.
None of them had any intention of doing so. Daniel made a sweeping motion with his arm, and a gust of wind blew across the chamber, striking the soldiers. As soon as the wind hit them, they began firing, but Markus, Nadia, Berig, and Lara had already raised shields with their TWs. The rifle bursts didn't even come close to penetrating their shield.
"I still don't think they know what this place is," Daniel said, advancing on the soldiers. "They would have sent more soldiers."
There had to be close to fifty soldiers, and they were blocking the route to the Machine. Perhaps they did know what it was. Perhaps there were more soldiers defending the Machine. Or perhaps they didn't know of Markus's ability to control the undead soldiers.
Too many uncertainties.
"I see another walkway to our left," Lara said. "We should go that way. It's better than trying to fight our way past all the soldiers."
Daniel nodded, keeping his wind spell going. It held the soldiers off, but it didn't appear strong enough to send them into the abyss. As Nadia and the others ran, they maintained shields around themselves. Plasma rifle bursts struck the shield. With each impact, Nadia worried their shield wouldn't hold. A shield could only stand up to so much.
She remembered that fact all too well, thinking back to their fight with the Defender.
They raced along the walkway, dodging rifle bursts. Some of the soldiers followed behind them, growing closer, their blasts making more and more of a dent in the invisible barrier surrounding the party. Their shield wouldn't hold much longer.
Daniel appeared to recognize this. "I'll hold them off. You need to keep going."
"But they'll kill you!" Lara said.
"Plasma rifles can't kill me. They aren't magic." Daniel faced the soldiers, conjuring a massive wall of fire, which he sent toward the soldiers. They backed away, firing their weapons. He grunted when the blasts hit him, but he kept his fire spell going.
Then the explosion happened. The force of it sent Nadia flying, and the walkway made a horrible groaning sound. Bits of debris flew through the air. She hit the ground hard, dazed and confused. Then the walkway groaned again, falling beneath her. She scrabbled for purchase but couldn't find anything to hold as she slid closer and closer to the edge.
"Nadia, grab my hand!" It was Markus.
She reached up, but the smoke was so thick she couldn't see anything. Her ears were ringing. Panic flared in her chest as she felt her legs dangling off the edge of the walkway. Its slope had only grown steeper. She tried again to grab something, but she kept sliding.
"Markus, where are you?"
His voice came from a few feet in front of her. "I'm right here. Grab my hand!"
At last, her vision cleared. Through the smoke, she could just make out Markus. He was dangerously close to the downward slant of the walkway. The entire walkway was swaying alarmingly, groaning with every movement it made.
Closer to the edge. Nadia tried to grab the railing, but her palms were slick with sweat.
No. She couldn't die like this. Somehow, she found strength she didn't know she possessed. Despite the sweat, one hand clamped around the railing. The other found Markus's hand. He tried to pull her up, but she continued sliding, taking him with her.
Her stomach lurched. Sheer terror tightened its talons upon her chest.
She flailed her legs uselessly, too much of her body hanging over the vast chasm.
"I won't let you go, Nadia," Markus said. He grunted with exertion as he lifted her. She gave him as much help as she could, pulling on the railing, but her arms felt as if they couldn't help at all.
Just when she thought she'd make it, the sweat coating their palms became too much. She slipped out of his grip, sure she would fall to her death. But then she managed to get both hands around the railing. Though the walkway swayed, she was safe for the moment.
But then searing heat slammed against her left shoulder. The shock of the pain caused her hands to release their grip on the railings. Belatedly, she realized one of the soldiers had hit her with a plasma rifle burst. Not that it mattered. She was going to die.
She looked into Markus's eyes one last time before she fell.
Chapter 54: The Machine
Markus could only watch as Nadia plummeted into the chasm. He'd failed her. So focused on pulling her up, he'd forgotten to shield her from the rifle blasts. She was going to die now, and it was his fault. Maybe he should leap off the bridge and join her in death.
"Come on, Markus. We've gotta go." Berig's voice sounded distant, as if it belonged to another world. As far as Markus was concerned, there was no reason to live, not without Nadia.
For some reason, though, he let Berig and Lara tug him across the walkway. He moved in a daze, barely registering the plasma bursts colliding with their shields. Somehow, he was keeping his shield going, but he didn't know how. He didn't care.
All that mattered was Nadia, and she was dead.
"Markus, you gotta stay with us," Berig said, gripping Markus's shoulders. "There's nothing we can do for Nadia, but we've still got a Machine to destroy. We need you."
Plasma blasts flew all around, illuminating the air with their brilliant blue and purple. It was almost beautiful. If only one of them hadn't taken Nadia from him.
Berig tugged at Markus's arm. "We're nothing but targets here."
"Nadia." It was all Markus could say, all Markus could think about.
"We can mourn her later," Lara said. "We have a mission."
"She's right," Berig said, dragging Markus along the swaying walkway. "Would Nadia want you to give up like this? No, she'd tell you to keep going. That's the kind of person she is."
There was truth in Berig's words.
"You're right," Markus said. "We have a mission." He staggered a bit as he broke free from Berig's grip. Perhaps, if Markus focused on the moment, he could put Nadia out of his mind. Still, the image seemed as if it had been seared into his vision.
She'd fallen so gracefully.
Markus felt lost in a fog as they raced across the bridge, launching spells at the soldiers, shielding themselves from the soldiers' attacks. A few times, rifle blasts seemed to penetrate their shields, but none struck them. They continued across the walkway, intent on their goal.
Nothing would stop them now.
At last, they reached the end of the walkway and returned to the main platform. Unfortunately, more soldiers were waiting for them. Bursting with anger, Markus swept his arm in front of him. A moment later, the ground beneath the soldiers trembled. They fired their rifles toward Markus's party, but the quake threw their aim off.
"Where's Daniel?" Markus asked.
"He fell, too," Lara said.
While Markus kept the quake going, amazed at the power he held, Berig and Lara launched bursts of lightning at the soldiers. Their TWs were powerful, but not powerful enough to handle this many soldiers.
Markus glanced to his left, where the undead soldiers stood. They looked much like the ones he'd commanded in Woodsville, though they also carried magical staffs.
Could these statues be channelers like Rik?
Markus focused on the statues. Can you hear me?
Yes, we can.
Then attack the New Earth Empire soldiers.
It will be as you wish, Death Speaker.
All at once, the undead soldiers came to life. They marched across the stone platform with remarkable speed, sending their magic at the army. Fire rushed through the air. Lightning crackled. Powerful gusts of wind sent soldiers toppling over the edge of the platform.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Markus led their party to the area the soldiers had vacated. The Machine stood just beyond, filling the entire chamber, glowing every color imaginable. Markus stared at it with no idea what to do.
"How do we destroy it?" he asked.
Lara shook her head. "I have no idea."
* * * * *
Nadia plummeted into the dark abyss. She didn't scream, didn't call out for help. There was no point. She was going to die, and there was nothing she could do about it. The light from above had faded. She had no idea how far it was to the ground, or if the ground even existed.
All she could think about was the look she'd seen in Markus's eyes. Pure devastation.
How would he manage without her?
As she fell, the chamber grew a little brighter. She glanced down, seeing the floor below, preparing herself for her inevitable death.
But it didn't come. Instead, she felt a great wind swirling beneath her. When she looked down, she saw that she was floating atop a whirlwind that slowly lowered her to the ground. A few moments later, she hit with a gentle thud. As she got to her feet, she looked into Daniel's eyes. She didn't think there was any way to thank him properly.
"Thank you," she said. Inadequate, but she couldn't think of nothing else. "Where are we?"
"I didn't even know there was anything down here," he said. "Perhaps there's a way back up, but it won't be easy." He glanced at her shoulder. "You all right?"
Her shoulder burned where the rifle burst had struck it. "I'll be fine. It hurts, but it's my left shoulder. I can manage without full use of it."
They walked across the vast stone floor, searching for any way back to the rest of the party. Occasionally, a flash of light came from above, but most of them were so dim they seemed to belong to another world.
Nadia's chest tightened. What if they were stuck down here forever?
The thought of starving to death chilled her.
They found their salvation in the far corner of the chamber.
"It's an elevator," Daniel said. "It should take us back up."
Nadia glanced at the stone platform, at the buttons on the wall beside it. It had no railing, and it looked as if it could throw them off easily. But what choice did they have? She took a deep breath and stepped onto the elevator. Daniel pressed one of the buttons on the wall, and the elevator lifted off the ground, rising slowly toward whatever was happening above.
* * * * *
Markus gazed at the Machine, trying to figure out how to destroy it. The undead soldiers remained engaged with the New Earth Empire soldiers, but the battle wouldn't last much longer.
Dead soldiers lay scattered about the floor, their bodies burned, twisted, and mangled. Markus shuddered to think he had ordered this, but it was necessary. They had to destroy the Machine, had to stop Krinir from using the empire's technology to destroy the world.
Soon none of the soldiers remained standing.
We have defeated the enemy, Death Speaker. What are your orders?
Can you destroy the Machine?
Is that what you wish us to do?
Yes, Markus told them. Destroy the machine.
It will be done, Death Speaker. You should leave now. Once we start destroying the Machine, you will have only a few minutes to escape this place.
I understand, Markus told them. Thank you.
It is an honor to serve you, Death Speaker. There are so few of your kind.
Markus turned to Berig and Lara. "We need to escape this place. The undead soldiers, statues—whatever you want to call them—they're going to destroy the Machine. But once they start destroying it, this place will be destroyed alongside it."
"Then let's get outta here," Berig said, eyes wide.
If only Nadia could escape with him.
* * * * *
The elevator stopped, and Nadia stepped onto the adjacent platform, her legs wobbly beneath her. The Machine was close, glowing so many colors she almost felt sick. When she looked toward it, she saw the undead soldiers attacking it.
"They're destroying it," Daniel said. "Of course."
"Where are Markus and the others?"
Daniel pointed. "I see them over there. They're running."
Nadia's stomach churned. "Why would they be running?"
"Because the Machine is very powerful. Do you think you can destroy it with no consequences? If I had to guess, I'd say those soldiers told Markus to run." His face looked pale. "We should probably do the same."
They took off, following the path Markus and the others had taken, dodging the twisted and burned bodies of New Earth Empire soldiers. Soon they reached the small corridor between the two open areas. Behind them, the machine emitted a high-pitched whine.
Nadia didn't like that sound.
They reached the other side of the corridor, returning to the main portion of the chamber. Markus and the others were already on the walkways leading toward the exit. The whining grew louder and more terrifying, followed by a shriek, then a terrible hiss.
An alarm blared in the chamber, and electrical lights flashed red. The longer they ran, the louder the alarm became, assaulting their ears. Nadia felt as if the sound alone could send her to her knees, but she kept running. She could not die, not after she'd survived so much.
Not when she loved Markus the way she did.
Her legs burned, but she kept running. They reached the walkway, following it up, then down, then up again. The exit grew closer, but would they reach it in time? The alarm and sounds of the machine had grown to a deafening roar, driving spikes into Nadia's head. She had not completely recovered from reading the Webs of Fate, and now it felt as if these sounds would kill her. Feeling sick to her stomach, she kept running. She had to escape. Had to.
World in Chains- The Complete Series Page 129