Lines of robots were positioned along the roof, each robot standing about ten feet tall. At the ends of their arms were openings that would unleash some kind of energy weapon. Rik wasn't sure how much shielding he could do. He was exhausted.
For the moment, these robots didn't move.
"Are we just going to the edge and jumping off?" Rik asked.
Markus shook his head. "I'm not sure I can make the whirlwind to save us."
Nadia and Lara exchanged anxious glances. Rik could read the truth in their eyes. Neither one of them believed they could conjure a strong enough whirlwind to save them. Though they didn't stand near the edge of the roof, Rik could see that they were well above the mountains forming the outer edges of the Empire.
"We must have gone back in time," he said.
"I know," Nadia said. "Krinir must have taken the entire fortress back in time."
"But how're we getting off the fortress," Klint said. "Most of us have some wind magic, but Markus is the only one who could be powerful enough."
"And that won't happen right now," Markus said.
"I don't think we'll get much of a chance to wait," Garet said. "The robots are moving."
Rik watched in horror as the robots closed in on them. They pointed their energy weapons at the party, and Rik conjured a shield instinctively. Blue light burst forth from the robots' arms, and for a terrifying moment, Rik was sure his shield wouldn't stop these attacks.
But the shield did hold as the robots pummeled it with more and more energy.
Klint and Lara both unleashed lightning at the robots. Their spells collided with one another, and a great crack split the air. Two of the robots jerked a few times, then fell still.
"Good!" Klint said. "We can beat the bastards."
While Rik kept his shield going, the party moved forward, crossing the flat expanse of the fortress's roof. They blasted away robot after robot, but more of them were swarming. The numbers were too great, and Rik could already feel the strain of casting his shield.
"Klint, take over the shield!" Rik shouted. "I can't hold it much longer." They switched places seamlessly, and Rik joined Lara in sending blasts of lightning at every robot coming toward them. But the numbers were overwhelming. Dozens of the robots marched toward them at once, assaulting the shield with their energy weapons.
Already, Klint was shaking with the effort of holding the shield.
"We'll both hold the shield!" Rik shouted. "There are too many to fight."
"I'll shield us as well," Lara said. Together, the three of them shielded the entire party, but even their combined strength wouldn't last forever. The energy beams bounced off the shield. A couple of them struck the robots on the rebound. A burning smell filled the air.
But they did reach the edge of the roof, where Rik could finally look down at the ground far below. His stomach lurched, for they were even higher than he'd thought. The trees of the forest far below looked to be miles away.
Rik glanced at Markus. "Please tell me you've recovered enough."
"I don't think I have."
"As I see it," Klint said, "we don't have much of a choice."
Rik turned around to see dozens of the robots all converging on their location. The magical shield would hold against their energy weapons, but once the robots reached the party's location, it would be all too easy to shove them off the fortress.
Rik's heart pounded, and sweat poured down his face. He glanced around, looking for some solution, but nothing came to him.
Come on, Rik. Time for another crazy plan.
He glanced down and saw another hatch at his feet. "Back into the fortress! Follow me!"
"Let me open it," Garet said. "You need to hold the shield in place."
Sweat poured into Rik's eyes. He wasn't sure how much longer he could continue casting the shield. Lara's and Klint's eyes held the same fear.
Garet pried the hatch open. Nadia, Markus, and Tylen dropped through first, followed by Lara and then Klint. Now only Rik and Garet remained atop the fortress, and Rik's shield had maybe a few seconds more.
But Garet didn't have any. One of the robots had circled around behind him. It grabbed him with its huge arms. Rik could only watch, feeling powerless as the robot launched Garet off the edge of the fortress. Garet did not scream as he plummeted. If anything, he looked as if he accepted his fate right then.
But Rik couldn't watch any longer. One of the robots was only a foot from him. Heart pounding, he ducked through the hatch, and then he slammed it closed behind him. The robots pounded on the hatch, but it appeared they didn't know how to open it.
In his haste to enter the fortress, Rik slipped on the ladder. His stomach lurched as he fell, and he hit the ground hard, twisting his ankle. He was back on his feet quickly, though.
"Where's Garet?" Klint asked.
Rik's throat felt tight. "One of the robots got him."
Klint's expression sank. "I'm sorry to hear that. I liked him."
"Just another murder to add to Krinir's list," Markus said. His voice sounded stronger than it had since he'd awoken. Perhaps he was regaining his strength.
They would find the time to mourn Garet's death later. For now, they had a fortress to escape, and it seemed they were farther now from doing that. They stood in an empty corridor illuminated by blue electrical lights.
"Where now?" Rik asked.
"I'll lead the way," Tylen said.
They followed him through twisting corridors. From time to time, they came upon a small robot or two, which they blasted aside with ease. Soon they were heading deep into the bowels of the fortress again. Rik was glad that Tylen apparently knew where he was going.
Eventually, they came to a more open chamber with massive windows. Toward the front of the chamber, there were multiple computers, as well as some levers. Rik thought the chamber was deserted at first, but then he spotted a man in a nearby chair.
It was Krinir.
"So you're still alive," Krinir said. "You're more resourceful than I thought." He gave them a chilling smile. "It seems my daughter is no longer with you. How sad."
Rik clenched a hand around his staff. "Shut up, you bastard!"
"Is that the best you have? I've been called much worse." Krinir rose from the chair, gazing at them as if studying them. "You know, I think it's been long enough now that I can break the promise I made earlier." He laughed softly. "Though I'm rarely a man of my word at any rate. Can't have you interfering with my plans anymore. Nothing personal, of course.""
Krinir pointed a finger at Rik. Though Rik instinctively cast a shield, he knew it would not save him. But then Markus stepped between Rik and Krinir. Krinir tried to lower his finger, but it was too late.
The wave of darkness raced toward Markus.
Rik's shield might have absorbed some of the spell's blow, but Markus still flew backward, hitting the ground hard. Opposite him, however, Krinir also fell backward.
The god lay still on the metallic grates that made up the floor.
"Is he dead?" Klint asked, taking a tentative step closer to Krinir.
"I doubt it," Rik said, and kneeled at Markus's side. Markus's eyes were open, and though his expression had twisted in agony, he looked alive. "Markus, why'd you do that?"
Markus coughed up blood. "I'm the Restorer now. In a sense, I'm a god. Lionar told me that gods can't try to kill one another. It's a contradiction. It makes him vulnerable."
"Then we should kill him while we have the chance," Nadia said.
But Krinir's eyes were already fluttering open. "That's not going to happen. You may have weakened me, but that is all."
Krinir was moving slowly, and Rik thought he had a chance now. He pulled his axe from his back and swung it in a wide arc, aiming for Krinir's neck. The god's eyes went wide moments before the axe struck. Rik's swing was powerful enough to sever Krinir's neck in one stroke. Klint picked up the severed head.
Beheading Krinir wouldn't kill him. Rik remembered that from th
eir battle in the Library of Luminia. But it would hopefully buy them some time to escape.
Rik raced toward the computers and levers at the front of the chamber. He had to do something, and quickly. One of these controls had to take the fortress down lower. He glanced frantically at Nadia. "Got any ideas?"
She surveyed the instruments quickly, then pointed to one lever. "I think it's this one. Somebody labeled it with the word altitude. That refers to height."
Rik pulled the lever down without hesitation, and knew immediately that he'd done something. The fortress gave a mighty heave, and when he looked out the window, he saw them descending. He couldn't believe it. It had worked.
But then Krinir's head flew out of Klint's arms and reattached itself to Krinir's body in only a few moments. Krinir's expression had twisted with anger. Even if he wasn't at full strength, he could still kill them all.
Markus stepped between Krinir and the rest of the party. With a great gust of wind, Krinir sent Markus flying. This time he must not have intended to kill Markus, whom he'd sent flying into a wall. Markus's back slammed against the wall, and he hit the ground limply.
No time to worry about him. Krinir was advancing on the party, hatred in his eyes.
Rik had nothing left. No shields. No fire. Nothing.
A quick glance at the others revealed that they were just as exhausted.
Well, it was fun while it lasted, Rik thought, preparing himself for death. He wasn't sure he was ready, but he couldn't do anything about that now. Krinir continued toward them, menace in his every step, and pointed his fingers at them, gathering a spell that would surely kill all of them in one swift blow.
But then a whirlwind formed around Krinir, lifting him into the air. When it released him, it sent him flying through the window of the fortress. The window shattered into thousands of pieces, showering the party in broken glass.
Rik felt dozens of small cuts, but he didn't care. They had survived Krinir again, at least for the moment. Off to the left, Markus lay against the wall, blinking slowly.
He coughed up blood again. "Guess I had one more spell in me."
Nadia glared at him. "You are not allowed to die on me."
More coughs. More blood. "Unless you've got a Miracle Fruit handy, I don't think I've got much longer." He blinked away tears. "Sorry, Nadia."
She was about to say something, but then a great tremor shook the fortress. They were colliding with something. Tops of trees were breaking off, tumbling into the fortress. They all covered their heads amidst the onslaught as the fortress continued rocking violently.
It slammed against tree after tree, but eventually it did come to a stop.
Mist curled in the air, and the air was dark and eerie. Shivers went down Rik's spine. What had happened to the bright and sunny day of moments ago?
"Are we back in the future?" he asked, starting at the dark sky, at the skeletal trees towering over them. More of the mist filtered its way into the fortress.
"No, we're not in the future," Nadia said. "We're in the Ghost Forest."
Part III
Severing the Threads
Chapter 45: From Light to Darkness
Theo sat at a table in the dining chamber of the Tower of Light. Across from him was his old friend Wes Glenn, the former commander of the Crayden contingent of Imperial Guards. After the city's destruction, he'd drifted from post to post, but now he'd taken a leading role in the Imperial Guards occupying Luminia.
"You sure you don't wanna end your retirement?" Wes asked.
"I'm getting old," Theo said, though he was younger than Wes by a few years.
"I'm sure you could get back into shape."
"I could," Theo said, "but I'm not sure it's worth it. I know how deeply you love what you do as an Imperial Guard. It never felt that way for me."
Wes swallowed a bite of food. "Understandable. You were forced into it after all."
"I do support Warrick, though. You have to know that."
Wes nodded. "You wouldn't be here if you didn't support him."
Theo wasn't so sure about that, but he kept his doubts to himself. In truth, he had no idea what Warrick saw in him or why Warrick had ignored so many instances of disobedience. Perhaps it was the battle Warrick waged against Krinir every day. Sometimes, he did as Krinir wanted, but when Warrick was in control, he understood why people might hesitate to support him with all their hearts. Anyone who couldn't understand that was lost.
Theo had seen too much goodness out of Warrick to believe the emperor had reached that point. At times, Theo had experienced his doubts, especially after Crayden. But now that he understood the identity and nature of their true enemy, he had to support Warrick with everything he had.
"You look like you're thinking deep thoughts," Wes said.
"Oh, it's nothing. Just trying to figure out the crazy world we live in."
Wes chuckled. "Aren't we all?"
Theo hesitated to ask his next question. Wes had always been a friend, and Theo didn't want to lose that friendship, didn't want to risk exposing his own true beliefs.
After a deep breath, he said, "Do you support Krinir as well?"
Wes considered for a few moments. "Well, I'm not exactly sure. Before the last few weeks, I didn't even know who Krinir was. I'm still not entirely sure who he is, and I'm not close enough to Warrick for him to explain everything to me."
Theo smiled faintly. "I don't think any of us are that close to him. But he has shared some of his thoughts with me. And you have to know that he is fighting against Krinir. Krinir has been controlling Warrick to some extent for most of his life."
"Why?"
"Because Krinir is insane. He wants to see the world destroyed."
Wes chuckled again. "If I didn't know you to be a rational man, I'd think you were exaggerating things. But I see it in your eyes. You believe every word you're telling me." He stroked his clean-shaven chin. "To tell you the truth, I've had my own doubts about Krinir. I saw some of what he could do when we took the city. It was terrifying."
Theo's food sat on his plate, ignored for the moment. He didn't have much of an appetite to begin with, and now this conversation had taken hold of him. Around the dining chamber, the general clamor of voices shielded their words from anyone trying to listen.
"I'm still trying to understand," Wes said. "What do you mean when you say Krinir has been controlling Warrick? Are you saying we've been following a madman?"
"Not exactly." Theo leaned against the wooden table. "Most of the time, Warrick's in control. Recently, I think he's been entirely in control. But Krinir has some kind of hold on him. Whether it's through mind control or just guiding the Webs of Fate, Krinir always seems to be one step ahead of everyone else. Including Warrick."
Wes ran a hand through his graying hair. "This is all hard to take in."
Theo couldn't blame Wes for his doubts. Just a few months ago, Theo would have felt the same way, but now he knew the truth and had to share it. The second Great War was coming, and Krinir would win if no one stood in his way.
"It's all true," Theo said, worried he wasn't convincing his old friend. "Warrick told me so himself. There are a few of us that he's told a lot. I'm not sure what he expects from us, but he has his plans. That's the way he is."
"I trust your judgment," Wes said.
"But you're not sure you believe me?"
"As I said, it's a bit hard to believe what you're telling me. Of course, now that I'm here in the fabled City of Light, it's easier to believe that anything might be possible. Maybe this Krinir is a god. Maybe he's controlling everything. Maybe he even wants to destroy the world."
"What can I say that will convince you?" Theo asked. "Surely you've seen a difference in Warrick in recent days. He's broken free from Krinir. He's his own man now."
"It's difficult for me to notice. As I said, I don't spend as much time with Warrick as you do. In all honesty, I'd be terrified if I did."
Theo recalled that feeling al
l too well. Before the last few weeks, he had always feared Warrick. Deep down, that fear remained, but it wasn't as strong. Now Theo recognized Warrick as a flawed human being with good intentions. Sometimes his tactics were brutal. But if he was telling the truth, they were necessary.
"I need to get back to my patrol," Wes said.
"Of course. You're down by the Light Temple, aren't you?"
"Yeah, there's this passage down there. I have no idea where it goes. Well, one path goes to the temple, but no one likes to take the other path. You can feel the evil there." He shuddered. "I don't like guarding that passage at all."
Theo rose from his wooden chair. "I'll have to ask Warrick if he knows anything about that passage. This whole place is a mystery to me."
"Can't argue there."
Theo and Wes went their separate ways. Though Theo wasn't sure he'd convinced Wes, he still believed Wes was his friend. That was good enough for him.
He made his way to Warrick's chambers, hoping Warrick could tell him something about this passage Wes had mentioned. When he reached Warrick's chambers, the door stood open. Thinking Warrick was inside, Theo entered.
But no one was there. That was strange. Normally, Warrick didn't leave his door open. He was a secretive man.
Theo stepped hesitantly into Warrick's chambers, which featured the same elegant and warm furnishings of the rest of the Tower of Light. Curtains had been drawn over the windows, blocking most of the city's blinding white light.
At the far end of the chamber, near the desk at which Warrick normally worked, the chair was turned away from the desk. Finding this odd, Theo approached. A piece of paper sat folded on the chair. Theo leaned close and examined it.
His name was on the paper.
This couldn't be good.
He unfolded the paper and read and felt once again as if Warrick could read minds.
Theo,
If you are reading this, it means that I am not here and that I will not be in control much longer. When I return, Krinir will have a hold on me. You will be in danger. It would be best if you left, and I know where you must go.
World in Chains- The Complete Series Page 165