World in Chains- The Complete Series

by Ryan W. Mueller

  Kara placed her hands on his shoulders, not caring that he was a god. "What do you see? Please, there has to be some way we can defeat Krinir."

  "The stones are all here," Rador said. "If we can make them strong enough with the Source, we might be able to stop Krinir." He began pacing, his movements frantic. "We can't kill him. I think I can see that much. But we can imprison him." He slapped a hand to his forehead. "Of course! The time travel. Warrick has two Stones of Creation in his possession. If we can enhance the strength of those stones, I think he can channel enough power through them to create a prison for Krinir." His pacing became more frantic. "But we're in a very dangerous situation. Krinir can also use the Source to enhance his Stone of Destruction."

  Kara didn't need an explanation to know that would be a very bad outcome. "So what we have to do is get to Warrick. Is he free from Krinir's control?"

  "I'm not sure how it happened, but he is free."

  "Then we have to help him," she said. "Come on!" They both took off through the corridors of the fortress, sprinting so fast that all the beautiful decorations flew by in a blur. Soon they reached the entrance to the fortress. When they emerged on the shattered plateau, they found two armies facing off against one another.

  Magic of all kinds flew through the air, striking people on both sides, zooming in every direction. Some people hit the ground, probably dead. Others scrambled out of the way of spells.

  But Kara wasn't worried about the armies. Her gaze swiveled off to her left, where Krinir faced off against Warrick on a peninsula of black rock jutting above the rivers of lava. Others stood at Warrick's side, and Kara's heart leapt.

  Nadia was there.

  Kara raced forward. Rador shouted warnings at her, but she barely heard them. Blood pounded in her ears, growing stronger with each step she took across the barren landscape. She approached Krinir from behind. A spell flew toward her. She felt its heat against her back, but Rador must have cast a shield just in time, deflecting the spell.

  She wove Red and Orange within her, unleashing a wave of fire, which she sent at Krinir. He must have felt the spell coming, for he ceased his assault on Nadia, Warrick, and the others. He turned to face Kara, casting a shield, but Kara knew from experience that her spell would break through that shield.

  And it did. The fire slammed against Krinir, knocking him backward, enveloping him in fire. He screamed as the flames consumed him, but he didn't stay down long. Like Warrick had done once before, Krinir sent a great wave of water at himself, extinguishing the flames.

  But Kara wasn't done. She wove Red and Yellow, sending a field of lightning at Krinir. The spell crackled around him, and he screamed again. Kara kept the spell going, knowing she had the upper hand. But that didn't last long.

  Krinir sent a wave of darkness at her. Reflexively, she let her own spell die. She knew she could not shield herself against the spell, but Warrick and Rador stepped closer to protect her, both of them casting shields, which stopped Krinir's spell at the last moment.

  Krinir's flood of water had slowed to more of a slow trickle by the time it reached Kara, Warrick, and Krinir. But that flood contained something she hadn't expected. Floating along the surface of the water was a small black stone.

  The Stone of Destruction. Kara ducked low, praying that Warrick and Rador could hold the shield around her, and scooped up the stone.

  With it in her hands, she looked for Nadia and the others. They had vanished into the fray. The two armies of sorcerers had met, and spells were flying everywhere. Kara kept looking for her friends, but she couldn't see them anywhere.

  However, she did have the Stone of Destruction. It must have been knocked loose when Krinir extinguished the flames around him.

  "I have the Stone of Destruction!" she shouted to Warrick and Rador.

  "I don't know how it will interact with your magic," Rador said. "Be careful."

  "Are you saying I can use it?"

  "I have no idea," Rador said as he and Warrick continued to hold the shield around them.

  Well, there was no point standing around and asking questions. She wove Red and Yellow again, directing her weave through the stone she held. The stone turned from black to orange for a moment, and the lightning that burst forth from it was more powerful than she ever could have expected. It zoomed across the barren landscape, enveloping Krinir.

  As it closed in on him, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small blue stone. A moment later, he vanished.

  And a moment after that, Kara felt blistering heat against her palm. She dropped the Stone of Destruction, and when it hit the ground, it shattered into dozens of pieces.

  The contradiction in her magic had destroyed the Stone of Destruction.

  And Krinir had teleported away from the battle. Where had he gone?

  Chapter 68: Beneath the Fortress

  Kara stared at the broken pieces of the Stone of Destruction, amazed that she had destroyed such an old and powerful magical artifact.

  "Well, now we know what happens when your magic interacts with one of the stones," Rador said, staring sadly at the broken pieces of the stone. The battle raged on nearby, but none of the spells were flying directly toward them. In fact, everyone was so consumed by the battle that they hadn't noticed Krinir's departure.

  Warrick stepped to Kara's side, his eyes wide as he gazed at the stone.

  "Darien Warrick, you're just the man I wanted to see," Rador said. "I think I've figured out a way to imprison Krinir. We can't hope to defeat him, but we can create a prison for him, and since you're the Creator, you stand the best chance of creating that prison."

  Warrick nodded. "All right, what do I have to do?"

  "You need to follow me," Rador said. "Deep beneath this fortress, there is a machine that we call the Source. It can strengthen the two Stones of Creation that you possess, as well as the Stone of Restoration that Markus holds. With this added strength, you should be able to craft a prison that will hold Krinir, at least for a time."

  Kara's stomach churned. "And what happens when the prison fails?"

  "That's where you come in," Rador said. "As a Traveler, you can open gateways between worlds. You can also destroy them. If you destroy the gateway that links this world to your own world, it will prevent Krinir from ever returning. He will be stuck here."

  A fire spell surged toward them, but Warrick's shield held strong.

  "There's something you aren't telling me," Kara said.

  Rador grimaced. "You're not going to like this. You must destroy the gateway from this side. It's the way that such gateways work. You can only destroy a gateway from a world that is not your own. That is meant to discourage their destruction because, once you destroy the gateway, you will never be able to return home. No one will be able to Travel to or from your world. Do you understand me?"

  A chill ran through Kara. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

  "I'm afraid so. There is no other way. I helped design the gateway system back when this world was a much different place. Perhaps it could be changed, but we don't have time for that."

  "I'll do it," Kara said. She knew exactly what she was sacrificing. She would never see Nadia again. She would never return home. But she didn't have a home anymore. A strange thought tugged at her now. She wouldn't see Warrick again.

  Perhaps she had come to love him.

  "You are a brave and selfless young woman," Rador said. "When I first set eyes on you in the God Realm, I knew you would be special."

  "We shouldn't get ahead of ourselves," Kara said. "We still have a lot of work to do." She glanced toward the battle, searching for Nadia and the others. "We need to find our friends first."

  She ran toward the battle while Warrick held the shield in place around her. The sheer amount of magic flying back and forth was awe-inspiring. The air was alive with it. Great quakes threatened to knock her off her feet. Floods of water swept through the armies, breaking the concentration of sorcerers and giving their
opponents a chance to land killing blows.

  The first person Kara found was Theo. He had jumped into the fray, slashing and stabbing anyone who got close. Most of them were immortal sorcerers, so all he could do was slow them down. That didn't keep him from fighting, though.

  "Theo!" Warrick shouted, and Theo turned. Rador sent blasts of wind at the people around them, sending them scattering.

  Theo broke through the gap, joining them. "Something I can help with?"

  "I don't know," Warrick said, "but you aren't doing much good here."

  Theo chuckled. "Yeah, I guess not."

  Two more people joined them. Kara turned to see Rik and another man carrying a staff.

  Rik turned to the man. "Hey, Klint, looks like we found some friends."

  "Have you seen Nadia anywhere," Kara asked Rik.

  He glanced around. "She, Markus, and Lara are somewhere in the middle of the battle."

  "Well, we need to find them," Kara said. They raced toward where the fighting was the thickest. Kara doubted they'd find Nadia and the others amidst the chaos, but her intuition told her they would need their help. Markus had the Stone of Restoration after all, and if he strengthened it with the source, it might help them in some way.

  Shouts and screams rang in the air. The ground quaked more violently than ever. Whirlwinds cut through the armies, scattering people aside with no regard for friend or foe. The battle had become so chaotic that Kara couldn't make sense of anything.

  Then she saw Nadia, Markus, and Lara fighting together. They had assembled into a triangular formation, and they launched spells at anyone who came too close. Whenever a spell threatened them, they put their collective magic together to form a shield.

  "Nadia!" Kara shouted. Nadia turned, and a smile spread across her face. She, Markus, and Lara raced through the battlefield, holding their shields strong. Fire and lightning slid off their shields. Markus sent a few spikes of rock over his shoulders, and a couple of their opponents hit the ground, impaled by the sharp rocks.

  "Do we have a plan?" Nadia asked, her voice barely audible over the din.

  "We're going into the fortress," Kara said. "Warrick and Rador will protect us."

  "Sounds like a good plan," Rik said. "Let's storm the fortress!"

  Much of Krinir's army had taken up position right in front of the fortress. Breaking through that army would require a great deal of brute force, and perhaps some luck as well. While Warrick shielded the party, the rest of them battered at their opponents with every spell they had. Most of them were engaged with other opponents and fell all too easily.

  Kara prayed that everyone they struck was an enemy, but it was impossible to tell in the chaos. All that mattered was that they could stop all this if they got into the fortress.

  Still, doubt lingered in Kara's mind. Where was Krinir?

  A few lines of Imperial Guards and sorcerers blocked the entrance to the fortress. Nadia and the others launched spells at them, but their collective shields stopped the spells.

  "Let me handle this!" Kara shouted. She wove Red and Yellow again, forming a massive field of lightning, which she sent at their enemies. They held their shields as if that would stop the spell, but like always, Kara's spell experienced no resistance.

  The defenders scattered as the spell consumed them, and a path opened up leading into the fortress. Before the sorcerers could close their ranks, Kara and the others raced through the gap entering the fortress. Kara's breath came in sharp gasps.

  "Follow me!" Rador said, taking off at a sprint through the twisting corridors. Kara didn't remember the way to the Source, but Rador did, so she motioned for the others to keep up. They were all sweaty and exhausted, but they pushed through their fatigue. The fate of the world was at stake. They could rest later.

  Sorcerers and Imperial Guards funneled into the corridors behind them. Warrick kept his shield going, but every spell that struck it seemed to make it falter more and more. How much longer could Warrick hold off their attackers?

  Kara performed every weave she could think of, directing the magic at her opponents. She could feel her reserves dwindling, but with her newfound twin sources of energy, she could replenish them. The sun did not shine, but she could draw energy from the world itself, from some fiery place deep beneath the world's surface.

  She sent everything she had at them, and they did the same. Magic crackled in the air. The entire fortress trembled. Great floods of water threatened to sweep them off their feet.

  Somebody turned the water to ice, and soon everyone was slipping around. But once they broke free from the icy area, they continued running with everything they had.

  "I don't think I can run much longer," Theo said breathlessly, clutching at his chest. "You keep on running. I'll find somewhere to hide."

  Markus turned to him as they ran. "We can't leave you here."

  "I'll be fine," Theo said, between bouts of coughing. "I'm too old for this anyway."

  Markus looked like he wanted to say something else, but Theo waved for him to keep running before he fell behind the rest of the group. Kara tugged at Markus's arm. "Come on, Markus. We'll get your uncle on the way out."

  Markus opened his mouth to protest, but then he shook his head and rejoined the group, sprinting as fast as he could. Warrick's shield continued to hold, but the spells of their enemies were growing closer and closer.

  "We're almost there!" Rador shouted, leading the group through the branching corridors. They rounded a few more corners, and Kara saw the door to the chamber with the Source.

  They raced through the door, and then Rador pulled a lever slamming it closed behind them. "It won't hold forever," he said, "but it should give us some time."

  "Yes, it will give you time to die."

  Kara glanced ahead of them. Sitting in the chair at the front of the machine was Krinir.

  Chapter 69: The Power of the Source

  Nadia's breath caught in her throat as she stared at Krinir. How could they escape him this time? They were trapped in the room within him, and an army of sorcerers was just outside the door, trying to force their way in.

  "You wanted to strengthen your Stones of Creation," Krinir said. "You thought you could use them to oppose me somehow. Do you think I'm stupid?" He turned his gaze to Warrick. "Darien, your shield is growing weaker. It should take me a minute, maybe two. Are you sure you want to take their side? It isn't too late to come back to me. We can create a new world together."

  Warrick glared at him, fire in his gaze. "I want no part of your new world."

  Krinir shrugged. "Well, I thought I'd make the offer."

  Off to the right, Rador was whispering something to Rik and Klint. They both pointed their staffs up at a glowing part of the machine. Together, they launched bursts of lightning at the machine. The lightning crackled in the air, striking the glowing spots. When it struck, more lightning arced all along the machine, and into the chair where Krinir sat.

  He let out a scream of agony as the lightning danced around him, and then he fell out of the chair. Rising with fury in his eyes, he sent a wave of darkness at Rik and Klint. Klint managed to duck out of the way, but the spell caught Rik right in the chest.

  His eyes went wide. He screamed, twitched a couple of times, then fell still.

  "You bastard!" Markus roared, charging toward Krinir. But then a great gust of wind caught him, flinging him backward. Rador stepped forward, putting himself between Krinir and Markus. Krinir's next spell slammed against Rador instead. Rador had cast a shield, but it wasn't strong enough to stop the spell. Too busy shielding everyone else, Warrick hadn't been able to shift his shield to cover Rador as well.

  Nadia raced to Markus's side, and together they faced Krinir. He prepared to send another spell. Rador lay on the ground, most likely dead, and Nadia and Markus were about to join him.

  But then Warrick stepped forward, extending his shield around them, and Kara joined them as well. She used her strange magic and sent another fiel
d of lightning at Krinir. It wasn't as powerful as the spell she'd cast with the help of the Stone of Destruction, but it still gathered around Krinir, and with no defense against it, he could only scream.

  But then, amidst the pain, he pulled another blue stone from his pocket. A moment later, he was gone.

  "He can't use that trick a third time," Warrick said. "It's part of the magic behind teleportation stones. You can only use two within a short span of time. If he wants to teleport again, he'll have to set up the spell ahead of time."

  "I never knew I was powerful," Kara said. "It's almost terrifying. I guess I really did grow stronger when Rador used this machine to make me a goddess."

  Markus had sagged against the machine, sweat drenching his clothing. He looked over at Rik, tears in his eyes. "I already checked. He has no pulse."

  "Then what are you doing standing around?" Warrick asked sharply. "Normally, the Stone of Restoration can't bring someone back to life, but if we add some strength to it with this machine, maybe it can." Warrick frowned at the machine. "If only I knew how to use it."

  A feeble groan came from behind them. Nadia turned to see that Rador was sitting up slowly. Blood trickled from the corners of his mouth, and he coughed a few times.

  "I don't have much time left," he said, "but I can help." He got to his feet with the help of Markus and Warrick, then grabbed the Stone of Restoration from Markus, as well as the two Stones of Creation from Warrick. Rador placed the stones in slots within the machine, pressed a few buttons, then pointed to a lever and said, "Somebody needs to pull that."

  Markus yanked at the lever, and it moved with a loud crunching noise.

  Energy surged through the machine, its glow becoming so bright Nadia had to shield her eyes. Electricity danced around the machine, glowing a brilliant blue. She watched it in awe even though the brightness hurt her eyes. It was beautiful.

  All three stones glowed the same bright blue as the electricity. Then it all stopped.