It was the strangest place Faina had ever seen. In this chamber, hundreds of monsters were being held prisoner. Kadin had described this place to her, but she hadn't imagined it would look like this. If the monsters hadn't been so hideous, she might have felt sorry for them.
She and Alvin raced past all the monsters. Some of them growled. A couple even breathed fire, but Alvin was shielding both of them. By now, Faina had depleted all of her Yellow and Blue reserves. Her survival depended entirely on Alvin.
How in the Core was he so powerful?
Faina glanced back and saw no signs or pursuit. "I think we might have a problem."
"What's that?"
"I don't see Teravin or the Sun Guards anywhere."
"Perhaps they gave up the chase," Alvin said.
"I doubt that."
They continued at a breakneck pace, going deeper and deeper under the temple. At last, they ventured as far down as they could. They came to a wall, and Alvin came to a sudden stop, his eyes wide with alarm.
She put a hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong?"
"There's supposed to be a portal here."
A quiet laugh came from the darkness. "That's because I closed it."
Teravin stepped out of the shadows, alone this time. The Sun Guards couldn't be far, though. They were probably waiting for his orders to attack.
"You can't escape now," Teravin said, taking a few steps toward them.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that if I were you," Alvin said.
"And what gives you such confidence?"
"This." Alvin pulled a lever on the wall.
Teravin's eyes widened. "You fool! Do you realize what you just did?"
Low grinding and clanking sounds came from all over the chamber. Faina had a bad feeling about this. "What did you do?"
"I just freed all those monsters."
Chapter 29: A Revelation
Faina shuddered as she heard the monsters roaring and prowling closer. "Why did you do that? Now we're all going to die in here."
Alvin's expression remained calm. "Don't worry. I can handle it."
Faina doubted that, but she said nothing, turning her attention back to Teravin. He glanced from side to side, panic in his eyes, and then he turned around and sprinted away. Faina and Alvin followed him, though Faina still had not caught her breath.
The roars grew louder. The ground trembled faintly as the monsters stomped through the chamber. For now, they were a few levels above Faina and Alvin.
But how long would that last?
"Stay close to me," Alvin said as they climbed a staircase that led them closer to the monsters. Teravin was ahead of them, nearing the top of the stairs. When Faina and Alvin reached that location, they found themselves face-to-face with a monster.
It had to be ten feet long, and almost as tall. Spiked ridges ran along its back. Its head was covered in thick scales, and yellow eyes stared from the front of its wrinkled face.
When it saw them, it hissed, and a green substance spewed from its mouth. Faina didn't react quickly enough, but Alvin wove a shield. The green mist collided with the shield and fell harmlessly to the dark stone floor.
Then the beast lunged toward them. Faina recoiled, praying that Alvin could protect her. She didn't think she had anything left, but she had to try. She wove Red and Orange, sending fire at the creature. Her weave flickered to life, but it wasn't as powerful as usual. The monster crashed through the flames as though they weren't even there.
Now the monster was too close for them to safely use magic against it. Faina had a dagger and a sword, but she only felt comfortable with the dagger. She'd never used a sword.
She whipped out the dagger and slashed at the beast as it came within range. The blade bounced off the monster's thick, scaly skin. It swiped at her with the clawed end of a leg, and she recoiled, narrowly dodging its attack. To her right, Alvin charged the creature with his sword. The monster turned its attention to him and lunged.
Alvin spun out of the way, and the monster skidded past him, toward Faina. She jumped to the side just before it would have struck her, but now its attention was entirely on her. It backed her into a corner of the dark room. She glanced from side to side, panic welling up within hair. She had no time to think of a plan of attack.
It threw itself toward her with alarming speed. She ducked, raising her dagger in what had to be a futile effort. The force of the impact struck her dagger, and it went skittering along the floor. She tried to reach for it, but now the monster lay atop her. Its weight pinned her to the ground, and she struggled to breath. She couldn't move at all.
She tried to reach for her sword, but the monster weighed too much. It seemed to grow heavier with every second it lay atop her. She pushed against it, trying to keep its claws away, but she could already feel hot, stinging cuts across her chest.
"Alvin, help!" she shouted. She couldn't even tell where he was. The whole world had collapsed into this single battle of hers. She pushed and pushed, her arms burning with the effort. Sweat poured down her forehead, into her eyes.
Then the monster let out a high-pitched shriek. It tumbled to the side, allowing her to break free from its massive weight. She staggered to her feet, the scratches across her chest burning, and turned to see Alvin plunging his sword into the creature's side over and over again. It shrieked with every stab, but each shriek grew quieter and quieter.
At last, the monster fell still.
Alvin put a hand on her shoulder. "Are you all right?"
"It scratched me, but I think I'll be okay." Her clothes were torn, and cold air hit her chest. If she moved the wrong way, she would reveal her breasts, but that was the least of her concerns at the moment. The growls filling the chamber told her there were many more monsters. If they'd had this much trouble with one, how were they going to get out of here?
"Good," Alvin said, glancing into the darkness where the monsters prowled. "Just follow me and we should get out of here all right."
"Haven't you exhausted your reserves?"
"Don't worry about me," he said. "I still have a lot left."
Faina didn't know how that was possible. He'd been using more Fireweaving than she had. Maybe he was a powerful Fireweaver, but even the most powerful of Fireweavers still had limits. She'd had no idea he was that powerful.
He led the way through the dark chamber, and they passed only the occasional Sunlamp. Soon they reached a place where countless monsters were prowling. Faina froze, her heart hammering. There was no way they could fight this many.
But Alvin took a step forward and unleashed a powerful weave of fire. The fire formed a giant wall, which he sent into the tangle of monsters. It was more fire than she'd ever seen in one place, and when she looked at his face, he didn't even appear to be straining. The flames surged, moving gradually through all the monsters. The stench of burning flesh filled the air.
"Follow me," Alvin said. Faina trotted after him, moving past the burning monsters. She wanted to ask him how he'd become so powerful, but it wasn't the time for questions.
A great roar came from ahead of them. Faina froze.
"Don't worry," Alvin said. "There's another exit."
"How do you know this place so well?" she asked as she followed him to the left. He didn't answer because he was too focused on weaving Red and Yellow to knock monsters aside with a powerful lightning spell.
They raced through the path he'd cleared, and soon they entered a smaller corridor. On the sides of this corridor, there were prison cells.
"This must be where they kept Kadin's sister," Faina said.
Once again, Alvin had no response. He led her through the dungeon corridor at a pace she could barely match. Her breath came in sharp gasps, but she kept going. Monsters were filing into the corridor behind them, roaring and shrieking and hissing.
Before Faina knew it, they reached the end of the dungeon corridors and found themselves back in the dark hallway leading toward the exit of this place. But mon
sters were filing into this hallway as well. A spurt of fire came from the darkness.
"This way," Alvin said, tugging at her arm. She took off after him, noting that he had conjured a shield to protect both of them. More shrieks and growls and hisses came from behind them, accompanied by pounding footfalls.
They reached the end of the corridor, where the open door would lead them back to the stairwell and the rest of the temple.
But the door was closed.
Faina's heart pounded. "What do we do now?"
Alvin faced the door, his expression resolute. A few moments later, the door cracked open with the loudest sound Faina had ever heard. She jumped back in shock, and her ears were ringing. A few softer cracks sounded, and the door fell to pieces.
"How did you do that?" she asked. "That door had to be reinforced."
"It was. Just like the floor we broke through before."
"But how can you break through magically reinforced doors?"
"I'll answer your questions later," Alvin said. "We're not safe yet."
"Of course." She glanced back to see the monsters gaining on them. "They're going to get into the rest of the temple! We have to stop them!"
"Leave that to me."
Faina had no idea how he'd accomplish that feat, but she would trust his judgment. They raced up the spiraling stairs, heading toward the temple's main level. The monsters funneled into the stairwell after them, shrieking and roaring.
"Faster!" Alvin shouted, and Faina hastened her pace, going so fast she was sure she'd trip up the stairs, but somehow her thieving instincts came back to her. She flew up the stairs with speed and grace, putting distance between herself and the monsters.
At last, they reached the top of the stairs and gazed down into the chaos below. Monsters were snarling and hissing and knocking each other to the side as they tried to climb the stairs, chasing after their prey.
"You have to do something!" Faina shouted.
"Stand back." Alvin strode forward, standing at the edge of the stairs and gazing down at the monsters. He adopted a look of deep concentration, and the rumbling began. The entire temple trembled so fiercely Faina was sure she'd lose her balance.
"What in the Core are you doing?" she asked, steadying herself against the stone wall.
He beckoned her forward, keeping his attention on the stairwell. "Watch."
Faina couldn't believe her eyes. The stairs were crumbling to pieces. Monsters plummeted downward as the entire stairwell fell apart around them. The trembling had grown more intense than ever. Faina continued to brace herself against the wall.
In less than a minute, all the stairs had collapsed. Chunks of stone had littered the floor. Some monsters crawled out from beneath that debris, but none of them could reach other parts of the temple. Somehow, Alvin had worked the strongest weave she'd ever seen.
She gripped his arm. "You are no ordinary priest. Who are you, really?"
His lips twitched in a smile. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you." He glanced back. "Besides, we have other concerns at the moment."
She followed his gaze, and her stomach lurched. Teravin stood about twenty feet down the corridor, at the lead of a group of Sun Guards. How were they going to escape him again?
"Looks like you only delayed us with that little trick," Teravin said. "Impressive work, I must say. I didn't think anyone could reduce part of the temple to a pile of rubble."
"Why not?" Alvin said. "I've done it before."
A look of realization dawned on Teravin's face. "You helped them break into the Sun Chamber to kidnap the Sunlord, didn't you?"
"Guilty as charged."
Faina shot him a questioning look. She knew he was a Fireweaver, but he didn't seem the type to support Halarik. He seemed like a good man. But he'd been hiding a lot from her. She should have known that from the beginning. She'd been too naïve, glad to find someone who placed trust in her and treated her with respect and kindness.
She should have known it was too good to be true.
"Perhaps I have misjudged you," Teravin said. "Perhaps I could use someone like you."
"I'm afraid you will not get my services," Alvin said. "Fireweavers are my people, and you have spent your life persecuting them for your own gain. After all, you are one of them, both Sunweaver and Fireweaver." He chuckled. "Yes, I know all the Church's dirty little secrets."
Faina leaned against the wall, trembling. She wanted to do something. Anything. This conversation was only delaying the inevitable.
The Sun Guards gave Teravin suspicious looks, but then they turned their stern gazes back to Alvin and Faina. She had never had much love for Sun Guards, but she had even less for these hard-faced men and women who would kill her with no remorse.
Then again, how was that different from a normal Sun Guard? Yes, she had met a few good Sun Guards, people who didn't hate Fireweavers, but they were rarities.
Teravin turned to the Sun Guards. "Your services are no longer required. Please go and try to bring some peace back to the city."
They frowned at him, but hesitated only a moment before obeying his orders.
"Follow me," Teravin said. What was he up to? This made no sense. Only minutes ago, he'd tried to kill them, and now he expected them to follow him and talk somewhere. What had changed so drastically? Faina glanced at Alvin, but he avoided her gaze.
Teravin led them into an empty office and motioned for them to take seats. Exhausted, Faina didn't feel like arguing. Once the two of them sat down, Teravin took a seat on the other side of the desk. At least he looked exhausted as well.
"I know what you are," Teravin said. "But I don't know who you are."
Alvin leaned forward in his chair. "The name Alvin is only a name I have taken. I have taken many names in my life, ever since I was freed from my prison."
Teravin's eyes widened, and he looked as if he'd discovered some great truth.
"Your suspicions are correct," Alvin said. "I am Halarik."
Chapter 30: The Monks of Duran
Rella stepped into the Imperial Library, astonished at its size. She saw more books than she'd ever thought the world could hold. Atarin's library was large, but it was nothing compared to this. Though Rella had never cared that much for books, she loved this place. There had to be answers here, buried somewhere among these thousands and thousands of pages.
"Can I help you?" asked a woman sitting behind a nearby desk.
Talin approached her, keeping his expression gentle, his posture non-threatening. "We are looking for information on the Monks of Duran. Do you know where we might find that information?"
The woman frowned. "We have a few books, but none of them describe much more than what's commonly known about them. I sense you're looking for something more in-depth."
"Your suspicions are correct," Talin said. "Can you help us?"
"I can't help you, but I know someone who can." She closed her eyes a moment. "I just contacted him. He should be here in a few minutes."
Rella, Kae, and Talin took seats on a cushioned bench while they awaited the arrival of the newcomer. After a few minutes, a young man stepped into the room. He was unremarkable in appearance and looked too young to be a scholar. Then again, appearances could be deceiving.
"You're looking for information on the Monks of Duran?" he asked.
"We are," Talin said.
The young man beckoned them forward. "Follow me."
Rella had a few misgivings about this, but she did follow. This all felt too convenient. Why was this man so eager to help them? What game was he playing? Or was he simply a helpful scholar? Perhaps her recent experiences had made it difficult to trust anyone.
"You aren't the first people to be interested in them recently," said the young man. "I think a lot of people have heard of this Plague of the Turned that's taking place in Tarileth, and they're looking for answers in the Lost Weaves."
"Do you know a lot about these monks and the Lost Weaves?" Rella asked.
; "I know a fair amount." He smiled. "I'm Bradin, by the way. I'm a scholar here at the library." He stopped walking, closing his eyes as if considering something, then resumed as though nothing had happened. "Why do you need to know about the monks?"
"I'm not sure we can trust you with that information," Talin said.
"If I don't trust you, then you won't get anything from me."
Talin lowered his voice to a threatening whisper. "We could get it out of you."
Bradin's cheerful expression faltered as he gazed into Talin's eyes. "I have the feeling you could, but I don't think you're that type of person."
"You don't know what I'm capable of," Talin said.
"Perhaps I should report you to the guards. Threatening an imperial scholar is a major crime here in the Sardek Empire. Or are you not familiar with our laws?"
Talin bit his lower lip. "I shouldn't have said what I did. I'm just growing tired of finding no answers everywhere we turn."
"Trust me with your mission and perhaps I can help you."
Rella wanted to say something reassuring to win Bradin's confidence, but whenever she opened her mouth to speak, her mind went blank. She'd have to let Talin do all the talking.
"We're trying to stop this plague," Talin said.
"You're lying. If that were your mission, you would have said so in the first place." Bradin stopped walking, adopting a thoughtful expression. "No, there's something else you're after. Perhaps the same thing the last people were after."
"The last people?" Kae asked.
"There were three of them," Bradin said. "An older woman who seemed like a scholarly type to me. A young man with long hair." His gaze flickered over to Rella. "And a man with a red beard and hair—same color as yours, in fact. Looked quite a bit like you, if you ask me."
"Then Atarin's been here already," Talin said.
"You know these people?" Bradin asked.
Talin grimaced. "Yeah, you could say that."
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