The Gilded Empire

by Ryan W. Mueller

  The Gilded Empire

  World in Chains: Book 3

  Contents

  Prologue: A Long Road Ahead

  Chapter 1: Departure

  Chapter 2: A New Path

  Chapter 3: Out to Sea

  Chapter 4: The New Earth Empire

  Chapter 5: The Border

  Chapter 6: The President

  Chapter 7: An Unexpected Visitor

  Chapter 8: A Traveler in Time

  Chapter 9: A Comfortable Prison

  Chapter 10: The Secret Path

  Chapter 11: The Defender

  Chapter 12: A Potential Ally

  Chapter 13: The Machine

  Chapter 14: The Journey South

  Chapter 15: Traveling with the Enemy

  Chapter 16: The Sorcerer's Offer

  Chapter 17: The Fortress

  Chapter 18: Entering the Wastelands

  Chapter 19: The Perils of Desertion

  Chapter 20: The Dark God

  Chapter 21: The Dark and the Light

  Chapter 22: The Tunnels

  Chapter 23: The Cold Wind

  Chapter 24: The God's Demands

  Chapter 25: The Lost Messages

  Chapter 26: The Truth

  Chapter 27: A Tyrant and a Healer

  Chapter 28: The Sun Room

  Chapter 29: A Cruel Test

  Chapter 30: The Scroll's Secret

  Chapter 31: The Battle of the Cavern

  Chapter 32: The Price

  Chapter 33: Dark Consequences

  Chapter 34: A New World

  Chapter 35: The Spread of Darkness

  Chapter 36: The Clan War

  Chapter 37: Clan Black Wolf

  Chapter 38: Many Paths

  Chapter 39: Captive

  Chapter 40: The Underground City

  Chapter 41: Breaking the Barrier

  Chapter 42: The Meeting in the Tent

  Chapter 43: The Gilded Empire

  Chapter 44: The Chase

  Chapter 45: What Lies Ahead

  Chapter 46: Eastwatch

  Chapter 47: To the Fortress

  Chapter 48: Rebellion in the Sands

  Chapter 49: The Earth Temple

  Chapter 50: The Power of Magic

  Chapter 51: The Way Home

  Chapter 52: The Battle of Bradenton

  Chapter 53: Path of Destruction

  Chapter 54: The Machine

  Chapter 55: The Coming Battle

  Chapter 56: The Battle of Luminia

  Chapter 57: The Library of Luminia

  Epilogue: A Land of Ruin

  Prologue: A Long Road Ahead

  By the time Theo received the news of Warrick's disappearance, he was already east of Varner City and headed toward the passage through the mountains where he could cross the barrier, now that his Imperial Guard seal was gone.

  He couldn't stay in the Empire. Too many people knew that he'd been an Imperial Guard, and that made him a target.

  The journey ahead was longer than any he'd ever wanted to take. He wasn't sure his aging legs could handle it, but he had no other choice.

  A week before Warrick's disappearance, the emperor had summoned him. Theo had been anxious, for it had been a long time since he'd seen the emperor. He liked to think he was free from Warrick, but that would never happen. Warrick had made him an Imperial Guard for a reason, and there was no use fighting against Warrick's plans.

  The meeting came back to Theo as if it had happened moments ago.

  "It's good to see you again, Theo."

  Theo bowed before the emperor, feeling dwarfed by the man. "Likewise, Your Majesty."

  "Oh, forget the pretense. I know you aren't happy to see me. You never were happy in my service." Warrick leaned forward on his golden throne. "And I can't blame you. I killed your parents, then forced you to serve me to save your brother. It was cruel, I know."

  Theo looked up. "May I speak freely, Your Majesty?"

  "Please do. I tire of everyone guarding their tongues in my presence."

  Theo took a deep breath, wondering how much he should reveal. "Yes, I did resent you. I hated you. You took everything from me, and then you forced me to train my nephew for a position he hated on instinct. Maybe he could tell how I felt about it."

  "But you don't hate me," Warrick said. "Not entirely."

  "And that's what I hate most about you. For the first few years, I only served you because I had to. You would have killed my brother, or at least you threatened to." He looked into the emperor's dark eyes, wishing he could understand the man's mind.

  "If you must know," Warrick said, "I would not have killed him. Not then." Something strange flickered in his eyes. Regret?

  "And that's also why I hated you. The entire reason I became an Imperial Guard was to keep my brother safe. Then you made me watch as Dave killed him." Theo clenched his jaw, trying to hold back his tears. He didn't want to show weakness in Warrick's presence.

  "I know you don't want to hear this," Warrick said, "but it was all part of my plan."

  "If you wanted Markus to serve you, you did a piss poor job."

  "I'll admit as much myself, but everything might have worked out for the better."

  "I know it's probably too much to ask," Theo said, "but I'd like to know this plan of yours. You've controlled me most of my life. You took my parents, you took my brother, and you wanted my nephew to live the same life I have. I deserve some answers."

  Was he being too reckless? Warrick had given him permission to speak freely, but Theo knew from experience that the emperor had a temper.

  "It all begins with Krinir," Warrick said, a distant look in his eyes.

  Theo looked up at the emperor. "Wasn't he a leader in the Great War?"

  "I see you've studied history."

  "I had a lot of free time as an Imperial Guard. Never took to drinking and carousing like some of my comrades."

  Warrick smiled faintly. "I knew I liked something about you. I prefer thinking men." He paused, frowning in deep thought. "As I said, it starts with Krinir. When I look into the Webs of Fate, I see his influence everywhere, but I also see countless dark strands, places where I can't read the Webs. They all cluster around Krinir. I need to get some answers, and that's why I'm going to let Lord Ander send me to the Shadowed Land."

  "But no one ever returns from the Shadowed Land."

  "I can't be sure," Warrick said, "but I think I might have."

  "How can you not be sure?"

  "It's not just the strands that are dark. It's my memories as well. All I know is that the answers lie in the Shadowed Land. I have to go there."

  "You'll leave the Empire without a ruler," Theo said, clasping his hands in front of him and trying to quell his nervousness. "And as much as I hate you at times, I've always thought you've done a good job ruling the Empire." His mouth felt dry. "Well, before Crayden at least—though I'm sure it was part of your grand plan." Disgust welled up in Theo as he thought of the flames, the screaming, and all the death.

  "It was, and I've never regretted anything more than that day." Warrick closed his eyes for a long time. He showed no expression, but Theo could still read his emotions. This wasn't an act. Warrick felt great remorse.

  After a lengthy silence, Theo said, "What do you want from me?"

  "I want you to leave the Empire once I disappear. It would be best if you get going immediately. That will give you the chance to meet up with three people. One of them is your daughter. Her name is Farah."

  Theo felt as if a hand had tightened around his heart. "My daughter?"

  "I'm sure you remember your relationship with Lady Darla. Well, her daughter is not her husband's. She is yours."

  Theo didn't know what to make of this i
nformation. It was possible, but as an Imperial Guard, he'd accepted that he'd never have a family. Markus was the only family he'd ever had, at least since his brother's death, and Theo had always thought of Markus as a son.

  "Does she know?" Theo asked.

  "Yes, I have told her."

  "And what will I do once I find her?"

  "You will head east and cross the sea to reach Luminia," Warrick said.

  "And after that?"

  "I'm not sure. The strands go dark."

  "How do I know you're telling the truth?" Theo asked, fearing he was going too far with his questions. He couldn't read anything in Warrick's dark eyes.

  "You don't. But can you really pass up the chance to meet your daughter."

  "No, I can't. I'll leave immediately."

  "I hope our paths cross again," Warrick said.

  Theo didn't know how to respond to that, so he bowed to the emperor before marching away.

  Part I

  A Land of Marvels

  Chapter 1: Departure

  Markus couldn't believe he was walking through the streets of Stewart's Mill and feeling no ill effects from the poison that had nearly killed him. Despite this, Nadia was hesitant to leave, thinking he needed more time to recover.

  "How many times do I have to tell you?" he said, pacing at the side of a street. "I'm ready to go now."

  Nadia watched him from a nearby bench outside the inn where they'd taken up residence. "Just another day. I want to be sure you're ready."

  He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "This is getting ridiculous. You're scared, aren't you?"

  "And what would make you think that?"

  "This is the first time you haven't had a clear goal for your life. It was always about killing Warrick, and then you had to save me. Now you don't know what to do, and you're scared." He smiled, enjoying himself perhaps a bit too much. "Admit it, Nadia."

  She glared at him as if to object, but then she shook her head. "All right. Perhaps you do have a point. It's true. I've never felt like this before. Without direction."

  "But we're not without direction. Going to Luminia is our first step toward killing Warrick. We'll have a real chance this time. But we can't do it if we stay here forever."

  Nadia looked as if she were hiding a smile. "You've become quite optimistic all of a sudden."

  "Well, maybe I feel like I have a new chance at life." He sat down on the bench beside Nadia. "Besides, I have you by my side? There were so many times you could've given up and left me for dead, but you didn't."

  "You know I'd never do that."

  "And that's why I love you." He brought her close, and they shared a quick kiss. They could have kissed for longer, but this quick gesture said all he needed to say.

  "All right, we'll leave tomorrow," she said.

  "I knew you'd come to your senses."

  But then Markus's brief happiness faded. He thought of Rik, of his friend most likely suffering in the Shadowed Land, struggling to survive. Rik had always been the cheerful one, but a place like that could defeat anybody.

  "I'm worried about Rik," he said. A part of him wanted to believe that Rik was somewhere safer, but Rik was in the Shadowed Land. Markus knew it in his heart.

  "I know," Nadia said. "I feel like it's my fault he's gone."

  Markus wrapped an arm around her. "Don't blame yourself, Nadia. You couldn't have known that was gonna happen." There was a hollow feeling in his gut. "Besides, this is just another reason to go to Luminia. They've gotta know a way to help us."

  Nadia's voice was soft, hesitant. "I hope you're right."

  Holding hands, they made their way to the market district, where they found Kevin standing in his stall. He smiled in greeting. Since he had no customers, they approached him.

  "Looks like you've come to a decision," he said.

  "We're leaving tomorrow."

  "Then I guess it's a good thing you're friends with a merchant."

  Nadia leaned on the wooden stall, giving him a mischievous look. "Does that mean we get your stuff for free?"

  "Well, I never said that, but I do think I can give you a large discount."

  They bought a few things. Kevin carried both food and other items they'd need for their journey. Though they had to pay, the prices were low. When they finished, Nadia still had a lot of gold left. They had to make that gold last, however.

  "I'm not looking forward to the journey east," Nadia said.

  Kevin frowned. "East? Why the hell would you go east?"

  "It's the quickest route to Luminia," Nadia said.

  "And the most dangerous. You'd have to travel for at least a month through the Clanlands. There are no warded roads over there, and then there's the clans. You'd be lucky to last a few days."

  "Then what're we supposed to do?" Markus asked. Going to Luminia was his best chance at finding a way to free Rik from the Shadowed Land, assuming he was there in the first place, and they couldn't afford any delays.

  "Go to West City," Kevin said. "Should take a couple of weeks, and you can follow warded roads all the way. Then you can take a ship from West City around the southern edge of the continent and then across the sea to Luminia."

  "And how long will that take?" Nadia asked.

  "Probably about the same amount of time."

  "Then that's what we'll do," Nadia said. "Thank you."

  "It's no problem," Kevin said. "I'm just glad to see both of you alive. Good luck out there." There was a hint of sadness in his eyes when he bade them farewell. As they left him behind, Markus felt the same way. Kevin had done a lot to help them, even if Markus barely remembered much of it. The weeks he'd spent near death were a blur in his memory.

  Markus and Nadia returned to the inn, where they shared a quiet meal in the common room. Despite the excitement of their upcoming journey, they didn't talk much. Nadia looked as if she were planning their journey.

  Markus was too busy thinking about his closest friend. "I miss Rik."

  "I know how you feel. Kara's been there a long time now. How can I know if she's still alive?"

  Markus put a hand on her arm. "She's still alive. They both are."

  There were tears in Nadia's eyes. "I wish I could believe that."

  "If they're dead, we can't do anything about it. But if they're alive, we have to find a way to save them." He shrugged. "Besides, if we can find a way to bring someone back from the Shadowed Land, that could help others, too."

  Nadia shook her head. "I think we're insane. No one's ever escaped the Shadowed Land. Even the sorcerers in Luminia have never brought someone back. Why should we succeed where they haven't?"

  Markus felt as if the air had grown heavier. "I don't know."

  On that grave note, they went to bed. Neither of them could fall asleep in the bed they shared, not until only a few hours remained before dawn. Though they were tired, they still set out in the morning.

  "Wish we could get some horses," Markus said at the edge of the city.

  Nadia looked longingly at the stables to the left side of the road. "I know, but I don't think we can afford them. I want to make sure our money lasts." She frowned in deep thought. "Once I have a better idea of how much money we'll need, we might be able to pay for some better transportation." She shook her head. "I hope."

  "How're we supposed to make money out here?"

  "I don't know," Nadia said. "Maybe you were right about me feeling like I have no direction. As much as I hated life in the Empire, it was stable. I always knew what was coming. Now I feel like my future is this vast and terrible thing."

  "That's why we should think about one thing at a time. First, we'll make our way to Luminia. Then we'll figure out what to do from there."

  She leaned her head against his shoulder. "I wish I could discard my worries like that."

  "Guess I learned that from Rik. He was always good at getting me to focus on the present." Markus felt as if something had punched him in the gut. Every time he thought of Rik, he exp
erienced an upwelling of emotion. He couldn't face the rest of his life without Rik.

  Nadia wrapped an arm around him, as if she understood the direction his thoughts had taken. For a few moments, they rested against each other, but then they pulled apart and began their long journey to the west.

  As it turned out, Kevin was right. Their journey proved uneventful. Twice, they faced bandits on the road, but Nadia used her archery skills to convince them there were easier targets. They didn't encounter any monsters.

  About halfway to West City, they came upon a mountain range, but the warded road continued through the mountains, taking a path where they didn't have to climb much.

  When they finally reached West City, their gold was nearly gone, and their feet felt as if they'd fall off. Most of the cities they'd passed through on the way resembled Stewart's Mill. That is, they were mostly poor, with only a few people doing better.

  The eastern edge of West City appeared to belong to a different world. Here, grand stone manors towered, looking like the wealthiest parts of the Empire. When they tried to enter the streets here, a pair of guards came forward to greet them.

  "Travelers aren't permitted to enter this part of the city," said one of the guards. He didn't unsheathe his sword, and he spoke with a friendly tone. "You'll have to go around to the south. I'd suggest avoiding the part of the city just east of the docks. Bad area."

  "What about the docks themselves?" Nadia asked. "We're looking to get passage on a ship bound for Luminia."

  "Stick to the docks and you should be fine."

  They thanked the guard and made their way to the south around the edge of the city. Once they passed the wealthy district, they entered the city itself. This part of the city looked like a market district. Most of the buildings were a combination of stone and wood, and seemed in good condition. The people walking these streets wore the type of clothing Markus was used to seeing on merchants back in the Empire.

  All kinds of smells filled the air. Markus had expected the stench he'd noticed in some of the larger towns along the way, but instead he smelled roasting meat and baking bread. Large white birds soared above, and people tossed bread to them.

  The buildings clustered close together, and a few of the alleys between them looked like the kind of places where a traveler might be robbed. Markus and Nadia gave them a wide berth.