The Gilded Empire

by Ryan W. Mueller

  "I think we might be getting close to that bad part of town," Markus said.

  A voice came from their left. "I think he's right."

  Three large men sauntered out of an alley, brandishing long daggers. Markus's hand went to his sword, and he faced the men defiantly. They didn't have much left, and Markus wouldn't let some thieves take it from them.

  "Let's not make any decisions we might regret," said one man, who stood in front of the others. He had a long, dark beard and wore earrings in the shape of serpents.

  "We don't have anything worth taking," Nadia said.

  The man laughed. "And what made you think we're planning on robbing you?"

  "Your threatening posture," Nadia said. "Your weapons. The way you're acting."

  "We don't need to rob you," said the man. "If the state of your clothing's any indication, we wouldn't find anything worth taking." He smiled. "Besides, we wouldn't rob you anyways. We're all sailors. We make an honest living." He shrugged. "Well, mostly honest."

  His comrades chuckled.

  "We were just giving you a warning," he said. "Scare a little sense into you. Right now, you're right on the edge of the bad part of town. You look like you might be able to handle yourselves, but it's better if you play it safe."

  Nadia glared at him. "You could have just warned us."

  "Where's the fun in that?"

  Markus scanned their surroundings, noting that business was continuing as usual around them. A few people had stopped to watch, but they must have decided nothing interesting was going to happen. Markus had begun to relax, but only a little.

  "I'm Kris," the man said. He held out a hand. Markus took it hesitantly, noting that it was covered in calluses. Kris smiled and said, "I'm the captain of the Black Serpent. We're a—well, I suppose you could call us a trade vessel."

  "And what do you mean by that?" Nadia asked.

  "That's our official designation."

  Markus nodded. "You're smugglers, then?"

  "Sometimes. We're also privateers."

  Markus had never heard that term, so he glanced at Nadia. She shook her head.

  Kris frowned at them. "You're not from around here, are you? If you don't know, a privateer is a lot like a pirate. The only difference is we raid other ships on the king's orders. We operate within the confines of the law." He shrugged. "Well, most of the time."

  Markus wasn't sure he trusted these men. Now that they'd put their weapons away, they didn't seem threatening, but their occupation did nothing to soothe his nerves.

  "You wouldn't happen to be sailing to Luminia any time soon?" Nadia asked.

  Markus opened his mouth to object, but no words came out. They couldn't trust these men. Why was she revealing so much?

  "As a matter of fact," Kris said, "we are. Don't worry. This is a normal trade mission. The king doesn't have any other business for us at the moment." His gaze settled on Markus and Nadia. "Where are you from, might I ask? Your accents are unfamiliar."

  Markus exchanged a nervous glance with Nadia. He didn't know why he felt hesitant to reveal this information, but it seemed like something they should protect.

  "We came from inside the mountains, in Warrick's empire."

  Kris nodded. "Interesting."

  "And what's that supposed to mean?" Markus asked. He was growing tired of this conversation and wished Nadia hadn't revealed anything about their past or their destination. Maybe he was being overprotective, but if he'd learned anything through all their ordeals, it was that they shouldn't trust strangers, especially not strangers so questionable.

  "You don't seem to like us," said one of the other sailors.

  Kris held up a hand to silence the man. "No, I think he's just hesitant to trust us. I suppose I can't blame him. We didn't introduce ourselves in the friendliest of manners."

  "You sound very educated for a sailor," Nadia said.

  "I'm also a lord," Kris said. "Sailing's been part of our family for generations, and it's earned us a great deal of wealth and power." He smiled, and suddenly he looked a lot less intimidating. "Now my comrades here are simple commoners if that fits more with what you expected."

  "I don't really know what I expected," Nadia said.

  "Just wait till you see the ocean," said the sailor on the right.

  "Is it really as big as they say?" Markus asked.

  "Every bit," Kris said, resting his hand casually on a stack of crates "Looks like it never ends."

  "I'm sure we'll manage just fine," Nadia said. She hesitated a moment. "I know it's asking a lot. You barely know us, and you have no reason to help us, but since you're going to Luminia anyways, is there any chance you might find some way to take us there. I'm sure we can find something we can do to help you."

  Kris shook his head slowly. "Could you have said that any more nervously? You could have just said, 'Can you take us to Luminia. We'll work for our passage.' The way you talked might make some think you're weak and indecisive."

  "Can you stop giving us advice?" Markus asked. "We don't need it."

  Kris gave him a stern look. "You were about to wander into the worst section of town. Forgive me if I don't believe you."

  "Enough of this," Nadia said. "Can you take us or not?"

  Kris smiled. "Much better. I think we can find a place for you."

  Markus didn't know if he should feel relieved about that.

  Chapter 2: A New Path

  Berig stood before a large door in the Tower of Light, feeling as if he might vomit. He, Aric, and Lara had asked for a meeting with Marlon, the High Sorcerer of Luminia. They'd been told Marlon could read the Webs of Fate. Maybe the Webs would tell them how to rescue Danica, though Berig wasn't sure he could put much trust in them.

  A man in white robes stepped out from the chamber beyond the golden door. "You may enter now. May you find the answers you seek."

  Berig's legs felt as if they'd turned to lead as he followed Aric and Lara into the chamber. To Berig's surprise, the chamber was only a little bright. The High Sorcerer had placed thick curtains in front of some of the windows, and Berig couldn't blame him. Berig hated the brightness.

  How could anyone become a thief in a city like this?

  Then again, as far as Berig could tell, there was no money in this city. All you had to do was ask for something, and someone would give it to you. Strange place.

  The man in the chamber strode forward to meet them. Berig had expected an old man with a graying beard. Instead, the High Sorcerer looked to be about forty years old. He was entirely unremarkable in appearance. Brown hair. Average build and height.

  "I'm Marlon." He nodded in greeting. "Pleased to meet you."

  They all returned the nod. Berig wasn't sure how to greet someone of such high status. Should they bow? Grovel at his feet? Shake his hand? A little nod didn't seem like enough.

  Marlon gestured toward three cushioned chairs. "Please sit."

  They all took seats, tense silence weighing upon them. Marlon seated himself across from them and drummed his fingers on his thigh.

  "Have you consulted the Webs of Fate?" Aric asked, and Berig was glad he'd taken charge.

  "I have," Marlon said. "They've told me only a little about her situation. As far as I can tell, her captors have taken her to the New Earth Empire. They will then take her to the Shadowed Land. What they intend down there, I have no idea."

  "The Webs didn't tell you?" Aric asked.

  "The Webs are vague. They always have been."

  "We understand," Lara said. Berig didn't know how she could take all this so calmly, but she had spent a lot of time with Tyrell back in her clan settlement, so maybe she understood the nature of the Webs better than Berig did.

  "If they're so vague," Aric said, "then how can Warrick read them so well?"

  Marlon sighed, and his expression twitched in displeasure. "That is perhaps his greatest talent. No doubt he can do many amazing things, but it's this ability to see potential futures that makes him so power
ful. He can guide events so that they follow the path he wants."

  Aric leaned forward in his chair. "You speak as if you know Warrick well."

  "I did, once." Pain flashed behind Marlon's eyes. "We were friends. Cyrus told you to come here. Did he tell you he was also friends with Warrick?"

  "No, he didn't," Aric said, with a hint of anger.

  "It's a difficult fact to admit. I suspect he didn't tell you because he didn't feel it was important for your quest." Marlon massaged his temples, as if the mere thought of Warrick gave him a headache. "Of all the things I've done, I'm most ashamed of how I failed in this regard. I keep looking back to those days, wondering if I could have done something different. We all saw the signs, and we ignored them. We let Warrick become the monster he is now."

  "Why haven't you tried to stop him?" Berig asked.

  "He's too powerful."

  "I don't understand," Berig said. "He's just one sorcerer. You've got hundreds of sorcerers here in Luminia. If you all got together, I'm sure you could take him down."

  Marlon ran a hand through his hair. "I'm afraid it's not that simple. Warrick is no ordinary sorcerer. He has the strength of two powerful magical artifacts on his side: The Stone of Creation and the Stone of Destruction. On top of that, he seems to have obtained more power from some source we don't yet know about. We sent hundreds of sorcerers against him when we imprisoned him in the Empire. He nearly destroyed that entire army."

  "That does make sense," Aric said. "Think about it, Berig. This is a man who created a ring of mountains around the entire Empire. A man who created all kinds of magical regions filled with monsters and bizarre weather. Do you think he's an ordinary sorcerer?"

  Berig scratched his head. "I don't know. Guess I thought all sorcerers were just as powerful. How was I supposed to know? I'd never heard of another sorcerer before."

  "It's understandable," Marlon said. "I hope you can see now why we couldn't stand against Warrick, why we don't try to stop him." His expression tightened. "Unfortunately, the time is approaching when we'll have to. The Webs have told me that Warrick may soon break free from the Empire. Our own sorcerers have noticed that the barrier is breaking down."

  "What do we do then?" Aric asked.

  Marlon considered for a few moments. "Don't concern yourself with Warrick. He is not an immediate problem. You wouldn't be able to do anything at this point. You are not yet strong enough. But two of you sitting here have the power to become sorcerers." His gaze settled on Berig and Lara. "You two need to make the Pilgrimage if you want to play a role in the events to come. The second Great War is coming. We need all the help we can get."

  "Then what do you really want us to do?" Aric asked.

  "Go to the New Earth Empire. The Webs tell me that, even if you do not find a way to rescue your friend, you may be able to help Markus and Nadia."

  Aric frowned. "Why would they be in the New Earth Empire?"

  Marlon took a sip of tea, then set down the cup. "For much the same reason you're going. It's the only chance they have to bring back two people lost to the Shadowed Land."

  Aric raised his eyebrows. "Two?"

  "Kara and Rik."

  Berig shook his head. He hadn't known Rik and Kara, but he didn't think anyone deserved the Shadowed Land. "Things just keep getting weirder, don't they? I don't know. Maybe we really are destined to do something great."

  "It isn't destiny," Marlon said. "It's a matter of probability. You are far more likely to go on to great things than most of the people who have ever lived, but you could also die tomorrow. The Webs never deal in certainties."

  "Can they tell you about the past or present?" Aric asked.

  "They can, but you can't look very far into the past."

  "Can you tell me about my friend Ander? Is he all right?"

  Marlon hesitated. "Unfortunately, I have to be the bearer of bad news. Ander is dead. He was part of an attempt to send Warrick to the Shadowed Land—a mission given to him by Cyrus. The mission succeeded, but Imperial Guards killed Ander as he tried to escape."

  Aric leaned forward in his chair, eyes closed, pain etched in the lines of his face. He rocked back and forth a few times, then shook his head forcefully. When he opened his eyes, tears streamed down his cheeks. Berig had never seen this much emotion from Aric. The man had always been calm and in control.

  Berig reached out a hand and touched Aric's shoulder awkwardly. "I'm sorry to hear it. Ander was a good man and a good friend to you. I'll never forget what he did for me on the Red Plateau. He didn't have to come back for me. None of you did."

  Aric struggled to speak through his tears. "I just can't believe it. Ander's always been there for me. I've known him most of my life. And now he's dead, just like that."

  "At least he died a hero," Berig said.

  "That's what he always wanted to be. A hero. A leader. Someone who can make a difference. At least I know that he took Warrick with him."

  "I don't understand," Lara said. "If Warrick is in the Shadowed Land, then how can he escape the Empire? My clan knows a great deal about the Shadowed Land, and if there's one thing everybody knows, it's that no one can escape the place."

  Marlon sighed deeply. "No one has before, but Warrick will probably find a way. The normal rules of the world don't seem to apply to him."

  "But it is possible to escape the Shadowed Land," Berig said. "It just comes with a price. That's what the goblins told me." Berig went on to recount how they'd been captured by the goblins and how he'd been able to communicate with them. He relayed everything they'd told him about how they'd left the Shadowed Land.

  Once Berig finished, Marlon said, "That is interesting. I've heard of these goblins, but I had no idea they were actually human." He shook his head. "That's a cruel sentence—living without the ability to speak to other humans for all these years." He stroked his chin, as if deep in thought. "So Krinir can send people out of the Shadowed Land. Interesting."

  Berig tapped his fingers against the wooden arm of his chair. "You really think we might find a way to bring them back from the Shadowed Land?"

  Marlon took another sip of tea. "I don't know. The answers may lie somewhere in the New Earth Empire, but it's more likely that they'll have to rely on themselves to escape. I can't be sure, though. I have a great deal of difficulty reading the Webs when I'm looking into the Shadowed Land."

  "Then why should we trust anything you say?" Berig asked. He didn't know why he felt the need to question the sorcerer. The Berig of old would have sat there silently, too nervous to ask anything.

  "I think he has our best interests in mind," Lara said. Her voice was kind but firm.

  Marlon clasped his hands in front of him. "Yes, to an extent. However, I must balance your interests with the interests of the world as a whole. If you want security, just stay here in Luminia. If you want to save the world, go to the New Earth Empire."

  Berig still had his doubts about Marlon's motives. "Why can't you come with us?"

  "I am needed here. I can't abandon my duties."

  "Convenient," Berig said. He hated the feeling that he was being manipulated by someone who was hiding part of the truth.

  "I understand your doubts. If you do not wish to heed my advice, that's your choice."

  "We're going to the New Earth Empire," Aric said. "If there's any chance of getting Danica back, we have to take it. Maybe we'll even find a way to get rid of Warrick permanently. Ander's dead because of him."

  "You may start on that path in the New Earth Empire," Marlon said, leaning forward in his chair. "In the northern deserts of the empire, you'll find the Earth Temple. It is the closest temple and should be the beginning of the Pilgrimage for you two, Berig and Lara." He sighed again. "But it won't be easy to gain entrance. The New Earth Empire has stationed soldiers there to keep anyone from entering the temple."

  "Why can't anything ever be easy?" Berig asked. He couldn't think of a time in his life when he hadn't struggled. Growing up on the str
eets taught him that the world didn't care about him, that he'd amount to nothing. Losing his brother had taught him that he could rely only on himself.

  But his time with Aric and the others had taught him that people could care about him if he gave them the chance. Life with them hadn't been easy, but it was the best he'd ever had.

  His thoughts drifted back to his brother, and he turned to Marlon. "Do the Webs tell you anything about my brother? His name's Marek. Is he dead?"

  "Give me a moment, please." Marlon closed his eyes and sat silently for perhaps a minute. Once he opened his eyes, he said, "Your brother is alive, Berig, but that's all I can see. It feels as if someone has altered the Webs around him, making the strands dark and impossible to decipher. I'm sorry, Berig. I wish I could tell you more."

  Berig felt tears forming in his eyes. "You've told me enough. Thank you."

  This time, he believed that Marlon was telling the whole truth.

  "What about Krinir?" Lara asked. "Should we worry about him? I get the impression that he's more of a danger than Warrick."

  Marlon looked weary. "Your impression is correct. That doesn't mean Warrick isn't a threat. He's a very serious threat. But if Krinir were to escape the Shadowed Land, he would make Warrick look like an ordinary sorcerer."

  "Then let's hope he doesn't escape," Berig said. He'd never put much faith in hoping for things, but it was often the best he could do.

  After a brief silence, Marlon said, "I need to give you some gold. Otherwise, you'll never get into the New Earth Empire. You'll need to find a smuggler to get you across a weak spot in the barrier around the empire. Whatever you do, don't get caught. The penalty for entering the empire illegally is death. There are no exceptions."

  Berig didn't like the sound of that.

  Chapter 3: Out to Sea

  Markus's arms burned as he placed one crate on top of another. Kris and his crew had assigned him the unenviable task of taking cargo from the docks and placing it in the ship's hold. At first, Kris hadn't found anything for Nadia, but she'd decided to help Markus.