The Gilded Empire

by Ryan W. Mueller

  "No, he is not," Marlon said, "and even he knows that. That's why he allowed himself to be sent to the Shadowed Land. He saw what we call dark strands in the Webs of Fate. He knows that someone is manipulating him. He may not know that it is Krinir, but now that he's in the Shadowed Land, he is sure to discover that."

  "If Krinir is the one in control," Farah said, "then why shouldn't I support him?"

  "It isn't complete control, not yet. Krinir is stuck in the Shadowed Land for now, which makes it much more difficult for him to exert direct control. Instead, he has been manipulating the Webs of Fate and concealing vital information from Warrick. The vision Warrick shares, that's all him. You can still believe in the man you follow. We all believed in him, once."

  Farah leaned forward in her rickety chair. "But you don't anymore?"

  "It's more complicated than that. I oppose Krinir. Anyone who wants to see the world remain whole must oppose Krinir. By extension, I oppose Warrick where his actions further Krinir's plans. But, and this is very important, I still think of Warrick as an old friend. I also see his potential to sway the outcome of the coming war. If we can get him to break free from Krinir's spell, we'll stand the best chance. But it won't be easy."

  Farah barked a laugh. "Nothing ever is."

  "I'd like to tell you I know how this is going to be done, but Krinir has made these strands dark. Only through a lot of perseverance have I unraveled even the first layer of these mysteries." He ran a hand through his dark hair. "I'll need your help to unravel the rest."

  "That's what's confusing me. Why did you have to kidnap me? Why the elaborate ruse? Why risk our lives in that battle?"

  Marlon chuckled. "Well, they weren't supposed to start fighting until they had you. Guess you can't trust a bunch of violent savages. They were also supposed to get all of you at once, but they probably didn't recognize the other three.

  "Three? But there are only two of us."

  "Your father is going to join us as well," Marlon said.

  "Theo? Why would he be out here?"

  "Because Warrick sent him out here. Do you think you're the only person who's privy to some of his secrets? Warrick has always operated like that. He has many people around him, and he only tells them what they need to know."

  Farah understood that well enough. Despite her faith in Warrick, she did have the feeling that he kept many things hidden from her. At this point, she'd accepted that this wouldn't change. He was an emperor, after all, and a sorcerer of immense talent. Why should he confide all his secrets in her? He knew best which secrets he could divulge and which he couldn't.

  "Did you really start a clan war just to capture us?" she asked.

  "No, they were already planning this attack. It only took a little bit of persuasion on my part to convince them they should kidnap you while they were at it."

  "Why not just find us yourself?"

  Marlon smiled. "I see you won't give up. All right, I might have lied to you a few moments ago. If you must know, I told them to kidnap only you because it needed to happen for Tylen to make the right changes as a person. He had to realize how much he cares for you. Without my intervention here, Tylen would go down the wrong path, dooming the entire world."

  "You make it all sound so dramatic," she said, "but you have no proof."

  "I know. It's a lot to take on faith."

  "Blind faith," she said. "That's all it is."

  He smiled again, leaning backward in his wooden chair. "Much like your trust in Warrick."

  "That's different," she said, but she wasn't so sure about that. Most of what Warrick had shared had been just as vague. Why should she trust one sorcerer was telling the truth while suspecting that another was lying? They were sorcerers, and their ways were different.

  After all, she was more than a little secretive herself, and she had the chance to become a sorcerer. Warrick had told her that much.

  "What do you want me to do now?" she asked.

  "We wait," he said. "Your friends should be here soon."

  Chapter 40: The Underground City

  After resting and resupplying in Mountainside, Garet and the others returned to the cave. So far, Mountainside had escaped the worst of the magic spreading across the land. The barriers Cyrus had erected remained strong. But the party couldn't stay long in the relative safety of Mountainside.

  They had to return to the caves.

  The dark and twisting passages felt just as confining as before. Garet had no idea how long they'd wander in the dark this time, or if they'd ever find the Underground City.

  Day after day, they walked in the darkness, growing more and more tired. Every day felt the same, a mindless repetition of walking and the occasional monster. The worst any of them suffered were minor cuts and bruises. Cyrus did most of the work. Commander Adams also used his magic to protect the party.

  Garet was surprised that Gram and the commander hadn't abandoned this effort, but perhaps they did believe in the oath they'd taken to protect the people. Perhaps Garet had even misjudged the commander at first. He seemed a hard man, but not needlessly cruel.

  Still, no one talked much as they traveled. For one thing, they'd run out of topics to discuss. For another, any conversation might alert some of the more dangerous monsters lurking in the shadows. Garet felt sick at that thought, but he shoved his fear aside.

  One day, just as they were about to rest, they found the Underground City.

  They stood atop a hill, looking down upon the city's greenish glow. A narrow ramp curved along the wall, leading down toward the city. The place seemed still and silent, but Garet's skin prickled, and his hand was on the hilt of his sword.

  "We need to be careful," Cyrus said softly. "This place is very dangerous. If you see the Silver Wisp, run. You can't fight it. I can't even fight it. And if it touches you, it will send you to the Shadowed Land."

  Garet felt a sudden chill.

  "Stay close to me," Cyrus said. "I know the way."

  They descended into the city, keeping alert for any signs of activity. Most of the buildings looked as if they'd been abandoned only days ago, not hundreds of years. There wasn't even much dust. Garet's skin prickled. He felt as if this entire place were alive.

  They made their way through the streets, approaching a large building in the center of the city. Wide stone steps led up to the building's entrance, which was flanked by large pillars on which intricate designs had been carved.

  Cyrus led them up the steps, and they entered the building. The space in which they stood looked like some kind of lobby. Off to the right, stairs led upward. There were also a few more doors both to the left and right. Cyrus ignored these doors, leading them up the stairs instead.

  The place felt eerily quiet. Garet had expected monsters. Where were they?

  After climbing the stairs, they crossed a short hall and stepped through a door, entering a massive library. Garet had never cared much for reading, but even he was impressed by this place. There was no time to linger, though, for Cyrus was leading them off to the left.

  Then it appeared in front of them: a wispy silver being.

  "Run!" Cyrus shouted, and they darted to their right, passing thousands of books. At the end of the shelf, they encountered two more Silver Wisps, so they cut sharply to their left, narrowly avoiding the creatures.

  After another left, and then a right, they were back on their original path. But the Silver Wisps were close behind them, gliding noiselessly. A horrible cold permeated every inch of Garet's body. At times, he thought he'd freeze in terror.

  Soon they reached what looked like a dead end. The Silver Wisps were closing in on them Garet's heart pounded as he glanced back at them? Would he survive in the Shadowed Land? And what would happen to the Empire when they failed?

  But Cyrus wasn't deterred. He crouched beside the wall, sending a pulse of magic at it. A few moments later, the wall rumbled open, and they funneled into the dark, empty space. The Silver Wisps followed, but Cyrus closed t
he passage before they could enter.

  Chapter 41: Breaking the Barrier

  Garet and his party made their way through a narrow tunnel, guided by torchlight. The cold of the Silver Wisps had faded, but the terror they instilled in Garet remained. He felt as if every hair on his body were standing on end.

  The passage twisted along for what felt like an eternity. When they finally stepped into a more open chamber, Garet felt as if a weight had left his shoulders.

  But only for a moment.

  At the chamber's far end, a black creature hovered a few feet off the ground. A bone-chilling cold spread through the room. The creature's eyes were red, and it looked like a giant curtain waiting to smother them.

  Cyrus pointed a finger at the creature, and lightning surged from his fingertips. When the spell struck the creature, it let out a horrible shriek, then faded into nothing.

  "Just a wraith," Cyrus said. "Nothing to worry about."

  Garet wasn't so sure about that, but he nodded as they entered the corridor beyond the chamber. The cold had faded, but Garet still felt as if unseen eyes were watching them. They followed the corridor for a long time. When they reached a junction, Cyrus would close his eyes as if recalling the layout of this place, and then he'd gesture for them to follow.

  They encountered a few more wraiths, all of which Cyrus handled with ease. He also warned them that they might face far worse in this place. The fiercest creatures would be waiting for them closer to the Source. Garet felt sick at the thought.

  But why? He had a powerful sorcerer on his side. He'd faced terrible creatures in the Forest of Darkness. After all, how could anything be worse than the monster that had attacked Bradenton every night? They'd defeated that monster.

  "This place feels like some kind of tomb," Gram said.

  Garet's skin prickled again. "I know what you mean."

  Even Commander Adams looked pale. He didn't speak, though, and neither did Cyrus. They both stood at the front of the party, which was probably a good thing, for they had magic on their side. Garet felt as if he wasn't much use in a place like this. Why had the Webs of Fate told Cyrus that Garet and Gram should be part of this group?

  At last, they entered a vast, dimly lit chamber. They stood upon a wide ledge, and ahead of them was a pit so deep Garet couldn't see the bottom. Far at the other side of the chamber, a strange blue light glowed.

  Cyrus pointed to it. "That's the Source."

  They started traversing a bridge that led across the chamber. The bridge had no railings and was perhaps ten feet wide. Garet felt wobbly as they crossed, but then he took a few deep breaths, shoving his fear aside—a useful trick he'd learned as an adventurer.

  The monster appeared in a sudden flash.

  One second, there was nothing. The next, a great blast of power slammed against all of them. Garet's arms flailed as he tried to find something to grab, but it was too late. He flew wide of the bridge, soaring over the abyss. Gram was falling beside him. They shared a fearful glance as they both descended toward their deaths.

  Up above, the air glowed orange. Somebody was using magic against the monster that had hit so suddenly. Garet hadn't even had a good look at it.

  He glanced down and still could not see the ground. Not that it mattered. He'd fallen far enough now that he would die when he hit. In all his time as an adventurer, he'd understood that death was always a heartbeat away. Now that he faced death, he wasn't ready.

  The ground finally became visible below, illuminated by a blue magical glow and growing closer at an alarming rate. Garet closed his eyes as if he could avoid the inevitable.

  Just when he thought he'd slam into the ground, a great wind stirred beneath him, holding him aloft. He opened his eyes to see that a whirlwind had formed beneath him and Gram.

  The whirlwind lowered them to the ground, and they hit with gentle thuds. Standing on the stone floor, Garet looked up. The bridge was so far above Garet couldn't even see Cyrus. How could the sorcerer's magic stretch that far?

  "You think they'll come down here for us?" Gram asked.

  "I don't know, but we can't wait around." Garet examined their surroundings. To their left was a wall containing the entrance to a corridor. "We might as well see where that goes."

  They entered the passage. A set of spiraling stairs led them upward. Blue magical torches were placed along the walls, casting an eerie glow. Soon the stairs came to an end, and they stood in a larger chamber. A giant statue stood at the other end of the chamber, blocking the only exit. Garet frowned as he examined the statue. How the hell were they going to move it?

  The statue looked like a warrior of some kind, dressed in elaborate plate armor. It held a sword that had to be more than ten feet long, and a shield just as oversized. Garet had a bad feeling about this statue. Would it come to life and try to kill them?

  If it did, it would surely succeed.

  He placed his hands against the statue and pushed. It didn't budge. Gram lent his help. The statue still didn't move.

  "Looks like we're trapped here," Gram said.

  Privately, Garet agreed, but he wouldn’t give up so easily. He walked through the chamber, examining everything for clues that would tell them how to move the statue. Toward the chamber's left side, he found a pedestal containing a scroll.

  He unfurled the scroll and read—or rather, he tried to read. It was written in Luminian. He'd learned only a few of the symbols, not nearly enough to make any sense of the scroll.

  He hurled the scroll across the chamber. "Useless piece of crap."

  Gram picked it up and frowned as he examined it. "Yeah, I can't read it either."

  They walked the entire chamber, finding nothing else of use. The statue remained where it was, but something had changed. Before, its eyes had been dark. Now they glowed red.

  "I don't like the look of that," Gram said.

  Garet looked into those eyes. "Um, may we pass?"

  The eyes glowed a brighter red.

  Then the statue began to move. Its right hand raised the sword, preparing to bring it down on them. Heart pounding, Garet dashed out of the way. Gram was close behind him, and they barely made it out of the statue's range before the sword came crashing down.

  "What can we do now?" Gram asked.

  "We'll have to wait until it makes its next move."

  But the statue simply stood there, watching them with its red eyes. Garet took a tentative step closer, passing just within range of its sword. Again, it raised the sword, and this time it swung the sword in a wide arc. Garet recoiled, barely dodging the swish of the giant blade.

  "Don't think it's gonna move," Gram said.

  "Neither do I. We'll have to think of something."

  "I'll distract it," Gram said. "I don't know if you saw, but the last time it swung its sword, a gap appeared between its legs. You could slip through that gap while it tries to attack me."

  "But it could kill you," Garet said. "Or you might end up stuck here."

  "Don't worry. I can handle myself."

  Garet took a breath. "Well, it's worth a shot."

  Gram took a few steps toward the statue, and it raised its sword again. As it did, the gap opened between its legs. The red eyes had focused on Gram, so Garet took advantage of the moment, approaching the statue from the side. It didn't appear to notice him.

  The sword swung in a wide arc, and Gram ducked beneath the blow. Garet dashed toward the opening in the legs, then dived through it. On the statue's other side, he fell into a roll before getting back to his feet. From behind, he wondered if there was a way to get Gram through.

  But he didn't see anything.

  "I'll come back for you," he said. He'd come to respect the Imperial Guard.

  Garet didn't relish the thought of journeying through this place alone, but he didn't have any choice.

  "I'll be waiting here," Gram said. "Not much else I can do."

  Garet traveled through the corridor he'd entered, finding more spiraling stai
rs that led him gradually upward. Soon his legs burned. He'd never climbed so many stairs in his life.

  It seemed like an eternity later when he finally reached the corridor's exit. Now he stood at the beginning of another bridge that appeared to run at a right angle to the bridge they'd been crossing before. He followed this bridge until it reached the main path across the chamber.

  When he turned to his right, he saw that Cyrus and Commander Adams were still there. The commander watched him approach, but Cyrus appeared to be unconscious.

  Garet approached. "What happened? What's wrong with Cyrus?"

  "I'm not sure," said Commander Adams. "I think he overextended his magic trying to save you. He's alive, but he hasn't stirred." He frowned. "Where's Gram?"

  "He's alive, but only one of us could get past this statue that was blocking the way."

  The commander shook his head. "I hate this place. The sooner we find this Source, the happier I'll be." He peered across the room, toward the brilliant glow that had to be the Source.

  "We should keep moving, then," Garet said. "There's no telling how long Cyrus will remain like this."

  "You're right." Commander Adams looked at Cyrus, his expression unreadable.

  "You aren't thinking of harming him?" Garet asked.

  "The thought did cross my mind."

  "Well, we probably still need him."

  The commander chuckled without humor. "That's the only reason I haven't killed him. After all, what better chance will I ever have?"

  Garet decided he truly did not like this man. Cyrus and the commander might be enemies, but it was still wrong to think of killing someone who could do nothing to fight back. Garet worried that he might have to confront the commander at some point, and since the commander had Warrick's magic on his side, Garet feared he already knew the outcome of that battle.

  He and the commander made their away along the bridge. Garet didn't like leaving the sorcerer so vulnerable, but there was nothing they could do about it. Besides, Cyrus was immortal. Only magic could kill him.

  Garet wondered if the commander's threat had no teeth behind it. Yes, he could use magic, but his magic had to be too weak to kill a sorcerer like Cyrus.