Empire of Chains (World in Chains Book 1)

by Ryan W. Mueller

"Markus!" she shouted. "Rik!"

  Markus's cloak muffled his voice. "Are we still alive?"

  Nadia couldn't help but smile. "Yes, we are."

  Rik threw his sodden cloak to the side. "Well, that was the scariest thing I've ever experienced. Maybe adventures aren't always so much fun."

  Nadia continued shivering as Markus and Rik got to their feet. The roar of the tornado was growing quieter. A quick check in every other direction revealed no additional tornadoes.

  "Let's pray that's the last one we see," Markus said.

  Rik chuckled, but it lacked his usual humor. "Amen."

  The storm continued to rumble around them, and they shivered in the cool air. Nadia's legs trembled.

  "Let's get going," she said. They'd lain over their leather sacks, so they hadn't lost their supplies. As they walked, Nadia's terror slowly faded.

  They traveled through the afternoon, the storm fading into the distance. The sun came out behind it, and she prayed it wasn't fueling another storm. Prayer had saved them from the tornado. Maybe it could save them again.

  What other protection did they have?

  No storms threatened that day. When they settled down for the night, they ate from their dwindling rations. Thus far, the wildlife of the plains had proven hard to catch. Hopefully they'd be able to restock their stores at the Oasis Outpost. She tried to put the words of the strange man and woman out of her mind, remembering how they'd warned about the Oasis Outpost's distrust of outsiders. Surely they'd been exaggerating. Surely.

  Through the night, more howls rang out. At every sound, even the smallest, Nadia tensed. She hadn't slept well since they'd started crossing the plains. In fact, she hadn't enjoyed a good night's sleep since leaving Crayden. She missed her soft bed and the comforts of home. The inferno still burned in her vision whenever she closed her eyes, haunting her nightmares.

  She felt drowsy as they ate a small breakfast the next morning. Stale bread and dried, salted meat had grown old.

  "How have you two been sleeping?" she asked. "I've been having nightmares."

  Markus swallowed a mouthful. "Not so well. I know what you mean about the nightmares. I keep seeing that fire in Crayden, keep hearing all the screams."

  "I'm glad to know it's not just me," she said, rubbing her eyes.

  "Anyone would have nightmares after that." Rik said.

  "And then there's those damn wolves," Markus said. "It's kind of hard to get any sleep when they keep howling. One of these times, they're going to find us."

  Rik shook his head. "I wonder how many close calls we can have."

  Nadia wished she had an answer. Was God protecting them, or had they simply been lucky? Regardless, they couldn't count on anyone or anything but themselves.

  That afternoon, more storms formed, but the storms remained north of them, and they didn't see any tornadoes. During the night, the bone-chilling howls sounded again, distant and growing more distant with time. Would that remain the case?

  The days continued like this in a steady rhythm of walking, of aching feet. The longer they walked, the more they had to stop to rest. The late summer heat didn't help.

  From time to time, they encountered a dwelling, but such finds became rarer and rarer. One evening, though, they came across something more than a single dwelling. An entire campsite stood just off their path, full of animal-skin tents.

  And it was empty.

  "I don't like this," Nadia said. "Why is no one here?"

  Rik looked around the campsite. "Yeah, I know what you mean."

  His mood had picked up a bit, but he didn't seem like the same Rik who'd set out on this quest. Their difficulties had hardened his personality. He joked less, complained more. She didn't care for this change. They needed Rik to lighten the mood.

  They investigated the campsite, checking in each tent. Cooking pots and bedrolls remained. A few swords and bows lay around the area, but it looked as though there might have once been more. Had something attacked these people and forced them to flee?

  "We should move on," Markus said. "Nothing to see here."

  Nadia took one last look at the campsite. "I still don't like this, but you're right."

  They left the mysteriously empty site behind, climbing up a gentle hill as the evening light faded. They walked for a while in the moonlight, relishing the air's sudden coolness, then chose to rest after a few hours. Nadia's feet and legs ached more than she thought possible. She wished they'd bought horses, but it would have been too dangerous for the animals.

  Nadia took the second watch that night. Markus woke her, and she got back to her aching feet. If she sat down, she risked falling asleep. She paced the campsite, keeping alert for any shadowy movements or small sounds.

  Howls rang out again, closer than she'd ever heard them. Heart pounding, she stared into the darkness. Something moved in the distance. The wolves. She tensed.

  The howls grew louder, closer. The shadowy shapes prowled toward them, a pack of nine or ten.

  She woke Markus and Rik. At first, they stirred groggily, but then they jumped to alert, their weapons at the ready. They stared into the dark night with wide eyes as the wolves prowled toward them. The pack didn't show any fear, moving steadily, howling now and again.

  Then the wolves charged. Breathing deeply, she nocked an arrow on her bowstring and released. The lead wolf fell to her arrow, yowling, and she almost felt sorry for it. But then the rest of the pack charged even faster. Nadia took another deep breath, concentrating. It felt almost as though she could sense the beating of the wolves' hearts, as though she knew exactly where to aim. With remarkable calm, she let an arrow fly. Another wolf fell, yowling, but the others kept coming.

  Eight on three. She didn't like those odds.

  Heart pounding, she aimed again, but the wolves had moved too close now. Her next arrow went astray. Panicking, she shouldered her bow and unsheathed her sword. How were they going to fight so many wolves?

  Had these creatures led to the abandonment of that campsite?

  The wolves charged, and Nadia stood tall as one lunged at her. Again, she felt as though she could sense its heart. When it leapt toward her, she plunged her sword through its underside. The impact sent her to the ground and knocked the wind out of her, but her sword stuck in its chest. It whimpered and fell to the side.

  Chaos had begun all around her. Dimly, she heard Markus and Rik screaming, registered the frantic scrabbling of paws all around. She reacted on instinct, thrusting her sword toward anything that got near her. The beasts' rank smell filled her nostrils. Again and again, she fell to the ground, scrambling to keep her weapon at the ready as wolves leapt atop her, as claws tore at her.

  She felt hot, searing pain, heard shouts that sounded unfamiliar. Again and again, she plunged her sword through anything that came near. Sometimes she scored a hit. Sometimes she didn't. The wolves were too quick, too powerful. She turned frantically, looking for each attacking beast.

  Sweat poured down her face. Through the chaos and din of the battle, she caught sight of shadows approaching. More people entered the battle. She had no idea who they were, but they fought well. The yelping and whimpering of wolves filled the air, accompanied by the grunting and shouting of these people.

  At last, the battle ended. She lay on the ground, gasping for air. Beside her, Markus and Rik looked bruised and scratched, but otherwise all right.

  She got to her feet, turning to meet the eyes of one of their saviors. The man, tall and muscular with a thick beard, helped her to her feet.

  "Thank you," she said. "Who are you?"

  A group of eight stood behind the man, four men and four women. Some had suffered scratches, but they all stood strong, holding their swords ready. Bows were strapped to their backs. These had to be the people from the campsite.

  "We call ourselves the Hunters," the man said. "We keep the plains safe for the rare traveler who ventures in these territories. This is where we live."

  Nadia was tremb
ling. "Why did you choose to live here?"

  "It is easier to live apart from Warrick's rule, to feel like we have freedom." He smiled. "I'd imagine you have similar reasons for making this journey."

  Rik limped over to them. "Well, thanks for saving us."

  "It is what we do," the man said. "I am Dave, the pack leader."

  "Nice to meet you," Nadia said, shaking his callused hand. He led Nadia, Markus, and Rik over to the rest of the group, who all eyed them with curiosity. Markus, too, was limping, but it appeared none of them had suffered severe injuries.

  Nadia thanked the rest of the group, some of whom had earned a few scratches. They didn't complain, though. This was duty to them.

  She pointed to the east. "Do you have a campsite back that way?"

  "Yes, we do," Dave said. "We have not been there lately, though, as we've been on a hunt. The wolves have grown in numbers lately, as they do when we don't kill them. I don't know how Warrick does it, but more wolves keep appearing out of nowhere."

  "I'm guessing these aren't normal wolves," Markus said.

  Dave nodded. "They are strange, unnatural creations."

  "And you spend all your life hunting them?" Rik said.

  "Them, and other things," Dave said. "Many animals roam the plains, but most of them are shy. Farther to the south, some people have herded cows. We often trade with them for meat. If we keep their livestock safe from the wolves, they provide us food for free."

  Nadia shook her head in wonder. "I had no idea so many people lived on the plains."

  "There are many like us," Dave said. "People who wish to live apart from the evils of Emperor Warrick. The plains are not that dangerous. The worst of the storms occur toward the eastern side of the plains. Now we stand close to the desert. Is that your destination?"

  "Yes, it is," Nadia said. "What do you know about the Oasis Outpost?"

  "They don't welcome outsiders. Be careful if you go there. Somewhere in that city, you can find the Order, but they are hidden. The ordinary people of the town distrust anyone they don't know."

  "Sounds like a nice place." Rik said.

  "Do you wish to return with us to our campsite?" Dave asked.

  Nadia looked to the others. They both frowned at her, probably thinking the same thing she was. That campsite was a few hours away, a few hours of walking on aching feet. If they were so close to the desert, she'd be glad to have a chance to rest. She would deal with the place's attitude toward outsiders later.

  Then again, they could rest at the campsite. It wouldn't take much time.

  "All right, we'll return with you," she said.

  Dave smiled through his thick beard. "We'd be glad to have you."

  As they made the trek back toward their campsite, Nadia filled the Hunters in on what they were doing in crossing the plains. These people seemed trustworthy, and she felt no hesitation in telling them her story, however much Markus frowned at her.

  When Markus introduced himself, Dave's gaze lingered on him for a few moments, as if he wanted to ask something, but then he turned away.

  The Hunters looked a little rough and unkempt. Three of the men, Dave included, wore thick beards. The other two wore a few days' growth of stubble on their faces. The women were a little more attentive to their appearances, but they never would have passed for noblewomen. Everyone introduced themselves, but Nadia struggled to keep the names straight.

  When they reached the campsite, dawn was approaching. They all sat down for a meal. The Hunters shared their food, refusing to accept anything Nadia offered.

  "We require no payment from travelers," Dave said.

  "I still feel like we should give you something," Nadia said.

  Dave held up a hand. "Don't worry about it. We have plenty."

  And they did. From their stores, they took fresher meat and bread. Nadia, Markus, and Rik enjoyed their first quality meal since Riverside. The Hunters seemed pleased to offer them anything, and Nadia was surprised to see such generosity from strangers, especially strangers with such rough appearances. They looked more likely to rob travelers than feed them.

  The Hunters ate with animal-like enthusiasm, but Nadia could forgive them that. She could forgive a lot when someone had saved her life.

  "Why don't you eat the wolf meat?" Nadia asked.

  "It is poisonous," Dave said with his mouth full. "If you eat a little bit, you get violently ill. Eat any more and you might die. That's why we know they're evil, that among other things."

  Nadia swallowed a mouthful of meat and bread. "What do you think of our quest?"

  Dave stroked his beard. "It sounds insane, but you seem to me like the type of people who can make such a quest work. We've dreamed for years of someone being able to kill Warrick. Yes, we've carved out a life here, but a return to society would be nice. We miss some of the comforts of life in the cities. But we do not miss the Imperial Guards."

  "Can anyone really miss them?" Rik said.

  Dave looked pensive, as if recalling bad memories. "Well, there are those who feel comfortable with the rule of law, who will support those in power no matter how distasteful they find their rule. Warrick is powerful, but he would not rule so effectively if more people would oppose him."

  "I've always thought the same thing," Nadia said. "No one would listen to me."

  Dave smiled. "Then they are unwise."

  "So you really think we have a chance?" she said.

  "There is always a chance. Never forget that."

  * * * * *

  Darien lay on the stone floor in the room where he read the Webs of Fate, feeling more exhausted than he'd felt in a long time. He'd spent far too much time watching Nadia, Markus, and Rik. Reading the future was exhausting. Watching the present was even worse.

  Keeping them alive was the toughest task of all.

  Twice, he'd needed to intervene to save the party. First, he'd redirected the path of the giant tornado. Since he'd created the Plain of Storms, he had some control over it. However, it took a great deal of energy for him to alter the path of the tornado. Afterward, he'd needed a few days to recover. He'd allowed no one to see him: no visitors, no petitioners, not even his steward.

  He'd needed all his energy to keep track of the two parties. After all, Berig still needed his attention. If Berig died, all would be lost.

  Darien had never experienced such a difficult period.

  Just now, he'd saved Nadia, Markus, and Rik from those wolves. More indirectly, though. He'd created other animals to attract the Hunters' attention so that they would be where they needed to be when those wolves appeared. Darien could create additional animals on the plains, but he struggled to get rid of those already present.

  He hated to admit it, but he'd needed help to save the party this time.

  And he felt sick to his stomach when he thought of the next step of their journey. He could not penetrate the barrier Cyrus had erected around the Oasis Outpost, so he could not save them when danger threatened within. And it would. The Webs were clear about that.

  Again, Darien hated feeling that he wasn't in control.

  Chapter 42

  The Red Plateau seemed still and silent around Berig as they walked through a wide canyon, climbing over jagged rocks. The sun beat down on Berig's neck, and sweat drenched his clothing. Already, he missed the mist and shade from the swamp.

  "So what kinda stuff is there gonna be here?" he asked.

  Ander continued forward. "I'm not sure. Few texts describe this place."

  "But haven't people been through here before?" Danica asked.

  "They have," Aric said. "But every person seems to have encountered different monsters, so we really have no idea what to expect. We're capable, though. We'll handle it."

  Berig had grown to like Aric's optimism and wished he could adopt that attitude himself. But how could he after so much suffering?

  As they walked, Berig's feet ached, but he refused to slow the group and become a burden. He still couldn't underst
and why they'd let him come along, why they treated him as an equal. He was a failure, nothing more.

  Their path was unchanging. The rocks all looked the same. There were no caves, no hills, no valleys. Nothing to provide any clues as to where they were going. At least there was only one path. If the path branched off eventually, they'd have to make a decision, and Berig had a sudden vision of an intricate maze.

  He came up beside Talia. "How're you doing?"

  She kept walking, avoiding his gaze. "I don't want to talk about it."

  "I'm just trying to help," he said. "People usually find me easy to talk to."

  Still, she didn't turn. "I'm not the kind of person who likes talking through these things. I know you mean well, Berig, but I need my space. Just remember that I don't blame you."

  That didn't comfort him. He'd never fared well when people around him were in bad moods, as he had the unfortunate habit of taking on their moods.

  He fell back to the rear of the party, staring at the ground as he walked.

  "She'll get over it in time," Danica said. "She's strong."

  Berig forced a smile. "Yeah, she is. Wish I could be the same way."

  "Then you should focus on changing that. It doesn't matter that you've been a certain way your whole life. People can change, and I see the spark of change in you, Berig."

  "Glad someone does."

  "It's that attitude that holds you back. I'm not saying change is easy. You have to work for it." Danica frowned. "Berig, I get the sense that you've always just drifted through life. You've never had any goals apart from living to see the next day. You feel so beaten down by everything that's happened to you that you don't want to dream of anything more."

  "Maybe you're right," Berig said, navigating a tricky section of the path.

  Danica held on to him to get through that obstacle, and he liked the feeling of her touch. All his life, he'd never felt love for anyone. He couldn't decide if he felt the way about Danica, but she'd paid attention to him in a way no one ever had before.

  "You took the first step toward change," she said. "You chose to come with us on this journey. The old Berig, the one who drifted through life, would not have made that decision. Whatever you might think about yourself, Crayden changed you. It changed all of us."