World in Chains- The Complete Series

by Ryan W. Mueller

  "I'll miss you if you don't come with me. I don't know. I'd kind of like to have a friend along. These other people seem great and all, but I don't really know them."

  "Look. I don't know. I haven't decided yet."

  "But you said you wanted to come to Mountainside," Berig replied.

  "I know, but things have changed. Nadia—you know, the girl who got us out of prison—she has a plan to kill Warrick. I might go with her."

  "You like her, don't you?"

  "I don't know. I never really gave it much thought. She's a bit closed off if you ask me. Not that I blame her. She's led a rough life, rougher than you'd think. She has her plans, and if something doesn't fit into those plans, she just blocks it out."

  "Whatever you do, I wish you luck. You're a good guy, Markus."

  "You too, Berig. You're not as bad as you think you are."

  "Yeah, maybe. Who knows, really?"

  Markus had a feeling he knew which decision he'd make, provided he survived Woodsville. Either way, he'd disappoint someone. Berig's way was probably safer—a little bit at least, but Nadia's meant more.

  Exhausted and depressed, Markus shuffled back into the cabin.

  * * * * *

  Tylen felt as if he didn't belong here. He had suffered like everyone else, but he didn't share their views. Most of them were commoners, people who'd been opposed to Warrick, or at least indifferent to him, before Crayden. The only nobles there were people he didn't like, people like Ander, who was planning something.

  Not that Tylen cared.

  To his surprise, he saw Nadia approaching him. What could she possibly want? Had she decided to taunt him with the fact that she would never marry him? He wasn't sure he could control his temper this time. Not after today.

  He glared at her. "What do you want?"

  "There is no need to be so hostile," Nadia said.

  Tylen relaxed his expression. It was a struggle keeping the mockery out of his voice. "Is that better?"

  "A little," Nadia said. "I just wanted to ask you what you intended to do now. I might not like you, but I can care about you as another human being who went through something horrible. Is it so hard for us to declare a truce?"

  Though Nadia was covered in dirt, her hair a tangled mess, there was something in her spirit that seemed beautiful. For Tylen, who had always judged women only on their physical appearances, it was a strange feeling, one he couldn't explain.

  "All right, we may declare a truce," he said, gathering his thoughts. "For the moment, I intend to go back to my manor and salvage what I can. As long as I can find my gold, I should be able to start a new life, probably in Varner City. I have family there."

  However, his family in Varner City had not seen eye to eye with him. Where he had pledged his support to Warrick, they had only done so publically. As a matter of fact, they were Order members. Of course, with everything he'd experienced, he could now identify with their position, however foolish it might be.

  In all honesty, he'd never liked Warrick. Supporting the emperor was a matter of convenience, of safety. Now that Warrick had destroyed Tylen's illusions on those matters, was it a stretch for Tylen to turn traitor?

  He didn't know. Today had destroyed everything he'd ever thought about the world.

  Then again, the Imperial Guards had warned him, and he'd ignored them. It was his fault he'd almost died, and he probably hadn't been the only noble warned.

  "Well, I wish you well," Nadia said stiffly.

  Tylen wanted to say something, wanted to tell her how he truly felt about her, but everything that came to his mind was biting and sarcastic. As he watched her go, he knew he would probably never see her again.

  In the morning, he would start a new life. She had made that clear enough.

  Chapter 29: The Ruins of Woodsville

  Tylen left before anyone else that night. He'd tried to fall asleep on the ground outside the cabin, but he was too accustomed to sleeping in beds.

  By the time he crossed the bridge into Crayden, the fires had all died down, but the stench of smoke and charred wood remained. He pushed past ashes and rubble, through a landscape that no longer resembled a city. In the early morning light, he made his way to the west side of the city, where he entered his crumbling manor. The flames had burst through the windows and incinerated everything within. Even some of the stone had warped and melted.

  Chest tight, he strode to the vault at the back of his manor. The fire had melted the locking mechanism, and the stone door had sprung open, revealing an empty vault. Bandits must have seen the flames and looted from the dead.

  Disgusting people, he thought bitterly. That money hadn't belonged to them. They hadn't made the sacrifices necessary to obtain it. Yes, they'd lived rough lives, but it was of their own doing.

  Tylen fell to his knees and cried. Yesterday, he had lost the woman who gave him a future. Today, he had lost the most important thing in his life.

  * * * * *

  Nadia and the group headed to Woodsville awoke in the early hours of the morning. She hadn't slept at all, her mind racing with the images of yesterday. The others looked tired as well, probably reliving the tragedy themselves.

  After a quick, silent breakfast, they gathered a few supplies and started on their journey.

  "How bad is it there?" Nadia asked shortly after sunrise.

  "You're not gonna like it," Markus said.

  Rik frowned. "Yeah, and I have the feeling we'll have to go into that temple. Seems the most logical place to hide something so important."

  Soon sweat drenched Nadia, reminding her of her swordplay with Kara She thought then of Varek, Avia, and her father. All dead. When would it truly hit her? To distract herself, she went on about what they might face in the ruins. Ghosts. Wraiths. Skeletons. Other undead.

  Around midday, they arrived at the broad valley containing Woodsville.

  "Never thought I'd come back here," Markus said.

  "I could say the same," Aric replied.

  "Why did you come here anyways?" Nadia asked, trying to ignore the dark shroud hanging over the cursed city.

  "When I was younger, I had a bit of a thirst for adventure. I went with a friend of mine." He hesitated, looking away from her. "I made it out. He didn't."

  Nadia put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry."

  "It's been ten years. I've learned to live with the guilt."

  But Nadia could tell it still ate at him. She knew all too well how it felt to blame yourself for the deaths of loved ones. A tear came to her eye.

  Ander tightened a hand on his staff. "Let's get going."

  "I really don't like this place," Nadia said as they started down the hill leading toward the city, passing trees and patches of dense vegetation.

  "It hasn't even gotten bad yet," Markus said, face pale.

  "When does that happen?" she asked, fearing the answer.

  "Toward the pyramid at the center of the city," Rik said, pushing forward with a strange smile. Vines had begun to crowd their path.

  Markus rounded on him. "You can't actually want to go back there."

  "We have Ander's staff now," Rik said. "We can handle that wraith."

  "I doubt that's the worst we'll see," Markus said.

  Rik turned away, increasing his pace as though he hadn't heard anything Markus said. Nadia had an inkling of how it must have been the last time they'd been here.

  They reached the first row of crumbling stone buildings, where vines had overgrown most of the doors and windows, preventing entry. A strange chill hung in the air, like the Spirit of Malavia, but worse. Markus had turned a ghostly white. How could Nadia ever repay Markus for returning to this horrible place?

  There was movement to her left, but when she turned, she saw nothing in the unnatural darkness.

  They passed building after building, pushing toward the center of town. The closer they got to the pyramid-shaped temple, the colder the air became, the more Nadia's instincts told her to run. The pat
h had been cleared for the most part, probably by Markus and Rik. Still, she had to make sure her feet wouldn't get caught.

  The cold intensified, like an icy dagger plunging into her back, and she shivered. Every hair on her body stood on end.

  She took deep breaths, but they didn't help. Markus was trembling as well.

  "This place doesn't seem so bad," Kara said from behind her.

  "You can't feel it the way I can," Nadia said.

  "Believe me, it will get bad," Aric said. "My friend and I went into that temple. That's where all the bad things are."

  "And, unfortunately, where we probably have to go," Ander said. Soon they reached the temple's entrance, which stood open, as though waiting for them. Nadia had the feeling that something evil lurked just around the corner.

  How had such evil come to be?

  They stepped into the temple, and Nadia struggled to stay on her feet as the cold intensified. Markus leaned on Rik to keep his balance. She took note of that and used Kara for support. No use feigning confidence and strength right now.

  "Are you doing all right, Nadia?" Ander asked.

  "It's nothing you can help with. We need to keep going."

  They rounded a corner, guided by magical torches, which had probably been alight for hundreds and hundreds of years.

  At the other end of the corridor, something black stirred. Another wave of cold and fear washed over Nadia, and she leaned harder on Kara. The black thing came closer and closer, filling the air with its chilling presence.

  Aric looked at Ander. "Well, this is the first test of your staff."

  "I'll be ready. I've practiced."

  The wraith hovered closer, a strange blackness surrounding it, as though its presence warped the air nearby. Nadia's heart pounded.

  Ander's mouth became a thin line as a jet of fire burst from the tip of his staff. The fire struck the wraith, and it recoiled, letting out a high-pitched streak. When the fire dissipated, though, it continued toward them. The staff trembled in Ander's hands.

  Another jet of fire shot at the creature. It recoiled again, its shriek even higher. This time, Ander didn't give it a break. He turned the fire to a surge of lightning that traveled in a horizontal path from the tip of the staff to the wraith's chest area.

  The wraith's shriek sounded worse than ever, and it faded into dust.

  "At least we know we can fight them," Aric said.

  After taking a few moments to collect themselves, they moved past the spot where the wraith had dissipated, to a place where their path turned to the left and ended in a massive stone door. Their shadows danced against it like black ghosts.

  Ander examined the door. Nadia joined him, relieved that the cold had faded. The door offered no clues as to how it would open, none save for a large circular opening in its center. Was there some kind of round key, and where would they find one?

  "Are we going to be stopped already?" Kara asked.

  Ander ran his hands along the door. "Where's the key?"

  "Are you sure there is a key?" Aric asked.

  Rik stepped closer to the door. "I don't know. Sure looks like it."

  "I've got an idea," Markus said, his face pale in the dim magical light. Everyone turned to him, and he said, "When Rik and I came here before, we went into one of the houses. There was a way down underground that we didn't take because it really bothered me."

  "Yeah, that could be it," Rik said.

  "It's a better idea than anything else we have," Aric said.

  Ander turned away from the door. "I agree."

  They walked back out of the temple. The cold feeling lingered, but Nadia had learned to ignore it. Even Markus looked less pale, though he seemed in no mood to talk.

  Kara glanced around. "Where is this house?"

  "Don't worry," Rik said, pushing through some vines. "I remember the way."

  They walked almost to the edge of the city, then stopped in front of one of the few homes they could enter. At the door, Markus turned deathly pale, and the cold hit them again, as though they were in the presence of another wraith.

  Rik stepped into the house first, followed by Ander and Aric. Nadia, Kara, and Markus entered last, Nadia doing so reluctantly. Only her fierce desire to avenge her mother kept her going. The closer they came to a door at the back of the structure, the worse Nadia felt. If someone had told her she was taking a bath in icy water, she would have believed them. Rik stepped into the opening first before Ander pulled him back.

  "I should go first," Ander said. "I have the staff."

  "Yeah, probably a good idea," Rik said.

  Ander led them down the steps, and Nadia leaned on Kara again to keep her knees from collapsing. It was strange that magic had such powerful drawbacks.

  The chamber beneath the home, though dark at first, gradually brightened. The same magical torches lined the stone walls, casting flickering orange light upon everything.

  Far at the other side of the large chamber, another wraith stirred.

  "Did you see it, Ander?" Nadia asked.

  "Yes, I did, but I have to wait until it gets within range."

  The wait seemed to last forever. The closer the wraith came, the more Nadia shivered. How could she handle the whole city if it was all like this? This was worse than Crayden.

  When the wraith came within range, Ander blasted it with lightning. It shrieked briefly, then collapsed into a black cloud that vanished, leaving no trace it had ever been there.

  "A little draining," Ander said. "But those things aren't too bad."

  Nadia followed the others as they pushed deeper into the underground chamber. The wraith's cold had vanished, but she remained alert, peering into the chamber's dim recesses.

  They rounded countless twists and turns of the underground passage through a vast network of tunnels, a network perhaps larger than the temple itself. Eventually, they came to an open room full of large stone pillars. Nadia sensed movement.

  In the center of the room, in a giant pit, creatures stirred. A grand staircase led down into this pit. Nadia moved ahead of the others, peering through the dim lighting. Maybe she would recognize what they were facing.

  The creatures looked like skeletons—perfectly preserved skeletons, as though the people had just died. They moved with slow, rickety motions. Could they see without eyes, or would they only sense movement?

  "How do we handle these things?" Markus whispered, crouching beside her.

  She bit her lower lip. "I don't know. I need to think."

  "Do you think we can sneak past them?" Ander asked, squinting.

  "No, it couldn't be that simple. Maybe I could shoot them."

  "They don't look that dangerous," Rik said.

  "Who knows what they might do?" Nadia said. "Better to get rid of them."

  "I agree," Ander said. "Maybe I'll try my magic, too."

  "It's worth a try," Nadia said. She readied an arrow and aimed at the closest skeleton as it lurched toward them. A deep breath, then she let the arrow fly. When it hit, the skeleton fell to pieces.

  She almost laughed. "That was easier than I expected."

  "I wouldn't pass judgment so quickly," Aric said, pointing at the skeletons. "Look!"

  The remaining five skeletons started moving faster, heading toward the steps as though they could sense the intruders. Nadia nocked another arrow and released, shattering a second skeleton.

  Beside her, Ander sent blasts of fire at the other skeletons. The skeletons faltered but kept coming. He tried lightning next, achieving the same result.

  "Do something!" Markus shouted. "They're getting closer!"

  Nadia continued releasing arrows, but the skeletons' jerky movements had become so quick and irregular that her shots missed, or only struck glancing blows. Ander was now backing away, launching more magic at the skeletons but achieving nothing more than slowing them down.

  Kara, Markus, Rik, and Aric stood their ground, their weapons at the ready. Markus hacked at one of the skeletons
with his sword, and it fell apart. Kara did the same with her sword, and Rik with his axe.

  One last skeleton broke through and darted toward Markus, ignoring everyone else. Its bony hand closed around Markus's arm, and he let out an anguished scream as he tried to pull free. From a few feet away, Rik charged and decapitated the skeleton. It fell to pieces on the stone floor.

  Heart pounding, Nadia rushed to Markus's side. "Are you all right?"

  He was panting. "My arm's burning where it grabbed me."

  "Let me look at it," Aric said, squatting beside Markus. "I'm a doctor."

  Rik narrowed his eyes. "Can't you heal it yourself, Markus?"

  "I guess I could try." Markus pressed a hand to the red spot on his arm, holding it there for maybe half a minute, but nothing happened. Then, with obvious frustration, he said, "Looks like my healing abilities only work on other people. Too bad."

  "How much does it hurt?" Aric asked, touching the arm tenderly.

  Markus winced. "It's not too bad. I'll be fine."

  "That's not what I'm concerned about," Aric said. "This is an evil creature. There's no telling what effect its touch might have on you. You need to keep an eye on it."

  Markus got to his feet. "Don't worry about it. It's just a little burn."

  Nadia agreed with Aric, though she didn't know enough to speculate on what effects the injury might have.

  "If that's all settled," Ander said, "we need to get going."

  Once again, Nadia appreciated Ander. He was a lot like her, the kind of person who set his sights on a goal and didn't let little things distract him. In a situation like this, you needed someone with a cool head and determined attitude. Some had told her that Ander had a tendency to lose his temper, but she had never seen it.

  They crossed the pit of bones, careful not to touch any of them. Markus shook his arm the whole time, wincing. Nadia thought to ask him if he was okay, but she knew he'd try to look tough. In fact, she knew him quite well considering that she'd met him a few days ago.

  A few days that seemed like a lifetime.

  At the other side of the pit was the entrance to a narrower corridor lit by magical torchlight. Nadia's skin prickled with fear, and she remained alert.