Aren ran a hand through his beard. "Well, I think there's only one choice if we want to keep our people alive. We'll have to surrender."
Lena gave him a sharp look. "Surrender? Are you insane?"
"We can't stand against them," Aren said. "Surely you can see that."
"I know that, but in some cases, it's better to die fighting than surrender to evil." Her look became distant, as if she were recalling something from long ago. "These are the people who tortured and killed my parents, who left me as an orphan to find my own way. I struggled to survive on the streets of Sierra City because of them. I know what they're capable of. Even if we surrender, they will make our lives miserable. They will enslave us and make us serve Krinir."
Kara still didn't understand who Krinir was, but she didn't like what she'd heard of the Sunset Army. She stood up and leaned against the stone wall, feeling out of place.
The mayor ran a hand through his graying beard. He looked as if he'd aged a few years since the beginning of this conversation. "She's right, Aren. Surrendering may be the logical course of action, but I'd rather die fighting than live as a slave to Krinir." He glanced at Kara, as if noticing her for the first time. "Who are you? What's your role in this?"
Kara opened her mouth to respond, but Aren spoke first. "She's from Terra. She was touched by the Silver Wisp, and we came across her out on the plains."
The mayor's eyes took on a sad look. "I'm sorry to hear that, and I'm sorry that you've become involved in our struggles. I'll understand if you don't want to fight alongside us."
Kara paced near the stone door, trying to get her thoughts in order and keep a flood of emotions from overwhelming her. "Aren and the trackers saved my life. They seem like good people. And if this Sunset Army is even half as bad as they sound, I'll be glad to fight them."
"What about your hopes of getting back home?" Lena asked.
"I think I'm coming to realize how dangerous this place is. I would have died out there without your intervention. If I tried to go alone, I wouldn't survive. Maybe I'll die in this coming battle. I don't know. But at least I won't be running away when you could use my help."
"You shouldn't fight alongside us," Aren said. "What skills do you have?"
"I'm good with a sword. That has to count for something." She leaned forward, staring at him intensely. "Maybe I didn't do so well against that monster, but I have trained to fight against human opponents. As far as I can tell, the Sunset Army is human, right?"
"That they are," Aren said.
Lena narrowed her eyes in disgust. "That's debatable."
The mayor rose from his cushioned chair. He no longer appeared so old and weary. He looked ready to fight, ready to die for his people if need be. Kara had no idea how her life had come to this situation, but she knew she would fight alongside them.
It was the right thing, and Kara had always believed in doing the right thing. She pulled her sword from her back. "Let's get ready for battle."
Chapter 5: Dwindling Hopes
Nadia and Rik had to support Markus as they traveled through the night. Beneath Markus's weight, Nadia felt ready to collapse, but she couldn't stop. Markus was growing weaker with every step. His injuries, wrapped in bandages, were bad. His sickness was even worse.
"Maybe you should go on without me," he said.
"Friends stick together," Rik said. "You're going to live through this."
Markus looked down at the ground, his face pale in the moonlight. "I wish I had your confidence. But look at my arm. Even in the dark, I can tell the blackness is spreading."
Nadia marched forward, ignoring her fatigue. "You're not going to give up, Markus. We haven't made it through so much just so you can die now."
"But I thought you said the world wasn't fair."
"I don't care." Nadia fought against a sudden upwelling of tears. "I can't lose you."
They marched through the night, crossing flat ground. No more monsters threatened, but exhaustion was a fierce enough enemy. Nadia had never felt so weary. She'd had no chance to rest and regain her strength after their imprisonment in Warrick's dungeons.
No night in Nadia's life had ever felt so long. It was a battle of determination. They spoke little. There was nothing to say, or at least nothing pleasant. Every time Nadia looked at Markus, she felt like crying.
At last, the sky lightened to the east. Before the sun could rise, however, a chorus of bone-chilling howls rang out. They sounded vaguely like wolves, but there was something different in the sound, something monstrous.
The more Nadia saw of the world beyond the Empire, the more she wondered if Warrick was telling the truth. The Empire, despite its problems, seemed a much safer place.
"You think those are normal wolves?" Markus asked.
Nadia kept walking forward. "I don't think so."
They tried to ignore the howls as they sounded again and again, growing closer. Nadia felt overwhelmed in this new world. Back in the Empire, she'd always known what to expect. Her books and training had prepared her for everything, but nothing had prepared her for life beyond the mountains.
Nothing could ever prepare her for losing Markus.
When the sun rose, the howls stopped. Nadia thought she should feel relieved, but instead she could only dwell on her worries, her doubts, her failures. As much as she presented a strong mask, as much as she told the others she was happy with the way things had turned out, she still felt bitter over losing to Warrick.
For the last four years, she'd had one goal: kill Warrick or die trying. She'd never prepared for a situation in which she accomplished neither of those outcomes.
And now she might lose Markus. He was the only thing that kept her going, kept her from dwelling on everything she'd lost and how futile her efforts had been.
The morning sunlight revealed just how dire Markus's situation had become. He looked as pale as the white sheets she'd had back in her castle. Sweat poured down his face, and he had to take frequent drinks.
She was amazed he hadn't collapsed already. "Markus, do you need to rest?"
"Yes, but if I stop and rest, I don't think I'll ever get back up."
She felt a rush of tears. "But you can't keep traveling in this condition."
"It doesn't matter. I have no choice."
No choice. Two words Nadia despised more than any others. She hated feeling as if she weren't in charge of her own life, or the lives of those she loved. All through her quest to defeat Warrick, she'd considered that Warrick might be manipulating events. Only now did she realize that he truly had been. She'd never had any chance of defeating him.
Had vengeance blinded her that much? She should have seen that she was opposing a man whose talents far surpassed hers. She should have realized that even a spell like White Fire couldn't kill him, that he'd intended for her to find it.
In truth, she'd considered it at the time, but never seriously, never enough to cast aside her foolish dreams. And she was a fool. That was clear.
"Look!" Rik said, jolting her out of her thoughts.
Nadia glanced ahead. In the small valley ahead, a narrow dirt road twisted through the green landscape, and at the edge of that road, something glowed blue.
The sight of the road gave Nadia a newfound sense of energy. Even Markus moved more quickly. As they approached the road, the blue glow became clearer, emanating from small crystals secured firmly in iron holders, almost like candles.
"What do you think those are?" Rik asked.
"I have no idea," Nadia said as they stopped just beyond the crystals.
Rik squinted at the blue glow. "You think it's safe to pass them?"
Markus broke free from Nadia and Rik and stepped onto the road, nearly collapsing from the effort. "Yeah, looks safe to me."
Nadia glared at him. "That was foolish."
"Somebody had to do it. If I'm gonna die anyway, it might as well be me."
Nadia shook her head, unable to think of a kind response, then stepped onto the
road. Rik was the last through, eyeing the crystals nervously. Now they stood on the dirt road, and nothing horrible had happened.
If only that could have reassured Nadia.
Narrow runnels ran along the road, and Nadia felt as though a great weight had left her. If wagons traveled along this road, then surely they'd run across people soon, and surely they couldn't all be as inhospitable as those bandits.
"I can't stand any longer," Markus said. He collapsed to the dirt road, covered in sweat. Exhausted, Nadia settled down beside him and rested her head on his shoulder. Heat radiated from his skin, almost as hot as a plate straight out of the kitchen.
How much longer did he have?
As the sun climbed higher, they rested in the middle of the road. Now that Markus had collapsed, he would not get back up. He would die here on this road.
No. She couldn't think like that. He wasn't dead, not yet, and maybe he never would be. Even if she had to venture off to find a cure on her own, she would do it. She owed Markus that much. All those weeks ago, he'd saved her from that Imperial Guard. Since then, they'd saved each other countless times, but that first meeting still hung in her thoughts.
He'd been so brave, so strong. Well, a little foolish perhaps, but she liked that about him.
The air warmed, reminding Nadia that autumn had only just begun. It seemed like ages ago that they'd set out on their journey, but it hadn't been that long. The quest had simply felt that way. Now, without that quest, she had no direction in life. What was she supposed to do outside the Empire? What purpose did she have beyond keeping Markus alive?
Well, ordinary people didn't live with much of a purpose beyond surviving. Perhaps she could find that kind of life with Markus and Rik. She was a skilled archer and a well-educated young woman. Surely she could make something of her life out here.
But only if she had Markus by her side.
Once again, she remembered why she'd tried to keep love out of her life. It had brought her joy, yes, but now it was bringing her pain worse than anything she'd ever felt.
She wrapped an arm around Markus, fighting against tears. "I love you."
His voice was barely a croak. "I love you, too, Nadia."
I'll miss you, Nadia thought, but she couldn't bring herself to say it.
"I think I hear something," Rik said. A few moments later, Nadia heard it as well: the gentle clip clop of hooves against the dirt road. She sat up, suddenly alert, and waited for the sound to grow louder.
At last, the horses came into view, followed by a wagon. The wagon approached from the north and slowed as it neared them, for they hadn't moved out of the road.
A clean-shaven, middle-aged man with light brown hair sat in the driver's seat, looking down at them curiously. "Is there some reason you're lying here in the middle of the road?"
At least he didn't sound hostile, and he spoke her language.
"My friend here is very sick," Nadia said, glancing at Markus, then at the man. "And we're all exhausted. We've been traveling a long time."
The man bit his lower lip. "How's your friend sick? Is it the plague?"
"No," Nadia said, getting to her feet. "He was bitten by a snake. Its venom is killing him."
The man hopped down from the wagon. "Let me take a look."
As he walked toward Markus, Nadia noted that two other men occupied the back of the wagon. Both were a little younger than the driver, sporting dark beards and carrying swords. They wore leather armor that had seen better days.
"By the way, I’m Kevin," the man said. "I'm a merchant from Stewart's Mill."
"Stewart's Mill?" Nadia said. "Is that a large city? Can we find a doctor there?"
"It's the closest city of any decent size. There are a few doctors there, but with the plague this year, it might be tough for your friend to see them. They're swamped with patients." Kevin kneeled beside Markus and looked at the blackened arm. "Not sure a doctor will do him any good. I've seen something like this before. You have to catch it early, as soon as it shows."
Nadia fought against tears. "Are you saying there's no way we can save him?"
Kevin didn't meet her gaze. "I didn't say that, but I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you. I can give you a ride to Stewart's Mill. We're heading there anyways. But I can't say if we'll find any help for him." He shook his head gravely. "I'm sorry to give you bad news."
"What about Miracle Fruit?" Nadia asked, desperate. "Do you know what that is?"
"Sorry. I've never heard of it."
"It grows somewhere in the Empire," Nadia said. "Inside the mountains."
Kevin frowned. "Are you from inside the mountains?"
Nadia didn't know how safe it was to reveal this information, but Kevin seemed trustworthy. "Yes," she said. "We just got out yesterday. Markus was bitten a few days ago, while we were still in the Empire. His symptoms didn't show until we'd escaped."
Kevin rose from his kneeling position. "Then I suppose I should welcome you to the world beyond the Empire. I'm sorry to say you're not gonna find it an improvement."
"Have there been others like us?" Nadia asked.
"A few, and most of them realize they didn't have it so bad in the Empire."
Rik stood a few feet away, swaying awkwardly. "I already don't like this world. So far, we've already seen bandits, and multiple monsters."
"And survived," Kevin said. "I'm impressed." His gaze settled on Rik's staff. "You a channeler?"
"That's what those bandits called me."
"Well, I'll be glad to have a channeler along," Kevin said. "We've had our own trouble with bandits lately." He gestured toward the back of the wagon, where the bearded guards sat among crates and barrels. "Took quite a bit of my wares."
"Why didn't you fight back?" Rik asked.
"There were a dozen of them and three of us."
"Then why don't you hire more guards?" Nadia asked.
"Don't have the money," Kevin said. "Can't hire a channeler either. Channelers are bloody expensive." He glanced down at Markus. "Now let's get going. If there's any chance of saving your life, we've gotta reach town soon."
Markus tried to get to his feet, and collapsed immediately. Nadia and Rik attempted to help him, but they were exhausted. After this brief struggle, Kevin motioned for the guards to come down and help, and they got Markus to his feet and then into the back of the wagon. Nadia and Rik followed, finding some straw to sit on and introducing themselves to Kevin.
Sitting close to the guards, Nadia noted that only one of them was close to Kevin's age. The other looked maybe a couple years older than Markus and Rik, but his beard and the scars on his face gave him the appearance of an older man.
As the wagon rolled along the dirt road, Nadia pointed at the glowing blue crystals. "What are those things? We were a bit scared to go past them."
"Those are wards," said the older guard. He was a stern-faced and muscular man. "They keep monsters from getting onto the road—well, at least when they're working."
The younger guard barked a laugh, but his expression looked friendlier. "And they stop working all the time. Luminian sorcerers don't give a damn about common people like us."
"Are we near Luminia?" Nadia asked. "They might know how to heal Markus."
The younger guard laughed again. "Luminia is far to the east, on another continent."
"We'll get no help from them," Kevin said. "There's a Luminian ambassador in West City. Some say she's a bit more than an ambassador, that she's really the one in charge, not King Richard." He chuckled. "We're in the Westland Kingdom by the way. I bet this is all a bit confusing for you."
"Perhaps a little," Nadia said. "Just how big is the world?"
"The Empire is a very small place by comparison," Kevin said.
Rik leaned back against the wooden railing, looking weary. "You said it's terrible out here, worse than the Empire. Apart from monsters and bandits, what makes it so bad?"
"There's also the clans," said the older guard. "If you go too
far to the north or south around here, you'll run into 'em. They control most of the territory around the mountains." He almost smiled. "Well, control might not be the right word. No clan controls anything for very long. They're always fighting each other." He spat over the side of the wagon. "Bunch of worthless savages."
"Sometimes they band together," said the younger guard, "and that's when they're the most dangerous. We've been fighting wars with them for centuries. You'd think we could take over their land, but nothing gets them to band together like an army marching against them."
Kevin kept his gaze forward as he led the horses along the road. "In all, the world outside the Empire is not in good shape. We're constantly at war. Sickness and poverty are rampant. I'm doing pretty well, but as you can see, I can only afford two guards." He paused a moment. "The more you see, the more you'll realize Warrick ain't that bad."
"I'm sorry," Nadia said, "but you don't know anything about Warrick. He killed my mother. He burned an entire city. He killed countless children. He's evil."
"I never said he wasn't evil. I'm just saying he isn't the worst evil in this world."
Nadia found that hard to believe. If Kevin and his guards were any indication, there were decent people out here. Surely Kevin was exaggerating the state of the world beyond the Empire. It's a common aspect of human nature, Nadia thought. People always covet what they don't have.
To Kevin, an Empire without war had to look like paradise, but Nadia knew better. Warrick's tyranny was worse than any war. In war, at least there was a chance of victory.
Nadia leaned against Markus, worried because he hadn't spoken in a while. "What do you think of everything out here?"
His voice was feebler than ever. "I don't really care. I feel so weak."
"Please, stay with me. We'll find a cure for you. I won't let you die."
He looked into her eyes. "It's okay, Nadia, you can let me go. I won't blame you. What happened to me was my own fault. If I hadn't been so clumsy"—
"I don't care," she said. "I'll find a way, even if it kills me."
"I love you, Nadia."
World in Chains- The Complete Series Page 57
