World in Chains- The Complete Series

by Ryan W. Mueller

  And even if Kara could kill Josef, she would leave herself alone in the Shadowed Land. As much as she hated to admit it, she needed his protection.

  For the most part, they didn't speak. Josef was civil toward her, but that was the most she could say for him. He still seemed a very distant man. Cold. Calculating. He didn't try to get to know her, didn't reveal anything more about himself.

  After a while, the silence bothered Kara, but she didn't say anything. Lost in her troubled thoughts, she often struggled against tears. She could think of nothing but everyone and everything she'd lost. And then there was the uncertainty. Would she ever return home? Was Nadia still alive? Had she managed to kill Warrick?

  The longer Kara spent in the Shadowed Land, the more she missed life in the Empire. In some ways, she almost appreciated the stable life she'd had under Warrick. She could never bring herself to think he was a good emperor, but perhaps he was better than some of the alternatives.

  The Empire was certainly better than the Shadowed Land. This place had taken Aren from her, and that was a loss she still couldn't comprehend. He'd always been the steady presence at her side in this terrible place. The loss still hadn't hit her, not completely, and perhaps she had become numb to all the horrors of the world.

  "I feel something," Josef said, disturbing Kara's thoughts.

  "What is it?"

  "Magic. Very powerful magic." He started forward, gesturing for her to follow. They rounded a few twists and turns, then stepped into a larger chamber. In the center of this chamber was the strangest sight Kara had ever seen.

  It was a whirlwind of light and hundreds of colors, swirling in a random pattern. Every hair on her body stood up as if sensing the danger of this thing. Josef looked at it with wide eyes and a broad smile.

  "What is it?" Kara asked.

  "It's the Nexus."

  Kara didn't know what made her do it, but she darted forward. She didn't even care anymore if she returned home. She had to take the chance to escape Josef. He tried to grab her, but she was too fast, leaping into the swirling light.

  Her surroundings became so bright she nearly had to close her eyes, but she kept them open, watching as a stream of scattered images flashed by her. She saw green grass, a frozen wasteland, a barren and rocky landscape, a place crossed by rivers of lava, and so many more sights she couldn't quite identify. The air felt so hot it almost burned.

  Distantly, she thought she felt a hand grip her arm. Then the images coalesced into one. She tumbled out of the Nexus, landing face-down on a thick blanket of snow. The sky looked gray in the light from a sun that seemed far too dim.

  As she looked up at that sun, she could have sworn she felt something within her—a warm feeling like nothing she'd ever experienced.

  Then she turned to see Josef clinging to her arm.

  "The Nexus is still open," he said. "We have to get back."

  The swirl of light was fading around them, and panic seized her chest. Whatever this place was, she didn't want to be stuck here, so she clung to Josef, and they leapt back into the Nexus. Would it take them back to the Labyrinth, or to some other place entirely?

  The light flared into sudden brightness. The heat returned. She held on to Josef as if her life depended on it—and it probably did. A few moments later, she landed on the rocky ground. Her vision was blurry at first, but once she focused her gaze, she saw that they were back in the Labyrinth.

  Josef got to his feet, glaring down at her. "That was extremely foolish. I understand why you did it, but it was still foolish. You had no idea where the Nexus might take you."

  "I had to take the chance," Kara said, struggling to her feet.

  Josef's gaze was severe. "I trust you won't try it again."

  "I won't," she said, and she wasn't lying. Josef and Tobias had been right about the Nexus all along. It was not her way back home. There were so many worlds, so many possibilities. The only path home was through Krinir, however much she dreaded meeting him.

  Josef started walking. "The next time you try to escape me, you will regret it."

  There was ice in his voice. Kara had no doubt he'd make good on that threat.

  Chapter 59: City of Light

  More than half the crew had died in the battle aboard the ship. To Berig, it felt like Crayden all over again.

  Late that night, they held a funeral for all those who had fallen. As was the custom for men who died upon the sea, they cast their bodies into the ocean, then offered a few prayers for their souls.

  The ship was in no danger of sinking. Most of the damage had affected the upper decks. It would require a lot of work once they reached Luminia, and Darius wasn't sure if he'd ever have the money to repair the ship properly.

  Berig felt numb. He couldn't believe so many people had died. He still didn't understand what the pirates wanted with Danica. Regardless, Berig and the others couldn't abandon her.

  Darius stood solemnly at the stern, bearing a few injuries from the battle. He hadn't spoken much since the end of the battle, and Berig thought he understood why. Darius had refused to give the pirates Danica. If he'd done so, he could have avoided this.

  "I know how it feels to blame yourself for something terrible," Berig said, leaning on the railing beside Darius. No one else had found the courage to approach the silent and brooding captain.

  Darius didn't turn his gaze from the dark water. "Normally, I would think you're just trying to make me feel better, but I can tell there's great pain in your past."

  "Why didn't you give them Danica?" Berig asked.

  "You became part of my crew for this voyage. I will always protect my crew and any passengers aboard my ship. That is a captain's duty."

  "But you could have saved a lot of lives."

  "I know," Darius said. "I worry now that I made the wrong decision. Maybe I should have let Danica make the choice for herself, as she ultimately did."

  Berig put a hand on the captain's shoulder. "She would tell you that you can't change the past. You can only learn from your mistakes and hope you don't make them again."

  Darius chuckled without humor. "True, but that's hardly comforting."

  "How do you think the crew's taking it?"

  "I think they're in shock right now," Darius said. "It won't be easy for them. They trusted me as their captain, and I'm worried now that I've betrayed that trust."

  "Do you blame us?" Berig asked.

  Darius sighed deeply. "It would be so easy. They came for one of you. But, no, I made the decision to fight this battle." He ran a hand through his black beard. "Besides, it sounds like none of you understand why they wanted her either."

  "It makes no sense," Berig said. "There's nothing special about Danica."

  "They must disagree with you."

  Berig had no idea what to think about Danica's abduction. He recalled what Cyrus had told them before they'd left Mountainside. He'd seen Danica's importance back then. Had he known that this would happen? And if he did know, why hadn't he told them?

  So many unanswered questions.

  They set sail the next morning. Berig and Lara had to do some of the work the old crew would have done. It wasn't easy, but they pushed through their sadness and exhaustion. Aric had helped some of the sailors with their injuries, using his skills from his time as a doctor.

  The next few days were some of the most difficult Berig had ever endured. It felt as if a shadow clung to everything around them. No one spoke much. They went about their work without the usual jokes. Everything felt lifeless.

  Aric was taking Danica's abduction harder than anyone. After he'd tended to the sailors' injuries, he'd isolated himself in his cabin. Whenever Berig tried to speak to him, he pretended to sleep, snoring a little too loudly for the act to be convincing. At first, Berig tried to talk to him, but it would be easier to give Aric his space

  When they finally reached land, Berig didn't feel the joy he'd expected. It was a wondrous sight, however. The shore came into view at night, a
nd the city of Luminia glowed like a beacon. Everything else was dark, but it might as well have been daytime in the City of Light.

  Berig stood at the bow, staring at the city in awe. "Never seen anything like that."

  Darius was manning the wheel. "Quite a sight, isn't it?"

  Berig prayed they'd find a healer for Aric here. There had to be a purpose to all the torture they'd endured. Berig had hoped that they might get a chance to rest in Luminia, but that wouldn't happen now. They had to find Danica.

  Their departure from the ship was difficult. Darius wished them luck, but there was little cheer aboard that ship. Most of the crew seemed glad to be rid of them.

  They stepped into the city, amazed at the brightness. There were no magical torches or lamps. Instead, the glow seemed to come from the city itself.

  Even here on the docks, the workers wore clothes that looked like what nobles wore back in the Empire. Most of the people were too busy to take note of the new arrivals. Near the docks, they asked where they might find healers, and the woman directed them toward the Tower of Light, located in the center of the city.

  The city was still a wondrous sight. Buildings of stone stood all around, bearing no cracks or any other signs of age. The closer they got to the center of the city, the wealthier the people around them became, wearing clothes so extravagant that Berig almost felt sick.

  How could people live like this when so many were suffering?

  The Tower of Light was hard to miss. It stood much taller than any building in the city. Berig had never seen any building so tall. He swore it could rival some of the smaller mountains back home.

  A grand set of white steps led up to the glowing tower. Two guards flanked the entrance, wearing polished white uniforms. Berig had the feeling his eyes would start hurting soon. How could anyone stand to look at all this brightness every day?

  "What brings you to the Tower of Light?" asked the guard on the right.

  "I seek a healer," Aric said. "I have a condition that I've been told can be healed here."

  "The hospital is on the sixth floor," said the guard. "If you're feeling weak at all, you can take the lift."

  "What's the lift?" Berig asked.

  "A magical device," said the other guard. "It carries you up so you don't have to use the stairs."

  They passed the guard and entered the Tower of Light. To Berig's dismay, the inside was just as bright as the outside. There were signs all through the grand lobby, a place of white tile covered in luxurious red carpets with gold embellishments. Similar draperies hung around the windows, and beautiful artwork adorned the walls, depicting landscapes and portraits with a richness of color unlike anything Berig had ever seen.

  "The signs say the lift is this way," Aric said, leading them to the right. Berig and Lara followed, and they eventually reached a place where a large square platform was located within a niche in the wall.

  They stepped onto the lift. There were at least a hundred buttons on the wall, each indicating a different number. Aric pressed the button labeled with a six. Though Berig couldn't read, he did know a few numbers.

  A moment later, the lift rose smoothly. The air shimmered, and Berig couldn't push through the invisible barrier that had formed around them.

  It didn't take long for the lift to reach the sixth floor. The air shimmered again, and then they disembarked. There were more signs on the wall, and Aric appeared to know where he was going. Soon they stepped through a door that opened as if it sensed their presence.

  Inside, people in long white robes moved about. A dark-haired woman stepped toward them. "Do you need something?"

  Aric explained what had happened and what Cyrus had told him. After hearing his story, the healer led Aric to one of their beds, where he waited maybe half an hour for another healer to show up.

  The male healer ran his hands along Aric's bare chest, closing his eyes in concentration. At last, he said, "It's a good thing you're here. A few days more, and it would have been too late."

  Berig felt as if a weight had left his chest. They'd made it in time.

  "It will take a few days of treatment," said the healer. "You two should find yourselves an inn. We'll take good care of him."

  Berig and Lara left the Tower of Light and found an inn. To their surprise, they didn't have to pay for a room. The inside of the inn was the first place they'd found that wasn't so bright. It was still brighter than the average inn, but Berig's eyes finally had a chance to rest.

  They visited Aric a few times a day. Each time, the healers told them he was progressing well, but worry still gnawed at Berig's insides.

  At last, after almost a weak, the healers announced that Aric was free of the lizard's poison. He was sitting up in bed, looking healthier than Berig had seen him in a long time.

  "I feel great," he said. "I didn't realize just how much that poison was affecting me."

  "That's great news," Berig said, but he could see that Aric's mind was on other things.

  "Now that I'm healed, we have to find Danica."

  "I know," Berig said. "But how can we even know where she is?"

  Aric's gaze was fierce. "I don't know. But we will find her. I will not abandon her."

  "Neither will I," Berig said, and he meant it. Whatever he had to do, whatever hardships he had to endure, he would find Danica. It was time that Berig stopped drifting through life. He would save Danica, and then he would embrace whatever the Webs of Fate had in store.

  Chapter 60: Captive

  After another few days traveling through the Labyrinth, Kara felt as if she'd be trapped there forever. With every breath, she teetered on the verge of panic. Even Josef had shown some cracks in his armor. He'd grown even quieter than usual.

  They'd encountered a few monsters but hadn't suffered anything beyond minor injuries. Josef had done a good job protecting Kara, though she knew he had ulterior motives.

  Every day felt the same until one day they entered a chamber that appeared to be a dead-end. In the center of the chamber, however, there was a small blue stone, irregular in shape. Josef gazed at the stone, and his expression looked relaxed for the first time in days.

  "It's a teleportation stone," he said. "We're going to leave this place." He beckoned Kara forward and grabbed one of her hands. "I'm going to touch the stone now and give it a little bit of my power. You don't have to do anything."

  Kara watched as Josef made the stone glow. A few moments later, she felt as if the world were spinning around her. Her feet left the floor. Her stomach lurched. She closed her eyes, hoping the sensation would end.

  When it did, she felt solid ground beneath her feet. She opened her eyes to the gray light of the Shadowed Land. They stood along a warded road.

  "I thought there were no roads on the eastern side of the mountains," she said.

  "There aren't," Josef said. "I have no idea where we are."

  "But didn't you take us here?"

  "Normally, a teleportation stone will take you where you want, but I felt something else tugging at the stone. I think it might have been you. Your status as a Weaver guided us to this location. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing."

  "Anywhere is better than the Labyrinth," Kara said.

  Josef smiled faintly. "Can't argue with that."

  They followed the road for a while, the mist thickening as they checked for any signs that might indicate their location. At last, after perhaps an hour of walking, they came across a sign stating the distance to Sunset City.

  "We're back west of the mountains," Josef said. "And much farther north. Sunset City is about a week away. We're in the heart of the empire."

  "Then we're not where we need to be."

  "Not necessarily," Josef said. "We'll just face different issues on our way to Krinir. The path to his fortress is shorter this way, but it's also more dangerous." He stroked his beard. "We'll make it work. Or at least I will."

  "Was that last comment really necessary?"

 
Josef smiled. "Yes, I think it was."

  "Are we going to Sunset City?"

  "No, there's no reason to go there. We're going to take a path to the east."

  They followed the road, stopping occasionally at small towns along the way. In these towns, Josef always kept an eye on Kara. No matter what she did, she couldn't escape him. Even when he was sleeping, he'd wake at the slightest sound.

  Of course, Kara didn't feel like escaping for the moment. What good would come from it? She'd only end up dead at the claws of a monster. Once, she might have wanted to join her family and Aren and other people she'd loved, but not anymore.

  Every day, Josef checked a red stone he carried in his pocket.

  "What is that?" she asked the fifth time he did this.

  "This stone gives me a way to communicate with Krinir over long distances. Once we're close enough, I should be able to communicate with him. That should be any day now."

  "What do you think he'll have to say?"

  "No idea. That's why I want to talk to him."

  As they traveled together, Kara developed an odd respect for Josef. He was a selfish man, no doubt, but he wasn't cruel to her. Well, as long as she obeyed his commands. She was afraid of what he'd do if she didn't. His prior threats trickled back to the forefront of her thoughts.

  He was silent most of the time. Traveling with him was a lesson in patience. Whenever Kara asked him a question, he brushed it aside.

  "Are you sure you don't know what Krinir wants from me?"

  He kept walking, didn't even glance at her. "I've told you before. He only lets people like me know enough to do our jobs. He's a god. Even powerful sorcerers are nothing compared to him. We're all tools to a god like him."

  "Then why do you still support him?"

  "Because I agree with his goals," Josef said. "Technology may have destroyed the Old World, but that doesn't mean it will destroy this one. Power is neither good nor evil. It is simply power. Good or evil comes from how we use that power, or abuse it."

  "And you've never done evil things in the name of power?" Kara asked.