The man walked down the stairs while Danica's party waited at the bottom.
"Welcome to my fortress," he said. "I am Krinir. I've been expecting you."
Chapter 18: Entering the Wastelands
Kara had no idea how long she'd been traveling with Warrick, but she'd lose her mind if she stayed with him much longer. He wasn't cruel to her. He simply ignored her. Whenever she asked him a question, he gave useless answers. Whenever she tried to share a simple conversation, he glared at her as if she were a wasp that had stung him.
"We're almost to the Wastelands," he said as they sat around a small campfire.
She was surprised to hear a complete sentence out of him. "How do you know?"
His look was distant. "I'm not entirely sure."
They hadn't visited any settlements, hadn't seen a single soul as they traveled through the wilderness. Kara longed for the company of anyone other than Warrick. Surely he wasn't the only person who could lead her to Krinir's fortress.
Perhaps Warrick was deliberately keeping her away from other people. But why would he care about her fate? Every time monsters had threatened them, he'd sought to protect her above all else. That wasn't necessary. He could let her die. After all the things he'd done, what was the death of one young woman?
"We've been traveling together for at least a week now," she said, "and I still don't know why you're protecting me. Why do you care?"
She thought she'd get another non-answer, but instead he said, "I care because of what you might mean for me. For most of my life, I've caught glimpses of you in the Webs of Fate, but it has always felt as if something were blocking those glimpses, as if somebody didn't intend for me to see them. I call these dark strands."
"But why could I possibly be important for you?"
"It's a mystery to me as well," Warrick said, tossing a stick onto their fire. "As I told you, the threads become very hard to decipher when I'm trying to find you in them. The same thing happens when I look back at certain periods in my past. I'm the most powerful sorcerer in the world. Nobody would deny it. I've nearly made myself into a god. So that tells me one thing."
Kara leaned closer.
"Only a god could keep me from reading the Webs of Fate as I wish. It can't be Lionar, so it has to be Krinir."
Kara nodded, surprised that she was hearing him out. "And you think Krinir is blocking you from seeing my importance, too?"
"Perhaps."
"Why couldn't it be Lionar?"
"It just can't. I'll leave it at that." His expression became suddenly stern, and Kara scooted away from him. She knew better than to demand more answers from him. As if noting her discomfort, he said, "I'm sorry, but there are some secrets I have to keep to myself."
Kara could not figure out this man. One second, he glared at her as if he hated her. The next, he apologized. The more time she spent with him, the more convinced she was that none of his behavior was an act. He truly was a very conflicted man.
"I want to know more about you," she said, fearing how he might respond. "Not your plans for the world. You. Who are you as a person?" She expected to get another terse reply, so she was surprised when he spoke at length.
"We're going to spend a lot of time together, so we might as well know each other a little bit. Keep in mind that this is not easy for me. I don't like talking about myself." He stroked his chin, which was now covered in a stubbly beard. "If you want to know who I am, you have to know what this world took from me. My parents."
Kara almost said she was sorry, but then she remembered that Warrick's attack on Crayden had taken her father. He deserved no sympathy from her.
"I was eleven years old when we were in the area near the Darkness Temple. That's in the area that I turned into the Ghost Forest." His expression twitched, but he went on. "They were always fascinated by the temples, but the Darkness Temple is very unpredictable. No one built anything for miles and miles around it because things, and people, had a way of disappearing when they got too close to the temple. That's what happened to my parents.
"So there I was. Eleven years old. An orphan. I had a natural talent for magic, so I made the journey to Sandersburg, where I became a student at the academy there. That's where I learned many of the secrets of this world, of the technology we lost, of the magic that governs everything now. I was a bit of an outcast, but I had never been happier.
"I made three good friends in my time there: Marlon, Deron, and Cyrus. We all decided we would make the Pilgrimage to all the temples in the world. We needed magic so that we could change the world. We looked around and saw all kinds of suffering. Somebody had to change things. So I went deeper into the archives than anyone ever had. I found tales of wonder I never knew existed. Still, there were parts of the academy that were closed off to me.
"But I found enough to know that I could change the world. I was powerful then, but not as powerful as I am now." He stopped, his look distant again. "I should stop there. You don't need to know the secrets behind my powers."
Kara looked him in the eye. "Don't you want me to trust you?"
"I don't care if you trust me. You have no choice."
Great. Warrick was about to fall into one of his taciturn moods again. She should have known that he wouldn't open up for long. But it had been progress at the very least.
They rested, then resumed their journey. The landscape all looked the same. Rocks. Skeletal trees. Mist clinging everywhere. If Kara had to look at this mist for the rest of her life, she would go insane. She felt constantly as if it were suffocating her.
A few hours after they started walking, Warrick came to a sudden stop, holding up a hand. "I felt a change in the air. I think we've crossed into the Wastelands."
"They don't look any different from the rest of this place."
Warrick peered into the mist. "I think that will change."
They walked for hours, the landscape unchanging. If anything, the mist had become thicker than ever, preventing them from seeing anything. Kara's feet ached after so much traveling, but she didn't complain. This had to be worse on Warrick, who probably hadn't traveled anywhere on foot in ages.
No. Why was she feeling sympathy for him? He didn't deserve it.
But when she looked at him, she saw past the tyrant who had killed so many. She saw the broken man beneath. That didn't keep her from hating him for what he'd done, but perhaps he truly believed everything he did was best for the world. Could she hate him for that?
Lost in thought, she noticed the change in the ground too late. The rocks shifted beneath her as a hole opened. Rocks crumbled away, falling into the hole, and she grasped for anything she could cling to, but the rocks just kept crumbling.
Warrick reached out for her hand, but her damp palm slipped out of his grip. Her stomach lurched as she fell. She looked down but couldn't see the ground beneath her. Her arms flailed in the air, but there was nothing to grab.
To her surprise, Warrick followed her into the hole. With a quick hand gesture, he sent light shooting to the ground far below. It was a tiny pinprick in the distance.
She was going to die.
Warrick curled his body so that he fell faster than her, and when he reached her, he grabbed onto her arm with one hand. With the other, he did another hand gesture. She had no idea what he was doing because nothing happened, and she was too afraid to speak.
Panic shot through her like wildfire, and she closed her eyes, waiting for the end. But then she felt a strong wind gusting from beneath her and opened her eyes to see they were now falling much more slowly. The wind beneath them swirled.
"Hold on to me," he said. "I'll guide both of us down."
Kara clung to him so fiercely she was probably hurting him. The whirlwind beneath them slowly dissipated, lowering them to the rocky ground, where they landed gently. Warrick stood first, then helped Kara to her feet.
"Thank you," she said. This time, she was truly grateful for what he'd done.
"Are you all right?"<
br />
"I-I think so."
Warrick peered around the cave into which they'd fallen. The opening above was barely visible. They must have fallen hundreds of feet. Without Warrick's magic, she would be dead twice over. Though she hated to admit it, she needed him.
"I can't create a whirlwind powerful enough to get us that high," he said.
Her chest tightened. "Are you saying we're stuck down here?"
"Not necessarily. There's a path up ahead."
"I don't trust any cave passage here in the Shadowed Land."
Warrick smiled faintly. "Neither do I."
Chapter 19: The Perils of Desertion
Rik returned to the garrison to collect his meager belongings before leaving. He felt the entire time as if people were watching him. What if Dirk suspected that Rik was deserting?
The room was empty. It was dinner time, so the other soldiers were down in the common room, eating the bland food the army always served. Rik gathered the outfit in which he'd entered the Shadowed Land. He stuffed it in a leather bag but kept his staff and axe on his back. The army had offered him a sword, but he'd never been comfortable using one. The axe was his weapon of choice.
He scooped a few coins into his leather sack. They were all the pay he'd earned in the Sunset Army. Then he made his way to the stairs leading down toward the common room. Thirty minutes still remained before he had to meet Mathew at the edge of the city.
A few torches lit the stairwell, but it was still dark. When Rik reached the bottom of the spiraling stone steps, he heard voices to his right. It sounded as if the other soldiers were deep in conversation. Surely they wouldn't notice him. After all, he'd remained separate from them ever since joining the army. In truth, he'd never expected to stay long.
He turned to his left, following the corridor that led to the exit.
By the time he saw Dirk standing there, it was too late.
"And just where do you think you're going?"
Rik's stomach lurched. He had to think of an answer quickly. "I'm just heading out to the market. The last time I checked, there's no law against that."
"What's in the sack?"
"Just a few things I was hoping I might trade at the market."
"Let me see."
Heart pounding, Rik opened the leather sack. All it held was his change of clothing. Surely Dirk wouldn't find any issue with him getting rid of his old clothes. Dirk pulled the clothes out of the bag, examining them with a frown.
At last, he nodded. "All right. Go to the market, but you better be back for your latrine duty tonight. If you're late, you'll earn yourself an entire week."
"I'll keep that in mind, sir." Rik saluted Dirk, then made his way down the hall. It took a lot of effort to keep his pace natural, as he expected Dirk to call out or send guards after him.
But neither happened. Rik stepped through the stone door leading out of the garrison, then started toward the city's main gate, where Mathew was waiting for him. As Rik walked, he couldn't dispel the suspicion that someone was following him. He kept glancing into nearby alleys, but he didn't see anyone. Still, his skin prickled.
The mist was thick this evening, so he couldn't see far. His chest felt tight. He kept hearing sounds, but through the mist, he could only make out shadows. Were they ordinary people or perhaps Sunset soldiers spying on him? He took a few more deep breaths.
Feeling on the verge of panic, he turned to the right, away from the market district. If someone was going to confront him, this was when it would happen. But would Dirk really spy on Rik like this? Surely he wasn't that suspicious.
Footsteps sounded to Rik's right. He turned in time to see half a dozen soldiers step out of the nearest alley with Dirk at the front.
"You aren't going to the market," Dirk said. "You're deserting."
Rik's heart pounded. "No, it's not that. I-I just took a wrong turn. You know, new to the city and all. Why would I desert? Only an idiot would desert." He couldn't decipher Dirk's expression. "You do believe me, don't you?"
Dirk stepped toward Rik. "You are under arrest for desertion."
Rik took his staff from his back and pointed it at the soldiers. "Don't make me hurt you. I know that desertion is a bad thing, but I’m not hurting anybody. I just have to do something else." Sweat beaded on his forehead. "There's no need to kill me."
The soldiers continued approaching, leaving Rik with no choice. He focused on the image of water, but didn't try to keep it at a trickle. Instead, he unleashed all the power he had in him. A massive wave of water burst from the end of his staff. The soldiers raised their hands as if that could protect them, but when the wave hit them, they went flying.
Rik prayed he hadn't hurt any of them too badly. Heart pounding, he took off running. By the time he glanced back, the soldiers were lost in the mist. He sprinted toward the edge of the city, barely noticing anything around him.
Shouts came from behind, but he ignored them. Only a few more blocks to go.
When he reached the gate, he found it closed.
Why the hell was the gate closed? They never closed it. Surely they hadn't done this just for him. He wasn't that important. Glancing around in panic, he looked for an escape route. He didn't find anything, and soon hurried footsteps clunked against the rocks behind him.
At least ten guards stood at the gate, watching him with arrows nocked on their bows. Rik focused on fire and channeled it through his staff, forming an invisible shield. Any arrows that struck the shield would disintegrate.
But Rik couldn't hold his attackers off forever. Already, Dirk and his troops were approaching from behind. Others came from each side. They must have known what he intended to do. But how? Had his intentions been that transparent?
Then Mathew stepped out from a nearby alley, smiling as if he found this amusing. He stepped toward Rik. "Quite the welcoming party, isn't it?"
Rik's stomach twisted. "You did this?"
"You needed to be eliminated."
Rik trembled. "Then everything you told me was a lie?"
"Not everything. You did have a chance to escape the Shadowed Land, but I'm afraid that chance is now gone. As soon as I dispel your shield, you'll be full of dozens of arrows."
"Why?" Rik asked, feeling as if a heavy weight had descended upon him. "Why do you want me dead? I deserve to know that much before I die."
"Simple," Mathew said. He stood just outside Rik's shield and spoke in a low voice. "You are a threat to Krinir. You have to die. Your desertion gives us a chance to make it look like a normal execution. They call us the Dark, and we prefer to operate in the shadows."
Mathew waved a hand and sent a burst of fire at Rik's shield. Though Rik tried to hold it, he knew it wouldn't last long. He used every bit of willpower he had, knowing it was a useless fight. He'd never see Markus or Nadia again.
But then the flames stopped. A powerful jet of water slammed Mathew against a nearby building. Rik turned to see Dirk unleashing the spell. Though Rik had no idea why Dirk was doing that, he ran to the man's side, still holding his shield strong.
As soon as Rik stopped beside him, Dirk let the spell die. Then he turned to Rik. "Come with me. I'll get you out of the city."
"I-I don't understand," Rik said as they darted into a nearby alley. All the other soldiers must have been too stunned to react instantly. But would that hesitation be enough for Rik to break free? He raced through the alleys, keeping pace with Dirk.
"No time to explain," Dirk said. "We need to climb the walls. Keep your shield up."
A soldier appeared ahead of them, aiming a bow at them. Dirk sent a quick surge of lightning at the man, and he hit the ground, twitching in pain.
"Did you have to kill him?" Rik asked, breathless.
"Oh, I doubt he'll die from that."
At last, they reached a set of stairs leading up to the wall. They raced up the stairs as more soldiers closed in from behind. A few soldiers manned the wall, and Dirk dispatched them with the same bursts of lightning.
Soon they stood at the edge, looking over a fifty-foot drop. Rik felt dizzy.
"Do you know what to do?" Dirk asked.
It took Rik a moment, but then he remembered how he'd saved himself in the Fire Mountains. He leapt over the wall and pointed his staff at the ground. His staff's reaction from the wind he generated slowed his descent, but he still hit the ground hard.
Dirk landed a few moments later, then pulled Rik to his feet. They both cast shields just in time, for the barrage of arrows soon began. As they sprinted across the rocky terrain, arrows disintegrated against their shields.
"We've gotta keep running," Dirk said. "They can't follow us until they get the gate open, and that should take at least a few minutes." He glanced back toward the wall as if checking their progress. "We'll have to leave the road. Doubt they'll follow us into unwarded territory."
Though Rik agreed, he didn't like the idea of facing the monsters of the Shadowed Land. Thus far, he'd only encountered the one, and that had nearly killed him.
They raced to the edge of the road, then past the wards. Soon they were out of bow range. Rik glanced back, noting that the gate remained closed. He had no idea how long they'd have to run, but at least he was in good shape. So far, he was only a little winded.
The mist thickened. At first, that annoyed Rik, as he could no longer see the city, but then he realized that it was a blessing in disguise. Their pursuers wouldn't see them now. Dirk must have had the same thought because he slowed to a brisk walk.
"How far do you think they'll follow us?" Rik asked.
"We can't stop. The mist will help us, but the rest's our responsibility."
They walked a few more steps before Rik said, "Why'd you help me?"
"Where there is Dark, there is also Light."
Rik shook his head. "What?"
Dirk ran a hand through his close-cropped beard. "The Dark are Krinir's servants. The Light are those who fight against him. I'm with the Light. It wasn't an accident that we were there to help you when you came to the Shadowed Land. I planned that excursion specifically to rescue you. One of our sorcerers can read the Webs of Fate. She saw your arrival."
World in Chains- The Complete Series Page 108
