"I don't think it's gonna work," Kara said. "Krinir will be expecting us. He knew that we'd be in the caves we just left. He'll know that we're approaching his fortress. If he's the master at reading these Webs of Fate, that means he can know just about anything. If we go to Krinir's fortress, it will result in our deaths. Nothing more."
"That's a risk you'll have to take," Zander said. "Do you want to get home or not? Do you want to defeat Krinir or not?"
"It still seems foolish," Rik said.
"No one's arguing with you there," Katherine said.
Kara drummed her fingers on the stone table. "I think it all depends on how much control Krinir has over Warrick. We saw it back in the caves. He saved us. Perhaps he can help us again."
Rik barked a laugh. "I'm not sure I'd place my faith in Warrick."
"I know it's not the best situation," Kara said, "but it's all we can really hope for."
Zander stroked his clean-shaven chin again. "I wish I could tell you more, but there are so many dark strands around these events. It's impossible to discern anything in the Webs."
"I don't know about anyone else," Kara said, "but I don't care what the Webs have to say. I've always relied on my own abilities, and the abilities of those around me. I've never given much thought to fate or destiny or controlling events much bigger than me. Maybe I'm a Weaver, but I don't care. I need to get home. I have my doubts, yes, but getting home is the most important thing. After that, maybe I'll find the chance to fight against Krinir when I'm more prepared."
"I want to get home, too," Rik said. "This is crazy, but I'm gonna do it."
"And I have nothing left here in the Shadowed Land," Eliza said. "I might as well take the chance to see Terra." She looked at Rik. "And I enjoy your company."
Rik blushed and turned away.
"Then it's settled," Zander said. "You should set out after you get a chance to rest and restock your supplies."
It was perhaps a day later when they set out. In the Shadowed Land, it was hard to tell the passage of time. Eastwatch had clocks, though, and according to those clocks, they departed shortly after eight in the morning.
They left the city behind, traveling to the northwest toward the Wastelands. No one spoke much as they traveled. If they all felt as nauseous as Kara did, she couldn't blame them. She didn't want to think about Krinir's fortress. It would be best if she kept her focus on the moment. They were likely to see many monsters along the way.
"I rarely encounter monsters," Eliza said, "if that makes you feel any better. My father noted the same thing. Whenever he was with me, he faced almost no monsters." She frowned in thought. "I wonder if that has something to do with me being Krinir's daughter."
"We encountered monsters in those caves," Rik said.
Eliza nodded. "We did, but not all that many of them. Besides, I think a place like that is different from crossing the Shadowed Land like we're doing now."
Rik chuckled. "Well, I hope you're right."
For days and days, they marched across barren terrain. The only monsters they encountered were small and easily handled. With each passing day, Kara believed that Eliza's theory was true. The Wastelands were supposed to be the most dangerous part of the Shadowed Land, but Kara had come upon monsters much more frequently in her previous journeys.
One day, as they traveled, the mist around them cleared. Ahead of them stood one of the most terrifying sights Kara had ever seen. Rivers of lava flowed across the landscape, looking impossible to cross.
"What're we supposed to do now?" Rik asked.
Kara took a step closer to the nearest river. The lava flowed perhaps fifty feet below them, at the bottom of a sheer cliff. The gaps between land were too wide to leap across, and the channels cut through the landscape in mazelike patterns.
"We'll just have to find our way," Eliza said. It was one of the few times she'd spoken recently. She'd become much more taciturn, likely mourning her father's passing and wondering what it meant to be Krinir's daughter.
The party skirted the edge of one of the channels, following it as the mist thickened again, making it more difficult to see where the channel might end. For hours, they walked, and they never found a path across the channel. Could they perhaps take a wider path around this area? Kara had no idea because she couldn't see through the mist.
As they traveled, though, the channel thinned ahead of them. Now it was maybe five feet across. They continued following it, hoping it would narrow further, but then it widened again, leading them to backtrack to the place where it was thinnest.
"That's still quite a jump," Rik said. "I've got my staff, but you two are on your own."
"It shouldn't be that bad," Eliza said, and took off at a run. When she reached the edge of the channel, she leapt. She flew through the air gracefully, landing on the other side with a foot or two to spare. "See? It's not that difficult."
Kara wished she had Eliza's confidence and courage. But was it courage now, or had her father's death made her reckless?
"I'll go next," Rik said, his face pale, mist swirling around him. He ran toward the chasm, then leapt across it. He didn't have to use his staff and landed on the other side with ease.
Kara took a deep breath, then followed. At first, her legs didn't want to cooperate, but then she began running. She jumped when she reached the edge of the chasm. Her stomach lurched as she sailed over the red river below. When she landed on other side, her legs buckled beneath her, and she skinned her knees on the rocky ground.
"That wasn't too bad," Eliza said.
Kara chuckled without humor. "I have the feeling that was just the beginning."
More of these lava channels carved their way through the landscape, forming a veritable maze. Kara and her party walked and walked, looking for any place they could leap across. This process took hours, and soon they were exhausted.
They settled down to rest in an area where none of the channels cut through their surroundings. Already, their stores were dwindling, so they had to conserve their food. Perhaps there was a drawback to Eliza's strange ability to keep monsters from threatening them. Before, Kara had always had monster meat to rely on. It rarely tasted good, but it was food.
"You doing all right?" Kara asked Eliza, who'd been silent a while.
Eliza swallowed a mouthful of dried meat. "I still feel sad about my father, if that's what you're asking. Even if he wasn't my actual father, he was the man who took care of me and loved me like I was his own. I don't blame him for concealing the truth from me."
Rik spoke with his mouth full. "I don't know how to feel about you being Krinir's daughter."
"Neither do I," Eliza said. "I don't feel like a god is my father. I've never been anything special, but maybe that's why the monsters don't threaten me as much. Maybe they can sense that Krinir is my father. I'm not sure." She shook her head. "I hate saying he's my father. He may have helped create me, but Dirk was my father. He'll always be my father, here in my heart."
Rik scooted closer to Eliza. "That's a good way to look at it."
"I still don't know how you can think well of me, knowing what I am."
"You're a kind and brave person," Rik said. "I don't care who your father is. I care about you. I've never met anyone like you." He hesitated a moment before putting an arm around her. She didn't move it, and they sank into each other's embraces.
Kara turned away, for their affection reminded her too much of the time she'd spent with Aren. She still couldn't believe he was dead, couldn't believe she'd lost so many on this insane quest. Now that they were close to Krinir's fortress, the reality of what she had to do was beginning to sink in. How could they ever hope to succeed?
Getting home was hard enough. Leading the effort to kill Krinir sounded impossible.
How could anyone kill a god?
After resting, they set out again, crossing the occasional lava channel. When the mist was thick, Kara felt lost. Thankfully, it remained thin for the most part, and they had compas
ses to follow. Without those compasses, they would have been utterly lost. Before entering the Shadowed Land, Kara had never realized how much she counted on the sun.
For days, they navigated this area. Occasionally, they had to backtrack, and sometimes these detours took half a day. They encountered no monsters, though. It appeared Eliza really did keep them away. Somehow.
When they finally reached the other side of the lava-filled region, Kara could have kissed the rocky ground. She had no idea how much farther they had to go, but she didn't care. She'd felt trapped the entire time they'd traversed that region.
They continued to the northwest, growing ever closer to Krinir's fortress. Every now and then, they rested. Kara usually took first watch while Rik and Eliza huddled together in sleep.
The mist was thick right now. She couldn't see more than ten feet in front of her. One way or another, it wasn't long before she'd no longer have to deal with the mist. Either they'd escape the Shadowed Land or Krinir would kill them. At this point, though she still feared death, she had accepted that it was likely. At least it would free her from the Shadowed Land.
How could they survive? Could they put their faith in Warrick as she'd suggested? By now, Krinir had probably gained full control of Warrick. She wondered if Warrick could tell he was being controlled, and she wished she could change the way things had turned out.
Warrick had done horrible things, but he was not a monster, not anymore. She'd seen the true Warrick as they'd traveled, as he'd fought to protect them, even under Krinir's control.
Krinir was the true evil. He had to be stopped.
But how?
Kara couldn't fight the feeling that they were simply running away. What chance did they have of stopping Krinir? And what if their attempt to return home allowed Krinir free reign on Terra? Perhaps they should accept life in the Shadowed Land. She'd survived this long despite all the dangerous things she'd done. She could make a life for herself here.
No. She had to see Nadia again, had to return to a land where she could see the sun. It was different for those who'd lived their entire lives in the Shadowed Land. They didn't know what the sun was. All they knew was this cold mist, and they'd accepted that.
She could not.
Lost in thought, she almost didn't notice the monster. She caught motion out of the corner of her eye and turned to see a scaled beast standing on two legs. It was about six feet tall and surrounded by fire.
"Wake up!" Kara shouted to the others. Rik and Eliza hopped to their feet, turning to face Kara with wide eyes.
"What is it?" Rik asked.
Kara pointed to the beast. "There's a monster."
The fire-shrouded creature shambled toward them. That fire danced around it, giving them no openings. Kara didn't know how she could fight it. But then Rik launched a massive jet of water at it. As soon as the water struck the beast, it began to extinguish the fire. The force of the spell also knocked the monster on its back.
Once the fire was gone, Kara raced toward the beast and plunged her sword through its chest. It took a swipe at her with its claws, but she ducked back, narrowly dodging the attack. A few moments later, it let out a low groan, and then it fell still.
Rik wiped sweat from his brow. "Don't think I'll get back to sleep now."
"Me neither," Eliza said.
They started traveling again, though they were all tired. Kara hadn't found a chance to rest at all, but she agreed with Rik and Eliza. She'd have trouble sleeping now that she knew monsters could still attack them. That monster had been easy to handle, but she'd seen far worse in the Shadowed Land.
The mist was thick at first, but then it thinned to almost nothing, revealing a terrifying sight. Ahead of them was a massive structure of black spikes, surrounded by a wall covered in the same spikes. The wall and the structure, including a couple of high towers, looked as if they'd been made from the bones of some evil creature.
"Don't think there's any doubt about it," Eliza said. "This is Krinir's fortress."
Chapter 48: Rebellion in the Sands
Markus, Nadia, Berig, and Lara moved through the countryside at wondrous speeds. The landscape flashed by beside them, looking more like a blur than anything. As Markus stared out the window, he couldn't believe anything could move so fast.
Yes, they'd been on the flying vehicle, but it hadn't been this fast. Their current vehicle was navigating on its own, though Daniel sat in the front seat, ready to take control should anything threaten. That was unlikely, he'd told them, but Markus still felt on edge.
"Do you ever feel like you aren't controlling anything?" Nadia asked, leaning against Markus. It had been a long time since they'd been able to relax and enjoy each other's company.
Markus thought for a moment. "Yeah, I know what you mean."
"Somebody else always seems to be in control," she said. "Back home, it was Warrick. Out here, it's been the president, then Karin and Daniel, then this Yasmin woman. When do we get to make our own decisions and control our own destiny?"
"The Webs are not set in stone," Lara said. "You can always make your own decisions."
Nadia shook her head, staring out the window. "Well, it doesn't feel like it."
Berig chuckled, leaning casually against the arm of his seat. "I can't really believe we've met up again. Maybe Nadia's right, and we really don't have any control. I mean, what're the chances that we'd see each other again?"
"Not that low," Nadia said. "People have been guiding us together."
"Or it's because we're all Weavers," Berig said. "Whatever the hell that really means."
Lara leaned forward in her seat. "Perhaps that's the best way to look at it. The Webs are not guiding us. We're guiding them."
"But how can we know that?" Nadia asked. "None of us have ever read the Webs ourselves. We have to take the word of other people, and what proof do we have that they're truly on our side? Their word?" She barked a laugh. "Promises aren't exactly sacred these days."
"Can't argue with that," Berig said. "But it feels like the right thing, don't it?"
"I don't know," Markus said. He tried not to think about what it would mean for the people of the New Earth Empire when his party destroyed the technology that had built the empire. What had happened to the time when things were simple, when Warrick was their enemy and nothing else mattered?
"We saw what Krinir did," Nadia said. "What he taught Warrick to do."
"Don't worry," Markus said. "I remember."
They fell silent for a while. By now, they'd shared all their adventures, including some of the bizarre aspects of Berig's. Markus still had trouble believing that people could travel in time, but he trusted Berig's judgment. Still, there was something Berig hadn't said.
"You seem upset about something," Markus said to him.
He bit his lower lip. "I guess I'll have to mention it. Lara already knows." He stopped for a breath. "At some point in the future, I'll travel back in time. You know that much already. But I won't return. Traveling back in time and interacting with yourself . . . well, you end up dying."
"Then don't do it," Markus said as the car hit a small bump in the road.
"It ain't that simple. The other me, he explained how it works. Somehow, I'll be forced to do it no matter what I really want. That's how time works, I guess. Don't really understand it. Don't really want to." He gazed down at his knees. "I don't wanna die."
Lara put an arm around him. "You'll be ready when the time comes."
Markus could hear the pain in both of their voices and see the affection they felt toward each other. In a way, they reminded him of Nadia and himself. Why couldn't they enjoy a simple life free from these Webs of Fate—a life where they could love each other without so much pain and hardship? Was that so much to ask for?
"I guess you're gonna go on to do great things," Berig said to Lara. "I mean, why else would I bother going back in time? I'm gonna die. Berig already died. It's just you, I guess."
Lara smiled ner
vously. "Well, I hope I can make your sacrifice worth it." Tears glistened in her eyes.
Markus had to fight against tears himself. Though he hadn't known Berig for long before they'd parted ways, he felt a connection to the man. How could you share a cell with someone, waiting for death's cruel embrace, and not grow closer to them? At first, he'd been overjoyed to see Berig again, but now he felt hollow when he realized they didn't have much time left.
He had no idea how Berig would muster the courage to sacrifice himself.
"It all feels overwhelming," Markus said. "How can we hope to stop Krinir? Stopping Warrick was hard enough, and we failed at that, but Warrick's nothing compared to Krinir. Sometimes, I feel like we should just give up. Maybe this isn't our fight."
"We know the truth," Nadia said. "Can you really turn away when you have the chance to change the world? We'll probably fail. I know that. But we have to try."
Markus avoided her gaze, worried he might disappoint her. "But it isn't personal anymore. What's Krinir ever done to us?"
Nadia glared at him. "Oh, it isn't personal? The last time I checked, the destruction of the world affects everybody. Besides, making it too personal—that was the problem when we went after Warrick. However much I said I was doing it for the people, I was doing it more for myself. Now we have the chance to be true heroes."
Markus still couldn't meet her gaze. "Maybe we aren't meant to be heroes."
"We're all Weavers," Lara said. "If anyone has a chance to be heroes, it's us."
"No one asked me if I wanted to be a damned Weaver," Markus said. "Have we lost sight of what really matters? We're not sorcerers, and the path to becoming sorcerers sounds very dangerous. Why can't the sorcerers handle these matters? Surely some of them are Weavers, too. What makes us so damned special? We have some strange talents, but that's it."
"Maybe those strange talents are what the world needs," Nadia said.
"But what about Rik?" Markus asked. "And Kara? Do we forget about them? Leave them to their fate in the Shadowed Land?"
Nadia had tears in her eyes. "I don't like thinking about Kara. Nobody knows of any way we can rescue them. We should focus on things we can actually do."
World in Chains- The Complete Series Page 124
