Markus and the others rushed through the exit.
And then the explosions started. They originated closer to the machine, but then they spread through much of the chamber. Nadia and Daniel sprinted. The exit was within sight, but the explosions weren't far behind. They rocked the entire chamber, sending chunks of the ceiling crashing down upon Nadia and Daniel. Nadia nearly doubled over in exhaustion, but she kept going.
They raced through the exit, emerging in warm sunlight, then kept running. The explosions grew almost deafening behind and beneath them. The ground trembled, and countless people out in the streets looked around, searching for the source.
Bits of the ground were caving in around them. They kept running. Sweat poured down Nadia's face, but she ignored it.
The ground suddenly gave way beneath her, but Daniel was there to grab her.
However, he wasn't fast enough to keep them both from falling.
But then the whirlwind appeared beneath them, guiding them away from the destruction. Daniel's gaze was intent on his whirlwind as he moved it farther into the city before setting them down gently on the street.
Then the great explosion came. The force of it sent Nadia and Daniel flying backward. Nadia was sure she'd slam her head against a building, but Daniel conjured another wind spell, slowing them before they could hit. The impact with the ground still knocked the wind out of her, but she was alive. That was more than she could say for some of the city's people.
A giant hole had appeared just behind them, covering the entire area beneath which the Machine's chamber had been. Thousands of people were likely dead.
This was not the kind of heroism Nadia had imagined.
"Nadia?" The voice sounded distant, but she recognized it immediately.
She looked up into Markus's blue eyes. "I'm so happy to see you."
"Me, too," he said. "I thought you were dead."
Despite the situation, she grinned. "You know I'm harder to kill than that."
Daniel brushed dirt and debris from his clothes as he rose to his feet. "We should get back to headquarters. I'm not sure how long our technology will continue functioning. The Machine was our power source. Now that it's gone, we'll have a few days left, maybe a few weeks at the most. We should get out of here before that happens."
In the chaos following the explosion, nobody stopped them. Soon they reached headquarters. Nadia wanted a chance to rest and recover, but she wouldn't get it.
Yasmin looked afraid. Nadia had never seen that expression before.
"I've received disturbing news," Yasmin said. "Krinir is back. He's marching on Luminia as we speak. We must go there at once and try to stop him." She held out a small blue stone. "This is a teleportation stone. They are very rare, and they only work twice. This one has one use left in it. We need to make it count."
"Are we going, too?" Markus asked.
Yasmin nodded. "The Webs tell me you need to be there."
"Then I guess we've got no choice," Berig said.
"You always have a choice," Yasmin said, "but it would be best if you came."
They all placed their hands on the teleportation stone.
Chapter 55: The Coming Battle
Kara stood in a place of greenish magical light. It was the ruined city she'd seen through Danica's portal. She admired the bravery of that woman. How could anyone maintain such a portal with the knowledge that they'd die as soon as they let the portal close?
Rik and Eliza stood alongside her, scanning their surroundings warily. Though Kara knew they were home, it didn't feel that way. She wanted to see the sun again.
"So how do we get out of this place?" Rik asked.
Kara examined her surroundings. They stood on one of the city's wide streets. Most of the buildings remained intact, as if time had not worked its destruction on them. A place like this, deep underground, did not face the ravages of nature.
"I have no idea," she said.
Eliza kept glancing back and forth, as if she could sense something she couldn't. "I don't like this place. I feel like there's evil hovering nearby, waiting to strike."
"Well, Warrick and Krinir might still be around," Rik said. "Maybe that's what you're feeling."
"No, I don't think so. It's something different."
Rik shrugged. "Maybe it's ghosts or something, like in Woodsville."
Kara felt as if something twisted in her chest. What if there were Silver Wisps in this place? She'd worked so hard to escape the Shadowed Land, and she could not return to that place. If she returned, she would give up this time and lose her will to live.
Besides, she had an important mission. Warrick had told her as much. If she didn't escape this place, she'd never be there to help Warrick remember himself and break free from Krinir's spell. Thinking of the task ahead of her made her feel as if something were crushing her.
How could she ever hope to accomplish that task?
Focus on the moment, she told herself. First, they had to escape this place.
They made their way through the streets. Eliza led the way, keeping them away from any place where she felt the place's evil more strongly. Most of the buildings they passed looked ordinary, as if they'd once been houses and shops. Toward the center of the city was the largest building by far, its entrance flanked by stone pillars.
They ascended the stairs leading toward the entrance, then stepped inside.
"We need to be careful," Eliza said. "I feel the evil is stronger here."
Rik's face was pale. "Then why'd you lead us here?"
"I don't know, but my intuition is telling me this is the right place."
They stood in the building's lobby. Ahead of them was an old stone desk, covered in dust with no one behind it. To their right was a set of stairs leading upward, as well as some doors. Three other doors stood off to the left.
"How can we know where to go?" Kara asked, feeling overwhelmed.
Eliza shrugged. "We'll just have to try each room."
"What are we looking for?" Rik asked.
"A way out of here," Kara said. "A clue as to where we should go."
Eliza stepped slowly across the stone floor, closing her eyes for a few moments. When she opened them, she pointed toward one of the doors. "This is where we should go."
No one had any argument against her choice, so they opened the door she'd indicated. Kara couldn't believe what she saw on the other side. In the center of the room was an elevated platform, circular in shape. A couple of blue crystals sat in the sides of the platform, powering it. Though Kara had never seen a teleportation platform for herself, she knew what this was.
"Eliza, you led us to the right place," Kara said.
Eliza frowned. "What is this thing?"
"It's a teleportation platform," Kara said.
Rik ran up the stairs and took a place on the platform. "So where are we going?"
Kara and Eliza followed him onto the platform. Once Kara took a position there, she said, "Luminia. It's where Warrick wanted me to go."
"Sounds like as good a place as any," Rik said.
Kara raised her right hand into the air. "Luminia."
Her feet left the floor, and the world spun around her. Everything grew blurry and dark, and she thought she might vomit. But as quickly as her disorientation had begun, it ended.
Now she stood in the brightest place she'd ever seen. She closed her eyes, then opened them little by little, hoping they'd adjust.
A voice came from her right. "We've been waiting for you. High Sorcerer Marlon would like to speak with you."
* * * * *
The brightness of the city was the first thing Markus noticed. He squinted, waiting for his vision to adjust. They stood before a giant tower so bright he couldn't look at it.
"We should see Marlon," Yasmin said, leading them toward the entrance to the tower. Now that Markus's eyes had grown more accustomed to the brightness, he noted that the tower was a brilliant white, as if no dirt had ever touched its surface.
They stepped through the open entrance, and thankfully the tower's interior was not as bright. A man sat behind a desk near the entrance, watching them approach.
"Welcome back, Yasmin," he said. "Are you here to see the High Sorcerer?"
Yasmin nodded.
"You chose a bad time to come here," the man said. "Krinir has returned, and he is on his way to Luminia. We'll need all the help we can get."
"That's why we're here," Yasmin said. "We intend to help."
"Good. I'll inform Marlon that you're here."
Yasmin gave him a nod of thanks, and then they started off to the right. Markus had no idea where they were going. He merely followed her. They'd done far too much of that lately: following other people. What had happened to them making their own decisions?
Daniel strode to the wall and pressed a button. A few moments later, a door slid open, revealing a small square room. Yasmin gestured for them to step inside. With all six of them in the space, it was a tight fit.
"What is this place?" Markus asked.
"It's an elevator," Yasmin said. "Powered by magic. It will get us to the top of the tower much more quickly." Soon the elevator rose. It was a peculiar feeling, but Markus had grown used to a lot of surprises lately.
When the elevator stopped, the doors slid open, and they exited. Yasmin led them to the left, toward an open room, where she knocked on the door.
"Come in," someone said from the other side. "We've been waiting for you."
They entered the room. Thick curtains blocked most of the windows, so the level of light in here seemed more normal. In the room were seven people, and when Markus identified some of them, he couldn't believe his eyes.
"Kara!" Nadia shouted. She raced forward, and she and Kara wrapped each other in their arms.
But Markus's eyes were elsewhere. There, standing in the corner of the room, was Rik. He grinned as he caught Markus's eyes, and Markus rushed forward. He wrapped Rik in the tightest hug he'd ever shared with anyone.
"Come on, Markus," Rik said. "Give me some room to breathe."
Markus broke out of the hug. "How're you here? I never thought I'd see you again."
Tears welled in his eyes. He felt as if he were walking in a dream. For so long, he'd accepted that he'd never see Rik again. To see him now, alive and healthy, was the greatest feeling of Markus's life. He wished this moment could last forever.
"It's a long story," Rik said. "I'm just glad to see you. You don't want to know the hell we've been through."
Markus chuckled. "I could say the same."
Rik grinned again, reminding Markus of the friend he'd known before all these adventures began. "Guess we've got some catching up to do."
"Unfortunately, that will have to wait," Marlon said. "Krinir is on his way."
Markus looked away from Rik. He'd been so focused on his friend that he hadn't noticed the other people there. Nadia was still talking with Kara. They both had tears in their eyes. But Markus's gaze swept past them, landing on his uncle instead.
Markus took a hesitant step closer. "Uncle Theo, what're you doing here?"
"Warrick told me to come here."
"And you followed his orders?" Markus asked. "I thought you didn't owe any allegiance to him anymore."
"Markus, you know it's more complicated than that."
"It is," Marlon said. "In the immediate future, we'll be fighting Warrick, but that's only because he's under Krinir's control."
"He's telling the truth," Kara said, breaking away from Nadia. "Warrick saved my life multiple times in the Shadowed Land. For most of his life, he's been manipulated by Krinir. Now Krinir has complete control over him. Or close to complete control."
Markus tried to sort through this information, but it made his head hurt. "Are you saying that Warrick is our friend?"
"Not for the moment," Marlon said, "but he can be our greatest ally."
Markus looked past Marlon, to the two people who were sitting behind him. One of them he didn't recognize, but the other he recognized immediately. Tylen.
Nadia must have noticed him at the same time. Her mouth became a thin line.
Tylen smiled at her. "Nice to see you, too."
Nadia rounded on Marlon. "What is he doing here?"
"You all have your roles to play," Marlon said.
Markus was sick of playing roles devised by others. He was beginning to think that even the people on the right side were too manipulative. They constantly guided everyone on the paths they wanted, taking all choice away from them—or at least making it sound like any choice of their own would be the wrong one.
"I'm tired of playing roles," Markus said. "Tell us what you want and let us make our own decisions. Give us the whole picture, not the version that suits your interests the most."
"I understand why you might resent the manipulations of sorcerers," Marlon said. "You've been through a lot of tough situations because of our actions. I may not have directly contributed to these situations, but I do apologize." He stroked his clean-shaven chin. "There's a reason we don't tell you the whole picture. Sometimes, knowledge of potential futures might set you on the wrong path. Other times, we simply can't read the Webs with enough clarity."
"We have no proof that you're telling the truth," Markus said.
"I know, and I understand why you resent that."
Nadia put a hand on Markus's shoulder. "Now is not the time for this argument. Remember? Krinir is on his way here. We need to prepare for that."
"I'm not sure why we're even here," Markus said. "We can't do anything against Krinir. He's a god, isn't he? He'll slaughter us."
"We escaped him once in the Shadowed Land," said a light-haired woman Markus didn't recognize. She wrapped an arm around Rik's shoulders. "We can fight him again now."
Marlon shook his head. "I'm afraid it won't come to that. Fighting Krinir will fall to those with the power to slow him down."
"Slow him down?" Nadia said. "You don't think you can defeat him?"
"No, we can only delay him."
"Delay him?" Rik said. "Why?"
Marlon leaned forward in his gold-framed chair. "Krinir knows you're a threat to him, and he can read the Webs of Fate better than anyone. Even Warrick. He will not hesitate to look into the Webs and see where you will be at a given time, and then he'll kill you." His expression became grave. "If he finds you, you stand no chance against him. Not yet."
"I don't understand," Markus said, pacing back and forth. "Why are we so important?"
"Because of what Warrick told Kara," Marlon said. "We know where—or, more accurately, when—Lionar has been imprisoned. And you are the best group of people to rescue him." He held up a hand. "I know it seems ridiculous. Why not send sorcerers to rescue him? The answer to that is simple. Something about being immortal makes it very difficult to hide yourself in the Webs of Fate. Krinir would see us coming, and he would stop us."
"But won't he see us coming, too?" Nadia asked.
"Give me a chance to explain," Marlon said, his expression twitching with irritation. "There are secrets hidden deep within the Library of Luminia, secrets that even the High Sorcerer isn't allowed to see. However, I do have my sources. One such secret is a device that creates dark strands in the Webs of Fate. As I said a moment ago, something about immortal sorcerers interferes with this device, making it essentially useless."
Markus had an idea where this was going. "So we have to get that device."
"Yes. Normally, it would be protected by the librarians, who are all powerful sorcerers. But the battle will force the librarians to abandon their posts and fight."
Nadia looked like she might be sick. "Then you don't want us to fight at all? You want us to find this device and then flee the city?"
"Exactly. It's the only path I've seen that leads to Krinir's defeat."
Markus felt as if something had constricted his chest. That was a lot of pressure for them to bear. If he'd known so much weight would fall on his shoulder
s, he never would have set out with Nadia to kill Warrick. He missed the simple life of a woodsman. Back then, he'd never had to deal with the fate of the world, only his own dismal fate as an Imperial Guard.
After everything he'd been through, that life no longer sounded so bad.
"I'll give you a map of the library," Marlon said, interrupting Markus's thoughts. "I will also describe the device you need. It's a perfectly round and black stone. Some say that the god Rador created it long ago, but no one's quite sure where it came from."
"Does that really matter?" Berig asked. "As long as we can use it, that's fine by me."
Markus held back a smile. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed Berig. Nor had he believed that so many people from his old life back in the Empire would meet today in Luminia. Markus's life had become stranger than he'd ever imagined.
But when he looked at Nadia and Rik and everyone else who'd become part of his life, he realized that he couldn't go back to the life he'd had before.
They were part of something special. They had to see this through.
Chapter 56: The Battle of Luminia
Nadia wished the reunion had been longer. She and Kara had caught up, but now the world was pulling them apart once again.
Nadia watched through a window in the Tower of Light as the army appeared on the horizon. It appeared that Warrick had summoned every Imperial Guard from the Empire. Looking through a special lens that made everything look much bigger, Nadia saw Warrick and Krinir at the front of the army.
Some of Luminia's sorcerers had stepped to the edge of the city to oppose the army. Alongside these sorcerers stood the Luminian army, a mixture of lesser sorcerers, channelers, and ordinary people skilled with weapons.
"You should head to the library now," Marlon said.
Markus, Nadia, Berig, Lara, Rik, and Eliza all exited the chamber together. Marlon had instructed the others to remain. They had duties to attend to once the city fell. Nadia hated to think that people were going to die just so they could obtain a magical device.
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