World in Chains- The Complete Series

by Ryan W. Mueller

  Warrick's gaze was fierce. "I can call him back at a moment's notice, so I suggest calling off your attack."

  The sorcerers conferred amongst themselves for a few moments. Then the man in the lead said, "I think you're bluffing."

  "You aren't actually going to call him?" Kara whispered.

  "I don't think so, but it may come to that."

  "You don't think you can handle them on your own?"

  "Not if they have reinforcements," Warrick said, before turning his gaze back to the sorcerers standing below. "Turn back now, or I'll be forced to kill you."

  "Attack!" shouted the man, and the sorcerers unleashed a relentless barrage of spells. Warrick stood calmly, shielding both himself and Kara. As the spells flew toward them, Kara flinched, but none of the magic struck them.

  Warrick retaliated with his own massive surge of lightning. A giant yellow circle formed around the assembled sorcerers, and lightning gathered in the sky above them. Kara flinched when the lightning struck with the loudest crack she'd ever heard, but the spell did not injure the sorcerers. They had all raised shields at the same time, blocking the spell.

  "I have an idea," Kara said, worried she was doing the wrong thing. Without waiting for permission from Warrick, she stepped forward and tried to weave Red and Orange within her. That was the best way she could describe it.

  At first, nothing happened, but then a wall of flame appeared on the ground. It was nowhere near as spectacular as Warrick's magic, and the sorcerers looked at it with disdain.

  However, when she pushed the flames toward them, their shields were not effective. The sorcerers hit the ground, rolling to extinguish the flames. Taking advantage of the moment, Warrick used the same lightning spell. This time, when the lightning cracked in the air, the sorcerers fell beneath its power.

  None of them stirred.

  Kara felt a sudden rush of nausea. She'd helped Warrick kill twelve people. Turning to the side, she vomited on the stone balcony.

  He put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

  She was still leaning over, fearful another wave of nausea might strike. Once she felt a little less sick, she looked into Warrick's eyes. "How can you stand it?"

  Warrick's gaze was distant. "I'd like to say it gets easier with time, but it doesn't. Over the years, I've built a wall within my mind. If I can focus on the end goal, saving the world from Krinir, then I can block out all the pain and suffering I've caused."

  "Can you really do that?"

  "No, but I try."

  "That was nothing but slaughter," she said.

  "They did attack first. I gave them the chance to turn around."

  "They were probably good people."

  Warrick sighed deeply. "The fate of the world is at stake. Sometimes, good people must die. It's a sad truth, but you'd be a fool not to acknowledge it."

  "I don't want to be a part of it."

  "I'm afraid you don't have much choice."

  Chapter 14: The Continent of Ice

  Markus would have liked the chance to rest longer with the sorcerers on the island, as well as the chance to ask them a few more things. But they'd revealed all the answers they would, and Markus and the others had a mission to fulfill.

  Andre had given them a blue teleportation stone, which they would use to take them to Temple View. Markus didn't know what to expect there but prayed it wouldn't be too difficult.

  He, Nadia, and Klint were ready to leave after a quick breakfast, but they couldn't find Berig anywhere. They asked around, and eventually some of the crew pointed them in the right direction. After a short walk, Markus found Berig sitting at the edge of a cliff, staring out at the ocean, his gaze distant and filled with pain.

  Markus settled down beside him at the edge of the cliff. "Something wrong?"

  "It's one step closer."

  "What're you talking about?" Markus asked.

  "My death. Every day is one day closer to when I've gotta travel back in time. I feel like I should put that off as long as possible. I try not to think about it, but it's always there. It feels like I'm gonna go crazy."

  "You may still have some time," Markus said.

  Berig barked a laugh. "Oh, I doubt that. I can feel it coming. It's close."

  "Well, if it has to be done, it has to be done. You can't change it."

  "That's what bothers me." Berig stared out at the sea as waves crashed against the shore far below. "I keep wondering what would happen if I refused to go back in time. I mean, I've already been saved, haven't I? That can't be changed, can it?"

  "I have no idea. I don't understand anything about time travel. We could ask the sorcerers here, I suppose." Markus held out a hand for Berig. "Come on. We're almost ready to go."

  With a deep sigh, Berig got to his feet. "Guess I don't have much choice."

  They returned to the large house that sat high upon the island's cliffs. Inside, Nadia and Klint were waiting. Andre stood nearby, watching them solemnly.

  "Hey, I've got a question," Berig said. "You know anything about time travel?"

  Andre frowned. "A little bit, but you'll have to ask sorcerers in the Breezelands. They're the ones who've studied the topic extensively."

  "Well, it's a simple question. If—"

  "I know what you're going to ask about," Andre said. "I've seen it in the Webs of Fate. No matter what you do, there's no way to escape your fate." He gave Berig a sympathetic smile. "You have to die, Berig, and there's nothing you can do about it."

  Berig looked down at the floor. "That's what I was afraid of."

  "They often don't tell you that about magic," Andre said. "It always comes with a price. Some prices are more apparent than others, of course, but it's always there. With great power comes great responsibility, and sometimes you aren't in control. That's the nature of the world."

  "I don't give a damn about the nature of the world," Berig said.

  "It doesn't matter what you think. That's just the way things are."

  Markus put a hand on Berig's shoulder. "I know it's tough, but you're strong enough to do it. You've been through so much, Berig."

  "Yeah, I guess so." Berig's gaze became distant again, as if he were lost in thoughts deeper and darker than anything Markus had ever known. "Back before we met, I thought about killing myself a few times. Life was that bad. Now that I'm faced with the reality that I have to die—I don't know—it's tough to describe. But I've never wanted to live more than I do now."

  "That's because you've found a purpose," Nadia said. "You've found friends. You've done amazing things. You're a hero, Berig, no matter what you might think of yourself."

  Berig shook his head. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

  Klint stood off to the side awkwardly, as if he didn't want to intrude on this conversation. He cleared his throat. "We should probably get going."

  "The teleportation stone is ready," Andre said.

  Markus, Nadia, Berig, and Klint all placed their hands on the stone. A moment later, the world vanished around them. There was nothing beneath Markus's feet for a few moments, but then he felt solid ground beneath him.

  The first thing he noticed was the cold. A bitter wind blew, blasting him with snow. He'd brought a heavy fur coat, given to him by the sorcerers on the island, but it didn't feel like enough. Already, he was shivering. He wrapped himself tighter in the coat.

  "It's bloody cold," Klint said. "Let me see if I can help." He pointed his staff into the air, and warmth blossomed around them. "Looks like the fire shield protects us from the cold."

  Markus looked upon the city of Temple View while they stood upon a small hill overlooking it. The city had maybe a dozen narrow streets from one end to the other. At the city's far end stood the temple, a giant structure fashioned of stone, its surface coated in ice and snow.

  Most of the city's buildings were made of wood, and smoke issued from their chimneys. The streets were empty but for a few people who looked determined to go about their busine
ss.

  Snow continued swirling in the air as Markus and the others descended the hill leading toward the city. Andre had told them to head straight to the temple, where they'd find the sorcerers who protected the secrets within.

  They passed along the snow-covered streets, their feet clad in thick boots the sorcerers had given them. Markus was amazed that the people of the island had been so generous.

  The wind grew stronger as they traveled through the city. Markus wrapped a fur scarf tighter about his neck, but it did little to battle the cold. Only Klint's shield offered them any protection, but he couldn't hold it indefinitely.

  No one in the city stopped them. They passed a few patrolling guards who looked as if they'd rather be inside. At last, Markus and the others arrived at the temple.

  They ascended the wide stone steps leading up toward the entrance, then stepped through the open door. Magical torches glowed on the other side, providing both light and warmth. Markus let the ends of his scarf dangle from his shoulders.

  The Ice Temple was very different from the Earth Temple. Here, it was a place full of people. A man sat behind a nearby desk, watching them with narrowed eyes.

  As they approached him, he said, "Do you need something?"

  "We wish to gain the powers of Ice magic," Nadia said.

  "I'll go get one of the city's sorcerers, see what he has to say." The man rose from behind the desk, then made his way to a nearby set of stairs. It felt like an eternity passed before he returned, a middle-aged and bearded man standing at his side.

  "You wish to obtain Ice magic," the man said, examining them with his keen gaze.

  "Yes, we do," Nadia said. "Are we allowed?"

  "You have not proven yourselves to be worthy."

  "We already have Earth magic," she said. "Isn't that enough?"

  The man stroked his thick but neatly-groomed beard. "Well, that is impressive. You must have evaded the army of the New Earth Empire." He stepped toward them, examining them again, his gaze unnerving. "Or perhaps you had something to do with the destruction of that empire's technology." A twisted smile crossed his face. "Yes, I know who you are."

  "Then you'll help us?" Nadia said.

  "I never said that."

  "But we have to stop Krinir," Nadia said.

  "True, but are you worthy heroes? The path ahead of you will give you great power, and with that power comes great temptation. Many have come before you and claimed these powers, only to go on to lives of evil. Some of them even support Krinir."

  "But you have to know we don't support him," Markus said, fighting against his growing anger. "No one in their right mind would support someone like that."

  "Oh, you'd be surprised," the sorcerer said. "Let's go to my office, where we can talk with a little more privacy." He gestured for them to follow, and they ascended the stairs together. At the top, they ducked into a room off to the right. There weren't enough chairs for everyone to sit. Nadia and Klint took seats, but Markus and Berig remained standing.

  Nadia glared at the sorcerer with determination. "Are you going to let us enter the temple or not? As I see it, it's in everyone's best interests to let us inside."

  Markus appreciated how strong Nadia was in situations like these. He would have struggled to talk to the sorcerer, but Nadia spoke as if she cared nothing for his age, powers, and prestige.

  "It doesn't matter if I let you enter the temple."

  Nadia frowned. "Why not?"

  "Because the orb within has been stolen."

  "What do you mean?" Nadia asked. "How could it have been stolen?"

  "It happened a few days ago. We believe it was stolen by Krinir's people."

  Markus felt as if the weight of this news were crushing him. "Then we made the journey here for nothing. There's no hope of stopping Krinir anymore. Not without magic."

  The sorcerer leaned forward. "I never said that."

  "But why didn't anyone tell us?" Nadia asked. "We've talked to other sorcerers."

  "I've observed the threads around this theft. Krinir made them go dark."

  Berig cleared his throat. "You think he's done the same thing to the other temples?"

  "I believe so."

  "Then how can we hope to stop him?" Nadia asked.

  "I have no idea."

  "You're a sorcerer," Klint said. "Can't you read these damned Webs?"

  "I can, but not well enough."

  Markus held back his anger, knowing it wouldn't accomplish anything. Still, he was tired of everyone saying they had no idea what had to be done. Just once, Markus would have liked to have a clear path, but the only clear paths he could see ended in their deaths and the destruction of the world. He didn't need to voice these frustrations, however. They all shared them.

  "You can't tell us how to defeat Krinir," Markus said. "I understand that. But can you give us some idea of what we should do next?" He hated being dependent on others like this. It reminded him of his time in the New Earth Empire, when it had felt like everything they'd done had been orchestrated by a sorcerer.

  "There's nothing else you can do here," the sorcerer said. He'd never given them his name, which wasn't surprising. Sorcerers were all too secretive.

  "Then what can we do?" Markus asked, growing impatient.

  "I don't know. The other temples have likely been infiltrated as well."

  "We should go to the Breezelands," Nadia said. "That's where they can send us to the future. Maybe we can't gain Wind magic while we're there, but it's where we have to go."

  The sorcerer stroked his beard, deep in thought. Markus doubted the man would share his thoughts, so he was surprised when the sorcerer said, "The Breezelands are very dangerous at the moment. They are currently involved in an internal war."

  "Of course," Markus said. "They wouldn't think to make it easy for us."

  The sorcerer ignored him. "Since the regime change in Luminia, much of the world has fallen into turmoil. The Breezelands are feeling it more strongly because they've always had a strong relationship with Luminia, mostly due to the proximity between the two. Some of the sorcerers in the Breezelands want to break away from Luminia because Warrick is now in control. Others want to remain because of tradition. Then there are those who actually welcome the regime change. Some of them even support Krinir."

  "And they're at war with one another?" Nadia said.

  "I'm afraid so, but I can still find help for you there. You said you needed to travel to the future. Well, I know a man there who can help you. His name is Brandin. He is the most powerful Time Sorcerer in the world. Not only can he read the Webs of Fate; he can help people travel through them and go forward or backward in time."

  "Is he on our side?" Nadia asked.

  The sorcerer began pacing. "He is, but that may present its own problems. If Krinir has read the Webs of Fate surrounding him, he'll have imprisoned him. Such a man is too important to kill outright, but it may come to that if you force Krinir's hand."

  "Guess we'll find out when we get there," Klint said.

  The sorcerer nodded. "It's probably time for you to go anyway. There's nothing to do here, and the longer you hang around, the more danger you'll face."

  "But Krinir can't see us in the Webs anymore," Nadia said.

  "No, but this is a place he'd expect you to go."

  There was a knock on the door, and the sorcerer called the person in. The same man who'd been sitting at the desk stood in the doorway, his eyes wide with fear.

  "What is it?" the sorcerer asked impatiently. "I'm in the middle of an important meeting."

  "There are some sorcerers here demanding an audience with you."

  "Give me a few moments to finish with my guests," the sorcerer said, "and then I'll see to these sorcerers." He dismissed the man with a gesture. As soon as the door closed, the sorcerer turned to Markus and the others. "There's a secret passage leading out of this very office. I prepared it in case I ever needed a quick escape. Take it."

  "Do you think these
sorcerers mean us harm?" Nadia asked.

  "I'm willing to bet they're on Krinir's side."

  Nadia's expression became furious. "Why would anyone support Krinir?"

  "It isn't the time to debate that point," the sorcerer said. "You need to go. Now."

  Klint hopped to his feet. "You heard the man. Let's go."

  The sorcerer walked to the back wall of the room, then sent a burst of magic at it. A few moments later, a narrow passage opened up, barely large enough for Markus to fit. He felt immediately as though pressure had landed on his chest, but he pushed aside his fear. He'd been through too much now to let his claustrophobia control him.

  Nadia, Klint, and Berig ducked into the passage first. Markus followed close behind, taking deep breaths and praying he'd handle the closeness of the passage better than he had so many times before. Shortly after they entered, the sorcerer closed the passage behind them, plunging them into total darkness.

  Markus's chest seized with panic. "I-I can't do this."

  "Yes, you can," Nadia said. "Just focus on your breathing."

  Markus breathed in and out, trying to keep his mind blank and ignore the feeling that he was being crushed. Inch by inch, they crawled through the tunnel. The darkness remained absolute and stifling.

  "I've found the end of the passage," Nadia said. A few moments later, light flooded into their surroundings. Markus's tension eased, but only a little.

  The other three crawled out first. Markus was close behind them. When he emerged in the cold air, snow swirling around him, he knew they'd made a grave mistake.

  Ten or so people stood at the exit of the passage, watching them emerge.

  "Don't even think of resisting," said a dark-haired woman. Markus knew without asking that she was a sorcerer. The ageless look to her face gave her away. It took him only a few more moments to determine they were all sorcerers. Full sorcerers, immortal and powerful.

  Klint glanced from side to side. "This ain't gonna end well."

  Chapter 15: Through the Skies