"Is it time?" Markus asked softly, heart pounding.
Captain Travin pulled a key from his belt and unlocked the cell door. "The rest of the crew's either asleep or enjoying themselves out in the city." He glanced toward the exit, as if afraid that someone might come barging through. "All right, let's go."
They left the cell and followed him to the other side of the room, where he unlocked the chest and returned their weapons to them. Klint smiled broadly when he held his staff, and Markus wondered just how dependent Klint had become on its magic.
However, it was easy to understand how Klint felt. When Markus strapped the sword to his back, he felt as if he were whole again. His magic was powerful, yes, but he still had more trust in steel, in his own strength.
With their weapons secured, they followed Captain Travin up the stairs and onto the deck of the airship. Night was a dark shadow upon the landscape. A swift breeze blew, bringing with it a distinct chill.
"It's always windy here," Travin said. "You get used to it after a while."
Markus pulled his cloak tighter about him as they crossed the deck. There were no signs of life, but every step echoed across the deck. Surely someone would hear them walking.
They approached the edge of the ship. Still, it seemed deserted.
Would this plan actually work? If they could get off the ship without arousing any suspicion, they wouldn't even have to use the sewer system. Travin had given Klint the map they needed to follow. Markus wasn't sure why Klint got that honor. At the moment, though, Markus was too anxious to think about anything but taking careful step after careful step.
They were at the ladder leading down to the wooden dock when they encountered their first major problem.
The guard who'd been suspicious earlier stood at the bottom of the ladder, looking up at them. With him was a small squad of city guards, who were dressed in pale yellow surcoats.
"Dammit," Travin said.
The guard smiled up at them. "Did you think I wouldn't find your visits with the prisoners suspicious? Did you think no one here knew what was actually happening? Krinir himself spoke to me and told me of these prisoners we'd encounter. We have you outnumbered, so I suggest you stand down and let us arrest you. Your deaths will be much easier that way."
Klint barked a laugh. "Not gonna happen."
He sent a surge of lightning down at the guards, who huddled below. A few of them jumped to the side as the lightning struck the middle of the group. But a couple of them raised their hands into the air, conjuring shields.
Damn. There were sorcerers involved here.
The sorcerers stepped forward, unleashing waves of fire that hit the side of the airship. The flames consumed the ladder, eliminating their only escape route. The drop from the side of the ship had to be at least fifty feet.
"I know how to get down there," Klint said. "You three need to distract them somehow."
Markus shared a quick glance with Nadia and Berig. "Boulders?"
"It's worth a try," Nadia said.
Markus, Nadia, and Berig all focused on their spell at the same time. It still wasn't clear exactly how their magic worked, but Markus could tell that it was more powerful if they combined their efforts into one. They focused, summoning the boulders from somewhere.
The boulders plummeted toward the guards gathered below. But the guards were ready. With great gusts of wind, they sent the boulders flying.
But the distraction had worked. Out of the corner of his eye, Markus caught Klint leaping off the side of the ship. As he approached the ground, Klint pointed his staff downward, generating wind and using the reactive force to slow his descent.
Klint's arrival must have caught the guards by surprise because he hit them with two bursts of lightning before the sorcerers could conjure shields. The sorcerers had to abandon the flames they were sending at the ladder, but they'd already done the damage. The ladder had burned almost clean through, and its rungs were crumbling in the heat.
"How're we gonna get down?" Berig asked. "Klint can't fight them on his own."
Klint was doing quite well, though, conjuring shields to weather the sorcerers' attacks. The guards he'd struck with lightning had not returned to their feet. They were probably men just doing their jobs, and had died for that, but Markus couldn't think about that right now.
If this had been a regular ship, and not an airship, they could have jumped into the water. But the docks here had solid ground beneath them, not water.
Nadia glanced back and forth frantically. "We have to think of something."
"The sorcerers are focused on Klint right now," Markus said. "Let's attack."
"They're standing on wood," Nadia said, "so we can't pull any rocks out of the ground to stab them. But we could hit them with a quick blast of sharp rock, or with boulders."
"Let's try the smaller rocks," Markus said. "Boulders are more powerful, but they're too slow." When Nadia inclined her head in agreement, they focused their efforts on their magic, pointing fingers at the guards assembled below.
Rocks burst from their fingertips, flying toward the guards like throwing knives. Occupied by Klint, the sorcerers didn't notice the attacks until it was too late. The sharp rocks slammed into their backs, and they cried out in pain as they fell forward.
They did not get up.
"This is our chance," Markus said. He leaned over the railing. "Klint, can you get us down there?"
"I can try, but you'll have to go one at a time."
Berig stepped forward. "I'll go first."
Without hesitation, he launched himself over the railing. Klint pointed his staff upward, generating a massive surge of wind. The wind caught Berig as he fell, slowing his descent. He hit the ground a little hard but shot back to his feet, looking unharmed.
"Next," Klint said. "I don't think we have much time."
Nadia's face looked pale as she moved to the railing.
"You can do it," Markus said.
She nodded and jumped over the side of the ship. Markus's stomach lurched as he watched her. Klint's magic was effective, though, showing Markus there was nothing to worry about. Nadia hit the ground without incident.
Markus followed. When he leaned over the railing, a sudden wave of dizziness washed over him, and he felt as if he might throw up.
"You can do it!" Nadia shouted from below.
He took a deep breath, then let himself fall. Halfway down, Klint's wind caught him, but he still seemed to be falling more quickly. He did weigh a lot more than Berig and Nadia. What if Klint's magic wasn't strong enough to save him.
Markus hit the ground with a jarring thud and fell into a roll, trying to spread out the impact as much as possible. The force of his landing knocked the wind out of him, and he lay on the wooden docks, struggling to breathe.
Nadia rushed to his side. "Markus, are you okay?"
It took him a few more moments to get his breath back. "Yeah, I’m fine."
With her help, he got to his feet. At the same time, Klint cast his wind spell upward, slowing Captain Travin's descent. The captain hit the ground more gracefully than Markus, staggering for a few steps before regaining his balance.
"Where'd our guard go?" Nadia asked. "I don't see him among the dead."
Markus shuddered to think they'd killed all these guards. It wasn't just the fact that they'd have more pursuit. It was the killing of men who had been following orders. They surely didn't understand the true nature of the god they supported. If everyone understood what Krinir intended to do, they would surely stand against him.
Or at least Markus wanted to think that was true. Perhaps some people believed they could avoid the worst of his destruction if they pledged their allegiance to him.
Regardless, these were thoughts for another time.
"We should get moving," Travin said. "Follow me."
"Guess we don't need that map after all," Berig said.
They raced away from the decks, entering the dark and silent city. At firs
t, they didn't pass anybody, but then they encountered a few drunk people wandering the streets, as well as beggar and thieves lurking in alleys. No one accosted them, however.
Not until the next contingent of guards appeared in their path.
The guards numbered at least a dozen. Two men at the front of the group marched forward, launching magic toward the party. Klint raised his staff, conjuring a shield just in time. The shield wavered as lightning crackled around it.
Markus, Nadia, and Berig sent blasts of rock at the sorcerers from within Klint's shield. The rock traveled through Klint's shield, but it didn't penetrate the shield around the guards. Damn. There had to be another sorcerer among them, protecting them.
"This way." Travin gestured at the alley on their right, and they darted into it. Bursts of lightning and surges of fire came from behind them, but Klint's shield held strong. Even against the onslaught of wind magic, he was able to protect them."
They raced through the alley, ducking flying arrows, navigating a maze of crates. At the other end of the alley, they raced out onto a dark street.
Where there were even more guards.
The guards surrounded them. There was no escape.
"We can make the ground shake," Nadia said. "Remember?"
Markus slapped a hand to his forehead. "Of course."
He, Nadia, and Berig focused their efforts on making the ground shake. The way this spell worked, it didn't affect the people casting it, but it did cause the guards to lose their balance. Even the sorcerers hit the ground, giving Markus and the others a chance to escape.
They raced to the right, along a cobblestone street between wooden buildings packed close together. Those drunks out and about staggered out of the way.
Shouts came from all around. Magic flew through the air.
"I'm not sure how much longer I can keep this shield going," Klint said.
"Just do your best," Nadia said. "It's all any of us can do."
They continued running, the streets flying past them in a blur. Markus didn't even feel tired, not with all the adrenaline pumping through his veins. More arrows flew through the air, but Klint's shield caught all of them, and they burned away to nothing.
"This way." Travin pointed to their left. They rushed into that alley, and he called them to a stop before a large grate. "Somebody blast it away," he said.
Markus focused his thoughts on the ground, manipulating the rock below. The rock moved with such force that it cracked the grate. The grate fell away, hitting the ground below with a low echo. Without hesitation, they all dropped through the opening.
Their pursuers weren't far behind.
"We need to block this entrance," Nadia said. She, Markus, and Berig joined together again, and the ground rumbled all around them as they shifted the rock. Soon a veritable landslide formed. They covered their heads as the world quaked around them. Eventually, the quaking stopped and a great pile of rocks blocked the place where they'd just been.
"There are other entrances to these sewers," Travin said. "We need to stay alert."
They started along the passage they'd entered, guided by the light at the tip of Klint's staff. So far, the smell wasn't too bad, but Markus had the feeling that wouldn't last. There was just one passage for a while, but then they reached a branch in the narrow corridors.
Travin gestured to their right. "This way."
They kept a quick pace, but they were no longer sprinting. Sweat had drenched Markus's hair and clothes despite the chill in the air. He ignored his tiredness, though. They were all exhausted, and there was no point complaining about it.
"You three are quite talented," Travin said, breaking a long silence. "How long have you been able to use Earth magic?"
"Just a few weeks," Nadia said.
"Impressive. Most sorcerers would take much longer to develop their powers so much. Perhaps you three truly are Weavers."
Markus didn't know what to think of that. There had to be some reason they'd been chosen for such important destinies. It still seemed unbelievable that they could oppose Krinir, but in recent months, Markus had done so many things he'd once thought impossible. Maybe they really did stand a chance.
The giant rat came out of nowhere.
One second, Markus was walking, deep in thought. The next, the rat slammed against him. He hit the ground hard, smelling the rat's putrid breath. It tried to scratch at him with its claws, but it hadn't pinned his right arm.
He slammed his sword into its soft underside. The rat let out a horrible squeal, then rolled to the side as he removed his bloody sword.
"Guess we should pay a little more attention," he said.
Travin chuckled. "Yes, monsters do a have a habit of appearing suddenly around here."
Markus was sick of monsters, sick of running for his life, sick of beginning every day with the thought that it might be his last. But he had no choice. The Webs of Fate had decided he was important. More importantly, he had embraced his role as a Weaver, had dedicated himself to defeating Krinir. No matter what obstacles he faced, he would find a way.
For now, he would focus on the obstacles right in front of him. The sewers continued in an endless maze, and he prayed that Travin knew where he was going.
"We're almost there," Travin said. They had entered an open chamber. The smell of sewage remained distant, but Markus still felt sick.
Another rat lurked in the corner of the room, just visible in the dim light from Klint's staff. Markus sent a spike of rock at it. The rock pierced its side but missed its heart, and it came charging at them. Nadia remained calm, though, nocking an arrow and then releasing it. The arrow slammed through the rat's heart.
But still it struggled toward them, blood staining the dark stones around it. Markus almost felt sorry for it as he leapt forward to plunge his sword through its heart. It swiped at him with its claws, but it was too weak to do any damage. As soon as he stabbed it, it stopped moving.
"The monsters in this place aren't too bad," he said.
Nadia grinned. "You know what Rik would say about statements like that."
Then her expression sank, as if she'd remembered belatedly that Rik was dead. Markus brushed aside her comment, knowing she hadn't meant any harm.
The same couldn't be said for the men standing in front of them.
A large contingent of guards had filed into the chamber, blocking the entrance to the nearest passage. At the head of the group stood two men in normal clothes, but there was no mistaking it. Their ageless appearances marked them as immortal sorcerers.
"Your journey ends here," said the sorcerer on the left.
Chapter 23: Deeper Secrets
"Run!" Nadia shouted. She didn't know what else to do.
Klint raised a shield as they raced away from the sorcerers. Waves of fire came hurtling toward them from behind. The air burned so intensely Nadia thought Klint's shield had died. The flames danced all around them.
"Follow me," Travin said as the flames began to die down. Hurried footsteps came from behind, but Nadia ignored them. They entered a dark passage through which they hadn't previously traveled. Klint lit his staff, leaving them vulnerable to attack.
"I wouldn't go that way if I were you," said one of the sorcerers.
They came to a stop, surprised that no attack had come from behind.
"Why not?" Berig asked, drenched in sweat.
"A fearsome beast lives down that way. It will surely kill you."
"We'll take our chances," Klint said.
"We only wish to capture you," said the sorcerer.
Klint laughed sharply. "If you expect us to believe that, you're a fool. You were trying to kill us. No doubt about it."
"Then why am I not killing you right now?"
"I don't know," Nadia said, trembling from head to toe. "It's probably some evil plan of Krinir's." She didn't know how that could be true, though. They had blocked themselves in the Webs of Fate. Krinir shouldn't have been able to watch them.
&nbs
p; Or had this been a high probability event, one he'd had a long time to prepare for?
"Krinir does have plans for you," said the sorcerer. Nadia expected him to say more, but he simply stared at them with a strange half-smile.
"We have to go this way," she said. "It's our only chance."
The sorcerer shrugged. "It's your lives you're giving up."
She hesitated a moment, then started down the passage. The others followed, Klint standing in the middle of the group, lighting their way with his staff. They pressed deeper and deeper into the sewers. The smell of waste grew stronger, almost suffocating.
Soon they emerged in a more open chamber. In the center of the chamber, a filthy stream ran through a small depression. They crossed a bridge leading over this stream, the smell assaulting them more forcefully than ever.
"You think there's really a great monster down this way?" Berig asked.
Travin shook his head. "I don't know. I've never been down this way. We've heard the same rumors, so we've always avoided it."
"Just what we need," Klint muttered. "A giant bloody monster."
Nadia strode forward with determination. "We've faced big monsters before. By now, they almost feel like a routine part of life. We'll have no trouble with whatever lurks down here."
"But even sorcerers are afraid of it," Berig said.
Nadia continued forward. "I think he was just trying to scare us."
She had the feeling that was not true, however. The deeper they ventured into the sewers, the more her stomach churned. They encountered a few more giant rats, which they handled with ease. Still, she could not allow herself to feel a false sense of security.
She remained alert, peering into every dark recess. The light from Klint's staff was hardly sufficient, but it was all they had.
Soon the putrid stench of the sewers faded. Or had Nadia grown used to it?
A scuttling sound came from in front of them. Klint swiveled his light about the large chamber they'd entered, eventually finding a giant creature that looked like a crab. Its tough carapace was black and red, and it had to be about seven feet from one side to the other. Sharp pincers were fixed at the ends of its forward-facing arms. Somewhere in the back, it had a massive stinger, like a scorpion, but much larger.
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