He fell backward, blood dripping from the wound. Dead immediately.
Klint staggered across the room, carrying the chair awkwardly with him. Once he reached the interrogator, he collected the knife and the staff. With the knife, he severed the rest of his bonds. The staff didn't feel quite right in his hands, but he didn't know where they'd taken his staff, and there surely wasn't enough time to go looking for it.
Still, he felt as if he'd lost his closest friend.
The door burst open, and three guards rushed through it. Klint pointed the staff at them and unleased a burst of lightning. The spell felt different, unnatural, but it still did what he'd intended. The three guards fell, twitching and screaming, and he almost felt sorry for them.
Heart pounding, he leapt over the fallen guards. One of them scrambled to his feet as he passed and grabbed him around the legs. In the man's grip, Klint hit the ground hard. He still had his knife in his left hand, though, and he whipped it around, slashing it across the guard's face. The guard loosened his grip, and Klint hopped back to his feet.
Then an idea struck him. He grabbed the man who'd tackled him. The guard had dropped his sword, and now Klint held his knife to the man's throat.
"Please don't kill me," he said. "I'm just following orders."
"Where did they take my staff? Tell me and I'll let you live."
"I'll show you where. But please don't kill me."
"It's all up to you," Klint said. The guard nodded weakly and began walking while Klint held the knife to his throat. They rounded a few corners, then stopped before a stone door. The guard opened the door. Inside, Klint spotted his staff sitting on top of a table. There was a bunch of other stuff in the room—weapons, armor, various goods. They'd probably been confiscated from prisoners.
Klint didn't care about any of those things. He grabbed his staff and tossed the interrogator's staff aside. The grip of the staff felt right in his hands, as if it were an inseparable part of him.
He turned his gaze to the guard, wondering if he should kill the man anyway.
"You promised you wouldn't kill me."
"I suppose I am a man of my word," Klint said. He removed his knife from the guard's neck. "But I can't have you going free."
"I promise. I won't do anything."
"Not sure I can trust you there," Klint said. He brought his staff around in a quick swing, striking the man in the head. The man fell forward, losing consciousness and hitting the ground. Klint placed a finger to the man's neck and detected a pulse.
Klint didn't envy the headache the guard would have when he woke up.
With his staff in hand, Klint left the room and made his way through the halls. They were empty for the moment. Perhaps the others had drawn all the guards to their location. Klint was going to make his way back to the secret passage, but then he heard distant shouts.
He raced toward the sounds, the corridors flashing past him in a blur. As he grew closer to the fortress's main entrance, he found a few guards lying dead in his path. The shouts became louder. Some kind of commotion was occurring in the throne room. He thought about barging in, but then he decided that stealth would be a better tactic.
The plans of the fortress were fresh in his mind. He'd always had a good memory, so he knew there were walkways above the throne room. Rey had also mentioned them, figuring they might be of some use.
A nearby set of stairs led him upward, and soon he entered the throne room on the walkways above. He peered down into the room, and a sudden wave of fear washed over him. Markus, Nadia, and Berig were all standing in the throne room, surrounded on all sides by sorcerers. Another man stood with them, probably the sorcerer Brandin.
Klint leaned over the railing, trying to figure out a plan of attack. Even if he caught the sorcerers by surprise, it wouldn't be enough to get the others out of here. He was a mere channeler, and his powers paled in comparison to true sorcery.
But he didn't have to kill all the sorcerers. In fact, he didn't have to kill any of them. He just had to distract them enough so that the others could escape.
The fewest sorcerers blocked the exit on the right side of the room. They would be his targets. He pointed his staff over the railing and launched a field of lightning at them. The lightning arced just over Markus's head, then struck the sorcerers.
The sorcerers had been too confident. They hadn't conjured shields. When the lightning struck them, they all hit the ground. Berig and the others took advantage, leaping over the fallen sorcerers, then sprinting into the next corridor.
There was no time to watch them, though, as the other sorcerers in the room had turned their attention to Klint. He raised a shield, and their spells fizzled against it as he took off down the stairs. At the bottom, he found almost a dozen sorcerers waiting for him.
He didn't hesitate, blasting them with a wave of fire. This time, they conjured their shields, but Klint had distracted them enough to slip past them. He knocked one man to the ground as he sprinted toward where the others had gone. The sorcerers pursued him, launching their magic at him. He kept his shield going, but it wouldn't hold forever.
A great gust of wind caught him from behind, sending him flying forward, and he hit the stone floor hard, the impact knocking the wind out of him. For a few terrifying moments, he couldn't move, and that was all the sorcerers needed.
They approached him, and he could see the murderous intent in their eyes. It was time to die. Everyone had to do die at some point. Now was as good a time as any.
But then a massive gust of wind slammed into the sorcerers. It was like nothing Klint had ever seen. The sorcerers all toppled backward, their shields useless against the wind. When Klint turned, he saw Berig, Markus, Nadia, and Brandin combining their magic into one great gust.
The wind died down, and Klint hopped to his feet. The sorcerers were dazed and didn't follow immediately, but it wasn't long before they were pursuing.
"You're a channeler," Brandin said. "Combine your shield with mine."
Klint didn't know how to do that, but he focused on conjuring a shield. Brandin must have done the same. At first, Klint didn't notice any difference, but then he felt strange power vibrating through him. Somehow, their magic had combined, making the shield stronger.
But would it be strong enough?
They raced through the corridors, making their way back toward the main gate. The sorcerers were close behind, launching every bit of magic they had, filling the corridors with so many colors and sounds that Klint could make no sense of it. Heat flashed through the air. Every hair on his body stood on end. Through it all, he and Brandin kept their shield going.
But Klint could feel it growing weaker. They had another minute, maybe two.
With the sorcerers close behind, they reached the gate, but it wouldn't do them any good. The gate was closed. Klint thought about racing back to the secret passage, but sorcerers were closing in on them from every direction, accompanied by countless guards.
"Brandin, can you blast through the gate with your magic?" Markus asked.
"No, I'm afraid my magic isn't powerful enough."
"Then what can we do?" Nadia asked.
Brandin's expression was grave. "We wait for them to kill us."
The sorcerers closed in, and there was no doubt about it. They meant to kill the party.
Chapter 29: Flight
Darien Warrick sat in his chambers in the Tower of Light, reading the Webs of Fate. He'd been watching them too much ever since he'd sent Kara and Tylen away. But it wasn't them he was watching. It was Nadia and the others with her.
He'd known for a while now that they would try to free Brandin from Windhaven, but now he could see the threads coalescing. They needed his help.
Darien had prepared his teleportation spell ahead of time, though he'd hoped he wouldn't need to use it. If he revealed himself here, he would lose all the progress he'd made in fighting Krinir's control. Darien wasn't sure he was ready to make that sacrifice.
&n
bsp; But he had no choice. The more he read the Webs, the more he saw that Nadia and the others were vital in the fight against Krinir. It would be better if Darien didn't reveal his true allegiances, but the time for caution was past. He had to take action.
That was part of the reason he'd sent Kara and Tylen away. This time, when Krinir placed him back under magical control, it would be stronger. Krinir had made mistakes, but he was the kind of being who learned from mistakes.
Under Krinir's control, Warrick would be a danger to everyone around him, but those were concerns for later.
Focusing on the spell he'd crafted, he thought about traveling to the entrance to Windhaven. Soon the world blurred and darkened, and then his chambers were gone.
* * * * *
Nadia glanced from side to side, looking for an escape, but the sorcerers closed in from every direction. They gathered their magic together, preparing to kill the party. Brandin and Klint were still shielding everyone, but it would do them little good.
She took a deep breath, preparing for death.
Then Warrick appeared. He teleported directly into their midst and stood between them and the sorcerers, who all recoiled at his sudden appearance. Did they know who he was?
Warrick waved an arm, and flames appeared all around the sorcerers. They tried to escape the flames, but the spell was too strong, too quick. The sorcerers screamed as they burned. Those who had evaded the flames tried to attack Warrick, but Brandin and Klint must have shifted their shields to cover Warrick as well. None of the spells hit him.
Some of the sorcerers fled upon seeing Warrick's power. Those who remained died swiftly. He used all kinds of magic. Fire. Lightning. A great wave of darkness that enveloped his enemies, killing them almost instantly.
Soon most of the sorcerers had scattered, but the gate remained closed.
Warrick turned to Nadia and the others. "They won't give up, not yet. By coming here like this, I've revealed that I'm fighting Krinir's control. He will come."
Nadia shuddered, remembering the last time they'd faced Krinir. She had no idea if they should trust Warrick, but he had just saved their lives.
"Did Kara break through the spell?" she asked. She was surprised to find that her hatred for him no longer burned so intensely. It was still there, but she had come to understand that there was an even greater evil in the world.
"She did," Warrick said, "but it's a fight every day. And now all that fighting won't matter. Krinir won't make the same mistakes again. This time, he'll have me under complete control." There was pain in Warrick's gaze, and despite herself, Nadia felt a pang of sympathy.
Perhaps she could never forgive him, but she could still try to understand what had driven him to do the things he'd done. It wasn't his fault, not entirely.
"We need to get out of here," Warrick said. He pointed a finger at the gate, and a great upwelling of rock burst from the ground. Then more rocks came from the walls beside the gate. The force of the spell was so strong that the gate shattered with a great rumble.
Nadia stood in awe of Warrick's powers and wondered how she'd ever thought she could challenge him. Then she realized he was nothing compared to Krinir.
How could they ever defeat Krinir?
Focus on the moment, she told herself as they ran through the open gate and onto the sunlit streets of Wind's Edge. Out in the streets, it seemed as if nothing unusual had happened. People went about their business, only casting a few curious glances as the party sprinted by.
No sorcerers followed them, but Nadia couldn't relax. They made their way through the streets, Klint in the lead. He seemed to have the best sense of direction. Warrick kept glancing all around, searching for any signs of pursuit.
It was a sign of how strange things had become that Nadia thought of Warrick as their protector. She hated him, yes, but she needed him right now.
Soon they reached the docks, where they found Travin and Rey waiting for them. Their airship was already floating but had not yet taken off.
"Who's this with you?" Travin asked, looking at Warrick.
"I'm an ally," Warrick said. "That's all you need to know."
"He's telling the truth," Nadia said. "He saved our lives."
Rey frowned. "All right. Let's hope you haven't misplaced your trust."
They raced up the ladder leading to the deck of the airship. Once they all reached the top, Travin removed the ladder. The crew rushed about the deck, preparing to take off. Less than a minute later, they were in the air.
But as soon as they took off, another airship rose behind them. It gave pursuit, and Travin's new crew pushed their ship to its limits. The deck vibrated alarmingly as they raced through the sky above Wind's Edge.
"Krinir's on that ship," Warrick said, standing near the rear railing. "I can feel his presence, his magic. It's very powerful."
"Can you protect us?" Nadia asked.
"I can, but I will make no guarantees that I can hold up against Krinir."
"Well, you're the only chance we have," Markus said.
Nadia felt sick at the thought that their lives were in Warrick's hands, but there was nothing she could do about it. Against the likes of Krinir, they needed powerful allies, and Warrick was the most powerful they could find.
She still couldn't figure out if Krinir truly wanted them dead. Yes, he'd attacked them, but if he was as powerful as everyone said, then he should have killed them easily by now. There had to be something else at play, something she didn't understand.
The airship soared through the skies with astonishing speed. Nadia felt sick when she looked over the railing at the ground flashing by below.
Markus put a hand on her shoulder. "I wouldn't do that."
'"That warning's a bit late," she said.
He grinned. "Better late than never."
For the moment, the ship trailing after them wasn't attacking. The ships appeared to be traveling at roughly the same speed. Or they did at first.
Soon Krinir's ship was gaining on them. Warrick stood strong at the back of their ship, holding his arms out, shielding everyone as much as he could.
"You should stay close to me," he said. "I can't extend my shield to the entire ship."
"What about the crew?" Berig asked.
Warrick didn't meet his gaze. "They will probably die."
Nadia thought she should warn Travin and Rey, but they were too busy, as was much of the crew. They hustled back and forth, trying to get more and more speed out of the ship. By judging the wind, they were able to place the sails in the best position to increase their speed.
Krinir's ship moved closer and closer. He stood at the front of the ship, his gaze focused. As soon as the ship flew within range, he began his magical assault. Great waves of fire surged from his fingertips, crossing the empty space between the ships.
Warrick stood with grim determination, holding his shield strong. The flames met his shield, and Nadia flinched, but the spell didn't strike them.
Krinir tried so many different spells Nadia had trouble keeping track of them. More waves of fire. Giant fields of lightning. Great windstorms. Barrages of rocks and ice.
"He's not really trying," Warrick said, still maintaining his shield. "I think he wants you alive and wants me alive. We're still useful to him."
None of those possibilities did anything to soothe Nadia's nerves. If Krinir wanted them for something, it couldn't be any good. Worse, if he got someone as powerful as Warrick completely on his side, there was no telling how much damage they could do together.
"Then why bother attacking us at all?" Markus asked.
"I don't know," Warrick said. It took some effort for him to hold the shield, but he didn't seem as if he were straining all that much. "I suspect he needs to make us doubt his intentions. When it comes to the Webs of Fate, every decision changes the future, sometimes drastically."
More waves of fire crashed into Warrick's shield.
"It's also possible that he means for some of us to d
ie," Warrick said. "I can't claim to read his mind. He's made too many strands dark."
Though Nadia didn't trust Warrick, she felt he was telling the truth right now. She still felt burning anger whenever she looked at him, but his help was all they had. They would be foolish to antagonize him. Once, Nadia might have done it, but she had grown as a person.
Vengeance was no longer the driving force in her life. She had set out to do something much greater.
Krinir's ship edged closer to theirs, and another barrage of rocks came barreling down from the sky. This time, some of them were too far away for Warrick's shield. The rocks crashed into the ship, the wood cracking loudly with each impact. People screamed out from behind. The ship rocked suddenly, and Nadia gripped the railing to keep from tumbling to her death.
She glanced back as more and more rocks fell. Those that hit Warrick's shield disintegrated, but the rest had carved massive holes in the wooden deck. A few of the sailors were bleeding. She had no idea if any of them had died.
"What should we do?" she asked.
"I think Krinir's ship is within range," Markus said. "We can attack him."
Nadia felt sick to her stomach. "I'm not sure that's a good thing."
Krinir continued his assault, sending more fire at the wooden ship. Warrick's shield did not extend far enough to cover the entire ship, and it went up in flames. Sailors screamed in agony as the flames consumed them. Nadia felt like a coward for standing under Warrick's protection, but they had a mission to accomplish.
However, seeing Krinir's power, she had no idea how they'd succeed. After all, it appeared as if holding the shield were starting to tire Warrick. On the deck of the other ship, though, Krinir appeared as if he were going for a light stroll. He sent all kinds of magic at them, and he wasn't sweating at all. This was easy for him. If he wanted to crush them, he would.
The smell of burning wood tickled Nadia's nostrils. She glanced back, and nearly collapsed in horror. Fire had consumed most of the ship. Few of the sailors remained standing. She didn't see Travin or Rey anywhere.
World in Chains- The Complete Series Page 152
