World in Chains- The Complete Series

by Ryan W. Mueller

  Chapter 49: Two Scrolls

  It didn't matter how long Theo and Marek remained huddled together. They simply couldn't warm up. Eventually, they gave up the effort, and Theo followed Marek up the steps in the darkness. Theo still couldn't see anything, and he hated following another's lead.

  Soon, however, light filtered into the passage. They rounded a couple of corners and found themselves standing in a much larger chamber illuminated by blue magical torches. The chamber was empty, containing a single pedestal in its center.

  Theo pointed at the pedestal. "We should investigate."

  Marek glanced around, as if looking for any other option, then nodded. Together, they approached the pedestal, where Theo found a scroll, which he unfurled. He expected it to be written in Luminian or some other language he couldn't read, so he was surprised to find it was in his own language.

  Congratulations on making it this far. By now, you are likely wondering about the purpose of this place and what secrets it might hold. No doubt you have suffered losses to make it this far. That was by my design, as much as I hate to admit it.

  I am Rador, the Creator, and if you are reading this, you are part of the world's greatest, and perhaps only, hope. For I lied to you in this last sentence. I was the Creator, but I no longer hold that title. I gave it away, tired of the duties that came with it. I hoped that Krinir would make good use of the status, and the talents that come with it, but that did not happen. Krinir's nature is worse than I expected, for I always thought him a good friend and a decent man.

  But even gods can be fooled.

  Now I have no ability to stop Krinir, for when I gave up my powers as the Creator, I separated myself from the very world whose magic I created. I am tethered to the God Realm, unable to interfere with the workings of the world I care about so much. If I could do it again, I would not make the decision I did, but the past is the past. You cannot change it.

  You might be wondering how you're reading this if I can't interact with the world. The answer is simple. I used someone who came to the God Realm. I sent him back with this message and removed from his memories any recollection of doing so. This was necessary, for if Krinir could somehow access these memories, he would know he can be defeated, and then he would eliminate that possibility.

  I pray that this message has reached the eyes of an ally. Long ago, I designed this place so that only a Death Speaker could enter it. Death Speaking is a rare talent, and as far as I can see in the Webs of Fate, only three people will possess it before the time of reckoning. One of them is the person who left this scroll here: Darien Warrick. The other two are direct descendants of his, Weavers who will play a direct role in the potential defeat of Krinir. If you are reading this, then you are either one of these people or you have accompanied them.

  Theo put down the scroll for a few moments. He'd never considered the thought that he might be related to Warrick. He wondered how distantly they were related. Warrick had been alive for over five hundred years, after all.

  Long enough to have had a child at any time.

  Maybe Theo would ask him when they saw each other again.

  If they saw each other again.

  Pushing these thoughts aside, Theo continued reading the scroll.

  Contained within this scroll are some of the world's deepest secrets. I could not trust them to anyone. Even now, I question the wisdom in writing this, but it is necessary.

  In the end, it comes down to this. The only way to defeat Krinir is to destroy the Webs of Fate. The only place where this can be done is within the God Realm, and that is why I have chosen this place to conceal this scroll. Long ago, I created these underground passages to block the passage between Terra and the God Realm. I could not permit anyone to enter the God Realm. Only now am I sharing these secrets, and only because it is necessary.

  Now, you are likely wondering about this great evil you are supposed to destroy within this place. I must tell you that such an act will not be necessary, for Darien Warrick destroyed that great evil when he entered this place many years ago. Now you must simply reach the place where it was and claim one of its fangs to show to the undead soldiers guarding the God Realm.

  Once you have gained entrance to the God Realm, I will speak to you personally, and I will explain in more detail how you will destroy the Webs of Fate.

  I look forward to meeting you. My existence is a lonely one.

  Theo put down the scroll, struggling to believe what he'd read. He also felt an overwhelming sense of relief. They wouldn't have to defeat some horrible monster. Warrick had already done it for them.

  The rest of this information was even more difficult to digest. How the hell were they supposed to destroy the Webs of Fate? That sounded like work for a god.

  Well, he'd have his answers when they met this Rador.

  In the God Realm.

  Theo wished he understood even half of what he'd read. He'd never heard of this God Realm, never expected any of the revelations in this scroll. How much of this did Warrick know? How much was Warrick holding back, as he always did?

  Or was Warrick just as blind as everyone else? After all, this Rador had written that he'd eliminated Warrick's memories of entering the God Realm.

  All of this felt like it should be part of someone else's life. Theo was no one special. He was just a man who tried to do his duty the best he could.

  Well, there was no point lamenting what his life had become.

  "We should get moving," he said, and pointed toward the far end of the chamber. "I see a passage out of this place over there."

  "What did the scroll say?" Marek asked.

  "Can you read?"

  "Yeah, Warrick taught me how. Had to read to be a good steward for him."

  Theo handed Marek the scroll, and Marek frowned as he read. At times, his eyes widened. Then he'd chew on his lower lip, adopting a look of deep concentration. At last, he tore his eyes away from the scroll, shaking his head in disbelief.

  "If the world wasn't already so strange," he said, "I'd think this was all a joke."

  "I know what you mean. At this point, I'm willing to believe anything."

  "At least we don't have to fight some horrible monster."

  "Well, we still have to find it, and there might be other monsters along the way."

  "Did you have to remind me?"

  Theo chuckled. "Just making sure we're prepared for anything."

  "I wish I felt prepared."

  Theo placed the scroll in the leather pack tied to his back, then started across the room, Marek trailing him nervously. Soon they reached the passage at the other side of the room and entered it, making their way by the light of magical torches lining the passage's walls.

  As they walked, Theo's skin prickled. He couldn't place the feeling, but he knew something evil lurked in the air. That didn't seem right, though, since Rador's scroll had told them Warrick had defeated the great evil in this place.

  Perhaps there was more than one.

  "I don't like this place," Marek said.

  Theo kept his voice low. "I know what you mean."

  After a couple more turns, they reached an open chamber that more closely resembled a massive cavern. A few torches were placed throughout the chamber, providing dim illumination. In the center of the chamber was the massive form of . . . something.

  It was still. For now.

  Theo's breath caught in his throat as he took the first few steps toward the motionless creature. It looked larger than any animal Theo had ever seen, including the monster that had once tormented Bradenton every night. This creature's back was covered in large scales and massive spikes that looked sharper than any sword.

  The creature did not stir.

  Taking deep breaths, Theo stepped closer. He'd never been a man prone to fear, but every Imperial Guard learned a little common sense or they didn't last long.

  When he stood about twenty feet away, he decided that the beast truly was dead. Something that large
would make a lot of noise, even if it was only breathing.

  "I think it's okay," Theo said, motioning Marek forward.

  Marek hesitated a moment, then joined Theo beside the monster.

  "All right," Theo said, "all we have to do is extract one of its fangs."

  "And how're we gonna do that?"

  "First we have to find its mouth." Theo walked around the creature's body, following the contours of its gigantic back. At last, he found its head. The mouth was closed, but massive fangs protruded from both its upper and lower jaws. The fangs had to be as large as Theo. He grabbed one and tugged at it. It didn't come free.

  "I can still make this work," he muttered. He took out his sword and stabbed it into the monster's gums, carving out a hole so he could remove the fang. It was a long process, but at last the fang dropped free from the roof of the mouth. The fang clattered against the rocky ground and rolled to a stop a few feet away.

  Theo picked up the fang and found it was surprisingly light. He'd carried heavier logs back in the Crayden forest. Still, he motioned for Marek's help. Marek looked disgusted at the thought of carrying a fang, but he obeyed, taking one end of the fang. Together, they carried it with ease, though Theo wasn't sure how they would exit this place.

  How far did they have to go? What threats might they still face?

  As they carried the fang toward the other end of the vast cavern, that feeling of evil in the air grew stronger. All the hairs on Theo's arms stood on end. He exchanged a glance with Marek, who had gone deathly pale in the dim torchlight.

  They spotted another passage at the other end of the chamber, but with every step toward that passage, the air felt heavier, as if the presence of evil was waiting to smother them.

  There was another evil here. There had to be.

  And what would they do when they faced it?

  "Maybe we should try another path," Marek said.

  "There is no other path."

  Just to be certain, they put the fang down and investigated every nook and cranny of the cavern. It soon became clear that Theo's initial statement had been correct. The only way out of here, other than the way they'd entered the cavern, led to more of this terrible feeling.

  Theo and Marek carried the fang into the passage, then followed the passage's many twists and turns. It wasn't long before they came to the passage's other end. Here, a thick iron gate blocked the path ahead of them, but Theo spotted a lever, which he pulled.

  The gate came open with a loud groan, and they stepped through it, carrying the fang. As soon as they both crossed the threshold, the gate slammed closed behind them.

  Looking down, Theo spotted a pressure plate beneath his feet.

  Damn. He should have been more careful.

  The room they'd entered was large and rectangular. In the center of the chamber was another pedestal that contained a scroll. More directions from Rador?

  Theo and Marek placed the fang on the stone floor and approached the pedestal, from which Theo grabbed the scroll. He unfurled it and read.

  Rador doesn't think I know about this place. He is wrong. Did he think I wouldn't notice when Warrick killed my creation?

  Well, there are many evils in this world. I simply created another one. Congratulations on making it this far, but I'm afraid you will never see the God Realm. I can't allow that to happen.

  Theo's hands were shaking, and he dropped the scroll. He didn't need a signature to know that Krinir had written the contents of this short scroll.

  "What did it say?" Marek asked, paler than ever.

  Theo handed him the scroll, and he dropped it after only a few seconds.

  At the other end of the chamber, an iron gate opened with loud groans and clunks. Theo's heart climbed into his throat when he heard the heavy steps of something within.

  "Looks like we're gonna have to fight," he said.

  Marek chuckled without humor. "Never been much good at fighting."

  Chapter 50: The Greater Evil

  The monster that emerged from the open gate caught Theo by surprise. He'd expected something fierce and enormous. Instead, something the size of a small dog made its way toward them. It was covered in spikes and had a tough shell beneath those spikes. Its underside looked soft, though, and surely it couldn’t put up much of a fight.

  Marek was frowning. "This can't be the monster Krinir sent after us."

  "Maybe if he had a sense of humor," Theo said. He took a few tentative steps toward the small creature. It looked up at him with big eyes but made no hostile movements. Staring at it, he said, "What are you doing here, you little thing?"

  It tilted its head to the side, looking much cuter than any monster should.

  Then it opened its mouth, and bright yellow liquid sprayed at Theo. When it struck him, he felt intense burning on his arms. He'd closed his eyes just in time, but he could fell the liquid eating away at every inch of skin it had hit. It was even burning through his clothes.

  He grunted a few times, but he didn't scream as he wiped it away. The burning remained, but it had faded a bit. He took a few steps back from the creature. To his surprise, it retreated as well, entering the passage from which it had come.

  "You all right?" Marek asked.

  "It hurts, but I think I'll be fine." Theo stared after the creature. "What the hell was that?"

  "I don’t know, but I have the bad feeling that it's only gonna get worse." Marek frowned as he peered down the passage behind the gate. "Should we follow it?"

  "Well, we can't wait around here forever."

  "How did I know you'd say that?"

  Theo shrugged. "Doesn't take long to figure out what kind of man I am—well, unless you're my nephew. He's sometimes too thick-headed for his own good."

  Marek chuckled. "Sounds like Berig."

  "We should get going. We'll just have to keep an eye out for that thing."

  "Or something much worse."

  Theo picked up the fang, surprised again at how light it was. Marek took the other end of the fang, and they began walking, crossing beneath the open gate. The passage they entered was darker, with only a few magical torches. After a few twists and turns, they stood in another vast cavern. Inside this cavern were dozens of creatures like the one they'd just faced.

  And it had obviously been a baby.

  The rest of these creatures ranged in size. Some were the size of a larger dog, others the size of a bear, others yet as large as buildings. They milled about the cavern, paying little attention to the new arrivals, but Theo knew how quickly that could change.

  "We'll try to sneak past them," he whispered.

  "That's the kind of plan I like."

  Theo wasn't sure how well they'd sneak while carrying the fang, but they had to hold on to it. He prayed the monsters wouldn't chase them. If that happened, they'd have to drop the fang.

  They found a path toward the edge of the cavern, avoiding most of the creatures. Theo's heart pounded. If one of these creatures saw them, they were dead. Whatever that liquid was, these larger creatures had to possess enough of it to dissolve every bone in Theo's body.

  Taking deep breaths, he navigated a narrow path that was lower than the rest of the cavern around it. Some of the larger creatures were less than twenty feet away, the ground trembling faintly at their steps. The fang felt heavier with every step Theo took.

  He and Marek remained silent, walking with no idea of where they were going. To Theo's surprise, Marek had taken the lead. Perhaps he was recalling his skills as a thief.

  Ahead, the path sloped upward, reaching the same elevation as the creatures. Marek slowed, glancing left then right before motioning Theo forward with a jerk of his head.

  Theo felt sick as he followed Marek up the incline, carrying the fang and taking careful, silent steps. The creatures' vibrations were growing stronger. Theo glanced back, noting that none of the creatures had taken notice of them—or perhaps none of the creatures cared.

  Marek pointed to their left with his
chin. "Maybe that passage leads outta here."

  Theo glanced in that direction, spotting a small passage. Now that they were higher, he could see the entire chamber, see the dozens of creatures prowling. They were ungainly creatures, lumbering about on their four legs, their spiked bodies swaying with each step. There was menace in their movements, though.

  Two of the larger creatures, roughly the size of horses, were ambling about near the passage Marek had indicated. How the hell could they get past these monsters?

  As if sensing his silent question, Marek put down his end of the fang, picked up a large rock, and showed it to Theo. It was a crude trick, but it just might work. These creatures didn't seem all that intelligent.

  Theo nodded his approval, fighting back waves of nausea.

  After a moment's hesitation, Marek launched the rock at a spot far to their left. As soon as it hit, all the creatures turned toward the sound. They moved with little haste, but they did all react, becoming interested in what they'd heard.

  And that was when Theo realized the truth. These creatures were blind.

  The one that had sprayed Theo had only done so after he'd spoken to it. So it appeared they were both blind and without sensitive hearing. Theo felt as if a heavy weight had left his chest.

  "Let's go," he mouthed to Marek, and they lifted the fang together. They climbed over a small rim of rock, then silently crossed the uneven terrain leading toward this passage, making their way by the light of widely spaced torches, the blue light of which cast an eerie glow upon the cavern.

  The creatures remained fixated on the sound they'd heard, giving Theo and Marek a chance to reach the other side of the chamber. They ducked inside the next passage before the creatures could realize what had happened. In truth, Theo doubted that they cared.

  Theo and Marek made their way along the passage as it twisted upward. As they navigated the uneven path, Theo's entire body ached from carrying the fang. It hadn't seemed heavy at first, but now he could barely lift it.