"That's not much of an answer," Markus said.
"Krinir has his secrets, and so do we. We must protect them."
Markus narrowed his eyes. "And you expect us to promise that we'll mind our own business? Why should we?"
The president's smile was chilling. "As I said before, I can have you killed. It would be an unnecessary loss, though. Two powerful Weavers like yourselves should not be killed needlessly. The world could use people like you."
Again, there was something deceitful in his words, but as Nadia saw it, they had to pretend they agreed with him. She had no idea if it was the right choice, but she could always change her mind later. "We will not oppose Krinir."
Markus gave her a doubtful look.
"I don't believe you," the president said. "I think you'll need a little more time to think this over." He pushed a button, and a guard stepped into the office a few moments later. The president gestured at Nadia and Markus. "Take them to one of our guest chambers. They may wander the palace freely, but they are not permitted to leave. Understood?"
"Yes, Mr. President," said the guard. He turned to Nadia and Markus. "Please come with me. And don't try anything. You might be prisoners, but you'll be treated well if you cooperate."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Markus muttered. The guard didn't seem to hear him.
They stepped out of the president's office. Out in the corridor, the guard halted their progress, then took a small white device from his pocket.
"Please give me your hand," he said to Nadia. She obeyed, knowing there was no point opposing him. He pressed a small opening in the device against her hand. A moment later, she felt a slight sting.
"What was that?" she asked, more curious than annoyed.
"They're called tracking bots," said the guard as he repeated the procedure with Markus. "They flow all through your bodies, like creatures so small you can't even see them. They allow us to track your location and prevent you from leaving the palace. You'll set off all kinds of alarms if you try to escape, and we'll find you before you get far."
"So we are prisoners?" Nadia asked.
The guard nodded. "For now."
Nadia had the feeling their stay here was not intended to be temporary. After all, how could she ever convince the president that they wouldn't oppose Krinir? And what had the president failed to tell them? If he saw them as a threat to Krinir, why didn't he simply kill them and eliminate that threat? It couldn't be the simple fact that they were weavers.
No. Something else was at play here. Something dark and mysterious.
And why hadn't the president said anything about Rador's role in the Great War? He was a god as well, but it seemed as if he'd vanished. Strange.
And what about God? What was His role in all this? Did He even exist?
As a prisoner, she doubted she'd get the answers to her questions. She couldn't trust anyone who took them prisoner, no matter how comfortable the prison. She had to find a way out of this. But how could she escape when these bots were tracking their location?
It didn't matter. She would find a way. She always did.
But how much would it cost her?
Chapter 7: An Unexpected Visitor
Berig and Aric shared a small but clean prison cell. It was well-lit, and no foul smells hung in the air. In all, it was nothing like what Berig had expected. Nothing in the New Earth Empire was at all familiar. Strange lights glowed everywhere. People spent much of their time looking at what they called screens. These screens contained letters, numbers, and even pictures.
As they'd passed one room, Berig had noticed these screens showing different parts of the prison. He even saw himself on one of those screens, and when he waved, the Berig on the video screen waved back. It was like staring into a mirror, but not quite.
He sagged against the stone wall, wishing he could feel more of a sense of wonder. Instead, despair settled over him like a heavy blanket. "Guess this is how we're gonna die."
Aric was silent for a few seconds. "Normally, I'd find something positive to say, but I've got nothing. Nobody knows we're here. Nobody can save us."
"Maybe we'll just have to save ourselves."
"How?"
"No idea," Berig said. As far as he could tell, this was more secure than any prison he'd ever seen. The doors were not barred. Instead, they were solid doors with small windows. The guards had pressed their hands to a handprint on the door to open it. Berig didn't know how that worked, but he figured only certain people could open the doors.
Berig and Aric couldn't sleep. They were still awake when a guard showed up with a small meal of eggs, bacon, and bread. It was plain fare, but it tasted delicious.
"Why would they waste food on prisoners like this?" Berig asked.
Aric swallowed a mouthful. "No idea. They've treated us decently—well, apart from the fact that they're gonna execute us. Doesn't make any sense."
"Maybe they ain't gonna execute us."
"Why would they make an exception?"
Berig almost laughed. It felt as if he and Aric had switched personalities. Now Berig was the one trying to look on the positive side of things.
It was ironic. He'd finally changed as a person just in time to die.
Again, he felt like laughing.
Their cell contained more luxuries Berig hadn't expected. He'd heard that nobles back in the Empire had indoor plumbing, but he'd never seen it for himself. When he turned a knob on the small sink, water flowed from the faucet. There was even water in a contraption the guards had called a toilet. It was like a chamber pot, but when he pressed a lever on it, all his waste would disappear. It would have been exciting if not for his impending execution.
A week passed in a steady rhythm of boredom. They were fed three times a day, but they were never let out of their cell. Berig had learned long ago how to survive such boredom. Aric, however, was constantly pacing, looking more anxious with every passing hour.
At last, a guard opened the door and did not hold plates of food in his hands. He motioned for them to approach. "It's time for your trial. Follow me."
Another guard pointed a long, metallic object at them. Blue light came from the object, forming a force field around them. The guards had done this on the way in as well, and had explained what they were doing.
It was still strange. Berig reached out to touch the force field. His hand couldn't push through it no matter how hard he tried.
They walked the halls of the prison, then reached a strange set of gleaming silver doors. A few more guards stood off to the right, with Lara standing in front of them, surrounded by a force field. One of the guards pressed a button on the wall, and about half a minute later, the silver doors hissed open. Inside was a small rectangular room.
"Get inside," said one of the guards. Berig, Aric, and Lara obeyed. The doors closed behind them, and Berig felt sudden tightness in his chest.
"What is this place?" he asked.
"An elevator," said one of the guards. "It'll take us to the top floor."
Another guard pressed a button on the wall, and soon the elevator began moving. The movement was gentle, but Berig still felt sick. How did something like this work? How could the New Earth Empire keep such wondrous things from the rest of the world?
Soon the elevator stopped, and the guards led the three of them out. The top floor of the prison looked a lot different from the place where they'd been staying. Instead of dull gray walls, Berig saw rich reddish wood and gleaming white tiles.
The guards directed them through a pair of large and elaborate wooden doors. The room on the other side contained numerous wooden benches. A lone man with a bushy white mustache sat at the far end of the room, behind a wooden desk on an elevated platform. The man's expression was severe.
Berig had been before a judge before. He knew the look in the man's eyes. It plainly said that he intended to give them the harshest sentence possible.
The guards marched them to a bench at the front of the room,
then took a few steps back. The judge looked down at them, his eyes narrowed in disgust.
"You are here before me today because you entered the empire illegally," said the judge. "What do you have to say in your defense?"
Berig exchanged a nervous glance with Aric and Lara. Aric shook his head as if he had no idea what to say, but Lara adopted a look of fierce determination. She rose from the bench. "We know that we broke the law, and we know what the punishment is. But you have to take into account why we entered the empire illegally."
To Berig's surprise, the judge nodded. "Go on. I'm listening."
"It is a long story," Lara said. "Are you willing to hear the whole thing?"
The judge nodded again.
She took a breath, then fixed her gaze on the judge. "Recently, one of our friends was abducted and taken to a place known as the Shadowed Land. Have you heard of it?"
"Yes."
"We met with a sorcerer in Luminia who can read the Webs of Fate. He told us that our best chance to bring her back was to enter the New Earth Empire. Unfortunately, he couldn't give us much beyond that, but we had to act."
The judge's expression was grave. "That sorcerer must be mistaken. No one can escape the Shadowed Land. I'm afraid you've thrown your lives away on worthless advice."
Aric finally spoke. "Then you've already decided against us?"
"It is my duty to be consistent in applying the law," said the judge. "While I feel no hostility toward you, I can't make an exception."
Aric glared at him. "Then why do you even bother with a trial?"
"Exceptions are rare, but they do happen. Unfortunately, you are not one of them." He banged some kind of hammer on the desk. "The accused are guilty. They will face execution immediately. Please remove them from my presence."
Berig sat there stunned for a few moments. How could the judge have decided against them so quickly? All this time, Berig had held faint hopes that they might survive this. He should have known better. Life never worked out like that.
The guards led them out of the courtroom. They were still encased in impenetrable force fields. Berig tried and tried, but he couldn't escape the force field.
They made their way back to the elevator, and one of the guards pressed a button.
"How're you gonna execute us?" Berig asked.
The guard patted the weapon he was holding, the same weapon the border guards used. "A few plasma rifle shots to the head. Quick and nearly painless."
"Nearly painless?" Berig said. "You ever been shot in the head?"
"No, but the prisoners usually don't scream too much."
The elevator doors opened, and Berig jumped back in shock, colliding with his force field. In the elevator stood the last person Berig ever thought he'd see. It was impossible.
The person was short with curly brown hair and a beard that looked as if it had been trimmed more recently than Berig's. But there was no doubt about it. The face was the same. The eyes were the same. Even the way he stood was the same.
Berig was staring at himself.
Chapter 8: A Traveler in Time
Berig watched as the other Berig made a hand gesture he recognized from his days as a thief. It meant that Berig should get down. He hit the ground immediately. Aric and Lara followed his lead. A moment later, the other Berig made a hand gesture and a great gust of wind whipped across the room. The guards had pointed their guns at him, but they didn't fire quickly enough.
The wind caught them as they fired, and their shots went astray as they flew backward across the corridor, slamming into the wall. Dazed, they must have let the force fields drop, because now Berig and Aric were free.
"Follow me," said the other Berig. "No time to explain."
They didn't take the elevator. Instead the other Berig led them to a nearby stairwell. Berig had so many questions, but he was more concerned with saving his life. They raced down the stairs as a terrible squealing sound began.
"Damn," said the other Berig. "Forgot how fast they got the alarm going."
At the bottom of the stairs, they stood face-to-face with four guards, who'd all pointed their plasma rifles at the party. The other Berig made a sweeping motion with his right arm, and a swirling barrier formed around them. The blasts from the guns were swept aside.
Then the barrier died, and the other Berig sent a fierce gust of wind at the soldiers, toppling them again. As they scrambled to their feet, the other Berig led them off to the left, toward another exit from the stairwell.
The door appeared to be locked with one of those locks that needed a handprint. The other Berig ignored this, sweeping his arm across his body again. This time, the ground rumbled beneath them. Some of the stone composing the floor burst upward, bending the door out of shape. They raced forward and kicked it in the rest of the way. While they did this, the other Berig made that swirling wind shield again.
The alarm continued blaring as they raced into the dark corridor beyond. More rifle blasts came from behind them, but the barrier protected them. The other Berig seemed to know where he was going as he led them through a door off to the right.
The room they entered was packed with crates that towered from floor to ceiling.
"Can't keep the barrier going any longer," said the other Berig. "But we won't be needing it now." There was a flicker of doubt, or perhaps regret, in his expression.
Shouts came from behind them. The guards. Berig's party raced through the crowded storage room, toppling a few crates here and there. Berig, Aric, and Lara had no weapons, but the other Berig had his magic. He kept sending shards of ice over his shoulder. A few grunts came from behind. Good. Hopefully they'd taken care of enough of the guards.
"This way," said the other Berig, pointing off to the right. "Hurry!"
Rifle blasts came from behind. One hit a crate less than a foot from Berig. His stomach lurched, and he hastened his pace as more rifle shots rang out, glowing strange colors as they collided with the crates, some of which caught on fire.
They zigzagged between crates, following the other Berig's lead. Berig had no idea how the other Berig was so sure of himself. Berig never would have felt like that in this situation.
A set of double doors stood ahead of them. Berig's heart pounded, and when he glanced back, he saw the guards gaining on them. They leveled their rifles at the party. Berig was able to duck behind a crate just in time, but Aric wasn't quick enough.
Three rifle blasts caught him in the chest. His scream lasted only a moment, and then he hit the ground, where he lay still. Dead.
Berig was about to crawl out to him, but then a hand gripped his arm. It was the other Berig. "You can't save him," he said. "It had to happen this way."
"Come out now," said one of the guards, "or we'll blow up the crates."
The other Berig shook his head. "We're not coming out. I have a plan."
With another gust of wind, he sent a stack of crates tumbling down upon the guards. The guards screamed as the heavy crates hit them, but there was nothing they could do. The other Berig pulled Berig to his feet. Berig wanted to stop and help Aric, but the other Berig wouldn't let him. Besides, Berig knew deep down that Aric was dead.
They darted through the double doors and reached a courtyard of some kind. An enormous fence stood at the end of the courtyard, fashioned of some kind of chains. It looked like something Berig could climb, but he didn't think Lara could manage.
"We can't climb it," said the other Berig, as if sensing Berig's thoughts. "It has lightning running through it. But there's a thing called a generator nearby. If we destroy that generator, then we can climb it."
As they ran, Berig turned to Lara. "Can you manage it?"
"I've lived in a forest my entire life. I know how to climb."
They rounded a corner of the large stone building, and three guards stood before them, rifles aimed at the party. But the other Berig was quicker. He used another gust of wind that catapulted the guards backward. Two of them were so surprised they drop
ped their rifles.
"The problem with an Empire that relies too much on technology," said the Other Berig. "They ain't ready for true magic when you use it against 'em." He pointed toward the rifles lying on the ground. "Grab those. If any guards get near us, shoot 'em."
Berig and Lara both scooped the rifles off the ground. The third guard was rising at the same time, and aimed his rifle at them. Berig had seen how the guards fired these rifles, and he hoped it would work the same for him. He pointed his rifle at the guard and pressed the button he'd seen the guards pressing before. A bluish burst of energy came from the end of the rifle. It went a bit lower than Berig expected, but it still struck the guard in the stomach.
He fell back, clutching the spot, his face twisted in agony. Berig tried not to think about what he'd done. He might have killed that man. Of course, that man was intent on killing him. Berig shouldn't have felt any guilt, but he did. For the moment, though, he pushed it aside.
Two more guards stood outside a nearby building. Berig and Lara fired at both of them, catching them by surprise. Neither Berig nor Lara had great aim, but it was good enough to make the guards scream and hit the ground.
"Shoot 'em again," said the other Berig. "In the head."
Already, the guards were struggling back to their feet. Berig felt terrible about it, but he had no choice; he shot the guard right in the head. Lara did the same to the guard on the left. Berig felt like throwing up, but he'd worry about morality later.
He had to focus on the moment. He couldn't let his emotions get the better of him, as they had so often during his time as a thief.
The other Berig led them into the building, inside which they found all kinds of glowing machines. Berig had no idea where to go in the confusing maze, but the other Berig led the way with confidence, as if somebody had given him perfect knowledge of this place.
The largest machine stood at the back of the room. The other Berig stopped before this machine, staring at it for a few seconds before he pushed three red buttons. When he did, more alarms sounded, giving Berig a headache.
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