"We did nothing of the sort," Garet said. "We have honor, unlike you." But he wasn't so sure about that when he considered what Cyrus had told him. Had Cyrus intended for Commander Adams to die all along?
"I don't believe you," said the commander. "There will be a reckoning for this." He turned on his heel and marched away, his men trailing behind him. Garet didn't know how to feel about the man's reaction. Did he know something Garet didn't? After all, he could have attacked them right now. But perhaps he didn't like his chances against Cyrus.
Yes, that had to be the answer.
"I'm going to rejoin my comrades," Gram said. He marched toward Bradenton's Imperial Guard garrison.
"We should head to Liam's inn," Garet said. Cyrus nodded his agreement, and they made their way to the inn. Outside the wooden building, they found Dave, Mara, Captain Davis, and Liam. They were still staring at the sky as if they couldn't believe it.
"You must've succeeded," said Captain Davis.
Garet nodded. "How'd everything go here?"
"There were some monsters," Dave said, "but nothing we couldn't handle."
"A few townspeople died, though," Mara said. There was pain in her eyes, and Garet couldn't blame her. As one of the Hunters, she had dedicated her life to protecting people. He understood that desire well enough, though he'd always been more of a loner.
They enjoyed a good meal in the inn, during which they recounted everything they'd been through. Even more enjoyable for Garet was the chance to rest. He fell asleep almost immediately and didn't wake up until shortly after dawn the next morning. Though he'd always been an adventurer, a man accustomed to less-than-comfortable accommodations, he wouldn't say no to a soft bed every now and then.
He found the rest of his comrades down in the common room, enjoying a warm breakfast. Liam stood behind the counter, wiping it down with a rag as usual. Everyone ate in silence, their expressions grave.
"Everything all right?" Garet asked as he took a seat in a wooden chair.
"I've looked into the Webs of Fate," Cyrus said. "And what I have seen troubles me deeply. Warrick has returned from the Shadowed Land, and with him is Krinir, the god of Destruction, a being more powerful than Warrick by far."
Garet's stomach felt unsettled. "And what does that mean for us?"
"They're coming here," Cyrus said. "I think they intend to destroy the city and kill me."
"Then leave," Garet said.
Cyrus shook his head. "They'll try to kill me wherever I go. No, I should remain here and protect the people the best I can. If that means I die, then so be it. I've lived a long life."
"It's your choice," Garet said.
Cyrus nodded. "You also have the choice to leave."
"Not gonna happen," said Captain Davis. "I fled Crayden when I had the chance to save more people. I'm not gonna do that again."
"And we'll protect the people however we can," Dave said. Mara nodded her agreement.
"We may all die, then," Cyrus said.
"I've accepted that possibility," said Captain Davis.
Garet had to decide if he truly wanted to be part of this. He'd always considered himself a brave man, but how could he hope to stand against the powers of Warrick and a god? In the end, though, he couldn't bring himself to abandon people who needed him. He would protect the people of Bradenton, even if it meant his own death.
After all, he'd joined the Order, and those in the Order swore an oath to protect the people of the Empire. Garet could not stomach the thought of being an oath-breaker.
"I'll do everything I can," he said.
The attack came around midday. Garet was standing at the edge of the open-air market when more Imperial Guards than he'd ever seen appeared in an instant. A commander shouted orders, and they attacked the nearby vendors. Some people ran for their lives, but most could not escape the Imperial Guards' swords, or the fireballs they launched.
Garet wanted to fight, but he couldn't stand against such odds. He ran away, hating himself for his cowardice. Soon he found his comrades and informed them of what he'd seen. They all jumped to action.
Cyrus pursued the Imperial Guards. They were still gathered in a large mass. He pointed his fingers at them, and lightning burst from his fingertips. When it struck the Imperial Guards, they fell and twitched on the ground, screaming in agony.
Now the Imperial Guards scattered. A couple of them raced toward Garet. He launched into action, taking one of them by surprise with a sweep of his blade. The sharp blade sliced through the man's neck in one quick motion.
The other Imperial Guard turned to face Garet, eyes wide. This man was skilled, and they danced back and forth, their swords clinking and clanking. Garet knew he was more talented, but he had to wait for the right opportunity. However, he couldn't wait too long, not with the battle raging around him.
As if sensing his thoughts, somebody cast a fireball at him. Searing heat blasted against his back, and he hit the ground, rolling to extinguish the flames. The distraction gave his opponent a chance to attack him. The man kicked hard at Garet's head. Garet blocked the kick with his hands and grabbed the man's leg, throwing him down to the ground.
Now Garet stood above his opponent, pinning him to the ground with his weight. With a quick motion, Garet thrust his sword straight through the man's neck. Blood fountained from the wound, and the man made horrible gurgling sounds as he died.
Garet turned just in time to find another Imperial Guard racing toward him, prepared to strike a killing blow. Just as the man came within range, Garet sidestepped his attack. Garet tried to score a hit on the man's neck, but the man raised his sword, parrying the blow.
They continued in a back-and-forth dance. Garet lost himself in the rhythm of the battle. He had to remain alert, though. At any second, somebody could attack him from behind.
Garet ducked a blow of the Imperial Guard's sword, then threw all his weight against the man, knocking him to the ground. Once his opponent was down, Garet drove his sword through the man's neck. Then he turned to find another opponent.
Chaos had erupted all around him. Many of Bradenton's buildings were on fire, smoke towering into the air above. Townspeople raced through the streets, carrying screaming children. Everyone looked around in panic as they dashed toward the edge of the city.
Shouts rang in the air. Swords clinked and clanked. Dead people lay all around: Imperial Guards and ordinary people alike. Garet searched for his next opponent, then decided he had a more important mission. He had to protect the people of Bradenton, had to get them out of the city. But how could he get them past the Imperial Guards?
They were swarming everywhere, setting fire to everything.
And then it became much worse.
Two people appeared nearby in the market district. Garet recognized one of them immediately. Warrick. The other had an unremarkable appearance, but he exuded power in the way he stood. That had to be Krinir.
Krinir made a quick arm gesture, and a great wall of flame appeared in front of him. It slammed against some of the buildings that had not yet burned, setting them ablaze. Garet jumped out of the way, narrowly dodging the flames. Still, he felt their searing heat.
He sheltered in an alley, knowing he stood no chance against Warrick and Krinir.
From his right, Cyrus appeared. He strode determinedly toward Warrick.
Warrick's smile was cold. "Ah, we meet again, Cyrus. I'm afraid you won't survive this time. You see, I have Krinir on my side."
Cyrus didn't wait. He sent a massive burst of lightning at Warrick and Krinir. But they cast shields, and the lightning fizzled to nothing.
Krinir barked a laugh. "Is that the best you have?"
He advanced on Cyrus, unleashing his own lightning. It glowed much more brilliantly than anything Garet had ever seen. Cyrus raised his arms, trying to conjure a shield, but Garet knew it would be no use. Cyrus's eyes grew wide moments before the lightning struck him.
He screamed and twitched, hitting the gr
ound. Garet wanted to rush to his side, but there was nothing he could do. After a few more seconds of screaming, Cyrus fell still.
"Now that we've handled that," Krinir said, "it's time to destroy the city."
"Is that truly necessary?" Warrick asked.
"Yes, it is." Krinir raised his arms. Garet had no idea what he was doing. Not that it mattered. The god could do whatever he wanted, and Garet couldn't stop him.
It didn't take long to see the result of Krinir's actions. Beyond the edges of the city, a massive ring of fire appeared, towering more than a hundred feet in the air. Garet felt as if an icy hand had gripped his heart. He knew now how the people of Crayden had felt.
But he also knew how they could escape. He had to find Gram.
Krinir and Warrick both vanished.
Garet took in a deep breath. Time to save as many people as he could.
He raced through the streets of Bradenton, calling for everyone to follow him. Now the battle felt as if it were a natural part of him. He fought his way past Imperial Guard after Imperial Guard. They were all headed toward the garrison. It was how they'd escape.
How everyone would escape.
Garet's heart climbed into his throat as he watched the wall of flames dance closer to the city. Would there be enough time to reach the garrison? Where had all the others gone? Did they have the same idea? Or were they dead already?
Screams sounded from all around. Men, women, and children lay dead in the streets. Garet felt like vomiting at the sight. How could anyone justify destruction on this scale?
The entire city seemed to be on fire now. Smoke hung thick in the air, and Garet's lungs ached. Some of the people with him collapsed from exhaustion. He helped a few of them to their feet, but others could not keep going. Garet didn't want to leave them.
But what choice did he have? He had to be there for as many people as possible.
A few streets from the garrison, he found Dave, Mara, Captain Davis, Liam, and Captain Young of the Bradenton city guard. They were all engaged with a large group of Imperial Guards. Garet joined the fray, killing the man who was battling Liam.
The innkeeper gave him a smile. "Good timing. I thought I was dead for sure."
"No time to celebrate," Garet said, engaging another Imperial Guard. Their swords swished back and forth in a quick series of clinks and clanks. Just when Garet thought his opponent might get the better of him, Captain Davis sliced through his neck.
"Thanks," Garet said. "That man was quite a good swordsman."
"My pleasure," said Captain Davis. He charged toward another Imperial Guard. The Imperial Guard turned and ran, heading toward the garrison, but Captain Davis kept pursuing him. Most of the Imperial Guards had broken free from their opponents, trying to escape the flames as they closed in on the city.
Captain Young's eyes were wide. "How the hell are we supposed to get around that?"
"Teleportation chamber," Garet said. "We need to find Gram."
A few stragglers still hobbled through the streets, covered in soot, bleeding from multiple injuries. Some of them were too young to deal with these horrors. Why had Warrick and Krinir decided to destroy this city? Did their plans require it, or was it pure cruelty?
"Head to the Imperial Guard garrison," Garet called out, projecting his voice as loudly as he could. "It's the only way to escape the city." He turned to the others with him. "Check the streets. Find anybody still out there and help them get to the garrison."
They all nodded their agreement, briefly discussed which directions they'd go, then took off. Garet went in search of Gram. The streets had grown eerily quiet. Those people still out and about looked too stunned and horrified to speak.
At every corner, Garet expected to see an Imperial Guard, but instead he saw only destruction. The flames in the city towered high above him, consuming nearly everything.
He'd heard Nadia, Markus, and Rik describe the destruction in Crayden, but he hadn't understood it. Now he did. How had they remained sane after seeing such evil?
The garrison stood at the city's northern side, dangerously close to the flames. Would there be enough time to round up the city's survivors and lead them there? Garet shoved these thoughts aside. He had to focus on the immediate task: finding Gram.
The flames grew closer, bathing everything in their brilliant glow. Garet kept gesturing for the townspeople to follow him. They needed a lot more encouragement than he'd expected. It seemed like they slowed down every time they looked at the flames. Didn't they know that was the exact wrong thing to do? They had to go faster.
Some were running toward the garrison, but others were injured or just plain terrified. Garet wanted to help those who were lagging behind, but if he didn't find Gram, none of this would matter.
Wait. Gram wasn't the only Imperial Guard on their side. How could Garet have forgotten about Dave? Surely Dave still had the Imperial Guard seal. He may have deserted, but Warrick hadn't removed the seal.
Garet was about to turn around and look for Dave when he saw the bearded man approaching from a street to his left, leading dozens of townspeople.
With a sudden burst of hope and energy, Garet sprinted over to Dave. "I can't believe I forgot, but you can get us into the teleportation chamber. Can't you?"
"Yes, I still have the seal. I thought you knew that."
"Well, you should have said something," Garet told him.
Dave shrugged. "No harm done."
"You seen any of the others?"
"Not yet. They should be on their way." Dave shook his head. "I was wondering why you were so intent on finding Gram. You're right. I should have said something."
"It doesn't matter," Garet said. "With your help, we can save a lot of people."
The flames grew closer as they continued toward the garrison. The fires were perhaps fifty feet beyond the garrison.
"Dave, get inside and open the chamber," Garet said.
Dave nodded and raced into the garrison, shouting for the townspeople to follow him inside. Garet waited outside, helping anyone who appeared to be struggling.
Then the Imperial Guards appeared. A large contingent of them must have still been in the city, killing those people they'd come across. Garet readied his sword and raced toward them before they could reach some of the stragglers.
Garet's arm moved with fluid motions as he performed an intricate dance with his first opponent. The man fell quickly, clutching at the wound in his neck. Garet then had to engage two Imperial Guards at once. Somehow, fueled by adrenaline, he dodged all their attacks. He ducked. He jumped. He parried. He slashed.
Sweat poured down his face, but he felt almost at peace. This was what he was meant to do. Fight. Protect people. Destroy evil wherever it appeared.
He slammed his fist into an Imperial Guard's neck. The force of the blow was so hard it crushed the man's windpipe. He fell backward struggling to breathe, but now another man joined the fray, advancing on Garet with hatred in his eyes.
Garet dodged blows, landed some of his own. His heart pounded in his ears. He felt more alive than he'd ever felt. Fighting was like music to him, beautiful and deadly music.
An Imperial Guard fell, then another, and another. Garet's dance continued. Others were fighting the Imperial Guards as well, but he barely noticed them. All that mattered was the opponents around him. His entire life—every adventure, every day he'd trained—had all led up to this moment. Maybe he would die here, but he would save a lot of people at the same time.
After some time, the battle died down around him. He turned to see Dave racing toward him.
"We've got a problem," Dave said. "The magical crystal that fuels the teleportation device is missing. Someone must've taken it."
Garet wiped sweat from his forehead. "Then what can we do?"
The flames were within perhaps twenty feet of the garrison.
"It has to be one of these Imperial Guards," Garet said. "They wouldn't leave themselves without a chance of escaping." He
peered through their smoky surroundings. "Look for someone who isn't part of the fighting."
Dozens of Imperial Guards were racing into the garrison now.
"There's no way we can protect all of them," Garet said.
Dave's expression was grave. "I know."
"But we have to find that crystal. Without it, everyone will die."
Garet surveyed his surroundings again. There. A commander was standing apart from the rest, giving orders and directing his soldiers with one hand. The other hand remained in his pocket, as if protecting something. It had to be the crystal.
Garet pointed at the man. "He has the crystal."
He and Dave rushed through the streets, pushing past townspeople and injured Imperial Guards. As the flames grew closer, everybody looked up at them.
They reached the edge of the garrison.
The teleportation chamber was on that side of the garrison, and it went up in flames.
"No!" Garet screamed. It was too late. They were all going to die. Everything they'd done had accomplished nothing.
The smoke had grown thicker than ever. He could barely see the commander through all this chaos. But he did see a few of his comrades. Dave still stood alongside him, and then Mara and Captain Davis appeared within the smoke.
"I'm not gonna make it out this time," said the captain.
"Where are the others?" Garet asked. "Captain Young? Liam? Gram?"
"I don't know about Gram," Mara said. "But the captain and the innkeeper are both dead."
Garet didn't have time to feel sad. He shoved the knowledge of their deaths aside and pointed at the Imperial Guard commander again. "That man's holding something that may be the only way out of here. I don't know what it is, but we have to take it from him."
They crept through one of the nearby alleys, a place the flames weren't too thick. As they did this, the commander was calling some of his comrades to him. Garet got as close to the alley's exit as he dared and strained his ears to listen.
"Come on, men. We haven't got much longer. It's time to go to Luminia."
More and more of the Imperial Guards clustered around the commander.
"Whatever he's holding must give him the ability to teleport," Garet said.
The Gilded Empire Page 33
