"I can't answer that," said the chief, "but I do think you're here for a reason."
"But why should I save you?" Berig asked. It was a dangerous question, but he didn't sense any threat from the goblins at the moment.
The chief sighed. "I know. From your perspective, we must look terrible. We kill humans who come into our territory. We supported Krinir in the Great War." He massaged his temples. "But we've learned from the mistakes of our past. We've had hundreds of years to learn."
"Look," Berig said. "I don't know too much about this Krinir or the Great War or anything. I just want you to release my friends so we can go on our way."
"Were those your friends we captured the other day?" asked the chief.
"Yes. And if you've harmed them in any way, I will never help you."
The chief held up a hand in a calming gesture. "Relax. They haven't been harmed."
"But I thought you always killed humans who enter your territory." Berig glanced at the pair of goblins who'd led them here. "One of them wanted to kill us."
The chief ran a hand through his white hair. "Let's just say that some of us don't hold the most charitable views toward humans. You need to see this from our perspective. Ever since we returned to this world, we've been hunted down as monsters like any others. It doesn't matter that we're intelligent, or that we were once human. When people look at us, they see monsters, and monsters have to die."
"So you don't eat humans?" Berig asked.
"No, that's a rumor humans have started to make us look like monsters."
"But one of these goblins still wanted to kill us," Berig said. "I don't care if other humans have hunted you. I've never done anything to you."
The chief looked at the other two goblins. "Which of you wanted to kill them?"
The goblin on Berig's left retreated a step, as if he could hide somewhere in the open chamber. "I'm sorry, chief. I shouldn't have taken such an aggressive stance."
"You will be punished. You know the rules. We don't kill humans unless they attack us first. Unfortunately, that is the case far too often."
"What about the search party?" Berig asked, suddenly remembering the first group of people who'd gone in search of his friends. "They still alive?"
"They're with your friends," said the chief.
Berig felt like a weight had left his chest. Maybe this wouldn't turn out so badly. He still didn't like the thought that the goblins expected him to save them in some way, but he'd worry about that later—or try not to worry about it at all. Yeah, that seemed like a better idea.
"Can you take us to 'em?" he asked.
The chief rose. "Follow me."
They left the chief's chamber, passed through the tunnel, and reemerged in the cavernous main chamber. The chief led them to the far end of the chamber. A few goblins cast curious glances in their direction, but no one approached. Looking at the goblins' behavior, Berig wondered how anyone could mistake them for monsters. Everything they did looked human.
Soon the party reached a smaller passage at the end of the chamber. They followed this passage, emerging maybe a minute later in a chamber containing large, barred cells. Berig's party was in one cell, while the search party from Clan Forest Snake filled the other.
Danica rushed to the bars. "Berig! I was sure you were dead."
Berig strode to the bars and clasped her hands in his. It was the first time they'd touched in a long time, but it was only a gesture of friendship. She'd given her heart to Aric, and that was all right. It was enough that she was alive.
"Have they taken you prisoner, too?" Aric asked. He looked unsteady on his feet as he stepped to the bars. How much longer did he have?
"No, I ain't a prisoner," Berig said. "I'm here to get you out. I can talk with 'em." Before they could say anything, he continued. "I don't know how it works. Must be some kinda magic. But they've told me a lot about what they really are."
Berig went on to repeat what the chief had told him.
"You know, I thought they looked a lot like people," Klint said.
Berig turned to the chief. "What were you gonna do with 'em before we showed up?"
"We were going to hold them until we were sure they weren't a threat, and then we would have let them go. Clan Forest Snake has our respect. They treat us better than most. That is not to say we don't have our disagreements, but we generally avoid bloodshed."
"I don't understand," Berig said. "I think you're leaving something out. I talked to High Priest Tyrell, and he said my friends would most likely die if I didn't come here. But if you were going to let them go, how would they have died?"
The clan chief looked genuinely surprised at this news. "I have no idea."
Berig wished he could bring himself to trust these goblins, but he still felt something was missing. However, as long as the chief let Berig's friends go, Berig could leave the goblins behind and never worry about them again. Or at least he hoped he could.
After a long silence, the chief turned to a goblin guard. "Unlock the cells."
The guard obeyed, first unlocking the cell containing Berig's friends and then unlocking the other cell. Lara embraced a few members of the search party, while Berig made his way toward Aric, Klint, and Danica.
Danica and Aric wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. Klint stood back a little, giving Berig a smile but nothing more.
"We should get going," Klint said.
They all started back toward the entrance to the chamber, but they were stopped by the sudden arrival of a lone goblin guard. Sweat had drenched the guard, and something had opened a deep gash in his arm. He swayed on his feet, and blood coated his leg.
"Monsters!" he said, panting heavily. "More than I've ever seen."
And then he collapsed.
Chapter 33: Flight from Danger
Berig's heart pounded. "What should we do?"
"Run," said the goblin chief. "There's a back entrance to our caves. You can get out that way." He met Berig's gaze. "I don't know what exactly you're destined to do, but I think you'll be very important. Protect yourself. Don't worry about us."
Berig repeated the message.
"Can't argue with that," Klint said.
One of the goblins handed them all the weapons that had been taken from them. The rest of the goblins moved toward the entrance to their cave. Berig and the others followed them out of the passage, and when they entered the main chamber, Berig saw monsters everywhere.
The monsters were about the size of a human, with long, narrow mouths full of sharp teeth and two pairs of wings. They made horrible shrieking sounds. There had to be hundreds of them filling the cave, darting after the goblins, who fought back with everything they had.
Screams filled the chamber. Goblins were running every which way. Mothers tried to direct their children to other places, though Berig doubted anywhere was safe right now.
"Shouldn't we try to help them?" Danica asked.
"No, we should worry about ourselves," Klint said as they sprinted across the chamber. The chief pointed out the direction they had to go. They started in that direction, but then five of the monsters blocked their path. Aric slashed at one of them with his sword, but a quick swipe of the beast's claw sent the sword flying.
While Aric scrambled for his sword, the rest of the monsters closed in on them. One of them leapt atop Berig, and he grunted as its weight struck him. Heart racing, he went for his dagger. He tried to slash at the monster, but all he could do was create a thin depression in its tough skin. He pressed harder, but it didn't work. It took all his strength to hold the monster away. Was this how he'd die?
The monster shrieked. Berig kicked at its scaled chest. It recoiled for a moment, but then it attacked Berig with new rage, slashing its claws at him. Hot pain lanced across Berig's chest as the claws tore into him. He ignored it, though, and launched all his weight at the monster.
To his surprise, he took the monster to the ground. It struggled against him, and he wasn't sure he could h
old it down much longer.
Berig remained atop it, pinning it to the ground. It hissed and shrieked through its long mouth, and those teeth terrified Berig. He ignored his fear, though, darting out of the reach of the monster's teeth before thrusting his dagger into its right eye.
The creature let out a shriek more horrible than ever as Berig twisted the dagger, hoping he could get deep enough to skewer its brain. He'd blocked out the rest of the battle. He couldn't have said how anyone else was faring.
The creature fell still beneath him, and he finally turned to see how the others were doing. Chaos had taken over the large chamber. The creatures were flitting about, knocking down some goblins and using their teeth to tear at the flesh of others.
Screams of pain and terror filled the air. Everything had become so chaotic that Berig could no longer tell where his friends were. Panic flared within him.
What if they'd left him behind? Would they do that after everything he'd done for them?
He had little time to dwell on it, for another monster lunged at him. Its large wing slammed against his chest, and he flew backward. When he hit the ground, the impact knocked the wind out of him. He tried to move, but he couldn't breathe, couldn't think about anything but his impending death.
The monster approached, shrieking at him, and his breath returned at last. When the monster tried to pierce him with one of its giant claws, he rolled out of the way just in time. Then he shot to his feet, brandishing his dagger, trying not to think about what he had to do.
The creature sent its wing at him again, and he hopped to the side, narrowly dodging the attack. Now that the monster was off-balance, he ducked beneath its outstretched wing, then launched himself at it, taking it to the ground.
From there, he stabbed it through the eye, twisting the dagger until the creature fell still. As soon as he stood up, something sharp sliced across his back. Another monster's claws. The pain seared through his back, and he hit the ground, feeling suddenly woozy.
He rolled over, watching as the monster advanced on him. It raised one of its claws, preparing to plunge it through his heart, but then Danica appeared in the corner of his vision. She tried to plunge her dagger through the monster's thick, leathery wing. The attack didn't work, but it did distract the monster.
With a sudden surge of energy, Berig hopped to his feet. He staggered a bit, looking down at the blood coating his clothing.
"Berig, you look horrible!" Danica said.
Berig winced as he moved. "It ain't as bad as it looks."
There was no more time for conversation. The monster had recovered from its momentary confusion, and it turned its attention to Danica. A thrust of its wing caught her across the chest and knocked her to the ground. Berig's first instinct was to help her, but he had to take advantage of the monster's distraction.
While it focused on Danica, he leapt into the air and tackled the monster, getting onto its chest before it could deflect him with one of its wings. Again, he plunged his dagger through one of the monster's eyes, then twisted it until the monster stopped moving.
He staggered away from the monster. The world seemed too bright.
"Berig, are you okay?" Danica asked, wrapping her arms around him to steady him.
"I'm fine. Where are the others?"
"I-I don't know. Everything's so chaotic."
The battlefield was swarming with these monsters. Goblins darted everywhere, hacking at the beasts with their axes, but even a forceful axe thrust couldn't sever these creature's necks.
"Go for the eyes," Berig shouted, but they probably couldn't hear him over all the noise. Where were Aric, Klint, and Lara?
A monster came across his path. He ducked a swipe of its wing, expecting it to engage him, but instead it moved on to a nearby goblin. This goblin must have heard Berig's shout because it took out a long dagger and plunged it through the monster's eye.
A blast of fire caught Berig's attention. That had to be Klint.
Berig grabbed Danica's arm, and they raced in that direction. Twice, monsters crossed their path, but then goblins engaged them.
"Get out of here," shouted the chief. "We have this under control."
"Tell everyone to go for their eyes," Berig said, and the chief nodded.
Berig found Klint, Lara, and Aric all fighting together. Klint's fire made the monsters hesitate, but it didn't appear to hurt them much. Lara and Aric both kept slashing at the beasts with their swords. That wouldn't accomplish anything apart from enraging the beasts.
"Go for the eyes!" Berig shouted.
Aric and Lara nodded, then performed an intricate dance with their adversaries. They weren't as quick as Berig, or maybe not as reckless. Berig had seen enough. Despite his injuries, he launched himself at the creature Lara had engaged.
She backed away as he took the monster to the ground. A sudden wave of weakness washed over him. For a moment, his vision blurred, and then he almost blacked out.
He rolled to the side, lacking the strength to continue fighting, but Lara took advantage of the moment, plunging her sword through the monster's eye. It shrieked for a few moments, then stopped moving. Berig struggled to his feet, wavering on his legs.
To his left, Aric had finally managed to stab his sword through his opponent's eye. Now many of the creatures lay dead. The chamber had become less noisy, less chaotic. A few of the monsters still moved about, and goblins lay dead or injured on the rocky floor.
The chief came over to them, sporting a nasty gash across his forehead. "This is your best chance. You need to get out of here now."
Berig relayed the message. They all looked at one another, covered in sweat, their bodies crisscrossed with cuts.
"Let's get going," Klint said, leaning on his staff as blood trickled down his face.
"Maybe we can help them win this fight," Aric said.
Klint gave him a sharp look. "How about we save ourselves instead? We don't owe them anything. They imprisoned us. Remember?"
A chorus of shrieks rang out at the other side of the chamber. Dozens of the creatures were pouring in through the entry passage. They couldn't fight this many.
Aric's face was pale. "You're right, Klint. Let's go."
They took off and found the passage leading toward the back of the chamber. They followed the twisting passage for a few minutes, then emerged in a slightly larger chamber. At the other side of this chamber, moonlight filtered into the cave.
They emerged in the moonlight, standing beneath a towering cliff. Aric consulted a glowing compass. "Good. We're heading east."
Bruised and bloody, they took off into the darkness.
Part IV
The Potion and the Scroll
Chapter 34: No Rest
By the time they reached Varner City, Ander could barely put one foot in front of the other. He longed for a night of rest at Lord William's manor. It wasn't only the physical toll. It was also the mental burden of leadership, as well as the sting of everyone he'd lost.
The only person he had left was someone he'd once left for dead. Aric and the others were outside the Empire, far away from him, and he'd surely never see them again.
All he had to show for his efforts was the scroll containing the essence of the Silver Wisp. It felt insubstantial, easy to lose. How could it be the key to deposing Warrick? Ander trusted Cyrus, but this mission seemed doomed from the start.
No. Ander had to stop thinking like that. As long as they were alive, they had a chance.
When they reached the edge of the city, everything appeared much as Ander had last seen it, yet it didn't feel the same. Of course, nothing felt the same anymore. He'd seen too many horrors, beginning with the burning of Crayden.
"You think Sarah's doing all right in the Shadowed Land?" asked Captain Davis.
"I have no idea. I don't know what life is like there. She could be dead already. She could be thriving." He shook his head. "I don't know how she thinks she can find her friends. What are the chances they're st
ill alive? And even if they are, what are the chances she'll find them?"
"There's no point dwelling on all the negatives like that," said the captain. "The Ander I've always known is a practical man, not a pessimistic one."
Ander avoided his gaze. "I guess I've changed.
I'm broken, he realized. All that remained was this insane mission to kill Warrick. Was this how Nadia had felt for so long? The desire had nearly consumed him. He couldn’t even consider what might happen if he failed. He couldn't fail. It would be a waste of every life lost on the way.
They walked the cobblestone streets on Varner City's east side, heading toward Lord William's manor. Whenever they spotted an Imperial Guard, they tried to look as if they belonged there. Still, Ander could have sworn he felt the guardsmen's eyes watching them.
At last, they reached Lord William's manor, where they pushed through the gate and walked along the clean cobblestone path toward the entrance. The manor's reddish stone looked welcoming, though its color paled in comparison to the plateau overlooking the city.
Ander rang the bell at the door, feeling sick to his stomach. He had no idea why his body was reacting that way. There was nothing to fear her. For the first time since leaving Mountainside, they would be safe.
The door opened, and it wasn't Lord William. It wasn't his wife. It wasn't a servant.
It was Tylen, standing tall in his red Imperial Guard surcoat.
"I can't believe you came here," he said. "Do you realize how foolish a choice you just made? This is the first place we'd look for you."
Ander gripped his staff. "Tylen, I don't have time to play whatever game you have in mind. Are you going to arrest us or not?"
Tylen smiled as if enjoying himself too much. "No, I am not."
"Then why are you here?"
"To help you."
Ander barked a laugh. "Forgive me if I don't believe that."
"It's the truth."
"Are you alone here?" Ander asked, trying to look past Tylen and into the house. "What happened to Lord William and his wife?"
Tylen grimaced and looked away. "They're dead."
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