The Shadowed Land

by Ryan W. Mueller

  "She is," Ander said. "Cyrus wouldn't have mentioned her if she didn't still have a role to play. This is something much bigger than any of us. I might hate the idea of being controlled by the Webs of Fate, but I can't deny that we're all playing roles of a sort."

  Captain Davis swallowed a mouthful of bacon. "I agree. We need to help her."

  "But we still don't know if she's inside," Mara said.

  "Where else would she be?" Ander asked. "Tomorrow is the day that Cyrus said we needed to be here to help her in the Prison City. She has to be there. He wouldn't have told us if there was doubt about that."

  Ander was surprised at the confidence in his voice. Perhaps Dave's lessons in leadership had taken hold, or perhaps Ander had reclaimed the person he'd once been.

  "As far as I'm concerned, it's settled," said Captain Davis. "We're going in."

  Dave nodded. "All right. But how're we getting in? We need a plan."

  "I have an idea," Ander said, "but it's a bit insane." When no one interrupted, he went on in a low voice. "The only people who can get into the Prison City are Imperial Guards, so what we have to do is steal some Imperial Guard uniforms."

  Dave chuckled. "Oh, is that all?"

  "I figure the captain and I can pose as Imperial Guards. The two of you can pose as prisoners we're taking into the Prison City. I mean no offense to either of you, but you wouldn't pass for Imperial Guards. Imperial Guards wear beards, but not beards quite as wild as yours, Dave. And there are no women among the Imperial Guard ranks."

  "I understand," Mara said.

  "As do I," Dave said. "I'm fond of my beard, so I'd rather not trim it."

  "How're we gonna steal Imperial Guard uniforms?" asked Captain Davis.

  "We'll break into their garrison," Ander said. "I have my magic, and you're good with a blade." He turned to Mara and Dave. "I don't think we should bring anyone besides the two of us. The captain and I have worked together for the Order, so I think it would be best if we went together. It's not that I don't trust you. I just haven't worked with you enough."

  "Don't worry," Dave said. "We understand."

  Ander and Captain Davis prepared for their operation that night. They scouted the location, making note of anything they might use as an entry point, observing how many Imperial Guards patrolled the place. Ander felt as if he'd returned to his days with the Order. They'd rarely done anything this daring, though.

  Night fell before Ander felt ready. They waited until the early hours of the morning, then made their way from the inn to the garrison, which stood against the wall that separated the Prison City from the rest of Taylorville. Imperial Guards patrolled atop that wall.

  That was where Ander and Captain Davis had to go. From there, they could enter the garrison through the roof access, avoiding the crowded common room. Most Imperial Guard garrisons had similar designs, so Ander wasn't too worried.

  They hid behind some bushes, waiting for their opportunity. Shortly before two in the morning, the Imperial Guard patrolling atop the tower climbed down the steps leading back toward the garrison. He disappeared behind a stone wall, but Ander was sure he'd entered the garrison through the roof access.

  "This is our chance," he whispered to Captain Davis. "I think that Imperial Guard ended his patrol a little early. We should have a few minutes. I hope."

  The captain nodded. Tonight, he didn't wear anything resembling his usual guard uniform. His clothes were light and loose and so dark they blended in with the night. Ander wore similar clothing, much like he had during operations with the Order.

  Keeping low, they made their way toward the ladder leading up to the wall. They climbed the ladder and followed the path the patrolling guard had taken. Ander's heart pounded the whole time, and he felt as if he couldn't breathe. He'd faced a lot of dangerous situations recently, but nothing triggered his anxiety like a stealth operation.

  There was a trapdoor at the top of the garrison. Ander's heart climbed into his throat as he carefully pried the door open. He held his staff ready, praying he wouldn't have to use it.

  The room below the trapdoor was empty, and they made their way down the ladder toward a spiraling tower. They followed the stairs down, remaining alert for any sounds.

  At the bottom of the stairs, they reached a wooden door. Ander put his ear to the door. Light footsteps came from beyond, growing closer. Ander glanced around in panic, finding a small alcove filled with barrels. He and the captain ducked behind them.

  A moment later, the door opened, and the Imperial Guard passed without sparing a second glance at the barrels. Ander waited until he heard the click of the trapdoor, and then they left their hiding spot. He listened at the door again. No sound this time.

  A breath later, he eased the door open. The corridor beyond was deserted. Torches cast flickering orange light against the walls, and every dancing shadow made Ander nervous.

  "Where now?" whispered Captain Davis.

  "I'm not sure. They'll probably keep their extra uniforms somewhere beneath the main level, but I don't know which door to take." He pressed his ear to the nearest door and heard snoring on the other side. "Not this one."

  He did that a few more times, hearing snoring behind each door. His chest felt tight. What if the uniforms weren't where he thought they'd be?

  No. He had to calm down. This situation was under control.

  At last, after checking six doors, he found one behind which he didn't hear snoring. He pushed the door open, revealing a dark and empty chamber beyond. At the corner of the chamber, stairs led downward. Ander entered the room, the captain following close behind.

  When they reached the stairs, Ander heard footsteps. They looked for something to hide behind, but the chamber was empty. There wasn't enough time to head back to the corridor, and even if they did, they wouldn't find anywhere to hide.

  Ander pulled a dagger from his belt. He didn't want to use it. For one thing, he knew that there were decent Imperial Guards out there. But even more importantly, a dead Imperial Guard would let them know someone had been here. There had to be another way.

  Then it came to him.

  The Imperial Guard's steps were growing closer as he ascended the stairs. A few steps before he reached the top, Ander stepped into view. The Imperial Guard didn't have a chance to call out before Ander sent a blast of wind at him. The wind from Ander's staff sent the Imperial Guard flying backward. He gave a sort of strangled yell, but it wasn't very loud.

  The man tumbled backward down the stairs, grunting at each impact. He slammed his head against the stone floor a few times, then finally fell still at the bottom of the steps.

  "They're gonna find him," said Captain Davis.

  "Don’t worry. I have a plan. Imperial Guards always keep their ale down beneath the garrison. It's cooler down there, so it keeps better. All we have to do is find some, and then we can make it look like he got drunk and fell down the stairs."

  Captain Davis frowned. "I suppose it could work."

  They proceeded down the steps. To their left was a storage room. Ander rummaged through a few barrels, where he found large bottles of ale. He took a few and returned to where the Imperial Guard lay. When he placed a hand against the man's neck, he felt no pulse.

  "Guess the fall killed him." Ander should have felt some remorse, but he didn't. Even if some Imperial Guards were decent, that didn't excuse the fact that they supported an evil ruler. This was war, and there had to be casualties.

  Ander poured some ale into the man's mouth, then left the empty bottles sitting on a crate nearby. A bunch of ale ended up on the floor, but Ander didn't need to get it into his stomach. He just needed the smell of alcohol to be in the man's mouth. For the finishing touches, Ander smashed one bottle of the ale halfway down the stairs so it looked like the man had dropped it as he was falling.

  Leaving the dead man where he was, they continued deeper into the cellar beneath the garrison. They checked each room and listened intently for footsteps. After
a while, it appeared that the man they'd killed was the only guard down here.

  At last, they found the armory, where extra sets of Imperial Guard armor hung there for the taking. Ander and Captain Davis each grabbed a set and put it on. For the first time, Ander wished Imperial Guards also wore helmets. That would have made it much easier to sneak out. Still, it shouldn't be that hard. Who would expect someone to do what they were doing?

  Wearing their new uniforms, they made their way back out of the cellar. Even at this hour, there might be Imperial Guards in the common room, so Ander and the captain returned the direction from which they'd come. They found no one in the corridor or the tower.

  Soon they emerged from the trapdoor. The one Imperial Guard who was patrolling was at least fifty feet away. He was looking at them. They both gave nods of recognition, and the man returned the greeting. There was no way he'd suspect them, not from that distance.

  To Ander's amazement, they reached the street beside the garrison without incident. Now they just had to wait until morning. New prisoner deliveries always happened in the morning. Ander had asked around while they were doing their surveillance.

  They returned to the inn, wearing their Imperial Guard uniforms. Imperial Guards did occasionally visit the inn to have a drink when they were off-duty, and there were so many Imperial Guards in the city that it was unlikely they'd recognize Ander and the captain as imposters. Ander hoped he wasn't being too optimistic.

  The next morning arrived without incident.

  "I think we should change our plans," Dave said as they sat in the inn, dressed in their normal clothing. He had trimmed his beard. "I should be one of the Imperial Guards. You should go into the Prison City. You have your magic. That should help."

  "Are you sure?" Ander asked.

  "Yes, I've given it a lot of thought."

  "All right, it does make more sense," Ander said. "Thank you."

  Dave and Captain Davis used some rope to bind the hands of Mara and Ander, then led them through the streets. People gave them a wide berth. As usual, no one wanted to get in the way of official Imperial Guard business.

  Soon they reached the gate leading to the Prison City. Two guards flanked the gate, watching with curious expressions.

  "We've got a couple of prisoners for the City," Dave said.

  "We'll get the gate open for you."

  Ander tried to keep the disbelief off his face. He hadn't expected it to be this easy. The Imperial Guards cranked the gate open a little, then gestured for them to enter. Dave and Captain Davis ducked inside, shoving Ander and Mara roughly.

  Once they were safely inside, Dave and Captain Davis slashed their bonds and then retreated through the gate. The gate slammed closed behind them. Ander felt as if a heavy weight had settled over him.

  "Where do you think Nadia might be?" Mara asked.

  "I have no idea."

  They wandered through the Prison City, keeping their weapons ready. Unlike most prisoners, they'd kept their weapons, hiding them within their clothing. Ander even had his staff, which he'd concealed beneath a thick robe. Good thing the Imperial Guards hadn't asked any questions. In truth, Ander felt something was wrong here. It shouldn't have been that easy.

  A group of rough-looking men started toward them. "New blood," said one of them, glee in his eyes.

  Ander faced him. "Don't trouble us, or you'll regret it."

  "You're in no position to make threats."

  Ander pointed his staff at the man. "Back down. Now."

  "Am I supposed to be afraid of a long stick of wood?"

  Ander decided he'd had enough. He launched a burst of fire at the ground in front of the man. The man recoiled, eyes wide, as the flames moved within inches of him.

  "Let's leave 'em alone," he said to his comrades, and they all backed away.

  After a few moments, Mara said, "Good thing you're here with me." She had a dagger, but nothing else.

  "Let's get moving," Ander said. "I don't want them coming back in greater numbers." He led the way through the Prison City, feeling lost. Right now, he had to focus on finding Nadia. After that, he could figure out how they were going to escape.

  * * * * *

  Nadia returned to the potion maker a day later, but she wondered why she'd even bothered. Without Alten's help, she couldn't escape the Prison City. Markus would die, and there was nothing she could do about it. That thought left her hollow.

  She'd sacrificed so much and achieved nothing.

  When the potion maker handed her the potion, he frowned at her. "I can tell that something is troubling you. What's the problem?"

  Nadia broke down in tears. "I can't get out of this place now. The Imperial Guard commander is dead. Now the man I love will die despite all my efforts."

  "Don't give up," said the potion maker.

  Nadia fought against the tears. "How am I supposed to have any hope? There's nothing I can do. Unless you know some secret way out of here, I'm trapped here for the rest of my life."

  The weight of those words struck Nadia like a blow to the chest. If she had to live here for the rest of her life, it wouldn't be a long life. Either someone would kill her or the place would drive her insane and she would kill herself.

  The potion maker had begun pacing, and his gaze was distant, as if he were thinking about something deeply troubling.

  "Can you give me a moment?" he asked, taking a seat on a nearby bench. He closed his eyes. Nadia had no idea what he was doing. He sat there a long time, and Nadia grew more nervous with every second. How was this strange act supposed to help her?

  "Excuse me," she said, "but what exactly are you trying to do?"

  He opened his eyes. "I just read the Webs of Fate."

  "But only sorcerers can read the Webs of Fate."

  He smiled. "Then I guess you know what I am. It should have been obvious from the beginning. Making a potion is a type of magic. Only a sorcerer can do that. If somebody else combined the same ingredients, it would accomplish nothing. My magic gives the potion that extra spark it needs to work as it should."

  "I don't understand," Nadia said. "If you're a sorcerer, why haven't you escaped this place?"

  "I've never had any reason to. I like it here. I like helping people like you, people who don't belong here." His gaze became distant again. "Once, I tried to kill Warrick. I came here from outside the Empire about a hundred and fifty years ago. When I failed to kill him, he sent me here to be a prisoner. Perhaps he saw some future use for me."

  He stroked his short beard. "I believe my time has come. When I read the Webs of Fate just now, I saw us meeting up with someone else who will give me the ability to get you out of here. You see, wind magic can be used to lift somebody into the air, but mine isn't quite strong enough to get you onto the wall. With the help of this other person, I can do it."

  "Who is this other person?" Nadia asked.

  "I'm not entirely sure, but I think it's someone you know."

  "That doesn't make any sense. Who would I know that might show up here?"

  "I have no idea."

  When Nadia left the potion maker's home, he came with her. He still hadn't given her his name, but she didn't feel like asking for it. He was a strange man, and men like that often had their secrets.

  Garet stood outside the house, watching for danger. "You have the potion?"

  "I do," Nadia said. "And I also have a way out of here." She recounted what the potion maker had told her.

  Garet's eyes were wide, but he didn't question the tale. "All right, how're we supposed to find this mysterious help?"

  "We'll have to search," said the potion maker, joining their small party.

  They began walking the streets of the Prison City. Nadia kept an eye out for familiar faces, but she had no idea whom to expect. Every face that watched her looked like a prisoner she'd never seen before. As they searched, she was bothered again by the idea that Warrick might be manipulating everything. He'd put Alten here to help her. He'd se
nt Garet here so they could reunite. Had he also foreseen the potion maker's usefulness more than a hundred and fifty years ago?

  It was difficult to fathom just how powerful Warrick was. Nadia realized now that there was only one way to fight him. She had to go to Luminia, as those symbols in the Fire Mountains had told her. But first she had to escape this place.

  They searched for what felt like hours. The potion maker insisted that the Webs were correct, but he also couldn't see them with enough specificity to know exactly where they'd find the person who could help them. Nadia had grown to hate the Webs of Fate.

  Just when she thought they should give up for the night, she heard a voice off to her right.

  "Nadia? Is that you?"

  She turned and couldn't believe her eyes. "Ander?"

  He'd grown a short beard, but there was no doubt it was him. Of all the people from her life that she might have encountered here, he was at the bottom of the list. The last she knew, he was headed east to Mountainside.

  "What are you doing here, Ander?" she asked.

  "I'm here to help you. Cyrus sent me here." He stepped closer to her. "I'm so glad you're still alive. You don't know how worried I've been about you."

  "Then you know my quest failed?"

  "I do know," he said. "That's another reason I'm here. Cyrus sent me this way. The others with me have a scroll that contains the essence of the Silver Wisp. If we use that scroll against Warrick, we can send him to the Shadowed Land. It isn't as good as killing him, but it will save the Empire."

  "I wish I could come with you, but I have other concerns. I've grown to love Markus, and he needs my help. That's why I came here. This man here—" she pointed to the potion maker "—is the only man who could brew a potion to heal Markus."

  "Where's Markus?" Ander asked.

  "He's outside the Empire. I'll have to return to him."

  "I understand," Ander said.

  Nadia glanced around. "Where are Aric and the others who came with you?"

  "We lost quite a few in the swamp. Aric had to leave the Empire because it was the only way he could heal from a monster attack. He had to go to Luminia."