DREAMWIELDER Book 1 of The Dreamwielder Chronicles

Chapter 33: INTO DARKNESS

The winter rains had finally come, soaking the lands east of the Gothol Sea with a cold, relentless drizzle. Makarria and Talitha stood shivering and drenched for a long time upon the hill looking down at Col Sargoth from the eastern high road. The soot-stained buildings and smelting factories belching smoke into the air radiated outward from the towers of Lightbringer's Keep like a feculent sore, and while only a handful of farmers passed by Makarria and Talitha on the eastern high road, the high road leading to the south was another matter: a solid mass of wagons and troops extended outward as far as they could see, trailing into Forrest Weorcan and Pyrthinia beyond. In the bay beyond the city, ships flying the blue and yellow banners of Golier made way for the harbor bearing even more troops.

"I know what I have to do," Makarria said, casting her eye upon Lightbringer's Keep.

"You're sure?" Talitha asked her.

"Yes."

"What is your plan? What can I do to help?"

"Just get us into the city," Makarria said, "somewhere where I have a good view of those black towers."

"You're going to tear them down?"

Makarria nodded. "I'll turn the foundation to sand and bring the whole keep tumbling down on the Emperor. It's the only way. You said yourself, it's best to attack from afar."

"So I did," Talitha conceded. "It could very well work, but we best wait for the cover of darkness to sneak into the city. There will be guards on the high road at the gates, and they might be looking for us."

"We don't have time to wait," Makarria said, determined to go now that she had made her decision. "I'm scared to think what all those soldiers will be doing to our friends if we wait."

"Don't be foolish," Talitha told her. "Another few hours will make little difference. We did not come this far only to be taken captive the moment we step into the city. Besides, the chances that we'll catch Guderian in his tower are better at night. Come, we'll take shelter in that copse of trees until it's dark."

Makarria nodded sullenly and followed Talitha off the road to wait beneath the trees. The trees were barren of leaves and did little to shelter them from the rain, but they at least shielded the wind somewhat and kept Makarria and Talitha from standing in plain sight. Talitha divided what little food she had left in her pack between the two of them and they ate silently, each lost in her own thoughts.

The sunset was indiscernible behind the rain clouds, and the western horizon merely faded from gray to black as time passed. When Talitha deemed it was dark enough, she motioned for Makarria to follow her. "The city is not walled, so we will have little trouble entering unnoticed," Talitha said, veering off the high road into the mud. "I need you to stay close beside me though. We'll be entering in the northeastern borough. There are many unsavory people there. If anyone speaks to you, just ignore them and let me do the talking. Stay focused on what you need to do with Lightbringer's Keep."

"I will," Makarria promised.

"And one thing more, Makarria," Talitha said, grabbing Makarria by the shoulder and bringing her to a halt. "If things go awry, I promise you I will do all that I can to help. If Wulfram finds us, I will give him the fight of his life and try to lead him away from you. If Guderian finds us... I cannot hope to hurt Guderian, but if nothing else, perhaps I can distract him and give you time to do what you must. If it comes to that, you must act quickly though."

"I understand," Makarria answered, and the two of them continued slogging wordlessly down the hill. It was still a mile or more to the outskirts of the city, and they were slowed by the mud and rain, but time held no meaning for Makarria—she was not aware of her feet carrying her one step at a time closer to the city or even of the rain pelting her in the face. Her eyes were locked on Lightbringer's Keep, still visible above the city, a black shadow even in the night. There's no other choice, she told herself again, trying not to think about the hundreds of innocent people who would be killed when she brought those towers toppling down: the porters, the cooks, the maids, the stable hands, and then of course, all the horses and whatever other animals were kept in the keep. The very thought almost brought Makarria to tears. She pushed them away and steeled herself. She had gone over every possible tactic she could think of in her mind, and there was no other way. She had to attack the Emperor from a distance, just like Talitha had said. Otherwise, he would simply stop her magic. And that meant innocent people would have to die. To protect the lives of others.