by Jason Kenyon
‘Something of a shame,’ Archimegadon said. ‘If only I could have yoinked it.’
‘That would have been worse than Bartell ruling the world,’ Antagules said. ‘Let us be thankful for that mercy.’
‘Tush, I would be a marvellous ruler,’ Archimegadon said. ‘So will the Mage Academy go back to normal now Vortagenses is dead? I assume he and his staff were wiped out, anyway.’
‘Even dead, my guess is that his madness will likely live on in that place,’ Antagules said. ‘Some magical things we leave behind when we die. Not the best legacy, but it would sum the man up.’
‘You should flatten that place,’ Archimegadon said. ‘It is not a pleasant location.’
‘And yet it was the saving of you, was it not?’ Antagules asked. ‘A two-sided coin.’
‘Hrmph, I would have worked it out somehow,’ Archimegadon replied. ‘What about Valia? Did you rescue her as well as Felick?’
‘Erm, I didn’t, no,’ Antagules replied, looking slightly red. ‘Well, from what I could tell, she’d joined Bartell.’
‘That’ll be the end of her, then,’ Archimegadon said. ‘Rather odd. Didn’t quite expect it of her.’
‘She was not so different from Bartell,’ Antagules said. ‘It’s the ones who pointedly don’t ask for attention that you need to watch. People like the old man here are much less threatening.’
‘I beat them all!’ Archimegadon said.
‘Well done,’ Antagules said, in the tone of a teacher praising a toddler. ‘Well, hadn’t you boys better be off?’
Obdo and Neurion didn’t look so eager, but Archimegadon nodded. ‘I’ve had enough of the region of Aldrack, and no offence, but anywhere associated with what just happened, which includes here. Pop me through the portal, if you would be so kind.’
Neurion seized his hand and shook it firmly. ‘It’s been a pleasure and an honour, Master Archimegadon, to have travelled alongside you in your campaign against the machinations of Lord Bartell. If you ever plan another adventure, you know I will always be ready to lend you my aid!’
Archimegadon regarded Neurion for a moment. How the paladin had changed, from bumbling his swordplay on the Central Way to facing down Bartell’s personal guards with apparent success. Whether Neurion had quite got over his dislike of Obdo as a necromancer was another matter, but it was still surprising all the same.
‘Should that happen, I’ll be sure to give you a prod,’ Archimegadon said. ‘I rather doubt it, mind you, but we shall see.’
‘And thanks for bullying me into carrying that demon head to Melethas!’ Obdo said. ‘I’d have missed some interesting stuff otherwise.’
‘Well, you’re most welcome,’ Archimegadon said. ‘It was certainly an odd experience, and not quite what I expected after being hired to apparently clear wolves from a farmstead.’
‘Yeah, can’t believe I worked for a necromancer all that time,’ Obdo said. ‘Yeesh.’
‘But much as tearful reunions are attractive, I wish to head on to my home, and have a good, long doze,’ Archimegadon said. ‘Farewell, my good fellows, and good fortune on your travels!’
‘Farewell, Master Archimegadon,’ Neurion said.
‘Toodles, Sir Mage,’ Obdo said.
Archimegadon gave them a flamboyant bow and then allowed Antagules to lead him away, off a short path round the side of the valley, and into the cover of some trees. The portal itself was a half-collapsed ring of stones, not terribly well maintained by their keeper. Some slivers of light illuminated the area, but on the whole it was rather gloomy.
‘You’ll miss them, won’t you?’ Antagules asked after a moment.
‘Tush, do not be foolish,’ Archimegadon replied. ‘They will miss me, however.’
‘Whatever you say, old man,’ Antagules said. ‘Well, good bye, and enjoy yourself in your saved kingdom!’
‘Not that I’ll get anything for stopping Bartell,’ Archimegadon said. ‘What is the point of saving the world if nobody sees you doing it?’
*
Mortimyr drummed his fingers on the ground, leaning back against a rock while he sat in the dust. Above him, the ominous spire of Mount Arranoth loomed, while nearby a crowd of people concealed the mine’s entrance. Terrill wandered over.
‘Well, they’re not going to take us prisoner at least, not any more anyway,’ he said. ‘I convinced them we weren’t the band coming here to kill Bartell. They couldn’t remember the name of the mage they were expecting, but they were pretty sure it wasn’t Terrill.’
‘Good,’ Mortimyr said.
‘They don’t know if Valia came this way,’ Terrill went on. ‘But they were damn sure they’d not have let her into the mines if she did. They only let in Bartell, Sen Delarian and his followers.’
‘And the mines?’ Mortimyr asked.
‘Collapsed,’ Terrill replied. ‘There was an explosion, they say. Not sure what it was, but it wasn’t all that long after Bartell swanned in, demanding that nobody be allowed to pass.’
‘So he’s dead,’ Mortimyr said.
‘Guess so, suppose the ancient power he was after was unstable or something,’ Terrill said. ‘It was only Bartell and Delarian who went in, so not like any “heroes” beat us to it. Thought we’d caught Delarian, but guess he escaped just to get killed here instead.’
‘Comforting,’ Mortimyr said. ‘Back to Aldrack to help clear up then?’
‘Might be Valia stayed there,’ Terrill replied. ‘She definitely left the city, in a real huff, but I don’t know if she went back in. Just as well we chased her, I suppose.’
‘But we were too slow for everything,’ Anjilo said, joining them with Gelenn in tow.
‘Good thing too,’ Terrill said. ‘We dodged two massive explosions! Fate is on our side.’
‘Doesn’t solve the fact we have no money left,’ Mortimyr said.
‘We’ll work something out,’ Terrill said. ‘There’s always people need something sorted out.’
‘Coming here was the biggest waste of time yet,’ Mortimyr said. ‘Let’s go and find something else pointless to do. No reason to change habits now.’
*
Archimegadon reappeared in a bush, and after ripping and tearing his way out, found himself on the edge of the Central Way, surrounded on either side by thick forest. Antagules had nearly got it right… or knowing her, exactly right. He waved the Staff of Antagules in the air with rage, before stepping down off the grass and onto the Central Way.
Well, there it was, then. He was done with his adventures in the region of Aldrack, and had made a few pennies out of it. Not quite the promised thousand or even two thousand relorans that he had allegedly been offered, but at least he hadn’t been killed by Bartell or his imbecilic cohorts.
He’d even, come to think of it, completed Akarith’s quest finally, defeating the man who’d destroyed her base. Perhaps a little after the fact, considering what Bartell had done to her at the last, but nevertheless, it hadn’t been the easiest task he’d been set.
Archimegadon wasn’t quite sure he recognised this stretch of the Central Way, but there was a lot of the roadway throughout Valanthas, and much was easily forgotten. The underground city of Ferrina shouldn’t be too far away, and his seldom-used home, and blissful sleep once he got there. Affording a trip to the Isles of Filikis remained out of his price range, unfortunately, so the spirit Archimegadon that had warned him all that time ago had been right, it seemed.
He took the reloran Antagules had give him from his pocket and flipped it a few times as he wandered along the lonely road, thinking over the last few weeks, and yesterday’s dark finish. All in all he didn’t regret it, though there was a lot that he’d rather forget. And he did feel a certain amount of pride in the fact that he’d sort-of outwitted Bartell and put an end to his scheming. He guessed his luck was turning somewhat, especially bearing in mind the coin he was flipping seemed to be landing heads-up a lot.
Archimegadon looked at it and frowned. The face was
not the current king, or any other he remembered. He didn’t recognise the face at all… or did he?
He peered again.
And then it hit him, though he’d never seen the face in quite the same way. It was the brooding, dark face of Vortagenses, glaring off the right side of the coin, thick brows and a crooked nose giving him a powerful if slightly unfriendly look. Antagules had paid Archimegadon with a genuine reloran from the age of Vortagenses’s reign!
And those were worth a lot of cash.
Archimegadon lifted his robes and hurried off to Ferrina as fast as he could.