The Accidental Archmage

by Edmund A. M. Batara

  “Don’t tell me you’re scared, Habrok? There’s nothing I could imagine which could escape those arrows of yours,” said Tyndur. The mage smiled at what he heard. Coming from Tyndur, that was high praise for Habrok’s skill with the bow.

  “Oh, it’s not that, Tyndur. I was expecting some small game to add to our diet. Though I admit wolves and snakes don’t fit that category. Or a clean running brook to refill our waterskins,” replied Habrok. “I haven’t seen any. Some revolting pools of liquid which I suspect to be highly acidic, corrosive, or plain poison. I already have resigned myself to the fact that any small animal we find around here wouldn’t exactly look like anything we’ve seen before. With corrupted flesh to boot. I have heard of this land, but never expected it to be this bad.”

  “I agree with you there,” replied the einherjar. “But this part of the Barren Land must be its worst area. The northern region isn’t as depressing or repulsive. More weird beasts though. Bizarre, but killable. Some were even tasty.”

  “You’ve been there?” asked Habrok with amazement.

  “In my younger days, lad,” came the curt reply. Then Tyndur added. “But discussing that period in my life brings up too many bad memories.”

  The discussion about provisions raised a concern in Tyler’s mind. The ranger and einherjar appeared to expect foraging as a supplement to what they brought with them.

  “Do you think our food will last the journey, Astrid?” the mage asked the companion who, after Habrok, had excellent woodland experience. Kobu was still an unknown element to Tyler. He was sure the man was an experienced warrior, a veteran of military campaigns, and an excellent battle leader. But a ranger’s field expertise was what the mage needed.

  “I’ll give it a week more, sire, at two meals a day. Fortunately, we brought extra water supplies. Beyond that, starvation will set in. But we’ll die of thirst first.”

  “Let’s hope there are water and food sources near where we’re going. We won’t be entering the Void Lands any deeper than its border where the structure is located. Hopefully, its proximity to human lands will provide some normalcy to flora and fauna,” said Tyler.

  “You’ll find a way, sire. You always do,” replied the Valkyrie. Confidence marked the voice of Astrid.

  Tyler smiled at Astrid. Inside, a degree of apprehension arose. You always do. I hope that still holds true. But first, we have to reach our destination and put this quest behind us. And we would be fighting extraordinarily powerful opponents this time. Shit. No good going to war hungry and thirsty.

  “Guys? Solution to our upcoming food and water situation?” he asked his guides.

  “This land is hopeless, sire. Your ranger is correct in saying that the flesh of any animal here would be dangerous to humans given the high probability of mutation. We might find game animals further along the way, but we are not hopeful on that issue. On water supplies, we can send H to look for a clean source nearby or along the route. Despite the land’s condition, it is possible that a clean water source could be found. We doubt if the condition we see now had reached down to the bedrock of the land,” said X.

  “Please do it. Food can be rationed, but lack of water will kill us,” said the mage.

  “The overcast sky helped in limiting body water loss, but your trek is causing a constant drain. Not as bad as losing two pints per hour on a hot day though,” answered Hal. “H will test the water first, of course. Bad enough to die of water loss, but it’s humiliating and worse to die of diarrhea.”

  “How long can we survive without water?” asked Tyler.

  “It depends on a person’s constitution and activities, Elder. A quick two days to a week would be the range, but after a few days without water, a person would be good as dead as his body organs start to shut down.”

  “Shit. Is H ready?” Tyler asked, his worry getting the better of him. “Bad enough we have to concern ourselves about what’s waiting for us. At this point, we mustn’t worry whether we’ll reach our destination at all.”

  In short order, and unnoticed by the rest of the group, H was ready and disappeared. The mage prayed that the scout would find water. And soon. Their supply had to be replenished, there’s no telling when the sun would come out and increase the rate their bodies lose water, and the mage was not that confident about water sources the closer they get to the Void Lands. He could use his scrying ability to look for it, but there’s no telling what the quality would be.

  After an hour, Hal informed him that H had found a water source. It was clean though it required some digging through a hill of solid rock. And they had to divert to the right for two miles. Tyler asked them to recall the scout. Even with extremely degraded capabilities, H had proven to be an indispensable part of his trump cards. The land was strange, and the mage didn’t want anything to happen to it.

  Tyler called for a halt and asked the group for their decision. To a person, everybody wanted to refill their waterskins. The mage did notice that nobody was surprised that the mage found a source of clean water.

  “I could fight hungry. Done that before. But not thirsty. Weakens one a lot more than the lack of food. Scrambles your brain and reflexes,” observed the einherjar.

  Everybody nodded in agreement. Astrid, for one, held up a half-empty waterskin.

  “There’s still some distance to go,” commented the usually quiet Kobu.

  “Then a detour it is,” said Tyler. “But I don’t think we’ll waste a lot of time.”

  The land gradually rose as they neared the water site. Ahead was a raised area with small rocky hills around it. They swung to their right where Hall told him the hills were lower and an opening existed. Finally, the party reached the spot where a gap appeared in the stone mounds. It was enough for two persons to enter, but they had to scramble up for a few feet as broken terrain marked the approach. Still, it was better than trying to scale up the adjacent rocky hills.

  Before entering the gap, the mage called for a stop and tried his scrying spell. To his disbelief, the energy he sent out didn’t return any information. The tendril of power merely disappeared.

  “X? I am not getting anything back,” he advised his guide. Several moments passed with no reply.

  “X?” repeated Tyler.

  “I apologize, Elder. We are receiving strange readings. The energy of this land appeared to be a volatile and confusing mix of the familiar and strange. We believe those we could not identify are outflows from the Void Lands or residual energies of the region. The normal energy, the kind you are accustomed to, is sucked into the ground as soon as it is naturally created. It is as if the land is trying to refill itself yet something is bleeding it off,” eventually replied X.

  “Has that something to do with what Asem said about a lost kingdom which existed here before?” Tyler asked.

  “Highly possible, Elder. The disappearance of that realm might be connected to the phenomenon that engulfs this land,” said X.

  “Normal magic could exist here. Elder. Though not for a long time and it should be focused and in an ordained manner. Loose energy or any power directed towards the ground or natural features are immediately absorbed,” added Hal.

  “You guys are not in any danger, are you? Or my staff or any magical items the party carries?” asked the mage with some trepidation.

  “We don’t believe so, Elder. We are composed of Elder energy. Contained power such as that found in your staff or Tyndur’s weapon is safe,” answered Hal.

  “That’s a relief! I guess we have to do this the old-fashioned way,” noted Tyler as he called the attention of everyone.

  “Be advised that there is something in this land which interferes with the release of ordinary magic. I tried seeing beyond the gap but no luck. But I also don’t want us to go in without an idea of what’s beyond this opening. The water source is not far. Around fifteen feet to the left side of the entrance and two feet from the ground,” the mage addressed the party.

  “I’ll go ahead and check,
sire. If I see anything, I won’t take any action but instead come back,” volunteered Habrok.

  “Thanks, Habrok. And no, Astrid. One would be enough for a look-see,” said the young mage.

  While Habrok was gone, the mage looked up. It was already late afternoon.

  We better do this quickly and then find a secure camping site. We are deep enough inside the Barren Lands and now closer to the Void Lands. The party needs to be wary about moving about in the dark. Though this area, with its elevation, could serve for the night, thought Tyler.

  They didn’t wait long. Habrok clambered back after a few minutes.

  “The passage is not deep, sire. And there’s no living thing inside the hollow formed by the hills. But the ground inside, a considerable area by itself, is filled with bones.”

  “Dead bones? Or alive, dead bones?” Tyndur asked Habrok. “Wait. That doesn’t sound right. But you know what I meant.”

  “Unmoving bones. That’s my best answer,” replied the ranger.

  “I don’t sense any corruption,” volunteered Asem. “But lore does mention that corruption is not the only cause of Tyndur’s ‘alive, dead bones.’”

  “We’ll never know until we venture inside. Daylight is fast fading, and I would like us to be finished with replenishing our water supply and properly encamped when darkness falls,” said Tyler. “But we should be ready for anything. Surprises seem to favor me a lot.”

  Habrok sniggered. “That they do, sire.”

  The party went warily inside the large hollow. The ground was indeed filled with bones. Unmoving ones. They kept to the side of the rock wall and gathered where Tyler said water would be found. Because of the limitation on the use of magical energy on natural formations, it was decided that it would be Kobu, with the ability to change the form of his weapon, who gets to deal with digging the few inches needed. The taciturn exile didn’t say anything and immediately transformed his blade to a battle pick. Then he spoke up, apologizing that it could only create weapons, not farm or mining tools.

  As Kobu started on the rock face, the rest of the party formed a protective screen around the man. Tyler looked at the forest of bones before him. They were piled on top of one another, though many were complete skeletons.

  “Asem,” the mage called out, “don’t these bones look like they all come from the same kind of creature?”

  “You’re right, sire. Though in different sizes. A form of drake, from what I could see,” Asem answered.

  “From the proportions of the bigger ones, I would say they’re bigger than the drakes up north. The biggest of those northern beasts would be the size of a large horse,” commented Habrok.

  “Not draken-sized though,” said Astrid. “But still large beasts during their time. I think the biggest, such as that one over there, would be the equivalent of three horses. This must be an eyrie, a nesting area of these things. I see small versions of the adults.”

  “Quite different from northern drakes not only in size. More fangs, a bony crown on its skull, and four horns. Dissimilar horns though. I noticed some have sharp pointed ones, while others have versions which look like a ram’s horns. That one closest to the gap has an interesting set, long ones curved outwards. And their tails appeared to be spiked,” Tyndur commented.

  “Strictly speaking, these aren’t bones anymore. Because of time, they look more like…” Tyler started to say “fossil” and then found there’s no exact equivalent word for it in the languages of Adar in his mind. The word itself was a modern invention, arising from archaeology, a field which definitely didn’t exist during ancient times.

  “You were saying, sire?” asked Astrid.

  “Petrified bones. Chances are they’re harder than what they were before,” the mage answered, quickly recovering from the language dilemma.

  “Water,” Kobu called out. Astrid moved to the man’s side with the waterskins of the group.

  “Clean?” asked Tyler.

  “Fresh, my lord. Unpolluted,” answered Kobu.

  Tyler already knew that, but the question instinctively came out just the same. Though the mage reminded himself again to have a talk with Kobu about that “my lord” issue.

  “Good,” was his only comment.

  Astrid topped off their waterskins, with Kobu helping her. The source was but a tiny flow, but it was steady. As each container was filled, the Valkyrie returned it to its owner. Finally, they were done. Tyler saw Kobu plug the source with a small rock, though a trickle continued to flow from it. The mage thought of telling Habrok to remember the site but decided it would be a superfluity. The ranger would undoubtedly note where drinkable water exists in this dry, parched, and strange land. The mage thought he could try finding other sources of water later as the need arose, but didn’t feel that confident about finding any when they finally reach the Void Lands.

  “Everything ready?” came the call from Habrok.

  “Time to go,” replied the Valkyrie.

  Habrok took the lead and scouted ahead. It wouldn’t do to be ambushed as they were leaving the ancient nest. A whistle sounded, and the party filed out of the area, Astrid and Tyndur at the rear. Tyndur appears to be greatly interested in the fossilized bones, Tyler noted as he saw the einherjar pause and look at the nearest skeleton. The mage put it down to the man’s interest in discovering an unfamiliar species of drake.

  He must be trying to imagine how these creatures looked like when they were alive, thought Tyler with some amusement. I would be interested too, but not up close. This land must have been a unique and fascinating place during its heyday. I bet there were creatures and beasts now extinct. And the flora must also be different. Clearly, a fascinating place when the land was alive, but one best seen from far off. Preferably through high-powered binoculars.

  Then he saw Tyndur walk to the set of bones he was examining. It was the bony form closest to the gap. As he was about to call out a warning not to touch anything, the mage saw the einherjar quickly pull out his battleaxe and strike the bony, horned head.

  Of all the stupid things to do! thought the mage. Haven’t this world heard the phrase “let sleeping dogs lie?”

  But nothing happened right after the blow was struck, Tyndur was even examining where his axe hit. Must be curious about my comment about fossils being harder than the original bone, concluded Tyler with some relief.

  Then as the einherjar turned to join the companions, Tyler noticed an azure glow in the bony head. Right where the eyes would be.

  Shit, thought Tyler as he started to call out a warning to the einherjar.

  But the mage didn’t need to warn the warrior. Some instinct made the einherjar look back. As soon as he saw what was happening, Tyndur was gone from his spot and had reappeared beside the cervical bones of the creature which was already rising on its skeleton legs.

  Tyndur didn’t hesitate. An upward swing of Jorund’s Justice followed, severing the head from the rest of the body. As the einherjar jumped back, the skeletal frame collapsed. But the mage saw that the head which was a few feet from the rest of its shape still had the bluish glow in its eyes.

  “Tyndur! Get back! It’s still alive!” Tyler blurted out. A golden lance of energy struck the head. Asem, the mage thought. A purifying spell. Even as Asem’s enchantment was enveloping the head, the skull suddenly snapped back to the neck bones.

  “They’re not corrupted undead,” Asem observed. “Must be creations of this land’s bizarre energy patterns. And the animating energy appears to be too powerful for me.”

  While Tyndur vanished and returned to the group, it was Kobu who transported himself to a spot in front of the prone skeletal drake. The warrior’s weapon had turned into a large mace. The man quickly lifted it and smashed the bony head. Shards of cartilage flew as the fossilized cranium of the beast was crushed beneath the magical weapon. The bluish glow in its skull disappeared.

  At least the man had the right idea, thought the young mage.

  Then Kobu suddenly reappe
ared at Tyler’s side.

  “We should be running now, my lord. I saw movement among the rest,” said the saburai.

  “Good suggestion. Let’s get out of here! The rest are waking up!” Tyler called out to the party as he flung a rain of sharp force blades against the now moving mound of bones. He knew it was but a delaying tactic. Only crushing the head appeared to work. As the rest of the group ran past him, he formed a concave shield on top of the hollow and lowered it to the level of the highest point of the mound. The spell had cut through bones in the moving pile, delaying the movements of the creatures as many reformed their skeletal frames. The mage released another wave of force shapes, this time in the form of four-inch balls. A ripple of loud crunching sounds followed.

  There’s no way I could find a way to crush them. All I could do for now is a delay. Maybe a quake spell, thought the mage as he used the ability, limiting its area of effect to the hollow. He hoped to let churning ground to do the work. But nothing happened. The energy he released disappeared.

  Not. The. Ground. Or. Natural. Formations, Tyler remembered, blaming himself for what he forgot. That eliminates a lot of spells in my arsenal. Not that I could remember them all in the spur of the moment.

  He again released another wave of sharp forms, large slivers this time.

  This is useless. It’s like firing a shotgun at a target a hundred yards away. It’s just hoping for a critical hit.

  A forest of blue flickers amongst the bone mound now greeted the mage. They were all looking at him.

  Oh, shitake mushrooms! He quickly turned and joined his companions waiting for him outside the gap, but not before releasing a final wave of force blades filled with fiery energy. On the heels of the attack, Tyler threw a force barrier on top of the mound.