With that, she started to disappear but not before kissing Tyler on the lips. And again, he felt that familiar electric and dizzying feeling as their lips touched. I could live with this every day.
As he walked back to the table, he could feel his cheeks blush. It didn’t help that Jorund and Habrok were pointedly looking at somewhere else. Only Hrun and Rumpr were looking at him. The latter with a wide grin on his face.
“Lad, I have known the Lady since the time she arrived. Mortals she has shunned. But now…”
Hrun grunted.
“Oh, my apologies, young mage. Not my business. But do take good care of her. She retained the qualities I remember. A pure, innocent, and caring being. More powerful than before. Yet….”
Hrun grunted again. Louder this time.
“Keeping my mouth shut now.”
Tyler looked at his two companions. Habrok was desperately trying to hide his grin while Jorund was his old taciturn self.
“Sire.”
“Yes, Jorund?”
“Our plans now?”
“I guess it’s back to Scarburg. In the best innocuous manner possible. They have no idea anyway on what we have done to help. It’s best and must remain that way. Attention would not be good for us right now. Then we go and look for that mad hermit.”
“Which hermit?” piped up Rumpr.
“One called Starkad, among other names, I was informed. We’ve already learned where he stays but we hope he’s still there.”
“I know of him. The mad Einherjar. Or former Einherjar. Refuses to go back to Asgard. Can’t blame him. All that mead, ale and grog. No wine. Bad table manners. All that testosterone. A bit uncivilized, if you ask me. And those Valkyries! Too tall and too well-armed for me. No, thank you.”
“Can you tell us anything about him?”
“Better if he does it himself, lad. I do know he has been through a lot. Speaks in verses, like someone I know. And about which of them is worse, I’d say that mad hermit. Hrun is my friend, after all.”
Hrun grunted in appreciation.
“Here’s what we can do for you unknown heroes. You can go to Scarburg from a place near its gate. A bit of trees then the way should be clear. And before I forget, here’s your trinket. The armor and weapons are yours to keep. Consider it as payment for the entertainment. Never had such excitement in so long a time!”
“Can we go now? Though I do hope the inn still stands.”
“We can leave now if you want. I believe the inn is still there. You did destroy a lot of their catapults before they were able to use them.”
Turning to Habrok, Rumpr scrutinized him, palpably sizing up his ability to travel.
“Habrok, my friend. Don’t forget our deal. I won’t. When you’re ready for the introductions, leave a stone rune around the place where you will exit. Stick it to the stone and the rune will do the rest. And if you think you still can’t walk, our friend Jorund here can carry you like a teeny-weeny princess.”
Habrok vigorously shook his head.
Their journey back was uneventful. They exited, as Rumpr promised, in a place filled with trees. With the threat of the jotnar still in the air, there were no people around. Even the distant road they could spy between the trees appeared to be empty.
The three gave their thanks to the two ancient beings, with Hrun just nodding in return. Immediately thereafter, he turned and left them, leaving Rumpr. Hrun was clearly not comfortable outside of his familiar surroundings. Rumpr stood where he was, watching them getting ready to go through the trees.
“Young Havard, a moment if you will.”
Tyler walked to where Rumpr was. The elemental beckoned for him to come closer and then whispered in his ear.
“Please take care of her, lad. Hrun and I may see you again. We’re very fond of traveling. And we are known by different names in other places.”
Rumpr smiled at him and winked before he turned and walked into the stone wall.
The three entered the town gates without incident. There were guards but their tired dirty faces and nicked armor spoke volumes of the struggle to defend the town. As they entered, Tyler saw that the square just after the gates was full of bodies covered with blue cloth. Arranged in rows, they were the real price for the town’s defense. At various bodies, families were crying. In a few, an old man or woman knelt beside the deceased. Around the square were a few of the town’s defenders with their helms removed. All were grimy, clearly exhausted, and wore armor which bore the hallmarks of a hard battle. But everybody stood.
Portions of some buildings were burnt but nothing major seems to have been destroyed. Large rocks peppered the road, now pitted with craters of every size. Few people were wandering the streets. On their way to the inn, he just saw two instances of a group of more than three people and these were busy repairing some structures. From an atmosphere of fear, the town now exuded weariness. The smell of smoke in the air didn’t help ease matters.
Finally, the inn was in sight. Tyler smiled. It was still intact. But he could see that it was nearly empty as usual. No boisterous voices echoed. People were still too weary to drink. The three went inside the inn. He waited with Habrok while Jorund talked to the innkeeper for their arrangements. But Tyler could feel somebody watching him. Not a threat, he could sense, but definitely interested in him. He turned to his right. There, in a corner table of the inn, sat the one-eyed old man with an unfamiliar bearded companion. Seeing his attention, the old man smiled and raised his cup in salute.
FREAK ME. Just when I wanted some rest.
CHAPTER LORE:
Ellri – Old Norse. Meaning “ancient.”
CHAPTER XIX
Of Gods and Plans
Tyler went to the old man's table. He had told his two companions to go ahead to their rooms. Jorund had reservations and wanted to stay. But Tyler was adamant. The warrior peered carefully at those waiting for his liege, blanched, and gave a reluctant nod.
“Hail, young mage! My thanks and congratulations for a task most excellently done!”
“You're welcome,” said Tyler in a low voice as he took his seat.
“Permit me to introduce my son, Torvald, a warrior of the Oak.”
He looked at the red-bearded man. The warrior was huge, sculpted muscles complementing his enormous physique. The man wore simple scale armor lacking ornamentation but without a helm, his long red hair fixed in a ponytail. Torvald’s arms were festooned with metal bracers, marked with small runic sigils.
Thor. His comic book counterpart definitely looks better. He looks as if he needed a bath. Or two. And Torvald? Come on!
The warrior was watching him, curiosity dancing in his eyes. One hand held a cup of drink. Too apparent in his actions, thought Tyler, the old man has his son beat in that department. Torvald also raised his mug in salute and took a long drink out of the cup.
Tyler turned to the innkeeper and asked for three cups of mead.
“What brings the famed Gangari to this humble inn?”
“Good! You remembered the name!” The old man was obviously amused. The mead arrived.
“My thanks, mage,” said Torvald, as he took another swallow of his mead. But the man continued sizing him up.
“Of course, one doesn’t forget one of your fame. It’s not every day one gets to meet you.”
“Well said, my boy. But this visit is to thank you. And for you to meet my son. You did beat up one of his men recently.”
Tyler tensed. The old man looked at him and gave a wry smile. He did observe Tyler's reaction.
“Torvald is not here for a fight. If that’s what you're worried about.”
“But our young mage here… did play with Helgi.”
“He forced the match. Even when I told him our strength would better serve in the town's defense,” answered Tyler, irritation showing in his voice.
“He was still one of mine. And beaten by a mere mage.”
“I still bounced him.”
I am tired. And
I just met you. And you want me to apologize for deflating that buffoon? Even if you're Thor. Who badly needs a shave and a bath.
“Now, boys, this is not the time for finding out who can piss the distance,” chastised the old man.
“And Torvald, we came here to express our thanks. Not to fight.”
“Don’t get riled up, young mage. Helgi was an arrogant one. Needed that shaking up," said Torvald.
Now I am the one who's riled up? Oh, for the love of…
“Like one of my sons in his younger years. Quite a handful. Raised merry hell everywhere he went,” chuckled the old man.
“Quite so, Father. I did have fun. But Helgi is an Erinherjar now. He’s in good company. But his betters there will be able to teach him some humility.”
Humility? You're the one to talk.
Tyler noticed he was starting to be petty, though he was still upset. Calming himself down, he forced himself into an acceptable mien.
“Sorry to hear that, Torvald. At least he died as a warrior,” Tyler commented.
“The arrogance of the brave fool did him in. Fought with ogres all by himself. Until they got wise to him. An ogre grabbed him, held him still, then a giant's wooden mace flattened him and the ogre. He should have known better.”
“That's a squishy way to die.” He just couldn’t resist the snide comment. Fortunately, the comment flew past Torvald’s head.
“As both of you are back to your normal selves, I do apologize for Torvald’s directness. Subtlety has not been one of his strengths. A warrior, simple and true.”
Torvald stared at his father. He clearly didn’t expect the apology. But he recovered quickly.
“I never did have patience for matters of cloak and deception, Father. That's more my brother's game,” commented Torvald.
“Ah, but deception in war is half the battle. But the two of you do complement each other. Deception and raw strength. If only we could get that brother of yours to stay in one place, that is.”
The old man had a sardonic expression on his face.
“I believe he's in southern parts again. Anyway, we dropped in to say our thanks. With what you showed at the end, that will put Ymir on the defense for some time. At least half a millennium. He would be wondering about the power you displayed and the threat it poses to him. With a slow and dim brain in that thick skull of his, I now have time to move my pieces against him.”
I believe I just got served. Used. Played.
Bottling up his anger, Tyler looked at Odin.
“Glad to be of service.”
“I know what you're thinking, Havard. Blame me for it. But delaying the end of time, for Skaney at least, is what I am meant to do. Even to the extent of what you believe I am capable of.”
“I don’t have to be happy about it.”
“You shouldn’t. But ordinary magic will not have given him pause. Only something new or something he remembers to be fatal to him will do. I did what I had to do. I did tell you I was in a dilemma. You have given me time. For that, I am very grateful. You did find some new friends along the way.”
“New magical energy? What do you mean, Father?” asked Torvald.
“Our young mage friend here is one of a kind. But let’s keep that among ourselves. But I trust him. For you, my young friend, a warm welcome will always find you in Skaney.”
“Father, what do you mean by one of a kind?” asked Torvald in an slighted tone.
Oh, come on!
“Let's leave it at that, Torvald. Unlike us, our young man here is not bound by any rules. You saw what happened in the Gap. Ragnarok will be least of our problems if that creature manifests by itself, beyond the control of our young mage.”
Odin smiled at Torvald.
“That means you make sure he does not die by divine means while in Skaney. You and yours will be responsible for that. Within the rules.”
Torvald looked back at his father. Then nodded slowly after a while.
A really cunning old man. He doesn't want me to die in Skaney because any repercussions will be blamed on his pantheon. He brought in old muscle-head because of the Helgi incident. And is probably wary about Loki. He wants a powerful watchdog of a deity without being directly involved. Thor is his counterfoil to Loki. Personally, I think muscle-for-brains is outmatched. Unless, the old man has something else cooking. Mr. Five Steps Ahead probably has another game plan in motion. Man! With some malice and a little bit of madness, he could have been a lot worse than Loki!
The old man stood up. Torvald followed.
“We have to say our farewells, young mage. A lot of things on both our plates await us. Again, our gratitude.”
The two left by the front door of the inn. Tyler watched Torvald closely. He didn’t see anything which could be Mjolnir. Disappointed, he made his way to his room. The soft bed was a delight to his tired body. Sleeping under the stars may be idyllic but it’s not friendly to one's back.
Hal?
Yes, Elder.
Were you observing since the cave?
Yes, Elder.
Assessments on the characters?
Your companions appear to be loyal. Those two beings in the cavern are not what they appear to be. They are primeval elementals and came into being at the same time this world was created. My memory banks do mention them, but not by name. They are mentioned by their affinity. Steinn for stone. Jorfi for earth. They had some interaction with your ancestors though data is lacking. Eira is not in my databank. She does hold some degree of fondness for you. Your two visitors are of the Nordic pantheon. As such, their motivations are their own.
You have not told me anything new, Hal.
I am sorry, Elder. But I lack data. Most of the data here is encrypted and can only be accessed by you, when you have the ability to do so.
Huh? I didn’t expect that.
It was deemed safer to isolate majority of the data for your direct access, Elder.
That does make sense. No insult intended. How about your defensive and offensive capabilities?
None taken, Elder. For now, only a basic shield spell and a fireball spell are available for my use.
Hal, that’s way below my present abilities.
I know, Elder. But those are the only capabilities of this form. Upgrading my form will also unlock other abilities.
You're like an RPG, Hal. You need to level up.
I don’t get the reference.
Oh, forget it. Let me sleep.
Excellent, Elder. Your body does indicate the need for rest. I will keep watch.
Tyler slept amid disturbing dreams. Brief memories of the battle surfaced. Of another probable result where Eira, Jotunn and Habrok died. Of another possibility where the dark being was let loose, devouring Skaney and then the rest of Adar in its primordial hunger. And all through these images and dreams, Tyler watched, shouted in protest, and finally raged against the destruction he witnessed.
The scene changed. He was on a battlefield above the clouds, wearing a strange terrifying armor with an closed visor. A behemoth parody of a black dragon was his steed.
Beside him, in terrifying warrior forms, clad in distinctive black armor reflecting their skills, were Jotunn and Habrok. Eira was nowhere to be seen. Around them was a gigantic armed mass of spirits and magical beings, all in varying sizes and forms. All clad in black armor.
Facing them was an array of beings, of varying attires, colors, and forms. They looked like gods of various pantheons. But though vast were their numbers, Tyler’s army was a mountain to their hill. A dark cloud started forming above and around the enemy. Tyler felt himself smile, a cruel and wicked one. He could feel his compelling anger rising, demanding blood and destruction.
He raised his sword. A blade of a jagged indeterminate design. Sigils of power flashed and throbbed, throwing a flash of black lightning arching through the clouds. He saw Habrok unfurl and raise a banner. It was a green tree on a black background.
The scene shifted. He was in a strange
landscape. Looking up, he saw a world with two moons. A soft hand touched his shoulders and he felt a kiss on his cheek. Somebody called him kerasti. He raised his hands. A flawless and familiar arm reached out and held his left hand. He felt himself release an immense surge of power.
As he watched, the desolate and lifeless landscape in front of him changed. As if a painter was creating a landscape, the scene transformed into one of life. Trees, lakes, animals, plants and all the minutiae of a living world came into being.
Suddenly, he was back in the dark room where the solitary light existed. The swirling dark mass was not present. Only silence greeted him. But the light appeared to be brighter and larger.
Then he woke up. The rays of the morning sun were already poking its tendrils through the room, warming it and dispersing the small patches of darkness.
Good morning, Elder.
Morning, Hal. Had very strange dreams. They all felt so real.
An after-effect of your experiences, Elder. I have been analyzing the energy patterns which have passed through your system. It is unfortunate that an energy matrix which should have been released later in your learning process had been freed. Though the matrix had been controlled again, its release, without the stability afforded by the other major matrix, appear to have unfortunate side-effects.
What are these matrices?
Release of data is not allowed as of this time, Elder. I'm sorry.
It’s fine, Hal. Wouldn’t want to receive information I can’t handle anyway. Please go back to observation mode. I have to have some breakfast. Hopefully, some food is available.
Yes, Elder. Though I recommend you check your spell list. There appears to be a new one available for your use.
Thanks, Hal. Will do.
As he entered the main hall of the inn, he saw his two companions already eating. He joined them. After the morning greetings have been exchanged, Tyler couldn’t resist commenting.
“I thought it’s back to a two-meal day.”
“Sire, we're still on a war footing so three or more meals a day, when we can get it, is more than welcome."
The Accidental Archmage: Book One - Ragnarok Rising (MOBI EDITION) Page 38