The Accidental Archmage - Book Five: Loki's Gambit

by Edmund A. M. Batara

"A necessary precaution," apologized the old man. "We have more to fear from the beasts of the Barrens than from marauders."

  "Raiders come here? asked the surprised Kobu.

  "Only once in the last 300 years. All our warriors needed to do was wait behind the walls until the beasts of the Barrens noticed the disturbance," laughed Agastya.

  "And the beasts? Do they attack you?"

  "Not in recent memory. They keep to about 100 paces from the first gate. It's a strange thing, but is what it is," replied the village elder.

  At the words, the three companions at the rear looked at each other.

  ***

  Tyler was concerned. What he saw and experienced upon entering the settlement was out of place. There were too many mysteries surrounding the village for him not be uneasy. His sense told him something was definitely off, and it didn’t have anything to do with the party’s conclusion that the settlement was not what it appeared to be. Fortunately, his disquiet didn’t give rise to goosebumps or hair standing at the back of his neck.

  The party was housed in a dwelling near the center of the community and the mage saw a lot along the way. Unlike the ones they saw near the palisade, the houses in the village itself were larger and better built. Some even had two levels. The houses of Maljen couldn't compare in sturdiness.

  Stone usually made up the first floor of every building, except for a few entirely made of wood, but the mage believed they’d been constructed for a purpose other than habitation. Almost all of the structures were constructed on the basis of a square.

  Two squares could be connected to form a larger building resulting in a rectangular foundation, but the mage could still see the basis for the larger structure. Roofs were flat and Tyler assumed they were of wood. He doubted if stone could be supported by the framing he had observed in their quarters.

  The streets were clean and paved with stone. The pavement even had drainage ditches running alongside the road. Ornamental gardens and vegetable patches abounded. In orderly enclosures at the back of houses away from the village center, Tyler observed herds of goats and sheep. Cows seemed to be scarce as he only saw two on the way to their housing quarters.

  All in all, it looked like a prosperous, clean, and well-fed village. There were trees all around the settlement, and the mage admired how the layout of the village fit the forest. He could see a few tree stumps, but the end result gave the impression of a settlement around which the forest grew, not the other way around.

  To Tyler, the technological level displayed by the village was way beyond what he had seen in the large kingdoms. But the advanced knowledge was evidently harnessed in a different direction. Otherwise, he surmised, he would have seen warriors in more advanced armor and weapons.

  Food arrived shortly after they were shown the roomy house. The private privy and bath area shocked Habrok and Tyndur. Apparently, such house additions were only enjoyed by royalty and the very wealthy in Skaney and Hellas. Kobu mentioned that such a privilege was also limited in Kemet, though he volunteered that in his homeland, such conveniences were quite common.

  The meal was delicious—goat stew, mutton, and fresh bread. The mage did ask X to verify the provenance of the meat, check for poison, and test for dark energies. All came back negative. He could be turning paranoid, but he was greatly concerned that even normal animal meat could be tainted with unique, though viciously lethal, flavoring and undesired fatal spices.

  He remained in the house while Habrok and Tyndur went out to look around. Kobu, as expected, remained with him. The mage was greatly impressed by the house, not only with the toilet and bath area, but also because of its immaculate wooden floor. Even the furniture and cotton beddings were of fine make. The place wouldn't be out of place on Earth.

  "Assessments?" Tyler asked his AIs as he rested in the large bed. The physical pain and tiredness of walking long distances could be managed by healing spells, but nothing compared with actual rest. Even extended use of healing spells required physical rest after a time.

  "It's no wonder the predators of the Barrens couldn't enter the area. It's protected by an Elder barrier. At that point, the magical corruption of the Barren Lands ends. Normal magical energy flourishes in this area and in a determinate region extending from the back of the village," reported Hal.

  "The level of knowledge of the settlement in the non-martial arts is quite extensive. They are also cultivating medicinal plants, spices, and other useful flora, in addition to vegetables. We believe their skill in the field of medicine exceeds the level of mortal knowledge in the larger kingdoms," added X.

  "And the Elder shrine?"

  "We finally located it. The sanctuary lies deeper in the forest, past an actual cave. The cliffs one sees a few miles out, at the back of the woods, are but an illusion. Surprisingly, it is a mirage created by Elder energy, which means for ordinary humans, it will look and feel like the real thing," said Hal.

  Tyler thought for a while. It was evident that whatever culture of civilization existed in the area couldn’t have survived and flourished without the assistance of the power of the Elder shrine. He considered it strange for such an intelligence to be involved in human concerns but decided it was a matter for the guides. Elder rules and protocols on the matter were beyond him.

  "It appears your cousin or whatever has been busy. Which brings me to another issue, that of deities. A settlement like this usually worships a pantheon. Considering they're not Greeks, Pelasgians, or Norse, they must worship divinities we have not encountered. What have you discovered so far?"

  "We have observed one structure which could be a temple. But it has only one statue. A scan of the surrounding area does not show any similar constructions. It's that building right in front of this house, across the small park," answered X.

  "I admit this whole experience has been unsettling so far; a village which is not a village, a technological level quite advanced for Adar, a single deity, and an Elder shrine apparently protecting them?" remarked Tyler. "Not to mention no one has tried to kill us yet."

  "Actually, the fact that an Elder temple saw fit to extend assistance to a human civilization is unheard of," said X.

  "You might also be interested to know that a kingdom exists beyond the cliffs," volunteered Hal.

  ***

  Tyler said nothing. Hal's finding jibed with his suspicions.

  The question now was, why the subterfuge? What had the party gotten itself into?

  As he lay thinking, Tyler heard the exploring duo come in. He sat up. The two went directly to him.

  "Weird place," said Tyndur as he sat. "Pleasant enough. Better than most of the places I have visited. The night was falling so we started to return. Guess what? First, most people went around wearing armor and weapons. Second, men and women lived, or rather bunked, in separate dwellings. It reminded me of a fortress instead of a town. Don't tell me nobody's married in this so-called village."

  "I agree with Tyndur, sire. But my observations lie in a different direction. I noticed a few children and elderly people when we came in. But when the einherjar and I went out, they were all gone. Children usually play until the sun goes down and sometimes, even past that, risking a pulled ear or the rod. But here, it felt like a tableau was closed for the day. Another strange thing was meals for the inhabitants were apparently to be had only in specified buildings. We could see people in simple tunics taking care of animals and the plants, but it seemed like they were soldiers on their day off. Though the weapons strapped to their waists or backs might have influenced my conclusion," narrated Habrok.

  "A strange and puzzling settlement," commented Tyler. "For now, let's keep our eyes and ears open. Our guard up too. We might be guests, but this is still a strange land. We're on the edges of the Barrens, which says a lot. Post a watch. Make sure the windows and the door are barred. I don't feel any threat or any dark intentions coming from our hosts. But we have a saying back where I came from, ‘better safe than sorry’."

 
"Quite apt, sire. I'll try to remember that," nodded Tyndur.

  Tyler went back to bed.

  "That disturbance in the north still continuing?” he asked the guides.

  "It's worsening, sire. It seems like a number of magical battles is going on, some massive in scope," answered X.

  "In Skaney?" immediately asked Tyler. The thought of Fossegrim Forest caught in the middle of massive battles, with powerful magical spells flung willy-nilly, suddenly frightened him.

  "No, sire. Farther up north. It appears to be happening mainly along the boundaries of Ymir's Domain facing Sutr's realm. The lands of fire and ice," clarified Hal.

  "Normally, that would spur my curiosity, but right now, I am getting too sleepy to care. Anything new from your cousin?" Tyler answered, his mind now relieved.

  "Nothing of significance, sire. Tomorrow was all the shrine mentioned," X said.

  "Then tomorrow it shall be," Tyler replied. "Nice of your cousin to let us rest."

  Othin spake:

  23. "Though I gave to him | who deserved not the gift,

  To the baser, the battle's prize;

  Winters eight | wast thou under the earth,

  Milking the cows as a maid,

  (Ay, and babes didst thou bear;

  Unmanly thy soul must seem.)"

  Loki spake:

  24. "They say that with spells | in Samsey once

  Like witches with charms didst thou work;

  And in witch's guise | among men didst thou go;

  Unmanly thy soul must seem."

  Chapter Ten

  Lessons on Iron and Steel

  A sunny day greeted Tyler the following morning. He would have slept some more if Kobu hadn't woken him for breakfast. He must have been more tired than he thought, concluded the mage as he gathered himself up.

  A quick visit to the toilet and the morning's ablutions, then Tyler hurried to join his companions for breakfast. The formality of rank didn’t apply when it came to eating during a journey, a practice which suited the mage. He wasn’t comfortable with the “rank hath its privileges” attitude. Though it wasn’t until he sat down at the table filled with food that Tyler realized he was starving.

  Midway through the meal, a knock on the opened door called their attention. It was Agastya, accompanied by a young man.

  Habrok stood up and invited them inside, though when the old man saw they were still eating, Agastya apologized profusely and offered to wait outside. The einherjar instead asked the two to join them for breakfast. When the old man declined, saying he already had eaten, Tyndur insisted on the pair joining them at the table.

  The rest grinned at each other. There was no way the two could escape Tyndur's clutches. The einherjar went to the door and half-dragged Agastya to the table. The old man's companion followed.

  As the two entered the house, Tyler felt the presence of a powerful energy source. His eyes fell on the young man greatly amused at Agastya's predicament. But it was an energy aura not as powerful as that of the pantheon heads he had encountered. The power was more on a level lower than that of Thor or Dionysus, and it was being subdued deliberately.

  The being noticed his attention and winked at him, catching Tyler by surprise. Finally, the two were at the table as the companions continued eating. Agastya again apologized, but Tyler dismissed it, saying there was nothing to be apologetic for. The mage subsequently clarified that the party preferred informality, as long as the absent members of their group allowed it. At that, raucous laughter followed.

  Tyler abruptly found himself apologizing for the unseeming hilarity which ensued, though he told Agastya that he hoped the two wouldn't mind discussing matters while the party was eating.

  “No, it's not a problem, and I am glad not to be an annoyance,” said Agastya. “But where are your other companions?”

  At the question, every member of the party froze and looked at Tyler.

  Well, that was free information, he thought. We tend to let down our guard in relaxed circumstances. But what's done is done.

  “They had to leave. Force of circumstances. But we hope to have them rejoin us when what they had to do is finished,” explained Tyler.

  “Well, they'd be welcome if they pass this way. You did give us your names yesterday, Master Havard, but knowing their names would allow us to admit them without questions,” said the old man.

  “Asem and Astrid.”

  “Female warriors in your party! That's welcome news. I remember a time when the kingdoms preferred male warriors, except for Skaney, of course. But for our people, we have always had warriors and mages from both sexes. A circumstance forced upon us, I'm afraid. Even knowledge of the ways of warfare was an unwelcome though necessary addition to our lore,” said Agastya sadly.

  Mages. More than one, noted Tyler.

  “You sound as if you've traveled a lot in your younger years, Agastya. What kingdoms have you visited?” asked Kobu.

  “The northern kingdoms mostly. An exploration party was ordered by our leaders in the past. We needed to know what the world was like after a millennium or so. Most of that time, we were clustered in our insignificant part of the world, and what knowledge we had came from the Pelasgians and the occasional trade foray into the borders of Skaney,” replied Agastya.

  “How about the Zhong Empire, the Dual Monarchy, Kemet, and the southern kingdoms?” pressed Kobu.

  “We were able to establish an informal trade agreement with the Dual Monarchy, but we had to stop sending trade caravans due to the enormous difficulty in traversing the Barrens. As to the other lands you mentioned, we have heard of them, even of the black kingdoms and empires to the south of the Zhong. But other than incomplete and second-hand reports, we know nothing. We didn’t even know of the lands of Wa,” the old man continued. "A dangerous and challenging journey it was, only five members returned out of a group of thirty warrior-traders."

  “But you do know of the northern domains? The ones above Skaney?” It was Tyler this time.

  “The realms of fire and ice? We never ventured there. There are isolated human settlements in the northern part of the Barrens where the corruption is weak, and hardy people have managed to survive and even prosper to a certain degree. We do trade with those villages. There's good hunting and rich ore deposits there, not to mention the odd artifact.”

  “Heard anything lately about those two domains in the far north?” asked Tyler finally.

  “Ah, the recent magical disturbances. Our mages have told us about them. It's still going on if you want to know. Though as a mage yourself, you would have felt it. But aside from what I said, I am afraid I have no other information to give. But only a lunatic would go to see what's happening. All we can do now is pray it doesn’t affect or include us in the future.”

  “Indeed, let's hope they keep whatever tumultuous business they have to themselves. So, to what do we owe the honor of your visit? From what I have seen of you, you’re not the one to drop by just to exchange pleasantries,” observed Tyler.

  “It’s not me, actually. It's young Sarva here, also a practitioner of the magical arts. He wanted to meet you, the foreign mage.”

  Sarva smiled in Tyler's direction, and the mage gave a slight bow in return. Beneath Agastya's words, he could discern extreme reverence. If what he suspected was true, then the deity of these people deserved a modicum of respect. He could appreciate a god who openly spent time with his followers.

  “What would you have of me, Sarva?” asked Tyler.

  “Some time to exchange words and lore, Master Havard, or would you prefer your open formal title, High Mage? Also, to show you more of this place and meet somebody.”

  “Somebody I know?” the mage asked immediately.

  “A recent acquaintance of yours and some of your friends, I believe,” Sarva answered. The mirth of a person knowing something the other fellow didn't never left his expression.

  The answers clinched it for Tyler. Outside of the party, Eira, and the loosely-
knit lines of gossip of the pantheons, nobody else knew how far he was along the levels of magehood as practiced on Adar. The use of the word “open” settled it for him. It meant Sarva knew about his true magical rank. Not to mention knowledge about the existence of his guides, though the indirect admission also meant the Elder intelligence dealt with Sarva, who Tyler already determined to be a deity.

  Based on his experiences with the shrines of the two AIs, it was an amazing and unbelievable fact, a fundamental breach of Elder rules unless its creator made allowances for it. His guides would undoubtedly now be in conniptions after they heard that revelation, though he doubted the deity knew anything more about him.

  His guides were not idiots. Nor were the intelligences running Elder shrines. Tyler grinned and went along with what Sarva initiated, the better to conceal the truth that his path of magical learning was on an entirely different course, an infinitely more powerful one, an ancient field of magical study where he was merely but a journeyman mage.

  But the expression on Agastya's face when he heard what Sarva said about Tyler's rank was extremely comical to behold.

  ***

  “Like me, you are not what you appear to be, Sarva,” remarked Tyler as the two walked away from the house in the direction of the cliffs. Kobu tried to insist on coming along, but the mage was able to dissuade him. But Tyler carried with him the staff.

  Sarva lightly laughed. “Matters on either world never really change.”

  “The environment might change, but mortals and deities both appear to be mostly stubborn and myopic wherever they go,” added Tyler.

  “That’s true,” replied Sarva, who then leaned his head as if he heard something. “Now, I hope the rumblings coming from the far north are not what I suspect them to be. But I guess it's just wishful thinking to expect otherwise. The releases of magical power are increasing in both rate and intensity.”

  “And what do you think is happening up there?” asked Tyler.

  “War. The clash of fire and ice. A significant concern in addition to the undead plague now engulfing the northern human realms,” said the entity. “If the conflict gets out of control, then all human realms in the northern part of Adar could be in jeopardy.”