The Accidental Archmage: Book Nine: The Dragon Houses

by Edmund A. M. Batara

  “We can’t keep him around,” amusedly replied the mage. He understood the sentiment. Tyler did try destroying his double. His wards looked shaken but stood firm as they waited for him. Except for the elemental, nobody had said anything. The mage knew he had to break the silence. It was the first real test of his wards, and though they passed, they didn’t know it. Young talent successfully facing off with a force of destruction was an incredible accomplishment.

  “Well done, everyone. Holding off Tom was impressive,” smiled Tyler. “But he’s a concern for another day. I’m just glad nobody was hurt. Come, Let’s search for your sister.”

  Expressions of pride and relief emerged from the faces before me. Tyler suddenly realized they thought the mage was unhappy with their efforts as the entire group could barely keep Tom at bay. He resignedly shook his head as the observation emerged. It wasn’t fair and realistic to expect them to defeat Tom. The Archmage himself was caught unaware by the brazenness of his twin.

  “How’s Rawa?” the mage asked Seier walking beside him. The group was headed to the keep’s balcony.

  “Larger, Father. The cloud around him just seemed to be more turbulent than usual. But our brother is safe as can be. Each of us has provided a protective spell,” replied the avatar of the Greek goddess of victory.

  “Spells? Birki taught you?” The mage assumed the guardian included such matters in their training. However, he didn’t have an idea of how Birki tailored lessons according to the different natures of his wards.

  “Oh, no, Father. The knowledge was already within us. But Brother Birki taught us how to awaken our natures.” This time it was Nehua. The Archmage chuckled. He just noticed that the girls positioned themselves at his sides. They were edging out their brothers. Tyler sighed inwardly. Pangs of guilt again assailed him. His wards were making the best out of their time with their father. So naturally, the boys had to give way to the pair. The latter seemed to be more assertive than the former. Either that, or they’re making the most out of being sisters.

  Still, how the wards secured their abilities was strange for the mage. It meant powers arose out of the intrinsic nature of whatever magic created them. Unfortunately, the process required an understanding of how deities were created, which was beyond the mage and unnecessary for his path of magic. Belief created the wards’ original matrices, and somehow, the accumulation of enough faith gave life to a divine template.

  Yet Elder energy clearly played a significant role in the birth of his wards. He just didn’t understand how. Tyler knew that Creation was part of the legacy bequeathed to him, but only his guides could provide the answer beyond that. The mage sighed. There were so many questions on his mind which needed their input. However, giving forms to them was already on his list. He merely needed to rest. The exertion of power when he encountered Tom was physically draining.

  He knew the search for his missing ward would require physical and mental exertion. The lost child would have changed location by now and warier. Tyler didn’t know her abilities. Such powers might have been inactive, but one never knew. He never presumed to have a deeper understanding of the rules and intricacies of magic. Fortunately, replenishment of his energy reserves was not a concern anymore, thanks to what his twin did. But no amount of magic could replace the rest required by a mortal frame.

  After Nehua’s reply, he glanced at Birki. The guardian wore an enigmatic smile. Tyler wondered what power and skills the latter had inherited and kept secret. Recognizing and awakening latent powers were tasks demanding incredible temperament, strength, and experience. The only explanation the mage could come up with was that Birki had also grown into a primordial entity. Thus, Rumpr’s innate powers must have roused. Part of the elemental’s memories, too, reckoned Tyler. Otherwise, it was impossible to guide the evolution of his wards.

  Rumpr’s power is a primordial one. But the group shouldn’t have been able to hold off Tom. Even an entire pantheon couldn’t prevent a sentient force of destruction for that long a period, mused the mage. That treacherous bastard is essentially Elder energy.

  Tom wielded Elder skill and power, albeit immature and unrefined. The entity should have been capable of running roughshod over the obstacle the small group represented. However, his wards, Birki included, were not at their complete levels. There must be some other factor, concluded the mage. It was a strange result and drew the mage’s curiosity.

  Opening his enhanced magical sense, he quickly scrutinized Apulli, who was walking in front of the mage. The youth’s magical aura greeted his gaze. It was a condensed, stable, and incredible mass of luminescent energy throbbing with power. Yet through the opaque cloud surrounding the young man could be seen a golden sliver of light. Its glow was steady and bright despite its tiny size.

  The sight surprised the Archmage. It was a minuscule amount of Elder energy. If not for his intentional examination, Tyler would have missed it. Nevertheless, it was apparent that the power formed the core of Apulli’s being. He swiftly inspected the rest of his wards and found the same trait. It was a visible confirmation of his suspicion that different sources of magical power created the staff world and its inhabitants.

  No wonder Tom wasn’t able to just break through the entrance. If it was only Birki resisting him, my twin would have been able to get inside. But with all the wards there, together with their skills, they held off long enough, he reflected. It was a close call. Only Tom’s impetuousness and arrogance prevented the disaster. His double wasn’t that adept at wielding his skills yet.

  Still, at the heart of everything was his Elder energy. An understanding of the process may come in the future after a perusal of the legacy, but Tyler’s power was the source of everything, and the current manifestations resulted from the young mage’s experiences. Then he mentally rebuked himself. His wards developed and grew into their potentials without his direct help. True, he had let some of them experience the world outside the staff, but such exposures were few. Tyler had always convinced himself that he had to protect them against threats. Yet, they have shown themselves capable of resisting Tom.

  I am really a father. A parent, thought the Archmage as he inwardly smiled. A damned proud one.

  After his guides, attending to the island was now at the forefront of Tyler’s mind. His children needed a place from which to face the world.

  ***

  The familiar landscape lay before him. A verdant expanse beautifully framed by majestic mountains in the distance. Bathed in sunlight born out of magic, it was a breathtakingly idyllic display. Even the air the mage breathed was pure. A slight breeze blew past him, caressing tired limbs and refreshing a weary mind. And he had nothing to do with its beauty.

  Tyler breathed deeply, enjoying the fresh air. The world before him was made by the spirit of the staff. Dominated by Eira’s nature and the ancient forest that was Maljen, the vista was an expression of its inner self. The mage wondered if it was an awakened entity or mere energy which conveyed its traits by emulating its nature.

  With the contribution of Elder power, no matter how small, I refuse to believe it’s not sentient, thought the mage. He couldn’t understand why it hadn’t manifested itself. Adar had its avatar, and the staff should have its own. But even when Tom reared his traitorous head, the stave’s spirit didn’t manifest itself. Did it know something that the mage didn’t?

  Maybe it did, Tyler reflected.

  The spirit existed at the same time in both realities – Adar and the world within the staff. The Archmage had a magical bond with the weapon. It could have known about his intention to search for the child even before the mage entered the staff. It was a sobering thought. The implication was it had the ability to influence his actions. Tom’s sudden intrusion could have led the artifact to call Tyler’s attention.

  He tore his mind from such musings. Whatever issues he had with the staff did not pose any immediate threat. True, the subversion of his mind was a possibility. But so far, he had not seen or sensed any ma
lice or dangerous aura from it. Nor was he eager to explore that path. Tyler had long discovered that finding answers to questions led to more questions, and worse, additional problems to resolve. He had enough on his lengthy list.

  Clearing his mind, Tyler went back to the tasks facing him. But first, he removed the seals on the warded compartments securing his guides. With Tom’s departure, his fear of his twin corrupting them vanished. However, he wasn’t sure if they could sense that the dark influence was gone. Still, he called to them, letting them decide whether to open the mental locks on their side.

  “Our greetings, Sire.” Hal’s greeting promptly sounded in his mind. Despite himself, Tyler smiled at hearing the welcome voice. He missed his guides. His friends.

  “Welcome back, guys,” replied the mage. His gladness was apparent. “We’re inside the staff. You could manifest here.”

  Unsurprisingly, the pair refused the offer, opting to delve into the legacy. Tyler gave his permission wryly. The mage could swear excitement was in their voices. Considering the two had waited for a long time for the complete tablets, he could understand their feelings. At one point, they had already given up on finding more sanctuaries. Now, the promise of having external forms was at hand. The young mage let them be. There would be time enough for discussions.

  Tyler cast a scrying spell, similar to what he did before. The mage had released an aura of comfort and reassurance the last time he was in the keep, hoping that the child would be more responsive to the entreaties of her brethren. Yet, she didn’t return, and subsequent searches have again failed. So this time, the mage resolved not to leave until he had found her.

  As the energy swept over the region, the mage felt something was off. The feeling clawed from the back of his mind, distracting Tyler’s concentration. He momentarily paused the flow of the spell and quickly examined the resulting impressions. There was a change. The territory had shrunk, and faint signs of ebony miasma were at its borders.

  A cold shower of fear soaked the mage. A sense of great danger suddenly surged through his awareness. The influx of dark energy shouldn’t have affected the staff world. Such power wasn’t intrinsically evil. What happened was something else. Tyler paused momentarily, faced with the dilemma of probing the anomaly or proceeding with the search. He fed more strength into the spell. Examination of the threatening phenomenon had to wait. His daughter was still out there.

  The spell swiftly flew through the landscape, its strengthened nature crashing through everything in its path. It rapidly expanded, bypassing the usual clean lines of its ethereal current. Tyler had forced its direction and speed, disregarding its natural flow. The mage’s awareness was urging him to hurry, though he didn’t understand why. He went with his gut instinct. The strange murk he discovered at the borders of the staff world was quiescent. Still, the unnatural chill gripping his heart told him it wouldn’t be long before it moved, or more alarmingly, came alive. He poured more energy into the spell, and the coverage further expanded. As it spread, part of it touched the edge of the eldritch haze. At that moment, Tyler glimpsed what waited on the fringes of the staff world.

  It wasn’t evil. Nor did it bear any malice. But it was hungry. Ravenous, even. Like a raging fire, it was a force that wanted to consume. The worst thing was it felt familiar. That fleeting contact gave him that much. Yet something held it back for now. To Tyler, the entire situation gave him the impression it was a trap. As to who set it up and, more importantly, what would trigger it, the mage did not know. He immediately sent a message to his guides, asking them to investigate the anomaly. They were busy, but he reckoned such a threatening oddity warranted priority.

  A few minutes after his first expansion of the scrying field, a spark of power caught his attention. It was several miles out and near the lower reaches of the mountain range. Concentrating the search around the site, he sensed a cloud of energy huddled within a copse. The woeful sight tore at the mage. She looked so alone, and Tyler didn’t doubt his daughter was miserable and afraid. He doubted if the staff world itself posed any danger to the child, but the recent change was an unknown variable.

  ***

  “How can I travel quickly?” Tyler asked as he turned to the group, trying to be as calm as possible. Unfortunately, it didn’t fool his audience. The faces of his wards filled with anxiety and unspoken questions. Slight panic must have been evident in his tone. He promptly understood that the expression on his face didn’t help. The mage’s skin felt icy. Tyler knew his pale pallor, together with the tension they all sensed, showed something was wrong.

  “Think about where you want to go and will yourself there,” replied Birki, who also wore a questioning look in his eyes. “Unlike the world outside, this realm is completely yours. You own the staff, and it’s bound to you. You’re the god here.”

  Not anymore, thought the mage. Those strange changes have nothing to do with me.

  “I need Nehua and Seier with me. How do I do that?” Having the sisters along would be best in his determination. He hoped the guides would hurry with their examination. Being caught outside, in the jaws of that aberration, wasn’t to his liking.

  “Hold their hands and go there. Then, the spirit of the staff will know what to do,” answered the elemental.

  Birki knows about the spirit? The realization struck the mage. He must have expected me to be aware of it. But, damn, I really should have spent more time with them.

  Their movement to the desired location was instantaneous. It was odd for the Archmage. The usual transition was absent. They found themselves in a wooded area, with the added relief of welcome sunbeams piercing the forest canopy. It was deathly quiet. The usual woodland sounds were absent. Tyler assumed it was because of the child. Life essences were not compatible with raw dark energy. His daughter’s form wasn’t stable yet, and her aura must be leaking all over the place. Add to that her emotional state and the resulting atmosphere was akin to heavy pressure bearing down on every animal and insect within range.

  “Hey, we’re here,” said Tyler softly, calling out to the thicket in front. No matter how his sense of urgency was pounding drums within his mind, he compelled himself to stay calm and unhurried. The child didn’t answer. Several more entreaties failed. Even the efforts of the pair with him came to naught.

  “I’m coming there. Please don’t run away. We’re all worried about you,” said Tyler finally, pouring all his care and concern into what he said. The mage walked toward the trees.

  “Don’t!” a child’s voice replied suddenly. He stopped.

  “Why not? We’re family. We all missed you and are afraid that something bad had happened to you. Your worried brothers and sisters are eager for your return. I haven’t even met you.”

  “NO! I’m ugly! Nobody needs me! I don’t deserve to live! I should be dead!”

  The plaintive reply nearly broke Tyler’s heart. It took a lot of his willpower to stop himself from rushing into the bushes. Yet, he also understood that such a sudden movement would make matters worse. She could run away again or lash out with her abilities. The girl was traumatized, and Tyler knew from experience how such a situation could awaken latent powers. If she took flight, then it would entail more time. That wouldn’t be an issue, but the Archmage’s sense of danger had increased tenfold since they arrived.

  “I’m walking there, daughter. Please don’t run away,” implored the mage tenderly. The girl didn’t answer.

  He moved to the bushes quickly, taking care to avoid any sudden noise. A pitiful sight awaited him. Huddled against a tree trunk was an amorphous, dark figure. It had the form of a six- to seven-year-old girl. Still, her humanoid features visibly shifted from being solid to obsidian miasma. Though she held her head on her knees, Tyler could see the distinctive modest horns on her forehead. Streaked with golden spirals, they retained their solidity in comparison to the rest of her small body.

  But her coal-black aura struck Tyler the most. It was an impressive reservoir of power, a mixture
of the essence surrounding Asag and destructive Elder energy. Amazingly, he sensed its connection to him. Quick scrutiny revealed no other ethereal ties. He was gravely concerned at first because of the presence of the demon’s power, yet it appeared that what entered the staff world were unbound strands of strength freed from Asag’s essence.

  Still, his relief was short-lived. The mage expected the phenomenon afflicting the staff world – the dark miasma at its edges – was related to the child’s aura. Her link to that side of his Elder power was undeniable, but he couldn’t sense any other bond. The worst part was that his sense of peril grew as soon as his magical scrutiny came in close contact with her core. It was incomprehensible. The child clearly wasn’t the source of the menace he felt. Whatever threat existed, its origin was evidently dampened by a skill beyond him.

  Putting all his present concerns aside, Tyler went to the waiting form and embraced the child. The mage could feel her body trembling as she cried. He didn’t say anything. Saying he loved her wouldn’t help. There would be time for words. His daughter needed just his presence as of the moment. Tyler knew he failed as a father. There were no excuses for it. All he could do now was let her feel his care and reassurance.

  He put away the gnawing dread. It was steadily increasing, almost as if it was gaining a physical form. What frightened him the most was it had begun to resonate with his nature. Tyler wanted nothing more than to immediately leave. He had already sensed Nehua and Seier behind him. A wave of relief and sadness flowed from the pair as they quietly watched.

  After a few minutes, the mage felt her shaking start to go away. She wasn’t crying anymore. Tyler continued to embrace her, letting her feel his love and concern. Thankfully, her elder sisters remained quiet, impressing the mage with their maturity. However, the father’s guilt resurfaced. His wards not only grew in power and came of age but had also bonded as a family in his absence.