The Accidental Archmage - Book Five Edmund Batara (classic children's novels .TXT) 📖

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.”

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.

After a quick visit to the toilet and the morning’s ablutions, 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 that 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 the 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.

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 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