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

resulted because of their sheer raw magical power. I might be the master of all matters magical here, but not in their dimension. But Anemothýella’s line remains pure, unlike others of the race, descendants degenerating into beasts or mindless savagery. Wise ones of the older families do remain, but hard to find and in seclusion,” replied the avatar.

“You mean dragons of the First World merged with the living energy forms of Adar?”

“That’s what I said, mage. As a result, not many were created. It was a mistake I dare not repeat. Their bodies remained, but their minds and energies were that of my children. So, you might encounter drakontes, draken, wyrms, or similar creatures who are of your world. Some are friendly enough, but most are not. But all, like their kind, are perennially hungry,” she noted.

There are two varieties of dragons here? One from Earth and the other of Adar? What did she mean by “remains pure?” There are mad or beastly versions? Then the bone drakes of the Barrens came to mind and closed that line of inquiry.

“But the owner of the scales from which your armor was created is of my line; mortals called him Old Greyskin. I knew him, and it’s unwise to use that epithet for such a difficult old coot. He has to decide whether to share it with you. If you ever meet the old curmudgeon, call him Kàdíís, my name for him, meaning wildcat in an old Nubian language. Never call him Kàjnóndí, meaning donkey, an unfortunate incident and a tale for another time,” said the white dragon. “Remember Kàdíís. That way, he’ll know we’ve met.”

“Kàdíís, not Kàjnóndí. Got it. May you fare well in the struggle, Anemothýella Windstorm. I could have used your aid this time, but see you have bigger problems here. As for me, I still have hordes of bizarre undead to face. Several millennia’s worth, if my assumption is correct,” said Tyler.

The battle below them was still going on though the number of intruders appeared to be diminished and the black beam looked like it had lost some of its nauseating aura.

“The host I am going to face is beyond my experience, Windstorm. For all you know, you might find yourself another lord on the morning after the battle,” said Tyler in a wry tone.

The white dragon stared at him but said nothing. Then the imposing mountain of a wyrm bowed to them as the pair started to disappear.

“Please don’t tell me what those smoky creatures are. I don’t want to know that right now. With my luck, even asking about what they are could turn into a quest. I figure I’ll learn about them when it becomes necessary,” Tyler told the avatar.

“As you wish,” said the being. It could have been his imagination, but Tyler believed he could sense laughter in the answer.

***

Unexpectedly, the mage found himself suddenly alone, swiftly moving toward a dot of light in the distance.

Either she’s a really bad date or I’m dead.

A momentary soundless force buffeted him as Tyler neared his destination, forcing him to close his eyes. When the effects of the occurrence passed, he opened them. The wooden ceiling of the guest room greeted him.

Bad date then. No goodbyes even.

The last thing he remembered before finding himself alone was being in the boundless white space again. The mage was still trying to get information he could utilize to his advantage now the grant of additional abilities was out of the equation.

“Could you just tell me who the bad and good guys are? That would make my problems, as you described it, infinitely simpler.”

“You of all mortals should have long realized that nothing is really black or white for men and thinking beings. A fair appearance could belie a black heart, and an untrustworthy visage hide a pure and dedicated soul. Deities, on the other hand, for better or for worse, have their own plots and schemes to play. They are, after all, but reflections of their makers,” replied the avatar, shooting down another attempt of Tyler.

“But there are black ones? I mean, you are fighting them now to prevent their emergence on this world,” the mage persisted. “Not to mention solitary dark beings who crossed over from the First World. And don’t get me started on beyond ugly dimensional entities.”

“A being greater than I could light your path along that way of inquiry, but suffice to say that before the light was darkness. And it was never said that the void was entirely empty.”

The conversation stopped at that point and Tyler found himself rapidly on his way back to his body. The mage did remember peevishly thinking that the avatar’s action was cheating – cutting off any further questions from a decidedly insistent and persistent mage.

“You’re awake, sire. The mage Aage will be here in thirty minutes.” He heard Kobu’s reminder.

I wonder if he slept?

“A moment, Kobu. Let me prepare myself. I was hoping to wake up back home and realize that this was all but a dream,” said Tyler.

The exile laughed. “The thought sometimes occurs to me when I wake up, just before I open my eyes.”

***

The monumental revelations got Tyler engrossed in his thoughts even as the party was walking toward the jarl’s room. The mage knew there were a lot of permutations and facets involving the events and matters he had witnessed. Time was needed to think and make sense of some of it. The knowledge and experience given to him were priceless, and he doubted if any deity or mortal had been given the same privilege.

All that information on top of everything else, thought the mage, reflecting on his recent experiences. I desperately need some time away from lethal distractions and deadly visitors. Fossegrim would do nicely. I pray everything’s fine with Eira. At least her forest would right now be the safest place in the entire realm.

As they were nearing the door of the designated meeting place, the sound of voices raised in