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

three mages who had accompanied the continued advance of the foray already on the ground, grasping their heads, and from their loud and terrible cries, clearly suffering from terrible pain.

“Can’t we do anything?” asked the mage urgently, even as he let fly force blades again, but this time on the three engaged sides of the wedge. Tyler also cast healing spells on the suffering mages. It was all he could do at the moment.

Abruptly, he was thrown to the ground as several magical blasts smashed the barrier he had created.

What in the world? The surprised thought erupted in his shaken mind as he picked himself up.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Through the Valley of Undead

Skathi spake:

49. “Light art thou, Loki, | but longer thou mayst not

In freedom flourish thy tail;

On the rocks the gods bind thee | with bowels torn

Forth from thy frost-cold son.”

Loki spake:

50. “Though on rocks the gods bind me | with bowels torn

Forth from my frost-cold son,

I was first and last | at the deadly fight

There where Thjazi we caught.”

Kobu looked at the young mage starting to get up.

“I know. Mages,” said Tyler quickly.

Fucking undead mages. No magical exhaustion for them, he swore.

Tyler quickly cast a scrying spell around him, trying to locate the mage, or mages. At the same time, he unloaded another barrage of deadly slicing rain around the wedge. The sudden disappearance of the barrier had resulted in an immediate surge of the swarm against the defenders. A thunderous rumble echoed through the air as the undead mass slammed into shields.

Almost immediately, the mage found the ones responsible for destroying his barrier. Two spots radiated a concentration of magical energy. He quickly let loose two lightning bolts toward the beings. Mage battles being what they were, the first to act usually had the advantage. Tyler knew the two were also searching for him. To the mage’s relief, the two bright dots of magical energy winked out as the destructive lightning attack reached them.

Only two? The question arose in Tyler’s mind. Either the ancient battles involved fewer mages than he expected, or magical practitioners were very difficult to kill during that period.

Tyler looked around. The furious and deadly battle was at its height. Even the rear of the wedge was also now engaged. The din was unbelievable, though the shouts and battle cries were all being made by humans and dwarves. The enemy was silent as ever.

We’ll lose this battle of attrition, he observed. Let’s see if the rearguard is still there. Otherwise, there’s no reason to stay a minute more.

A spell of light flung over the spot he’d last seen the encircled warriors revealed the surprising spectacle of about a thousand dwarves and a few humans still fighting and holding their own. The circle had become smaller but gave the defenders less area to defend. Rectangular shields had been linked and embedded in the ground. Many dwarven warriors were already dual-wielding weapons. But he could see signs of flagging – a lot of warriors had stepped back to regain their strength. Many, even those in the front ranks, were wounded or wearing damaged armor. The tide of opponents didn’t look as if the multitude of fallen undead made any difference.

Tyler’s mind raced. He could force a way to the encircled warriors in front, but the vast horde of opponents would still be there, and such an attempt would undoubtedly result in an increased tempo in the fighting as the enemy reacted. The result would be just a bigger group of surrounded mortals fighting for their lives. He had to quickly stem the flood of the undead, or slow down the steady and increasing influx of reinforcements replacing fallen revenants.

“Birki! Does anybody know how to dig channels, pits, earthworks?”

“That would be me, sire,” replied the being with muted indignation.

“I’m sorry, Birki. Totally engrossed right now. Not thinking straight,” answered the embarrassed Tyler.

“I understand, sire. We could see what’s happening.”

“I need deep ditches dug in the area in front of the circle of warriors ahead of us. A lot of trenches. We have to slow down or lessen the number of enemies we’re facing,” explained the young mage.

“Can I bring young Vathys along? He has some knowledge of tunnels and this would be good practice for him.”

“Tunnels?” he asked.

“Of course. The greatest works of divine smiths were crafted with volcanic heat. Tunnel-making is a necessary skill.”

“Whatever, Birki. Just make it quick,” replied the mage, his voice now marked with urgency. He could see Kobu had given orders for the wedge to be compressed, a change also affording weary fighters a chance to get out of the line and rest.

“You do have to call us out of the staff, First Mage,” reminded Birki. “And Apulli is also requesting to come with us.”

Apulli… Wilan’s counterpart.

“Why does he want to come?” asked the puzzled mage.

“He thinks he can practice his powers of destruction. I really don’t know what they are, but I say give the lad a chance. There’s no substitute for field experience. And you started everything when you let the Aztecah girl have some playtime.”

“Fine. The three of you. Apulli can cover your backs while you’re working. This blasted undead host has mages,” replied the mage. He called out the trio and then raced to Kobu who was reinforcing a threatened section.

Fuck this. Being in the middle of a battle really plays havoc with one’s perception and thinking, cursed Tyler inwardly as he created another barrier, a large triangular shape this time, to cover the configuration of the defense ranks.

As soon as the barrier came into being, the mage could sense a discernible decrease in the fighting and a lifting of the sense of being embattled among the defenders. Yet he knew the respite couldn’t last; the irresistible pressure of the veritable mountain of undead on the other side would see to that. Even now, he could sense the force being exerted on the energy barrier.

“Kobu. There will be a momentary lull in the