It’s not as if I could kill myself in here. Or could I? the mage wondered, idly conceding it would be too idiotic if he did manage to eliminate himself.
Now how do I go about this? It’s not as simple as learning a spell and casting it, Tyler thought, remembering how knowledge of some spells was given to him by Eira and Gullin.
He looked around and the barren scenery again greeted him. This time, Tyler felt it was mocking him.
I must be losing it, he grinned, recognizing the change in his perspective. Still, come of think of it, it’s my mind. My reality. Fuck this! I could do with some changes around here!
Then out of the blue, part of what the avatar said came back to him – so strong that it could bend reality to its desires. It could be a key, a clue. The mage accepted that the avatar or those able to help couldn’t tell him directly what he needed to hear. They had to hide the lousy hint somewhere in what they said.
Obfuscation seemed to be a job requirement for the bastards, concluded Tyler.
Tyler thought that a forest would be nice. Then he changed his mind. It was too ambitious and considered starting small. He also didn’t know what the repercussions would be and what personal demons his mind had hidden from him. Given his luck, he’d probably end up with a hungry horde of carnivorous conifers. He had to be careful with what he decided to create. His various experiences had exposed him to a lot of bizarre and dangerous creatures. An errant thought, and such monsters would keep him company.
The mage decided to go first with a small mound. A natural feature in the terrain. Yet he had to create it without using any of the spells at hand. Tyler had to will it into existence and hope that it would still be there the following day. He sat down, calmed himself, and focused.
The first one is going to be hard, Tyler told himself as he closed his eyes. The exercise started with telling – no, convincing – his mind that everything around him was subject to his will. It took a long time before Tyler found the mental balance swinging in his favor. Once full acceptance of that hypothesis sank in, he imagined and willed a small hill to rise several yards in front of him. His vision built it level by level, stone upon dirt, and finally capped it with a flat promontory. It was an unbelievably tiring practice and, surprisingly, also physically drained him.
The mage knew it took a lot of time, but it was his first effort. He still had his eyes closed and didn’t know if he succeeded. But Tyler felt something change in his surroundings even as alternating bursts of warmth and coldness exploded through his body. It wasn’t uncomfortable, merely startling in their suddenness. Yet, in a sense, the unforeseen feedback was a welcome sign. But he kept on with what he was doing, fearing that a break in the concentration would result in failure.
Finally, Tyler opened his eyes and loosened his unexpectedly gripped fingers. He could feel the marks his fingers left on his palm. Painful, but the sensation was disregarded the moment the Archmage beheld the small knoll in front of him. It was a lot bigger than he expected. He stood up, smiling, and noticed that the light was giving way to darkness. A quick gesture and a brightly-lit orb came into existence. The ground was going to be another hard bed to spend the night, and hopefully, the dirt mound would still be around when he woke up.
***
Another month had passed, and Tyler’s world had changed. He now stood on the top of a grassy hill overlooking a small forested valley. He already had built himself a small hut and a more comfortable, though still roughly made bed. A bubbling creek wound its way in the picturesque landscape below him. The mage had tried to add animals to the area, but apparently, such an endeavor was still beyond his abilities. But he was satisfied with the visible progress. His routine had changed, and recourse to the usual spells was sporadic. With a now swifter way of manifesting what he wanted, Tyler wasn’t that dependent on them anymore.
He did have his misgivings. Using such an ability within his mental world was well and good, but the mage didn’t know if it could be used outside – in the reality awaiting him. But Tyler decided there was only one way to test the hypothesis, which would mean breaking free. He also had to be careful even if the ability worked on the other side. It would attract attention, and he didn’t know how powerful beings would react to one wielding such power. The skill was beyond any deity-level magic and approached the capability of the avatar. That is, if it worked in the physical plane at all.
But now, Tyler had determined it was time to test the confines of his prison. He felt confident enough and somehow suspected himself to be more powerful. The mage still hadn’t fully explored the confluence of the energies within him. He had tried, but it was too complex. The three strands could be seen in his mind’s eye, swirling around each other, each changing color, with one never of the same hue as the others.
Tyler did notice the peculiar fact that tendrils never touched each other, which was the clincher for him not to investigate further. At least, until he knew more. The mage was curious, but not foolhardy enough to disturb, much less experiment with such unfamiliar energies. He knew they were beyond being merely dangerous. He’d try to use them first in the real world and learn about their workings before venturing into exploring what intricacies they had and the relation of the magics to each other.
The mage looked around. If the attempt was successful, then he’d be leaving this place. Tyler hoped he’d be able to visit again. It was now a peaceful nook in his mind. He wouldn’t mind staying from time to time. The two damned, battling monsters still awaited his attention as well as a host of other problems. Compared to what was waiting for him, this place was heaven.
With a sigh, he gave a final glance at the idyllic surroundings and then closed his eyes once more. When he found himself collected enough, he opened them and resolutely peeled away the surrounding landscape. The effort was made intuitively. It was an expression of his will, and the exertion came naturally as breathing. No strenuous effort was involved this time, only a manifestation of what he wanted deep within himself.
The now-familiar surges of extreme temperatures rushed through the mage, but he gave them no heed. He was already accustomed to them. The reality around him started to waver and then disappeared. Bright and almost blinding light dazzled him. He squinted and found himself looking at his body from above. For some reason, his progress back to his mortal shell was halted.
“There you are! I was wondering where you went. I didn’t believe you would be trapped in a torpid body for any length of time,” said a laughing, yet familiar and mischievous voice.
It was Asag. In his familiar warrior form, but his transparency and vague outline gave away his spectral nature.
“I am free, as you can see. Since I like you, I thought it polite to give you some warning. I have some good and bad news for this world’s Archmage. Mostly bad, but at least you get to learn about it,” smiled the demon in a clearly predatory manner.
Chapter Seventeen
Watchdogs
If Asag expected the mage to be surprised, a wry and lopsided smile dashed his eager anticipation. To Tyler’s satisfaction, the baffled reaction on the demon’s face was priceless. It was, to the young man from Earth, Christmas without all the trimmings for Asag.
“You spoiled it,” remarked the demon petulantly. For the lack of a better term, the term demon stuck in the mage’s mind. Tyler doubted if Asag would willingly give him the name of its kind. That would give their enemies a name to target with all their resources.
“I did have my suspicions, especially with that comment you made before leaving,” replied the mage.
“Well, I had an entire spiel prepared. Explaining why and how, what the future holds, and all that donkey shit. You spoiled it,” repeated the demon grumpily.
“Don’t let me stop you,” grinned Tyler. The demon had vastly grown in strength and power. The mage could sense it. But Asag still acted and thought like a child sometimes.
Tyler surmised he was still in transition between planes. The mage briefly wondere
d if he could work his will in the present space, but decided against it. No point in revealing such a skill since Asag was now obviously a threat. Not in a group which formed part of the current opposition, but nevertheless an enemy with its own agenda. Or plan, scheme, or whatnot of his own tribe, assembly, race, or whatever they called themselves.
“You have grown, Archmage. I didn’t think you had it in you,” observed the demon, clearly sizing him up.
“Oh, Adar does that to anybody who stumbles into it. Me? I learned to be suspicious a long time ago. I go with the flow of the current since I don’t have the strength to swim upstream. But I keep my observations to myself and prepare accordingly,” answered the mage casually. “Now, your grand scheme? But to be honest, there’s a lot of that floating around these days.”
“As I said, you spoiled the moment, and I am not in the mood for grandiose extemporizing. You’ll have to suffice for the short, and definitely uninteresting version. We’re coming for this world. It took our race some time to find a reality such as this one,” replied Asag, likewise in an indifferent manner, mimicking the Archmage’s studied detachment.
“Let me guess. Souls,” answered Tyler. Demons and souls. He figured they’d always go together. Like barbecue and A1 sauce.
“Souls? What would we do with such essences? Indigestible, sharp, and scratchy on the palate. Gives one a severe headache afterward. No, dear Archmage, we’re not here for souls. Magic is what calls us, and magic feeds my kind. We’ve been hungry for an immeasurable length of time, reduced to consuming each other. Only a hopeful echo across the dimensions made my race decide on a gamble to send me here. It cost the existence of a lot of us, some unwillingly, but it was worth it,” grinned the demon.
Asag’s disclosure considerably startled the mage, though the admission that the demon tried consuming a human soul wasn’t a surprise. It was also a personal reaction that only served to emphasize that Tyler had been jaded by the experiences he had in this world. It’s like boxing. At a certain point, one doesn’t feel some of the punches anymore.
The demon’s arrival on the First World was during a period of magic. Still, he had shown up bereft of any capacity to open the needed gateway for the remnants of his kind. Clawing his way from the depths of the world, he adopted the guise of a rock deity. A pretense that also appealed to something in Asag’s nature.
Then magic started to disappear from Earth, and the despair of the being was only lifted by the revelation that another world existed. One brimming with magical energy. But the little reserve Asag was able to save was expended during the transfer, forcing him to start anew. Faced with a diminished pool of believers who served as the conduit for such power, the demon was forced to travel far and wide in search of direct magical sources.
It was an odyssey that nearly cost him everything. But his period of confinement inadvertently enabled the demon to amass a massive amount of energy, and his bond with Tyler gave Asag the final reserves he needed. What remained was the breaking of the geas that tied him to the dictates of Adar’s magic. It was an ingredient obligingly supplied by the Void.
Damn. Me again, thought Tyler. Just when I thought the procession of guilt had ended.
“The deities of this world won’t let you get away with it. You do know that,” remarked the mage, trying to get more information from his erstwhile companion.
“They’re weak. Bound by belief, greed, and arrogance. Their very nature limits them,” chuckled Asag, derision in his laughter.
“The more powerful among them know where their existence depends. Created the human race, huh! That’s donkey shit. Yet I have to admit some mortals had an inkling about the reality of the relationship, though they got it upside-down, hence the Babylonian saying about what the gods gave your race –
With lies and not truth, they endowed them forever.”
“I have to admit the presence of an Archmage alarmed me for a while,” continued Asag. “My race had been vastly reduced in numbers, and you realize by now that they’ll arrive weak and almost powerless. But this world’s Archmage is obviously a novice and won’t be a problem for us. Don’t worry, we won’t appear and bother anybody for some time. My brethren still need to be fed.”
“I do hope they choke,” replied Tyler. It was admittedly a weak retort, but it was all he could say.
“Until we meet again, Master,” grinned the demon sarcastically. “It’s a contest I look forward to experiencing.”
Yeah, until we meet again, inwardly thought the mage as his surroundings started to fade. You and yours combined. I might have some novice surprises for you, my “friend”.
***
Tyler could see the enormous relief in everyone’s eyes when he stirred and struggled to sit up. Nobody spoke, to his relief. He was still a bit dizzy and his head felt tight. But his companions were clearly giving him time to recover. A quick healing spell immediately followed, courtesy of Eira. His wife wasn’t taking any chances. However, the Archmage’s thoughts were abruptly disturbed with queries from his guides. He knew they were concerned, but with a lot of things on his mind, the mage asked them to hold all questions. At least they were back. If he had any injuries, the two would be busy fixing it, even without any instructions from him. Yet the growth in his body structure would invite queries from the pair.
He smiled wanly at Eira, an action that the spirit took to be an invitation to embrace him tightly. No words were spoken. The experience of feeling her warmth and presence was enough for Tyler. He looked around at the smiling, though still worried, faces looking at them. Interestingly, he noted that the dead mage of Kemet wasn’t around.
After a few minutes, he stood up, helped by Eira. The mage looked at the battlefield. Men were still streaming into the town, though in a more organized manner. The absence of the two fiends apparently restored some semblance of order. He glanced inquiringly at Kobu.
“The Void disappeared, sire, and what erupted from you likewise vanished. I daresay it followed the Void,” replied the exile simply.
Tyler mechanically nodded. He sensed where the Void went. Ymir and Sutr, the jotunn lords of the lands of fire and ice, would be in for a very unwelcome and deadly surprise. Considering what he had been told, that primordial creature would only remember that its power and nature were greatly diminished by the advent of those two elements at the birth of Nordic mythology. The mage would be happy with the turn of events, except for what the Void would do after turning the northern lands into a vast region of nothing. Add to that the avatar’s statement that she considered Ymir and Sutr as her adopted magical representations of the elements they represent. There was undoubtedly more trouble on the horizon.
“Where’s that ghost?” he asked out loud to nobody in particular. Tyler didn’t expect Se-Osiris to be gone just when matters were getting interesting.
“He disappeared a few moments after you collapsed,” answered the Valkyrie in a disapproving tone. “Didn’t think he was a coward.”
“Nor am I, my beautiful demigoddess,” a voice suddenly spoke above them. The dead mage of Kemet was back.
“But I am considerably hurt that you would think such a wicked thought of me,” smirked the ghost as he reappeared on the ground. “I do understand why the notion would come into your mind. To lay such questions to rest, let me say that I was called back by the deity who sent me here.”
Thaut? And that god didn’t think I was dead when I collapsed? He already had new instructions for Se-Osiris? wondered the mage. The appearance of the creatures changed the entire situation. The speed by which Thaut reacted to the incredibly powerful aberrations indicated he knew more than he let on.
“I do have some bad news, Archmage. For you and your company. Asem can’t rejoin you yet,” said Se-Osiris.
“Huh?” exclaimed Tyler. The news was abrupt enough to catch them all by surprise. He was actually looking forward to visiting the priestess before the two monstrous complications appeared.
“Don’t look at me
like that! It’s not my fault. I was just told about it. She wanted to leave for Skaney a few days ago, but the… religious problems in Kemet had worsened. Somebody wants to cut up somebody again, and this time intends to burn the pieces to ash. Failing that, that fellow had declared he’d chop up the cadaver into very tiny pieces and hide them all over Adar,” explained the dead mage in a deadpan voice.
Everything was stated straightforwardly, and Tyler considered Se-Osiris to be a shoo-in for poker. The way he mentioned what he said, the words chosen, all point to a spirit amused by it all. Tyler wryly reflected that being dead and removed from such godly politics was indeed a blessing. All the soul needed was popcorn for the sequel to the Horus and Set show. Unfortunately, his renown and reputation got him stuck with the company. At least he couldn’t die again unless a terminal encounter with a soul-sucking monster ensued..
“It’s that bad, I could guess,” remarked Tyler, referring to the problems plaguing Kemet.
“It’s a mess. The empire is tottering and on the brink of permanently losing its vassal states, most of which have been conquered by Nubia’s alliance,” replied Se-Osiris, shaking his head.
The Accidental Archmage: Book Eight (Where Titans Walk) Page 20
