The Accidental Archmage: Book Eight (Where Titans Walk)

by Edmund A. M. Batara

  “A barren, desolate and utterly uninviting vista would be our welcome. It would appear to be bereft of any population, characterized as it is by sulfur lakes, volcanic fissures, and rivers of molten magma. One look and an ordinary person would immediately sail away. Right into the maw of those sea monsters, I might add. But go deeper into that land, past the bizarrely formed cliffs and mountains, the amazingly beautiful yet lethal natural attractions, and a living, breathing vista would greet you. I have to admit that I only got to that point – where the land changed. The awful welcome made me rush back as fast as I could,” narrated Se-Osiris.

  “Explain, please. It’s still muddled. I would appreciate a bit more detail,” replied Tyler. Ancient cultures had this trying trait of explaining matters the long way. Other individuals from the twenty-first century would shake Se-Osiris violently by his shoulders while shouting – what the hell do you mean? Directness was a characteristic of modern life and clearly rare on Adar. Especially among mages.

  “Whatever remained of Adar’s original inhabitants live there – the sentient ones. Of varied biological origins, they’ve evolved and developed to a point almost to the level of the civilizations you see on the continent. Or possibly influenced by what defeated them. Defeated – hah! Massacred would probably be a better description,” said Se-Osiris.

  “They’re humans?” asked the young Archmage.

  “Not really. Humanoid, but without the traits of the race. Or of any race from the First World. Unfortunately, their development was in a world still full of magic and that meant they’re more familiar and adept at its use and nuances. My presence was sensed by a sentry and imagine my mortification when he proved to be better at it. That’s the kind of world we’ll be visiting. Fortunately, I am already dead,” grinned Se-Osiris.

  “The pantheons don’t want that knowledge to be widespread. Mortals don’t need that threat at the back of their minds. There’s so much baggage there already. But I believe that’s an erroneous reading of humans. I can’t say I am an expert on the psyche of the other races. Reality is always terrible. People prefer to be ignorant, even intentionally, unless and until the problem is right under their noses. Or asses,” the apparition added quickly.

  Great. Just great. Add that to having a mage with a disjointed sense of purpose, greatly psychologically disfigured by his past. And this fellow, the ghost of a dead mage who I honestly can’t say I fully trust. Then the madness of an enraged and unhinged stepmother. As if I didn’t have enough problems, thought Tyler with dread and consternation. It’s enough to give me apoplexy, and probably will, in time.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Hello

  The waiting unknown gave rise to small clouds of fear and doubt in the young Archmage’s mind. The sanctum of the rogue Elder – its safe haven – was magically hidden behind a mountain’s jagged exterior. Even ordinary magic couldn’t detect the opening that was surprisingly fashioned after the Greek temple entrance. However, Tyler observed a preference for Dorian columns and fretwork. Yet the unlit interior waiting for him reminded him too much of a waiting, hungry maw.

  Finding the place wasn’t so difficult. It merely took four transfers to locate the site, and that included the original transit from Fossegrim. No unexpected complication reared its ugly head, and Se-Osiris proved quite adept at the use of Thaut’s power to travel such a long distance. Nevertheless, they arrived on an uncomfortable, windy mountain clearing overlooking the sea. From what Tyler could observe, the cursed place didn’t even have a proper beach. It was all sheer cliffs dropping down to deep blue waters. He couldn’t tell if such a feature was natural or fashioned by magic, but to see miles and miles of the same gray and black rocky surface was an experience which inevitably made him suspect the pantheons. The escarpment was Banna’s wall. A prison’s barrier.

  Se-Osiris told them that the rocky dell was where he initially set foot on the isle. Pressed about how he managed to reach land, past all those monstrous sea creatures and the incredible height of the adjacent cliff, the ghost merely smiled and evaded any further questions by pleading a mage’s secrets. Remarkably, the excuse was enough for the company, even Cassius. All Tyler could conclude was that the mage must have been a very resourceful and determined young man who hasn’t heard of the saying about cats and curiosity.

  From their arrival point, Tyler took directions from his guides and feed them to Thaut’s agent. Se-Osiris did require that their movement be within their line of sight, but aside from that, magical passage was straightforward. At first, the specific location of the dying rogue Elder couldn’t be pinpointed, but its general direction was detected by Tyler’s guides whose abilities appeared to have grown with the Archmage’s progress. Tyler saw the stark difference between this search and the quest for X’s cave. Gone was the fumbling and slow hunt. This exploration was methodical and precise. But the young mage assumed that the efficiency was due to the scientific bent of X and the enormous mental and detection power afforded by the presence of two Elder constructs.

  ***

  Eventually, the company overlooked a small canyon. The Elder source was just below them. Tyler looked west and then south. The skies above the former were tinged with a faint amber hue, punctuated by swiftly moving tiny flashes of light. He prayed the prison of the two mindless monsters would hold, at least until he found a way to deal with – God forbid – both creatures at once, or preferably, the sole victor of such a monumental conflict. Even assuming that the pair were shunted to a dimensional battlefield, where time could be significantly slowed, such a solution was temporary. Once would eventually emerge victorious and turn its fury on the walls of its magical prison. The only consolation Tyler could think of was that the plans of conquest of the two jotunn lords, the lords of the affected realms, had been torn to pieces. Very tiny shreds.

  Serves you freaking bastards right, thought Tyler, musing that Ymir and Sutr must have fled to the deepest reaches of their domains. They might not be the brightest jotnar on the block, but the mage believed even they could see death coming in the form of the two epochal monsters – a mentally-challenged jotunn could see the deadly danger arising from a monumental battle between a vortex of destruction and an ancient void.

  South lay the re-emergence of an old foe and the results of Loki’s machinations. He had no idea what the situation was in those lands. Hopefully, the forces of the unhinged god of mischief would come into conflict with the Aztecha. Yet the Archmage considered such a possibility to be in the future. Loki’s war was focused in the southwest regions of the continent. The Aztecha Empire’s concerns were in the opposite direction. A vast area divided the two predators. Still, it could happen. Hard and difficult resistance might convince either to shift the course of their hunger sideways instead of northward against the larger and more established realms. Both were greedy predators, the mage doubted if the two would agree to share in the future. Lamentably, that also meant more suffering, death, and devastation.

  So many fucking unknowns, sighed Tyler as he turned his attention back to the task at hand, shuffling his feet against the gravelly ground. Banna, at least where the company had been, didn’t have dirt. It had pebbles, sharp ones honed by the elements. The Archmage figured they were already several miles inland. However, the terrain was still locked in the picturesque yet surreal landscape that initially greeted them, though the volcanic fissures and gaseous emissions described by Se-Osiris had become a common sight.

  At his gesture, Se-Osiris shifted the company to the canyon floor. Led by Tyler, the group walked toward the opening which only the mage could see. The young man could now sense strong signs of Elder energy. The dark Elder hid well the aura of its bolt hole. A cursory examination, even by an Elder adept, wouldn’t be able to pick up such energy traces—the path to the entryway also led through large boulders and sharp, slippery surfaces, making the site blend with its surroundings.

  “This is worse than the least hospitable parts of the Dokkalfr Mountains!”
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  For once, it was Habrok who was doing the complaining. But Tyler guessed it wasn’t the physical effort that got to the ranger. It was the alien nature of the land. The continent didn’t have anything like Banna. The Void Lands and the Barrens were peculiar and strange places, but they were familiar nightmares. Mortals had previously been to such expanses. Everyone knew something about them. It was common knowledge that they were the result of magic. But Banna wasn’t like that. Nobody, except for heads of pantheons and a few individuals like the ghost mage of Kemet, knew anything about the place. The Forbidden Isle might very well be another planet, and Habrok, mused the Archmage, clearly didn’t have the makings of an astronaut.

  He didn’t hear anything from Thyma or Astrid, but the pair had their own means of coping with the strangeness, not to mention making their way through the field of rocks easier. Se-Osiris had no problem with physical obstacles, and Cassius wouldn’t be a mage of such a high rank if the state of the terrain inconvenienced or affected him. The exile, Tyler’s shadow guardian, was silent as usual though the Archmage noticed Kobu kept close to him as he made his way through the treacherous ground. Tyler knew the warlord was watching, making sure that if he slipped or stumbled, a cracked skull wouldn’t be the result of a fumbled step.

  At length, the group stood before the entrance itself. The magical spell was definitely similar to what hid that proto-Indian kingdom back in the Barren – Sarva’s people, the remnants of the Meluhhaites. Tyler was aware that what the rest of the group could see was the rocky surface of a precipitous cliff. He could just imagine the questions running in their minds. The guides had been sending queries, according to Hal, but had received no answer. It was peculiar, but excusable if the one within was concealing its presence. A rogue Elder on the run wouldn’t reply to any query directed at its hiding place.

  At that moment, the young man noticed that Cassius and Se-Osiris were both staring at him with quizzical looks. The others were more concerned about their surroundings and had adopted defensive positions. The contrasting reactions spoke volumes about the trust reposed in him by the two groups comprising the company – the veterans and the newcomers. The former behaved with full confidence in their leader, however strange or peculiar the situation might appear to be. The newcomers had room for doubt.

  Tyler merely gave everyone a confident smile and waved for them to follow. He was satisfied with X’s finding that the barrier itself contained no dangerous energies. It was passive and benign, according to the guide. He stepped through the threshold of the deception and walked forward. After a few steps, he noticed nobody was following him. It was a curious fact which forced Tyler to halt and go back through the magical veil.

  “We couldn’t pass, sire,” reported Kobu as soon as he saw Tyler. “Even the ghost was prevented from following you.”

  “A strange phenomenon indeed,” said Se-Osiris as the two mages went to the Archmage.

  Tyler immediately grasped the significance of the oddity. Elders, of whatever stripe, appeared to have extremely guarded attitudes towards their secrets. Whoever was waiting for him didn’t want others to see what Tyler was going to see or discover.

  At least it didn’t turn them all to ashes like what that tablet did to Eira’s brother. But I guess the Elder within knew I wasn’t going to come alone, mused the Archmage. Then again, if malice and danger were involved, my guides would have warned me.

  “It looks like I am the only one allowed to go inside. It’s not our house, so we abide by the owner’s rules,” said the Archmage. “Wait for me here, and while I am inside, Kobu takes over.”

  With that statement, Tyler immediately turned and walked back inside. He didn’t want to answer questions from the pair of mages. Before the contending, egoistic pair was magic they have not encountered before, which was enough to create a mountain of questions. Tyler was in no mood to humor them.

  Once inside, he had the prudence and common sense to stop and scrutinize the dim surroundings. It looked simple enough. A stone hallway led directly inside, deeper into the complex. Tyler couldn’t sense any threat or danger waiting for him, but that didn’t mean it was safe. Magic being what it was, a calm environment could suddenly turn viciously dangerous. Only a higher ability in the art would enable one to detect traps and hidden hazards. Tyler understood that only an idiot would assume he was that good a mage at this juncture. There were too many unknowns and the powerful emanations he could now feel only added to his trepidation.

  “Guys, what do you think?” he asked his guides.

  “It is Elder magic, sire. There’s no question about it. But the power waiting for us doesn’t seem to be as powerful as we expected. Unfortunately, our efforts to examine the area ahead of us had been stymied by the same energy. We’re not that powerful yet to be able to contend with the raw magic of an Elder,” replied X. “Caution is advised.”

  Tyler nearly laughed out loud at the last statement. It sounded too modern and out of place in an era of ancient beliefs and magic.

  One small step for Tyler, the mage told himself as he began to walk forward. Hopefully, not toward a giant trap.

  ***

  He didn’t have to go far and came to a large, well-lit stone room. The chamber was bare, empty of furnishings and décor, except for a golden object floating in the middle of the space. It was a depiction of a circle of thick rope with no end.

  “A shen. An ancient symbol of Kemet symbolizing eternity or the infinite,” replied X to the mage’s rushed query.

  “If it’s from Kemet, what the hell is it doing in a rogue Elder’s sanctum?” remarked Tyler. The situation was strange enough to put him on guard.

  Another fucking surprise. Or complication, he silently complained to himself.

  Tyler examined the suspended artifact and discovered that it wasn’t a solid object. It was an illusion, but one which looked substantial enough. Then the shen began to rotate slowly. Whoever placed it in the room ensorcelled it to react to the presence of visitors. The young mage instinctively double-checked his shields. But the unusual symbol didn’t do anything except spin in place.

  “It appears to be waiting, sire,” remarked Hal.

  “That seems to be the case. Any idea on what it does?” asked Tyler.

  “No dangerous energies are present and its functional matrix is similar to the tablet of Iapetus – if the Archmage remembers what that Titan left behind in Fossegrim in the wake of Eira’s abduction. We assume the shen is a communications device of some sort,” advised X.

  “Oh, screw this. Am I supposed to touch that thing?” exclaimed Tyler. This time he inadvertently voiced the question.

  “A controlled and directed release of your energy might work. The act did trigger the Titan’s spell,” reminded X.

  The Archmage didn’t reply, and instead, let loose a bolt of fire against the object. The artifact silently absorbed Tyler’s attack, and then the shen dissolved, reforming into a familiar human shape.

  It was Lumeri.

  Epilogue

  Good Intentions

  “What are you doing here?” asked the surprised Archmage. Of all people and creatures, the wandering, deathless scribe was the last individual he expected to see in a rogue Elder’s refuge.

  “Not really here, Archmage. Somewhere to the south. But my spell told me you belatedly got around to visiting Banna. Don’t be surprised about the advanced spell. It isn’t like that primitive conjuration I heard the Titan Iapetus used. This one enables us to talk and see each other. A gift from one powerful and fortunately deceased dark spirit,” smiled Lumeri. “And you’re finally on Banna, a land where true titans of magic walk. Where mere mages wield power which would easily dwarf a deity’s strength.”

  “Where’s that dying rogue Elder you told me was waiting for me?” asked Tyler. A sinking feeling was starting to emerge, threatening to drag any previous expectation into oblivion.

  “She’s dead. The call of death couldn’t wait any longer. I did visit her once
more, just before she was dragged into whatever hell awaited her kind. I had a change of heart, you see, and her expiring presence on this plane was too opportune to pass up,” continued the image.

  “What the fuck are you talking about?” cursed Tyler, all restraint thrown into the ether. It was apparent he was going to hear something ugly and that Lumeri the Scribe wasn’t the same obedient and humble entity he had encountered before.

  But Lumeri didn’t answer him immediately. Instead, his right hand gestured, and an image of the shen appeared in the room.

  “The shen. Infinity in a symbol. Of Kemetian symbolism. A fitting sign of my desire. A reminder of the circle I want to break. Thaut of Kemet was my principal jailor. I believe I had told you that already. An infinity of existence. A punishment to last until the end of time,” voiced Lumeri, gazing upward at something only he could see. “I realized that it was too long.”

  TOO LONG? It’s infinity, you moron, thought the now irate mage. But he admitted that the disjointed narrative of Lumeri alarmed him.

  “I want to die, Archmage. I am… deathly tired. So tired you can’t imagine the burden my being endures and suffers every time I see a sunrise,” continued the scribe. “Then, call it an epiphany… but a thought occurred to me. I had reached a point of having enormous magical knowledge at my disposal. I was uniquely positioned to whisper ideas and courses of action to powerful beings. What if I do something to achieve what I really desire?”