“I will. I have to thank you, Tyler. For all you’ve done. Is this how a proud parent feels?”
“Yes. And enjoy it. In the company of your son.”
“I will.”
As the deity left, Tyler looked at him for a while. It did feel strange that his arrival here made it possible for the two to be reconciled as father and son, resulting in a demigod of assassins in the process. Even the cordial relations he now has with an erstwhile enemy, the Ismenian drakon and his race, feels scripted. No, not scripted but the result of a gamble somebody took on him doing the right thing. Is somebody looking out for him? Then he discarded the notion. If looking out meant keeping him jumping through dangerous hoops time after time, then no thanks.
He walked up to his room, passing the noisy and drunken guests of the inn. He gave the barkeep a nod which resulted in a smile from the big man. Tyler stopped and exchanged some small talk with him. He learned the man’s name was Danay. The man was friendly with him though Tyler put it down to the perceived close relations between him and the owners of the establishment. But then again, as with Eleos, he felt there was something else behind the façade. Knowing Dionysus, there probably is. Bidding the barkeep goodnight, he continued to his room.
Entering his bedroom, he went directly to the pillows on his bed. He found the small box. It was a tiny box made of wood, though with a lot of ornate engravings on it. As he picked it up, a faint surge of energy followed. It didn’t hurt him. A checking mechanism, he surmised. Opening the box, he found a small white stone inside. Its surface had three Norse runes on it. Examining it, he found that the reverse also had some runes but of an unfamiliar style.
He moved to the middle of the room and crushed the stone in his right hand. A silent and safe blast of energy followed, flowed around him, and finally concentrated in a circle to his front. As power continued to flow into the circle, he could discern a figure within it. As the energy grew stronger, the image became more evident. It was Odin. A seated All-Father. But the view was of Odin’s side. He was at a table. A sunlit view of very close white clouds provided the background. He was apparently in some discussion. Still, it irritated Tyler, coming so soon after their last meeting.
This again?
“There you are, young mage!” Odin's greeting boomed through the room. Tyler prayed it didn’t startle the entire inn.
The image zoomed in and expanded. Tyler found himself as a small human floating among the clouds in the presence of Odin and three other beings gathered around a roundtable. They looked like giants. No, his mind raced, Titans! They were huge. As he looked around, the table and the beings appeared to be in the sky. When he looked down, more clouds greeted him. The experience eerily reminded him of the view when in an airplane flying at an extreme altitude. But without the safe and protective metal cocoon of one.
“Don’t worry about the height, Havard. You’re not really here. It’s a new communications spell. I got the idea from your new-fangled devices. We had to pool our brains together to get it to work,” said the old man, with a toss of his head towards his companions. “What do you think? You’re the first to use it.”
“The height is a bit disconcerting, All-Father. My small stature also makes me nervous. I mean, you all look like mountains. Mighty mountains, I may add.”
“It’s part of the spell. Makes the recipient aware of the grandeur of the deity. Not to mention it also helps in enforcing obedience,” Odin explained.
“But how about the real me back in Hellas? Wouldn’t that leave the body helpless?”
“Oh, your body is invisible. But let me note that. Use of the stone should always be in a safe and secure place. There! Now, allow me to introduce my guests. Their Lordships Zeus of the Greek pantheon, Amun-Ra of the Egyptians, and the Jade Emperor.”
The young mage bowed. Despite himself, Tyler felt the rapid rise of fear and apprehension. The heads of four pantheons! Major ones! He was already starting to regret being too familiar with Odin during their earlier conversation. A private talk is different from a discussion in front of such extremely powerful deities. He was familiar with Zeus, having some agreement with him, but even during that short conversation with the Greek god, he knew that what he saw was a speck of the tip of an iceberg of power. And now there were four in front of him.
“Is wise to talk in such an informal manner with a mortal, Lord Odin?” asked Amun-Ra. He had the form of a man, but his flesh was colored gold, and his hair blue. He wore a dark blue sleeveless shirt of some sort, with a golden wesekh collar. His headdress was the Pschent style. A Pharaonic crown, in white and red, with golden accents. The eyes had kohl makeup around it. The face, that of a man in his early forties, looked regal and wise.
Well, they all look regal and wise, if you think about it, the aberrant thought crossed his mind.
“To any other mortal, maybe. But that’s Havard the High Mage,” answered Odin.
At the mention of his name, the Egyptian deity and the Jade Emperor looked at him intently. The Jade Emperor was dressed in pure white robes, bereft of any jewelry. He looked like a bearded grandfather with his white velvet cap in the ancient Chinese style. His beard and mustache were also white, though the beard had streaks of black. He was the first to speak.
“A mortal mage. A very powerful mortal mage. Young for such abilities. But even jade looks like a plain stone in the beginning and even a diamond needs to be polished to show its luster. There is more to you than meets the eye, mortal.” But despite what he said, the Jade Emperor smiled.
Amun-Ra looked at Odin.
“So, this is the mortal who foiled Ymir’s plans. The god Thaut told me his favorable impression of the mage. But I will make my conclusions about him. How about you, Lord Zeus?”
“I have already met him earlier,” quietly said Zeus.
“If your Lordships will be patient with me, time is finite with this spell, and I have some matters to discuss with our mage here.”
At that, Tyler saw the others focus their attention on him. Shit. It’s like a job panel interview.
“Zeus told us about the Supay incident. Nobody here mourns his passing. But other matters seem to have been brought to the open that shed some light on the concerns of the pantheons here. And probably other pantheons not present. Echidna. A disturbing conspiracy among deities across pantheons. Dark ones, it appears, but we cannot really be certain.”
“The attacks of our enemies from the Void are gaining in strength and frequency,” said the Jade Emperor.
“The Aztecha Empire has suddenly launched itself on a war of conquest. With a surprisingly powerful pantheon. They’re not our immediate neighbors but they’re not far enough from us not to cause any concern,” added Amun-Ra.
“And rumors about plots and schemes. Of power and dominance. Given what we have learned, it would be folly to disregard them.” That was Zeus.
“See, young mage? There appear to be several storms on the horizon. Not one, but several,” commented Odin.
“But what has that got to do with me? You even sent me a Valkyrie-in-training but neglected to inform me that she had a private vendetta against Habrok.”
“Ah, Astrid. I thought she'd have cut off his balls by now. Let me explain that first. Astrid will be a Valkyrie. Provided she passes her test. But she will never become one unless she transcends her obsession with punishing your huskarl. Now as I expected, you did handle that well. All that remains now is for her to pass the trial of war at your side. Astrid’s blood has some divine essence in it. An unknown Greek ancestor. No wonder she comes from royalty. But the essence has not been awakened. The Greek pantheon has graciously allowed me to claim her services as a Valkyrie. As to when her power materializes and what power it is, that is for the future to show.”
“And how about me and these coming problems? I am but a mortal mage. The pantheons can handle it better. With all that power, how does it compare with one human, even a human mage?”
“Power is not the only considera
tion, young man. Being in the right place and the right time can be more important,” interjected the Jade Emperor. Amun-Ra didn’t say anything, though his face looked thoughtful.
“This is such a burden. I already have an invasion on my hands,” said Tyler as his shoulders slumped.
“Don’t be burdened by such expectations. They are but possibilities. They may happen and yet they may not happen. Your presence here is to reassure us about the young mage who may find himself in such a situation and hopefully choose what is best for this world,” continued the grandfatherly figure.
“Reassure us?” asked Amun-Ra, apparently surprised.
“Yes, my friend. We are deities. Mighty ones. Yet we have weighty concerns of our own. Storms are coming and we worry about the forest. In that forest may be the one tree which will serve as the storm break, the one to help the rest withstand the storm. We do not have the power nor the time to look for that one storm break. Nor can we watch every mortal in this world,” replied the Jade Emperor.
“And my foresight shows his presence in a gathering of power. Beyond that, I cannot see. Events are moving and we may not have the luxury of this time again. He may prove to be a crucial figure in the struggles to come. And again, he may not be consequential at all. But he is the most powerful human mage we all have seen in ages. I leave it to you to form your conclusions. But remember this. Already, he had saved Skaney from a new Ragnarok. Now, he is in Hellas trying to help the Greeks. All without asking beforehand for price nor favor,” announced Odin.
A bit of exaggeration on all counts, thought Tyler. I was conned into doing those things! But he kept quiet. He knew a sales pitch when he hears one. And a small tingle of fear was added to his guts when he realized it was Odin, Mr. Five-Steps-Ahead, who was doing the selling. But he saw Amun-Ra whisper something to both Zeus and the Jade Emperor.
A bit rude, Tyler thought. But then again, who am I to correct such deities on their manners?
“I know,” said the Jade Emperor. “Though I wish he materialized in my domain. He could have helped enormously in our society’s development, not to mention in defense of our lands. This spell, derived from the devices he brought, is ingenious.”
He turned to Zeus.
“Would you consider giving him over to us?” he asked while looking at Tyler with laughter in his eyes.
Zeus just laughed.
“So, this meeting is to meet the young mage and make sure he doesn’t turn against us when or if the time comes,” observed Amun-Ra.
“Something like that,” replied Odin. “Though it would be better if he continues to survive, given the repercussions.”
“Ah, that black … “
Amun-Ra’s statement was cut short by a glance from Odin.
Are they talking about the black whirlwind? What has that got to do with my survival?
“Time is short already, your Lordships,” said Odin. “Our mortal guest has to leave.”
“Wait!” said Tyler. “What am I going to do with a massive invasion?”
“Oh, that. Here, hope it helps,” said Odin, throwing him a small box.
“Young man, what do you do when a wild boar threatens your crops? Do you wait for it to ravage your farm or do you hunt it down?” the Jade Emperor said.
“How do I use this damned thing?” shouted Tyler as he started to disappear. He quickly put the box in his pocket. He didn't have the time to reply to the Jade Emperor's query. The glow of the dismissal spell has already reached his neck.
“Just hold it in your hands. The knowledge will come,” came the answer.
As he disappeared, all he could think of was one word.
SHIT.
In an instant, the image was gone. Startled, Tyler stumbled backward. Inwardly, he again cursed the old man with the eye-patch. Now, I have more damned eyes on me!
He sat down on a chair, drank some water and thought about what happened.
My presence appears to be already known. If I had to contend with the machinations of two pantheons before, now I have to watch out for two more. They all appeared genial enough, but why do I feel so insulted? I feel like a pet who just got a pat on the head! Screw them!
He tried to calm down. But his outrage refused to go away.
High Mage, huh? Being a High Mage is nothing if I am to get rid of the strings. It appears Dio was right again. Every time I meet one of these powerful bastards, it always reminds me of how right he was. I will never be treated even as an equal if I keep on the path of an ordinary mage. Even those well-meaning among the powerful deities couldn’t get rid of their superiority complex. At least X now says I am an apprentice Elder mage. Yet I did the voice thing involuntarily. How did I do it? Can I replicate it? And exactly does this gift do? Coming from Odin, I guess I have to think carefully about using it. No freaking instruction manual as usual.
As he thought about what happened, somebody knocked on the door. Asking who it was, he found that the visitor was Jorund. He asked the man to come in.
“I thought it was bedtime,” Tyler said.
“I thought so too, Sire. But Eleos dropped by.”
“He did? Why?” asked Tyler.
“Can I sit down, Sire?”
“Of course. I apologize, your visit surprised me.”
“Our admirers in the city appeared to have regained their courage,” said Jorund as he sat down. “They’re going to try to kill you tonight.”
“They are?” asked the stupefied Tyler.
“Oh, they won’t get close, Sire. The hallway is warded as well as the stairs leading to our rooms. Our rooms are also guarded by a powerful spell and a barrier. Arrows and spells won’t get through. At least that what Eleos told me.”
“How many are going to attempt it tonight?”
“Around thirty, Sire. Eleos really has excellent information about the goings-on in the city. The three are going to try to practice their skills tonight. Habrok is on the roof, Eleos gave him a balm for his eyelids to help him see better at night. He’s safe there. The barrier extends to the roof. Eleos and Astrid are going hunting in the area around the inn.”
“Are they going to be in any danger? Should I help?”
“Oh, no, Sire. Simple cut-throats and mercenaries or even ordinary mages don’t stand a chance against those two. I asked Astrid about it and she said it’s more difficult hunting jotnar and dokkalfr . I agree. And there's something about Eleos which give me the utmost confidence in his abilities.”
“So, we just stay here. How you?”
“I am a guarantee in the event some prove to be trickier than most. All we need to do is stay in this room while those two do their jobs. You may hear some funny noises but that would be just them doing their work. The barrier does not deflect sound.”
The sound of something breaking came from outside. The crash appeared to be a breaking window.
“Oh, I guess they’ve already started. Probably half-way through. The initial hunt would have avoided noise.”
“I think this is a good time as any to talk to you,” said Tyler. “What do you think of our chances if we hunker down and defend against a siege?”
“We would last a maximum of two days, Sire. That's optimistic. Even with the rushed improvements. The news of the numbers of the Dorians had spread. And it increases with every telling. Last time I heard, the rumor was already up to 50,000 attackers. Soon, we will see the numbers of our soldiers dwindling through simple desertion.”
“I feared as much.”
“The city would have been defensible against a siege given a year or two to make the improvements. Three years of concentrated work will make it possible to defend the city against 40,000 men even with a defending force of 5,000. Catapults and ballistae would have been welcome but even the two old ones we have are beyond repair.”
“It appears Habrok’s naked women would have been a better defense.”
Jorund laughed.
“Maybe, Sire. But the situation is beyond dire. There is no way to d
efend the city effectively. To oppose a Dorian force on the open field, even of equal strength to Akrotiri hoplites, is also suicide. Their soldiers badly need training. Weapons and armor are in need of urgent repair.”
A loud cry, suddenly cut off, came from outside. The two didn’t mind it.
“A magical defense would help. But even you couldn’t or shouldn’t take on the burden by yourself. I have seen what happens when you exert yourself too much. We wouldn’t want that black wind in the middle of the city,” added Jorund.
“It seems that my options are going to be limited. Extremely limited. We do have a saying back home. A good defense is a good offense. But keep on improving the defenses. It wouldn’t do to lose the city to stragglers while we are out hunting.”
“An excellent idea, Sire. And a very wise adage. I heard you right, Sire? We're going hunting?”
"Maybe. Still waiting for more information," replied Tyler.
Two loud thuds sounded. One after the other.
“That must be Habrok’s arrows. Rooftop targets. Quite close too. Must be on the rooftop of the building across the street. Anyway, Sire. It appears we have no choice. But we will follow you wherever you will lead us.”
“Death doesn’t scare you, doesn’t it?”
“Oh, it scares me, Sire. Only a fool wouldn’t be scared. It’s just that I have already gladly accepted being your huskarl. As I have said before, the experience so far had been more than worth it. I have been trained for battle since I was a young boy. Facing and fighting the enemies we had so far encountered is something any true Norse warrior will give his life in exchange. I’m lucky and Habrok, despite what we see as his nerves trying to get the better of him, also agrees. Death is a part of the way of the true Norse warrior. So it doesn’t bother us that much.”
“Thanks, Jorund. For everything so far. Yes, I know you are going to try to thank me again. But accept my gratitude.”
“Yes, Sire. And you are welcome.”
Faint outcries sounded in the distance.
“It appears they’re trying to run,” the huskarl commented.
“How about Astrid? What’s your assessment?”
The Accidental Archmage: Book Two - Gifts of the Greeks (Accidental Archmage Series 2) Page 22
