The Accidental Archmage - Book Five: Loki's Gambit

by Edmund A. M. Batara

  “You don’t have to ask, Kobu. I’ll tell you whether you want to hear them or not,” responded the mage.

  The march continued, though Tyler kept on looking at their rear. The wedge assault pattern was intended to break defending lines and was open at the rear. He appreciated Kobu’s adoption of the arrowhead configuration; it enabled the fastest way to make contact with its heavily-armored tip, guarded the flanks and widened the coverage at the sides compared to a regular column.

  It also provided an opportunity for the flanks to swing forward and envelop an enemy once the tip of the arrowhead came to grips with the foe. But Tyler doubted if that was the plan of the exile.

  The lack of warriors in the sortie worried the mage. It was a negligible force meant for a quick rescue, nothing else. But Tyler knew Kobu had long realized that fact.

  The mage earnestly hoped the exile had tricks up his sleeve. At least they hadn’t encountered flank attacks so far, but the mage put it down to the mass of the enemy still gathering strength and the pursuing force concentrated on killing off the rearguard. The delay in attacking Hedmark merely confirmed his sinking suspicion that the undead, once they started their offensive, would quickly fan out over Namdalen, crushing any resistance they encountered with sheer numbers and brutal savagery.

  They’re going to Blitzkrieg our collective asses. Not that those in Hedmark will be alive to care when they start rolling over western Skaney, reflected the mage.

  Suddenly, through the dark murk, the mage saw several large groups moving fast toward them, though he doubted if they could see the wedge. Nobody was carrying a torch, and right now, only the tip of the formation was visible to anyone watching from the front – quite a small group to be seen at night. He immediately advised Kobu.

  “Wedge, halt!” ordered the exile. “Rear companies, cover the back!

  The loud voice made Tyler flinch. After the silence of the quick march, disturbed only by the sound of walking feet and clanking of armor, Kobu’s voice sounded like thunder. The mage guessed that this close to the enemy who were harrying the scouts and the dwarves, the noise of the rescuing force wouldn’t be noticed.

  “Watch for friendly incoming!” the exile again shouted.

  Eyes like a cat, you have, thought the mage. Kobu is full of surprises.

  Tyler could finally see the people hurrying toward them, a motley group of men and dwarves, some carrying wounded in makeshift stretchers. There were other clusters at the rear following in their wake.

  “Front ranks of the left and right flank, go forward and assist! Dwarves, maintain your position and prepare for battle!” Kobu’s voice and commands were in the tone of a commander accustomed to his commands being followed. It inspired confidence as it projected the image of a leader who knew what he was doing and expected his orders to be carried out.

  Kobu in his military commander persona greatly surprised Tyler. It was a different man, far removed from the unassuming and quiet exile who tried his best to guard the mage’s back.

  Men from the flanks immediately moved forward and met the retreating groups. The mage could now see the retreat was far from a well-organized one; it was but a collection of groups of men and dwarves trying to flee, burdened with wounded and hauling ballistae.

  “The enemy, sire? Are they in sight?”

  “Not yet, Kobu. But I could make out fighting in the distance,” replied Tyler. The retreating groups were already passing through the ranks of the rescue party. Ballistae and wounded were gathered in the middle of the formation, and tired warriors dropped heavily to the ground, grabbing much-needed rest. Tyler ordered the healer-mage to look after the wounded.

  “That must be the rearguard. They’re doomed unless we move closer. I doubt you can cast spells at this range,” said Kobu as he looked into the distance. Faint sounds of combat could already be heard.

  “I can, if I could see clearly. But this darkness is to our disadvantage," replied Tyler.

  Kobu then ordered four baturs’ worth of warriors to remain and protect whoever was coming in. What remained of the wedge adjusted their ranks and marched forward for about half a mile. Along the way, several groups of retreating men and dwarves were encountered and instructed to proceed to the impromptu laager at the rear.

  Skarde had left behind one of his men as the commander of the protective screen of the camp, with instructions to get the wounded, the ballistae, and the survivors back to the fortress as soon as possible. The way back to town seemed free of enemies, and those who got to proceed to Hedmark needed no protective screen. The camp was to be a temporary waystation for the wounded to get some aid, and for weary men and dwarves to get some respite. Or at least, for them to get their nerves back.

  From Tyler’s observation, the better part of 4,000 men and dwarves had passed through them, in separate bands, though they all looked tired and battle-scarred. He noticed they all still had their shields and weapons.

  At least widespread panic is absent, observed the mage. We still haven't come across fleeing individuals.

  The retreating warriors were in groups and always had wounded or the odd ballistae with them. But there was no way they could join the rescue force and fight effectively, if it came to that. The exhausted and dirty faces, with dented or broken armor, clearly indicated such a possibility was nil. The two dwarven chieftains were quiet, except when they instructed the dwarves they met. The mage couldn’t understand how the two dwarven hosts were driven from the field that quickly, so he asked Kobu while the wedge was marching forward.

  “I guess they were caught unaware by two large-scale ambushes, the human scouts coming up later, luckily getting them away from the ambush sites. Only our party recognized that the undead could fight like living men. I recognized the tell-tale signs of battle shock on the retreating faces, only seen in some truly unexpected, catastrophic event. It quickly wears out the urge to fight, swiftly demoralizing the defending forces,” replied Kobu. “I think they expected to fight the usual slow-moving, witless revenants. The encounter must have been a severe shock.”

  “I’ll put out a magical barrier when our front is clear of men and dwarves,” said Tyler.

  Suddenly, a mass of flesh crashed against the dwarven wall at the front. It was a sickening sound, the meaty thud of undead flesh and the crack of bones as they smashed against the large rectangular shields of the dwarves. As Tyler and Kobu turned to look at the unexpected disturbance, they could see the warriors at the front furiously trying to beat back the attackers.

  Tyler immediately cast a light spell well forward of the dwarves, just as the two flanks also erupted in melee combat. What he saw was a relief to his worried mind, but a nauseating view to his senses. The green radiance in the sunken eyeholes was there, reminding the mage of the undead back in the forest.

  What attacked them was a much smaller force compared to what the rearguard was keeping back, an occurrence for which he was thankful. Despite the heavily-armored dwarves and the protection given by wedge battle formation, he doubted the small relief force could withstand a massive attack.

  He could now see the group of men and dwarves in the rearguard fighting in a circular formation, surrounded by a sea of revenants. They were but half a mile away, but right now it was a great distance to cover.

  Why didn’t I see those green dots before? It might be dark, but surely, I should have glimpsed the glow from those eyes! Unless the emerald radiance only glows when they are about to engage in combat or driven by something in the spell. Bad news. They could sneak up on the fort at night.

  To Tyler's eyes, it looked like the attackers were undead which had bypassed the rearguard and smashed against the tip of the wedge. And as the front ranks engaged in fighting, the rest of attackers flowed around the tip and met the ready flanks of the formation. But the assault, though minor in relative terms, still comprised a large group. Worse, the illumination spell nicely showed gaping skulls, armored skeletons with shreds of decayed flesh, with tattered banners
at the back of the attackers. The intensely repulsive smell perfectly complemented the revolting sight.

  Tyler thought of his cloud lightning spell, but immediately discarded the idea. It was bound to hit members of the rearguard. A chain lightning spell also was dangerous to the dwarves at the front as the fighting was already hand-to-hand. Some undead were grasping shields and pulled them to their ranks, bringing the unfortunate warriors with them.

  He settled for a force blade blizzard, the old reliable standby. Cast in a downward arc, the tightly-packed small rectangular blades sliced through undead flesh and bones, returning many to their disturbed rest. At the same time, he created a prow-shaped shield conforming to the structure of the wedge, giving time for the warriors to recover and dress their ranks. But he could already feel the immense force being exerted on the shield by the sheer mass of their enemies.

  Tyler noticed he was getting dizzy, though it was too early for magical exhaustion to set in. He had barely started casting spells.

  “Hal! Why am I getting dizzy?” he immediately asked his guides.

  “An after-effect of the animating spell. This close to that number of revenants, the spell was bound to affect those who are magically sensitive. Similar to what you experienced in the woods but on a higher scale. But our proximity to such a concentration of the strange energy will enormously help us in examining and assessing it.” It was X.

  A lab progress report is not what I need right now, reflected the mage.

  Tyler looked around and saw the 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 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.

  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."

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Through the Valley of the Undead

  Kobu looked at the mage.

  “I know. Mages,” said Tyler quickly.

  Fucking undead mages. No magical exhaustion for them, he observed, his thoughts accompanied by several choice expressions. Being suddenly slammed to the ground was not a pleasant experience.

  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 again slammed into waiting shields.

  Almost immediately, the mage found the ones responsible for destroying his barrier. Two spots each 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 1,000 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, especially those in the front ranks, were wounded or wearing damaged armor. And 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 Tyler.

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

  “Tunnels?”

  “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. But he knew the respite couldn’t last; the irresistible pressure of the veritable mountain of undead on the other side would see to that.

  “Kobu. There will be a momentary lull in the flood of enemies encircling the rearguard. I suggest pushing through to them and then an organized withdrawal.”

  “How would we know when to push forward, sire?”

  “We’ll know. Something will happen,” answered Tyler.

  To the exile’s credit, he didn’t ask any additional que
stions. He stepped back and barked out the orders. The dwarves in front let out a loud, rumbling roar in their language, overjoyed to learn their brethren were still alive. It was followed by one from the human warriors, finally glad to see an objective in sight. But the mage’s mind was quickly running through unpleasant scenarios as he ran back to the front.

  Battle plans were never set in stone, Tyler thought even as he continued to rain down deadly magical blades on the undead held back by the barrier.

  When he reached a position behind the dwarven ranks, he could see numerous undead being rapidly swallowed up by the ground. It would have been funny if the situation was not so dire.

  It’s like a wave at a sports event, though the direct participants disappear. Permanently, I hope.

  Then explosions promptly appeared among the undead in the distance, bodies messily bursting into pieces, body parts and armor flying through the air. Tyler did notice the effect only happened in a small area, but had to admit it was devastating. It completely cleared the undead from its area of effect.

  “Tighten ranks! Forward! Slow and steady!” came Kobu’s command.

  Like a ponderous elephant, the entire formation started moving.

  The formation slowly marched forward, beset by remnants of the undead left on the wedge’s side of the barrier, toward the embattled rearguard struggling to keep their defensive circle. Tyler knew there wasn’t any chance of the encircled warriors attempting to break out towards the wedge. Such a movement would only break and collapse the defensive formation, with deadly results.

  The three mages had recovered, though they staggered like drunks. Despite the numerous trenches and the continuing devastation being wreaked by Apulli, the pressure on the ring of warriors the formation intended to rescue was wearing down whatever desperate reserves of strength were left among its ranks.

  The ominous situation greatly worried the mage. The speed of the wedge was glacially slow, and at the present pace, it would take a long time to cross the few hundred yards dividing the two groups. Tyler knew the wedge would be further be delayed once the shield protecting it disappeared.