The Accidental Archmage by Edmund Batara (read out loud books .TXT) 📕

the other, each maintaining some distance from the other. One

was ahead of the carriage, acting as the point man for the entire group. The two in the

back of the carriage brought out bows with ready but undrawn arrows, full quivers on

their backs.

“This carriage doesn’t appear to be period authentic,” Tyler commented.

He had been itching to inquire about it as the conveyance appeared strange to him. He

honestly couldn’t remember seeing anything like it in period movies or even in the RPG

games he had played which had a Nordic element.

“Oh, my invention,” laughed the Gothi, “I got tired of riding the usual wagons. Climbing

from the back was also not convenient. I also saw the impracticality of separately

dedicated carriages and cargo movers in many instances in my business.”

“You have a business? I thought being a priest was a full-time job.”

“We’re allowed to be rich. Actually, we are expected to be a bit wealthy so I started a small trading business. It had been a few months but the return has been excellent."

"My status as a Gothi also helped,” added the man with a wink, “Having a trading

enterprise also gives me access to information which otherwise wouldn’t be available.

For now, it’s just Skaney though I recently contributed to a trading venture with a ship

which was going to New Athinai, the nearest Greek city. A dangerous voyage, what

with pirates, temperamental water deities and spirits, and other dangers. But the

captain is an experienced fellow, having done two trips before and the return of

investment is spectacular. As long as he hugs the coast and with a little bit of favor

from the gods, it may prove to be a lucrative venture.”

“How about inventions? This contraption of yours looks to be a good idea, you could

sell carriages which look like this.”

“Economy of scale and people would just copy it," replied the Gothi, "even change its specifications for their own purposes. Though a bit of warning. Inventions are well and

good here. But complex inventions which are science-based and do not rely on the

magical rules of this world are verboten. The gods believe that it poses a threat to their

belief system. Science, in general, does espouse principles which deny the idea of godly

or divine existence.”

“Complex inventions like?”

“Electricity for example. Running light bulbs on magical energy is fine, they do have

them here. They’re called mage-lights. They’re expensive but they exist. Run them on

fossil-based fuels and you get a visit from a very angry champion or spirit.”

“I am starting to have some ideas already. Using magical energy of course.”

“Oh? Let’s hear some of them! I am open to a business partnership if we can make

them here!” exclaimed the enthusiastic Gothi.

As Tyler was about to expound on his ideas, a deadly complication reared its ugly head.

Tyler’s first inkling of trouble was when an arrow suddenly sprouted in their driver’s

neck, spurting some blood on Tyler’s face. Immediately thereafter, the loud boom and

reddish yellow flash of an exploding fire ball enveloped their point man. The mounted

guard nearest to the front left of the carriage also dropped from his horse. Tyler could

see at least three arrows sticking out of the body.

“BANDITS!” shouted a guard in the back.

Tyler’s mind went into overdrive. Shock, fear, and adrenaline all acted as a boost to his senses as well as his reflexes. Quickly, he crawled to the driver’s position. The dead

man was still seated. Though he had leaned to the left of the front of the passenger

side, a decorative wooden panel preventing him from falling off. His bloody remains

continuing to bath him and the seat in gore. The reins were still gripped in his hands.

Tyler grabbed the reins and pushed the dead man off the carriage. The carriage was

still plodding along but he could see that their group was still in the ambush kill zone.

He cracked the reins, forcing the horses to speed up. He whipped it some more, trying

to get more speed.

He could see the remaining mounted guard on the right milling about, trying to find

their attackers. A quick glance at the forest in front of him didn’t show any enemies. He

then knew the enemy kept to the forest on both sides, refusing to expose themselves.

He didn’t know if any of the guards at the back of the carriage survived.

Keeping his head down, he could see the increased speed of the horses pulling them

away from the ambush site. He couldn’t see what Ivar was doing but he hoped it was

something effective. He knew they couldn’t fight foes they couldn’t see.

They rushed along the road. Glancing back quickly, Tyler could see that Ivar, the two

guards in the carriage, the remaining mounted guard on the right, and one of the

mounted guards at the rear were still alive.

“Ivar! Where do we go?” Tyler shouted while looking at the front.

“Just follow the road!” replied the Gothi, “We are safer in the carriage! Will cast a spell to protect us!”

Tyler followed the Gothi’s instructions. Hopefully, they had outrun the ambush. But as

he made a turn following a bend in the road, he saw another welcome party waiting for

them, with a fallen tree blocking the way. Beyond them, he could see the edge of the

forest.

“Ivar! More in front!”

The carriage was closing fast on the roadblock.

“Don’t stop! Continue forward! I’ll take care of it!”

Tyler could now see bowmen waiting behind the impromptu road block. He saw them

release their arrows at the carriage. At the same time, he heard the Gothi murmuring

some incantation and felt a wave of force going forward towards the road block. The

arrows closed but bounced off some sort of barrier protecting the speeding carriage.

The wave of force finally reached the fallen tree and violently blew through, cutting it in half. The waiting men in the middle of the road block were blown away. Together with

branches and wood splinters from the middle part of the tree, leaving most of the road

open.

They rushed through, carriage and guards alike. Tyler drove like hell was upon him.

Again, he took a quick look at the now destroyed road block. He could see the

remaining men in the road block fighting