The Accidental Archmage - Book Five by Edmund Batara (best e ink reader for manga .txt) 📕

trying hard to think about the ancient civilizations he had read about or seen on historical documentaries.

“A great land was inhabited by The People on the First World, with hundreds of cities and settlements. It was an advanced civilization for its day, but unfortunately lacking in the arts of war. It had its beginnings at the foot of a vast mountain range on top of which was a great plateau, along a great river leading to the sea. Fertile soil, rich mines, and at the beginning, the presence of deities willing to uplift their followers.”

Tyler quickly ran through the ancient civilizations he remembered – eliminating those he had already met or heard about.  Only one possibility remained. He stopped and looked at Sarva.

“There could be only one possibility. The people came from what we on the First World now call the Indus Valley. Traces remain there of your civilization. Scholars on the First World call it the Harappan or the Mohenjo-daro culture. The names actually came from the present settlements near where the first cultural remnants were found. It was said to be more technologically advanced than the ancient Sumerians and Egyptians. It vanished, and numerous theories have been put forward to explain the disappearance – war, disease, flooding, drought, all the usual arguments.”

Sarva laughed.

“We are gone from that world. They could call our civilization and culture anything they want. As to why we left, an invasion was the cause — the arrival of a numerous people, with formidable warlike deities, from across the mountains. The People didn’t have one great empire. It was a collection of small states and cities, even large communities. Land was available for everyone with the patience and hardiness to work on it, so war for territory was never an issue. Conflicts did occur, but over trivial things, the usual human failing.”

“One invasion wiped everything out?”

“No, no. It took time before The People were overwhelmed by waves of aggressively hostile tribes and their allies. With every city or town lost, the race’s strength dwindled, belief slowly disappeared. A great many deities perished. Those who survived and crossed into this world met similar fates when the newcomers entered Adar, waging war again upon the People. It’s a bit more complicated still; I omitted the usual stories of betrayals, side stories, and similar seasonings which render tales more savory to the discriminatory palates of real scholars and drama patrons. But First Mage, that’s why we’re a very wary people.”

Tyler just nodded as he continued walking.

What could he say about what he had just heard? It was a succinct statement of an immense tragedy spanning millennia. Driven out not once, but twice from realms they had learned to call home, the ground where they had lived their lives and buried their ancestors. Then, finally reduced to living on the borders of a cursed land. But after a few moments, the mage got the feeling that, at the back of his mind, there was something he wanted to say. But for the life of him, Tyler couldn’t remember what it was.

Sarva halted.

“Ah, I believe we’re deep enough in the forest. Appearances have to be made, but you know that, First Mage,” said the deity. The two slowly disappeared.

***

 As they reappeared, Tyler saw the tall and daunting cliffs to his left. They were some distance off, around five or so miles in his estimation. The mage found that if he focused using his enhanced vision, the rocky barrier faded away and was replaced by tall trees, a continuation of the forest. In front of him was a solid basalt wall. Real this time, though he could see a small opening at its base, an entrance just large enough for two to walk abreast. Again, it was hidden from plain sight by the entity requesting his presence. He looked at his staff, reassured by its solid weight in his right hand. Then something came to mind, though what he originally wanted to say to Sarva still eluded him.

“Sarva, your people were numerous in the First World. How was it that the invaders won? And when you arrived here, some knowledge about warfare must have been learned by your people. How could they be driven away from their lands on Adar?”

“Ah, First Mage. Numerous indeed, millions to be exact. Though the ones who crossed the mountains into our lands were also a multitude of allied tribes with numbers augmented by their vassals who migrated with them. But it was always the story of having the wrong tools at the wrong time. In the First World, advanced warfare techniques and sheer ferocity defeated our people. They were not even able to piece together a cohesive defense. It was always the few cities or settlements which were threatened with conquest that did the fighting. The People did learn how to wage war, after a fashion. But they were facing their teachers,” replied Sarva.

“On Adar, what we learned back on the First World availed us naught. The People knew only bronze which compared poorly to iron and steel. The ancestors of the inhabitants of Skaney were also a fierce and bloodthirsty lot, worse than the invaders we faced in the First World. With the Greeks and Pelasgians, we had nothing to match the disciplined arrays and tactics of their warriors. The deities of such people during those times were… aggressive and battle-hardened. The People were blown away like leaves before a gale,” the deity continued with a sad undertone to his description.

“I guess you do have iron and steel weapons now,” remarked Tyler.

“In that lies the story of another misfortune for The People. They learned how to forge steel and iron but found the mountains around us rich with gold and silver, but not iron ore. Nor could they compete with foreign skill in forging tools of war and the needed implements of civilization. So, they trade for iron and steel – whether in ores or finished products. We find the fear of the Barrens