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

drawing to a close, the priest mentioned that he has been

informed that Tyler will be going on a journey. Tyler was not surprised. The old man

certainly works fast.

“Any idea where you’ll be heading?” asked the priest.

“I was thinking of going north. That seems to be the direction which will favor me in the long run.”

“North… you do know that choice is more dangerous? Ymir is getting restless, I hear.

He can’t resist poking Skaney every five years or so.”

“I know. But the safer route is not a solution and at the end of the day, I have to learn

to protect myself. You know the degree of unwanted attention I have attracted.”

Tyler had no idea how much the old man had told the Gothi. For now, he played it safe.

But the priest didn’t intrude further on the matter.

“Scarburg does have an extensive library of jotunn-related materials on magic. I think

you may be interested in them. I will prepare a letter of introduction to the priest-

librarian giving you full access. Also another letter to the war-mage of Scarburg, it is a

fortress-town after all. Perennially on war footing. More so now. When do you plan to

go?”

“I was thinking of the day after tomorrow. No sense putting it off.”

“I will make the arrangements though I suggest you leave your pack and its contents

here for the time being. Your room will always be available for your personal use and

locked while you are gone. You can leave your things there. For your journey, I will

secure the services of a group of mercenaries to go with you up to Bildsfell. Two of my

huskarls will be your permanent companions. There’s a new road leading directly from

Maljen to Bildsfell which will considerably shorten the travel time. But few people use it

because of the road’s proximity to Fossegrim Forest. Fear of old legends takes a long

time to disappear in this world.”

“Ah… Ivar… I do have to confess something,” said Tyler with some embarrassment, “I

don’t know how to ride a horse.”

The Gothi laughed.

“No, you won’t be riding a horse. I did have my suspicions. You can use the pickup

carriage we used last time though I hope it brings you better luck than it did me. Don’t

worry about the rest of the arrangements, I’ll take care of it.”

With that, the evening meal was over though Tyler asked for another book, this one

dealing particularly with the kind of runes being used. The priest promised to send one

to Tyler’s room in a few minutes.

On the way back to his room, Tyler was excited about the epiphany he had and was

thinking of continuing his experimentation. Then he remembered that it was night time.

People sleep early in this town. With the possibility of making a racket with his

experimentation, he may attract undue attention, not to mention disturb his host.

Sighing, he decided to defer such activities to the following day and instead read

through the book the priest promised to send up.

Well, he did need another good night’s rest, Tyler thought, an undisturbed good night’s

rest.

CHAPTER LORE:

Kunna – Old Norse. Meaning “to know, to understand.” Sometimes used to refer to knowledge

of the workings of magic.

CHAPTER VII

A Dokkalfr Welcome

Tyler looked at the approaching column of warriors as he sat at the rear of the carriage,

legs dangling over the edge of the cargo part of the conveyance.

The men leading the march were visible now to his enhanced eyesight. Five men

abreast, the column took up more than half of the width of the road. His own group

had been on it for two days now, making slow but steady time, with breaks for meals.

They had left Maljen before daybreak on the appointed day, meeting the mounted

mercenary escort outside the city gates.

For now, they had already passed Fossegrim Forest and the hills forming the end of the

mountainous area bordering the forest was in the distance. As expected, the road

wound its way a great distance from the forest, about five to six miles in his estimation.

Past the forest, it coursed its way back to the hills, avoiding the forested area to the

right of the road.

The sight of Fossegrim Forest initially filled him with some degree of anxiety. But the

lack of any incident relieved him, causing him to trust more in the ring of the All-Father.

Strangely, even from a distance, the colors of Fossegrim Forest seemed a bit muted

compared to the vibrant hues of the trees in the distant hills.

As far as his experimentation on using magical energy the following morning after the

dinner with the priest, it was a dismal failure again. Despite his epiphany on the theory

of magical energy, he still failed to make a breakthrough. Mr. Water Jug remained

obstinate. He knew he had a logical theory of the basics but something vital was

missing in his comprehension of the subject.

During that same day, the priest showed him the various devices used to tell time in Skaney. They were all primitive and unreliable. Even the priest was dissatisfied about

the time-keeping contrivances. But he explained to him that for the Norse, keeping time

had not been that important for them. Nor do they have the inclination to invent more

precise instruments.

The Grecian water-clocks were a lot better. More to the point, existing technology was

not up to the making of small springs, sprockets, and gears needed for modern

mechanical clocks. But the priest told him he was already making inquiries for the

importation of a sample of the improved version of the water-clock, hoping to introduce

it to Nordic culture. And make a lot of profit selling copies of it after reverse

engineering, thought the amused Tyler when the priest confided in him.

The rest of that day was spent reading the new book and resting. Until he left Maljen,

his fear of human assailants and supernatural encounters bottled him inside the Gothi's

house. But now, on the open road on his way to Scarburg, it felt great to be outside of

the city. Fresh air, the countryside vista and the feeling of escape from the closed city

confines made him feel free.

Jorund and three of the twelve-man escort had gone to meet the