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

you call dark ones, such primeval entities are powerful but usually not that intelligent.”

“Oversight, my foot! They had a party and left me to do the clean-up job, with half a broom. I don’t even have access to Elder energy!” complained Tyler in an exasperated tone. “And I would like to point out that usual is not the same as always. With my luck, I’ll probably run into the brainy ones among the bastards.”

“The secret of converting magical energy to an Elder one is indeed a process contained in the tablets. Though utilizing the conversion spell in the correct manner in order to generate Elder energy is also dependent on your level as an Elder mage and on understanding the appropriate concepts,” explained the being.

“I know! I know! Creation! Only I uncorked the destruction genie first. Good thing I was able to put it back in its bottle. Though it’s now free and tends to manifest itself in my darkest moments. I still haven’t learned to control it,” confessed the mage. “With only ordinary magic at my disposal, you can imagine how many times that black temptation had shown itself to me.”

“The knowledge is already in your subconscious and destruction is far easier to do than creation. But I am not surprised at its ability to manifest. At their core, the elemental powers of creation and destruction are sentient in a sense. They’re like children, and it would take the power and knowledge of a Prime to hold them in check,” answered G. “You have to tread carefully when it comes to dealing with such powers. Even the power of creation could destroy when abused or used improperly.”

“Fat chance of that control happening. As I said, I only have access to normal magical energy,” repeated Tyler in a tone of resignation.

“Journeyman Elder Mages usually have the ability to create minute amounts of Elder energy. But I think your unusual route of learning overlooked that small but essential part of your education.”

“You tell me. I am the one left in the lurch, facing problems the Elders thought didn’t exist anymore – Lost Ones, primeval dark gods, and God know what else. And guess what? Normal energy spells don’t work against those crazy Lost Ones!”

“I heard from my maker that your bones have something to do with the Elder energy creation process,” offered G. “But as I said, heard. It was not taught to me.”

“I doubt it. I did learn that my bones helped me control the flow of vast amounts of magical energy. I believe it was during the battle against Aztecah forces near the temple of the deity called Viracocha,” replied the mage.

“Not the bones themselves, but the marrow in them. My maker mentioned it in passing, but without the knowledge of the process, I guess you’ll just have to experiment, if you’re interested.”

“Did your maker say anything else about it?” asked Tyler, now carefully attentive.

“Just that the process is automatic. Once the knowledge is learned, the Elder mage does not even need to cast a spell to get the energy needed. But if it’s a hit-and-miss affair, it’s bound to be a conscious effort on your part,” warned the entity. “Bear in mind that your bone marrow contains stem cells, immature cells converted by your body to what it needs. I guess that’s what the conversion process is taking advantage of – the natural processes of your body.”

“It’s a possibility!” answered Tyler excitedly. “Elder energy is far more powerful than the energy any deity on Adar can hope to wield! It’s the edge I need against the garbage the Elders left behind!”

“If your experiment works. The results, if any, might not be maximized in terms of yield. Or you could fail spectacularly and tear yourself apart.”

“Now you talk like Hal. Can’t you be encouraging?”

“I can only show you the options, Elder. My programming does not allow flattery. Reality is what it is. And if it’s an experiment, remember it’s a blind attempt at something involving your bones, and it’s bound to hurt,” warned the boy.

“How bad?” came Tyler’s hesitant query.

“Excruciating.”

“Duck shit.” The involuntary remark came out from the mage as he slumped in his chair.

Another round of uncomfortable silence prevailed. Tyler’s memory was particularly focused on how bad the pain was when massive amounts of magical energy coursed through his bones.

Now, the mage was faced with the prospect of more pain. He involuntarily shuddered as he imagined forcing power down past his bones and into the marrow.

Tyler lost his appetite for conversation. Though he didn’t want to admit it, the mage was deterred by the specter of more painful experiments looming over any further discussion. More insights might lead to the mage engaging in additional tests involving unbearable agony. He preferred dealing with the prospect of painful experimentation one at a time. G was not going anywhere soon anyway.

He smiled wryly at G.

“Explosions and pain usually accompany my rash attempts to experiment, G. So, I hope you can excuse the reaction you saw.”

“I understand, Elder. Though I hate to say this, the pain, if you do venture in that direction, will be two-fold – through your bones and then the bone marrow.”

Chapter Twelve

Woodland Undead

Frigg spake:

27. “If a son like Baldr | were by me now,

Here within Ægir’s hall,

From the sons of the gods | thou shouldst go not forth

Till thy fierceness in fight were tried.”

Loki spake:

28. “Thou wilt then, Frigg, | that further I tell

Of the ill that now I know;

Mine is the blame | that Baldr no more

Thou seest ride home to the hall.”

Three hours later, Tyler and his companions found themselves along a rough forest trail. They had been brought there by Sarva. Several feet in front of the mage, the tell-tale indications of an energy barrier could be seen. The location was at the edge of the protection laid down by G facing the Nordic homeland. Tall mountains protected The People on the Skaney