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

“All I want from you is that you try to get my brother back. If it is possible. I have

observed you. I have talked with you. I believe you to be a decent and honorable man.

All I want is a promise to try. In return, you have my help as long as I am able to do

so.”

“I have my doubts about the decent and honorable part, Eira,” Tyler replied, “You have

saved me, for your own purposes, and also changed me physically, again for your own

reasons. But all things considered, I would be dead if you hadn’t saved me. The

changes you made gave me a chance to survive in this world. Though again, those

changes may be the death of me yet. You have helped me after that, though we had

our… temperamental discussions. I also have my reasons to help you. I would actually

be suspicious if you offered to help without asking something in return.”

“Thank you, Tyler,” Eira said in a quiet voice. She then smiled at the recollection of

their meetings, “Temperamental discussions. That’s putting it mildly.”

“You do know you are putting yourself at a terrible risk if you continue to help me.”

“I know. And I don’t care. You and my brother are all that matters to me. I mean,

because of your promise to help me.”

She began to blush. Even the lowered illumination around the dinner table showed it.

Turning away for an instant, her gaze focused on Tyler’s shelter.

“Your shelter is acceptable?” she asked, not looking at Tyler.

“It’s fine, I guess. Will keep the rain out.” Tyler tried hard to keep his smile buttoned

up. Fortunately, he succeeded.

“Oh, I also placed an enchantment to keep away bugs and animals from this clearing.

That way you won't be disturbed.”

“Great! Where do you sleep, if I may ask?”

“We don’t need to sleep, beings such as I. But I have to be busy tonight, I guess. There

had been sightings of dokkalfr near the forest borders."

“That’s unusual? You told me jotnar were already sniffing around.”

“The jotnar have been spotted near Fossegrim for some time now. This is the first time

the dark ones have been seen. And in an organized band of some numbers too.”

“I do hope they’re just passing by,” said Tyler, “Those creatures work well at night.

They’re fast and know how to use their weapons well.”

“I know. You’ve seen them up close during the ambush. The numbers of those who

ambushed your column were great. They also had magic users. And surprisingly, some

ogres. Anyway, I have to leave for a while. Stay and have your fill. Then rest when you

want to. I will leave your ring on the table, I know it will aid you in your coming

journey. But it does enable Odin to determine the general area where you are. Anyway,

the ambush and your escape towards the forest will help explain your presence here.

He should be thankful I saved one of his mages, if it comes to needing an explanation.”

Tyler stayed up for a while. Picking at the food and trying to get some sense out of the

entire situation. Where to go? What to do? How and where to practice? How to hide

any traces of Elder energy? So many concerns, he concluded. Looking at the ring now

on table, he slipped it on. He continued to think about where his next destination will be

but found he couldn’t decide what to do next. He went to bed, hoping that a clearer

head in the morning will help him decide his next course of action.

He had been sleeping soundly when he was awakened by sounds of fighting. Actually, it

was more like the loud thud of trees being struck and the swish of branches thrown

around. It sounded as if he was in a lumberjack site. He did notice a strange sound

among the racket. A sort of hissing and moaning which raised goosebumps.

He grabbed his sword, crouched, and peered outside. Luckily, he still had his armor on

except for his helm. He picked it up and put it on. He couldn’t understand what was

happening. The trees on the edge of the glade were moving and fighting against some

shadows. His Elder enhanced eyesight showed three shadowy creatures which acted

like mists, but when they struck, the attacks were solidly hitting the trees. The trees

numbered around six but were clearly losing the fight, chunks of their trunks were

missing and branches have been cut off. Against physical opponents, the trees would

have been fearsome but against the misty bodies of the shadows, it was a one-sided

struggle.

Tyler didn’t know what to do. If the trees couldn’t touch them, how much more for

him? The only sword fighting he had done was on a computer. After a while, when one

of the trees finally succumbed and fell down with a mighty crash, one of the shadows

made a beeline for the shelter. Involuntarily, Tyler took a step back from the entrance

of his shelter. As the shadow got nearer, the sound of its hissing and moaning became

louder and clearer.

Tyler grabbed the lamp with his left hand, threw it in front of the shelter and got out.

Standing, he faced the oncoming dark creature. He could now see its form beyond the

thrown lamp, though it was now proceeding slowly as if wary of the light. It was of

some misty material, swirling black in color with eddies of a shade which shifted from

sickly deep purple to deep red.

It floated above the ground. It had two extremities, arms if they can be called that,

which ended in large ebony claws made of bone. No legs can be seen. Its body ended

at its waist, wisps of the mist hanging from the torso like shredded rags. Its face was

the bleached skull of some animal with two large horns protruding from the skull,

curved backward. Looks like the skull of a mutated giant ram, thought Tyler. The skull

itself was hideous. Though it may have looked like a goat’s skull, the bone structure of

the lower half extended to allow for a cavernous fanged mouth.

Strangely, when now faced with the creature, Tyler’s fears disappeared. Gripping his

sword, he got ready for the