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

north, and the scenario of the two elementals dividing the continent between themselves.

Tyler still didn’t mention Asem’s condition, figuring he’d break the bad news one at a time. Asem’s malaise now took secondary importance in light of the threat of Adar being covered by fire and ice. They lose, and the condition of the priestess won’t matter anymore. If the two jotunn lords won, the party would be beyond caring about everything. The fighting he’d witnessed in the south, and the progress of the army of Kemet, he kept to himself. Revealing what he had learned would only raise more questions, especially about the source of information, diverting the men’s attention from the task at hand.

“In short, we have to deal with a veritable tide of undead with their mortal abilities and skills intact, and then fight Ymir. For the second time, for you and Habrok. After that, we’ve got Sutr to worry about. And above everything is Loki’s grinning face,” said Tyndur.

“Succinctly put,” remarked Tyler with a laugh.

“Nothing to it then,” replied Tyndur. “But we’re all going to die.”

***

“I don’t intend to die, Tyndur. Nor should any in our company,” replied Tyler. “I just need to figure out how to break the spell which gave rise to this undead blight. We can’t win in a conventional battle. There are too many of them. All we could do is delay them until I can unravel the spell. We’ll worry about Ymir and Sutr after Hedmark. And if we fail here, Skaney is gone, together with Hellas and Kemet. But I don’t think it will stop there. The rest of human and other realms would fall in short order. Those lucky to escape the mainland will be hunted down. No pressure.”

“Well, the practice would be welcome. How about you, Kobu? Any ideas yet?” asked Tyndur.

The exile’s reply went unsaid as the door opened and the jarl came in, with Aage in tow. Following them were servants bringing food and drink.

The jarl sank heavily to his seat.

“I never thought dwarven protocol could be so punishing,” said the ruler of Hedmark.

“If they didn’t include dancing, then you’re a lucky man, jarl,” commented Tyndur.

“They include that?” exclaimed the jarl. “It must be my lucky day then.”

“Excuse me, Jarl Geir. But you sound like Hedmark has never been visited by the dwarves,” asked the mage.

“Not in recent memory. I was informed that the last visit was by a svartalfar delegation during my grandfather’s time. He requested their aid in finalizing the defenses of the trelleborg. But the dvergar had never been seen in Hedmark.”

“And now, Hedmark finds itself with a delegation from each race seeking an audience. Times must be desperate,” remarked Kobu.

“They are. They gave me some bad news about the strength of the undead forces. Their watchers have seen undead streaming toward the undead armies in front of us. Amassing their strength is the only reason for such an occurrence. The dwarves themselves had been bothered by a few, but since they ceremoniously burn their dead, the plague had not yet affected them that much. But they fear what would happen if Hedmark fell,” explained the jarl.

The young jarl looked at Tyler.

“There is another meeting set for tomorrow morning, but they have asked that the High Mage and his party be requested to attend. You must have impressed them,” said the man.

“We’ll be there,” answered the mage. Aage then did the introductions. Tyler thought the jarl had the right idea about weighty matters being discussed in such an informal atmosphere. It freed up one’s balls from the rigid and castrating rules of protocol.

“I have already given instructions to my chief lieutenant that the defense will be handled by you,” said the jarl. “His name is Skarde. He’s doing the rounds now, telling the various drottin about the new development.”

The jarl paused, obviously waiting for the servants to leave the room. As soon as the room was closed, he sat back and looked at Tyler.

“Scarburg. One of my drott went there as Hedmark’s contribution. But what my drottindrottin reported to me when they returned was puzzling. What attacked Scarburg was a lot less than what their scouts initially reported. There were reports of large boulders from the mountainsides smashing enemy ranks, killing and injuring many. Dokkalfr reaching the walls in disorganized groups. Few enemy mages were in attendance. Their siege machines were devastated the night before the final assault. It was said that a great wave of destruction swept through the enemy’s camp, explosions and discharge of massive magical energies, according to the war-mage of Scarburg,” said the jarl. He paused, looked at Tyler, and then continued.

“So great was the magic involved, that he refused to go out and investigate. Of course, credit went to the gods. But even I know they rarely involve themselves in such battles. Especially when it involves Ymir’s legions. The risk of Ymir himself coming forth if those of Asgard appeared on the battlefield was too great. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”

Tyler just smiled.

“Then reports of a battle near the city of Akrotiri in Hellas. A great mage fought Ares to a standstill and drove off or killed his minotaur lieutenant. A broken siege, the Dorians defeated, and now I hear of a new Greek deity of war. Ares’s son, apparently. You don’t think you could also tell me about that?” resumed the jarl.

Still smiling, the mage shook his head.

“I thought so. I make it my business to know what I can, High Mage, especially in the matter of defending Hedmark. The Allfather might have his reasons, but I would also like to hedge my bets. Now I find myself betting my entire realm on a single throw of the dice in this deadly game of Mia we play against the undead. You have my blessing, High Mage. I am at your command. What do you wish us to do now?” concluded the man.

“I thank you for your trust, jarl. Matters of warfare are better left