Tartarus Beckons by Edmund Batara (reading an ebook .TXT) 📕

Tyler explained his position – of being caught in a bind between a promise to a deity and his desire to avenge Rumpr and rescue Eira. Thankfully, Asag didn’t butt in, but merely listened, nodding at times.

“That is indeed a difficult and touchy request, First Mage. As Ancients of this world, we are not to interfere with mortal affairs, even if it came to the point where the situation would mean the extinction of a race. You are, after all, visitors to this world, and I am sure you have been told of what happened to the native creatures and beings of Adar when those of the First World arrived. So, my initial response to your request would be to deny it.”

“Really? Even if I beg you on my knees?” said Asag.

“You’ve already done that, you blasted troublemaker,” replied Labiru. “But there is the death of Rumpr to consider. Rumpr is, or was, one of the Ancients of this world, same as I am. He is not truly dead, unlike First World deities and magical creatures who perish on this world. His consciousness still resides in the magic which surrounds this world. He is of Adar, after all, and one of the beings who shaped it. He will be back, if Mother wills it, but it will take time,” explained the old man.

“Deities from Earth perish here. Permanently?” asked the mage.

“They do, unless a strong enough belief exists to bring them back, and it still would take millennia for such entities to regain their form. Power is another matter. But it is an unheard-of occurrence. The memory of mortals is short and fickle. Now Rumpr is a totally different kind, and his manner of demise cannot be ignored by the Ancients of this world. Unfortunately, Tartarus is in a dimension where our powers cannot enter even if our forms are able to access such a reality. So, as you can see, our hands are tied even if a reckoning is justly called for. But the culprits will eventually step into Adar, and at that point, they’ll see what the power of this world really means.”

“And Eira will be dead by then,” said the mage sadly. He could be angry at what he heard and insist on the being’s assistance, but Tyler was pragmatic enough to realize that the entity before him was far more formidable than any head of a pantheon of deities from Earth. It was good to hear that the Ancients now bore a grudge against the Titans and that they intended to take their pound of flesh as revenge, but that was something in the future, Tyler couldn’t wait that long.

Labiru looked at Tyler, his eyes softening. The old man smiled and then touched the shoulder of despondent mage whose head was bowed in absolute despair.

“But I have just been given the grace to do something for you, First Mage,” said Labiru softly, the expression on his face filled with genuine care and concern.

Tyler looked up, hope in his face.

“I could delay the advance of Ymir’s minions through the mountains for a time. A period of five days would be sufficient. Their passages would be blocked, and they wouldn’t be able to progress. But I have a suspicion that they’re also looking for this fellow,” Labiru pointed to Asag. “What they want with his unremarkable face, I really can’t say. The spider colonies would also suddenly find convenient access to the jotnar. I do have a responsibility towards the creatures – they have kept the mountains safe for a long time and have simple needs. After five days, the jotnar will be free to try to burrow their way through to the dokkalfr.”

“My thanks, Labiru. I believe I could settle for that. A breathing time is all I need,” said Tyler. “Next would be finding a back door to Tartarus. Asag said something about dimensional cracks. I know I am pushing my limits here, but would you know of such things?”

“The barnacles Asag told you about?” replied Labiru.

The mage stared at Labiru with a stunned look.

“Oh, don’t be so surprised. You think you’re the only ones Alal had talked to about the subject?” laughed the old man in reaction to Tyler’s astonished expression. “We had a very long time together. More than sufficient time to discuss a great many things.”

“The Ancients have long dealt with such beings as we feared the creation of new versions of the Void Lands. Dimensional openings like that have a way of becoming larger, unless they’re attended to at an early stage,” clarified Labiru.

At Labiru’s comment, the mage was reminded of an underground lake full of an unknown substance, from which emerged strange, evil and destructive creatures – the dimensional gate guarded by Palirroia and its brethren.

“You did? Damn, I was on nodding acquaintance with a few, but most were enemies. I was so looking forward to raining blows on their unworthy forms, and crushing the dark energies out of their useless shapes,” exclaimed Asag.

What’s with Asag and crushing? Oh, rocks. Right.

“But a few did remain. We avoided those near mortal settlements and those close to the cities on Banna. The battle would surely spell the destruction of such centers of civilization. We intended to find a way to deal with them but never got around to it. More pressing concerns, I guess.”

Tyler didn’t like the way Labiru looked at him when he mentioned finding a way to deal with such solitary and powerful dark entities.

“Any nearby?” Asag asked eagerly.

“There’s one near the dwarven settlements in the North Dvergar Range. The rest still available are too far away and in lands I doubt the First Mage is familiar with, unless he had been to Banna, where the next closest creatures are located. There are two of the parasites there. Considering the proximity of such a creature to Skaney and Hellas, the dimensional fissure it feeds on might just be the one you’re looking for.”

“I pray you’re right. And nope. Never been to that island,” quipped the