The Accidental Archmage, Edmund Batara [read after TXT] 📗

theory.

It is a work of literary fiction and merely draws

upon these mysterious disappearances as a

starting point for the story. Incidentally, even

flocks of birds have been known to disappear in

plain sight.

Endnotes appear at appropriate chapters. There are mythological terms and names

used in the story. Footnotes are not appropriate for ebook formatting and I believe

footnotes are more distracting than endnotes. Story immersion may also suffer if the

reader is left to search by himself the meaning of the terms and names used.

Greek translation is provided by Google Translate Version 5.13.0.RC07 (all rights

reserved by Google, Inc.).

Enjoy.

That said, here’s the indispensable part of any book:

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, interactions, and incidents are

products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, unless otherwise indicated. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

All Rights Reserved by the Author. 2017.

Ω Έλληνες

Όταν έρχεται ο

Λύκος

Προσοχή στο

σκυλί

Oh Greeks

When the Wolf comes

Beware the Dog

- disputed last prophecy

of Kassandra of Troy, Seeress

PROLOGOS

Eisagogi

Hellas. A land of myth and of magic. Of temperamental and contentious deities.

Early migrants from the classical period of Greece found a land like their own. Hot and

dry in summer but comfortable due to the sea and the winds blowing from the cold

wastes of the north. In winter, the frigid weather was influenced by the tempering sea

breezes. The land itself was reminiscent of their homeland. A coastal area, a lowland

marked by plains and rolling hills, and the ever-present mountains. With this realization,

these pioneers felt blessed and nurtured by their gods.

To the north, through the Barren Wastes, was Skaney, the Nordic homeland. Though

war between them marked the history of the two regions, relations have been buoyed

by trade and the cordial relations between the involved pantheons. But with the

occupation of the land came old alliances, rivalries, animosities, and as with human

societies, ancient grievances. A realm of convoluted loyalties and relationships.

While the Greeks followed a common pantheon, worldly concerns charted a familiar

path. Blood, politics, and war marked their relationships with each other. Many small

city-states dotted Hellas, with a few larger ones exercising dominance over their tribal

kin. By the time of the Great Migration, the people of Hellas were loosely divided among

four major groups: the Aeolians, the Ionians, the Dorians, and the Achaeans. Other

peoples of Greek origin, but not akin to the four, formed minor city-states of their own.

Conveniently allying themselves with one or more of the main tribes when

circumstances need them to do so. The exception being the Pelasgoi, an ancient

mountainous people, though most Greeks deny their Hellenic ancestry.

Among these tribes, the Dorians proved to be the most warlike. Claiming descent from Dorus, one of the four sons of the mythological Greek patriarch Hellen, they called their

territory “Kretes”, after their ancient homeland, with the city-state of Dori as its capital.

The Temple of Ares in Dori stood on a lonely hill, surrounded by a grove. Located some

distance from the city walls, it found its purpose during periods of war and internecine

conflict. Its floor was red marble, while columns of the Doric style held up its roof. It

was bare of decorations except for a massive statue of the deity, naked with only a

helm and a spear. Before it was a block of black marble which served as a votive

podium. It was normally tended to by three warrior-priests but at this particular time of

this specific day, each found himself compelled to leave the temple and attend to other

business in the city.

Suddenly, the afternoon peace of the sanctuary was disturbed by a glimmering ball of

light which appeared before the marble effigy of the god of war and battle. The sphere

expanded, grew brighter, and as quickly as it appeared, dissolved into nothingness. It

left behind five figures, three unconscious men lying on the floor while the two standing

looked upon them.

“Enualios.”

A woman’s voice resounded throughout the temple. One of the two standing figures,

armed and armored in red, looked around. Two shimmering shapes appeared to the

side of the statue, slowly forming into the forms of an old man, clad in a dark blue robe

with red trim, and a tall woman wearing ekdromos armor, sword on her hip, and a

spear in her right hand.

“Sister! What are you doing here?” cried out the armored figure.

“Half-sister. Ares Enualios. And my question, in turn, would be, what have you done?”

“Why? Erithizo told me these mortals insulted him! Him! A demigod!”

“And you listened to that fool.”

Erithizo was slowly edging away, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible.

“Stay. Young fool of a demigod,” ordered the woman.

“So what? We didn’t kill them in Skaney!” said Ares.

“Now you admit to being in Skaney. You attacked them and brought them here.”

“Why not? I didn’t break any rules in doing so!”

“Erithizo was ordered not to involve himself further. And you, Enualios, went to Skaney

and abducted a visitor. This is Odin, by the way, in case your thick head still refuses to

work.”

“We are in Hellas! Not Skaney! Norse gods have no power here!”

“Erithizo. Stay.” The young demigod was still trying to hide at the back of a column. At

the command of the woman, the youth found himself unable to move.

“Enualios. You know that the abduction of a visitor from another pantheon’s territory is

forbidden. And to make things worse, your addled mind fell under the wiles of an

imprudent and stupid youth. I know what happened between Erithizo and the visitor. I

was there. Blameless, the son of Eris is not. But your involvement has now created a

crisis where there was none.”

“I am a god! The god of war! I do what I please!”

“No, you can’t. My lord Odin, what is your pleasure in this matter?”

“Athena, my dear, I leave it to your judgment,” answered the old man.

“You can’t judge me! I am Ares!” shouted the war god.

“I can and I will. In this matter, I carry the judgment of