The Accidental Archmage - Book Five, Edmund Batara [best way to read ebooks txt] 📗

volcano would have more personality. No, that wouldn’t do. Only those of the dark appear like that. Blind terror, no artistry at all. Some mad ones do try to wrap themselves in their own versions of what we naturally exude… but many fail.”

“You mentioned a mentor; do I know him? asked the mage.

The deity looked at him, slight disbelief on his face. Then he relaxed.

“It doesn’t do your mantle any honor when you ask questions to which you already know the answer.”

“I apologize,” said the mage.

Come on, don’t tell me it’s Viracocha! On second thought, it does make sense. The old man has been around for a long time. Even predated a lot of the pantheons around here.

“How may we be of service?” he asked. “To travel such a distance, far from your usual fields, makes your visitation an urgent one indeed.”

Good God. It’s so difficult to talk this way. It does keep you on your toes! Verbal fencing, knowing when to be polite, how to conceal intentions within words… And the ability to recognize when indirect insults or hidden threats are being thrown left and right.

“I wanted to meet the mortal who gave us a chance,” the deity said. “And that incident with that arrogant upstart was an entertaining one. Don’t worry, he still doesn’t know who made a mess of his face. We’re in open war now with the rest of our pantheon. But what else is new? That cycle had been going on for millennia. Though this time, my misguided brethren are severely weakened and facing conflicts of their own making on several fronts. We might win this time.”

“Fighting against one’s own?” asked Tyler.

“Don’t mind it. It has gone on since we first laid eyes on the First World. We’re like mortals in that aspect. Peace followed by war—though sibling conflict is brutal, unforgiving. But my time here grows short; I must attend to an ongoing war, as my enemies’ patrons had been defeated, leaving them where we want them. The mortal war is another matter. So, First Mage, how can I show my appreciation? You cannot wriggle out of this one; Zeus’s debt is still unpaid. I heard it’s making him uncomfortable,” replied the deity with a meaningful look.

A favor? But I think I have to make it realistic and uncomplicated. From what I heard, I doubt if he’s recovered his full strength during his exile and war does await him, the mage considered. And I guess he won’t take  ‘no’ or ‘not yet’ for an answer.

“Well, we are a little the worse for wear. My companions lack armor or weapons of appropriate power, given what we will be facing,” requested Tyler.

“I will see what I can do. But I cannot include the Valkyrie and Thaut’s daughter. That’s within that god’s purview,” replied Quetzalcoatl. The deity walked toward Tyndur first.

“An einherjar! Far from the halls of Valhalla!” the entity exclaimed as he neared the warrior.

“And there’s no way I am going back there. Even if Thor’s blasted goats come to drag me back,” commented the einherjar surly.

The deity looked at Tyndur closely.

“An einherjar Fate had marked for a different path. Ah, fear not, warrior. If I could see that, your Allfather could too. Nobody wants to anger Fate. Now, to your weapons and armor. Your armor is of Aesir make, protected and enhanced by their runes and a strange power I cannot identify. It is good enough. And your battleaxe appears to be an ancient one, power smoldering under its shell. The only gift I could give is to awaken it from its slumber; time for it to rouse itself. Great deeds await, Eldhofud! Awake!”

Suddenly, flames burst around the head of Jorund’s Justice, a great flowing ball of fire. It wrapped the blade in a liquid embrace, with yellow and red tongues moving down to caress the shaft. The einherjar nearly dropped it out of shock. But it didn’t burn Tyndur as the fiery tendrils now danced their way down the handle, caressing the hands of the wielder now tightly gripping the shaft.

“It will immolate your enemies provided the power of the axe exceeds theirs, but for more powerful opponents, each successful hit will burn the area around the inflicted wound. Unfortunately, the blade of the weapon, due to its nature, won’t be successful against fire draken, flame drakes, salamanders of a fiery affinity, and similar creatures. Demons, though, are fair game. Its fire is a purifying one,” clarified the deity who then turned to Kobu, leaving Tyndur examining his enhanced weapon gleefully.

“So that’s its secret name, Eldhofud. Fire Head. Quite proper,” Tyler heard the murmuring of the einherjar.

“The exile from the lands of Wa. Be warned, Lord Warmaster of the clan of….” Quetzalcoatl started to say, stopping upon seeing Kobu’s shocked, desperate look.

“My apologies for saying things before their time. But three disguised creatures passed through Aztecah lands amidst the conflict and confusion. Ehecatl noted their momentary appearance and sudden northward movements. I brought the aspect of the wind’s description to Viracocha, a fount of lore and knowledge. He suspected them to be Jorogumo from your native land, spider-like traits being their most prominent features. And there is only one target on the mainland worthy of such expenditure of magical power and baleful animosity,” the god continued.

Tyler believed he saw Kobu’s jaw clench tightly for a second. The man quickly recovered and bowed his head.

“My utmost thanks for the warning, great deity of the Aztecah. But it will be as Fate decides.”

“Truly said, exile. But a good suit of armor would help,” said the deity.

A black suit of armor abruptly appeared on Kobu, replacing his mish-mashed protection. Even the exile was caught off-guard by what happened.

“A tribute to your homeland, though an old man did contribute something to its appearance. Light but quite difficult to penetrate with conventional weapons and highly resistant to acid and poison. Also to fire—but that idea was not mine. The grandfather recommended it. I decline to improve your weapon. It