Tartarus Beckons, Edmund Batara [bts book recommendations .TXT] 📗

world seems unfortunately intertwined with the whims and caprices of deities.”

“That’s unfortunate and means you do have to watch your back,” said Okeanos. “But I’ll make it simpler for you. You ignore me, and I’ll ignore you.”

Chapter Four

Sasabonsams and Manticores

“Now what?” The question came from Ivar. “We walk home?”

Okeanos had already left, and the men of the karve could be seen filtering back to the beach. Ivar had exceeded his dose of deities and mythical beings for the day, and emphatically declared it to both Tyler and Kobu. When told that the company’s days on the road were usually like today, the Gothi made Tyler promise never to recruit him or volunteer his name for any quest, no matter how simple. A statement to which Kobu replied that for his master, the mage, there’s no such thing as a simple quest though sometimes it starts off looking like one.

“I guess so,” replied Tyler to the Gothi’s query. “Even if we’re able to send for help, a ship approaching this beach would trigger the kraken’s response. Not a good idea. It just had an early dinner and a disturbed nap. It’ll be cranky as hell.”

“That’s roughly five miles as the crow flies. With the terrain, and even with the help of hunting trails, it’s bound to feel like ten,” commented the priest with trepidation.

Tyler didn’t say anything; he was busy scrying their surroundings. No telling if and when the mysterious observer would decide to come back and send more creatures against them. The magical scrutiny came back clear. Even Okeanos was gone.

“Ivar, gather the crew, we’ll walk back. Hopefully, they managed to keep their weapons,” said the mage.

“It’s at times like this that I miss Habrok and Astrid. My fieldcraft isn’t so good,” said Kobu.

The mage stared at the waiting forest, its darkened eaves and thick undergrowth promising a forbidding welcome.

Me and my imagination, thought the mage.

He stood at the edge of the woods as Kobu took care of arranging their march order. Ivar was beside Tyler, but the attention of the priest was on the island. The mage watched the Gothi who was clearly doing some heavy thinking of his own.

“Changing your mind about the academy’s location?” Tyler asked finally.

“Far from that, my friend. I just realized that the news about the kraken’s presence would be of help.”

“How so?” the mage asked. He couldn’t see anything positive about the proximity of a huge and cranky sea creature near the location of Ivar’s pet project.

“The rumor of the kraken’s presence will remain long after it had left. That will provide additional deterrence to would-be raiders, thieves, and scoundrels approaching from the sea. Students intending to go on private yet unauthorized excursions would likewise think twice. Finally, it lends an atmosphere of the strange and magical to the place.”

“I never thought of it that way. But it’s your school, and hence, your choice,” remarked Tyler doubtfully.

“Of course, a road would have to be built leading to town. A costly effort, even with the support of the jarl, but maybe an Archmage would kindly lend a hand with the clearing of the route,” grinned the priest.

“You’re a sly one, but of course, I’ll help,” replied the mage, already thinking of Birki.

“Sire?” It was Kobu. Tyler turned to the exile.

“March order is arranged, but only four of the twelve were properly armed with axes. No armor. The rest had been told to secure clubs. Our problems now are our flanks and who’s going to be the scout. We don’t have one, and these men are not warriors.”

“I’ll take care of it. I believe it’s better to keep a compact formation once we’re inside the forest. No telling if we’re going to be tested further,” said the mage after a few moments of thought.

“Tested?” asked Ivar.

Tyler then narrated what he had observed during the arrival of the ketea, and that the unknown entity had left immediately, evading identification. He also voiced his suspicion that the episode was intended to draw him out, and force him to display his abilities.

“Then I won’t ask how you were able to handle those creatures. I can’t be forced to say something on a matter I know nothing about,” said Ivar. “But my curiosity is killing me.”

“Thanks, Ivar,” said Tyler, giving the priest a friendly slap on his left arm. “But you do know what the saying is about curiosity.”

“I am not a cat,” laughed the priest.

Suddenly, Tyler felt a warmth coming from his staff.

“Birki?” he called out.

“We’ve been listening, sire, and everybody agrees that considering what had happened, there’s bound to be surprises on your way back. And thanks for the energy of Okeanos. I never expected to meet such an august personage. He’s the eldest son of the grand Titan of them all, Ouranus. And his mother is Gaia herself! You can imagine the might of that being!” The little being was without doubt excitedly euphoric.

“But he did sound as if he didn’t care about Olympus or the other Greek deities,” said Tyler.

“That’s true, sire. You could call him a loner, an outcast, for refusing to be involved in their politics and games. But from what I remember, the arrangement suited him just fine.”

“So, we got energy off him? I am not really comfortable with the leeching energy arrangement. As I said before, it makes me feel like an energy vampire,” remarked Tyler.

“Lad. It’s not as if we’re jumping him and biting his head off. We’re just utilizing energy which otherwise would have gone to waste. And yes, we got some. Even from the kraken. Though the encounters were brief, the magnitude of the power they exuded more than made up for it. I doubt if you could call your wards children now. Even Vivindel had grown up.”

Birki stopped talking for a few seconds.

“It’s true then. They grow up so fast,” said the earth spirit with a trace of melancholy in his tone.

“More than the usual, Birki. Which means you have to adjust their