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

where to stand. Then he opened the massive door.

As the metal panel swung open, the mage saw a large meeting hall with a long wooden table right after the door. The chairs at both ends were empty, but the seats at the sides were occupied by entities of dissimilar shapes, sizes, and forms.

His companion stepped in and stood to one side.

“The First Mage comes,” he announced. Loudly.

Chapter Five

Staff Meeting

Bragi spake:

12. “A horse and a sword | from my hoard will I give,

And a ring gives Bragi to boot,

That hatred thou makst not | among the gods;

So rouse not the great ones to wrath.”

Loki spake:

13. “In horses and rings | thou shalt never be rich,

Bragi, but both shalt thou lack;

Of the gods and elves | here together met

Least brave in battle art thou,

(And shyest thou art of the shot.)”

They were all young.

Tyler immediately turned to the Rumpr-lookalike.

“How old are you? he asked, thinking he knew what the answer would be.

“Not too old but not too young either,” came the reply.

The mage mentally kicked himself. I should have expected that.

“I mean compared to Rumpr himself. And I never got what you called yourself,” he countered.

“Compared to my father? I’m an infant, no, an idea yet to be born. That’s how young my father is, and as to my name, I already said you get to name us. Or give us our final names. But I call myself Birki for now, a Nordic word for the birch tree. Though if we had met in another land, I would have adopted a name in the language of that realm.”

“Then Birki you shall be,” said Tyler. He turned his attention back to the gathering. Everybody had stopped and stared at him when the door was opened. It had been a noisy and unruly crowd just before his entrance, but the silence was temporary.

After a few moments of respite, the bickering and childish play continued. Two misty shapes, one gray and the other darker in hue, were chasing a very young girl, with the pursuers occasionally forming hands, trying to catch her hair. Another young girl, winged this time, was playing “push-the-other-person-back-harder” with yet another girl wearing an Aztecah headdress.

At one end of the table sat a boy of around twelve years of age, silent and morose. At his side was another youngster of roughly the same age talking to him, uncaring whether his listener was paying any attention—though strangely, the one speaking appeared to have a vague outline. He seemed to fade in and out and the mage could see right through him.

“You’ve got your work cut out for you,” whispered Birki. “But do make a good impression, it will make my job a lot easier.”

“But they’re just kids! How am I going to do this?” exclaimed Tyler, but in low voice.

“Correction, lad. They appear to be mortals, but they’re not. Well, those who have temporal forms at least. Always remember they’re energies. Reflections of power. They appear human because their master has a mortal shape. As for me, my final form is subject to your decision. And do note that the only reason they’re not fighting to tear each other apart is the fact that we are all subject to your will.”

The mage looked at Birki.

“I think I prefer you in this form. Among other things, it will remind me of my first struggles in this world,” Tyler told the being.

“It will sound self-serving, but good choice, lad. Now I suggest you call matters to order before things get out of hand. The forest spirit has lost her temper,” said Birki.

Tyler looked at the subject of Birki’s attention. The young girl being chased by the two shapes had stopped and a shimmering nimbus of forest green had surrounded her. Her tormentors had also halted but a dark shield was forming to their front.

“Why don’t you stop them?” Tyler quickly told Birki.

“Ah, that’s one of the rules. When you’re present, I can’t do anything to discipline these little terrors. You have to step up and manage matters.”

“Wait, forest spirit?” he inquired, surprised at the description.

“Yes. Actually, the first energy in the staff, but she never grew until recently. You didn’t think this artifact would be in Fossegrim Forest for that length of time without some of its power permeating the staff, did you?” said Birki.

“How come you became the guardian if she was the first?”

“Pulled seniority, lad. Ellri and all that. Not to mention my form was more complete,” Birki answered with a grin.

Tyler absentmindedly nodded as he watched the impending confrontation promise an eruption of magical power. Inside, he was panicking, though the rest of the group didn’t appear concerned. Angry displays of magical energies appeared the norm for them.

Duck shit, Tyler thought as he frantically tried to think of a way to restore order. Dammit, the mage again chastised himself as he instinctively stamped his right foot down. Hard.

A loud explosive blast arose from the impulsive action. The entire structure violently shuddered. Tyler could see large cracks forming on the ground outside the window. Trees near the bastion toppled. The mage stood in shock at the unexpected results.

“That was a bit strong, lad. Even this keep felt its effects,” said Birki, rising from the floor. “This is a reality subordinate to your whims. Unless of course, something comes in and changes it or part of it. But I think you’ve got their attention now.”

***

With his display of power, the mage finally got the disorderly and noisy group to sit down at the table. Even the talkative boy kept quiet, though his shape still had the weird amorphous quality. Tyler stared at the faces looking at him.

“Now. Let’s begin. Do you know who I am?” he asked, keeping his voice calm and low. The gathered heads all nodded. Birki didn’t sit down but stood at Tyler’s side.

“Who am I?” Tyler continued, gesturing at the winged girl.

“You’re the First