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

was true. The elemental predated the pantheons of Adar, and his affinity for earth would, in all likelihood, have given him an urge to explore.

“Yes. But my memory tells me he didn’t stay long. Many of its mountains are active volcanoes. Though I think Rumpr appeared in one of the active zones on his first trip. That’s why his memory of the place is the smell of rotten eggs.”

“You do look bigger now and there’s a glow around you,” observed Tyler, leaning forward as he examined the spirit closely.

“The glow will disappear, but I do feel much, much stronger and my magic has grown by a few levels,” Birki beamed, pleased with himself.

“That’s done. I guess I should be leaving. I have a lot of questions, but I’ll try to come back when the party is not in an exposed area,” said Tyler.

“You’ve been away for the equivalent of a minute or so, First Mage. We have time for your surprise,” said Birki with a knowing smile.

“Surprise? What surprise?” asked the baffled mage.

“Oh, something which just happened and we all decided to keep it as a surprise for you,” Birki mysteriously answered. “I was going to bring you there in a round-about way while the young ones gathered to meet us there. But our talk served the same purpose. Come, let’s meet them.”

Tyler again followed Birki.

I’ll quickly get lost here. It’s very difficult to determine the locations of the corridors. I’ll ask for a map next time, thought Tyler, though he admired Vathys’s work. The boy is a genius.

The duo finally reached a door. From Tyler’s observation, the room it led to must have been adjacent to the meeting hall. As they entered the chamber, the young energies were all there, standing and clearly waiting for them. Repressed smiles marked their faces. Vivindel was even clapping her hands in happy excitement. That mystified Tyler even more. In front of the children was another door, smaller in dimensions, which to the mage meant it opened to a very small space.

Birki gestured for Tyler to join the waiting crowd as he moved toward the metal barriers. The children were all looking at the mage expectantly. The mage wanted to ask what it was all about but knew such a query would be disappointing his charges.

They must be waiting to see my expression when Birki opens the door, Tyler inwardly smiled. As if anything in this world could surprise me anymore.

The small door was slowly opened in a dramatic fashion. Birki evidently knows how to draw out the suspense, the mage thought. Then it was suddenly thrown wide open.

Inside was a black oblong object, about a foot and a half in height.

It was an egg. Obviously not an ordinary one.

***

Tyler stared at the large egg, unable to say anything, his mind racing through all the consequences and complications it entailed. Especially for him. The room was deathly quiet as everybody waited for a visible reaction from the mage. Finally, Vivindel broke free of the waiting crowd and ran to his side. The little girl urgently tugged at his right arm.

“Can we keep it? Please?” requested the small, melodious voice. The ethereal flow of the small girl’s tone greatly reminded him of Eira, and as such, immediately started breaking down the barriers his psyche had promptly put up when he recognized the round object.

Dammit. Of all beings to ask for it, he thought resignedly. Tyler knelt and held the little girl’s hands.

“We’ll see, Vivindel. Let me make sure no harm results from its presence,” he softly told the girl.

Vivindel nodded but finally got the courage to speak.

“I know he’ll be a nice companion to all of us. We all pitched in to give it form!” excitedly whispered the forest spirit.

“Oh, is that so? Let me ask your elder brother Birki,” he answered.

“How did this come about?” he asked, keeping his voice calm. Inwardly, he wanted to shout the question. Great, uncomfortable knots of fear had already colonized his stomach and muscles.

A freaking dragon! A drake! A wyrm! One of the most, if not the most dangerous, creatures on Adar. With a host of fucking powers I can’t even begin to imagine, Tyler’s mind yelled as the image of Gullen came to the fore.

“Your armor, lad. Despite being the cast-off scales of Old Greyskin, one of the oldest among already ancient dragons, it still retains a faint vestige of the old one’s power. And you’re wearing a full suit made from his scales,” replied Birki.

A memory suddenly imposed itself on Tyler’s mind, an uninvited recollection of Rumpr’s words while they were in the mountains above Scarburg, a statement Hrun found very funny, for better or for worse:

“A simple favor, laddies. If you run into any draken, they’ll probably smell your armor. If they ask, say it’s from Hrun.”

And from what he remembered about the comments about Old Greyskin, the draken or dragon was the most cantankerous and tetchy among the lot. Tyler doubted if the damned drake would wait for an explanation.

It’s from Old Greyskin’s energy? That Old Greyskin? As large as a mountain, crabbier than the worst troll, and feared by deities?  I’ve got another Old Greyskin in here?

“You’ve gone a bit pale, lad. I guess it’s your concerns about that giant of a draken. Highly irritable, very possessive, and dangerously temperamental. Even heads of pantheons fear to rouse that grouchy wyrm’s enmity. Come to think of it, they go to great lengths to avoid Old Greyskin.”

“Stop, Birki. You’re not helping,” commented Tyler testily, rubbing the temples of his head in anticipation of another headache. It didn’t come, but his knees now felt rubbery.

“From my armor you say, but it’s but cast-off scales,” Tyler continued, desperately trying to understand how the hell a dragon’s egg was now inside the staff.

“I agree. The ensuing energy wasn’t conducive to creating an energy form. It lacked a spark, a living one. Apulli and Vivindel shaped it into what it should be; their field involves life and creation anyway. The others helped. Everybody was excited. Its nest