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“Yet sightings of you are rare.”

  “We normally don’t involve ourselves in mortal affairs, lad. Another of our kind may take the opposite side. Then it may escalate from that. If ever it comes to such a conflict, consider this world gone in a short time. Because of that, we are bound not to involve ourselves in conflicts directly. Whether they involve humans or deities.”

  “I won’t ask who bound your kind to that. I think I know,” replied Tyler.

  “My thanks, lad. There are questions which are heavy on the soul to answer.”

  “Did the wine god not tell you anything else about those sons and their new army?”

  “Only that you return to Akrotiri as soon as you can,” replied Rumpr.

  “A new army. That may take them some time. It’s only Dori which is involved?”

  “No idea. That’s all he told me. Though the second part of the problems you’re facing made me make the quick decision to find you.”

  “The Aztecah issue?”

  “It’s not just an issue, Havard. It’s a big problem. Even I don’t go to that part of the world anymore.”

  “Why? You’re one of the most powerful beings I know,” replied the bewildered mage.

  “They’ve got eighteen major deities there. One for each of their months. And each deity is quite powerful, fueled by belief and blood. A potent combination, unique and dark in this world. I heard they even sacrifice deities. But even I can’t handle eighteen major deities all at once,” Rumpr replied.

  “Probably six,” he continued as he thought about it.

  “But I have to stop the second Dori invasion first,” said Tyler.

  “That you do, lad. That you do.”

  “You have to leave again? So soon?” asked Eira.

  “Yes, beloved. I thought I would have the time for us and myself. But it appears something wants me to be busy all the time. At the risk of life and limb.”

  “Hah!” exclaimed Rumpr, “It’s like that, my boy. Look at it like a whirlpool. Once one is caught in its current, there’s no escaping being involved in it. Just be careful you don’t get dragged down by its vortex.”

  “Did the god of wine mention a period? A specific day he expects me to be back?”

  “No, he didn’t. Only that he was very concerned about the army being created. He had already asked your companions to return.”

  “I am not surprised. He needs them to lead the defense of the city. That Ippeas fellow is not experienced in siege battles. But at least he admits it,” commented Tyler.

  “With my message delivered, I have done my part. Though do be careful in warmer climes, my boy. Remember what I said.”

  “I will, Rumpr. And thank you. How’s Hrun?”

  “Oh, doing the usual thing. Trying to come up with the perfect ode,” laughed Rumpr. “Which in turn reminds me. He told me to tell you this rhyme. You know Hrun. Still trying to be a skald. But here goes:

  When clouds of fear

  Gather, tears of grief

  Abound; Though thy mind

  Is lost, amidst the mourning dark

  And red rage; Remember not the

  Pain, but the joy of having lived a Man.

  “Terrible phrasing. I do apologize for my friend’s lamentable lack of skaldic skills. Not to mention a message of such tidings,” added Rumpr. “I really don’t know what came over him. Come to think of it, he was the one who told me a deity was going to look for me.”

  Tyler sat quietly. Hrun’s message was cryptic as usual but not as much as the being wanted it to be. A chilling tinge of fear combined with concern rose in him. His thoughts immediately went to his companions.

  Problems, Tyler thought, they really come in groups.

  “I’ll take my leave, High Mage. My lady,” said Rumpr, giving Eira a slight bow.

  He rose from his seat and went to the door, the two following him.

  As he was going to open the door, he stopped and turned to Tyler. He searched through his clothing and finally found what he was looking for. He gave the mage a parchment roll.

  “I forgot to give this scroll, lad. The wine god also asked me to give it to you. Found it in his archives, he said. Not to scale and the boundaries may have changed. But its the only one he has available. Says it may help. Ask him your questions.”

  “Thanks again, Rumpr. But how were you able to find this house? The magic of the forest concealed it,” asked Tyler.

  “It did take me some time. But remember, High Mage, my power is of the earth,” the smiling elemental mentioned before he turned and walked away.

  Tyler closed the door and looked at Eira. She was focused on the scroll.

  “What is it,” she asked.

  Tyler opened the parchment. It was a map.

  Chapter Lore:

  Vord nafjardar – Old Norse. Mythological being. Translated as “night roaming hag”.

  Ellri – Old Norse. Meaning “ancient”.

  Chapter III

  A Death in the Family

  “Of what?” asked Eira again, her head looking over his shoulder.

  “Let’s put it on the table, we’ll see it better.”

  “Good idea!” exclaimed Eira as she waved away the remains of their dinner.

  Placing the map on the table, Tyler carefully fixed its place by putting an empty cup at each corner of the scroll. But the old parchment was sturdier than it looked. He formed a square tall lamp with enough illumination to portray the map in its faded glory.

  “It’s a map of this part of Adar,” he clarified when he finally gleaned the markings on the parchment.

  “Let me see! Let me see!” cried out Eira as she edged Tyler out from his side of the table. “I’m sorry! But I have only been to places in Skaney. Rarely at that. I have heard of Hellas and Egypt, but that’s the extent of what I know.”

  Tyler stepped aside to let Eira examine the map. His position still offered him a view of it.

  The Aztecah Empire is way down south. If Ymir’s frozen domain is the northernmost part, that empire is its southern equivalent. There are four kingdoms or lands to cross before reaching them. Areas which are unfamiliar to me except by name. Kemet? Cahokia Dependency? Well, that one I heard from Loki before. No idea though what kind of civilization it is. Bastjan Lands? Etruscan League? I have read about the Etruscans. Precursors of the Romans in Italy but that’s all. The Imperii Romani must be the Romans. There’s an area described as inhabited by Keltoi tribes. Must be the Celts. Another land described as Kingdoms of the Edge. Nope, no idea what that means. But there’s a lot of land masses which are huge though forbidding. Barren Lands. Death Lands. That doesn’t sound inviting at all. Forsaken Edge. The Great Desert. Even the islands appear to be large ones. Even then, significant parts of the islands seem to be inhabited by barbarian tribes or otherwise off-limits to human settlement, according to the civilizations marked on the map. Terras Barbara is quite obvious. I wonder what Chicimeca Lands mean?

  Tyler’s observations were disturbed by a question from Eira.

  “Kerasti, is this where you will be going?” she asked as she pointed to the Aztecah portion.

  “Eventually, Eira. Although I hope it won’t get to that part.”

  “It’s so far from Skaney or even Hellas. How are you going to get there? There are strange lands between here and your destination. And the distance you need to travel is immense.”

  “I guess the great Incan deity who drafted me and my companions will provide the transportation,” sardonically replied Tyler.

  “Well, he should!” came Eira’s emphatic comment. “There’s no telling what dangers a land journey will involve. Not to mention the time spent on such a journey!”

  “I guess he knows that, Eira. He’s quite powerful for a deity.”

  “If you say so, kerasti. Though I admit, I am fascinated by this map. I never imagined the world could be so big.”

  “Actually, that’s only part of Adar, Eira. My guess would be that’s around twenty to thirty percent of the
main continent. Probably even less.”

  “Really! There are so many things to learn!”

  “And so many unknown dangers and magical threats. Those open spaces on the side of the map are one reason for human explorations to fail and be discouraged. Journeying by sea also has its share of dangers. More, I believe.”

  “You’re right! Look at this huge island above the frozen domain. It’s just marked ‘Banna’ or forbidden. I wonder why?”

  “Well, one thing I can be sure of is that this map was made after the last Divine War. From what I remember, the Great Tundra Waste used to be a vast forest before that war. It’s now indicated by its present name on the map.”

  “You’re right!” exclaimed Eira as she continued looking closely at the map, peering over every corner of the parchment.

  “I have to admit this is the first time I had an idea of where the kingdoms are and how they are situated in relation to each other. But the Gothi of Maljen was right. Adar is an immense place. What’s worrying is that large tracts of it apparently don’t have a human presence.”

  “I have heard my brother talk of such forsaken lands. The Barren Lands, for one. He explained that the farther and deeper one goes into the interior, the more dangerous it becomes. Nakki mentioned it’s really not barren and void of ordinary flora and fauna. He had been as far as the beginnings of the so-called Barren Lands and it does have desolate and bleak stretches, but there are great forests and mountains too. But he also warned that it is inhabited not only by the First World’s creatures but also magical beasts native to Adar. I guess magical energy is a lot stronger in the interior of the land.”

  Adar really is vast. This map doesn’t even include the Jade Emperor’s realm as well as the lands of the Sumerians that Andreas mentioned.

  “After Hellas, I’ll probably go first to the Inka Kingdom. Then see what has to be done,” said Tyler.

  “Inka?” repeated Eira without looking at him. She was busy looking for it on the map.

  “Here it is! Right on the borders of the Aztecah Empire,” she called out when she found it.

  “The way I heard it is they’re barely holding on. Though if I were the Aztecs, now would be the perfect time to fully invade Etruscan lands and roll up the Inka Kingdom from the side. There’s a mountain range separating the Etruscan League from the Bastjan Lands. And I don’t have an idea what that land is. First time I have heard of it. In the First World and this world.”

  “You know such matters of war?” asked Eira.

  “No, no. It’s just from an interest in history, information from the internet, and documentaries on television. I do admit being a history buff.”

  “What’s the internet and television? I do remember asking you about that internet thing.”

  Here we go again. At least it’s Eira. Not Dionysus. With the wine god, I’ll probably end up drunk even before I finish discussing the subjects.

  With Eira’s question, Tyler led the way back to the small living room. He knew it was going to take him some time to explain the concepts and the devices. It would be best discussing them seated, not standing. He doubted if he could last that long. The inevitable barrage of needed clarifications would see to that. It took him two hours.

  Finally, Eira left. This time, with a goodnight kiss. Tyler sat in the living room with his thoughts. For now, his relationship with Eira had a stability of sorts. Whether they will make it as a couple will depend on how devoted they are to each other. Deep inside, Tyler feared that what Eira felt for him was mere infatuation. Being the first human and man in her life, aside from her brother, it could be that juvenile emotion. She could also be looking for an emotional substitute for her brother. He prayed his fears were groundless. He hadn’t thought yet of what his reaction would be if such misgivings were realized. Such a worry was buried deep within him, under lock and key. He would face the burden if ever the worst happened.

  A more immediate concern was the impending invasion of Hellas. A freaking sequel, he thought. But the elements had changed, based on what he heard.

  As to composition, the addition of fell creatures and beasts would mean fewer men. I suppose that would be Dori and some contributions from nearby cities. And mercenaries. An attempt at a sudden attack while Akrotiri’s watchfulness is lowered. Otherwise, they would have to wait for armies from faraway allies. The question is what kind of creatures and beasts they will employ? How many? I am not that familiar with Greek mythology to be able to come up with my list of possible candidates. On the number of men, my guess is it’s probably a lot lesser than the forty thousand they were able to muster the first time. With their losses and withdrawals of allies, I’ll peg it at fifteen to twenty thousand. Their force multiplier would be the legendary creatures they will be able to field. We didn’t see any of such beings in force the last time. Except for that minotaur. Those things may change the equation.

  Tyler tried to remember the defenses Akrotiri was able to put up.

  Let’s see. Fortifications improved to a minimal level. At least two days, Jorund mentioned. Though he warned that was an unduly optimistic assessment. The last time, Akrotiri was able to come up with a 5,000-man army. A hodgepodge of units. A mixture of trained and barely trained soldiers. The game changer was the Pelasgoi contribution. Pappo did mention something about a permanent base for the Pelasgoi as well as training assistance. But I doubt if training had started. The defending soldiers also incurred losses. Assuming a high loss estimate of a thousand men for each contingent, that would leave eight thousand men. With additional late reinforcements for the Akrotiri side, I would estimate the available defense to be at around nine thousand men. Even if the Dorians come up with twenty thousand men and another twenty thousand creatures, the odds of a defensive battle will favor the city. My calculation does depend on what kind of beasts will accompany the Dorian army. I can’t ask Eira. She’s Norse. As to the time frame, like before, I would assume three days before they can muster in force before the city. That means I have to leave by tomorrow afternoon. There goes my vacation. And back to war. Shit. I feel like a grunt.

  His sleep didn’t come easily. Even within the haven his necklace provided.

  At breakfast, Eira noticed his lack of sleep.

  “You didn’t sleep well, Tyler?

  “No, Eira. Rumpr’s news was unsettling. Too many thoughts and concerns running through my head. Knowing my companions, they would already be back in the city. I should follow them.”

  “When do you plan to leave?”

  “I was thinking of this afternoon. I can put in some practice today before I leave.”

  Eira was quiet and looked at the view outside the house.

  “When will you be back, kerasti?”

  “I will try to drop by again before we leave for the south. They did cut short my vacation,” Tyler replied.

  She turned to him and smiled.

  “I would love that, Tyler. But please forgive me if I can’t see you off.”

  “I understand, Eira. It’s alright,” said Tyler, a bit of sadness evident in his voice..

  “Standing there, watching you leave, not knowing if ever you’ll be back,” Eira softly continued as if she didn’t hear Tyler’s response.

  Tyler stood up and hugged the seated Eira from behind.

  “Don’t worry about it. I’ll be back,” he reassured her.

  Her only response was a muffled sob.

  “Again, with the crying,” he joked.

  Eira stood up and hugged him back.

  “I’ll be strong for you, kerasti.”

  Tyler looked at her and smiled.

  “Now there’s the Sigyn I know,” he jested.

  “She’s the strong one,” answered Eira.

  “So be stronger,” replied Tyler who then kissed her on the forehead.

  “I will.”

  The two finished their breakfast in a better mood. When Eira left, Tyler was the one who kissed her goodbye.

  At least she’s in a better
mood now, thought Tyler. Though what she said was true. Saying farewell is hard. Especially when one is going to war.

  Tyler then went out to the back of the house to practice. He focused on improving the accuracy and strength of his blades though he didn’t try to use his fireball spells. The risk of a forest fire was too high. Remembering the difficulty he had in forming the light shapes on the treetops back in Scarburg, he also spent a lot of time practicing with shaping intricate energy structures. Eventually, he could create roll-shaped forms with an eye to using them against large creatures such as minotaurs. It could shackle them at first preparatory to a fire-infused finale.

  It was nearly midday when it happened. A dead bird fell at his feet. A small eagle. He looked around to check if something was amiss. Nothing. He picked up the bird and started to walk back to the house. He found he couldn’t lift his feet off the ground. But when he took a step back, no such odd difficulty occurred. It lasted for a minute then the phenomenon disappeared. He walked back to the field full of small craters and buried the dead eagle in one of them. A strange feeling came over him. It was as if people were calling his name from a far distance, while a thick knot of anxiety started in his gut.

  What’s happening to me? Tyler worriedly thought. It was an extremely distressing feeling. As if something terrible happened.

  Then his thoughts went to far-off Akrotiri.

  Oh shit.

  Tyler hurriedly checked his pocket. The small pouch was still there, a leather thong attached to his belt. He thought about what he could have left in the house. Nothing came to mind. His armor was back in his room in Akrotiri. He fished out the small return stone and activated his barriers. Firmly holding on to his staff, the mage closed his eyes and crushed the pebble.

  Tyler felt a shift in the surrounding area. The furious din and noisome clatter of a desperate city at war were the first to greet his ears. He opened his eyes to find himself in the middle of the inn’s empty main hall.

  “A good day to you, Master Mage,” a voice greeted him. He turned around. Danay minded the bar. Around Tyler, the loud sound of shouting men, running steps, the metallic clang of weapons, and all the hustle and bustle of being in the middle of a battle echoed through the empty inn. He went to the barkeep.