Tartarus Beckons Page 7

  “I am confused. You say you’re a Demon Lord and yet you hunt demons,” asked the mage.

  “True. But demon wars are common in our scheme of things. But there’s more to that in my story. I was human once. Or thought I was human. A long time ago. I became a demon hunter for revenge, and found I was a demon myself. The scion of the lord of one of the nine demon realms! So, I literally became what my original title was – a demon hunter. I had colorful human titles before – Scourge of the Dark, the Whip of Hate,” laughed the being, but the amusement was tinged with bitterness and pain.

  “I still don’t understand,” said Tyler.

  “It’s a long story. Perhaps in another time and place. My world is in the endless, barren and desolate plains before the realm of Ereshkigal, where I do what I do best – hunt demons. Your name, mageling?”

  “Havard, First Mage.”

  “Titles really don’t matter to me, Havard. Power does. But if we ever cross paths again, know me by my human name – Nabu-sin.”

  Chapter Six

  Finding the Dokkalfr

  The mage and the priest sat in the middle of the clearing made by the demon lord. The damage to the forest was substantial, but fortunately, it was localized in the immediate area. Nabu-sin had quickly left after his conversation with Tyler, and his departure freed Kobu and Ivar from the stasis spell. The two didn’t have questions. Though immobilized, they apparently could still hear everything that was discussed.

  The exile immediately left in search of the missing crewmen, while Tyler recalled Birki and his wards back to the staff. The guardian was undeniably sulking. He came back without saying anything to the mage.

  “A strange day,” commented Ivar, breaking the silence. The two were still feeling bewildered by the just concluded incident.

  “The understatement of the week. Or the year,” replied Tyler. He was trying to absorb and consider the implications of what happened.

  “Your take on what happened, if I may ask?”

  “For the kraken, whoever created the island knew the consequences of the act. For some reason, they wanted the entity in that spot and confident enough that I would be able to settle the issue. Must be deities. They’re the ones who couldn’t approach it. I got used again. I hope it was for a good cause. You don’t think the arrival of those shiny blue pebbles was mere coincidence?” said Tyler with a shrug.

  “And the gallu?”

  “Now that I half-expected. Not that it would be that creature. Our enemies were bound to test me. Draw me out and examine what I can do. Given what someone had told me – that I foiled most of his schemes – he really must be curious about what I can do.”

  “He?”

  “Some old guy living in a hole underground, absurd as that might sound.”

  Tyler watched the growing evening fog through the window of his room in the Gothi’s house. The tiring trek back was uneventful, though Kobu was only able to find eleven of the twelve men of the crew. But Ivar promised to organize a search party once they got back to town. The evening haze usually comes in early at this time of the year, according to Ivar, helped by the town’s proximity to the forests of Maljen and Fossegrim. As he watched, the mage idly observed that the fog was thicker than what he remembered them to be back on Earth. This one has a seemingly solid consistency to it and the lights from neighboring houses could barely be seen through its thinner sections.

  Now having bathed, eaten his fill, and wearing clean clothes, the mage found he couldn’t sleep. He should have been at ease after Ivar found a message waiting for him saying that Tyndur and Habrok were already on their way back and expected to arrive the following day. That was indeed welcome news. Tyler was starting to worry.

  Yet something disturbed him now, and it came from a distinct, faint wave of magic being directed at his room. It was not threatening nor did he sense any danger. For his peace of mind, he cast a scrying spell. The report didn’t show any dangerous monsters about, but it indicated strong magical emanations in the neighborhood, and a particularly powerful one was right in front of the house. Concealed by the fog, it was alone and merely stood in the darkness. Though the structures around the Gothi’s house, the temple included, had night lights, the intruder managed to position itself in a location where no light could reach, and the thick fog helped in concealing any visible presence of the being.

  Another one? thought the mage.

  His irritation was rising, and even Tyler had already recognized the unusual instinctive reaction of his mind to strange or dangerous situations. He might get scared, frightened, or even terrified at the beginning, but then anger takes over, burning past any negative emotions. The problem was getting it back under control. A psychological coping mechanism, he had concluded, but given his abilities, it was a cure which had the possibility of becoming worse than the problem.

  Tyler stared at the lone shape, assessing the situation. If they wanted to attack, they could have done so already, the mage concluded as he took into consideration the fact that there were at least ten magical emanations shown by his spell. Another examination revealed that the power sources were distributed in a specific pattern, one which led to the nearest city gate.

  Definitely not an aggressive arrangement, more of a defensive one, geared towards escape, he noted. A visitor? Could be. If it’s not human, or a human with dark magic, then the protective runes of the Gothi’s house would prevent its entry. And Ivar also has armed guards. So, is it waiting for me?

  The more Tyler thought about it, the notion made sense. But then again, it could be a trap. And he was really, really tired of traps.

  Fuck this. No way I am going to get some sleep if this continued all night long, he thought crossly.

  Having made his decision, the mage warned his AI guides and Birki on what he was going to do. He changed into his armor, a movement which woke Kobu. The exile didn’t say anything but followed Tyler’s lead.

  “There’s somebody outside, Kobu. Apparently waiting for me. Let’s go check,” said Tyler as he went to the door. An involuntary glance was given to the spot where he left the things he had brought from Earth. The pack and its contents were now all in Ivar’s safekeeping. It all felt like a long time ago.

  Has it really been that long? he mused.

  “I did feel a faint uneasiness, sire. But no killing intent,” replied the exile, now in full armor.

  “Let’s hope it’s not an insurance salesman,” joked the mage.

  “What’s insurance?”

  “A First World vendor, Kobu. More tenacious than any predator on Adar.”

  The duo stepped out of the house, telling the guards they were going for a walk. Ivar’s huskarls knew better than to ask where they were going. Tyler took the lead, proceeding directly to the location of the strange watcher. Another check revealed the figure didn’t move, nor was there any other threat in the vicinity. As they neared, the evening fog grew thicker and wrapped them in its cold embrace.

  They continued walking and when they got to several feet, the haze suddenly cleared. Before them stood a tall figure wrapped in a cloak against the cold, though the face was open and the coat’s hood was gathered around his shoulders. He looked human, and the intricately carved staff he carried in his right hand made it clear he was a mage.

  Suddenly, Tyler felt a hot sensation in one pocket. An unexpected rush of power ran through him, carrying with it a presentiment of warning. His first reaction was to grab what was causing the startling occurrence, but as his hand made the movement, the mage remembered what it was – the small runic plate Habrok had bought before in Scarburg. The artifact which was supposed to guard against shapeshifting dokkalfr.

  His eyes immediately went to the man before them. Kobu had already stepped in front of Tyler and adopted a defensive stance. Yet the figure made no threatening gesture, except to raise his left hand in the familiar gesture of peace. The illusion which disguised him faded, revealing a tall dokkalfr clad in the same outfit. The being had a
dark skin tone, though shades lighter than the usual coloration of the dark elves Tyler had seen. The mage’s memory suddenly went back to the dead dokkalfr mage they had fought in the woods outside Scarburg.

  Tall. Lighter skin color. A dokkalfr noble. And a mage, the thoughts came to Tyler’s mind as he remembered Jorund’s statements.

  “Peace, First Mage. A battle with you and yours is not what we came for,” said the mage before them softly.

  Tyler just stared at the dokkalfr mage, his mind racing through thoughts of treachery and ambush. For him, one big question was the presence of the stranger here, in the center of Maljen, of all places. The dokkalfr looked back at Tyler and sighed heavily as he lowered his hand.

  “I can’t blame you for any lingering suspicions. My kind did side with Ymir in the last war, and our races have never been on good terms,” said the intruder.

  “Then why are you here?” asked Tyler finally.

  “Two reasons, First Mage. One is we are fast losing Ymir’s war on us, though many are blind to that fact. We have already lost three outer cities, and two strongholds are all that stands between his forces and open access to the rest of the dokkalfr domains. We need your promised help now.”

  “And the second?”

  “I have to warn you about the impossible political situation governing our race before you set foot on our lands. I greatly fear my god’s displeasure if the First Mage ventured into dokkalfr domains without knowing what he was entering. Uninformed, you might just leave us to our doom,” replied the stranger.

  “At its simplest, know this – factions mark our society. The mightiest rule. Purposes of such groupings are numerous and diverse. Some are secret, and others are not. Membership crisscrosses factions and classes, with power the ultimate objective. But within that mess, several powerful groups refuse to believe what our priests say – that our deity would send a human to help us. It is, I must admit, a prophecy beyond what many minds could comprehend.”

  “And you?”

  They know I am coming? With their god’s blessing at that, and yet… Oh, my aching head!

  “I serve my deity. But I fear there will be attempts to dissuade you from perceived interference with dokkalfr society, even at the risk of being conquered by Ymir,” said the mage.

  “Glad to know stupidity is not limited to humans,” replied Tyler tersely. Though at the back of his mind, the young mage could already hear the word he disliked. Politics.

  “What I said earlier was necessary for you to understand what I am going to say next. Even as you approach the mountains, there will forces which try to take your head, openly or from the shadows. At the very least, the intention would be to dissuade you from continuing further,” the dokkalfr continued.

  The idea of running a gauntlet of small armies, monsters, and assassins was not a welcome one for Tyler. His party could easily defeat such forces, but any dead dokkalfr would be one less to fight against the jotnar.

  “Why? Surely any aid in stopping Ymir and the conquest of the dokkalfr would be welcomed?” asked the bewildered Tyler. A sense of distaste for the upcoming venture was starting to rise within him.

  That Freyr! He knew what I was getting into! Some sort of warning would have been welcome! thought Tyler. Then he realized that the dokkalfr mage standing before him was precisely that – Freyr’s way of notifying him of the hornet’s nest he was going to disturb.

  His companions’ expectations of a welcome lined with sharp blades now seemed to be confirmed. Fighting the same people he will be trying to save while facing off with Ymir’s hordes appeared to be the dire future waiting for the company. Tyler was already wondering how he was going to save Freyr’s people without being stabbed in the back.

  “Xenophobia runs deeply among my kind. For some, your mere presence in our lands would be intolerable, not much different from that of the jotnar,” the dokkalfr mage explained.

  “My promise was to stop Ymir’s offensive against your people, and I have absolutely no intention of getting mired in your politics. Dokkalfr social relations and politics already seemed to be impossibly horrid, from the little you have told me,” advised Tyler.

  The young First Mage’s mind was already trying to think of a way of doing what the deity requested without the encumbrance of being mired in dokkalfr power struggles. Tyler then realized he had to talk with his party members first. The situation was already giving him a migraine.

  “It is extremely confusing, to say the least, I admit. A chaotic state of affairs born of tradition, bigotry, and greed. But that’s my world. It’s not so far removed from the practices of some human domains,” rebuked the dokkalfr mage in a calm voice.

  “I apologize. An instinctive aversion to politics is to blame. What if we kill attacking dokkalfr on our way to the mountains? Would that affect how I could act and be received in your realm?”

  “It’s a faction-ridden and power-obsessed world, First Mage. It wouldn’t matter at the least if the group which attacked you find it later to be more expedient to have you by their side. To tell you the truth, even now, with Ymir’s legions at our doors, inter-faction wars are still being waged, with dokkalfr killing dokkalfr. My advice? Defend yourself. The guilty leaders themselves would go to extreme lengths to avoid being connected to any attempt on your life. Freyr would not be pleased, nor would his priests and the mages of the temples, if such a thing would come to light.”

  It appears I am about to deal with another level of crazy, thought Tyler. But Freyr’s direct involvement in this war was one he obviously wanted to avoid, especially now with Asgard itself under attack. There must be some rules for this kind of thing? Is conflict on Adar considered different from a war waged on the deity’s home grounds?

  “But first, I have my duty to make sure you arrive at the Dokkalfr Mountains,” said the stranger.

  Map of the Dokkalfr Mage

  Chapter Seven

  A Roll of the Dice

  Later that night, Tyler watched the sleeping town from his window. Beside him stood the ever-present exile. The dokkalfr mage had left, and with him, the spots of magical power he had earlier detected. The intruder wasn’t stupid. He came with insurance.

  The intruder had also left him a map, explained some of the landmarks, but never gave his name. The opened chart was now on the small round table. Kobu had gone through it, having also heard the dokkalfr’s descriptions but Tyler ignored the illustrated paper for the time being.

  That was rude, thought Tyler about his visitor’s intentional act of not giving his name. Could it have something to do with their politics? Was he afraid I would give his name if I were captured? That mage could lie about it, but I guess he was also apprehensive about Freyr’s reaction.

  “What do you think, Kobu?” he asked the exile. The young mage was still confused about the entire thing. Fighting a war to save a people who might also kill you when your back was turned was going to be a new and unpleasant experience for him. He knew it posed problems which demanded unique solutions. Right now, he was fumbling in the dark.

  The price of our lives, Tyler thought as he reflected on the desperate deal he made with the deity Freyr.

  “The dokkalfr reminds me of my own people. Not as bad, but the politics and relationships are similar. The absence of a strong center results in every faction or group thinking it has the right to rule. But the coming venture does demand a higher level of caution,” answered the exile.

  “How would you approach the problem?” he asked further.

  “I believe there are two issues which now confront us. The first would be being able to avoid entanglements in their internal carnival, and the second deals with the problem of stopping Ymir’s legions. The former must be resolved first; otherwise, we will never be able to get to solve the latter.”

  Tyler nodded; the same considerations had also occurred to him. But those were the broader issues. The dokkalfr mage didn’t give them any detailed information on the status of the conflict, only prom
ising that he’ll meet them at the abandoned temple of Freyr. Nor did the stranger give information about the dangers of the route, and merely warned that the area was riddled with cave networks and predators.

  And how secure is the location, not to mention the information about where we’re going to meet? thought Tyler. The news about my involvement seemed to have come from Freyr’s priests. No issues there, but in societies like the dokkalfr, secrets are prized and sought after. Like exactly where I am headed.

  “Habrok and Tyndur are arriving tomorrow. Let’s wait until then to discuss everything. At least those two have a long experience in fighting the dokkalfr and traveling, or in Habrok’s situation, hunting, in their lands.”

  The two did arrive the following morning, but at the break of dawn, on the heels of a mere three hours of fitful sleep for the unlucky mage. It didn’t help that Tyndur’s loud voice was booming his morning greetings to everybody, and the two immediately went up to Tyler’s room to say hello. The mage got out of bed with a wry smile and bade the two to sit as he did his morning ablutions.

  “I apologize, sire,” said Tyndur. “We could have been here yesterday, but this fellow was apparently stuck to his bed.”

  “I was resting!” protested the ranger instantly.

  “And from what, may I ask?” asked the einherjar. A question which resulted in loud laughter from everyone. Even Tyler half-dazed state was chased away by the exchange. But he still felt light-headed from the lack of sleep.

  “So! Anything interesting while we were away?” continued Tyndur.

  Tyler grinned and looked at the exile.

  “You tell them,” he said with a slight smile.

  Nodding, Kobu turned to the pair with his usual reserved expression.

  “Nothing much. A blue mountain, a demon called a gallu, various interesting though unfriendly creatures, a demon hunter who happened to be also a Demon Lord, and a visit from a dokkalfr mage. Oh, and our leader here got an island as a gift from some deities,” said the exile.