Working God's Mischief Read Online Free Page A

Hammer’s mother.”
    Februaren said, “I’m thinking we have more trouble than you’ve let on, friend Asgrimmur.”
    â€œWhat do you mean?”
    â€œThat this can’t be on the up-and-up. You supposedly trapped all of the Old Gods here, except Ordnan and Arlensul. Right?”
    Silence overran the chamber, the Great Sky Fortress, the Realm of the Gods. Cloven Februaren had used a name never to be spoken by mortal men.
    Asgrimmur started shaking. “Aaron’s Balls, old man! Have a care!”
    â€œWhy? He’s gone. Less than the whisper of a ghost. Right?”
    â€œNames have vast power.”
    â€œA root theorem of magic. So. How about you share some names that we might not find on the roster of Instrumentalities we’re bringing back here,” said Februaren.
    â€œI don’t understand.”
    â€œI doubt that. This old man didn’t spend all his time with Iron Eyes swapping tall tales and seeing who could drink the most dwarf beer.”
    Heris was behind Asgrimmur now, and distinctly unhappy. “What’s the story, Double Great?”
    â€œAn old one, maybe. But I’m not quite ready to say we’ve been hornswoggled.”
    â€œDouble Great!”
    â€œAll right! There are problems with our situation. Anomalies.”
    â€œSuch as?” Heris asked.
    â€œI got Iron Eyes to tell me what he could about the Old Ones. Now I’m raising questions. There are whole platoons of gods and goddesses who didn’t get stuck inside Asgrimmur’s pocket reality. Assuming twelve really is how many were trapped here. Which is what the Aelen Kofer claim.”
    Asgrimmur slumped. “It’s true. I should’ve seen it. But it’s also true that these twelve are all who were here when I locked them up. I’m thinking now, maybe, thanks to Korban’s father. He was here, I think. My memories aren’t very clear.”
    Februaren said, “I’ve studied this mythology, Asgrimmur. There are problems with your story.”
    â€œThere are inconsistencies in every faith, old man. We blind ourselves willfully. What’s your particular problem?” The ascendant grew more disturbed as the old sorcerer prodded.
    â€œThe Trickster.”
    â€œUh … and?”
    â€œThe tale of the Old Ones is a long one. It’s convoluted and filled with the aforementioned inconsistencies. They defeated the primal Instrumentalities, Kharoulke, Vrislakis, and their kin. But the Gray Walker wasn’t top Shining One back then. He had a father and a grandfather. He had some brothers. It took them all to make the middle world and create people. Zyr was around before most of the Old Ones. He may have been a friend of Ordnan’s grandfather. The dwarves say he was a more important god, way back.
    â€œThen there was the War Between the Gods. The Old Gods against the Raneul. The Shining Ones won but the Raneul weren’t destroyed. Some moved in here and became Shining Ones themselves. The rest are around somewhere. Likewise, a whole raft of missing original Old Ones. And, after that, there’s still the Trickster matter.”
    Asgrimmur drew a long, deep breath, released it in a long, loud sigh.
    â€œKnowing all that, then, you no doubt know that the missing Instrumentalities are to be found in Eucereme.”
    â€œI don’t know that name. It isn’t one Iron Eyes ever used.”
    â€œWe talk about the Nine Worlds but the only ones we’ve dealt with are this one, the middle world, and that of the Aelen Kofer. Your missing gods and goddesses are probably hiding in the world of the Raneul, where they won’t have to deal with Godslayers.”
    That was an answer, of a sort, but not one that satisfied, there being a normal human inclination to expect secret meanings, motives, and movers.
    Heris said, “Double Great, this is all interesting as hell but how about we finish the job we’ve