Dancing in Our Palms

Dancing in Our Palms

Year 168

Operation Smuggle-the-Hero out of the Northern Isles was in full swing, as a fleet of ships sailed across the ocean.

Does the hero even want to be saved? Edna asked the obvious question. Im not planning to escort a tantrum-throwing hero across the ocean. For a task that involved a hero, I felt only Edna was up to the task.

Yes. Im pretty sure he wants to be saved and healed, even if he prefers it not to be through Aeons powers. Kei responded on the magical communication device. As it is, he cant bonk his harem.

Does he know that its... you? Did he see you as... you? Did you ask him?

Kei didnt answer, and Edna rolled her eyes. Seriously. Aeon, you there? You agreed to this?

Yes. I responded through a magical speaking item, one of the priests acted as my spokesperson. My eyes looked through that same device.

Edna shrugged. Kei, you owe me one.

Yes, boss. Kei bowed, Ill meet you guys once the force lands. Ive already bought off some of the scouts and folks in that area, but Ill doublecheck. The fleet would mostly remain along a string of uninhabited islands, cloaked by magical spells and fog. A smaller group of ships will make landfall and a few hundred men will disembark. From there, they will travel to the city where Alvin is kept under watch by the temples. This was a secret that very few were supposed to know, but it seemed that there are a lot of loose lips around.

Edna called on the senior team leads for a recap.

Essentially, the mission is to steal the hero, without the temples knowing we did it. The potential for a political and worldwide drama, should it be seen that the Central Continent kidnapped a hero, well, a part of me thought itll be a big middle finger to the 4 temples, and yet, I wasnt sure how the kingdoms and the temples would react.

In any case, best if the force remained unknown. That meant all of them were in disguises and had magical artefacts that altered their presence and magical signatures. Also, no unique abilities, so they had to all use common skills and abilities, and all their equipment were basic.

Even the ships we used for the operations were all repurposed ships captured from pirates or Northern-isle sanctioned privateers.

One of the accompanying Valthorns was a level 125 ranger called Roon. He too, received multiple experience seeds and the soul strengthening seed, and was in the 3rd batch of ascended potential warriors. Well, a cakewalk isnt it.

In a way. Edna said. Theres 6 of us here thats above level 100, and another 10 at Level 80s. I do not expect any of us to die from this. The temples themselves have only a few people in the high 60s and 70s, and those old farts are probably hidden away. Our main risk, really, are the hero-items.

Roon brought out a greater teleportation device, again, a relic of the Harris era. One of the items they used to teleport back to me. The idea is, once they get hold of Alvin, theyll use the teleportation device to send him here.

There is a risk that the teleportation path can be traced via magic, and that would reveal my role in this entire affair, but I suspect an item used by the heroes is unlikely to be so easily followed.

The city and the temple itself is fortified with ancient teleportation shields. We must get the target out of this range. There was a circle drawn on the map, results of their earlier scouting efforts.

Thats quite a big range.

Yes, if I recall it was a hero item from a few centuries ago. Roon explained. As the ranger, sharpshooter and one of the elite ranged specialists, he did quite a bit of research. They are likely to have secondary magic interference here and here.

Alright.

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[Kei & Valthorns perspective - 3rd person POV]

The weather was cold. The north was often cold like this, the batterings of the colder, northern winds were relentless.

I wonder how much of the chill is due to the Frozen Tree. Roon was fully equipped, even if it was all entirely off-the-shelf items. They drank a cup of warm tea, which boosts their natural heat and keeps themselves warm.

Edna shrugged, her senses took in the air of the north. Were not here to meet the Frozen Tree, or hunt the hatcheries, Roon. News of her ascension to the realm of the [domain] remained a secret known only to a few, so even Roon didnt know. Not yet

Roon smiled at the middle-aged knight. Yes, yes.

Another high leveled ranger came by. He wore a thick cloak and jacket, again, a very ordinary item. I wish I can use my enchanted coat.

Me too, Johann. Me too. Roon responded. Their items were all stored in specialised magical crystals, in the event of an emergency. Edna waved, and they kept their mouth shut.

The small ships stopped, and the captains signalled that they were going to hold. Its time. Edna stood, and everyone else followed. They changed to rafts, and then made landfall.

We couldve used magic. Johann wondered, he was one of those who had not received the soul strengthening seed, so he was only level 85. Still, he believed he would be given the honor once this task was done.

No need to trigger any wide range magical detection. The group split up, about 30 started setting up camps. The higher levelled ones, led by Edna, would go first. Smaller teams would stay back to ensure they had somewhere to retreat to, or provide support if needed. The Norths intelligence systems are surprisingly robust.

Johann frowned. Really?

Im surprised too, but yes. Roon said. We need to look out for their agents.

-

Keis POV -

This is the place. The informant was an old woman in her 60s, and she walked Kei through the door of the hotel. The receptionist was a human lady in a beautiful outfit, and the informant spoke to her briefly, and then flashed a card. Kei was sure it was a card or some kind.

The receptionist smiled naturally and then led them through a beautifully decorated walkway, and then into a wooden lift.

This is as far as I will go. The receptionist will take over. The informant nodded, Kei felt it was strange how serious she sounded. She entered the lift, and so did the receptionist. The doors to the lift closed, and then, the receptionist knocked on the wooden walls of the lift.

The receptionist then took out a pendant and pressed it. The lift went down, and when it opened, it looked as if she was in an armory. This way. There were groups of people resting. Some looked injured, their weapons all on the central table. There were a few individuals that looked like healers, and they even had the white doctors robe.

She was led to a room. It was very bare for a hotel. No. Here, it wasnt a hotel anymore. This was a war preparation area.

Hello. Two walked through the door, and the door closed. The lighting was very dim, and she had to use a skill to see.

Kei sat. Hello. Im here to confirm the heroes whereabouts and buy details on the security around the temple area.

The two individuals seemed to have shared a glance, but its too dark to make out anything.

I believe the informant should have submitted the request? Kei tried to clarify.

...yes. One of the two shadows brought out a briefcase. Kei reached out to touch it.

Payment.

Kei paused. Oh. She activated a storage crystal and withdrew the payment. Gems and coins. Two additional shadows came into the room and went through the payment. They nodded once they were done, and left the room. The briefcase slid across the table, and opened.

Kei looked at it. It was meticulous work, schedules of the patrols around the city, where the forces are, what was the level of guards. There were just 3 level 50+ individuals in the entire guarding force, and this was a great relief to Kei.

Thank you. Kei said. She assumed the briefcase was hers, so she placed the documents back inside, and then grabbed the briefcase.

It... wouldnt leave the table.

Huh?

Weve been watching you for some time.

Kei paused. She was being watched?

So, tell us, why have you been sniffing around for details about the hero, Alvins condition. The voice was clearly female, but it sounded weird. Not a human for sure.

Kei took a deep breath. I believe I am the client, here? Follow the latest novels at novelhall.com

The two didnt reply.

So far, none of them were caught. They were all too high leveled and had enough equipment to evade most conventional weapons.

But Keis under surveillance by the intelligence. A few of the Valthorns were tasked to keep watch on Kei while the operation was underway, without her knowledge. They seemed to have reported her, but they are not taking any immediate action.

Ednas frown didnt go away. Any risk that our extraction and escape will be interrupted? It was still a distance to travel from that port to the ships. But Kei could teleport, and that would allow her to get out. But teleportation jamming crystals are sufficiently common that most large cities have some lying around.

Not sure. The intelligence forces are quite high leveled, we spotted one or two which we believe are around level 60s. If they have reinforcement, then we may have a problem.

Level 60s was quite high. Aeon preferred if killing of other high levelled individuals be kept at the minimum, since every person alive is someone that could fight the demons. They were pretty much working on this with kids gloves.

Hmmm.... Well put this aside first. In terms of our course of action, the key question is then, are we going to make contact with the hero? Edna asked and everyone gulped uncomfortably. Aeon wanted to kidnap the hero , whether he wanted to come or not. But if he resisted, it would make things difficult.

Thats only point 1. Roon said. The bed must also be considered. I think its some kind of healing or life support artefact. I think I need one more visit to confirm the artefacts effects, that our items can temporarily replace its function while moving the hero.

Last thing they wanted was the hero to die if he was to leave the bed. Aeon didnt want that. Not yet. Edna knew he wanted to look at the heros curse. And for that, she had to capture him alive. She quickly sent a specialised encrypted message home.

Will require healing once target is sent through teleport. Hero seems to rely on healing support.

We could send the item across too.

If were sending the item too, well need channeling time, can we keep the hero still for 1 hour? Teleportation scaled with distance and size.

Edna tapped the table. Which is why, we must ask, do we want to ask the hero?

Cant we just put him to sleep?

We can try, but heroes are naturally immune to all kinds of regular ailments and lower tier spells and skills. Were not sure whether it will work, but if it does, good for us. Edna said. To what extent did the curse weaken the heros power? Does it nullify immunities too? Didnt seem like a good bet.

Roon noted it down. Alright, one last recon. As the level 125 ranger, he had enough stealth and camouflage abilities to walk through the gates, but the presence of the intelligence forces still made things a little tense. Someone around level 40 with the right mix of detection and scouting ability can still spot him.

-

The last scouting mission was thankfully smooth.

-

Alright. Good. Lets just confirm our plans. Our plan is two fold, and we must hit both at around the same time. Edna said. They had considered many ideas and plans over the past month of surveillance, so they had to firm up which version they went with. Ill lead eight of us, together with our artefacts, to enter the heros location, and capture him at this time. Roon and Johann will lead the rest to hit anti-teleportation crystals and disable them. Once disabled well ping, and we will trigger the teleportation channelling. We are sending the hero with the bed, unless the resistance is too heavy.

Everyone nodded. Alright, lets get into the tunnels.

Using their special familiars [Root Tunnel] ability, theyve excavated tiny tunnels that led under the heros compound, and also to the magic tower where the citys anti-teleportation crystals were held.

Sadly, the tunnels only got them three quarters there, as there were structures underground built by the [builders]. Reinforced stone and rock that prevently the [root tunnel] from going further.

But at least they were in the compound. Roon and Johanns group started the first ping to indicate they started the assault. They were all in camo, and hit all the resistance with extremely powerful sleeping agents. It was... pretty much a cakewalk at how quickly the resistance collapsed. They were too high level.

Once they got up to the crystals location, they pinged again.

This was Ednas cue to launch their side of the operations. Similar to Roon and Johann, they hit most of the targets with strong sleep or paralysis agents, causing the regular guards and the temples forces to collapse. It was also a relatively easy task, their high levels meant they outclassed the resistance.

Then they reached the heros compound. They found the hero already asleep, and Edna was the first to approach the hero, her protective abilities all active. The moment she touched him, she knew the condition was bad. He just looked alright, but something churned deep in him. She could feel it.

But the touch triggered something else.

An alarm. Someone had cast a touch-alarm on the hero.

Ugh. Edna guessed that it must have been the intelligence. She made a mental note to check on who ran them. The temples were clearly not behind them.

The alarm was city wide. Roon instantly deactivated the anti-teleportation shield, and one of the high mages, started the teleportation channel.

...whore you? Alvin woke up, groggy.

Edna glanced at him, her mind was on the defensive forces that streamed through the various buildings towards them. Were here to take you to someone who can help you.

But the temples said... only the gods can help me.

Well, were taking you to a god.

Edna and her team activated their magical items, which summoned massive walls around them. One of the druids then casted a wide area sleep-poison spell. It soon sent most of the guards to sleep.

Alvin frowned. ...who?

The sleep ability was effective on almost everyone. Almost everyone. At that moment, a dark shadow charged at them, the shadows blades were active. Edna could feel that this shadow was someone who had probably reached high levels. Perhaps in the 80s.

Edna smiled, and focused her domains aura. It instantly caused the shadow to freeze and collapse, revealing a lean humanoid lady with strange beetle-like armor. Still, it wasnt enough, as the lady got up and charged, her body surrounded by a deep purple light.

She activated a massive force shield that pushed back, and it was too big for the shadow to dodge. The shadow smashed into the force shield and was launched a few hundred feet away.

The mage in the group said. 20 minutes. The sleep spell on the guards would knock them out till the next morning.

Edna thought for a moment, and then turned to face the shadow. It was going to get up again. She then activated her [Court]s vines and tentacles. It surged out and wrapped the shadow, injecting the sleep and paralysis directly into the strange ladys body.

Yet, that was enough. As she collapsed, her eyes went wide as the vines that now wrapped her body. ...Aeon? The moment she collapsed, one of her artifacts activated and she was teleported away.

Edna was impressed. Wow. These intelligence forces are well prepared.

Alvin was just surprised. Who are you guys?

Weve met. Edna smiled.

Teleportation is activating. The mage said, and at that instant, Alvin, and his bed vanished.

Edna smiled, and went to the ping. Radio silence off. Lets get our ass out of here. K team, please get our golem lady out safely. Knock the intel guys out if you have to.

-

[Back to Aeons POV]

Alvin arrived on time, and already my best biolabs and medical skills were ready and waiting. They sent him right into the Valley of the Unrotten, no, I even opened up the magical barriers and runic foundations just so that I can receive this particular teleportation.

When he arrived, he glanced up and saw all the trees around him.

Oh fuck. He said.

Hello. I spoke. I believe weve never met, but Kei told me to help you.

And you think Ill believe that, Aeon? Shes dead, and its your fault. Alvin responded, surprisingly angry. Eh, and I thought its his fault for not coming here. Its out of respect to Kei and her ideals that we didnt pursue a crusade.

Really? My spirit vision told me that his energies were extremely conflicted, his spirit was like a bright light, but there was something that blocked those light out, so much that I saw only bits and pieces of stray light. No matter your views, I have been requested to assist you, and I will.

I meant every word. But Ill also figure out how to disable heroes too.

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