Chapter 101

“We believe we have found where Oberon is being held,” Seer Simone announced to the gathered alliance leadership.

“I take it we are here to discuss a rescue mission?” Morgana asked.

“Yes,” Verenestra replied. “It may not be possible, but if we can ‘retrieve’ him, then it will further undermine Oonagh’s legitimacy with my people.”

We all nodded. From initially displaying Oberon as some sort of trophy, the Daoine Sidhe had recently started using the King of the Unseelie court to keep their support amongst the ordinary Sidhe in the lands they still controlled by ‘announcing’ various decrees and crude propaganda.

“So where is he?” Ferrimoot asked.

“The fortress of Niðavellir in what we’d consider the Rocky Mountains, or you call the Moon Peaks,” Simone replied.

“Well, that lets out a frontal assault,” Hinnit chuckled after a quick glance at the 3D construct Simone was projecting.

“You’re telling me,” Ferrimoot murmured.

“What on Earth were your people facing to build something like that?” Morgana asked, pointing at the Escheresque nightmare of a fortress that seemed to occupy a huge amount of land as well as defying gravity and logic.

“Construction was started by the Daoine Sidhe towards the part of our campaign against the Eminrephaimanakim where it was obvious we were going to lose, but before the Na Tanta that cast them out. It was to keep our people safe whilst we fought them, should they manage to find the means to step between Earths,” Verenestra explained.

“And it’s still occupied?” Torsenn asked.

“Partially,” Verenestra replied. “Though even partially means up to thirty thousand Daoine Sidhe who could summon more as the portals in the fortress have been designed to be tamper proof.”

“Do we know where he is?” Morgana asked.

“Upper east wing we suspect,” Simone replied.

“The reasoning behind your suspicion?” Ferrimoot asked.

“Repair and refurbishing work; plus a few known companions of his from the Seelie court have been spotted within the fortress,” Simone replied.

“Could be a trap,” Hinnit murmured. “But we still need to go and look.”

“That’s why I called this meeting,” Verenestra acknowledged.

“A job for Mages I believe,” Morgana stated.

“I reluctantly agree,” Ferrimoot nodded, getting similar nods from the others around the table.

“My people don’t have the expertise or power to pull it off, though Talshish has volunteered to go,” Verenestra concurred. “But there are a good many slaves there to initially blend in with.”

“A Nephilim camp too,” Hinnit pointed out. “I could ask Jerhz to act as a slave supervisor alongside Talshish.”

“It’s a thought, we’d blend in more if we had both a Sidhe and an Azuran seemingly in charge,” Morgana agreed.

“The other reservation is that if we scout it and get caught, they’d move Oberon and we may not spot him again for a long time,” Simone added.

“Do they know you have it under observation?” Ferrimoot asked.

“No more than they suspect we have Elphame, Annwn, Afallach, Emain Ablach, Brú na Bóinne, Cnoc Meadha, Cnoc na Teamhrach, Inis Vitrin, Mag Mell and Rathcroghan under observation as well,” Simone commented...

“So they don’t know we’re specifically looking there,” Ferrimoot nodded.

“That’s correct, Wind Councillor,” Simone replied.

“I’ll get Arch to put together a team,” Morgana stated. “We’ll try to formulate a plan that doesn’t get them all killed.”

“Not planning on going yourself, Morgana?” Ferrimoot asked.

“Depends on if Arch picks me,” she chuckled. “He’s in charge of covert ops not me.”

“But you’re his boss,” Ferrimoot asked, somewhat confused.

“Doesn’t make me right for certain jobs. To be honest, John is better at sneaking around than any of us,” she explained with a smile.

“That’s true,” Simone chuckled.

“But my Mage runs into problems with our Council if she puts me in charge of things,” I added.

“Yes, despite the successes of your missions, there are some who cannot accept that a journeyman can lead,” Morgana nodded.

“I think it’s my level of unprecedented success coupled with the fact that it reflects upon you, my Mage, that sets their teeth on edge,” I chuckled.

“You may be right, John, but don’t ever say that to their faces,” Morgana laughed.

“Diplomatic is my middle name, my Mage,” I replied with a florid formal bow.

“I could have sworn it was Walter,”

“Walter?” Simone blurted out. “You’re training a Wally?”

“You’d think so at times,” Morgana replied with a smirk.

“Thank you, my Mage,” I sighed.

“Truly my pleasure, John,” she almost sniggered.

Simone had meanwhile filled in the others at the meeting with the connotations of the word Wally to idiot in the English language and there were several broad grins aimed in my direction.

“I’m never going to live this down,” I muttered.

“It will add to the legend that is journeyman Mage John,” chuckled Morgana as we started to go over what was known about Niðavellir, which was looking like we’d have to port in some distance from it and get to the slave areas to gain access.

There was a lot of debate as to whether slaves would be allowed into the restricted areas, though Verenestra believed that they would; simply because any sort of manual labour was believed to be utterly beneath a Daoine Sidhe despite their powers. “It’s a power trip thing with them,” she admitted.

“It’s a weakness we must take advantage of,” Ferrimoot stated.

“The problem is that we don’t know what the conditions are inside; whether the slaves are checked and whether they need permits for some areas,” Hinnit admitted.

“Will we be able to open a portal within the fortress, assuming Oberon is there and we can get to him?” Morgana asked looking at Simone.

“If you take a Seer, yes, otherwise, no,” she replied.

“Well, we have a choice of three at the moment,” Morgana nodded. “Jemima, Abi and Adsila.”

“All would be able to do it,” Simone agreed. “Though I’d recommend Adsila, as Abi still needs a lot of training and continuity seems to work best with a Seer.”

“I’ll inform Arch,” Morgana replied.

There were a host of other discussions after this to do with logistics, placements and reinforcements, but nothing significant. Once outside, Morgana summoned Arch who turned up with Róisín and went over the proposed mission along with Simone.

“Well, I believe we can get there. But so much of what happens next seems to be down to chance and assuming the Daoine Sidhe will behave like Daoine Sidhe. There also might be the issue that the slaves may be suffering from Stockholm syndrome and turn us in too,” Arch mused.

“I believe Jerhz or possibly Mergna along with Talshish will be available to help maintain some authenticity,” Morgana added.

“It’ll help, they’re less likely to be probed under certain circumstances,” Arch replied, rubbing his chin in thought.

“Trick as I see it will be to blend in so thoroughly as to be beneath contempt and notice,” I stated.

“Yes John, your thoughts mirror my own,” Arch agreed.

“Go over the plans and assemble a team,” Morgana ordered. “Use every resource we have if necessary, but bear in mind you’ll have less than a week to come up with it.”

“If that’s the case then I’ll go with what works. Team Arch, plus you, John, Róisín and Adsila, with either Xi or Tamsin as medical backup,” Arch nodded.

“Works for me,” Morgana stated then left to speak to the Council with Simone via the remote link the Seers had set up.

“Nice to be wanted,” I chuckled.

“Best man I know at sneaking around, John,” chuckled Arch.

“Well, considering the consequences of not sneaking around some of the places we’ve been...” I replied with a grin.

“Tell me about it,” Róisín added. “Even if the last place we hid they turned into a latrine.”

“I’ve a sneaking feeling we’re going to be doing a lot of ‘improv’ on this mission,” Arch sighed as we entered his quarters and took out the crystals with the plans for Niðavellir on them. “I mean just look at this, it makes no sense whatsoever!”

Arch was right, the internal plans we had made no sense as they did not match up to the outside reality that we could see.

“I’ll call Adsila. She might be able to make something of it,” I said after half an hour of getting nowhere.

“Good idea,” Arch sighed rubbing his temples in frustration.