Chapter 72

The Tuatha Dé Danann world of Murias was a mess. It was initially invaded by the Nephilim and then by a small contingent of the Sidhe. Now the inhabitants were in a three way fight with the rest of the Tuathan worlds as well. Frankly I was amazed that they were still going, but their leadership had planned well, had the support of the lower classes (a first for the Tuathans who generally used their lower classes as cannon fodder) and in areas they controlled had begun economic reform to distribute wealth and opportunity using the seized wealth of the conservative loyalists who had opposed any and all changes to society despite the obvious truth that it was falling apart due to the ruling Comitet Militaria’s unrelenting aggression against other Earths as well as its constant putting down of lower class rebellions in various cities in their autocracy.

This was the first time however that they’d faced the rebellion of an entire world, one with a plan and possible allies in place.

First impressions of the Tuatha Dé Danann by a Mage of Earth were Pre-revolutionary French as opposed to the Norse of the Æsir or the Irish of the Craebh Ruadh. No, there were no real similarities in language or dress but that’s how they came across with presumably the same potential for a state of terror or Napoleonic age depending on how things went.

We were met by the leader of the Reform Comitet, who at least was known to us and seemed inordinately pleased to see us.

“Mage Morgana, Mage Julia, journeyman John, journeywoman Róisín, a pleasure to meet you again,” he greeted us.

“Good to see you too, Wind Councillor Ferrimoot,” Morgana replied. “May I introduce Mage Zola, Mage Arch and Mage Thea?”

“A pleasure to meet you in these trying times for us,” Ferrimoot replied and introduced us to the Comitet, most of whom looked both tired and worn out.

“Mage Zola is here to represent the Council of the Wise in negotiations for aid and assistance, particularly for modern Earth arms,” Morgana explained.

“Your request for medical Mages has already been approved and a contingent from Earth is being assembled as we speak,” Zola confirmed.

“That in particular is good news,” Ferrimoot replied as he and the Comitet looked relieved. “However unless we have access to better ‘technology’ (he pronounced the word as if foreign to him) then it will not matter how many your people can save.”

“I realise this,” Zola replied. “But you’ll also understand that the level of trust your people have built up over the centuries would be in negative numbers if that were possible and so I’m here to investigate your ‘revolution’ and see if it poses a future threat to us or the other Earths.”

“Understandable,” Ferrimoot replied with a nod. “All will be open to you. Now please come inside and we’ll take you to your quarters where you can begin your investigations.”

The quarters were in a secured block of buildings with guards placed to ensure our privacy from any curious mundanes. Inside we were free to roam and choose our own rooms and so I ended up sharing with Thea and Róisín (as if I had a choice).

“First impressions, Thea?” I asked without using her honorific as we were in private quarters.

“They’re frightened. The war isn’t going well for them as they’re fighting on two fronts and the Tuathans opposing them are allowing the Nephilim to run rampage in areas they are bypassing, in the belief that if they win they’ll be able to turn back the tide,” Thea replied.

“Róisín?” I asked.

“The same as Thea, although there are tensions on the Comitet too. Some of the ‘old’ Tuathan arrogance, a lot of hurt pride at having to ask for help and some greed at getting something for nothing,” Róisín replied.

“Quite human then,” I chuckled.

“Yes, although Ferrimoot is clearly the head of the Comitet, or rather its guiding force,” Thea added.

“Well, at least we know we can do business with Ferrimoot. He may be utterly ruthless at times, but it’s only aimed at those thwarting his plans,” I replied.

“Fact is, at the moment they need us. Zola’s mission will be to ensure that we remain cordially friendly, at least if or when we stabilise things here,” Thea acknowledged.

“So why are Mage Morgana and Mage Julia here?” Róisín asked.

“Morgana and Julia know Ferrimoot and that provides a common reference point for Zola,” Thea replied.

“Plus we’re here to protect Zola and Julia if necessary,” I added.

“Yes, John. So as soon as Mage Arch turns up, we’ll split into two teams and ward this building defensively to prevent any surprises from the Tuathans, the Sidhe or the Nephilim,” Thea noted.

Arch wasn’t too long and so Thea and I took one side of the building and worked our way through it, putting up new wards and setting up encrypted escape portals, checking and double checking our work until finally Thea gave a nod and we crossed over to the other side of the building to check Arch and Róisín’s work as they did for us.

At the end of the afternoon the whole group met for an evening supper along with Ferrimoot and the other Comitet member in the same room where the first business discussions had begun.

“What we have are large swathes of our planète under the control of our enemies, although, thanks to the good leaders of what used to be the bonded lower orders but are now free men, we hold just enough of our cities and fertile farmlands to sustain us. They completely outnumber us in Magicien’s as the haut-Magicien cabale on Gorias sided with the government there. What few we have are barely enough to defend us, but again we hold,” Ferrimoot explained.

“Aye, but holding isn’t winning,” growled one of the Comitet I recognised as Kordanta, Ferrimoot’s old adjutant.

“I know that, old friend,” Ferrimoot acknowledged. “That’s why I took up a promise from the Mages of Earth to talk if we could successfully revolt.”

“Which is why we’re here despite a few calls from our ‘alliance’ to simply let you rot,” Mage Zola stated.

“I realise that,” Ferrimoot replied. “Nor can we exactly claim total success, but I’m hoping for the sake of the people here that you will help, at least against the Nephilim and Sidhe. If you can get them off our backs, I believe we’ll be able to deal with the Gorian Alliance.”

“There’s certainly a possibility of that,” Zola mused. “Would you have any issues with us using our own troops to do it?”

“I thought the Mages of Earth did not command armies?” Kordanta queried.

“We don’t, but we have allies who do; allies who know and understand how to fight the Nephilim and Sidhe,” Julia replied.

“The Æsir?” Ferrimoot asked.

“Yes, they’re still spoiling for a fight, having defeated the Nephilim on their own worlds,” Julia acknowledged.

“I’m not sure about how our people will react to having foreign troops here,” Kordanta mused.

“The Æsir aren’t that fond of you either, with good reason,” Zola stated.

“Yet they’d still fight for us?” Ferrimoot asked.

“For you, no. Against your enemies, yes,” Julia replied.

“I can still see advantages to this,” Ferrimoot nodded. “An independent command following say ‘suggestions’ from our Wind Council as to where they might best find ‘employment’ but, how they go about it is up to them?”

“They’d still reserve the right not to be placed in situations where annihilation is a possibility,” Julia replied.

“They are soldiers, they should fight!” Kordanta stated.

“They’ll fight; they just won’t commit suicide,” Julia responded.

“I’ll request that Vaniralla Freya visit to discuss the use of Æsir warriors,” Morgana said soothingly.

“That might be best,” Ferrimoot acknowledged.

The meeting broke up after that and other than a few discussions between Mages, nothing new arose and so we retired for the night.

The following morning I was surprised to find Vaniralla Freya had already arrived along with her personal dróttina which it appeared she never went anywhere without.

“Greetings, Vaniralla Freya,” I intoned and gave her a formal bow of deep respect.

“Greetings, Seiðmaðr John. It’s good to see you again,” she replied with a smile.

“You too, Vaniralla,” I acknowledged.

“As this isn’t a formal occasion I believe you can dispense with the titles, John,” she replied.

“Thank you, Freya,” I chuckled.

“No, thank you, John. You appear to have given us a chance to gain honour and glory,” Freya noted.

“Well, it was hardly just me,” I chuckled.

“Yes, but your name was enough to convince several of the værinjar of the hordes that the cause was honourable, in spite of the location and the allies,” Freya replied.

“It is an honourable cause. As for the allies, well, I believe you’ll find Wind Councillor Ferrimoot to be an interesting man,” I answered.

Freya nodded in thought as we walked towards the meeting room that had been set aside for discussions. Inside we found the rest of the Mages and the Comitet already assembled going over the maps which showed the various positions of the Nephilim, Sidhe and the Tuatha loyalists.

Greetings were exchanged and Freya was the centre of attention of the Comitet who seemed fascinated to be meeting one of their old enemies.

“Assuming we can agree terms and conditions,” Ferrimoot began after the introductions.” How many Æsir could you bring to the field?”

“Five fully equipped hordes, roughly five thousand værinjar or warriors and associated Seiðkonur or Magicien’s I believe you call them,” Freya replied.

“That is a most generous offer,” Ferrimoot replied in astonishment. “And you’d wish in return?” He asked.

“The return of the Odroerir, our sacred triskelion, taken from the Temple Prime of Sverresborg during the first years of your invasion and the sack of our capital,” Freya answered making the assembled Comitet go pale.

“That object is not held on Murias, but on Gorias,” Kordanta stated.

“Nevertheless, that’s what we want and is the price of our aid,” Freya stated.

“Is there nothing else we can offer?” Ferrimoot asked looking somewhat aghast.

“No,” Freya answered firmly.

“Where is this Odroerir held and how big is it?” I asked.

“It’s kept in the Conquesta Militaris Museum in Senone, the Gorian capital,” Kordanta replied. “It’s also the headquarters of the elite Tagmata regiment so is guarded night and day both militarily and by members of the haut-Magicien Cabale.”

“It looks like three drinking horns joined in a circlet inlaid with gold leaf with various runes written in very fine script naming the Æsir Gods,” Ferrimoot added.

“It’s what you call an object of power, John,” Freya explained. “Although it won’t work on Gorias I expect.”

“Indeed not,” Ferrimoot agreed. “Our histories say we took it to prevent the Æsir bringing down the wrath of their Gods on us.”

“Smart move,” Freya acknowledged. “But now we want it back.”

“Sounds easy enough, go to the enemy’s capital, break into a highly defended fortress museum, steal a sacred object and get back here for breakfast,” I chuckled.

“Indeed, John,” chuckled Ferrimoot. “When you put it like that.”

“It could be done...” Morgana mused.

“Not by us,” Kordanta admitted. “We don’t have the resources.”

“I will attempt to retrieve the object, Freya,” Morgana stated. “If you and the Comitet agree plans in the meantime.”

“Agreed, Seiðkona Morgana,” Freya replied.

“Are you sure about this, Morgana?” Mage Zola asked.

“Yes, I believe my team here has all the necessary experience required, save only the use of a Seer,” Morgana replied.

“Very well, I bow to your greater experience,” Zola acknowledged.

“Thank you, Mage Zola,” Morgana replied with a formal bow before signalling the Enforcement Mages to her side.

“Can we do this, my Mage?” I asked.

“I believe so, John. The very audacity of it will give us a chance that will both surprise them totally and keep them from figuring just what’s going on,” Morgana replied.

“But we do not know the area, the layout, the security situation or anything else along those lines,” Arch added.

“For that we have Ferrimoot and Kordanta,” Morgana replied. “All we need is a Seer to get us in there with a hidden portal and I believe we can do the rest.”

“I’m going to assume you’re going to request the aid of Julia for said Seer,” Thea asked.

“Yes, but she needs this alliance to work so I expect she’ll say yes,” Morgana chuckled.

“Hell, I’m in, it sounds like fun,” I chuckled.

“Me too,” Róisín added with a grin.

“Children,” muttered Arch before breaking out into a grin. “Yup, me too.”

“I must be mad, but count me in,” Thea added with a grin of her own.

“You’re all just too easy,” chuckled Morgana.

It took a few days to put the details into place, a lot of it was spent with Ferrimoot and Kordanta along with a few other Tuathans who’d either been to the museum or had served in the Tagmata Guards, or rather one of its auxiliary units as only pure born Gorians were allowed to serve in the guards themselves.

Abi had volunteered to come along to open the hidden portal for us in Senone and then remain undercover until we needed to make our escape. Arch and I were dressed in the height of Gorian fashion which essentially meant tight breeches and florid over-frilled shirts and heavy frock coat. The ladies though were fuming ... Apparently Gorian ladies of good social standing had to wander around in a hooped skirt that came all the way down to the ground and employed a method of walking that made them appear to be floating along. Add to this, loosely fitting blouses but with very tight collars and cuffs and you had something totally impractical for breaking and entering.