The rivers in the south were calm and pleasant. The people were weak and quiet. However, now we potentially faced a hero, a nearly unstoppable force to elves, but if I brought him to the matriarch’s side, I might gain the title of first daughter. I couldn’t let this opportunity slip by.

“Elora,” I called out. Not too long after our spy and seductress came over to my side. “I cannot tell you why, however, there is a man, a human you must draw to our side.”

“A human—”

Of course, she would respond as such, yet I did not have time for her. She wasn’t smart, only lucky enough to be born a noble with the access to a high charisma job. Even as a shaman, which boasted high charisma to help in spirit communication, it did not match hers. “Yes, do not question it. It is an order from the matriarch.”

She backed away slightly. No doubt surprised that her charm didn’t work. Well, of course, it wouldn’t, who did she take me for? “You are to bring him to our side, no matter the cost in gold, lies, death, or sexual favores. Do you understand?”

“Um… isn’t it a bit much to kill if you want him to join—”

“I do not care.” I repeated these words to the dumb whore. “How you do it is up to you. I just want him in this boat by sunrise. “But do not use spirit magic, or any other violent means towards him. Do you understand? Plus, it’s most likely he isn’t a part of the kingdom so it should be rather easy to find him.”

“But you said any means—”

“Fuck, just go. Do as I say and come back.”

#

POV, Elora

I can’t believe I’ve been stuck with her in that tiny rack for the past week. Travelling upstream at night and then sleeping under bushes during the day. I didn’t even know what I did to offence her. Plus, if this was such an important mission and the matriarch sent me doesn’t that mean I’m the best spy in the group.

“So how am I supposed to find him? They all look the same after all.” I asked.

Soon enough a ball of water rose into the air and there a water spirit projected the image of my target. He was a tall man with brown skin, mildly curly hair, and slightly more muscle than the average farmer.

“He looks like all the others. What’s special about him—”

And then the bitch cut me off again “Do not ask questions.”

Well, aside from the great amount of info the shaman gave me I was able to spot him giving to set up camp. Behind him I could see white banners with some kind of red bird, presumably a Phoenix, however, the distortion in the water mirror was too great to show details. Anyhow, he ordered around wore cheap leather armour and used wooden spears with what looked like quickly made iron spear points. He was probably indeed a part of a mercenary company. As this was the case money would probably work out fine. And if not, my body closed the deal.

Yet she didn’t understand that this was a part of my job, “Look if I don’t know—”

“I said don’t speak! Now leave.” She screamed. If this was the best shaman, the matriarch could send things had become challenging. Our group would no doubt soon disappear. It has already been twenty-five years since we were chased out of our homeland, that’s long enough. We should have left for the Tulsa Dynasty and go out with a bang. Now I was stuck capturing a prince on the loose or some other high-ranking figure.

Anyhow, when the clouds covered the half-moon, I left the distorted space where we set up camp and headed to the enemy lines with the appearance of a female human.

#

The humans were set up near the river. They numbered in the ten of thousands and although it was night, they didn’t seem any less active. Some pissed in bushes, others were having drinking competitions around their campfires, and the usual guards still protected the perimeter. I continued to travel down the river, and I asked the water spirits to cover the top of my head with water to help me avoid detection. I crawled near the river’s edge to locate the red Phoenix banner. After twenty minutes I found it a kilometre away from the riverbed. I emerged out of the water and let the spirits remove the water from my clothes. Although we couldn’t ask the spirits to interact with our body directly due to use being damned, wet hair could be used to play a part.

A few hundred metres from the river there was a guard in leather armour resembling what I saw in the projection as such I headed towards him. After all, if possible, it was always better to get in legitimately.

“Sorry, I was out to clean my hair, someone vomited on it, too much to drink.”

“That’s disgusting, but when did you leave and why haven’t I seen you?”

“I joined the mercenary group right before we left so I’m still new around here and I ran out to the river so you might have missed me”

“What commander are you un—”

I gave him a kiss. Although tame, he was still asking a lot more questions than I thought a mercenary would. “Look I have to go back quickly; we can continue this later OK.”

The guy nodded and I quickly left. Although charisma alone was often enough if it didn’t, I just had to use my skills such charming kiss which doubled my charisma stat in the eyes of those I kissed (effective for five minutes).

Anyhow, when I entered the camp, I headed towards a random white tent. If he was in a high position, he’d be in one of them, hopefully he wasn’t in the largest and most guarded one. As long as it wasn’t that one, I wouldn’t have any problem accidentally entering the wrong tent.

When I approached a white tent on the outskirts of the main camp, I entered without issue even though there was someone sitting near the entrance. When I parted the cloth, I peered inside and say two men drinking ale. They met my gaze, yet I didn’t find the target inside.

“Oh, sorry, I entered the wrong tent.” I gave a large smile and bolted out before they solicited me to come back.

Finally, after four attempts I entered another tent, and a jolt of electricity ran through me. I tried to jump back, however; my muscles wouldn’t respond. When I looked up, I saw my target. And I thought he was just a regular mercenary. If only that prude had told me a bit more info on this guy, if she even cared to look into him or listen to the matriarch’s words.

Well, the shaman said any means necessary, so I called out to the earth spirits to impale his leg. However, as rocks rose, they stopped right before it hit him, and my vision turned dark as I felt another jolt of electricity.

#

As soon as the women fell unconscious, her hair turned silver, her skin became chalk white, and the ears I saw in the heat vision appeared. These sea people were really elves; however, I didn’t know why they came for me. However, seeing that the earth pillar stopped right before hitting me was rather weird. Anyhow, this was a fantasy world, I couldn’t question it too much, but I could question her. Plus, it wouldn’t necessarily be so bad to side with my natural allies.

I carried her over to my uncomfortable bench and waited a few seconds for her to wake up. When I saw her eyes shake, I spoke, “I’m not an enemy, I think we can work together.” Although I could play hard to get and ask for gold and items, it would be better to gain their trust and favour.

Her eyes soon shot open. She tried to speak yet her muscles still refused to cooperate due to the electric shock.

“Don’t worry, take your time.”

Soon enough she had the strength to speak. “If you are interested in working with us, how about coming with me.”

Although this was tempting, I at least needed to know why they targeted me. Plus, it would be more advantageous for me to sabotage the army from the inside.

“I don’t know why I was sent to get you. I just received the mission; however, I’m sure that if you go back the matriarch will tell you. But…”

She hesitated and was seemingly thinking back to something. “What is it?” She was a professional. If she didn’t want to speak of it, she wouldn’t have added the “but…”

“You are the hero, aren’t you?”

I took a slight step back; however, I didn’t have the urge to draw my blade but to ask to question. “How did you figure it out?”

That’s when another earth spear came in to impale me, yet it stopped a few centimetres from me. “The spirits refuse to hurt you. As heroes are summoned to save the planet, no spirits would dare hurt you.”

This was crucial information. If she didn’t mind telling me this, she probably didn’t have any ill will. “I see, so you want me to either join you or stand to the side during this raid.”

“Most likely, but you should join us because we would probably bring you to the elvish continent for you to receive blessings. Such is the elvish custom towards heroes.”

Well, if that was the case I could either stay in the human camp and sabotage behind the lines; however, weaker Vikings would probably be more advantageous, when it came to stealing the loot.

“OK I’ll come, but I want you as well.”

Although I said I wanted to join them, she might think I only said so to make her calm down. If I added this condition, she might be more comfortable thinking she had hooked me in, especially since she was probably sent with such orders.

“OK that’s fine, I’ll sacrifice anything for the elves. So, let’s leave now.”

I agreed and we left the tent without anyone bothering us. She led me into the river, and we travelled downstream for about ten minutes before I was able to spot heat signatures in the bushes.