Operation Recovery

The group of "thieves" we sent was late. Very late. Their designated time to return was around three hours after sunrise, it was about to get dark now. Did they fail? Did something slow them down? There was only one way to find out - to ask them.

Easily said, but I could neither go there, nor is it set in stone that they will return in the first place. Is there anything I could do to help them? Praying?

" Praying is what morons and people do, that don't want to solve their own problems. They are only talking to themselves anyway."

Ce:" Fairy King, I don't want to belittle you, but I am talking to myself right now too! And what do you mean talk to themselves?"

F-K:" Well, according to my research, there is a god. That is true. But humans have several misconceptions about it."

Ce:" It?"

F-K:" Of course. A sphere of benevolent energy doesn't have a gender. It floats around the universe, encouraging particles to join forces and become bigger - to start living in some cases. Have you ever tried talking to mana? Same effect."

Wait, so instead of a bearded wise guy, there was a giant sphere of energy? Wasn't this too far from our own understanding?

F-K:" I never said it was big, but I cannot prove you wrong either. What I just told you is all we got to know. It might even have depleted its energy now."

I guess praying isn't really worthwhile then... So the only thing I am able to do is to stay calm and prepare as well as I can. Training my mana control might prove important. As leprechauns taught me, mana conductivity and mana control are entirely different. Conductivity is how fast you can move it in your body without getting hurt, control is how little of mana you can move.

To activate artificial muscles they explained me a few tricks. For example, it was easy to move a whole object - a hand full of straw in this case. But to pick out a few distinct ones, then move them without the others proves insanely difficult. If I succeed in controlling my mana, too many of them move. If I succeed in only hitting those I targetted, my mana is too much and they break.

Once again, calm thoughts helped me out. Splitting the training into two parts was the easiest. First use only a few ones and move them without breaking. Then lower the numbers and repeat. My mistakes went up gradually, as the strands reduced.

It took me to midnight to move a single one alone, so I kept practicing it a few more times. Before I knew it, the sun was coming back up. Still no sign of the soldiers to come back. Now I start to worry.

Lets check the possibilities. First, they already left the place - and are on their way. Second, they were held up beforehand and haven't entered yet. Third, they are still in there, which lead to point four: They were found. My thought process was interrupted by a ungentle hit on my shoulder. Just as I was about to complain, I recognized who it was - and what just hit my me.

It was Cecilia, with a rather big rod of a purple metal.

Ce:" You are back!"

Cia:" Sure are, it took quite some time to cut this thing to pieces. The others are already putting their part down in the storage."

Ce:" What are you doing here then?"

Cia:" They said you worried and felt a bit bad, so I came... Is that bad?"

Ce:" Not at all, just good that you... all of you are still fine"

The next one to come up was Laurin.

L:" Well then, our smiths are preparing an oven - your new leg should be ready soon. Oh, about the details - let me explain"

A long and tiring monologue began, about how great their smithing was - how no one else could achieve this plan, then followed by the work steps they did to reach the design they planned. The design itself only had a short introduction. Sixteen mana flow conduits, that will be used for my movement, apparently totally sufficient to to the mixture of alloys they did. More eyecatching was the big one in the middle.

That one was the combat "pipe" as they called it. If I flooded it with mana, my leg would become hard, except for a few parts of my knee and foot. Also, there would be a sheath hidden in there, opening for combat. It was only fit for a short sword, but still better than nothing.

Ce:" What about the strength?"

L:" Well..." He looks at Cecilia like she wouldn't understand, then proceeds.

" It should be strong enough to crush rocks with a single toe. Not big ones, but solid small ones. They are way harder to break."

Ce:" Nice, and is it as mobile as a human one?"

The calm Leprechaun King fidgets.

L:" Not to be bragging or anything, but you can bend it all you want. If necessary you could bend it into the shape of an eight, if you control your mana perfectly."

Okay.... That is bullshit, isn't it?

Ce:" One last thing. Does it look like a human leg?"

L:" No, paint doesn't hold on the metal - coloring it doesn't work."

Cia:" Don't worry, no one here will care. You lost your leg to protect us!"

L:" Cough, he meant to fool enemies, if I understood him right. But good to see your opinion on that. I'll leave the young folks alone now, don't stay up too late!"

He walks off with a grin on his face. The waitress at the bears paw always had that grin when I got surrounded again. Someday I will understand that, I swear to the ball of energy!