Kapitel 7: Momentous Measures

Back at the dining table, Odin had finished explaining the problems the realm currently faced before reminding everyone at the table to stay alert and also letting them know that he would be absent from the realm again, as his disappearance from the outposts had already probably led to a few losses.

Vali was extra alert when he thought of everything that was happening at such a fast pace, without giving them a chance to analyze what was going on or even rest. He soon went through all his memories second by second, seeing if there was something or someone he had missed out on. When he didn't find any matches, he went further into the various comics he had read looking to find something or someone who could be responsible for the current scenario.

He found the names of a few artifacts that could possibly help others hide from Heimdall and also a few Asgardian magicians who could possibly have such skills. He narrowed it down to 4 magicians from the comics and he needed to cross check if they existed in his reality.

He called Skarf and asked him to get the information on the 4 supposed magicians, and their present locations if they existed in the realm. Though caught off guard by the weird request, he knew not to question the Prince especially when he had grave expression on his face. He prayed for the being who offended Vali, before he went on his way to get the supposed information. He didn't get far before Vali called him once again, asking him to take Frodi with him and get the details asap.

The two guards hurried on their way and they were soon came running along with the data, only to find the Prince waiting for them at the entrance pacing around deep in his thoughts. Vali soon received the data and skimmed through them; out of the three people, 2 existed with one of them being a healer and the other being matching the prerequisite skills to be the traitor.

Amora, an Asgardian witch, skilled in sorcery and bewitching techniques. A member of Thor and Loki's company, last seen a decade ago, supposedly on vacation away from the realm. A VACATION? The realm was under lock down when the King was absent and there was supposedly a witch on vacation since the last decade? If the person who wrote down the records wasn't bewitched, Vali would kill this man himself.

He could finally calm down a little after the last few tense hours. He had narrowed down the culprit and he was mostly sure that it was her, though he failed to find her motives.

He knew a little about this witch from the comics he had read, she was obsessed with Thor and wouldn't hesitate to kill or plot against anyone who was against her marriage with him. She had colluded with Loki and several other 'villains' in the comics to get rid of the obstacles that stood between her and Thor.

Based on the data Vali had received, Amora was extremely obsessed with Thor but it wasn't a big deal as there were several women like her who sought to bag the Crown prince and become a member of royalty. She had a record of using bewitching techniques on Thor's guards, only to fail and barely avoid prison since Thor considered it a prank and talked the guards out of it.

The lively carefree prince, probably placed her in the same category as Loki and regarded her as a similar trickster.

Now with the conclusions Vali could gather, he could confirm that Amora had somehow succeeded in bewitching the guards and that her magic had somehow improved by leaps and bounds. Vali swore in his mind as he thought of how lax the security of the realm was. He was raging and only one step away from killing all the useless guards who were responsible for this mess.

"Skarf and Frodi! Get in here!" the two guards rushed inside at the Vali's outburst. They kept their mouth's shut since they had never seen this side of him, who looked like a powder keg about to explode, openly divulging his slaughter aura.

"Take me to the armory, and warn the guards on the way to stay extra alert" He coldly said to his guards and started walking out. The guardian duo briskly followed behind without forgetting to give instructions to the guards on their way out.

Odin had just left the realm after dinner yesterday, and that would mean the traitor was free to move anytime from now. He didn't believe that Odin was a fool, the old fox probably considered everything the enemy could use. Hell, he might not have actually left and might be playing mind games with the traitor right now. But Vali couldn't take no chances and decided to prepare.

Vali absorbed in his thoughts, snapped out of it when he reached the armory. His guards were already completely armed, so it was just him slipping on his armor. It wasn't anything special, an armor that the Asgardian generals wore, platinum in colour and supposedly the vital regions were covered with a mixture of uru and other sturdy alloys. It came along with a gauntlets that magically enveloped up his entire arms and he picked up two long knife-shaped weapons before fixing them on either side of his hips.

He soon walked out armed and ready for battle, berating himself for not keeping weapons and armor close-by in his own quarters. He now needed to warn his mother about the traitor, so that she wasn't caught off-guard by her own guards, in case they were bewitched as well. As for Thor and Loki, well they could save themselves as he didn't give a shit about them. Well they were most probably safe considering that the assailant was Amora, she wouldn't go after them.

He flooded magic into his 'truth eyes' looking in the direction of Heimdall, before mouthing that he had found the traitor.

'Amora, a friend of Thor skilled in bewitching magic. Find her!' Vali whispered as he looked towards the orange eyed being. Without waiting for Heimdall's reply, he thought of something and urgently asked his guards to take him to the place where they got Amora's data from. They soon reached the barracks where the information of most beings in Asgard was stored. It was heavily guarded and his two guards had to go through quite a few identification checks but Vali wasn't having any of it and released his murderous aura.

"Bugger off" he blurted to the guards who were just doing their jobs. The guards instantly took defensive positions expecting an attack. After reining in his aura, and cooling down a bit he looked towards the guards before he started speaking sternly,

"There is a guard in there who is bewitched and compromised. There might be more among you all, so you'd better stay put without any unnecessary movements." He pulled out the 'vacation' data he received from his guards and threw it at the guard captain who was staring at him warily.

The guard captain picked it up and went through it, along with a few guards who were with him. They soon understood what was going on after reading it, with Skarf filling them on the missing details. Amora obviously hadn't made any effort in hiding it probably knowing that it was only a matter of time until she'd eventually be found, with making the bewitched guard fill in her location as 'out on vacation'.

The guard captain soon came to his senses before giving instructions to his subordinates and storming inside the barracks together. Vali and his guards followed along to find the guy who was bewitched, only to find an unconscious fat short warrior who had no idea what was going on. The man had spent the last decade with a groggy mind, and him coming back to his senses would mean that Amora knew that they found her.

Searching for the information about her must have alerted Amora, as the bewitched fat bastard probably already informed her. They were late, Vali thought in his head as he contemplated taking the fat man's head before deciding otherwise after weighing the cons. He asked the guards to take him to the infirmary, get the healers to check his head and look for any sequelae.

He also asked them to get a few healers and other magicians skilled with mind magic to drop by the barracks as soon as possible and check if any other guards were compromised. They soon returned with a few healers led by an Asgardian named Lorelei.

[Vali's POV]

I remembered this person from the memories of my last life and that her skills were similar to that of Amora's. She would've been the traitor if not for Amora's presence since, based on what he knew she attempted to mind control armies of men, but was later imprisoned in the dungeons. But in this reality she had loving siblings, including a younger brother. She used her talent in the mind arts to become an exceptional healer, despite being extremely skilled in combat as well.

But that wouldn't mean that I'd drop my suspicions of her, however little they were. A being of such talent and a potential future villain, had to be kept close by on a leash. I'd have to get friendly with her as her expertise in the mind arts would certainly help when I start practicing the mind arts myself, considering the fact that I have an incredible talent for it.

[POV ends]