Mercenary Tales 98.

The City-State Of Vexil. 

The guard commander Kilmas who has just seen one of captain Hafnah's company go down with their cockatrice to one of the undead. 

Is running through the forest, heading west with others. Both in the mercenary army that the Geist cousins Gamil and Farsen have gathered. As well as soldiers in the army of the city-state of Vexil. 

The guard commander looks back, and sees that the undead who was chasing them, has just been pinned to the trunk of a large tree by a thrown spear. 

Kilmas comes to a stop as he sees one of his own guards chop the head off the pinned figure. Then a soldier in the Vexillian army, who has just lit a torch. Sets the flames of the torch to the headless body. Then to the head that's lying nearby. 

The guard commander who is breathing heavily in the cold air of the winters day here in the hill country of northern Vexil. 

Looks around and sees that others have stopped too, and that they're all looking at one another as well. 

Kilmas who knows that this could all go badly after someone says "I think that's the last of them". Decides he better say something so that those from the mercenary army who have survived what just happened. Aren't then attacked by the remaining Vexillian soldiers, who definitely outnumber them. 

"There might be more of them out there" says guard commander Kilmas, who hopes to hell there's no more of the undead out there. 

The commander of the Geist Trading Company guards, who until earlier today thought the notion of anyone being undead was totally ridiculous. 

Whose thoughts on that matter have definitely changed, then says "Keep moving" followed by "Even just one of those damn things will wipe a bunch of us out". 

Kilmas looks around at those close by, both mercenaries in the gathered Geist army, and soldiers in the army of the city-state of Vexil, and adds "All of us". 

After a moments silence, a nearby sergeant at arms in the Vexillian army nods his head, then says "You heard him lads keep moving". 

The sergeant at arms who is nursing a broken wrist, continues with "And keep an eye out for anymore of those bastards". 

The sergeant at arms gets moving, quickly walking away to the west, loudly muttering about undead, and how he isn't paid enough to deal with shit like them. 

Guard commander Kilmas looks at some of the nearby mercenaries who are all looking at him, he nods for them to follow him. 

As he starts heading quickly away to the west through the forest, the way the Vexillian soldiers are heading too. As they all want to get away from this part of the forest they're in. 

As his fellow mercenaries follow him, the commander of the Geist Trading Company guards looks away to his right when he spots movement that way. 

And he sees a pair of cockatrice that way, as they and their riders are heading westwards through the forest as well. 

Kilmas wonders how many from captain Hafnah's company survived the ordeal with the undead. In fact the guard commander wonders how many of the mercenaries who were with him, have survived what's just happened. 

He suspects over half have been killed by the undead that they and the column of Vexillian soldiers unfortunately encountered today here in the hill country in the north of the city-state of Vexil. 

The guard commander just shakes his head at what's happened so far today. A winters day unlike any other that Kilmas has experienced in his lifetime. 

Up a nearby cliff like hill, Lord Farque looks down into the forest to the west of the road that goes through this part of the hill country in northern Vexil, a forest road that goes to the border with the kingdom of Girdane. 

The undead warlord watches as the last of the undead that he unleashed a little while ago, is brought down by a dozen Vexillian soldiers and mercenaries. Hacked apart and set on fire. 

The lord and ruler of the Lands Farque who has the name of Draugodrottin that the people of his lands also know him by. 

Watches as most if not all of the mercenaries and soldiers who have survived what's just happened, start heading west through the forest, that covers most of the hill country in the border region between the city-state of Vexil and the kingdom of Girdane. 

The large heavily armoured deathlord who has the elven name of Des'tier, which means The Destroyer. Slightly nods his full helmed head as he watches the remaining Vexillian soldiers, as well as guards and mercenaries from the Geist Trading Company army. Fleeing westward through the forest. 

The lord of the death realm watches them in silence for a few more moments, then Draugodrottin looks away to the east. 

Where further away in the hill country, is the first of the previously abandoned gold mines in northern Vexil. 

Gold mines that were reopened by the elven maiden Salinéll, and those who were in cohoots with her. 

The undead warlord who as usual is sensing in all directions for as far as possible, sensing both for magic, and life, which also includes death, slightly nods to himself again. 

Then the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque turns around, and walks to where the wyvern is lying. A wyvern that's been waiting patiently, all the while closely watching the large figure of the lord of the death realm. 

Des'tier climbs up into the saddle on the back of the wyvern, a wyvern that he took from a rider in the aircorp of the city-state of Vexil. 

With a command in the dragon language, which no one speaks except for dragons and Lord Farque himself. 

The wyvern crouches, then springs upwards, and launches into the air from the top of the hill. And with a final look to the east, the undead warlord has the wyvern circle back to the north. 

The large heavily armoured deathlord then heads to where the rest of the group are making their way south through the forest, on this cold winters day here in the very north of the city-state of Vexil. 

Meanwhile further west in the forest covering a lot of hills, here in northern Vexil. The cousins Gamil and Farsen Geist, who are breathing heavily. Share a look when they hear more shouting away to their left through the trees. 

The cousins, who are part of the family that own and run the Geist Trading Company. Who were part of an elaborate scheme to start a war between the city-state of Vexil and the kingdom of Girdane. A war, whose architect, their so called cousin Misa Geist, was hoping it would spread to elsewhere, here in the central region of The Southlands. 

Come to a stop and look that way. Wondering who, and what could it be now. The guards from their company, along with mercenaries from the army they've gathered. 

Also come to a stop, and look that way as well, away to the east. In what's been a cold winters day here in the north of the city-state of Vexil. A day that's just gone by midday too. 

To either side of them through the trees, others from the mercenary army the Geist cousins have gathered, continue south through the forest. 

As they flee the Vexillian army, not to mention aircorp who are in this area of the hill country in the border region of northern Vexil and southern Girdane. 

"What's it this time?" quietly asks Gamil Geist the older of the two cousins as he peers between the trees to the left of them all. 

After shrugging his shoulders, the younger cousin, Farsen Geist replies with "No idea" he briefly pauses while he looks away to the east through the trees. 

Then the younger of the Geist cousins quietly says "Hope it's not more of them". Which gets a sour sounding grunt of approval from his older cousin Gamil. 

Then another shout comes from somewhere between the trees, away to the east of them. And the two cousins share a look once again, for this time they heard what was shouted out. 

"Hope the rider has got it's blinkers on" mutters Gamil Geist, which illicts a grunt of agreement from his younger cousin. 

Then Farsen Geist calls out to those in the nearby vicinity "Look down at the ground until we know it's clear". 

Next to him, his older cousin Gamil nods in agreement with that bit of advice, considering what's approaching from the east. 

Then as the Geist cousins look down at the forest floor, a voice in the distance calls out "It's clear" followed by another voice call out "Coming though". 

Of the two Geist cousins, it's Farsen who immediately looks up and away to the east, as he instantly recognized that second voice that called out. 

And it's not too long before he, along with his cousin Gamil, and the others with them, spot a cockatrice and it's rider heading their way..

Gamil Geist gives a sideways look at his younger cousin, for he like Farsen, has just seen who the rider is that's approaching them. 

The older of the two cousins, who have gathered a mercenary army over the last few months steps back and out of the way. As a cockatrice runs straight towards where he and his cousin have been standing. 

"Danielle" says Farsen Geist with a nod of his head to the rider in captain Hafnah's company, who has just brought her mount to a halt in front of him and his cousin Gamil. 

Who is glad to see the rider has blinkered the eyes of the large, magical creature that's her mount. 

Almost out of breath, Danielle Hafnah nods and replies with "Farsen" followed by "Gamil" in greeting to the two cousins. 

Then before either Geist cousin can ask her anything, the daughter of the mercenary captain Hafnah, says to them "Trouble". 

The cockatrice rider continues with "My father sent me ahead to warn you" she briefly pauses before adding "I know it will sound far fetched, but we've encountered undead". 

The cousins are silent for a few moments, then Farsen murmurs "Er?" while next to him, his older cousin Gamil just lifts his eyebrows in surprise at hearing that from the young cockatrice rider. 

Danielle Hafnah then quickly explains to the Geist cousins what's happened further to the east in the forest. 

How those with guard commander Kilmas, along with most of her father's company. Ambushed a column of Vexillian foot soldiers, who were making their way north along one of the forest roads. 

Then suddenly a group of undead appeared, from where no one exactly knows. And how the undead attacked anyone and everyone. 

Which led to mercenaries and guards in the Geist Trading Company army fighting alongside Vexillian soldiers in a fight for survival. 

As they listen, Gamil Geist who is the more skeptical one of the cousins, doesn't know what to believe. 

For though the thought of the undead seems utterly ridiculous to him. Captain Hafnah on the other hand, and by association his daughter Danielle. Are amongst the handful of mercenary captains in the army he and his cousin Farsen actually trust. Who isn't a least bit whimsy. 

For Farsen, he had no doubt that Danielle speaks the truth. And true, he's totally attracted to the cockatrice rider. 

In the time he's known her, the younger Geist cousin has come to trust the daughter of the mercenary captain Hafnah. 

"What's happening now?" asks Farsen Geist who doesn't question Danielle at all if she's telling the truth or not. 

"Anyone who's survived will be heading this way" replies the cockatrice rider, who gestures back behind her, and continues with "The first of them should be turning up fairly soon". 

Danielle Hafnah briefly pauses before adding "I guess there'll be Vexillian soldiers amongst them too". 

The cousins share a look and wince almost in unison, then Gamil Geist sourly says "Hell" followed by "This could end up ugly". 

Next to him his younger cousin Farsen nods in agreement as they and those with them, look away to the east through the trees in this part of the forest that covers much of the hill country here in the north of the city-state of Vexil. 

It's not too long before survivors from the attack by the undead start showing up in this part of the forest. 

And it's a pair of cockatrice riders who show up first, who have wounded upon the backs of their mounts with them. And it turns out one of the wounded is a foot soldier in the Vexillian army. 

Gamil Geist sighs, then mutters "Hell" once again. And with a look at his younger cousin Farsen, who has barely taken his eyes off Danielle Hafnah since she showed up. 

The older of the two cousins who have gathered a mercenary army over recent months, hoping to start a border war between their homeland of Vexil, and it's northern neighbour, the kingdom of Girdane. 

Starts issuing orders to those with them, to help the wounded, both their own, and soldiers in the army of the city-state of Vexil. 

Who start arriving after an attack by some undead, on this cold winters day here in the hill country that straddles the border region between Vexil and Girdane . . . . . .

Mercenary Tales 97.

Vexil. 

"Ugh" mutters Mira Reinholt the mage, who continues muttering with "What the fuck happened?". 

"You got blown up" is the reply the Vexillian mage in exile hears from someone who sounds familiar to him. 

The once powerful mage, who feels like he's been pummeled to near death, and that he's eaten a lot of dirt. Both of which is fairly true. 

Groans as he's moved by someone, followed by another familiar voice say "There you go friend Mira, that should be better". 

The practitioner of magic who also happens to be a highly skilled swordmaster opens his eyes, though he blinks a few times, as things seem to be a bit blurry for him. 

The mage Reinholt grunts as he sees two familiar looking people staring down at him, it takes a moment, then he remembers who they are. 

"Beldane" murmurs the mage who is in exile from his homeland of Vexil "Shur Kee" adds the swordmaster Reinholt. 

Beldane the cleric grins then says "You'll live" the powerful practitioner of magic in the church of Glaine who basically used his most powerful healing spell on the mage Reinholt, dryly adds "Just". 

"Doesn't feel like it" sourly says the spellcaster who was once the most powerful mage of his generation to be found anywhere in The Southlands. 

Which illicts a laugh from the fighting cleric, who along with Shur Kee, help the exiled Vexillian mage to sit up. 

Mira who is a member of Lord Farque's personal council, groans as he sits up, then winces as he looks around. 

"By the shape of fire" mutters the highly skilled swordmaster, who follows that with "Hell". As he looks at all the destruction that surrounds them. 

The mage Reinholt who can see some of the others in the group heading this way, sees that every tree is down or destroyed, for hundreds of feet in all directions. 

As he finds himself sitting amongst debris and dirt at the edge of a rather large crater that wasn't here previously. 

The Vexillian mage in exile winces as he remembers what happened before he lost consciousness, and nearly died. 

Then the once powerful mage quickly senses out to the west, and asks "That other mage still around?". 

"Shur Kee says no" is the reply from the powerful cleric who hails from north of the kingdom of Nastell. 

Councilor Reinholt grunts, and looks at the short statured monk kneeling beside him, who says "Friend Helbe has done away with him". 

The exiled Vexillian swordmaster quirks an eyebrow at hearing that, and wonders how the physical adept knows that. 

Then Mira who guesses that Narladene the ground pixie might of informed Shur Kee of that, grimaces and wryly says "Maybe". In response to Beldane the cleric asking him "Think you can stand up Mira?". 

"Might have to give me a bit" says the once powerful mage as the others in the group start arriving. With Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy and Lisell Maera the scout turning up first. 

The powerful practitioner of magic in the church of Glaine watches his fellow spellcaster closely. As he knows the Vexillian mage in exile was close to death for a moment. And that if he wasn't around, Mira might not of been able to be fully healed with a healing potion that each member of the group carries. 

"No rush" says the fighting cleric, who like many in his homeland of Nastell who worships Glaine, hails from the north of the kingdom. 

The swordmaster Reinholt accepts the water bottle handed to him by Shur Kee the monk. The once powerful mage takes a sip from the leather wrapped bottle, swirls it around in his mouth, then spits it out to one side. 

The spellcaster who was once, and still is, the youngest ever person to be named a member of the Mage Council of Vexil, then takes a long drink from the bottle. 

""Thanks" says the mage Reinholt after he wipes his mouth with his forearm and hands the leather wrapped bottle back to the monk, who is an acolyte in the order of Bru Li. 

Mira then sourly smiles as he sees the left sleeve of his cloak is ripped to shreds, and that there's more than a few holes and tears in the black hooded cloak that he wears. 

"Looks like I'll have to buy a new cloak" dryly says the once powerful mage who is a member of Lord Farque's personal council. 

Which gets a laugh from the fighting cleric in the church of Glaine, and the short statured monk who with the help of Narladene the ground pixie, found the mage Reinholt in the aftermath of the massive explosion that rocked this part of the forest. 

The highly skilled swordmaster glances at his left arm, and slightly shakes his head as the illusion spell, and spell lock created by Helbe the elven thief where the lower half of his left arm, is still intact. 

Mira briefly closes his eyes, then slightly nods as he feels the bolt shooter, designed by Dorc da Orc, and refined by Lord Farque in the lower half of his left arm is also intact. 

The once powerful mage then says "I am" followed briefly by a pause, before he continues with "I think?". I'm response to Beldane the cleric asking him "Think you can stand up now?". 

The fighting cleric in the church of Glaine and the acolyte in the order of Bru Li help the once powerful mage to stand. 

And though he's a little wobbly on his feet at first, the exiled Vexillian mage stands steady once Shur Kee puts an arm around his back, and he leans a bit onto the short statured monk, who is an honorary member of Lord Farque's personal council. 

"Not looking to great there mage" says Lisell Maera the scout as she eyes once powerful mage up and down. 

The practitioner of magic who just happens to also be a highly skilled swordmaster, sourly smiles at the young woman originally from the city-state of Brattonbury. 

The scout Maera chuckles, while next to her, Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy just shakes his hooded head as he looks at mage Reinholt, who by the looks of things, is extremely lucky to be alive. 

The others start showing up, first Zam the ex mercenary, along with Tamric Drubine the field commander and Saanea the witch. 

They're followed by sir Percavelle Lé Dic and Dorc da Orc, both of who are closely followed by Tovis the war engineer. 

Who was keeping a close eye on the large ork and the large heavily armoured knight who are bitter rivals. 

Last to show up is the rotund woman Malisse who is really Zubutai Timaginson, who just happens to inhabit the body of the woman who is originally from the unruled lands to the south of the city-state of Tuledare. 

"Good to see your still alive" says Malisse aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman to her fellow member of Lord Farque's personal council. 

"More or less" dryly adds the rotund woman as she looks at the state of the appearance of the once powerful mage. 

The mage Reinholt just rolls his eyes, and though he'd prefer to stand on his own. Even he can tell he's still a little unsteady on his feet. And that leaning on Shur Kee is the only way he can stand at the moment. 

Looking around at all the destruction he partly caused, the Vexillian mage in exile says to the others "Probably best if we get moving again". 

The spellcaster who just happens to also be a highly skilled swordmaster, continues with "We're a bit out in the open here". 

"No you don't say" is the sarcastic reply from Malisse aka Zubutai the son of Timagin as she looks around at destruction wrought by a pair of mageglobes colliding and ending their existence. 

All the same, the rotund woman who is a member of Lord Farque's personal council, looks over at Tamric Drubine and nods to the young field commander, who is originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin. 

"Let's go" says Tamric Drubine the field commander, or Tam as he's more commonly called by the others in the group. 

Even though he's still young, field commander Drubine gestures to the way they were going, until Mira Reinholt told them to flee. 

And the young noble originally from the forested north of the kingdom Sarcrin, who is a senior officer in the Armies of Farque. 

Says to the rest of the group "There could be more of them close by, or heading out way" he follows that with "Keep alert". 

The others nod to that, with the exception of Dorc da Orc and sir Percavelle Lé Dic, both of whom are trying to covertly eye one another up, though both are doing a poor job of it. 

Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy and Lisell Maera the scout move out first as they are want to do. The two of them have almost reached the new treeline to the south, by the time the others near the large crater in the ground, start moving away. 

As they do, Helbe the elven thief suddenly appears walking beside Mira Reinholt the mage, and Shur Kee the monk, who the once powerful mage is still leaning on. 

"You survived I see" says Helbe the elven thief with a grin upon his youthful looking face as he looks at his fellow practitioner of magic, the mage Reinholt. 

The spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster grunts, then dryly says "Thanks to you I take it". 

"Of course" says the grinning elven masterthief, who after a brief pause, continues on with "Though that last mageglobe of yours helped me out a bit". 

The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel looks ahead at Tamric Drubine, who has looked back, and before the young field commander can say anything, the highly talented elven magic user tells him "He's up there". 

Looking up at the hilltop in the distance to the southeast, Tam nods his head when the elven master assassin tells him "He's on the other side of the hilltop". 

Helbe who just happens to be a member of the royal family that rules the principality of Laerel, briefly pauses before adding "He's unleashed them". 

Field commander Drubine winces at hearing that, so do a number of others, including Beldane the cleric, who more than winces, but grimaces before he mutters "Hell".

"For the unlucky bastards they come across us" says Mira Reinholt, who follows that with "Not us". Though he'd freely admit, he would rather be in the middle of another explosion like the one he was just in. Than encounter those that Lord Farque has just unleashed, here in the hill country of northern Vexil. 

So he changes the subject as they enter the trees to the south of the patch of destruction in the forest, and he asks the elven masterthief walking beside him and Shur Kee the monk "Know who that mage was I was battling?". 

"One in the Vexillian army" is the droll sounding reply from the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel. 

"I know that" sourly says the mage Reinholt with a sideways glance at his fellow member of Lord Farque's personal council. 

The highly talented elven magic user chuckles, then says to the once powerful mage "Some fellow named Garmen". 

Mira Reinholt faintly frowns at hearing that, as that name sounds some what familiar to him. Though at the moment he can't quite place it. 

After a few moments as they walk through the trees, the Vexillian mage in exile almost trips over when he finally remembers that name. 

"Are you okay friend Mira?" asks Shur Kee the monk who had to grab the once powerful mage to stop him from falling forward onto his face. 

"Huh" says the mage Reinholt, who continues with "I'm fine" the highly skilled swordmaster looks at the elven master archer to his left, and asks him "Garmen you say?". 

The elven princeling from Laerel nods his hooded head, then says to the Vexillian mage in exile "You know him?". 

"A mage Garmen was on the Mage Council when I was appointed" says Mira Reinholt, who then dryly adds "He was also one of the mages who exiled me". 

"Imagine that" murmurs Helbe the elven thief, who follows on from that with "I doubt it was this fellow" he continues with "He was probably only a babe in his mother's arms at that time, if that". 

The elven master assassin then adds "He was in his mid to late twenties" the elven magic user pauses for a moment, then adds "He might be a relation of course". 

The mage Reinholt grunts at hearing that, then nods his hooded head, as he wonders who this mage Garmen could be. As he and the rest of the group continue to walk south through the forest, on this cold winters day here in hill country of northern Vexil . . . . . .

Mercenary Tales 96.

The City-State Of Vexil. 

Lord Farque frowns, then he turns around and makes way to the other side of the top of the hill he's on. 

The large heavily armoured deathlord walks by the wyvern, which keeps still, but looks at him as he walks by. 

The undead warlord walks amongst the trees, then comes to a stop as he looks to the north and west. 

The lord and ruler of the Lands Farque sees the cloud of debris mushrooming up into the sky, and falling back down in a large open patch of the forest in the distance to the northwest. 

The lord of the death realm who is sensing just as much as he's looking, slightly nods his full helmed head at what he sees and feels. 

"He'll live" mutters Lord Farque referring to Mira Reinholt the mage, who has just been found by Beldane the cleric and Shur Kee the monk. 

The lord of the death realm then looks a bit further to the west, and he spots the blurred and shielded Helbe the elven thief making his way back to where the rest of the group are. 

The undead warlord who has the name of Draugodrottin that the people of his lands also know him by, grunts then turns back around and walks back to the other side of the top of the hill. 

Once again, the wyvern who is sitting still, watches the large heavily armoured figure of the deathlord of Farque walk by, and come to a stop at the edge of the cliff. 

Lord Farque looks down to the nearby forest road, and sees that there's very few of the Vexillian soldiers who were making their way north on it, still down there on the road. 

The lord of the death realm who has the elven name of Des'tier, which translates to The Destroyer. 

Sees that most of them are amongst the trees to the west of the forest road, and they're engaged in combat with a large force from the mercenary army that's been gathered by the Geist cousins Gamil and Farsen. 

And both sides are locked in combat, a battle for survival to be exact. Against nine others, who are under the command, so to speak, of Draugodrottin himself. 

The undead warlord could raise the dead who have died this morning, here in the hill country that's part of the border region between northern Vexil and the south of the kingdom of Girdane. 

But raising the newly dead has it's problems. The lord of the death realm only has limited control on undead such as those. 

But those who he raised a number of weeks ago. In fact he had some of the group dig up their bodies from a couple of cemeteries in the city of Vexil. 

He's had plenty of time to control them as they've waited in the boxes that held them for the last few weeks. 

And though they can never truly be fully undead, with their intelligence and personalities they had when they were alive. Like Lord Farque himself, and the undead of his lands have. 

They're the next best thing. And because of that, they're a total menace, and almost impossible for even the most powerful cleric to destroy. 

Des'tier watches the unfolding bedlam and chaos taking part down amongst the trees to the west of the forest road, that goes by the cliff like hill the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque is up, this cold winters morning here in the north of the city-state of Vexil. 

Draugodrottin closes his eyes, and senses out for the undead down in the forest. The lord of the death realm finds one, and with his ability to control the undead. 

The lord and ruler of the Lands Farque watches things through the eyes of this particular undead person. 

The mercenary captain Hafnah almost falls of his mount as a Vexillian soldier, who he thought was going to attack him, runs by, knocking into the side of the cockatrice that Hafnah rides. 

With a frown upon his face, the mercenary captain Hafnah mutters "What the hell is he running from?". 

After looking back at the fleeing enemy soldier, who miraculous avoided being caught in the stare of the cockatrice. 

Looks away to his right, and spots another of the riders in his company. The mercenary captain is just about to call out to the rider, when something happens. 

"What?" mutters captain Hafnah who then blinks in surprise after seeing a figure in threadbare clothing, who is leaping, come flying through the trees, just a few feet above the ground, before slamming into both the rider and his cockatrice. 

"The hell" mutters the mercenary captain, for it should be impossible for what just happened. For the simple reason a cockatrice weighs far more than any horse. And no human should be able to knock it down by just running into it. 

Captain Hafnah winces as he sees his fellow cockatrice rider is still alive, and trying to wriggle out from under his mount, which has pinned him underneath it. 

The mercenary captain goes to grab one of his throwing darts, essentially a short spear used by mounted fighters across not just The Southlands, but the entire world. 

He looks back up and blinks in surprise as the person who bowled over the cockatrice and rider, has just stomped on the head of the naturally magical creature, crushing it's skull. 

"Fuck me" mutters captain Hafnah who knows that's definitely impossible, as the head of a cockatrice is basically as hard as stone. 

Then the figure who doesn't even bother to look at the pinned rider, or even to dispatch him, turns and looks at the nearby mercenary captain. 

Who knows that his own cockatrice is now looking straight at the man in the threadbare clothing. 

A man who should be frozen in place, but instead he starts walking towards captain Hafnah and his mount. Picking up speed with every step he takes. 

The captain of the mercenary company that has cockatrice mounts, hurls his throwing dart at the oncoming figure. 

And the short spear takes the man directly in the middle of the chest, almost going right through him. 

And though the figure briefly stumbles, he continues to run at Hafnah and his cockatrice, with the short spear sticking out the front of him. 

"The fuck" mutters captain Hafnah who briefly thinks about grabbing another throwing dart, but instead he wrenches at the reins of his mount. 

And at the last moment as the man running at him, leaps forward, the cockatrice hops to the left. 

And the man leaps by them. Captain Hafnah quickly looks behind them and sees the man in the threadbare clothing, with a short spear sticking out of his chest. 

Smash into a pair of Vexillian soldiers who were running up behind the mercenary captain and his mount. 

Hafnah's eyes go wide as the man stands up, grabbing one of the enemy soldiers by the throat, picking him up well off the ground, then snapping his neck, and throwing the soldiers body away a good dozen feet to the side. 

The man with the short spear in his chest then stomps down on the back of the second downed Vexillian soldier, who is groaning in pain as he attempts to crawl away. 

The mercenary captain winces as he clearly hears the downed soldier's spine snap when the man in the threadbare clothing stomps on him. 

"Fuck this" mutters captain Hafnah who then silently adds, no wonder that soldier was running away. 

And as the man with the throwing dart sticking out of his chest, turns to look at the mercenary captain and his cockatrice. 

Hafnah commands his mount to take off, and as it runs away. He glances back, and sees the man in the threadbare clothing take a couple of steps, as if to pursue captain Hafnah and his cockatrice. 

But instead he stops and turns to one side, and spots a number of Vexillian soldiers and mercenaries nearby who are locked in battle. 

The man starts walking that way, picking up his pace with every step he takes. As he does, captain Hafnah looks on in disbelief as the figure in the threadbare clothing pulls out the short spear in his chest. 

Flip it, catch it in midair. And as he runs, throws it. And the throwing dart slams into the back of one the fighting mercenaries, who screams in pain as he falls forward to the ground. 

Just before the man in the threadbare clothing runs straight into a number of the combatants, sending them flying in all directions. 

"What the hell's going on?" murmurs captain Hafnah as his cockatrice runs between the trees. While the mercenary captain keeps a look out for any other individuals, neither mercenaries in the gathered army of the Geist Trading Company, or in the Vexillian army, here in the hill country of northern Vexil. 

Lord Farque opens his eyes, and let's that particular undead do whatever it wants. The lord of the death realm who is sensing in all directions for as far as possible. 

And is keeping an eye, so to speak, on the rest of the group who are away in the distance, to the north and west. 

Looks down amongst the trees, off to the west side of the forest road that approaches, and goes around the steep hill that he's on top of. 

The lord and ruler of the Lands Farque spots another of the undead, who is busy attacking both Vexillian soldiers, and mercenaries from the army gathered by the Geist cousins Gamil and Farsen. 

The Geist guard commander Kilmas swings with all his might, and takes off the left arm of the woman who has been attacking those with him. 

A woman who by the way has no head, as the guard commander has already chopped that off. Though he suspects he wouldn't of been able to do that if she wasn't already missing half of her head, which was struck by a crossbow bolt before Kilmas encountered her. 

The commander of the Geist Trading Company guards, steps back as the one armed woman reaches out to try and grab him. 

Just then a Vexillian soldier with a rather large axe runs up behind her, and chops into the back of her left leg, taking it off just below the knee. 

The woman in a torn and dirty dress drops to the ground, and the guard commander along with the Vexillian soldier with the axe. Along with two other soldiers in the army of the city-state of Vexil. As well as a pair of mercenaries, the only two left of five, who were with Kilmas when they encountered the woman. 

Start hacking her to pieces with their weapons. Body parts are chopped and hacked from the woman, who is completely silent. Not to mention she's still trying to move. 

"Step back!" shouts another Vexillian soldier, and commander Kilmas and the others move back as this soldier is holding a burning torch .

Which he puts to the torso of the woman on the ground, and sets her on fire. He also puts the torch to the arm the guard commander chopped off. 

As well as the head that lies off to one side. A head that is more than a little disturbing to look at. For though nearly half the skull is missing, the eyes are still open and looking around. 

And a silent scream comes from the mouth as the head catches fire from the lit torch that's put to it. 

Commander Kilmas looks to where one of the mercenaries points at a hand nearby. It's the woman's hand, and it's crawling away by itself. 

Though it gets slower and slower, and eventually stops once most of the rest of the woman's body burns more steadily. 

The guard commander, the mercenaries, and the Vexillian soldiers are all breathing heavily as they step back and away from the burning pieces of body. 

And though they look at each other, and they grip and regrip the hafts and handles and pommels of their weapons. They don't attack one another like they were doing earlier. 

Then the soldier in the army of the city-state of Vexil, who lit the woman, or to be exact, the pieces of the woman on fire, says "Hell spawn". 

He follows that with "Unclean or undead" he continues with "Best way to destroy them is with fire since there's no clerics around". 

He nods at the guard commander in the Geist Trading Company and adds "Chopping them to bits helps too" the Vexillian soldier continues with "Easier to set on fire as well". 

Commander Kilmas nods, then he gestures away to their right amongst the trees "Come on, over there". 

Where a cockatrice has just knocked down a man who is dressed like a court dandy from a couple of centuries ago. 

And is stomping on him, while a couple of mercenaries shove spears in the downed man. Who looks inconvenienced more than anything else. 

Command Kilmas leads both mercenaries and Vexillian soldiers there, on this cold winters morning here in the hill country of northern Vexil. 

While up on the nearby hilltop, Lord Farque continues to watch the mayhem he's unleashed take place amongst the trees, off to the side of the forest road that leads to the border further north . . . . . .

 

Mercenary Tales 95.

Northern Vexil. 

Beldane the cleric senses it about to happen, and briefly catches a glimpse of it too. Just before he winces, having already slammed up the strongest wards he can. 

The powerful fighting cleric in the church of Glaine has extended them to protect Shur Kee the monk who is standing close by. 

He need not of bothered. For when he glances over at the short statured monk, he finds the acolyte in the order of Bru Li standing there with his eyes closed, and a faint white light surrounding him. Just as the impact of the explosion hits the two of them. 

Beldane grimaces as he staggers back as flying debris, mainly trees smash into his barrier and protection spells. 

As a cloud of dirt and other debris goes mushrooming up into the clear morning sky not far from where they're standing. 

The powerful practitioner of magic who hails from the kingdom of Nastell looks around, and sees every single tree has been knocked over in all directions for a least a few hundred feet, with a crater in the center of them. 

Beldane senses, then quickly looks to where Mira Reinholt the mage was standing back from the nearby clearing, which no longer exists. 

The fighting cleric can still sense one of the mage Reinholt's mageglobes heading off to the west somewhere through the forest, at speed too. 

So he knows the Vexillian mage in exile is still alive. But he can't see the once powerful mage at all, and winces as he looks to where a lot of the debris is falling. 

Looking over at the monk who is originally from the far east coast of the continent, Beldane the cleric says "Shur Kee hurry". 

Dropping his wards, the fighting cleric in the church of Glaine adds "Help me find Mira" followed by "He's still alive". 

The physical adept opens his eyes after he comes out of his trance, and after hearing what the powerful practitioner of magic just said, Shur Kee the monk says "Of course friend Beldane". 

The short statured monk who is an honorary member of Lord Farque's personal council, adds "We shall find him". 

And he follows after the powerful cleric who hurries over to where he last saw Mira Reinholt the mage. In a part of the forest that's been absolutely devastated from the explosion where two mageglobes collided and ended their existence. 

"Hell" mutters Helbe the elven thief as he looks away to the east, and he sees the large cloud of debris mushrooming up into the clear winters sky. 

From where he's floating a few hundred feet above the treetops, the highly talented elven magic user can see a little under a mile away. A large chunk of the forest has basically been flattened. 

With trees smashed apart, or whacked straight down to the ground, now with a crater at the center of the where the explosion took place. 

To his elven sensibilities, the destruction of the forest is frankly disgusting to the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel. 

But for all that, the elven masterthief can't help but admire the pure force of the devastation created by the living pieces of magic created by two battling mages. 

The elven master assassin, who as usual can't sense his fellow practitioner of magic, Mira Reinholt the mage. 

Senses for something else instead. As he knows that the once powerful mage, is highly skilled when it comes to combat against other mages. 

As Mira Reinholt had the chance of becoming a battlemage, or what was previously known as a war or housemage hundreds of years ago. 

The first such mage in nearly a century here in The Southlands. Until he lost most of his powers a number of years ago when he went offworld through a rift/void he accidentally cast. 

The elven master archer slightly nods his hooded head, after sighing in relief knowing that the mage Reinholt still lives. 

For the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel senses another mageglobe heading this way, and heading this way at speed too. 

The member of the royal family that rules the island principality of Laerel quickly looks down at the mage in the Vexillian army below him. A mage by the name of Garmen according to the soldiers with him. 

The elven princeling from Laerel sourly smiles as he he sees the Vexillian army mage is grinning as he looks up into the sky to the east, and watches the cloud of debris in the distance. 

The highly talented elven magic user continues to sense Mira's mageglobe still heading this way. Wonders if the mage Garmen can sense it too. As it looks like the mage in the army of the city-state of Vexil is busy gloating at what he's just done. 

Then the elven masterthief slightly nods to himself as he feels the mage Garmen sensing. And he sees a frown appear on the face of the mage in the forest below him. 

Helbe the elven thief or prince Helbenthril Raendril to give him his full name and title, floats further to one side as he feels Mira's mageglobe getting closer and closer. 

The elven master assassin wonders what the living piece of magic will do. As he senses it suddenly drop down into the ground. 

Whatever it's going to do. The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel knows that this will be his chance. 

As there's a fairly good chance that the mage Garmen's wards will be weakened with what's about to happen. 

The elven princeling who is a member of Lord Farque's personal council, who is also the undead warlord's envoy. Gets ready to act, as he waits for the inevitable. 

Sensing what's coming towards him at speed, and is now below the ground, Garmen the mage calls out "Move!". 

The Vexillian army mage continues with "Something's going to attack me" followed by "Get away!". 

The soldiers with the mage follow orders, and they start hurrying away from him, as they suspect something magical, and rather violent is going to happen. 

Especially considering they just heard a massive explosion somewhere away to the east of them. An explosion which they can see the aftermath of, above the trees in that direction. 

The Vexillian army mage sneers in disgust as he senses the mageglobe heading his way has gone beneath the ground. 

Garmen knows some mages have their living pieces of magic do this, as many of their spellcasting opponents, often forget to ward below them. 

Not so the mage in the army of the city-state of Vexil. Whose wards are completely around him, including above him, as well as underneath him. 

"Come on" mutters the mage who ranks as an officer in the Vexillian army "What have you got for me?" adds the mage, who like all mages, is an extremely powerful spellcaster. 

Garmen knows that his opponent still lives, as a mageglobe is coming his way. For if they were dead from the massive explosion that just took place to the east. The living piece of magic would no longer been in existence. 

The Vexillian army mage slightly nods to himself as he feels his opponents mageglobe slowing down now. 

And he wonders if it's trying to accurately locate him. Most likely to end it's existence directly beneath him. 

So the powerful Vexillian practitioner of magic increases his wards underneath him as he senses the approaching mageglobe has almost reached him. 

Garmen slightly smiles to himself as he waits for what his opponents mageglobe will do. He's also getting ready to create another mageglobe of his own, to send it after the enemy mage. 

But he has to drop his wards to send it off once he creates it. So he waits for the approaching mageglobe to end it's existence. 

The funny thing about Mira Reinholt and the mageglobes he creates. Is that he gives his living pieces of magic the ability to think for themselves. 

All mages do this to some degree or another. But in the case of the mage Reinholt he takes it to the extreme. As his mageglobes almost have a personality of their own. 

And though the once powerful mage gives them their ultimate goal. How they go about it, is more or less up to them. And they have to use their personality, or to be precise, their intelligence to achieve their goal in their short lives. 

And this mageglobe is no different than any other mageglobe created by Mira Reinholt. Who has got better with how he creates mageglobes ever since he lost most of his powers a number of years ago. 

So the mageglobe 'seeing' what it's target has just done, increasing their wards beneath them. Does what it's creator initially wants it to do. 

When just a few feet from the mage who is it's target, it pops up out of the ground, to a height of about four feet, where it does what it's intended to do, and ends it's existence. 

When pretty much most mageglobes come to an end, no matter the amount of power it generates, it does so over the largest area it can. 

Not so this particular mageglobe, which like pretty much all mageglobes, ends in an explosive manner. 

Though the explosion it creates is a hell of a lot different than most explosions, especially ones created by mageglobes. 

For this living piece of magic explodes just one way, directly forwards and not spread out at all. In fact the explosion is pretty narrow, just a few feet by a few feet. All forward, directly into the front of the wards put up by the mage Garmen. 

Who closes his eyes from the flash of the explosion, which significantly weakens his wards. 

And as he stumbles backwards from the explosion, for a brief moment he thinks his barrier and protection spells are going to fail due to the explosion, which is directly in front of him, and no where else. 

And though they almost shatter, and are nearly destroyed. They remain up, even though they're far weaker than were when he put them up. 

That's all Helbe the elven thief needs, for when he sees the damage created by Mira Reinholt's mageglobe hitting the mage Garmen's wards. 

The blurred and shielded elven magic user shifts down, right behind the Vexillian army mage. As he does, the elven master assassin casts a slip spell. His usual spell to go through another spellcasters wards. 

The mage Garmen grunts after almost toppling over backwards, he steadies himself, and grins as his wards though badly damaged, remain up. 

The powerful practitioner of magic in the army of the city-state of Vexil, is just about to drop them, and create another mageglobe, to send it after the mage somewhere to the east, who he's battling. 

When he suddenly feels something at the base of his skull. It's the last thing he feels on this cold winters day, here in the hill country of northern Vexil. 

Helbe the elven thief pulls his right hand spike puncher out of the back of the mage Garmen's brain. 

And the body of the powerful Vexillian practitioner of magic drops to the ground. The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel has already shifted away. 

Before the first of the nearby Vexillian soldiers who rushed away, return to see what happened to the mage Garmen. 

The highly talented elven magic user doesn't even bother to look back at the dead mage as he's up in the sky above the treetops in this part of the forest. 

The elf who is a member of the royal family that rules the island principality of Laerel, starts heading east, to where the rest of the group are. 

With the exception of Lord Farque, who is on a hilltop, further south, as much as he is east. The elven master archer looks to the cliff like hill the undead warlord is up. 

And prince Helbenthril Raendril who can't actually see the large heavily armoured deathlord at the moment. 

He suspects the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque is watching the chaos he's unleashed down on the forest road further to the east and south. 

"Have you found him friend Beldane?" asks Shur Kee the monk as he looks through a pile of debris, mainly broken trees and shrubs. 

The short statured monk looks over at the fighting cleric in the church of Glaine who is nearby looking between some downed trees, who shakes his head no in reply to the acolyte in the order of Bru Li. 

Shur Kee frowns, and glances away to his right when he catches sight of movement. The physical adept spots in the distance, Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy and Lisell Maera the scout. 

The first of the rest of the group, who are making their way back here after Mira Reinholt the mage told them all to flee. 

The monk who is originally from the far east coast of the continent, the kingdom of Wah Lee to be exact. 

Turns back to where he's been searching, and is just thinking that Dorc da Orc with his acute sense of smell could easily find the missing Vexillian mage in exile. When he suddenly finds Narladene the ground pixie floating in front of his face. 

"Shur Kee over here" quietly says Narladene the ground pixie who doesn't show herself often to the humans in the group with the exception of Lord Farque who can see her no matter what. 

The naturally magical creature when she does appear in front of any of the humans in the group, it tends to be either to Mira Reinholt the mage, or Shur Kee the monk. Who she has known the longest, as they were part of the group when she first encountered Helbe the elven thief in the city of Leeabra, the capital of the kingdom of Druvic. 

The physical adept hurries after Narladene who flutters away, heading towards a mound of dirt and debris, about quarter the way around the crater where the short statured monk and the fighting cleric have been searching. 

"Friend Beldane" says Shur Kee as he hurries after the tiny winged creature who only he can see at this moment. 

"This way" adds the monk who is the living incarnation of the Jade Warrior Bru Li, to be exact he's the living conduit for the Jade Warrior's powers. 

The fighting cleric looks up from where he's been searching, then he takes off after the physical adept, who is hurrying around the massive crater in the ground. 

The short statured monk stops and drops to the ground, and starts digging with his hands, into the side of a mound of dirt and debris. 

Beldane glances back behind him, and catches sight of some of the others in the group coming back to this part of the forest, or what's left of it. 

"Here" says Shur Kee when the powerful practitioner of magic joins him. The fighting cleric in the church of Glaine starts digging too. 

And after a few moments, they come across an arm, with a shredded sleeve, black in colour. 

"Hell" mutters Beldane, who then tells the physical adept to step back. When he does, the powerful practitioner of magic casts a spell, and blows away a lot of the dirt and debris in the mound, to reveal the body of Mira Reinholt the mage. 

The fighting cleric winces as he looks at his fellow spellcaster, then Beldane after looking over the once powerful mage. 

Kneels down beside the unconscious and barely breathing exiled Vexillian mage and starts to heal him with the one of the most powerful spells that he knows . . . . . .

Mercenary Tales 94.

Vexil. 

Mira Reinholt the mage narrows his eyelids as he looks away to the west, for the moment not sensing as he does so. 

Some of the others in the group stop when they notice the once powerful mage has stopped and is looking away to their right. 

After a moment, the mage who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, slightly nods to himself. Then he puts his right gloved hand into an inner pocket of his cloak, and he drains the power from one of the gems he has there. 

"You should probably run" says Mira Reinholt the mage, and before anyone can ask him why? The Vexillian mage in exile adds "Mageglobe heading this way". 

The spellcaster who was once more powerful than any other mage to be found in The Southlands, briefly pauses before continuing with "Heading towards me". 

"Flee!" shouts Beldane the cleric as Tamric Drubine the field commander is just about to protest what the mage Reinholt has just suggested. 

"Don't cast" says Mira Reinholt to the fighting cleric in the church of Glaine, and Saanea the witch. 

"It might target you instead" adds the swordmaster who was, and to this day, the youngest ever member of the Mage Council of Vexil. 

The practitioner of magic who is a member of Lord Farque's personal council briefly pauses as if he's listening to something or someone. Which he is.

Then he says "Nevermind" followed by "It's targeted at a mage" councilor Reinholt continues in a dry tone with "Me". 

The once powerful mage turns to his left and says to field commander Drubine "Go" he then adds "You should be fine if you're clear". 

Both Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy and Lisell Maera the scout don't need to be told again, they're moving off, quickly too. 

Zam the ex mercenary along with Tovis the war engineer quickly follow, and hurry off to the south like the spy Tanith and the scout Maera. 

After a moment, sir Percavelle Lé Dic starts moving off, loudly muttering "Damn evil magic, wot". 

Though the large heavily armoured knight only started moving after Dorc da Orc shrugged and started walking away. 

Tamric Drubine the field commander after one last look at the mage Reinholt, moves off as well. With him goes Saanea the witch along with Malisse aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman, who tells the exiled Vexillian mage "Be careful you idiot". 

The mage Reinholt just nods his hooded head in response to that from his fellow member of Lord Farque's personal council. 

Then finally Beldane the cleric and Shur Kee the monk move off, though the once powerful practitioner of magic sees that the two of them don't go far. As he still see them amongst the trees to the south of the small clearing he's in. 

Both the fighting cleric in the church of Glaine along with the acolyte in the order of Bru Li, have stopped and are looking back at him. 

The Vexillian mage in exile isn't worried about those two. As out of the group with him at this time. 

They're the two who can most easily defend themselves, and the others from whatever it is that's the mageglobe heading this way will do. 

Beldane with his shear brute force of magic that he has, along with the extremely powerful, not to mention highly erratic magical mace that he as well. 

And Shur Kee, due to the strange powers that he possess. Which aren't magical at all. And are something completely different all together. 

"So what does it actually do?" quietly asks Mira Reinholt the mage as he peers through the trees to the west of the small clearing he's in. 

"It's searching you out" is the quiet reply from Narladene the ground pixie who is only visible to the once powerful mage. 

The highly skilled swordmaster steps back amongst the trees, and he slightly scowls when the tiny winged creature hovering to his right, quietly tells him "It's going to find you no matter what". 

The spellcaster who when he had all his powers, was more powerful than any other mage of his generation to be found in The Southlands. 

Who lost the vast majority of his power when he accidentally cast a rift/void spell that sent him offworld a number of years ago. 

Then asks the naturally magical creature who has come to warn him of the impending danger "Then what?". 

"Blow you up of course" is the reply from Narladene the ground pixie, who grins as the Vexillian mage in exile sourly smiles as he looks at her. 

"Where is it?" quietly asks the practitioner of magic who is a member of Lord Farque's personal council. 

"There" replies the naturally magical creature who adds "That way" she follows that with "It's weaving side to side, trying to locate you". 

Mira Reinholt nods his hooded head as he looks to where the tiny winged creature has pointed, then he says "Not moving particularly quickly I take it?". 

"Correct" is the reply from Narladene who is just glad the once powerful mage is speaking in common and not elven. 

Due to the fact both his accent, and the way he pronounces the elven language is pretty atrocious in the opinion of the ground pixie. 

The mage Reinholt slightly nods as he's created such mageglobes himself, and he figures it's moving barely more than walking speed. 

It will increase speed and start moving rapidly when it actually locates him. There will be some advantage to Mira who already has in mind what he'll do to counter the living piece of magic that's heading this way. 

The once powerful mage continues to step back amongst the trees, and he quietly asks the ground pixie "What's that royal thief you hang out with up to?". 

The spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster hopes his fellow practitioner of magic Helbe the elven thief is taking care of the mage who has trying to kill him. 

For if there's anyone who can get rid of a powerful spellcaster like a mage, it's the elven magic user who is a member of the royal family that rules the island principality of Laerel. 

"Trying to deal with that mage who is hellbent on trying to kill you" is the reply from the naturally magical creature who is originally from The Sunreach Mountains. 

Mira Reinholt lifts an eyebrow in surprise, and in a tone similar, he says "Trying?" followed by "Are you telling me that thief is having some difficulty with killing someone?". 

Narladene grunts at that, and though she doesn't say anything, she does nod her head yes in reply to what the Vexillian mage in exile just said. 

"Fuck" mutters the mage who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, who then silently adds, this might be a bit more difficult than I thought. 

Hmmm, Helbe the elven thief thinks to himself as he steps up behind one of the Vexillian soldiers walking through the forest. 

The blurred and shielded elven magic user glances towards the nearby mage who is leading the group of soldiers in the army of the city-state of Vexil. 

Then the elven master assassin silently releases the spike puncher from the right sleeve of his cloak. 

And he punches it into the base of the skull of the unsuspecting Vexillian soldier who has no idea who is right behind him. 

The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel has already shifted before the Vexillian soldier falls to the ground dead. 

The highly talented elven magic user does the same thing to another of the soldiers, this one further to the right. 

And with two of them dead in mere moments, it's finally noticed by another of the soldiers that two of his fellow soldiers are dead. 

"Mage Garmen!" says one of the Vexillian soldiers, who then quickly adds "Myburn and Quaills are down". 

The large squad of soldiers, along with the mage who is leading them come to a stop, and look around, and find two of their number dead. 

"What the?" mutters the mage Garmen as and the soldiers with him look around, trying to see who was responsible for the deaths of two of the squad. 

"Spread out" orders the mage in the black hoodless cloak, who quickly comes to the conclusion that Myburn and Quaills were killed by a practitioner of magic. 

"Beware" says the Vexillian mage, who continues with "There's a spellcaster of some kind in the area" he follows that with "Keep your wits about you, and call out if you notice something". 

The practitioner of magic in the army of the city-state of Vexil who is sensing his mageglobe in the distance, continuing to head eastwards. 

Thinks about something for a moment, then he quickly casts a spell, sending in all directions out from him. 

"Shit" mutters Helbe the elven thief, who is just glad he shifted back up into the sky, above the treetops after killing two of the Vexillian soldiers. 

As he senses then sees what the powerful mage down below has just cast, the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel slightly winces to himself. 

This mage is a hell of a lot smarter than most of them, the elven masterthief thinks to himself as he watches with his magical senses the detect spellcaster spell the mage has just cast going outwards from the powerful practitioner of magic. 

And though the elven master assassin is shielded, he's pretty certain because of how powerful that particular spell is. If it hit him, there's a good chance the Vexillian army mage would detect him. 

The elven princeling from the island principality of Laerel then looks away to the east as he senses in that direction. 

And quickly locates the mageglobe that's heading in that direction. He feels that it's picking up speed now. And that can only mean one thing. 

"Think it's found you" says Narladene the ground pixie, who after a slight pause, nods then continues with "Yeah it's found you". 

Mira Reinholt the mage sourly smiles, then he looks to where the tiny winged creature hovering to his right, points. 

"It'll directly attack you when it catches sight of you" says the naturally magical creature who hails from the Sunreach Mountains, and has 'attached' herself to Helbe the elven thief. 

"I thought as much" murmurs the once powerful mage who stops backing up, and prepares for the rapidly approaching living piece of magic created by a mage in the army of the city-state of Vexil. 

"There" quickly says Narladene who points across the nearby clearing, to the trees to the west of it. The Vexillian mage in exile nods his hooded head a couple of moments later as he too spots the mageglobe. 

Which spins in the air, then finally spots the once powerful mage. And when it does, it shoots through the air, directly at the spellcaster who was once the most powerful mage of his generation, to be found anywhere in The Southlands. 

Mira Reinholt might not be as powerful as he once was. But he's far more intelligent than most other mages when it comes to combat. 

So as he watches the mageglobe come shooting towards him, the exiled Vexillian mage creates two of his own, one after the other. Something most mages, no matter how powerful they are, find difficult to do. 

His mageglobes shoot off from him, as they do the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster slams up wards around himself. 

Though he winces and mutters "Shit" as he does so. As braces for the worst. Which he suspects is going to be bad. 

The first mageglobe created by Mira Reinholt goes by the incoming living piece of magic, barely brushing it. Doing nothing to it, or so it seems. 

Mira's first mageglobe continues onwards,  picking up speed, getting faster and faster as it does so. For it's already done half of what it's purpose is. And that was to identify the mage that's attacking its creator. Quickly doing so, as it heads back along the path the incoming mageglobe came from. Though moving much faster, and in a more direct line. 

As for the mage Reinholt's second living piece of magic. It does what it was supposed to do. And that's to intercept the incoming mageglobe. 

And the mageglobes, both the size of an apple. Hit each other in midair, with the inevitable results. A massive explosion in the middle of the forest, on this cold winters day here in the north of the city-state of Vexil. 

Trees are blasted to bits, and others are knocked down, hundreds of feet in all directions from the blast center. Which turns out to be a massive crater in the ground, as dirt and debris are flung up into the sky. 

Mira Reinholt the mage sourly smiles to himself as he's caught up in the middle of the massive explosion and as he's flung backwards, and before he blacks out. The once powerful mage feels his wards being shredded apart as no way they'll survive such an explosion that's rocked this part of the heavily forested hills here in northern Vexil . . . . . .

Mercenary Tales 93.

The City-State Of Vexil. 

A bear woken up from it's mid winter slumber by all the commotion near it. Goes running by, growling sleepily as it heads through the trees after crossing the overgrown cart track. 

Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy raises an arched eyebrow as he watches the bear that's lost weight during winter, head into the trees, and disappear from sight. 

The elven spy who is a commander in the Scouts and Rangers division of the Armies of Farque shrugs his shoulders. 

While nearby, Dorc da Orc looks up, and catches sight of the bear before it disappears from view, and he loudly mutters "Could'a been me fucken lunch". 

The large ork grunts in disappointment, then he looks back down at the Vexillian soldier lying at his feet, who it turns out, unsurprisingly, is dead after the ork warleader headbutted him. 

"Hmmm" murmurs the big burly ork from the southern polar region of the world, who then silently adds, me could have one of these cunts for lunch. 

The ork warleader looks at the dead bodies lying close by, then he takes a quick look around at the rest of the members of the group. 

The ork weaponsmith takes a sharp, wicked looking, slightly curved knife from his belt. Then after quickly looking around to make sure none of the others are watching him. 

Dorc da Orc or Dorkindle which is his given name, bends down, and starts discreetly cutting into the dead body he's standing over. Hoping to get a bit of meat for his noon time meal. 

"Any sign of Helbe?" quietly asks Tamric Drubine the field commander, next to the senior officer in the Armies of Farque. His lover, Saanea the witch shakes her head no. 

And when the young field commander, who is of noble birth, and originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin looks at Beldane the cleric. The fighting cleric in the church of Glaine shakes his head no too. 

Field commander Drubine looks over at Mira Reinholt the mage who tells him "No idea" dryly followed by "Not that any of us could sense him anyway".

"Where the hell is he?" murmurs Tamric Drubine or Tam as he's more commonly called by the others in the group, as he looks off back along the overgrown cart track which heads back west. 

The elven masterthief in question, is at the moment floating above the treetops, about a mile and half further to the west and south of the rest of the group. 

Helbe the elven thief who is blurred and shielded, looks at Narladene the ground pixie who points and says "He's up on that large hill there". 

The naturally magical creature originally from the Sunreach Mountains, who has just landed upon the right shoulder of the elven magic user, adds "Think there's some fighting going on, down on the other side of that hill". 

The young elven noble who hails from the island principality of Laerel nods his hooded head, then he winces as he remembers what Lord Farque has planned for those who are further to the east. 

"They're in for a shit time over there" quietly says Helbe the elven thief, who after a slight pause adds "All of them". 

The tiny winged creature standing upon his right shoulder, nods her head in agreement with him as they look away to the east and south. 

Then the highly talented elven spellcaster as he floats there above the forest, looks down through the trees. 

The grandson of the ruling prince of the island principality of Laerel who is also a member of Lord Farque's personal council, once again spots who he has been observing of late. 

Down in the section of forest below him, are a number of figures, all moving east. Who are all in the army of the city-state of Vexil. 

They're all soldiers in the Vexillian army, except for one of them. Who though he's in the army of the city-state, he's definitely not a soldier. 

The figure leading, who is in a black hoodless cloak, holds up a hand for those with him to come to a stop. 

As the blurred and shielded elven magic user watches those below him in the forest, Helbe the elven thief murmurs "You sneaky bastard". 

Narladene the ground pixie who is also watching what's happening below them, after glancing sideways at the the elven princeling she's attached to. 

Nods her head in agreement with the elven master assassin who is a member of the royal family that rules the principality of Laerel. 

"Didn't think a mage would think to do that" quietly says the ground pixie who along with the highly talented elven magic user sensed what the individual they've been observing just did. 

Helbe the elven thief nods his hooded head in agreement with the naturally magical creature who is attached to him, then he quietly says "They're not exactly known for being subtle". 

Narladene grunts in agreement with that, then they watch as the mage starts walking again after he waves the soldiers with him forward. 

They've been observing the powerful practitioner of magic in the Vexillian army since locating him. For the simple reason the mage is hunting another mage. And that other mage is Mira Reinholt. 

Prince Helbenthril Raendril to give him his full name and title, starts floating forward again, so that he keeps pace with the mage and soldiers down below in the forest. 

As he does, the elven master archer quietly says to the ground pixie on his right shoulder "If he creates one before I can intervene, can you stop it?" followed by "Or at least distract it?". 

"Hardly" replies Narladene who then sourly mutters "Those damn things never listen to me" she then says "They've got a mind of their own, and they don't stop until they complete their goal, or if something destroys it". 

"And destroying them is damn near impossible" quietly says the elven masterthief who is not just a member of Lord Farque's personal council, but is also the undead warlord's envoy. 

As he floats forward above the treetops and hills, the young elven princeling from Laerel quietly says "If he does, you might have to go and warn Mira" followed by "He can destroy it with one of his own". 

The elven practitioner of magic continues with "I don't even think Beldane with that wildly chaotic mace of his could destroy one". 

The tiny winged creature who was living in the city of Leeabra, the capital of the kingdom of Druvic, when she first encountered Helbe the elven thief and others in the group, nods at that. 

Then the naturally magical creature quietly says "He probably couldn't" followed by "But I'm sure the cleric and that annoying mace of his can protect him and the others from one" Narladene briefly pauses before continuing with "Whatever type this mage down here creates". 

The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel nods his hooded head in agreement with the ground pixie. 

Then he let's out a sigh. For this would be a lot simpler, and he could take care of things. If it wasn't for the fact the mage he and Narladene are observing, didn't have extremely powerful wards around him. Not just around him, but above him, and underneath him as well.

Both protection and barrier spells far too powerful for the highly talented elven spellcaster to get through. 

And though Narladene could easily get through the mage's wards and attack him. The powerful Vexillian practitioner of magic would be able to get off a mageglobe, or a few. Before the ground pixie could kill him with her tiny little sword. 

For though it's extremely sharp, and can take out an eye with ease. It would take a bit of effort, and time for Narladene to slice someone's throat open with her weapon. 

"I'm guessing if he gets an inkling of where Mira is, he'll create one that will seek him out" quietly says the ground pixie who is originally from the Sunreach Mountains. 

Helbe the elven thief thinks about it for a moment, for in the time he's known Mira Reinholt, the once powerful mage has created such mageglobes himself. 

The highly talented elven magic user nods his hooded head, then he quietly says "Those tend to be slower, since they don't exactly know where their target is". 

The naturally magical creature nods at that, then she quietly says "That's true" and after a brief pause she adds "Those ones tend to be damn powerful too". 

The elven princeling from the island principality of Laerel grunts at that, then he sourly mutters "They're all pretty damn powerful to me". 

The tiny winged creature standing upon the elven master assassin's right shoulder, nods her head in agreement with that. 

As the two of them continue to watch the Vexillian soldiers and mage down in the forest below them. On this cold winters day here in the hill country of northern Vexil. 

A short time later, and Narladene the ground pixie quietly says "They're on the move again". Helbe the elven thief slightly nods as he senses to the east. 

And though he can't magical sense his fellow spellcasters Beldane the cleric and Saanea the witch, who are holding their power within themselves at the moment. 

Nor can he sense Mira Reinholt the mage due to the amulet the Vexillian mage in exile wears, that hides him from other practitioners of magic. 

The highly talented elven magic user does sense Beldane's magical mace, as well as The Sword of Knockdown, that either sir Percavelle Lé Dic or Dorc da Orc has in their possession. 

As well as the shield of Saint Mar'che that the noble born knight from the kingdom of Druvic uses. He also senses the magical sword that Tamric Drubine the field commander uses. 

The only reason the young elven noble from Laerel is able to sense them at any distance, is because he knows them, and the properties of the those magical weapons. 

Normally spellcasters can't sense such things, even right in front of them. For the simple reason you have to actively sense for them individually. And not just sense for magic in general like pretty much all practitioners of magic tend to do. 

Sensing that the group is on the move again, heading south, after encountering a group of Vexillian soldiers according to Narladene the ground pixie. 

The elven master assassin is just about to tell the tiny winged creature something, when suddenly the mage and those soldiers in the army of the city-state of Vexil with him, come to a stop again. 

"What's he doing?" murmurs prince Helbenthril Raendril, who then nods when Narladene quietly tells him "He's going to cast". 

A moment later, and the elven magic user sensed this too, and before he can identify what spell the mage below them is going to cast. The naturally magical creature upon his right shoulder tells him what the spell the mage is about to cast. 

"Hell" mutters the elven masterthief who is a member of Lord Farque's personal council, who briefly admires what the Vexillian mage they've been observing is about to do. 

There's a distortion in the air that appears in front of the mage, and it expands and moves out from the powerful spellcaster, and heads eastwards, gathering speed as it does so. 

"That won't locate a spellcaster" quietly says Narladene, Helbe the elven thief nods his hooded head in agreement with her, then he says "But it will locate people, no matter who they are". 

"And he'll send a mageglobe after it, once it's located anyone" quietly says the ground pixie, who after wincing adds "Targeting a mage". 

The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel nods at that as the two of them watch, then sense where the spell, which is now invisible to the eye is going. 

It's heading towards the group, who are a little over a half a mile away to the east and north, from the Vexillian mage and soldiers with him. 

"It's going to hit them" quietly says Narladene, who after a moment of silence, adds "Right, about now". 

"Shit" mutters the elven princeling, who continues with "Go warn Mira" after the naturally magical creature tells him "He's creating one". 

The ground pixie takes off, as below them the mage in the hoodless black cloak is moving again, waving the soldiers with him forward, as a mageglobe forms in his other hand. 

A mageglobe that leaps off his hand, and starts heading eastwards. Heading that way, not particularly fast from what the elven master assassin can see. Or at least, not as quick as some mageglobes he's seen in the past. 

Then after Narladene disappears beneath the ground as she heads eastwards to where the rest of the group are. 

The blurred and shielded elven magic user, shifts down to the ground. And though he probably can't directly attack the powerful mage. He definitely can distract him. So Helbe the elven shifts to behind the soldier closest to the Vexillian army mage and takes action. 

Meanwhile, further east and to the south in the forested hills, Mira Reinholt the mage stops, then says "You feel that". As he's pretty certain something magical just made contact with him. 

He looks back at Saanea the witch, who tells him "I felt it". Then the two of them look over at Beldane the cleric, who nods his head in agreement with them. 

"Felt like a life spell of some kind" says the fighting cleric in the church of Glaine, who after a slight pause adds "I think?". 

The mage Reinholt winces, then mutters "Hell" as he realizes what that means. Someone is trying to actively locate them, and in all probability, trying to locate him. 

Most likely someone in the Vexillian army, no doubt a mage. After he killed one a little earlier on this cold winters morning, here in northern Vexil. 

The spellcaster who was once the most powerful mage of his generation, not just here in his homeland of Vexil, but right across The Southlands. 

Is just about to say something to the rest of the group as they continue southwards along the game trail they've been following. 

When Narladene the ground pixie suddenly appears right in front of his face, causing him to flinch back in surprise. 

Then the naturally magical creature quickly tells him something, that causes the mage Reinholt to scowl, then mutter "Oh really?" followed by "By the shape of fire, we'll fucking see about that" . . . . . .

Mercenary Tales 92.

Northern Vexil. 

Lord Farque brings the wyvern around, and starts taking it down to one of the nearby hilltops he's been circling. 

Before the large winged creature sets down, the undead warlord glances back north, to a little under a mile away. On the side of one of the hills he sees that the group has encountered a number of Vexillian soldiers. 

The large heavily armoured deathlord rolls his eyes, and shakes his full helmed head, then he has the wyvern land between the trees at the top of the hill. 

With the wyvern settling down, wings folded along it's back, and eyes on the undead being who has taken it from a Vexillian aircorp rider. 

The lord and ruler of the Lands Farque steps forward, and looks down. The hill he's on is steep on one side, almost vertical, basically a cliff. 

And down below, over a couple hundred feet, is a forest road, on which is a column of Vexillian foot soldiers. 

From his position looking south, the lord of the death realm looks into the trees to the right of the road. And he slightly nods to himself at what he sees and senses. 

Looking back at the Vexillian soldiers on the march, on this cold winters morning here in the north of the city-state. Lord Farque quietly says to himself "Haven't noticed them yet". 

They will soon, the undead warlord thinks to himself as he watches what's about to happen down on the forest road that goes by the hill he's on top of. 

A member of the Geist company guards comes back and informs commander Kilmas of what's up ahead, a forest road and who is on it. 

The company commander doesn't have to think long about it, and he looks over at captain Hafnah, who along with a number of his company, has just joined up with the commander and those with him. 

Kilmas quickly outlines what he wants done, and captain Hafnah the cockatrice rider agrees with him. Even though they're outnumbered. 

Then the commander of the Geist company guard has someone shut up the wagons and those on them, who have just come in, and joined them. Who were making a racket as they came through the forest. 

Kilmas waves over some of his officers, and mercenary leaders he trusts and informs them what's up ahead, and what they're going to do about it. 

They move off to give out orders, and the commander of the Geist company guard, nods to captain Hafnah to get underway. 

The mercenary captain and those of his company move out, walking their mounts, heading to the forest road that's nearby. 

They soon mount up, and once they're in front of the rest of the force that commander Kilmas has with him. 

They take the leather binders off the eyes of the magical creatures that they ride. And start moving at speed through the trees. 

While behind them, mercenaries as well as guards in the Geist Trading Company hurry forward. 

Those with bows and crossbows moving to the front, hoping to set up position once they get to the forest road that's close by. Others are drawing weapons as they begin hurrying forward through the trees. 

While the wagons that have just joined those who are led by commander Kilmas, move forward as well, following the others at a distance. 

Up on the cliff like hill, Lord Farque who also has the name of Draugodrottin that the people of his lands know him by. 

Looks down into the trees off to the west side of the forest road, looking at what he can already sense. 

The large heavily armoured deathlord watches as the cockatrice riders move their mounts between the tree trunks, heading quickly towards the nearby forest road. 

The undead warlord who has the elven name of Des'tier, which means The Destroyer. Glances back amongst the trees, and sees those on foot. 

Mercenaries, along with guards from the Geist Trading Company. Who are hurrying forward, towards the road that the cockatrice riders have almost reached. 

The lord of the death realm then slightly nods to himself when he sees the wagons further back still. Are on the move, following after those on foot. 

The large heavily armoured deathlord of Farque will keep an eye on those more than anything else. 

Though he does watch what's happening up ahead. Where the cockatrice, and their riders. Are about to come out of the trees to the west of the forest road, that winds it's way to the nearby border further to the north. 

A keen eyed soldier towards the front of the column spots them, as he looks away to his left amongst the trees, and he shouts out a warning. 

"Cockatrice!" followed by "To the west!" he then adds "Mercenaries!". 

Though a few in the column of Vexillian foot soldiers, either stop and look to the west, their left. And others who are continuing to walk, look that way too. 

The vast majority of the column of soldiers in the army of the city-state of Vexil, look down at the ground, while drawing weapons. 

Many with spears, move to the left side of the column after hearing that shouted warning from a fellow soldier towards the front of the column. 

You see the thing with soldiers in an army such as the Vexillian one. They've trained alongside cockatrice, and their riders. As their army has an entire division of them. 

And though most combatants, either soldiers from various armies, or mercenaries from different companies. 

Don't know how to fight with, and against mounted cockatrice. Not so with those in the armies of the city-state of Vexil. 

And though captain Hafnah and his fellow cockatrice riders surprise a number of the column of Vexillian soldiers. 

It's not particularly a lot of them. And not just that, many of the riders and their mounts find themselves running towards a line of spearmen. 

Who have their weapons braced, while their heads are down, looking at the ground on this cold winters day here in the hill country that makes up a lot of the very north of the city-state of Vexil. 

Riders turn their cockatrice to the side, some going left, others to the right, along the west edge of the forest road after they make their way out of the treeline. 

Those with throwing weapons, biff them. Not just at the Vexillian soldiers who are standing their motionless after looking into the eyes of a cockatrice. 

But also at any of the other soldiers in the column, who are either standing there with their heads down with a spear braced for a mounted charge. 

Or are just keeping their heads down, so they don't get paralyzed by any of the cockatrice that might look directly at them. 

Captain Hafnah after throwing a dagger, that catches one of the spearmen in the neck, quietly says to himself "There". 

As up ahead, his second in command Marnell has just taken down one of the enemy spearmen, who has knocked over another. Who has accidentally stuck his spear into the soldier next to him, who drops screaming in pain. 

As Marnell brings his mount up, captain Hafnah rides his cockatrice right into where the soldiers are on the ground. 

He's followed by his daughter Danielle, and another of the riders in his company. As they charge their mounts into the gap in the column of Vexillian foot soldiers. 

Some of the soldiers move, while others whilst still looking down at the ground, wildly swing their weapons. 

All the while the mercenary captain, and those riders in his company behind him, who now include his second in command Marnell. 

Plow through the column of enemy soldiers, with their large mounts easily knocking over any of the Vexillians who get in the way of the cockatrice. 

Captain Hafnah is quickly through the column and now on the other side of the forest road, his fellow riders get through quickly too. 

And the mercenary captain has already turned his cockatrice, and is now riding it back into the side of the column of Vexillian foot soldiers. 

Entering where a number of the soldiers are on the ground, trampled by the large mounts, who are actually magical creatures. 

This time as captain Hafnah and the riders with him go through the column of enemy soldiers. They go at an angle, as they do, arrows and bolts start flying from the treeline along the west side of the forest road. Dropping Vexillian foot soldiers where they stand. 

A sergeant at arms, seeing the futility of what they're doing. Shouts out an order, which is repeated up and down the line of march. 

As almost one, the soldiers in the army of the city-state of Vexil shout and scream as they break ranks, and start running. 

They run off the road, to the west side, and the treeline in that direction, towards the enemy mercenaries who are attacking them. 

There's someone with at least half a fucking brain down there, Lord Farque thinks to himself as he watches the battle down on the forest road below the cliff he's on top of. 

The undead warlord sees that Vexillian foot soldiers have basically done the best thing that they can do. 

And that's get off the forest road, and engage the mercenaries and guards from the army gathered by the Geist cousins Gamil and Farsen, amongst the trees. 

Making the cockatrice all but redundant, as their riders won't take them in amongst their allies within the trees as the fighting gets heavier and more chaotic. 

And though the company of cockatrice riders attack the back, or east side of the column of Vexillian soldiers. 

A column that's now broken, and individuals are just running as fast as they can into the forest to the west of the road. 

They are far less effective now that the Vexillian foot soldiers are engaging with their allies amongst the trees. 

The lord and ruler of the Lands Farque who is now satisfied that the column of Vexillian soldiers are getting off the forest road, and are heading in the direction he wants them to go, and that's to the west. 

Sees that soldiers in the army of the city-state of Vexil don't yet know that they have the superior numbers. 

And should they do, they should easily overwhelm those of the army gathered by the Geist cousins Gamil and Farsen, who find themselves in this part of the heavily forested hills of northern Vexil. 

As Draugodrottin watches as more and more of the Vexillian foot soldiers run into the treeline to attack the mercenaries and guards from the Geist Trading Company. 

He briefly closes his eyes, then opens them and looks further back amongst the trees. And through the gaps in the forest canopy, Des'tier spots the wagons at the rear of the mercenary force that finds itself cut off from the rest of their army, who are further away to the west in the forest. 

"Time to even things up a bit" Lord Farque murmurs to himself, who then follows that with "More like turn it into a fucking shit show" he then silently adds, for everyone. 

The wyvern lifts it's head a bit, and tilts it to the side, as it watches the large heavily armoured figure that's taken it from it's original rider. 

The large heavily armoured figure that's now glowing slightly blue in the sunshine on this cold winters day, here in the hill country of northern Vexil. 

They first notice something when the injured company guard in the back of the wagon, screams after they hear a cracking sound. 

A scream that's abruptly cut off, followed by the sound of something, or to be exact, someone. Falling off the back or side of the wagon, and hitting the ground. 

The driver goes to pull up the wagon, as he does he shares a look with his fellow mercenary, sitting on the wagon seat with him. 

Then the two of them turn their heads, and look behind them. Something that both of them wish they had never done. 

The wagon driver goes flying forward after getting hit in the middle of the back. He goes flying over the pair of horses, who have stopped, and he hits the ground with a thud. 

The other mercenary goes to swing his crossbow around to shoot it, when he screams in pain, and he and his crossbow go flying off the side of the wagon seat. 

And he smashes into the trunk of a nearby tree, he smashes into it hard too. He's no longer moving after he drops to the ground. 

The horses take off in fright, taking the wagon with them. The wagon driver groaning on the ground, trying to move. 

Is first trampled by the horses. Then run over by the wagon. He's dead by the time the rear back right wagon wheel goes over him, crushing his skull apart. 

In the wagon bed, the three odd shaped boxes are broken apart, and in pieces as the horses with the wagon take off. 

And standing where the wagon just was, are three individuals, looking a little worse for wear if one was to look closely at them. 

But that's the last thing anymore should do, look at them closely. Because if you get close to them, you'll end up dead. 

For the trio who look corpse like, to say the least. Have a faint blue glow around them, as they stand there in the forest. 

Then they start moving, far quicker than a human should be able to move. They head to where there's fighting up ahead amongst the trees. 

There's six others just like them, nine in total. Who were in the odd shaped boxes, in the back of three wagons that belonged to captain Mackrin's company. 

The nine of them have all been risen, so to speak. And are on the move, their only objective is to kill everyone, and anyone they come across. 

And nothing here, in this part of the forested hill country of northern Vexil will stop them. Except for the individual who has raised them. 

Who stands upon the top of a nearby cliff watching what's happening down in this part of the forest, on this cold winters day, here in very north of the city-state of Vexil . . . . . .