Soldier Of Gods 64.

The City Of Tuledare. 

"There's none of them there" says  Narladene the ground pixie who continues with "There hasn't been since the war started". 

The naturally magical creature who sits upon the right shoulder of Helbe the elven thief, then adds "In fact hardly any from Vexil have been here since things got underway". 

The elven masterthief who had Narladene check up on something at the city's airdocks, nods his hooded head at hearing that from her. 

The young elven noble who is from the island principality of Laerel, knows that not many foreign trading vessels have been in the city of Tuledare since the war got underway. 

And those that had arrived during the hostilities, were from further away than the nations of the central region of the Southlands. 

And they had absolutely no idea that the war between the city-states of Tuledare and Phamal was going on. 

"Find anything interesting?" asks the tiny winged creature who is originally from the Sunreach Mountains. 

"A little" replies Helbe the elven thief who is standing in the office of Marcan Geist, the representative here in the city of Tuledare, of the Geist Trading Company, who are family owned company based in the city-state of Vexil. 

As she sits upon the right shoulder of the elven master assassin she's attached to, Narladene shrugs her own shoulders, then says "Not that it matters". 

The ground pixie continues with "We'll be moving on soon" followed by "Haven't the Phamalians paid until the end of the week, and that's it?". 

The highly talented elven magic user grunts in response to that, as indeed the city-state of Phamal has paid until the end of the week, which is only a few more days, and that's it. 

After all, they're victorious in the war against the city-state of Tuledare. And that's all that they wanted. 

"You're right" says the young elven noble who is a member of the royal family that rules the island principality of Laerel. 

"But I hate loose ends" continues the elven master archer, who closes the last draw in a set behind the desk in the office. 

"So does you know who" dryly adds the young elf who is one of the more talented elven practitioners of magic to be born in the last five centuries or so, especially the last two and quarter centuries since he was born. 

The naturally magical creature rolls her eyes, as she knows who the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel is referring to is Lord Farque. 

"But will he care enough to do anything about it?" asks the tiny winged creature who attached herself to the young elven princeling a number of years ago, when the group at the time were visiting the city of Leeabra, the capital of the kingdom of Druvic. 

The elven masterthief who is a member of Lord Farque's personal council shrugs his shoulders in reply to that. 

Then just as he's contemplating about leaving, Narladene tells him "There's something there" followed by "A space under the floor".

The elven practitioner of magic looks to where the tiny winged creature is pointing, then he gets down onto the floor. 

"Magical?" asks Helbe the elven thief who didn't sense anything magical that was hidden in the office. 

"No" replies Narladene the ground pixie, who continues with "Nothing magical" she follows that with "Just a cubby hole with something stored in it". 

The grandson of Prince Raendril of Laerel nods his hooded head at that, as he taps the wooden floor with his knuckles. 

Hearing the slight change in sound as he taps on the floor, the elven master assassin quickly finds the hidden mechanism that opens one of the wooden panels on the floor. 

"Well, look what we've found" quietly says prince Helbenthril Raendril, who like the ground pixie, is speaking in elven. 

Having opened the hidden cubby hole, the young elven noble who is from the island principality of Laerel, sees that it contains a number of rolled parchments, as well as a couple of books. 

Which look to be like ledgers, which is what they turn out to be, when Helbe the elven thief quickly opens one, and skim reads it. 

Taking all that he's found, the elven spellcaster says to the naturally magical creature on his right shoulder "Time to go". 

Which is what they do, when the elven master archer looks outside, then he vanishes as he shifts away. 

It's late afternoon and Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy is walking towards the Traveler's Comfort inn, he's soon joined by the lead scout Maiya Garney and her squad, who are also making their way back to the inn. 

"Anything?" asks Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy who speaks in his native language to the scout Garney who walks beside him. 

"Nothing much there" replies Maiya Garney the lead scout who continues with "Most of their inventory is gone". 

The elven spy who is a commander in the Armies of Farque nods his hooded head when he hears that, as that was to be expected. 

The lead scout, and her squad who have just checked up on a warehouse used by the Geist Trading Company here in the city of Tuledare, then says "From what the neighbours said, there hasn't been much activity there since the war got underway". 

Once again, the spy who hails from the principality of Alínlae, where he previously served in one of the more prominent noble houses there, nods. As what he, and others in the group suspected, seem to be true. 

"Will anything come about it commander?" quietly asks the lead scout as they turn the corner, and head down the lane that leads to the Traveler's Comfort inn. 

"I'm not sure" is the reply of Dalinvardèl Tanith or Dalin as he's more commonly called by those who know him well. 

"It's not up to me to make that decision lead scout" adds the elven spy who is a little over three centuries old. 

They fall silent as they approach the inn, and while the infiltration squad led by Maiya Garney remain downstairs. 

The spy Tanith, along with the lead scout and sergeant Blufont, head upstairs to the suite that the elven spy has been using whilst here in the city of Tuledare. 

Upstairs in the suite, they find most of the group along with members of field commander Drubine's staff. 

Dalinvardèl Tanith makes his way over to a window where the young field commander is standing with Saanea the witch and Beldane the cleric. 

The lead scout Maiya Garney and sergeant Blufont remain near the door and out of the way of everyone else. 

"Find anything interesting at all?" quietly asks Tamric Drubine the field commander when Dalin joins him by the window. 

"A bit" replies the elven spy from the principality of Alínlae, who follows that with "Nothing we hadn't guessed at anyway". 

The young field commander, who is of noble birth, originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin nods his head, and says "We are". 

After the spy Tanith asks him "We leaving?" as Tamric Drubine's staff are packing things up at the moment. 

"Where to?" asks the elven spy who is a commander in the Armies of Farque, who is answered with "No idea" from field commander Drubine. 

"But the Fifth will return home" adds Tamric Drubine or Tam as more often than not he's called by those who know him well. 

The young field commander who was in charge of the war effort on behalf of the city-state of Phamal against the city-state of Tuledare, nods away to the right, to the other room in the suite. 

Through the open door that way, Dalin sees Lord Farque speaking with Helbe the elven thief in the other room. 

"Helbe got back a little earlier, they've been speaking ever since" quietly says Tamric Drubine, who follows that with "Probably deciding what we'll do". 

Dalinvardèl Tanith nods to that, then he listens carefully to what the elven princeling and the undead warlord are talking about as his naturally enhanced hearing can easily pick up what they're saying. 

"Íthelic othäc halîdênil guï amörendille" is what the spy Tanith hears Helbe the elven thief quietly say to Lord Farque. 

Field commander Drubine who figures Dalin is listening to what the elven masterthief and the deathlord of Farque are talking about, quietly asks him "Well?" as he glances towards the other room. 

With a wry twist to his lips, the elven spy says to the young field commander "No idea" followed by "They're speaking royal elven". 

Tam grunts when he hears that, as only Lord Farque and Helbe the elven thief speak that particular language. 

Then Beldane the cleric quietly says "Heads up" followed by "Here they come" as the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque and the young elven noble who is his envoy, make their way out of the other room, and into the main room of the suite. 

Everyone stops what they're doing as the large heavily armoured deathlord, and the elven master assassin make their way over to the window where Tam, Dalin, Beldane the cleric and Saanea the witch are standing. 

They're quickly joined by Mira Reinholt the mage, Tovis the war engineer, Lisell Maera the scout, Malisse aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman and Zam the ex mercenary. 

Meanwhile Dorc da Orc remains in a corner of the room, where he's sitting. With his bitter rival sir Percavelle Le Dic standing not that far from him. With Shur Kee the monk keeping an eye on the two of them. 

Looking at the group who have gathered near the window, Lord Farque tells them "When the Fifth leaves tomorrow, we'll be going to". 

It's Tamric Drubine who asks the undead warlord "Will we be returning with them" followed by "Or?" he leaves that opened ended, hoping the deathlord of Farque answers him, which he does. 

"We'll be going somewhere else" says the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque who is also known by the name of Draugodrottin to the people of his lands. 

The undead being is silent for a few moments, then he turns his fully helmed head, and looks at Mira Reinholt the mage and says "We'll be going to Vexil" . . . . . .

Soldier Of Gods 63.

Tuledare. 

Mira Reinholt the mage watches the executed hanging from the noose. Their bodies swaying in the late morning wind that's picked up. 

The once powerful mage who hails from the city-state of Vexil looks at the last in the line to be executed. 

The man he met a quarter of a century ago, when he was still a teenager, in his homeland of Vexil. Who convinced him to turn against the city-state of Vexil during a time of war. 

The mage Reinholt doesn't delude himself in the least. He was going to turn against his homeland anyway. Due to what he thought at the time was incompetent leadership. 

But Owin Falmist convinced the young Mira Reinholt to do so during the midst of the battle of Vexil. 

The largest battle seen throughout the Southlands, in well over four centuries since the invasion of the Southlands by the Empire of Nostran. 

The invasion which saw Lord Farque, who at the time was the battlelord Kaiuss Farque, die during the battle which he killed the emperor of Nostran, and the empire was defeated by the young battlelord's forces. 

As the Vexilian mage who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, watches the body of councilor Falmist slowly twist around at the end of the rope that took his life. 

The last few hundred of the crowd of thousands that had gathered, are finally leaving the massive square where the public executions took place this morning. 

The spellcaster who is a member of Lord Farque's personal council glances to his right, as a grinning Dorc da Orc walks this way. 

The mage in the black hooded cloak who has known the large ork for a quarter of a century, they met during the battle of Vexil when Mira was just seventeen years old. 

Nods his hooded head when Dorc da Orc says to him "That cunt cried like a fucken bitch" as he gestures a large meaty, frying pan sized hand at councilor Falmist. 

The big burly ork from the southern polar region of the world, who was named warleader of his race by Lord Farque a number of years ago, continues with "Screaming like the fucken pussy ass cunt that he was". 

The weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks after sniffing a few times, points at another of the executed then says "That fucken lady shit herself". 

Which sends the large ork who is a general in the Armies of Farque into a fit of laughter, as he finds that absolutely hilarious. 

The practitioner of magic, who was once the most powerful mage of his generation to be found anywhere in the Southlands, rolls his eyes then wryly smiles as he looks at the ork warleader standing beside him. 

Then the mage who is in exile from his homeland of Vexil, though due to an incident during the last war between the city-states of Tuledare and Vexil nearly a decade ago, he's allowed to visit his homeland. 

Is just about to say something to the large ork who he has known for twenty five years, when he suddenly hears a voice inside of his head. 

Get ready, you're coming up, it's Helbe the elven thief, and just as Mira Reinholt the mage sourly says "Ah shit". 

He disappears from in front of the platform and gallows, here in the middle of Foundation Square, in the center of the city of Tuledare. 

The spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster blinks and finds himself standing on the flat, mastless deck of a Krean scoutship. 

The Vexilian mage in exile wraps his black cloak tightly around himself as it's absolutely freezing here, high above the capital city of Tuledare. 

The practitioner of magic who is a member of Lord Farque's personal council looks around, then turns and heads aft to the low slung wheelhouse. 

He finds the port side door open for him, and the mage Reinholt hurries inside where it's warm thanks to the powers of the navigators onboard, and the unique construction of the Krean warship. 

The once powerful mage makes his way to the back of the wheelhouse where Helbe the elven thief is standing with Lord Farque, who has just finished speaking with the captain of the Krean scoutship, and the lead navigator. 

With a nod of his hooded head, Helbe the elven thief says to his fellow spellcaster "Come along" and he follows after Lord Farque. 

The mage Reinholt follows after them as the undead warlord heads down the steps, or ladder as it's called onboard. 

That goes down below deck, from the back of the wheelhouse that's located on the aft section, of the dark, sleek looking, mastless airship. 

Heading along a corridor below deck, the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque stops at a door, and after a glance at the two practitioners of magic who are members of his personal council. 

The large heavily armoured deathlord of Farque, who stands over six foot, six inches in height, and weights nearly three hundred pounds of solid muscle. 

Opens the doorway and enters the cabin, he's followed in by the elven masterthief from the island principality of Laerel, and the human swordmaster who hails from the city-state of Vexil. 

After the mage Reinholt closes the cabin door behind him, he sees that there's a man sitting on a chair next to the bunk along the inside of the hull. 

The individual, who looks to be in his forties, has his hands in his lap, though they're tied together at the wrists. 

As he's sitting there, he's looking around at his surroundings, with a look of slight confusion, if the once powerful mage was to describe it. 

"He can't see or hear us" says Helbe the elven thief to his fellow spellcaster, after Lord Farque nods to the young elf who is member of the royal family of the elven principality of Laerel. 

After a brief pause, the young elven noble who also happens to be a masterthief, among other things, asks the exiled Vexilian mage "Do you recognize him?". 

With a slight frown upon his face as he looks at the man sitting on the chair, oblivious to their presence, the practitioner of magic who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, shakes his head, then says "I don't" after a slight pause, he adds "Should I?". 

"Odds are you probably didn't" says the elven master assassin, who follows that with "It was worth asking". 

Then the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel, says to his fellow councilor "This is Marcan" followed by "He's the brother in-law of the city councilor Owin Falmist". 

One of Mira Reinholt's eyebrows lifts at hearing that, then Helbe the elven thief tells him "Caught him on the way to the executions along with a group of others who were intending to stop it". 

Though the Vexilian mage in exile finds that little bit of information interesting, he doesn't think it that important. Especially not important enough to teleport him up here, and to tell him in person. 

Then after a few moments of silence, his fellow practitioner of magic says to him "Oh by the way, his full name is Marcan Geist". 

The mage Reinholt blinks in surprise at hearing that last name which he does recognize. Then after a moment where he first looks at Lord Farque, then prince Helbenthril Raendril, and finally the captive individual, the once powerful mage says "Geist as in the Geist Trading Company out of Vexil?". 

"Yes, the very one" replies the elven master archer, who continues with "Thought you'd recognize that one". 

The spellcaster who hails from the city-state of Vexil recognizes that name, as it's one of the main competitors to his own family's company in his homeland. 

The swordmaster Reinholt after a few moments of silence as he thinks of something, says "They weren't that big or successful when I was a kid" .

He continues on with "But they came up in prominence, and quickly expanded and became a force in trading after the Battle of Vexil". 

After saying that, the once powerful mage quickly looks over at the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque. 

For the simple reason, Mira hardly ever mentions that momentous battle. For after he met the undead warlord and Dorc da Orc. 

Who were up to criminal activities in the middle of the battle. They robbed the Vexilian army's payroll, which they took from the quartermaster general. 

The mage Reinholt who only knew them for a couple of days and joined them, turned on the two of them as the three of them were escaping the city of Vexil with a fortune they had stolen. 

The once powerful mage who would go on the run for five years as the vengeful duo of Lord Farque and Dorc da Orc chased him across the world. 

Finally capturing him on the far east coast of the continent, where they exacted their revenge which Mira has done his best to try and forget. 

"Yes they did" says Helbe the elven thief, who follows that with "And with good reason" he continues with "And they would of been a hell of lot more successful again if Tuledare defeated Phamal in the war". 

Pointing at the captive Marcan Geist, the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel says "He's the reason Tuledare and Phamal went to war". 

After a brief pause, the elven masterthief adds "Well one of the reasons" he looks at Mira Reinholt and adds "All because of your family, and their business". 

Once again, the exiled Vexilian mage's eyebrows shoot up in surprise at hearing that, then he listens to what his fellow spellcaster, Helbe the elven thief has discovered about Marcan Geist and the reason the war between the city-states of Tuledare and Phamal got started in the first place . . . . . .