Springtime In The City 80.

The City Of Vexil. 

It's absolutely pouring down with rain this morning. And most people are indoors, either at their place of work, or at home. 

But even on a spring day such as today. There's still a few people out and about. And some of those who are on the streets of the city, are up to no good. 

Though he's a bit wet at the moment, Zam the ex mercenary is under cover. As he stands in an alcove along the front of a building, here in the north of the city of Vexil. 

The youngest member of the group peers through the torrential rain, and spots Lisell Maera the scout across the street. Standing beneath the awning in front of a shop. Looking like she's waiting for a break in the rain so that she get going again. 

The ex mercenary who is originally from The City Of Ruins pops his head further out of the alcove, and looks away to the right along the street. 

And he thinks he spots Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy, as he knows where the commander in the Scouts and Rangers division of the Armies of Farque is waiting. 

He quickly loses sight of the spy Tanith who he's pretty sure just stepped back into a deep recessed doorway. 

Zam pulls his head back when he hears horses coming from his left along the street. He quickly looks across the street to where the scout Maera is standing. 

And he sees the junior officer in the Armies of Farque shake her head no, when she spots him looking her way. 

It's not too long before a horse drawn wagon goes by. The ex mercenary feels sorry for the driver who is out in the open on a day like today. 

As they head off to the warehouse district that isn't all that far away, here to the north of the main airdocks of the city of Vexil. 

Zam watches as a couple of children run by, laughing and giggling as they splash in the puddles as they make their way through the heavy rain. 

The youngest member of the group can't help but grin at their antics. And he's happy, there's at least some, who are enjoying such a day as today. 

The teenager who hails from The City Of Ruins, were he was scratching together a meager living as a mercenary when the group found him. 

Looks across to the other side of the street where Lisell Maera or Lis as she's more commonly called by those who know her well, is waiting. 

And sees that the scout leader is looking in the direction their target is supposedly coming from. Once again, she glances his way, and slightly shakes her hooded head. 

Zam sees she has her hands beneath her cloak, as he knows the scout Maera is holding her quick loading crossbow beneath it. 

And he knows up the street, Dalinvardèl Tanith is holding his unique crossbow, with its extendable bow arms, in a similar fashion. 

As for the ex mercenary himself, he too has his gloved hands beneath his cloak. As he's unsheathed his sword and holding it in one hand, and has a small throwing axe in the other. 

The youngest member of the group watches as a pair of goblins hurry by. Servants by the looks of things. As they're carrying a crate each. 

Zam is surprised they're not tripping over themselves as they hurry about, on whatever errands they're up to this morning. 

The ex mercenary originally from The City Of Ruins is about to look over at Lis again, when once more over the falling rain, he hears the sound of horses approaching from his left. 

Zam pops his head out of the alcove, and quickly looks that way. And through the rain in the distance, he spots a pair of horses coming around the corner in that direction. The pair are drawing a carriage behind them. 

The youngest member of the group steps back further into the alcove, and quickly looks across the street to where Lis is waiting. 

The attractive young woman who hails from the coastal city-state of Brattonbury waits a few moments as she looks away down the street in the direction the horse drawn carriage is coming from. Then she looks to where Zam is waiting, and she quickly nods her hooded head yes. 

The two of them look in both directions along the street, and see no one else walking on either side of it, after the pair of goblins turn into a lane at the far end. 

The ex mercenary looks through the rain to where the scout Maera is waiting beneath a shop front awning. And she slightly nods, and gives a quick hand signal to him. 

It's a go, Zam the ex mercenary thinks to himself as he nods in reply to that command from the junior officer in the Scouts and Rangers division of the Armies of Farque. 

The youngest member of the group watches as Lis slightly turns her body, opening the front of her cloak as she does so. 

Zam waits as he hears the carriage getting closer and closer. Then the horse drawn carriage goes by him first. 

There's a driver on the front seat, who though is wearing a hooded cloak to help protect him from the heavy rain this morning. 

The ex mercenary catches sight of his face, and Zam sees the man looks more angry than miserable, which he should be considering how soaked he is. 

The carriage goes by the teenager's hiding spot. And he sees the pair of guards standing on the tail gate of the covered carriage. 

They probably shouldn't be wearing hooded cloaks, even with the heavy rain. For the simple reason they're hardly looking to the sides as the carriage continues on it's way down the street. 

And the private guards don't spot Zam, and for that matter the scout Maera. Who lifts her crossbow. A weapon that was designed by Dorc da Orc, and owned by Shur Kee the monk at one time. 

And once the carriage goes by the shop where Lis is waiting, the junior officer in the Armies of Farque shoots off the bolt that's already loaded in the crossbow. 

Lis is already sliding the underside of her weapon back, to load another bolt into position when the first bolt slams into the back of one of guards standing on the tail gate, or back board of the carriage, and he falls backwards off the carriage, dead. 

At the same time, the head of the carriage driver shatters apart in a spray of blood, bone and brain matter after a bolt shot from the powerful crossbow of Dalinvardèl Tanith hits him square in the forehead. 

As the carriage slows, the second guard on the back of the carriage turns to see what's happened to his fellow guard. 

Then he falls off the back board of the carriage with a bolt through this throat and neck, shot from the quick loading crossbow that the scout Maera uses. 

As the carriage comes to a stop now that the reins are slack in the hands of the dead driver, whose body is slumped to one side on the front seat. 

Zam the ex mercenary is already moving, having left the alcove. And approaching the covered wagon from the right side of it. 

The door on that side opens, and the youngest member of the group throws the small axe he's been holding beneath his cloak. 

The weapon slams into the right side of the neck and face of another private guard who has just got down and out of the carriage. 

As that guard drops to the ground dying, Zam hurries to the open door of the carriage, with his sword in hand. 

The youngest member of the group looks inside the covered carriage, which though fairly plain looking from the outside, is quite elaborate, and clearly expensive on the inside. 

There's two passengers inside of it, and the ex mercenary was informed that could be a possibility. 

The two of them, a portly man probably in his mid to late thirties. And a young woman, a girl really, clearly a few years younger than Zam himself. Who the ex mercenary figures is probably around fourteen years old. 

Look in shock at the appearance of the teenager originally from The City Of Ruins looking into the wagon they're occupying. 

They're more in shock, especially the man, when Zam reaches in with his sword, and stabs the portly man in his ample stomach. 

The youngest member of the group rips the blade up the man's stomach, up his chest, then up through his throat, and the lower part of his face, killing him. 

"Move" says Zam the ex mercenary who grabs the stunned looking teenage girl by the arm, and pulls her out of the enclosed carriage and into the heavy rain this spring morning. 

"Don't scream, and don't say a word" says Lisell Maera the scout who has joined the youngest member of the group next to the carriage. 

"Understood?" asks the junior officer in the Scouts and Rangers division of the Armies of Farque, who has taken a hold of the young teenage girl. 

Who vigorously nods as both Lis and Zam hurry her away between the two of them, going into the alcove where the ex mercenary originally from The City Of Ruins was waiting. 

"Put this on" says the teenager who is the youngest member of the group as he hands a cloak that he left in the alcove, to the young teenage girl who was traveling in the carriage. 

Both the ex mercenary and the lead scout help the youngster put on the cloak. Once on, Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy walks by the alcove, and quietly says in elvish "Time to go". 

With the young teenage girl between them, Zam the ex mercenary and Lisell Maera the scout leader make their way out of the alcove. 

And head down the street behind the spy Tanith, as they make their way in the direction the covered carriage came from. 

"Margie or Delwyn?" asks the scout Maera to the teenage girl who she's holding by the right arm, while Zam holds her left as they walk through the pouring rain. 

"Delwyn" replies the young teenager, who looks at the two people either side of her, and asks them "Who are you?". 

"It doesn't matter who we are" is the reply from the attractive young woman who hails from the city-state of Brattonbury. 

"What matters Delwyn is that you're going back to your family" adds Lis, who follows on from that with "That's all that matters". 

A sob escapes the young teenager, who then looks at Zam, who nods in agreement with the junior officer in the Scouts and Rangers division of the Armies of Farque. 

"Thank you" whispers the teenage girl who was taken from her village to the north of the city of Vexil back during the autumn. 

"Gopeth" says Delwyn, who after a moments pause as they follow the spy Tanith around a corner "He's an important". 

"We know what he is" says Zam, who faintly smiles when Lisell Maera dryly adds "What he was". 

The Gopeth in question, lies dead in the carriage. Dead at the hand of the ex mercenary who is the youngest member of the group. 

The man named Gopeth wasn't an actual member of the City Council of Vexil. But he did directly work for them. As he was one of the supervisors at the main airdocks of Vexil. 

And had the ear of more than a few of the members of the City Council of Vexil. Who were always willing to lavish a few riches upon the portly man who helped to run the main airdocks of the city-state. 

Though not known publicly, Gopeth had, so to speak, appetites. Which involved young teenage girls, that he had his private guards abduct from across the city-state of Vexil, and beyond. 

And after he used and abused them. He'd kill them, and have their bodies disposed of. Either by dismembering them, or burning them. 

Now he'll never do such things again after he and his guards were killed on the streets of the city. Killed in such a way. That Zam knows they did that on purpose. To send a message to those on the City Council who knew of Gopeth's behaviour. 

The three of them follow Dalinvardèl Tanith out of the pouring rain into a building, and up some stairs to a room. 

In the room waits Beldane the cleric, who asks "This is?". "Delwyn" is the reply from Lisell Maera the scout. 

The powerful cleric in the church of Glaine nods his head, then tells the teenage girl who has just been rescued from a harrowing handful of months of sexual abuse "Time for you go home". 

And the next moment, a gateway appears in the middle of the room, on the other side of which a village, surrounded by farmland can be seen in the distance through a light sprinkling of rain. 

Both Zam the ex mercenary and Lisell Maera the scout lead the young teenage girl through the gateway after Dalinvardèl Tanith goes through first, Beldane the cleric goes through last. 

And the next moment, his spell disappears from the middle of the room. While outside in the city of Vexil it continues to pour down with rain this spring morning . . . . . .

Springtime In The City 79.

The City-State Of Vexil. 

After four days of fine and sunny spring weather, it's once again raining in the city of Vexil. And Zam the ex mercenary finds himself this morning, out and about when he would really rather be back at the Merchant's Rest inn. 

At least the youngest member of the group is in a wine shop that's opened early, or stayed open all night, Zam isn't too sure. 

He's one of three customers this morning, and he's at the open front window, glad that there's an awning out the front of the shop, which is located in the north of the city, not far from the main airdocks. 

The teenager who is originally from the City Of Ruins is looking across the street out front, and the small square about half way down to the left. 

The ex mercenary who is sipping on chilled wine that's popular in the city, especially in the warmer months. 

Sees a few people hurrying through the rain across the small square. Though none of them matching the description of the person he's supposed to look out for. 

Zam refrains from looking away to the right down the street, as he knows Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy is in that direction somewhere. 

And the elf originally from the principality of Alinlae is also keeping an eye out for the same individual this rainy morning, which temperature wise is fairly mild. 

"No just this for now" says Zam the ex mercenary gesturing at his drink when the serving woman briefly stops by and asks him if he wants anything else. 

The youngest member of the group continues to look out the open window, and through the steady rain to the nearby square. 

Where he's been told the person he's been tasked to look for, lives somewhere on the other side of the small square. 

The ex mercenary who hails from The City Of Ruins is just wondering if the person he's supposed to be looking for. Has decided to spend the day at home due to the weather. Zam wouldn't blame them if they did. As he'd do the same thing himself. 

Sits up when he spots someone enter the small square from the other side. The teenager who is the youngest in the group, watches them head this way. 

Zam takes a drink as the individual hurries through the rain, and crosses the street to this side, as there's much more shelter on this side of the street just north of the main airdocks of Vexil. 

The ex mercenary finishes his chilled wine, gets up and puts on his hooded cloak, then thanks the serving woman before exiting the wine shop. 

Zam flips the hood of his cloak up onto his head, and he heads to the right down the street, keeping close to the front of the buildings, as the person he's following is also doing. 

The youngest member of the group who was scrounging and scratching together a living as a mercenary in The City Of Ruins when the group found him. 

Doesn't look around too much, as he knows that Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy is also following the person just up ahead. 

Zam figures the elf who is a commander in the Scouts and Rangers division of the Armies of Farque, is probably up on the nearby rooftops. 

Is easily keeping pace with himself and the person they're both following on this raining morning, here in the city of Vexil. 

Flight commander Bassun, is an officer in the aircorp of Vexil. Although technically he's still the captain of one of the city-state's warships. 

Bassun doesn't fly all that much nowadays, even though he's only in his early thirties. For the flight commander is one of the senior strategiests in the Vexillian aircorp. 

And of late he's been tasked in sending a fair few of the fleet north, not only to patrol along the border region with the kingdom of Girdane. 

But also to have the captains and crew of a number of the vessels he sends north, carry out the ongoing investigation into the skirmishes that took place during the winter. When a mercenary army attacked a number of places in the hill country of northern Vexil. 

Where a fair few violent confrontations, basically battles took place. In one of which, a fairly prominent mage in the Vexillian army was killed. 

Flight commander Bassun sighs as he hurries through the rain, as that's the thing that's causing him the most headaches lately. 

The death of the mage Garmen the younger back in the wintertime up in the hill country in the north that borders the kingdom of Girdane. 

And how it's the mage Garmen the elder who is constantly nagging the fleet strategiest to find out who actually killed his son. 

Even though from eye witnesses, soldiers serving with Garmen the younger, as well as nearby airship crew who saw some of the battle when the younger Garmen was killed. 

Confirmed that the younger mage Garmen was locked in a one on one mage duel, with a well known. One would say infamous, or notorious mage by the name of Mira Reinholt. When he was killed.

Bassun the fleet strategiest who can accept that took place. And that the mage Reinholt did in fact kill the son of the mage Garmen back in the wintertime up north in the hill country. 

But what the flight commander does find odd about all of this. Is what Mira Reinholt was actually doing there in the border region during the past winter. 

For even Bassun knows that though the mage Reinholt has been exiled from Vexil. He hasn't since the war* done anything to harm or attack his homeland. 

And for him to be part of a mercenary army that actively attacked the city-state of Vexil, is out of character to say the least. 

After all just over a decade ago, Mira Reinholt was given clemency, and allowed brief visits back to his homeland. When he helped stop a potential border war between Vexil and it's fiercest rival, the city-state of Tuledare. 

Flight commander Bassun knows this personally, as he was the captain of a warship that the mage Reinholt and others, help to save amongst a flight of other Vexillian vessels that came under attack from Tuledarian warships. 

Down in the unruled lands to the south and southeast that separates the two city-states that are fierce rivals. 

"Wonder if that damn mage is waiting in the office again?" mutters flight commander Bassun as he walks quickly through the rain this morning, on his way to the main airdocks of the city. Specifically to the end of the docks where the Vexillian aircorp is based. 

The fleet strategiest, sighs as he can't but help thinking that he alone has to solve who killed Garmen the younger. According to the mage Garmen the elder, who just happens to be one of the most powerful and influential individuals in the city-state of Vexil. Who also happens to be a member of the Mage Council of Vexil. Who more or less, rule the city-state of Vexil. 

Bassun who is just glad that the rest of the Mage Council don't pester him as much as the mage Garmen the elder does. 

He crosses the street he's on, then rounds the corner to his left. Oblivious to the individual wearing a hooded cloak, a bit further behind him, heading in the same direction, towards the main airdocks of Vexil. 

He's also oblivious to the individual who has been following him from above, on the rooftops in this part of the city just to the north of the main airdocks. 

Zam continues to follow the senior aircorp officer, and hopes that Dalinvardèl Tanith has given the signal that they've found their quarry. 

The elven spy has indeed given the signal, by tapping the blade of one his daggers. Onto the edge of steel railing of the building he was on when he first spotted the flight commander in the Vexillian aircorp. 

The spy Tanith or Dalin as he's more commonly called by the others in the group, knows that signal is for Narladene the ground pixie, where ever she is in the city. 

And that the naturally magical creature will get a hold of Helbe the elven thief who will cast a spell upon the fleet strategiest Bassun. 

Well that's the plan anyway. As the elven masterthief is busy this morning, attending to a number of other things. 

Mainly to do with what Dalin and Zam are doing as well. Trying to keep a number of people here in Vexil from finding Mira Reinholt the mage, and others in the group. 

As well as from finding out, that four old abandoned gold mines up in northern Vexil have been reopened since the winter. Mines that are under the control of Lord Farque. 

The elven spy who previously served in one of the more prominent noble houses of his homeland of Alinlae. 

Leaps across to the roof of another building as he keeps pace with the flight commander in the Vexillian aircorp. 

The spy Tanith glances down and back through the rain, and sees that Zam is discreetly following behind the fleet strategiest Bassun. 

Dalin nods his hooded head in approval, and hurries forward and jumps across to another rooftop. 

Hoping that Helbe the elven thief turns up pretty soon. For the elven spy will have to drop back down to the ground if he's to follow flight commander Bassun into the main airdocks. 

The commander in the Scouts and Rangers division of the Armies of Farque gets his wish. For suddenly the senior officer in the Vexillian aircorp comes to a stop, and looks around with a slightly puzzled expression upon his face. 

As he stands there in the rain for a moment, Bassun the fleet strategiest decides he doesn't need to go into his office this morning. And nor does he need to send another pair of patrol ships north to the hill country and the border with the kingdom of Girdane. 

The flight commander nods to himself, then turns around and starts heading back the way he's come from. 

And as Dalinvardèl Tanith hears the familiar voice of Helbe the elven thief quietly say to him out of thin air in elvish "Can't stay, got a lot of other things to check up on". 

Zam the ex mercenary crosses the street he's on at an angle. For flight commander Bassun is heading straight back this way. 

The youngest member of the group holds the hood of his cloak as he crosses the street diagonally. 

And through the falling rain, out of the corner of his eye. He sees the one of fleet strategiest in the aircorp of Vexil. Looking slightly distracted as he heads back in the direction he's come from. 

"Well, Helbe got to him" Zam the ex mercenary murmurs to himself, as he heads to a side street, and starts making his way back north again to the Merchant's Rest inn. On what's another rainy spring morning here in city of Vexil . . . . . .

*Author's Note - The Battle of Vexil. 

Springtime In The City 78.

The City Of Vexil. 

As Beldane the cleric speaks to some of the crew of the krean scoutship. Zam the ex mercenary watches as the wagon is loaded by the driver, the hired guard and a couple of the ship's crew who are operating the onboard winch. While one of the officers over sees things. 

This is the first time in a while the teenager originally from The City Of Ruins, has done a run to the woods about a dozen miles north of the city to collect a shipment of gold. 

And he's glad to see that both the wagon driver, and the hired guard are no longer nervous around the winged krean. 

Zam can't really blame them. As he too was a little nervous when he first encountered the krean who live in a protectorate in the mountains of the north of the Lands Farque. 

The youngest member of the group didn't even know they existed until he was told about them. And meeting them for the first time was a little eye opening to say the least. 

As the krean resemble dragons in their features. Usually six to six and half foot tall. Bipedal dragons. Who like dragons have wings upon their backs, as they too can fly. 

Zam turns to the group here on deck, who are discussing things, when he overhears how things are slowing down in the mines up in the hill country that borders the city-state of Vexil and the kingdom of Girdane. 

Due to the spring rains up there. Where it's a lot more constant than it is down here in this part of the city-state, where it's a lot more predictable. 

Not only that, there's been a lot more people snooping around up there of late. Quite a few from Vexil's army and aircorp, under orders from both the City Council and the Mage Council. 

Looking into the border clashes that took place in the wintertime. When a mercenary army attempted to start a war between Vexil and Girdane. 

"What is it?" asks Zam the ex mercenary after Beldane the cleric waves him over to join him and the members of the crew he's been talking to. 

"Lord Farque needs to be informed in detail of what's going on" says Beldane the cleric, who continues "I'll go back with the wagon". Which is nearly loaded. 

"You'll go back to the city with navigator Fì'demen here" adds the powerful practitioner of magic who hails from the kingdom of Nastell. 

"He'll tell Lord Farque what's been happening  around the mines up near the border with Girdane" says the fighting cleric who is a member of the church of Glaine, a god predominantly worshipped in the north of his homeland of Nastell. 

The teenager who was scratching together a meager living as a mercenary when he was found by the group in The City Of Ruins, nods his head as he looks at one of the two navigators onboard the krean scoutship. 

Zam joins the krean spellcaster who has stepped to one side on the mastless deck of the dark, sleek looking airship. 

"Ready?" asks Fì'demen the navigator in the common language "I am" is the reply from the ex mercenary. 

An instant later there's suddenly a door sized rift in front of the two of them, which the youngest member of the group can easily see through, and sees his own room on the second floor of the Merchant's Rest inn, back in the city of Vexil. 

Zam has seen through plenty of rifts before, but none of them have been as clear as this one. And when he steps through first, it doesn't even feel like he's going through a rift at all. 

It feels like he's taking one step, and goes straight from the deck of the krean scoutship, to his room he's been using while the group has been in the city this spring. 

The ex mercenary who left the city of Vexil before dawn this morning, finds himself back there well before midmorning. 

And he steps aside for the krean navigator, who follows him through the rift, which disappears once Fì'demen drops his spell. 

"No need to get him" says the dragon like krean, who follows that with "My lord knows we're here" he then adds "Infact he sensed we were coming through before I finished casting the spell". 

Zam who was just about to head to the door, and make his way down the common room, where he figures Lord Farque is. 

Nods his head in response to krean navigator, who he remembers like all of his kind. Aren't Farqians as such. But they refer to the deathlord of Farque as their Lord. As they're under his protection. 

The ex mercenary who is originally from The City Of Ruins looks at the krean spellcaster, who has closed his eyes, and whose dragon like head is slightly tilted to one side. 

Who quietly says to the youngest member of the group "He's coming upstairs" followed by "Along with two others". 

Navigator Fì'demen briefly pauses before continuing with "The southern hordesman" followed by "And the black mage". 

Zam nods, and isn't surprised that Fì'demen can identify who is making their way upstairs. As the crew of the krean scoutship know that Malisse is really Zubutai the barbarian hordesman. 

But he's a little surprised at the description of Mira Reinholt the mage from the powerful krean spellcaster. 

"Black mage?" quietly asks the ex mercenary who is originally from The City Of Ruins as they wait for Lord Farque, Malisse aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman and Mira Reinholt the mage who are making their way upstairs to Zam's room. 

"Because of what he wears?" asks the youngest member of the group referring to the black coloured clothes and armour, along with the black hooded cloak that the mage Reinholt, who is fair skinned, always wears. 

"That too" quietly says Fì'demen the navigator, who glances at the teenager standing close by, before adding "That one has always had a darkness to his soul". 

The krean spellcaster, who like all krean spellcasters, is extremely powerful. Easily as powerful as the most powerful of mages, the most powerful of human spellcasters. 

Tells the ex mercenary "It's always there, lurking" followed by "Waiting to come out". Zam's eyebrows shoot up in surprise at hearing that. For he knows a little bit of Mira Reinholt's past. Mostly from Dorc da Orc, more than anyone else. And how as a teenager, and for that matter, even a child. Mira Reinholt was infact a serial killer. Who killed quite a number of people here in the city of Vexil when he was growing up. 

Fì'demen who has met the once powerful mage, and various other members of the group, at different times over the years, then quietly adds "Even with him losing most of his powers, it's still there". 

The extremely powerful practitioner of magic continues with "He's more humble nowadays for sure, that doesn't stop him from being who he really is". 

The youngest member of the group nods his head at that, then he falls silent when he hears movement out in the hallway heading this way .

A moment later, and the door to Zam's room opens, and Lord Farque enters, followed by the rotund woman who is really Zubutai the barbarian hordesman. And behind her, is the Vexillian mage in exile, Mira Reinholt, who closes the door behind him. 

"My Lord Farque" says Fì'demen the krean navigator by way of greeting, who bows to the undead warlord. 

Who slightly nods his full helmed head in response, then looking from the near six and a half foot tall krean spellcaster, to Zam the ex mercenary, Lord Farque quietly asks "What's happened now?". 

"My Lord" says the powerful practitioner of magic who is one of two navigators onboard the krean scoutship. 

Who then goes into detail what's been going on up in hill country, the border region between northern Vexil, and the south of the kingdom of Girdane. 

Zam goes and stands with Malisse aka Zubutai Timaginson and Mira Reinholt the mage, as the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque and the krean navigator are conversing in the krean language at the moment. 

"Things have got quite busy up in the hill country" quietly says the ex mercenary in response to a look from Malisse, who has raised an eyebrow in a questioning manner. 

"Not so much at the mines" quietly adds the youngest member of the group who then tells the rotund woman and the once powerful mage, about how the rain up near the northern border has slowed production down at the four gold mines that Lord Farque has taken over. 

Before telling them "It's got busy because in who's poking around up there" followed by "Increased activity from both the Vexillian army and aircorp in the hill country". 

The ex mercenary who is originally from The City Of Ruins then says "Who are still trying to find out what took place back in the winter". 

Both Malisse aka Zubutai the son of Timagin, and the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, nod their heads at hearing that. 

Then Zam falls silent when Lord Farque switches to the common language, and with a gesture their way, says "Still looking for the mage too?". 

"Yes my lord" is the reply from Fì'demen the navigator, who follows on from that with "More from the aircorp up there, compared to the army". 

The powerful krean practitioner of magic nods his dragon like head when the large heavily armoured deathlord quietly says "I guess from those who have left the city more recently too". 

"We're keeping them from stumbling upon the mines too" says one of the two navigators who serves on the krean scoutship. 

"Helps that one of the mines has been closed down since the rainy weather is more persistent" continues Fì'demen the navigator. 

"The open pit?" asks Lord Farque, who has the name of Draugodrottin that the people of his lands also know him by. 

"Yes my lord" is the reply from the powerful practitioner of magic who hails from the northern mountain range in the lands Farque, where the krean protectorate is located. 

"Last time we passed over it a couple of days ago it was well over half full of water" adds the krean spellcaster. 

The lord of the death realm grunts when he hears that. For that particular mine stopped producing gold a few weeks ago. And the deathlord of Farque was hoping the rains up in the border region would die down. Allowing the pit to be drained so that work could continue in that particular mine. 

But no such luck, and the undead warlord suspects that pit mine won't resume producing gold until sometime in the summer. 

"Anything else?" asks the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque who has the elven name of Des'tier, which translates in the common language to mean, The Destroyer. 

Fì'demen the navigator responds in the krean language for a bit, and the large heavily armoured deathlord listens in silence. 

Eventually Draugodrottin nods his full helmed head, then says in common "Very well" followed by "And today's shipment?". 

The krean navigator steps back and starts casting after a moment, an image about the height of a doorway, and twice as wide. Appears in the middle of Zam's room. 

It's an overhead view of some woods, and the krean navigator says "They've loaded up, and on their way back here". 

They look to where Fì'demen points, and they spot the wagon going along a woodland track, heading to a nearby road, that goes to a town that isn't too far from the woods. 

There the horse drawn wagon will turn south, where another ten miles or so away, is the city of Vexil itself. 

The mage Reinholt slightly shakes his head at how good, and clear the live viewing spell cast by the krean navigator looks. 

And the fact he's casting it from about twelve miles away, here in the middle of the capital city of Vexil. 

"Very well" says the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque after Fì'demen the krean spellcaster drops that viewing spell. 

"Return to the ship" continues Des'tier, who follows that with "And resume the current plans up there". 

"Yes my lord" is the reply from the krean navigator, who steps to one side, and as he steps forward through a rift appears directly in front of him, on the other side of which is the deck of the krean scoutship, which he steps onto, then drops his spell behind him. 

Meanwhile back in the second floor room in the Merchant's Rest inn that Zam's been using while the group has been staying here in the city of Vexil. 

Lord Farque is saying to the trio in the room with him "Thought things were starting to get fucking busy down here in the city". 

The undead warlord briefly pauses before continuing on with "Up near the border with Girdane fucking everyone and anyone is turning up to see what's going on". 

The lord of the death realm refrains from sighing, then he says "Have to get the royal thief to start changing some orders in their army and aircorp". 

He follows that with "So not as many as them head up into the hill country and fucking nose around where they shouldn't". 

Draugodrottin looks at the mage Reinholt in particular, before he adds "That mage Garmen is pushing a lot of that". 

"Don't look at me" says Mira Reinholt who continues on with "I'm not the one who killed the son" followed by "It was the pointy eared thief who did that". 

"You're the one who started battling him because you couldn't help yourself" states the undead warlord, which causes the once powerful mage to wince, as that is in fact true. 

"And you would of been killed if Helbe didn't intervene" adds the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque, which also causes the exiled Vexillian mage to wince, for that's also true. 

The mage Reinholt finally nods as he admits that, then the large heavily armoured deathlord tells the three of them as he heads to the door to the hallway "Come on, we've got some shit to sort out" . . . . . .

 

Springtime In The City 77.

Vexil. 

"What else?" asks Zam the ex mercenary "They have absolutely no idea where everyone's gone" is the reply from Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy. 

Who then motions for the teenager originally from The City Of Ruins to silence as Lord Farque, along with Dorc da Orc and Malisse aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman make their way down the lane. 

"Well?" asks Lord Farque when he gets to the elven spy and the ex mercenary, who move into an alcove along one side of the lane, as people are making their way in both directions in it. 

As the undead warlord goes into the alcove, and Zam exits it. And the spy Tanith explains to the large heavily armoured deathlord what he's just found out. 

Malisse aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman quietly asks the youngest member of the group in elvish "What did he find out?". 

Zam then tells the rotund woman what the elven spy quickly told him in regards to what he saw and heard from a rooftop that overlooks the chapter house of the order of the Knights of Saint Mar'che here in the city of Vexil. 

And how those of the order who have just arrived back in the city this morning, are at a loss as to why their headquarters here in Vexil is empty.

And not just the ten or so knights and knights apprentices who remained in the city while the rest went south in pursuit of sir Percavelle Lé Dic are missing. But also the locals who work in the chapter house are no where to be seen as well. 

"They'll be confused for a while for sure" quietly says the rotund woman who is really Zubutai Timaginson who just happens to inhabit her body. 

Malisse then nods for Zam to move out of the way as Lord Farque and Dalinvardèl Tanith step out from the alcove. 

"Let's go" says the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque who then gestures for the spy Tanith to lead the way through the northeast of the city, back to the Merchant's Rest inn on this clear and sunny, but cool spring morning. 

As they walk through the city streets, with Dalinvardèl Tanith or Dalin as he's more commonly called by those who know him well, leading the way. 

The teenager who hails from The City Of Ruins finds himself walking alongside Malisse aka Zubutai Timaginson, who is a member of Lord Farque's personal council. 

As for the lord of the death realm himself, he's walking behind them, alongside Dorc da Orc, who is a general in his Armies. 

Zam who wonders how long they'll remain here in the city of Vexil. Considering quite a few people are after Mira Reinholt the mage. And the Knights of Saint Mar'che want revenge upon sir Percavelle Lé Dic for what he did during The Spring Tourney of Vexil. 

Not to mention the noble born knight from the kingdom of Druvic, along with Shur Kee the monk have pissed off quite a few people in a nearby neighbourhood, here in the city's north. 

Along with Dorc da Orc because of what happened in a recent night market in the north of the city. 

Quietly says in the elven language to the rotund woman walking beside him "I've got a feeling things are gonna come to a head soon". 

The teenager who was making a living, a meager one at that, as a mercenary when the group found him in The City Of Ruins, continues with "Even with Mira and Percy keeping out of the public eye". 

The youngest member of the group glances back at the pair following him and Malisse, and nods in their direction as he adds "Those two aren't exactly hard to miss". 

He follows that with "And now with that mage Garmen knowing about their connection to Mira" Zam continues with "The chances of us being found out has definitely become more of a possibility". 

"It always has been" says the member of Lord Farque's personal council, who though is a rotund woman who may or may not be in her thirties, is really the hordes outrider Zubutai Timaginson. 

With a nod back at the pair following them, Malisse continues with "In all the years I've known them, they never shy away from any potential problems". 

She follows that with "They'll take any problem head on if they can" Malisse aka Zubutai the son of Timagin then adds "It's why they never bother to disguise themselves". 

The member of Lord Farque's personal council briefly pauses before continuing in a slightly dry tone of voice with "Almost impossible to do so, even with the help of magic". 

Zam nods at that, and does so again as Malisse quietly tells him "He'll have Helbe quiet things down as best he can, but even so something or another usually happens, then all hell breaks loose". 

Up ahead Dalin comes to a stop at the end of the street they're on, as there's a line of wagons going along the intersecting street. 

The other four catch up to the elven spy as they and others wait to cross as the wagons, which have come from the main airdocks, continue north through the city this spring morning. 

As the last of the dozen or so horse drawn wagons goes by, Zam turns to the undead warlord to ask him something. 

When out of the corner of his eye, the ex mercenary who is originally from The City Of Ruins sees someone move through the group of gathered people waiting to cross the street, and quickly approach Dorc da Orc. 

The youngest member of the group sees the flash of a blade, and is about to shout a warning to the ork warleader. But he doesn't have to, as the big burly ork from the southern polar region of world is already reacting to something before it even happens. 

Dorc as an ork has superior senses compared to a human. Both his hearing and eyesight is at least ten times better than a human being. 

But his sense of smell is on another level all together. Where it's even better than many animals which have an excellent sense of smell. 

And the weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks, who could easily hear the approaching danger, and clearly see it out of the corner of his eye. Smelled it first, as he caught the scent of a metal blade being stealthily drawn, as well as the person holding it, before they even approached the crowd of people waiting to cross the street. 

For someone so large, Dorc da Orc or Dorkindle which is his given name. Can move surprisingly quickly. 

So it's with ease, he turns a bit to his right, and quickly reaches out with his right hand, and grabs the left arm of the man holding a long dagger he's trying to keep hidden. 

The fellow yelps in pain as he's lifted up off the ground by his left arm, which breaks when the ork warleader squeezes it in his frying pan sized right hand. 

The man who is hissing in pain, is about to be flung away by the large ork, who instead drops him on the ground after Lord Farque quietly says something to him in orkish. 

Dorc puts a boot on the man so he doesn't scamper away, while people hurriedly move off as they don't want to be near anything violent. 

And because across the street which is now clear of the line of wagons, is a patrol of city guards, who were waiting on the other side to cross. 

"Dalin, Zubutai do the talking" quietly says Lord Farque in elvish as the four man patrol cross the street to see what's going on. 

Both the elven spy who hails from the principality of Alinlae, and the rotund woman who is really a hordes outrider from southern tundra region of The Southlands, slightly nod to acknowledge that from the deathlord of Farque, who is also known by the name of Draugodrottin to his people. 

"What's going on here then?" asks the patrol leader as he looks at the big burly ork from the southern polar region of the world, who has a boot on the back of the man who attempted to attack him. 

"This fellow try to attack my servant here" says Malisse aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman who saw what happened. 

"Servant, the fuck?" loudly mutters Dorc da Orc, who then grunts and falls silent when Lord Farque quietly says to him "Sarg cakl". 

Zam isn't exactly sure what the undead warlord said to Dorkindle in orkish. But he's pretty sure he told the large ork to shut up. 

In fact the large heavily armoured deathlord said, "Quiet cunt". To the big burly ork who is a general in his Armies. 

The rotund woman who is really an outrider from the Pony Archers horde, points at the long dagger on the ground next to the would be assailant. 

"Tried to stab him in broad daylight" says Malisse aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman, who follows that with "He was just defending himself". 

The patrol leader, a grizzled veteran in his forties, who as a teenager fought during the Battle of Vexil, looks at the man on the ground beneath Dorc's right boot, then grunts before he says "Tarmil isn't it?" followed by "From Marvic's Knives over on Masell Street?". 

The fellow on the ground doesn't say anything in reply to that, but he does nod his head to answer that from the patrol leader. 

"Why did you try and stab this troll here?" asks the leader of the patrol of city guardsmen, which gets an angry hiss from the large ork at being called a troll. 

The ork warleader is about to say something rather angry, and full of swear words at the patrol leader. When he sees a brief flash of bright blue light, come from the eye slot of Lord Farque's full helm, looking his way. 

The weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks keeps his mouth shut. But he stands there with a deep scowl upon his broad brutish looking face as he stares at the patrol leader. 

"Well, answer me" says the senior city guardsman to the fellow named Tarmil, who lies there on his stomach, breathing heavily from the pain of a broken arm. 

It doesn't look like he's going to answer until Dorkindle puts a little bit of pressure on his back, which Tarmil can tell, would break his spine if it was just a little bit more. 

"Okay, okay" gasps Tarmil who works at a nearby knife shop, who turns his head to look at the patrol leader, and tell him "It's because he killed Hovar the other night". 

"Who?" asks the senior guardsman, who looks at his patrol, who shrug their shoulders in reply. So do the members of the group when he looks at them. 

"At the market the other night" says Tarmil, who continues with "Killed him dead during that fight, saw it with my own eyes". 

"There was a fracas at the Beren Square night market" says one of the city guards, who follows that with "Didn't hear about anyone dying". 

"That's because we took him away before you lot could show up" is what Lord Farque and Dorc da Orc and no else hear Tarmil mutter to himself. 

"I don't know anything about that" says Malisse aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman, who continues on with "But I do know is that he attacked my servant for no good reason". 

"Probably mistook him for another troll" says Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven who said that with a straight face, easily suppressing the grin that was trying to break out on his youthful looking face. 

Dorc da Orc who was scowling heavily once more at being called a servant again. Scowls even more as he looks at the spy Tanith. 

"More than likely" says the patrol leader, who then tells two of his men "Pick him up, we'll take him back to the tower" he then tells Tarmil "You're under arrest for an unprovoked attack upon this troll fellow here". 

The large ork scowls even deeper, but he does take his boot off the back of Tarmil when Lord Farque murmurs something to him in orkish. 

And the city guardsmen haul Tarmil to his feet, then the patrol march him away to the nearby tower of the city guard. 

"Servant?" Dorc da Orc hisses at Malisse aka Zubutai Timaginson "Troll?" growls Dorkindle as he looks at Dalinvardèl Tanith. 

Who ignores the large ork as Lord Farque tells the elven spy to lead the way again, and the group sets off once more. 

As the ork weaponsmith says to the undead warlord "You hear that guard cunt call me a troll?" followed by "What a fucken shitbag of a cunt calling Dorc that". 

And the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque replying to the ork general with "Stop whining like a little bitch". 

Zam the ex mercenary can't but help think that more such incidents will start happening to certain members of the group. 

As more and more people here in the city of Vexil this spring, want various members of the group found for all sorts of reasons, and want revenge upon them . . . . . .

 

Springtime In The City 76.

The City-State Of Vexil. 

The next day dawns clear and sunny, though a little cool for this time of spring. And as the city awakens, Zam the ex mercenary is hurrying back to the Merchant's Rest inn which he left earlier. 

The youngest member of the group rushes through the reception chamber after entering. And he makes his way into the common room, and to the table where Lord Farque is sitting with Mira Reinholt the mage and Malisse aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman. 

"The knights from Percy's order have returned to the city" says Zam the ex mercenary in elvish after taking a few deep breaths. 

"They're heading to their chapter house right now" adds the teenager who hails from The City Of Ruins. 

"They're going to be in for a surprise when they find no one there" dryly says Malisse aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman in the same language. 

Lord Farque nods his full helmed head in agreement, for he along with Dorc da Orc killed the remaining handful of knights and the like at the order of The Knights of Saint Mar'che after the bulk of them went south in pursuit of sir Percavelle Lé Dic who they thought had left the city. For they wanted revenge for what happened during The Spring Tourney of Vexil. When the former paladin won The Joust. And was close to winning Le Grande Meleé where he defeated a large group from the order he belongs to. 

"And that you and Dorc ran off everyone else who works there" adds the rotund woman who is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra. 

Once again the undead warlord nods in agreement with the barbarian hordesman who is a member of his personal council. 

"They'll eventually find out Percy is here in the city" says Mira Reinholt the mage, who having learnt the elven language nearly two decades ago. Still has an atrocious accent, even though he's fluent in the language. 

"Especially with what happened at that market a few nights ago, and how some of the locals weren't too happy seeing him and Shur Kee hanging out together" continues the once powerful mage, who after a brief pause, adds "Not to mention what Dorc did that night". 

The large heavily armoured deathlord grunts in agreement with that, then in elvish Lord Farque asks Zam "I gather Dalin is watching them?". 

"He is" replies the youngest member of the group who was scratching together a living as a mercenary in The City Of Ruins when the group found him. 

The lord and ruler of the Lands Farque who has the name of Draugodrottin that his people also know him by, briefly closes his eyes and senses outwards in the direction of the headquarters of the order of the Knights of Saint Mar'che. 

And he quickly locates the familiar elven life that's Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy. Who the lord of the death realm can tell is moving along the rooftops in that part of the city. Following a group of horsemen, obviously knights and other members of the order that Percy belongs to, who are based here in the city of Vexil. 

"Is this going to be a problem?" quietly asks the spellcaster who was once the most powerful mage of his generation to be found anywhere in The Southlands. 

"An annoyance more than anything" is the reply from the undead warlord, who after a brief pause, looks at the mage who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, and says "The real problem is that  mage Garmen, and his pursuit of you". 

The large heavily armoured deathlord continues with "He's now going beyond The Mage Council and hiring others to track you down". 

Lord Farque follows that with "Now that he knows there's a link between you, and me and Dorc, things will start to get fucking hectic here in the city". 

"Especially considering how recognisable you and Dorc are" says Malisse aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman with a nod at the lord of the death realm. 

"Exactly" sourly says the undead warlord who has the elven name of Des'tier, which translates to The Destroyer. 

The deathlord of Farque refrains from sighing, then shrugs his broad, heavily armoured shoulders, and says "Ah well" followed by "We'll just have to deal with whatever problem there is when it fucking pops up" he then adds "Whoever it comes from". 

The rotund woman who is really Zubutai the son of Timagin, an outrider from the Pony Archers horde, slightly nods her head, then says "Could probably put a permanent end to that mage Garmen?". 

She follows that with "Have Helbe" and Malisse aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman then makes a slashing gesture across her throat. 

"Which would be fitting" says the mage Reinholt, who continues in a slightly sour tone of voice with "Considering he's the one, and not me who killed the son". 

The Vexillian mage in exile briefly pauses before continuing with "Though that could be more of a problem than it's worth". 

"How so?" asks Zam the ex mercenary who has remained silent while the undead warlord, and two of the members of his personal council discuss things. 

"The entire council of mages will get involved if one of their more prominent members is suddenly killed" says the practitioner of magic, who lost most of his powers when he accidentally cast a spell that sent him offworld. 

"The council, and those they're in charge of have been giving Garmen free reign to do whatever he wants because he's a grieving father" continues the swordmaster Reinholt. 

"If he dies, you can bet every council member, and those they command will be hell bent on finding who killed him, not to mention investigating the younger Garmen's death more thoroughly" adds the mage who is a member of the family that owns the largest trading company, not just in Vexil, but quite possibly all of The Southlands too. 

"It's why I haven't had Helbe eliminate him already" states the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque. 

The large heavily armoured deathlord follows that with "Though that won't stop us keeping a closer fucking eye on him" he then adds "And everyone else he's hired to find you mage". 

The spellcaster who at one time was more powerful than any other mage to be found right across The Southlands, nods his head in agreement with the lord of the death realm. 

Then Mira Reinholt quietly says "That could be quite a few people according to that sorcerer we captured yesterday". 

Draugodrottin grunts in agreement with the mage who is a member of his personal council, then the large heavily armoured deathlord quietly says "Helbe is already out and about trying to locate as many of them, and sending them off on a wild fucking goose chase". 

The undead warlord briefly pauses before continuing on with "Though it'll be impossible to keep them all from trying to find you mage" followed by "Especially now that they know of the link between you, me and Dorc". 

The mage Reinholt who is himself this morning, and not under any illusion spell cast by Helbe the elven thief, nods his head in agreement with the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque. 

Then the exiled Vexillian mage says "I've got a feeling things are gonna come to ahead with Garmen" the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster follows that with "He's never liked me, and never liked that I made it onto the council". 

For it was the mage Garmen who was one of those that found out that Mira betrayed Vexil during the Battle of Vexil. And had him exiled during the middle of the battle. 

That was when Lord Farque along with Dorc da Orc first met the then seventeen year old mage Reinholt. 

"Was there any rivalry before that?" asks Malisse aka Zubutai Timaginson, followed by "Between the two of you?". 

"None" replies the once powerful practitioner of magic, who continues on with "He's a bit older than me, nearly a decade older" followed by "Didn't have much to do with him before I got onto the council". 

Mira Reinholt briefly pauses before adding "Probably only met once or twice before I was appointed to the Mage Council" he then says "Worked with him on the defenses of the city leading up to, and during the war". 

The spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster continues with "He was the main instigator in my arrest, and subsequent exile" he then adds "He's obviously still pissed off about that". 

"Hell, I can't imagine why?" dryly says the rotund woman who is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra. 

Which earns a sour look directed at her from the mage Reinholt, and a soft chuckle from the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque. 

The undead warlord then says "Nothing we can do about that at the moment" the lord of the death realm continues with "Like I said, we'll have to deal with it when they pop up". 

Draugodrottin then looks around, then quietly says "Let's go check up on those knights who have returned to the city". 

The large heavily armoured deathlord as he stands up, nods his full helmed head to where sir Percavelle Lé Dic is at one of the tables here in the common room, with Tovis the war engineer and Shur Kee the monk. 

"Don't tell Percy they're back" quietly says the lord of the death realm, who notices the mage Reinholt is about to stand up too, and he tells him "Not you". 

The undead warlord follows that with "From now on, no leaving the inn unless you're under one of Helbe's illusion spells". 

The exiled Vexillian spellcaster nods his head as he remains seated while Malisse gets up out of her chair. 

Then Des'tier switches to the common language and says "Dorc let's go" followed by "We're going for a walk". 

The large ork who is sitting nearby on the floor, grunts then gets up, picking up the ale barrel that's just been opened for him. 

Zam the ex mercenary nods his head, and says "Yes my lord" in response to the deathlord of Farque telling him to lead the way. 

The four of them, the teenager originally from The City Of Ruins, the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque, the rotund woman who is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra. And the big burly ork from the southern polar region of the world. 

Make their way out of the common room, then through the reception chamber, then out the front doors of the Merchant's Rest inn. 

The youngest member of the group leads the way out of the small secluded square where the inn is located. 

And once out on the street outside the square where the inn is surrounded by other buildings. The ex mercenary turns left, then left again onto another street when Draugodrottin quietly says "They're back at their headquarters". 

The undead warlord briefly pauses before continuing on with "Dalin is nearby watching the lot of them". 

With Zam in the lead, followed by Lord Farque and Malisse aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman. With Dorc da Orc closely following them. 

The four of them head eastwards through the city, on what's turned out to be a clear and sunny, though cool spring morning, here in the city of Vexil . . . . . .

Springtime In The City 75.

The City Of Vexil. 

At the city's main airdocks, standing beneath one of the large circular docks that are at least fifty feet high. 

Zam the ex mercenary looks across at another of the circular docks opposite the one he's currently beneath. 

The youngest member of the group who is originally from The City Of Ruins who is standing beside one of the many buildings on the ground beneath the docks. 

Slightly frowns as he sees someone in the rain up on the opposite dock, near some stacked cargo that's yet to be loaded on one of the airships tied to that particular dock. 

They're looking in this direction, in particular at the building Zam is next to. A building owned by The Reinholt Trading Company. 

Which Lord Farque is in at the moment, conducting business. As the company owned by Mira Reinholt's family. Is used by the undead warlord to ship things of his. Mostly gold and the like. Down to his lands, far to the south of this region of The Southlands. 

"Dorc" says Zam the ex mercenary to the large ork who is standing nearby. Happy to be under the shelter of the docks as it continues to rain this spring morning, here in the city of Vexil. 

The ork warleader is also happy because he's drinking from a barrel of ale that he purchased on the way here to the main airdocks of the city. 

"What cunt?" asks Dorc da Orc who has been happily sipping away at his barrel of ale since they got here to the airdocks. 

"Across at the dock opposite us" says the teenager who was scratching together a living, a meager one at that, in The City Of Ruins when the group found him. 

"Up top" adds the ex mercenary, who follows that with "Near that large triple masted ship" he continues with "There's some cargo up there". 

The ork weaponsmith looks up at where Zam has indicated, and the youngest member of the group tells him "Fellow up there, see he just ducked down behind that stack of crates". 

The large ork who is a general in the Armies of Farque, grunts as he indeed did just see that, then the large ork asks "So fucken what?" followed by "What about him?". 

"He's watching us" replies the ex mercenary, who continues on with "Well not specifically us, but the Reinholt's building here". 

The big burly ork from the southern polar region of the world grunts, then scowls as he looks at the building they're beside, then again up at the large circular dock opposite the one they're beneath. 

"What that cunt doin' up there?" mutters Dorc da Orc or Dorkindle which is his given name. Who has just seen the cloaked figure up there, peeking around the side of the crates he's hiding behind. 

And that fellow is definitely watching the building that the Reinholt Trading Company uses here in the main airdocks of the city of Vexil. 

"I think I'll go and tell Dalin" quietly says Zam to the warleader of the ork race, who grunts and replies with "You go and do that cunt". 

The youngest member of the group moves away, while the large ork, who goes back to sipping on the barrel of ale he'd got. Keeps an eye on the person up on the opposite dock, who is clearly observing the building owned by the Reinholt Trading Company. 

Zam nods to one of the company guards at the front door, who lets him in. The teenager who hails from The City Of Ruins goes through the reception room, and down the hallway to the right. 

Where he finds Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy leaning back against the wall, next to a closed door, to one of the rooms here in the hallway. 

The ex mercenary in elvish, quietly tells the commander in the Scouts and Rangers division of the Armies of Farque what he's spotted outside. 

"Wait here" quietly says Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy, who continues with "I'll be back in a little bit". 

Zam nods, and the spy Tanith who is originally from the elven principality of Alinlae, heads down the hallway in the direction the ex mercenary has just come from. 

The youngest member of the group leans back against the wall where the elven spy just was, there he waits for the commander in the Armies of Farque to return from outside. 

It doesn't take long for Dalinvardèl Tanith or Dalin as he's more commonly called by those who know him well, to return from outside. 

And the elven spy nods his hooded for Zam to follow him, as he knocks on the door, then enters the room with the ex mercenary following behind him. 

In the room, sitting on one side of a desk, is Lord Farque, with a short stocky fellow by the name of Mekar sitting in the chair beside him. 

Mekar is infact Mira Reinholt the mage, under an illusion spell cast by Helbe the elven thief. The once powerful mage was already here, waiting for them to arrive. 

On the other side of the desk, sits one of Mira Reinholt's cousins, who runs this particular office and warehouse here in the main airdocks of the city of Vexil. 

"Bit of a problem" says Dalinvardèl Tanith after apologizing for the interruption, the elven spy continues with "The building is being observed by someone up on the dock across from the front of the building". 

"Oh?" says Mira Reinholt the mage, while beside the Vexillian born mage, the undead warlord slightly nods his full helmed head after briefly closing his eyes. 

"Spellcaster" says Lord Farque, while next to him the mage Reinholt mutters "I can't sense them". While his cousin, Halden Reinholt who is also a practitioner of magic, says "Nor can I". 

"He's wearing an amulet, something similar to yours mage" says the large heavily armoured deathlord, which illicits a grunt from the short stocky fellow named Mekar. 

The spellcaster who was once the most powerful mage of his generation, to be found anywhere in The Southlands, gets up, as does Lord Farque, as well as Halden Reinholt, who is about a decade younger than his notorious cousin. 

"Any problems of late?" asks the mage to his younger cousin, who is a magic user, and a former captain in the Vexillian aircorp. Who joined the company business about five years ago. 

"Nothing out of the ordinary" replies Halden Reinholt, who only met his famous cousin, or that should be infamous cousin, a handful of times when he was a child, before the once powerful mage was exiled from Vexil a little over twenty five years ago, when Mira was just seventeen years old. 

"Just the usual company rivalries" adds the younger of the Reinholt cousins, which gets a nod from the once powerful practitioner of magic. 

"What is he?" asks the short stocky fellow named Mekar "Sorcerer" is the reply from the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque, who then asks Halden Reinholt if there's a room along the front of the building with a window. 

The younger of the two Reinholt cousins leads them to such a room, and after the lord of the death realm glances out the window, to the circular dock opposite the one the building owned by The Reinholt Trading Company is beneath, he quietly says "Right, this is what we'll do". 

The undead warlord who has the name of Draugodrottin that the people of his lands also know him by, continues with "Zam go back outside, and stay by Dorc" followed by "And keep an eye on that sorcerer". 

The youngest member of the group nods, and moves out, as he exits the room, he hears the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque say "Dalin I want to you head around the back, and make your way to the". 

The ex mercenary who is originally from The City Of Ruins doesn't hear anymore than that, as he's soon too far down the hallway, and is then back in the reception room. 

Zam then makes his way outside, turns left, and heads around to where Dorc da Orc is to the side of the building owned by the Reinholt Trading Company. 

"He's a sorcerer" quietly says the ex mercenary to the large ork "He's definitely observing the building" adds the youngest member of the group. 

"Magicky cunt" mutters Dorc da Orc, who then sniffs deeply a couple of times, then grunts as he catches the scent, even through the rain, of the spellcaster hiding up on the opposite dock, behind some cargo. 

The big burly ork from the southern polar region of the world, who is a general in the Armies of Farque, grunts again and gestures to their right. 

Zam looks that way, and he sees that Lord Farque and Mira Reinholt the mage have just exited the front of the building owned by the Reinholt Trading Company. 

Both the ex mercenary and the ork warleader look back to the top of the circular dock opposite the one they're beneath. 

And they both spot the sorcerer looking around the side of stack of crates he's crouching behind as it continues to rain. 

And they both see him watching Lord Farque who is heading away to the right, while the mage Reinholt, or more specifically the short stocky fellow named Mekar, is heading this way. 

"He's definitely watching Lord Farque" quietly says Zam to the ork weaponsmith, who grunts in agreement with the teenager who hails from The City Of Ruins. 

They both look beyond Mekar who is walking this way. And they see the undead warlord basically disappear. 

Though the ex mercenary can't see him, the ork general briefly catches sight of a figure, a streak of black/blue colour. 

Move at impossible speed across to the airdock opposite the one they're beneath, then shoot up to the top of that fifty foot tall circular dock. 

They both see the cloaked sorcerer quickly get up from where he's been crouching, then look hastily around down this way. 

He suddenly disappears behind the stack of crates and cargo as he's yanked backwards out of view. 

"Quick, around the back of the building" says Mira Reinholt the mage when he gets to the large ork and the ex mercenary. 

The three of them hurry around to the back of the warehouse section of the building owned by the Reinholt Trading Company, beneath one of the docks, here in the main airdocks of Vexil. 

There they find Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy waiting for them, then all four of them look up, when they hear the familiar voice of Lord Farque quietly say "Mage get up here, and bring the others". 

The short stocky man named Mekar sourly smiles as he glances at Dorc, then mutters in elvish "By the shape of fire, does he know how fucking heavy that ork lump is?". "Yes" says Lord Farque from the roof of the warehouse thirty feet above them. 

The mage Reinholt sighs, then after draining some power from a spell gem hidden in his cloak. The once powerful mage levitates himself and the other three up to the roof of the building beneath one of the circular docks, here in the main airdocks of the capital city. 

"Know who he is?" asks Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy as they look down at the unconscious figure lying at the feet of the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque. 

"No idea" replies Mira Reinholt, who then nods when the undead warlord who has the elven name of Des'tier, tells him "Read his mind, and find out who he is, and what he's up to". 

Spells of the mind might not be his specialty. But the mage Reinholt has got better at them over the years. Thanks to casting such spells a lot. And a little bit of know how from Helbe the elven thief.  

After a few moments, the man named Mekar lifts his eyebrows in surprise, and looks at Lord Farque, who says to him "Let me fucking guess, one of the lesser spellcasters working for The Mage Council?". 

"Yes" says the exiled Vexillian mage who also happens to be a highly skilled swordmaster "No" continues Mira Reinholt, who follows that with "Well, not exactly". 

"Spit it out mage" says the large heavily armoured deathlord who easily knocked out and captured the sorcerer lying unconscious on the roof with them. 

"He works for the mage Garmen directly, not the Council" says the spellcaster, who still to this day, is the youngest ever member of The Mage Council of Vexil. 

The once powerful mage continues with "He's still searching for me" Mira Reinholt as the man named Mekar gestures at the undead warlord, then at the ork warleader. 

"He now knows of our association from back during the war" says the swordmaster Reinholt referring to the battle of Vexil. 

The once powerful mage briefly pauses, before continuing with "He's now searching for you and Dorc, hoping to find me". 

They're all silent for a few moments, a silence that's eventually broken when Lord Farque sourly says "Shit" . . . . . . 

Springtime In The City 74.

Vexil. 

"Think they're looking for us?" asks Zam the ex mercenary, who after a slight pause continues with "Well, those of us who were at that market last night?". 

"Probably" is the reply from Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy as they keep close to the buildings on their right as it's raining this morning. 

"Especially since Dorc is so recognisable" adds the elf who is a commander in the Scouts and Rangers division of the Armies of Farque. 

"Not to mention Percy and Shur Kee" continues the elven spy who is originally from the principality of Alinlae. 

The youngest member of the group grunts in agreement with that as he does up the hood of his cloak a bit tighter. For though the rain this morning isn't particularly heavy, it is consistent. 

Glancing at the teenager who hails from The City Of Ruins, the spy Tanith tells him "I wouldn't worry too much about it". 

The elf who previously served in one of the more prominent noble houses of his homeland of Alinlae, then says "His highness will no doubt make the city guard forget about it fairly quickly". 

Dalinvardèl Tanith or Dalin as he's more commonly referred to by the others in the group, continues with "He's probably done so already". 

The commander in the Armies of Farque then says after a moments pause "Though that doesn't mean those who was there last night and got into a scrap with you lot won't forget about it anytime soon". 

The elven spy follows that with "I bet some of them will be out for blood" he then adds "Especially if someone was killed". 

Zam slightly winces at that, and when Dalin asks him "Anyone killed?" he continues with "With Dorc involved, I'm guessing so". 

"Maybe" says the ex mercenary who is originally from The City Of Ruins, who then adds "Could be" and follows with "Think Dorc might of killed someone, when he threw him at a tree". 

The youngest member of the group pauses, then says "Which was about twenty or so feet from him" he pauses again, then says "And that was after he knocked him down, and knocked him out". 

"Yeah" dryly says the elven spy who is a senior officer in the Armies of Farque, who continues on with "He probably killed him".  

Zam who was scratching together a meager living as a mercenary in The City Of Ruins when the others found him, nods his head in agreement with Dalinvardèl Tanith as they turn a corner onto another street. 

He nods again, when the spy Tanith quietly tells him "Just up ahead on the right". The ex mercenary sees the tower that's there destination this spring morning, here in the north of the city of Vexil. 

And though the two of them have been chatting in elvish as they've walked here through the rain, the two of them fall silent as they approach the tower. 

Dalin hands a couple of silver coins to one of the guards at the front of the tower, who nods to them both and allows them to go through the tower doors once his fellow guard opens them. 

Inside the tower, the elven spy quietly says in his native language to the teenager who is the youngest member of the group "Know how to use one of these?". 

"I do" replies Zam in the same language as he walks alongside the elven spy to the opening of a shaft that goes up the tower. 

"Top level" says the commander in the Scouts and Rangers division of the Armies of Farque, the ex mercenary nods in understanding. 

Then he watches as Dalin steps in through the opening, which is slightly wider than a normal doorway found in a tower of this size and height. 

The spy Tanith quickly floats up and disappears from view. The youngest member of the group waits a few moments. Then he steps through the opening, and after quickly looking up. 

Zam who has his hands by his side, and has both of them as a fist. Opens his hand, and holds them palm side up. 

The ex mercenary who is originally from The City Of Ruins starts floating upwards through the central shaft of the Wind Tower. 

He might know how to use one, but this is actually the first time the youngest member of the group has actually been in one. 

And Zam finds that he's going up it a lot quicker than he thought he would. He starts turning his hands over, and he starts slowing down. 

And once he's got his hands facing palm down, he's slowed down enough that he makes them into fists. And he comes to a stop at the top level of the Wind Tower. 

The ex mercenary steps out of the opening on the top level, and he finds Dalin waiting on the landing there. 

The spy Tanith nods his hooded head for the teenager originally from The City Of Ruins to follow him to a nearby set of steps that head up, and go through an opening on the roof. 

They step up onto roof, and into the falling rain. Lord Farque turns his full helmed head and glances at them, while Dorc da Orc who is near the opening in the roof where the steps come up. 

Has an empty ale barrel on his head. And though it's a fairly large barrel, it does not slip down over the broad shoulders of the big burly ork from the southern polar region of the world. 

The ork warleader has whacked a chunk out of the side of the barrel so that he can see out of it. One glance up at the hole in the side of the barrel, Zam sees the look of disgust and anger, on the broad green brutish looking face of the large ork. Who is more than a little pissed off to be out in the rain this spring morning, here in the north of the city of Vexil. 

The elven spy and the ex mercenary stand by the undead warlord, here on top of the tower that's at least two hundred and fifty feet tall. 

One of the tallest ones in the city, that isn't used by the city guard, or the Mage and City Councils of Vexil. 

It belongs to a merchant's guild here in the capital of the city-state. And though guilds aren't as prevalent here in Vexil than say in some other places in The Southlands, like the city-state of Brattonbury where guilds are common. You can still find some of them here in Vexil. 

Gesturing away to the north, Lord Farque says in elvish to Dalin and Zam "Tovis and Beldane should be there soon". 

The undead warlord is referring to the pair of the war engineer and the fighting cleric, who left the city early this morning with the wagon, it's hired driver and guard. 

Heading to the patch of woods not far from a village about a dozen miles to the north of the capital of the city-state. 

Woods where the krean scoutship is waiting with another shipment of gold, that it's brought down from the mines under control of the deathlord of Farque, in the hill country of northern Vexil near the border with the kingdom of Girdane. 

"The royal thief will keep a close eye on it when it returns to the city" says the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque, who follows that with "Just in case some other fucking idiot tries to fill in the void of that cunt councilman Meecham, and get it into their heads to steal from me". 

Both the elven spy who hails from the principality of Alinlae, and the ex mercenary who is originally from The City Of Ruins nod in understanding to that from lord of the death realm. 

Lord Farque who is also goes by the name of Draugodrottin that the people of his lands know him by, briefly pauses as he glances first back at the ork warleader, then at the youngest member of the group, before he says in a slightly dry tone of voice "Though that's after Helbe fixes up that fucking mess you were involved in last night Zam". 

The teenager winces at hearing that, then he says "Sorry about that my lord" the ex mercenary continues on from that with "Didn't think anything like that would happen last night". 

Zam starts to explain how a group of people at the market last night, took umbrage that Shur Kee the monk and sir Percavelle Lé Dic seem to be friends. 

When not so long ago they were opponents during Le Grande Meleé on the second day of the Spring Tourney of Vexil. 

Before the youngest member of the group gets too far into explaining what happened yesterday evening, at the main night market to be found in the north of the city. 

The undead warlord holds up a gauntleted hand for Zam to be silent, the ex mercenary shuts up and large heavily armoured deathlord says "No need to explain, I know what happened". 

The lord and ruler of the Lands Farque who has an elven name of Des'tier, which translates to The Destroyer, glances over at Dorc da Orc who is itching to head back down into the tower. 

For a couple of reasons, one because he hates to get wet, and he wants to get out of the rain. And two, because he enjoys using a Wind Tower. For in the past, the large ork has spent time going up and down Wind Towers for the hell of it. Even though he doesn't exactly know how to properly use them. 

Lord Farque just shakes his head at the sight of Dorc da Orc wearing a barrel on his head, then Draugodrottin says in elvish to Zam and Dalin "Let's go" followed by "There's something we need to check up on". 

"Where?" asks Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy "The airdocks" replies the lord of the death realm, who continues with "The main ones". 

Gesturing to where the warleader of the ork race is, the deathlord of Farque adds "It won't be a fucking hassle having him there" followed by "There's plenty of trolls at the nearby ship building yards, so he shouldn't really stick out" he briefly pauses before saying in a dry tone of voice "Too much". 

Zam twists his lips to refrain from smiling, while next to him, Dalin chuckles a bit, before falling silent when the large heavily armoured deathlord stares at him for a moment. 

Before quietly saying "Keep your ears and eyes open" he follows that with "Who knows what you could pick up concerning what we've been up to in the city since we got here at the start of spring". 

The move off, with Lord Farque telling the large ork beside the steps that lead down into the tower proper "We're going cunt". 

Dorc da Orc or Dorkindle to give him his full name, doesn't have to be told twice. He's off and moving. The first one down the steps. 

Even though he can barely see where he's going due to the barrel he's wearing on his head to protect from the rain this morning. 

Following the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque down the steps into the tower, Zam spots the ork weaponsmith hurrying to the shaft in the center of the tower. 

And by the time they're heading to that opening, the big burly ork has hoped into the shaft and disappeared. 

The ex mercenary who hails from The City Of Ruins goes to stick his head through the opening, and look down to see the large ork, but he's hauled back by the undead warlord who dryly says to him "You don't want to do that". 

Just then a chuckling Dorc da Orc appears at the top of the shaft, floating there, with the large barrel askew on his head. 

There comes a sigh from the full helmed head of the large heavily armoured deathlord of Farque, as the ork general in the Armies of Farque drops back down the Wind Tower. 

Des'tier steps into the tower and drops, and both Zam and Dalin look down the shaft, when they hear an indignant sounding squawk come from Dorc da Orc. 

"He's got him" says the spy Tanith as they see Lord Farque haul Dorc da Orc out of the bottom of The Wind Tower. 

The elf who is a commander in the Scouts and Rangers division of the Armies of Farque steps into the opening, then drops down through the center of the Wind Tower. 

The teenager originally from The City Of Ruins looks down through the opening, then he steps into the Wind Tower proper, then he too drops down. 

Zam gulps after he steps out through the opening at the bottom of the tower, as he almost didn't bring himself to a stop in time. 

And through the ex mercenary knows that the magical tower itself won't let you actually hit the ground. 

It sure doesn't feel like it when you're dropping down it at speed. And you almost forget to make a fist on either hand when you're near the very button of the Wind Tower. 

The youngest member of the group follows Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy out of the tower itself. 

Where Lord Farque is waiting outside on the street, with a disgruntled looking Dorc da Orc beside him. 

The barrel the large ork was wearing on his head is now gone, where exactly. Zam and Dalin have no idea. Just that they figure the undead warlord has thrown it away. 

Gesturing at the spy Tanith, the lord of the death realm tells Dalin "Lead the way" Draugodrottin follows on from that with "We'll follow". 

Dalinvardèl Tanith sets off as it continues to rain this spring morning here in the city of Vexil. Lord Farque, Dorc da Orc and Zam the ex mercenary follow after the elven spy as they head south to the main airdocks here in the capital of the city-state of Vexil . . . . . .