Springtime In The City 83.

The City Of Vexil. 

Looking out over the rooftops in the north of the city of Vexil as a light drizzle falls just after dawn this morning. 

Zam the ex mercenary glances to his right, and spots Axe the undead wardog on the roof of the building to his right. The massive animal is also looking across the rooftops in this part of the city. 

The teenager originally from The City Of Ruins is glad Axe is here with him this morning. And even more so after what happened yesterday morning when he and Tovis the war engineer were attacked, and the undead wardog saved them from harm. 

Well, it was really Zam who was in harms way. As the assailants yesterday morning were hell bent on trying to kill him more than the war engineer who hails from the kingdom of Druvic. 

The youngest member of the group slightly sighs as he's now definitely a target to a group of people here in the city. 

For the simple fact he was squire to sir Percavelle Lé Dic during the Spring Tourney of Vexil. Where the former paladin was victorious during The Joust. And almost won Le Grande Meleé the following day. 

"Trust me to end up a target for a bunch of pissed off locals" Zam the ex mercenary murmurs to himself. 

On the rooftop to his right, the undead wardog Axe glances his way, before going back to looking across the rooftops here in the north of the city. 

The teenager who was scratching a meager living together as a mercenary when he was found by the group in The City Of Ruins. 

Wipes his face once again, hoping the drizzle comes to an end soon. From what he's learnt from the weather patterns here in the city of Vexil. 

Zam expects this light rain to end sometime later this afternoon or tonight. And that tomorrow will dawn fairly fine. 

The ex mercenary quickly looks behind him to the south, before continuing to look across the rooftops here in the north of the city of Vexil. 

He looks in the distance towards the north wall of the city as an airship passes by overhead, heading north after leaving the main airdocks of the city. 

The teen who is the youngest member of the group is just wondering if any of the others are going to show up. 

When Axe, who is lying down, stands up as he looks northwards across the buildings in this part of the capital of the city-state of Vexil. 

Zam looks to where the undead wardog is looking, and the next moment he sees a figure climb up onto the roof of a building about forty yards away. 

The ex mercenary who hails from The City Of Ruins nods his hooded head after Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy looks his way, and gives a few hand signals. 

The youngest member of the group looks over at Axe to see if he's going to come along. And he finds the massive animal, standing there, looking at him, and waiting. 

"I guess so" Zam murmurs to himself, who then takes a dozen or so steps back, then runs forward, and leaps to the roof of the building, across the lane from the one he's been watching things from. 

The ex mercenary eventually makes his way to the building that the spy Tanith is on this morning, here in the city of Vexil. 

The teenager who is the youngest member of the group looks around to see where Axe has got to. And he spots the massive undead wardog on a nearby rooftop. Looking at him and the spy who is originally from the elven principality of Alinlae, and is now a commander in the Scouts and Rangers division of the Armies of Farque. 

"No one randomly attack you this morning?" quietly asks Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy after greeting the ex mercenary. 

"No" sourly says Zam in response to the elf who is more commonly called Dalin by those who know him well. 

The spy Tanith chuckles, then quietly tells the youngest member of the group "Just keep your wits about you when you're out on the streets of the city" followed by "And you should be fine". 

The ex mercenary just grunts in response to that, and does so again when the commander in the Armies of Farque tells him "In the meantime we've got other things to deal with". 

As Zam continues to look across the rooftops in this part of the city. Next to him, Dalin is looking up at the cloudy, drizzly sky just as much at the surrounding rooftops. 

The elven spy who previously served in one of the more prominent noble houses of his homeland of Alinlae, taps the right arm of the ex mercenary, and gestures up into the sky .

The youngest member of the group squints as he looks up through the drizzle that's falling across the city of Vexil. 

And after a moment he spots a bird, black in colour, a raven. Circling a building away to the left, a few streets over from the building where they are this morning. 

"Let's go" quietly says Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy who then leads the way, with the ex mercenary who hails from The City Of Ruins following after him. As they head towards the building that Saanea the witch's familiar is circling above. 

Before they climb down off the building they're on, Zam looks around for Axe. And wryly smiles to himself as he spots the undead wardog leap across the street that he and Dalin have to cross on foot, as there's no way in hell they could jump across to a building on the other side. 

The elven spy and the ex mercenary cross the street, and enter an alleyway on the other side. The commander in the Scouts and Rangers division of the Armies of Farque and the youngest member of the group, exit the alleyway. 

Then cross the street beyond that, heading to another alleyway. Which they briefly pause before entering to allow a donkey drawn cart, and the street vendor it belongs to, pass by the alleyway. 

Once in the alley, Dalinvardèl Tanith spots a set of narrow steps on the outside of a building, that leads up to that building's roof. 

The two of them head up the steps, and once on the rooftop, they crouch down as they make their way to the north side of the roof. 

By the time they get to that side of the roof, the elven spy and the ex mercenary are lying down flat, as the light drizzle continues to fall upon the city of Vexil this spring morning. 

Directly in front of them, just ten feet away is the building that Saanea's familiar has been circling. The two buildings are separated by an alleyway, a fairly busy one if the activity down in it is anything to go by. 

"Noisy bunch" the ex mercenary murmurs in elvish to the spy Tanith, who nods his hooded head in agreement with the youngest member of the group. 

The two of them have just taken a peek down into the alleyway that runs between the two buildings. And there's a fair few people entering, and exiting the building just in front of the one they're on top of. 

"Suppose sending Axe in and having him kill everyone in there is out of the question?" quietly says the ex mercenary who is originally from The City Of Ruins. 

After rolling his eyes, Dalinvardèl Tanith wryly says "You've been hanging out with Dorc too much". 

"Worth a try" murmurs Zam, who glances away to the right, where Axe is lying on the roof of the building in that direction. 

Then just as the teenager is about to ask the elven spy what they should do? Dalin quietly says to the youngest member of the group "There". 

The commander in the Scouts and Rangers division of the Armies of Farque points as he adds "That's who's going in". 

Through the lightly falling drizzle, Zam spots the familiar of Saanea the witch, has landed upon the roof of the building just in front of them. 

One moment the raven is hoping along the roof near the edge, the next moment it disappears, and there's suddenly a cat slinking along that roof. 

"Huh" murmurs the ex mercenary, who follows that with "I didn't know cats could do that". "That's no ordinary cat" dryly says Dalinvardèl Tanith, as the cat, which is a black cat, climbs down the side of the building with ease. 

The two of them pop their heads over the edge of the roof they're on, and look down into the alley below. 

And they spot the black cat, which is Saanea's familiar. Heading to the busy door, that people are entering and exiting, at the back of the building. 

"Would you look at that" murmurs the teenager who is the youngest member of the group, as the cat goes through the open door. 

And that was after it went through the legs of one of the men down in the alley who just made his way out of the building. 

And rubbed itself up against the legs of another man, this one waiting to enter the building, before it slipped in through the open doorway. 

"So what exactly are they up to?" asks Zam the ex mercenary after he and Dalinvardèl Tanith slide back from the edge of the roof. 

"Dark and nefarious things" is the reply from the commander in the Armies of Farque "They are?" says a surprised ex mercenary. 

"They're not" is the dry sounding answer from the elven spy who hails from the principality of Alinlae. 

"But they're up to all sorts of illegal shit" adds the spy Tanith, who nods his hooded head at the building in front of them, then quietly says "That was owned by that fellow Gopeth whose guts and throat you cut open the other day". 

Dalin continues with "Considering who he is, and what he got up to, it's no surprise he was involved in a lot of other illegal activity" followed by "And being one of the most important officials at the main airdocks, that gave him plenty of opportunity to get up to all sorts of things". 

The elven spy briefly pauses before continuing on with "Like steal a lot of shit" Dalinvardèl Tanith then adds "These lot are associates of his, and who knows who else, who are just taking his stolen shit". 

Zam nods his hooded head at hearing that, then he wipes his face again as the drizzling rain continues to fall this morning across the city of Vexil. 

"No wonder the city guards haven't taken this place yet" quietly says the youngest member of the group. 

"They're about to" says the spy who previously served in one of the more prominent noble houses in the elven principality of Alinlae. 

"Any moment now" adds Dalin, who follows that with "His highness set it up". Zam's not surprised in the least at that. 

And when Saanea's familiar runs out of the open door, and takes off down the alleyway, where in mid stride, the black cat turns into a raven, and heads up into the grey sky. 

The spy Tanith gestures away to their left, and quietly tells the youngest member of the group "Here they come". 

A few moments later, and a number of squads of city guardsmen rush into the alleyway from that direction. 

And Zam along with Dalinvardèl Tanith, as well Axe the undead wardog over on the roof to their right. 

Watch the nearly two dozen guardsmen take down, and arrest all the people entering and exiting the building which was owned by the airdock official Gopeth. 

Those who have been taking his stolen goods, this cloudy, drizzly morning here in the city of Vexil . . . . . .

Springtime In The City 82.

The City-State Of Vexil. 

Watching from a distance down the street. Zam the ex mercenary sees the wagon full of gold briefly stop before turning onto the street to the right. 

The youngest member of the group sees Tovis the war engineer who is with the driver and the hired guard. 

Look back this way before the wagon rounds the corner, and gives a discreet hand signal when he catches the eye of the teenager who is originally from The City Of Ruins. 

Zam who is glad that it's only slightly drizzling today, unlike the heavy rain that hit the city yesterday. 

Hurries down the street once the wagon is out of sight, he rounds the same corner after nearly knocking over a couple who are heading in the other direction. 

The youngest member of the group who was barely surviving as a mercenary when the group found him in The City Of Ruins. 

Slows down, as up ahead he sees the horse drawn wagon slowing down, then come to a stop in front of a patrol of city guards, who have waved it to a stop. 

Zam casually crosses the street, and sees that another wagon that must of been stopped. Is carrying on further down the street. To what looks like a tavern. 

"Makes sense" Zam the ex mercenary murmurs to himself as he sees that wagon has a number of ale barrels in the back of it. 

The teenager who is the youngest member of the group, briefly stops almost opposite the wagon that entered the city a short time ago. And is on the way to a nearby counting house. 

One of the patrol of four city guardsmen glances Zam's way, then ignores him as it looks like the ex mercenary is taking shelter beneath the front awning of a shop. 

Which in fact he actually is. Though more to keep an eye what's happening on the opposite side of the street. 

Where Tovis, who is standing beside the wagon. Is speaking to the lead guard in the four man patrol. 

Zam just hopes they're not a corrupt patrol, looking to take advantage of their authority. But he's been told that corruption is pretty low, to near non existent in Vexil's city guard. 

Due to the fact that the Mage Council of Vexil, tends to root out any corruption fairly quickly. Whether in the city guard, or the city-state's army, and the aircorp too. 

The corruption that there is in Vexil tends to be within the numerous trading companies. And their dealings with The City Council of Vexil. 

The teenager who is originally from The City Of Ruins hears Tovis explain how they're taking a shipment of precious ore to the nearby counting house. 

And the eyebrows of the two guardsmen who search the back of the wagon shoot up in surprise at what they find. 

And inform their patrol leader, that indeed it's a load of gold in the bed of the wagon once they pull up the canvas covering. 

The patrol leader waves the full wagon onwards, and the driver obliges, and has his horses moving fairly quickly, sending the wagon rolling onwards. 

Zam who moved off before the wagon did, crosses the street up ahead of it. And turns right into the lane that he knows the wagon will turn into. 

In the lightly falling drizzle, the youngest member of the group waits for the wagon to enter the lane. 

Once it does, and it goes by where the teenager originally from The City Of Ruins is standing against the rear of a building. 

The ex mercenary joins the war engineer who who hails from the kingdom of Druvic, where he served in the army of a prominent nobleman, before joining the group. 

"They've stepped up their patrols" quietly says Zam the ex mercenary in the elven language "That's the second one to stop you since you entered the city" adds the youngest member of the group. 

"Hmmm I wonder why?" says Tovis the war engineer in the same language as they walk alongside the wagon as it heads down the lane they're in. 

"Probably something to do with you yesterday morning, out in the open in the middle of a street, killing a prominent official working for the city council" dryly adds the commander in the engineering corp of the Armies of Farque. 

"That's probably why" dryly continues the war engineer, while next to him, the teenager originally from The City Of Ruins sourly smiles. 

"He deserved it" quietly says the youngest member of the group, followed by "Definitely deserved it". 

Tovis nods his head as they continue to walk through the drizzle as the wagon exits the lane, and they turn left onto another street. 

At the end of which, on the other side. Is their destination. One of the counting houses here in the north of the city of Vexil, that Lord Farque uses to store his gold from the mines that he's taken over, in the hill country in the north of the city-state of Vexil. 

"Deserved or not" quietly says the Druvician war engineer, who continues on with "Is beside the point". 

Tovis follows on from that with "The city guard have picked up their patrols in this part of the city" he then adds "They'll continue to do so until they find someone responsible for that Gopeth's death". 

Zam grunts at hearing that, and does so again when the commander in the Armies of Farque quietly tells him "I suspect the royal thief is setting up someone for that Gopeth fellow's death" he continues on with "So you've got nothing to be worried about". 

The teenager who was scratching together a meager living as a mercenary when the group found him in The City Of Ruins. 

Along with the war engineer who hails from the kingdom of Druvic, come to a stop beside the wagon, that's stop to the side of the building where the counting house is located. 

The hired guard hops off the back of the wagon, and the driver gets down off his seat. As Tovis speaks to one of the group of counting house workers who have come outside once they've noticed the arrival of the wagon, that's heavy with a shipment of gold bars. 

Zam steps aside to get out of the way as they start unloading the wagon. He waits for Tovis to finish speaking with one of the counting house workers. 

As he does, the ex mercenary originally from The City Of Ruins looks over at the rooftops opposite this side of the building where the counting house is located. 

The teenager who is the youngest member of the group faintly smiles to himself as he briefly spots through the falling drizzle. 

The massive shape that's Axe the wardog, who for a moment looks down this way. Before he disappears from sight, as he drops down out a view on one of the buildings across the way. 

Zam figures the undead wardog has been following the wagon ever since it entered one of the gates in the north of the city earlier this morning. 

Which essentially is the same thing that the ex mercenary has been doing this drizzly spring morning here in the city of Vexil. 

Tovis joins him again, and the two of them watch the unloading of the wagon in silence. While away to their right, the wagon driver and the hired guard, are quietly chatting to one another. 

Once the wagon is finally unloaded, the war engineer from the kingdom of Druvic, and the ex mercenary from The City Of Ruins, bid the driver and guard farewell. 

The two of them move off once the wagon gets going again. Zam and Tovis head off in the direction of The Merchant's Rest inn. 

As it continues to drizzle, the youngest member of the group quietly says in elvish to the commander in the engineering corp of the Armies of Farque "When's the next one due?". 

"It'll be a while" replies Tovis in the same language, who follows that with "With just three of the mines producing now, and the weather the way it is up there". 

The open pit mine is still flooded, and the rain is usually heavier and more frequent up in the hill country of northern Vexil, compared to down here in the capital city. 

Including today's, and another shipment earlier in the week. The next wagon full of gold isn't expected until sometime next week, most likely later in that week. 

The teenager originally from The City Of Ruins nods his head, and the two of them hurry across the street they're on. 

Zam then tells the senior officer in the Armies of Farque "I still get the feeling that something is going to go off here in the city". 

The ex mercenary continues on with "Might not have anything to do with us" he briefly pauses as he considers things, then he quietly adds "Though most likely it will". 

Next to him, Tovis nods his head in understanding, and Zam tells him "What with Mira being wanted by that mage Garmen" he follows that with "As well as Percy and Shur Kee, not to mention Dorc because of what happened at that night market last week". 

"Anyone try and attack him again?" asks the war engineer who hails from the kingdom of Druvic, who is referring to Dorc da Orc. 

"Not that I've heard" is the reply from the teenager who is the youngest member of the group, who then pauses before continuing on with "Though knowing Dorc, who knows". 

Tovis grunts in agreement as the two of them make their way into a covered lane, that runs between two rows of buildings in this area in the north of the city. 

Zam as he walks, always has a hand on one of his weapons. As does the war engineer walking alongside him. 

Good thing he does, for out of an open doorway to their right. A number of assailants rush out into the lane and attack the seventeen year old ex mercenary and the war engineer who is in his mid twenties. 

Just in time, Zam draws his sword. And when it blocks a sword that's slashed at him from one of the men attacking them. 

As the youngest member of the group skips to the side out of the way, as he knows Tovis is absolutely brutal at close quarter combat, either with an axe or hammer that he prefers. Or with a sword or mace, that he also carries and likes to use. 

The ex mercenary quickly sees that he's the target of the half a dozen men who have attacked them in the covered lane. 

"Shit" mutters Zam who almost gets whacked in the hands as he blocks another sword swung at him, using his own blade to do so. 

The teenager who hails from The City Of Ruins as he kicks out, connecting with the right knee of the fellow who just tried to cut him down. 

Winces as Tovis takes down two of the assailants in quick succession. Using his hammer to do so. Dropping the men to the ground with broken and shattered bones. 

Zam spins out of the way, and is about to hit one of other would be killers. When that fellow goes flying when something rather large runs into him. 

"Move" says Tovis who takes hold of the ex mercenary by the right arm, and drags him away. While behind them, Axe the undead wardog takes care of the remaining would be assailants. 

"Fucking hell" says Zam, who continues with "What was that all about?". The ex mercenary then winces when the war engineer says "They were definitely after you". 

The commander in the engineering corp of the Armies of Farque continues on from that with "Probably to do with you being squire to Percy during the tourney". 

The youngest member of the group sourly grunts, then nods his head in agreement with the Druvician war engineer. For that's happened before to Zam. And most likely will happen again. 

After exiting the covered lane and moving out into the drizzling rain that's falling today in the city of Vexil. 

The ex mercenary looks back into the covered lane, and sees the half a dozen bodies lying on the ground. And the undead wardog Axe is no where to be seen. 

"Hell" mutters Zam, who then says to the senior officer in the Armies of Farque "No way we'll be able to clean that up". 

Tovis nods his head in agreement, then says "I know" he follows on from that with "Hurry" he continues on with "Back to the inn as quick as we can". 

As the two of them head back to the Merchant's Rest inn on the drizzly spring morning here in the city of Vexil . . . . . .

 

Springtime In The City 81.

Vexil. 

"And the other teenage girl?" asks Zam the ex mercenary "Found, and returned to her family" replies Lisell Maera the scout, who follows that with "When the city guard went through his house". 

The youngest member of the group nods his head when he hears that, glad that the other teenager taken by Gopeth was found alive. 

Though he can only imagine the torment she's suffered whilst been held against her will by one of the senior officials at the airdocks of the city, who works directly for The City Council of Vexil. 

The ex mercenary who is originally from The City Of Ruins looks out the open window as it continues to rain. 

Then he glances at the attractive young woman standing beside. Zam can't help but think he was chosen to kill Gopeth instead of the scout Maera due to the fact Lisell might of taken her time to do so. Not exactly the smartest thing to do when his death was in such a public way. 

The teenager who is the youngest member of the group is pretty certain Lisell Maera or Lis as more often than not she's called by the others in the group. 

Would of taken pleasure in cutting Gopeth's cock and balls off if she entered the man's enclosed carriage instead of Zam. 

And true, they along with Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy were told to make his death public. They were also told to do so quickly and efficiently too. As well as save any of his victims if they were with him. 

"Think they know?" asks the teen who was scratching together a living as a mercenary in The City Of Ruins when the group found him. 

"They definitely know" says the junior officer in the Scouts and Rangers division of the Armies of Farque. 

"They're holding an emergency meeting as we speak" continues the attractive young woman originally from the city-state of Brattonbury, referring to the City Council of Vexil. 

Zam nods at that, and does so again when Lis quietly tells him "Bet the Mage Council knows about it now as well". 

They fall silent as one of the other customers in the tavern walks by them on the way to the nearby front door. 

Then as the two of them continue to look out the open window as it continues to rain outside on this spring day here in the city of Vexil. 

The scout Maera resumes their conversation, continuing on in the elven language with "That will definitely get a reaction". 

Lis briefly pauses before adding "Considering who that piece of shit Gopeth used to be acquaintances with". 

The senior official working at the main airdocks of the city, was an acquaintance of the mage Garmen the younger. 

And though the father, Garmen the elder of the Mage Council of Vexil knew of Gopeth. After all he had dealings with him in the capacity of his job. 

The deceased son of the prominent member of Vexil's Mage Council, knew the senior official from the city airdocks quite well. 

And there's a fairly good chance that Garmen the younger knew of Gopeth's behaviour, and what he got up to in secret. 

This was all found out yesterday morning, by accident really. By Helbe the elven thief. Who was poking around the headquarters of the main city airdocks, checking up on something else for Lord Farque. 

The highly talented elven magic who as he tends to do. Reads the mind of basically everyone he observes without them knowing. 

Read the mind of Gopeth in passing. More to see if he had any hidden wealth he could steal. And found out what one of the senior most officials at the airdocks gets up to in secret. 

It was then, when the elven masterthief informed Lord Farque what he found out. And the people that this Gopeth was fairly close to in the past. Primarily the mage Garmen the younger. 

That they came up with a plan to kill Gopeth in public. And expose the criminal activity that he had been up to over the last decade or so. 

Where he had abducted, abused then killed young teenage girls, using the help of his private guards to do so. 

Some of whom were recommended to him by the mage Garmen the younger, as they had served in the army with him. 

And true the two young teenage girls that were being held against their will, were rescued by the groups actions. 

And for Zam the ex mercenary and Lisell Maera the scout, along with Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy, as well Beldane the cleric who all took part in the public killing, execution really, this morning. That was the main reason they did what they did without questioning it. 

That was really a secondary reason, as to why the undead warlord along with the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel, devised such a plan to eliminate one of the most senior officials in the entire city-state of Vexil, who worked directly for the City Council. 

They did it to create a problem for Garmen the elder. Now that the investigation is well and truly underway by the city guard. 

And that members of the Mage Council have stepped in to help with the investigation. Because of who was killed, and killed in such a public way. 

And for the fact that the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel has made things easier for the senior officer in the city guards in charge of the investigation. 

By casting a few hidden spells to expose what Gopeth had been up to over the years. As well who he was acquaintances and friends with. And who might of known what he got up to in secret, and if any of them had helped him to do so over the years. 

"The father is going to have it rough trying to defend his dead son" quietly says Lisell Maera the scout referring to the prominent member of the Mage Council of Vexil, Garmen the elder. 

"Considering two of those three guards, along with the carriage driver were previously all in the younger Garmen's army company" adds the attractive young woman who hails from the coastal city-state of Brattonbury. 

Lis who was a little annoyed that she didn't get to kill Gopeth this morning. Who almost challenged Lord Farque himself when the lord of the death realm and Helbe the elven thief went over the plan earlier this morning. 

She thought better of it, and decided not to do something as stupid as to question the deathlord of Farque and the elven princeling's plan. 

Quietly tells the ex mercenary originally from The City Of Ruins "Especially if the son actually knew what that gross fucker Gopeth got up to". 

The youngest member of the group nods his head in agreement with that, then he quietly says "Hopefully his highness can find out more about the situation with that". 

The scout Maera slightly nods at that, then she tells the teenager standing beside her "Even if he isn't about to" followed by "It's still going to be difficult for the father to defend his dead son". 

Lis whose mother was a street prostitute in the city-state of Brattonbury, and whose father, who she never actually met, was a sailor who plied his trade on The Great Western Ocean, quietly adds "I'm pretty certain the rest of the Mage Council won't give Garmen Senior free reign anymore in his pursuit of what happened to his son, and trying to track down Mira for what he thinks happened". 

Zam the ex mercenary grunts in agreement with the attractive young woman who is a junior officer in the Scouts and Rangers division of the Armies of Farque. 

The two of them are waiting in a tavern, not far from the counting house on Masel Street that Lord Farque used previously. 

It's also not all that far from one of the towers of the city guard. The tower where the investigation into the death of Gopeth the airdock official is being conducted from. As his daytime murder took place not that far away from this tavern. Here in the north of the city of Vexil. 

Zam and Lis continue to look out the open window to the street away to the left, which they can just see through the steadily falling rain, this spring afternoon. 

The scout Maera quietly says "They should be back soon" she briefly pauses before adding in a slightly dry tone of voice "That's if his highness hasn't got distracted, and gone off and stolen something". 

The ex mercenary who is originally from The City Of Ruins faintly smiles at that from the attractive young woman who hails from the city-state of Brattonbury, then he says "Hopefully he hasn't". 

Though he probably has, Zam thinks to himself as the two of them continue to look towards the street away to their left as they look out the window at the front of the tavern. 

The junior officer in the Scouts and Rangers division of the Armies of Farque is just about to say something, when she changes her mind, and instead says "There they are". 

The youngest member of the group spots the two elven members of the group, Helbe the elven thief and Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy. 

Making their way from the street away to the left, heading in this direction, towards the neighbourhood tavern. 

Zam slightly shakes his head as he sees the two elves get closer, that the rain isn't hitting the elven masterthief at all. 

While right beside him, the spy Tanith's gray cloak is clearly wet from the rain, which has been falling all day, having started well before dawn. 

Lis taps his left arm when she sees Dalinvardèl Tanith look towards the tavern, specifically the front window that's open, and he nods his hooded head for them to come outside and join him and the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel. 

The scout leader and the ex mercenary make their way out of the tavern. With Zam refraining from sighing as he steps out into the rain this spring day. 

And he and the attractive young woman originally from the coastal city-state of Brattonbury wait until the two elves walk by the front of the tavern, and they fall in behind the two of them, and the four of them head down the street to the right. 

"Well?" asks Lisell Maera the scout voicing what Zam the ex mercenary is wanting to ask as they follow closely behind the elven spy and the elven master assassin. 

"We found out a fair bit" is the reply from Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy who is in front of the scout Maera, while the youngest member of the group is directly behind the elven master archer. 

"Well his highness did actually" dryly adds the spy who is originally from the elven principality of Alinlae, and is now a commander in the Scouts and Rangers division of the Armies of Farque. 

Lis grunts at hearing that, then getting slightly annoyed that she's out in the rain again, the scout leader says "Helbe would you mind expanding that spell you've got on you". 

The attractive young woman who hails from the coast of The Southlands continues in a slightly sour tone of voice with "I'm sick of getting rained on". 

The next instant and the rain is no longer hitting Lis, Zam and Dalinvardèl Tanith, and as the elven spy mutters "Why didn't I ask that?". 

The scout Maera asks the highly talented elven practitioner of magic "What did you actually find out while you were snooping around?". 

"Not here" is the reply from Helbe the elven thief as he glances back at the pair following behind him and Dalinvardèl Tanith or Dalin as he's more commonly called by those who know him well. 

"Back at the inn" adds the young elven noble who is the grandson, in fact the youngest grandchild of the ruling prince of Laerel. 

Lis grunts at that, while Zam slightly nods when the elven princeling quietly says to them "You'll find out when the others do". 

The elven masterthief pauses for a moment or two, before saying "Which is after I speak to Lord Farque about it". 

The highly talented elven magic user briefly pauses again, then he quietly says in slightly wry tone "For some reason I don't think he'll be entirely happy with things" followed by "Even though you lot eliminated that Gopeth, and got the mage Garmen under a fair bit of pressure from the other members of the Mage Council". 

The young elven noble who is from the island principality of Laerel, and who is now a member of Lord Farque's personal council, not to mention his personal envoy, falls silent. 

Behind the two elves, the two young humans, Zam the ex mercenary and Lisell Maera the scout share a look, as they wonder what Helbe the elven thief was able to find out. 

The four of them remain silent as they walk back to The Merchant's Rest inn, totally untouched by the rain. 

Which has been constantly falling all day, since before dawn on this spring day, here in the city of Vexil, the capital of the city-state that shares the same name . . . . . .

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 . . . . . .