You Want A War? You've Got One! 51.

Falnic. Belinswae. Winter...

The mage Kaellin yawns as he walks from the rift, he's the last one to come through it, and he drops the spell behind him.
Looking around the courtyard in the main barracks of his army, the Justifier who has come with about fifty of his guards to Falnic, turns to a pair of the senior guards, and is about to tell them something, when he senses something, or to be precise, someone.
"Shit" mutters Justifier Kaellin "What is it sir?" quietly asks the guard Barsol, who along with Yarmeed, is the senior most guards to return to Falnic with the mage, who got them here as quickly as possible.
"Sammacin" is the reply of the Justifier whose idea it was in the first place to invade the Stone Hills "He's here, in the office's over there" adds the fairly powerful mage who waves in the direction of the main building here in the barracks of his army.
"How did he know we'd be back now?" quietly says Yarmeed "Sensed my rift" explains the Justifier who has left the bulk of his army to the north in the Stone Hills, under the command of commander Shaef. Who is bringing them back south to Belinswae, and eventually to the city of Falnic.
The Justifier who is unshaven, rubs his jaw, then shrugs and says "Might as well go and see what he wants" the mage Kaellin then sourly adds "To inform me that there's a bloody nomad army approaching no doubt".
Both of his senior guards nod, then the Justifier says to the rest of the large squad "Return to your barracks and see what the rest of the force who remained behind are up to, and find out what they know about the situation here in the city, and about the nomads who are amassing on the edge of the plains" he then says to Barsol and Yarmeed "You two with me".
As the three of them cross the courtyard to the offices, Justifier Kaellin quietly says "At least it's warm here compared to those damn mountains" the two senior guards definitely agree with that.
For though it's a relatively cool day here in Falnic for winter. It's a hell of lot warmer than it is in the Stone Hills at the moment. Then there's the fact that though Falnic is windy at times, after all it is a  city on the coast. The wind is appreciably less than it is the Stone Hills, nor is it anywhere as constant.
A couple of guards on duty at the offices stand to attention when they enter, and one of them says "Justifier, there's a Justifier". "I know" says the mage Kaellin who interrupts the guard who spoke, the Justifier continues with "And i know where he is".
The fairly powerful mage then leads the two senior guards Barsol and Yarmeed to the office that he uses when he's here in the barracks.
He opens the door to the room and enters "Sammacin" says the Justifier who just yesterday was in the Stone Hills "Kaellin" is the reply of Justifier Sammacin.
At least he isn't sitting at my desk, the mage Kaellin dryly thinks to himself as he makes his way around his desk, and sits down behind it. While his fellow Justifier sits on the bench that's against one of the walls. Sitting next to the wizard Sammacin, is his cousin Galbin, who is the commander of the youngest Justifier's army.
As his two senior guards come around and stand behind him, Justifier Kaellin asks the young wizard "How many of them, and where are they?".
"A lot, and almost here" is the dry toned reply of the wizard who was the only Justifier of Falnic not to take part in the invasion of the Stone Hills.
Justifier Kaellin refrains from snapping at his fellow Justifier, and instead says "That bad eh?".
"It is" says Justifier Sammacin, who slightly nods to his cousin beside him "There's nearly ten thousand of them at our best count Justifier Kaellin" says commander Galbin, the older cousin of the young wizard continues with "And they're along the southeastern edge of the region, now they're probably amongst in the land where a lot of the half breeds live".
"Shit ten thousand" murmurs an astonished mage Kaellin, who shakes his head, then says "I didn't think there was more than ten thousand of the scum across the entire plains, let alone ten thousand of their warriors".
"I know" says Justifier Sammacin, who previously before the end of summer, had a pretty unsavoury reputation amongst the other Justifiers of not just Falnic, but all of Belinswae.
There were certain rumours about him, that have died down of late. It's as if he's a completely different person.
Justifier Kaellin seems to think so. For he would of bet his life on it, that before the end of summer, the wizard Sammacin would of been one of the first of his fellow Justifiers to agree with his plan to invade the dwarven clanholds in the Stone Hills.
Not the Justifier who didn't go along with his plans, but actually opposed them. Which was a bit of a shock to the mage Kaellin and the other Justifiers here in Falnic.
"I gather you didn't bring back a lot of your guards with you?" asks Justifier Sammacin who sensed how long his fellow spellcaster had his rift open for "Just fifty or so" answers the fairly powerful mage who continues with "I've got guards scattered all the way to the Stone Hills".
He left the dwarven clanholds with as many of his guards as he could take, but he had to keep leaving them behind as he went through rift after rift as he made his way south to Falnic.
"But the bulk of my army is still up in the Stone Hills" says Justifier Kaellin who continues with "One of my commander's Shaef is bringing them back south" he pauses for a moment, before adding "Even with favourable weather in the foothills up there, and if they travel as fast as possible, they won't get back to Falnic in at least another seven days".
The wizard Sammacin, who at just twenty two, is the youngest Justifier in all of Belinswae, slightly winces, then quietly says "They'll get here before the rest of your army does".
"I know that" sourly says the mage Kaellin, who then asks "Who has come in?" the Justifier whose idea it was to invade the Stone Hills can sense other Justifiers who don't normally reside in Falnic, are here at the moment.
"Kolvene and Davarn are here, and the witch Lovis arrived yesterday" says the young wizard, who continues with "They've brought sizeable parts of their armies in, and more of them arriving all the time".
The youngest of all of Belinswae's Justifiers then tells his fellow spellcaster the number of guards they have in total in the city at the moment, and how many expects to come in over the next few days.
"So we'll have far more than them when they eventually get here" says the mage Kaellin, who then adds "There is that". "True" says the wizard Sammacin, who continues with "Let's not kid ourselves, the nomads are good in a fight, we all know that".
The older of the two spellcasters waves a hand in a dismissive manner, then says "I'll admit, that maybe so" the fairly powerful mage continues with "That's in a fight, when they're taking on our guards raiding, and i remind you, that's in that gods awful hell hole they live in" Justifier Kaellin then adds "A battle against a city, they won't know what the hell they're doing".
The younger Justifier just nods, not in agreement either, but he doesn't pursue the matter, and instead he tells his fellow ruler of Falnic, what else has been happening here in the coastal city while he's been in the Stone Hills with his army, fighting the dwarven clans.
The mage Kaellin frowns as he listens to the younger Justifier. Of course he knew there would be opportunists here in Falnic during a time of conflict. So hearing about smugglers isn't much of a surprise.
But hearing about some of the other things that have happened. Like one of the docks used by the Falnic navy, was destroyed in an arson attack. Is a surprise indeed.
"Think there's those here trying to undermine the war effort in the Stone Hills?" asks Justifier Kaellin, who knows the young wizard for all he was in his rejection of the idea of the invasion of the Stone Hills. The attacks here in Falnic, not just against buildings and structures, but also people. Is something he definitely won't tolerate.
"Yes, without a doubt" says Justifier Sammacin, who continues with "There's definitely those here who are league with the dwarven clans from the Stone Hills" he then adds "I've captured a number of smugglers, but for the life of me, no one of importance to do with these attacks in the city".
There's silence in the room for a few moments, then the young wizard breaks the silence by saying "And something else too" he continues with "And don't tell me you haven't thought of it since i sent you my message" Justifier Kaellin then adds "Those nomads, who for centuries, have hardly ever ventured en masse from that dry shithole they call the plains".
The youngest of all the Justifiers of Belinswae briefly pauses before continuing with "Suddenly decide to come into our region with an army of their warriors, when a lot of us, and our armies, are two hundred miles away to the north in the damn mountains" the wizard Sammacin follows that up with "That mage Kaellin, is not a coincidence, and you know it".
The older of the two spellcasters tries to refrain from wincing, but fails. He has indeed thought that ever since he got the message from his fellow Justifier telling him about the army of nomad tribesmen making their way to Belinswae.
"Well wizard Sammacin, you are more than likely correct" says Justifier Kaellin, whose two senior guards, Barsol and Yarmeed. Are a little uncomfortable as they stand there behind him against the wall, as they listen to the two Justifiers.
"That's as it is" says Justifier Sammacin who waves a hand, before continuing with "What matters now, is that there might be someone behind all this, and is coordinating what's happened, for no way would the nomad filth raise an army and come into Belinswae otherwise" the young wizard then adds "But more importantly, what are we going to do against this army from the plains?".
The wizard Sammacin then says "I know you think they'll be ineffectual in an attack against Falnic, all the same there's nearly ten thousand of them marching this way, and you can't tell me they won't cause havoc on the way".
"Yes you're right, we'll have to deal with them before they get to the city, or at least start attacking them as they head here" says the mage Kaellin, whose winter is definitely not going as he planned "They're not the only one's heading here either" mutters the young wizard.
The older Justifier frowns, then recalls that a force of a couple hundred dwarven warriors have been making their way down the coastal areas from the Stone Hills. Destroying villages and towns, and driving the townsmen from those settlements, southwards. Some of whom, have already made it to Falnic after fleeing their homes.
"We'll deal to those marauding dwarves as well" says the fairly powerful mage, who is the most powerful of the Justifiers magic wise, not just in Falnic, but in all of Belinswae.
The mage Kaellin looks over at the younger spellcaster sitting on the bench against the wall to the right, and he tells him "I guess we better gather the others and discuss what we'll do". Justifiers don't usually work so close together. But when it comes to the defence of the region, as well as the city of Falnic, they'll put their differences aside, and work together.
"I've sent messengers informing them that we shall have a meeting when i sensed your rift forming here" says Justifier Sammacin, who stands up and gestures to the door, and adds "Shall we?".
Though travel sore, and a little tired after casting rift spells continuously to get back here to Falnic as quickly as possible, Justifier Kaellin says "We shall" and stands up from behind his desk, and heads out of the room after the young wizard. Justifier Sammacin's cousin, commander Galbin, along with Justifier Kaellin's senior guards Barsol and Yarmeed follow after the two spellcasters who are off to meet the rest of the Justifiers who are in the city of Falnic at the moment . . . . . .