The Hire 11.

In The Sky. Southern Reaches. Colevar Mountains...

"Hold on tight mage" says one of the below deck officers "I am" mutters Mira Reinholt the mage, who slightly grimaces as the crew below deck of the Fídiablo chuckle at that.
The once powerful mage gulps in anticipation at what's about to happen.
The spellcaster from the city-state of Vexil who is strapped into what's called the dummy seat.
Holds onto the straps, as he's pushed back into the seat as the krean strikeship suddenly tips down and accelerates. Far faster than any other airship in the skies on the world of Volunell.
The Vexilian mage in exile senses the immense amount of power that appears somewhere infront of the krean built vessel.
And he hopes he doesn't shame himself and blackout infront of the crew as they all float in the air with their wings flapping as their airship accelerates to well over two hundred knots as it goes down through a ship rift, that the navigators onboard have cast.
The spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, grimaces after gulping again, hoping he doesn't throw up as the Fídiablo suddenly levels out as it comes out of the otherside of the ship rift.
"Fuck me" mutters the mage Reinholt which causes the nearby crew to laugh again.
The once powerful mage who is of the opinion that all krean are jokesters. Who take great delight at the discomfort that they can cause to others.
Grunts and says "Fine" in reply to the officer who spoke to him before they went through the ship rift, asking him "You okay there mage?".
Showing a little bit of sympathy upon his dragon like features, the below deck officer looks at the pale looking human spellcaster, and says to him "Here, let's get you out of those straps".
The mage who is in exile from his homeland of Vexil, isn't all that keen on getting out of the dummy seat.
Until he nods his head, when the officer, tells him "You're wanted up on deck".
"Thanks" says Mira Reinholt as he's helped out of the straps, which is like webbing that holds the person into the dummy seat, that's built into the hull.
There's another one, opposite on the port side. But that's empty, as the swordmaster from the city-state of Vexil is the only one onboard who needed to use one.
Even though he's not the only human onboard the krean strikeship. But he is the only living human onboard, and that makes all the difference.
"Make way, the councillor is coming through!" calls out the below deck officer. And though the crew just moments ago were laughing at him.
They're deferential, and get out of the way, as most if not all of them are hovering in the air.
Where they nod to the once powerful mage as he passes them by. The highly skilled swordmaster nods in reply, as the crew below deck. Mostly those who operate the numerous magetubes onboard
Part for him as he heads to the nearest ladder that goes up onto the deck of the krean strikeship.
The mage Reinholt makes his way up the steps to the deck of the Fídiablo.
He's about a quarter of the way back from the bow of the mastless vessel, facing forward.
The spellcaster, who was once more powerful than any other mage of his generation to be found anywhere in the Southlands. And who was the youngest ever member of the mage council of Vexil.
Turns and looks aft. And he spots who wants to speak to him. Standing infront of the wheelhouse that's positioned near the stern.
Mira who is glad the Fídiablo is flying level, and fairly slowly, under fifteen knots. Nor is it that high up. Only a few hundred feet above the foothills below. As it often flies in the freezing temperatures over twenty thousand feet above the ground.
Is always cautious as he walks upon the deck of not just this strikeship, but all krean strikeships and scoutships.
For they have no rails along the port and starboard sides. The top deck of the mastless airship is basically flat apart from the wheelhouse aft.
He also keeps fairly close to the middle of the deck as he makes his way towards the wheelhouse.
Being onboard a mastless krean vessel isn't for the faint of heart. The mage Reinholt is just glad he didn't pass out or vomit this time. Which he has done in the past.
Always upon the smaller scoutships, which are even faster and more maneuverable in comparison to the strikeships.
When he gets infront of the wheelhouse of the Fídiablo. The swordmaster Reinholt suffers a sniffing from the undead wardog Hammer.
While the other undead wardog Axe, lies nearby. Snoring as he sleeps. Though the once powerful mage knows it isn't really sleeping. It's basically just resting with it's eyes closed.
"You alright there mage?" asks the senior wardog handler Jessup "I'm fine" replies the mage whose family owns one of the most powerful, and wealthiest trading companies. Not just in his homeland of Vexil. But the entire Southlands.
"Now" dryly adds Mira Reinholt which illicits a chuckle from the undead wardog handler, as well as the undead scout Dargaven. Who is leaning against the port side of the wheelhouse.
The spellcaster who is in exile from the city-state of Vexil. Because he betrayed it during a war eighteen years ago. When he was just seventeen years old. Just newly elected onto the mage council of Vexil by the other spellcasters who were on it at the time.
A war where the once powerful mage met for the very first time, Dorc da Orc. As well as lord Farque, who the mage Reinholt sees through the open windows in the front of the wheelhouse. Where he's inside talking to captain Kalrisian and the navigators of the strikeship Fídiablo.
The spellcaster, who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, looks around in the morning sunshine, then asks "Where are we?".
"The Colevar Mountains" is the deadpan reply from the undead scout Dargaven.
"I know that" sourly says the mage who is a member of the personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
The mage Reinholt looks at Jessup, who isn't as flippant as his undead comrade in arms, Dargaven.
The senior wardog handler shrugs his shoulders, and says "I have no idea" followed by "But i assume close to one of the forces that are marching south to the northern border of Nastell".
Jessup gestures to the port side of the deck, and walks towards it. The Vexilian mage in exile follows him. And after a moment, so does Dargaven.
"There" says the the undead wardog handler who points to the south and east as he stands right on the edge of the deck.
Even though the mage Reinholt has no fear of heights, he stays a step back from the edge of the deck as he looks to where Jessup has pointed.
In the distance, probably about a ten miles away. The once powerful mage can just make out an army that's on one of the roads, winding through the foothills here in the southern reaches of the Colevar Mountains.
"Whose is it?" asks the swordmaster Reinholt, who knows the force he sees in the distance, is led by one of the three field commanders.
As the bulk of the mercenary army from the lands Farque, and those in the armies of the five robber barons who were deemed not that reliable for battle. Are somewhere to the north. As the Fídiablo left them earlier this morning, just after dawn.
"Talbot's" says Jessup, next to him, Dargaven nods his full helmed head in agreement when the senior wardog handler when Jessup adds "The monk is with them".
Mira Reinholt, who has the hood of his cloak off his head at the moment. Nods his head, as he knows that the army in the distance is the one that's furthest west out of the three led by the field commanders in the mercenary army from the lands Farque.
"With Tovis too i believe" quietly says the Vexilian mage in exile, who knows that this army has the best route south to the border with the kingdom of Nastell.
Allowing the young engineer and his corp to move most of their war machines and siege engines along the road that the krean strikeship is heading towards.
"Yes he's with them" says Jessup as they watch the force that mostly has the army of the robber baron Markell with them.
The spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, nods his head as he realises something, then he says "Now i know why you've brought me here".
"See, you're a lot smarter than you look mage" says Dargaven, which causes the mage Reinholt to slightly shake his head, but he doesn't rise to the bait from the undead scout, and respond to him.
The once powerful mage knows that the robber baron Markell has by far the most spellcasters in his army compared to the other four robber barons.
He's actually got more than the mercenary army from the lands Farque. Though none who are as powerful as some of the practitioners of magic from the lands Farque.
Most of those particular spellcasters are onboard the Fídiablo. With the exception of the mage from the city-state of Vexil.
"I'm to keep an eye on Markell's cadre of spellcasters am i?" asks Mira Reinholt "We'll let our lord explain what he wants done" says Jessup, who after a brief pause, adds "But that's the gist of it".
Just then the wardog Hammer looks away to the south and west. As does Axe, who a moment ago, was lying down, resting.
An instant later, the undead wardog handler Jessup, as well as the undead scout turn and look in the same direction.
Before the swordmaster Reinholt can even ask "What is it?". Jessup says "Warship" there's a brief pause then he continues with "Not one of ours, nor one of the robber barons".
The once powerful mage who can't even see the airship in question, says "Maybe i should go back below".
"No time" says Dargaven, who then adds "Move" as he grabs the left arm of the spellcaster who is now a member of the personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
One moment Mira finds himself standing near the edge of the port side of the deck. The next he's going through the open port side door of the wheelhouse, faster than he could imagine.
The once powerful mage who feels the Fídiablo picking up speed, winces at the prospect of being up here as the mastless vessel starts flying faster and faster.
The mage Reinholt who knows he'd be knocked backwards off his feet if Dargaven wasn't still holding him. Glances sideways at the undead scout who barks an order in the krean language to one of the nearby navigators.
The next moment, and Dargaven lets go off the Vexilian mage in exile. Who suddenly finds himself firmly fixed to the decking beneath his boots. And surrounded by a barrier spell of a type he's never seen or experienced before.
Mira Reinholt, who finds that he's free from the force of acceleration from the krean strikeship. Is able to move his arms and head about freely, while still being planted to the deck.
The Vexilian swordmaster in exile just watches and listens to the captain and his wheelhouse crew. Not understanding what they're saying as they're speaking their own language.
Making his way back to where the mage Reinholt is standing, lord Farque tells one of his council members "We'll drop you off to Talbot's army once the captain and crew have dealt to the enemy battlecruiser" he continues with "We can't let them see our forces, and know where we are".
Then the undead warlord makes his way from the wheelhouse. Dargaven follows him, though only after saying "Stay here mage" followed by a peel of laughter from behind his full helm before adding "Not that you can go anywhere, anyway".
The undead scout and his lord join Jessup and the wardogs Hammer and Axe out on the open deck of the krean strikeship.
Safe behind the unfamiliar barrier spell that one of the navigators has cast upon him, Mira Reinholt looks over to the second officer, who is calling out something in the krean language, he then repeats it in the common language for the living human onboard.
It's a number, and the Vexilian mage in exile realises it's the speed the Fídiablo is flying.
It's increasing all the time, and the highly swordmaster gulps as the second officer calls out the number "Two hundred" and doesn't stop. As the krean strikeship continues to fly faster and faster. Until the second officer calls out a final number of "Two hundred and fifty".
Mira Reinholt grimaces at flying at the speed of two hundred and fifty knots. And though he briefly sees a dot in the morning sky in the distance. It disappears when the shutters in the forward facing windows of wheelhouse, slam up. Shutting off the view outside.
And though to the mage Reinholt it feels like they're flying blind. He knows the trio of navigators here in the wheelhouse, as well as the two below deck. Along with their captain, know exactly where their airship is in the sky.
The krean in the wheelhouse are all off the decking, and are flapping their wings to keep afloat. While the Vexilian mage in exile who is affixed to the decking beneath him. Feels the Fídiablo tilting to starboard.
The second officer calls out something in the krean language. Then repeats it in common "Target in ten". He starts counting down, fairly quickly too.
As the second officer does so. The highly skilled swordmaster hopes to hell the captain and crew of the Fídiablo don't spin their strikeship as they attack the battlecruiser in duke Hargen's fleet. As he knows that's a favourite manoeuvre of krean fighting vessels.
By the shape of fire, fucking anything but that, Mira Reinholt thinks to himself.
The second officer gets down to the number "One!". Then the captain of the Fídiablo, captain Kalrisian shouts out an order.
The mage Reinholt's guts lurch up into his throat as he suddenly finds himself upside down. Then all of a sudden he's the right side up again.
It happens once more, and though the Vexilian mage in exile is affixed to the decking. The krean air sailors are floating freely in the air within the wheelhouse.
All the while, Mira Reinholt senses and hears fifty five magetubes repeatedly firing.
The battlecruiser in the fleet of the duke of Phelm had no chance. It didn't even see the Fídiablo close in on it until the very last instant.
Then the krean strikeship which was spinning, went from the port side, rolling over the top of the triple masted airship. Down around to starboard, and below the vessel from the duchy of Phelm. All the while shooting off a number barrages from it's full compliment of magetubes onboard.
The enemy warship is completely destroyed before the Fídiablo stops spinning, slows down, and starts circling away back to the east.
The shutters on the windows of the wheelhouse drop down. And Mira Reinholt sees lord Farque, the senior wardog handler Jessup, and the scout Dargaven.
Along with the two massive shapes of the wardogs Axe and Hammer. Standing infront of the wheelhouse. Where the trio of humans are quietly talking about something.
The once powerful mage who finds that he's no longer affixed to the decking, nor surrounded by that strange barrier spell.
Looks over at captain Kalrisian who tells him in common "My lord Farque will undoubtedly want a word with you before we drop you off councillor".
Mira Reinholt nods, then as the Fídiablo drops down to a steady fifteen knots again. He makes his way out of the wheelhouse, to join those on the open deck of the krean strikeship . . . . . .