The Hire 16.

The Colevar Mountains. The Border Region. Between The Unruled Lands & The Kingdom Of Nastell...

"Well they definitely know we're coming" says Mira Reinholt the mage, who continues with "Which isn't much of a surprise" as they look at the state of the road up ahead.
The army under the command of field commander Talbot, which is the one furthest to the west. Has had it the easiest travelling south through the southern reaches of the Colevar Mountains to get to the border.
Now that they're within sight of the kingdom of Nastell, and it's northern most duchy, Phelm. The state of the road has drastically changed.
The scouts who were sent out infront, came back and mentioned how things fared with the road that crosses into the kingdom of Nastell.
But hearing about it, and actually seeing it, are two completely different things.
"How did they do that?" asks field commander Talbot, who turns and looks at the mage in the black hooded cloak standing next to him.
"Magic?" asks the large, heavily armoured field commander who also commands the heavy foot battalion within the mercenary army from the lands Farque. Nodding his hooded head, the once powerful mage says to him "Definitely magic".
"Going to be an ordeal getting the war machines by all of this" quietly says the field commander, a large man, who even in the heat of the day, is in his heavy plate armour, and carries his large hammer across his back.
The mage, who is in exile from his homeland of Vexil, nods in agreement as they look at the road that goes between the hills, which is pock marked with craters, both large and small.
"Did the scouts say how long this goes on for?" asks the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster.
"Nearly two miles, over into Nastell itself as well" is the reply of the field commander who is the military leader of this particular army that's predominantly made up of the army of the robber baron Markell.
The mage Reinholt looks back at the army behind them, and spots the war engineer Tovis, and his second, the sorcerer Larris making their way forward to where the field commander, and the member of the personal council of lord Farque stand.
Switching to the elven language, the mage who is in exile from his homeland, the city-state of Vexil, says "We can have Markell's gaggle of spellcasters help Tovis and Larris get the war machines by all this".
The swordmaster Reinholt gestures to the badly damaged road up ahead, and adds "Have them help with the repair of it". "Least that's something they can do" quietly says Talbot in the same language, who then sourly adds "Considering they don't do much of anything apart from complain about things".
Once again, the mage Reinholt nods in agreement with the field commander from the lands Farque, then the spellcaster who was once more powerful than any other mage of his generation to be found anywhere in the Southlands, says "Those on foot should be alright to continue".
The exiled Vexilian mage then adds "And those on horseback should be okay if they takes things carefully".
"My thoughts exactly" quietly says commander Talbot, who follows that up with "Though we can't get too stretched out with the war machines and supply wagons struggling to get through all of this mess" he then adds "It's what the enemy wants".
Mira Reinholt nods in agreement, then he looks back at the army behind them again, and spots someone else coming forward.
"I'll leave you with Tovis and Larris to work things out" says the highly skilled swordmaster who hails from the city-state of Vexil "I've got to deal with you know who" adds the once powerful mage.
Field commander Talbot looks back, and spots who the mage Reinholt is referring to. Slightly wincing, the large man in the black plate armour says "Good luck with that councillor".
"Thanks" dryly says the once powerful mage, who heads down the incline off the side of the road they're on, and makes his way back along the line of march.
Heading to intercept the robber baron Markell. Who is making his way forward, no doubt to complain to the field commander about why they've stopped.
As usual, the robber baron is followed by some of his cadre of spellcasters. Both those from his claim within the unruled lands. Including the pair of dwarven delvers he has with him. As well as some of spellcasters he has hired.
The Vexilian mage in exile doesn't want the robber baron pestering the field commander, who already has enough on his hands. Than to be dealing with the always complaining Markell, and his spellcasters.
"Is it bad?" asks Tovis the war engineer as he and the sorcerer Larris approach the mage Reinholt who is making his way back along the side of the army that has stopped.
"Bad enough" is the reply of the member of the personal council of lord Farque, who gestures back up to the incline, where commander Talbot stands, talking with some of his officers and adds "You'll see when you get up there".
The young man from the kingdom of Druvic, who commands the engineers corp in the mercenary army from the lands Farque. Who has got word that the road ahead, crossing into the kingdom of Nastell has been badly damaged.
Nods his head to councillor Reinholt as he walks by in the other direction. Tovis knows where the Vexilian mage is heading.
He too has spotted the robber baron Markell and some of his spellcasters heading this way.
The war engineer knows Mira Reinholt spends a lot of his time keeping the robber baron occupied. So that he doesn't interfere with what both field commander Talbot, and Tovis himself are doing with the army.
As the order is passed down the line, to stand down for the moment. The spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, looks away to his right, and spots Shur Kee the monk sitting cross legged upon a large rock beneath the branches of a tree. On what's another hot day here in the southern reaches of the foothills of the Colevar Mountains.
The once powerful mage who sees the short, statured monk is watching the army. Nods his hooded head for the acolyte in the order of Bru Li to join him.
The physical adept who hails from the far eastern coast of the continent. Looks back down the line of march, the direction the Vexilian mage in exile is heading.
Shur Kee unfolds himself, and hops off the rock, and hurries to join the swordmaster Reinholt. For he has spotted who is coming this way along the side of the army.
"Are you expecting trouble friend Mira?" quietly asks Shur Kee the monk when he gets alongside the spellcaster who is dressed all in black "Always"is the reply of the highly skilled swordmaster, who then dryly adds in a quiet voice "Especially from you know who".
And to think, he's one who kind of agreed to us being in command of their war, Mira Reinholt thinks to himself, the once powerful mage from the city-state of Vexil then silently adds, by the shape of fire, I'd fucking hate to deal with that Almard and that Larimer, who were against us being in charge.
The spellcaster who at a young age, also trained as a swordmaster. Not something a practitioner of magic would normally do.
Stops right infront of the robber baron, forcing Markell and those following behind him to come to a halt.
With word about the state of the road up ahead not reaching him yet, Markell the robber baron with a frown upon his face says "Councillors" to the once powerful mage and the short, statured monk.
The robber baron quickly continues with "Is there a reason that we've stopped?".
The Vexilian mage in exile who likes to draw things out when he's dealing with Markell, for the simple reason it takes up the time of the robber baron. Time that he can't spend annoying field commander Talbot and the war engineer Tovis.
Slowly nods his head, then after a few moments of silence, he finally says "Yes".
The spellcaster who was, and still is, the youngest ever member of the mage council of Vexil. Until he was kicked off it, and forced into exile because he betrayed his homeland.
Refrains from grinning as he can see the robber baron is already frustrated, and impatient to know what's going on, and why the army has stopped.
"Well?" asks the robber baron, who along with his second behind him, also has eight of his spellcasters with him. Markell, more than any of the other four robber barons who have decided to wage war upon duke Hargen of Phelm. Has spellcasters aplenty within in his army.
"Well, what?" asks the swordmaster Reinholt, who once again refrains from grinning as he sees Markell get frustrated more and more with the vague answers from the mage who is dressed all in black.
"The reason councillor" says the robber baron, whose claim in the unruled lands is further north than the four other robber barons who are partaking in the war against duke Hargen of Phelm.
"Oh the reason" says the mage Reinholt, who after a long pause, adds "For stopping you mean?".
Markell frowns and from between clenched teeth, he says "Yes".
"Oh well you see" says the Vexilian mage in exile, who gestures behind him to the south, and adds "The road ahead has been damaged".
"How bad?" asks the robber baron, a fairly short fellow, who is in his late forties.
"Bad enough" is the quick reply from the once powerful mage, who then looks at the spellcasters behind the robber baron, and says "Good, you've brought some of spellcasters with you".
The swordmaster from the city-state of Vexil, continues with "They can help with the repair work on the road" Mira Reinholt quickly follows that with "Those on foot, and the mounted troops should be fine continuing on. Not so our war machines and the supply wagons. So your spellcasters here will be needed".
The robber baron scowls as he doesn't take too kindly to be told what to do with his spellcasters. He willing lets his soldiers be ordered around by those in the mercenary army from the lands Farque.
But not so with his spellcasters. As he likes to keep them close, and have them do what he wants them to do.
It's the one advantage he has over his fellow robber barons who have come together to wage war upon duke Hargen. The amount of spellcasters he has at his disposal. And what he tells them to do.
"Now look here, I'm not having any of my" says Markell, who is suddenly interrupted by Shur Kee the monk who until now, has kept silent as he stands to one side of the Vexilian mage in exile.
"Mage Mira has the right of it" says the monk who is even shorter than the robber baron, the acolyte in the philosophical order of Bru Li continues with "Your magicians here are needed for the repair work on the road".
The once powerful mage refrains from grinning, and outright laughing. For no practitioner of magic likes being called a magician. It's basically a derogatory term. Because magicians are street performers, who do tricks by slight of hand, and concealment. Who have no actual power to do spellwork.
And from the looks upon the faces of the spellcasters behind the robber baron. What the physical adept just said hit a nerve.
As all of them, especially the pair of dwarven delvers. All glare at the short, statured monk who isn't a Southlander, but hails from the otherside of the continent.
Though their anger is tempered. For the simple reason the holy man wearing the strange white clothing, and an even stranger looking, conical shaped hat, said one word. Mage.
Markell's spellcasters can't tell if councillor Reinholt is a mage or not. Infact they can't even tell if he's a spellcaster at all. Thanks to an amulet he wears on a chain around his neck, that masks his power. What little power he has.
Even though they can't sense if he's a mage or not. They're all cautious around him. Considering everyone in the mercenary army from the lands Farque who are with this particular force. Refer to Mira Reinholt either as councillor or as mage.
Mage, the most powerful of all the human spellcasters, and often the most unpredictable spellcaster you'll likely to ever encounter. Who even an average one, is far stronger than the most powerful of wizards, sorcerers, conjurers and the like.
Even the two dwarven delvers, powerful in their own right. So much so, they're the two most powerful spellcasters in robber baron Markell's army. Are cautious, and step carefully around the councillor named Mira.
The robber baron is about to say something, when one of his spellcasters behind him, a wizard in dark red robes, clears his throat, and says "As the councillors suggest, we can help out with the repair work on the road".
Markell sourly smiles as he looks back at the practitioners of magic, who if they're not from his claim in the unruled lands in the southern reaches of the Colevar Mountains. Are from far and wide, mercenaries he's hired to join his army.
He then looks at his second, who slightly shrugs his shoulders. The robber baron lets out a sigh, then turns back to the two councillors, and says to them "Fine" followed by "My spellcasters will help out".
"I'd knew you'd see it my way Markell" says Mira Reinholt with a slight smile upon his face.
The once powerful mage from the city-state of Vexil points to the south, to the incline where Tovis the war engineer is talking with field commander Talbot.
And he says to the practitioners of magic standing behind the robber baron "If you lot could report to the war engineer Tovis after he's spoken with commander Talbot I'd appreciate it".
The member of the personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque then tells them "You might as well go up there and wait".
After they look at one another, the spellcasters in the army of robber baron Markell. Trudge off, and head to where the commander of the engineers corp, is speaking to the field commander in charge of this force that's soon to cross the border into the kingdom of Nastell, and it's northern most duchy, the duchy of Phelm.
With a sour look upon his face, Markell the robber baron, along with his second, watch most of his spellcasters walk away. There's a handful of others, but they're further back, spread our amongst his army.
Then he looks at Mira Reinholt who says to him "Thank you for your assistance Markell".
Then the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, who wants to drive home a point. Reaches out and takes the right arm of Shur Kee the monk in his left hand.
The two of them then disappear, teleporting to a nearby hilltop where some of the scouts are, observing things to the south.
Meanwhile back down on the road, the robber baron Markell and his second, stand there stunned and speechless. Now in no doubt, that indeed the councillor named Mira is infact a mage . . . . . .