The Hire 43.

Northern Phelm. The Kingdom Of Nastell...

"Whatever you do, don't overextend us" says Mira Reinholt the mage, next to him, Shur Kee the monk nods his head in agreement with the once powerful mage.
"They're putting up a fight as they flee south" continues the mage who is in exile from his homeland, the city-state of Vexil.
"They might be in disarray, that doesn't mean they can't inflict any heavy damage on us" adds the spellcaster, who is also a highly skilled swordmaster.
Field commander Talbot nods his head, and he says "We'll do that". Then the large, heavily armoured field commander in the Farqian mercenary army asks the mage Reinholt "How many of their leaders do you think you got this morning councilor?".
The mage, who is a member of the personal council of lord Farque, slightly shrugs his shoulders, then he says "I'm not sure".
Mira Reinholt who sent a mageglobe to wreck some havoc amongst the leadership of the enemy army, early this morning says "But at least some of them".
The Vexilian mage in exile waves away to the south, where in the distance, they can see the rear of the enemy army, fleeing southwards. In all likelihood, to the city of Savariss.
The only city that's here in the north of the duchy of Phelm.
"Think you got the duke?" asks the field commander, who is a born Farqian.
"Not sure about that" says the spellcaster, who was once the most powerful mage of his generation, to be found anywhere in the Southlands .
"What i am sure about, is that i got their lead spellcaster" says the swordmaster Reinholt, who then adds "As well as some others who are pretty high up in their army".
The field commander, who is also the commander of the heavy foot division in the Farqian mercenary army, quietly says "Lets hope without some of their leadership, they continue to fragment, and fall apart as they run away to the south".
Both of the council members, Mira Reinholt and Shur Kee nod in agreement with the field commander.
Who then looks over at one of his officers. Who nods down the hill they're on.
There field commander Talbot spots the robber baron Markell, who it seems is in a heated argument with the field commander's aide dé camp. Well the argument looks to be heated on one side, that of the robber baron from the unruled lands to the north of the kingdom of Nastell.
"Oh hell" mutters the heavily armoured field commander in the Farqian mercenary army.
Both members of lord Farque's personal council see what's caught the attention of the field commander.
The mage Reinholt rolls his eyes as he sees the robber baron arguing about something. While the acolyte in the order of Bru Li is as calm as he always is, as he looks down the hill at the robber baron.
"Suppose i better deal with that" sourly says the once powerful mage from the city-state of Vexil "Thanks for that councilor" says field commander Talbot, which earns him a wry looking smile from the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster.
Mira Reinholt along with Shur Kee head downhill, while the field commander and the others make their way down the front of the hill.
The two members of the personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque make their way through some trees along this side of the hill.
Once they're out of them, they can hear the robber baron complaining as they approach the road, that winds it's way around the hill they've just been up.
Seems Markell the robber baron is annoyed that more of his army, aren't with those who are giving chase to the enemy. Who are in disarray, after their battlelines were overrun this morning.
All because the mage Reinholt took out a number of the enemy army's senior staff with one of his mageglobes.
Field commander Talbot's aide spots the two councillors approaching. And the robber baron notices it. Markell turns to see who it is. And with a slight bow to the councillors Reinholt and Kee. The field commander's aide, quickly moves away without the robber baron noticing.
"What seems to be the problem?" asks the Vexilian mage in exile "Councilor" says the robber baron Markell, who continues with "I was just saying to this buffoon here".
"Which buffoon?" asks the once powerful mage as he interrupts the robber baron, who looks around, and finds the aide to field commander Talbot is gone.
He looks on the road, at the army that's going by at a quick march. And he scowls as he can't see the young man he was arguing with, anywhere.
"He was here a moment ago" mutters the robber baron, who sees that only some of his own officers are standing nearby, off to this side of the road.
"Never mind about him" says Markell, who then continues with "What I'm wanting to know, is why aren't there more of my men in pursuit of the enemy who are on the run?" as he looks at the two councillors.
One in the black hooded cloak. And the other in the strange white clothing, and an even stranger looking hat.
"The field commander" says Mira Reinholt, who continues with "Is doing what he thinks is best" the Vexilian mage in exile follows that with "And since he's the one in command, that's all that matters really".
The robber baron goes to speak, but the highly skilled swordmaster gets in quickly with "I might remind you that it was you and your fellow, ah conspirators shall we say. Who decided that we would be in command of this campaign when you agreed to the terms of hire".
Markell the robber baron looks like he's swallowed something sour when he hears that. It's the same old argument from the councilor. Which though he doesn't like. He knows it's true.
"Quite" says the robber baron in clipped tone of voice, then Markell adds "I do hope that more of my men will be involved once the duke's army, or what's left of them, turn and face us" he continues with "After my army got a taste of battle during the night. All of them would like to be involved more often".
"I'll make sure the field commander knows of this" says the swordmaster Reinholt, who continues with "If the remnants of duke's army turn and face us, or they get to somewhere like Savariss and make a stand. All of your army will have an opportunity to take part in the action".
"That's all i can hope for" says Markell, who with a nod of his head, adds "Councillors". Before he makes his way over to his officers, then they all get onto the road, and rejoin the army that's quickly marching south after the army of duke Hargen that's fleeing them.
The once powerful mage and the short, statured monk share a look. Then the exiled Vexilian mage quietly says to the physical adept "And he's one of the more amiable ones". The highly skilled swordmaster then adds "I can't imagine how bad that Almard and Larimer are".
"I suspect friend Helbe will have them under control" quietly says Shur Kee the monk, Mira Reinholt snorts, then dryly says "No doubt he has" the once powerful mage looks around, then after glancing up at the early afternoon sky, on what's a clear, hot summer's day here in the north of the duchy of Phelm, he adds "Come, let's head forward".
The two of them disappear, as the spellcaster who is a member of the personal council of lord Farque, teleports them forward along the line of march.
A little bit later in the afternoon, and as the road is being cleared of trees that the enemy has felled, and dumped across it.
While those forward elements of the army led by field commander Talbot, are still further ahead, engaged with the rear elements of fleeing army of duke Hargen.
The field commander, says to the mage Reinholt and the monk from the far eastern coast of the continent "Can't just walk and ride around all this like the advanced elements have done" he continues with "Have to clear it away so that captain Tovis can get his war machines and siege towers through".
The swordmaster nods his black hooded head in agreement, as they watch teams of horses drag the felled trees off the road.
The field commander who has just taken a drink from his water bottle, looks over at one of his officers. An elf in the rangers and scouts division in the Farqian mercenary army, who has just said in his native tongue "Airships to the east".
Mira Reinholt expends a little bit of his limited amount of power, and casts farsight upon himself instead of digging out his leather wrapped, brass cylindrical eyepiece from his pack.
The spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster looks to the east in the clear afternoon sky, and after a few moments, he adds "Ours".
The elven officer nods in agreement, then says "Two of ours, along with two of the robber baron's". He, like the councilor who is a practitioner of magic, are speaking in the elven language.
The Vexilian mage in exile, who sees the trailing airships of the robber barons. Are along with the two warships in the Farqian fleet, are heading southwest.
"Can you get in contact with our ships?" field commander Talbot quietly asks the mage Reinholt in the elven language "Too far for me to do it" is the quiet reply of the once powerful mage who continues with "One of our other spellcasters might be able to reach them" as the airships he's watching, are nearly eight miles away.
It would be easier if it was the krean strikeship Fídiablo. As the navigators onboard can communicate over vast distances with other spellcasters they know.
Not so, other spellcasters of other races who are trying to speak via mindspeech. As up to about twelve miles, in line of sight in the best you can do.
That's how far Mira Reinholt could communicate that way, when he had all of his vast powers at his disposal. Something he's not had in over decade now.
"Wouldn't be surprised if some of the duke's fleet are coming up to help his fleeing army" quietly says the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, who points into the sky to the east, and adds "And ours are going to take them on".
That is indeed what they find out, when the airships in the sky to the east, get a little closer this way. And one of the spellcasters in the mercenary army from the lands Farque is able to communicate with them.
They're heading southwest, as a number of enemy vessels have been spotted far in the distance. Who are coming to the aid of the duke's army that's fleeing to the south.
The spellcaster, a sorcerer. Also finds out some other vital information from the Farqian warships in the sky to the east.
And in the elven language, he quietly tells Mira Reinholt and field commander Talbot "Another of the duke's army, further to the east is also fleeing southwards". He goes onto explain how the army led by field commander Tamric Drubine also broke the enemy battlelines last night, and this morning. Just as their army has done.
Recalling the maps of further to the east, here in the north of the duchy of Phelm, the mage Reinholt quietly says in elven "That lot will either flee to Halvíc or go further south and west to Savariss like the lot we're after are most likely heading".
The heavily armoured field commander nods his head, then quietly says in the same language in a slightly dry tone "That's all we need, two of their defeated armies within the walls of a city".
Talbot slightly grimaces before adding "A city no doubt full of civilians, refugees from up here and near the border".
The spellcaster who was once the most powerful mage of his generation to be found anywhere in the Southlands, who is now in his mid thirties, slightly winces, then quietly says "Hell, that's all we bloody need".
For so far, the local civilian population. Have kept well clear of the fighting between the army of their duke, and the armies that have come down from the unruled lands to the north of the kingdom of Nastell.
The only real interaction they've had with any of the armies. Is when the army of their own duke, has come into their towns, villages and hamlets. And seized foodstuffs, goods and equipment for them to use. Such is the fate of the common folk in a war within their own kingdom.
"We'll have to try and stop them before they get to Savariss" quietly says the member of lord Farque's personal council, nodding in agreement with the Vexilian mage in exile, field commander Talbot says "We'll have to pick up the pace and march throughout the night". He then asks the sorcerer "How far ahead can you send a rift too?"
"I've scried out a spot about five miles further to the south from here" replies the sorcerer, who continues with "Our forward elements briefly engaged with them there before midday".
"We'll have to send some of our battalions through to there, give them a bit of a head start" says the field commander who also commands the heavy foot division in the Farqian mercenary army.
The swordmaster Reinholt recalling his conversation with the robber baron Markell from earlier this afternoon, says "Best to send some of Markell's men through too" the once powerful mage continues with "It'll give them a boost of confidence" he then adds in a dry tone "And it'll quit his belly aching for a while too".
The field commander grins, then says to the sorcerer "See to it" then he waves over some of his officers, and starts issuing orders.
While Mira Reinholt steps away, and quietly speaks with Shur Kee the monk to tell him what's happening.
As they do, the last of the downed trees are cleared from across the road. And the army on the march gets underway again.
While in the clear and sunny sky to the east, four warships are flying southwest to intercept some enemy vessels who are flying to the aid of duke Hargen's army that's in retreat . . . . . .