The Hire 44.

The Southern Reaches. The Kingdom Of Nastell. The Duchy Of Phelm...

With general Yarmane dead, along with his senior subcommander, and a number of his senior staff. Not to mention the senior spellcaster in the army.
Commander Berric of duke Hargen's personal guard. Finds himself making a lot of the command decisions along with lord Chesié as they retreat southwards.
The commander who isn't technically part of the army. And frankly has never wanted to be. Finds himself along with his subcommander Omrick.
Ordering army officers, and mercenary leaders around. Who are just happy to have someone in charge as they all flee southwards to the city of Savariss.
Earlier in the day, at dawn. When he barely escaped the explosion that killed general Yarmane and others.
The first thing commander Berric did, was send half of his detail, to get duke Hargen up in the warcamp. And have them immediately ride south.
He wasn't having the duke anywhere near what he was expecting to happen. Which happened, as the army's battlelines were broken just after general Yarmane and his senior staff were killed.
As the enemy sent a full on attack against them. After a night of more pointed attacks, and continued bombardment from their war machines.
The commander of the duke's personal guard, who also happens to be a swordmaster couldn't believe how quickly the army capitulated to the enemy.
And as they started falling back, is when he stepped in and helped lord Chesié to organise the retreat.
And a pell-mell retreat it's been ever since.
With very little order at first. As everyone clambered to get over the hill, and out of their camp. And take off southwards along the road, that winds through the hills, to get to the city of Savariss.
The swordmaster Berric and his subcommander Omrick have had to lead some of the rear guard action against the enemy throughout the day.
Using squads of soldiers and mercenaries to hold off a number of the enemy from across the border, in the unruled lands of the Colevar Mountain's southern reaches.
A lot of the time they've been successful. Though during others. Not so much. And both commander Berric and his subcommander have been lucky to get away with their lives.
And every single time that's happened. They've come up against those amongst the enemy. Who are in uniforms of black.
Mercenaries obviously. Though unlike any kind of mercenary the swordmaster has ever encountered before.
The commander of duke Hargen's personal guard saw what can only be described as a knight. With a black tabbard over his breastplate.
Run down a number of the rear guard. Killing many others in the process. Who only went down as his horse, in heavy barding. Was shot multiple times with arrows and crossbow bolts.
Even then the knight got up, and cut down anyone who got in his way. Berric himself was about to take him on. Until his subcommander Omrick grabbed him, and hauled him away. As others wearing the black tabbards showed up along the road. Both mounted and on foot. Who were coming their way.
The commander had never ran so fast in his life when he saw them coming. And the only reason that he and Omrick escaped.
Is that one of the soldiers with them had caught a spare mount. And the two of them got on the back of that horse. Which they rode into the ground as they fled.
By the time they got free, the horse had been blown out and was useless. They left it behind as it would only be good for hauling a plow on a farm. That's if it even lived the rest of the day. Which it didn't, as it died well before midday.
Now as the harried retreat has gone into the afternoon. Both the commander and his subcommander find themselves moving forward through the army, which is strung out along the road that heads south.
No one has any time for the wounded and dying. As they're left where they drop. Considering the forward elements of the enemy army are always just behind the very last of the duke's army who are fleeing south.
An army with few if any wagons, as the warcamp was abandoned when their battlelines were overrun. As those fleeing south in retreat, have only what they've been able to carry.
Which in some instances isn't much at all. As some soldiers and mercenaries fled without their weapons and armour. A number even without some of their clothes.
Commander Berric and subcommander Omrick catch up with others in the duke's personal guard. Who is long gone to the south with at least half of his personal guard. They'll reach Savariss some time in the middle of the night. Or early tomorrow morning.
Not so the retreating army, as those on foot. Even if they make it to the city that's just south of the last foothills of the southern reaches. Won't get there for at least another two days, more likely three.
After drinking from a water bottle that's handed to him, commander Berric as he stands in the hot sunshine of the afternoon, asks one of his officers "Where's lord Chesié?".
"Further ahead" replies the officer who gestures down the road, then adds "Trying to get this lot into some semblance of order, so that those in the front don't slow up those following".
Nodding his head, the commander looks at his subcommander Omrick, who says to him "There's some trees just down there next to the road, should we chop them down like we did earlier".
"Do it" says the swordmaster who commands duke Hargen's personal guard, who then adds "Though let more of this lot go by, especially any still on horseback". "Not many of them left beyond this point" says one of the other guards, who continues with "Most still with mounts, have taken off southwards" he pauses then adds "Both soldiers and mercenaries".
"I know" mutters commander Berric with a slight grimace of disgust upon his face. As he knows if he had some cavalry to command. Either soldiers or mercenaries. He could hold off the enemy who are continually harassing their rear more easily. Or at least keep them at bay.
Even he and his men are without mounts. For those who were able to get their horses when the army's battlelines were breached. Are the one's who are escorting the duke south to Savariss.
As commander Berric watches the fleeing soldiers and mercenaries go by. Many of whom are injured. He's just about to give some orders. When someone further back up the road, when it's near the top of a hill, yells out "Airships to the north!".
"Oh hell" mutters the swordmaster, as airships in that direction can only mean one thing, the enemy.
As fleeing soldiers and mercenaries start running, well those who are able to.
Commander Berric says to his subcommander and his men "This could be a bloodbath, and we'll more than likely be caught up in the middle of it". He's just about to tell his men to go, and flee. With every man for himself.
When shouting and yelling, and what sounds like cheering can be heard coming from the other direction, the south.
Berric looks that way, and it's one of his officers who spots it first, who quickly says "Airships!" followed by "Ours".
The commander of duke Hargen's personal guard spots the airships in the distance to the south, heading more or less in this direction.
"Hell, there's going to be a battle right over our heads" says commander Berric, which to him is only marginally better than getting bombarded by enemy warships that are heading this way from the north.
"We have to get this lot to spread out" says the swordmaster, who continues with "Those enemy ships might still take pot shots at us on the ground, even though they'll be engaged with the duke's vessels".
His officers and guards move off, ordering soldiers and mercenaries in the duke's army to spread out. To get off the road as they continue south.
And a short while later they hear the dull thuds in the distance, to both the north and the south, of ship board magetubes firing.
Commander Berric, who is off to one side of the road with his subcommander, ordering soldiers and mercenaries to spread out and hurry south. Looks up and he spots magetube shots streaking back and forth across the clear afternoon sky.
"Damn" murmurs the commander, who along with his younger brother, who remained back in the city of Savariss, is considered the best swordmaster in all of Phelm. No mean feat considering he and his brother aren't noblemen.
"This could get ugly" says the swordmaster to his second in command Omrick, who yells at a bunch of passing mercenaries "Don't crowd together like that!" followed by "You'll make a target for the enemy up there!" as he gestures up at the afternoon sky.
"Let's get going" says the commander of duke Hargen's personal guard when he spots an enemy warship coming over the hill behind them.
And though it's over five hundred feet above the ground. The swordmaster Berric knows that a skilled captain can have his vessel tip down on one side, and have the magetubes on that side of the airship, shoot at an angle, down to the ground.
The commander and his subcommander take off running, weaving through the trees off to this side of the road.
Berric looks back behind them in the sky, and sees the robber baron's airship is tilting to one side as it sweeps away in a curve above the road.
"Shit!" yells duke Hargen's personal guard commander, who then shouts to those nearby who are also running southwards "Faster!" followed by "Your life might depend on it".
Just then they hear the rapport of a broadside from the enemy vessel. Just a short moment after that, Berric, Omrick, and those nearby. Hear and feel a succession of magetube shots hitting the ground up behind them. And explode.
The commander who doesn't waste his time by looking back. Winces as he hears explosion after explosion alongside the road behind them.
He knows anyone caught up in that, which will be quite a few. Have no chance to survive, and are dead.
As he runs downhill, the swordmaster finally glances back and up, and spots the enemy vessel, turning away. Just then, it's struck in the bow by a blue magetube shot, which explodes. Then a red one hits just behind it, which explodes in a ball of fire.
A few more magetubes shots narrowly streak by the damaged enemy vessel. The bow of which, or what little is left of it. Is on fire, which is spreading along the hull on the starboard side.
As he runs down onto a bit more flat ground with his subcommander Omrick. Commander Berric looks ahead, and in the clear, sunny sky to the south. He sees one of the duke's airships less than five hundred yards away.
He sees it's turning, and is trying to line up a broadside on the damaged enemy vessel, that's swinging away to the east.
"Blast them out of the sky" mutters the commander of duke Hargen's personal guard. Who looks quickly over at his second in command, who gasps "Another one" as he looks back over his shoulder, behind them.
Swordmaster Berric looks back too. And winces as he sees that another enemy vessel has come flying over the hill behind them.
This one is a little different than the first. It's twin masted like the first. A frigate is what the commander understands it to be. Though the lines on this vessel are sleeker looking than the first.
And the wood on the hull is darker. Not to mention from one of the masts, the rear one. Flies a black pennant. Compared to the azure sigil of the robber baron Markell that flew from one of the masts, on the first vessel, the damaged and burning one.
As duke Hargen's twin masted vessel has turned, and fires a barrage at the damaged enemy warship that's heading away to the west.
The other enemy vessel, the darker one, which is moving much quicker than the two other airships, over and near this part of the road.
Has already turned, and fires off a salvo of shots from it's starboard side magetubes.
Over twenty magical shots, ranging in size from six feet wide, to nearly twenty feet wide, head towards duke Hargen's airship. Which is the direction that commander Berric, and his subcommander Omrick are running towards.
"That way!" yells the swordmaster who points away to the right, and he and his second in command. Along with others nearby, change direction to. As above them, more than twenty magetube shots fired from the second enemy warship. Streak across the afternoon sky, passing less than two hundred feet above them.
Berric winces as he glances up, and sees the balls of pure magical energy pass overhead.
He winces again, as he sees that the duke's airship that's come to his, and everyone else's rescue on this part of the road.
Is turning away to starboard after firing a barrage of shots at the first enemy vessel it's already damaged. But not turning quickly enough.
"Fuck" mutters the commander of duke Hargen's personal guard just before the first magetube shot by the second enemy vessel, slams into the port side of the duke's warship that's turning away.
It's followed by a second, third, fourth, and so on. With more than half of the enemy magetube shots slamming into the twin masted warship in duke Hargen's fleet.
Fourteen magetube shots, one after the other. Explode when they hit the duke's airship.
Commander Berric has never seen anything like it. An airship get thoroughly annihilated. Breaking apart in an instant. And though there's a few large chunks. Mostly the aft section. The airship is destroyed as burning debris drops to the ground.
The swordmaster Berric hears his second in command Omrick say "Fucking hell" as what's left of one of their duke's warships hits the ground just a few hundred feet from them.
Then the commander looks quickly back and to his left as he continues to run. To see if the enemy warship that's just destroyed one of duke Hargen's vessels. Is going to shoot at those on the ground.
Apparently not, as it's already turned to the east. And is going by the damaged airship. Firing another salvo, off away to the south. Berric looks in the direction it's firing towards. And he thinks he can just make out another airship in the distance that way.
Must be another of the duke's warships, the swordmaster thinks to himself, who then looks around at those soldiers and mercenaries running southwards.
He briefly grins as he hears subcommander Omrick mutter beside him as they run "At least that got all this lot moving a hell of a lot faster".
Commander Berric slightly nods in agreement, then he calls out to all of those running nearby "Keep moving!" followed by "Who knows when they'll be back to shoot at us again!" the swordmaster then silently adds, I hope not anytime soon . . . . . .