The Hire 109.

The Kingdom Of Nastell. The Duchy Of Phelm. The City Of Almaic...

"Is that a troll?" calls out the cleric Beldane "I think it might be!" is the shouted reply from the sorcerer Dominic who is further along the wall.
"Well the others are definitely goblins!" calls out the cleric in the church of Glaine. The other spellcaster further to the west, along the top of the north wall of Almaic, nods in agreement with the cleric.
"Goblins" murmurs Beldane with a shake of his head, who continues murmuring with "Who would of thought they would of made soldiers?" the cleric then silently adds, and fairly good ones too by the looks of it.
Beldane the cleric in the church of Glaine is next to one of the catapults here on top of the north wall of the city that's the provincial capital. A catapult that's just reloading, to throw another shot at the enemy, who are now in the battleline that's closest to the north wall of Almaic.
The cleric looks out across the countryside to the north of the city. Where for a few miles at least. Duke Hargen's army had numerous battlelines. Many of which had makeshift fortifications built with the dirt and wooden palisades.
Now they've all fallen to the enemy. Well at least the ones all to the east of the road, and the main gates, here on the north side of the city.
It's midday, and the battle only began at dawn this morning. And already the enemy are nearly at the north wall of the city itself.
The cleric Beldane, one of the more powerful clerics of Glaine based here in the city of Almaic. Always thought it was the wrong decision to have battlelines out from the city.
Those soldiers and mercenaries who manned those fortifications and trenches would of been more useful here in the city itself, in the opinion of the powerful cleric.
But since he has no say in what the duke's army does, and what it's commanders decide to do. His opinion on the matter wasn't taken into account.
Though for all that. Now that it's during battle. The cleric, along with the other common born spellcasters are listened to. Especially as most of them are the ones who have fixed wards up along the north side of the city that's the capital of the duchy of Phelm.
A duchy that's presently ruled by duke Hargen. Which the five robber barons of the unruled lands in the Colevar Mountains to the north of the kingdom of Nastell. Who have banded together to wage war upon duke Hargen.
What to dispose of as soon as possible now that they're attacking the city of Almaic.
The cleric turns to some of the men to his right, who are chatting about how the troll was hit by a ballista shot a little earlier. From one of the war machines further along the top of the wall. A ballista that's now destroyed.
Beldane finds that a little hard to believe. For even a troll, as ugly and feral looking, not to mention as fat as the one in the long trench that's the last battleline before the north wall of Almaic. Couldn't survive being skewered by a ballista shot.
"That's the ugliest damn troll I've ever seen" murmurs the follower of the god Glaine, who admittedly has only ever seen two trolls in his lifetime. But none of them were as ugly, or deranged looking as the one in the long trench just a hundred and fifty feet out from the wall.
"What are they waiting for?" asks one of the soldiers in the duke's army to the right of the cleric "For the rest of their army to come forward and get into position" says Beldane in reply "Once they do, they can attack the wall with scaling ladders and the like" adds the powerful cleric, who is best friends with the sorcerer Dominic.
The cleric in the church of Glaine then looks down at the open ground before the wall, which at this moment is no man's land, and will soon be the killing zone.
Beldane slightly frowns as once again he spots the magetube lying about fifty feet out from the wall, when a section of the top of the wall was destroyed earlier in the battle, not long after dawn to be exact.
That might be a bit of a problem if they're able to get a hold of it, and get it working, the cleric thinks to himself, who has had that same thought repeatedly throughout the morning, now midday.
Beldane, who like all clerics is a fighting man first, and a spellcaster second. It helps that a lot of his spellcraft is completely instinctive and automatic when he actually fights.
Is just about to turn and asks his fellow spellcaster Dominic, who is about sixty feet further along the top of the wall something.
When he puts a gauntleted hand on his mace, which he often does, not realising it most of the time.
The mace instantly flashes white, and a beam of white light hits Beldane, which the next instant grows to a white column that envelopes me, a column of white light that expands outwards from him.
The cleric in the church of Glaine immediately recognises what it is. It's a powerful ward in his magical mace, which protects him from harmful magic.
Beldane is a little surprised it would have to protect him due to the fixed wards protecting the north wall of the city of Almaic.
The cleric is just wandering what the threat could be. When he's suddenly engulfed in flames as an explosion of fire washes across the section of the wall he's on.
The powerful cleric is sure in the knowledge that his god's power will protect him, and it does. As it does to a few of the nearby soldiers who are also in the column of white light that's expanding outwards from Beldane.
Not so for the others along this section of the wall. That includes the catapult crew and the catapult itself.
As a lot of them turn to ash in an instant, while the  catapult goes up like a candle flame. Those at the edge of the explosion of fire are the unlucky ones.
As they're burst into flames and take longer to die. While others catch on fire and don't die, dropping to the hot stones of the top of the wall. Screaming in pain. That's if they can scream as more than a few of them inhale flames burning their mouths, throats and lungs out.
After what feels like an eternity, the fire disappears as quickly as it appeared. Leaving behind a blackened mess along this section of the top of the north wall of Almaic.
Even the catapult has burnt to ash, with the exception of some of the metal bracing plates on it. Which if they're not melted, are black and twisted, so much so they're completely brittle now because of the heat that they've endured.
So it is for some of the weapons and armour of those who were killed in the explosion of fire. Scattered along the section of the wall affected. Are bits of burnt weapons and armour.
A black axehead over there, a warped and melted sword blade here. It's the only reminder that their were people on this section of the wall just a few moments ago.
The other reminder is the four who were protected by the god Glaine's power in the magical mace that one of his clerics has in his possession.
Just the cleric Beldane and the three soldiers who were closest to him, survived the explosion of fire.
After the column of white light disappears as Beldane takes his hand off his mace, the powerful cleric mutters "By Glaine what the hell was that?".
The cleric in the church of Glaine turns and looks along the top of the wall, and sees his friend Dominic looking relieved that he, Beldane is still alive.
"What the hell was that?" calls out the cleric who senses that the wards along the top of the wall here, well to be exact, just out and infront of it. Are intact, and don't feel like anything could get through them anytime soon.
So whatever it was that hit him, and killed about thirty soldiers, city guards and mercenaries, not to mention completely destroy a catapult. Came from within the city itself. Or at least ended up here on the city side of the wards.
"Mageglobe!" calls out the sorcerer Dominic who hurries along the top of the wall, to get to his friend the cleric.
"Mageglobe?" mutters the powerful cleric, who then slightly nods as Dominic mentioned to him earlier, that when sir Yarrim paid him a visit a little while ago. That he should look out for any mageglobes coming from the enemy armies attacking the city of Almaic.
Mageglobes which are notoriously difficult to sense at the best of times. The middle of a battle isn't such a time. As spells being cast and dropped all over the place, make it almost impossible to sense a living piece of magic like a mageglobe.
Beldane frowns again, as he should be able to sense a mage amongst the enemy. And should've been able to for quite some time.
As mages aren't exactly known for being subtle or discreet. Infact the exact opposite. As you should be able to sense one from miles away as they're quite fond of flaunting all their power.
"You okay?" asks Dominic when he gets to his friend Beldane amongst the now blackened stonework along this section of the top of the north wall of the city that's the capital of the duchy.
"Yeah I'm fine" is the reply of the cleric in the church of Glaine, who knows it's his magical mace, and the power of his god, Glaine. That has kept him alive. As they've done a few times in the past.
"A mageglobe eh?" adds the powerful cleric, whose god is the predominant deity that's worshipped in the north of the kingdom of Nastell, particularly here in the duchy of Phelm. To be exact, in the central and the southern parts of the duchy. Where most of the population of Phelm lives.
"Which means a mage" says the sorcerer who helped trained another of his friends in the spellcraft of sorcery, sir Yarrim the sorcerer.
"Who i can't sense no matter what i do" says the common born sorcerer, who after slightly pausing adds "Which is more than a little odd".
"Yes it is" quietly says the cleric Beldane, who after a moments contemplation adds "How did it get through the wards?".
"Over them, or around them most likely" says the sorcerer Beldane as he looks out at the enemy, the closest of whom are only a hundred and fifty feet away.
The common born sorcerer continues with "They're not like spells, they can go wherever they like" he briefly pauses before adding "I figure it's target was you".
"I'm flattered" says Beldane in a slightly dry tone of voice, the cleric in the church of Glaine shakes his head, then grins.
Beldane, for those who don't him well. Always comes off as a bit of a pompous loudmouth, who has a rather high opinion of himself.
True, he's a positive sounding individual most of the time. And he's supremely confident during battle. More precisely melee combat. Where he's most deadliest.
He only seems arrogant to those who have a higher social standing than him. Which here in the city of Almaic, is the nobility of the duchy of Phelm.
The cleric often attends court at the duke's palace, representing the church of Glaine along with the senior father of the church.
Beldane who though only in his mid twenties, is a senior member of the fighting wing of the church. Enhances his reputation of arrogance whenever he's around a nobleman or woman. By being loud and officious, usually about the inherent privilege they have over others.
He does so, safe in the knowledge that he's part of the most popular religious sect here in the north of the kingdom of Nastell. Even amongst the nobility. And there's the fact the church provides a lot of the tax coins that end up in the duke's coffers. Another reason to be on their good side.
As for the commoners, like the trio of soldiers who survived the explosion of fire with Beldane. For the most part they like the cleric. True he can be loud at times.
But those who have fought alongside him in the past. Can attest that he's just as likely to protect or heal one of them, as he is a nobleborn officer in the duke's army.
Something that can't be said for some other clerics and warrior priests fighting alongside the army of duke Hargen, who are defending the city of Almaic, the capital of Phelm.
Beldane, who is always amused that his best friend Dominic, who doesn't hold his beliefs, and only has a tenuous belief in the gods of Volunell. Can be friends with him, as well as someone else like sir Yarrim, who Dominic along with Dominic's father helped trained.
Sir Yarrim, who the cleric Beldane thinks is a social climber of the worst kind. Who through position and wealth, has got himself close to the duke's family. For reasons that's obvious to the powerful cleric. He's pretty certain the sorcerer Yarrim has got his eyes on the ducal seat.
And now that he's in a relationship with the lady Elaine, who is the younger sister of duke Hargen. Who yesterday, the duke just named as his new heir. Sir Yarrim is closer than ever to the ducal seat of Phelm.
The cleric of Glaine really doesn't see much of a difference between the powerful sorcerer whose estates are along the southern border of the duchy. And the robber barons of the southern reaches of the Colevar Mountains, who have banded together to wage a campaign of war against duke Hargen and the duchy of Phelm. They're just going about it in different ways.
And because the robber barons from north of the border are fighting their way through the duchy to get what they want.
Beldane along with the fighting wing of his church. Along with the warrior priests and priestess of other churches and temples here in Almaic. And the magic using holy men and women they have in their ranks. Are fighting alongside the duke's army and the forces of the nobility.
Because the invaders from the Colevar Mountains to the north of the kingdom of Nastell. Have brought wanton destruction to the duchy of Phelm.
Beldane who thinks if the enemy somehow end up victorious. Will turn on themselves. After all there's five robber barons, and only one of them can be the new duke of Phelm.
Says to his friend and fellow spellcaster "Beats me why a mage isn't front and center, trying to blast a way through the wards, and knock the wall down" the cleric who has never actually met a mage, but has heard a lot about them, adds "From what i know, one of them could do so" he briefly pauses, then says "Well a powerful one at least".
"They're all powerful" dryly says the sorcerer Dominic who has met a few mages in his travels throughout the kingdom, and elsewhere in the Southlands. The sorcerer continues with "Even a middling or ineffectual one is as powerful as Yarrim".
The cleric in the church of Glaine winces when he hears that, for sir Yarrim is the most powerful spellcaster here in the city of Almaic, and probably in the entire duchy too.
More so than Beldane, who is the most powerful cleric, magic wise at least, based here in the city of Almaic.
"Damn" murmurs the cleric "Now Beldane, that's not something a holy man such as yourself should be saying" says the sorcerer Dominic with a grin upon his face.
The cleric wryly smiles as he looks at his friend, who wears fairly nondescript clothes, who could pass as a modest trader or merchant. While Beldane himself is wearing half plate armour and chainmail, over which is the vestments of Glaine. There's no hiding the fact that he's a fighting cleric.
"So, best we keep an eye out for a mage who definitely isn't acting like a mage" says the powerful cleric, his friend the sorcerer nods in agreement.
Then Beldane gestures down to the magetube that's lying out in the open, just fifty feet from the north wall of the city.
"And keep an eye on that too" says the follower of the god Glaine, who continues with "Just incase that lot trying to get it and use it".
"I hope they do" says the sorcerer Dominic "Oh?" says Beldane as he looks in surprise at his friend the sorcerer.
Dominic explains to the cleric that he and another sorcerer or wizard working in unison could levitate the heavy magical weapon back to the top of the wall. But they haven't.
All because he hopes to draw as many of the enemy to it as possible. As he can target them easier if they're in one spot out in the open where the magetube is lying.
"And the way those goblins and that fat ugly troll are looking and pointing at it" says the sorcerer Dominic, who continues with "I wouldn't be surprised if they go for it at some time".
The cleric Beldane, whose magic is most effective at close range, touch or hitting with his mace in melee combat being most destructive, nods his head to that from his friend.
The powerful cleric then says "Hmmm fifty feet away, that's about where some of my magic becomes more effective". The cleric Beldane grins at the prospect of that . . . . . .