The Hire 112.

The City Of Almaic. The Duchy Of Phelm...

Teabagger the goblin Cunt looks away to the east, and says "Boss, i mean general, look".
Dorc da Orc grunts, then looks away to the east where the small, bright green goblin is pointing.
The large ork grunts again as he sees how extremely thick the smoke is upon the river Mareb that runs along the east side of Almaic.
"Quiet cunts" growls Dorc da Orc at the goblins closest to him and Teabagger in the long trench. That their battalion, along with captain Weldin's company have taken over. Just a hundred and fifty feet from the north wall of the city.
The big, burly ork who hails from the southern polar region of the world is one of the few, more likely only person in or near the city of Almaic. That can actually see through the thick smoke to the east of the city that's the capital of the duchy of Phelm.
Dorkindle uses his ork thermal vision to see what's going on through the smoke, as he also listens carefully to what's happening.
The ork warleader can see across to the otherside of the river, and sees the army led by the general from the lands Farque, general Halvane.
The ork weaponsmith sees the heat coming off the soldiers and mercenaries across on the otherside of the river. As they quickly head further south along that side of the river.
The large ork who is the general of a battalion of goblins in the mercenary army from the lands Farque grunts in understanding as he realises what's happening.
The full on attack upon the east side of the city is underway, and must be happening further south along the river Mareb. Where he can't see. Further south beyond the northeast corner of the city that's the provincial capital.
"They attacking them cunts around there now" says Dorc da Orc to the goblin commander Teabagger.
The warleader of the ork race who has just waved a big, meaty, skillet sized hand to the east of the city, adds with a chortle "Them cunts are in for a fucken surprise".
Teabagger nods in understanding, then he looks sideways at his general, who has just grunted again, and has gone back to looking at the magetube lying out in the open, just a hundred feet from them, and about fifty feet out from the north wall of the city of Almaic.
The big, burly ork who is from the very frozen, bottom of the world, goes back to muttering to himself in the incomprehensible language of his race, as he continues to look at the magetube that's lying out in no man's land.
"Think the attack is underway on the east side of the city" says Tamric Drubine, who is standing on the back of a catapult that's out of range of the north wall of Almaic. As he looks to the east, through his brass, cylindrical eyepiece.
Standing next to the young field commander on the back of the catapult. And looking through his own brass, cylindrical eyepiece. Though his is leather wrapped, and of better quality as it's elven made.
Mira Reinholt the mage looks away from the north wall of the city. And looks to the east through the eyepiece.
The once powerful mage sees how thick the smoke is to the east along the Mareb river now. You can't even see the river, and you definitely can't see to the countryside on the otherside of it.
Where the army led by general Halvane staged, as they prepared to attack that side of the city that's the capital of the duchy of Phelm. The northern most, not to mention, the largest duchy in the kingdom of Nastell.
"I think you're right" quietly says Mira Reinholt the mage, as the plan of attack upon the east side of Almaic, was set for around midday. Or as soon as the smoke got so thick along a fair way of the river that runs down the east side of the city. When it was impossible to see what's happening on either side of the river.
It's now early afternoon, and the smoke is so thick, that both the nobleborn teenager, and the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, can barely see the northeast corner of the city.
They can't even see the river Mareb, nor what's on the otherside of it.
Though they know what's happening right now. As they, along with a handful of others. Helped devised the overall attack upon the city of Almaic, the provincial capital.
Another who helped devised the plans to attack the city that's the capital of the duchy of Phelm. Is the cavalry commander Darid Parsen.
Who is amongst the army that's further to the west of the one that's led by the young field commander, Tamric Drubine. Here to the north of the city of Almaic.
Commander Parsen is in one of the enemy fortifications that the forward elements of that army led by field commander Leivyn have already taken.
The cavalry officer who is a member of the personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque. Is with his second in command Kalleb, upon one of the archers platforms in the fortification.
Below them is sir Percavelle Lé Dic, who is pacing back and forth. Eager to get underway again, to march forward with the rest of the army.
Also on the ground, though away to the right. Are the robber barons Gergus and Solamard, who are with their seconds, as well as other senior officers in their armies.
All because field commander Leivyn along with some of her senior staff. Are upon the archers platform to the right of the one councilor Parsen and his second in command, Kalleb is on.
The cavalry commander who is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra by the name of Zubutai Timaginson, who just happens to find himself inhabiting the body of Darid Parsen.
Looks away to the left, and catches sight of Lisell Maera jogging this way from the east end of the fortification.
The attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury, who is now a messenger in the armies of Farque.
Ignores the inquiring look directed at her by the robber baron Gergus. As she gets to the archers platform the cavalry commander is up with his second.
Lisell Maera, or Lis as she's more commonly called by those who know her well, climbs the wooden ladder to get onto the platform.
"Zaneff says to look to the east" quietly says Lisell Maera in the elven language once she's standing next to the cavalry officer and his second in command.
"What is it?" asks Darid Parsen the cavalry commander in the same language as he looks eastwards.
"He says they've begun the attack on that side of the city".
The member of lord Farque's personal council who can see in the distance the thick smoke where the Mareb river is. Nods his head in understanding, knowing that the battle so far. Throughout the morning, and now the early afternoon. Is all in preparation of what the army led by general Halvane, to the east of Almaic. Is about to do as they start attacking the city that's the capital of the duchy of Phelm, in earnest. After only shooting catapults, as well arrows and shafts at the enemy who are defending the east side of the city.
"Let's see how this goes then" quietly says Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman in the elven language.
The cavalry commander then calls out in the same language to field commander Leivyn, informing the lithe, athletic, attractive looking woman. That the attack upon the east side of Almaic is now fully underway.
Around on the west side of the city. Where for the most part, the fighting has been the heaviest so far during the battle for Almaic. Mainly due to all the war machines in the army led by field commander Talbot.
That are constantly bombarding this side of the city that's the provincial capital. The side of the city, where it spills out beyond where ordinarily a wall would stand.
Not far from one of the trebuchets under his command. The war engineer Tovis is looking straight up into the clear, blue, early afternoon sky.
So is Shur Kee the monk who is standing beside the young engineer who is originally from the kingdom of Druvic, where he was the war engineer to a baron Harkonin.
The two of them are looking up at the second in command of the engineers corp in the mercenary army from the lands Farque.
The sorcerer Larris, who is levitating about two hundred and fifty feet above the ground. Where he can observe pretty much all of the battle for the city of Almaic.
The Farqian sorcerer knows he has to be careful up in the sky. As one of the robber baron Markell's spellcasters a little earlier in the day.
Who also levitated up into the sky to observe the progress of the battle. Was struck down by an enemy spellcaster. Who hit him with a lightning bolt from the clear, blue sky this hot summer's day here in the north of the kingdom of Nastell.
The war engineer and the short, statured monk glance at one another as they see Larris wave down at them. Then a few moments later, the sorcerer disappears.
The second in command to the young engineer, has teleported to the ground further back amongst the army, about sixty yards back.
Larris thinks, correctly as it turns out. That it's safer to teleport to the ground, away from where he levitated up into the early afternoon sky. And to shield himself once he's back on the ground.
So that he doesn't make himself a target for an enemy spellcaster. Some of whom obviously saw him, or at least sensed him. Levitating in the air above the army that's attacking the west side of the city of Almaic.
The fairly powerful sorcerer jogs to where his commander, and the honorary member of lord Farque's personal council are standing near one of the trebuchets.
Which has just completed reloading, and it's crew sets it in motion. Flinging a large netting full of large rocks and stones at the western side of the city that's the capital of the duchy of Phelm.
The netting as it's designed to do. Breaks apart in flight, and the shot. In this case stones and rocks. The smallest of which are the size of large melons. While the largest are as round as wagon wheels.
Rains down upon the buildings and streets that are outside of the rest of the city. And those of the enemy who are on those streets, and in those buildings.
"What did you see?" asks Tovis the war engineer when his second in command makes his way back to them.
"A lot" is the reply of Larris the sorcerer, who after briefly pausing adds "Most important of which, general Halvane's army is now attacking the east side of the city in force".
"Oh?" says the young engineer who hails from the kingdom of Druvic.
The spellcaster from the lands Farque nods his head yes, then says "The river to the south of the city is extremely low" followed by "Obviously the coursers have halted the flow of it".
The sorcerer Larris then explains how he couldn't see much of the river on the east side of the city due to the thick smoke over there. And he could barely see beyond it.
And what he did, he was able to see part of general Halvane's army in the distance on the otherside of the river. And by the looks of it as they were now moving forward fairly quickly. They must of begun to cross the riverbed now that it was dry as the water elemental coursers in the Farqian mercenary army are holding the Mareb river back.
After telling the war engineer and the acolyte in the order of Bru Li what he saw over on the north side of Almaic as well. The sorcerer says to them "There's an enemy warship lifting off from within the palace".
"Where's it heading?" asks Tovis who wonders if the army led by field commander Talbot, that he is part of, will have to deal with an airship as well.
"Looks like it's turning to the east" is the reply of the second in command of the engineering corp in the mercenary army from the lands Farque.
"Wonder if they figured out the main thrust of the attack will come from that side of the city?" quietly says the young engineer who hails from the Harkonin fief in the lands Farque.
"It is a possibility" quietly says Shur Kee the monk, the short statured monk in the odd white clothing, and the even odder looking conical shaped hat. Which Tovis would willingly admit, he'd like to wear on such a hot, sunny day.
Continues with "It is up to fate and the gods what will happen now on that side of the city".
Both the war engineer, and his second in command the sorcerer nod in agreement with that. While next to them, the trebuchet is reloaded, to fling another shot at the enemy here on the west side of the city that's the provincial capital.
On the east side of the city of Almaic. Standing infront of a building on the otherside of the boulevard from the riverfront.
Peering eastwards through the smoke, Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy dryly says "Smoke" in response to one of the squad members asking him "What do you see?".
"Be quiet, I'm trying to listen" quietly says the elven spy who is in the armies of Farque, and who has infiltrated duke Hargen's army.
"You heard him, be quiet" orders the squad leader Barron as the small squad stand up against the front of a building. While the trio of nonhuman mercenaries try to figure out what's going on in the smoke infront of them.
The elven spy who is originally from the principality of Alínlae, who is passing himself off as a mercenary ranger from his homeland whilst embedded in the duke's army.
Knows, more or less, what's happening within the smoke that's obscured the Mareb river and the docks that are along the otherside of the long boulevard that runs down the east side of the city of Almaic.
"I can't hear that damn river" mutters Shawtus McQuade, who after a slight pause as he points away to the north through the smoke to the river, then adds "Well, i can't hear it flowing from there anymore".
"Aye, same here" says Smawfri McQuade, the spy Tanith nods his hooded head in agreement with the two dwarven warriors who hail from the Sunreach Mountains where their clanhold is located.
"I can't hear shit infront of us because of all these buggers" says Smawfri McQuade who waves a hand towards the otherside of the boulevard directly infront of them.
The slightly shorter, and slightly younger of the two McQuade cousins continues in a mutter in the dwarven language with "They should shut the fuck up so i can hear what's happening".
His slightly older cousin Shawtus, who also happens to be slightly taller, grunts in agreement with him as they try to listen to what's happening on the river. Or more precisely, in the river. Well, actually in the riverbed to be exact.
"You hear that?" quietly says Dalinvardél Tanith to the dwarven warriors from the Sunreach Mountains.
The elven spy from Alínlae, who is more commonly referred to as Dalin by those who know him well. It's also the name he's going by whilst he's embedded in the army of duke Hargen of Phelm. Continues with "There it is again"
The McQuade cousins glance at one another, then they look at the tall figure of the elven spy who they think is a mercenary ranger. And they shake their heads no.
"Movement in the river" quietly says Dalin "What river, i can't hear the damn water" mutters Smawfri McQuade, who is the more temperamental of the two temperamental dwarven warriors.
"There isn't any water" quietly says the spy Tanith, who sweeps an arm across infront of him, as he adds "Well not much of it i guess".
"Then hell the how can you hear what's in the" says Smawfri McQuade who suddenly falls silent as he realises what Dalin is getting at.
"Exactly" says the elven spy who has infiltrated duke Hargen's army, who continues with "They're crossing the river" he briefly pauses before he adds "Well, i should say they're crossing the riverbed since there's no water".
Dalinvardél Tanith then looks at the young squad Barron and tells him "By the sounds of it, they're crossing in force" the elven spy who pretty much knows what's exactly going on, knows that it won't exactly be that safe here fairly soon, so he asks the young squad leader "What do you want to do?".
The squad leader who is from further south in the duchy of Phelm looks at the elf and the two dwarves, and asks the trio of hired mercenaries "What do you suggest?".
Dalinvardél Tanith and the McQuade cousins all glance at one another, then after they peer through the thick smoke that obscures most of the riverfront, and totally obscures the river itself, Dalin says to the young squad leader "Well, i think we should" . . . . . .