The Hire 114.

The Battle Of Phelm...

Pushing at the face of Helbe the elven thief. Narladene the ground pixie says in the elven language "Wake up damn it".
The naturally magical creature sourly smiles and mutters "Fucking hell" in the ground pixie language as the young elven noble remains unconscious and unresponsive.
The tiny winged creature who is originally from the Sunreach Mountains, who first met the elven masterthief in the city of Leeabra, in the kingdom of Druvic over a dozen years ago.
Sighs as she looks away from the elven magic user who lies upon a rooftop, across the street from the western side of the ducal palace.
And looks away to the east across the city and sees one of the duke's airships flying over the city, heading towards the Mareb river that runs along the east side of the city that's the capital of the duchy of Phelm.
"Drats" mutters Narladene as she watches the warship in the distance. The ground pixie who can already sense the increased casting upon the east side of Almaic, from both sides of the battle. Knows that the attack upon the east side of the city by the army led by general Halvane. Is well and truly underway.
She can feel through the building she's on top of, and down through the ground beneath it, and away to the east.
That the river Mareb has been halted by the water elemental coursers in the mercenary army from the lands Farque.
And that soldiers and mercenaries in the army led by the Farqian general. Are crossing the riverbed to the city, while others are already across it. Fighting the duke's men along the riverfront on the city side of the Mareb.
The naturally magical creature who has the ability to feel movement for miles in all directions, however minute, through the ground. After all, she is a ground pixie.
Who like all pixies and sprites, is immune to spellcraft and magic. And can sense all magic, moments before it's even cast.
Looks at the warship in the distance to the east across the city. A vessel she knows Helbe the elven thief can bring down with ease. Even if it's got barrier or protection spells around it.
The tiny winged creature sighs once more, then sits down on the roof next to the face of the young elven noble from the principality of Laerel, who is lying on his side, completely oblivious to what's going on at the moment, as he's unconscious due to being under the influence of his powers of foresight.
Which are not magical in anyway or form. But a unique ability or power that Helbenthril Raendril has. An ability he shares with his grandfather, Prince Raendril of Laerel.
Though for the grandson, he's yet to master the power of foresight. Which always seems to knock him out for an intermittent amount of time.
Narladene hopes it isn't for too much longer. As both the enemy sorcerer, sir Yarrim is around on the east side of the city. And soon one of duke Hargen's warships will be there. Attacking the army led by general Halvane. Both sorcerer and airship, who Helbe the elven thief would be able to deal with if he was conscious, and awake.
"Drats" mutters the ground pixie once again as she continues to wait for the elven princeling, who is a member of lord Farque's personal council, to wake up.
They watch the red energyball head through the smoke, burning away any of the smoke in it's path.
The two personal guards from sir Yarrim's household glance at one another, then one says "I think it's going to hit that wall of water.
"I hope so" says sir Yarrim the sorcerer, who continues with "Because that's what i targeted".
The nobleborn spellcaster whose estates are along the southern border of the duchy of Phelm.
Senses an enemy spellcaster across on the otherside of the river, a wizard this time, casting a spell.
The powerful sorcerer increases the strength of his barrier spell around him and his two personal household guards. And expands it, so it's completely domed shaped, so that it covers them.
An instant later, a bolt of lightning shoots down out of the clear, blue early afternoon sky. And strikes the top of the barrier spell.
Sir Yarrim and his two guards shut their eyes from the white flash of the lightning striking them. Or more precisely, the sorcerer's barrier spell.
The nobleman from the very south of the duchy opens his eyes a couple of moments later. And doesn't bother to retaliate against the enemy wizard across on the otherside of the Mareb.
The sorcerer Yarrim goes back to watching his red energyball as it heads northwards through the smoke, at the height of where the surface of the river would normally be.
As it goes in a straight line, the energyball cast by the powerful sorcerer slowly drops in height as it heads north along the Mareb river.
It's now just below where the surface of the water would normally be. As it continues to burn away the smoke in its path.
Then about a third of a mile north of the building that sir Yarrim and his two guards are on. Just beyond where the nobleborn spellcaster's firewave hit amongst the enemy on the otherside of the river.
The energyball hits the wall of water that marks where the Mareb river has stopped flowing, and has halted.
The red energyball goes into the water and explodes. And though some water explodes upwards into the air through the smoke.
More of the water pours forth from the wall of water. Like from a hole in a bucket. It does so for a few moments, hitting the riverbed, and some of those crossing it near the wall of water.
Then all of a sudden, it stops flowing. As if it's been plugged up. Which is indeed what's happened.
And though some of those crossing the riverbed near the wall of water, got drenched. And some got knocked off their feet. They continue on towards the nearest scaling ladder that's up against one of the docks on the city side of the Mareb river.
"Er?" says one of sir Yarrim personal household guards, while the other says "Huh?" after seeing what just happened with the powerful sorcerer's energyball.
As for the nobleman himself, he just frowns and murmurs "Hmmm?" as he tries to figure out what just happened, but more importantly, what to do.
Now i didn't expect that, sir Yarrim thinks to himself, who after a few moments contemplation, spins around and looks at the approaching frigate, which is only a few hundred yards away now.
The nobleborn sorcerer whose estates are along the southern border of the duchy of Phelm. Gets in contact via a mindspeech spell, with a fellow sorcerer upon the approaching warship.
The powerful sorcerer who is in a relationship with the younger sister and heir of duke Hargen. Tells the spellcaster onboard the duke's vessel, to have the captain change his plans.
And instead of firing upon the enemy who are crossing the riverbed. To have the magetubes on the airship shoot at the wall of water too.
Sir Yarrim gives the distance of the wall of water from the building he's on, so that the magetube crews on the twin masted frigate can shoot into the smoke without trying to figure out where their target is.
"Kamnix!" calls out the squad leader Barron through the smoke across the wide boulevard that runs down the east side of the city of Almaic.
"This way you idiot!" calls out the young squad leader from further south in the duchy, to the other squad leader from sir Yarrim's household, who is in charge of the larger squad that's defending this section of the boulevard between two of the watch towers.
They can hear fighting, from near the tower just to the north, across the boulevard from where Barron and his small squad are.
As the young squad leader goes to call out through the smoke again, Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy tells him "He either heard you or he didn't".
The elf, who is originally from the principality of Alínlae, who is now a spy in the armies of Farque, who has infiltrated duke Hargen's army, says "No use giving away our position to the enemy".
Dalinvardél Tanith, or Dalin as he's more commonly referred to by those who know him well, it's also the name he's going by whilst embedded in the duke of Phelm's army, then says to Barron "Into that lane up on the right".
The spy Tanith continues with "We should be able to hold it" followed by "And the smoke isn't so thick there".
The young squad leader nods his head at the suggestion from the elven spy who he thinks is a mercenary ranger from Alínlae.
The McQuade cousins, Shawtus and Smawfri lead the way along the front of a building to the lane that leads into the city proper.
As they do, Barron mutters "Wish another one of those spells would go by and burn more of this smoke away". Infront of the young squad leader, the elven spy who has infiltrated duke Hargen's army, nods his hooded head in agreement.
Once in the lane, and as they look out of it, into the smoke across the boulevard, one of the squad asks "What are we doing?".
"Keeping you alive" says Smawfri McQuade in a combative tone of voice, the more temperamental of the two dwarven warriors from the Sunreach Mountains continues with "You think you can tell friend from foe in all this shit?" as he waves towards the smoke covered boulevard.
The slightly younger, and slightly shorter of the McQuade cousins, who also happens to be bald, but also has the longer and thicker beard, then adds "Even Shawtus and i, along with Dalin would have trouble telling who is who in all that damn smoke".
The squad member shuts up, as all in the small squad, who survived a battle along the northern border of Phelm against the enemy. And also the fall of the northern city of Savariss.
Knows it's best to not get in an argument with either of the McQuade cousins, especially Smawfri. Who is likely to start a fight if you argue too much with him.
"There's something" quietly says Shawtus McQuade "What?" demands his slightly younger, and slightly shorter cousin Smawfri, as the slightly older and slightly taller cousin looks upwards into the smoke shrouded sky.
"Shut up you bald prick, I'm trying to listen" says Shawtus McQuade in the dwarven language "Tall git" mutters Smawfri McQuade, who does fall silent so that he too can listen for whatever it is that his cousin has heard.
A few moments later, and the slightly older of the two dwarven warriors from the Sunreach Mountains, where their clanhold is located, nods his head, and says "I thought so" Shawtus McQuade continues with "An airship approaching".
"From the west, and a bit to the south of us" says Dalinvardél Tanith who has heard the vessel too "One of the duke's warships perhaps?" asks Barron the squad leader "I'd say so" is the reply of Shawtus McQuade, and his cousin Smawfri nods in agreement.
While the spy Tanith just hopes that there's someone nearby in his own army who can deal to the duke's warship. As he knows if a barrage of magetube shots from it would hit the wall of water where the Mareb river is being held back. It'll more than likely kill the water elemental coursers holding back the wide flowing river that runs along the east side of the city of Almaic.
Or the water elemental coursers would flee from an airship barrage if one's fired at them holding back the Mareb river.
Either way, the river will flow again. And those in the army led by general Halvane crossing the riverbed at the time will be struck by thousands of tons of water, and swept away to their deaths.
Narladene the ground pixie who is looking away to the east across the city, at the enemy warship in the distance that's getting closer and closer to the river Mareb, which runs along that side of the city that's the provincial capital. Spins around when she feels Helbe the elven thief starting to stir.
The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel starts moving as he lies on his side. The elven princeling, who is a member of the royal family that rules Laerel. Who just happens to be a masterthief, among other things.
Slightly groans, as his eyelashes flutters before he finally opens his eyes.
The highly talented elven magic user blinks his eyes a few times, and finds a grinning Narladene standing right infront of him.
"You're awake!" says the ground pixie in relief "Barely" croaks Helbe the elven thief, who clears his throat, then sits up, though he slightly struggles to do, as he's bit disoriented after what's just happened.
The naturally magical creature who hails from the Sunreach Mountains recalls what knocked the young elven noble out, and as she flies up to his right shoulder, she asks him "What was it?".
"Was it someone?" adds the tiny winged creature after landing upon the right shoulder of the elven princeling she's attached to.
Helbe the elven thief rubs his temples with his right hand as he winces from the sunlight beaming down upon the roof he's on.
The elven master assassin puts the hood of his cloak back onto his head, and pulls the front down over his forehead, and the top of his face. Then he suddenly freezes as he remembers what he saw as he was unconscious, and his power of foresight took over.
"Hell" mutters prince Helbenthril Raendril, who then tells Narladene "Yeah it's somebody" he briefly pauses, then adds "Someone here in the city" as he recalls the details of his latest bout with his uncontrollable powers of foresight.
"Oh hell" mutters the ground pixie, who briefly looks away to the east of the city, before she looks back at the face of the young elven noble from the principality of Laerel.
"Who?" asks the naturally magical creature.
"Some guy called Beldane" is the reply from the elven master archer, who faintly winces as he pauses for a moment or two, then he carries on with "He's a cleric".
Narladene's jaw drops as her mouth opens wide in surprised. The tiny winged creature is speechless for a few moments, then she eventually says "Fuck".
"Tell me about it" dryly says the elven masterthief who then takes a drink from his water bottle, then returns it to his belt.
"He's not going to like that" murmurs a wincing Narladene, Helbenthril Raendril nods his hooded head in agreement.
The elven magic user sighs, then he stands up, sensing all around as he does so.
"Suppose we better go find him" says the royal thief "We can't" says the tiny winged creature who looks away to the east again.
"We can" says the young elven noble, who continues with "You know whoever it is takes priority over everything else" he follows that with "Especially considering that person is in a city that's under siege, and could very well be in the middle of the battle"
Besides, he'd kill me if i let whoever it is die, even if it is a cleric, Helbe the elven thief thinks to himself, who still can't believe his foresight showed him a cleric of all people, who was to be found for the grand scheme of lord Farque.
The only thing his foresight, which he's only had for just over a decade. Has showed him that's been more surprising. Is his future wife. Which he's only even told lord Farque about. And definitely never told Narladene about.
The elven master archer looks at the ground pixie who is grimacing as she looks away to the east, and he asks her "What is it?".
The naturally magical creature doesn't say anything, all she does is point eastwards. Prince Helbenthril Raendril looks in that direction, and he grimaces then mutters "Fuck" as he sees an enemy warship over the eastern quarter of the city, near the Mareb river.
The young elven noble takes a step, then he remembers what must take priority here, and he says "Damn it" followed by "I can't".
The elven magic user adds "I have to find this cleric, you know i do". The ground pixie reluctantly nods her head in agreement.
Then as she senses the elven princeling is about to shift away. She also senses in the distance to the east, the port side magetubes onboard the enemy frigate near the Mareb river about to fire.
Helbe the elven thief who blurs himself, and shields himself, shifts away with Narladene upon his right shoulder.
They shift away as the sound of dull thuds of multiple magetubes echoing across the city comes from the east, near the river that runs down that side of the city of Almaic . . . . . .