The Hire 118.

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

Over on the east side of the city of Almaic. Dalinvardél Tanith says "It's definitely crashed" as they look through the thinning smoke across the long boulevard that's runs down the east side of the city that's the capital of the duchy of Phelm.
"At least it did its job i guess" says Shawtus McQuade referring to the duke's frigate that's gone down in the countryside to the east, on the otherside of the Mareb river.
Smawfri McQuade grunts in agreement with his slightly older and slightly taller cousin, as the two of them, along with the spy Tanith. Lead the small squad back across to the otherside of the boulevard, where it's up against the riverfront.
As there's fighting somewhere away to the north from them. They see the pier that they were opposite has been destroyed, and swept away when the river Mareb resumed flowing.
They also see that the nearest docks that run up against this side of the river has been badly damaged to. And that there's bodies jammed up against the north side of it.
It's presumably like that all up and down the length of the riverfront that runs along the entire eastern side of the city of Almaic.
The trio of nonhumans in the small squad, who are closely followed by the young squad leader Barron.
Spot the other squad leader Kamnix, from sir Yarrim's estates. Making his way, with a few others, towards them.
"There you are" says Kamnix, who leads the larger squad they're attached to "Where have you lot been?" asks the squad leader from along the southern border region of the duchy.
"Keeping alive and out of harms way" replies Dalinvardél Tanith who answers for the young squad leader Barron.
The elven spy who is originally from the principality of Alínlae. And who is now in the armies of Farque. Who has infiltrated duke Hargen's army.
Doesn't mention that he kept their small squad out of the way, for the simple reason he didn't want to encounter anyone from his own army, who were attacking the east side of the city that's the provincial capital.
Dalinvardél Tanith or Dalin as he's more commonly called by those who know him well, then says "Seems you lot have been in a bit of a scrap".
Kamnix grunts, and wipes blood from the side of his face, from a cut across his forehead.
"Damn bastards" mutters the leader of the larger squad who have been defending between two of the towers along the boulevard, Kamnix then says "Some of them got across the river, and took it to us" he follows that up with "We gave it back just as good though". The two soldiers from sir Yarrim's estates with him, nod in agreement with their squad leader.
Kamnix looks around through the dissipating smoke, and though there's the sound of fighting further away to the north. As well as fighting away to the south along the long boulevard. There's no fighting here, along this stretch of the riverfront.
The squad leader from the southern border region of the duchy looks at Barron, and tells the young squad leader "Some of them got through, and are in the city" he continues with "Not many, but still enough to be a worry".
Squad leader Kamnix then adds "I want you and your squad to go after them and hunt them down". He gestures at the spy Tanith and the McQuade cousins, and tells Barron "These three should be able to track them down and find them".
"I like how the fucking prick refers to use as these, like we're not actually people" mutters Smawfri McQuade in the dwarven language to his slightly older cousin Shawtus, who though grunts in agreement with him, also nudges him with an elbow to shut him up.
The slightly younger, not to mention more temperamental of the dwarven warriors from the Sunreach Mountains. Sourly smiles, though he does fall silent.
Young Barron nods to the order from the other squad leader. Then they all turn around as they hear someone call out Kamnix's name. It's sir Yarrim the sorcerer, who is walking across the boulevard with two of his personal household guards.
"Sir" says the squad leader Kamnix when he sees his lord "Kamnix send some men into the city, some of the enemy have got through our defences and entered" says sir Yarrim the sorcerer.
"Yes sir" says the squad leader from the nobleman's estates, who continues with "I was just about to send this squad after some of them" as he gestures at the small squad lead by Barron.
"We saw about fifteen of them had got across the boulevard" adds Kamnix the squad leader.
The nobleborn spellcaster whose estates are along the southern border of the duchy, nods his head, then says "We counted about a hundred and fifty of them in total down the boulevard who have got into the city" the powerful sorcerer continues with "I've ordered some others into the city after them as well".
Kamnix nods to that, then as he's just about to send Barron and his small squad of a dozen on their way, he asks sir Yarrim "How many do you think were swept away by the river sir?".
"Easily over fifteen hundred" is the reply of the second most influential noble in the duchy behind duke Hargen himself, he then adds "Closer to a couple of thousand is my best guess".
Dalinvardél Tanith almost winces when he hears that. For the army led by general Halvane, was the largest of the four armies led by him and the trio of field commanders from the lands Farque.
There was almost seven thousand in that particular army when it left the unruled lands in the southern reaches of the Colevar Mountains, and came south into the kingdom of Nastell, and its northern most duchy, Phelm.
The Farqian general's army, which was predominantly made up of all five robber barons soldiers and mercenaries. Had kept out of the battles further north in the duchy. Along the border, and at the city of Savariss. Which fell in just a single night.
The general's army was to be used only here for the battle of Almaic if the duke hadn't already been killed in the north of the duchy.
And to be used as the spearhead of the attack upon Almaic. Getting across the river Mareb, which seemed an impossibility to those defending the city that's the provincial capital.
It almost worked. But the attack upon the east side of Almaic has been halted. Due to the quick thinking of sir Yarrim. Who got one of the duke's warships to fire upon where the river had somehow been halted. How? the sorcerer Yarrim still has no idea. Though he doesn't care about that now. He's just glad he was able to help stop the enemy from gaining the advantage along this side of the city of Almaic.
Dalin, who figures at least five or six hundred of general Halvane's army must of got across the Mareb river before it resumed flowing. Figures that the Farqian general must still have a little over half of his army with him on the otherside of the Mareb. Unable to cross the river. Making them ineffectual, apart from the small amount of war machines they have with them. Along with their spellcasters. Though for all intensive purposes, they're out of the battle for the moment.
"Where will you be going sir?" asks Kamnix the squad leader as the nobleman and his two personal household guards start walking away.
"Across there" replies sir Yarrim who gestures across to the otherside of the Mareb river, then he adds "To see what we can do to help out those in the frigate that's crashed".
Kamnix nods to that, then the powerful sorcerer along with his two guards disappear as sir Yarrim teleports them away.
"You lot get going" says Kamnix to young Barron and his small squad. Barron nods his head, then says to his squad "Come on, let's go".
Then he along with the McQuade cousins, and the spy Tanith lead the rest of the small squad. Back across the wide, long boulevard that runs along the east side of Almaic. Through the ever dissipating smoke, and into the city proper. To track down the enemy who have got into the city that's the provincial capital.
"Well, seems like we might see some action after all" quietly says Shawtus McQuade to his cousin Smawfri McQuade "Looks like" replies the younger of the dwarven warriors from the Sunreach Mountains as they follow Barron and Dalin across the boulevard, and into the lane they were previously in.
"Which way?" asks the young squad leader to the elf he thinks is just a mercenary ranger from the principality of Alínlae, as they head down the lane.
"Might as well go straight ahead for now" says Dalinvardél Tanith who will do his best to keep the small squad of a dozen well clear of anyone from his own army who has made it into the city.
"We're bound to run into some of them sooner or later" adds the elven spy who has infiltrated duke Hargen's army.
The spy Tanith stops at the end of the lane, stopping the rest of the small squad behind him. He looks all around, and listens carefully. Then nods his head to cross the street infront of them.
The squad do, and Dalin leads them into a wide alley, that heads deeper into eastern quarter of the city that's the capital of the duchy of Phelm.
Further east of the city of Almaic, about half a mile from the Mareb river. The sorcerer Yarrim reappears with his two personal household guards about fifty feet from the stern of the duke's frigate that has crashed landed.
They see that the airship is fairly intact, and in relatively good shape. Though the nobleborn spellcaster knows it's in no shape to fly until the damage to the keel is repaired. Which will take weeks to fix.
For the moment, the warship which is upright, and on a lean to starboard, is grounded for sometime.
The powerful sorcerer and his two guards can see some of the crew scrambling around on the deck. And a few others who have already got off it. Are on the ground inspecting the damage to the twin masted airship.
Suddenly one of the port side magetubes fires. And sir Yarrim watches the shot go north.
"Shit" mutters the nobleman whose estates are along the southern border of the duchy, as he looks north and sees a number of the enemy heading this way.
There must be over a couple hundred coming this way towards the downed warship. While in the distance, further to the north, at the edge of the river, the bulk of their army remains.
Sir Yarrim sees that the magetube shot is going to miss, and pass over the heads of the enemy, due to the angle the airship is on, as it's on a lean to starboard.
If it was leaning slightly to port, a magetube shot from the port side would more than likely hit the oncoming enemy square on.
"Come on" says the nobleborn spellcaster to his guards, and the three of them rush to the crashed airship, where more of the crew are getting off it. Climbing down the starboard side, and the aft section.
Sir Yarrim spots his fellow sorcerer Marx, one of the officers onboard, and hurries to where he stands on the ground at the stern of the downed airship.
"Marx, we've got to stop them" says the powerful sorcerer when he gets to the warship "We can't let them take the ship, and take the magetubes off it" adds the nobleman who is the most influential noble in the duchy behind duke Hargen of Phelm. Even more so now, considering the woman he's in a relationship with. The lady Elaine, who is the younger sister of the duke. Is the new heir to the duke of Phelm.
Sir Yarrim gestures to the city across the Mareb river and says "They'll use them to attack the city, and those defending it".
"Hell" says the sorcerer Marx as he realises what his fellow spellcaster is saying is true.
The officer who is glad to see the powerful sorcerer is here, tells him "Some of the crew are trying to set up some hanging rigs for a couple of the magetubes, so that they can fire at an angle at them coming this way" he then adds "But it'll take a while".
"Until then, we and the rest of the crew will have to hold them off" says sir Yarrim, who then quietly adds "Let's just hope they don't send the rest of their army this way".
The sorcerer Marx winces when he hears that, then nods in agreement with the nobleborn spellcaster whose estates are in the very south of the duchy, that's been invaded by the robber barons of the unruled lands in the southern reaches of the Colevar Mountains.
From onboard, archers are called for. Those still on the downed airship find positions to best shoot at the enemy who are approaching from the north.
While others on the ground stand near the stern and bow, and wait for the oncoming enemy to come into range.
They're already in range of the two sorcerers, and the other spellcaster in the crew. A wizard, who is up on the deck of the frigate with the captain.
"Try and take out their officers" quietly says sir Yarrim to his fellow sorcerer Marx, who nods in understanding. And does so again when the powerful sorcerer tells him "I'll try and hit them right across their front".
The nobleborn sorcerer steps to one side, and a few moments later a firewave nearly a hundred foot in length, and about ten foot in height, four feet off the ground. Appears about thirty yards north of the downed warship.
Where it starts moving northwards, as fast as a person runs, heading towards the enemy who are rushing towards the duke's frigate that's crashed landed here in the countryside to the east of the Mareb river.
"Let's see what this lot can do" quietly says sir Yarrim as he watches his firewave tumbling and rolling forward like a, well like a wave really. Towards the oncoming enemy, who he sees aren't those in black he saw when he was at the north wall of Almaic earlier in the day. This lot must be some of the robber barons soldiers. And not the mercenary army they've hired.
"Spellcaster with them" says the sorcerer Marx "I sense him" says sir Yarrim, who also senses his fellow sorcerer is going to target the enemy spellcaster.
As they and the rest of the crew of the downed frigate do their best to stop the enemy from taking over the warship that's crashed landed on this side of the Mareb river, and getting their hands upon the magetubes onboard it . . . . . .