The Hire 142.

Almaic...

With the sun low in the sky to the west as the long hot summer's day slowly heads towards dusk, and then eventually night.
A fireball can be seen in the west of the city of Almaic. Going over rooftops, towards the city gates, and the towers on either side of it.
And as the fireball splashes across one of the towers, sending liquid fire in through any opening it touches.
While a large boulder sails over the gates, and crashes down within the city proper.
It acts as a signal for all hell to break loose here on the western side of the city that's the capital of the duchy of Phelm.
It's three of sir Yarrim's personal household guards who are spotted by the subaltern Jaxs who leads the way to where Shur Kee the monk is sure he spotted a number of people.
And as both the short, statured monk and the sorcerer Larris hang back.
The war engineer Tovis, along with the lean, attractive scout Jaxs. As well as two others in the engineering corp of the Farqian mercenary army. Hurry forward to confront the trio of enemy soldiers.
The nobleborn sorcerer sir Yarrim, shares a look with his two guardsman Harvin and Sallick when all of a sudden they hear shouts, then fighting from around the otherside of the building they're in.
"The enemy must of found the others" quietly says Harvin, sir Yarrim nods then quietly says "Let's go" as he gestures into the lane on the otherside of the half ruined wall they've been crouching behind.
The three of them hop over the wall, and enter the rubble strewn lane. Heading towards a corner of a partly damaged building they've been watching for the last little bit. A building they know some of the enemy are behind. Particular a pair of dwarven delvers the nobleborn sorcerer is after.
As he stands at the corner of a building, looking in the direction the others went. The sorcerer Larris sees movement out of the corner of his eye.
He takes a step back, and looks down a rubble strewn lane, and spots three of the enemy. One of whom is in red armour. Heading around a corner at the other end of the lane.
"Councilor" quietly says Larris the sorcerer. Shur Kee the monk who is an honorary member of the personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque. Looks back at the fairly powerful sorcerer who nods away to the left, to a lane that runs between a number of damaged buildings.
"Yes?" quietly asks Shur Kee the monk "I think the one we're after just went around the corner down there" quietly says the spellcaster from the lands Farque who is holding his power within himself.
Larris who is the second in command of the engineering corp in the Farqian mercenary army. Doesn't exactly know what the enemy nobleman sir Yarrim looks like. But he's heard the powerful sorcerer does wear distinctive looking red coloured armour.
"Should we?" quietly asks the sorcerer Larris who looks the way the others went.
So does the short, statured monk who is from beyond the Southlands, and hails from the otherside of the continent. The kingdom of Wah Lee, which is located on the far eastern coast of the continent.
"Yes" is the answer from the acolyte in the philosophical order of Bru Li.
Larris nods, then the two of them head down the lane, moving as quietly as possible. Though the Farqian sorcerer does hear the honorary councilor behind him murmuring in his own language.
He figures, correctly as it turns out. That the short, statured monk is quietly praying to whoever it is that he worships.
Larris doesn't know who exactly it is. Just that the physical adept doesn't worship any of the gods of the world of Volunell.
Tovis the war engineer sourly grimaces after he's shoved back behind the others by subaltern Jaxs. Who he finds out is lot stronger and quicker than she looks.
For the attractive looking scout, who happens to also be an assassin. Easily takes care of two of the enemy who spotted them and charged them.
While the third is taken out by one of the two other engineers. Who uses his hammer to smash in the skull of the enemy soldier. While the first two fell to the hands and feet of the scout Jaxs.
The young engineer from the kingdom of Druvic blinks in surprise when he looks down at the two that Jaxs took out, as he finds that they're both dead.
He looks over at subaltern Jaxs, and sourly smiles as she quietly tells him "If you could remain behind me and the others I'd appreciate it" after a few moments pause she belatedly adds "Sir".
And though Tovis is a captain, and is of higher rank in the Farqian army than the subaltern. It's fairly common knowledge in the mercenary army from the lands Farque. That the small group of assassins trained by prince Helbenthril Raendril will do whatever they want. And that you better follow their orders no matter what.
Even field commander Drubine has one around him at all times since the battle begun. Not even an officer like Jaxs is. Whose orders will be followed when it comes to the nobleborn field commanders safety is concerned.
The lean and athletic looking scout, points into the badly damaged building the three enemy came out of, and she quietly says "They were looking through there".
The four of them enter the building, with the subaltern leading the way. And as they make their way through the building, they see one of the walls has been all but destroyed. And they can see into the lane on the otherside of the building.
"Look, there goes Larris and Shur Kee" quietly says captain Tovis who briefly spots the two in question going through the lane on the otherside of the badly damaged building he and the three others with him are in.
After rounding the corner, they walk along the end of the badly damaged building, and instead of going around the other corner. Sir Yarrim gestures at a hole in the wall.
The nobleborn sorcerer whose estates are along the southern border of the duchy of Phelm. And his two guardsman duck down, and enter the building through the hole in the wall.
And keeping low, they make their way across a room, to an open window. Which they peek out of. And see a long square between a number of buildings here in the warren of buildings and lanes, just outside of where a wall would've normally been built along this side of the city of Almaic.
"There" murmurs sir Yarrim, who after a brief pause adds in a murmur "And there's the other one". As he spots the two dwarven delvers amongst the enemy, predominantly dwarven, who are in the square, just outside the building he and his two personal household guards are now in.
Looking at his personal household guards, the spellcaster who is the second most influential, and important noble in the duchy, behind only duke Hargen himself, quietly says in a hushed whisper "Stay down, and I'll try to protect us as much as i can".
After quickly glancing at one another, the two guards, Harvin and Sallick nod in response to sir Yarrim.
Then the nobleborn sorcerer pops his head back up, and looks out the open window. Looking at the pair of dwarven enemy spellcasters out in the square, that's more long than it is wide.
Guessing the distance between the two of them, as they aren't next to one another. The powerful sorcerer wonders if he can take them out at the both time. And that includes getting through their wards they've got up around themselves.
Sir Yarrim who has already cast a spell upon himself so that other spellcasters are unable to sense him.
Slightly nods his head when he comes up with the appropriate spell to eliminate both dwarven delvers.
Then the powerful sorcerer casts that particular spell. And quickly followed by a ward he shoves up infront of himself and his two personal household guards.
Wondering if the spell he's targeted the two enemy practitioners of magic with. Will be successful, and eliminate the pair of them.
After rounding the corner, and as they start to walk along one end of a partly damaged building. Both Larris the sorcerer and Shur Kee the monk are knocked off their feet by a large explosion from the otherside of the building.
The second in command of the engineering corp in the Farqian mercenary army. Is just able to retain holding his power within himself as he's knocked down to the ground.
While the physical adept, falls down a bit more easily, twisting so that he lands on his hands and knees from the powerful blast that's occurred on the otherside of the building.
And as Larris the sorcerer lies there on his back, looking up into the fading light at the end of the day. And sees debris shooting up into the late afternoon sky from the otherside of the building.
Shur Kee the monk as he lies on his stomach, turns his head to the right. And spots a hole in the end of the building they're right next to.
The honorary member of the personal council of lord Farque. Frowns as he lies there, as he looks into a room, and in the fading light he's just able to make out movement inside that room. He quickly grabs the jade pendant he wears on a fine silver chain around his neck.
They're quickly making their way through the rubble strewn lane when they hear and feel the loud explosion from the opposite side of the building they're behind.
They're all sent stumbling by the powerful explosion. Though the scout Jaxs is the quickest to recover. Who grabs Tovis the war engineer by the left arm, and holds him steady as he stumbles by her.
The subaltern looks up into the sky, and in the fading light as it nears dusk as the sun is setting in the west on what's been another hot summer's day here in the north of the kingdom of Nastell.
The scout who is also an assassin sees debris rising up into the late afternoon sky.
The young engineer from the kingdom of Druvic notices Jax looking upwards. So Tovis looks up too. And sees the debris going up into the late afternoon sky from the otherside of the building they're behind.
The captain and the subaltern share a look. Then they and the two others in the engineering corp with them. Continue along the rubble strewn lane. Even as the ground is still shaking.
The room is full of dust and small bits of debris that was blasted inside when part of the wall away to their left was blown inwards from the explosion.
Much of this side of the building was blasted inwards by the explosion. And the only reason the wall and the open window frame infront of them are still intact. Is because of the barrier spell the sorcerer Yarrim put up infront of them.
"I can't see shit" mutters the guardsman Sallick who waves a hand infront of his face to try and clear some of the dust out of his way.
While the other guardsman Harvin pops his head up, and looks out the window, and quietly says "Did you get them?".
The nobleborn spellcaster next to him, pops his head up too, and looks out the open window as he still maintains the barrier spell up infront of them.
And as they can't see much of anything outside in the square infront of the building. As there's just dust and debris everywhere.
The powerful sorcerer who is still casting a spell to hide himself from other practitioners of magic. Is able to sense.
Sir Yarrim faintly smiles and quietly says "I got them" as he's no longer able to sense the pair of dwarven delvers out in the square.
"Good" murmurs Harvin, while the other guardsman Sallick mutters "Now lets get the hell out of here".
The nobleman whose estates are along the southern border of the duchy of Phelm, nods in agreement with that.
Then the three of them stand up, and as they all wave a hand to clear dust out of the way of their faces as they turn to go back across the room they're in, to head for the hole in the end of the building they entered through.
They hear a voice shout something. Though the three of them don't know what it means, they clearly hear it shout in a voice with a foreign accent "Bru Li spirit!".
"What's that?" says the guardsman Harvin who blinks as he peers through the dust filled room they're in.
The sorcerer Yarrim blinks too, as he sees a ball of white light within the dust. He quickly senses and though it isn't magical. He drops the barrier spell that's now behind him as they've turned. And slams up one infront of him and his personal household guards.
As he sees the ball of white light, which is about eight feet in width is coming right towards them.
And as the guardsman Sallick glances at the powerful sorcerer and is about to ask him what it is. The ball of white light hits the hastily erected barrier spell.
Sir Yarrim blinks in surprise again as it goes through the barrier spell as if it wasn't there. Then the ball of white light hits him and his two personal household guards.
The powerful sorcerer is picked up off his feet and flung backwards with force, he goes flying backwards through the open window and outside.
So is the guardsman Harvin beside him. As dust and debris go swirling all around them as they go flying backwards outside.
The guardsman Sallick goes flying backwards too when he's hit by the ball of white light.
But unlike his fellow guard Harvin, and sir Yarrim. He doesn't go back through the open window. He slams back into the intact wall beside it.
He hits it so hard, that he actually goes through the wall. With wood and stone work splintering all around him, and through him. As dust swirls around from him flying back through the wall.
Sir Yarrim hits the ground first out in the devastated square. And groans when hits the rubble about twenty five feet out from the building he was just in.
He hears a thump away to his left somewhere, and hears a groan from one of his personal household guards. It's the guardsman Harvin.
Right after that, the nobleborn sorcerer hears a fainter sounding thud. Back towards the building they were just in.
It's the other guardsman Sallick, who has just hit the ground. Riddled with debris up and down the length of his body. He was dead before he hit the ground out here in the square that the powerful sorcerer had just blown up to kill a pair of dwarven delvers, and a number of the enemy who were out here.
Sir Yarrim who is no longer casting any spells, grimaces in pain as he lies there on his back on the rubble in the dust filled square.
The nobleborn spellcaster who is the second most influential noble in the duchy behind only duke Hargen himself, winces as he lifts his head.
The wind has been knocked out of him, and he gasps in a mutter "What the fuck was that?".
As he looks around through the dust and debris filled air, to try and see what's happening. As he's unable to sense anything or anyone magical in the immediate area . . . . . .