Aftermath 16.

The Kaldel Plains...

"Arvelle wants to see if we can locate another one later today" says Samiel the mage.
"Again?" says Gorlic the former arena fighter who follows that with "So soon?" he then adds "We haven't even sold anything from this one yet".
The powerful mage originally from the city-state of Tuledare nods his head in agreement as they watch some of the last of the wagons head towards the rift that Samiel has open.
"I know" says the spellcaster who once worked for the dock authority in the city of Tuledare.
Who after a brief pause adds "Still, they've broken this down quick" he waves to what little remains of the wreck that was a tri-masted destroyer and says "Infact the quickest we've done so far".
"That's for sure" murmurs the usually hot headed former arena fighter who is originally from the city-state of Brattonbury.
As what remains of the warship now is just parts of the broken keel. And some of the broken ribs of the vessel still attached to those bits of the keel. Ribs that are too big to take whole. And only good now as firewood. Unlike a lot of the planks that remain. Which can be reused again. As well as other fittings that can be sold on to shipyards and boat builders.
The two of them turn to the rift, which Sasha the former mercenary, and her lover, the blademaster Pallen walk out of.
The two of them walk over to where the mage, and the former arena fighter are standing as another of the wagons goes back through the rift, to the village on the otherside. A village that's nearly seven hundred and fifty miles away to the northeast from here.
"Did he tell you?" asks Sarah the former mercenary "He did" replies Gorlic, who after a brief pause adds, "Didn't think he'd want us to go after another one so soon".
"I know" says the good looking woman who has just one eye "Especially so soon after what's probably going to be our best job ever" says the former arena fighter.
"Because he's greedy" says Pallen the blademaster, who is the only one amongst all the illegal wreckers able to say something like that about their leader Arvelle, and face no consequences. For the simple reason he's far more feared than Arvelle ever is.
"And he wants to capitalize on the fairly good run we've had of late" adds the dangerous blademaster, who hails from the kingdom of Girdane, as his lover Sasha does too.
"Can't blame him for that" continues the blademaster, who might come from the kingdom to the south of the Kaldel Plains.
But he's a plainsman through and through. Whose parents were originally from the Kaldel Plains too.
"Makes sense" says Gorlic as they watch one of the last wagons go back through the rift "I suppose" adds the former arena fighter, who was born and raised in the coastal city-state of Brattonbury.
Looking at the powerful mage, the former mercenary Sasha asks him "Any idea where?".
Samiel, who is not yet thirty. Shrugs his shoulders then says "Hell if i know" the Tuledarian spellcaster then adds "Your guess is as good as mine" he follows that up with "You all know how it is".
They all nod to that, as they're all in agreement with it. For finding an airship to take down out of the sky, which they can then wreck.
Has an awful lot to do with luck. Infact it's pretty much all luck.
For no matter how much they watch so called trade routes in the sky. Or ask the locals, or travelers they come across on the plains. If they've seen an airship fly by recently.
Actually finding one worth targeting, then taking it down out of the sky. Has pretty much everything to do with luck.
"Well, I'll doubt we'll get so lucky again and find another fleet of warships" says Samiel, who continues with "Back to slow, fat trade vessels for us".
Then after looking around to see if anyone else is close by, the powerful mage quietly says to the others "Not to mention we've also got to target those buyers who turn up and don't actually buy any of the magetubes".
"Like i said" says Pallen the blademaster, who then adds "Greedy".
His lover Sasha slightly nods to that, then the good looking woman with just one eye, who also has a gnarly looking scar down that side of her face, gestures to the last wagon.
That's been loaded up, and is heading to the rift that Samiel has kept open.
"That's the last of them" says the former mercenary from the kingdom of Girdane, who is the one to usually lead a smaller group that finds and locates an airship that they'll target.
And the one to lead the group that actually takes down that targeted vessel.
"We'll head back" says Sasha, who along with Pallen and Gorlic, make their way back through the rift before the wagon.
Then after the last wagon has gone through, and rolls out onto the village green nearly seven hundred and fifty miles from the crash site.
Samiel the mage takes one last look at what remains of the tri-masted destroyer he knocked out of the sky the other night. Then he steps through his rift. And drops the spell behind him.
"I need something to eat" says the powerful mage from Tuledare to the others who have waited for him.
"I won't be able to go that far if i don't get something to eat, and have some time to recuperate" adds the spellcaster, who is the one to actually take down any airship they decide to target.
They head to the long house that's being being used as a tavern. And as the lovers Sasha and Pallen follow the mage and former arena fighter.
The dangerous blademaster quietly says to his lover "You notice anything?".
Glancing at the plainsman who she loves, who also happens to be one who took her eye, and give her the scar that runs down the side of her face.
Sasha slightly shakes her head, then quietly says "Notice what?". "Look around us" quietly says Pallen the blademaster.
The former mercenary from the kingdom of Girdane does look around. She frowns as she does, as she tries to figure out what Pallen is getting at. Then Sasha slow nods as she realises what he means.
There might be a crew of around two hundred illegal wreckers in this village, and the other one less than a couple of miles away.
But there's far more people than that here in this village, and presumably in the other one that's not all that far away.
Many of the illegal wreckers have their own families. Some even with children. While others have shacked up with some of the locals who remained when they took over the two villages. Here in the northeast of the Kaldel Plains.
Arvelle himself is one such as this. He's already been with a handful of local plainswomen since they took over these two villages just over a year ago.
He's onto the sixth local at this moment. A young woman Sasha spots at the village well, where she's getting a bucket of water. Whilst chatting with a few other local plainswomen.
It's the same when they enter the long house, that's basically being used as a tavern.
And along with the two wreckers who run it. There's also a few local servers. As well as a some of the other wreckers who have just come back from the crash site, where they've cleared away the last of the warship that they can use and sell.
"I noticed" quietly says Sasha as she and Pallen follow Gorlic and Samiel to one of the tables.
"You think our leader is up to something?" quietly asks the good looking, one eyed woman, who like her lover the blademaster, is her mid to late twenties.
"Yes" is the quiet reply of Pallen "What?" asks the former mercenary from the kingdom of Girdane, who first met her lover the blademaster when he was trying to kill her in battle.
"Expansion" is the quiet answer from Pallen, who then falls silent on the matter, as he and Sasha follow the mage and the former arena fighter, and take a seat at the table.
"They're back are they?" asks Arvelle the plainsman, who leads the crew of illegal wreckers.
"They are" says Mac the dwarf, the former shipwright from the Cascades, those low mountains and hill country not all that far from the coast of the Southlands, near where the crescent port of Gilsom is located.
"In the long house" adds the dwarf, who is standing at a window in the two storey house that Arvelle has been using ever since they took over this village, and the other one nearby.
"Go and see which way they'll go" says the leader of the illegal wreckers, who continues with "We might get lucky and take another ship before the buyers of those magetubes turn up".
The dwarven shipwright, who is the best friend of the tall, fair, plainsman who leads them all, nods his head, and does so again when Arvelle quietly tells him "Tell Sasha she can take whoever she wants with her and the usual bunch she takes".
Mac heads to the door, and makes his way outside. The former shipwright then looks over at the row of wagons that have magetubes in the back of. Which are being guarded by some of the former mercenaries amongst the illegal wreckers.
The dwarf from the Cascades crosses over to the long house, that's being used as a tavern. Mac nods to the young woman that Arvelle is sleeping with at the moment, who is returning to the two storey house she shares with the leader of the crew of illegal wreckers. She's carrying a bucket of water with her. And she nods in return to the dwarf, who is a former shipwright.
Mac enters what passes as a tavern here in the small village. And he makes his way over to the table where Sasha is sitting with Pallen, along with Gorlic and Samiel.
The dwarf from the Cascades, pulls up a bench seat from the next table, and sits next to the blademaster Pallen, who he feels most comfortable around. Even though he's an outright murderer. Who'll basically kill anyone who annoys him.
"What's up?" quietly aaks Pallen in the dwarven language "That obvious is it?" is the reply in the same language from Mac.
"Yes" says the dangerous blademaster, who then softly chuckles when the former shipwright says to him in a sour tone in the dwarven language "I've got to work on that".
Then switching to the common language, Mac looks at Sasha, and asks her "Which way are you heading?".
After glancing at the mage Samiel, Sasha quietly tells the dwarf who is Arvelle's offsider "We've no idea".
The spellcaster originally from Tuledare who is eating a slice of bread, slathered with a fruit conserve says to the former shipwright "West i suppose" Samiel briefly pauses then adds "Well, northwest to be exact".
The mage then goes on with "See if we can find one coming down across the plains from Druvic".
Sasha slightly nods, then says "It's a good of a start as any" followed by "If not, we can try elsewhere".
Mac nods, then says to Sasha "You can take whoever you want with you, along with the usual lot".
"Will do" says the former mercenary who already has in mind who she'll take along with her, and the usual group who locate and take down airships.
Then the good looking, one eyed woman quietly asks the dwarf from the Cascades "When are they expected to show up?".
Knowing exactly who Sasha is referring to, Mac quietly says "Third day, or fourth" he continues with "Well the ones from Nastell at least" the former shipwright then adds "Davon and the others just got back, he says that's when to expect them".
"And the twins?" quietly asks Sasha "They're not back from Druvic yet" replies the dwarf who is the best friend of Arvelle the leader of the illegal wreckers.
The former mercenary from Girdane nods her head, then falls silent as a number of others enter the long house, that's been set up as a tavern.
And as some of them take seats at a couple of empty tables. A few of them make their way to the counter.
As they do, one of them bumps into the back of Gorlic as he passes, and the former arena fighter who was just about to take a drink from his mug, spills ale across his hands and down his front and onto the table.
"Watch it you idiot" says Gorlic in anger, the hot headed former arena fighter turns on the bench he's sitting on, when the fellow who bumped him says "Who are you calling idiot?" before he actually turns to see who it is that's talking to him.
When he does actually look back, and see who it is, and who he's sitting with at the table.
The fellow, a youngster who has only been with the illegal wreckers since the start of summer, quickly says "Sorry".
"So you fucking should be" says Gorlic as he looks at the young fellow who bumped into him, then at his now near empty mug after spilling a lot of what was in it.
The rest of the large room in what passes as a tavern here in the village has gone silent as they watch.
And after the youngster gulps, he says "I'll get you another ale".
Gorlic, who for once actually keeps his temper under control, nods then says "You do that".
The former arena fighter, then shakes his head as he uses his forearm to wipe away some of the spilt ale, and says "What a waste".
Sasha who is impressed Gorlic kept himself under control, as the usually hot headed former arena fighter would usually punch someone in the head for what that young fellow just did.
Looks across her lover Pallen, to the former shipwright Mac, and tells him "We'll go later this afternoon" she nods at the mage who hails from Tuledare and adds "After Samiel has had a bit of time to rest". The dwarf from the Cascades nods, then says "I'll inform Arvelle".
Then as Mac goes to get up, the fellow who bumped Gorlic, makes his way from the counter, and puts a mug of ale down on the table, infront of Gorlic.
"There you go" says the fairly young wrecker, the former arena fighter from the city-state of Brattonbury nods his head.
Then the young wrecker goes to step away, when he can't help himself, as he's heard the stories, and rumours. And he looks across the table, and looks at the plainsman who is a blademaster in the eye.
That's all it takes, just a glance. And Pallen tilts his head, and slightly frowns.
Sasha looks sharply at her lover as she immediately recognises that look on his face. So does Gorlic who is sitting opposite the blademaster from the kingdom of Girdane.
Mac, who is about to stand, recognises it too.
While Samiel, who is putting slices of cheese between two slices of bread. Feels the sudden change of mood at the table. He looks up from his plate, and notices the look on the face of Pallen.
The powerful spellcaster who hails from the city-state of Tuledare winces.
As does Gorlic, who quickly moves along the bench he's sitting on, as the dangerous blademaster stands.
While next to her lover Pallen, Sasha briefly closes her eyes as he stands up.
Mac the dwarf slightly grimaces as he sees the plainsman move his right hand. That's about all he sees, as suddenly Pallen draws his longsword, whipping it over the head of the dwarf from the Cascades. Before he thrusts it point first across the otherside of the table.
Gorlic who quickly covered the full mug of ale he was just given. Grimaces as he feels the wetness on his left shoulder. The former arena fighter then turns when he hears a thump on the floor.
And sees the young fellow who bumped into him, and who just gave him the mug of ale as a way of an apology.
On the floor, with a hand to his throat. And a look of total shock on his face as blood spurts from the fatal wound in his throat.
Gorlic turns and looks back across the table as Pallen sits back down after wiping the tip of his sword with a cloth he has on his belt, before returning it to it's sheath.
And in the silence in the room, as everyone looks at him, the dangerous blademaster quietly says to Mac "Yeah, we'll go later this afternoon, once the mage has had a bit of rest" . . . . . .