The Lost Ones 19.

Summer. The Island Chain. Dreese.

"Where exactly?" asks lord Farque "Here, here, and here predominantly" says Helbe the elven thief as he points at the map of an island called Solma.
The undead warlord slightly nods his full helmed head as the elven magic user adds "Well, from what we could see from onboard the Quick Gull".
The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel then continues with "I saw enough to create an image of it".
"Show us" says the heavily armoured deathlord, who points at the large table in the captain's quarters onboard the twin masted sailing ship.
The elven masterthief who also happens to the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel, creates an illusion of the island of Solma, a fairly good one too, considering he saw it from quite a distance.
The lord and ruler of the lands Farque quickly studies the illusion, and the enemy troop placements on the island.
"There's a few of them alright" quietly says Jarjin Littlefoot who has hopped up onto a chair to get a better look at the illusion spell the highly talented elven magic user has cast on top of the table.
Both Tovis the war engineer and Beldane the cleric nod in agreement, while Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy looks carefully at the illusion. Paying particular attention to the island itself, more than where the Viceroy's troops are placed.
Quickly coming up with a plan, lord Farque looks to the otherside of the large cabin, and says "Come over here and study this".
Some of the officers, in the Sultan's army, and fleet, both air and sea. Who have been waiting patiently, make their way across the large cabin where the lord of the death realm tells them "I want you all to come up with a plan, or plans at how best to deal with the enemy on Solma".
The heavily armoured deathlord points to the nearby sand glass in it's stand, and says "You have half a turn to do so" he continues with "When i return i want to hear what you've come up with".
"Yes sir" say the dozen or so officers, who call the deathlord of Farque, sir. Even though he has no rank in their army, as he's just a mercenary.
But he essentially leads their forces, more so now that general Martos has been made one of the Sultan's concubines.
The lord and ruler of the lands Farque, who is also known by the name of Draugadrottin to the people of his nation.
Makes his way from the cabin, and heads up to the deck, followed by the rest of the group.
"Drop the spell in half a turn of a glass" says the undead being in the elven language to Helbe the elven thief as they stand on the empty aft deck, as the ship like most of the fleet is still in port.
The elven master assassin nods that he will, then Helbe the elven thief asks the undead warlord "What are you planning?".
"Another victory in battle of course" is the reply of the heavily armoured deathlord, who pauses for a moment or two, before he adds "Kind of".
The young elven noble who is the grandson of Prince Raendril of Laerel, arches an eyebrow as he looks at the large figure in the dark blue, black suit of heavy plate armour.
"Care to elaborate?" asks the elven master archer who is a member of the personal council to the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
It's the same thing that Jarjin Littlefoot, Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy, Tovis the war engineer and Beldane the cleric are all thinking.
"Not yet" says the undead being, who has the elven name of Des'tier, which means, The Destroyer.
"Ward yourself" quietly says the undead warlord in the royal elven language.
"Just me?" asks prince Helbenthril Raendril in the same language.
Lord Farque slightly nods his full helmed head, and says "Just a protection spell will do".
The highly talented elven magic user does so, then Draugadrottin tells him "One of them is trying to read your mind".
"The fuck?" mutters the councillor Raendril, who doesn't look back over his right shoulder. To south of town, to where the Sultan's flag ship in his air fleet, is on the white sands of the beach, south of town.
"How are they doing that?" asks the young elven noble, who like the rest of the group, is from the Southlands, which is on the otherside of the continent, he then adds "And why can't i sense it?".
Des'tier tells him how, and the elven spellcaster grunts, then mutters "Smart".
Then the elven princeling nods his hooded head, when the undead warlord tells him some of what he has planned for the enemy on the island of Solma.
Then switching to the common language, the lord of the death realm says "Tovis, you might need to adapt some of the heavier weaponry" he continues with "Looks like there's some thick fucking jungle on one side of Solma" he continues with "If we can't get the heavy stuff through there, I'll have to pick a different landing spot for the army".
"Yes my lord, I'll see to it" says Tovis the war engineer.
Then the heavily armoured deathlord tells Beldane the cleric what he wants the fighting cleric to do. And after that he gives a few quick hand signals to Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy. Who nods his grey hooded head in understanding.
"Littlefoot with me for now" says Draugadrottin, then the undead being adds "We'll be leaving tomorrow morning on the tide" followed by "Hopefully those reinforcements are leaving the mainland by then".
The others all nod in agreement, then the spy Tanith, the young engineer and the fighting cleric move off. While the young elven noble disappears. And the halfling, who is a former air sailor, follows the heavily armoured deathlord, who makes his way below deck. To see how the senior officers in the army and fleet are getting on.
After listening to the officers explain their various plans to deal with the Viceroy's forces on the island of Solma. And expanding on the plans with the officers. Even though he won't use any of them.
The undead warlord dismisses the senior officers after he tells them to continue with the preparations for their departure tomorrow morning.
"You've basically got them doing what you want them to do" quietly says Jarjin Littlefoot as he lord Farque check on how the preparations for them leaving in the morning are going.
"More so than ever" adds the former air sailor who served in the Viceroy's forces.
"I know" says the lord of the death realm, who like the hobbit, is speaking in the hordes dialect of the southern tundra.
The two of them have just checked on some of the ships that are moored off the beach to the north of the port town.
And the heavily armoured deathlord is rowing them back to shore in a dinghy.
Draugadrottin who is rowing fairly slowly as he could get back to shore in no time, slightly nods his full helmed head, and says "A bit".
In reply to Jarjin Littlefoot asking him "Thought of a way to free Mira?".
The halfling, who is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra by the name of Zubutai Timaginson, who just happens to inhabit the body of the former air sailor.
Wryly smiles when the undead being tells him in a dry tone "The trick is if i can free him alive" followed by "Freeing him is pretty fucking easy if that didn't come into consideration".
"Fuck what he's going through" quietly says Jarjin aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman.
"Could be worse" says lord Farque as another dinghy goes out to the nearest ship, ferrying supplies out to it.
"He could be one of those concubines to that fat cunt" adds the large figure in the dark blue, black armour who is manning the oars of the little rowboat.
The halfling winces, then says "That's for sure" followed by "Like the general".
"Yes" says Des'tier, who after a briefly pausing adds "Such a pity about that".
The former air sailor looks sharply at the lord of the death realm. And Jarjin aka Zubutai the son of Timagin, who has had his suspicions about what happened to general Martos, and how he ended up in his situation.
All but has those suspicions confirmed when he hears that from the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
"How do you think things will go on Solma?" asks Jarjin Littlefoot when they get to the beach, and hop out of the dinghy. Though the hobbit has to climb over the side to set foot on the ground.
"Tough" says the deathlord of Farque, who then adds "Even without what else I've got in plan" as he nods to some nearby sailors who are waiting to pack supplies onto the dinghy, lord Farque and Jarjin were using.
The sailors almost bowed to the heavily armoured deathlord when he got to shore.
"Oh extra activities is it?" asks the hobbit from the mainland of Dreese, who is a member of the personal council to the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
The former air sailor who knows the lord of the death realm doesn't share his plans until he has to, isn't surprised when the Draugadrottin tells him "Something like that".
And as they walk along the beach, watching dinghy after dinghy ferrying fresh supplies out to the smaller ships, as they prepare to leave on the tide early in the morning.
Councillor Littlefoot is surprised when the deathlord of Farque tells him "Our fortunes in battle are about to change" he continues with "We might be defeated".
"Solma is going to be that tough you think?" asks Jarjin aka Zubutai Timaginson.
"Maybe" says Des'tier, which translated from elven means, The Destroyer.
"But depending on how things are there, I'm going to make sure we're defeated" quietly adds the large, heavily armoured figure, who absolutely towers over the halfling next to him. As they stand on the beach while they watch another dinghy being loaded with supplies. And three others are heading out to the smaller ships in the fleet that are moored off from the beach.
While others are heading back to shore, to get more of the supplies and equipment, as the preparation for their departure in the morning continues.
The eyebrows of the former sailor shoot up in surprise, and he glances sideways and up at the large figure in the dark blue, black suit of heavy plate armour standing beside him.
"Any reason why?" asks Jarjin Littlefoot.
"Yes" says lord Farque, who after a slight pause, adds "Plenty of them".
The halfling sourly smiles as the undead being doesn't elaborate, but instead adds "Make sure you keep that spell gem on you at all times".
"I will" says the member of the personal council to the lord and ruler of the lands Farque. As he thinks of the spell gem in a hidden pocket of his vest. That protects him from the Sultan of Dreese.
Which the rest of the group has as well. With the exception of lord Farque himself, and Narladene the ground pixie. Who don't need one.
"Because once we get to Solma, and i see for myself how things are there" says the undead warlord, who gestures back to the port town, and the two of them start walking along the beach to it.
"Things will get fairly dangerous no doubt" adds the lord of the death realm who continues with "And that fat fucker and all those bastards he has under his control will have to get involved in the fighting".
For previously in the battles further south in the chain of islands, and over on the mainland. The Sultan of Dreese has let only a small group of his enscrolled spellcasters take part in battle at one time.
Half a dozen usually, though eight of them fought together during the battle on the otherside of this island at the start of the week.
"You trying to, shall i say, force the issue?" asks Jarjin Littlefoot, who at under four and half foot in height, in fact he's barely over four foot tall. Stands well over two and half feet shorter than the tall, heavily armoured deathlord he's walking beside.
The lord and ruler of the lands Farque who is walking slowly so that the hobbit can keep pace with him, nods his full helmed head, then says "Something like that".
Then the undead warlord who died four and half centuries ago, dryly says "That fat fuck is bound to renege on his deal" Draugadrottin continues with "So contingency plans are in order".
The halfling who served in the air fleet of the Viceroy, nods his head as he thought it was something like that.
As he too doubts the Sultan of Dreese will honour his deal of hire with them.
For if they eventually defeat all of the Viceroy's forces. And capture the younger brother of the Sultan, and bring the Viceroy before him.
Mira Reinholt will be freed from his enscrollment, and the group of mercenaries will be given an airship.
The behaviour and general attitude of the Sultan towards them, is grounds for them to doubt him going through with the deal.
A deal that also has the spellcasters Helbe the elven thief, and Beldane the cleric. Along with lord Farque, and Narladene the ground pixie. Who the Sultan knows that there's a lose pixie around.
Have to keep their distance from him. At least a hundred yards away at all times. If not, Mira Reinholt's life is forfeit.
The Sultan of Dreese doesn't like spellcasters who aren't under his control, anywhere in his vicinity.
Nor does he like anyone like lord Farque anywhere near him.
Stopping near the north end of the port town, where they watch Tovis the war engineer, and engineers in the Sultan's army, breaking down some of the heavy weaponry, and adapting some of the others.
The undead warlord quietly says in the hordes dialect of the southern tundra "We could of dealt with that overweight cunt with ease if we had Shur Kee with us".
Jarjin Littlefoot nods in agreement as he stands beneath the branches of a tree to get out of the direct sunlight on this warm, tropical summer's day.
The halfling who was an air sailor in the Viceroy's military until he died in battle nearly two weeks ago now.
Knows that Shur Kee with his unique abilities, and that he isn't a magic user. Could take down the Sultan with ease.
"Then again, that might not of worked with the monk too" says Des'tier, who continues with "That fat fucking prick has probably read Mira's mind so thoroughly, that he would of found out what the monk actually is, and what he's capable of".
"True" says Jarjin aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman, who then adds "I hadn't thought of that".
The hobbit from the mainland of Dreese then grunts, when the lord and ruler of the lands Farque mutters "Fucking mage" followed "He's the one who got us into this fucking mess in the first place".
Councillor Littlefoot stays silent, as this is really the first time the undead warlord has spoken about this since they came through the rift/void that Mira Reinholt accidentally cast.
The undead being, doesn't say anything else on the matter, instead he continues to watch the engineers, and those helping them, do the work they're doing as they prepare to leave, and the fleet heads to the island of Solma in the morning.
So the halfling decides to speak up, though on a different matter entirely, and he says "I wonder how the others are doing?".
The former air sailor in the Viceroy's forces continue with "And if they went to search for that witch?".
"They'll be fine" says Draugadrottin, who continues on with "And they fucking better of".
The lord of the death realm pauses for a moment or two, then he says "Tam knows what to do" he follows that with "And with Lis he's got someone to talk about ideas and strategies with".
The hobbit, who is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra by the name of Zubutai Timaginson, who just happens to inhabit the body of Jarjin Littlefoot, nods when the lord of the death realm adds "And Shur Kee will watch over them".
Then the member of lord Farque's personal council winces when the heavily armoured deathlord dryly adds "And then there's those two fucking idiots with them as well" followed by "Who are just as likely to get them into fucking trouble as much as get them out of it".
"That's for sure" murmurs Jarjin aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman as he thinks of Dorc da Orc and sir Percavelle Lé Dic, and the others in the group, who are back in the Southlands somewhere . . . . . .