The Lost Ones 21.

Summer. The Otherside Of The Continent. The Sultanate Of Dreese.

He looks back at the other ships in the fleet as the one they're onboard, is towards the front.
Then he looks up into the clear, sunny sky this morning. At the air fleet flying overhead.
Then glancing to his left, Tovis the war engineer asks "Have they spotted it yet?".
Beldane the cleric looks up, and after a few moments, he says "Not yet" followed by "Still too far away".
The fighting cleric who is member of the church of Glaine, is glad he just communicated with one of the spellcasters in the fleet, and not one in the cadre under the control of the Sultan of Dreese.
As it feels absolutely normal doing so. Unlike working with the practitioners of magic in the Sultan's cadre. Which he avoids at all costs.
The two of them look forward, and spot Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy come down one of the masts. Then make his way aft to where they stand, and join them.
Then a few moments later, lord Farque followed by Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit make their way up from below deck. And join the rest of them who are onboard the ship, as it and the rest of the fleet head closer and closer to the island of Solma.
Up amongst the airships flying overhead. Helbe the elven thief is onboard the Quick Gull. The small, sleek looking, single masted vessel that's the fastest of the Sultan's airships.
There's very few of the army onboard the vessels in the small flying fleet of the Sultan of Dreese.
Those that are tend to be an officer with a spellcaster, and a lookout from the army.
As the airships mainly carry the Sultan's personal guards. And others from the Sultan's court, who are along for the ride, as the Sultan fights a war against his younger brother, the Viceroy of Dreese. To be exact, the former Viceroy of Dreese.
While the army travels onboard the much larger fleet of sailing ships, down on the warm tropical waters below.
The one exception is the young elven noble form the island principality of Laerel, which is located all the way on the otherside of the continent, off the coast of the Southlands.
The elven magic user who is a member of the personal council to the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
Has got to know the crew of the Quick Gull, and they him. And they get along. And they had no problems with him coming onboard two mornings ago, when they left for Solma.
The only ones who had problems with him being onboard. Was two others who joined the crew of the small airship that morning.
The representative from the Sultan's court who was onboard previously, when they went north to scout out the island of Solma and others.
As well as a spellcaster from the cadre that the Sultan has under his control.
Those two wanted the foreign mercenary gone. But the ship's captain, allowed the elven masterthief to remain onboard. Because he was here on the orders of the other mercenary, called the dead man. Who everyone knows is the one who is actually in charge of the campaign against the Viceroy's forces.
The Quick Gull, like the other airships. Isn't flying particularly fast, as they're keeping pace with the ships down on the ocean below them.
The elven master assassin who is standing in the bow, looks northwards, and spots the island of Solma.
He makes his way to aft, and informs the captain that he can see the island they're heading to. And they'll get near it later this morning.
The captain nods, then gives the order to spread the word throughout both fleets, that their destination is in sight.
The two other spellcasters onboard, one in the air fleet, and the other, a member of the twenty strong cadre under the control of the Sultan.
Spread the word that they'll get close to the island of Dreese by late morning.
"I'd say so" says Helbe the elven thief a little later in response to the captain asking him if he thinks the enemy have spotted them too.
"Probably readying for our attack" continues the young elven noble who is the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel.
"Hmmm, will we still go ahead with the plan, you think?" asks the ship's captain.
"I'm certain we will" says the highly talented elven magic user as he watches the Sultan's representative onboard, and the member of the Sultan's cadre of spellcasters. As the two of them walk forward to the bow from a midships, to see if they can spot the island of Solma.
"Glad it's that lot down below who are doing the fighting, and not us" quietly says the ship's captain, as the Quick Gull only has a small detachment of the Sultan's personal guard onboard.
And they like a fair proportion of the air fleet, won't get directly involved in the fighting.
As they'll act mainly as a lookout. And provide support when necessary.
As the lookout up the top of the mast calls out that Solma is now is his sight.
Helbe the elven thief wanders over to the starboard rail. And looks down at the fleet on the water below.
The elven master archer quickly spots the twin masted vessel that lord Farque and the rest of the group are onboard.
It isn't the flag ship in the sailing fleet. But it's the one everyone knows has the unofficial commander of the Sultan's forces, onboard it.
The elven princeling looks at his right shoulder, where Narladene the ground pixie is sitting, after just returning from the island of Solma, and informing him of what she's found there.
The member of lord Farque's personal council looks down again at the ship the rest of the group is on. And unbeknownst to the two other spellcasters onboard the Quick Gull, he gets in contact with Beldane the cleric.
Tovis the war engineer sees the cleric in the half plate armour slightly nod his head over to where lord Farque is standing at the stern rail.
The two of them make their way over to him, where Beldane the cleric quietly says "I've got word".
Lord Farque slightly nods his full helmed head, then says "Down in the captain's cabin".
The fighting cleric from the kingdom of Nastell, and the young engineer from the kingdom of Druvic, nod. And along with the heavily armoured deathlord, they head below deck, followed by Jarjin Littlefoot and Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy.
In the stern cabin that's the captain's, which lord Farque has taken over. Beldane the cleric wards it from prying eyes and ears. Then after the undead warlord says "Well?".
The member of the church of Glaine, points at the map of Solma on the table, and starts explaining what Narladene the ground pixie has found out about the enemy on the island they're heading towards.
The lord of the death realm is silent as he listens to the fighting cleric. Then once Beldane finishes what Narladene has found, the heavily armoured deathlord points at a spot on the map of Solma, and says "We continue as we've planned".
Immediately seeing what the new information from Narladene has found out, Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit as he stands upon a chair, says "Can we even take that beach with what we know now?".
"We will" says the heavily armoured deathlord.
"A hell of a lot of them are going to get killed storming that beach" says the halfling who is a former air sailor in the Viceroy's fleet.
"I know" says the undead warlord, who after a moment's pause, adds "That's the plan".
The others are silent as they stand around the table, then 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, slowly nods his head in understanding.
"How many are you hoping to lose as we land on the island?" quietly asks Jarjin aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman.
"At least a fifth, hopefully a quarter" is the reply from the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
Clearing his throat, Beldane the cleric says "For what purpose?".
Jarjin slightly winces, as he knows it's best not to question the lord and and ruler of the lands Farque, and his tactics.
"A valid question" says the large, heavily armoured deathlord, who continues with "One you get to ask once, and once only".
The lord of the death realm then says "As for what purpose" he follows that with "Why to defeat the Viceroy's forces, and to find him and bring him before that fat fuck, the Sultan".
Lord Farque, who also goes by the name of Draugadrottin to the people of his lands, then says "And gain the mage's freedom of course".
The fighting cleric slightly nods, and then he slightly winces when the undead warlord tells him "Don't ever question me again".
"Yes my lord" automatically replies the spellcaster who is originally from the kingdom of Nastell.
Meanwhile Jarjin aka Zubutai Timaginson glances sideways at the large figure in the dark blue, black suit of heavy plate armour.
As he realises that the lord and ruler of the lands Farque is up to something else.
The halfling who is a former air sailor in the Viceroy's forces. Reminds himself to ask his fellow council member, Helbe the elven thief. If he knows any of the lord of the death realm's other plans.
He suspects the elven princeling from Laerel doesn't know much, if any of them as well. Nevertheless it's best to ask. Just incase the elven magic user does know of lord Farque's alternate plans.
"Best to send word through the fleet to get ready to storm that beach" says the undead being, who also has the elven name of Des'tier. Which translates to, The Destroyer.
After lifting his eyebrows in surprise, Jarjin Littlefoot says "We're not going to wait for the rest of those reinforcements from the mainland to catch up".
"No" says Draugadrottin, who follows that with "We can't waste anymore time than necessary" followed by "It's going to be difficult enough as it is, without wasting our time waiting for the last of those fuckers to show up from the mainland".
The deathlord of Farque continues with "Seems the Sultan will have to give us more of his personal guards to help us out" he briefly pauses, before adding "He will, if he wants to take Solma back under his control".
"Oh hell" mutters councillor Littlefoot in the hordes dialect of the southern tundra as he suddenly realises some of what the lord and ruler of the lands Farque is alternatively planning.
"Keep your thoughts to yourself" quietly says the heavily armoured deathlord in the same dialect.
"And i mean exactly that" adds the undead warlord, who continues on with "Because that fat cunt and his pet spellcasters are actively trying to break those spell gems you lot have all got to protect yourselves".
The halfling who is a member of the personal council to lord Farque, nods his head in understanding.
Then the lord of the death realm says in the common language "Back on deck" followed by "Time to spread the word to ready the attack".
Looking down at the fleet on the bright blue waters below.
Helbe the elven thief looks at the twin masted vessel that the rest of the group are on.
The young elven noble who is a member of the royal family that rules the principality of Laerel.
Spots Beldane the cleric, down on the deck of the twin masted sailing ship. Which, along with the rest of the fleet, both air and sea. Is heading north towards the island of Solma.
The highly talented elven magic user gets in contact with the fighting cleric, by way of mindspeech.
The elven masterthief listens in silence, and lifts his eyebrows up in surprise once, when he hears what the member of the church of Glaine has to say.
By the forest gods, what the hell? Helbe the elven thief  thinks to himself, who then silently adds, what's he up to.
The he, the elven princeling is referring to, is lord Farque. Who is up to something else, as well as the plans to attack the hard fighting enemy who are on the island of Solma.
The elven master assassin who is a member of the personal council to the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, makes his way over to the captain to speak with him.
The grandson of Prince Raendril knows that the ship's spellcaster will soon be wanting to speak with the captain.
As will the spellcaster who is part of the cadre of twenty strong spellcasters who are under the control of the Sultan of Dreese.
As will the member of the Sultan's court who is onboard.
"They'll attack immediately when they get there" prince Helbenthril Raendril says to the captain.
"We'll have to go down and drop off some of the Sultan's guards we've got onboard with us" adds the elf form the Southlands.
"Oh?" says the airship captain "With the Sultan's permission of course" says the highly talented elven magic user.
Who watches as the ship's spellcaster come this way, to deliver the same message.
And a few moments later, the other spellcaster in the Sultan's cadre, along with the representative from the court of Dreese.
Make their way aft to speak with the ship's captain.
The two of them, who are usually close to the presence of the Sultan. Don't look particularly happy.
Prince Helbenthril Raendril steps away, and standing next to the aft rail.
He listens to first, the ship's spellcaster tell the captain their orders.
Followed second, by the member of the Sultan's court. Who tells the airship captain the same thing.
Though the member of court, looks more than a little displeased to be telling those orders.
And he mentions if their might of been a mistake with them.
The ship's captain thinks not. As all three spellcasters onboard received the same orders.
"We'll be going down a bit later to drop off half of the Sultan's guard contingent we've got onboard" states the airship captain.
"I'm not happy with this captain" says the member of the Sultan's court.
"We'll we'd probably wouldn't have to do so if the rest of the reinforcements from the mainland were here" says the ship's captain in a slightly dry tone.
"But since they're not, more of his magnificence's personal guards will have to fight alongside the army" adds the captain of the Quick Gull.
An airship that can be flown by a much smaller crew if necessary. It's why it's the airship lord Farque told Helbe the elven thief to keep a close eye on.
As it's the one the undead warlord intends taking. If and when they meet the terms of their hire with the Sultan of Dreese.
That would be defeating the enemy forces. And bringing his younger brother, the Viceroy before him.
The young elven noble looks overboard and down, and spots the twin masted airship the rest of the group are onboard.
He along with Narladene the ground pixies who is on his right shoulder. Watch the preparations onboard the twin masted sailing ship below.
And onboard the other ships of the Sultan's sailing fleet. Get ready for the assault upon a beach on the south side of the island of Solma. An assault that the elven princeling guesses will begin sometime around midday.
Tovis the war engineer checks on the ballista that's on either side of the bow deck. There's even a catapult on the ship's bow too.
And after he checks on that as well. Along with speaking to the crews of the war machines.
He makes his way aft, to where most of the others in the group are on the raised deck where the wheel is.
On his way aft, the young engineer originally from the kingdom of Druvic, where he served in the army of a baron Harkonin.
Is joined by Beldane the cleric, who has been watching some of the crew, ready the ship's boat, and the other dinghies that are onboard.
There's way more small craft onboard the twin masted ship than there would normally be. And with good reason.
Once they're on the aft deck with the others, Tovis looks up, and sees one of the airships in the Sultan's air fleet dropping down in altitude.
Shortly followed by another, then another. Until most if not all the small fleet of airships, with the exception of the flag ship. Is heading down to the ocean, and the Sultan's sailing fleet that's heading towards the island of Solma.
"Here that lot comes" quietly says Tovis the war engineer, who nods up into the sky.
Next to him, Beldane the cleric looks up too, and sees the airships dropping down to the ocean.
The two of them look over at lord Farque, who says "Once we get those guards onboard the ships, and we get in close enough to that beach".
The undead warlord pauses for a moment or two, before he continues on with "We'll begin the attack upon the island".
They all look to the north, where the island of Solma is clearly in view now. Where a sizeable portion of the Viceroy's forces are waiting for their arrival. As the war between the two brothers continue through the chain of islands off the east coast of the continent . . . . . .