The Lost Ones 22.

Summer. The Island Of Solma. The Sultanate Of Dreese.

A long curving, white sand beach. Sits on the south side of the island of Solma.
There's a reef a few hundred feet out from the beach. Which creates a crescent shaped lagoon of calm, clear, blue tropical water.
There's gaps in the reef to allow vessels through, and into the lagoon, and vice, versa.
Though only craft drawing a shallow draft. While sailing ships can forget about it.
Though a daring captain might try to get through the reef at high tide. And only if his ship was small, and has an extremely shallow draft.
So the vessels in the Sultan of Dreese's fleet are out from the reef and it's lagoon.
Where they're putting out their dinghies and ship's boats. Which they have a large number of.
As they anticipated their use. In an attack upon the south side of the island of Solma.
As this is the easiest way onto the island in more peaceful times. But now in a war between the Sultan of Dreese and his younger brother the Viceroy.
It's the most obvious point of attack, and where the Viceroy's forces are defending the island the most.
Another dinghy is lowered down to the water from the twin masted ship that the group of mercenaries are onboard.
Four sailors hurry down the cargo net on the starboard side hull. And hop down into the dinghy.
They're followed by half a dozen soldiers in the army of the Sultan of Dreese. And a similar number of the Sultan's personal guards.
Who don't look all that pleased to be amongst the soldiers in the army. Nor that pleased to be going into combat.
The same thing is happening on the port side of the twin masted vessel. And on the other ships in the fleet. That are just outside the lagoon, here on the south side of the island of Solma.
An island in the chain, just off the mainland of Dreese. An island that's a stronghold for the Viceroy and his forces.
Away to starboard as the dinghy on that side of the twin masted sailing ship. Starts heading towards the reef.
A small, single masted ship. Not even fifty feet in length. Is in position to head for a gap in the reef.
The small vessel has been stripped off all supplies and cargo. And has had it's pair of ballista taken off it, and given to other vessels in the fleet.
There's just a single watch in the crew manning the small ship, when there's usually at least two, preferably three.
Though what it does have onboard, is a fair few soldiers in the army of Dreese. And a number of the Sultan's guards too.
The small, single masted sailing ship will make a run for a gap in the reef. Only after the dinghies and ship's boats have got through into the lagoon.
Most everyone in the fleet looks up into the clear blue midday sky, on this warm tropical summer's day in the island chain off the east coast of the continent.
A magetube has just fired, followed by another, and another, until a dozen of them have fired from one of the airships in the Sultan's air fleet.
Magetubes aren't that common outside of the Southlands. And here in the very east of the continent.
You're more likely to find them in a couple of nations, that are part of the five kingdoms.
Not here in the Sultanate of Dreese, or in other nations further south along the coast.
With the current Sultan having them. It's a sure sign of his wealth and power.
Unfortunately his younger brother the Viceroy. Who led an unsuccessful coup against his older brother.
Also has a number of magetubes. Which he stole, when he stole a fair chunk of the Sultanate's fleet. Both sailing ships, and airships.
And as the magetube shots fired from one of the Sultan's airships, head down to the south side of the island.
A similar number of magetube shots can be heard, then seen. Coming up from the south side of Solma. Heading up towards the Sultan's small airship fleet.
Vessels in the midday sky start scattering as a barrage of magetube shots come up at them.
While down on the water, the last of the dinghies has left the twin masted, sailing ship, that has the foreign mercenary. Who is the unofficial leader of the Sultan's campaign, onboard it.
"Get in as close to the reef as possible" says lord Farque to the ship's captain "So we can give us the best chance possible with our heavy weapons on the bow to hit the enemy" adds the undead warlord who is speaking in the local dialect.
The heavily armoured deathlord points forward, as he adds "Tighten the lines on the fore mast" followed by "Head bow down, on the bow quarter on the starboard side" he continues with "That should allow us to get as close to the reef as possible".
"Yes sir" says the ship's captain, who realises that the foreign mercenary known as the dead man, is an expert sailor.
He starts issuing orders. Which are relayed by his officers here on the aft deck.
The captain in the Sultan's fleet, makes sure they have numerous lookouts to keep an eye on the depth of the water too.
As he really doesn't want to bottom out getting close to the reef, and the lagoon on the otherside of it.
His ship is a blue water sailing ship, not a coastal lugger. And even then, if it was a coastal vessel, sometimes referred to an island hopper. Very few of them could make it through a gap in the reef.
There's one such vessel away to starboard. And the captain of the twin masted sailing ship wishes the captain of that small, single masted vessel all the luck in the world with what he's going to do. Because he's going to need it.
The lord and ruler of the lands Farque makes his way from his position next to the wheel, over to the port side, here on the raised deck on the stern.
"Don't go out until the dinghies and boats start coming back" says the lord of the death realm to Beldane the cleric.
"And whatever you do, don't go onto that fucking beach" adds the tall figure in the dark blue, black suit of heavy plate armour.
"Only help those you can safely get to, and don't over extend yourself" continues the deathlord of Farque.
"I will" says Beldane the cleric with a nod of his head.
"Go with him" says lord Farque to Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy.
The elf originally from the principality of Alínlae nods his hooded head.
Then the heavily armoured deathlord looks down at the halfling looking beneath the rail, and asks him "You want to go as well?".
"Not particularly" says Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit, who then gestures at the sea, as the pounding of the waves hit the nearby reef, and asks "Are there sharks in these waters?".
"Yes, just the reef kind" says Draugadrottin as he's also known by to the people of his lands "They don't get bigger than six foot or so" continues the lord of the death realm.
"That's plenty big enough" mutters the halfling who is former air sailor, who served in the Viceroy's forces.
"I definitely don't want to go" dryly says the hobbit, who in actual fact, is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra by the name of Zubutai Timaginson, who finds himself inhabiting the body of Jarjin Littlefoot.
The halfling who is a member of the personal council to the lord and ruler of the lands Farque then says "I'll stay onboard thank you".
The undead being, who also has the elven name of Des'tier, which translates to, The Destroyer.
Nods his full helmed head, then says "You can go forward and help Tovis on the bow deck" the undead warlord continues with "No doubt your eyesight will be an advantage to him".
Jarjin aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman nods his head in agreement, then he sets off across the deck, heading forward to the bow deck.
Before he does, the former air sailor says to Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy and Beldane the cleric "Stay safe".
They reply that they will, and the hobbit waves to them as he heads forward along the deck of the twin masted sailing ship.
While the fighting cleric and the elven spy move forward too. Heading to a midships, to wait for one of the dinghies or ship's boats to return.
Jarjin aka Zubutai Timaginson makes his way onto the bow deck, where the ship's catapult and two ballista are located.
The former air sailor joins Tovis the war engineer just infront of the catapult as the twin masted ship continues to approach the reef.
"Some of them have got through" says Tovis the war engineer.
The halfling who is a member of the personal council to lord Farque, who looks beneath the rail, nods in agreement as they watch the flotilla of dinghies and boats making their way into the lagoon.
A dinghy misses a gap in the reef, and bangs into the rocky looking reef beneath the surface of the water.
Soldiers and guards go flying forward out of the dinghy or over the side, and hit the water.
While twenty yards to the right, another dinghy hits the reef. Though this one scrapes along the top of it, and gets into the lagoon.
But it's leaking badly, and is soon sinking. And the soldiers and guards onboard, are soon jumping over the side into the lagoon. And eventually the sailors rowing it, jump overboard as it sinks even more as they try to turn it around and head out of the lagoon.
All along the length of the reef, dinghies and ship's boats, enter or attempt to enter the lagoon.
Most are successful, while others are not. A couple even get wedged onto the top of the reef and can't get off it.
And as the surf of the open ocean starts pounding into them, which will either knock them off the reef, or break them apart.
The soldiers and guards onboard those dinghies. Jump forward, hoping to miss the reef, as they attempt to enter the lagoon.
While the sailors rowing them, slip off the stern of their doomed vessels. And head into the open water, trying to make their way to the closest ship.
Meanwhile more and more of the dinghies and boats have got into the lagoon. And as the sailors at the oars, row as quickly as they can across the calm waters of the lagoon towards the beach.
The enemy upon the beach, and up from it. Attack the Sultan's forces who are attempting to land upon the beach.
Catapults up amongst the trees behind the beach. Shoot at those in the lagoon, and also at the ships that are closest to the reef.
The shots are usually loads of rock. Sharp, volcanic rocks, as the island of Solma is a former volcano, sticking up out of the ocean. And volcanic rock is abundant.
There's also barrels of burning pitch that is flung from some of the catapults.
And occasionally you'll see some of them burning through the midday sky as they're flung towards those out on the water.
More than a few of them hit the dinghies and boats heading towards the beach.
While the sharp volcanic rocks hit even more of the small vessels attempting to get close to the beach.
On which are a number of earth works. Where structures have been built, protected by sand bags.
Hundreds of the Viceroy's soldiers are behind them. As the dinghies and ship's boats get closer and closer.
Those with bows and crossbows start shooting at those attempting to storm the beach, here on the south side of the island  of Solma.
Meanwhile the ballista, in the structures. Which can just be seen through gaps in the walls of sand bags.
Are already firing at those in the dinghies and boats. And when they hit, they usually hit with devastating effect.
As more than one dinghy is shattered apart by a ballista hit. Or if they hit someone directly, that person is torn apart. And usually the person behind them is killed too. And the dinghy or boat is overturned from the impact of the ballista shot hitting someone onboard.
Onboard the various dinghies and ship's boats. It's the sailors rowing the small vessels who are in charge.
And the smarter ones out of them. Yell at the soldiers and guards to get into the water as they get closer to the beach.
As the water in the lagoon is fairly shallow. Especially a hundred or so feet out from the sands of the beach.
The want tropical water is only knee height. And you can run quicker to the beach than a dinghy or boat can row towards it.
So you see the sight of soldiers in the Sultan's army. Along with his personal guards. Running through the shallow water towards the beach.
While other dinghies and boats are still heading towards the beach and the enemy who are firing upon them.
Meanwhile, just outside of the lagoon, on the otherside of the reef.
A number of the ships in the Sultan's fleet have got close. And are now firing their own heavy weapons at the Viceroy's forces on the beach, and amongst the trees up behind the beach.
On the twin masted sailing ship that the group of mercenaries have been traveling on.
Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit, who sees that some of the dinghies and ship's boats are turning back now that the soldiers and guards they were ferrying. Are out, and running through the shallow water to the beach.
Says to Tovis the war engineer "A little bit higher, and you'll hit it properly". After the catapult here on the bow, flings a shot of large rocks. Which hit the beach, and some of them thud into the sand bag wall infront of one of the structures the enemy have built on the beach.
As the catapult is reloaded, the young engineer tells the crew manning it, to aim higher on their next shot.
Then Tovis the war engineer makes his way to starboard, then shouts "Loose!" in the local dialect, one of the handful of words he knows in the local language.
The starboard side ballista here on the bow deck makes the unmistakable thud of a ballista firing.
And the twelve foot long heavy spear, which is essentially a missile, is shot off.
Heading towards the beach nearly four hundred feet away. It passes over a dinghy that's just entered the lagoon. And goes over another one in the lagoon that's coming back, after the soldiers and guards who were onboard it, jumped overboard, and are now running through the shallow water to the beach.
The twelve foot long heavy spear on it's way towards the beach, barely passes over a couple of the Sultan's personal guards who are running through the water.
Before it slams into the wall of sand bags infront of one of the enemy structures. Sand goes flying everywhere, as does bits of wood.
From the screams that Jarjin Littlefoot can hear over the noise of the battle that's underway, that ballista shot was a successful hit.
"Things are just getting started" says the halfling who is a former air sailor in the Viceroy's forces, to the young engineer who is originally from the kingdom of Druvic in the Southlands.
"That it is" says Tovis the war engineer in agreement, as the battle for the island of Solma gets underway on this warm, tropical summer's day here in the chain of islands off the east coast of the continent . . . . . .