The Lost Ones 46.

Summer. The Islands Of Dreese. Off The East Coast Of The Continent.

Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit climbs over the side of the boat as it nears the shore, and he drops into the water as most of the others in the boat have done.
The halfling from the mainland of Dreese, goes completely beneath the surface of the water for a moment.
He gasps as he pops his head back up out of the water.
The hobbit who was previously in the airfleet of the Sultan of Dreese. Who is just glad the water is warm.
Starts kicking to propel himself forward, as he's not able to touch the sea floor yet. As the others are doing, as they walk into the island through the water.
As he paddles towards the shore, Jarjin Littlefoot slightly grimaces as he hears an explosion somewhere behind him in the channel between the two islands.
Then he looks to either side of him, and sees others in the water heading towards the island that's on the west side of the channel.
He sees a boat that has put out from one of the ships that has sailed in close to the island.
Explode in the water as it's hit by an enemy spellcaster. Bits of wood and bodies go flying in the air from the explosion, that sends water flying up into the air too.
"Fuck me" mutters Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit, who then grimaces as he gets a mouthful of sea water, which he then spits out.
The halfling, who is infact really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra by the name of Zubutai Timaginson, who just happens to find himself inhabiting the body of the hobbit who is from the mainland of Dreese.
Hopes to the tundra gods that he isn't hit by some random spell as he paddles towards the island on this side of the channel.
Then he briefly pauses as he thinks about it. And realises that getting hit by any old spell isn't such a bad idea.
Jarjin aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman isn't totally against the idea of getting himself killed in battle today.
For the simple reason, he isn't entirely happy with the body he's in at the moment.
Oh sure, the senses of the halfling are far superior to any of the humans he's been over the years.
But that's probably the only advantage of being a halfling.
There's far more disadvantages than advantages at being a hobbit.
The chief of which is truly apparent at a time like this. Where he's at a serious disadvantage.
Being the height he is, barely four foot tall. Isn't doing his chances of success at reaching the shore any good.
Infact he still can't touch the ground beneath the water, as everyone else around him is doing, as they make their way to the closest beach on the island.
As he continues to paddle towards the shoreline, the halfling who is a member of the personal council to lord Farque.
Wonders if his life will come to an end again sometime today during the battle.
And though Jarjin aka Zubutai Timaginson absolutely hates dying. Something he's done quite a number of times over the years.
He must admit, death in battle today might not be such a bad thing.
After all, there's bound to be plenty of other bodies all around that he can return back to life in. Pretty much all of which are human.
The halfling who previously served as an air sailor in the Sultan's fleet. Who as he finally gets his feet down on the sandy bottom beneath the water. And is contemplating going out of his way to get himself into even more danger so that he'll get killed.
Suddenly hears a splash in the water right behind him, then something moving through the water towards him.
Jarjin aka Zubutai the son of Timagin goes to turn to see what it is. When he's suddenly grabbed by the back of his tunic and leather armoured vest, and picked up out of the water.
"Thanks" sourly murmurs the halfling as lord Farque carries him towards the beach, like he's a dog or cat by the scruff of the neck.
The hobbit from the mainland of Dreese as he hangs there, sourly smiles as water drips off him, as he's carried to shore by the undead warlord.
Once on the beach, the heavily armoured deathlord drops Jarjin Littlefoot, who lands on his feet.
And as lord Farque says to some of the nearby guards and soldiers who have just made it to the beach too "You lot into the trees, some of the enemy are back in there" followed by "And you others, head north up the beach".
And as the lord of the death realm is answered by a chorus of "Yes sir" by the Sultan's soldiers and even the supreme ruler of Dreese's personal guards.
Jarjin aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman looks around to see what's happening.
The former air sailor who noticed that the lord and ruler of the lands Farque sent some of the Sultan's personal guards into the trees where the enemy are, and the soldiers of the Sultanate's army north along the beach.
Sees that though the battle out in the channel has significantly dropped away since the heavy fighting this morning.
There's still ships from both fleets, engaged in battle in the channel that runs between the two islands.
Two islands that are at the very northern end of the chain of them, that are off the coast of the mainland of Dreese.
The hobbit nods his head, when lord Farque says to him in the halfling language "Come on".
And as they start making their way north along the sandy beach, as more boats that have put out from the nearby ships, come in close to the island, and more of the Sultan's forces wade through the water towards the island.
Jarjin Littlefoot looks across to the otherside of the channel. And with his naturally enhanced eyesight.
He watches one of the airships in the Sultan's fleet. Above that island to the east, flying at an angle to the ground, shooting off some of it's magetubes at the enemy positions on that island.
The former air sailor, who figures that will probably happen here on this island sometime later today or at night.
Quietly asks the large, heavily armoured figure walking beside him on the beach "Where is he?".
"At the north end of the island" is the reply from Draugadrottin as he's also known as, by the people of his lands.
"He'll be safe there as the battle continues on" adds the undead warlord who effectively leads the Sultan's forces in the war against the Viceroy of Dreese.
Jarjin Littlefoot nods his head at knowing their prisoner, the Viceroy of Dreese, is safe at the northern end of the island.
The halfling who is a member of the personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, has to walk quickly to keep up with the heavily armoured deathlord.
As Jarjin aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman hops over the dead body of one of the Sultan's personal guards. And looks to his right, and sees a few bodies in the water, and a half wrecked ship's boat floating by in the warm tropical waters.
He asks the undead being known as Des'tier to an older generation of elven kind "How's things going?" followed by "With the battle?".
"We're winning I'd say" is the reply of the lord of the death realm, who then shouts in the local dialect "Into the trees!" and "After them!". At some of the Sultan's forces, as enemy archers shoot at those on the beach, and the others making their way through the water towards it.
The halfling who previously served as an air sailor in the Sultanate's airfleet, winces and stands right beside Draugadrottin, on the side closest to the water, as arrows and crossbow bolts come flying their way.
Councillor Littlefoot who hears a bolt or arrow ping off the heavy plate armour of the undead warlord.
Doesn't mind getting himself killed today in battle. But he doesn't want to get hit by an enemy arrow or bolt.
For the simple reason it probably won't kill him straight away, unless it's an extremely lucky shot.
And he doesn't fancy getting wounded, as that's just plain out annoying. Even though he carries a healing potion to cure any wound or injury.
The lord and ruler of the lands Farque waves in encouragement to a couple boatloads of the Sultan's soldiers, who jump from the two boats, and make their way quickly through the water towards the shore.
Then Des'tier, which translates to, The Destroyer, continues on his way along the beach here towards the southern end of the island on the west side of the channel.
The former air sailor, Jarjin Littlefoot sticks close to his side, as more and more of the Sultan's forces make their way onto the island, as they've already done on the island on the otherside of the channel.
Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy steps quickly to one side, and with his longbow drawn, he lets loose an arrow through the trees.
Taking one of the enemy archers in the face, taking a fair chunk of the man's head off too.
"Go" orders Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy, and those of the Sultan's men who are with him, head further into the tropical forest, in pursuit of the Viceroy's soldiers.
The elven master spy from the principality of Alínlae, which is located all the way on the otherside of the continent, in the Southlands.
Makes his way back the way he's come from, telling any of the Sultan's soldiers and personal guards he comes across, to head further inland.
The elf who once served in one of the more prominent noble houses in his homeland of Alínlae, who is now an officer in the armies of Farque.
Walks out from the trees, and makes his way onto the beach. He sees some of the Sultan's personal guards who have just arrived on the island, and waves them in his direction.
When they get close, he tells them to head inland, into the tropical forest, that covers a lot of this island, as it does on the other island, across on the east side of the channel.
The elf from the Southlands who like the rest of the group from the otherside of the continent, is essentially a mercenary, serving in the Sultan of Dreese's military.
Not willingly though, as they've been basically forced to, as one of their number, is under the control of the supreme ruler of the Sultanate of Dreese.
He points north along the beach, and tells a trio of the Sultan's soldiers who have just come ashore, to head that way.
The spy Tanith knows that lord Farque wants as many of the Sultan's personal guards who have been sent into battle, to be killed.
So Dalinvardél Tanith or Dalin as he's more commonly called by those who know him well.
Sends the Sultan's personal guards he sees, straight towards where he knows the enemy are.
They like those in the Sultan's army, follow his orders, as they do the rest of the others in the group from the Southlands, who find themselves here all the way on the otherside of the continent.
In an island chain off the east coast of the continent, the coast where the mainland of the Sultanate of Dreese is located.
The elven spy from the principality of Alínlae, looks out into the channel, and spots Tovis the war engineer, and Beldane the cleric in a ship's boat, approaching this beach.
Dalin sees that the fighting cleric has seen him, and Beldane is pointing away to the south along the beach.
The spy Tanith looks that way as an energyball passes over the trees away to his left, on it's way out across the channel, towards one of the Sultan's ships that's coming in close to the island.
The elf in the gray hooded cloak spots lord Farque and Jarjin Littlefoot making their way along the beach, heading this way.
After the elven spy sends a boatload of the Sultan of Dreese's soldiers who have just come ashore, northwards along the beach.
He goes and meets the undead warlord and the halfling who is really Zubutai the barbarian hordesman.
"North?" asks Dalinvardél Tanith as they wait for the boat that Beldane and Tovis are in, to get closer to the beach.
"Yes" is the reply of lord Farque as they wait at the water's edge.
Jarjin Littlefoot, who stands there a little nervously as he looks towards the trees just beyond the beach.
Makes sure to keep the heavily armoured deathlord between him and the nearby treeline.
As the fighting cleric from the kingdom of Nastell, and the young engineer from the kingdom of Druvic. Two nations that are in the Southlands.
Jump into the water, and wade ashore on what's a warm tropical summer's day here in the very north of the island chain off the coast of the mainland of Dreese.
Dalin quietly says to Draugadrottin "Taking fairly heavy losses" followed by "Over on the other island more than this one" he briefly pauses before adding "Though i suspect the fighting here on this side of the channel will get heavier, and just as brutal".
"I know" says lord Farque, who then adds "And let's hope so" in response to the spy from the elven principality of Alínlae as they wait for Beldane and Tovis to reach the shore.
Some more of the Sultan's personal guards get to the beach, and the undead warlord orders them inland.
Then the lord of the death realm tells the soldiers who reach the shore with the powerful cleric and the war engineer. To head north along the shore.
Then the group from the Southlands follows after them, as they head northwards too.
Beldane the cleric nods his head, when the deathlord of Farque quietly tells him "Keep holding your power within yourself" followed by "There's quite a few of the Viceroy's spellcasters on this island".
And to prove that point, a fireball passes just thirty yards infront of them, narrowly missing some of the Sultan's soldiers further along the beach. As it heads out across the channel, towards one of the Sultan's ships that has come in close to the island.
As they head to the rendezvous point that lord Farque has picked out at this end of the island.
Where many of the officers in the Sultan's army who have been assigned to attack the enemy army, will be.
The undead being called Des'tier in the elven language, quietly says to the others "The more of the Sultan's guards we get rid of during the fighting, the better".
He continues with "Remember, send them into where the fighting is the heaviest".
The rest of the group all nod as they hurry north along this beach along the east side of the island.
An island which now will become the focal point of the battle. A battle where the Viceroy of Dreese's forces are essentially making a last stand, as the war between the two brothers. The Sultan and the Viceroy, finally comes to a head . . . . . .