The Lost Ones 49.

Summer. The Island Chain In The Sultanate Of Dreese.

"Have you seen anymore of them?" asks Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy.
"No sir" is the reply from an officer in the Sultan's army.
"Very well then" says the elven spy from the principality of Alínlae, which is in the Southlands, all the way on the otherside of the continent.
"You and your men join this lot marching north" adds the spy Tanith gesturing at those on the dirt road that goes partway up the east coast of the island.
"A camp is being set up somewhere further north" continues the elf from the Southlands, who is a mercenary serving in the army of the Sultan of Dreese.
The young army officer nods, then asks "Have we defeated them sir?".
"It sure looks like it" is the reply from the elven spy who once served in one of the more prominent noble houses of his homeland, and is now an officer in the scouts and rangers division in the armies of Farque.
The officer in the Sultan's army grins, then he hurries away to where his men are waiting. Then they join the others on the dirt road and start marching northwards.
As they do, the elf from the Southlands glances at Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit who is standing next to him.
The halfling from the mainland of Dreese, shrugs his shoulders when he sees the spy Tanith glance at him.
The two of them who are standing on a slight rise on the inland side of the dirt road. Continue to watch a large element of the Sultan's army on this particular island march northwards.
While out in the channel, just a few hundred feet out from the shoreline. A ship is burning to the waterline. It's the last of the vessels in the Viceroy of Dreese's fleet.
As both his sea going fleet and small airfleet have been destroyed. And so has the vast majority of his army on the island on the otherside of the channel.
As for his army on this side, the west side of the channel of water that separates the two islands. Apparently they've been defeated too. Though that's not necessarily the fact as the sun sets in the sky to the west on what's been another warm tropical summer's day, here near the equator in the very north of the island chain that lies off the coast of the mainland of Dreese.
Looking away to the south in the sky that's slowly getting darker as the sun begins to set in the west.
Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit says "I think that's him coming up".
Dalinvardél Tanith or Dalin as he's more commonly called by the others in the group, looks southwards too.
And in the distance in the sky, he spots the flagship of the Sultan of Dreese.
"Yeah that's him alright" says the spy originally from the elven principality of Alínlae.
The halfling from the mainland of Dreese, who in actual fact is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra by the name of Zubutai Timaginson, who just happens to find himself inhabiting the body of Jarjin Littlefoot.
Quietly says to the tall elf beside him "At least he kept out of the battle, which was pretty good".
Dalin nods his head in agreement with the halfling who is a former air sailor in the Sultan's fleet.
"That's about the only thing he's ever done the lord has told him to do" says Jarjin aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman who is conversing in the elven language with the spy Tanith as the Sultan's soldiers continue to walk by where they're standing just off to the side of the dirt road.
"Which we can be grateful for" quietly says the elf from the Southlands.
The hobbit who is a member of the personal council to lord Farque grunts in agreement with that.
Then as the light begins to fade as the sun sets in the west, the former air sailor from the mainland of Dreese, gestures across to the beach, and up it as he says "There's Tovis and Beldane".
The spy Tanith spots the young engineer and the fighting cleric as well.
Then the two of them cross the dirt road, and make their way onto the beach where Tovis the war engineer and Beldane the cleric are heading their way.
A little bit later, when the sun has fully set and it's early evening. They step out of a gateway that Beldane has cast.
The fighting cleric from the kingdom of Nastell is the last one through the gateway. Which disappears when the powerful spellcaster drops the spell behind him.
They're on a beach further north along the shore. Above the beach on some clear ground.
The Sultan's army has set up a camp. As soldiers march in from the south along the coast. While a few hundred feet out from the beach. A number of the Sultan's sea going fleet are at anchor.
While in the early evening moonlight, ship's boats, ferry into the shore, food, supplies and equipment.
And take back to the ships, many of the wounded and injured who have made it to camp.
Looking around with his lowlight vision, Jarjin aka Zubutai Timaginson quietly asks "Where is he?" referring to lord Farque.
"He's gone to the north end of the island" is the reply from Tovis the war engineer, who then adds in the basic elven he's learnt "To get the prisoner".
Both the halfling and the elf nod to that, then councillor Littlefoot gestures towards the camp that's on the open ground above the beach and quietly says "Might as well go and make sure they stay put for the night, and don't wander off inland and cross to the far side of the island".
Dalin, Tovis and Beldane all nod in agreement to that. Then the four of them make their way across the sands of the beach to the camp. As more and more of the victorious army of the Sultan of Dreese make their way up the coast to the camp.
All the running lights on the airship are lit. With the last lamp just being lit by an able airman.
The airship that lord Farque has been on for the latter part of the day, and now into the night. Is near the north end of the island on this side of the channel.
"There's a beach at the northeast tip of the island" says lord Farque in the local dialect to the airship captain as they stand behind the helmsman at the wheel.
"We're heading there" adds the undead warlord.
"Yes sir" says the ship's captain who calls out some orders, including putting more lookouts up the masts, and on the bow.
The heavily armoured deathlord then says "And have someone go below and get that lackey from the court and that puppet of a spellcaster".
The lord and ruler of the lands Farque who commands the Sultan's forces adds in a dry tone "I suppose those two idiots better see what's going on".
Both the captain and the helmsman grin when they hear that, then the ship's captain has a junior officer go below deck, to go and get the two that the foreign mercenary mentioned.
The captain along with his officers and crew know something's up. But what exactly, they're not sure of.
Just that late in the afternoon, one of the other foreign mercenaries, one of the two elves, suddenly appeared onboard.
And that he, along with the large heavily armoured figure of the one called both the lord, and the dead man. Were deep in conversation about something. Before the elven spellcaster disappeared a little bit later.
The court functionary, and the spellcaster in the cadre of practitioners of magic that the Sultan of Dreese has under his control make their way up on deck.
And after looking around and seeing that the dead man is on the stern deck with the captain.
The two of them remain in a midships. Wondering why they've been told to come up on deck.
Behind the visor of his full helm, a very faint smile appears on the face of lord Farque as he looks at the court functionary, and one of the Sultan's tame spellcasters. As he waits for the word to come from one of the lookouts up in the masts or on the bow deck of the airship.
It's not long before a lookout up the main mast calls down "There's a fire burning down at the edge of a beach!" followed by "A cook fire or camp fire!".
The captain glances at the large, heavily armoured figure next to him, who towers over him and everyone else onboard.
"That's it" says lord Farque who is also known by the name of Draugadrottin to the people of his lands.
"Set down there" continues the undead warlord, who then after a brief pause adds "They're waiting for us".
"Yes sir" says the ship's captain, who starts calling out orders, which are repeated along the length of the twin masted airship that got through the battle unscathed.
As the vessel starts to drop in altitude in the night as it gets close to a cove at the very northeast of the island.
The heavily armoured deathlord who has the elven name of Des'tier, which translates to, The Destroyer.
Quietly says to the captain "Have a small squad of the crew armed".
"Sir?" asks the captain in the Sultan of Dreese's fleet.
"They might be needed" quietly says the undead being.
The ship's captain nods his head as he wonders what's going on. Then he quietly informs the first officer to arm five of the bosuns and senior midshipmen.
As the second moon of the world of Volunell rises to join the first that's already in the night sky.
The airship drops down towards the beach at the northeast tip of the island.
"Come along then" says the lord of the death realm, after the captain orders the helmsman to set the vessel down onto the beach.
Draugadrottin followed by the ship's captain and the first officer make their way forward along the deck.
As the crew look towards the small fire that's burning at the far end of the beach, near some of the palm trees along the top of the beach.
They're met by the bosuns and midshipmen who have been armed.
And in a midships, the deathlord of Farque briefly stops and says "You two with us".
The official from the Sultan's court, sourly smiles, but he does nod his head yes in response to the foreign mercenary.
Meanwhile the wizard with him, just stands there with a dead eye look, that many of the cadre of spellcasters under the direct control of the supreme ruler of the Sultanate of Dreese seem to have.
Lord Farque just jumps over the starboard rail as the airship settles on the sand of the beach.
Meanwhile the captain, the first officer, the five armed crew members. Then the court functionary and the wizard, climb down the cargo netting that's been put down over the starboard side of the airship.
The undead warlord waits for them, and as he does he looks out to the waters of the channel, and sees the moonlight reflecting off it.
He also looks over to the island on the otherside of the channel. Which with his unique vision, he can clearly see this night.
The lord of the death realm has sensed that the Sultan's forces have had a significant victory over on that island. Killing most of the enemy who were on that island, and capturing the rest.
While on this island, on the west side of the channel. The Sultan of Dreese's army has had a similar victory. Or so it seems to the victors.
Then once those who are joining him, have got down off the ship and onto the beach, the heavily armoured deathlord says to them "This way".
Des'tier leads them along the beach, heading up it, to where a small fire is burning under the branches of a palm tree.
As they approach the fire, those following the foreign mercenary they refer to as the dead man.
Finally spot what he's already seen, and seen for quite sometime as well.
Two people standing off to one side of the small fire, which occasionally sends sparks flying as it crackles away and burns.
As they get closer, those from the airship recognise one as the elven mercenary who wears the white hooded cloak, obviously a spellcaster, who was onboard their vessel for a little bit in the afternoon.
And as they get even closer to the fire, and the large, heavily armoured  foreign mercenary leading them comes to a stop.
They see the second person standing next to the elf in the white hooded cloak.
It's a man, obviously a Dreesian. Who after a few moments as they all come to a stop before the burning fire, they suddenly all recognise.
"Holy fucking shit it's the Viceroy" says the first officer in shock, a shock that they're all feeling as they see the man they've been after since he attempted a coup against his older brother the Sultan of Dreese.
An attempted coup that failed, which turned into a war between the two brothers and the forces loyal to them.
With him holding the left arm of the Viceroy of Dreese, Helbe the elven thief says "I captured him as he was trying to leave the island this afternoon".
The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel, that lies off the coast of the Southlands, on the otherside of the continent, then he adds "Seems he knew he was defeated, and was trying to flee".
Nodding his full helmed head, lord Farque says "Good" he continues with "This day has been more than successful".
The crew from the ship are all grinning, so do the captain and first officer, though they're a bit more circumspect. As they both served under the Viceroy until his coup. And actually liked him. But they like a lot in the fleets, both sea and air. Are loyal to their nation first. Which is why they've been fighting on the side of the Sultan. Who rules their homeland of Dreese.
Also grinning, is the official from the Sultan's court. And as he grins in triumph, he steps forward and grabs the other arm of the Viceroy of Dreese.
As the court functionary does, lord Farque quietly says in a cool tone of voice to the nobleborn official "Take your hands of my prisoner".
The court functionary darts a look at the wizard from the Sultan's cadre, before he says to the undead warlord "Look here, this is".
"I don't care" says Draugadrottin as he interrupts the court official.
"Now take your fucking hands off my prisoner" adds the heavily armoured deathlord who looms over everyone else on the beach.
The armed air sailors are more than a little nervous, as are the captain and first officer. Whilst Helbe the elven thief stands there looking calm and collected. Even though he's trying not to laugh.
Also standing there looking quite calm, is the Viceroy himself. The younger brother of the Sultan of Dreese just watches on as a confrontation takes place over him.
The lord and ruler of the lands Farque takes another step towards the court functionary. Who when the lord of the death realm looks straight into his eyes. He briefly sees a bright glowing flash of blue in the eyes of the one called the dead man.
The official from the Sultan's court hastily releases the arm of the Viceroy as he gulps in what can only be called fear.
"Remember" says the undead warlord who leads the Sultan's forces in the war against the Viceroy.
"It is us" adds lord Farque indicating himself and Helbe the elven thief "Who are to defeat the Viceroy's forces, and to find him and bring him before the Sultan".
Behind the heavily armoured deathlord, the airship captain and the first officer nod. As do the armed air sailors, as they've all heard the direct orders from the Sultan of Dreese to the group of foreign mercenaries.
"So that's what we're going to do" says Des'tier, who turns to the ship's captain, and tells him "Have the men surround the prisoner, and guard him with their lives".
"Yes sir" says the airship captain, who then tells the armed bosuns, and senior midshipmen "You heard him" followed by "Guard the Viceroy" he briefly pauses before adding "I mean his highness". As the younger brother of the Sultan has been stripped of his position.
"Back to the ship" says the undead warlord, and with prisoner surrounded by the armed air sailors, they walk back down the beach to the airship this warm summer's night in the equatorial tropics.
As they do, the wizard actually speaks up and says with a look at Viceroy of Dreese "I can't sense him".
"I know" says Helbe the elven thief, who then adds "It's quite a clever trick of mine, where i've cut him off from his magic".
The highly talented elven magic user continues with "I could try it on you if you like" followed by "You might be free of that predicament you're in if i do".
The elven masterthief who is a member of the royal family that rules the principality of Laerel, then adds in a slightly dry tone "Though that compulsion spell you're under might fry your brain as well, so there is that".
What little colour is in the face and cheeks of the wizard under the direct control of the Sultan of Dreese, completely disappears. And he hurries ahead of everyone else, and is the first to climb back up onboard the airship. As a grinning Helbe the elven thief watches him.
The undead warlord and the elven princeling from the Southlands watch as the air sailors and their captain and the first officer. Help the prisoner up the cargo netting to the starboard rail.
While the court official has to struggle up onboard the airship behind them.
Lord Farque and Helbe the elven thief share a look. Then they make their way onboard knowing that their plans are now and truly underway as they try to free Mira Reinholt the mage from the Sultan of Dreese . . . . . .