Summer. The Islands Off The Coast Of The Mainland Of Dreese.
He stands there infront of the pavilion with the other spellcasters not really knowing what's going on.
Just that the person they've been after all summer has finally been caught.
As he stands there, Mira Reinholt the mage puts a hand in one of the pockets of his black hooded cloak.
And thumbs the small gem that's in it, that he knows he's supposed to use in someway. Just when, or how. He's not exactly sure.
As he stands there next to the tall elven mercenary who has a hold of his left arm.
The Viceroy of Dreese looks at his older brother the Sultan. Who sits upon the cushion covered platform infront of the large tent that's the royal pavilion.
On it with the supreme ruler of Dreese is his herald and a number of the Sultan's concubines. Who are holding up parasols to shade the Sultan from the early morning sunshine.
The younger brother of the Sultan knows that he's about to be handed over to the supreme ruler of the Sultanate.
And that his opportunity to do what's planned is almost upon him.
The Viceroy, well former Viceroy, stands there calmly waiting for the opportunity to arise.
As he stands next to the prisoner the Viceroy holding his left arm. Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy waits for the terms of agreement to be fully met.
The elf from the principality of Alínlae, which is in the Southlands, which is faraway to the west, on the otherside of the continent.
Knows that they've only got one chance for this to work. And even if things go wrong. They've still got to take the opportunity that's before them.
Dalinvardél Tanith or Dalin as he's more commonly called by the others in the group.
Keeps his eyes on the Sultan of Dreese up on the raised platform infront of the large tent that's the royal pavilion.
For what's about to happen, has more to do with the supreme ruler of the Sultanate. Than it does for either the Viceroy or the mage Reinholt, or Dalin himself.
On his platform infront of his pavilion, the Sultan of Dreese can no longer stay silent as they wait, and he says to the foreign mercenary "Is there a reason my traitorous brother has one of those gems on him?".
Nodding his hooded head, Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy says in reply to the Sultan "There is".
Sitting there amongst the cushions on the raised platform infront of the royal pavilion, the supreme ruler of Dreese waits for the tall elf in the gray hooded cloak to elaborate, and when the foreign mercenary doesn't, the Sultan says "Well?" followed by "Why?".
Standing there as though he's contemplating something, the spy Tanith refrains from grinning, as the obese nobleman who rules the Sultanate of Dreese, is even more predictable that he and the rest of the group thought.
The elven spy from the Southlands eventually says "Because we don't want you" Dalin then gestures at the nearby practitioners of magic standing infront of the pavilion as he adds "Or any of your pet spellcasters knowing what we're doing".
Which is actually true, more so that what the Sultan could actually realise.
"We had to keep him close since we captured him yesterday" says the spy Tanith with a nod of his hooded head at the prisoner standing next to him.
"For the simple reason a lot of your men would of wanted to kill him" continues the elven spy who is an officer in the scouts and rangers division of the armies of Farque.
"Even though they were told not to harm him" adds the elf who previously served in one of the more prominent noble houses of his homeland of Alínlae.
The Sultan grunts at that, for he knows that even though he ordered that his brother the Viceroy was not to be harmed if and when he was captured.
He knows a good many of his soldiers, sailors, air sailors and especially his personal guards, would of liked to of killed the Viceroy themselves if they were able to get their hands on him.
"Since we had him so close, he overheard a lot of what we had to discuss" explains the elven spy from the Southlands, who slightly shrugs as he continues with "Most of which wasn't important, and had to do with us leaving straight away once the terms of the agreement between us was fully met".
The Sultan of Dreese grunts again, while next to him on the raised platform, his herald nods.
For the group of foreign mercenaries have made it no secret that they will immediately leave once the Viceroy's forces were defeated, and the Viceroy, if caught, was to be handed over to the Sultan.
And that the mage named Mira Reinholt, will be released from the control of the Sultan, and handed over to the rest of the group of foreign mercenaries.
Who have commanded the Sultan's campaign against the Viceroy and his forces. Which has finally seen the defeat of the forces of the Viceroy, here on the islands separated by a channel of water at the very north of the chain of islands off the coast of the mainland of Dreese.
Both Dalinvardél Tanith and the Viceroy of Dreese glance behind them, as the Sultan along with pretty much everyone else infront of the pavilion, and on the nearby flagship, look away to the north.
And as a large number of the Sultan's forces make their way down the beach, and just above the beach on the nearby road, in this direction. A small airship can also be seen flying south in this direction.
It's the Quick Gull, the smallest and fastest airship in the Sultan's fleet. Which has been called for, and which all of those here at this end of the beach have been waiting for.
As Dalin and the younger of the two nobleborn brothers who have been at war with one another. Look at the Sultan again on the raised platform infront of the pavilion.
The supreme ruler of Dreese glances down at what he's holding in his pudgy right hand.
It's the top end of his walking stick, a gnarled almost sap like looking gem that adorns the top of the stick.
Which the Sultan, a man only in his early thirties, has to use to get around as he's so fat.
The clever, not to mention powerful spellcaster who rules the Sultanate of Dreese. Looks carefully at the trapped sprite in the gem at the top of his walking stick.
And though it floats about inside the gnarly looking gem in torture and pain. It gives no warning to him about any impending danger.
The Sultan slightly grunts, and though he hates the idea of giving up one of the spellcasters he has under his control.
And giving up one of his airships, even though it's the smallest, it also happens to be the fastest.
He will do these things as he honours the agreement with the foreign mercenaries. For the simple reason he can get his hands upon his younger brother the former Viceroy of Dreese. Who he plans to make suffer, before he actually executes him for his failed coup, and the subsequent war between the two brothers and their forces.
"There it is" says the Sultan of Dreese with a nod towards the Quick Gull which is coming down towards the beach "The Quick Gull" adds the supreme ruler of the Sultanate.
The small single masted airship puts down upon the beach, right beside where lord Farque and the rest of the group are standing, just over a hundred yards north of the Sultan's pavilion. Well the rest of the group minus one. As Helbe the elven thief disappeared when no one was paying attention.
"The ship is yours" states the supreme ruler of the Sultanate of Dreese, who sounds slightly bitter at giving up one of the airships in his fleet.
Then he looks at his younger brother the former Viceroy, standing there just a dozen or so yards away. And he slightly grins, and doesn't feel so bitter at giving away one his airships.
The powerful and accomplished spellcaster who is part of the royal family that's ruled Dreese for a number of generations, then says "Now hand over that traitorous brother of mine".
Dalinvardél Tanith clears his throat, then directs a pointed look over to where Mira Reinholt the mage is standing amongst some of the cadre of spellcasters who are under the direct control of the Sultan.
The supreme ruler of the Sultanate, sourly smiles, then says "Yes, of course" then he turns and looks at the practitioner of magic from the Southlands, and says to him "You, go and join your comrade".
With the dead eyed look of one still under the compulsion of another spellcaster.
The mage Reinholt steps away from the front of the pavilion and the other spellcasters who are enscrolled by the Sultan of Dreese.
And makes his way over to where the tall elf in the gray hooded cloak, and Viceroy of Dreese who is his prisoner.
As the once powerful mage stands beside him and the local nobleman who he still has a strong hold upon.
The spy Tanith after quickly glancing at his fellow Southlander, he says to the Sultan "That spell you've got on the mage" followed by "Get rid of it".
"Of course" says the supreme ruler of Dreese, who flashes a grin after a sour looking smile briefly appears on his pudgy face.
The next moment, the mage from the city-state of Vexil in the Southlands, stumbles a step forward, before he's able to steady himself.
And after he shakes his head from side to side as he suddenly finds himself no longer under any control from the Sultan of Dreese.
He looks at the spy Tanith and nods his head. As he does, the mage Reinholt puts a hand in one of the pockets of his cloak. And feels the small gem he has in it.
The once powerful mage, who now knows what to do, and more importantly when to do it, cups the small gem into his gloved right hand which he takes out of his pocket.
"He's all yours then" says Dalin who then lets go of the Viceroy's left arm, and shoves the local nobleman forward.
"To do whatever you want to do to him" adds the elven spy from the Southlands as the Viceroy falls to his knees in the sand just before the raised platform.
While the gloating Sultan gets up from amongst all the cushions on the raised platform. And with the aid of his walking stick, and the herald who scrambles to stand up.
The supreme ruler of the Sultanate, who sends those concubines on the platform with him, scrambling out of his way.
Makes his way down off the raised wooden platform, to stand infront of his younger brother.
"Have fun with your victory" says the elven spy from the Southlands.
"Oh i will" says the Sultan of Dreese as he stands over his younger brother, the former Viceroy of the Sultanate.
"I bet" murmurs Dalin, next to him, the mage Reinholt nods in agreement.
Then as the supreme ruler of Dreese says "Now brother, i am going to make you pay".
The Viceroy of Dreese as he's on the sand, says "Not before i make you pay" and with his right hand slaps his older brother in the legs.
For though the spy Tanith indeed has a small needle like steel point that could stick out of the left sleeve of his cloak.
It's actually the Viceroy of Dreese, who has the exact same thing in the right sleeve of his shirt.
And the poison tip of the needle like steel spike, slashes though the silk fabric of the Sultan's lose fitting pantaloons.
Scrapping across one fat leg, then the second of the supreme ruler of Dreese, who suddenly yelps in fright.
As the Sultan yelps, the spy who hails from the elven principality of Alínlae in the Southlands, where he served in one of the more prominent noble houses there.
Grabs the left arm of Mira Reinholt, and takes a few steps forward with the mage.
The spellcaster from the city-state of Vexil, at the same time throws the small gem he's holding.
He throws it right infront of him and the spy Tanith. Right behind where the Viceroy is kneeling in the sand.
And as the herald to the Sultan shouts something. And the Sultan's personal guards react.
The small gem which is flawed, and has a number of cracks in it. Hits the sand and shatters apart. Releasing the spell that's contained within.
The sprite within the gnarled looking end of the Sultan's walking stick shouts out a warning. Which reverberates through the walking stick that the supreme ruler of Dreese can feel.
As he suddenly topples sideways as he no longer has control over his legs.
His younger brother the Viceroy suddenly vanishes, as do the two foreign mercenaries. The tall elf in the gray hooded cloak, and the mage in the black hooded cloak. As the spell within the flawed gem takes effect.
The Sultan of Dreese hits the sand, landing on his side. Squashing his herald, who grabbed the obese supreme ruler of the Sultanate and tried to keep him upright.
The Sultan can no longer feel anything below his chest. The next moment, he can't feel anything beneath his neck. As under him, the herald screams out in pain, calling for help.
The next moment, the Sultan of Dreese can't feel anything at all. As the instantaneous acting poison in his system takes full effect.
Even his large size, and weight. Can do nothing to stop the poison his younger brother just hit him with.
The Sultan of Dreese is dead just a couple of moments after he hit the sand.
Then suddenly nearly thirty spellcasters who were under his direct control. Are now again themselves.
Nearly thirty spellcasters of varying power and skill. All of whom are more than a little angry with what they've had to endure under the control of the now dead Sultan of Dreese.
Then all hell breaks out upon the long curving sandy beach as nearly thirty practitioners of magic suddenly start casting . . . . . .
No comments:
Post a Comment