The Lost Ones 58.

Summer. Dreese & The Far East Coast Of The Continent.

"Seems we can head straight west and hit the coast" says Jarjin Littlefoot the halfling.
"How long will that take?" asks Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy.
"A day or so" replies the hobbit who is a former air sailor in the fleet of the Sultanate of Dreese.
"Apparently it's quicker than flying southwest to the mainland of Dreese" adds the halfling who isn't really who he appears to be.
As he's actually 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.
"I take it we'll end up in one of the Five Kingdoms?" asks Dalinvardél Tanith who more often that not, is called Dalin by the others in the group.
Nodding his head, Jarjin aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman says "Yeah" followed by "The southern most one, whatever it's called".
The hobbit who is a member of the personal council to lord Farque, continues with "We can go down the coast a bit, and be in the northern Dreese soon enough".
Gesturing at some of the nearby crew, the former air sailor in the Sultan's fleet then adds "Go into a port town or city that this lot know better".
The spy from the elven principality of Alínlae in the Southlands nods his hooded head as they stand on the slightly raised aft deck of the Quick Gull.
The two of them, the elf and the halfling. Are watching Tovis the war engineer overseeing a couple of the crew. Who are hanging over the stern rail, secured by ropes. As they remove the name plate of the Quick Gull, a vessel that's in the fleet of the Sultanate of Dreese.
Other crew members are changing the rigging of the small, single masted airship. Making it look more like a merchant vessel than a fighting ship.
Though what exactly such a small airship, with quick lines, obviously built for speed. Would ever be carrying in cargo in the guise of a merchant vessel is anybody's guess.
In the distance to the east, nearly out of view of the humans onboard. Is the island they were on this morning. It's getting further and further behind as the Quick Gull heads westwards on this clear, warm summer's day towards the coast of the continent. As they leave the island chain off the coast of the mainland of Dreese further and further behind.
Jarjin aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman who has been talking to the spy Tanith in the elven language. Watches Tovis and the two crew members removing each letter of the name plate for a little bit longer. Before he wanders away, going by the ship's captain and the helmsman.
The halfling from the mainland of Dreese heads forward to a midships, where on the bench against one side of the mast, Mira Reinholt the mage sits.
The once powerful mage from the city-state of Vexil in the Southlands, is up on deck for the simple reason that lord Farque is below deck.
Jarjin Littlefoot, who like the mage Reinholt is a member of the personal council to lord Farque. Sits down next to the Vexilian mage in exile.
With a quirk to his lips, to stop himself from grinning, Mira Reinholt the mage says "So" followed by "What's it like being a hobbit?".
"Challenging" sourly says the halfling from the mainland of Dreese who like the spellcaster from the Southlands is speaking in elven.
Jarjin aka Zubutai Timaginson then adds "It's about the worst person I've ever been".
"Oh?" says the once powerful mage in a tone of mild surprise, who continues on with "Worse than that dwarf you were, who Dorc tried to kill all the time?" followed by "Or that sorceress you were too?".
The former air sailor grimaces at the mention of those two people he was previously. Two in a now long list of people he's been since he originally died about fourteen years ago.
"Well, yeah those two were probably worse" sourly says councillor Littlefoot, who quite liked being a dwarf. The first person he ever was after Zubutai Timaginson was killed. Well apart from being petrified all the time because Dorc da Orc wanted to kill him.
Then there was the time he was a sorceress. Which had more than a few challenges. Not least of which was being a woman. As well as spellcaster. Two things he'd rather not be again.
"But this is close behind them" adds the halfling from the mainland of Dreese who points at himself.
The spellcaster from the city-state of Vexil in the Southlands, who also happens to be a highly skilled swordmaster, then quietly says "Hmmmmm wouldn't of thought Farque would bring you back in the body of a hobbit".
"It wasn't really his fault" says the former air sailor in the Sultan's fleet, who then adds in a sour tone of voice "It was that damn royal thief's fault".
"Oh" says Mira Reinholt, who then asks "What did Helbe do?".
"The lord told him to find a body that was intact after the battle i was killed in" explains Jarjin aka Zubutai the son of a Timagin, who then adds "And for a joke his royal pain in the ass picked this one, saying it was the only one in fairly good shape".
The mage Reinholt can't help himself, and guffaws as his fellow councillor loudly mutters "Damn slanty eyed, pointy eared elven prick".
"Is a short ass, floppy eared prick saying something disparaging about me?" says Helbe the elven thief who suddenly appears out of thin air next to his fellow councillors sitting on the bench at the base of the mast of the Quick Gull.
"Yes" sourly says Jarjin Littlefoot, which causes the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel, which lies off the coast of the Southlands, to chuckle as he gestures for his fellow spellcaster, the mage Reinholt to scoot along, so that he can sit on the bench too.
Once he's sitting, and leaning back against the mast of the Quick Gull, Helbe the elven thief with his face upturned to the sun, closes his eyes as he says to the halfling "Just be glad that body was in one piece".
The highly talented elven magic user continues with "About every other body i found was in bits and pieces".
"That's because you only looked at one airship that was destroyed" sourly says councillor Littlefoot, who then adds "And didn't bother to look at anything else".
"Who told you that?" asks the elven masterthief who happens to be part of the royal family that rules the principality of Laerel.
"Dalin" says Jarjin aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman, who pauses then continues with "And Tovis" followed by "And Beldane" the halfling from the mainland of Dreese then adds "And you were bloody well laughing when you found this body".
As the mage Reinholt chuckles, the young elven noble who is the grandson of ruling prince of Laerel dryly says "I probably should of done all that when no one was about".
The hobbit who is a former air sailor just shakes his head in disgust, while on the right shoulder of prince Helbenthril Raendril, Narladene the ground pixie is silently laughing.
The Vexilian mage in exile chuckles for a little bit longer, then says "I definitely missed out on that".
The former air sailor in the Sultan's fleet looks in disgust at the swordmaster Reinholt too, then out of spite more than anything, he caustically says "I might be this damn halfling at the moment, but at least I'm not some puppet for that Sultan".
The spellcaster who was once the most powerful mage of his generation, to be found anywhere in the Southlands.
Grimaces at the mention of being under the direct control of the Sultan of Dreese. Who now lies dead on the island that they were on first thing this morning. An island that gets further and further away as the small, single masted airship heads west to the coast of the continent.
"True" says Mira Reinholt, who follows that with "That was definitely worse".
The spellcaster who happens to also be a highly skilled swordmaster, will freely admit that being controlled by the Sultan of Dreese. Was one of the worst things he's ever experienced.
More because of the length of time it happened over. As he was taken captive in the middle of spring. And he was only freed first thing this morning. Another midsummer's morning in the tropical climes of the Sultanate of Dreese.
Now it's afternoon, and the Quick Gull is flying westwards to the coast of the continent.
After grumbling to himself in the halfling language, Jarjin Littlefoot lifts his eyebrows as Helbe the elven thief asks the mage Reinholt "You been to the kingdom we're heading to?".
"No, too far south" says the exiled Vexilian swordmaster "I lived in one of the kingdoms further north".
The halfling from the mainland of Dreese then nods his head in understanding. As he recalls that Mira once lived in on the far east coast of the continent when he was a young man.
"Is that where Shur Kee is from?" asks Jarjin aka Zubutai Timaginson.
"He's from Wah Lee" says councillor Reinholt who continues with "That's the largest and northern most of the five kingdoms".
The spellcaster who was once the most powerful mage of his generation, to be found anywhere in the Southlands. Until he was stripped of most of his powers when he went offworld through another rift/void spell he accidentally cast.
Then says "I lived in the next kingdom to the south of Wah Lee, the second kingdom, Saedau".
"Where you had a shop, wasn't it?" asks the halfling from the mainland of Dreese, who has heard a little of the mage Reinholt's time on the far east coast of the continent.
The Vexilian mage in exile nods his head yes in reply to that, then he grimaces when Helbe the elven thief quietly asks "Is that where they found you?".
Mira Reinholt is silent for a few moments, then he says "Yeah, that's where they found me".
Referring to lord Farque and Dorc da Orc who chased him halfway around the world, searching for him for nearly five years. Until finally finding him in the kingdom of Saedau.
"That must of sucked" quietly says Jarjin aka Zubutai the son of Timagin, who after a brief pause adds "Though they had good reason to do whatever they did to you" he briefly pauses adding, before continuing with "You did try to kill them".
The spellcaster from the Southlands who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, just nods to that. While both Jarjin Littlefoot and Helbe the elven thief glance sideways at the exiled Vexilian mage. Who doesn't say another word on that topic from his past.
Instead he says "Yandiv" followed by "It's the fifth kingdom, the one on the equator" in response to the halfling from the mainland of Dreese asking him "What's this kingdom we're heading straight towards?".
On the right shoulder of the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel, who is the grandson of Prince Raendril, who rules that particular elven principality in the Southlands.
Narladene the ground pixie lifts her eyebrows, when she hears a familiar voice down below deck, quietly say in the ground pixie language "Gnat, have the mage come down here".
Getting up, Narladene the ground pixie whispers into the right ear of the elven magic user she's attached to "Lord Farque wants to see Mira".
The elven masterthief slightly nods his hooded head, then prince Helbenthril Raendril quietly says "Mira, the lord wants to see you".
The once powerful mage who was just in the middle of explaining to Jarjin Littlefoot what he knows about the kingdom of Yandiv.
Falls silent for a couple of moments, as his fellow councillors, and the invisible ground pixie look at him.
"Right then" eventually says the swordmaster from the city-state of Vexil.
Who then gets up from the bench at the base of the mast, and heads for the nearest ladder.
The Vexilian mage in exile makes his way down the steps, and because the Quick Gull is so small, he's at captain's cabin in no time, and knocks on the door.
"Enter" says the familiar voice from within the captain's cabin.
Mira Reinholt enters the cabin, where he finds lord Farque sitting at the table facing the door.
On the table are a number of charts and maps that the undead warlord is looking at when the once powerful mage enters the cabin.
"You wanted to see me?" asks the highly skilled swordmaster as he stands infront of the small table, that the large, heavily armoured figure is sitting behind.
The lord and ruler of the lands Farque doesn't say anything, and just continues to study some of the maps, and charts on the table.
The mage Reinholt is just wondering if the lord of the death realm is just going to sit there and ignore him.
But eventually lord Farque, or Draugadrottin as he's also known by, to the people of his lands.
Looks up from the maps and charts he's been studying. And he looks at the spellcaster exiled from the city-state of Vexil.
The undead warlord just stares at the once powerful mage, until lord Farque finally says "Don't do it again".
Before the lord of the death realm goes back to studying the maps and charts on the table.
The highly skilled swordmaster, stands there wondering what to say in reply. He stands there for quite a few moments, figuring out what to say.
Instead he doesn't say a thing, as Des'tier which is lord Farque's elven name, which means, The Destroyer.
Without looking up from a map he's carefully studying, says "There's the door behind you" followed by "Fucking use it".
Mira Reinholt the mage slightly nods, then turns around and heads out of the captain's cabin, closing the door behind him . . . . . .