The Journey 51.

Autumn. The Town Of Elpene. The Province Of Ordem. The Kingdom Of Terrindim.

In a wide sweeping valley lies the town of Elpene. One of the few towns in this area of the province of Ordem.
On the western outskirts of the town, the small, sleek looking, foreign vessel, the Quick Gull is moored this night.
While out in the fields to the north and further west of the modest sized town.
Are a fair few ships in the Golmard fleet. Who have stopped here for the night as well.
And though a couple of officers in the faction's fleet came over earlier in the night. To see who, and what the foreign vessel were about.
They soon left, when they found out they had nothing whatsoever to with their current war against the Balford faction.
Not knowing that one onboard the small, single masted airship originally from the Sultanate of Dreese. Killed one of their dragons in an earlier battle in their current war. As well as killing another one this morning further to the east here in Ordem.
After having a meal and a drink in one of the town's two taverns. A handful of those traveling on the Quick Gull, return to the small airship that's heading westwards across the kingdom of Terrindim.
After climbing onboard, Mira Reinholt the mage looks out to the west, and quietly says "That lot are sitting targets out there".
"Haven't seen any sign of them fighting at night" says Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy who is helping Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit over the starboard rail of the Quick Gull.
"Damn short legs" mutters Jarjin Littlefoot the halfling in the hobbit language.
Who then grunts when he sets foot down upon the deck, and peeks back over the rail, and looks at the airships spread across the fields to the west and north of the village of Elpene.
Where the broad valley starts to rise, and widen out at that end.
Helbe the elven thief suddenly appears out of thin air next to the others, and says "Nothing much of interest over there" as he nods his hooded head in the direction of the Golmard faction's airships.
"These were the only things worth taking" adds the elven magic user, who holds up a few rolled up maps and charts.
The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel, which lies off the west coast of the Southlands.
Was safe in the knowledge he wouldn't be caught as he went skulking amongst some of the Golmard faction's warships that are moored nearby.
As there's none of the faction's dragons with them at the moment, here on the outskirts of the town of Elpene.
The elven masterthief, who happens to be the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel, then says "They're expecting the two dragons flying with them, to return in the middle of the night after flying a patrol to search for their enemies".
They all turn as lord Farque comes up on deck and joins them. And after the mage Reinholt hands a bottle of distilled juniper berry flavoured spirits that he brought at the tavern to him. And prince Helbenthríl Raendril hands him the maps and charts he stole from some of the nearby Golmard faction ships.
And the undead warlord hands them all to a crewman, to take down to his cabin.
Lord Farque quietly says "One of their dragons has just been killed" as he nods his full helmed head in the direction of the warships and support vessels spread out over the fields to the west and north of the town of Elpene.
While on the right shoulder of Helbe the elven thief, Narladene the ground pixie senses as far and wide as possible in all directions.
The heavily armoured deathlord quietly continues with "Another one is in the fight of it's life".
Nodding his hooded head, the highly skilled elven magic user says "They've only got two with this lot".
"And now they've got none" says the lord and ruler of the lands Farque who has just sensed the death of another of the Golmard faction's dragons, about twenty or so miles to the east.
"Who?" asks Mira Reinholt, who like the others is conversing in the elven language, as they tend to do when they talk amongst themselves.
"The Balford faction" is the reply of the undead being, who is also known by the name of Draugadrottin to the people of his nation.
The lord of the death realm, who knows exactly which Balford dragon it is that's just killed two Golmard dragons this night.
Gestures to the nearby airships in the fields to the north and west of the town, and quietly says "I wouldn't be surprised if the Balford dragons turn up soon, and attack this lot".
"Told you they're sitting targets" murmurs the once powerful mage to the elven spy, Dalinvardél Tanith who is standing next to him.
The elf originally from the principality of Alínlae, where he previously served in one of the more prominent noble houses of his homeland.
Just grunts in reply to the human spellcaster who hails from the city-state of Vexil.
"We in danger here?" asks Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit, who is not at all what he appears to be.
"Should we leave?" adds the halfling who is a former air sailor in the fleet of the Sultan of Dreese.
"We should be fine if they turn up" says the undead warlord who has the elven name of Des'tier, which means, The Destroyer.
"I hope" adds the heavily armoured deathlord in a mutter in a language the others don't understand.
Then switching back to the elven language, lord Farque says "We might as well stay".
He gestures at the nearby airships, about fifty in total, over thirty of which are fighting ships as he says "Besides, if they're decimated, we'll have a pretty clear run into the next province to the northwest".
The others all nod in agreement with that, as their journey westwards across the kingdom of Terrindim. Has been hampered by the faction wars they find themselves tangled up in.
And though they make slow, but steady progress following one fleet or another.
Things could be a lot quicker for them, if one faction totally decimated another faction's fleet. Or at least part of a fleet, a wing perhaps. Just like the one moored here in the fields to the north, and west of the town of Elpene.
Which lies in a broad, sweeping valley in the central region of the province of Ordem. One of the western provinces in the kingdom of Terrindim.
Those provinces where a lot of battles are fought between factions at war with one another. For the simple reason that the west of the kingdom is sparsely populated.
And the chance of innocent people being caught up in such battles, is low to near nonexistent.
The lord and ruler of the lands Farque, a nation located in the Southlands, which is in the western half of the continent.
Turns and looks away to the southeast, a few moments later. Narladene the ground pixie who is invisible to all except for lord Farque and Helbe the elven thief, looks in that direction too.
The next moment, Draugadrottin quietly says "Here they come" followed by "Well, here comes one of them".
As away to the south of the village of Elpene, a rift appears in the distance in the night sky, and a single dragon comes flying out through it.
Kov the dragon flies out of the sky rift he's created, and he drops down low above the wide, sweeping valley he's appeared over this night.
After he's killed two of the Golmard faction dragons he encountered just a short time ago
The large, burnt orange coloured dragon in the Balford faction, who is flying without a rider.
Approaches the modest sized town of Elpene from the south. Where on this cool autumn night, he spots a number of enemy vessels. Both warships, and support ships. On the ground, in the fields to the north and west of the town in the middle of the valley.
The dragon formerly called Sunbeam, who now goes by the name of Kov, which is his real name, his dragon name.
Curls a corner of his upper lip in disgust at the sight of the enemy airships. Who probably thought themselves safe this evening, here in this part of the western province of Ordem.
The largest of the Balford faction's dragons drops down even lower, so that he's under a hundred feet above the ground.
The dragon who has been in the Komav family since the egg, senses all around.
And in-flight, he nods his head as he recognises one of the airships. This one on the outskirts of the town.
Away from the fleet of Golmard vessels that are spread out over the fields to the north and west of the town of Elpene.
A town he knows well, as he used to stop here often when he was flying straight when he was younger.
Learning the terrain throughout the west of the kingdom. So he knew where he could teleport to when he needed to.
The large, burnt orange coloured dragon who was named Sunbeam by the Komav family, who found his egg in the wild a century ago.
Will keep away from that lone vessel on the western outskirts of Elpene. He knows who they are. As he encountered them yesterday morning. When he had a revealing conversation with one of those onboard that particular airship.
Kov the dragon even without his naturally enhanced eyesight. Would easily see the enemy vessels on such a night as tonight.
As already two of the moons of Volunell are up in the night sky. And he knows the third will be up well before midnight. Making this one of the best seeing nights of the autumn so far.
The large dragon, one of the largest in the entire kingdom of Terrindim. Knows that the spellcasters on the enemy ships would of sensed the rift he used to get here.
And that they're probably spreading the word of his approach. But as he flies over the town of Elpene.
Kov still keeps fairly low, until he starts to rise up. And when he does, he lets out a mighty roar.
That shakes window shutters, and doorways in the houses and buildings in the modest sized town that lies in the middle of the valley.
He wants the enemy to know that he's coming, and by the frantic movement he sees onboard the enemy ships, and in their camp.
They all know that now there's an enemy dragon that's upon them. As he flies over the western edge of Elpene. And sweeps towards the enemy airships out in the nearby fields.
Enemy airships, both warships and support vessels, that the large Balford faction starts attacking. Knowing that they're defenseless against him, as he's already killed the two dragons who have accompanied this wing in one of the Golmard faction's fleets.
Beldane the cleric looks up, as does Tovis the war engineer next to him. As they first hear, then see the large dragon fly over them, little more than a hundred feet up. As it climbs up, then suddenly sweeps down towards the Golmard faction's airships that are out in the fields to the north and to the west of the town of Elpene.
The fighting cleric from the kingdom of Nastell, and the young engineer from the kingdom of Druvic. Both nations being in the Southlands. Share a look, as they suspect they're about to see absolute devastation unleashed upon the nearby airships in the Golmard faction.
And indeed, that's what they, and the rest of those onboard the Quick Gull. Not to mention those in the village of Elpene, who come outside to see what's happening.
Witness, this cool, clear autumn night in the central region of the western province of Ordem.
Kov the dragon shoots liquid fire from his maw down at the enemy vessels, as he flies over them.
Warships and support vessels explode on the ground as the dragon's fire engulfs them.
Airships try to lift off, and escape from the destruction raining down upon their wing in this particular Golmard fleet.
But the large, burnt orange coloured dragon serving in the Balford faction. Just sweeps his head from side to side, to hit any of the enemy vessels attempting to escape.
Kov the dragon is hit by spells, energyballs, lightning bolts, and even fireballs.
All to no avail. As he's immune to magic, like all dragons. The largest of the Balford dragons doesn't even bother to cast back at the enemy spellcasters attacking him.
He just continues to spew fire, setting the enemy vessels that had stopped here for the night, on fire.
The large, burnt orange coloured dragon, whose egg was found in the remote northwest of the province of Halvarc.
Rumbles in satisfaction as he sets enemy airship after enemy airship on fire. Lighting up the night here to the north and west of the town of Elpene.
Warships explode, sending burning debris flying. Striking other vessels on the ground, on the north and west side of the town in the middle of the valley.
Some of the support ships on the edges get airborne, and try to escape the destruction that's raining down upon their wing, in the Golmard fleet that's in this part of the kingdom.
The Balford dragon Kov, doesn't even worry about them as he continues to spray fire from his maw.
It's only when the two fleeing support vessels, both barks. Are a good four to five hundred feet up, and even further than that away from the destruction of their fleet.
Does Kov shoot a spray of liquid fire in their direction. As he circles around the devastation he's wrought.
As the two fleeing vessels burst into flames, and start dropping out of the night sky.
Does the large, burnt orange coloured dragon that's in the Balford faction takes stock of what he's actually done this night.
There's near fifty enemy vessels, both warships and support vessels. That if they're not totally destroyed. They're at least on fire, most of them a firey blaze, with no chance of ever been put out.
The camp with the Golmard faction's soldiers in this area of the province of Ordem is well and truly on fire too.
Infact the camp that's in between a number of the burning vessels is a total inferno.
So hot, that the very air burns the Golmard faction's soldiers who have no chance of escape.
Kov the dragon circles the destruction he's brought upon the enemy this night.
Burning the ground around the fields, so that there's no chance of the fire spreading.
The largest of the Balford dragons is mindful of the town of Elpene. Which he doesn't want any of the fire to spread to.
Seeing that the modest sized town is safe from the devastation he's wrought. Kov circles back around to the west of Elpene, to where he sees a lone airship, moored on the outskirts of town, clear of any of the blazing fires that the burnt orange coloured dragon has created this night.
"I won't be long" quietly says lord Farque to the others
Before he steps off the Quick Gull, after stepping up onto the starboard rail, when he spotted the large dragon from the Balford faction circling back this way.
The undead warlord walks in the direction of the nearest of the burning Golmard airships.
The heavily armoured deathlord stops about halfway there, as the large, burnt orange coloured dragon lands in a flurry of wings not all that far from him.
Draugadrottin is silent for a few moments as he looks at the dragon that's watching him intently, not bothering about the destruction it's wrought upon it's enemy behind it.
Then eventually lord Farque speaks, and in the dragon language he says "So i see you've found out who you truly are" after a brief pause he then adds "And no doubt you know your true name now".
"Yes i do" says the largest of the Balford dragons in the same language, who then adds "It's Kov".
He pauses for a moment or two, then after a slight bob of his massive head, which is the closest thing to a bow he can do, Kov the dragon as burning airships are behind him in the field, says "And i have you to thank for making me remember it" . . . . . .