The Find 55.

Autumn.

In the north of the central region of the Southlands. The City of Ruins. Previously known as Dalphene.
"Have them go around" quietly says Hamblett the mercenary captain, who continues with "Northwards".
He briefly pauses before adding "And come from the west, they'll be least expecting it on that side".
One of his men nods, then hurries ahead. While the mercenary captain shares a look with his second in command, Rameeda.
"Knowing Maygam he's got most of his lot on this side" quietly says Hamblett who follows that with "Since there's basically no one to the west of those chambers and tunnels with the exception of wild goblins".
The second in command of the company nods in agreement, as they crouch amongst one of the ruins in this part of the pit.
"We circle around to the west as well?" quietly asks Rameeda the mercenary who continues with "Go north?".
"Maybe" murmurs Hamblett who is squinting, trying to spot one of those up ahead, waiting for the signal to proceed.
As they make their way westwards through the giant hole in the ground. To where Hamblett has worked out that one of his rivals, and his former friend, Maygam.
And Maygam's company, have taken shelter in some tunnels and underground chambers.
That were extensively used by a mercenary company, that Maygam and Hamblett. As well as Rameeda, were once in. Just over a decade ago.
Down here in the ancient city of Dalphene, more commonly called the City of Ruins.
"It'll be near dawn by the time we get around to the west" quietly says Hamblett, who is thinking he might be able to salvage something out of the mess, that has been the battle here in the north of the giant hole in the ground.
"Maybe that will give us an advantage" continues the mercenary captain who then adds "Who knows?".
Hamblett then nods the direction they're heading, and he quietly says "Move out".
As up ahead, one of the company further ahead, gives a signal to continue on.
Hamblett, who had fought his rival Jarnok to a stand still, here to the north of the neutral zone.
Until the battle was totally turned on it's head when Jorkamin and his company entered the fray.
But now, Jorkamin has had several setbacks, to say the least. His two warships have been destroyed.
And one of his wyverns has taken off, and headed who knows where. With what looks like no intention of returning.
While another one was killed a little earlier, just after the second warship went down in a number pieces.
As they move forward in the darkness, Hamblett who hopes to eliminate a rival, who was once his best friend.
Also hopes that Jorkamin and his company has from recent events, had a downturn in fortune.
But for now he and his company in the last of the night, will concentrate on seeing if they can take care of Maygam and his mercenary company.
Maygam the mercenary captain can't get back to sleep after what happened earlier with those massive explosions that rocked the north of the City of Ruins.
He stands at one of the tunnel entrances for a bit, before he leaves the lookouts and heads back to the massive underground chamber that the company is using.
It's one such chamber in this part of the pit, hardly used in recent years. That Maygam has on a occasion to store things. And used as a rendezvous point for the company at times whenever they're in this part of the pit.
The mercenary captain goes over to where he's sleeping, and finds his second in command, Uren sitting on her bedroll. Also unable to get back to sleep.
"Can't sleep?" quietly asks Uren the mercenary when Maygam gets to his bedroll.
Shaking his head, Maygam the mercenary captain says "Not after that". He then asks his second in command "You?".
"Same" is the reply of Uren who sits there with her blanket wrapped around her.
It's more chilly than cold, here below ground compared to the cold night air outside.
The mercenary captain nods, then as he sits upon his bedroll, he looks across to where the elven twins are by the chamber wall.
In the light of one of the lamps in the underground chamber that's kept lit. He sees that Lolmildíll the elven magic user has gone back to sleep. While next to him, his twin brother Gilvanéllé sits upon a wooden crate, looking around at those in the underground chamber.
As usual there's a sneer upon the youthful looking face of the elven noble from the principality of Alínlae.
Who spots Maygam looking his way, and just nods to acknowledge the mercenary captain.
Before he goes to back to watching those who are here in the chamber, either asleep, or awake like Maygam.
The mercenary captain looks at his second in command again, and quietly tells her "Think many would of survived?" followed by "And make it back?".
Knowing that Maygam is referring to those of the company who are still missing.
Uren quietly replies to him with "I hope so" she continues with "If some of them are still out there, let's hope they're keeping their heads down, and out of trouble"
The mercenary captain hopes so to as he nods his head in agreement with his second in command.
Maygam isn't a cold blooded mercenary leader like some down here in the City of Ruins. Who chew through hires like nothing.
For though he's a practical individual, he's not a callous person, who couldn't care less about those in his company.
He'd prefer that they were all safe and accounted for. Even the new hires who haven't been in the company for long.
"Let's hope they're keeping safe" quietly says Maygam the mercenary captain.
Who knows that if Jorkamin the mercenary captain is still alive after the destruction of Darmos the wizard's rift a little while ago.
Then Jorkamin will be on the rampage after the loss of another of his warships, and another of his wyverns.
And Maygam knows other mercenary captains will want to take advantage of the current situation as well.
Now that Jorkamin and his company have taken a couple more serious blows in their attempt to be the most dominant mercenary company down here in the giant hole in the ground.
Within which is the ancient city of Dalphene, or as it's more commonly called, the City of Ruins.
As they head north for a bit, the spellcasters in the group, are holding their power within themselves.
Mira Reinholt the mage who finds this easy to do after so many years with little power to begin with.
After losing his vast amounts of magical power when he went offworld through a rift/void spell he accidentally cast a number of years ago. When he was stripped of the bulk of his magical power.
Slightly nods his head, as a yawning Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit quietly says "I don't know why we just don't let them go at one another".
The halfling from the far east coast of the continent, where his homeland the Sultanate of Dreese is located.
As he walks beside the mage Reinholt, quietly adds "Especially considering we know they're not there".
The hobbit who is a former air sailor in the Sultan of Dreese's air fleet, looks back and quietly asks "They're not there, are they?".
"They're not" is the reply of lord Farque who along with Dorc da Orc, is following Jarjin Littlefoot and Mira Reinholt.
Before the hobbit, who isn't what he appears to be continues on, the undead warlord quietly says "We're doing it, so that they know they've got somewhere they can return to".
The large, heavily armoured deathlord follows that with "I'd be fucking happier if they were found".
He continues on with "But since that's not happening, we're doing the next best thing" followed by "Keeping their company alive, and having a place they can return to".
Jarjin Littlefoot, who like the once powerful mage walking beside him. Is a member of the personal council to lord Farque.
Nods his head in agreement with the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, who is also known by the name of Draugadrottin to his people.
While Dorc da Orc beside him, carries the unconscious wizard Darmos over a shoulder.
The lord of the death realm looks ahead, and sees that Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy and Lisell Maera the scout has come to a stop.
When the rest of them get to them, Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy quietly says "His highness said to wait here".
"You mean his thiefness" dryly murmurs Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit, which illicits a grin from the mage Reinholt beside him.
The lord and ruler of the lands Farque who is sensing in all directions as he usually does.
Nods his full helmed head as he realises why Helbe the elven thief has got them to stop.
"They're circling around" quietly says the undead being who has the elven name of Des'tier, which translates as The Destroyer.
"Both north and this way" quietly adds the large, heavily armoured deathlord who follows that with "Spread out, and pick your targets carefully".
Draugadrottin looks at them all, then quietly tells them "Hit them as hard as you can, i want them wiped out, or fleeing back east".
"Not north" mutters Dorc da Orc who then grunts when the lord of the death realm tells him to shut up.
Looking at the undead warlord, the young field commander Tamric Drubine quietly asks him "How many are there?".
"Around two hundred" is the quiet reply of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
"This should be interesting" murmurs the young field commander in the armies of Farque, who is originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin.
As there's just a dozen of them in the group. And they're about to attack a couple hundred mercenaries during the last of the night.
Field commander Drubine shares a look with his lover Saanea the witch. Then the two of them move off, as the group spreads out as they prepare to ambush the approaching mercenaries.
On thus cold autumn night here in the giant hole in the ground, more commonly referred to as the pit.
In which is the ancient city of Dalphene, that's known far and wide, as the City of Ruins.
Hamblett the mercenary captain stops, and points some of his company in the direction of one of the underground tunnels.
"Remember, try and overwhelm them" quietly says Hamblett the mercenary captain.
As he knows his former friend Maygam, will have lookouts and guards at most if not all the tunnels.
Especially on this side, the east side of the system of tunnels and chambers.
Hamblett is betting on Maygam not having enough men to cover every single tunnel.
Even if his rival mercenary captain had his entire company with him. Hamblett knows Maygam would be hard pressed to have men protecting the entrances to all of the tunnels.
It's why the mercenary captain is sending some of his men north and south.
To circle around, to try and gain access to the tunnels on the west side of where most of the underground chambers are located.
Hamblett nods when Rameeda taps him on the arm to continue. They move off again with a fair few of the company with them.
Hamblett who is pretty certain that once his company gets into a number of the tunnels, Maygam and his company won't have a chance.
As Hamblett's company with it's superior numbers will overpower Maygam's mercenary company.
Even with the those two elven magic users Maygam has with him, Hamblett the mercenary captain thinks to himself.
As he and Rameeda follow behind some of the others, as the mercenary captain gives directions to where another of the tunnel entrances is located.
As more of the company go that way, Hamblett along with his second in command Rameeda, and those with them continue on their way.
They're part of the groups going to circle around, and approach the underground tunnel system in this part of the pit from the west.
Some are heading north, while others. Including Hamblett, and those with him, are heading south.
It's those who are heading south, Hamblett, his second in command Rameeda included.
Who are suddenly attacked out of nowhere, as this cold autumn night down here in the City of Ruins heads towards dawn . . . . . .