The Thick Of It 9.

Winter.

Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy ducks down into the riverbank. Then pops his head up and looks through the trees to the right.
There's a road in that direction, and in the fading light of the afternoon on what's been a cold winter's day in this part of the city-state of Kuradum.
The spy who hails from the principality of Alínlae, watches those who are on the road, making their way northwards.
The elf who is an officer in the scouts and rangers division of the armies of Farque.
Watches for a little bit longer, then he gets up from his hiding position along the riverbank.
And keeping low, he heads back in the direction he came from.
A short time later, and Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy is standing infront of lord Farque, telling him "Eight wagons, and a squad of forty escorting them, a mix of local soldiers and mercs".
The spy Tanith continues with "Twenty horsemen, the rest on foot" followed by "They've just pulled off to the side of the road and are setting up camp".
"They think they're safe here, and no one will attack them" quietly says Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit, who along with Mira Reinholt the mage, are standing next to the undead warlord.
Nodding with that assessment from the halfling ex air sailor, lord Farque quietly says "We'll hit them as night falls".
The large, heavily armoured deathlord looks up into the late afternoon sky.
Then he looks over to where Dorc da Orc is sitting nearby, with his back against a tree trunk.
The lord and ruler of the lands Farque asks him something in orkish, and the large ork responds in his own language after he sniffs a few times while looking up at the sky.
"It's going to snow soon" says lord Farque to the human spellcaster, halfling ex air sailor, and elven spy.
"Which will make things easier" adds the undead being, who to the people of his lands, is also known by the name of Draugadrottin.
Then the lord of the death realm glances to his right, and the next moment Helbe the elven thief appears out of thin air right there.
"No one else on the road in either direction" says Helbe the elven thief, who follows that with "Just that lot who have set up camp about half a mile away".
The undead warlord nods his full helmed head, then he quietly says "This is what we'll do".
After he explains what they'll do, the large heavily armoured deathlord continues with "I'll keep those two fucking idiots close to me".
Referring to Dorc da Orc and sir Percavelle Lé Dic. Much to the relief of the others.
The undead warlord, who has the elven name of Des'tier, which translates as, The Destroyer.
Who like those he's discussing things with, is speaking in elven, then says "Inform the others what's happening".
A little bit later, as sun starts to set in the east, on what's been a cold winter's day in this part of the city-state of Kuradum.
Dalinvardèl Tanith is making his way back through the trees, next to the river that runs through this part of the countryside.
The elven spy is leading Tovis the war engineer, and Zam the ex mercenary, the newest member of the group.
Somewhere further back behind them, the spy Tanith, who is more commonly called Dalin by the others in the group.
Knows that lord Farque is following them, the large, heavily armoured deathlord has Dorc da Orc and sir Percavelle Lé Dic with him.
The battalion commander in the scouts and rangers division of the armies of Farque.
Glances back at the following war engineer and ex mercenary. As the first flakes of snow starts falling as dusk takes effect.
The spy Tanith just nods his hooded head to the two humans following closely behind him.
Glad that both of them are making as little noise as possible. As he leads them to where some of the enemy have set up camp for the night.
For Zam the ex mercenary, today has been an interesting day to say the least.
This morning started with the battle at Salmet Crossing. His first real battle.
As he was part of the third army of Farque, fighting alongside soldiers in the army still loyal to the ruling council.
Against the forces of the pretender, councilman Hirrye. Who had set up camp around Salmet Crossing.
The battle was relatively quick, not to mention brutal. As nearly all of the enemy where killed.
Zam would freely admit, that the execution of the enemy prisoners was a lot more brutal than the actual battle.
As he has learnt that lord Farque is intending to wipe out as many of the enemy as possible.
To get councilman Hirrye, and his forces to react. And get them doing things they haven't already been doing so far, in what's essentially a civil war here in the city-state of Kuradum.
Now after returning the loyalists, led by commander Tracklen back to the city of Kuradum.
And sending off the contingent of about a thousand Farqian soldiers they were with earlier in the day, to another location in the southeast of the city-state.
The group, via a gateway cast by Beldane the cleric, has made their way about thirty five miles further north of the town of Salmet Crossing, in the east of the Kuradum.
Near what's essentially the border of the city-state with the unruled lands that lie to the east of Kuradum.
Part of lord Farque's plan is to attack the supply lines of the enemy. Much of which is coming into Kuradum from elsewhere.
And though the wagoners and caters are hired hands from both inside and outside Kuradum. The local soldiers and mercenaries guarding them are often the least experienced, and less disciplined of those in the forces of councilman Hirrye's faction.
As it turns out to be with those guarding the eight wagons just up ahead through the trees, to the side of the dirt packed road that cuts through this part of the countryside in eastern Kuradum.
Dalinvardèl Tanith who has signaled to Tovis the war engineer and Zam the ex mercenary to stop.
Shakes his hooded head as he watches the enemy camp. Where fires are blazing to ward off the cold.
Fires that can be seen from a distance, in basically all directions. Which had also wrecked the night vision of the human soldiers and mercenaries.
Who as night falls, and darkness settles. Can barely see twenty yards beyond their camp.
The spy Tanith who has no such problems even when he looks directly at the camp fires.
Looks away to his left, and spots the scout Lisell Maera about forty yards away.
With her is Tamric Drubine the field commander, and Shur Kee the monk.
The scout Maera has stopped almost parallel to where Dalin has stopped.
And she, along with the senior officer in the armies of Farque, and the short, statured monk.
Are waiting just like Dalinvardèl Tanith, Tovis the war engineer, and Zam the ex mercenary.
Waiting for the attack on the enemy camp to begin. An attack to be started by the spellcasters in the group.
The elven spy knows who'll start the attack. He knows Beldane the cleric won't attack unless attacked first.
And Saanea the witch doesn't like putting herself forward. So it won't be her.
Dalin knows it'll be Mira Reinholt the mage who will attack the enemy camp.
Though only after Helbe the elven thief does whatever he is going to do first. And that's exactly what happens.
For one moment, the officer in charge of the enemy. Is looking into the back of one of wagons. Deciding what he can pilfer before reaching their destination.
The next moment he suddenly vanishes. Not knowing what's just just happened before he falls into unconsciousness.
Then just a few short moments later. A small ball of light, dark red in colour. Comes shooting towards the camp from the otherside of the road.
Those in camp, whether they're a soldier in the faction led by the pretender, councilman Hirrye.
A mercenary hired by his faction. Or one of the wagoners and carters.
Don't even spot the small red ball, about the size of an apple. That shoots under one of the wagons.
Where it suddenly stops. There, the mageglobe created by Mira Reinholt, comes to the end of it's existence, simply by exploding.
Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy winces as he watches the explosion, which sounds like a thunder clap in the early evening.
Behind him he hears Zam the ex mercenary mutter "Hell".
The elven officer in the armies of Farque, nods his hooded head in agreement with the newest member of the group.
As fiery debris goes flying in all directions, though mostly upwards into the early evening sky as snow continues to fall.
One wagon is obliterated, another is shattered to pieces. A third is ripped apart and flung in all directions. And a fourth catches on fire.
Enemy soldiers, mercenaries along with the hired wagoners and carters.
Are either killed instantly by the explosion. Or are ripped apart, some being killed, and others barely surviving. As burning debris slams into them from the destroyed wagons.
With just a quick look, Dalin sees that at least half of those in the roadside camp, are either dead, or dying.
The other half are in the same state a few moments later, as they look around wondering what's happening.
When another mageglobe, this one a brighter red. Strikes one of the four remaining wagons. Where it explodes after the living piece of magic comes to the end of it's brief life.
This explosion is more flames than anything else. Though that doesn't stop it from completely destroying the wagon it initially struck.
One of the three other remaining wagons is instantly ignited. Going up in flames in mere moments.
The one next to that catches on fire. While the very last wagon, is scorched. Though relatively still intact.
Some of the survivors of the first explosion, are instantly set alight by the second.
While others catch on fire, as flames whip and splash in all directions as the enemy camp is devastated in the early evening.
Dalinvardèl Tanith winces as he spots a couple of the enemy who have been untouched by the destruction.
Drop to the ground dead, when a bolt of lightning comes shooting from across the otherside of the road, and strike them.
Then as a screaming wagoner who is on fire comes running in this direction.
And the spy who previously served in one of the more prominent noble houses in his homeland, the principality of Alínlae.
Is just thinking about putting an arrow in the burning wagoner, to put him out of his misery.
A beam of white light from the night sky, hits the wagoner coming this way.
The flames instantly disappear, though the fleeing wagoner drops to the ground dead.
The spy Tanith watches what's going on in the enemy camp for a few more moments.
Then Dalin looks back and quietly says to Tovis the war engineer, and Zam the ex mercenary "Looks like we won't be needed".
A short while later, and they're walking into what remains of the enemy camp next to the road.
There's very few of those who were in the camp still alive, and those that are, they're wounded and dying, with burn injuries.
Lisell Maera the scout goes amongst the injured on the ground, slitting the throats of about eight of them who survived the devastation.
Lord Farque followed by Dorc da Orc and sir Percavelle Lé Dic walk into what remains of the roadside camp.
The undead warlord looks over to where Mira Reinholt is standing next to the remaining wagon, that though it's scorched, is still relatively intact.
"I want no sign that they were ever here" says the undead warlord, who follows that with "Their bodies too".
The once powerful mage nods his hooded head in understanding. The next moment, there's a bright white flash enveloping the remaining wagon.
A few moments late, there's just a pile of ashes there. Getting mixed up with the snow that's falling.
Then the mage Reinholt, along with Saanea the witch, and Beldane the cleric.
Go about disposing any remnants of the wagons. And the bodies of those killed here this cold winter's evening.
While the lord and ruler of the lands Farque makes his way over to where Helbe the elven thief is standing.
On the ground infront of the elven magic user, lies the unconscious form of the enemy officer who was in command of this supply run for the forces of the so called duke of Kuradum, councilman Hirrye.
Before stopping next to the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel, lord Farque without looking back, says in orkish "Get that out of your mouth cunt".
The large, heavily armoured deathlord then glances back, and adds "You don't know where it's been".
Dorc da Orc grunts in disappointment as he looks at the burnt leg he's just taken out of his mouth.
The large ork goes to throw it away when Draugadrottin looks away to speak with Helbe the elven thief.
The ork warleader actually keeps it, and quickly stuffs it into one of his sacks when the lord of the death realm isn't looking.
Hoping that none of the others in the group saw what he just did. Those looking his way, did see what he did.
"Find out anything useful?" asks lord Farque as he gestures down at the unconscious enemy officer.
"Just a little" replies Helbe the elven thief as Dalinvardèl Tanith comes over and joins them.
"Where they got their supplies, and where they were heading" says the elven masterthief, who continues with "This greedy bastard here was going to keep some of it for him and his men" followed by "And not deliver it to where they where going".
"And where were they going?" asks the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
The elven master assassin tells him where, and what else he found out when he read the mind of the enemy officer.
"Anything else important?" asks the undead being who has the elven name of Des'tier.
The highly talented elven magic user shakes his hooded head no.
The undead warlord nods his full helmed head, then with one of his steel boots, he stomps upon the head of the enemy officer, shattering the man's skull and brains.
"Dispose of the remains" says lord Farque to the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel.
As Helbe the elven thief does so, the large heavily armoured deathlord turns to Dalin and tells him "Once the spellcasters wipe out any sign of this lot ever being here, inform Beldane that we'll be going back to the city of Kuradum tonight".
"Yes my lord" says Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy.
A short while later, and the group is gone from this location, having gone through a gateway that Beldane the cleric has cast.
All the remains of the enemy, and the camp they had here. Is ashes, that mix with the falling snow, on this cold evening in this part of the city-state of Kuradum . . . . . .