The Thick Of It 33.

Winter.

"Have them begin the advance in the north" says councilman Hirrye, who continues with "Have those we've gathered up there start heading south towards Gensa".
"All of them?' asks subcommander Phogarn who isn't surprised the councilman wants the advance in the north of the city-state to begin.
But he'd be surprised if the man who would be duke of Kuradum, wants all of their northern forces to advance upon the walled town of Gensa.
"Yes all of them" says the rebel councilman who wants the diversionary part of their plan for victory this winter to begin.
The subcommander just nods, then he looks over at the sorceress Losmena, and general Ukaj.
The powerful young spellcaster looks back at him and slightly shrugs as to say, what can you do.
While the general, one of the three who joined the rebel councilman, leaving the ruling council of Kuradum without a single general.
And only senior commander Tracklen in charge of their forces.
Slightly shakes his head when the subcommander looks at him.
Phogarn, who is the self styled duke of Kuradum's assistant. Is in agreement with the general.
And doesn't believe they should be sending all of their northern forces south in the direction of the capital city.
Some should be held in reserve. Just incase the enemy don't go for what's essentially a diversion.
Though the subcommander knows that arguing the point with the rebel councilman will be a waste of time.
For once Hirrye gets it in his head to do something, there's pretty much no stopping him doing so.
And the only reason the rebel leader wants to begin the diversionary tactics in the north right now.
Is because yesterday they received word of the defeat of their forces at the southern end of the frontlines in the east of the city-state.
Where the war between the rebel councilman and the ruling council of Kuradum is predominantly taking place.
Subcommander Phogarn knows it'll be a waste of time to question the self styled duke's decision. But he does so anyway.
Just incase, by some miracle, councilman Hirrye does change his mind.
That doesn't happen, for when the subcommander clears his throat, and says "You think that wise sir?" followed by "Shouldn't we hold some in reserve?".
Across the room, the general slightly nods his head in agreement. While the sorceress continues to look stoically on.
"No" says the man who has named himself duke of Kuradum, who continues with "I want near everyone we have in the north on the move".
The rebel councilman then says "Our own troops, engineers, the mercenaries and those wagoners and carters we've hired too".
Not bothering to keep questioning the point, subcommander Phogarn says "Yes sir".
The assistant to councilman Hirrye waves to one of the runners he sees through the open door, and out in the hallway.
After the runner departs the room with the orders given to him by the senior officer.
The subcommander says to the councilman who wants to rule Kuradum as a duke "I gather we're not going with them" followed by "And that we're going somewhere else?".
"Yes, down in the south" says councilman Hirrye.
Now that's one decision that subcommander Phogarn does agree with from the rebel councilman.
The four of them make their way out of the room, which is at the back of an inn. Out in the hallway they're joined by runners, subalterns and the councilman's personal guards.
Walking alongside the man who wishes to rule the city-state of Kuradum.
His assistant, subcommander Phogarn quietly asks him "Where down south?" followed by "Down near the border, or further north, say Larlsted or maybe Lopman Pine?".
"Lopman Pine" is the quiet reply of councilman Hirrye, who continues with "It's not on the border, nor is it too far north like Larlsted, where the enemy might happen upon what we're up to".
Subcommander Phogarn nods his head in agreement to that as they step outside, with the others following them.
It's snowing here in this town, about twenty miles to the southeast of Galmond Falls.
Which is located in the northwest of the city-state of Kuradum.
They head around to the back of the inn, where behind the stables stands an abandoned barn on the edge of town.
Looking back at the following sorceress, the rebel councilman who already knows the answer, quietly asks her "Can you get us to the town of Lopman Pine?" followed by "Down in the south".
"I can" says Losmena the sorceress, who continues with "It'll take two goes, i can't get there in one".
Both the rebel councilman and the subcommander who is his assistant nod their heads in understanding when they hear that.
They lead the way into the barn which is empty. And between the two rows of stalls, the teenage sorceress casts a spell.
A short while later and a rift starts to appear, once it forms they make their way through the rift, with some of councilman Hirrye's personal guards leading the way.
On the otherside of the rift, once the sorceress Losmena comes through it last. Then it disappears as she drops her spell.
Subcommander Phogarn, who finds that they're on a hilltop somewhere in the south of the city-state.
Looks around, trying to figure out where they are, on what's a much colder day down here in this part of Kuradum.
Compared to the northwest of the city-state, where they have just come from.
The senior officer in the rebel army looks over at general Ukaj, and asks him "Know where we are general?".
"Southern Kuradum" says the laconic general Ukaj with a wry smile upon his face.
Subcommander Phogarn sourly smiles, and the general says "There's one of the main southern routes over there".
As general Ukaj takes his eyepiece, which the subaltern who is his adjunctant, hands to him.
The subcommander looks to where he pointed, and spots a road in the distance to the west, less than two miles from the hill they're on.
Phogarn nods to himself, as the road looks vaguely familiar to him.
Then the sorceress Losmena steps up beside them, and says "We're just west of the main southern trading route".
"Can't see anyone on that part of the road" says councilman Hirrye, who is glad it's not snowing here, even though it's much colder than where they've just come from.
"See anyone general?" asks the rebel councilman who wants to rule the city-state of Kuradum as it's duke.
"No one sir" says general Ukaj as he looks through the brass, cylindrical eyepiece he's got up to his face.
Then the subaltern, who is the general's adjunctant, speaks up, and says "You hear that?".
He briefly pauses before continuing on with "In the distance that way i think".
They look to the southeast where the subaltern has indicated, with the young sorceress sensing in that direction too.
Then just as the subaltern says "Sounds like". The general interrupts him by saying "Warships". As he looks through the brass, cylindrical eyepiece.
"Ours or their's?" asks the councilman who has started a war to rule the city-state of Kuradum.
"Both" says general Ukaj, who follows that with "And a pair of merchant vessels, cargo ships by the looks of things".
He follows that with "A trio of our warships are protecting the cargo ships".
The general in the rebel army briefly pauses then says "They're firing at one of their's" he continues on in a more quieter voice with "Though i can't actually see where it is".
By now they've all spotted the air battle in the distance to the southeast.
A battle that's more or less heading in this direction, well towards the nearby road which is a couple miles away from their position.
As the sorceress Losmena continues to sense. The rebel general jerks his head back from his eyepiece in surprise.
"What the hell is that?" mutters a surprised sounding general Ukaj.
"What is it?" asks the councilman who wants to rule the city-state of Kuradum as it's duke.
"I'm not sure" says the general as there's a barrage of magetube shots that echo across this area of the countryside.
And one of the rebel warships is blasted out of the sky, followed by one of the cargo vessels.
"That thing has got no sails" murmurs general Ukaj, followed by "Or for that matter, masts".
The air battle gets closer and closer towards the nearby road, and the rest of them can now see more clearly what's happening up in the clear morning sky, here in the south of Kuradum.
"By the gods, what the hell is that thing?" says councilman Hirrye, it's exactly the same thing his assistant Phogarn is thinking.
They watch as the enemy vessel, which has no masts or sails, and has a flat deck, and the wheelhouse to aft.
Go up in the air, high above the other airships. At least a couple thousand feet, in just a couple of heartbeats it seems.
Then it dives down at the two remaining rebel warships, and the cargo vessel flying between the two of them.
As it dives, it starts rolling. Then it's magetubes on either side start firing.
They watch in silence as the twin masted frigates in the forces of councilman Hirrye try to get out of the way of the incoming magetube shots.
They're too slow, so is the much larger cargo vessel. A triple masted tub of a ship.
Which invariably takes the brunt of the incoming magetube shots streaking down from above.
As they watch magetube shot after magetube shot slam into the three airships on the otherside of the road.
Subcommander Phogarn breaks the silence, and says what they're all thinking "What the fucking hell is that thing?".
As the larger cargo vessel is blown apart in midair. And one of the twin masted frigates falls out of the sky, on fire, broken in half.
The other rebel warship, though badly damaged with smoke pouring from it, and it's bow completely gone, is turning to the east, trying to flee.
They watch as the strange looking airship comes alongside the crippled vessel.
Above the deck of the twin masted warship in the forces of councilman Hirrye.
Even from where they are on the hill, they spot a few people suddenly disappear from the deck of the rebel frigate. No doubt the ship's captain, and other officers.
Then the enemy vessel without masts slightly tilts down to starboard, and gives the rebel vessel a fall broadside. Completely blasting it apart in midair.
"We have to go" suddenly says the sorceress Losmena, who as she starts casting adds "I can't sense that ship, and whatever spellcasters they have onboard".
Subcommander Phogarn and councilman Hirrye share a look, then the self styled duke of Kuradum says to the others "Get, ready, We're leaving".
"Come on, come on, come on" murmurs the subcommander who is the assistant to the rebel councilman.
As he looks from the powerful sorceress, then away to the east, and sees the strange vessel has turned.
Infact it's done a loop, and at the top of the loop, it has spun, so that it's now right way up, and it levels out, as it starts heading this way.
"Come on" murmurs councilman Hirrye as they watch the rift that Losmena the sorceress has cast, forming.
Once it does, the would be duke of the city-state of Kuradum shouts "Through the rift!".
"Run!" adds his assistant the subcommander.
Who grabs the rebel councilman by the arm, and not waiting for any of the guards to go through the rift first like they normally do.
He runs through the magical portal with Hirrye, quickly followed by general Ukaj.
While the strange looking airship approaches the hilltop at speed.
The sorceress Losmena doesn't even wait to go through last as spellcasters tend to normally do.
But she runs after the subaltern, who is the adjunctant to general Ukaj.
As she does, she hears some of the enemy airship's magetubes firing.
She winces in fright as she knows they're coming directly at the hilltop, and her rift spell.
The teenage sorceress who is breathing heavily, gets through to the otherside of the rift.
And as one of the young runners, and a pair of the rebel councilman's personal guards follow her through as well.
She drops the rift spell, trapping the others who have come with them, back on the otherside, on top of the hilltop.
"Fuck" says a heavily breathing Losmena the sorceress, who is relieved that her rift vanishes without any problems.
For if it was struck by any of the incoming magetube shots. It would of exploded with devastating effects, on both sides of it.
"The others?" asks councilman Hirrye as he sees more than half of the group who they set out with earlier, aren't here with them now.
"Dead most likely" is the reply of the teenage sorceress, who then explains "I had to drop the rift as quickly as i could, if not we'd all be dead if even one of those magetube shots hit it".
The rebel councilman grimaces, then grunts at the situation they find themselves in.
Then looking around, and finding that they're at the edge of some woods, the self styled duke of Kuradum asks "Where are we?".
"Just outside of Lopman Pine" replies his assistant, subcommander Phogarn, who points and says "There's the road that leads down to the town".
The rebel councilman nods, then after taking a deep breath as he realises they were lucky to escape a rather deadly situation, where more than half of their numbers are now dead.
Quietly says to the small group that's left "Come on, let's head down to the town".
Councilman Hirrye continues with "There's some important things we need to set into motion if our plans against the council are to be successful" . . . . . .