Soldier Of Gods 16.

Tuledare. 

Jovan Garney the cleric is one of the last ones to board. Which is kind of appropriate, considering he along with the cleric Kalmiss are in command. 

Though the young seventeen year old cleric is wise enough to know that it'll be Kalmiss who will be making all the important decisions. 

Further to that, the Farqian born spellcaster knows he has to rely on the more experienced guards like Oldham if he wants to survive what's to come up. 

The cleric Garney has extensively trained for war, probably more so than anyone else in the church. But he's yet to experience full on war unlike some of the others who are with him. 

The powerful young spellcaster originally from the Lands Farque puts up a hand and waves to the captain of the airship. 

The captain nods, and starts giving orders. The vessel, which the church of Kaēvin owns, is soon lifting off from the airdocks. On what's a cool, and partly cloudy autumn morning. 

Apart from the ship's crew, there's roughly sixty church members on board. While a further forty are on another airship that's just lifted off, carrying most of their supplies. 

The pair of church vessels, are two of a number of airships heading south to the border. Some of which left at dawn. And there's been a steady procession since. 

Standing at the starboard rail, Jovan Garney glances down at the city below. And he spots a group of dark clad mercenaries by the looks of it. 

The powerful cleric watches them for a few moments, before he heads forward. Not knowing that he was just looking at his sister Maiya Garney and her squad who have infiltrated the Tuledarian army. 

Stopping beside Oldham and Sammit, who always seem to be in one another's company. Jovan Garney the cleric says "Should be sometime later this afternoon I guess". 

In reply to the guardsman Sammit asking him how long it'll take to travel the eighty miles or so to the southern border of the city-state. 

The powerful young spellcaster who hails from the Lands Farque, who was the deciding vote in if the church will go to war for the ruling council of Tuledare in their fight against the city-state of Phamal. 

Nods and faintly similes when Oldham dryly says to the much younger guardsman Sammit "Don't be in such a rush to get there" followed by "This is usually the best time before any battle". 

The older more experienced guardsman hikes a thumb in the direction of the ground, then says "At least we're not marching there" followed by "That would suck". 

Standing on the slightly raised bow deck, Jovan Garney as Oldham continues to tell Sammit to relax since this is probably the easiest time they'll get before they actually enter battle. 

Looks around at the morning sky as they fly over the southern wall of the city of Tuledare, and sees that they and their sister ship, are two of half a dozen airships departing the capital at this time. 

While he spots a trio of airships about four to five miles further south. And the practitioner of magic sees a number of vessels even further to the south. Vessels that left the capital city earlier in the morning. 

"What was that?" asks Jovan Garney the cleric after realizing that either Oldham or Sammit just asked him something. 

"I was wondering if they'll be waiting for us father?" asks the younger of the two guardsmen. 

"They might be," says the powerful young spellcaster who continues with "Word is that they've brought some of their forces north through the disputed lands to the border". 

The cleric Garney nods, then says "I suspect that's why the order was given to send all these mercenaries south". As he gestures at the other airships that are flying with them and their sister ship. 

"And why we're going now too" adds the practitioner of magic who is probably the strongest spellcaster in the church of Kaēvin. 

Not just in the city-state of Tuledare, but most likely throughout the entire Southlands. Definitely in at least this region of the Southlands. 

The more experienced guardsman Oldham grunts in agreement with him, while Sammit nods as the three of them look around at the surrounding vessels heading south to the border region. 

The flight south is fairly smooth and uneventful, as the day is mostly clear, though partly cloudy. 

And after the midday meal, which is fairly decent considering they're on board an airship. Jovan Garney finds himself sitting on a bench in a midships, enjoying the warmth of the autumn sun that's beaming through a patch in the clouds in this part of the city-state. 

While the two guardsmen who tend to follow him everywhere, Oldham and Sammit. Are standing nearby at the starboard rail, watching the sister ship that's about eighty yards off to starboard. 

The powerful young spellcaster originally from the Lands Farque finds himself sitting on the bench with the priestess Saleane, who has just joined him. 

The cleric opens his eyes, and finds the priestess looking off into the distance. And though she's a few years older than him, Jovan suspects she hasn't experienced battle yet. 

"First time into battle" quietly asks the cleric Garney to the attractive looking priestess with the dark hair, that's severely cut at her chin level. 

After nodding, Saleane the priestess replies with "It is" followed by "Apart from scuffles in the city". 

The powerful young spellcaster from the Lands Farque nods, then says "I suspect your training will be better than pretty much anyone you come up against" he then adds "Wether they're regular soldiers in the Phamalian army, or if they hired mercenaries". 

"Let's hope so" murmurs the priestess in the church of Kaēvin, the god of scribes and wordsmiths. Who also happens to be one of the human wargods. 

"And you?" asks the priestess Saleane, the young cleric replies with "I've been in combat before" though he does add "But I've never been in a battle between two warring armies". 

The practitioner of magic pauses for a moment or two, then he says "I don't know to be excited at the prospect of it, to test the skills I've learnt". 

After another brief pause, the young cleric who at seventeen finds himself one of the leaders of his church, says "Or if I should be scared of what could happen". After another slight pause, the cleric Garney adds "A little of both I guess". 

The attractive priestess nods as she is in agreement with the powerful young spellcaster, as she feels exactly the same way. 

The two of them continue to chat into the afternoon, only finishing their conversation when the cleric Kalmiss calls his fellow cleric back to talk with him and the ship's captain. 

Where they discuss where they'll put down, as they've been given a couple of location they can head to. Unlike the nearby vessels carrying the various mercenary companies who left the capital city at the same time they did. 

Still later in the afternoon, and as the church vessel, a twin masted airship, that's both a transporter and a warship. 

Is flying over forest, basically in the border region, just a few miles to the north of the border itself. 

The cleric Garney who is in a midships again, is looking ahead where he sees the vessels that were further in front of them, are putting down, heading towards the ground. 

When he slightly frowns as he senses something odd, the powerful young cleric looks away to starboard as that's the direction he senses it from. 

Jovan Garney narrows his eyelids and concentrates as he looks in that direction, with the sky above them in this part of the city-state, way more cloudy than it is to the north. 

The practitioner of magic then senses it properly, and he sees it start to form. Jovan Garney blinks in surprise as he realizes what it is. And it's the last thing he expected to see. 

The young cleric in the church of Kaēvin instantly figures out that he's definitely the only one who knows what it is. 

But more importantly he also knows, that the airship he's onboard, and the surrounding vessels are doomed. 

"Abandon ship!" shouts Jovan Garney the cleric who is already casting a gateway here in a mid ship's. 

The powerful young spellcaster as he casts, now also knows that the Tuledarian army and their war effort against the city-state of Phamal is doomed too. 

As a sky rift forms away to starboard, and a Krean strikeship comes flying out of it at a terrifyingly fast speed, firing it's multitude of magetubes as it does so, destroying everything it targets . . . . . .