Sunday 22 September 2024

Soldier Of Gods 57.


Tuledare. 

Mira Reinholt the mage wakes up just after dawn, after having fallen asleep sometime early last night. 
The once powerful mage who hails from the city-state of Vexil looks around, and for a moment he wonders where he is. 
Then the practitioner of magic, who also happens to be a swordmaster, recalls where he is. He sighs in relief, glad that he's not just back on the physical world of Volunell. But that he's also alive. 
The mage Reinholt knows that he's lucky to be alive. For if Lord Farque hadn't of entered the portal that the Vexilian mage in exile had accidentally cast, he would be dead for sure. 
The swordmaster from the city-state of Vexil knows it was just pure luck that kept him alive in that shadow realm he had entered. 
So it could've been a completely different outcome if the undead warlord hadn't of shown up when he did. 
Mira Reinholt, who is a member of one of the wealthiest families, not just in his homeland of Vexil, but right across the Southlands. 
As they own a highly successful trading company. So large that it's fleet of airships, is larger than a lot of nation's military. 
Gets up out of bed, and after his morning ablutions, he heads out into the hallway. Where he finds one of Tamric Drubine the field commander's staff. 
Who points down the hallway after greeting the once powerful mage with a "Good morning councillor". 
Mira Reinholt who is a member of the personal council to Lord Farque heads down the hallway to the large suite that Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy has been using. 
The spellcaster who is in exile from his homeland of Vexil enters the suite and finds some of the others already here. 
"You doing alright this morning Mira?" asks Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy after the once powerful mage gets something to eat off the long side board in the main room of the suite. 
"Better than yesterday, that's for sure" replies Mira Reinholt the mage, whose body still aches a bit. But that's more to do with the healing potion he took yesterday, just after he and Lord Farque returned to the physical world of Volunell. 
The practitioner of magic, who is also a highly skilled swordmaster is just glad everything is no longer tilted. 
For much of yesterday he felt like everything was on an angle, and he couldn't straighten things up. Truly one of the more annoying sensations he's ever had to endure. 
The spellcaster who was once the most powerful mage of his generation to be found anywhere in The Southlands. 
Until he lost most of his powers a number of years ago, when he went off world through a void he accidentally cast. 
Not that he remembers any of that, as that was wiped from his mind by the individual who returned him to the world of Volunell. That individual being Kye, one of the Greater Dragons. 
Sits down at the side table, where Beldane the cleric is eating breakfast, along with Zam the ex mercenary. 
As he eats, the mage Reinholt looks around and sees that Lord Farque along with Helbe the elven thief is missing. Along with Dorc da Orc, sir Percavelle Le Dic and Shur Kee the monk. 
The highly skilled swordmaster knows that the ork warleader is downstairs in the common room. As he heard him down there, from up here, yelling at the innkeeper for beer and food. The exiled Vexilian mage knows that where Dorc da Orc is, then sir Percavelle Le Dic won't be that far away. 
The councilor Reinholt figures that Shur Kee the monk is down there as well. Keeping an eye on the ork general, and the former paladin who are bitter rivals. 
As for Lord Farque and Helbe the elven thief, they could be anywhere. The Vexilian swordmaster in exile has absolutely no idea where they could be. 
After finishing his eggs, and as he gets started on the bacon that he piled on his plate, the mage Reinholt asks "Where did Farque and the royal thief get to this morning?". It's Beldane the cleric who answers with "They've gone to check on those prisoners Helbe caught". 
The mage who is in his forties, mid forties to be exact, nods his head, then he asks the powerful fighting cleric in the church of Glaine "Where are they keeping that lot?". 
The Vexilian mage in exile, was probably told where yesterday. But since he can't remember much of what was said and took place yesterday. 
He thinks it's best to find out what's going on now, before everyone turns up. 
Pointing upwards after drinking most of the apple juice in his mug, the cleric who hails from the kingdom of Nastell says "Onboard the Krean scoutship Helbe's been using". 
The swordmaster Reinholt who is wearing his black hooded cloak, though with the hood down off his head at the moment, nods. 
And before he can ask the cleric in the church of Glaine why, Beldane tells him "Apparently the navigators onboard have got that lot detained so well, they don't really know where they are". 
He follows that with "Helbe thinks it's the best place to keep that lot at the moment" the powerful cleric then adds "And Lord Farque agrees". 
"Makes sense I guess" says the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, who as a born and raised Vexilian thought it highly odd that the city-state of Tuledare went to war against the city-state of Phamal in the first place. 
For the simple fact there's no real animosity between the two nations in the first place. In fact, in the past they've been allies in certain conflicts. 
So much so, that the largest war in the Southlands in recent memory. The Battle of Vexil, which was twenty five years ago now. 
Was when both Tuledare and Phamal declared war on Vexil. A war which would see many nations join their cause as they fought the city-state of Vexil. 
Mira remembers it well, as a seventeen year old, not long out of Mage College. And as the youngest member of the mage council of Vexil in it's history. 
He was in the thick of it. Even more so, when he betrayed his homeland, and joined the multi nation attack upon Vexil. 
It's the reason he was exiled from Vexil. And it's where he ended up meeting Lord Farque and Dorc da Orc and his life changed forever. 
The once powerful mage slightly winces at the memory of that, and Beldane the cleric who sees it, asks "You alright there mage?" followed by "Something wrong?". 
"Nah I'm alright" responds the swordmaster who hails from the city-state of Vexil, who continues with "Just remembering something". 
The powerful fighting cleric in the church of Glaine nods, and he doesn't push the mage Reinholt to elaborate. 
Then before Beldane can change the subject, Dorc da Orc comes barging into the suite, followed by his arch rival sir Percavelle Le Dic, who is followed by Shur Kee the monk. 
"Looks, they got fucken foods up here as well" states Dorc da Orc who makes his way over to the long side board. 
"Knew me could fucken smell it" loudly mutters the large ork, who starts grabbing everything and anything on the side board, and stuffing it into his mouth. 
"I've suddenly lost my appetite" dryly says Mira Reinholt who follows that with "Good thing I've just finished" after eating the last strip of bacon from his plate. 
The Vexilian mage in exile just shakes his head as he and the others watch the big burly ork from the southern polar region of the world, try to cram as much food into his gob as possible. 
Then the practitioner of magic who was more powerful than any other mage of his generation, until he lost the vast majority of his immense amount of power. 
Turns in his seat, when he hears Lisell Maera the scout commander slightly yelp. And finds Lord Farque, Helbe the elven thief and a Krean navigator, standing in the middle of the main room of the suite, next to the large central table. 
"Gather around" says Lord Farque who continues with "We've got some things to discuss" as he gestures for the others in the suite to join him at the large circular table in the middle of the main room. 
After the group gathers around the table, and the undead warlord points to the floor beside him and says "Sit". 
To Dorc da Orc who was going to wander off to a corner to finish off the last of the food from the long side board. 
The lord and ruler of the Lands Farque says to the Krean practitioner of magic "You may begin". "Yes my lord" says the Krean navigator after bowing to the large heavily armoured deathlord. 
On the table, a dozen illusions appear, of people of all ages, all adult humans, both men and women, about quarter of the size of an actual person. 
The mage Reinholt lifts an eyebrow, and slightly nods at the skill, not to mention power it takes to cast the spell created by the Krean navigator. Who turns to the elven princeling standing beside him and says "All yours highness". 
"As you've might of guessed, these twelve are the ruling council of Tuledare" says Helbe the elven thief. 
Who then quickly explains who each one is, and that they're onboard the Krean scoutship, locked in a cargo hold, which they think is a cellar beneath a country estate. 
As the elven masterthief from the island principality of Laerel speaks. Mira Reinholt who is looking closely at each of the illusions showing the members of the ruling council of Tuledare. 
Pauses as he looks at one of captives who were taken prisoner by the young elven noble who is a member of the royal family that rules the principality of Laerel. 
With a frown upon his face, the exiled Vexilian mage interrupts the elven magic user, and says "I know that one" followed by "I think?". As he points at the individual in question. 
Helbe the elven thief says the man's name, and Mira Reinholt slowly nods, then says "Yeah that's him, but he was going by another name when I first met him". 
"Oh?" says Lord Farque who is suddenly interested as he looks at the once powerful mage, then at the illusion of the Tuledarian councillor, one of the older ones in his late fifties by the looks of things. 
"Yeah" says the once powerful mage, who looks at the undead warlord, then at the large ork sitting on the floor next to the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque. 
"Met him around the same time as I first met you two" says Mira Reinholt with a nod at Lord Farque and Dorc da Orc. 
"In fact about a week before" continues the swordmaster Reinholt, who after a brief pause adds "He's the one who got me to betray Vexil during the Battle of Vexil" . . . . . .








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