Mercenary Tales 2.

The City Of Vexil. 

As he sits upon a bench, beneath a tree in a back courtyard behind the dormatories in the Mage College of Vexil. 

Mira Reinholt the mage contemplates what his former tutor has just told him in a relation to a question he asked. 

The once powerful mage who grew up in a neighbourhood not too far from the Mage College, faintly smiles at the prospect of guessing when it comes to casting a rift spell. 

Then the practitioner of magic, who also happens to be a highly skilled swordmaster, looks over at his former teacher, Nol the dragon who says "Looks like we've got a visitor". 

The mage Reinholt sees the large, dark red almost black coloured dragon who is lying in the morning sunshine behind the bakehouse attached to the kitchens. 

Looking over at one of the other trees here in the back courtyard behind the dormatories. The spellcaster who was a student here over twenty five years ago, spots a bird on the end of a branch in that particular tree. It's a very dark black raven. 

And though it's got one eye on the dragon taking up one side of the courtyard, it's looking directly at the mage sitting on a bench. 

"Ah that'll be for me" says Mira Reinholt the mage, who wryly smiles, then dryly adds "Among others". In response to Nol the dragon saying to him "Cavorting with witches now young Mira?". 

"My associates are on their way I guess" says the mage who though is exiled from his homeland of Vexil, he's allowed to visit nowadays due to him helping out during a border conflict Vexil had with the city-state of Tuledare about a decade ago. 

"They are" says the dragon who has been teaching here at the Mage College of Vexil for centuries. 

The mage Reinholt who figures Nol can easily trace the raven, which is a familiar, back to Saanea the witch. 

Can no doubt figure out who else is with the witch who hails from the Maldin Hills, which is located on the west coast of The Southlands. 

And it proves to be true, as the large dark red dragon says in his deep rumbling voice "Hmmm strange lot you associate with". 

"A witch, a cleric, some kind of adept, a physical one I think, who looks to be a monk" says the tutor who predominantly teaches the young mages combat magic, here at the Mage College. 

The most prestigious, and well known place for learning magic in all of the Southlands. "Is that an ork?" says Nol in tone of genuine surprise. 

"Yeah" wryly says Mira Reinholt. "Well, I never" murmurs the large dragon, who continues with "I haven't seen one of those in ages". 

"Lucky you" dryly says the spellcaster who was once the most powerful mage of his generation, to be found anywhere in the Southlands. 

In fact he was so powerful, that it seemed he was going to be a battlemage. Just the second one in the last century, to be found in the Southlands. 

"A woman who seems a bit strange" says Nol the dragon, who continues with "No, it's someone else there". 

The tutor then briefly switches to his own language, and murmurs "That's rather clever, wonder how that was done?". 

Which the mage Reinholt doesn't understand, as he doesn't understand the dragon language, just like pretty much everyone else. 

Then switching back to the common language, the large dark red dragon continues with "A number of younger humans, who seem to be normal compared to everyone else". 

He briefly pauses before he adds "And what looks like a knight of some kind, can't see his tabard clearly, no I see it now" Nol follows that with "The order of the Knights of Saint Mar'che". 

The tutor here at the Mage College of Vexil briefly pauses before continuing with "I do believe that's the Shield of Saint Mar'che he's carrying with him, rather powerful artifact if I remember correctly". 

Mira Reinholt the mage nods in agreement with his former teacher, and does so again when the large dark red, almost black dragon says in his deep rumbling voice "And a couple of elves too" followed by "One a noble too, though not particularly powerful by the feel of it". 

The teacher of combat magic here at the Mage College, then says "Seems to be a pixie hanging around that young elven noble" he follows that with "Hmmm a ground one". 

Then the practitioner of magic who also happens to be a highly skilled swordmaster, then sees what could only be described as a frown, a thoughtful one at that, appear on the maw and snout of the large dark red dragon. 

Then Nol sharply looks at his former pupil, and says in a quiet tone "Strange indeed young mage Reinholt" followed by "One of your associates is not alive" he then adds "In fact he's dead, to be exact, undead". 

Mira Reinholt who can sense the group approaching this part of the Mage College. He can sense his fellow spellcaster, the cleric in the church of Glaine, Beldane. 

Quietly tells his former teacher the dragon Nol "I'd be careful around that one" he then quietly adds "He can kill your kind with ease" continued with "By himself too". 

A grunt issues forth from the large dark red dragon, as well as an eyebrow ridge going up in surprise as he looks at his former pupil, Mira Reinholt. 

The once powerful mage doesn't mention that the person he's referring to, Lord Farque. Has even killed a Greater Dragon, one of the creators of the world of Volunell. 

Then the spellcaster who is in exile from his homeland, not wanting to see any confrontation that might happen. 

As that's definitely a possibility, with Dorc da Orc who could start a fight with anyone, including a dragon. 

Meaning Lord Farque would have to step in. And the mage Reinholt knows the undead warlord could easily take out his former teacher Nol. 

So he says to the tutor of combat magic "Best if I'm on my way" the practitioner of magic who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, then adds "Thanks for the tip about time, and space when it comes to rifts". 

"I suspect you'd figure it out eventually" says the large dark red, almost black dragon which causes the Vexilian mage in exile to dryly reply with "I don't know about that". 

Then the spellcaster who was once the most powerful mage of his generation, to be found anywhere in the Southlands, farewells his former teacher. 

And makes his way from beneath the tree he's been sitting under, and heads out of the courtyard, here behind the kitchens and bakehouse, attached to the student dormatories. 

Behind the mage Reinholt, the dragon Nol shakes his large head as he watches his former student depart the courtyard. 

A student, that at one time was the most promising, not to mention most powerful mage to grace the halls of the Mage College of Vexil. 

One of the few of such capabilities, and potential that Nol has ever seen in the many centuries that he's been teaching here. 

All to be taken away by circumstances, most of which were self inflicted by Mira Reinholt. From betraying his homeland of Vexil in the largest battle in over four centuries, since the invasion of the Southlands by the Holy Norstran Empire. 

To accidentally casting a void, that he went through, and where apparently he lost most of his vast amount of magical powers. 

The large dark red, almost black dragon can't help but wonder what potential could of led to for Mira Reinholt. 

But Nol figures his former student, won't ever get back to that potential if he's hanging around such a strange group of people. 

And that the mage Reinholt has to settle down somewhere, and take up some serious studying if he wants to try and achieve some of that potential. 

Within his mind's eye, the dragon Nol sees Mira Reinholt meeting up with his associates. Who can only be described as a rather diverse group of people, mercenaries really, and that's putting it lightly. 

Then shutting off that vision, as he sees the large, dark heavily armoured figure, of the undead individual, slightly turn and look directly at him, even though he's out of sight and over a hundred yards away. 

The large dark red, almost black coloured dragon goes back to enjoying the morning sunshine on what's a cold, late autumn day here in the city of Vexil. 

"Find what you were looking for?" asks Helbe the elven thief when they're met on a path, by the mage Reinholt. 

"I did" replies Mira Reinholt the mage, who briefly pauses before continuing in a slightly dry tone of voice with "I guess". 

Next to the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel, Lord Farque who has just briefly looked away, looks at the once powerful mage and says to him "That the dragon that taught you?". 

While the elven masterthief lifts a surprised eyebrow, the mage Reinholt who isn't in the least surprised that the undead warlord knows he just met with Nol the dragon, says "He is". 

The highly skilled swordmaster, who is on the personal council to the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque, briefly pauses before adding "Among others". 

Then Mira Reinholt gestures back down the path that winds it's way through the park like grounds, here in this part of the Mage College. 

The lord of the death realm nods his full helmed head, and they along with the rest of the group, head that way. 

With the trio of Lord Farque, Mira Reinholt the mage and Helbe the elven thief leading the way along the path. 

The elven master assassin, who is the deathlord of Farque's envoy, says to his fellow spellcaster "You know I almost came here as a student over a century ago". 

"Oh?" says a surprised mage Reinholt, who then wryly smiles when his fellow practitioner of magic says "But my parents eventually said no, and more importantly so did my great uncle, and grandfather". 

The two spellcasters continue chatting, while Lord Farque remains silent as they and the rest of the group, make their way out of the Mage College of Vexil, and onto the streets of the city . . . . . .