Soldier Of Gods 63.

Tuledare. 

Mira Reinholt the mage watches the executed hanging from the noose. Their bodies swaying in the late morning wind that's picked up. 

The once powerful mage who hails from the city-state of Vexil looks at the last in the line to be executed. 

The man he met a quarter of a century ago, when he was still a teenager, in his homeland of Vexil. Who convinced him to turn against the city-state of Vexil during a time of war. 

The mage Reinholt doesn't delude himself in the least. He was going to turn against his homeland anyway. Due to what he thought at the time was incompetent leadership. 

But Owin Falmist convinced the young Mira Reinholt to do so during the midst of the battle of Vexil. 

The largest battle seen throughout the Southlands, in well over four centuries since the invasion of the Southlands by the Empire of Nostran. 

The invasion which saw Lord Farque, who at the time was the battlelord Kaiuss Farque, die during the battle which he killed the emperor of Nostran, and the empire was defeated by the young battlelord's forces. 

As the Vexilian mage who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, watches the body of councilor Falmist slowly twist around at the end of the rope that took his life. 

The last few hundred of the crowd of thousands that had gathered, are finally leaving the massive square where the public executions took place this morning. 

The spellcaster who is a member of Lord Farque's personal council glances to his right, as a grinning Dorc da Orc walks this way. 

The mage in the black hooded cloak who has known the large ork for a quarter of a century, they met during the battle of Vexil when Mira was just seventeen years old. 

Nods his hooded head when Dorc da Orc says to him "That cunt cried like a fucken bitch" as he gestures a large meaty, frying pan sized hand at councilor Falmist. 

The big burly ork from the southern polar region of the world, who was named warleader of his race by Lord Farque a number of years ago, continues with "Screaming like the fucken pussy ass cunt that he was". 

The weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks after sniffing a few times, points at another of the executed then says "That fucken lady shit herself". 

Which sends the large ork who is a general in the Armies of Farque into a fit of laughter, as he finds that absolutely hilarious. 

The practitioner of magic, who was once the most powerful mage of his generation to be found anywhere in the Southlands, rolls his eyes then wryly smiles as he looks at the ork warleader standing beside him. 

Then the mage who is in exile from his homeland of Vexil, though due to an incident during the last war between the city-states of Tuledare and Vexil nearly a decade ago, he's allowed to visit his homeland. 

Is just about to say something to the large ork who he has known for twenty five years, when he suddenly hears a voice inside of his head. 

Get ready, you're coming up, it's Helbe the elven thief, and just as Mira Reinholt the mage sourly says "Ah shit". 

He disappears from in front of the platform and gallows, here in the middle of Foundation Square, in the center of the city of Tuledare. 

The spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster blinks and finds himself standing on the flat, mastless deck of a Krean scoutship. 

The Vexilian mage in exile wraps his black cloak tightly around himself as it's absolutely freezing here, high above the capital city of Tuledare. 

The practitioner of magic who is a member of Lord Farque's personal council looks around, then turns and heads aft to the low slung wheelhouse. 

He finds the port side door open for him, and the mage Reinholt hurries inside where it's warm thanks to the powers of the navigators onboard, and the unique construction of the Krean warship. 

The once powerful mage makes his way to the back of the wheelhouse where Helbe the elven thief is standing with Lord Farque, who has just finished speaking with the captain of the Krean scoutship, and the lead navigator. 

With a nod of his hooded head, Helbe the elven thief says to his fellow spellcaster "Come along" and he follows after Lord Farque. 

The mage Reinholt follows after them as the undead warlord heads down the steps, or ladder as it's called onboard. 

That goes down below deck, from the back of the wheelhouse that's located on the aft section, of the dark, sleek looking, mastless airship. 

Heading along a corridor below deck, the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque stops at a door, and after a glance at the two practitioners of magic who are members of his personal council. 

The large heavily armoured deathlord of Farque, who stands over six foot, six inches in height, and weights nearly three hundred pounds of solid muscle. 

Opens the doorway and enters the cabin, he's followed in by the elven masterthief from the island principality of Laerel, and the human swordmaster who hails from the city-state of Vexil. 

After the mage Reinholt closes the cabin door behind him, he sees that there's a man sitting on a chair next to the bunk along the inside of the hull. 

The individual, who looks to be in his forties, has his hands in his lap, though they're tied together at the wrists. 

As he's sitting there, he's looking around at his surroundings, with a look of slight confusion, if the once powerful mage was to describe it. 

"He can't see or hear us" says Helbe the elven thief to his fellow spellcaster, after Lord Farque nods to the young elf who is member of the royal family of the elven principality of Laerel. 

After a brief pause, the young elven noble who also happens to be a masterthief, among other things, asks the exiled Vexilian mage "Do you recognize him?". 

With a slight frown upon his face as he looks at the man sitting on the chair, oblivious to their presence, the practitioner of magic who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, shakes his head, then says "I don't" after a slight pause, he adds "Should I?". 

"Odds are you probably didn't" says the elven master assassin, who follows that with "It was worth asking". 

Then the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel, says to his fellow councilor "This is Marcan" followed by "He's the brother in-law of the city councilor Owin Falmist". 

One of Mira Reinholt's eyebrows lifts at hearing that, then Helbe the elven thief tells him "Caught him on the way to the executions along with a group of others who were intending to stop it". 

Though the Vexilian mage in exile finds that little bit of information interesting, he doesn't think it that important. Especially not important enough to teleport him up here, and to tell him in person. 

Then after a few moments of silence, his fellow practitioner of magic says to him "Oh by the way, his full name is Marcan Geist". 

The mage Reinholt blinks in surprise at hearing that last name which he does recognize. Then after a moment where he first looks at Lord Farque, then prince Helbenthril Raendril, and finally the captive individual, the once powerful mage says "Geist as in the Geist Trading Company out of Vexil?". 

"Yes, the very one" replies the elven master archer, who continues with "Thought you'd recognize that one". 

The spellcaster who hails from the city-state of Vexil recognizes that name, as it's one of the main competitors to his own family's company in his homeland. 

The swordmaster Reinholt after a few moments of silence as he thinks of something, says "They weren't that big or successful when I was a kid" .

He continues on with "But they came up in prominence, and quickly expanded and became a force in trading after the Battle of Vexil". 

After saying that, the once powerful mage quickly looks over at the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque. 

For the simple reason, Mira hardly ever mentions that momentous battle. For after he met the undead warlord and Dorc da Orc. 

Who were up to criminal activities in the middle of the battle. They robbed the Vexilian army's payroll, which they took from the quartermaster general. 

The mage Reinholt who only knew them for a couple of days and joined them, turned on the two of them as the three of them were escaping the city of Vexil with a fortune they had stolen. 

The once powerful mage who would go on the run for five years as the vengeful duo of Lord Farque and Dorc da Orc chased him across the world. 

Finally capturing him on the far east coast of the continent, where they exacted their revenge which Mira has done his best to try and forget. 

"Yes they did" says Helbe the elven thief, who follows that with "And with good reason" he continues with "And they would of been a hell of lot more successful again if Tuledare defeated Phamal in the war". 

Pointing at the captive Marcan Geist, the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel says "He's the reason Tuledare and Phamal went to war". 

After a brief pause, the elven masterthief adds "Well one of the reasons" he looks at Mira Reinholt and adds "All because of your family, and their business". 

Once again, the exiled Vexilian mage's eyebrows shoot up in surprise at hearing that, then he listens to what his fellow spellcaster, Helbe the elven thief has discovered about Marcan Geist and the reason the war between the city-states of Tuledare and Phamal got started in the first place . . . . . .