The Hire 146.

The Battle Of Almaic...

"Get more men up there" says sir Yarrim the sorcerer who is breathing heavily. The nobleborn spellcaster winces, as he gestures back towards the west.
"Yes sir" says one of the officers in command of the defence along the western side of the city.
The sorcerer Yarrim hobbles over to where his guardsman Harvin is standing, who is in just as bad as shape as the nobleman from the southern border of the duchy.
"Think they can hold them out Harvin?" quietly asks sir Yarrim, who along with his personal household guard, only just got away from the enemy, nearly losing their lives in the process.
"Maybe sir" says Harvin the guardsman as they watch those in a courtyard behind one of the city watchtowers, here in the western quarter of the city, hurry away to where the fighting is heaviest. Just beyond where a wall would normally be along this side of the city.
Harvin who grimaces as he looks across the torch lit courtyard, as night has well and truly fallen across the kingdom of Nastell.
Quietly says to the spellcaster in the red coloured armour "If they can hold them out through the night, it'll be an achievement" he briefly pauses as he takes in a deep breath, then he continues with "Especially with what we've just heard from the north side of the city".
The powerful sorcerer nods his head in agreement with that. As the lookouts up on the top of the watchtower. Just a little while ago, called down that they had seen the signal from the top of the north wall of Almaic. That the enemy are falling back there. And are no longer in a full on attack upon that wall.
Now the north wall of the city that's the capital of the duchy of Phelm, stands in near darkness. As no torches or lamps have been lit there. And the signal fires are all out there too.
"Yes that will be an achievement" quietly says the nobleborn spellcaster, who can't help but suspect that the enemy are up to something else while they withdraw from the north wall of Almaic.
What? He's not exactly sure. But he does suspect they're up to something.
Sir Yarrim, who like his guardsman Harvin, is battered and bruised after their ordeal at dusk out in the warren of buildings and lanes, just beyond where a wall would normally be along the west side of the city of Almaic.
Shakes his head slightly, and quietly says "No, not just yet" in response to his personal household guard quietly asking him "Are we heading back to the palace sir?".
The powerful spellcaster who is the second most important and influential noble in the entire duchy of Phelm, behind only duke Hargen himself.
Sees more soldiers, mercenaries and city guards who have come from elsewhere in the city, hurrying along the street to the right of the courtyard behind the watchtower.
Heading to where the fighting is taking place just to the west of their position.
As along this side of Almaic, the fighting has been the heaviest anywhere in the battle for the city that's the provincial capital.
"Runner!" calls out the powerful sorcerer, who as he waits for the messenger to hurry over from the otherside of the courtyard, heals his guardsman.
"Thank you sir" says Harvin in appreciation as he no longer stands there feeling battered, as if he's been trampled by a herd of cattle.
"And yourself?" asks the member of sir Yarrim's personal household guard.
"Unfortunately you can't heal yourself with a spell" is the sour sounding reply from the nobleborn sorcerer, who then adds "I need to get another spellcaster to heal me, or return to my chambers in the palace to get a potion".
The powerful spellcaster usually carries at least one healing potion on him at all times. But he left his chambers well before dawn, forgetting to take one as he rushed to see what the enemy were doing when they began their attack upon the city that's the capital of the duchy of Phelm.
"I want you to go over to the east side of the city, where some of my guards are" says sir Yarrim to the messenger who has stopped infront of him.
The nobleman, whose estates are along the southern border of the duchy. Explains to the messenger what he wants done.
Then after the messenger leaves to go and get his horse, the powerful sorcerer says to the experienced guardsman "We'll go up and have a look" as he gestures to the watchtower at the other end of the courtyard.
Harvin looks from the tower to the spellcaster, and lifts a questioning eyebrow and says "Are you up to that sir?".
"I'm not going climb up the stairs" says sir Yarrim, who then teleports himself and the guardsman up to the top of the tower.
The watchtower, which is the headquarters of the city guard in this part of Almaic. Is about fifty yards back from the line of towers that are up and down the west side of the city, where a wall would normally stand.
Further north along that line, about eighty yards further north. The gates on this side of the city, are located between two of the towers that are quite close.
And even though you can enter the city proper just about anywhere. The road from the west goes through the warren of buildings outside the city proper, and leads straight to the west gates of Almaic.
"Hell, they don't stop with those things do they" says Harvin as room is made for them on the west side of the tower.
The experienced guardsman from the estates of sir Yarrim, points to a load of burning barrels, full of pitch most likely. Shot from an enemy catapult or trebuchet. Flaming through the night sky, narrowly avoiding the city gates. To land upon a building on the street just behind the gates. No doubt the building will soon be on fire if no one is able to put it out.
As Harvin quietly asks one of the lookouts "Have they targeted this tower back here". And the lookout points down at a building further infront of the watchtower. A building that even at night, you can see has been hit by at least a couple of boulders.
The sorcerer Yarrim, who has cast a spell to hide himself from other spellcasters. Takes a brass cylindrical eyepiece offered to him by one of the lookouts.
The nobleborn spellcaster, who is the most powerful practitioner of magic here at the battle of Almaic. With the exception of a certain mage amongst the enemy. Who though no longer has all of his powers. Can still occasionally be as powerful as he once was. Though only during times of duress. Or if he creates a devastating mageglobe. Which takes a lot of effort and power on his part to do.
Sir Yarrim looks through the brass, cylindrical eyepiece. And though it's not one of the advanced one's he's heard about. Which enables you to see more easily at night.
This one does the job adequately, and allows him to see things up close. Especially when there's a source of light about.
Not to mention the largest of the three moons of Volunell, Ilnari. Is already up in the early evening sky. Making it a bit easier to see things by.
As the powerful sorcerer looks out to where the buildings have spilled out beyond where a wall would normally have been built.
He catches a brief glimpse of some of the enemy hurrying by a building that burnt down earlier in the battle. And is smouldering now that's it nighttime.
Passing a building that burnt down earlier in the day, and is still smoking and smouldering.
Tovis the war engineer quickly follows the scout Jaxs who is leading them forward, towards the city proper.
Behind the young engineer who is originally from the kingdom of Druvic, he hears his second in command, the sorcerer Larris mutter "I hope to hell we don't run into the enemy". As there's not that many of them.
Just the scout, subaltern Jaxs. The war engineer and his second in command. Along with two others in the engineering corp of the Farqian mercenary army. As well as Shur Kee the monk.
They enter one of the many damaged buildings just outside of the city proper. Where they find a large squad from their forces. Mostly made up of soldiers and mercenaries in the army of the robber baron Markell.
Though there are a number from the army from the lands Farque with them.
And in pairs or threes, they're leaving the damaged building. Heading down a wide lane. To between a pair of buildings, just to the right of one of the towers in the line of them, that marks where a wall would've normally been built along this side of the city of Almaic.
They find an officer in the Farqian mercenary army, a subaltern who is leading the force here in the damaged building. Who is looking out a window, next to the open doorway, the pairs and threes are leaving by. On their way down the lane, and between the two buildings, beyond which is the city proper.
"Any resistance here?" quietly asks the scout Jaxs in the elven language to her fellow subaltern in the mercenary army from the lands Farque.
"Just archers and crossbowmen up in the tower up there" is the quiet reply from the other subaltern in the same language, who continues with "They've got to get lucky to hit now that it's nighttime".
The subaltern pauses as the sergeant at arms in the Farqian mercenary army next to the open doorway, waves a pair of soldiers in the robber baron Markell's army through, after he quietly tells them "Hurry, into the city".
And though they can hear fighting away to the north somewhere, closer to where the city gates are. Infront of them, where they're entering the city proper, there's no sound of fighting, or sign of the enemy, apart from those in the nearby tower.
"We must of sent about twenty five of them through by now" explains the subaltern, his sergeant at arms next to the open doorway, nods his head in agreement.
Tovis the war engineer, quietly asks his second in command "Any enemy spellcasters about?".
"I can't tell at the moment" replies the sorcerer Larris who is holding his power within himself at this time.
The young engineer who is a captain in the Farqian mercenary army nods. Then he watches as another pair of soldiers in robber baron Markell's army are waved through the open doorway by the Farqian sergeant at arms.
Tovis, who once served as the war engineer to a baron Harkonin in the east of his homeland Druvic. Is just glad to see that their forces, are now entering this side of the city itself.
And true they're only entering in small numbers at a time. It's a start, after what's been a long day of battle here on the west side of the city that's the capital of the duchy of Phelm.
"Movement in numbers" says Shur Kee the monk in a quiet voice as he suddenly speaks up from behind the war engineer, and his second in command.
A few moments later, and they hear the sounds of fighting in the night, from beyond the two buildings, between which the large squad have been entering the city proper.
"Go" commands the subaltern in command of the squad, as does the sergeant at arms, who keeps waving soldiers and mercenaries in the robber baron Markell's army through the doorway, and down the lane to between the buildings that leads into the city of Almaic itself.
As the last few of the robber baron's men in the squad hurry out through the doorway. And only half a dozen Farqian soldiers remain in the damaged building with the war engineer and those with him.
The subaltern asks the young engineer "You lot going to come along with us captain?".
Tovis glances at his second in command Larris, who just shrugs. Then he looks over at Jaxs, who though is an officer in the Farqian mercenary army, is also a trained assassin. Who has been ordered to look after the war engineer.
The lean, athletic, attractive looking subaltern just lifts an eyebrow in reply to the enquiring look from Tovis.
Then the young engineer looks back at the honorary member of lord Farque's personal council, Shur Kee the monk.  Who in his odd, conical shaped hat, slightly nods his head.
"We'll go with you lot" says captain Tovis "Yes sir" says the subaltern, who then tells the sergeant at arms, and the other half dozen Farqian mercenary soldiers with him "Let's go".
Subaltern Jaxs is the first one to follow them out of the doorway. Followed by the other two from the engineering corp. Then the war engineer himself, and his second in command, the sorcerer Larris. And finally Shur Kee the monk.
And they head into the night, down the lane to between two buildings, beyond which is the city proper.
Where they can hear those in the large squad, have engaged the enemy who they've come across as the battle for the city of Almaic continues . . . . . .

The Hire 145.

The Kingdom Of Nastell...

"He just went through another gateway" says Narladene the ground pixie, who sighs while Helbe the elven thief mutters "Damn cleric".
The young elven noble looks around at the surrounding countryside as night falls around them.
The elven magic user then quietly says "I wonder if we're still in Phelm?". "Who knows?" replies the naturally magical creature who is standing upon the right shoulder of the elven masterthief who she's attached to.
After going off to inform the spellcasters on one of the warships in their fleet that's on patrol in the southwest of the duchy of Phelm. And getting them to pass onto the krean strikeship the Fídiablo what the elven princeling is up to, and who he's after.
Prince Helbenthril Raendril of Laerel and Narladene from the Sunreach Mountains, resumed their search for the cleric named Beldane.
Who was shown to the highly talented elven spellcaster through his powers of foresight, to be part of lord Farque's plans to resurrect the armies of Farque.
Which four and half centuries ago, were the most widespread and dominant military force in all the Southlands.
"That weapon of his again?" asks the young elven noble who is from the island principality of Laerel, and is now a member of the personal council to lord Farque.
"Yeah" sourly replies Narladene, who can no longer sense their quarry, as he's even out of her range again.
"To the southwest again?" asks the elven master assassin as he starts walking, the ground pixie nods her tiny head and sourly smiles in reply to that question from the elven magic user she's attached to.
"Let's stop and think about this for a moment" says the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel as he tops a rise, while night settles around them.
The elven master archer as he looks away to the southwest, who isn't affected by the lack of light, as he can see just as clearly at nighttime, as he can see during the day.
Sees how wild the countryside looks in that direction. It has been for the last little while, as they've left the farmland and small settlements in the southwest of Phelm, far behind them now.
"It's obviously sending him through a gateway when it thinks he's threatened, as i get closer" says Helbenthril Raendril "But not all the time" says Narladene the ground pixie.
The highly talented elven spellcaster who is holding his power within himself, nods his hooded head, and quietly says "But not all the time".
"So it can obviously sense me even when I'm holding my power within" quietly adds the elven masterthief who is a member of the ruling family of the principality of Laerel.
"But it doesn't send him through a gateway every time i get closer to wherever he is" murmurs the elven princeling, the tiny winged creature nods her head in agreement with him.
"Think it lacks power to do it every time?" asks the naturally magical creature in a tone of doubt.
"Personal magical weapons don't work like that" quietly says Helbe the elven thief, councilor Raendril continues with "All of them are just like Percy's or Tam's swords, they work when you use them, and don't when you're not using them" he quietly adds "Even the ones with a mind of their own".
Narladene nods to that, as that's her basic understanding of personal magical weapons too.
"So he's got to be using it then?" asks the ground pixie who is originally from the Sunreach Mountains, who first met the elven princeling she's attached to over a dozen years ago, in the city of Leeabra, the capital of the kingdom of Druvic.
"Or just holding it, which will trigger it's power i guess" murmurs the young elven royal who hails from the principality of Laerel, which is an island off the coast of the Southlands.
Infact it's the largest island off the coast of the Southlands. Located off the coast of southern Farque, and the kingdom of Melaurn.
The elven masterthief quickly looks at Narladene, who is unable to be sensed by their quarry, or his magical weapon.
"I want you do to something" says the member of lord Farque's personal council, who goes onto explain what he wants the ground pixie to do.
The tiny winged creature lifts a quizzical eyebrow as she listens to the highly talented elven spellcaster.
Then she nods in understanding once the elven master assassin explains what he wants her to do.
Looking at the moon Ilnari, the largest of the three moons of Volunell, that's rising up into the early evening sky.
Narladene says "Wait until that moon gets there in the night sky" as she points to a spot in the sky.
"How far?" asks Helbe the elven thief "Since he goes about the same distance each time through a gateway, I'd say about another fifteen miles from here straight to the southwest" replies the ground pixie.
The elven master archer nods his hooded head in understanding, and nods again when the naturally magical creature tells him "I'm off to find him".
Narladene drops off the right shoulder of the elven princeling, and falls into the ground. Where she takes off flying to the southwest. Moving far quicker than if she was flying through the air.
Councilor Raendril looks away to the southwest, and taking his time, he picks a spot in the distance, about a couple of miles away. And teleports to it. Once he's on a hilltop. Prince Helbenthril Raendril walks for a bit through the warm early evening. As it will take a bit of time for Narladene to locate then find their quarry, the cleric in the church of Glaine, Beldane.
"You're not going to send me off to who knows where again are you?" asks Beldane the cleric as he looks down at his mace.
The fighting cleric who is a member of the church of Glaine, puts a hand on the butt end of his mace.
He grunts in satisfaction as he doesn't go tumbling through a gateway, and remains where he is.
The churchman who has cast a small lightball to see by, sighs as he looks around and wonders where he is.
He knows he's definitely not in the duchy of Phelm anymore. And is more than likely in the duchy of Molnah. Which is to the south and west of Phelm.
He goes about making himself a camp for the night. Which he was doing previously at dusk, somewhere away to the east and north. Until he unconsciously put a hand on his mace, and the next moment he was falling forward through a gateway that suddenly appeared infront of him.
The cleric in the church of Glaine wryly smiles as he looks down at his mace in the loop on one side of his weapons belt.
A magical weapon that has a mind of its own, which will do whatever it likes when it comes to the protection of Beldane.
The member in the church of Glaine, who has travelled further and further away from the city of Almaic throughout the afternoon, and now the evening.
Is just glad the night is fairly warm, after the day that was hot and sunny, another hot day here in the north of the kingdom of Nastell.
Beldane spots some trees where he can spend the night, and after finding a nearby stream to refill his water bottle. The spellcaster in the church of Glaine settles down for the night, beneath the overlapping branches of the trees.
The fighting cleric takes off his cloak that's more of a cape that's attached to his armoured shoulder plates.
And uses that to sit on, and which he'll eventually sleep on.
He loosens some of his armour, then sits there going through a number of silent devotions to his god, Glaine.
Then after his silent prayers, the member of the church that has the most popular god in the north of the kingdom of Nastell.
Goes about a number of metal exercises, to keep his mind sharp. As the day has been long and tiring.
Starting with the battle of Almaic from before dawn. To now, in the evening, here in the wilderness, most likely in the duchy of Molnah.
Which is well over eighty miles from the capital city of the duchy of Phelm, Almaic.
After going through a number of mental exercises, and not feeling hungry at all. As he had a quick meal of bread, cheese, fruit and a small flagon of cider when he visited the town of Duste in southwest Phelm.
Beldane puts a hand on his mace, and quietly murmurs "Any threats to me?".
And is relieved that he feels no warmth from the magical weapon, which he got when he was made a cleric in the church of Glaine.
The fighting cleric, a popular figure amongst the commoners in the capital city of the duchy of Phelm, Almaic. Even though he's got a loud voice at times.
Which he only really uses when he's in the company of those nobles he finds annoying. Which is quite a few of them. Starting with sir Yarrim the sorcerer. Who is good friends with the sorcerer Dominic. Who also happens to be one of Beldane's best friends.
Lies down on his back, after putting up some wards to protect himself from any wild animals and the like, that might out and about on the prowl tonight.
The member of the church of Glaine hopes he can get some rest tonight. And hopes that early in the morning, he can head back to the city of Almaic, the capital of Phelm.
That's if his magical mace lets him return to the city that's the provincial capital.
The fighting cleric looks up through the overhead trees, and studies the night sky for a bit, watching the stars directly above him, and seeing one of the moons, Ilnari. The largest of the three moons of Volunell, come into view.
After a while Beldane starts to drift off to sleep. And soon the cleric in the church of Glaine is asleep as he lies there on his cloak, beneath some trees.
Narladene quickly locates their quarry as she flies through the ground. The naturally magical creature who is originally from the Sunreach Mountains. Makes her way towards the cleric Beldane.
As she does, she continually senses for Helbe the elven thief. Who is more or less heading in the same direction as her. Though the young elven noble is taking his time as he teleports and shifts to the southwest.
The tiny winged creature pops her head up through the ground, and looks up into the night sky at the position of the moon Ilnari.
She drops back down into the ground, and continues on her way towards the south and west, heading towards where she can sense the cleric that she and prince Helbenthril Raendril are after.
A little while later, and Narladene comes up through the surface of the ground, and takes wing through the air.
She senses the cleric Beldane less than two hundred yards away. And back in the direction she's come from, she senses Helbe the elven thief is now almost fifteen miles from the spot she left him from.
As she flies through the air with her tiny gossamer wings fluttering faster than the eye can see. The ground pixie doesn't stop to talk to the animals and creatures out this night. Which she would ordinarily do.
For she usually finds the conversations with animals more stimulating than talking to a lot of people.
Instead she hurries towards where she can sense the cleric Beldane, who she soon finds sleeping beneath some trees on a slight rise, not far from a creek.
The naturally magical creature lands upon a nearby log, and watches the cleric.
She wryly smiles, and shakes her tiny head at the prospect of the cleric joining them. Which she predicts is going to be difficult. And that's putting it lightly.
For the simple reason this Beldane is a cleric, and lord Farque is undead. Two things that do not go well. As the cleric will inevitably see the deathlord as evil.
"Hell, if i know how this is going to work" mutters Narladene in the ground pixie language as she wonders how the cleric will get along with them, especially the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
Then as the naturally magical creature looks at the sleeping cleric, and the mace he's still got on his belt loop. She senses that Helbe the elven thief has got to about fifteen miles from the spot she left him from.
The tiny winged creature looks up into the night sky at the moon Ilnari, and waits.
It's not too long, and Narladene briefly grins as she senses the elven magic user teleport in this direction again, and that the cleric remains where he is, just half a dozen yards away from her.
Realising that Beldane has to be either using his mace, or at least holding it for it to protect him, and send him out of harm's way.
The ground pixie sits down on the log she's standing on, and waits. As Helbe the elven thief continues on his way in this direction. Teleporting and shifting far more quickly than what he was doing previously.
Just a little while later, and as Narladene is contemplating striking up a conversation with a night owl that's landed on a branch of one of the trees that the cleric Beldane is beneath. And she senses prince Helbenthril Raendril just a handful of miles away now.
The cleric in the church of Glaine rolls over in his sleep, and his right hand falls upon his mace.
"Shit" exclaims Narladene as she suddenly senses what's happening. As one moment Beldane the cleric is lying there on the ground. The next moment, there's a gateway right beneath him.
And he and his cloak, and everything on him, falls through the magical gateway created by his mace, which sensed a magical threat approaching.
Narladene sighs as she just gets to where the cleric was lying asleep. And the gateway disappears. She didn't even get a chance to see the otherside of it. Though she does sense the direction it went. To the southwest again. And as she senses that way, she is unable to sense the cleric Beldane anymore. And she knows that she'll have to go in that direction to locate him again.
"Damn" mutters Narladene, who drops down into the ground, and heads back to where she can sense Helbe the elven thief to tell him what's happened.
Meanwhile, Beldane the cleric after hitting the ground after falling a few feet. Unwraps himself from his cloak that he's tangled up in.
He eventually sits up, and looks around, creating a small lightball as he does so.
The fighting cleric wryly smiles as he finds himself sitting upon a grassy hill, no where near where he was previously. Exactly where, he has no idea.
Beldane sighs, then spreads his cloak out on the ground and lies down on it after putting up some wards again.
He wonders if he'll be able to get some meaningful sleep tonight without his mace sending him through a gateway again. He rather doubts it . . . . . .

The Hire 144.

Almaic. Phelm. Nastell...

"Why you fucken hate Dorc so much?" demands Dorc da Orc as he glares at both Mira Reinholt the mage and Darid Parsen the cavalry commander.
"What the fuck did Dorc ever do you cunts?" adds the large ork, which illicits a raised eyebrow from both the mage Reinholt and the cavalry officer.
The ork warleader looks over at the field commanders Drubine and Leivyn. Who after a glance his way, and sharing a look with one another. They move away to rejoin their senior staff.
The big, burly ork sourly smiles then grunts as he watches the departing field commanders. Who don't want anything to do with him, and the plans they and councillors Reinholt and Parsen have come up for him.
Dorc da Orc, or Dorkindle which is what his mother used to call him, and what lord Farque occasionally calls him.
Looks around in the fading light of dusk as night is about to fall. And finds that only the once powerful mage and the cavalry officer. Are the only ones close to him.
With the exception of Teabagger the goblin Cunt. Who as usual, is standing just off to one side of his general.
The big, burly ork who hails from the southern polar region of the world, looks at the members of lord Farque's personal council. Well, he glares at them really, and he says "Well?". "Well, what?" replies Mira Reinholt the mage.
"You know fucken what" says the ork warleader in a growling tone, who would like nothing better than to wipe the smug look off the face of the Vexilian mage in exile, preferably with an axe.
After rolling his eyes, the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster says "Are you going to do it, or are you going continue to be a little bitch and complain about it some more?".
The ork weaponsmith growls in a threatening tone, and takes a step towards the two councillors. Who stand absolutely still as the watch the large ork.
While Teabagger the goblin cunt, is fidgety as he moves from foot to foot, as he nervously looks from his general, to the pair of council members.
"Seems to me you're being a bit of a pussy about it all" says the spellcaster who was once the most powerful mage of his generation, to be found anywhere in the Southlands.
The mage who is in exile from his homeland, the city-state of Vexil, gestures towards the city of Almaic, as he says "Do you want to take the city, or hang back and let others try to take it?".
The swordmaster Reinholt, who comes from one of the wealthiest trading families in all the Southlands, momentarily pauses, before he continues with "If you're going to be fucking chicken about it, we'll let someone else try".
Dorkindle ominously growls as he steps towards the two councillors, then the big, burly ork who is originally from the frozen bottom of the world, pauses as he looks at Mira Reinholt.
"Ha!" says the weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks "Good one cunt" adds the large ork, who chuckles as he continues with "You being all smarts and tricksy Killer". Killer, being the ork warleader's nickname for the once powerful mage.
"You nearly gots Dorc there" says the warleader of the ork race, who then adds "Gets more angries so me will go and fucken do it".
"Thought it would work" quietly says Mira Reinholt in the elven language to his fellow council member, who nods in agreement with swordmaster who is originally from the city-state of Vexil.
"Have to try something else" quietly says Darid Parsen the cavalry commander in the same language, the once powerful mage nods his hooded head in agreement with his fellow member of lord Farque's personal council.
"Good one Dorc, you got us there" says the mage Reinholt in the common language, who after a brief pause, continues with "Almost got you angry enough to go and do it".
The ork general chortles at his perceived cleverness, while off to one side, Teabagger who is the commander of the goblin battalion in the Farqian mercenary army, nervously smiles.
Both the exiled Vexilian mage and the cavalry officer, who is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra, by the name of Zubutai Timaginson, who just happens to find himself inhibiting the body of Darid Parsen, smile as well.
Then the swordmaster Reinholt says "Well since you won't do it, i guess we'll just have to tell you know who that you'll refuse to do it".
"Who?" asks Dorc da Orc with a perplexed look upon his broad, green, brutish looking face.
"You know who" says commander Parsen, once more the ork warleader frowns as he tries to work out who they mean.
Then after the exiled Vexilian mage, gestures around them, and says in a slightly dry tone of voice "We're in his army Dorc".
The ork who is the son of the former matriarch of wolf tribe of orks, grimaces as he realises who they're referring to, then he looks quickly around, sniffing repeatedly and deeply as he does.
After grunting, Dorkindle says "He not here" followed by "Stop trying to fucken scare Dorc like that ya cunts".
"Still, we'll tell him the first chance we get" says the once powerful mage, who continues with "He won't exactly be pleased with you, who he named warleader of your race".
The spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster gestures at Teabagger, as he tells the large ork "And he gave you a battalion of your own" Mira Reinholt then adds "Yep, won't be pleased at all" he continues with "All because you refuse to do one small thing, that could give us victory here at Almaic".
Dorc da Orc sourly smiles, then he turns and looks to the east, and scowls as he remembers what the two council members want him to do.
"Dorc might get wet" loudly mutters the ork weaponsmith "Well, good thing you're wearing that poncho then, that'll stop you from getting wet" says the exiled Vexilian mage who like his fellow councilor Darid Parsen, refrains from grinning.
"Smart cunt" grumbles the large ork with a glare directed at the swordmaster Reinholt.
"Well, are you going to?" asks the once powerful mage after a few moments of silence as the warleader of the ork race looks away to the east.
"It'll be fine Dorc, you and your battalion have got this" adds councilor Reinholt.
After a little bit more silence, the big, burly ork who is from the southern polar region of the world, grunts. A grunt that sounds definitely more positive than it does negative.
"So you'll do it?" asks the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster.
"Yeah cunt" is the reluctant sounding answer from the ork weaponsmith, who sighs, then loudly mutters "What if me get fucken wet?".
"Well don't fall in" says the mage Reinholt "Swim" murmurs Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman.
Dorkindle sourly smiles as he looks down at the two councillors standing infront of him, then after another grunt, he says "Me have to fucken go and get me army".
"We've already sent a messenger to have them fall back" says the mage Reinholt with a gesture away to the city of Almaic, the capital of the duchy of Phelm.
The son of the former matriarch of the wolf tribe of orks grunts as he looks towards the city, and in the fading light of dusk as night starts to fall here in the north of the kingdom of Nastell.
The ork warleader spots his battalion of goblins in the Farqian mercenary army. Moving back from the north wall of the city.
Infact, a lot of the armies on both sides of the road here to the north of Almaic, are falling back from the city wall.
Dorc da Orc slightly frowns, then looks at the councillors, and asks them "What the fuck we doing?" as he paid no attention to the plans of what's happening tonight, with the exception of what he and his battalion of goblins will be doing.
Mira Reinholt explains the plans for the night, and how most of their forces here to the north of the city will fall back.
For the simple reason those in the armies of the robber barons Almard, Larimer, Solamard and Gergus who are with them, aren't particularly good night fighters.
Especially considering there's not a single torch or lamp lit along the top of the north wall of the city that's the provincial capital.
The warleader of the ork race grunts in understanding, and does so again, when the swordmaster from the city-state of Vexil tells him "See why it's important you and your battalion make a breakthrough?".
"Yeah cunt" says Dorc da Orc, who looks around as dusk takes full effect as the sun drops down below the horizon to the west, on what's been a hot summer's day here in northern Nastell.
"How we gonna fucken do it?" asks the weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks.
"Come on" says the once powerful mage, who waves for the ork general and the goblin commander to follow him, as he adds "The camp followers have started working on them" councilor Reinholt follows that with "Hopefully it won't be too long before you lot can set off".
The large ork grunts at the prospect of that. And hopes he doesn't get wet as he goes about the plans for him and his battalion of goblins tonight.
As the mage Reinholt and the big, burly ork along with the small, bright green goblin move away.
Councilor Parsen rejoins the field commanders Drubine and Leivyn, and the others next to the road.
"I gather he's going to do it?" asks Tamric Drubine "He is" says Darid aka Zubutai Timaginson "Good, hopefully he can into the city from that side"  says field commander Drubine, who then dryly adds "Unless he falls into the river".
"That might not be such a bad thing" says field commander Leivyn, the attractive looking woman who is one of three field commanders in the mercenary army from the lands Farque continues with "He could do with a good wash, he absolutely reeks at the moment".
"There is that" says the nobleborn teenager originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, who is now a field commander in the armies of Farque.
As night starts to fall, the youngest of the trio of field commanders in the Farqian mercenary army looks over to where four of the five robber barons are standing with their seconds, and other senior officers.
As the withdrawal of most of their forces here to the north of the city, takes place.
"I guess, we better go and explain in detail to them what's happening" says Tamric Drubine or Tam as he's more commonly called by those who know him well.
As the two field commanders head over to the robber barons as the torches and cook fires from the nearby camp start to take affect.
The cavalry commander makes his way to where his second in command Kalleb is standing with Lisell Maera and sir Percavelle Lé Dic.
Darid aka Zubutai the son of Timagin calls out for a runner, and after one promptly arrives, he gives him an order to lead the withdrawing goblin battalion to where councilor Reinholt is taking Dorc da Orc and Teabagger the goblin cunt.
"I gather he was a little, shall we say, reluctant to go ahead with it?" asks Kalleb the second in command of the cavalry company led by councilor Parsen. "That's putting it lightly" dryly says the cavalry commander.
"Pray tell, what is this?" asks sir Percavelle Lé Dic, who has been in a foul mood all afternoon as he wasn't allowed to participate in the full on attack upon the north wall of the city of Almaic.
Commander Parsen wryly smiles as he looks at the heavily armoured knight as more torches are lit in the camp behind them, as he decides if he should tell the former earl of Lé Dic.
Shrugging his shoulders, the cavalry commander decides to. And as sir Percavelle or Percy as he's more commonly called by those who know him well, listens to the explanation from the Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman.
The nobleborn knight from the kingdom of Druvic starts to slowly smile. And by the time commander Parsen finishes telling him.
The former paladin in the order of Saint Mar'che is grinning from ear to ear, and laughing.
"Ha! It would be hilarious if the filthy green beast took a dunking in the river yonder" chortles Percy, who chuckles as he murmurs "He will do the world a favour if he goes and gets himself drowned".
Rolling her eyes, as she looks sideways at the chuckling nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic, Lisell Maera quietly asks Darid Parsen "If he and his goblins do make it into the city over there?".
"Well, if there's anyone who will get in, and make it back to the north side of the city and get the gates open, it'll be that lot" says the cavalry commander who is from the kingdom of Druvic, where he served as a foot soldier in the army of lady Linara Lé Dic, the young niece of sir Percavelle Lé Dic.
"And if they don't?" asks the attractive young woman who is originally from the city-state of Brattonbury.
"Even if only some of them get into the city, they'll cause a hell of a lot of havoc that will definitely distract the enemy, who'll have to send some of their men from the wall and elsewhere to deal with them" explains commander Parsen, who frankly wouldn't mind if that happens if Dorc da Orc and his battalion of goblins aren't totally successful with their plans.
Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman knows that an awful lot could happen with the ork warleader involved.
And even if the plans for him and his goblin battalion turn out to be a total failure. Which is highly likely considering it's Dorkindle, and what's involved.
They're bound to still stir things up with the enemy. And cause a lot of chaos and confusion amongst the enemy ranks. Which is just fine in the opinion of councilor Parsen.
Here's to them creating a mess around there, the cavalry commander thinks to himself, who then gestures to the nearby camp, and tells the other "Come on, let's get something to eat before we rejoin the company" he then adds "It's going to be a long night".
As they walk towards the camp, sir Percavelle Lé Dic is still chuckling to himself as he thinks of his rival Dorc da Orc, and what the large ork and his battalion of goblins will be doing tonight . . . . . .

The Hire 143.

The City Of Almaic. The Duchy Of Phelm...

As they peer through the dust into the building, the sorcerer Larris quietly asks "Did you get them?".
"I am uncertain" replies Shur Kee the monk, who after a pause adds "Though i think i heard it hit".
The sorcerer in the mercenary army from the lands Farque grunts, then looks sideways at the short, statured monk beside him.
Who scared the hell of Larris as he was getting up off the ground. The honorary member of lord Farque's personal council, who got up off the ground quicker than the spellcaster.
Suddenly shouted "Bru Li spirit!". And a strange ball of white energy appeared infront of him. Which took off through the hole in this end of the building. And into the room beyond.
Where the acolyte in the philosophical order of Bru Li. Told the sorcerer Larris he spotted the trio they were after.
The Farqian sorcerer who is still holding his power within himself. Just incase the enemy sorcerer, sir Yarrim is still alive. Vigorously waves a hand infront of his face to clear some of the dust filled air out of the way.
Larris who murmurs "That was a hell of an explosion around there". Looks sharply at Shur Kee, who suddenly tenses and spins back the way they came from.
A moment later and the holy man wearing the strange conical shaped hat relaxes, then quietly says "It is the others".
The fairly powerful sorcerer nods as he hears the familiar voice of his commander, the war engineer Tovis quietly call out in elven "Larris is that you?".
"Of course it's him" quietly says subaltern Jaxs in the same language, who then quietly tells the young engineer "Now be quiet, more of the enemy might be about".
The four of them, the lean, athletic, attractive looking scout in the lead, the young engineer behind her, and two others in the engineering corp of the Farqian mercenary army walk through the dust filled air, along this end of the building. Where they find Shur Kee the monk and Larris the engineer.
"What happened?" captain Tovis quietly asks his second in command "Shur Kee" replies the sorcerer Larris.
After blinking in surprise, the war engineer gestures all around and quietly says in a tone of surprise "What?" quietly followed by "All this?".
"Oh no, that was the enemy sorcerer sir Yarrim" quietly says the spellcaster from the lands Farque, who then adds in a mutter "Hell of an explosion whatever it was".
Then the second in command of the engineering corp in the mercenary army from the lands Farque explains that the acolyte in the order of Bru Li might of hit the enemy sorcerer, and two others with him. With the unique power that the short, statured monk has at his disposal.
"Well, we think the councilor got them" quietly says the fairly powerful sorcerer as he gestures to where there's a decent sized hole in this end of the building "In there" adds the second in command to captain Tovis.
Then they all look up into the dust filled sky of what's essentially now dusk in this part of northern Phelm.
As they hear, then see a boulder pass directly overhead. Sweeping the dust away for a few moments, about sixty feet up off the ground as it heads towards the city proper.
"Hell, those crews of yours never let up do they?" mutters the scout Jaxs, who is also an assassin, who has been tasked to protect the war engineer.
All four members of the engineering corp, their commander, the second in command, and the two others. All grin with pride at that muttered statement from the attractive looking subaltern.
"You lot won't be grinning if one of those damn boulders falls on us" sourly mutters the lean, athletic assassin.
The young engineer, who is originally from the kingdom of Druvic, snorts before he quietly says "We're not going to get hit" he continues on with "They're aiming for the city itself now, and we're at least a good thirty yards from it here".
The subaltern rolls her eyes, though she will admit that the accuracy of the war engineer's crews can't be faulted. It just the fact standing under flying boulders, rocks and burning barrels. No matter how experienced one is in battle. Is something she will never get used to.
Then the scout, who is also an assassin quietly says "Now what?".
For though she would normally lead the way. Not so when there's a dangerous enemy spellcaster about.
And there's others better suited to counter him. In particular the sorcerer Larris, and even more so Shur Kee the monk, who is an honorary member of lord Farque's personal council.
"Guess we'll go in and check" quietly says the sorcerer who is still holding his power within himself, as he nods to the hole in the building they're standing infront of.
Larris who is second in command of the engineering corp in the Farqian mercenary army glances at the short, statured monk, and nods in relief when the acolyte in the order of Bru Li quietly says "I shall lead the way".
Larris is perfectly fine with that. For no matter how powerful a spellcaster one is. The physical adept with his unique powers, can defeat any spellcaster he comes up against.
For the simple reason he's not a spellcaster himself. And what he does can take a practitioner of magic by surprise.
"Fine by me" quietly says the sorcerer Larris "And me" murmurs the war engineer Tovis from behind his second in command.
Who follows Shur Kee the monk, and ducks down and goes through the hole in the wall.
Sir Yarrim the sorcerer groans "Here" in response to his guardsman Harvin saying "Sir, where are you?".
A few moments later, and the experienced member of the nobleman's personal household guard makes his way through the dust, and over the rubble, and finds the powerful sorcerer lying on the ground.
Harvin who is limping, winces as he crouches down, and quietly says to the nobleborn spellcaster "Sir, can you get up?".
"I think so" is the quiet reply of sir Yarrim, who Harvin helps to sit up. Though the powerful sorcerer groans as he does so, as he's battered and bruised from what they've just gone through.
"What the hell was that sir?" quietly asks the guardsman Harvin as he peers through the dust filled air that surrounds them.
"I don't know" is the quietly reply of sir Yarrim, who then adds "What i do know, is that it wasn't magic".
Harvin nods, and as he looks back in the direction of the building they were blasted out of when they were hit by strange white ball of energy, he hisses "Sallick" followed by "You there man?" as he tries to locate his fellow member in sir Yarrim's personal household guard who was with them.
"Damn dust" mutters Harvin as he waves a hand infront of him to try and clear some of the thick dust out of the way.
Then realising how the dust was created, and who brought it about, he quickly says in a quiet voice "Sorry sir".
"No worries" quietly says the spellcaster who is the second most important noble in the duchy, behind only duke Hargen himself.
"It is damn dust" adds the powerful sorcerer, whose estates are located along the southern border of the duchy of Phelm.
"Next time i won't make the explosion so large" quietly says sir Yarrim.
Harvin, after hissing out his fellow guard's name again, and who hopes there won't be a next time where they're so close to an explosion, quietly says "Not to worry sir, you got those dwarven fellows, that's all that matters".
The guardsman then quietly adds "Let's get you up sir, 'cause it's best we get the hell out of here" as they can hear fighting somewhere away to their right, closer to the city proper.
Which the enemy, the robber barons from the unruled lands in the Colevar Mountains, who have invaded the duchy of Phelm, are trying to enter as dusk falls here in the north of the kingdom of Nastell.
Both of them grimace as they stand, and after Harvin hisses out Sallick's name again, the guardsman quietly says "We'd better go".
"Sallick?" quietly asks sir Yarrim "He can find his own way out of here" quietly replies Harvin, who then silently adds, that's if he's still alive.
The guardsman, who doesn't think his friend and fellow guard is still alive, looks around through the dust filled air, then quietly asks the nobleborn spellcaster "Can you get us out of here sir?".
After shaking his head no, the sorcerer Yarrim says "I need to see where I'm going if i want to teleport us" he then adds "And I'm not up to casting a rift at the moment".
The nobleman who is holding his power within himself, as that's a little bit easier to do than to cast a spell to hide himself from other practitioners of magic, quietly says "We've got to get clear of the dust".
Harvin, who stops himself from coughing least it gives their position away, nods then after looking around, he picks a direction and quietly says "This way".
Then the two of them, nobleborn sorcerer, and common born guardsman, hold onto one another to keep themselves upright as they walk away through the dust.
Trying not to stumble and trip over the rubble and uneven ground, on what was previously a long flat square here between some of the buildings outside the city proper.
That was until sir Yarrim blew it up to kill a pair of dwarven delvers, and a number of other enemy soldiers and mercenaries who were in this square.
With Shur Kee the monk infront, they make their way to the open window in the room they've entered through one end of the building.
Glancing out the window, the war engineer Tovis frowns as it's almost impossible to see. For though there's less dust here inside. Outside, the dust is thick, coupled with it being basically dusk now, it's rather dark out in what was a square.
The young engineer who hails from the kingdom of Druvic nods his head as next to him, his second in command Larris quietly says "Think out there is that square those dwarves in Markell's army were in".
Then the two of them look over at subaltern Jaxs who they can just make out through the dust standing at the other end of the long open window, who has just said in a quiet voice "Over here".
They make their way over to her, passing behind Shur Kee the monk who is staring out the open window.
"Out here" quietly says the lean, athletic looking scout who also happens to be an assassin.
She points out of a fairly decent sized hole in the wall next to the window, and quietly adds "There, you can just see a body".
Both Tovis and Larris crouch down a bit and peer out through the hole in the wall, and through the dust they're able to just see a body lying on the rubble outside.
"Looks like the councilor did get them" quietly says the sorcerer who is the second in command of the engineering corp in the Farqian mercenary army.
Then he along with captain Tovis and subaltern Jaxs, look over at the physical adept standing at the window who has just said in a quiet voice "Silence please".
The three of them glance at one another, then they move quietly as possible towards the short statured monk, who they find is standing there at the window with his eyes closed.
The honorary member of lord Farque's personal council has his head slightly tilted as he stands there with his eyes closed.
Then after a taking a slow, deep breath, the acolyte in the order of Bru Li points, and murmurs "There" he continues murmuring with "Movement, two people heading that way" he pauses then adds "It sounds like they might be injured".
"Larris?" quietly murmurs Tovis the war engineer "It might be some of ours" quietly murmurs the sorcerer Larris, who after momentarily pausing, adds "Then again it might not".
Stepping closer to the short statured monk, the spellcaster from the lands Farque whispers to him "Councilor how far away are they?".
"Across the square out there" is the murmured reply of Shur Kee the monk, who continues murmuring with "About seventy, eighty feet away, heading towards the city".
The sorcerer nods, then glances at his commander, the war engineer Tovis, who nods and murmurs to him "Go for it".
Larris the sorcerer stops holding his power within himself, and sighting along where the honorary council member is pointing, he quickly casts a spell.
The guardsman Harvin grunts as he almost trips over some rubble, nearly tripping over the both of them.
Then after a murmured "Sorry sir" from the guardsman, the two of them continue on their way. Heading towards what they think is the city proper. Suddenly sir Yarrim hears something awfully familiar to him.
"Stop" hisses the nobleborn sorcerer, who quickly looks back and to the right, in the direction of the building across the square they were previously in.
The nobleman whose estates are along the southern border of the duchy of Phelm, winces as he sees a fireball hurtling through the dust filled air, heading more or less towards them.
Seeing an opportunity here, sir Yarrim quickly hisses to Harvin "Back". The two of them scramble backwards as quickly as possible. Even though Harvin is limping, and the nobleborn spellcaster is hurting like hell with every step he takes.
They both wince as the heat of the approaching fireball reaches them. Then as they scramble backwards, the rolling ball of liquid fire, which is burning a path through the dust, narrowly passes by infront of them by just a few yards.
They're both breathing heavily as they watch the fireball go by through the dust, which would of hit them, if they continued walking the way they were going.
"Come on" gasps sir Yarrim in a murmur as they continue to watch the fireball.
Then when it hits the edge of a building at the end of the square and explodes in splatter. The nobleborn sorcerer grins as a large patch of the dust is burnt away and he's now able to see towards the city itself.
Sir Yarrim stops holding his power within himself, and not bothering to deal with the enemy spellcaster he suddenly senses back across the square in the building they were in previously. He teleports himself and Harvin away, into the city of Almaic proper.
"Damn" mutters the sorcerer Larris who was just about to cast an energyball at the powerful enemy sorcerer, obviously sir Yarrim, who all of sudden he sensed out in the dust filled square, not far from where they saw the fireball he cast explode against a building on the otherside of the square.
"What?" asks the war engineer Tovis "He got away" replies the second in command of the engineering corp in the Farqian mercenary army . . . . . .

The Hire 142.

Almaic...

With the sun low in the sky to the west as the long hot summer's day slowly heads towards dusk, and then eventually night.
A fireball can be seen in the west of the city of Almaic. Going over rooftops, towards the city gates, and the towers on either side of it.
And as the fireball splashes across one of the towers, sending liquid fire in through any opening it touches.
While a large boulder sails over the gates, and crashes down within the city proper.
It acts as a signal for all hell to break loose here on the western side of the city that's the capital of the duchy of Phelm.
It's three of sir Yarrim's personal household guards who are spotted by the subaltern Jaxs who leads the way to where Shur Kee the monk is sure he spotted a number of people.
And as both the short, statured monk and the sorcerer Larris hang back.
The war engineer Tovis, along with the lean, attractive scout Jaxs. As well as two others in the engineering corp of the Farqian mercenary army. Hurry forward to confront the trio of enemy soldiers.
The nobleborn sorcerer sir Yarrim, shares a look with his two guardsman Harvin and Sallick when all of a sudden they hear shouts, then fighting from around the otherside of the building they're in.
"The enemy must of found the others" quietly says Harvin, sir Yarrim nods then quietly says "Let's go" as he gestures into the lane on the otherside of the half ruined wall they've been crouching behind.
The three of them hop over the wall, and enter the rubble strewn lane. Heading towards a corner of a partly damaged building they've been watching for the last little bit. A building they know some of the enemy are behind. Particular a pair of dwarven delvers the nobleborn sorcerer is after.
As he stands at the corner of a building, looking in the direction the others went. The sorcerer Larris sees movement out of the corner of his eye.
He takes a step back, and looks down a rubble strewn lane, and spots three of the enemy. One of whom is in red armour. Heading around a corner at the other end of the lane.
"Councilor" quietly says Larris the sorcerer. Shur Kee the monk who is an honorary member of the personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque. Looks back at the fairly powerful sorcerer who nods away to the left, to a lane that runs between a number of damaged buildings.
"Yes?" quietly asks Shur Kee the monk "I think the one we're after just went around the corner down there" quietly says the spellcaster from the lands Farque who is holding his power within himself.
Larris who is the second in command of the engineering corp in the Farqian mercenary army. Doesn't exactly know what the enemy nobleman sir Yarrim looks like. But he's heard the powerful sorcerer does wear distinctive looking red coloured armour.
"Should we?" quietly asks the sorcerer Larris who looks the way the others went.
So does the short, statured monk who is from beyond the Southlands, and hails from the otherside of the continent. The kingdom of Wah Lee, which is located on the far eastern coast of the continent.
"Yes" is the answer from the acolyte in the philosophical order of Bru Li.
Larris nods, then the two of them head down the lane, moving as quietly as possible. Though the Farqian sorcerer does hear the honorary councilor behind him murmuring in his own language.
He figures, correctly as it turns out. That the short, statured monk is quietly praying to whoever it is that he worships.
Larris doesn't know who exactly it is. Just that the physical adept doesn't worship any of the gods of the world of Volunell.
Tovis the war engineer sourly grimaces after he's shoved back behind the others by subaltern Jaxs. Who he finds out is lot stronger and quicker than she looks.
For the attractive looking scout, who happens to also be an assassin. Easily takes care of two of the enemy who spotted them and charged them.
While the third is taken out by one of the two other engineers. Who uses his hammer to smash in the skull of the enemy soldier. While the first two fell to the hands and feet of the scout Jaxs.
The young engineer from the kingdom of Druvic blinks in surprise when he looks down at the two that Jaxs took out, as he finds that they're both dead.
He looks over at subaltern Jaxs, and sourly smiles as she quietly tells him "If you could remain behind me and the others I'd appreciate it" after a few moments pause she belatedly adds "Sir".
And though Tovis is a captain, and is of higher rank in the Farqian army than the subaltern. It's fairly common knowledge in the mercenary army from the lands Farque. That the small group of assassins trained by prince Helbenthril Raendril will do whatever they want. And that you better follow their orders no matter what.
Even field commander Drubine has one around him at all times since the battle begun. Not even an officer like Jaxs is. Whose orders will be followed when it comes to the nobleborn field commanders safety is concerned.
The lean and athletic looking scout, points into the badly damaged building the three enemy came out of, and she quietly says "They were looking through there".
The four of them enter the building, with the subaltern leading the way. And as they make their way through the building, they see one of the walls has been all but destroyed. And they can see into the lane on the otherside of the building.
"Look, there goes Larris and Shur Kee" quietly says captain Tovis who briefly spots the two in question going through the lane on the otherside of the badly damaged building he and the three others with him are in.
After rounding the corner, they walk along the end of the badly damaged building, and instead of going around the other corner. Sir Yarrim gestures at a hole in the wall.
The nobleborn sorcerer whose estates are along the southern border of the duchy of Phelm. And his two guardsman duck down, and enter the building through the hole in the wall.
And keeping low, they make their way across a room, to an open window. Which they peek out of. And see a long square between a number of buildings here in the warren of buildings and lanes, just outside of where a wall would've normally been built along this side of the city of Almaic.
"There" murmurs sir Yarrim, who after a brief pause adds in a murmur "And there's the other one". As he spots the two dwarven delvers amongst the enemy, predominantly dwarven, who are in the square, just outside the building he and his two personal household guards are now in.
Looking at his personal household guards, the spellcaster who is the second most influential, and important noble in the duchy, behind only duke Hargen himself, quietly says in a hushed whisper "Stay down, and I'll try to protect us as much as i can".
After quickly glancing at one another, the two guards, Harvin and Sallick nod in response to sir Yarrim.
Then the nobleborn sorcerer pops his head back up, and looks out the open window. Looking at the pair of dwarven enemy spellcasters out in the square, that's more long than it is wide.
Guessing the distance between the two of them, as they aren't next to one another. The powerful sorcerer wonders if he can take them out at the both time. And that includes getting through their wards they've got up around themselves.
Sir Yarrim who has already cast a spell upon himself so that other spellcasters are unable to sense him.
Slightly nods his head when he comes up with the appropriate spell to eliminate both dwarven delvers.
Then the powerful sorcerer casts that particular spell. And quickly followed by a ward he shoves up infront of himself and his two personal household guards.
Wondering if the spell he's targeted the two enemy practitioners of magic with. Will be successful, and eliminate the pair of them.
After rounding the corner, and as they start to walk along one end of a partly damaged building. Both Larris the sorcerer and Shur Kee the monk are knocked off their feet by a large explosion from the otherside of the building.
The second in command of the engineering corp in the Farqian mercenary army. Is just able to retain holding his power within himself as he's knocked down to the ground.
While the physical adept, falls down a bit more easily, twisting so that he lands on his hands and knees from the powerful blast that's occurred on the otherside of the building.
And as Larris the sorcerer lies there on his back, looking up into the fading light at the end of the day. And sees debris shooting up into the late afternoon sky from the otherside of the building.
Shur Kee the monk as he lies on his stomach, turns his head to the right. And spots a hole in the end of the building they're right next to.
The honorary member of the personal council of lord Farque. Frowns as he lies there, as he looks into a room, and in the fading light he's just able to make out movement inside that room. He quickly grabs the jade pendant he wears on a fine silver chain around his neck.
They're quickly making their way through the rubble strewn lane when they hear and feel the loud explosion from the opposite side of the building they're behind.
They're all sent stumbling by the powerful explosion. Though the scout Jaxs is the quickest to recover. Who grabs Tovis the war engineer by the left arm, and holds him steady as he stumbles by her.
The subaltern looks up into the sky, and in the fading light as it nears dusk as the sun is setting in the west on what's been another hot summer's day here in the north of the kingdom of Nastell.
The scout who is also an assassin sees debris rising up into the late afternoon sky.
The young engineer from the kingdom of Druvic notices Jax looking upwards. So Tovis looks up too. And sees the debris going up into the late afternoon sky from the otherside of the building they're behind.
The captain and the subaltern share a look. Then they and the two others in the engineering corp with them. Continue along the rubble strewn lane. Even as the ground is still shaking.
The room is full of dust and small bits of debris that was blasted inside when part of the wall away to their left was blown inwards from the explosion.
Much of this side of the building was blasted inwards by the explosion. And the only reason the wall and the open window frame infront of them are still intact. Is because of the barrier spell the sorcerer Yarrim put up infront of them.
"I can't see shit" mutters the guardsman Sallick who waves a hand infront of his face to try and clear some of the dust out of his way.
While the other guardsman Harvin pops his head up, and looks out the window, and quietly says "Did you get them?".
The nobleborn spellcaster next to him, pops his head up too, and looks out the open window as he still maintains the barrier spell up infront of them.
And as they can't see much of anything outside in the square infront of the building. As there's just dust and debris everywhere.
The powerful sorcerer who is still casting a spell to hide himself from other practitioners of magic. Is able to sense.
Sir Yarrim faintly smiles and quietly says "I got them" as he's no longer able to sense the pair of dwarven delvers out in the square.
"Good" murmurs Harvin, while the other guardsman Sallick mutters "Now lets get the hell out of here".
The nobleman whose estates are along the southern border of the duchy of Phelm, nods in agreement with that.
Then the three of them stand up, and as they all wave a hand to clear dust out of the way of their faces as they turn to go back across the room they're in, to head for the hole in the end of the building they entered through.
They hear a voice shout something. Though the three of them don't know what it means, they clearly hear it shout in a voice with a foreign accent "Bru Li spirit!".
"What's that?" says the guardsman Harvin who blinks as he peers through the dust filled room they're in.
The sorcerer Yarrim blinks too, as he sees a ball of white light within the dust. He quickly senses and though it isn't magical. He drops the barrier spell that's now behind him as they've turned. And slams up one infront of him and his personal household guards.
As he sees the ball of white light, which is about eight feet in width is coming right towards them.
And as the guardsman Sallick glances at the powerful sorcerer and is about to ask him what it is. The ball of white light hits the hastily erected barrier spell.
Sir Yarrim blinks in surprise again as it goes through the barrier spell as if it wasn't there. Then the ball of white light hits him and his two personal household guards.
The powerful sorcerer is picked up off his feet and flung backwards with force, he goes flying backwards through the open window and outside.
So is the guardsman Harvin beside him. As dust and debris go swirling all around them as they go flying backwards outside.
The guardsman Sallick goes flying backwards too when he's hit by the ball of white light.
But unlike his fellow guard Harvin, and sir Yarrim. He doesn't go back through the open window. He slams back into the intact wall beside it.
He hits it so hard, that he actually goes through the wall. With wood and stone work splintering all around him, and through him. As dust swirls around from him flying back through the wall.
Sir Yarrim hits the ground first out in the devastated square. And groans when hits the rubble about twenty five feet out from the building he was just in.
He hears a thump away to his left somewhere, and hears a groan from one of his personal household guards. It's the guardsman Harvin.
Right after that, the nobleborn sorcerer hears a fainter sounding thud. Back towards the building they were just in.
It's the other guardsman Sallick, who has just hit the ground. Riddled with debris up and down the length of his body. He was dead before he hit the ground out here in the square that the powerful sorcerer had just blown up to kill a pair of dwarven delvers, and a number of the enemy who were out here.
Sir Yarrim who is no longer casting any spells, grimaces in pain as he lies there on his back on the rubble in the dust filled square.
The nobleborn spellcaster who is the second most influential noble in the duchy behind only duke Hargen himself, winces as he lifts his head.
The wind has been knocked out of him, and he gasps in a mutter "What the fuck was that?".
As he looks around through the dust and debris filled air, to try and see what's happening. As he's unable to sense anything or anyone magical in the immediate area . . . . . .

The Hire 141.

The Battle Of Almaic...

They climb over some rubble and enter the shell of a building, here on the west side of the city of Almaic.
Keeping low, sir Yarrim the sorcerer and two of his personal household guards, Harvin and Sallick.
Make their way through the building, getting to where the west facing wall is. Or what's left of it, as a boulder hit it earlier in the afternoon. And most of it's rubble now.
Looking westwards into the sky, the guardsman Harvin whispers "Sun's about to go down".
Next to him, the nobleborn sorcerer whose estates are along the southern border of the duchy of Phelm, nods in agreement.
Then the spellcaster, who is the second most influential noble in the duchy, behind only duke Hargen himself.
Looks back the way they've come from. And spots the other three personal household guards he's brought with him.
He's ordered them to follow at a distance. And to protect him as well as Harvin and Sallick from the enemy who might be behind them.
After all, they're now outside the city proper. Not far from where the gates, are located on this side of the city that's the capital of the duchy of Phelm.
They've caught sight of some of the enemy already. But they've left them alone. As the powerful sorcerer, who is in a relationship with the younger sister of duke Hargen. Is after bigger game, so to speak.
The spellcaster who has cast a spell to hide himself from the magical senses of other practitioners of magic. Points to across the rubble strewn lane infront of the building they're in. To another partly damaged building. Though not as damaged as the one they're in.
As they crouch there behind what's left of the wall on this side of the building, sir Yarrim the sorcerer quietly says "They're on the other side of that building there".
"Both?" quietly asks the guardsman Harvin. The nobleborn spellcaster from the southern border region of Phelm, nods his head yes in reply, then quietly says "More or less".
Then Harvin, who along with Sallick, has been with the sorcerer Yarrim pretty much all day, and have served him for a number of years. Knows that with a lot of his spells, the powerful sorcerer needs to be able to see his target.
"Will you have to be able to see them?" quietly asks Harvin "Maybe" is the quiet reply of sir Yarrim, who is after a pair of dwarven delvers amongst the enemy.
They look up, and watch as an energyball, green and black in colour. Appears over the roof of the building they're watching. And take off through the air to the right. Heading towards the nearby city gates, and the small section of wall to either side of the gate towers.
"Nasty" murmurs sir Yarrim, who immediately recognises the type of energyball one of the enemy dwarven delvers has just cast.
It will spew noxious gases once it explodes against one of the watchtowers to either side of the gates on this side of the city that's the provincial capital.
"Down" hisses Sallick in warning as he spots a number of the enemy away to their left down the lane.
The sorcerer Yarrim and the guardsman Harvin drop down below the level of the wall they've been peeking over.
All three of them are absolutely still, as they hear a number of the enemy moving cautiously through the rubble strewn lane on the otherside of the wall, they're lying behind.
Sir Yarrim is just glad there's no dwarves or elves, or even goblins with the enemy just a few yards away. For if there was, they would definitely hear him and his two personal household guards.
After staying still for a little while, the guardsman Sallick slowly lifts his head up, and peeks over the wall they're hiding behind.
He then pops his head back down, and nods before he quietly says just louder than a whisper "They've just gone around the corner, to the building opposite us" followed by "Probably to join the others around there".
Sir Yarrim nods in agreement, then he and his two personal household guards sit up to once again peek over the wall they're behind.
And as Harvin and Sallick keep an eye out for the enemy, up on any nearby rooftops as well as where they can see on the ground.
The powerful sorcerer who helped devised and set up the wards along the north wall of the city. As well as put up and set the wards around the palace grounds.
Senses for other practitioners of magic in the area. Not just the two dwarven spellcasters who aren't all that far away on the otherside of the building across the lane from them.
And though sir Yarrim senses other enemy spellcasters. There's not a one that worries him. Though he does feel like he sensed one, another sorcerer, fairly powerful too. A little earlier, when he arrived on this side of the city. He frowns as he can't locate that individual now.
Then as Sallick whispers to his fellow guardsman Harvin "Think they'll continue to attack during the night?". And Harvin replies with "Seems they might".
The three of them hear an enemy catapult nearby, launch it's load towards the city proper.
They look straight up, and spot a whole lot of rocks and debris pass about fifty feet overheard, on their way to the city proper. Just to the south of the city gates, such as they are.
Then the two personal household guards look at the nobleman who they serve, and wait for what he does.
"This could get a little tricky" quietly says sir Yarrim who senses that the pair of dwarven delvers, who are working in unison, have both barrier and protection spells up around themselves.
"Remember to stay out of my line of sight" quietly says the nobleborn spellcaster, the two guardsman nod in understanding. Then do so again, when the powerful sorcerer tells them "I may not be able to protect you, so be prepared to flee".
Then sir Yarrim suddenly falls silent as they start to hear fighting nearby. If it's not on the otherside of the damaged building across the lane from them. Then it is coming from beyond that direction. Which isn't all that surprising, as the enemy need to go that way if they want to get into the city proper.
"Get ready" quietly says the powerful sorcerer after a few moments of silence as they listen to the sounds of battle, not all that faraway from where they are in a shell of building, that was hit multiple times earlier in the day.
They move forward, keeping between the damaged buildings as they make their way towards the city proper.
Up ahead, they can see the western gates of the city, away to their right. The towers of which, are the tallest structures along where a wall would have normally been built.
They pause, as a number of soldiers, in their army, as well as the army of the robber baron Markell. Cross the lane they're in, and get onto the road, that leads up to the city gates.
Then the war engineer Tovis looks back at the others, to see if they're ready to continue. They are, and the young engineer nods for subaltern Jaxs to continue to lead the way.
The lean, athletic, not to mention attractive scout, who also happens to be an assassin, whose training was completed by prince Helbenthril Raendril.
Gets underway again, with the others. The war engineer Tovis, his second in command, the sorcerer Larris. And Shur Kee the monk. Along with two others in the engineering corp. Follow after the scout from the lands Farque. As they make their way towards the city proper.
"Still think this is a good idea?" murmurs Tovis the war engineer to his second in command as they scramble over some rubble behind the scout Jaxs.
The sorcerer Larris, who is holding his power within himself, so he can go undetected to the magical senses of other spellcasters, in particular enemy spellcasters.
Just grunts in reply to the murmured question from the young engineer, who holds the rank of captain in the Farqian mercenary army.
Then once they're down the otherside of the pile of rubble, they all pause as they can now hear fighting away in the distance, closer towards where the gates are located on this side of the city that's the provincial capital.
"That's not all that faraway" quietly says subaltern Jaxs, who then looks at the sorcerer and asks him "Are they still not that far from us?".
"I think so" is the rather noncommittal answer from the fairly powerful sorcerer, who joined the armies of Farque as soon as he was allowed to.
Larris, who isn't so sure, as he's unable to magically sense due to the fact he's holding his power within himself.
Nevertheless, he doesn't particularly need to do that, because he spots something, and points as he quietly says "They're not that faraway".
The second in command of the engineering corp in the mercenary army from the lands Farque is pointing at an energyball they see go over some of the rooftops, on it's way to the city proper, and to the west gates of the city of Almaic.
"That's them" quietly adds the sorcerer Larris "You sure?" asks captain Tovis.
His second in command nods his head yes in reply, then he quietly explains "That energyball is one favoured by delvers" the sorcerer continues with "That's them over there, so that means the enemy spellcaster isn't all that faraway too".
The war engineer Tovis who has been told by Larris, that the enemy spellcaster they're after, is more that than likely to be the nobleborn sorcerer, sir Yarrim. Quietly says "If you say so" then nods for Jaxs to continue onwards.
With the subaltern in the lead, they make their way further towards the city proper. Going from building to building, and lane to lane. In the warren that's built up over the years, just outside where a wall would've normally been built along this side of the city.
They pause near a badly damaged building, and watch a boulder go flying through the late afternoon sky, towards one of the watchtowers away to their left.
The young engineer who hails from the kingdom of Druvic, slightly smiles as the boulder flung from one of his trebuchets. Slams into the tower, taking away some of the top of it. And sweeping away some of the enemy who are on top of that particular tower.
They continue on, hurrying across a lane. Then once behind another building, the scout Jaxs holds up a hand for the rest of them to stop.
After looking over his shoulder, and up into the sky. And seeing the sun is dropping down towards the horizon out to the west.
Tovis moves forward and stands beside the attractive subaltern, who has been his shadow throughout the day. The two of them glance around the corner infront of them.
And away to the left, they can just make out the road that leads up to the gates along this side of the city that's the capital of the duchy of Phelm.
They can see soldiers in their own army, along with soldiers and mercenaries in the army of the robber baron Markell. Fighting against the enemy, who are on the road before the gates of Almaic.
The war engineer nods when Jaxs points at the building opposite them, then quietly says to him in no more than a whisper "Think they're on the otherside of that building there".
The lean, athletic looking scout points away to the right, and quietly adds "We'll go around that way".
Captain Tovis looks back behind him, and looks at his second in command, then at the short, statured monk wearing the odd, conical shaped hat.
"Get ready for anything" the young engineer quietly tells Larris the sorcerer and Shur Kee the monk.
The two of them nod, then the war engineer quietly says to the attractive scout, who also happens to be an assassin "When we get around there, keep clear of them".
Subaltern Jaxs immediately knows why, then quietly says to the young engineer originally from the kingdom of Druvic "Just keep an eye out for any of the enemy" she then dryly adds in a murmur "Which shouldn't be hard, since we're in the middle of a battle".
The captain who commands the engineering corp in the Farqian mercenary army grins at that.
Then he, along with the others. Follow after the scout, who leads them away. Going to the right across the lane, and around a building that's been damaged during the bombardment that's gone on throughout the day.
They get to a corner of the damaged building, and stop. They look around the corner, and see a long square. At the other end of which, are a number of dwarves. Including the two delvers. Along with others in the army of the robber baron Markell.
With them are a trio of soldiers in the mercenary army from the lands Farque. One of whom spots them at the other end of the square. Who jogs back to meet them.
The subaltern Jaxs nods in greeting, then in elven she quietly asks "Any sign of the enemy close by?" she follows that with "Well, apart from those fighting us on the road up ahead" as she gestures away to the road that leads up to the nearby gates.
"Nothing in the buildings and lanes to either side of us" replies the Farqian soldier, who is a sergeant at arms, who has been tasked by field commander Talbot to keep an eye on the dwarven delvers who are in the robber baron Markell's army.
"We've got others continually circling around, trying to find any who might be close" adds the sergeant at arms in the mercenary army from the lands Farque.
"Ours?" asks the assassin Jaxs referring to their army "Or their's?" adds the attractive scout referring to the army of the robber baron Markell.
"There's" is the slightly dry reply from the sergeant at arms "Great" mutters the subaltern, who then looks at the war engineer, and quietly asks him "What do you want to do captain?".
Tovis looks at his second in command, then quietly asks him "Search for them?" followed by "Or wait for them to do something?".
With a slight shrug, Larris the sorcerer quietly says "It doesn't really matter" he then adds "Either really" the fairly powerful spellcaster continues with "We're going to be reacting no matter what we do".
The young engineer nods, then is about to turn to the sergeant at arms and tell him something. When he notices Shur Kee the monk peering away to their right, through a damaged building in that direction.
"Shur Kee what is it?" quietly asks the war engineer "I think there are people on the otherside of that building over there" is the quiet reply of Shur Kee the monk.
"Ours or their's?" quickly asks captain Tovis "They were trying to move about without being seen" says the short, statured monk.
"Definitely their's" quietly says the subaltern Jaxs, the young engineer nods in agreement, then after sharing a look with his second in command Larris, who nods.
Tovis the war engineer quietly says "Let's go" as he points away in the direction that Shur Kee is pretty sure he's seen a number of people . . . . . .

The Hire 140.

The Kingdom Of Nastell. The Duchy Of Phelm. The City Of Almaic...

"He wants to have a meeting?" asks Darid Parsen the cavalry commander "Yes councilor" says the messenger who continues with "Before it gets dark".
The cavalry officer who is a member of the personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, nods in understanding.
Then turns to his second in command Kalleb and says "I guess we're off then".
Councilor Parsen then nods away to the left along the trench they're in, and says to Lisell Maera the runner "Go and get them" followed by "And make sure Percy comes along too" then he dryly adds "Knowing him he'll attack the wall by himself if we're not here".
As the attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury nods, then moves away.
The cavalry commander who is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra by the name of Zubutai Timaginson, who just happens to find himself inhabiting the body of Darid Parsen.
Says to the runner who just informed him of the message from field commander Leivyn "Tell the field commander we'll join her shortly".
"Yes councilor" says the messenger, who then scrambles up and out of the trench, and hurries back to the battleline that field commander Leivyn and others of her senior staff, are observing the assault upon the north wall of the city of Almaic.
"What do you think it is?" asks Kalleb the second in command of the cavalry company "I guess Tam and Leivyn and Talbot are going to decide if we continue on into the night".
Kalleb nods in understanding, then Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman quietly says to his second "Have Zaneff, Varric and the others stay here and continue to observe the battle" he follows that with "While we take Gergus and Solamard, along with Percy and Lis with us".
Across the road, at the base of eastern half of the north wall of the city that's the capital of the duchy of Phelm.
Dorc da Orc who has just thrown a spear straight up at the top of the wall, and taken the head off an enemy soldier who should of been a bit more cautious as he looked over the top of the wall.
Grunts as behind him Teabagger the goblin Cunt says "A messenger boss, er general".
The large ork, who hopes it's a runner saying they've found more scaling ladders. Turns and spots the messenger in the Farqian mercenary army hurrying forward, trying to avoid getting shot, or hit by the enemy, to join the ork general and his battalion of goblins.
"Yeah cunt" says Dorc da Orc when the runner reaches him and the goblins at the base of the north wall of the city that's under attack.
"Warleader" says the messenger in greeting, who then quickly adds "Field commander Drubine requests your presence back in the line he's observing the battle from".
"Request?" says the big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world, who doesn't know what that word means.
"Presence?" adds the ork weaponsmith, who doesn't really know what that word is either.
"He wants to see you boss, er general" says the small, bright goblin who commands the battalion.
"He not fucken blind, the cunt can see me from back there" says the ork who is the son of the former matriarch of the wolf tribe of his people.
"Me is fucken big and green, he can't miss me" adds the ork warleader.
"Er, i mean he wants to talk to you boss, i mean general" says Teabagger, who smiles apologetically to the messenger.
"Me fucken know that" quickly says Dorkindle, who then grunts and looks around, then says "Youdead, you in fucken charge while we gone".
The big, burly ork then says to the small, bright green goblin standing beside him "Come on cunt, let's go see what Tam wants to fucken talks 'bout".
The ork warleader and the goblin commander head back, following behind the messenger, who hurries back towards the battlelines here to the north of the city of Almaic.
Teabagger the goblin Cunt slightly flinches as he hears an enemy ballista up on the top of the wall fire. And a moment later a heavy longspear slams into the ground, just a dozen feet to the right of his general.
Who doesn't react, as he couldn't care less that he's been targeting by the enemy now that he's moving out from the base of the city wall. And heading back to the battlelines north of the city that's the provincial capital.
A little bit later, it's late in the day. And they meet at the end of a battleline, right next to the road. About quarter of a mile north of the city that's under assault by the armies that they lead.
Those closest to them, are the camp followers and support staff. Who are a bit closer to the city. In the lines the enemy dug, and between them. Where they're doing everything from repairing weapons and armour. To healing the wounded, and cooking meals. And everything in between.
Field commander Leivyn turns to her fellow field commander, and asks him "Talbot?".
Field commander Drubine nods towards one of the spellcasters amongst his senior staff, who is standing up in the makeshift fortification behind them.
"Waiting for a response" says the field commander Tamric Drubine who called the meeting, then he adds "He's a bit busy around there by all accounts".
"Having a bit more success than us by the sounds of it" quietly says the lithe, and attractive woman in the tight fitting leather armour.
The nobleborn teenager from the kingdom of Sarcrin, who is the youngest of the trio of field commanders in the mercenary army from the lands Farque, nods in agreement with his fellow field commander.
Then the two of them look up at spellcaster in the enemy fortification, who leans down, and quietly says to them "Field commanders" followed by "Field commander Talbot is busy at the moment, and unable to make it around to this side of the city".
The spellcaster, who is a sorcerer in the mercenary army from the land Farque, continues with "He's with his army, trying to make a push into the city itself around there to the west".
Tamric Drubine or Tam as he's more commonly called by those who know him well, nods his head then says to the sorcerer "Continue to watch the assault upon the wall, and inform us if we're able to take, and hold a section of the wall".
Then the nobleborn teenager shares a look with his fellow field commander, and the two of them make their way to the edge of the road, where the others are waiting in the late afternoon sunshine.
Except Dorc da Orc who is sitting in the ditch next to the road, eating a haunch of deer that he was able to find in the camp.
The big, burly ork as he gnaws away on the deer haunch, glares at sir Percavelle Lé Dic who is totally ignoring him. And is instead pacing back and forth across the road, looking towards the north wall of Almaic, that's under assault.
With the exception of the large ork sitting in the ditch. And the large heavily armoured knight pacing back and forth on the road.
The others are in two define groups. With the robber barons Gergus, Solamard, Almard and Larimer, along with their seconds off to one side.
And all the others, who include the two councillors. Reinholt and Parsen off to the otherside.
The two field commanders, one born in the kingdom of Sarcrin that he left before he was eight years old. And the other a born and breed Farqian.
Wave over the members of lord Farque's personal council. The once powerful mage and the cavalry commander join them at the edge of the ditch, which Dorkindle is sitting in.
"We've got a decision to make" quietly says Tamric Drubine, when they're out of earshot of the others with the exception of Dorc da Orc.
Not that the ork warleader can understand anything they say, as they're all speaking in elven which he obviously doesn't understand.
"To continue the attack along this side of the city into the night or not?" asks Darid Parsen the cavalry commander.
Both field commanders nod to that, then the lithe attractive woman who is the older of the two field commanders by eight years "That's the one".
Field commander Leivyn continues with "Their armies will be a liability more than anything else if we fight into the night" as she nods to where the quartet of robber barons and their seconds are standing on the edge of the road, quietly chatting amongst themselves.
"You think we shouldn't?" asks Mira Reinholt the mage who is pretty certain what decision Tam has come up with.
"Seems best not to" says the youngest of the trio of field commanders in the Farqian mercenary army.
Field commander Drubine continues with "If their armies didn't make up the bulk of our forces, then I'd agree to continue the assault into the night".
Next to him, field commander Leivyn nods in agreement as she says "I agree" followed by "Unfortunately they make up the majority of our forces. And can't be trusted to fight in the dark".
"It'll be hard explaining that to them" says Darid Parsen the cavalry commander, who slightly nods to where the robber barons and their seconds are standing, and he quietly adds "Especially since they've already tasted victory during a nighttime battle at Savariss".
"That was more than a little different" says Tamric Drubine, the nobleborn teenager from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin "The walls there were lit up like a festival night, and we had infiltrated that city too".
"Not to mention there weren't wards there, like there is here along the north side of the city" adds the attractive woman, who though not that tall, is very lithe and muscular, which she shows off to great effect in her tight leather armour.
"That's for sure" dryly says the mage Reinholt, who has expended much of the power he has stored in the spell gems in his possession. As throughout the day, he's sent spells and mageglobes at, to, as well as under, and over the magical wards the enemy have along the north wall of the city that's the capital of the duchy of Phelm.
"If more of those wards were down, we would of gained the top of the wall in a number of places by now" continues the mage, who is in exile from his homeland, the city-state of Vexil.
The spellcaster, who is also a highly skilled swordmaster continues with "But they're not, and we haven't, so here were are" who looks at the two field commanders as he adds "So it's a cease of the attack upon this side of the city once it's nightfall?".
"Yes" says field commander Drubine "Yes" adds field commander Leivyn.
"Though" says the younger of the two field commanders, who after a slight pause adds "We'll continue with a smaller, more concentrated attack upon the north wall of the city tonight" Tam follows that with "More so if Talbot makes a breakthrough with his army around on the west side of the city".
The two councillors glance at one another, then the spellcaster who was once the most powerful mage of his generation to be found anywhere in the Southlands, says "What concentrated attack?". As this is the first time he's heard of it.
Field commander Drubine, who quickly devised the plan with his fellow field commander, Leivyn. When they had a few moments to themselves as they stood by the nearby fortification. Waiting for the response from field commander Talbot around on the west side of the city that's the provincial capital.
Quietly explains to the members of lord Farque's personal council. What he and his fellow field commander Leivyn has devised.
The Vexilian mage in exile and the cavalry commander who hails from the kingdom of Druvic, share a look as they take in what Tam tells the two of them.
Then Mira Reinholt and Darid Parsen glance at Dorc da Orc sitting nearby. Then they quickly look over at the others, to where Teabagger the goblin Cunt is happily chatting with Lisell Maera and Kalleb.
The two councillors look at one another again, then they turn to the two field commanders, and it's the mage Reinholt who quietly says in neutral tone "Novel idea".
"You mean crazy idea" dryly says Tamric Drubine "You said it, not me" murmurs the once powerful mage, who then adds "Though ingenious in it's way, do you think it's the right thing to do?".
"Who knows" says the nobleborn teabagger with a shrug of his shoulders. Next to him, his fellow field commander nods in agreement, then says "Right thing or not, it is something, and it'll at least keep them occupied".
"The enemy?" asks Darid aka Zubutai Timaginson "Them too" dryly says field commander Drubine with a glance towards the nearby ork warleader.
The swordmaster Reinholt slightly grunts then says "The others?" followed by "I guess will be from our forces?".
"Yes" is the reply from field commander Leivyn who then nods towards the robber barons and their seconds at the edge of the road as she adds "Though some of their's will be involved".
"They tend to get even more annoying if somehow they're left out" says Tam in a slightly dry tone of voice, then the youngest of the trio of field commanders in the Farqian mercenary army adds "Besides, that part shouldn't be too difficult, even for them at night".
The exiled Vexilian mage nods his hooded head to that, then after glancing over at Dorc da Orc who is sitting nearby in the ditch, quietly says "Better tell him later not now".
The highly skilled swordmaster continues with "Because if you do tell him now, he might get it in his thick fucking skull to do it now, and not wait for nighttime" he briefly pauses before quietly saying "Then again there is that huge stumbling block in your plans".
The once powerful mage then adds in a mutter "By the shape of fire, why's he still wearing that damn poncho?".
"Dorc" says Mira Reinholt in the common language, the ork warleader who has stripped the deer haunch, and is chewing on the leg bone now, grunts as he looks over at the Vexilian mage in exile and the three others with him.
"Why are you still wearing that poncho?" asks the spellcaster all in black.
After looking up at the clear late afternoon sky, where the sun is now dipping down to the horizon to the west, Dorc da Orc says "Cause it might fucken rain cunt, that's why".
As the big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world goes back to gnawing on the leg bone he's got.
The mage Reinholt rolls his eyes, then shakes his hooded head, then the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, says in elven to the two field commanders "Well, you two can tell him of the plan you've come up with". "I was kind of hoping you'd tell him" says Tam Drubine.
"One of the perks of command Tam, you get to tell someone like Dorc your crazy plan, which though sound in theory, you just know he's going to hate part of it" says Mira Reinholt, who after a slight pause adds "You know, that part involving him getting in the river" . . . . . .