Aftermath 7.

The Kaldel Plains...

More than half of the crew and passengers onboard the tri-masted destroyer got off it before it crashed.
Most on the jolly boats and the ship's boat.
While the the remainder got off it thanks to the spellcasters who were onboard.
And while most of the survivors got onto one of the frigates that came back for them.
A small group has remained as they try to find out who was responsible for bringing down the warship, which was part of the Farqian fleet.
They've also remained behind as another small group are missing. And they hope to find them too.
It's mid morning of the following day, and Helbe the elven thief reappears. The young elven noble makes his way over to Mira Reinholt the mage, who is standing a little bit away from the others.
"Beats me where they've taken off to" says Helbe the elven thief who looks away to the south, where half a mile away in the distance, is the destroyer that crashed last night. Or what's left of it.
"The mage responsible for last night, or the others?" asks Mira Reinholt the mage "Both" says the young elven noble who is from the island principality of Laerel.
The elven magic user looks at his fellow spellcaster, and fellow member of the personal council to the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, and quietly tells him "Narladene says they both went to the north and east" he continues with "That's the way she sensed that mage's rift went, and the way the clerics gateway went too".
The mage Reinholt nods his hooded head at that, then the elven masterthief asks him "How far do you think Beldane could take them via a gateway?".
"A couple hundred miles" is the reply from the once powerful mage, who after a brief pause, adds "Maybe a little bit more".
"I agree" quietly says the young elven noble who is a member of the royal family that rules the elven principality of Laerel.
"And the mage who attacked us?" asks the elven master assassin "Twice as much?" adds the elven princeling.
"Easily" says the mage who is in exile from his homeland, the city-state of Vexil "With the power of his mageglobe and the way it got through the ship's wards, i wouldn't be surprised if he could go three times as far by a rift than the cleric could through his gateway" continues the mage Reinholt.
"That's annoying" mutters Helbe the elven thief, who after looking in the direction of the downed airship that's in pieces a half a mile to the south of them, looks at the Vexilian mage in exile who quietly says "What we should also be figuring out, is why we were attacked".
"I can think of a number of reasons" quietly says prince Helbenthril Raendril who follows that with "And not just because of what we did in northern Nastell recently".
"Oh" says the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, who then adds "Like what?".
"Like you for starters" says the elven master archer, who continues with "And all the enemies you've made over the years".
The grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel gestures over to where the others are sitting and standing as he adds "Then there's Percy who has got a long list of enemies too".
The highly talented elven spellcaster then says in an extremely dry tone of voice "And don't even get me started on Dorc, he's probably made more enemies over the years than you and Percy combined, and then some too".
The spellcaster who was once the most powerful mage of his generation to be found anywhere in the Southlands, sourly smiles, though he nods in agreement with what his fellow councillor just said.
"Though I'm guessing it's probably something else" quietly says Helbe the elven thief, who after a moment's pause, continues with "Something a lot more simple".
The young elven noble who is the third in line for the throne of his grandfather, behind his mother and older sister, looks back to where the crashed tri-masted destroyer is on the plains, and he quietly says "What? I'm not exactly sure".
Mira Reinholt who is in agreement with him, says "Well, we're not going to find out hanging around here".
I'm not so certain of that, the elven magic user thinks to himself as he looks in the direction of the warship they were onboard last night, when it was brought down by a mageglobe.
"Might as well get going" continues the Vexilian mage in exile, who then adds "Go off and search for this mage who attacked us" the highly skilled swordmaster then says "And find Tam, Lis, Tovis and the cleric".
The elven masterthief nods to that, then the two of them make their way over to the others. Who are sitting and standing near the jolly boat that they've kept with them.
Darid Parsen the cavalry commander looks over at his two fellow council members who are walking this way. When they get closer, 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 inhabiting the body of Darid Parsen.
Rolls his eyes, then nods his head to around the otherside of the jolly boat, to where Dorc da Orc is sitting on the ground.
The mage Reinholt walks around, and sees what the large ork has got, and says to the ork warleader in an exasperated tone "Dorc you can't bring that".
"Why the fuck not?" demands Dorc da Orc "Because it's too heavy you idiot" says the once powerful mage, who continues with "We're going to be heavy enough as it is with your fat ass onboard" he then adds "We don't need that overweighing things".
"Who the fuck you calling fat?" growls the big, burly ork who hails from the southern polar region of the world "You" dryly says Mira Reinholt, who after a brief pause adds "You fat fuck".
Dorkindle growls again, this time a lot more menacingly, then as he sits there on the ground, he points the magetube he's holding at the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster.
Teabagger the goblin Cunt who is sitting on the otherside of the ork general, scrambles out of the way of the impending confrontation between the ork weaponsmith and the Vexilian mage in exile.
"Strike him down mage" declares an enthusiastic sounding sir Percavelle Lé Dic from around the front of the jolly boat "This world shall be a better place without his foul, loathsome presence" adds the knight in the order of Saint Mar'che who would like nothing better than to see the large ork end up dead.
The warleader of the ork race growls at the nobleborn knight too. Then before a three way argument can get underway, Helbe the elven thief says "Dorc get in the boat" followed by "You too Percy".
Dorkindle is just about to tell the elven princeling to fuck off. But he shuts his mouth when he suddenly sees Narladene the ground pixie hovering right infront of his face.
The naturally magical creature has a devilish looking grin upon her tiny face as she looks at the large ork, while making stabbing motions towards his eyes, with her tiny sword.
"By Krom" mutters the weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks in his native language, who wearily watches the ground pixie as he adds "Fucken nasty little thing".
"Now Dorc" says the young elven noble who refrains from grinning as he's the only other person to see Narladene who is threatening the big, burly ork.
"Yeah yeah cunt" says the ork general with a grunt, who climbs a board the jolly boat, taking the magetube with him.
"You as well" says prince Helbenthril Raendril who points at the former earl of Lé Dic "Of course" says the heavily armoured knight, who climbs onboard, getting into the bow, away from the ork weaponsmith.
They're followed by Darid Parsen, Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy and Shur Kee the monk. And eventually Teabagger the goblin Cunt. Who takes a couple of attempts to get onboard. As he slips on the starboard side gunwale in his first attempt, falling onto his ass.
Then eventually getting on, when he tries to climb onboard and his general, with a sigh and a look of disgust. Grabs him, and hauls him onto the jolly boat.
The two spellcasters, Mira Reinholt and Helbenthril Raendril are the last onboard. With the Vexilian mage in exile taking the tiller.
Then after asking Shur Kee the monk to hoist the sail up the mast, the swordmaster Reinholt quietly says in elven to his fellow councillor, the elven masterthief "We're not even going to get off the ground with that magetube onboard".
"I'll take care of it" says the young elven noble who is the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel.
"I say, why aren't we moving wot?" asks sir Percavelle Lé Dic from the bow as he looks back "We're too heavy" is the reply from the mage Reinholt with a pointed look to where Dorc da Orc is sitting on the bench just behind the mast.
"Of course" sourly says the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic as he looks at the large ork in disgust.
Then after scowling at the former paladin in the bow, Dorkindle looks back and says to the spellcaster all in black "Hurry the fuck up killer". Using his nickname for the once powerful mage.
"Like i said we're too heavy to lift off" says the spellcaster, who when he was just seventeen, was a member of the mage council of Vexil. The youngest ever member of that particular council in the history of the largest city-state in the Southlands. A council that helps to rule Vexil.
"He's right" says Helbe the elven thief, who after a slight pause adds "I'll prove it".
The elven magic user from the island principality of Laerel nods at the warleader of the ork race and tells him "Throw those barrels you brought back from the wreck overboard".
"Get fucked" says Dorkindle in alarm, who trudged back to the downed warship earlier this morning, where he found some barrels of ale, and molasses spirits that were still intact.
He brought them back, along with the magetube which weighs almost twice as much as he does.
"Well toss that magetube overboard instead and see for yourself" says the elven master assassin.
The big, burly ork from the frozen bottom of the world, thinking that's a better idea than throwing his booze and grog overboard. Though not really thinking through it at all.
Biffs the fifteen hundred pound magical weapon over the starboard side, and it hits the ground. The jolly boat, which is only about eighteen feet in length. Starts to lift off the ground.
"See" says the young elven noble. And though the mage Reinholt keeps a straight face. Darid Parsen is unable to, and has to look away from the ork who is the son of the former matriarch of the wolf tribe of orks.
Shur Kee the monk grins too, though he covers his mouth with a hand. And Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy has to fake a cough to cover the laugh that almost escapes from him.
While sir Percavelle Lé Dic doesn't bother hiding what he feels. The large, heavily armoured knight loudly guffaws and just shakes his head as he broadly smiles whilst looking back at the ork weaponsmith.
While Teabagger winces as he sits beside him, Dorc da Orc mutters "What so fucken funny?".
Then realising that they're still climbing up into the air, while the magetube is down on the ground, the warleader of the ork race looks back, and says "Take us back down cunt" followed by "Me have to get the big boom boom back".
Mira Reinholt ignores the large ork as he pulls back on the tiller, continuing to lift the jolly boat into the mid morning sky, as they start heading to the north and east.
Dorkindle growls, then stands up and goes to look over the starboard side. The small sailing vessel tips alarming to that side.
"Dorc sit down" says prince Helbenthril Raendril who has taken command of the small group that are searching for the person responsible for bringing down the destroyer. As well as searching for those who are missing. Tamric Drubine, Lisell Maera, Tovis the war engineer, and the newest member of the group, Beldane the cleric.
The big, burly ork from the frozen bottom of the world ignores the elven masterthief. Until he promptly sits back down when Narladene the ground pixie appears right infront of his face again. And mouths the word sit at him. As she makes stabbing motions with her tiny little sword towards his eyes.
As Dorc da Orc sits there on the bench next to the goblin commander Teabagger, muttering to himself in the ork language about the loss of his boom boom. And that a big bee should come along and butt fuck the ground pixie Narladene.
Helbe the elven thief quietly says to his fellow spellcaster Mira Reinholt "I'll just go on ahead and scout things out" the highly talented elven magic user continues with "I'll be back at midday".
The once powerful mage nods his hooded head to that, then the elven master assassin disappears as he blurs himself, then shifts away.
The young elven noble from Laerel doesn't immediately head off to the northeast and go scout out infront of them. Instead he heads back in the direction of the crashed destroyer.
On the ground, prince Helbenthril Raendril watches the jolly boat in the distance as it heads to the north and east.
Then he looks at Narladene the ground pixie who appears on his right shoulder "There's something i want you to do" the elven masterthief says to the tiny winged creature who is attached to him.
The naturally magical creature listens in silence to what the elven princeling has to say. Then once he's explained to her what he wants her to do, Narladene the ground pixie nods in understanding, then says "Who'll keep stinky under control while I'm not there?".
"We'll cope" says the elven master archer, who then silently adds, i hope.
"If you say so" murmurs the ground pixie in her native language.
Then returning to the topic he's just explained to the tiny winged creature, Helbe the elven thief asks Narladene "You think you can do it?".
"I can" is the reply of the naturally magical creature who is originally from the Sunreach Mountains. "Good" murmurs the elven princeling.
The ground pixie hops off his right shoulder and hovers in the air, then councillor Raendril shifts away to the northeast. To scout out infront of the jolly boat the others are on.
While Narladene remains behind near the tri-masted destroyer that was brought down last night . . . . . .

Aftermath 6.

The Kaldel Plains...

After spending a chilly night out in the open wrapped up in their cloaks.
They get up at dawn to look around and see where they are.
"All looks the same" murmurs Tamric Drubine the field commander after looking around in every direction.
The nobleborn teenager who is originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin looks over at the newest member of the group and asks him "So where exactly are we?".
"About two hundred and twenty miles northeast of where the ship went down" replies Beldane the cleric, who continues with "Back towards the direction of Nastell" he then adds "My church would often send us out on the plains to convert the locals" the fighting cleric then dryly murmurs "Not many did".
Tamric Drubine, or Tam as he's more commonly called by those who know him well, slightly nods then says "And you can't send us back?".
"I can't" answers the powerful cleric, who continues on with "I have to know where I'm going for a gateway to work".
Beldane, who is from the kingdom of Nastell then explains "Since it was nighttime, and we were up in the sky, i wasn't exactly looking down at the ground to see our location" he shrugs apologetically, then adds "It's a limitation of a spell such as a gateway or a rift, you have to know exactly where you're going, and picture it in your mind for it to work".
"Makes sense i guess" murmurs Tam, who has been taught to not rely on magic, for even it has it's limitations, to go with it's advantages.
"And you knew this place?" asks Lisell Maera the messenger who speaks up for the first time "I do" replies the cleric in the church of Glaine, who points further eastwards and adds "There's a settlement that way, about two miles away".
"There is?" says field commander Drubine, who puts his brass, cylindrical eyepiece up to his face, and looks through it with his left eye, then says "I don't see anything" as he looks to the east.
"It's there" says Beldane the cleric, who then adds "You just can't see it from here".
The nobleborn teenager from the kingdom of Sarcrin shrugs, then says "I'll have to take your word for it". Then the young field commander looks at the other two, and says "Might as well head there" followed by "We need supplies anyway, so might as well check this place out".
Both Lisell Maera, and Tovis the war engineer nod in agreement. So the four of them head off, making their way eastwards, as the sun rises in the early morning sky, on what looks like to be clear day here towards the end of summer on the Kaldel Plains.
Tam might be the youngest, being two years younger than Lis. But he automatically takes charge. After all he is the senior most ranked of them, being a field commander in the armies of Farque.
He walks out infront, with the attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury, Lisell Maera walking beside him.
The two of them are quietly chatting in the elven language. While a dozen paces behind them. Walk the war engineer Tovis, and the cleric Beldane.
"How do you know we're about two hundred and twenty miles from where the ship was attacked?" quietly asks Tovis the war engineer, who hails from the kingdom of Druvic, where he once served a baron Harkonin.
"Because that's about the maximum limit of how far i can go with a gateway" says Beldane the cleric, who only recently joined the armies of Farque, infact just a handful of days ago.
The member of the church of Glaine, who still can't believe they got off the destroyer before it presumably crashed, continues with "I should be able to take us about another thirty miles south of here, that was the furthest I've been into the plains on horseback".
The fighting cleric then adds "Being on the ground is way better than being in the air, for remembering locations, and what the terrain is like. Which is essential for casting a gateway".
Beldane is glad that his mace is no longer erratic. But last night, it took him a little bit longer on the plummeting warship, to cast a gateway with the aid of his magical weapon than usual.
One of the side effects of the mace no longer able to do what it wants to do, whenever it wants to do.
The powerful cleric who knows that the elf named Helbe who took his mace away from him on the morning they departed from the city of Almaic in northern Nastell.
And returned it to him just before the destroyer and the rest of the fleet were just about to take off from north of Almaic.
Has done something to amend the erratic behaviour of the mace. What? He's not exactly sure. But he does know that the magical weapon is now behaving as it was originally designed to do.
Infront, Tamric Drubine gestures away to the right where the skeletal remains of an animal lies about thirty yards away, stripped of most of it's flesh and hide.
"Must have a number of predators on the plains" quietly says the young field commander who is a former heir to a previous knight of castle Drubine in the north of the kingdom of Sarcrin.
Next to Tam, the attractive young woman who hails from the coastal city-state of Brattonbury nods her head in agreement.
Then field commander Drubine looks back, and switching to the common language, he points to the right at the dead animal and asks the cleric Beldane "Any idea what that was?".
"An antelope probably" says the powerful cleric as looks away to the right at the remains of the dead animal "Lions probably got it" adds the churchman.
"Anything we have to worry about?" asks Tamric Drubine "We should be fine, they might attack a lone traveler" says the fighting cleric who is originally from the duchy of Phelm in the kingdom of Nastell "And I've heard stories of them attacking stragglers in caravans" adds Beldane, who continues with "But they tend to keep clear of people for the most part".
"Never seen a plains lion" quietly says commander Drubine, next to him, the messenger Lisell Maera nods her head in agreement, as she hasn't seen one either.
The sun isn't even a handspan above the horizon when they near the spot that Beldane says is a settlement.
As they approach, both Tamric Drubine and Lisell Maera see what it is they're walking towards.
"A canyon" says the young field commander as he looks back at the following cleric, who is walking beside the war engineer.
"It is" says the member in the church of Glaine, who continues with "It's down in the canyon itself".
Infact, the settlement is down on the canyon floor. Above where a thin ribbon of water flows through it.
The sand coloured roundhouses, which there's just half a dozen of. Along with a few other buildings.
Would be difficult to see even from the air. As they blend right in with their rocky surroundings.
There's a path down this side of the canyon, used by pack animals mainly. As it's too narrow and steep for any wagons.
And with Tam and Lis leading the way. The four of them, who are in the armies of Farque. Carefully make their way down to the settlement on the canyon floor.
And while the sun is now up on the plains above. Down on the canyon floor, much of the settlement is still in shade. And only getting the first light of the day right now.
Even so, most of the inhabitants are up and about. Getting on with their day.
As the four of them make their way down onto the canyon floor. The cleric Beldane explains to the other three that the inhabitants are for the most part plainsmen.
And the settlement is used by caravans going up and down the plains as a way station, or a stopping point on their journey.
When the locals see them, a few of them recognise Beldane, from his last visit here. Which was about five years ago. When his church last sent him out onto the Kaldel Plains on a mission to convert the plainsmen.
A mission that basically failed. As his church, along with many other churches and temples over the years, have failed to realise that the plainsmen have their own gods that they follow. Pretty much shunning most of the other gods of Volunell.
The fighting cleric points out a building, that's basically a chandlers. Where supplies are brought and sold by the passing caravans.
And he along with commander Drubine make their way into it with a couple of the locals. While Lisell Maera and Tovis the war engineer remains outside. Sitting near the well, next to the chandlers.
As a trio of children watch them in wide eyed amazement. Children who are predominantly dark skinned as are many plainsmen.
Lis, who with her tan colouring and dark hair, could probably pass herself off as a local. Says in the elven language to the young engineer from the kingdom of Druvic "Wonder how many of them got off the ship?".
It's the first time one of them have really brought up the topic of the others who were onboard the tri-masted destroyer with them, when it was attacked last night.
Tovis, who has been learning the elven language over the last fifteen or so months, and has yet to truly master it, says in elven "Hopefully a lot".
The attractive young woman from the coastal city of Brattonbury nods her head in agreement. As she too hopes many of the others onboard the warship were able to get off it before it crashed into the ground.
By the time Tamric Drubine and Beldane the cleric make their way back out of the chandlers with all the things they've bought.
The sun has risen even down here in the canyon. And three children who were watching Lis and Tovis. Have gone back to the game they were playing before the small group made their way down to the settlement on the canyon floor.
As Beldane hands the messenger and the war engineer new water sacks and bottles, along with travel packs stuffed full of supplies.
The young field commander quietly says in the elven language to the two who were waiting outside near the well "Found out something interesting in there from the plainsmen".
"Like what?" asks Lisell Maera in the same language, Tamric Drubine or Tam as he's more commonly called by those who know him well.
Tells the messenger and the war engineer what he and Beldane found out while inside the chandlers.
Both Lis and Tovis listen to the young field commander in silence, stunned silence to be exact. Surprised at what he's telling them.
"Are we going to check it out?" asks the attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury once the nobleborn teenager has explained what he's found out.
"We are" says the young field commander in the armies of Farque, who has already made a decision of what they'll do.
Tam gestures at one of the nearby plainsmen who went into the chandlers with him and Beldane, and says "He'll lead us there".
The four of them, along with the local. Make their way through the small settlement, and across a footbridge over the stream. They continue across the canyon floor. Then make their way up the track on the otherside of the canyon.
Once they're up on the plains again, they make their way eastwards and slightly northwards from the canyon settlement.
Walking in silence as they follow behind the plainsman, who speaks the common language in a deep languid fashion with a strong accent.
He tells them it isn't far, and in just a short while since coming up onto the plains again, they walk down into a slight depression, which looks like an old lake bed.
And as they walk across it, they see it in the distance. They look at it, well what's left of it, as they walk towards it.
On the ground is the remains of an airship. Nothing much really, just some of the ribs of the hull, and bits and pieces wood. Everything else is gone, including the keel. And by the size of ribs, and the width of them, it looks as though the vessel was a cargo ship.
"So when did they take it away?" asks Tamric Drubine to the local, who has told them that a large group of strangers showed up in the area, just a couple of mornings after the airship crashed.
And airship which some of those in the canyon settlement saw crash one early evening as they were bringing their herds back to the canyon. When a small pin prick of light rose up from the ground and hit it, and exploded.
"It was in the late spring" says the plainsman, who continues with "It took them less than two days to take it all apart".
He leads them around to one side, and points at some wagon tracks, then points to the northeast, and says "They went that way when they were done".
Tam nods as he looks at the many wagon tracks that head off in that direction, then field commander Drubine asks the local "How many of them were there?".
"Many" replies the plainsman, who murmurs something in the patois spoken by those on the Kaldel Plains, then says "Two hundred yes, at least that many".
Lisell Maera lifts a questioning eyebrow as she looks at the nobleborn teen from the kingdom of Sarcrin, and in elven she says to him "Well?".
"The cleric says there's a lot of villages and towns in the eastern part of the plains, especially to the northeast" replies Tamric Drubine in the same language, who looks in the distance in the direction the wagon tracks lead to across the old lake bed, and he adds "And that's where we're going" . . . . . .

Aftermath 5.

The Kaldel Plains.

Wreckers. Crews that are mainly made up of labourers. Often carpenters. Who are hired to clear away wrecked boats and ships.
Mainly in harbours, and along coastlines. Often in rivers and lakes.
But those wreckers who are paid the most, usually by the owners or the local authorities. Are those who dismantle and clear away downed airships.
For the simple reason a lot of trade across the Southlands is done by airships. But more importantly, the magical keels of a flying vessel. If it's still intact. Can be used again. And in doing so, is worth an awful lot of coin.
But like any legitimate business or operation. There are those from the fringes of society. Who don't do their work in a legitimate fashion.
There are those who are nefarious in their dealings. And go about doing their kind of work in an illegal manner.
Like those wreckers, who don't just clear away any beached, or crash landed ship. But who actually cause ships to crash.
Like here in the Kaldel Plains. Where over the last year or so. There's been a crew of wreckers who have been bringing down airships.
So that they can sell any of the salvageable goods onboard. As well any of the actual ship that can still be used. In particular the extremely valuable keel of an airship. That's if it's still intact.
The argument begins straight away once they've gone back through the rift.
"You idiot!" shouts Gorlic, who continues with "Even i could see you hit the keel!".
"It was a damn warship, with casters onboard protecting it" shouts back Samiel, who continues with "How the hell else was i to bring it down".
Gorlic the one time arena fighter from the city-state of Brattonbury glares at the mage Samiel, who has a smug look upon his face, as if daring the former arena fighter to try something.
Sasha turns back and says "Quiet the both of you, he's coming over". The former mercenary, who would normally be considered an attractive woman. If it wasn't for her only having one eye. And a gnarly looking scar that runs down that side of the face.
Is at the window in the front room of the house they've just returned to. Where she's looking out, towards the center of the village. Where she sees Arvelle walking this way. Along with the dwarf Mac, who is carrying a lamp. As Arvelle, their leader. Hates going about at night, without any light.
Arvelle and Mac enter the house that Gorlic, Samiel, Sasha and five others in their crew returned to via the rift that the mage had cast.
"Well?" asks Arvelle, a thin man, with a shaved head. In his thirties, who leads the crew of illegal wreckers.
"Was their a fleet going by there as witnessed by the locals?" adds the leader of the wreckers.
"There was" says Sasha, who tends to command the others when they take down an airship, as Arvelle keeps himself away from when they do that.
"Warships and transporters" adds the one eyed woman, who continues with "We took down the rear sentry".
"Warship?" sasha Arvelle who looks at the mage Samiel, and asks "Were you able to keep the keel intact?".
The crew leader already knows the answer from the look on the face of the hothead Gorlic. Who stands there with a look of disgust upon his face as he ignores the spellcaster who is originally from the city-state of Tuledare.
"No" says Samiel, who follows that with "Too many casters onboard protecting it, my globe just got through their wards as it is. It did well to actually bring it down" the mage continues with "Though for all that, it's a destroyer, three masts, with a lot onboard".
Arvelle who unlike the former arena fighter Gorlic, isn't upset at the loss of the keel of the airship they took down tonight.
Knows exactly what Samiel is referring to. Magetubes, which are extremely valuable themselves. And if there's a lot of them. They can be worth more than a magical keel itself.
"How many do you think?" asks the shaven headed Arvelle "Must rate at least forty, could be forty two or forty four onboard" is the reply from the mage, who when he was younger, worked for the dock authority in the city of Tuledare. So he definitely knows his way around airships.
"That is a hell of a payday if most of them are intact" quietly says the crew leader, who unlike most of the others, is actually a plainsman.
Arvelle looks at the spellcaster from the city-state of Tuledare, and asks him "Think most of them are intact"?".
With a smile upon his face, Samiel says "I know most of them are" he continues with "I saw a lot of them hit the ground, and even a fall from five hundred feet won't really damage them".
The mage, who like all mages, is a powerful spellcaster in comparison to other practitioners of magic, continues to smile as he says "But more importantly i had my globe explode at the stern. Warships tend not put too many tubes right back there. Upsets the balance of a vessel if you do".
Arvelle nods, as does Mac the dwarf, who is a former shipwright from the Cascades. The hills and low mountains near the coast of the Southlands. Not far from the crescent port of Gilsom.
The ex shipwright knows more about ships and boats, whether they're sailing or air, than anyone else in the crew of illegal wreckers.
"Aye the mage has got the right of it" says Mac, who along with one other, and Arvelle himself. Are the one's in the crew no one wants to upset.
For the dwarven shipwright is quick with his axes when he wants to be, and when anyone upsets him.
"There should be most of the tubes still intact" adds the dwarf, who like all of his kind. Is muscular and stout, not to mention he has a thick beard.
His being coal black, without any gray even though he's nearly a hundred and eighty years old.
"That's if they don't come back and try to salvage their own wreck when they pick up any survivors" quietly says Arvelle, who then looks at the one eyed Sasha and asks her "Think they will?".
The good looking woman with the dark hair just shrugs her shoulders. The crew leader nods as he knows anything could happen.
Though if there's other airships with the one they've brought down. They tend to just pick up the survivors or anything valuable that was onboard. Larger and heavier things are usually left behind.
Arvelle hopes so in this case with the magetubes from the warship that was brought down by Samiel just a little while ago, over three hundred miles away from where they are right now.
"Any problems?" asks the crew leader "Nothing" says Sasha "Well, there was a mage onboard the ship we took down" says the mage from the city-state of Tuledare, who continues with "Sent a globe after me, we got back through the rift before it could get to us".  Arvelle nods, then says "Like i said, any problems?".
"I couldn't sense him" admits Samiel, Arvelle's eyebrows shoot up, an impressive sight considering how bald he is.
The crew leader knows a little bit about spellcasters. And he knows that mages like Samiel aren't exactly shy in flaunting their power. Infact they revel in showing it off.
Arvelle spent a long time with Samiel, getting him to hold his power within himself so that can go undetected from other practitioners of magic for as long as possible.
"Think you got him?" asks the leader of the crew of illegal wreckers who are based in a number of villages in the northeast of the Kaldel Plains. Where you're more likely to find permanent settlements like villages and towns.
While most plainsmen and others who traverse the vast plains, live a nomadic life. With many of them living in caravan troupes.
"I doubt it" dryly says mage Samiel who is only in his mid twenties. In a crew who are aged from teenagers, to Mac the dwarf who is nearly a hundred and eighty.
Arvelle nods then he's quiet for a few moments, then he says to those in the front room of the house, which happens to be the one Samiel is living in at the moment "We'll wait the usual amount".
The plainsman who leads the crew of illegal wreckers continues with "Morning after tomorrow" he looks at Sasha and tells her "You'll lead the first group if it's all clear" Arvelle briefly pauses, then he quietly says "Take him with you".
There's a few frowns from the others as they all know who their leader is referring to. Even the hotheaded Gorlic has pensive look on his face, as he chews a lip as he looks over at Sasha. Who just nods her head yes in reply to plainsman who leads them.
Then after a few moments of silence, the good looking one eyed woman says "Is that it for the night?".
"It is" says Arvelle, who then offers a little bit of praise to all of them as he adds "Well done tonight" followed by "Let's hope we get something out of this".
The crew leader then gestures for Mac to go, and the two of them exit the house. Followed a few moments later by the others, who leave one at a time. Until the mage Samiel is left in his house by himself.
Outside, Gorlic is about to ask Sasha if she can leave him out of the first group to go with her when they return to the wreckage.
As he knows she tends to take him along to keep some of the others inline. But in this instance he doesn't want to be around the one Arvelle told Sasha to take with him. He suspects none of the others what to either. He can't blame them.
The former arena fighter from the city-state of Brattonbury. Decides not to as he sees Sasha head to the house she shares with that particular individual.
Instead he turns, and makes his way through the village. Heading to the house he's living in with a few others in the crew of illegal wreckers.
As he does, Gorlic murmurs to himself "Beats me how she can live with him, or for that matter sleep with him".
Sasha enters through the front door. There's a small fire going in the fireplace. For even though summer is waning and coming to an end. It gets chilly at night out here on the Kaldel Plains.
She looks to the open door to the other room, and knows that he's in bed, waiting for her to return.
The one eyed woman takes off her cloak, and puts it on one of the pegs next to the door. She crosses the room, and puts another piece of wood onto the fire.
Then taking off her sword belt, and her belt, she makes her way into the other room in the small house she shares with another of the crew, here on the outskirts of the village.
He's sitting up in bed, reading a book, with light provided by the lit lamp on the nightstand next to the bed.
As Sasha takes off her leather armour, he asks her "How did i go?".
"As well as suspected i guess" is the reply from the good looking woman who has just one eye, and has a scar down the side of her face that's without an eye.
Sasha then goes into detail about what happened tonight as they brought down an airship, over three hundred and fifty miles away to the south.
As she does, she washes up using the warm water in the basin on the drawer on the otherside of the bed from the nightstand with the lamp on it.
Then once she's taken off her clothes, and dons a shift. She gets into bed, and under the covers beside her lover. The blademaster Pallen.
"Arvelle wants you to go with me and the first group the morning after next" quietly says Sasha "He expecting trouble?" asks Pallen the blademaster.
"You never know" says the good looking one eyed woman who is a former mercenary from the kingdom of Girdane.
Pallen, a tall, lean man with short blond hair, who is five years younger than his lover Sasha, who like her is also from Girdane. Though he's from a family of plainsmen, and sees himself as one. Nods his head then quietly says "I guess i better come along".
The blademaster in his early twenties puts his book on the nightstand, then before he puts out the lamp. He looks at the face of his lover, who has closed her one good eye as she lies close to him.
He refrains from running a finger down the scar along the side of her face. A scar from one of his blades, when he sliced her face and took her eye. Before they were lovers. And on opposite sides of a battle between two warring nobles in their homeland of Girdane.
He's not sorry for what he did, after all she was trying to kill him at the time, and he likewise to her. Though he does regret the outcome, with her having a permanent scar, and losing her left eye.
Instead he just looks at her face for a few moments, then turns and blows out the lamp on the nightstand.
Pallen the blademaster turns back, and in the darkness as he lies close to Sasha, he cups the otherside of her face with a hand and gently kisses her.
"Night" quietly says the blademaster "Night" murmurs the former mercenary in reply as they hold one another.
As they do, Pallen thinks about the morning after next. And him going with Sasha and the others to the site of the airship they brought down this night.
He can't wait to do so. As it'll give him a chance to kill someone. He doesn't matter who. Even it's one of their fellow wreckers. He just wants to kill again. After all it's been a few days since he's done so. And that's an awful long time as he sees it . . . . . .

Aftermath 4.

Above The Kaldel Plains...

In the stewards cabin just forward of the galley in a midships. Darid Parsen the cavalry commander is playing Pokiir with a number of others in his cavalry company, and members of the destroyer's crew.
As he sits there at the table, the member of lord Farque's personal council, frowns at his cards. As once again he's been dealt a less than desirable hand.
The cavalry commander, who in actuality is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra by the name of Zubutai Timaginson, who just happens to inhabit the body of Darid Parsen. Who before he died, was a foot soldier from the fief of Lé Dic in the kingdom of Druvic.
Is just wondering if he should throw in this hand as it's not worth playing. When he and the others in the cabin. Hear shouting up on the deck of the tri-masted warship.
"Wonder what's happening up there?" quietly says Kalleb the second in command of the cavalry company that Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman leads.
Kalleb who has been winning far more hands than he's been losing this evening.
Looks to the open cabin door, as does councillor Parsen. As at the door, in the passageway beyond. Stands Zaneff the water elemental spouter. Along with others, who have been looking into the cabin watching the Pokiir being played.
The water elemental spouter who is the lead scout in the cavalry company is frowning as he looks upwards.
Then just as Darid Parsen is just about to ask his lead scout what's going on up on the deck, as he knows the spouter can hear what's happening up there. Zaneff the water elemental spouter quickly says "Mageglobe!".
The crew members in the cabin are up and moving. And those in commander Parsen's cavalry company get out of their way.
While others in the crew, who have been watching the Pokiir from out in the passageway, hurry back along it, heading for the nearest ladder that leads up to the top deck.
Then as Darid Parsen and his second in command Kalleb stand. And Kalleb lifts an enquiring eyebrow as he looks at his commander. The councillor shrugs his shoulders in reply.
Just as he does, and explosion rocks the tri-masted destroyer. Somewhere further to aft. Along the hull, infact it's the keel.
Darid Parsen the cavalry commander yelps "Fuck" as he thrown forward over the table in the cabin, and slams into the wall on the otherside as the airship suddenly pitches forward and down.
There's a thump next to the councillor, as his second in command Kalleb hits the wall right next to him. Others in the cabin still on their feet, help the officers to their feet.
And as Darid aka Zubutai Timaginson stands up wincing. The destroyer which this evening has been flying at the very rear of the fleet, where it's been on sentry duty. Starts to break apart as it falls out of the night sky now that it's magical keel has been all but destroyed.
Councillor Parsen with the help of others, is able to get out of the cabin, and into the passageway beyond.
And though the passageway goes both forward and aft. It doesn't really matter, as they all start falling, and end up rolling and tumbling, forward down the passageway as the airship continues to pitch down towards the ground.
Darid Parsen finds himself sliding down the passageway, he reaches out with his left hand, and grabs a hold of a doorframe to an open door of a cabin. Halting his fall down the passageway.
As someone goes tumbling over him, the member of lord Farque's personal council reaches out with his right arm. And grabs the next person who is sliding down the passageway floor.
It's his second in command Kalleb, who is half dazed, and bleeding from a cut to the forehead.
With all of his strength, Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman hauls himself and Kalleb halfway into the open cabin.
Just then there's a loud crash from up on the deck. Then something slams down onto the otherside of the passageway. Basically obliterating it, and smashing open the port side hull to the night air.
The cavalry commander blinks in surprise as he looks that way. As he sees at least half of one of the masts of the warship go tumbling away into the night sky.
"We're fucked" Darid Parsen mutters to himself in the hordes dialect of the southern tundra, the language he reverts back to during times of stress.
Decking and wood goes flying by, and as the cavalry commander continues to hold onto to his second in command, he looks back up the passageway.
And sees one of his company, the scout Varric. Clinging onto a section of the hull where it's open to the night sky as the airship continues on it's decent towards the ground.
There's a loud cracking sound, and councilor Parsen grimaces as the section of the hull Varric is clinging onto, rips away from the destroyer. Flinging away into the night air, taking Varric with it.
Darid aka Zubutai the son of Timagin grunts as a dead crewman goes tumbling by, hitting him and the dazed Kalleb, who he's still holding onto.
Then the member of the personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque flinches as burning debris goes flying by as the airship nose dives even deeper.
With the aft section, or what's left of it, goes up. And the bow goes down, so that the airship is now at a steep angle as it heads towards the ground.
There's a massive shudder as a part of the destroyer breaks away. And Kalleb is flung over commander Parsen, who barely keeps a hold of him.
Then the passageway they're half in. Starts to crack, then break apart. Sending wood planks flying out into the night air as the tri-masted warship continues to break apart.
Holding onto his second in command as he continues to cling onto the doorframe next to them. Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman looks up, or sideways really.
And sees a large section of the passageway break apart.
Debris goes flying, with a chunk of decking hitting both him and Kalleb. Who is wrenched out of commander Parsen's grip.
Sending the second in command of the cavalry company tumbling down the passageway then out where the hull would normally be, and into night air.
Then even before the councillor can shout in anger. He feels a wet mist around him. Then the next moment the scout Zaneff is crouching beside him, the water elemental grabs him.
"I've got you commander" says Zaneff the water elemental spouter "Fuck about me" says Darid Parsen, who nods out to the night sky and shouts "Get Kalleb!".
"You'll die if i leave you!" shouts back the lead scout in the cavalry company. "What's new?" sourly says councillor Parsen.
Nodding in understanding, as he knows the history of his commander, the spouter Zaneff says "I'll always remember you in that body sir".
Darid aka Zubutai Timaginson nods, and the lead scout disappears in a spray of mist.
The cavalry commander sighs. For though he's died numerous times. And come back into a new body. Dying always sucks. And it hurts like nothing imaginable. And it's something he'll never get used to, or even accustomed to.
There's a loud crack, and the decking beneath the councillor breaks away, as does the doorframe, and bulkhead around it.
Darid Parsen grimly smiles as he sent out into the night sky amongst the falling debris. And as he falls to the ground as the tri-masted destroyer breaks apart above and around him, the cavalry officer mutters "Fuck i hate dying".
As he's falling through the air, commander Parsen sees burning debris away to his right. While away to his left, he hears a woman scream. If it's one of the crew, or one of his company, he's not too sure.
Something large and heavy goes by him, barely missing the council member. Who realises it's one of the destroyer's magetubes. Which would of killed him if it had hit.
Darid aka Zubutai the son of Timagin, who is spinning and tumbling around, rights himself. So that he's now freefalling. He looks down and wonders how long it will be before he hits the ground.
Not too long, for when he looks down, he can see the outline of things in the darkness below, as well as the contour of the Kaldel Plains.
And the fact he can now hear things hitting the ground. Bits of the warship, as well as bodies.
Zubutai the barbarian hordesman who has spent the last eighteen months as Darid Parsen, and quite enjoyed it. As he's liked the body. For starters he's male, and not female. Which is difficult to say the least.
Nor is he a spellcaster. Which he's been once, and thoroughly disliked.
Nor is he a nonhuman. Though he must admit he liked the stamina, and the senses he had when he was a dwarf. Though not the lack of height. And the constant threat of death from a certain ork member in the group.
All that aside, he's liked being in the body of the foot soldier from the Lé Dic fief in the kingdom of Druvic.
Someone he's no longer going to be in a just a few short moments as he falls out of the night sky towards the ground.
Then all of a sudden someone has a grabbed a hold of him, and he hears a familiar voice says "I've got you".
Then the next instant, Darid Parsen is standing on the ground, blinking in surprise that he's still alive. 
He turns and looks around, expecting to see Helbe the elven thief. But the young elven noble who just saved him, is no where to be seen.
Though suddenly, there's a female crew member standing a few yards to his left.
The next instant, someone else. Looking just as dazed as the crew member, and councillor Parsen himself. Is standing to the right of them.
Then as more and more people start appearing around them, Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman looks away to the left in the night sky.
And a few hundred feet away, he can see the destroyer, or what's left of it. Parts of it on fire. Less than a hundred foot above the ground.
A few moments later, and the warship crashes into the Kaldel Plains with a loud thud that reverberates through the night. Smashing apart as it hits bow first into the ground.
After watching the destroyer plow into the ground, commander Parsen looks around and sees dozens of people around him.
Then Helbe the elven thief appears beside him saying "That's all i can save" followed by "A couple of the officers got quite a few off too" referring to the spellcasters who were onboard the warship.
Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman nods, then the young elven noble who is from the island principality of Laerel points and says "Mira is that way".
"Right" says the cavalry commander, who starts heading that way, then stops as he realises his fellow councillor has stepped away and is looking away to the east.
"What are you doing?" asks commander Parsen, who like the elven magic user, is speaking in the elven language.
"Trying to locate who did this" says the elven masterthief who is a member of the royal family that rules Laerel "I'll catch up to the rest of you later" adds the elven princeling, who then disappears as he shifts away.
Councillor Parsen, who is still surprised that he's still alive, starts walking north, in the direction Helbe the elven thief said the mage Reinholt was.
The other survivors from the downed warship that prince Helbenthril Raendril saved, follow behind the member of their lord's personal council.
And as they walk, occasionally passing dead bodies, and wreckage from the destroyer that was knocked out of the night sky.
They start encountering other survivors who were able to get off the tri-masted warship before it crashed.
Either by one of the jolly boats or the ship's boat. Or by one of the spellcasters who were onboard.
Then as Aeviss the second moon of Volunell starts to rise into the night sky to join the largest of the three moons, Ilnari which is already up.
Darid Parsen spots two of the survivors walking towards him from the left.
The cavalry commander grins as he sees it's Zaneff the water elemental, who is helping a limping Kalleb to walk. The second in command of the cavalry company looks a little dazed.
But he grins in relief when he spots his commander the council member.
They continue northwards for a short time, encountering other survivors. Until they come across Mira Reinholt the mage and those with him.
The fact that they hear a disgruntled Dorc da Orc swearing and yelling before they see them. Made it a lot easier to find them.
Darid aka Zubutai Timaginson rolls his eyes, as he sees Dorc da Orc shaking his right arm, which a frightened looking Teabagger the goblin Cunt is clinging onto, and refusing to let go of.
The large ork is also glaring at sir Percavelle Lé Dic, who is standing nearby scowling at the ork warleader.
Not wanting to know what's going on with them, commander Parsen walks over to his fellow councillor, the mage Reinholt who is standing with Shur Kee the monk and Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy.
"You still alive eh?" says Mira Reinholt the mage when Darid Parsen walks up "Thanks to the royal thief" says the cavalry commander.
Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman looks in the direction of the crashed destroyer and asks "What happened?".
"We were attacked by a mage" is the quiet reply of the once powerful mage.
Councillor Parsen winces when he hears that, then he asks his fellow councillor "Still around?".
"I can't sense whoever it was" says the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, the exiled Vexilian mage gestures towards a nearby officer from the destroyer and adds "The sorcerer can't sense them either".
The cavalry commander who is looking around at the other survivors nods, then says "Helbe has gone off to find who it was".
The mage Reinholt nods his hooded head, and knows that if there's one person who will be able to find who it was that was responsible for knocking the tri-masted warship out of the sky this night, it will be the elven princeling, Helbenthril Raendril.
Then as Darid Parsen continues to look around, the cavalry officer asks his fellow council member "Where's Tam and Lis, and Tovis?" he then adds "And that cleric Beldane?".
"I don't know" is the reply from Mira Reinholt, commander Parsen looks sharply at the once powerful mage, who tells him "I sensed that cleric cast a gateway, so i know they got off the ship before it crashed".
Councillor Reinholt briefly pauses before he continues with "As to where they are, I've got absolutely no idea" . . . . . .

Aftermath 3.

Above The Kaldel Plains...

He smells the unimaginable stench first, then he quickly moves out of the way as hears a deep, rumbling and growling voice say "Out the way cunt".
Well, at least that's what he thinks it says. As it's more than a little difficult to understand.
The cleric Beldane looks up at the large ork who walks by him in a midships this evening. The same ork he struck down during the battle of Almaic with a powerful spell. And was unable to kill.
The ork, who stinks beyond belief. Briefly scowls at him, before continuing forward along the deck of the destroyer they're onboard.
The member of the church of Glaine looks at the small, bright green goblin who follows the big, burly ork everywhere. Who smiles in apology to the powerful cleric. Before he hurries to catch up to the large ork. Who Beldane has found is a warleader. Whatever that is.
The cleric, who is from the kingdom of Nastell. Which they left behind them yesterday morning. As they're now flying over the Kaldel Plains.
The vast track of unruled lands to the southwest of the kingdom of Nastell. Over a couple thousand miles in length, and nearly the same in width.
To the north of which is the kingdom of Druvic. While to the south of it is the kingdom of Girdane. Then the city-states of Vexil and Tuledare.
Shakes his head as he watches the odd sight of the ork and goblin walk beneath one of running lights, a lamp hanging from a spar. As they make their way forward.
The two of them, who were picked up a few days ago in the south of the duchy of Phelm in northern Nastell. Are by far the oddest pair onboard. And that's saying something. As Beldane thinks there's quite a few odd people onboard the warship that's taking them south.
The cleric in the church of Glaine, who for some reason. What, he's not exactly sure. Decided to join the mercenary army from some nation called Farque.
Even though it helped to defeat the army of his duke, duke Hargen of Phelm. A duchy that has a new duke, one of the robber barons from the unruled lands to the north of the kingdom of Nastell, by the name of Solamard.
The cleric looks around, and spots the young engineer named Tovis, speaking with the beautiful looking young woman by the name of Lisell.
And the young man, a teenager really, named Tamric. Who is one of the field commanders of the army he's joined.
They're standing near the forecastle, and Beldane makes his way forward to join them. As they are the trio in the group he's been told to stay close to. Who he gets along with best.
The destroyer is at the rear of the fleet this night. A fleet that's spread out over dozens of miles. With the exception of the krean strikeship the Fídiablo. Which is long gone. As it left the fleet a couple of days ago. After going through a ship rift.
On a troop transporter about four miles ahead of the trimasted destroyer the rest of the group are on. Helbe the elven thief, who has been checking up on the battalion of goblins onboard.
Has been talking with the captain and the officers of the transporter. Wondering where Narladene the ground pixie has got herself to. As he hasn't seen her since well before midday today.
The young elven noble who is standing on the aft deck, near the starboard side. Who is of the opinion that the goblin battalion are better off without Dorc da Orc around when they're not in battle.
Is just about to head back through the fleet, and rejoin the rest of the group on the destroyer. Which is flying sentry at the very rear of the fleet. When Narladene the ground pixie suddenly appears on his right shoulder.
After putting up a spell to prevent others from listening to them, Helbe the elven thief quietly asks the tiny winged creature who is only visible to him "Where have you been all day?".
"Down on the ground" replies Narladene the ground pixie, who can easily keep pace with the fleet, especially with the krean strikeship the Fídiablo no longer with them.
"You going to head back to the others?" asks the naturally magical creature who is attached to the elven magic user who hails from the island principality of Laerel.
"I am" is the reply of the elven masterthief, who happens to be a member of the royal family that rules Laerel.
Narladene nods, and gestures forward to where some of the goblins are up on the deck of the transporter this evening, and she asks "How's that lot doing without their general and their commander?".
"Perfectly fine" says the elven princeling who is member of the personal council to the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
The young elven noble who is a highly talented spellcaster then adds in a murmur to Narladene "I think they're better off without Dorc when they're not in battle".
"I'm not surprised" dryly murmurs the ground pixie who is originally from the Sunreach Mountains, who first met prince Helbenthril Raendril in the city of Leeabra, the capital of the kingdom of Druvic.
The elven master assassin nods his hooded head, then he's about to drop his silence spell around them, and turn to the captain of the transporter and the officers on deck with the night duty. When Narladene suddenly says  "What's that?".
"What?" asks Helbe the elven thief who immediately senses as far as he can behind them as the naturally magical creature points to aft with a look of concentration upon her face.
Spinning around and looking to the north, the young elven noble scans the night sky, and those airships following behind the transporter he's onboard.
"Down on the ground, about five miles away, a rift" suddenly says the tiny winged creature, who briefly pauses then she adds in alarm "Mageglobe".
The elven magic user disappears as he suddenly shifts away, heading quickly as he can back through the fleet.
Onboard the trimasted destroyer at the very rear of the fleet. The cleric Beldane is standing near the forecastle talking with the trio of Tovis the war engineer, Tamric Drubine the field commander and Lisell Maera the messenger.
When he leans back against the forecastle behind him, resting a hand on the top of his mace on his belt loop.
His mace feels warm. A sure sign of danger from the magical weapon. Which Beldane is glad hasn't sent him through a gateway as it is want to do when it thinks he's in danger.
"Beldane you alright?" asks Tovis the war engineer who from the light of a nearby lamp, sees a look of concern on the face of the member in the church of Glaine.
The cleric who is sensing as far and wide as he can, frowns as he thinks he might of momentarily sensed a rift down on the ground a thousand feet below them. But he doesn't sense anything there now.
All he senses are the other spellcasters onboard, and their wards they have around the warship. He also senses the nearest airship in the fleet, another warship, a frigate nearly a mile away.
"I don't know, there's something" says Beldane the cleric as he continues to sense, then from somewhere to aft, they hear someone shout "Mageglobe coming up!".
Beldane, along with Tovis, Tamric Drubine, and Lisell Maera look forward, to just ahead of them. Where on the bow deck, stands Mira Reinholt the mage. Along with Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy, Shur Kee the monk. As well as Dorc da Orc and Teabagger the goblin cunt. While sir Percavelle Lé Dic stands off to one side, as he hates being too close to the ork warleader.
From the running lights they see the look of surprise on the face of the once powerful mage. Who hurries to the nearby starboard rail, to look overboard.
"Can you sense anything?" asks Tamric Drubine to the cleric, as the young field commander knows a little bit about magic.
"They're damn difficult to sense" says Beldane referring to mageglobes, who also hurries to the starboard rail so that he can see what he's unable to sense at the moment. He can't sense a another mage, apart from Mira Reinholt, who doesn't sense like one anyway. Infact the cleric in the church of Glaine can't sense the mage Reinholt at all.
"Cleric!" shouts Mira Reinholt the mage from the bow deck, who then shouts "Ward!".
That's also yelled out from one of the officers, a spellcaster further to aft. As they've both spotted a small pin prick of light shooting up towards the trimasted destroyer.
Beldane shoves up wards around himself and those closest to him as he looks overboard, then he too spots the small ball of white light coming up towards the warship, moving quickly too as it gains height. The member of the church of Glaine who can now sense it. Wonders what it will do. As the living pieces of magic do what their creator wants them to do. Though they have a mind of their own, and go about doing their task, as they see best.
Beldane sees a mageglobe appear in the gloved right hand of Mira Reinholt who throws it overboard, and it shoots down through the night sky towards the ground.
The blue mageglobe going downwards, and the white one coming up into the night sky. Pass one another, missing by about twenty feet.
Beldane realises the spellcaster named Mira has sent it after the other mage that's somewhere about. As two mageglobes could chase one another for a long time if they wanted to. For the best way to deal with one. Is to let it do what it's been created to do. And defend against it.
"I don't know what it's going to do" says the powerful cleric who is now holding his mace in his right hand as the white mageglobe shoots up by the starboard side of the trimasted destroyer, which is now climbing and turning to port as it's come under attack.
They look up, and see the white ball of living magic. The size of a large apple. Suddenly stop about fifty feet above the deck of the warship. Then drop down faster than it went up.
Beldane winces as he wonders if the mageglobe can get through the ships wards. It does.
And slams down through the deck further aft of a midships. Nothing happens. Infact there's a momentary pause from just about everyone on deck who saw the living piece of magic hit, and go down into the airship.
Then the next moment, an explosion rocks the trimasted warship. Down below somewhere. Infact along the hull. To be exact the magical keel of the destroyer. The magical keel that keeps it in the air.
Wood and debris from aft of a midships goes flying into the air. And the warship suddenly dips forward in the bow, and starts to drop out of the night sky.
"Shit!" exclaims Beldane the cleric who is almost flung over the starboard rail as the destroyer pitches forward at an alarming rate.
He's grabbed by both Tovis the war engineer, and Tamric Drubine the field commander, who says in a matter of fact tone "I think we're going to crash".
The young engineer grabs Lisell Maera who is about to tumble forward as the airship continues to nose dive, as it starts to break apart towards aft.
People are jumping onto the jolly boats, and the ships boat, so that they can off as quickly as possible as the call from the aft deck to abandon ship can be heard.
"Cleric!" shouts out Mira Reinholt, who follows that with "Get them off the ship" as he points at Beldane, and the trio with the member in the church of Glaine.
While on the bow deck next to the once powerful mage, Dorc da Orc is standing firm, holding onto Teabagger the goblin Cunt and Shur Kee the monk.
Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy leaps up and lands upon the back of the large ork. Who staggers forward, but stands upright as the destroyer continues to pitch forward at an alarming angle as it drops out of the night sky.
"Get us the fuck out of here mage" says Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy from on top of the shoulders of the ork warleader.
"I'm trying" mutters the once powerful mage who is levitating just behind the large ork, as one of the crew goes tumbling by them, and goes over the bow sprit, then overboard.
"Percy get over here!" shouts the Vexilian mage in exile to the large heavily armoured knight who is clinging onto the nearby starboard rail here on the bow of the doomed airship.
"Not if it means i have to go with that fat smelling oaf!" calls out sir Percavelle Lé Dic.
"Oh for fucks sake" mutters the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster.
"Dorc grab him" says the mage Reinholt "Nah get fucked" says Dorc da Orc who is basically the only one onboard who is still upright.
"Dorc, I'll tell" starts the once powerful mage "Oh alright" mutters the ork warleader.
Mira Reinholt drops his levitation spell, and crashes into the back of the big, burly ork who hails from the southern polar region of the world, and clings onto him.
At the same time, the exiled Vexilian mage quickly levitates sir Percavelle Lé Dic, and hauls the knight in the order of Saint Mar'che this way across the bow deck.
As the former earl of Lé Dic in the kingdom of Druvic yelps in surprise as he goes flying sideways through the air.
Dorc da Orc, with Teabagger the goblin Cunt clinging onto his right arm. With his big, meaty, skillet sized right hand, grabs the former paladin.
As he does, the large ork finally loses his balance, and starts to fall forward through the air along the deck.
As he does, the ork warleader and all of those holding onto him, and those he's holding, disappear in the night as Mira Reinholt the mage teleports them all.
Meanwhile, further back near the forecastle as the trimasted destroyer continues to pitch forward towards the ground as it breaks apart.
The cleric Beldane is casting a spell with the aid of his magical mace. Unfortunately when the cleric casts this particular spell, it takes a bit of time.
"If you're going to do something, i suggest you do it now" says Tamric Drubine who is clinging onto the starboard rail, as is the war engineer Tovis next to him who is also holding onto Lisell Maera.
The cleric Beldane who is clinging onto the starboard rail just up from the young field commander, says through gritted teeth "I am".
"Fuck me" mutters field commander Drubine as out of the corner of his eye, he sees Dorc da Orc and the others up on the bow deck disappear.
Then as a crewman goes overboard nearby, screaming in a panic. The airship tips so far forward that it now basically nose dives towards the ground, which is now only a few hundred feet away.
Then as the nearest mast snaps in two, and crashes down to port, and goes tumbling over that side of the destroyer.
The gateway that the cleric Beldane has cast, forms and appears on the deck on the starboard side just infront of the forecastle.
"Through the gateway!" shouts the powerful cleric as the warship continues to break apart behind them.
Tamric Drubine, or Tam as he's more commonly called by those who know him well. Doesn't even wait for the member in the church of Glaine to shout to go through the gateway.
When the young field commander sees it form, he lets go of the starboard rail. And falls down through the air, and through the gateway.
The war engineer Tovis lets go of the starboard rail next. And he and Lisell Maera tumble and roll through the air, and fall through the gateway too.
Then the fighting cleric lets go of the starboard rail as well, pushing himself off as he does so. He actually runs a couple of steps down the almost vertical deck. Then he dives forward in the air, and goes head through his gateway.
Which once he's through, it disappears behind him. As the trimasted destroyer continues it's inevitably dive towards the ground that's rapidly approaching . . . . . .

Aftermath 2.

The Kingdom Of Nastell...

"Where are you going?" asks Mira Reinholt the mage "The ship" replies Lisell Maera who points to the krean strikeship, Fídiablo.
"We are definitely not going on that" says the once powerful mage who gestures over to some of the other airships as he adds "We'll be going on one of the others".
The messenger in the Farqian mercenary army lifts a questioning eyebrow, and in a slightly dry tone the mage Reinholt tells her "Trust me you don't want to be onboard there at the moment".
"Mira's right" says Helbe the elven thief who appears out of thin air, walking beside the exiled Vexilian mage and the attractive young woman from the city-state of Vexil.
"Hell, even I'm not traveling with them" adds the elven magic user who gestures towards the sleek looking warship in the distance as he says "Only the crew and those three, and the two dogs will be onboard it".
"That bad?" asks the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster "It is" is the reply of the young elven noble who is from the island principality of Laerel.
"To say those three are annoyed, especially him, would be an understatement" continues the highly talented elven spellcaster, who then adds "And since he's in such a mood, the wardogs are agitated too. Infact they're down right dangerous to be around at the moment".
Both Mira Reinholt and Lisell Maera slightly wince at that, then noticing what the elven masterthief is carrying, the runner in the scouts division of the Farqian mercenary army says "I gather that's not yours".
"Definitely not" says the elven master assassin as he hefts the mace he's carrying "Had to have lord Farque's sword adjust it" explains the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel, who then adds "Damn thing had a mind of it's own".
Mira Reinholt slightly nods his hooded head as he looks closely at the magical weapon that prince Helbenthril Raendril is carrying as the three of them walk towards the airships of the fleet, that are to the north of the city of Almaic, picking up their army.
"And the cleric himself?" asks the spellcaster who was once the most powerful mage of his generation to be found anywhere in the Southlands "Did you have to adjust him at all?" asks the mage Reinholt.
"Slightly" says the young elven noble who glances at his right shoulder, which Narladene the ground pixie has just settled upon.
"More tampering than adjusting" continues the elven magic user who points to an airship and says "We'll be going on that destroyer" he then adds "I just, shall we say, suggested if he'd like to join a mercenary army, and of course he agreed". Helbe the elven thief then says "Apart from that I've left his mind alone" followed by "He's all himself".
Both Lisell Maera, who is more commonly called Lis by those who know her well. And Mira Reinholt nod to that. Though they know there's going to be problems when lord Farque finally decides to meet the cleric in question.
Then Lis, an attractive young woman who is originally from the coastal city-state of Brattonbury asks "What's he like?.
"I like the fellow" declares sir Percavelle Lé Dic "You'd would" dryly murmurs Tamric Drubine in the elven language after he asked the heavily armoured knight what he thought about the cleric who has joined them, and is onboard somewhere.
"Oh he's a cleric mind you, and one who worships the wrong god" says the former earl of Lé Dic in his booming voice as they stand up in the bow of the destroyer they're on. As other ships, troop transporters and other warships, start to lift up off the ground, and into the air.
"But for all that, i doth like the chap" says the knight in the order of Saint Mar'che who was once a paladin "Where's he at?" asks the young field commander in the armies of Farque "Below deck" is the reply from sir Percavelle, who is more commonly called Percy by those who know him well. A name he isn't particularly enamoured with.
"In the galley breaking his fast" says the former paladin "I do believe the engineer chap is with him" adds the boisterous knight in the order of Saint Mar'che, who is originally from the kingdom of Druvic.
Tamric Drubine or Tam as he more commonly called by those who know him well, spots the two councillors Mira Reinholt and prince Helbenthril Raendril, along with Lisell Maera approaching the destroyer.
The nobleborn teenager who is from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin looks back along the deck of the airship, and spots Shur Kee the monk in a midships on the starboard side, watching Mira, Helbe and Lis approaching the warship.
Tam then looks to the city of Almaic away to the south. Where the last of the army of the robber baron Gergus, is departing. Heading back north to the border.
The robber baron who has taken over the armies of the three robber barons, Almard, Larimer and Markell. Who he had killed.
While upon the north wall of the city, are the men in the robber baron Solamard's army. Solamard who is the new duke of Phelm, the northern most duchy here in the kingdom of Nastell.
Once the mage, elven magic user and the messenger are onboard. The order from the captain comes to lift off.
And as the crew bring up the mooring lines. And the tri-masted warship starts to rise into the air. Helbe the elven thief hurries below deck with the mace he's carrying.
While Mira Reinholt and Lisell Maera, who are joined by Shur Kee the monk. Make their way forward to the bow deck, where Tamric Drubine is standing with sir Percavelle Lé Dic.
The destroyer swings around to the south, in a wide circle as it slowly rises up into the morning sky.
"We heading back to the lands Farque?" asks Lisell Maera "Not quite" says field commander Drubine who continues with "We're to go to a rendezvous point, we're to pick up some others".
"Oh" says Lis, who then adds "Who?". "Dalin for starters" says the nobleborn teenager who was the heir to a former knight of castle Drubine, who after a slight pause adds "And Dorc too" he briefly pauses before saying "Hopefully".
"Hopefully not" murmurs Mira Reinholt, who thinks it would be good for the ork warleader to walk, anywhere really, just walk. So that he's out of the way, and not causing any mischief for the rest of them.
Ignoring sir Percavelle Lé Dic who says "Here, here" after hearing what the once powerful mage just murmured.
The attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury says "And then back down to the lands Farque?".
"Ah, not quite" says Tam who continues with "We can't exactly because of who is onboard" the field commander then glances at the mage Reinholt.
The spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster nods his hooded head, then gestures towards the krean strikeship the Fídiablo which is the last airship in the fleet to lit off.
"He's not going to change the laws of his land for anyone" says the mage who is exile from his homeland, the city-state of Vexil "No matter who they are, and what role they may play in his overall plans" continues Mira Reinholt, who then adds "No clerics allowed in his lands, and he's sticking with that".
They all nod, even the former earl of Lé Dic. As they all know that clerics and magic using priests are forbidden in the lands Farque. And that only a small number of priests are allowed in each community in the lands ruled by the lord of the death realm.
Who for obvious reasons doesn't get along with those who believe in the gods of Volunell, who have the ability of magic.
"In time he might be allowed to visit the Krean Protectorate in the very north of Farque" says the highly skilled swordmaster "Though not anytime soon" adds the member of lord Farque's personal council.
As the group chat, continuing to talk about the newest member of their group. Who not all of them have met.
Lisell Maera walks port side, and looks aft. In the distance down on the ground. She sees the long lines of the combined army of Gergus the robber baron. Winding their way northwards in the early morning sunshine. On what feels like it will be a warm day here in the north of the kingdom of Nastell. Though not scorching hot as it's been earlier in the week.
The messenger who is part of the scouts division in the Farqian mercenary army as the destroyer flies over the city of Almaic on it's way to the south.
Wonders how the robber baron Gergus fares. A man she spent an intimate night with earlier in the campaign. A campaign that led to the defeat of duke Hargen's army in the city of Almaic. And the duke taking his own life when his city fell to his enemies.
A man she knows she'll probably never see again. Who for a brief time in her life. Made her care for someone else apart from herself. Not something that comes easy for her.
Helbe the elven thief comes up on deck after handing the magical mace back to the cleric, who is down in the galley with the war engineer Tovis.
The first one in the group the young elven noble spots is the messenger Lisell Maera. Who is looking to aft.
The elven magic user doesn't even have to read her mind to know what she's thinking about.
The highly talented elven spellcaster who is a member of the royal family that rules the island principality of Laerel, knows that Lis is thinking of her one time lover, the robber baron Gergus.
The elven princeling slightly sighs, as he has informed the undead warlord about that. Who didn't particularly care about it. Just as long as the attractive young woman who is originally from the city-state of Brattonbury. Is still able to perform her duties without being distracted.
The highly talented elven spellcaster makes his way forward from a midships, keeping out of the way of the crew as the destroyer heads southwards. On it's way to pick up the cavalry commander Darid Parsen and his company. Who have hopefully found Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy, along with Dorc da Orc.
The young elven noble who is the grandson of Prince Raendril, makes his way onto the bow deck and joins the rest of the group.
And after glancing over at Lisell Maera who is standing at the port rail, the elven masterthief says "He's chatting with Tovis down in the galley" in reply to his fellow councillor, the mage Reinholt asking him "Where is he?".
Helbe the elven thief looks at the others and wonders how many of them will get along with the cleric.
He knows Mira probably won't, as the once powerful mage has never liked clerics and their type of magic.
He suspects sir Percavelle, who despite him saying he likes the cleric. Will soon despise him. For the simple reason their personalities will clash. As they're quite similar. Though the cleric is no where near as pompous and boisterous as the large, heavily armoured knight.
The elven princeling guesses that both Tamric Drubine and Lisell Maera will take the cleric at face value. And get along with him fine. They may not end up being the best of friends with him. But the two youngest members of the group do a pretty good job of getting along with anyone.
As for Shur Kee the monk. Helbe the elven thief isn't too sure. The acolyte in the order of Bru Li is more than tolerant of others beliefs.
But the short, statured monk who is an enigma anyway. Just might not like the cleric. All the elven magic user gets from reading Shur Kee's mind. Is that he's slightly curious about the newest member of the group.
As for the rest of the group. Narladene the ground pixie who is fluttering around the airship at the moment.
Doesn't particularly care for the cleric. For the simple reason they spent more than two days chasing the cleric across northern Nastell, before they were finally able to take him.
As for those not with the group at the moment. Prince Helbenthril Raendril guesses Darid Parsen the cavalry commander will just get along with the cleric, no matter if he likes him or not.
The same with Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy. Who'll work alongside the cleric even if he doesn't particularly like him.
While as for Dorc da Orc. The young elven noble knows the large ork will hate the cleric. Which isn't much of surprise. As the ork warleader hates everyone. He just hates some people less than others.
Though the elven master archer suspects the big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world. Will end up hating the cleric a lot. For the simple reason he'd remind Dorkindle too much of sir Percavelle Lé Dic. The person in the group the ork weaponsmith hates the most.
As for the leader of the group, lord Farque. There's no need to guess what he thinks about the newest member of the group.
Helbe the elven thief looks over at the krean strikeship the Fídiablo, which is to aft, on the starboard quarter, a couple hundred yards away.
The elven envoy doesn't know if it's imagination. But he's pretty sure he can feel the anger emanating from onboard the following krean warship.
Prince Helbenthril Raendril then turns around when sir Percavelle Lé Dic says "There's the young engineer fellow".
All of them turn to look aft, to a midships, where they see Tovis the war engineer has just come up on deck.
Then coming up the ladder onto the deck behind the young engineer from the kingdom of Druvic, they see the latest person to join their group.
A member of the church of Glaine from here in the duchy of Phelm. The cleric named Beldane . . . . . .

Aftermath.

The Kingdom Of Nastell...

"They're definitely behind us somewhere" says Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy. Beside him, both Shawtus and Smawfri McQuade nod in agreement as they look back in the direction they've come from.
The young squad leader Barron looks back too, then he shrugs and says "I've no idea" in response to the spy Tanith asking him "Do you think we're still in Phelm?".
They've fled south after the city of Almaic fell to the enemy from the unruled lands in the Colevar Mountains.
With them are others who have also fled the capital of the duchy of Phelm. Mostly soldiers, along with a few nobles and court officials.
"I don't think they'll follow us into Molnah" says Barron referring to the duchy to the south and southwest of Phelm "That's if i knew where we actually are" mutters the young squad leader.
"Keep moving" says Dalinvardél Tanith who is more commonly called Dalin by those who know him well, and the name he's been using since infiltrating duke Hargen's army. Not that the duke's army actually exists anymore.
The four of them hurry up the track that winds it's way up a hill in amongst the woodlands they're in.
Which Barron has guessed is in the estates of sir Yarrim the sorcerer, along the southern border of the duchy of Phelm.
As they head uphill, they encounter the stragglers of those fleeing south after the defeat at Almaic. The young squad leader hurries them up, not caring that some of them are court officials and nobleborn.
The threat of execution by the enemy spurs them on. As none of them want to fall into the hands of the enemy who have defeated duke Hargen's army.
They top the hill, where the rest of the small squad is waiting for them. And as the other refugees from Almaic continue down the track that goes southwards down the otherside of the hill.
They look back to the north in the direction they've come from. And it's the sharp eyed elf who is the first to spot the following enemy.
"There" says Dalinvardél Tanith who is originally from the elven principality of Alínlae, who is now part of the armies of Farque.
Seeing which particular enemy are after them, Shawtus McQuade mutters "Shit" and his slightly younger and slightly shorter cousin Smawfri adds "Fuck". The two dwarven warriors who hail from the Sunreach Mountains then mutter in unison "Shit fuck".
"What is it?" asks Barron, who can just make out the enemy who are pursuing them through the woods when Dalin points them out to him.
"That lot all in black" sourly says Shawtus McQuade, who along with his cousin, were once co-chieftains of their clan.
The young squad leader grimaces, then says "They're on horseback too". "And moving fast" adds the elven spy, who looks away to the south the direction the track they've been following, goes.
"Keep going" says the elven spy who once served in one of the more prominent noble houses in his homeland of Alínlae "The next hill to the south could be over the border for all we know" adds the spy Tanith who continues with "Hopefully they won't follow you there".
The McQuade cousins quickly glance at the tall elf in the grey hooded cloak, then the two dwarven warriors share a look of understanding.
While Barron slightly frowns, then says "You?" followed by "Don't you mean us?". The young squad leader continues with "What about you?".
The elven spy who infiltrated duke Hargen's army shrugs, then with a slight smile on his youthful looking face, says "I won't be coming" followed by "Someone has to distract them and lead them off in another direction so you lot can escape".
The young squad leader is about to argue that point, when Shawtus McQuade grabs him by the arm, and says "Come on lad, let's go".
While Smawfri McQuade says to the rest of their small squad, who survived a battle along the northern border of the kingdom, as well as the fall of the cities of Savariss and Almaic "Get moving" as he gestures down the track that heads down the otherside of the hill.
Dalinvardél Tanith nods to the two dwarven mercenaries, who nod back in return to him. Then the elven spy turns, and runs back down the way they've come from.
Shawtus McQuade, who almost has to haul Barron forward down the south side of the wooded hill, says "Come on lad, don't let his sacrifice been in vain".
"Besides, if there's one bloke who might get away from them, it'll be the ranger" adds Smawfri McQuade, as they hurry down the track following after the rest of their small squad, and the other refugees who they've met up with, who have fled the city of Almaic.
They continue in a mix of running and walking throughout the middle of the afternoon. And once they top the next hill in the woodland. Which is indeed across the border in the duchy of Molnah. They look back to the north, in the direction they've come from.
Breathing heavily, the young squad leader Barron says "Can you see him?" followed by "Can you see them?".
Both of the McQuade cousins shade their eyes with a hand to the brow as they look to the north, trying to find any sign of the mercenary ranger they know as Dalin, and the enemy who have been pursuing them.
After a long moment of silence, it's Smawfri McQuade who points away to the northeast and says "There" followed by "Horses riding east".
"How far?" asks the young squad leader "About four miles" is the reply from the slightly younger and slightly shorter of the dwarven cousins.
"They must be chasing after him" adds the slightly older and slightly taller of the dwarven mercenaries who hail from the Sunreach Mountains.
"Any sign of him?" asks Barron, after a while, the McQuade cousins both shake their heads no.
Then Shawtus McQuade says "They're still riding east away from us through the woods, so they must not of caught him yet". His cousin Smawfri grunts in agreement.
"That's something i guess" quietly says the young squad leader, who hopes the elven mercenary ranger from the principality of Alínlae, is able to evade the enemy who had been pursuing them.
"Hell, do you know how long it took to find you?" says Darid Parsen the cavalry commander as he looks at the rider on the horse beside him.
Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy shrugs then says "I've no idea".
"For bloody ever it felt like" says the cavalry officer who is a member of the personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
"Sorry about that, but i had to lead some people to safety" says the spy Tanith, commander Parsen grunts then says "No harm i guess" followed in a slightly dry tone with "Apart from the fact we're not part of the new duke's army".
"Oh?" says Dalin, who then asks the cavalry commander "Who is the new duke then?". "Solamard" is the reply from councillor Parsen.
The elven spy blinks in surprise, then says in a tone as equally surprised "Really?" followed by "I thought it would of been Larimer or Almard, and if not one of those two, then Gergus". As he would of guessed the youngest of the five robber barons from the southern reaches of the Colevar Mountains, would be the one to survive and be the new duke of Phelm, if either Larimer or Almard didn't take the ducal seat for themselves.
"Well" says the cavalry commander, who in actuality is really a hordes outrider by the name of Zubutai Timaginson, who just happens to find himself inhabiting the body of Darid Parsen.
"Actually Gergus could of been the new duke" adds commander Parsen, who continues on with "But instead, he now has all of the southern reaches north of the border as his domain".
Dalin lifts an eyebrow in surprise at that. And as they, and the cavalry company led by the cavalry commander rides eastwards through the woodlands here in the south of the duchy of Phelm.
Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman explains to the elven spy what's happened, in how the robber baron Gergus made his fellow robber baron Solamard the new duke of Phelm. After having the other three robber barons, Larimer, Almard and Markell killed off.
They ride throughout the afternoon, and as they do, Dalinvardél Tanith asks the member of lord Farque's personal council "Where are we headed?".
"We're getting picked up by one of our airships" says commander Parsen "The strikeship?" asks the spy Tanith.
Darid aka Zubutai Timaginson winces then says "Ah no".
Seeing the grimace on the face of the cavalry commander, the elven spy asks him "What is it?".
The councillor shakes his head, then sourly smiles. And after a few moments of silence, Darid Parsen explains to Dalin what else has happened since he fled the city of Almaic.
"What the hell?" mutters the spy Tanith who infiltrated the army of duke Hargen, in which he did as much as possible to sabotage the plans of the then duke's army. Whilst feeding information about duke Hargen's army to his own army, the mercenary army from the lands Farque.
"A cleric?" adds Dalinvardél Tanith in a mutter of disbelief.
"It's true" says commander Parsen "Have you met him?" asks the elven spy who is originally from the principality of Alínlae.
"Not yet" says the councillor, who continues with "The royal thief was still trying to find him and bring him in when i left to look for you" Darid aka Zubutai the son of Timagin, briefly pauses before adding "And to look for someone else".
"Oh?" says Dalin as the cavalry company starts riding through land where the trees are starting to spread out, with wide open spaces now between some of them.
"We're to find him before we rendezvous with the ship" says the cavalry commander.
After he rides around a clump of trees, and gets into some open ground where he gets alongside commander Parsen's mount again, Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy asks the councillor "Who?".
"Cunt" growls Dorc da Orc as he glares at the Mareb river which they've come alongside of once again.
The large ork stands there glaring at the wide river, while Teabagger the goblin Cunt sits upon a nearby rock in the late afternoon sun, on what's been a warm summer's day here in the north of the kingdom of Nastell. Though no where near as hot as it's been in previous days.
The small, bright green goblin who is the commander of a battalion of his own kind, within the armies of Farque. Sourly smiles as his general starts undoing his grubby knee length pants.
Teabagger looks the other way as the ork warleader drops his pants, backs up a couple of steps, crouches at the edge of the water, and proceeds to spray shit into the Mareb river, chuckling as he does so.
"Take that you cunt river" chortles the big, burly ork who hails from the southern polar region of the world.
Grunting as he squirts runny shit into the river, the ork warleader looks over at the small, bright green goblin sitting on a nearby rock.
"Cunt you wanna poo in the river too?" asks the ork weaponsmith who is a member of the wolf tribe of orks.
"No boss, i mean general" says Teabagger the goblin Cunt who is still looking away "That's alright" adds the goblin commander.
"You're fucken loss" says Dorkindle, who grunts in effort as he sprays a last bit of runny looking green, black shit across the surface of the river.
Chuckling to himself, the large ork hops forward, pulls up his knee length pants, tightens the belt, and looks back at what he's done.
The son of the former matriarch of the wolf tribe of orks grins in pleasure at seeing his shit float down the Mareb river.
Teabagger rolls his eyes, and gets up when his general says "Let's go cunt". The two of them continue northwards, keeping the river Mareb to their right. Though just out of sight, as Dorc da Orc doesn't want to look at it.
It's approaching dusk, and they're on an empty road just west of the Mareb river, when the warleader of the ork race, grunts then suddenly stops and mutters "Smells like fucken water".
Teabagger is just about to mention the river Mareb is only a hundred yards or so away to their right, when his general points to a low rise in the distance to their left, which the road leads up to.
The goblin commander looks that way too, and the next moment they suddenly see a figure standing there, waving at them.
"Yuck one of them" says the big, burly ork who hails from the frozen bottom of the world.
"One of our scouts" says the small, bright, green goblin who is pretty sure he recognises the figure in the distance on the low rise.
"That's one of the water elementals in the cavalry" adds the commander of the goblin battalion in the mercenary army from the lands Farque.
"Yeah cunt" grunts Dorc da Orc as they continue on their way along the hard packed road, heading for the low rise.
A little bit later as they're making their way up the rise, the large ork murmurs "Ooohhh horsey" in delight.
And when they top the rise, where they're met by the scout, the water elemental spouter Zaneff.
They look away to the west, where in the fading light at the end of the day, they see the cavalry company led by Darid Parsen riding this way . . . . . .