Aftermath 51.

The Kaldel Plains...

Helbe the elven thief looks down to the north side of the village and frowns.
The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel, rolls his eyes as he spots sir Percavelle Lé Dic running through the village shouting and yelling at the top of his lungs.
In the early gloomy light below, the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic is almost as loud as Dorc da Orc, who is roaring and yelling as well. As he works his way from the east side of the village, cutting down any poor unfortunate soul who is dumb enough to stand up against him.
Finally, Helbe the elven thief thinks to himself as he sees Narladene the ground pixie suddenly appear out of the corner of his right eye.
"That mage" says Narladene the ground pixie as she lands upon the right shoulder of the elven magic user she's attached to. Who interrupts her as he says "Where's that wizard?" followed by "I can't find him".
"He's in there" says the naturally magical creature after sensing for the wizard in question, then points down at a roundhouse on the south side of the village that the elven masterthief is floating a few hundred feet above.
The shielded and blurred elven spellcaster nods his hooded head, then as the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel is just about to shift down to the ground, Narladene quickly says to him "Wait".
The elven master assassin who is a member of the personal council to the lord and ruler of the lands Farque slightly frowns as he glances at the tiny winged creature who is standing on his right shoulder.
"That mage" says Narladene who begins again where she was interrupted by the elven princeling from Laerel "He's awake, well waking" adds the ground pixie.
Helbe the elven thief quickly looks down to the long building that the unconscious mage was taken into, and he can no longer sense him.
"By the forest gods" mutters prince Helbenthril Raendril, who then asks Narladene "Is he still in that building there" as he points to the long, low building near the center of the village.
"He is" says the ground pixie who is originally from the Sunreach Mountains, who met the young elven princeling she's attached to, nearly fifteen years ago in the city of Leeabra, the capital of the kingdom of Druvic.
"He's holding his power within himself" adds the naturally magical creature, who at seven and a half centuries old is fairly young for a pixie.
"I know" dryly says the blurred and shielded elven magic user.
Narladene sourly smiles, then says "There he is, he's not now".
The elven magic user from the island principality of Laerel nods as he suddenly senses the mage named Samiel.
Prince Helbenthril Raendril is just about to cast a spell, when Narladene suddenly tells him something.
"Hell" mutters the elven masterthief who winces when he hears what the ground pixie has to say.
The highly talented elven spellcaster who has no trouble casting multiple spells at once, slams up some wards around himself.
Samiel the mage groans as he fully comes around. The powerful spellcaster who hails from the city-state of Tuledare remembers casting a spell against what he thought was a troll, then suddenly blacking out after seeing into the mind of what he thinks was a troll.
Now he finds himself lying on the floor of the low, long building in the center of the village, that the illegal wreckers have been using as a tavern.
The mage who before becoming a criminal, then an illegal wrecker, worked for the airdock authority in the city of Tuledare.
Finds himself covered in vomit, from his chin, down to his waist. Samiel makes a face of disgust at this discovery as he tries to sit up.
The Tuledarian mage who automatically started holding his power within himself when he fully woke up.
Frowns as he tastes something in his mouth, he thinks about it for a few moments, then realises it's the aftertaste of a healing potion.
"Gorlic" murmurs Samiel the mage as he realises the former arena fighter from the city-state of Brattonbury must of given him a healing potion.
Then the powerful mage frowns once more as he suddenly remembers as he was trying to wake up, Gorlic slapping him across the face and yelling at him to wake up.
"Damn hothead" mutters Samiel, who then wonders why he fell into unconsciousness in the first place.
The spellcaster from the city-state of Tuledare didn't sense anything magical on or near what he still thinks is a troll.
So he comes to the conclusion, correct as it turns out. That there must be an unknown spellcaster about. Infact there's a trio of them. Though they didn't have anything to do with him being knocked out.
The powerful mage gets to his knees, and glances towards a nearby window, and sees that outside the darkness of predawn has all but dissipated, and the early morning gloom of dawn has taken over.
Samiel briefly thinks about something, then he stops holding his power within himself and creates a mageglobe that appears in his right hand.
The living piece of magic shoots from his right hand, across the room, and out the open window.
The Tuledarian spellcaster has tasked it to go out and find any spellcasters in or near the village. Who isn't himself, Sasha the sorceress who he senses somewhere on the north side of the village green.
But not on the roof of the two storey house on the northwest corner of the village green where she's supposed to be. Or Davon the wizard, who Samiel can't sense.
The powerful mage may not particularly like the brand of magic that Davon practices. Nor the overall ability of the wizard's spellcasting.
But he will admit that Davon can be a bit of a sneak at times with magic. Who can do something unsuspecting, especially when you're not expecting it.
Samiel senses his mageglobe outside circling around the building he's in, and just before he starts to hold his power within himself and get up and head for the nearby door, he senses the living piece of magic shoot up into the dawn sky above the village.
The powerful mage steps outside, and looks up trying to see where his mageglobe went, but he can't see it anywhere.
Samiel glances around in the dawn light, and wonders what he should do. Then the spellcaster from the city-state of Tuledare hears the roar of what he still thinks is a troll.
The mage who is part of the crew of illegal wreckers who have been plaguing the airships that fly over the Kaldel Plains over the last year or so.
Makes his way through the village, muttering to himself "I'll get that damn troll this time" as he walks through the early morning light as the sun rises in the east.
Mira Reinholt the mage frowns as he looks out the back door of the house he's in. The once powerful mage from the city-state of Vexil, briefly senses the mage named Samiel towards the center of the village.
The spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, who can't be sensed by other spellcasters due to an amulet he wears around his neck.
Spots a mageglobe head up into the sky, before he's unable to sense the mage again.
The Vexilian mage in exile watches the mageglobe go up into the dawn sky, just a few hundred feet up, then go sideways and down, until it's out of view.
The spellcaster who was once the most powerful mage of his generation to be found anywhere in the Southlands, slightly nods his hooded head as he realises the small red, living piece of magic, that must be the size of a small apple.
Is after Helbe the elven thief, who was going to observe the battle for the village, from up in the dawn sky. On what looks like it's going to be another clear and sunny, though cold day here in the northeast of the Kaldel Plains.
The mage in exile from his homeland of Vexil tries to sense for the other mage, but is unable to.
The mage Reinholt closes the backdoor as he hears both a roar from Dorc da Orc, and a shout from sir Percavelle Lé Dic from somewhere else in the village.
The Vexilian swordmaster who is a part of the personal council to the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, makes his way to the front room of this particular house located on the southside of the village green.
One of the few houses in the village where the illegal wreckers live and work from, that isn't a roundhouse.
In the front room, councillor Reinholt sees Tamric Drubine and Shur Kee the monk trying to move one of the magetubes. And though it and two others in the room are in their firing cradles, they're still extremely difficult to move, as it's just the two of them to do so.
As he hurries over to help the young field commander and the physical adept, Mira Reinholt the mage asks "What part of that house over there has the rest of that loot in it?".
"The right side" is the reply from Tamric Drubine the field commander, who then adds in the elven language "That's where Narladene says they moved it to from the main room".
The nobleborn teenager who hails from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin reverts back to the common language, and continues with "We're just trying to clear this wreck here" as he nods out the window infront of them, at one of the stripped down airships on the village green.
It's infront of the bow of the one that's now well and truly ablaze thanks to the mage Reinholt setting it on fire.
The once powerful mage casts a spell, and the magetube in it's cradle is now far easier to move with all three of them pushing.
"We'll probably have to shoot out of the wall beneath the window here" explains the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, who follows that with "If we lift it up, the firing angle will definitely only hit the second storey, or even pass over it".
Tamric Drubine or Tam as he's more commonly called by the others in the group nods his head in agreement.
Then the son and former heir of a previous knight of castle Drubine, a castle found in the forested north of the kingdom of Sarcrin, asks the once powerful mage "That sorceress still over there?".
"Not behind that two storey building anymore" is the answer from Mira Reinholt after he senses across to the north side of the village green. To the two storey house that the leader of the illegal wreckers has been living in ever since he and his crew took over this village, and the next one just a few short miles to the north.
"She's still around on the north side of the village, heading eastwards" adds Mira Reinholt, who slightly nods his hooded head when he realises where the sorceress named Sara must be heading.
The exiled Vexilian mage who is of the opinion the sorceress won't like what she's going to encounter soon, says to Tam and Shur Kee "Don't fire until i say so" the highly skilled swordmaster continues with "There's something i want to do the exact same time we fire it off".
Mira Reinholt just wants the mage named Samiel to know that he's not the only mage in the area. And that though the spellcaster from the city-state of Vexil may not be all that powerful anymore.
There's a number of things he can do and can create, that are still as devastating as when he still had all of his powers at his disposal.
The three of them get the large, magical weapon so that it's pointing across the village green, clear of any of the airships that are out on the green.
They maneuver it so that it's pointing at the right side, from their viewpoint. Of the two storey house across the village green, at the northwest corner.
"Are we going to hit it?" asks councillor Reinholt "I think we will" says Shur Kee the monk who is an honorary member of the personal council to lord Farque.
"I'd say so" says field commander Drubine who peers down the length of the magetube as he looks out the window to the two storey house across the village green.
Then the nobleborn teenager from the kingdom of Sarcrin nods his head, and says "We'll hit it" then he steps to the side and back, so that he's near the back end of the powerful magical weapon.
Both Mira Reinholt and Shur Kee move back from the otherside of the magetube, and Tam looks at the two of them, in particular the Vexilian mage in exile and says "Ready when you are".
"Wait a bit" says the once powerful mage who is sensing as he prepares to create a mageglobe.
The young field commander in the armies of Farque nods, and he waits for the order from councillor Reinholt to shoot the magetube.
Over on the north side of the village, Beldane the cleric is behind one of the roundhouses.
The fighting cleric from the kingdom of Nastell who is a member of the church of Glaine takes a peek around one side of the roundhouse.
And not that far away, just thirty or forty yards at most. He sees in the early light of dawn, Darid Parsen the cavalry commander, Lisell Maera the messenger and Tovis the war engineer, engaged in combat with a fair few of the illegal wreckers, near and around some of the wagons placed between some of the houses.
The powerful cleric who saw sir Percavelle Lé Dic take off further into the village a short time ago. Has been told to keep clear, and out of the way. And to take care of more dangerous opponents amongst the illegal wreckers who might come this way.
One of whom is the sorceress by the name of Sara, who Beldane senses not all that faraway, who is heading in this direction.
The sorceress who survived a strike spell cast by the fighting cleric a little earlier, which struck the roof of the two storey house she was on previously.
Doesn't know where Beldane is, or who he is. As he's still under the influence of the shield spell that was cast upon him by Helbe the elven thief.
The member of the church of Glaine who is pretty sure he sensed the mage named Samiel briefly a few moments ago.
Takes a peek in the other direction after watching the trio engaged with some of the illegal wreckers, one of whom is their leader, Arvelle the plainsman.
Beldane spots something, then quickly steps forward in through the open back door of the roundhouse.
That until just before dawn, had some of the locals living in here. Who took off out of the village when all the shouting, yelling and roaring got underway not so long ago.
The powerful cleric takes his magical mace from the loop on his belt, and waits just back from the open doorway, listening carefully as he does so.
And though he can hear the sounds of combat not all that far away from the roundhouse he's inside of. And he's pretty sure he hears sir Percavelle Lé Dic shouting in the distance, from further in the village.
And he's absolutely sure he can hear the roaring and yelling of Dorc da Orc from even further away in the village.
He listens carefully for what he knows is approaching from further to the west along this side of the village.
Beldane lifts his mace up, then pulls his right arm back, to get ready to swing the weapon forward around his body as all of a sudden he hears people approaching the roundhouses he's in from west.
The fighting cleric who knows who it is, as he caught a quick glimpse of them just before he stepped inside of the roundhouse, silently counts to himself.
Then the cleric in the church of Glaine steps forward, as he does, he swings his mace forward, casting a spell as he's about to swing it out the open door.
As Beldane does this, the village and the dawn is rocked by the loud unmistakable thud of a magetube firing that everyone in the village, and those near it, clearly hear.
A thud that comes from the village green, that reverberates first thing this morning, here in the village located in the northeast of the Kaldel Plains . . . . . .

Aftermath 50.

The Kaldel Plains...

"There the side door" says Gorlic the former arena fighter, who nods his head to where they should go.
Infront of Gorlic and Pallen the blademaster. Sasha the former mercenary hurries forward, and kicks open the side door to the long, low building that the illegal wreckers use as a tavern.
"Get out!" shouts Sasha the former mercenary after she enters, and finds a number of the locals who were up early, have gathered in here when they heard all the commotion going on towards the east side of the village.
"Get clear of the village for a bit" says the good looking woman with just one eye, and a gnarly looking scar down the left side of her face, the same side that she has no eye.
"It isn't safe" adds the former mercenary who hails from the kingdom of Girdane, while Gorlic and Pallen hurry in through the side door, carrying the unconscious Samiel between them.
As the locals scatter, heading out the other doors. Both the former arena fighter originally from the city-state of Brattonbury, and the dangerous blademaster who hails from the kingdom of Girdane. Unceremoniously dump the unconscious mage onto the floor.
"He's heavier than he looks" says Gorlic, who like the tall plainsman who is a blademaster, is breathing heavily.
"Damn mage needs to loose some weight" sourly says Pallen the blademaster, who then hurries back and closes the side door that his lover Sasha kicked open.
Then he joins her at a nearby window, and as they look out of it and see that the darkness of predawn is giving away to the gloom of dawn, and as Gorlic rummages around in his pockets.
The dangerous blademaster who though born and raised in the kingdom of Girdane, is actually a plainsman like his parents were, asks the former arena fighter from the coastal city-state of Brattonbury "Are you sure that thing is an ork?".
"Definitely sure" says Gorlic, who pulls something out of one of his pockets, but it isn't what he's looking for.
"I saw one when i first started off in the arenas back home, about fourteen years ago now" adds the Brattonburian who continues with "The thing was in the stands in the crowd, I'll never forget seeing it. Damn thing spent all day yelling and swearing at everyone down on the sands. And that's when it wasn't drinking and eating everything in sight".
"Is that it?" murmurs Gorlic, who after taking something out of a pocket, murmurs "No".
The former arena fighter from the coast of the Southlands, then says "I didn't get close to it at all. But those i know who did, said the thing smelled like a dung heap. And in the sticky summer heat we get in Brattonbury, you can imagine how bad it reeked".
"It did kind of pong" quietly says Sasha who is sure she caught a whiff of the ork as it ran to where they were positioned on the east side of the village.
Then the former mercenary from the kingdom of Girdane, and her lover the blademaster who are looking outside through an open window, look at Gorlic, who says "Got it" in a triumphant tone of voice after taking out a small glass vial from the bottom of an inside pocket in his cloak.
Then as Pallen the blademaster says "Think there's fighting on the north side of the village, i can hear it" and from not all that far away they hear the loud roar of the ork again.
The former arena fighter from the city-state of Brattonbury undoes the stopper in the vial, and after making a face of disgust as Samiel has vomit down his front, and flecks of it over his face and chin, he opens the mouth of the powerful mage, and pours the contents of the vial into his mouth.
"Is it working?" asks Sasha the former mercenary "I'm not sure" says Gorlic, who after a few moments of silence adds "I think it is". As he's pretty sure the spellcaster from the city-state of Tuledare is starting to stir.
"Wake up mage!" shouts the former arena fighter, who knows he'll probably never get another opportunity to do it, so he slaps the face of Samiel.
"Yeah i think he's waking" says Gorlic after hearing Samiel groan "Don't know how long it'll take for him to fully wake though" adds the Brattonburian, who took up a life of crime after finishing his fairly average career in the famous fighting arenas of his homeland.
"We can't wait for him" says Pallen the blademaster, who nods out the window as he continues with "We've got to help them with what's going on out there".
"I agree" says his lover Sasha, who then adds "The mage will just have to help out when he's able to" the good looking one eyed woman follows that with "Thing is, which way do we go?".
The former mercenary from the kingdom of Girdane looks at her lover the plainsman, then she looks over at Gorlic, before looking back at Pallen beside her, and says "Towards that ork?" she then adds "Or over to the north side of the village?".
"North side of the village" quickly says the former arena fighter from Brattonbury who makes it pretty clear what he thinks they should do.
"Well?" asks Sasha as she looks at Pallen as the darkness outside continues to lighten as dawn takes over on what feels like it's going to be another cold morning here in the northeast of the Kaldel Plains.
The former mercenary lifts a questioning eyebrow, and though she usually decides what they do when it comes to something they'll do in the wrecking crew.
But when it comes to combat, specifically battle, she'll defer to her lover Pallen.
Who slightly nods, then looks over at Gorlic, and the dangerous blademaster asks him "What's the best way to defeat an ork?".
The former arena fighter sourly smiles as he figured Pallen would most likely go for the harder option. And in harder, Gorlic is of the opinion it's an impossible option.
"I know how lethal you are with your sword Pallen" says the Brattonburian, who continues with "But you'll have no chance against that ork" he quickly adds "You could have three feet of your blade in it's guts, and it would only get more annoyed with you, then it'll probably grab you and bite your face off".
Gorlic who has never actually seen an ork in action. Listened to plenty of others in the fighting arenas of Brattonbury who had seen an ork in battle.
Some of the experienced arena fighters had fought during the battle of Vexil. And there was an ork in that particular battle. The largest and most famous battle in all the Southlands in the last four hundred and fifty years. Since the war against the Holy Norstran Empire that had come across the Great Western Ocean and invaded the Southlands over four and half centuries ago.
And every man, woman, or dwarf or elf or troll, in the fighting arenas of Brattonbury who saw that ork fight in the battle of Vexil.
Told Gorlic it was truly a fool who stood against that ork, who cut down everyone who came up against him.
Through the former arena fighter does remember a lot of conjecture from the experienced fighters in the arenas who were present at the battle of Vexil, as to what side of the battle the ork was actually on.
As there were many arguments about it being on the attackers side, and on the city side. Sometimes even both. Which is actually what happened.
And that particular ork at the battle of Vexil. Is the same one Gorlic saw in the stands in the fighting arenas in Brattonbury when he got his career in the arenas underway.
And it's the same ork, they hear roaring just a couple hundred feet away from the long, low building that he, along with Sasha and Pallen, and semi-conscious Samiel are in at the moment.
"So I'd advise you not to do anything idiotic like that" says the former arena fighter from the coast of the Southlands, who then adds "The only chance of taking it down is to turn it into a pin cushion, then shoot it some more".
Gorlic who has stood up, gestures down at the barely moving Samiel, and says "Or have the mage or one of the other spellcasters blast it to bits".
"Samiel didn't exactly do that well trying to cast upon it before" dryly says the tall plainsman with the long hair, who then adds "But i get your point".
The dangerous blademaster who was born and raised in the kingdom of Girdane, it's also where he trained to be a blademaster, then says "We'll cut across to the north side of the village, and see what we can do there".
Both Gorlic and Sasha nod at that, then the good looking, one eyed woman then asks the usually hotheaded former arena fighter "Is he awake yet?" as she points to the mage from the city-state of Tuledare who is on the floor.
"Not fully" says Gorlic, who bends down and opens one of Samiel's eyelids and finds a dazed look in left eye of the powerful mage.
"We can't wait for him" says Sasha who then adds "Let's go". The former mercenary from the kingdom of Girdane heads out the side door first. Followed by her lover Pallen. And then Gorlic, though only after the Brattonburian slaps the still dazed Samiel across the face again, to try and help him wake up a bit more quicker.
The trio of Sasha, Pallen and Gorlic head through the village, making their way to the north side, where fighting can be heard, and where one loud voice can be heard over the others shouting what sounds like "Saint Mar-che!" and "Narille!" quite often.
The former mercenary from Girdane, Sasha spots one of the other wreckers up on a roof of a house with a crossbow in his hands, who calls down to them as they pass "There's something damn big that way between the houses!" as he gestures with his weapon to the east.
"I know!" calls back Sasha, who continues with "Shoot it if it comes this way!".
"And stay the hell away from it!" adds Pallen as they run by the roundhouse with the crossbowman on the rooftop.
Gorlic looks away to their left between an open space between a couple of houses, where he gets a clear view of the village green.
"Holy shit" mutters the former arena fighter from the city-state of Brattonbury, who then tells the couple running infront of him "One of the ships on the green is on fire".
Pallen glances that way, then mutters "Hell". But they don't stop and head that way, they continue on towards the north side of the village as the darkness starts to dissipate, and the light of a new day here in the northeast of the Kaldel Plains starts to take over.
They round a corner, and look away to their left, where they see fighting near some of the wagons that have been placed between some of the houses, here on the north side of village.
Sasha and Pallen, then Gorlic hurry that way only to see a large heavily armoured figure rushing towards them.
"A fucking knight?" murmurs the former arena fighter from the city-state of Brattonbury as he looks between the couple right infront of him, and spots the large man, in a full suit of plate armour running this way.
And just as Sasha is thinking to herself that the knight is moving pretty quick for someone in all that armour. He runs into them, shouting "Saint Mar-che!".
The good looking woman with just one eye, and gnarly looking scar down one side of her face, is clipped by the knight's shield and goes reeling off to one side.
While the tall plainsman who is her lover, dives to one side, to dodge out of the way of a wicked looking pick that's swung at him.
While the former arena fighter from the coast of the Southlands, yelps "Fuck!" just before he's hit full on with the knight's shield, which sends him to the ground.
The heavily armoured knight doesn't stop, he keeps running in the direction that the three of them have come from, heading further into the village.
The couple Sasha and Pallen who are getting up from the ground, look to the nearby wagons, where they hear Arvelle the plainsman shout out to them "Get him!" the leader of the crew of the illegal wreckers adds "Don't let that knight get away!".
The former mercenary and the dangerous blademaster, who sees that the tall plainsman with the shaved head who leads them, is struggling to keep at bay a man with a pair of long daggers, and a dark cloth wrapped around the lower half of his face.
While a handful of other wreckers, are fighting an attractive looking young woman with a shortsword, and muscular looking man in a long leather apron, wielding a hammer.
The couple from the kingdom of Girdane who met on opposite sides of a battlefield in their homeland, share a look. Then once they're up off the ground, they turn and head back the way they came from.
"Gorlic come on" says Sasha as she and Pallen head off to pursue the large knight who knocked them all down.
"Coming" mutters Gorlic who groans as he struggles to get up off the ground. The former arena fighter from the city-state of Brattonbury winces when he eventually stands up.
Then with a slight limp, he hurries after the former mercenary and the dangerous blademaster who both hail from the kingdom of Girdane.
"A knight?" mutters Gorlic, who then silently adds, what the fuck is a knight doing here?
While further infront of him in the village, both Sasha and Pallen are thinking the same thing.
The couple from Girdane who noticed that the trio who were attacking Arvelle and the others with him, were all in some kind of black uniform by the looks of it.
Have no real difficulty in finding which way the knight has gone, as they hear him repeatedly shout "Saint Mar-che!" or "Narille!" every so often.
Sasha, who is pretty certain that Narille is the name of one of the gods, glances at her lover beside her as it continues to get brighter as the sun starts to rise in the east.
Pallen glances at her too, as they've both realised that the knight is more or less heading to where they can also hear the roaring of that ork.
A bit further behind the couple, Gorlic as he hobbles along after them, has realised the same thing.
The former arena fighter mutters "Fucking hell" as he along with the former mercenary and the dangerous blademaster head further into the village, in pursuit of the knight . . . . . .

Aftermath 49.

The Kaldel Plains...

As Sasha the former mercenary calls out "Archers!" followed by "Shoot anyone coming this way who isn't one of us".
Behind her, Pallen the blademaster and Gorlic the former arena fighter who are carrying the unconscious Samiel the mage between them, share a look.
Then Pallen the blademaster after glancing at the knocked out spellcaster, says "Where should we take him?".
Wincing as they hear a roar from somewhere behind them in the village, Gorlic the former arena fighter says "The tavern".
The wrecker who is originally from the city-state of Brattonbury, where he fought in the famous fighting arenas in that city, adds "I've got something that'll hopefully bring him around".
"Healing potion?" asks the dangerous blademaster who is originally from the kingdom of Girdane.
Gorlic nods his head yes, then he grunts in effort, as they haul the unconscious spellcaster from the city-state of Tuledare, around some of the wagons that have been placed between two of the roundhouses.
"Sasha the tavern" says the tall plainsman to his lover the former mercenary, who like him, is originally from the kingdom of Girdane.
Sasha nods her head, and turns for the centre of the village, not that far from the green, to the low, flat building that the illegal wreckers have essentially been using as a tavern ever since they took over this village, here in the northeast of the Kaldel Plains.
On the north side of the village, Arvelle the plainsman watchers the fireball cast by Sara the sorceress, head northwards through the darkness that's starting to slowly lift as it gets closer to dawn.
"Think it'll hit?" asks one of the wreckers on the wagon that the leader of the illegal wreckers is standing next to.
"Maybe" quietly says Arvelle the plainsman as they are able to make out a number of people running this way from the north, it looks like there's just four of them.
Even so, they're heading straight for the north side of the village, even though the fireball is basically heading straight at them.
Up on the roof of the two storey building that their leader Arvelle has been living in.
With the lookouts on the rooftop, Sara the sorceress glances at her twin brother Famic, who says to her "Behind us on the green" he then adds "One of the ships is on fire".
The accomplished sorceress looks away from her fireball, and turns. And from the roof of the two storey building on the northwest corner of the village green.
She sees the largest of the three airships the illegal wreckers are still tearing apart, the wide bodied transporter, is on fire.
Sasha quickly senses, and doesn't sense any spellcasters nearby, just the unconscious Samiel, who must be being carried through the village, as she senses him moving from the east side of the village.
The sorceress, who doesn't really look like her twin brother, slightly frowns as she can't sense Davon the wizard anywhere at all.
Then Sasha slightly nods, as she knows the wizard from the kingdom of Nastell, has a few tricks up his sleeves, so to speak.
"Some more of them must of come in from the southwest" says Sasha the sorceress, her brother Famic nods, then calls down to some of the others down on this side of the village green "Check out that ship that's on fire" he then adds "Kill anyone who isn't one of us".
Then the twins from the kingdom of Nastell, turn back to the north, and continue to watch the fireball cast by the sorceress.
In a roundhouse on the south side of the village, Davon the wizard glances out of a gap between window shutters.
The wizard who is holding his power within himself, can see between a couple of houses just on the otherside of the one he's in, a few other wreckers with bows, hurrying by, heading to the east side of the village.
Davon who felt his alarm spells first go off to the east of the village, and a little while later heard shouting, then roaring coming from that side of the village, after he sensed Samiel the mage fall unconscious.
Then sensed his alarms spells go off to the north of the village, and when he sensed Sara the sorceress casting a fireball in that direction, the wizard decided to hide himself.
As he knew a spellcaster, must be involved with those now attacking the village that the illegal wreckers are living and working in. And not just the mage that Samiel thinks is in this area of the plains.
Davon is fairly certain that there's another spellcaster, far more subtle and skillful compared to a mage who is about.
For even if another mage is around, and they're trying subterfuge, they will eventually revert back to nature, and blow something up no matter how powerful they are. And as of yet, nothing like that has happened.
The wizard who hails from the city-state of Andelka hears someone calling out orders, and nods when he recognises the voice of Sasha the former mercenary.
Davon hurries over to his right, and glances out an open window on the east side of the roundhouse. And the spellcaster turned illegal wrecker, who can see that it's quickly approaching dawn outside.
Sees some of the locals, running from the next house along, heading south out of the village. The wizard reaches for something up his right sleeve, and once it's in his hand, he waits.
Samiel the mage might speak of Davon's skills at casting in a disparaging manner. But even he would admit that the wizard can be quite cunning and use things you wouldn't expect.
He's also a lot smarter than one would think. Not to mention much more cautious than other spellcasters. Willing to wait to see what's actually happening in a situation like this, before deciding to act.
Proof of that is now evident, as he's undetected, still conscious and waiting for a suitable target. While Samiel, the powerful mage from the city-state of Tuledare, is unconscious and out of action.
An arrow slams into the forehead of Dorc da Orc, who grunts as it bounces off his thick forehead. The large ork biffs his throwing axe in the direction it came from. And is rewarded by a frightened yelp of the archer who just shot at him, dive to the nearby rooftop he's standing on.
"Cunts" growls Dorc da Orc who picks up torch stuck into the ground, and he throws the burning brand into an open doorway.
That Teabagger the goblin Cunt who is behind the ork warleader has just thrown another torch into.
The big, burly ork who is from the southern polar region of the world, then says to the small, bright green goblin originally from the kingdom of Melaurn "Come on cunt, this way".
"Yes boss, i mean general" says Teabagger the goblin Cunt, as they head further into the village they've entered.
While on the nearby rooftop, the illegal wrecker who just shot at the general in the armies of Farque, and narrowly avoided getting hit by the axe thrown at him.
Puts another arrow to his bow, and goes to stand up, and as he draws back his weapon to shoot down at the small, bright green goblin hurrying along behind the large ork.
He's struck in the chest by a yard long shaft, that lifts him off his feet, and propels him backwards. Sending him tumbling off the rooftop he's on. To come crashing down on a cart behind the roundhouse he was standing on. He clips the edge of the cart with a resounding crack, then he hits the ground with a thud, already dead from the arrow sticking right through his chest.
Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy as he puts another cloth yard shaft to his longbow, glances over his right shoulder, and looks back to the east, and sees that it'll soon be dawn, and the sun will start to rise here in the northeast of the Kaldel Plains.
The elven spy who hails from the principality of Alínlae, faces forward again. And follows after Dorc da Orc and Teabagger the goblin Cunt who are moving further into the village that the illegal wreckers live in, and work from.
To the north of the village, Darid Parsen the cavalry commander gestures to the right as they run towards the village in the darkness of predawn.
The cavalry commander who is a member of the personal council to lord Farque, along with the other three with him. Sir Percavelle Lé Dic, Lisell Maera the messenger and Beldane the cleric.
All head to the right as they get closer to village in the predawn darkness and they easily avoid the fireball that can only travel in a straight line.
The cavalry commander who is really a hordes barbarian from the southern tundra by the name of Zubutai Timaginson who just happens to find himself inhabiting the body of Darid Parsen says "Whenever you want" as he glances back to his right at the fighting cleric from the kingdom of Nastell.
Beldane the cleric nods, and with his magical mace in his right hand as they get closer and closer to the village, the member of the church of Glaine who can't be sensed thanks to a spell that's been cast upon him, casts a spell of his own.
On the village green, behind the transporter that's now on fire around the stern, Mira Reinholt the mage glances around the burning aft section of the large airship that's being stripped apart by the illegal wreckers.
The once powerful mage slightly frowns as he wonders what he's about to see, as he's just sensed Beldane the cleric cast a spell.
The spellcaster who is from the city-state of Vexil is looking towards the northwest corner of the village green, to the two storey house located there.
And in the predawn darkness that's quickly lightening up as the sun will soon rise in the east.
The mage who also happens to be a highly skilled swordmaster, sees a beam of white light shoot down from the sky, and strike the roof of the two storey house.
Hitting some of those on the rooftop, including the sorceress by the name of Sara.
The mage senses that she's got wards up around her and the house. Her personal wards are far stronger, and she barely withstands the beam of white light that hits the rooftop.
Even then, she's knocked off her feet, and goes sliding down the otherside of the peeked roof, and is out of sight.
While two others near her are basically flung off the rooftop, hitting the ground infront of the house, on the village green. While a third goes tumbling down out of sight on the otherside of the roof.
The spellcaster who was once the most powerful mage of his generation to be found anywhere in the Southlands. Briefly contemplates casting a spell of his own, or to create a mageglobe as he can still sense that the sorceress is still alive.
But that's not part of the plan, as he's supposed to wait until they flush out all the spellcasters amongst the wreckers before he reveals himself.
Besides he hears Tamric Drubine the field commander quietly say "Mira" from away to his right, at a house on the south side of the village green near the stripped down airship infront of the one he's behind.
The highly skilled swordmaster hurries forward, running his left hand along the transporter he's next to, setting more of it on fire.
One of the illegal wreckers who is onboard who was acting as a lookout up one of the masts, screams in pain as he's about to climb overboard, as the rail he grabbed bursts into flames.
The Vexilian mage in exile spots the nobleborn teenager from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin who waves him towards the house, one of the few in the village that isn't a roundhouse.
Mira Reinholt the mage follows Tam inside quietly asking "What is it?".
Shur Kee the monk who is already inside, just points. And the swordmaster who is a member of the personal council to the lord and ruler of the lands Farque. Can't help but grin as he sees the three magetubes in their cradles.
"Well, would you look at that" quietly says the mage Reinholt, who then adds "So this is where they are".
Both Shur Kee the monk and Tamric Drubine the field commander nod as the once powerful mage continues to grin.
Helbe the elven thief looks away to the west side of the village, and the burning airship on the village green.
The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel knows that his fellow councillor, Mira Reinholt is over there somewhere.
But he's unable to sense the Vexilian mage in exile due to the amulet his fellow spellcaster wears.
The elven magic user who is blurred and shielded concentrates, and though it's near impossible to sense magical items from any distance, he slightly nods his head as he's just able to sense the magical sword that belongs to Tamric Drubine.
The young field commander is in one of the houses on the south side of the village green near where the burning ship is.
The elven masterthief rightly assumes that both Mira Reinholt and Shur Kee the monk are with the nobleborn teenager who hails from the kingdom of Sarcrin.
The grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel then spots Dorc da Orc and Teabagger the goblin Cunt making their way further into the village from the east side, followed by Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy.
Who prince Helbenthril Raendril can just make out, as he's difficult to see even with his nightvision and his naturally enhanced eyesight.
The elven master assassin who is a member of the personal council to lord Farque after briefly looking away to the east, where the predawn darkness is turning to a murky gloom as the sun is about to rise over the horizon in that direction.
Looks to the north side of the village, and spots Darid Parsen the cavalry commander and those with him. Sir Percavelle Lé Dic, Lisell Maera the messenger, and Beldane the cleric.
Are engaged in combat with some of the illegal wreckers on that side of the village.
The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel briefly watches them, before he looks at the south side of the village again.
As he does, the elven spellcaster slightly frowns as he's unable to sense the wizard he knows is somewhere there.
Hiding are we? Helbe the elven thief thinks to himself, who then silently adds, we can't have that now can we?
"You there?" murmurs the elven princeling, who then rolls his eyes, and sourly smiles as he gets no response from Narladene the ground pixie who went off to check on something to do with that mage, who is unconscious after trying to read the mind of Dorc da Orc.
Councillor Reinholt who is floating in the air a few hundred feet above the south end of the village waits for Narladene to return.
As he does, he continues to use his senses, both magical and mundane, to try and locate the wizard named Davon. Who is obviously holding his power within himself, to conceal where he is.
Helbenthril Raendril knows the wizard amongst the illegal wreckers will eventually act, and give himself away, he just has to wait until he does so. Or until Narladene returns to tell him where the wizard is hiding.
"Don't you worry, I'll find you" the blurred and shielded elven magic user murmurs to himself as he floats in the air above the village, while to the east the sky lightens up as it's now dawn here in this area of the Kaldel Plains . . . . . .

Aftermath 48.

The Kaldel Plains...

"Fucken get behind your general" growls Dorc da Orc as they walk through the darkness before dawn towards the village.
"Yes boss" quietly says Teabagger the goblin Cunt who hastily adds "General" as he moves from beside the large ork, to behind him.
The ork warleader grunts in satisfaction, then he looks towards the village, and those he sees standing near a couple of wagons between two of the roundhouses on the east side of the village.
The big, burly ork who hails from the southern polar region of the world briefly flashes a grin. Then he tries to look bored. Which basically makes him look less demented than he normally looks.
Though internally, the large ork who is the son of the former matriarch of the wolf tribe of orks is chuckling to himself.
Dorc or Dorkindle as his proper ork name is, though that's not his full name as that's massively long and often changes depending on what he's done and accomplished.
Has been told by both Mira Reinholt the mage and Helbe the elven thief what to expect.
Just as long as doesn't look like too much of a threat. Though that's difficult for him to pull off, as he stands seven and half foot tall, weighs over seven and fifty pounds. And is covered from head to foot in weapons.
All the same, he keeps his hands away from any of his weapons. And with the goblin commander Teabagger following behind him. He looks like he's going on a easy stroll before dawn here in the northeast of the Kaldel Plains.
"I thought trolls were a bit taller than that?" murmurs Samiel the mage, who after a moments pause, quietly adds "And not so fat".
The powerful spellcaster from the city-state of Tuledare who with his nightvision spell is watching the two approaching the village from the east, then says "That don't look all that threatening".
"They don't?" says Sasha the former mercenary who can now see the two approaching the village from the east a bit more clearly through her brass, cylindrical eyepiece as they get closer to the village.
"That troll has got weapons all over him" adds the good looking, one eyed woman who hails from the kingdom of Girdane.
She briefly pause, before continuing with "Though i guess you're right, it doesn't look like they're threatening, they're just calmly walking this way".
"Maybe they want to join up?" says Gorlic the former arena fighter, who continues with "It's no secret in the north of the plains at what we do, and where we're based" he then adds "They might of heard about us, and want to join our crew".
"It's a possibility" quietly says Sasha, who glances at her lover, Pallen the blademaster, who just shrugs his shoulders at that suggestion.
Then as the good looking woman with one eye, and a wicked looking scar down one side of her face, goes back to looking through her eyepiece, she asks Samiel "Can you sense anyone else about?" Sasha adds "That mage perhaps?".
The powerful spellcaster, who once worked for the airdock authority in the city of Tuledare before turning to a life of crime, which eventually led him here to the illegal wreckers based in the northeast of the Kaldel Plains, says "No one".
Which i don't know if it's a good thing or not, Samiel thinks to himself as he's certain there's a mage somewhere in the area, then the Tuledarian spellcaster says "Since it doesn't look like they're going to just walk up here and attack us, i suppose i could find out what their intentions are" the powerful mage then adds "Beats me just blasting them to bits without knowing what they're up to".
Sasha slightly nods, and glances at her lover the blademaster. The tall plainsman who like the former mercenary is from the kingdom of Girdane, nods as well.
"Alright" says the good looking one eyed woman, who then tells the Tuledarian mage "Do it" followed by "Though be careful".
"I intend to be" says Samiel, as the others now, who don't have the benefit of his nightvision spell, or the advantage of Sasha's brass, cylindrical eyepiece, can see the outline of what is the troll coming this way through the darkness before dawn, as he's less than a hundred yards away now.
The powerful mage rubs his gloved hands together for a moment to help keep them warm, as the night has been cold, and the coming day promises to be cold too.
Then Samiel, because he can only see the troll clearly, as the bright, shocking green goblin is walking behind it. He decides to cast upon the troll.
As he does, Gorlic the former arena fighter from the city-state of Brattonbury who can see those approaching the village from the east a bit more clearly as they're now less than fifty yards away, and almost approaching some of the nearby lamp and torch light, says "Hey, that doesn't look that much like a troll when i think about it". And as Gorlic adds "It looks more".
Samiel casts his spell. A mind read spell. Upon what he thinks is a troll. But it isn't a troll, it's an ork.
The next instant, the powerful mage projectile vomits, getting some of it over the right arm of Pallen the blademaster, who says "Fucking watch it" as he steps back.
And as Samiel topples over, already unconscious before he hits the ground. Gorlic, finishes his sentence after glancing over at the falling mage with "Like an ork".
Dorc da Orc chuckles when he feels the tingling in his head of a spellcaster casting some kind of mind spell on him. Big mistake on their part.
As Dorkindle like all orks, is immune to spells upon the minds. And the consequences for the doing so, are rather unpleasant and more than a bit messy.
The large ork then roars, and breaks out into a run, and says to Teabagger following close behind him "Come on cunt".
Then the big, burly ork who is from the frozen bottom of the world, takes a hammer and an axe from his weapon harness, and yells "Get some!" as he runs towards the village.
There's a moment's pause as they all look at the mage on the ground who is completely knocked out, and snoring in a puddle of his own vomit.
Then Pallen the blademaster shouts "Move!" the tall plainsman who heard Gorlic say it was an ork and not a troll, says to the wreckers on the wagons "Get off those, and get the mage out of here".
One of the men on the wagon goes to jump off the wagon, and as he does so, he's skewered by an arrow. It's a yard long arrow, shot from a longbow. Which knocks him off the wagon with force.
"We have to move" says the dangerous blademaster as he knows the threat they face. He might not of seen an ork before, but he knows of their prowess in battle. And it's only a madman who would willingly face one.
Gorlic, who also knows of the threat of an ork, shouts "Run!". The former arena fighter from the city-state of Brattonbury. Has actually seen an ork in the past.
It was a good fourteen years ago, when he first started in the fighting arenas of Brattonbury. Where he saw one in the crowds one summer.
The Brattonburian like so many of the arena fighters at the time was just glad that orks were banned from fighting in the arenas. As they would win no matter what, and against multiple opponents and not stop at first blood as per the rules of the fighting arenas.
And if they weren't satisfied then, they'd probably jump into the crowd and start killing the people in the stands watching them.
The former arena fighter from the coast of the Southlands, doesn't know it, but the ork running this way towards the village, is the same one he saw all those years ago in the fighting arenas of Brattonbury.
Gorlic grabs the unconscious Samiel, and with the help of Pallen, picks up the Tuledarian mage. The two of them drag the spellcaster between them as they follow after Sasha the former mercenary, who is shouting out for assistance, and that they're under attack.
The remaining wrecker who was on the wagons, has jumped off. And after checking on the man with the arrow through him, and finds him dead. He goes to run off.
Just then there's a loud crashing thump behind him. And the wagon he was just on, is shoved sideways, and goes toppling over, and lands on him, crushing him beneath it.
Dorc da Orc who has just run into the side of one of the wagons, then tipped it over, loudly roars, and shouts "Fucken get some ya cunts!".
The ork weaponsmith steps around the side the overturned wagon, then stomps on the head of the man crushed beneath it, who is still alive, screaming in agony. Until his skull is shattered apart by the big right boot of the ork weaponsmith.
"Come on cunt" says Dorkindle with a nod of his head to Teabagger the goblin cunt, who hurries around the upturned wagon to join his general.
"Let's go kill these cunts" adds the big, burly ork who hails from the southern polar region of the world.
The warleader of the ork race and the small, bright green goblin who is the commander of the goblin battalion in the armies of Farque, enter the village proper. And go in search of more of the illegal wreckers who took down both the warship they were flying on, and more recently, on the small ship's boat or jolly boat they were flying on.
A few moments later, they're followed by a near invisible Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy. Who has been tasked to support the ork warleader and the goblin commander.
Over to the north of the village that the illegal wreckers are using as a base. Darid Parsen the cavalry commander rolls his eyes, as next to him, sir Percavelle Lé Dic loudly mutters "That filthy beast" when they hear Dorc da Orc in the distance on the east side of the village, roaring.
Commander Parsen, 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. Who was a foot soldier in the army of lady Linara Lé Dic in the kingdom of Druvic, looks to his left at the cleric Beldane.
"Well?" quietly asks Darid Parsen the cavalry commander "He's out" says Beldane the cleric who faintly winces at what he knows just happened to the mage named Samiel.
The fighting cleric from the kingdom of Nastell, who has a shield spell cast by Helbe the elven thief upon him, continues with "He'll be unconscious for a while, unless one of the others heals him".
The member of the church of Glaine nods to the village to the south of them, and says "If we go, we'll set off those warning spells they've got".
"That's what we want" quietly says Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman, who then tells the others "Let's go".
The cavalry commander who is a member of the personal council to lord Farque, makes his way from out of the small patch of trees just to the north of the village.
With him is sir Percavelle Lé Dic, Beldane the cleric, and Lisell Maera the messenger. The four of them hurry from the scrubby looking trees, and head through the predawn darkness towards the nearby village.
Darid aka Zubutai the son of a Timagin with a pair of long daggers in hand. Sir Percavelle Lé Dic with a small pickaxe, Beldane the cleric with his magical mace. And the messenger, Lisell Maera carrying her crossbow.
Hurry towards the village, as they do they set off the alarm spells that have been placed just to the north of village.
Arvelle the plainsman is on the north side of the village checking on those guarding this side, when he hears the shouting and yelling, followed by loud roaring coming from the east side of the village.
The leader of the illegal wreckers momentarily pauses, as do the others with him. Then he takes off running, heading for the east side of the village.
He doesn't get very far, when he suddenly hears the voice of Sara the sorceress within his head.
The tall plainsman with the shaved head, stops and looks back westwards and spots the two storey house he's been living in.
There upon the roof, he can make out the sorceress and her twin brother Famic and the others up there.
He sees Sara pointing to the north, as she explains something in his mind.
"Fuck" mutters Arvelle the plainsman who quickly heads back to where he just came from.
As he does, he looks back to the two storey house on the northwest corner of the village green.
And he sees a fireball cast by the sorceress, leave the roof, and head northwards through the predawn darkness.
"We're under attack!" shouts Arvelle the plainsman as Sara has informed him that attackers are approaching from the north, and that they've entered the village from the east.
As he runs to the wagons between some of the roundhouses on the north side of the village.
The tall plainsman with the shaved head yells at the wreckers there "Attackers from the north!".
They along with their leader, watch the fireball heading northwards, lighting up the predawn sky.
And they spot four people to the north of the village running this way "Kill them!" commands Arvelle who wonders what else is happening here, in and around the village just before dawn.
"Stop here" quietly says Mira Reinholt the mage, followed by "There's a warning spell just infront of you that you'll set off".
Tamric Drubine nods his head, while Shur Kee the monk waits calmly behind the once powerful mage and the young field commander.
"Think they can see us?" quietly asks Tamric Drubine "Too much light there" replies the mage Reinholt who continues with "I bet their nightvision is shot".
Behind the Vexilian mage in exile, the physical adept from beyond the Southlands, from the far eastern coast of the continent, nods his head in agreement.
"Fireball" quietly says the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster when he spots the spell heading northwards from the village.
Then the mage, who is a member of the personal council to the lord and ruler of the lands Farque who is shielded thanks to the amulet he wears around his neck, quietly asks the two with him "Ready?".
"Yes" is the quiet reply of the nobleborn teenager from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin. "I am ready" quietly says Shur Kee the monk.
The spellcaster, who was once the most powerful mage of his generation to be found anywhere in the Southlands, nods his hooded head.
Councillor Reinholt then teleports the three of them from where they are just west of the village, to the village green, behind one of the airships that the illegal wreckers are stripping down.
The exiled Vexilian mage sets that airship on fire, as they continue the attack upon the village and the illegal wreckers who live and work here, that began a short while ago on the east side, with Dorc da Orc, Teabagger the goblin Cunt, and Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy entering the village.
There's a final member of the group who is yet to act, he's just waiting for the opportune time to do the most damage to the illegal wreckers, who find themselves under attack.
Not knowing why they're being attacked, or who is attacking them . . . . . .

Aftermath 47.

The Kaldel Plains...

Throughout the cold night, the crew of illegal wreckers take it in turns to guard the various ways the village can be approached from.
Where they've put wagons between many of the houses, as they watch for anyone approaching the village.
The trio of spellcasters, routinely cast to the north, west, east and particularly to the south to see if anyone is near the village. So far they've yet to find anyone near or approaching the village.
That doesn't stop them from still looking whenever one or two of them is awake, as the third gets some sleep.
Sometime during the night, after halfway between midnight and dawn. Pallen the blademaster is woken again by his lover, Sasha the former mercenary, who quietly tells him "Our turn again".
The two of them don their armour and weapons, and step out into the cold night.
They look away to their right, and in the nearby torch light, they see a trio of their fellow wreckers, behind one of the wagons, looking out to the southeast, making sure not to look at the torch light behind them, to preserve their night vision.
The couple, who are from the kingdom of Girdane, then head into the village proper. Occasionally glancing to the side where they see others on guard, looking out and away from the village, trying to spot anyone who may or may not be approaching the village.
Some of the wreckers might of complained at first earlier in the night at the lengths their leader Arvelle has gone to protect them and the village.
But after Pallen cut down the wrecker who was complaining the most. Simply because he didn't want to spend any amount of time outside during the cold night.
Everyone else who even murmured a complaint, shut up and got on with what they were told to do.
None of them wanted to end up dead on the end of dangerous blademaster's sword like the fellow who complained the loudest.
Pallen and Sasha head to the village green, and the two storey house that their leader Arvelle lives and works from.
The two of them briefly stop on the village green, which has burning torches stuck in the ground, dotted all over the place.
The green, that's the most open part of the village. Has wreckers everywhere, even up on the decks and masts of the ships they're still stripping down.
They're the best vantage points to see from anywhere in the village, including the roof of Arvelle's house. That has a trio of lookouts on it at the moment, and is usually where one of the spellcasters is located.
At the moment, the sorceress Sara is up there, bundled in a heavy cloak. Beside her as always, is her twin brother Famic. Who is one of the lookouts at this time.
The blademaster and the former mercenary from the kingdom of Girdane, nod to the twins from the kingdom of Nastell, who have looked down, and waved in greeting to them.
Then the couple, who met on opposite sides of a battlefield in their homeland of Girdane, enter the two storey house.
"Get any sleep?" asks Sasha the former mercenary "A bit" replies Arvelle the plainsman who yawns as he's just woken up a little while ago.
The leader of the illegal wreckers who have terrorised airships flying over the Kaldel Plains over the last year or so.
Is sitting at the table in the kitchen, where he's eating. He gestures for Sasha and Pallen to sit and join him. The couple do so, and partake in the food on the boards and plates on the table.
"Anything?" asks Pallen the blademaster "Nothing" replies the tall plainsman with the shaved head who leads the crew of illegal wreckers.
"The spellcasters too?" asks the dangerous blademaster, who though born and raised in the kingdom of Girdane, is also a plainsman. Though he wears his hair long in plaids, unlike his fellow plainsman, Arvelle.
"They've found nothing too" says the leader of the illegal wreckers, he continues with "As much as Samiel doesn't think much of Davon's abilities, he will admit that he's a genius at warning spells, or alarm spells as Samiel calls them".
Arvelle then adds "Seems the wizard has put them everywhere around the village to up to a quarter of a mile away in all directions, and even further to the south". The tall plainsman with the shaved head then says "It will gives us fair warning of anyone who gets near  the village".
"You trust it?" asks the blademaster in slight tone of scepticism "To a point" says Arvelle, who like his fellow plainsman Pallen, and for that matter all plainsmen, isn't entirely trusting of spellcasters and their spells.
"Better than nothing i suppose" says Sasha who is eating some bacon and cooked tomatoes, the two plainsmen nod in agreement.
Then the three of them look to the door of the kitchen when they hear someone out in the main room of the house.
"Samiel" quietly says Arvelle, who continues with "He's been sleeping out in the main room".
A few moments later, and the powerful mage makes his way into the kitchen, yawning as he does so.
"How late is it?" asks Samiel the mage after he sits down at the table and pours himself a mug of warm tea from the ceramic jug in the middle of the table.
As the spellcaster who hails from the city-state of Tuledare heats the tea in his mug with a quick spell, Pallen the blademaster dryly tells him "You mean early".
Samiel grunts, and Sasha the former mercenary says to him "It's closer to dawn than it is midnight".
The powerful mage nods, then now that he's relatively awake, he senses in all directions, for as far as he can. Which is to about six miles in all directions.
He immediately senses Sara up on the roof of the two storey house. And the wards she's surrounded Arvelle's house with.
The mage thinks the sorceress is a more than competent practitioner of magic. And though younger than him by about five years or so. She probably knows more spells than he does. Which isn't all that surprising, as he's a mage, who tend to concentrate on just one thing. That being destruction. And the spells that can help them achieve that. As well as other spells that help facilitate those destructive spells.
Samiel then senses Davon, who is on the south side of the village. Then all the alarm spells the wizard has placed out from the village. The furthest of which, are over a mile away to the south, almost to the large patch of scrubby trees in that direction.
The powerful mage who is sensing even further out in all directions, eventually nods his head as he's unable to sense anything or anyone else magical in the area. Including north to the other village about two and half miles away, that the illegal wreckers have also taken over.
"I can't sense anything new" says Samiel to the other three, who have all been watching him, figuring he's probably sensing trying to find any other spellcasters in the area who are unfriendly towards them.
The Tuledarian mage who is certain that there's another mage in this part of the Kaldel Plains, then says "If any spellcasters are about, they're keeping themselves well hidden".
Samiel, who was briefly blinded early in the night, when something stabbed him in the right eye, continues with "Even so, i sure there's another mage in the area".
Well, you're right about that, Narladene the ground pixie thinks to herself, who is sitting upon a window sill in the cosy kitchen watching and listening to those at the table.
There's another mage in the area alright, the naturally magical creature thinks to herself, Narladene who is invisible to the four humans sitting at the table, then silently adds, as well an elven magic user and a cleric of all things.
The tiny winged creature who can clearly sense Mira Reinholt the mage, Helbe the elven thief and Beldane the cleric just a quarter of a mile away to the east of the village.
Knows that the young elven noble has cast a shield spell upon the fighting cleric from the kingdom of Nastell, so that Beldane doesn't have to keep holding his power within himself.
While the highly talented elven magic user just automatically casts a shield spell upon himself at all times. While the mage Reinholt has an amulet that basically does the same thing. So the two of them are unable to be sensed by other spellcasters.
The ground pixie who is attached to Helbe the elven thief watches those at the kitchen table for a little while longer.
Until she takes off and goes flying backwards through the window shutters behind her.
The tiny winged creature who is originally from the Sunreach Mountains, twists in midair so that's she's facing the right way.
Then she wanders around, looking and listening to the wreckers who are up at this time. Seeing what they're up to, as well as where they're positioned, before she heads off to return to the others who are just to the east of the village.
Meanwhile, back inside the two storey house on the northwest corner of the village green, Arvelle the plainsman is saying "We'll head out and make sure everyone is in the place they're supposed to be".
The tall plainsman with the shaved head, who has been in more than a few battles in his time when he was traveling throughout the Southlands. Knows that dawn and dusk are the times people are most likely to attack a target.
And with Samiel certain that there's a mage in the area, who may or may not be with others. If they're likely to do something, it'll be before first light this morning.
The leader of the crew of illegal wreckers after eating, goes and gets his weapons, then he along with the couple Sasha and Pallen, as well as Samiel, who grabs his cloak from the main room, make their way outside.
"I'll speak with Sara then go and check on Davon" says the powerful mage from the city-state of Tuledare.
Arvelle nods, and as Samiel levitates up to the roof of the two storey house to speak with the sorceress up there.
Arvelle gestures across the village green to the ships that are in various states of being dismantled, then he tells the Girdanian couple "I'll go and check on that lot on the ships" followed by "Then those around on the north side of the village".
Sasha, who is basically the defacto second in command of the crew of illegal wreckers now that Mac the dwarf has gone missing, nods her head, then says "We'll check on the south side of the village, then work our way around to the east side".
"I'll meet you around there on the east side of the village" says Arvelle, who then sets off across the village green, to the nearest of the ships. Where some of the wreckers are up in the masts, where they're lookouts, keeping a watch out for anyone who might approach the village out of the darkness.
The former mercenary and the dangerous blademaster cut across village green too, heading to the south side of the village. In particular to the track that comes up from the south of the village.
As they do, the blademaster Pallen asks the good looking, one eyed woman who is his lover "What was that Gorlic was going on about earlier in the night?".
"Huh?" says Sasha who is already looking at some of the houses they're nearing, making sure that those who are supposed to be up and on guard, are doing so.
"Something he was pretty insistent about" says Pallen, who continues with "I didn't hear, since i was a bit busy".
The former mercenary wryly smiles, for her lover the blademaster was busy killing that one wrecker who was complaining about being up in the middle of the night. And make sure the others who dared to complain, knew about it.
"Oh that" says Sasha as they make their way off the village green, and go between some of the roundhouses as they head to the south side of the village.
Then the good looking woman who has just the one eye, and has a gnarly looking scar down one side of her face, says "He swears he saw something when Samiel destroyed that little airboat they spotted" she continues with "The mage didn't, and he doesn't believe Gorlic either".
"Oh?" says Pallen, who knows that for all of his hotheadedness, the former arena fighter Gorlic isn't one to make things up.
"What was it?" asks the dangerous blademaster who like his lover is from the kingdom of Girdane.
"You're not going to believe me" murmurs Sasha, who then says in a slightly dry tone "He swears he spotted a big ugly troll holding the brightest looking goblin he's ever seen" she continues in that same dry tone with "And that they were floating down through the air after that little airboat went spinning out of control towards the ground".
The dangerous blademaster who is at a loss for words, blinks in surprise, then looks sideways at his lover the former mercenary.
"Don't look at me like that" says Sasha, who continues with "I'm not the one making things up" she shakes her head as she adds "I swear he'd been in some of Samiel's potions or something to make that crap up".
Pallen slowly nods his head, then he eventually says "That is rather" he pauses before adding "Fanciful from Gorlic". "That's one way of putting it" dryly says the good looking woman with just one eye.
"Still" says the tall plainsman with the long hair, who continues with "It's not like Gorlic to make things up" he follows that with "He might be a hothead at times, but he doesn't lie like that". After a bit of silence as they get to the south side of the village, Sasha quietly says "I know".
The two of them wander down the track that's been lit with lamps on the ground to either side of it for about fifty yards.
Where the last of the lamps are, a few of the wreckers are on guard. The couple from Girdane have a quiet word with them. And after finding out no one has been seen or heard on the track. The former mercenary and the dangerous blademaster make their way back into the village. And work their way around to the east side of the village.
Pallen has just said "It'll be dawn before we know it" and Sasha nods in agreement, when they see a yawning Gorlic make his way from between two of the roundhouses to their left.
The former arena fighter from the city-state of Brattonbury who has just woken up, grunts in greeting to the couple from the kingdom of Girdane.
"I was just going to check on that lot that way" says Gorlic the former arena fighter who points in the direction that Pallen and Sasha are going.
The good looking one eyed woman, with the gnarly looking scar down the side of her face where she has no eye, nods and says "We're heading that way too".
The trio continue on that way, and though the tall plainsman who is a blademaster wants to ask Gorlic about what he saw yesterday at dusk when Samiel the mage destroyed a small airboat that was heading towards the village from the south.
The dangerous blademaster stays silent on the matter. Only saying "Getting close to dawn I'd say" in reply to Gorlic asking "Any idea what time it is?".
The three of them get to the east side of the village, and after they go by the house that Sasha and Pallen live in, and speak to the wreckers behind one of the wagons near it.
They spread out to speak with the others who are on guard on this side of the village.
The dangerous blademaster from the kingdom of Girdane, who has just knocked on the front door to one of the roundhouses, and told the wreckers in there to wake up or else.
And faintly smiled when he's heard a sleepy reply from inside. Looks across the way, to where Sasha is speaking to a couple of the locals, who are up early, and have just left their house. When they hear a shout from nearby.
The couple look at one another, then take off running to where they heard the shout, they hear it again, followed by another.
As they get closer, they clearly hear it's from a couple of the wreckers who have spotted something to the east of the village.
Pallen and Sasha run to where a couple of wagons are between the last two houses on the east side of the village, Gorlic runs from their left.
And when the three of them get to the wagons, one of the wreckers on top of one of the wagons says "There's movement out there".
As Sasha takes her brass, cylindrical eyepiece out from her cloak, and looks through it.
As she does, Samiel the mage suddenly appears nearby, and hurries over to the wagons saying "One of the alarm spells has gone off".
"You see it?" says the wrecker standing on the wagon, who then adds "Where that little hill is out there".
The former mercenary from Girdane looks that way through her eyepiece, then quietly says "There's movement there alright".
And though Sasha can't see clearly through her eyepiece in the darkness, which is starting to lighten as it gets closer to dawn, she does say "Looks like someone is heading this way down that rise" she briefly pauses then quietly adds "Someone big".
Samiel the mage who is standing to one side of the wagons next to Pallen and Sasha, casts a nightvision spell.
Then he quietly says "I can't see any, no wait a moment there is" the powerful mage from the city-state of Tuledare suddenly goes silent.
The dangerous blademaster looks down at Samiel, who has a stunned look on his face "Mage, what is it?" asks Pallen.
The Tuledarian spellcaster is silent for a few more moments, then turns and looks over at Gorlic as he says in disbelief "It's the ugliest looking troll I've ever seen, and with it is a bright green goblin".
"See, i told you" says Gorlic the former arena fighter, who then mutters "And no one would believe me" . . . . . .

Aftermath 46.

The Kaldel Plains...

On the slight rise about a quarter of a mile to the east of the village. The field commander Tamric Drubine who is looking through his magical, brass, cylindrical eyepiece at the village this evening.
Is about to mention something to Lisell Maera the runner who is lying beside him. When a familiar voice quietly says "Boo".
The young field commander in the armies of Farque almost jumps up in surprise. But instead he looks to his left, and sourly smiles as he finds Helbe the elven thief crouching beside him, the young elven noble is widely grinning as he looks at the two youngest members of the group.
"Miss me?" asks Helbe the elven thief "No" is the reply from Tamric Drubine "Not particularly" says Lisell Maera who almost jumped in surprised as the field commander beside her was about to do when first hearing the elven magic user.
The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel looks at the two youngest members of the group, both of whom are now smiling at the reappearance of the elven masterthief.
"They're coming" says the elven master assassin in response to Tamric Drubine, or Tam as he's more commonly called by those who know him well, asking him "Where's the others?".
The highly talented elven spellcaster who is a member of the personal council to lord Farque then says "Tovis and Beldane in amongst those trees about six miles away to the east?".
"They are" says the nobleborn teenager who is originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin "Beldane couldn't hold his power within himself any longer" adds field commander Drubine who then says "Thought it would be best to get away from them". Tam nods in the direction of the nearby village when he says that.
Helbe the elven thief looks at the nearby village, which is a hive of activity this evening and he quietly asks the two youngsters "What's been happening there?".
"Everything by the looks of it" is the reply from the son and former heir of a previous knight of castle Drubine, a castle that's located in the forested north of the kingdom of Sarcrin.
"They're expecting something" adds Lisell Maera the messenger, the attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury continues with "This is the busiest they've been at night that we've seen with the exception of the night they took down three airships".
The grandson of Prince Raendril nods his hooded head when he hears that, then he says "They're expecting us" the elven master assassin then adds "And with good reason".
And before either the young field commander or the messenger can ask him about that, councillor Reinholt tells them "We'll tell you when the others get here" the elven princeling continues with "For now, I'll go and get Tovis and Beldane".
The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel then says "I'll be back in a little bit" then he disappears.
Tamric Drubine and Lisell Maera share a look, then the nobleborn teenager rolls his eyes, and the messenger or runner in the armies of Farque, nods her head in agreement.
For no matter what, things remain the same. And they're only told what apparently they need to be told. Even though they haven't seen prince Helbenthril Raendril or any of the rest of the group in more than a week.
As he goes back to watching the nearby village after handing the attractive young woman lying next to him on this cold evening in the northeast of the Kaldel Plains, the brass, cylindrical eyepiece.
Tam says in a slightly dry tone of voice "We'll probably hear that lot before we actually see them".
Lisell Maera or Lis as she's more commonly called by the others in the group, nods as she looks through the magical instrument, then she says "I'm betting it'll be Dorc we hear first".
"That's an easy bet" says the young field commander in the armies of Farque, who can see wagons being placed in between the houses on the edge of the village.
"And you're probably right" adds the nobleborn teenager from the kingdom of Sarcrin as the two of them continue to watch the nighttime activity in the nearby village.
As it turns out, it is Dorc da Orc they hear first approaching the slight rise from the south. Though he's not the one who actually turns up first.
Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy stealthily and silently makes his way up onto the small rise, and surprises Tam and Lis when out of the darkness he quietly says to them in the elven language "I see you two are still alive".
"Good thing you are" quietly adds the spy Tanith after the young field commander and the messenger greet him.
"Because if you weren't" continues the elf who hails from the principality of Alínlae "We'd been in trouble to say the least" adds the elven spy who can barely be seen in his grey cloak and clothing, even though he's right beside the two youngest members of the group.
The others, one by one, start making their way up the back of the slight rise, with Dorc da Orc muttering to himself, until Mira Reinholt the mage can be heard, quietly saying "Dorc shut up" followed by "And keep down".
The once powerful mage can then be heard muttering in the elven language with "You big fucking idiot".
After Dalinvardél Tanith, or Dalin as he's more commonly called by the others in the group. It's Darid Parsen the cavalry commander who gets to the top of the rise.
Behind him is Shur Kee the monk, and then sir Percavelle Lé Dic. Who though is a large man in a full suit of plate armour. He doesn't make all that much noise. The three of them quietly greet Tam and Lis.
As Teabagger the goblin Cunt makes his way to the top of the rise, only slipping over the once as he does so.
He picks himself up before his general has the chance to grab him and stand him up.
Next up is the large ork himself, who basically crawls the last little bit up to the top of the slight rise.
Then when he sees the nobleborn teenager from Sarcrin and the attractive young woman from Brattonbury, Dorc da Orc grunts and says "Hey cunts" by way of greeting.
Last to the top of the rise is Mira Reinholt the mage, who drops down next to Tamric Drubine and after quietly telling the ork warleader, the goblin commander and the elven spy to watch the village, he quietly says to the two youngsters in the elven language "Good to see you again".
"You too" quietly says Tam, it's seconded by Lis as they're both glad the rest of the group is with them again.
"The royal thief gone to get the engineer and the cleric?" quietly asks the mage who is from the city-state of Vexil.
"He has" says the young field commander, who grins as does the messenger beside him, when the mage Reinholt dryly says to them "Good thing all that loot you stole from those wreckers is even further away, if it was still where you first buried it, his royal thiefness probably would of nicked it".
"So you know what we've been up to?" says Tamric Drubine "We do" replies the Vexilian mage in exile, who then quietly adds "She told Helbe what you lot did".
The spellcaster who also happens to be a highly skilled swordmaster, takes out his leather wrapped, brass, cylindrical eyepiece and hands it to his fellow member of lord Farque's personal council, Darid Parsen.
Then he quietly says to the two youngest members of the group "Well done with that plan you guys came up with" councillor Reinholt continues with "And it's execution too".
The spellcaster, who was once the most powerful mage of his generation to be found anywhere in the Southlands, until he was stripped of most of his powers when he accidentally went offworld, then says "You've sewn doubt and distrust amongst them, and killed one of their leaders in the process too".
The swordmaster Reinholt continues with "I don't think you could of done much more than that" he then adds "Especially since there was just the four of you".
Both Tamric Drubine and Lisell Maera nod at that. For the mage Reinholt, who is one of their teachers and instructors. More so Tam, as the highly skilled swordmaster is one of those who has taught him the sword.
Isn't exactly giving with his praise. Infact none of them really are. There's those who will give them encouragement, and to make sure they learn from their mistakes. But for the most part, they all expect you to do a job.
And to take it upon oneself, and to go about doing something out of one's own volition.
And in this case, to take action against those who brought down the Farqian warship they were flying on, as they headed back from the campaign they'd just be a part of in north of the kingdom of Nastell.
"How did you get here?" quietly asks field commander Drubine, who then adds "I thought you had a ship's boat?". As that was what Narladene the ground pixie told Tam when she told him how the others were traveling to get here.
"We did" sourly says the Vexilian mage in exile, who nods his hooded head towards the nearby village as he adds "That prick of a mage of their's destroyed it earlier, around dusk".
"Samiel" says Lisell Maera, the messenger or runner as they're often referred to, continues with "His name is Samiel, a mage from Tuledare i think".
"We had to walk the last six or seven miles here" says Mira Reinholt, who nods his head sideways to where Dorc da Orc is lying on the ground away from everyone else, apart from Teabagger the goblin Cunt, as he mutters and growls away to himself in the incomprehensible language of the orks.
"That's why he's so pissed off" adds the once powerful mage, who must admit he's pissed off too. As he quite liked flying that jolly boat. As the small airboat was easy to handle, and when it caught a decent breeze. It moved pretty quickly for such a small vessel.
The spellcaster, who is the youngest member in the history of Vexil's famed mage council, until he was kicked off it after betraying his homeland during the battle of Vexil.
Looks towards the nearby village, and quietly asks the young field commander and the messenger "What have they been doing tonight?".
"Getting ready for you lot by the looks of it" quietly says Tamric Drubine who along with Lisell Maera this cold evening, have been observing the nearby village where the crew of illegal wreckers are based.
The nobleborn teenager from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin who is a field commander in the armies of Farque then informs the mage Reinholt what the crew of illegal wreckers have been doing this night.
After Tam tells the swordmaster Reinholt what the wreckers have been doing, the spellcaster who is part of the personal council to the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, asks him "How many of them are in there at the moment?".
"About two hundred" is the reply of field commander Drubine, who then adds "Maybe a little bit more".
The exiled Vexilian mage slightly nods then asks "How far is it to that other village they're working from?".
"About two, two and half miles further north" says Tamric Drubine, who then continues with "Most if not all of them from there, are down here, and have been ever since they took down those airships there".
The nobleborn teen points to the western side of the village when he says that. To the village green, where a trio of airships are being dismantled, are located.
And even though it's nighttime, the mage Reinholt can see them over there, as the village is lit up with hundreds of lamps and torches at the moment.
The once powerful mage slightly nods, then he glances at his fellow council member Darid Parsen who is kneeling beside him, looking through the mage's leather wrapped, brass, cylindrical eyepiece, and he quietly asks him "What do you think?".
"I think we should wait until the thieving elf gets back with Tovis and the cleric before we finalise any plans" quietly says Darid Parsen the cavalry commander, who after taking the eyepiece away from his face, and looking at his fellow council member, adds "Though what we discussed, is certainly doable".
The spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster nods his hooded head, as they came up with some plans on the walk here this evening from the site of the crashed jolly boat.
Mira Reinholt then glances at the young field commander on his right, who quietly asks him "What are you going to do?".
"Wait for Helbe to get back with Tovis and Beldane" is the quietly reply of the Vexilian mage in exile "And then what?" asks the nobleborn teenager who is originally from the kingdom of Sarcrin.
"Then we make them pay for destroying our ship" quietly states councillor Reinholt as he looks to the nearby village that's just a quarter of a mile away, the once powerful mage then silently adds, and for that little jolly boat too . . . . . .

Aftermath 45.

The Kaldel Plains...

"Aaaahhhh?" says Gorlic the former arena fighter, while next to him, Samiel the mage says in a tone of bewilderment "Huh?".
There's a moment's silence, then Gorlic who is originally from the coastal city-state of Brattonbury, says "Was that supposed to happen?".
"No" is the reply of the powerful spellcaster who hails from the city-state of Tuledare, who continues with "No, not like that".
There's another moment's silence, then the mage who once worked for the airdock authority in the city of Tuledare, asks "What did you see?".
Gorlic, who is looking through the brass, cylindrical eyepiece he's borrowed from Sasha the former mercenary, says "Well, there was a small blue light, similar to that mageglobe of yours" he continues with "I think it blew up, then your one did right after it" the former arena fighter then adds "Bit hard to see in this light, even with the eyepiece".
Samiel nods, as they stand at the southern edge of the patch of trees, they cover a couple of miles about a mile and half south of the village.
"Then that ship's boat dropped out of the sky, spinning like crazy as it did so" says Gorlic, who once again is looking through the eyepiece, trying to locate in the distance to the south, where the small airboat hit the ground.
"It should've been destroyed in the air" mutters the Tuledarian mage, who then adds "I don't like this" he continues with "That was another mageglobe for sure" he then adds "And i can't sense a mage anywhere".
Taking the eyepiece away from his face, Gorlic looks at the powerful spellcaster, and asks him "You sure?".
"Absolutely" says Samiel, who follows that with "We tend to show off, magically speaking" he then adds "Basically announcing our presence to other spellcasters, especially other mages" the powerful mage then says "For a mage to hide themselves is more than a little odd".
After a moment's silence, Samiel once more mutters "I don't like this" followed by "Not one bit".
The spellcaster from the city-state of Tuledare who is also pretty sure that the small flying boat they spotted in the late afternoon sunlight, had wards up around it, even though he couldn't sense any.
As his mageglobe should of still destroyed it outright, even though it exploded short of it's target by some thirty feet.
He looks sideways at his fellow wrecker and lifts a sceptical looking eyebrow after the former arena fighter from Brattonbury clears his throat, and says "You won't believe this, but I'm pretty sure i saw something big and green, a troll i think, though the ugliest damn troll I've ever seen. Floating down through the air towards the ground".
Gorlic briefly pauses before adding "And it was holding a goblin" the former arena fighter turned illegal wrecker then adds "The brightest damn goblin I've ever seen".
Samiel doesn't pass comment on that, he just grunts and continues to sense, while Gorlic looks through the brass, cylindrical eyepiece muttering to himself about bright green goblins and big ugly trolls.
The former airdock worker from the city-state of Tuledare steps away from the bushy tree they're next to, and in the fading light of the day, he looks southwards across the plains, casting farsight as he does so.
"I found it" says Samiel a couple of moments later, the powerful spellcaster continues with "About three or so miles away, it's in pieces".
Gorlic, who moves over and stands by the Tuledarian mage, asks him "Can you see anyone?" as he looks for the downed airboat that's broken apart after hitting the ground.
"No" says Samiel, who continues with "No one" he briefly pauses then adds "No ugly trolls or bright green goblins" .
Gorlic sourly smiles, and after a moment, he too spots the small vessel that's in pieces after hitting the ground.
The former arena fighter from the coast of the Southlands can't see anyone around too.
"There was definitely people onboard" quietly says Gorlic, then after a slight pause he adds "And i don't see any bodies near the wreck".
"Nor do i" quietly says Samiel the mage, who continues with "Which is something else i don't like".
The powerful spellcaster who is absolutely certain that magic is involved here, and is unable to sense it. Quietly says to his fellow wrecker "We're getting out of here".
The former arena fighter looks at the Tuledarian mage in surprise, as Samiel usually isn't particularly cautious, and never backs down from anything.
"You sure?" quietly asks Gorlic, who continues with "We don't even know if we killed anyone".
"I'm sure" says Samiel who quickly adds "Like i said, i don't like this at all" the powerful spellcaster continues with "There's definitely a mage involved who isn't acting like a mage should".
Hell, whoever it is they're acting like i would if i didn't know who i was up against, Samiel thinks to himself, the mage who once worked for the dock authority in the city of Tuledare decides to be cautious. Even though it goes against his nature as a mage.
If you want to play hide and go seek, i can do that as well, the powerful mage thinks to himself, who starts casting a rift back to the village, and as he does, he quietly tells the former arena fighter "We're going".
As dusk takes full effect, and the rift forms, Gorlic is the first one through it, a moment later followed by Samiel.
Who turns and looks back in the direction the small airboat went down. As he does, there's a painful jab in his right eyeball. Samiel screams in pain, staggering backwards as he puts a hand to his right eye.
The powerful mage hopes he's all the way through to the otherside of the rift, as he automatically drops the spell after feeling the pain in his right eye.
"Fucking prick" mutters Narladene the ground pixie after the rift vanishes. The naturally magical creature returns her tiny sword to it's scabbard on her right hip.
Then she turns, and starts flying south to where she can sense Helbe the elven thief and Mira Reinholt the mage. Who aren't all that far from the wreck of the small airboat that's brought them more than seven hundred miles north across the Kaldel Plains.
The tiny winged creature grins knowing that she's just blinded the mage named Samiel in his right eye.
Though he'll probably get one of the other spellcasters amongst the illegal wreckers to heal him, and restore his sight in that eye.
Even so, Narladene takes pleasure in the fact that at the moment, that Samiel the mage is blind in his right eye.
Gorlic spins around, and catches Samiel who staggers back into his arms screaming in pain.
The former arena fighter winces as the powerful mage was just inches away from his rift as it vanished.
"Here, what is it?" asks Gorlic who hastily adds "What's wrong?".
"My eye" says Samiel, who the Brattonburian turns around and sees is holding his right hand up to his right eye, blood is running down that side of the face of the powerful spellcaster from the city-state of Tuledare.
"Let's get you inside and see to it" says Gorlic as they're on one side of the village green, near where the two storey house that Arvelle lives in.
And with the former arena fighter holding onto the mage, the two of them walk through the last light of dusk towards the two storey house.
Gorlic who sees Arvelle the plainsman, along with Sasha the former mercenary, and Pallen the blademaster make their way outside from the two storey house after hearing Samiel screaming.
Grimaces when he hears the powerful spellcaster mutter "I can't see out of this eye" followed by "Something stabbed me, and blinded me".
"I'm back" quietly says Narladene the ground pixie into the right ear of Helbe the elven thief, who glances to his right shoulder, and faintly smiles when he sees the naturally magical creature who is attached to him, land upon his right shoulder.
"You don't have to hide yourselves anymore" quietly says the ground pixie, who continues with "He's gone back to that village".
The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel nods his hooded head, then unblurs himself and the rest of the group.
"Ah fucken stink" says Dorc da Orc, who then adds "I can see you cunts again". The large ork is scowling at sir Percavelle Lé Dic when he says that.
"Has he gone?" asks Mira Reinholt the mage as they gather near the destroyed jolly boat "He's gone" says Helbe the elven thief to his fellow spellcaster and member of lord Farque's personal council.
The highly talented elven magic user winces after hearing what Narladene has just told him, then the elven masterthief says "Blind in his right eye too".
"I gather you know who is back" murmurs the once powerful mage who hails from the city-state of Vexil.
The grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel nods his hooded head, then glances at Narladene when the mage Reinholt quietly asks "She find them?".
After listening to the naturally magical creature perched upon his right shoulder, the elven master assassin quietly says "They're just east of the village" the elven princeling continues with "Seems they've been busy".
The Vexilian mage in exile nods for Darid Parsen to join him and the elven magic user, who are standing off to one side, quietly talking to one another in the elven language.
"We've found them" quietly says Mira Reinholt to the third member of lord Farque's personal council in the group.
"She back?" asks Darid Parsen the cavalry commander as he looks at prince Helbenthril Raendril.
The elven master archer nods his hooded head in reply to that.
"And that mage?" asks commander Parsen as he looks at his fellow councillors.
"He won't bother us for awhile" says the young elven noble, who then dryly adds "He's a bit preoccupied with something at the moment".
The cavalry commander, who in actual fact is a hordes barbarian from the southern tundra by the name of Zubutai Timaginson, who just happens to find himself inhabiting the body of Darid Parsen.
The latest body he's inhabited since first dying as Zubutai the barbarian hordesman in a battle in the southern kingdom of Melaurn a dozen years ago. Then asks the two spellcasters "What's the plan?".
"First we go to Tam and the others" is the reply from Mira Reinholt, Helbe the elven thief nods his hooded head in agreement.
"And then?" asks Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman "We deal to those bastard wreckers who took down our ship" says the once powerful mage, who continues with "And our boat". The Vexilian mage looks at the wreckage of the jolly boat as he mutters "I liked that little boat".
"What happened?" asks Arvelle the plainsman after they sit Samiel down in a chair in the room just off the to the side of the kitchen in the two storey house that the leader of the crew of illegal wreckers lives in.
"Something stabbed me in the eye" says Samiel the mage, who takes a cloth that Pallen the blademaster gets from the kitchen and hands it to him.
"And now I'm fucking blind in that eye" testily says the powerful spellcaster from the city-state of Tuledare who puts the cloth to his bloody eye.
He then quickly looks over at Sasha the former mercenary, who is lighting the fire in the nearby fireplace, as the early evening, like the day, is already cool and is now turning cold.
"Sorry" says Samiel to the good looking woman with just one eye, and who has a gnarly looking scar down one side of her face.
"Don't be" says Sasha the former mercenary as she gets up from lighting the fire.
"You want us get Davon and have him take a look at it?" asks the tall plainsman with the shaved head who leads the crew of illegal wreckers.
"No fucking thanks" sourly says Samiel who continues with "The way that wizard casts, I'll probably end up blind in the other eye too".
"Get Sara" says the powerful mage, who continues with "At least she knows what's she's doing" the Tuledarian spellcaster then adds "Even better, get me one of my healing potions".
Samiel looks at Gorlic, and tells him "One of those we got from town" followed by "Like the one i gave you".
The mage then gives the former arena fighter directions to where he's stored his potions in the house he lives in. And which glass vial to get.
Gorlic nods, and heads outside to get the healing potion in the house Samiel lives in.
As he does, Arvelle says to the powerful mage "What else happened?" the tall plainsman with the shaved head continues with "Pallen and Sasha tell me that a small airboat was spotted away to the south".
Samiel nods, and winces as the movement hurts his right eye, which has basically popped after being stabbed. By what, and by whom, he has no idea.
The powerful mage then goes onto explain how he and Gorlic finally spotted the ship's boat heading in this direction, some six or seven miles south of the village.
The two of them decided that since it looked like it was coming straight here from due south. And they're not expecting anyone from that direction, at least not in a small airboat of all things. It was best to take care of it, as in destroy it.
And that's what Samiel did, though not as the Tuledarian mage expected.
He tells the three listening how the ship's boat should of been destroyed, then tells them how it was actually destroyed.
"A mage?" says Arvelle the plainsman in a tone of surprise "It has to be" says Samiel, who continues with "Because that was definitely a mageglobe that interfered with my one".
The powerful spellcaster then explains his thoughts on the matter, as well as what he's worried about. Chiefly that another mage is not acting like a mage should. Instead of being bombastic and open, whoever it is, is being stealthy and cautious. Something you'd never describe a mage as.
"I don't like this" quietly says the leader of the crew of illegal wreckers "That's what i said" mutters the mage from the city-state of Tuledare.
They're all silent for a few moments, then Sasha quietly says "You think they might have something to do with Mac and our missing treasure?".
The four of them look at one another, then eventually Arvelle nods and says "Maybe". The leader of the crew of illegal wreckers then asks Samiel "You sure you didn't see any bodies?".
"Not a one" says the powerful mage who then adds "And nor did Gorlic".
The tall plainsman with the shaved head is silent for a moment as he thinks about something, then he looks at the couple who are originally from the kingdom of Girdane, and tells them "Alert the others" followed by "We might come under attack by whoever it is that was on that airboat".
Just then Gorlic returns, and hands a small glass vial to Samiel, who peers at it with his good eye. The Tuledarian spellcaster grunts, takes out the stopper and downs the contents in the vial, grimacing as he does so as it doesn't taste particularly nice.
After a moment, the powerful mage wipes his right eye with the cloth he's holding to it. Then he takes the cloth away, and blinks a few times, and slightly sighs in relief as his eye feels whole again. And more importantly he can see out of it. Making sure he doesn't look towards Sasha, Samiel quietly says "That's better" he then adds "It's healed".
Gorlic the former arena fighter nods in relief, then looks at Arvelle and asks the tall plainsman with the shaved head "What are we going to do?".
"Prepare for an attack" says the leader of the crew of illegal wreckers . . . . . .