The Find 53.

Autumn.

Northern central region of the Southlands. In the giant hole in the ground. In which is the ancient city of Dalphene. More commonly called The City of Ruins.
There's a few moments of silence as they stand outside one of the tunnel entrances.
Then Maygam the mercenary captain asks "What the hell was that?" as he looks at the others with him.
The twin brothers look at one another, then Gilvanéllé the elven magic user says "That" he briefly pauses before adding "Was a rift being destroyed".
Nodding his head in agreement with his twin brother Gilvanéllé, the other elven magic user Lolmildíll says "Darmos".
Lolmildíll or Lolm as he's more commonly called by the others in the company, is sensing like his twin brother, and he says "Don't know if he survived it or not".
Gilvanéllé, or Gilvan as he's called by his brother, or Gil by the rest of the company, nods then says "That would been devastating".
He points away to the east, the direction of the second large explosion, that was basically instantaneous as the first one away to the south, closer to the neutral zone.
"That was the point of origin of the rift" explains Gilvanéllé, who is more thoughtful sounding than his usual sneering, aggressive self.
Looking at Maygam, Gil tells him "Might of got lucky, because if Jorkamin was anywhere near that side of the rift, he would of got caught up in that explosion".
"Or alternatively, he might of gone through, and got caught up in the explosion to the south, that Darmos was in the middle of" says Lolmildíll the elven magic user.
"Knowing Jorkamin, he wouldn't of wanted to put himself in danger" sourly says Maygam, who continues with "No way he went through that rift with his pet wizard".
The mercenary captain nods away to the east, where they can still see a massive cloud of debris in the night sky, that's raining down on that area of the pit.
And he quietly says "The best we can hope for is that he was right next to that end of the rift" followed by "That would of killed him off for sure if he was too close to it".
"Whatever happened" says Uren the mercenary, who momentarily pauses before adding "His company would of taken a hit there" she continues with "Along with the loss of that warship, and another of his wyverns tonight. Jorkamin's lot here to the north of the neutral zone will be in bad shape".
Maygam nods his head in agreement with his second in command, then the mercenary captain after looking up into the sky, asks the elven twins what time it is.
"A little after halfway between midnight and dawn" is the reply of Lolmildíll the elf, who like his twin brother Gilvan, is a noble from the principality of Alínlae.
Maygam rubs his chin as he thinks of something, then he quietly tells the trio standing outside one of the tunnel entrances "This might be an advantage to us".
The mercenary captain continues with "If he's still alive, he'll be hell bent on finding whoever it is that's been responsible for attacking him and his company".
Maygam pauses for a moment or two, before he says "That should leave us free to do what we want".
The mercenary captain pauses once more, before adding in a dry tone "Just have to worry about the other companies up here who want to attack us".
The elven twins Gilvanéllé and Lolmildíll, along with Uren nod in agreement with Maygam.
As they all wonder who it is that's responsible for the attacks upon Jorkamin's company this cold, autumn night here in the ancient city of Dalphene, which is more commonly called the City of Ruins.
Maygam gives them a few orders, and has the nearby lookouts on watch make sure no one is around.
Especially from Jarnok's company who were unsuccessful in attacking them earlier in the night.
Meanwhile, a bit further to the east, amongst a ruins without a roof of any kind.
Jarnok the mercenary captain is hunkered down amongst some half fallen walls.
He grimaces as he looks up away to the left in the night sky he can see the debris from the large explosion that happened nearby, falling towards the ground.
The mercenary captain looks over at Greason the wizard, who informed him that it was a rift that was destroyed.
"Darmos you say?" asks Jarnok the mercenary captain, who then asks "Think he's dead?".
"Maybe" says Greason the wizard who follows that with "He was near that explosion further south, near the neutral zone".
"Wonder if Jorkamin went through the rift with him?" muses the mercenary captain who continues with "For some reason i doubt it, and he stayed on the otherside of the rift".
"If he did, and he was close to it, then he's dead" states the wizard in the red coloured robes who then adds "No way anyone would of survived that if they didn't have wards around them".
Near a hole in the wall to their right, Tunga the troll, who is crouching down, nods his head in agreement.
As they hear the debris hitting the ground not all that far away to the east of them.
Jarnok didn't realise how close he and the bulk of his company here to the north of the neutral zone, was to Jorkamin and his company.
As that loud explosion east of here, was only a third of a mile away at best, closer to a quarter of a mile away if the sound of the falling debris is anything to go by.
Jarnok, who was planning on doing something else when dawn breaks. Is thinking of a change of plans, taking advantage of what's just happened.
"Whoever it is that's been attacking Jorkamin, they've done us a huge favour" quietly says the mercenary captain who continues with "Even if he and his wizard survived what just happened, his company here in the northern half of the pit will be decimated".
"More than likely" says Greason, who continues with "Considering the size of those two explosions".
The practitioner of magic has never witnessed a rift being destroyed before.
Though he had heard of what happens when it does. Just that it was far larger than what he could've imagined.
Looking at the mercenary captain, the relatively tall, but overweight spellcaster asks him "What do you plan cap?".
Jarnok waves over Tunga, and the troll makes his way to where the mercenary captain and the wizard are sitting.
Once the troll sits down, Jarnok quietly says "Since Jorkamin's company has taken a big hit, i think it's best we take advantage of the situation".
He continues with "He interfered in the fight we had going against Hamblett and his bunch".
Jarnok briefly pauses for a moment or two, before he adds "Time he paid for that interference".
The third of the mercenary captains of the three largest companies working down here in the giant hole in the ground.
In which is the ancient city of Dalphene, which is more widely known as the City of Ruins.
Hamblett the mercenary captain looks away to the south, towards the neutral zone.
Where he can see the debris cloud, fairly clearly, even though it's nighttime.
He then looks to the east, and sees a similar cloud of debris and dirt, on this cold autumn night in the pit.
Looking over at his second in command Rameeda, Hamblett the mercenary captain quietly asks "Any idea?".
Rameeda the mercenary shakes his head no, then says "Whatever that was, or whoever it was, there is one thing".
"Oh?" says the mercenary captain who gets up from the pile of rubble he's sitting on, then adds "What's that?".
"Anyone who got caught up in that is fucked" says the second in command of the company.
Hamblett nods in agreement with that blunt assessment from his second.
Then Rameeda steps outside the ruin they've stopped in, to speak to with one of the company who has a message for him.
Rameeda steps back inside after quietly speaking with the messenger, and he says "One of the spellcasters says it was a rift being destroyed" followed by "Darmos the wizard's rift".
Hamblett grins at hearing that, then he quietly says "Hopefully Darmos was killed" he briefly pauses then adds "And Jorkamin too".
Rameeda nods in agreement with that, then the second in command of the company says "No matter if they were, or if they weren't" followed by "Their company would've been decimated for sure".
Hamblett nods to that, then his second in command quietly asks him "Change of plans cap?".
The mercenary captain is sorely tempted to change his plans. Especially considering Jorkamin's company will more than likely be in disarray with what's just happened.
But the ties of old friendships that were broken years ago, are too strong.
And Hamblett shakes his head, and quietly says "No, we stick to what we've planned".
The mercenary captain continues with "Though I'm sorely tempted to turn around and attack what's ever left of Jorkamin's company, we'll go ahead with our plan".
Rameeda nods his head in understanding. After all, he too like Hamblett served alongside Maygam in another mercenary company over a decade ago.
And the friendship they once had, is long broken. Especially between Hamblett and Maygam.
Who are the most bitter of rivals, if not enemies nowadays. When in the past, they were the best of friends.
Jorkamin the mercenary captain is carried into some shelter, a partially dug out tunnel in one of the ruins a couple hundred yards from the site of the explosion.
The mercenary captain who is going in and out of consciousness, sits up with a groan, then hisses due to the pain in his left leg.
He doesn't look down at it, but he figures it's broken down by the ankle if the pain is anything to go by.
Listening to his men, Jorkamin realises that there was another explosion, away to the south, near the neutral zone.
The mercenary captain grimaces as he figures it was the rift that Darmos cast, which exploded with devastating effect.
He nods his head in thanks as one of the men wraps a blanket around him, as he's shivering, while sitting on the floor of the half dug tunnel, that's lit by a single lamp.
"Jenin is coming cap" quietly says one of the company who has just entered the half dug tunnel.
The mercenary captain breathes a sigh of relief at hearing that. And a few moments later, a woman enters and makes her way to where Jorkamin is on the floor of the tunnel. "Let me look" quietly says Jenin the sorceress, one of a handful of spellcasters Jorkamin brought with him, to the north of the neutral zone of the City of Ruins.
"This shouldn't hurt" says the sorceress who lays her hands on his left leg, and quickly casts a healing spell.
Jorkamin the mercenary captain says "Thanks" as the warmth of the spell goes through his leg as the break is healed.
After stretching his newly healed leg a few times, Jorkamin sits up, and nods in the direction of the explosion that nearly killed him, and asks "Any survivors?".
"Just a handful have been pulled out of the rubble alive so far" quietly says Jenin, which causes the mercenary captain to wince.
Then after a few moments of silence, Jorkamin quietly asks what he's been dreading to hear "Darmos?".
"I don't know" is the hesitant reply of the sorceress, who briefly pauses before adding "I can no longer sense him".
Jorkamin the mercenary captain grimaces, as he wonders if his second in command, Darmos the wizard is dead.
The wizard Darmos isn't dead. At the moment, he's unconscious. Draped over the left shoulder of Dorc da Orc.
As the large ork walks alongside lord Farque, as the two of them walk back to the ancient tower that the rest of the group have spent the cold, autumn night in.
Here in the giant hole in the ground, within which is the ancient city of Dalphene, which is also known as the City of Ruins . . . . . .

The Find 52.

Autumn.

The giant hole in the ground. More often than not, called the pit. Within which is the ancient city of Dalphene. More commonly called The City of Ruins.
Darmos the wizard walks out of the rift last, and he hurries to catch up to those of the company who have already come through.
The wizard, who briefly contemplates closing the rift behind him. Keeps the spell up, and the rift open.
As an easy means of escape for him and the others, just incase something goes wrong as they go after those responsible for bringing down another of the company's warships, as well as another of the wyverns.
Darmos, who is essentially the second in command of Jorkamin's company.
Has wards up around himself, as he knows they're entering a rather dangerous situation.
It's the only thing that saves his life. When away to their right, the sound of one magetube firing, quickly followed by a second. So fast, that it's almost instantaneous. Can be heard.
The sixty or so of the company who came through the rift, scatter as a magetube shot comes tearing across the ground towards those in the front as they head south.
Darmos who starts running, frowns and looks away to the right, and wonders where the other magetube shot is.
He spots it, and is taken by surprise as it's really not coming towards them.
He realises it's going behind them. And when the wizard figures out to where. He's too late to drop his spell.
As the near fourteen foot wide ball of pure magical energy, that's a dark angry looking red in colour.
Slams into his wide open rift spell with fairly obvious results. It explodes, an explosion that's by far the largest in the City of Ruins in years.
As a tear in reality, such as a gateway, portal or in this instance, a rift. Doesn't mix well with pure magical energy.
The resulting explosion lights up the night here in this part of the ancient city of Dalphene.
It also lights up the night in another location. The otherside of the magical doorway. About a mile and three quarters away to the northeast.
Down here, towards the neutral zone of the pit. The explosion blasts a crater in the ground.
And Darmos the wizard is flung forward in the explosion. Going a good thirty feet through the air. Before he hits the ground with a thud.
While around him debris goes flying in all directions, including parts of the bodies of a fair few of the company who came through the rift with him.
The red robbed wizard's wards are shredded to bits when he hits the ground.
Though they've kept him alive, as he lies there on the ground groaning in pain.
While debris from the blast starts to rain back down upon this area of the pit.
Meanwhile, to the northeast. Over a mile and a half away from where that side of the rift is.
The otherside of the rift explodes at the exact same time. Causing even more devastation.
The wizard Darmos created his rift to one side of the ruins that some of the company are using.
Fortunately for Jorkamin the mercenary captain, the rift is located on the otherside of the ruin from where he is on the square, blocky tower affixed to it.
Unfortunately for Jorkamin, the explosion and resulting blast is so powerful.
That the ruins is totally devastated and goes up in the blast, killing most of those still sleeping in the ruins this cold, autumn night in the pit.
And the ancient tower that the mercenary captain is up on top of, is basically knocked down.
Jorkamin hardly gets out a scream as the tower he's on falls down in the blast.
As debris goes flying in the night sky by the powerful explosion of the rift, basically imploding, then exploding.
As one end of it, in this case the other end. Is hit by a fourteen foot wide ball of pure magical energy, shot from a magetube.
Jorkamin yells out in pain as his fall comes to a sudden stop. And he finds one of his legs is trapped beneath some rubble from the destroyed tower.
The mercenary captain who in his daze, is wondering what just happened. Coughs as the air is thick with sand and dust.
Then as debris from the blast starts to fall back towards the ground. An injured Jorkamin calls out for help.
Blinking in surprise at what just happened, Dorc da Orc says "Fuck me, look at that".
The large ork who was rather pleased the shot he fired from one of the magetubes.
Hit the front of the group of mercenaries, plowing through them as they hurried south.
Didn't expect that massive explosion from the magetube shot from the large, magical weapon that lord Farque is using.
Nor was he expecting the equally as devastating explosion away to the northeast, over a mile and a half away.
With a chuckle, the ork warleader says "They fucked". Then with a nod of his head to the northeast, he adds "Them cunts too".
With another nod in that direction, the ork weaponsmith asks "What the fuck was that?".
"The otherside of the rift" replies lord Farque, who continues with "That tends to happen when a rift is hit full on with pure magical energy" followed by "That's why spellcasters, and those going through them have to be careful using them".
Dorc da Orc or Dorkindle which is his given name, grunts as he can see that now.
As debris falls down, some of it even around the two of them, as they stand in a culvert just over fifty yards from where the rift was.
As small bits of rock, along with dirt rain down from the night sky, the undead warlord says to the ork general in his armies "Come on cunt, let's go" followed by "There's someone we have to get".
The big, burly ork grunts, then climbs up out of the culvert, following the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, who has already jumped up out of it.
Then the two of them, the large undead human, and the even larger ork.
Pick up the magetubes, and head off. As the debris from the massive explosion, that's left a crater nearly fifty yards, or one hundred and fifty wide.
Continues to rain down around them, the lord of the death realm indicates with a hand gesture, which way to go.
The ork warleader just grunts as they're heading towards those they've just attacked.
"Shoot of a shot from that magetube" quietly says lord Farque, who is also known by the name of Draugadrottin to the people of his lands.
"Fucken where?" asks Dorkindle, who even with his superb night vision, not to mention ork thermal version.
Is finding it difficult to see through the falling debris that the two of them are walking through.
"There" says the undead warlord, who points to where he wants the large ork to shoot.
The weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks briefly stops as he pulls the magetube up, and holding it to one side by his right hip.
Just before the large ork goes to shoot, the deathlord of Farque takes hold of his left arm, and turns him a bit to one side. "Now" orders the lord of the death realm.
The ork general yanks up on the firing lever of the magetube, sending a nine foot wide ball of pure magical energy.
Hurtling just a couple feet above the ground, heading south through the falling debris.
As he lies upon the ground, with his face being pelted by falling debris. Darmos the wizard calls out for help, it's more of a groan than anything. As his absolutely hurting after being flung forward through the air due to the explosion that totally destroyed his rift, that brought him and some of the company here.
The injured wizard, who hopes that Jorkamin is still alive. As he knows the otherside of the rift spell, would of suffered a similar explosion to what happened here as the rift was destroyed by the magetube shot.
Darmos just hopes the mercenary captain was still on the tower when that explosion occurred away to the northeast.
For if he was inside the ancient ruin it was affixed to, there's a good chance that Jorkamin would of been killed.
The injured wizard who can hear others approaching, grimaces as he hears a magetube, firing off another shot.
Darmos who is doing his best to hold his power within himself, continues to grimace.
As he's pretty certain that latest magetube shot is more or less coming in this direction.
The spellcaster who isn't just physically hurt, but mentally hurt too. Due to his rift spell coming to an abrupt end.
Calls out for help again, and is rewarded with a "Wizard, is that you?" followed by "Darmos where are you?".
The second in command of the company lifts his head up, to try and see who spoke.
But it's nighttime, and the air is thick with dust and dirt from falling debris thanks to the large explosion.
And he can't see who spoke, so Darmos the wizard suppresses a groan, then calls out as best he can "This way!".
"Over there!" says the voice that spoke, which the practitioner of magic vaguely recognises.
Then Darmos hears another voice shout "Watch out!" followed by a third that yells "Run!".
The wizard flinches, then grimaces as he hears the broiling, hissing sound of a magetube shot approaching.
He lifts up his head again and wonders if it's going to come straight at him.
Through the murkiness of the falling dirt and debris, Darmos spots the red glow of the magetube shot heading this way.
He flinches as he thinks it's coming right at him, but he breathes a sigh of relief when he realises it's going to pass him by.
And though it misses him by about thirty feet, the wizard in the red coloured robes feels the heat coming off the magetube shot as it goes by.
The second in command of the company calls out for help again, this time hearing no answer much to his disgust.
Jorkamin calls out for help again after coughing from the dust in the air. It's so dark around him, that the mercenary captain doesn't know the damage that was done to the tower, and the ancient ruin it was affixed to.
He's about to call out again, when he hears "Captain!" followed by "Is that you?".
"Yes!" calls out Jorkamin the mercenary captain, who follows that with "Here!".
"We're coming captain!" calls out one of the company, followed by "Hold on!".
"Thank fuck for that" mutters the mercenary captain, who then grimaces in pain as he attempts to move his trapped leg.
Jorkamin lays his head back down, and waits to be rescued. He doesn't have to wait long. As he soons hear movement, and out of the darkness sees flames from a burning torch, followed by a second.
Soon there's three of the company digging him out of the debris, a large chunk of which has pinned his left leg.
The mercenary captain groans in pain as he's pulled out from the chunk of masonry that's pinned his leg.
"Thanks" gasps Jorkamin, who is picked up and carried away from the remains of the fallen tower.
"Take me into the old building next door" adds the mercenary captain.
There's a moment's pause, then one of the mercenaries carrying him says "It's gone captain" followed by "We were in the other building down the way, and rushed up here when we heard the explosion".
Jorkamin is put down on the ground, and from the torch light, he recognises the men who have pulled him out of the rubble of the destroyed tower.
"Gone you say?" asks the mercenary captain, the merc who spoke replies with "Yes captain" followed by "Some of the others are looking for any other survivors" he then adds "Haven't found that many yet".
Jorkamin grimaces, and not from the pain from his broken leg. But because even with the sixty or so of the company Darmos the wizard took with him.
There was more than a quarter, almost a third of the company, who are here to north of the neutral zone of the City of Ruins.
Who were spending the night, in and around the ancient building that's been so thoroughly destroyed.
"Fuck" mutters Jorkamin the mercenary captain as he lays there in pain from his broken leg.
"Fuck" mutters Darmos the wizard as he lays there on the ground in pain, having just called out for help again, but hearing no response.
The practitioner of magic is just about to call out for help again, when he hears movement. Someone approaching, by the sounds of it, more than one person.
"This way!" calls out Darmos who has heard in the distance, others in the company calling out for help.
The wizard lifts up his head, and looks in the direction he's heard someone approaching.
Darmos blinks in surprise, as through the murkiness of the dust and dirt in the air, walks a pair of large figures through the darkness.
Impossibly tall, especially one of them, who is maybe a foot taller than the other.
The wizard is wondering what he's looking at, when he realises that one of the large figures, who must only be a few inches short of seven foot, is encased from head to toe, in a full suit of dark, heavy plate armour.
While the other, even larger than the first, is a massive green figure, that at first Darmos thinks is a troll, but deep down he knows it's not a troll, but something else. What exactly, he's not too sure.
Then the wizard blinks in surprise again, as he realises that they both carrying magetubes on their shoulders with ease, something that should be impossible.
They stop before the prone wizard, and look down at him, then the first one.
The tall, heavily armoured figure, a human if Darmos isn't mistaken, says "Bring him".
The other one, the large green figure, who is easily seven and a half foot tall, and must weigh well over seven hundred and fifty pounds in weight.
Grins a wicked looking grin that shows his sharp canine like teeth, then he says "Get some".
Darmos groans in pain as he's grabbed and picked up off the ground with ease.
Then before the wizard can try to do anything, he falls into unconsciousness from the pain that wracks his body . . . . . .

The Find 51.

Autumn.

In and around the pit. In which is the ancient city of Dalphene. More commonly called The City of Ruins.
"What was it?" asks Almard the mercenary, who like the others was woken up by the constant thuds of magetubes firing down in the pit.
Infact magetube shots are still flying up into the night sky in all directions above the giant hole in the ground.
Even though the actual magetubes are no longer firing.
Hilmik the dwarven mercenary who was on watch, tells the others what he saw.
Almard, who is yawning nods, when Hilmik informs them that he's pretty sure another of Jorkamin's warships has just been destroyed.
"And i think the wyvern that was with it was killed too" adds Hilmik the dwarven warrior, who follows that with "I haven't seen it since the last shot was fired".
"Wonder if they got those magetubes off that airship that went down yesterday?" asks Zam the mercenary, who is wrapped in his blanket.
"More than likely" says Almard, who looks around, then quietly asks the dwarven mercenary from the Colevar Mountains "Anyone around?".
"Just a flock of sheep a few hundred yards to the south of us" replies Hilmik.
Almard, who is the helper of Uren, the second in command of the company they're part of.
Nods, then asks the young dwarven warrior what time it is. After Hilmik tells him.
Almard suggests they get back in the ramshackle barn behind them. And get some more sleep before they set off sometime before dawn.
Zam, Melmear, Farnill then Almard make their way into the old barn. While Hilmik remains outside on watch. On this cold, autumn night.
Watching the magetube shots still visible, heading high up into the night sky.
The small group who are less than a mile to the west of the giant hole in the ground.
Within which is the ancient city of Dalphene, also known as the City of Ruins.
Aren't the only mercenaries watching what's just happened, in the northern half of the pit.
There's a number of them, especially scattered across the area to the north of the neutral zone of the City of Ruins.
Amongst them is the mercenary captain Maygam. Who after a fair few moments of silence looks at his second in command Uren, and the elven twins Gilvanéllé and Lolmildíll.
As they stand outside one of the tunnel entrances, that leads to the large underground chamber that the company is using.
The mercenary captain clears his throat, then looks up into the night sky again, watching one of the magetube shots still in the night sky, streaking high into the darkness above the giant hole in the ground.
"Was that someone shooting a magetube like it was a quick loading crossbow?" quietly asks Maygam the mercenary captain.
"Pretty much" says Lolmildíll the elven magic user after he shares a look with his twin brother Gilvanéllé.
"It was two of them actually" says Gilvanéllé the elven magic user in his harsh, scolding and angry sounding voice.
"Who the hell could do that?" asks the mercenary captain with a frown upon his face.
After the twins from the elven principality of Alínlae share another look.
Lolmildíll or Lolm as he's more commonly called by the others in the company, says "Have no idea".
Uren the mercenary nods, then she says "Well whoever it was, they destroyed another of Jorkamin's ships".
The second in command of the company then adds "And killed another of his wyverns".
The mercenary captain Maygam, along with the noble elven twins nod in agreement with female mercenary who has a scar across her face.
With a smile upon his face, Jarnok the mercenary captain turns to Greason the wizard and says "Well, well, well would you look at that".
The mercenary captain continues with "That's another of his ships gone, as well as one more wyvern".
With the smile still upon his face, Jarnok says "He's going to be totally pissed off with that".
Greason the wizard, along with Tunga the troll nod in agreement with the mercenary captain.
As they stand outside the ruins the company are using, looking up at the night sky above the City of Ruins.
Where magetube shots that were fired a little earlier. Are streaking in all directions, up into the sky on this cold, autumn night.
"Who the hell did that?" muses Jarnok, who then quietly adds "We should probably congratulate them".
After nodding, Greason the wizard who finally got to sleep after the hectic night he's been through.
Until he was woken by a couple of magetubes been fired in rapid succession somewhere away to the south of here.
Quietly says to the mercenary captain who hails from the kingdom of Girdane "I have absolutely no idea".
The wizard in the fiery red robes, continues with "Whoever it was, i don't definitely don't want to get in their way".
Also not wanting to get in their way, is the mercenary captain Hamblett. Who is also wondering how those magetubes were fired like that. And who it was that was shooting them.
Hamblett who is glad that another of his rival Jorkamin's warships has just been destroyed. As well as one of Jorkamin's wyverns has been killed too.
Looks over at his second in command, Rameeda, who quietly tells him "That way".
Rameeda points as he continues with "The lookout said they were coming from that direction".
"Close to the neutral zone?" asks Hamblett the mercenary captain.
"Looked like it" says Rameeda the mercenary, who then adds "Probably less than half a mile from there".
The mercenary captain nods, and though he's glad one of his main rivals has lost another warship, and another of his wyverns.
Hamblett, still has other things on his mind. As he still has intentions of attacking a former friend, and wiping out his company.
"We still going ahead?" quietly asks Rameeda, who served with Hamblett in the previous company they were in.
"Yes" replies the mercenary captain, who follows that with "With Jorkamin and his losses, and if we're able to wipe out you know who, and his company. There'll be a shift in power down here in the pit".
Hamblett, who is standing outside one of the ruins the company are using, turns and looks at his second in command, and tells him "A shift in power to us".
There's many a mercenary, adventurer and treasure seeker across the City of Ruins, especially to the north of the neutral zone.
Who were woken by the awesome display of firepower of magetubes firing.
One who was already awake, as he was watching the airship and wyvern approaching from the south.
Was the one who the warship and the wyvern belong to. As they're in his company. Well, they were in his company.
As the twin masted fighting ship lies in pieces near the neutral zone. And the wyvern, nothing much is left of it near the eastern wall of the pit, where it was hit by a magetube shot.
Still in shock at what he's just witnessed from on top of the ancient square tower affixed to the ruins the company is using.
Jorkamin the mercenary captain turns and looks at Darmos the wizard, who looks as stunned as he feels.
The mercenary captain then looks to the south again, and up into the sky, where a handful of magetube shots can still be seen above the City of Ruins. Streaking up into the sky, on this cold autumn night.
Jorkamin watches them for a few more moments, as he does the shock gives way to anger.
"Kill them" sneers Jorkamin the mercenary captain, who turns to his second in command and tells them "I want them dead".
He points away to the south and west, where they saw the magetube shots rising up from the ground, not that far from the neutral zone, and he adds "Now".
The wizard who is the second in command of the company refrains from grimacing.
As he has no wish to confront whoever it was that was shooting a pair of magetubes with ease.
But one look at Jorkamin's face, and he knows he can't back out of this now.
"Take as many of the company as you need" says Jorkamin the mercenary captain, who follows that with "I want those responsible dead".
"Will do captain" says Darmos the wizard, who gestures to some of those on top of the ancient tower, and starts issuing orders.
As Jorkamin wants some retaliation for what just happened, here on this cold autumn night in the City of Ruins.
Dorc da Orc grunts, as lord Farque grabs him by the left arm and tells him "This way".
The large ork who was staring off to the northeast, the direction the undead warlord was looking.
Hurries alongside the large, heavily armoured deathlord who heads back in the direction they came from.
After about a couple hundred yards, the lord and ruler of the lands Farque gestures away to their left, to one of the ancient culverts that run through this part of the ancient city of Dalphene.
The lord of the death realm, and the big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world jump down into the ancient culvert.
Then leaning against the sloped and in places crumbling side wall of the culvert, they look back in the direction to where they shot the magetubes from.
"Cunts?" quietly asks Dorc da Orc who like the deathlord of Farque has leaned his magetube up against the culvert wall next to them.
The undead being, who is also known by the name of Draugadrottin to the people of his lands. Nods his full helmed head in reply to the ork weaponsmith.
The large, heavily armoured deathlord lifts up his magetube, and lies it on the ground above the culvert wall.
"There" quietly says lord Farque with a nod to where he's pointed the magetube.
Dorc da Orc or Dorkindle which is his given name, looks that way. The big, burly ork from the frozen bottom of the world, who is a general in the armies of Farque.
Frowns as he sees nothing, as this part of the pit, just north of the neutral zone, is fairly bare, with little in the way of ruins.
There's more of them to the east, compared to closer to the western wall of the giant hole in the ground, which is only a couple of mile or so away.
Then the warleader of the ork race grunts as he sees sparkling, multicolored lights.
That indicates a rift forming, to the south and east a bit, about hundred or so yards north of where they just were.
The large ork lifts up his magetube as well, and lies it on the ground above the culvert.
"Not yet" quietly says the lord and ruler of the lands Farque as the rift forms.
"Wait until they're all through" quietly adds the undead warlord who has the elven name of Des'tier, which translates to, The Destroyer.
The weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks grunts, as they stand in the ancient culvert, watching the first mercenary to walk out of the rift, that's less than fifty yards from them.
The two of them are completely still, as mercenary after mercenary hurry from the rift.
The two of them are just wondering how many are actually going to come through the magical doorway.
The otherside of which, is only about a mile and three quarters away to the northeast.
When about the sixtieth or so mercenary comes through the rift, followed by one in fiery, red coloured robes.
Dorkindle when he sees the lord of the death realm has taken hold of the firing lever of the magetube he's got, the large ork does likewise. And waits for the command from the large, heavily armoured deathlord to start firing.
"Now are you going to leave that open or not?" murmurs Draugadrottin as he watches what the wizard who he assumes is from Jorkamin's company, is going to do.
The lord and ruler of the lands Farque rather hopes the spellcaster will leave the rift open.
Des'tier faintly smiles behind the faceplate of his full helm, as that's exactly what the wizard does.
"Shoot at the ones in the front" quietly says lord Farque to the ork warleader, who grunts in reply to the undead warlord.
Then the big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world jerks up on the lever of his magetube, an instant after the lord of the death realm does on his one.
Both magetubes bounce as the thud of them firing can be heard for miles around.
And while the ork general fired his magetube at the mercenaries in the lead, who are hurrying south.
The lord and ruler of the lands Farque had another target, the fully formed rift.
A target he definitely couldn't pass up, especially considering the wizard who cast it, didn't drop the spell and left it open.
As the large swirling ball of pure magical energy, red in colour. Goes tearing across the ground, towards the mercenaries who are leading the way.
The other magetube shot, this one larger, heads to where the rift is still open.
And though the wizard who cast the spell, should of really closed it. And should close it now, as one of the magetube shots comes tearing towards it.
He's kept it open, as a means of quick escape. Which is major mistake on his part, and a fatal mistake too.
Not just here, but also on the otherside of the rift, infact it's more fatal there, than it is here.
As the mercenaries, and the wizard who cast it, are for the most part, clear of the magical doorway.
The magetube shot hits the rift with predictable results when pure magical energy hits a tear or rift in reality.
There's a massive explosion that rips apart the rift, not just here near the neutral zone.
But also more than a mile and half away to the northeast, where the otherside of the fully formed rift is located.
To say that the resulting explosion is devastating to Jorkamin's company, is an understatement in the least.
It's catastrophic for the mercenary captain, and his company, where a large chunk of them are wiped out.
As twin explosions light up two parts of the ancient city of Dalphene to the north of the neutral zone, on this cold autumn night down here in the City of Ruins . . . . . .

The Find 50.

Autumn.

The pit. The ancient city of Dalphene. Also known as The City of Ruins.
They walked south for well over a mile, infact over a mile and a half.
Making their way towards the neutral zone, which they stopped a few hundred yards short of.
Standing maybe ten yards apart, it's lord Farque who lifted one of the magetubes up first, and took aim.
Dorc da Orc not wanting to be left out, quickly lifted the one he's carried here.
Then the undead warlord shot the magetube, shattering the quiet night, sending a thud that reverberates for miles across the pit.
And a near fourteen foot wide ball of pure magical energy, red in colour. Streaking up into the night sky towards it's target.
The next moment there comes another ear shattering thud. This time from the magetube that the large ork is holding.
Which sends a more than nine foot wide ball of pure magical energy, also red in colour.
Up into the sky above the pit, on this cold autumn night, here in the ancient city of Dalphene, or as it's more commonly called, the City of Ruins.
And though the ork warleader staggers back a few steps as he fires off the nine foot long, powerful magical weapon.
The large, heavily armoured deathlord is completely still shooting off the one he's got.
So it's only a moment or two before the lord and ruler of the lands Farque shoots off the magetube he's got, again.
It takes a few moments for the ork weaponsmith to steady himself, before he shoots off another shot from the near nine hundred pound magical weapon.
Sending another shot towards the target in the night sky, just over the northern end of the so called neutral zone here in the City of Ruins.
Those onboard the twin masted warship as it comes down to land. See, and definitely hear the magetube shots come up towards it.
As does the wyvern and it's rider, which are circling higher up, above the airship that's coming down to land.
There's an attentive lookout onboard, infact there's a couple. One of whom shouts out a warning. And the fighting vessel turns sharply to starboard.
Avoiding the first magetube shot that was coming up towards it. Though it looks like that shot was going to miss anyway.
Which is indeed true. As the twin masted warship that belongs to the mercenary captain Jorkamin.
Wasn't it's intended target. That's further up in the night sky, circling over five hundred feet above the pit.
The second magetube shot from the ground, shot a few hundred yards to the north of the neutral zone.
This one, four or five foot smaller than the first. Is definitely heading towards the vessel. A packet ship, or a ship of the line if it was in an aircorp of a nation.
The twin masted warship turns quickly to port, and that second magetube shot narrowly misses the fighting ship, and heads higher up into the night sky.
Not so the third shot, which was fired off extremely quickly. Which hits the underside of the warship.
The mercenaries onboard, having heard what happened to their sister ship yesterday in the afternoon.
Came in with two spellcasters onboard, both of who have warded the underside and hull of the twin masted vessel.
And though the barrier spells withstand the third magetube shot, and then a fourth as it continues to turn to port and fly away.
It doesn't withstand a fifth magetube shot, which slams into the starboard side hull, just behind the bow as it's turning away.
There's a massive explosion in the night sky just a couple hundred feet above the northern end of the neutral zone.
Ripping apart the bow, and decking infront of the forward mast of the warship.
Sending wood, bodies and debris flying in all directions. And sending the twin masted airship towards the ground.
As it drops, the badly damaged fighting vessel is hit by the sixth magetube shot from the ground.
Which slams into it's now unprotected underside, right along the magical keel, around a midships.
That magetube shot hits the magical keel dead on, shattering it. Breaking the already badly damaged warship, which is now burning, in half.
The halves of the vessel drops out of the night sky, and slams into the ground, where they shatter apart.
"To your left up there" says lord Farque, who has just told Dorc da Orc to keep up with his rate of firing after the twin masted airship breaks apart and slams into the ground just a few hundred yards away.
"Your other fucking left" dryly says the undead warlord in the momentary lull between repeated shots from the two magetubes they're shooting off.
Dorc da Orc grunts, and sweeps the nine foot long magetube he's holding upwards, from right to left, before yanking up on the firing lever.
As he, and the large, heavily armoured deathlord continues to fire the powerful magical weapons.
Sending shot after shot, into the night sky above the pit, even though they've already destroyed the twin masted warship.
The remains of which, what little there is of it. Is burning up, just a few hundred yards to the south of where they are.
"Get some" grunts the ork warleader after he staggers backwards from shooting off the magetube again.
The big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world, hefts the heavy weapon, which weighs more than he does.
And sights along the end of it, before he drops it down to waist level, to the side of his right hip.
Braces himself, grinning with his sharp, canine like teeth, clenched as he yanks up on the firing lever of the magetube.
Sending another nine foot wide ball of pure magical energy, shooting up into the night sky above the ancient city of Dalphene, or as it's more commonly called, the City of Ruins.
Dorc da Orc or Dorkindle which is his given name, stumbles back again, nearly falling on his ample rump from the energy created from the powerful magical weapon firing off.
A weapon that's usually mounted on a wheeled cradle, which has a crew of four or five handling and firing it during combat.
As the large ork chuckles, and stands upright, and steps forward to get ready to fire off another shot.
Lord Farque who actually holds the ten foot long magetube he's got, up to his right shoulder, has already fired off another shot.
The undead warlord sends two shots from the magetube he's using, in the time it takes the ork general to fire off one.
The rate of fire is fine as the lord of the death realm is concerned. Infact it's pretty much perfect for what they're doing.
It destroyed the twin masted warship pretty quickly. Now they're after the wyvern and it's rider.
Who are frantically trying to avoid the numerous amounts of large balls of pure magical energy heading up towards them.
As the ork weaponsmith shoots at the wyvern, which can easily avoid the shot from the large ork's purloined magetube.
As Dorkindle is shooting straight at the wyvern, making it easy for it and it's rider to avoid.
Though it's a lot different for what the lord and ruler of the lands Farque is doing.
As the large, heavily armoured deathlord is rapidly shooting, he's not actually shooting directly at the large winged creature in the night sky above the pit.
The undead warlord, who has the name of Draugadrottin, which the people of his lands also known him by.
Is shooting at where the wyvern could be. Shooting into the night sky, trying to predict it's path.
The wyvern which can move quickly, far quicker than the speed of a magetube shot could ever move.
Has been lucky as it barely avoids the shots that the deathlord of Farque has shot into it's path.
Lord Farque, who is using Dorc da Orc to try and herd the wyvern into the path of the shots from the magetube he's firing off.
Glances at the side of the powerful magical weapon he's using. He quickly slides the metal grill that's on the side of the magetube.
And he checks how much power is left in the magetube. He sees that there's still plenty of power in it.
And he shoots off another shot, as he attempts to predicts which way the wyvern and it's rider will go.
In a lull after the big, burly ork from the frozen bottom of the world shoots off a shot from his magetube.
The lord and ruler of the lands Farque, who has the elven name of Des'tier, which translates to, The Destroyer.
Tells the ork general in his armies "It's coming around this way" followed by "Looks like they're going to drop down".
The lord of the death realm continues with "Probably to have a look at us, to see who we are".
The warleader of the ork race grunts at that, then after the undead warlord shoots off a shot from the magetube he's using.
Sending off a loud shot, that reverberates through Dorkindle's body, even though he's standing over ten yards from the large, heavily armoured deathlord.
It's even worse when the one that the ork weaponsmith has at his disposal, is fired off.
The kinetic energy is powerful as he shoots off another shot from the nine foot long magical weapon.
If someone was directly behind it, the kickback from it firing will knock a person down with ease, most likely killing them.
Though the large ork is big enough, not to mention strong enough to hold it to one side, and fire it off without hurting himself.
Even so, the ork warleader does stumble backwards every time he fires the powerful magical weapon.
Dorc da Orc in a lull between shots, says to the undead warlord who has walked away to the right a bit "That cunt is coming in low".
Draugadrottin nods his full helmed head then tells the ork weaponsmith "Keep shooting at it".
The lord and ruler of the lands Farque who is sensing in all directions as he and the ork general keep shooting at the wyvern and it's rider.
Which after it skims in quite low, heads up into the sky and wings it way eastwards after a couple of the magetube shots nearly hit it.
The large, heavily armoured deathlord briefly stops shooting the magetube he's holding.
And he looks away to the northeast, where he senses a wizard over a mile and a half away, nearly two miles that way.
Lord Farque who is wanting a reaction from that particular spellcaster.
Slightly nods his head, and mutters to himself "Fucking chicken". Before he resumes shooting at the wyvern that's flying eastwards over the pit.
"Looks like it's going to land" says Des'tier, which is the smart thing to do, and which the rider should of done immediately.
The big, burly ork from the frozen bottom of the world grunts, as indeed it looks like the wyvern is going to land somewhere on the eastern side of the giant hole in the ground.
Within which is the ancient city of Dalphene, more commonly called the City of Ruins.
Nevertheless, the undead warlord and the ork general in his armies continue to shoot at it with the magetubes.
Dozens of shots of which are scattered throughout the night sky above the pit.
As they don't disappear or dissipate unless they hit something. The only way they can disappear when they're shot into the sky. Is to hit something. Or to go up high enough, that a lack of breathable air starts to extinguish the balls of pure magical energy.
As the two of them shoot off the magetube shots lower so that they pursue the fleeing wyvern.
Which is twisting and turning to avoid any shots that get to close to it.
Lord Farque slightly frowns as he watches it, then the undead warlord steps closer to Dorkindle, basically standing right behind him.
Then after the large ork shoots off a shot from his magetube, the lord of the death realm shouts at him in the ork language "Duck cunt!".
The ork general ducks down low, and winces as the deathlord of Farque fires off a magetube shot, directly behind the one he just fired off.
The warleader of the ork race gets back up when the lord and ruler of the lands Farque steps away to the right as they face eastwards, and resumes shooting again.
Dorc da Orc who realises these later magetube shots are more than likely going to hit the east wall of the pit.
Shoots off another shot, then slightly frowns as the echoing thud reverberates around them.
The large ork is watching the two magetube shots that are inline, one behind the other.
Which are fairly low, as they didn't really fire them upwards considering the wyvern looks like it's going to land.
Dorkindle watches as the wyvern avoids one magetube shot, then another. While it drops down towards the ground.
Just as the two shots, one after the other, are almost upon it.
As it's landing, spreading it's wings to do so, as wyverns stretch out their wings to their fullest as they land, only bringing them into their sides when they touch the ground.
The rider shouts something at it, and though temperamental, it does obey. And it brings in one wing. Avoiding the first of the two magetube shots, that are less then twenty yards apart.
Then the wyvern being a wyvern, and wanting to land to avoid getting shot at. Extends the wing it quickly brought in.
When it does, the second magetube shot that was closely following the first one. Clips the extended wing of the wyvern.
That's all it needs, as magetube shots if they don't just plow through something they hit, destroying it in the process. They explode instead, and that's what this one does.
"They dead" says Dorc da Orc who chuckles as the explosion lights up the pit away to the east.
The large ork looks over at lord Farque, and sees that the large, heavily armoured deathlord isn't even watching the effects of the explosion.
Draugadrottin is looking away to the north and east across the pit, looking like he's ready to start shooting the magetube he's holding again.
With a grunt, Dorc da Orc asks "What the fuck is it?".
Lord Farque after a moment of silence, replies with "Just waiting for us to be attacked" . . . . . .

The Find 49.

Autumn.

The giant hole in the ground. Also know as the pit. Within which is the ancient city of Dalphene. More commonly called the City of Ruins.
He has the watch after midnight, simply because he has the best hearing and vision out of the group.
Hilmik the dwarven warrior, with his cloak wrapped around him. For even he feels the chill this cold autumn night.
Does a circuit around the ramshackle looking barn he and the others are spending the night in.
Once he's back around the front of the barn again, which faces to the east, towards the City of Ruins.
The young dwarven mercenary who hails from the Colevar Mountains. Yawns as he stomps his feet in his heavy, iron shod boots. Then after a quick look around, he wanders away from the barn, heading in the direction of the giant hole in the ground.
Hilmik goes a couple hundred yards, and though he thinks about walking right to the edge of the pit, which is about a half a mile from the decrepit looking barn.
The young dwarf whose clan hold is on the northern slopes of the Colevar Mountain Range.
Stays here, a couple hundred yards from the barn that the others are in. Here he looks away to the north, and as he suspects he sees nothing in that direction.
Then Hilmik looks southwards, first along the ground, then up into the night sky.
The dwarven mercenary who spots small herds of farm animals further to the southwest.
Spots something all together more interesting, not to mention more lethal than cows and sheep up in the night sky.
Hilmik with his natural farsight, as well as his night vision that non humans have, sees in the distance, just to the south of the giant hole in the ground, within which is the ancient city of Dalphene, also know as the City of Ruins.
An airship in the night sky. About a half a mile to the south of the towns up top, at that end of the pit.
The dwarven mercenary who joined Maygam's company in the summertime.
Watches the vessel for a bit, as it isn't moving particularly quickly. Then he realises the crew must be all human.
Who are being cautious as they approach the southern edge of the City of Ruins.
Hilmik then nods to himself, as he sees that the airship is actually a warship.
Another of the vessels that the mercenary captain Jorkamin has been rumoured to have.
And unlike the other airship of Jorkamin's that was brought down in the afternoon.
Which was a converted merchant vessel, turned into a fighting ship. This airship, is definitely a warship. And has always been one.
Even Hilmik, who doesn't have a lot of knowledge about such things. Can tell that this vessel, is a way more lethal airship than the one that was destroyed earlier in the afternoon.
Wider of beam, and longer than the destroyed vessel, and this one is twin masted.
That from his best guess, has at least twenty magetubes onboard. While the single masted converted airship that was destroyed, only had a dozen of the powerful magical weapons.
The dwarven warrior watches it approach the towns at the southern edge of the pit.
Then he slightly frowns as something grabs his attention, a bit further to the south.
After a few moments, the young dwarf originally from the Colevar Mountains.
Nods his head as he sees it's a wyvern in the night sky. Following behind the warship, about a mile or so to a stern of it.
At the speed the wyvern is flying, it will soon catch up to the warship. The wyvern being another in the company of the mercenary captain Jorkamin.
Hilmik slightly winces, for though the wyvern is at least nine miles away. It still might spot him, standing out in the open, less than half a mile to the west of giant hole in the ground.
Within which is the ancient city of Dalphene, known far and wide as the City of Ruins.
The dwarven mercenary turns and hurries back to the ramshackle old barn that they've taken shelter in, on this cold autumn night.
Once he's back to it, and standing on the northern side of it, looking around the front corner to the south.
Hilmik continues to watch the warship in the distance to the south. As well as the wyvern, which is now a few hundred feet above the twin masted vessel.
Keeping pace, and watching it. As it makes it's way over the towns at the southern edge of the pit.
Then it passes over the southern lip of the giant hole in the ground. And is now flying over the City of Ruins, on this cold autumn night.
With a steel boot, lord Farque nudges Dorc da Orc in the side and says in the ork language "Get up cunt".
The large ork who is fast asleep, and is snoring loudly, doesn't wake up until the large, heavily armoured deathlord basically kicks him awake.
"Huh?" grunts Dorc da Orc who yawns as he sits up, rubbing his side, wondering why it feels a bit sore.
"Go and get it" says the undead warlord with a nod of his full helmed head to the corner behind the ork warleader.
The big, burly ork from the southern polar region blinks a few times as he sees what the lord and ruler of the lands Farque is holding.
Dorc da Orc or Dorkindle which is his given name, scrambles to his feet, and gleefully chuckles "Get some".
As he hurries to the corner, and gets the other magetube that they recovered from the wreckage of the downed airship in the afternoon.
The ork weaponsmith, with the magical weapon that weighs more than he does. Follows the lord of the death realm outside.
"What is it?" quietly asks Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit who is outside taking the after midnight watch.
"Stay here on watch" replies lord Farque in the elven language, who then adds "We're going to take care of something".
"Oh?" says the halfling, who is a former air sailor from the Sultanate of Dreese, which is on the far east coast of the continent.
Dorc da Orc stands there scratching his ass as he wonders what the large, heavily armoured deathlord and the halfling, who is one of his advisors is talking about.
The weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks might not know what they're discussing.
But he does know that the hobbit, who to him is pretendy Zubu. Is surprised by something the lord and ruler of the lands Farque tells him.
Dorkindle grunts as the undead warlord sets off, gesturing to the large ork to follow him.
The ork who is a general in the armies of Farque, as he follows the lord of the death realm.
Notices pretendy Zubu looking up into the sky, away to the south, on what's a cold autumn night.
Well cold for everyone else, not cold for a big, burly ork from the frozen bottom of the world.
Nor is it cold for the undead being who he's following behind as they walk southwards away from ruins that the group have made camp in this night.
Dorkindle hurries forward when lord Farque waves him forward to walk alongside him.
"There's two of them" says the undead warlord who also has the name of Draugadrottin, which the people of his lands know him by.
"Don't shoot at them, until i say so" continues the large, heavily armoured deathlord, who then adds "And when you do, keep shooting at them until they're destroyed".
The lord and ruler of the lands Farque, who has the elven name of Des'tier, which means, The Destroyer.
Then dryly tells the ork general in his armies "And don't fucking stand infront of me, or behind me".
The son of the previous matriarch of the wolf tribe of orks. Who he killed, which was only fair, as she was doing her best to kill him at the time.
Grunts then says "Me won't" the big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world pauses for a moment or two, then he says "Er Farque, who we fucken shooting at?".
"Them" is the reply of the large, heavily armoured deathlord as they walk around one of the ruins in this part of the pit, and he points away to the south in the night sky.
Dorc da Orc blinks, then he murmurs in glee "Fucken sweet" as he lifts up the magetube to take aim.
"Not fucking yet, they're too far away" says lord Farque who directs a withering glance at the ork warleader.
Who grunts and lowers the near nine hundred pound magetube, then licks his lips as he waits in anticipation as they watch the sky to the south over the City of Ruins.
Jorkamin the mercenary captain is woken up by Darmos the wizard who quietly tells him "Come and look at this".
The mercenary captain flings his blanket off him, gets up and follows the spellcaster who is the second in command of the company.
They make their way out of one of the more solid, and intact ruins in all the northern half of the City of Ruins.
"Here captain" quietly says one of the lookouts, after they head up some steps to the ancient tower that's affixed to the building the company is using as their headquarters during the battle.
It's a square, blocky tower, that though it's missing the wall around the roof, is still fairly solid considering how old it is.
Jorkamin takes the expensive eyepiece handed to him by the lookout who spoke.
"What am i looking at?" asks Jorkamin the mercenary captain who looks to the south through the eyepiece, when Darmos points in that direction.
The brass eyepiece makes the nighttime look like day, well dusk or dawn really.
So the mercenary captain quickly, and easily sees what the wizard Darmos points to.
A grin appears on the face of Jorkamin as he looks through the brass, cylindrical eyepiece.
"They've made fairly good time" says the mercenary captain, the wizard standing beside him nods in agreement.
"Not even halfway between midnight and dawn is my guess" says Darmos, who is wrapping his cloak tight around himself to try and ward off the cold.
"What's that wyvern doing?" quietly says Jorkamin as he continues to look through the eyepiece.
"I sent the message to have it fly higher up, to search for any threats to the ship down on the ground" says the practitioner of magic who follows that with "It's the wyvern doing the actual looking at night, unfortunately it's rider is human, as it won't allow any of the dwarves and elves in the company to fly it".
The mercenary captain grunts, as he often wonders why he even bothers with the wyverns he has at his disposal.
True, they're fierce in battle. And they're excellent for scouting and patrols.
But they're also flighty, and extremely volatile at times. As they're fractious to begin with. And often won't do anything they don't like.
"They were told to set down at this end of the neutral zone" says Darmos the wizard, followed by "So they can begin around dawn".
He looks at the mercenary captain and tells him "They'll be able to locate and attack anyone up here, who are out and about early".
"Good" murmurs Jorkamin, who knows that his rivals and their companies up here in the northern half of the pit.
Thought they would have some kind of reprieve with his warship that was destroyed in the afternoon.
But that reprieve is going to be short lived, as he now has his other warship. Which is bigger, and more lethal than the one that was destroyed.
Here in the pit, to renew his attack on them just before first light, on what will probably be another cold autumn day here in the City of Ruins.
"We'll have them search the ground between the neutral zone and here first" says Jorkamin the mercenary captain, who continues with "Then out to the west, where our ship went down".
He briefly pauses before adding "With the twenty two magetubes they've got onboard, they'll do a lot of damage to anyone they find".
The wizard, who is the second in command of the company nods his head in agreement with the mercenary captain.
As they watch the warship away to the south, start to drop in altitude as it's now over the neutral zone of the pit. While the wyvern circles above it.
As the twin masted vessel, which would be a packet ship, or a line vessel. If it was in the aircorp of a nation.
Drops to a couple hundred feet above the northern end of the neutral zone, just a little over two miles from here.
Jorkamin takes the brass, cylindrical eyepiece away from his face, and turns to Darmos to tell him something.
When suddenly he sees a streak of colour away to the southwest, followed a mere moment later by a recognisable thud.
They quickly look that way, as another ball of colourful light, accompanied by a thud comes from the same direction.
Followed by another, and another, and another, and another. Lighting up the night sky in that direction.
Jorkamin the mercenary captain quickly looks at Darmos the wizard, who looks to be as stunned and shocked as Jorkamin feels.
As that's a magetube firing, from the ground, repeatedly as well, all towards the sky above the neutral zone too . . . . . .

The Find 48.

Autumn.

In the north of the central region of the Southlands. The City of Ruins, once known as Dalphene.
Jarnok the mercenary captain paces back and forth, while Tunga the troll watches on.
Jarnok hasn't heard from the wizards Lopaphil and Greason for quite some time.
Or for that matter anyone else who went off with the two spellcasters.
The mercenary captain looks over at the troll he's known for quite a number of years.
And thinks about asking him if he hears anything new in the direction the wizards went.
But apart from the explosions they heard earlier in the evening out towards the west.
He knows the large troll won't of heard anything from that part of the pit the wizards, and about sixty of the company went off to.
Jarnok, who is originally from the kingdom of Girdane, where he met Tunga in the shipbuilding yards in the capital Oaklynn when they were much younger.
Is about to resume his pacing when Tunga the troll quietly says "Someone comes" he briefly pauses before adding "Greason".
"About damn time" mutters Jarnok the mercenary captain, who then nods when the lookout above quietly calls down "Someone approaching".
Jarnok and Tunga who are in one of the ancient ruins above the tunnels and underground chambers the company have taken shelter in.
Step outside into the night, when the lookout up on the partial roof of the ancient building quietly says "It's the wizard Greason".
A few moments later and they see a harried looking, and rather disheveled Greason stumble towards them.
"You okay?" quietly asks Jarnok the mercenary captain who grabs the wizard in the red robes, who is breathing heavily.
Nodding his head, Greason the wizard says "As okay as I'll ever be" the spellcaster then asks "Anyone else make it back?".
After shaking his head no, Jarnok says "You're the first one back".
The practitioner of magic grimaces, then loudly mutters "Damn".
Jarnok who is starting to get an uneasy feeling about what's happened, quietly asks "Lopaphil?".
"Dead is my guess" is the quiet reply of Greason of his fellow wizard, he briefly pauses before adding "No, I'm pretty sure he's dead".
Now it's Jarnok's turn to mutter "Damn" while wincing as he wonders what went wrong in the attack out to the west of here.
Where tunnels were located, that some other mercenaries had been found to be using.
They assumed it was Jorkamin's company using them, or maybe even Hamblett's.
But it could very well be any of the other mercenary companies, who have been caught up in the battle, here to the north of the neutral zone in the City of Ruins.
"Did you find out who it was?" asks the mercenary captain as they step back inside the ancient building.
"An educated guess" says the wizard Greason, who continues on with "I'd say Maygam's company".
Jarnok frowns when he hears that, then as he's about to ask Greason why he thinks that.
The disheveled looking wizard in the fiery red robes quietly says "I'm pretty certain it was those damn twins who attacked us".
Greason goes onto explain "Whoever it was, they were fairly powerful" followed by "You must of heard and saw those explosions away to the west".
Both Jarnok the mercenary captain and Tunga the troll nod their heads yes, that they had.
Then the spellcaster quietly tells the two of them "I couldn't sense the bastards, and I'm sure Lopaphil couldn't either".
Greason follows that with "That's always been the problem with those two, no one knows where the hell they are".
Jarnok slightly grimaces, as he knows this to be true. As the elven twins Gilvanéllé and Lolmildíll are the reason that Maygam's company. Which isn't all that large, and is barely a mid sized company in comparison to other companies down here in the pit.
Has been so successful over the last ten years or so. Certainly over the last handful of years.
"I got away from there as soon as i could" says Greason, who teleported in a number of directions just incase one of the elven twins followed him.
The wizard in the red coloured robes quietly continues with "If only those bastards ran into some of Jorkamin's or Hamblett's companies".
Jarnok the mercenary captain nods in agreement with that. As anything to decimate his two biggest rivals is a good thing.
The mercenary captain faintly sighs, as once again he thinks of how well things were going in the two week long battle against Hamblett's company.
Until Jorkamin and his company got involved in the battle, here a couple of miles to the north of the neutral zone of the City of Ruins.
Jarnok is just about to say something, when Tunga the troll quietly says "Someone coming in".
A few moments later, and the lookout up on the partial roof of the ancient building, quietly calls down the same thing.
It turns out to be one of those who went off with the wizards Greason and Lopaphil.
He's the first one back after Greason. And through the night, he's the first of just a dozen of them who make it back.
After nearly sixty of the company went along with the wizards Lopaphil and Greason.
With the first one back, who confirms the wizard's story. Jarnok who hopes more of them come back.
Who will be disappointed at how many actually return from the ill fated attack upon the tunnels further to the west in the pit.
Quietly says to the practitioner of magic "You up for anything else tonight?".
"What do you have in mind?" is the quiet reply of Greason, who doesn't voice he isn't really interested in doing anything else tonight.
"Tunga has heard a bunch of people away to the east of here" quietly says the mercenary captain, who follows that with "Just four or five hundred yards away".
The wizard in the fiery red robes just nods his head, and doesn't voice what he's actually thinking.
"They seem to moving out in patrols, or small groups seeming like they're on patrol" quietly says Jarnok.
Tunga the troll agrees with the mercenary captain, and he grunts when Jarnok quietly asks the spellcaster "Care to guess who?".
Greason slightly frowns as he tries to figure out who. Then the practitioner of magic nods, as it's a fairly easy guess, and he quietly says "Jorkamin's company".
"Correct" says Jarnok the mercenary captain, who then sourly adds "Only he would be arrogant enough to send out patrols in the middle of the night in what's essentially a battlefield".
Both Greason the wizard, and Tunga the troll both nod in agreement with that from the mercenary captain.
Then Jarnok quietly tells the spellcaster what he has in plan.
The wizard's eyebrows shoot up in surprise when he hears what the mercenary captain has to say.
"No use just getting anyone" quietly says Greason after Jarnok explains what he wants to do.
"It will at least have to be one of his immediate subordinates to make it successful" adds the wizard in the fiery red coloured robes.
Who is now getting over the shock of losing his fellow spellcaster Lopaphil, who he has worked closely with over the last few years.
"I know" quietly says Jarnok who continues with "Have to be one of his more senior mercs".
The mercenary captain pauses for a moment or two, before he adds "Maybe even Darmos".
Greason slowly nods when he hears that, then the wizard quietly says "I doubt he'd be on one of their patrols".
The spellcaster continues on with "If i know anything about my former colleague is that he's never far from Jorkamin" followed by "Nor does he put himself in harms way, like going out on a patrol".
Jarnok nods as he figures as much, but he quietly says "You never know, we might get lucky" he then adds "Nevertheless, we'll grab someone of significance".
The mercenary captain looks over at Tunga, and quietly tells the troll "Get the others" followed by "We'll go now".
Elsewhere in the pit, another mercenary captain is contemplating his fortunes, and how things have gone of late.
Hamblett the mercenary captain as he lies in a recently dug hole in the ground amongst the rubble of an ancient ruin.
Wraps his blanket around him tighter to ward off the chill of the cold autumn night, here in the City of Ruins.
The mercenary captain who was just thinking of how things were in a stalemate with his rival Jarnok.
In a battle here in the northern half of the giant hole in the ground, that had gone on for nearly two weeks.
Then things changed when Jorkamin and his company entered the fray.
Hamblett sourly smiles as his company took the brunt of the initial attack from Jorkamin's company.
Losing the sorcerer Kilfin fairly early on. Which was a major blow for Hamblett.
As the sorcerer, though not his second in command. Was one of his major confidants.
Not to mention Kilfin was the best spellcaster in the company. Who died in an ancient culvert with a crossbow bolt through the neck.
Hamblett sighs at the loss of the accomplished sorcerer. As he tries to get more comfortable in the hole he dug himself.
The mercenary captain hears movement to his right, from the hole a few feet in that direction.
And someone moving up and out of it. Hamblett knows who it is, his second in command Rameeda.
"You thinking what I'm thinking captain?" quietly asks Rameeda as he looks down into the hole that the mercenary captain is in.
"Knowing you, i hope not" dryly says Hamblett the mercenary captain, which illicits a chuckle from his second in command.
"Too true" quietly says Rameeda, who is about a decade older than Hamblett, who himself is in his mid thirties.
The second in command of the company then says "I was thinking about those large explosions a little while ago to the south".
Rameeda briefly pauses before continuing on with "And who it could be down there".
Hamblett falls silent at the mention of that, as that's what he's been thinking about ever since it's happened.
And though he's tried to push it to the back of his mind, and think of other things. Like how things have been going overall since Jorkamin's company got involved in the battle.
It's always been there, ticking away. Having his attention no matter what else he's tried to think of.
Hamblett, and a lot of his company, or what's left of it. Are further north than their two main rivals, Jarnok and Jorkamin.
Where there's less of the ruins, that gives the city in the giant hole in the ground it's name.
Earlier just at sunset, two of Hamblett's company were further south.
Where in hiding, they saw a fairly decent number of Jarnok's company moving westwards across the pit.
In that group, were the wizards in Jarnok's company, Greason and Lopaphil.
The two mercs in Hamblett's company followed them at distance during the early evening. Until one realised where Jarnok's men were going.
The two of them broke off, and headed north to inform their captain what they had discovered.
And like the one who knew where Jarnok's mercs and two wizards were going.
So did the mercenary captain Hamblett when he and Rameeda were told about it. A system of tunnels, leading to a large underground chamber.
Hamblett knows about it, because he found the entrance to one of those tunnels just over a decade ago.
When he was just another merc in another company that was working down here in the City of Ruins.
Rameeda, who was in that same company over a decade ago quietly says "It has to be them" followed by "Figure hardly anyone else knows of that tunnel system".
The second in command of the company continues with "And i bet what we heard was them dealing to Jarnok's lot, no doubt taking them by surprise considering who he has hired over the years".
The mercenary captain sighs, as the he, Rameeda is referring to. Is the same person who was by Hamblett's side with a shovel all those years ago, digging out the entrance to one of those tunnels.
His former best friend Maygam. Who more than a decade later, is a mercenary captain himself down here in the ancient city of Dalphene, or as it's more commonly called, the City of Ruins.
"You're right, i am thinking what you're thinking" quietly says Hamblett, who continues with "We know that tunnel system better than anyone along with him".
Looking at his second in command, the mercenary captain quietly tells him "We'll hit them when they least expect it" he then adds with a touch of heat in his voice "And wipe them out".
There's a reason Hamblett and Maygam are former best friends. It's because they absolutely hate one another . . . . . .

The Find 47.

Autumn.

The giant hole in the ground. Also called the pit. Within which is the ancient city of Dalphene. More commonly called The City of Ruins.
Jorkamin the mercenary captain and Darmos the wizard share a look. Then the two of the go back to looking to the west.
Where in the distance, a ball of flame and smoke can be seen rolling up into the night sky.
The two of them are silent for a few moments, then Jorkamin the mercenary captain breaks the silence by saying "Is that near where our ship went down?".
"No, that was further south, at least a third of a mile from that, maybe half" is the reply from Darmos the wizard with a nod of his head to the flaming ball heading up into the night sky above the pit.
The wizard in the dark red, almost maroon coloured robes senses westwards, wondering what's going on that way.
As that's not the first explosion they've seen and heard from that area of the ancient city of Dalphene this evening. And none of their company are out that way.
Darmos, who is essentially the second in command of the company, is just about to mention something to Jorkamin.
When he suddenly senses something, to be more precise, someone.
Just before they hear the thud of another explosion from the same area of the pit as the ball of flame and smoke rising upwards in the night sky came from.
"Greason" mutters Darmos the wizard as he senses his old friend and colleague.
"He responsible for that?" asks the captain of one of the largest, if not largest mercenary company, in operation down here in the giant hole in the ground.
Within which is the ancient city of Dalphene, more commonly known as, the City of Ruins.
"No" says Darmos, who continues with "But he's caught up in all that". As he nods westwards in the direction of the recent explosions.
The portly, and out of shape spellcaster who can no longer sense his fellow wizard, an ex friend, Greason, then says "Must of been in the middle of that last explosion".
He continues on with "I sensed him putting up wards" followed by "Now he's just teleported away".
The wizard Darmos nods to himself, and he quietly tells Jorkamin "Don't know where he is now".
The mercenary captain grunts when he hears that, Jorkamin then says "If he's caught up in that, then who's attacking him?".
"I'm not sure" says Darmos who knows Jorkamin won't be happy with that answer.
Especially after the day the company has had. Losing one of their wyverns, as well as one of their warships.
Jorkamin sourly smiles, then he nods his head, when the wizard who is his second in command, quietly says "That's what's got me worried".
The overweight spellcaster in the frumpy looking robes, then says "Those are some pretty substantial explosions out that way" followed by "And i can't sense anyone casting them".
"Think it might be this mysterious mage who took down our ship?" asks the mercenary captain whose plans to eliminate his main rivals, have taken a bit of a setback today.
True, Jorkamin's company has got the upper hand in the battle here to north of the neutral zone of the pit.
But with the loss of the wyvern, and the warship today. Things aren't going as well as they should be.
"Maybe" says Darmos the wizard who continues with "Though i suspect we'd see mageglobes if that was the case".
The second in command of the company continues with "More likely it's someone, or more than someone from one of the other companies".
With a slight nod of his head, Jorkamin asks the wizard in the dark red robes "Like who?".
"The twins" is the reply from the practitioner of magic who joined the company about a decade ago.
The mercenary captain slightly frowns as he figures out who Darmos means.
Then Jorkamin scowls when he realises who the wizard is referring to.
"Those two sick elven bastards" says the mercenary captain in disgust.
"The very ones" says the portly spellcaster, who continues on with "Those two have always been near impossible to sense or locate" followed by "And they're quite powerful too".
Jorkamin grunts, then sourly says "They're the reason Maygam is fairly successful" he then adds "Even with the piddling amount of mercs he's got in his company".
Darmos nods in agreement with that. It's no secret that the elven twins from Alínlae, Lolmildíll and Gilvanéllé. Are the reason that Maygam's mercenary company are one of the most successful companies operating down here in the City of Ruins.
Even though Maygam's company is only a mid sized company at best. When it comes to the amount of people he has under his hire.
Then Jorkamin thinks about something for a moment, he looks around to make sure none of the company are close as they stand upon a fairly solid roof, on one of the ruins in this part of the giant hole in the ground.
There's only four others on the rooftop of the ancient ruin. All lookouts, with none standing anywhere near the mercenary captain and his second in command.
"Think we should head out that way?" quietly asks Jorkamin the mercenary, who then adds "Or at least send some of the company out there?".
Darmos thinks about it for a moment, then he shakes his head no, as the ball of flames and smoke has finally dissipated in the sky.
On what's a cold autumn night here in the ancient city of Dalphene, or as it's more commonly called, the City of Ruins.
"If Greason was out there, then it's certain that Lopaphil was out there too" says Darmos who continues with "Jarnok likes them working as a team".
Jorkamin nods in agreement with the wizard, who then says "And no doubt they had some of their company with them".
"More than likely" says the mercenary captain in agreement with the overweight spellcaster who is the second in command of the company.
"And from the way Greason took off" says Darmos, who continues on with "I'm guessing the twins, or whoever it might be out that way, have dealt to Lopaphil and whoever else was with Jarnok's pet wizards".
The practitioner of magic in the dark red, almost maroon coloured robes looks at the mercenary captain and quietly tells him "They might very well be doing us a favour".
Jorkamin slowly nods, for though it's true he wants to wipe out as many of the other mercenary companies as possible.
The main objective of their plans here in the northern half of the City of Ruins.
Is to eliminate his main two rivals, and their companies. That being the mercenary captains Jarnok and Hamblett.
Who are the captains of the two mercenary companies that rivals Jorkamin's in size and resources.
"Hmmmm" murmurs the mercenary captain, who is silent for a few moments, before he continues with "Let them battle it out maybe?" followed by "Then move in, and take out whoever is left?".
"It's what i would do" quietly says the practitioner of magic, who then adds "At least until the other warship is up here".
Jorkamin grunts when he hears that, the mercenary captain, with the sharp, severe looking features, turns and looks away to the south, then he says "Speaking of that" followed by "Is it anywhere near here yet?".
Darmos the wizard turns to the left and looks to the south as well, and he senses as far as he can, which is towards the southern end of the giant hole in the ground.
The second in command of the company shakes his head, then he says "Not yet" followed by "It's not over the pit" he then adds "It must still be coming up from the south".
Someone who can sense Jorkamin's other warship, a vessel based at a town about a dozen miles to the south of the southern end of the pit.
Looks away to the south as he sensed it a little while ago, having lifted off from it's base, and is now heading north towards the ancient city of Dalphene, or as it's more commonly called, the City of Ruins.
"Another airship coming towards the pit" says lord Farque as he steps into the dilapidated ruins the group are spending the night in.
"Warship?" asks Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit, the undead warlord replies with a nod of his full helmed head, then he says "Most likely belongs to that Jorkamin like that other one" followed by "It'll get here in the middle of the night".
The large heavily armoured deathlord then looks away to the right, and he says "Stop fucking playing with that cunt" followed by "Put it in the corner with the other one, and leave it the fuck alone before you blow us all up".
Dorc da Orc grunts, and he quickly takes his hand away from the firing lever of the magetube he's holding.
The large ork then carries it to the corner where the other one they took from the wreckage of the nearby warship, and leans it next to it.
"His one fucken bigger than mine" mutters Dorc da Orc as he eyes the two magical weapons that are now side by side.
The big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world then grunts, and moves away when the lord of the death realm tells him to get away from the magetubes.
The group have got a fire going in the ancient building they're in, not too bothered who might see, or smell it.
For on the wind this cold autumn night, they've smelt other fires nearby.
Lord Farque and Jarjin Littlefoot go around to where Mira Reinholt the mage is sitting on his bedroll.
The halfling from the Sultanate of Dreese, a nation on the far east coast of the continent, sits down next to the once powerful mage.
While the lord and ruler of the lands Farque sits upon a pile of rubble to the left of them.
While the others are closer to the fire, eating what's been cooked for their meal.
With the exception of Dalinvardèl Tanith the spy, who is on watch outside.
And Helbe the elven thief who isn't with the group at the moment, as he's a bit further to the north in the pit.
"What happened up there?" quietly asks Mira Reinholt the mage, referring to the recent explosions about a third of a mile to the north of where they are.
"One of those wizards is dead" is the reply from lord Farque, who is also known by the name of Draugadrottin to the people of his lands.
"So are a fair few of those mercs who were with them" adds the deathlord of Farque who continues with "Those elves from Alínlae dealt to them".
Both Jarjin Littlefoot and Mira Reinholt, who are members of lord Farque's personal council, nod when they hear that.
Then the halfling, who isn't what he appears to be, then asks "I guess the one we're looking for isn't there?".
"Correct" says the undead warlord who has the elven name of Des'tier, which translates to, The Destroyer.
The lord of the death realm, who will know if Helbe the elven thief has located the one they're searching for.
By the simple fact Narladene the ground pixie will show up and tell him.
Looks at his two council members, and quietly tells the once powerful mage, and the former air sailor "That one still isn't with their company" followed by "They're still somewhere else up here".
The mage who is in exile from his homeland, the city-state of Vexil, nods his hooded head.
While the hobbit, 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 the halfling former air sailor from the Sultanate of Dreese.
Stares at the nearby fire, that most of the rest of the group are around. With the exception of Dorc da Orc, who is away to lord Farque's left, as far away from the fire as possible, which the ork warleader is glaring at.
"Hope they haven't got themselves killed" murmurs Jarjin aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman.
The spellcaster, who was once the most powerful mage of his generation to be found anywhere in the Southlands.
Until he was stripped of the vast majority of his powers when he went offworld through a rift, void spell he accidentally cast a number of years ago. Grunts when he hears that from his fellow council member.
While lord Farque nods his full helmed head in agreement with what the halfling from the far east coast of the continent just murmured.
"Indeed" quietly says the lord and ruler of the lands Farque as they continue wait to hear from Helbe the elven thief, to see if he's located the person they've come to the City of Ruins to find . . . . . .