((one of the guys has a broken leg... you would know what the portal was if you had fully read my earlier posts... and i guess you didn't saw he fired, though he did aim at it, and logic went from there.))

The bullets passed through the wall and into the portal, and many miles away they came out and hit several men. A few seconds after that men started pooring through the glowing portal, and now three uninjured men turned their attentions back to Kazmarov.

(That has great comic potential for the poor guys. "Hey, what the hell's just got me?"...)

Kazmarov fired at the mages, emptying his pistol's magazine, before turningn and running for his life to the cove's exit. He couldn't face this sort of odds. Which was why the company of inquisitorial grenadiers was waiting half a mile away, just in case he needed backup.

He grabbed the whistle in his pocket and blew.

Lieutenant Grenzer heard the sound. "DOUBLE TIME!" he roared, and his men began to run towards the cove.

((Who said the Kaleons were oblivious to the agreement? They are users of magic, and constantly have mages scrying on the diplomat so they do not have to wait for letters, as well as the ability to message through scrying magic.))

The soldiers in the tower knew of the agreement after being notified by a mage scrying on Ambassador Barlow. They were told to hold their positions, but keep an eye on the Rakarskians, just in case...

(Sorry)

The Rakarskians marched on. "Any man who is caught stealing!" the sergeants called out, "will be flogged! Anything worse will result in the hangmen shooting you!" he meant to commissars. "So watch your wandering hands!" Nevertheless, every village the army marched through lost most of their livestock short of cattle to the soldiers' cooking pots. The military spokesmen said that they had no proof of exactly which man had stolen that particular chicken, which was true. Soldiers were good at stealing things. And the officers paid them for the best parts of the animal, and gave the farmers payment. Anything was better than the potted meat and biscuit which they were usually given.

The Kaleon brigade split off into two, flanking the Rakarskians and lightly following, a couple hundred yards off each flank and more behind. Avaliss lead the brigade on the right flank, but after a while ventured off and ahead of the Rakarskian army, making herself appear as a traveler ahead of them.

"They're following us," Colonel Morgan muttered, pointing at the Kaleon brigade. Robertson followed his gaze, and couldn't see anything.

"I'll take your bloody word for it, Morgan," he replied. "It's their land. I suppose that they can do whatever they like in it."

"And that traveller," the colonel continued, pointing ahead of the column, "wasnt here a few minutes ago."

The army's Commissar General, one comrade Krensky, looked at the woman darkly, but allowed her to stay there. General Rao muttered some old charm under his breath, and Morgan hid a smile at the commissar's appauled expression.

((How do they see them when they're hidden by Avaliss' illusions? And she put herself far ahead and appeared say behind a tree, to appear as a simple traveler. I guess I didn't say it right.))

Avaliss turned and looked at the army as if she had just noticed them. She stopped in her tracks and turned to them, waiting for them to approach her.

(Sorry.)

"Get out of the way, comrade!" a burly sergeant at the front boomed as he pushed past her. "Get off the road, or we'll probably tramplee you, if you would beg my pardon for saying so." The army marched on past her, a cloud of fine dust above it.

She swiftly drew a shortsword from beneath her cloak and held it against the back of the man's neck. "Settle your ego down. I merely wish to know who you are and what you are doing with such an army through Kaleo."

The sergeant simply pushed past her without even breaking step, followed by the rest of the army. "We're here, because we're here comrade," the sergeant said simply. "Ask the brigadier." The marching song started, the traditionally dour attitude Rakarskians had towards war.

"We're here because we're here because we're here because we're here..." the soldiers sang. The commissars always turned a blind eye. They knew full well the strain of facing death repeatedly, and they only dispensed their discipline when neccesary.

"We're here because we're marching to face Zerbia, comrade," the brigadier called down from his horse. "And because we're here.

"You guys are crazy." Avaliss stated, drawing back her sword but not sheathing it as she began walking with them.

"What is this Zerbia?" She asked.

"A country on the other side of Kaleo. Now good day, and get out of the way of that artillery wagon!" The brigadier called down from his horse.

"You can't order me around!" Avaliss called back, not moving at all, by their views, but really was walking a few steps to the right.

"Just advice, comrade, that's all," the Brigadier called back. "And mind that elephant!" The pachyderm in question was lugging a huge battery of rockets behind it, and was being ridden by a howdah full of gesticulating natives manning a small cannon.

"Why do you keep calling me comrade? I am no comrade of yours, I am a lady!"

"A what?" The brigadier only used the phrase as a choice insult, along with "sir" and "your highness." It implied anti revolutionary sentiments, and was like sticking up a middle finger in several other countries.

Frustration splayed itself on Avaliss' face, but as the soldiers could see, she continued walking. However, a sound could be heard of an open palm across the brigadier's face.

"Bugger off," he snapped. The commissar spurred forward, drawing his pistol to hold off the mage. Everyone else hid their amusement.

(He's on a horse. I doubt that she could reach. And why is she so angry? Standing right in front of a large army and expecting them to stop for her is an utterly ridiculous and pointless exercise.)

(Her illusion was just walking, but in reality she could easily reach him. Her magical powers are to summon and manipulate obsidian. She can be very creative with that... And she didn't expect them to stop. He just insulted her, so she slapped him. Also, how would he know she's a mage without her really moving or visibly casting a spell or anything?)

Avaliss looked around, confusion on her illusion's face as the commissar drew his pistol on the image. "Now why are you drawing your weapon on me? Did I do something wrong with marching alongside?"

((hmm.. carrying a gun, ammo and other equipment they will unlikely get there in less than 5 mins even at a dead run... so this'll turn into a full fledged battle.))

Soldiers poured out of the portal and quickly spread out, prepared to defend their newly taken position.

The Three men charged after the inquisitor, starting to chant complex magics.

(On the march)

The commissar donned his monocle, and could see the girl clearly, standing near to the Brigadier. "You struck an officer of Rakarskia's army, and you employed magics most foul and deviant. Now go. And that brigade can go too," he added, pointing to the troops nearby.

(The cove)

The commissar ducked and kept on running into the exit. He could hear a bellowed order, and knew the grenadiers were coming at full pelt. "Time to see how a Sevian fights," he muttered. Crack inquisitorial troops against some of the finest soldiers the world had ever seen.

[The cove]

Hearing the shouts, the three men stopped and headed back to the portal.

Heavy foot soldiers were still pooring out of the portal in gleaming halfplate armor, with the ocansional battle mage in full plate. They took up various postions inside the cove, waiting for the enemy that they knew would come.

Kazmarov stopped, panting, as the one hundred man company reached him. "Three mages, comrade lieutenant Grenzer" he said, pointing into the cove. "And a fourth grade situation. There will be many conventional troops in support."

The lieutenant nodded. His men were all big men, veteran soldiers and armed with heavy grenade launchers and wearing plate armour. "A few grenades in to the cave? Ought to soften them up, comrade inquisitor."

Kazmarov nodded. "You may fire when ready."

Grenzer nodded, and signalled five men forward. The five men knelt outside the cave entrance, which was a narrow tunnel. They then began to move forward. The rest of the company followed, twenty meteres behind.

The five men stopped, aimed their grenade launchers into the entrance and fired. (They are shooting crude frag grenades, by the way.) They then stepped back to allow another five men to fire.

"We'll keep rotating for a while, and then clear up the mess with sword and bayonet," the Lieutenant said cheerfully.

[The cove]

The gernades tore up the men near the entrance, but the others had spread out, so they were mostly unharmed.

Several mages stood back, away from the gernades and started lobbing fire balls down the tunnel.

((Avaliss' illusions affect the mind. They aren't veils or something of the sorts that are covering her up and the army. Her powers are obsidian summoning and manipulation, as well as mental intrusions, illusions, and the likes. The illusions are in the mens' minds. Equipment wouldn't help them, unless it brainwashes them =D.))

(They are given quite enough propaganda already)

The grenadiers managed to leap aside just in time. Two men were incinerated as a fireball hit. Another man was also hit, but the small amount of lead in his armour held the magical flames back. The enemy had magic weaponry, and were capable at using it.

Kazmarov accepted the proffered sabre, and drew it along with his pistol. "Fix bayonets!" he ordered. The long blades scraped out of scabbards and were screwewd into their sockets. "Present arms!" The grenade launchers swung up to shoulders. "Advance thirty paces!" The long line marched forward, sillouetted against the tunnel entrance as they marched in. "Fire!" The grenades were launched, a mass of Sevians were cut down, and the shrapnel sent more diving for cover. "These are the Sevians!" the inquisitor called, pointing the sword at them. "The so called greatest soldiers of all!" The men laughed. "Charge!"

The grenadiers obeyed. Huge in their bearskin hat, and faceless in their respirators, they charged into the cave.

"Brigade? What brigade?" Avaliss asked of the commissar. "And what magic? I am a traveling fighter, not a mage. Would a mage be able to wield a sword so easily? Besides, you might know my father, Lorne Hasinbauk, or as I hear you men call him, Lorne Swiftblade. I learned my blade-work from him."

"I've heard of him," the brigadier said. "But it would be gratifying if you could explain just what invisible force smacked my across the face and ran away. I felt it, everyone heard it, and you were nearby at the time. You must be Avaliss. That sculptor. That magical sculptor." He grinned in a satisfied manner. "We're not all ignorant of culture in the army. Now, just go. Or I'll order my field guns to fire at that non existent brigade. The commissariat and inquisition have a habit of resisting mind tricks, I'm told."

"I still don't know what brigade you speak of. However, I will continue my travels. You all are bloody fools anyways." Avaliss replied, shaking her head with a chuckle at the brigadier before standing still to let the army pass.

The brigade continued moving with the illusion still active.

"And another thing," the brigadier called after her. "Please do not use that sword work on my men in future." He turned to General Rao. "Right. From now on, the elephants lead the march. The men will complain from treading on dung, but it makes the locals move out of the way at a fair old pace. Cavalry just ahead of them, of course. Is that understood?"

The general nodded and ordered the elephants forward.