In the mountains of Coethas, a miqo’te priest pretending to be someone he was not was sitting by a table, a file sharpening the edge of an odd board that had two boot bindings screwed to one side. The blonde male was humming softly as worked. He had slipped out of Ul’dah the same time the rest of the Red Wings had made their departure as the claws of someone tried to squeeze the organization dry.
Jin’to had decided it was the perfect time to return to the mountains for some well-deserved relaxation. The priest looked at the window of his inn room and grinned. He felt a bit bad for leaving the Red Wings to their fate, but with the promise of fresh snow tomorrow and a nearby ridge to slide down, he was having a hard time feeling too bad. He would worry about it later. After all, he was just a place holder, not a full member of the Red Wings. He would leave the real danger to his fool of an older brother.
Jin’to sighed as he thought of Askier as he slipped the board over and began sharpening the other edge. His brother: the psychopath. The fact that Jin’to was even half related to the disturbed male bothered him. The list of reasons he didn’t like his older brother was numerous pages long. Twenty-three to be exact; Jin’to had actually written them out. But his sister-in-law, for some odd reason cared forAskier, and Jin’to had aided Askier for her sake, not Askier’s.
He just hoped Askier was finally fixing himself. Jin’to had already lost one brother.
The priest paused. He looked over at the crackling fire in the hearth and let the flames dance before him. His mind wandered as his body stilled. For a long time Jin’to did not move as he gazed into the embers. His left hand slipped to his pocket of his shirt and he pulled out a small stone with a carved symbol on it. The stone had been smoothed and polished by years of handling and it shone a dull grey. Jin’to let his lips curl into a sad smile as he swallowed.
It had been Jin’li’s first birthday present to him, when the young kit had still been full of life and happiness, before the cruel reality of their upbringing was thrust upon him. Jin’to wrapped his fingers upon the stone and breathed deeply as he closed his eyes.
“Did I fail you Jin’li?†Jin’to said softly. “Is your death all my fault?â€
“This one finds your sentiment mildly touching.â€
Jin’to bolted to his feet and leapt over the table as the voice spoke. He seized the candle stick and held it like club as he fixed his golden eyes where the sound had come from.
Standing in the door, leaning on a thin fencing sword as if it was a cane, draped in total black, stood the gaunt, sickly figure of Jin’li.
Jin’li’s flesh was pale white and his hair was as pure as the falling snow outside. The white tail swished slowly as the sickly, younger Epinoch limped into the room, the pure black eyes fixed on his older brother.
“Jin’li?!†Jin’to exclaimed, lowering the club, his eyes bugging in disbelief. “You, they said you were dead and cremated!†Could the Red Wings have lied to him? Jin’to’s mind was full of these ideas as he stood there dumbfounded.
“This one was dead.†Jin’li explained his voice utterly flat and without emotion as he paused in the room, the sword sticking in the floor. It was then that Jin’to saw the blood rolling off the blade and pooling on the floor. The fire behind Jin’to sputtered and the priest felt the hair on his neck starting to standing.
“But, then how are you here?†the priest said warily. “Did Nald’thal-“
“That name, Nald’thal,-†Jin’li said, looking at his brother from behind short hair, “Is an amusing title. You do not understand the reality of what is coming when the veil of this world is gone. Death, as this one has learned, is simply a state of mind, which is able to be overcome with the right powers and desire, Master Epinoch.â€
“Master Epinoch?†Jin’to looked puzzled at the title. “I’m your brother Jin’li. There is no need for-â€
“Manners are always needed, Master Epinoch.†Jin’li said, stepping forward, his black eyes gazing at Jin’to’s and suddenly Jin’to felt the violent urge to smash his brother in the head with the candle stick. The urge shocked him but there was something wrong here. Terribly terribly wrong. This was Jin’li but wasn’t. Jin’to didn’t know how he knew, or why, but the figure before him was wrong, it was a violation of the natural world. Almost as if it was a voidspawn.
Jin’to’s eyes widened. Was that it? Had his brother somehow manifested himself in the plane once more as some twisted abomination? Some construct of nightmares and energies best forgotten? Had not Alexei mentioned something about a cult altering the departed? Was Jin’li a victim of this cult? Was Jin’li some sick puppet? But hadn’t the cult been destroyed? If it had, who was puppeteering his brother? Or was it even his brother? Or was his brother some now free, dark entity? A million questions flooded Jin’to’s mind as he looked at the face that had once been his brother and spoke slowly.
“Jin’li, I am sorry I wasn’t there for you. I heard about what you did, to everyone. I…you are still my brother. I don’t know how you found me, but can’t we sit and talk?â€
Jin’li gazed back with his black, empty eyes and no expression crossed the younger Epinoch’s face.
“Master Epinoch.†Jin’li replied, voice still expressionless. “This one came here for not pity or to ask forgiveness or to rebuild a broken family. This one came to learn where the Master Mergrey was.â€
Jin’to gawked and then flushed red.
“You came to see him! Not me, the brother who raised you, helped you, was there for you to cry too! All you care about is that bombing bastard and not me?! Why the blazes didn’t you just go ask those friends of his and spare me the heart ache of knowing you are somehow alive after death!â€
“This one did not mean to offend.†Jin’li said flatly as he watched his golden haired older brother shudder in rage and tears slip from the golden eyes. “This one simply knew you would talk and not try to kill. Please forgive this one for the unintended offense.â€
Jin’li bowed politely. Jin’to lunged forward and slapped his brother across the face. The blow was loud. Jin’li’s head jerked to the side but he did not react or make a sound.
“Did the blow permit you a chance to feel at ease, Master Epinoch?†Jin’li asked as he turned his head back around.
“No!†Jin’to screamed. “How are you here? Are you even alive anymore? How did you come back rom the dead?! Why do you need to see Askier, huh? I…what happened to you!â€
Jin’li looked at his brother calmly.
“You do not know where he is then?†Jin’li asked again.
“No!†Jin’to shouted in rage and frustration. This thing that looked like his brother, he hated it. It had dragged out buried emotions and then confused him. He knew in his heart of hearts it was wrong and evil, but the fact that it was like his baby brother, yet so unlike him…he couldn’t get that out of his mind. It bothered him. He wanted to reverse time, never have been here, never have seen the thing walking around with Jin’li’s face and that sword.
Jin’to paused and realized he suddenly hurt. He blinked and realized something was stuck through his chest. He began to shudder as a cold crept over his body. Jin’to looked down and saw Jin’li’s blade buried to the hilt in his chest.
Jin’to blinked again. He hadn’t even seen the sword move.
“Why…†Jin’to gasped, blood filling his punctured lung. Jin’li twisted the blade and looked at his brother.
“Because you do not know where Askier is and therefor were of no more use to this one. Please pardon the rudeness of the death you are experiencing, but know I love you brother. You were always so kind. That is why I am letting you experience a kind death.â€
Jin’li held the sword still until the light of life left Jin’to’s eyes and the older miqo’te sagged to the floor in a heap. Jin’li slid his weapon clear of the body and turned.
It took several minutes for the sickly miqo’te to work his way down the stairs and to the front door of the inn and slipped outside. The winds howled and the air was biting cold. The flag atop the snow wall nearby waved in the wind violently.
But the harsh conditions did not bother the miqo’to. Leaving a trail of blood behind him from his sword, Jin’li continued to limp his way through the swirling snows towards the sea.
Jin’to had decided it was the perfect time to return to the mountains for some well-deserved relaxation. The priest looked at the window of his inn room and grinned. He felt a bit bad for leaving the Red Wings to their fate, but with the promise of fresh snow tomorrow and a nearby ridge to slide down, he was having a hard time feeling too bad. He would worry about it later. After all, he was just a place holder, not a full member of the Red Wings. He would leave the real danger to his fool of an older brother.
Jin’to sighed as he thought of Askier as he slipped the board over and began sharpening the other edge. His brother: the psychopath. The fact that Jin’to was even half related to the disturbed male bothered him. The list of reasons he didn’t like his older brother was numerous pages long. Twenty-three to be exact; Jin’to had actually written them out. But his sister-in-law, for some odd reason cared forAskier, and Jin’to had aided Askier for her sake, not Askier’s.
He just hoped Askier was finally fixing himself. Jin’to had already lost one brother.
The priest paused. He looked over at the crackling fire in the hearth and let the flames dance before him. His mind wandered as his body stilled. For a long time Jin’to did not move as he gazed into the embers. His left hand slipped to his pocket of his shirt and he pulled out a small stone with a carved symbol on it. The stone had been smoothed and polished by years of handling and it shone a dull grey. Jin’to let his lips curl into a sad smile as he swallowed.
It had been Jin’li’s first birthday present to him, when the young kit had still been full of life and happiness, before the cruel reality of their upbringing was thrust upon him. Jin’to wrapped his fingers upon the stone and breathed deeply as he closed his eyes.
“Did I fail you Jin’li?†Jin’to said softly. “Is your death all my fault?â€
“This one finds your sentiment mildly touching.â€
Jin’to bolted to his feet and leapt over the table as the voice spoke. He seized the candle stick and held it like club as he fixed his golden eyes where the sound had come from.
Standing in the door, leaning on a thin fencing sword as if it was a cane, draped in total black, stood the gaunt, sickly figure of Jin’li.
Jin’li’s flesh was pale white and his hair was as pure as the falling snow outside. The white tail swished slowly as the sickly, younger Epinoch limped into the room, the pure black eyes fixed on his older brother.
“Jin’li?!†Jin’to exclaimed, lowering the club, his eyes bugging in disbelief. “You, they said you were dead and cremated!†Could the Red Wings have lied to him? Jin’to’s mind was full of these ideas as he stood there dumbfounded.
“This one was dead.†Jin’li explained his voice utterly flat and without emotion as he paused in the room, the sword sticking in the floor. It was then that Jin’to saw the blood rolling off the blade and pooling on the floor. The fire behind Jin’to sputtered and the priest felt the hair on his neck starting to standing.
“But, then how are you here?†the priest said warily. “Did Nald’thal-“
“That name, Nald’thal,-†Jin’li said, looking at his brother from behind short hair, “Is an amusing title. You do not understand the reality of what is coming when the veil of this world is gone. Death, as this one has learned, is simply a state of mind, which is able to be overcome with the right powers and desire, Master Epinoch.â€
“Master Epinoch?†Jin’to looked puzzled at the title. “I’m your brother Jin’li. There is no need for-â€
“Manners are always needed, Master Epinoch.†Jin’li said, stepping forward, his black eyes gazing at Jin’to’s and suddenly Jin’to felt the violent urge to smash his brother in the head with the candle stick. The urge shocked him but there was something wrong here. Terribly terribly wrong. This was Jin’li but wasn’t. Jin’to didn’t know how he knew, or why, but the figure before him was wrong, it was a violation of the natural world. Almost as if it was a voidspawn.
Jin’to’s eyes widened. Was that it? Had his brother somehow manifested himself in the plane once more as some twisted abomination? Some construct of nightmares and energies best forgotten? Had not Alexei mentioned something about a cult altering the departed? Was Jin’li a victim of this cult? Was Jin’li some sick puppet? But hadn’t the cult been destroyed? If it had, who was puppeteering his brother? Or was it even his brother? Or was his brother some now free, dark entity? A million questions flooded Jin’to’s mind as he looked at the face that had once been his brother and spoke slowly.
“Jin’li, I am sorry I wasn’t there for you. I heard about what you did, to everyone. I…you are still my brother. I don’t know how you found me, but can’t we sit and talk?â€
Jin’li gazed back with his black, empty eyes and no expression crossed the younger Epinoch’s face.
“Master Epinoch.†Jin’li replied, voice still expressionless. “This one came here for not pity or to ask forgiveness or to rebuild a broken family. This one came to learn where the Master Mergrey was.â€
Jin’to gawked and then flushed red.
“You came to see him! Not me, the brother who raised you, helped you, was there for you to cry too! All you care about is that bombing bastard and not me?! Why the blazes didn’t you just go ask those friends of his and spare me the heart ache of knowing you are somehow alive after death!â€
“This one did not mean to offend.†Jin’li said flatly as he watched his golden haired older brother shudder in rage and tears slip from the golden eyes. “This one simply knew you would talk and not try to kill. Please forgive this one for the unintended offense.â€
Jin’li bowed politely. Jin’to lunged forward and slapped his brother across the face. The blow was loud. Jin’li’s head jerked to the side but he did not react or make a sound.
“Did the blow permit you a chance to feel at ease, Master Epinoch?†Jin’li asked as he turned his head back around.
“No!†Jin’to screamed. “How are you here? Are you even alive anymore? How did you come back rom the dead?! Why do you need to see Askier, huh? I…what happened to you!â€
Jin’li looked at his brother calmly.
“You do not know where he is then?†Jin’li asked again.
“No!†Jin’to shouted in rage and frustration. This thing that looked like his brother, he hated it. It had dragged out buried emotions and then confused him. He knew in his heart of hearts it was wrong and evil, but the fact that it was like his baby brother, yet so unlike him…he couldn’t get that out of his mind. It bothered him. He wanted to reverse time, never have been here, never have seen the thing walking around with Jin’li’s face and that sword.
Jin’to paused and realized he suddenly hurt. He blinked and realized something was stuck through his chest. He began to shudder as a cold crept over his body. Jin’to looked down and saw Jin’li’s blade buried to the hilt in his chest.
Jin’to blinked again. He hadn’t even seen the sword move.
“Why…†Jin’to gasped, blood filling his punctured lung. Jin’li twisted the blade and looked at his brother.
“Because you do not know where Askier is and therefor were of no more use to this one. Please pardon the rudeness of the death you are experiencing, but know I love you brother. You were always so kind. That is why I am letting you experience a kind death.â€
Jin’li held the sword still until the light of life left Jin’to’s eyes and the older miqo’te sagged to the floor in a heap. Jin’li slid his weapon clear of the body and turned.
It took several minutes for the sickly miqo’te to work his way down the stairs and to the front door of the inn and slipped outside. The winds howled and the air was biting cold. The flag atop the snow wall nearby waved in the wind violently.
But the harsh conditions did not bother the miqo’to. Leaving a trail of blood behind him from his sword, Jin’li continued to limp his way through the swirling snows towards the sea.
