Kage clenched the vial in his hand, staring out into the desert. He’d moved away from where he had first trained and away from the populated areas. He hadn’t slept in a few days, even when he sulked and returned to Ul’dah for a bit. He tipped the opening of the vial to his lips and knocked his head back as he upended the contents into his mouth and swallowed quickly.
The lalafell turned Miqo’te thought back to what Kayah and his friend had said. Something needed to change. It wasn’t just his physical prowess or difficulties in this new form that was holding him back.
Kage needed to accept that he’d been changed. How could he even desire to protect his family if he couldn’t even face them? How could he when he always thought of his faults or failures, perceived or real?
The now-Miqo’te took the sharp edged rock he’d seen and started to whittle away at it with the small hunting knife he had brought with him. He’d left his other equipment in a camp closer to Ul’dah. He leaned his back against a rock as he started to work on assembling together a makeshift hunting spear.
At a sound behind him he growled, furrowing his brow as he stood up and turned around. The sight of what had caused the noise left him gaping.
“Natalie? Shifu? Roen?â€
None of the women that he called family gave him a response. Natalie was as beautiful as ever. Strong and poised, but gentle in her own way that he saw in her. She smiled at him as Shifu gave him her teasing grin. Her green eyes sparkled as her blue hair moved slightly in the gentle breeze of the desert wind. She smirked as he turned to Roen. A mentor turned friend. A sworn sister. One Kage would say was even stronger than just a sworn sister but one he believes to be his own sister in all but blood. Roen was the woman in his family that Kage would call his older sister if he would have had one… and if she was actually older than he. Which she wasn’t. She gave him that gentle smile that he so missed seeing on her lips. They did not speak otherwise.
Kage closed his eyes but they snapped back open at the sound of a dull roar. He found Roen lying on her side. “Roen!†He scurried forward and stopped seeing a flash of red and blue. Shifu lay on her belly, a large red gash on her back. “Shifu?!â€
He tripped over himself as another dull roar hit his senses. A flash of brown and green. Natalie! “Nat! Natalie oh by the twelve what is-†His eyes were drawn to the wound on her chest and her unseeing eyes.
“Natalie? NATALIE!†He yowled in desperation. His throat dried up instantly as he felt everything and nothing at the same time. The dull roar in his ears just seemed to get louder and yet quieter at the same time. He fell to his knees beside her.
“No… No… I can’t. I can’t lose you Natalie I can’t.â€
What was happening? Kage did not know. It was going all too fast for him. “I love you Natalie. I can’t lose you. I can’t lose you.â€
His mind flashed to Shifu. To Roen. “I love all of you. I won’t lose you. I’ll do anything. Everything.â€
Another roar and they were gone. All that was left was a tall hooded figure. It bore an axe in its hands as it towered over him. A Roegadyn? A Highlander? Red was splashed along its hood and he small the trace of a smirk on uncovered lips.
“You!â€
Kage threw the spear he had fashioned but he missed his mark as it flew wide. He fumbled for his hunting knife as he  pounced onto the figure and knocking it onto its back. He was kicked off easily and he scrambled to his feet. He poised himself before rushing in again close, taking a hit to his forearm as he grunted. He slid the hunting knife into the figure’s chest and pulled himself away.
He wouldn’t have done that before. He had let his subconscious take over, not thinking about how he would defend and then attack. He’d just attacked, getting in close and attacking with a fervor he hadn’t used before. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before panting at the activity. When he opened his eyes, the figure was gone. His family were gone as before. All that was left was an aldgoat. He had killed an aldgoat. He gave a small chuckle, wiping crusted tears off his cheeks.
Kage thought about it and gave a small smile. He hadn’t thought about what may or may not happen in the fight because of his issues. He had only thought of using what he could to down them. Doing everything he could for Natalie. For Roen. For Shifu. At that, Natalie reappeared and smiled before disappearing again. He stood, taller than he had ever before.
The lalafell turned Miqo’te thought back to what Kayah and his friend had said. Something needed to change. It wasn’t just his physical prowess or difficulties in this new form that was holding him back.
Kage needed to accept that he’d been changed. How could he even desire to protect his family if he couldn’t even face them? How could he when he always thought of his faults or failures, perceived or real?
The now-Miqo’te took the sharp edged rock he’d seen and started to whittle away at it with the small hunting knife he had brought with him. He’d left his other equipment in a camp closer to Ul’dah. He leaned his back against a rock as he started to work on assembling together a makeshift hunting spear.
At a sound behind him he growled, furrowing his brow as he stood up and turned around. The sight of what had caused the noise left him gaping.
“Natalie? Shifu? Roen?â€
None of the women that he called family gave him a response. Natalie was as beautiful as ever. Strong and poised, but gentle in her own way that he saw in her. She smiled at him as Shifu gave him her teasing grin. Her green eyes sparkled as her blue hair moved slightly in the gentle breeze of the desert wind. She smirked as he turned to Roen. A mentor turned friend. A sworn sister. One Kage would say was even stronger than just a sworn sister but one he believes to be his own sister in all but blood. Roen was the woman in his family that Kage would call his older sister if he would have had one… and if she was actually older than he. Which she wasn’t. She gave him that gentle smile that he so missed seeing on her lips. They did not speak otherwise.
Kage closed his eyes but they snapped back open at the sound of a dull roar. He found Roen lying on her side. “Roen!†He scurried forward and stopped seeing a flash of red and blue. Shifu lay on her belly, a large red gash on her back. “Shifu?!â€
He tripped over himself as another dull roar hit his senses. A flash of brown and green. Natalie! “Nat! Natalie oh by the twelve what is-†His eyes were drawn to the wound on her chest and her unseeing eyes.
“Natalie? NATALIE!†He yowled in desperation. His throat dried up instantly as he felt everything and nothing at the same time. The dull roar in his ears just seemed to get louder and yet quieter at the same time. He fell to his knees beside her.
“No… No… I can’t. I can’t lose you Natalie I can’t.â€
What was happening? Kage did not know. It was going all too fast for him. “I love you Natalie. I can’t lose you. I can’t lose you.â€
His mind flashed to Shifu. To Roen. “I love all of you. I won’t lose you. I’ll do anything. Everything.â€
Another roar and they were gone. All that was left was a tall hooded figure. It bore an axe in its hands as it towered over him. A Roegadyn? A Highlander? Red was splashed along its hood and he small the trace of a smirk on uncovered lips.
“You!â€
Kage threw the spear he had fashioned but he missed his mark as it flew wide. He fumbled for his hunting knife as he  pounced onto the figure and knocking it onto its back. He was kicked off easily and he scrambled to his feet. He poised himself before rushing in again close, taking a hit to his forearm as he grunted. He slid the hunting knife into the figure’s chest and pulled himself away.
He wouldn’t have done that before. He had let his subconscious take over, not thinking about how he would defend and then attack. He’d just attacked, getting in close and attacking with a fervor he hadn’t used before. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before panting at the activity. When he opened his eyes, the figure was gone. His family were gone as before. All that was left was an aldgoat. He had killed an aldgoat. He gave a small chuckle, wiping crusted tears off his cheeks.
Kage thought about it and gave a small smile. He hadn’t thought about what may or may not happen in the fight because of his issues. He had only thought of using what he could to down them. Doing everything he could for Natalie. For Roen. For Shifu. At that, Natalie reappeared and smiled before disappearing again. He stood, taller than he had ever before.
