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Kage · **07-23-2014, 09:42 AM**

Kage cleared his throat, watching the streets of his home's housing ward. Not part of any patrol, no. Heâ€™d finally gotten whatâ€¦ what he thought he wanted.

An exit from the Brass Blades.

It wasnâ€™t what he truly wanted, no. No, what he truly wanted was what he and Roen once had. What Ser Crofte had. What Natalie had once more.

But it wasnâ€™t to be it seemed. And with that, Kage was lost again.

With Captain Anden Anduron missing, Kage was able to resign from the Brass Blades easily. His record with them was just fine. Theyâ€™d even noted that heâ€™d nearly given his life in service and was honorably discharged. It served him just fine. Kage was out of a place that he was sure would have led to his own death and it was without a mar on his record.

â€œGreetings, Momodi! Iâ€™m here to update my status with the Adventurersâ€™ Guildâ€¦â€ He had given a small smile, his dull eyes hiding the pain he felt, emotionally and physically.

He made his way into the house, clutching a packet. He wanted its contents, no, he needed them. The relief. The escape. The oblivion. Kage knew not what to do but this.

The two missives at the Hall of Flames were for Corporal Haruko Kokojo and for the office of Commander Swift. The former detailed what had happened with Jinâ€™li Epinoch. The attempt in bringing him him. The mage. The gunblade. Being shot and burned. One of Jinâ€™liâ€™s assassin agents in holding with the Red Wings, he believed. As such, he assumed then that the Red Wings were the ones to go to and that as he was removing himself from the Brass Blades communications need not continue unless necessary. The latter explained that he was putting himself back into the Free Brigade roster if allowed and that when needed he may answer the Jewelâ€™s call for help.

Kage took a deep breath as he settled at his desk. Empty of all the items he associated with the Brass Blades. Heâ€™d returned the equipment issued, especially the damned sollerets. Now all he was left with was staring, forlornly, at the surcoat he once adorned but nowâ€¦ now..

Kage took the wooden pipe as he started to work at the package contents. A bottle of rum lay next to it

Relief.

Oblivion.

Kage · **07-23-2014, 11:54 AM**

Coming off the high and the unconsciousness that the pipe's contents and rum provided, Kage found his ink quill and parchment. On it, he started to draft a letter.

Show Content

Kage sighed as his ears twitched and he looked once more at the pipe with half-lidded eyes. He stood, walking to a moogle to give his letter to Roen. When he returned to his desk, he gave a small smile. He poured himself another glass of rum. He sipped it before he lit the pipe once more. He leaned back with a sigh.

Kage wasn't sure he'd be able to give this up even when he was fully healed.

Kage · **07-25-2014, 11:06 AM**

Kage was back once more with the Blades, with the hopes that... honorable service will allow him to serve with those he cherished the most.

It was not to be.

Roen in gaol. He a Brass Blade. Only Natalie had returned to what he believed they were all to be. Sultansworn.

As usual it seemed, Natalie had been his voice. His reason. She caught him as he stumbled and let go for him to stand up and not falter. He wasn't himself, smoking moko grass and trying to live his life simply as an adventurer.

He wanted. Desired. To be 'Sworn once more. In order for that to happen, Taeros might needs convincing as Kage was still tied to the issues Roen was facing. Kage was sure that Roen would be cleared. There were records that Cicero had been brought in and not only that, he had escaped from the Sultansworn gaols. A decent Miqo'te would not have done that and disappeared from Ul'dah. The very act of escaping the goals should discredit his testimony and his credibility should be shot.

But RoenÂ said she had notÂ come to put herself in gaol for herself. It was for Gharen. So thatÂ Gharen would not need to live aÂ fugitive's life. He was charged with the theft of the cerulean core, which Roen said was not true. Thus, Kage had to work to clearÂ Gharen's name. Delial was a lead. Perhaps the lead in getting the testimony from this highlander, Shaelen, so that GharenÂ would be cleared.

Roen was excited and she clearly had hopes.Â Kage onlyÂ wishedÂ he could deliver on her hopes.

Kage · **07-28-2014, 10:20 AM**

â€œNO NATALIE, NO!â€

Kage jerked awake, not in his own bed this time. He had visited the barracks where he would be garrisoned and slept there after taking another late shift. Even after the attack on Ifrit. The dream had been vivid. Natalie, tempered once more. Aye the previous tempering was not a true one, not from a primal butâ€¦ It felt real nonetheless. The same emotions he had felt then. The fear. The helplessness. The uncanniness. Only this time, it had be she who had been tempered by Ifrit not Tom. Tom, the conjurer, and his sacrifice that had reminded Kage of what had happened what seemed a Calamity ago.

â€œSer, is something wrong? Is the Lieutenant- I mean- is Ser Mcbeef all right?â€ One of the more amiable Blades under Kage asked, concerned. Kage liked him; he was Ulâ€™dahn born and raised but he still held some empathy for those he was paid to serve.

The miqoâ€™te shook his head, â€œNo, Caleb, it was just a vivid nightmare after the events earlier yesterday.â€

Caleb, as his name was revealed, tilted his head. â€œHeard about that. Nasty business that, but at least it wasnâ€™t everyone. I heard Ser Mcbeef was there too.â€

Kage nodded, a grim expression set across his face. â€œAye, a conjurer named Tom. Poor bastard. He came onto the scene as we were finishing preparations hollerinâ€™ his arse off. Think he lost his chocobo on the way. Not like Natalie who set hers on home.â€

Slapping his hand on Kageâ€™s shoulder, Caleb shook his head. â€œAll said and done, may he rest in Thalâ€™s good graces. I still thank the Twelve you came back to us. I know ye be wanting to rejoin the ranks of Sultansworn when all will be clearedâ€¦ youâ€™re great but Iâ€™ll be missinâ€™ ye all the same ser.â€

Surprised, Kage blinked. Caleb smiled at his confused expression and continued, â€œEveryone ye command knows the kind of man ye are, ser. Some of us are proud ye love Ulâ€™dah. That ye be willinâ€™ to do what ye did. We put our lives on the line but not like ye. Not like that.â€

Kage grasped Calebâ€™s forearm with one hand while clasping the palm in the other. â€œCaleb, youâ€™re a good man.â€

Caleb took his hand back, bashfully scratching the back of his neck in the same motion. â€œâ€Ye are too, ser. When ye return to the Sultansworn, I hope ye will come by and share a mug oâ€™ale with us, ser.â€

Kage laughed and nodded as he stood. â€œAye, Caleb. I promise, I will.â€ He let loose a deep breath and ordered, â€œTake care Caleb. Little Ala Mhigo doesnâ€™t just have issues within with the refugees. The Amaljâ€™aa and Ifrit are problems.â€

Caleb gave him a salute, â€œAye, ser!â€

Kage pursed his lips and saluted, â€œCarry on. Let yours know that you needs must leave on the ring of the bell.â€

Caleb and Kage parted ways; Caleb went on to speak with the rest of the unit and Kage headed back home.

All the while, Kage thought of the events still. Tom, the conjurer. Osric Melkire, Chief Flame Sergeant. Natalie, Sultansworn. People from all walks of lifeâ€¦ and yet Kageâ€¦ Brass Blade. He clenched his fists, the longing in his heart growing fiercer each bell. Seeing Natalie in her surcoat. Fighting along her side. One of the party called him Sultansworn still. He had not misled them. He had been truthful. â€œIâ€™m Kage. Suspended Sultansworn. Currently Lieutenant of the Brass Blades.â€

It had still pained him to say it though. So many of Blades were cronies. Horrible, corrupt. Kage did all he could now without such a tight leash on him to help people see that not all of the Blades were horrible. Butâ€¦ reputation precedes. And the majority of the Blades were just as bad as the man who paid them. In Kageâ€™s case, tethered, until the case against Roen was blown free, for herself and her brother.

Delial Grimsong. Gharen Wolfsong. Shaelen. Cicero. Roen Deneith. The Rose. The Rose and Cicero were one and the same. Kage trusted Natalie, and heâ€™d try what she askedâ€¦

But he felt like he was making one more deal with an evil unknown. Approach Cicero and convince him to recant? The only way that could be good outside of Roen and Gharen being cleared would be that Cicero himself would not dare darken Ulâ€™dahâ€™s gates once more. The damned poetic Garlean.

Kage shook his head out of his thoughts. He would trust that Natalie would be able to clear them both and heâ€™d help all he could. Even if he wished he could just slay the Rose. Kage furrowed his brows as he approached the steps to his home. Mr. Puggles, Natalieâ€™s chocobo seemed still very much in distress after she had sent it home alone after being stabbed by the Amaljâ€™aa as she was making her way to the group that would be hoping to confront the Lord of the Inferno.

â€œWARK!â€

Kage saw that Shiron was sleeping inside his portion of the stables as he made his way towards Mr. Puggles. The chocobo was too distressed to even snap its beak at Kage. Kage cooed, murmuring soothing words to Mr. Puggles. â€œShhhâ€¦ shhâ€¦ Mr. Puggles itâ€™s ok. You know Natalie sent you home because she thought you would be safe.â€

There was no answer from the chocobo. Kage pursed his lips and pet its head, â€œIf she didnâ€™t care sheâ€™d not have patched you up and sent you home.â€ He fed Mr. Puggles some Gysahl Greens which seemed to might have brighten it up. With a pet on Shironâ€™s head, Kage left the chocobo stables and went inside.

He needed to make sure that the poet would be amiable to fixing the mess heâ€™d caused.

Damned Garlean Miqoâ€™te really.

Kage · **07-29-2014, 11:01 AM**

It was strange. Kage remembered falling asleep in bed butâ€¦ how did he make it out into the Hustings Strip? Kage walked forward and the next thing he knew, he was hearing something horrible over his ears.

â€œSer Crofte?â€ The lalafellin Sultansworn guard. â€œIâ€™m informing you that your charge is dead.â€

What?!

Kage found himself in Roenâ€™s cell. The female Highlander Sultansworn was watching the scene with a small frown. Roen wasâ€¦ dead. The Midlander Kage considered a sister lay as if she had tumbled out of the bed but still had half of her body on it.

â€œDead,â€ Crofte repeated. The overwhelming feeling of dread and heartbreak continued to well in him.

Then stood Natalie in the middle of the cell. Drugged up and holding one of the skins. Crofte observed Natalie before whispering in realization, â€œSomnusâ€¦ Somnus in the water skins.â€

Moments of silence passed before it seemed as if Natalie was all better, and the miqoâ€™te female crouched down beside Roen.

â€œWith the amount of sweet water sheâ€™d ingest, itâ€™s definitely an overdose. And she was targeted.â€

Noâ€¦

No.

No!

NO!

Kage jerked awake, â€œNO!!â€ His forehead had started to bead with sweat. A groan came from the female form beside him as she shifted from his movements.

â€œKage? Whatâ€™s the matter?â€

Kage closed his eyes, clenching his fists into the bedsheets. â€œNightmare,â€ he took a shaky breath. â€œRoen died in that cell.â€ Tears started to drop down his face before he paused.

Natalie lay an arm across his chest, pulling him tighter and cuddling around him. â€œShh,â€ she soothed, â€œIt was a nightmare. Roenâ€™s still alive and Iâ€™m gonna have words with Taeros. Maybe even permanent ones.â€ The last bits were growled.

Kage tucked his forehead into the crook of her neck and sighed. He cuddled back with her, drawing strength from the close proximity of the one he adored. â€œAyeâ€¦â€

Natalie kept him close as she whispered, â€œNow go back to sleep.â€ Her breath slowly evened out as she fell back into a slumber. Kage, too, followed, moments later.

Kage · **08-18-2014, 03:54 PM**

The lalafell made his way back to the home, limping from the injuries heâ€™d sustained while patrolling the streets. Heâ€™d stopped to help a Miqoâ€™te in Pearl Lane, reminded of Faine. Turned out that the woman was looking and had found her easy mark. Unfortunately for her, Kage didnâ€™t carry much on him while on duty but still lucky for her since sheâ€™d taken out her frustrations on him. Heâ€™d had her in manacles and had her sent to the oubliettes after she nearly knocked his knee out of its socket. He missed his surcoat. His larger shield. The plated armor.

When he opened the door to the home Kayah had left to them he found it in shambles. Panic welled up within him as he called out for them. â€œNat! Faine!â€ All he heard was silence. With sword and shield in hands the lalafell crept forwards into the dark unlit home. He opened the door to the bedroom when he stopped at the sight before him. Faineâ€™s abdomen was sliced open once more. Natalie hung from the rafters, her armor dented and worn. Broken from hard knocks and large gashes. Axe marks. The lalafell dropped his arms, reaching up to remove Natalie from where she hung. With trembling hands and tears on his face Kage held his fingers to her cold, pale neck. Just hoping. But the pool of blood from where she once hung and the breathlessness told him what heâ€™d confirmed.

The two were dead.

Kage screamed in grief, tears and choked sobs following. A creak in the wooden floors gave him pause as the lalafell reached out to grab his sword from a roll. As he rose from the roll and swung in the direction of the sword, a gauntleted hand grabbed his wrist before swiftly twisting it before popping his elbow out. Kage screamed again, this time in pain. The sword dropped to the wooden floor with a clang as the attacker then finished the femaleâ€™s work in Pear Lane by kicking his knee out. The lalafell collapsed to the floor, unarmed. He tried to rise from the floor with his uninjured arm when a sharp heavy blade knocked him back into the floor.

A large axe had been embedded into him, from part of his shoulder and into his chest. Kage made a sort of gurgled mixed cough of blood as his head hit the wooden floor. The last thing he saw as another axe came into the corner of his vision was the sight of the lifeless bodies of Natalie and Faine.

The scream of anger, grief and pain rung out during the early noon. Blue furred ears flattened against his head as Kage lurched from the sweat drenched sheets of the bed. He was alone. Alone in his house in the Goblet. He could smell the water from the waterfall nearby as the water disturbed everything it rushed into. The miqoâ€™teâ€™s hands felt nothing but it was expected. Natalie would be at work and Faine was probably doing something else. He grasped at the sheets, eyes clenched as he could almost still see the images of them. Their deaths. A muffled sob still rang out as Kage buried his head into the covers. He paused as he inhaled. The scent of everyone who slept in the bed. His loved ones. He gathered a pillow into his arms as he tucked his head into it, taking in the scent as he rolled onto his side. His fingers dug in as thoughts of the ones he loved filled his mind. He could not give Faine the kits she wanted. He didnâ€™t know if he could always keep Natalie happy. But he would do his best.

And keep them alive.

Kage · **08-21-2014, 02:14 PM**

Quote:Putting on the surcoat was like a fantasy but it still felt as if his dreams were far and large away. For some reason it felt as it did before... before when he was a Blade.

Nothing was the way it was before. Back then. Was it always going to be like this? This sense of longing and forlorn? Even when he thought he was happy with his personal life, he still felt empty. Even now. Just as he had when he was a Blade.

Clenching his eyes, Kage took out the linkpearls of which he seldom ever used. He pinched and rolled them between his fingers contemplating what he felt.

"What's the point of having these? Just to be reminded that I'm just an outcast in the groups? I don't belong..."

His thoughts ended as he opened his eyes. With a deep inhale, he gently set them on the floor. Standing up he crunched the pearls underneath his boots.

It did nothing. Nothing about how he felt changed. Letting out a sigh, he got a broom and dustpan, proceeding to clean up the mess. He needed to get to his post. Whether or not he had the company of other Sworn or Paladins, it didn't change his feelings. His sense of forlorn.

Kage crouched, perched upon the spot on the railing where he first met Salem. Where he himself started to sit before he changed. Where he now sat, as per his usual. This was his spot. Where he could watch the comings and goings of the Quicksand, listening to any possible news or whispers of the happenings in the city. Was the Sultana in jeopardy?

He closed his eyes in a moment of small reprieve, trying to listen to everything and nothing at the same time. Give them their privacies. Any dumbarses willing to threat the Sultana would meet the goals.

And yet... and yet... his thoughts were still consumed by an increasingly overwhelming feeling of emptiness. He felt hollow. His gaze, his thoughts, his feelings. Were they hollow as well? Was he trapped in a gaol of his own, locked way from the people he loved?

Had he faltered?

**Unnamed Mercenary** · **08-21-2014, 04:38 PM**

"Kage!" Franz had been calling out to Kage for the past few minutes, waving his hands in front of the miqo'te's face as well. While his eyes were certainly open, he seemed to just be perched on the rail staring off into space, as far as the Franz could tell.

While he had thought of just shaking Kage a little, the miqo'te would probably immediately perceive it as an attack. He put his hand on Kage's shoulder, and lightly shook it. "KA.GE."

Kage · **08-21-2014, 04:48 PM**

"Ugh!"

The miqo'te blinked, shaking his head at the interruption.

Franz.

That annoying Garlean who made his life hell for quite a bit and upturned it on its head too. Kage glared at him, more feeling than he had had for the last couple of days welling in him.

"What do you want?"

He looked around, not seeing or hearing anything of import so he climbed off his perch on the railing to set foot upon the Quicksand's floor.

**Unnamed Mercenary** · **08-21-2014, 05:57 PM**

Franz shrugged a little. Kage's reaction was expected, after all. At least Kage felt /something/.

"You'd started to sway a little, and it looked as if you were going to fall off."

"...And I wanted to talk." He leaned against the rail himself.

"Will we ever be on friendly terms? I'm honestly trying here."

Kage · **08-22-2014, 12:46 PM**

Kage scoffed, looking at him with almost incredulity. He dropped down from his perch in a crouch before rising to stand on his own two feet. He tilted his head, eyeing the highlander before he answered.

"...So long as you never pose a threat to me and mine, Ul'dah... we'll get there. Perhaps."

He grit his teeth, boring into the man's gaze. "Frhanz gave his life for you. Ye got a piece of my friend in you whether ye like it or not. But, I'll never forget what you've caused me."

He ran a hand through his hair, his ears pert and alert.

"One day... one day, perhaps."

**Unnamed Mercenary** · **08-22-2014, 01:16 PM**

In what might have been his only opportunity, he reached out a hand to softly pat Kage on the head, maybe pet the ears.Â

He partly wanted to see the reaction, and he knew if he had tried with any of the other miqo'te he knew, it would probably end badly. Yangh...would most likely feel insulted, and Natalie might assume it was some form of a playful gesture and reciprocate it.

"Honestly now, when was the last time I was actually a threat?"Â

He'd been less-inclined to do anything crazy with each passing day. Maybe it was from Frhanz's influence,or maybe it was from the memories he had been recovering. Perhaps a little of both? Still, he kept the same axe that had once brought so much pain, nearby. It was always there, in a little pocket of the aether around him. But then, so was the retranslated grimoire, and a variety of other little tools for crafting.Â

"And when was I ever a threat to Ul'dah?" If he had managed to succeed in petting the ears, he still be doing so now.

Kage · **08-22-2014, 02:43 PM**

Kage narrowed his eyes, twitching when he saw movement on Franz's part. Then it happened... Franz set his big stupid hand on top of his head and tried to pet him and his ears! After jerking and twitching somewhat out of the way, stopping himself from hurting the big lug, he tensed staying still. Then... well it wasn't fair. Kage had found that even as a lalafell the two miqo'te he knew had sensitive ears and tails. When he found himself with them, he realized he'd be in the same predicament.

His ears twitched of their own accord and the tension lifted from his shoulders as Kage's eyelids drooped. "Th-th-that's sensitive Franz.. get... stop.."

**Unnamed Mercenary** · **08-22-2014, 06:06 PM**

There was a mostly playful, but slightly sinister smile on Franz's face, like a small child. It must have been something leftover from Frhanz. He kept petting the ears at the conversation went, to see how far he could push it.

"Oh, I'm aware they are." Another few strokes. It was the first time in a longÂ time that Kage had dropped his guard. Franz might as well have some fun with it.

"But you never did answer. Am I really that much of a threat?" He continued.Â

Franz may not have been a trained masseur like Honzo, but it couldn't possibly have hurt or Kage would have hit him by now.

Kage · **08-29-2014, 02:32 PM**

Kage's eyes drifted between closed and drooping. This... damnit! Curse the twelve and Franz and whoever helped Franz transform him from lalafell to Miqo'te! If Franz wasn't even somewhat amiable now Kage would've kicked him quite hard in warning to not touch him.

But. There. He. Is.

Petting him.

As if he were a chocobo.

And Kage just didn't feel like he wanted to try and force himself to stop him.

Curses.

"Can't.. answer... when... nyaa."

Kage shrugged Franz off, swiping his hand at where Franz had been petting his own ears. "You can be. You've told me you had no compunctions about actually causing trouble if you get paid. Ye made that clear when you helped distract everyone while a hole was opened in the walls."

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