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Desmond Aryll · **08-10-2013, 06:41 PM**

The sun beat down on the naked earth and rock with all the gusto of midday in Thanalan. The only life visible outside of the buzzards that circled lazily in the clear, blue sky were the little dark-skinned reptiles, dashing from the unwelcoming shelter of one meager scrub to the next. The desert was not for outsiders.Â

Amidst the seeming desolation was a haven of life. A natural spring of water that fostered robust trees and vegetation. It was here that a lone figure sat.

shhhhh-ting, shhhhh-ting, went the whetstone in Desmond's hand as he passed it over the blade of his gladius. His heavy leather armor sat beside him, too impractical to wear in this heat.

There was an encampment of bandits just over the next ridge. According to his liaison's information, the bulk of the enemy would be away. That meant the remaining skeleton crew were vulnerable to attack and the soon-to-be-homeless main force would be prime for defeat at the hands of the Immortal Flames. It was a good plan. Assuming the other warriors contracted alongside Desmond were capable.Â

From the direction of Ul'Dah, something appeared on the horizon. Standing up, Desmond squinted his red eyes and tried to make it out. It was definitely coming his way but he couldn't make out what or who it was. He tucked himself down and waited to see if it was friend or foe.

S'demyx Tia · **08-11-2013, 10:49 AM**

"Curse this heat!" A tall, blonde, Miqo'te male yelled aloud. Even after growing up in the Sagolii Desert with his tribe, he never could tolerate the heat very well. His chest was bare, only a leather harness across it was adorned. It supported the sizable great axe strapped to his back.

The steel armor that plated his legs clanked together slightly with each step he took. He stopped momentarily, looking down and taking out a parchment from his satchel and gazing upon it as he continued to walk. "Where in the name of Azeyma am I?"

After a moment, he paused. His feline ears twitching before turning forward, trying to capture any sound he could pick up.Â

His right hand reached up behind his head, gripping his weapon tightly. With teeth bared, he called out to whomever -or whatever - it was he heard,

"Who's there?!"

Desmond Aryll · **08-11-2013, 01:04 PM**

There was no escaping a Miqo'te ear.

Desmond stood up and walked slowly around to face the stranger. He didn't look like a bandit. There were no outlaw tattoos and his gear was relatively new. The steel looked sharp enough however.

"Easy there," Desmond said in a controlled manner.

The Miqo'te tightened his grip on his weapon but his expression was never anything more than neutral. Even though he had been shouting a moment ago he was all business now. He had a warrior's training. Desmond relaxed his shoulders a bit.

"Are you on a job? Who sent you?"

S'demyx Tia · **08-11-2013, 10:46 PM**

The felinoid male sized up the man before him, still deciding the best action to take. After a period of silence, he finally spoke up, "I'm a mercenary. Recently contracted with the Immortal Flames."Â

His brows furrowed, taking a challenging step forward. He began sniffing the air slightly before turning his head to look upon the small oasis before him. "I'm assuming this is the meet up spot, yes?"

He tucked away the map in his left palm, slightly loosening the grip on his weapon, but not taking a chance to be unable to unsheathe it quickly.

Â "I've been trying to get here for hours.. but.."

The Miqo'te turned his eyes downward, frown forming on his face. A flush appeared upon his cheeks in a mix of both anger and embarrassment, "I cannot read."

Golden eyes turned upward once more. He cleared his throat. "And just who might you be?"

doctorgalactic · **08-12-2013, 11:00 AM**

"Aryll? Â Private Desmond Aryll?" Kayle called out from a distance so as to not startle the two men and it gave him ample time to size them both up. Â Wiping the sweat from his brow left a steak of dust across his face. Â With a wave, he dismounted his bird and gave it an affectionate scratch on it's neck as he led it towards the party by it's reigns. Â

"Private Delwyn. Â They told me I'd find you here, although I was a bit worried I'd find the area vacant by the time Redwind and I arrived."Â He directed his attention towards the man with squinting red eyes. Â Â "I hope I've not kept you waiting long, I had another obligation to the East that kept me." Â

Turning to face the Miqo'te, he shifted the reigns to his left hand and extended his right. Â "Kayle Delwyn, pleasure's mine." Â The chocobo made a few cuckling noises and cocked it's head, shifting it's gaze between the two strangers.

Desmond Aryll · **08-12-2013, 12:33 PM**

Both the Miqo'te and Desmond turned at the hails from the red-haired man approaching on chocoback. Exchanging a pacifying look between them, they greeted the third of their party now. And the fourth, if one counted the bird.

"Erm, yes I am Desmond Aryll." He watched as the Miqo'te accepted the greeting wordlessly. Desmond approved of the response.Â

Kayle Delwyn had an easy air about him. Desmond wondered if the man had a good grasp on what they were instructed to do. The chocobo, Redwind as Delwyn called him kept on the man's right. He noted the weaponry strapped to the bird's saddle within easy reach. Looks might be deceiving with this one.Â

"Not a problem. If it is alright with the two of you, I thought we might wait for nightfall. It would give us some time pick up any more help. I already scouted the camp." Desmond began as he untied a water sack from his pack, "There looks to be about a dozen of them. There is a large tent in the middle however that is still a mystery, I'm not sure if there is anyone else in there." He tossed the water sack to Delwyn. "With a good plan of attack, we can eliminate a third of their number before they realize we are there."Â

Returning to his pack, he looked from one newcomer to the other, "In the meantime, I would like to know what you both can do." Grasping his gladius' pommel with his off-hand, he pulled it a ways out of it's sheath before letting it fall back in with a 'thunk'. His sword introducing him as trained in the gladiatorial arena.

He cocked an eyebrow at the two men, waiting.

doctorgalactic · **08-12-2013, 01:45 PM**

You can never truly know a woman until you taste her food,
A man when you taste his steel

Kayle's father's words echoed in his head as he watched the Midlander, never breaking contact with his eyes. Â

Hands and thoughts can be deceiving, but eyes never lie.Â Â

"Aye, I've time for a quarrel" he said with a cautious grin, moving his gaze from the smirking Desmond to the scabbard at Redwind's side. Â Â "The wind's in our favor, and will keep our smoke and voices from reaching the encampment before we do."Â He comforted the bird, assuring her that the coming commotion is in good taste and amongst friends. Â He fed her a handful of greens from a pouch on his belt, and whispered something into her ear as he slid the scabbard from it's mount.

Affectionately, Kayle brushed his hand along the simple hardened leather scabbard and drew his blade, slowly. Â It was an awkward motion for him, as it was typically only drawn out of necessity and certainly never to be taken lightly. Â The blade itself was a queer thing to see, and was not of standard issue. Â Only slightly smaller than a swortsword, it appeared thin and narrow. Â It did not take the men's trained eyes long to realize it was aÂ re-purposedÂ spearhead, with tastefully plain decorations along the withered edge. Â The remnants of the wooden pole once connected were wrapped in soft leather and a pommel had been affixed to the otherwise plain handle. Â He smiled as he inspected the blade, making sure to keep the point aimed down.

Never point your blade at something you aren't willing to destroy.

Kayle took a wide berth away from his mount, circling outwards until the men we evenly distance. Â Raising his eyes from the ground, he drew in his breath and pointed his blade at Desmond. Â "My apologies, friend. Â I fear I may disappoint you."

Desmond Aryll · **08-12-2013, 02:41 PM**

Desmond observed the other Hyur give him a wide berth, positioning himself so as to keep nothing at his rear.

'Smart' he thought, space was an important consideration to gladiators confined in an arena. 'He's got good instincts. I might take a guess who schooled him.' Again Desmond pulled his gladius with his off-hand, flipping it in his grasp, backhand to front before passing it to his right. He didn't go for his buckler. Fair was fair.

Delwyn had unusual taste in blades. From what Desmond could discern, it wasn't a sword at all but a spearhead? Curious. It was slender, with a gentle curve at the tip instead of the meaty shape of the gladius that afforded them their chopping power. He resolved to see how the red-haired man would defend against an attack that would beg for a chop as a counter.

Bearing low, Desmond sped into action, half striding, half running towards the other man. Before they met, Desmond swung his right shoulder back, bringing his torso perpendicular to Delwyn. Then just as he came into range, he anchored his lead foot in the sand and with gladius in both hands, stabbed forward directly at the center of the other man's chest...

doctorgalactic · **08-12-2013, 04:54 PM**

Twelve, he's fast! heÂ thought as Desmond quickly closed the gap between them. Â Kayle swung his right foot behind him and shifted his weight backwards, careful to keep his blade arm close to Desmond as he roared past. Â Desmond's eyes never left his as he quickly pivoted around to secure his flank. Â Kayle winced as he realized his back was now to the silent Miqo'te, and shuffled quickly to his left to keep from being flanked my the motionless feline. Â He adjusted to keep a slender profile, both arms rose again instinctively with his right arm Â at his rear, with the blade near his cheek.

He made his intentions very clear by opening with that strong a maneuver he thought. Â Showed his strength, allowed opportunity, and struck true. Â It was almost a certainty that Desmond was testing the waters here, but he was also playing for keeps. Â Kayle tilted his head down to hide his gaze behind his auburn hair and took a lunge with his sword arm. Â Desmond easily swatted the attempt away, forcing Kayle to maintain this new posture with his shield arm at the rear.

Like a blade of grass....

He took another swipe, swinging up and right as Desmond readjusted himself and remained poised. Â Kayle brought his off-hand to meet the other already gripping the hilt, and both hands barely brought the slender blade up in time to halt the heavy gladius from severing his left shoulder from the rest of his body. Â The momentum of the attack allowed the blades to caress each other momentarily and then slide apart like lingering lovers. Â The singing metal pierced the air as Kayle spun once to his right to collect his footing and ready his blade for the inevitable attack.

Desmond Aryll · **08-12-2013, 06:19 PM**

The dodge instead of parry, the side-stance with a short weapon, the lunge from a disadvantageous position, it was all wrong. But he was still technically alive.

'Unorthodox' Desmond had to give Kayle Delwyn credit. 'Even the long hair, does more to block me from reading his movements than actually hinder his sight.' And he was strong. He wasn't trying to seriously hurt him but he had put all his momentum behind that last chop to the shoulder and he hadn't broken through.

After a moment had passed, Desmond flicked his gladius around, keeping the blade flat against the inside of his forearm. "Good," he stood up, "Now come at me, let's see if you can break my defense."

doctorgalactic · **08-12-2013, 08:21 PM**

Kayle sized up his sparring partner once again. Â Set stance, solid footing, anticipating the attack. Â He has the advantage.Â This was an exercise in patience as much as it was in force. Â Desmond's bladework was flawless, and allowed little room for error. Â He would be outmatched with a direct assault...

He hesitated only a moment, then stepped into the attack. Â He put his initial effort into a slash right, leaving an opening to his torso only briefly, then spun the blade in his palm, reversing his grip. Â He swiped left, covering the opening he'd just created and waiting for Desmond's defense. Â He allowed his momentum to carry him into a full spin, and as he brought the blade around he secured his off-hand to the pommel of the weapon allowing him to utilize both hands to fully push the weapon forward. Â It'll allow for an attack of opportunity, but only if it misses. Â

With a heave, Kayle lowered his guard and slammed the weapon forward.

Desmond Aryll · **08-12-2013, 08:58 PM**

Desmond thought he read the attack well enough. His opponent came on, slashing at his weak side, feinting into an attack to get him to expose his torso as he moved his sword arm across his body to counter. A decent enough move, even though it was an intermediate skill for a gladiator.Â

Delwyn flashed the attack with some abandon, picking up speed as he went into the second motion, his red hair whipping about his face. Desmond performed the counter blocks with the absent-minded ease of someone who had practiced a thousand times.

He had expected firm pressure on the second attack but the spearhead glanced off of his gladius with barely any force. His eyes went wide as he realized that the other man was still spinning. More out of instinct than a conscious decision, he threw his gladius up as he went low and left. There was a clang as the two blades met and the spearhead zinged right beside his right ear on it's way by. Putting his left hand on the ground for support, he pushed off and straight up, leading with his shoulder.

The other man, still expending momentum, had no choice but to take the brunt of the tackle in the center of his body, sending him tumbling head over heels to the ground a few feet away. They stared at each other, covered in dirt and sweat.

'That was a suicidal move. If his opponent was ready for it, This man would have a sword in his gut.' Desmond thought, alarmed by the recklessness of it. Still, Delwyn had managed to fool him.

His opponent got to one knee, short-spear in hand.

"Hold, Delwyn! That's enough," Desmond held up his hand, he couldn't help but chuckle at the others perseverance. "Twelve, save some of that for the criminals. What do you call that move and how long do you expect to live fighting like that?"

Rue · **08-12-2013, 09:12 PM**

-They might not have heard it till now, the light thumps of the riderless chocobo heading near them, and running right past, pausing to call then turning to trot playfully away as a white hair Miqo'te appeared. She looked dead tired as she hit the dusty sand ground in defeat. Her body bore light linen and her face was wrapped in it as well. Her tail dropped as she sat on her knees. A light satchel over her right shoulder as she had not noticed the male Hyurs nearby from her pure exhaustion.Â

"Stupid Chocobo!"

She cursed under her breath as she tilted her chin up into the air and closed her eyes trying to regain her composer, but her knees did not want to lift her frame from the grains below her bare knees. She was slightly pale with a golden hue of tan over her skin, but lining of pink tinted her skin where from running under the sun all day had brought small burns to her flesh.Â

The chocobo walked back keeping distance between itself and the young Miqo'te, making sure it's trainer was still alive. But she didn't budge so the large bird tilted it's head and slowly neared, softly rubbing it's forlock on her cheek. The young girl sighed and rubbed the bird jawline and mumbled under her breath.

"I'll never get to ride you..."

doctorgalactic · **08-12-2013, 10:00 PM**

Kayle's laughter was contagiously loud as he panted and swept his soaked bangs from his face. Â "Well met! Â I told you I'd likely disappoint you." Â He sheathed his weapon and took Desmond's forearm to his. Â

"You're not hurt are you? Â I'm a bit new at this, I fear. Â Likely to walk all day and save nothing for the trek 'ome, if you catch my meaning. Â Azeyma watch over me if I 'er end up on the wrong side o' your temper, Desmond." Â He put a hand to his rib and gave Desmond a grimaced smile. "Not to worry, I wasn't planning on using that lung anytime soon anyway."

It hurt to laugh, but he was comforted to feel a sense of belonging here among the desert winds and fading light. Â It'd been only a few weeks since Kayle had settled in Ul'Dah, and this was the first time since that he'd been this far outisde the city walls. He was so caught in the moment that he barely heard the commotion behind them.

They were both startled and instinctively put hands to their hilts again. Â It became quickly apparent that the crumpled form of the Miqo'te was not a threat, and after sharing a glace with Desmond Â he ran over to offer assistance to the grounded woman. Â "Hail, there. Â Another recruit of the Flames?" he asked as he offered her a welcoming hand...

Desmond Aryll · **08-12-2013, 11:06 PM**

Delwyn was already extending a welcome to the exhausted female Miqo'te. His affable demeanor was nothing like the frenzied opponent he had just faced. Desmond just shook his head and made his way over, following the male Miqo'tes lead.

He wasn't so sure that their newest party member was actually sent by the office of the Immortal Flames. But then again he hadn't been at his best today when it came to judging others by their appearance. As Delwyn conversed with the female, Desmond turned to the big male.

"My apologies, friend, you know our names now but we still don't know yours." he offered a tired smile, "I don't suppose you'd rather share a story than a spar while we wait? There's still plenty of time till the sun goes down."

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A Coast in the Desert (Finished)

RPC has moved! These pages have been kept for historical purposes