Askier

In the shadowed places of Eorzea, all manner of foul things can be found if you have the desire and unwholesome desire to find such things. Male and female, old and young, all slain or driven mad by these festering cesspits of wretchedness. And here now, in one of those dens of sinister intent was a creature not alive yet not entirely dead. It walked on the edge of the barrier that divided this world from the eternity of what was beyond. The creature had had several names. Some it wore happily. Others forced upon it. It had once been forced to be one made of two. But that had changed. With the death of the voice, the bindings that made one of two had begun severing. Part had retained the female form, but the other part, the male part, had been expunged, excommunicated from the hallowed halls of undead flesh. And now, here, in this place, it clung to remain. By sheer force of determination and will it clung, resisting the call of beyond. It resisted for no higher reason then self preservation. It was not afraid of what lay beyond the veil, yet its base instincts did not want it to leave. Here within this well of darkness and magic it festered, unknowingly drawing upon itself folds and tendrils over the passing of time. The one that was once part of two was making itself whole, defining itself once more on its own. No masters, no Voices, no split halves. Only itself in the darkness, binding to itself slowly a wretched form with onyx black eyes from which no light might escape. Sinister was this festering pool and its corrupted aether and here all other things that dwelt left as the one dwelt longer and longer. In time it became a shimmering shadow of a shape, not truly there, as if a strong breeze might cast it away. But it endured and slowly drew more defined and stronger. It would be months before it was even partially restored. But it had nothing but time for time had bestowed upon the shattered remnaint an abundance of peaceful time. How kind of time.

Jin'a was lying on he bed in the small.room, gazing up at the ceiling. Jin'a has his hands behind his head and he was talking idly to the small, fuzzy creature playing happily on the floor. "Oh sure, you love it here. Think that I'm just the best pet owner. Truth is, I'm a pretty big ass." Jin'a reached over to a glass of water resting on the nightstand and took a sip. The animal made a happy sound and the miqo'te chuckled. "How am I an ass? Well let's see, I am a traitor to my homeland, murderer, liar, drunk, sleazeball, been unfaithful few times in love, cast aside friendships like they were garbage, had a massive ego, self righteous, oh and I once didn't tip a good waiter. All in all, my continued existence is proof that the Twelve are assholes to the good people in this world." The furry creature made a cute reply nose as it chased something around. Jin'a placed the glass back on the dresser. "Well I suppose you are right. I mean I'm less of a dick now than I was. To bad it took dwelling in insanity, burning bridges with friends, having my significant other miles away, and engaging in a slew of activities that make my stomach knot in shame and regret to get to this point. I mean, hells, here I am voluntarily living in borderline poverty, sending money to Ashwynn, talking to a creature that doesn't understand a word I say and pretending it does. How the might have fallen, no?" The cute animal turned its big eyes at Jin'a, who smiled and got up from the bed finally and took his coat from the peg on the wall and put it on. "Try not to get into trouble while I'm gone, okay? Hells know I've had enough of that to last me a life time.". Jin'a beamed a stupid grin.as he stepped outside and locked the door behind. It was late twilight and the rolling hills covered in vines stretched before him. He patted the firearm at his side and slowly began the long watch and the peace of mind it gave him. Serenity through simplicity.

Titor's Cell Alec sighed and closed the book. He gave a nod of his bald head and the two men with him stepped forward and violently seized Titor and dragged him over to the stone chair in the rooms center. The men tossed Titor into it and held him down with one hand each as they shackled the male to the chair in a similar manner to how Kahn'a was bound. Alec waited till Titor was snug and then slowly approached, his pen twirling in his fingers as he spoke. "I am sorry for what is coming. This all could have been so painless. I hope that between now and the arrival of our mutual friend, you can find your tongue...before you lose it." Alec suddenly took his pen and drove it into Titor's cheek, letting the blood coat the writing implement. He then turned and opened the book to the page about Titor. At the bottom, in fluid words, he traced in blood the words "Requires motivation." Alec then left the room. It was nearly a bell later that Kresha entered, her white robes hanging loosely about her as her black hair hung around her neck. Two men came with her, carrying buckets and towels. The female looked at Titor in the chair and gave a polite smile as she saw the blood oozing from Titor's cheek. "I see you already wear the crimson. I do hope I am not forced to make you wear more. Our commanding officer was rather hopful you would be wiser than the other Red Wing I just finished questioning. So then, care to speak of your own free will?" Black Chains HQ A'trus stood dumbfounded at Ryder's disclosure as he blinked. So he had been right, something WAS going on and he was smack in the middle of a game the higher ups were playing. A'trus dropped his salute and nodded quickly, keeping his thoughts to himself. "As you say sir, if you will follow me." The miqo'te turned and exchanged brief words with Sergeant Rungee. The Sergeant nodded and slipped off as A'trus began leading Ryder to a small room with a circular table and six chairs surrounding it. Once both officers were inside the room, A'trus shut the door and turned to his superior. "Alright sir, please fill me in on what is going on with this hunt. Because I have gathered some rather distressing details about the Red Wings that was not only not imparted to me in my orders, it seems that I am caught in some sort of game between the higher command and if I am going to be losing any more of my soldiers I want to know why." A'trus had to bit the inner lining of his lip to stifle his frustration and keep his military bearing. The fact that this man was here, now, was all the proof he needed to know he was being used and the solider of ten years wanted to vomit. He served Ul'dah, not some senior officers personal agenda. He would gladly bring in the Red Wings for their crimes, but he was going to raise all sorts of hell if he was going to be continually sent in blind against enemies that obviously matched or exceeded the talents of his own forces.

Titor's Cell "You don't know?" Alec cooed softly and gave a disapproving look. "Well, that just won't do at all. We need more than that I'm afraid and you going from claiming you could prove it to suddenly not knowing is confusing. Could cause us to wonder if you are holding your tongue and if we need to loosen it. Should I fetch the tongue loosener?" Kahn'a's cell Kresha listened, her eyes hard and her face covered in a scowl. She held the expression well, and it don't not slip or become lax, even though she wanted to raise her eyebrows in surprise. She did -not- posses the clearance about Red Wings' true nature. Even A'trus was unaware of the full extent of the Red Wings clandestine nature. That was a clearance far higher in the chain of command than they possessed. The female interrogator slowed her breathing as Kahn'a elaborated, spilling out tons of information at an astonishing rate. Like a bucket placed beneath a waterfall, there was simply to much for her to absorb it all. Her knife spun in her fingers slowly at first but grew faster as she thought and then finally she stopped spinning as she licked her lips. "Very well. Mr. Od'hilkas, you finally were co-operative. See, I knew there was more than you were telling." Kresha's voice became a soft purr. "You have earned a reprieve, I'm going to alert my superior and we are going to investigate the Drydocks. If they find anything, splendid for you. If not, we will resume your breaking, only it will be far, far more severe. This was me being civil." Kresha smirked darkly. "But if we find something, you might even get your clothes back. I'll consider feeding you in the mean time. So sit tight, be a good boy, and wait a bit. I have another guest to greet." Kresha then spun on her heel and walked out, leaving the three men to follow after her and lock the door behidn them, leaving Kahn'a wrapped in the embrace of darkness. Kresha stormed to her room and found a pearl from her desk. Her room was lavish and full of a ridiculous amount of finery and red silk. Kresha loved the sensation of silk on her skin but right then she didn't notice it as she pressed the pearl to her ear. "Lieutenant A'trus." It took A'trus a moment to reply and when he did so, his voice was slow and tired. "Proceed Kresha." "Lieutenant, I have discovered some unsettling news." Kresha said and then continued quickly. "The Red Wings are not a relief unit, they are a special forces unit. They were given a mission and claim to be set up. No matter how much I...questioned, that never changed. Od'hilkas says that the last time he saw his unit was at the Moraby Drydocks near Limsa and that if we needed a lead for the Red Wings that might have fled to Limsa, such as Melkire, that would be the place to start. Silence greeted this information as A'trus sat up in his chair and seized a document. He read it over and then chewed on his lower lip. "There is no mention of the Red Wings being anything more than a relief unit, or a mission to Limsa in my intel or orders. I find it-" "Sir, I bleed and salted Od'hilkas. I broke him down. I think there is a shred of truth in this. I've done this for seventeen years sir." Kresha interrupted. A'trus leaned back in his chair and continued chewing on his lip. "You are certain of this intel?" A'trus questioned coldly, not wanting to play with the line of thought Kresha was forcing him to consider. "Sir, I stake my reputation on it. These Red Wings may be guilty as all sins in the hells, in fact, I suspect they are of guilty of these charges to a degree, but I think someone is also playing us. The fact that whoever sent you those orders sent us against a Black Ops unit without notifying you or me is a breach of protocol." A'trus scowled and nodded. After a moment he stood up and then smashed his fist onto the table. "Sons of couerls!" A'trus swore as he watched two of his sniper rounds roll onto the floor. "The twins got killed, had I known. . ." The miqo'te was growling. "Kresha, continue questioning. Increase the intensity. I want information. And I want it now. I'm going to be gathering a unit to depart for Limsa immediately once I get clearance from Command. Report once you have more information." Kresha paused, recalling her promised reprieve to Kahn'a and decided to give the male a few hours of peace before she began carrying out A'trus' orders. "Aye Aye, sir." Kresha answered at last. A'trus let the line go silent as he seized his rifle and slung it over his shoulder as he muttered a string of curses at the Twelve for this sudden development. He had denounced their divine nature four years ago with the death of his wife and now only prayed to his deceased lover and her memory as if she was a divine angel. The male miqo'te went to the door to his room and threw it opened as he stormed into the hall, closing it behind him with a bang. Sergeant Rungee was there and fell into step quickly after he saw the expression his commanding officer wore. "Orders sir." Rungee said quickly, knowing now was not the time for formalities. "I need the Zulu primed for a trip to Limsa immediately, Sergeant." A'trus said, his voice calming slightly as the walk leveled his blood pressure as they turned a corner and headed to the front of the Black Chain's HQ. "We may have a lead there and I intend to investigate it further. Also, I want every one of our soldiers invovled with the Red Wing hunt lethally armed and armored. There is a possibility the Red Wings are more than a simple relief unit." "As you say sir." Rungee nodded, keeping his reaction to A'trus' words to himself. A'trus loved Rungee for that professionalism. The two walked into the central room and both came to a screeching halt as their boots snagged the marble floor as they caught sight of the man standing there. A commander none-the-less. Both snapped sharp salutes. "Good day sir!" Both men said to the commander and waited for him to speak and return their salutes.

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Titor's cell Alec scribbled slowly as Titor, though Alec raised his eyebrows in a expression of interest at the words Titor spoke and he paused his writing as he fixed the Red Wing with his eyes. "You believe they are innocent do you? Well if you are going to make a statement like that I am going to need you to support such a claim. What, during your time with the Red Wings, an organization that is supposed to have no combat oriented missions, is innocent of such claims? You say they are responsible for none of them, yet we know for a fact that the Red Wings did harbor a terrorist. If we know that is true and yet you claim.it is not, can we really trust the weight in your words? In my mind you have already shattered your own credibility. It would be a shame to have to resort more base methods of interrogation when we are having such a plea sent conversation. So, for your own sake, please choose you next words carefully. How can you prove the Red Wings are innocent?" Alec smiled as he twirled his pen through his fingers as he waited. Kahn's Cell Kresha looked at the ruined face that sputtered water and blood from his mouth. Kresha was being kind to Kahn'a. This was mild com paired to what she had done in the past but she was getting annoyed and even A'trus knew not to bother her when she was annoyed. A'trus didn't enjoy this sort of information gathering but understood its necessity and made sure Kresha had every thing she needed. She had rooms of tools and devices and had used everyone at least once. The tall woman went and seized a bucket on her own and three the contents of the bucket at Kahn'a all at once. There was no towel and no slow pour. The wall of water would slam into kahn'a with a tremendous force and there was not fabric to keep the salt and water out if the fresh wounds. Not this time. Kresha then took the empty bucket and tipped it over Kahn A's head before the nodded to one of her men who wound back and drove his fist into the side of the bucket, knocking the bucket off Kahn'a's head. Kresha then turned and pulled out a wicked looking knife and twirled it through her fingers. "I'm getting bored, Mr. od'hilkas. And when I am bored, I get creative. All this can stop though. Give me the location in Limsa the Red Wings would hid. We know you have a lot of contacts there. Where Mr. Od'hilkas! Or I cut off my pounds of flesh and drown them in salt water and then feed them too you." A'trus' quarters A'trus had fallen asleep in his tub and the water was cold by the time he awoke. The miqo'te quickly got out and dressed in a fresh uniform before he took his weapon and went to his office. He took a cleaning kit from his desk and began cleaning his firearm as he looked over his map, as if he stared hard enough, he would suddenly know where he needed to hunt next.

The Cell of Kahn'a "Well, Mr. Od'hilkas, whether your are innocent are not, you will suffer for your slight of my character. You have been rude and rudeness is not kind and I do not suffer such behavior." Kresha lunged forward and scratched several times along Kahn'a's face before the man with the towel wrapped the towel tightly around Kahn'as head as the other man seized the first bucket of salt water and began pouring it slowly over the miqo'te's face as Kresha tossed the blood covered tool into the corner as she waited for the thirty seconds to pass before the bucket was empty. Kresha then seized Kahn'a's throat and pressed her lips together as tightly as she began squeezing the miqo'te's throat. "Your Red Wings have abandoned you just as you have abandoned Ul'dah. No one will find you, no one will come for you. Not event he Twelve can save you in here. I am your god now. Look at it this way, Mr. Od'hilkas. The longer your fellow Red Wings are free, the longer I keep doing this to you. It's in your interest to spill your words so I'll be direct. Where would your Red Wings hide in Limsa? Where?!" Kresha let the throat go and waited as the bloody towel was pulled off Kahn'as face, exposing the bleeding gashes. Titor's cell "Certainly." Alec said, nodding and then opened his book. He licked his finger before turning several pages and, without pausing, began to read: "Harboring a terrorist. Smuggling illicit wares. Associating with the enemy. Plotting against the crown. Selling military secrets. Espionage. That's the base of it, but certainly does not place your unit in a positive light. We are aware you are a newer addition and that you might not be fully involved with these acts but you are suspect and were were ordered to bring in all the Red Wings immediately and to treat you as potential traitors until we have proven otherwise. So any part you wish to discuss first?"

A'trus raised his left eyebrow at Chalahko. He made no effort to stop the Flame and his action, but A'trus found it rather peculiar. The make miqo'te was not accustomed to trophies being taken from successful hunts but a vial of blood was a unique choice. Once Chalahko was done, A'trus turned and began to slow march back to Ul'dah with Chalahko and the five men ehi had helped him track Titor down. A'trus said nothing as they followed the winding road that drew them closer to Ul'dah. His had retreated into the privacy of his own thoughts and was considering his next move. There were several. At some point, Brick would return withAlexei Volkov. Although not a target, A'trus was eager to pick the former Red Wings mind and see if he sympathized with his former unit. Of course then there was still no word from his scouts in Limsa or Gridania yet but he hoped he would hear something soon. Rumors stated Limsa was a common retreat for several of the Red Wings due to their background. But due to international laws, A'trus needed concrete evidence before he could operate there. Gridiania and the frozen north lands were more of a crap shoot and A'trus had not focused as heavily on those regions. It was going to be a long hunt. But two already was an excellent sign. At thus rate he might have them before the end if the next year. A'trus smiled at that. A chance to rest. A few months leave. He had been planning on taking it before this mission had been given to him. The leuitenant needed a break, to visit his actual house and to okay his respects to his wife's grave. It had been four years since her passing. And he had kept his promise to her as best he could. He had not voluntarily killed a single soul by his hand in those four years. A'trus swallowed and gave a sad smile as he recalled his wife's last words and her tender expression. That promise had changed the way the Black chains operated and had sent every bullet into his targets' knees. Rungee liked to joke that if A'trus' nickname wasn't already Loft, Kneecapper would have stuck. The small band entered the city and A'trus excused himself from his men and Chalahko, informing them that if they needed him, his would be in his private quarters inside Flame Hall. The leuitenant then departed and made his way without ceremony to his small room. After a few minutes of bringing hot water to his tub, the miqo'te placed his rifle one his bed, disrobed and then slipped into the warm water. His eyes looked around the small, sparsely populated room and then closed his eyes to relax and clear his mind. The Cell Kresha gave kahn'a a sinister looked and clutched the cheese grater tightly as she stepped forward. "You keep changing your excuses and stories. I think I need to make you relize just how serious I am. You claim.you didn't know how this city worked? Yet you are a leuitenant? My leuitenant was also a hunter Mr. Od'hilkas but he knows how the city works. Either you are lying or your captain is a fool for promoting you." Kresha's hand snaked out and the harshly scratched Kahn'a left check with the metal tool. One of the other men stepped forward and seized kahn's hair and jerked the head back, a towel dangling in the air. "Last chance Mr. Od'hilkas. Get your story right and convince me or I will.drown you three times after I carve off some more skin." Titor's Cell Titor would have sat in silence for a long time before the door opened and three hyurs entered. One held a towel, the second two buckets and the third a book and and a quill. The man with the writing material opened it and smiled politely. "Mr. Titor. I am Alec. Secritary of this location. I have been sent because I am informed you are far more civil and willing to discuss matters than the other. Our commanding officer requested we begin by conversation and avoid having our artist use her more 'painful' methods for drawing out information." Alec pulled out a water skin. "Before we begin, would you are for some.red wine to soothe your tongue? We have much to discuss."

A'trus nodded at Titor's comment, honestly impressed by the man's response. Whether Titor meant them or truly or not would be found out later by Kresha. "An excellent bit of phrasing." A'trus replied as he saluted Titor respectfully. "You will be meeting with one of our intelligence officers. She will be gathering the sincerity of your words, though, thus far, you have been remarkably more cooperative than the other Red Wing we have already seized. I hope you will talk some sense into him and shed new light onto this matter so that this unnecessary hunt can be brought to an end as soon as possible. Continue in such a manner and you might find your enlistment with the Flames able to continue. However, at this time you are considered a potential enemy of the state and shall be deprived of all rights normally associated with a hyur in your position." A'trus motioned with his hand to the soldier holding Titor on his feet. The soldier nodded and shifted one one side as another soldier stepped forward and brough a club down with a great deal of force onto the back of Titor's skull in an attempt to send Titor into the blackness of unconsciousness. A'trus waved a hand and the conjurer in white stepped forward and began to send the aether into the bullet wound in Titor's wound, sowing up sinew and regrowing flesh. A'trus ran his hand through his hair with his left hand as he waved his right hand over his head at the Zulu hovering above. A net attached to a winch began to lower down. A'trus turned to Rungee and nodded at his sergeant. "Stay with this one until he is loaded aboard the Zulu and then have the Zulu take him to the 'Tank' for processing with Kresha, though inform her to try and be civil with this one. Once he's in Kresha's possession, return to Ul'dah and report." "Aye Aye, sir." Rungee saluted." And what will you be doing?" A'trus turned his eyes to Chalahko and watched him intently, his mouth moving slowly as he formed words. "I will be escorting the Second Lieutenant back to Ul'dah by foot to discuss the operation today. Since he is our consultant." Rungee visibly bristled at the word but said nothing as he nodded to A'trus and turned to supervise the three soldiers that were loading Titor into the net. The Sergeant waited until Titor was loaded and then clutched on as waved. The Zulu crew threw a lever and the net rose with Titor and Rungee to the deck of the ship. Titor was lain on the ground as the Sergeant began barking orders to the crew. The Zulu was swift and by the time Titor awoke, he would be locked away deep in one of Kresha's cells. Back on the ground, A'trus waited, placing his weight on his left leg as the wind tugged at his Flame uniform. He was watching Chalahko with a visible degree of suspicion in his eyes. He wasn't sure what it was about this other male miqo'te, but something about him and his sudden inclusion with his unit, especially right as the hunt for the Red Wings was heating up, didn't sit well with him. Of course, the fact that he was hunting down the Red Wings in the first place, a unit specializing in relief efforts, didn't sit right with him. A'trus was sessioned enough t to know this whole situation was foul but he was a soldier and soldiers didn't question the orders given. "Ready to depart whenever you are." A'trus remarked to Chalahko casually as the Zulu hummed overhead as it gained altitude and then began flying over the earth. The Cell Kresha listened to Kahn'a's words without letting a single emotion slip onto her face. He blank mask seemed almost bored. She made no effort to recover attire for Kahn'a, nor to relax her coiled muscles. It wasn't until after the miqo'te had finished that she finally spoke, and when she finally did, it had been several minutes of awkward silence. "I see." Kresha stated, her foot falls clicking as she sauntered over to the cheese grater and snatched it up. She rolled the metal device over in her hands, noting the blood stains from the last victim she had used it on. It wasn't pretty, but it was grossly effective. "So if you knew you were in danger, why the trouble to have us shoot you? Why not turn yourself in? Some parts of your story don't add up. Did you forget to mention something? Or are you lying to me, Mr Od'hilkas?"

A'trus pulled the scope from his face as his soldier approached Titor and forcibly bound the shackles behind the hyurs back. The miqo'te grinned as the Zulu moved itself forward and descended till it was twenty feet off the earth. The lieutenant sling his weapon across his back as Rungee readied a rope. "Coming down Chalahko?" A'trus said with a triumphant tone before he took the length of coiled bands and repelled down slowly, his gloves smoking slightly from the action. As his boots crunched the earth where he planted himself, he turned and cast his mis-matched eyes on Titor. The soldier hauled Titor to his feet. A figure in white approached the capture hyur and stood by, aether gathering in the conjurers hand, ready to heal. "Good day, Master Titor. I am Leuitenant A'trus Mewtinie, commanding officer of the Black Chains. You are being taken to stand trial to resolve concerns over the nature of the Red Wings and their illicit activities. You will be taken and held indefinatly against your will until the rest of your unit joins yourself in holding. If you wish to address the locations of your fellow Red Wings, such information will look positive for your trial." A'trus paused. "Anything you wish to say?" A'trus said as his soldiers gathered around to watch. The Cell Kresha entered, the light spilling into the room. She stood there, here arms crossing over her waiste as her assistants followed after. They all set their eyes on Kahn'aas the miqo'te began speaking. His mannerisms had changed and Kresha wwatched him with hard eyes as she replied. "You do deserve clothes but those will only be given back to you after the information is given. You have my word. So now then, what is it you wanted to say?"

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The soldiers of A'trus squad watched Titor go down, blood squirting across the sands. The soldier disgused as a beggar was the closest and like the bullet, was rushing at Titor with great spead. The man twirled a pair of bola fast enough to blur the hunting instument. A pair of shackles hung from his belt and they clanked together sinisterly as the spinning weapon sliced the air. He neared Titor and stood several paces away, the weapon whizzing over his head. "Roll over on your face and put your hands on the ground!" the solider shouted loudly. "In the name of the Flames and her Majesty you are under arrest! Any resistance will result in further harm to yourself and your fellow Red Wings!" Aboard the Zulu, A'trus felt the airship shift as it flew in an arc around the Bazaar to the south to provide the Leuitant a better shot. His crosshairs hovered over the wounded Red Wing's other knee as he waited for Titor to comply or resist. "It's not over till its over." A'trus whispered as half a dozen soldiers from his unit began entering the bazaar. Some might say it was excessive having this much force for one person. A'trus didn't care. No one ever regretted being over prepared. Especially not him. The Cell Kresha jerked her head back and smiled triumphantly as she released Kahn'a's hair. "Well now, sounds like you do know more than what you were telling me at first. Tsk tsk. Bad kitty." Kresha turned and looked at her fellow soldiers. "Set up the "Blood Salt" technique." the soldiers nodded and the door to the cell opened. Over the next hour, the three men brought in ten buckets, each larger than the first. They then brought in several towels and, finally a cheese grater. They placed the metal cheese grater on a small table before Kahn'a and then left. Kresha looked down the water inside the bucket as she spoke. "Mr. Od'hilkas. You clearly know more than what you told me. I mean a plot that is causing us to torture you unfairly...that's something. Do you see that cheese grater there? I'm going to take that and start peeling your flesh off. I don't know when I'll stop. But once I do, one of my men is going wrap a towel around your ruined face and we are going to pour salt water all over your bloody face. I can repeat this over and over, and each time I get a bucket it will be bigger than the last so your suffering will only increase. If you pass out, I will inject a drug into your veins that will wake you up and set all your nerve endings into a state of hyper-awareness." Kresha looked over at Kahn'a as she walked to the door of the cell. "You have one hour to think it over. If you decide to continue being resistant, you will suffer like you never thought possible." Kresha then slammed the door and plunged Kahn'a into darkness, leaving him alone with his thoughts, the worst torture in a way.

The Zulu spead along as a barriage of orders flew back and forth through the link pearl A'trus wore. The male had taken his rifle off his back and knelt. He shouldered the but if the rifle tightly into the cradle his collarbone and shoulder made. His blue eye pressed against the scope and he looked through the magnification tube at the nearing set of buildings called the Silver Bazaar. A'trus was annoyed at Chalahko's presence. He didn't enjoy being supervised or advised. He found it offensive, and insult to his and the skills of his unit. But the lieutenant swallowed his pride with a swallow and slowed his breathing. He was a soldier. He had a job to do. He didn't have to like it. "Ground team, this is Loft. We are coming it with weapons hot. Identify target and prepare to apprehend." There was a pause before the crackle if a voice came back through the link pearl. One of the soldiers on the ground described Titor's attire and location. A'trus found the Red Wing quickly. The man was in the open. Suddenly Titor turned and began walking towards the edge of the Bazaar. Directly towards the Zulu. "Target is departing! Permission to intercept!" came an excited voice. A'trus placed his finger on the trigger and slowed his breathing until he was still, letting his body shift slightly with the swaying of the airship. A'trus centered his cross hair over the man's knee and, without ceremony, pulled the trigger. The muzzle's flash was brilliant and the bullet rocketed out at hundreds of feet per second. It would cross the distance in a brief moment but A'trus was already loading another round into his weapon as he spoke. "One down range, one down range, prepare to apprehend." A'trus ordered sternly.as he shouldered the weapon and looked through his scope again to see the result of his shot at Titor. Sergeant Rungee, whom had stood silently by Chalahko leaned in to the other miqo'te to whisper "Who would have thought we would ever be hunting down an entire fellow unit of Flames." The Cell Kresha looked at Kahn'a and his frantic display and her lip curled in disgust as she crossed her arms. "You would say anything I want? I don't want that. I want to know where the members of your unit went or would likely go or who might have helped them. I'm not interested in making you say anything else!" Kresha hated when her victims reached this point. So desperate to avoid pain they began rambling violently. Desperate to appease her. Like scorned lovers crawling back to her. She took in a deep breath and then snapped her fingers. The man with the towel nodded and wrapped it back across Kahn'a's face tightly. The fabric of the towel stretched tight and air became a foreign and difficult thing to obtain. The man with the second bucket came over and without pause began pouring the water over Kahn'a's face. Twenty five seconds this time and the water had ice it it to harm the nerves. Kresha watched and scowled. As the water ceased to pour she stepped forward and as the man with the towel pulled it away, she seized Kahn'a's hair violently and jerked it to one side. "Ever torture someone before Mr. Od'hilkas? If you have you know I can do this all day. And night. I won't feed you but you'll get plenty of water. Now answer me. Give me.a guess if that is all you have but if its a bad guess and leads to nothing, my.tortures will.get more intimate. Speak!"

A'trus shrugged as he took a long.draft from the glass. The cool fluid queltching his thirst. He listened to the miqo'te lecturing him and A'trus only removed the glass from his lips once it was empty and Chalahko had finished talking. "So you are baby sitting me." A'trus mused with a chuckle and placed the glass on the table. "Very well. I welcome.your assistance recovering these targets. But I have three rules. One, we only take targets alive. I am not in the business of killing anyone until they are proven guilty. Second, any order I give, you will.obey without question. This is to keep my unit functioning efficiently. Three. Don't ever casually remark on the death of anyone in my unit ever again or question my orders in front of my unit. Do you have a problem.with these terms?" A'trus was still as he fixed Chalahko with a steely.glare. he was about to continue when the door flew open again and A'trus had a chance to marvel at how popular his office was that day when Rungee burst in, sweet on the hyur's brow. Rungee gave a rapid salute to the two officers and then, between ragged breaths said: "Silver Bazaar, target number two, confirmed sir." A'trus' flashed. Like a viper sticking he leapt over to his weapon locker and pulled it open and began.to retrieve his rifle and his ammunition sling as Rungee continued to speak. "The Zulu is perched in the airship tower already sir and she is ready. Half the unit is already moving into position outside the town. A'trus nodded as he slung his rifle over his shoulder and.began marching for the door. "Second Leuitenant Chalahko, if you are coming along, let us move immediately." Without waiting for a reply, A'trus began marching at a rapid pace down the hall and onto the street. He looked up at the tower and made for it. In minutes he would be aboard his airship and few more after he would be heading.towards the Silver Bazaar, the earth flying below as he readied his rifle. If Chalahko had hurried he would be flying along.as well, ready to observe A'trus work. Cell Kresha looked at the broken form of Kahn'a. She sighed and nodded slowly. She heard the dispair in the voice. She had broken enough people to know when they had nothing left to give. But she also knew many could act that way. She scowled. "Then why protect them? Why not help us bring them.in? Why didn't you report this on your own? You must have known. Answer me or I will have them.drown you again. Why did you not stop them earlier? You claim to know nothing? I don't believe you. You have an idea. Give it, or I will.give the gift of water once again. (Sorry for lfast post but had to finish before.flight took.off. ignore spelling errors. lol)

The two scouts watched the hooded figure carefully as the sun burned bright overhead. The figures moved at a good distance to avoid detection by their target. The Silver Bazaar was nearing and at the edge of the bizzare a third figure was seated, pretending to before. The begged managed to get a glimpse of the the face as Titor passed by him. Without breaking character the begger went to scratch his face using his thumb. One of the two tails recognized the signal of confirmation and immediately sound on his heel, lifting his hand to his ear and pressing the pearl within. "Sergeant Rungee, we have confirmation of another Red Wing. Silver Bazaar right now." Sergeant Rungee jolt upright from his bunk, smashing his head against the bunk above his in the bunk house. He swore and clutched his throbbing forehead as hewhinced in pain as he used his left hand to press the linkpearl and replied: "You are certain?" "Aye Sergeant." Rungee got to his feet and drapped his flame coat over his shoulders. The sergeant hadn't expected another bit so suddenly. The lieutenant wasn't ready and the Zulu might not be airborne. "Keep an eye on him. Only move on him if he attempts to leave the bazaar. Otherwise the leuitenant and myself should be there. I just need to alert him." "Aye sergeant!" Came the reply. Rungee slipped his boots on and began sprinting towards A'trus' office as quick as he could, shouting orders to his unit as he went through his link pearl. (Hey Titor, will post start of hunt once I get reply from Chalahko so I can post my reply to his post and start your hunt in same post. )

Kresha nodded her head as he spoke but was pursing her lips. As Kahn'a finished speaking, she sighed and snapped her fingers. The men with buckets stood to the side as the soldier with the towel walked forward and then, in a rapid motion wrapped Kahn's head in a thick towel and tilted the head back, forcing the miqo'tr's face upward. The thickness of the towel would already have made breathing difficult. "Mr. Od'hilkas, these answers do not suffice. We must now resort to more drastic means." Kresha took a deep breath. This wasn't the first time.she had done this to someone whom had once been a Flame, but Kresha didn't enjoy it. At some point Kahn'a had sworn to defend Ul'dah. That took a special type of courage, even if he had gone back.on his oath. They were fellow soldiers. "Douse him" Kresha ordered. One of the men with the buckets stepped.forward and began to pour water over Kahn'a's head, soaking.hair and towel. The water would make.oxygen impossible to obtain and it would run down Kahn A's nostril cavities and throat. For close to twenty seconds Kahn'a would feel as if drowning, cut off from air. Once the bucket was empty, the soldier with the towel removed it and Kresha looked at kahn'a. "Mr. Od'hilkas, have you remembered anything you had perhaps forgotten?" Kresha was giving him a way to answer that might still help him out in the end if he was forthcoming with the information they needed.

A'trus had resumed studying the map and had been focused intently when the door to his office flew open yet again. The male miqo'te lifted his head slowly as he straightened and gave a sharp salute to the other male as his eyes assessed Chalahko's rank and composure. A'trus noted they both had mis-matched eyes and felt a flicker touch his lips as he relaxed his saluting arms and took the letter. A'trus took the document and slowly read it over, his face blank as he thought carefully about this situation. It had been some time since he had been given a transfer to his unit that was an officer. It was somewhat of a surprise and left an uncertain taste in his mouth as he carefully placed the letter onto the table and sniffed the air deeply, locking the scent of the Second lieutenant into his nostrils and memory bank. A'trus felt his tail twitch and placed both of his hands behind his back. "So you are to be my.consultant in these matters it seems." A'trus's voice was civil as he opened a drawer and pulled out a decanter and two glasses. "I will admit, I am wondering why you are being assigned to my unit. The Black Chains' have never failed to obtain a target in the five years I have been commanding officer of this unit. I was unaware my performance dictated an advisor." A'trus paused and began filling the glasses with water. "Or is this part of the very sensative nature of this situation we find ourselves in?" A'trus picked up both the glasses and offered one to Chalahko. "Water?"

The Cell Kresha raised her eyebrow at Kahn'A's reply. It was sarcastic yet honest. Kresha studied the miqo'te tied to the chair. She had orders from A'trus. Very specific ones. She was to try to appeal to Kahn'a's civil side. First. If he refused to cooperate as a former Flame, she had full.authorization to break him as an enemy of the state. Kresha was a professional. She took pride in her effectiveness but preferred to be reading than making political prisoners gasp for life. The woman waved her hand and the door to the cell closed and was locked, leaving her and her assistants and their buckets standing as he stepped forward. "Mr. Od'hilkas. You are a Flame. And officer. You and your unit stand accused of treason. As such, your status is suspended and I am free to deal with you as needed. My commanding officer hopes you will regain your senses and inform us where your fellow Red Wings are. The fact you have all run for cover shames your unit, you, and this city. If you are innocent, it is now easy to question if you truly are. You cooperating with us will not only speed up their inevitable.capture, it will make your sentence far lighter. You need but serve the city you swore an oath to protect from all enemeies. And right now your Captain is considered an enemy of the state. Will you let this be the end of your career Kahn'a? Do you truly not serve ul'dah?" Kresha's tone wasn't harsh, it was almost pleading. A tone she had chosen on purpose. She was trying to instill in Kahn'a his patriotic duty to help them. "Because if you don't, we shall treat you as an enemy." Ul'dah-Flame Hall A'trus was hunched over his desk, a map spread before him. His eyes were hard and it was obvious he had not slept. He was setting up.three more hunts. He had leads on three targets. His scouts and informants were moving quickly. Promise of Ul'dah gold and good standing with the flames moved many to sell information. The hunt was easy. The research of targets was hard. The Miqo'te ran a hand through his hair and licked his dry lips. He needed a bath. The door to his office opened and a runner came in. A'trus stood straight and returned the salute as the runner gave his message. A'trus blinked in surprise but nodded. "Very well. Inform Second Lieutenant Chalahko I will see him here at his earliest availability until sunset, at which time I will need to be departing." The runner saluted again and spun on his heel. A'trus watched the door shut and studied it intently. What in the world did Chalahko want?

The crew of the Zulu sailed through the night sky silently as they carried Kahn'a out into the rolling sands of Southern Thanalan. The ocean of sand stretched beneath them for hours. It wasn't until.after sunrise that they came to a towering cleft and began.to increase altitude. Midway up the cliff side was cut out a small hangar and the airship slipped into it and settled down gently. The crew of the Zulu wasted no time as they carried the limp form of Kahn'a Od'hilkas between them. They took him down a hallway to a row of cell doors pressed into the stone. There they stripped the Miqo'te of all possessions and clothing save his under garments and then one of the prison staff opened the door. They took the Kahn'a to a chair in the middle of the room and seated him in it, re-shackling him to the chair. The members of the Zulu and the prison guard then left, leaving Kahn'a trapped in darkness, alone with his thoughts. It would be many bells until the door to his cell open again. The light of a lantern spilled into the room as a tall female in white entered. Two hyurs carried in buckets of water and a third came.in with thick towels. The woman studied the form of Kahn'a in the chair and then bowed politely. "Mr. Od'hilkas, are you awake? We have much to discuss."

A'trus studied Kahn'a and his expressions, something between a feral snarl and a hateful display. A wounded beast ready to spit but held in check by some.shreds of civilization. A'trus snorted and sucked in air through his nose as he made a slow tsk, tsk, tsk. "Your animalistic fury and indulgences of silence aren't going to help you or your comrades in the end, Od'hilkas. It only adds fuel to the fire of your guilt. I pray that a deep sleep restores the rational side of your mind and you will save yourself from the chasim your Captain has dug you and the rest of your unit. I'm just a fellow officer, Od'hilkas. Its you and your actions that made us enemies." A'trus looked at the man holding Kahn'a on his feet and nodded. The man nodded back before he hefted his club and swung it down violently onto the back of Kahn'a's skull in a act to send the Keeper into the land of sleep. A'trus turned as he heard the crack of wood against Kahn'a's skull and waved his hand at the healer. The figure in white moved forward as ordered and began the process of restoring Kahn'a's wounded leg. "Kapapapa." A'trus said, looking up at the airship hovering overhead. A high pitched voice spoke as the lalafell pilot eagerly answered. "Sir, excellent shooting as always. How can I assist you?" A'trus chuckled at the male's exuberance. "Tell your spotter crew excellent work. I want you to lower a lift for our target and then fly him to our cells in the desert. Our orders were to keep the Red Wings secure outside the city and away from any sympathizers within our ranks. And you are to inform Kresha to pull out any information from Od'hilkas she can by her means." "I understand sir." Kapapapa answered, his voice slightly darkened by the mention of Kresha and her means of extracting information. A'trus then turned and watched as the healer let the aether flow into Kahn'a's wound. A'trus stood and then llifted his hand to his ear and pressed his pearl. "Sergeant Rungee, what is your status?" "I'm banged up." Rungee was slow to reply and A'trus felt his stomach knot as his sergeant continued. "But the twins are dead. Both if them. Whatever that device was, was the work of the hells. Metal marbels shot out from the explosion that went off. Shredded Burnt Rock. As for Burnt Tree, the healers tried. But the merciful thing was for me to just drive my knife into his heart." A'trus paused and had difficulty swallowing. He out a trembling hand to his mouth and pinched his checks to stiffle the tear that tried to run down his face. He maintained his composure after a few moments of concentration and when he answered, all emotion was gone from his voice. "Get their remains to the Hall. Have the honors prepared. I'll write their letters of service and death to their mother myself." "You sure sir?" Rungee asked, knowing his commanding officer well enough to know really how much this bothered him. "Aye. They were my responsibility. I will do it. As always. Get the rest of the unit home Ringer, I'm headed back to make my report. A'trus pulled his hand away from his ear and looked back at Kahn'a. The healer was almost done with the leg and the airship had lowered a net for Kahn'a to be loaded into so he could be flown to the cells A'trus unit maintained outside the city walls. The soldier who had bound Kahn'a saluted A'trus, indicating he would accompany Kahn'a all the way. A'trus returned the salute and then removed the link pearl from his ear as he slowly began walking towards his office in Flame Hall. It was a long walk and once A'trus made in silence. He was responsible for the death of two of his men that night. His orders, his plan. Losing soldiers never got easier, and A'trus had lost his fair share over the years. The officer managed to get to his office, lock the door, and sit in his chair before he put his head in his hands and cried. Weakness was for behind closed doors, not in front if his soldiers. And when A'trus walked out if his office several bells later, he did so with his report, letters of apology to the mother of the twins and a burning desire to bring the remaining Red Wings in to face the justice they deserved.

A'trus watched as Kahn'a was bound and then , and only then did he unshoulder his weapon and holster it across his back. The male Seeker looked down at his indignant foe. The male then chose his way down and scrambled down the face of the building with skilled ease, landing neatly in the street. His boots pronounced each step A'trus took but there was no cocky pride in his eyes. Only the look of a man who has done their duty. Almost cold was his look as he approached Kahn'a. "Silence is an option as always. You as a fellow lieutenant are deserving of this option." A'trus paused and raised a hand to stop the healer. The white robed figure froze as A'trus met Kahna's stare as Kahn'a was dragged to his feet by the soldier whom had bound him in chain. A'trus peered at Kahn'a and then nodded gravely. "Leuitenant Od'hilkas, I am Leuitenant A'trus "Loft" M., officer of the "Black Chains" retrevial and recovery unit. You stand accused of treason against Ul'dah and her majesty. You and the rest of Red Wings are to be gathered and made to stand trial. You will be held against your will until said time of trial from which you shall be found guilty or innocent. You will be held without bail for an indefinate period. If you wish to offer the location of your fellow Red Wing members you may do so now. Your cooperation will be positive for you and will be evaluated during your military hearing. As one officer to another, I hope you will make the right choice and forsake your tratorious path and serve Ul'dah once again. Failure to disclose their location will be viewed as further treason." A'trus watched Kahn'a intently, waiting for the reply, watching the blood oozing from Kahn'a's leg. He would let the healer work on it in a moment. But he wanted to measure this miqo'te's character first.

A'trus' ears flicked and he watched as his target began limping and screamed in pain. He watched as he target began to languish and slowly stumble along. A'trus took in a deep inhale and caught the metallic odor of blood on the air as the wind blew the scent his way. He gave a small grunt as he looked over the edge and watched as Kahn'a fell over into the ground and lay there, bleeding. A'trus had to pause and swallow as he shouldered his rifle and aimed it at the prone form on the ground. Od'hilkas was wounded, not helpless. Sometimes the wounded targets were even more dangerous than the intact ones. A'trus knelt and kept his weapon aimed as the airship Zulu came to a stop over Kahn'a and hovered above the rooftops as one of the spotters aboard flipped open a shutter and let the light of a red lantern spill out. "Target is down and under the red." A'trus said sternly into his link pearl as his ear pressed down and activated his pearl while the wind tussled his hair. "Chain him. He's in my sight." "Aye sir." came a reply. Down in the street a hyur in a Flame uniform sprinted from around the corner and then slowed as he slowly neared Kahn'a. The hyur held metal shackles in one hand and a club in the other to beat Kahn'a with if he resisted the binds. The soldier drew close and then paused as he saw the gushing blood oozing from Kahn'a's leg. He took a deep breath as the red lantern light spilled down onto the street. A handful if other Flames spilled into the street, several carrying bows. They stood still as they watched the soldier with the shackles drew close to Kahn'a and then, rather forcibly went to bind the shackles behind Kahn A's back and bind him. A'trus watched carefully as his man worked. "We will need a healer for his leg immediately." A'trus ordered into his link pearl. Someone replied but A'trus uncurled his ears and slowly scooted closer to the edge and the targtet until he was looking directly down at Kahn'a. A figure in white robes entered the street and began walking towards Kahn'a, who would have likely been bound by now but if he resisted and overpowered the soldier trying to shackle Kahn'a, A'trus would put another round into Kahn'a. A'trus aimed his rifle and then shouted loud enough for Kahn'a to hear him. "Well run, Leuitenant Od'hilkas. But this is as far as you go. Do you know who I am?"

Rungee had been standing several paces back from the building as his two Roe's had entered. He had stood there, watching carefully. The hyur's body had been tensed. He had hunted enough targets with A'trus to be ready for almost anything. Thing was, he wasn't ready for that second explosion that ripped across the front of the building as Kahn'a dove into the street as the twin Roe barreled into the building. The explosion filled the lane with flashes of whirling colors and Rungee was blown off his feet in surprise. The sergeant hit the ground hard and groaned as he felt pain shoot through his shoulders. "Thal's balls." Rungee gasped as he tilted his head and coughed. His dazed eyes watched Kahn'a stand in the street for just a moment, feral emotions crossing his face. Rungee watched the fellow Flame for an instant before Kahn'a tore down the street. Rungee didn't bother to follow. It was A'trus' game now and Rungee had two injured or dead soldiers. "Healers front in Pearl Lane. The twins are down. The twins are down." Rungee gasped into the link pearl as he continued to roll in pain on the ground. On the roofs, A'trus was already moving. His speed was swift as he leapt along with a feline grace, his eyes hard and a scowl on his face. He should have guessed the Red Wings would play with explosives. They had that damn terrorist amongst them. A'trus ignored Rungee's shouts as he leapt and scaled a section of building, his rifle strapped to his back. Overhead the small airship Zulu sped alomg, following pace with Kahn'a as the keen eyes of the two Keepers watched Ol'hilkas running below. "Sir, we have him headed down Onyx." one of the watchers buzzed through the link pearl. A'trus flared his nostrils as he reached the crest of the building and scaled the top. He skidded to the edge and looked down as he unslung his firearm. His mis-matched eyes swept the streets quickly. His Seeker eyes weren't as sharp as the Keepers above him but he caught sight of his target all the same. The Seeker knelt down and pressed the butt of his rifle into the cradle of his shoulder as his hand wrapped around the grip and trigger. A'trus went absolutely still, his breaths suddenly.stopping as well as his cross hair centered over Kahn'a left knee. The seeker slowed his hammering heart and the slight shaking from his strained for arms from the climb ceased for an instant. In that moment he was perfectly still save for the gentle breeze tussling his hair. A'trus slowly squeezed the trigger as he had thousands of times before and felt the immense recoil as the firearm discharged its payload with a thunderous roar and sent the pointed bullet forward toward's Kahn'a's leg The miqo'te didn't stop to see if he had hit. If Kahn'a was hit he would find out in a moment. A'trus was already sprinting down the rooftops , his feet crunching tile and dust beneath them.as his fingers nimbly produced another bullet and loaded it into the weapon as he closed on his target. A'trus had learned as a hunter in his clan to never stop moving at the target, even if you had it. The hunt wasn't over till you had your prey in your grasp. And A'trus hadn't reached that point yet. His drill instructor had long ago beaten into him two words: Improvise. Adapt. He was doing both now with Kahn'a.

"We have confirmation." came the voice through A'trus' link pearl. The tall miqo'te paused and stood still as a statue as his eyes watched the figure now slowly making his way down Pearl Lane. The Flame Leuitenant unsung the rifle from his back and lay prone on the edge of the building he was perched upon like a bird of prey, his thin tongue wetting his lips as he calculated the wind slowly moaning through the city. The miqo'te slid the bullet into his weapons chamber and drove the firing pin home as he pressed his right eye to the scope, his breaths slowing as his ears pressed flat to the top of his head. He watched carefully as he spoke into the link pearl, his compressed ear activating it's broadcasting capabilities. "That is Od'hilkas?" A'trus spoke softly as he fixed his cross hairs over Kahn'A's knee. He flicked the safety of his weapon off with his thumb and waited. The hooded figure that Kahn'a had seen was Sergeant Rungee and Rungee spoke softly.as he watched Kahn'a look at him. "Absolutely. I've seen him before in the Flame Hall." Rungee's voice was flat as Kahn'a shut the door. A'trus saw the door shut and exhaled slowly as he spoke. "Then you know the procedure. We bring him in alive. This miqo'te served Ul'dah once. He deserves our respect once he is chains but not before. Our orders say the Red Wings are armed and dangerous. We flush this Od'hilkas out, I take the shot, and go from there. We are go. We are go. One in the chamber and it's hot. Drinks on me soldiers." A'turs tensed and waited for what he knew was coming as he watched through his firearm's scope. Down in the street, Rungee was joined by two, massive figures in Flame uniforms. The twin Roe brother's Burnt Rock and burnt Tree, "A'trus' Hounds" as the squad called them. They could flush out any enemy if need be. They carried massive axes and wore chain mail underneath their coats. Burnt Tree emitted a grunt as A'trus spoke through their link pearls and Rungee nodded as he reached into his pouch at his side with his right hand. "Drink's are on the leuitenant boys." Rungee chuckled as he pulled out something. "Let's give this a flash to celebrate. We doing the Mergrey approach." "You blowing the door?" Burnt Rock grunted and spat. "Why do we have these axes?" "Hey if it works for that terrorist, why not me?" Rungee said as he threw the explosive in his hand at the door. "Fire in the hole!" Rungee shouted as he turned and covered his head. The door to the building Kahn'a had entered exploded in sparks and splinters as the small explosive destroyed the barricade. The Roe twins hauled for the door as fast as they could and were through the smoking gap in an instant, their eyes peeled for their target to capture then and there or drive Kahn'a out into Rungee's wwaiting net or A'trus line of fire. Meanwhile on the roof, the Flame Leuitenant heard his squads small airship zip overhead, his two keeper spotters and their keen vision watching the streets through looking glasses. "Spotter Team Zulu in position." came a female voice from the airship through the linkpearl and A'trus readied himself. "Spotter Team Zulu, this is Loft." A'trus said slowly as he watched the Roe twins plunge into the building and readied himself. " You are my eyes if he runs." A'trus wrapped his finger on the trigger and waited. He hoped Kahn'a would run. Hunts were never fun if the target didn't run.

I normally dont port characters but then again I haven't ever rped in an MMO before so its hard to compare. Though I will admit that the Jin'li Epinoch villian was based fairly heavily on a character I made for a Dark Heresy campaign. Played for him as a year before he was devoured by the void after casting a spell badly. Lol. Overall though, I try not to reuse characters. It's more organic, in my opinion to build a new character from the ground up the way I built Askier.