5 years ago
The battle raged around him. He had lost sight of the rest of his tribe. But K'hai Tia could not worry about that. For there were Garleans all around them. Using his Macuahuitl, he continued slicing away at the enemy. The red moon over his head though began to stir violently.
To his left though he saw a garlean rushing forward with a dagger and he turned, too late, the dagger ran down from his right eyebrow to his right cheek. Luckily he managed to pull back in time that his eye was left undamaged, but he had to keep it closed now because of the blood. He made that Garlean pay as only one of his muscular stature could, he grabbed the man by the throat and threw him at another charging Garlean.
That was when the first big chunk of Dalamund fell, sending crystal, debri and stones flying everywhere in front of him. He felt many shards strike him, before the feeling something else wash over him. The world around him tilted as it erupted in fire before everything went black...
4 years later...
Slowly he opened his eyes. Everything was blurry at first, slowly focusing... he was in a wood shelter of some sort. The air felt very humid, a feeling he had not ever felt before.
"Oh you are awake?" called a woman's voice.
He tried to sit up... but he couldn't move? All he managed was to turn his head towards the voice. There was a fair miqo'te girl, not much older than his sister K'luha.
The woman stepped over to him with a smile, "You will probably not be able to move right away. You've been in a coma from Aether sickness for four years now."
"Aether sickness?" he asked.
The woman nodded, "We been tending to your body, trying to clear most of it out by purifying your body in the hot springs. Now that you are awake, I can help you get your muscles and body working again."
K'hai smiled, "Thank you... are there... any others of my tribe here?"
The woman shook her head, "You are the last of the survivors to recover. Now then, lets start getting you up shall we?"
And so it was, each day was spent, trying to regain full use of his body. It was a hard time for him, for he had lost much of his muscle mass. But slowly over the course of the year, he began gaining some muscles back, as well as a bit of weight, since he had lost a lot from the 4 year sleep.
Current year
K'hai stretched, as he got out of bed. He had rebuilt most of what he'd lost, though he was not as muscled as he used to be.
"So are you still leaving?" asked the maiden who had tended him.
K'hai turned and smiled, "Yes, I've regained all my mobility, I am strong enough to make the journey. My tribe must think me dead. I must return to show them I am not."
The woman nodded, "I figured as much..." She pulled from a pocket in her dress a ticket, "I bought you a ticket to board the ship in Limsa Lominsa. It will take you to Vesper Bay in Thanalan."
K'hai stepped over to her and took the ticket then gave the woman a big hug, "Thank you for all you've done for me these past five years."
The woman smiled, "Of course. And good luck."
K'hai gathered the provisions he needed as well as his Macuahuitl and the flimsy wooden shield, the two items needing rebuilt since his originals were lost on the field of battle, and left Camp Bronze Lake, heading south.
He chose not to rent a chocobo for this. For he intended to train himself as he traveled. His first night, was spent lifting and sitting down a large rock, chopping branches off a tree for firewood, and hunting and killing one of the raptors of the area. They were fierce creatures that breathed fire, much like the sun drakes of home. Minus of course, the horns and hard scales.
Altogether it took him about a week and a half to reach Limsa Lominsa. This city was not what he had expected at all. So many outsiders, but then he remembered, he is the outsider here. As he traveled through the city, he even beheld the Aetheryte Crystal, which caused his dizziness to return. He'd been suffering from the occasional dizzy spell even while in Camp Bronze Lake. The woman that took care of him told him it was part of the aether sickness, that not all the sickness was gone from him. He'd have to go somewhere with less Aether to fully recover.
Finally he made it to the dock where the ship is. Handing over his ticket, he stepped uneasily onto the deck of the ship as the water made it lurch this way and that. This was going to be a long trip...
And indeed it was. He spent most of his time with his head hanging over the railing of the ship losing what meals he could try to get down. And the moment the ship docked in Vepser Bay, he bound past all the other passengers, and onto the street, knelt down and kissed the ground.
"Never again will I get on one of them floating monstrosities!" he vowed as he stood up and looked around. This was Thanalan alright. Pulling his pouch of gil out he approached the nearest stand with food and equipment, and purchased food to last him a few days, as well as a bag to carry it all in, before he headed for the gates of Vesper Bay. He was finally on his way home...