The fires of the camp Welks mercenaries had set up were nothing but glowing ashes now. The stars overhead shone bright in the absence of the moon and the sun was just a scant bell off from its first rays of light slipping over the horizon. The grove where the mercenary company numbering twelve soldiers, Jin’li, and seven slaves,was open to the sky and surrounded by trees. The wagons had formeda crescent along one row of trees and most of the mercenaries had fallen asleep. Two were supposed to be keeping watch but both had helped themselves to the rich wine found in one of the carts and were fighting the heavy sleep weighing their eyelids down. Welks was normally a man who made his sentries stay sober but he was too excited to restrict the men. It would be his undoing.
The slaves had all been left chained in the back of the wagon they had been found in. They sat, huddled together, cold and fearful of what fate now awaited them at the hands of these new captors. None of them slept as the wind blew mournfully through the glade and rocked the wagon, the wooden axels creaking as the cart shifted.
The female with the blue eyes and red highlights was listening. She was trying to figure out what was going on. She had heard something earlier, and a squawk from one of the chocobos driving the wagons. Something had been taken but she couldn’t make more out. And it was a long time she listened. But at last she heard it.
A slow, plodding set of footfalls coming around the wagon. The other slaves heard it too and all looked fearfully at the back of the wagon. The slaves were a mix of hyurs, miqo’te and elezen and they were all equally afraid as Jin’li stepped into view, a raven perched on his shoulders, the bird’s eyes glowing a blood red in the darkness.
One of the slaves squeaked in terror at the sight of the ghostly male dressed in all black standing there but Jin’li replied by raising his finger of his right hand to his lips to signal silence and then placed a large, rolled bundle onto cart before them. Jin’li unrolled the bundle to reveal a collection of long knives. The slaves looked on in silence and fear as Jin’li then reached into his pocket and pulled out a key ring and placed it silently within reach.
“Kill them and claim your freedom.†Jin’li said softly as he blinked. “Or they will kill you to silence your tongues.â€
He then bowed at walked away.
Jin’li waited a short ways off, his back to the wagons. His black eyes were locked onto the shadows of the forest as his tail twitched calmly back and forth. The raven craned its head back around as soft noises from the wagon began to trickle out. Jin’li’s ears flicked around to catch the hushed whispers of conversation as chains came off and knives were picked up.
“Some are unwilling to kill.†Jin’li whispered softly. “They will not be free then.â€
“Kill! Kill! Kill!†the crow cawed loudly, flapping its wings and rising into the air. It began to circle over the camp screaming its broken word. The mercenaries began to stir and Jin’li heard the female scream an order.
The next few minutes were filled with a violent rancor. There was screaming, yelling, and bloodcurdling cries and all of the noises mixed with the sounds of clashing steel and rending flesh. It sounded like the slaves had gotten to strike first and most of the drunk mercenaries took too long to catch on. In the end, Welks was screaming for help but Jin’li did not turn around. He simply stood there and watched the shadows as he heard Welks’ scream turn into a gurgle.
“It seems you were not strong enough to escape death.†Jin’li remarked slowly at Welks’ passing. “Please, rest well in the chains of servitude.â€
The crow came around and landed on the miqo’te’s shoulder. Once the bird was properly perched, Jin’li turned around and let his eyes see the sight before him.
In the early light of the sun that had not yet slipped over the horizon, Jin’li saw that only three of the slaves were still standing. Most of the mercenaries had died in their bed rolls or nearby; but the few who had gotten up and drawn weapons had fought back fiercely.
“What now?†the woman snapped, her eyes set on the white miqo’te.
“This one does not know.†Jin’li honestly, his voice flat. “You are your own masters once more. Do with your existence as you so desire.â€
“Why did you free us?†the woman said, her chest heaving from the exertion of killing. Her shoulders were rolled back and whoever she had been before she had been a slave, she had been used to killing.
“Madam, this one saw in you a will too strong for chains. This one wanted to let you out. Even if you be enslaved in death, you would have met the final chains as a free woman. This one hopes such an action was desirable.†Jin’li bowed and the woman blinked at the male in bizarre wonder.
“Who in the name of the Twelve are you?†the woman asked after a moment, the adrenaline leaving her veins.
“One who has proven himself their equal.†Jin’li answered. And then, after a moment of letting his blasphemous statement hang in the air, bowed his head. “My name is Trythian Oul.â€
“Trythian…†the woman said slowly. “Well, Trythian, what do you plan to do with us?â€
Jin’li noted the female shifted the dagger slightly but made no movement.
“This one simply asks a small favor to an equal free person since this one did free you. This one, if you would be so kind, as to help this one drive the wagons back to Limsa so that this one might deposit the gold, give you some, and part ways. There is simply to many wagons for this one to move.
“And what’s to stop us from killing you and takin the gold?†one of the others slaves, a male miqo’te said. Both the female hyur, and the third slave, a dark skinned hyur, turned and looked at the miqo’te.
“This one would make you taste the insides of your own skull before death claimed you for that rude statement.†Jin’li answered in a deadpan voice. “It is very rude to murder one who has been so kind.â€
The male who had spoken shut his mouth at Jin’li’s words and nodded.
“And how do we know you won’t just kill us the moment we are done helping you?†the female said, obviously weighing her options.
“This one can say words, but you have no way to believe them, yet you must. This one will not harm you, for there is no need to do so. This one freed you to give you a chance. No more, no less. This is just a humble request to a trio of equals.â€
Jin’li bowed again and the three slaves looked at one another. After a moment they nodded.
“Alright, we will help you get the gold there but we get to keep our fair share.†The female said.
“Better be a lot.†The hyur man said in a deep voice.
Jin’li looked at them and bowed.
“You honor this humble miqo’te. This one will certainly make sure that once we are set, done, and all things established and finalized,†Jin’li lifted his head and both he and his raven fixed the three with their unnatural eyes. “You receive your due reward.â€
The slaves had all been left chained in the back of the wagon they had been found in. They sat, huddled together, cold and fearful of what fate now awaited them at the hands of these new captors. None of them slept as the wind blew mournfully through the glade and rocked the wagon, the wooden axels creaking as the cart shifted.
The female with the blue eyes and red highlights was listening. She was trying to figure out what was going on. She had heard something earlier, and a squawk from one of the chocobos driving the wagons. Something had been taken but she couldn’t make more out. And it was a long time she listened. But at last she heard it.
A slow, plodding set of footfalls coming around the wagon. The other slaves heard it too and all looked fearfully at the back of the wagon. The slaves were a mix of hyurs, miqo’te and elezen and they were all equally afraid as Jin’li stepped into view, a raven perched on his shoulders, the bird’s eyes glowing a blood red in the darkness.
One of the slaves squeaked in terror at the sight of the ghostly male dressed in all black standing there but Jin’li replied by raising his finger of his right hand to his lips to signal silence and then placed a large, rolled bundle onto cart before them. Jin’li unrolled the bundle to reveal a collection of long knives. The slaves looked on in silence and fear as Jin’li then reached into his pocket and pulled out a key ring and placed it silently within reach.
“Kill them and claim your freedom.†Jin’li said softly as he blinked. “Or they will kill you to silence your tongues.â€
He then bowed at walked away.
Jin’li waited a short ways off, his back to the wagons. His black eyes were locked onto the shadows of the forest as his tail twitched calmly back and forth. The raven craned its head back around as soft noises from the wagon began to trickle out. Jin’li’s ears flicked around to catch the hushed whispers of conversation as chains came off and knives were picked up.
“Some are unwilling to kill.†Jin’li whispered softly. “They will not be free then.â€
“Kill! Kill! Kill!†the crow cawed loudly, flapping its wings and rising into the air. It began to circle over the camp screaming its broken word. The mercenaries began to stir and Jin’li heard the female scream an order.
The next few minutes were filled with a violent rancor. There was screaming, yelling, and bloodcurdling cries and all of the noises mixed with the sounds of clashing steel and rending flesh. It sounded like the slaves had gotten to strike first and most of the drunk mercenaries took too long to catch on. In the end, Welks was screaming for help but Jin’li did not turn around. He simply stood there and watched the shadows as he heard Welks’ scream turn into a gurgle.
“It seems you were not strong enough to escape death.†Jin’li remarked slowly at Welks’ passing. “Please, rest well in the chains of servitude.â€
The crow came around and landed on the miqo’te’s shoulder. Once the bird was properly perched, Jin’li turned around and let his eyes see the sight before him.
In the early light of the sun that had not yet slipped over the horizon, Jin’li saw that only three of the slaves were still standing. Most of the mercenaries had died in their bed rolls or nearby; but the few who had gotten up and drawn weapons had fought back fiercely.
“What now?†the woman snapped, her eyes set on the white miqo’te.
“This one does not know.†Jin’li honestly, his voice flat. “You are your own masters once more. Do with your existence as you so desire.â€
“Why did you free us?†the woman said, her chest heaving from the exertion of killing. Her shoulders were rolled back and whoever she had been before she had been a slave, she had been used to killing.
“Madam, this one saw in you a will too strong for chains. This one wanted to let you out. Even if you be enslaved in death, you would have met the final chains as a free woman. This one hopes such an action was desirable.†Jin’li bowed and the woman blinked at the male in bizarre wonder.
“Who in the name of the Twelve are you?†the woman asked after a moment, the adrenaline leaving her veins.
“One who has proven himself their equal.†Jin’li answered. And then, after a moment of letting his blasphemous statement hang in the air, bowed his head. “My name is Trythian Oul.â€
“Trythian…†the woman said slowly. “Well, Trythian, what do you plan to do with us?â€
Jin’li noted the female shifted the dagger slightly but made no movement.
“This one simply asks a small favor to an equal free person since this one did free you. This one, if you would be so kind, as to help this one drive the wagons back to Limsa so that this one might deposit the gold, give you some, and part ways. There is simply to many wagons for this one to move.
“And what’s to stop us from killing you and takin the gold?†one of the others slaves, a male miqo’te said. Both the female hyur, and the third slave, a dark skinned hyur, turned and looked at the miqo’te.
“This one would make you taste the insides of your own skull before death claimed you for that rude statement.†Jin’li answered in a deadpan voice. “It is very rude to murder one who has been so kind.â€
The male who had spoken shut his mouth at Jin’li’s words and nodded.
“And how do we know you won’t just kill us the moment we are done helping you?†the female said, obviously weighing her options.
“This one can say words, but you have no way to believe them, yet you must. This one will not harm you, for there is no need to do so. This one freed you to give you a chance. No more, no less. This is just a humble request to a trio of equals.â€
Jin’li bowed again and the three slaves looked at one another. After a moment they nodded.
“Alright, we will help you get the gold there but we get to keep our fair share.†The female said.
“Better be a lot.†The hyur man said in a deep voice.
Jin’li looked at them and bowed.
“You honor this humble miqo’te. This one will certainly make sure that once we are set, done, and all things established and finalized,†Jin’li lifted his head and both he and his raven fixed the three with their unnatural eyes. “You receive your due reward.â€
