It had taken the better part of a week, but Aldes Amrich had finally found his man. He'd been given the tip-off to look for him in the stinky docks of the Fisherman's Bottom, and the breeze coming off of the water did little to disperse the miasma of fish stench that permeated everything it came into contact with. A fresh breath of salted fish and you didn't even have to pay for it! Aldes cursed his luck and wrinkled his nose as he surveyed the hulking highlander. He was bigger than Aldes, but that wouldn't be much of a problem.
He knew the name was an alias. It had to be, no one was so stupid that they'd prowl the back alleys and lowdown layers of Limsa Lominsa and use their real name. Aldes looked him over and eyed the way he carried himself. Big, proud. The sword at his hip probably never saw use, the guy had a look that likely cowed anyone he decided to turn it on. Aldes had been watching him for days, tracking the folks he talked to and interacted with. It was so obvious the way he stood out, and there was no doubt he was playing a part. Aldes quietly reflected on the fact before daring to make his way over to him.
"Hail, friend!" Aldes called openly and the highlander was caught off guard; No one chatted with him like he was a friend. After a moment - too long to be natural, Aldes thought - the brute smiled back, though his brow furrowed.
"Cannae help ya?" came the reply, the accent obviously canned. Aldes fought back rolling his eyes.
"I think so! I hope so, anyway. See, I'm looking for someone, and you look like him." Aldes looked back and forth on the docks; the morning rush was over and while there was some traffic, it was the usual skulking sorts; Folks down the 'bottom didn't want any trouble if they could help it. A couple of men coming to blows was common enough. With the way clear, Aldes hauled off and suddenly coldcocked the highlander. There was a telltale crunch of a nose breaking and the larger man began to cry out, reaching for his weapon right away.
Typical brute. Afraid to settle it without his oversized toy.
Aldes was prepared for cowardice and stepped closely, positioning his leg and hips behind the yokel's and turning hard; the shift in balance threw the big man to the docks and that beautiful and expensive sword clattered into the water. Aldes cringed inwardly thinking about how bad the salt water would be for the finish.
"'lax, friend. I'm not here to kill you. I just want to know who sent you, who you're working for. Simple situation, this is. You give me a name, and I don't dump you in after your surrogate dick." He wrenched on the man's arm, the struggling highlander aiding in jarring the shoulder from his socket. A practiced grunt of pain came from the brute and he suddenly went still.
"I ain't workin' for no one." A bald lie. Aldes applied a bit more pressure; The limb was useless for anything but carrying pain to the man's stupid highlander brain.
"Not what I heard, friend. Bad mistake, lying to me. Shame. I could've found a use for you." Aldes began to stand up, dragging the downed man by his useless limb.
"W-wait! Wait! I can't swim! P-please..."
Aldes paused for just a moment, and that was all the wait the highlander needed. A kick suddenly flew from the downed man and it was only reflexes that stopped the blow from connecting. He took a step back and the highlander was on his feet in an instant. He levied that stare, pale eyes glaring out from above a broken and gushing nose. Aldes cursed his luck as he watched the highlander reach with his good arm over to his bad on, clutch his wrist, and
snap
wrench the ball back to its bearing.
"Ya got 'bout two seconds 'fore I gut ye, worm." The highlander's accent suddenly sounded... closer to genuine.
"Baxley! Baxley my friend. I'm Aldes Amrich, and as far as you know, I'm about to be your new employer," Warren lied through his teeth.
He knew the name was an alias. It had to be, no one was so stupid that they'd prowl the back alleys and lowdown layers of Limsa Lominsa and use their real name. Aldes looked him over and eyed the way he carried himself. Big, proud. The sword at his hip probably never saw use, the guy had a look that likely cowed anyone he decided to turn it on. Aldes had been watching him for days, tracking the folks he talked to and interacted with. It was so obvious the way he stood out, and there was no doubt he was playing a part. Aldes quietly reflected on the fact before daring to make his way over to him.
"Hail, friend!" Aldes called openly and the highlander was caught off guard; No one chatted with him like he was a friend. After a moment - too long to be natural, Aldes thought - the brute smiled back, though his brow furrowed.
"Cannae help ya?" came the reply, the accent obviously canned. Aldes fought back rolling his eyes.
"I think so! I hope so, anyway. See, I'm looking for someone, and you look like him." Aldes looked back and forth on the docks; the morning rush was over and while there was some traffic, it was the usual skulking sorts; Folks down the 'bottom didn't want any trouble if they could help it. A couple of men coming to blows was common enough. With the way clear, Aldes hauled off and suddenly coldcocked the highlander. There was a telltale crunch of a nose breaking and the larger man began to cry out, reaching for his weapon right away.
Typical brute. Afraid to settle it without his oversized toy.
Aldes was prepared for cowardice and stepped closely, positioning his leg and hips behind the yokel's and turning hard; the shift in balance threw the big man to the docks and that beautiful and expensive sword clattered into the water. Aldes cringed inwardly thinking about how bad the salt water would be for the finish.
"'lax, friend. I'm not here to kill you. I just want to know who sent you, who you're working for. Simple situation, this is. You give me a name, and I don't dump you in after your surrogate dick." He wrenched on the man's arm, the struggling highlander aiding in jarring the shoulder from his socket. A practiced grunt of pain came from the brute and he suddenly went still.
"I ain't workin' for no one." A bald lie. Aldes applied a bit more pressure; The limb was useless for anything but carrying pain to the man's stupid highlander brain.
"Not what I heard, friend. Bad mistake, lying to me. Shame. I could've found a use for you." Aldes began to stand up, dragging the downed man by his useless limb.
"W-wait! Wait! I can't swim! P-please..."
Aldes paused for just a moment, and that was all the wait the highlander needed. A kick suddenly flew from the downed man and it was only reflexes that stopped the blow from connecting. He took a step back and the highlander was on his feet in an instant. He levied that stare, pale eyes glaring out from above a broken and gushing nose. Aldes cursed his luck as he watched the highlander reach with his good arm over to his bad on, clutch his wrist, and
snap
wrench the ball back to its bearing.
"Ya got 'bout two seconds 'fore I gut ye, worm." The highlander's accent suddenly sounded... closer to genuine.
"Baxley! Baxley my friend. I'm Aldes Amrich, and as far as you know, I'm about to be your new employer," Warren lied through his teeth.
![[Image: yEROfKO.png]](http://i.imgur.com/yEROfKO.png)
