The church near Drybone had always been a favorite place of Ki Grimsongs.Â
Why would be a question even he couldn't be sure. He relished the memories he had here. Enjoyed the somber nature of the place. And the reminder of unavoidable death kept his quest for material wealth in perspective. Everyone had to die, so why not die filthy rich?
The deserts winds outside were gusting. A storm was brewing and the atmospheric pressure was beginning to fall. The air was growing heavier and the speed at which sound traveled was increasing because of the higher density of air particles.
It was because of this natural phenomena that Ki heard the spurs jingling as the person wearing them walked towards the church door.
Ki was seated in the first row of pews. His arms were crossed over his chest and his eyes were closed. His right ear was flicking up and down every four seconds and the earing that looked like a bomb shook each time.Â
Smoke wafted up from the smoldering cigarette that was pressed between his teeth and a pile of ash had fallen onto his white coat.
The sounds of jingling spurs grew closer and then the groan of wood as the doors to the church opened.
Immediately Ki rose. He spun on his right heel while pulling his firearm free from it's holster. He aimed it at the figure in the door that stood in deep shadow as the afternoon light swarmed in.
A second figure stepped beside the first and Ki could make out an elezen frame. The male miqo'te blew smoke as he recognized that the first figure was a hyur. Both men wore long, black coats. The elezen had a long sword at his side and the hyur was slowly twirling daggers as the pair seized up the armed miqo'te.
"Well then, let me guess. Rising Claws?"Â Ki said, his voice smug.Â
The two figures made odd expressions and looked at one another. They exchanged a questioning look and then turned back towards Ki.
"Not even close."Â the elezen said, his voice smooth.
"So, are you hear for my head? Cause this is really awkward if you aren't."Â Ki chuckled as he drew the hammer back on his firearm.
"And if we said no?" the elezen said with a shrug.
"Probably still shoot ya cause I would think you are lying to me." Ki answered honestly.
The elezen gave a dark smile.
"In that case, we are indeed here for your head, Grimsong."Â
"Well, you better get in line. Cause the list of people who want me dead is a looooong one. How'd you find me, anyway?" Ki asked,genuinely curious. The elezen shook his head and clicked his tongue.
"That would be telling and, since you'll be dead, it'll be a waste of breath."
"You are welcome to try and kill me. But it may not go so well for you." Ki took a deep drag off his smoke and then spit it out. The cigarette spun through the air, smoke tracing its track.
"We'll see." the elezen smirked.
Five Minutes Later
Noxious yellow gas was wafting out of the church and into the air from doors and windows. The doors of the church were full of bullet holes and the rising winds were making the dust outside roil about.
From the billowing, black mass of the church's dark interior, Ki emerged. A gas mask synched tightly to his face. He carried a bag in his left hand and his firearm in his right.Â
His head was dancing about, looking for his attackers. He had lost track of them in the gas blast. Thunder rolled overhead and he caught the shape of two figures some distance down the road. Ki blinked behind the lenses of the gas mask.
"Damn they are fast." the miqo'te panted, his breaths harsh through the respirator unit. They had moved with almost impossible speeds and it had taken several dirty tricks to stay alive. But he was still alive and that's what mattered.
"My church!" came an anguished cry from the graveyard. The priest was rushing around to the front and gawking.
"It's fine. Just fumigated some bugs. Wait thirty minutes and you should be able to go in and breath without dying just fine." Ki was calm he spoke. The priest scowled at the miqo'te and his gas mask.
"Get out of here! You cause me nothing but trouble every time you are here." the priest grunted in anger.
"Yeah, but you keep letting me back." Ki chuckled as he adjusted his bag and began walking toward Drybone.Â
Even through the mask, Ki could smell the coming rain and thought that Wetbone would make a better name for Drybone. The fact that it was still a desert after raining every time he was there, confused him.Â
But he didn't worry about impossible geographical occurrences to much. He planned on walking right through the storm.
He was in a dangerous spot. One employer was now to the north. Another safe home might be compromised, and his list of allies in Ul'dah was dwindling as 'Ishgard Madness' took more and more north. Ki would end up there soon enough. But not yet. He still had one pay check paying out and he intended to follow it as long as it kept showering him in gil.
"Good old, Boss." Ki chuckled.
Why would be a question even he couldn't be sure. He relished the memories he had here. Enjoyed the somber nature of the place. And the reminder of unavoidable death kept his quest for material wealth in perspective. Everyone had to die, so why not die filthy rich?
The deserts winds outside were gusting. A storm was brewing and the atmospheric pressure was beginning to fall. The air was growing heavier and the speed at which sound traveled was increasing because of the higher density of air particles.
It was because of this natural phenomena that Ki heard the spurs jingling as the person wearing them walked towards the church door.
Ki was seated in the first row of pews. His arms were crossed over his chest and his eyes were closed. His right ear was flicking up and down every four seconds and the earing that looked like a bomb shook each time.Â
Smoke wafted up from the smoldering cigarette that was pressed between his teeth and a pile of ash had fallen onto his white coat.
The sounds of jingling spurs grew closer and then the groan of wood as the doors to the church opened.
Immediately Ki rose. He spun on his right heel while pulling his firearm free from it's holster. He aimed it at the figure in the door that stood in deep shadow as the afternoon light swarmed in.
A second figure stepped beside the first and Ki could make out an elezen frame. The male miqo'te blew smoke as he recognized that the first figure was a hyur. Both men wore long, black coats. The elezen had a long sword at his side and the hyur was slowly twirling daggers as the pair seized up the armed miqo'te.
"Well then, let me guess. Rising Claws?"Â Ki said, his voice smug.Â
The two figures made odd expressions and looked at one another. They exchanged a questioning look and then turned back towards Ki.
"Not even close."Â the elezen said, his voice smooth.
"So, are you hear for my head? Cause this is really awkward if you aren't."Â Ki chuckled as he drew the hammer back on his firearm.
"And if we said no?" the elezen said with a shrug.
"Probably still shoot ya cause I would think you are lying to me." Ki answered honestly.
The elezen gave a dark smile.
"In that case, we are indeed here for your head, Grimsong."Â
"Well, you better get in line. Cause the list of people who want me dead is a looooong one. How'd you find me, anyway?" Ki asked,genuinely curious. The elezen shook his head and clicked his tongue.
"That would be telling and, since you'll be dead, it'll be a waste of breath."
"You are welcome to try and kill me. But it may not go so well for you." Ki took a deep drag off his smoke and then spit it out. The cigarette spun through the air, smoke tracing its track.
"We'll see." the elezen smirked.
Five Minutes Later
Noxious yellow gas was wafting out of the church and into the air from doors and windows. The doors of the church were full of bullet holes and the rising winds were making the dust outside roil about.
From the billowing, black mass of the church's dark interior, Ki emerged. A gas mask synched tightly to his face. He carried a bag in his left hand and his firearm in his right.Â
His head was dancing about, looking for his attackers. He had lost track of them in the gas blast. Thunder rolled overhead and he caught the shape of two figures some distance down the road. Ki blinked behind the lenses of the gas mask.
"Damn they are fast." the miqo'te panted, his breaths harsh through the respirator unit. They had moved with almost impossible speeds and it had taken several dirty tricks to stay alive. But he was still alive and that's what mattered.
"My church!" came an anguished cry from the graveyard. The priest was rushing around to the front and gawking.
"It's fine. Just fumigated some bugs. Wait thirty minutes and you should be able to go in and breath without dying just fine." Ki was calm he spoke. The priest scowled at the miqo'te and his gas mask.
"Get out of here! You cause me nothing but trouble every time you are here." the priest grunted in anger.
"Yeah, but you keep letting me back." Ki chuckled as he adjusted his bag and began walking toward Drybone.Â
Even through the mask, Ki could smell the coming rain and thought that Wetbone would make a better name for Drybone. The fact that it was still a desert after raining every time he was there, confused him.Â
But he didn't worry about impossible geographical occurrences to much. He planned on walking right through the storm.
He was in a dangerous spot. One employer was now to the north. Another safe home might be compromised, and his list of allies in Ul'dah was dwindling as 'Ishgard Madness' took more and more north. Ki would end up there soon enough. But not yet. He still had one pay check paying out and he intended to follow it as long as it kept showering him in gil.
"Good old, Boss." Ki chuckled.
