The smell of grapes was strong that morning in Wineport as Ki sat on a stool beneath the shelter of a covered patio. The sky was a heavy grey as a steady rain continued to fall. The rain had been falling all night and showed no signs of stopping.
The seeker was smoking and watching the falling rain. He was hunched over and his hands were clasped together as the gentle wind tugged at his long, black coat.
He had been waiting for several bells now and was growing concerned. The sun hadn't even been up when he had left Nahare alone in their bed and tip toed past Nataru sleeping on the floor to come and wait here.
Nahare was sick and getting worse and the last thing he and Nataru needed was for Nahare's condition to get worse with Myst's arrival.
It was half a bell and three more cigarettes later before a figure appeared at the gate of the vineyard. Dressed in a set of leather traveling gear with a large, hooded cloak wrapped tightly around his shoulders, Myst looked unsettling normal. If it weren't for the bizarre mask the necromancer always wore, Ki might have not paid the trudging figure any notice.
Ki sat up straight, grunting as his stiff back protested.
The necromancer pulled off his hood, his wet, jet-black hair falling down to his chin. The icy blue eyes studied Ki from behind the mask.
"You're late." Ki remarked, crossing his arms.
"I wouldn't expect a barbarian to comprehend the art of navigating an airship in a tempest." came the hissing whisper of Myst. Ki noted the agitated flick of Myst's tail beneath the cloak and was momentarily surprised at the almost normal reaction from the traditionally objective spell caster.
"You fly an airship?" Ki was genuinely surprised. Myst gave his inhuman clicking nose.
"No, I just farted myself here and decided it would be absolutely splendid to romp around the mire for a few hours." Myst snapped. "You're quickly depleting my already dangerously low patience with these game of yours Grimsong. Be grateful I find some measure of worth by our continued confederacy."
"You were well compensated in gil and that wagon load of corpses we delivered." Ki spat out his smoke at Myst's feet. His hair was prickling but he held his ground. "Now what did you find out about Tengri during your meeting?"
There was a pause from the masked necromancer and a low clicking noise like gnashing mandibles filled the air.
"Enough to know that -you- are working for someone you can't handle." Myst spoke slowly, as if addressing a foolish child. "I can confirm he is a living bag of flesh just like you. But The collective strength of Tengri's aether flow places him outside of your capabilities to contend with."
Ki chewed his lip and stared at the mask.
"I thought you said you were the best." Ki remarked with a snort. "Yet that's all you were able to uncover?"
"Grimsong." Myst clicked his tongue. "You are aware of the displeasure I take in conversing with living meat bags. Especially ones that have forced me to endure unnecessary expeditions to the remote pits of Eorzea. For this conversation, you will be supplying me with additional payment."
Ki growled.
"Now look here-"
"The stone." Myst interrupted and held out his left hand, palm up. "Or you can find someone else to go and look into the eyes of that au ra. Perhaps you might find a spine and do it yourself."
The mercenary snarled and rose to his feet.
"Watch your tongue, pleb." Myst hissed before Ki could speak. "You came crawling and blubbering to me. You continue to employ me cause you -need- me. Not the other way around. Apologize to your better and give me the stone, or I leave with my additional knowledge of this Tengri held with my mind"
Ki was visibly shaking as his fist clenched but he did not strike the necromancer. Ki -did- need the necromancer. At least for the moment. But the way the necromancer was beginning to strong arm him was agitating. Ki reached into his pocket and pulled out Berrod's soulstone. The seeker slipped his thumb over the stone before handing it over.
Myst took the stone and observed it. There was a strange noise from behind the mask and then the necromancer slid the soulstone into a pouch on his belt. As the soul stone of Berrod went in, something else came out. What it was, Ki couldn't be sure. The necromancer's gloved fingers clenched around the item. The ice blue eyes starred at Ki's mismatched optics.
"That's better. Now,take your glove off and hold out your hand." Myst ordered softly.
"Why?" Ki growled, suddenly suspicious.
"If you want more information on Tengri, you will do as instructed."
Myst watched intently as Ki glared back. It took a few moments but Ki began to remove his glove.
Whatever expression Myst's face was wearing, Ki couldn't see it. But Ki could hear the smug satisfaction in the whisper as he extended his hand.
"What are you doing?"Â Ki swallowed, defiant but clearly apprehensive.
"You call yourself Grimsong, but had a recent discussion with a certain soul whom told me of some interesting things about your past. Of another name you went by."
Quick as a snake, Myst slammed his gloved hands around Ki's outstretched hand and pressed in something cold.
"And of knowledge I might covet from you."
Myst's eyes were glowing blue and the smell of burning metal filled the air. Ki's body was frozen. His hand began to burn and then the pain spread. Within a moment it felt as if his body had been filled with thousands of burning white embers. His muscles twisted and knotted. Ki felt his mind being tore open and deep things observed. Ki's vision went red and he tried to scream but Myst's left hand covered his lips as he opened his maw and hollered in agony before his mind went black.
Ki slumped over onto the deck. He was writhing but clearly unconscious.
Myst stepped back, the thing in his right hand glowing white hot and smoking. The necromancer cast a quick look around and then turned, pulling his hood up over his head and stepping out into the ran.
No one had seen and if they had, what would they say? He was masked and rarely came to this pathetic pebble amongst the ocean's furious grasp.Â
The mud squelched underneath his boots as the rain continued to fall. He strode quickly and it wasn't until he was several miles away that he paused to open his hand and look down.
There, in his open palm, shone a blood red soul stone with a strange rune etched in its surface. The rune had not existed on that stone till it had touched Ki's flesh. But now it was very evident in the polish surface of the stone.Â
Myst ran his thumb over the stone.
"Hello, beautiful."
The seeker was smoking and watching the falling rain. He was hunched over and his hands were clasped together as the gentle wind tugged at his long, black coat.
He had been waiting for several bells now and was growing concerned. The sun hadn't even been up when he had left Nahare alone in their bed and tip toed past Nataru sleeping on the floor to come and wait here.
Nahare was sick and getting worse and the last thing he and Nataru needed was for Nahare's condition to get worse with Myst's arrival.
It was half a bell and three more cigarettes later before a figure appeared at the gate of the vineyard. Dressed in a set of leather traveling gear with a large, hooded cloak wrapped tightly around his shoulders, Myst looked unsettling normal. If it weren't for the bizarre mask the necromancer always wore, Ki might have not paid the trudging figure any notice.
Ki sat up straight, grunting as his stiff back protested.
The necromancer pulled off his hood, his wet, jet-black hair falling down to his chin. The icy blue eyes studied Ki from behind the mask.
"You're late." Ki remarked, crossing his arms.
"I wouldn't expect a barbarian to comprehend the art of navigating an airship in a tempest." came the hissing whisper of Myst. Ki noted the agitated flick of Myst's tail beneath the cloak and was momentarily surprised at the almost normal reaction from the traditionally objective spell caster.
"You fly an airship?" Ki was genuinely surprised. Myst gave his inhuman clicking nose.
"No, I just farted myself here and decided it would be absolutely splendid to romp around the mire for a few hours." Myst snapped. "You're quickly depleting my already dangerously low patience with these game of yours Grimsong. Be grateful I find some measure of worth by our continued confederacy."
"You were well compensated in gil and that wagon load of corpses we delivered." Ki spat out his smoke at Myst's feet. His hair was prickling but he held his ground. "Now what did you find out about Tengri during your meeting?"
There was a pause from the masked necromancer and a low clicking noise like gnashing mandibles filled the air.
"Enough to know that -you- are working for someone you can't handle." Myst spoke slowly, as if addressing a foolish child. "I can confirm he is a living bag of flesh just like you. But The collective strength of Tengri's aether flow places him outside of your capabilities to contend with."
Ki chewed his lip and stared at the mask.
"I thought you said you were the best." Ki remarked with a snort. "Yet that's all you were able to uncover?"
"Grimsong." Myst clicked his tongue. "You are aware of the displeasure I take in conversing with living meat bags. Especially ones that have forced me to endure unnecessary expeditions to the remote pits of Eorzea. For this conversation, you will be supplying me with additional payment."
Ki growled.
"Now look here-"
"The stone." Myst interrupted and held out his left hand, palm up. "Or you can find someone else to go and look into the eyes of that au ra. Perhaps you might find a spine and do it yourself."
The mercenary snarled and rose to his feet.
"Watch your tongue, pleb." Myst hissed before Ki could speak. "You came crawling and blubbering to me. You continue to employ me cause you -need- me. Not the other way around. Apologize to your better and give me the stone, or I leave with my additional knowledge of this Tengri held with my mind"
Ki was visibly shaking as his fist clenched but he did not strike the necromancer. Ki -did- need the necromancer. At least for the moment. But the way the necromancer was beginning to strong arm him was agitating. Ki reached into his pocket and pulled out Berrod's soulstone. The seeker slipped his thumb over the stone before handing it over.
Myst took the stone and observed it. There was a strange noise from behind the mask and then the necromancer slid the soulstone into a pouch on his belt. As the soul stone of Berrod went in, something else came out. What it was, Ki couldn't be sure. The necromancer's gloved fingers clenched around the item. The ice blue eyes starred at Ki's mismatched optics.
"That's better. Now,take your glove off and hold out your hand." Myst ordered softly.
"Why?" Ki growled, suddenly suspicious.
"If you want more information on Tengri, you will do as instructed."
Myst watched intently as Ki glared back. It took a few moments but Ki began to remove his glove.
Whatever expression Myst's face was wearing, Ki couldn't see it. But Ki could hear the smug satisfaction in the whisper as he extended his hand.
"What are you doing?"Â Ki swallowed, defiant but clearly apprehensive.
"You call yourself Grimsong, but had a recent discussion with a certain soul whom told me of some interesting things about your past. Of another name you went by."
Quick as a snake, Myst slammed his gloved hands around Ki's outstretched hand and pressed in something cold.
"And of knowledge I might covet from you."
Myst's eyes were glowing blue and the smell of burning metal filled the air. Ki's body was frozen. His hand began to burn and then the pain spread. Within a moment it felt as if his body had been filled with thousands of burning white embers. His muscles twisted and knotted. Ki felt his mind being tore open and deep things observed. Ki's vision went red and he tried to scream but Myst's left hand covered his lips as he opened his maw and hollered in agony before his mind went black.
Ki slumped over onto the deck. He was writhing but clearly unconscious.
Myst stepped back, the thing in his right hand glowing white hot and smoking. The necromancer cast a quick look around and then turned, pulling his hood up over his head and stepping out into the ran.
No one had seen and if they had, what would they say? He was masked and rarely came to this pathetic pebble amongst the ocean's furious grasp.Â
The mud squelched underneath his boots as the rain continued to fall. He strode quickly and it wasn't until he was several miles away that he paused to open his hand and look down.
There, in his open palm, shone a blood red soul stone with a strange rune etched in its surface. The rune had not existed on that stone till it had touched Ki's flesh. But now it was very evident in the polish surface of the stone.Â
Myst ran his thumb over the stone.
"Hello, beautiful."
