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Jin was seated cross-legged in a plush, leather chair. A small book of poetry was resting in her lap as her wrinkled hands flipped the pages slowly; giving her black eyes times to take in the written words scribbled before her. Around her was a large study full of books, mostly about wine and poems. A large window was allowing setting sun's last rays to spill in and illuminate the space.
From her perch here on the second floor, she was able to gaze out over the hills of Limsa. Rows of grapes stretched out before her just outside the villa's walls. Inside the white, stucco masonry of the wall was housed a large, two story home. In addition, a warehouse and a small barn stood within the wall's protection, all coated in the same white paint.
The elderly woman's eyes were caught by a sudden flash of movement. Lazily, she lifted her head from her book and glanced out to see Crate shutting the gate to the courtyard behind him and locking it. As Jin continued to watch the blond male, she grew increasingly uncomfortable. His movements were hurried and when he spun to begin marching towards the house, she could see a busy mind blazing behind his eyes.
She 'tsked' and slammed her book of poetry shut. She didn't need to be told what was happening. It was obvious. Jin had spent enough of her life running from hunters to know the look of prey when the wolf was at the door.
Jin rose to her feet and made for the door of the study. She had just opened it and stepped into the hall when Crate's voice reached her.Â
"Jin I-"
"They're here already." Jin cut him off as she turned to face him. Crate nodded, not surprised she knew.
"Aye, plenty of them. How quick can you be ready to go?"
Jin snorted as if she was insulted.
"Faster than you."
"Well then get moving. If we're unlucky, they'll be here tonight." Crate pushed past her and entered the study. He went to a chest and began to dig around. Jin waved a dismissive hand and strode calmly to to her room.
Unless the hunters arrived in the next half bell, she would be long gone. Jin had determined days ago that if the need arose, she would cut Crate lose like dead weight. He had saved her, that was true, but she was regarding him as a tool. He had his uses, certainly, but she wasn't going to slow down her quest for anyone or anything. Her goal was more important than the life of anyone else.
Jin entered her room and went over to her dresser. She pulled out a pair of brown trousers, a white, hemp shirt, and leather corset. The miqo'te removed her loose robe and quickly donned the new outfit. She secured a leather belt to her waist and then pulled on a pair of polished, thigh-high traveling boots with steel toes. Jin took a sling bag and hung it over one shoulder before she pulled out a brown cloak from the bottom drawer and draped it over he shoulders.
She paused to admire her reflection in the glass and gave a small smile.Â
"You still have it honey." she complimented herself as she flapped her grey ears and slipped back into the hallway. As she walked, a roar of thunder crashed overhead and the whole building shook. Jin blinked and she could make out the sound of a sudden, howling wind. Giving the cloak a tug for reassurance, she returned to the study. Outside, the sun was gone and darkness had consumed the island.
Crate was standing by the window, a lantern in his hand. Lightning flashed and revealed that he was standing inside a hastily drawn chalk pentagram.Â
"What's the ley line for?" Jin inquired, well aware of the symbol's purpose.Â
"To make sure I give our guests a proper welcome." came Crate's voice. It was oddly thoughtful as he gazed outside the window.
"What!" Jin exclaimed, rushing over and placing both hands on the window to peer outside.
She could see it almost instantly: the light from torches gleaming just on the other side of the gate. There must have been a dozen or so. Flames danced and flickered in the heavy wind as whoever held them tried to break down the door. The gate shook from heavy blows and a large hole appeared, letting a shaft of light spill in.
"Even earlier than I feared." Crate gave a small smirk and sighed. "They never cease to amaze."
"Now is not the time admire them." Jin grunted. "We need to-"
The gate crashed open and the hunters strode into the courtyard with intent, their eyes gazing around the darkness. A female au ra pointed up towards the window and Jin hissed at she studied the pointing figure.
"Well, fuck me sideways, up-way and down-ways." Crate gave a growl that somehow managed to sound both delighted and angry at the same time. "Aint it my favorite trollop. Jin be a dear and get out of here. I need to greet an old friend of mine. I'll catch up."
Jin snorted. If Crate wanted to get himself killed, that was his business. He might as well serve as a roadblock.
Without pausing to answer, the elderly female turned and slipped out of the room. She was halfway down the hall when the screams started and the roars of some sort of monster reached her ears. She heard steel on steel and quickened her pace, taking the stairs to the ground floor two at a time. Thunder roared overhead as she reached the bottom. Through the windows she raced past, she could make out figures fighting figures in the dark but the constant lighting hurt her pupils and she turned her gaze away.Â
Jin reached the door to the cellar just as the front door was smashed in and a female voice filled the house in a furious roar:
"CRATE!"
A moment later, Crate's voice replied in a loud giggle from further in the house:
"Hello Kanako, did you miss me?"
Jin slipped into the cellar and shut the door. She raced down the stairs to the rows of wine bottles that sat aging inside the cool earth. She spent several moments hunting for the shelf Crate had shown her.Â
Once she had found the shelf, she pressed a switch and watched as the section of wall slid open to reveal a small tunnel. She summoned a ball of aether to her hand for light and entered the space. The wall closed behind her, leaving Crate and the hunters to their fate.
Jin was seated cross-legged in a plush, leather chair. A small book of poetry was resting in her lap as her wrinkled hands flipped the pages slowly; giving her black eyes times to take in the written words scribbled before her. Around her was a large study full of books, mostly about wine and poems. A large window was allowing setting sun's last rays to spill in and illuminate the space.
From her perch here on the second floor, she was able to gaze out over the hills of Limsa. Rows of grapes stretched out before her just outside the villa's walls. Inside the white, stucco masonry of the wall was housed a large, two story home. In addition, a warehouse and a small barn stood within the wall's protection, all coated in the same white paint.
The elderly woman's eyes were caught by a sudden flash of movement. Lazily, she lifted her head from her book and glanced out to see Crate shutting the gate to the courtyard behind him and locking it. As Jin continued to watch the blond male, she grew increasingly uncomfortable. His movements were hurried and when he spun to begin marching towards the house, she could see a busy mind blazing behind his eyes.
She 'tsked' and slammed her book of poetry shut. She didn't need to be told what was happening. It was obvious. Jin had spent enough of her life running from hunters to know the look of prey when the wolf was at the door.
Jin rose to her feet and made for the door of the study. She had just opened it and stepped into the hall when Crate's voice reached her.Â
"Jin I-"
"They're here already." Jin cut him off as she turned to face him. Crate nodded, not surprised she knew.
"Aye, plenty of them. How quick can you be ready to go?"
Jin snorted as if she was insulted.
"Faster than you."
"Well then get moving. If we're unlucky, they'll be here tonight." Crate pushed past her and entered the study. He went to a chest and began to dig around. Jin waved a dismissive hand and strode calmly to to her room.
Unless the hunters arrived in the next half bell, she would be long gone. Jin had determined days ago that if the need arose, she would cut Crate lose like dead weight. He had saved her, that was true, but she was regarding him as a tool. He had his uses, certainly, but she wasn't going to slow down her quest for anyone or anything. Her goal was more important than the life of anyone else.
Jin entered her room and went over to her dresser. She pulled out a pair of brown trousers, a white, hemp shirt, and leather corset. The miqo'te removed her loose robe and quickly donned the new outfit. She secured a leather belt to her waist and then pulled on a pair of polished, thigh-high traveling boots with steel toes. Jin took a sling bag and hung it over one shoulder before she pulled out a brown cloak from the bottom drawer and draped it over he shoulders.
She paused to admire her reflection in the glass and gave a small smile.Â
"You still have it honey." she complimented herself as she flapped her grey ears and slipped back into the hallway. As she walked, a roar of thunder crashed overhead and the whole building shook. Jin blinked and she could make out the sound of a sudden, howling wind. Giving the cloak a tug for reassurance, she returned to the study. Outside, the sun was gone and darkness had consumed the island.
Crate was standing by the window, a lantern in his hand. Lightning flashed and revealed that he was standing inside a hastily drawn chalk pentagram.Â
"What's the ley line for?" Jin inquired, well aware of the symbol's purpose.Â
"To make sure I give our guests a proper welcome." came Crate's voice. It was oddly thoughtful as he gazed outside the window.
"What!" Jin exclaimed, rushing over and placing both hands on the window to peer outside.
She could see it almost instantly: the light from torches gleaming just on the other side of the gate. There must have been a dozen or so. Flames danced and flickered in the heavy wind as whoever held them tried to break down the door. The gate shook from heavy blows and a large hole appeared, letting a shaft of light spill in.
"Even earlier than I feared." Crate gave a small smirk and sighed. "They never cease to amaze."
"Now is not the time admire them." Jin grunted. "We need to-"
The gate crashed open and the hunters strode into the courtyard with intent, their eyes gazing around the darkness. A female au ra pointed up towards the window and Jin hissed at she studied the pointing figure.
"Well, fuck me sideways, up-way and down-ways." Crate gave a growl that somehow managed to sound both delighted and angry at the same time. "Aint it my favorite trollop. Jin be a dear and get out of here. I need to greet an old friend of mine. I'll catch up."
Jin snorted. If Crate wanted to get himself killed, that was his business. He might as well serve as a roadblock.
Without pausing to answer, the elderly female turned and slipped out of the room. She was halfway down the hall when the screams started and the roars of some sort of monster reached her ears. She heard steel on steel and quickened her pace, taking the stairs to the ground floor two at a time. Thunder roared overhead as she reached the bottom. Through the windows she raced past, she could make out figures fighting figures in the dark but the constant lighting hurt her pupils and she turned her gaze away.Â
Jin reached the door to the cellar just as the front door was smashed in and a female voice filled the house in a furious roar:
"CRATE!"
A moment later, Crate's voice replied in a loud giggle from further in the house:
"Hello Kanako, did you miss me?"
Jin slipped into the cellar and shut the door. She raced down the stairs to the rows of wine bottles that sat aging inside the cool earth. She spent several moments hunting for the shelf Crate had shown her.Â
Once she had found the shelf, she pressed a switch and watched as the section of wall slid open to reveal a small tunnel. She summoned a ball of aether to her hand for light and entered the space. The wall closed behind her, leaving Crate and the hunters to their fate.
