((DEAR LORD, wall of text. 
I blame Osric for all this. This is, mostly, a recap of what happened last night while rping, though what happened with Rynsur and Jin'li will have to wait till my next post cause this one has already taken long enough. lol))
The wind blew inland off the ocean, the night sky filled with the light of countless stars. Adin was seated on the ground, his back against a tree, his right hand slowly massaging his chin as his eyes looked down at a pile of rocks that basked in the brilliant light of the full moon. The Garlean hyur took a deep breath of the salty air, his mind slowly mulling over his plans in his mind.
"Master." came Jin'li's voice softly into Adin's ear through the black and gold link pearl he wore. "I am in position to watch. Osric and C'kayah are preparing to fight."
"So Osric is actually going to go through with his assignment?" Adin mused slowly as he leaned forward and flicked a stone off the pile with the index finger of his left hand. The stone flew a short ways before landing in the road. "Jin'li, report to me once there is a victor. And make sure to inspect the body of the loser if you are able. We both know how Osric likes to 'move' dead bodies."
"Yes, master." Jin'li replied without emotion and the linkpearl went silent. Adin continued to stare at the small rock pile and wait. It was a few minutes before his linkpearl came to life again, this time Rynsur's voice came through to Adin's ear.
"Major Adin." Rynsur said, his voice a hushed whisper. "I followed Askier and the woman, Kanaria, to the small tavern "The Grey Fleet". They have been inside for a few minutes and Kahn'a just arrived."
"This night is becoming more advantageous than I had first imagined." Adin permitted himself a smile. "Rynsur, do you have your rifle?"
"As always, sir." Rynsur replied, a hint of annoyed offense in his voice.
"Good, when those three leave-"
"Sir, Askier just left the tavern and is headed up the road!"Â Rynsur interrupted
"Towards Limsa?"Â Adin asked calmly.
"Yes sir, looks like he is taking the road along the cliffs. Should I take the shot?"
"No." Adin ordered, rising to his feet slowly, pulling his hand away from his chin. "If that is the road he is taking, I'll be seeing him soon enough. Just keep an eye out. If Askier's allies try to follow, terminate them."
"Yes, sir." Rysnur went silent and Adin's linkpearl went still. Adin turned and looked down the road. His pulse quickened slightly as he turned and picked up a long, wrapped roll of linen that rested by where he had been sitting. It had been five years since Adin had seen Askier in the flesh. Part of him was glad he was going to see him one last time before he kill the miqo'te.
***
Askier was walking down the road quickly, his boots crunching on the gravel as the sound of the ocean slamming itself against the base of cliffs rose up from far below. The moonlight made it easy to see where he was going and Askier permitted his mind to wander.
"Kanaria." Askier muttered to himself softly, thinking back on the woman he had just left at "The silver Fleet" with Kahn'a. He felt a pang of guilt knot his stomach. The woman was terrified. Adin's agent's constant hounding of Osric and Kahn'a was taking its toll on her and the fact that Adin knew her name made her go pale. Askier owed her a debt and he was doing a poor job of repaying it. Well, with all of his debts really. Kahn'a and Osric had helped Askier fake his death to throw off Adin, and for their actions, they had drawn Adin's wrath.Â
"Damn that man." Askier snarled, his pointed fangs gnashing in the moonlight as he marched with purpose up a small hill. His head was angled down and he missed the two figures in black robes walking towards him until they passed on either side of him.Â
A knife flashed and was up against Askier's throat faster than he could react. Askier mentally kicked himself, realizing he had been so wrapped up in his own thoughts, he had forgotten to watch his surroundings. The figure with the knife to his throat slipped behind Askier, while the other took a few steps back, planting its boots at the edge of the cliff and the long plunge to the ocean below.
"Who the hells are you?"Â Askier snapped, his voice pained as he swallowed nervously, the blade sharp against his skin.
"I'm honestly disappointed how easy that was." came a voice Askier had not heard in five years. The miqo'te's ear flicked and his one, golden eye looked forward as a tall, muscular shape emerged from behind a tree, a silver gunblade glinting wickedly in the light of the moon. The hyur's face was tanned but showing signs of wrinkles and the scar across his sharp nose deep to deepen as he spoke.
"It's been a long time, Lieutenant Mergrey."Â Adin purred softly, an amused smile on his lips.
"I'm surprised you had the balls to show up in person." Askier growled back as he was forced to tilt his head to the left as the knife was pressed tighter against his throat.
"Is that a good surprise or a bad one?" Adin inquired calmly.
"A 'go fuck yourself one.'" Askier retorted, hatred oozing in his voice.
"Is that really how you great your old commanding officer? Your old friend? Your old-" Adin said, taking a few steps forward, his boots shifting gravel as he did so.
"Anything positive you were to me, died when you had Jin'li take Saravena and forced me to build that bomb." Askier interrupted loudly, glaring at Adin with hatred flaring in his golden optic as the dull eye behind his eye patch narrow.
"Funny, I could say the same thing about when you deserted and shot me." Adin answered with a shrug of his shoulders.
"You'll forgive me if I no longer felt Saravena was safe inside the Empire after watching Eorzean volunteers stagnate our army's advanced before Bahamut tore the rest to dust."Â Askier shot back.
"I could have protected you." Adin said quietly, looking at Askier sadly as he studied the scars and cuts on the miqo'te's face. So many wounds that had not been there five years ago. And that patch over Askier's eye, what a waste.
"Not from your own ambition." Askier spat back. "I'm surprised your sons aren't part of your pawn collection like your wife is."
"Their time is coming." Adin admitted. "They are almost of age."
"You're sick!" Askier howled in anger. "Does anyone in this world mean anything to you?" Askier felt his blood pulsing in his head, thinking of just how used Adin had made him feel.
"Only the Empire matters. Only keeping it strong and it's enemies weak." Adin remarked as he drew the hammer back on his gunblade, the six-chamber cylinder spinning slowly before locking into place with a loud clicking noise.
The knife at Askier's throat loosened and the cloaked figure stepped to the side, pulling the knife away. Askier saw the barrel of the firearm lift into the air as Adin leveled it at his chest.
"So this is how it end?" Askier asked despairingly, his fists clenching as he stared his former commander down, his chest rising quickly and his one eye looked around for a way of escape. There was no cover, no were to hid. Just a cliff to his left and a field of waving reeds to his right.
"Almost. We will still take your body back to the Empire and give you a hero's burial. We'll spin a story of how you managed, alone, to almost break the city of Ul'dah. Will inspire generations."
Adin's finger went to fire when his linkpearl buzzed into life. The voice was Jin'li, but Jin'li was gargling, as if his mouth and throat were full of fluid.
"Master! Does this one answer, or does this one die?"
Adin stood still in that moment, his mind running over Jin'li's words in his mind. That was the phrase Adin had order Jin'li to tell him should Jin'li ever be about to die. But how? Jin'li was too- Osric! Osric had tricked Jin'li somehow. The swine! Always lies with that one. Adin pressed his free hand to his ear and barked his order:
"Jin'li, you are not to die. That is an order. You tell Osric I am hunting Askier as we speak and that I will see him in Ul'dah." Adin did not listen to Jin'li's thankful reply as he turned his scowling face to Askier, who was smirking darkly.
"What's the matter, Adin? Things not going the way you planned? Osric has a tendency to do things like that, doesn't he?"Â Askier flexed his fingers, noting the firearm was wavering slightly.
"A few pawns occasionally need to be lost." Adin retorted. He was distracted, trying to reform his plans. Loosing Jin'li would cause the entire organization of his units in Eorzea to weaken until he could find a replacement for his slave.
"You. I'm coming for you." Osric's voice suddenly buzzed into Adin's ear and the Garlean officer curled his lip into a silent snarl
 "Did you kill my slave?" was all Adin replied.
"I'm the better servant. Or would be, if you didn't insist on breaking contract." Osric answered smugly.
 "I've broken no contract, Osric."Adin said sternly.
 "ASKIER WAS TO BE LEFT ALONE!" Osric shouted angrily regarding the agreement the two hyurs had made
"The contract was based on your lie from the beginning. Did you expect me to keep my word, when you were unable to do so from the start? Askier should have been dead already. This is your fault." Adin explained rationally.
"And the initial contract was with Kahn'a, you cheating ASS." Osric growled
"As Kahn'a superior, you are responsible for his actions, SERGEANT! It's called chain-of-command. I'm sure even here, on this backwards little continent, you can understand this concept." Adin snarled.
"...that's right. I'm responsible. And you're-dead-." Osric hung up the linkpearl.
Adin had to take a few, deep breaths to steady himself as the gunblade shook in his hand. Osric had phased him, though Adin did not want to admit it. Three times now that hyur had managed to complicate Adin's schemes and Adin had finally had enough of the man's cocky tone. He was going to-
Askier seized his chance, seeing how unsteady Adin's arm was. As fast as he was able, Askier reached over and seized the figure who had held the knife to his throat by the arm. The figure screamed as Askier dragged the cloaked attacked in front of him by the arm, twisting it and forcing the knife to drop from the hand.
Adin saw this and fired, his firearm erupting loudly and brilliantly in the night air. The figure Askier held shuddered violently as Adin's bullet blew a hole in his back, blood splattering the road. Asker threw the corpse aside at the other hooded figure. The second figure gave out a blood curdling scream as the dead body slammed into it and both forms went tumbling over the cliff.Â
Askier's boot shift and he sprinted towards Adin, his teeth bared to bite. Adin pulled the hammer back on his firearm, the cylinder spinning. Askier felt his heart sink as Adin swung the barrel at him once again, the moonlight dazzling on the polished metal. Askier was too far away. Askier had missed his chance. He continued to sprint at Adin, even though he knew it was hopeless. Askier lifted his hand to his ear, shouting:
"Kahn'a, get Kanaria out of there! It's Adin, they found me, they-"Â
Adin fired.
The left side of Askier's gut exploded in a shower of blood and muscle as the bullet tore into Askier. The miqo'te had been shot before by arrows, but the pain from this wound was overwhelming. Askier's sprint stopped as his inertia caused him to skid before he toppled forward, over the side of the cliff.
Askier's lone, golden eye watered in pain as he looked down at the ocean below him. Time seemed to stand still as he fell, the wind whistling through his brown hair. Blood coated the side of his paints and his hands were holding the wound as if they somehow might stop the blood loss. Overhead the stars shone bright, looking down as the miqo'te plunged towards the rolling ocean below As Askier fell, one thought filled his mind, and the closer he got to the sea, the more and more he thought it:
This is gonna hurt like hell when I hit.
Askier then plunged through the surface of the water, the impact knocking all his air from his lungs. The salty brine swirled around him and into his bleeding wound. The pain was unbearable and Askier let himself lose to the blackness that enveloped his mind.
***
Atop the cliff, Adin gazed down at the water, noting the pool of red darkening where Askier had hit. A long fall, but not a terrible one. The Major aimed his firearm and discharged the remaining for shots into eh water. Adin had no way of knowing if Askier could have survived the fall, but with the wound in his side, Adin doubted Askier would be alive for long.
The Garlean officer turned, lifting his left hand to his ear.
"Rynsur, kill Kanaria and Kahn'a and then return to Limsa."
"Aye, sir." Rynsur replied. Adin looked around an then spoke into his linkpearl one, last time.
"Rema." Adin said calmly. A moment later, a female voice answered:
"Yes, Major?"
"I am going to try and recover Jin'li. When I return to Limsa, have your healing ready for him and our airship ready to depart. We are leaving Limsa for Ul'dah."
"Yes, sir." Rema answered. Adin then turned to the road. Blood from Askier and Adin's operative blackened the gravel path, pooling and glinting in the moonlight. Adin ignored the puddles as he slowly marched, his feet taking him to where he knew Osric and C'kayah had arranged their fight, or their fake one, to where Jin'li was bleeding out slowly.
Askier was out of the game, and thanks to Rynsur, Kahn'a and Kanaria would be shortly. Adin had the utmost faith in Rynsur's combat skills. Only Osric  remained for Adin to punish now, and he would take his time with him.
I blame Osric for all this. This is, mostly, a recap of what happened last night while rping, though what happened with Rynsur and Jin'li will have to wait till my next post cause this one has already taken long enough. lol))The wind blew inland off the ocean, the night sky filled with the light of countless stars. Adin was seated on the ground, his back against a tree, his right hand slowly massaging his chin as his eyes looked down at a pile of rocks that basked in the brilliant light of the full moon. The Garlean hyur took a deep breath of the salty air, his mind slowly mulling over his plans in his mind.
"Master." came Jin'li's voice softly into Adin's ear through the black and gold link pearl he wore. "I am in position to watch. Osric and C'kayah are preparing to fight."
"So Osric is actually going to go through with his assignment?" Adin mused slowly as he leaned forward and flicked a stone off the pile with the index finger of his left hand. The stone flew a short ways before landing in the road. "Jin'li, report to me once there is a victor. And make sure to inspect the body of the loser if you are able. We both know how Osric likes to 'move' dead bodies."
"Yes, master." Jin'li replied without emotion and the linkpearl went silent. Adin continued to stare at the small rock pile and wait. It was a few minutes before his linkpearl came to life again, this time Rynsur's voice came through to Adin's ear.
"Major Adin." Rynsur said, his voice a hushed whisper. "I followed Askier and the woman, Kanaria, to the small tavern "The Grey Fleet". They have been inside for a few minutes and Kahn'a just arrived."
"This night is becoming more advantageous than I had first imagined." Adin permitted himself a smile. "Rynsur, do you have your rifle?"
"As always, sir." Rynsur replied, a hint of annoyed offense in his voice.
"Good, when those three leave-"
"Sir, Askier just left the tavern and is headed up the road!"Â Rynsur interrupted
"Towards Limsa?"Â Adin asked calmly.
"Yes sir, looks like he is taking the road along the cliffs. Should I take the shot?"
"No." Adin ordered, rising to his feet slowly, pulling his hand away from his chin. "If that is the road he is taking, I'll be seeing him soon enough. Just keep an eye out. If Askier's allies try to follow, terminate them."
"Yes, sir." Rysnur went silent and Adin's linkpearl went still. Adin turned and looked down the road. His pulse quickened slightly as he turned and picked up a long, wrapped roll of linen that rested by where he had been sitting. It had been five years since Adin had seen Askier in the flesh. Part of him was glad he was going to see him one last time before he kill the miqo'te.
***
Askier was walking down the road quickly, his boots crunching on the gravel as the sound of the ocean slamming itself against the base of cliffs rose up from far below. The moonlight made it easy to see where he was going and Askier permitted his mind to wander.
"Kanaria." Askier muttered to himself softly, thinking back on the woman he had just left at "The silver Fleet" with Kahn'a. He felt a pang of guilt knot his stomach. The woman was terrified. Adin's agent's constant hounding of Osric and Kahn'a was taking its toll on her and the fact that Adin knew her name made her go pale. Askier owed her a debt and he was doing a poor job of repaying it. Well, with all of his debts really. Kahn'a and Osric had helped Askier fake his death to throw off Adin, and for their actions, they had drawn Adin's wrath.Â
"Damn that man." Askier snarled, his pointed fangs gnashing in the moonlight as he marched with purpose up a small hill. His head was angled down and he missed the two figures in black robes walking towards him until they passed on either side of him.Â
A knife flashed and was up against Askier's throat faster than he could react. Askier mentally kicked himself, realizing he had been so wrapped up in his own thoughts, he had forgotten to watch his surroundings. The figure with the knife to his throat slipped behind Askier, while the other took a few steps back, planting its boots at the edge of the cliff and the long plunge to the ocean below.
"Who the hells are you?"Â Askier snapped, his voice pained as he swallowed nervously, the blade sharp against his skin.
"I'm honestly disappointed how easy that was." came a voice Askier had not heard in five years. The miqo'te's ear flicked and his one, golden eye looked forward as a tall, muscular shape emerged from behind a tree, a silver gunblade glinting wickedly in the light of the moon. The hyur's face was tanned but showing signs of wrinkles and the scar across his sharp nose deep to deepen as he spoke.
"It's been a long time, Lieutenant Mergrey."Â Adin purred softly, an amused smile on his lips.
"I'm surprised you had the balls to show up in person." Askier growled back as he was forced to tilt his head to the left as the knife was pressed tighter against his throat.
"Is that a good surprise or a bad one?" Adin inquired calmly.
"A 'go fuck yourself one.'" Askier retorted, hatred oozing in his voice.
"Is that really how you great your old commanding officer? Your old friend? Your old-" Adin said, taking a few steps forward, his boots shifting gravel as he did so.
"Anything positive you were to me, died when you had Jin'li take Saravena and forced me to build that bomb." Askier interrupted loudly, glaring at Adin with hatred flaring in his golden optic as the dull eye behind his eye patch narrow.
"Funny, I could say the same thing about when you deserted and shot me." Adin answered with a shrug of his shoulders.
"You'll forgive me if I no longer felt Saravena was safe inside the Empire after watching Eorzean volunteers stagnate our army's advanced before Bahamut tore the rest to dust."Â Askier shot back.
"I could have protected you." Adin said quietly, looking at Askier sadly as he studied the scars and cuts on the miqo'te's face. So many wounds that had not been there five years ago. And that patch over Askier's eye, what a waste.
"Not from your own ambition." Askier spat back. "I'm surprised your sons aren't part of your pawn collection like your wife is."
"Their time is coming." Adin admitted. "They are almost of age."
"You're sick!" Askier howled in anger. "Does anyone in this world mean anything to you?" Askier felt his blood pulsing in his head, thinking of just how used Adin had made him feel.
"Only the Empire matters. Only keeping it strong and it's enemies weak." Adin remarked as he drew the hammer back on his gunblade, the six-chamber cylinder spinning slowly before locking into place with a loud clicking noise.
The knife at Askier's throat loosened and the cloaked figure stepped to the side, pulling the knife away. Askier saw the barrel of the firearm lift into the air as Adin leveled it at his chest.
"So this is how it end?" Askier asked despairingly, his fists clenching as he stared his former commander down, his chest rising quickly and his one eye looked around for a way of escape. There was no cover, no were to hid. Just a cliff to his left and a field of waving reeds to his right.
"Almost. We will still take your body back to the Empire and give you a hero's burial. We'll spin a story of how you managed, alone, to almost break the city of Ul'dah. Will inspire generations."
Adin's finger went to fire when his linkpearl buzzed into life. The voice was Jin'li, but Jin'li was gargling, as if his mouth and throat were full of fluid.
"Master! Does this one answer, or does this one die?"
Adin stood still in that moment, his mind running over Jin'li's words in his mind. That was the phrase Adin had order Jin'li to tell him should Jin'li ever be about to die. But how? Jin'li was too- Osric! Osric had tricked Jin'li somehow. The swine! Always lies with that one. Adin pressed his free hand to his ear and barked his order:
"Jin'li, you are not to die. That is an order. You tell Osric I am hunting Askier as we speak and that I will see him in Ul'dah." Adin did not listen to Jin'li's thankful reply as he turned his scowling face to Askier, who was smirking darkly.
"What's the matter, Adin? Things not going the way you planned? Osric has a tendency to do things like that, doesn't he?"Â Askier flexed his fingers, noting the firearm was wavering slightly.
"A few pawns occasionally need to be lost." Adin retorted. He was distracted, trying to reform his plans. Loosing Jin'li would cause the entire organization of his units in Eorzea to weaken until he could find a replacement for his slave.
"You. I'm coming for you." Osric's voice suddenly buzzed into Adin's ear and the Garlean officer curled his lip into a silent snarl
 "Did you kill my slave?" was all Adin replied.
"I'm the better servant. Or would be, if you didn't insist on breaking contract." Osric answered smugly.
 "I've broken no contract, Osric."Adin said sternly.
 "ASKIER WAS TO BE LEFT ALONE!" Osric shouted angrily regarding the agreement the two hyurs had made
"The contract was based on your lie from the beginning. Did you expect me to keep my word, when you were unable to do so from the start? Askier should have been dead already. This is your fault." Adin explained rationally.
"And the initial contract was with Kahn'a, you cheating ASS." Osric growled
"As Kahn'a superior, you are responsible for his actions, SERGEANT! It's called chain-of-command. I'm sure even here, on this backwards little continent, you can understand this concept." Adin snarled.
"...that's right. I'm responsible. And you're-dead-." Osric hung up the linkpearl.
Adin had to take a few, deep breaths to steady himself as the gunblade shook in his hand. Osric had phased him, though Adin did not want to admit it. Three times now that hyur had managed to complicate Adin's schemes and Adin had finally had enough of the man's cocky tone. He was going to-
Askier seized his chance, seeing how unsteady Adin's arm was. As fast as he was able, Askier reached over and seized the figure who had held the knife to his throat by the arm. The figure screamed as Askier dragged the cloaked attacked in front of him by the arm, twisting it and forcing the knife to drop from the hand.
Adin saw this and fired, his firearm erupting loudly and brilliantly in the night air. The figure Askier held shuddered violently as Adin's bullet blew a hole in his back, blood splattering the road. Asker threw the corpse aside at the other hooded figure. The second figure gave out a blood curdling scream as the dead body slammed into it and both forms went tumbling over the cliff.Â
Askier's boot shift and he sprinted towards Adin, his teeth bared to bite. Adin pulled the hammer back on his firearm, the cylinder spinning. Askier felt his heart sink as Adin swung the barrel at him once again, the moonlight dazzling on the polished metal. Askier was too far away. Askier had missed his chance. He continued to sprint at Adin, even though he knew it was hopeless. Askier lifted his hand to his ear, shouting:
"Kahn'a, get Kanaria out of there! It's Adin, they found me, they-"Â
Adin fired.
The left side of Askier's gut exploded in a shower of blood and muscle as the bullet tore into Askier. The miqo'te had been shot before by arrows, but the pain from this wound was overwhelming. Askier's sprint stopped as his inertia caused him to skid before he toppled forward, over the side of the cliff.
Askier's lone, golden eye watered in pain as he looked down at the ocean below him. Time seemed to stand still as he fell, the wind whistling through his brown hair. Blood coated the side of his paints and his hands were holding the wound as if they somehow might stop the blood loss. Overhead the stars shone bright, looking down as the miqo'te plunged towards the rolling ocean below As Askier fell, one thought filled his mind, and the closer he got to the sea, the more and more he thought it:
This is gonna hurt like hell when I hit.
Askier then plunged through the surface of the water, the impact knocking all his air from his lungs. The salty brine swirled around him and into his bleeding wound. The pain was unbearable and Askier let himself lose to the blackness that enveloped his mind.
***
Atop the cliff, Adin gazed down at the water, noting the pool of red darkening where Askier had hit. A long fall, but not a terrible one. The Major aimed his firearm and discharged the remaining for shots into eh water. Adin had no way of knowing if Askier could have survived the fall, but with the wound in his side, Adin doubted Askier would be alive for long.
The Garlean officer turned, lifting his left hand to his ear.
"Rynsur, kill Kanaria and Kahn'a and then return to Limsa."
"Aye, sir." Rynsur replied. Adin looked around an then spoke into his linkpearl one, last time.
"Rema." Adin said calmly. A moment later, a female voice answered:
"Yes, Major?"
"I am going to try and recover Jin'li. When I return to Limsa, have your healing ready for him and our airship ready to depart. We are leaving Limsa for Ul'dah."
"Yes, sir." Rema answered. Adin then turned to the road. Blood from Askier and Adin's operative blackened the gravel path, pooling and glinting in the moonlight. Adin ignored the puddles as he slowly marched, his feet taking him to where he knew Osric and C'kayah had arranged their fight, or their fake one, to where Jin'li was bleeding out slowly.
Askier was out of the game, and thanks to Rynsur, Kahn'a and Kanaria would be shortly. Adin had the utmost faith in Rynsur's combat skills. Only Osric  remained for Adin to punish now, and he would take his time with him.
