Roen’s heart felt as if it would leap out of her chest in fear as she scrambled off the bed, trying to make for the other room.
“Was planning on it, Big Guy!†Askier snarled as he threw whatever was in his hand onto the ground. It exploded into a bright flash, followed by a thick oily smoke with a smell of sulfur and salt pepper. Roen instinctively held her breath, recognizing the choking effect. Askier turned and curled his hand around her waist, and he too darted for the door.
But Crim was not stalled for long. His heavy armored steps were still quick enough to close the distance to the arched doorway, and he swung his massive sword in their direction. Even fighting the glares that the flash left, he was meaning to stop anyone from exiting.
With a violent shove from Askier, Roen was thrown into the other room just ahead of the swing of the blade, and the Miqo’te leaped back. The sword tip just barely caught Askier on the face, drawing a line of blood. “Really, Crim, this is what it’s come to?!†he shouted, his hand digging into his satchel even as he backed away from the armed Roe.
Roen barely spared them a glance as she darted for the door, the shackles around her ankles making her stumble more than once. She yanked free the coat that Askier had hung there; she knew she was not going to make it for long outside without some protection from the cold.
“You ass!†She heard Askier snarl from the other room as her trembling hand worked to open the locked doorknob. “I’m ashamed that you ever got to taint that tea house and Delial with your madness! Take another step and I’ll make you regret you ever hunted me down after my trial!â€
“You little bastard," Crim roared, "I was gonna just knock ya good. Now I’m gonna grind yer bones inta powder!"
Roen clicked the door open. It was then that she heard rushing armored footsteps. Terror gripped her heart when she glanced over her shoulder and saw the blood-red armored Roegadyn sprinting her way, his blade drawn and a sinister grin in on his face. He was not going for Askier’s baiting--Crimson Mountain was coming after her.
Roen threw the doors open, only to have the howling winds and the cold hit her like a brick. She had no time to don the coat she grabbed, only clutched it tight to her chest as she darted out. She did not hear the shouting of the Miqo’te from the other room, nor the crash of broken glass and wood. But the thudding, armored footsteps sprinting after her could not be ignored.
To her dismay, the manacles around her ankles tugged at her gait with each step, shortening it unnaturally, and her bare feet slipped on the ice-coated stone steps. She paused only for an instant to regain her bearings, and that is when Crim’s hand grabbed her arm, his blade coming around for her throat. She jerked herself free, her wrist raised to glance off the edge of his blade with a metallic hiss. She stumbled forward and fell to the ground, her hands and knees plunging deep into snow. The chill gripped her limbs instantly.
Roen saw from the corner of her eyes Askier rounding the cabin in a full sprint, having found his exit through a broken window. He hurled odd-looking stones, and they exploded with a deafening roar, the shockwave sending her face forward into the snow. She covered her head instinctively, ducking and trying to protect herself.
The armored Roegadyn looming behind her blocked much of the stone fragments and debris that flew in their direction, but the blast sent her senses spinning and her ears rang with a high pitched ting. Before she could recover, a gauntlet gripped her hard by the arm and jerked her up and backwards. A blade came leveled against her throat, and his arm crushed her breasts as he held her firmly against him.
"Stop what'cher doin' or the girl dies."
Roen felt her body starting to stiffen already from the exposure, the coat she had grabbed now laying lifeless on the ground where she had fallen. Her trembling fingers slipped against the cold armor as she tried to pry his grip away with no avail. She saw Askier walk in an arc to stand before them, next to the cliff that the cabin oversaw. His nostrils were flared, breath misting in quick puffs and trailing south in the Coerthian dawn.
"Crim, it's over. You kill that woman... Gharen, the Flames, they will hunt you down. Do you think Delial would ever forgive you for it? Didn't you make a promise? Come on, big guy," he shouted into the icy winds. "You said you were a man of your word. Killing her would make you a liar, and I never knew you to lie before. Don't be a liar now."
"I did what I had ta keep 'er safe. You started this fight, ya coward! Now yer tryin' ta talk me down 'cuz ya can't win? Ya got no honor, Askier. Getcher arse over here, kneel down with yer hands up, and surrender. Otherwise, she dies, and so do you. It don't even matter if I kill ya 'r not. All the others ya just mentioned? Think they won't hunt you down fer all o' this? Give up while she still lives."
"She dies, I have no reason to stick around, Crim." Askier said, his voice leveled and careful. "I'll admit, I started this fight and I'm sorry, but this can't go on. I'll gladly turn myself over to the Flames and suffer their judgement than give myself over to what I know you are now capable of doing, Crim. Delial spoke so highly of you before. You really going to let her down now and kill Roen? Think this through. I'm begging you here." Â Askier got on his knees, though he still held onto the objects he had in his hand. "Let her mount my chocobo and ride away. Please."
"I wanted ta help 'er." Crim's words sounded choked now. "I offered 'er my help an' she called me a liar. Then you wouldn't make 'er shut up. I toldja I'd do it my own way, an' when I did? You attacked me." He shook his head. "So no. I ain't lettin' 'er go. I got a mission ta finish. But if you don't put'cher lil' bomb down, well... then I'm gonna have to make 'er scream. I'm not askin' ya, Askier. I'm tellin' ya... give yerself up ta me right now or I'll cut 'er pretty li'l head off an' send it ta Natalie in a box as a reward fer all the good this 'as done 'er."
Roen hissed as the blade pushed further against her flesh, the cold steel just shy of cutting her skin. Her body was starting to shake, though from the blade or the cold she did not know.
"And if I give myself to you, Crim, what happens?" Askier narrowed his eyes as he rose to his feet, distrust burning in his eyes. "How do I know you won't kill us anyway? Here you are promising to kill Roen after promising not to kill her. What do I believe now, Crim?"
“You believe that yer tongue is what gotcha inta this mess ta begin with, but it sure ain't what's gonna getcha out. Now I've done showed ya time an' again that when I get my way, I ain't hostile. But you didn't wanna play that game. So make yer decision, Askier. Either piss me off more an' see what happens, or give up. I'm past carin' which way this goes right now."
Roen stared at Askier and blinked as she watched him pull a linkpearl out of his ear and toss it over the side of the cliff. Then he discarded what he had in his hand over the edge as well; when it landed, heartbeats later, it gave a quieter boom than the one that had struck the cabin. Smoke rose from behind the Miqo’te as he took his robe off and tossed that aside as well, the wind carrying it away. He narrowed his eyes intently as he withdrew one more thing from his satchel.
"Will you at least respect the rights of a prisoner of war?" Â
Crim flexed his wrist ever so slightly, the sharp metal scratching at her skin as if in warning. The suspicion was clear in his low rumbled words. "You were my brother once. I owe ya that much."
"You swear on the Twelve?" Askier curled his hand tighter around that object in his hand, dropping the satchel now at his feet.
"I swear on the Twelve that words ain't my strong point, an' if you don't give yerself up in the next ten seconds, Roen dies." The blade at her throat slid just an ilm, and cut the flesh just enough to draw blood. Roen held her breath, readying herself for the last moments. Even as a single rivulet of blood trickled down to her chest, she knew it was not a mortal wound, but another ilm would end her life. Crim's voice was a white puff of frost next to her ears as he growled at the Miqo'te, "And I swear that on all Twelve."
"If that’s your answer, big guy," Askier gritted his teeth and his golden eyes met hers for an instant. He had a look of an apology as he traced the red line that grew down her throat, but all he could offer was a small, odd smile. Roen’s own eyes widened as she then saw something flash before the Miqo’te’s expression. She saw his chest rise in a long inhale as if he was bracing himself for something. Askier looked back to Crim, his jaw clenched.
“This is repayment for complicating my life,†Askier said bitterly.
His thumb pulled a pin on the explosive. The pin landed onto the snow without a sound. Roen parted her lips to call out something, but Askier just gave her an odd expression as he held out his hand away from him.
“Roen, I’m sorry." He sounded sincere for the first time since she has met him. He then narrowed his eyes on the Roegadyn behind her with disappointment and resignation. "I surrender, big guy. Good luck.â€
Roen gasped one half-heartbeat before she saw the blinding flash of light from his extended hand, followed by the explosion that obliterated the Miqo’te’s arm. She saw blood and flesh erupt from where the appendage used to be, bone and muscle burnt and shattered. It spattered onto the white snowy ground beneath his feet and against his face, even has his eyes began to roll backwards. Roen felt her scream die in her throat as the smell of burnt flesh assaulted her senses. She felt Crim's hold against her chest tighten painfully as they both watched Askier’s body start to fall back, the Miqo'te now limp and unconscious from the shock of the wound. His bloodied hair was tossed against his pale but blood-stained face by the icy wind that howled all around them.
And then he was gone. Askier's mangled frame plunged over the edge of the cliff, blood and smoke trailing after him.
“Was planning on it, Big Guy!†Askier snarled as he threw whatever was in his hand onto the ground. It exploded into a bright flash, followed by a thick oily smoke with a smell of sulfur and salt pepper. Roen instinctively held her breath, recognizing the choking effect. Askier turned and curled his hand around her waist, and he too darted for the door.
But Crim was not stalled for long. His heavy armored steps were still quick enough to close the distance to the arched doorway, and he swung his massive sword in their direction. Even fighting the glares that the flash left, he was meaning to stop anyone from exiting.
With a violent shove from Askier, Roen was thrown into the other room just ahead of the swing of the blade, and the Miqo’te leaped back. The sword tip just barely caught Askier on the face, drawing a line of blood. “Really, Crim, this is what it’s come to?!†he shouted, his hand digging into his satchel even as he backed away from the armed Roe.
Roen barely spared them a glance as she darted for the door, the shackles around her ankles making her stumble more than once. She yanked free the coat that Askier had hung there; she knew she was not going to make it for long outside without some protection from the cold.
“You ass!†She heard Askier snarl from the other room as her trembling hand worked to open the locked doorknob. “I’m ashamed that you ever got to taint that tea house and Delial with your madness! Take another step and I’ll make you regret you ever hunted me down after my trial!â€
“You little bastard," Crim roared, "I was gonna just knock ya good. Now I’m gonna grind yer bones inta powder!"
Roen clicked the door open. It was then that she heard rushing armored footsteps. Terror gripped her heart when she glanced over her shoulder and saw the blood-red armored Roegadyn sprinting her way, his blade drawn and a sinister grin in on his face. He was not going for Askier’s baiting--Crimson Mountain was coming after her.
Roen threw the doors open, only to have the howling winds and the cold hit her like a brick. She had no time to don the coat she grabbed, only clutched it tight to her chest as she darted out. She did not hear the shouting of the Miqo’te from the other room, nor the crash of broken glass and wood. But the thudding, armored footsteps sprinting after her could not be ignored.
To her dismay, the manacles around her ankles tugged at her gait with each step, shortening it unnaturally, and her bare feet slipped on the ice-coated stone steps. She paused only for an instant to regain her bearings, and that is when Crim’s hand grabbed her arm, his blade coming around for her throat. She jerked herself free, her wrist raised to glance off the edge of his blade with a metallic hiss. She stumbled forward and fell to the ground, her hands and knees plunging deep into snow. The chill gripped her limbs instantly.
Roen saw from the corner of her eyes Askier rounding the cabin in a full sprint, having found his exit through a broken window. He hurled odd-looking stones, and they exploded with a deafening roar, the shockwave sending her face forward into the snow. She covered her head instinctively, ducking and trying to protect herself.
The armored Roegadyn looming behind her blocked much of the stone fragments and debris that flew in their direction, but the blast sent her senses spinning and her ears rang with a high pitched ting. Before she could recover, a gauntlet gripped her hard by the arm and jerked her up and backwards. A blade came leveled against her throat, and his arm crushed her breasts as he held her firmly against him.
"Stop what'cher doin' or the girl dies."
Roen felt her body starting to stiffen already from the exposure, the coat she had grabbed now laying lifeless on the ground where she had fallen. Her trembling fingers slipped against the cold armor as she tried to pry his grip away with no avail. She saw Askier walk in an arc to stand before them, next to the cliff that the cabin oversaw. His nostrils were flared, breath misting in quick puffs and trailing south in the Coerthian dawn.
"Crim, it's over. You kill that woman... Gharen, the Flames, they will hunt you down. Do you think Delial would ever forgive you for it? Didn't you make a promise? Come on, big guy," he shouted into the icy winds. "You said you were a man of your word. Killing her would make you a liar, and I never knew you to lie before. Don't be a liar now."
"I did what I had ta keep 'er safe. You started this fight, ya coward! Now yer tryin' ta talk me down 'cuz ya can't win? Ya got no honor, Askier. Getcher arse over here, kneel down with yer hands up, and surrender. Otherwise, she dies, and so do you. It don't even matter if I kill ya 'r not. All the others ya just mentioned? Think they won't hunt you down fer all o' this? Give up while she still lives."
"She dies, I have no reason to stick around, Crim." Askier said, his voice leveled and careful. "I'll admit, I started this fight and I'm sorry, but this can't go on. I'll gladly turn myself over to the Flames and suffer their judgement than give myself over to what I know you are now capable of doing, Crim. Delial spoke so highly of you before. You really going to let her down now and kill Roen? Think this through. I'm begging you here." Â Askier got on his knees, though he still held onto the objects he had in his hand. "Let her mount my chocobo and ride away. Please."
"I wanted ta help 'er." Crim's words sounded choked now. "I offered 'er my help an' she called me a liar. Then you wouldn't make 'er shut up. I toldja I'd do it my own way, an' when I did? You attacked me." He shook his head. "So no. I ain't lettin' 'er go. I got a mission ta finish. But if you don't put'cher lil' bomb down, well... then I'm gonna have to make 'er scream. I'm not askin' ya, Askier. I'm tellin' ya... give yerself up ta me right now or I'll cut 'er pretty li'l head off an' send it ta Natalie in a box as a reward fer all the good this 'as done 'er."
Roen hissed as the blade pushed further against her flesh, the cold steel just shy of cutting her skin. Her body was starting to shake, though from the blade or the cold she did not know.
"And if I give myself to you, Crim, what happens?" Askier narrowed his eyes as he rose to his feet, distrust burning in his eyes. "How do I know you won't kill us anyway? Here you are promising to kill Roen after promising not to kill her. What do I believe now, Crim?"
“You believe that yer tongue is what gotcha inta this mess ta begin with, but it sure ain't what's gonna getcha out. Now I've done showed ya time an' again that when I get my way, I ain't hostile. But you didn't wanna play that game. So make yer decision, Askier. Either piss me off more an' see what happens, or give up. I'm past carin' which way this goes right now."
Roen stared at Askier and blinked as she watched him pull a linkpearl out of his ear and toss it over the side of the cliff. Then he discarded what he had in his hand over the edge as well; when it landed, heartbeats later, it gave a quieter boom than the one that had struck the cabin. Smoke rose from behind the Miqo’te as he took his robe off and tossed that aside as well, the wind carrying it away. He narrowed his eyes intently as he withdrew one more thing from his satchel.
"Will you at least respect the rights of a prisoner of war?" Â
Crim flexed his wrist ever so slightly, the sharp metal scratching at her skin as if in warning. The suspicion was clear in his low rumbled words. "You were my brother once. I owe ya that much."
"You swear on the Twelve?" Askier curled his hand tighter around that object in his hand, dropping the satchel now at his feet.
"I swear on the Twelve that words ain't my strong point, an' if you don't give yerself up in the next ten seconds, Roen dies." The blade at her throat slid just an ilm, and cut the flesh just enough to draw blood. Roen held her breath, readying herself for the last moments. Even as a single rivulet of blood trickled down to her chest, she knew it was not a mortal wound, but another ilm would end her life. Crim's voice was a white puff of frost next to her ears as he growled at the Miqo'te, "And I swear that on all Twelve."
"If that’s your answer, big guy," Askier gritted his teeth and his golden eyes met hers for an instant. He had a look of an apology as he traced the red line that grew down her throat, but all he could offer was a small, odd smile. Roen’s own eyes widened as she then saw something flash before the Miqo’te’s expression. She saw his chest rise in a long inhale as if he was bracing himself for something. Askier looked back to Crim, his jaw clenched.
“This is repayment for complicating my life,†Askier said bitterly.
His thumb pulled a pin on the explosive. The pin landed onto the snow without a sound. Roen parted her lips to call out something, but Askier just gave her an odd expression as he held out his hand away from him.
“Roen, I’m sorry." He sounded sincere for the first time since she has met him. He then narrowed his eyes on the Roegadyn behind her with disappointment and resignation. "I surrender, big guy. Good luck.â€
Roen gasped one half-heartbeat before she saw the blinding flash of light from his extended hand, followed by the explosion that obliterated the Miqo’te’s arm. She saw blood and flesh erupt from where the appendage used to be, bone and muscle burnt and shattered. It spattered onto the white snowy ground beneath his feet and against his face, even has his eyes began to roll backwards. Roen felt her scream die in her throat as the smell of burnt flesh assaulted her senses. She felt Crim's hold against her chest tighten painfully as they both watched Askier’s body start to fall back, the Miqo'te now limp and unconscious from the shock of the wound. His bloodied hair was tossed against his pale but blood-stained face by the icy wind that howled all around them.
And then he was gone. Askier's mangled frame plunged over the edge of the cliff, blood and smoke trailing after him.
