It's time to take a stand [Closed]

[Kage]

Kage approached the door leading to another of his housemates' rooms. It was time to talk. He rapped on the door, softly but with a firm touch.

 

"Franz! Ye damned garlean. We need to talk. Now."

[Unnamed Mercenary]

Sitting on his desk were a pile of papers, notes really, of his more recent thoughts. To the uneducated eye, it would simply have been "Garlean writing". To him, it was research. Merc, as he liked to refer to himself, had been trying to get a better grasp on some arcane spells when Kage knocked on the door. 

 

He called out, "it's unlocked you know". He waited for what sounded like a flustered Kage to come in. No doubt, to ask him about the night before. He'd disposed of the mask and tabard he wore, but there would still be the battle wounds, just merely patched up. 

 

He got up and walked to the door, opening it.

[Kage]

Kage stood in the entrance with his arms folded. When the door opened, Kage walked in without a sound and without any other word or sound to Franz. 

 

He surveyed the fancy room. The ornate decorations. The bath tub near the wall. 

 

"Unlike some, I still have manners, even if it is my house," Kage replied. He stood near one of the seats and said, "Sit. You and I, we're going to talk. I'll talk, you listen and then I'll listen but you will answer me truthfully when I ask questions."

 

"Got it? Now, sit."

[Unnamed Mercenary]

"There's no reason for animosity. As I'm certain you of all people remember, I do have manners too. One could say double a lifetime's, not that Garlean etiquette would be preferred in this situation."

 

He motioned to the luxurious looking couch, "I'll be just a moment," walking over to his desk to close some of the notebooks and stack them neatly. "Would you care for some rolanberry leaf tea? It was brewed and stored a few days ago, as I'm certain you don't trust the water." He might not have been able to reliably cast a spell, but Frhanz's knowledge of alchemy was more than enough to make a solution that could be used to chill a teapot for a cooler beverage in the warm desert house. He'd taken to having a mid-day tea anyways. It was enjoyable.

 

Setting aside a few glasses and a basin to with enough of a chilling potion to cool down the already-full pot onto the table in front of them, he sat down. "It's there if you would like any."

 

He wondered exactly how much Kage knew, and how much of the truth he would have to divulge.

[Kage]

Kage shook his head. He was thankful for having stockpiled sweet water and ale. At least the waterfall should be clean. He held up a flask of sweet water and whispered, "No thanks, I've got something that I prefer to tide me over."

 

"I won't beat around the bush, Merc. I want to know one thing before I continue. -Did you know what they planned to do to the city?-" Kage hissed.

[Unnamed Mercenary]

"Well, that was quite....direct. What makes you think I had anything to do with 'the atrocity'?" It was clear Kage knew he as involved. Still, he'd only provide information if asked for it. There were plenty of things Kage didn't need to know, and Merc's work life was one of them.

 

edit/addition:

He added, "And you can really stop it with the "twelve-damned" part. Aren't we past that?" He took on of the glasses he had set aside and poured some tea. The chilling potion was doing its job nicely, as the glass had a just barely noticeable frost on its edges.

[Kage]

Kage growled. "I don't have time for shite, Merc. I heard your voice. It's not the hardest to remember when I've heard it enough especially when you got it out for me before. I'm pretty familiar with your voice now."

He uncorked the flask and started to take a drink. "-Did you or did you not know that the city was going to get poisoned?"

[Unnamed Mercenary]

"I believe you do. You're law enforcement and I'm a suspect. While you have no actual proof that I was there, do you really think I'd poison the only place I could call a second home?"

 

He gave the man a good stare in the eyes. The shape may have changed, but they were the same hue.

 

"I believe I already had a chance to destroy Ul'dah, even if it was unintentional. Besides, what good would mass panic be for me? A mercenary is useless if his clients are too afraid to leave their homes."

 

He took a small sip of the tea, making sure it was completely silent. "Of course I had no idea what was planned. You may be better off asking Natalie. I'm going to assume you already knew." He may not want to attack Kage all of the time, but a good "conversation" wouldn't hurt either. Kage wanted answers, but his questions were boring.

[Kage]

"If I was a piece of shite, Merc, I could easily have people run you out of Ul'dah. People are starting to get restless. Grief. Desperation. What do you think they'll do to anyone who is even rumored to have been one of the attackers?"

 

Kage shook his head. "If you knew, if you knew... I'd have had my blade driven right through you no questions asked. No matter if it'd kill you or not. Hundreds can be dying. Not just one or two. Hundreds of innocent people."

 

He stared. "What are you going to do about your involvement? Nothing? Or will you help me get rid of this menace?"

[Unnamed Mercenary]

"In all honesty, I don't even know who did the poisoning. I was simply hired by a deranged miqo'te slave, whose masters wanted a distraction. I'm sure at least one of them was involved."

 

He took another sip from the cool glass. "'I'd imagine most of the town is too afraid to do much, for now at least. Granted, even I wasn't pleased to see my time wasted on a diversion. And one to put the city into panic."

 

He paused for a moment, thinking of the consequences of what he was about to say. "You can be sure that if I'm contacted again, you'll know." He holds the linkpearl up, "isn't that how these things work?" "Besides, I quite like it here. You can be sure I won't try to cause any major problems for your life. At least, not until I have my own figured out."

 

As he stood up from the couch, the knee that had been slashed buckled in, causing him to lose his balance.

[Kage]

As the man stumbled, Kage grabbed at an arm and held his ground, gritting his teeth. He struggled but eventually he was able to place the man on one of his stupid fancy couches.

 

"This Miqo'te was named Jin'li yes? Can you give me your description of him? Was he masked or disguised in some way. I want to make this an all-out war on him. He has some people I thought would never turn on the Jewel and yet they seemed to have."

 

He paused as he took another sip of his sweet water. 

 

"Any information and help you can give, I want..." He sighed shaking his head. "Natalie had her orders but you just wanted gil. I won't tell anyone about your involvement. Possibly never, but you better make sure you are never found out. I'm not sure I can help you if someone does."

 

Kage stretched, rubbing his face. "Just... don't die." An odd expression flashed across his face as he said it as he leaves the room. "Get that leg healed."

[Unnamed Mercenary]

As Kage left the room, "As if I'd get caught! I'll draw you a sketch. Can't promise it'll be that good. Frhanz was the artist, not me."

 

He leaned over to cast a physick on the back of his knee, where the injury was, carefully remove the bronze sabaton. While the pain had been bearable, the wound itself wasn't nearly as positive. "Ah, Kage, would you be so kind to grab me the top notebook and writing instrument at my desk?" As much as he'd have preferred to get it himself, he really wasn't in quite a state to put more pressure on the leg. The walk from the desk to the door, and then getting the tea had already having been too much.

[Kage]

Kage turned right back around, shaking his head. He walked to the other man's desk picking up the notebook and ink. He placed it onto the desk near the man and waved.

[Unnamed Mercenary]

He waited for Kage to exit the room and close the door before making his attempt at another healing spell. 

 

With the door closed, he opened the notebook and flipped to a page he'd translated into a more comfortable language to work with. Described was the basic physic spell, but written in a way that a Garlean could even understand. Drawing upon some of the residual aether around him, he concentrated on the various formulas needed to rebuild the damaged tissue. A small burst of light later, he saw his result. 

.

.

.

More bleeding. Instead of rebuilding the damage AND closing the wound, he'd left out the step of patching the skin and was left with a very raw, very open wound, but in a better condition than before, if it were bandaged. He was about to give up, when he remembered one of Fhranz's tomes that had looks especially odd. The book had contained a small compartment and held a small white shard. He didn't care much for the tome himself, but the shard had been interesting enough. Absentmindedly, he pull his axe from the aether and affixed the shard to it. Perhaps not one of his best ideas, but the memories he had we correct, a soul crystal would work best with a tool the user had bonded with as a spiritual level. What else besides his axe could really fit that description?

 

Axe in one hand and translated tome in another, he tried the spell again, channeling aether to the axe. Perhaps not as expected, he didn't get another physick to work, but summoned a fairy instead. By her blue appearance, the fairy appeared to be in an Eos perspective. Did he read the wrong page when he had attempted to cast? The shock was enough to make him faint, bleeding leg and all. He slumped to the side of the couch, tome and axe wedged against him and the only thing keeping him from hitting the floor.

 

It would appear he was sleeping on the couch that night. ((to be continued elsewhere))

[Kage]

Kage returned from the city. Clear agitation was on his face and his face was pale. He paced after the information given to him and Erik.

 

Fortuitous it was that Erik happened upon them in the Quicksand. Ros had used the pearl for the linkshell that he enjoyed so much and he was glad that she was willing to bring this up. At least... she did not think him so low...

 

Kage shook his head, trying to breath. He had already told Natalie that things had needed to change and move forward. This information was so troubling... He rounded the door to Merc's room. He knocked on it, hoping that the man wasn't completely passed out. Kage needed able bodied fighters and Merc better be one of them.

[Unnamed Mercenary]

((He was, of course. Details here: post ))

 

Details posted here for easy reference.

 

While certainly not one of his "better" works, if one could say his "memory" served him well, the drawing did capture all distinct features and could easily be identified as such. He'd leave the drawing and a small note attached for Kage underneath the door to his room.

 

"Kage, as requested, here's a sketch of the man I know of as 'Jin'li'.

 

May it be of some use to you.

 

There are some things I'd like to pick up from Frhanz's house in the Black Shroud, and I'll be there for perhaps a sun or two. You know how to contact me, and I can assure you this isn't running away, but I'd rather be....prepared for what may come."

 

The letter was written in a formal Ishgardian script. His "name", signed in Garlean. Merc figured Kage could fill in the blanks in he needed to get in contact.

[Unnamed Mercenary]

Returning from the short trip in the Black Shroud to Thanalan. Merc had found a lot of useful resources there, aside from a mountain of money and other artifacts Frhanz had littering the place. It had been homey, and comfortable, but the house really wasn't Merc's to do with. Sure, he'd grabbed a few books, a few supplies, the research on Mor'Dhona Frhanz had been working on before. All the time, a certain fairy had been fluttering around the house, until he'd found one of Frhanz's tomes on basic acane magick. 

 

Giving the book a try, he activated a spell to set her free. A small flash later, and the fairy was gone. He'd have to read the book in full, and probably make a copy at a later time.

 

Back at Kage's house in the Goblet, he knocked on the door to Kage's room. "Kage, if you're here, do you have a moment?" He was being more polite than usual.

[Unnamed Mercenary]

"If ye needed to talk to me you could have done that when we said we needed to talk. Ye preferred having a good ol' bar fight over what I had to say Garlean. Leave me be. I'm not one of yours to be at yer beck and call. Whatever mess you got yourself into..."

 

"Get yourself out of it."

 

It was an expected response. He'd done everything wrong to the man and certainly nothing for trust. Still dejected at how it was handled. He spoke into the pearl once more. "It was never about any of my problems. But if you busy, that's fine. I won't be a bother. Just know I wanted to help."

 

If Kage didn't want his help, or if Kage wanted nothing to do with him, that was his decision to make. Merc would look for another solution to the city's issues, even if it meant going to the one person he felt most uncomfortable around.

[Kage]

It was as if the Twelve hated him. Ul'dah was in danger and he had his own menaces to deal with.

 

The loud sigh can be heard.

 

"I'm tired. I'm tired of all this shite. How many chances do you think there are before I break? I'm not a god. I can only take so much, and right now I'm very close to breaking."

 

A deep exhale.

 

"... I'm right at the house like I've been since you decided to have your brawl with Oscare. Just like how Natalie and I both thought we wanted to speak with you about the shite you got yourself into, helping throw Ul'dah into the mess it's in."

[Unnamed Mercenary]

He listened on the pearl. "I'll be there shortly then."

 

As he walked to a local aethernet shard, he opened a gate to the personal one at Kage's house.

 

Returning to the house, he knocked on the door to Kage's room lightly.

[Kage]

Kage sat at his desk, drinking heavily. He took a deep breath as he heard the knock and called, "Come in. The door's not locked."

 

His sword lay in a scabbard, leaning within arm's reach and his shield leaned against his shin.

 

He stared idly, waiting for whoever it was to come in. It was most likely Merc. Natalie would have just come in, she never would have needed to knock.

 

As he waited for the man to come in, his thoughts drifted once more to the thought of a Black Mage leading an army of voidsent to their gates. Never was there a time where he wished he could wield his aether as he once did before.

[Unnamed Mercenary]

He entered the room as peacefully as he could, taking care to close the door as silently as possible. It was the best he could do to show some respect, given the fact he was normally loud and impulsive.

 

Eyeing the half-empty bottle of rum on Kage's desk, he broke the silence. "I really hope that wasn't all today. Look, I want to help. Really." He sat down in a nearby chair. "But I don't have the authority you have, and my method would be quite....different."

 

"I'm just a mercenary. We're hired out to do tasks. It wasn't my job to question *he pauses for a moment* that 'thing'. I trust you obtained the sketch I had left? I thought it be fairly accurate within my ability."

 

"As for other things....just break already. Nobody is holding their expectations of you higher than yourself. Yell. Scream. Let out out your frustrations. On me if you have to. What did you really think the fight with Oscare was about? Him being an ass? No, he was a release. Although...I do regret some of the damage. If I see the man again, I'll have to make it up."

 

"And for Ul'dah, do be aware that regardless of whether I were here or not, this chaos would have happened. The same for you."

 

He'd be quiet for a while. Let what he'd said sit in. If Kage couldn't trust him as an ally, he could at least maybe get him to see a direct. Give him a purpose. Merc didn't mind being an enemy if it meant he didn't have to see someone he cared for *albeit in an odd way* depressed.

[Kage]

Kage pointed to a trash bin on the floor. "Finished the half that was left over in that bottle over there..."

 

He eyed the bottle on his desk. "Been working on this... since the sun started to rise?"

 

He sighed, closing his eyes to close himself from the world around him.

 

"So what exactly is it that you wanted to talk about? I've done all I can with my own authority. Told everyone I knew I could order around to make sure they stopped Jin'li. Gave them all a sketch."

 

"... though I had to remind quite a few that he's the reason why the prices of ale at the Quicksand are up  so high."

[Unnamed Mercenary]

Kage pointed to a trash bin on the floor. "Finished the half that was left over in that bottle over there..."

 

He eyed the bottle on his desk. "Been working on this... since the sun started to rise?"

 

He sighed, closing his eyes to close himself from the world around him.

 

"So what exactly is it that you wanted to talk about? I've done all I can with my own authority. Told everyone I knew I could order around to make sure they stopped Jin'li. Gave them all a sketch."

 

"... though I had to remind quite a few that he's the reason why the prices of ale at the Quicksand are up  so high."

 

Now aware of how much Kage had drank, he got up from the seat, and reached for the bottle. Unless Kage made an effort to grab it, he'd put it somewhere out of reach, at the cost of having to stand and hold it in the air. "I think you've had enough of this."

 

"In any case, I am dependable enough to come to your aid when needed. But I'm not a mind-reader. If you want my help, or need someone to vent frustration to, you need only tell me. As such, I'll make the effort to leave as little impact on your life as I can."

[Kage]

"Ey! Give that back, I'm drinking it!" Kage jumped off his desk, tripping over the legs of his chair as well as his shield.  He slowly crawled on top of his desk, trying to reach for the bottle as he spoke.

 

"I tried to talk to you with Natalie last night but... honestly I don't remember what she said she wanted to do with you."

 

Kage slumped slowly. He reached for the glass he had filled just prior to the bottle being taken away and drank the rest of it.

 

"What do you know about Black Mages and void sent? Because that's something I know is going to come. And I need capable people. Blades. Healers. Arcana users."