THE FFXI CHRONICLES
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well, first of all, thanks for taking an interest. This story is a bit long, I am aware, I apologise for that. I couldn't tell the story in a small space. If you do decide to read this chapter, or the whole story, I'd love for you to leave a comment on how I can improve it. If you read this chapter and it didn't interest you, tell me. I'd love to hear criticism about both my writing and the plot itself. If you think a bit is done poorly, and can suggest how to improve it, and I agree, I'll go back and change it also, so don't think you're just criticising for the sake of it. Other than that, I hope you enjoy the story! And either way, I hope you'll leave a comment, even if it's just yelling at me for being crap.
Well, that's enough drivel from me. If this goes on any longer you'll be bored before you read the damn thing. Enjoy!
PART I
"Wow. You pulled it off."
"Of course. You taught me after all."
"Yeah, that's why I thought you wouldn't make it."
"Huh?"
"Thought you'd be smarter."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Hand it over. Now."
"What? No!"
"NOW!"
"What's wrong with you?"
"You leave me no choice."
"AAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The sun beamed down on the city of Bastok like it always did. It was in the desert after all. A large hill overlooked the city, a refuge for monsters and men alike. Neither wanted to be found.
The sound of gold coins in bag rustling was all that disrupted the silence of the hill. Zinkata was hurling the bag around in joy. A fairly young man, in his early twenties. His hair was moderately long, grown from years of being unable to afford to cut it. All that kept it short was his dagger. A blue t-shirt and black trousers were all that protected him, but he had learnt fast that in the career path of a thief, it wasn't armour you needed, it was speed.
That said, recently he had been experiencing some strange emotions. Namely, regret. He never used to feel that. This gold coin bag he had gotten. He had stolen it off some young mithran girl who had just arrived in Bastok. It wasn't really fair. She had no idea what the city was like, and wouldn't of seen it coming.
He shook his head. These weren't the kind of feelings he should be having. He had been risen as a thief. What did he care? Unfortunately, even though he had shaken off these thoughts, it had distracted him long enough to not notice the rampaging sheep heading straight for him. He turned, but was too late. He was rammed by it and flipped directly over it. He crashed down on the other side with a groan. The gold bag flew out of his hand. He pulled his dagger as quickly as he could and turned to face the creature. His ribs were aching. Probably broken.
He was ready to stab it as soon as it attacked. But it didn't. It began making a strange noise. By the time he figured out what it was doing it was too late. The slumber song of the sheep. He drifted off into sleep, slamming to the ground.
He remembered dreamingly being dragged along the ground. Wearingly. When he opened his eyes again fully, he was in a cave. Groggy. He could make out the sheep. It was eating something off the ground. His eyes hadn't adjusted, so he couldn't make it out. He was actually glad of this fact.
Suddenly the sheep looked up. Something was bothering it by the cave entrance. It moved cautiously forwards before a black form rocketed in and onto the sheep's back. There was a gargle and the sheep was dead. Zinkata blinked, and could make it out. A black wolf. Large, angry eyes scanned the cave, picking Zinkata out right away. The bony wolf hurled itself at Zinkata as fast as it could. The thief was defenceless, and finally realised he was facing death.
Except the wolf never got to him. It sprang back comically to the ground. Something had hold of its tail. Zinkata made out by the light of the cave entrance a gigantic form. It could only be a galka. Galka were gigantic mountains of muscle, with pale blue skin and thick tails. They were actually genderless, although most referred to them as male. There was an old rule in the world of Vana'diel; 'Never anger a galka. Ever.'
The wolf recoiled and sprang at the galka. He just caught it by its neck. It thrashed its claws around wildly, ripping into the flesh upon the arm of the huge creature. It was futile. The galka hurled the wolf into the ground and delivered a firm punch to its face. Its skull was completely crushed.
"Whoa," Zinkata managed to get out as he stood up, "Guess I owe you one."
"There's no guessing about it." Came a firm response. He could now make out the galka's features. A grizzly black beard and thick black hair on his head. He looked permanently angry.
"What's that supposed to be? A subtle hint you want a reward?" Zinkata smirked as he crossed his arms.
"It wasn't subtle." The galka stated.
"Well, I never asked you to take care of the wolf. You did so at your own accord." There was a pause. "Have a name?" Zinkata offered.
"Bootus." The gigantic form responded.
"I'm Zinkata, thief extraordinaire!"
"Yes. I can see that. You being asleep in this cave and all." It was now Bootus's turn to smirk. "And give me back my wallet or you'll end up like that wolf."
"Damn!" Cried Zinkata.
"DIE YOU SPOONY MIDGETS!" Came a loud cry from outside.
"Midgets?" Zinkata responded in confusion.
"Tarutarus! They must be in trouble!" Bootus shot out of the cave. Tarutaru's were small humanoids, usually powerful magic users. Bootus's response was harder to explain.
Zinkata ran out of the cave as well to discover the cry came from a tall elvaan, wildly swinging a sword around. He had typical gigantic elven ears and short black hair. He saw the spoony midgets as well. Not tarutaru's, but goblins. And there were a lot of them. The elven swordsman was doing his best to fight them off, but he was outnumbered. Bootus quickly assessed the situation and ran in, grabbing one of the goblin's and throwing it down the hill. The elf ran to Bootus, and the goblins followed.
"Thanks, but it'll take more than that to get us out of this!" The elf cried.
"Bah, this looks fun!" Yelled Bootus. "It's clobberin' time!"
Bootus ran in and slammed one of the goblins in the face, knocking it out. Another of the little creatures drove a small blade into the back of his leg. The galka let out a roar. The elf cut it down effortlessly.
"Name's Voldos. Pleased to meet you." The elf said casually while cutting apart another goblin.
"Can't say the same. Look what you got me into." Bootus decided to stop trying to punch the small creatures, and instead kicked one. It flew across the hill, and had their lives not been in mortal danger, they probably would have laughed.
Zinkata had been watching, wishing he still had his dagger. Two of the goblins turned to face him, and he stumbled back. He was unarmed, and they had short swords. He kept backing away until he reached the edge of the hill, and fell, rolling down. He slammed into the ground and blacked out.
His eyes blinked open some time later. His head was pounding. This hadn't been his best day ever. At least it can't get much worse he thought.
"Well, well, well." Came a voice. "Glad to see you're awake." A head popped into view over him and he cursed. A mithra. A young mithran girl no less. She smiled as she looked down upon him. "Although that wound looks nasty."
"What woun- GAAAARGH!" He screamed as he tried to get up. His leg was twisted backwards and his ribs smashed. His head felt like it had been ripped off as well.
"What a shame you don't have any friends who know White Magic, eh?" She moved out of view, and he managed to turn his head to follow her.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Zinkata spluttered.
"Of course, I do. I could heal you right up with magic instantly." She stopped moving. "But why would I?"
"Don't you have an oath to this kind of thing?" Zinkata asked.
"Yes. But you stole my money. Now give it back and I'll heal you." She seemed smug.
"Love to. But I lost it." Zinkata groaned.
"Lost it?" She cried. "Aw no." She sat down. "It's not fair! That's all I had!"
"Well, it ain't yours anymore." She had her head in her hands. A moment later Zinkata felt himself engulfed in a white light. The pain faded.
"You healed me anyway?" He gasped.
"Like you said: I have an oath." She muttered. "Now get lost!" She started sobbing and Zinkata sighed.
"Oh, for the Gods' sake!" Zinkata cried. "Give it a rest. Money's easy to get back."
"For you maybe. I don't steal from innocent travellers." She spat back.
"Made a friend?" Asked Bootus as he walked over. He looked fairly cut up. His arm was still heavily bleeding, so was his leg. He had a new stab wound on his chest. Voldos limped behind, equally wounded.
"Shut up." Zinkata sighed.
"You two look like you need healing." The mithra pointed out.
"We sure as hell ain't here for the company." Bootus announced.
"Nice way to go about getting healed, there." Voldos sighed.
"Hey, she has an oath. She has to." Bootus laughed.
"Gorramit! I am so sick of that dammed oath!" Screamed the mage. With a wave of her hand, the two warriors were soon back to normal.
"Thanks." Voldos said. Bootus was silent.
"Say, don't suppose you could donate any money for my services?" The mage asked.
"No." Came the single word response from the galka.
"But-" The mithra tried to form words, "This fool means I'm broke." She gestured to Zinkata. "He stole all my money."
"Well done." Bootus said to Zinkata.
"So what do you do now?" Voldos asked, more concerned.
"I don't know. With no money I can't get an official adventurer's licence. With no licence, I don't get a house. Without a house, I have nowhere to stay." She paused. "I guess I'm going to have to camp outside the city." Voldos looked over her. She had thick orange hair, shorter than Zinkata's even. It hung in tiny pigtails down the side of her face. She was unusually short, and very lightly built.
"You wouldn't last two seconds outside the city walls at night." Voldos stated. "I can help you earn some money." He paused, looking at Zinkata. "And so will he." Voldos pulled Zinkata over. "He owes you."
"Well, then." Bootus cried. "Looks like you people need a monk. And I need a party. Just don't expect me to like any of you."
"We expect you to extend us the same privilege." Zinkata said with a smile.
"Thanks for the help." The mage managed to say, changing the subject. "I'm Vivli by the way."
"Nice to meet you." Voldos nodded. "Everybody in on this mission then?" Everybody nodded. "Excellent. Now we need to find a city guard."
"I'll tell you what I tell every adventurer." The guard said, staring at the unusual band in front of him. "It's common knowledge the mines to the north have been overrun with quadav. But, as an army, we aren't allowed to act until the government sees proof. And we can't get proof until we're allowed to act." The guard sighed at the stupidity. "So we need adventurers to go in and bring back proof of the quadav presence there." He stopped again. "We've sent many. None have returned. That is why we're looking for groups of four or above. We need to make sure that the adventurers we send will be safe." He overlooked us. "Hell, I doubt you'll come back. If you do, bring proof of the quadav, armour or something. If you manage, there's a big reward. 2000 gil for each piece." The unlikely group's jaws dropped.
"Let's go!" Cried Zinkata.
The thief led the way, happily jogging out of the city gates. Voldos followed, hand on his sword hilt already. Bootus followed, still seeming irritated at being forced into this group. Vivli took a nervous gulp, and then walked after them.
"There's something I still don't get." Bootus said as they journeyed across the desert. "Why were all those goblins attacked you, Voldos?"
"Not a clue." Came Voldos's response. "They said something about searching for somebody. That she had just arrived in Bastok. I thought I'd better stop them. A group of goblins entering the city would have caused chaos."
"Wonder who they were looking for." Zinkata mumbled to himself.
"Well, don't ask me." Vivli said quickly. "I don't know." They gave her suspicious glances.
In the darkness of a cave deep in the bowels of the earth, a black caped figure strode in, showing no fear. He dropped to one knee. A man known as Signot.
"My master, the goblins failed." Signot said to the shadows.
"No matter. She cannot hide forever." Boomed back the voice.
"She has teamed up with a group of adventurers." Signot told the voice. "Including an old friend of mine."
"Zinkata is of no concern to you anymore." The voice thundered. "The adventurers cannot protect her. She will be ours."
"They are headed to the mines. The quadav have quite a presence there." Signot explained.
"Excellent. Alert the quadav. Tell them the soldier that brings me the mithra will be rewarded greatly. Instruct them to kill the others." The voice instructed.
"Will they be able to finish them off?" Signot did not sound convinced.
"Even if the fools survive, she will still be captured. It matters not." The voice seemed to pause. "Now, Lord Signot, continue to watch them. Do not let them know of your presence or a fate far worse than any you knew was possible will await you beyond this realm."
"Yes, my lord."