A Lesson on Direction
A Final Fantasy XI fanfic by Renfro Calhoun
Disclaimer: This game, its settings and ideas are property of Square-Enix. They are used without permission, but with the utmost care and respect.
Notes: This story, and all following stories, are a set of ficlets concocted for some of my friends by request, and a couple that include my own character. Some of their quirks require a bit of foreknowledge, but by and large these stories are self-contained, and I hope y'all will enjoy them too. This one's about a good-hearted but chronically misguided dragoon and the monk that puts up with her. Thoughts are in parentheses. Have at it!
"I could've sworn it was this way," said the Hume woman with a frown.
The redheaded Elvaan tried hard not to voice her thoughts, or at least voice them impolitely. "Miss Cydori, are you absolutely certain? It just seems... implausible."
Cydori half-turned, cocking her head upward to meet Rhialyn's questioning eyes. "I know that, but I know what I saw."
"But a Yagudo, in this part of the country?" Rhialyn couldn't keep the doubt out of her tone. "This territory is home to the vile Orcs. The presence of the other beastmen would be... unusual, at the very least."
The brunette knew her comrade's words were true enough. The Ghelsba outpost, and the grottos which criscrossed through the region, were a point of daily conflict between San d'Orian forces and the Orcs. She also knew the Yagudo made their roost nearly a world away. Yet she was certain, well beyond reasonable doubt, that she had seen a sizable group of the feathered fiends not far from where she now stood.
Cydori glanced up one end of the cave tunnel, and then the other. Behind them lay the recently-deceased body of an Orcish Cursemaker, its body mangled, and riddled with stab wounds and claw marks. Nearby, Hien floated lazily about, munching happily on one of the treats she had given to the wyvern; a reward for his performance in the battle.
"I'm telling you," she insisted, "it wasn't far from here. I fell through and there were at least three or four of them. It was a miracle Hien and I managed to get out alive, much less unscathed!"
Rhialyn wasn't annoyed enough to suggest Cydori had been seeing things - she rarely let pass an opportunity for Orc hunting - but the woman's tale sounded uncomfortably close to a setup for a joke, and the Elvaan had a sinking suspicion that the punchline would be an ambush. Several parts rang particularly suspect in her mind, and she wondered if the Hume had actually visited Ghelsba.
She watched Cydori prod the ground with her spear, testing, presumably, for a hole or trapdoor. "Miss Cydori, soldiers and adventurers enter this region daily. It would be difficult to conceal such a trap."
Cydori ceased searching, shaking her head. "It had to have been around here somewhere..."
Rhialyn sighed. "If you insist."
"Although..."
The Elvaan's thoughts came to a screeching, deafening halt at the word. "Although?" Rhialyn asked, silently fearing the answer.
Rubbing her chin, Cydori gazed up at the stalactite-laden roof of the tunnel. "There are a couple things I don't remember seeing before."
(Oh no...)
"I mean, I thought we were just going in through another entrance, but I don't remember Ghelsba having so many trees or plants." Resting her spear over her shoulder, she turned fully towards Rhialyn. "It was all barren, and there were a lot of bees and such."
It hit the monk like a ton of bricks. The Yagudo, the pitfall, the flora and fauna.
In that instant, Rhialyn knew exactly what had happened. She couldn't even imagine how it had happened, and she wasn't entirely sure she wanted to.
"Miss Cydori," Rhialyn began, ignoring the barrage of questions her mind came up with, and opting for the practical one; the one which would tell her exactly what she needed to know. "Are you certain you did not... somehow... end up at Giddeus when you first ventured to Ghelsba?"
Cydori was initially defensive. "I would know a Yagudo stronghold if I saw one, Rhi."
"Have you not seen one before?" Rhialyn insistently asked, the pieces coming together upstairs. (I should have suspected as such when I saw her leaving from the east gate...)
"Well... well, no, not really..." Cydori fidgeted uncomfortably, averting her eyes. (I thought the outpost was supposed to be somewhere in the forest, but I know I was following her directions! I did... didn't I?)
Rhialyn made a heroic effort not to let her incredulity show itself. "How... how... didn't you..." she stammered, struggling for a dignified response.
"I, uh... heh," Cydori blushed, giving a sheepish smile. "I guess I read the map wrong?"
A reptilian squawk interrupted the two women. Both turned and saw Hien adopting a defensive posture, rearing up to bare its claws and fangs. Opposite Hien, a trio of Orcs had gathered, two armed with a sword and axe, beady eyes glaring at the female intruders. Rhialyn took note of the lead Orc; its weapon and armor looked more imposing and better cared for than the other two, indications of its leadership status.
"Damnable beasts," Rhialyn muttered.
Cydori heard something grunt from behind her, followed by shuffling footsteps. Instinctively she whirled and brought her spear up in a parry, and caught sight of the inbound axe just in time to properly block the swing. "Behind us!" she shouted as she shoved back the muscular Orc warrior, unbalancing it. "Two of 'em!"
Rhialyn immediately positioned herself back-to-back with Cydori, fists raised to strike. (They have the advantage,) she thought before charging, (but we are not so easily bested!)
Making a short swing with her spear, Cydori kept her opponent away. Hastily, she spun and gestured to the Serjeant, shouting, "Hien! Take him!" before turning back to the Orcs.
The axe-wielding Orc met Rhialyn's charge, swinging powerfully but wide; the monk easily dodged and countered with a blow to the stomach, doubling the beastman over and giving Rhialyn an excellent view of the now hostile wyvern launching itself at the lead Orc. She heard the blue beast screech and growl as it clawed at the Serjeant, and her own grunts added to the chorus of battle as she threw a pair of punches at the Orc before her.
Cydori deflected another blow with the shaft of her spear, but this time countered with a deft twist, flipping her weapon over and slamming the broad spearhead on the Orc's head. The second Orc closed in with a spear of his own, but Cydori was quicker, jamming the weapon into its arm with a mighty thrust. The Orc howled in pain and backed off cautiously, giving Cydori time to land a punishing strike at the first Orc's midsection.
With a triumphant "Kiah!" Rhialyn cracked the skull of the axe-wielding Orc, one solid haymaker sending the stout beastman to the ground. Her victory was short-lived as a massive fist blindsided her, knocking her into the wall. She bounced off the rough rock, her head jarred painfully upon impact, but she was fast enough to dodge the follow-up blow. The Stonechucker drove its fist into a particularly sharp rock, smashing it to bits; it shrugged off the pain with a feral growl and brought its other hand up in time to block a left hook by Rhialyn.
The monk threw three more punches before finally snaking one past the Orc's guard, catching it alongside its thick, stubby neck and twisting its head to one side. Her claws took out a small, but vital chunk of flesh, and the monster groaned in pain as dark blood began to spill from the wound. The injury was serious, the distraction fatal; Rhialyn broke the Orc's neck with the next, and final, blow.
Cydori grunted noisily as she jabbed at the first Orc again, this time punching through the armor and burying most of the spearhead into its belly. She winced at the sickening noise of steel on flesh as she pulled the weapon out, but was relieved to see the beastman crumple over, dead or as good as; she didn't care which. Turning her attention to the spearman, she ducked right to sidestep a blow and counter-thrusted, again forcing the Orc back. Mindful of her stance, she advanced on the Orc with a series of sharp, quick thrusts, and the Orc experimentally rapped his spear against hers.
The Hume was no expert, but she knew enough about fighting with a spear to know when someone was telegraphing a move. The Orc drew back, preparing for a single mighty thrust, and Cydori was more than ready to reciprocate.
Or so she thought, as the beast suddenly lashed out low and swept at her legs. She leapt to one side but didn't move far enough; the shaft of the blade struck painfully at the side of her knee, causing her to wobble and lose her balance.
"Whoa, whoa!" she cried, staggering backward. She vaguely saw the Orc raise its spear up for a downward thrust, right towards her head. Her first instinct was to fight the fall, disregarding her attacker entirely.
She opted for her second instinct. She pitched backwards and carefully, if roughly, landed on her back. The air was wrenched from her lungs, but she caught her breath as she twisted away from the incoming spear. The spear missed her left ear by a couple inches; the Orc, having put his weight into the thrust, was off-balance for a couple seconds - exactly one more than Cydori needed as she sat up and speared the beastman through the gut.
Panting, breathless and red-faced, Cydori slowly got back on her feet, her leg still somewhat sore from the strike. She turned and faced an equally weary Rhialyn, who was tenderly nursing the side of her chest.
"So," said Rhialyn between breaths, "are you positive you were actually here?"
Despite her condition, Cydori managed a little smile. "I may have been mistaken," she quietly admitted. The Elvaan monk either laughed or coughed; Cydori wasn't sure.
"Well... perhaps we should get going," Rhialyn suggested. "Doubtless our commotion drew the attention of others."
"An excellent suggestion, Rhi."
A high-pitched squawk called their attention to Hien. The wyvern sat perched on a small rock, proudly lording over the body of the Orcish Serjeant. The Orc had been virtually eviscerated, and its weapon lie several feet away; conversely, Hien didn't have a scratch on him, and held its head up with a hint of haughtiness. He then made a low, birdlike kaw and eyed his owner questioningly, and Rhialyn got the impression the wyvern was trying to look cute.
Cydori's smile grew. "Sorry boy, I'm all out of treats. But I'll get you more after we get back to San d'Oria."
The wyvern screeched in annoyance, but took flight and rejoined Cydori. The Hume turned and started up the tunnel, but stopped when she heard Rhialyn clearing her throat.
"Miss Cydori..."
"Yes?"
Rhialyn gestured in the other direction. "The exit is THAT way," she said, her voice just south of amused.
"Oh, right!" Cydori blushed. "Sorry."
