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Jun 29, 2018

Redemption

It was a typical Ul’dahn night. Warm, filled with the noise, the shouting, the colors, the swirling crowd of people around the arena, cheering, booing, cussing depending on what happened below.

But there was an attraction that has been gaining more and more fame, popularity in the last few months. A new gladiator, one they claim to hail from nowhere else but the infamous Garlemald.

Usually good gladiators drew her attention. Watching them fight improved her own skillset, her knowledge in combat, so when such news took flight amidst the good citizens, soon the au ra would find herself among them, standing and watching…

Tonight was one of those when they’d put the Garlean on show.

Yla slowly walked among the crowd, her small frame allowing her to slip through the rows of people, making her way to the front, to the railings to see better. It was still the warm-up round, one to tease the crowd, to get their flames going before they would be consumed by the real fire that their excitement would grow into…

Swords clashed, steel ringing, filling the arena while the crowd watched mostly in silence. A good strike or a splendid display of evasion would either draw out cheers, gasps of awe or boos of disappointment.

Yla just leaned on the railing, waiting for the real attraction to happen. She cupped her chin, elbow propped, some would say she was even bored.

But she wasn’t… Simply she just watched the fight, observed, analyzed, but soon found naught else but flaws in their movement and simply stood by, waiting for the time to come.

A gladius cluttered on the hard floor. The crowd went crazy all of a sudden, cheering, booing, filling the arena with the harsh sound of a thousand cries.

A gladiator lost the battle, disarmed, laying on the stone floor of the Bloodsands on his back with his foe’s blade at his throat.

“Aaaand… The victory goes too…”

The announcer shouted but Yla just zoned out, fiddling with her linkpearl for a little bit before she simply removed it and slipped it into her pocket, drifting towards the depth of her thoughts.

“Welcome the butcher of men, the terrible.. The killing machine… The Garlean!!”

Yla turned her attention back to the arena below…

Her amethyst gaze shone with a swirling blue light for a moment as she looked down, concentration taking over, glued to the portcullis.

The gates of bars slowly raised on both sides, a gladiator stepped forth, a highlander followed by four others. Most of them were past forty summers, a few of them younger. They seemed to host a terrible thirst for vengeance, ala mhigans, heated by the terrible loss of their homeland, even though now it was free from the yoke of the Empire.

But freedom will never erase the terrible years that came before, the pain, the suffering, the fight for survival… And the terrible shame of living astray, away from home or as a slave under Garlemald’s rule.

Soon the Garlean walked forward, gunblade on his shoulder, emerging from the cape of darkness to step into the golden light of the arena. It was a surprisingly young, tall man, unruly hair, crimson like the very lifeblood in his veins.

His expression was empty, his eyes seemed lifeless.

His attire was more fitting for a show than actual battle. His pale skin was almost completely revealed on his torso, littered with scars, small, spanning, like some would think he was just not aging at all and gathered all those marks through one’s whole life.

“The time for a grave encounter has come. Fate brought together our gladiators. Will Ala Mhigo defeat Garlemald or will it suffer another great defeat? Gladiators! Get ready… FIGHT!”

Those blue eyes, stayed as empty as they were before as he took on a battle stance, lowering himself to get ready for their attacks.

The ala mhigan men charged forward, thirsting for that revenge that was dangling in front of their eyes, they just had to grab it they thought… But may it be fortune or the gods, they were not on their side.

The young garlean man cut through them with such speed and ease, that four men fell in mere seconds, the youngest one found himself with a blade at his throat. He was frozen in fear, unable to move but just dropped his blade, the ringing of steel on stone filling the arena that fell silent once again.

The crimson haired butcher pulled his blade back and allowed the young man to run, leaving the arena like nothing has happened, cold as the very stone he walked.

The crowed stood up once again, booing, shouting, some cheering for the money they’ve won. He was good business. Many, simply out of spite bet against him, hopeful that his fate would be sealed soon enough, finally revenge would be fulfilled.

But it seemed that moment never came… And his owner knew that…

A lalafell business man who was shady enough already, but when Yla discovered he had some dealings with darker figures, the garlean man caught even more of her attention.

Was it punishment? Was it torture? Revenge in itself? Was it slavery?

Yla saw the last of it most likely…

He might have been a soldier of Garlemald, but what he likely did was follow orders for his own survival, serving his country, loyal even if the cause was evil in most people’s eyes. No one should be judged by their nationality alone, though he likely earned his title for a reason… But that did not stop the auri and once the match was over, she left the cheering, booing crowd behind, slipped away to the depths of the Gladiator’s guild, the barracks below Ul’dah where he was held between matches….

Guarded like a prisoner.

She slipped past the gladiators, the guards, trainers like a ghost, a shadow on the wall, unseen when she was sure that he would be in his quarters.

A small room with nothing but a bed, a broken down desk and a chair. That was his all…

While everyone was busy with the current match in the arena, the au ra used this time to talk to the garlean murderer as most seen him…

She was hellbent to see the man beneath the darkness and she had an offer.

“You are a skilled fighter... I know how you could put that to good use and not as a slave, butchering others blinded by revenge…”

That is how the visits started. She was met with hostility, stubborness, hate, judgement… She was no one in his eyes but a nuisance.

He refused everything to the point one would question. Why would she even go to such lengths to help the enemy? A garlean? A murderer?

The answer was very simple…

She saw a reflection of her very self.

He was cold, angry and tried to hide the pain that was dwelling inside, seeming like a husk, confused by emotion, by who he was, just following one goal, to survive, seen as nothing else but a killing machine.

She had people in her life now who proved she was so much more than that… Her friends who became family, even her mentor, even though that image broke upon the day he departed and the only thing left for her was to carry on with her skills, to be what she was meant to be… But she came to see the truth, that it was not her purpose…

Yla felt like it was her time to do something, to step up and help how her mentor did back then.

She came back to visit, sometimes after two or three days, sometimes she was away for longer when her own duties had priority as a Seeker Captain. But she made sure she came back. Always. Never giving up on her plans to prove to him that this is not a life he was supposed to live, even with what he has done in the past.

She saw something, a glimmer of hope, like a small light reflecting in the darkness that sometimes grew brighter, flickered like a flame before it went into hiding once again into that blackness of despair

The auri brought him books, food, took care of his injuries which the lalafell seemed to have denied to be done by proper chirurgeons or healers. Sometimes she had the pleasure to see him smile though or to chat with him, see him for the young man he was, even growing flustered sometimes, rosey colors taking over his cheeks and finally… An oath that he would never hurt her and would do anything to prevent any harm coming to her.

“Lets go for a walk someday… You said you can go out now and then. I want to show you something.”

She offered one day just to be met with doubt, judgement and grumpiness once again. These were the times when he looked like either a stubborn, picky child throwing a fit or a grumpy old man with the pain of the world on his shoulders.

One day she succeeded, convinced him to go out with her, see the people that he thought of as naught else but savages, to see their daily lives, see them for real and not just through the eyes of hate… But her plans didn’t go as well as she thought they would.

They easily got through Ul’dah, to the alleys and streets, filled with the ala mhigan refugees. Yla bought a few apples, perfect for the children playing around the streets who soon surrounded them. Doing some good to them, brightening their day and their smile would help she thought.

All three watched the hyur and the auri with huge eyes, hopeful for the sweet fruit. Yla handed one to Lucius.

“Come now, give it to the children.”

She nudged him softly but the garlean man couldn’t see past his prejudice, he would not bother with savages and just handed the apple back after voicing his opinion. Then… Things started to go downhill. Two of the three children ran off crying while the third little brave one started nomming on his apple, happy to recieve such gift from the two.

One of the other children soon showed up, sobbing with two ala mhigan men on her side who immediately recognized the crimson haired hyur.

Really quickly a crowd gathered around them and despite Yla’s familiarity with them they refused to listen and soon the first stone was flung…

Yla slapped it away with her tail, leaving the pale limb dripping petals of crimson, growing roses on the cobblestone, pleading for them to stop.

Hate made them blind and soon a rain of debris, stone, anything that was in their reach was flying towards them. The garlean man pulled the small auri and turned his back towards them, wrapping the pale woman in his protective embrace.

The screams, the cussing, the terrible death wishes, it was all so terrifying and she just trembled in his arms, whimpering.

“Sorry… I am so sorry…”

The small child with a smile run forth from the crowd, tried to stop them but it was futile. The pair had to flee and Yla felt defeated the most… She wanted this to be a good experience, wanted him to see that not all here are bad… That nationality or where you were born does not make you evil or the enemy… But she failed. Lucius slipped from her grasp and left. She wanted to follow but she had to settle this with the people first…

After a while she caught up with the garlean, and followed him back to his quarters. It became a silent afternoon, broken by sadness and a heated, bitter exchange before they settled…

He was angry, but again showed that he was not a heartless being. Even though it was another fight between the two, he ended up ripping his own shirt to take care of the injury of the auri’s gentle tail, wrapping up the pearlescent scales and in return she took care of his wounds from the encounter.

His back, his shoulders were bruised all over, marked and mangled by hate. The small auri cleaned his wounds and bandaged him, making sure he was alright. Her caring motions brought forth memories and she ended up humming to the gladiator, slowly bringing him comfort and peace with the soothing song.

“You should get some rest…”

She whispered, nudging him onto his feet from his desk and leading him to his bed. He already had one foot in the world of dreams, while the other was still in reality but it wasn’t enough to keep him fully conscious. Lucius unintentionally pulled the auri woman with him, locking her in his arms for the night… Finding them both some rest…

The morning came soon and despite the nightmares Yla had to leave soon enough, she wanted to make sure no attention would come to her presence. She had plans…

Yla’s visits have stopped… The auri spent weeks in preparation. She sow seeds of a new gladiator, one with the name… The White Wolf.

She was fierce, unbeaten from a far away land, rich, one with influence and skill now looking for fame in Eorzea. She repainted a white mask, marked it with the crescent moon and blue tears, a lamenting warrior, a lone wolf under the silvery light of the moon. It was ironically fitting. She had the scars even to speak of her experiences in battle… And for once, she allowed the world to see most of them, donning an armor fitting a gladiator.

Then her journey began.

She traveled, entered every contest and tournament for the upcoming weeks, coming out unbeaten for each and every single one of them. Sometimes it was easy, sometimes it meant days in pain without rest, but she had to keep going. She was determined… She had to do this… This was an honor towards her mentor and one to save a life… A path towards redemption.

Redemption for her and for him.

Soon the day has come… She finally met up with the lalafell who ‘owned’ the Garlean and they struck a deal.

If she wins, the Garlean is hers, if she loses, she will become a gladiator under his name.

With the tournaments and all the fake info she scattered around Eorzea she had a plausible reputation and the lalafell couldn’t refuse a good offer such us owning the next star of the Bloodsands.

The next day the arena was filled to the brim with people once more.

Yla behind one gate, Lucius behind the other. The tension, the excitement thick in the air as the announcer introduced the two of them and finally the portcullis opened and they walked forth into the light. Two scarred gladiators facing one another.

As soon as the announcer commenced the fight, the auri lunged forward but her strikes were easily parried and retaliation came but she was too quick on her feet for him to land a hit…

Both of them were terribly fast, it seemed trading blows was almost impossible. One attacked, the other danced away or parried then countered with one of his own, just for the other to evade.

Such speed was taxing and as the match dragged out longer and longer, both of them felt their stamina slipping away, invisible weights pulling on their limbs.

As soon as one of them made even a small mistake, they were punished. Yla was caught once, picked up by the leg and hung in the air as he refused to let go. He recognized her then and there… But she refused to speak and quickly used her tail, twisting his wrist to free herself and immediately step back, gaining distance…

The garlean meanwhile had a lesson in mind… And he was ready to deliver his plans.

After a few clashes of their blades, he used one of her charge attacks and lowered himself to his knee, aiming his gunblade at her.. Then… He pulled the trigger…

The booming echo of a gunshot rendered the cheering crowd silent as the auri rushed over to him, barely passing by his blade before she tackled him on the ground, blade at his throat. She was expecting the pain to set in as soon as the adrenalin would lose it’s effects on her. Her thoughts were racing in her head, analyzing what happened, to see if she won or not despite being shot, scared for her life.

But… There was no pain, no warmth nor cold from bleeding, though it was impossible for him to miss the shot… He didn’t…

It was a blank.

The woman moved quickly and disarmed him, making sure to take advantage of the situation, too fired up for this important victory over her foe.

Yla forced him up on his knees and put dagger to his throat, claiming her victory. But… It wasn’t necessary… Guards flooded the arena quite soon enough, separating the two of them.

“Seems like one of our gladiators broke some rules… In the light of that...The White Wolf is victorious over the Garlean!”

It echoed within the giant hall, the crowd cheering, many lamenting the loss of their great investment, but finally… The terrible enemy was taken down, punished in their eyes and there was more to come for him...

Yla shot a glance up and pointed at the lalafell with one of her daggers while the poor young man was taken away by the guards. She was shaken… Though it was a blank, she saw her life slip away, it could have been over… All over… It was terrifying… But she had to move.

The ul’dahn noble seemed quite upset at her gesture from the arena and motioned to her to come up to his office.The au ra sheathed her daggers and did as he expected, disappeared from the cheering crowd to head to the lalafell’s quarters nearby.

“He broke the rules using his rifle built into his blade, so after his punishment, he is all yours… He was getting boring anyway. Do you want to wait here while we finish with him or want to enjoy the show?”

The lalafell asked with an amused grin widening on his face.

“Stop that right now… I won… He is mine… I will take care of his punishment.”

Yla demanded but the lalafell refused it all, pushing the small au ra towards snapping, she was already more than tempted to end his life, he was dealing with slavers even before, he was likely one himself.

In hopes to get to him in time, he followed the lalafell down to the cells once more, to hear the crack of a whip and the rattling of chains.

Again.. And again… and again…

“Stop this.. Now! You are damaging the goods you offered!”

She said, her mask hiding the panic that was slowly starting to take over her, the terrible memories and the fear of what they are doing to him. She despised speaking about him like that.

“Why don’t you just go in and do it yourself?”

The lalafell chuckled and pushed the cell door open, letting the woman in as the two highlander guards with their whips stepped away and left the room.

“Congratulations on your victory over the Garlean”

The man chuckled, tossed her the keys then left them alone.

The small auri watched the flogged young man, horrified as his crimson blood trickled down his back, they almost flayed him alive. But there was no time for such weaknesses as panic and fear. It took her all to supress them and get a call out through her linkpearl for help.

She quickly unlocked his cuffs, his chains that held him up, hanging from the ceiling to have the man crumble into her arms. She whispered apologies, her voice shaking. She knew this pain too well, he most likely had it even worse than she did, more to add the the guilt that was like a dagger, twisting in her heart.

Her help arrived soon enough, a seawolf and a red haired elezen man ran down the stairs and helped pick up the now unconscious young man, taking him and her away in a fading blue light… Away to safety, the first step towards a new life…

..Towards his freedom. His… Redemption.

(Thank you so much @gladiatorofgarlemald)

#mystories #ffxiv #rp #gladiatorofgarlemald #thank you so much #its amazing to write with you #ylaziel #redemption #hyur #midlander #au ra #raen #garlean #gladiator

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