400 years

3

[Ishgar -400- ]

Squinting to open my eyes again, only for them to be quickly obscured with streams of billowing hot smoke. Through the dancing embers I could make out a wooden balcony overlooking a distant town.

'Wait, what?! Where am I!'

Covering my mouth, I looked to my right through the suffocating smoke but I couldn't see the blue in cat anywhere. Instead I saw something unbelievable. 'What in the world?!'

A man dressed in a suit of ancient ishgar armor was sitting on the floor, head tilted down as if  he was asleep. As I started to crawl over, I was hit with an unbearable fear and froze. 'W-what's this aura?' A heavy smog feeling much heavier then the smoke above. Then I noticed another man approaching the sleeping one. The dark form seemed to be holding something. 'Some kind of stick?'

Though obscured by the smoke and my watering eyes my brain finally registered. As the sparks from the flaming paper walls illuminated the sharp edge of the raised metal blade. 'I-It's a sword!' Without thinking I cried out to the armored man, "Look out!"

The man wielding the sword grew still before he turned and fled. As the mans figure disappeared into the flames I hurried over and crouched beside the
unconscious man. I urgently shook the man, finally he woke and his eyelids lifted lazily.

This man had thick pink hair with a deep scar on his right cheek, in black armor, with red tassels and a white scarf.

The strange man squinted his eyes in attempt to adjust his sight. "Who are you?"

He seemed groggy and I was panicking. In a frantic haste I yelled out, "There's no time for this! Let's get out of here! 'Seriously idiot, the buildings on fire!' Take my hand!" He took my hand into his powerful one. I held tight and hauled him to his feet.

I didn't care who he was, I didn't want to see anyone hurt or worse. We ran for our lives through the fire, the stairs just barely holding. My vision was shaky and I was starting to cough, but I was intent on getting us to the exit. I had one hand clamped over my mouth, the other was gripping the man's calloused hand tightly.

'There, the exit!' The promise of open air blessed me with speed. We burst through the door, into the refreshing, cool night breeze and continued barreling down the path, far from the smoke and flames.

We soon came to a stop, under the torch lit path I was in need of catching my breath. 'I'm amazed we made it out but somehow we did.' Thinking this I glanced back at the the building behind us, which seemed to be a temple that was being engulfed by uncontrollable flames. While lost in my own thoughts about how this is possibly just my imagination running wild and that I'm probably back home in my bed resting, maybe I'd gotten sick That's it, This is a fever dream! The strange man I'd saved was talking as if finally grasping the situation.

"So he thought he'd send a mere human to end me while under that damned spell. Heh, Audacious but foolish. Killing my guards and getting that close to me is another matter."

'Mere human.. wha- Wait, did he say spell!? No way, maybe I heard that wrong. I did inhale quite a bit of smoke..'

The strange man's eyes then flicked towards me. "You there. Woman. Let go of me."

'Huh,' at the sound of his husky voice now appointed to me, I realized I'd been holding his hand this whole time. 'Kyaa!!' Though I was silently freaking out I tried my best to hide my embarrassment. "Oops, sorry." I let go and pulled back. The man I'd rescued look me over thoughtfully.

"You saved my life. You may be some girl the monks snuck in for amusement but I owe you my thanks.

'Monks? Wait! He practically just could me a hooker didn't he! The nerve! I just risked my life to save his!' Now slightly annoyed I recoiled with "Really? I must have missed all the amused monks in the massive fire we just escaped. I don't know exactly how I got here." 'Sheesh, who is this guy.'

At this point I was able to fully take in the look and features of the man.. He was dressed like a star in a samurai drama and spoke like one too. His onyx green eyes were {slightly unsettling and almost childlike, Almost.}, proud and brutal, hair was actually a solid salmon color. But I could tell by the make of his clothes that they were authentic. As authentic as the sword hanging on his belt. 'Toto, I don't think we're in ishgar anymore..' I gulped at the thought.

Once again he spoke to me. "What are you staring at? Surely you know who I am."

"Um, nope I've really no clue." I reply while placing a finger to my chin. Though honestly he dose seem similar. His rugged look, those scars and hair.. It's on the top of my tongue yet I can't place it.

"You mean you saved me without knowing who I am? Not expecting a reward or favor? ... (He looked me over intently but with kindness as he spoke.) So be it I shall tell you my name. I am the man who rules all under the sun -"

"Actually, you don't really need to tell me." With the feeling that I'm not going to like what he's going to say, I interrupt him.

After brushing off the mans name, I noticed the left corner of his lips curl upwards. Flashing a fang like tooth. "You're a curious woman. No one's ever spoken so impudently to me before." He let a loud amused laugh that echoed far into the night.

'Is he smirking!? I'm sorry, did I miss something that's happening right now? What's so funny? And wow that wicked laugh could kill a kitten.'

"Kitten.." the word echoes in my mind as I'm reminded of the little feline. And I instantly panic, in fear he might've gotten caught in the fire. "Oh no! Have you seen a little blue cat around here!? Kitty, kitty! Here kitty!" I start to call out in hopes he'd some how joined us, ducking around and peering through the night.