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[Inquisitor]

Little bit I wrote up to flesh out my FF character, I really do play like this.

Some of it you would have to know the people who I play with (specifically Pixistix, a tarutaru white mage), but this should be relatively standalone.

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Vox and Alaine had been friends since childhood. San d'Oria was a good place to grow up, especially if you were Elvaan. It was no surprise, that when they came of age, they set out in the Ronafaure together. Where Vox went, Alaine followed.

They spent a great deal of time hunting rabbits, the hides paid out well, espeically in quantity.

"This is boring," quipped Vox, as he balanced his Onion Sword and flipped it, catching it by the handle again.

"Well, the guards said we should stay up north, and report back to them if we saw any beastmen heading towards the city," Alaine replied. Vox was always impatient, took risks. Alaine followed because, well, Alaine always followed.

"Lets go south, maybe we'll see some orcs, then we can report back to the guards and be heroes!" Vox smiled, it was clear he had made up his mind.

"We should stay here, we've nearly got our quota of hides, with these, we'll have enough money for some new gear, and I bet we can get a job from the Knights. It's almost nightfall, we should go back soon"

"You're afraid, aren't you? Haha, come on, Alaine, it's just the Ronafaure. Besides, we've not faced anything we couldn't handle so far! We showed that Pugil who was boss"

Pugils scared Alaine. They were big, nasty fish, and they liked taking bites out of people. They had killed one earlier in the day, it had been wounded, and was cornered near the sluice gates heading into the city. They had barely beaten it.

"Yeah, I know, but still, I don't think we should."

"Hah, come on, I'm going with or without you!" Vox stamped off, south, deeper into the forest. Alaine reluctantly followed.

Hours passed without incident. The night air was chilly. "I'm cold, we should head back," shivered Alaine.

"Shhhhh." Vox motioned him down, and to be quiet. Up ahead, Alaine could make out a campfire, and a lone figure pacing near it. The fire looked warm, almost inviting, then Alaine caught a glimpse of the figure in hte moonlight as it turned towards them. Cruel, bulbous eyes peered in their direction, searching.

"It's an Orc," Vox quietly proclaimed. Alaine had never seen one, and was pretty sure neither had Vox, but they had both seen sketches and heard stories. He nodded in agreement at Vox's analysis.

"What is it doing here? We should hurry back to the guards at the gatehouse, we have to tell them! He said.." Vox put his hand over Alaine's mouth.

"Shut up, let me think. There's only one of them." Vox considered for a moment and said "We can take him, we'll be heroes." Vox removed his hand, and drew his sword. "We can do this, you know we can. You don't want to hunt rabbits forever do you?"

Alaine began to protest, then shook his head. No, he didn't. There were two of them, and only one Orc. They were trained, they were Elvaan, they should be able to take the beastman. He was still afraid. Orcs meant business, and there were such horrible stories. They played for keeps and Alaine didn't want to think about what might happen if they couldn't take it.

"On the count of three, we'll rush it. It will be complete surprise. One, two, THREE!" Before Alaine could mount further protest, Vox jumped from behind the tree they were hiding behind and rushed the Orc.

Steel clashed with bone bladed axe. It was a tough opponent, they fought for several minutes, each trading blows with the beast, till finally, they defeated it.

Vox held the axe over his head in triumph. "See, what did I tell you! Hah, Orcs, who knew they were so easy to beat?" Alaine was exhausted, it didn't feel easy, but looking at the lifeless Orc, he felt a sense of euphoria. They HAD beaten it. He was strangely elated.

"This axe will make a fine trophy. Just wait till we get back to town, we'll show the guards, they'll HAVE to accept us as heroes!" Vox proclaimed and danced around the fire. Alaine sat down, "Sure, lets rest a bit though, and get out of here, I wouldn't want to run into any of it's friends."

"It was probably a lone scout, we're safe, but yeah, I expect you are right... What's that s...." The ground beneath Vox exploded knocking him to the ground. He spun and fell. As he struggled to get up, he looked at Alaine, and then his eyes widened. "Run, Alaine, behind y.." An arrow whizzed passed Alaines ears and embedded itself in Vox's chest. Vox crumpled.

"NOOOOOOO!" Alaine cried, struggling to his feet. He turned, and saw three orcs advancing. One carried a crooked staff, much like the staves that mage-adventurers around the city were seen to carry. One carried a bone axe, like the one they had taken from the first orc. The last carried a cruel shortbow, and was notching another arrow.

"Kill it," the mage hissed to the archer.

Alaine was going to die, he couldn't face three of them. He and Vox had a hard enough time with just one. He stared at Vox on the ground. The look of fear still etched into his face. He was dead, Alaine was sure of it. Alaine braced himself for the end.

Instead of a bow shot, though, he heard the sound of unsheathed metal. And then a voice, "You should pick on people your own size, I've told your brothers in Ghelsba that 100 times. But alas, you don't listen." Alaine suddenly felt warm, and a faint blue-white glow enveloped him, his strength returning.

The Galka stepped into the firelight. He was huge, at least 8 feet tall, and carried a large two handed sword that was at least as long. He had swept back grey hair and was outfitted in armor similar in fashion to his own, yet, different, more resilient. Armour that could absorb punishment. The entire effect was fearsome. "Where did you come from," croaked Alaine. "Don't worry about that, you stay put. I need to talk to your new friends," the Galka motioned with the great sword.

"Now, you gentlemen said something about 'killing' I think, lets talk about that." Alaine didn't think someone that big could move that fast. The Galka howled at the Orcs and met them beyond the edge of the firelight. The orcs had forgotten about him and rushed the Galka. Steel, bone, blood, and something that could only have been magic flashed just out of view in the darkness.

Then silence. It was unbearable, the silence, it seemed to go on for an eternity. Then a soft growl.

"Oh no," Alaine whispered to himself. His hopes of salvation vanished. Then he felt that warmth again, and the blue light flickered around him.

"I hate orcs. Always have. Nasty critters," A deep voice from the darkness cursed. The Galka stepped back into the firelight and strode towards Alaine. "What are you doing this far south, at night? Didn't those idiot guards tell you not to come this far?" The Galka shook his head and kneeled to examine Alaine's wounds. He muttered what sounded like a healing incantation. Warmth again, and more blue light. "You'll live. You're lucky I was travelling this way."

Alaine was confused. Clearly the Galka was a healer, but he was garbed as a Warrior. And only Warriors and Paladins carried swords like that. But father always said that only Elvaans and Taru pursued magely studies, that Galka were only good for swinging picks in the mines of Bastok. Clearly, this Galka wasn't mining.

"Are you a Paladin?" He asked quietly.

The Galka chuckled, "No, not precisely. Maybe one day, but no, I can safely say I am not a Paladin."

The answer confused Alaine even more. He was about to follow up with a more forceful version of the question, when the Galka turned away, and headed towards where Vox had fallen. Vox! He had forgotten about him.

"You, you will live. I am afraid though, that your friend here is beyond my skills as a healer," the Galka looked sad. Alaine's eyes began to fill with tears. "Vox.." he choked, and buried his face in his hands.

The Galka looked at him, and the sad expression deepened. Then he rummaged around in his bag and produced a small pearl.

"Hey" he spoke into the pearl, "I ran into a little trouble." Alaine could hear what sounded like a voice from the pearl as the Galka continued, "Yes, I know we'll miss the boat. Yes. Yes, I know I said I would come with you and we could fish. Yes. Yes I know I was supposed to meet you in Sandy and hour ago. Look, I am sorry, this wontt take a minute, and I'll pay for dinner in Selbina while we wait for the next ferry. Can you come into the forest and meet me? I have some new friends here, they sure could use your smiles. You can? Great, see you shortly."

"Don't worry about your friend, help is on the way" the Galka said as he put the pearl back in his bag.

"But, but, he's DEAD!" Alaine cried.

"Well, yeah, sorta. Trust me, here, have some pie, we'll only have to wait a short while."

Alaine was now about as confused as an Elvaan could get. Vox was dead, and this oaf wanted to eat pie! He watched the grey maned Galka clear some twigs from teh stones around the still burning fire, sit down, and proceed to unpack several slices of what looked like apple pie.

He offered a slice to Alaine with his right hand, while shoving another slice into his mouth with his left. "Pie always makes me feel better. Sit down. Trust me."

Alaine wanted to scream, but did as commanded. He stared alternatly at the Galka, and the lifeless form of Vox. Surely without this Galka showing up, he'd be dead, just like Vox, but now he didn't understand what they were waiting for. They should get back to the gates, they had to warn the guards. He had to tell Vox's family what happened. So many things....

Dawn was beginning to break. Alaine could pick out the faint white of the road now, they were very close to it. In the distance, he could hear a rider approach.

The Taru dismounted and stomped towards the Galka, "And WHAT was so important.." she stopped midsentence when she saw Alaine and then her eyes darted around the campsite, to the bodies of the orcs, and finally seeing Vox's silent form. "I see," she said and the Galka smiled a toothy grin at her.

"This one," the Galka pointed at Alaine, "is fine. That one is, well, beyond me." He smiled again.

The Taru shook her head and wobbled over to Vox. "He's not exactly healthy is he. What were they doing this far south?" she shook her head, the Galka shrugged. With a cute little sigh, she began waving her arms and the air became charged with magic. Then the impossible happened. Vox convulsed and began coughing. Alaine rushed to him, beamed at the Taru, "How did you?"

"Magic, my dear. Magic and alot of juice. Ooo, is that pie?" she ran to the Galkas basket and looked ecstatic.

"What happened? Did we win?" Vox groaned and smiled weakly at Alaine.

"We got very lucky," Alaine still couldn't believe it, Vox was alive. Waves of happiness washed over him. "We'll have to get you back to town."

"I would rest for a few minutes, he's been through alot, he'll be fine, but he's still very weak." Vox heard the Taru's voice and looked in her direction. The Galka had approached behind her. An odd sight, she came up to his knee, maybe, but clearly they were friends.

Vox saw them both, looked questioningly at Alaine, then turned green, turned his head, and threw up.

"See what I mean? It will take a while for that to wear off," she said.

"You two will be fine now, it's daylight, and the orcs never come this far in during the day. As soon as he can move, get back to the city and report to the guards," commanded the Galka. "Oh, and don't stray this far south again for a while. It's not safe. Ok, now, we should start walking, we have a long road to Selbina, and I have to buy my Taru friend here dinner."

"Wait, we owe you so much, what can we give you as a reward?" Alaine yelled as they walked south.

"No reward. Just get back to the castle. Stay safe." The galka yelled back. "Wait, there is someting."

"In the future, when you are a little older and a little wiser," the Taru began, "And a little stronger," added the Galka, "and you run across someone in need. Help them as we've helped you."

Alaine looked at Vox and down the road towards the unlikely pair and shook his head. He could catch snippets of their conversation on the morning air.

"So, the fishing's that good on this boat eh?"

"Yes, it's sweetaru!"

"Alright then, race you to the Crag. I'll pay the for the chocobos for the rest of hte trip. Thanks for taking the detour, those kids needed help. I couldn't NOT help."

"It's alright, you just owe me dinner. Let's hurry, if we get to Selbina before nightfall, we can make the next ship!"

Galkan fighter mage with a Taru healer. Nobody would believe him. Vox feebly stood, Alaine looked at him happily. "Let's go home."