Raide peaked up above the ridge looked at the Amalj’aa encampment. About 50 of the lizards, with 20 or so captives, mostly caravaners, with a few Miqo’te huntresses mixed in. Just like the informant told him. He slides down back down the ridge to the squad of Miqo’tes, and motions to one with a mask.

“Loonh Gah, go tell our mutual friends the plan for the arrow barrage from the west is on. It should pin them between us and a sheer cliff.”

“Thus leaving them no place to run, like the prey they are. I like it.”, the masked Miqo’te nods in approval. “Are you sure you do not want direct support? I would be most eager to join the hunt.”
Raide nods his head in the other huntresses’ direction. “If it was just you, I’d be fine, but our friends…well…they might be a little uncomfortable with that.”
“Ah, yes. Perhaps you’re right.” She runs off without a sound, and is quickly gone from sight.
One of the other Miqo’te huntresses speaks up after she leaves. “How did you find out about this, Raide? Our tribe knows this land like the back of our hand, and we knew nothing about this canyon.”
Raide rubs the back of his neck. “Well, I’ve got an informant. Of sorts.”
“Of…sorts?”
“Um…I’ll tell you about it when we’re done here.”
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––-
Raide drove the rickety old wagon to the middle of nowhere in the Sagolii Desert to the meeting spot. He got off the wagon, calmed and watered the two Chocobos, who were on edge and not at all happy with the heat, and waited.
After about a half an hour, he heard a low moaning behind him. Sighing, he steps to the side, getting out of the way of a half lunging, half shambling figure.

“Damn it, Hab! I’m not your meat snack!”
The shambling figure turned around, waving his hands in a placative manner. “Ah! Sorry, friend! I wasn’t sure it was you. Not that I would have ate your brains if it wasn’t you! That would just be rude.”
“Yeah, yeah. So, did you figure out what I had you check into?”
The zombie nods “Oh, yes! You were right! The lizard folk didn’t give two wits about me, me being a zombie and all. Which makes me kind of sad, but it’s all good! I found out where your missing people are at! I even drew you a map!” The zombie digs a piece of only slightly rotten parchment out of his shirt. Raide takes it, thanking the Spinner that he wore gloves today. He studied the map intently.

“You sure you got all the details right, Hab? People’s lives are at stake, here.”

“Of course! I took the time and made sure the map is correct. I know my brains aren’t all there these days, rather literally, but that map is absolutely correct down to the last detail!”
Raide nods and puts the map in his satchel, away from anything that could rot. “Alright then, you did good Hab. I got your payment in the wagon, here.” Raide goes to the back of the somewhat covered wagon. “I got a really worn one, so if anyone comes across it, they should dismiss it as abandoned. I’m surprised it held up on the way here.” Raide opens a rather large chest in the back. Inside is a large amount of bloody brain bits.
Hab’s mouth drops open in astonishment. “By my zombie hide…are those…Aldgoat brains? Look at them all!”
“Yep. Know it isn’t your favorite snack, but people ask less questions about buying cast off bits from animals.”
“Oh, these are lovely, and don’t know what you’re inferring as to what my favorite food is.” Hab grabs a brain and starts munching on it. “It’s cold?”

“Yeah, I had some ice crystals put in the chest. The brains should keep for about a month, as long as you don’t keep the lid open. I assumed that you’d prefer fresh.”
“Ah! You truly spared no expense for me, friend! If you ever need any more help, you just let me know!” Hab then focuses his full attention on the brain in his hands.
Raide unhooks the chocobos from the wagon, mounts one, and takes the leader of the other and rides off. (“Actually, I got paid enough for taking the brains off the butcher’s hands to pay for the wagon and crystals, weird look be damned”), he thinks to himself.
––––––––––––––––––––––––

About ten minutes later, Raide stands up. “Alright, think it’s about time. You gals ready?” The huntresses wordlessly nod. Channeling his Aether, Raide fires a Ruin spell up into the air. A few seconds later, an arrow volley falls from the side of ridge into the Amalj’aa encampment. Some of the lizardmen fall to the arrows, the remainder panic.
Raide starts scribing the formulas to summon “Ok, time to go. Spears to the front, I’ll be backup with your archers.” Finishing his scribing with a flourish, the egi of Ifrit takes form. “My buddy here will help with the front.”
“Is…is that Ifrit? I knew that you were one of those Summoners…but…” one of the huntresses stammers.
Raide smirks “I find it deliciously ironic beating them to death with their own god. We better go, while their ranks are still in chaos.”
The group move into the encampment, taking advantage of the Amalj’aa’s disarray. Slaughtering the lizard men with spear, arrow, and spell, the Amalj’aa that survived the initial onslaught were driven back to the cliff wall. Just as planned. Raide ordered his Egi onwards, as the rest of his group moved in to finish the remainder of the lizards, he stands back starts concentrating on casting Shadow Flare to drive the survivors out from behind some rocks they took for cover. Just as he was about to finish, he gets attacked from behind. A large Amalj’aa that managed to find some crack to hide in and was missed. Raide yelps in pain from the spear wound, and just manages to deflect another blow with is tome. Raide gets down, and his tome knocked out of his hands, which is quickly scooped up and tossed away by his attacker. “You will defile Lord Ifrit’s power no longer, heathen!” the Amalj’aa yells as he prepares to plunge his spear into him. Just as he’s about to do so, however, the sound of thunder clap and a flash lightning slams into the Amalj’aa from above and behind. As it howls in pain, Raide grabs a spare book from his satchel. Using his favorite trick from his Thaumaturge training, he instantly calls his Ifrit-egi into being. “Yeah, about that. Ifrit? Claw his face off.”

While the Amalj’aa shrieks for mercy from his Lord, Raide scans the top of canyon. From the direction the bolt came from, he sees the figures of Hab and another undead with a Thaumaturge’s arm. Hab hands the other zombie an Aldgoat brain which it starts devouring, and gives Raide a smile and a thumbs up. Dumbstruck, Raide managed to give one in return, then returns his focus on what was left of the battle.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––-
“A zombie? Really? You’re just making stuff up, now” the Doman boy said.
Raide laughs “No, really, I’m serious! Hab’s not a bad guy. If you can get past the smell. And the rotting. And his half-hearted attempts to eat your brains.”
A Doman gal chimes in “So, did all the people get saved, then?”
“Oh, yes. All the captives were freed and returned to their homes. We also found the crystal caravanner’s cargo. Seems like the lizards didn’t even have time to get them shipped off to be used to summon Ifrit.”
“What about Hab?” the girl asks.
“Oh, Hab’s still Hab. I go visit him from time to time to play cards. He’s actually pretty good at it.”
The Doman shakes his head. “Oh, now I –know- you’re making this up, now. A card playing zombie?” He gets up. “I think I need to stretch my legs. You’re it!” He states as he tags on of the other kids. They go running off after each other. Raide shrugs, and gets his card deck out, deciding to change out a card in his current favorite hand for a card of Hildebrand and Nashu, only slightly moldy.