Five days. Some of the dullest days of my career. Nothing but walking back and forth, escorting farmers and their families across the road's and past the forests of this land. Not a single time did I have to draw my blades, but I guess I asked for it. I did go out of my way to take easy work this month. It didn't matter though, not at this time.

After another day of hiking across the terrain, I had returned to the grand capital of the Hyrule Castle City and after such a dull week, I was elated to see the busy brick streets covered with fast moving feet all across the market district.

Everyone, young and old, ran or walked briskly between the other shop keepers and customers. Most of the men and women who stood behind their stand yelled their products and what was on sale. From jewels to fish to bombs, everything was for sale. The only thing you had to worry about was who sold the better product.

I entered the city walls early afternoon and got caught up in the traffic of people. While most of the city people pushed and shoved each other and tried to scream louder than the person next to them, I mainly stuck to squeezing between any gaps in crowds and continued to walk through the hustle of the town square.

Per the usual people didn't pay attention to me, which always baffled me when I first came here. I mean personally, if I saw a tall figure wearing leather armor shrouded by a long mud brown cloak that stretched down to his heels, I would want a good look at that individual's face. Not only that, but if said individual wore a plain white mask with only eye holes carved out of it, I would probably call for the nearest guard.

Of course this was the city that housed Gorons, rock humanoid creatures with mud yellow skin and stone armor on their backs, screaming about the destructive capabilities of their bombs as a business. Not to mention the few Zora walking around who were human walking and sounding creatures but with big black eyes and blue scales instead of skin. Many of them had prominent fins on their arms or legs, so one guy in a mask was probably the least on anyone's mind.

I continued through the city after squirming past the marketplace, entering the maze like streets that scattered all throughout this great capital. Large stone buildings housing blacksmith shops and family homes were all built adjacent to one another, making multiple entrances and exits between alleyways and street corners. Yet no matter where you went, no matter how high the walls of the building next to you or in front of you were, you could always see the immense castle towering over you.

I never felt intimidated by the castle though. It was strange, but I don't think I've met a soul yet who felt unhinged by the sheer size of the royal building. At least, if I have, they never said anything to me.

But whether the castle made you uncomfortable or not, it did have a very practical use for a city lurker like me and that was working as a focal point to keep from getting lost in this city. No matter where you were, or how deep into an ally you walked, you could always find your way back to the square, and as you grew used to the city, find your destination only by using the castle as your marker.

Before long I had made the walk to a small building hidden between an abandoned house and one of the many dead end allies that made up this city. It was here I got the assignment and here where I would get my well-deserved pay.

There were no unlocked entrances, only a small bared window with a small man inside. The bars were not for his imprisonment, but for his safety. Sometimes people don't get the pay they deserve, or what they think they deserve, and fights break out faster than any raid I ever had to stop. As for me, any pay at this point of time was enough. I was tired, hungry and while I was no stranger to smelling like nature, even I admit a shower was a necessity.

The old man seemed happy to see me. His narrow slit eyes widened, if only by a hair's inch and his drooping ears pointed up ward like a puppy. Even after all this time, I had no name for him beyond old man, but that's all anyone called him. He always avoided introducing himself, instead he was strictly down to business from meet and greet to goodbyes.

"Well good to see that little jog around the country didn't finish you off."

I smiled behind the mask, but laughed after a silent pause to humor the man. "After all these years of working through you, I'm hurt you would expect an escort mission to finish me off."

The old man laughed hardily, or as hardy as one can between desperate coughing fits. "I've seen, and more recently, heard of more shameful fates to some of the best mercenaries this side of Hyrule. Besides, getting taken out while on a merry stroll seems like a far more pleasant end than being struck through by numerous arrows when fleeing guards."

He turned his back to me for only a minute, then, to my surprise, turned back sliding three hand held bags of rupees through the slot at the bottom of the window. "Honestly death while being with a fine woman doesn't seem like a poor ending either."

I stared at the bag's, hesitant to take more than what was originally offered. He laughed at my hesitation, knowing I hadn't taken my pay since he was still holding the amount in his palms.

"You've kept the ruckus on these streets to a low for two long years, and helped me resolve some of the worst kinds of crisis in my business. There's no reason that I see why a little bit of favoritism can't be thrown your way. Especially for a Job that, frankly, was more of a hassle than you were going to get paid for.

I didn't argue with the old man. I merely smiled and reached for my pay. As the bags left his grasp and entered mine, the ground suddenly shook beneath me and the air cracked loudly against my ear drum, catching me off guard and to sending me to my knees. I buried the pay into my chest; keeping sure the rupees didn't skip onto the floor and into another's reach. The only thing I couldn't keep off the ground was my mask, which fell to the ground as I lurched back and forth from the explosion.

Looking back to the town, I could see a large cloud of black smoke emitting from the square. The old man began screaming about an attack on the castle and for a moment I feared the same, but after some time passed and no other sounds of destruction came to being, I questioned the reality of an attack.

I stuffed the rupees into my satchel and got to my feet, peering inside the window at the old man, who was huddled in the corner of the small room inside.

"It's not an attack," I said as calmly as I could. "It was probably just an accident up town."

The old man continued to shiver, his eyes growing wider than I think I'd ever seen in the past two years of knowing him. I didn't understand what had possessed him, until I saw my reflection through his stare. My bright red hair, hazel eyes, and pointy nose were exposed and most noticeably, the amber jewel ingrained in my forehead. I looked to my side and saw my mask on the floor, quickly scooping it up and reaching it to my face. When I turned to see how the old man was faring, he had already done what I predicted.

Grabbing his sword and bursting out of the outer locked door, he charged at me screaming at the top of his lungs. "I will not allow you to leave this alley you demonic swine!"

I didn't bother defending myself, no use for explanations. I merely stepped aside of his sword swing and ran down the alley and toward the market place. I hoped getting lost in the chaos that the blast had occurred would cover me from my former friends gaze, as well as any guard's once he eventually alerted them and of course he did. Just like every time before. Except this time, I was chased out while someone screamed my name.

Abdule, the male Gerudo.