Let's talk about the characters for a bit.

Tennor is my character. I know, big shocker to everyone. He was based on a character I made when I was 14 for a different roleplay, and I actually kind of took that roleplay as an inspiration for a more interesting backstory. I won't go into too much more detail here, as that will eventually be explored.

Mailan was played by Kristopher Cain. Unfortunately, she chose to leave the site in favor of this thing called "real life", though we still chat every few weeks. Sad, but she seems to be in a good place.

This chapter and the first were actually originally one, but I liked the ending to Chapter 1 so much that I felt like it had to have a chapter ending on its own. I probably shouldn't have separated them, but I did, so oh well.


It was a silent hike, with Tennor walking a few feet ahead of his client, eyes swiveling across the overgrown trail, in search of any signs of... well, anything. It took Mailan half an hour to try and break the ice with her new companion, "So what's your story?"

Tennor waited a second to collect his thoughts before replying, "I was a bodyguard back in the day. As was my father. He was the captain of the guards for most of my childhood, and effectively second to the king himself. After their generation was over with, I took my turn, serving as captain beneath Qu-" he hesitated for a second before clearing his throat, "Beneath Queen Ruto. And now, with the my queen and the rest of my people gone... well, I think it's all I know how to do."

Tennor couldn't see, but Mailan's mouth twitched into a small smile when he stuttered. Not a smirk, but a sad smile of understanding.

"You and the Queen... were you close?"

"About as close as a guard and a queen can be I suppose," the former steel had returned to his voice, "If I may so ask, what awaits you in Kakariko?" The last sentence held a warning, an iron curtain that hung in the air between them. Mailan's line of questioning was over.

"I've heard recently," she replied, "That the village is still safe. The walls that kept the city protected from the beasts of the mountain and the stalfolk of the field had been able to shield it from the infected as well. I'm hoping to join them."

This was news to Tennor. There was still a settlement out there? A community of regular people? It sounded too good to be true. But he wasn't one to put her down. Hope was something rare in this time; best let her cherish it... and maybe consider feeling it himself.

Tennor was surprised how good of time the two were making. Usually his clients were slower, either out of shape or overencumbered. Mailan, however, was neither of those things. It was a pleasant surprise to say the least. As they were, it would take the pair around a day to reach Kakariko.

As they approached the large field that took up a majority of the once-great kingdom, Tennor began listening, searching for any attackers lying in wait. The field was no doubt the most dangerous place in Hyrule. Even back before, the place was crawling with monsters. But they were all gone now. Scared of what had replaced them no doubt: the infected.

When the disease began to spread beyond the desert, the first major outbreak was in Castle Town. Fearing for their lives, the Hylians left the city, not realizing that they'd be trapped in the field. The landscape was all well and good for when you didn't care about leaving Hyrule, and even highly defensible in case of invasion, but the sheer cliffs were prison walls for those refugees. They couldn't escape then, and even now, without pursuit, many were still unable to do so.

Not that the creatures really wanted to. Foolish travelers came through here all the time to sate their appetites.

Foolish indeed, Tennor thought to himself.

But this was the only way for them to go. The back roads to the village all spent a large amount of time trekking Death Mountain, and while there are more mutants in the field, he'd rather deal with ten Hylian mutates than a single Goron.

Upon reaching the break into the field, Tennor was relieved to see only one mutant, off in the distance. They must be congregating elsewhere. Hopefully not after some poor soul whose life was about to become a brief living hell. He pushed the thought out of his mind... right now, he needed to focus.

"So," Tennor started, "Our best bet is to go straight across. Make a beeline for-"

Mailan stopped him and produced a map from her bag, "This is the safest route. Going straight across, we lose our cover fairly quickly. We'd have to extend our trip into the nighttime, but I know about a safehouse on the way there that should be safe for us still," she gestured to a large red X on the map.

Tennor took the map and looked at it, surprised. Most of the people who came to him just listened to what he said. Even more surprising, though, was that Mailan's plan was sound. While he didn't cherish spending the night anywhere near the accursed field, losing cover was just as dangerous. Her map had them following the forests that sat on the edge of the field, and avoiding the farm entirely. But most important was the safehouse. If they wanted to make it to the village in one go, they would have to walk through the night. If the place was fortified, not only would they have protection for a time, but they would be able to rest, making the latter parts of their journey safer, "To the safe house then."