In this chapter we hear Rasul talk. Storm, who created Rasul, wanted to use his own version of dwarven. It's kind of a mix of modern Spanish and Latin. I've done my best to write it, but I haven't taken a Spanish class in four years and I never learned Latin, so it's kinda two people writing that part. We may just switch to Tolkeinien Dwarvish. We'll figure that out soon enough.

Slowly the group was able to get to their feet, but they were a pitiful sight.

Mailan was limping. While her foot wasn't broken, it had bruised up terribly, and it didn't make for easy walking.

Tennor's heart was still racing. He swore he could still feel the energy coursing through his body, and his senses seemed to be on edge.

Dente was obviously concussed. He was doing his best to help his comrades, but the man really shouldn't have been standing up.

Iris was simply pissed. She'd hogtied the dwarf, taken his hammer, and left him on the ground where he'd fallen.

Zelda was seemingly the only one who was unharmed and unbothered. She made her way through the smoke when the voices began calling out. As they encircled the one known as Rasul, for the first time they each got a clear look at the man who had nearly wiped out their entire party.

He was dwarven, that was for sure; his beard and build gave him away. But only partly it seemed. For one, he was taller than most dwarves - only around a half foot shorter than Mailan. Not only that, his arms were covered in tattoos. Now, this was normal for dwarves. They often enjoyed decorating themselves with symbols that held deep meaning to them, as a way of making their friends and family a part of their own being. However, one specific tattoo was notable.

Just visible beneath his sleeve was the unmistakable eye and teardrop that was the sign of the Sheikah clan. While he couldn't see Iris's face, it wasn't hard for Tennor to tell that the sight of that tattoo caught Iris off guard. Honestly, it was a surprise to everyone. Even Zelda's eyes widened a little upon seeing it.

Finally, Dente broke the silence, "As interesting as his body art may be, my friends, just staring at him all day isn't getting us anywhere. Let's make ourselves at home while we wait for him to get up, hm?"

Zelda nodded, "Of course. Thank you Dente," she surveyed their surroundings, "Tennor? Go see if you can find which building Mr. Kazad was staying in. Iris, go on patrol, make sure there aren't any other mutants about. Dente... " she gave him an almost motherly look, despite the gravedigger being a fair amount older, "Just go sit down. You do not look well."

Dente gave a small bow, a look of relief on his tired face, as the three set off to do as they were commanded.

Mailan looked at her love, lines of worry caressing the young knight's face. Her color had faded more even than it had the day before. Her face more pallid, her lips less rosey. Her eyes, usually full of wisdom, felt distracted. She took Zelda's hand, "I think you need to go sit down too."

Zelda sighed, "Yes… I believe you're right…" the tone in Zelda's voice was worrisome, but with Rasul as he was, there was nothing they could do, "Take care of him," Zelda gestured to their captive, "Find him a comfortable place to rest until Tennor finds his bed."

Mailan looked at Zelda once more, and then leaned in for a kiss. The two shared a not quite long enough moment before being interrupted by a giggling.

Turning towards the noise, they saw Rasul was awake and laughing at them, "Reina et puella in caritate," he made an infantile smooching look with his mouth and continued laughing.

Mailan looked down at him in annoyance, "Shut up."

Rasul's laughing slowed a little, and he looked up at Mailan, almost confused.

"Quid?"

Mailan knelt down, "Do you promise not to attack us again?"

Rasul continued with his stare, repeating the words slowly to himself, as if trying to remember something.

Sighing, the girl pointed to her wounded foot, then touched the red mark on Rasul's face, then shook her head fiercely.

Rasul nodded, seemingly a little relieved to understand, "Aye, no morta."

Mailan hesitantly untied the ropes and Rasul sat up, immediately reaching into his pocket and pulling out a pipe. It was an intricate piece of handiwork, carved from a gemstone with a wooden shaft inserted in its back. He pulled out of his pouch three purple petals before snapping his fingers, lighting the pipe. Taking a long drag, the bald man expelled out of his mouth a noxious cloud of lavender smoke, which unfortunately traveled in the general direction of Mailan.

The smoke smelled foul. The only word that sprang to mind was dank - wet and dirty. The girl coughed. Her head was spinning, the ground looked so far away... she'd only heard of vertigo before, and she imagined that this was how it felt.

And then she threw up.

Rasul let out another deep, hearty laugh, then sprang to his feet. Mailan tried to follow, but she couldn't move very far without falling over. It was getting better slowly - she hadn't been completely taken in by the leaf-smoke - but she still could only watch from a lopsided angle as the dwarf scurried back into the village.

Nothing. Not a single building in this city looked like it had been touched in months, if not longer. The buildings were almost creepy to stand in. They felt unnaturally silent.

Emerging from a large house with a rocky front yard, Tennor noticed Rasul walking through the city. He didn't look angry anymore though, and there was no sign of a struggle. Zelda followed behind a little ways, giving a nod that said, "He's fine." Curious, the Zora approached the pair.

"Ballo pisci," the two men stared at each other for a moment. Rasul's eyes were almost unnatural. They were creamy white, as if he were blind, but it was obvious that he could still see quite well. Between that and the fact that they were shot with blood, the dwarf looked like a man possessed… and then Tennor realized that the eyes weren't really focusing. It suddenly hit him - Rasul was inebriated. It wasn't alcohol, that was for sure, but this dwarf was on something.

This was the hero who was going to help them save Hyrule? A drugged-up, unkempt hermit in a dead city?

As if sensing Tennor's frustration, Rasul turned away and began to continue his trek briskly. Following along with the Queen, the two sharing nothing but confused glances, they pursued this new party member through town, past the shop, over a lake, and down a narrow ravine. All signs of civilization disappeared as they traveled. Were they still in Kokiri Village?

Turning a corner, both Zelda and Tennor stopped in surprise. They had entered a large clearing, in the middle of which sat a giant tree - larger than any Tennor had ever set eyes on. It looked long-dead, its bark drabber than it should be, almost stonelike.

Then he noticed it. The face. And it looked so... sad.

Once more, the guard and the queen gave each other bewildered looks before following Rasul through the gaping maw of the Great Deku Tree.

While on the outside the tree was obviously massive, it seemed more so from the inside. The cavernous interior went up as far as his eyes could see, maybe even farther. The ground they walked on, while all a cambrian wood, was mossy and squished softly beneath their feet. What looked like a large hole in the middle was patched up with an enormous amount of wood, with no seeming entrance to whatever cavern was beneath them. Rasul himself continued to the far side, and to an odd bedroom-like setup, with a small table and a bed.

"So this is where you live?" Zelda asked as they caught up, surprised, "I'm ashamed to say that I never knew the Great Deku Tree in life, though I know that the Kokiri revered him as a father to their whole clan... though it seems in these days, nothing is sacred any more."

Ignoring the obvious distaste in her voice, Rasul reached beneath the bed and pulled out a large bag full of purple leaves. He held it up to his guests, as if offering them some. While it confused Tennor, Zelda quickly shook her head, which he took as a sign, also declining the gift. Rasul shrugged and began to load it into his pipe.

"Rasul Kazad..." Zelda spoke up finally. Her brows were knit together in conversation. She was choosing her words more carefully than she possibly ever had before, "The two of us were only ever tangentially aware of each other, but General Brann spoke well of your time together, fighting during the war of my father's making. I humbly thank you for your service to our nation."

No heed was paid.

"However, as you know, times have changed. While I hesitate to ask it of someone retired for so long, Hyrule once more has need of your skills. It's been said that you're both a powerful mage and alchemist, and we were hoping that, with your skill, you may be able to find a cure for the curse rampaging through our kingdom."

Finally, Rasul looked at them. But not with hope, or willingness, but mild annoyance. He waved them away, "Solo," he stated simply, "Lejos."

The queen looked down, dejected. Tennor didn't believe in much coming from this man, but he also didn't want the last slip of hope to disappear forever.

"Admittedly, we did just invade his home and tie him down. I doubt he's particularly happy with us. Maybe if we came back tomorrow, he would be more willing to listen?"

Zelda nodded, but even she struggled to hide the fear in her eyes. However, struggles are temporary, and within a moment her look was as steely as ever, as if she had never known defeat, "Excellent point. Let's leave him be then... come along," she turned heel and strutted back to the village.

The others weren't particularly excited about having to wait for another day for Rasul's answer, but they were accepting. At the very least the village seemed safe. The destruction of the bridge meant that no infected could get in, and with one man living here alone for so long it seemed that there weren't many coming in through the forest either. So each one claimed a house, and after some time, they one by one entered a fitful sleep.