Rewards: Leopold Puerulus: 25 Rupees, Lightning Rod Scyllis Bravadine: 25 Rupees Areyal: 50 Rupees, Lightning Rod Leoold Puerulus, youngest and junior member of a specific guardman corps named HAREON, was scared out of his mind. He was currently at roughly two stories below the ocean and descending fast. This was because, for some horrifying reason that no one could seem to place for fear and panic, an entire city had sunk into the deepest depths that the Eastern Sea would support. He had been sent, alone due to short-staffing, to try and get to the bottom of the problem. This decision was not taken lightly. It had taken a long time to reach this decision and Leo could not say he blamed anyone for that. He had only barely managed to pass the entry exam, and further this was his first solo mission. The number of things he had to worry about was staggering. So it was that he was currently wearing loaned-out clothes that enabled him to breathe through the water, that protected him from the various unpleasantness he would otherwise encounter, and was being pulled along by a friendly Zora or two. So why, then, did he feel as though something still compressed his lungs, restricted his breath? How did he explain the feeling that every inch of his body was on fire? He reached the city, and he found his answer. The city of Impa, or at least the section he had arrived in, had problems beyond just sinking into the sea. Those wounded by the monsters roaming the sunken city lay all around him groaning and in obvious pain, with nowhere near enough medical attention. Mages desperately trying to hold the wards around the city collapsed even as more tried to rise again to take their place. Onox shouted orders with a voice as hoarse as any Leo had ever heard, and he heard sounds to rival Castle Town's bustle around him, and in the distance. This city was dying. It was lost. The only question about it, was how long they had... a day, perhaps? How much could they salvage? Leopold shuddered at the thought and began asking questions of whoever looked least busy and harried.
Areyal was immensely confused. She was here just a month ago, and everything was fine. Impa was still there, above ground. Now suddenly the whole city was underneath the waves! On the surface, there was people everywhere. Some screaming, others crying, and others trying to help. It was almost enough for her to start crying. However, her curiosity was greater than anything else. Why had the city sunk? Were there people still alive down there? She was determined to find out. She turned around to ask someone, and then saw Scylis, the Zora she had met in Castle Town. Areyal had practically forgotten she was there, what with the current situation. "Oh, this is dreadful." Areyal said aloud to the other Zora. "I hope everyone down there is okay. I can't stand the thought of someone getting hurt." Suddenly, a little boy covered in tears came running over to them. He looked about 8 years old, and was hysterical. "My pop is down there!" The little boy cried out. "You're a fish lady! Why.. Why... Help my poppa!" He was in tears, and struggled to speak between sobs. As quickly as the boy arrived, his mother arrived, and picked up the boy. She apologized as he carried him away. Areyal was touched deeply by the boy's sobs. Turning around, she spoke to Scylis, "I can do something to help. I'm not asking you to join me, but I would appreciate it." With that said, Areyal took off the dress she was wearing and dived right in. Under the water, Areyal could see the sunken city. It was surrounded in a giant bubble of air, but the inside was mass chaos. People were running everywhere, and she could see strange monsters roaming the streets. It wasn't too long ago that she had started her journey to Castle Town from Impa. She felt attached to the city, and would do anything to save it.
Scyllis should not have been here. She was doing something that was well and truly out of her league. She hadn't a single idea how this had even happened, let alone how to fix it. She dithered and paced on the surface for a moment before finally diving into the dark blue water that had swallowed the town. She had no plan. She had no preparations. She had no information to make them. This was so unlike her. Her heart skipped a beat as the sunken city came into view. She had wanted to be braver. Provided she survived, this would be quite an adventure indeed. The two Zora entered the city, the sensation of going from water to the bubble of air being a strange one. She was overwhelmed with the events happening within the city, the loudness and chaos momentarily causing her mind to go blank. When she had command of her senses again, a young man was conversing with a soldier. The boy looked fairly ragged, aged despite his youth. If he were as distressed as she was about this situation, he didn't show it. She overheard the two talking about how to evacuate the civilians. She didn't catch the whole conversation, but their tone was grim. "U-um! E-excuse me, but, if we can help...!" What had gotten into her? The words that usually were lost came so easily now... The elder soldier looked tired and about to dismiss the two Zora women, but the younger man said something. "Sir. I'd like to hear them out." The soldier seemed perturbed, but willing to listen to the younger for some reason. He sighed and left to do his rounds. The one left behind turned to them. "My name is Leopold Puerulus," he said in a tone that was far too professional, too old and tired and having too much of a forced calm for his age, "Is there anything you can tell me about this... situation?"
This was strange, it was unlike Scylis to be the one to speak up first. Usually it was her that did all the speaking. Now, a young Hylian soldier was talking to them, asking her questions! She had only come down to offer some help evacuating civilians, but now she someone was asking her for information. That was what she was going to do! A million different ideas popped into her head, but none of them seemed right. It took a little while before Areyal realized that she was standing silently, and rather awkwardly. "Oh, I'm sorry. I got lost in thought, that happens to me sometimes." Areyal grabbed her staff tightly with one hand, slightly nervous. Still unsure about what to say, she decided to just wing it. "I can tell you that over near the dock area, I saw these strange clear... leech monsters? I'm not sure. They are not like anything I've seen before, and I've been living in the water almost my entire life. I've never seen anything like them." "Oh, I forgot, I didn't introduce ourselves. My name is Areyal." Bowing, she continued to speak. Then, she motioned over to her fellow Zora. "This is Scylis. We came to help in anyway, I suppose. We're both able to defend ourselves in a fight and, well, were Zoras. Is there anything we can help with?"
"Fight?" asked Leo, finding the concept entirely foreign. Allow civilians.... to fight monsters... that were giving trained soldiers trouble. Every part of him, both as a guardsman and as a person, ran counter to the very notion. He frowned slightly and prepared to speak... "U-um... I can heal people," said the other Zora. Scyllis, was it? She seemed to have understood his trepidations. Indeed, Scyllis knew that she was no match for a trained soldier in terms of sheer combat ability. But she knew that the magic she'd managed to cobble together from old tomes was rare and, in times like these, probably useful. The boy considered it, clearly conflicted. Truthfully, the offer was tempting. He didn't like being out here on his own, possibly with the fate of an entire city riding on him. But to endanger civilians, even ones who could handle themselves, with this... He finally sighed. "All right. Take me to these things. But if things get too dangerous, run."
