To the Roots [Complete]

The tunnels of the Western Caves run long and deep, departing far from the multitude of surface entrances toward the center. Most of them were mapped out by now, but if you went far enough in any direction, there were always interesting things to be found. Two or three weeks ago, though, interesting news had slowly filtered its way back to the hub of the caves, and the story was idly passed around in gossip. Some strange species of plant, some people said, others said that there was a section of jungle never before found that lay atop the caves to the East. Most people thought the whole thing a waste of time, but others claimed a friend of a friend of a friend had gone missing in those areas.

Orup claimed he was too old to go off adventuring too often, or at all, but strange plants could perk his interest still. After sitting on his hands for a few days with business being low, he had decided there was nothing for it but to send out the request for a hired hand. The old alchemist had quite a comfortable little pile of savings, now, and the luxury of hiring a mercenary was one he could have on a regular basis now; they usually paid for themselves, really. The problem, though, was finding a good one.

He'd looked high and low throughout the caves, tried plenty of different men, but this week the options were limited. Maybe he was getting more and more specific in his old age, but it seemed more difficult to find people who were adequate. He had conceded he didn't have a choice; he had had to send word for Rua. Perhaps things wouldn't be this uncomfortable again.

The whole ordeal would probably take no more than a day, so he was hoping the uneasy silence could be reduced to a minimum. They also wouldn't be spending long hours in the baking sun wasting half their time just getting to their destination. Orup had high hopes he would be able to find this plant or vegetation and then spend the rest of the time studying it and taking notes. For now, though, Rua would likely be arriving at the assigned meeting place very soon. It wouldn't be terribly far to where they were going, but still a fair time to be spent before things could get interesting.

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

Rua was, if nothing else, punctual when it came to a prospective job offer, more-so when it was a follow-up offer from a previous employer. This time Ayls wasn't in sight as he strode up through the cavern's main entryway, already with his distinctive worn cloak draped across his shoulders and his satchel and longsword tied down to his hips. He looked ready to head out into the wilds, as most noted he always did.

He nodded briefly to Orup Mepple as he drew near. "'morning," he greeted, coming to a stop before the alchemist. "Your note said you had another job for me if I'm interested?"

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

Orup offered Rua a gracious nod of his own, "That I did! I suppose you've heard the talk of some plant that people have claimed to see in the further reaches of the caves. Likely it's to be nothing out the ordinary, but I'd still like the chance to get a look at it myself if I can. I've already pinpointed where most of the stories have come from, so if there's something to be found I'm sure it won't take too long. I could just use a stronger shoulder than mine to scare off any thugs who've run out of drink money."

The alchemist smiled at Rua broadly, clear that he would like nothing more than an extremely uneventful outing for the swordsman. It wasn't really anything against Rua, but dealing with cutpurses, especially further along the edges of the caves, was unpleasant. Unlike the last time he had hired Rua, though, Mepple did indeed hope that something out of the ordinary might be found. Strange species of plants often brought new insights to put him further ahead over everyone else in his profession. It was probably all the foolish hopes and dreams of a man with nothing better to do, but what could be done besides moving forward? Orup extended Rua a map with the destination marked on it, "Whenever you're ready, boy. You can take lead until we start seeing traces of it."

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

Rua nodded once, accepting the map from the alchemist. "Yes, they started talking about it some time after they cleared out the skulltula infestation," he remarked as he examined the parchment. The markings Mepple had made on it were pretty clear on where they were headed.

"Well, I guess that makes sense," he muttered to himself, moving the map closer to the nearest hanging lantern in the tunnel. "Those parts of the tunnels haven't really been used in years..."

He rolled up the map and slipped it into the satchel on his hip, taking the lantern itself from the wall. "Let's get going," he said, heading forward.

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

It was interesting how the Western Caves had shaped many of the citizens of Southern Hyrule. As much as Orup loved the wilds, loved spending long hours picking through different plants or carefully harvesting ember seeds, the caves were home now. Many people had been unnerved by the prospect of living beneath the earth, trapped in dark, stony tunnels for days on end, but after fifteen years it was security of the highest order. Maybe it was because of this, or perhaps some other subtle variable, but the walk with Rua in the caves didn’t seem nearly as uncomfortable.

In an exceedingly good mood, Orup decided he wasn’t ready to give up on conversation just yet. Besides, the worst that could happen would be the conversation dying after half a dozen words like it had every time on their way to the outpost a couple of weeks ago. “So,” Orup began slowly, trying not to sound too concerned, “do you have any family with you in the Western Caves?”

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

Rua's walk halted momentarily at his employer's innocent-enough question. A couple youngsters, born in the caves after the fall of Kakariko and the exodus to this earthen, honeycombed sanctuary, ran towards them, and he sidestepped the two to hide his action. While his scarred face hid his feelings as usual, he was somewhat surprised Mepple would ask--not on account of the attempt at conversation, but at not knowing in the first place. He thought that what had happened to him at their former hometown was common knowledge among the populace of the Western Caves by now.

Well, it's not like it's a secret, he thought, moving forward again. "They're dead," he informed the alchemist, not looking back at him or the retreating children. "Parents were slain when Kakariko fell. Don't know what happened to my sister. Most write her off as dead as well."

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

Orup missed a step and nearly fell over with no hope to look half as gracious as Rua had. Apparently there was much worse that could come about from a stray question. Of course, it made complete sense--thousands had been killed in the slaughter at Kakariko; the alchemist cursed his short sightedness for not even imagining the situation. The boy seemed to accept it, as well he might fifteen years later, but no one really wanted to talk about what had happened.

He tried to take it in stride as best he could; if Rua could be nonchalant about the death of his own family, then awkwardly diverting topics wouldn't be necessary, "Most people, you say? But not you?" The words were out of his mouth before he even realized he had decided to speak. By the goddesses, Rua was stone cold, and he, Orup, wanted to talk cordially about the man's butchered family? Diverting the conversation would have been entirely worth looking the fool for it. Well, all that could be done now was let it run its course.

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

It took Rua a moment to respond. A slight crinkling around his eyes, hardly noticeable if one wasn't looking and impossible for the alchemist to see, was the only hint at the emotion he must've been feeling. "I don't know," he said, shaking his head briefly. "I can't rule out the possibility that she did. It's been fifteen years with no sign of her... and you've no doubt heard what moblins eventually do to their prisoners." His voice went dark at the end.

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

The alchemist grimaced; Rua likely carried huge weights of pain over this, but who didn't after Kakariko? What was worse, knowing how someone died, or not knowing if they had died at all? He suppressed that familiar sickening feeling in his stomach that always came for this topic. He knew the conversation wasn't doing anyone any good at all at this point, and his natural urge to provide false comforts and bed-side manners took over, "Hyrule's full of impossible stories. We can't rule anything out until we see it ourselves, and even then you have to wonder."

He sighed, delivering a heavy shrug and attempting to turn the topics finally, "What do you intend to do, though? The money you make is more than you need to survive, I know that much, so what are your plans? Not guarding an old man like myself until you're my age, I think. Take your lady and travel to the north? Build a house on the outskirts and settle down? The caves are home, now, but no one wants to die here." Houses were expensive and relatively rare; most considered living away from the caves and outposts too risky of a proposition, but it wasn't out of the question if you were thoughtful about it. Many people wished to build up surface houses and villages once more, others idly waited for rescue from the north, and then still others like Orup himself had accepted that a death in the Western Caves was the best thing you could realistically hope for. Well, at least he could die peacefully someday, well situated away from prickly, uncomfortable conversations with a stoic mercenary.

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

Rua's lips tightened into a grimace at Mepple's notions, pulling at the largest scar running down the length of his face. The older man was correct about the many fabulous stories that circulated through Hyrule, but Rua had come across enough old Moblin campsites to know that what they did to their prisoners wasn't one of those impossible tales. He shook his head in mild irritation. "Some life that would be. What good would it do?" he asked, glancing back at the alchemist. "Hyrule abandoned us when Ganon tore his way up to Death Mountain. It's been fifteen years with hardly a peep from those bastards. Some of the people here can try and cross the mountains and hide in the north if they want. I won't be one of them."

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

Orup frowned; maybe Rua was younger than he had thought. What, did the man think he could slay Ganon himself? He supposed plenty of men still wanted to push Ganon out the land, but Orup had long since crossed it off as impossible. No point trying to convince a man with a death-wish to do anything rational, but he couldn't help but ask, "So what do you plan to do about it, then?" Some men set their goals at the reclaiming of Kakariko, some still at reclaiming all of Southern Hyrule, and others claimed that help from the North would be enough to destroy Ganon's armies. However, the Hylians hadn't had so much as a single, consequential victory in fifteen years, and they would be lucky if their homes in the Western Caves never got invaded at all. All you could do was take what you had and make the best out of it for as many years as you could.

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

"I'll keep searching," he informed the alchemist matter-of-factly. "People scattered when Kakariko was attacked. There's still people out there who escaped and never came here, but never got caught by Ganon's hunting parties. There's bound to be someone out there who knows what happened. And I'll know where to go from there."

Whether it lead him to a house, a cage, or a grave. Rua remained silent on his other objective--he didn't need to make his employer think he was suicidal as well, trying to hunt down the monstrous general that had led the attack on their home town, and slaughtered his parents.

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

The already near-sallow face of the alchemist paled a fraction of a shade more with Rua's words; the man truly was irrational. He thought to find a single body in the pile of thousands? Moblins didn't bury their dead, they burned or ate them. Orup shot a glance at his bodyguard and shook his head. No sense in pointing out what the man had likely thought through a thousand times already, and Orup refused to be conscripted back into this conversation. "Well, I hope you find whatever there is to find, then. If anything outstanding shows up, let me know; I may be able to give you something useful for the journey," he offered weakly with every hope that Rua would forget long before it came about.

Not only did Orup give up on conversation, he did his best to suppress it for a while. Talking to the man seemed a consistently exhausting experience, and he needed time to catch his breath. That time turned into a few minutes, then half an hour, then an hour, and it finally only broke when they both caught sight of what they were looking for. A long, prickly appendage that came from the darkness of the tunnel in front of them and sunk itself into the stone at their feet. Half in surprise, the alchemist commented aloud, "I've never seen anything like this. This thing, it must be a root, appears to have broken through the the stone in the cave; I've no idea how deep this might go."

He bent down, pulling out his belt knife and cutting a chunk big enough so he could see the center of the root. To his surprise, the root seemed almost to shiver as it was cut, as if it were actively aware of being harmed. Respondent plants weren't unheard of in Hyrule, but it could very well mean the situation at hand was much more dangerous than he had thought before. Picking the severed piece up with a handkerchief, he examined it carefully, "The fluid that runs through these roots looks less nutritional and more like a carrying fluid. These prickly things on the ends also look unnatural, like they'd secrete some kind of compound to break down the rock; I don't know why though. Be careful around these, though; they may be poisonous."

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

It was almost a relief for Rua when Mepple spotted the unusual growth emanating from the cavern wall--the line of discussion had once more taken his mind down paths he didn't like traveling. He was well aware of how morbid a topic discussing his goals were--it's why he didn't talk about it. He'd upset enough people over the years to understand that. With the alchemist distracted, Rua brought his lantern up to the wall to provide the man with the light needed to see the root properly.

"If this plant you're looking for is real, and conscious to boot, are you going to need it alive?" he asked in response. "Because the only plants like that that I've seen are carnivorous."

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

"Of course I want to keep it alive! If we kill it I may only get a day or two with the remains before decomposition makes it all pointless. I've read about some very foul carnivorous plants in Hyrule, and you can always keep your safety so long as you're careful. Well, usually anyway." Orup's tone now had become quite excited, though; the prior conversation long forgotten in the moment. The specimen before him completely consumed all attention he had to offer, and he had every notion set on unearthing all the secrets the plant contained. Removing a drawstring pouch from his pack of supplies, he carefully placed the item he had cut off into the bag, fastening it into a safe location.

"No time to waste, Rua. The sooner we find out where this leads the better!" And without another word, he began the hastened pursuit of the root's origins. Lighting his own lantern, Orup held it close to the root at all times, looking for any irregularities. Half an hour passed until, unsurprising to everyone but him, a sharp, hurried turn around a corner ahead of Rua sent the alchemist straight into the chest of a man who had been advancing down the tunnel in the opposite direction.

Tall and wide with a nose that looked broken since the day of birth, the man looked decidedly unhappy and generally mean. Sporting a leather vest that looked stolen from someone slightly smaller than him, the hunk of a man carried an iron mace and a look of menace. Before Orup could so much as offer a word of apology, the man took a single, calloused look at the alchemist before delivering a heavy punch straight to the his large belly. The blow knocked him off his feet, sending Orup tripping back a few steps before falling to the ground in a heap. Snarling, the bruiser spoke before he realized Orup was not alone, "He said there was some'n coming. Guess I'll have t--" He broke off when he realized the heavyset man in his fifties wasn't the only one listening, narrowing his eyes and tightening his grip on his mace.

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

Rua cursed as his employer hastily moved on ahead, as if forgetting the main reason why he had even brought him along for this outing into the cavern's catacombs. He upped his pace as the alchemist turned the corner, and as Mepple rebounded off someone, all the hairs on the back of Rua's neck stood up.

Something was wrong.

His instinct was confirmed as a muscled arm slammed into his employer's gut.

Everything became clear as the brute stepped into view, muttering to himself--while Rua could hardly profess to know everyone who lived in the Western Caves, he was certain this man was not one of them. His trot broke out into a full out sprint: body crouched over, legs pumping, one hand drawing his longsword in a silent rasp. By the time the brute had become aware of his presence, the mercenary had already crossed the distance, swinging his blade upwards in a rising arc at the man's throat.

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

Unfortunately for the thug, he was still barely alive as he hit the ground, labored gurgling sounds filling the air. The destruction of his throat had been quick, though not necessarily clean, and the man's life ended moments after being struck down by Orup's bodyguard. With a large pool of blood now filling the ground, the man's body became lifeless, and the alchemist, whom he had temporarily knocked down, struggled to his feet. Rubbing his belly in a massaging motion, the older man grimaced at the corpse at his feet, "Looks like things might be more complex than I had imagined. Well done, though, Rua; I'm glad you got a chance to pay for yourself this time."

The man's words were hollow, devoid of life or emotion; death had a way of putting you in that state, even after you had seen enough of it to last you two lifetimes. With a massive sigh, he nodded soberly toward the corpse, "See if there's anything worthwhile on him and we'll keep going." Orup was, by no means, a brave man, but even cowards had a way of forgetting danger at the turn of something interesting. Perhaps it was foolishness instead of courage that drove the alchemist now, but he had every intention of finish what had just begun.

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

Blood splashed the front of Rua's coat where it missed his blade, and he stood up as the man's body fell back, gurgling as he drowned in his own life fluids. After making sure that the body had stilled, the mercenary turned back around and approached his employer, taking his arm and hauling him back up to his feet. "You alright, sir?" he asked, knowing it was a bit of a hefty blow the man had taken.

As Mepple's orders, Rua returned to the corpse and knelt down, wiping the blade clean on his victim's vest. He threw open the vest and searched through the man's pockets and bags, but found little--except for, curiously, the glowing triangular panel hidden in a small sack tied to the man's belt. He stood up, holding it out for Mepple to see. "Just one of these," he remarked. "I don't see anything else on him."

He kicked his mace away as he turned to lead his employer down the tunnels again--the weapon would be of little use in the tunnels, which limited the range of a good swing. His own weapon was only marginally more useful with its design.

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

The encounter with the thug left Orup's excitement almost as damaged as the dead man's throat. Almost. Where excitement had fled, though, fervor replaced it. Rua would lead from now on, there was no escaping that, but the roots were the only guide they truly needed. It had been a good hour now since the first sign of them, and things continued to look promising as smaller roots connected to larger stems, and the entire system twisted and turned through the depths of the Western Caves. Occasionally roots would breach the ceiling or floor once more, but they always seemed able to track the main one through the warren of the tunnels.

Something nudged Orup's mind though, a feeling of uneasiness that had arrived only within the last turn, and the alchemist stopped. He was not the most perceptive of men, but the last encounter had set his nerves on edge, and he had no doubt Rua doubled his own awareness. Sure enough, just quiet enough to be drowned over his own labored breathing and shuffling footsteps, it sounded as if two men were arguing not far from them. Their voices faintly echoed through the tunnels, and it sounded as if they knew well enough to keep their voices hushed, but the stone walls were quite unforgiving.

The passage ahead of them turned a sharp turn and then another, arcing back to the way they came in a tight U-turn. It was no wonder the two Hylians might have sensed them, because the arguing men stood only a handful of meters away. In the heat of their argument, though, the men, only identifiable by voice, appeared completely unaware. There really was no telling who they were or why they were here, but, if they had made it past the first man in these narrow corridors, then Orup refused to take a chance. Too much was at stake! The part that reminded him of the true insignificance of their mission fell on deaf ears, and the alchemist turned to Rua in a hushed voice, "No sense in losing the element of surprise. Kill them both as quickly as you can, boy." There was no point in trying to take prisoners to root out questions; there could be more allies in the immediate area. The roots had been growing larger and larger, and Orup began to feel they were close to their destination, though the size of their goal continued to mystify him. Licking his lips, he gave Rua an eager nod to not spend a moment longer in wait.

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

Rua cautioned Mepple as they made their way down the winding passage, towards the sounds of the arguing voices. The light from their two lanterns, held within the cover of Rua's own cloak, wasn't bright enough to betray their location, and it could not glint of the blade of his still-drawn sword, dull and aged as it was. Like the brute he'd already killed, the warning bells were going off in his head, letting Rua know that these two were trouble.

At his employer's command, Rua nodded silently. Laying his weapon down, he doused his lamp and tied it down to his hip before taking up his sword once more. He pushed off from the ground in a sprint, and the only warning the arguers had was the sound of his fluttering cape. Both of them bit off curses as they went for their weapons, but Rua had already leaped into the air, bringing his sword up overhead and slashing down at the nearest of the two. One man fell back with a scream, his shirt and chest laid open in a bloody gash.

Rua pivoted around, bringing his blade up and back in one hand, point forward. The other man, a burly man with a shaggy black beard raised up his own weapon, a shorter, thicker machete and snarled wordlessly at the mercenary. With a swiftness that belied his bulk, the thug charged forward, swinging from right to left at Rua's neck. He ducked under the attack, pushing forward and stabbing. His blade missed as the thug sidestepped his attack, returning the favor with a thrust of his own. Once more Rua ducked, ignoring the sound of torn cloth as the machete's edge sliced through part of his old cape. The thug swept his weapon to the side and slashed once more, forcing Rua to deflect the weapon on the flat of his own blade.

The two of them circled each other as Rua struck once more, bringing his sword down in a heavy vertical arc. The brute caught the weapon on his own, using his own strength to shove the weapon away, using the mercenary's surprise and unbalance to slam his hand into his face, shoving him back.

"Gaahhh!" His face throbbing with pain, Rua fell back, staggering and trying to keep his balance. His sword slipped from his fingers, clattering to the dirty stone floor. He looked up, only to see the thug gone. He craned his neck to find the man descending rapidly at him, blade falling downwards for a killing stroke. Snarling, Rua stepped forward, throwing one hand and catching the man by the forearm, halting the descent of his machete. His other hand swept back and up, slashing upwards with his hunting knife. The man snarled in pain as the blade sliced through the tendons of his forearm, reflexively throwing his weapon back behind him with the momentum of the injury. He broke free of Rua, leaping backwards.

Rua smirked, knowing his opponent was done for. Just as he lunged forward, however, strong arms encircled his own, and he grunted in surprise as he was pulled back, causing his knife to slip from his fingers as well. "What the--!?"

The sudden dampness on his back, soaking through cape and tunic alike, told him all he needed to know.

Didn't I already kill you!? Rua thought in outrage as the victim of his surprise attack tightened his grip.

The other thug growled as he picked up his machete with his good arm and charged forward, mad enough to kill. The hell with this, Rua thought. He struggled, twisting in the other brigand's grip and tried to jump, shoving his weight back into him. He managed to curl his legs up, and using the man for a springboard, the mercenary shoved off and out of his grasp. Landing on his feet, Rua dove under the machete as it was swung, rolling across the ground and snatching up his discarded sword in the process. Twisting around, Rua snarled and slashed upwards with an underhanded grip, parrying the next swing. He lunged at the thug with the opening, using both hands to drive his blade upwards.

The thug halted, and his mouth flapped uselessly, trying to speak but making nary but a gurgle as Rua's blade sank into his neck, bursting out the other side. His arm dropped to his side and Rua yanked his weapon free, breathing hard as the corpse collapsed. Wildly, he looked around for the other man, only to cry out in surprise as the wounded brute tackled him from the side, sending them both hurtling into the ground. The thug pushed up and brandished a long dagger, lifting up to strike. This time, however, Rua kept a firm grip on his weapon, and as his back bounced against the hard ground, he swung the bloodstained weapon around and drove it through the man's side. A scream cut through the air as it burst out through the criminal's back, but it died out quickly as the thug slumped to the side.

With a growl, Rua shoved the man off of him, yanking his weapon free in the process.