The Chronicles of Zelda: Twilight Remnants

Mechanisto · 08-27-2007, 01:38 PM

Kakariko's main street was silent and empty under the coming dusk. A few figures could be seen walking the village's only road, but they moved quickly and hunched... with an obvious sense of paranoia. Or perhaps dread... that would certainly work to the master's favor.

The scout gazed down upon the street, as if hungry. It eyed the figures below, it's tiny muscles coiled as if to spring. They were humans, all of them; the strange rock beings were nowhere to be seen, as expected. The Rock Beings had abandoned the village less than a week ago, returning to their volcanic home without offering the humans any explanation, or even warning.

Now only a few humans remained, wandering the streets and tending what few jobs needed tending. The scout was well above them all, and constantly out of sight. It clung to the side of the canyon wall with a practiced ease... sometimes it picked it's way over the angular walls and roofs of the buildings that had been constructed against the natural rock face. Though the sun was always strong, there were always shadows... pools of it here and there.

The scout's head tilted sharply, it's long, parabolic ears twitching. It's entire body snapped into motion, sending it crawling along the rugged rocks and angular walls with the frantic speed of a spider. It flowed over the surfaces easily, flitting across the wide road unseen. The scout's awareness darkened...

...the scout's awareness returned to it after an unknown period. It had chosen it's destination well; it was indoors now, clinging tightly to a rafter. The strange, garbled sounds of language drifted up. The scout could not understand speech, but it could certainly recognize it as ordered sounds.

The scout peered through the rafter it clung above, the wooden material becoming transparent to it's eyes. Three figures... one the spiritual leader of this place. A tan-skinned, imposing figure, dressed in traditional robes. The scout had seen him talk much, but do little. The second; a slender, pale figure, more nervous than most. The thin man's clothing was practical and rugged, unique in the town; his home was made of metal, and his fingers smelled of powder and fire.

The third figure... the third figure... was different. She had arrived perhaps a month ago, with a cage made of wood and cloth and wheels, enslaved to a beast of burden. She wore the rugged leather gear of a frequent traveler; her eyes were a glinting green, her hair long and gold, and her skin slightly tanned. She was... determined. Her voice was loud and sharp; qualities the scout's simple mind could not comprehend. The scount did know that she was eager to leave the village, and had been for some time. The paranoia that hung about the village did not seem to take hold in her... not as deeply, anyways. All three of the figures below recognized that the village was under seige, but only one seemed to desire escape. The others desired to hide indoors and wait for aid, as the master had predicted.

The scout's slitted eyes rolled up into it's skull, and it's sleek head trembled with a silent effort. It's awareness ranged outside the village walls for a moment... searching... it wouldn't be long now.

---

Renado shook his head, resolutely. "Absolutely not. The village itself has yet to be threatened. There is no danger here, and no need for a desperate escape that may well deliver us to harm."

"No threat!?" Barnes was trembling, but his fists were clenched. "D'ya hear the howling!? That racket is bad enough at night... but now it's closer than ever, and during the day as well!"

Renado held a hand towards the trembling engineer; a forceful gesture. "If the source of this howling had intended to ravage the city, it would have done so far earlier. Whatever it's intentions, it is no mindless predator. Our watchguards have seen shadowy things at night... but fearful as they may be, they have done nothing but test our borders and watch our roads."

The woman glowered, her green eyes flashing. Her own fists were clenched, but in anger rather than fear. "I've been stranded here for almost a month now, Renado! A MONTH! Every day I remain is two days of profit lost... not all of us are willing to cower behind such flimsy walls."

"Cower?" The shaman's eyes became as stern as iron. "This is a village, Penelope. Not a garrison. How dare you ask simple villagers to risk their lives for simple wealth?"

She seemed chastised, but only for a moment. "I have no need of commoners; I can do the driving and packing myself. But I'm not the only traveler stranded here, and they may not feel particularly compelled to stay much longer, twiddling their thumbs and waiting for doom. I shall ask for volunteers; I'm sure the stranded visitors will be all to eager to set out, and they seem prepared enough to deal with a few beasts."

"Cripes, mi'lady! No-no-no-no... It'll take more than some hired thugs to make a safe passage for ya." Barnes clasped his hands on the girl's sleeve, as if pleading. She recoiled from the touch with a look of mild disgust. "Them castle guards don't forget us that easy, and as soon as they notice the caravans ain't comin' through, they'll send help. Sure as sunshine! Wouldn't ya rather walk out of here with a troop of royal soldiers to either side of you?"

The young woman eyed the old man's scraggy face, and her bitter determination seemed to soften for a moment. Before she could bring herself to agree, one of the town's citizens thrust aside the cloth hanging over the building's exit. His face was dire; more so than usual.

---

The scout's head snapped to the newcomer, and it's eyes focused on his fearful expression. The timing was almost flawless. The scout's awareness faded again as it moved, this time carrying it to the roof of the sanctuary building. It watched as the three figures burst out of the building's exit and rushed to the source of the panic. The scout's body flickered repeatedly, slipping from one shadow to the next as it followed. It crouched from a hidden vantage, eyeing the scene below.

The three figures followed the villager to the center of town, where a wounded figure lay. An outsider, from a distant castle, bearing the armor and spear of a Hylian guard. The armor was battered and broken in places, and his spear cracked in half. The three figures were in shock at the sight. The Scout could hear them, and send their words back to the master, but it did not need to understand their language to know what they spoke of. The guard was the sole survivor of a squad a dozen strong. The scout knew this already; it had witnessed the attack.

The scout's ears pricked periodically, listening faithfully. If this did not keep them firmly in their place, the master would be... displeased.

---

The streets were silent, with mourning and despair as well as fear. The haunting howls that filled their days and nights were no longer distant and ghostly; the soldier's terrible wounds and nightmarish stories were proof that they were all too real. None of the villagers intervened or even spoke as Penelope, owner of the delayed caravan, walked to the center of town and pounded a narrow stake firmly in the ground She hung a freshly painted wooden sign from it where all could see, and walked back to her caravan without even glancing at anyone.

Nobody approached the sign, or even dared to look directly at it. The scout flickered to the opposite side of the canyon, it's eyes focusing over the vast distance easily as it strained to read...

WORK OFFER! Mercenary escort needed for short escort duty with single-horse caravan. No experience required, bring own gear. None will be turned away. Pay is 40 Rupees and free trip to Castle Town. Contact Penelope by tomorrow. No children or cowards.

It regarded the sign for a moment, it's head tilting curiously. The words were nothing but squiggles, but it could tell the woman was of a rebellious mood. She clearly hadn't consigned herself to her fate yet.

The master would be... displeased.

08-27-2007, 01:38 PM	#1
Mechanisto Tiny frog! Aww! Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 28	The Chronicles of Zelda: Twilight Remnants Kakariko's main street was silent and empty under the coming dusk. A few figures could be seen walking the village's only road, but they moved quickly and hunched... with an obvious sense of paranoia. Or perhaps dread... that would certainly work to the master's favor. The scout gazed down upon the street, as if hungry. It eyed the figures below, it's tiny muscles coiled as if to spring. They were humans, all of them; the strange rock beings were nowhere to be seen, as expected. The Rock Beings had abandoned the village less than a week ago, returning to their volcanic home without offering the humans any explanation, or even warning. Now only a few humans remained, wandering the streets and tending what few jobs needed tending. The scout was well above them all, and constantly out of sight. It clung to the side of the canyon wall with a practiced ease... sometimes it picked it's way over the angular walls and roofs of the buildings that had been constructed against the natural rock face. Though the sun was always strong, there were always shadows... pools of it here and there. The scout's head tilted sharply, it's long, parabolic ears twitching. It's entire body snapped into motion, sending it crawling along the rugged rocks and angular walls with the frantic speed of a spider. It flowed over the surfaces easily, flitting across the wide road unseen. The scout's awareness darkened... ...the scout's awareness returned to it after an unknown period. It had chosen it's destination well; it was indoors now, clinging tightly to a rafter. The strange, garbled sounds of language drifted up. The scout could not understand speech, but it could certainly recognize it as ordered sounds. The scout peered through the rafter it clung above, the wooden material becoming transparent to it's eyes. Three figures... one the spiritual leader of this place. A tan-skinned, imposing figure, dressed in traditional robes. The scout had seen him talk much, but do little. The second; a slender, pale figure, more nervous than most. The thin man's clothing was practical and rugged, unique in the town; his home was made of metal, and his fingers smelled of powder and fire. The third figure... the third figure... was different. She had arrived perhaps a month ago, with a cage made of wood and cloth and wheels, enslaved to a beast of burden. She wore the rugged leather gear of a frequent traveler; her eyes were a glinting green, her hair long and gold, and her skin slightly tanned. She was... determined. Her voice was loud and sharp; qualities the scout's simple mind could not comprehend. The scount did know that she was eager to leave the village, and had been for some time. The paranoia that hung about the village did not seem to take hold in her... not as deeply, anyways. All three of the figures below recognized that the village was under seige, but only one seemed to desire escape. The others desired to hide indoors and wait for aid, as the master had predicted. The scout's slitted eyes rolled up into it's skull, and it's sleek head trembled with a silent effort. It's awareness ranged outside the village walls for a moment... searching... it wouldn't be long now. --- Renado shook his head, resolutely. "Absolutely not. The village itself has yet to be threatened. There is no danger here, and no need for a desperate escape that may well deliver us to harm." "No threat!?" Barnes was trembling, but his fists were clenched. "D'ya hear the howling!? That racket is bad enough at night... but now it's closer than ever, and during the day as well!" Renado held a hand towards the trembling engineer; a forceful gesture. "If the source of this howling had intended to ravage the city, it would have done so far earlier. Whatever it's intentions, it is no mindless predator. Our watchguards have seen shadowy things at night... but fearful as they may be, they have done nothing but test our borders and watch our roads." The woman glowered, her green eyes flashing. Her own fists were clenched, but in anger rather than fear. "I've been stranded here for almost a month now, Renado! A MONTH! Every day I remain is two days of profit lost... not all of us are willing to cower behind such flimsy walls." "Cower?" The shaman's eyes became as stern as iron. "This is a village, Penelope. Not a garrison. How dare you ask simple villagers to risk their lives for simple wealth?" She seemed chastised, but only for a moment. "I have no need of commoners; I can do the driving and packing myself. But I'm not the only traveler stranded here, and they may not feel particularly compelled to stay much longer, twiddling their thumbs and waiting for doom. I shall ask for volunteers; I'm sure the stranded visitors will be all to eager to set out, and they seem prepared enough to deal with a few beasts." "Cripes, mi'lady! No-no-no-no... It'll take more than some hired thugs to make a safe passage for ya." Barnes clasped his hands on the girl's sleeve, as if pleading. She recoiled from the touch with a look of mild disgust. "Them castle guards don't forget us that easy, and as soon as they notice the caravans ain't comin' through, they'll send help. Sure as sunshine! Wouldn't ya rather walk out of here with a troop of royal soldiers to either side of you?" The young woman eyed the old man's scraggy face, and her bitter determination seemed to soften for a moment. Before she could bring herself to agree, one of the town's citizens thrust aside the cloth hanging over the building's exit. His face was dire; more so than usual. --- The scout's head snapped to the newcomer, and it's eyes focused on his fearful expression. The timing was almost flawless. The scout's awareness faded again as it moved, this time carrying it to the roof of the sanctuary building. It watched as the three figures burst out of the building's exit and rushed to the source of the panic. The scout's body flickered repeatedly, slipping from one shadow to the next as it followed. It crouched from a hidden vantage, eyeing the scene below. The three figures followed the villager to the center of town, where a wounded figure lay. An outsider, from a distant castle, bearing the armor and spear of a Hylian guard. The armor was battered and broken in places, and his spear cracked in half. The three figures were in shock at the sight. The Scout could hear them, and send their words back to the master, but it did not need to understand their language to know what they spoke of. The guard was the sole survivor of a squad a dozen strong. The scout knew this already; it had witnessed the attack. The scout's ears pricked periodically, listening faithfully. If this did not keep them firmly in their place, the master would be... displeased. --- The streets were silent, with mourning and despair as well as fear. The haunting howls that filled their days and nights were no longer distant and ghostly; the soldier's terrible wounds and nightmarish stories were proof that they were all too real. None of the villagers intervened or even spoke as Penelope, owner of the delayed caravan, walked to the center of town and pounded a narrow stake firmly in the ground She hung a freshly painted wooden sign from it where all could see, and walked back to her caravan without even glancing at anyone. Nobody approached the sign, or even dared to look directly at it. The scout flickered to the opposite side of the canyon, it's eyes focusing over the vast distance easily as it strained to read... WORK OFFER! Mercenary escort needed for short escort duty with single-horse caravan. No experience required, bring own gear. None will be turned away. Pay is 40 Rupees and free trip to Castle Town. Contact Penelope by tomorrow. No children or cowards. It regarded the sign for a moment, it's head tilting curiously. The words were nothing but squiggles, but it could tell the woman was of a rebellious mood. She clearly hadn't consigned herself to her fate yet. The master would be... displeased.