The heavy wooden gates of Alexandria groan shut behind us, cutting off the chilling wind of the port. The air inside the community is thick with the smell of sawdust and woodsmoke, a stark contrast to the salt-spray of the docks. I feel the weight of the Colt 45 at my belt and the absence of my left hand, a constant, dull ache that reminds me of Negan’s cruelty.
Seth
Everything here feels too fragile. We brought these horses and an old man into a sanctuary that’s already living on borrowed time. If the Saviors track us, these walls are just kindling.
Shane
Seth, get the horses to the stable and get Elder Brenna settled in the infirmary. I don't like the look in that old man's eyes, he's seen too much for this place.
Seth
I’ll take care of it, Shane. But keep your scouts on the perimeter. That fog at the port wasn't natural, and something tells me we weren't the only ones watching those shipping containers.
“I walk up to the old guy so how does it look?”
SUCCESS (Good Diplomacy, rolled +0)
Seth
Look at this place, Elder. These walls are high, but they won't hold back the rot if we bring it inside with us. How does it look to you?
Elder Brenna
It looks like a graveyard that hasn't realized it's dead yet, son. You're trying to build a fortress, but I see a cage. The wood is rotting at the joints, and the men here... they have the eyes of people waiting for their turn to be slaughtered.
Seth
He’s not wrong. Everyone here is just existing. They aren't living. If I don't turn this place into a real community, the Saviors are just the first of many things that will tear us apart.
The Elder turns away, his gaze sweeping over the silent, grey houses of Alexandria. A horse stomps its hoof nearby, the sound echoing unnaturally loud against the sudden stillness of the afternoon.
Shane
Don't listen to him, Seth. He's just another mouth to feed who's scared of the dark. Get him to the infirmary before he starts infecting the others with that gloom.
“Maybe I should take him to the kingdom what do you think Shane?”
SUCCESS (Good Diplomacy, rolled +1)
Seth
Maybe the infirmary isn't the right move, Shane. The Kingdom has resources, and their leadership isn't buried under this same fear. We could offer him sanctuary there, where he might actually be useful instead of just another burden.
Shane
You're suggesting we pack him up and head back out? Through the rot, with those Saviors sniffing around for any sign of movement? You've got a death wish, Seth. Or you just don't trust what we've built here.
Seth
I trust what I build. I don't trust the rot inside these gates. If Shane won't see the decay, I need to make sure Elder Brenna survives the fallout regardless of where he ends up.
Shane stares at the gates, his jaw tight, his hand resting instinctively near his holster. The wind picks up, swirling dust around the horses and masking the distant, rhythmic thumping against the exterior of the wall.
Shane
Fine. Take him. But if you aren't back by sundown, don't expect me to keep the gates unbarred for you.
+ Scene Quest Added
Escort Elder Brenna to the Kingdom safely.