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[hider=Chit Chat]
This was looking to be getting pretty complicated and messy, wasn’t it? If even Enli didn’t have any clear idea what to do, then Atzi was definitely even more stumped. The large woman exhaled between clenched teeth, leaning against the wall of her hut as she scratched her hair. The second key was, fundamentally, something that would [i]definitely[/i] be difficult to find, while the first key was going to be something that drew the attention of all cultists in a hundred kilometer radius.

But in that case…

[b]“That big fish is still a problem, right?”[/b] In a way, she was grasping at straws, but in another way, Atzi was thinking broadly. [b]“What if we just…fed the first key to the fish? And had the cultists fight that? Use problems to solve problems?”[/b]

She didn’t [i]really[/i] want to go to Akala for help either. The priestess of the Moon was busy enough, after all, and Enli…didn’t Enli just say some time ago that they couldn’t trust anyone outside of this room?

[b]“Hm…I suppose that would be one way to handle it?”[/b] Enli replied with a frown. [b]“Getting it to cooperate would be another matter entirely, though. We’ll have to see how Seelay’s hunt turned out. She might have already killed it.”

“...Atzi, I could use your help if we find the first one.”[/b] Maira glanced over to her friend. [b]“I could probably handle it, but…it’d be better just in case to have two of us.”

“I’m still not sure if bringing it here would be a good idea.”[/b] Enli sighed. [b]“But I’ll trust the two of you with whatever it is you decide. Now if you’ll excuse me,”[/b] The village chief bowed his head. [b]“I really must speak with Akala.”

“Alright, tell her I said ‘hi’,”[/b] Atzi replied, waving at the village elder as he made his exit. [b]“And yeah, Maira, I’ll tag along even if you didn’t want me to. Just…”[/b]

The phantom sensation still annoyed her, but more than that, even if her body was in good condition sans right arm, the dark-skinned woman didn’t have the time to readjust her instincts to accommodate for her current body.

[b]“…let me find Achel first, alright? Think I’ll get a skeleton arm. Just for this.”[/b]

There’ll be time after the blizzard and after the cult for living with her mistakes. But for now? She’ll accrue more debt if it have her what she needed to protect her loved ones.


[b]“A…skeleton arm?”[/b] Maira frowned. [b]“How would that help?”[/b]

Atzi waved with her stump. [b]“Two arms are better than one?”[/b]

[b]“...I guess?”[/b] Maira seemed completely dumbfounded by Atzi’s logic, frowning and trying to come up with a logical answer for it, but soon gave up and sighed with a shake of her head. [b]“...Atzi, please be careful. You really should be resting…”[/b] The huntress stopped her cleaning, quietly picking up her things from the cabin, sheathing her hunting knives, arrows and bow. [b]“I’ll head out. I’ll meet you near my cabin. We can head out from there once you’re done with Achel.”[/b]
[/hider]

[b]"Yeah,"[/b] Atzi smiled, ruffling up Maira's hair. [b]"I'll see you there then. Be sure to pet Tallen before you leave though, yeah? I'm sure he misses you."[/b]

With that, the dark-skinned woman pulled a cloak over her shoulders once more as she prepared to set up, fumbling a little bit with the brass pin before she could get the nail through the fabric. Nodding at her friend once more, Atzi stepped out of her hut and into the blinding light of the snow-covered village once more. The trip to the church, and then the catacombs, was uneventful but vaguely pleasant. Light exercise had always been better for her than a full rest, after all, and though her stump still burned from the medicinal herbs patched against it and the still-ruined flesh underneath, it wasn't any sort of pain that she couldn't stand at all. Just a reminder, once in a while, to make sure to use her left arm instead of her right.

Which, of course, [i]really[/i] didn't matter when the gloom of the crypt revealed Achel and a [i]total stranger[/i] being beset by zombies?

Zombies? No. Colt, that drink-loving farmhand, who kept too many pets in his home to ever be that popular with the village maidens. Shuunti, smiling even now with her lips frozen off, famed across Dawn for her flower-infused beverages. Familiar faces that passed too soon. Familiar faces, risen to besmirch the names of the fallen.

Atzi sucked in a breath, clenched the one fist she had left. Emotional labour, always. And to think her mood had been so...not bad just moments ago.

[b]"Shit."[/b] Her eyes narrowed. [b]"Hey, don't carve em up if you can help it, stranger!"[/b]

She advanced, warlike. Swatted away Shuunti's arms with such force to send her spinning, before stepping so they were back to back. It was easy after that. Her left arm curled around the undead woman's neck and then Atzi leaned forward, her large frame offering leverage enough to lift the entire body off the ground. The limbs continued to flail ineffectually, but without any way to kick off, nor the higher intelligence to get out of this particular hold, that was all the zombie could do.

Her one eye settled on Achel, and then softened.

[b]"I [i]will[/i] rest,"[/b] she said, unmoving despite the writing human over her back. [b]"Could you tie this one up so I can?"[/b]