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[color=FBF8EF]In short order, the thugs were dispatched, falling to the ground in various states of injury and unconsciousness. One, in particular, was on death's doorstep, and Seviin rushed over to his side, scowling at the 'concerned citizen' who'd intervened. Another was held at knifepoint by a second 'concerned citizen'. How brazen it was, how [i]obvious[/i]! Seviin groaned inwardly. She had not only to save a life here, but also to allay suspicion. How young their rescuers were, how noble-seeming in the quality of their instruments and attitudes. If Ashon had played his role beautifully, and the fox-masked woman well enough, the other two were walking exemplars of the stereotype that huusoi did not know subtlety. 

Two of the thugs were yasoi, one was a human woman, and the remainder, surprisingly, was eeaiko. While the woman and one of the yasoi shook their heads to clear them and took off at a run, the other two weren't going anywhere. [color=F0FFF0]"Stay still,"[/color] the priestess commanded, her grip firm and gentle. [color=F0FFF0]"And you may yet avoid passing from mother Oirase to father Exiran."[/color] He was weak and gushing blood from the massive [i]chunk[/i] taken out of his neck. [color=F0FFF0]"You may yet avoid judgement for your many sins,"[/color] she murmured, trying to focus on the wound. She had never healed an eeaiko before. In theory, they were like huusoi, but their joints were different, and she could not tell if the pallor of the man's skin was natural or due to blood loss. She could smell perfume on him: the cheap sort used by prostitutes, but it was no matter. The world faded into the background and she simply [i]worked[/i].

It hadn't stopped, however. [color=92278f]"I said your cat is mangy, and I'm here for steal from these rich... [i]suulest[/i]!"[/color] hollered the yasoi who she had by the neck. [color=92278f]"What you will do, Ersandenise? Kill me? With people watch?[/color] Indeed, while many had retreated, they [i]were[/i] present: at the mouths of alleys and sidestreets, sheltering beneath awnings, and peering out from windows. A good few eyes were on Dorothea as well: both human and yasoi. [i]His[/i] darted about, trying to catch some of these, before returning to Lunara challengingly. 

Dory found herself and her brilliant rifle objects of intense scrutiny. [color=00a651]"You didn't have to kill him!"[/color] shouted one woman. [color=f26522]"Lecoam'op!"[/color] came a yasoi voice. [color=fff200]"Lecoam'op!"[/color]

[color=0054a6]"Cuul'op!"[/color]

[color=00aeef]"Cere'soi!"[/color] one spat.

Then, the wounded eeaiko was up, at least somewhat. [color=7bcdc8]"Yoo... seve mee,"[/color] he breathed. [color=7bcdc8]"Why? Eye try too hoort yoo."[/color]

[color=F0FFF0]"You had your reasons. I have mine."[/color] She shook her head. [color=F0FFF0]"Your crimes were not worthy of death."[/color] He scrabbled back, rubbing at his freshly-healed neck tenderly, and she could see that he was not as young as she'd thought: at least a few years north of thirty. For a moment, their eyes met. [color=7bcdc8]"Yoo're... aulmoost steell e chaild,"[/color] he murmured. He made a religious gesture. [color=7bcdc8]"Foorgeeve mee."[/color]

[color=F0FFF0]"That is not my purview,"[/color] Seviin replied. [color=F0FFF0]"Truly, only the Gods can."[/color] An idea occurred to her, then, as Ashon dashed off after one of the runners. [color=F0FFF0]"Might you earn some goodwill, perhaps, with... one small service?"[/color]

His eyes darted around, looking for Dorothea's position, before he nodded reluctantly. [color=F0FFF0]"Why did you attack us?"[/color] Seviin put to him, and he scrunched up his face at that. She blinked, waiting. [color=7bcdc8]"Beecause yoo heve mauney end Eye needed eet."[/color] He said it as if it were self-evident and that pained the young priestess more than anything else. [color=F0FFF0]"Can you not work?"[/color]

[color=7bcdc8]"Tell mee goorl,"[/color] he remarked bitterly, [color=7bcdc8]"whoo weell haire te hemvooreek faur eny jaub hee ectuelly waunt?"[/color] He shook his head. [color=F0FFF0][i]Hemvoorik.[/i][/color] She knew it: an exile or unclean designation among most eeaiko of the twin continents, for having stolen the labour of another or the fruits of his mind. It was inheritable. 

[color=F0FFF0]"I..."[/color] She trailed off for a moment, brow furrowed. [color=F0FFF0]"wonder which of your ancestors was responsible for this pitiful state of yours."[/color] Seviin regarded him evenly and, when he hesitated, she did [i]not[/i]. [color=F0FFF0]"None, I see,"[/color] she cut him off and her expression hardened. [color=F0FFF0]"And so you are a penitent before Shiin who now sins against Oirase so that you might abuse the love of Ypti and buy off your debts to Vyshta."[/color] She scowled in disdain. [color=F0FFF0]"When I said that you were not worthy of death, sir, I did not mean that you had done anything to deserve the life given you either."[/color] She shook her head. [color=F0FFF0]"A worm draws breath and so does a rat, and neither has given so much harm to the world as you."[/color]

[color=7bcdc8]"Fauck you!"[/color] he shouted. [color=7bcdc8]"Whaut kaind auf heeler -"[/color]

[color=F0FFF0]"Myself, sir."[/color] Fast as a cobra striking, she backhanded him across the face, snapping his head around. [color=F0FFF0]"You shall mind your tongue in my presence, [i]sinner.[/i]"[/color]

[color=7bcdc8]"Eye doon't even shere yoor relegyoon!"[/color] he protested, halfway between shock and anger.

[color=F0FFF0]"Father Damy has blessed you with the right to be wrong."[/color]

[color=7bcdc8]"Auwfool fu-"[/color] He paused and tried again. [color=7bcdc8]"queeck too jaudge mee, baut hauw ebaut yoor frend whoo shoot mee soo heppely?"[/color]

Seviin twisted to regard Dory and, for a moment, their eyes met. Then, she turned crisply back to the eeaiko. [color=F0FFF0]"Someday, mother Oirase shall judge her too, but her soul is not yours to command. Your own is, and you have done a foul job of it."[/color]

[color=7bcdc8]"Whaut doo yoo waunt?"[/color]

[color=F0FFF0]"Everything,"[/color] Seviin replied simply. [color=F0FFF0]"All that you know."[/color] She shook her head. [color=F0FFF0]"You will hold nothing back and, this day, you will take the first step towards rescuing your eternal soul from damnation."[/color]

All at once, the thief tried to surge to his feet, but his legs failed him and he stumbled. Seviin caught him in a kinetic grasp. [color=F0FFF0]"Just because I am young, sir, does not mean I am naive."[/color] She took him by the ear. [color=F0FFF0]"I have altered your inner ear so that you may not balance until it is restored. Now -"[/color] She took no pleasure in this. There was no smile. [color=F0FFF0]"Shall we begin?"[/color]

He glared at her but seemed to go slack after a moment. [color=7bcdc8]"Okay,"[/color] he sighed through clenched teeth.[/color]

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