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Hell's Hope (Writer & Freeko)

Nora could no longer hide the incident from last night that had shaken Sheori. It would take some time, but these Altercators were the perfect representation of a good idea gone wrong. Nora could not bring herself to tell an outright lie, and would let Sheori know at least a little bit about the Altercators. Nora also found no solace in trying to sanctify the bodies previously, and she made no attempt to do so now. Instead ignoring them as if they were garbage that someone else was responsible for cleaning up. Nora however was not without an opinion on the matter, "These metallic beasts were what you heard last night. They seem to be active at night and prey upon those who are corrupted only. You can see what would have happened if an Altercator had found you. And.. unfortunately yes. It has become almost a part of the routine here anymore so it is something you pass off over time." Nora perhaps unintentionally putting the image too close to Sheori by hinting that this could have happened to her if Nora was not able to save her last night.

Nora and Sheori would find themselves soon after the shock subsided in Sheori heading toward the marketplace region. Since it was still earlier in the day, there seemed to only be a few farmers stands open. The good were tainted, and Nora would take care to show Sheori as such. It was not a good idea to even touch these tainted items, though with Nora herself there it might be easier. It would be some time before the area of the marketplace that potentially contained the lodestones Nora sought out would be available. For now, Nora would point out the tavern that already seemed to have a good bit of activity. The main focus, as Sheori was still new to the area would be the statue of Aqua. This statue would produce pure water, unlike most of the rivers that were polluted by the corruption. A very visible different between the two could be seen as a small river was there to divide the marketplace from another section of the town of Albion that produced alot of weponry and armor.

Looking over toward Sheori, Nora had a flash of insight. "With Lumi being in disfavor here, I think we might be best served going into the tavern. Perhaps we could find some manner of wizard there that could fix this broken necklace of yours." Nora would first look over toward Sheori as their options otherwise for the time being were severely limited. If nothing would come of their visit to the tavern, hopefully enough time would come to pass for the marketplace to open completely. It would be far busier which increased the risk of being the target of a corrupted being. Maybe Sheori had a different perspective on things as she would certainly see things differently than Nora who was admittedly somewhat jaded given her inability to do anything about the present situation that she was in.
 
Sheori seemed fearful. Mechanical beasts that slayed with brutality without moral reason alone were the content of nightmares for the elves. "W-well..." She stuttered, gulping at the thought of her being on the other end of an altercator. "At least I have you Nora. I trust you." Regardless of her fear, Sheori wasn't alone anymore. She found some confidence in her cleric friend. "I just wish that we don't suffer the same fate as this unfortunate fellow." She walked over, closing the eyes of the corpse before coming back to Nora. Her face was kept down to avoid succumbing to another terrifying sight. Her hand gripped Nora's cloak to avoid straying too far away. This place was alien to her. There seemed to be threats that lied waiting in every corner, at least to Sheori. Her visit here has been far from what she expected. Instead of being welcomed like how the books described it, she was raped, corrupted, burned, and surrounded by corpses. The only thing she could manage to grip on for her own sanity was the fact that Nora saved her and she was of the same religion. As she walked, she kept her necklace clutched with her open hand, keeping it close to her chest. It was too coincidental to be random. It had to be the will of Lumi that brought them together in her eyes.

It was only the sounds of rushing water that lifted her head up from the ground. "In Lumi's name, that statue is beautiful." The statue was a pure symbol sitting within the midst in a sea of darkness. People collected the water daily to drink with. Rumors have it that those who drink this water would be healed of many ailments. However, those with rather selfish interests in mind have decided to take advantage of it. A small gang of crooks stood nearby the statue, charging people to take a drink of the once free water. From the prices they offered, it was far too expensive. Many sickly people were forced to give whatever they had left in order to take just a handful of the life giving liquid. Just watching this display of misuse and evil intention being mixed with a pure symbol drew anger out of Sheori. Her grip on Nora's cloak strengthened when they neared the statue to walk into the tavern. Underneath a hushed whisper, Sheori spoke to herself. "To take advantage of sick and hurting people." She hissed. "It's sickening."

The insides of the tavern were warm and welcoming. Although many economies collapsed during the start of the corruption, there was one that actually flourished. The economy of security. Now that the empire cannot protect its people, the demand for manpower grew. To protect their investments, traders and those rich in credits hired mercenaries to guard their caravans. it was a costly venture, but it paled in comparison to losing everything from taking the risk. Monsters and bandits outside of the town gates grew to record numbers, effectively making the once nearly extinct business now one of the most sound business ventures. There was never of scarcity of those willing to find their fortune by picking up a weapon. Both corrupted and non corrupted people sat within the tavern. However, there didn't seem to be much of a difference between the two. Now that times have changed, many have to be a little corrupt to survive and even thrive in this new age. Once they opened the door, a few mercs began to stare at them. It looked obvious to them who a follower of Lumi looked like.

The bartender standing nearby looked over to the couple, walking over with a couple glasses. "So, what's your business? Looking for mercs? We got many. Looking for a cheap fuck. Yeah, there's that too. Drinks and food? Just ask. Looking to start trouble? The door's out there unless you're planning on digging your own grave." He seemed rather large compared to the usual denizens. The glowing gun at his belt gave the impression that he meant business.
 
The exchange between Sheori and Nora had been one of perspective, and Nora's realization that she was starting to lose sight of what had mattered to her. Seeing how the sights had affected Sheori in such an impactful manner started to shift how Nora perceived things. That which was taken for granted by Nora, was certainly not for Sheori as this was the first time she had been subjected to the horrors of the nights here in Albion. When Sheori moved herself over to shut the eyes of a deceased person, Nora started to realize that the way she had viewed the corrupt could have been wrong.

Nora would be taking a bit of a risk here, bringing Sheori back into a place that was rife with corruption. However it seemed to be held in check as a small level of balance was found here between the corruption and those who still remained unaffected. The bartender addressing Nora would take her a bit by surprise with how forward he was. Clearly Nora did not entirely belong here, and she had to hold her tongue for a second before spouting out that she was a follower of Lumi and in need of aid herself. Simply settling on, "I seek someone who might be able to perform some alchemy. I am not in need of protection, but what say you to me joining up and offering protection for others?" The latter statement being mostly a ploy to keep the bartender's interest as he did not seem to immediately care to be of assistance. With the women eating previously at Nora's place, they were certainly not in need of food. Nor was the idea of a good fuck all that appealing.

Nora however was somewhat looking for a mercenary. Maybe she could offer a simple bounty to have a mercenary retrieve items that she might otherwise not have access to. It was by far a stretch, and one that Sheori might not entirely understand, but the temple of Lumi was fairly well stocked when it came to supplies in general. Someone had to still be willing to work with them. Nora may have been following some flawed logic, but she figured that this path might well be the best given her surroundings. She might also be able to get a feel for the area around her. As much as these mercenaries could be friends, they might not be too interested in losing their living were the corruption to be abated somehow. It was an interesting perspective that Nora would gain while being here. Nora was mostly interested in not causing herself to be in a situation that she would not be able to get out of otherwise. She did not carry her weapon or shield with her presently.
 
"Check in the back, there are always some poison makers and the type around." He raised an eyebrow at the prospect of her becoming one of the mercs. "As long as you follow the rules and give me a ten percent cut of whatever you make, do what you want here." The bartender's steel gaze scanned the fem cleric from the top of her head to the soles of her feet. "Don't expect to get much with the garbs you have on. You both look like followers of Lumi. Its like you're asking for someone to fight you. . . Or rape you." He shrugged. "You'd probably do better in earning coin at a brothel. I know many customers who would enjoy plundering the body of a follower of Lumi after all." He turned towards the elf. "Is she in your party as well? Isn't she a little small to be in a place so dangerous?"

Sheori kept close to her cleric counterpart. She didn't want to cause any more trouble than she felt like she already had. The smell of the tavern was strong, especially to one who wasn't from there. It reeked of sweat and alcohol with drunkards littering the premises. The weapons on them shown that they were generally well off. To be a merc in a time like this was a gold mine. From the sounds of whistling, it appeared that the two girls caught the attention from some of the guys inside the tavern. Rather dirty phrases were thrown at the two of the fantasies some of the patrons had of the two. The bartender sighed, looking at them once more. "I'm not one for charity, but if you need a job. I'll play you to throw some of these drunk blokes out. A few credits each should change your tune, unless you prefer the alternative. There is a brothel just across the river. They're always looking for new girls to use." Within moments, a drunk merc began to grab Sheori, causing her to yelp. It didn't take less than a moment for the bartender to react. "Hey! I'm talking here!" He gripped a bar glass and slammed it over the merc's head. "You broke one of the rules dumbass. I don't give two damns if you're corrupted or not. You respect the customers and you respect the staff!" The merc fell forward, landing face first into the table. However, the bartender was just getting started. With a strong grasp, he held the head of the merc before slamming his head into the bar counter repeatedly. His brutality dissipated once the merc breathed his last.

"Anyone else have a damn problem!" The tavern grew silent briefly before returning to the usual sounds of conversation. "Sorry that you had to see that. The consequences for breaking the rules is severe." Grabbing a rag from his rear pocket, the bartender wiped the stains of his aggression. The dogtag on his chest shown the Albion crest imprinted on it. "I used to be a part of the Albion army as a berserker. Just point me at anything you want dead and I'll give you a show. Man... I miss my old glory days." He paused, recollecting himself. "I'm retired now. Just a ghost of times before. Its good to see a new face here. Especially ones as clear as you-" He looked at her once more. "You're one of Lumi's followers ain't ya? That's fine. I won't kill you for it." With a rip at the sleeve, he shown his arm. It was tattooed with the symbol of Vox. "I'm an old follower of Vox. But considering the state of Albion now. Anybody who isn't willing to kill you straight off the bat is a friend. So, are you willing to help out?"
 
Nora would remark it was not a poison that she was looking for. Certainly Lumi would never allow her to consider such a thing in the first place. With the bartender revealing his colors, a former member of the Voxian.. way. "Quite true, and I appreciate the level of discretion being shown here. In more ways than one. Though given your background I full well can assume nothing but a showing of power would get you to take someone seriously right?" It was a sleight toward the Voxian way, they seemed to cherish strength. Nora was not one to back down from a physical challenge, as she considered the offer made by the barkeep. "So you want me to toss someone out, and thats it?" Nora would show a very noticeable change in tone as if she were answering a challenge.

Nora would hear Sheori, and immediately turn to help. Nora was however cut off by the bartender himself as he dealt with the offender. It was a rather brutal display, and one that Sheori probably was not meant to see. However, this was the sad state of affairs in Albion now. "Can you point them out?" Nora would acknowledge the barkeep's request for help. "Sheori, I really would hope you did not need to see this, but try to stay near me." Nora wanted to do this not for the money, but to show a level of strength. A Voxian would respect that, and it might gain her a bit of favor in general to those around her inside the tavern. If she could show that she was not just some Lumian flower waiting to be picked, plucked, fucked, and killed maybe those around her might start to see things more openly.
 
Sheori stuck to Nora like glue, staying as close as possible without getting in her way. She was fearful of the others around her. Instead of welcoming people, they seemed to be a group of criminals motivated by money. The bartender smirked at her, pointing over to the table with a couple of drunk mercs. "Only if you could handle it of course. Although, they aren't corrupted so you can't ask you're little pal Lumi to take care of them for ya." A snicker escaped his mouth. He did seem critical of the duo, but a part of him was just as amused as well. Below the counter was a small bag of credits. It may not have seemed like much, but a follower of Vox never disrespects another warrior regardless of religion or discipline. This level of respect did not apply to everyone else though, and even the smallest show of weakness was enough to get the title of warrior stripped away from someone, only for them to have to earn it again. "Go ahead. Time is money." His voice lowered in tone. "And with each passing second you decide to wait, the more some of the mercenaries around want to take a piece of you."

The drunkards were clearly disrespecting the space. They seemed to be a couple of human thieves that were territorial of their plunder left on the table. A small metal dagger was flashed to disengage those willing to take a piece of their small fortune. Alongside what was on the table was a small pouch with Sheori's name stitched into it. It was clear that these thieves most likely had a run in with the guard who took advantage of Sheori. Spotting the bag, Sheori pulled off of Nora. Her staff was at her hand, ready for combat. "Honoria. They have my bag!" Sheori pointed with her staff before pointing it at Nora. A small glow emanated from the staff, covering Nora with a green aura. It was an inspire spell, meant to give Nora an edge against the two. Sheori wasn't a fighter and she knew this quite well. With what she lacked in combat, she gained in support. "Good luck Nora. I'll be rooting for you!" The sudden display of spell use garnered the attention of the bar patrons. They began to surround the group, enjoying the free spectacle to be. Seeing the opportunity, the bartender raised his voice. "Everyone place your bets! Will the two followers of Lumi succeed in their fight? Or will they succumb to the strength of the thieves?"
 
Nora would almost crack a smile once the lines of battle were drawn in the sand. Sheori casting a spell upon her as well would only serve to steel Nora further. Not only was there an opportunity to earn some gold, but it seemed there were a few other side elements that could also go in their favor as well. It would seem these thieves had come upon Sheori's coin bag. The remaining guard from the day before having had stolen it from Sheori before Nora could intervene. Nora had some experience with thieves in the past trying to infiltrate the temple of Lumi, so she figured this was going to be somewhat of an easy task.

Then Nora instinctively reached for where her mace would be. Making what was probably seen as an odd gesture to some, Nora realized how bad an idea it was to not have her weapon with her. Given the situation, Nora could almost certainly call upon Lumi and pray for her assistance. Lumi's judgment would likely be swift for those who had stolen, but that was not the task confronting Nora presently. Nora would try to give herself a little space between herself and Sheori by offering her arm out to show about how far she would like Sheori to be. Stopping about once her elbow would move away from her waist, Nora would make a small gesture as if Sheori should not get closer than that distance.

Assuming a fighting stance, Nora would look toward the pair of opponents. Which one of them were closer? Did either of them have anything hidden that she could not see? Trying her best to evaluate the situation, Nora would attempt to go about dealing with these thugs in the best possible way. If she could knock one of them silly right off the bat, it would even the odds greatly. As it stood now, Nora was going into what was essentially a two on one fight. She would not even consider asking Sheori for her staff, but Nora would also look around to see if there were small things that she could use like a mug from a nearby table. An 'improvised' weapon of sorts would prove to be something that could make or break the initial moments here. If she could show her strength, especially to a former member of Vox, then Nora might just start to earn a level of respect with those around her now.
 
Feeling the heavy steps nearby, the thieves began to get up from their drunken slumber. Their slurred tongue and their slow movements have shown that they were still under the effects of the alcohol spilled all over the table. It may have been the sound of people surrounding them, or the sound of the follower of Lumi approaching, but they were pissed. "Oi!" One of them yelled. "How bout ye step off you little bitch!" His friend fell back over the table, finding a struggle in getting up. Around them, the crowd began to chant obsenities at the the four of them. Many have placed bets on the priestess and her elf mage, but just as many seemed to be pooling money for the thieves.

Around Nora was several bar stools, chairs, small tables, and beer glasses. These all seemed light enough for her to wield if the case may be. Considering who the bartender placed nearly all his money on, he threw Nora a metal bar. "You better win. I have over a grand placed on you." A few dirty glances were thrown his way for him tampering with the match. However, they were dispelled when he began to drag the body of his previous victim behind the counter. Sheori took her steps away, giving Nora enough space to stretch here arms if need be. Her inspire spell was still being chanelled into Nora.

The drunken thief readied his knife, revealing it to be a flare knife. It was a knife usually used by medics to help seal grievous wounds in a battlefield or by welders to seal minor cracks. Pressurized heat escaped its hilt, the glow forming into a knife like shape. It was in reality less like a knife and more like a welding tool, but the nickname stuck for those who used it in more nefarious purposes. To the bartender, this raised a bit of concern. Heat doesn't penetrate electric shields, but it was more than enough to penetrate armor. "Be careful! Getting hit by the flare knife is going to hurt!" He slammed his hands on the table. The nearby crowd began to roar with excitement, causing Sheori's legs to grow a little shaky. There was going to be a fight here, and no matter where it headed, it was going to be an exciting one. "Come at me! I'll teach both you girls a lesson in taking on the thieves guild!" Drool hung from his mouth. Even though he was drunk, he was still dangerous.
 
Nora was by no means the fastest woman around. She did not ever try to be fast, because everyone knew Nora was that one person you do not mess with. If she got her hands on you, then there would be some trouble. So throwing out these ruffians was almost doing Nora a favor as she would have a way to truly vent out her frustration and just let loose. Something that Nora, being a priestess of Lumi, would not otherwise have the opportunity to do. For her, this had nothing to do with being a priestess or follower of Lumi. Though, she could easily justify her actions as being the honorable thing to do with tossing these thieves guild members out of the establishment.

Nora would be given a metallic bar to use as a weapon, being tossed to her by the bartender as her opponent brandished what looked to be something like a welding tool. Was he truly that drunk that he would risk setting the place on fire. Nora had a basic plan in mind now. Noting the obvious that a knife, much less one that was heated, will actually hurt. Nora felt the best course of action was to attempt to disarm her opponent. Not in the literal sense, but she seemed to notice some small trigger that would make that knife generate the heat. If he were forced to drop it, by having a metal bar crash into his forearm as an example, then that knife would be rendered fairly less dangerous. With Sheori granting Nora inspiration with her spell, Nora felt like she had a solid plan for dealing with these drunks. Now it was time to implement that plan as Nora started to take action.
 
To be a proper thief, one must have a clever mind and a nimble body. With the amount of loot on the table, these thieves were very skilled in their trade. With a quick grab, the thief took one of the beer glasses and thrown it at Nora. The glass thrown missed its mark, landing into the face of Sheori behind her. "Ah!" With the glass pouring alcohol over the elf's eyes, her spell ended rather abruptly. "It stings!" With her free hand, she started to wipe her eyes off with her cloak, being effectively blinded by the quick witted criminal. However, there was a weakness in being quick. His attacks weren't quite strong, and so a single blow would not be enough to fell the woman in front of him. The alcohol running through his system dulled his thoughts and brought the man quick to anger. There was no hint of fear in his eyes. He wanted to fight.

The effects of inspiration still kept its hold on Nora with its strength dimming over time. A hand from a supporting spirit provided strength into the arm which gripped the steel shaft. The thief never the wiser dashed towards the empowered priest, attempting to leave burns she wouldn't otherwise forget for a while. His swiftness proved to be enough, leaving a long slash down her chest plate before she could swing. As he began to back away however, a single swing broke his retreat. A quick slam cracked his hand as he pulled away, the steel bar barely missing the target that was the man's arm. The thief dropped the heat knife as he recoiled in pain. The look in his eyes showed the pain he went through. "Fuck!" His face crinkled as he held his hand with his undamaged one. Seeing his mate twisting on the floor, the thief sobered up. "Oh, you're not going to get away with just a slash!" Picking up his companions weapon and pulling out his own, he flashed his two heat blades in front of her. The thief was enraged, ready to fight.
 
Nora would step back a bit, both to assess the damage that she had taken so far and to size up her present opposition. This was going to be a bit tougher than Nora had expected initially, figuring a pair of drunks would try to cop a feel or something while being fairly easily ejected from the premises. Sheori, did not seem to want to get involved though Nora would urge her to keep that other drunk in check. While looking at the hit she had taken, Nora would realize her armor seemed to absorb most of it. There was a visible gash for where the knife impacted her, and there did not seem to be any blood. The knife seemed to cauterize the wound that it had caused in the few places that the knife made it through her armor.

Taking a second to look about, while trying to get some bit of distance between herself and the drunken thief, Nora would improvise a bit. This drunk moron had two welding torches lit and there was alcohol all around them. It was like he was begging to be lit up like a christmas tree. The bartender did not bother to say how she got them out of there, just that she should get them out of there. Nora was not one to shy away from a fight either, but she knew when she was overmatched. If she tried to go toe to toe with this drunkard she would almost certainly lose. Grabbing at one of the nearby mugs, Nora would toss the mug forward trying to splash the beer into the welding knives. Nora figured it would act almost like a blowtorch when the alcohol ignited. Maybe this would make a statement to the rest of the patrons of the bar that this particular Priestess of Lumi was not to be trifled with. It was a bit of a risk, but Nora wanted to avoid having to deal with two torches basically being wielded as daggers without her shield at the ready.
 
A plume of flames overtook the thief. The alcohol was more than enough to blanket him in the sweltering heat of unforgiving fire. "Fuck! Fuck! FUCKING BITCH!" The thief's first instinct was to roll. It didn't take long until the sprinklers hanging above them showered the area with water. However, the damage was already done. It was more more than enough to incapacitate the thief. Enjoying his prize winnings, the bartender wrapped one of his arms around Nora. "As a thank you." He began to drop a couple of bags from the table into Nora's hands. One of those bags were Sheori's own. "Consider this as a little bonus to what I owe ya." On top of both, he dropped another. The money he won more than covered what he was willing to give. With the troubling patrons gone and the sudden burst in income, he became rather friendly to the duo. Behind her, Sheori was swinging her staff over her head down onto the face of the other thief. These swings were far from strong, serving as more of an annoyance rather than a tool to keep someone down. Seeing his friend suffer his flaming fate, he chose to stay down to avoid the same happening to him. "Now I'll be expecting you to take care of them for me." With a swift kick, he pushed one of the downed thieves to the side.

"Don't worry about the repairs. With the credits you earned me, I'll be able to take care of it no problem." He walked over behind the bar counter. The other patrons returned a mix of smiles and frowns as their bets were being split among them. No matter which side they chose, they stopped looking at the two as mere followers of the Pure Goddess. A newfound respect was given to them more than just prostitutes donning the outfit to fit the tastes of rather impure customers. "Consider yourselves welcome! A friend of mine is a friend of the bars. Unless..." He cracked a glass in his hands as a display of strength. "You insist on causing trouble. We always have ways to take care of troublemakers around here." Despite his friendly voice, his threats weren't idle. He didn't take kindly to those who were going to make a mess out of the bar. If it weren't for the sudden bonus in credits, he would've treated them no different then he did the thieves. "Quests are on the board. Some people still pay for jobs to be done by people of all types. Take a look." He looked over, pointing at the quest board. "I take a cut out of each though. I hope you two girls understand the price of the middleman."
 
Placing her hand on Sheori's shoulder, Nora would get Sheori to stop the beating that she was adminstering. It was time to finalize things as Nora would drag the drunks out of the tavern. Nora would overcome the drunks, and eject them from the building. It was not without a bit of a cost as she did take a swipe of a heated blade that got through her armor. It was fairly minor but something that needed to be looked at all the same. It would cause some inconvenience if Nora were to stress herself, but the wound had at least sealed itself as the burn did not allow any blood to be shed. Accepting the reward, Nora would take particular notice toward what the barkeep had said.

"Speaking of a middleman, I know that is how the temple keeps their supplies, and I might have need of one myself." Nora wanted to keep the idea open of trying to use a secondary source to find the Lodestones that she required to renew the destroyed necklace for Sheori. With one of the pouches being given as the reward, Nora would not hesitate to return to Sheori that which was already hers. At least now Sheori would not need to immediately need to worry about money as her bag was returned. If Nora did not have more pressing matters, she should have interrogated the remaining thief as to how exactly they came upon said money bag. Though it was not an immediate concern. Neither was the quest board, though once Sheori had her necklace restored it would be something that Nora would consider taking advantage of.

As Nora would attempt to continue the conversation with the barkeep, she would mention her need of a pair of Lodestones to him. If there were anyone that she could trust for the time being, it was likely someone that would stand to make a bit of profit by fulfilling a request. It was of course at least a two part request, first Nora would need to come upon the Lodestones. Then she would need to find someone who knew how to cast the spell to restore the necklace to its former state. Finally, she could then provide Sheori with a new necklace that would hopefully not be destroyed so easily.
 
"Say no more. I do have connections with the temples nearby. I just don't think it would be a good idea, say with the both of you wearing those Lumi garbs. They also don't take credits. At least, in the only temple that has supplies, they are willing to give. The temple of Noux still remained untouched by corruption. Hell, its the only building in this Gods forsaken city that hasn't been vandalized on the outside yet. It's probably because of all the altercators that roam their district at night." He sighed. "They're difficult to deal with. Be warned. They desire specifics such as old books or old relic artifacts. To be honest, you can buy them a knock off." The bartender chuckled. "But they'll hate you once they find out. Trick them once, shame on them. Trick them twice..."

Outside

The thief responded in kind towards the way she treated the nefarious duo. "Why the fuck should I tell a couple of priests like you?" The bartender behind the counter began to follow the two out, being greeted by the thief's hostility. "Hey! How about you start running your mouth before I smash both your legs in and throw you outside the walls. Maybe the beasts out beyond will consume you slowly. You know the type." His grip was hard as iron, holding up the already battered thief by their collar. "They thrive on the screams of their prey, taking their time with their victims to feast on their fear. Perhaps they will go with your legs first. Perhaps your groin. If I don't choose to take it first." A flash came off of his arms. The bartender's skin turned grey, shining like metal. As he readied his punch, the thief opened his mouth.

"Fine! Fine! We stole it from the damn guards. They were asleep in their little hideout and we snuck in. Everyone in the Thieves Guild knows that they're hoarding piles of treasure at the guard house. Come on! Let me go!!!" The bartender placed a hand on Nora's back, inching close enough to whisper. "Consider the intimidation a bonus to your pay. What you two choose to do with them is up to you, I don't care. if you need me, you know where to find me." He gestured at the bar before heading inside. Sheori stood close to Nora, avoiding furthermore trouble from the rowdy customers of the Capital's marketplace. "Hey, Nora. Thank you for getting my money back. If you need me to pay for you, I'll be happy to, at least now that I can afford it."
 
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