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(Scars do not appear to be cause of death –shock ... - Bad Request

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spells, "Who is she?"<br />

"Her name is An'azi. She says she used <strong>to</strong> work in a meat-curing house here<br />

until a half-month ago when the illness <strong>be</strong>came <strong>to</strong>o much for her <strong>to</strong> <strong>be</strong>ar.<br />

She was aban<strong>do</strong>ned, evicted from her home, and left for dead. Speech pains<br />

her and her illness has crippled much <strong>of</strong> her mind. She says there is <strong>not</strong>hing<br />

she can give you <strong>of</strong> value."<br />

"And?"<br />

"Know that she will <strong>not</strong> recover. I can put her out <strong>of</strong> her misery. That is all.<br />

As a zerth <strong>of</strong> the People, it is my responsibility <strong>to</strong> provide an alternative."<br />

I was about <strong>to</strong> protest. Surely there was a healer at hand, or a potion we<br />

could fetch. A short quest would <strong>do</strong> well <strong>to</strong> help me forget about Morte's<br />

absence, if only for a little while.<br />

But Dak'kon spoke with a rare, grim certainty that I found difficult <strong>to</strong> argue<br />

against, "Then <strong>be</strong> merciful, Dak'kon."<br />

Dak'kon drew his blade, and waited for the woman <strong>to</strong> prepare herself. She<br />

<strong>to</strong>uched the Unbroken Circle <strong>of</strong> Zerthimon he wore for a moment, and her<br />

face was s<strong>to</strong>ic. His blade is a blur, and when he has completed the stroke,<br />

she lay bleeding on the hard s<strong>to</strong>ne <strong>of</strong> Sigil's streets. Her face was blank... she<br />

felt <strong>not</strong>hing.<br />

I swallowed and stepped back from the corpse on the ground. "I think... it<br />

may <strong>be</strong> <strong>be</strong>st <strong>to</strong> separate. If only for a little while. If we spread out it'll <strong>be</strong> that<br />

much more efficient <strong>to</strong> find word <strong>of</strong> Morte." Dak'kon nodded as he focused,<br />

and the blood slid cleanly <strong>of</strong>f <strong>of</strong> his blade.<br />

"Ach, I'm <strong>not</strong> going <strong>to</strong> play fetch-quest for your mimir, cutter," Annah<br />

growled, "Jes come back <strong>to</strong> Pharod and say I'm <strong>do</strong>ne wit' yeh... 'e won't let<br />

go o' me ear until he hears it straight from yer lips."<br />

"Please, Annah," I said pleadingly, "Just let us find Morte and I'll <strong>be</strong> happy <strong>to</strong><br />

let you return <strong>to</strong> the Buried Village."<br />

Her lip curled in<strong>to</strong> a sneer, but she agreed.<br />

"Aye. Fine, we'll look for that pet o' yours."<br />

421

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