<strong>"But I do, Crimson Blade Witch!",</strong>the man protested.<strong>"Yes, I most certainly do! I want you to kill for me..."<br/></strong>His voice faltered for a moment, but his eyes still flashed, and features contorted. Zara could sense that it was hard for him to admit needing her services.<br/>And yet he was going to do what it took. Even if that meant calling on a favour from her.<br/><strong>"...whoever committed that - atrocity, there's no way to call it!",</strong>the magistrate finished.<br/>He leaned back.<strong><br/>"I hope your skills would be adequate for the task? If you think you'd have trouble finding the one responsible, I can provide you with help. There's a local guy who is out for revenge...a pitfighter. Popular with the wrong crowd, but he's done thief-catching before, so he knows how to look for information."</strong><br/>The magistrate shrugged.<strong><br/>"I can call him here and order him to work with you. But even if I don't, there's no doubt that he's going to be out looking for whoever did that. As I said, he's out for revenge."</strong><br/><br/><div align="center">***</div><em><br/>In a teahouse backroom in Suvar</em><br/>The sun glistened on the hooded figure who was kneeling, holding the hand of another man. However, it didn't look like those two were lovers, despite the fact that the other one's ass was raised high...<strong><br/>"Don't break my hand, Yildar! Please don't! Come on, haven't I always been fair and square with you?",</strong>the held man implored. Getting out of the hold didn't seem possible, so he just tried to get his shoulder closer to the ground in order to reduce the pain.<br/><strong>"I'd just asked you a question, Sery",</strong>Yildar sighed, his face still hidden by the hood.<br/>"I didn't know it was you! I mean, you're the champ!"<br/>"So you'd have killed anyone who asked you what you have seen from your vantage point...unless it's a champ asking you?"<br/>Sery decided that silence is the best policy, and prepared for the incoming pain, turning his head away in order not to look at Yildar's eyes.<br/>He had the nagging suspicion that demons in hell have similar eyes. But the man still hoped he wouldn't see them today.<br/>The pressure on his elbow became stronger.<br/>It was then that the owner elected to enter the room.<br/><strong>"A hundred thousand apologies, gentlemen, but there's a messager for Yildar."<br/>"What is it that can't wait, Berno?"<br/>"It's from the courthouse! You've been summoned!"</strong><br/>The pressure stopped growing. Then Yildar removed his hood, letting his long, lightbrown hair flowing, and released the hand.<br/><strong>"I'll go and check, Sery. Think about your answers until I return. Because you know I would...and now you can't tell me you know nothing. But if you don't try bullshitting me, I'm probably going to give you a free pass, and not break the hand I'd grasped".</strong>