Pearl ducked, evading the blow of the club that the thug swung at him. Stepping to the side, he strengthened his arm with lifesong and flailed it at the man's head. The man dropped to the ground. Something heavy hit Pearl's shoulder and he heard a bone pop, he turned to find that the other thug had raised his truncheon, aiming it at Pearl's head. He kicked the man on the shin and grabbed the wrist holding the truncheon, twisting it till he heard the cracking sound. The club fell from the thug's hand and he gritted his teeth in pain.
Transferring the lifesong from his shoulder to the centre of his forehead, Pearl pulled the thug closer and smashed his upper head against the thug's face. Then he released his grip, allowing the thug to wither and fall unconscious, with a bleeding nose and a handful of broken teeth. He turned to Eranae, who had a hand over the Temeri man's throat, and was trying to get some answers out of him. Pearl began walking towards her.
A stinging pain washed across Pearl's back as he turned to see the thug he had clouted stand behind him with a blood-covered knife. The thug thrust the knife forward again, this time aiming at Pearl's neck. He evaded, but with most of his lifesong healing the wound in his back, Pearl was only able to shove aside the thug's hand. The thug immediately regained balance and charged on with a more fierce strike. Pearl dodged, and dodged again. He did so for a couple of times more until his back finally touched the wall. He caught the thug's arm and struggled to stop it from moving towards his neck. The wound in his back hadn't completely healed yet, and hence he couldn't yet use the entirety of his lifesong.
The knife moved forward, almost touching Pearl's neck. He could feel it's tip prick his skin, along with the drop of blood that dripped down his neck. Any moment, he would pour lifesong into his hands pushing back the knife, any moment now. Before that could happen, the thug's strength on the knife grew weaker. Pearl looked up and found that the thug's neck had been twisted and the jaw dislocated. The thug's grip on the knife loosened and it fell out from his hands. Pearl took in a deep breath to calm his senses.
Eranae stood behind the thug, who had now dropped to the ground and this time, he was to stay there. It was obvious that Eranae had snapped the man's neck to save Pearl.
"Thanks, Era." Pearl took a knee, to relieve some of his exhaustion.
"Here, have some water," She said, handing him the waterskin from her belt satchel.
Pearl reflexively took it and began gulping down. He then looked to the side, as he continued to drink, where she had held the Temeri man and now found him in a state similar to the thug's.
As his senses began calming down, realisation struck him, realisation of what Eranae had done. She had killed two men, she had taken two human lives.
"Eran…" He called her, but found that she stood by the other thug's body, the one Pearl had headbutted, and it now lay lifeless. A truncheon swung in Eranae's hand, it's top covered with blood and bits of brain.
"Yes?" She asked, discarding the club to the alley's end, "Oh, Are you done? If you are, help get these over one another so we can hide them in hay?"
How could she act like that? Pearl asked himself, How could she act so relaxed, so unexpressive, when she just killed three men, three human beings!
"Era...you…" Pearl sat on the ground, stuttering. This was disturbing. He had difficulty believing what he had just experienced. Eranae, someone he thought to be a kind, down-to-earth, and even noble person, would take away human lives as if they were lives of an insect. But what was he expecting, Eranae had established it pretty well that she was born and bred to be a warrior and wouldn't hesitate in killing. But to think she would actually do so…
"Hey, hey, Pearl," Eranae clapped her hands against his cheeks, bringing him back to his senses, "Are you alright?"
"You...you killed them." Pearl stuttered.
"Oh, I see," Her face grew more responsive, the inexpressive aspects began fading away, "I forgot that you have no experience with death, at least not in this form. It's alright, sit here and take a breather."
Era stood up and began hauling the corpses to the alley's end. Then she placed some hay from the side of the alleys, over the bodies.
"Come on," She walked back to Pearl and helped him get back to his feet.
"Why did you kill them?" Pearl asked, regaining somewhat of his composure.
"You aren't in the right state to understand now," Era said, "Don't think about it too much. We will speak in the morning. For now, let's get back."