Silee was serious in regard to the descent. Holding the candle in front of him, taking it slow, literally step by step, Saldug thought he'd lose decades of his shortened life span once he reached the bottom. It only took five minutes, however, before one of Saldug’s three feet felt a flat surface.

He sighed and began to follow the few candles that lit the hall. He hoped that if they’re flickering light showed just how below surface he was, they’d show him anything in his path.

“Hello?” He called out. “Mil-uh. Milly, are you there?”

“I am! Just keep following the candles and you’ll see me!” The voice Saldug heard wasn’t as shrill as Silee’s, but almost as upbeat.

None of the fickle lights showed Saldug the floor, but he made to the end of the wall without any trip ups nonetheless. There were several more candles now, revealing to Saldug what kind of workshop he walked into.

He wished they hadn’t. He wished he couldn’t see all the limbs (Arms, tails, shuttlers) that floated in jar after jar on row after row. He wished he didn’t look down and see a blood-stained table just mere meters from him. He wasn’t sure how to feel about the Shnifin that he saw standing in front of it.

This individual was leaner than Silee; skin seemed a little lighter too in the fickle light. His eyes weren’t as wide but held a similar glimmer. As if he were upstairs baking cookies and not down here…

“I suppose you’re here via recommendation?” He asked.

Saldug avoided his gaze and scratched his neck, replying, “Yeah. A, uh coworker gave me Silee’s card. His name’s Naida? He’s a Tistcho too.”

Milly hummed in thought. “Yes, I remember him in spite of the years. Very kind. Bought me a drink as thanks for my services.”

Saldug looked around. “And your services...”

The Shnifin held out his right hand. More specifically, the one higher up his side. He had to bend over for Saldug’s comfort and left his closer (More convenient.) arm in the shadows. “I’m Milly, but I’d prefer Millicent if that’s alright with you.”

Saldug wasn’t big on handshakes that day (Or the day before. Or the lifetime before.), but he muttered his name and gave “Millicent” his gloved palm anyways.

And did Millicent take said palm. He brought it closer to his face, turned it around and all that. “So, this is what brought you to me, huh…”

Saldug withdrew, taking one step per foot back.

Millicent realized his mistake and stood back as well. “Sorry to do that to you. I wasn’t thinking, and I just always have to see them to understand what I’m working with.”

Saldug’s gaze searched around his shop, his “help”, but there were only so many body parts in so little light. Steeling himself by stealing a breath, he held out his gloved wrist, and twisted it until the prosthetic came off with a click.

Millicent took the upmost care in holding the device while examining it. For about three seconds. When he threw the prosthetic backward, Saldug flinched at the clack it made when it landed in the dark.

“This is how you help people?” Saldug couldn’t force more than a whisper out. “By…by performing surgery on them?”

“Only if they want it,” was Millicent’s reply.

“In…in this place?”

“I know, right?” Millicent turned to the table, and then back around with some wipes. “Could use a vacuum in here. Or a broom at the very least,” he said with a shrug.

Saldug chuckled but made no other sound as Millicent guided him by the shoulder to a stool. He ended up sitting behind most of the candles. He ended up looking out into the nothing once again.

Millicent knew this. When he let go of Saldug, he explained, “I just need you to sit here while I step a foot or two away to grab some measuring tools.”

This Shnifin was awfully pale after all. Saldug probably wouldn’t have noticed his sinking, worn features otherwise. The light also shed itself onto his lean form, and the fourth arm it missed.

“You’ve lost your entire arm.”

Saldug hadn’t meant to gasp that out, but there it was, and oh how instantly did it freeze Millicent into his spot.

The would’ve been swallowed by the pause had Millicent not turned around and smiled. “The term ‘gave up’ is more appropriate if I’m being honest with you, Mr. Saldug,” he said before turning around and fading into the nothing.

For once in his life, Saldug was not contempt to sit in silence, and actually began making small talk. He called out to Millicent, “Will you be, um, alright? Finding everything I mean. There isn’t much light after all…”

“Oh, I’ll be fine.” Shuffling followed Millicent’s response. “I have pretty good vision in spite of light sources, even for a Shnifin. Good hearing too.” Saldug heard something open before Millicent continued. “The light’s more for your convenience. Silee uses that term, not me.”

Saldug heard footsteps approach him before Millicent added, “Personally, I think all the candles do is keep this place a decent temperature.”

“Now then.” Millicent wrapped fabric around Saldug’s wrist before explaining, “I’m just taking your measurements to ensure I have a good piece for you. Don’t want to start anything surgery related first, now do we?”

Saldug paled at that. “Wait, wait a minute.” Millicent paused. “You’re gonna…work on me now? Without a waiver? Without anything legally binding?”

Millicent suppressed a small laugh from his first mouth before looking up at Saldug. “If you could afford something legally binding, then I highly doubt we’d ever meet, Mr. Saldug.”

Saldug thought back to the prosthetic’s price as Millicent walked behind him with a pen and paper in hand. No, a pencil of all things with scrap paper was in his grasp.

Millicent’s back was turned to Saldug as he scribbled away. This was the brightest the Shnifin was going to seem; in front of a bloody table, surrounded by limbs, but missing one of his own.

Saldug was so fixated on it, that he was startled when Millicent said, “Wouldn’t luck have, I have four adult Tistcho limbs that fit your proportions and wrist diameter. I don’t think any of them come close to your skin tone, but I can still bring them out for a look if you’d like.”

Many seconds passed before Saldug could even think of his response. Millicent said nothing, but stared at him with his friendly, unfailing smiles.

The candles flickered, the two let out some breaths, but all else was still until Saldug looked up and nodded.