Needle in a Needlestack

At that moment, the nine had apologised yet again for their actions and vowed to be better. They also accepted the punishment gratefully, citing the number of people who wanted them out of the Clan. And so, they all had half their belongings taken away, including half their items and half their AC.

After that, they were still accepted, but everyone could tell that the atmosphere was somewhat apprehensive, as if they had relegated them to a probationary state in the Clan. The nine would just have to redeem themselves through their acts of valour and devotion to the Clan from then on.

Midas looked closely at the nine people who had wounds on their foreheads after kowtowing for a few minutes. Although they seemed happy, Midas could still see the frustration with the decision. They would have to let go of some of their hard-earned AC and items. That was a tough blow to take.