[That's not right, either. Mikleo grips the communicator so tightly it hurts his hands, and it takes a great deal of effort to make himself stop. He's pacing now, muttering to himself while trying to work it through, his mind racing. What caused it? When did it start? Why did it take them so long to realize...?]

You don't understand... he's the Shepherd. There are hundreds, thousands of people like you back home. Even here, there's too many... people who are struggling and generating malevolence, suffering like that. The reason purification works the way it does is because no human alive could do what you're suggesting for everyone who needs it. Even if he lived as long as a seraph... it's too much pressure on one person. But Sorey...

[oh god.]

He can't- he can't not help people. The Shepherd's supposed to stay out of human affairs, but we always found a way. So what was it...? His duty? What Allen said? Or the people themselves... why didn't he say anything? Why was he--

[oh god]

I... I need to find him. Now.