Chapter 15: A Necessity

  I pleaded.

  I begged.

  But the station only released me at noon.

  Once outside, I navigated back to the Inventory menu.

  I’d already gotten a glimpse of what was inside when the Enforcer returned my confiscated COG, but now I had the chance to go over everything properly.

  A bronze key? No idea what it opened or how I got it. Still, too expensive to open anything in Orlinth, so I probably acquired it in Skyhaven – I bet it opens something there.

  An Enforcer’s handgun and sword? Had I...killed one? No. No way.

  Regardless, I made sure not to summon them in broad lamplight. It was strictly prohibited for citizens to carry any weapons – especially not Ironwatch-issued ones. Being affiliated with Libra once was already enough for me.

  11 kilograms of metal, though? Now that…that was something. Especially the tantalum. It meant I somehow managed to get my hands on an automaton’s core.

  Knowing myself, I had likely gone through both of my loops the same way. Being unimportant. Doing nothing. Scavenging for parts.

  Something has to change.

  I could use the upgrades. For both my COG and the Déjà Vu System.

  Because right now, I was flying blind. Clueless on how to progress properly. Afraid of reliving another loop exactly the same way I did my previous ones.

  Time was ticking down.

  Before I knew it, my one hundred and twenty-three loops would be gone.

  No.

  Time to get bold.

  I needed a Dematerializer.

  Which meant only one thing:

  I had to become an enemy of OIA.

  ***

  I took a cargo airship in the West-Central Orlinth Cargo Dock.

  Reached Skyhaven and passed security.

  The OIA – short for the Office of Internal Advancement – was the body responsible for overseeing technological progress, and for regulating the COG and every other magitek tool or system in Solvane.

  It operated under House Innovation – a house whose reach extended everywhere you looked.

  The OIA even supervised the Committee of Mechanized Advancement – the ones behind the Expo.

  But more importantly, they had the Division of Gear Oversight. The division that controlled the Dematerializers’ creation and decided who gets a chance of using one. They would loan it to workplaces and guilds who needed it to upgrade their members’ COGs on rare occasions. But even then, it was done after a ton of bureaucracy work, and in the presence of ten Enforcers and five automatons as safety measures.

  Unless I had information about a specific place in Orlinth getting one today – which I hadn't – the best place to get my hands on one would be at the OIA itself.

  I wasn’t planning on charging in. No. That place was more heavily guarded than any prison or mana crystal bank in Solvane – or so I heard. But the goal was clear: I had to get a Dematerializer this loop. And it didn’t matter what I had to do to get it.

  I just needed to get my hands on one and store it in the Inventory – preferably before some Enforcer blew my head off and restarted the loop.

  Once it was in, it would be mine. Next loop. And the one after that. For as long as I left it there at the end of each run.

  It felt bad knowing I was leaving Trent alone in the Divine for what essentially be his death…but I had to do this alone. I didn’t even have a solid plan, and I was already an Orlinther – someone who drew stares just by breathing Skyhaven’s air. Having Trent with me would only make us stand out more.

  Plus, we were all going to die anyway. So...

  I’ll make it up to you by saving Solvane, Trent.

  After stepping into the streets of Skyhaven, I scanned my surroundings for someone who didn’t look like they’d call the Enforcers on me if I spoke to them.

  A woman stood near the edge of a fountain plaza, adjusting the collar of her yellow coat. She had the Skyhavener look – elegant, rich, and slightly bored. She held a Steamcrown in her hand and seemed to be whispering something when I approached her.

  “Excuse me.” I said, keeping my tone polite. “Could you tell me where the OIA is?”

  She looked up. Her eyes landed on me like a punch to the face. Her expression tightened just enough to let me know she understood I was from Orlinth. And that she wasn't happy about it.

  Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

  She said nothing at first.

  Then, after a long second, she blinked slowly, tilted her head, and sighed.

  “The Office of Internal Advancement?” She asked.

  I nodded.

  She sighed again, louder this time. “No need to put an abbreviation on everything.”

  Then, before I could say anything in my defense, she turned and gestured vaguely down a white-tiled avenue that curved gently, leading toward the horizon.

  “Keep walking that way until you see the hedges.” She said. “There will be signs to guide you.”

  I followed her hand with my eyes, my gaze just slightly darting toward the Divine to our left.

  “That’s east of the Divine, right?” I asked, trying to get a hold of Skyhaven geographically.

  Her lips curved in amusement.

  “Yes.” She said, then looked me over again, slower this time. “Don’t get lost.”

  “…Thanks.” I muttered, though I didn’t really mean it.

  She turned away before I’d even finished the word, already whispering to herself again.

  Screw this bitch.

  As I walked off, I couldn’t help but wonder if she pointed me toward the OIA or the edge of the platform – hoping I’d keep walking until I slipped right off.

  She should’ve just said ‘please, jump’ if that was the case. Not like I could press charges against her.

  I kept walking in silence, trying to take in more of Skyhaven than just the stares.

  The views really were something – clear stone, blooming hedges, pastel-colored buildings and towers stretching upward. The air was sharp. Cold. It cut through my jacket and left me shaking.

  Eventually, I gave in and started running. Just a light jog to warm my body.

  Big mistake.

  “Hey! You there – stop running!” A voice barked.

  I froze as an Enforcer stepped out from the side of the walkway.

  I raised my hands instinctively. “Sorry. Just trying to warm up.”

  “Running in the open is a violation of public order, don’t you know that?” He said sharply. “You cause alarm. People may assume there’s a threat.”

  Well, there was…but it was actually in the Divine.

  “I didn’t even pass anyone.” I muttered.

  He stared at me for a bit too long, then clicked his tongue. “Listen here, Orlinther – this isn’t the lower levels. You don’t sprint through the marble walkways like it’s a scrapyard. You walk. With purpose. With respect. With dignity.”

  I nodded, biting back any ounce of sarcasm I might regret.

  “Understood.” I said, voice flat. “I’m sorry, Enforcer.”

  He lingered a second longer, like he wanted to keep going. Like he was looking for an excuse.

  But then he just sighed. “You should be thankful I’m not throwing you back into your slums this moment. Dismissed.”

  Then he turned and walked off.

  I waited until he disappeared around the building before muttering to myself. “Next loop I’ll jog more politely, I guess.”

  Then I kept walking – with purpose and dignity, or whatever nonsense he spouted a second ago.

  It was still a few kilometres off, but the edge of Skyhaven’s platform was already in sight. The airship I took landed near one edge – north of the Divine. That's why I surmised this direction was east.

  Before me, it appeared.

  The hub that housed the OIA was unlike anything I’d ever seen in Orlinth.

  It was clean, open, and…green. There were grass and trees everywhere. It immediately reminded me of Chronos’ Time Realm.

  Trimmed hedges ran along the perimeter, closed off by short black fences. A white stone pathway led toward the hub, its entrance flanked by two large stone pillars – each with a phonotube nested at the top, angled downward.

  There were three buildings here. All of them cream-colored, with red domed rooftops. Their windows arched, framed by black metallic grates.

  The largest building – at least seven floors tall – stood at the center. I assumed that was OIA’s main office.

  Despite its serene appearance, the place was heavily guarded.

  Ironwatch enforcers patrolled the walkways in pairs, each donning an Aetherguard suit. Some even had the advanced version of Mark II - the ones that looked more like an entire suit of armor and brass rather than just an outer exoskeleton. Towering automatons stood at fixed posts, both humanoid and not, and Eye Sentries flew almost everywhere, providing even more surveillance.

  But other than that, the place looked empty outside.

  No staff lounging. No benches. No signs of leisure. Nothing to suggest anyone ever came here for anything but business.

  Some civilians other than me seemed to be walking in and out of the buildings, but they were scarce.

  Despite its beauty in my eyes, it wasn’t a welcoming place, and the guards were just half the reason why.

  I approached the entrance and passed between the two pillars. Just ahead, a polished directions sign caught my eye. It confirmed my suspicions: the central building was indeed OIA’s headquarters.

  To its left: Division of Applied Research and Advancement.

  To its right: Division of Gear Oversight.

  Perfect.

  At the fork ahead, I turned right.

  In my mind, I was already calculating the odds of actually getting inside.

  Five Ironwatch Enforcers stood ahead, posted at the Division’s main entrance, flanked by a Hound automaton – a mechanical dog the size of a man which was the fuel of nightmares.

  A citizen ahead – a proper Skyhavener, dressed in a fancy silk suit and donning a shiny, golden COG that was probably worth more than my whole life – was stopped at the doors. A short interrogation. Full bodycheck. They let him in.

  I swallowed hard.

  There was no way I was getting in through the front doors. The moment I reach them, they’d question what an Orlinther was even doing here. They’d see my flagged status at their database. They’d check my credentials, see the Divine listed, and wonder how I managed to “get lost” when the Divine was the tallest structure on the platform and impossible to miss.

  Then they’d arrest me. At best.

  At worst, they’d just blow my brains out on the spot.

  Fuck.

  I didn’t think it would be this bad right off the bat.

  I needed a plan.

  I took a deep breath, realizing that it may take me more than one run to acquire a Dematerializer.

  I just needed to remember I was in a time loop, and base my decisions on the fact.

  For now, I’d just do my best and leave myself Temporal Trace marks wherever I could. Hopefully, Déjà Vu would fill in the rest of the gaps.

  I approached the Enforcers guarding the entrance, climbing up the set of wide stairs.

  One of them broke off from the line to intercept me. His face looked nothing like the Enforcers back in Orlinth – too clean, too rich. His footsteps clinked against the stone with each step, amplified because of the Aetherguard exoskeleton he wore.

  He eyed me from head-to-toe, then exchanged a glance with his squad before turning back to me.

  “COG.” He said, voice sharp.

  I decided to play along and see where it led.

  I raised my right arm toward him.

  “Oh, another lefty.” He muttered, reaching out his left arm, our COGs inches apart.

  I braced myself.

  Any second now, his would beep red. I’d be detained. But at least I could see where they’d lead me – hopefully somewhere from where I could potentially escape. Somewhere where I could at least leave myself a good clue for next time.

  But…it didn’t.

  A soft chime. A green light.

  “Clearance is...alright?” The Enforcer said, his eyes wide with disbelief.

  He tried again. Another soft chime. Another green light.

  He shook his head, exchanged a glance with his squad, then sighed.

  “Let me bodycheck you real quick. Arms and legs – spread.”

  My heart thundered in my chest as I obeyed, trying to mask the complete and utter shock rushing through me.

  What the fuck?

  Why did I have clearance to the Division of Gear Oversight?

  “All clear.” The Enforcer called, stepping back. He nodded at me. “You may enter.”

  I took a step forward.

  The other Enforcers didn’t move – but I could feel their gazes on me. Off to the side, the Hound automaton twitched its head with a mechanical click, its segmented tail shifting slightly.

  I kept walking, half expecting one of them to shout, or the Hound to lunge, or something – anything – to go wrong.

  But nothing did.

  I passed through the large metallic doors and entered the Division of Gear Oversight.