After Kurgi ran away, Atzi looked at Scabiel and said her suspicion aloud. "It's like you guys remember totally different conversations."

  "She's just trying to garner sympathy," Scabiel said. "Well it won't work. I fucking hate her."

  The human woman that had been making out with Kurgi awkwardly got up and left, leaving just the two together at the table.

  "So... when exactly did you meet?" Atzi asked. "This morning?"

  "As soon as I got in yesterday evening, I went to see her. I was a little behind the group, as they had left me behind in the final morning since I had slept in by accident... " She shook her head. "Embarrassing."

  "Where'd you meet up?" Atzi asked.

  "The fancy inn she was staying at, The Crystal Chime."

  Atzi considered for a moment going to check out what actually happened. Then she remembered - I'm not going to be looping again. Which is a good thing, right? I guess there's some advantages to it, but it's good to escape.

  She felt it was good she was getting out before she really started thinking stuff like that.

  "Anyway, your work here is done. That bitch took off crying. A successful venture!"

  "Uh, it's pretty weird she remembers stuff differently to you, I think. And she sounded really excited about meeting her 'pen pal' when I heard her the night before that. She even turned someone down to make sure she'd be there to see you, so... maybe someone is messing with you both? I dunno."

  "Messing with us both. Who would mess with us?"

  "I dunno! You got any mutual enemies?"

  Scabiel shook her head. "Even if someone was messing with us, she still said what she said to me. You heard her! Good riddance."

  Atzi hummed. Maybe patching up these disaster lesbians isn't worth it. Tragic, but what can you do. "Ah. Yeah. So... you're single now huh?"

  Scabiel looked at Atzi and smiled. "My my my, got a taste of me and trying to make a move now?"

  "Yeah. I'm gonna be a big deal in the city soon, too. Might even be getting my own place around here..."

  Scabiel laughed. "Oh my, a 'big deal'." She put her palm to her forehead and leaned back. "However will I manage such a big deal?"

  Maybe she really is an awful bitch. "H-hey, I really will be..."

  "You're so cute."

  Atzi drooled a little and wiped her mouth. "Thanks. You're really hot in a scary way."

  Scabiel laughed. "I don't think I can do a relationship so soon, but… I'm here anyway. Let's have fun tonight."

  Yippee. Enjoy the show, spy losers!

  -

  Scabiel took Atzi away to an inn. The same inn Scabiel had named. The one Kurgi was staying at. The Crystal Chime.

  It was the poshest inn Atzi had ever seen. The furniture looked like it cost an arm and a leg. However, the strangest part of the inn was the number of clocks. There were more than Atzi could bother counting all on the right hand wall, made of various designs, all ticking away in sync. Most places didn't even have one clock.

  Atzi wondered if their cooking could rival Hemm's.

  The innkeeper was a middle aged man with an immaculate appearance. He wore a monocle and his greying hair was slicked back. His smile was reserved. "Greetings, guests. How may I be of assistance?"

  Atzi glanced over at Scabiel.

  "A room for the night, for two." Then she whispered something Atzi couldn't hear and slid over-

  Oh Water.

  Twenty gold. For one night.

  Atzi quickly calculated and figured she could afford to stay there for four nights.

  "Very good," the innkeeper said. He took the money and deposited it under the desk. Then he retrieved a key. "Allow me to show you to your room."

  "That's a lotta clocks." Atzi commented as they passed the clock wall to head up the stairs.

  "Thank you. They were designed for us by an affluent visitor, Reginald the clockmaker. He provides only the finest clockwork for all the empire."

  Atzi almost asked why there were so many, but she figured it was probably just to show off. You'd only get any benefit out of one, the rest are to go 'look how rich we are'.

  After leading the two upstairs, the innkeeper opened a door. The room was in line with the rest of the inn. The bed looked large and plush, with many pillows. There was already an ice bucket with wine on a table. And another bucket with fruit. A rope hung above the bed. "If you desire anything, anything at all, pull the rope and a servant will be with you shortly."

  "Woah."

  "Will there be anything else at this time?"

  Atzi looked to Scabiel, in case she was about to start ordering more fancy stuff.

  "No, thank you."

  "Then please, enjoy your stay."

  Atzi gave a creepy laugh. "I will."

  The innkeeper handed Scabiel the key and left.

  "I will as well..." Scabiel said seductively, and led Atzi inside.

  ===

  Atzi learned that night that shapeshifting could be used to make your arm boneless.

  "Mmm. That was pleasing." Scabiel said as they laid in bed together.

  "I'll say... magic sure lets you do wild shit..." All mages are insane, Atzi reminded herself.

  "Pass me the wine," Scabiel said.

  Atzi reached over the side of the bed to the bucket, picked out the bottle, and gave it over.

  Scabiel took it towards her face. She clamped down on either side of the cork with her mandibles, then pulled. It popped right open. Then she poured herself some. "Would you like a glass?"

  "Yeah. I've got a trick I can do too, check this out." She grabbed the bottle with her tail and used it to pour a glass "Not bad, huh? Most Pomarians can't do that."

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

  Scabiel smiled. "It was certainly nice when you used that during our tryst."

  Atzi gave an awkward laugh. She didn't mention that it was something she learned from a prostitute when she was new to the city.

  "You do not snore, do you?"

  "Nah, I sleep like a baby." Then she thought of all the bad dreams she'd been having. "Usually."

  "Good. Then I shall retire. We will check out when we wake." She snuffed out the wall lantern.

  ===

  When Atzi awakened, she could tell by a little light streaming out under a curtain it was already afternoon.

  Scabiel was already awake, dressed.

  Atzi yawned and stretched. "I'm gonna head back where I'm staying. You sticking around here?"

  "Until the end of the festival, I shall be in the city, yes. Though this inn is rather expensive, and unlike that bitch I don't have mommy's money to stay here every night. I hope she heard us."

  Atzi suddenly realized why Scabiel took her to that inn. "Oh. Wait, is... is that why you wanted me yelling your name that much?"

  "Don't think about it too much. I still had fun, and you did too, right?"

  "Oh. Yeah. I guess she sleeps around too so she can't really complain."

  "In any case, this will likely be the last time we see each other. It was a pleasure."

  "Ah... well, it was cool, see you around Scabiel. Maybe I'll visit Novasium someday."

  Scabiel shrugged. "If you are so inclined. But don't think of it as an invitation for further relationship. This was but a one night stand."

  That was fine by Atzi. With that, they both headed their separate ways.

  Then she thought about Regent and his spies. Why are these assholes taking so long with this? I should go looking for Terra. She wanted to at least check they did at least pass along why she couldn't travel yet.

  -

  This time, at least, she was allowed to see the sage without issue. Terra was in her office when Atzi arrived, and invited her in. "Hi... uh, they passed along my message right?"

  "Yes. Did you receive permission to travel yet?"

  "Not yet. They're taking forever, though, and we're getting low on time. The spell gets cast in three days time, and it'll take a day to reach Cthy at least. If they don't say anything to me by tonight, I was gonna suggest we... sneak out and go do it anyway."

  "Unwise, as they may label us traitors. Though with my asking permission, they may be more lenient than they otherwise would be."

  Atzi groaned. "Can you talk to them and get them to hurry up? If this ends with us getting there too late then I'll have to do this all over again."

  "I shall, though you might also talk to them yourself to see what may be taking so long."

  "I... don't actually know how to get in touch with them. They never said. Only time I've seen them is when they were beating up people who wanna kill me." She thought about it. "I guess I could try the place I saw them before."

  "Then good luck."

  -

  Atzi headed to the nondescript building where she had spoken with Regent. She tried to open the door and- it was locked. I'm trying to save the world and you're not in? Assholes. She knocked. "Anyone here?"

  "Do you need to communicate with us?" Someone asked from behind her.

  Atzi yelped in surprise, and then turned around to the same fox-masked person as before. At least she assumed it was, she couldn't actually tell due to the mask and robes. "Y-yeah! What's taking so long? We're running out of time, does that guy not even care?"

  "Though I cannot share details, I can assure you the director is hard at work resolving priority issues."

  "Well, where is he?" Atzi asked.

  "Resolving priority issues."

  "Then can I talk to him?"

  "Your impatience is not a priority issue. If you have something you need to pass along to him, I will do so."

  Atzi thumped her tail. "Tell him we've only got three days and he's screwing up his job if we don't leave soon, then!"

  Voice dripping with neutrality, the agent said, "I will relay your message."

  "Great..." With that, Atzi went back to Hemm's inn.

  -

  "Having fun, Atzi?" Hemm was cooking dinner when Atzi got back.

  "Yeah. Festival stuff, I ended up staying over at a party."

  "If only I had some guards to watch the inn, then I could go out to party, too." Hemm said as she plated some food. "Did you ever find out where Vance went?"

  "Oh. Yeah, he's in jail." Atzi sat down.

  Hemm looked shocked. "What did he do?"

  "Him and Karl tried to mug a guy. Got their asses kicked and arrested for it."

  "That's… serves them right." Hemm shook her head.

  "They did kinda have it coming, yeah." For picking their target poorly and botching the job so badly.

  Just as Atzi was about to eat, she heard a big commotion coming from outside.

  Atzi looked over at the door. Please don't say someone else came to kill me and got arrested. She walked over and peeked her head out.

  She saw a bunch of people on the street watching others pass through. This time she didn't need to go out to see what was happening, able to tell what was happening from where she was.

  There were a bunch of people in black robes - Atzi noticed one guy was the preacher at the crazy 'dead' church she visited and realized the rest of the people must have been part of it too. They were being pulled along in chains by guards.

  Oh shit. Then... they were involved? Did I stop them? Atzi stared in amazement. Did I save the city? That's gotta be worth a mansion. Atzi shut the door and turned back to Hemm. "They... arrested those weird necromancers. Which means... they were probably involved?"

  "A lot of arrests happening recently," Hemm said.

  "Oh, who else?"

  "While you were gone a few other people were arrested nearby. I didn't recognize them, though, save for that one shopkeep."

  "Shopkeep? Which one?"

  "The one all the other shopkeeps were angry about for undercutting their prices."

  "The creepy guy?" Atzi asked, imagining the purple-haired fellow.

  "Creepy guy? Maybe? He did look pretty weird with the symbols on his outfit."

  "Ah, well, doesn't matter now if they're already locked up I guess." Atzi sat down again. "I'm gonna finally get to move on with my life..."

  "No more going back in time?" Hemm asked.

  "Still need to find that bat, but after that? No more. None. I'm free. I'm... I'm gonna be free!" She laughed madly. "Free from this! No more getting pushed off walls or eaten or burned or..."

  Hemm gave a worried look, and then said she had to run off to clean.

  Atzi ate her food alone.

  ===

  She hadn’t done anything of note for the rest of the day, just relaxing in her room, happy everything was almost over. Then at some point she fell asleep, and woke up the next afternoon - but to the chiming of a bell. The bell that summoned the people of Sostra for a grand announcement in the temple district.

  Atzi's first thought was that she'd fixed everything, and that the announcement was to declare it and give her the mansion she deserved. That got her motivated to get dressed and run out, joining the crowds in making their way to the temple district.

  Shortly after Atzi arrived, out onto the balcony of the central building stepped Malus. Her red eye surveyed the crowd.

  Atzi didn't like seeing her. But this time she isn't going to burn me alive, so it's fine.

  Then out stepped the Saintess, standing silently beside her prophet. The bandages covering her body and rhombus crystal worn around her neck were the same as ever.

  The crowd feverishly prayed.

  Atzi didn't bother joining them. It must be a pretty big deal if the Saintess is here. She probably knows who the goddess in my head is. Not that I can ask.

  "People of Sostra," Malus began. The crowd instantly quieted. "It is my duty to keep you all safe. Ensure, as the prophet of my goddess, to carry out her will. Your prosperity is her will."

  Then Malus hung her head. "I have been derelict in my duty."

  The crowd murmured.

  Malus brought her head back up. "I allowed a traitor to the empire into its walls, gave him power and authority."

  That doesn't sound good.

  "He abused this to target innocent citizens for his own gains, and sought to undermine the very gods of this empire. To undermine the Saintess."

  Atzi really didn't like where things were headed, for some reason.

  "I shall correct my mistake here before you. Bring him forward."

  A figure, bound and gagged, was brought out by temple guards.

  It was Regent.

  Atzi stared up. He looks just like- she thought, for a moment, then stopped. Her mind tried to catch up to what she was seeing. This means... Malus... really is involved in this. She's part of this.

  "This man is Regent, whom I entrusted with some of the empire's most sensitive information. I am a fool. Luckily, before he could further abuse his power, I managed to catch him, and now he will be eliminated by my hand."

  I need to escape. What do I do here? Do I grab Hemm? Do I look for Terra? She might be guarded and watched, but maybe not?

  Malus snapped her fingers.

  Just as Atzi had once been, Regent was set ablaze.