Chương 100: Chapter 99 - Most Suffering Being Alive

After leaving the Water's temple, Atzi again thought about her situation. She was beginning to realize she had little left she could even call upon. She'd already talked to V, the academy, Regent, and so many others. As things spiraled further from the world she had grown used to with repetition, she could only think of one option left. To enjoy herself as much as possible. The Serpent did it. Hemm had told her to do it. So clearly she'd be wrong if she didn't do it.

She hoped a brothel would have a prophet discount. As soon as she entered one, she was immediately surrounded by women. They were all shouting at her, some variation of asking if the curfew was lifted, and if they could go back outside.

"I'm a prophet of the Saintess-" Immediately, several of them started saying they'd do anything to be let out. Atzi's eyes widened. Nothing else but their words passed between her ears as she asked, "Really? Anything?" The women passed glances between each other. They immediately adopted their slinkiest poses. The oldest among them said, "Yes ma'am. We got stuck here. We wanna go back to our homes and, well, this is a whore-house after all.

Not usually we whore ourselves out to prophets for the right to go outside, but I can assure you we're motivated for it."

"Hey, when you put it like that, it makes it sound like I'm doing something skeevy." Atzi crossed her arms.

"You are, but why did you come here if you weren't into that?" The woman raised her eyebrow.

"Because I'm bored! There's nothing to do!"

"So can we go outside?" another woman asked.

"I think so?" Atzi guessed.

"Technically the Serpent decides everything, but she usually just lets me do what I want."

"Great," the oldest one said. More glances.

"How about some public sex, then?"

"I think it's alright with the guards, so long as you" - Atzi realized what was said - "In the street?!"

"Yep. We're going stir-crazy. Let the guards watch, so they know we have your permission. You're a prophet after all." Atzi's brain flickered.

"W-with more than one of you?" Glances, and then nods.

"Yes!" Atzi shouted enthusiastically. The women led her outside as she wore a stupid grin. I've made it? I don't have a mansion just yet, but I've made it. This is the life! I'm on top of the world! - Atzi pulled herself upright after she shook off the afterglow. The last of the prostitutes had already left a few minutes ago, quick to go wherever they wanted after Atzi was satisfied. She looked up in the dimming light and noticed, through the light of a second story window, a figure staring down at her.

She was lanky, with green skin. A goblin. Atzi stared. Didn't I see a goblin before the loops began? This one looks different, though. The goblin woman pulled her face back from being smooshed against the window, and waved. Atzi gave a little wave back. Then she put together that public sex meant she was visible to the public. She scurried back to the inn, embarrassed. === The next morning, when Atzi headed downstairs, Hemm was teaching Mala how to cook. She was pointing out various spices as something sizzled.

Atzi said, "It smells good, she good at learning?" Mala stared intently at the slowly cooking pork. Hemm turned to Atzi and said, "She's doing great." Atzi smiled.

"Nice. Can't wait to eat it." Mala looked to Hemm. Hemm nodded. Mala grimaced, but looked back to the food. After a few minutes she finished, with a bit of Hemm's help, and served it to Atzi. Atzi didn't even pause to look at the food before she dug in hungrily. Immediately, she made a face as her tongue brushed over way too much salt. Mala asked nervously, "Did I mess up?"

"It's really salty."

"Oh." Mala's shoulders slumped. Atzi stammered out, "Hey, that just means add less salt next time." She pushed around the food on her plate.

"Cooking's is- I mean, there'd be good food everywhere if it was that easy to learn?"

"Atzi's right, Mala. It's not a big problem. It's just something to know for next time."

"But I messed up her meal this time! And I was gonna ask-" Suddenly, Mala shut her mouth.

"Huh?" Atzi looked up.

"Gonna ask what?"

"Well, Mala, I think you can still ask." Hemm looked at Atzi with her one big eye.

"Mala and I discussed something, and she has a request for you. But it's up to her to ask it." Mala looked at Atzi, and then away. Oh right, I'm the prophet of the Saintess. I'm gonna get bothered by requests sometimes. Well, this one's fine.

"Hey, it's fine, go ahead." All the words jumbled together at once, Mala asked, "Can I be a priestess of the Saintess?!" Atzi blinked.

"You wanna be one? Uh, sure? I don't have any others, is there meant to be a ceremony or something for it?" Hemm looked at Atzi, confused.

"Wait, you don't have any others?" Atzi laughed nervously, stopped, and then laughed again.

"The Serpent is keeping them as her servants until the civil war's over." Hemm stared at her silently.

"I can't really do anything about that, have you seen her? She's terrifying!" Hemm firmly put a hand on the table, and announced, "Atzi, you need to help them. I know I said you shouldn't get involved in things but they're good people. They're probably being mistreated!" They definitely are.

"The godscouncil's over, I can't even ask another god to help out. I can try persuading her again, maybe she'll listen this time? If I piss her off and she thinks I'm manipulating her, she'll eat me." Mala looked horrified. Hemm put a hand on the kid's shoulder.

"If you can, see if you can't talk to the head priestess of the temple, Shanon. Maybe she would have an idea how you could help them."

"I'll try. I mean I need to re-establish the temple anyway, right? Maybe it'd help the Saintess more if she had more priests again." Mala added quietly, "I think I might wait to become a priestess."

"Oh." Atzi scratched her scales.

"Well, if you still wanna when I figure out how to help them out, you can."

"No! I still want to! I just don't want to during all this!" Mala shouted nervously.

"Oh. Yeah, no, I don't wanna accidentally hand you over to the Serpent or anything." Mala nodded furiously.

"Okay, I'll go see what I can pull off. Uh. Wish me luck." Hemm said, "Good luck, Atzi."

"Good Luck Atzi!" Mala echoed. Atzi psyched herself up. I can do this. - If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it. The prophet of the Serpent opened the door to the back, looking even more tired than last time, and wordlessly gestured Atzi in. Atzi gave him an apologetic look before heading in. One of the Serpent sat, legs crossed and clapping, as a dozen priests and priestesses of the Saintess struggled to hold a human pyramid. It wobbled precariously.

Then they tumbled into a pile, and the Serpent laughed. Atzi looked at them struggling to get back up. They appeared slicked in some kind of liquid. Atzi murmured to herself, "You can do this, Atzi,' a few times She waited for an opening, not wanting to piss off the goddess. It was a good ten minutes of continued attempts and falls of the human pyramids before the Serpent sighed. The Serpent waved at them, "Bored now. Go fetch me wine."

"You're getting bored of them?" Atzi asked as the priests and priestesses hurriedly got up and shuffled out. The Serpent turned her head and smiled.

"Not at all! Their suffering is delightful!"

"Why is their suffering fun? Is it them specifically, or would anyone work?" Atzi tried.

"Since I ate Malus, I couldn't torture that stuck up bitch." The Serpent clicked her tongue.

"Always acted like she was better than me even though I was a god and she wasn't. So at least I can stick it to her little pets."

"Oh." Atzi rubbed her arm.

"That's why I like you, Atzi." The Serpent smiled as wide as possible, showing off every sharp tooth.

"You know you're not better than me."

"Oh no, I'm not stupid." Atzi laughed awkwardly.

"Um, I did kind of come about the priests though. People are beginning to wonder where they are and all. Could you let a few of them go to me so I can set up the temple again?"

"Why?" Atzi thought for a moment. You know what, honestly, maybe I should just be honest here.

"The hot innkeeper who makes me nice food is a Saintess worshipper and asked me to and I wanna impress her."

"Why didn't you say so!" The Serpent got up and moved over to Atzi. She brushed her claw against Atzi's hair, and then placed one on Atzi's shoulder.

"How hot is she?"

"Oh, she's great. Like when she's cooking and leaning over the stove you can really see her ass through her clothes, and-" Atzi coughed.

"Um, she's a cyclops, which is cool. I'd never seen one before."

"A cyclops? Exotic. Would she be up for a fivesome?"

"Don't you eat everyone you sleep with?"

"Yes."

"I don't want her to get eaten, sorry."

"Wrong. You do, you just want to be the only one eating." The Serpent pouted.

"Selfish."

"Y-yeah but not like, to death! I like her." The Serpent shrugged.

"I liked most of the people I ate."

"Well, if the civil war goes badly and I'm gonna die anyway, I'd be up for it then." Atzi laughed awkwardly.

"If I'm gonna die anyway, it might as well be a good one." The Serpent took a sudden step forward, head nearly knocking against Atzi's as she stared into her eyes.

"Is that a promise?"

"Sure. Only if things are looking doomed, though. Since the more I know about what happens, the more stuff I know for next time, right?" The Serpent stepped back, smiling.

"Great!"

"So can I have some of the priests and priestesses then?" The Serpent hummed.

"Instead of trying to impress her, have you tried ordering her from your new position to service you until she likes it?"

"I want her to like me, though." Atzi said awkwardly.

"I mean, I can do that sometimes, I swung by a whorehouse and I got five of them to, you know."

"Oh yes, many guards reported to me about it! I told them good on you and that they should leave the whores alone."

"You did? Thanks."

"But, ah, you crave something more domestic than some whores? Fine, fine. Live long enough and you'll understand how boring that is, but don't say I never did you any favors! You can take two priests or priestesses."

"Is Shanon one of them? The Head Priestess? That's one I was asked to look for."

"Oh, Shanon? Yes. Bit of a stick in the mud that one. Makes it more fun to mess with her." Then she shouted.

"Shanon!" A moment later, a woman in torn, fancy robes arrived. Her tall hat dripped with the same mysterious liquid as the rest of the Saintess's priesthood. Atzi had met her a few times in previous loops. In one, she had even healed Atzi.

"Hi, you're Shanon, right?" Atzi awkwardly asked. Shanon frowned.

"Yes."

"I can take two of you out of here. I don't know the priests or priestesses at all, though, so do you have a choice?"

"Only two of us." Shanon went silent.

"That's all she'll let me take."

"I cannot allow myself free while the others suffer. Please take Michael and Janus."

"You sure?" Atzi asked, worried.

"Yes." She looked at the Serpent warily, and then whispered in Atzi's ear.

"I fear if they stay, she will eat them."

"Oh. Yeah, probably." Atzi turned to the Serpent.

"Michael and Janus." The Serpent waved a claw like she didn't care. A moment later, her prophet came through the door and led them into a side room, where two priests were waiting. Atzi looked at them, looking just as miserable as Andrew. She whispered to Shanon, "Sorry, about all of this." Shanon shook her head.

"It is not your fault. But allow me to ask. What is the status of the Saintess? I understand she died, but you are her new prophet. She lives again?"

"Do you guys still have your priest powers?"

"We never lost them. A god's death only would remove the prophet's powers."

"That's good." Atzi realized it was a dumb question anyway, because then everyone would have known when the Saintess died.

"What happened, as far as I understand it, is the Saintess died in Novae, Malus did a ritual to bring her back that opened a gate to the underworld and that needed to be closed up, and the Saintess doesn't have any memories from before all this happened." Atzi coughed.

"It was hard to find out she even was the Saintess. I had to ask around so many places about who she might be."

"You did not come to the Saintess's temple?"

"Well, she's always wearing bandages, you can't see what she looks like. So I didn't recognise her without 'em on."

"She doesn't appear the same as in her depictions?" Shanon asked.

"Not to me, anyway. Malus was the only other one that knew what she looked like without them, even the other gods didn't know. But if anyone'd know what she looked like, it'd be her." Shanon clasped her hands together.

"Please, Prophet. If I might ask you one more favor, describe to me my goddess." It's pretty weird she hides what she looked like, now that I think about it.

"I'll do my best. She's got green skin, she's got long wavy hair, she's about two heads taller than I am-" Atzi described her.

"Her skin is green?" Shanon asked, confused.

"So she's not human?"

"Huh, I guess not?" Is that why? But, then, what's the purpose?

"I thought she might be a Cthargicthan god at first, but none of them looked anything like her."

"That does resolve a long standing debate between the churches of the Saintess and the Ancestor," Shanon said, lost in thought.

"Oh, 'cause he's the origin of humans! What was the debate, again?"

"Yes, he claims to be the origin of humanity. But she is older than him, and was depicted as human. You see the issue."

"So she couldn't be human, then, and since she was covered up no-one could tell." Shanon nodded.

"Nobody considered she was not human, the debate was about the actual ages involved. It was about whether the Saintess was the actual first human, or if the Ancestor was actually older."

"Well, you got your answer."

"Thank you, Prophet Atzi."

"She sees and hears everything I see and hear. Usually, unless she's sleeping. So, she sees what you're going through and, um, she definitely respects you saving those guys over yourself." Not that she's talked to me at all since I yelled at her. Atzi coughed.

"Sorry, I'm not a very good prophet. I got chosen by blind luck, walking down the wrong street at the wrong time."

"The Saintess blesses us all."

"I'll try and get you and the others out sometime, when I can. Maybe if she was distracted with something else." Then, Atzi realized she could get some more information before she left.

"One question. Do you know what Malus's prophet powers even were?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, prophets get powers, don't they? I didn't. She can't remember how to do it." Which is weird, right? Shanon blinked.

"That is unfortunate."

"So maybe if I find out what she could give people before, it'd help?" Shanon hesitated, glancing between Atzi and the ceiling. Then she muttered a prayer and said, "Starting small, any priest can bestow a blessing. Her prophet should be able to, as well. I can show you the rites."

"Thanks." Shanon chanted as she held out her hand to Atzi's forehead, pressing against it with her thumb.

"All priests offer a different thing to perform the blessing of their god. For we priests of the Saintess, we offer a piece of our own cloth." She used her other hand to rip off a tiny piece of her already frayed robe, and presented it for Atzi to take. Atzi grabbed it. As she did, she felt something well up inside her. She felt steady and determined. Like it was a little easier for her to see things through, to do what she had to, no matter the cost. It was subtle, yet obviously there.

"Huh, so that's what her blessing feels like." Shanon blinked.

"You hadn't felt it already?"

"Should I?"

"All prophets should always feel the blessing of their gods, at all times. That you can't is strange." Shanon bit her lip.

"Can you try to bless me?"

"Sure." Atzi repeated the rite that Shanon taught her. A claw to her forehead, and ripping off a piece of her shirt. Shanon grasped it, and then her shoulders sank.

"Nothing."

"Nothing? Did I do it wrong?"

"No, but that should have easily cast the spell." Atzi thought, What the hells? I'm getting scammed! I'm supposed to have powers and I'm not getting any of them! She grumbled.

"Whatever. I'll take Janus and Micheal out, and lead them over to the Saintess temple where they can hide out." One of the two priests spoke up, "We will clean the temple. It will be much work, but we must prepare it for when her faithful return."

"Thanks. If you need anything, I'll see what I can do? I dunno how much power I even have, exactly." The other priest said, "Malus rarely interfered in the workings of the church, leaving such matters to Shanon. But if you have orders, we will follow them."

"Oh. Well, I'll see when I can get her out of there. And good luck, you two. Uh, blessings of the Saintess with you." She figured a prophet was meant to say stuff like that to priests to cheer them up. The two men echoed, "Blessings of the Saintess, Prophet." - After Atzi returned them to the Saintess's temple, she made her way back towards the inn. As she did, she thought more deeply on what she'd learned about her prophet powers.

So not only do I not get any powers, but the Forest had reacted pretty weirdly when she met the Saintess. Said she was wrong. Nervousness welled up inside her. It almost sounds like she's not a god anymore, but something else. She tried asking the Saintess internally, Saintess? Are you there? Nobody replied. Atzi shifted nervously. Her not being a god anymore would be pretty bad for me, I think. I can't live the good life if people find out she's not a real god!