Chương 102: Chapter 101 - Entertainment

"Out! Out!" Atzi bolted upright and made a drawn out, intentional groan.

"I'm a scary drug addict! I took so many drugs I might do anything! Watch out, you old bag!" Then she nimbly dodged out of the way of a heavy cane thwack.

"Crazy druggies!"

"See you next loop!" Atzi wandered off, laughing to herself. Now that's how you have fun in a time loop. Fucking with people! She didn't feel as tired as she normally did, so she went straight for the sage's book in the sewer under V's house. Whatever else she decided to do in the course of enjoying herself, there was no reason not to grab it. Then she returned to the inn and washed herself off.

She heard signs of the Serpent's procession outside, but after all the problems she had to deal with last time, Atzi didn't want to talk to her. At least not yet. She had other ideas. She wanted to steal the gems from the guard house too - feeling the gems' power, and learning magic for once - but she'd wait until night to do that. And it was too early to party with Kurgi, as much fun as that was every time she did it. As she thought over her various options of what she could do, then, a face popped up in her mind.

One that looked like a statue. The child of the General. She thought to tell them about the demon on the road, and see if they would fight - and who would win if they did. Free entertainment, and maybe a little bit of payback. - The arena was busy with people placing bets. Atzi approached the lizard bookie.

"Hey, you got a new contestant join recently? Looks like a statue, pretty quiet?"

"One gold to see the contestants, all you can talk backstage pass. Tour included." Atzi checked her money. It'd been a while, so she'd forgotten how much she had. Sixty-five bronze. Not enough.

"How about fifty bronze and a tip?"

"No." Atzi groaned.

"Gimme a second then." She wandered away and looked for anyone who looked on the wealthier side and looking to try their luck. They'd immediately notice the money missing, but so what? It happened in a crowd and no-one saw, and Atzi wouldn't even be in the crowd. After a bit, she spotted someone with a scar over his chin in fancy robes, flanked by two buddies. She circled around, spotted a pouch, and crept up carefully.

In a single motion, she snatched the purse with the confidence that you could only get from years of practice, and knowledge that even if it all went wrong, you'd get to try again. It did make it a little less thrilling, though. Only a little. Then she was out, up to the bookie again.

"One gold, as promised. Here's a little extra if we can start the tour right now."

"Done!" He took the money and the little extra, repossessing Atzi's repossessed wealth in a flash.

"Talk to the guard over there for the tour, still need to take bets." He pointed to a guard. The guard nodded when she approached.

"Don't wander off anywhere without permission. Don't touch the contestants without permission. Got it?"

"Yeah, got it, got it." He led her back. Like last time, the underside of the arena was sparse and clean. A number of rooms with nothing other than furniture lined the interior at regular intervals. The guard asked, "Did you care for the full tour, or was there someone in particular you wanted to see? I don't give these too often."

"Just looking to talk to the statue-looking person about something."

"Alright." When they arrived at the demigod's room, they were carving something out of a piece of wood - using only their thumb to shear off the wood. Atzi wandered up casually.

"Hey there. Came here looking for an interesting fight, right?" They looked up at her and said, "Won't find one from you." Then they went back to carving. Atzi raised her claws.

"Oh, no way, I'm a coward. I'm not dumb enough to fight when I can't win. I know one you'll enjoy, though."

"Where?" they asked, not even bothering to look up again. Another scrap of wood hit the floor.

"On the road from here to Mediolanum, might not have shown up yet, dunno what exact day she will, but in three days time she'll definitely be there. A demon, looking for strong challengers and killing anyone she meets." There was a sudden 'thwip' noise. Driven by pure instinct, Atzi ducked under the sharpened piece of wood tossed at her at the force of a loosed arrow. It shattered into pieces on the wall behind her. The demigod made no other move, just staring at her.

The guard looked tense, but too afraid to do anything. Atzi built up the courage to ask, stuttering, "What was that for?"

"Good at dodging, but not at fighting. You really are a coward."

"Well yeah! Dying's miserable."

"I am not so foolish as to run into a trap on the promise of a good fight."

"That's what you think this is?" Atzi shook her head. You would win! Probably.

"Oh, yeah, I guess this sounds pretty suspicious. Okay, okay, how about this? I'm not saying a word about who your dad is since I figure you don't wanna talk about it, but some friends of his will be coming to pick you up on the fourteenth?" She tried to remember exactly.

"Yeah, the fourteenth."

"Leave us." The demigod demanded of the guard.

"But-" Atzi waved off the guard.

"Not worth fighting this one. I'll be fine. Probably."

"I could break you in half through your armor," the demigod provided additional motivation. The guard left.

"Shoulda led with that, hate having guards breathing down my neck." Atzi sighed. The demigod looked her directly in the eyes.

"How do you know who I am? Who my father is?"

"It's simple. You get in a very public fight with a few young mages - kicking their asses until one of the more serious ones shows up, causing a load of attention. Then some officials from Dyme show up demanding to take you home. They use some magic to restrain you and take you away. I know this cause I'm a prophet." She laughed creepily.

"I know the future. Not everything, but a lot of the good bits."

"A prophet and a seer. Which god do you serve?" The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Atzi considered for a second. Then she thought, well, it might be fun to learn how they react.

"Tell you what. I'm keeping your secret, I'll tell you but you can't tell anyone. They wouldn't believe you anyway."

"You are keeping my secret because you would be dead otherwise." Atzi raised her claws.

"Alright, alright. Anyway, I'm the prophet of the Saintess."

"I see." They seemed entirely unsurprised.

"You're new to the city, yeah? Most people call me insane when I try explaining it. Or go investigating, which is even worse, 'cause it leads to Malus burning me alive."

"Why would they call you insane?"

"Because Malus has been the prophet for a long time, and is still alive. Normally a prophet can't get replaced until they die. Normally."

"Oh? That is more interesting. Malus." The demigod cracked their neck.

"Is Malus strong?"

"Strongest in the city, I bet- you're thinking about going after her?"

"Maybe. It sounds fun." Atzi thought about whether she should try to stop them. Probably fine, right?

"Don't mention me when you do, but good luck. Life gets so much easier for me without her around."

"Where is she?"

"Temple of the Saintess probably, or the Godscouncil chambers." They stood up. Atzi's eyes widened.

"You're really going for it?"

"You have been very helpful."

"Uh, you're welcome. If you win, could you try your luck with the demon-" Again by instinct, Atzi ducked under the fist that had been aimed squarely at her head.

"Wh-why this time? You know how much your punches hurt? You're nuts!" They adopted a martial stance.

"Very slippery. Survive two more strikes, and I'll let you live."

"Oh come on, it's only the first afternoon!" Atzi thought about running, but quickly discarded the idea. They were fast and insane enough to continue chasing and attacking her in broad daylight. The best outcome was for her to dodge, and then they somehow take out Malus. Worst case scenario is just death, after all. Atzi chuckled sadly. The next blow was still quicker than she could track with her eyes. She dodged to the side. The strike clipped her, and she grunted in pain. But she was still standing.

"Tough, too. It is a shame you have no bloodlust. You could have been a worthy foe," the demigod remarked.

"I don't like killing! I'm more a lover than a-" She had to dodge in a panic before she could finish. But her angle was off, and their hand pierced her chest. It was a small mercy that it didn't go all the way through. Atzi spat out a mouthful of blood and cried out in pain. The demigod removed their hand.

"You're alive. Impressive." Atzi struggled to speak, "So you'll let me go, then?" Gods, this sucks.

"I said I would let you live. But what wonderful bait you would be if I brought you to Malus." They picked her up with one hand, holding her by the back of her neck. Atzi whined.

"Come on! I'll give you a hundred gold, isn't that better? Everyone loves gold!" The demigod started marching out into the hall, making their way to the exit.

"What need have I of gold? I am strong. Strength is worth more than anything."

"Why are you like this?" Atzi wheezed out.

"What's the fun in fighting? You get hurt, you feel like throwing up, it sucks! I was having fun today until you fought me!" Suddenly, the demigod's face was pressed very close against hers. Their face felt as cool as their statue-like apperance.

"Sorry," Atzi stuttered out.

"I know not how anyone finds fun in anything else."

"Really? You've never drank or been to a whorehouse or anything?" Atzi wished she'd chosen to do those things, instead.

"No." They pulled their face away and continued out of the arena. When the demigod exited, everyone stared in horror at the scene. They watched a trail of blood slowly form beneath Atzi as she was carried like a limp kitten. Guards who tried to intervene were swept aside with nothing more than glares and brief threats. The demigod marched her all the way up to the temple district, straight to the central temple.

Its guards were not so easily cowed, but they were still forced to give room to the demigod when they were shoved several feet away with a simple push. Inside, the demigod shouted, "Malus!" Oh Water, they're an idiot, Atzi thought. Wait. Wait. If I'm publicly revealed as the new prophet and Malus dies… is this my ultimate chance? She had a renewed hope. Sometimes things would look bad, but then it would turn around, and she'd get to enjoy an overall great loop. Just like last time.

Malus arrived quickly, the Ancestor behind her. The musclebound god stared impassively.

"Who are you, and why have you brought carrion to this holy place?" Malus dismissed Atzi's presence immediately.

"I am the child of the General." Malus's good eye narrowed, and the Ancestor tensed.

"I come bearing a gift in exchange for asylum against my father."

"A gift?" Atzi looked panicked.

"I thought you wanted to fight her?"

"I do," the demigod honestly and publicly declared. Atzi wanted to cry, and not just from the pain. She gave a dead-eyed stare at the false prophet.

"Hi, Malus. Can you at least make it something less painful than burning?" No way I'm making it out of this one alive. Malus ignored her.

"And what makes this" - she hesitated - "thing a gift? And why fight me?"

"She is the prophet of the Saintess." Only then did Atzi become important. The arch priestess's eye fixed to her. Atzi could see the flames of passion burning within her already. Atzi tried for a last desperate gamble.

"Sorry, I didn't want it to go like this. We've got six days until your gate destroys the city, so can you at least fix that after you kill me? I like some people in Sostra!" For her part, Malus once more ignored her, despite the mention of the gate.

"And for the boon of bringing me a pretender to my title, you want asylum?" Malus addressed the demigod once more.

"And to fight you." There was a pause, as Atzi felt smaller than she'd ever been before, like she'd wandered into politics far beyond her understanding. Malus finally spoke.

"Very well. I agree." Atzi was flung onto the polished stone floor. She hit it with a wet slapping noise, and pain surged through her again. She managed to raise her head, staring directly at the Ancestor. With spite, she managed to cough out, "Hey, Ancestor, do you want to know a-" Malus snapped her fingers, and Atzi again was engulfed in flames. === Atzi screamed in pain and panic within the void, until she wrapped back to sanity, her prolonged screams becoming frustration.

"I hate her! Why does she do that? Why doesn't she let me even talk?" The Saintess floated in the void.

"This woman was my lover once, apparently. The lengths you have gone to merely for those you wished were your lover- perhaps her feelings for me are even stronger than that."

"Your ex is way too jealous. This is crazy! She just murders someone she's never even met before!" Atzi crossed her arms.

"Shoulda let the Serpent eat her again."

"Why?"

"So she can't kill me. No-one else is strong enough to stop her, so what else can I do? Not like I can get anything done or enjoy myself if she does that." The Saintess paused, and then said, "Listening through your ears, I've heard many options. You could avoid her entirely. Or you could become strong enough to fight her." Atzi shook her head.

"The General's kid can block spells with their bare hands, so I could learn that. But it'll be impossible to get them to teach me anything unless I just keep dying and hope I get lucky." She groaned.

"If I could figure out something to make 'em listen to me, just once, I could fake it the next time."

"Fake what?" The Saintess asked.

"That training thing. Having to take a hit and survive. If I acted like I'd already done it in another life and convinced them it was real, I could skip to learning the good stuff." She thought for a moment.

"Maybe I could do it the opposite way. If I got hold of the guys from Dyme in advance, I could make an offer. They teach me those tricks, and I tell them where the General's kid is." The Saintess gave a halted, shallow nod.

"Ah."

"That's politics. See, I can learn!" Atzi said, proudly.

"I'm not carrion, or a 'thing'!"

"I thought you might do that. But I thought it would be because the General's child is dangerous, thus it is better for everyone if they are gone," the Saintess suggested.

"Yeah, that too. We know they kill someone in the arena. Dunno if I can be fast enough to stop that, though." The Saintess faded away again. Everything told, she didn't have a good plan for the demigod. So she'd ignore them for now - better than dying again - and focus on everything else. She felt embarrassed that she'd so quickly failed at her goal of enjoying herself, but it wasn't like she didn't still have plenty of chances, or other things to try. She still had gems to eat.

Could see the Star's prophet, too, use the knowledge she gained about the artifact to get her attention. Maybe they would help her seal the gate of the dead.

"Out! Out!"