Atzi blinked. “I am? She’s a god?” That can’t be right? Right?

  Jewel nodded. “I’m certain!”

  “I’m… a god?” the mysterious woman’s voice asked.

  “Yeah. She’s a real prophet, so she must know what she’s talking about. You’re a god,” Atzi responded confidently. “So, if you have any divine miracles, your prophet would humbly requ-”

  “I’m… very sleepy…”

  Atzi groaned.

  “But… which god is she?” Jewel wondered.

  V cleared their throat.

  Atzi turned back to them. “Um. Good news? That’s the mystery solved, isn’t it? All a god’s doing.”

  V slowly shook their head, taking a few measured steps closer to Atzi and Jewel. “I’m afraid, Atzi, this leaves us with more questions than answers.”

  “...I guess. It’s the first actual answer I’ve gotten since this started, though.” Atzi scratched her scales. “I could describe what she looks like. Would that help?”

  V scowled. “You may describe the god to her.”

  Jewel took a silent step away from V.

  “Sure. Sure.” Atzi waved her tail. “So she’s… got long hair. And green skin. All pale like. Oh! And a cute face.”

  “A c-cute face?” Jewel asked.

  “Yeah! You know! The way humans can be!”

  Jewel and V both stared at Atzi.

  Atzi coughed.

  “U-um, that doesn’t sound like any god I know of.” Jewel then stared out into space. “The Ancestor doesn’t know, either.”

  “It’s a god he hasn’t even heard of? That’s…” Atzi tapped her claws. “I just assumed all the gods knew each other.”

  Jewel shook her head. “Divinity is… complicated. Beings can rise and fall from godhood, though rare.”

  "Yeah, I'm starting to see. Maybe she's a new one? Or... really old?"

  "Either of those could be. She would need to be r-really old to be older than the Ancestor, though." Jewel motioned to the tapestries of the temple depicting her god. “He’s thousands of years old.”

  "Not like she would know. Maybe there's records somewhere of really old ones?"

  "If there are… I guess the Saintess would know?" Jewel shrugged. "She's the only god older than the Ancestor I know about."

  ...Wait, if I'm a prophet, do I get a fancy place in the temple district? "Can... can we ask her? I mean, she's the Saintess, you know? No offence to you, but you've been a prophet as long as I have."

  "Oh. No. We can't. But you might be able to ask her Prophet?"

  Atzi turned towards V. "It seems like the only good idea, what do you think?"

  V looked away. "...I'm afraid Malus would require a larger donation than I could provide, to entertain us."

  "Yeah... but, there's a meeting of the prophets around now right?” Atzi turned back to Jewel. “Could you get hold of her that way?"

  "Th-that’s. Um. W-well… maybe?” Jewel was clearly not comfortable with the idea. “U-um, could you h-help me find my brother?"

  "... he's not with you?"

  "No!" Jewel was furious again. "I haven't seen him at all!"

  "Oh. Oh, shit. I... I saw him a while ago… I mean, a few days ago from now. He needed a place to stay so I set him and his two friends up at the inn I stay at. He stuck around for a day then vanished, the one with a shit-eating grin did too. Marco stayed behind, he said he didn't know where they are."

  Jewel looked nervous again. “I-If you can find my brother, I'll try to- to- t-talk… to… Ma-ma-ma-Malus. Um, d-don’t leave the city so I can g-get word to you, okay?"

  "I thought this whole time he'd just come here to live in a fancy temple building.” Atzi rolled her eyes. “Alright, alright. I'll look for the guy, okay?"

  "T-thank you."

  "Uh, does this mean if I have something to talk about, I can come back here...?"

  "Um, I'm pretty busy. Sorry."

  "Oh. Yeah, figures. Uh, if I find out anything, can I just let one of the priests know to get in touch with you?"

  "Please."

  V waved their hand. "Thank you for your time. I will have the donation delivered."

  Atzi moved closer to V and whispered, "Shouldn't we mention the stuff about... you know... what happens to the city?"

  V whispered back. "That is another matter. We must first understand the nature of your… divine parasite."

  Atzi winced. "Calling a God that in the middle of a temple, no way that isn't bad luck... "

  "I do not care." V stood straight. “We will start with finding this brother."

  -

  Atzi, V, and V’s guard walked through the slums.

  “I have not missed this cesspit,” V said.

  “You used to live in the slums?” Atzi asked. They don’t act like someone from the slums at all.

  “For a time.”

  Atzi wondered if they would elaborate, but they did not. “A-anyway, there was this guy and lady who seemed to know him pretty well, so if we can just find them…”

  “I shall, cautiously, allow you to do the talking,” V said.

  “R-right. Okay.” Atzi actually had no idea where the two had moved into. So she picked a random shack and knocked on its door.

  “Yes?” A man peered out. As soon as he caught sight of V’s guard, he slammed the door. “You got the wrong place!”

  Atzi sighed. “You’re scaring the people,” she said to the heavily armored guard.

  The guard shifted his helmet towards her, saying nothing.

  “S-sorry.” Atzi reflexively apologized. Then she turned back to the random guy’s home. “Hey! It’s okay! I just have a simple question and then we’ll leave!”

  “What?!” came the man’s shouted reply.

  “There was this Novaen warrior missing a leg, and a woman taking care of him. Do you know where they moved into?”

  “No idea!”

  Atzi sighed again. “Let’s try another place.”

  “What methodology are you using to locate these people?” V asked.

  “Oh, I’m just trying random places,” Atzi responded, embarrassed by V’s tone of voice, but not sure why.

  Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  V pinched the bridge of their nose. “At least sweep the area you last saw them first.”

  I would have thought of it eventually! “Good idea!”

  -

  A dozen houses near her old shack later, Atzi finally got an answer from another refugee. Didn’t know where the two were staying, but had apparently overheard the woman mention a job at a market food stall.

  So, the trio wandered the market street until Atzi spotted the refugee woman.

  Atzi strolled up.

  “Hello, customer,” the refugee woman replied. She ran her hand over a veritable buffet of prepared foods. “Can I interest you in some fresh bread? Nicomedian peaches? Dried beef strips?”

  Atzi drooled. “Ye- actually, I have something to ask you. A couple days ago, we met when you guys had just arrived. You know that guy, Vance? Hangs around with Marco and... uh... the third guy?”

  “I remember you now, yes.” The woman nodded, then took on a sour look. “What about Vance? Has he caused trouble again? I have not seen him in a few days."

  "No-one has, that's the thing. You haven't heard anything?" Atzi leaned on the stall. "His sister's pretty upset."

  The refugee woman shook her head. "Ahhh, yes. Poor girl. First she bears the burden of that man as brother, now she bears the burden of being the Ancestor's Prophet."

  "Being a prophet's a hard thing?" Atzi asked entirely out of self-interest.

  "I am told it has benefits, but... I would not wish that responsibility. You are the mouth and hand of your god," the woman said.

  Yeah, I’m sure it’s so hard being rich and powerful.

  "Everything you do and say is scrutinized by everyone."

  "Oh..." Wait... but no-one knows I'm a prophet, so I can get away with it for now! Phew.

  V coughed.

  Atzi shook her claws. "S-so, uh, making things a little easier for her, you heard anything at all about him? Or maybe anyone who might know?"

  "No, but if I were to look anywhere, it would be jail. He has a knack for trouble, and it is less tolerated here than it was in Novae."

  "Gotcha. What was the name of the other one always hanging around him, anyway?” Atzi tilted her head. "Maybe someone's seen him."

  "Karl."

  "Got it. Thanks!"

  "Would you like to buy anything?" the woman asked as Atzi turned around.

  -

  "I definitely can't go too near the prison." Atzi said to V, chewing on her dried beef strip. "They still have a wanted poster of me up there somewhere. I think."

  V sighed. "I see. Then I suppose I shall need to handle this matter. Very well. We shall approach, and then you shall stay with my guard while I head inside."

  The day turned to evening as the three went through a residential street, far past the guard house Atzi had poisoned, all the way to the ‘administration district’. They traveled up it until they reached a large building Atzi recognized as the prison. It looked a lot more imposing since the last time she’d seen it.

  Just being here is making my scales itch. Strange V would have no problem going in there, aren’t they as wanted as I am?

  V turned towards Atzi. “Do not do anything foolish while I’m gone.”

  “I won’t!”

  V entered the prison.

  Atzi tapped her clawed foot as she waited. She wasn’t sure exactly how much time passed, but eventually she grew bored of just standing there silently. She turned to V’s guard. “Must, uh, pay a lot? Guard work?”

  The guard said nothing.

  Atzi laughed awkwardly and went silent again.

  People began filling the area a short distance from the prison, the initial forays into parties on this street.

  As Atzi tapped her clawed foot there, she noticed someone leaning casually against a wall.

  A woman, dark hair over one of her eyes, looking very bored.

  The one who had tried to help Cory and Alana kill Atzi.

  Atzi’s eyes went wide. Is she here to try again? Wait, no, she doesn't know me. Or does she? Does she know me? Atzi stared intently in her direction, trying to tell if she’d stare back, or if she was watching Atzi.

  The bored woman was clearly scanning the area, eyes traveling over everyone. When her eyes met Atzi’s, she huffed and looked away.

  Atzi shivered. I have no idea who she is, but she scares me. She couldn’t do anything about it, however, so she just continued to wait for V. The bored woman didn’t even glance at her again, no matter how many times Atzi glanced back.

  Finally, V exited the prison.

  Vance stepped out behind them. “Hey, thanks for bailing me out!” He smiled happily at V, running his hand through his blonde hair. “Any chance you could bail out my bud-”

  “No.”

  Vance snapped his fingers. “Shoot. Well, I’ll figure that out later.”

  Atzi approached him. “Hey, remember me?”

  Vance scratched his chin. “Should I?”

  “I literally got you a place to stay!” Atzi stomped a clawed foot.

  “Oh!” He said in sudden recognition. “Yeah, thanks for that.”

  "What'd you even get locked up for?"

  "Bah, this old drunk guy who reported me for some reason. Turns out he used to be a soldier, so they took 'em seriously. Bastard."

  "Shouldn't have tried to mug him if you can't even hold a club right... oh yeah, your sister's the new prophet of the Ancestor. Speaking of which, you're comin' to the temple district, she wants to see you."

  "...What? You putting me on?"

  "You'd have seen her big speech if you didn't get arrested." Atzi waved a claw. “So c'mon, she's waiting."

  "Alright, fine, guess even if it's a joke, I owe you one."

  They all left. Atzi could feel the eyes of the bored looking woman on her.

  Eerie.

  -

  After returning to the Ancestor’s temple and talking to a priestess, Jewel came running out from the back.

  "You!" she shouted. She sprinted at Vance… and slapped him. It echoed throughout the holy building.

  Atzi snickered a little.

  "Ow! Hey!" Vance rubbed his face.

  "Where were you?!"

  "Oh you know. Doin' stuff."

  Atzi realized he didn’t want to tell his sister where he was. She wasn’t going to rat him out, but she did think he was an asshole for lying to her. "So, I held up my end... you gonna help me out?"

  Jewel looked at Atzi. All of her passion she just had left her. "U-um. Y-yes. I'll...talk t-to...M-m-malus."

  "You know sis, you kinda suck at-"

  Jewel jammed a finger at his face. "Shut it!"

  Atzi shook a claw at him. "Being a prophet isn't easy, dumbass!" But it is kinda weird the Ancestor picked a shrimp like her. She looked at his statue, tall and muscular, several large weapons embedded in the base of the statue.

  "Psssh, I bet I would’ve gotten picked if I wasn't in” - he stopped, cracking his neck with a single rotation - “if I wasn't busy."

  "I was a priestess for five years!" Jewel shouted at him.

  -

  Atzi followed V back down the streets from the temple district. "Alright, guess we just gotta wait on Malus."

  "For this matter, yes.” V said something to their guard, and the guard moved several feet ahead of the two. “However, you spoke of other matters of deep importance."

  Atzi snapped her claws. Oh. Yeah. “City blows up in a week. Isn't she the best person to tell that to, though?"

  V shrugged. "Perhaps. Or perhaps she blew it up."

  "Wh- no way, she's the prophet of the Saintess, this is her city! Why'd she blow up her own city?"

  “I do not know. However, she is a powerful enough fire mage that she could be capable of it - if any single individual would be. Still, it pays to be paranoid.”

  "I guess... but she's also the best person to stop it happening. That's the weird part, really. How'd none of the gods here stop it?"

  "Perhaps one or more of them were in on it. A war between the gods, taken to a head at once."

  “...That might make sense. So the Ancestor is probably innocent, then, right? ‘Cause Novae got blown up first. Can't be much of a god after killing all your worshippers, right?”

  "We are on assumptions upon assumptions at this point. We need further evidence."

  You’re the one making assumptions! Atzi crossed her arms. "Well, I could always hang around here for a week and get blown up and see who does it," she joked.

  V stared.

  "K-kidding, kidding..."

  "Explosions do not just happen for no reason, I know this much. It would take a great force of magic to do it. Either one very powerful mage, a group of mages, or some fool with access to many magic gems."

  Atzi didn’t know a lot about magic, but she did know what magic gems were.

  Extremely valuable.

  "It looked and sounded the same way the Novae one did, so it's probably the same person behind both? Where's a place with a load of magic gems?"

  "There is a large stock under the academy, though it is the most well guarded thing in the city,” V replied. “The city would fall before it would be breached.”

  "Unless some of the mages were in on it. We should figure out more about those necromancers.” Atzi suddenly yawned, realizing she’d been up all day with V. "Oh, right, I never slept yet this time... urgh, I gotta go to bed."

  "You shall sleep in my abode."

  "E-eh? I have an inn room..."

  "And I must monitor you."

  Atzi took a step back as V took a step towards her.

  "You are a profound unknown to me, Atzi. Words I never thought I would say about you. You are too dangerous to me to leave my side." V looked down at her.

  Atzi laughed nervously. “That almost sounds like a compliment, V."

  "It is not thanks to anything on your part, but that divine parasite of yours."

  Atzi wrapped her tail around her leg. "W-well she can't be all bad, I think I'd be dead without her."

  “Is she listening?” V asked, sharply.

  “No, she passed out earlier after we found out she's a god."

  "I yearn for the day we can walk without gods,” V suddenly declared, straightening up. "Every war… every famine. It is their fault. Their overreach into our lives, their insistence on controlling all things. They are no more than children with power.”

  Atzi shuddered a little. Her only run-in with a god outside of the one in her head… had resulted in her becoming lunch.

  "Be cautious of this woman, even if she is connected to you,” V ordered.

  "Okay, okay.” Atzi nodded. “Do I get a nice bed at least?"

  "You will sleep on the couch."

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