Atzi stared at Hemm when she arrived back in the One Eye Open. She'd spent the last week of her life in Cthy wondering over and over why she didn't leave the city in time. Did she get stopped by the guards? Did she try but not make it? Did she not believe me in the end?

  "Atzi?" Hemm asked, noticing her staring.

  Despite fearing how it might turn out, Atzi asked, "Do you trust me?"

  "What kind of question is that?"

  "If I said something bad was gonna happen, would you trust me?"

  Hemm looked worried. "What's going on, Atzi?"

  "Look... I'm probably gonna have to vanish soon. And I can't really explain why. It sounds too ridiculous and you're too... sane to listen to me. But I like you. So I need you to trust me. Get out of Sostra before the sixteenth. Cthargictha's safer," Atzi said, her time living there making it easier for her to pronounce the full name. "Not forever. But longer than here."

  "Atzi, what do you mean?" Hemm set her broom aside. "Please, explain it to me."

  "It means when I vanish, I want you to be alright." Atzi wore a sad smile.

  Hemm just gave her a strange look.

  Atzi wasn't sure if Hemm was convinced or not. But she felt it would be mean to start laying out more on her when she was probably going to be dead by the end of the day. So she slinked up to bed to sleep.

  She wanted to be well rested for her eventual death.

  Hemm watched her leave, perplexed.

  ===

  Atzi woke up, dressed herself, and headed downstairs to the sounds of celebration.

  She joined the crowds watching as the Serpent’s procession approached. The half-naked dancers leading the group cartwheeled forward. Atzi was too distracted by her plans to pay attention to the women.

  Finally, the three bodies of the Serpent came into view, waving and smiling and winking.

  Atzi remembered how she had been eaten alive.

  Still, when one of the Serpent's bodies winked at her, she winked back.

  The Serpent's prophet - Andrew, she remembered his name - approached her. “The Serpent would like to invite you to dine with her,” he said, bowing slightly. His right eye was entirely covered in scales, but she could see the reluctance in his left.

  "Yeah, take me to her," Atzi said.

  "Are you-"

  "Yes."

  He didn't argue further, only shaking his head as he led her back to his goddess.

  The Serpent, one of the ones without a shirt, slipped next to Atzi. "My my, what a delectable little treat you are. What is your name?" She grinned, showing her sharp teeth.

  "It's Atzi." She looked the Serpent in the eyes. "Can gods tell if someone's a prophet, or is that just something other prophets can do?"

  A look of realization, followed by surprise crossed the Serpent's face. "You're a prophet?"

  "Yep. Do you wanna know something else cool?" Atzi put her claws behind her head and casually continued, "Malus is gonna kill everyone in the city."

  The Serpent's eyes narrowed into slits. "Now isn't that interesting." Her other bodies drew closer.

  "And you know what? I am so sick of that bitch," Atzi said with pure spite, "I just want to ruin that for her."

  The Serpent laughed in delight. Then she fixed Atzi with a glare. "You wouldn't lie to a god, now would you?" Another of her bodies added, "We could kill you if you were."

  "No. I know things that haven't happened yet. For instance, that you were gonna feed me, fuck me, then eat me."

  The Serpent slithered an arm closer. "And yet you've come into our grasp anyway."

  Atzi shrugged. "Well yeah. I'm pissing off Malus, I'm gonna die anyway."

  The Serpent stopped, smiling, drawing her arm back. "When we get to the temple, I will test your prophet nature." Another of her asked, "Assuming you are telling the truth, who are you a prophet of, little lizard?"

  Atzi grinned. "I have no idea, but Malus does, and she really doesn't want anyone finding out."

  "More curious still." The Serpent matched Atzi with a grin of her own. "I like you. And not just for your tail."

  Atzi gave an awkward laugh. I'm getting complimented by a god and shit-talking the prophet of the Saintess. Even if this is going to end soon, this is... liberating.

  She was led back to the Serpent's temple.

  -

  The back of the temple held the same opulent feast that Atzi remembered from last time, though it lacked the jewel beetles.

  "Now that we're here," the Serpent said, "strip."

  Atzi paused. Then she shrugged. "Sure, why not."

  She stripped.

  The three bodies of the Serpent circled around her, observing her like prey. "You really are beautiful," One said. Another added, "Are you sure you don't want to have fun? Becoming one of my children is a holy experience, you know."

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  Atzi got a little self-conscious again. She was running on bravado and spite, but she was also putting it on a bit. "Becoming? That's how it works?"

  "In a sense."

  "I don't know anything past the part where I get sliced open and eaten."

  A tongue darted out and back into the Serpent's mouth. "All of you is used to make my next child. You die, but their body is made of your body."

  Atzi stared down the goddess. "Well, if we wanna do the parts before that, I'm down for it."

  "I'm afraid it's a package deal. I just can't help myself..."

  Atzi sighed. "Yeah, I figured. Worth a try."

  "A pity." One of the Serpent's bodies approached her. "Now, let's see if you are a prophet."

  "How do you check if I'm a prophet? Do you need your prophet-"

  The Serpent placed a single clawed finger to Atzi's forehead, silencing her.

  Three seconds later, the goddess said, "You are, indeed, a prophet." She removed her finger. "But, it's strange..."

  "What is?"

  "I feel like you could also accept other holy energy."

  Atzi was perplexed. "What do you mean?"

  The Serpent spread her arms wide. "I could make you my priest. You would both be a prophet of this god, and a priest of myself."

  "That's possible? What would that mean?"

  The Serpent laughed. "I don't know! In all my time as a god, I have never heard of anything like it." She looked like she was having fun. "Holy energy is usually exclusive. It's like your god does not emit any at all, despite being a prophet."

  "Yeah. I don't know why I don't get any powers from her, and she has no idea either. But that means I can get them from you?"

  The Serpent nodded. "You could. Would you like to?"

  "...I'm in."

  "Excellent! Before I make you my priestess, you must know three things." She held up three claws. "First, you will be dedicated to me. You must obey me. If I give an order, you must follow it."

  Atzi fixed the goddess with a suspicious glare. "...You wouldn't have any orders about keeping this secret from Malus, right? If we wanna find out just who I'm the prophet of. I won't mention the priest arrangement if you want it secret, though."

  "As if I would prevent you from creating fun for me like that."

  Atzi nodded "Alright. I agree."

  A clawed finger lowered. "Second, you will keep what you learn of myself and my habits a secret. So no telling others about my dietary habits."

  "Not a word about them. Got it."

  "Finally, and most importantly" - the Serpent began, her voice taking on a heavy weight - "you must keep up your appearances." She scowled. "I don't accept uggos."

  Atzi laughed. "That's- sorry, that just took me off-guard hearing a god say that. I like looking good, don't worry, I won't let you down."

  The Serpent scanned Atzi's body again. "Yes, you do." Another added, "Ah, don't worry, I won't order you to sleep with me… a shame, though." Finally, the third said, "Then, close your eyes."

  Atzi closed her eyes.

  She felt the goddess's claws on her.

  On her shoulders. On her chest. On her thighs. On her everything, thousands of hands, an impossible number, enveloping her.

  Despite Atzi's eyes being closed, light shined from every direction.

  Whereas she was used to a void of darkness communing with her goddess-

  -in this space, there was only light.

  She blinked, tears streaming from her eyes. She laughed, ragged and rasping, as reality came back into focus. The Serpent stood in front of her, not touching her at all. "Th-that was... no wonder priestesses are so devout."

  "You are now my priestess." The Serpent gave a happy hiss. "Now for the fun part! You get to test your new powers."

  "Cool. What can I do?"

  "As a priestess, you are considered holy in my name, and are capable of casting a blessing. Hold up a claw and repeat after me."

  Atzi held up a claw.

  "Savelenum Havaratuu Klayth," the Serpent said.

  "Savelenum Havaratuu Klayth," Atzi repeated, the strange chant coming naturally to her.

  A glow of light, which reminded Atzi of the space she had just experienced, enveloped her. Then it faded away just as quickly.

  She felt… more confident. Like she could tell anyone anything and they'd believe her, whether it was the truth or not. Atzi rolled her shoulders. "It feels good. Can I do this to other people?"

  "You can, though it will last only a few hours. Were my prophet to be the one to bestow the blessing, it would last much longer."

  Atzi nodded. "Right. I'm a prophet, but not your prophet. They get more powerful tricks, don't they?"

  "Very. He could bless everyone in this entire building if he pleased."

  "Huh. Why don't prophets do that more often?"

  "It is limited by one's essence."

  "Is that the same for regular spells too?"

  "Yes."

  "Good to know in case I ever eat a pile of gems."

  All three of the Serpent laughed together.

  "So, how do we bring Malus here to ask her some questions she doesn't wanna hear?" Atzi asked.

  "Oh! That's a fun one!" The Serpent took a seat, and popped a piece of meat into her mouth. "First, I need to know, what is it you are going to ask her?"

  "What the big necromancy ritual that's going to go off even is. Why she's helping it happen. And, of course, just who I'm the prophet of and why she's so worried about them."

  The Serpent rested her head in her claws, amused. "Then, the answer is simple. I will bring you into the godscouncil, and before all the other gods, you will ask your questions!"

  Atzi blinked. "You will?"

  "I will! How can they deny me?"

  "True!" Then Atzi realized something. "Wait, the council is the sixteenth, right?"

  The Serpent nodded. Her other bodies began eating even more food.

  "Gonna be cutting it a little close, that's the same day things go wrong. But as long as it's before the evening… I'll try and keep my head down till then." Well, mostly.

  "Good! I will fetch you when I'm ready. And please, if you wish to seek sanctuary, you can always come here."

  "Got it." Atzi began making plans for how to spend the rest of her time until the godscouncil. You know, I could go steal that book and just stash it somewhere and watch V and Cory lose it. Who says I need to give it to Terra? I get gold from it, but-

  "While I enjoy staring at you, you may want to dress before leaving," she heard a teasing voice.

  "Oh, right." Atzi picked up her clothes and slipped them back on. "Oh, uh, priestesses get money from the temple, right?"

  "So greedy!" The Serpent hissed. "But yes. I'll see you paid at the end of the month, along with the rest of them."

  "No chance of an advance...?"

  The Serpent chuckled. "You are asking your God, I, for an advance! I love it. You have no fear."

  "Yes," Atzi said without a hint of shame.

  "Andrew, fetch the tithe box!"

  The prophet entered the room, handing an ornate wooden box to the Serpent. Who then proceeded to toss it to Atzi. "You can have whatever's in there. Consider it payment for entertainment."

  Atzi caught it - it was surprisingly heavy - and checked inside. There was a bunch of bronze and a few gold pieces. Maybe about ten or twenty gold worth in total. She could hardly believe things were going so well.

  Now I don't need to bother handing the book over. Though this is a little awkward now that I told Hemm I was probably about to vanish. Crap. She felt awkward. I thought I'd be dying immediately, not in six days! Well, I'll just have to smooth that over a little.

  She had, all together, a week to kill. While keeping herself alive.