Chapter 23-2: Favors Across Time

“So what can we do to prepare?” Suria asked. “I understand we can train and study, but we’re just students… how much truth can we really uncover?”

“One of my goals is to get into Professor Drazen’s office,” Wynchard told her. “It’s locked at the start of the cycle, and within a few hours there are mages investigating. Jeilin might be right about that part: there’s something suspicious involving Professor Drazen that we need to uncover. But breaking into a professor’s office isn’t easy, and even the school staff don’t seem to get in until later.”

“He got himself arrested a few times,” Gerial said with a snicker.

“I think we should try the Sequential Library again,” one of the Akrashic women said. “But until then, some of us are trying to get into the Perception department’s vault. There have to be forbidden books in there, not to mention all the valuable materials.”

That set off a firestorm amongst the loopers, leaving Suria desperately trying to piece together the old arguments between them. What she gathered was that each department had a special vault, generally impenetrable without a key held by the department throne. Because Zaasif Drazen was gone, access was ambiguous, potentially transferred to someone weaker than an archmage.

Apparently this had been tried before, however, with negative results. It sounded as though some of the Akrashic Union faction had attempted to brute force the vault doors, getting themselves killed by lethal defenses each time. Clearly there were deep disagreements about whether or not this was a wise path, or whether the vault was worth it at all.

“Personally, I’m trying to get records from the Endless Pale.” The new speaker was one of the men from Junn, who had been silent before that point. “They say that Hrakik the Irredeemable had a fortress in the tundra, so books about time magic might have survived there. But the group of explorers I hired keeps disappearing.”

“I’m telling you,” Gerial said, “they’re taking your money and running off with it.”

“I very much doubt that. The cycle may not have extended far enough… but I’m looking for someone else to go along with them. I’ll offer a favor for it.”

This apparently had come up multiple times in the past as well, inspiring arguments about whether any magic tomes could have survived up there. The looper who was most scornful of this idea was the one from Febek-Rai, who she was reminded was named Dsjaho-an Antef. Even though Febek-Rai was a huge country, Suria wanted to ask Maut-mai about him later.

Except that this Maut-mai barely knew her at all. Suria felt a wave of hollow cold and understood why the loopers might spend all their time together even if they bickered.

Part of the conversation centered around “favors”, which the loopers clearly used with a more serious definition than casual usage. Suria supposed that it made sense: wealth and possessions reset at the end of each cycle, so the only thing of enduring value was their agreements with one another. It seemed like some kind of formal system, even if she couldn’t figure out how exactly it worked.

“Wait,” Qinq said in a lull in the conversation, “maybe this is the time to tell Suria about the favors?”

“Most of what we do is erased,” Wynchard said, “but we need to deal fairly with one another. So we came to an agreement…”

He went on to explain about their system of favors, which was more or less what Suria had guessed. Favors had to be formally acknowledged, could be held indefinitely, and then the person who owed the favor had to repay an equivalent favor with anything that wasn’t permanent. After some sort of acrimonious dealing, there was a rule that favors couldn’t be traded or transferred.

“My favors are fantastic value,” Gerial told her with a grin. “I have an entire estate in Darmkael, a small fortune I’m happy to waste, and like I said, I can get you almost anything you want. For just one favor, I’ll give you a cycle that you’ll never forget. You can come by and just owe me one – I don’t mind.”

“And what will you want in return?” Suria asked.

“So glad you asked!” Gerial reached into his robes and pulled out an expensive piece of paper that he appeared to have prepared just for this occasion. Given that the cycle had only recently began, he seemed very committed to this role. Setting aside her concerns over him, Suria looked over the items:

Sherlot (874, 877, or 881)

Endelythan mana liquor

Krashic Red (any, in sufficient quantity)

Beiroe palm wine

Vedrazan single malt (100+ years)

Tincture of azure

Wizard pepper

Etherdust

Junnite silk

It seemed to be… a list of alcohols and other drugs? Suria reread the list a few times, trying to figure out if she was missing something.

“You’re offering a favor…” She trailed off, waving the list vaguely. “In return for a drink?”

“I mean, I need a decent quantity and time to enjoy it,” Gerial said with a sniff. “I have standards. But oh yes, I’d trade my entire estate for a taste of 877 Sherlot. It’s next to impossible to find. I think you’d probably have to break into somewhere to get it. But no harm done if it’s the end of a loop, right?”

“I thought that behaving decadently was one of the easiest ways to make others suspicious you were in a time loop.”

Gerial wagged a finger at her. “Only for those who didn’t have my foresight to establish a reputation as a decadent layabout. You don’t need to worry… no one will suspect if you’re away from campus at my estate.”

“This is really starting off on the wrong foot,” Wynchard said with a sigh. “We can do far more for you, Suria. I have connections to some of the professors, so I can help you get into specialized classes. Some of us have enough Alchemy to offer runic potions or other support. Whatever your goals, someone here can help you reach them.”

Suria had to admit that was tempting: she was a new student and there were severe limits to how much she could achieve on her own. The problem was, she would be racking up real debts with no clear way to repay them. She didn’t want to be in debt to any of the other loopers, even Gerial.

“I want to help,” Suria said, “but what can I really offer?”

“Nothing,” Adwyrma said as she turned away. She stalked over the blue grass and then disappeared into a shimmer of air as she returned to campus.

“Don’t let her put you off,” Wynchard said. “None of us can be a specialist at everything, so I’m sure you can develop some unique skills over the loops. And in the short term, I want you to help me get into Convocation Hall so I can investigate.”

That was one of Suria’s only points of leverage, so she gave a noncommittal nod. Some of the others left or focused on their own celebrations while a few clustered around her. Suria learned that there were standing favors offered for anyone who had information about the missing professor, the Sequential Library, or the necromancer.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

“Wait, wait.” Suria looked around the group. “What’s that about a necromancer?”

“Oh, right.” Wynchard shook his head somberly. “I don’t have proof, but I’m convinced there’s a necromancer on campus. A few of us were eliminated so strangely… at worst, they might be part of the loop, or maybe they’re just canny enough to kill a clumsy looper. They could well have a soul killing spell, at least.”

“You’re telling me there’s a necromancer on the loose, potentially even in the loop?”