Chapter 8 - Payment

Why’s there a guard here?!

Atzi ran to put on her clothes. She barely avoided hitting the cracked post in the middle of her shack with her tail. Close one!

After she put them on, she rushed back to her window to peer, to gather as much information as possible.

“Hello?” Atzi’s neighbor opened his door. “Yes, officer?”

“Afternoon. Was hoping you could answer a few questions,” the guard replied.

Atzi clawed feet twitched as she prepared to run for her life on a moment’s notice. Do I take the cups? No, too obvious. Where do I go? I don’t have the money yet, I can’t stay at the inn. Do I run back home? She whined.

“Of course.”

“With the recent intake of refugees, we’ve gotten reports some have been… rowdy. Perhaps engaged in illegal activities. Have you noticed anything?”

Atzi internally sighed in relief. Not me. “Well, there is this trio…” Atzi heard her neighbor say before she slinked back inside, making sure to hide her stolen cups properly under the floorboards. Haha, take that you idiots! You should have never tried robbing that old guy.

Atzi strolled out shortly after, intent to find something to eat. I’m a free lizard!

She heard a voice, suddenly, from behind. The guard. “Excuse me,” he said.

She turned around slowly. “H-huh? Yes?” She gave her best innocent expression. Just give some nonsense answers. You can do it, Atzi.

The guard did not reply. Instead, he walked around her, heading in the direction of the market street.

Oh, I was just in his way. Worried over nothing… Atzi laughed nervously. Then triumphantly. I really am free! I’m back! She waved her tail.

Suddenly, she was struck with an idea. She wandered over to her neighbor.

“Oh, hello neighbor!” he cheerfully greeted her.

“Hey, uh… you know, there’s a pretty good place to eat I found.” If I help her out, I can keep getting cheap meals!

“That’s great to hear! It’s always nice to experience a good meal before worship.”

“The One Eye Open, it’s an inn. Owner’s been having a rough time, but the food’s real nice. So spread the word to your” - Atzi paused as she waved her claw - “friends, or whatever.”

He inclined his head. “I’m glad you enjoy it. Myself, I like to have my meals outside the temples and speak with the street preachers. I hope they might see the errors of their ways and join the true faith of the Saintess. Or if they joined one of the other gods, at least it would be better than that ‘live beyond death’ nonsense those necromancers have been spouting lately,” he chattered.

Atzi realized her neighbor was trying to trap her into religious talk again. “Yeah, they sure are excitable. Well, gotta run, got a thing to take care of!” she said, turning around and walking off quickly.

What was I thinking even trying to talk to him?

Along the way to the Water temple for a meal, Atzi overhead a street preacher. She normally paid them absolutely zero attention, but she wondered what her neighbor had meant by ‘live beyond death’.

“The end is upon us!” the preacher shouted from atop a crate. He was dirty, far dirtier than even most from the slums would be. Most of his hair was gone and he had only a few rotten teeth. His yellowed skin was pulled tight around him, as though his skeleton might rip through at any moment. “Exalt the dead, for they alone will survive!”

That doesn’t even make any sense! Ugh, necromancers are always so creepy. But even the ones back home aren’t like this…

She went back to ignoring him and left, soon making it to the temple. The second she stepped in, Jem happily waved to her.

“Atzi! I’m so glad you showed up!” Her cyan robes lifted with the bouncing of her tail.

Hopefully she doesn’t think I’m a fellow religious nut now. “Oh, well, you know… uh, hey, I actually came across something interesting yesterday.”

“Oh?”

“There's this inn that some guys had smashed up the outside of ‘cause the owner’s a cyclops. I mean, pretty dumb, right? It's not like she blew up Novae personally or whatever.”

Jem gasped. “That’s terrible!”

“So I said I'd pass the word around that it's a good place to go still. You know, uh, help out. Community service."

Jem put her hand onto Atzi’s shoulder. “Atzi, you are so kind hearted.”

Atzi gave a short, embarrassed laugh. I'm such a sucker sometimes…

"You should invite her to the temple so she can meet the other worshippers!" Jem motioned to the few other lizards present in the temple.

"You think that'd help her get customers again?"

"Yeah. It would show people she's just part of the community. We're all one big river."

"And... if she follows the Saintess...?"

"Oh! Well that's a shame." Jem removed her hand from Atzi’s shoulder. “Anyway, take a seat!”

Atzi was confused. Is she in a hurry to get to the service? Still, she took a seat. Again she ate the dry cake and ‘tears’, but this time she managed to get away before prayers.

===

Back home, Atzi grabbed her sack of cups. She couldn’t hide them on her way to Fence’s, but she could take winding back streets where there were few people who asked questions and even fewer guards. It meant it took her longer when she just wanted to be paid already, but I’m not going to mess up a job this close to the end!

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"Well, you didn't get locked up this time. That's good," Fence said as she approached.

"Hey, I nailed it!" Atzi stomped. "You think that's an easy job? I should be getting way more than just two gold for a job like that..."

"Yeah, yeah. Alright, so here's where you go to meet the client.” Fence pulled out a map and unfurled it. They pointed over to the rich district, towards the middle.

“Bit of a trip… hey, can you unload these cups I stole?” Atzi shook the bag.

Fence blinked. “How many?”

“Well, however many I swapped. Like a dozen?” It’s better to not tell Fence about the last lead sphere after all. They’d probably ask me to pay them to keep it secret, the greedy lizard.

“Yeah, toss ‘em inside.”

Atzi did so. There was an audible crack.

“Not literally, you idiot!”

“A-ah, sorry!” Atzi rushed over to the bag of cups. Stupid, stupid, and I was being so careful, too! She pulled a few cup shards out of the bag and set them aside. She checked for a lead sphere. Nothing. Good, it’s still in a cup. Gently, she set the remainder down.

When she was done, she went back to Fence. “By the way, I saw some information while I was there, apparently they’re letting the Pomarian council wander around Sostra? You think I should mention that when I’m getting paid? Maybe they’ll pay extra?”

“If they do, you owe me some.”

“Why?!”

“You borrowed my lockpicking set.”

“I didn’t even use it!” Atzi lied. She grumbled as she took it off from between her pants and cloth belt, and handed it back. “Anyway, how am I supposed to recognize the place?”

Fence took the leather case, wiping it off. “It’s a big fancy house with a few private guards outside. That describes a lot of the places out there so the distinguishing feature is they'll be flying the Sostra flag from the roof. Just tell them you're there to see V.”

Atzi had heard of V before. A little over a year ago she’d started overhearing it from the various criminals of the city. When she’d asked Fence, they’d just told her V was a big shot, and not to rob anyone working for them. Someone that big wants me to work for them?

“Oh, and some advice before you go.”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t piss them off.”

“I wouldn’t! Why would I do that?” Atzi asked, indignantly.

Fence laughed. “Go.”

===

“What do you mean I can’t go in?!” Atzi asked the city guards at the gate to the rich district.

“Residents only.”

“How do you know I’m not a resident?”

The guard looked her up and down, and didn’t reply.

“Fine!” Atzi stomped off. Joke’s on you, you’re full of lead and I’m full of good ideas. She got a safe distance away before climbing up and over the spiked fence into the district.

Here the houses had things like gilded windows, lawns and gardens established over imported dirt, ornaments depicting various magical beasts to go on those lawns, and great security. Magical security.

How are you supposed to disable things you can’t see! She knew there were ways, just not what they were. They should make magic lockpicks. Then give me one.

She reached the mansion. The Sostrian flag of throne and flames flapped in high winds above it. It had two floors and an attic, and at least five large rooms on the ground floor just from what Atzi could see. Two private guards stood resolutely outside, their armor much better than that of the city guard. For one, it covered their entire bodies. For two, it was made of steel.

Steel was in short supply in Sostra. A luxury of luxuries among mundane goods, even the average soldier made do with bronze, and perhaps an iron weapon. Only officers had steel.

Fancy. “I’m here to see V? They’re expecting me?”

One of the guards nodded to the other, then proceeded inside.

It’s weird I can’t even see their faces. Even with the city guard you can see some of the asshole you’re dealing with. She waited five minutes, clicking her claws nonstop, before the guard came back out.

“V will see you now. Dagger, please.” The guard held out a gauntleted hand.

“Oh… I get it back, right?”

“Yes.”

Atzi took the dagger from her belt and handed it over.

“Second floor, take a left, knock on the door at the end of the hall.”

Atzi pushed through the double-door to the mansion, and was immediately struck by a feeling of grandiosity that could not be properly captured from outside. She found herself in an entrance hall with a single set of polished stairs leading up, and three other paths.

To the left, a living room with an extinguished fireplace, multiple shelves of books, and comfortable looking leather couches and chairs.

To the right, a closed door labeled ‘Dining Room’ with stone-inscriptions so intricate and colorful she thought it might cost sixty, eighty, maybe even a pound of gold.

Finally, just ahead, a very visible magic glyph, on the wall besides the stairs. Atzi's parents weren't trained to make things like that, but she knew second hand it must have cost at least multiple pounds of gold. Most of that cost was in materials, but mages could still be pricey to hire.

V is loaded!

The glyph blasted Atzi with cool air, and she shivered. They should make it blow warm air instead! That’d be so much better!

She clambered upstairs, noticing several other private guards on the way, all wearing the same armor. Down the hall to the left, she saw her destination. A bronze ‘V’ protruded from the door.

I deserve a mansion like this.

Atzi entered. The first thing she saw in the long rectangular room was the window directly on the other side. The darkening, cloudy sky meant the room’s only true source of illumination was two candles, one in a sconce on her left. The other was on a desk to her right, near the corner of the room, surprisingly hidden from view when she first opened the door.

She unthinkingly slammed the door when she saw who was at the desk. Several books shifted on the bookcase that made up the entire right wall.

Atzi stared at the figure from across the desk. “V-Valentine-” she said, interrupting herself with a nervous laugh. “It’s been a long while… how are you doing?”

Valentine had a slight, nearly imperceptible smile upon their angular face. Their dark eyes felt like they were peering into Atzi’s body, casually dissecting things even she didn’t know. “It’s V, now,” They tilted their chin up, causing their shoulder length black hair to sway, and motioned to the room. “I’m doing well.”

“Y-you’re V?” Please don’t hurt me, it wasn’t my fault! “W-wow. This is a lot better than where I’m staying.”

“I know. Take a seat.”

Atzi did so, quickly. The chair across the desk was uncomfortable, far from what someone who lived here should have. She was too afraid to be mad.

I thought they’d kill me again if they saw me. She was sitting as upright as possible. Though… maybe my fuckup somehow led to this success and they want to thank me?

Atzi knew this wasn’t true.

“You did the job I asked of you. Here’s your pay.” V flicked a shiny gold coin, and it rolled across the desk.

Atzi snatched it. “Isn’t it two? I did the second part as well, the guard captain’s mug…” She’ll get sick! It’s basically like I did it right!

V hummed.

What’s that supposed to mean?!

“The second half of the pay is contingent on you accepting the second job.”

Atzi leaned forwards as her tail twitched. Just give it! I was going to accept it anyway! I need my life back! If V is willing to work with me again, if they’re so important… this is finally it. My second chance.

She faux-casually scratched her cheek. “Oh. Well… what’s the job?”

V lifted a second gold coin. Atzi saw herself reflected in it.

“We are robbing the Branek Bank again.”