The next morning Dellen and Gilgamesh set off for the Mercantile Guild.

“I still cannot believe that I, well, you, missed something this egregious,” Gilgamesh said. “Why can’t people leave the city? Why does the ambient Aether stop at the city’s boundary?”

“I don’t know,” Dellen said. “But I intend to find out.” Their carriage landed on the platform outside the Mercantile Guild.

The building’s grand facade was a testament to the wealth and influence of the organisation. It made the noble houses Dellen had visited look like caretakers’ huts.

Merchants, traders, and various well-to-do citizens of the city milled about.

They made their way through the crowd, and Dellen couldn’t help but notice the looks of recognition directed his way.

Upon reaching the guild’s main counter, a well-dressed clerk greeted them with a polite smile. His hands, his face, and his neck were all covered in steelskin. It was of a noticeably higher sheen than Dellen’s own. “Lord Northcote?” He said, a question in his tone, “It’s a pleasure to see you again. How may I be of assistance today?”

Dellen cut straight to his point. “I’d like to inquire about the cost of purchasing passage out of the city.” He knew from an early morning conversation with Stefan that guild rates were not published, nor were they consistent.

The clerk’s expression grew serious as he consulted an enormous ledger on the counter. “Certainly, my lord. Securing passage out of the city will be expensive but most likely within your means.” He looked up from his ledger. “Is this something you want to do soon?”

“Passage is not for myself, but for a friend.”

The clerk paused. “Ah. Not to be indelicate, my lord, but is your friend highborn?”

Dellen had never asked, but he was confident that Tristan was not. “No.”

“Oh, I see.” The clerk flipped a few pages in the ledger. “Well, that is an entirely different matter. Transportation fees for such an individual leaving the city start at around one hundred and fifty thousand sovereigns.”

Dellen winced.

“One hundred and fifty thousand sovereigns?” Gilgamesh said, his voice incredulous. “Wait, that’s a lot, right?”

“That seems rather a lot, does it include a return fare?” Dellen said.

The clerk’s voice held only the faintest hint of an apology, “I don’t set the guild rates, and you should be well aware that we do not offer return fares.”

Dellen kept his jaw from dropping. “What would it cost to secure passage for me?”

Gilgamesh did not feel the need to be so restrained, “Why do they not offer return fares?”

The clerk flipped the pages in his ledger again. “Now, that is a different question. To which city do you wish to book passage?”

“What are my options?”

The clerk glanced up from his ledger and back down, “We have several destinations that might interest you, Lord Northcote, Ironhaven, known for its advanced metalworking and engineering; Evergale, renowned for its lush landscapes and circularity; Aether’s Landing, a beautiful coastal city, Solara, nestled high in the mountains a seat of Aetheric Forging the world over, and the Obsidian Bay, a frequently visited trade hub.”

He paused and looked up from his books. “These are just a few cities we can arrange passage to, my lord. Please let me know if you have a specific destination, and I can provide more information.”

“Solara,” Dellen answered before he knew he’d begun speaking. He wanted to see them all, but Solara was where he wanted to go.

The clerk nodded. “A fine choice, my lord.” His fingers tracked over the page.”Nine thousand sovereigns. The approximate travel time would be three weeks.”

This time Dellen held in his wince. It was a large but manageable sum. Much less than he needed to find to revitalize house Northcote, he could make as much from the winnings of a single fight. It might even be within reach for Tristan, if Tristan saved for years or took some risks.

“What would it cost to book passage for a common born to Solara?”

“Ah. Yes. If booked today, that would cost approximately six hundred thousand sovereigns.”

That would be more than enough to create a new noble house in the city.

“To which city was the rate set at one hundred and fifty thousand sovereigns?”

“That was Evergale, my lord.”

“And what would it cost me to book myself passage to Evergale?”

“Nine thousand sovereigns, my lord.”

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

“Interesting.” Dellen said, “Thank you.” The prices were almost unattainable for a commoner in their lifetime. There was no reason for it, not unless the Mercantile Guild was holding the entire city hostage.

“Do you wish to book passage for yourself?”

“Not at this moment,” he said drily, “I’m not quite ready to permanently leave the city, perhaps later this month.”

“How are you even going to reach later this month?” Gilgamesh said.

“I don’t wish to travel until I resolve a few issues with the family estate. It would not do to leave them… Troubling me.”

The clerk looked at him with a bright smile. “Very good, my lord. Is there anything else that I can assist you with?”

“No, that’s everything for today. I’ll be back in the next week or so.” He took his leave, walked out of the building, and, for a change, walked to the Copperopolis Chronicle.

“What are you thinking about?” Gilgamesh asked.

“I still don’t know much about this time loop. I can’t help but wonder if I could escape it if I just… Left the city.”

“Is eight days far away enough to get anywhere?”

“I don’t know, I didn’t ask how long it would take to reach Evergale, but I assume it would be measured in days at the very least. I’ve been focused on what’s inside the city and ignored the world beyond its boundaries. I need to remedy that.” Dellen sighed. “Even if it’s possible, I can’t leave. There has to be a way to fix things here first. I can’t just leave people to die.”

“It isn’t your job to save everyone; you could just leave. We know the loop is around eight days long; I think you have about a thousand loops that would give you around twenty years… If you stop dying so often.”

“Wasn’t it you that said I’m being sent back to redeem a single mistake?” Dellen said.

“That was before you were pushed out of the time stream at the wrong time. Now I don’t know what you’re supposed to do.”

“Hmm.” Dellen released an unconvinced rumble. “I don’t know why, but I feel the two are intertwined.”

“What will you do if you prevent the attack and the time loop still starts over?”

“I’ll tell you if it happens,” Dellen said. “Now come on, stop depressing me; let’s talk to Eliza.”

Dellen reached the Copperopolis Chronicle, and walked into Eliza’s cluttered office. “What can you tell me about the Mercantile Guild?”

“Good morning Lord Northcote, how nice to see you; I am well, thank you for asking,” Eliza said with some asperity.

Dellen stopped. “Sorry. I was ahead of myself.”

Eliza looked at him, pointedly.

“Good Morning Ms. Montgomery; how are you today?”

“I’m well, thank you, Lord Northcote.”

“Is it convenient for you to talk at this time?”

Eliza put down her pen. “Why yes, I think I could find time for a visitor who asked so politely.”

“It seems that Ms. Montgomery is no pushover,” Gilgamesh said.

Dellen gave an awkward laugh. “Thank you. What can you tell me about the Mercantile Guild?”

Eliza’s face lost most of its irritation. “You are full of interesting questions. What do you want to know?”

“Why do they charge the fares that they do?”

“How do you mean?” Eliza said.

“Well,” Dellen began, “I made a deal yesterday with an acquaintance of mine, he will help me inspect the under city for sabotage, and in exchange, I will help him secure passage out of the city.”

Eliza’s eyes went wide. “You were willing to help someone leave the city?”

“I was, and I am, but the prices.” Dellen shook his head. “The cheapest fare they offered me for anyone, not of noble birth was one hundred and fifty sovereigns.”

“What?” Eliza said, perking up in her seat, face screwing up with confusion. “That seems more than reasonable.”

Dellen held up a hand. “A hundred and fifty thousand sovereigns.”

“Oh.” Eliza said, looking glum, “Yes, that seems more like what I’d heard.” She shook her head. “Wait, did you say for anyone not of noble birth?”

“Yes.”

“What was the fare for a citizen of noble birth?” She leaned forward to wait for his answer.

“Nine thousand sovereigns.”

Eliza’s mouth dropped open. “Nine thousand? Nine thousand!” She spluttered. “Why, I might be able to afford that someday.” She deflated in her seat. “Well, no, probably not, not really, but maybe somehow.”

Dellen regarded her with some surprise. “Do you want to leave the city?”

“It’s like living in a glass jar. There’s an entire world out there.” She waved at the window and the books on her shelf. “Cities I’ve read about, people and history.” She gave him a brittle smile. “And you nobles can go see it. For just nine thousand sovereigns. Would your steward even raise an eyebrow if you asked him for such a sum?”

Dellen nodded. “Yes, he would. House Northcote is not solvent right now. I need to find a way to breathe life back into our finances.”

“I need to write about this,” Eliza said.

“I do not consider the subject of my house’s finances suitable for public consumption,” Dellen said.

“No, I meant the fare inequality,” Eliza said.

“Ah, that.” Dellen considered. “I am not willing to be a source at this time.”

“But…” Eliza began, trailing off.

“I agree; there is a problem with the guild’s prices.” Dellen said, “However, I consider the subject of the explosions the more pressing concern. People cannot book fares if they aren’t alive.”

Eliza bunched her right hand into a fist. “I don’t like this, but I will provisionally agree with you that the immediate death of many citizens is the more pressing of these issues.” Her eyebrows furrowed for a moment. “Do you want to leave?”

“The city?” Dellen said. “Oh yes. I plan to find a way to visit Solara, eventually.”

“Solara?” Eliza’s eyes landed on his hands. “Yes, I can see why that might be the case. Would you really be willing to leave your house behind without coming back?”

Dellen ignored her question and looked down at his hands. “Why are these so rare here?”

“You mean apart from the expense, lack of available training, and the danger?”

“Expense?” Dellen said. “I did this in one session with the Aetheric Cultivators.”

“Your experience is hardly what I’d call typical.” Gilgamesh said, “The only reason you were able to do what you did is that you have residual memories from your life before, and, let me stress this, you repeatedly pushed yourself to and beyond the point of death, your eyes exploded.”

“One session?” Eliza said, “You must have had some former,” she stopped, “A lot of experience with Aetheric Cultivation before that session.”

Dellen nodded, “I suppose that’s true, but I pulled you away from what you were saying. Would you forge yourself, if you could?”

“Yes, absolutely, yes.”

“What affinity do you have?”

“Pyro Aether,” Eliza said. “Not that I have a lot of experience with it.”

“Do you think many people, at least the younger people in the city, would forge themselves if they could?

“Well.” Eliza hesitated. “It’s not something people talk about a lot. It’s something people know about, but it’s not available to most, but if they could, yes, I think a lot of people would be interested.”

“I’m beginning to wonder if this attack is against the Mercantile Guild,” Dellen said.

“Does that make any sense?” Eliza said, “They’re the only ones who know how to leave the city. If you hurt them, no one will know. What benefit does it bring anyone?”

“I’m not sure that it needs to make sense.” Dellen said, “Sometimes people just want something or someone to lash out against.”

“Perhaps.”

“Just remember them when you’re doing your research, please?”

Eliza nodded her acceptance. “I will remember them.”

“Thank you,” Dellen said. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a busy afternoon ahead.”