The bridge became crystalline and suspended over the relative void once more, with the shadow of the palace looming ahead, below, and above, varying with the twisted, mind-bending path they took. The world beyond the bridge grew darker and darker, and dust was kicked up over the bridge’s surface. There was no sign of their prior footsteps, as if they could not make a dent in the extent of disuse.

  Azure was not grumpy at all this time around — in fact, she was dead silent. Her face was cast in stoic determination in preparation for whatever they faced.

  The final leg was traversed, ‘up’ a narrow corkscrew bridge to the entrance underneath all that was the palace construct. A backdoor through a silhouette made solid.

  The dark gleam of a mirrored circle shined back at Sammy once more. It was still cloudy and distorted, but much clearer than before, and plainly Ozra stared back, mirroring her movements, her tophat blatant on her head.

  My gremlin twin. Ugh.

  Sammy found the indentation for her hand and quickly pressed, her other hand holding Azure’s. Light flashed and took them.

  For the second time, they found themselves in Engineering, in a large, open chamber, circular and suspended on bronze platforms. Enormous plastic-like transparent cylinders curled around everywhere like giant pipes, filled with mana somehow more concentrated than even a nexus, she was sure. They sufficed for light in that place. In the very center, across the support platform they were on, there was a lovely fountain with an empty pedestal.

  High up in the supports above was something new — on a platform in front of some sort of hidden construction that jutted out from the structure was a figure in a baggy blue jumpsuit and huge bronze goggles. The skin was like turquoise and massive ears jutted out sideways from underneath dark hair somewhat held back in a ponytail. A red toolbox appeared to float next to them.

  Whoa! One of Ozra’s children, more or less.

  The gremlin was apparently manipulating the construct, which was a network of small crystals, dials, and levers that also seemed to be shining with flickering red light, indicating some sort of display. Sammy realized that up there, it was bright enough that a different contrasting color was probably needed, and the goggles likely assisted the readout.

  Sammy whistled.

  Startled, the gremlin turned, and when they looked down, they appeared even more startled. A sucker that was in their mouth fell out onto the grating. Slowly, they moved the goggles up and stared wide-eyed. Blinked. “An ultraterrestrial?” the voice said, almost too soft to hear. The voice was quite feminine, along with a few other subtle things that hinted, despite an otherwise androgynous appearance. “Here? How cou-... Are you real or am I seeing things?”

  “I’m quite real,” Sammy called with a smile. “I just didn’t want to scare you. You can finish what you’re doing.”

  Azure stared at Sammy in surprise. “What the hell language is that? I’m not getting a translation.”

  Sammy blinked. “Holy shit,” she said in English. “I was using a different language!”

  Frowning, Azure began casting a spell to help.

  Meanwhile, the stunned gremlin continued staring, eventually muttering, “Just routine maintenance…” She trailed off, with a feeling like she was ready to bolt at a moment’s notice (but then again, a mechanic was always ready to bolt).

  “Okay,” Sammy said, holding in a laugh. “Then I suppose you can wrap it up.”

  “Yes.” Again, she stared. Fidgeted slightly.

  Azure made a disgusted sound. “Stupid spell did nothing! Phau! This is bullshit.”

  Sammy patted her back in sympathy. “There, there, dear.”

  “You just used the other language again!”

  Sammy deliberately switched to English. “Oops. I said, ‘There there, dear.’ I love you!”

  Azure rolled her eyes and grumbled incoherently.

  The gremlin watched the exchange in fascination. Finally, something within her snapped her out of it. Her ears twitched and her brow drew down. “Why… Why are you here? Did you take some sort of weird turn? We need to know about whatever the error is, so if you could explain it in detail? Would you be willing to fill out a report? Do you have screenshots? You shouldn’t be here.”

  Sammy squinted at the gremlin. “How would I have screen-? No. Do you really not understand who I am?” Sammy gestured at the platform. “An iteration, a predecessor?”

  The gremlin shook her head, subtly in denial rather than ‘not knowing’. “Ultras from outside the construct. Your identity could be anything. What titles you use are yours alone. I appreciate your civility, though.” Briefly, she turned to the construct she had been pouring over and tapped something, which made it fold in upon itself and disappear into the framework. Simultaneously, she was pulling out a notepad and pencil. “Could you describe what led you here?”

  Sammy frowned with her hands on her hips. “Ozra Bosk drew me here as part of a grand destiny to save the whole damned universe! You know, the creator of all this? Your designer? The Prime Mover Engineer-Architect?”

  The gremlin stared at her implacably. “Could you answer the question more physically?”

  Sammy glared incredulously. Where’s the shock and awe?! Yeesh! I can’t decide whether she doesn’t believe me or if it is just completely irrelevant to her. Finally, she sighed. “Through the twisted, corkscrew path leading to the backdoor directly here. A mirror face I touched for access in. You know, because it’s mine? Because it exists for me and The Lover’s Iteration? I am Samantha, by the way. The Goddess of Mirrors, Illusion, Fate, Light, and Pneuma. And your name?”

  This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  “Reiki.” She didn’t react at all, just scrawled on the notepad. “So you’re saying you didn’t come here by accident? No errors involved, no falling through walls, concussions from explosions, no eating glowing mushrooms?”

  “No! Damn it, I’m literally authorized to be here! Do you want me to prove it? Huh? I’ll open the door over there! It’s why I’m here, to go to the fucking Challenge Room designed for me!”

  “Ma’am, calm down, please. Be advised that the door you’re referring to will electroshock you in the groin if you get too close. It doesn’t feel good and just about any species will be forced to retreat instantly.”

  “I know! I’ve been shocked in the damn groin already and I still went through. And if you want me to be calm, fucking listen to what I’m saying!”

  Reiki studied her this time. “I am listening, ma’am. If you’re saying there’s no problem with you coming here, that’s fine with me. If true, it’s a relief because that would be really, really bad as a leak. Understand, we have to take abnormalities with great seriousness.”

  Sammy took a deep, calming breath. “Alright. Sure. But I totally belong here! Seriously, though? You don’t like… venerate your creator, Ozra Bosk? Heed what she’s told you about the purpose of this facility?”

  “We heed the Codex of Proper Functionality. She was simply the first of us. Our jobs are outlined and the only thing we’re instructed to hold as sacrosanct is the proper functioning of the construct, which also happens to be our home. I don’t see why we’d worship her or something like that when she specifically instructed us not to.”

  Reiki’s voice took on a lecturing tone. “This itself is proper functionality to maintain the rational, neutral, empirical outlook necessary for our operation in perpetuity. There is very little need for interpretation in the Codex. When reality is abnormal, we have empirical methods to deal with it instead of histrionics and divination beads. In your case, I am observing and fact-finding to increase our understanding. While I’m not a communications or theoretical specialist — hence my fumbling of things — this event is sure to be useful for instruction and broken down in analysis for generations to come. Likely inconclusively, similar to the neverending debate on the best pizza toppings.”

  “Uh-huh. Well, that’s great. Good for you, good for her. Break away, I guess. Pepperoni and cheese is the baseline, right?” There was no answer, but Reiki definitely scribbled something down. “Look, I need to utilize this place. Are you staying? Will this stuff freak you out?”

  “Not at all. Please go ahead and make use of the facility while I observe silently. Based on your prior comments, you’ve been here before. Is everything working correctly?”

  “I think so. It’s quirky, but that is probably just how Ozra is.”

  Reiki just nodded, scribbled, and turned a page in her notebook, waiting.

  Meanwhile, Azure was getting increasingly agitated with not knowing what was spoken, her arms crossed as she frowned and watched them. Once the conversation appeared over, she raised her eyebrows at Sammy. “Well?”

  Sighing, Sammy did a quick breakdown of the conversation for her…

  “... and then she said she wants to watch us quietly,” Sammy finished. “Like we’re apes in a habitat or something.”

  “Ooh, ooh, ooh!” Azure made ape noises, looking directly at Reiki, who merely scrawled in her notepad from high above. “What a ridiculous people. To think, they’re crawling around my soul like worker ants who don’t even know their queen. Tragic, really. A bit creepy, too, with their placid expressions and massive obscuring goggles.”

  “The other I met didn’t wear goggles. I think it's just the glare of the tubes. And yeah, they have the mad scientist vibe. No surprise, being the creation of one of my Iterations. Of course I’d make an exasperating species… Okay, that was too honest, wasn’t it? Anyway.”

  Sammy, having placated her lover’s annoyance at being left out, approached the pedestal. It didn’t fire up immediately, so she called out, “Ozra Bosk! Appear! I summon thee! We’re here for the second challenge.”

  Triumphant, machine-noise-polluted music played, heavy on trumpets, and Ozra appeared in her cleaner, more presentable steampunk attire, her top hat huge and glorious as always. She was saluting with a smile on her face. “Congratulations, Successor! You won!” Fireworks spewed from behind her briefly. She looked like she’d say something, but then the image flickered and changed.

  Ozra was apparently sitting down, leaning back with her arms crossed and frowning. Darkly, she muttered, “There’s a rat around. Probably some Maintenance personnel gotten too big for their damned britches. Did I ask for an audience? Hell no. If you see them, tell them to scram for me real quick. Or else.” The image flickered out completely.

  Sammy turned to Reiki and said quickly, “Reiki, Ozra has some failsafe that knows you’re here! She says to leave or… else!”

  Reiki scribbled in her notepad in nonchalance. “Thank you for the warning, Ultraterrestrial Samantha. But what can she do? She’s long, long, long dead and gone. In short,” — Reiki shrugged — “she’s not the boss of me.”

  “Are you kidding me?! She built everything here! Run, you fool!”

  Ozra’s image flickered back on, and some very drum-heavy, war-like music was playing. She was standing and facing away from Sammy, her image red and flashing, a fist thrust up and shaking in the air. Her voice, switched to the gremlin tongue, boomed through the area. “The warning was given, you little shit! You’re super chapping my ass by not listening! Suffer my wrath!”

  Seemingly from Ozra’s eyes, red bolts of lighting shot out, hitting the gremlin Reiki right in the groin. She cried out in pain and doubled over, falling, her pencil flung out and dropped into a void, her notepad fallen on the grating. “Hrrng… the pain… owww…”

  “Shit! Hold on!” Sammy moved quickly, flying up to cast a healing spell as she moved.

  The spell settled over Reiki but she just shook her head, still writhing in pain. The effect on her seemed persistent and stubborn.

  “Now get the fuck outta here!” Ozra called angrily. “Or I’ll zap your ears next!”

  To this, Reiki looked horrified. “No! A-anything but the ears!”

  Never communicate with tech support without screenshots. Bonus points if there is nothing but a meme on screen. They love that.

  Next Chapter... (Vol 6) Chapter 23: Cycle Jammer

  Jam that cycle like a piece of rye! Er. More digging with Ozra.

  Backers go here! Huzzah! Thank you! is a link to the claim thread for those who want a spot.

  Elias Blade, holding eternally the tarot of The Fool!

  Helva, holding eternally the tarot of The Hierophant!

  Gostsamo, holding eternally the tarot of Death (+ Binky)!

  DuB, holding eternally the tarot of The Moon!

  Guessed, holding eternally the tarot of The Magician!

  Some BS Deity, holding eternally the tarot of The Hermit!

  Silxornas, holding eternally the tarot of The Wheel of Fortune!

  Max, holding eternally the tarot of The Devil!

  IrateRapScallion, holding eternally the tarot of Justice!

  Quarter, holding eternally the tarot of The Hanged Man!

  Flight, holding eternally the tarot of The Star!

  Tempest42, holding eternally the tarot of The High Priestess!

  Venerable Ro, holding eternally the tarot of The Emperor!

  Koza0, holding eternally the tarot of The World!

  Forgotten Name, holding eternally the tarot of The Sun!

  Cothand, holding eternally the tarot of The Tower!

  T3iain, holding eternally the tarot of Judgement!

  Paul, holding eternally the tarot of The Chariot!

  Thorlab, holding eternally the tarot of The Empress!

  Renn, holding eternally the tarot of The Lovers!

  Xeo, holding eternally the tarot of Temperance!

  ObsidianShiv, holding eternally the tarot of the Seven of Swords!

  7CatRunes, holding eternally the tarot of the Queen of Swords!

  Nick, holding eternally the tarot of the Four of Pentacles!

  Hikari, holding eternally the tarot of Strength!

  Wiggles1, holding eternally the tarot of the Eight of Ships Pentacles!

  Nanominatour, holding eternally the tarot of the Ace of Wands!

  Kusoneko, holding eternally the tarot of the Queen of Cups!

  Revolgod, holding eternally the tarot of the King of Swords!

  Martin, holding eternally the tarot of the Ace of Cups!

  Tejing, holding eternally the tarot of the King of Cups!

  Renimus, holding eternally the tarot of the Eight of Swords!

  Grevias, holding eternally the tarot of the Ace of Pentacles!

  LobskiTheMagicLobster, holding eternally the tarot of the Ace of Swords!

  3X!3X, holding eternally the tarot of the King of Pentacles!

  Manlor, holding eternally the tarot of the Knight of Pentacles!

  Mage_Kikyou, holding eternally the tarot of the Queen of Pentacles!

  Captain Nuclear, holding eternally the tarot of the King of Wands!

  This_bored_guy, holding eternally the tarot of the Five of Cups!

  TeeCee67, holding eternally the tarot of the Six of Cups!

  Ronny, holding eternally the tarot of the Six of Swords!

  ArcH, holding eternally the tarot of the Two of Wands!

  Ambicatus, holding eternally the tarot of the Three of Wands!

  TheOneGunslinger, holding eternally the tarot of the Three of Swords!

  Captain_Sulsear, holding eternally the tarot of the Three of Cups!

  Dtape467, holding eternally the tarot of the Knight of Cups!

  Rosy Bramble, holding eternally the tarot of the Nine of Swords!

  TheDxve, holding eternally the tarot of the Seven of Cups!

  Riley, holding eternally the tarot of the Page of Wands!

  Volpol, holding eternally the tarot of the Ten of Swords!

  Thernn, holding eternally the tarot of the Queen of Wands!

  Spark, holding eternally the tarot of the Eight of Wands!

  ZelTheUnbroken, holding eternally the tarot of the Knight of Swords!

  Arrogantfitz, holding eternally the tarot of the Five of Wands!

  Lazifur, holding eternally the tarot of the Knight of Wands!

  GrimmRozen, holding eternally the tarot of the Five of Swords!

  Rainer, holding eternally the tarot of the Six of Wands!

  Kaylee, holding eternally the tarot of the Two of Pentacles!

  SlipJay, holding eternally the tarot of the Four of Swords!

  Talisman, holding eternally the tarot of the Four of Cups!

  Ant Mac, holding eternally the tarot of the Page of Pentacles!

  Taublatt, holding eternally the tarot of the Nine of Pentacles!

  Shattered, holding eternally the tarot of the Ten of Wands!

  IsacIW, holding eternally the tarot of the Two of Swords!

  Claire Rylander, holding eternally the tarot of the Seven of Wands!

  Zimmy, holding eternally the tarot of the Nine of Cups!

  Sarai, holding eternally the tarot of the Seven of Pentacles!