"A time loop?" Arwen muttered with an incredulous look on her face.
It was currently nighttime in Sklaviunt, the end of the second day and as Alex saw it, the best time to share as much as he could with Arwen.
Both were currently seated in Alex’s study, with Arwen struggling to come to terms with everything Alex had told her.
In truth, it was a lot to take in.
"So this has happened before?" Arwen asked with Alex replying.
"Not exactly. I might have made some adjustments."
"We have to assume this loop is our last. So tell me, can you recall anything from the past loops?"
Arwen pondered briefly before ultimately shaking her head. "No, I’m completely blank."
"I see." Alex pursed his lips. Find the newest release on Nov3lFɪre.ɴet
"I’m sorry," Arwen remarked, noticing the disappointment on his face.
"It’s fine, don’t overthink it," Alex said.
"So what do we do now?... How do we find whatever it is that’s singing?... That’s the source of the loop right?"
"Allegedly." Alex calmly pointed out before adding. "I was thinking you should take a trip to the library in the upper districts, get your hands on some books, and see what you can find."
"I can do that," Arwen said. "What about you?"
"Let’s just say I need to make preparations for tomorrow night."
"What kind of preparations?"
Alex managed a smile as he replied. "You’ll know soon enough."
The next day, Alex and Arwen set out early, aware that this was their last day to figure things out.
The next day was the showdown and they couldn’t be caught wanting.
At the library, Arwen found Kaeria at her post after getting past the guards, of course, not without oiling their palms.
"Where do you think you are going, Arwen?" Kaeria asked casually as she turned a page in the book she was reading.
Arwen asked back in slight astonishment. "How do you manage to do that?"
"I’ve been a librarian for ten years, do not underestimate me," Kaeria replied as she raised her head to regard Arwen. "Now then, I ask again; where do you think you are going?"
Coughing awkwardly, Arwen replied. "Sir Smith sent me."
"He did?" Kaeria’s previously flat expression took a hundred and eighty-degree turn, as her eyes lit up and her demeanor brightened, all in an instant.
"You better not lie to me, I can tell," Kaeria warned with Arwen replying.
"Honest, I wouldn’t be here if not for him."
Kaeria stared intently at Arwen for a bit before ultimately letting out a sigh.
"You have only ten minutes," Kaeria said before adding. "Also, you absolutely can’t leave without letting me know. Last time you did that and I’m not about to let it happen again."
"Yes ma’am," Arwen replied with a sheepish smile.
"Good." Satisfied with her response, Kaeria leaned in closer and asked. "So how’s Sir Smith these days?... I’m sure he’s working on helping someone like he always does, right?"
"Ahem, yes," Arwen said, her toes curling at the thought of having to engage in conversation about Alex with Kaeria.
"Ah, he’s such a good man. Tell me, what’s his favorite dish?"
"Well, I wouldn’t know."
"You don’t?" Kaeria appeared skeptical.
"Maybe you can ask him when you next meet."
"Alright, that’s fine."
Just as Kaeria was about to continue the conversation, Arwen intoned. "Well, you see, Sir Smith sent me here on an urgent message so maybe we can talk some other time."
"Hah, fine." Kaeria stepped out of her seat. "Follow me."
Together, they walked into the mysticism section at which point Kaeria asked. "So what exactly are you looking for anyway?"
"Honestly... I don’t know." Arwen said.
"I see." Kaeria regarded her with vague suspicion.
"Ah, sorry, uhmm, quick question, have you by any chance heard music while sleeping within the last, I don’t know, two weeks?"
"How about two weeks ago?"
"Nothing." Arwen shook her head. "Also, one final question; any dreams about a disembodied voice chasing you?"
"You’re kidding, right?"
"... Maybe, maybe not."
Rolling her eyes, Kaeria turned to leave. "I don’t have time for this."
Once she was gone, Arwen quickly got to work.
Having already cut out Devils and Otherworldly from the list, she put all the time she had into researching mutants, quickly coming up with a short list of the most likely suspects.
By the time Alex arrived, she was halfway done with the books she’d taken off the shelves.
"Done?" Alex inquired as he handed her a steamed bun.
Arwen replied. "Not quite but you could look through these."
Then, she handed over the list she’d written out.
"So it could be any of these ones?" Alex asked with Arwen replying.
"Or none at all if I’m being honest."
"Though these mutants utilize sound to hunt, none make use of it in the way we are looking for."
"None affect memories?"
"None, the only one that does is recorded to be extinct," Arwen said.
Letting out a sigh, Arwen took out one of the older encyclopedias and handed it to Alex. "Page 137."
"Alright." Alex put the list aside and quickly opened the book to the page Arwen mentioned.
"They call, or at least, they called it the Many-Headed Serpent." Arwen began. "It was one of the first mutants to be documented by the TruthSeekers. They were once pets of the Artisan but after his fall, they scattered across Henos and began a reign of terror so insidious, natives began to refer to them as the Unseen Scourge."
"I see," Alex muttered as he stared at the drawn image of the beast.
It had the lower body of a wingless dragon and the upper bodies of a serpent, but their faces... for some reason, their faces were left blank.
"They were capable of erasing entire towns without anyone in the town ever finding out they were there. Characterized by their singing, they could erase memories and hide their very existence. Humans, Cryptids, and even Mystics feared them while they were still active."
"How did they go extinct?"
"The Goddess of Automation," Arwen replied.