Die. Respawn. Repeat.

When we return to the Cliffside Crows, there's a celebration.

It's not that we want a celebration. It's that Tarin and Mari both insist on it, with flailing wings and loud squawks. I think the thing that turns me around on the whole idea is the fact that they've clearly been preparing for this the entire time we were in the Empty City. Tarin hadn't doubted me for a second—the moment we left, he and Mari began the preparations.

"You do this for me," Tarin says, gesturing to Naru. He sleeps in the corner of the hut, chest moving slowly up and down; there's no apparent indication that he's hurt, but I can tell from the feel of his Firmament that he isn't going to be waking up. Not without some soul surgery. "So I do this for you, yes?"

There's something unspoken in his words. He doesn't need to say them for me to understand.

This is a goodbye.

For now, anyway. Until the Trial is over. Tarin isn't going to remember any of the loops after this one, so whatever happens, however much I grow, I'm going to be doing it without him. I'm not even sure if he'll remember this loop. It all depends on how the Interface works out.

More likely than not, he won't. However the Interface helps us keep our memories, it seems to trigger at the end of each loop; for him to remember, he'd need to have that Interface shard within him when the loop ends. If I'm extracting it and transferring it to Naru, then whatever remains won't hold during the reset.

Unless there's something about the loops I don't understand, of course. For once, I hope there is. I don't want Tarin to lose this final loop.

"Maybe the universe will be kind for once," Ahkelios suggests, nudging me. I smile—I know he's trying to make me feel better.