Boris raised the pen, and in a strong fluid motion signed his name in the ledger. Xopil simply watched from across the table. When Boris closed the book, he set it to the side.

"What, that's it?" Xopil asked, "I wasn't expecting fireworks and fanfare, but nothing at all?"

Boris silently stood from the table and walked to the counter while carrying the ledger. He slipped into the back room with ease, returning a moment later with a key.

"Oh." Xopil felt stupid for a moment. "Anything special about it?"

"Aside from the fact it's got an ornate '00' and looks like a skeleton... no. Nothing special at all."

"So literally, a skeleton key to open any and every door?" Xopil was a bit too excited over this.

"I'm not sure that's quite right." Boris was carefully looking over the key, making sure there wasn't anything truly important he missed. "Every key opens but one door, this one included."

"So go see what it is!" Xopil was nearly pushing Boris up the stairs.

"Yer a fool. Think for a moment, what this place is, what it does, and then think what kind of room the owner's key would access."

"So... in theory, this key could open hell here?" Xopil asked, "Or it could open a master control room?"

"Well not hell specificially, but a hell wouldn't be out of the question. Or... what? I'll just ignore that."

"It's worrywarts like you that slow progress, you know?" Xopil complained.

"It's in the job description," Boris mocked while shaking his head at Xopil's naivety. "ye gonna tell me that when yer looking at this key, ye don't get any apocalyptic vibes from it?"

"... All things considered, yeah there is a vibe like that. It's also the only lead I've got right now. Throw caution to the wind and let's go!"

"Where do ye get yer courage from?" Boris asked in astonishment.

"Plot armor!" Xopil proudly exclaimed, throwing a thumbs-up.

"Ignorance truly knows no bounds. Assuming there is such a thing, consider the lives of those around ye at least! Assuming there isn't, ye die and the story is over kid."

Xopil shrugged, "Someone will always rise to carry the torch. The brave are not spared of inconvenient times."

"So ye can be stupid and profound at the same time. Live long enough, and ye can witness anything."

"Yeah yeah, we doing this or not?" asked Xopil.

"We? There is no 'we'. Ye want to go, then ye take this key and go. I'm getting as far from ye as I can. There's still more fer me to witness."

"Really? Like what?" Xopil asked, picking Boris up till his feet were off the floor, then he carried him up the staircase along with the key. "Nevermind, we've delayed this long enough."

"Betting everything on plot armor, yer naive indeed." Boris was helplessly dragged up the stairs.

A bright field materialized from the floor and rose to the ceiling, blocking the top floor. The exact center of the field turned murky and dark. A formless pair of eyes materialized from the cloudy surface and floated independently of each other, they viewed every angle, observing everything. One eye locked Xopil in its gaze, the other looked slightly pitifully at Boris.

Xopil looked back at the eye, trying to appear uninterested and failing miserably. Boris on the other hand...

"Sorry for disturbing..." Boris mustered the most apologetic tone he could.

"Disturbed? I've been bored for so long I forgot what it was to have something to do. Honestly, it's about time you found the key." A cracking sound emanated from the field, a look of bliss appeared in the eyes as they floated eerily, "Ahhhh I haven't been permitted to move in so looong."

"Now then, we have two people here and only one key. One is worthy, one is not. But the question is, which is which?"

"Well, this is a dilemna." Xopil said more to himself than anyone present, "On one hand, I found the key, but I can't use the key. On the same token, this whole situation affects everyone, but I'm the one disappearing from this world. Even so, the doorway presented a third option. The worthy doesn't need to be able to use the key, eh?"

"What are ye on about?" Boris interrupted Xopil's musings.

"Oh I'm just coming to the conclusion that an added security feature would be the person who can use the key isn't worthy to enter the room. At the same time, The person who is worthy can't enter without the person who can use the key."

The doorway maintained silence.

"Ye'r off yer rocker. Ye'r the worthy one? Hrm.. If ye'r not... let's try." offered Boris, seeing a possibility to be rid of Xopil and going back to his simple life as an innkeeper.

Xopil wordlessly walked up to the door, offered a gentleman's bow and walked through as Boris unlocked the door with the key.

The eyes on the door emitted a contented expression as Xopil passed through.

"This is..." Xopil took a look around. He had expected to appear in the second floor hallway.

"Welcome home," a woman threw herself at Xopil before he had collected his bearings. He instinctively raised his arms and caught her. "you really need to visit more often, it's so boring here; girls have needs too."

"And you are?" Xopil asked skeptically.

"Honestly, is it too much to ask to not have your memory completely wiped each time?" the woman extracted herself from his arms and walked towards a desk. She tapped her fingers rythmically as though she were typing. When she was done, she pointed to the furthest wall, in front of which was a rather luxurious bed with a canopy... and an indentation indicating that the woman had been laying in the same spot for a very long time.

"I've... kept you waiting?" Xopil looked at the wall near the bed, it was actually a screen and displaying... "What is this?"

"Well... recording that was your idea. I was against it initially, but I found it does help break the ice," She replied, then added with a slight blush when she saw the displayed image, "and it's not like anyone else can see it."

"And you are?" he asked her again.

"Pretty dense this time around... I'm your woman." she said with a facepalm.

"Your name?" Xopil sighed.

"You've changed my name so often I don't get attached to names anymore." she replied with a frown. "Call me what you will."

"Xiara." he replied instantly.

"You... do you remember then?" she quickly shook her head, though her current smile didn't fade, "Impossible."

"I'm not sure what's going on, but I do feel like I've known you for a very long time."

"So long a time that you grew bored of me." she replied matter of factly. "This is... I lost count, but anyway you've created these 'puzzle worlds' to keep yourself entertained. I end up falling asleep when you start a new one."

"I did this to myself?" Xopil was incredulous.

"Willingly, I might add. Too many times you weren't able to solve before time ran out. I'm just glad I am not forced to watch you die over and over. I simply wake upon your return."

"I solved this last one then?"

"Aren't you full of yourself. You haven't even scratched the surface of that one. Like I said, I was bored so I intervened."

"And?"

"I'll send you back when I've had my fun. Maybe I'll go with you instead."

Some time later...

Xopil carefully rose from the bed; attempting not to make any sudden moves and, for fear of his life, no sounds. I feel like I lost several thousand years of my life...

"Hmm? Awake already?" A sultry voice purred from the other side of the bed.

"Please, no more... I beg you!"

"For as troublesome as it is having your memory wiped periodically, it does have it's benefits..." Xiara mused from where she was laying on the bed.

"I don't wanna talk about it," replied Xopil with great effort.

"That drained feeling will pass... eventually." Xiara laughed as she rose from the bed. "Can't I go with you?"

"After that marathon? I lost track of the month we're in."

Xiara giggled lightly, "You really have no idea then, the month is the same. However, it's been more than a few years."

Thud. Xopil fainted.

Bored of her? More like scared of her. Xopil thought to himself as he got dressed.

Xiara was standing not far with a pout on her face.

"If I say you can come with me... no more of that marathon business."

Xiara's face immediately lit up, and she agreed without hesitation. It's not like he'll remember after his memory is erased again... She went to her wardrobe to get ready.

After that, the pair of them appeared on the staircase of the inn.

"Boris isn't here?" Xopil stated while looking around.

"Time doesn't stop just because you're not here." replied Xiara. "The key is gone too."

Honestly, what a troublesome woman. I lost so much time there. Xopil scorned in his mind.

Xiara gave him a knowing smile. "You know you enjoyed it."

"Maybe at first." Xopil admitted, and they headed downstairs to the main room. At a glance, the room was packed, people were smiling, dancing, eating and drinking everywhere.

"Xopil! Welcome back, you did it! I don't know what you did, but the town recovered gradually over the past 10 years!" Boris exclaimed.

10 years? Xopil gave Xiara a deathly glare. "How do you know I'm responsible?"

"I just assumed... you mean you really didn't do anything?"

"Pardon us." Xopil grabbed Xiara by the arm and pulled her off to the side. "Explanation now."

"I may or may not have tinkered with some of the places in some of the worlds in my boredom."

"...Fine, I can accept that. Anything else you'd like to share?" Xopil immediately regretted this question.

"That's a long list, but I'll shorten it. A room, a bed, a dance would be nice too."

"...Fine. One dance. Then we need to move on." Xopil stated, then whispered something in her ear. With a light blush and a smirk, she responded.

The pair headed back up the staircase with key 99, from writing Xiara in the inn ledger. They entered door 9 right next to the staircase. There was a bright flash of light from one of the buildings, and it replaced the building directly in front of them.

"This..." Xopil stared incredulously at the building exterior. "I'm not even going to comment."

Xiara just laughed and the pair walked into the mansion...

"Think of this as a bit of a map... every room will take you to a different town. It'll save us the trouble of traveling, getting lost, and the like." explained Xiara.

"So much for the 'adventure'." snorted Xopil.

"Every day is an adventure, unless you sleep through it." replied Xiara, her hand holding her chin, "Besides, I am not a traveller."

"Right... you're a mmph!" Xopil found his mouth quickly covered.