Inferno Ascended

Cold deserted beaches surrounded by forests, rocks, and the sea, was pretty much all Glax saw on the route to Valosia. 

The flotilla had been reduced to 2 ships, which docked in the fragrant port of Troreus. Despite being the major port of Valosia, its main activity was that of wood, wool, and resin merchants. 

Even at the edge of the sea, Valosia seemed shadowed by high mountains and permanently snowcapped peaks. This gave a feeling of being permanently surrounded by a high dome that curved over living beings who were below.

Contrary to what Glax had imagined, there weren't a plethora of shoppers fighting over the rare products at the port. There was no effervescent fair and the same vibrant scene he saw in many other ports. In fact, the Troreus port had little activity, and he saw that the goods, loading orderly on the few berthed ships, were guarded by truculent and sullen men. 

Many of the men he saw wore longer skirts than the rest of the clan, and woolen hoods thrown over their shoulders. Glax remembered the skirt he'd seen Rasmus wearing when he'd arrived with the lightning. He saw some people had an eye drawn in the middle of their forehead. It was the same eye people used elsewhere to ward off the evil eye, so he supposed it had the same function. 

A military entourage's arrival left people in the port fearful and silent. Glax wondered if this was Stygia's image of the Valosians.

A messenger left ahead to advise of their arrival in Crona.

Rasmus recognized a guide from one of the many rental caravans, and along with someone from the Archigeos' staff, provided horses for everyone. 

Valosia's horses were a little different from the horses of the south, generally slender and elegant. These were huge and heavy, usually gray or white. They were also quite stubborn. 

Uniq nearly fell off her horse on her second attempt to mount it. Glax saved her from her fall by rescuing her to his horse.

He was finally understanding that all he needed to do was not think too much about not knowing things. Whenever he thought about whether he knew something, the knowledge seemed to trickle out of him. 

It was like that in the beginning, when he thought a lot about being Matt, the illustrator, and how screwed he was. But every time he just let his body do what was necessary, he did reasonably well at things like riding temperamental horses and even fighting.

Uniq had the beauty advantage and the guides soon brought her a gentler horse. They also surrounded her with suggestions on how to ride and care for the horse. He realized Uniq knew how to use her looks to her advantage, and she was never too proud to learn. 

He wondered if he would end up in love with her, and sighed, trying to push the thought away. Maybe he hadn't made a good choice to have sex with her if she was going to be part of his squad!

Tychos matched the horse to his, opening his arms as he stretched, and showing the wild and imposing landscape.

"Valosia! As beautiful as Antusia! You know for a moment, Lord Glax, I thought you were not a true northerner. But little by little you convinced me!" He motioned to the horse under Glax, under control.

"Oh, so I was being evaluated!" Glax laughed. 

"You have earned my respect, Lord Glax. And more than that, my gratitude. You fought for me, you were a brother from the North!" Tychos cleared his throat after his speech.

"Your respect is quite an award. And I like to think you would do the same for me."

The northerner nodded gravely and changed the emotional subject. "And Lady Aiops? She is distressed."

"Lady Aiops will have to wait at least a season for what is needed to be ready. But I haven't forgotten my agreement with her."

Tychos nodded again, satisfied.

::::::::::::::

"The downsides of a horse that big when you're my size is that when you dismount from it, you're looking like a slingshot," Glax complained, as he dismounted. It was late afternoon, and they had arrived in Crona, at the edge of a huge lake that reflected the lights of the sky like a shimmering mirror. 

The town wasn't as shabby as the villages Glax saw along the way, but it still felt like a country town close to every place Glax had ever visited. Far better than Marbium or Stimhena, but far short of Temnos, Stapolis, or Thyrale.

The Archigeos chuckled, dismounting and maintaining his usual form, being a big man like most Echelians. "Somehow you make it an advantage, as usual. So stop pretending it bothers you, boy!" 

As the party dismounted in the middle of the central square, a group of men hurried out to meet them from a nearby building.

Glax immediately identified the man who must have been Adrastos among them.

His official father cracked a smile when he saw him, and Glax smiled back. 

Chaon Adrastos was a tall, slender man with dark hair and a beard that had gray streaks, a straight nose, and large blue eyes with slightly drooping corners, which contrasted with the intelligent gleam in his gaze. 

Back in the capital, Glax had heard from Rasmus that if a Pharysian noble family didn't approve of marriage to someone from another clan, the krios lost their status. That's what happened to Adrastos. Marriages like his to Kalanthe were even rarer. Glax knew he'd lost a lot in the marriage, and he wondered if loyalty to the emperor alone had driven him to do so.

This man was a stranger, and Glax wasn't quite sure what to expect from him. But the smile on his arrival seemed sincere, and that comforted him. 

He was going to the side of the man who created him when the untimely arrival of a group caught everyone's attention.

Sounds of loud horns, and he could already hear enthusiastic screams from afar in a crescent as they approached the square.

Coming from the same side, a red and flash chariot pulled by two horses, followed by other smaller chariots and also showy and expensive carts that had been rattling with unnecessary speed and raising dust. 

The vehicles were crammed with people of all ages. Glax immediately identified the Rasmus genetic pattern in at least half of the people, dressed in expensive, gaudy clothes. Mainly by the modest standards of the province. 

Glax glanced sideways at his friend, who was red as pepper but also breaking into a smile as he saw his family.

"Father! Mom! Family!" Rasmus exclaimed, opening his arms joyously. 

While Glax seized the moment to hug Adrastos as well, Rasmus' family engulfed him in a flamboyant group hug, shouting "CHAMPION OF ARMORION!" by cousins, uncles, servants, brothers, and sisters.

"Calm down people. I was one of the Exalted Ones, but Glax was the one who really was the Big Guy." Ras explained as they lifted him into the air.

"Impossible. Lil' Glax is good, but you are better!" A matron spoke.

'Lil' Glax?!' Glax raised an eyebrow, gulping.

"Lil' Glax?!" The Archigeos' laugh echoed in the square.

"We heard he won, but it was because you were there, bro!" said a brother of Rasmus.

"They said you married the prettiest woman in the entire clan! The Priestess of the Moon!" Someone spoke.

"You are my pride, son!!!" the woman who had tears of happiness bathing her face exclaimed. It could only be Rasmus' mother, covered in hastily put on jewels and furs, apparently.

"Yes my boy, you showed them!" The older version of Ras's friend spoke, this time shooting the Archigeos a narrow look. 

Glax scratched his nose under the mask and surreptitiously asked his father. "Hey dad, don't you want to pick me up too? I'm not as good as Ras but I also got a yew crown."

"Oh, look, my arm, you know… Since the trip to Valya… And you are heavier than you think." His father didn't hide his sardonic smile, refusing to imitate Ras' family's flamboyant behavior. But soon afterward, Adrastos went to do the honors for the Archigeos and his entourage, who were enjoying the picturesque scene. 

Uniq commented, "I thought you would be carried away in triumph, but it was Rasmus…"

Alexandre nodded. "I don't understand either. I had heard that the Valosians are not festive, but that's too much."

Glax said,

"I wasn't very popular, as you can see. The mask made people a little afraid to get involved with me around here… The Valosians are pretty superstitious. And as you can see, my dad is the mayor. I bet it would be misunderstood if he used public money to throw a party for his own son... which no one likes."

"They don't know the man you are? Too bad for them." his redhead friend grunted.

"Um, looks like I'll have to know a tavern or two in this town to change that," said Tychos, patting his Pan flute. 

Zotikos, who had been silent for most of the trip, writing notes, emphatically agreed.

Glax was a little alarmed, but at the same time happy with the support of his friends.

Rasmus' family separated him from the Archigeos' group, who were hosted at Glax's house.

In the same proportions and luxury as the house in Charikleia in the south, only in the northern style, the house was able to house part of the entourage with relative comfort. 

As they were arriving, they saw the servants hastily arranging everything and placing large pieces of meat to roast. Some teen girls were decorating the portico with blue hyacinths to welcome them.

One of them, who was on her back, swayed on the stool she used to reach the top, and fell.

But Alexander managed to catch her in time, going from point A to point B as swiftly as Hermes!

"OH! Thank Gods! Sorry I… Who are you?" The beautiful teenager with the dark curls exclaimed, clinging to him like an octopus. 

Glax saw Alexander turn red, so red his ears turned purple. "A-Alexandre," he mumbled.

"Oh! Winged Love arrowed him!" The Archigeos laughed.

"Ahem," Adrastos cleared his throat. "This is my daughter, Lais."

"Is she single?" the Archigeos asked.

"SHE IS TOO YOUNG TO GET MARRIED!!!" he exclaimed, without thinking. Why did Glax feel his blood boil all of a sudden?!