Inferno Ascended

Glax rose, full of conflicting emotions, and questioned.

"What do you mean 'they'? Was Sarpedon not alone?"

"They. I suppose the Underworld court. He was a representative of sorts, or so he said." Damiamon shrugged. "You might think I still care about the machine that weaves Destiny, apparently much faster than the Fates, or, Moiras, can. But I don't care anymore." He held up his empty glass, his eyes gleaming and defiant. "While we've been here for two fucking mortal generations getting a shower of Titans shit upon our heads, Kaine is sitting on his throne playing with his toys. The only thing I want now is to gather all the vsely mates I can, go back to Valya, and kick Lord Know-It-All ass."

"But, Lord Damiamon," Alexandre spoke with somber countenance, "doom will also be upon Valya at some point. Anankethon is not contained and knows no boundaries."

"Anankethon will never be contained. And I don't know if that's really a problem. It's changing things… And maybe they need to be changed."

Damiamon looked drunk, but Glax wasn't sure about that. The vselys, a formidable warrior who was on hostile terrain, wouldn't actually have let down his guard on Death's side. Or at least, Glax couldn't believe it.

Furthermore, it hadn't escaped the Valosian, and now it had been confirmed by the warrior himself: Damianon Oefer didn't care one bit what would happen as a result of 'cleaning up' the Explorer using the factory machines. He didn't do anything when Sarpedon died. And, stopping to think… Who actually ran the machines? Sarpedon or the Explorer?

Predator that he was, Damiamon seemed to pick up on Glax's discomfort quickly. Perhaps he stared at his host for too long, as Damiamon narrowed his eyes and asked,

"Why are the people of Stygia so afraid of the vselys, and still like the Prometheans?"

Was that why he let the machine do what it did in Stimhena? Because the village welcomed the Steam People, but was afraid of the vselys? Damiamon had reason to hate the Stygians.

"Ah… I'm not the best person to answer that. As I said, I lost my memory. But back to the subject, I wanted to know what else Sarpedon said about the plan, and about Chriseis specifically."

"Anything I know about Sarpedon's plan must be far less than your friend Lord Mors might know…" Damiamon stood up suddenly.

"Well then, thank you for your hospitality, Lord Damiamon. Fate wanted us to meet this way, and discover that we are closer than we seemed. Glax motioned to Alexander, who rose immediately. 

Despite how comfortable she was here, Glax knew now that could change at any moment. He actually had answers, and he didn't like anything he heard.

"Before you go, you must tell me something, son of the Emperor."

"Oh, cut that one. Even if that's true, I don't care."

"Good for you. By the way, isn't it strange how the Stygians are so terrified of the dead?"

Glax put the mask back on, angry at the gratuitous provocation. Damiamon had caught him in the lie of not caring. Because, of course, he cared enough to wear a mask.

"What you want to know?"

"The other Cauldron of Valya. Where is it?"

"A guy named Malko is 'healing' the Explorer. On one of the old vselys ships now in the empire's service." Glax wished he hadn't said it, but at the same time, he couldn't help it. Damiamon nodded, enjoying what he was hearing.

"That's how vselys are, boy. Loyal. Being born there doesn't make you one of us. But if you want to stop being a brat and want to become a man, and a warrior, come to me."

While it made sense that someone like Damiamon would consider Glax a brat. After all, he had been a man when Glax was even born. The Valosian took offense, though. 

Damiamon was pleased with Glax's pursed lips, and laughed.

"In case you really want lessons. Every choice has a price, of course…"

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

On the way back, already shrouded in rain and darkness, Mors touched his shoulder. Everyone was silent, reflecting on Damiamon and his revelations.

"Lord Hades remains concerned about Anankethon."

"How could he not be? He let some brothers be locked in Tartarus. Anankethon looks like he's going to prepare the return of karma for him."

Mors smiled. "Anankethon and the Moiras fight as they can."

"And mortals are as always the pawns of the gods for everything."

"Not just mortals, but even me and other gods. Everyone who tries to go against Anankethon or against the Moiras."

"Come on, tell me what you know about all this. You weren't in Stimhena out of curiosity alone."

"In fact, I was. And this…" Mors took the watch with the orbs out of his clothes. "It intrigues me a lot. But I have to go back immediately, and if that's what's holding me back, I have to let go."

"Why! I thought you wouldn't give up anything!"

"Don't use this object. I don't know why, but if this is collecting souls, it can't be a good thing."

"It's easy to say, but I don't know how to stop the clock from attracting souls."

"Maybe the vselys know."

"I don't know if I want to ask him."

"Be careful with him." Death advised.

"Are you worried about me?"

"We'll see each other again if you don't die an idiot. Now goodbye. Goodbye Alekos. Quickly find a new master." Mors unrolled his cloak. And shaking it to unwrinkle and, who guessed, activate the shadows, he dressed it to go.

"Not so fast." Glax interrupted him when it looked like he was about to take flight into the darkness.

"What is it now?"

"Tell me about Chriseis. Why her?"

"How am I supposed to know? I don't follow mortals' lives, and not even their deaths, most of the time." Mors looked back and, changing his mind about what he was going to talk about, just made a quick movement and disappeared into the darkness.

Glax put away his clock, worried.

"Lord Glax, what is this?" From the top of the cart, Alexandre asked. 

"A souvenir of Valya. I thought it was from my real father. But… Hey, wait. I remembered you kept a secret from me. You knew I was one of Achmeron's sons."

"Ah. Sorry. I really didn't until my Dad confirmed his own guesses. Also, the Emperor didn't have other children. He married twice but had no children officially…"

Glax could get a glimpse of the moral, religious, and political implications. The rumor of the emperor's death and the influence of necromancers on the empire was only growing, and now the Valosian had confirmation.

"Well, I don't know." Alekos continued. "I only saw him once, when my father went to visit him. I already told you about it. He let me see the Chrisos pegasus. But... I don't think my Dad will like to hear what I heard here. About the Emperor being raised as a revenant."

"Ah. It reminds me of what I heard, someone told about a terrorist attack during his fiancee's funeral." Glax would love to dig further into those events. "Oh, who would want to know that, right? Although I knew a revenant, and he was a nice person! Death works well for some people."

"Will you meet your father, Master?"

Glax thought about this for a while. "I think I should. But at the same time, I wonder… If he knew he had a child, why did he leave me with my mother? He probably doesn't want to see me. Also, there's the question… If he really is dead now, what am I supposed to do? I need to think about it."

Alexandre was thinking about that too, and said no more. The path along the cold road through the forest was unpleasantly painful, but it was better to keep going.

When they reached the gates of Marbium, the sentries were flustered and irritated.

"Lochios! You caused us a lot of trouble! Why did you disappear like this all day?! The tagmatarchis sent people looking for you!"

Glax didn't really think that would happen. He was tired, pensive and soaking wet, and he didn't give explanations. Just went with Alexandre to the dorms. But before going to sleep, he wanted to know how Tychos was doing.

He thought of asking Pydna first, but he couldn't find her. He just met Zotikos, who was coming out of the infirmary. 

The Rhoas came hurriedly towards him, and put his finger to his lips for silence.

"Lord Glax! Where were you? Where is Lord Alexander? Where is Lord Mors?" Zotikos whispered, pulling his lochias to a dark corridor.

"Alekos went to sleep. Mors left. This is not good?"

"It probably is. But Lord Glax! The tagmatarchis is furious with you! He accused you of stealing the Valya's Cauldron. It's treason! He spent a lot of time with the iatromancer Oenopides because of Tychos, and… Well, I'm sure it influenced his sudden orders against you! He has given orders to arrest you for crime and insubordination, Lord Glax! I just heard!" Zotikos looked up and down the corridor where they were, in a clear state of panic.

Glax shook her head, trying not to be contaminated by the young iatromancer's agitation. "Calm down, Lord Zotikos. Everything is fine. I'll explain everything to him."

"The punishment for theft is very severe, Lord Glax. The others and I were whipped and sent to jail for 30 days for failing in our duty. But that's nothing close to what…"

Glax heard the heavy footsteps of soldiers upstairs, heading towards his dorm.. He sucked air into his lungs, wondering what to do next.