Inferno Ascended

Parin was looking forward to talking to Glax, actually. And that made things easier for him.

Lord Arsaces, of the Nessos family, had been the Rhytosian ambassador who had embarked for Valya on the Argos II. In Valya, Arsaces learned many secrets of the weather, and also about the local gods, Chronos and Nix. 

He taught about Chronos in his academy next to the Sun and Moon Temple of Nikros, the Rhytosian capital. Parin's father studied there and was one of Arsaces' most ardent disciples. 

The master watchmaker also made machines and mechanical clocks more refined than anything the Steam People had brought to Stygia. His services were appreciated by all the cities that, in the time of Empress Urania, had adhered to public clocks, a boon that helped take notice of the sacred cycles of the earth.

However, it didn't take long for religious persecution to occur.

The Cult of the Sun and Moon in Rhytosia was afraid that the cult of Chronos would proliferate. They didn't have the same view as the Echelian take of the Celestial gods. 

In a mysterious terrorist attack, the Chronos Academy was set on fire. Several people died, including the parents of both Parin and Atos. Lord Arsaces then took in the orphaned children of his most devoted student. 

The fire was just a good pretext for Arsaces' pursuers to claim that the gods were furious with the cult of a foreign god. 

When the Steam War broke out, and Rhytosia allied with the Prometheans, Lord Arsaces knew he had little chance of survival with his opposite political view. 

Increasingly persecuted and impoverished, and without the support of his peers, Arsaces left Rhytosia and went to Echelion, at the time neutral in relation to the dispute. There was still work for him and he was hired by the Rhoas Sorcerers to help them create an observatory and academy, the Astrodome.

Friendship with the Astrodome stargazers protected him from total disgrace, since then.

When General Nikandros got his wheels from a god, he called Master Arsaces in to fix it. However, the general was so irascible and threatening when the horologist said he couldn't help that he had the Rhytosian legs cut off as well. Master Arsaces learned what he needed to cope. He also realized he wouldn't have a choice but to become Nikandros' personal 'physician'. 

Later, Arsaces learned not only to repair and maintain the divine artifact Nikandros used, but he also learned to do the same for Nikandros' daughter when she won the Fist of Chriseis. 

Despite directly serving the Great General, Arsaces was forbidden to teach his art or his beliefs. Eventually, all foreign technologies were viewed with suspicion, and Arsaces lived in obscurity, quietly serving those who benefited from, or appreciated, his knowledge. 

Parin was his helper, and only student.

When the death of Lady Chriseis was announced, and all Echelion prepared to welcome her back as a late great heroine of the clan, Parin was sent to the home of the Great General by her master. She carried an urgent letter. The girl did not know what was written, but she could deduce that it was Master Arsaces' concern with the 'defects' that were happening to the general's golden arm. He had sometimes expressed his concern about the corruption of the material. 

While she was waiting to deliver the letter personally to the Grand General, and take another back, Parin heard a messenger would embark for Hylan with an urgent letter for the Emperor. She also heard that a fast ship was urgently being prepared to depart for the capital. 

When she was finally received, as expected, the general was very stunned and emotional, and also furious. Contrary to what Parin herself expected, General Nikandros did not send for Master Arsaces. She brought his message back: Arsaces wasn't necessary at the time, and her master was very worried.

The horologist knew Chriseis' arm was deteriorating. His studies of how to help the general occupied his mind and researches a great deal. In reality, he believed he had the solution to the problem. And when Parin told him what he had heard, Master Arsaces decided to go in person, even without being called, to alert Nikandros to his decision.

However, before that happened, the man named Doros came to Lord Arsaces.

Glax already had too many questions at this point in the narrative to interrupt Parin. He wanted to know more about what Arsaces had discovered about the antichor. And if he also predicted that Chriseis' soul would be sucked into the mechanism. And mostly, because Parin and his master found the information about the message to the emperor so relevant.

"Can you tell me more about this before we talk about the man with the mechanical eye? What made Master Arsaces so nervous about the news?"

The girl looked at him as if she didn't understand the question at first, and then revealed,

"Ah, it's because Emperor Achmeron himself created the golden arm of Lady Chriseis. But we hear that he…"

"That he died and is now raised. By Necromancers of Pharys."

"My master doesn't believe that, Lord Glax." she shook her head. "My master was on the Argos II. He knew the Emperor came different from Valya. He was no longer the same as the one who left Stygia… He was already dead and up. This happened in Valya."

Glax shook his head, stunned. "Wait. Did the Emperor come like this from Valya? A dead one? And, when he was crowned, and he met Chriseis, younger than you are today, he made her the 'Fist of Chriseis'?"

Glax's head felt like it was going to screw up.

First, a couple of Stygians set out on a diplomatic expedition to a distant and mysterious place, beyond visible borders. A child is born there, and returns to Stygia with his mother. Some people believe this child is actually the Prince's son, but no one says anything. This becomes a hushed affair, as the woman is a commoner and he could be the next emperor. She marries another man, who supposedly raises the prince's son as his own.

He becomes the emperor. A noblewoman presents him with a fabulous gift, but at a terrible cost. He then supposedly creates for her a mechanical arm that is magical at the same time.

So far no one had mentioned that Achmeron was also an inventor!

As if it wasn't enough that the story is already complicated enough this way, during the turbulent years of political dispute and war, the prince, made emperor, is unable to have other children. He gets married sometimes, but nothing. On their third attempt, they kill his fiancée, and then try to kill him. Or, according to some, it actually happens. However, rumors that the emperor was secretly raised from the dead by necromancers spread throughout the empire.

Soon after, he definitely banishes all foreigners from Valya. Whom he seemed to admire, and suddenly hated!

"But why was Master Arsaces afraid that it would involve the emperor in the matter of Chriseis' death?"

"My Master said that the Emperor was an excellent craftsman of mechanisms as complex as those they saw in Valya. But that his hubris made him refute the laws of time and entropy…"

Whoa. I don't know if I understand completely, but I think I understand the basics. Was he specific about what the Emperor did that made him reach this conclusion?"

"He wasn't specific. But in the beginning he and the prince, before inheriting the throne of Stygia, exchanged letters, until they disagreed about something. The Emperor was building something grand with a purpose that defied even his mother, the former Empress. But I don't know what it was, exactly."

As always, it was frustrating to get information in indirect ways, but Glax was grateful. He had a lot of stuff to think about, but it wasn't the most urgent thing right now.

"Doros. This is the name, right? The damned one who held them hostage and who ended up killing Master Arsaces. What did he want? Did he say something you think I should know?"

She took a deep breath before answering, because obviously bringing up the subject brought back memories as painful as her parents' death. After all, her master raised her for several years, even when he was at his worst.

"That man… First he wanted the Master to fix the mechanism in his eye. It wasn't working properly."

Glax remembered the fight between them atop the carriage and smiled, satisfied that he had been responsible for it.

"And then he wanted to take Master Arsaces to extract 'Lady Chriseis' soul' from the mechanical arm. That's when it all made sense to me. Lady Chriseis' arm wasn't made of the same materials as Grand General Nikandros' chariot. And it had as its magical source what the ancients called the Blood of Attis."

Of course Glax had already related to what he called the antichor, but he wanted to know what else she knew. Then he took his watch out of its satchel and showed it to her.

"What's in here?"

The girl's eyes widened as she took the object in her hands.