Chronicles of Espiria Season 2
Episode 13 – Justice, Served Cold
Written by the Dude
Athalia's eyes fluttered open. She tried to sit up, but found this difficult due to a sharp pain in her abdomen. Looking as best as she could from her inclined position, she was able to see that her chest and waist were covered in bandages, parts of which seemed to be stained in her own blood. Leaning her head back, she tried to remember the last time she had bled.
Looking around further, she noticed that she was in a stone-walled room with a number of tables, possibly a common room in a monastery. In one corner of the room, she found her armor leaning against a wall, itself with spatters of blood, both hers and that of Hypogeans. Moments later, she heard someone approaching on what seemed like cat feet, carrying a bucket of water. Craning her neck, Athalia saw a young Path of Ascension nun kneeling before her armor, saying a brief prayer before beginning the task of washing the armor. Athalia was barely able to make out the legs of a sphinx on the girl, but was in no position to read the girl's heart, and so chose to accept her service for the time being. Though Athalia was eager to punish sin wherever she found it, she was just as pleased to see faithful service from a sincere heart; in a world inhabited by sinful humans, such was a welcome change of pace.
"Caliya, fetch Mother Cecilia, quickly!" another female voice called out from Athalia's other side.
The sphinx, whom Athalia guessed was Caliya, glanced at Athalia, then put her bucket down and ran from the room with remarkable speed. Moments later, Caliya returned, followed closely by a middle aged blind nun, whom she recognized as Mother Cecilia. Caliya stared in awe at Athalia, an understandable response by a nun of the Path. Cecilia wondered if it was acceptable to place her hand on Athalia's arm, also understandable. Less expected was the third nun's response, which seemed to be relief.
"I think she will be okay." the nun said to Cecilia as Athalia started reading her heart.
The nun's name was Susana Donnell. She joined the Path of Ascension as a very young girl. Her noble house lived under the impression that surrendering their firstborn to the Path would earn Athalia's favor, as if she could owe anything to a mortal. Fools they were, but their superstition had provided her with adequate servants in the past. Unfortunately, Susana was not one such servant when she arrived at the convent. She did as she was told well enough, but it was obvious that she resented having to live a life of poverty in a convent instead of the life of privilege that was supposed to be her birthright. This resentment gnawed at her, and in her teenage years, she became unruly to the point that her mother superior considered ejecting her from the Path.
Insincerity. Rebellion. Though it was wrong to send her to the convent without her consent, these were still grievous crimes against almighty Dura which Susana was accountable for.
Before she could be expelled, however, Susana drew the attention of Cecilia, who was not yet a mother superior at the time. Through her guidance, Susana learned more about the Light and the role of the Path, gaining an appreciation for her place in the Path in the process. As she stood over Athalia this day, her zeal was on par with that of Cecilia; though she still had much to learn about wielding the Light, Athalia accepted her as an adequate servant, high praise indeed from the Harbinger of Justice.
Next, Athalia looked to Caliya. While it was unusual for a Mauler to serve in the Path of Ascension, there was never a divine decree against it. Caliya certainly shared Athalia's desire to see the Hypogeans pay for their misdeeds; but this was not because they had done wrong, rather because they had wronged her. It was not justice she sought, but vengeance.
Vengeance belonged to the Celestials alone. This girl was guilty of theft and unforgiveness.
As with Susana, however, Cecilia proved to be the instrument of her growth. Caliya still struggled to tell the difference between justice and vengeance, but with Cecilia's guidance, she was learning.
Finally, Athalia turned to Cecilia herself. Growing up, she was surrounded by heretics, so it was little wonder that she spent her childhood as a heretic. Her brief marriage led her back toward the Light through her husband, but his death at the hands of Hypogean cultists drove her toward vengeance just as Caliya was driven. The only difference was that Cecilia discovered too late that taking vengeance brought her no satisfaction.
Theft, heresy, and murder.
In time, she was taken in by the Path of Ascension and became one of their most dedicated nuns. Athalia had long given the Path a special place in her heart, despite the order being populated by sinful humans; because of their dedication to her ideals, Athalia would often be gracious to them and accept their intent, even if their actions were, at times, suspect.
Athalia tried again to sit up, but was still stopped by the stabbing pain in her abdomen.
"Please, do not move!" Susana pleaded. "You are seriously injured!"
"There are still Hypogeans to be dealt with" Athalia responded weakly.
"Two of those Hypogeans nearly killed you!" Caliya countered.
Athalia read Caliya's heart again. There was no deceit.
"How..."
It was then that the memory of the event returned to her.
During her patrols, Athalia noticed a small army of Hypogeans marching on a small village near the border of the Bantus Empire. Easily dealt with. In the blink of an eye, she descended on the army and cut their forces in half before they knew she was there. The remainder of the army were mere sport for her. Soon, even those cowards that had run from battle were cut down by Athalia's blades. Or so she thought.
As she was about to return to the sky, her cheek was grazed by an icy spear as it flew past her head. She quickly turned with blades drawn and found two Hypogeans that had previously escaped her notice. One she recognized; Zolrath, the living time paradox, clutching the divine hourglass stolen from the Celestial storehouse. The Hypogean with him was unfamiliar to Athalia. Its entire body seemed to be made of ice, its only clothing the tattered remains of a robe and a helmet of ice. Wrapped around its neck like a scarf was a serpent, itself so cold that Athalia could hear the ice on its skin form and crack with each subtle movement.
"Athalia, we meet again." Zolrath greeted.
"We have never faced each other before, demon, or you would be long dead by now!" Athalia answered.
Zolrath chuckled. "Oh, if only you knew. Did you know that there are those in the Hoard who call you the Angel of Death?"
"Come, and I will gladly earn that title!" Athalia challenged.
"With pleasure." Zolrath said as he turned to his frozen companion. "Khazard, it will be most satisfying to watch you extinguish her flame."
Athalia charged at Zolrath with blades outstretched. To her surprise, Zolrath dodged her strike, then punched her in the back of the head. She recovered quickly, slashing at both Zolrath and Khazard, slightly melting Khazard's helmet with the heat of the divine flames of her blades. Both of them slowly backed away as Athalia continued her relentless assault; Khazard used a pair of icicles to block her strikes, while Zolrath took up a discarded ice spear. Finally, Athalia managed to kick Khazard away, briefly incapacitating him; she then turned on Zolrath, who locked her blades with his rapidly-melting spear.
"You will be judged this day for your crimes against Dura, Zolrath!" Athalia growled.
"I already have, Athalia." Zolrath answered mockingly. "You have killed me more times today than I can count. And each time I die, I simply turn back the clock to the moment before our battle. With each death, I learn from my mistakes, and in doing, I inch ever closer to your demise. So please, Athalia, kill me as often as you like; I need only to kill you once."
As if on cue, Athalia's shoulders erupted in ice and blood as Khazard drove a pair of icicles through them. The icicles melted quickly from her body heat, but her wounds did not heal as they should have. Zolrath soon followed this up by driving his spear through her armor into her chest, just barely missing her heart. Athalia fell to her knees as her strength began to fade. As she struggled to gather her strength again, Khazard's serpent began to writhe around her neck.
"Zolrath, Khazard," she said in as powerful a voice as she could muster, "you stand guilty of grievous crimes against almighty Dura..."
Athalia was interrupted as Khazard's serpent closed around her neck, cutting off the air she needed to speak.
"It will all be over in a moment, Celestial." he whispered with a cackle.
That was the last thing Athalia remembered before waking up in the care of the three nuns. After Athalia relayed these events, Cecilia finished the story by explaining what happened next.
Cecilia, Susana, and Caliya arrived on the scene in time to see Athalia stabbed; thinking nothing of their own safety, they charged the two Hypogeans with the ferocity of Maulers. Khazard was more than happy to turn these three nuns into ice sculptures, but Zolrath seemed more apprehensive, quickly assessing his surroundings.
"Khazard, we are done here." Zolrath said.
"But the Celestial..."
"Her destruction is postponed, not canceled. You will have her blood on your hands, but for now, let her writhe in the knowledge that she was at our mercy."
Zolrath opened a portal and dragged Khazard through it, leaving the three nuns alone with the half-dead Harbinger of Justice.
"It was not until the Hypogeans were gone that we realized what blasphemy they had attempted." Cecilia finished. "We brought you here and bandaged your wounds as best we could, then...hoped it was enough."
"It seems it was." Susana commented. "Your wounds are already nearly healed. I expect you'll be at full power again in a few days."
"Even wounded, you are glorious, Athalia." Caliya blurted out.
It had been hundreds of years since a mortal called Athalia glorious to her face; she liked the sound of it.
Turning her attention back to Cecilia, Athalia asked, "What brought you to this village in the first place?"
"I received a message from Priestess Belinda. The Twins had warned her that a catastrophe was about to befall this place, and we were needed to prevent it."
"It seems we know now what the catastrophe would have been." Susana commented.
Cecilia and Susana left Athalia's side to tend to other matters while Caliya stayed nearby in case the wounded Celestial needed anything. While the nuns were satisfied that they understood all that they needed to, Athalia saw the invisible hand that had worked to ensure her survival this day. It foresaw the need to rescue her from this dire situation and moved all the pieces necessary to bring the result about. Granted, she never understood this all-knowing hand; it wasn't even alive, but a product of the Celestial craftsman, Ansiel.
Ansiel was already quite old when Athalia was ascended, and she never bothered to ask him where he came from. All she knew was that he was a clever engineer; he forged her armor and weapons from the heart of a dying star, imbuing them with the Light of Dura so that she could more easily root out all darkness.
But he was more than simply a master blacksmith; he had a brilliant mind for invention as well. One day, he came before Dura and Athalia to display his latest work. The object, which was covered by a sheet to conserve the surprise, was a little taller than Athalia, and almost as wide.
"Ladies, brace yourselves," Ansiel said with a wide grin, "this is likely the finest work I have ever done or will ever do after."
"You say that of all your inventions." Athalia protested. "Even the ones you never use, like the hourglass that controls time."
"Funny you should mention that one, Athalia. I learned quite a bit from making that hourglass, not just what worked, but what did not. I used everything I learned and a few new tricks I've picked up to produce...THIS!"
Ansiel pulled the sheet off with one powerful tug, revealing a beautiful grandfather clock. Dura rose from her throne to more closely examine the clock.
"It is lovely, Ansiel," Dura said, captivated. "A finer timepiece could never exist in all creation."
"You said it was like the hourglass in some ways." Athalia noted. "Just what abilities did you give this device?"
"I'm glad you asked." Ansiel said with a grin before turning to Dura. "Mother, would you do me the honor of setting the clock back by one hour?"
Dura did as Ansiel asked. At the same time, they all noticed Espiria move backward by one hour as well.
"This clock can control the flow of time as well?" Athalia asked, dreading a repeat of the trouble she had with Ansiel's hourglass.
"It can. And because it runs on clockwork instead of falling sand, the control is much more precise. I even developed a failsafe in case one of the mortals gains access to it."
"Good; cleaning up the mess left by your hourglass was not easy." Athalia commented, relieved that he thought of such a thing this time.
"What sort of failsafe did you design?" Dura asked.
"Basic intelligence." Ansiel said, obviously quite proud of himself. "Nothing on the level of the mortals, but enough to know right from wrong and to ignore the commands of those who might use it for evil."
Dura examined the face of the clock more closely. Soon, she noticed the eyes of the clock face start to follow her as she moved around.
"What is his name?" she asked.
"His name?" Ansiel asked, not expecting that question.
"Yes, his name. You made him clever enough to know right from wrong like any person. Simply calling him 'the clock' will no longer do."
Dura thought for a moment as she watched the eyes shift focus between her, Athalia, and Ansiel.
"Since time marches to the ticking of your gears, you shall be known as...Orthros."
"Or...thros..." the clock replied.
Dura was delighted to hear it speak. Ansiel was surprised, since he did not remember giving it such an ability. Athalia was less than amused; another talker who would not leave her in peace.
Over time, Ansiel continued to tinker with Orthros, giving him arms with which to lift things and hover pads to allow him to travel. Dura, meanwhile, helped him to develop his intelligence, to expand his vocabulary, to better understand his purpose. In time, he took his place among the other Celestials, unique in design, but alike in goals. As Athalia lay on the table in the monastery, her wounds being tended to by the three nuns, she couldn't help but see the irony in finding Orthros' hand in preserving her life, given how ridiculous she thought it was to raise the automaton to the same heights as herself.
As Athalia rested, Zolrath and Khazard met with Commander Kane in the shade of a storm issuing from the Barred Gate.
"You told me that I would hold the Celestial's beating heart in my hands, Seer!" Khazard shouted angrily.
"And that is what I foresaw." Zolrath replied. "Athalia should be dead now."
"Then what happened?" Commander Kane asked, hiding his concern well. "Why was your vision so inaccurate?"
"There is an outside force at work." Zolrath mused. "A Celestial with the same powers as I. He clouds my vision, hides key details like the intervention of the Path of Ascension."
"What were those mortals even doing there?!" Khazard asked, still upset about being denied. "What purpose could they possibly have had there?!"
"Perhaps they were hunting our mortal acolytes." Zolrath suggested. "Perhaps they sought information that they might use against the Hoard. Or perhaps they were warned of our coming by the same meddler that tampers with my vision."
"Whatever the case, Seer, you must solve the problem before it threatens the success of this war." Kane finished.
"Worry not, Commander," Zolrath said with determination, "this meddler will be wiped from history as if by a sponge."
"In the meantime, Khazard, I have another task for you. I am sending you to the Dark Forest; you are to find a way to deal with the troublesome Wilders."
Khazard's frustration was replaced by great excitement. "It shall be done, Commander."
Kane passed back through the Barred Gate into the Hypogean Realm to report his progress to his eldrich master. Khazard glanced once more at Zolrath, then headed in the direction of the Dark Forest. Zolrath watched as his fellow Hypogeans went about their tasks, fuming at the very idea that he could be thwarted.
"I know you can hear me, Celestial! There can be only one master of time's flow! I am time's only true son, the rightful heir of eternity! I alone have the might and the will to shape history as it should be!"