Episode 27

Episode 27 (???? A.D.):

Demosthenes didn't take long to be found, now a submerged sculpture in the small river. It was a group of soldiers sent by his new ruler who were responsible for returning him to a worried Claudius.

Now, once-human, three petrified bodies were jealously guarded by Claudius. His plan was to tell his son the true nature of those statues, after all Claudius had done everything possible to make his biological son and an adopted son co-emperors.

But as was customary in the lives of the most powerful in Rome, his reign ended prematurely when he was poisoned by his wife, who was none other than his own niece: Agrippina, Caligula's sister.

Why did she do it? You may ask, well it was nothing more than a thirst for power, this led her to betray her uncle-husband and rule through her son from another marriage, the one Claudius had adopted and made emperor alongside his biological son, you will know him by the name of Nero. You will know him by the name of Nero – a name that would become synonymous with infamy in Rome, rivaling even Caligula's.

Of course, this boy turned out to be more difficult to control than she thought. So the backstabbing started with Britannicus, Claudius's son; then with his own mother and continued for much longer.

Because of that, the knowledge of what those figures in strange poses really were was lost, becoming relics among the Roman monarchs. Ending up in Constantinople. Where Zenodulos woke up again and got back to his old ways, replacing the young member of a ruling dynasty.

If you are confused do not worry, we will catch up with the games of conquests and invasions that took place at this time. So let's leave history lessons for another time and go back to the beginning of this story, where Demosthenes woke up in the castle of the "emperor".

Covered only by a piece of cloth tied around his waist, Demosthenes had just woken up. He had finished seeing all his real memories and already had an idea of how he had gotten into this situation. Although his last memory was of getting into the stream, he knew for sure that all this time he had been petrified, until he came out of his stone sleep in that treasure room.

Curious, he looked around. He was in a small cell. The stone walls and the bars only reminded him of when he was locked up in the amphitheater many years ago, by the same man.

And just like the last time, that man, dressed in the most elegant clothes, looked with contempt at the Athenian, who would have imagined that in distant times this was his slave.

Zenodulos sought out a chair in the corner and sat down facing the cell.

— So, you saw my memories...

The war veteran didn't respond. He knew that the other immortal would answer all his questions without even asking them, such was his obsession with proving his superiority over Demosthenes.

— I see, you are going to be silent again...— The emperor whispered, angry.— Anyway, you don't have any answers for me. I already know that the same day you and your friends tried to execute me, you were also petrified, and in such a humiliating way. I wonder how many people must have mocked your pathetic naked body.

Every word that came out of Zenodulos' mouth made Demosthenes' blood boil, but he didn't let himself be carried away by anger and remained motionless sitting in his cell, this time with the cold brick as the floor.

— It was that stupid Claudius who sent the Praetorians to execute me. I knew it, I knew I should have killed him when I had the chance. That fool was only pretending to be even more foolish— Zenodulos revealed, taking a long breath before continuing. — Things have changed so much... But people are always the same, whether we're in Athens, Rome, or Thessaloniki... They only need the right words and they dance like puppets to my orders.

Ignoring most of his words, the name of Athens made Demosthenes wonder how much it had changed now. He didn't know, but it had been about 1700 years since he had fled his hometown. What was everyday life for him was nothing more than ancient history for the inhabitants of this era.

...Yes, thanks to my talents, I have once again taken the position that belonged to me until you took it away from me — The emperor continued. — But there will be time to torture you for what you did. They may have banned gladiatorial games, but they have invented a great number of methods that I would like then to try on you.

Demosthenes swallowed hard. It had only been three days that he had lived in that terrible arena, but his captor made sure that they would be unforgettable.

— But that will be for another time. — The megalomaniac added, rising from his chair. — Now we will mobilize for war. I will obey the will of the people and we will march to the battlefield and I will not let them rest until we capture all the territories that once belonged to the empire.

Demosthenes couldn't remain silent any longer and kicked himself off the ground, his hands gripping the bars with such force that they creaked slightly.

Both men met each other's gazes again.

—You are a disgrace to the world. — The prisoner finally said.— Everything you touch, you corrupt and degrade. Don't think I've forgotten the promise I made the day you locked me up in the arena, because someday I will get out again, and no matter what cell you imprison me in, I will kill you. I will avenge the fathers, partners, and children of the people you killed just to sit on an ever-higher throne. No matter how much you try to run from your true self, you will always be that dammed child. The blood of Arsames on your hands and the burden you carry for cursing us all with immortality will fall on you someday. I will see to that.

The other immortal remained silent in the face of such words, almost as if a flicker of fear had appeared in his eyes for a split second.

But quickly he returned to his usual mocking smile.

—I would like to see you try.—He replied.

That was all he said before he walked slowly towards the exit. After the soft thud of the door against the stone wall, silence reigned in the place, and Demosthenes found himself alone with his thoughts, as was usual, since his last moments of freedom were the hours he helped Claudius become emperor.

However, despite being confined to a dirty cell once again, he was satisfied. For he realized that everything Zenodulos did was not just to be superior to the man who had been his master for over a thousand years, but because he feared him.

His silence didn't last long, as the door opened again. Demosthenes leaned out expecting the tall figure of a guard, but the reality was different...

Kharma walked slowly in front of his cell, her eyes with a clear concern observing her former master.

Demosthenes didn't know what to expect from her. In Athens she was a nice and reliable girl, but she helped Zenodulos in his plans... He saw it when she killed that guard.

—What do you want from me? —He asked, expecting the worst.

—I need you to tell me if what you said was true...— She replied, clenching her fists.— Did Zenodulos force us to be immortal? And what really happened when he killed Arsames?

Demosthenes smiled faintly, a part of him was happy that those terrible actions were only because of that man's manipulations.

Ready to trust that girl again, he told his story, from when he fled Athens with Agatha...

Author's Notes:

*It is not entirely certain whether Claudius was poisoned by his niece-wife, but several ancient writers seemed to claim so, so I decided to leave it in.

*If it needs further explanation, why not? I love to write. The Roman Empire was so large at one time that it was divided into four parts with their own emperors and then they put it back together, then the capital moved to Byzantium, or Constantinople as Emperor Constantine humbly named it in his time, and later it was divided into two. Finally, the West was divided into several kingdoms, mostly ruled by Germanic warlords, and Rome was controlled by the pope. While the East, which was originally Greece, Turkey, Egypt and other countries, remained an empire, we currently call it "the Byzantine Empire" after the old name of its capital, but they called themselves Romans, although Rome was now the property of another guy. The parts of Demosthenes' "present" are in a fragmented Byzantine Empire, Why is it fragmented? You might ask...

*Well, there is also the story of the Fourth Crusade, how Constantinople became part of French nobles and how several of Byzantine origin claimed the throne. But I will leave such explanations for the other book.