Previous Links: Prelude | #1 | #2
Thus Far: Jaros has captured Zeph, Elene and Tahjarra. Zeph is being taken to the empress and the others sent to the mines to be slaves.
This issue starts by talking about the nameless ones. Zeph had mentioned they are after him before. They come from the void that occurs when magic is used. If too much magic is taken, they might escape into the world. It sounds like a fairy tale to scare people into being more careful with magic. Zeph knows it is true though and believes they are after him.
When they arrive, Zeph is tossed into a cell where we meet a character named Aragon. The two know each other. Aragaon is a liar, thief, adept mage, and scientist. He warns Zeph that the empress will toy with him as she sees fit and then he'll end up back here, just like him.
Zeph then goes to meet with the empress. He can tell she is not just plump royalty and can handle herself well. But she is really well guarded.
She explains that she wants his help. He is skeptical. But she does seem to have some kind of plans for him. Beyond pure entertainment. She respects him even. Which is odd considering he is a human and she is Ryotian royalty.
But she takes him on a tour. Showing how they stay warm and beat the ice. Using slave labor and refining technology they've managed to create quite the factory.
She knows it is unsustainable though. That is why she needs him. It would seem Aragon is the one that needs him. He is the one that has built these chambers that supposedly can defeat the ice. He does not have enough magical power to fuel them though. He has convinced the empress that the two of them, he and Zeph, could do it though. And that is what the empress wants from Zeph.
Zeph wants no part though. He grabs the engineer and tosses him into his own molten refinery. That alone is going to set them back a lot. The empress orders him dead but he quickly jumps into a pit basically. It was an elevator but it is falling. It breaks at the bottom of a well like area.
They think he is dead but the empress either wants him captured again or his body brought to her.
And that is issue 3! I think Aragon is going to play a big role. He seems to be a bit of a villain. Seems Zeph is still in a tough spot though. He looks knocked out and under water, even if he is free. He also still has to rescue Elene. So can he somehow make it out of this alive? Can he save his friends? Does he have new ideas on how to beat the ice now that he saw Aragon's plans? Or is it hopeless without being taken by the nameless ones? Things are just getting started!
To Be Continued!