In agreeing to partic.i.p.ate in this fight, Cloudhawk had prepared himself for the possibility of death . He wasn’t afraid of Arcturus and the other deadly enemies surrounding him . He paid no mind to the consequences or the charges levied against him . The one thing that he worried about was this situation, right here and right now .

Dawn had to be rescued, no ifs and or buts about it . Anyone who stood in his way would have to be cut down . Though his chosen road would be lined with corpses and his hands stained with blood, Cloudhawk felt no regrets… except when it came to Selene . What was he supposed to do now?

For five years they shared some of the most impactful moments in each others’ lives, moments that were defining and transformative . More than friends, they’d developed genuine feelings for one another . Between them was a pure, if undefined, affection .

Beyond a doubt, Cloudhawk understood Selene better than anyone . Likewise, Selene was the only person who knew the true Cloudhawk . She’d partic.i.p.ated in his stubbornness, his wanderl.u.s.t, and his wild determination . Her intractability, tenaciousness, and solitude had all been affected by his presence .  

These two souls – destined for a life of turbulent change – had rode the tides from mutual exclusion to mutual attraction . They were a pair of lone wolves who’d found their pack… but it seemed as though fate had conspired to rip them apart once again . Cloudhawk had never wanted to lose any of his hard-won friends.h.i.+ps, and this was doubly true for Selene, but he knew her and why she had no choice but to stand in his way .

Selene Cloude was different from anyone else he’d met . A more steadfast and perfect warrior did not exist .

She wasn’t like Frost, who chased after prestige . She wasn’t as impulsive as Dawn either . Although the problems she faced were each more daunting than the last, she still possessed an indomitable spirit . She was like a brave, courageous b.u.t.terfly beating her wings in a storm . It was her una.s.sailable faith that gave her the strength to forever wade through fire .

She’d matured over the years . In that time she had striven to walk in the footsteps of her late father – an unapologetic idealist who never gave up his dogged pursuit of truth and righteousness .

The two were both people of lofty morals . Selene was a warrior through and through . In the face of spiritual doubt, of constant opposition from Arcturus, her position always remained planted on the side of Skycloud .

The Battle of Sanctuary would become a defining moment in the history of her home . The consequences of what happened here would ripple through the lives of millions of civilians . When Cloudhawk raised his hand against the fortress, he also threatened those innocent lives . That had become the moment of their estrangement .

Understanding this, it was not strange at all that she should turn her weapon on Cloudhawk . Rather, it would be wholly unlike her to stand aside and watch Cloudhawk slaughter her countrymen and reduce this first line of defense to rubble .

A column of holy light came screaming towards Cloudhawk, who summoned the power of his gauntlet to protect himself .

No expression could be seen on Selene’s beautiful face as she unleashed Transcendence against him . Baldur’s epic weapon was one of tremendous potential and to Cloudhawk it felt like he stood alone against a flood . It swept over him, unyielding, each second threatening to break through Cloudhawk’s defenses and smash him apart .

“You know, we’ve never had a proper fight!” Cloudhawk realized there was no hiding from this . He might as well face her calmly . “I will admit, I’m curious to see just what Skycloud’s supreme genius is capable of!”

Nearby, Atlas quietly drew forth Malady . As Cloudhawk threw himself in to warding off Transcendence, Atlas launched a sudden attacked . The beleaguered wastelanders now found himself suddenly forced to defend on two fronts, with Selene – as Skycloud’s treasured talent – already a huge threat by herself .

Cloudhawk roared and his mental powers burst forth . A pulse of deflective energy was released from his gauntlet in a shock wave . Transcendence’s light stopped as though held fast by an invisible hand and was thrown to the left at a ninety degree angle – right at Atlas .

The a.s.sa.s.sin vanished leaped into the air . He simultaneously avoided the attack and advanced toward his target . While floating overhead he split into three copies, each with Malady in hand . All together, they came cras.h.i.+ng down with the deadly gleam of their weapons aimed at Cloudhawk’s neck .

He’s too fast .  Selene in front, Atlas behind . Even Cloudhawk felt the lethal pressure of this combination .

A cold light flashed in Selene’s eyes . She thrust Transcendence through the air, and from it spat a beam of energy, streaking toward Cloudhawk’s shoulder . But instead it pa.s.sed him by – and was aimed at Atlas .

That brief moment of shock almost cost Atlas his life . Fortunately, he managed to recover in time to use Malady to deflect the blow . Her strike knocked him thirty meters away .

Cold as ice, Selene growled at the a.s.sa.s.sin . “Mind your own business . This is my fight . ”

Cloudhawk, along with Atlas and the others, was stunned by her actions . Still, all knew that she was a prideful woman . Clearly, she would not suffer someone else despoiling her battles .

And yet! When Cloudhawk looked closer at her stern face, he felt something stir in his chest . He couldn’t help but smile .  She sure had me scared! For a second, he genuinely thought she was going to kill him!

Now, it appeared that wasn’t quite the case . On the surface she seemed determined to put him in the ground, but in reality it was quite the opposite . She was trying to give him an opportunity to flee . If it’d been Phain, or any of Arcturus’ other cronies they would have just piled on him .

Phain brought his Templars, Selene commanded the Clerics, Atlas led the Court of Shadows, and Frost directed the Cloude’s family’s best . That was one h.e.l.l of an army all coming his way, with many demonhunters capable of disrupting his abilities . They could easily have locked this place down while he was saving Dawn, making teleportation difficult if not impossible . Given these circ.u.mstances, the second Cloudhawk got caught in the trap he should have been as good as dead .

But instead, Selene was insisting on a one-on-one battle . No one else was allowed nearby . That undoubtedly worked to Cloudhawk’s advantage .

“Hmph!”

When she saw the grat.i.tude in his face, Selene couldn’t help but let her anger flare . So blatant! He had a brazen yet ambiguous relations.h.i.+p with Dawn… so be it . But the disaster it had caused… she hated that she couldn’t heartlessly hack him to pieces!

Her slender legs kicked her off the ground and into the air . Both hands wrapped around the hilt of her weapon and she brought it tearing down toward him .

Cloudhawk responded by putting his gauntlet between him and Transcendence . An explosion of light and energy resulted and the ground cracked beneath him . Both figures disappeared in the blinding corona .

Cloudhawk simultaneous fought off the pain while forcing himself closer to her: “Thank you . ”

“Do you have any idea what you are doing!” She was an angel in the center of a sea of light . Her raven black hair whipped in the air around her like a war G.o.ddess . Her face was still twisted into a mask of rage and betrayal . “All this? For a psychotic b.i.t.c.h like Dawn? Have you thought at all about the consequences? Can’t you use your brain for one second? You could have waited a few years while I gained more status in the city . I could have found a way to bring you back . But now… now… I should kill you!!!”

Cloudhawk had never seen this look on Selene’s face before . It was the face of a woman whose fear and anger were at war in her heart .  Take power…? Had that been her plan all along?

They shoved away from each another, creating a s.p.a.ce of about ten meters . It lasted only a moment before they raced in for a second collision . The light it produced hid them from view and to onlookers it was impossible to see anything but a battle at full-tilt .

Cloudhawk sighed . “I’m sorry, really . I don’t think I can keep my promise . ”

Selene brought Transcendence cras.h.i.+ng down on his gauntlet once more . The force of it almost broke his arm . “So you’re really going to run off with Dawn? With all you’ve done for her, where does that leave me?”

Cloudhawks’ face fell in pain and sadness . “That’s not it . I’m saying, I don’t think I’m going to make it . ”

Selene’s pupils contracted to small, dark dots . “What?”

He sighed again . “Half a year ago, the Cloud G.o.d badly wounded my mind . Then, Arcturus badly wounded my body . Do you really think that sort of damage can be reversed in six months? I’m not going to pretend I’m making it out of here alive . But seeing you like this… it’s enough for me . ”

Selene froze .

She didn’t know the power of the Cloud G.o.d, but she did know just how overwhelming Arcturus was . Now here they were, a little under two hundred days from that clash and Cloudhawk was still alive . He was harder to kill than a c.o.c.kroach . But it seemed impossible that he could’ve not only recovered, but also grown stronger .

He definitely must have taken something to get this result . Something that threatened his life…

No! He can’t die!

Cloudhawk and Selene had exchanged two explosive blows . Dawn couldn’t just stand by . So with her hands wrapped around Terrangelica she threw herself into the fray . She inserted herself blade first between Cloudhawk and the Apostle .

Selene’s anger erupted . All of this was her fault .  You thoughtless, psychopathic b.i.t.c.h! If the idiot didn’t let herself get caught, things never would have gotten to this point . Cloudhawk wouldn’t have been forced to put his life in danger!

If you asked Selene who should die today, unequivocally the answer was: Her .  She gave her opinion with her sword .

Dawn had never gotten along with Selene, and today she was ready to rip the sanctimonious woman apart . It was incredible to her that Selene could have such a cold heart . It was expected that others would raise their arms against Cloudhawk, but her? She couldn’t fathom how Selene could be so callous! This conceited, self-righteous b.i.t.c.h deserves to die as a lonely old crone!

What . The . f.u.c.k!?! Cloudhawk was speechless . Once Dawn broke in to confront Selene, all bets would be off . ‘Thankfully’, Phain suddenly rushed in with his quick-draw technique . Dawn had to defend herself with her sword and was knocked away .

Phain pressed the attack, his sword raining down upon his former student . As he bore down on her he growled, “Dawn, I taught you most of what you know . Let’s see how well you learned . ”

Dawn squared off against her one-time instructor . “You always used to harp on about justice . But what justice is there? My grandfather died while defending our realm, stabbed in the back by a devious snake . That snake still leads you . Is this the justice you were talking about?”

Phain sprang into the air . As he bridged the distance he was surrounded by an onslaught of flas.h.i.+ng sword strikes . “Enough nonsense! You are a traitor to Skycloud, and worse a traitor to the Temple . Today it’s time to clean house!”

The two exchanged a dozen blows in the s.p.a.ce of an instant . Phain’s Templars stood around them, unmoving . They wouldn’t get involved until they were ordered to .

Frost and Atlas glanced at one another and through it shared their intent . Yet they did not intervene and instead only watched . It appeared neither Dawn nor Cloudhawk would be able to escape anyway .

“These four think their ruses to be so clever, none can see through them?” Arcturus watched the dramatic display unfolding before him and shook his head with a sigh . Cloudhawk and Selene, Dawn and Phain . Each made such a show of their conflict, but not an ounce of lethal intent was revealed .  Smoke and mirrors, clumsily portrayed . While their attempts could fool many, it was foolish to think Arcturus wouldn’t see through it .

And yet, what an impressive crop of young fighters! Each one was more impressive than the last .  If their predecessors had half as much talent, things would be very different in Skycloud . He wouldn’t have needed to spend a fraction as much effort towards his goals .  

“Governor! Let me teach them a lesson!” Two of those predecessors rose to their feet expectantly . But Arcturus did not grant the request . “Ja.n.u.s . I leave it to you . ”

A masked figure slowly rose to his feet; Ja.n.u.s ‘Many-Faced’ Umbra, Skycloud’s consummate a.s.sa.s.sin and leader of the Court of Shadows . He answered his Governor’s summons with a bow . Then, without any grand gestures, his body dissolved into mist like he’d been nothing more than a wisp of smoke .

“The rest of you, be still . The real enemy has only just arrived . ” With this cryptic revelation Arcturus lifted his eyes toward the heavens . The others follows suit and when they witnessed the truth, their faces grew dark .

In the skies over Sanctuary, the air was choked with threads of black . Tendrils of sinister clouds gathered like the groping fingers of Gehenna itself . Darkness swallowed the landscape, inching closer to their fortress .

Cloudhawk had made a lot of noise, but even in destroying a portion of the fortress he’d done little to impact the Elysian force as a whole . If he only had such a paltry force, only a fool would imagine that Cloudhawk would be able to take Sanctuary alone .  

The power that really threatened the thousands of soldiers garrisoned here was encroaching with that ominous darkness .

*A note from the author, Tipsy Wandered (date unknown):

Lately the story has experienced a bit of a bottleneck, effecting updates . Outside influences have had an effect on the story mid-production, thereby forcing some changes to the outline . Since the outline is once again in the conceptual phase the rate at which it’s being written has slowed so as not to lose control of the narrative . Because this novel is in discussions to appear in other media, we can’t be as capricious with its content as other books in the genre . Those works have the benefit of being wholly under the direction of the author’s imagination . Full disclosure, when I started the book I had no outline at all . A map is only useful until you draw yourself into a corner – then just change the map . If there’s a group of characters that have nowhere else to go, write new characters . That’s how it is normally done . However, this book cannot be written this way . I will do my best to update my outline as soon as possible and get back to a normal schedule . I appreciate everyone’s understanding .

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