Book 6, Chapter 35 - Settled

Cloudhawk stood tall and still . Vulkan and Selene drew their weapons .

Across from them, Frost brandished his silvery spear and Oracle Taron [1] dropped into a combat stance . The Arbiter’s Staff glowed ominously .

Arcturus stood with his hands clasped behind his and an expressionless face . He acknowledged Cloudhawk with a question . “What have you done with Natessa?” 

Cloudhawk’s response was dismissive . “Instructor Windham? She’s safe, no longer a part of our conflict . We should be happy for her . ”

Slowly, Arcturus nodded . His plain robes fluttered . “Then let us commence . ”

Wolfblade, Abaddon, Aquaria, Phain and the others were enough to keep the Elysians busy . At least for the time being, they wouldn’t be going anywhere . Arcturus wouldn’t get involved if Cloudhawk didn’t, but the circ.u.mstance demanded otherwise . While in the short term no victor was clear, Skycloud clearly had the advantage . The longer this fight dragged on the worse it would be for the wastelanders . As such, Cloudhawk was forced to act .

“We’ve never had the chance to really test our test strength against one another . Usually you beat me around a little and I run away,” Cloudhawk said, annoyance on his face . “There’s no running this time . Only one of us is going to walk away from this place . ”

“Setbacks are a non-issue for the young,” Arcturus replied . “Show me how much power you’ve been holding back . ”

Cloudhawk released his energy out in all directions . The air warped and twisted under the strain before ultimately shattering like a mirror . Reality became a mess of fragmented pieces . A direct attack against s.p.a.ce itself? His aim was to injure his opponent by fracturing the world around him .

Common knowledge was that all matter existed in the confines of reality . Like a table full of gla.s.ses . Cloudhawk was not striking the gla.s.ses, but rather destroying the table they sat upon . With nothing for them to rest on they would shatter as a consequence .

Had his command over s.p.a.ce really advanced to such a degree? It seemed so, for the rapidly fracturing field stretched around Arcturus . Once it was complete, nothing could escape . Movement required s.p.a.ce . It didn’t matter how fast you were if there was no s.p.a.ce to move through .

Arcturus unhurriedly raised his left hand . From his palm exploded thousands of electric bolts . As they spread out through the fractured sections of reality, they were consumed .  

Cloudhawk’s attack was vicious and strong, but so too was the Governor’s defense . The wasteland leader’s aim was to destroy everything . Arcturus was clever enough to know that this unmitigated destruction meant that the more there was to destroy, the more power was needed to destroy it . Through infusing the area with more energy, he forced Cloudhawk to expend more energy to erase it . Since the Governor’s mental fort.i.tude was greater than Cloudhawk’s, in essence he could negate the attack .

But this was only the beginning, for from the fractures more figures emerged . They looked like ordinary people but for the magnificent white wings extended from their backs . They were as majestic as the angels of legend . Brandis.h.i.+ng various relics, they filed into the area .

In the blink of an eye there were ten newcomers on the field . They roiled with the powers of fire, wind, earth, water, light and darkness . It was a storm of disparate energies that descended on the area like a meteor . The whole city shook .

A crater dozens of meters in diameter appeared where they made landfall .

After their joint attack, the winged beings retreated to Cloudhawk’s position and arranged themselves for another offensive .

So powerful! Selene felt her heart skip a beat after witnessing it . From nothing to an earth-shattering blow – in a matter of a couple seconds . It was a potent display of what Cloudhawk could do . However, was it enough to overcome Arcturus? The answer was a definitive no . He would not be Governor if defeating him was that easy .

Clouds of smoke and walls of fire obscured the view ahead . Despite this, Cloudhawk narrowed his eyes and growled . “Careful!”

Selene and Vulkan tightened their grips on their weapons and gathered their strength . They were ready to stand against any attack from the Master Demonhunter . Suddenly a dozen glimmering silhouettes appeared through the smoke . Radiating light, they broke pa.s.sed the flames .

They were… Seraphs!

Selene and the drunk recognized them immediately . They were none other than those puppets created by the G.o.ds . Through mysterious processes they were effectively immortal, fighting until their owner’s mental energies were exhausted .  

No ordinary human could command them . How, then, was Arcturus able to?

It was during the battle for Sanctuary that he first revealed this unexpected power . It was through them that he’d handily defeated the demon Elder Judas . In this conflict against Cloudhawk the Governor would surely pull out all the stops, so the number of Seraph in his service here were more than were at Sanctuary .

As the eighteen Seraphs charged into the fray, laser-light burned in their eyes .

Pale white light sprang up around Cloudhawk as a scowl touched his lips . The beams from the Seraph’s eyes were deflected by the s.h.i.+eld, but the combined might of a dozen was enough to force him to stagger backwards .  Even someone with Cloudhawk’s strength struggled to defend himself from eighteen Seraphs!

He started to fight back . High Highblood burst into action, launching attacks against their Elysian counterparts .

Although the Seraphs were stronger and immortal, they were much fewer in number than the Highblood and could only focus on a single target at once . Cloudhawk used these limitations to his advantage, removing the Seraphs as a threat for the moment .

The smoke stirred as suddenly two astonis.h.i.+ng blasts of energy pierced through it . One was cold to the bone and murderous . The other was overwhelming and ruthless . Two weapons, one silver and one black .

Selene and Vulkan moved to intercept!

With Sublime Transcendence in hand, Selene knocked Frozen Dirge away . Vulkan, holding Sunstroke aloft, dashed with incredible speed at the bearer of the Arbiter’s Staff .

Cloudhawk paid the raging conflict around him no mind, for as Frost and Taron launched their attacks Arcturus emerged from the flames with Ruin in hand . As though cleaving the world itself in two, he hacked it toward Cloudhawk’s face .

The Master Demonhunter would take matters into his own hands!

Glimmers of silver light snaked form Cloudhawk’s hands . They intertwined to form a singular weapon, doused in green fire . Cloudhawk held it tight and met Arcturus’ attack .

A weapon of blue and white electricity . Another of silver and green flame . The two collided .

Thunderous was their contest . Ruin prevailed, shattering Cloudhawk’s weapon into dust . Motes of fire and tongues of lightning danced through the sky . Ruin kept coming . Once again the pale light sprang to life, deflecting the attack . Arcturus’ power caused blackened tendrils to slither every which way along the ground and dissipate through the air, but Cloudhawk was unscathed .

Cloudhawk called the Silver Serpents again and hacked at his foe . Arcturus thrust Ruin at his chest .

Another tempest of energy was released as the weapons met . So intense was the blast that air around them was condensed into liquid and left a vacuum behind . The two men were too strong, no one else dared become involved .

While Cloudhawk and Arcturus stood toe to toe, Selene, Frost, Vulkan and Taron were also locked in combat .

Frost’s growth over the years had been staggering . In regards of pure mental ability he was not inferior to Selene . However, the tools he bore could not compare . Frozen Dirge and Rimeshard were high-tier weapons, but were no match for Sublime Transcendence . Furthermore, Selene benefited from the Holy Vestments constantly replenis.h.i.+ng her mental powers .  

The two collided, backed away, then collided again .

Selene’s weapon blazed dozens of meters like a waterfall . She brought it cras.h.i.+ng down on Frost and his spear with such force it slammed him into the ground . His armor broke to pieces and there he lay, badly wounded .

Selene didn’t even spare him a second thought . Her attention s.h.i.+fted to Vulkan’s contest with Taron .

The Arbiter Staff Taron bore was a relic on the same level as Sublime Transcendence – one of the most powerful relics to be found in Skycloud . What’s more, Taron himself was a mighty foe comparable in strength to the former War Saint . Vulkan would not find it easy to defeat him .

Selene fighting by his side, however, changed things . A concerted offensive from the both of them quickly forced Taron to fall back .

The drunk looked at Taron, defeated, and grinned . “Ah, my old companion . Back when I was with the Temple I always thought you were a strange one . But even so I never took you for a traitor . You better hope Arcturus wins, otherwise you will be nothing!”

Fury burned in the Oracle’s eyes . In a cold voice he answered, “I support the Governor’s efforts . Not for fame or position, but for reasons you short-sighted fools would never understand . ”

Selene’s face was dangerously cold . “Don’t waste time on this one . ”

She hacked at him with her blazing weapon, which Taron deflected . Vulkan then launched his attack . He moved so quickly the eye couldn’t follow, giving the impression that five him were  attacking at once . Again Taron defended himself, but one of the War Saint’s attacks found purchase .

Vulkan’s strength was well known . His attacks – though simple and unimpressive on the surface – in fact possessed frightening power . If it struck just right the Oracle would have been carved to pieces . Luckily for him, Taron boasted many relics . One released a s.h.i.+eld of force at the last minute which Sunstroke pierced, but even though the blow dug into Taron’s chest it would not claim his life .

“Cloudhawk can’t do it alone . We have to help him fight Arcturus!”

With that, the two raced to his aid .

By this time Cloudhawk and Arcturus had already exchanged several rounds . No clear victor had emerged, but it was obvious Cloudhawk was on the back foot . Arcturus was gaining the advantage . Once Selene and Vulkan became involved it helped to bridge the gap .

Arcturus glared at them . “Tilting the odds in your favor?”

“You know it’s funny… several years ago it was the three of us against a single person . Right here, right in this spot . ” Vulkan mused aloud . “He was the founder of your Conclave, your brother Sterling . ”

Nothing of what the old drunk said made an impact on Arcturus . It was as though he’d heard nothing .

But the drunk kept his eyes fixed on the Master Demonhunter . “Of you three brothers, Sterling was the most honest and least conniving . He used to wors.h.i.+p you, had nothing but faith – even when you asked him to kill Baldur . He did it, unquestioningly . The result was a lifetime of being manipulated, played with and used by you . He even lost his son to it . Don’t you feel anything for what you’ve done? Do you really have no conscience?”

The calm in Arcturus’ voice never broke . “If one’s sacrifice means saving millions, then the sacrifice is happily made . ”

Vulkan tightened his grip on his weapon . “You can’t just weigh everything in the world on some unfeeling scale . That’s what makes you a monster!”

This was the biggest difference between Cloudhawk and Arcturus .  

As a leader, from a logical standpoint there was nothing wrong with the Governor’s decisions .  

Not only had his own family been torn apart, but his actions had lead to betrayal, hatred and suspicion . He put himself in danger . Arcturus never pursued comforts or selfish desires . The greatest of human qualities was selflessness and sacrifice, and no one knew that better than Arcturus .

Was he a monster? Yes, and no .

He was like a monster in pursuing his aims by fair means or foul . He even violated basic tenets of morality by butchering innocents and betraying loved ones . But monsters performed their evil deeds for profit . Arcturus did them to safeguard his species . He believed himself to be right, and didn’t care what anyone else thought .

Was he really so wrong? Arcturus didn’t think so . Whether it was Cloudhawk, the drunk or any of his brothers, could they really say what he was doing was incorrect? 

Really though, right or wrong didn’t matter . Today, here, this battle… the whole of it would be settled .

1 . This has to be retconned . Believe it or not, there has been no indication I remember of this character being male or female . I must have thought she was female for some reason when he was first introduced . As a result of discovering later in this chapter that he is, in fact, a man, the name had to be changed . Taron is welsh for ‘Thunder’, so it was picked as an alternative to the feminine Thora .

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