Book 3, Chapter 63 - The Old Mans Identity (1/2)
Cloudhawk found it difficult to completely relax, fearing that Squall would be hot on his heels. With no strength left to fight back, he and the others traveled as fast as they could with not a moment of rest and eventually reached Sandbar Station.
It was home turf for Cloudhawk, more or less. Hammont was an ally and commanded five hundred elysian soldiers who would protect them. Skycloud’s borders were close so they didn’t need to be afraid of Highwaymen influence, or that of other wasteland organizations.
“I thought it would just be another mission. Ends up we almost got killed. We’re only still breathing because we got lucky.” Cloudhawk’s face was heavy with regret. “If I knew what was coming I never would have agreed. It’s time for that girl to settle accounts and get out of my life!”
Cloudhawk griped about his sour fate the whole way back.
This spineless child was absolutely shameful. No one, the drunk included, paid his whining any mind. Cloudhawk fell quiet when no one engaged. But whatever the case, Autumn’s name had become synonymous with trouble. He had to keep her out of sight, otherwise she’d just bring more problems down on their heads!
The first order of business when they returned to the Sandbar was to buy Autumn a mask.
In passing Cloudhawk grabbed a soldier on patrol and instructed him to fetch the magistrate. He demanded that Hammont take several hundred soldiers and locked down the surrounding wilds for everyone’s safety.
However powerful their wastelander foes, Cloudhawk was confident he could manage so long as they were back at the Sandbar. The reaction he was concerned about now would from Skycloud. If the elysians came for Autumn, they’d be in real trouble.
Skycloud was a breeding ground for capable fighters, not to mention their legendary older generation. Of people his age, there were enough to cause him concern. Cloudhawk wasn’t the least bit interested in tussling with them. He didn’t have any reward from Autumn either, so simply sending her away wasn’t an option. It was almost certain she’d renege on their agreement the moment she got back to her people. What would he do then? Best course was to clamp down on the spread of the news, and keep their heads low here in the station.
A lithe, short-haired women was standing outside of his shop. She practically yelped in excitement when she saw Cloudhawk and the others draw near and trotted over to him. “Excellent! You’re back safe. I’ve been worried.”
Cloudhawk motioned for her to tone it down. Sending Oddball on a brief circuit to make sure they weren’t being follows, he lead everyone into the store. It was nearing dusk and patrons had all gone home for the day, leaving Gabriel alone. He sat in his chair lazily knitting while the shop assistants busied themselves with tidying things.
I’m out here getting my ass kicked and this guy’s living large, Cloudhawk griped inwardly.
Gabriel sensed someone entered, and knew from the sound of the footfalls that one was Cloudhawk. But they sounded heavier, like he was hurt. Judging by the gait of the others, two were dangerous fighters. He slowly raised his eyes, drawing them over the old cripple and the beautiful stranger. Gabriel looked back down to his knitting.
“Back, eh? Find what you were looking for?”
Hammont and Barb helped Cloudhawk to his favorite sitting chair. He fell into it with a sigh and a series of popping joints, feeling like he might fall apart. The Warden sank into his chair like a puddle of mud and couldn’t move a muscle.
I’m done. Finished. Could I be paralyzed? He honestly couldn’t lift a finger.
Two days after the big fight he wasn’t hurting anymore, but Cloudhawk knew trespasser was still changing him from the inside. It had reached the point where things really needed to be addressed, so even though he was completely exhausted Cloudhawk couldn’t delay. He responded to Gabriel in a weak voice.
“Yeah, we got the info. Turns out the Crimson One is that old fuck Sterling Cloude. No wonder he can found a church and fill with demonhunters. Back in Skycloud he was Knight-Commander of the entire damn Order of Demonhunters. So what do you think? I’m awesome, making it back in one piece and all. If it was you, they’d be carrying you home in a little baggy.”
Sterling Cloude! Both Gabriel and Barb were floored by the revelation. Even the wildest imaginations wouldn’t have connected the Crimson One with one of Skycloud’s mightiest demonhunters. Sterling wasn’t as famous as his brother, but he was still one of the greatest warriors of their time.
He was one of the top ten most incredible demonhunters in all of elysian history, and regarded as a living legend. Why run away to the wastelands? Why found a church, burn people alive, and contend against his own people? But it was the truth, whether they believed it or not. Reality couldn’t be changed. But the mission Skye Polaris tasked Cloudhawk with was to uncover everything, so his task wasn’t finished yet.
“This is big news. When word gets out its hard to guess how Skycloud will react.” Cloudhawk gently rubbed his temples. He thought about what was back in the elysian lands waiting for him. The mission wasgiven by Skye, but he was damn sure Arcturus was keeping an eye on what they found out. How closely he was paying attention was the question. “We gotta keep this under wraps, for safety. Fatty.”
Hammont jolted to attention, his fat quivering. “Your faithful servant is here. What is your command?”
Cloudhawk fished out his demonhunter token and threw it toward him. “You need to get to the border and find their deputy commander, Drake Thane. Tell him what I told you, and make sure he goes directly to Skye Polaris with the information.”
Magistrate Seacrest’s face immediately flushed bright red and beads of sweat popped out of his fat head. He almost ran to obey. Giving him a mission this important was certainly reward for his service. Deputy commander of the border forces was a station far outside of Hammont’s purview, and the news he was trusted with was going to even more important ears after that. What an unprecedented gift!