Book 4 - Chapter 67 - Fury of the Master Demonhunter (1/2)

Cloudhawk’s body was covered in burn marks, however they were healing even as he scrambled back onto his feet. He had to admit the Crimson One was stronger than he thought. Without the timely arrival of his two friends, he definitely would have been put down.

With the sudden change to their conflict, the Crimson One did not immediately make any further attacks.

The day finally came.

The seed that was planted was finally bearing fruit. Baldur’s daughter and his best friend stood shoulder to shoulder, facing their shared enemy in solidarity.

The Crimson One first turned his eyes to Selene.

In her left hand she clutched Baldur’s weapon, Transcendence. In her right, the holy crossblade. One radiated with holy energy, and the other glittered with crystalline beauty. She stood with her shoulders back and head high, a blade in each hand. Her white vestments reflected the red and green fires that surrounded them. Her raven black hair fell straight to her shoulders like a silken waterfall. The contrast between her pale skin and dark hair was especially striking. Her gradually maturing features highlighted the beautiful woman she had become.

“At last you inherit your father’s legacy.” While the Crimson One’s face had a natural air of compassion, there was no great emotion at the sight of his brother’s daughter. “Like father, like daughter, it would seem. Both such incredible people. A pity you do not come to me now as a friend.”

Deadly ferocity overtook Selene’s moon-like eyes like an eclipse. She became a beautiful and deadly beacon of righteous vengeance. Slowly her right arm raised, poising her blazing sword of light toward the man. “You are unworthy to even mention my father.”

“Whether you believe me or not, I promise you that I have no greater regret in my life than killing Baldur. It was the most painful thing I ever had to do. I did it anyway, and if you knew the truth you would rejoice in his death. Otherwise-” He paused for a moment. “Otherwise it would not be me you face today. It would have been him.”

All three of them stood in silence, letting the words hang in the air.

Anger overtook Selene’s senses. She threw herself at him, her blazing sword of light thrust toward his chest. The righteous light burned the pupils, but for all its fury the blow suffered the same fate as the several before it; upon striking the golden aura around the Crimson One, the sword was easily deflected, like a toothpick trying to pierce a diamond. The shell was left unscathed while her crossblade shattered into pieces.

Immortal Defender! One of the Cloude family’s most treasured relics.

During their battle in the wastelands, the Crimson One had been beaten to the point of exhaustion. Injured and spent, it was this relic that saved his life and allowed him to escape. Since it came into possession of the Cloude family, Immortal Defender was considered one of the strongest relics to have ever been unearthed. It was capable of deflected any attack thrown at it so long as the Crimson One had a shred of energy remaining.

“You all know in your heart that the order to kill Baldur came from Arcturus. I was simply doing as I was commanded!”

The stones scattered around the Crimson One’s feet began to tremble. Gravity in this strange city was already weaker than the world outside, and under the influence of the Crimson One’s power it failed entirely. Stones rose like they had a life of their own. Flecks of sickly green Castigation fire also emerged, giving more weight and power to the former Knight-Commander’s words.

Rock and flame danced around them, turning into a pulsing tide. The stones caught fire and glimmered like the night sky, everywhere they looked.

“If you respected your father, if you loved your friend, then you would not stand in my way. You should be helping me complete this important work. If I fail then everything that Baldur went through will be for nothing. Raising your swords against me does not earn vengeance for Baldur, it insults his memory!”

Selene slowly raised the crystalline blade in her other hand. Transcendence, the sword of her father. The air around it warped threateningly, and as she hacked it at their foe the ground split before a tremendous flood of energy. It smashed against the Crimson One’s defenses with so much intensity that it splintered stone. Still it caused him no harm.

Inwardly Cloudhawk cursed their continued failure. His defenses were too strong!

Sterling wasted no more time on words. Yes, Selene and Vulkan had begun to doubt, but nothing he said would push them beyond questions. They suspected that the Elysian leaders weren’t as righteous as they pretended to be. They doubted this Elysian cause they championed was as noble as they were lead to believe. Perhaps – perhaps – their holy mission had nothing to do with divine justice after all.

But it was all just suspicions. At the end of the day, all of the tragic things humans had suffered at the hands of the gods were tempered by their blessings. Others were forced to live in squalor, but not them. They were the fruit of Skycloud, the Elysian lands were home.

They’d never truly experienced the blood and death and violence. How could they understand the Crimson One’s position? How could they join him in his zealous pursuit?

Selene was strong. She could lift her hand against the Crimson One. She might even be able to make Arcturus nervous. But the gods? No – she was no threat to the gods.

For all her doubts, Selene knew one thing; that her father was the greatest demonhunter to wander the wastes. He traveled the world, bringing justice where there was none. A prideful, powerful defender of the righteous!

The drunk felt similarly. It had been years since he’d gone to Skycloud, and it was unlikely he would ever go back. But it was a place that still held sway, and the ties he felt to it would remain forever. IF ever the Elysian land came under dire threat and his service was needed, he would be the first to stand before their enemies.

This was the pride of a warrior, and the commitment he had made. It was a responsibility that he was sworn to bear. For her.

Sterling was urging a war between the wastelands and Skycloud. Neither side could see eye to eye, nothing about them offered a road to harmony. With the addition of all the enmity suffered through the years there was no chance of reconciliation today.