Chapter 373 (1/2)

Book 3, Chapter 110 – Layers Within Layers

No more than two minutes after some se shook its foundations This time the quakes were more intense than the first The whole city seemed to undulate from it

Chashborhood lanes Their scope and range were orders ofapart islands of land They jostled and bucked, spreading toward the horizon like a sea of shattered ice Buildings toppled, and dust hung over everything

A group of figures appeared through the haze One of theovernor, together with the head of the Court of Shadows, Janus Behind them were the heads of many prominent families and military leaders

It was the greatest tragedy to have ever struck the city, in its thousand years of history A response had to be immediate

Governor Arcturus surveyed the destruction, brows knit close He spoke to the people standing on either side “This is undoubtedly the result of son power Mobilize all of our public safety officers and deal with the casualties The rest of you, come with me We must find out what happened”

Frost de Winter sat astride his horse, dazzling spear in one hand and the snohite cape that was his staple flowing behind He was a gallant figure, stark against the destruction that surrounded hins of his unicorn mount, a mystical white beast which stoodthe knuckles of his fist “We seized a nuround Cloudhawk, Dawn Polaris, Atlas Umbra and others”

The other officers and heads of house were alarmed by the news

Few if any of theht up in this mess Dawn and Atlas, however, were pillars of Skycloud's next generation of rulers How did they play into this tragedy?

Janus felt their eyes fall upon him, to which he offered a tepid explanation “Atlas and the Court of Shadoere hunting the fugitive, Cloudhawk”

Had their underground struggle caused the calamity suffered on the surface? Were they really capable of such destruction?

A slight frown creased Arcturus' already glum features “Where are they now?”

Frost replied “It is confirmed that they were all directly involved in the incident I've had them sent to the Skyden, and have them under watch by my own men”

The situation was bad Whole blocks had been reduced to ruin

It was no exaggeration to say that what happened to Skycloud caused uessed that the death toll here would be in the thousands – a far cry from the tens of thousands who lost their lives in the mountains, but this happened here, in their own city, before their very eyes A strike at the heart of Skycloud domain

How could such a drao unnoticed?

Arcturus ordered the entire area locked dohile they dug for bodies and survivors Meanwhile, he and the other important members of city leadershi+p left for the Skyden When they arrived they found Cloudhawk, Dawn, and Atlas still breathing, though badly wounded from the affair Their equip kept in a cell while the situation was being looked into All of the prison guards had been replaced with soldiers, obvious to ensure they could not escape

The cell door open, and the room was suddenly croith people

Cloudhaas laden with countless chains and locks, keeping his hands firmly fixed behind his back He couldn't even move his head But he didn't need to, he felt the aura that filled the cell the moment they entered These people were the true masters of Skycloud domain

This ti to land him

Arcturus Cloude stared at the young man, a face he hadn't seen for more than three years There was a flash in his eyes, but his features reer “Is there so you wish to say?”

A sovernor's voice “Would you believe me?”

Arcturus' response was even, unhurried “If it is the truth, why should I not believe it?”

With no better option available, Cloudhawk shared his unlikely story in full

“Who could believe such an absurd excuse?!” One a the crowd bit back with a hard, incredulous voice “If the city was in danger, why didn't you go directly to the governor? The city was threatened with destruction, and you three children thought you were saviors? Absolutely ridiculous! Sheer nonsense!”

Cloudhawk tried to defend hi fast tiht way Besides, I was locked up as a felon right when I got back The only person willing to believe me is General Polaris, and he isn't here I was out of options”

“Pure sophistry!”

“Alright, enough This is a grave ation”

With that said, Arcturus and the others left, locking the cell behind them

That sah the ruins, down into the chasms where they found proof of Cloudhawk's claims At least some of what he'd told them was the truth

“There was a cavern this large, here underneath Skycloud and nobody knew

“Governor Judging by the debris we found there were a lot of protections in place to keep them hidden It would have been difficult for anyone to knoas here”

Arcturus looked over the parts of the caverns they'd