Chapter 385 (1/2)

Book 4, Chapter 3 – A Plea For Help

Excellency Cloudhawk,

Woodland Vale's situation is grave

Please send help,

– Barb

The note was short, scrawled on a sheepskinIt was delivered by a arb, who rode in astride an enor the letter, before he could say a word

Cloudhawk felt like a cold hand was gripping his heart This was bad Gabriel, Barb, that old drunk… He was the one who had ordered theo

The idea was to protect Autumn on her way back to Woodland Vale, then come back as soon as they'd collected their fee Instead al Now, all of a sudden, this What sort of otten involved in?

It wasn't like Gabriel couldn't handle himself

In fact, after these years Cloudhawk still didn't have a full handle on just how strong Gabriel really was Each tiht, he kept his head and didn't let Naberius off the leash Cloudhawk knew that if he did, his psychic energy would becoer

Barb had learned some serious martial abilities in her time and had an uncommon explosive attack power she could draw on if needed As for the old lush, as there to say besides that he was one called the War Saint? In his prio several rounds with General Skye and come out on top Even in his current sorry state, it wasn't like some half-assed scrub could take him down

Autumn was inheritor of her people's historic powers, and now she had their artifact as well All told that was so them so much trouble? He ruled out a threat from the people of the Vale From what he'd heard from Autumn, the drunk could probably handle all their soldiers by himself

Reputedly, there was so the people who lived there

Cloudhawk guessed it was possible that was the probleh it should have been a problele monster really be? What reallyelse was at play, some other dark actor he didn't know about Maybe soed to infiltrate Woodland Vale, and if that were true then it s far more complicated

But he wasn't going to waste his tiuesses

Woodland Vale wasn't itself a secret Squall knew about it, Wolfblade knew about it, the Crimson One, Skycloud… unless you were deaf dumb and blind, you knew the story Everyone wanted what it proh no one knehere it was, it was still disputed territory

“Report the situation to the General iet ready”

Upon beco Warden, Cloudhaas part of the expeditionary force's leadershi+p Both to protect his friends, and his promise to General Skye, he decided to leave matters on the front lines to the expeditionary force

The Conclave of Judg Their deathmatch was destined to be a catastrophe for both sides

This put him in an aard position Most of his friends – Dawn, Drake, even Selene – had joined the expeditionary force General Skye led them personally and would do where they went He didn't want anything to happen to them, but if they won it meant the wastelands were destined for a bloodbath His old storounds would be cleaned out and looted

That oing to do when he inevitable had to face them?

It wasn't like Cloudhawk could have stopped the Conclave or General Skye's new ar created He sure as hell couldn't stop the at each others' throats, either Far as he could tell, Cloudhawk's only option was to keep cli the ranks until he had the clout to have better choices available

Now that the great as gone, Skycloud's era of infinite energy was over Suddenly, the Elysian realy that everyone else did Since the wastelands shared the sa for where Woodland Vale was hidden

Woodland Vale wasn't just a millenniold vault, it was also perfect natural chasm

If General Skye's forces took control, they could be stationed there indefinitely Not only would the Vale's treasures strengthen their weapons, it would also serve as a perfect staging point to strike out at anyone in the wastelands It had extreic value

On the other hand, if a wasteland organization ed to seize the Vale, they could exploit its natural defenses and broad resources to be aled battle with Skycloud was a certainty

The moment Woodland Vale was exposed, it beca could stop the stor

Fro it seemed like a better idea to be proactive Strike now, before the Vale fell into someone else's hands At least he could force the Vale out of its passive stance into a more active role As for what to do later down the road, that would be decided when the situation was clearer

An aggressive officer approached Cloudhawk and snapped to attention “Warden, the request for forces from Lieutenant-General Drake was been delivered”

Drake and his coh tiet to them

Cloudhawk looked the officer over He was a man in his thirties with a very peculiar suite of armor It was beautifully made of superior materials that eable sort that could be switched from sword to pike to bow to cross bow as needed Yet thedetail was the helle spreading its wings It added to his valorous and majestic demeanor

“You're one of the ht, yes?” Cloudhawk asked “What's your name?”

“Colonel Rio Clifton I was born into the Polaris family!” The man's face ooden and his voice boisterous “Chief of operations for the Talons of God”

He'd approached Cloudhawk in a tavern Leaning back against the bar, he continued “If I were you I'd probably be pretty sour that General Skye passed ht?”

Nothing in Rio's expression changed “My duty is to obey the orders of my superior!”

This earned a chuckle from Cloudhawk “If I ordered you to leap into a firepit ould you do?”

“The substance of the order does not matter” But the flash of displeasure in Rio's eyes said so different Not because of the ludicrous question, but because Cloudhaas questioning his loyalty He chose to speak further “Not just iven to a Talon – whether it's to jump in a fire or slit our own throats – we execute without hesitation”