Chapter 621 (1/2)

Book 6, Chapter 13 – Meeting Under the Moonlight

Evening had taken hold In a valley outside the city, near the mystical waterfall, was a siical and gave the sense of being separate from the conflicts of the world

“She is inside,” Janus revealed

Cloudhawk nodded “Thank you”

The assassin's figure shi+mmered and then vanished Cloudhawk couldn't help but wonder what the story was behind thiscuriosity, for there werefor hiure draped in white with a sword upon her back Nothing about her essence had diminished with time Beautiful, remarkable, transcendent, determined… all the perfect qualities of a warrior andover the space like a frozen mist, like a half-reure People were born alone but filled their lives with friendshi+ps, lovers, family and causes to combat that loneliness Was it the same for her?

Selene Cloude felt hie him She knew the moment she turned around, thecoht across the wastelands as gone Noas a great ruler of the wastes, a powerful revolutionary A warrior even stronger than she

An unfortunate, star-crossed existence, both for hie because you refused to face it Eventually, Selene shored up her courage and turned around

As expected Cloudhawk's bearing had changed, like he was a coh an artisan had sculpted hi a lifetime to build a masterpiece Selene didn't feel happy for his new look Often when one saw the final product of a masterpiece they did not pause to think of the untold suffering that led to its completion

Art, no h how others viewed it By its nature, art lost its own autonoreeted Selene with a s”

“I know Arcturus' plans Once Skycloud's army and the Conclave join forces, your Green Alliance has no hope of winning It would make sense for you to come and seek my help, to ask the Temple for aid A old fox If the Green Alliance wanted to escape this predica waters was their only hope He hoped to stoke Skycloud's internal conflicts

How could Arcturus not recognize this, and take measures to protect himself? Without a doubt, Arcturus' spies had infiltrated the Te they tried, Arcturus would know iht in the Temple, whether they captured him or not the Governor would anda would circulate, that the Teue with Cloudhawk Such foul ruh Priest and their Teainst Arcturus' tyranny

Selene foresaw this and approached Janus to ask for his help She arranged this secretso that Cloudhaouldn't walk blindly into Arcturus' trap

Once she explained this to him, Cloudhawk replied “I re you? Can we trust him?”

“Janus Umbra is very reliable, you don't need to worry about that” As ever, Selene was steadfast in her faith “The Court of Shadows in its entirety will stand by our side Several families unhappy with Arcturus' actions also ht, we'll make our move and overturn the Cloude fa down Arcturus – the most difficult task of all”

Cloudhaas shocked to hear it The Green Alliance wasn't the only opposition that had been foh even if Arcturus knew he hadn't made any efforts to stop it Either way it proved Selene occupied a very unique position

The two stared at one another; one black and one white, one like the day and one like the night

Ignoring each other's titles and identities and station, they recognized a shared enemy If the threat of Arcturus remained then Cloudhawk's plans for the wastes and Selene's plans for Skycloud didn'tthis latest wasteland conflict,” Selene confiro out himself? That isn't like hi fro with a bird's eye view He only became personally involved if there were no better options The Conclave of Judgment and Skycloud's expeditionary force were his to command, not to mention other cards he could surely play The board was stacked in his favor, so why risk appearing on the field hiht He already had absolute political and ed to strip the Temple of its power he would be uncontested By that point, defeating the Green Alliance would be a relatively easy task

“It's because of the Cloud God” Selene explained “The Teain sensed the Cloud God's n that the Cloud GodWe anticipate within another year or two For all of Arcturus' aoal is, he cannot escape the wrath of Mount Sumeru”

“So that's the reason Arcturus wants to eliminate all opposition before the Cloud God wakes up That's why he's willing to take this risk?”