Book 7, Chapter 89 - Near at Hand

As Eutropius and Norman charged at one another the s.p.a.ce between them warped . A pair of hands reached from the ether, catching both weapons . Praelius’ two mighty champions were flung away from each other .

“Who are you?!”

A sea of shocked faces stared at the beings that had appeared from nowhere . The stark contrast between Cloudhawk and Selene made for quite the sight .

Cloudhawk was encased in demonic armor that cut a horrific and brutal figure . His face was masked behind a hideous face and the eyes that peered through were an angry pulsing red . He was like a nightmare that crawled out from the darkest parts of the human psyche .

Beside him was a woman clad in resplendent white . Selene’s long black hair fell like a waterfall pa.s.sed her shoulders, caressing the crystalline blade strapped to her back . She was wreathed in holy light and divine temperament, like an angel .

“You’re Cloudhawk!”

Norman felt an intensity coming from this creature that he’d never felt before . His power was stifling, so much so that he knew immediately there was no other creature on this planet that could match him . Who else other than the hated Cloudhawk could inspire such awe and fear?

“Indeed . ” Cloudhawk’s voice was hideous, like flesh on gravel . “I am Cloudhawk . ”

“Die!”

Norman’s eyes were wide and bloodshot as, with a thunderous battlecry, he hacked at Cloudhawk with his sword . It spewed a gash of cutting light .

Cloudhawk paid this paltry attempt on his life no mind . He merely extended a finger and caught the attack when it neared . The light dispersed harmlessly . Afterward a surge of energy pa.s.sed through the gauntlet, belching a ray of pale white energy .

IT enveloped his opponent and within that light, Norman’s sword shattered into pieces . A force like being slammed by an airs.h.i.+p hit him full force and sent him flying into a nearby wall .

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Cloudhawk slowly retracted his hand . His crackling voice returned . “This is a warning . Next time I will show no mercy . ”

“Devil!”

“Die, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d!”

Two demonhunters hurled their insults and attacked . They were Norman’s men, respectable members of the League of Demonhunters, and they attacked this threat to their home with all the power of their relics .

To them there was no worse fiend than this heathen . The only reason their realm was in such dire straits was because of him!

Cloudhawk vanished, reappearing a moment later in another spot . No one saw what he did but the two demonhunters crumpled to the ground with their heads caved in . A spray of gore coated the ground .

“All together, attack him!” The remainder of Norman’s followers brandished their relics and charged .

Tongues of fire leaped up from each of Cloudhawk’s fingers and with a snap they flew off into the air . Like pebbles dropping into a lake, the air rippled as the fires pa.s.sed through s.p.a.ce and reappeared directly in front of each target .

A chorus of horrified, pained screams arose . Green fire enveloped the demonhunters and continued until they were scorched black . Cloudhawk used his spatial abilities to teleport Castigation Fire onto his enemies . There was no way to escape .

Such a terrible scene sapped the others of any desire to fight . Cloudhawk was too strong and his methods too cruel . No ordinary person was his match and the fear that filled them was insurmountable .

Norman rose up on shaky legs . His weapon was destroyed and his body wounded . Seeing his men murdered, he screamed in rage and flew himself forward . In that moment his eyes met Cloudhawk’s .

Deep inside, dual embers of crimson fire burned . He could see them smoldering behind the mask . The pressure that entered Norman's mind was hard to describe . It was like two hot knives drilling through his skull . He felt a foreign will force its way into him . All courage shattered and he stood frozen in place, trembling like a babe .

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He saw his future . If he moved a muscle he would be destroyed . This power ground his willpower to dust, it was incontestable that he was a mere insect before this man . Norman had believed himself to be fearless, but in the face of this devil he knew what true fear was . Like a statue he was frozen in place .

Cloudhawk could rob a soldier of his valor with a glance . Eutropius and the others could hardly believe what they were witnessing .  

He’d used his mental powers to subdue Norman for a reason . Cloudhawk recognized that he was an important figure in this realm, a hero of the so-called resistance . Killing him would make the man a martyr and empower his movement .

Killing him was easy . But it wasn’t the right call .

“There are limits to my love, compa.s.sion and patience . I am not the monster you want to make me out to be, but I’m no sterling hero either . ” As he spoke, Cloudhawk’s growling voice bore a domineering quality that demanded attention . “Everyone has the power and authority to choose their own destiny . I will not force anyone to follow me . But I will warn those who would remain to cause chaos: I have no qualms doing what I have to do . Whether that means taking one man’s life or a million . ”

His meaning was clear . They didn’t have to obey . IF they found somewhere cool to rest their heads, then go! But they couldn’t be allowed to get in his way .

He was at his limit . Cloudhawk wouldn’t tolerate any more interference in his plans, any troublemakers would be handled with extreme prejudice . One man, a hundred men, ten thousand men… it didn’t matter . He would not balk at a ma.s.sacre if it was necessary .

Gritting his teeth, Norman fixed his eyes on Eutropius . “Where is Orchid . ”

Eutropius sheathed his weapon . “I’ve already sent her somewhere safe . ”

“She’ll never forgive you . ”

“I have to do this . ”

“Fine… fine!” Norman spat the words, gathered his remaining men and left . He knew that fighting Cloudhawk was a lost cause . Better, instead, to rally the opposition . When the G.o.ds came they would not exterminate those who were truly pious . It was Cloudhawk and his treasonous snakes that would suffer at the hands of the divine .

Cloudhawk watched him go . The opposition forces in these realms were more troublesome than he thought . There would always be those in the world too stubborn to see reason .

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“Some still refuse to believe us . ” Selene looked out over the crowd . “Why is change so hard for them? Why is faith in the G.o.ds so important?”

“We can’t wake up people who refuse to see the truth, much less the dead . No plan Is perfect . ” Cloudhawk was trying desperately to pull his species back from the brink of extinction . But if people wanted to link wrists and throw themselves off that cliff he couldn’t stop them . He was no saint, he could only do his best . “Let’s go . ”

Selene turned her head to regard Eutropius . “You are doing well . ”

His deep voice answered . “I have no choice . ”

“Your people will understand one day . History will remember . ”

“Perhaps . . . ” A bitter, helpless grin spread across Eutropius’ face . The words were hollow . He looked at Cloudhawk standing before him, felt the thick air of oppression that wafted off the man . He fought pa.s.sed the fear . “Leader Cloudhawk, our population is too large . One evacuation point is not enough, we need more portals if we’re to get everyone to safety . ”

At his current level of strength – and especially with Source – opening several portals was not an issue for Cloudhawk . The steward was right that each portal would speed the process up exponentially .

“There is also a group that refuses to leave . I want to ensure their safety . ”

Cloudhawk revealed the true purpose of the Elysian lands in order to unify their governments . That didn’t stop bullheaded zealots like Norman from fighting back . If the respected members of Elysian society didn’t fall in line, how could he expect ordinary people to?

Conspiracy theories were a common thing . Cloudhawk was often depicted as an agent of Gehenna, here to spread false evidence . All of it was a ploy to help demons take over the earth . Faithful were determined to remain behind for the righteous G.o.ds to return and deliver them from sin .

And then there were some who understood the truth but still chose to follow Sumeru .

Sure, the G.o.ds might be raising them for energy . But the lives they led as cattle were better than wastelanders . They were livestock, but knowing that didn’t change anything . It didn’t matter what happened when they died, so long as they enjoyed a comfortable life . Rising up against one’s master was just a quicker path to slaughter!

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Cloudhawk agreed with Eutropius’ request . The realm was rich, and although leaving meant taking many resources with them, they could comfortably leave much behind so that those who wished to remain wouldn’t starve .

The troubles in Praelius had been handled . Cloudhawk brought Selene to the other Elysian lands to see what could be done . One after the other, issues were handled before they were allowed to effect the exodus .

At the same time, the Southern Capital was undergoing significant changes . Its defenses were greatly strengthened but the city had exploded to four or five times its size in only a few days . Citizens and soldiers from all over the world were either preparing for war or for evacuation .

Docks were packed with airs.h.i.+ps and all around the surrounding ruins outposts were being established . From the outside it might have looked chaotic, but the truth was everything had been well organized . A staggering array of Elysian and wasteland equipment had been brought to bear for what was to come .

All details big and small were being handled by Legion .

Cloudhawk was, after all, too young to manage such delicate things . The intricacies of human interaction were beyond him, much less an overarching strategy for war with the G.o.ds . He was smart enough to realize, however, that this mobilization on an unprecedented scale was running rather smoothly .

The threat of death was a great way to galvanize potential .  

Cloudhawk estimated that if he had half a month they could fully rally humanity’s forces and evacuate all non-combatants . But did he have that long?

It was late in the afternoon two days later when he was summoned by Legion and the Cloud G.o.d . He teleported to the meeting room to be filled in on the situation .

“The G.o.ds have arrived . ”

“Our advanced detection equipment in the Elysian lands have picked up traces . Gravitational fluctuations near the moon tell us that Sumeru’s forces are close . We must prepare for an immediate invasion . ”

The G.o.ds weren’t coming to them immediately . It seemed they would first set up a forward base on the moon in order to prepare out of Cloudhawk’s reach . No equipment in humanity’s a.r.s.enal could reach such a distance .

The divine invasion was near at hand .

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