The Godsfall Chronicles

Chapter 1: A New Ident.i.ty

Building a character overnight was no easy task .

Cloudhawk had to start from zero all over again, a stranger in a strange land . He was expected to build enough of a reputation in a short period to enter the Temple without letting anyone know his true ident.i.ty . It seemed like an impossible task, at least in the couple months he had to accomplish it .

It was important not to underestimate one’s foes . Stormford had lost a great warrior when Bruno was captured, but in the grand scheme he was a small part of a much larger whole .  

While Skycloud had suffered and declined, Stormford had spend decades in a state of prosperity . For a thousand years it cultivated warriors of strength and ability . Even Cloudhawk had to be wary when making his way through the realm .

Wolfblade knew how difficult the mission was . That’s why he pointed Cloudhawk toward an old ally, hidden in the belly of the beast . The demon artisan, Elder Belial .

Belial had once occupied the Tenth Seal of demon society . An important figure among his kin, his prestige was ten times what the fallen Elder Judas had commanded . However, it was important to note that a demon’s rank was not entirely based on strength . Belial didn’t earn his position because of combat prowess . After all, even a G.o.d or demon was limited in what they could do . No single being could conquer the heavens, no matter how strong . The demon earned his place, instead, because of his talents as an artisan .

Belial was the most talented fabricator of his kin . While his strength was average or less among the other Elders, his relations.h.i.+ps with them bolstered his influence . Quite a few of the relics used by the demons were forged by his hand, some of epic quality or greater .

One could imagine how important a creature like Belial was to his people .

After the great war, it was a.s.sumed that the Elder had been killed in battle . The denizens of Gehenna only knew he did not slink back into the darkness with them . In truth, though, he’d found some way to disguise himself as a human and had been hiding here among them all this time .

Cloudhawk knew how important Belial was . His artisa.n.a.l prowess aside, the demon was likely stronger than Judas . If he had to guess, he imagined the demon to be equivalent to a Supreme . The frail look of his human form was deceiving and in a real fight Cloudhawk wasn’t sure how well he’d fare .

The Demon King’s successor was strong, with mental powers comparable to a Supreme . However he was young . Inexperienced . In comparison Belial had lived for a thousand years and no one knew what tricks he was hiding – or what relics he’d accrued .

“Stormford had been so tense lately . Now I see it’s because the Demon King’s successor has shown himself . ” Belial didn’t seem impressed by the t.i.tle despite being a demon himself . “Legion never gave up, even after all these years . That old fogey, never able to leave well enough alone . He would rather drag all his people into the path of destruction . ”

Anger played across Belial’s face . He would happily tear Legion to pieces, given half a chance .

He was amazed that this una.s.suming, ordinary human would be chosen as the Demon King’s successor . Whatever his talents, whatever his strengths, he could never shed the inferior bounds of his genetics .

What were humans but lesser lifeforms? Mental prowess didn’t come from the body, so however strong his will it would never stop him from aging . Some humans evolved to live for several hundred years, but that was almost unheard of . Their subpar genetics limited them to a brief life, doomed to wasting and death unlike their demon betters .

What made him think he could lead Belial’s people? He couldn’t imagine what the Demon King had been thinking . Legion’s thoughts were equally inscrutable . But that wasn’t important for he had already made up his mind . He wasn’t going to fight this stupid war any longer . Better to pretend he was mortal and hide behind an a.s.sumed name . He would spend his days here, in silence and obscurity, until the sun went out .

“Here’s the situation . ” Cloudhawk explained the gist of his plan . “I am calling on your obligation as an Elder to help me . You can dismiss me, but I don’t think Legion would look so kindly on it if you do . ”

Belial scowled openly . The Demon King was dead, if there was anyone left on this hunk of rock Belial feared it was Legion . He was very familiar with the schemer’s methods . If Legion wanted him dead he already would be .

It was not healthy to make an enemy of the Second Seal, whatever the circ.u.mstances .

After a few moments Belial answered . “Fine, I’ll help . But I’m telling you now that I remain neutral in this farce . I will not be dragged into it, on either side . ”

It was a poignant display of how demons differed . Judas – least of the Seals – and the likes of Abaddon spent their days trying to erase the shame of their defeat a thousand years ago . Meanwhile the mighty artisan hid away like a c.o.c.kroach . It rankled Cloudhawk, but he did not speak with the gravity of the Demon King yet . There were other more important things to accomplish first, anyway . With no reason or means to tangle with this crotchety demon, he had to accept the terms . At least for now .

“Alright . ” He agreed .

Belial wasn’t foolish enough to believe this would be the end of it, but he wasn’t about to waste time . Once this human got what he wanted, Belial would change his face and start over again somewhere else . After so many years it was as easy as breathing for him . The tricky part would be keeping himself hidden from Legion .

“The capital has been combing through the realm, looking for talented demonhunters . If you want to be s.n.a.t.c.hed up with the rest of them then the method is simple: Find a suitable target here in town and replace them . ”

“That simple, huh?”

It wasn’t that Cloudhawk didn’t trust Belial . Rather, he was fairly sure it was far more complicated than the demon made it sound .

Cloudhawk had a hundred or so relics squirreled away in his dimensional warehouse . There was probably a catalogue of things he could use to help disguise himself . But that meant expertly wearing a mask at all times . The slightest misstep and someone could see right through him .

“Do you think ‘demon artisan’ is just a gimmick t.i.tle?” Belial guessed at Cloudhawk’s concerns and frowned at the insult . “I have lived in this place for hundreds of years and have never once been discovered . The disguises I made are undetectable by any relic and impossible to see through . ”

“Great, let’s give it a try then . ” Seeing the demon’s confidence, Cloudhawk was resolved to give it a shot .

Belial and Legion were very different sorts, as far as he could tell . Wolfblade – as he was now known – changed his physical body thanks to the Sarcophagus of Rebirth . On the other hand, Belial retained his demon body but made himself appear completely different . It was a mystery how he managed to do it, but it had to work well if he’d managed to stay hidden out here for so long .

Belial pushed pa.s.sed him and closed the door to the shop . Safe from prying eyes, he started the process .  

His methods were unique and involved, and did not rely on relics . Through his expertise he of course knew that those tools could enact great change, but did so at the cost of mental energy . With extended use, sooner or later there was a chance the disguise would fail . Rather it was like the old adage – sometimes the most effective methods were the simplest .

Cloudhawk stood in the center of the room as Belial covered him in a strange ointment . Next he was injected by a series of inexplicable concoctions . The entire process took over three hours .

When he was finished, Belial produced a mirror and showed Cloudhawk the result . A gasp was his reward . Cloudhawk stared at the unfamiliar face looking back at him . His build was similar, but flowing golden hair sat on his head and his features were that of a rugged youth . Even the silvery Eye of Time was transformed to an electric blue .

He practiced making several faces in the mirror . Nothing was rigid or unnatural . Because it didn’t rely on any relic his disguise could not be dispelled or seen through . It was a transformation that sunk deep into his skin .

It was like he’d become someone else entirely .

“You are now the third son of Byzantium’s Governor, Lance . He is a demonhunter, and in a few days he is to go to Fulmulta for a political marriage . His bride is a daughter from one of the capital’s distinguished families . You can use this opportunity to enter the city and insert yourself with the force going to the Temple . ” Belial washed his hands in a nearby basin as he explained . “I will give you more detailed information later . It’s as much as I’m able to help . Once you’re gone I expect you to hold to your word and forget we ever met . ”

Cloudhawk touched his face and body then looked at his hands . The layer of skin stuck tight to his real form underneath . It was resistant to water or fire – perfect, like a fleshy suit . Even though he’d watched the whole thing, Cloudhawk didn’t know how the artisan had managed it . Obviously he still had a lot to learn .

“What about the real guy?”

Belial looked at him like he was an idiot . “If you’re going to replace him why keep the original around? He’s a spoiled fool anyway, fond of gambling and with a record stained from misdeeds . Without his father to wipe his a.s.s someone would have put him in the ground already . I imagine you’re plenty capable of making sure a child like him makes a clean disappearance . ”

Cloudhawk did not express his opinion except to smirk . “Truth be told I’m impressed with your skill . Are you sure you won’t consider rejoining your kin?”

“Unless I’m mistaken, I sense the devil fire in you . That’s a relic made by another artisan . And that sword you carry, you made that yes? With the likes of you there isn’t much I can do to help . I’d appreciate it if you told Legion to stay the f.u.c.k out of my business . ”

Belial was talking about Castigation Fire . Cloudhawk knew it had belonged to a demon Elder once . Now it seemed the creature that left it behind had been an artisan too, before dying during the Great War .

But Cloudhawk still saw Belial as vitally important, despite his words . In the war to come, the demon craftsman would be a priceless ally . However, he couldn’t be hasty . Nor was converting Belial to his cause the focus of his current mission . It was a matter for another time . Once the matter with the Elysian realms was dealt with he would come back to it .

“If the Elder wishes to stay out of it, then I won’t force you . Thank you for your help, I’ll take my leave . ”

Cloudhawk put away his weapon and with a slight s.h.i.+mmer, vanished from view . Reality trembled slightly in the s.p.a.ce he vacated .

Impressive . I didn’t think humans could command spatial ability that strong . It seems I can’t stay here any longer .

Belial didn’t believe a word Cloudhawk had said . He spent the rest of the day gathering up his things, then left the city he’d called home for a decade in the middle of the night . What he didn’t notice was the pudgy yellow bird darting overhead, watching him with its keen round eyes .  

Slipping away into obscurity again wasn’t easy . Not anymore .

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