The Godsfall Chronicles

Book 5, Chapter 31 - Complicated Relations.h.i.+ps

The wars.h.i.+ps stopped for a moment over the barren expanse of the wastelands . Squall and Frost disembarked .

They couldn’t be together long, otherwise it was bound to arise suspicion .  

Frost’s face bore a warm smile – such a rare thing for a man known for his frigid nature, and a fine compliment to his handsome features . The speechless toddler from his past had grown into an impressive young man . The same could be said for himself . He’d come a long way from the s.h.i.+vering youth, furious and helpless against the tragedies he experienced . Now he was an acclaimed soldier, one of Skycloud’s rising stars .

Frost and Squall were all that remained of those who bore witness to Wyrmsole as he razed their village to the ground .

When the smoke cleared they were set adrift, wandering lost from place to place in search of a future . Years later, one of Skycloud’s preeminent demonhunters found him and took one in . The other was accepted into the family of a borderland merchant . From that point their paths diverged, and the brothers walked their own paths for a decade .

Frost knew Squall’s ident.i.ty from the first moment he saw the markings on his chest, down in the underground tunnels . Luckily, Frost had been the one sent to hunt him down, otherwise he never would have made it out of Skycloud .

None of this is what Frost wanted for his younger brother . He never thought Squall would fall in with Inkspecter and be groomed as a G.o.dslayer .

“Wyrmsole has died at my hand . Augustus is gone now, too . ” Frost searched the young man’s face . He spoke in soothing tones, which felt unnatural in his mouth . “It’s not too late to turn back . You can find someplace quiet to settle down . That’s the only advice your brother can give you . ”

“What about you then?” Squall looked back at Frost . “You’re still preparing to kill Arcturus . Can you give that up?”

Frost’s brows furrowed slightly . It was exactly the problem that had been bothering him for years .

His parents were dead, murdered . Villagers who helped raised him were so many skeletons in the ground . Wyrmsole was the one who commanded the soldiers, but it was Arcturus who made the decision . The only way to earn vengeance for his family was to make sure Arcturus Cloude paid for his sins .

However… . Could he really kill the Master Demonhunter? Even if he could, would he?

It’d been more than ten years since Arcturus took him in . The Governor had no children of his own to pa.s.s on his legacy, so he taught everything he knew to Frost . For more than ten years Frost followed dutifully by his side, soaking up everything he could until he realized with some surprise that he had come to wors.h.i.+p the man .

This teacher, this father figure . When the time came would he really be able to draw his sword?

Squall recognized the conflict in Frost’s eyes . He couldn’t imagine the struggles he’d suffered standing by their parents’ killer for so long . But beneath the icy lake surface that was his eyes there was a turbulent current that hinted at it . Contradictions abound in the heart of this man, who on the surface seemed as emotional as an ice sculpture .

“Whatever you decide, I’ll stand with you . ” Squall gave his promise and turned away . “As for me? Yes, it is too late to turn back . I’m committed to following this path I’ve chosen . ”

Frost watched Squall walk away in silence . With him gone there was a strangely vacant feeling in him .

Familial blood pumped through their veins, yet Frost couldn’t shake that sense of estrangement . He’d risked exposing himself to help Squall kill Augustus, in the hopes that his brother could win vengeance quickly and return to a normal life .

Why? Why, after taking Augustus’ life, had nothing changed in Squall? What destiny were these two brother fated to obey? Frost had no answers .

He turned away from the shrinking form of his brother and returned to the wars.h.i.+p’s bridge .  

News of the a.s.sault on their forward base hadn’t yet spread . Frost had work to do in cleaning up the scene . Although Augustus wasn’t a vitally important man in the grand scheme, he had also been a close confidante of the Governor for many years . His loyalty had never been in question .

Augustus’ death had to look like an attack . Their ruse had to be flawless, otherwise Arcturus would know .  

He was still pondering the logistics when Hammont Seacrest approached .

The fat man interrupted him with an apologetic and humble look on his face . He came with a group of men he clearly looked up to, important men like Clay Cloude and others .

Leading them was a pair lauded even among these notable figures .

Frost regarded each in turn . Both were men he recognized – more than recognized, their reputations spread like thunder . Most everyone in Skycloud knew who they were .

The first was a sprightly old man with white hair who served as Archbishop of the Church of Divine Brilliance . His organization was the largest and oldest religious order in the Elysian realms . For most citizens it was the site of weddings and funerals – the most important events in their lives . As Archbishop, Zoran Leclair  enjoyed a high position among Skycloud elite .

His companion was of similar age yet did not share the Archbishop’s grandfatherly countenance . In sharp contrast his face was locked in an aggressive scowl and his eyes stared at everything like piercing daggers . He was the current commander of the Demonhunter Knights, Oren Cloude . He took the position after Sterling defected . While low profile, Oren’s seniority in the Cloude family was even higher than Arcturus’ .

Both men were ill.u.s.trious representatives of their generation . Perhaps they were not as puissant as Master Demonhunters or Skye Polaris, but they were at least comparable to Grand Prior Phain Mist or greater .

The future of the southern wilds was destined to be a complicated one . Skycloud’s expeditionary force  wasn’t enough to sway it to their favor, and Arcturus had to remain home to govern the realm . So it was that in his stead he sent these two to serve as needed .  

In addition there were several of the Cloude family’s best fighters . The power at Frost’s command was staggering . He had more real power at his disposal than any other commander in recent years, and was the youngest in history to achieve such a thing .

Hammont Seacrest could not envy Frost de Winter any more than he ever did . Indeed every man has his own destiny . Compared to the new commander general, Hammont was worth about as much as a fart .

Frost was a man born with an abundance of talent . In addition he had the trust and support of the Governor . As far as anyone could tell, in a decade or two Frost seemed like the best choice to lead Skycloud into the future .

To achieve one’s ambitions young in life… what else could you ask from living? Hammont never quite understood why it was Frost was never happy with his lot .

Squall returned to where Inkspecter was waiting .

“Well?” The strange man asked .

Squall’s face was devoid of emotion . “Augustus Cloude is dead . I’ve established a connection with Frost de Winter, so we can approach him with our needs in the future . ”

“Very good . Frost is Arcturus’ golden child [1] and wields considerable influence, especially now that he is Commander General of their armed forces . We can use that through the relations.h.i.+p you’ve cultivated . He could be of great help to our cause . ”

Squall did not express an opinion . “What’s our next step?”

“I have someone to introduce to you . ” Inkspecter waved his hand and an older gentleman stepped forward . He was frail and did not look like much, altogether very mediocre . “This is Red Scorpion, brother to Three-Eyed Spider and former Governor of a wasteland city . He has defected to our service .  He’d spent decades living in the harsh southern wilds and has gathered his own crew and a place of shelter . ”

Squall looked the newcomer over . Three-Eyed Spider was a man of great talent, but this Red Scorpion seemed far inferior to his brother .

However, now that Red Scorpion was a part of the Hand of Gehenna, they could use him to establish a foundation for their work in the south . He wasn’t a man who could offer much in terms of strength, but he was a recognized name in the south, especially his crew . Red Scorpion comfortably led a group of over a thousand sweepers – an important resources for the sorely undermanned Hand of Gehenna .

The southerner respectfully presented himself before Squall . “I hope I can be of service to you, deputy leader . ”

“What brought you to us?” Squall inquired .

“Ordinary people in the southern wastes might not know of you, but how could I not? The south is changing . Nox and the Khan of Evernight have begun to spread their influence and the Elysians are sending the expeditionary force . I am the Khan’s man, but I need powerful allies to keep up appearances . ”

“Hmph, all these years and you’re still mucking about!” Three-Eyed Spider glowered dubiously at his brother, and had seemed displeased the moment he learned he’d joined with them . “Unless I’m mistaken, Sandspire used to be under your control . A fine place, good infrastructure . If I were in charge it would serve our purposes very well indeed, so what are you doing here?”

Before being forced out by h.e.l.lflower, Three-Eyed Spider was the Dark Atom’s foremost scientific genius . Even now, after being replaced, he refused to believe that he was in any way inferior to that awful woman .

Even though she was considered a scientific savant there was only so much a single person could know . h.e.l.lflower couldn’t absorb the intricacies of every subject, no matter how hard she tried . Her primary focus of course had always been bioresearch and genetic engineering . Three-Eyed Spider, on the other hand, was unparalleled in his knowledge of cybernetics and mechanical technology .  

His masterpiece, Raven, spoke to the breadth of his abilities . The cyborg’s prowess on the battlefield was no less impactful than that of a veteran demonhunter . He was a representation of the power of science . Yet these magnificent achievements didn’t appear from thin air . Great science required tremendous foundations and support .

Red Scorpion sighed at his brother’s accusations . “Don’t even bring it up . Sandspire would be firmly under my control if it wasn’t for this ‘Cloudhawk’ fellow meddling in everyone’s business .

“What did you say? Cloudhawk!?”

A knowing glance was pa.s.sed around . It really was a small world .

Cloudhawk had become an active presence lately, both in the Elysian lands and in the wastelands . However he had been conspicuously absent from any intelligence over the last few months . They were surprised to learn that he had resurfaced in the southern wilds . That a.s.shole danced around with the wind and showed up everywhere there was trouble waiting to be stirred up . Or perhaps he brought the trouble with him .

1 . Interestingly, the phrase in Chinese is ‘red person . ’ Communism intensifies .  

Note : Please download the sponsor"s game to support us!