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Chapter XXIII: The Wall

"I guess the thing about to take away from this whole experience is the nature of people's guilt. If you have no one to blame, you turn that blame onto yourself and just end up destroying yourself. If you blame someone loud enough, others will hear you and blame them too, compounding on your guilt.

"Everyone is guilty of a crime but most people would either blame someone else or blame themselves. But Chronos... He was different. He broke that rule. Really, out of all of us, he was the one that didn't deserve the blame and he was painting a big target on his back and wanted everyone to blame him.

"Or at least... that's what he wanted us to think."

"We will be arriving at Chillfarn in fifteen minutes. All hands prepare for battle."

Admiral Aureas was a regal man, filled with poise and dignity thought there was a playfulness and ease about how he stood and in his gentle green eyes that pierced past his severe, grey beard and short cropped hair. He was the grunt's admiral. There were rumours that once, the Generals offered him a position amongst them but he outright refused, got into a ship and flew away. Half of the fleet followed him. The other half came shortly after word got out. There was no doubt that the fleets were loyal to the Admiral alone. Not the Generals, not the Church. Just the Admiral.

Like most modern ships, the Incendian Flagship was built for the captain to have ease of access to the majority of the deck without having to go down steps or elevators. The broad, semi-circular deck had several lowered rows or 'pits' where the crew worked on their terminals. Aureas stood on the main floor of the deck, nothing separating him from everyone else. No captain's chair, no outlook where he could see everyone else and no podium where he had to give speeches to everyone on.

Hunter was uneasy being on the bridge. He was as engineer and the only reasons for him to ever be on the bridge were to fix a console or because he was in trouble. It was strange to be on the bridge and be treated like an officer. Or a Paladin.

Aureas turned to Tynvandar. "Your Holiness, did you want to say something to the troops?"

The Apex Clericus Solis shook his head. "No. I would rather my words reach those already fighting for our safety. They need the most inspiration and I do not want to dishearten everyone in the fleet."

"Understood."

Aureas turned back towards display. A metal screen had been lowered over the reinforced glass of the ships' main view windows. At the moment, they were watching the clouds speed by through countless sensors. The glow of the Scorium Axis was growing closer and closer and they could already make out the silhouette of the southern mountain ranges.

They would be there soon.

"Ten minutes, Admiral."

Aureas took a deep breath. "Open a comms to all ships."

"Aye, aye, Admiral."

For a moment, Hunter wondered if the Admiral was defying Tynvandar's orders then Aureas began to speak.

"I will not mince words, people. We're jumping right into the fire here. There is a war going on and from all reports, it's bad."

It wasn't so bad from what Hunter had heard. It looked like the Shadows were desperate to break down Chillfarn and couldn't pass over the mountains. Because of that, the defenders were able to position most of their army behind the walls on the northern side and have a rotating roster of defenders. Casualties were minimal but they were still casualties.

"I don't know if you have family down there but this is a battle that will decide the fate of this Station. Pray. Fight. And let's win this goddamn thing!"

The communications ended -

"Admiral! Something is heading our way! It's coming fast."

Aureas turned towards the reporter and frowned. "What is it?"

"I cannot tell, sir. It's not giving off any heat signatures but it is approaching rapidly. It's... It's on a direct collision course!"

Hunter went rigid.

We're still miles away from the battle... what could it -?

BOOOM!

The ship shook violently, throwing Hunter clear off his feet and to the ground. The world became bathed in red light and alarms blared in his ears. The thunderous quake of something heavy striking the ship hit his ears.

"Shields up!" shouted Aureas. "Bring her to a halt! Status on the fleet!"

The speeding clouds suddenly came to a halt and Hunter found himself suddenly in a warzone. Ominous, jet-black ships hovered in front of them. Each looked like an extremely ancient model but at the same time they were made of a gaseous, jet-black material and spewed writhing, black tentacles. Several ships were down lower and closer to the ground.

In better times, Chillfarn would have looked utterly spectacular. Two, enormous, black gates stood between two huge mountains and the very small valley they formed. Black buildings rose from the mountain sides connected by thin bridges and he could see training facilities and factories built between the walls. Hanging over it all was an enormous, ice blue crystal bound by four enormous chains.

But as it stood, the black miasma that crawled over it made it look like the one barrier between the forces of light and darkness. And the brave men and women who fought on those walls were truly worthy of the world's highest honours. Aureas ordered an enhanced view of the walls themselves. When the image zoomed it, it was far worse than anyone could have guessed.

The black gas was not some evil aura that was sweeping over Chillfarn. They were the monstrous, mutated Shadows. They were so numerous that from high above, they just seemed like a single, gaseous mass! The defenders were barely visible! Above them all were dozens of the wicked ships, spewing swarms of winged, demonic creatures like cloud of flies.

"All weapons primed!" Aureas shouted. "Scramble our fighters! Get the ship into attack position, damnit!"

Boom!

This time, Hunter saw the blast of black energy erupting from one of the ships and striking the hull of the Sunlight Storm. Officers shouted about lost systems, dramatic loss of life and failing power. Eton seized Hunter's shoulders and hoisted him to his feet.

"Aria!" Aureas barked. "Get the Apex Clericus off this ship! Take the captains escape pod! Go!"

Aria did not hesitate and immediately flung around, taking Tynvandar by the arm and hurrying away. She immediately pushed the Apex Clericus into Hunter's arms. "Go. You know the layout of this ship better than anyone else. Get him to safety."

"What about -?"

The ship began to tilt to the right. It quaked once more and Aureas shouted for the status on the shields. Someone screamed about another ship being lost. Aria flung around just as another black beam came hurtling towards them. It shattered the metal plating over the viewing windows, ripping right through hard metal and rending the roof of the bridge clear off. Thankfully, the ship had slowed enough that they weren't all thrown out into the air.

Aria swung Gungnir, shouting her Valour's name and leaping upon it. "Serena! Andy! Tanar! Lend me your power!"

She shot out into the open air, heading right into a swarm of the dark, demonic creatures. Scintillating light exploded from where she vanished, pushing the black creatures away and bringing ear-rending screams from them. Andy scrambled to the edge of the torn bridge and activated Celestial Crime. With a shout, he tore a tear through space and leapt through, Tanar right behind him. A moment later, one of the nearby black ships was torn right down the middle by a terrible spatial rend. Serena, equipped with her Valour, Nemesis, followed Aria's lead and disappeared into a swirling vortex of wind.

Somewhere far below them, other Paladins and brave soldiers of Incendius were fighting bravely against the overwhelming odds. Hunter knew he had to do his part. "Come on, Your Holiness," he urged, bringing Tynvandar away from the bridge. "We need to get the hell out of here!"

With Elena, her father, Smallfang and Eton by his side, they charged out of the bridge as countless support crew stormed in. Medics and engineers carried their equipment into a warzone, eyes filled with panic and fear. The ship shuddered softly. Just before the door shut behind them, he heard someone mention that the shields were finally up.

The Sunlight Storm began to straighten. He could hear the weapons of the ship starting to power up. To their right, bulkheads slammed shut on sections of the ship that were too severely damaged.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Within the first five minutes of the battle, a large majority of the ship and the crew were lost. They were caught by surprise. The Shadow ships had stretched beyond Chillfarn. It was foolish to think that they would just remain on the one side.

Boom!

The hallway to the right suddenly caved in, an enormous, black, talon-like object jutting through the walls.

"Hull breech!" came Aureas' shout over the speakers. "We have boarders! All crew, arm yourselves!"

To his utter horror, the entire form of the claw began to peel away with each fragment reshaping itself into a vicious, winged horror that looked horrifically like a featherless Avios with a serrating beak and glowing red eyes. The Shadows screamed, the sound enough to compete with claws on a chalkboard. They moved sluggishly and their movements were jerky, erratic with every step accompanied by a seizure of another unrelated limb.

One of the Shadows lunged at a nearby light bulb and smashed its claws into the glass, shattering it completely. The small section became darker. The Shadows huddled towards the darkened area, their movements becoming smoother as they turned towards the reeling crew.

They're stronger when it's dark...

"Don't let them turn out the lights!" he shouted. One of the crew members turned towards him. In that moment of distraction, a Shadow lunged at the man. The human's scream was otherworldly. The dark Avios' clawed hand shot right through the man's chest but there was no blood. Instead, a sickly, black sludge spilled out of the wound and spread all over the human's body like a disease. Every limb began to shake wildly with the man's eyes turning a feral red.

"Enough!" Tynvandar roared.

Blistering flames erupted from the Apex Clericus Solis' hands and bathed the gathered Shadows. The remaining crew shied away from the roaring wall of fire and plugged their ears from the unholy screams of their comrade and the Shadows. A second later, nothing was left but the gaping hole that the talon had left.

"Support your surviving crew!" Tynvandar shouted. "Let _none of them_touch you!"

Hunter felt Eton grip his arms and pulled him away from the scene. The Sunlight Storm shook from another impact and the alarms were becoming more and more urgent. Aureas continued to report breaches. Entire levels and decks were being closed off.

"Living quarters have been breached! Close it off!"

Hunter ground to a half. "Fuck!"

"What's the matter?" Elena asked.

"The captain's escape pod is in the living quarters. Either we risk going into that place or..." He thought fast. "We go to the hanger. There should be plenty of transports there."

"Hanger," Eton said firmly. "Plenty of soldiers and people."

Aureas' voice came blaring out of the speakers once more.

"We've lost the starboard stabilisers! Everyone grab onto something!"

The moment he finished, the world began to tilt to the right. Hunter scrambled forward, his sneakers scrambling desperately across the floor as the angle grew stepper and steeper. Elena screamed as she slipped entirely and slammed against the wall. Countless other crew members were hurled off their feet and crashed into one another. Eton slammed his paw into the ground and large platform of ice sprang from the hard metal that he quickly seated himself upon. He placed Tynvandar beside him while Moonclaw slid down next to his daughter with Smallfang.

"Hold on," Eton rumbled. "I'll get us to the hanger. Hunter, just lead the way!"

Nodding, Hunter told his boyfriend they needed to go straight ahead. Despite the surreal twist to the world, he still had his bearings. In the back of his mind, he imagined the Sunlight Storm was desperately limping away from the invading Shadow ships. It must've looked ridiculous slanted to one side. Ahead of him, particles of ice and snow gathered, forming a solid bridge that was slippery but easy better to stand on than the tilted, metal floors. Smallfang and Moonclaw helped Elena onto the path while Eton was close behind, bringing up the rear as he constantly produced the path in front of them.

"Stabilisers are coming back online!" Aureas reported.

The ship began to tilt back upright. Hunter dropped from the path and bolted.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Massive black talons exploded into the hallway ahead of him. He cursed and reeled back. Tynvandar stepped forward, making broad gestures with his hands. The instant the Apex Clericus thrust them forward, streams of fire erupted from the tips of his fingers. Voracious flames ate at the black spears, bringing unholy screams from the Shadows. The dark creatures desperately tried to peel themselves away from their host but only lunged into fiercer flames. Their flesh flaked off in the flames reminding Hunter of pieces of burnt paper losing itself in a bonfire and harsh winds.

Bizarrely, Hunter could see fear and pain in those otherwise empty, red eyes. The Shadows' screams were almost... normal. Their desperate attempts to flee the consumed flames were moving but if only worthy of pity.

"Hunter! Which way?"

He shook himself free of his moment of reflection and pointed to the left. "That way."

A series of elevators presented themselves. He told them they needed to go down and pressed the call button. A soft ding heralded the arrival of their ride and Hunter quickly entered, pressing the button for the hanger. The moment the doors shut, a synthesised voice began blaring out statuses and generic warnings all over the sound system.

"Decks A through to B have been severely damaged."

"Quarantine has been enacted on Decks C and E."

"Hydroponics has been sealed off."

"Warning. Hull breach on multiple fronts."

Eton shook his head in awe. "How is this even staying together?"

"Modern ships are compartmentalised," Hunter responded. "Each section of the ship has its own backup power source and defence mechanisms. While as a whole, the ship is strong, even if one subsystem goes down, the others can still function. If need be, the segments can be jettisoned to -"

BOOM!

The elevator shuddered violently. Black, seething tendrils began to seep in from the corners. Dark claws tore right through the ceiling and ripped apart the metal. Fierce, skeletal faces equipped with ragged, bloodied teeth poked through the holes. Evil, red eyes flashed with glee. A bug-like chittering emerged from the creatures. Their claws rapidly began tearing through the metal, screaming in a frenzied hunger.

"I shall blow them away with holy fire!" Tynvandar shouted.

"Don't!" Hunter cried, seizing the man's wrist. "You shoot them, you burn off the cables!"

"Then what do you suggest?"

There was no room to move. The elevator was not made for battle. He searched desperately for a solution. What he found was the emergency stop button. His mind was too scattered and too panicked to think straight. With shaky paws, he pulled his newly acquired headphones over his ears and switched them on. He selected a high-paced, pop song with just a blink of his eye.

"The time is now, Zero Hour_."_

He drew his Valour as the world fell into a seemingly chaotic field of cogs and gears. The Shadows were the most bizarre of them all. Their gears were rusted and tainted with a black gas that emitted from every moment one of the teeth ground against one another. From them, he could only see guilt, hatred and remorse. No identity, no personality and definitely no defining features. Just... guilt.

He turned away from the sight and turned Zero Hour towards the ground. "Everyone get ready!" he shouted.

Someone probably demanded what to get ready for but he couldn't hear them. He stabbed Zero Hour into the ground. The effect of the blade instantly began eating away at the floor. Before anyone could truly react, he jabbed his fist at the emergency stop button. The elevator immediately came to a jarring halt, all its cog and gears abruptly stopping.

Hunter leapt right through the hole he had made in the ground, the momentum of the descending elevator propelling him fast down the shaft. Floor numbers sped past him.

5...4...3...2...!

There!

He hurled Zero Hour at the 1st floor doors. The blade cut right through the reinforced doors. He crashed through the remnants. The cogs, the gears, the way the world worked... he knew that if he hit the ground he'd break a_lot_ of bones and he didn't have the time to regenerate. But looking at the intricate machine that was the world, he understood it... and realised what he could do about it.

Just like when he called upon magical words to create fire at Clockwork he emptied his mind and just focused entirely on the machine. As when he discovered how he could alter the workings of the cogs when he learned to create an origami apple, he used the strength within him to manipulate the gears of the machine.

He saw his momentum as a stream of mechanisms tied to ropes that were pulling him towards the solid, metal ground. He willed those rotating cogs to slow until they came to a complete stop. Hunter no longer felt the force of inertia pushing him to a grisly injury but his feet remained a foot off the ground. He spun around reached out with all his strength as the others came crashing down the elevator shaft.

Imaginary, ropes sprang from his open paws and seized their bodies made of twisting cogs. He pulled them straight towards him but slowly eased their momentum. Ever so slowly, he set them on the ground, safe.

He saw the big network of gears that he instantly knew was Eton say something. There was no sound but just by the way the gears were moving, he could tell Eton was asking him what he had done and why he was floating. Hunter lowered himself on the ground and quickly checked Zero Hour's clock. Like the Chronomancers, the Valour was just a dull, grey pallet against the gears of his body. From it, he saw he had lost a good fifty years in the exercise.

Powerful paws seized his shoulders and tore the headphones from his head. The world became the chaotic, shaking world bathed in red light and blaring alarms again.

"Hunter! What was that!?" Eton shouted, shaking him. "You... You were moving us... without any spells! I didn't see magical runes or... or... Was that Psychomancy? Did you use telekinesis to stop our fall?"

Hunter frowned slightly. "No... I don't... Physics...?" He shook his head. "We don't have time for this. Come on! Before more of those things show up!"

Metal screamed and groaned behind them. Hunter turned and spied the hanger doors not too far away. Between them was an enormous hallway. A nearby wall was torn right down the middle and an enormous clawed hand jut through, peeling away the precious hull. A monstrous head that looked like it belonged to a Bovios poked through the tear, emerging with four, massively muscular arms rippling with black gas. The twelve-foot creature stomped into the hallway, having to crouch as its horns grazed the ceiling. Where it stepped, a pool of liquid darkness was left, tentacles lashing out angrily from the source.

Hunter immediately pulled his headphones back over his head and felt the world fall into a frightening calm. To his right, Eton prepared for battle and without even looking, he could sense Tynvandar preparing another fire spell. Just from their movements and the way the machine was ticking away, he could tell what they were going to do next.

The monstrous Shadow roared, giving Eton the signal to charge. Tynvandar unleashed fiery spears that sprang from his fingertips, aiming straight for the creature's eyes. The beast swatted at the weapons, throwing them aside. Hunter moved, angling to the right of Eton and heading straight for a wall. He immediately vaulted against the slightly slanted surface and kicked off, hurling himself at the creature's flank. The beast was focused entirely on Eton and it swiped at the Lupus with one of its arms. Eton smashed Comet into it, forcing it down below him where he used the surface as a platform to throw himself at the beast's face.

But the Shadow had three others arms and one quickly came for a collision course...

... and would have hit him at Hunter not suddenly latched onto the Shadow's flank and stabbed the creature's armpit with Zero Hour, the same armpit connected to the clawed paw that would have taken out Eton. The entire arm collapsed, giving Eton a moment to bring Comet crashing into the beast's forehead.

Whoosh!

An enormous slab of ice exploded out from the contact, completely encasing the Shadow's head and killing it instantly. The creature toppled... and began dissipating into black dust.

"How did you know?" Eton asked though Hunter couldn't hear a word.

"I just do," Hunter responded cryptically. It was hard to explain. The world was just an enormous machine and he worked with machines for his entire career. Just the way the cogs, gears, pullies, levers and wheels worked... he just got it.

Without another word, he bolted straight for the hanger. Most of the fighters and dropships had already been taken but a few were left behind. He immediately leapt into a light dropship. The bulky shuttle wouldn't be very fast but at least it would get them out of the Sunlight Storm. He took the helm, blinking lights and a steering stick dominating his view. He had no piloting experience whatsoever but in his enhanced view, he just... he just understood it all.

He pressed the ignition, typed in Dorthango's credentials and started the engines. Miraculously, the dropship began to lift off the ground. Tynvandar and the others strapped themselves to the various seats in the small compartment behind him. He piloted the ship clear down the broad, mostly empty runway and sent it shooting out of the Sunlight Storm.

What he saw made him actually tear off his headphones.

A vast army was gathered outside of Chillfarn to the north away from the battles. However, the Shadow ships had dropped various troops further north, away from the _Scorium Axis_where they were stronger. The Incendian army looked vast but the darkness was spreading through their ranks slowly but surely. From above, it looked like ants slowly being consumed by the evil tentacles of a seeping, black, miasma.

The air was filled with battle. The winged Shadows screeched and screamed as they were assaulted by Incendian fighters and interceptors. The Shadow ships fired shafts of dark energy straight into the matching Incendian starships. Countering that were blasts of searing light that cut through the Shadows with ease but the ships seemed to heal almost instantly. Several Incendian ships fired upon one Shadow ship, catching it in a lattice of criss-crossing beams. The dark ship was ripped to shreds and its fragments fell from the sky slowly, smouldering and hissing.

Away from the battle, to the south, Chillfarn stood and from where Hunter stood, he could see the darkness there just as intense as the others.

A light tap hit his shoulder and he turned to find Tynvandar standing beside him. "Open the side doors please, Hunter."

Nodding numbly, Hunter pulled his headphone back on and found the door switch. A quick click and he saw the side doors of the brick-like dropship slide open. Tynvandar stood on the edge. He was not going to jump despite Elena's fears.

No... The Apex Clericus Solis was going to do something much more.

Tynvandar raised his hands to his sides like he was about to hurl himself from the edge of the ship... but them clapped them together abruptly. There was a thunderous boom, enough to ripple across the entire battlefield and shake the dropship.

A high-pitched keening filled the air, loud enough to even pierce past Hunter's headphones.

Far above them, a Shadow ship was suddenly encircled by dozens of spinning, red orbs leaving trails of fire as they danced and orbited the dark shape. The orbs spun faster around the ship, drawing closer and closer to the hull until they became nothing more than blurred lines.

Then -

BOOOOOM!

The sky suddenly became alight with blistering, fiery light. An orb of fire engulfed the entire Shadow ship. The ball was so bright and so intense that it outright obliterated nearby Shadows and illuminated the snowy expanse.

BOOOOOM! BOOOOOM! BOOOOOM!

Dozens of more explosions ripped through the sky, taking Shadow ship after Shadow Ship. Down on the ground, the Incendian army cheered. The Shadows they were fighting reeled at the intense sun-like lights. Many were obliterated outright by the intense glow. Others were left utterly paralysed and vulnerable.

The remaining Shadow ships began to turn to make for a hasty retreat. The remaining Incendian ships gave chase, blasting them with light and fire.

The orbs of flame lingered for five entire minutes before slowly dying out. One remained, shining above Hunter's transport.

Thud!

Hunter quickly programmed the ship to land at the centre of the Incendian camp and tore off his headphones. He spun in his seat, watching Elena cry, "Uncle!" and catch Tynvandar.

"Nova Supremis," Moonclaw whispered in utter awe. "The most powerful spell in a Pyromancer's arsenal. It is said to rival the might of a star..."

"Rumour has it, most Pyromancers have to give their life to cast one," Eton supplied.

Tynvandar snorted as he lay in Elena's arms, sweat rolling of his brow. "Rumours. It is a very simple spell when you know how to optimise it. I am just not as young as I used to be. There was a time when I could have set the sky afire with those things... Now... I will just have to settle with ridding the air of those dark ships and keeping our path alight."

Elena smiled and hugged her uncle tightly. "You will have to teach me that spell, Uncle."

The Apex Clericus laughed and sat up, struggling to do so but not uttering a single word of complaint. "One day, child. Perhaps should we live through this."

******

Chillfarn itself was much bigger than Hunter had first thought. Its gargantuan, black walls had to be at least fifty feet high and about twenty feet thick. While the northern wall was wide over for reinforcements and supplies to pour through, Hunter saw that the southern gates were firmly shut. Shadow ships hovered just outside of the range of the Incendian starships but continued to bombard the wall as much as they could. Defenders on the wall fired cannons and bolts of magical energies down at the swarms of Shadows battering the black walls.

Strangely, as Hunter hurried in to reinforce the walls with Eton and Smallfang by his side, he couldn't see any signs of Harm Chronos. The closer he got to the southern gate, the more he realised just how bad the battle was going. The massive, towering gates shuddered every few seconds. Something monstrous roared from the other side before each, thunderous boom.

Hunter grabbed the arm of a nearby human. "Where's Harm Chronos?"

The man gave him a puzzled look. "Who?"

"You know. Short Wulfun. Scrawny. Has golden eyes and wears a scarf."

He only received a further confused look.

"Consider this, Hunter Hart," boomed a thunderous voice in his ear. When he turned, he found no one there. "From what you know, Chronos hopes to take the blame of this entire disaster upon himself. He intends to sacrifice all the people gathered here and have the world blame him. How much blame can you place on a man if he fought bravely to defend the wall that stands before the darkness?"

Who are you?

There was a momentary pause before a tired sigh.

"To my colleagues, I am the Apostle of Fire. In ancient lore, I am the Seraph of Fire. To the people of Incendius, I am the Brave Farmer. I am Apollia's father, Shinniah's lover. I am Adramalech."

How...?

"Chronos gave you Firefeather_."_

Oh... right...

Hunter turned back towards the guy he had seized. "Alright, where are Leandros and Phalgymr?"

That the man knew. "We don't know. They disappeared the moment we all arrived here. We haven't even heard anything from the Warden. We have no leaders. No real officers. Everyone is panicking but ever since the Shadows hit us from both sides, we were trapped and no one could escape!"

Son of a bitch... He really planned to kill everyone here!

"Thanks," Hunter grumbled, releasing the man. He turned towards the others, shaking his head. Elena and Moonclaw had stayed with Tynvandar and he guessed they would form a fairly strong leadership. Aureas and Aria would help as well but without Phalgymr or Leandros, the damage was done. This army had turned less into a formidable force to cleave a path of the Concave of Shadows and became a lamb ready for the slaughter.

So much for wanting me to stop Bloodfyre.

"What's our next move?" he asked.

All around them, soldiers were hurrying between the black buildings on Chillfarn's grounds. Blacksmiths and shamans were exhausting themselves making weapons and enchanting projectiles. It looked like Aureas had dropped in specialists with Divine Magic Fabricators to hasten the process but the sheer numbers of the Shadows continues to wither them down slowly. The only good think about the frantic panic in the fortress was that there was little time to truly consider the dire situation.

That was left to the depressed support teams outside of the wall.

Something had to be done to inspire them and Tynvandar's flaming sun was fading.

"We should find the Warden," answered Smallfang. "Find out what is happening here and what the plan is. Perhaps he can tell us where Chronos and the others are."

"Where is he? How do we get there?"

Smallfang pointed to the enormous crystal caught in chains hovering above them. Apart from the chains, it was also suspended by four, enormous, metal struts that bound it to the icy mountainsides. For a second, Hunter flashed back to the symbol that Chronos had painted in blood all over Clockwork. There had been three symbols. One of them was a diamond wrapped in chains.

"That is the Iceheart," Smallfang said. "It's the heart of Chillfarn and where the Warden rests. It is also an immense repository of Cryomancy. As a last resort, should Chillfarn ever be at risk of falling, the Iceheart could be dropped and cause an explosion of Ice Magic that would obliterate all invaders and create diamond-hard wall of ice."

"Fine. How do we get there?"

The Lupus pointed to the black structures jutting out of the flanks of the mountain. "There are gondolas that will take us to the Iceheart from the sides. Come."

Hunter followed Smallfang into the dark, bitingly cold environs of Chillfarn. Snow was everywhere and the blood and adrenaline pumping through his system was barely keeping his arms from falling off. The interior of the mountain structures were barely better but at least they were protected from the biting cold.

Smallfang and Eton identified themselves to the Lupus guarding the path and allowed them to take an express elevator run on pulleys and crude ropes straight to the gondolas. Again, after a few quick introductions, they were allowed to pass.

The creaky, metal gondolas were big enough to fit twenty people and travelled slowly on long, metal rails. There were no seats and the windows looked more like murder holes from castle parapets than actual windows. Through them, Hunter saw the disheartening sight of what lay beyond Chillfarn.

A sea of sheer blackness and red eyes writhed and squirmed from the black walls all the way to the horizon. There was simply no end to them. Though only a few ships remained hovering in the air, they were still an intimidating sight. At the horizon itself was the tiny glimmer of hope, the light from the Scorium Axis.

On the other side of the gondola, he saw the gathered army. It still looked vast but it was far from the unified mass of the Shadows. He was glad none of those people could see the sea of darkness he could.

"My guilt did this. I would regret it but that would only make it stronger."

Hunter absently patted the pocket where the red feather sat.

You knew it was growing and yet you didn't do anything to stop it.

"I tried. Five hundred years ago, I tried to inspire a Paladin to create another Bloodfyre and end the war once and for all."

The Bloodfyre Incident...

"Yes. But the price was too high. Chronos stopped me. It would also not have worked. I was just creating another source of guilt to rid the world of mine. It would have been a terrible cycle. Mortals would follow the legends of Bloodfyre_, create a blade that would need to be sustained by the life of others, carry it to the_ Concave of Shadows to destroy the blade there only to be consumed by the guilt of the lives they have had to take."

Hunter gazed back towards the distant Scorium Axis.

You guys tried to stop it a lot of times before, didn't you?

"Many times. I called upon the last of the Phoenixes, tried to cause an uprising in the Sunless Lands and even tried to incite demons to split Incendius in half to isolate the Shadows in their own little 'mini-Station'. All times Chronos stopped me."

Why?

"Various reasons." Adramalech chuckled fondly. "Sometimes it was because I was risking too much. Other times because he did not know he was against me and was just opposing demons or ancient forces. Most of the time, I just never told him and he stopped my schemes because he was trying to preserve Tower Thirteen."

Hunter leaned against the wall of the gondola. The metal was bitingly cold.

What changed?

"Nothing. Chronos still hopes to preserve Tower Thirteen."

By destroying all of it?

"You do not know the entire story, Hunter Hart. No one has ever questioned why Chronos would suddenly turn on the brother whom he cared for so deeply and the world that he loved. Even Aria Valkyrie has stopped asking and just wants to know the current plot."

Are you going to tell me?

Adramalech paused.

"Ask him about 'Azzy' next time you see him."

'Azzy'...?

"Yes. I'm sure he can put it in better terms than I. Suffice to say that with Chronos, there is a reason for everything he does."

The conversation had come to an end and just in time for the gondola to arrive at the enormous, icy embrace of the Iceheart. The moment they stepped out, Hunter instantly felt that something was terribly wrong. No one was there to greet them and the entire, structure built of nothing but ice. Strangely, the Iceheart was actually warmer than the rest of Chillfarn and its crystal walls were warm to the touch.

The craggy, crystal walls were a little claustrophobic until they reached the main chamber.

Smallfang gasped. "Mother Goddess!"

Bodies of proud Lupus soldiers lay scattered all over a polished, crystal floor. An enormous, snow-white Lupus lay against a massive black metal wall at the far end of the broad chamber. Open balconies without any railings opened the Iceheart to the elements and gave an unobstructed view of all of Chillfarn. On these balconies were dozens of bodies that looked like they were trying to escape something by throwing themselves off the edge but did not quite make it. Blood pooled around them, marring the cold beauty of the Iceheart in crimson.

"What happened...?" Hunter murmured.

"The Warden is dead..." Eton gulped loudly, nodding at the white-furred Lupus. "That is Warden Snowpaw... We... We're in trouble."

A loud explosion echoed through the Iceheart. All three of them perked their ears and scrambled to the southern balconies and peered straight down. Enormous war machines that looked a lot like the siege engines of old had rolled straight up to the edge of the wall. Monstrous Shadows had begun pouring into the black ramparts, tearing through the defenders.

"Shit!" Hunter cried. "We've got to get down there!"

Smallfang shook his head. "No. We can't. We have to drop the Iceheart."

"What!?"

The Lupus prince gave him a pained stare. "Hunter, we can't let Chronos turn us all into a sacrifice. What's the point of winning a victory here if the price is too high?" He turned towards the metal wall Snowpaw rested against. "If we drop the Iceheart, we stall the Shadow advance for a little while longer. They caught us off guard but now the entire force is here and we can regroup."

Hunter wanted to protest but he couldn't see any reason not to drop the Iceheart. "We need to get a warning to everyone down below. Get them to hold off for as long as possible before we drop it and give them time to retreat."

Smallfang nodded in agreement. "Suggestions?"

Eton pounded his chest. "Leave it to me!" He swung Comet through the air. "Descend upon the world, Comet!"

Hunter found his breath utterly stolen by the majesty of Eton's Drive Form. The massive Lupus turned towards the northern balconies, those boosters on his back springing open and expelling that freezing gas.

"Start the procedure!" Eton shouted. "I'll be back!"

Then he was gone, speeding straight down to the defenders.

Hunter nodded and turned to Smallfang. "Okay, what do we need to do?"

"We need to get these walls down," Smallfang said, placing a paw on the metal cylinder at the centre of the room.

"No problem." Hunter activated Zero Hour.

"No!" shouted Smallfang. "See the four chains that hold the _Iceheart_together? They activate a mechanism that will retract these walls! We can destroy them and throw the switch in front of the Warden's throne but if we don't release those chains, the entire -"

BOOM!

This time, the Iceheart shuddered. Large icy shards fell from above them and shattered on the crystal ground. Hunter spun to the north. Dozens of black creatures came screaming towards them, suspended on wings made of gaseous shadow. They ignored the Iceheart and swept down towards the defenders.

"Just lead the way!" Hunter shouted.

Smallfang bolted back towards the gondola and jumped in. Hunter threw the switch that sent them on the slow path back towards the western wall. An ear splitting scream hit his ears followed by one of the creatures slamming itself into the side of the gondola. Its ragged claws tore a hole right through the side, its grinning, skeletal face gleaming if maniacal glee.

"Not this time, you motherfucker," Hunter growled, swinging_Zero Hour_ at it. The creature hissed and leapt back, flapping its wings as the gondola made a slow retreat.

Thwack! Thwack!

Two icy arrows pierced its eyes and it fell, screaming and clutching at its sockets.

Smallfang turned and began shooting arrows through the narrow windows. More of the creatures caught sight of them and made a beeline for them. Smallfang hung out from the hole the first Shadow had made and fired at the approaching beasts. The Shadows hissed at him.

Creeeek!

One of the creatures latched onto the roof and tore a hole right above them. Hunter swiped at it with his sword and like before, it simply leapt back.

Crap! My range is too short!

"Summon me."

Hunter stared at his pocket. A warm, red glow emanated from it. He pulled out the feather. "What?"

"Summon me. Call my Creed."

"How?"

"Just trust me. Lend me some of your power."

Hunter was unsure exactly how to lend someone his power but he didn't have the time to think about it further. He quickly placed his headphones over his ears, glad that his Telecube was still playing songs. The feather's gears and cogs were... odd. Instead of the usual golden metal, they seemed to be made of red crystal and were irregularly shaped. More... spikey and held an inner flame. He ignored it and pushed the mechanisms to move faster and faster.

The gears grew and changed shape. Heat radiated from them and suddenly, he was gripping the Creed Firefeather. He could sense Smallfang's surprise.

"Now what?" he demanded.

"Point me at the Shadows."

Hunter did as he was told.

A surge of flames erupted from the tip of the curved, fiery blade. The torrent of flames collided with the Shadows, engulfing them completely and sending them screaming to the ground. The gears of Firefeather began to slow.

"Do not stop! I need your strength!"

"Aren't you meant to be the super-powerful Brave Farmer and Seraph of Fire?" Hunter barked, forcing the gears to spin faster again.

"I have poured my entire existence into my guilt, feeding the Shadows inadvertently. The strength you saw, the power of flame Chronos wielded and the form I took to stop that ship from crashing into Ironfrost, that was Chronos. I used his power. He is unable to use Pyromancy because of his Time Locked state but I fed off his Time and used it to manifest my powers. His strength, my knowledge."

Hunter growled. "Now you tell me!?"

The gondola shook and swayed precariously.

Even though he couldn't hear Smallfang, he knew the Lupus said, "They're cutting the railings!"

Hunter spun and swiped Firefeather through the gondola's frame. The fiery sworn melted the metal. He cut through an entire wall and kicked it free. Feeling the adrenaline pumping through his body, he pulled himself onto the roof of the gondola, wild winds whipping through his fur and threatening to throw him off the precariously swaying transport.

The Shadows clawing at the couplings of the gondola stared at him. They screeched and he bathed them in fire. Adramalech made sure not the burn the precious gondola.

"To your right!"

An enormous winged beast came swooping out of the north. It was about the size of the monstrous Bovios from before but was of Avios origin. Instead of four arms, it had four wings but its wicked, clawed hands and legs looked about ready to rend him.

Hunter readied his swords -

WHAM! WHAM!

Crystal spears the size of cars slammed straight into the creatures chest, sending it hurtling back. Aria came sweeping in on Gungnir. She gave him a brief nod before suddenly leaping off her Valour. She gripped her weapon in both hands then shot straight down, spear pointing down. Hunter peered over the gondola.

WHOOSH!

A tremendous tower of pure light exploded upwards from where Aria disappeared far beneath them. Shadows screamed and there was a moment's reprieve. He could see the defenders making a hasty retreat while still buying Hunter and Smallfang some time.

The gondola came to an abrupt halt.

He leapt off the transport into another warzone.

Lupus clashed blades and fangs against other Shadows based on their kin. These creatures bore three twisted heads, two on its shoulders and a third on its chest. All of them were on all fours and would leap upon the true Lupus. All three heads would tear at the hapless victim viciously.

BOOM! BOOM!

Dark bursts of energy threw the dark Lupus off the true guardians of Chillfarn. Hunter turned. From the shape of the gears, he knew he was looking at the Custodia Lumbra. One of the dark Lupus threw themselves at a Lumbra but the winged lupine was fast despite its side. The Lumbra slipped behind the Shadow and snapped one of its necks with a simple twist of its paws. Black, spear-like tendrils erupted form the ground and stabbed the dying Shadow with ease.

"Go!" one of the Lumbra shouted. "Do what you must! We will guard you!"

Hunter nodded and told Smallfang to lead the way. The Lupus prince bolted from the gondola and went climbed a flight of stairs with Hunter in tow. The icy steps were slippery but the music and adrenaline kept Hunter focus. They reached the top of a flat tower that had a single lever on standing at the centre of dais with a panoramic view of all of Chillfarn.

Hunter gripped the lever -

Screeeee!

That massive, four-winged Shadow came swooping at them. Hunter threw himself at the ground before it could take him clear off the structure, his headphones falling off his head. The world became chaotic and real once more but he could hear Smallfang's panicked cry. The _Lupus_prince hung desperately to the Shadow's left leg as it swept through the air for a second dive.

"Leave him!" Adramalech demanded. "One life is not worth the price of so many!"

"If I start thinking like that, then I become just like you and Chronos," Hunter snarled.

"Those people down there do not have the time for you to play the hero!"

Hunter braced himself as the Shadow came swooping back towards him for a second attack. He spun Firefeather in his paw and stabbed it into the ground. "Then you can stay here and pull the goddamn lever yourself!"

The Shadow screeched, extending its clawed feet at him, ready to tear into him. Hunter dove, seizing his headphones and slipping them back on. He saw where the Shadow was going, saw what it was going to do. The gears that represented its joints and its bones were poised rip him from the tower if he stood at certain places. He took three steps to his right just as the creature collided with the tower. The wind blasted in his face. The Shadow swept past him, missing him entirely. Hunter seized one of its clawed feet and let himself get yanked into the air.

Smallfang clung desperately to the other leg, screaming at him and asking if he was insane. Hunter didn't reply. He focused entirely on the turning gears. He stabbed Zero Hour into the dark, gaseous flesh, making the creature balk and let out an ear-splitting scream. With the sword in the Shadow, the beast's flesh began to fade in a cloud of black dust. Hunter vaulted up the Shadow's leg, pulling Zero Hour by its chain and landing on the twisted Avios' back.

"Smallfang, get ready to jump!" he shouted.

The Shadow was angling back towards the tower, panic in its movements as Zero Hour's effect continued to eat at its form. Hunter focused entirely on the gears of the Avios' wings. He willed them to work a certain way, forcing the pulleys and sockets to twist a certain way. Against the Shadow's will, its wings began pulling it higher and higher towers the top of the tower with the lever and Firefeather.

"Now!"

He vaulted off the Shadow's back, Smallfang right beside him. He tucked his body into a tight ball but it still hurt when he hit the icy floor and rolled to a stop. His regeneration took care of the injuries. A loud thump beside him told him Smallfang had landed beside him. A thunderous crash heralded the Shadow's collision with the mountainside.

Hunter slowly unwound, his muscles aching from the impact. Driven by will and overdosed with adrenaline, he pulled himself up to his feet and gripped the lever. With a grunt, he yanked it back. Loud, metallic groaning filled the air. Below them, the chains from the western wall loosened. The metallic rim that held up the Iceheart kept it suspended in the air but the large, metal chains hung looser than before.

Smallfang moved in front of him. "Did you plan that?"

"No so much as plan as guided," Hunter grunted, stepping forward and seizing Firefeather. To the fiery blade, he said, "I don't force people to do my dirty work."

Adramalech was silent but Hunter could sense the entity's shame.

"Come on," Hunter said. "We've got to get to the other side."

They hurried back down the stairs. The Lumbra were still fighting the Shadows, using their own Shadow Magic against the darkness. Hunter leapt back into the ruined gondola, wondering at the wisdom of the action. A Lumbra pulled the lever that sent the transport back towards the Iceheart. As before, he climbed to the roof. This time, Smallfang joined him, drawing his bow and arrow.

Dozens of the smaller, winged Shadows came swooping in around them, screeching and with claws extended. Hunter swung Firefeather, sending flames dancing towards the creatures. The harsh winds pushed the waves of fire off course. The Shadows were driven back but not destroyed.

"Cast me upon Smallfang's bow."

Hunter turned and pressed Firefeather against Smallfang's weapon, giving the Lupus pause. Erie blue fire spread all over the weapon.

"Shoot!" Hunter ordered.

Smallfang drew an arrow, the projectile instantly becoming coated in the same sapphire flame. The moment he let loose, the arrow was unhindered by the gale force winds. It missed, the Shadow dodging to the right.

Thwack!

But the arrow quickly did a U-turn in the air and embedded itself into the back of the creature's head. Grinning, Smallfang drew arrow after arrow, unloading on the Shadows. He was out of arrows by the time they reached the Iceheart.

Hunter vaulted off the gondola and rushed straight past the dozens of dead bodies towards the eastern gondola. The Warden's throne had lost one of its metal barriers. The Warden himself lay on the floor instead of leaning against the first retracted barrier.

To his surprise, the gondola on eastern side was approaching them. He readied his swords and Smallfang drew a dagger. When the transport reached them and the door opened, he gawked.

Artem Ford and Ophelia stood waiting for them.

"We're here to help," Ophelia said. "Andy informed us of what is happening." She turned, the silvery strings of her Valour spreading out around her. "Come! We must go!"

"If anyone sees you..."

"It doesn't matter," Ford grunted, reading Revolution. "We were in this to the bitter end. Regardless of what happens to us, Incendius must stand. I will not have done so much, sacrificed so much just to see my home destroyed!"

He did it all to preserve his home...

The betrayal, the lives he willingly ended... it was all just to save Incendius.

Hunter nodded and hurried into the gondola with Smallfang by his side. Ophelia and Artem Ford leapt onto the roof. The transport began its return journey. All the while, Hunter heard Ford's shots ringing out through the sounds of battle. Hundreds of Shadows turned upon one another as Ophelia took hold of their bodies casting confusion into the masses.

WHAM!

A Shadow collided with the side of the gondola. Hunter stabbed at it with Firefeather_through one of the windows. In doing so, he glimpsed an _enormous black shape hovering above them. Dark lightning began gathering just beneath the Shadow ship's hull.

"Oh shit! Smallfang, get out! Now!"

Hunter kicked down the door and scrambled onto the roof to a surprised Ford and Ophelia. Smallfang was right behind him when the Shadow ship unleashed its dark beam cannon. The ray of heated, black plasma slammed into one of the massive chains of Chillfarn. It raced past the chain, burning right through the gondola's rails and slicing through the fourth and last chain. The gondola heaved and shuddered.

Instincts took over and Hunter vaulted off the gondola, landing on one of the massive chain links. It had to at least be fifty metres long and about half as wide! Smallfang landed on the opposite chain. Ophelia and Ford cried out in horror as the gondola dropped out of view.

Crap!

"Hunter! Run!"

He glanced over his shoulder. Far behind him, the chain was being burned away by the left over plasma from the Shadow ship's cannon. He stared across the gap at Smallfang. They exchanged horrified glances then turned back towards the Iceheart.

His legs moved faster than they had ever moved. Beneath his feet, he felt the chain losing its rigidity as it was slowly eaten away by the plasma. Twenty links separated him from the Iceheart. Fifty metres each... that meant he was an entire kilometre away from the Iceheart!

Fuck!

Hunter didn't let that dishearten him and just kept running, desperately trying to race physics.

One hundred metres down...

Nine hundred to go.

The chain beneath him shuddered, threatening to throw him off balance.

Eight hundred.

The fur on the back of his neck and on his arms stood on end. He glanced up and saw the Shadow ship starting to charge up another blast.

Seven hundred.

No, no, no, no, no!

The beam cannon fired.

Just as a ragged red tear appeared in front of it. The beam disappeared into the rip before a second one appeared just above it. The remnants of the beam shot out and slammed into the very same ship that fired it.

"Go Andy!" Hunter cried.

Boom!

The chain suddenly dropped a foot beneath him and he dared a glance behind him. One by one, the chain links were dropping out of view. His heart leapt to his throat and he turned, bolting with all that he was worth.

Six hundred metres.

His legs were burning, his vision blurred and his lungs on fire.

Five -

The link beneath his feet suddenly tilted backwards and his feet slipped on its surface.

"NO!"

He scrambled for a grip on the surface but his claws just grazed the frozen metal. For a moment, he felt weightless. Gravity then seized him and yanked him straight towards the ground, hundreds of metres below. To his left, Smallfang dropped his bow as he too fell prey to physics.

Whump!

Cold metal collided with him, wrapping tightly around his form shoulders. His trajectory reversed and instead of plummeting to the ground, he was suddenly sweeping upwards back towards the Iceheart. Bright, ice blue eyes met him coupled with glimpses of black fur and a loving smile.

"Eton!" he cried. Thinking fast, he quickly recalled Zero Hour back into its watch form, pulled back his strength from Firefeather and then threw his arms around his boyfriend's neck. "Am I glad to see you!"

Eton nuzzled him tenderly. "Told you I'd be back."

"Wait! Smallfang!"

"Serena's got him."

Hunter glanced over Eton's shoulder. Smallfang was in the grip of a lithe, armoured knight with broad, metallic wings. Serena in her Drive Form.

Eton landed back inside the Iceheart. Serena was not far behind him. Like him, she was dressed from head to toe in the glistening, jet-black armour but instead of icy-blue trimmings, hers were emerald green. Her entire face was covered in a sweeping helm with the design of webbed wings jutting out of the sides of her visor. The metallic wings on her back folded almost organically. She held two bladed fans instead of one.

He turned back towards the throne. Gone were the metallic barriers. A dome of glistening, blue energies was left. Inside was an icy throne similar to Leandros' and directly in front of it was a lever.

"What's with the lights?" he asked.

Smallfang, panting heavily, staggered towards the dome. "It's the last defence of the Iceheart. It projects a powerful Cryomancy field. Anything that steps within it will be frozen. Only the Warden and Leandros will be able to resist the force of the field."

"What? Then how -?"

"I am Leandros' son. I can pull the lever."

Hunter's eyes widened. Eton dropped Comet, the massive mace landing on the ground and catching itself in an icy cushion.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Hunter shouted.

"What is so unbelievable about that?" Smallfang answered, wandering to the edge of the field and giving him a slight smile. "You already know I am born from royalty."

"Not that!" Hunter shouted, tearing off his headphones. He glared angrily at Smallfang. Now, more than ever, he saw what the Lupus intended. "I saw what that lever does. It'll drop _Iceheart_to the ground but if no one is sitting on that throne when it hits the ground, it won't go off! You're going to sacrifice yourself!"

Serena balked. "What? No! Smallfang, you -"

"It is the only way," Smallfang said, shaking his head. "We have to stop the Shadows. I'll stall their advance. Then, all of you need to regroup the troops. Prepare for the final push towards the Concave of Shadows to destroy Bloodfyre." He sighed and turned towards the throne, towards his destiny. "Whatever Chronos intends... whatever the future holds... I will be comforted by knowing I played a small part in it."

"What about Elena!?" Hunter roared.

A tear rolled down Smallfang's cheek. "Tell her that... That... That I truly care for her."

Hunter growled and stormed forward, yanking Smallfang's shoulder and pulling him back. "You tell her you love her! I'll pull the switch!"

This time, Eton protested loudly. "What!? Hunter you can't -"

"Yes I can! I regenerate, remember? Mine isn't based on metabolism. It's based on time!" He held up his pocket watch. A thousand and a half years remained. "I pull the switch, get frozen for a bit and then when you guys win this goddamn war, you thaw me out and I come back! No one has to sacrifice themselves!" He glared at Smallfang. "No one has to break anyone's hearts!"

"What about me!?" Eton cried.

He struggled for something to say but then broke into a smile. Regarding Eton warmly, he said, "I'll be back." Then he turned back towards Smallfang and shoved him away from the dome. "So go! You told me you'll take Leandros' place as head of the Lupus. Well, you won't be doing that if you're dead." Hunter held out his paw. "Promise me that when this is over, you're not going to make the same mistakes as your father. I'm not going to freeze my ass off and sit out the rest of this war only to have to come back and kick your butt because you turn out exactly like your father!"

Smallfang regarded Hunter's paw and seized it... only to pull him into a tight embrace.

"I promise I'll make Incendius better."

Strangely... Hunter knew that was enough. He hugged Smallfang back and patted the Lupus' broad shoulders. He peeled away and quickly approached Eton. He bent up and kissed Eton's lips. "I'll be back."

Eton growled, trying desperately to hold back his emotions. "I know but... Fuck, Hunter! Why do you have to be a goddamn hero!?"

"Because Chronos is the fucking villain," he answered, stepping back. He turned to Serena, pointing at Eton. "Take care of him while I'm gone, alright?"

She nodded.

Hunter spun, turning towards the shimmering dome and took a breath. "Go! Get everyone out of Chillfarn!"

"Hunter!"

He turned, Eton's soft blue eyes pleading, forcing him to promise to come back.

"I love you."

"I love you too, big guy." Then he broke into a grin. "Hey Eton!"

The big Lupus paused.

"You ever heard of that story where the stunning prince woke the sleeping maiden with true love's kiss?"

Eton frowned. "Don't think I have..."

"Yeah, it sucks. So let's make a better one." He winked slyly. "I'll be lying here frozen. Wake me with a kiss, will ya?"

That brightened the Lupus' spirits and he grinned back. "Count on it."

He watched them all turn and leap out of the balconies of the Iceheart, Serena carrying Smallfang. Hunter turned back towards his destiny. He couldn't believe that he would be sitting out the rest of the battle. Some part of him thought he'd be facing Chronos in some climactic showdown but if there was any better way to go... it was this.

He stepped forward...

"You truly are brave..."

"And you're an idiot." Hunter held out his paw and pressed it against the dome. It felt a little like gelatine. When he pushed his paw through, biting cold bit into his flesh like it was on fire. Wincing, he continued, "If you had just talked to your daughter and been honest with her, you could've avoided this entire mess."

He pushed his entire arm through the dome. It burned like hell. A quick glance at Zero Hour showed that his Time was quickly being used up to counteract the freezing field. Wasting no time, he leapt into the dome. His eyes hurt the most and he could barely see through the icy film that kept forming and melting in front of them. It was hard to breathe, every breath like he was taking in thousands of tiny, icy shards.

"Perhaps if you had been around during the Sunshadow War this could have been avoided."

Well I wasn't and now we're stuck fixing your family issues.

"For that... I am truly grateful."

Hunter sat down on the throne grimacing as he reached out for the lever.

Fuck that. I want a fuckin' parade after this is over!

He let out a thunderous roar...

... and pulled.

*****

Eton ushered the last of the troops out of Chillfarn and just in time. The enormous Iceheart unhinged itself from where it rested. The metal ring that held it in place unlatched from the titanic, icy crystal and dropped. Like a comet in itself, the titanic shard of pure Cryomancy dropped behind the walls of Chillfarn and -

... a moment of silence.

BOOOOOOOOOM!

Huge spears of ice exploded outwards shooting straight for the sky. Thousands of icy tendrils lanced out, spearing Shadows where they stood before completely engulfing them in their frigid forms. The remaining Shadow ships were completely engulfed, becoming little more than black stains in the otherwise pure, crystal blue wall. Like watching a blue weed rapidly growing, the small valley that had made Chillfarn became completely barred by the rising wall of ice.

The proud, black walls of Chillfarn were completely overcome. Their metal frames bulged momentarily before being completely consumed and frozen within the wall. Desperate Shadows tried to flee the oncoming assault but they too slow. Even the airborne ones were trapped within the ice.

A cheer came up from the retreating armies. It was echoed by the cries of the troops in the main encampment.

Eton couldn't help but think about the brave sacrifice made to buy them just some fragment of time...

"Hunter..." he whispered softly. "Thank you."