Coldsnap: Storm's Call

Chapter 24: Equipped For War

We last read Chapter 23, in which Coldsnap and Keena return to Coldsnap's adoptive family's home to reunite with her "father" Mike, her "sister" Alexis, and her close friends: Rosie, Kat, Alexa, and Michael. Upon being greeted by Alexis and entering the residence, the two Mage Aspects are met by the rest of the crew, who are watching two news reports about the Hoover Dam assault and the President's attempted assassination; Michael also recalls the Louvre Museum bombing that took place the previous day, in which he lost one of his own classmates, an exchange student from France. After some discussion on the matter, Coldsnap informs everyone that she and Keena require everyone's aid once more, at which point they all flood into the breakfast nook to lend her their ears. This time, we listen in as Coldsnap regales her friends and family with her recent troubles, and watch as they arrive at their next objective.....

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When Coldsnap and Keena were done telling most of their story once again, pretty much the only one who displayed absolutely no strong emotions was Kat.

"Mmm. Okay, then," she said with a nod.

On the other hand, everyone else had some kind of major reaction; Michael felt a genuine, amused smile come to his face for the first time in what seemed like forever, Alexa was practically squealing with joy at the thought of getting to help out Coldsnap again, Rosie looked as though the gears were already turning in her head as she tried to formulate a plan of attack, and Alexis nearly fainted from surprise, with Mike just barely managing to catch her before she hit the ground.

".....It looks as though it's time to start.....'raining'.....on their parade....." Michael joked, much to the party's brief glee. ".....You are sure they are behind everything.....?"

"Everything," Coldsnap verified. "The Louvre Museum bombing, the Hoover Dam, the President.....it's all on them. Galeforce told me personally when I first met him in Skycrest."

Rosie then began putting the rest of the pieces together. "Wait.....the news reports said that Russian terrorists were responsible for the Hoover Dam raid. And that French mercenaries organized the hit on the President. And that American civilians bombed the Louvre Museum."

"Nope. It was all the Storm Sect's doing. Or at least.....people associated with them."

"From a civilian's point of view, they'd see it as Russia attacking America, America attacking France, and France attacking America in return." Rosie then gasped. "But.....but that would mean.....!"

"Yes. World War III."

"But.....but that's unspeakable!" Alexa cried. "An abomination! Why would the Storm Sect want to do that?! I thought you Mage Aspects helped humanity!"

Keena signed. "I thought so, too, once upon a time. And then Alpin and Flamestar came along."

Everyone groaned, clearly displeased at having to remember the dastardly duo. Frost King Alpin had not only betrayed and exiled Coldsnap to Earth purely out of jealousy alone, but also hated her deeply simply because she was a girl, even going so far as to ally with Morton Flamestar and his army, the Seared Hand, in their goal of setting Earth ablaze to eradicate humanity and start over. Though they and their forces were defeated and killed, their actions—as well as Hydraxus's murder at Keena's hands, which a lot of people still weren't aware of—had likely soiled the Mage Aspects' reputation for many years to come, with it now being clear that even they weren't immune to corruption or cynicism no matter how good most of them were.