Skylands Legends

23.1 A Proper Sendoff

Chill marched icily down the palace throne room, paying no mind to the attendants working to clean up the leftover debris from the Night Squatch's battle two nights ago. They all flinched at the echo of her heels on the ice. The temperature of the room dropped rapidly as she did. She was furious and they all knew it.

She had a right to it. After everything that she had planned, the Skylanders came in and interfered anyway. She had hoped that the Night Squatch would have killed them but somehow Spyro had acquired an Awakening stone of his own and they had killed the beast. Mons would not be happy. The Skylanders should have fallen and Chill would have defeated the Ancient herself, showcasing the powers of the one true God, the Ancient of Winter herself. Surely Her doubters would see the light after that. They would open themselves up for the Dream and accept the truth, but no. The Skylanders had to interfere. They will always be a hindrance won't they?

Mons did not answer.

God had not spoken to her since the attack. It was worrying. Had she done something to lose Her favor? The thought left her on edge. She would never do something purposefully to lose Mons' favor! Perhaps this was punishment for her failure. Though, Chill would not consider the attack to be a failure, more of a setback really. Her army had taken few casualties, nothing a month of recruiting could not undo. They could still begin the assault within the month. Unless that was the issue... did She want the assault to begin sooner? Maybe.

Chill waved over one of the frost knights. Those who survived the throes of winter were those who took action, not the ones who waited for warmth. They could move in on the Frostfest mountains immediately, throw the yetis out of their homes and reclaim what was rightfully a part of the Empire of Ice. Action is what was needed.

Before the knight could reach her, though, Mons' voice sang like a symphony in her ears. Below. The melodious rapture proclaimed.

The knight bowed before her. "Leave me be," she commanded, eager to speak with God once more. "I have business I must attend to."

The knight nodded and stayed behind as she marched out of the throne room. Down the castle's corridors she went, sending maids scattering when they saw her. She reached her chambers and marched over to the painting of her mother on the far wall. Grabbing the edges of the golden frame, she pulled it open to reveal a passage. She started down it, letting the picture close behind her.

The stairs wound down deep into the depths of the castle. They had been built as an escape for the royals should the castle fall. But unlike them, Chill did not believe in running. Rather than sealing it up, however, she turned it into something else. Something better.

The staircase finally opened up, giving way to a dark room. She activated a switch, lighting up dozens of glowbulbs that hung from the ceiling. Down they went, illuminating rows of figures frozen in ice. At the end of the rows was her latest addition, the very first Skylander she had captured; Starcast. The four-armed starman had been caught in the Frostfest mountains a couple weeks ago. It had been difficult to keep his disappearance silent but the Night Squatch incident had taken everyone's minds off the Skylander. With luck, he would be ready before people remembered to start asking questions.

"Is it taking?" She asked aloud.

There was movement from the far side of the room. A shifting in the dark recesses of the corner. Two violet eyes shone as Mons appeared in the shadows. "For some." God said.  "Others still resist."

Chill nodded in response. She resisted the urge to stare at her God. Mons was still recovering from The Breaking. Because of this she only ever appeared in the shadows. Her broken form was too much for mortal eyes to look upon.