Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 5
Chapter 29: The Wayfarer's Journal
(DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own Supernatural because it belongs to Eric Kripke and Warner Bros. So, enjoy the show! Rated M for graphic violence, adult content, and adult language.)
I was in my room as I was not doing too well after that vision three days ago. Still, I was afraid as I couldn't shake the fact that Lillium would be in grave danger if not averted. Getting up, I was out of my bed as I left the room and went downstairs to the main hall. Everyone was busy as I didn't bother them right now in which I was ready to go outside and enjoy the sea air until I felt my hair being tugged back and I was pulled towards the way I came out of. It wasn't long until I noticed Dean pulling me back upstairs as he led me back into my room for the rest of the day, for it wasn't fun for me at all right now.
"I can't be cooped up in this room forever, you know," I said.
"Tough; you can't just go wandering about in your state and say that you're feeling fine," said Dean as he felt my forehead, which was burning hot already. "Looks like you can't be going out there to the beach right now."
"It's hell, but I can't stay cooped up in this room forever."
"That's bull, Sam. You're already about to hit the record and it better not be up to 107 at this moment." I see him get out a thermometer from the nightstand as he was ready to take my temperature against my wishes. "Open up, Sammy. It's time that you got your temp checked once and for all."
"Dean, you can't just shift your burdens on me right now."
"Sorry, little brother, but first thing's first."
"I know..." I sighed heavily as I crawled into the covers of my bed. "It's temperature..."
I had the thermometer shoved into my mouth under my tongue as I waited patiently for it to beep at that moment. Still, I didn't complain even further as I heard the thermometer beep the moment I noticed Dean taking it out of my mouth. He looked at it thoroughly as it was not a good temperature for me due to it being a nasty 103.1. I was in bad shape as I was not doing too well due to the fever that I had. I also became more depressed in my condition as I simply wanted to just get out of bed against Dean's wishes, but I was no match for his stern demeanor right now.
"I can't seem to get around you, can I?" I said as I was staring at the ceiling.
"Reiko and the others are making some seafood chowder and some seafood pie in the oven," said Dean. "Besides, you haven't eaten since you got back from your last examination from Kotori three days ago."
"There won't be her practice here near the beach if Darbus' leftovers have their way here in Lillium..."
"If they come here, then we'll be ready for them. Hell, I've battled some of them that were tougher than the last batch and they all serve General Wets-His-Pants and his cronies."
"And they'll all come to Lillium if we're not fully equipped at this moment..."
"Dude, you need to get on the optimism bandwagon 'cause the pessimism you got ain't helping out that much. Besides, we're having some seafood chowder and pie along with some dim sum, rice balls, and some tangled duck to go with our meal. Ever since that creeping truffle root sprouted all over the house, it's been a cash cow for us in which your raw power had something to do with it. As for what's going on so far, let's hope that no other bad news dampens this scenery even worse."
It wasn't long until I felt some pillows being propped up under my head as I saw Dean doing the work just to add more comfort to me. Even though I wasn't doing too well, I had to make the best of it as I didn't want any more bad luck crawling in my way right now. Still, I was trapped with a fever as I was most likely to be caught in a fevered dream before going off to sleep, but I also had a feeling that I would soon be remembering an old memory that was forgotten long ago. In the moment when I was about to toss and turn, I began to feel at the back crevice of the bed as I felt something hidden behind it. Scooting the pillows back, I dug into the crevice of the bed as I pulled out an old journal with the Aquarian Star etched into it. The book itself was old as I looked into the pages carefully in which I noticed the writing to be in an elegant Arabic due to its style. I began to decipher the language in it as I had a feeling that this journal was a key to what was known all over this place.
"'The Wayfarer's Journal…," I said out loud as I read the front page.
"Looks like you've found something other than either a cookbook or a skin mag," said Dean.
"It's called the Wayfarer's Journal and it's written in Arabic which I taught myself to decipher at a young age. It's also an old one due to its connection with the Order of Letters on the sly as well." I noticed an old picture fall out of the journal as it fell onto the floor until I picked it up to see what it was. "I remember this picture from long ago..."
"What do you got there, Sammy?" I saw Dean snatch the picture out of my hand as he was looking at it briefly. "That's you at age five in that picture and you were a rambunctious one due to what you went through."
"That was a long time ago, Dean..." I began to feel lightheaded as I laid back down without another complaint. "I may not remember the rest of what was in that journal, but I hope that it becomes a clue to what I missed before going to Gehenna for the rest of my years..."
I felt beads of sweat glistening on my burning forehead as I was still swamped with a very high fever in my bed. As for what I discovered, I wanted to read more of what I found, but I was too tired to move after what I went through, for this wasn't the first time that I discovered some nostalgia that came out of nowhere so far…
Many years ago…
I was there on Essos as I was yet on another journey by entering into the room with the red rubber ball in it. By the time I was there, I was in the town of New Ballarat as it was a place that resembled a western mining town with plenty of horse-drawn carriages coming and going. As usual, I was off into unknown territory as I saw plenty of people bringing their goods and supplies for sale in their usual businesses in which I went straight into a saloon. I was seeing the structure of the establishment clearly as I noticed a sign on the wall that said "no alcohol allowed" in both English and Arabic. All they served around Essos was mainly fruit juice, soda, tea, and other things as I dug into my backpack and got out the dinarii that I found on my last journey two years earlier. I was thirsty as the heat from outside was getting dangerous due to the hot weather permeating on a November day, but I mustered the courage to walk towards the counter to order up something to drink right away.
"Excuse me, mister," I said as I climbed up onto one of the stools. "I would like some orange juice, please."
"You're looking at a bar that caters to adults instead of wobblers like you," said the clerk as he spoke with a heavy Australian accent. "I bet that you're far from home upwards on this planet, aren't you, short stuff?"
"The little one would rather take something other than orange juice," said a middle-aged man as he was dressed in nomadic Arab garb. "The guava juice is in full spring and the little one will take it."
I saw the clerk fix me a glass of guava juice instead of orange juice as I took a small sip of it. The taste of it was wonderful as I began to drink it to the last drop before paying with what I had in my hand before leaving. Just before I was about to leave, I saw a stranger entering into the saloon as it was a man dressed entirely in black while sniffing the air for some odd reason. The middle-aged man in nomadic Arab garb recognized the stranger as a vampire as he was smelling the blood in the air despite being in the daytime. To my shock, I saw the stranger's mouth open as I saw retractable teeth coming over the gumline in which he was ready to feed on the unsuspecting customers. It wasn't long until the nomadic Arab next to me fished out a blowgun as he blew a dart into the vampire's neck the moment he saw him fall to his knees.
"You have no right to be coming here to feast on the innocent," I heard him say as he got out a scimitar from beneath his robe. "Normally, scum like you prey on unsuspecting folk on the dirt roads of Alecrast, but you decide to come here after I tracked you down from your nest that fed on the travellers in this region."
"You have no authority on me, you towel-headed prick!" yelled the vampire as he was unable to move. "We vampires may have tripled all over the place, but there will be more of my kind in the making."
"It seems that you cannot move because the dart I shot into your neck is tipped with Dead Man's Blood, which can stun you. As for your snacking on the innocent…," The man usus his scimitar to chop off the vampire's head as it rolled onto the floor. "It ceases immediately before you cause more carnage in your path."
I saw the middle-aged man cart off the headless corpse out of the saloon as he even took the head out of there. I never expected to see someone like him come and take out a vampire like that as I later noticed the custodians coming forward with their cleaning supplies to clean up the mess that was left behind not too long ago. I wanted to know more about the mysterious man who killed that vampire in the saloon as I went outside and began to search for answers until I spotted him going towards a camel that was parked next to the horses. By the time I saw him leaving the town, I turned around and saw Dad standing right behind me as he was most likely to be bringing me home soon.
"I had a feeling that you would be here," he said.
"I saw a guy kill another guy, but he had teeth that retracted like what you told me and Dean," I said.
"What you saw was a vampire and they're not like in the lore from films or television. They hunt for prey day or night, but the only way to kill them is by beheading them plain and simple."
"That's what I saw earlier when I had my juice in the saloon!"
"You can tell us later, but right now, it's almost your bedtime and you better not make your stepmother mad at you this time, alright?"
I nodded as I followed Dad back to where the room with the red rubber ball was at. As for my adventure in New Ballarat on Essos, it was something that was new for me as I was most likely to be seeing what I saw once again…
The next morning, I was going back towards the room with the red rubber ball as I closed the door behind me and waited patiently. I was wanting to explore a little more as I saw the rubber ball glowing on the incantation that was on the floor. By the time I opened up the door, I was on Essos again as I found myself in a seaside town that would soon bring back memories in my adulthood in the near future. The place itself was a calm one as I never saw anything like it before, for it had a gorgeous beach that everyone went to on picnics and to go swimming at. I was happy to be here as I was most likely to be collecting seashells on my visit. With my bag in my hands, I began to collect a few of them as I stuffed them in there. I was having fun until I noticed a familiar man walking along the beach as he was standing near the shore. I had a feeling that he would be hunting something else as I was steeped in curiosity for a brief moment.
It wasn't long until I followed him towards a cave near the ocean as he was hunting for a monster that I never saw before. I was wanting to see more of what was going on as I spotted the middle-aged man going after a Wendigo that had been stealing and eating the locals here in this town. I had a feeling that the man would tread into further danger as I followed him to unknown territory. Just as I was about to do so, I saw a Wendigo appear out of nowhere as it seized me by the legs. I was about to be eaten by such a monster until I felt my raw power surging without warning. I felt the raw power itself building up as I saw the Wendigo explode into many pieces until the middle-aged man came and noticed what was going on. With what was left of the Wendigo scattered all over the rocky ground, I was left unscathed as I was scared to death of what happened to me just now. The middle-aged man came forth to assess the situation at hand as he was also grateful that I was safe from harm, for I was more than just a wandering boy that explored out of curiosity.
"You destroyed the monster that has been terrorizing the locals that were vanishing in the night," he said to me. "You have a very extraordinary power that will be a godsend to all of us in our darkest hour in the future."
"It's you from the other day…," I said as I was reeling from my near-death experience.
"The Wendigo that I was tracking didn't expect you to destroy it, but if you didn't, then you would've been its morsel by now."
"I was collecting seashells to bring back home, but-"
I spotted a vein of a familiar mineral as it was none other than tradarium itself. The middle-aged man that I stumbled upon never saw anything like it before as he took out a hammer and pounded at it in which a large slab fell to the ground. The mineral itself was a bigger godsend as it was most likely to be worth a lot of money on the sly. For me, I didn't mind it as I saw the middle-aged man take the slab of tradarium and left the cave entirely. By the time I followed him out, I saw several of the townsfolk coming towards us as they never saw tradarium in a long time, for we even had our pictures taken afterwards. I never had my picture taken outside of Alecrast before, but I had a feeling that this adventure of mine would soon become a reality in the near future...
Meanwhile, back in the present…
I woke up as I felt a lukewarm washcloth pressed to my burning forehead. I was still not doing too well as I felt the fever pinning me down in such an awful manner like that. Sitting up, I heard the door open as I saw Dean entering into the room with a tray of food in his hands. Even though the smell of it consisted of what was talked about earlier, I felt my stomach growling as I was most likely to be wanting food instead of being sick all the time. Still, I had to eat something as I noticed Dean setting the tray of food in front of me, for he was wanting me to get my strength back after what I went through three days ago.
"There's enough seafood chowder to last us for two days, but with a full house on deck, it's dibs on it," he said to me. "The women in the kitchen were hard at work after seeing the catch from the ocean not too long ago, but it's a lot better than the cooking back in the castle in Kanto Village on Alecrast."
"We're only here temporarily, but after the war is over, then we'll be back home where we need to be," I said as I grabbed a spoon and dug into the bowl of seafood chowder that was piping hot. "The food's good and it has a more marine feel than what we get back home."
"The seafood chowder knocked it out of the ball park, but it's also filling as well."
"Sometimes, I miss being back at the castle on Alecrast, but being here in Chateau de le Mer on Essos is something that is known to entrap one with its sea air. Every once in a while, I walk towards the beach and gaze at the ocean, but my presence here is one of the most greater godsends that I ever had so far."
"You can walk to the beach at another time, but you're staying in bed right now, Sammy. So far, you've been cooped up with this fever ever since you had that vision and it's not for the faint of heart, either. Still, you need to appreciate yourself a hell of a lot more than what you give us, you got that?"
"What the hell are you talking about, Dean?"
"You know what I'm talking about… After you and your family hightailed it over here, I got a call from Julilla about your mental state."
"My mental state is none of anyone's business now because of the war going on. She's messing with you and everyone knows it."
"No, she wasn't messing with me 'cause she's banking on you going back home and in the jaws of the Executive Division. I know that those asshats are also banking on you to be as docile and broken just the way they meant it to be. And another thing, you've always protected us time and time again, but you also bear a grudge against a certain someone other than those who cause havoc on the innocent."
"I know that it's General Wetzel and his cronies because of the fact that he's not giving up until I'm caught and used as a weapon against my wishes."
"Wrong… The person you truly hate the most is none other than yourself, Sam." I was stunned to hear that as I began to feel weighed down by such words like that. "You may not wanna admit to it, but you've bore this grudge and resentment towards yourself since you were tossed into Gehenna all those years ago. And you say that we all matter more than you? It's not happening and it's not healthy for you to bring yourself down like that. And another thing, you can't just let yourself get kicked to the ground like that. You may have accomplished a few things, but the rest of what you've buried have been abandoned by you all because you were under the yoke of Sylvanus all those years ago. You can't live like that and it's not very healthy for you, either. It's a sad fact, but you're gonna have to come terms with yourself or else you'll be nothing more than just a doormat to those who are wanting to abuse the raw power that you've got. You may say that you're fine, but it won't kill you to just show yourself some gratitude for once."
I was silent as I laid back down after finishing my food as I saw Dean take the tray and dishes away before leaving the room. Still, I was staring off into space as I continued to look at the ceiling for such a long time. The words that my older brother spoke of began to gnaw at me as I was at a standstill in a cesspool of misery of my own making. I was also looking into the journal that I found as I looked at an inspirational quote in Arabic as I deciphered it carefully, for I would soon grasp at what I had so far.
"A man is plenty of things, but if he abandons himself, then he is lost in a black hole of his own making."
I was taking those words to heart as I was ready to fall asleep in my bed. Just as I was about to do so, I felt a knife being pressed to my throat as I was scared to death. What was going on? Why am I hallucinating again? When I saw my assailant clearly, I noticed him to be a familiar nuisance that I thought would go away quietly. It was Soulless Sam as he was not too happy with me trying to grasp some personal gratitude for myself, for he was itching to keep everything as is on the sly.
"Looks like your quest for personal satisfaction and self-love is trying to pan out," he said with an icy smile. "But lately, I'm not gonna let you do that because of the fact that you're the Executive Division's tool and you know it."
"Get the hell away from me," I said as I was shaking with fear.
"Sorry, but I'm here to keep you from having more love for yourself because of the fact that you're better off that way. It's a cruel irony, but you can't escape it."
"You can't do this to me!"
"For starters, have you heard of the tale of Narcissus? I know this because your superior told you all about it during your years on Gehenna. The guy in the tale loved himself so much that he became shallow and arrogant. And when he turned down a nymph to be satisfied in his own vanity, the gods punished him by cursing him to stare at the pond's reflection until he drowned. Are you willing to drown in your own personal vanity, Sammy, or do I have to keep you in your place of self-loathing for the rest of your days? Make the choice or else I'll come back to haunt you!"
I saw Soulless Sam disappear as I heard the door open up. When I sat up, I noticed Kotori arriving here as she was concerned about my health like the rest of us. Armed with her medical bag, she opened it up as she got out a stethoscope, thermometer, and blood pressure cuff to examine me with. In the long run, I didn't tell her about Soulless Sam as I was scared to death of what he would do if I didn't comply to his demands. I didn't want to hear about how I was coping with my hallucinations getting the better of me as I just wanted to lay in bed for the rest of the day.
"You look as if you saw death staring at you," I heard her say as she wrapped the blood pressure cuff around my right arm. "Whatever it is that you're suffering from, you're gonna have to come clean on that one after what you went through. It's hard for anyone to deal with what ails them, but they can't shelve it aside forever."
"It's not a good day for me," I said.
"I can tell that you're not feeling well even after taking in some food." Kotori begins to pump into the blood pressure cuff that was wrapped around as she placed the diaphragm part of the stethoscope onto my forearm. "Just stay calm, alright? There's nothing to fear right now."
"I just hope that you're right on that one..."
"Your blood pressure is on the medium, but that doesn't mean that you're in the clear just yet. As for the rest of your problems, I'm busy examining your vitals right now."
After my blood pressure was examined, I noticed Kotori using her stethoscope as she pressed the diaphragm part to my chest and began to listen to my heart and lungs. I had no problem with her as I was too tired and scared to give her a hard time right now. All I did was stay put in my bed as I was patient with her me. I was safe from my personal id or so I thought as I saw him appear in front of the bed with an evil smirk on his face. He was ready to pounce as he was most likely to strike me down with nothing more than the quips of terror imaginable in his arsenal.
"You see, I'm more than likely to rain on your parade, Sam," he said as he was glaring at me. "In the end, I'll never leave you because I'm a part of you from the beginning."
I was starting to lose it as I felt my heartbeat quickening without warning. Kotori was aware of it as she never expected me to lose it like that. With Soulless Sam glaring at me like that, I was about to suffer from a seizure until I saw Dean approaching. He was concerned about my health as he wasn't about to let me slide not one bit. I was worried to the extreme as I had a feeling that I would be bogged down by the same personal id that plagued me since my departure from Shiganshina a few months back. I was scared out of my mind as I wanted to bolt out of my bed and go straight to the bathroom and lock the door behind me. I was wanting to do that until I was stopped by a much higher power that stilled my distance. At that moment, I noticed a ghost appearing out of nowhere as he was a familiar one indeed, for he was there to give me guidance in order to stay sane in this time of war and uncertainty.
"It seems that you are troubled after the last time I saw you," he said to me as he was none other than the same middle-aged man I saw in my younger days. "You've been neglecting yourself just to make sure others would be happy, but you show little value amongst yourself in the wrong way."
"Keep your mouth shut, you towel-headed scumbag!" yelled Soulless Sam as he pulled out a gun on the ghost. "Sam's my personal plaything and self-love can make him like Narcissus instead of the 'normal' humanoid beings that crawl everywhere."
"Your words will never harm me because I'm dead. As for you in the form of the same soulless id you have, I demand that you be gone from here."
"You have no authority over me! As for Sam there, he's better off the way he is right now."
"Leave the old man alone," I said as I threw a pillow at Soulless Sam as he was going away.
"Have it your way for now, Sammy, but as soon as the backs of your inner circle are turned, I strike and I will win."
I saw Soulless Sam vanish as I was left reeling with the fear that was overwhelming me in such a troubling state. I also noticed the same middle-aged man in his ghostly form standing in front of me as I wasn't afraid of him right now. The middle-aged man himself was a brave soul that was there as he was most likely to give me the guidance that I needed right now, for it was vital that I did so. Even Dean and Kotori noticed the ghost as they realized that he was there for a reason like any other guardian angel to watch over me in this time of crisis.
"It's been years since I saw you, Sam," he said to me. "I know you because of that sigil on your forehead the moment you did away with a Wendigo that stalked this coastal town."
"You did away with a Wendigo over here?" asked Dean as he was stunned to hear something like that. "I thought that you were wandering all over the place in other parts and planets all the live long 'cause there's no telling when or where you would go before Dad caught you and brought you home."
"I was just a little kid back then…," I said.
"You found the journal of Jaheed al-Mazari, didn't you?" asked Kotori as she spotted the it on the bed. "For years, that middle-aged Terran was known as the Wayfarer due to his travels all over this region of Austros on Essos. Unfortunately, the man died from his injuries when he lost his life protecting a family from a werewolf who invaded this town years ago. By the time he was cremated, his remains were scattered into the ocean near the cave he explored in. As for his journal, it was kept by the Order in which they hid it very well until it was found."
"This Jaheed al-Mazari…, is he from the Order of Letters like the rest of us?" I asked.
"He was from the Order, but he was a freelanced hunter that was even revered by Ryosuke of all people before his passing. He also believed in the balance of the soul in which one must show gratitude for oneself just as much as the people one cares about so much. He wrote all about the boy with the raw power in which he was grateful that he was helpful in intervals, for it was you who made this possible."
At that moment, I felt a glowing aura surrounding me as I began to absorb the memory of what I lost over the years. I was feeling the greatness of what I found as I was becoming more complete with every passing tide of regaining what was taken away from me. By the time I was holding the journal, I saw the ghost of the middle-aged man getting ready to take his leave while being surrounded by the ones I had lost so far. I even noticed Ippei and Shizuo standing beside him as they were there to make sure that I stood on the right path. Even Dean and Kotori were stunned to see my mentor and his son appearing as they were there for a reason, for they were most likely to issue out a dire warning of what would happen next.
"Ippei…," I said as I was stunned to see him.
"Jaheed's journal is a key to stop the Executive Division," he said.
"But he was a freelanced hunter, wasn't he?" said Dean.
"Jaheed al-Mazari may have been a freelanced hunter, but he was also a man who refused to back down and turn Sam towards the Executive Division as their weapon. He also made sure that no one would ever enact Project Apollo or any other of what was built in other parts of the Ashizoka System and beyond."
"I had made sure that the small one in question would be safe, but if he is caught, then he will change the future by sabotaging the ones that are after him for their own personal greed and lust for power," he said. "In the end, he will surround himself with all of the kindness that can never be extracted, no matter what anyone can do to stop it."
"We all know that General Wetzel may be stuck on Alecrast, but he is biding his time right now just in time to plan his next move," said Shizuo. "It's not fun, but we have to prepare for what is coming on the horizon. You did remember that vision, didn't you, Sam?"
"This town will be invaded by the Executive Division and most of Darbus Toller's leftovers," I said as I laid back down. "I know of this because they won't stop until everyone here is dead in front of them..."
"Even the deciever can be deceived," said Ippei. "If we time this victory, then we'll do what we can to put General Wetzel and his cronies in their place. We can't let them take you to be their weapon, Sam. If that ever happens, then we'll lose this war that wasn't supposed to happen in the beginning."
"And I'll finish this war..." I said.
"Actually, finishing this war will get more harder than you think," said Shizuo cautiously. Sooner or later, we'll end up messing up and we can't let that happen, regardless of the situation at hand. Jaheed's journal will tell you what to expect because he was one of the Terran God's prophets as well."
At that moment, I saw all three vanish up to the afterlife as I was most likely to be preparing for war to protect Lillium from a malicious assault. As for Dean and Kotori, however, they were concerned for my health as I was most likely to be out of it after having that vision three days ago. I also had a feeling that my vision was coming true in spades as I looked into the journal that I found from behind the bed earlier. I looked into some of the further pages until I noticed a drawing of the cavern that I visited in long ago. It was a detailed map of sorts as I saw something in the middle of it in which it resembled a building embedded into rock. Whatever it was, I was eager to know more about it as I was most likely to be tossed in the middle of the upcoming battle on the horizon.
"I've never saw this before until now," I said.
"I know of that place," said Kotori as she put away her stethoscope. "It was built under the cave near the ocean in which it was also a home for the Draaza."
"Then I'll go there..."
"You're not going anywhere right now, Sam," said Dean sternly. "You're still not doing too well and you need to rest up."
"Dean, there's a war coming here to Lillium and I can't just shy away from it in a split second. We all know that the Executive Division will stop at nothing just to get to me and they aren't pausing in their tracks, either."
"We can handle this, Sam. We're no strangers to dealing with Darbus Toller's plethora of soulless dolls and we'll take them out just like we did in the dirt roads on Alecrast. So far, General Wets-His-Pants started this crap against the Order and the Alecrian Army, but we can't just play possum forever."
"There's no telling when or where they will strike," said Kotori. "As for what is detailed in Jaheed's journal, we'll chance it when we gather up the townsfolk and bring them there."
"And we'll do that…," I said as I was feeling lightheaded from the fever I was suffering from. "If General Wetzel thinks he can do what he wants just to get to me, then he's-"
At that moment, Dean got out the thermometer and shoved it under my tongue. He wasn't about to let me out of his sight yet as he was concerned about my health altogether. By the time that the thermometer beeped, he took it out of my mouth as he saw that I had a much lighter temperature of 102.7 on the sly. Still, I wasn't feeling too well as I saw Dean and Kotori leave the room in which I was alone for the time being. I was resting up after suffering from this fever as I was also most likely to be on the mend soon enough, for the upcoming battle here was only the beginning of my worries…
Ryosuke was in his office as he was looking into the further files of the spiking activity that was going on here since the Second Galvanic Uprising started. He was also dreading the surging rise of Darbus' leftovers being spotted in random places as he wanted to go there and stop them himself in this time of crisis. It was hell all over as the reports kept piling up until Ryosuke heard the door opening up. In that moment, he saw Minara arriving as he was also busy dealing with the injured all over Alecrast and other planets, for this wasn't going anywhere so far.
"I take it that you've got your hands full," he said as he was busy looking into some files.
"Marshal Calvert and his platoon are on the move towards Essos after going through the travelling portal in Winchester Castle," said Minara. "We got word that a band of Darbus' leftovers have reached Essos and they're on their way towards Lillium."
"That's where Sam and his family are staying at..." Ryosuke had a feeling that my location would soon be compromised after what occurred earlier. "We can't let them fall victim to the Executive Division's tools coming there. It's not right to do so like that."
"Dean's gonna love dealing with those things..."
"It's not all that I'm worried about. There are several allies of the Executive Division that are in league with General Wetzel and his cronies like Cyrus Truax and his slimy son, Virgil, on Westeros and they've got a bounty on their heads right now. There are deserters from the Drakonar Army that have allied themselves with the Executive Division and they'll stop at nothing to dominate the galaxy and it doesn't end with Sam Winchester being the ultimate prize in their conquest."
"It's Jan Thurber, isn't it?"
"Jan Thurber is the twin brother of Olenna Thurber, but he's known for his scare tactics than imposing the usual computer chips on the soulless dolls in his arsenal. He's like his sister, but he's known for causing widespread panic to those who stand against him. He's dangerous, but Sam's gonna have to watch his back on that guy. He's determined to obey one master and that's General Wetzel and his cronies in the Executive Division."
It wasn't long until Ryosuke saw the phone on his desk ringing as he saw the name on the caller identification list. It was General Wetzel as the dangerous man was most likely to be giving his victims a hard time in such a dangerous precedent in mind. By the time Ryosuke picked up the phone, he was expecting the power-hungry general to respond as he was ready to tell him off for causing the Second Galvanic Uprising to begin with.
"I had a feeling that you would call like that," he said.
"Ryosuke Ashizoka, I presume?" said General Wetzel over the phone in an icy voice. "I believe that your friends and subordinates here on Drakonus will soon heed to my demands."
"I already know that Jan Thurber sent a faction of the leftovers from Darbus Toller's collection and they've reached Essos. Whatever you're planning, you won't stand a chance of what we can truly do to stop you in this war."
"I already know where Sam Winchester is because he's in the seaside town of Lillium on Essos in which Jan's contribution to this war will end in my favor in the end."
"Let me remind you that you will never get to Sam, nor will your cronies break his will and spirit in the process. Sooner or later, you will regret starting this war in the first place."
"I have no regrets, but I will not stop until Sam belongs to the Executive Division. Very soon, you will fork him over to us or risk the Essoan town of Lillium change from a thriving fishing community to a horrifying bloodbath."
"This is utter blackmail! You know very well that we won't agree to such demands!"
"You see, my kind Ryosuke, during my time on and off the field in the Alecrian Army, I delved into Sam's medical records until I was caught red-handed by Kazuo Mitani of all people. He knows that Sam was diagnosed with clinical depression and it's the best way to make him docile enough to heed the call to our campaign."
"And you play up on his mental state just for that?!" Anger fumed within Ryosuke as he was ready to throw something. "You arrogant swine! You keep wanting to claim Sam to be your weapon, but using his mental state as a tactic to fuel your own selfish gain?! You're more than low because your reasons to do so have crossed the line already! Sam Winchester is a living humanoid being, not a tool or a bargaining chip or even your so-called 'weapon!' What you've done was cause more havoc in the ranks of those who are willing to shut you down for your rhetoric! In the end, you won't win because of the fact that Sam will never bow down to you or your inflammatory group, is that clear to you?!"
Ryosuke hung up the phone as he was seething with anger. He was not too happy with General Wetzel altogether as he was itching to strangle him when he got the chance. Still, he wasn't about to fork me over as he was also getting ready to tear a new one into those who were seeing me as a weapon in their own selfish gains. It wasn't long until he saw a woman in Drakonar military garb arriving as she was armed with a sword and sniper rifle. The woman herself had green hair and purple eyes as she was also newly promoted in her new position in the rankings, for she was ready to do her duty and fight against the Executive Division like the rest of us.
"Spill it," said Ryosuke. "We don't have all day, you know."
"Ryosuke Ashizoka, I've come here on behalf of the Drakonar Army," said the woman. "My name's Daorani Zurket and I'm a lieutenant in General Korasani's squad. We're all here to serve you in this time of need after we got word that Marshal Calvert and his squad in the Alecrian Army have arrived on Essos."
"We're gonna need all the help we can get because Sam Winchester will never be a tool for the Executive Division of those who ally with their cause."
"My Lord, some of my squadron are ready to go straight to Essos as planned. As for the Second Galvanic Uprising, it's more than enough to put a dent into what the Executive Division has done in order to steal Sam Winchester to activate Project Apollo and others like it."
"Then get to Essos as soon as possible. The war that was started by a power-hungry madman has spread and we can't let him bring us under his thumb in the process. It's time to act and we act immediately."
"I'll be there for the Medical Corps in order to help those in need," said Minara. "We all know that Sam is the main target and General Wetzel and his cronies will stop at nothing to get what they want in the end."
"It won't happen. I won't let Sam get tossed under the bus like that because of the fact that he has all that raw power that can soon turn the tables on the Executive Division if we're lucky enough to see him live to tell the tale. As for this war, it won't end with General Wetzel's demise just yet because there are more in his service that will bow down to him and take his place and I won't let that come to pass, not when I'm living and breathing right now."
Ryosuke was determined to protect me from the Executive Division as he was most likely to be bringing in the noise in this battle. As for what will happen next, the die was cast and the gauntlet was thrown as the future battle in Lillium was just the beginning of our worries at this moment…
I was up in the middle of the night as I was in the hallway after using the bathroom earlier. Even though I was unwell, I wanted to breathe in the sea air here as I went downstairs and crept to the front door. By the time I was outside, I walked towards the beach as I had a feeling that I would soon find what was once found in my youth. At that moment, I spotted the familiar cavern as ran towards it in order to look for what was found in the journal of the man I once saw. When I made it to where I wanted to get to, I was walking on the shore as I felt the ocean water touch at my bare feet. I was ready to look for it as I entered into the cavern and found a shrine for the dead near a smooth wall where the tradarium once came out of. I noticed it to be of those who were killed by the Wendigo that Jaheed was hunting as I prayed for the fallen before continuing my expedition.
It wasn't long until I noticed some stairs that led downward as I went towards the place that was on the map in Jaheed's journal. It was a place that was more like a stronghold underground as I went towards the main entrance of it. By the time I got there, I heard footsteps approaching as I turned around and saw Dean coming towards me. He wasn't about to let me out of his sight as he was determined to take me back to the house before I ended up getting much sicker than normal.
"There you are," he said. "You know that you can't just wander off like that, Sam."
"I know this place in the journal I found," I said.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Kotori said that this place is a stronghold that was built by the Draaza and it was made centuries ago long before the humans came here."
"Speaking of Draaza..." Dean spots a cemetery filled with obsidian headstones as he had a feeling that the occupants of this place were dead and gone. "This place is a tomb for those who defended it to the last man."
"We found it anyway, but the Draaza made it more complex to keep intruders out in times of war."
"We can look into it in the morning, but first, you need to get back into bed before you get even sicker from the fever."
"I had a feeling that you would say that..."
It wasn't long until I felt a surge of raw power flowing all over me as I couldn't contain it much longer. At that moment, I began to lose control of it as a surge of it shot through the cavern roof in which a number of bats were rattled by the shock of it. In a strange notion, I was shielded as I was also protecting Dean from the bat swarm the moment we spotted them leaving the cave until there wasn't any more of the chiropteran underdwellers left. By the time I was exhausted, I began to cough up blood as I wasn't feeling too well after that surge of raw power that drained me so far. I wasn't doing too well as I began to faint onto the ground after protecting myself and older brother from the bats that flew out of the cavern. Dean was concerned about my health as he had a feeling that the surge of raw power was never the end of what would happen next.
"C'mon, Sam," he said as he was trying to wake me up. "You gotta work with me, alright?! There's no way in hell that you're going down like that!" He sees me opening my eyes as I let in a sharp breath into my lungs. "Well, that's more like it, but the bats are gone."
"What's going on there?!" yelled a familiar voice as he was spotted with a flashlight in his hands.
"Dude, we survived some of Batman's pals hightailing it, alright? As for Sam, he's not doing too well right now."
"We followed the cave, Dean. Besides, we have work to do in order to get most of the civilians into this stronghold. The Executive Division is coming and we don't have much time left. They are coming and they won't be merciful in their tracks."
Dean spotted Timothy as he was standing in front of us. With the rest of his squadron in the Alecrian Army coming towards us, it was going to be one long battle looming and it wasn't pretty, either. Sooner or later, this battle would soon change the course in the Second Galvanic Uprising as it was not for the faint of heart at this time...
To be continued...
