Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 7
Chapter 30: The Wayward Replacement
(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.)
Two thousand year into the past…
Sam was in his room as he was feeling the burden of leadership that plagued him since he found Dean free from Michael's grip. Even though he sent him on a hunting job, he was overburdened by the impact of leadership as he was staring at the ceiling while laying on his bed. The beard on his face was proof that he was trying to lead the group of people he brought into the normal world as he wanted to just stay in his room forever. On a whim, he got up and went towards the empty room as he was staring at the mural he once discovered. The picture of the future was something that was there as he found solace in seeing it in front of him. Just as he was about leave the room, he saw Jack come into the room as he was concerned about his mental state, for he was still under the burden of leadership.
"You're in this room to cope, aren't you?" he said.
"After all that has happened, it's all too much," answered Sam.
"You found Dean. You stood up to a bunch of demons. As for your leadership skills, you can't just leave us alone in the bunker."
"Before your birth, I went up against the British Men of Letters after they were killing some of the hunters here. After what happened to Mom, I had no other choice but to take action when I led the charge to stop them before they killed more of our people. Still, I can't run away from my responsibilities forever."
"The future on the wall says it all, but there's a long way to go, Sam. Please, don't let us down."
Jack's words gave Sam more purpose as he left the empty room and went towards the bathroom. He was ready to shave his beard off as he was ready to take charge in the bunker. With fresh hope and a fresh face, he was ready to take on the burden as the future was waiting for results, for it was waiting in the wings so far. He had a purpose instead of leading a normal life. He had a responsibility for the hunters he saved. There was a future looming as there would also be obstacles along the way, for it wasn't about to be pretty anytime soon...
Meanwhile, back in the present…
It had been a week since Kazuo's funeral as I was getting ready to go home. My stay in Kelmar Castle on Atreides was basically overstayed as I was on my way to the Order of Letters ship that was waiting for me. The funeral was too much for me to bear as I wanted to cry, but I had to focus on the current situation that involved the Second Galvanic Uprising. After all that was said and with our final respects paid in full, everyone was worried about Kazuo's replacement as Reuben was mainly the frontrunner of being Medic General of the Medical Corps. Still, I had no qualms about it as I wanted him to be committed to his job in full just like mine as Elder of the Order. When I spotted him sitting on a bench near the clearing, he was also saddened like me as he was also bewildered by the loss of the one of our friends in which he was starting to regret his decision to take over the Medical Corps in which I only pitied him, for it was too much to bear.
"I can't do this, Sam," I heard him say to me as he covered his face. "I made a mistake in taking over the Medical Corps and at the expense of Kazuo's death."
"You're more than qualified and now you're bailing?" I said.
"I dread the Review Board's decision to find someone other than me that is more qualified than I am. I only did training in treating diseases, injuries, and other ailments. I fear that that I would end up being rejected before I start."
"You did diagnose me with clinical depression, didn't you? Remember when Dean came and plucked me and my family from Shiganshina a year ago? I was adamant in staying put there after what Darbus Toller did to me. I hardly used my raw power because I feared retaliation from that man and his artificial dolls that are now being used by the Executive Division."
"And going without it made you feel irritable to the point of lashing you out. When we ushered you and your family on the Kurokage, you spent most of your days in the sickbay. I observed you carefully in which you were almost chucked out of the airlock."
"I remember that…"
I remembered those days on the Kurokage as being in and out of the sickbay was more like hell than calm. Still, my mental health changed Reuben's mind as he was given more insight than what was learn in the days of the Order's academic wing. He was a member of the Medical Corps till the bitter end as he was also scared of the moment of uncertainty. By the time we were about to take our leave, we saw an Order of Letters ship approaching as it was far different than any other that is flown all over the vastness of space. When we saw it land in a clearing, we saw several members in white robes coming out of it in which they were the superiors who reported to the leaders of the Order. Reuben knew of them as they were the ones who selected leadership in the four main corps branches, for they were ready to select Kazuo's replacement.
"I had a feeling that they would be here," he said to me.
"It's the members of the Review Board," I said. "From what I heard is that they are here on business since they heard of Kazuo's passing."
"They're desperate, I can tell."
"We already paid our final respects to Kazuo, but the selection for leadership in the Medical Corps is crucial for all, soldier and civilian alike."
We saw the members of the Review Board approaching towards us as they were there to find a proper replacement. I saw of them to be part of the seniority in the Order as they were respected, revered, and reviled at the same time. I have heard of the Review Board plenty of times as I was aware of what they do and how they operate. The weight of Kazuo's death was unexpected as both Reuben and I had no other choice but to hear them out eventually…
Reiko was in her room getting ready to return home as expected. After hearing about Kazuo's passing and paying her respects, she was feeling sad for the late Medic General as she noticed the Order of Letters ship landing in the distance. She knew of it to be a Review Board ship as she saw the members of it emerge out of it. Just as she was about to leave with me back home, she heard the door open as she saw Nibori enter in which she was also ready to go back, for she had a long way to go in her place in the Order of Letters as well.
"The Review Board is here," said Reiko as she saw them out of the window.
"Yeah, I know," answered Nibori. "I didn't expect Kazuo to die so readily until one of those witches told me of the poison he was suffering from."
"Kazuo… He was a member of my clan and a close friend."
"According to one of them, he was suffering from an ailment called the Brandings of God, which were a punishment towards him for not accepting his purpose as one of the Terran God's prophets. From what I also heard is that he got a little too overprotective over Sam due to the Executive Division and those who thirst for his raw power stalking him everywhere."
"You saved my husband's life, but he saved you in return, didn't he?"
"Yeah…" Nibori removes her shirt as she reveals the imprint of raw power protruding from her back. "An assassin tried to kill him and I got in the way to save him. Therefore, the bullet I took came from cobra venom, which is lethal to Terrans, but for Mirkosian, it's a slow agony before we end up dead. Luckily, Sam saved me from death, but as for the assassin who did the deed, he came from the Black Dragon Guild. Even though Kazuo died, his last observation came from me in which he spotted the imprint directly." She puts back on her shirt. "He wouldn't let me off the hook after he told me about my lineage with ties from the Vesper Guild. Even Odette told me that I should stay in the Order to protect you and Sam from those who would stop at nothing to abuse what they have."
"Odette is your grandmother, isn't she? She worries about you a lot, I can tell."
Without warning, Reiko and Nibori saw Jibara rush in as she was ready to collect them to where they needed to get to. It was a time of selection for the Review Board as it was a summons that no one is suppose to ignore. The death of Kazuo was polarizing as it was also unexpected due to the fact that no one had ever knew of the private pain that he was forced to endure. When Reiko and Nibori left with Jibara out into the hall, they were going towards the war room as the time of succeeding Kazuo was hanging in the balance. What no one expected was Rowena and Odette were watching in the distance as they were aware of Kazuo's passing, for they were also wanting on the gossip of who will replace him as Medic General of the Medical Corps.
"It's a wee busy today," said Rowena.
"The Review Board got wind of this, thanks to Ginryu running his mouth around," said Odette.
"It's a shame that Kazuo has passed. He was stern, but knew his work in medicine well."
"...Until the Brandings of God finally killed him." Odette clenches her fists as she remembered the sad news of Kazuo's passing. "It's been said that he made a deal with your son, only for Meizo to intervene to stop it."
"Aye… I told Meizo to stop Fergus' deal that her husband made because of the fact that there are angels who would melt the eyes out of the skulls of anyone that meddled with those who became one of God's prophets. If she hadn't confronted him to doing so, there would've been a mess coming from the Lord's Heavenly Host in droves."
"Chuck Shurley was the Lord until he abused his powers because he feared the end of his long story. After Jack Kline took over Heaven, Chuck was confronted by a newly resurrected Totsuka in which he put a limit on his powers as punishment for causing havoc."
"I remembered that when I was the Queen of Hell at the time. Totsuka, with the help of the Lord's father, Pendragon, managed to undo the mess that He made in which the ones who disappeared have now reappeared and returned to normal duties. There were a few happy endings in which Pendragon and Totsuka even brought back Eileen Leahy, who married the Sam Winchester of Old and had a son who was named after his uncle that died from a monster hunt."
"I remembered that when the Dean Winchester of Old ended up dead for the last time. What he didn't tell his brother that he was battling a terminal illness that resorted into claiming his life. He may have finally bought the roadhouse, but he left a few legacies behind when he first made out with a Draaza woman who was caught in the middle of the Apocalypse at the time."
"Aye, Dean Winchester from the Elder Days… He had a thing for loose women with experience and he never expected to have a bun in the oven with the ancestor of Doroka Trelundar in the buff. Her offspring she had was known as a Cetra, but the wee bairn grew and married into the Trelundar Clan soon enough. Her descendants may be part of that family, but they also have the blood of Winchester flowing in their veins."
"The Draaza woman who seduced the Dean Winchester of old did more than just go loose on him. She managed to milk some of his seed in preservation so that his legacy could live on. It also seems that the Winchesters of the present have different path in which a certain someone with raw power has already become a god, but they're also Cetra unlike their ancestors in the Elder Days."
Without warning, the sound of footsteps were heard as Rowena and Odette had to leave immediately due to the time of selection that the Review Board had invoked. When they reached a back door, they were outside as they noticed everyone, including me, being escorted by the Review Board as the inquiry for a possible selection had already begun. With Kazuo's replacement being decided, there would be ground of scrutiny waiting in the wings as there would be possible trouble coming, for this was going to be a long day indeed…
I found myself back in the war room again as I had Reiko and Nibori in tow. We were in the audience as we saw Reuben standing in front of the Review Board. This was a tough inquiry indeed as I didn't want my half-brother flaking out the moment he was being put in the spotlight for a much higher position than he ever anticipated. I have heard countless threats of the Review Board coming to assess other members of the Order as they weren't the types that can mess around, for their decisions were final once they were made for all of us who served in it.
"Reuben Winchester," said an elderly Atreidian woman as she was dressed in a Review Board robe. "It is said that you gained the proper experience after all the moment you delved deeper in your medical studies other than physical illnesses, injuries, and other ailments. Your dealing of your half-brother's mental health when he was plucked from Shiganshina became the catalyst of what you would deal with further."
"Lady Larsa," he said. "It is true that I diagnosed my half-brother with clinical depression, which he has suffered from every day. I also know of how some of the soldiers have dealt with the trauma that has plagued them after going up against the Executive Division and the leftovers that they acquired since the death of Darbus Toller a year ago."
"Let me remind you that you once served under the leadership of Yoichi Yano, who viewed mental health as a weakness. His actions even caused a traumatized soldier to commit suicide in which your former superior had no other choice but to bring us to expel him. After his ouster, your late superior forced those in the Medical Corps to take up psychology and how it impacts the body just as it impacts the mind."
"Yeah…, I served him and he refused to look in on those who suffered from various disorders that were mainly caused by trauma and other things. I saw Kazuo confront Director Yano once after he discovered one of his patients dead from suicide. It was the last straw when my late superior kicked him out, for I had to look into other disorders that impact the health of those who were turned away and put into Helgaard Citadel on Efrafa. Kazuo was no stranger to seeing suffering as he was also one of the members of the Order who ousted the mayor of New Capua on Claudius three hundred years ago."
"It is decided that our decision stems towards you for leadership of the Medical Corps. There is no going back on it once our decision is made."
"What Kotori Midorikawa? She was taught under Kazuo in which-"
"Kotori Midorikawa is with your older half-brother and his squad on Shiganshina, Reuben. The others in the Medical Corps are also aiding our soldiers that are fighting our enemies in this ongoing war that the Executive Division started up. The verdict is reached and from no on, you will become Medic General of the Medical Corps. This decision is final and this meeting is adjourned."
The sound of a gavel banging was the start of Reuben's path in the Medical Corps as I was elated to see him take over one of the four soldier corps in the Order. Standing up, I was grateful that Reuben was put here for a reason, but he was starting to have doubts about what was about to occur. Just as everyone was about to leave, we saw the doors opening up as we saw one of the castle servants standing in front. The air of suspicion loomed as I sensed that the servant was a demon the moment I saw her eyes flashing black. Reuben knew of it also as he saw everyone flying against the walls and desks. Even though he had a the Winchester sigil tattooed on his body, he had to stop the demon that was threatening us, for he had to act before everyone else got put in the crosshairs.
"Reuben Winchester," said the demon. "I take it that you still live and breathe."
"Back away!" he yelled.
"As I recall, Lester acted like a jackass and possessed you to get to the Grand Poobah in the Destiny of Worlds, only to die after being exorcised."
"I have the Winchester sigil tattooed on my body, so back off!"
"Aw, that's a shame! I would've went and snaked up your ass and wore your meatsuit, but that ship has sailed." A hex bag was tossed onto the floor as it captured the demon. "Seriously?" The demon spots a Devil's Trap on it. "A fucking hex bag? That's real cute!"
"I'm just getting started… bitch!" Reuben begins to recite the Rituale Romanum. "Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omni satanica potestas, omnis incursio;" he sees the demon writhing in pain as it was struggling to hold onto its host. "Infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, omnis et secta diabolica. Ergo draco maledicte, et omnis legio diabolica adjuramus te. Cessa decipere humanas creaturas; eisque aeternae Perditionis venenum propinare. Vade, Satana; inventor et magister omnis fallaciae, hostis humanae salutis. Humiliare sub potenti manu dei, contremisce et effuge; invocato a nobis sancto et terribili nomine, quem inferi tremunt." The demon's host begins to bleed out as it was still struggling to hang on. "Ab insidiis diaboli, libera nos, Domine. Ut Ecclesiam tuam secura tibi facias libertate serviere te rogamus, audi nos. Terribilis Deus de sanctuario suo. Deus Israhel ipse virtutem truderit et fortidudinem plebi suae. Benedictus Deus, Gloria Patri!"
The demon was finally exorcised as the servant fell onto the floor. I sprinted towards Reuben as he got out his first aid kit to tend to the servant's wound. What I never expected was that the hex bag on the floor was a godsend as I had a feeling that the two meddling witches would get involved until I noticed Nibori coming towards us to pick it up. Without further hesitation, Reiko ran towards us as she began to place her hands on the servant that was possessed by a demon, only to see her wounds fully healed after all that has happened. Several members of the Medical Corps arrived to tend to the wounded as they saw Reuben standing there the moment they bowed in front of him, for he was fully recognized as the new Medic General after all.
"There's no time for adulation," he said to them. "There are people wounded, so I suggest that you tend to them first." He sees them doing as told as he was aware of what happened earlier. "I had a gut feeling that my first day as the new boss would end up in disaster."
"Not entirely," said Nibori as she showed us the hex bag with the Devil's Trap. "I may have witching blood in my veins, but I'm no pushover when I had to use this thing to trap that demon you exorcised earlier."
"I see it now. It appears that Odette Clarke of the Vesper Guild happens to be your grandmother and the one who aided Sam into putting the clampdown on Cesare Zampano back in the Sprawl on Lannister."
"Like it or not, I'm not just a scrapper, but I'm also a witch who is part of the Order. I can't leave Sam or Reiko unattended because of what's been going on. I even have an imprint of raw power on my back after I took a bullet from an assassin who tried to kill him."
"It's true," said Reiko as she was staring at Nibori. "You have taken the reins of both the Order and the Vesper Guild, but you chose to being with us at the behest of me and Sammy."
"Sam saved my life twice. I can't abandon him while everyone is out to take him down, including those asshats who want him to be Lucifer's vessel during our trip to Gehenna."
"The Red Inquisition," said Jibara as she walked towards us while clenching her fists. "I've seen them before in which the Red Cardinal has a desire to bring back the one that was sealed away by Torune Mitani. They're dangerous and this isn't the first time that they tried to force it after the Apocalypse ended in the Elder Days. They tailed the Sam Winchester of Old, only to have divine intervention from the future in which it helped Jack Kline to banish them before they finished the deed."
I remembered that excursion as it was the last time I had interaction with Kazuo before his death. He was suffering internally the whole time as I also had disdain for not telling everyone about his ill health. He could've told us all, but he put the lives of others before his own as he didn't want anyone else to know about the private pain he was forced to endure. Therefore, I couldn't let it get to me as I wanted to see Reuben take the reins of being the Medic General of the Medical Corps, for he had the courage to step up after being there to exorcise the demon at the last minute. It wasn't long until Larsa and the rest of the Review Board surrounded him as they were ready to give him their blessing, for it was part of his new position that he inherited from Kazuo.
"Reuben Winchester, son of John Winchester and Cynthia MacVicker," she said. "Do you swear on the Hippocratic Oath, 'First do no harm?'"
"I do," he said.
"Do you solemnly swear to help those who are ailing, tend to the sick and wounded, and console those who suffer from mental strains of their psyche?"
"I do."
"Do you solemnly swear to help those in need when trauma and mental illnesses infest the body and mind, even when disaster or war strikes?"
"I do."
"Then it is settled. Reuben Winchester, I now pronounce you Medic General of the Medical Corps till the day you depart this galaxy."
I was pleased at Reuben as he took the oath seriously. Still, I had to console him after he was forced to carry a heavy burden as it would soon be a full-time job soon enough, for this was just the beginning of his tenure in his new position. It was a great bet as I was more than elated to see my half-brother take the reins as Kazuo's successor, but it wasn't easy for him. When I saw him leave the war room, I followed him as he was walking towards the cafeteria. Something was bothering him as I had to console him immediately, for he was starting to have second thoughts after all.
"You're scared, aren't you?" I said.
"I don't know if I want this job, Sam," he said to me.
"You're afraid that you won't measure up to Kazuo, aren't you?"
"Kazuo was steely, but he was damn good at his job in the Medical Corps. I don't know if I'm ready for filling his shoes."
"There's nothing to be scared of, Reuben. I know that you will be a formidable Medic General because of your experience with dealing with me on the Kurokage."
"You spent your days in the sickbay due to your mental state. I monitored your condition in which your readings were off the scales. There were times that you even had a nervous breakdown due to your mental health taking a toll on you. I know that your clinical depression isn't something that can be taken lightly because of the fact that your overall health is still in shambles. I know of this because you feel bogged down by harsh words and they have consequences."
"I know…"
I remembered those days on the Kurokage as I dealt with staying in bed in the sickbay. I also remembered the troubles that I went through as always bounced back from my own predicament. When I saw Reuben sitting at one of the tables in the cafeteria, I noticed his hands shaking as he was feeling anxious. I felt the shakiness of them as he was dreading the first day on his new position warily, for he was starting to feel more nervous than normal.
"I don't know if I wanna lead the Medical Corps, Sam," he told me.
"I know that you're scared, but you can't abandon your subordinates right now," I said.
"This is too much for me to bear!" I see Reuben shedding tears as he was also on the brink of an anxiety attack. "I can't lead the Medical Corps right now! It was Kazuo's job before I took the reins! If he saw me now, he would be ashamed of me after I told him that I would be taking command of the Medical Corps. What a shitty mistake on my part..."
"There's nothing to be ashamed of, Reuben. You're fiercely devoted to the Medical Corps because you've gained experience with what you saw in your travels. The Medical Corps needs you and you need them. Don't abandon them or turn them away. You have a long way to go in which there is hope in your new position. Kazuo would never be ashamed of you, for he had your devotion in the Medical Corps up to par. Your decision to take over the Medical Corps is not a mistake. You made your calling clear in which it is made for you to pave the way for your devotion and changing compassion."
Reuben was elated to hear my words of encouragement as he wasn't afraid to take on the reins of Kazuo's successor. He was grateful that I brought him on the right path as he wasn't afraid to deal with his new position, for it was a new beginning that was cemented in the Order's record books so far...
Later on in the evening, I was in my room as the night was coming down from outside. The stars were shining brightly as the warm air permeated with the Atreidian atmosphere. The long day of dealing with the Review Board was too much as I began to lay down on the futon. Even though I was newly cleaned and dressed, I felt a lingering urge for Reiko as she was laying next to me the moment I watched her turn towards me. The sight of her drove me wild as I wanted to take her before returning home to our family that were waiting in the Cerulean Palace on Targaryen. What I never expected was that I felt an urge to mate once more as I felt the a sensual heat creeping within my loins. After a week of sadness and heartache, I had to alleviate my own suffering as I was staring at Reiko a lot more than what I expected. Even though she gave birth to Zia and Zoran five months ago, she wasn't about ready to breed again as I wanted her for the rest of the night.
When she opened her eyes, she saw me touching at her breasts as I even kissed at her soft lips the moment I opened up her robe and revealed her body to me. Taking off my own robe, I wanted to manage my own urge as wanted to simply bring Reiko towards pleasure. With the lingering urge taking over, I had an advantage as I spotted a condom near the futon in which I was eager to take the plunge before going home. I was all over Reiko until I felt her hand touch at the member and adjoining pouch between my legs. Her touch jolted me to excitement as I was more than aroused when I was kissing her all over. I pulled no punches as I felt my member hardening up the moment I unwrapped the condom and placed it where it needed to go.
I was ready to take the plunge as I on top of Reiko while spreading her legs. At that moment, I plunged deep inside of her as I was giving her more pleasure than what I can muster. I felt whole with her as I calmed my urge and became fully sated with her. I loved her more than anything as I was there to give more than I have. I was thrusting with all I had as I was all over her with such an insatiable bliss. This lingering desire I had made me feel more in tune with Reiko as she was craving for more of my touch. By the time we reached our climax, we felt an aura circling all over us as we were finally satisfied with our little interlude before going home. By the time I pulled out and removed the spent condom and tossed it into the wastebasket, I laid down beside Reiko as we were ready to fall asleep. The long day was over, but tomorrow was another story as we would soon be coming back to the rest of our family soon enough.
"You worry about everyone, including Reuben," said Reiko as she snuggled close to me.
"Reuben is more than qualified to be Medic General of the Medical Corps," I said.
"You changed him a lot, Sammy. I know that he'll do a great job in his new position. Uncle Kazuo would be proud of him instead of being cross with him."
"From a stand point, Reuben was known as the Iron Healer in which he stood firm in treating illnesses and injuries to the sick and wounded. After seeing me in poor fettle to the point of spending the bulk of our trip back to Alecrast in the sickbay, he knew of my mental health being in shambles the moment he diagnosed me with clinical depression. I even lashed at you after we were plucked from our home on Shiganshina and I've regretted it for a while."
"Not another word, Sammy." I see Reiko putting a finger to my lips as she didn't want me to sink into despair. "Your mental health has a long way to go, for you can't let it get the better of you."
I touched Reiko's hand warmly as I was happy to have her with me the moment I held her in my arms. Still, my mental health had a long way to go as I didn't want it to define me right now, for I had so much at stake...
The next morning, Reuben was up as he was busy taking a shower in his quarters. He was missing Paninya and Nerinya as he wanted them to be here with him, but they were on our old lodgings on Alecrast with the rest of the Medical Corps. By the time he finished up, he turned off the water and stepped out of the shower the moment he wrapped himself in a towel. When he was about to get dressed, he turned around as he saw the lights flickering in the bathroom he was in. The sense of cold air filled the room as he was afraid of what was about to happen. He heard stories of ghosts haunting and causing damage to people and other places as he saw the door open up to reveal a blizzard coming forward with snow pelting him all over. To his shock, he saw a mysterious woman dressed in a white robe as she passed as human. The sight of her unnerved him as she was standing in front of him for no apparent reason other than to breed, for she was wanting him against his wishes.
"Hello, Reuben," she said to him. "I'm waiting for you…"
"Who are you?" he asked. "What the hell are you doing in my quarters?!"
"I'm what you call a white demon that is wanting one thing from you."
"You can't take me! I have a wife and daughter waiting for me to come home on Alecrast."
"Whoever you are, I won't commit infidelity because I'm not unfaithful. I'll never will be!"
"Oh, you will be, Reuben, you will be…"
Reuben stepped back as he saw the woman lunge towards him as she was on top of him. She was ready to take him as he felt her icy hand touch at his member beneath his towel. He hated the feel of it as he was thinking of Paninya in which he spotted a smelling salt packet and reached for it. He saw the woman inching forward to violate as he finally reached for the smelling salt packet that was there. Breaking it open, he sprinkled some of the smelling salts at his assailant as she began to writhe in pain. Running out of the bathroom, he was being pursued by the cold spirit as he rushed out of his quarters. With his stalker after him, he was trying hard to shake her off until he spotted me with a canister of salt in my hand. It wasn't long until I opened it up and sprinkled some of it on Reuben's attacker as she felt more pain than what she ever imagined. When she disappeared, I rushed to Reuben's aid as I saw him freezing from his predicament. Steering him to his quarters again, I saw them to be encased in icicles as it was cold and surrounded by icicles. I couldn't let him get dressed in there as I steered him into one of the changing rooms where he had spare clothes on hand, for didn't want to start the day in nothing more than a towel wrapped around his waist.
"I never saw her before, but she tried to assault me not too long ago," he said as he put on his clothes. "She was itching to violate me the moment she was wanting me to be unfaithful to Paninya."
"You went up against a yuki-onna, didn't you?" I said as I saw Reuben shaking like a leaf. "The spirit may be gone, but she is often seen by lonely elderly men who would ask for their hand in marriage, but she disappears leaving icicles and snow behind."
"Well, this one is no yuki-onna. She called herself a white demon and was ready to sexually assault me while I was getting dressed."
"You dealt with one of them, didn't you?" said Odette as she entered into the changing room. "Most yuki-onna pine for lonely men, but this one has a thing for seducing married men. You may have repelled her with salt, but she'll stop at nothing to seduce her target."
"It's Julilla all over again," I said as I was concerned for Reuben's safety. "In the lore, a yuki-onna is often sheltered by elder people, but this one has a thing for wanting to breed."
"Most yuki-onna are often seen with children from their men, but some are mainly wanting to kill the wife and keep the husband and kids for herself. I've dealt with a yuki-onna before and the only way to stop her is by heat."
"Well, it's supposed to be hot today." I see the lights flicker as I noticed the yuki-onna standing in front of us. "Be on your guard."
The yuki-onna was ready to pounce as she was standing in front of us. Staring at Reuben, she was ready to mate with him until she saw Odette use an incantation to trap her. She had a loathing for seductive women, both living or monster, as she was armed to stop the spirit from attacking Reuben. Just as the yuki-onna was about to break free, she was being engulfed by flames as she melted to her death. I never saw anything like it before as I saw Nibori sprinting towards us with her laser rifle in her hands. She was more than glad that everyone was safe as she saw the sticky mess where the yuki-onna once stood.
"Are you guys alright?" she asked.
"Elsa just melted like the Wicked Witch of the West," said Odette.
"I couldn't let my new talents go to waste when I invoked a fire spell on that spirit that attacked Reuben. And for the record, a yuki-onna is made of snow and ice and they're often vulnerable to heat."
"You've inherited your mother's magic and your father's use for weapons as a hunter. I know of this now because your gifts will soon be at play against our enemies in the Executive Division."
"I invoked a fire spell in Latin in which I couldn't let that frozen freak make a mess."
"Well, you already melted Elsa," said Reuben.
"It's time to go," I said.
And so, we went towards the hall as we saw several members of the Hunter Corps arriving in which they were ready to take us out of Atreides. What we didn't expect was that Ginryu was there as he was there to assess the situation that was there while he was ready to greet the new Medic General of the Medical Corps. Staring at Reuben, he was aware of his ascension after Kazuo's passing as he was also concerned about the attacks against him, for there are monsters who view the Medical Corps to be a threat in their midst.
"First day on the job and you nearly get raped by a yuki-onna," he said as he stared at Reuben.
"I had a feeling that this job had a hazard," he said.
"I'm sorry for Kazuo's passing, but before his remains return to Kripke Shrine on Alecrast, I sifted through them and found this." Ginryu fishes out a rune as it was similar to what other witches were using. "It has the MacLeod seal on it, but it was stolen by Sawney Masbath in which it hastened Kazuo's demise. Rowena is not too happy with him and neither is the rest of the Vesper Guild, who want Sawney's head after breaking out of prison. As for the rest of our journey out of Atreides, we should be off."
"Oh, I can't wait to return home to Paninya."
"As for Sam, on the other hand, he'll be going to Valinor, where his family is waiting for him there."
"Valinor?" I said.
"It's where the Order's main headquarters there is located. Akio holds sway in that part of the Ashizoka System in which he is waiting for you to visit there. There's also the final shrine in which it is vital to complete the path that leads to the golden age promised by the Destiny of Worlds."
"And I will complete it."
I led the way as the rest of us followed Ginryu out the door into the main courtyard. When I spotted Reiko standing there, she was dressed in the most elegant dark blue dress that I ever saw on her, I found her to be more beautiful than ever as her silver hair shined in the light just like mine. With Reuben leaving with Ginryu, he was ready to return back to Alecrast as he wasn't afraid of taking risks, both on and off the field. When we finally took our leaves, we were ready to return to work as I was waiting for another Order of Letters ship to take the rest of my group to Valinor, for this was my last leg into opening the Destiny of Worlds further…
Rowena was in the courtyard as she was watching the Order of Letters ships depart Atreides as planned. After all that toil earlier, she received word about Sawney Masbath's involvement of contributing to Kazuo's death as she bore a grudge against him for stealing from other witches. Just as she was about to catch up with one of the boarding ships leaving Atreides, she spotted Crowley in disguise as she recognized him through the magician's outfit he was wearing. She didn't have time to deal with him as she was also on the warpath against the blackmailer who continues to be a thorn in her side, for his wrath is getting worse by the day.
"Hello, Mother," said Crowley.
"The ships just left, Fergus," said Rowena.
"And they're off to Valinor as planned. All I'm hoping for is that Moose goes and avenges Kazuo's death after what was discovered in his remains."
"Funny, I thought that you hated Kazuo after I told Meizo to shut down your deal."
"I had a love/hate relationship with Habanero, but he knows how to humiliate me with a rectal exam that made me empty myself every ten seconds."
"Well, you did need a prostate exam and a colon cleanse."
"After Kazuo's demise, every demon and spirit are after his successor in which he is a threat to even Milverton of all people. As for what Scrawny Sawney pulled in Habanero's demise, he'll be going towards Hell if we ever put a damper on Milverton."
"Our days of lying, cheating, stealing, killing, and even deceiving people are over, Fergus. As for the Executive Division in cahoots with going after the new god of the Ashizoka System, he's gonna have to watch his back since Kazuo's gone. As for the scrapper of the Order, she's got her witching powers from her mother and Odette, which will prove useful in this ongoing fight."
Crowley and Rowena spotted a boarding ship as they were ready to leave Atreides for a while. When they made it on, they were ready to go as they were off towards their destination, which was classified to only them. Still, their grudge against Sawney Masbath still stood as he was a threat to everyone, not just witches. There was war everywhere and everyone had to be on board as the Second Galvanic Uprising was ongoing against our wishes…
To be continued...