Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 7

Chapter 46: Saint C'Torrha

(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.)

It had been a week since C'Torrha's death as I was hard at work in my office. Even though her death weighed heavily on me, I was also aware that she would soon be reunited with her family in the Grey Havens as I had fond memories of her during the exile on Shiganshina two years ago. Looking through my slew of journals I have written, I pilfered the one with the decorative Persian design as it had more pages than the standard ones. Opening it up, I looked at all the details of the Dabb Mountains as I also wrote about the memories that I had during our stay. The journal itself was also a reminder of how I lived my life after the Gale Canyon incident in which I never forgot the hell that Darbus Toller put me through at the time. Just as I was about to put the journal back, I heard the door open as I turned around and noticed James entering in which he was most likely to be reporting to the Order soon enough.

"It's been a week since your friend's death," he said to me.

"C'Torrha was one of my closest friends who lived in the Dabb Mountains on Shiganshina," I said.

"Her friend in the Medical Corps had hoped that the demon would rot for what he did to your friend's family, but I told her that Plantagenet was the real killer while his lackey took the angel blade in his stead that led to his death."

"At least that Dean doesn't know too much of it since I got C'Torrha's final letter, but not the whole thing."

"He knows, Sam. All he did was wanting to know where C'Torrha lived in the Dabb Mountains until he found a memorial shrine dedicated to the memory of the mate and offspring that she lost."

Without warning, I heard a shrill crying sound coming from the closet of my office as I got up from my desk and went towards it. Opening up the closet door, I saw a newborn Chonoid crying as she was newly hatched the moment I saw the shell fragments that were laced with angel grace. I had a gut feeling that C'Torrha mated with an angel as the proof was in the eggshell long before I got here, for the newborn Chonoid was also a Nephilim as well. Even James saw the baby as it looked exactly like C'Torrha in every way the moment she drew her first breath, for she was also in dire need of proper nourishment after she hatched.

"Well, C'Torrha, you have someone that will carry on your legacy," I said as I wrapped the newborn Chonoid in a blanket that was in the closet. "Whoever fathered your daughter was an angel who must've gotten frisky with you."

"The baby wasn't fathered by an ordinary angel," said James as he examined the eggshell very carefully. "Whoever got frisky with your friend is most likely to be an archangel like Gabriel or Lucifer."

"Fair enough..."

I picked up the eggshell that was on the floor as I sensed that someone else other than Gabriel would mate with C'Torrha in which I had a gut feeling that the father of her baby would cause an uproar in the heavenly hierarchy. As for the baby that was there, I had my reasons to protect her as she also had angelic blood mixed within her Chonoid body, for she was also a target for other angels who would stop at nothing to snatch her up. When I saw her crying further, I set her down on the rocking chair as I noticed her growing rapidly into a fully grown teenager. Turning around, James and I had our backs turned out of respect for privacy as the Chonoid saw herself naked and without any clothes on. Going back to my closet, she saw some clothes as she put them on in which it consisted of a kimono and overrobe that were put there. By the time James and I turned around, we saw the Chonoid dressed up in the kimono and overrobe that were made for a man, for she needed some clothes on after rapidly growing into a teenager, for she was a Nephilim after all.

"What is this place?" she asked us.

"You're in my home here on Westeros," I said.

"How did I get here?"

"Your late mother laid you in which the father who sired you turns out to be an archangel," said James. "From what we know is that a Nephilim born from an archangel and humanoid can grow rapidly into the form of a teenager, which was recorded in the birth of Jack Kline in the Elder Days."

"Who is Jack Kline?"

"Jack Kline is the bastard son of Lucifer and an intern named Kelly Kline. Sadly, Kelly died and Jack lived, but a slew of angels were after him for all the wrong reasons."

"My mother… what was her name?"

"Her name was C'Torrha Na'Veneel and she was a member of the Order of Letters and a close friend to Sam."

"I never met her, but I should have a name as well."

"Your name will be Jill Na'Veneel," I said. "It will suit you, for you're family like the rest of us."

The Chonoid who is now known as Jill saw me looking at the eggshell in my hands as I sensed the angelic residue all over it. Even though an archangel mated with C'Torrha before her passing, I also had a gut feeling that it would be none other than the apocalyptic version of Michael, but the markings were different. To my surprise, I saw a note on the floor as I picked it up and read it in which it was addressed to me for a reason, for the archangel in question was most likely to be carrying a personal vendetta against someone who had ties to the Executive Division.

To Sam Winchester (It read),

As you may now know that I have absorbed the grace and entity of my apocalyptic self in which I allowed his vessel to die peacefully. Your friend and I had one night together in which we stored this egg here so you can protect my daughter. Even though I have forgiven your past self in the Elder Days, his spirit told me to watch over the offspring that I cultivated with that Chonoid. Even though I cannot be with her, it is up to you to teach her compassion and kindness, for I have a personal grudge against Sawney Masbath for abusing everything just to gain power and bear a grudge against you. I beg of you, protect Jill with your life at all costs.

Sincerely,

The Real Michael.

I stared at Jill as she was also the daughter of Michael in which the archangel himself was going after Sawney Masbath. Even James was astonished to see Jill being here as she also had a long way to go when it came to knowing compassion and kindness. Still, I wanted to tell her more about her mother as her death weighed heavily on me, for the loss of my fallen friend was too much to bear.

"I see that you're troubled," said Jill as she saw me being overwhelmed with grief.

"Your mother is buried in the Westerian town of Bramblewood," I said.

"Bramblewood?"

"A week ago, your mother sacrificed herself to save the town from the Executive Division," said James. "The townsfolk were grateful that she stepped in and protected everyone at the cost of her life."

"Then I shall go there to honor my mother's memory."

It was agreed that I would escort Jill to Bramblewood as I was also most likely to be protecting her from further threats. Even though she was a Chonoid, she was also a Nephilim due to Michael siring her while bringing her to my home to hatch. Even though the archangel was resurrected and walking free, I had a gut feeling that he would be facing off against Sawney Masbath as my old foe made plenty of enemies that were itching to either kill him or flee from his witching tactics, for he was no ordinary enemy I ever faced before…

Sawney was in an abandoned building as he was not too thrilled with dealing with a newly resurrected Michael on the sly. The one who housed the vessel of Adam Milligan was there to put a stop to him while his apocalyptic self was absorbed into him in order to allow his former vessel to die from the terminal illness he had. Armed with only the stolen trinkets he took from other witches, he was navigating the next move that the war was going into as he was itching to get rid of me on the spot, for he viewed me as a constant thorn in his side after all. Clenching his fists, he was reeling from the apocalyptic version of Michael's betrayal as he also wanted to siphon more of his angelic grace to enhance further monsters, but to no avail.

"Damn him!" he yelled as he wanted to strangle Michael for absorbing his tool. "He thinks he can stop me from enacting my plans against Sam Winchester, but I will have that so-called 'god of the Ashizoka System' caught and eliminated!"

Without warning, Sawney saw the dilapidated curtains blowing from the window as he was expecting Michael to show up. He wasn't about to surrender to the archangel as he was armed with a blade that was made to kill one like the pest who was dogging him. He was ready to kill his pursuer as he wasn't about to let him spoil his plans, for he wasn't about to stop now.

"So, you've come along just to spoil everything," he said as he had the blade in his hand.

"That blade in your hand won't kill me, Sawney Masbath," said Michael as he unleashed his angelic aura. "I also see that you bear a grudge against the one whose past self was pushed out by Kurotowa from the cage in the Elder Days. I won't allow you to eliminate him, for he is the one who will lead the Ashizoka System to a golden age."

"Sam Winchester humiliated me just as his past self humiliated you!"

"It wasn't by choice! I was there when Kurotowa pushed this vessel's half-brother out because he said his presence was 'cramping his style.'"

"You're lying!"

"Am I?" Michael inched closer to Sawney as he destroyed the blade in his hand. "Stand down, Sawney Masbath, or else you will meet your doom. I will not tell you again, but you will back off. I made my peace with the past self of the new god long ago, but I won't let you cause harm to him. If that ever happens, you will meet with a much gruesome fate than that of the witches who bear a grudge against you."

It wasn't long until Michael disappeared without a trace. Anger flooded Sawney as he was itching to do away with the archangel who gave him a warning not to mess with me. He never forgot my presence as his attempts to blackmail and kidnap me have failed to no end in sight. Now that he has been out of prison, he was obsessing over me as he wasn't about to get his revenge against me for the frequent humiliation he has endured, for he was also wanting vengeance against Michael as well. Even though he has felt the sting of failure, he later found that there was the Sol Project in which two of the satellites were destroyed, but Project Amaterasu and Project Helios still remained. What he also didn't expect was that the Executive Division were banking on using my raw power to dominate the entire Ashizoka System, for I was the ultimate prize in this ongoing war…

I took the train back to Bramblewood as I had James and Jill in tow. Even though I had business overseeing everything, I was most likely to visit the grave of C'Torrha as I remembered her for being with my family on Shiganshina during our exile in which I also wanted to show Jill the grave that her mother was in. By the time we stopped in Bramblewood, James led the way as Jill and I stopped here in which we noticed the townsfolk continue to place flowers on C'Torrha's grave. There were even local pilgrims praying near her grave as they were thankful that her sacrifice and duty protected and saved everyone here in Bramblewood. When Jill saw the burial mound, she began to feel sadness for the mother she never knew until now as she also prayed near it. I also prayed for my fallen friend as I was more than happy that she was up there with her mate and children, but one thought alarmed me in which how did she get in touch with Michael?

"So, this is where my mother is buried," said Jill.

"C'Torrha sacrificed herself to stop the soulless dolls that the Executive Division brought here on this planet," said James. "Still, she saved everyone here or else they would've been killed with their souls harvested and sold to the highest bidder in Hell."

"My mother had a mate and children, didn't she?"

"They were killed by a demon named Plantagenet and that demon is known to bring lackeys to use as decoys in which V'Kayii killed the one who did his dirty work."

"I'm so sorry about that…"

"Plantagenet also tried to kill Reuben on Atreides by possessing one of the servants in Kelmar Castle," I said. "He also possessed Elise in which he threatened to drown her in a lake on Valinor."

"And this Plantagenet killed my mother's mate and my sisters, didn't he?"

"C'Torrha may be reunited with her family in the Grey Havens, but from what was found in the closet, the one who sired Jill with her is still at large."

"And Jill's baby daddy just had a run-in with Sawney Masbath," said Seto as she arrived while she walked towards C'Torrha's grave. "I know about how our late Chonoid fighter crafted the Nephilim that is put in front of you and that was when she felt lonely while seeking with the same meatsuit that Michael wears and that happens to be the half-brother of your past self, Adam Milligan."

I turned around as I saw Seto standing still in which she was observing the townsfolk paying their respects and praying towards C'Torrha's grave. She never expected one of my closest friends to "shack it up" with an archangel like Michael as she wasn't too thrilled with her mating while she fought in combat, but it was already too late. Jill came from that union between C'Torrha and Michael as she was already there, but was also a target for those who would take her away from me. I couldn't let that happen to her as she was also under the microscope of scrutiny in which she couldn't escape from Seto's gaze.

"You should've kept Jill at home, Sam," she said as she glared at me.

"I only brought her here to pay her respects to her late mother," I said.

"Do you know what will happen if she's out in the open like that?! It's Jack Kline all over again when those angels were after him all because he was Lucifer's son!"
"She poses no threat to us, Seto. All she is here for is to pray to C'Torrha who lost her life defending Bramblewood till her last breath."

"As I recall, C'Torrha had a human mate and offspring that were killed by Plantagenet while his crony took the fall after getting killed in his stead."

"Plantagenet's no slouch, but he only reports to Milverton," said James. "As for the other set of threats, they've been sitting on the sidelines while the Executive Division has been on a gruesome power trip. Lorne and Liesel Eichenberg are still out there while Sawney Masbath waits for the chance to strike, but we're still fighting in this horrendous war that was started by the Executive Division and you get pissed off because a Nephilim took its first breath?"

"Have it your way, then, but I must warn you that once a Nephilim is born, every single angel will come after it because they view it as a threat. It also happened when Pomelia Mitani gave birth to Reiko in which the one who signed a death warrant to kill her happens to be the same bitch who 'reprogrammed' Castiel after he was brought from Purgatory in the Elder Days. If I were you, I suggest that you keep that insect on a leash before Naomi and her followers find and eliminate your new ward and that bitch will not hesitate to do so."

I saw Seto leave to other parts of Bramblewood as I noticed Jill on her knees crying in which she felt ashamed of being born. I wasn't too happy with what Seto said as I walked closer to my new ward and began to comfort her. I couldn't let her fall prey to those who would take her away and abuse what she had as Jill's life as a Nephilim would be difficult for her to function in this galaxy. Seto's words began to bother me as I also didn't want them to get the better of me, for I had to protect Jill from any possible threat that would harm her.

"Is it true that I'm a threat?" I heard her say to me.

"No, but I have don't have a problem with you," I said.

"I see…" Jill sees all the flowers and stuffed animals all over C'Torrha's grave. "My mother… She protected people from harm and yet she sacrificed herself to save others. It's been said that my mother was banished from her homeworld and fled to Shiganshina. Is that true?"

"It's true," said James. "C'Torrha, may the gods rest her soul, was a warrior who fought till the bitter end. As for your own predicament, you should be happy about your own birth, not discourage yourself with it. That talk could make anyone feel sadder and you should at least be thankful that you hatched in Sam's house instead of being in some backwater place filled with trash."

Jill looked at me as she viewed me as a kind and loving person who would stop at nothing to protect her from harm. When we both prayed to C'Torrha's grave, we were both grateful that she was there in our lives. Even James prayed with us as he respected our fallen friend in which she gave her life to protect those who were in danger and we were thankful for it…

Two years ago on Shiganshina…

I was returning home after I went hunting for deer to feed Reiko and the others. It had only been two months since my exile on Shiganshina as I was ready to call it a day the moment I saw the sun go down. By the time I returned to my home, I went towards the meat locker to cut up the fresh kill I had. With the meat cut up and put into vacuum bags for further meals, I left a leg out as I went towards the kitchen to clean it and place it in a large roasting pot. Washing my hands, I seasoned the venison leg with the spices at my disposal as I was ready to cook it. Carrying the large pot out of the kitchen, I went to the smelter chamber near the volcano as I placed it in the large oven that was there in which it suited our meal for the night. Just as I was about to leave the smelter chamber, I saw C'Torrha coming with a basket of vegetables as she was also preparing for dinner as well, for she was in the same boat like the rest of us.

"You must've came back with what's been growing near the volcano," I said.

"The petty varmints and Yukon golds are fit for making a side dish," said C'Torrha.

"It's been two months since I left Alecrast and I find Shiganshina to be a great place to live in."

"Your wife is a good woman in which she even invited me for your dinner."

"You've been through too much, haven't you?" C'Torrha nods as she was remembering the loss of her family. "From what I heard, you were banished from your homeworld, weren't you?"

"I was part of the Great Hive on Dorne in which we Chonoids view the concept of wanting and having a family is sacred to our culture. I wasn't so lucky when I lost the Terran man I loved and the children we brought forth in egg form. One day, I returned home from my daily work in which I saw a man come into my hive unit ransacked with my children killed in their shells and my mate killed in cold blood. The man who did it had fled in which the loss of my family left me devastated. I tried to persuade the Gar'Vanat to be lenient, but instead of offering me condolences and compassion, they banished me from my homeworld, only to rot in space. I came to Shiganshina when all hope was lost until I found solace and comfort with Badur and Eppa. They were happy to have me here until I got word that you and your family have arrived here. You and your family must've been forced to flee from this Darbus Toller man, but he's nothing but trouble from what I've heard from some of the Order of Letters' finest."

"They won't find us here because I submitted a letter of resignation in which I don't want anyone else to get caught in the crossfire of Darbus Toller and his soulless dolls. I also can't have Dean and his unit come here and risk their lives in which they should be safe from harm. I can't let anyone else get hurt because and it's best that I live the rest of my life here on Shiganshina."

And I meant it. I was most likely to be living here in the Dabb Mountains on Shiganshina as I found my life to be humble with my family in tow. As for talking to my neighbors who lived here, I had plenty of company as this was my life in exile, for this would never end for me anytime soon…

Later on in the evening, I was busy cleaning up the smelter room near the volcano as I was about to turn in for the night. What I didn't expect was that I noticed C'Torrha walking towards her large alcove of a home as she was standing next to a homemade shrine that had a picture of a human man in it, along with some eggshell fragments that were long withered due to the damage done to them. It wasn't long until I saw C'Torrha bring out an incense stick and dipped it near a small lava stream the moment it brought out a scent of sandalwood. When I saw her place the incense stick in a small holder near the shrine, I saw her praying as she was saddened by the loss of her mate, for she would soon reunite with him in the afterlife.

"You miss him, don't you?" I said.

"His name was Alexei," said C'Torrha. "He was a kind and good looking man for a Terran in which I fell in love with him. We were ready to breed and start a family, but I lost all of it when I saw my beloved and Chonoidlings destroyed. I tried to beg the Gar'Vanat to give me mercy, but they refused in which I was banished from my homeworld never to return again."

"I'm so sorry…"

"You take good care of your family in which their kindness has brought me from the sorrow I endured. Even your wife displays the same kindness that she gave me in which she even invited me for tomorrow night's dinner."

"I did all the hunting in which I even had to contend with some of the invasive species that have flown into the Dabb Mountains."

"You went up against some turduckens, didn't you?"

"They're very territorial, but at least I end up killing some of them for their meat just to keep everyone fed for a while."

"You have a great devotion to your family, Sam. I never expected such warmth from them until now when your wife even coaxes me to have a seat at the dinner table."

"It's because she doesn't want you to be sad. She has heard about your plight, C'Torrha, for you are always welcome to visit."

"I thank you for consoling me for my grief, for I will never forget this kindness..."

I saw C'Torrha stand up as she was grateful that I was here to console her when she felt sad. After seeing the shrine of her mate, I prayed for his memory as I also felt sorrow for what my neighbor went through. The loss of a close friend and loved one had hurt the most as it was also a grim reminder that I had to console those who have lost the ones they cherished dearly, for they mattered a lot more than anything...

Meanwhile, back in the present…

Seto was sitting on a park bench as she was more than likely to be giving me a stern lecture about what was brought here in the first place. Seeing me comforting Jill after we prayed near C'Torrha's grave, she wasn't too happy with me for bringing my new ward out in the open as she was no stranger to dealing with angels who would go after any Nephilim. Getting up, she saw a courier sprinting as he stopped in front of her in which he gave her a letter before leaving. Opening it up, she saw that there would be an insurrection coming as several members of the Westerian Army would soon stage a siege in which it couldn't be avoided, for there was a danger coming. By the time she caught up with me and Jill, we were ready to board the train until she stopped us in our tracks. She wanted to chew me out for my constant meddling as she was also concerned about Jill's safety, for she wasn't about to let me off the hook yet.

"You stupid ass!" I heard her yell at me. "You petty ignoramus! Do you know what will happen if you continue to parade that thing all over the place?! You'll be attracting angels everywhere just to have her snatched up!"

"You have no say in this, Seto," I said.

"I have every say in this shit, Sam! That thing that C'Torrha laid and later hatched on its own has become a target for angels with a bull's-eye on her back!"

"That's enough, Seto," said Jack as he appeared out of nowhere. "Jill was hatched for the right reason and that is to be watched over by the proper people who have better morals than my father and uncle."

"Jack Kline… You just had to butt in, didn't you? As I recall, weren't you a walking target for the angels to snatch up while Colonel Sanders was wanting you to open a compartment full of monsters that were so scary that even your father put them away?"

"I was, but I had the company of not only the Winchesters of old, but Castiel as well. They taught me how to be kind and compassionate instead of being wrathful like my father and uncle. My cousin will learn what I learned for she will protect the future god and goddess of the Ashizoka System. And another thing, don't be too quick to judge."

Seto was left reeling from Jack's words as he vanished without a trace. When she saw me standing there, she walked towards me and punched me in the face the moment I fell onto the ground. I ended up crossing the line while protecting Jill as she saw me hurt in which she used her own Nephilim power to throw Seto against a fountain. Anger flooded her as she landed into the water that was surrounded by lotus flowers and water lilies in the stone structure. She was dripping wet and fuming with such a wrathful gaze as she was out of the fountain and was inching to strike again until I got up and subdued her with my long silver hair. I didn't want to rub her the wrong way or have her cause more trouble as I had to make sure that she didn't let her temper get the better of her, for she needed to have more restraint than to be judging people.

"Let me go or else I'll trim off that silver hair of yours!" I heard her yell.

"You're crossing the line, Seto," I said.

"And so are you."

"This personal vendetta against Jill is fruitless, Seto. You treat her like a plague the same way you treat Jack Kline. You let your personal feelings get the better of you all because of the fact that Jack and Jill still bear the sins of their fathers fighting one another in the time of the Ancient Days." I changed into my ultimate form as I was about to deal a humiliating choice of words against Seto. "You judge too quickly because of the fact that you don't see the good in those who rebel against the bitterness of their cruel parents. Jack Kline is proof because he was taught to care for the lives of others besides his own. He's even the King of Heaven in which he took over from his meddling grandfather who abused his powers to no end, only to be stopped by Pendragon as punishment for doing so. Instead of showing disdain for Jill, you should show compassion instead of being judgmental all the time." I released Seto as I saw her standing firm with her clothes dripping wet. "You can't play judge, jury and executioner all because of a lingering grudge against the children of Michael and Lucifer. They are not to blame for the sins of their fathers, for they will help me console those who need our guidance a lot more than ever."

"So this is your god mode…" Seto sees me revert back to my silver-haired super-charged form as I was starting to become exhausted. "It was fun while it lasted, but I suggest that you save all that raw power for the big dance."

"And what for?"

"The Executive Division are issuing an offensive attack here on Westeros in which some of the Westerian Army's dissenters are plotting another coup d'etat against the royal family. Once they hit the capital city of Raithwall, it will be the end of a monarchial matriarchy by seeking a death warrant against Empress Zaralia and her family."

I was stunned to hear those words coming from Seto as I was worried about Zaralia and her family altogether. I had to inform Shion and the rest of the Order here as the Executive Division have targeted Raithwall and the citizens who live in it. By the time I was up on my feet, I saw several members of the Westerian Army arriving in which they were there for a reason the moment they knelt in front of me. They viewed my presence as a sign as I had a gut feeling that there would be trouble coming from my worst enemies, for this wasn't over just yet. Even Jill saw me to be a beacon of hope as I had to hear what the Westerian Army had to say to me, for they were also concerned about the safety of the young Empress as well.

"I heard about your peers starting an uprising against the Empress," I said.

"We're not only here to pray to Saint C'Torrha, but to you, My Lord," said the Westerian Army officer with the crutches in his hands. "I never forgot about how that Chonoid sacrificed herself to save Bramblewood from being a bloodbath, for she conducted a miracle to get you here."

"Then we must inform your superiors and the Order's higher-ups about what the dissenters in your unit are doing."

"The dissenters in General Tetrax's unit are in cahoots with the ones known as Lorne and Liesel Eichenberg and they have many of the soulless dolls that were once here to raze Bramblewood to the ground. We can't let them get away with it after what happened when our Empress was nearly deposed by General Tetrax. Therefore, the Hunter Corps arrived from their base on Shiganshina and are on their way to Raithwall as we know it in which their captain is seen driving a black car from the Elder Days."

"Dean…"

I had a gut feeling that my older brother would be going there on a fool's errand as the lingering threat towards Raithwall shouldn't be ignored. Still, I had to do my part into protecting the Empress and her family as the Executive Division was encroaching on the capital without mercy. I couldn't let that happen. I had a soft spot for the young Empress as I had to do what I can to protect her and her family from harm, for they were the future of Westeros after all…

Shion was in her office in the Order's main headquarters on Westeros as she was reading the reports about an insurrection against Empress Zaralia and her family. She couldn't let that happen as she had a gut feeling that the unit that was commanded by General Tetrax was playing with fire by forming an alliance with the Executive Division, for this wasn't over due to the ongoing war that was started a year ago. Just as she was about to leave her office, she saw the door open as she noticed Phyllis entering in which she was not too thrilled to hear about General Tetrax and her unit joining forces to overthrow Empress Zaralia and her family.

"You heard the news, didn't you?" she said.

"The Executive Division and Nicole's unit have made their alliance, but they want more than just power," said Phyllis. "They want to establish military rule instead of a monarchial matriarchy that kept the peace all over Westeros. If that happened, then it will be a massive bloodbath in Raithwall."

"I've sent Dean and his forces here from Shiganshina. The main thing to do is to escort Empress Zaralia and her family out of Raithwall and into one of the islands in the Southern Lands under this planet's equator."

"The main island of Matarote is a stronghold in times of war. It even housed several Westerian Empresses and their families over the centuries. It's also heavily warded against demons and other threats in which the Winchester Sigil is plastered all over the walls and banners."

"Then we'll alert the Dowager Empress of our situation firsthand. Protecting the Westerian royal family is our top priority right now in which we can't afford to lose them. We can't let them fall or else we lose to the dissenters and their unholy masters."

Shion left her office as she had Phyllis following her into the conference room where various Elders were talking about the situation that sprang up about the lingering threat that would soon hit Raithwall without warning. The safety of Empress Zaralia and her family was the top priority as everyone had to do their best to protect them from both General Tetrax's unit and the Executive Division altogether, for this wasn't over yet…

I was on my way home with Jill and James in tow as I was aware of the Executive Division's damning alliance with General Tetrax's unit. The battle for Raithwall was already put into motion as I also had to worry about the safety of Empress Zaralia and her family. Even James was concerned about them as he was also willing to aid us in the battle to protect the Westerian royal family from harm, for he had a stake in keeping them safe just as much as I do.

"You're worried about the Westerian Empress, aren't you?" asked Jill out of curiosity.

"It's not just her that I'm worried about," said James. "It's also her mother as well."

"You're worried about the Empress' mother?"

"The Dowager Empress isn't just the mother to Zaralia and her brothers. She's also Jeriba's younger sister and a member of the Order just like her late husband, Emperor Theodore. I can't and won't abandon my sister-in-law to those asshats who would stop at nothing to overthrow the Westerian royal family."

"I never knew of it until now," I said as I was astonished to hear about James' connection to the Westerian royal family. "Jeriba must've been close with Ithilia for a while."

"The Rakuen Priesthood paired me with Jeriba while Ithilia was paired with Theodore. We had kids, saved people, and even rose above the ranks of our respective jobs. I never forgot how distraught Jeriba was when she learned about how Ithilia lost her husband after he was poisoned and yet she kept her family and loyal subjects together. As for our problem with General Tetrax, she escaped with the help of our worst enemy in which she's not about to let anyone get in her way."

"And now that Zaralia is now Empress, she is a target to the Westerian Army's dissenters who are loyal to General Tetrax…"

I remembered how dangerous the disbarred general of the Westerian Army was as this wasn't the first time she planned a treacherous coup d'etat against Zaralia and her family. I couldn't let her suffer at the hands of both the Executive Division and the likes of General Tetrax and her unit. Still, I had a job to do as I also had to protect Jill from harm in which she was a target that all angels would steal from me. Even though she was a few hours old, she had the body of a teenager as she was also ready to return home with me while we rode the train.

"So, we're returning home," I heard her say to me.

"We are, but my home is heavily warded against any threat that is deemed hostile," I said.

"And this Empress that you and James talked about… What does she look like?"

"Empress Zaralia is ten years old, but she basically acts mature for her age," said James. "She is Theodore's youngest and only daughter in the Westerian royal matriarchal line."

"On this planet, have all of its rulers are mainly women?"

"The bulk of the Westerian royal line is mainly a matriarchy with only one Emperor that gave us a certain little Empress. Some speculators say that she is unfit to rule, but after finding one of her guards that was possessed by a demon, she pulled no punches to recite the Rituale Romanum just to save his life. She was also taught how to care about her people in which she believes in protecting them the same way her late father did."

"She's such a brave girl…"

"Miss, you don't have a ticket!"

I got up from my seat as I stepped out of the compartment I was in. What I didn't expect was that Zaralia was there as she was running towards me in which I sensed the fear in her eyes. When I saw her catch her breath, she was on her feet again as she was happy to see me in which she was eager to tell me everything. I had a gut feeling that Zaralia was being targeted as I couldn't shake the feeling of what would happen next, for I had to find out what was going on first. What I didn't expect was that she had a piece of paper in her hand as she handed it to me in which I looked at it carefully, for it was a death warrant that had no signature on it.

"You have to get to Raithwall, Sam," I heard her say to me. "General Tetrax just escaped and is coming after my mom and brothers."

"Does anyone else know that you left Raithwall?"

"No…, but I'm worried about my mom and brothers. You know of those strange people in gold armor that attacked Bramblewood? They're on their way to the capital and not stopping. I'm so scared, Sam…"

"Dean and his unit are on their way to Raithwall," said James as he stepped out of the compartment the moment he saw Zaralia. "Your mom is gonna be pissed if she saw that you ran off."

"It isn't like that, Uncle James, I swear! Mom told me to flee to Tenzo Village until it was safe in Raithwall, but I'm worried about her. The general who wanted me out of the way even issued out a death warrant against me without a signature on it."

"We'll be there once we return to Tenzo Village for further updates," I said. "As for you, Your Majesty, you need to be safe until the worst is over. I can't promise you anything, but I will put a stop to the Executive Division and their allies if they threaten any more of your family and retainers."

I was eager to be going into battle as I feared the worst. Raithwall was teetering towards destruction at the hands of my enemies as I had no other choice but to help the Westerian royal family, for they needed me the most in this darkest hour…

To be continued...