Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 5

Chapter 28: Carly's Roots

(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.)

Aelfric was punched in the face as he fell to the floor in the lobby of the Alecrian Embassy, but he wasn't safe from the wrath of Ryosuke, who recently wrapped up an emergency summit earlier. The head honcho of the Order of Letters in the outer part of the Ashizoka System was not too happy with the ginger-haired firebrand as he was ready to tear a new one in him. Still, he had problems with the Executive Division just like the rest of us as the factor of them being all over the place was getting more dangerous than normal. The Second Galvanic Uprising was in its fourth week as hell all over the place was spilling into other parts of the galaxy besides Alecrast, for it was going to be a long war on the horizon.

"You knew that Sam Winchester and his family were off limits, but you and your friend went ahead to nearly abducting them back into a warzone against their wishes!" yelled Ryosuke as he was standing in front of Aelfric with an angry look on his face. "I just got a message from a certain familiar in the form of an Irish terrier not too long ago in which you were ready to steal the main priority from the coastal town of Lillium with the help of that angel, didn't you?!"

"Bite me!" he snarled as he was seething with anger.

"Your superior isn't too happy with you after what you've done and it's going on your permanent record for your conduct. As for Taicho Tsujimura, she's also in the same boat as you in which you ran into her after you scared off a band of biker hooligans on the outskirts of New Ballarat."

"I had my reasons to steal Sam and haul him back to Alecrast where he belongs because of the fact that all of us need him to stop the Executive Division before they cause more havoc than normal."

"Marshal Calvert is extremely pissed off at you for what you're doing and you know that you can't wriggle out of this predicament that you concocted."

"And what would happen if Sam's not there on Alecrast in our time of need?! We would endure another yoke of tyrannical chaos that is Darbus Toller all over again!"

"Darbus Toller is dead! He had it coming when his daughter took him out for his crimes. He even went too far into attacking those who had Jewish or Romani blood in their veins and that includes you of all people. Still, it's best that you and your cronies leave Sam and his family alone or else you will spend the rest of your lives in Angmar Prison where the worst are kept in."

"You don't get it, do you?! I have the same recurring nightmare about my family suffering from the terror of Darbus and his soulless dolls every night! It bothers me that the savior isn't here to do his job while the rest of us suffers from a much more dangerous threat that's on the same level as that eugenical bastard! Sam Winchester will be going home to Alecrast and this time, he's staying there for good, even if it meant by putting his ass under house arrest so that no one will ever suffer from another tragedy again!"

"I saw the report on how Darbus Toller kicked out Sam and his family after the Gale Canyon incident on Alecrast last year and you say that the savior isn't doing his job? This exile on this planet was the right thing to do for now and I won't let Sam suffer from the yoke of those bastards who only want nothing but to use him as their weapon."

"This is Shiganshina all over again! It's the same fucking story! What will happen with the rest of us when Sam's not there with his raw power at the ready?! What about the promise of a golden age when this is all over?! Very soon, you'll find out that I'm right on this one because I won't be put under the foot of a power-hungry tyrant for the rest of my days!"

At that moment, Ryosuke punched Aelfric in the jaw again as he saw the ginger-haired firebrand reeling from such a strong punch like that. Still, he was stubborn, but he wasn't out of the fight yet as he got up onto his feet and was ready to stand up to Ryosuke. Just as he was ready to punch at the man in front of him, he was stopped by an unknown young man as he appeared out of nowhere. The young man himself had matching dark brown hair and eyes as he used his telekinesis to pin Aelfric to the wall in spades. Still, the ginger-haired firebrand was screwed as he was no match for the young man who was also dressed in a grey trenchcoat with a black suit and blue tie underneath while wearing two sets of earrings on both ears. It was getting worse as Aelfric was screwed after getting a lecture from Ryosuke earlier.

"It seems that Carrot Boy was about to snatch up Sam and his family again," he said as he remained calm under pressure. "It's a real shame that Mom and Dad are out on business with the war that's been going too far on Alecrast, but your actions crossed the line so far."

"Release me, you freak!" shrieked Aelfric. "I demand that you let me go in order to-"

"Bring back the savior? Auntie Miriam sure had a reason to tag along with you on this one, but exposing Sam Winchester and his family back home towards their old humble abode will cause more harm than good."

"Elindriel, drop him at once," said Ryosuke. "We'll dispatch your father from the main branch on Alecrast, so that he can haul his ass back home under house arrest."

"We'll have it your way for now..." Elindriel releases Aelfric from his grip as he falls to the marble floor. "Let this be a warning, descendant of the Dean Winchester of old and Anael: if you even try to abduct Sam and his family again, I will have no choice but to haul you towards the loony bin on Efrafa 'cause I know how deeply scarred you truly are. You've suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder after the slaughter of your family and it bugs you constantly now. As for Taicho, she will also be returned home as well, but as for Miriam's involvement, she's staying in a cell for now in which she can't just intervene in the time of a crisis right now ant that's a fact."

And so, Elindriel disappeared without a trace as Aelfric was left at the mercy of Ryosuke on the sidelines. Still, his arrogance and stubborn behavior got the better of him, but he wasn't out of the way just yet, for his chance to steal me away from Essos was still on the table in his frame of mind after all…

It had been four days since the incident with Aelfric and his attempted kidnapping of me as I was hard at work with a wagon full of harvested sea kelp that was in the nets. I was most likely to be ready for some rice balls until I heard a loud scream coming from the courtyard of Chateau de le Mer. Sprinting towards the house with the wagon of sea kelp in tow, I saw Carly standing there as she was scared at something. It wasn't long until I noticed a mixture of black and white truffle root growing beneath the stone walls in which I had a feeling that I would either use it or dinners or sell it, for the creeping pungent rarity was a very pricey one indeed. It wasn't long until we noticed a baboon-like creature emerge out of nowhere in which it was getting ready to eat at some of the truffle root, which it took one root of each and ate them. It wasn't long until we noticed the baboon-like creature change into its human form as it was a flamboyant man with pink hair and blue eyes while wearing a navy kimono and black overrobe. We never saw him before, but the intruder who ate some of the truffle root was satisfied with what he ate earlier.

"Oh, I just had to eat some of the pungent stuff on hand since I got cut off from the Night Parade," he said. "It's also something that is useful so far, but I can't eat the rest of it due to the pricey nature of this delicacy."

"You're a long way from home, but I hope that your folks find you soon," I said.

"Well, you did clear that akaname out of Sir Tamzen's bathhouse on Atreides two years ago, Sam Winchester..."

"Hold on, there!" yelled Carly. "You're not gonna do anything bad to Mr. Sam, are you?!"

"Kid, I shot down rumors that I ate a woman in my monster form, but she lived with me before she got eaten by Dick Roman's cronies in the Elder Days."

"I know who you are now. You're a baboon monster from Japanese folklore in which you feed on wild animals and you also run and catch women in your libidinous heyday."

"Your past self was eager to keep me occupied with that scene from Dumb and Dumber over and over in which I couldn't get enough of Jeff Daniels rushing to the bathroom to just lose it until he realized that the toilet was broken."

"At least he didn't kill you, though."

"The name's Hihi and I'm one of the Night Parade that comes and goes all over the galaxy. We are known as yokai, but for centuries, we haven't killed any humans or others like them on our travel except the ones with ugly teeth just to feed on one's blood. As for the creeping truffle root, I'm gonna make off with it 'cause I'm buying it from you."

It wasn't long until our visitor fished out a large bag from his overrobe as he set it on the ground in front of us. As for the creeping truffle root that Carly found, it was gathered up and taken away as we saw Hihi disappear without a trace. As for the large bag in front of us, I opened it up as I noticed the gold that was there as it was a godsend for us in our exile for the time being. Still, I was happy here, but there was also a downside to my stay here in Lillium on Essos as I began to worry about what was going on in the homefront. Sooner or later, I would end up being coerced into returning home against my wishes again, but not this time as I couldn't allow myself to be put in the crosshairs of the Executive Division and their monotonous scare tactics on the sly…

Dean was at the ramen stand as he was enjoying his meal back in Kanto Village. Still, he missed me and my family as he wanted me to stay safe from the war that was going on back at the homefront. Even though he had his hands full, he wasn't about to bow down to the Executive Division and their scare tactics as he was most likely to be returning back on the battlefield soon enough. By the time he finished up his meal and paid for it, he was up on his feet as he spotted Reuben coming with a wagon filled with medical supplies to fill in the castle's cabinets. War was troubling, but it was endured as it was also something that couldn't be scratched off so quietly.

"It seems that you're home from the medical warehouse," said Dean.

"After getting an earful from Kazuo earlier, this war has spread into other parts beyond Alecrast's borders," said Reuben with a grave look on his face. "So far we had fifty funerals for those who sacrificed their lives to save others on the battlefield, but the Executive Division is pushing our buttons and our limits as well."

"At least Ryosuke put his foot down when he was ready to take Aelfric back to his superiors here, but the ginger-haired moron's gonna get more than just a slap on the wrist."

"If he ever comes back home, we're gonna have to treat him gingerly because of his post-traumatic stress putting a damper on his mental state."

"Oh, the prick's gonna be treated gingerly alright after what he pulled into luring Sam and his family back home here during this war. He'll get it coming if he ever tries to do that crap again 'cause I'll break his legs if he tries to run off and steal our brother."

"You aren't doing a damn thing to him, Dean," said Kazuo as he was standing behind him. "Aelfric Gunderson may be a loose cannon, but his mental state is not the type that can be trifled with very lightly. Post-traumatic stress disorder isn't for the faint of heart and I looked into Aelfric's medical records on it. After the slaughter of his family, he is still haunted by that painful memory in which he even suffers from panic attacks."

"Well, he's much better off with them..."

"Let's hope that you of all people don't see someone or others close to you get killed or else you would soon end up like our ginger-haired firebrand who is most likely to be returned home for violating the agreement to keep your brother safe from harm. In this fight, the Second Galvanic Uprising is causing widespread panic in the regions of Chugoku, Shilla, Clavell Valley, Temujin, and Kandaris. General Wetzel and his group of fanatical cronies haven't stopped until they found what they've looked for, even if it means by causing widespread havoc on unsuspecting civilians in their wake. So far, there have been reports of possible sightings that concern us in which a certain pain in the ass was caught in the middle of the gunfire since his teahouse was destroyed in Akatsuki a few months back."

"It had to be Crowley again… No doubt about it, but he's tripping on Hell's bells out there in the warzone, but it could've been worse."

"Well, he was the King of Hell until he got ousted…," said Reuben.

It wasn't long until a convoy from the Drakonar Army arrived as they were coming from the direction of the castle. With Ryosuke and Elindriel in the crowd, they had Aelfric and Taicho being escorted in handcuffs as they were most likely to be going back towards the Order's main headquarters here on Alecrast. It was a folly that ended briefly, but sooner or later, it would be short-lived as there were consequences brewing on the horizon. Still, it was a folly nonetheless as Dean was ready to laugh at the failed attempt of my abduction until he was stopped by Kazuo directly.

"Well, well; if it isn't the little ginger that could… or else failed to pull my little brother from his roots back on Essos," he said as he saw an angry look on Aelfric's face. "It's a godsend that you were hauled from the Alecrian Embassy there on that planet, but your attempts to steal Sam proved to be fruitless after all."

"You're really stepping on needles, aren't you, Dean Winchester," said Taicho. "I even got a foot full from that bitch from the Hunter Corps four days ago and it still bugs me."

"Deejatra was only doing her job, Taicho," said Ryosuke with a stern look on his face. "Your attempts to take Sam back home while we were busting our asses against the Executive Division has violated the privacy of not only him, but his family and bodyguards as well."

"I won't be tied down like a dog!" screamed Aelfric as he was struggling to get free. "Sooner or later, I will bolt to Essos again and force Sam and his family to be put under house arrest here so we can have an advantage on winning this war!"

"This isn't the Tet Offensive, Aelfric," said Elindriel. "This is gonna be one hell of a war that's not only here, but elsewhere. Hell, even Ryosuke has seen the damage that General Wetzel has unleashed by buying more expendable dolls from a basic loophole in the Toller Family's hiding places. Still, it's best that we keep Sam and his family safe in which the Executive Division will stop at nothing to-"

It wasn't long until Aelfric broke free and was ready to attack Dean directly. Still, my older brother stood firm until he got clocked by the ginger-haired firebrand that was not too happy with what was going on so far. The punch in the jaw made him seeth as he got back up on his feet and kicked Aelfric down onto the dirt ground. He was ready to tear him a new one as he grabbed him and threw him against a wall that had a dumpster next to it. The ginger-haired firebrand was shaking as he was ready to fight back until he spotted Dean pounding on his face with his fists. Anger flooded my older brother as he was ready to put more bruises on Aelfric directly until he was stopped by Kazuo directly. The Medic General of the Medical Corps was adamant into stopping this petty fight as it was going too far, for he had a feeling that the ginger-haired firebrand was still put under grave circumstances of the mental state that he had.

"That's enough, Dean," he said. "You can't just attack a frail soldier like that."

"That 'frail soldier' is more than just a loose cannon," he said. "He'll try again just to keep Sam and his family under house arrest like caged zoo animals, but I won't let him go back to Essos."

"You can't just attack someone who has post-traumatic stress disorder and it will not look good on your record, either."

"Well, he clocked me, but I haven't lost any teeth just yet."

"And you damn near beat him to a bloody pulp, too, but he's not to be trifled with like that. If Marshal Calvert saw that, he'd put it down as a felony for you. Do you really want that to poison your reputation like that? We all know that we need the Alecrian Army to push back the Executive Division and their cronies or else we'll lose this war that got put in front of us. We can't let this happen again, you got that?"

Dean did nothing but stare at Aelfric as he was being carted away by several members of the Drakonar Army dragged him off without no further incident. As for what was going on so far, the war here was getting more intense in which the battle has spread so far as Drakonus and other places, for there would be no end to it anytime soon…

I hauled the gold into the kitchen as I set it down near the back door. With Carly following me, she was looking everywhere for more unsettling patches of the creeping truffle root as she was ready to go towards the basement where the jarred fruit was shelved at. By the time she went downstairs to get a jar of it, she turned on the light as she saw the same creeping truffle root in there as it was the size of tree branches. She was scared as she let out a scream so loudly that I came to her aid. It was something that I never expected to see the creeping truffle root to do as I got out a knife and cut into the large part and saw several grey truffles housed inside of it. I never expected to see it become more monotonous like that as I had a feeling that my raw power did more than just keep us afloat for a while.

"We've hit the jackpot in culinary gourmet art, fusspot," I said.

"How could you stand in front of that creeping thingy like that?!" cried Carly as she hid behind me.

"It seems that my raw power did more than just bring on the creeping truffle root surge. It has a potency to allow it to grow with lots of grey truffles into it as well and they don't come cheap when it comes to the gourmet scene."

"Are you saying that you made the truffle roots grow like that?"

"I'm afraid so, fusspot..."

"The roots are restless! I hope that they don't take over the whole house!"

"Truffle root grows in dark places, but it's also in decline here due to its overharvesting over the years. In due time, we have more than enough to make tangled duck or any other-"

"Hey, you can't just come in here like that!"

It wasn't long until Carly and I went back upstairs and noticed Kevin chasing after a gourmand that had a Welsh Corgi on a leash. The gourmand himself was a short man as he was dressed up in exotic merchant garb while sniffing the air around the house. I never saw him before, but he was also interested into going after what was in the basement as well, for this was getting out of hand already.

"I had a feeling that the rise in creeping truffle root came from this place," he said.

"Well, you did do a breaking and entering with your dog," said Kevin.

"Look at the pungent smell of what's been going on so far. Normally, the creeping truffle root keeps going into decline until I saw a power surge on the island four days ago. After that, my dog and I followed the smell here and it's been there ever since."

"For starters, kind sir, if you and your dog are looking for creeping truffle root, then you should look further in the basement," I said.

The merchant stared directly at me as he had a feeling that my presence was bolstering the creeping truffle root into a much robust comeback. He never expected me to be here of all places as I was most likely to be doing my part into offering the merchant some of what was hidden in the basement below. By the time I showed him to where we got to, we saw more roots that appeared near the shelf where the jarred fruit and jams were at as it was similar to what was found earlier. The merchant saw me cut at one of the roots as it was similar to what I noticed not too long ago. It was a large root that was filled with grey truffles as it was also giving off a pungent smell that was suitable for any gourmand to take it at a high price, for it was a huge cash cow after all.

"Allah be praised," said the merchant as he was stunned to see the truffle root with the grey truffles inside of it. "It's a hybrid of koranic proportions when it comes to these!"

"Looks like that the truffle root is getting monotonous for its own good," I said.

"It's more than enough to sell at a high price and I will be the first to bring this treasure trove into fruition to all restaurant gourmands everywhere! Ever since that surge of power on the island a few days ago, there had been a surge of many things and hasn't stopped before the upcoming weekly rainfall. It will be one great blessing that will be in the record books!"

It wasn't long until the merchant got out his machete as he cut into one of the roots that were filled with grey truffles in the basement. Gathering out a large wicker basket, he filled it up to the brim as he was blessed to see the pungent edible fungus fully plucked and harvested. By the time he was done, he went back upstairs as he brought out a bag of money that was used to seal the deal in the purchase that he made, for the plucking of the truffles was a pricey one indeed.

"It's a blessing to do business with you, kind sir," he said as he was on his way out the door.

"Sir, there's no need for you to give away your money," I said.

"And cause an uproar among the creditors who prize this truffle bumper crop? There will be consequences if I don't purchase this, Mr.-"

"My name's Sam Winchester and I'm here for my own safety from the war that's been going on there back on Alecrast."

"I know all about you. You're the one with the raw power, aren't you? Allah Himself had his reasons to bring you here from harm sooner or later."

"Then I assure you that this bumper crop of truffles and its roots will do more than just rake in the money to keep this house afloat. It'll be a much bigger godsend on the horizon."

"And I will hold true to that one, Your Rawness. Your luck is more greater than what is put in the chaos of things."

And with that, I saw the merchant leave with his dog as he left his money with us against my wishes to take the truffles free of charge. Still, my raw power made a mess of things, but I didn't mind it as I was also thankful that Carly herself discovered what was down there in the form of a pungent edible delicacy in mind. Even though I was thankful that I had the bumper crop of truffle root downstairs in the basement, Carly wasn't too thrilled as she was scared to go down there after what she saw earlier. I didn't blame her, but I also had a feeling that she would soon face her fear in the form of the roots that she found in the basement, for they were a cash cow of their own…

Later on in the evening, I was outside in my nightclothes after getting a bath earlier as I was standing near the beach in which I saw the ocean waves crashing near the shore. The night was peaceful as I was grateful that I had a home here instead of being in the castle in time of war. Still, I missed Dean and the others as I was most likely to be worrying about them, but I had a feeling that they would be safe for the time being. As for the latest turn of events, I was happy that I saw the truffle root and grey truffles in the basement growing in there as it was a cash cow of its own. It was also a happy feeling of grateful proportions that kept us here for a reason as we didn't hear any more bad news coming from Aelfric after his failed attempt to take me back home in the warzone, for it fizzled afterwards. Just as I was about to go back inside, I noticed Reiko approaching as she was dressed in a nightgown and robe while walking towards me. I saw her to be beautiful as she even had her hair down when it billowed in the wind. I didn't mind it as I was humbled to have her here with me after all, for she was very precious to me after all.

"It's a calm night so far after Carly made a fuss of things," I said.

"The truffle root with the truffles inside were useful after I made some creamed beef for dinner earlier," said Reiko. "It's strange that your raw power made the truffle root grow in bunches, but it's also a godsend to sell when it comes to a high price."

"It's also something that keeps our minds off of the war that's been going on back home on Alecrast, but I hope that Dean and the others are safe from harm."

"Sammy, they're alive and Brother will never fall down in the face of war. He's there because he will never give up on protecting those in need."

"I just hope that you're right… I have a gut feeling that the Executive Division will stop at nothing to wreak havoc on us if we aren't careful. It's hell, but we can't let our spirits be dampened by such toil and danger ahead."

"Sam!"

I heard the sound of Dirk yelling as I saw him sprint towards us. He was worried as he was most likely to be giving us news that can unsettle us at any time. Still, I had to listen as I was most likely to be ready to hear the further outcome soon enough.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"There's someone from the Alecrian Army at the front door," said Dirk. "It's a woman, but she's wanting to hear you in person."

"Let's hope that it isn't like that girl who was in cahoots with Aelfric..."

"She's a Marshal, but she's not about to leave until you hear from her demands directly."

I left the beach as I had Reiko and Dirk following me back to the house. By the time we got there, we saw a middle-aged woman with dark brown hair and blue eyes standing in the doorway as she was dressed in white military garb. She meant business as she was most likely to be up to no good like the last ones who tried to nab me from my safety net.

"It's late and everyone here has gone to bed," I said.

"Shut up; I know what you're trying to do, Sam Winchester," said the woman in an angry tone. "You've shirked your duties on Alecrast in times of war and it's spread in other parts of the galaxy without your knowledge."

"Ma'am, I know that you're a marshal of the Alecrian Army, but you can't just barge on someone's home like that."

"My name is Meredith Braddock and I am also here on behalf of Aelfric Gunderson and Taicho Tsujimura. They were there for their reasons to bring you back home and you refused to budge, so I'm calling the shots on bringing you and your family home before more innocent lives are put to Clegenny Marquand's large sword."

"But we can't leave here," said Reiko. "Marshal Calvert is adamant on keeping us safe from the Executive Division and if we go home, we'll end up being put at risk."

"I'm not like that Half-Elf who believes in keeping you safe. I'm here to bring you home and it's all I'm doing so that we can have an advantage in this ongoing war. Do you know how many casualties died because of your absence? There isn't enough medical supplies to aid in the war and it's causing us to give up hope on the sly! You and your family have twenty-one days to think about your decision. If you continue to stay in this 'safe haven' on Essos, then I will have no other choice but to take you home by force. Make the choice, Sam! If you continue to stay, then I won't be lenient. If you come home, then I will stay on my good side, is that clear to you?"

I saw Braddock leave as I was left with one of the gravest of all ultimatums that was on my head. I was being thrown back in the jaws of the wolf as I had no other choice but to leave Chateau de le Mer before anything else happened. I didn't want to leave this place, but I had twenty-one days to think about my decision as it weighed heavily above my head like a ton of bricks. Still, I had no other say in this matter as I was most likely to be packing up and going home back to Alecrast against my wishes, for it was something that I didn't want to do right now.

"We can't stay at Chateau de le Mer any longer, Reiko," I said gravely. "Marshal Braddock is not like Timothy and she's more stern to keep us going home, even if it meant by placing all of us under house arrest against our wishes."

"This isn't fair," she said as tears ran down her cheeks. "She knows that this is wrong and taking us back home to our castle will cause more harm than good in this war."

"You're not the only one that's worried… ," said Dirk. "I don't want to go back home right now. We have a home here on Essos and I won't let us fall under the crossfire of the Executive Division right now."

"The Marshals in the Alecrian Army or any other are the highest-ranking officers that are put there in the first place," I said. "If we disobey a direct order from one of them, then they will put a class felony on our heads. I can't let that happen to us and I won't disobey a direct order from a Marshal, either."

"I bet that the Half-Elf in charge is gonna be pissed off about this..."

"We have twenty-one days to give our decision. If our twenty-one days are up, then Marshal Braddock will force us out of this home and back into the castle against our wishes and that can put all of us at risk. I don't like this any more than the rest of us do, but we can't have a felony hanging over our heads right now."

"No one is leaving right now," said a familiar face as he appeared out of nowhere.

It was Castiel as he was dressed up in a Hawaiian t-shirt, black tank top, and khaki shorts complete with sandals. He was there for a reason as he was concerned about what was going on so far in which he didn't want us to leave Essos even after the twenty-one day order from Marshal Braddock earlier. Like all of us, Castiel was most likely to keep us here as the Second Galvanic Uprising had reached a month since it was started by General Wetzel not too long ago.

"Meredith Braddock is making a mistake into putting all of you into harm's way," he said.

"It's been a while, Castiel," I said.

"The Marshal in question has the same notion mind into bringing you into the warzone while the Executive Division is causing harm on Alecrast."

"Unfortunately, I can't disobey her orders or else I'll have a felony hanging over my head."

"No one is leaving here and I will make sure that you are kept safe from harm."

"Are you sure of this?" asked Reiko.

"Elindriel told me of the failed attempt that Aelfric and Miriam tried to do on you. Luckily, his mother on Drakonus is adamant like all of us to give everyone the news to keep you safe from harm."

"This Elindriel… Who is he?"

"Elindriel… is my son. His mother and I once got together nine hundred years ago, but he also knows how her old habits caught up to her in the form of bad habits since her resurrection many centuries ago."

"Looks like that you have a package after all," said Dirk. "And you say that most angels are junkless..."

"Not entirely… Meg and I will always remain close and will always remain firm to our superiors if need be. As for the current situation here, I won't let Marshal Braddock pluck you away back into the jaws of the beast. It would be disastrous if she did that against our orders."

"Let's hope that we don't get too much complaints here," I said. "I can't bear being forced to go back towards a warzone, but we'll have our time here until our twenty-one days are up. None of us like this idea of us obeying the Alecrian Army's orders, but we have no say in this matter right now."

"MR. SAM! THERE'S A TENTACLE IN MY CLOSET!"

I heard Carly's loud voice coming from upstairs as I went towards her room. It wasn't long until I entered in there as I saw her staring at a familiar root that was shaped like an octopus' tentacle in which it was a peculiar one indeed. The root was a swirl of black and white as it was a truffle root like no other in the galaxy. Still, Carly hid behind me as I examined the strange root carefully as I smelled the pungent smell of the truffle root that was growing out of control.

"That thing's scary!" I heard her yell as she was shaking with fear.

"Nonsense," I said. "This hybrid of truffle root has the most pungent aroma that can put any form of edible fungi to shame."

"Can't I at least get a gun and shoot at it before it grows out of my closet any worse?!"

"You're too young to be thinking about guns, fusspot. Besides, this fungal root is the most prized in all the culinary forms of food everywhere. In the end of this debacle, we'll be selling some of this prized fungi to the highest bidder and it will keep us afloat for a while."

"Is it poisonous?"

"No, but it's edible because I can sense how pungent it is. As for what's been going on so far, you have a terrible luck for seeing truffle roots growing in dark places here in this house. And another thing, it's way past your bedtime, so I suggest that you get some sleep, alright?"

And so, I left the room as Carly stared at the fungal delicacy that grew out of control from her closet. Still, she was scared of it, but she had to deal with it nonetheless as she crawled into the covers of her bed and stared at it before going to sleep. Her folly with dealing with the truffle roots came to an end for another day as tomorrow would soon be a start of something more different than what happened earlier today…

Braddock was at a local pub as she was sitting at her table drinking a pint of orange juice while staring at the window. Even though she was on Essos, she was not too thrilled with the alcohol ban here on this planet as it was banned due to what the upper population on it forbade it due to Muslim concerns. As for her situation into bringing me home, it was hitting a complete snag as she was not about to stop anytime soon. Like Aelfric and Taicho, she was also adamant into bringing me and my family back to Alecrast as she would also defy the orders of the alliance that was defending the homefront from the Executive Division. After she finished up her drink, she paid for her cup as she left the pub and saw a familiar demon staring at her. It was Ailnoth as he was out of hiding and ready to strike before daybreak, for he was ready to deliver a warning in his own twisted way.

"Meredith Braddock, I presume?" he said as he smirked.

"Who are you?!" she yelled as she drew out her gun.

"I'm here to help you flush out a certain resident with raw power, but he's refusing to budge, I take it."

"I gave him twenty-one days to leave Essos in which he will comply when he does so. It's the best improvement to bring into this ongoing war between us and the Executive Division."

"General Wetzel will finally get his weapon as promised when those twenty-one days are up. As for the alliance that is defending Alecrast from evil, they will soon be on the losing side when Project Apollo strikes the planet to its core. As for me, I'll soon fight my enemy when he surfaces, but he's far away."

"No… You can't let General Wetzel destroy Alecrast by using Sam as his weapon. It's unethical and it's unjust!"

"No, it's the way things are, Marshal. It's also the factor of keeping chaos from getting out of control. It happened so many times in the Elder Days that the Old Guard of what was once called the original Men of Letters had no choice but to intervene after the Darkness made peace with God. As for keeping Sam and his family here on Essos, he's overstayed his welcome in which he will have no other choice but to return to become General Wetzel's prized weapon for his own desires in mind."

"You're barking up the wrong tree, asshat," said a familiar voice as he appeared in his baboon form before changing back into his human one. "For the record, Sammy's staying and that's it, you got that, dumb-ass?"

Ailnoth spotted Hihi as he was armed with a sword and pistol, but he wasn't alone. The wayward yokai was there with the rest of his group as the Night Parade were ready to pounce on the Knight of Hell before he did further damage. With Braddock fleeing the scene, the Hihi and the rest of the Night Parade were standing firm as they didn't want Ailnoth to entice any more of the planetary military that is keen on keeping me safe from the Executive Division's crosshairs, for they were serious this time.

"You remnants of Eve are pissing me off!" he yelled as he was ready to make his next move.

"For the record, we may have spawned from Eve, but we don't obey her," said Hihi as he fired a shot from his pistol in the air. "We're here to send you a clear warning to back off or else we'll find and take you down. We all know that you're a Knight of Hell and the only way to take you out is with the First Blade that is now in the hands of Hideyono Kuronaga of all people."

"You will regret this night when I kill you where you stand."

"Is that so? You see, my friends pass as human, but we've been hiding in the shadows watching your every move, Ailnoth. As for Cain's movements, he may be far away, but he's not stupid. He'll find your sorry ass and he will kill you for what you've done to him."

It wasn't long until the Night Parade did their worst on Ailnoth as he fled the scene entirely. As for what happened so far, the group of yokai fled the area as the sound of a whistle was heard, only to scatter before more trouble occurred. As for what Braddock heard, she wasn't about to let me off the hook just yet as she was still determined to bring me home against my wishes, but Ailnoth's words were beginning to haunt her. She was no stranger into dealing with General Wetzel and his cronies as they were a bigger threat than what she saw in the form of Ailnoth and his upcoming battle with Cain on the horizon. It was the worst that would happen as she would soon realize that my safety would soon by a top priority in the long run…

The next morning, I was up and about as I noticed Carly pulling on the truffle root that she tore off in the closet of her room. She was there to see this thing be gone as she wanted it to be taken out of there soon enough. Still, I didn't mind her antics as I helped her take the truffle root towards the kitchen in which I noticed a group of buyers in the restaurant business coming up out of the basement with what was left of the truffles that were there. It wasn't long until I noticed piles and piles of denarii on the kitchen counter building up as I was relieved to see most of the truffle root and grey truffles gone from the basement. Even Carly was relieved as she didn't have to deal with what was going on around the house as the truffle root debacle was coming for a close for now until she saw someone taking away the root that she had in her small hands. It was Hihi as he was ready to take the root with him while delivering the bag of gold onto the floor.

"Oh, this is the hybrid that will change everything since the gas-powered car with electric charging," he said as he stuffed the root into his large bag. "It's a pleasure doing business with you, so let's keep this root thing going."

It wasn't long until Hihi disappeared without a trace as Carly was left staring at the gold that he left behind. Still, we had the root problem gone for now, but I was also grateful that the sale of the truffle roots were more than enough to keep us afloat until our departure from Essos in twenty days from now. The words coming from Braddock unnerved me as I was dreading the terror coming from the Executive Division and their allies on the horizon, for it was not my day after all.

"The roots are gone, but if they come back, then I'll pull them out," I heard Carly say to me.

"We may have gotten rid of the ones in the basement, but we might not stay here for much longer," I said gravely. "In the end, we had our fun, but we have twenty days to leave back home before anything else happens."

"What's going on, Mr. Sam? Are we leaving again?"

"A Marshal from the Alecrian Army arrived here last night and we must return home or else we'll face a felony on our heads."

"What's a felony?"

"A felony is a serious offense that will be on your record for life, which will happen unless we comply with Marshal Braddock's orders on-"

Without warning, I felt a stabbing pain in my head as I felt a vision entering into the fray of my mind. The image of an invading army from Darbus' leftovers was too much as I saw them ransacking the town without mercy until I returned to reality. The toll of my vision caused me to faint on the floor in front of Carly as she was scared for my health and safety, for she was screaming at the top of her lungs after what she saw after that…

"MR. SAM!"

I was in Kotori's clinic as I was in the same cot in the sick room after what I went through. I wasn't in fine fettle after enduring the vision of Lillium in danger as I was most likely to be fending off what was about to occur in the near future. Sitting up, I noticed an i.v. drip that was inserted into my arm as I noticed the same saline solution in a pouch from above. I never expected the vision from the future to take a toll out of me, but I wanted to go home right away until I saw Kotori coming into the sick room to check up on me.

"You gave everyone quite a shock there, Sam," she said to me as she got out her stethoscope from her medical bag. "Luckily, if it wasn't for that little Cat Sidhe girl coming to get me, you would've been toast by now."

"Lillium is in danger," I said as I was trying to get out of the cot. "I saw several soldiers that were from Darbus' leftovers in my vision in which they'll cause a massacre here."

"Your friend in the Hawaiian t-shirt told me the same thing in which if it really did happen, then the Alecrian Embassy will send help in the form of the Hunter Corps' captain from the seventh squad to defend it. He's no stranger into dealing with what happened all over a year ago, but I hope that we don't become fodder for Darbus Toller and his Master Race on the horizon."

"Where is he?" asked a familiar voice as he appeared in the sick room all dress in his usual Hunter Corps garb. "Looks like you've hit the fan, Sammy."

"Dean..." I said as I was glad to see him again. "I thought that you were supposed to be back in the homefront."

"Timothy gave me some orders to bring the Kurokage here and there we are on Essos again."

"It would've been easier if you used the portal with the red rubber ball in it instead..."

"We would've, but Cynthia forbade us to do so after hearing about the Executive Division pulling all their crap. With General Wets-His-Pants causing harm in other parts of the galaxy and Darbus sleeping with the asteroids, we're sitting on pins and needles right now."

"Yesterday, we had a root problem in the form of truffle root growing in the basement and in Carly's closet. Luckily, we had most of it sold to some of the highest bidders in which we are provided for around Chateau de le Mer, but we have only twenty days to leave home."

"Well, it's not happening 'cause we're here for a reason to protect you, Sam. In the end, there's no way in hell that we're letting those asshats from the Executive Division just to pluck you away in a warzone and that ginger-haired idiot's under house arrest right now. Anyway, the twenty day notice for you to leave is a hoax just to allow you to be fodder for General Wets-His-Pants and his cronies to dangle you like a worm on a hook to their own personal abuse. Besides, you're here for a reason 'cause when Magda stepped out of the ship with the girls, she saw the same truffle root growing out of the walls again."

"It never ends, does it..."

I had a feeling that the creeping truffle roots would never go away as they were both a godsend and a curse on the sly. As for what would happen next, the vision in my mind was a warning in which the battle to protect Lillium was only the beginning of my worries so far…

To be continued...