Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 5

Chapter 31: Assault On Lillium, Part 1

(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.)

Three days earlier…

Ryosuke was in the assembly of the Order's main headquarters on Drakonus as he was holding an emergency session with the Council of Elders that stayed in this part of the Ashizoka System With many delegates all lined up, he was having a field day as the crisis that was springing from the Second Galvanic Uprising was getting more monotonous than normal. They knew of General Wetzel and the rest of the Executive Division very well as their tactics and damage have spread into the outer part of the Ashizoka System without warning, for this was going too far at the seams.

"The Executive Division has gotten more brutal in their nasty scare tactics," said Ryosuke. "So far, there had been reports of an increased uptick of enemy forces that have been spotted in other parts of Megiddo, Britannicus, and now Essos. The planetary governments of them have issued a state of emergency after seeing an influx of enemy forces causing widespread havoc in various locations there and most recently, we got word from the Alecrian government that Marshal Calvert and his platoon have reached an agreement to go towards Essos after a recent unit of General Wetzel's forces touched down in the region of Austros."

"It's a shame that General Wetzel of Alecrast had planned this despicable war from the beginning, all to claim the savior as their weapon," said the Germanican delegate as she was concerned about what was going all over. "The man with the jeweled sigil must be protected at all times and all costs or else he will fall victim to those who crave the raw power for their own selfish desires."

"Sam Winchester is a humanoid being like the rest of us," said Lentulus. "He cannot get shoved under the bus like that after what he went through in the past two years or so."

"I know that your concern is nigh, but there's nothing we can do about it right now," said the Megiddian delegate. "All we need to do is wait before acting and that's what is done before we go in a warzone half-cocked."

"I've heard about the Executive Division the moment my son-in-law told me about how one of them managed to stalk Sam just like she did with him a few years prior. Minara has also told me how Julilla Paxton of all people had manipulated and seduced on her way to the rankings of the Alecrian Army until she was tried and sent to Shark Island until she escaped from it. Now that she's free to be General Wetzel's second-in-command, we should be vigilant into standing our ground in order to stop them in their tracks. We all know that they're after Sam Winchester and he once used his raw power to save my planet from an impending drought once. We can't just do nothing at this moment and I have faith that we will win this war soon enough. The tactics from the Executive Division have been known to brainwash people and I hope that they don't take Sam away for their own amusement. If that ever happened, I would rather die than see the latter become a puppet for those who would abuse the raw power that he has."

"You've made your point, Lentulus," said Ryosuke. "As of now, a Drakonar platoon have been selected to aid Marshal Calvert and his own unit towards the Essoan region of Austros as we speak. The recent sighting of the Executive Division's forces have been intense in which they've already mowed down a group of biker hooligans not too long ago and are heading towards the coastal town of Lillium. We all know that Sam Winchester and his family are there, but we're not taking this hands down right now. And another thing, a unit from the Cross Corps has been dispatched to deal with the situation along with the seventh squad of the Hunter Corps. The captain of the unit has been dispatched there to endure the safety of his brother and family in which he will have assistance from those who are allied in this cause to stunt the Executive Division. As for this meeting, it' has been adjourned for now."

With the gavel banged, everyone in the assembly hall left as Ryosuke was adamant into putting a stop to the Executive Division and their cronies on the sly. As for this war that was still going, there was no end in sight as the danger going towards Lillium was just the beginning of the worries of those who were concerned about what was going on so far…

Present Day

I was in a room in the underground fortress as it was an elegant one that stood out like the rest of the vast levels in this place. I was also not doing too well since I was brought here for my safety. Getting up, I wandered into the hallway as I noticed the windows that were showing nothing but crags and stalactytes from the ceiling. I was safe here, but I was also worried for the safety of Dean and the other combatants that were battling the enemies from above as I wanted to go out and protect them from harm. Just as I was about to go even further, I was stopped by Kotori as she was concerned for my health altogether. As usual, she didn't want me to go even further as she was on top of things so far when it came to tending to those who were vulnerable.

"Aren't you supposed to be in bed?" she asked.

"This place is vast, but I worry about our fellow men and women fighting alongside the allied forces from outside," I said.

"Does Reiko know that it's okay for you to roam around the halls after you became exhausted from using your raw power yesterday?"

"No, but she's vulnerable due to her condition."

"You care a lot about her, don't you? You also have a tendency to worry about everyone so badly that it'll run ragged."

"My friends and family will always be precious to me. It's what I truly care about the most because I can't bear to see those around me suffer."

"You lost someone close, didn't you?"

"Two close people died in which I showed respect for them more than anything. One of them was the former leader of his Hunter Corps squad that Dean now commands and the other was Kazuo's brother, Ippei."

"Ippei Mitani's dead?" Kotori was shocked to hear about it as she never heard from him in a long time. "Who killed him?"

"Ippei was killed by Darbus Toller a year ago, but his death wasn't in vain after all," said Kazuo as he was coming into the hallway. "It's been a while, Kotori. I also see that you still wear that deplorable armband after your departure from the Medical Corps several years ago."

"That was a long time ago, but why are you here of all people? Aren't you supposed to assist the soldiers on the surface?"

"You may be disgraced for the wrong reasons, but I still believe you to be a part of the Medical Corps. We all have our duties in mind, so I suggest that you reflect on what you have at your disposal"

It wasn't long until Kotori left the hallway as she was going towards the main rotgut room and closed the door behind her. She didn't want to deal with the stigma of Kazuo's presence as it was too much for her to bear after her departure from the Medical Corps. She had respect for her former mentor, but she also bore the scrutiny on her shoulders as she was staring at the black armband that was on her labcoat. She bore the same shame and stain for the rest of her life as she was made to wear it at all times, but sooner or later, all of that would change. For someone like Kotori, it was damaging to endure a sexual assault as it was also taxing on both the body and the mind. It was also her guilt and shame that kept her away from the Medical Corps for far so long as she ws trying to have a steady income in her expertise as a doctor who tended to the injured and ill on a daily basis. As usual, she didn't want to deal with Kazuo's presence until he intruded on her space for no reason.

"Why can't just leave me be for once?!" she yelled. "You know that General Wetzel shamed me and further stained my reputation already for years!"

"And you still wear that deplorable black armband on your arm," said Kazuo. "You know perfectly well that your presence in the Medical Corps is still lingering on after your departure."

"It won't make any difference anyway because once you are slapped with the black armband of shame, you have to keep it on you at all times to remind you of the stain that you have on your conscience."

"Kotori…, I know that you've suffered the worst, but must you reject the teachings of your former mentor before they fade away?"

"I've kept my distance from the Medical Corps after what that bastard, General Wetzel, did to me by planting a false lie to the Medic General,Yano. I couldn't take that power-hungry scum after what he did to me and there's no going back to the Medical Corps now, for that ship has left the atmosphere."

"And you continue to dwell on the past after all I've taught you? You're thinking about how General Wetzel robbed you of your status in your clan by violating you and later caused your ouster from the Medical Corps, aren't you? I kept tabs on the bastard for what he's done in the past and the higher-ups in the Alecrian Army didn't lift a damn finger to get rid of him and his cronies until they staged this war to claim his prize. He's not just a threat to you, Kotori, but to all of us put together with his cronies in which their presence has spread to even further parts of the galaxy. As for your own predicament, I suggest that you bury your burden and rejoin the Medical Corps. It's the very lenient thing you can do because it's also an order."

"But Director Yano makes the decisions, not you!"

"Yoichi Yano was removed after his failure to ensure those who suffered from mental illness after battle or abuse. After witnessing the suicide of a patient who suffered from post-traumatic stress, it was the last straw to act in which the proper care was adequate for those who suffered mentally from such ailments that damaged the body as much as the mind. After Yano's ouster, I was given that position to be the Medic General of the Medical Corps and I vowed to help those who suffered from their trauma both physically and mentally."

Just as Kotori was about to say more, a loud boom rang out from above as it shook the entire stronghold. When they ran out into the hall, they noticed the outer and inner walls to be intact from such a blast as there had been fighting at the surface. It wasn't long until I was there in the halls as I sensed danger from the outside. I was also concerned for the safety of Dean and the others as I was dreading a dreary outcome that was about to occur. I couldn't just sit there in the stronghold forever as I was ready to leave until Kazuo stopped me in my tracks. Like those who were fighting outside, he was concerned for my health and safety as he didn't want me to go out into the open during this battle, for this was hell from above.

"Let me through, Kazuo," I said as I was getting testy.

"You're not going anywhere, Sam," he said to me as he was adamant into his position. "You can't just take off and leave yourself vulnerable to be the Executive Division's target on the battlefield. Also, you've been diagnosed with the exhaustion you were under in which you're not up to par with your recovery just yet."

"Dean's out there. I know that he's in this mess just as much as the rest of us here. I can't just leave him reeling like that."

"The edict still stands, Sam. You're not going out there exposed like that and you'll end up being either cannon fodder or a hostage to the Executive Division and they know how gullible their ultimate prize is in order to go to battle like that."

I walked towards a window as I placed my hand on my chest. I began to feel the pounding of my heart so readily as I felt another pulsation in synch with mine until it began to quicken. It was Dean's heartbeat that I felt as he was caught in the battle of the enemies that were there in Lillium, for they weren't relenting in their thirst for mindless slaughter on the horizon…

"Be careful…, Dean..." I said to myself.

Dean was armed with his usual sword and weapons as he was facing off against a group of enemy soldiers that were causing havoc in the northern area of Lillium's infrastructure. The damage was intense as he found it to be empty without any casualties, for it was a godsend that most of the civilians were safe underground for now. When he spotted two soldiers that were coming towards him, they drew out their guns as they were ready to fire on him without remorse or reason at all. He remembered the gold armor that they had as they were also part of the leftovers that Darbus Toller left behind after his death. He also remembered how soulless they were as they weren't stopping in their tracks in this battle.

"So, you two mooks came from Darbus Toller's spring collection, didn't you?" he said. "It's too bad that your master's sleeping with the asteroids right now."

"You will show our master respect," said the two soldiers in unison. "You are also keeping General Wetzel's prize from him."

"If you're wanting to take my little brother, then you're gonna have to claim him elsewhere."

At that moment, the two soldiers fired at Dean as he hid behind a wall that was littered with bullets and empty cartridges on the ground. He was firing back as he noticed that the soldiers were still going even after they had bullets fired into their armor. He had a feeling that the latest batch of Darbus' leftovers had been enhanced as he fled into an alleyway. In a much broader sense, he began to have sensing abilities of his own as he saw the two soldiers coming after him. When he noticed something in their right foot of each of them, he saw it to be their weak point as he drew out his gun and shot at the targets at once. Both soldiers were reeling as they lost their endurance in the form of my older brother, who finished them off when he used his sword to cut their heads off. After what he went through, the worst was over until he saw several more soldiers coming with guns in their hands. They were ready to fire until they were all killed by an unknown force, for it was revealed to be a familiar bouncer as she was standing in front of them.

"I take it that you're not with us, are you?" he said.

"You're Dean Winchester, aren't you?" she said as she was standing in front of him.

"I was about to get taken out until they were killed in that mess all over the place."

"I've been tracking General Wetzel's goons ever since they declared war on everything. It's hell out there, but I've had worse since the ouster of the two despots who ruled the Kingdom by the River before Shigeru and Futaba came along."

"You're far away from home right now, but it's not safe here. You don't even have any protection on you right now."

"Hey, I just saved your ass back there, but I'm just one of your renegade demons who aren't thrilled to see the Executive Division rain on your parade like that."

"I guess that you're on our side after all, aren't you?"

"Hey, the name's Lorelei, bucko! I may be a demon, but I'm in this battle whether I like it or not! Even though my revenge against Milverton is put on hold, there's a waer that is shaking everything to its core right now."

"And here comes the welcome wagon..."

It wasn't long until Dean spotted a few more soldiers coming as he was armed with his gun and sword. He was ready to do his part into defending Lillium as he was ready to kill them until he spotted a familiar figure that was hidden in the plethora of soldiers approaching. It was a face that he recognized in Chekiang on Alecrast as it was none other than Clegenny Marquand himself in that group of artificial creations that were encroaching into the town square. He noticed the figure with the large sword and intimidating gas mask in the group as the latter was out for blood in spades. Still, he had to deal with the situation that was going on as it was hell outside with a vengeance. He was aware of Clegenny's presence here as he had a gut feeling that the situation would get even more uglier than normal.

"Looks like there's a bad apple in the barrel," he said.

At that moment, he saw Clegenny emerge from the group of artificial soldiers as the latter unsheathed his large sword and was ready to attack him. This wasn't the first time that he had to deal with such toil on the horizon as he was facing off against the rampaging latter until Lorelei stepped in to stop him. She saw the eerie man in the gas mask clearly as she was ready to pin him where he stood, for this was the worst in the Executive Division's arsenal so far.

"Back away, harlot!" yelled Clegenny as he had his sword at the ready.

"You're not doing a damn thing 'cause I'm not like any other girl you disfigure, dumb-ass," said Lorelei. "As for your petty little invasion force, they're after the civilians that are tucked away, but I won't tell you 'cause you'll slaughter them the moment you go to find them."

"I heard it all before! You women are all the same! They are the most dangerous snakes that have ever existed all over the galaxy and they will be eliminated!"

"You're the worst in the group of General Wets-Himself and his group of cronies in which you were disfigured by an inmate by shoving acid down your throat. As usual, there's always a misogynist in a group of perfect little people on the sly."

Without warning, Lorelei saw Clegenny's sword coming towards her as she used her telekinesis to lift him up and throw him towards a wall. She wasn't having it as she was standing firm against the intruder who came and entrenched onto Lillium without warning. The fight between renegade demon and rabid soldier was intense as Lorelei noticed that Clegenny was strong as he broke through her hold on him and was ready to slash her to bits with his sword. The renegade who showed up out of the blue was concerned as she saw the soldier lunging at her the moment she jumped out of the way from his attack. She never saw anything like it before as she saw him leap towards her and pins her to the ground. She was done for, but not without a fight as she was struggling to break free from Clegenny's strong grip.

"You sure have a strong stance for a misogynist," she said as she was struggling to get out of Clegenny's grasp. "I bet that you do that to some of the people who rub you the wrong way, don't you?"

"Watch your mouth, snake!" yelled Clegenny. "You are talking to the enforcer of the Executive Division and the most powerful of all of General Wetzel's soldiers!"

"I've heard of him before when he killed his own daughter to gain some extra power to control some of his out-of-control subordinates. He even had the gall to lure John Winchester into a trap, only to have the latter killed for no reason and you still follow that guy for what he's done?"

"What General Wetzel did was for the greater good to relaunch Project Apollo that has been abandoned for years."

"I bet that you prefer someone who is a bigger dick than Milverton 'cause I won't be bogged down so easily!"

At that moment, Lorelei threw Clegenny off of her as he was sent flying into somewhere unknown. Getting up on her feet, she began to scan the area as she saw the platoon of Darbus' leftovers fighting it out with the soldiers that were in our alliance. Even Dean noticed the renegade demon holding her own as she was no stranger to the corruption that she saw on a daily basis, for it was rife in those who craved more power on the sidelines.

"Looks like you made short work out of that asshat that was in that group of plastic dolls," he said.

"Don't get your hopes up 'cause he'll retaliate without warning if we aren't careful," said Lorelei.

"You noticed battle with what's there, didn't you?"

"After Ruby's Knife got shut down, I had to find work doing odd jobs, but it wasn't without a catch on the sly. The Domina of the Kingdom by the River instructed me to observe the ringleaders of the Toller Family and their dirty dealings in which their soulless dolls have been hidden through the loopholes that they give out to their highest bidders."

"Are you saying that Futaba gave you the go-ahead on observing what goes on with those artificial dolls of Darbus Toller?"

"When Sam hightailed it last year, Darbus and his cronies continued their reign of nasty control in which they blew up Ruby's Knife before Shigeru drove them out of town. After that, I lost my job as a bouncer, but that didn't mean that I'm out of the loop yet. All I wanna do is to find any sort of soulless doll that the Tollers have manufactured and take them out before they do more damage. They may be grunts in General Wets-Himself and his piss-poor group of flunkies, but I won't let them damage other parts in this galaxy, either."

"I heard all about it when Ruby's Knife bit it in which Shigeru put his foot down to run the creeps in Darbus' arsenal to leave the Kingdom by the River last year. It was hell when we had to put up with that asshat and his floozies, but we still had hope with Sam coming back home and putting them in their place."

"I hope that he's here and safe because General Wetzel and his group won't stop until they claim him for their personal weapon on the sly. Sooner or later, I hope that he turns the tables on those asshats when the time is right..."

At that moment, Dean saw Lorelei disappear without a trace as he was ready to report back to the house. As for his detail into securing Lillium, he was aware of the damage that General Wetzel and his group were doing as they were there for no apparent reason but to cause damage in their wake. By the time he got there, he saw a group of soldiers fending off a volley of artificial dolls coming as they were shooting them where they stood. He decided to join the fight as he shot at a few of them that were advancing towards the house and the beach next to it. He wasn't about to let up as he was there to protect me and the others from harm, for we were safe for the time being until the battle is over. By the time the volley of soldiers were finished, some of them stood their ground as they were ready to fire at the platoon that was near the house. With their guns poised, they were ready to shoot until they were shot down by sniper bullets while dropping like flies on the ground.

Dean was grateful that one of his own was there as he saw Deejatra on the rooftop with her sniper rifle in her hands. With the battle at a standstill, there was an advantage in the defending side's favor as the time to run the invaders off was only the beginning of what was yet to come. Still, war was war as it was also a living hell for those who were caught in the middle of it, for it ended with a double-edged sword sticking it into both sides of the spectrum. By the time Dean was on his way to the house, he was in for a briefing as he noticed Timothy standing in front of him, for the news he was about to tell was a grim one indeed.

"What seems to be the problem?" he asked.

"We got word from Ryosuke not too long ago," answered Timothy sternly.

"Is he bringing some of the Drakonar Army's finest or what?"

"The good news is that a platoon from the Drakonar Army has arrived here on Essos and are coming here to aid us in this fight against the faction that was sent in by the Executive Division."

"Well, it works for me..."

"The bad news is that the remaining governments in this part of the Ashizoka are too chicken to come here unless they travel through a travel portal from an Elder's house."

"Everyone has to be on board with this, don't they? We can't just depend on a measly faction of three sides fighting General Wets-His-Pants and his cronies in this game of cat and mouse, you know."

"The real reason why that some of the planetary government refuse to send their troops from space is because there was a sighting of a platoon that was near Essoan aerospace." Timothy fishes out a tablet as he shows an unsettling familiar image to Dean. "There's a flagship up there that bears the same emblem that was emblazoned on some of the battle cruisers that were involved with Abaddon last year. It may not by my thing to know more about, but that ship is a threat in the galaxy and it won't leave very quietly. It's not a friendly ship, but you should consider where you fly and park the Kurokage the next time you get that ship off the ground."

"The Army of Cain…"

Dean remembered their presence very well as he never forgot how a faction of them caused slaughter in seven towns a year ago. He also never forgot about Severin's presence as the deceased double agent for both Abaddon and Milverton caused widespread havoc in his wake, only for me to put an end to him afterwards. The Army of Cain was a scourge in the cosmos as their presence is known throughout the galaxy under the leadership of Abaddon as they were known to cause havoc in other parts in space without warning. Dean remembered the presence of any form of battle cruiser that had the Mark of Cain painted on them as they were an eyesore that caused problems for others who were caught in the crosshairs. It wasn't long until Deejatra entered through the upstairs window as she walked downstairs to see Dean and Timothy at a briefing that was unsettling to hear at present.

"It seems that we have a problem," she said.

"There's an Army of Cain ship near the Essoan border," said Dean.

"I know who they are and what they represent, Dean. From what I gather, that ship with the Mark of Cain painted on it was sold to General Wetzel a week ago in order to destroy any ship that comes into Essoan aerospace."

"And the bastard's doing a good job into isolating us in the form of a ship that bears an unholy Mark from the Elder Days," said Timothy as he looks at the sky from outside. "It's almost dusk and we should get a full belly for tonight before morning."

"Well, it's a shame that the 'vulnerable' women aren't here to lend us a hand into preparing meals for us grunts," said Dean. "I have some experience into cooking meat, but turning it into other dishes are a tricky mess indeed."

"You can cook like the rest of us, can't you? In a broader sense, you're not the only one who can cook for everyone."

Both Dean and Timothy were most likely to be dabbling in the kitchen as they were about to make due with what they had with them for tonight's meal. As for what is happening so far, the grunts were there to defend Lillium till the last man or woman as the enemy soldiers weren't letting up until dawn, for this battle here was getting more hectic than normal…

Daorani was on the move with her subordinates and commanding officer as they all reached the junction where Lillium was at. The platoon were considered to be the lucky ones as they used Ryosuke's travelling portal to get there while they were there to stop the invading faction that was over there with extreme prejudice. She was no stranger to battle as she even went up against the Black Dragon Guild of all groups, but the Executive Division was getting to be a much more dangerous eyesore that refused to go away quietly. By the time the platoon advanced towards the main entrance to Lillium, they weren't expecting a bad apple in a group of soulless dolls as a man with blond hair and blue eyes emerged in the plethora of enemy soldiers. Daorani recognized him clearly as it was none other than Jan Thurber due to the scars on his face and the beige clothing that bore a familiar and deplorable armband that was heavily despised by most alien and humanoid races.

"So, the new fuhrer never expected a group of Drakonar soldiers coming here to Essos," he said as he wasn't moving where he stood. "Times have changed since my sister got thrown into Belbe Citadel on Gehenna for her crimes, but that doesn't mean that her legacy won't go to waste."

"We know who you are, Jan," said Daorani. "Ryosuke told us about how you cling to your Nazi ideology and you even sold yourself out to General Wetzel from his Executive Division in his ongoing thirst for power."

"It's a shame that someone who isn't full Aryan material isn't worthy of the afterlife, but in the end, you and your group won't get past us when we isolate Lillium and the combatants that are in there."

The soldiers that surrounded Jan got out their guns as they were ready to fire at Daorani and her group. Taking cover, the platoon were hiding behind a wall of rocks as they began to fire back at the soulless dolls that were shooting at them. The determination from the artificial creations became an advantage as they were not stopping at all even after they were shot up with bullet holes. The platoon was screwed until they saw an angelic aura emerging out of nowhere. It wasn't long until they spotted Abiasaph in the middle of the battlefield as he wasn't having it with the eyes of the enemy soldiers melting the moment they fell to the ground. He was no stranger to dealing with Darbus' leftovers as he was there to give Jan a warning not to come here again, for he meant business when the chips were down.

"I see that the chief of Kanto Village is here and far away from his homeworld on Alecrast," said Jan with an evil smirk on his face. "You know that you will end up failing in this war, so I suggest that you pack up and leave before you get killed."

"You won't go too far by sending your cronies here to trash Lillium, so I suggest that you leave before you get your ass kicked," said Abiasaph. "You know that you're not welcome here, but the flagship that's up there in orbit will turn on your benefactor if you're not careful."

"If you thought that the ground volley was bad, this next one is a lot worse..."

Abiasaph stared up at the sky as he saw a blast from space coming towards the Essoan atmosphere without warning. Jan was happy as a clam to see the shot of light coming as it was about to hit Lillium and wipe it off the map. With the light blast in close range, it was deflected as the light faded out in the presence of an invisible shield all over the town. Daorani and her platoon were thankful that the light from above didn't cause harm, but there would soon be more danger as she saw Jan and his soldiers leaving for the time being.

"Looks like Jan Thurber left without a hitch after that failed blast," she said.

"He'll be back because he's got company from up above," said Abiasaph.

"What kind of company?"

"Jan Thurber's benefactor just purchased a battle cruiser that has some of Abaddon's finest up there in space in which no one could dare to go near it in orbit."

"I've heard of the Army of Cain before and the last one to wage war on Alecrast with those things was a man named Severin Thrippe. He was also responsible for the slaughter in the seven towns he went to, only to suffer in his own demise."

"He may send plenty of his grunts at the behest of General Wetzel, but he's no match for a certain divine power that protected us time and time again."

"Then it's a divine providence that God has lent His hand on this day..."

"The power that shielded us and the rest of Lillium from that blast didn't come from God, but a certain someone who had the gall to protect us at the last minute. As for the enemy's stance, they're backing off because it's almost nighttime and there are far more worse things that can kill you on sight if you're not careful. Anyway, let's meet up with Marshal Calvert and the Hunter Corps captain and file the report that is needed because the Executive Division has gone too far this time."

Abiasaph was certain that my raw power came into play as he noticed several more enemy soldiers approaching in the distance. It was a long battle near Lillium as this wasn't the very end of what would go on anytime soon…

I was in the dining hall as I was suffering from a terrible headache. The pain was getting intense as I began to sense a light from space that was approaching from the outside. The blast I sensed could wipe out Lillium and everyone in it as I felt my raw power building up a little bit more than I had expected in this battle. It wasn't long until I used my raw power to shield everyone in Lillium as the blast was averted the moment I collapsed onto the floor. It wasn't long until Kazuo arrived to help me up as he steered me over to a chair next to a table. His concern for my health and safety was nigh as he noticed blood coming out of my nose after being exhausted from using my raw power to protect everyone in the town. With a box of tissues in his hand, he took one as he wiped the blood from my face in which he noticed me to be feverish after going to great lengths to save everyone from a blast from outside. It was the most I could do as I did my part like everyone else here in this ongoing war.

"You shouldn't have overdone it, Sam," he said to me as he threw away the spent tissue into the wastebasket next to the door. "You may be lucky that you lived, but you shouldn't be overexerting yourself like that."

"I couldn't just let this town get wiped off the Essoan map," I said. "I sensed the blast from above coming in which I had no choice but to use what I had to protect everyone inside and outside the town."

"Dinner consists of what is brought with the civilians in which the poulterer had the gall to get most of his livestock together to feed everyone here. There's also an abundance of geoducks that have been housed underground after a long swim from the ocean in which Reiko spotted them just in time to get them cooked for tonight's meal."

"Well, that's promising, but the surface troops are out there defending the town from the Executive Division and their cronies. As for the groundlings here, we're safe for the time being, but not for long."

"You just made a joke just now..."

"I didn't make anything. All I'm saying is that the Executive Division will end up finding me and that will put all of us at risk, including the civilians here. And no, I didn't make a joke because I'm concerned for the safety of those who are here with their families and businesses in tow."

"You're not the only one here who's worried, Sam. We all have a stake in putting the brakes on General Wetzel and his cronies on the sly after what they've planned under the noses of the higher-ups of both the Order and the Alecrian Army. I saw through the Executive Division more than anyone in which Ginryu gave me a directive to oversee what they were doing. They were even paying into Sawney Masbath's already swollen coffers in which he was told to instruct Sylvanus to belittle you all those years just to force you to be submissive to their own selfish goals. There were also times when Ginryu himself was threatened with going under the microscope due to Sawney Masbath's immunity from prosecution, but he predicted that you would go free from the fort on Gehenna."

"I never expected to see Ginryu back off before, but he was concerned about what was going on over the years, wasn't he?"

"Ginryu was biding his time to put Sawney into prison for literally blackmailing Sylvanus in which he had to tread carefully in dangerous waters. He was also aware that your father was set up by General Wetzel on that fateful day he lost his life while fighting an Oxalan all those years ago. It was despicable of him to lead your father to his death in which I uncovered his plot, but it rang on deaf ears due to Sawney Masbath's trickery. The bastard who caused your father's death has planned this the whole time to force you to become the Executive Division's pet for their own amusement. General Wetzel wanted you to be docile, afraid, and submissive up to your adult years, only to see the rest of your childhood happiness taken away just to spend the rest of your days being a servant in a fort on a frozen wasteland. The general himself planned this in order to make you obedient to him and those who follow him. He still believed that the raw power that you had would be more than enough to bring you down to such a subservient low in which it would be mandatory for you to obey him. In the end, you have your own path to follow, not the path that is perceived in front of you. As for what General Wetzel has done over the years, he'll soon be consumed by the very same lust and ambition that he had, only to drag him down in the fires of Hell for all eternity. It will be his punishment for the rest of his days after all he did, for he won't last much longer in this war."

I was stunned to hear Kazuo's words clearly as I was beginning to despise General Wetzel a little more after all I heard earlier. I couldn't bring myself to forgive the latter after what he had done just to force me into submission against my wishes. I was my own person and nothing more as I was most likely to be beating the mad general at his own game, but I had to bide my time like everyone else in this matter. My grudge against the Executive Division was absolute as I vowed to put them in their place after all that was said by Kazuo. The days of being manipulated by those who lusted after my raw power were over as I couldn't let them break me any longer. I had my own goals and family to focus on as I couldn't allow the Executive Division to get their way in the end, for their lust for power will be their downfall afterwards…

Lorelei was hiding in the distance as she saw the blast of light being deflected earlier. She had a gut feeling that the Army of Cain would fire from their ship from above as they were most likely to be touching down at any time. She despised the Army of Cain that was created by Abaddon as she viewed them to be only puppets that were meant to carry out widespread slaughter in the name of a certain Father of Murder. Just as she was about to come out of hiding, she noticed a group of soldiers approaching as they used a rocket launcher to blast through the building that she was hiding in. She recognized them to be part of Darbus Toller's leftovers as they were armed with guns and ready to shoot on sight. She remembered them clearly as she was most likely to fight them head on in this battle here in Lillium, for they were invading for no reason at all.

"You will surrender," said the men in unison.

"Yes, yes you will," said the women in unison.

"Oh, bite me!" yelled Lorelei. "I know who you are since you decimated Ruby's Knife last year and now you're about to decimate an entire town?! You got some nerve showing up here and it pisses me off, so I suggest that you leave before you try anything else."

With that, the soldiers in front of her were ready to fire at her as they were relentless in their fight to destroy Lillium in broad daylight. As for what would occur next, she fled into a different hiding spot as gunshots fired everywhere all over. The battle here was getting more monotonous as the Executive Division was wearing out their welcome here in Lillium, for they would soon meet defeat in this battle for the time being…

To be continued...