Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 6

Chapter 16: In the Company of a Feast

(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 the four birthdays as I was up and alert while I used the travelling portal to go to Drakonus. Although I wanted to go alone, I wasn't about to be left unprotected as I noticed Kevin joining me due to his status as a bodyguard. As usual, we were ready to go towards the city of Zetian as we saw a train approaching at the station near the Order's main headquarters. By the time we got on board, we were going towards our destination as we were most likely to be meeting up with some of the Elders who have been concerned about what the Executive Division was doing. Even the mentioning of the Black Dragon Guild joining that dangerous group was more than enough to leave a bad taste in our mouths as I was also disgusted at the news that Ginryu told me last week. I remembered how the Black Dragon Guild were targeting me, only to lose a close friend in the process two years ago. I even remembered how Dirk's father was killed while shielding him out of the way last year, only to see the assassins that were employed in the Black Dragon Guild carry on their tactics without questioning. The thought of them was a swirling turn of events as their ability to join forces with the Executive Division and the Toller Family's second branch was more than enough to keep me on edge, for it was very dangerous indeed.

"You seem tense," said Kevin as he was concerned for my health and safety.

"The Black Dragon Guild are nothing more than a dangerous group of thugs and assassins," I said as I sat down in my seat by the window. "They took two innocent lives from us in which I will never forgive them for it."

"You're talking about Master Colchuvar and Tyrone Matheson, aren't you?"

"They risked their lives to protect Dirk and me, but their memories will never be forgotten." I began to dig into my luggage to find my journal as I noticed that it wasn't there. "There's no end, is there?"

"We can get a journal as soon as we get to Zetian. Besides, it's not the end of the world right now, is there?"

I continued to stare out the window as I saw the numerous farmland and livestock thriving with such a powerful ecosystem here on Drakonus during the time of the winter season. I wasn't too worried about my small predicament as I was most likely to be having bad luck along the way. Little did I know was that Carly and Kanna were in the train as they had my journal and files in their hands. Luckily, they were eager to travel through the travelling portal with the red rubber ball in it as they were eager to follow me just to give me my things and hurry back home. Both girls were most likely to be getting into trouble as they were also about to go on an adventure that would soon be in the record books soon enough.

"We're on a train again!" yelled Carly.

"Keep it down," said Kanna cautiously. "I don't want Sam to spot us while we bring him his journal and files."

"Mr. Sam should keep a better eye on his files instead of waking up late."

"It wasn't his fault, Carly. He stood up till three in the morning and didn't wake up until eight, which was late."

"Well, the babies kept him running ragged, you know."

"Zia and Zoran need all the help they can get because they're still newborns and can't be able to do anything yet. Even Cynthia is there to help Reiko take of them while Sam's away, so we should be thankful that there's plenty of us back home at the castle."

Both Carly and Kanna continued to watch out the window of the winding countryside as they were on their way towards Zetian as planned. On a whim, Carly gathered up my files and journal as she left the passenger compartment that she was in. When she found my own compartment, she saw me and Kevin dozing off as she was ready to give the journal and files to me in secret before going back to where Kanna was. When she saw my suitcase, she opened it up as she placed the files and journal into it while going back to her own compartment. Just as she was about to do so, I woke up as I caught her trying to get out the door, for she was done for after trying to bring me my journal and files not too long ago.

"You should've stayed at home, fusspot," I said.

"Sorry, Kanna and I brought your files to you when you forgot them," said Carly.

"Does Reiko or Cynthia know that the both of you are not there at home?"

"No, but we didn't want you to forget your things because you needed them."

"They will know eventually the moment you two took off, but I'll let it slide for a while because I needed what I was about to give to Ryosuke."

Without warning, I heard something crash into the back of the train as I was on my feet to sense what was going on. At that moment, I noticed the train stopping as it was at a nearby train station for an emergency stop. When I got out of my compartment, I rushed outside as I noticed some of the staff coming to assess what was going on, only to see that something inhuman tore through the engine in the back. It was something that I never saw before as I had a gut feeling that whoever or whatever attacked the train was meaning business as it was something that needed to be dealt with before it was too late. When Kevin, Carly, and Kanna rushed out of the train, they saw the damage to the back of it as they never saw anything like it before, for it was not for the faint of heart right now.

"Was there a monster in there?" asked Carly as she was hiding behind me.

"If it was, then we need to be careful," I said.

"Oh, no…," said Kevin as he was worried to the extreme. "It had to be one of them..."

"What are you talking about?" asked Kanna.

"A berserker did this and one of them shouldn't be taken lightly."

"Have you seen one before?" I asked as Kevin nodded. "Wait, I looked up at some of the Earth lore that was kept in the secret compartment at the fort on Gehenna once. In one of the lore books, berserkers are known to fight with such savagery in which they even go into battle into a trance or consume hallucinogenic drugs just to get them pumped up to go out on the battlefield. Still, over the centuries, the berserker has evolved in which I read in the Orc lore that when one makes a pact with their god of violence, Hyurii, his or her fate is sealed in which one is forced to fight in violence until their bodies fall apart."

"Master Colchuvar told me about them in which he had to deal with one during his mission in the Winterlands before he went to Gehenna to pick you up. We have to stop it before it tries to kill any of the passengers that are on the train with us. If a berserker wanders free, then it's a threat to everyone and it kills anyone in its path, friend or foe."

Kevin was concerned about what was about to happen as he had a gut feeling that he would soon face off against the berserker that damaged the train. Still, he had to be vigilant as he had to be on his guard in which there's no telling when or where the berserker might be so far…

Up in the distance, a lone Orc on his giant wolf watched as he was holding a pair of binoculars in his hands. He was aware of the target that he had been hunting as he wanted to terminate it before any more innocent people got mowed down in its wake. Looking into his journal, he was staring at the information about the berserker lore as he had the means to stop it with what he had in his arsenal. Spotting the train below the station near the Mikan River, he saw the hole in the train as he was eager to find and kill the target before it was too late.

"It had to come to that thing hiding in plain sight..." he said as he was still looking over his binoculars. "That asshat better scream uncle before he tries to harm more innocent people in his way or else I'll nail his sorry ass." It wasn't long until he spotted me out in the open. "What the hell? There's no way that Sam could show up, but with silver hair? He's come a long way since Dad last saw him running around with that same jeweled sigil on his forehead al those years ago..."

The Orc was ready to ride to where the train station was as he rode his wolf to where he needed to get to. With his weapons on his person, he was ready to go as he was most likely to be tracking down the same berserker that he was looking for. Still, he had his reasons to stop such a dangerous being as he also had a job to do in order to do away with it. Riding on his wolf, he sped down to the train station as he noticed me going towards the inn with Kevin and the girls in tow. He was ready to talk as he got off his wolf and tethered it to a post. He was also ready to get some answers as he was there on business, for this was personal to the extreme.

"Hold it," he said as he saw me standing still.

"Do you have business here?" I said.

"Damn right! And for the record, it's been years since you got plucked to Gehenna, Sam."

"And you are-?"

"My name's Owen Farragut and I've been on the hunt for whoever burst through that train like the Kool-Aid Man hitting through a brick wall."

"Farragut? That means that you're the son of James Farragut from the Winterlands," said Kevin.

"For a while, I've been hunting that berserker that's been hiding in plain sight in which it has killed anyone who got in its way: criminals, bystanders, and even women and children."

"If a berserker truly is hiding in the distance, he or she won't get very far," I said.

It wasn't long until Kevin spotted a suspicious person approaching as it was a man that was foaming at the mouth. He had a gut feeling that the berserker wasn't about to spare anyone as he was told by Colchuvar many times about one who kills in a dangerous frenzy. When he spotted the suspicious man stopping in front of him, he noticed him changing in size as if he was a doped-up bodybuilder in which the berserker was there to kill for no reason. Even Owen was concerned as he got out his sword as he was ready to eliminate the suspicious man before any bystanders got hurt or killed in the process.

"Okay, asshat, I've got you cornered," he said as he was ready to fight the berserker in front of him.

"Look out!" yelled Kevin as he saw the berserker charging towards us for no reason.

I got Carly and Kanna out of the way as I ushered them into a safe hiding place until the berserker was stopped. When I spotted Kevin running for his life, he was quick as he saw the berserker running towards him, only to crash into a wall. Even though he was evading such a monstrous foe, he wasn't lucky the second time as the berserker grabbed him with his arm in which he was ready to crush him to death. Kevin was done for until he got out his knife from his shoulder holster in which he struck the wrist clearly the moment he was freed. Blood gushed out from the berserker as he was suffering greatly until Owen took notice and stabbed him in the heart with his sword while killing him in the process. With the threat eliminated, we were safe as I noticed Kevin with his combat knife in his hand while wiping the blood from it. I was grateful that he was alive, but something was evolving within him as the imprint of raw power in his eyes became a godsend in this darkest hour.

"That guy was not too thrilled until I got his ass," he said.

"Save your breath," I said. "It's a godsend that you have luck on your side."

"It's not what it seems, Sam. When you healed my eyes during the Gale Canyon incident, I can see where to strike and if I hadn't, I would've been dead by now."

"Well, I finished up the rest," said Owen as he put away his sword. "You've got a lot of potential, but those eyes of yours aren't your own, are they?"

"They're a long story..."

"A long story? I heard about the Gale Canyon incident almost two years ago how you came out with those eyes of yours due to what I heard from the reports. It also seems that the main progenitor of what you inherited have also did away with the last one of the Elect in which your glory would even make Colchuvar happy for your progress."

"It's a good deal, but as for my work in the Order, I'm stuck on bodyguard duty. As for what the Executive Division and their cronies are doing, they'll stop at nothing to steal Sam under our noses, for that's not gonna happen right now."

With the local officials and a few members of the Hunter Corps arriving, they carted the dead berserker's body as it was about to be salted and burned somewhere. As for Kevin's glory, however, he was most likely to be in a lot of trouble as he noticed several Orcs arriving on wargs while some of them arrived on motorcycles. It was a ragtag group that even had a pull-cart filled with what they brought back with them that stemmed from the produce they had to the meat that was packaged up in a compartment freezer. By the time Carly and Kanna came out of hiding, they spotted the group of Orcs bringing out some wood and steel bars in which they were ready to cook something. Even Owen spotted them as they were friends who cooked up a feast every now and then, for he knew them very well.

"Here come the Meal Makers," he said.

"Oi! Owen!" yelled one of the Orcs as he got out a box full of vegetables from the pull-cart. "It's about time that we caught up to you sooner or later!"

"Gimard of the Zodraki Clan in the flesh. You and your posse came a long way to sit there at this rest stop, but your timing is bad."

"So? We hunt things whether it is for food or stopping spooks, but that doesn't mean that we go empty-handed with the meats that we took out and the vegetables that we won at a raffle."

"Looks like you guys mean business when it comes to cooking," I said.

Gimard set his vegetables down as he stared at me briefly. He remembered all the tales about me stopping the Elect during the Gale Canyon incident as he was eager to bow in respect. Still, I wasn't too thrilled with those who groveled at my feet, but I was starting to become highly revered due to the status of becoming a god, but with much higher standards. As for what I saw in the group of Orcs coming here to the station stop, I noticed the leader of the Zodraki Clan as he got off his motorcycle and opened up the sidecar that was filled with cooking utensils that were of the highest grade. He was someone of high caliber as he was ready to pull off a feast that was fit for a king. He was also ready to cook as he was eager to bring what was put in front of him, for he was not like the usual chefs that came and went.

"Looks like the meats are on the menu, boys!" he yelled.

"Huzzah!" yelled his fellow clan members.

"Tonight, we will prepare a feast for the ones who put the Elect out of commission! Who's with me?!"

Everyone in the group cheered as they got out their cooking gear and were ready to cook for the next few hours or so. We were in for a treat as we were also most likely to be staying here until the next train towards Zetian, for it was going to be a long night in the making…

"Where the hell are they?!"

Cynthia was searching frantically for Carly and Kanna as she was concerned about what would happen next. It was dinnertime as she also wanted to make sure that both girls were present and accounted for before anything else happened. When she went towards my office, she noticed that my journal and files were taken as she even noticed a trail of zekrit seeds on the floor. Like any other Elf, she followed the trail as she saw it cut off towards the kitchen. The sight of opened bags of candy on the counter was a sign to follow them as Cynthia rushed downstairs towards the room with the red rubber ball. Just as she was about to go inside of it just to get to Drakonus, she spotted Kuroichi getting ready to join the search as he wanted to bring back Carly and Kanna home.

"You're all dressed up for the search," she said.

"I couldn't just let you do all the work, but those girls will end up getting a scolding by the time we get them back," said Kuroichi.

"Well, they should've stayed put instead of following Sam towards Drakonus in which there is also the threat of the Black Dragon Guild looming on the horizon. We all know what happened to Sam the year before and Dirk last year in which those close to them sacrificed themselves to lay their lives on the line for them."

"The Black Dragon Guild is dangerous, but Sam has Kevin to protect him on the field."

"If those scum ever try to kill him out in the open, then they'll put Carly and Kanna at risk."

"No they won't," said Castiel as he appeared out of nowhere. "Carly and Kanna will be safe from harm, no matter how rough the danger is."

"The Black Dragon Guild can strike at any time and I won't let those girls suffer in their wrath. That heinous group of gangsters and assassins spare no one, not even small children."

"The Black Dragon Guild will never touch near the land between the Order's main headquarters on Drakonus and the city of Zetian. Thoroughly, there won't be harm on the horizon, for the protection of the Order will guide them hereafter."

Cynthia went to open the door to the room with the red rubber ball as it was locked tight. Turning around, she saw Castiel holding a key in his hands as he didn't want anyone else to go after the girls due to my presence on Drakonus. He was aware that I would keep them safe as there would be no further harm in the making, for he had faith in the decisions that were cemented in stone to begin with…

I was at the inn near the train station as I was busy in the kitchen preparing some dumplings for our dinner due to the spare ingredients that Reiko sent with me before my departure. It was a godsend that I went towards the market near the station to pick up what was needed as I got out the flour, salt, and other ingredients to make mandu wraps just in time to prepare for what I would fix into the dumplings for dinner. With hard work, I was busy with putting some flour and salt into a bowl with some water as I began to knead thoroughly in which I was ready to make the dumplings respectively. I was kneading it very well as the mandu dough turned into a wet ball before I placed it into a container with a lid for ten minutes or so. While I was ready to wait for the mandu dough to settle, I got out the shrimp from the fridge I purchased earlier as I was most likely to be getting to work with what I had. And to top it off, I also got out the unusual chives, known as buchu, as I set them on the counter with the shrimp that was there.

It wasn't long until I got out the tofu that was in the fridge as I set it on the counter with the shrimp and buchu that was ready to chop up while the mandu dough was settling in. With a separate bowl, complete with cutting board and knife, I first took the shrimp as I began to cut and devein them while cleaning them in the sink before setting them back down. With the kitchen knife in my hand, I began to cut the cleaned and deveined shrimp into small pieces as I placed them in the empty bowl next to it. With the buchu cut into pieces, I placed it with the shrimp in the bowl as I opened up the package of tofu and cut it into fours with a separate knife. With one small square of tofu taken out of the package, I gently squeezed out the excess water from it as I placed it into the bowl of shrimp and buchu in the bowl they were in. The hard work was intense, but I handled it very well as I got out a small bag of potato starch and added some into the shrimp, tofu, and buchu mixture. With the salt, pepper, and sesame oil added into the mixture, I began to mix them with a wooden spoon as I blended them with such ease and readiness.

By the time I was finished, I checked up on the mandu dough that was in the container as I saw it to be more moist and ready to be kneaded even further. With the cutting board dusted with a combination of flour and potato starch, I rolled the dough thoroughly again as I cut it up into pieces in which I grabbed a rolling pin and started to make the much-needed mandu skins that were essential to making the dumplings that were ready for dinner. I was hard at work as I finished up making the mandu skins while I scooped equal amounts of the shrimp, tofu, and buchu mixture into each one with plenty of extras that were made to be frozen for future meals or snacks. By the time I finished up while washing up the cutting board and spent dishes and utensils, I turned on the oven as grabbed a pan and filled it up with a little bit of water complete with a bamboo steamer that was equipped with parchment liners. With the bamboo steamer lined and filled with with eight of the mandu dumplings, I placed them into the pan that had the little bit of water as left them alone for twenty minutes. With another pan that was ready to fry another batch of the mandu dumplings, I turned on another burner as I was ready to cook them with what I had. I was ready to add in another amount of sesame oil in the pan for frying until I was stopped by someone who was familiar to Dad in the early years. The Orc was a familiar one as he was the leader of the Farragut Clan in which he was also a chef while he had a container of olive oil that he set on the counter.

"You should be using olive oil a lot better, Sam," he said.

"I wanted to use sesame oil, but sadly, I can't do that," I said as I turned around.

"It's been years since your daddy passed away, but the oversized nail in the coffin was when Sylvanus scooped you and your brother up and took you to that frozen wasteland that you stayed in over the years. For the record, you've changed in which your hair has turned silver and long enough to make even Rapunzel jealous."

"It's been a long time, James Farragut. Unfortunately, this whole galaxy is at war with the Executive Division right now."

"I heard all about it in which I even got struck by lightning once during my teenage years. It's a shame that those clowns stooped to newer lows in which they still want to use you as their weapon in those space stations that orbit this place, Westeros, and Valinor while the one over Alecrast was destroyed. Also, for the spare mandu that's about to be made, I'm here to help 'cause I've got the olive oil that is healthier than any other cooking oil. I even brought this just to add into what you've got there." I see James get out a large earthen-ware jar that looked like a large urn as he set it on the counter. "You know what's in the damn thing, Sam?" He opens it up as I smelled the pungent scent of a familiar vegetable medley that was fermented to make meals out of. "It's a heaping jar full of kimchi in which it's also a staple, but not without the other ingredients to make wangmandu out of."

I noticed James get out a small slab of gigas beef brisket as he set it on the cutting board that was on the counter. With his hands washed, he was getting to work as he began to prepare for the wangmandu that he was ready to cook into. With garlic cloves and ginger, complete with salt and pepper, along with a serving of dangmyeon that was put into yet another pot of water that was out earlier while boiling, he was busy at work with preparing them carefully for what was ready to be made in a food processor that he brought and plugged in. With the mixture of garlic, ginger, and beef in there, he turned it on as he first ground it up the moment it turned mushy before being drained with the drippings into a container and placed into a bowl that had sesame oil, salt, and pepper in it. We were hard at work as I checked on the mandu dumplings that were in the steamer in which I took it out and placed it on another counter while unstacking it carefully to get them out. With the cooked mandu put on a plate, I began to add another batch of the ones I made as I replaced the spent parchment liners with fresh ones that were in the bamboo steamer.

"You sure have a lot of work there, Sam," said James as he was busy checking up on the dangmyeon that was boiling in one of the pots. "It's a godsend that you cook plenty besides the missus."

"Reiko's also a good cook like me, but this is also a first with making mandu for everyone here at this train stop," I said. "Looks like my use in reading books paid off in spades..."

"It's more than that 'cause it's been said that your cooking prowess brings everyone together, no matter the state of the weather. Even the gods praise you because of your same level like the chefs from old."

"I cook for everyone, not just for me, but I also make sure that they get their fill during mealtimes."

We were busy preparing for the separate mandu dumplings as we were hard at work to make them for everyone during this feast. Little did we know was that Carly crept into the kitchen as she smelled the pungent scent of kimchi in which she saw it on the counter being used for the wangmandu that was in the works. When she saw James carefully washing the al dente dangmyeon, he set it aside for now as he got out an onion and began to cut it with his own customed knife on the cutting board. Luckily, I had some spare buchu that I didn't use as it was also cut up and ready to be made into the wangmandu that was prepared in the making. Carly never seen anything like it before as she wanted to know more about what she smelled in that earthen-ware pot that looked like an urn, for it was pungent indeed.

"There's something stinky in that pot," she said.

"You're smelling a heaping amount of kimchi," said James as he was busy putting the onion and buchu into the beef mixture that was frying in the pan. "It's fermented, but it's also nutritious 'cause cabbage is high in fiber like bread, grains, and pumpkin."

"And you're putting it into dumplings?"

"You have a curiosity…, for a member of the Rutherford family until some of them were killed off by the Army of Cain two years ago."

"Rutherford?" I said out of curiosity as I was stunned to hear Carly's surname for the first time since I took her in. "It's been years since I heard of them for a while..."

"The Rutherford family were lifelong allies to the Order of Letters back in the day until that spoiled inbred brat, Severin, took some of them out with his faction from the Army of Cain. They were the crown jewel of Bilbo due not just to their hunting heritage, but their farming prowess until that tragedy occurred, but it's a godsend that the youngest fled while the stragglers of her family left in fear for their lives during that heinous incident. Calvin Rutherford and his wife should've never suffered such a brutal fate from that prick who killed Sylvanus, but their daughter is in much safer hands so far."

I looked at Carly as she was much more than just an asset to the Order. She was family as she was also a ball full of energy that could never go away quietly. Still, she watched James take out a cup of kimchi as he set it onto the cutting board with the dangmyeon, onion, and buchu. Luckliy, the package of tofu was still there as James grabbed a quarter from the package and squeezed out the excess liquid from it while putting it into a separate bowl next to the one full of the beef mixture. With the four previous ingredients placed into it, he added in the salt, pepper, and sesame oil as he began to mix them thoroughly until they were ready until the beef mixture was added in last. Carly saw him hard at work as she never expected to see kimchi being used as an ingredient for dumplings before, for it was a first after all.

"You're mixing the stinky stuff with the other things?" she said.

"In the Elder Days and beyond, kimchi was a staple in various Korean households," said James. "On Alecrast, in the region of Shilla, it's a popular ingredient that is used in many things, including what you see now."

"I never tried kimchi before, but I might as well do it so Mr. Sam won't get cross."

"Sometimes, you have to eat your vegetables, fusspot," I said.

"And what about your dumplings, Mr. Sam? Do they have kimchi in them, too?"

"Mine has shrimp, tofu, and buchu in them, complete with the mandu skins made from scratch."

"Then I'll make mandu when I grow up and I'll make it tasty."

I was happy to hear Carly make a point as I was also thankful that she was there in my life. Even though most of her family never made it, she was there as she was also a part of my family, no matter what happens in the end…

Kanna was smelling the scent of mandu and wangmandu being made as she was waiting for Carly to return to the room they shared in the inn we stayed in. Still, even though she came to deliver my journal and files, she crept out of the room as she walked towards the vast dining hall where the feast was being set up. When she saw the cooked mandu and wangmandu being set up on the table, they were ready to be served in which she was ready to try one until she spotted Kevin approaching. He was most likely to be back on bodyguard duty as he noticed me with the rest of the dumplings that were cooked both ways, fried and steamed, while putting them on the table. With the party of Orcs arriving, they were decorating the table with the numerous meals and appetizers that were there as we were getting ready to eat with the trimmings that were prepared earlier. It was a feast that was similar to what we had on Maugrim as I was most likely to be joining everyone with the dinner that was served up before we left for Zetian soon enough.

With everyone gathered together, we were all here as we were most likely to enjoy the company that we shared. It was a time for feasting and reflection as we were ready to eat what was put in front of us, for we were sharing this meal at this train station stop so far. Even Carly and Kanna were ready to dig in as they got a plate full of what I made earlier, but I wasn't about to let one of them get away with leaving some of the dishes out, including the vegetable ones.

"There's something missing there," I said.

"It's just the mandu that you made," said Carly as she set her plate on the table.

"You may have some of the mandu there, but..." I look at the japchae that was on a platter as I grabbed a spoon and took some of it onto Carly's plate. "...You need to eat your vegetables just as much as the rest of us, fusspot."

"But I don't like it..."

"If you don't eat what's on your plate, you won't get any dessert, so I suggest that you eat what you've got right now. James Farragut and the rest of our guests spent their time to make this, for you might like it after you try it."

Carly agreed as she took a bite of the japchae that was on her plate. So far, she didn't say another word as she liked the taste of the vegetables and meat that were put into it in which it was something that she never tried before. It was something that was eaten with gusto as everyone in our company were busy eating the feast that was put in front of us, for it was a time of merriment in the time of war indeed…

Later on in the evening, I was busy cleaning up in the kitchen as I was hard at work whild doing it. After having the long feast, I was stuck with the cleanup until I saw Owen coming into the kitchen in which he was ready to help out like the rest of us. Like his father, Owen was a stalwart in both hunting and being in the kitchen as he was hard at work cleaning up the countertops and floor, for he was no stranger to dealing with filth in other kitchens.

"You sure know how to make those things earlier, Sam," he said as he got out a mop and bucket for the floor. "Dad always said that your prowess reminded him of John Winchester on the sly."

"I've been a servant for most of my life during my years being at the fort on Gehenna," I said.

"I guess that you played Cinderella over there, didn't you?"

"It was hell for me every day, but I stood sane by reading books so I wouldn't fall under the surface."

"Cynthia went unglued when Sylvanus took you and Dean away in which she wanted to file a report against him, only to be stopped by Sawney Masbath. For the record, she wasn't the only one who was pissed off at seeing you and Dean being shoved off towards that frozen wasteland. Dad was also pissed 'cause he wanted to wring Masbath's neck for his constant meddling and how he wriggled Sylvanus around with the looming threat of blackmail on the side."

"Sawney Masbath is serving his sentence at Belbe Citadel on Gehenna in which he made a grave mistake into blackmailing the same target twice."

"Sawney Masbath doesn't just targets the same victim twice," said James as he entered into the kitchen while putting away the spare kimchi away in the fridge that was in that earthen-ware pot in his hands. "Once he sticks to his target, he does it in many ways than one in which he kept Sylvanus suffering in the long haul due to his incestuous affair with his sister, Senna, all those years ago."

"Well, one of their inbred offspring had it coming after he led his faction from the Army of Cain into other places," said Owen as he was getting out some cleaner to add into what the water he added into the bucket earlier. "Severin was the scourge of the towns that got nailed in which the Rutherford Family became fodder for that asshat. Even Mason and Teresa know all about how Masbath has close ties to the Black Dragon Guild even after he's been stuffed in prison. And the real kicker of it all is that the group that Masbath has close ties to now owe its allegiance to the Executive Division under the leadership of Julilla Paxton."

"We should all be aware of her of all people. The ones who know her only know scorn and vengeance in which one will stop at nothing to kill her when he or she gets the chance. From what I heard, Minara Mitani is still hell-bent on vengeance against that bitch for wrongly executing an Elder of the Order and his daughter in Meros' public square in which the townsfolk were furious about what took place. He may be a High Elf and the grandson of the late Ippei Mitani, but once he goes down that dark path, he'll never be saved from the brink in which he will be plagued by what other Elves call the Blackening. We all know that he wants revenge against Julilla for killing his wife and father-in-law, but he should be abiding by the teachings of Ippei instead of going down that dark path of vengeance or else he will be consumed by it."

"Even though Minara is consumed by vengeance, he has his reasons that justify his actions for doing so," I said. "During my stay at Chateau de le Mer on Essos, I heard him say, 'Nemo me impune lacessit,' which is Latin for 'No one cuts me with impunity.' Still, I hope that he stays on the right path and allow someone else kill Julilla before he gets torn asunder. If he ever truly went dark, he would end up having his soul being converted into much worse than an angel's or demon's."

Without warning, I heard a whistle blowing as I finished up washing the dishes while putting them into the dish drainer. Sprinting out of the kitchen, I went out the door and outside of the station stop in which I saw a courier with a letter in his hands. When I took it, I opened it up as I noticed that it was a letter from Ryosuke in which he even stated that the Executive Division have dispatched a faction of soldiers to destroy the station stop. The news unnerved me very badly as I was concerned about the safety of not only Carly and Kanna, but for the group of Orcs who arrived here, including James and Owen Farragut. By the time Gimard came out into the open, he had a gut feeling that the Executive Division would pull a very low move as there was no end to their infernal torment on those who believed in the Destiny of Worlds.

"Looks like one huge Boeing bomb is ready to hit the fan," he said.

"There's no end to this whatsoever," I said.

"The gods have reasons to fend those monsters off, but that doesn't mean that all of us can go defenseless. We live and breathe, but we also continue our fight to protect the galaxy from harm, no matter how many times we prepare meals or fight monsters."

"Sam, we have a problem," said Kevin as he sprinted outside.

It wasn't long until I followed him towards the station area in which we spotted the danger that was coming in hindsight from far away. Kevin was aware of what was coming as it was none other than a group of Darbus Toller's leftovers approaching, which proved to be a harsh danger on the sly. By the time we were ready to go back towards the inn to warn James and Owen of this danger, I spotted a white crow perched on top of a lamp post as it was cawing loudly. The sighting of a white crow was a horrible omen as it was also a sign of danger that was approaching, for this wasn't the end of our worries just yet.

"Looks like we're not alone here," he said.

"Julilla's pushing it and she won't stop until she gets what she wants," I said.

"And that menacing hussy wants to target you so she can abuse what you've got," said Gimard as he was armed with an axe. "I know of Julilla very well and she will stop at nothing to steal you up so she can waste that raw power that saved us constantly. For the record, if that bitch wants a battle, then we'll give it to her."

"But your clan only has kitchen knives…," said Kevin.

"Boy, you need to watch us how we do battle to protect this station stop, even if there are signs of danger. I've been here countless times and there are underground passages to protect the women and children while we fend off the enemy."

"And that suits me just fine," said James as he was dressed in battle armor. "The Executive Division are playing with fire and they won't stop until they see us dead. This may look like the First Galvanic Uprising, but this is much worse. If John were still alive, he would go all out and stop those asshats from doing damage to everything in their path."

It wasn't long until we noticed a familiar warg approaching as I spotted Castiel riding him towards the station stop. It was Barca as he was there for a reason in which he knew me very well, regardless of how my hair changed to silver. When I saw him walk forward, he sniffed me as he knew that I was there due to the scent he smelled. When Castiel got off of Barca's back, he was also armed as he was ready to do battle in the darkest of dangers, for he knew of it very well indeed.

"You've come a long way, Castiel," said James.

"James Farragut, war veteran of the First Galvanic Uprising," he said. "It seems that you're here for a reason to clear a long debt."

"John-Boy did a lot of things to help out and that's a debt that I have to clarify just to pay it. As for the danger that's coming, Ryosuke's gonna be pissed when he sees it coming towards his humble abode here. I already know of how the main headquarters on Alecrast fell at the hands of Tobias Wetzel and I won't let his second-in-command destroy the one here. We have our reasons to fight and we all must do our part before we get torn asunder by our enemies."

"The faction of Darbus Toller's artificial creations is approaching, but by dawn, they'll inch closer. In the end of all this, Sam will end up becoming the ultimate prize for them, but they will end up sealing their own fate instead."

"Nemo me impune lacessit," I said as I was concerned about everyone around me.

And I meant what I said as I couldn't let the Orcs in our company fall nor those who lived in and out of the station stop. I had to fight as I couldn't let the Executive Division get their way, regardless, for this was another battle that was never meant to be asked for from the beginning…

To be continued...