Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 6

Chapter 20: Ambush in Zetian

(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.)

Braddock was up late as she wasn't too thrilled with the situation so far. Staying at an inn in the Kingdom by the River on Alecrast, she was ready to file a report for tomorrow as she was not too happy with my decision to make my own choices. Her previous attempts to sway me in my mental state failed as she was in her room at the inn drinking heavily. The strain on her career was a burden to her as she was desperate to erase the humiliation she suffered from the moment she tried to force me on the battlefield. She was eager to try again as she wanted me to do more than just acquire the self-love that I had neglected to bring forward so far.

"Who the hell does he think he is by trying to defy me?!" she yelled as she took a swig of what was left of her whiskey on ice. "Sam thinks he can pussyfoot his way out of my trap, but he's wrong! Back in the Elder Days, my family lived by the strict code of the Old Guard and that academy that was once destroyed by our own Ketch machines! I lived by the Old Guard and I will die by it! There will be no exceptions this time!"

Braddock grabbed the recently refilled bottle of whiskey as she poured some in the glass that had the fading ice in it. Her way of coping was a far-flung danger as she was ready to take a swig of her drink before going back home to the Alecrian Capital. By the time she took that swig of whiskey, she felt a burning sensation in her throat as she felt her entire larynx corroding before she fell to the floor lifeless and empty. By the time the door was opened, the innkeeper burst in as he saw Braddock's body being corroded by something as he was fearing the worst. The innkeeper himself was a reborn fallen member of the Old Guard as he was no stranger to seeing people die, for he had to go and alert the Domina and her consort immediately. When he left the room, he spotted Shigeru standing in front of him as he was concerned about what was going on so far, for this was the worst in a string of dangers lurking below in this time of war.

"My Lord," he said as he was startled by Shigeru's presence. "It's getting late, but isn't the Domina in charge?"

"She is, but rules are rules when it comes to her tending to the new princess," he said.

"There's a problem with that'un who kept drinkin'"

"I've heard about Meredith having constant bouts of violence and alcoholism if she didn't get her way, but-"

"She's dead, My Lord."

Shigeru went towards the room where Braddock was staying in as he spotted her lifeless body being more corroded than ever due to what she ingested earlier. The sight of such a gruesome end to a battle-axe like her was a cause of concern as Shigeru spotted a small vial of acid near the trashcan. With a pair of tongs, Shigeru picked it up as he saw a familiar dragon insignia on it due to what that organization presented, for they were out for blood in the alliance with the Executive Division to the extreme.

"Son-of-a-bitch…," he said as he gathered up a small plastic bag to put the empty vial in it. "Mick, you should've had better surveillance before you assume that nothing was wrong."

"That wasn't there before…," he said as he was shaking. "What the hell is going on?"

"The Black Dragon Guild sent an assassin here to do away with Braddock and she fell for it without noticing, but the hired thug was careless by tossing the vial in the trash than disposing it by other means."

"I've heard about those buggers ever since I was reborn, but they stick to their targets like the Old Guard stick to those who didn't follow commands. I got done in by Mr. Ketch of all people before I was reborn in the Middle Ground, but I don't age a single day, but seeing the Black Dragon Guild come and go is far worse."

"According to Futaba, those asshats once frequented here when her cousins were still ruling the roost, but now they've shacked up with the Executive Division and the Tollers due to their ongoing war against the Order and the Alecrian Army."

"Then the missus should know about this just as much as the rest of us. I've been through hell and back and I've seen what the Black Dragon Guild does for a living."

"Ginryu's gonna have a field day with this… For the record, we all should know who hired the hit, for we can't let our guards down, are we good? Our enemies are after the new god, Mick, and they won't stop until they squeeze him dry of the raw power that he has."

Mick saw Shigeru leave as he noticed members of the Cross Corps arriving. He never expected them to show up as they were at the behest of the Order of Letters due to what was going on so far. It wasn't long until Futaba showed up as she was also concerned, but alert in this time of war, for she had a future to think about right now.

"Mick Davies," she said. "I need you to come with us, please?"

"But I have an inn to run, Your Ladyship," he said.

"Ginryu's been working his ass off like the rest of us, but you're also a target for the Black Dragon Guild after you kept seeing them coming and going. They'll be coming after you, Mick, for they don't deal with witnesses or survivors too much."

It wasn't long until Mick was escorted out of the inn as the members of the Cross Corps stormed into the room where Meredith Braddock was found dead earlier. The sight of her corroded body was yet another calling card for the Black Dragon Guild as there was no end to what was yet to come right now...

I was up and alert as I was going towards the train that was going towards Zetian as planned. After enduring the constant misery that Jethro brought with him since his reprieve from jail, I boarded my ride towards Zetian as I was happy to get away from him, but not without Carly and Kanna in tow. Both girls were with me as they were looking at the sights that stemmed from various mountains to a bustling metropolis that was environmentally sound due to the vast selection of solar panels and wind turbines scattered everywhere. It was a breeze for me to be riding the train to Zetian as I noticed Carly and Kanna stare at a parade that was getting set up.

"Mr. Sam, look!" yelled Carly. "There's a parade there!"

"They haven't started to march in the streets yet, fusspot," I said.

"According to what the conductor said, the Festival of Lions just started today," said Kanna. "They even have the food booths there stemming from ramen to fried turkey legs."

"After my meeting with the other Elders, I'll join the two of you for the parade, alright?"

"I wanna see the parade!" yelled Carly.

"Not without protection, you're not," said Kevin as he was standing in front of the compartment we were in. "Dean told me how that prick got a 'get out of jail free card' just to make your life a living hell, but at least I'm better than he is."

Of all the protectors that I tried to get away from, I could never get past Kevin as he was on board at the behest of Dean's orders. Still, I was used to his presence as he was much better than Jethro of all people, whom I despised the most.

"I can't shake anyone, can I?" I said.

"If you did that, then Dean would surely kick your ass," said Kevin.

"Are the rest of our entourage on board, perchance?"

"The only one on board here is Minara, but Dean had to return to Claudius to scale back some of the enemy forces. And did you see how his body reacted with the imprint of raw power that you embedded into him? He looked like the Guyver all encased in diamond form while throwing projectiles that can penetrate the usual armor in some of our enemies."

"Is Dean a superhero like those Power Rangers?" asked Carly.

"No, but he's lucky to be saved by Sam… just like me."

Kevin remembered how I used my raw power to save him after being blinded by Esau during the Gale Canyon incident. With the eyes that he had now, he was fully functioning, but he now saw through anything in his targets who would want to abuse what I had. He wasn't ready to throw in the towel as he also bore a grudge against Jethro for just being there to cause more misery than I ever had in a long time. Still, I had to deal with what the Executive Division was throwing at us as they weren't about to stop until they got what they wanted and that was a taste of the raw power that I had…

Jethro was tied up as he was facing Dean and Minara in Ryosuke's temporary office. They weren't too thrilled to see him out and about after hearing of him being released by Miriam not too long ago, but they weren't ready to let him off the hook. His intrusion was the worst thing that happened as he was about to be thrown back into his own jail again. The looks that Dean and Minara gave were far worse than any beating that I took as they were ready to let him have it one way or the other.

"This is both a travesty and an outrage!" he yelled as he was struggling to get free from the chair he was tied up in. "You have no right to tie up someone who knows more about how Julilla works and you've crossed the line already! Sooner or later, you'll be wanting my help whether you like it or not!"

"Do you know what's a travesty? Trying to attack the Medic General of the Medical Corps and my own little brother!" yelled Dean as he was staring at Jethro directly. "Ever since that house arrest that you put Sam and his family under, you did nothing more but to isolate him from them, along with the townsfolk in Kanto Village!"

"All I've done was to protect Sam from Julilla and her cronies and this is the thanks I get?! I've done this all for the greater good in which the Executive Division kept silent until the silver target started moving again!"

"And what about what you did for the greater good?" said Minara. "What about the further mental strain that you and those squatters put on Sam? You have two assault charges on your record and gunning for a third while found guilty and sentenced to the Citadel of Silence on Cirith Ungol. You may have had help getting out of there, but your angelic friend should've kept your ass back in that hellhole you got chucked into."

"And what about your obsession with doing away with the ice queen who killed your wife and father-in-law, Minara? You still bear a grudge against her in which you will gut her to death for her crimes. And what about that Cetra bride-to-be? She may be the last of the Elkins Clan, but she has a dirty secret of her own when General Wetzel up and raped her, only to seek help of terminating what he wrought in her womb. I know that your mother was a Nephilim and her relatives would smite those who kill God's children and-"

At that moment and without restraint, Minara walked up towards Jethro and kicked the chair that he was in the moment it fell onto the floor. Anger flooded him as he was ready to attack the tied-up latter another time in which he kicked the chair again. The sight of the latter being knocked unconscious by being knocked down riled him up as he was not about to let that prick sully Mizuwa's honor even worse. He was really letting Jethro have it until he was restrained by Dean in which he didn't want any more violence here at this time.

"That's enough, Minara," he said as he set the chair back up again. "He's already our whiny little bitch, but you just can't kill him right now."

"He may talk about how I bear a grudge against Julilla, but throwing Mizuwa under the bus by talking about how she was raped by General Wetzel sullies her honor badly," he answered. "I've looked into her medical records when she was brought in at Chateau de le Mer on Essos in which there was no hope for the seed that she carried. The unborn was already dead in which the autopsy results pointed out that part of its developing organs were missing. I know how the termination of a pregnancy happens in cases of low income, rape, incest, fetal abnormality, and health of the mother, but this is private and none of our business. As for the woman's plight to terminate what she has, that is her choice, not God's and not our own! Before I succeeded Lentulus' position as Elder, I was part of the Medical Corps and I swear to protect Mizuwa's privacy when we wed."

"That's harsh, but the Colony 11 incident had the worst, according to Kazuo. As for what Jethro's spouting off, he's bitten off more than he could chew, but putting our dirty laundry out in the open is harsh. As for what we deal with, we should be calm instead of acting out, are we good? I want Jethro to have his ass hauled back towards the Citadel of Silence as much as anyone else does, but we can't fall off the deep end right now. Our focus is on putting a dent in the Executive Division and their cronies or else we all fall in the end."

"I don't mean to overreact, but having Jethro had no right to sully Mizuwa's honor like that, Dean. If your family members, both in marriage and blood, suffered a blow to their honor in such damaged states, would you be ready to defend them in the end?"

"I have my reasons to defend everyone here 'cause we're all family. Still, as for the prick with his whacking stick, he's going back to Cirith Ungol where he belongs and no one will ever bust him out."

Without warning, Dean and Minara heard the snapping of fingers as they noticed Jethro disappearing without a trace. They had a gut feeling that either Gabriel or Abiasaph would be meddling into sending the prick back to his prison as they noticed a third party in the form of a familiar face that was there to oversee things.

"It's about time that the mama's boy had it coming sooner or later," he said as he was staring at Dean and Minara. "By the time I get back home to Alecrast, there's gonna be a proper rebuilding of the two towns that got snuffed."

"You've come a long way, Shigeru," said Dean. "For the record, there's been so much crap hitting the fan that it's not funny."

"There's been word that the second volley that Clegenny led here in this secret bunker is on its way to Zetian just now and if Ryosuke finds out, there's gonna be trouble."

"Well, Jethro's back in his prison, but his mommy ain't gonna be there to harass Sam while we're here to scale the ice queen's forces away from him."

"I hate to break it to you, but Meredith Braddock was found dead last night and she was staying at an inn where Futaba and I are living at." Dean was stunned to hear Shigeru's words as he had a gut feeling that there would be no end to this ongoing war anytime soon. "From what I gathered, she was there to drown her sorrows after her failed attempt to force Sam out on the battlefield in such a fractured mental state, but when the innkeeper found her, she was dead in her chair in which the outcome wasn't pretty. The coroner found traces of acid in her drink after she downed it in which most of her throat became dissolved. As for the eyewitness who saw what happened, he's in protective custody by the Cross Corps in which he's seen the activity of how a certain group of assassins work when I found a vial of acid in the trashcan."

"Are you sure of this?" asked Minara.

"Like hell, I am; but our angelic gramps saw it in which he feared the reckoning of Julilla's supporters and those that we've fought, such as the Toller Family and the Black Dragon Guild. As for the gentleman innkeeper, he's no stranger into seeing what the Executive Division's new player does in which they dispose of witnesses and survivors after their target is eliminated."

"So, Julilla hired Triad and Yakuza thugs to do her dirty her dirty work..." Minara clenches his fist as he was itching to strangle his offender for her crimes. "Personally, I want that whore to rot for her crimes, Shigeru. She killed Penelope and Lentulus for no reason and I will get my revenge soon enough."

"I know what happened 'cause taking a life of an Elder is a serious offense in which I saw it the hard way when Darbus killed Gramps two years ago. I may not be there all over the place constantly, but mine and Futaba's domain is already filled up to the brim of refugees from the towns that were destroyed. Still, we have our job to do, so don't mess it up; are we good? This isn't 'it's just a flesh wound' crap 'cause the Executive Division are not only going after Sam, but the hidden set of planets that are in the center of the Ashizoka System. They won't stop until they have their goal realized till the bitter end, but we all must pull our weight and help the Destiny of Worlds become a reality."

At that moment, Shigeru left without a trace as Dean and Minara were ready to report towards Zetian as soon as possible. As for the further danger lurking, everyone had to watch their backs as our enemies weren't about to back down without a fight just yet, for this was the beginning of our further worries…

I was in the assembly hall of Zetian's main hotel as I was with some of the Elders who showed up at this emergency meeting. The news about the Executive Division staking claims for power and lust was intensifying due to the war's extent. Still, I heard the conversation clearly as I took notes on what some of the delegates from the Order had to say. After spending two hours listening to the complaints from some of the Elders who weren't too happy with what the late General Wetzel started up last year, I stared at the clock as it inched towards three in the afternoon. When the bell rang, everyone was dismissed as I was the last one to leave. Even though I left Carly and Kanna with Kevin earlier to watch the parade, I was ready to leave this city until I heard an explosion in the distance. It came from the route where the parade was as I saw smoke coming from where the explosion was set in. The fate of Kevin and the girls was starting to scare as I left the assembly hall of the hotel and sprinted outside.

I was fearing the worst as I felt my heart pounding in the worst form of panic imaginable. By the time I got to the explosion site, I was searching for Kevin and the girls as I spotted them alive and unharmed. I was thankful that they weren't hurt, but I spotted the local authorities sifting through what happened during the parade. There was terror in the air as I had to usher Kevin and the girls out of harm's way, for we were most likely to be expecting more danger. It wasn't long until I noticed a bevy of tanks approaching as they mainly came from the Drakonar Army in which they were awaiting what was yet to come so far.

"Thank the gods that we made it out of there before the parade was over," said Kevin.

"There was an explosion out there, Mr. Sam," said Carly as she was scared.

"I'm just grateful that you and the others are still alive, fusspot," I said.

"There was a man in armor who blew himself up in front of the lion float," said Kanna.

"It's a miracle that you're all safe, but you need to get towards the underground bunkers below in this city."

"What about you?"

"I'll be fine, but you and Carly should stick with Kevin until I return, alright?"

I ran further towards the parade sight as I saw the culprit that was reduced to nothing but armor, blood, and bone. It was another suicide bomber in the form of Darbus Toller's leftovers as this wasn't the first time that it happened. When I noticed the authorities coming to clean up the mess, I noticed several more of Darbus' artificial creations coming as they were killing those who were caught in their way. The sight of it was gut-wrenching as I later noticed a row of artificial girls approaching as they were standing in front of a tavern that had customers dealing with their daily lives. I had to stop them before they detonated that place as I saw them coming towards me due to my presence in front of them in hindsight. Just as they were about to let out a scream, I noticed Castiel appear out of nowhere as he got me out of the way before they blew themselves up. Luckily, I was teleported towards the harbor as I noticed Castiel become concerned about the dire situation, for this war was getting more dangerous than much anticipated.

"You were lucky to be out of the way, Sam," he said as he unsheathed his sword.

"Those girls in drab dresses were about to blow up that tavern," I said.

"The Executive Division has sent their forces here to eradicate us and that includes the civilians here in this city. I won't let you fall victim like those who were suffering at the hands of Julilla Paxton and her allies, nor will I let you submit to danger."

"Behind you!"

I saw Clegenny emerging as he had his large sword in his hand. The man in the gas mask was ready to kill Castiel as I got him out of the way while fleeing. We were no match for that menacing fiend with his large sword as we were running for our lives. I was the primary target as there was no end to those who would want to abuse what I had. When Castiel and I left towards an alleyway, we spotted several of the artificial soldiers attacking in the streets as they were in the moment of destroying innocents that were caught in the middle. It was nothing more than a bloodbath in the streets as I saw the fleeing survivors running for their lives in this dangerous slaughter. It was also gut-wrenching for me as I noticed a small boy who was younger than Carly wailing at his mother's dead body before a member of the Cross Corps scooped him up. Even Castiel was saddened by what he saw as he also had a gut feeling that more danger would topple Zetian in less than a day. Returning to the harbor, we both became concerned about the danger of what the Executive Division brought with them, for there was blood everywhere in the streets.

"There's never been such widespread slaughter like this before in a while," he said.

"Death shows no prejudice," I said somberly.

"Julilla has gone too far this time by allowing Clegenny and his forces to cause mayhem in the streets."

"Minara will soon catch up to her and gut her to death for her crimes."

"And Minara will pay the price for doing so. Elves who have an unquenchable thirst for hatred and vengeance will never be allowed into the Grey Havens when they pass from this world, for they will end up in Hell for their actions."

"We can't stay here, Cass." I see Clegenny approaching as he drew out his large sword. "We need to inform the other members of the alliance that we're not safe."

And so, we were ready to leave the harbor, but we were surrounded by the enemy forces in gold armor. We noticed that they had the same Enochian writing on them as they were ready to attack us directly. With Castiel unsheathing his own sword, he sliced at one of the artificial soldiers as he saw it fall to the ground with his head rolling. I was eager to defend myself, but I didn't come with any weapons until I decided to use my raw power to blow most of them into the harbor. Just as I was about to round up Castiel and leave, I was stopped by Clegenny as he leaped in front of us, for he wasn't about to let us leave right now.

"Sam Winchester, you will surrender to my leader, Julilla, at once," he said.

"You know that I won't go towards her after the crimes that she committed," I said.

"Julilla wants you in her custody…, dead or alive"

"She's got the hots for me, but I will always resist her till the bitter end!"

"Then you leave me the option of killing you where you stand."

I was ready to meet my end as Clegenny was ready to use his sword on me. Just as he was about to do so, I was pushed out of the way as Castiel took the brunt of what was dealt towards him the moment he felt his left leg being hacked off. I saw him bleeding from where Clegenny slashed his leg off as I ran towards his aid the moment I removed my overrobe and covered where the wound bled. When I saw Clegenny getting to attack again, he was ready to have some fun as he used his sword to slice off Castiel's right arm while it held his sword. I was concerned about my comrade in arms as I used my raw power to drive the menacing monster out towards the ocean as I had a feeling that there was no end to the madness in this ongoing war.

At that moment, I began to use my raw power in full force as I was powerful to clear the enemy forces away from Zetian the moment I saw their bodies being tossed into the ocean. I couldn't let them turn this city into a bloodbath like the one during the Army of Cain incident as enough was enough already. I had to stand my ground as I couldn't let anyone else get hurt or killed, for they were the most precious in which I wanted to do more to look after them in this upcoming golden age. By the time I saw the rest of the enemy forces scaling back, I was relieved that the battle was over for now as there would be another day to stop the Executive Division from enacting the rest of the Sol Project from other places, for they were hell-bent into enslaving the entire Ashizoka System altogether.

"Sam!"

I heard a familiar voice yelling in the distance as I noticed Taraniel standing in front of me and Castiel. The sight of the fallen angel without his right arm and left leg was horrible as he saw me cover the other wound with the sash that I had around me. This was hell. This was constant misery as there was no end to the war all over, for it was troubling to the extreme.

"You look like crap, brother," said Taraniel. "Luckily, Sam put the fear of our Father into Clegenny by making him sleep with the sharks, but the bastard always bounces back every time he leads a platoon of Julilla's forces."

"Are there any medical staff near us?" I asked.

"The Medical Corps are coming and..." Taraniel spots several members approaching as they were coming to our aid. "They're already here."

"Sam Winchester," said Mason as he was the first to show up. "Looks like your friend needs the usual Edward Elric treatment."

"Are there any prosthetic limbs at your disposal?" I asked.

"There's a right arm and left leg in our van. It's good timing that we'll patch your friend up before he ends up being like Captain Hook and Long John Silver combined."

It wasn't long until Mason and the other members of the Medical Corps grabbed Castiel and placed him in a stretcher. When I followed them, I entered into the van as I saw the prosthetic limbs that were needed to save Castiel from further humiliation. With a hint of foretelling, I had an idea to enhance the limbs to stick to my angelic friend as I grabbed a pair of scissors and eyed at the long silver hair on my head. Even though I had it wadded into a bun on the bottom, I unraveled it as trimmed what was down to my feet in which I began to cut the hair into two medium strands to enhance the prosthetic limbs that were on the table. With an incantation combined of angelic, Elven, and Draaza words, I was hard at work into making the prosthetic limbs useful as they were ready to go. By the time Mason was ready to get them, he saw them glowing as the raw power that they had began to glow, for they were ready to fit Castiel just to move about again.

"Dude, what did you do?" he asked.

"Is Castiel prepared to go?" I asked.

"We cauterized the wounds where his limbs were, but the limbs you enhanced will be tricky."

"They're the only thing that can save him right now. I can't bear to see him struggle with a pair of stumps like that."

"We'll see that he walks again… Also, before I got here, Dad said that you would trim your hair just to enhance the limbs, 'cause it's better that way..."

And so, I saw Mason grab at the prosthetic limbs as I saw him and his staff get to work. As for the outcome, I was most likely to be seeing grave consequences until I felt my hair grow back to floor-length once again. This wasn't the first time that it happened as I was connected to a much grander scale, for being a god wasn't that bad after all…

Castiel woke up in a hospital room as he was staring at the television screen. Sitting up, he began to stare at the new prosthetic arm that had infused onto his body as it began to glow with the raw power that was infused into it. He began to bend it as he felt being alive again, for he also noticed his sword propped up in its scabbard next to the chair by his bed. When he was about to get up, he saw the door open as I entered with a tray of food in my hands. The meal of some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with a glass of milk were familiar to Castiel as he decided to eat anyway, for he didn't care if the food was a pack of molecules or not.

"The food rations were given to the civilians, but the peanut butter and jelly are sustainable," I said as I set the tray down on the table above Castiel's hospital bed. "You're lucky that I intervened to use my raw power to infuse the limbs that you wear now or else you would've been broken with only a pair of stumps. By the way, how do you feel about your new arm and leg?"

"The raw power that was infused with my angelic abilities made it stronger, but the prosthetics are part of me now," he said. "As for the PB and J, I'm used to it by now. Still, I'm no stranger to it, but it will suffice with the jam mixed with either creamy or crunchy."

"Still, I used part of my hair to infuse the prosthetic limbs you have in which I enhanced them with three forms of incantations: one angelic, one Elven, and one Draaza. If I hadn't done that, you would've never made it by now."

"It's good that I can walk again, but there could be side effects after limb replacement on humanoids. As for angels, it's different, but I can get used to it."

"You're one of our closest allies, Cass. Therefore, you should thank Mason for bringing in your sword and scabbard that were recovered in the harbor. As for what Clegenny did, I want him to pay just as much as the rest of us, but nothing is worth losing you. I can't let you suffer right now in which you are also a part of not only the Order, but our family as well. I can't afford to lose what I have right now, for I will always fight to protect those in need."

I proved my point clearly as I left Castiel's hospital room and ventured out into the hall. When I went towards the elevator, I saw it open up as I stepped into it. When I took it down, I was on my way towards the lobby as I was wanting to oversee the rest of what went on here in Zetian. By the time the elevator reached the main floor, I stepped out of it as I was ready to meet up with some of the other members of the Order until I spotted Taraniel standing in front of me, for he was concerned about the ongoing war like the rest of us combined.

"It's been a while, Sam," he said to me. "The war's gotten worse and Julilla's forces have taken over the Drakonar region of Tovar by enslaving its people, but their chieftain bought the usual 'make his place great again' hook, line, and sinker. What the allied forces said that there's a factory hidden beneath the chieftain's palace in the capital of Menark. It's a win-win situation that can help us destroy it in which everyone can cripple Julilla's forces on the sly."

"Everyone's on board, but I'm sitting on the sidelines right now. You can thank that infernal battle-axe and her crew for keeping me locked up like a caged bird for four months."

"I hate to burst your bubble, but Meredith Braddock was found dead while staying at an inn in the Kingdom by the River on Alecrast. The local coroner found traces of oil of vitriol in her system in which it's another killing method concocted up by the Black Dragon Guild."

"Does Shigeru know?"

"He knows, but the innkeeper who managed that inn is in protective custody by the Cross Corps. According to the record books, the innkeeper goes by the name of Mick Davies in which he isn't allowed to leave until the assassin who killed Braddock is either caught or killed. As for our other problem, the war is getting more perilous than before in which Julilla has her ways and means to subjugate this entire galaxy for her own lust and greed. As for whoever's been banking on this ongoing war, it's none other than Ailnoth on the sly in which he's still in hiding from Cain, who wants to tear him a new one."

"I see..."

I was ready to leave towards the hotel I was staying at until I was stopped by Kazuo and some of the members of the Medical Corps that stood in my way. For the record, I wasn't in the mood to deal with the latter and his cronies in front of me as I was desperate to go and reunite with Carly and Kanna before the rest of the ambush started up. When I got past them, I was out of the hospital as I was happy to dodge Kazuo the moment I went towards the crosswalk where the hotel was. I was happy to be free until a sense of warning stopped me in my tracks.

"You can't go back to the hotel yet, Sam," said Kazuo as he was standing behing me before I tried to press the button on the traffic sign light. "Just because you're fine doesn't mean that you're in the clear yet."

"What about the people who took the full brunt of that attack from the Executive Division?" I said as I was adamant into crossing the street. "They need help from the Medical Corps now more than ever after what happened."

"What about you in particular or did your well-being just go down the toilet recently?"

"I'm fine, Kazuo. You can't keep me cooped up as if I'm some sort of lab rat or guinea pig to experiment on."

"Your health matters, so I suggest that you march back to the hospital or else I'll file a report to Ryosuke and he doesn't like it when other members of the Order disobey a directive coming from the Medical Corps."

"I'm on the verge of becoming a new god and this is what you say to me by keeping me cooped up like a caged bird?"

"This isn't a request, Sam, and if you don't like it, then I'm about to file a report to the Review Board, are we good?"

I reluctantly obeyed as I followed Kazuo back towards the hospital just to be probed and prodded on once again. I hated being confined in hospital rooms too much as I wanted to go back and reunite with Kevin and the girls until I spotted them sitting in the lobby. They were glad that I was safe as they were most likely to be returning to the hotel soon enough.

"It's high time that you came back, Sam," said Kevin.

"Shouldn't you three be staying at our hotel?" I said.

"According to Mason, the hotel's all booked up with civilians who were injured in the suicide attack earlier. As for the ambush here in Zetian, the Drakonar Government's pissed off at the Executive Division for pulling that stunt to cause terror in the streets."

"It was terrible, Mr. Sam," said Carly as she was still shaking.

"I know, fusspot," I said. "Still, we have no other choice but to look for different lodgings before going home to Alecrast."

"Actually, Sam, I overheard talk about a castle in Anzu Village we can stay at," said Kanna. "It's empty, but I hope that we go there just to get away from the carnage outside."

"Then we'll see who lives there first before we do anything."

"Actually, Kazuo gave us a key," said Kevin as he fished it out of his pocket and gave it to me on the spot. "Ryosuke said that the place belongs to you in which you're entitled to live there as much as you wish with plenty of company there."

"'Plenty of Company?'"

I saw a group of members of the Garrison Corps arriving as they were ready to escort me and my party towards Anzu Village as planned. By the time I was ready to go forth, I turned around as I noticed Castiel coming out of the elevator with his sword while holding a pair of crutches. Even though he was adjusting with the prosthetics that were enhanced on him, he had to have work on how to bend them gently as he had plenty of work to do. Even though I was under a strict watch from those who were there to protect me, I was still not out of the woods yet as the looming danger of the Executive Division still raged on, for they wouldn't stop until they got what they wanted and that was none other than me personally…

Ryosuke was in his hotel room as he was looking at the massive files that were stacked on the bed. The latest suicide bombing in Zetian on Drakonus was the last straw as the time to act was intensifying as we speak. By the time Ryosuke was finished into looking at the files that were sent to him, he saw the door open as he spotted Taraniel entering, for he was just as concerned as the rest of us in this ongoing war.

"State your business, Taraniel," he said.

"Cass is gonna pull through with the prosthetics after what Clegenny did to him," he answered.

"That's good enough to hear, but with Sam snipping his hair to add a hint of raw power to those spare limbs are a godsend. Still, with Sam doing what he's done, there will be consequences that result in the wrath of Yashamaru, who once warned him of trimming that long mane of his."

"If Sam didn't do that, Castiel would've spent the rest of his life with a pair of stumps just now. I'm thankful that my own brother was saved, but there's gonna be hell on the horizon when Yashamaru shows up and he once warned Sam about cutting his silver hair due to its connection with the universe and such."

"Let's hope that Yashamaru has a hint of leniency when it comes to saving a revered ally, despite his faults and flaws. As for this ongoing war, the suicide bombing here in Zetian is more than just a wake-up call. It's a much graver inquiry than what we thought to be. The Executive Division and their allies aren't just after Sam to abuse his raw power, but to subjugate the rest of us to their own desires for lust and greed. With Sol-1 destroyed and Project Apollo scrapped, there's the lingering threat of Project Ra in which we can't let Sam become a tool for its destructive force."

"And the aftermath would be devastating if we don't stop it..."

Ryosuke walked towards the window as he saw the plume of black smoke billowing in the air. The evidence of the suicide bombing was a message of danger as there was no end to the Executive Division's unquenchable lust for power anytime soon, for this was yet another reminder of their nasty tactics in the air…

To be continued...