Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 8
Chapter 5: Rookpaw Requiem
(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.)
I was up the next morning as I was roped into another unwanted mission against my wishes. Even though I still had bouts of exhaustion, I was mainly there to be observing instead of doing field work as I had no choice but to do so. With my clothes cleaned and put into the suitcase, I had my sword and journal with me as I was on my way to the main hall where my "client" would be. I noticed Etienne here as he was dressed in his usual garb for a Mirkwood Elf while wanting me to go on the mission that was put in front of me, for I had no other choice but to obey at this time.
"It's been two years since you dropped off the map, but you're the only Elder of the Order that can assess what happened in my region," I heard him say to me.
"As long as there isn't any field work, then I'll see what happened there and pay my respects to the fallen," I said.
"Rookpaw was a Terran village that was peaceful place that even worshiped the patron saint of weaponmaking, Saint Samuel. One month ago, it all fell to ruin when Liesel came to the village and attacked with those dolls in gold armor with no souls. It was a lingering hell over there in which my father, the Chieftain of Andunevar, was wanting a presence of one of the Order's Elders."
"And you forced Merrick into a mission that I never wanted."
"You shouldn't criticize Etienne, Sam," said Cletus as he entered into the main hall. "He's a member of the LaPointe Clan in which he also has his reasons to fetch you."
"Fine, I'll assess the situation, but I must warn you that I become exhausted so easily."
I reluctantly agreed as I followed Cletus and Etienne outside to the harbor where the seaship was parked at. Looking back, I wanted to see Reiko again as I noticed her sprinting towards me with a basket of food in her hands. Even though she didn't want me to go on this mission, I had no other choice but to do so in which I had to observe instead of doing field work for once.
"It's a shame that you have to go to Rookpaw, Sammy," I heard her say as she gave me the basket of food. "I hope that you're alive and safe once you return home."
"And I will…" I said as I kissed Reiko's lips. "This mission is for observation only, but I'll be home once it's done."
"Take care, Sammy."
I left towards the seaship with a smile on my face as I followed Cletus and Etienne into it. When it left the harbor, I looked back at Reiko as I saw her smiling back in which I would be fine on this mission. When the seaship left Skald Island, I made my way to my cabin as I sat down on the bed I was in. Even though I missed breakfast, it didn't stop me from digging into the basket of food as I got out some taiyaki that was filled with azuki bean paste in which I grabbed one and began to eat it. The taste of it was good as I finished it up the moment I went out onto the deck and saw Nibori here as she was reading one of those popular Supernatural books in which she couldn't get enough of it, for it kept her occupied while being on the ship.
"It's been a month since we last went to Rookpaw," she said.
"I've never been to Rookpaw before, but according to Etienne, there happens to be a shrine of Saint Samuel, the patron saint of weaponmaking there."
"The Saint Samuel that the Mirkwood Elves speak of happens to be none other than Samuel Colt, whose array of weapons became iconic, including his namesake that doubled as a key to unlocking the gates of Hell that is mentioned in All Hell Breaks Loose."
"It's been said that Samuel Colt was a master of crafting his guns, but his works in weaponmaking are basically some of the best in the Middle Days. As for the gun he crafted, Totsuka has a copy of it to honor his memory, but the real one is lost to memory."
"Don't forget, your past self and Dean's once travelled to the wild west in Frontierland in which you were dressed up as cowboys while obtaining phoenix ash to gank Eve with."
I sat down on a bench as I noticed a bag of books that were written by Cortese Padalecki in there the moment I looked at them carefully. The cover art matched the titles as I saw them to be covered up in plastic in which I had a feeling that they would be earmarked to be taken to the Universal Library on Essos. What I didn't expect was that Etienne owned the bag of books as he had his reasons to collect such treasures such as the ones he had.
"Looks like Yukiwa didn't claim those books," I said.
"He had copies of those in which they're the prequel to the adventures that the Winchesters of Old partook from the Elder Days," said Etienne. "These ones are called, You're Lost Little Girl, Masters of War, Legend of a Mind, Art of Dying, and Reflections. The books and the ones written before them are what is known as the Winchester Gospel that is known to those who have faith in what is put in front of them."
I saw Etienne get out one of those books he had as he began to read it in which I left him alone. As for my own predicament, I was looking at the ocean as I was on my way to the region of Andunevar where Rookpaw was at. The sound of seagulls cawing and the ocean waves crashing on both sides of the seaship were a brief relief as I was smelling the sea air that filled my nose. With the seaship still sailing, I was on my way to Rookpaw as I had to assess what went on, for I had a gut feeling that there would be danger lurking along the way…
"You gotta be fucking kidding me!"
Merrick heard Seto's voice as he made his way to the brig the moment he saw her angry with what happened earlier. When he lowered the forcefield around her holding cell, he noticed her to be fuming with anger as she was itching to punch him in the jaw, for he would end up getting what was coming to him. It wasn't long until she was ready to strike at him until he plugged his nose due to her not having a decent shower in days, for she was in dire need of one anyway.
"You stupid ignoramus!" she yelled. "You forced Sam to go on a mission when I was told not to do the same, didn't you?!"
"You can chew me out later, but I suggest that you go to the bathhouse unit and take a shower first, Seto," said Merrick. "Sounds to me like being in there made you like those women that Aphrodite cursed for not giving her enough respect."
"Oh, I'm gonna have some fun busting your balls after I get clean!"
Seto left the brig and went into the women's shower area as she took off her dirty clothes and stepped into one of the stalls. Turning the hot water on, she felt it to be a great relief as she was busy cleaning herself after being in the holding cell since she was put in there after that mission in Balin. By the time she rinsed off, she turned off the water and stepped out of the shower to dry herself off with one of the towels that was hanging on the rack. After she finished drying off, she placed the towel and dirty clothes into the hamper as she got out one of the robes that was there in which she put it on so she wouldn't be naked on board the Thunderstruck for a while. When she got out of the shower area, she was glaring at Merrick as she was ready to strike until she felt a hand grab at her wrist the moment she turned around and noticed Irylla pinning her down in which she was unable to attack the captain, for she was outnumbered in this debacle of her making.
"Let me go!" she yelled.
"And risk attacking the captain? Not a chance!" yelled Irylla.
"Irylla Mirchaias… As I recall you're the last of your clan, but it also seems that you serve this bucket of bolts."
"Let her go, Irylla," said Merrick. "She may be all piss and vinegar, but she also has a soft side. She won't harm me 'cause I'm a captain who has seen a fair share of storsoi lurking in the dark all those years ago."
"But she tried to attack you, Captain."
"I know, but she's no stranger when it comes to dealing with the lore from the Elder Days."
Irylla released Seto as she saw her stand firm instead of trying to attack Merrick. Even though she stayed her hand, Seto was also concerned about the state of affairs that occurred as the conversation between the captain and Etienne was a hot subject in which they talked about forcing me to go on another mission against my wishes after her attempts to do so failed. When she was ready to go back to her holding cell, she was forbidden as she saw Merrick escorting her to the hall where an empty room was in, for it would be her quarters for now.
"I'm so glad that I didn't get my balls busted," he said.
"You made Sam go on a mission again, didn't you?" said Seto.
"This is an assessment mission, not field work due to his condition."
"And what about that Mirkwood Elf you talked to? What's his story?"
"Etienne LaPointe is the son of Laurent LaPointe, who is the chieftain of Andunevar, which is home to the village of Rookpaw. The LaPointe Clan are a group of Mirkwood Elves, but they patrol all over their lands after what happened to the village that got attacked. From what I gathered from the intel of the Hunter Corps, Rookpaw also happens to be a place that honored the memory of Samuel Colt, whose gun was used to open a gate of Hell in the Elder Days."
Seto remembered that time when she helped the Winchesters of Old as the memory of Samuel Colt was something that couldn't be forgotten. Still, she was concerned for my health as she had no other choice but to allow me to go on my mission, for this was something that I had to abide to this time…
I was in my cabin as I was resting up on this long ride on the seaship. The sound of the ocean waves were more than enough to cause me to fall asleep as I had all that comfort without any problem. After a short nap, I woke up as I looked out the cabin window to see that I wasn't in the ocean, but the river in which I got out of there and went to the deck. The sight of the trees near the banks was something that I never expected as they were a group of weeping willows near the shores. What I also didn't expect was the sight of alligators swimming in the river as I had to keep my distance in the water. It wasn't long until I spotted Kevin coming towards the deck as he spotted the alligators that were there as he even spotted a group of humanoids dressed in strange gear complete with alligator skins for armor. Even I noticed the humanoids who were there on the banks of the river as I saw them to be armed with Viking swords and shields here in the place where Mirkwood Elves lived at.
"I never saw anyone wear such clothes like that until now," I said.
"The Mirkwood Elves call those humans Okeechobee Vikings due to their attire crafted from alligator skins," said Kevin. "Like the Norsemen who live in the Skalvarg Archipelago, they live and die by the sword, only to see their bodies cast on a funeral pyre."
"The Terrans in reptile skins are suspicious like the rest of my people," said Etienne.
"And there's our destination," I said as I saw the sign that directed us to Rookpaw.
The seaship parked in a clear spot near a dock as I saw Kevin leading the way. Even though I was here to observe the village, I was still feeling the pinch of exhaustion as I felt my knees buckle. With my sword being used for a crutch, I wasn't about to fall down until I saw Nibori rush out of the seaship with a wheelchair in which I ended up sitting in it, for I was not in fine fettle on this mission.
"It's been over a month since we last came here," I heard her say as she wheeled me away from the dock. "After what happened here, Etienne's clan's been on edge lately in which they're still salting and burning the Terran inhabitants here who ended up dead from those asshats."
"This place is troubling," I said.
"Go figure. The last time I was here, I was fending off some of those walking Ken dolls while they terrorized the townsfolk, but luckily, I had assistance when some of the Order came here and chased them off. As for Rookpaw, this town took a beating in which Liesel was reveling in the chaos as if it were a drug."
It wasn't long until I noticed Seyyada and her interpreter coming out of the seaship as they were surveying the damage to Rookpaw. The sight of soulless corpses burning in a pit was a sign that the hired help from the Order came and rescued the survivors of such a grueling fate as Seyyada and her interpreter rushed to an old chapel that was the size of a shed. Nibori and I went to the chapel as we saw it to be in such a sorry state due to the bullet holes that filled the small building. The sight of many pictures and unused weapons displayed in the chapel were thrown on the floor as I saw Nibori pick up a picture of an old man who was dressed in frontier clothes, for he was a very important figure that was part of the lore from the Middle Days.
"Those scum should at least show respect for the dead," she said as she placed the picture near the altar. "The picture of this guy should at least be preserved instead of being one of those frayed trading cards."
"The Executive Division had no right to vandalize this shrine dedicated to Saint Samuel," said Seyyada's interpreter as he interpreted her sign language. "The one that is worshiped is the pioneer of making weapons to combat monsters, including his namesake, the Colt."
"Samuel Colt is a legend that is written in the annals and appendices of the Order's archives," I said as I stared at the picture on the altar. "It's been said that he crafted weapons not only for display for rulers and dignitaries, but for the Elkins Clan and Totsuka's father."
"It's strange that I'm at the presence of the guy who crafted a weapon tailor-made to kill monsters, but seeing his likeness being trampled in the mud is a travesty to those who respect him," said Nibori.
"Samuel Colt is more than just a legend," said Seyyada's interpreter as he interpreted her sign language. "He is known as a hunter who fought monsters and crafted weapons to serve the greater good."
I saw Nibori picking up the unspoiled weapons as she put them back near the altar where Samuel Colt's picture was plastered at. From a standpoint, I never expected anyone to show respect for the one who was the father of modern weaponmaking as I saw the chapel to be a place of showing greatness to a man who crafted a gun that was used to kill all forms of evil. I also prayed to the shrine as was also showing my form of respect for Samuel Colt and all he stood for. Just as I was about to help out with the cleaning effort, I heard footsteps as I slowly got up and walked towards the entrance of the chapel in which I noticed Etienne out in the open talking to a group from the Order as I recognized them due to their affiliation with the Hunter Corps. What I didn't expect was that I noticed a taller, brawnier Orc dressed in black as he was assessing the damage that went on in the past month. He even noticed that some of the surviving townsfolk were living in squallor due to the fact that the Executive Division had ransacked and ravaged Rookpaw. I also assessed the damage as I never saw so much loss in which I noticed some of the dead that were salted and burned while placed in urns under cairns of stone, for I felt sadness for what happened here.
"Those poor bastards never saw it coming," said the Orc as he was placing flowers on one of the graves. "Don't worry, Maude… We'll put those scumbags on ice as soon as this war comes to an end."
"You're putting flowers on Maude Hackett's grave, aren't you?" said Etienne.
"Her dad was part of the group who stood against Menelaus Marquand back in the day. He was born in Rookpaw in which his family kept the peace here."
"Her husband served in the Valinorian Army, but he was killed in the war between the Oranges and the Blues six years ago."
"I feel sorry for Aidan… He didn't deserve to lose both parents, especially when Maude died at the hands of a storsoi."
"Thankfully, Nibori took it out because she knew it for what was in which it was given the mundane namesake of Jefferson Starship. The blades she found were about to be put into the shrine of Saint Samuel, but she's destined to have them in which she dispatched the monster who killed Aidan's mother and left him an orphan. Something like that in the Elder Days shouldn't be taken lightly after all that has happened."
I slowly walked towards the grave that the Orc laid flowers on as I prayed for the memory of the deceased while I also sought for forgiveness for not being there in the past two years. The vision of the woman and young son rang true as I was starting to feel regret for being absent after my battle to destroy the Sol-3 and eliminate Sawney Masbath. I felt grief as tears streamed down my cheeks the moment I continued to pray at the grave of the fallen, for I wanted absolution for not being there when everyone needed me the most. I wept penitently as the tears that I shed fell onto the ground as I felt very guilty for not doing enough, for this was my penance for being away for too long
"Whoever you are, I'm so sorry for not being there," I said as I continued to pray. "I should've helped you when you and your son needed me the most. I'm so sorry for everything."
"Um, mister?" I heard a child's voice say as I turned around and saw the deceased woman's son behind me. "There's no need to apologize because those people who came here stopped the bad guys from hurting the rest of the people here."
"You're Aidan Hackett, aren't you?"
"My mom is in the Grey Havens with my dad now. She isn't angry with you after she noticed that Mirkosian woman save me. The monster who killed my mom changed into her form, but the Mirkosian used those blades she found to stop it."
"Thank the gods… I may not be up to full capacity, but I'll try to make sure that no other village will suffer from the clutches of the Executive Division again."
I walked away from the grave as I was slowly walking towards an inn that hasn't been damaged from the chaos. By the time I got there, I saw Cletus walking towards me as he carted me inside in which he noticed me feel more tired than normal. I wasn't with it as I was being carted into one of the rooms the moment I was laid on one of the beds. What Cletus didn't expect was that I was developing a fever in which I wasn't in fine fettle.
"I saw the further damage outside in which some of the relief effort had been rebuilding after the Executive Division attacked this place," he said.
"I saw the grave of the woman in my vision in which I prayed near her grave," I said.
"Maude's father, Jorge Sandoval, was one of the many Valinorian soldiers who lent his effort into assisting the Order and the Alecrian Army during the First Galvanic Uprising. He was one of the bravest in which he even held off some of Menelaus Marquand's men at the time."
"Good for him…"
"Where's the patient?" asked a voice in a heavy Scottish brogue.
I continued to lay in the bed as I heard the door open in which I saw a Dwarf with a shock of white hair and beard come in here as he was dressed in a Medical Corps uniform. With a medical bag that is partially too heavy for him, he carted it carefully as he opened it up to get out a digital blood pressure cuff complete with a thermometer and stethoscope. I was about to be put through the ringer as I felt the thermometer being shoved into my mouth in which I later felt the blood pressure cuff being wrapped around my arm.
"Try not to move, My Laird," he said to me as he turned on the digital blood pressure cuff.
"I never expected a Dwarf to be in the Medical Corps before," I said.
"Lie still. Ye need to hold still first."
"I saw the damage to Rookpaw…"
"Save ye're strength, My Laird. Ye need to stay still first."
I felt the blood pressure cuff squeezing my arm as I felt the diaphragm part of the stethoscope on it. When I felt it deflate, I remained still as I noticed the Dwarf taking the thermometer out of my mouth in which I had a slightly high fever. It wasn't long until I felt the diaphragm part of the stethoscope being pressed against my chest in which I noticed the Dwarf examining me in which he was aware of my condition in which I wasn't doing too well, for I was most likely to be returning to the Skalvarg Archipelago soon enough.
"What's the verdict?" asked Cletus as he watched from the sidelines.
"He has been wracked with fever since he was forced to use his raw power during his stay in Balin," said the Dwarf as he put away his medical tools. "This isn't good at all."
"He came here to observe, not to do field work."
"If I were you, I would contact the rest of the Medical Corps and bring him back to Skald Island in which it's also connected to Matarote Island on Westeros."
"As soon as we continue our work, the better we leave in the morning. Besides, Sam can't be doing this right now in which he's not fully healed right now in which we're not looking for a character out of Scooby-Doo."
It wasn't long until I saw Cletus and the Dwarf from the Medical Corps leave my room as I fell asleep in the bed. I was out of it as I felt very tired from travelling from the Skalvarg Archipelago to the region of Andunevar on Valinor. The much-awaited sleep gave me time to heal as I was in dire need of it, for I would soon return to Skald Island in the morning…
I later woke up in the middle of the night as I was on my feet in which I felt tired. With the basket of food brought near my bed, I dug into it as I got out a small lacquer box filled with smoked fish as I began to eat it. The hunger I had was more than enough for me to eat at the food that Reiko prepared for me as I devoured the smoked fish in which I felt satisfied for something that was made for me. When I dug into the basket again, I took out the rest of the taiyaki as I ate them so fast in which I had to keep myself fed after enduring exhaustion. I needed to get my strength back as I took out another lacquer box to see some smoked mackerel that was a feast for the eyes. I ate at the fish as I was starting to get full the moment I felt some of my strength returning. The food I had reminded me of Reiko as I wanted to be with her again, but my mission wasn't over. By the time I became full from all that fish and taiyaki, I was satisfied as I was ready to return to my bed until I noticed a bright glow coming from outside.
I noticed the felled houses and business in Rookpaw being slowly restored by a divine force. What I didn't expect was that a hint of raw power that I had began to return the town in all its glory as I was glad that I did something right. I prayed for the continued restoration of Rookpaw as I saw the fallen going up to the Grey Havens after enduring such slaughter from the Executive Division. By the time that the town was finally restored, I was weeping tears of joy as I was ready to go back to bed. Just as I was about to do so, I saw a familiar spirit emerging as he was someone that I hadn't seen in a while, for he was watching over me the whole time.
"Hello, Sam," he said to me as he stood in front of me.
"Ippei…," I said as I continued to weep.
"It's been two years since you destroyed the Sol-3, but the battle did a number on you in which you need to heal a little longer."
"I know and I've accepted my convalescence by helping my family, doing exercises, and even taking walks along the shoreline so I wouldn't be bored."
"You may have done those things to keep you sane, but you need to do a lot more than you think."
"What are you talking about?"
"You need to resume all the talents and happiness that makes you you of all people in which you're suffering from a lot more than just exhaustion and clinical depression. You suffer from a lingering sadness that gripped you the moment you finished off Sawney Masbath two years ago."
"A lingering sadness? Is that what is wrong with me?"
"This form of mental strain can drain you in which it is similar to what your past self went through when he underwent the trials in the Elder Days. There is a way to keep the lingering sadness away and that is to step out of your comfort zone and do what it takes to prevent yourself from falling further in the cracks. You have a long way to go in which you need to preserve all the kindness and love that you have."
"And I'll do that… I haven't forgotten your teachings and training in which it kept me focused. I'll make an effort to keep the lingering sadness at bay, for I can't let it get to me."
I saw Ippei disappear for another day as I prayed hard for my mentor's guidance. I couldn't let this lingering sadness get to me as I also had a long way to go while continuing my convalescence, for this was considered to be crucial in this moment of recovery. When I returned to bed, I was ready to fall asleep until I felt myself being drawn into a vision in which I found myself in my old room on Gehenna. The place was my sanctuary due to the fact that I also found it to be the only place that I could escape from Sylvanus' cruelty. The cold weather coming from the fort was a reminder of my years since I came here with Dean in tow as I sat down on the bed. What I didn't expect was that I noticed my younger self coming into the room as he locked the door behind him while he had tears in his eyes. This memory was when I was twelve years old at the time as I was reliving it the moment I saw myself staring at the mirror while loathing at the jeweled sigil on my forehead.
"No…," I heard myself saying. "Dean should be a better bet, not me. He has better potential to join the Hunter Corps. Therefore, I want him to be in the Hunter Corps because he is more braver than the rest of us. As for me, I'm nothing but a burden to everyone around me. I really hate myself for being here. I hate this sigil on my forehead because I'm nothing more than a liability and a freak! If I could only just get rid of this thing on my forehead, I'll be normal like everyone else so I won't have to endure Sylvanus' cruelty all the live long."
I saw myself get out a small surgical scalpel as I noticed him ready to remove the jeweled sigil that I have been known for all my life. Just as he was about to do so, I noticed the door opening up as if the lock was picked smoothly without damaging it. It wasn't long until I saw Dean at age sixteen rushing into the room as I saw him take away the scalpel that my younger self had, for he refused to allow it, for he was concerned for the one whose well-being was put on the back burner for years.
"Let me go, Dean!" I heard myself yell. "I won't be satisfied until I remove this thing from my forehead!"
"There's nothing wrong with it, Sammy!" he yelled. "If you did that, then you would be a carbon copy of all the things that you're not!"
"And what about Sylvanus?! He hates me because I'm different than everyone else! If I removed this sigil, then I won't be the local freak anymore!"
"If you did that, then I'll never forgive you, Sammy." Dean takes away the scalpel as he was ready to make his point. "That sigil on your forehead is what makes you a lot more unique than the rest of us grunts living here in this crappy fort. I need you to see that! I need you to do a little more than just steep to your self-loathing. The qualities that make you what you are are the best ones of all. We aren't perfect, Sammy, and we aren't meant to be. I don't regret your effort to bring me back from the brink of death and if you didn't have that raw power, I wouldn't be alive today. You have a bigger potential than the rest of us have and you need to do more than what you're perceived to be. You matter the most not only because you're my little brother, but a hero who is meant to do more than just sit in the dark. You matter a lot more than what you say you are. You are a lot of things, but calling yourself a freak is a slap in the face to your future that's been put in front of you. I say to you again, don't you dare fade away, you got that?"
I saw myself fall to his knees crying as he was defeated by the presence of the one who succeeded into joining the Hunter Corps. Dean was the one who refused to let me remove the sigil from my forehead as I also felt tears streaming down my cheeks when I saw him hugging my younger self and assured him that he would be protected till the bitter end. By the tim I returned to reality, I got up from my bed as I walked towards a mirror in which I stared at the jeweled sigil on my forehead that became more than just what I loathed over the years. It was my saving grace that helped me as I felt the sting of Dean's words reaching me even further.
"I say to you again, don't you dare fade away, you got that?"
Those words assured me that I had so much potential than what was given to me by the naysayers that said that I didn't matter. Dean was right. I did matter and it showed because of the fact that I helped those in need over the years. I mattered to those who needed me the most. I mattered because I had to stay the course and to put a stop to the Executive Division and this ongoing war they started. I can't fade away, not this time. Still staring in the mirror, I continued to weep as I also felt more grateful that I didn't remove the sigil on my forehead this time, for it was a saving grace that kept me on my toes over the years. By the time I returned to my bed again, I looked at the nightstand as I saw my vidphone on charge mode as I took it off of the cord it was attached to and attempted to call Dean, but I stood my hand. I didn't want to bother him as I was ready to go back to sleep until I heard my vidphone vibrating the moment I picked it up. Answering it, I was most likely to be getting a familiar caller on the phone.
"Hello?" I said as I answered it.
"About time that you picked up," said Dean over the phone.
"You should be focusing on your unit on Shiganshina."
"And you should be focusing on your health."
"Dean…, do you remember when you broke into my room and stopped me from removing the jeweled sigil on my forehead? I remembered it when I you took the scalpel away away from me and told me not to fade away."
"I remember that very well 'cause of the fact that you got so distraught that you had a thing of self-loathing that kept you bogged down. I also didn't forget about how you wanted to get rid of it so you would look normal. I told you straight up that if you removed it, I would never forgive you for it and you remembered those words. After I took the scalpel from you, I got my ass chewed out by Sylvanus for snagging one of the Medical Corps tools in which I was stuck in the kitchen with you doing dishes for the next few days."
"I know that I haven't come clean to you, but there's something very wrong with me. It's not about the clinical depression or the exhaustion, but a lingering sadness that kept me empty in the past two years. I did everything on Matarote Island from long walks to mindfulness, but it wasn't enough when it came to that form of sadness that weighed heavy on me. All I need to do is to step out of my comfort zone and soak up all the kindness and love that I have."
"Where did you hear this?"
"Ippei told me this. His spirit told me that my lingering sadness occurred since my tussle with Sawney Masbath two years ago. I need to do a lot more than just exercises and going for long walks. I have to do a lot more just to be more sane than ever."
"You better not act like a sad sack for the rest of your days. It's time to amp up your horizons for once 'cause your mental and physical health matters."
I heard Dean hang up the phone as I finally fell asleep. I had more clarity as I had to do a lot more than just sit on the sidelines, but I also couldn't let the exhaustion get the better of me, for I had a long way to go when it came to keeping myself from having a mental breakdown in the future...
The next morning, I was up as I was in the bathroom taking a shower in which I was ready to leave Rookpaw and back towards the Skalvarg Archipelago. By the time I was about to rinse off, I heard the bathroom door open up and noticed that the hot water became scalding hot in which I later heard the toilet being flushed. Rinsing off and turning off the shower, I rushed out of there as I dried myself with a towel in which I spotted Kevin standing there. I wasn't too happy with him as I noticed him laughing at what I went through the moment I glared at him, for he was most likely to be escorting me back to the seaship to where the Skalvarg Archipelago was at.
"You're really pushing it!" I yelled.
"About time that you got rushed," said Kevin.
"You're worse than Dean!"
"Oh, yeah!"
I saw Kevin leaving the bathroom as I put the towel and dirty clothes into the hamper. Getting dressed in clean ones, I was ready to get out of there as I went towards the bed in my room. Even though I was ready to go, I had to remain vigilant as I was busy getting ready to return to Skald Island. What I didn't expect was that the influx of the surviving townsfolk returning to their homes and businesses as I noticed Rookpaw being brought from the ashes after all the bad that has happened a month ago. Still, I had to clean my clothes as I went to the bathroom to collect the dirty clothes from the hamper and straight to the laundromat next to the inn. After putting my change and detergent into the nearest frontloader while I put my clothes in there to get washed, I sat down as I began to write in my journal the moment I noticed Cletus coming into the laundromat. Still, he was up like me, but he was wanting to tell me how Rookpaw was restored in a single night, for this was a miracle that occurred from the brink of death.
"The townsfolk who survived this attack are back in their homes again after all that has happened," I heard him say. "They said that a miracle of raw power saved Rookpaw from more ruin in which it gave them hope."
"I'm still recovering right now and I can't do any field work," I said.
"From what I heard, Etienne's father will be here with a group of Mirkwood Elves to assess this miracle."
"Then I'll see what is going on…"
I got up as I briefly left the laundromat in which I saw Etienne greeting an older Elf with black hair and purple eyes in which he was dressed in matching black armor while riding on a six-legged stallion. I never saw him before as he was assessing what happened here in Rookpaw the moment the group who was here with me paid their respects to the fallen. It wasn't long until I saw him get off his horse and walked towards me as if he had an air of suspicion of me for no reason, for I stood firm despite my frail health in this time of uncertainty.
"Sam Winchester, I presume?" he said to me.
"You came to assess the damage to Rookpaw like the rest of us, I take it," I said.
"The townsfolk told me about how a miracle restored this village, but they're still lacking the vital necessities of food and medicine."
"You must be Laurent LaPointe, who is the chieftain of this region."
"The neighboring Terrans around Rookpaw, known primarily as the Okeechobee Vikings, have been concerned like the rest of us after seeing the Executive Division come here and damage this village just to spite the memory of the one Terran who was the father of modern weaponmaking and that happens to be Samuel Colt."
"His name is in the Order's archives, but I never expected anyone to worship in his memory. In the time of the Elder Days, his weapons have been legendary, but have been abused and pawned off to those who would covet one of his prized guns."
"Samuel Colt is a legend. As for the gun he forged, it was a weapon like no other in which it is both revered and feared by all."
"One of those happens to be the Colt in which it was once used to open a gateway to Hell at the time. I read the archives and even studied him during my years being on Gehenna."
I walked towards the shrine as I saw Laurent following me inside. The interior of the small chapel was newly fixed up as the picture of Samuel Colt stood firm due to the fact that his memory was a reminder of what was vital in the time of the Elder Days. When I prayed in front of the altar where the picture stood, I felt a sense of purpose as I got up and left the shrine with a smile on my face. By the time I returned to the laundromat, I saw that my clothes were done as I took them out of the frontloader and hauled them into the dryer. With the coins put into it while I started the dryer, I sat down in the chair as I continued to write in my journal while I waited for my clothes to get done. To my surprise, I saw Nibori enter into the laundromat as she had some clothes of her own to put in one of the frontloaders in which she put some change and detergent into it. When I saw her sit down in the chair next to me, I noticed her getting out a container of food as it consisted of rolled pancakes with strawberry syrup on it, for she was getting her breakfast for the day.
"I saw everything restored here in which the townsfolk were glad to see this miracle," she said as she was digging into her food. "Even though Rookpaw is restored, that doesn't mean that the people here haven't been abundant in their food and wares so far."
"What's going on so far?" I asked.
"Laurent and that Orc from yesterday said that Rookpaw is experiencing a food shortage due to high prices. No wonder their weird neighbors in alligator suits were concerned."
It wasn't long until I heard the whooshing of Hunter Corps shop approaching as it landed in a clearing near Rookpaw. It was the Thunderstruck as it was there to collect me in which I had to return back to the Skalvarg Archipelago, for I also had to do more for my health. When I saw it landing, I saw Merrick get out of the ship as he was seeing the miracle that saved Rookpaw from despair, but I had a feeling that he wasn't there to just collect me yet.
"We have work to do, Sam," he said to me.
To be continued...