Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 9
Chapter 42: Prophecy and Pillows
(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 in an empty terrain as I found myself near a clearing in the middle of the ocean. It was in the middle of the Skalvarg Archipelago as I saw a crypt that was cracked the moment I saw a malevolence spill out everywhere. I sensed it to be none other than the Maladendrum as it cornered me to the point of killing me. I was trapped in its tendrils as it was squeezing me in which I heard its evil laughter filling the world, for it was unstoppable after being released.
"The chosen couple will never defeat me, for I will poison this planet and undo what Emperor Clark had set up," it said. "The seals will be broken and I will reign Valinor once more…"
I was about to be crushed until I woke up in a cold sweat. It was a nightmare in which I had a feeling that something wasn't right. The vision of the Maladendrum unleashed from its prison alarmed me as I had a gut feeling that I would be in danger in this mess. Sitting up in my bed, I clutched at my stomach as I felt the little ones moving. They sensed the stress that I had as I tried not to worry too much in which I was fearing the worst. When I got up from my hospital bed, I left my room as I was out in the hallway in which I noticed Meg in her wheelchair going back to her own room, for she was still dealing with the malady that kept her crippled in the first place.
"Hey there, Bullwinkle," she said. "What are you doing out of bed?"
"Do you know where Kotori is?" I asked.
"She's running errands at the citadel. Is something wrong?"
"I had a bad dream about the Maladendrum getting out of its prison. It also said something about the chosen couple in which it will end up being unstoppable."
"If you think that the chosen couple to neuter the Maladendrum is you and Lady Reiko, you're mistaken. The chosen couple that the Maladendrum is afraid of happen to live in the citadel in the Inland District. I may no longer be a demon, but I can sense what goes on while I deal with the multiple sclerosis that keeps me in this wheelchair."
Meg's words concerned me as I sensed that Dean and Ravenna were now a target in which I had to do my best to protect them. When I was about to leave the infirmary wing, I was stopped by Chiaki as she was standing in my way, for she didn't want me to leave the confines of bedrest at this time.
"You can't be out and about too much, Sam," she said.
"Dean and Ravenna are in danger," I said. "I can't just lay in bed while their lives are at risk."
"Your constant worrying and too much stress is bad for your babies. Besides, you still need to be on bedrest or else Reiko will scold you to no end."
I reluctantly agreed as I returned to my room. Laying down on my hospital bed, I stared at the ceiling once again as I was also worried about the safety of Dean and Ravenna. They were targeted because of the fact that they would soon find themselves to be a boon against the Maladendrum, for they endured so much toil and sadness by losing their first spouses and later falling in love…
Ravenna was in the citadel's infirmary wing as she was busy examining Rory in which she saw him to be thriving after enduring so much danger in his small life. With his birthday coming up, he was mainly a survivor of tragedy after being cut from Magda's womb and nearly killed. Ravenna saw Rory to be more like Dean as he had his features. He also had a strong resilience as he was also teething due to the fact that his front ones were already showing in his mouth, for he was growing up due to the Winchester genetics he inherited. By the time Ravenna finished examining Rory, she carted him into the nursery as she set him down in his playpen. She also noticed Rohidra getting into the shelf as he was digging for a children's book to read. By the time he found some of them, he gravitated towards Harry the Dirty Dog as he pulled it out and was ready to read to Rory, for he needed a lot more than just stimulation.
"Here's a book for you," he said as he was ready to read to Rory.
"You're doing a lot for your new baby brother, aren't you?" said Ravenna.
"He can't just be teething and crawling everywhere. Besides, he has to read when he gets a little bigger."
"Rory has a lot in common with his father in which he even looks like him. He even went through so much in his young life."
It wasn't long until Dean entered into the nursery as he saw Rory thriving instead of suffering in which he was grateful that he lived. Still, he endured so much trauma after losing Magda as he vowed to protect everyone, including his unit. He was also thankful that Ravenna was in his life after she lost her husband to prostate cancer nearly three years ago. Both of them went through too much as they also had a long way to go, for they never knew of their role in a much bigger battle ahead.
"It's been a rough ride, but we managed to pull ourselves up by the bootstraps," said Dean.
"Rory's doing better than anticipated," said Ravenna.
"Yeah…, he looks like me, but he has Magda's appetite."
"He has a habit of eating the usual baby food, but he's been craving more of the dim sum that Tansu made. Even your daughters know how to cook in which Mizuki has a knack for making baozi."
"Well, they also need to enjoy their childhood before it's too late. Besides, they have all that kid energy in the world and should never waste it. I may not have enjoyed being trapped in a frozen wasteland for most of my life, but that doesn't mean that our children will end up in a place like that."
"That is so true…"
Without warning, Dean heard some footsteps approaching as he left the nursery and rushed into the citadel's main hall. What he saw was that there was several members of the Medical Corps carting Azelas into the infirmary wing in which he was stabbed earlier. What he also noticed was that Septimus was there as he was concerned about what was going on earlier, for this was no earlier attack that occurred near his farmstead.
"What the hell happened?" asked Dean.
"Someone attacked my home, only for Azelas to take the hit," answered Septimus.
"Did anyone see the attacker?"
"No, but this was left behind." Septimus fishes out a piece of fabric as it had a pink magnolia embroidered on it. "This came from those bloody Beauchamps again and Beryl is the ringleader of her motley crusade to bring more war to the forefront."
Dean examined the cloth that was left behind as he had a disdain towards Beryl Beauchamp and her family. Still, he had his reasons to deal with what was there as he had to be wary of what could happen next, for there would be more trouble on the horizon if he wasn't careful. The news about Beryl Beauchamp and her family was mainly that of peddling war as they viewed it to be a very essential industry. In Dean's case, he never liked war, but had no choice but to deal with it, for he simply had to go up against what got tossed at him in the first place...
Beryl was at her home in Rivendell as she was still looking at the failure of having one of the seals being broken on Skald Island. The shattering of the decoy near the schoolhouse and release of the shtriga gummed up her plans as she was still set on bringing more war to the masses. As one of a few warhawks still clinging to war as an industry, she was adamant into sending more chaos than one could ever dream of. When she looked out the window of her room, she saw one of her children coming out of the greenhouse as he was busy tending to the magnolias that were planted in there. The young man himself had blond hair and blue eyes like his mother as he was also dressed in elegant clothing that had magnolias embroidered all over them, for he was the most favored out of the Beauchamp children. When Beryl came outside to greet him, she was happy to see him as she had feelings for him due to the fact that he was mainly her son, for she pegged off anyone who would take his hand in marriage without her approval.
"My dearest Emile…," she said as she hugged him warmly. "I see that your season is coming up in the spring."
"I was busy tending to our magnolias as usual," he said.
"It seems that you've been wanting to find yourself a wife for some time now."
"I've been looking at a nobleman's daughter in which she happens to be in the crosshairs of Emperor Florian, who hasn't been hitched yet."
"That's just it…" Beryl goes into the greenhouse as she picks at one of the magnolias. "We of the Beauchamp Family may no longer be welcome in the Palace of the Imperium, but we still have our agents to send over to that deplorable archipelago to unleash what was once a scourge to this planet nine hundred years ago. If we unleash the Maladendrum, we can do whatever we want and whenever we want in which we can even depose the five Elven families who ruled Valinor for centuries."
"This isn't right!"
Beryl heard the sound of a young girl yelling in the distance as she saw who was rushing towards both her and Emile. The girl herself was similar to her mother and brother due to her blond hair and blue eyes in which she was dressed in a tunic than a dress while she wore a pair of glasses. Beryl looked at her daughter with disdain due to the fact that she had short hair instead of keeping it long and put up the moment she was eager to jab at her in the worst way. For a long time, she hated her daughter as she wasn't the type to conform to stale societal norms in which she was far more different of all the Beauchamp children, for she was also concerned about what was going on after the war ended.
"You have some nerve, Marie-Therese," she said as she glared at her.
"You sent one of your assassins there to Skald Island there, didn't you?" she said.
"And you have the gall to speak against your own mother!"
"The Maladendrum is dangerous! Releasing such a scourge will poison this planet to the point of disrepair if you continue your long thirst for war."
"War has been the backbone of our family! Without it, there wouldn't be any profits to keep a roof over one's head or food in their mouths or even having clothes on their backs. Still, your brother and your older half-siblings fare better than you because of the fact that only sons will inherit from your father and no other. You and Marianne are just obstacles in my way! My assassin won't fail a second time because the chosen couple will never draw breath again. You know who I'm talking about! It's that Draaza widow who shacked up with the captain of his unit in the Hunter Corps. Therefore, I have business to attend to, for I will have war that propels us to where we stand."
"Stand to what? You already lost your privileges in going towards the Palace of the Imperium after you blackmailed the Dowager Empress into releasing Iago Arkhelios back to his family by threatening to make her medical records public. You know that disclosing medical records is a serious offense and yet you blackmail just to get your way. The Dowager was right about you and I hope that you really do burn in Hell."
Beryl returned inside of her home in disgust as Marie-Therese was still standing. Even Emile was concerned about her true intentions as he was also not happy with his mother directly. Still, he was favored like his older half-siblings, but he would soon step in a path of thorns just to expose her dirty intentions, for he would soon fall prey to his mother's wrath if not careful.
"She's overstepping her boundaries there," he said gravely.
"Well, she favors you anyway," said Marie-Therese.
"Not entirely… She only favors me because I piss on cue. As for the assassin she hired to kill the captain of his Hunter Corps unit, he ended up stabbing a priest from the Brotherhood of Lions on Claudius in which he was later found dead by one of the dock workers near the castle on Skald Island. The priest lived, but the assassin didn't in which there's a boundary that would soon be crossed if we don't avert it. As for what our mother is doing, she is playing with fire in which I read up about the Maladendrum and what it stands for."
"And she sent an assassin to try to take out the chosen couple who are poised to strengthen the seals to keep the Maladendrum in place…"
"We must warn Emperor Florian about this. Our mother may no longer be welcome in the Palace of the Imperium, but we still have our own privileges in which we have to protect the chosen couple before another murder attempt takes place."
"And we all know about one of the chosen couple in which his past self had a knack for being loose while driving around in his old-fashioned Chevy. As for the other, she's in the Medical Corps, but is part of the McLaren Clan on Essos. Still, we can't turn a blind eye while our mother is trying her best to unleash the Maladendrum. She is playing with fire and we will end up paying the price for failure if we don't avert it right away."
Marie-Therese clenched her fists as she was fearing the worst the moment she heard about the assassin who tried to take out Dean, only to wound Azelas in the crosshairs. Still, she had a fear and a constant loathing for her mother as she only cared about maintaining war as an industry instead of putting the needs of her children first. All she wanted was to stop the return of the Maladendrum as she was no stranger in dealing with the lore that was there. She read about the entity that was sealed in the middle of the Skalvarg Archipelago as it was a much bigger threat that was more aligned with the rising of Lucifer in the Elder Days. The time to stop Beryl was just beginning as Marie-Therese had no other choice but to warn everyone about the resurfacing of the Maladendrum, for it was a warning that couldn't be ignored after all…
Dean was in the garage as he was busy cleaning out the Impala while keeping it clean inside and away from the garbage buildup that he once had. It had nearly been a year since the war ended as the toll of it was very heavy the moment Dean was also gearing up to remember the first anniversary of Magda's death after this. After seeing things coming and going while he noticed Azelas getting stabbed and treated, he had to know what was going on as he would more than likely to visit me on the spot after this. What he didn't expect was that Ravenna was there as she saw him finish up cleaning the interior of the Impala in which she saw it to be an emblem of how the Winchesters of Old once drove in it, for the car itself was a treasure that couldn't be replaced for all eternity.
"You really know how to take care of the car," she said.
"Baby's been around for centuries," said Dean. "At least she's got the insides picked up instead of having all that trash in it."
"That's a relief… Also, Azelas is stabilized after he was stabbed earlier, but from what the locals told me, the assassin who tried to snuff him out was found dead near the harbor."
"That's a shame, but Beryl Beauchamp won't shed any tears for her toadies doing her dirty work on the sly."
It wasn't long until Dean saw a member of his unit rush into the garage as he saw the note in his hand. When he took it out of his hand, he read it as he noticed it to be a word of warning in which he had a gut feeling that something wasn't right. What he didn't expect was that the member of his unit was about to get stabbed by an assassin from behind until he used his diamond projectiles to neutralize the threat, for he also knew of the crest that was familiar with the Beauchamp Family.
"I can't get to seem to get a break, can I?" he said.
"What's going on?" asked Ravenna.
"Beryl's on the warpath and I'm the number one target."
Dean noticed the assassin get up on his feet as he was taking out some of the diamond projectiles out of his body. What he didn't expect was that the assassin got up and removed the cape and mask to reveal a woman as she later stabbed the member of his unit the moment she spotted his skin peeling without warning. Dean now knew that the member of his unit was a lowerling in which he saw several more bits of skin falling on the floor the moment he spotted the assassin putting away her knife, for she was noted to be an Elf that ended up being an accidental target without warning.
"Son-of-a-bitch!" he yelled.
"Yeah, that sums it up in a nutshell," said the Elf as she got out a first aid kit from her hip holster.
"You must've tailed the lowerling, only to be hit with diamond bits," said Ravenna.
"I had to disguise myself to target the real assassin the moment I took him out. As for the cuts from the diamonds, that was unexpected to run into, especially from the captain."
"Martha Mahoney…," said Dean. "You're practically the baby in the family unlike your brothers. As for me firing off my ammo, I'm terribly sorry about this misunderstanding on my part."
"Don't be…" Martha cleans up the wounds on her arms as the rest of her body was protected by the cape she wore earlier. "You simply gave me a bumper crop of what you throw at, Captain." She shows up the cape as she reveals the spent projectiles that Dean threw at her. "These babies will be a possible kryptonite to the Zenith Vectors just to puncture their suits with. As for the true assassins, I had to take out the first assailant and tailed the other in which I knew of it to be a lowerling due to their nature of shedding their skin and changing their form like in the Elder Days. By the way, my cousin just got word about what will happen next. That is why I was brought in to protect both you and Ravenna from Beryl's wrath. Even her own children are afraid of her in which they also know of her reasons to unleash the Maladendrum from its prison."
It wasn't long until Martha fished out a picture as she gave it to Dean. When he looked at it, the picture was that of a mural that had him and Ravenna naked and doing a sexual pose in which he also spotted a stone altar. He was stunned that he and Ravenna would soon play a part in strengthening the seals all over the Skalvarg Archipelago, for he also had to tell me anyway about all of this…
I was laying down in my bed as I was doing nothing but staring at the ceiling. Even though I had to endure bedrest, I was also powerless in helping others as I was mainly concerned about Dean's safety in this mess of affairs. Even though I was still with child, I was desperate to help my older brother as he wasn't the only one targeted by assassins sent by Beryl, but Ravenna as well. Sitting up, I saw the fresh snow falling from outside as I was simply feeling slightly depressed because of the fact that I was put on the back burner. All I did was shed tears as I didn't want Dean and Ravenna's lives at risk right now. The assassins that Beryl sent to get rid of them would never stop until they succeeded to the point of shattering the seals and release the Maladendrum from its prison, for the craving of war was beyond insatiable at this point.
"If only I did a little more to protect everyone…," I said to myself.
"You are doing a little more, Sam," said a familiar voice as he appeared in spirit form.
It was Ippei as he was displaying a more palatable aura. I was humbled at my late mentor's presence as I noticed him coming closer to me. He was grateful that I was dealing with my mental health as he was also aware of what I was going through. He saw me clutching at my stomach as I felt the four parcels nestling in my body, for he wasn't displaying any form of wrath for carrying another woman's ovum that was fertilized by my seed since Halloween night.
"Jack wasn't lying about what Neville did to you in which the children of the fallen soldiers have a better outcome than just be forever in cryogenic stasis all the live long," he said.
"You knew about this?" I asked.
"I knew of it in which I also heard your wrath wanting to get rid of those little parcels, only for Reiko to intervene."
"And I made up for it in which I'm more than glad that Neville is behind bars for good."
"You can talk about the babies later. All I want is to have you learn to utilize your raw power without overexerting it or accelerating your pregnancy. Do you know why everyone calls me the Sword of Alecrast? It's because I had my mental abilities sharpened in which I also had to deal with the imprint of Lucifer harassing me all the live long. Still, you haven't heard of him harassing you or anyone else all over in which the protective fog surrounding the Skalvarg Archipelago acts as both a shield and a prison for the Maladendrum."
"It's also a shame that I can't help Dean and Ravenna when they are the ones targeted by Beryl Beauchamp of all people."
"You're wrong. You can use your mental abilities to project yourself towards action without doing the heavy lifting. I should've taught this to you while I was still alive, but that doesn't mean that you can go without it. And for the record, this isn't the first time that you projected your mental abilities further when you reached out to Reiko during that mission on Baratheon nearly two years ago. You may be stuck in bed, but there's a lot of potential for you to turn the tide and put Beryl in her place, for she mustn't unleash the Maladendrum or else Valinor will be doomed."
I began to clear my mind as I closed my eyes and began to see further in which I found my spiritual aura in the citadel where Dean and his unit were staying in. I noticed him training his unit as they were also there to keep the peace when it came to doing the usual Winchester mantra. And do anyone know what it is? It was the typical one that was mainly used since the time of the Elder Days and that is by saving people, hunting things, and upholding the family business. I didn't mind it as I watched Dean and the others call it a day in which I was useful for once. I was happy that my older brother was safe, but I was dead wrong the moment I saw another assassin burst into the citadel.
I feared the worst as I saw the assassin brandish out a large sword in which he was ready to cleave Dean in half. I had to do something, but I was powerless to do so due to the fact that I was still with child right now. I was starting to worry as I had no other choice but to reach out to him in my spiritual form before he ends up dead, for I had to do my part in protecting everyone around me at this time."
"Dean!" I yelled. "Get out of there! You have to run!"
I saw the assassin swing his large sword at Dean as he missed in which he later noticed him eyeing Ravenna the moment she went to tend to the wounded. He had to protect her as he changed into his diamond form in which he fired several projectiles at the assassin the moment he fell to the floor. With the threat averted, Dean and Ravenna vanished without a trace as the unit were alarmed to see them taken from the citadel. By the time I returned to reality, I was shaking in fear as I was also scared for Dean and Ravenna's safety in which they had to be protected from the wrath of Beryl Beauchamp, for she was also rampant into releasing the Maladendrum from its cage in the long run.
"Where the hell are you, Dean?" I said to myself as I was clutching at my stomach.
"Dean and Ravenna are safe, Sam," said Jack as he appeared out of nowhere. "Your words reached them in which your brother got rid of the assassin before he and Ravenna disappeared."
"Where are they? I need to know."
"They're in a place that only the chosen couple can have access to in order to prevent the Maladendrum from resurfacing."
"That's good to hear…"
"Beryl Beauchamp is playing with fire and she will end up getting burned if she tries to release a terror that all of us are afraid of. This isn't the first time that the Maladendrum unleashed death and destruction in which it also inflicts misery to anyone regardless of being a humanoid, angel, demon, or other monsters. If the seals fail and the Maladendrum is unleashed, then it will meet its demise at the hands of the one who never yielded to misery, for she will destroy it with the light of hope and humility that will never fade away."
"Reiko…" I felt a tinge of renewal as I was thinking of her. "She is more than just a wife and mother, but she is also the goddess of the Ashizoka System in which she never backed down. She even brought down Behemoth and got rid of Father Warren in which she is a lot more braver than I am. I have faith in her, for her light will never go out."
I was hopeful of what I had as there was a defense to turn the tide against the release of the Maladendrum. Reiko was my light of hope as I was grateful that she was there in my life. Still, I saw a brave and gentle soul in her as she was the saving grace of our large family in which I was also thankful to have her, for she was the light that would never go out...
Dean and Ravenna were naked the moment they fell into a pool the moment they were transported to someplace unknown to them. Both of them were unaware of what awaits them as they saw the interior of the place they were in. It was a place that was similar to the shrines that Reiko and I visited to deliver our energy through lovemaking, but it was also made for the chosen couple that would do their part in strengthening the seals that kept the Maladendrum prisoner. By the time Dean and Ravenna got out of the pool, they walked into a room that had a stone altar in which they also saw images of themselves on the wall on full display. They never saw anything like it before, but they were also drawn to each other with such a powerful aura, for they would be doing the unthinkable without the presence of prying eyes.
"What is all of this?" said Ravenna as she saw the pictures on the wall.
"I have no idea, but this shrine is meant for us," said Dean. "And I thought that Sam had to deal with this crap, but in this place, we're the stars of the show."
"Here's some writing on the wall." Ravenna sees it as it was written in the Draaza language. "'The chosen couple, brought together by tragedy and loss, will make their love whole?' We may be new at this as a blended family, but this is all too much."
"Ravenna… I get it now 'cause we lost someone we cared about the most. You lost your husband when he succumbed to prostate cancer while Magda was murdered by those asshats who raided our base on Shiganshina. Perhaps the gods are wanting us to do what is put in here…"
Dean grabbed Ravenna's hand as he held it warmly. He was looking at her the moment he wanted to take her in this shrine after all the trouble of being targeted by assassins that were sent by Beryl Beauchamp earlier. When they walked towards the stone altar, they laid down on it as they looked at each other for a brief moment. Both of them had suffered losses as they were also ready to take their love to another level the moment they began their interlude. Dean made his move by kissing Ravenna's lips as he was engulfed by an urge to take her before it was over. He was instantly on top of her as he was touching at her breasts the moment he heard her moaning with pleasure. He wanted more of her as he had the need of touching at the soft flesh between her legs. He was wanting her as he was ready to do his part the moment he spread her legs open.
With his member hardened, he entered inside of Ravenna as she felt him thrusting while he gave her more pleasure. He didn't want to let her go right now as he felt her inner walls gripping his member tightly. It was at that moment that he ended up clasping her hands as he was staring into those calm blue eyes of hers. He felt that primal hold of sensual desire engulf him as he continued to make love to Ravenna the moment he noticed her wrapping her legs around him. She was enjoying his pleasure as he was continuing to give a little more until their climax hit them. Both of them were tiring until they felt more satisfied with one another. Dean was satisfied with giving Ravenna more pleasure as he ended up spilling his seed the moment he later pulled out of her. They looked at each other as they later noticed the altar they were laying on glowing in which they later noticed the walls of the room being infused with a powerful aura, for they already did their part in strengthening the seal that kept the Maladendrum prisoner.
"So, this place must have had more power to keep the evil sealed away," said Dean as he sat up.
"Whatever we did here triggered something," said Ravenna as she sat up.
"I bet that Sam doesn't know about this place, but he'll find it eventually. Still, he's stuck in the long furlough even after the war ended nearly a year ago, but he's also carrying the Fab Four in his body no thanks to Neville Schacter's meddling, may he rot in his jail cell."
"It may have been low for him to meddle in injecting foreign ovum into both your brother and Minara with their seed fertilizing them, that doesn't excuse his behavior in which his own family on Atreides doesn't want anything to do with him. As for what they bear, the foreign ovum had their fair share of battle in which they brought down bigger threats other than the usual monsters that your unit finds on a daily basis. As for their plight, they're not only on strict watch, but strict bedrest due to what they bear in their bodies."
"That's good to hear 'cause they're mainly delicate goods right now."
"Hey, lovebirds! You done talking dirty?!"
Dean turned around as he saw Seto with her back turned the moment he spotted some robes to put on. When he put one of them on, he gave the other one to Ravenna as she was covered up with it in which she later spotted Seto turning around to see them. She had urgent business with them as she was also aware of what was going on the moment she saw the shrine that was glowing with the aura of raw power surging all over the room, for she was also concerned about the affairs that happened.
"It's about time that I tailed you here," she said.
"After we dealt with the assassin, Ravenna and I ended up here of all places," said Dean.
"This place happens to be the primal seal that keeps the Maladendrum prisoner in which it's located at the farther end of Skald Island. One of the seals is hidden in the castle where Sam lives. As for the other seals, they're located on the other three islands in which they have been hidden for centuries. What really tends to burn our asses is that Beryl Beauchamp is wanting to unseal the Maladendrum in which if it is released, then all Valinor is doomed in the process. For the record, Beryl's surname isn't what was put in front of her, for her maiden name happens to be related to the same pissworm that Sam took out during the Project Amaterasu mission while destroying the Sol-3. Yes, Beryl is related to the Masbath Family in all their blackmailing glory. As for her social rep, it's already taken a hit when she blackmailed the Dowager Empress to release Iago Arkhelios from his jail cell in the form of disclosing her medical records to the public."
"That's horrid and vile to do such a cruel thing," said Ravenna as she was displaying a feeling of disgust towards Beryl. "What she did goes against the privacy between doctor and patient in which all medical records are confidential. She could face jail time for that."
"Well, Emperor Florian put his foot down when he banned her from going to the Palace of the Imperium after what she did to his mom. As for her true intentions, she has a knack for having war as an industry, but when the Second Galvanic Uprising ended nearly a year ago, she's desperate for a meal ticket to feed the masses and bolster her ego. We can't let that catastrophe happen. The Maladendrum may have been one of the shedim, we're not the only ones who are afraid of it, for demons are also scared of it because of the fact that it was one of the worst that would consume any dimension and replace it with its own malice. Its evil aura is even more dangerous than Hell's hierarchy in which not even Abaddon would touch the damn thing with a thirty-nine and a half foot pole. If Beryl has the gall to destroy the seals that hold the Maladendrum in place, then we better pray for a solution."
Dean noticed a glowing image appear as it was none other than me in my spiritual form the moment I was glad that both he and Ravenna were safe from harm. I saw the architecture of the shrine as I also noticed it glowing the moment I saw the Draaza language on full display. I also saw the images of the shrine change in which I noticed a prophetic picture of Reiko facing off against the Maladendrum. Even Dean and Ravenna saw it to be a prophecy in itself as they were aware of the lingering threat that was once buried in the center of the Skalvarg Archipelago centuries ago, for there would be a crucial time to face off against the Maladendrum if it were to be released from its prison.
"You have a long road ahead of you, my darling," I said as I was worried about Reiko's safety.
"Look what the fat cat dragged in," said Seto. "Weren't you supposed to be on bedrest."
"For the record, I am on bedrest, for I'm using my spiritual form to navigate with."
"The Force is strong with Sammy," said Dean. "I bet that you tapped into your inner Obi-Wan while being stuck in bed with a couple of cinnamon rolls in the oven."
"At least I'm off my feet for once."
"You look chipper just to release your mental energy to observe, don't you?" said Ravenna as she saw me in my spiritual form. "You're out of your body, but you can't function in that form forever, which is dangerous. Still, you have a lot of raw power, but I suggest that you don't use it too much due to the fact that you're eating for five right now."
"I'm a little new with this, but I also don't walk in on people when they're doing their private business. As for the truth about the Maladendrum, Beryl will stop at nothing to unseal it from its prison in which she'll use whatever means necessary to shatter the seals that keep it prisoner."
It wasn't long until I fled the shrine as I felt myself returning to my own body the moment I was in my bed and not doing for now. I was glad that Dean and Ravenna were safe as I also felt a new resolve to do my part in stopping the Maladendrum if it were ever unsealed from its prison. Laying down in my bed, I clutched at my stomach as I felt my four parcels moving and growing slowly without being accelerated in the process. Just as I was about to fall asleep, I heard the door open as I was expecting some comfort, but I was wrong. What I didn't expect was that a familiar face that I hadn't seen in a long time rushed into my room as he was concerned about the events that occurred after the war ended, for he had his reasons to give a word of warning about the danger of the Maladendrum in mind.
"You stick to your furlough just like a flea that embedded itself in a dog, Sam," he said to me.
"Yashamaru…," I said.
"You know of the Maladendrum, don't you?"
"It was one of the shedim that even the denizens of Hell fear its presence."
"The time to unleash the Maladendrum is drawing near in which not even a chosen couple can strengthen the seals that keep it imprisoned. The seals' power is waning and Beryl Beauchamp has already picked a few sacrifices to unseal the Maladendrum on the day of the blood moon."
"What are you talking about."
"He says that the sacrifices are here in this castle, Bullwinkle," said Meg as she wheeled herself into my room. "You and those passengers are easy prey in which Beryl will stop at nothing to sacrifice you and your unborn kin to let out a monstrosity that even scared the crap out of Lucifer."
"In ten days, the blood moon will occur in which the protective fog won't be enough to prevent the Maladendrum from being released from its prison. The very threat of it would even engulf Valinor into a world of poison, but there is still hope in the form of a harbinger of light, for she is more than qualified to destroy the threat that would soon come to pass."
"Reiko…"
I was fearing the worst as I also began to worry about Reiko's safety while dealing with the news about the Maladendrum being released from its prison. When I got up from my bed, I walked towards the window as I saw Reiko outside ushering some of the children in the house for the day. I also noticed the fresh snow falling onto the ground as I later spotted the fog near the ocean starting to get thinner. There was a bad omen coming as I later found myself in a vision the moment I saw the Maladendrum standing in front of me. The very evil of it unnerved me as I saw it staring at me in the face. It was yearning for blood, for it also demanded to be released from its prison after being put there nine hundred years ago.
"There will be a sacrifice to release me from my prison," it said. "Your blood and that of your unborn will be more than enough to release me from the repugnant prison that Emperor Clark put me into during the time of the Dark Awakening. The blood moon is coming and I will not be denied the pleasure of you being sacrificed, for it is the key to releasing me from my cage."
I saw the Maladendrum getting ready to attack me until I returned to reality. I had to keep my guard up as I also had to be careful after what I saw earlier. The very presence of the Maladendrum alarmed me to no end as I later crawled back into my bed the moment Yashamaru got out his medical bag and opened it up. When I saw him getting out the usual medical tools, he began to examine me the moment he touched at my stomach where my little ones were nestling in. With Meg out of the room, he was more than likely to give me a second opinion during this examination. For the record, hee was aware of what I bore as he was also not too happy with what happened to me in which he also had a disdain for Neville, who was serving a jail sentence. With my vitals checked, I was in good health as I also tried very hard to keep the ongoing stress at bay. After the examination and the medical tools put away, I saw Yashamaru staring at me with a stern look on his face as he was aware of the plight I was in, for I also had to do my part in stopping the Maladendrum in the long run.
"I know what you bear, Sam," he said to me.
"Neville couldn't leave well enough alone and now, he's paying the price," I said.
"Your unborn children happen to be related to the ones who sacrificed themselves to save the Skalvarg Archipelago from Bertram Blackthorne's forces at the time. You may not wanted to bear them, but their purpose is written in stone the moment they will return to this planet to protect the vulnerable."
"Sometimes, it's the things that we don't want that make us more stronger and resilient than we think. I get the message now, but I also have to do my part in stopping the Maladendrum before it's too late. It's the most I can do for now."
I made my point clear as I couldn't let the likes of the Zenith Vectors or any other threat cause harm all over. As for the Maladendrum, it would soon come to this crucial point as I was also hopeful for Reiko directly. Why am I hopeful for her? It's because that she is more than just a goddess, a wife, and mother. She is also the harbinger of light after all in which I also had faith in what she could do, for she was someone who would soon face off against the Maladendrum in the long run…
To be continued...