Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 9

Chapter 44: The Light That Binds Us All

(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.)

Abaddon was back at her palace in Hell as she was sitting on her throne in which she saw several demons dressed in business suits still bowing to her. Still, she was disappointed in her underlings for letting out Sylvana in which she later noticed Apollyon standing in front of the procession of demons. He was usually giddy about something as he was also determined to go against his mistress' wishes, for he was hard at work into unleashing the Maladendrum from its prison. He was mainly there to be loyal to Abaddon at her whims, but he was also wanting to cause chaos on Valinor, for he wanted to let out one of the worst monsters that ever crawled from Hell's bowels to begin with.

"You're all here for another assembly at hand," she said. "As I recall, someone decided to tamper with the blood moon coming a little earlier the moment it was supposed to come a few days later!"

"You can't delay the Maladendrum forever, Abaddon," said Apollyon. "Sooner or later, it will walk free once more just like your dark master walked free in the Apocalypse in the time of the Elder Days."

"So, you're the one who tampered with the blood moon, weren't you? You're hell-bent on letting out one of the worst fiends who even terrify us along with the rest of the vermin who come and go!"

"The Maladendrum is a weapon to our advantage, for it will cleanse Valinor of the filth that rule it."

Abaddon let out a scream as it shook the entire throne room. Every demon in front of her cringed in fear as they noticed Apollyon trying to flee until he saw the doors bolted shut. Turning around, he was facing his mistress as she wasn't about to let him get his way, for she also didn't want the Maladendrum being freed from its prison like any other demon or monster who crawled everywhere.

"You treacherous bastard!" she yelled as she used her telekinesis to lift Apollyon towards her.

"The Maladendrum is demanding to be let out and Little Miss Pointy-Ears delayed its ascension even after I sent the blood moon early."

"I'd rather have Little Miss Pointy-Ears go and finish the job and getting rid of the fucking thing! The Maladendrum is even more dangerous than the likes of Lucifer and it doesn't pick favorites! It poisons one thing after another and can't be stopped until Emperor Clark of Valinor sealed it up the moment the remainder of Skalvarg sank into the ocean. I was there when the Maladendrum was sealed away not only once, but twice! The first time it was sealed away was back in 1987 in which a certain Shinigami from the Middle Ground used all he had to seal it away before it did further damage. You can't let out a monstrosity like that the third time, Apollyon, for it will end its death!"

"And most of us say that third time's the charm, but it won't be sealed away forever this time, for the time to let it out will occur."

Abaddon got up from her throne as she walked towards Apollyon and scratched his face the moment he felt her claws sinking into his skin. The congregation of demons saw him with the lingering scars as blood seeped from his face in which he was released and departed the throne room. Even though he bore the full brunt of Abaddon's wrath, he knew now not to cross the line as he was also banking on the blood moon to resume and allow the Maladendrum to be set free once again, for the time was drawing near by the day…


I was in the examination room as I was laying down on the scanner table. As usual, I was being examined as I was also seeing the quadruplets growing on screen. With Ravenna busy looking at the images of what I had in me, she was aware of what I bore the moment she was astonished to see me out of harm's way. The very sight of them calmed me as I was also noticing them to be stuck in a cramped crafted womb while moving around. For the record, I hated them at first as I also wanted them gone the moment Neville had the gall to drug me and implant what I had, but the sight of them made my heart melt, for I was starting to bond with them and not be bogged down by stress all the time.

"You're looking chipper today," said Ravenna.

"After what I went through when Neville meddled with me and implanted what I have, how could I hate or betray them now?" I said.

"There are two boys and two girls in there, Sam. From what I heard, Reiko is really poised to raise them, even though they're not Half-Elves. They're Cetra, but their ovum donors gave their lives to protect everyone from the wrath of Bertram Blackthorne and his forces all those years ago."

"And I won't abandon them. Still, they'll be born in the spring, but there's also the looming threat of the Maladendrum coming in which everyone still wants me to step up and return to the battlefield."

"Reiko is poised to do a lot more in which she is our last hope to stop the Maladendrum. As for your own problems, you can't be out of the room because of what you bear. Still…" I notice Ravenna trembling as she was starting to feel a little unwell. "the gods and the Matriarch are on your side, for they have a hand in deciding for those who have potential."

I got up as I noticed Ravenna rushing out of the examination room and into the bathroom the moment she shut the door. I heard her vomiting as she was feeling unwell in which I got off of the scanner table and went to where the bathroom was. I didn't want to interfere as I had a gut feeling that something was wrong with Ravenna the moment I waited patiently and not prying in things. When I saw her get out of the bathroom, I noticed her holding a pregnancy test in which I saw the two lines on it, for she was now in the same boat as I was for now.

"Not now… Why is this happening?" she said as she was trembling with fear.

"You're pregnant, aren't you?" I said as I saw Ravenna nodding sincerely.

"I have to tell Dean about this. He needs to know."

"You should tell him anyway. Besides, both of you lost loved ones and had children, but what you bear now solidifies what is set in stone."

It wasn't long until I saw Dean burst into the room as he noticed Ravenna holding the pregnancy test in her hand. He was now aware of what she was carrying as he couldn't contain his excitement, for he had a gut feeling that he would be the father of an unborn Cetra that was slowly growing in Ravenna's womb. I saw him hugging her warmly as he was now committed to protecting his family, for he didn't want to fall off the rails again. He had to commit to his duty as he also vowed to do more than just wallow in self-pity, for he had a family and unit to watch over.

"I had a feeling that you would spill the beans," he said.

"I couldn't help it," said Ravenna. "This is mainly my third pregnancy in which Revata and Rohidra were my first and second."

"Hey! You can't come in there!"

I heard Chiaki outside of the room as I went into the hallway to find a familiar face rushing towards me while lugging a satchel filled with books. To my surprise, I noticed Drusus coming here after a long absence as he was more than likely to be dodging his so-called "babysitters" after the war ended nearly a year ago. Still, he was adamant into seeing me, but he didn't expect me to be with child again, no thanks to Neville's meddling. As usual, I had no problem with dealing with familiar guests that came and went, but I also had to stay in my room until I endure another caesarian section again, for I had to be away from the stress for the health of what I have in me.

"I just had to get here," I heard Drusus say to me as he put down his satchel. "I also heard how Neville jumped the gun and forcing you and Minara to be Incubators against your wishes."

"And the Baby Machine King's rotting in a jail cell right now," said Dean.

"It's been a while, Drusus," I said. "After we put an end to the war last year, you decided to leave on your journey."

"It wasn't by choice, but having to deal with those angels who refuse to get off my back is one big candy-ass hell for me. I've been mainly putting my ear to the ground for the past months in which I also got wind of the Zenith Vectors. I made a stop on Shiganshina, only to find new management under Princess Elspeth and her unit."

"Something happened there," said Dean as he was clenching his fists.

"I heard about Magda getting killed by that jerk who was busy on his power trip. His subordinates are also combing into ancient Draaza derelicts looking for old tech just to be top dog." Drusus gets out a book from his satchel and shows it to me. "It's from an old Draaza ship that I was hiding in while I was on the run from those angels in which I had to ward the place."

I was handed the book that Drusus had as I opened it up. It was a journal written in ancient Draaza text as I noticed some sketches of the familiar weapons that were used all over the time of the Elder Days. What I also saw was an entry written in the ancient Draaza language as I noticed a drawing of Yashamaru challenging the Maladendrum the moment I read the details on how he sealed it up the first time, for it was crucial to keep the worst of the shedim at bay. Closing the journal up, I gave it back to Drusus as I was now aware of what the Maladendrum presented, for it was a threat to everyone, including monsters and demons. When I left the examination room, I returned to my own room as I was slowly creeping towards my bed to rest up, for the little parcels were doing a number on my body while they grew slowly. It wasn't long until Drusus showed up to my room as he still had the satchel of books that he had in which he wanted to be here in such a darkest time, for he had to do his part like the rest of us to keep the Maladendrum at bay.

"Looks like being an Incubator really did a number on you," he said as he set down his satchel of books. "This isn't the first time you had some sweet rolls in the oven."

"And dealing with them growing within me isn't a walk in the park," I said.

"Luckily, I came back, but I have to deal with those angels who demand me to resume my status as a prophet of the Lord. I even deciphered ancient Draaza in which it's very old by today's standards."

"That journal you found detailed Yashamaru's brush with the Maladendrum. He was concerned about its unsealing just like what happened to him in that entry."

"My ancestor, Mavik Kandor, who was related to the Elkins family, wrote that entry in which he even kept a few souvenirs with him before leaving Earth." Drusus fishes out a small box from his satchel as he gives it to me. "This was hidden in which it's also sentimental, but the ship that Mavik Kandor left in is the same one that I hid in, which is known as the Clampett."

I opened up the box as I saw several trinkets in which I also noticed an old itinerary that denoted the presence of a movie theater schedule. It was old as I also noticed it to be displaying an old American military logo known only as AAFES. The itinerary was old, but I noticed several old movie titles scrawled on it for possible showtimes along with the month and year; July, 1987 written in bold black letters, for it was a clue that was kept in preservation for many centuries.

"'AAFES Cinema, Fort Ord, California?'" I said.

"The place changed over the years, but it used to be an army base until it closed down in 1994," said Drusus. "All it was now became a monument for tourists in which the bulk of it became integrated in the towns of Marina and Seaside. As for the theater schedule that my ancestor had, he sure went to a lot of movies."

"And here's the lineup that was shown: Predator, RoboCop, Adventures in Babysitting, Full Metal Jacket, Superman IV: The Quest For Peace, The Living Daylights, The Lost Boys… and so on and so on. This itinerary for the movie theater really is old."

"The film schedule wasn't the only one that Mavik Kandor collected. He also liked to collect items for scrapbooking as well." Drusus finds what he was talking about as he gave it to me. "He loved putting things together in that Trapper Keeper back in the day."

"And he had a knack for collecting logos as well." I spot the Seven-Eleven logo as it was displaying a huge drink cup with cold slush sticking out of it. "'Oh, thank Heaven for the Big Gulp Slurpee…' Your ancestor had a knack for collecting things. There's even an old Biggerson's ad in which it displays a huge hamburger with onion rings in it. 'Welcome to Biggerson's: Home of the Biggie Steakhouse Burger.' They knew how to make them, but at least they didn't mess with making the Pepperjack Turducken Slammer until years later."

I noticed Yashamaru enter into the room as he saw what Drusus displayed earlier. The very sight of it flooded his mind full of old memories as he ended up finding himself in a vision that was long buried over the centuries. He noticed himself in a movie theater cradling a woman in his arms as he was weeping while images of Superman IV: The Quest For Peace played in the room. It wasn't long until he saw the Maladendrum creeping into the empty movie theater as it was ready to finish him off until a Draaza stepped in and used an incantation spell to seal it away for good. By the time he returned to reality, he was fearing the worst as he also had to steer clear of trying to make me return to the battlefield, for this was his own battle to fight the moment that the blood moon was drawing near.

"It's happening all over again…," he said as he shook in fear.

"What's happening all over again?" asked Drusus.

"The Maladendrum will be released onto the planet once more and nothing will be able to stop it this time."

"I should've heeded your words and returned to the field," I said as I felt a tinge of guilt.

"Don't even try it, Sam. If you did that, then Jack would put you back in here. Trust me, I had an earful from both him and Castiel respectively."

"Well he does have a bun in the oven," said Drusus.

"That's not the only concern right now. All I know is that this isn't the first time that the Maladendrum was unleashed from its prison."

"Back in 1987, right?"

"You know your history of your mother's maiden family, don't you?"

"House Kandor is related to the Elkins family while House Trelundar is related to the Winchesters from ages ago. Our human relatives had a knack for not only saving people, hunting things, and upholding the family business, but had the ways and means of crafting weapons to fight at any monster that is perceived to be a threat. As for the threat of the Maladendrum, it was sealed away the moment Mavik Kandor and his relatives left Earth for parts unknown, but he never expected to have the monster be taken away and brought here to Valinor."

Drusus dug into his satchel as he got out a set of daggers that had Draaza writing on them. Yashamaru knew what they were as he grabbed them and examined what they truly were. He remembered the presence of Mavik Kandor clearly as this was a mortal reminder of what his courage and sacrifice meant, for the time to battle the Maladendrum was drawing near…


Beryl was back at her home as she was seeing all her children, both biological and stepchildren, coming towards her husband's room. Her husband, however, was in ill health as he was also dreading the worst when it came to impending doom. With his children from his first marriage and the ones he fathered with Beryl surrounding him at his bedside, he was eager to read his will to them in which he was ready to name a successor in the Beauchamp Family line. By the time Beryl walked into the room, she was seeing her husband, Jean-Luc. coughing up blood as he was fading away due to the illness he had, for he was eager to name a successor before he took his final breath.

"What's the meaning of this?" she asked.

"You know what this means," said Jean-Luc as he sat up in his bed.

"You know that I'll succeed this family, my dearest, for this would be your final wish after all."

"You're not getting shit!" yelled Marie-Therese. "Dad changed his will after what I told him and you get absolutely nothing after what you pulled!"

One of Beryl's stepchildren fished out a piece of paper as he gave it to her. Looking at with a hint of disappointment, she felt a quiet rage boiling as she noticed that her name was cut out of the will due to the fact that her bad behavior and frequent visits to the Skalvarg Archipelago were the final nail in the coffin that would end up permanently damaging her social status. She was outnumbered by all of the children that were in the Beauchamp Family as they had enough of her meddling and interference due to her lineage to the Masbath Family, for enough was enough so far.

"Starting now, you inherit nothing after what you've been doing," said the oldest Beauchamp stepchild, who was now knowing the truth. "What you've been doing was wrong in which there's been enough damage to the defense industry to the point of disrepair."

"How dare you, Bertrand?!" yelled Beryl. "How dare you change the will with the help of Marie-Therese?!"

"They weren't the ones to blame, my dear, for I was the one who changed it," said Jean-Luc. "I heard from some of the servants who watched you leave our house in which you've been plotting to unleash a terrible evil from its prison. Have you forgotten about the Dark Awakening nine hundred years ago or has it become an old memory? And yet you pine for a war that ended a year ago while you support a group of terrorists who demand that humanity to be top dog in the galaxy. What's even worse is that you blackmailed Dowager Empress Sayaka to disclose her medical records if she didn't release Iago Arkhelios from his jail cell in which she was forced to do so."

"We were a family of defense contractors when the Second Galvanic Uprising ran amok. We were a family of defense contractors during the war between the Oranges and the Blues. Without war, there won't be a business to thrive on or a pot to piss in! Without war, there wouldn't be clothes on our backs, food on the table, or a roof over our heads. Listen here, husband, for I won't be upstaged by those beneath me!"

Beryl was ready to rip up the will until she saw a gun pointed at her. Marie-Therese was not having it as she snatched the will away from her mother and gave it back to her ailing father, for she was aware of what was happening after the war ended. Beryl was outnumbered until she fished out a hex bag and was ready to toss it at her children until Marie-Therese used a dagger to tear a hole in it while its contents leaked out onto the floor. She knew what it was as it was also risky to shoot at it in which it was an explosive hex bag, for it would've been the end of everyone in the Beauchamp Family if it weren't for her intervention.

"An explosive hex bag courtesy of the late Augustine Stubbs that was stolen," she said as she saw what was in it. "Hex bag ingredients with a side order of rhineweed and gunpowder just more than enough to blow up our home with."

It wasn't long until several sentries burst into the room as they apprehended Beryl the moment she had handcuffs placed on her wrists. Anger flooded her as she saw her children to be nothing more than just obstacles instead of pawns, for she was outnumbered by her own folly. Struggling to get free, she was ready to attack her family, but was restrained at the last minute, for this was her own doing in spades.

"You can't do this to me!" she yelled. "You can't deny what's rightfully mine!"

"Your days are numbered, Mother," said Emile as he was now washing his hands of her.

"Emile…" Beryl felt tears running down her cheeks as she was wanting to have some sympathy in her plight. "Please, do something. Don't abandon your dear mother in her hour of need…"

"It's over and the abuse ends here! You think that blackmail and hunger for war are your tricks for the trade, but I've endured my fair share of you abusing me, grooming me, and even isolating me from my siblings! I've endured my fair share of you touching at my pillar and pouch to the point of you giving them a kiss!" Everyone in the room was shocked to hear Emile's words as they glared at Beryl directly. "I even wake up to you in my bed on top of me while you fondle what I have between my legs! I wanted you to stop, but you refused to let me go to the point that you would expose my weakness for having to be infatuated with other men than the girl I confide in. And yet, one night, I wake up with you not only fondling what I had between my legs, but you were on top of me as well!"

"It's true," said Marie-Therese. "I knew that Emile was gay, but Mom wanted him to conform or else he would be disowned by everyone here." She later fishes out a spent pregnancy test as she shows it to Jean-Luc and the rest of her family. "This was found in the trashcan in which it confirms what she's been doing to Emile just to 'convert him to being straight' for her own benefit!" Everyone saw the incriminating two lines on the pregnancy test. "Oh, yes; she's been screwing Emile and now she's carrying his child while Dad is held up in bed unwell and unable to get up due to the illness he suffers from!"

"And I will carry him to term," said Beryl.

"No," said Emile. "I want you to terminate the damn thing! I won't claim it because of the fact that it will be born twisted like the family that I, along with Marianne and Marie-Therese came from. If you don't do that, then I will expose the rest of your crimes to Akio and the rest of the Order of Letters and they don't take too kindly to blackmailers!"

It wasn't long until the sentries took Beryl out of the room as everyone was aghast at the accusations that Emile told. To their shock, the Beauchamp children watched Jean-Luc gasp his final breath as he was no more the moment that the doctors and undertakers arrived to collect his body. It wasn't long until Emile fell to his knees as he was finally airing his dirty secrets about what he went through, for he had enough of being groomed and converted by his mother's ways and means to subjugate him. When he was ready to go into the hallway, he noticed Reuben enter into the room as he examined Jean-Luc's body the moment he saw that he finally died from shock combined with the illness that he had, for he also noticed something wasn't right here.

"What's to become of our father?" asked the middle stepchild, who was a man with red hair.

"The victim didn't just die from illness and shock from Emile's revelation of Beryl's abuse towards him," said Reuben. "He was slowly being poisoned."

"How do you know that?" asked the third stepchild, who was a woman with red hair.

"From what I heard, the Beauchamp Family were known to be hale and hardy folks, but in your father's case, he picked the wrong tea to drink."

Reuben noticed a teacup on the nightstand near the bed as he picked it up and noticed a familiar smell to it. He knew of it to be Monk's Hood as it was a poison that was often mixed with drinks, especially tea and wine. What he didn't expect was that Marie-Therese fished out a vial with a dark red substance as she gave it to him in which she didn't want her mother to poison her father too much, only to be too late in her failed endeavor.

"I found this in Mom's room," she said. "She's been pilfering it from someone or something in which she even had that hex bag to destroy us if she didn't inherit our business and not give us any tevnars for our troubles."

Reuben examined the vial as he noticed it to be part of Rowena's collection due to the fact that the lid had the MacLeod crest etched onto it. He had a gut feeling that Beryl was not only hell-bent on releasing the Maladendrum, but pilfering witching items that were long sealed away. He knew of the treachery of the Masbath Family as they were known for their knack for three things: blackmail, theft, and incest. He bore no ill will towards Beryl's children and the ones from Jean-Luc's first marriage, but he also had to tread carefully, for the threat of having the Maladendrum being released was drawing nearer than we thought.

"I've never seen Monk's Hood being distributed before, but it's also a banned substance," he said.

"And our mother poisoned our father," said the youngest of the Beauchamp children, who happens to be Marianne. "She may have hated me, Beatrice, and Marie-Therese, but abused our brother?"

Reuben looked at Emile as he was shaking with anger towards Beryl. He sensed the hatred in him as he also had to prevent further content from boiling over. Still, Emile wanted closure as he was now free from his mother's grooming and abuse, for he wanted to move on after what happened earlier. When he left into the hallway, he went outside to where his greenhouse was in which he was looking at the magnolias that he grew in there. The sight of them made him more angrier as he was ready to pull at the roots they were in, for they were a reminder of what his mother did to him over the years. He wanted her to suffer as the years of abuse were a horrible memory to him in which he was ready to destroy what was wrought in his greenhouse. In his own sense, enough was enough as venting to tell the truth was about to become more of a curse than a boon. Still, he didn't care about omens or consequences, for all he wanted was justice and no other.

"The abuse ends here… tonight!" he yelled as he uprooted one of the magnolia bushes.

"I wouldn't be uprooting the rest of them if I were you," said Reuben as he entered into the greenhouse. "I know that you want justice for what your mother did to you, but do you have to tear up your flower collection?"

"My mother demanded me to grow those magnolias because of the fact that they represent the pride of my family and yet they symbolize what she did to me for years."

"So, it's true…"

"For years, I endured her touching me where I never wanted to be touched and yet she was even laying in my bed because a woman has needs just as much as a man's. She was even fondling what I had between my legs and I even found her on top of me! I hate that bitch! I refuse to honor my mother after what she's done to me! And for that, I'm about to become a father to an inbred baby in my mother's womb! As for what your friends in the Order are doing, I hope they kill her and the inbred spawn she carries!"

Emile was ready to destroy another magnolia bush until Reuben stopped him on the spot. He had a knack for dealing with physical and mental health, but seeing nature uprooted was something that he didn't agree with. When he picked up the uprooted bush, he noticed that it wasn't a real one the moment he spotted some switches into it. When he turned it on, it became a surveillance camera as it was used to spy on Emile's activities in the greenhouse, for this was beyond the pale indeed.

"Looks like Mommy Dearest had a knack for watching over her little boy," he said.

"Damn her!" yelled Emile as he saw the incriminating camera. "She spies on me every day and yet, she still unnerves me. I remembered what she did to me and she followed me everywhere."

"That's not all…"

Reuben saw the camera turn on as he saw the footage of Emile on the floor with Beryl on top of him. What he saw was disgusting as he wanted to wash his hands of the woman who was hell-bent on releasing the Maladendrum out of its prison. Still, the one who blackmailed and campaigned for war was now the one who would be in a jail cell for her crimes, for this was far from over…


Later on in the evening, I was alone in my room as I didn't move from my hospital bed. With so much that was discussed earlier, I now knew of the danger that the Maladendrum presents. I even knew of the fact that Beryl Beauchamp and those who were in league with her would do anything to keep war going in the form of a monster that was sealed twice: once on Earth and again on Valinor nine hundred years ago. What I didn't expect was that the window blew open as I felt the northern wind chilling me until I noticed Damien burst into my room as he later knelt in front of me, for he was more than likely to be bearing bad news on the horizon.

"I'm terribly sorry that I'm late, My Lord," he said as he stood up. "There's been some alarming news as of late." He fished out a tablet as he handed it to me. "There's been a shakeup at the capital in which Jean-Luc Beauchamp has died."

"Jean-Luc Beauchamp?" I said.

"A few hours ago, Reuben and his team from the Medical Corps were ready to give the deceased his last rites, but he died before they came to do it. The cause of death was slow poisoning by Monk's Hood, which is a banned substance. As for the lingering shit show that hit the fan, Beryl Beauchamp has been arrested after her daughter, Marie-Therese, destroyed an explosive hex bag that she tried to lob at her children. The real uproar was that Beryl was left nothing from her late husband after what Marie-Therese told everyone."

"So, Beryl's rotting in jail just like Neville Schacter and his accomplice…"

"That's not all, My Lord. According to Reuben, Beryl had a knack for fulfilling her own needs and she wasn't doing it with her late husband. Her son, Emile, took the full brunt of her machinations in which she even went far into molesting him. She even had the gall to sexually assault him against his will in which she's with child. As for Emile, however, he was taken to the Order's main headquarters on Valinor for a psychiatric evaluation and some therapy to deal with the trauma of the molestation and assault."

"So she not only craves war, but molests and rapes her own son? Beryl has crossed the line to the point of no return this time. And yet she uses her charm to get her way, including rape on Emile."

The thought of Beryl's behavior disgusted me to no end as I had no further respect for her. After what I heard, I was not about to sit by and see the damage that was already done. All I had was nothing but contempt for the resident warmonger as she was now a terrible person who had a knack for raping her son. Still, I couldn't do anything about it as I had no other choice but to wait it out when the quadruplets were born, for I vowed to protect them just like Reiko has.

"It's sickening to hear this," I said as I clenched my fists. "A loving parent protects their child, not to groom, molest, or even rape them. Beryl had it coming and—"

"Beryl is in jail, Sammy," said Reiko as she entered into the room. "Her actions of violating her son's innocence and even grooming him has caught the ire of the social circle in Rivendell. As for you, you need to steer away from the stress or else it'll be dangerous for the babies you carry."

I couldn't say no to Reiko as she had a point. She was no stranger to dealing with pregnancy as I even told her not to do too much while she carried what she had at the time. Still, I had to stay in bed from all the chaos as I also had to deal with the quadruplets I bore. Just as I was about to relax, I stared out the window as I noticed the blood moon still shining over the ocean in which it was a bad omen waiting to happen. What I didn't notice was that the island in the ocean was starting to get a little bigger in which there was a temple being unearthed along with the derelict Draaza and Va'Kihri ships that were buried in the waters. When Reiko looked out the window, she noticed the omen of dread approaching as it was getting closer the moment it was unearthing everything that was buried asunder in the ocean. When she saw the ominous aura coming towards Skald Island, she used her Nephilim abilities to push it back as it was kept at bay for now. I also noticed her displaying a more of a divine aura in which she was now showing off a bit of raw power that I had given her, for she was mainly on the same level as me. Even Damien was stunned to see her using what she had as she reverted the blood moon to its normal white hue, for she had to do her part in protecting the galaxy as her role as a goddess after all.

"You shouldn't be worrying too much, Sammy," she said to me.

"You staved off the blood moon," I said.

"I can't stave it off forever, but there is still hope in stopping the Maladendrum."

"And I will rally your cause to destroy it," said Damien as he knelt. "You have the blessings of Elder Yavanna and the Matriarch in which they've feared the worst."

"The Maladendrum may be slowly be drawing near on its release, but we can't fail to stop it."

"You can do that in the morning," I said. "As for what you did, it'll exhaust you in which you need to get some rest. You already told me that I needed bedrest and you should also do the same until morning."

I saw Reiko yawning as she was exhausted from what she displayed earlier. I was grateful that she stepped up as her abilities were the boon that we needed. Still, we had to stop the threat of the Maladendrum as it was slowly yearning to break free from its prison, for it would soon poison this planet if it were let out…


The next morning, Reuben arrived in Rivendell as he saw a funeral procession approaching the cemetery. It was the funeral of Jean-Luc Beauchamp that took place as his children, servants, friends, and other family members gathered around to pay their final respects. He even noticed Emile at the procession as he was wrapping himself in a plaid blanket that covered his funeral garb. It was a time of mourning as the Beauchamp children would soon have their inheritance, but Beryl will be left with nothing after yesterday's revelation. The news of her molesting and raping Emile was the last straw as the high society in Rivendell got word to the point of banning her from any social gatherings, for it was the final nail in the coffin for the one who craved for more war. When Reuben went towards the funeral procession, he noticed Florian attending the final rites as he was dressed in regal attire, for he also had to pay his respects to the departed so far.

"You're looking grim today," he said.

"I heard the news about Jean-Luc's passing from the sentries who arrested Beryl last night," said Florian. "I even read about the poisoning that Beryl conducted towards her husband in which he was also concerned about the mental health of his youngest son, Emile."

"I heard his twin sister spilling the beans in which I was called here to deliver their father's last rites, only to die after hearing the truth about Beryl's machinations towards the youngest son."

"Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Beryl has been hospitalized."

Florian's words stunned Reuben as he was not too happy to hear it. He knew of what Beryl bore after her fling with Emile, but something wasn't right. What he didn't expect was that a group of sentries arrested a woman as she was led away from the funeral procession. When he followed them, he was eager to question her as she wasn't feeling a shred of remorse for her actions, for she had a different motive in mind.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"We're arresting this woman on suspicion of peddling an abortefact," said one of the sentries.

"On what grounds?"

"You know what they're talking about," said the woman. "I used the miff into Beryl's food not only to have her miscarry, but to get justice for what she did to the Dowager Empress! I did it to see justice done after that harlot used blackmail to disclose the Dowager Empress' medical records if she didn't comply into releasing Iago Arkhelios from jail! Using blackmail to disclose medical records may be a crime, but besmirching a member of the Imperium is pure dishonor."

"Well, you didn't have to force Beryl to miscarry in which you'll be facing jail time."

"Beryl had it coming! I laced her food with the miff to get back at her for what she did to Sayaka! She sullied the Dowager's honor and justice has been served! They say that revenge is best served cold, but justice is best served piping hot!"

"You've done enough damage for one day. Guards, take her away…"

The sentries escorted the woman away from the funeral procession as Reuben went back to it afterwards. When he saw the clergy delivering their final rites, they placed Jean-Luc's wrapped body on a funeral pyre as it was later salted and lit with fire. Even Marie-Therese was paying her respects to her father as she also had no sympathy for her mother in which she was staring at Emile, who was still sitting in his chair. Reuben and Florian were aware of the truth of what was heard yesterday as they had to deal with the aftermath that followed, for Emile's mental health was already fragile after years of enduring abuse from his mother.

"So, Mom is hospitalized," said Emile. "Well, may she die a quick death."

"You shouldn't disrespect your parents that way," said Florian cautiously. "The gods know everything in which they will also shove victims of abuse into the fiery pit of Hell."

"Well, the gods should be lenient to those who suffered sexual abuse coming from their own family."

"You've been through the worse, but there are ways to overcome it," said Reuben. "I know that you want your mother to pay just as much as the rest of us, but you can't play judge, jury and executioner all at once. I know that you suffered the worst, but your mental health is more important to you than anything. You should heal first, for the ones who wronged you will get a bigger karma than what you're dealing with."

Reuben's words hit Emile as he had to commit to the mental health that he has. As for what happened next, there was word about the omen that occurred last night as the blood moon was staved off for now. When the funeral procession ended and everyone went to the wake that occurred afterwards, Reuben stayed behind as he picked up a newspaper and read what was on the front page. The sight of the blood moon was gone for now as this was an omen that occurred in the form of a certain goddess who never wavered, for she was also the last line of defense against the Maladendrum. When Reuben was ready to go to the Palace of the Imperium, he was stopped by Marie-Therese as she was there to give him a word of warning, for she was fearing the worst if the Maladendrum was released from its prison.

"Aren't you supposed to return to your family?" he said.

"I've been monitoring what my mother was doing the whole time, for I happen to be a member of the Order of Letters," said Marie-Therese. "Whatever my mother did, she is doing it to cause chaos on this planet. Yes, I'm related to the Masbaths by blood, but that doesn't mean that I can't rebel from their methods of blackmail."

"Last night's omen was a boon in which it still keeps the Maladendrum in its prison a little longer."

"That's not the case. Your 'saving grace' is walking into a trap in which my mother's accomplice will be waiting for him just to cut what he bears in his body. I know about your half-brother and how he finally did away with that douchebag of an uncle, Sawney, but the accomplice in mind is waiting for him to go towards the heart of the Skalvarg Archipelago. She's dangerous, believe me, for she won't stop until she avenges her brother. As for the savior, he needs to steer clear of what happens next, for the Maladendrum is waiting for this sacrifice to occur."

"Sylvana… She's still out there, but Sam's gonna have to watch his back…"

Reuben was now aware of what Sylvana was capable of as he had to warn me about the impending danger ahead. As for what happens next, the Maladendrum was stirring in its prison as it was wanting to be free, for time was slowly running out…

To be continued...