Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 10
Chapter 32: We'll Always Have Reno
(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 the funeral parlor as I saw Melphani's lifeless body on display in which I was ready to say goodbye to her. The elderly Draaza Matriarch would soon have her body salted and burned just in time for burial as I prayed in front of the corpse, for she had so many tales to tell in the afterlife. By the time I left the funeral parlor, I saw Dean standing in front of me as he was more than likely to be paying his respects in which he wanted to do more than just be a soldier. Both of us had taken losses as we also had our reasons to pay our respects to the fallen, for we would soon be ready for the funeral that would occur soon.
"I should've said my final goodbye to her first," I said.
"There's no use kicking yourself for it 'cause from what I heard from the Medical Corps, Melphani died from natural causes in which she was eager to tell of the tale she had before her passing," said Dean. "As for my own way forward to ruling Alecrast, I have to do more than just kick ass and take names 'cause the path to the throne is on the line right now."
"I haven't forgotten it, but sooner or later, I'm about to escape my long furlough and fight by your side if need be."
"I can't let you do that, Sam. Doing so will put your ass in the crosshairs of both the Stewards and the Zenith Vectors. It's too risky to do so 'cause I'll be the one who will do the ass kicking."
It wasn't long until we saw the funeral procession arriving as we noticed several family members and those in the five Imperium Clans coming to pay their respects to Melphani. We also noticed Emperor Florian arriving with his entourage as he also was ready to pay his respects, for he knew of the oldest Draaza Matriarch to be part of the Stauber Clan due to her lineage with them.
"It seems that the gang's all here," said Dean as he saw everyone showing up for the funeral.
"We heard about Melphani's passing through Yokose," said Bruce as he was dressed in funeral garb.
"It's sad that she was old, but at least she's at peace after telling me of the tale she had in the Elder Days," I said. "She lived through everything till the bitter end."
"She was more than just a Matriarch, Sam," said Lyra. "She survived so much over the centuries in which she endured so much toil once she left Earth. She survived the Red Inquisition attack on Stohess, the war between the Oranges and the Blues, the Second Galvanic Uprising, and others that impacted her life. Her memories and legacy will never be forgotten, for she is now in the Grey Havens."
"Dad told me about Melphani and her tales of being a hunter," said Florian as he was there with his entourage. "She must've pulled plenty of fast ones before she left Earth, only to tell her final story."
And so, we all entered into the courtyard as the time of the funeral was about to begin the moment we would all pay our final respects. Still, I barely knew of Melphani as she was also the one who was once brimming with courage in which she would be given a proper funeral pyre, for she was someone who had more bravery than the rest of us…
Iago was in his room at the palace in the capital as he was looking at the newspaper headlines that caught his eye. The passing of Melphani was news that made him happy as he also had a loathing for the rest of the Stauber Clan, including Yokose. He viewed her as an obstacle as he was itching to go to Valinor without attracting the attention of the hellhounds still bellowing outside the palace. When he heard the door open, he noticed Casca entering into the room as he was still concerned about the state of Alecrast, for he was still wanting to cause a little mayhem to give most of everyone the middle finger, including the opposition. He viewed the resistance as a constant thorn in his side as he was growing weary of their presence, for they were eager to prevent the onset of eternal winter before it was too late.
"You're in a good mood today," said Casca.
"Melphani Stauber is dead," said Iago. "Her funeral is taking place in her husband's homestead on Valinor and her daughter-in-law still holds sway to pay her respects!"
"Let me remind you that Yokose was married to Klaus Stauber who held both Valinorian and Stohessian citizenship in which his children and grandchildren serve alongside her."
"Yokose is also related to the Mitani Clan! She's already taken losses in which the likes of Kazuo, Ippei, and Jun are already dead and buried! As for the opposition that still causes us a massive headache, we will defy, deceive, and derail the efforts in which it was once held in high regard centuries ago on Earth. It happened with a man who made himself beyond the law in which most of Hell's finest refer to their leaders as the Antichrist. He made everything great by using fear and having the lives of women and girls jeopardized just for cheaper gas and eggs! He even made public executions a spectacle in which the Ancient Romans would bow their heads in shame."
"We are not like the idiots in red caps who believe it's okay to 'grab women by the pussy' in broad daylight, Iago! Take a good look around you! You're no Emperor, but you act like Nero when he fiddled while Rome burned! And yet you sit here seething while this entire planet freezes! You think that the cold spots can magically go away, but they're still there like the Red Plague and the toilet paper hoarding that followed! We're reaping what we've sown and there's no stopping what got put in front of us when your father made that demon deal to cement us here."
The sound of hellhounds howling in the distance kept getting louder as Iago was still dreading them to the fullest. When Casca walked towards the window, he saw the bouquets of Devil's Shoestring being burned as he had a gut feeling that everyone would soon drag him and the remainder of the Stewards to Hell. When Iago was about to flee, he saw the windows crashing as the sight of invisible footprints covered the carpet in blackened pawprints. By the time he drew out his sword, he was ready to kill the hellhound as he used it to stab at the invisible creature in which he wasn't afraid to deal with one of Hell's monsters, for he wasn't about to give up on power yet.
"I'm not afraid of you, you invisible creature!" he roared as he saw blood dripping from the hellhound. "You can tell your handlers that I refuse to budge, for I am above the law here on Alecrast and the royal family has no place to rule on this planet!"
"Is that what have to say?" said a young Elf girl as she burst into the room. "Seriously, Iago, you've been on Mom's shit list for far too long and you still haven't paid for your daddy's demon deal."
"How dare you speak to me like that?!"
The young Elf girl fished out a first aid kit as she cleaned and bandaged the hellhound's wound where Iago stabbed it. Even Casca was aware of the girl as she was related to the Kuronaga Clan in which she was there to issue a warning, for she shooed away the hellhound for another time.
"You have no right to be here!" yelled Iago.
"Oh, please," said the Elf girl. "You act like a spoiled brat every time the resistance destroys your little toys. Serves you right for defying those who are wanting you to pay the massive debt that your daddy left behind before he got dragged into Hell."
"Hanako, you need to get home,"
"Okay, Mommy..."
It wasn't long until Abaddon entered into the palace as she was glaring at Iago and Casca for their prolonged efforts to remain in power. Even though she was hated by those who lost family members because of her involvement, she was eager to give the debt dodgers a warning that would set them towards the threat of eternal winter, for she refused to budge until the Stewards comply to her demands.
"Well, well," she said. "If it isn't the village idiot who refuses to relinquish power."
"Abaddon…," said Iago as he was aware of her presence. "In the Elder Days, you had your fun from killing Cain's beloved Cordelia to causing the Elder Slaughter of 1958. I also know of how you killed the entire Bonnefoy Family except for one along with the Mirchaias Clan on Trost. You don't fool me if you tried."
"Oh, please… I've had such burdens to bear, but that doesn't mean that I can let you get away from your debt that your dad racked up. And another thing, I'm giving you a warning to either relinquish your rule to the true rulers or face a winter that will spread to Drakonus, Westeros, and Valinor and this frozen hell won't stop until you surrender."
Abaddon left as both Iago and Casca were cornered by her words. They were also aware of the consequences of the eternal winter as the Stewards were hanging by a thread. Still, Iago refused to budge as he didn't want to relinquish power in which he had a plan to keep the Alecrian royal family away from the throne, for he didn't want them to foster change in this long and grueling power struggle in mind…
We gathered into the courtyard as we saw Melphani's body being salted and drenched with gasoline on a funeral pyre. I noticed several family members close to the Stauber Clan paying their respects as they prayed in solidarity to the Matriarch who told me of her story before she passed. To my curiosity, I saw a High Elf with the same cyan hair and blue eyes as Kagura as he was busy making preparations for the funeral. What he was doing next was making Younhee uncomfortable as he wanted the funeral to start off without delay, for Melphani's body was about to be set ablaze after this.
"You're like molasses, Maddox!" he yelled as he threw a pebble at him. "Can't we just start the fucking funeral without your autistic ass gumming up everything?!"
"Hey!" yelled Dean as he wasn't too thrilled with Younhee's protestations while sitting down in one of the chairs. "You shouldn't be acting like an ableist all the time 'cause there are others who have more problems than you."
"All I want is for Melphani to go peacefully, not to have some puzzle person micromanaging the funeral like a feeble old person!"
"You shouldn't attack anyone with physical or mental disabilities," I said cautiously. "Doing so will even cause one of your family members to have one in the future."
"Hiroyuki and Kagura were born normally, but Maddox is a piece of crap! His autism makes everyone uncomfortable in which he is set to marry Lapra Elendrix, but there's another suitor who wants him as her husband."
"It's Audrey Wilcox, isn't it?"
"There's no Audrey Wilcox 'cause it's a made-up name. There's an Elaine Wilcox and she's the one born with Down Syndrome. The only Audrey I knew was the one from the Farragut Clan, but she's returned to Alecrast to fight alongside Shigeru and his forces to topple the Stewards before winter hits." Younhee stares at Maddox as he is still making preparations for the departed corpse. "Move your ass, you moron! I've seen your siblings go a lot quicker while you go like a fucking turtle!"
"For the record, slow and steady wins the race in which a certain fable talked about the rivalry between a slow, kind-hearted tortoise and an arrogant, boastful hare. The hare, always quick to running fast decided to test the tortoise to a race in which he agreed. When that occurred, the hare, always quick to everything, pulled in first until he decided to take a break. After a nap, he noticed the tortoise farther ahead and winning the race in which the hare let his pride get the better of him. If I were you, I suggest that you look at the bigger picture before you pass judgment, for there are those with disabilities who have surpassed their normal counterparts."
Younhee didn't say another word as he was left dumbstruck by the advice that I told him. Still, we had a funeral to attend to as it was a celebration of Melphani's life after all. It wasn't long until Maddox sat down in a chair as he was holding a tissue next to his head where Younhee threw the pebble at him. I even noticed him putting on a bandage where he sustained a small wound as he ignored the harassment from earlier. Still, we had to avoid drama as we had a funeral to attend to in which I also had to pay my respects, for it was the first and last time that I saw Melphani before her passing. When I saw the rest of the Stauber Clan arriving to pay their respects, we all noticed Yokose standing next to the funeral pyre as she was ready to light it, for she wanted Melphani to go peacefully without further delay.
"Honored guests and family members," she said. "It is a time to grieve, to respect, and to honor our loved ones. One in particular was the woman that was saved from the blight of the Red Inquisition and welcomed into the Stauber Clan, for she was none other than Melphani herself. In life, she was a hunter who lived on Earth before her departure in which she had her fair share of protecting the vulnerable. When she arrived on Stohess, she was protected and taken in by my late father-in-law in which she did the same for him when she bore his children. Klaus, gods and Matriarch rest his soul, loved his mother to the fullest as I also had a deep respect for her courage. She was everything to us in which she was given a home and a hearth, for she will forever be courageous for all eternity." She uses the torch in her hand as she lit the body on the pyre. "Well, Melphani, your courage speaks volumes, for you endured your fair share when it came to doing what you did best…"
"Andezhka nir zhrigielur dahur, togrizhev amue zdol," I said in the Draaza language.
We saw Melphani's body blazing from the funeral pyre as we were praying for her passage towards the afterlife. After all that was said and done, there was a reception that consisted of the favorite foods that most of the procession brought with them in which we ate our fill and talked about the life that Melphani lived. By the time that the procession was over, I went towards the main house of the Stauber Clan homestead as I was in the sitting room in which I noticed a journal on the shelf. When I took it from its sitting place, I saw it to be very ancient as I saw the numerous stickers that featured places that were everywhere. When I saw a sticker that had the words, "Welcome to Reno," in yellow letters complete with a casino on it, I had a gut feeling that Melphani loved being in that city more than anything during the time of the Elder Days, for it was precious to her back then. When I decided to read a little more into the journal, I noticed Yokose entering into the sitting room as she was aware of what I found, for she was also missing Melphani's wisdom and courage all at once.
"That journal is a memory that should be protected," she said.
"Melphani meant a lot to you, didn't she?" I said.
"Her maiden name was Echezar in which my clan has been intertwined with theirs along with the Staubers. You've heard of Talvari Echezar, haven't you? She's the cousin of Melphani in which she went and married Torune, had his children, and became a beacon that kept him on his toes until they both passed away. We of both the Mitani and Stauber Clans have blended with the House Echezar and how they left Earth, but they often talked about one city that they had a soft spot for and that was none other than Reno, Nevada. House Echezar made it their home until they had no other choice but to leave Earth for parts unknown."
"From what I read, they left hastily, didn't they?"
"They didn't leave just hastily… They were being pursued by the British Men of Letters in which they were known for their weaponmaking and eager prowess in taking out possible threats like the usual vampires and werewolves back in the Elder Days. Before they made their mark in the States, the British Men of Letters knew about the Draaza and their existence by hiding in the shadows to avoid detection by those who work at Area 51. Only the hunters knew of their presence as the Veiled Ones, but the British Men of Letters wouldn't stop until they rounded them up to craft the weapons they want, but to no avail. As for the one who was spearheading the operation, it was none other than Lady Toni Bevell, who caught and tortured your past self until he was rescued. This wasn't the first time that the British Men of Letters took interest in what the Draaza crafted in which the Demon Killer that was pilfered in a tomb in Iraq ended up in the States and later by Ruby who had no choice but to obey the Arbiter and those around her. House Echezar had no choice but to leave Earth in which they had to go far away, but not without taking a few trinkets along the way."
It wasn't long until Yokose went towards a chest as she opened it up in which she took out a picture that had a silver frame on it. I noticed a gateway that was lit up at night as it had the words, "Reno, the biggest little city in the world," in bold neon letters. It was a reminder of what House Echezar had before their departure as I later noticed Yokose put back the picture in the chest. I also noticed several old souvenirs in good condition as they were mainly memories of the time that House Echezar spent before leaving Earth, for they were a glimpse of a time capsule full of trinkets from a city encased in neon.
"House Echezar really loved living in Reno," I said.
"Those trinkets belonged to Melphani," said Yokose. "Those were part of a memory box that most of House Echezar must keep with them even after their deaths."
I found a sphere as I examined it carefully the moment I saw images of Reno plastered all over the place. I also saw the hearth of House Echezar gathered in their ship as they were concerned about what was about to go down in which they couldn't stay much longer. It was a bittersweet moment, but those in House Echezar and their retainers had no choice but to leave, for they were fearing the worst so far.
"What's going on?" asked Melphani on screen.
"We can't stay here much longer," said a Draaza Patriarch.
"Is it those people who live in Britain?"
"It is, but we're not staying on Earth in the shadows anymore. We all know that it's not safe to begin with in which we had no other choice but to leave Earth. Toni Bevell is a snob and a fearmonger in which her entire family resorts in such gruesome ways and means like torture towards their enemies and those who get in their way. Even though what was left of the Men of Letters here resurfaced a year ago, their British counterparts have no shame when it comes to hunting monsters and controlling the people who witness them."
"So, we're leaving, aren't we?"
"The British Men of letters don't want just who gets to be the better hunter. They want absolute control on who lives or dies in which they already pilfered the tombs of those who held onto the weapons that House Kandor made. As soon as we gather our memories, the better we leave before the British Men of Letters make their way here and they have no shame or remorse for their actions whatsoever. No matter how many times they extend olive branches, their actions remain the same, for they also have to contend with the hunters who do their best to protect the innocent."
"So there's no going back after my mission to take out a botchling, is there?"
"No… We also can't delay our move because of the fact that the British Men of Letters will stop at nothing to enslave us and to force us to betray our closest friends. In the end of our journey out of Earth, we'll always have Reno…, now and forever."
I saw the screen turn off as I noticed a file that was left untouched, for it ended up turning on by itself. The images of my past self and Dean's along with a few hunters and the one from Mom in a room became something that I have read about in the time of the Elder Days. I also feared the worst as this was a recording from the past and nothing more. There was desperation in the recording as this was yet another incident that was recorded in the archives, for the British Men of Letters were more than just a couple of office jockeys, but extremely ruthless in their actions.
"Walt, Roy…" I heard my past self say on screen.
"Well, damn…," said one of the two hunters. "We haven't seen you guys since—"
"Since you killed us," said Dean's past self on screen. "No hard feelings…"
"Uh, please, get comfortable…" My past self welcomes the two hunters as they sit down.
"You sure about this?"
I saw the desperation that the Winchesters of Old displayed on screen as they were backed in a corner. It was an old recording, but I saw everything that went down as this was a taste that the Old Guard brought with them, for it was their ruthless trick of the trade after all.
"You're gonna tell us what we're doing here or what?" said the other hunter.
"Of course, yeah.. uh.." I heard my past self on screen say to the group as he displayed a hint of desperation in his voice. "My brother and I…, we...uh…" I noticed my past self getting concerned as he was worried about the safety of the hunters that were targeted. "No…, you know what? I… called you here because people… um…, our people are being slaughtered and we're next." The people around him are stunned to hear that from him as I watched the speech being unfolded. "The British Men of Letters, they came here because they thought they could do our job better than we could and they hooked us with their flashy gear and their tech. Most of you had the good sense to turn them down… I didn't… They said they wanted the same thing we wanted, you know… A world free of monsters. That's not what they really wanted. They want control. They want to live in a world where they can sit in some office and decide who gets to live and who gets to die and they've killed people… They've killed innocent people just because they got in the way. They think the ends justify the means, for we know better. We know hunting isn't just about killing, it's about doing what's right even when it's hard, so we go by our gut, right? We play by our own rules and that scares them. That's why they want us dead because we're the one thing they can't control."
"So, what do you want from us?" asked one of the hunters.
"I want you to follow me. Take the fight to them to hit them before they hit us. We go in fast and hard and we fight and we beat them down until they give up or until they're dead. Look, they're well-trained and well-armed. Some of us might not make it back, but we will win. We will take down the bad guys because that's what we do. They're scared of us… Yeah; good… They should be."
I saw the screen fade to black as I saw another image of Melphani and her crew on their ship further away from the Solar System into parts unknown. What I also saw was that one of the crewmembers was displaying her displeasure as she wasn't thrilled with the actions that everyone had, for she was angry with some of the members of House Echezar for leaving Earth prematurely.
"How could you do this?!" she yelled. "How could you possibly abandon your duty on Earth?!"
"We didn't have a choice," said Melphani. "Zavani had us pack up and leave in which the same group was coming after us and they won't relent until they stop at nothing to enslave us. We all know that the British Men of Letters have been ramping their efforts to find us, but we had to leave before they found us."
"It's been three years since we left Reno and I have sensed fear in our friends who are now in grave danger because of our stupidity! I have sensed the pain and agony of other hunters! I've heard their cries and we're far away from Earth in which the ones going after our weapons have stepped up their campaign to kill the hunters who were just doing their jobs. There's no hope left because of them, for there—"
"There's still hope because the man I ran into will stop at nothing to protect our friends on Earth. Even though we left that planet, we gave the hunters the ways and means to use against possible threats against the innocent. He may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but at least he'll be a brave leader in tough times. That's what he does, right? He's the type of guy that brims with confidence when it comes to looking up lore, but if he is ever reincarnated, I hope that he guides us to a much better age than that of being in the shadows."
I saw the screen fade to black once again as I saw Dean enter into the sitting room to see what was going on. When he saw me looking at the chest of memories that Melphani left behind, he had a feeling that the destinies that the late Matriarch had were now connected to the Winchester Gospel that our past selves were tethered to. Even though we now have a connection with House Echezar, we also had an obligation to do more than just be part of the Order, for there was a bigger destiny that was waiting for us on the horizon.
"Playing with toys, are we?" he said to me.
"These aren't toys, Dean, but memories that Melphani left behind," said Yokose.
"I bet that they loved going to Reno all the time… That's what Younhee said…"
"House Echezar was a well-known group of hunters, but most of them ended up extinct," I said.
"Not exactly…," said Yokose. "Melphani and Talvari have thrived and intermarried with both the Mitani and Stauber Clans in which their blood resonates in those who are linked to it. Most of House Echezar had a right to be afraid of the British Men of Letters in which your past self led a group of hunters to their base and took them out back in the Elder Days. Everyone knows that the the group itself, or perhaps the Old Guard, showed no mercy to neither their enemies or allies in which their ways justified the means too much. Even though House Echezar ended up being extinct, their bloodline exists in all of us who intermarried with the Mitani and Stauber Clans. They predicted the downfall of the British Men of Letters before they left Earth, for they also predicted that the Winchesters of Old stepped up and avenged their fellow hunters in the end."
I picked up the picture that was in the chest as I looked at the gateway that was lit with neon letters in the nighttime. At that moment, I opened up the frame as I noticed something familiar that was in the form of a small pouch that was hidden for a long time along with a few Pokemon cards. When I examined the pouch, I found a silver key that was unique as I noticed it to be a part of something, for it was Melphani's treasure that had to unlock something. When I closed the frame, I set it down in the chest as I began to dig into it to look for a clue, but to no avail. All I had was a key with nothing to unlock as I ended up holding onto it, for it was a crucial clue in a nutshell.
"What's with the key?" asked Dean.
"It belonged to something, but there's nothing to unlock it with," I said.
"The key belonged to Franz," said Yokose. "He gave it to Melphani for safe keeping, but the treasure that it'll unlock is forever lost to time."
"What did he actually give her?"
"It was a box that symbolized their love and devotion, but there was a certain nuisance that demanded to have it for unknown reasons. I never looked into it because it was inappropriate to pry into the affairs of the elderly, especially with Melphani and her love for Franz. They went through the thick and thin, only to remain strong till the end."
It wasn't long until we noticed Maddox burst into the sitting room as he was holding a silver box in his hands. By the time he set it down on the table, he scurried off as I picked it up and used the key to unlock it. When I opened it up, I found what was in there as it was a codex that belonged to the Doohan as I remembered what happened on that ship, for it was a tragic reminder of how the Red Inquisition enticed some of the Draaza population on Stohess to the point of turning into Askradi. Even Yokose was astonished to see a codex that was there as she saw me examining it the moment I saw it to be a treasure that detailed the lives of House Echezar, for it was a memory that was meant to be treasured for all eternity.
"This is incredible," I said.
"I never expected Melphani to hide a codex in the treasure box, but this was what was left of House Echezar," said Yokose sadly. "It's a shame that there's no more of such a Draaza family…"
"You're wrong," said Dean. "House Echezar still lives and you've been proof due to your lineage to them along with the Stauber Clan. That codex is a lifeline, not just some Rosetta stone 'cause they detail genetics and every single thing that one bloodline left behind. Family ain't just about blood, it's about the connections that we make. You have a strong resemblance 'cause you also display the courage of what your late mother-in-law had."
"Lady Yokose! We've got a problem!"
I saw Yokose leave the room as I followed her out of the sitting room before putting the codex back in the box. When we rushed outside, we saw Younhee standing in front of a suspicious man as he was dressed in the garb that House Arkhelios wore. I was also aware of the suspicious man's actions as he spotted me in the distance, for he later unsheathed his sword at me for no reason.
"Petruchio Arkhelios, I presume?" I heard Younhee saying as he was aware of the latter who came here unannounced. "You shouldn't be here on Valinor in which we just attended a funeral not too long ago."
"You don't intimidate me one bit, Sohn Younhee," he said. "As I recall, we had your family banished for their lethal martial arts in which they made it all the way here to this farce of a planet. It's been said that you reap what you sow and your banishment here from Alecrast spoke volumes once Tybalt ousted the Alecrian royal family from power."
It wasn't long until Younhee jabbed at the retainer as he kicked him in the ribs before using his sword on him. Even though the member of the Medical Corps had a short fuse, he wasn't about to let a retainer from House Arkhelios get the better of him the moment he ended up jabbing his opponent in the jaw the moment he fell backwards. I was also impressed by the typical firebrand of the Medical Corps as he wasn't having it until the retainer got back up on his feet still reeling from the attacks he sustained earlier.
"I told you that you don't intimidate me," he said as he still held his sword. "And you have someone who has escaped and survived the death warrant that Iago penned, only for Phyllis Schacter take it away before it was enacted. And yet, he still protects his brother, the true Emperor of Alecrast, in which we're doing everything we can to keep onto power, for this is the will of the gods that an eternal winter is coming to cleanse our sins."
"You leave Dean out of it!" I yelled. "He has nothing to do with this mess!"
"You might as well come with us, Sam, for my benefactors have been waiting on Alecrast to bring you to find and decipher leftover tech that the Draaza and the Va'Kihri left behind. If you refuse, then I'll sic the Zenith Vectors on this Elf clan and those who live in the walls of their homestead!"
I was torn between surrendering to the retainer and remaining firm in my furlough until I saw Yokose bursting on the scene. Armed with a sword, she went towards the retainer and sliced his weapon as the tip of the blade fell to the floor. Anger flooded him as he was ready to attack until he saw her toss several warding incantations towards him in which they formed a containment cell, for she wasn't about to tolerate anyone who associated with the Stewards whatsoever.
"For the record, dumb-ass, no one messes with both the Mitani and Stauber Clans and gets away with it!" she yelled. "As for what time is left for your handlers on Alecrast, there won't be much of it because the Emperor will return to his throne and nothing will stand in his way!"
It wasn't long until the retainer vanished without a trace as all of us were relieved that the threat didn't cause further harm. I was also both overjoyed and concerned about what was going on as I was worried for Dean's safety. Even though we were safe, something else began to approach as I saw invisible footprints on the ground. I sensed the presence of a hellhound as I had to protect everyone from it before it caused further problems here. Just as I was about to use my raw power on the hellhound, I saw an arrow pierce its eye as I spotted Anri with her bow the moment she shot a few more rounds into the monster. She later noticed Younhee stunned to see what went down as she was about to give him a piece of her mind, for she was most likely to chew him out for not noticing the hellhound earlier.
"Thanks for the save," he said sheepishly.
"You could've spotted Fido earlier, but I had to finish it off," said Anri as she wasn't too thrilled with what went on earlier. "Every time one of the Alecrian Stewards come here, one of them comes along and they only sniff out debtors who make demon deals once their contracts are up!"
"You know about hellhounds, don't you?" I said.
"My mom, Elder Yavanna rest her soul, and my grandma told me all about hellhounds. They're invisible, but they can track down and drag anyone to Hell after making a demon deal for ten years. Once the contract is up, there goes Fido going for the whole thing just to drag towards Hell where all the meathooks and chains are."
It wasn't long until Florian's entourage and several members of the Order approached to where the hellhound was killed in which they dragged the invisible carcass away. Still, I never expected anyone from the Stewards to come here on Stauber land, but the hellhounds had their scent in which it was getting harder to avoid them despite all the Devil's Shoestring and goofer dust they could muster. When Anri put away her bow and arrows, she noticed me standing there as she sensed that there was a crisis even bigger than the usual squabbles, for there was the threat of eternal winter on the horizon.
"I've heard about the impending eternal winter coming to Alecrast," she said.
"I know," I said.
"I've heard Grandma and Uncle Helmut tell about restoring the Alecrian Emperor to the throne, but the Stewards keep ramping up their efforts to stay in power."
"They're a bunch of idiots," said Yokose. "They may be in denial of the eternal winter coming, but they can't hold onto power forever. As soon as we get Dean to the throne, the better we bring the fight to the Stewards and those who serve them. I'll go with you in which you have an obligation to help your brother one slow step at a time. Shigeru's not the only one who wants to kick Iago's ass. I've been wanting to tear a new one in him ever since he tried his damnedest to hurt everyone, but his time is quickly running out. We'll assemble a team to Isildur because I know the capital and the infrastructure that it has."
"First and foremost, I'm more than likely to be telling Reiko about this operation, but I can't get out of my furlough nor neglect the chores and childcare in the villa. There's also the chance that the Stewards can go after them even though House Arkhelios is banned from going to Trujillo land."
It wasn't long until we saw drops of rain starting to fall as we all had to get inside immediately. With the funeral finished, there was the downpour as we all had to go indoors, for it was also a time of reflection after all…
Later on in the evening, I was in the sitting room as I was looking at the trinkets that were in the chest that Melphani left behind. Staring at the sphere that had the recording, I saw it to be a moment of motivation as I was about to be roped into a mission to take back the throne in which it was a time to get on board, for this was the time to restore the Alecrian royal family back to prominence. When I dug into the codex, I opened it up as I saw it to be another box filled with old souvenirs stemming from key chains to pin buttons, all of them with the same aesthetic of the city that House Echezar once called home. What I also noticed was a picture of Melphani in her youth as she was in a hotel room with a box of familiar chocolates in her hands while sipping a caramel macchiato milkshake. There were happier times back in the day as I also hoped for her to be reunited with her husband in the afterlife, for she had a huge story to tell in the form of a city she once knew.
"You'll always have Reno…," I said to myself as I put the picture back in the codex box.
I put the codex box back in the treasure chest as I saw Yokose enter into the room. She was adamant into leading a mission to overthrow the Stewards as she had family on Alecrian soil just like the rest of us. Like me, she was concerned about the looming threat of eternal winter coming if the Alecrian royal family wasn't restored to the throne as we didn't have much time left, for this was an opportunity to topple the usurpers who erased them out of existence.
"I got word from the local oracles earlier," she said.
"Is it about the threat of eternal winter?" I asked.
"We only have seventeen days left to bring Dean to the throne or else Alecrast will suffer under the weight of eternal winter."
"And I'll join the fight, not only for my family, but for everyone who is fighting to overthrow the Stewards and stop their power trip. As for what my past self did in that recording, he motivated those hunters to stop the British Men of Letters from killing more of them back in the Elder Days. He even brought those two skeptical hunters to join the fight against them."
"Those 'skeptical hunters' killed your past self and Dean's once in the prologue of Dark Side of the Moon in which they laid low and hunted monsters until they were targeted by the same group that were going after House Echezar before they left Earth."
"According to the archives, the Old Guard were very ruthless in getting what they want."
"Back in the Elder Days, the Old Guard, also known as the British Men of Letters, had a knack for torture, killing without mercy, and even brainwashing. The Princess Mary of Old, who was brought back to life by the Darkness, worked with the British Men of Letters, only to fall victim to their brainwashing program that was impenetrable until the future Emperor of Old broke her free from the mind control she was subjected to. It wasn't easy, but he got through to her until one of her handlers met her end."
"Lady Toni Bevell… I've met some of her descendants in which two of them had me under house arrest after the destruction of Project Apollo on the Sol-1. Still, we have a job to in which getting Dean to the Alecrian throne is crucial, for it will be a good moment once he returns the royal family to its former glory."
I was brimming with enthusiasm as I had a job to do in which the next few days were crucial to stopping the Stewards and ending their power trip. Still, we had so much to do as we also had to focus on the mission at hand, for we also had to avert the looming threat of an eternal winter before it was too late…
To be continued...