Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 10
Chapter 35: Of Palm Trees and Cold Spots
(DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own Supernatural because it belongs to Eric Kripke and Warner Brothers. So, enjoy the show! Rated M for graphic violence, adult content, and adult language.)
Reuben was in the hospital as he was busy dealing with cases that concerned him. The workloads were tense, but he braved them as he also had balance with his family while doing it. When he was about to leave, he saw a thick fog overwhelm the hospital as he later noticed someone burst into the hallway. When he approached whoever broke into the hospital, he saw someone who looked like Dean as he was dressed in a black leather jacket and turtleneck in which he looked more rugged due to his stubble all over his face. The look that he gave spoke volumes as he was concerned about what was about to occur, for he was there to deliver a warning that would shake Reuben to the core.
"Dean?" he said as he saw his past self staring at him. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"Are you talking about my current self with the Pepe Le Pew look?" he asked.
"It's late, okay? You may look like Dean, but you're different."
"Yeah…," Dean's past self tugs at the turtleneck he wore as he revealed the Winchester Sigil tattooed near his left shoulder. "The one you're talking about has a gem protruding out of his chest, but I'm the genuine article who lived and died in the Elder Days. Therefore, I'm not here to watch a lot of internet porn, but I'm here to give you a warning."
"It's about Sam, isn't it?"
"It is… I don't want him to go on that mission in which there's gonna be a whole lot of crap going down in the Alecrian capital if he comes towards the Stewards. We all know that those asshats signed a death warrant to take him out in which he'll end up in grave danger if you don't step up and keep him away from it."
"Sam's still adamant into going on this crucial mission, but nothing will change him."
"Is that so?"
Reuben saw a large tuft of silver hair on the floor as it had blood soaked into it. When walked towards it, he saw a head as it was my own the moment he woke up from a nightmare. The dire warning sent him into a cold sweat as he wanted to bar me from going on my mission. When he got up from his bed, he saw Paninya still asleep the moment he covered up in the blankets before leaving his room and onward to his office in the Order's main headquarters on Valinor. By the time he got there, he heard footsteps approaching as he turned around and saw Nerinya standing there after using the bathroom earlier, for she wanted to know what was going on right now.
"Daddy?" she said to him. "What are you doing out of bed?"
"I had a bad dream, sweetie," he said.
"You should tell Uncle Dean about that because he'll go in and kick that monster's butt!"
"You need to go back to bed. You don't want to wake up your mom and sister, do you?"
"Okay, Daddy…"
Reuben saw Nerinya go back to bed as he was still shaking from the nightmare that he had earlier. Still, he had to do his part into stopping me from going on the mission as the Dean of Old gave him a warning about what was yet to come, for this was just the beginning of such chaos that would soon follow afterwards…
I was back home at the villa as I was busy taking care of the chores and childcare all over the place. Even though I was dreading the worst, I couldn't ignore the signs of the eternal winter creeping up on not only Alecrast, but on Drakonus, Westeros, and Valinor as well. There wasn't much time left as I had no other choice but to suck it up and focus on the mission at hand. When I went towards the nursery to check up on the younger children, I felt a pang of dread as I was ready to face the danger once I accompany Dean and his unit to Alecrast in order to topple the Stewards. Going outside towards the harbor, I noticed a ship landing as I recognized it right away. It was the Thunderstruck as I had a gut feeling that Merrick would show up. When I saw him coming out of the ship, he was there to recruit me as he wasn't about to let me off the hook right now, for this was a crucial time to put an end to the Stewards and their tyrannical power trip.
"It's been a while, Sam," he said to me. "I've heard that you've lighten the load after what you've been through."
"I'm busy with the childcare and chores around the house, but I have to get approval first," I said.
"You've got plenty of approval from Dean in which he's got some of his unit with him that are bound for Alecrast. He's got support, but he also has the rest of his unit there on Skald Island in which Desna is put in charge while Ravenna is enduring her pregnancy. Therefore, Dean refuses to let her work too much due to her condition in which she's also expecting a future child with McLaren blood in its veins."
"That's a relief…"
"That's not all, Sam. Akio and the others in the Order okayed the decision for you to go on this mission to liberate Alecrast from the Stewards, but there is one obstacle that refuses to give you the go-ahead."
Without warning, Reuben sprinted towards us as he was fuming at what was going on. He wasn't about to let me off the hook as he refused to budge the moment he stood in front in me. He was the only one who refused to let me return to Alecrast in which I was still in my furlough in which I was also a primal target for those who would abuse my raw power.
"What the hell's going on here, Sam?!" he yelled as he was holding a piece of paper in his hands.
"He's going to Alecrast to accompany his brother," said Merrick.
"He's not going anywhere! He's staying put so that he sticks to his furlough!"
"You're using that against him because of the fact that he's some frail palsied child who has to have someone hold his hand all the time. You're afraid that he'll be either be exploited or experimented on by those who would even force him to be Lucifer's vessel. For the record, I also got word from Phyllis Schacter in which she told me about the death warrant that Iago and his cronies viewed him as a target when they overlooked Dean in his role as the true Alecrian Emperor. Like it or not, Sam's going on this mission and it's best to do so that the eternal winter won't spread all over the rest of Alecrast."
"You don't know what the hell's going on, do you?"
"I know plenty after hearing about the Skald Island incident when the Zenith Vectors tried to steal the technology that was hidden in the Adam West. I also know about how one of their toadies raped a member of the Mitani Clan in which she had to take a miff to abort what he put into her. As for what the Stewards are doing, they're scared while trying to fend off the onslaught of hellhounds that have been swarming all over the capital. With Shigeru and his forces still sabotaging their special interests and storehouses, he's wanting the Alecrian royal family to return to power just like the rest of us! For years after the ouster of Emperor Henry, the Stewards gave every single chieftain who lived there on Alecrast free rein, but at a price. For years, everyone contributed to their lifestyle while the Order protected your father and aunt from their wrath. For years, they never lifted a finger to lift up the people while indulging at their palace that has been spackled with Devil's Shoestring and goofer dust! There isn't much time left, Reuben! If we don't take a stand and have Sam to aid Dean in this crucial mission, then we're fucked! You can't just wave his furlough at him when everyone needs him the most and you can't spend your life holding his hand all the time."
Reuben was livid at Merrick's words as he didn't want me to go on this crucial mission. He feared the worst from the Stewards as he also didn't want me to put myself at risk. Looking at me, he felt concerned about what would happen next as the crucial mission I would undertake could end up being a trap if not careful. Still, he was more than likely to double down on tethering me to the furlough as he also didn't want me to go up against Iago and Desdemona alone, for he was aware of their cruelty and explosive tempers.
"This isn't just a crucial mission, it's suicide!" he yelled.
"This 'crucial mission' is more important than the Apocalypse and the Demon Trials in the Elder Days," said Merrick. "We're talking about the future of our homeworld here!"
"And yet, you throw Sam under the bus…, again! This isn't his first rodeo dealing with dangerous foes and the worst happened to be Sawney Masbath, who lost his life in the Sol-3."
"I've been there on Alecrast and I saw what happened at my old home! We all know that Iago and Desdemona know how to retaliate and they don't show a hint of mercy to their allies or enemies!"
"Enough!" I yelled as I couldn't take any more jabs on both sides. "You're fighting like children in which I have no choice but to go on this crucial mission to prevent the further threat of eternal winter coming."
Without warning, I saw fresh snow falling on the ground as I was fearing the worst. The cold spots were spreading at an alarming rate as I also had to fulfill my obligation the moment I made up my mind about what I was getting myself into. What I didn't expect was that the weather was slowly changing from a hot and bothered eighty-eight degrees to a chilly thirty-four degrees in seconds. The threat of eternal winter was fast approaching as both Reuben and Merrick saw the fresh snow falling on the sand. It wasn't long until I saw some of El Anillo del Fuego's townsfolk shivering from the cold that came here mercilessly. This was a catastrophe that was quickly coming without a shred of remorse as I had no other choice but to accept the mission and prevent what was slowly encroaching all over the planets where the Order's higher-ups lived in.
At that moment, I used my raw power to delay the weather as the snow disappeared for a now while the townsfolk were relieved to see their village filled with warm weather once again. Even though I dissipated the wintry threat, I was feeling the pinch of exhaustion as I fell to my knees. With Reuben helping me up, he wasn't about to let me out of his sight as Merrick followed us towards the villa. Still, we were torn between keeping me in my furlough and focusing on the crucial mission as we didn't have much time left, for we had to formulate a plan to restore the Alecrian royal family to the throne before it was too late…
Dean was busy in his room getting ready for the mission at hand as he noticed Ravenna approaching. With the pregnancy taking a toll on her body, she was on light duty as she also had to be on bedrest in which it was necessary to do so. In Dean's case, he didn't want to leave Ravenna's side as he was starting to worry about her health in which he couldn't bear to part without her. The sight of her swollen belly kept him on edge as he was starting to worry about her before going on the crucial mission, for this was a time to restore the Alecrian royal family to the throne so far.
"You're finally going on your mission, aren't you?" said Ravenna.
"Yeah, but it sucks 'cause we can't bring the rest of the family to Alecrast until we flush out the Stewards," said Dean. "There's also the presence of the Zenith Vectors looming in which those asshats are still hiding in the shadows while shielding Magda's killer. It's been a year since he killed her in which I swore that I would find and end the son-of-a-bitch for what happened at the base in the Dabb Mountains on Shiganshina."
"You went through too much, but you should also focus on your mission."
"I'll do more than just focus on my mission 'cause I have a beef with the Zenith Vectors who have been playing possum on my homeworld. They nearly ruined me when their main lynchpin killed Magda and nearly did away with Rory on that day when they raided the base. What's even worse was that they invaded Skald Island just to comb for leftover Draaza and Va'Kihri tech that has been collecting dust over the years. As soon as I get to Alecrast and flush out the Stewards, I'm gonna take out the Zenith Vectors one by one in which they'll get what's coming to them. I'm not here for just revenge, but to get justice for Magda and restitution for the people living on Skald Island. It's time for some closure 'cause I'm not gonna let Magda's killer get away for what he pulled and his cronies will end up getting the same thing after what they tried to pull on Skald Island."
"They were after the ship that was buried underneath the castle, but it'll be hard to take what is in there. The Adam West is a marvel that stood the test of time. As for what happens now, there's been reports of cold spots coming and going and it's not just on Alecrast."
Dean was stunned to hear that from Ravenna as he looked out the window to see fresh snow falling in the middle of May. He never saw it coming as he rushed outside to see more of it falling on the ground that had freshly grown wildflowers blooming in the grass. The threat of eternal winter was getting closer as he had to act fast in which the mission had to be undertaken, for he had a duty and obligation to fulfill…
I was in the sitting room as I noticed Reuben blocking the door in which he wasn't about to let me go on the crucial mission that I volunteered to undertake. Even though I averted the cold spot nearly gripping El Anillo del Fuego, I was about to be forced to stay on house arrest as I was still exhausted from using my raw power earlier. Still, I was trapped in my neverending furlough as I was also wanting to return to Alecrast as the lingering threat of eternal winter kept getting worse, for the cold spots were coming at us without a shred of mercy in this crucial time. When Merrick tried to enter into the sitting room, he spotted Reuben standing in front of the doorway as he refused to budge in which he was eager to push him out of the way, for this was getting too childish as of right now.
"How's Sam doing?" he asked.
"He's doing fine, but I'm not about to let him out to join Dean on this ridiculous crusade," said Reuben sternly. "He's been through too much in which he needs to take a backseat before going to Alecrast on that crucial mission."
"That 'ridiculous crusade' is all we got right now. As soon as Dean arrives, we'll get to Alecrast and trounce on the Stewards or let them be Puppy Chow to the myriad of hellhounds stalking them after Tybalt Arkhelios made that demon deal to oust the royal family. Sam's all we got in which he's been through worse and he'll be ready to have Dean take his place as the Alecrian Emperor after we get all our shit together."
"You mean your shit together? No… For years, Sam has endured so much abuse in which he's been treated more like a weapon than a decent humanoid being. That's all he's been known for… And yet, he's walking onto the battlefield like a soldier being tossed into a stop-loss program after being discharged."
"We need him on this… His raw power is the last line of defense in which the Stewards don't know what's coming. Shigeru may do his best, but he can't just play possum in a minefield. Sam's the best option because his raw power is important to flush out the Stewards in a heartbeat."
"His health is important! He's been through the ringer from being a servant at the fort on Gehenna, taking field missions that jeopardize his health, and he's borne children in his body; not once, but twice! I won't let him go on this mission in which I'll even go against ethics to prevent him from going if need be."
"Don't you dare," I said as I got up from my chair. "I know that you're doing your best to protect me, but I won't let you sacrifice your ethics right now. There are other patients than me who need you in which you also can't go against the Hippocratic Oath. You're better than this, Reuben. You have an obligation to care about everyone in which I won't let you go against your own ethics just to keep me trapped in my own home. As for this mission, there's no going back in which our own family once ruled Alecrast and we can rule it again. Our father was suppose to rule, but had to abandon his true legacy just to avoid the wrath of the Stewards. If we don't return to prominence, we won't have a homeworld anymore because it will be under the veil of the eternal winter if we don't stand up to what we have. You saw the cold spot that nearly turned this village into an icebox in which I used my raw power to dispel it just now. As for this crucial mission, we all need to pull our weight in which we need to do our best to stop this eternal winter before it escalates. The lives those living on Alecrast, Drakonus, Westeros, and Valinor are on the line because the eternal is calculative and merciless, for we can't let this drag on forever."
It wasn't long until Guido walked towards the sitting room as he heard the bickering between Reuben and Merrick in which he was aware of what was going on. During his days as a police officer, he was trained to handle disputes as he instantaneously got between the arguing party in which he wasn't about to let the bitter argument go too far. That was when he ended up bursting into the sitting room and got me away from it the moment we walked towards the stairs, for he didn't want me to get overwhelmed by what was going on so far. He later went towards Reuben and Merrick as they were left at a standstill, for he was eager to put them in their place when it came to dealing with what I have and what I was also going through.
"Are you pansies done with your pissing contest?" he said as he was putting his foot down.
"It's about Sam going on a mission that hasn't been approved by the Review Board," said Reuben.
"Is it the one where you're going to Alecrast and pissing in the faces of the usurpers?"
"You can't pry into protocol because you're a police officer," said Merrick.
"I just got recruited in your little boys' club in which I overheard everyone talking about House Arkhelios being the thorn in Lyra's side. From what I heard, the captain in his unit's slated to be the new Alecrian Emperor in which he's mainly going over there to prevent the threat of eternal winter coming to enslave the planet."
"We know… I've been to my hometown and saw the damage that the Stewards did all because the retainers in their ranks decided that it was okay to find and rape little girls. When everyone refused, Iago and his posse attacked it in which Shigeru had no choice but to escort everyone away from the Kingdom by the River, including his family. I've endured hardship while living there when a couple of Jefferson Starships ran rampant, only for Seto to intervene and impaled them while saving the domain at the time. We all know that Iago has a temper and a history of sexual battery in which he went here just to 'make Lyra his' and force her to carry his heir. That was when he overpowered her before she used her Nephilim abilities in which she later found him raping her against her wishes even after she lost her husband."
"I heard all about it in which the bitch boy you rant about kicked Lyra into miscarrying after he found out that she was carrying a girl instead of a boy. She lived, but she goes apeshit every time someone wants to be in her bed in which she cared about her late husband. Till this day, no Steward ever stepped foot here on Trujillo land, but we can't underestimate those sons-of-bitches."
It wasn't long until we heard footsteps approaching as we saw Lyra burst into the main hall in which she was concerned about what was going on. The increased activity of cold spots have rattled parts of Alecrast as they even creeped up on Valinor the moment they were spotted. Everyone was worried about the threat of eternal winter coming as this was a very serious matter, for we all had to pull our weight in order to prevent it from happening. With only a few days left, we had to get it together as we had to push back against the Stewards and the threat of eternal winter as it was crucial to stop it from coming to pass, for we all had to stand firm and not falter.
"We have a problem," she said.
"It's about the cold spots, isn't it?" I said.
"From what I know, there's been an influx of reports of them in other parts of Alecrast and they've spread to the Drakonar city of Zetian in which most of the people have been without power due to blizzards coming. As for what's been happening in Briarpatch on Westeros, a cold spot appeared there in which the Dowager Empress has issued a state of emergency."
"I just averted a cold spot just now in which it was relentless into freezing the villagers here. As for what's been going on, the mission still stands and I'll volunteer to aid the resistance."
"This is insane, you know that?" said Reuben as he was concerned about what was going on.
"I don't like put my health on the back burner, but I don't have a choice. The Stewards on Alecrast are living on borrowed time right now. Their grip is slipping, but trying to hold onto power while averting the influx of hellhounds in which Shigeru needs all the backup we need. As soon as Dean arrives, we'll have a unit to infiltrate the Alecrian capital and we won't stop until we win. I need all the support I can get because of the fact that our enemies won't stop until they erase every single trace of the Alecrian royal family. We can't give into fear or fall under the weight of tyranny, but we have a moment of thriving against all odds. Our enemies may be well-armed, but their flaw is by hiding in their palace while keeping the hellhounds off their scent. We may not know of the outcome it holds, but we will restore the Alecrian royal family to its former glory, even if it meant by sacrificing our lives to do so."
My speech gave everyone the motivation it mustered as I noticed Reuben standing firm despite the fact that he was adamant into preventing me from going on this mission. Still, he had to do his part as he also had other patients in which he was outvoted, but firm when it came to helping people. As for the rest of us, we were waiting for Dean's arrival as we also had to make final preparations for the crucial mission at hand. This was a mission to decide the fate of Alecrast as we were also ready to quell the threat of the cold spots, for the eternal winter was coming to us without a shred of mercy so far…
Later on in the afternoon, Reuben was outside as he was waiting for Dean to arrive. Even though he was ready to air his grievances, he also had to stand firm after I told him not to overstep his ethics. Still, he was concerned about what was going on as he remembered what propelled him to being part of the Medical Corps to begin with. He was recalling what happened in our youth as he never forgot about how my raw power had me exhausted when I was young the moment he returned to reality and saw Dean's past self standing in front of him. He was disappointed in him as he also wanted to air his own grievances as my fate was on thin ice, for I was mainly going on this crucial mission right now.
"I'm a little disappointed at you," he said. "You failed to protect Sam and now he's going into the lion's den."
"He made his choice, but he's also aware of the eternal winter approaching," said Reuben.
"Iago Arkhelios will kill him once he reaches Isildur and not stopping. His power is slipping 'cause he enjoys the tyranny."
"We all know how he acts in which he has more atrocities than the likes of Donald Trump and Julius Caesar combined. He raped Lyra, he killed innocent bystanders, caused Reiko to miscarry, and ended up being bailed out by Beryl Beauchamp after she blackmailed Dowager Empress Sayaka by exposing her medical records. We all know that he's dangerous in which his cruelty knows no filter when it comes to attacking his allies and enemies alike."
"It doesn't matter. Sam's life is at stake and Iago will kill him if he undertakes that mission!"
"Sam will not die 'cause I'll be at his side when we go on the mission!"
Dean arrived in the nick of time as he got off of the ferry that just stopped near the harbor. When he sprinted to Reuben, he was staring at his past self as he wasn't about to let him off the hook. It was awkward, but he had to face the lingering pessimism that was brewing as he also had to step up as the future Alecrian Emperor, for this was a time to be a brave presence that spoke volumes.
"Oh, look; Pepe Le Pew just arrived to ravish another cat that's often mistaken for a female skunk," said Dean's past self as he saw him standing in front. "I didn't come here to fight, but to give you a warning not to let Sam into the Alecrian capital."
"And here's the voice of pessimism just adding a wrench in the plan to flush King Karen and his cronies," he said. "Sam's going on this mission 'cause he's not about to let the eternal winter get the better of all of us."
"No… If he goes there, then Iago will kill him. He still has that death warrant over his head in which he even recruited the Black Dragon Guild to finish the job!"
"We've dealt with the Black Dragon Guild plenty of times in which some of our friends either ended up dead or nearly dodging a bullet to protect Sam. The ones who lost their lives didn't have their memories go in vain 'cause they had a firm belief that he would soon rise with what he has. I know that he'll stop at nothing to flush out the Stewards 'cause their reign of tyranny is coming to an end."
Dean was firm as he was showing his past self that he wasn't the type to be messed with. When he was on his way to the Grey Havens, he fished out a book as he opened up to see the pages of a superhero forced to see the consequences in which he was reminded of what was told to him, for he also had to deal with the fallout of what was about to go down. Even Reuben was aware of the warning as he also had to deal with my decision to join on the crucial mission, for he couldn't change my mind due to the stubborn will that we inherited from our father.
"I hope he gets the message," he said.
"My past self is a lot of things, but his pessimism is starting to get really old," said Dean.
"And yet, we're putting our brother in the lion's den…"
"Not true…," I said as I was walking towards the harbor. "I can't sit on the sidelines while the cold spots keep coming. I've averted one that was about to turn this village into something similar to what happened in Vanizia on Alecrast. The threat of eternal won't stop until we get you towards the capital and claim the throne. I know of this because we don't have much time left before Alecrast suffers from the wrath of eternal winter and the others in its wake will follow. Our homeworld is at stake and we can't stall forever. If we don't do something, then we'll be spending the rest of our lives struggling to keep warm in the eternal winter."
It wasn't long until we saw another round of fresh snow falling onto the ground as it was relentless the moment we were fearing the worst. I had a gut feeling that the eternal winter was showing no mercy in its agenda to turn everything into a frozen wasteland as I was ready to avert the threat. I had to protect El Anillo del Fuego as I was ready to use my raw power until Dean stepped in the moment the fresh snow stopped. He saw the threat of eternal winter imminent as he was demonstrating more than just being a soldier and a member of the Hunter Corps, for he was ready to take up the mantle of the Alecrian Emperor so far.
"Bring it on, Elsa!" he yelled as he changed into his diamond form. "Winter may be fine for one season, but not the rest!"
It wasn't long until I used my raw power to help Dean prevent another cold spot from reaching the village as the threat was trying to cause a blizzard in it. Reuben never expected something to be this menacing as he felt his arms glowing with the imprint of raw power in them. When he joined us, he helped us push back the wintry weather as we noticed it going away for now. With the threat averted, we now had a purpose to prevent the catastrophe of eternal winter more than ever, for this was a bitter taste of freezing weather imaginable.
"We stopped it for now," I said as I became exhausted.
"I think you need to take a breather," said Dean as he steered me towards the villa.
"The eternal winter has started to spread… If we don't get towards Alecrast, then it wins and the Stewards remain in power while staving off the hellhounds who are after them."
"Then we'll put an end to it," said Reuben. "I know that you would be too pig-headed to listen, but we all know that we've inherited our father's stubbornness."
We all went back towards the villa as we were eager to call it a day. Still, we had to focus on the mission as we had to act in which the threat of eternal winter wasn't about to stop, for this was just the beginning of what was about to happen next…
Lyra was on her way back to her home as she was seeing the fresh snow that appeared before the winter changed back to summer. The sight of the lingering threat of the cold spot was a bitter taste of what was yet to come as the time to restore Dean to the Alecrian throne was imminent. As a matter of fact, everyone had to be on board as there wasn't much time lift in which there wasn't much to waste at the moment. When Lyra was entering into the village to see what was going on, she noticed Desdemona standing in front of her as she was here to deliver a warning in which she remembered the wrath of Iago when he visited her land, for both members of House Arkhelios were trying hard to skirt the ban that was imposed on them after their last visit.
"Hello, Lyra…," she said with a smirk on her face. "Long time, no see…"
"Desdemona…," she said as she was trying to remain calm. "I made it clear for both you and your brother that you weren't allowed to be here on Trujillo land."
"You have someone I want, for I won't leave until you allow me to pass."
"It's about Sam, isn't it? He's off limits in which the death warrant that you and your cronies signed is meaningless."
"I'm not talking about Sam, Lyra."
"There's no one else here that piques your interest, so I suggest that you leave before I turn you into dust."
"Does the name, Ellen Harvelle, ring a bell to you? I know that you're hiding her in which her past self and her daughter's weren't so lucky during the Apocalypse in the Elder Days! Basically, I imply that you hand her over or else we'll come here through the loophole that links this planet to Kanto Village on Alecrast!"
Lyra was worried about what was about to happen as she was staring at Desdemona directly. The sight of her caused further alarm as she remembered what happened after Iago raped her all those years ago. With her fists clenched, she was ready to use her Nephilim abilities on Desdemona as she wasn't about to be intimidated by her arrogance. Still, she had to protect Ellen from being taken away as she also wanted to put Desdemona in her place in which she bore a primal grudge against House Arkhelios, for the sire of that family was the one who left her traumatized after what he did to her.
"I demand you to leave immediately!" she yelled.
"And do what, Lyra? Spank me?" said Desdemona in an icy but condescending voice. "You have no power over the Stewards because we get to do whatever we want. As for what happened to you, Iago overpowered you in which he blessed you with his seed to carry. It was such a magical feeling when he had his way over you when you refused to take another man after your husband's death."
"You bitch!" Lyra slaps Desdemona as she nearly falls down the trail of steps the moment she stumbles. "What your brother did to me wasn't magical! When he spewed his seed into me, he was crowing that I received his heir when he did that. When I found that I was carrying it, I saw him again the moment he kicked me to the point of miscarrying, all because it wasn't the heir he wanted! I nearly died when Bruce and his unit found me in which the baby was already dead in which the Medical Corps had no other choice but to remove the fetus or else it would've killed me! And do you know what your brother said? He said that there will be no other woman than his beloved Desdemona! You and your brother are the worst kind of monsters that even on par with the usual creepers that attack at random such as vampires, lowerlings, werewolves, and others that go bump in the night! As soon as Dean returns to the Alecrian throne, your reign of tyranny will come to an end!"
Desdemona was left unfazed as she was laughing with a menacing smile on her face. Like Iago, sh e was also known for her explosive temper as she was ready to face Lyra as she was holding an angel blade in her hand. Just as she was about to lunge at her, she was stopped by Reiko as she appeared out of nowhere in which she took away the angel blade the moment she stepped back, for she was aware of the angelic aura she bore. At that moment, she stepped back as her arrogance turned into fear as she saw Reiko standing firm, for she was feeling the terror of her own actions creeping up on her.
"Get away from me, you putrid Elf!" she yelled.
"I know that you were going after Ellen, weren't you?" said Reiko.
"She's one of Shigeru's moles! She needs to be destroyed or else our power on Alecrast will crumble!"
"No… Your time is short, but your intimidation won't work. As for the loophole linking the villa here on Valinor to Kanto Village on Alecrast, I hid the red rubber ball somewhere where you won't find it. As for your own actions, I will let you live to give Iago a warning in which Brother will be Emperor to restore faith in our people, for your reign is short, but coming to an end."
Reiko used her abilities to banish Desdemona without a trace as she didn't want her to upset Lyra even worse. Turning around, she saw her sobbing as she was still reeling from the words she heard from her sworn enemy. She never saw Lyra feel vulnerable before until now as she did her best to comfort her, for Desdemona will meet a much bitter end for her snide remarks and grandiose insults.
"I'm sorry that you had to hear that," she said.
"Desdemona is back at her home, but now isn't the time to dwell on the woes you suffer from," said Reiko. "The room in the villa that leads to Kanto Village had to have its red rubber ball hidden in which Iago and Desdemona would end up coming here to attack anyone in this village."
"So…, are you okay with Sam going on this mission?"
"Brother will protect him just like what his past self did for the one that Sammy sprung from in the Elder Days. The eternal winter can't last forever in which there will be balance that will soon be restored."
Reiko was optimistic as she was hoping for the best in which we all had to focus on the crucial mission at hand. Still, she was more than likely to lend all of us her support as this was also a time to confront the Stewards head-on, for their time was already running out as we speak…
The next morning, I was up as I was busy preparing for the mission ahead. With various packs of breastmilk frozen for further feedings, Reiko and I were preparing for the worst as we had a bad feeling of what was about to go down once the mission commences. Still, I was dreading what was about to go down once I reached the capital. I also wanted to tell Reiko more about what happened to her former home as this atrocity was an alarm that would never go away, for I had respect for her clan and the mentor I cared about.
"There's no turning back after this," I said.
"I know about what happened at the homestead, Sammy," said Reiko. "The Stewards are dangerous in which they allowed those horrible people to come here and violate Kizuri."
"I saw the atrocities that were there. The Stewards and the Zenith Vectors are in cahoots with one another without the other realizing it. As for what happened over there at your homestead, it was thrashed in which they literally trampled on your grandfather's memory. Jo's over there fending off any straggler who is dumb enough to loot what they please after what the Stewards did to it, but the damage is too severe."
"Wait! You can't go in there!"
I rushed out of the nursery as I noticed Ellen rushing with a letter in her hand. When I received it, I opened it up as I saw the terrible news coming from Shigeru the moment the weight of it was coming in which I was fearing the worst. From what I gathered, I sensed that Iago's temper went too far as his wrath was once feared and revered, for he was a force to be reckoned with.
"There's been a shakeup," I said.
"What's going on?" asked Reiko.
"Timothy Calvert's dead…" Reiko and Ellen gasp in shock as they never expected to hear the news coming. "He was killed in an ambush by Iago's retainers while being on a mission to Mifune."
"No…," said Ellen. "Tim was one of the many members of the resistance that aided Shigeru when the Stewards continued to abuse their power."
"Graelam has to know eventually in which he won't take the news very well. As for what's going on in our homeworld, we can't hold back in which our people need to rise up and topple the Stewards before things escalate. They may displace our friends and loved ones, but they won't displace our dignity to live for ourselves. Remember what happened when my past self confronted the British Men of Letters back in the Elder Days? He was on board with them ridding the world of monsters when they were the real ones who wanted control by exterminating every hunter living in America at the time. That was nothing more than a betrayal the moment he and his group put a stop to their plans of governing things while sitting in a comfortable office building. The Stewards are doing the same thing while living in their palace that is shielded by the copious amounts of Devil's Shoestring and goofer dust to fend off the hellhounds that are after them. Their retainers are well-trained and well-armed, but we will stop at nothing to take the fight to them for what they are doing once they overstepped their boundaries. The eternal winter isn't just targeting Alecrast, but Drakonus, Westeros, and Valinor in which it won't stop until all four planets are covered in freezing cold. The Stewards are afraid, but their power is slipping. As for our efforts, we have an Emperor to rule Alecrast with a just hand waiting, for we won't fail this time."
My speech was reaching everyone as I wasn't about to let Alecrast fall to frozen ruin. With the threat of eternal winter still rearing its ugly head, all of us had to be on board as the time of the Stewards was slipping from them, for it was time for a new era of stability on the horizon…
To be continued...