Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 10
Chapter 20: A Bunch of Silver Dragons
(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)
Shigeru was in his hideout in Tiburon as he was there examining the weapon that he found yesterday. Still, he was also hiding in the shadows as he also had to make sure that House Arkhelios wasn't coming further here. When he went towards one of the houses, he was greeted by an elderly Orc as he was from the Fordyce Clan in which he was also putting incense cones that were lit in front of a picture of an elderly man who died while praying. Still, he had his work cut out for him as he also had to have connections like the Fordyce Clan to help him, for this wasn't over yet. For the past week, he was busy as he was mainly taking out weapons depots that House Dunford left behind the moment he was also grateful that Benny stepped in and fed on the stragglers, for he was on a roll to overthrow the Four Stewards once and for all.
"Unwin was right about you kicking ass and taking names," said the elderly Orc as he was still praying. "It's a shame that Hidetaka passed away, but at least he won't be worrying about House Dunford crawling here to fleece this place."
"You must've been fond of that old man who died, didn't you?" said Shigeru.
"Hidetaka Shimizu was a kind man who was done dirty… Melvin Dunford was a tyrant who fleeced everyone here just to fund his weapons to collect and keep in his stashes all over the planet. In the end of this mess, you're stepping up to restore the Alecrian royal family to power in which the gods have warned the stewards countless times to have them return to the throne, only to be heard on deaf ears."
"We all know that Iago and Desdemona call the shots in the Steward hierarchy, but they refuse to relinquish power. They see me as the fly in their ointment in which I had to know more about Sammy's family ended up being ousted from power while they were under the Order's protection over the years. For years, the Winchesters have been ousted from their birthright in which not having them be top dog of Alecrast have caused a karmic shift in the form of the eternal winter coming. Ever since the war ended, the overbearing Karens who had free reign over us for a long time started this shit show to keep a hold on power after that terrorist attack last year."
"The Zenith Vectors didn't act alone in that attack…"
"Come again?"
"The one who orchestrated that attack in order to curry favor was none other than Cinna Maitland in which he wanted to act out the hero and in return, did nothing but wait it out so that he and the other Steward Houses would keep a hold on power. The poor bastard also wanted that terrorist attack to occur after hearing growing sentiment against his family and the other stewards because of the fact that he wanted all of us to bow down to power, only to have his folly backfire on him."
Shigeru was alarmed to hear about how one member of the Four Steward Houses ended up clinging to his own stupidity as he also paid for it in the end. Still, he had to focus on shutting down the Stewards and what they stood for in which the lingering threat of the eternal winter has gotten worse, for everyone was wanting our family to return home and banish the usurpers from power. By the time he went outside, he saw Ginryu arriving as he was aware of what was going on so far, for he had to voice his support for the cause when it came to restoring the Winchester Legacy to its rightful place on Alecrast.
"We need to talk," he said.
"It's about the rise in cold spots, isn't it?" said Shigeru.
"House Arkhelios has just issued restrictions on us in which we've been targeted by Iago and Desdemona. Your actions in being a thorn in their side has caused mixed reactions while the bulk of it are wanting the Four Stewards to relinquish power and restore the Alecrian royal family back to its rightful place on Alecrast."
"You can either chastise me or expel me, but I can't and won't let the Four Stewards ignore the further prophecies that the oracles and others have been telling all of us for years."
"I didn't come here to expel you, Shigeru, for I'm also voicing my support in your cause. For years, I kept quiet while the ousted Emperor told me to protect his children, John and Henrietta, from the scrutiny of the Four Stewards. I never told them about their true heritage because of the fact that the Four Stewards kept the reins of power while other chieftains had free rein over their regions and local towns and cities. For years, I incorporated the Emperor's children into the Order as they later went their separate ways. John, who was poised to rule the throne, never had a chance to challenge or oppose House Arkhelios, who was the main lynchpin of ousting the Alecrian royal family and claimed power fo themselves. Not telling John about his true legacy was my worst sin that gnawed at me since the war ended last year. What's even worse is not telling his sons about all of this in which it won't be easy for Dean to take power once he reaches the throne."
Shigeru was floored to hear this confession as he also had to bring clearance to have everyone in the Winchester family returning to Alecrast. Still, he was fighting tooth and nail against the Four Stewards and their ongoing hold on power in which there was also the threat of the eternal winter coming. In the end of this mess, he was caught in the middle of a battle that started with a terrorist attack as he was more than likely to be returning to fight for another day, for this was the beginning of the further woes coming his way…
I was busy in the nursery as I helped out with taking care of the younger children while I was also busy cleaning them up after getting fed while I was changing their diapers. By the time I finished up with putting fresh diapers on the quadruplets' bottoms, they were placed back into their bassinets as they were also yawning after being fed earlier. Even though I was satisfied with taking care of them, I was ready to take a break as I left the nursery and went towards the sitting room the moment I went to the backyard to sit on the bench while I watched the rest of the children playing on the playground. I was happy to see them thriving on the structure of monkey bars and bridges as I later noticed Aora and Ghimru running towards me in which they wanted to play on the swings. Both boys were wanting to get on until I saw them struggling to get on. Getting up, I went to the boys as I helped them into the swings in which I gently pushed them backward and forward, for they loved to play outside without worrying too much.
"You should try this, Daddy," said Aora as he was swinging.
"You're flying high today," I said.
"I can fly higher than Aora!" cried Ghimru as he was swinging further.
"Don't swing too much. It'll cause you to fall off prematurely."
I continued to watch the boys swinging until it was time for lunch. When I saw them slow down and get off of the swings, they rushed into the house as I followed them inside in which I noticed that Reuben arrived to check up on me. I sensed that he was wanting to tell me something as he was more than likely to be addressing an urgency, for I had to hear him out in this serious matter at hand.
"There's been a problem," he said.
"I've read and kept Shigeru's letters about the escalating battle between his forces and the Four Stewards on our homeworld," I said.
"That's not it, Sam. I got a letter from Ginryu in which he wanted to propel us to the throne sooner, only to see it too late. For the record, the cold spots on our homeworld have gotten worse in which House Arkhelios has issued strict protocol on those travelling to and from our homeworld. Iago and Desdemona are issuing complete isolation on Alecrast, but their way of talking about the cold spots has been met with opposition and several bystanders getting their throats slit. Iago is dangerous, Sam. Desdemona is also dangerous. Both members of House Arkhelios rule the rest of the stewards like a steel mill, but with House Maitland and House Dunford put out of commission or in hiding, their patience has worn thin."
"And we'll aid the opposition into overthrowing the Stewards. Yes, we had our destinies going sideways so many times, but we also can't give up on our people struggling to stay out of the mess that was put in front of them."
It wasn't long until we saw Dean arriving the moment he was here on business. I also saw him still grappling with ruling as the Alecrian Emperor as he was trying his best not to go off the deep end. I had a gut feeling that he would get caught in the middle of what was happening as I also had to do my best to console him in his new role, for this wasn't something that none of us had to ignore. I also noticed him going to the sitting room as he sat down in which he was still assuming the worst, for his role as becoming the Alecrian Emperor was weighing heavily on him in the worst way.
"You're still concerned about your new role, aren't you?" I said as I entered into the sitting room.
"I can't do this, Sam," said Dean as he covered his face with his hands. "I can't just go home with a bull's eye on my back from the Four Stewards."
"We have a crucial obligation to return to our future birthright in which Shigeru is out there on our homeworld busting his ass sabotaging the stranglehold that the Four Stewards have wrought for a long time."
"I never asked to become Emperor! I never wanted to be Emperor! All I want is to be a good soldier to the Order and nothing more!"
"Yes, you're the good soldier, but you can't be made to be a grunt forever. I believe that you have potential in which you were also pulled up by your bootstraps when the chips were down. I pulled you up because of the fact that you've always bounced back."
"You only pulled me up 'cause I hit rock bottom after Magda's death. Yeah, I've been made to prioritize my needs, but what about your own sacrifices? For years living in the fort on Gehenna, you wanted me to be the best of the best, but at a price."
"I know…, but I never regretted it… I got the message clearly in which I've been dealt one bad hand after another and not stopping. In the end of this mess, it's the things that we don't want that make us more resilient than we think. As for your future role as Emperor, you can't put it off forever in which if you refuse or renounce the throne, then the eternal winter will reign not only on Alecrast, but on Drakonus, Westeros, and Valinor. I've been receiving letters from Shigeru about the cold spots coming on Alecrast in which Vanizia has changed from a pleasant tourist spot to a frozen nightmare. On Drakonus, the city of Zetian was also hit with a cold spot in which there's no stopping the signs of the omens that most oracles and others have warned the Four Stewards about for years and now, karmic retribution has taken root and not slowing down."
Dean looked at the ledger on the table as he picked it up the moment he saw my handwriting copying every detail of the letter that Shigeru wrote in his letters. He also read about the details of what was slowly happening to Alecrast as the threat of eternal winter was mercilessly showing up and not stopping on a whim. When he saw an image of a pair of silver dragons that were drawn, he remembered the one who saved his life from the Zenith Vectors in Chithravai as he also wanted to thank him in person once he saw him again. Still, he never knew of my secret that I was the silver dragon who saved him from the group of Zenith Vectors who followed us out of the restaurant on that fateful night in which I also didn't want to tell him right away.
"Looks like the dragon who saved my ass made it to the front page," said Dean.
"The one who saved you wasn't alone," I said. "According to what Shigeru wrote, the silver dragon had an accomplice in which another one helped to save a train from falling off the bridge and placed on a different set of tracks. There was also the presence of the Zenith Vectors in which the first dragon took them out along with the ones in the osprey."
"Leave it to Mr. and Mrs. Falkor to kick some ass and rescue a train of passengers… Perhaps they can show up on the Four Stewards' doorstep and rain on their parade. It's the most we can do in which they can't hold onto power forever. Still…, I have to go for it in order to save our planet and the ones that are tethered to it with the aid of the red rubber balls. As soon as you're able, you can go with me to Alecrast in which we can't sit by and allow it to freeze in ignorance."
"I know… From what I heard, House Arkhelios has issued an isolation order on our people after what happened to House Maitland and House Dunford. They also signed a death warrant against Shigeru in which he's laying low in the shadows, but for how long?"
I was concerned for Shigeru's safety as I wanted to reach out to him while he was out there with his forces. I was also worried about Dean not living up to his role as Emperor of Alecrast as he felt the heaviness that took a toll on his mental health. Still, we had to brave the storm as we would soon go against both the Four Stewards and the Zenith Vectors, for he had an obligation that he couldn't back away from…
Iago was at a train station in Gale Canyon as he was directing his men to search far and wide all over the place. Even though he didn't feel comfortable being surrounded by Orcs, but he was also on the warpath as he had a destructive obsession to not only track down and kill Shigeru for sabotaging the Four Stewards, but to suppress restoration activities in which he feared the ascension of the Alecrian royal family. When he was looking into other houses, he was starting to lose his temper as he wanted to find and end Shigeru, for he wasn't about to let him get away with this form of humiliation.
"Where is he?!" he yelled. "Where have you hidden Shigeru Mitani?!"
"Shigeru Mitani is no longer here," said a familiar face as he appeared out of nowhere. "He's crafty, but cautious in which there's no way you can go after him once he is set to return the true rulers of Alecrast to power."
"Iriniel… You show up here just to mock me. As for the cold spots that have appeared all over this planet, they're all fake just like the Alecrian royal family!"
"You're really talking out of your ass like always. As for the cold spots that have appeared all over this planet, they're not fake. It's karmic consequences for ignoring the signs that the oracles have spun even during times of war when your family and the other Houses lived off the fat while giving the other chieftains on this planet free rein. And yet you ignore the signs all around you in which in the threat of eternal winter is already set into motion."
"There is no eternal winter! It's all lies concocted by that Elven saboteur, Shigeru Mitani in his delusions of grandeur just to embarrass all of us!"
"It ain't all lies when Vanizia became a popsicle stand. It ain't all lies when cold spots continue to ravage the planet. It ain't all lies when everyone is freezing their asses off because of believing your stupidity to the point of slitting the throats of oracles who were telling the truth. In the end of this shit, you've dug your own grave, Iago. There's no backing out of it now."
Iago unsheathed his sword as he was ready to cut Iriniel down to size. What he didn't expect was that the angel in cowboy clothing began to unleash his angelic aura as he was displaying it complete with the twelve wings that denoted his status as a Knight of Heaven. He wasn't about to let Iago slide as he was standing his ground in which he was there to remind him of what he had reaped what he sown, for this was just the tipping point for someone who was obsessed in stopping Shigeru in his tracks.
"You better listen to me clearly, Iago Arkhelios," he said as he was pulling out his revolver from his holster. "The time of the Four Stewards is over. There's no going back in which you can't hold onto power forever. Sooner or later, the true ruler of this planet will reign in which he will be accompanied by a pair of silver dragons. There's no going back on it and you can't bring a butcher knife to a gunfight, either. The reign of the Four Stewards is coming to and end and don't you forget it!"
Iriniel left without a trace as Iago was left fuming the moment he heard those words. In the end of this encounter, he ended up doubling down to keeping a stranglehold on power as he refused to believe the words of an angel. When the train arrived, he got on board as he was on his way back to the capital in which he also refused to cave into pressure to relinquish power. He wasn't about to let the prophecy and threat of eternal winter deter him as he sat down in one of the compartments. What he didn't expect was that there was an influx of refugees coming in which they were fleeing the ravages from the bitter cold. For years, his family had reigned over Alecrast as they also had to keep the peace while the Order of Letters had their purpose to protect the innocent and stave off possible threats. In the end of this, Iago viewed the Order to be a massive headache as he also obsessed in eradicating what was left of the Alecrian royal family, for he wasn't about to go down without a fight yet…
Dean was sitting on the dock near the harbor as he was staring at the ships that were coming and going. He was still concerned about the turn of events as he was still grappling about what was going on. Even though he missed Ravenna, who was on Skald Island, he didn't want to risk bringing her to Alecrast due to her pregnancy as she had to stay put for now. When he got up, he turned around as he noticed me standing in front of him as I didn't want him to fall off the rails in which I had high hopes for him in this crucial time.
"Looks like I can't catch a break, can I?" he said to me.
"No…," I said. "In the end of this mess, we mainly have this 'us versus them' mentality when it comes to us getting caught in the middle of a battle."
"Even though I never wanted to be Emperor, I don't have a say nor will I end up backing out 'cause of the fact that the cold spots on our planet won't stop until winter covers everything. I read the ledger, Sam. I know that Shigeru's been busy, but he can't do this crap alone, not by a long shot."
"I know… He's held his own so far, but he'll get his backup once we get home."
"Not so fast," said Reuben as he was standing behind me. "As I recall, you're still recovering from a caesarian section a month ago. You're not going back on the battlefield right now."
"Guilty as charged… Still, I've recovered, but I also have to put my duty as an Elder of the Order first."
"That's not it, Sam. Just because you gave birth the second time, doesn't mean that you're off the hook. Yes, your raw power healed you so that no visible scars show, but there's also a factor of you tearing open without warning. Also, House Arkhelios has issued a strict order on those who are travelling either by ship or using the room with the red rubber ball. If they even catch you, they will kill you in which there's no escaping them. Iago and Desdemona are dangerous in which they will even kill innocent bystanders just to pursue their target. I know that you want to help in restoring us to the throne, but House Arkhelios is the most volatile of the Four and the most dangerous. Still, you can offer your support, but only if you stick to your furlough, are we good?"
I reluctantly agreed with Reuben as I was sidelined once again. Still, I had to recover after what happened to me on the Sol-3 four years ago in which I had to be careful about my overall health. When I went back into the villa, I noticed another letter on the floor as I picked it up and opened it. At first, I was expecting another letter from Shigeru as I noticed it from Phyllis as it was a message that I had to read first, for she was mainly targeted by anyone who would see her as a threat.
Sam (It read),
I must tell you that there's been some problems all over Alecrast. The Four Stewards have been cracking down on resistance activity in which they even placed a bounty on Shigeru's head. Even though the usurpers are still scrambling to maintain power, they continue to ignore the constant omens that have occurred on Alecrast. Returning Dean to be the rightful heir to the throne is risky, but he must be kept safe in which I have heard about what the Zenith Vectors were doing. I also know is that what's left of House Maitland have recruited them as their attack dogs in which they nearly killed Shigeru and Airi on their way to Tiburon. For the record, all of the opposition is laying low right now, for this isn't over yet. I also have to make sure that you're kept safe after telling you about the death warrant towards you. The Four Stewards are slowly slipping from power, but they're resorting to dirty tactics to keep everyone trapped on Alecrast. No matter how high we reach or low we go, no one is safe from the gaze of the Stewards. Please, be on your guard, for House Arkhelios has no mercy for those who speak against them.
Sincerely,
Phyllis Schacter.
I was alarmed at what was read in the letter as I had to tread lightly. I was also fearing for Shigeru's safety as I wanted to go back to Alecrast and offer my aid in the resistance. Still, I was deadlocked and forced to stay in my furlough as I was desperate to help everyone who needed me the most. When I left back outside, I decided to take a walk as I had to clear my head for a bit. When I walked towards the canal, I sat down on the steps as I began to worry further about Shigeru's safety. I was also praying that he would hide further as I also didn't want him to fail his mission, for he had to do his part in restoring the Alecrian royal family to power. When I decided to walk further along the nature trail, I was admiring some of the fruits and flowers that made their way here as I saw some bees flying over to where they were in order to pollinate. I also saw some of the honey boxes where the bees often congregated as they were a place where they store what they pollinated. I was also glad to see the honey boxes being managed by some of the beekeepers as it was done under warm weather instead of the bitter cold on Gehenna, for I admired how everything was done here.
When I reached the end of the nature trail, I found myself outside of the village as I entered into an old battlefield that had the scars of war all over it. What I noticed was a memorial plaque as it was placed near the battlefield in which I also saw some flowers planted near it. When I saw the words, "In memory of the people we lost here," in gold letters, I knew of it to be a memorial of whoever lost their lives in the war between the Oranges and the Blues all those years ago. Just as I was about to pay my respects, I turned around and noticed a suspicious man dressed up in prairie clothing in the form of a long shirt, trousers, plain shoes, and a vest. He meant business as he was eager to either talk with me or kidnap me, for he was more than likely to be there with his own agenda.
"Sam Winchester in the flesh," he said as he stood firm.
"Whoever you are, you can't come here unannounced without Lyra knowing," I said.
"You don't know what I am, do you?" The man's eyes flash briefly as he was there to do some damage towards me. "My master, Ailnoth, once demanded an audience with you in which he was denied the fight with Cain, only to be cut down by some of your friends when the war still raged."
"What happened to Ailnoth?"
"He was cut down by that cunt! She had that spear in her hands in which she found and used it on him when Crowley became human again, only to accept his own fate."
"What are you talking about?"
"Does the name Valerie Stevenson ring a bell?! It was she who killed him when you went into hiding! What a waste!"
Without warning, I heard the sound of a dragon roaring as I noticed it flying towards me. I also noticed the demon fleeing its host for another day as he ran away after he ended up soiling himself. The sight of my savior landing near the clearing where the memorial was gave me a bit of a relief as I was at the mercy of it in the long run. The dragon itself was a female as she also sporting silver tips on its horns and ears. At that moment, I saw the dragon sniffing at me as she nudged me gently, for she knew who I was.
"You must've scared off that demon," I said as the dragon roared loudly. "At least I'll get back to the villa."
The dragon roared furiously as she was not having it.
"Sorry, but I get too depressed being in the same place. Still, whoever you are, you also have a way with scolding people who don't fall in line." I see the dragon carefully picking me up with her talons as she flew away from the memorial. "The view on Valinor is much more beautiful when you see what's below."
The dragon fled away in the clouds as she sensed a ship approaching from space. She had to take me somewhere until she saw the ship itself coming towards the harbor in the village. At that moment, the dragon lost her grip as I fell farther into the ground in which she had to catch me. What she didn't expect was that the dragon that saved Dean emerged from the cloud I ran into the moment she saw him, for she knew of what he was, for I was that creature in silver scales. The female dragon scolded me in which she was worried that I wouldn't have made it after being startled by that ship earlier. In the end of it all, we flew all over the sky until we landed near the canal, for we sat down and took a brief after that…
Shigeru was hiding incognito as he was seeing the increased patrols coming from the Four Stewards in order to flush him out. He had to tread warily as he saw some of the troops treading into Tiburon without a moment's hesitation. Dressed in his cloak and mask, he had to get out quickly as he was about to make a break for the train station. Just as he was about to do so, he saw some people staring at the large television screen next to the bench as they noticed a pair of dragons flying over Valinor. He remembered that pair as he never forgot how they saved him from getting killed by the Zenith Vectors a week ago. What he also sensed was that the two dragons looked similar to me and Reiko as they bore a striking resemblance to us, for the silver dragons have ended up making the headlines twice.
"A recent report states that a pair of silver dragons were last spotted on Valinor earlier this afternoon," said a newscaster on screen. "Sources have confirmed that the two silver dragons, both male and female, were the same ones who averted a terrorist attack from the Zenith Vectors on Alecrast where they destroyed the bridge near the village of Tiburon. Experts gather to say that their presence is a sign from the gods in which they were also part of a prophecy to propel the ousted Alecrian Emperor back to the throne. There will be more to come on this story…"
Shigeru never expected to see such coverage of the two silver dragons before as they were they typical "hot off the presses" material that appeared more like cryptids than superstars. He also knew the true identities of what they were as he also didn't want to give away too many details at this time, for it was personal for him. When he saw the train coming, he got onto it as he was on his way back to Kanto Village. What he didn't expect was that there were few retainers from the Stewards on the train as he had to hide in the storage car where multiple suitcases and goods were being stored in. Even though he was hiding in the distance, he also didn't want to draw suspicion as he had to steer clear from his pursuers. It was a risky move, but he had to steer clear of the Stewards' retainers in which no one would go back to the storage car due to it being restricted to the public, for he had to tread warily before being caught.
"Keep searching, asshat; you'll never find me on this train," he said to himself.
Shigeru was safe in the crates and suitcases as he was keeping his distance from the chaos that was on the train. When he was sitting comfortably, he was on high alert as he heard footsteps approaching. When he peeked through the crevice of the boxes, he noticed a figure dressed in a cloak standing there without a head. Just as he was about to keep his distance a little further, he saw the figure coming towards him as it drew out its sword until it stopped while shrieking, but what happened, exactly? By the time Shigeru got out of his hiding place, he noticed the figure turned to ashes as he never expected it to vanish until he drew out his sword and opened up the crate and saw the gold boullion that was stacked like chocolate bars wrapped in foil. When he sealed up the crate, he returned to his hiding place as he processed what he noticed earlier, for he couldn't wait to tell the tale when he reached Kanto Village.
"It had to be a dullahan without a horse," he said to himself.
It wasn't long until he heard more footsteps approaching in which he had to stay alert while hiding in the shadows. He spotted someone who was looking into the various crates and suitcases that were in there as he didn't want anyone to blow his cover. Even though he kept himself hidden, whoever was in the storage car kept searching for him until he ended up getting caught, for he was facing off against his pursuer in the worst way.
"Okay, asshat; there's no point in hiding forever," he said as he unsheathed the Diamond Cutter.
"You shouldn't jump to conclusions so readily, Shigeru," said his pursuer as it was none other than an Orcress. "Didn't Ralph tell you not to kick the hornet's nest too much?"
"Audrey Kithrizak née Farragut… It's been a while…"
"You got half the planet looking for your sorry ass and what's even worse was when Iago put a bounty on your head."
"Iago's been on a power trip ever since everyone kept telling him that he needed to relinquish power to the rightful heirs of Alecrast or else the eternal winter will take over and not stopping."
"I just had to usher your pursuers off this train while hunting for a dullahan, only for it to be dead from its own folly."
"According to the lore, a dullahan is weak against gold."
"It's also weak against water." Shigeru stares at Audrey as he was puzzled by what she told him earlier. "What? Didn't you read about Sleepy Hollow where the Headless Horseman chases Ichabod Crane to the bridge where he couldn't cross?"
"I've seen The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad way too many times in which I threatened to destroy it until I ended up getting a cease and desist order from Gramps before taking it to the Universal Library on Essos."
"Most dullahans often ride on horses and motorcycles, but they can't cross a bridge with them because of the fact that water is a conduit that keeps them trapped. As for the train we're on, it's in the underwater tunnel that leads to the continent where Kanto Village is."
"I just hope that Iago doesn't go apeshit on the townsfolk there… We all know that the bastard is dangerous in which he throws a tantrum if he can't get what he wants. Still, I'm hoping that the rest of the Winchesters come back here so that they can put the Four Stewards in their place."
Shigeru was looking out the small window as he saw the fixture that was underwater. Even though he was on his way to Kanto Village, he also had to remain incognito for his next sabotage as he wasn't done with the Four Stewards yet, for they refused to share nor relinquish power on Alecrast just yet…
I woke up as I didn't have any clothes on in which I noticed Reiko laying beside me. Sitting up, I had to assess what was going on as I had to find my clothes before being exposed as a nudist. By the time I was on my feet, I noticed some silver dragon scales on the ground as I saw Reiko getting up in which she was aware of what was going on in which we had to find something to put on in which we decided to hide in the top part of the canal while the weather was getting hot. Both of us never expected to be here of all places as we had to lay low until nightfall, for we were in a very huge pickle indeed.
"This is embarrassing for us," I said.
"It's because that we became dragons, Sammy," said Reiko.
"We know this too well, but there's a side effect of not remembering how we became dragons."
"It's strange that we change, but we should also be made to remember and not keep everyone in the dark about this."
"Attention, nudists!" said a familiar face as he was holding a bullhorn. "If you're wanting to know more about changing into dragons, then you better get dressed and follow me!"
It was Gabriel as he was there on business in which he was also in on our secret. When we stepped out of the canal, we found some robes as we put them on the moment we followed the wayward archangel to the secret that was in the waterfall. When we went inside, we were ready to hear what Gabriel had to say as he was more than likely to be keeping us out of the loop of the public, for this was a very crucial matter that had to be discussed privately. I couldn't argue with an archangel as I had to know a lot more about mine and Reiko's role as the silver dragons that were tossed into the prophecy, for it was about to get a little bit more complicated than normal. From what I noticed about Gabriel himself, he was dressed in a Hawaiian t-shirt and board shorts, but he was met with a facial scar on the left side of his face in which he faced battle, for he was on the same level as us when it came to dealing with our foes since the war ended.
"It's been a while," I said.
"It is, but there's a reason why you and Lady Reiko change into dragons. It's 'cause of the fact that you sense danger on all planets, including Alecrast," said Gabriel
"You're hurt," said Reiko as she noticed the scar on his face.
"It's just a scratch all 'cause I had to deal with Desdemona and her rotten temper. The real reason? It concerns what I pilfered…" He fishes out a pair of lacy panties as he was also regretting what he did during our absence. "While I was in Isildur, I decided to go on a bit of a panty raid in which I had to grab a pair of what Desdemona had. I fled, but got a battle scar for my troubles."
"The panties you pilfered must've had something in them…"
"And here's what some of the spies within Isildur's walls revealed…"
Gabriel turned the pair of panties inside out as he fished out a thumbdrive that was hidden in the insert where the hygenical part was stitched in. When he gave it to me, I had to find something in the secret compartment to show it as I noticed a computer and screen the moment I inserted the thumbdrive and turned it on. What I didn't expect was that there was an image of the Alecrian Emperor and Empress tied up and bound as I noticed a man that happened to be the father of Iago and Desdemona. The man was intimidating as he had a gun in his hand in which he was willing to get rid of the two rulers, for he was more than likely to be performing an execution without pity or remorse.
"Emperor Henry and Empress Millicent," said the man as he was standing behind them. "You have been charged with fleecing from the needy, from the chieftains, and from the Order of Letters. Therefore, your time has ran out and we'll be going after your children next!"
"Leave them out of this!" pleaded the Empress. "They're innocent! They did nothing wrong!"
"From this day forward, I, Tybalt Arkhelios, will rule Alecrast along with the rest of my family, along with House Dunford, House Maitland, and House Grimaldi! No longer will your family be top dog, for we will take great care of everyone here. Therefore, you will be executed for your crimes."
"The public will never believe your lies," said the Emperor. "Sooner or later, you'll suffer a curse of eternal winter if you deny a Winchester the throne. You can't do this to us, for there will be a prophecy in the form of a god and goddess in the form of silver dragons that will ravage you for your sins!"
"No more Winchesters… No more royal blood!"
"No more Winchesters," both Iago and Desdemona said in unison. "No more royal blood!"
At that moment, Tybalt used his gun to kill both the Emperor and Empress execution style as their bodies fell to the floor. I was horrified at what I saw as I later noticed Ginryu bursting into the throne room to arrive too late, for he feared the worst that came to pass. When I saw Tybalt on screen getting ready to shoot at Ginryu, he stood his ground as he took the gun out of his hands, for he was horrified at what he witnessed.
"You have no idea what you've done, do you?" he said as he was shaking with anger and sorrow.
"Emperor Henry and Empress Millicent were a threat and they had to be weeded out!" yelled Tybalt as he was picking up his gun. "I did you a favor by liberating Alecrast from such a blight like them! As for their children, I will hunt them down and cut their throats!"
"You're not gonna do a fucking thing to them! They're safe in the Order's main headquarters here on this planet in which you won't lay a finger on them!"
"Then do us all a favor, Ginryu, don't bring up their true upbringing, for we, the Four Stewards, hold the keys to the kingdom, not you or the chieftains who live here."
"Then I'll keep them in which they won't know about their lineage. They will be part of the Order of Letters in which they'll be good soldiers, for they will do their best in protecting the Ashizoka System like the rest of us. As for your actions, there will be karmic retribution if the Alecrian royal family isn't restored to the throne."
I saw the screen turn off as I removed the thumbdrive in which I felt shaken at what I saw. Still, I had to show Dean this piece of evidence as I couldn't hold back the anger and sorrow I had, for this was too much for me. Even Reiko was horrified at what she saw as she feared House Arkhelios even further, for she also had to confront Ginryu about what happened all those years ago.
"The whole time, we've been kept in the dark by Ginryu, but he didn't want anything bad to happen to Dad or Aunt Henrietta," I said.
"Ginryu protected your dad and your aunt in which he raised them up to adulthood," said Gabriel.
"And they lost their lives protecting their children," said Reiko.
"You shouldn't take your anger out on him. When he failed to save the Emperor, he shielded your father and aunt from the pain all those years ago. He even told Tybalt about the karmic retribution if anyone with Winchester blood in their veins didn't restore the throne and look what happened."
"The threat of eternal winter is coming," I said. "It's the grim consequences that followed in which the Four Stewards have dug their own grave."
"We can stop the eternal winter," said Reiko. "We need to put Brother on the throne in which our friends are fighting against the the usurpers. We have hope for the future, for we should have more faith towards it."
We made our point as we had to make a crucial decision in which we would soon be going against the usurpers who ousted my grandparents from power under false accusations. Staring at the thumbdrive in my hands, I had to tell Dean eventually as he was more than likely to be ascending the throne without further delay this time. With the gauntlet thrown and the die cast onto the gaming table, there was a crucial battle ahead as the time for the usurpers were coming to an end, for the time to stave off the eternal winter was growing thin and not stopping…
To be continued...