Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 10
Chapter 29: A Risky Decision
(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 busy in the kitchen making breakfast as it consisted of the typical Peruvian tamales that were filled with fruit instead of meat. It was the usual song and dance for me as I was eager to do a little more, but was still trapped in the furlough just for safety reasons. By the time I finished helping out with the breakfast and had everyone fed, I heard a knock on the door as I rushed into the main hall the moment I opened it up. What I didn't expect was that Kagura was there as she was concerned about what was going on. She was also adamant into forcing me to aid the resistance in which the answer remained the same, for everyone would say no all the time.
"Good morning, Sam," she said to me. "It seems that I have a proposal for you."
"If it's about aiding the resistance on Alecrast, you'll see the same answer all the time," I said.
"I won't take no for an answer, Sam. Do you even know what the hell's going on over there? Cold spots rising everywhere, the Stewards still flexing their muscles on borrowed time, and terrorists causing widespread panic since the Second Galvanic Uprising?! My grandmother's homeworld is in chaos because you refuse to help!"
"Dean doesn't want me over there not because of my condition, but the Zenith Vectors hell-bent on stealing me just to find any form of leftover Draaza and Va'Kihri technology. There were even a pair of twins who look like me, but under protection from the Order in which one of them nearly died of sleep deprivation."
"I don't care! You may have that furlough protecting you, but I won't have it! I have relatives who live there on Alecrast and you turn your back on them?! I won't stand for this shit anymore! You either pull your weight or be made a social pariah for the rest of your life!"
"Sammy, what's going on?"
Reiko burst into the main hall as she saw Kagura not budging in which refused to leave. She had to make sure that I wouldn't be taken away as she also didn't want me to be taken by the Zenith Vectors, for they showed no mercy when it came to causing widespread terrorism. At that moment, I saw Kagura grab my long silver hair as she led me out of the villa the moment I was taken away towards the harbor. When Reiko followed us, she sprinted towards the dock as she didn't want me to be taken away so hastily, for she refused to allow me to be taken without consent.
"Give him back!" she cried.
"And have those related to my clan be pushed to the brink of extinction?! Not a chance!" cried Kagura defiantly. "Do you even know what happened at your homestead?! House Arkhelios razed it to the ground in which they also bear a grudge against the resistance! As soon as Sam gets there, his raw power will be the proverbial trump card just to get the drop on the Stewards and the Zenith Vectors! It's best to do so because of the fact that I won't sit by and let my relatives get picked off mercilessly!"
It wasn't long until Reiko was ready to put her foot down until she saw a young Half-Elf standing behind her in which he subdued her the moment I was hauled in a ship that was next to the dock. She was struggling to get me back as she saw Kagura go inside along with the Half-Elf who let her go just to follow her. By the time the ship took off, Reiko was distraught that Kagura would pull something like that as she feared the worst, for she had to tell someone about what happened earlier…
"She did what?!"
Lyra was angered by Kagura's misconduct as she was itching to tear a new on in her after what happened earlier this morning. She was not having it as she would soon rush over to the villa later just to find the back way to Alecrast where Kanto Village was located. When she left her sitting room, she saw Ellen making tea as she was also dealing with some letters that were brought to the Trujillo Clan's homestead, for they were urgent after all the ruckus that happened this morning.
"You're in a mode," she said.
"I can't believe that Kagura would pull something like that without knowing the consequences of her actions!" cried Lyra. "Yokose will be pissed at what she pulled when she finds out about her behavior!"
"She's also part of the Mitani Clan. After getting letters from Shigeru's forces, things have gotten ugly. Our home that was on Mitani land also took a hit just like what happened when Iago and his retainers rolled into town and ransacked everything."
It wasn't long until Yokose arrived with a letter in her hand as it was dated a week ago. When she showed it to Lyra, she became livid as she was angry at Kagura for what happened earlier. Still, there was nothing to do as everyone had to wait for the outcome to come to pass, for there was no use crying over spilled milk anytime soon.
"Kagura jumped the gun when the grim news hit home," said Yokose gravely.
"She had the gall to take Sam away back to Alecrast when most of the Order's higher-ups told her not to and look what happens," said Lyra.
"I told her not to do it, but she didn't want anything else bad to happen to my clan. She also believes that Sam should start pulling his weight in this battle against the Four Stewards or else eternal winter will reign all over the place, not just Alecrast."
"She's making a huge mistake," said Ellen. "Kagura may be impulsive, but everyone knows that Shigeru and his forces are calling the shots on ousting the Stewards on such a short notice. Still, we can't let Sam fall victim to both the Stewards and the Zenith Vectors. Let's hope to the gods that Reiko goes there to get him back…"
Everyone was hope for Reiko to come to my rescue as I would end up putting myself at risk. Still, everyone had to wait for the Review Board to arrive as they had to do something about Kagura's misconduct, for this went against both my furlough and the safety that I had…
I found myself in a brig as the only thing I had in there were a bed and a toilet in my cramped cell. The ship ride to Alecrast went smoothly as I was more than likely to be going there against my wishes. By the time I saw Kagura enter into the brig, she was handing me some Order of Letters clothing as she opened up the door and went into my cell, for she wasn't about to let me slide after what was going on. I didn't like being taken away from my usual spot as I was ready to formulate my escape plan, for I was also in for a very rude awakening in advance. When the ship landed, it was my way of leaving, but I would soon deal with what happened next in which it was about to be a long and freezing hell in the long run.
"So, how's the honeymoon suite?" she asked me.
"This goes against the Order's wishes," I said defiantly.
"'Goes against the Order's wishes?' Take a good look around you, Sam! My relatives have been fighting tooth and nail against the Stewards, but all you do is run away with your tail between your legs!"
"Kagura! We've landed in your grandmother's homestead!"
"It's showtime, so I suggest that you take off those country bumpkin clothes and put some real ones on!"
I reluctantly agreed as I took off my Sindar clothing and put on the Order's clothes in which I had to keep my long silver hair put up. When I followed Kagura out to the cargo hold, we landed in front of the Mitani Clan's homestead as I saw the damage of what happened to it. It was a complete mess as I rushed towards the main house the moment I went inside to see the damage that was in it. Even though the place had fond memories, they were all tainted when Iago and his retainers went in and damaged the place the moment I saw the mess that was everywhere. When I rushed towards the courtyard, I saw it to be heavily damaged as I noticed the koi pond filled with green algae while the bridge near it was taken out. I also found a broken go board on the floor as I saw the black and white tiles were spilled everywhere, for this was a place that became tarnished from the people who usurped the Alecrian royal family. It wasn't long until Kagura walked towards me as she was holding a broken shogi board in her hands, for she wasn't about to let me get away so readily.
"Do you see the damage now, Sam?!" she cried. "Do you now see how House Arkhelios would resort to such lows just to damage Grandmother's home?!"
"I can see it now…," I said as I saw the damage everywhere.
"This place took a beating in which everyone was wanting the Alecrian royal family to return, only to suffer far worse."
"Ippei and I used to play either go or shogi every time we trained… I know that he would roll in his grave if he saw this…"
CH-CH!
I turned around as I saw Jo armed with a shotgun in which she was on guard. She looked care-worn as she was dressed in battle armor in which she didn't want the rest of the homestead fall victim to the rest of the Stewards' forces. Even Kagura was concerned as she noticed the Half-Elf who subdued Reiko earlier arrive to assess the damage, for it was far too tragic to bear. I now knew about what happened to the Mitani Clan's homestead as this was something that I couldn't ignore, for this was also Ippei's home and Torune's before him.
"They ransacked everything," said Jo.
"Was it the Stewards?" I asked.
"It was more than just the Stewards… There were also those guys in spacesuits that were also combing the place, mainly for human survivors and not the rest of us who lived here."
"The Zenith Vectors…"
"They wanted to take me with them, but I refused. They said that they were here to 'rescue me' from the 'earmarker filth' who lived here."
"At least you resisted," said Kagura.
"I resisted, but I had to deal with a guy with prosthetics in which he wanted to take me until I kicked him in the balls. His suit makes him impervious to any attack, especially when it protects the private parts, but he never expected a kick to damage his pride."
I noticed Jo wringing her hands as she was shaking with fear. I had a gut feeling that something was wrong as I sensed that there was a problem here. When I walked towards the back entrance, I saw a bit of blood on the floor as I noticed that there was a scuffle here. I also noticed a knife on the floor as I picked it up to see it made from the usual metals to make it, along with some diamond dust that was mixed with it. When Jo entered into the back entrance, she took the knife from me as she was adamant on defending the homestead in which she also had to tell me something, for she was eager to protect herself from the chaos that came here.
"He tried to rape me here," she said.
"I can tell that you did more than just kick your attacker in the balls," I said.
"I heard him say that no blade, bullet, or arrow will penetrate what he wore until I cut his face up really bad. It wasn't long until Matsuo arrived before my attacker fled. He assessed the damage after he sent Mom and Ash away along with the many families who lived here."
"And I know who had the gall to violate women…"
I remembered Zbigniew clearly as he ended up losing both of his arms after he tried to kill Nibori during the attack on Skald Island. I also remembered how sadistic he was as he was wanted by the Stohessian Government for rape. When I went inside of the main house, I noticed more of the damage all over the place as I spotted a pregnancy test on the floor. Picking it up, I noticed the two familiar lines on it as I heard some loud sobbing in one of the bathrooms. When I rushed into where the sobbing came from, I saw Kizuri crying as she was devastated at what happened the moment she was searching for some pills in the medicine cabinet, for she was facing a dilemma that wasn't part of her plans.
"Kizuri?" I said as I saw her frantically searching for what she was looking for.
"Where's the miff?!" she cried.
"What's going on?"
"It was that freak with the prosthetic arms who raped me! I thought that it would go on forever until Jo slashed his face and wounded more than just his pride. He… violated me, Sam… He even compared me to Ruby and how she was tied to her bed when he violated her, but I'm stuck with what comes next."
"You're pregnant, aren't you?"
"Yes, but I won't keep it nor carry it to term. As soon as I find the miff, then I'll get this freak of nature out of me just to wound my rapist's pride even worse!"
It wasn't long until Kizuri found what she was looking for as I knew of it to be known as the miff or mifepristone. I didn't want to interfere as I saw Kizuri open up the fresh bottle of the abortefact the moment she took out one pill and a paper cup the moment she turned on the faucet in the sink. With the water filled into the cup, she was ready to get rid of what she had against her wishes as I left the bathroom to allow her to finish what she started. When I saw the Half-Elf sprint towards the bathroom, he opened up the door as he was ready to stop Kizuri until I intervened, for this wasn't our choice to interfere with her decision.
"Aren't you gonna stop her?" he asked as he was getting frustrated.
"It's her decision, not ours," I said as I closed the door behind me.
"She's making a mistake! If she does this, then she's spitting in the face of not only the King of the Grey Havens, but our ancestor as well!"
"Zbigniew raped and impregnated her in which she's eager to terminate what he implanted in her. All she is afraid of is that her child would end up like him in which the bastard has no empathy to anyone, especially women!"
"What about Jack Kline?! What about our ancestor, Torune Mitani?! They were denoted as freaks of nature in which they overcame every single obstacle by proving everyone wrong! Everyone had it in for the King of the Grey Havens since he was conceived by the man our ancestor took out! Torune also didn't have any love from his family when he was disowned and tossed out on the streets because of his appearance! I won't let Kizuri kill that child! If she does this, then she'll be infertile for the rest of her life!"
"Hyunwoo, what the hell's going on in there?!"
Kagura entered into the house as she heard a loud thud in the bathroom. When she burst in there, she saw Kizuri bleeding heavily as she noticed a mass on the floor. Horrified, she grabbed a small plastic bag as she scooped the mass into the it the moment I rushed in to care for Kizuri when I carried her out of there and into one of the vacant lounge rooms where I laid her down on the sofa with a towel between her legs. Still, I had to honor her wishes as she was also relieved that she got rid of what Zbigniew implanted, for it was a blow that would soon shatter his ego if we saw him again.
"I'm sorry that you had to see this, Sam," she said as she had tears in her eyes.
"It's not my place to interfere in your decision anyway in which your late grandfather told us to have boundaries set," I said.
"You're a murderer," said Hyunwoo as he entered into the lounge room. "You made a grave mistake by terminating what you bear in which you dishonor Torune and the King of the Grey Havens for your decision!"
"Be lenient towards her," said Jack as he appeared out of nowhere. "She did the right thing in which I also saw the future of what would happen if her child were brought into this world. It would've destroyed you and those among you in which I also never liked Zbigniew because of what he did with his cohorts on Skald Island. You and I can't make decisions for one who was forced to be carrying what goes against their wishes. We can't force our ideals on the vulnerable because of the fact that they can't juggle both unwanted pregnancy and their mental health on the side."
"I heard that both Sam and Minara were forced to carry their unborn to term and they turned out fine."
"I know, but the bastard who pulled this is rotting away in the slammer," I said. "You may think of it to be a double standard, but if a woman like Kizuri is left carrying a rapist's baby, it's her decision to get rid of it, not ours."
It wasn't long until members of the Medical Corps arrived to assess what was going on. When they saw Kizuri still reeling after she terminated her pregnancy, she was taken away on a stretcher as I was left with seeing what was still going on. When I was ready to search all over the main house, I was stopped by Jack as he was ready to take me back to the villa, for he didn't want me to be a target by both the Stewards and the Zenith Vectors.
"It's time to go, Sam," he said to me.
"I know…," I said.
"What the hell happened to the ship?!" cried Kagura as it was gone.
"I took it back to El Anillo del Fuego on Valinor in which I informed your grandmother about your misconduct," said Jack. "What you did was intolerable in which I also decided to bring you and your accomplice back to where you need to be."
Jack used his abilities to transport us back home to the villa as I was glad to be home, but the damage was already done the moment I saw Yokose standing in the main hall. She was ready to give Kagura and Hyunwoo a taste of their own medicine as they would soon face a far worse punishment in mind. Still, it wasn't my place to interfere as I was glad that I was home in which I saw Kagura and Hyunwoo dressing up in alicorn onesies while being forced to go outside, for it was the price for their interference when it came to forcing me to go against my wishes.
"I'm sorry that you had to see them dress as furries, Sam, but Yokose knows how to humiliate them," said Jack. "As for what happened to Kizuri, there was another reason why I didn't want her to carry her now aborted pregnancy to term."
"What are you talking about?" I asked.
"Kizuri has Tabata Syndrome in which if she carried that abomination to term, she would've died along with what she carried. Even though there's a vaccine for it, it'll take a while for Kizuri to receive it in which she won't be alone in such a plight."
"Minara would love that."
"Sammy!"
Reiko rushed towards me as she hugged me warmly. When I hugged back, I was glad to be home as I also had to tell her about what happened in the Mitani Clan's homestead, but not now, for I wanted to be having a little peace and quiet for the rest of the day…
Kagura was standing in front of a restaurant as she was dressed in her alicorn onesie while handing out flyers to some of the customers. Hyunwoo was also handing out flyers as he was also angry with the decision that Kizuri made in which he believed that all life was sacred. Still, both of them were in the doghouse as they were about to face stiff judgment, for they weren't about to wriggle out of their punishment after all that has happened.
"I warned you not to take Sam over there and look what you did," said a man as he was dressed in Medical Corps garb. "I'm a little disappointed in you, Hyunwoo… You shouldn't be butting in the decisions that a woman makes, especially when it comes to that bastard who violated her, but scared off by Jo. You think I didn't know about your shit, but Kizuri was also diagnosed with Tabata Syndrome in which she can't carry a child to term due to it ending up dead before taking its first breath."
"Kizuri committed a mortal sin, Dad," he said. "Everyone knows that all life is sacred from the smallest amoeba to the largest whale. We could've changed her mind first in which we would've nurtured what she had, but she decided to kill it anyway."
"You sound like those morons on Earth in which they say that a woman can't make a choice about her body, but when it comes to Tabata Syndrome, it's aggressive and won't stop until it mercilessly kills what is in there."
Hyunwoo was blindsided by what he heard from his father as he never expected to hear about Tabata Syndrome before until now. Still, the damage was already done as he was forced to pass out flyers while dressed in an alicorn onesie, for it was a fitting punishment that was there in front of both him and Kagura. When he saw her sweating from the impending heat, he noticed her passing out flyers until she fell to her knees, for she was being punished for trying to take me away from my furlough albeit putting me at risk at being targeted by both the Zenith Vectors and the Stewards.
"This job sucks," she said as she was felt sweaty in her alicorn suit.
"It's what you get for trying to disobey a direct order," said Yokose as she was standing in front of the restaurant. "Younhee told me everything in which he's also part of the Medical Corps, but you and Hyunwoo ended up jumping the gun."
"If you want to punish someone, then punish Kizuri," he said. "She committed a mortal sin by terminating her unborn child!"
"Zip it!" yelled Younhee as he was putting his foot down. "Kizuri needs sympathy and support, not to be chastised all the time. In a matter of speaking, I'm glad that she aborted what she had in which it's the coup de grace against the prick who raped a government official's daughter." He fishes out a purple ribbon as he shows it to Hyunwoo. "This was your mom's and do you know what happened to her? She was raped by the same bastard who gets his kicks by dominating the weaker species. Your grandma also misses her, but she also swore to castrate Zbigniew for what he did. I could never forget about what went down when I found your mother dead when she hung herself. Before you judge further, you should also show sympathy to those who suffer far worse trauma than the average man."
Yokose remembered that fateful day as she also had a grudge against Zbigniew in which she viewed him to be dangerous. Like Younhee, she also wanted to get rid of the member of the Zenith Vectors as he was twice as dangerous when he had his prosthetics after the Skald Island incident. When she left Kagura and Hyunwoo to resume their work, she went towards the villa as she saw me getting ready to go towards the canal for the day, for she wanted to tell me about how Zbigniew caused hell for her a lot longer before the Skald Island incident.
"You look busy," I said.
"I know that you went over to the Mitani Clan's homestead earlier, Sam," said Yokose.
"After what happened to Kizuri to the point of terminating her pregnancy, I have no sympathy for her rapist in which he nearly tried to kill Nibori."
"Kizuri wasn't Zbigniew's first victim… Ten years ago, I lost my daughter in which my son-in-law still wants to castrate her rapist for what happened."
"What happened?"
"My daughter, Haruko, Elder Yavanna rest her soul, was wed to Younhee and had four children together. One day, after coming home from work, Younhee saw Zbigniew standing in front of his home in which he was waiting for something. What he didn't expect was that the bastard burst in and raped Haruko while the kids were in school in which he nearly killed him with one of his surgical scalpels. Even though he scared him off, the damage was already done when Haruko found out that she was pregnant with her rapist's baby. She wanted to terminate it, but the clergy who lived near the Stauber Clan homestead forbade it because of the fact that it can be raised with love and care. It broke her beyond repair when Younhee found her hung in one of the storehouses in which he vowed to kill Zbigniew the next time he shows his ass there on my land."
"I'm so sorry for your loss…"
"I also swore vengeance against Zbigniew for raping Haruko to the point of driving her to taking her own life, but the worst happened when I tried to bury her with my late husband's family crypt. Yes, I salted and burned the remains, but I was forced to bury them on unconsecrated ground where I had to place them near a tree because of the fact that the Clergy refused to bury her when she took her own life. They said that suicide is a grave sin in which he or she automatically has their soul bound for Hell, but the King of the Grey Havens was lenient on Haruko in which he had a fate in store for Zbigniew the moment he crosses our path again."
I never knew about Yokose's plight before until now as I had a further hatred for Zbigniew for what he was: a man who has the gall to violate women without any shred of remorse or consequence. Still, I had to keep tabs on both the Zenith Vectors and the Stewards as they were a primal threat to us along with the threat of eternal winter looming. When I noticed Younhee coming towards me, he was kneeling as he also wanted to apologize for Hyunwoo's behavior, for he also wanted Zbigniew to fry for what he did ten years ago.
"I'd like to apologize for my son's behavior," he said.
"I already heard what happened to your late wife," I said. "I'm so sorry for your loss…"
"Don't worry about it. In the near future, you should stay cautious around Zbigniew, for the bastard knows how to rape any vulnerable women, whether out of spite or revenge. As for Kizuri, I hope to the gods that she lives and seeks out therapy after what that prick did. Justice is a double-edge sword when it comes to dealing with sex crimes, but what Zbigniew did was beyond the pale. I nearly killed him that day when my surgical knife met his carotid artery, but he lived another day. Sooner or later, his past discretions will bite him in the ass in which he'll get what's coming to him."
"And I'll be glad to see him fade away for what he did."
And yet, I had no sympathy for Zbigniew as I also wanted him to suffer the consequences of his actions. Still, I also had to be cautious as I had a gut feeling that he would find me and make my life a living hell after I used my raw power to blow his arms off during the Skald Island incident, for he was just as dangerous as his masters in the Zenith Vectors…
Later on in the evening, I was in my room after getting myself cleaned up earlier as I laid down in my bed in which I was deeply conflicted with what went down at the Mitani Clan's homestead on Alecrast. Even though I was forced to carry the quadruplets to term, I didn't regret it as I also had sympathy for Kizuri in her plight when she terminated what Zbigniew implanted in her. Sadly, women who go through trauma have it a lot worse than men as I also had to be mindful at what happened earlier, for we all have choices that impact our lives in the end.
"I heard about what happened to Kizuri," said Reiko as she entered into the room.
"Zbigniew was the one who raped her," I said as Reiko gasps in shock. "He also tried to rape Jo, but failed when she attacked him.
"Are Jo and Kizuri alright?"
"Jo is, but Kizuri had to terminate what she had in her after the homestead got ransacked."
"I'm so sorry about that..."
"In the end of this mess, she had her reasons to terminate what she had in which she also suffers from Tabata Syndrome. Still, the man who did this has his fate sealed by the one he did his worst on the most."
"Ruby…"
Reiko remembered the attack on Skald Island as she also sensed Ruby's plight due to her time in Helgaard Citadel on Efrafa. She also displayed sympathy for Kizuri as she was eager to reach out to her if she could. Still, she was concerned about what happened at the Mitani Clan's homestead as there was no end to the misery that has gripped Alecrast. I also felt sympathy for what happened after what I saw over there as the damage to it was more than just a besmirchment to Ippei's memory, but to those who lived in it.
"I saw the damage to the homestead," I said. "Both the Stewards and the Zenith Vectors had the gall to destroy what your clan built over the years in which your ancestor was the guiding light who even killed Lucifer centuries ago."
"I'm so sorry…" said Reiko.
"Your grandfather's memory should never be tarnished in such a way like that… I have the utmost respect for him, but seeing everything strewn all over the place was heartbreaking. The bastards who raided and destroyed it even broke the go and shogi boards that we played with. What's even worse is when Zbigniew and his Zenith Vector cronies arrive just to raid it."
"You're not the only one who's angry, Sam…"
I saw Ippei in spirit form as he was disappointed at what happened at the Mitani Clan's homestead. The very hurt I sensed was too much to bear as he was holding the broken shogi board that was found earlier. Still, he had to both warn me and keep me safe from the wrath of those who feared me as he also wanted justice for what happened at the homestead, for this injustice was far from over as we speak.
"Grandfather…," said Reiko as she was shocked to see him here.
"I saw what happened at our clan's homestead and it's not pretty," he said.
"The Stewards planned this attack and later the Zenith Vectors decide to send their best toadie to violate anyone who straggled at the place I trained at," I said.
"Zbigniew Przybiczak is a monster, Sam. He was born on Stohess during the Red Age, only to be indulged at birth to take what he wants. Everyone never saw what he truly was until his true colors were exposed when he raped a government official's daughter. After the Stohessian Emperor placed a bounty on his head, he fled to Efrafa where his 'expertise' was needed at Helgaard Citadel and the only way of getting it was to see vulnerable female patients tortured and raped. One in particular ended up escaping in which she was killed once during her involvement in the Elder Days."
"Something happened to Kizuri," said Reiko.
"I know… At least she's getting medical attention from some of Reuben's subordinates in Kanto Village, but she wasn't the only victim."
"Haruko was also a victim," I said. "Her widower even came close to killing Zbigniew with one of his surgical knives at the time, but the damage was already done. He even tried to kill Nibori on Skald Island until I used my raw power to blow his arms off, only to have prosthetics that give him an edge."
I saw Ippei break down as he was shedding tears in which he was powerless to defend his home. Still, he ended up seeing the damage that was done as he also vowed to have us seek justice for what happened. I also felt Ippei's pain as I also wanted to see justice done as both the Stewards and the Zenith Vectors were deemed threats, for our crusade against them was far from over.
"I swear to the gods that I will find and stop our enemies before they cause further harm," I said.
"What about your own safety?" asked Ippei. "You can't just compromise it after all that has happened."
"After what I saw, I can't sit by and let—"
"—Shigeru is still calling the shots, Sam," said Jack as he appeared out of nowhere. "He's also aware of the damage that occurred there."
"And once again, I've been sidelined…"
"Not exactly," said Reiko. "When I faced off against the Maladendrum in the university ruins, I heard your voice calling out to me. 'Don't give into fear, Reiko. You're better than this, for I have faith in you.' Those were the words that cut through the darkness in which I later shot an arrow to the moon to clear the crimson from haunting it. You're not alone in this, Sammy, for we must also be there to protect you from the Stewards and the ones who tried to pilfer you on Skald Island."
It wasn't long until I saw the compass and pocketwatch on the bed as I gathered them up in my hands. Looking at Reiko and again at both Jack and Ippei, I wasn't alone in this mess as I was also a walking target due to my raw power, for this wasn't over when it came to Shigeru still commanding the resistance to oust the Stewards. Still, I had to have hope and faith in what I had as I also wanted to seek justice for what happened at the Mitani Clan's homestead on Alecrast, for this was an injustice that had to be righted once and for all…
Shigeru was at the Mitani Clan's homestead as he was busy with the cleanup effort in which he was busy picking up where the Stewards attacked and the Zenith Vectors pilfered. With the fresh snow falling, the impending threat of eternal winter was looming as there wasn't much time to bring Dean to the throne in which the Stewards were also living on the days before their souls end up being taken away by hellhounds. When Shigeru went into the main house, he saw the damage that went beyond the pale as he went towards one of the bathrooms to see the mess that occurred. The news about Kizuri's pregnancy termination reached his ears as he also had to be cautious when it came to her rapist and his prosthetics, for he wanted justice for what happened at his home.
By the time he was ready to leave to one of his hideouts, he saw a courier give him a letter as he opened it up in which he saw it to be ominous. The letter itself was a black envelope as it had a Catholic Church motif on its seal as it was a summons to take Kizuri away, for it was a group that he loathed for a long time. He had a gut feeling that the Clergy would be ready to collect Kizuri to "teach her a lesson" as he despised them to the fullest, for they were the worst of all subgroups all over the galaxy.
"There's no way in hell that those morons will take Kizuri away!" he yelled.
"Shigeru," said Ginryu as he sprinted towards him. "I've hidden your sister away from the Clergy in which they'll be combing Alecrast for her after she terminated her pregnancy."
"I know who those asshats are 'cause Gramps and Aunt Yokose bear a grudge against them for their unsavory practices that go against the teachings of both the gods and the Terran God's Son. I know of this 'cause Younhee still wants to castrate the bastard who raped Haruko to the point of her killing herself."
"Sohn Younhee is one of the best surgeons in the Medical Corps, but he refuses to tolerate with rapists or religious zealots. As for Kizuri, she's safe on Germanicus in which Empress Agrippina refuses to deal with problematic men like our 'gentleman rapist with prosthetic arms.'"
"Sammy did blow his old arms off once, but he still has to watch his back when it comes to that asshat. Before joining the Zenith Vectors, he worked in Helgaard Citadel on Efrafa in which he felt great pleasure in raping vulnerable women."
"One of the vulnerable escaped and is determined to hunt down Zbigniew for what he did. Still, vengeance is a double-edged sword, but there's a bigger grave to the one who demands it."
Shigeru stares at a group of hooded figures approaching as they were combing for Kizuri's whereabouts. When they backed off at the sight of Ginryu, he was glad that they were gone as he was concerned about his sister's safety, for he also wanted justice for what happened at the homestead…
The next morning, I was up as I was making breakfast that consisted of pancakes with syrup. With the younger children fed and changed, I was on a roll as I was back to my usual routine the moment I was making sure that everyone was fed. By the time I got my own breakfast, I was at the dinner table as I was eating quickly just in time to do more chores afterwards. I was eager to do a lot more as I later finished up my breakfast and put my plate and fork in the sink before making my way to the sitting room, for it was my favorite spot in the villa. With plenty more letters that Shigeru sent, I started copying them in the ledger that was on the table as I also read them in which I was now aware of the Clergy, for they were combing for Kizuri, but to no avail.
"It seems that everyone hates the Clergy," I said as I finished copying the letter.
I heard the door open as I saw a courier standing there and give me another letter in which it came from Shigeru directly. Opening it up, I read it as I saw the displeasure that was in the letter the moment that the Clergy had the gall to show up at the Mitani Clan's homestead. When I was ready to copy the letter into the ledger, I saw Younhee sprinting into the sitting room as he took it from my hands and ripped it to shreds in which he doesn't want me to copy the displeasure of the Clergy, for they were the most dangerous subgroup that ever lived.
"I've read it already, for I would soon copy it afterwards," I said as I began to write in the ledger.
"You don't wanna mess with the Clergy, regardless of what anyone says about them," said Younhee cautiously. "Doing so will compromise the Order of Letters completely in which we can't go against them."
"From what those in the Order say, every letter must be recorded, especially when it comes from Shigeru."
"I'm telling you as a friend, Sam; don't write about the Clergy in that ledger or else they'll send their attack dogs on your ass and they don't relent!"
"What are you talking about?"
"The Clergy send their Templars to search for dissent amongst those who speak against them. I may bear a grudge against them, but I don't want anyone else to suffer from those clowns. What's even worse is that Zbigniew is under the protection of those bastards in which—"
"—Zbigniew's fate is already been sealed, whether by a vengeful loved one or one of his victims. As for the Clergy, they have no power over us in the Order, for I will write about the displeasure that Shigeru wrote in the letter you tore to shreds."
I began to copy from the memory of the letter as I had a sworn duty to record everything in the Order of Letters despite Younhee's protestations. Still, I also had a duty to when it came to answering to Shigeru's correspondence as I couldn't let anything else intimidate me at this moment, for I wasn't the only one who had a displeasure at those who hide problematic people on the sly. Like it or not, I had to keep a record of everything that went down as I was also a primal target by both the Zenith Vectors and the Stewards, for the time of eternal winter was already running out as we speak…
To be continued...