Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 10
Chapter 36: All the Stewards' Men
(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 one of his hideouts as he was preparing for a funeral pyre. The attack against Timothy was the last straw as he wasn't about to let the Stewards get away with what they did. The sight of the Marshall's corpse draped in a regal shroud after being salted and drenched in gasoline was tragic as he also wanted to offer condolences to some of his troops who defected after seeing the true colors and intentions that Iago and the other Stewards presented, for their actions have sped up the threat of eternal winter without warning. There wasn't much time left as Shigeru saw the fresh snow falling from the ground outside. He was also hoping that we would arrive in time as he was also making the final touches to the funeral pyre that was about to start. When he later noticed Gloria arriving, she was heavy with child as she was brought here by Ash to pay her last respects to Timothy, for she also felt the sting of his passing.
"It's been a real shit show out there," said Ash.
"At least we'll pay respects to the Marshall," said Shigeru as he was lighting a torch.
"We never saw this coming," said Gloria as she was shedding tears. "The Stewards won't stop until they root out those who are loyal to the royal family."
"And we're not budging until we flush out those asshats without having to become Puppy Chow 'cause Tybalt Arkhelios made a demon deal to stay in power all those years ago. We're not backing down until we up and flush out the sons-of-bitches from their hiding place in the capital."
"Iago's behavior has gotten worse! He's even killing some of his own comrades and retainers for their failure in trying to reel in the resistance."
"It's one big trap," said Ash. "We should also tread lightly if we're getting help from the rest of the Order and those in our ranks. We should also be aware of what's close to us. That's a mistake that my past self made when he lost his life at the hands of demons in the Elder Days…"
Shigeru had to step up his a-game as he was waiting patiently for help to touch down on Alecrast in which he also didn't want to lose anyone else that wanted the Stewards to be ousted from power. With the torch lit in his hand, he walked towards the funeral pyre as he set it alight in which he saw Timothy's shrouded corpse burning brightly while paying his respects to the fallen Marshall. Even Ash and Gloria were paying their final respects as they were also fearing the worst. The increased crackdowns from the retainers combing the planet for resistance fighters was getting more dangerous than ever imagined as time was running out for the usurpers. Still, Shigeru soldiered on as he also had to move forward, for he was wanting the Alecrian Emperor to emerge for the good of the people.
"Well, Marshall, it's been fun, but we're waiting for the big guns to arrive," he said as he prayed in front of the funeral pyre. "Don't worry…, we'll avenge your death and pop a cap in Iago's ass just for brownie points." He sees the fresh snow falling from outside as he was starting to get worried about what was going on. "Well, Sammy…, let's hope that you get your brother to the throne before it becomes like Narnia in a winter and never Christmas."
It wasn't long until Gloria felt a liquid dribbling down her legs as she started to feel the contractions that were gripping her. Shigeru and Ash were concerned about the health of both Gloria and the unborn child she was carrying in which they had to act quickly. When they brought her to one of the rooms in the hideout, they spotted Tomoko approaching as she was quick to handle the delivery the moment she was ready to welcome the new arrival in an already nearly freezing planet.
"We need to treat this gingerly," she said as she was dressed in her surgical garb. "It's been a whirlwind for Gloria to reconnect with Timothy during the war, but it's tragic that he ended up dead in an ambush, but we have to be careful when it comes to preparing for the worst before things go south very quick."
"Iago really knows how to be the king Karen of the castle," said Ash.
"I can feel the head coming!" cried Gloria as she was struggling to push.
"C'mon, we gotta pull our weight to deliver Timothy Jr. and fast!" yelled Shigeru.
And so, everyone rallied around Gloria as they were carefully making sure that she was okay the moment Tomoko grabbed a towel and began to spread her legs for delivery. Every second counted as Shigeru and Ash propped the expectant mother while she pushed diligently in which she felt the head coming out. When Tomoko gently pulled at it, she saw Gloria pushing out the rest as she heard a loud wail while cutting the umbilical cord and tying it up with her surgical scissors. The sound of the baby's cries filled the room of the hideout as Shigeru and Ash were grateful that the new arrival was safely delivered, for this was a small miracle that occurred amidst the chaos.
"It's a girl," said Tomoko as she wrapped the newborn in a swaddling blanket.
"Thank the gods," said Gloria as she was exhausted.
"She looks like the Marshall," said Ash as he heard the newborn wailing.
"As there isn't any more, we're good," said Shigeru as he was relieved to see the birth.
At that moment, Gloria felt another contraction as she started to push again. The pain in the labor was more excruciating than normal in which she began pushing with all her might. With the first newborn placed in a bassinet, Tomoko began to deliver another baby as she noticed the head carefully coming out between Gloria's legs. With one final push, the second baby was born as it was screaming with a healthy set of lungs in which Tomoko cut and tied the cord while wrapping it in a swaddling blanket, for this was the start of new life in the chaos that it was wrought.
"It's a boy," she said.
"Sounds like a Safeway deal; buy one, get one free," said Shigeru.
"If only Timothy were here," said Gloria as she was exhausted from giving birth.
"He may be gone, but we're not gonna let Iago and his goons trample on the rest of us. We'll avenge the Marshall and even let in the Scooby-Doo pack just to tear the rest of the Stewards a new one."
"It won't be easy," said Ash cautiously. "Hellhounds are fickle creatures, but they can also distort reality around those who skirt their contracts once they're up."
"We can worry about them later," said Tomoko as she set the other twin in the bassinet. "All we need to do is to focus on what really matters at this hour."
Shigeru walked towards the bassinet next to Gloria's bed as he saw the newborn twins that were mainly a Elves in a broad sense. The girl had Timothy's blond hair and blue eyes while the boy looked more like Gloria as they were delivered safely and unharmed. Still, he had a battle to fight as he was eagerly ready to oust the Stewards from power in which he was also dreading the threat of eternal winter coming, for it was a start to do more than just kicking ass and taking names…
I was in my quarters of the Thunderstruck as I was busy writing in my journal while looking out the window to see space and the stars going by. Even though it took us a while to prepare for our loved ones still living on Valinor, we weren't ready to bring them back to Alecrast yet as we also had to deal with the fallout once we reached the capital. When I saw Dean enter into my quarters, he was starting to feel homesick as he was missed Ravenna and the others living on Skald Island, but he didn't want them to be put at risk in this fight against the Stewards. Still, we had to get the led out as we warped to Alecrast through one of the tunnels in the Ashizoka System in which we were also bracing for further conflict coming, With only eight days left, we had to do our best to be prepared for the worst in which there was no turning back on the mission, for it was crucial to avert the freezing threat so far.
"It's been four years since we left Alecrast and we're going back home to a Rankin/Bass special," said Dean. "It's a shame that we didn't stay forever in Kanto Village…"
"I know that we should've taken the room with the red rubber ball, but we can't attract the attention of the Stewards due to it once being a loophole for them to come and go whenever they pleased," I said. "Yes, we're on the Thunderstruck, but at least we did something for Alecrast's new Emperor."
"What are you talking about?"
"I gave Merrick orders to bring your favorite vehicle into the cargo hold before we left. Besides, we can't fit it in the room with the red rubber ball anyway."
Dean rushed out of my quarters as he went straight towards the cargo hold right away. To his surprise, he saw the Impala as it was carefully brought here with great care. He was ready to go on the road with the car as he was ready to show it off once we reached the surface, but something in his gut told him that there was a rude awakening waiting for us. When he went towards the bridge, he saw Merrick stunned to see proximity mines near the Alecrian surface as they were mainly isolating the planet. He knew what the Stewards were doing as this wasn't their first attempt to isolate Alecrast from its neighbors, for the proximity mines were also illegal to put out there.
"I had a feeling that Iago would pull this shit," he said.
"Why did it had to be prox mines?" asked Dean as he saw them flashing on screen.
"They're scared, but isolating our people, Dean. As for what they're doing, proximity mines are banned by every single planetary government imaginable in which they've been responsible for countless disruptions of many things stemming from trade to tourism."
"We should blast the mines for good measure just to give the Stewards the middle finger."
"If we did that, then we'll end up getting blown to pieces. Proximity mines pack a punch that a single blast can reach more than just what's on the football field."
"Hey!" yelled a voice on speaker. "If you're getting this, then you should see that the mines in front of you are duds."
Dean saw a freighter parked near one of the proximity mines as he spotted someone in a spacesuit with a toolkit disabling one of them by taking out the explosive parts on screen. He never expected help from someone that was mainly disarming proximity mines. It was a glimmer of hope in the form of whoever was helping us reach Alecrian airspace. Even Merrick was impressed that the freighter ship was doing the disabling of the proximity mines as everything was smooth sailing, for this was a start to overthrowing Iago and the rest of the Stewards once and for all.
"Thanks for the assistance," he said.
"Much obliged," said the voice on speaker as the screen switched to the interior of the freighter to reveal the the one in the spacesuit. "Everyone knows that proximity mines are illegal and we can't let them be littered all over space." The mystery spacefarer took off the helmet as it was none other than a Draaza albino as he was glad that the worst was over. "It's a good thing that I've been hard at work dismantling prox mines and cleaning up space junk, but the Stewards won't let up until they stave off Alecrast's new Emperor."
"Syldris Kannovar…, ex-military turned junker," said Merrick. "I had a feeling that one of the deserters would show up and give us a helping hand."
"I've cleared the way so far, but the closest bet is in the port city of Vanizia in which it's more like a winter wonderland than a sunny tourist spot."
"We know," said Dean. "As for the Stewards, their time is almost up 'cause they've got the entire Scooby-Doo bunch still sniffing them out."
"You guys better buckle up because Iago's retainers are still sniffing out the resistance that Shigeru is leading. At least Ellen is safe for now, but Jo and Ash are still unaccounted for. I just hope to the Matriarch that they aren't dog food while in Isildur. As for what's been going on, this shit ain't pretty because of the fact that the Stewards are still bringing their attack dogs over to places where they don't belong."
"And we'll be here to remedy that 'cause we're touching down with more than just guns blazing."
"Good luck and be safe… May the Matriarch be with you…"
The screen switched back to the disarmed proximity mines as Merrick was ready to get the go-ahead into touching down on Alecrian soil for the first time in a while. Even though he was born on Alecrast, he wasn't about to let the Stewards get away with abusing their power in which the threat of eternal winter was already coming without mercy. Still, we had to brace ourselves with what was yet to come as there would be a very rude awakening coming in front of us, for our enemies weren't about to roll out the red carpet anytime soon…
Shigeru was busy chopping withered wood as he was making it for kindling for keeping warm near the hideout he was in. With only a few logs brought inside, he placed them near the woodstove as he placed two into it while the fire kept burning. The place itself was in a rotgut room near Vanizia as Shigeru saw the continuation of the fresh snow that covered the once warm tourist town, for this was just the start of the future woes that followed. With the threat of eternal winter still coming, there was no other places for warmth as most of Alecrast was nearly covered in snow due to the Stewards not relinquishing power to the Alecrian royal family as time was already running out. Shigeru was also concerned about the reduction of rations as he would soon hunt in the wild for some fresh game to feed Ash and the others in this time of hardship. Just as he was about to do so, he saw Ash burst into the room as he was beaming with joy, for a flicker of hope was about to begin so far.
"You gotta see this!" he cried.
"What the hell's going on?" asked Shigeru.
"It's the Thunderstruck and it's on its way here as we speak!"
"You gotta be shitting me!"
Both Shigeru and Ash rushed outside of the hideout as they spotted the Thunderstruck touching down in Alecrian airspace. It was a glimmer of hope that Merrick and his crew would be here to help escort Dean to Isildur as the ship landed near the hideout in which it was also cloaking its signal from the presence of the Stewards. When Shigeru sprinted towards the cloaked ship, he noticed me emerging from the cargo as I was carefully driving the Impala out of it. He was glad that I was there as he never expected me to be here of all places, for this was the start of overthrowing the Stewards once and for all.
"You just had to show up, didn't you, Sammy?" he said as he saw me get out of the Impala.
"I can't just sit on the sidelines forever," I said.
"On a personal note, I heard from Sis that the rest of your family are living at the villa in El Anillo del Fuego on Valinor in which the room with the red rubber ball ended up being disabled for now."
"It's best that the Stewards don't invade the village. Besides, House Arkhelios has been banned from coming there after what Iago did to Lyra."
"Just because Iago and Desdemona are banned from coming to Trujillo land on Valinor, doesn't mean that they can't find a loophole to invade it again," said Merrick as he stepped out of the ship and into the snowy ground. "Iago had a primal lust for Lyra in which she kept turning him down one time too many until he caught her off guard and raped her despite the fact that she refused to marry after Esteban's death. As for the fact that he kicked her into miscarrying, he nearly killed her until she was rescued by Bruce Mahoney and the rest of the Clover Brigade who saw him for what he was. As for what she carried, it did draw breath in which it was born with disabilities. Lyra was unconscious when she carried Iago's child, but she was forced to carry it to term by the same asshats that Yokose kicked out of her late husband's land."
"The Clergy…" My fists clenched hard as I remembered their scare tactics. "They simply enjoy making lives miserable under the guise of godly piety while they dine on the choice morsels that they take away from the needy."
"The baby that Lyra bore was a Half-Elf, but was shunned by the rest of the Trujillo Clan due to her being a product of rape. The only member of that clan happened to be none other than Miguel who refused to take her away to a halfway house in Kolinahr. He remembered what happened to the Dowager Empress Sayaka after her family disowned her for having to be treated for her cancer instead of focusing on the natural methods they immersed themselves in. He refused to have his half-sister be shunned in which he kept her safe and protected from the wrath of his clan and the horrendous misogyny of the bastard who sired her."
"Where is she now?"
"She's at a care facility, but has to spend her days in a wheelchair due to her being born a cripple. As for Daddy Dearest, he prefers male children, but unable to get it in which he doesn't want daughters due to the fact that the only woman in his family will always be Desdemona and no other. As for the rest of his power trip, his time is running out in which we have to get our asses to Isildur at once."
I was stunned to hear about Lyra's child still alive as I also had sympathy for what was going on. As for what I heard about Iago being the proverbial misogynist he was, he was more than likely to be taken down as his days in the palace were numbered, for we had a job to do in order to prevent the eternal winter from spreading…
Lyra was at her home as she was in her room rummaging through her things. She may have been widowed, she still refused to take another man in her bed as she looked at the portrait of Esteban that was hanging on the wall. The sight of his black hair and green eyes calmed her as she saw the portrait of him being dressed like a matador in a bullfight. Years after his passing, she still prayed in front of his picture as she remained widowed for the rest of her days, for she loved him more than anything. She also remembered the pain of what Iago put her through when she felt him ramming into her the moment he had her pinned down. The very trauma haunted her as she was left to carry his child, only for him to kick her to the point of miscarrying, for she wanted him gone like most of us who bore a grudge against House Arkhelios and the other Stewards.
When she left the room, she went towards the hallway as she spotted an Elf with black hair and green eyes coming towards her in which he was carting a Half-Elf in a wheelchair. She froze as she saw the very thing that was there as she wanted her gone, for she was a product of what she endured over the years. Anger flooded in her as she glared at the Half-Elf who was brought here in which she was ready to display her Nephilim abilities until the Elf stopped her at the last minute, for he didn't want her to go off the deep end.
"What the hell is she doing here?!" she cried.
"I couldn't bring her back to that halfway house in Kolinahr, Madre," said the Elf. "That place reminds me of what Sayaka went through before Todd rescued her."
"Look at her, Mauricio! She has Iago's hair and eyes! She should've been dead after her father kicked me! She is unworthy of both the care and love from me in which she should be put away like a stray dog being sent to the pound!"
"What would Padre say to you if you refuse to acknowledge the child that was forced to be into the world? What would the King of the Grey Havens say to you when he was also perceived to be a threat in the Elder Days? They would be disappointed in you when you and Padre spent your part in caring for the war orphans whose familias have been taken away from them in the war between the Oranges and the Blues! She's already broken, but she needs love and support, not to shunned for the rest of her life just to be reminded of how her father forced himself upon you!"
"Your Uncle Gonzalo wanted me to terminate her, but those horrible people in the Clergy believed that all life is sacred, even in cases of rape. I was literally forced to bear that scoundrel's child in which I lived with that shame. I was trapped with this unwanted burden until Iago saw me again in which he knew that I was bearing a girl, only to kick me. I almost lost my life in which Bruce and the rest of the Clover Brigade saved me from death. And yet, the reminder of my trauma is here in which—"
"You must swallow your pride and forgive your daughter, Lady Lyra."
Jack appeared out of nowhere as he was eager to put his foot down in which he also looked at the Half-Elf girl that Mauricio had carted into the homestead. Staring at Lyra, he wasn't about to let her off the hook as he also didn't want her to let the sun go down on her anger. Even though she was in the wrong, she had nothing but contempt for the Half-Elf in the wheelchair as she displayed no anger, but at the knitting needles and yarn in her hands. Lyra was ready to strike until Jack stopped her in which he refused to let her unleash her wrath, for he wanted her to have pity on the Half-Elf who was crippled all her life.
"Get out of my way, Jack!" she yelled.
"I won't let you hurt Shayla!" he yelled as he displayed his aura.
"She is a nuisance just like her father! I want her out of this homestead immediately!"
"Before you disown your disabled daughter, you should think about how your own mother disowned you and Liore. Are you willing to get rid of your daughter the same way when she is left broken and crippled? You can't repeat your mistakes that your mother did nor can you cause harm to what Iago sired. The child is not to blame here. As for her father, his fate is already sealed in which he will pay for his crimes and his palace on Alecrast can't hold him forever. You should also listen to Mauricio in which he displays the same kindness that Esteban once had. His gentle nature really does mirror that of your late husband's after all."
"No! This sniveling whelp is better off in an asylum in which having her here is a betrayal of Esteban's memory!"
"What would Esteban tell you if he saw you maltreating a cripple? It would make him sad to see you do that to Shayla in which she's not only crippled, but mute. She needs love and attention, not alienation and abandonment."
"Oh, I'll give her all the love and attention once I send her to Kolinahr where most of the shunned belong!"
"I'm giving you a warning, Lady Lyra. If you harm your daughter in any way, then I will have no other choice but to strip you of your Nephilim abilities and siphon your grace out of you if you don't comply. Your daughter wasn't the only one who was viewed as an abomination, for I was also deemed a threat before I was born until my benefactors taught me compassion instead of acting like my dark father."
Lyra looked at the Half-Elf as she had nothing but tears in her eyes. She noticed the girl's trembling hands clutching to the knitting needles she had as she was also unable to speak due to the disability that she had despite being a cripple. Still, Lyra was trying to harden her heart towards Shayla as she saw only a gentle heart than that of the man who forced her into the world through rape. In the final decision, she decided to spare the life of the child born of rape as she was already damaged since birth in which she also didn't want her Nephilim powers taken away from her, for she would've been just as bad as her own mother, Miriam. When she saw Mauricio wheel Shayla into one of the guest rooms, she followed them as she noticed the cripple stare at the Peruvian art that hung on the walls. When she left the room, she had her fists still clenched as she had no choice but to deal with the product that Iago sired. Still, she spared her crippled daughter's life as she was an innocent in all of this, but the man who sired her will end up getting his comeuppance, for his time was already running out during the threat of eternal winter looming.
"No… she isn't to blame…," she said to herself as she was shedding tears. "It's the father who will end up getting a taste of karma that's waiting for him…" She looks at another portrait of Esteban as he was dressed up in Peruvian clothing. "I know that I don't deserve forgiveness for what Iago did to me, but I had no choice but to have Shayla here in our home, my love…"
"The nina isn't to blame in all of this, mi amor," he said as he was in spirit form. "You may display all the wrath you have, but deep down, you have a big heart for caring for those who lost hope, only to gain it back. The man who violated you is a dangerous one in which he is still addicted to power, only for his hold of it starting to crumble. I know that you can give the broken child a better outcome than that of spending her days in either an asylum or in a convent. You may not change the outcome of your trauma, but you can heal from it. I may not be alive, but I won't let you allow the sun go down on your anger. You're better than this, for you can't hold onto your negativity forever. Por favor, mi amor..., don't let yourself fall into further harm..."
"If only you didn't die on the battlefield, my love… If only you were with me, but I still kept vigil with the portraits on our walls. And yet, I'm still a slave to the trauma that I've been forced to endure after what Iago did to me."
"Nonsense, my beautiful mariposa… You can move forward and not let the trauma get the better of you. As for the man who forced himself on you and begot the crippled Half-Elf that Mauricio brought here, he has a death warrant signed by the Queen of Hell in which she won't stop until she has her head. We all know that Iago will fall, for the new Alecrian Emperor will take the throne and restore Alecrast to its former glory."
"And I will be glad to see the bastard get his comeuppance in which he can't hide in his palace forever, for there are still hellhounds prowling all over it in Isildur. Iago will pay for his crimes and so will those who serve beneath him. That is his punishment in which he can't get away from the law forever."
"The King of the Grey Havens had documented the behavior of the scoundrel who violated you, for there will be justice in the form of the Alecrian Emperor reclaiming his throne. As for you, you should also focus on healing instead of being tethered by sadness and anger, for they are far worse than any weapon that anyone would have. I know that it's hard, but you're a lot stronger than you think, mariposa..."
It wasn't long until Esteban hugged Lyra as he would soon return to the Grey Havens in which he also had hope for the future. When she saw him depart, she began to shed tears as she also had to remain firm not to let the sun go down on her anger. When she went towards Shayla's room, she saw her knitting as she didn't display any form of wrath towards her in which she wasn't at fault for her existence, for the sire would soon see his own downfall catching up to him so far…
Dean stepped out of the Thunderstruck as he saw Vanizia for the first time in a while. The once sunny tourist spot had ended up becoming a frozen nightmare as the fresh snow continued to cover the cobblestone streets that adorned it. He felt a surge of anger flooding him as he would soon have a much better resolve in which Iago and his cronies had to go. This was more than just a stranglehold on power, but a way and mean to keep Alecrast under the thumb of the Stewards' whims as the threat of eternal winter was getting closer. He saw the various vehicles coming to not only to clear the falling snow, but to collect what was on the ground as it was now becoming a commodity to trade during these hard times, for it was too much to bear right now.
"This place used to be a good spot for a tropical getaway, but is now like something out of a Rankin/Bass special," he said. "At least Ravenna isn't here 'cause she needs to be safe at this time."
Without warning, Dean heard the sound of rambling footsteps coming as he changed into his diamond form. What he noticed was that there was a Wendigo approaching as its maw was dripping with blood while standing firm. He remembered the large one that attacked the fort as he had to put down his opponent until he saw an arrow tipped with fire pierce into its head the moment it began to burn in agony. The Wendigo was shrieking in pain as it felt the fire burning its entire body the moment it became a pile of ash. With the threat gone, Dean saw a familiar face that he never expected to see again the moment she was armed with her own weapons, for she was struggling to keep her family afloat in this frozen disaster.
"You just had to come back, didn't you, Dean?" she said as she was armed with her bow.
"Valerie?" he said as he noticed her. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"I've been busy after Rowena foisted Crowley on me when she changed him into a human. Times were tough, but I had to get through a lot just to keep my family safe in Kanto Village."
"So, you're the breadwinner while Crowley's the typical stay-at-home dad, right?"
Valerie clutched at her bow as she had tears running down her cheeks. She remembered the worst since the Second Galvanic Uprising started and ended as the years weren't too kind on her happiness in which she bore the full brunt of what was yet to come. Clutching at a pendant that had the Winchester Sigil etched into it, she had to tell Dean the truth about what Crowley was up to as it was also a sore spot to bear in which she had her fair share with dealing with the Stewards. She couldn't hold it in much longer as the truth was far more dangerous than any disease or illness imaginable.
"The man who became my husband is no longer with me," she said as Dean gasps in shock.
"What happened to him?" he asked.
"When Rowena changed him to being human again, he was fine at first until he began to show signs of illness. That was when he was rushed into the castle where the bulk of the Medical Corps lived at in which he was diagnosed with skin cancer. They were ready to give him chemotherapy, but he refused it in which he wanted to die on his own terms for all the villainy he concocted over the years. He thought of it as a swift punishment from the gods in which he ended his life once in the Elder Days. When he succumbed to his illness, he had no regrets in which the imprint of raw power on his body turned him into a chrysalis. When I buried him near Kripke Shrine, I continued to fight the good fight until the onset of winter made it difficult for anyone to survive here. If only the Stewards hadn't been slitting the throats of oracles and ransacking everything and everyone who spoke against them, we wouldn't be seeing all this snow right now. The cold spots have made it impossible for anyone to live here in which most of the food stuffs have to be rationed just to get by."
"And I'm here to end this reign of stupidity once and for all. The Stewards' rule since my grandfather's ouster may have given the chieftains who rule here free reign, but at a price with all the tithing and tax cuts just to have them living off the fat. For years, my family forgot about their royal legacy at the behest of Ginryu so we wouldn't end up getting killed, but when the war ended, the Stewards stepped up their a-game and tightened their grip on power while in denial of what's really going on."
"I know… I also heard about how Iago and Desdemona caused widespread havoc in both the Kingdom by the River and the Mitani Clan homestead in which they won't stop until they subdue the resistance. There's also another group causing terror in which their suits are impervious to projectiles and melee attacks."
"I know what they are 'cause their leader did away with Magda and ransacked the base in the Dabb Mountains on Shiganshina last year. Once I become Emperor, I'll sign a death warrant on all of them in which I'm not stopping until I cull the sons-of-bitches for not only wrecking the base, but for the terrorist attacks they caused and their failed attempt to steal Sam and ransack Skald Island. As for the suits they wear, they may be impervious to any attack, but they have a weakness in which they can be torn by diamond. We can win this battle. We should also have plenty of pride left just to give our enemies the middle finger as well. That's what we're here for, right?"
It wasn't long until Dean and Valerie saw a few more Wendigo emerging from the buildings that once adorned Vanizia as they were ready to strike. Both of them had to take out the monsters as they used their weapons to kill them the moment they rushed towards them. The swarm of Wendigo was too much until Shigeru stepped in and displayed his angelic aura in which the monsters ended up having their eyes melted out of their skulls. He was no stranger to hunting monsters as he was also ready to protect the future Emperor from harm, for his destiny was to overthrow the Stewards once and for all.
"This really is one hell of a shit show here," he said.
"At least you took out the monsters," said Dean.
"They'll be back," said Valerie as she saw the corpses on the snowy ground. "They always come back…"
"It's a sad shame that most of the people fled here when Old Man Winter decided to throw a party here…"
"That isn't it, Dean… When the cold spot hit this place, most of the people became encased in ice in which a few of them were desperate to thaw out their friends and loved ones. When they called the Stewards for help, they never lifted a finger in which they were eventually starving in which they ended up like this. When one resorts to cannibalism, others follow."
Without warning, a giant wendigo emerged as it was slowly approaching with hunger. Dean remembered the one he took out at the fort as he was ready to do so once again in which he had to uphold his duty as Alecrast's future Emperor. What he didn't expect was that the dragon who saved him from the Zenith Vectors appeared again as it picked up the giant Wendigo flew towards one of the jagged crags near the shore. When the dragon impaled the monster on the crag, it writhed in agony as it ended up bleeding out before it drew its final breath. Dean was astonished to see the dragon flying towards him as he was grateful that it stepped in an d saved the day, for he had an ally by his side to topple the Stewards with.
"Thanks for the save…," he said as he saw the dragon land in front of him.
The dragon stood firm as it nudged Dean gently. He was astonished to see backup in the form of what he noticed as he later saw the dragon shed its scales in which he noticed me exhausted from what happened earlier. When Merrick arrived, he saw the mess of dragon scales on the beach as he never expected me to turn into a dragon briefly until now, for this was a revelation that stunned everyone in this time of restoration.
"So, you're the dragon who pulled my ass out of the fire," said Dean as he saw me struggling to stand up. "I've seen far worse, but this literally takes the cake."
"I couldn't let you get killed, Dean," I said as I fell to my knees. "I… had to stop that Wendigo before it did more damage…" I see the dragon scales all over the beach as it was more than just a mess I made. "What's wrong with me? Why is this happening when I get a chance to protect you?"
"'And a dragon shaped in the form of Terran man will emerge to protect the Emperor in this darkest hour,'" said Merrick as he saw me surrounded by the dragon scales I shed. "This ain't a joke. This is what the oracles have been telling the Stewards for years and they've ignored it over and over again."
"And we all know what happened to them when those asshats sent in their attack dogs to slit their throats just to make a point," said Shigeru. "They're doing more than just being in denial mode, for they've been abusing their power for a long time right under our noses."
It wasn't long until we noticed the wintry scenery in Vanizia change back into its former glory as we noticed the snow melting. When we saw Valerie rush into the street, she saw some of the people encased in ice being thawed as they were relieved to see warmth returning to Vanizia as if a miracle happened. When I got to my feet, I saw the spirits of the ones who became Wendigo standing as I ushered them into the Grey Havens after what they went through, for they went through hell in the cold spot that uprooted them in the first place. Even though Vanizia was restored, the damage was everywhere as the buildings had to be rebuilt, for this was the bitter taste of what the Stewards neglected during their moment of denial.
"This place really needs to be cleaned up," said Merrick.
"And this is what the Stewards neglected while the cold spots kept coming," said Dean.
"'All the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't put Humpty together again…' This is a Humpty-Dumpty problem in a nutshell."
"What? You reading Mother Goose now?" said Shigeru.
"Humpty-Dumpty was an egg that loftily sat on top of his wall until one day, he fell and cracked onto the ground. I was simply grounded into books in which the nursery rhyme was a cautionary tale in which those who neglect or abuse their duties to the chieftains and civilians while indulging in their vices will see everything crack beneath them."
"'Humpty-Dumpty sat on a wall,'" I said as I was hobbling to where everyone else was. "'Humpty-Dumpty had a great fall. All the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't put Humpty together again.' It all fits into place now… Iago has nowhere to run now. That is why his rule is cracking in which what he inherited through tithing from the chieftains here on this planet along with the demon deal that his father made. It's crashing down on him in which all we need to do is to get to Isildur and topple what he and the Stewards have built. We have an edge here, for this is what we have to do right now..."
Without warning, I felt my head throbbing as I found myself in a vision in which I saw Iago standing in front of the throne with Desdemona by his side. What I also saw was the same horsemen clad in black standing in front of them as they were surrounded by the lingering snow that was coming while shielding them from the hellhounds that were coming towards them. It wasn't long until I saw the horsemen coming towards me as they surrounded me the moment I saw one of them looking at me, for he had choice words to say to me.
"Eternal winter reigns forever!"
I returned to reality as I felt concerned about what was yet to come. The vision worried me, but I wasn't afraid as I wiped the blood that trickled from my nose while standing my ground. When Dean and Shigeru noticed me walking towards the Impala, they saw me opening up the trunk as I was staring at the numerous weapons that were made for hunting monsters along with a few rare ones that were crafted by the weaponmakers of centuries past. We all had to pull our weight in this mission as the time to overthrow the Stewards has officially begun.
"We've got work to do," I said as I closed the trunk of the Impala.
To be continued...