Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I do NOT own anything from Supernatural! (Balls!)
A/N: Hello, everyone! I apologize profusely to all my readers for not updating anything for a long time. The reason for this is because I am currently 'rebooting' my "Smallville: The 'Lost' Son of Krypton" series, but I will still be continuing "Watching Arrow" quite soon. As this is my first Supernatural fanfic, I hope everyone will be civil when it comes to reviewing especially if you want me to continue this fanfic. This fanfic will serve as a method of getting me back into the game again of writing. Hope you enjoy it!
"It is my fault. All of this is my fault," Castiel anguished; as he watched his brothers and sisters fall from Heaven in what would seem like a breathtakingly beautiful meteor shower to the vast majority.
Castiel closed his eyes, for the recently angel-turned-human could no longer look at what he had done, despite it actually being mostly Metatron's crafty manipulation which lead to the fall of the angels.
(Castiel): But you had helped Metatron. Naomi was telling the truth, but you did not listen to her warning.
"What have I done?" Castiel murmured helplessly in his gravelly voice. "Father, I apologize for disappointing you once again."
The chilled breeze which suddenly blew through Castiel's hair managed to snap him out of his thoughts, mostly because of how its coolness caused Castiel to shiver involuntarily.
"I must locate Sam and Dean," Castiel stated with determination and began walking in what he assumed was the right direction to the 'batcave'.
However, after fifteen minutes of endless walking through some woods, Castiel realized that he was indeed lost. Plus, with the only sources of light being the falling angels and stars, Castiel could barely see where he was going which usually lead to him falling to the ground rather clumsily and scrapping his right knee.
"That… hurt," Castiel said with an indescribable mix of emotions written on his face, as he examined the tiny amount of blood ooze out of his cut knee while sitting on the ground. "Nonetheless, I must keep moving to the batcave."
Despite the stinging sensation in his knee, Castiel shakily stood up again and kept on moving forwards with a slight wobble here and there, while the night air seemed to drop several degrees as time went on.
"I-It's c-cold," Castiel shivered violently, although he still kept on walking, albeit at a gradually slowing pace, as it only got even colder.
In fact, what seemed like snow had seemed to start falling down onto the ground, much to Castiel's frustration, for the amount of snow falling rapidly intensified.
"S-Son of a b-b-bitch!" Castiel cursed with gritted teeth before collapsing onto his knees and into the thick snow as the wind speed picked up considerably. "Oomph!"
Castiel fell sideways with his arms outstretched, which inadvertently caused his stomach to growl and groan in hunger. At this moment in time, all the angel-turned-human could feel was the sensation of frostbite developing on his human skin, along with the feeling of intense hunger, and the undying thirst all threatening to overcome him. It only took a few seconds for Castiel to finally black out and see darkness...
... followed by an intense white light that seeped through Castiel's closed eyes, forcing him to squint and attempt to shield at least some of the light with his hand. Luckily for Castiel, the light seemed to gradually fade to the point where Castiel could open his eyes again albeit with extreme caution, since he now found himself in completely blank and eerie surroundings.
"Hello?"
Castiel braced himself for the pain of thirst, hunger, and potentially frostbite yet was pleasantly surprised to experience nothing terrible when he had stood up onto his steady feet. In fact, Castiel felt... whole again, as if his grace had returned to him. But how was that even possible?
"That's because it has, little brother – I restored it."
At being called 'little brother', Castiel whirled around to confront the mysterious voice and came face-to-face with what seemed to be an angel. Yet, as Castiel scrutinized the newcomer, he gasped in shock at how brightly and how unbelievably powerful the grace of the angel was, especially since it was much brighter than that of even Lucifer's grace.
In fact, Michael seemed to be the only angelic being with grace brighter and more powerful than what was obviously an Archangel standing a few feet away from Castiel.
"Who are you?" Castiel questioned carefully, knowing that he was talking to a powerful archangel judging by the being's unbelievably powerful grace.
"I am Uriel, Archangel of Repentance!" the powerful Archangel, Uriel, answered kindly to Castiel.
Unfortunately, this answer only seemed to confuse Castiel even more, for it was extremely clear in Heaven that there were only four archangels in existence - Michael, Lucifer, Raphael, and Gabriel - with the first two locked up in Lucifer's Cage, and the last two being deceased. Yet, despite it being "extremely" clear in Heaven, Castiel knew that this Uriel was definitely telling the truth.
"Where am I? Why have you brought me here?" Castiel interrogated while trying to sound threatening to the Archangel and reached for his angel blade, only to find that it was not with him.
"Relax, Castiel. You're not here for any malevolent purposes whatsoever," Uriel reassured him gently and then asked: "Do you ever wonder where demons, angels, and Archangels go when they die?"
Castiel furrowed his eyebrows in puzzlement at how the question - no matter how much it did indeed fascinate Castiel - had any relevance to the situation. Nonetheless, Castiel nodded slowly in order for Uriel to continue speaking.
"They all come here," Uriel said, motioning to their blank surroundings with a distant look in the Archangel's eyes. "This is our end, little brother, no matter how hard it seems to most of us."
At finding out the truth, Castiel's eyes widened once he realized that his presence within this enigma of an afterlife could mean.
"So... I am deceased?"
To Castiel's mixture of frustration and confusion, Uriel chuckled in response to Castiel's statement.
"Unfortunately for you; no, you're not," Uriel joked with a smirk, further perplexing Castiel in the process at an Archangel cracking a joke with him — a mere fledgingin comparison. "Come, walk with me."
All of a sudden, Castiel found himself in a calm, serene park with birds chirping happily in the distance, yet no-one was around to enjoy it except for the two angelic beings.
"It's wonderful, isn't it?" Uriel asked softly to Castiel, who could only nod in agreement, as they admired the greenery around them and enjoyed the feeling of warm sunshine. "Now, down to the business at hand."
Castiel noticed how the tranquil look on Uriel's face had been replaced by a much more serious facial expression, as he stared into the eyes of a battle-hardened war veteran who has experienced more than Castiel had in his lifetime.
"To answer your second question, I have brought you here for a task of utmost importance," Uriel explained, while they continued walking opposite each other down the smooth path and began to elaborate: "Despite the sins that you have committed, you have helped the Winchester brothers and many more in your path - doing more good than harm. It is for that reason why *sigh* Father and I believe that sending you to an alternate universe to aid another group of hunters is recommended."
After Uriel had finished, Castiel could not help but look at the Archangel with another bewildered facial expression at what had been suggested.
"No," Castiel said bluntly with a slight edge in his voice. "I will not leave Dean again. His trust in me has already been shaken one too many times in the past. Please, return me back to Earth."
Uriel sighed, for he had expected Castiel's answer from light-years away, but it still did not make the next part any easier for the Archangel.
"I am sorry, Castiel, but if you do not choose this once-in-a-lifetime offer, you will-"
"What will happen?" Castiel asked, yet he knew that the alternative would not be good. "Please, tell me."
"-be forced to stay here and will never be able to return to Earth."
Castiel's eyes widened in terror at the possibility, albeit not due to having to face all those he had killed (e.g. Raphael and Balthazar), but because of how it would mean leaving the Winchester Brothers forever - especially Dean.
"But there must be something-"
"No, there is nothing else," Uriel stated and then added with gritted teeth: "It is Father's word, and it cannot be disobeyed."
At this statement, Castiel's shoulders fell in disappointment, as he carefully thought on his decision and realized how Dean must have felt when Dean was conflicted about saying 'yes' to becoming Michael's vessel. It was after what seemed like centuries, when Uriel stopped walking down the path and also halted Castiel.
"I want you to meet someone special," Uriel told him with a grin which seemed too human to be on the Archangel's face. "Although, I must warn you that she's shy and is easily frightened by strangers – so stay behind me."
The two angelic beings trudged up to the top of a grassy hill where a young, blonde woman wearing a beautiful white Summer dress kneeled on a chequered picnic blanket with a picnic basket placed in the center. As Castiel approached the woman alongside Uriel, the seraph's eyes widened when he noticed how horribly scarred the woman was – especially across her face. However, despite the numerous scars, Castiel almost immediately recognized the woman, just as the woman stared at Castiel with sudden recognition.
"Lilith!" Castiel growled and got into a battle-ready stance, while also wishing that he still had his angel blade.
Unexpectedly, this outburst caused Lilith to squeak in fright, before Uriel rushed over and shielded her in a protective stance. Castiel stared with a mixture of puzzlement and intrigue at the badly-scarred and cowering Lilith, who seemed so vulnerable and frightened of him!
"Lilith is fine, Castiel!" Uriel specified clearly with a hard look, before the Archangel turned around to face the suddenly crying Lilith with a much softer, practically loving gaze.
"I won't let him or anyone else harm you, my darling. I promise."
Uriel enveloped Lilith in a comforting hug, as Lilith sobbed gently on Uriel's shoulder and opened herself up emotionally. Meanwhile, Castiel was standing awkwardly as the pair hugged each other, until Castiel cleared his throat albeit a little too loudly.
"I'm confused," Castiel remarked while watching Uriel discreetly put Lilith to sleep and carefully putting her onto the picnic blanket. "Why is Lilith-?"
"-acting strangely?" Uriel sighed, for he understood Castiel's confusion, and so he began explaining: "She is damaged, little brother – like all demons are when they 'die' and come here. The scars are only the physical evidence of the damage, although they can fade given time and patience, unlike some mental scars given by a certain Archangel in particular."
At this, Castiel furrowed his eyebrows at whom Uriel was referring to, when he realized the one who was responsible for Lilith's downfall.
"Lucifer."
"Indeed," Uriel laughed bitterly, as Castiel noticed a distant look on the Archangel's briefly pained face, before Uriel managed to mask it effortlessly. "Perhaps, I should start at the very beginning..."
Castiel suddenly found himself and Uriel standing in the middle of an almost empty library, with the only occupants being who he instantly recognized as Zachariah and the other 'fake' Uriel.
"OUT!" Uriel commanded with his grace flaring with incredible power to the other two angelic beings both of whom teleported out fearfully.
As soon as they were gone and far away from the library, Uriel's grace calmed down as a gentle smile formed on his lips.
"Why are we here?" Castiel questioned in curiosity, just as Uriel sat down on a chair and motioned for Castiel to sit.
"A library will always provide information to most of one's problems. A library can also tell the origins of practically any being in the Universe – including me."
Uriel snapped his fingers which made a reasonably thick and extremely worn-out book suddenly appear on the table in front of the two angelic beings. Castiel noticed how the title of the red book was simply 'The Fall' in fancy gold letters.
"I believe that it's always better for the one who wants to find out to read it themselves in order to fully immerse themselves into the story. Therefore, Castiel, you shall read without any interuptions until you have finished."
The urging look that Uriel was giving Castiel prompted the seraph to open onto the first page and cautiously begin reading.
"At the beginning of time and after the imprisonment of the Leviathans – God's first beasts – within Purgatory, God created the six Archangels of Heaven which He deemed more powerful than the Leviathans, in case of their escape from Purgatory. The six Archangels – Michael, Uriel, Lucifer, Raphael, Gabriel and Zadkiel. These Archangels were soon followed by the creation of the seraphs, angels and cherubs who, although much less powerful and important, were all equally loved by Father.
It seemed as if the peace in Heaven would last indefinitely, but it was not meant to be. The creation of His favourite – Humanity – flared rebellion amongst the Host of Heaven, especially due to Lucifer's claim of humanity being "murderous" and "not worthy of their Father's love".
Of course, this defiance within Lucifer lead to conflict and arguments between the Archangels, with Michael – Heaven's Greatest Warrior – staying loyal to their Father. Meanwhile, Uriel – Heaven's Best Strategist – became intrigued with humanity and went down to Earth in order to see if what Lucifer had said was the truth. At first, it seemed [to Uriel] that Lucifer was indeed right about humanity, for he was greeted with nothing but hatred and fear. Yet, it was a young woman who allowed Uriel to witness the truth about humanity. The woman was called Lilith. It was when gazing into Lilith's soul, as well as many others introduced by Lilith, did Uriel see humanity's potential for great good. Of course, Uriel also did see their potential for great evil, but he viewed that their goodness outweighed their evil.
Uriel lived among humanity for years and had fallen in love with Lilith, as well as the majority of humanity. Unfortunately, Heaven was in complete disarray and getting worse to the point where Gabriel and Raphael had both left, and Lucifer had been cast out by Michael on His orders – leading to a battle which led to the death of Zadliek. This had obviously infuriated Lucifer to the point where the archangel did something which earned him the fate of being imprisoned within a cage created by God in the depths of Hell: Twisting a human soul into the first demon.
The human soul that was twisted belonged to Lilith, causing much anguish to Uriel, who swore vegeance on Lucifer. Even worse, God had refused to heal Lilith's soul. In his grief, Uriel exiled himself to the realm where angels, Archangels, and now demons, die as the 'Archangel of Repentance'. The archangel now waits for the day when the fated battle between Michael and Lucifer would take place to plan his revenge."
Once he had finished reading, Castiel closed the book with the utmost care before it disappeared all of a sudden from his hands.
"That was... very informative."
"Now, you see why I want-need your help," Uriel pleaded to Castiel. "Not only will history practically repeat itself in the other Universe, I also need your help to save the woman I love from living an eternity in this place. Please, Castiel."
"I will have to think about it," Castiel frowned in deep thought, as Uriel nodded sadly but also with understanding.
(Castiel): What should I do?
A/N: So, what should Castiel decide to do? If you want to read more, do not forget to post a review. Thanks and peace-out! [fluttering of wings]
