Castiel, Uriel and Israfil move swiftly after leaving the house of Abraham. They had not been privy to God's discussion with the great Forefather, but had been issued with the order to scour Sodom and Gomorrah for ten righteous men. "And if ten righteous men cannot be found, we burn that abomination to the ground and salt the earth so that nothing may grow there," Uriel had said with spiteful glee.
Castiel had remained silent. While he had no doubt that their orders were just, inwardly he felt a pang of pity so slight, he almost missed it. Castiel barely gave it a thought though, as he squared the shoulders of his vessel and, along with Uriel and Israfil, landed with a brief flutter at the entrance to the city. Castiel was born a warrior, his brothers and sisters the same. And they had a job to do.
Uriel's eyes flickered up to the sky as he received revelation. "We are to seek out the Forefather's cousin, Lot of Sodom, and lodge with him tonight."
Israfil nodded at his brother's words, "Let us go, brothers, the hour is late and we will not stand too formal on the hospitality of these mud-monkeys. There are not two righteous men in this city, let alone ten. We will make short work of this and return to the garrison."
Lot had warmly welcomed the three angels, disguised as men, into his house. He offered them food and wine, which they picked at grudgingly. The hour grew later and later until Lot, with a stifled yawn, showed his guests to simple pallets in a corner of the house and bade them rest the night. The three angels prepared to lie down for the night, not to sleep, but to await further orders, when there came a loud banging on the wooden door of the house.
With an apologetic look at his guests, Lot moved to open the door. "Who goes there and disturbs this house at this hour of the night?"
A dull roar filled the house through the open door and a stocky, bearded man with a wine-red face leaned heavily on the doorframe. "Where are the men who came to you tonight?" he shouted, his voice slurring slightly, "They are strangers to this city. Bring them out to us, that we may know them…" the drunken man stumbled slightly and this elicited laughter from the others behind him. There were three other men also standing outside Lot's door, loud with drink.
Lot gave the man in his doorway a push, "Leave now, Habakkuk. You are a sot and a nuisance."
The bearded man shook his head as if to clear it, "Come now, Lot, you still owe me twenty shekels, don't think I've forgotten. And as you are indebted to me, you must honour my request!" Habbakuk spoke as if his tongue were too thick for his mouth.
Lot looked around at his guests, shamed. He looked down at the floor before returning his gaze to Habbakuk. "What you say is true, but I cannot have you dishonour my guests. Take my daughters tonight instead. They are pure and worth more to you. Do to them whatever you like."
Habbakuk looks serious for a moment, considering Lot's offer, before shaking his head and leering over Lot's shoulder at the three angels who had moved, noiselessly, to stand behind their host. "No," Habbakuk said, "I'd rather have them. Especially the dark haired one, he has the devil's own blue eyes." Habbakuk's gaze rested heavily on Castiel's vessel and he lunged at him, slamming Lot into doorframe as he charged past.
"Enough!" roared Uriel, stopping Habbakuk with a hand to the forehead. The stocky man cried out in pain and there was a flash of white light, and a scream. Uriel moved his hand away and Habbakuk fell to the ground, screaming.
"My eyes! I cannot see; he has burned out my eyes!"
Uriel's own gaze blazed with cold fury as he thrust his hand toward the door. The screams of the other men pierced the night, along with three identical flashes of light.
Castiel, recognising his brother's intent, grasped Lot's arm and spoke urgently, "Gather your family and leave this place, now! Leave, and on pain of death, do not return, do not even look back at this place of iniquity."
Lot nodded jerkily and ran off to collect his family. They would leave this place and never return.
"Now, brothers," Uriel's voice was deep with excitement, "we purify this desecration with brimstone and fire."
The twin cities burned that night. Lot did not spare a single glance, though he heard the screams of his neighbours, their children. His wife, utterly stricken by the sounds of slaughter, turned back to watch the carnage. And God punished her for her sympathy.
Castiel sat high above the city and watched. He ignored the speck of doubt, hid it in his grace like a speck of sand in an oyster. Castiel watched Sodom and Gomorrah burn to the ground, sinners and innocents alike, consumed by righteous fire.
In the background, Israfil's horn, the horn of judgment, carried over the cries of the fallen.