Author's note: extremely long oneshot
The Fear of God
Sam, Dean, and Castiel shuffled through newspapers in their shabby motel room. Dean threw one of his newspapers across the room.
"Was that completely necessary?" Sam asked.
"Completely," Dean responded, leaning back in his chair taking a gulp of his drink.
Castiel looked up at the brothers hesitantly.
"What, Cas?" Sam asked.
"I think I found something that you might be interested in," he responded in his normal gruff voice.
"What is it?" Dean said tipping his chair back to normal.
"In Leroy Michael's Academy there have been three murders on the boys' rugby and six on the boys' track team. There has also been a rapid decline of teenage mother's mortality rate. The victims have been cut down the chest and their intestines removed. A sulfur smell was reported at all of the scenes," Cas said, setting down the paper.
"You think their all the same demon?" Sam asked.
"Yeah, but what demon has a thing for intestines?" Dean asked.
"I don't know maybe they're collectors? Maybe they are feeding another monster? Or a spell? I don't have a clue," Sam said, honestly. Cas furrowed his eyebrows and frowned at the table.
"Do you know something Cas?" Sam asked, standing.
"No, I just thought we go there and stop whatever it is," Cas said, looking up to the brothers.
"Where is it?" Dean asked, starting to collect his things and shove them into his duffel.
"Augusta, Maine," Castiel replied.
"Let's hit the road," Dean said.
Dean slammed the door to their shabby motel room and fell onto one of the beds.
"Remind me to never drive for a day and a half straight again," Dean groaned. He kicked his shoes off.
"Don't you think we should go to the school now?" Castiel asked, staring at the ground shifting from foot to foot.
"Why are you so anxious to help, Cas?" Sam asked, plugging his laptop into the power strip.
"I have a contact that goes to school there," he said.
"You have a what?" Dean asked, suddenly more interested.
"A contact, Samandriel knew her well, she is special," the angel said, carefully.
"What do you mean special? Like pie special or helmet special?" Dean asked.
"I don't understand. Samandriel had said that she understood Enochian and his true voice," Cas explained.
"Is that not common?" Sam questioned.
"No, not very many people know it, but she is the only human in the world to be able to see true form without getting her eyes burnt out and understand true voice and comprehend Enochian," Cas said. The boys went silent, remembering Pamela, the psychic that had tried to help them.
"I keep in contact with her in case she hears anything," Castiel said.
"Did she?" Sam asked.
"Did she what?" Castiel asked confused.
"Ever hear anything?" Sam clarified.
"No, not until recently. She told me about it and I didn't think it was anything," Cas said.
"We can't let whoever get wrapped up in this. Not for a teenager," Dean said.
"She already is," Sam said, quietly.
"What do you mean Sammy?" Dean asked.
"She can see true form, hear true voice, and understand Enochian, tell me she isn't valuable to Crowley, or Abaddon, or Lucifer. Whoever this is, I'm guessing she was just dropped into it, no one would ask for it," the younger brother responded. For once, Dean accepted that his brother was right in silence.
Cas seemed to focus on the wall for a moment then fumbled around in his pockets. The Winchesters watched him intensely. Castiel pulled out a cheap disposable phone just as it started to ring.
"Hel-"
"Castiel, why did you wake me up? You realize it's like six fifty, right?" a girl on the other side of the phone questioned.
"I sensed you would be awake soon," Castiel answered.
"Yeah, well. Two more teenage moms died and a basketball player too," she answered.
"The Winchesters are going to help us find out what has been killing these people," he informed.
"That's very nice, Castiel, but I have to get ready for class now," she said.
"When are your classes over?" the angel asked.
"Around four-ish," she replied.
"What are supposed to do until then?"
"I dunno, ask residents around campus? Chill?" she offered.
Silence.
"Goodbye," Cas said, snapping the phone shut.
"Finally, I can get some sleep," Dean groaned, laying back and, eventually, falling asleep.
"You should get some rest too Sam," Cas said, but looked over and saw the other brother already fast asleep. Castiel sat down in one of the chairs and watched over the brothers.
"Cas, do you really think this chick could help us?" Dean asked the angel, putting the Impala in park.
"Yes, she is the only expert on this matter," Castiel said.
"So, hold on, you're telling me there's nobody in the entire universe that is halfway knowledgeable about what might be going on here?" Dean asked incredulously.
"Dean, you have not even met her. What could you possibly have against her?" Cas asked.
"Female informants usually die or end up witches," Sam offered.
"She prefers to stay neutral in religious matters," Castiel informed.
"Let's just go," the older brother said, getting out the car. The others followed suit.
"Is this some kinda college campus?" Sam asked.
"Private school grades fourth through twelfth actually," Cas answered.
"So this expert is some fifteen year old brat?" Dean asked.
"Dean, just trust me," Castiel pleaded.
"What's her name?" Sam asked.
"Sophia Mairie Krushnic, 17. I believe she lives in that dorm," Castiel said, pointing to the brick building. The three got to the dorm but were hindered.
"We need a key card," Sam said.
"We don't have a keycard," Cas stated.
"Thanks, Captain Obvious. What do we do now, Mr. Bright Ideas?" Dean asked.
"Dean, are you feeling well? My name is Castiel," the angel said confused.
"It's an expression," a voice said.
The men turned to face the voice. It was a girl maybe fourteen with green eyes and short dirty blond hair. The guys towered over her.
"Can I help you?" she asked.
"We are looking for-"
"We are going to give my sister a surprise visit, she lives in here and we need to get in," Dean interrupted Cas, turning up the charm. He flashed the girl a smile and winked.
"Who's your sister? I'm Aradia by the way," she asked, holding her hand out to Castiel. Cas looked at the hand apprehensively.
"His name is Castiel," Dean said
"He's new to the United States," Sam supplied.
"Surely not new enough to not know what a handshake is? It's not exactly an American custom," she said in disbelief.
"He was sent to a monastery in the Andes Mountains at nine years old," Sam lied.
"Well, I'll show you," Aradia said, grabbing Cas' hand. She put their hands together and shook it. She smiled.
"So who's your sister? I'm sure I know her, I have a lot of friends."
"Soph," Dean answered.
"Soph? As in Sophia? I'm sorry; you're going to have to be a little more specific."
"Krushnic."
"Oh! I didn't know Sophs had a umm….had brothers. I'm her roommate," she said.
"Can you help us out with the door?" Dean asked.
"She doesn't live here. This is the R.A. meeting building," she said, digging out her wallet. She waved it in front of the sensors. Aradia pulled the door open waiting for the boys to go through.
"You'll need a visitor's badge at the desk though. You'll need permission from an R.A. to go up to her room though. Lucky enough for you, I'm an R.A.!" she squealed with delight.
"Great!" Dean groaned.
"So what were your names?" Aradia asked.
"Oh, I'm Sam, this is Dean. That over there is Castiel," Sam said, pointing.
"Okay," she stepped into the building and led them to the desk.
"Hey Jimenez," she said leaning over the counter kissing him.
"Hey, what do ya need?" he asked.
"Three visitor's badges, babe," she said.
He reached under the counter and pulled out three cards with the brown word 'visitors' emblazoned on it.
"Authorization code, please," Jimenez prompted.
"6336399," she said without missing a beat.
"Alright, have fun," he said, pressing buttons on the keyboard.
"I'm not sure if she is going to be in the room but it's a place to start," she said, starting out the door. They followed.
"So are you and uhh, Sam…err together?" Aradia questioned.
"No! No, he's my stepbrother," Dean shouted.
"Oh, Okay," she said, sounding disappointed.
"How long have you known Sophs?" Sam asked after a while of walking.
"Thirteen years," she said.
"I need to take a break, what street does she live on?" Dean asked, panting.
"Thirteen! How old are you?" Sam asked at the same time Dean spoke.
"Hold on, hold on! We live with older eighth graders and younger ninth at the Black Poplar lodge. I'm sixteen, a year younger than Sophia," she said.
"Can we get a golf cart or something? I'm exhausted," Dean panted.
"Only one more hill then it's decently level," she said. The men trudged up the hill.
"She doesn't seem trustable," the angel said.
"Who's judging early now?" Dean accused.
"Her name. It was the name of the daughter of Lucifer and Diane," Cas explained, ignoring Dean's comment.
"And she was sent to teach dark magic to the world," Aradia said, stopping in front of the boys.
"It's just a name. How do you know the Krushnics?" she asked, facing Castiel.
The Winchesters looked at each other nervously.
"We were the pen pals. I came to the age of decisions and chose to leave. I contacted her brother and asked where I could visit her since she was the only one I knew outside of the monastery. So here I am," Castiel lied.
"Oh, okay!" they walked a few minutes in silence.
She jogged off the main road and up the stairs leading to the house.
"Here we are. Me casa!" she giggled. The guys finally caught up to her.
She walked across the concrete porch. Aradia peeked inside and waved them in.
"Honey, I'm home!" she yelled.
"Oh dear, you're home early and I only have three desserts ready, please forgive me," a voice said. Castiel shifted uneasily hearing her voice.
"I don't know, I might," Aradia went down a hallway and waved them into the small dorm. Castiel was the first through the door. Sophia looked up into Cas' blue eyes.
"Castiel!" she said breathlessly, her white-blonde hair whipping behind her as she jumped up. The girl threw her arms around the angel's neck.
"It's been forever," Sophia whispered. Castiel seemed shocked at first then hugged her back.
"You seem awfully comfortable for pen pals," Aradia said, jumping up on the bunk beds. They pulled apart. Sophia glanced warily at the Winchester brothers.
"You know what? Shush it, or next time you're late for class or sleep through an alarm I'll get the bucket and take your blankets," Sophia threatened.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. How close are you to Sam?" Aradia asked. The brothers' hearts stopped. Sophia turned on the radio and there was a high pitched whining. Dean recognized it as Cas' true voice. Some nonhuman noises came from Aradia and Dean and Sam covered their ears. Sophia turned the volume down on the radio but not completely off.
"Hey, he's an older brother. I'm not particularly close, but I'm not an evil step sister either," Sophia answered locking eyes with Sam. Aradia shrugged.
"Don't you start work soon?" Aradia asked.
"No, there's a game tonight, which reminds me, I'm going to dinner before it gets packed," Sophia said.
"Sophia, we have an important matter to discuss," Cas said.
"And we will discuss it later, but we are going to go to the dining hall first," Sophia said, glaring at Castiel. Castiel narrowed his eyes and nodded.
"Wait, the dining hall was the big building at the bottom of the hill, wasn't it?" Dean asked. Both Sophia and Aradia nodded.
Dean let out a groan and Sam banged his head on the wall.
"I can drive us down there, bro, it's cool," Soph said, grabbing her wallet and keys.
She moved past the boys and through the large living room. They followed her. She moved to the Dodge Ram pick-up.
"Winchesters in the back, Cas up front," Sophia said as she opened driver's door.
"But-"Dean started to protest.
"You can walk down the mountain," she interrupted. Dean shut up and climbed into the back of the truck.
Sophia started the engine and started the drive.
"So, Castiel. How have you been?" Sophia asked.
"Fine. It was clever that you used the radio frequencies to cover up my true voice," Cas said.
"Clever is what I aim for," Sophia said.
"So what do you think is killing these people?" Cas asked.
"I have an idea, but I need Aradia out of the room to find out if it is right or not," Sophia responded, drumming her fingers on the steering wheel.
"Why?"
"She has a book of supposedly mythically creatures and I think I saw something about pregnant women and easily seduced men something or other," Sophia said.
"So Dean is in danger here," Cas said more than asked.
"Yes," she answered.
"Are you going to warn him?" Cas asked.
"In a way, yes," she said. Sophia put the truck in park outside of the dining hall. She took the keys out and opened the door.
"So Sophia, did you actually understand that static?" Dean asked, jumping from the bed of the truck.
"Yes," she answered simply.
"What did it say?" Sam asked.
"Cas told me everything you guys have told Aradia. And that you think I might die or be a witch," she remarked.
"Look, I didn't me-"
"I don't care, think whatever you want. It is your opinion, who am I to say you shouldn't think what you do," she interrupted, waving him off.
"Is this a trick?" Dean mumbled.
Sophia wretched the doors open. She maneuvered through the clusters of tables, with Cas on her heels.
"What do you want to eat?" Sophia asked turning around expecting to see three people.
"Wait, where did they go?" she asked, peeking around Cas.
"I don't know," the angel responded.
"Great, they just got here and they are lost," she commented.
"Do you think it is the thing?" Cas asked.
"No, I think it's the girl's track team," she said, pointing to the cluster of girls. She crossed her arms and frowned.
"If they are still lost after dinner, I'll get them, but now they can stay lost," she said, tugging Castiel along.
"But what if one of them is the monster?" Cas said.
"Yeah, well, then we will know what is causing it. Dean and Sam won't die," she said.
"Fine."
"So what do you want for dinner?" she repeated.
"A hamburger," he replied.
"They are over there," she said handing him a tray.
Castiel walked towards where she pointed and found the hamburgers. Sam came up behind him and grabbed a tray and started filling it.
"Does she know anything about the demon?" he asked.
"Aradia might have a book about it," Castiel said.
"Aradia has a book about it?" Sam asked incredulously.
"I suppose," Castiel shrugged. Sam glanced around for his brother.
The two met back up with Sophia. Sam glared at her. She waved her wallet in front of another sensor four times.
"What does that do?" Castiel asked.
"It pays for the food," she said.
Sam marched away towards Dean and pulled him away from the group of girls. The brothers talked in quiet voices.
"Her roommate, the Aradia girl, she has a book about demons," Sam informed. Dean's face went from joking to serious instantly.
"What?"
"Yeah, she's either a witch or sadistic," Sam said.
"So what? Use a devil's trap; torture her to find out information?" Dean asked.
"That's what I was thinking," he said. Meanwhile, Castiel and Sophia were talking in hushed tones about fallen angels.
"Who has died since Samandriel? After he was killed, I tuned the radio out. I didn't want to hear what they were saying," she said, shaking her head.
"Ezekiel and Gadreel, then Naomi," Cas said. She nodded glancing up at the brothers.
"They are talking about Aradia," she stated, blandly. Castiel's expression hardened.
"Yes."
"I know they are. I can hear them. I severely hope they are not planning to carry this out," Sophia said, softly.
"You can hear them?" Cas asked.
Sophia looked at him and nodded, changing her focus to the boys. As she listened to the Winchester's plans, her anger rose. All of a sudden, Sam's glass of water shattered, soaking the boys. Sophia jumped back and threw her tray away. She left the building.
"What was that?" Dean yelled, drying his face with his shirt. Castiel quickly finished his food and stood to join the brothers.
"I believe you angered Sophia," Castiel said.
"I angered her? Are you kidding me? How in the world did I do that? I was sitting over here minding my own business," he said.
"While plotting to capture and torture her friend," Cas responded.
"She's a witch! We can't let her live, knowing she could kill someone," Dean said throwing his hands up.
"Humans kill, yet God lets you live. You have to have hope and faith that she will do what's right," Cas said authoritatively.
"We are still going through with the plan. Tonight," Dean said walking away.
"Will you stand with him?" Castiel asked Sam.
"Yes."
Sophia drove, gripping the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles turned white. She finally released one of her hands to flick on the stereo.
"Something great," a voice said. She paused. They hadn't said it in English. It was Enochian.
"God is alive," she heard. Sophia quickly turned the radio off.
"Alright, let's talk what just happened through," she whispered to herself. She drew in a large breath and released it.
"It wasn't me, just a coincidence," she said.
"With the way you left, it makes you seem like you did," a voice said. She looked over to the passenger seat. There in his uniform sat Alfie, but she knew it was Samandriel she was hearing.
"You're dead. You've been dead for months. You're my conscience. You help me think things through. You only exist when I want you to," Sophia said in a panicky voice.
"Right," he said.
"Not necessarily. I mean, what I hoped to happen was much worse. I wanted it to send shards of glass into his chest," Sophia admitted.
"Why?" Samandriel asked.
"I was mad," she said, patiently. She had always been patient with Samandriel.
"Why?" he questioned.
"They were planning to kill Aradia. She's like a sister to me, I can't let them do that," Sophia said.
"Then stop them," he said.
"I don't know how. Whoa! I'm going crazy, I'm hallucinating! They were right, I'm insane. I am seeing a dead angel sitting in my truck, talking to me about problems with people," she said, waves of denial washing over her.
"You're not crazy," another, much deeper, voice said.
"Of course I am, because if I'm not crazy then why is a hallucination of THE archangel in my truck! No one is supposed to be in my truck except me and Aradia! That's why it is MY truck!" she screamed.
"I do not have long to speak. God has chosen you and made you. You are a new being. You are the first of your own personal rank of angel. God is alive and has sent you to fix things. Instead of creating a whole new body of celestial intent, he took some of himself and placed it into you. You are very important, yet still very mortal. You are fearsome. You are an angel of the Lord. Protect and serve. Listen to the words of God and do your duty. You are the Fear of God," Michael said. Sophia pulled to the side of the road. She lay across the seats of her truck. As she closed her eyes, a blinding white-blue light enveloped her body, leaving her totally unconscious.
The sun set and another death had occurred on campus. Aradia's boyfriend, Jimenez Rodrigues, had been the next victim.
"It has to be Aradia doing the killing. There are people saying that she already has a new boyfriend," the older brother said.
"You're worse than the girls' track team believing all the gossip and rumors," Sam said.
"Yeah, whatever, did you set up the trap?" Dean asked.
"Almost done. How do we know if this will even work?" Sam inquired.
"We don't we just have to have faith and hope," Dean said, crushing a can between his hands.
"I thought you wanted to hunt, Cas," Sam asked, standing up dusting the chalk from his hands.
"I do wish to become a hunter," he said, looking sadly at the floor.
"Then why aren't you helping?"
"Because Sophia doesn't wish this to happen," Castiel answered.
"Yeah, well tough. We do a lot of things people don't want us to, it's a part of the job," Dean said cracking the tab to another drink.
"We are done here," Sam said.
"Great, then let's get started," Dean said, clapping his hands together.
Tears streamed down Aradia's face. She needed her Book of Shadows and Spell from the box under her bed. She dug past the incense and candles and used matches until she felt the cool worn leather of the book. Her fingers curled around the cover and she pulled the book free. She furiously flipped through the worn yellowish pages. Jimenez died and she knew who released the horrid creatures. She stopped on a page littered with illustrations and diagrams. She grabbed her candles and ran to the R.A. meeting building. She went to the basement and locked the door. She read the instructions carefully and then reread them. She pulled her pocket knife out and sliced her hand opened as the ceremony commenced.
Sophia awoke shortly after sunset in her truck. She rubbed her eyes trying to remember what had happened. Horrible images flashed in her mind; some of poverty and some of death.
"You are the Fear of God," echoed through her mind.
"I am the Fear of God," she said, accepting the responsibility.
She cranked up her truck and raced back to campus.
"They are going to try and kill Aradia. I will stop them," she said.
Dean, Sam, and Castiel stood around the devil's trap. Sam started the incantation. The door in the warehouse burst open and a very distressed Sophia stomped through it.
"Stop this," she said. She spoke, not in her own voice. It sounded like many voices, men and women, adults and children, but yet, united as a single strong voice.
"I'm sorry about your friend Sophia, I really am, but she can't keep killing people," Dean said. She took a few large strides and attempted to hurt the brother. Cas grabbed her and held her still.
"I truly am sorry, it is a part of the job," Cas whispered into her ear. She thrashed against the older angel. Sam finished the incantation and the room got darker.
Everything was silent.
"See I knew I was-"Sophia started, but stopped when a crashing sound echoed through the warehouse.
"No!" Sophia screamed. A high pitched whining filled the room, making even Castiel cover his ears.
A figure appeared in the middle of the devil's trap. Sophia fell to the floor.
"Aradia," Sophia cried.
"Sophia!" Aradia yelled, stepping toward her. She fell back like she ran into a wall.
"No, no, no," Sophia mumbled. Her eyes were glazed over and she was hugging herself and rocking.
"What's going on?" Aradia asked, closing her fists.
"You ought to know what this is, witch," Dean spat.
In a flash, Sophia jumped up and was advancing toward Dean, angel blade glinting in the dim light. Castiel grabbed her arms and attempted to hold her back. Sophia's eyes started to glow but the light quickly dimmed.
"Grandfather Dobrokhot, please come into my house and tend to the flock," she said. A black cat came running from some unseen shadowy corner. It rubbed against her leg and purred loudly.
"Grandfather Dobrokhot? Who is that?" Dean asked, looking around.
"Domovoi, you may appear in your true form," Aradia said, grinning. The two girls exchanged a glance of knowing and understanding.
The black cat morphed into a two-foot tall biped creature with warty slimy green skin. It resembled a toad except its crystal blue eyes and clothes. It wore tweed pants and a grimy green shirt.
"Domovoi, that man was using foul language while addressing Aradia," Sophia said, calmly to the creature. The troll-like monster frowned and its skin started to bubble. The domovoi melted into a pile of yucky clay.
"You tattled on me to that ugly little-" the domovoi grew into a nearly seven foot tall man. He wielded a bladed staff as he solidified. The domovoi advanced toward Dean.
"Rderikhan is a domovoi," Aradia started.
"And domovois do not like mean language," Sophia said.
"Or hateful language," Aradia added.
"Or curse words," Sophia finished.
"I am very impressed girls, not many people could pull off sadistic act like that. But I am the King of Hell and I have little time to be summoned by some fan girl," a British voice said.
"Crowley," Dean said.
"Hello sunshine," Crowley responded, stepping into a small patch of light.
"Rderikhan, stop!" Sophia yelled. The domovoi melted and ran away. Castiel released Sophia.
"You killed my boyfriend," Aradia said, hatred burning in her eyes.
"I did? I would say I am terribly sorry about that dear, but I'd be lying if I did," Crowley said. Aradia glared.
"I don't believe we have met," Crowley said, advancing toward Sophia.
"Crowley, King of the Crossroads and King of Hell," he said, holding out his hand. Sophia just looked at it and glared.
"It's polite to shake someone's hand when they offer it to you. For that I just might take your friend on an eternal visit to her boyfriend," Crowley threatened.
"Do it, I dare you," Sophia answered, vengeance dripping in her voice like venom.
"Sophia, he will do it just back off and let us handle him," Sam said.
"No," she answered calmly.
"He will kill you," Sam said.
"Did you not tell your friends the good news?" Crowley asked, staring down at her.
"They are NOT my friends," Sophia answered, firmly.
"Sophia here was bred to be The Fear of God. That means she is more powerful than any of you in this room, but, of course, she's not more powerful than me," Crowley answered.
"I'm more powerful than anyone I need to be in order to protect my friend," Sophia said.
"What's the Fear of God?" Dean asked.
"You will never be more powerful than me, sweetheart," the demon said.
"I can be if I need to, but why don't you just run along with the rest of your wannabe cronies," Sophia hissed.
"Umm, excuse me. What is the Fear of God?" Dean repeated.
"I am the King of Hell, people want to be me. Who exactly do you think I want to be," Crowley said, raising his voice.
"Someone with more power, Lucifer," Sophia answered.
"I do not, how dare you accuse me of such!" Crowley growled.
"I do dare, because it's true. You wish you could have more power, and who else has more power? Lucifer, he has all the power. He knows what makes human, demons, angels tick," Sophia countered.
"You don't know what you are getting yourself into, dear. I suggest you stop," Crowley warned. The demon king and Fear of God now stood toe to toe, staring each other down.
"Tell me what a freaking Fear of God is!" Dean shouted.
Sophia took a step away and looked at the Winchesters.
"The Fear of God is what gives power to the angels. The Fear of God is what scares demons. The Fear of God is what motivates humans to become better. The Fear of God is me," Sophia said, her eyes glowing faintly. Crowley took this opportunity and punched Sophia in the gut. She flew backward and hit the wall. Sophia groaned.
"And apparently the Fear of God is also very prideful and stupid and mortal," Crowley said. Castiel made a move to help her up.
"No! This is my fight!" Sophia yelled with such authority that her power pinned the angel and the Winchesters against the wall.
"Ah, see, prideful," Crowley said, gesturing with his hands. Sophia slowly returned to her feet. She hurled the blade toward Crowley, only for it to be batted away.
"You're going to have to try harder than that, darling," Crowley said. Crowley bent down and picked up the sword.
"But, then again, why waste time batting around a pesky little fly, rather than killing it?" Crowley asked. Before Sophia realized what was happening, Crowley had broken the devil's trap and was pressing the knife against Aradia's neck. Thin streams of blood started to ooze down her neck, collecting on her shirt.
The ground started to shake and the wind picked up. Her eyes, mouth, and nose glowed with a grey colored light. The room started to fill the light as it brightened. Silver waves of smoke rolled off of the older girl as she took a step toward the demon, who was shielding his eyes from the brightness. Castiel attempted to reel her back into a controllable state but the waves of energy had overwhelmed him with the feelings: hatred, loyalty, and fear. The immense power of the feelings made Cas pass out. Dean and Sam suffered the same fate as the smoke curled to the edges of the room. They crumpled to the ground with pitiful sounds.
"Leave. Her. Be." Her voice echoed through the room. Crowley left as Sophia stepped into the circle of the broken devil's trap.
"Sophia, stop," Aradia said, getting nervous as the smoke started to swirl at her feet. Sophia's lights flickered and then cut off. Sophia slumped down and sighed.
"Are you okay?" Sophia asked, tiredly.
Aradia nodded, frantically.
"You?" she responded.
"Yeah, for now," Sophia smiled.
The smoke had cleared and the boys were starting to wake up groggily.
"What was that?" Sam asked, slurring his words some.
"I took my powers out for a test drive," Sophia said, crossing her arms across her chest.
Cas groaned. Sophia walked over and placed two fingers on his forehead; he instantly bolted upright.
"My head," Dean moaned. Sophia started walking toward the other boys. She did the same to them and they sighed contently.
"I saw everything," Castiel said. Sophia linked arms with Aradia and leaned on her.
"God placed some of his grace into her. Everything she has experienced has made her strong enough to contain and control, such powerful grace. She's sacred to angels and humans. It gives angels a standard to uphold and a force to protect. To humans it motivates them, to love and fear. The strength one must have to possess such power, it has to be quiet taxing. Heaven's deadliest weapons are not archangels, you are much more powerful. You are the final weapon, stronger than the Sword of Michael or the Vessel of Lucifer. You are the last strike against the end of the world. You are God's gift to the world," Castiel said. Sophia looked at him warily.
"Well, won't you look at that? So touching, brother, really. Your speech is truly wonderful," a new voice said.
"Lucifer," Sam growled.
"Oh, no, just a hallucination, feeding off the power that your friend just put off. Every monster that ever lived here should be long gone by now and for a while too," Lucifer said.
"What?" Sophia asked, standing between Aradia and the sound of the archangel's voice.
"The fog machine that you just turned on, you made it a million times easier for me to appear to you," Lucifer said.
"Where are you? Show yourself, coward," Sophia said, loudly.
"You know you really don't want to see me. I know what you think Sophia. You don't have the energy to fight off another fly. Oh, thanks for all the compliments you gave me, while you and Crowley were having a yelling fight. It really touched me," Lucifer said. Sophia saw something flutter in a shadow out the corner of her eye. She knew he was right, but she pretended to be strong.
"Isn't that touching boys? No matter what she does, she thinks her loyalty to her friend will never fail. Stop before you end up like me," Lucifer said.
"What do you mean?" Aradia asked.
"God created humans and told all of the angels to bow down before them and love them more than we loved Him. I refused, I could never love something as disgusting and sinful as humans more than God, and He cast me down for it. He had his first-born angel beat me down to the mud. My crime? I loved too much. Does that really seem fair?" Lucifer explained.
"Why are you here, Lucifer? I know you're not here to give me advice," Sophia said.
"Such a businesswoman, right to the point, I want you to join me. I want you to help me make Father see," Lucifer said, finally coming out of darkness. He stood in front of the Fear of God.
"But you think I'm disgusting," Sophia commented.
"No, you are not human," Lucifer said, grabbing her hand.
"I was. Wouldn't being something as disgusting a human leave a stain on anything you ever become?" Sophia asked, sounding like a child.
"You understand. Finally someone who understands," Lucifer said, excitedly.
"Sophia what are you doing?" Aradia asked worriedly.
"Something that should have been done since the dawn of man," Sophia said in a low voice. She turned around and looked at each and every one of the people standing. With a wave of her hand, the human's forms faded and disappeared with a loud bang. Castiel was left staring at her in shock.
"You must go too. You stood with all of your brothers against him, even when he was right," Sophia said. She closed her eyes and snapped her fingers. There was a disgusting squishing sound. When she opened her eyes, blood covered the walls.
"You are the first in billions of years to understand my pain," Lucifer said, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"When I recover, you know what I must do, right?" she asked, slowly turning around.
"What?" the bringer of light asked, taking a wary step back.
"Our brothers must die, along with sweet old daddy dearest," she answered.
"What?" Lucifer asked in disbelief. Sophia's brown eyes shone in the moonlight.
"Such a shame he has to go, he did create something that used to be truly beautiful," Sophia answered.
"How dare you," he hissed.
"Whatever do you mean?" she asked innocently.
"Don't you dare threaten my family and pretend to be blameless," Lucifer said, danger underlying in his tone.
"They betrayed you. They took the side of those ugly dirt creatures. They beat you down, Michael beat you down," Sophia said.
"He is still my brother, and you are not going to harm any of them!" Lucifer roared; his form flickered.
"You idolized Michael, but he saw you as an unnecessary inconvenience. Older brothers are supposed to protect their siblings, but oh no, Michael hurt you. He saw how much you loved him and he destroyed any bonds he ever had with you. It destroyed you and he didn't help you," Sophia said.
"He didn't hurt me," Lucifer growled.
"Maybe not physically, no, you'll never break or blister, but emotionally; well, whatever emotions an archangel can feel after been thrown to rot in a cage," Sophia said, waving her hand nonchalantly.
"He didn't mean it. He'd never intentionally hurt me," Lucifer said, flickering again.
"Intentionally hurt you? Oh of course not, he's above that isn't he? He's just trying to be 'the best son', right?" Sophia provoked. She could tell she was getting close to breaking him.
"That's all any of us are trying to do," Lucifer howled.
"But he couldn't stand you so close to God, right? So he saw the opportunity to take you down and now we're here," Sophia said.
"Whose side are you on?" Lucifer roared.
"I'm on nobody's side you, insignificant disingenuous dickweed. You've failed, because I've already won," she said. Lucifer looked at her enraged and closed the gap between them. His form flickered more often now. He raised his arm to strike, but evaporated, the essence scattering around her. Sophia felt the last bit of power leave her as she transported herself to the Black Poplar Lodge.
"She just saved us, probably at the expense of her own life," Castiel said.
"I thought she was the something-or-other to the big guy upstairs," Dean said.
"If she uses too much energy, she will wear her vessel out and then her soul will be sent to wherever it might end up, and the grace will go back to God," Cas explained.
"So she's gone?" Aradia asked, peeping around the corner.
"Yes," Cas said.
The ungraceful sound of flapping wings made everyone turn their heads to the source. In the corner by the piano Sophia started to crumple to the ground.
"Ughn," was the only sound that escaped her lips before she closed her eyes and collapsed.
Castiel caught her and carried her to the couch.
"That's my girl," Aradia whispered.
"So she's not dead," Sam said.
"But her soul is weak, if she doesn't rest or wait until her powers completely regenerate, she won't survive it," Castiel said, placing his fingers on her forehead.
"She'll be the same Sophia, right?" Aradia asked.
"Physically, yes, but whatever happened when we weren't there might have," Castiel responded.
Aradia sighed.
Sophia woke up sometime around noon a day later. She was still weak from her encounter with the Lucifer hallucination, but she could move around some.
"What you did back there was it was-"
"What needed to get done. It's cool, don't mention it," she interrupted Dean, crossing her arms. Sophia and Aradia stood on the sidewalk next the Impala as Dean and Sam leaned against it.
"So, what are you going to do now?" Sam asked.
"Get some sleep. The monsters and stuff are gone for a while. I'm going to stay here, finish school, move go to college somewhere else." Sophia responded.
"You won't ever get out of this life now. I'm sorry, but it's the truth," Dean said.
"I know, I'm going to keep the angel radio on, only going to go if it's necessary," Sophia informed.
"Dean, we should get going," Cas said.
"Yeah, leave my town," Aradia said.
"But one thing first, if you ever come back here while I'm here, don't you dare go after my friends again, so help you God," Sophia said grinning.
"Alright, need anything, give us a call and we'll be there," Dean said throwing a card at them. They drove off and the girls returned to their room.
"I didn't expect the King of Hell to be that hot," Aradia said.
"Oh my freaking gosh, Aradia, don't start that crap again. Hey turn on the radio, while you're up," Sophia said plopping down on her bed. Aradia pushed the button and the song blared.
Carry on my wayward son. There'll be peace when you are done. Lay your weary head to rest. Don't you cry no more.
"NO! I lied, turn it back off!" Sophia yelled.
"Why?"
"I hate that song," she replied.
"I kinda like it," Aradia said smiling, only turning the volume down some.