A/N: Not Mine and Enjoy.
His name is Alwin Goetz. He was a smithy at the turn of the first Millennia, making enough money for his wife and two little children, twins.
When something needs to be made or repaired his name always comes up first in the conversation; he's very good with his hands, creative in how he works metals. Coming up with new designs for old ideas, he smiles broadly when he's completed a job.
But not as broadly as he does when he sees his wife and darling girls play outside in the field by their house, he comes home early sometimes just to catch them braiding flowers in their hair.
One day he comes home and finds a stranger in the field with his family, a drifter, and a feeling much like molten iron fills his stomach and he runs to them. His wife is struggling away from the man, torn and gruff in appearance.
He doesn't remember much after that, only a glint of a blade, a struggle, hot sharp pain down his side, and he remembers screaming. There was plenty of screaming, Through it all came a voice.
I can stop it.
Save them, he remembers were his last thoughts before everything.
Of course.
And then nothing but brilliant white light.
He thinks about that now, back when he was a man alone. In a new field, he stands a different man, countless miles and years behind him.
"Gabriel."
He answers to the name out of habit.
"Gabe's gone. He took a hike," he says looking out on the crimson flowers, "says to tell you he may be back, but he's got some work to do."
"Figured," the man says, settling next to him," where'd he go?"
"Home," he says, looking up, "apparently a Reformation is in order."
Both men laugh lightly,
"It damn well better be," The man breaths out, "I didn't go through all this trouble just to have the same ol' system in place, you know who is running the show now?"
"My money? You, Cas, or Gabe. What? I only know what he knows. And what I know. You guys keep each other in check rather well. Distributed power seems better than one central force."
"You sound like a professor."
"Well I fought against the Roman Army once, so I know a thing or two about power."
"You mean he did while he rode you like a horse."
"No, I mean I defended my land against the Imperial Army. They had one thing right, a senate."
"Ah." The man stood for a moment before asking a question, "so, what are you doing here then?"
"What does it look like?"
"No, I mean, I know for a fact you could have gone up there with him, Cas did, just a few minutes ago and he didn't leave Jimmy behind. So what gives?"
"I'm very old."
"I noticed."
"I said yes to protect my family. That was so long ago."
"Don't you want to see them?"
He gave the man a look,
"Right, of course you do, then why don't you?"
"Call me old fashioned, but I'm not dead."
"That shouldn't stop you, right?"
"I couldn't stay. He'd need me to move around, there's work to be done, and I, I couldn't stay. I couldn't…bare seeing, and not…"
The man nods in understanding,
"Like you said, you're old, I'm sure you could work something out to stay. Do you feel like there's more work for you to do?"
He doesn't answer the man,
"You should see them, call Gabriel back-"
"My wife used to tell me that I had good hands. Anything I made was strong and sturdy, made to last. She said it was a shame if I didn't use them." He looks around at the end result of the last War of Creation, "I don't think I can go to her knowing she'd want me to stay and help where I can."
"You sure?"
He hesitates,
"It's only a little while longer."
"She isn't going anywhere, right?"
"Hope not." He feels Gabriel wandering back, asking if he's ready to tango and Alwin breaths in and says yes one more time, "We do what we can."
"Dude, you are so whipped."