Chronicles of Absolution: Heart and Soul

Chapter 1

The sounds of blades clashed with intense fury. Sparks flew from the blades as they collided at the speeds they were being swung. The fires from the oil cisterns cast their glow upon the room. The high vaulted ceilings of the chambers echoed with the clashes of the blades. Occasionally there was a crash of furniture as it collided with the walls and floor.

The two combatants faced each other they circled the room. Blood had already been spilt and more had yet to be shed. Each had the heat of battle in their eyes. One had the thrill of the kill and the other was sheer pissed offness. Both were ready to draw blood and it was for a single prize.

Angela looked at her opponent and the pure hatred burned in her eyes. It had been a long time since she had felt such hatred and some would say that it was justified. Her eyes were glittering orbs of fiery amber and narrowed in anger. Her loose locks were billowing as she felt a surge of her power filter through. Her teeth were bared in a threatening manner. "I've come for my daughter… and your head."

The laughter that filtered through rumbled through the halls. It was a mixture of laughter and a rumbling growl. The grin was mocking. "The baby god and the Malachi… how sweet. I'll bury you and leave her for bigger fish."

Angela gave a roar that sounded of battle and charged forward. Her opponent charged with a twirling of Snake, its fangs bared to strike. It came down with an overhand strike. She brought her arm up with her knife in a defensive posture. It was coming down like a snake bearing down on its prey. No mercy would be given but still she charged forward.

They sprung from the ground in a pivot and swung. Eyes were blazing in full fury as they locked in on each other. Neither combatant noticed the bodies that were lying dead on the ground. The blood was flowing its red rivers and puddles. The lifeless eyes looked on as the Malachi and the enemy clashed blades in a fury of sparks. The blow was so fierce that it sniffed the life out of a candle nearby.

Angela swung hard and fast against her enemy. Her hatred that had been burning for a long time threatened its ugly head but she knew that she needed to keep her head. She then heard a yelp and cry that she knew so well. She paused a moment and heard the cries. Something swiped at her and she moved but felt a painful sting to her side and she couldn't help but cry out in pain as she felt it and slipped to the side. She slumped against the stone wall with her harm held protectively against her side.

The next swing she was able to block with her good hand. She swung and blocked and her blade clashed with another set of sparks but the backhand sent her flying back. She hit another wall and Absolution slid from her grasp. It was but a few feet away but she couldn't reach it. The wound was bleeding but the sting was weakening. She could feel the poison course through her blood.

"No one has been able to survive the bite of Snake. Most die instantly."

Angela grimaced as she felt the pain course through. She started crawling along the ground towards Absolution, her hand stretching out, trying to summon it. It wouldn't move.

"It seems Absolution has abandoned you or is that your heart you feel, slowing. Slowing down as the poison courses through your veins?"

Angela continued to grunt as she crawled. Her limbs felt like they were seizing up. She could see Orion on her wrist. The blue stone was glowing but it was growing faint. The gauntlet looked almost tarnished with her markings intermingled with it. She felt herself growing faint. Absolution was just within her reach. She stretched out and…

The sword was kicked away. Angela grunted as she watched it slide away. Her bloodied fingers were still reaching as her arm stiffened from growing weaker as her hand fell to the ground. Her vision became blurry but it was burning within. She gasped as she felt it trying to suffocate her as she was rolled over.

"I could kill you now but what would be the point? You will suffer as I have suffered. Slow and painful. You will see it as I finish all that remains dear to you."

Angela heard the creak of a door but her eye was on Snake. Her body was convulsing as the poison strived to finish her off. She heard noises but only saw Snake and the hand that wielded him. She gasped for air as she tried to form coherent words.

"Your spells won't save you my sweet."

She ignored him as she tried to form words. Her breaths came in gasps as she struggled to form words. She could do it… She gasped as the air was leaving her lungs and her heart was slowing. She could feel the beats slowing one by one. She had failed. She had failed them. All she heard were the screams that filled the room and her eyes were on Snake as her body grew stiller and her vision began to edge with darkness.

48 Hours Earlier

The sun shone brightly, casting its rays on the field, making it shine a sort of gold. The girl with her golden brown hair wound up in a braided coil looked off in the distance. Her hazel eyes that looked like the pale green of a meadow took in everything. In her hands she held the claws of the dragon, a strange creature she had never seen but they felt right in her hands.

She looked forward as the wind blew through the loose locks of her hair. Her fingers tightened on the claws. There was no one there except for the sound of bugs making their noises. She turned her head as she listened and looked around. Something was out there and she narrowed her eyes slightly as she continued to look around.

It came up from behind, quietly and with claws extended. The girl sensed it and turned to block the strike and countered with her own strike. The dragon claws were held firmly in her hands as she moved them to counter the strikes of the other claws. They clashed with clangs that spoke of desire to make contact.

The girl used her small stature to dive in and out of the larger limbs of her opponent. She made contact with her opponent and heard the slight grunt. It encouraged her to keep up her strategy of using her smaller stature to keep up her attack. It worked for the most part until she was tripped by a leg sweep and she landed on her back.

Her opponent stood over her and spoke in a language she understood perfectly well. She was not going to follow the advice and with a grunt, she managed a forward flip and landed near perfect on her foot. She felt her foot twist and tried to hide the grimace from that. She had to defend herself from the sudden attack from the other set of claws.

Pushing the pain down, she raised the dragon claws and blocked and countered. She tripped and fell but rolled away and with moment she was back on her feet. She held out her dragon claws ready to strike. She countered until one got knocked away and she jumped back to regroup. Her opponent came at her again and she blocked. It was then that the other got knocked away but she used her flexibility to move away in a sort of spider act.

She couldn't flip very well since her ankle was twisted but the low spinning spider act was just as effective. It allowed her to back away but she was too far away to jump for her claws. So she decided to improvise. Using her spider act and blocking with her forearms and legs, she managed to get into position and when she extended her hand, one of the dragon claws flew to her hand and she could block the next strike.

It allowed her to use her speed and adjust her movements to reach for the other claw. Like the other, it flew to her hand and she was able to resume fighting her opponent. It was then her opponent changed their tactics and she had to adjust hers. The movements were faster and heading for areas that could be labeled kill zones. She was not going to lose.

The girl knew she had to think fast and gave a quick survey of the area around her. She spotted a few things and a couple of ideas came to her. She picked one and executed it. Breaking free, she sprinted and with her momentum since her opponent was chasing her, she leapt onto the rocks nearby and pivoted off them. In midair she twisted and with the momentum was able to let a burst of power through.

She watched as her opponent get pushed back by the blast and fly through the air. She landed in a crouched position on the soft ground. It was a better landing than the last one. At the same time her opponent landed in the middle of the tall grassy field and slide along the ground. She stood up and held her weapons in a ready position when her opponent didn't get up. In fact there was nothing. There was dead silence.

The girl looked around and moved slowly forward. She paused and then whirled around and blocked the strike with a clang. With her free hand she pushed her weapon towards the throat and stopped. There was barely a millimeter clearance as it hovered near the throat. She held it for a split second before backing off. "That wasn't fair Ima."

Angela gave a slight smile as she stood up to her full height and looked down at the almost nine year old girl. She put both her sais in one hand and ran a hand through her hair. "I know habibitti but it's never fair when someone is out to hurt you."

Hibah looked up at Angela and smiled at the face that she had known since she was a baby. She put her own sais together and replied, "That's why you're teaching me right?"

"That's right."

Hibah grabbed Angela's free hand and held it in hers. "Am I as good as you Ima?"

Angela studied Hibah. She resisted the urge to sigh. It had been a difficult decision but she felt that it was necessary to teach Hibah how to use some kind of weapon. Hibah was very good at the best defense and that was to not be there. She knew enough hand to hand and could defend herself without a weapon. Angela wanted to stop at that but even she knew that by this age godlings would have learned at least several weapons and maybe a death technique. She drew the line at that and instead focused control of Hibah's powers and it seemed to work.

Looking at Hibah, Angela stroked the girl's cheek and replied, "You know enough to defend yourself."

Hibah was used to those types of answers. She knew that Angela loved her and wanted to protect her but it was frustrating. She liked being able to do what Angela could do and she had gone on a few hunts but nothing more challenging. She couldn't understand why. "Ima," she gave in that plaintive whine that sounded cute at times, "Tell me."

Angela looked at Hibah and studied her. "You are good. One day you will be good. Right now enjoy being a child."

Hibah pouted at that but it was spoiled when she reached out and grabbed Angela in a hug. "I love you Ima."

"I love you too my little bijoux," Angela replied as she returned the hug. It was easier to admit that and it brought a sense of foreboding since this was a critical juncture in Hibah's life. The obvious was the fact that Wosret could come back within the next two to three days and then Hibah would move on. It was easy to be in denial.

"Like you love Abba and Amitz, right?"

Angela expected this. It seemed that Hibah was onto something and trying to get her to admit her true feelings. She had always suspected that Hibah was like Wosret and able to see into hearts and souls. Some of her conversations were peculiar and she had seen her share conspiratorial giggles and smiles with Dean. "You all are my family and I love you all with my whole heart."

Hibah hid her disappointment and responded with a second hug. She beamed up at Angela and said, "I'm hungry Ima. Can we get some food please?"

Angela chuckled at that. One thing she could share with Hibah was they abnormal appetite and the ability to be like human garbage disposals. "Alright habibitti. I'm sure Dean is hungry too. Pick up your stuff."

Hibah went to pick up her backpack and put her sais into the special pouch that Angela had sewn into the lining. Angela watched her with a smile and turned to where the familiar sleek beauty of the Impala was waiting. She spotted the audience that had arrived and gave a slight shake of her head as she bent to pick up her bag.

Sam sighed in relief as he watched Angela and Hibah pick up their gear. He had been nervous when Hibah had been sent out to the middle of the field alone and Angela had been gone for a good twenty minutes before. He was nervous whenever Hibah and Angela went at it in actual combat. When they practiced forms of Angela was forcing a half pace hand to hand routine, he was less nervous. It was nerve wracking to the point of insanity when the use of powers was allowed.

He wasn't too gung ho about the increase of training and allowing Hibah on a couple of easy hunts but even he wasn't stupid to not acknowledge that Hibah was approaching the age where she would have to defend herself if he, Dean or Angela couldn't and technically she was almost at her coming of age… a concept he still had a hard time wrapping his mind around.

So he went along and was there to play with Hibah in normal children's games along with Dean, who seemed to be in a sort of better mood after that last case at the house with the brother and sister who tried to kill a family and lived in the walls. Initially it was just him and Dean on that case since Angela decided to take a training day with Hibah and teach her a few things regarding her powers and he actually ended up being glad of that considering what happened there.

It didn't turn quite like that since Hibah and Angela showed up near the end. At least Hibah didn't have to see anyone get killed then but Angela could sense what had happened and she had a peculiar look at Hibah. It was later that Sam learned that it was Hibah that said that he and Dean were in trouble and that she mentioned the girl in the wall did a bad thing and hurt a dog.

What bothered Sam was that Dean didn't seem too surprised about that. He asked Dean about it and his brother replied in a nonchalant way that Hibah once said something about a plate falling and breaking. That had to do with the last day of their stay at that cabin at the ski resort in Kentucky. Hibah had said that Sam should move it because it was too close to the edge. She had told Dean that and that was when it did break. It led Sam to believe that Hibah had clairvoyant abilities or something but his brother refused to say anything more and Angela said nothing on the subject.

After that, they continued on taking cases as they popped up and they had arrived a couple of days before Hibah's three month or nine year old birthday. That was when moods changed. Angela was more thoughtful and Dean was reverting to his old habits of being an ass to hide his feelings. They knew that the time was coming and they couldn't help but think about it and most times they tried to deny that it was upon them.

"So how's Ninja doing?"

Sam looked at his brother and went back to watching the pair start back. They stopped along the way when Angela noticed Hibah limping. "She did okay but I think Angie was pulling punches."

Dean looked at his brother with a look, "You really think that?"

Sam shrugged his shoulders, "Maybe. Angie's been known to make exceptions before."

"Sam, Angie doesn't pull punches when it comes to training. She never did that with us."

"Dean, we're adults and she showed us how to take out someone like her," Sam pointed out. He put his hands in his jacket pockets and adjusted his weight against the Impala. "Angie loves Hibah."

"Thanks for stating the obvious," Dean replied with a hint of sarcasm. He had been watching the whole sparring session and had to admit that his little ninja was getting good. He knew Angela would have found it difficult but she would have adjusted her speed to deliver a good punch but not to the point of hurting the little girl.

"Dean…" Sam paused a moment to think about what he wanted to say. "It's killing Angie to teach her."

"What makes you say that?"

"Don't be stupid," Sam replied throwing a mild form of the bitch face at Dean. "Hibah is a little girl. She should be playing jump rope and having teas parties or something. Instead she's learning how to hold sais and use them." He couldn't find any other way to say it and he hoped that at least Dean noticed it.

Dean had noticed it as well. "So you're upset because you think Angie's treating this like she may have done with the strays before us?"

"I'm worried about her," Sam clarified. "She doesn't want this for Hibah but she can't not teach her how to defend herself because Hibah has enemies and she hasn't done anything. I think Angie thinks about her life before she became a dhampir." He made a slight movement to prompt Dean.

"So you're saying that Angie doesn't want to teach Hibah but feels she has to because of the whole thing about her being half a god and half an angel?"

"Yeah."

"What do you think she's been doing since she hooked up with us?"

Sam frowned in annoyance, "That's different. We're adults and I think she still thinks she owes something to Mom and Dad."

"Mom I get," Dean replied, cutting Sam off. He was still sensitive about his mother and he remembered the few times he had been harsh with Sam for mentioning her like he didn't care. It wasn't Sam's fault. He had been six months old when she died.

Looking at Sam, he debated a bit on what he wanted to say but then decided that Sam should know, "Mom I get because she and Angie were that close. I saw it when I had my Back to the Future moment." Dean looked over and saw that Angela and Hibah were chattering about something as they made their way back to the Impala and then back at Sam. "They were like sisters Sam. I mean she almost beat me up when she thought I was stalking Mom."

"She almost beat you up?" Sam frowned, puzzled. Something wasn't right about that. "Then how come she doesn't remember?"

Dean shrugged his shoulders. He had a pretty good idea why and it had something to do with the stick up his ass angel called Castiel. "I don't know. Probably Cas had something to do with it. Them feathered dicks like to keep a tight sort of leash on their Malachi."

That sounded plausible to Sam. He knew that Angela didn't care to know what the rest of the table of royalty said about her and there were things that she seemed surprised about regarding the angels. She also voluntarily had her memory suppressed to protect Romani secrets so he wasn't sure what to think. He did agree with Dean though that the angels seemed desperate to make her into a pawn with this seal thing and Lucifer's cage. "I can agree about the angels but I think they've backed off for now."

"Yeah well Cas is keeping Hibah's existence a secret and I'm sure Angie had a few choice words," Dean replied. "Look I'm just saying that I get Angie for owing it to Mom. With Dad, it's different. He made her promise."

"She would have done it anyway," Sam pointed out quietly. Even without the oath, he was sure that she would have kept an eye on them.

"Yeah but it turned into an obligation that she feels she has to keep even though he freed her from it."

"She does it because she wants to."

Dean made a slight face. This could go on back and forth between them. They knew that Angela still lived by principles of duty and honor but she also lived by a duty she obeyed even when everyone seemed to say it was wrong. In danger of sounding sentimental in his mind, Dean knew that she followed her heart and was the basis of a lot of her decisions, even the ones that came with the tactician in mind. "I hear ya on that."

"That's why I think it's killing her to teach Hibah and she didn't like being there when Hibah said we were in trouble."

"I agree but what's done is done and it seems it hasn't detracted Ninja from trying to get more involved with hunting."

"Well her mom does it. At least I think so," Sam replied.

"No duh. She lives with us," Dean pointed out.

"I meant Wosret. She participated in the tournament. I think she likes being here," Sam ventured. "It might make things a bit easier…"

Dean threw Sam a look. It was said as an appeasement but they both knew that time was fast approaching. Even he wasn't looking forward to Hibah being reunited with her birth mom. They hadn't even figured out who the father was though he had once teased Castiel about being the father even though he thought it highly unlikely and was unaware that Angela had teased him about it too. "Anyway, should we even plan anything for the kid's birthday?"

Sam shrugged his shoulders. Birthdays were never really celebrated that much since they were on the road. Yet when Angela came along, she managed to do something nice on their birthdays. Dean had been easy to satisfy with pie and a special spit and shine to the Impala. She even managed to get the interior to smell like it was brand new. For him, she would make something healthy for him to eat or whatever struck her fancy and her choice of gift was something that was always a surprise.

Seeing that Dean was waiting for an answer, Sam replied, "You think we should?"

His question held a deeper meaning and Dean got that. To celebrate meant that they were actively acknowledging that they might not have much time left with the kid but it did seem wrong to deny the kid at least one birthday. "Why not? Every kid should have one at least once. It may not be the big expensive kind but…"

Sam nodded. He didn't get a chance to say anything since Hibah called to him and ran straight at him. He couldn't help but smile as he caught her up in a hug. She hugged him back and gave him a kiss on his cheek. He looked at his brother and gave a slight nod. They would celebrate her birthday and, glancing at Angela, she would be inclined to agree.

A/N: 3.09 begins with a very interesting beginning. I will present the challenge of readers guessing who she is fighting and the clues are in the writing. A cutsey moment and looks like a final episode with little Hibah in it. What will the story unfold? Keep reading next time on Heart and Soul...