Chronicles of Absolution: Kind, Enlightened Giving

Chapter 1

Then

… The shrieks were high pitched. It blended with the sound of nails scratching on a chalkboard. The lights were flashing worse than those strobe lights in a night club. It only served to accentuate the shrieks of pain and agony…

… Haley had done it because of Dean; she loved her little bulldog and it partially explained why she wasn't so beaten down from her experiences…

… Haley knew exactly what her friend was feeling yet she knew that Angela wouldn't do anything until she was sure that she and Aaron were okay. It was a healer thing…

… … Choices have to be made. Some lead to perdition and some lead to end of old and alone. The question comes down to whether or not one believes that they can hold on till the end and finally not be afraid to open that door…

… There are things that are best left unsaid or they are better told by the one who experienced the event. Anyway the path is filled with blood and death. It is in the nature of things and of her race… even more so considering her heritage…

… "I never felt so much as I do for you Sam. It scares me and it scares me a lot."

"I am not scared of what could happen to me in this whole angels and demons crap. I've dealt with them before."

"So if you want it spelled out, the greatest fear I have is losing you Sam and it is because I… love… you."…

… "Only you would find pleasure in that. You are the god of chaos," Angela replied with a slightly rude gesture towards the god. She took a breath and asked, "So why the hell am I here at Kellis, Set?"

Set, the god of chaos and the desert, looked at the woman that had been shunted to his realm. It had been a calculated risk since he risked the wrath of his sister/sister in law, her son and her grandson and his wife but well worth it…

… Isis smiled in return. "She is special on many levels. To me it is like that of a mother and daughter. Her abilities while special are nothing compared to her nature."

… "What? You think Gabriel is the only one who noticed you when you were a child?"

"You wouldn't be the first ne to be a perv by watching me," Angela replied with a deadpan expression.

"If you want the honest truth, all of us gods were well aware that one would be born and would be the one who would end up being you. I just happened to look in the right place."

… "That is the known destiny for you. When chaos comes, you are thrown into the fight and you create the ripples that make things what they are. You always knew this."

… Angela blinked trying to fight the drugs that were in her system. She knew that phrase well. It brought back the memory of the last hours before Dean was sent to hell. The whole lecture about playing it smart and how the other side knew how far the brothers would go for each other. She was even reminded of what the Trickster, or rather Gabriel, said to Sam about Dean being his weakness and that the bad guys knew it too…

… Her contribution was that stupid book of hers. She hadn't even gotten rid of it.

What do you wish for me to do with it?

Put it back. Put it back so none would be tempted.

She should have destroyed it. It was a time when she was on a path that could have made her into something that she would have hated; what Sam would have hated. She suppressed the sigh she was tempted to release as her thoughts drifted to Sam. It was why she tried so hard; his perception of her was a driving force. Dean she could count on to be brutally honest. She was like him in that respect.

A sudden punch to the face caught her attention…

… One of the renegades couldn't help himself and with the pipe in his hand, he gave a hard swing. There was the sickening sound of bones breaking and a grunt from Angela…

… Dean was suspended on the rack. Blood was coming from where the hooks pierced his body and coming out of his mouth. His head was dropped to his chest. There was so much blood she couldn't tell if he was dead or alive until she heard the faintest of whispers, "Sam… Angie…."

Angela couldn't resist touching Dean and checking for a pulse. He was barely breathing but still alive. The meat hooks were another issue. She put her hands gently on Dean's head and pressed her forehead against his. "Don't quit on me Dean. Please."

… Carter looked amused at her and carelessly swung the poker. The tip hit Sam across the chest and it burned the flesh underneath earning another grunt from Sam. He chuckled when Angela pulled at her shackles and said, "How does it feel? Watching someone you care about suffer and die?"

Angela growled as she gritted her teeth. If she had to, she would bite her hand off. It was gross but she was not going to stand by and do nothing. She wouldn't let anything happen to Sam. "Sonofabitch!"

Carter smiled a bit and took a couple of steps forward. "Always trying to save people. Even when it leaves your partners to die and rot."

"I don't leave people behind."

… Trying to keep that bravado up, she continued, "I made those decisions because it was the best I could do with what I had. And it sucked. Plain and simple." She made a slicing motion to emphasize her point. "And not a day goes by that I think of how I could have done it differently. If it looks hard ass it is because there was little to no choice."

Lucifer took in her posture and couldn't help but laugh at her. "You are really full of bull shit my pretty. Always trying to convince yourself and others." He tsked at her as he turned to look around. "You dance around, giving an answer but not the answer."

"I gave you the truth."

"No," Lucifer replied in a firm tone that was enough to scare someone that was made of tough stuff. He pointed at her, "You gave an answer but not the truth. It's all you ever do and you are content with it, using to push people away…"

… Angela was pissed off with the order but she knew that the Seer would never call her unless it was serious. He went through official channels more to play nice with them but he supported the operatives she made friends with and in turn used them as needed without interference from the order. And it was because of recent events that had them acting this way. She knew this type of job and there was a reason she did it. It was to keep them safe…

… "Ellen, people who get close to me… they have met disastrous consequences. Maybe I am lucky that there are still friends that are still alive. And with what is to come, I will do whatever I have to do to make sure that they stay with me a little while longer."

… "You protect your family but not at the expense of who you are." She stopped Angela from speaking and continued, "I know you have knowledge up there and memories that are bloody and things you have to deal with but there is a fine line that you are at. You have to make the choice on whether or not it fight this as who you are or go down the road that you fear the most."

… Jo chuckled, feeling the touch on her nose. She remembered his game. "You always were faster. And I practiced to try and catch you." She sobered a little as she took another sip of her beer. "You know… I practiced because I wanted to catch you and keep you from leaving." She gave a slight chuckle to hide her feelings. "I mean what a kid is supposed to think when the person they love the most next to their parents leaves."

Angela sighed and looked at nothing in particular. "I'm sorry Jo. I really thought it was the best thing." She turned to look back at the girl across from her with a pensive expression on her face. "My being with you, put you and Ellen in danger and… I wouldn't have been able to live with myself. I felt… responsible for your dad."

… "Because I had a good teacher and she's stubborn too." Jo shot a look that held more than what was said, hoping that Angela got it.

Angela studied Jo and then glanced at Ellen before nodding, "Okay then, Brat." She leaned in close to gently press her forehead against Jo's and said loud enough only for her to hear, "You're right about one thing. I do love Sam. I'll see you."

… Angela hummed before giving a sisterly peck on Jo's forehead before sitting back. She looked at Ellen and said, "You gonna keep your promise?"

With her usual expression when it was a serious job, she nodded and said, "You know that I will." She put a hand on Angela's wrist and gripped in a tight and loving grip. "I'll always be with you. And that's a sure thing. Get going boys."

… "And I'll always be with you," Angela replied as she let go of Jo and Ellen and stood up. She grabbed where she had left her bloody chakram and put it back on her belt and reached over where she had Absolution waiting. She was the last to go along with Xander. She walked to where their way out was and paused to look at Ellen and Jo one last time…

… True she interacted with the Winchesters more out of the fact that it wasn't them but her and she really didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings but she just needed to think and while too much thinking ended up starting those vicious thought circles, she needed to think and it was always on what was needed in terms of supplies. It wasn't fair to them and it wasn't fair to Sam and yet he kept giving that look of understanding that unnerved her to the point that it scared her.

She had been in situations like Carthage before but it was always the same result and that ended up with her being blamed on some level and hated or extreme dislike…

… "You… talk to Bobby?"

"Ah no." Sam watched as Angela stared at nothing in particular. "He was angry…"

"You don't need to justify it to me, Sam," Angela said softly. She looked at Sam and smiled softly. "I lived with Augie from the time she was a little girl after she went blind. And… a few things that hit hard. I get where he is coming from."

"You know he didn't mean saying he wanted to leave you."

"I know. Really I do. It just hurt at the time." Angela wasn't lying about that. She knew that Bobby had been frustrated at being in the chair. She also suspected that it was in part due to the fact that she didn't remember much of her time with the grizzled hunter…

… Releasing her sleeve, he reached up with his right hand and with his two first fingers he pressed the tips gently to the left side of her neck. He tried not to notice her wide eyed expression of surprise but he couldn't help but look her in the eye as he slowly and almost seductively brought his fingers down the side of her neck down to the collar bone. He finished by leaning forward and planted a kiss in the same spot she did, letting his breath linger slightly before pulling back…

… The expression on her face at first was indiscernible but the way she held his hand… His fingers tightened around her hand gently as she placed her other hand on top of hers and he saw it. He saw the lotus…

Now

The night was cold as the wind howled between the buildings. The shadows stretched across the ground even though there was some light to provide some means of comfort. For the security guard, that meant very little. Even though he had this job for a few years now, he didn't like pulling the night shift in this part of the block. He always thought that there was something strange about this section of warehouses. He heard one too many stories from the other guards. Some talked about ghosts haunting the place. He didn't believe it but still…

It was his luck that he was here patrolling this section of warehouses. He held his flashlight as he made his rounds. He put his hand on his stunner gun but he wasn't overly confident about that. After all what good did it anyone if they had something that could actually kill you like a gun? Still it was better than nothing and he continued with his rounds. As he continued, it seemed that the night became colder and he shivered slightly and his breath decided to fog.

Great. Colder winds to add to the ghost stories.

As the guard rounded the corner, he heard something that was… It caught his attention and he paused to look around. It was quiet as he looked around. He didn't like it overmuch and something was telling him that there was something there. But he couldn't see it. He chose to ignore it for now but he was wary and it had him nervous about the whole area.

It was only made worse when he rounded the corner of another building and he heard noise. It was the unmistakable sound of people and they were trespassing. He decided to check it out. It could be that they were homeless and needed a place to sleep for the night. He wasn't going to begrudge them that as long as they didn't damage any property. Because then he would be sure to hear about it from his boss since it would end up happening on his shift.

The guard edged closer and kept his hand on his stun gun. Sometimes the homeless could get a little crazy and violent. At least the stunners were nonlethal for the most part and it would put the guy down long enough for him to call the police. He followed the sound and he figured that there were a few of them judging by the fact that there was a lot of shuffling and there were multiple voices coming from inside the building he was walking around. Moving closer, the guard found one of the doors to be unlocked. Figuring that they picked the lock, he decided to go in and if he had to call the police if it was something criminal.

The guard came across a group of people and judging from their clothing, they weren't homeless. The opinion then changed to that they were burglars. So that meant he had to call it in. The thing though was that there was really nothing of value in that warehouse and they didn't look like they were going to steal it. Then that made them vandals and that still meant a call to the cops. The guard fished into his jacket pocket and pulled out his cell phone.

"Are you certain that they have arrived?"

"Yes. It is the most current incarnation."

"Excellent."

The guard noted that the woman that said that looked particularly pleased. Whatever it was they were up to no good. Curiosity getting the better of him, he inched closer. He noted that the woman was particularly beautiful except for the thin scar on her face. Actually she was beautiful with it but given the way her hair had been styled, she disliked it heartily.

The other two were one man and one woman. They were dressed in black and looked like they might have popped out of one of those spy type movies with plenty of action and all that. The strange thing was they looked a little nervous around the other woman. The man said, "They aren't alone."

"Of course not."

"And they are human," the woman in black said.

"All the better for it," the woman with the scar countered. She seemed to disregard their concerns like there was nothing to worry about it. That clearly indicated that she was in charge.

The woman in black looked at her partner with a nervous expression and added, "They are with a guardian."

"And like anything flesh and blood it can be killed," the woman with the scar said, now clearly getting annoyed with everything that was being said. "So what is the problem with snatching the only pair that keeps those infernal gods in play?" She looked at both of them with a pointed look that also said she would rip out their livers if their answer didn't please her.

The woman looked at her partner again and then at the woman with the scar and replied, "The guardian is one of them… the Abhibhavak of the Destroyer."

The guard frowned in confusion. The word was strange to him and it was obviously foreign and part of a group led by this destroyer. It had him wonder if it was one of those secret groups like the Freemasons or something. It sounded like it and judging from the two squirming under the gaze of the woman with the scar, they were nervous being around them.

The woman with the scar looked at her subordinates with a raised brow. To the guard it was clear that she didn't think too highly of that answer either. He had to admit that it was gutsy especially if the name evoked fear in others. "So?" The woman looked at the pair.

"It's one of them. They can kill us," the male finally said.

"Just as long as you get those two brats before they reach the sanctuary," the woman with the scar countered, now getting angry. "Lucifer wants them so when he finally has everything in place he can take out those simpering fools and their pantheons."

"But it's an Abhibhavak," the man nearly whined, clearly upset that he was not being taken seriously about the threat that faced them in getting their goal.

"And made of meat suits full of puss," the woman with the scar countered in a tone that indicated that she was fast losing her patience with these two and she was not above killing them for the hell of it.

"It's not the man," the woman demon said, "But the weapon. They are forged with the secrets of the Destroyer and he's been known to kill our kind." She took a breath and added, "We have nothing really to counter that."

"And we have nothing to counter the weapon that Little Sister has and she's had her ass beaten a couple of times. A few of them by me." The woman with the scar pointed at herself to emphasize the point that there was a possibility for them to achieve what they were to do.

"True," the woman demon said as she glanced at her partner was an annoyed glance. She had every right since he was shaking like a little girl. It was pathetic. She looked back at her superior and continued, "However, we are not as high on the food chain of our kind. We could easily come close to the ashvins but we'd be dead before we could touch them. It would be wise to send another higher up on the paygrade to make sure that we can take out the Abhibhavak. If you recall, Asmodeus almost killed the Malachi before she was rescued." The women went silent and looked at the other a bit nervous.

It was only for a few seconds but the woman with the scar did think about it and looked at the other and said, "Agreed. But Asmodeus was a fool. While tormenting those close to Little Sister will provoke a reaction, he went about it wrong and ended up dead." She turned around and paced a little while she continued, "Which is why I thought you might report this in to me and which is why I decided to summon someone that will give the guardian of those ashvin brats a beating and ultimately death."

"Who may I ask?" The other woman demon took over the talking.

The woman with the scar turned and grinned almost feral and sadistically at the other before raising her hands and giving two short claps. They sounded like shots that echoed through the building making the guard shudder inwardly since it seemed to hit his spine. And it didn't help that the room suddenly became cold and traveled the entire length of his spine.

It was like a burst of icy cold wind and a man appeared. To the guard he was not buff but he looked in shape. His skin was mocha brown with dark hair that was wavy and cut short. His eyes cold, dark, and void of emotion and it didn't help that he was dressed in a black suit, a pitch perfect black suit. It was enough to make the guard shudder but also look wide eyed since the guy just appeared all of a sudden.

The woman with the scar smiled and gestured at the man, "You peons meet, Devraj. I'm sure you recognize his pay grade."

The other female demon looked at the new arrival and then at the other woman and asked, "A pisacha?"

"Just the thing we need," the woman said giving a slight giggle. "And certainly if he comes across Little Sister."

"What makes you think the Malachi would know about this?" The male finally managed to speak as he eyed the pisacha warily."

"Because it is Little Sister, you idiot," the woman with the scar spat. "How could she not know? She always knows something is going on."

The scarred woman would have continued the rant but she was silenced by the one called Devraj with a pat to the arm and his saying something in a language the guard couldn't understand. He looked around and disappeared with the blowing of the wind that it had the guard wondering where he went and if it were possible in the first place. He looked at the others who were standing there and looking around but not doing anything.

The next thing the guard knew he was grabbed from behind and thrown across the room with astounding force. He flew head over heels and landed on his back and slide along the floor right in front of the three that were standing there. He looked up and he saw as the one called Devraj reappear in a billowing of wind and saying, "He heard everything."

The guard tried to protest but was sushed when the woman with the scar kneeled over him and pressed her fingers on his lips. "You know that it's not polite to listen to other people's conversations now do you?"

The guard stammered and said, "But I didn't hear anything. I was just checking to see if it was some homeless people needing a place to sleep and…"

The guard's lips were pressed upon by the woman. "Don't lie you bag of puss. How much did you overhear?"

The guard tried to lie again. At the end the woman stood up and walked away but the guard didn't miss the signal she gestured towards the one that could disappear and reappear. He looked over and saw the man coming towards him. He heard a high pitched wail and sudden pain. He cried out and all was black. The last thing on his ears was the sound of blood splashing.

A/N: Looks like the demons are up to something but I wonder who the main player is. Virtual cookies to whoever knows the ringleader. Hint, hint, it's an old favorite. Keep watching for more next time on Kind, Enlightened Giving