Rider on the Storm
Rolling storm clouds grumbled, threatening to bring a downpour upon the charred open husk of the Redeemer Church. The steady pound of Ezra Brennan's hammer worked on despite the approaching thunder booms. Ignoring the wind gust that blew part of his candles to an untimely death, he tried to continue his rebuilding of the destroyed walls. The next steady wind gust, blew out more of his light source.
"Lord, it looks like you have seen fit to bring some rain to my work. Is this your way of telling me it is time to rest for the night?" Ezra chuckled. It had been at least a year since he began his work rebuilding this church and left the priesthood- but saying he left was too polite. More aptly, the church removed him after his usual talks with God became too dark. "Not that I am complaining. I can handle not having electric, for you have given me candles to light my way. I can handle not having power tool, for I know Jesus was but a humble carpenter….But I did hope to finish this side wall tonight. You have never let my supply get this low before, but I won't argue with your plans. You do work in mysterious ways. I just hope those ways bring me some more wood to finish rebuilding your earthly home." He sighed, looking through holes of skeleton wooden frame structures he had recently erected in the burned out walls. The only thing that remained of the original church was the back wall, the sanctuary, and altar. So far, he only finished building a baptismal pool near the altar, proclaiming it to be the first task God has set upon him. He resigned himself that tonight's toil was over and hoped tomorrow brought him more supplies and better weather.
Since leaving his former parish, the church officially noted he was on "administrative leave" or on "sabbatical". Those terms were the polite way to tell him to hit the bricks because he was too strange to represent the church. Most found his odd ways alarming at best. His pallid skin, fanatical eyes, gaunt structure, and mad scientist hair made him sublimely creepy. The hallow sunken high check bone gave him that slightly sinister, Christopher Walken-like appearance. He always counted his weirdness of manners and appearance as a blessing. Teasing in his youth had brought him to seek refuge once in abandoned church. As he hid from the taunting bullies, he heard his first message from God. If he had not been running from bullies, he might have missed his life calling. Now, many years later he was still thankful to serve, even if most of world assumed him crazy. To him conversing with God was as natural as talking to your best friend or family.
Staring off into the rolling clouds, Ezra gathered his tools before rain could ruin his efforts. Readying himself for rest in connecting structure behind the church, he relaxed and chuckled again. "If you wanted me to stop, you didn't need to send such a serious storm. I always listen to you… I am convinced you have a cosmic sense of humor."
While he struck up a playful, one-sided conversation with his God, he ambled happily in the gutted church until a shock seemed to strike upon his spine. His back arched in alarm. "Thank you, kind Lord." His focus drew up into the sky and the flashing lightening within the rolling black storm clouds, which moved like tentacles extending down from the sky. The alert in his spine sent warning, for this was not an earthly or heavenly created storm.
"Be gone vile demon and take your brethren with you. You shall not pass the threshold of this church for it is prophesied by God to be the last in the darkest hour….Matthew 16:18, "Upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
Hollow footsteps came out of the darkness of the funneling clouds. Hundreds of Demon voices swirled in the mist. As the footsteps drew near the hallowed and ravaged property of the former church, the onyx clouds burst with scarlet electric and crackled from the voices.
"NO…it can't be… Oh, heavenly father… guide me in this hour of need. For Satan has brought forth a Reaping Rider from the seal. The trumpet has not sounded… please guide my path to undo what has been done."
"Prayer will not save this place. For it is destined for destruction."
Ezra did not react in fear, trusting that God would guide his way. "Be gone. You cannot be here for it is not time. I will call as many lambs unto me before your day upon this earth is decided by our Lord."
"I have been released. My time is now."
"You have gathered demons this night to destroy the seeds that God had set forth to create. You cannot pass, you shall not pass. In this, my God, stands firm. Your power cannot touch here."
From the epicenter of the demon cloud, a form emerged of a human shell inhabited by a power beyond what the earth had even seen. "You know what I am! I am one of four."
"I know what you are. This is not your time. You must return to the Seal."
"No." Dark swirls whirled in his eyes and flashes of blood red twinged his eyes, similar to the storm around him. I have my army now and we will fulfill the destruction of this church this night." The demon raised the arms of his host and the clouds swirled like a battering ram towards the unfinished house of worship. As the barreling flashes of flaring demon spurs crossed into the holy confines of ground, they rebounded as if an unseen force shielded them from entrance. The rippling whirlpools of darkness rescinded into the heaven, abandoning the one that called them to this battle.
"I told you rider, this is not yet your hour. Your demon kindred have left you. You cannot cross. Return to your hold until the time is ready. You have no power to bring about the end of time."
"The Appoloin can cross any barrier."
"They have been hidden from your view. You have no power here."
"I know them and I will have them in my power. No other demon can match my power. With one touch, on whim, I can take peace from this earth. My time is now and I shall return." The demon's eyes swirled with more red, like the dark patterns of his eyes were flashing shoots of red electric. He smiled before he opened his mouth and a vermilion smoke burst poured forth from the orifice, leaving the current host to crash upon the ground. The former human fell dead as soon as the last string of smoke escaped the body.
"No……Oh Lord, the demons know the chosen to replace Appoloin. The Winchesters are in danger. Please guide me to them. I must reseal what has been broken."
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A month later….
The twisting gnarled branches intertwined, making a thick tree trunk to support the new tendrils of branches reaching for the sky. The unruly vegetation sprang from the earth in the far side of an unkempt yard in front of a shack of a house. Long ago poverty had left most houses in the neighborhood in a state of ill-repair and the recent foreclosures forced many families from the rundown structures. At one time this magnificent tree would have been a shining example of pride for the families that lived here. Now, it was a reminder of the growing darkness in the world. Still the ancient tree, surviving in times of diversity, had purpose in the world. Such a disfigured representation of nature provided a perfect haven for two Winchesters, waiting for battle. The two figures clung behind the massive growth in the dark, remaining unseen until it was time for them to be seen.
"I can't wait to roast this demonic son of…"
"I'm as eager as you are, but we don't know how it has caused so many deaths. Everywhere it's been has left every one dead in his wake."
"Thanks Mr. Exposition. I know all this. Whatever power he possesses won't do any good….We have your brilliant plan."
"We just need to get him close enough then…"
"We set this fu…."
"Don't get too cocky. "
"Come on Sam, loosen up. Since the gate opened, we have kicked some major demonic ass."
Sam would have laughed, but there was no more time for enjoying the anticipation of a hunt with his brother. His ever alert ears detected the echoing of a motorcycle progressing down the street. His hand clenched his brother's shoulder in a non-verbal warning of the momentary battle.
Turning to his brother, Dean flashed a smile and nodded, already aware of impending opponent. Giving a hand signal, he asked Sam to set the plan in action. Sam would attack from behind, while Dean took the possessed man by surprise in a frontal attack. Slowly they would maneuver their prey into the trap.
A mere nod confirmed the order and both armed themselves. Both were fully aware guns couldn't harm the demon, but they only needed to get him close enough to spring Sam's trap. Dean preferred the feeling of a gun in his hand to canteens of holy water.
Sam snaked pass the tree, keeping his body tight to the wild brush and overgrowths to get himself behind the demon carrier. Dean clung to his position until we was sure Sam was a safe distance away from their quarry.
The motorcycle stopped a few inches from Sam's location. A confident man kicked the stand and swung off the firecracker red finish of the Harley.
"HEY!" Sam sprang from the bushes several feet behind the figure. "AH! Winchesters…Sammy Winchester… and where is the other half…Come out, come out wherever you are. I know you are here."
"Right here…Just waiting for you to join our party." Dean rushed from his location, blocking the escape route from the front.
"How nice of you to wait for me…..I have been waiting for you."
"Oh good. And we brought you presents." Dean splashed the man with the flask and a slight sizzle rose from his form.
Sam did the same, maneuvering the man to the exact location. "It's over. You won't hurt anyone again."
The siblings used precise strikes to angle the demon's direction, pushing him to predetermined location. Sam tossed a massive splash of holy water from his container, sending the demon the last few feet.
The man chuckled and walked a few more inches towards Dean. He waited for the eldest Winchester to toss more holy water, but Dean smiled.
"Oh, so glib. You don't think you can win."
"Yeah…yeah I do." Dean dropped his water bottle and flicked the silver lighter to life.
"Fire, will not kill me."
"Not planning on burning you. Hell fire can do that once you go back, but…"
Sam completed his thought… "It will complete our trap for you."
Dean touched the ground with his flame and a liquid sprang to life. The flicker sparked and twisted around a complex pattern until the demon was surrounded by a Devil's Trap made of lighter fluid and fire.
"Oh… you are smarter than I expected. That could come in useful." There was no panic in the demons voice. " I am híppos purrós. Do you really think this is powerful enough to hold me!"
"Don't see you moving." Joining his brother's side, Sam started defiantly at the flames holding the demon inside.
"Sam, did he just say his name was hippo poop!"
"You dare mock me!"
"Don't be stupid… Of course I dare mock you."
"Dean, want to do the honors." Sam grinned. "I'm tired of the grandstanding."
"I'd be delighted." Dean pulled the well worn journal from his jacket pocket and turned to an all too familiar page. "Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus…"
The creature laughed inside the fire ring. "Better hurry, your little trap won't last long."
"Long enough!" Sam spouted.
Dean continued his reading over the conversation of the two men. "Omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, omnis congregatio et secta diabolica, in nomine et virtute Domini Nostri Jesu Christi, eradicare et effugare a Dei Ecclesia…"
"Go on, this is highly amusing. I'm not sure which of you I like best."
"ab animabus ad imaginem Dei conditis ac pretioso divini."
"Agni sanguine redemptis. Non ultra audeas, serpens callidissime, decipere humanum genus, Dei Ecclesiam persequi, ac Dei electos excutere et cribrare sicut triticum. The creature completed for the Winchesters. "Words… powerless words…wrong words. Finished now?"
Dean continued anyway. "Imperat tibi Deus altissimus, cui in magna tua superbia…."
Stepping from the still complete trap, the demon slammed a fist to Dean's abdomen, stopping his words and sending him several feet in the air. The older brother smashed hard against the tree that once provided them cover. Before Sam had time to react, the hell spawn swiped Sam's legs from under him. With lightening fast speed, the demon hovered next to his head. The demon wasted no time in cracking Sam's skull against the pavement. Sam's focus could see the red and black swirls like a demon thunderstorm rolling in the man's eyes in the glow of their useless trap.
"I only need one of you." The human husk opened its mouth wide and a swirl started to pour out, seeking refuge inside Sam's body.
The snapping of bone and flesh, echoed in the quiet. The smoke hissed back inside the host as Sam's eyes focused on the makeshift stake pushing out of the host's chest and his brother pressing the weapon in deeper. Not a single drop of blood spilled, but the demon's attention diverted to Dean.
"Get off my brother."
"Very well! The creature whipped up and yanked the tip that stuck out of his chest, pulling the long wooden spike through his torso. The hole it created quickly sealed. "You are the fighter…the warrior…that seems more appropriate."
"Appropriate for what, you bastard." Dean swung his fist into the torso.
The demon merely grabbed the man's swing, then used brute strength to push Dean against the tree trunk again. Slamming the eldest sibling into the wood a few times, a stream of blood poured at the base of Dean's head. Dean's mind swam as the demon released him, letting his body crash beneath the tree. Once again, the demon hovered near Dean's face. Ripping the gold amulet from Dean's neck before he held Dean's mouth open, the demon chuckled. "You won't be needing that anymore." The black storm smoke poured out and sprang to life with red crackling electric pulses. The smoke filled Dean's throat as if it closed off all air to him and he gasped. His throat gurgled and strangled as the funnel poured into his throat, filling his being with demonic presence.
Author's note: If you read the Enter the Sandman story, you will see the Appoloin word has returned here. It will be explained, finally.
