As Castiel examined the building where the demons seemed to be congregating, he began to fully comprehend the predicament he was in. Looking into the building, he could not perceive with his grace what the abominations were doing. Instead, as he extended burning tendrils of his grace to penetrate the wall seared with Enochian sigils intertwined with the mix of his brothers' graces, his own grace slammed against the sigils more violently than ever before. The sigils had been painted by angels.
The memory of Seraphiel's wounded grace and how it throbbed with pulses of utter loneliness began to make sense. It was indeed Micah's entire garrison who had rebelled, every single angel except Seraphiel. Castiel's core immediately ached as he felt himself sever the connections to an entire garrison of his brothers.
He had to keep the Winchesters safe.
Castiel's grace crashed like white-capped waves against a cliff-face, could he trust anyone in Heaven now? The power harnessed by Micah's garrison in guarding this location was colossal, and he understood that they were prepared to kill their brothers without question to ensure the collapse of this seal. He felt Anna's abandonment even more acutely as he faced this alone, a brewing angelic war in which he was fighting on what could only be the losing side.
Something twitched in his grace and he recognized the familiar feeling of that tiny portion of Dean's soul that he still possessed, and his faith in Dean stirred and swelled. The Righteous Man was the only one who could stop all of this, and Castiel's own grace was woven into his soul. The glue keeping it from falling apart.
They must have a chance. Castiel still believed he was fulfilling his Father's will. He recalled Seraphiel's words of assurance to him. They'd fought as partners in so many battles, and he'd seen some of the most profound parts of her grace. Locked in a fight against demons, he recalled her burning form of the purest, blinding white light.
It was in such drastic juxtaposition with the grace he encountered in that motel room when she'd appeared. She was depleted to an extent that caused even Castiel pain. He knew that she would never stop to think of herself, but if Anna did not appear before the next night, Seraphiel would certainly not survive the fight.
Focusing on his piece of Dean's soul, he took flight and found himself sitting next to Seraphiel in the back-seat of the Impala.
Dean had been scouting the roads for gas-stations as they cruised through the clear Kansas morning. It was getting on ten am, and Cas had been gone for 6 hours. It took Dean all the strength inside him to keep a cool, collected look on his face. Seraphiel did not seem worried. But she was disconnected, and Dean didn't quite trust that she could know that Cas was safe.
Just as Dean lost it and opened his mouth to demand Cas to get his angel-ass back here, he heard the sound of wings behind him. Glancing quickly over his shoulder, he saw Cas sitting straight backed next to Seraphiel who turned her gaze from the window.
"Where the hell have you been?" Dean asked, trying to disguise his raging anxiety.
Castiel cocked his head to the side and surveyed Dean's eyes in the rear-view mirror. "You were worried. Did you not receive my message?" He looked at Seraphiel with his grace twisting in discomfort.
Had it already started?
Seraphiel extended her hand and touched Castiel's arm. "We received the message. Dean was simply worried." Castiel's grace relaxed a fraction, like a sea calming after a storm. Seraphiel's touch comforted Castiel in such a human way when he still felt a burning in her grace.
"I just thought you might have gotten your angel-ass in trouble," Dean said, trying to be gruff. But the relief permeated his tone, and he knew Cas understood.
"Thanks, Cas," Sam said from the passenger seat as he turned down the music. "If I had to listen to that AC/DC tape one more time, I think I would shoot myself," He finished with a laugh.
"Are you having suicidal thoughts, Sam?" Castiel asked in a concerned tone.
"No!" Sam exclaimed with a chuckle. "No, It was just a joke. It's good to see you back."
Castiel's oblivious nature entertained Sam. And at the moment, Sam needed a bit of light-hearted banter. He was starting to sweat slightly across his brow. His body felt empty, devoid of the power that fueled every part of him. And in his mind were images of Ruby, lying prostrate on a motel bed as Sam's entire body buzzed and pulsed with each beat of her vessel's heart.
Shaking the images out of his head, he spoke. "So what are we looking at, Cas?"
"The demons are congregated in a logging factory by the river. I did not sense the children, but I could not determine anything that was happening inside the factory warehouse because they have an Enochian chain sigil painted by the graces of Micah's entire garrison, as well as salt lines at every entrance. No supernatural being can enter it," He glanced to Seraphiel who gave him an unreadable look. "But that also means that no one can exit."
Castiel's tactics, his instinct as a soldier bubbled to the surface of his grace, but he knew that his plan would be immediately shot down by the Winchesters. It was the move he would have made had he been fighting in The Outer Realm, but here on Earth, with emotions clouding his judgment, he even questioned himself.
"Anna must know of the movement of the garrisons," But when he reached out through the connection he had with Anna's grace, it felt like he was being ignored; he hit a wall. "But her connection is veiled to me," He turned to Seraphiel.
Seraphiel shook her head. "I have been unable to feel her connection for weeks."
Sam wanted to call Ruby. Not just because his need for her blood was beginning to burn painfully in his core, but she had to know something about this high-profile seal. He took a deep breath and looked out at the passing scenery as Dean spotted a gas-station.
Relieved by the interruption to the tense conversation taking place, Sam stepped out of the car and stretched his legs. His entire body felt like it was on pins and needles. It was almost unbearable. He began to wander away from the Impala as Dean pumped the gas.
Seraphiel had also exited the car, simply following the lead of the Winchesters. Standing forlornly by her door, she watched as Sam walked away, his soul virtually desiccated. He was in obvious pain.
Castiel remained in the car, so it was only Seraphiel and Dean standing at the gas station pump. There was an awkward silence as Seraphiel examined the soul of The Righteous Man. It was a glorious mélange of Castiel's dazzling grace and Dean's golden, courageous soul. The bond between them was deeper than she could ever imagine. With human emotion infused into their connection, Seraphiel felt that it was deeper than even the bond of their grace. She felt honoured to be in his presence.
Dean, however, was wary of the angel who stood next to him. She was this stranger from Cas' past and he didn't trust her. She was staring at him, and he shifted nervously. "So what's your story with Cas?" Dean said in a tone that came out much more demanding than he'd intended, but he didn't regret it.
The corners of Seraphiel's mouth curled into a small smile. "Castiel and I fought together under Uriel for millennia. We walked the Earth in the time of David, and joined in his Psalms of praise. But Castiel was placed in a tactical position and and he left the battlefield for centuries. I was assigned to protect a vessel, and Castiel and I never saw each other again, until last night." Dean's face was unreadable.
"You are jealous of me," Seraphiel observed aloud, smiling even more at the absurdity of the thought.
Dean's face immediately scrunched in disagreement as he began to deny what Seraphiel said, but she cut him off. "Castiel is my brother, we have a connection through the grace we share from our Father. There is a time when I would have died for every single one of my brothers." The pump had finished, but Dean stood listening intently. "The pain of their rebellion and betrayal has overwhelmed me. Castiel and I are both refugees now. And I will die if it means saving my brother, but now I have two other brothers I would die for."
Dean focused intently at Seraphiel's forlorn gaze. As he replaced the nozzle, he extended his hand to Seraphiel who looked at it inquisitively. "It's a handshake." He chuckled.
Taking his hand and giving it a small shake as she felt Sam returning, she pulled Dean towards her and whispered in his ear, "I know how to save Sam." And she got into the car.
What was Dean supposed to do with that?
As Castiel sat alone in the car, he desperately tried to connect to Anna. He was straining himself to the point of pain, his grace stretched to the furthest reaches of the Heavens, and he felt nothing.
With his grace extended, he began to survey their surroundings. He felt Seraphiel's weakened bond, and he marveled at her willingness to sacrifice everything for him and the Winchesters. She was exactly how he remembered, and Castiel had to admit that he was relieved to have her by his side once more, even if it might be their last.
Wincing as Castiel's grace encountered a throbbing ache, he realized that he was feeling the pain in Sam's soul. Knowing that Sam was virtually addicted to the demon blood, he worried that he might summon Ruby. Righteous anger swelled in Castiel's grace like the churning of black clouds heavy with rain. He knew that if he saw the demon again, he would smite her instantly.
But the issue of Sam was still unresolved. The taint of Azazel's blood was impossible to remove, and it was that darkness in him that craved more. He wanted power, but only to save Dean; everything he did was always for Dean. But Sam's fatal flaw was his inability to understand that certain paths cannot be followed no matter what their end. The demon blood was strengthening Sam, certainly, but the end of this particular line was not saving Dean. It ended with Sam as Lucifer's only suitable vessel.
The moment he thought of Sam's potential end, he was also reminded that another of his brothers had chosen Dean as his vessel. Michael's fury was not to be reckoned with; Castiel recalled the few times he had been honoured to be in Michael's presence. His grace was the most brilliant, overpowering sensation as it bathed Castiel in its ferocity and yet was the most stunning light as white as the dusting of the winter's first snow. No human could survive containing such power.
Castiel couldn't think about that. Each time he did, his grace beat against his vessel's body, craving the feeling of liberation. To let his wings stretch to catapult him into flight, a blissful moment of complete freedom.
Suddenly, the Winchesters and Seraphiel entered the car, and they drove from the gas station in silence.
Seraphiel closed her eyes for a moment as she tried to compose herself. It was becoming difficult to focus on anything, as her grace tumbled lethargically in her vessel. She would attempt to unite with Castiel, but the connection she made was barely noticeable. Suddenly, Seraphiel's grace churned wildly, and extended farther than she knew was possible at the moment. Turning to Castiel, he had a confused, rigid expression etched on his face.
Something is coming. Castiel's grace spoke silently to Seraphiel, not wanting to alert the Winchesters until he knew the exact nature of this anomaly. Seraphiel looked like a lost puppy, her vessel's eyes were wide with what Castiel could only call terror.
It was like an explosion in Castiel's grace when he finally understood what was happening. From this eruption came the most beautiful, elegant hallelujah of praise.
Even Seraphiel felt the immense pull on her grace, as it burned brighter than it had in a long while. The magnificent song filled her up and her grace ebbed and flowed in perfect harmony, the feeling was unparalleled, and Seraphiel's fear and concern immediately melted away and was replaced with a rising feeling of hope.
Sam and Dean both turned abruptly at the sound of wings in the back seat. Both expecting to look back and see one or both of the angels missing, they were taken aback when their eyes saw not two but three angels occupying the back-seat.
Anna had returned.
"God-damn, it's good to see you," Dean said in a tone that didn't sound like he was really that happy to see Anna, but the look in his eyes betrayed him; to Castiel, his immense relief at Anna's return was obvious.
Anna paid no attention to Dean's statement. She was staring intently at the angel to her right; Seraphiel's grace cried out in praise and thanks to her Father at the sight of Anna. It was the first real stirring she'd felt since that moment with Dean at the gas station. She couldn't help but feel like she was in this car, driving to her end. "Anna," Seraphiel's voice was desperate.
Putting a hand on Seraphiel's leg, Anna turned to Castiel, her grace simmered with concern, foreboding, and what Castiel could only identify as real fear.
"It is chaos," Anna said in a woeful tone, and the other two angels could see the sharp, knife-like pain cut through her grace. "Our brothers are going into hiding, the war in the Outer Realm is all but forgotten, and the demons gain ground everyday." Anna spoke quickly, without being prompted by question.
Feeling Seraphiel's grace turning slowly within her, the light it emitted was no more than a candle's flame. Anna continued, "I have not forgotten about you, but I could not risk allowing our graces to connect while I was in Heaven in case Raphael or Micah were watching me."
"So why didn't you just get your ass down here?" Dean asked in a frustrated tone. "Leave Heaven and lie low."
Castiel watched as Anna's grace deflated even more as she answered Dean's question. "Raphael's allies are monitoring the angels leaving Heaven. A surge of demons in the Outer Realm sent many of the sentinels away, and I was able to slip through the Veil." Anna explained.
Dean's hands gripped the Impala's steering wheel until his knuckles were white. Dean never really believed in God, and still had his suspicions despite….what was he supposed to call his relationship with Cas? But upon hearing Anna's report of the losing battle it appeared they were fighting, he couldn't help but feel the most profound abandonment and betrayal. He was used to fighting evil; he was one of the good guys, and he was being hunted.
"So what's our plan of action?" Dean asked in a hard tone. When Castiel heard it, his grace winced; he could hear himself in Dean's voice, a piece of Castiel's grace came through in his tone and connected to Castiel's grace in one specific location. Somehow Dean's soul had a piece of Castiel's fury, the fiery rage that burned brighter than the sun whenever Castiel was on the battlefield. Dean sounded like a soldier.
Anna turned to Castiel as she obviously felt all the emotion that was stirring in Castiel's grace. Initially she was taken aback by the brilliant display, the bursts of gold and the incandescent glow of Castiel's love for Dean. Having fallen once, Anna did not pity Castiel's emotions; she applauded them.
"First I must depart with Seraphiel," Anna said, as she turned once more to face Seraphiel. "I must take her to the Veil and restore her grace. Castiel will remain with you in case you run into any problems."
Sam twisted uncomfortably in his seat as he realized that he was concerned for Seraphiel's safety. "Just be careful." He said to both angels before they took flight with the rustle of wings.
Seraphiel merely latched on to Anna's Heaven-swelled grace and followed her to that familiar, dark stretch of ice. They were a mere three miles from the North Pole, and yet neither angel showed any sign of cold nor was affected by the gale-force wind.
Seraphiel looked at Anna and knew what she needed to admit to herself and her grace. "This will be the last time I replenish my grace." It was half question half statement. Seraphiel had resigned herself to that fact.
Looking into Seraphiel's grace with rapt attention, Anna did not want to say the truth. "Yes," She all but whispered. "I am so sorry." Anna added as she extended a flaming tendril of her grace to warm Seraphiel's.
"There is something I need to do," Seraphiel said in a serious tone. "With the last of my grace, I want to save Sam Winchester." With a heart-wrenching stirring in Anna's grace, her vessel's face was without expression.
"I believe angels are at our best when we are falling," Anna said quietly. "We love passionately and have faith in people and things that don't necessarily deserve it. I do not know what the future holds for Sam, but I have seen your grace burn so brilliantly, and I know that if anyone can save him, it is you." Anna's faith in Seraphiel was reassuring as she stepped forward to the crashing fury of the Veil, where Heaven, Earth, and Hell all collided.
Taking a deep breath of the air buzzing with power and unbridled fury into her vessel's lungs, she extended her grace and immediately felt the overwhelming pull of the Veil's power. She felt her grace swelling, and expanding in a burst of the most brilliant, iridescent holy fire. She pulled on the Veil as her grace became stronger. When she had reached a state where her grace was fully restored, she did not disconnect from the Veil. She allowed even more power and grace to enter her than ever before, and she could feel it coursing through her vessel's veins and pressing against her skin.
I am sorry. Seraphiel's grace whispered to her vessel, Caroline's, shrunken soul. You will find yourself in the most exquisitely beautiful location you can imagine, where rivers flow with shimmering kaleidoscope water infused with our Father's merciful grace; where the forests and the emerald trees, glinting with life, stretch to infinity. I cannot save you, but because of you, because of your beautiful sacrifice, I can save Sam Winchester.
In the fury of the moment, Seraphiel heard a whisper.
Seraphiel.
It was Caroline's voice, and then it was gone.
When Seraphiel felt Caroline's tired soul depart her body, a blinding light emitted from her chest and the most exquisite, broken hallelujah sang from Seraphiel's grace, and ascended, guiding Caroline's soul to Heaven.
It was painful for Seraphiel to force the grace from the Veil into the void created by the absence of Caroline's soul, but she forced herself to fill her vessel until it overflowed with fiery explosions of powerful, unbridled grace.
Anna stood to the side and watched as Seraphiel's grace swelled, ebbing and flowing in equilibrium with the Veil. The burning crashing realms colliding suspended Seraphiel's grace in stasis as it pulled on its strength.
When Seraphiel felt that she was truly as full of grace as she ever had been, and as she ever would be, she pulled with all the strength in her as she severed her connection with the Veil and stumbled back into Anna's arms.
Seraphiel's eyes glowed with a swirling golden mist, and Anna was taken aback by the unrestrained force of Seraphiel's grace which extended from the angel and overwhelmed Anna's own Heaven-fueled grace. It was stunning in its terror, and Anna almost averted her vessel's eyes.
As the Veil's power settled into Seraphiel, her vessel's eyes returned to their natural deep green. But as Seraphiel stood there, with the power coursing through her veins, she realized that it wasn't her vessel anymore. This was her body. Her consciousness would never leave this flesh, even after her grace had left her.
A human with an angel's memories.
A fallen angel.
Anna's grace tossed playfully with the more controlled power of Seraphiel's grace; it was unlike any other feeling; because while she was filled with more power than most angels could ever imagine, she was also falling.
We can't stay here. Anna's grace spoke wordlessly to Seraphiel.
Nodding, Seraphiel unfurled her wings and Anna felt herself inhale in wonder. Seraphiel's wings were full, each feather glinting like an individual diamond, and as they stretched to their full extent, radiating incandescent pulses of energy, the power in them was evident.
Seraphiel took flight, pulling Anna with her.
Night had fallen when Anna and Seraphiel returned to the Winchesters and Castiel. They had reached Osceola, but were stationed at a motel ten miles away. Three angels in a demon-filled town was just asking for a fight. Dean noticed that Seraphiel held herself straighter now that she had restored her grace. Her voice was stronger and more melodic, each word almost like its own song.
"Seraphiel," Castiel said when he saw her. His voice was a sigh as he caressed Seraphiel's grace vibrating at frequencies that Castiel didn't understand, but reveled in the power they conveyed. But Castiel noticed something else about Seraphiel: her vessel was empty. The soul of the vessel that contained her grace had left her, and Castiel sent a song of supplication to his Father.
Anna's grace extended to Castiel's to calm the uncertainty he had about Seraphiel's sudden resurgence.
"Where the hell have you two been?" Dean asked pointedly as Sam stepped forward towards Seraphiel, feeling a physical magnetic pull.
Anna shot a look of disapproval at Dean whose face had not relaxed a fraction. "Trips to the Veil are more treacherous than any other, especially when the comings and goings of angels are being watched," Anna's voice was stern.
Sam surveyed Seraphiel and he could feel this slight warmth radiating from her. Her skin glowed with life, as he was approaching her. Her copper hair shined brighter than seemed possible, and Sam stopped in front of her, unsure what to say, or whether or not she felt that very real force pulling Sam's core towards the angel.
Seraphiel looked away from Sam with a smile and brushed her gloriously layered wings against Castiel's in greeting. "Hello, Castiel." It hardly seemed possible, but when Castiel's vessel's face smiled, it moved Seraphiel's grace in a way that made her see his real form, his real smile, and it almost brought tears to her eyes.
My grace is diminishing, Castiel. I am falling. But I have the power of the Veil, and Caroline's soul departed this corporeal form. I can save Sam Winchester, and allow him to help us in the battle tomorrow without giving in to that all-consuming need in his vacuous soul. His soul is drawn towards me, even now. Give me time alone with him. Distract Dean.