After Sam had flown away from Castiel to land in who knows where, he had sat down on a rock at the entrance of a cavern and curled his wings over himself in shame, holding his face in his hands. He had run away, again.
"You know, out of all the places on Earth, I never expected you to pick this place."
The voice was coming from his left. Sam jerked his head in that direction, flinching when he saw the image of Lucifer in Nick's body. A replica of the wings on Sam's back was now on Lucifer's.
"How are you able to-"
"Manifest? You prayed."
Sam's eyes widened as he swallowed slowly, digging his fingers into the rock beneath them, not realizing he was crushing bits of it to dust.
"I did not-"
Lucifer shrugged, indifferent, as he leaned forward to get up and look around at the place Sam had brought him.
"Maybe you didn't, consciously, at least. But your soul certainly did."
"I-"
Sam stopped talking as his wide eyes followed Lucifer, who was currently wandering around aimlessly.
"Where are we?" He spoke in a rough tone, his voice echoing faintly inside the cave walls. There was a small, partially frozen stream running down the ledge they were both standing on. Vines curled around the entrance.
Lucifer raised his eyebrows, and turned to Sam, forgetting about the small plant he had been admiring.
"You're telling me you don't remember?"
Sam's brow furrowed in confusion.
"I don't-I've never been here. I don't even know where here is!"
Now it was Lucifer's turn to be confused. He stepped closer to Sam, while Sam stepped farther away.
"Of course, you've been here, Sam. It's where you were born."
He frowned, about to object that he was most definitely born in a hospital, but then Lucifer waved a hand towards him, shaking his head in dismissal, effectively shutting Sam up.
"No, no, no, Sam. I'm not talking about your body. I'm talking about your soul."
Sam took in a sharp breath. His eyes scanned the lush green of forest surrounding them and the stream that trickled down the cliff and into the clouds below them. Apparently, they were in a very elevated place.
"I…" He didn't know what to say to that statement. How do you react to someone telling you that you're in the very place you were created?
A red berry was flicked towards his nose. Sam rubbed it, annoyed. He looked down at the berry, then back up at Lucifer in frustration.
"Lucifer, what the hell?"
"Stop contemplating your existence, Sam. There are less complicated things to worry about."
Sam squinted at him with confusion. Lucifer was crossing his arms, now turned to face Sam.
"That's…not…whatever. We need some way to defeat Amara. You said there was a sword. Do you know where it is? I mean unless you were lying-"
A quick flap of wings, Lucifer was suddenly in his face, snarling with rage. The mark pulsed bright blue, a chilling tinge creeping up Sam's arm.
"I. Did not. Lie."
Sam's eyes widened with fear, swallowing slowly, as his wings lowered to hide behind his back. He stood there, frozen, waiting for Lucifer to hurt him, to kill him, to push him off the ledge, anything. He had gotten too comfortable, forgetting that his partner was the Devil, that he was a maniac intent on killing humanity.
Lucifer looked away, down at the ground, in what seemed to be…shame? No, that couldn't be it. The icy burn faded from his arm, and Lucifer's wings reached towards Sam's, seemingly trying to console him, but Sam's wings fluttered away in terror.
"I…Sam. I had my sword when I fell. It slipped out of my grasp. I do not know where on Earth it went. It could be resting on the highest mountain, or lying in the deepest sea. The possibilities are not endless, but to you, they may feel like it."
Sam looked at Lucifer, still wary. "Could you…" He coughed. "Could you help?"
He sighed, looking worriedly up at Sam. "There were Enochian runes on the sword. Perhaps showing you them could help you find it." He held his hand up to press it to Sam's, but Sam jumped back quickly.
"What are you going to do to me?" His voice hardened, clutching his arm tightly in precaution.
"I will put the runes on your palm. It will feel like nothing more than a tattoo."
He narrowed his eyes at Lucifer, tentatively giving his hand over. Lucifer slammed his palm onto Sam's, and they both flashed with a white glow.
Sam quietly hissed in pain as he took back his hand quickly, scanning the Enochian writing.
Blade of The Morningstar
Eyebrows furrowing in confusion, he looked up at Lucifer's pinched face.
"Why couldn't you just have handed this to me on a piece of paper? Why burn it on me instead?"
Lucifer tilted his head in a way reminiscent of Castiel, then spoke.
"Burned into your flesh and blood with grace is much more powerful than a measly piece of paper. One of the good things about it is only you will be able to read it."
Sam frowned.
"What good is that?"
Lucifer raised his eyebrows in surprise, and Sam flinched back. He should have known not to talk back.
"My sword has been searched for by many powerful beings. None of them have found it. You are the only person who has gotten help from the bearer itself. You would be followed, tracked, and killed by others if they knew what you were searching."
"What about Cas?"
Lucifer's eyes glazed over, still staring absent-mindedly at Sam's palm. "Ah, yes, Castiel. That little angel. I still don't understand 'assbutt'. Nevertheless, you will know instinctively how to use your grace to let him see."
Sam's face was pinched in confusion. "I…okay."
Lucifer gazed at him. "I will leave. Let them know of the runes."
Sam's eyes widened, looking down at their new information. They could find the sword and defeat the Darkness! The wings resting on his back reacted to his excitement and flared up.
Lucifer turned to leave, probably to go brood in the cage, but then he turned back to Sam.
"Sam…" Sam looked up to Lucifer's pain-filled face. "I know why you ended up here."
He took in a sharp breath, eyes tracing Lucifer's expression in shock. "You heard my conversation."
"With Castiel. Yes, I did. I also heard the end. Sam, I know you believe so, but your soul is not ruined. It is scarred, perhaps, and that is my doing, but it is not ruined."
Sam snorted in disbelief. He had drunk demon blood, he had been in cahoots with Ruby, started the apocalypse, hell, Sam even let Lucifer out of his cage. For the second time. Lucifer read Sam easily, his thoughts echoing onto his face.
"I believe in what Castiel said, Sam. My wings are naturally white. Now they are streaked with gold. It is because of your soul. I may be the brightest angel, Sam, but you are the brightest soul."
Sam swallowed. "Lucifer, I didn't-"
He looked up, but Lucifer had already disappeared. Sam knew he should've felt happy in that moment, having the runes on his palm, having information, but all he felt was a deep loneliness in his chest, aching for a lost friend. He huffed, and flew towards the bunker whilst putting on a fake smile, and shoved away all thoughts of Lucifer's pain-filled gaze.
