The demon came periodically, dropping off new people in various places around the room. Sam and Jim did their best to try and interact, but most of them seemed terrified out of their wits and unwilling to respond.
The light shone in again. Sam and Jim had stopped jumping up each time the demon arrived with some new victim, but they still tensed automatically.
"These three should finish us off." The demon snapped its fingers, grinning as they all blinked in the sudden light. Sam took in the room as quickly as possible—thirty individuals chained along the four walls, the majority around Sam's age, but a rough smattering of both younger and older individuals chained in pairs with the kids Sam's age.
And being dragged behind Azazel—
"Dean!" Sam shouted. Jim clapped a hand over his mouth, but it was too late, the demon's attention was already on them.
"I guess this will make things a little interesting," it mused, stalking closer to them. Sam deliberately kept his eyes locked onto the demon's, and didn't look at Dean. "Don't worry, kid, we'll take good care of Dean." Azazel locked Dean into the wall next to the two of them, and then Jake and a small girl beside him. "Two hours and we're ready for the games to begin!"
Sam carefully felt for Dean's pulse.
"Is he alright?" Jim asked softly.
"He's out cold," Sam told him. "Jim, this can't be good."
"I know, Sam. We'll get through this, okay?"
Sam turned to his mentor. "You can't promise that."
Jim's smile was sad. "We'll do our best."
Sam ducked his head, pressing his hand across his eyes. "Jim, if you or Dean die because of me, I don't know . . . I don't know what I'll do."
"Sam, you put your trust in humans and you'll always find yourself disappointed. God will see us through."
He sighed. "Yeah, Jim. I know."
A comforting hand rubbed his back. "Stay strong, Sam."
"Dean, are you awake? Dean. Dean."
The hard surface under his head didn't make any sense. Dean blinked, levering himself up slowly.
"Jake?" he mumbled.
"Dean."
Dean turned too fast, and his aching head throbbed. "Sammy?"
His little brother's pale face was filthy. "Hey, Dean. You okay?"
Dean pulled Sam as close as possible, noting the tug of a shackle around his right wrist. "Sammy, I've been looking for you. What happened? Where are we? Are you okay?"
Sam's laugh was shaky. "Dean, breathe. We've been taken, but none of us are hurt . . . yet."
"None of—" Dean looked around, blanching at the sight of Jake to his right, Jim to Sam's left. "What the—"
"Sam, you need to explain quickly," Jim murmured.
"Dean, we were taken by a demon. It's related to my visions somehow. I think this has something to do with Mom and Dad's death," Sam said quickly.
Dean blinked at him. "Come again?"
Next to him, Jake moaned. "My head."
"Jake," Dean hissed. "Jake, wake up."
"What happened?" Jake rubbed a hand over his face. "Are we—"
"Jake!"
"Nikki!"
Dean recognized the little girl from Jake's pictures of his family and felt sick.
"Sam, what's going on?" he asked. "Why are we all here?"
His little brother's eyes met his in the darkness. "I wish I knew. But it's nothing good."
The demon's plans were remarkably simple. Take two special children, pit them against each other with the incentive of a loved one's survival as a reward. Sam watched, sickened, as two boys—twins, apparently—ripped each other apart.
Without warning, Sam's shackle fell off and he was dragged forward. He heard the cries of Jim and Dean; as he fell to the floor at the demon's feet, he shot a look back towards the two of them, minutely shaking his head until they fell silent.
Azazel knelt, tilting Sam's chin up with one finger. "I've had my eye on you for a while now, Sam," he said softly. "So much potential. This little test is meant to weed out my weaker children. I trust you won't be one of them."
A young girl was pulled to the center of the room as well. Sam swallowed, staring at the demon.
"Why have us fight each other like this? It doesn't make any sense," he said.
Azazel stood. "I need soldiers. Leaders. The powers I have given you are accessible to all of you. But to survive that, you need to be physically able. So fight."
The demon's hold on the two of them went lax. Sam expected the girl to run away, but she leapt at him without any warning. Sam fell back; her clawed fingers swiped across his cheek, leaving burning lines of pain and blood in their wake.
"Stop!" he pleaded, blocking her next advance with a side step and guarding arm. "Don't fight me!"
She seemed to listen, for a moment. Her wild eyes latched onto Sam's. "I don't know what else to do, should I—"
"Ava, your fiancé will die if you don't finish him." Azazel's voice was an insidious whisper, and Sam saw in one instant that he had lost Ava. She dove for him with the intent to kill. He managed to fend her off with a well-placed kick, darting back as she went down. He considered running for Jim and Dean, but Azazel's yellow eyes flickered and beckoned, a threat that had to be taken out—Sam went for the demon without abandon, only to end up sprawled on the ground as Azazel shoved him back.
Taking advantage of Sam's position, Ava leapt onto his chest, petite hands circling Sam's throat and bearing down with more strength than he would've imagined for such a small girl.
"Your brother will die if you lose, Sam," he heard. Spots appeared in his vision as he struggled.
Beside Jim, Dean was screaming. Sam's thrashings were gradually losing strength, as the small girl above him relentlessly pressed down against his throat.
Desperate, Jim grabbed for Dean.
"Dean, do you love your brother?"
Dean barely looked at him, focused on Sam. "What kind of a question is that?"
"I know a spell that will link the two of you. Offer him some of your strength."
Dean turned to him, wide green eyes terrified. "Do it, quick."
Jim began chanting immediately, using one of the shackle edges to slice Dean's finger open and trace a symbol on his other palm. It was a blood spell, so it would link the two brothers, otherwise Jim would've done it on himself.
In the middle of the room, Sam's back arched and he was able to throw off the girl. Dean fell to his hands and knees, breathing heavily.
"You were being legit," he gasped.
"Easy, Dean. The spell won't kill you if you use it correctly. Sam can only take the strength that you lend him, so set up some boundaries."
Dean narrowed his eyes at Jim. "Why would I do that? Sam needs everything I can give him."
"Do you think he'll want to be responsible for his brother's death?" Jim asked harshly. "Don't be an idiot. Set limits, now."
Dean nodded and closed his eyes. Jim focused back on Sam, who was now keeping Ava away by dodging her attacks. She dove for him, and Sam side stepped, using a stiff arm to shove her to the side. Ava tripped, shrieking as she fell.
The cracking sound her neck made was audible to the entire room. Jim watched, heart aching for Sam as his young charge went to the ground next to Ava. Jim couldn't hear what he was saying, but he knew Sam's posture, and it was one of prayer.
Dean cursed. "Aw, Sammy," he whispered.
A/N: only a little more to go! I haven't been able to properly edit, so hopefully I managed to catch any big errors. NaNoWriMo's been plugging along, so I haven't looked at any new ideas yet. That said, break is coming up (and it's a nice long one!) so hopefully I'll get some new inspiration. I'm thinking a season 9 au, if I can make myself watch the beginning of season 9. Idk, that season icked me out as soon as the gadreel business started up. (I am so picky guys, you have no idea).
aaaaanyway let me know what you think!