~~~~~~~~~Chapter 10~~~~~~~~~
Raphael came to the small and non-assuming garrison, his generals and several higher ranking angels trailing behind him like some crystalline heaving train. It had been Castiel's garrison before Lilith and Lucifer and the Apocalypse, so it made sense that when he returned he chose to use it as his base of operations. It was one of the many things about the resurrected angel, his sentimentality, that made Raphael so determined to undermine and overthrow his authority.
"Castiel," he nodded curtly at the young angel.
"Gabriel," he added as an afterthought refusing to acknowledge the Archangel's station. "Shall we get on with this?"
"Of course," Castiel replied inclining his head courteously.
Gabriel dismissed his entourage with a wave.
"We do not wish to fight," Castiel stated simply.
"Then return control of the Host to one who deserves it," Raphael's voice was like sandpaper sharpened and molded into the harshest sound an angel could contrive.
"And who would that be brother," Gabriel reminded gently.
"You are in no position to command the Host," Raphael growled at the two angels. "You," he rounded on Castiel, "your time is wasted on Earth with your broken excuse for a human. And you," he turned to Gabriel, "you just waste your time here with your silly pointless games."
"My games are far from pointless. Knowledge is never pointless, bro. There's always a place to use it, always- it's all about the timing, when to spring the trap," Gabriel smirked.
"And thank you, Raph, you've answered a question that's been gnawing at me for weeks," Gabriel raised his eyes suggestively then winked.
Castiel stood silently, eyes level and burning. When he finally did speak it was soft and firm, "I did not ask for this Raphael. I did not ask to be resurrected after you destroyed me." These words were met by gasps from the crowd of angels Raphael had called to him. "I did not ask to be resurrected after Lucifer destroyed me. But Father saw fit to restore my life on both occasions. And once here, he saw fit to entrust my safety to Gabriel, granting him new life as well." He breathed deeply, more for the effect of calm than for need, "He is the only one either of us will answer to."
Raphael raged, growling more beast than an angel. "You come here, rebel, traitor to the Host, and you presume to know what He wants. I have been second to Michael for millennia, if anyone has control here it is me."
Gabriel snickered openly at his brother.
"Go ahead and laugh brother, let's just see what your darling Cas does when his human is involved," with that Raphael snapped up a scene from Dean's mind. It was visceral and dark, if it was possible to be harsher than it had been when Cas first returned this was.
Castiel visibly shook, wings spreading out fully behind him, "I was hoping to do this amicably, but I see now you do not wish to continue that way," a sudden flash and his wings were engulfed in a vibrant deep blue and white fire.
A combined gasp spread though the assembled masses, including a sharp intake from the angel beside him. Even Raphael was dumbfounded, an angel seldom expanded his wings fully outside of a battle and he certainly didn't let them alight unless he was willing to fight to the death.
"Raphael," Castiel growled, "as Dean would say 'bring it'!" his sword sliding soundlessly into his hand.
With a roar Raphael lunged at Castiel, his own impressive wings unfurling as they tried to wrap around the younger angel heedless of the Heavenly fire burning around the younger angel's wings. "Traitor!" His sword coming down to slash at Castiel's vessel.
"I followed my conscience, Raphael, something you obviously don't have." He twirled out of the way of Raphael's blade, catching the archangel with an upward thrust. His blade slashed cleanly across Raphael's wing as it tried to close around him.
Raphael's rage was feral, making his attacks wild and impulsive, his blade flying randomly through the air.
Castiel moved with the tight calculated moves of a true warrior, his righteous fury adding to his power and elegance as he deflected strike after strike.
Raphael rolled to a defensive stance. Waiting for an opening, trying to rile the younger angel, "I'm surprised at you Castiel. I would have thought your human meant more to you. You do dote on him so."
"Dean is stronger than you think." Cas' eyes flashed, sword still steady and calculating.
"Hmph! You should have seen how simple it was to drive him to this, your precious, strong human."
The full impact of Raphael's words hit Castiel like nothing he'd ever felt or thought he was capable of feeling. It was as if his very soul had been ripped from his being. He did need to get to Dean, but this thing had to be dealt with first, before he could do any more damage in Heaven or on Earth. Cas' wings flapped loudly, their colour intensifying, the heat pouring off of him hot enough to cause the closest ranks of angels to flinch back and away from their flame. "You should not have brought him into this," he spoke in a voice so soft that it spread like a scream.
Laughing, Raphael mistook Castiel's reaction for shock, and attacked, driving his sword towards Castiel's chest.
Castiel easily batted Raphael's attack away with a flick of flaming wing.
Raphael followed his attack by bringing his left wing around to catch Castiel's parrying thrust, only it never came. Instead, Raphael brought his wing full force into the flames of Castiel's blocking one. The blue flames lapped hungrily at the wing singeing it painfully causing Raphael to scream shaking the Heavens themselves. The archangel attacked in a blind frenzy of wild primal slashes and stabs, which Castiel repelled, using the momentum to catch the archangel with his own calm and calculated attacks.
When the air cleared, Castiel loomed over Raphael, his sword pressed to the archangel's neck. "No more," Castiel hissed. "There has been enough death, enough fighting between our brethren."
"I will never concede to you, Castiel," Raphael rasped, ichor dibbling from his mouth, his wings singed and torn.
Panting, Castiel's eyes narrowed, "You no longer have to." The others had now seen Raphael's true nature as well as Castiel's strength, the archangel and his followers would no longer be a threat. He climbed off of the archangel, his wings still blazing. To Gabriel he asked, "Banish him?"
"Can I do more?" all mirth was gone from Gabriel's voice. He was all for tormenting the humans, the ones who deserved it, anyway. But playing with someone the way Raphael had, playing with Dean, that was unforgivable. The archangel could barely contain his rage.
Castiel looked sadly at the archangel who had just tried to kill him, again, and then at the archangel who protected him and he called friend, "Don't kill him."
Gabriel smiled, there were so many things worse than death that he could do.