Chapter 53

I studied them carefully. I had never met them before and I wondered if they had picked up Lothos and that was why they had appeared. They were silent and I waited for them to speak. They stared at me in continued silence. I shrugged and walked away from them but noticed that they still followed. I turned around to look at them again, but I was met with silence. I sighed heavily as I became light and traveled to a disused cemetery. I waited for them to appear and they did. They stood perfectly still watching me and I stretched my wings as I put on my full armor. I brandished my sword and they took a step back.

"Unless you have come to die I would suggest that you leave," I snapped.

They exchanged looks and left.

I shrugged my shoulders as I resumed my normal form. I perched on top of the nearest headstone and waited. It was obvious that they were expected to do something, but they weren't warned that I was dangerous. I folded my arms as I felt the air shift and Zachariah appeared.

"I take it that those two were with you?" I asked.

"Was that really necessary?" he returned evenly.

"Apparently it was," I smiled. "Why are they following me?"

"You are not conforming to the will of Heaven," Zachariah said.

I arched an eyebrow. "The will of Heaven?"

"Yes," he nodded.

"Zachariah," I smiled sweetly. "I have my orders and those are not any of your business. Furthermore, I don't have to explain myself to any of you."

"Oh," he said.

I held my hand to stop him from finishing his sentence. "If you don't believe me, check the bylaws that govern your interaction with me."

He frowned at my statement and I grinned widely.

"I have latitude that only God can take away," I told him. "I have abilities that only God can take away. And if you insist on interfering with me then be warned."
"Oh really?" Zachariah laughed.
"You forget to whom you speak," I stood and flexed my wings.

He paled as he took a step back.
"Do not forget who I am Zachariah," I made my voice cold and harsh. "You may think that you have the power to contain me. But remember that I am far older than you."
His eyes widened as I pulled my wings back.

"I've only ever seen Michael go like that," he said.

"I was ordered to stay out of the last fray," I narrowed my eyes at him. "This time I shall smite you all if I have to."
"You wouldn't," he shook his head.

"I am the tool of wrath," I reminded him. "Don't forget that. Sodom and Gomorrah were child's play."

He nodded glumly as I continued to stare at him. Something wasn't right.

"What do you want?" I demanded.

"We want you to agree with us," Zachariah said.
"And what exactly is it that you want me to agree with?" I narrowed my eyes at him.

"That it is in the best interest of all involved if Dean Winchester gets on board with us and leave his brother," Zachariah sighed.

"What is your problem with Sam?" I asked.

"He's corrupted with Azazel's blood for one," Zachariah huffed.

"And whose fault is that?" I pressed.

"His mother agreed to it," Zachariah's tone became imperious.

I smiled at him and he took another step back.

"But did Sam?" I questioned.

"Well," Zachariah scowled.

"When Azazel put Sam to the test what happened?" I took a step forward.

Zachariah gave me a belligerent glare. He knew that I had found the hole in their argument and he didn't appear pleased by it.

"So, he refused to follow Azazel," Zachariah shrugged.

"Exactly," I nodded. "Sam paid for that with his life."

"But," Zachariah interrupted.

I held my hand up to quell his words. "Sam was not brought back by his own volition. During the short span when his soul was gone, anything could have happened. In fact, because he then killed the survivor after he, Jake that is, opened the Devil's Gate is irrelevant."

"He is still involved with that demon," Zachariah said.

"Did any of you ever reach out to him?" I asked. "Sam has prayed everyday to God and Heaven has heard him. But do you take that into consideration?"

"We have a plan," Zachariah told me.

"Yes," I nodded. "I know. I keep hearing about these plans. Tell me, what exactly is the endgame?"

Zachariah bristled at me. "That is not your concern."
"Do you want the seals broken and Lucifer out?" I struggled to control the volume of my voice.

"We are facing dangers on all fronts," Zachariah snapped.

"What dangers?" I frowned.

"Angels are being killed," he answered. "Seals are being broken and the weapon we have against the apocalypse is more concerned about his brother than the rest of planet."
I sighed. "It's not Dean's job to take care of the rest of the planet." I stared at him severely. "It's ours."

"They are stewards," Zachariah gritted.

"Yes," I nodded. "But we are the caretakers. We are the guides. We are the sentinels that stand between them and utter destruction. We are to protect them from that which can and will harm them."
"They have free will," he sneered.
"Yes," I agreed. "They do have free will. But that doesn't stop us from doing our duty. We are not there to tell them what to do or which way to turn. But we are there to keep Lucifer from burning the planet. This is theirs. It is not ours. We were not made for it nor it for us."

"You've been rereading the charter," Zachariah scoffed.

"No," I shook my head. "I've not been rereading anything. It is written inside of me. It is written inside of you. It is written inside all who have been formed into angels."

"Even Lucifer?" Zachariah glared.

"No," I shook my head sadly. "It was at one point. But it isn't any longer."

I saw when he stiffened and smiled mirthlessly.

"I don't understand," Zachariah said.

"Ask Michael," I murmured.

"You are an angel," Zachariah said.

"I am," I nodded. "But I do not serve you Zachariah."

He stared at me for a moment and then he was gone.

I sat heavily on the ground and felt tired. I rested my chin against my knees and felt weeping. I sensed the air shiver again and I refused to turn around.

"That was quite an impassioned speech," he said.

"I want to go officially on record that is this a seriously bad idea," I muttered.

"Lucifer may be bound, but his poison isn't," he told me.

"I know that," I shook my head.

"Perhaps it is a poor test," he tilted my chin up to look at him.

"I don't like it when you agree with me," I frowned.

"There was a time when you trusted me implicitly," he sighed.

"That hasn't happened for a long time," I grumbled.

He laughed. "I suppose that I've earned that," he nodded.

"Stop this," I pleaded. "Stop this before Lucifer gets loose."

"I'm sorry," he said. "It's all about free will."

I closed my eyes as I felt him vanish. Free will was truly a bitch.