Chapter 18: A Means to an Angels End
Summary:
Eden fights back, an Angel
learns to fight back, but is it too late?
Notes:
I'll give you hugs now.
Chapter Text
playlist?list=PL-B2IVpkcxi6DkKk9G0-12eGXIyDwF8FH
Flames lashed out at Crowley's face as his feet touched the ground, his wings glowing like embers in a fire, the light burning into his eyes. It was too bright, squinting to block some of the heat, his hands coming up to protect his eyes, his halo brilliantly dripping with divinity trying to protect him from the flames that his inner core needed. Crowley looked around himself quickly, hearing his father's voice call him.
"Crowley, wake up, Crowley, it's not real, God Dammit Crowley hear me, Crowley." Lucifer had been tracking his son as soon as they had left Hell, interfering here was not permitted, rules, God's rules.
Lucifer had his arm around Lilith, who had buried her face against him in worry. Lilith listened for her son and heard nothing coming back. Liliths son, she knew he wasn't waking and knew her Crowley was in danger.
Lilith released herself from Lucifer's arms, backing away from him. Closing her eyes, Lilith let divinity flow from her, engulfing her in the flames of God. Lucifer tried to stop her. Lillith threw her arms in front of her as divinity threw him back, her eyes opened, locking with her loves.
"I'm sorry, my love." Emerald eyes blazed brightly, closing her arms around herself, Lilith let her pure celestial form free.
Hell felt the rumble, felt the shaking as wings of forever, of sheer divinity that rivaled God's own unfurled from her. Colors that had never been seen, named or known, shone from Lilith, her hair falling in waves of red around her matching that of her sons.
Beauty unparalleled became her, pale stunning beauty looked back at Lucifer. Tears rolled down her face, taking in a breath, throwing out her arms again, Lilith sent all of her grace, her divinity to her son.
God had already forgotten her, forsaken her, so why was Lillith going to follow the lord's rules. This was her son, her only son, humans were not going to take her Crowley.
"Crowley, my son, hear me." Liliths voice loving, quiet, seeking her son.
Crowley's hand came up to block the flames that started to surround him in his entirety. Chains slowly circling his feet as his golden eyes looked down at the floor. The chains he had broken Aziraphale free from, were now threatening his very existence, he didn't know what to do or where to go.
The voice, quiet, loving, embraced him, circled around him. Listening to the voice, he was calmed, the flames being shielded by someone.
"Open your eyes, Crowley, see me." Lilith waited, protecting her son from the flames that were caused by heavenly beings, by Michael, not Hell.
Crowley heard his mother, felt her love, slowly forcing himself awake. His eyes looking up at the voice that spoke to him, waking him from a forced slumber, was his mother. Lilith beautifully angelic, blocking the flames that lapped at his body, her divinity absorbing fire, flame, divine wrath, protecting her son.
Lilith smiled at her son, as her celestial form shimmered with stardust, coming closer to him. Crowley put his arms around her, the chains around his ankles melting away as her divinity fell around him, protecting him. Instead, the chains encircled Lilith's ankles, burning against her celestial form.
Crowley stepped back to look at his mother. Golden tears fell from her eyes, her form shimmering in and out of existence. Crowley took it in and realized what was happening, reaching for her, Lilith held her hands in front of her stopping him.
"Save, them Crowley. Stay awake, everything is not as it seems here." Liliths head turned to the right looking down a dark hallway. "Aziraphale is in trouble, Crowley, save her..."
Crowley went to speak, but as he did Lilith, released her divinity to him. Her grace surrounded him, her divinity filled him as her projected form collapsed to the ground, and the chains rushed to her, never catching her form.
Crowley rushed to her side as she fell, holding her to him, their celestial forms touched.
"Crowley, I am not afraid, I do not regret this, or you. I would do this again, my darling son." Lilith's celestial form vanished in starlight as her last words touched her son.
Crowley let tears fall from him as his mother slowly discorporated within his arms. Crowley sat there on the floor, holding his arms to himself, his mother now faded. Tears flooded his eyes as they ran down his face. Aziraphale needed him, and Michael was going to die by his hand.
Lucifer caught his love as she collapsed, her light fading quickly. Divinity leaving her in golden stars, stardust as her hand came to the side of Lucifer's face. Golden tears of blood fell from her eyes as the life within her left.
"He's safe Lucifer, I have always loved you.." Liliths last words echoed throughout Hell.
All the denizens of Hell felt her leave, felt her light vanish from them. Demons and souls alike cried out in pain, in mourning, as Lucifer held his mate and felt their bond break.
Lucifer broke, his scream of pain rocked the very surface of the Earth. This was Michaels's fault, Shadwell's guilt, they were going to pay, with their lives and then in Hell, Lucifer was going to let all of Hell have turns on them.
Lucifer carried his love out to lay her on the shrine in the middle of Hell. As he laid her corporeal form there, demons and others alike came to kneel by her, the flames of Hell would take her, when Crowley was safely back. Lucifer hung his head, resting on his mate's body, time would be on his side. Hell was forever, Earth was not...
Crowley stood, turning towards the hallway that his mother had looked down. Aziraphale was down there somewhere, he needed to find her, where were Anathema and Gabriel? First Aziraphale, and then the others, Crowley ran off down the hall, hearing creatures, or something scratching down the walls around him.
Anathema and Gabriel awoke on the floor, cold, wet. Glowing eyes were all around, scratching against the cement floor, the sound of claws on metal, grew ever closer. Gabriel stood, puling Anathema up with him, violet eyes blazed as Gabriel looked around for an exit.
Anathema let her wings pull her up off the ground, looking for a better view of where the sounds were coming from. There across the darkened room, red eyes stared back at her, the smile on the face, evil, elongated unnatural. Pain dripped from that face, ever so slowly moving closer.
Gabriel pulled Anathema back down, leaving his wings out, protecting, feeling. From above skittering crossed the ceiling as they backed toward a wall. There had to be a way out.
Turning, a child's laugh was heard, playful, innocent, followed by the sounds of small wings. Gabriel and Anathema turned and started to run for that sound, for the sound of laughter. Their child, maybe not, but it wasn't going to stop them from running towards the sound.
Anathema caught sight of a child, an angel, wings of white, violet, green running through them. Hair the color of sunshine, it was her, it was their child. Without warning, the sounds of claws stopped as they swiped across Anathema, throwing her to the floor. Blood of the Earth streamed down her arms, from the claws that had raked across her flesh.
Gabriel ran faster, grabbing Anathema by the hand he pulled. Wings could be heard as growls came closer, something wrapped around Anathemas leg pulling her back. Reaching frantically for Gabriel, Anathema screamed, her hands clawing into the ground.
Vines sprouted through the cement floor as the Earth came to protect its angel. Anathema stood running towards Gabriel, blood dripped down her arms splattering to the floor below, vines encompassed creatures that were on the floor. Squeezing the life out of the creatures within the vines, Anathemas' eyes glowed, controlling the Earth around her.
Gabriel saw his daughter, there beyond that next door, he saw her hair and saw his wings within that child. Rushing to the door, it closed as his hand reached for it. Standing there, he turned to look behind them, slowly closing the distance were the failures of EDEN.
Gabriel pushed Anathema to the closed door as he stood behind her blocking the creatures from seeing her, his wings fully out, divinity encompassing the arch-angel. Without a moment's time wasted, Gabriel flew towards the monsters. Spinning and slashing through the mob.
Wings strengthened as the edges hardened to the fine edge of a blade. Diving into the group, Gabriel fought, using divine wrath, as he smote the creatures. Anathema was trying to get the door open, it was then as Gabriel sliced through the mob of beasts, his wing was caught, twisted.
Gabriel was picked up by his wing, as the claws of another sliced into the feathers. Golden blood flowed over the white of his wing, Anathema heard the snap, his scream before she could turn Gabriel had been thrown back to her feet.
Blood pooled around her feet, Anathema bent to try and protect Gabriel. Gabriel pushed her back and used her to stand back up, forcing his wings to block his beloved, broken, and bleeding. Gabriel stood his ground. Divine wrath flew towards the creatures, knocking them back.
"Anathema find her, leave me, I'll catch up, get through the door." Gabriel smiled down at her before he walked back towards the creatures.
Anathema turned towards the door, using her wings she got the door to move. It was being held closed by Michaels's methods, ideas, and everything meant to make an angel's powers useless. Anathema heard when Gabriel fell.
Breaking of the bones within his wings, the sickening sound of when they were ripped from him. Anathema felt the bond break as she turned to see Gabriel torn apart. Anathema screamed, anger filled her, mother natures wrath ripped through Anathema.
The screams of EDENS residents were ear-shattering as the Earth crushed and dragged them back to the down below. Anathema raised her hand, allowing her wings to follow the motion. The cement was cracked open as the Earth traveled the length of the room. Shattering the wall that stood before her as the creatures were crushed behind her.
Anathemas tears ran down her face, filled with anger, loss. Raising her hand, vines cradled her Gabriel and brought him to her feet. Lowering him to her level, his golden blood spilling down the vines to the floor. His wings brought to her on vines, touching them she put them back with him.
Anathemas' hands ran through his hair, feeling nothing from him, no life to be had. Anathema swore to kill Michael when she found him, he took her mate from her, broke a sacred bond in the cruelest of ways. Gabriel had protected her. Gabriel saved her in the end, had loved her more than anyone ever did, and Michael took him from her.
Vines twisted gently around Gabriel, bringing him under the ground and away from Eden. Gabriel would be honored away from here, away from Eden, she would not leave him behind. For now, though, she reigned in her loss, Anathema needed to find her daughter.
Aziraphale held the child tightly before realizing that she had disappeared within her arms. Looking over the expanse of Crowley and hers forever, their place she saw her again. Running and playing with the stardust that riddled their private place.
Aziraphale ran towards her, laughing, singing the song, happily being lulled into comfort. Little arms reached out, and up, Aziraphale reached down, picking up the little one spinning her around. Tiny kisses were placed on Aziraphale's cheeks, smiling, laughing.
It only occurred to Aziraphale after she placed the child on the ground holding that little hand. How did she get here, who was she, was this Gabriel's daughter? Aziraphale knelt and turned the child towards her.
"Who are you, little one? Are you lost?" Aziraphale smiled as she pushed the platinum curls back behind her ears.
"Not lost, just early." A voice of an angel, it drew Aziraphale into it.
"What do you mean early?" Aziraphale questioned, as she tilted the tiny chin up to look at her.
Aziraphale gasped as she locked eyes with the child. Golden orbs of light looked at Aziraphale's starlit blue eyes. Pulling the child into her arms, letting her wings wrap around them, she cuddled her.
"You need to wake up, mommy, or I can never be. Wake up." The sound of her voice was simply music to Aziraphale's ears, her hands running through the platinum curls that abounded her little head, and then she was gone.
Tears of joy ran down Aziraphale's face, holding her arms to herself, she could still smell her. Looking around Aziraphale slowly tried to wake herself, she couldn't be here, Crowleys wasn't with her. Where was Crowley, her mate, her everything? Looking towards the cliff where they would sit and count the stars, or Aziraphale would watch Crowley create more, she ran for the edge.
Stopping at the edge of the cliff, Aziraphale looked back, hearing the words of the little one. Of her little one, ~wake up mommy~ Aziraphale looked past the cliff and stepped off. Holding her wings tightly to her sides, not opening them, falling, falling.
Crowley felt it as he ran, felt Aziraphale falling, he ran faster, using his wings to push him. A door stood before him, he had had enough, reaching forward Crowley ripped the door out of the frame and ran in. Crowley saw nothing, but he could feel, Aziraphale was close.
"Look up, daddy." A voice within his head beckoned him. Looking up quickly, Crowley caught sight of Aziraphale falling towards the ground. Towards him.
Platinum hair covering her face as she fell, her wings tightly pulled to her sides, with no signs of stopping. Crowley used his wings and flew towards her, reaching her mid-fall, his arms wrapping around her as his wings caught the air just in time to stop them. Collapsing to the ground, Crowley was panting, shaking, the thought of losing Aziraphale was too much.
Crowley tilted Aziraphale's head back, pushing her hair away from the delicate feature that graced her. Leaning his head Crowley kissed her gently, resting his head against her forehead.
"Please wake up Aziraphale, I need you to wake up," Crowley whispered into her ear, the sounds were back.
Scratching, slicing, metal against metal. Worry filled Crowley, he needed Aziraphale to wake up, and wake up now. Shaking her Crowley tried again, but Aziraphale wouldn't wake up, he was going to have to bring her with him, somehow keeping her safe.
Standing Crowley lifted Aziraphale over his shoulder, minding her wings that dragged with her. Crowley opened the door, walking out into a brightly lit hallway; an explosion at the other end of the hall shocked Crowley. Backing up, he placed Aziraphale gently on the floor, letting his wings out to protect her.
Crowley watched as Anathema fell out of the explosion, dirt, and dust flying about her. Crowley started to walk towards her when he heard her cries. Not just cries but sobs of anguish, something was very wrong. Crowley rushed to Anathemas's side, picking her up off the ground and holding on to Crowley for dear life.
Looking behind her, Crowley could see the destruction, everything was covered in dirt, dust, vines, the room was utterly destroyed. Where was Gabriel, Crowley didn't see him, nor could he feel him. Crowley pulled Anathema off him so he could see her face.
Tears streamed down her face leaving tracks of mud and golden blood. Crowley could feel her emptiness, he knew that emptiness, she didn't have to say anything, Crowley simply pulled her back within his arms. Darkened wings wrapped around them, Crowley knew Gabriel was lost to them, finding out how would come later.
"Crowley, I saw her." Anathema whimpered out, trying to take in deep breaths between her sobs.
"Which way did she go Anathema, I am sure Gabriel didn't...let's find her." Crowley tried to be tactful, but instead just left it unsaid between them.
Anathema looked down the hall towards Aziraphale and pointed.
"That way. Crowley, what's wrong with Aziraphale?" Anathema looked up at Crowley, who was still holding her within his arms.
"She won't wake up, I don't know, I found her, and she was falling, something talked in my head, was the only reason I even looked up."
Anathema walked over to Aziraphale, pulling on her top Anathema looked at the golden marks on her shoulder. Anathema tried to wipe off the blackness that was creeping its way around the gold, leaving a trail of someone else.
"Crowley, you need to see this," Anathema called out to Crowley, waving him over to her.
Crowley stopped and looked at his mates, claiming mark. Frowning with a growl, he watched as that darkness was claiming his mate. Crowley bent closer to look, touching it, letting his fingers follow the marks.
Grey was underneath, gripping at the gold, Crowley remembered Michael always being in grey, they loved grey, the color of their eyes. Michael was trying to steal Aziraphale to do whatever EDEN wanted, Michael needed to die.
Just as Crowley had finished looking over Aziraphale's shoulder, he growled lowly, dropping into a fighting stance. Anathema felt it too, letting her wings unfurl dripping with silvery blades of dew, both turned. At the far end of the hallway was Tracey, cautiously walking towards them.
Anathemas arms still dripped the blood of the Earth onto the floor, each drop a small vine came through the cement floor. Watching as Tracey came better into their view, the ground under Anathema cracked open, the crack wandering down the hallway to where Tracey stood, encircling her feet. Vines slowly coming up, waiting for any command from Anathema.
Noticing Crowley and Anathemas' sudden stance, Tracey stopped. She knew she was powerful, but she was made, and they were not. Raising her hands up in front of her, Tracey showed them to Crowley and Anathema. Letting her wings drop behind her, Tracey looked every inch as submissive as she could. Tracey needed their help, just as much as they were going to need hers.
"Please. Just hear me, I won't come any closer, but I would suggest we move. I don't have control of these things anymore." Tracey pointed back to the way Anathema had come. The noises growing louder.