8
"Many millennia ago, when man was still young ,it was deemed that angels would be a constant on this plane, with vessels created specifically for the purpose of walking amongst mankind for many centuries whilst they raised and taught these young humans the ways of the world. Mankind revered angel kind and looked upon their mighty teachers with their manifested wings with awe.
After a time some angels decided to take advantage of this reverence whilst our father was away creating more magnificent wonders across the vast universes. These angels had started to reflect on Lucifer's claims that this race was inferior and below our kind, so they started to believe mankind should be ruled instead of taught. These few angels became more demanding and cruel and less nurturing, as dark memories of Lucifer's protests about mankind festered.
Finally, after a few decades, some humans became angered by the mistreatment from their protectors. They had prayed but their prayers were for whatever reason unanswered by our father and when the earth bound angels became aware of mankind's prayers they became angry and brought the full force of their power to bear on a few.
This display shocked and frightened many into submission and mankind lamented...in their minds there was no way out of their oppression and many wondered why our father had abandoned them so...some believed it a test...but many were angry and felt abandoned, it was this loss of faith that led angels to believe this is what led the demon to them...it fed on their desperation and loss of all hope.
It is said that it found a small group huddled together and offered them a way out, a way to show that their angel overlords weren't as invincible as they seemed. The humans were frightened to learn that this information was being gifted to them from Lucifer, wondering what he could possibly want from them in return, but a renewed anger had awoken in many that had lost friend and family alike in the wicked display the angels had conducted just a few days before. So, they agreed to the demons terms and he gifted them with the knowledge they craved...a way to harm, and even kill an angel".
Elara looked on fascinated as Castiel took a moment, she had questions but they could wait as she waited patiently for him to continue
"And so it was, one moonless night, the men lured one of the angels who preferred to show kindness over dominance into a small cave where the demon waited. The distraction by the abomination lingering within was the angels downfall, for as he concentrated his power he was attacked from behind from many humans who drove crude, hell forged stakes through his wings and into the ground.
The angel then tried to dematerialise his wings away into the ethereal realm but the demon cast a spell tied to the restraints impaled through him, stealing away any chance the angel had of commanding his wings away. The demon turned to the humans and gave a nod, and then, they started tearing masses of feathers out as quickly as possible. To the humans delight this mighty, seemingly invincible being screamed for mercy.
You see, none of the earth bound angels had ever experienced pain and unfortunately, for the angel, it gave the humans more confidence hearing the unearthly screams and they tore all the more...That's when the other angels suddenly became aware and flew with all speed to the location, trees surrounding the cave entrance were fiercely ablaze and the angels found that they couldn't enter as every time they doused flames with their power then the continuous screams would create more...
The angels prayed in desperation as the shattering screams tore at their being.
Raphael then appeared...the arch angels had not graced the earth in an age but the multiple cries of their younger siblings had alerted them all. So it was that Raphael cleared the flames in an instant and entered the cave with an entourage of angels. What is reported of what they beheld gives all young fledglings something akin to nightmares"
Castiel looked on sadly, Elara could almost picture the horrors as she studied his sorrowful expression and a question slipped from her lips
"Were you there?"
Castiel glanced across the bars
"No...but I felt the sorrow from the others after they returned and for me, that was enough"
Elara almost didn't want to hear what had occurred within the cave but Cas continued on with the grisly tale
"Raphael looked upon the humans stood around the downed angel, covered in his torn feathers and sticky with blood. The grins they bore upon their faces so deranged that even the arch angel reeled. The angels behind openly wept and cried aloud at the mutilation of their brother before them. The injured angel clawed at the ground with broken hands and raised one wing slightly, freed from the cruel bonds only because it was almost skeletal, such was the rage of the humans who had torn him apart, and then he dropped, unmoving.
Suddenly a bright light filled the cave, blinding the enraged humans and causing the demon to scream and fade. As the light dimmed the angels looked at their fallen brother, and realised, with horror that he had died...and that humans had killed him. Raphael Immediately demanded the angels retreat and all on earth suddenly returned to heaven.
Gabriel was sent to our father with the urgent news and on his return he decreed that angel kind would no longer walk amongst mankind and if they must return to earth they were forbidden to materialise their wings unless under great need, for it was that demon kind and mankind alike now knew of a terrifying weakness that could give Lucifer a great advantage in the inevitable wars between good and evil that would come."
"Wow" Elara sighed "you don't see that one in any of the holy scriptures huh?...but then, I suppose it's something you guys really don't want to advertise is it"
"it's something no angel ever wants to experience ..." Castiel replied with a faraway look
"what happened to the humans?" Elara asked curious, positive they would have been ripped asunder
"Well" Castiel continued broken from his trance "Raphael demanded justice but our father deemed the earth bound angels were equally to blame so, after casting the offending angels out from heaven, he let the humans be, stating that their punishment to now thrive alone, was enough. Raphael was not satisfied and I believe that's one of the many reasons he had little care for mankind"
"Understandable...I guess" Elara commented "after seeing something like that...I can only begin to imagine the pain and horror of it"
Castiel smiled slightly to himself, maybe she had now started to think of his kind of more than just monsters, even if telling the tale had been painful for him, it had been worth it to change her mind slightly and was also glad he sensed empathy within her...perhaps he had also been too quick to judge and call her "abomination".
He then thought back to his own, earlier torment and realised he'd only had a taste of what the angel in those legends had gone through. He suddenly shuddered at the amount of pain that must have been inflicted that awful day many millennia ago and greatly feared the return of Constance and her demonic entourage.
Much to Castiel's relief the night was passing with no more visitations from his demonic tormentors, he also noticed that Elara had drifted off to sleep and at that moment, she looked incredibly human.
He sighed and felt a sharp twinge run through his right wing again. He looked around the cells and considered the small risk, finally deciding the lateness of the hour would probably be the best time to check himself over as the constant dull ache radiating from his ethereal wings concerned him greatly. He'd lost feathers before through natural shedding , but had never had any torn away forcefully and eagerly wanted to investigate, so with one more glance around his cell he cast his head down, closed his eyes, and with a breath, summoned his wings onto earth's plane.
Elara felt her eyelids flicker and shook the light sleep away from her weary eyes. She pulled herself up slightly from the cold concrete floor and glanced across into the cell adjacent wondering if she was still dreaming as she watched Castiel, searching through beautiful black feathers as his right wing arched in front of him. Then she saw him recoil in pain as his hands run over a small area
"Hey...are you ok?" she asked groggily
Castiel looked over in shock, so absorbed by his task that he had forgotten he wasn't alone down here. Suddenly the wings were gone leaving Castiel standing in the centre of his cell staring back silently at Elara
"well...are you?" Elara asked again
"am I what?" Castiel replied looking around nervously
"are you ok? It looked like that whatever you were doing hurt..."
"it's fine" Castiel responded and made his way back to the corner of his cell
Elara watched the angel carefully, it had been hours but he was clearly still in a fair bit of pain...and from only two feathers forcibly removed.
She felt sudden guilt. She didn't know him, not really, but from only a few days observation she decided he deserved her wrath just because he was an angel, and yet, whilst she had watched her prey, he'd shown concern for two humans he seemed close too, he'd negotiated with a demon king in a bar... and even after everything, he'd shown Elara no malice. Anger understandably, but no malice. No threats to kill or destroy or maim...even though she was responsible for bringing him here, to this pitiless place with its pitiless people who would tear him limb from limb just because of what he was...She was beginning to think now that she was as bad as the angels that had hunted her relentlessly just because of what she was... that she was acting no better than the humans in that cave a millennia ago...
Elara suddenly got to her feet
"Man, I hate this place !" She growled loudly "nothing to do but think..."
She walked up to the bars separating her from Castiel
"C'mon Cas. It's time we figured out how the hell we get out"
Castiel looked across curiously as Elara started to pace
"I can't use my powers past these runes but the only thing stopping you is that stupid collar"
Elara stopped and looked at the bars. She slowly raised her right arm and started to push it through the small gap into Castiel's cell
"what are you doing?" he questioned as he stood
Elara's skin suddenly brushed the metal and she pulled her arm back quickly as the magic from the runes bit into her flesh, leaving a long, raw burn on her flesh
"dammit" she seethed then took a breath.
"your collar Castiel...I think I can remove it...but you have to trust me"
Castiel considered her words when his thoughts were interrupted by an unwelcoming voice that came from the direction of the stairs
"well, well, well, my darling, are we ready for round two ?"
Constance let out a malicious howl of laughter as four demons trailed behind, leaving Castiel to retreat backwards to the meagre protection of the cells corner
"What a morning I've got planned" Constance announced loudly as she clasped her hands together "blood, tears and lots of feathers! Oh how you'll earn your keep today my dearest angel".