Warnings Chapter 1
Chapter 203 Purgatory

There was a tap on his arm.
"Hate to do it to you Sam but we need you now. The fighting's getting intense." Bobby said.
Sam turned to find the hunters had been keeping demons at bay during the preceding's. He hadn't heard with his closeness to the angels. When he looked back they had surrounded the gate and were ignoring the fighting. Sam was angry for a moment then realized they were preparing for the big fight. Everyone had their part to play and this was his.

Dean felt a sizzling pain rip through his body and his immediate thought was that he was back in hell. Then the pain drove up and he passed out. He came to some minutes later with a drop of water falling on his face. He looked up and saw water dripping from grey foliage of a bush he was laying under. He hopped up into a crouch checking himself for the whistle and the guns. The rocket launcher was there as well as the ammo. The grace was still in his arm and he felt the weight of it that accompanied the slight pain. The pistol at his back was missing but that was all. The darkness was oppressive but he could see shadows and knew his eyes were adjusting. He could tell his 'Gekko' eyes were helping him out. The atmosphere was different here and it was harder to breathe. He took one step and there were suddenly dozens of small red lights all around him. He stood stock still and the red glows went out then on again at different rates. Eyes. Shit.

He pulled out the demon blade ready to attack and slung the rocket launcher over his back by the sling. The knife felt like a toothpick but it was all he had because he knew he shouldn't waste hell fire on monsters. He took a step towards them and all hell broke loose. Suddenly Cain was there behind the monsters slashing with his evil first blade, grinning all the while.
"About time, Winchester. Thought you had died. We've been doing all the killing for you."
Dean ran around the bush and into the fray very quickly, fighting back to back with Cain who laughed outrageously as he slashed.
"What the hell are these?" Dean asked as he picked up a branch from the ground and belted the monster over the head. The branch shattered but the monster backed off a little
"Myopods. Known for their mouth full of teeth and bad breath."
Dean had to fight close up due to his short blade and it did not escape Cain how brave this young human was.

Dean slashed and parried then slashed again. 'Talk about taking a knife to a gun fight.' He thought. 'unless.' Dean stopped slashing and instead kicked the nearest Myopod in the chest then ran at it while it was off balance and chopped its head off. It might be small but it always had the sharpest of blades. The monsters soon thinned out to one and as Dean finished it off two figures approached.
"If you boys have finished playing, I think we are on a schedule." Ramiel and Asmodeus stood watching them.

Dean turned to Cain. "So are you Cain from the bible?"
The knight rubbed a hand down his beard. "Yes, the one who killed his brother." Cain pulled his sleeve up and showed Dean the Mark on his right forearm.
"So that's?"
"The Mark of Cain. Present from Lucifer."
"The gift that keeps on giving." Dean looked up at Cain. "What's with the blade?"
"The first blade. Made from a donkeys jaw." Cain brought it up for Dean to look at. "It gets its power from the Mark. It's a powerful union."
"It must take a powerful man to keep control of it." Dean took his eyes off the ancient weapon.
"It's where murder came from."
Dean gulped. "So why are you here?
"Lucifer made my brother his pet. I'll never forget what he did."
"So we can count on you when the time comes?"
"Spell first then we shove him back where he belongs."

Cain slapped Dean on the back and they joined the two princes.
"Where is Dagon?" Cain asked.
"No idea." Said Ramiel, checking the Lance of Michael, surprised it had made it through without a scratch.
"Maybe he didn't make it." Asmodeus said dismissively. "Regardless we need to move on. Knowing Lucifer the wards won't be laying around waiting for us. We will have to search…"
"If he was injured would that effect where he could put it /them?" Dean asked getting used to the dim light with his new sight.
"We had better hope so, otherwise we could be here a long time." Cain growled.
"Let's get going." Ramiel said as he walked off.
"Hang on, aren't we meant to be sending the cage down first?" Dean asked.
"I don't know about down but yes we need to clear an area." Cain said.
"What about here?" Asmodeus sighed.
"To small." Said Cain. "The cage sounds small but it's not. Let's spread out but stay together."

They spread out and moved off in the same direction. It was an eerie dark forest that looked like it hadn't seen rain for a long time. There were some bushes with some moisture here and there but the majority of the section they were in were tall trees. The ground was dust rather than soil and there were so many foot tracks Dean could only see a few he knew. They moved cautiously around the trees and after a time came across an open, flat area big enough to hold the cage by Cain's reckoning. The only problem was the vampires battling a monster called a Leviathan eating other monsters. The princes quickly dispatched all but one vampire that Dean took care of. He picked up the weapon the monster had dropped.
"Hey, Catalan picked up the purgatory blade." Laughed Ramiel.
"The what?" Asked Dean.
"The purgatory blade. The one used by a knight caught in here when he was killed by an upper level demon when demons were first created. It is said to have some grace in it. Like your arm, but I wouldn't start using that grace just yet. It might attract Lucifer." Explained Ramiel.

Dean hefted the golden sword which to him was what he pictured the Michael sword to be, before he knew it was a person. It looked like a sword of old with a double edge but they were razor sharp even with its years of use and weighed next to nothing. It had a leather wrapped grip making it comfortable to hold. It was four times as long as the demon blade that he tucked away. He looked up to find the knight and princes all smiling fondly at him which was good because he thought he was going to have to fight them for it even though they had their own powerful weapons.
"He's starting to look like a knight." Cain laughed.

Area secured, they went to the edge of the clearing and with some trepidation Dean blew the whistle. To his surprise there was a tiny 'peep' so he blew it again.
Cain stopped him blowing it a third time with his hand. He was grimacing like he was in pain. The others had their hands over their ears.
Not ten seconds later there was the sound of something flying through the air then a large cage hit the ground with a pop.
Dean scratched the back of his head. "I thought it would make more noise."
Cain threw back his head and laughed. Dean widened his eyes and shook his head, then had to smile.
"Hey Winchester? You're bleeding." Cain approached and touched Dean's chest with his hand. There was a white glow and Dean realized there had been pain when it was no longer there. At least that part of him was still there. Working through pain was the Winchester way. He looked down and saw blood on his T shirt.
He shrugged. "Thanks."
"We need to work together and you've proven you can do so, Dean."
They shook hands.
"Thanks, Cain."
"I'll get you back to your brother."
Dean opened his mouth in amazement that Cain would know anything about him.
"Brothers remember?" Cain slapped Dean on the upper arm.

They all walked around the cage checking it out. There was noise of flapping sails then four figures dropped from the top of the cage to the ground at the front entrance which had slowly opened. Dean was amazed. He had been picturing angel like beings or demons in meat suits but they were different all together. They were pitch black of basic humanoid shape, without skin but bare muscles knitted differently than a human. The muscles were more of a ribbon appearance at the abdomen and the legs. The claws on the feet and fingers were sharp and lethal looking. Their heads were a basic human head with ragged, short wings from the jaws and antler like horns from the head. The wings from their backs were huge and the ulna was bare bones with the covers thin and sail like but still emitting strength. They stood taller than even Sam and built twice as solid. The glowing orange eyes gave away what they were – the cage builders.

They lined up to greet the regiment. Cain, Ramiel and Asmodeus greeted the builders with grips to the forearm. Cain was first and spoke the longest in a language Dean could only understand bits and pieces. Dean brought up the rear and let the creatures grip his right arm with huge hands. The builder's arms felt sharp and tough enough to break iron. When they released the grip Dean felt the creature's claws scratch his skin.

Formality's over they knew they had to move on.
"Someone needs to stay back and guard the builders. They need to work uninterrupted." Cain took charge.
Dean thought they had plenty to do because the cage was a bent, broken and rusty mess and the builders had been working on it already.
"I'll stay," said a female voice.
"Dagon. What happened to you?" Frowned Cain.
"The entry burned my meat suit. I had to get another." The girl came down a small hill and greeted them.
"Okay, well this ones prettier at least." Cain grinned slapping her on the back. "Although a bit short." He laughed. "Stay with the builders. We will keep going."
"With pleasure, I'm sure I've missed the fighting. Send monsters my way." She grinned.

TBC