Warnings see chapter 1
Chapter 206 Mandragora
Dean and Cain walked up stream about a mile and found a large waterfall. Cain took his coats off and rolled his sleeves up, keen to get going. Dean put his weapons on the ground and loaded the grenade launcher with one round. He jumped in the water at the bottom of the fall and looked around. He turned away from the fall and tripped over his feet going down hard, almost dropping the grenade launcher in the water. Something was calling him. The fall itself drew his attention and he splashed though the curtain to the smooth rock face behind. There was the Enochian, so faint it blended with the rock wall. Dean backed up and fired at the words making a huge bang that echoed around the space. Chunks of rock sprayed out so Dean ducked out of the way but still felt a few bits for his trouble. When the smoke cleared the Enochian was on the ground amongst the rocks with a split up the middle. Instead of splashing through the water, he scrambled up the rock to the side and up the lush grey bank.
The smoking gun over his shoulder gave away that Dean had fired so Cain was smiling as he leaped from the water to the bank.
"I think he knows now." Dean's ears were still ringing.
"Well done, Dean," growled the knight, "I see why Michael wanted you here. You should give hell a try when you finish this. Let's round the others up. "
They walked back keeping an eye out for an attack at any minute. The others were out of the water wringing their clothes dry while still on then putting their outer layers back on.
"It seems Michael was right about Dean. The spell is calling him. Let's keep going."
All sorted, they headed off in the same westerly direction after asking Dean. The lush grey forest was almost nice to walk in but there were many spiky plants and quicksand to negotiate. Dean had to explain to the others about quicksand. No quicksand in heaven or hell it seemed.
They walked for a few miles before Dean's Spidey sense started tingling. He saw small faint tracks on the ground that looked like a large cat missing a couple of toes. He bought the sword and the demon knife up and the others followed suit. There was rustling to his left. Dean stood still, slowing his breathing. There was another rustle and a small head popped up. "Is that a….. Mandragora?" He said softly.
"No idea." Said Ramiel.
"Wow, never seen one, they're rare." Dean breathed.
The creature looked a bit like the commonly known extraterrestrial: big head, small body, fingers and toes with sucker like pads. Add to that its body texture looked as if it was covered in purple leaves which stood out in the grey forest. Until, he decided, these people were a threat and jumped up, its four rows of teeth dropping down and its claws coming out.
"Oh shit. These things spit poisonous darts, watch your eyes." Dean shouted and started running as the monster opened its mouth. The red of its mouth showed against the purple of its body as it loaded an orange spike on its tongue and blew.
Even though Dean had run hard and fast the spike still hit him in the back of the neck. The air was immediately filled with rustling and spikes being blown by a hundred beasts. They all took off, slashing as they went, covering skin where they could. Dean was cursing Egin for taking his coat. He felt very exposed and had to bat the spikes away with his sword and brush them off his skin with an impatient hand. The beasts were fast and had a hard shell that spells were bouncing off despite looking like leaves. They ran and slashed for an hour before Dean hit, what he assumed was a brick wall, flat out. With the poison in him he went down in a heap with a Mandragora breathing down his neck. He just managed to bring his demon knife up and stab it between the eyes as it bit his arm.
Dean heaved himself up and fought with his back to what was blocking his way. It had felt like a concrete wall but looked like an alien structure. It was a fluid wall that looked like a waterfall in reverse. The black liquid floated up with patches of grey and white. It exuded supernatural power. Dean leaned back as he fought and could see it had no top, it just went up beyond sight and both left and right. Cain now had his back to the wall, fighting hard. Cain was managing to kill some of the Mandragora with a spell from his hand but it was hit and miss. Clearly some were stronger and faster than others.
"What is this…wall?" Cain grunted.
"No Idea, but we're not climbing over." Dean offered.
"Do you think Lucifer put this here to box us in?" Ramiel yelled
"He sure doesn't want us to go further. Do you think the spell is on the other side?" Puffed Asmodeus, still fighting.
"This has Lucifer written all over it, so I'd say so." Cain dispatched a Mandragora and turned to inspect the wall.
Dean and Ramiel immediately ran to cover Cain even though what was left of the Mandragora were now running away.
Cain punched a hand at the wall but it didn't change it at all, just gave a low 'dong'. 'A strong spell' , thought Cain, 'He would have done this recently. He is gaining in power.'
"Asmodeus, break this wall."
"On it, Cain."
Dean and Cain went to cover but there were no more of the creatures and Ramiel wandered over.
"Cain, you better fix Catalan."
Cain looked down and saw Dean had sunk down to the ground when he realized there were no other Mandragora. Adrenaline had been keeping him upright despite the poison from the darts and the bite on his right arm.
"You mean, Dean." Cain raised Dean up by the arm. "He hates Catalan." Cain chuckled as he healed Dean, taking a little longer this time as the poison had spread.
"I'll take that name off him." Said Ramiel, now punching the wall.
"You want to be king of hell?" Asmodeus asked also hitting the wall.
"King beats Prince. I'd love to organize that pit." Ramiel was now kicking the wall.
"You refused it once before, what's different?"
"A change of venue beckons, and to be honest, I'm bored. This is like a nice holiday."
Dean shook his head to clear it and used his T shirt to dry his face. "I'll do you a deal, Ramiel: we both get out of here it's all yours. We can transfer it right? Without killing me, I mean."
"Cain could do it, right Cain?"
Cain nodded. "I can with the stewards help. Michael can as well, he owes you a lot. Get him to do something for you. Let's crack this wall."
For the next few minutes the Knight and Princes threw all their supernatural power at the wall to no avail. Dean had been leaning against a tree getting his breath back while they worked. When this was over he really needed a sit down.
TBC
