Cursed are the Peacemakers

Disclaimer: nothing new just check with chapter 1 if you want to. Go on I know you want to!

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CHAPTER 7

Towards the end of the feast Joseph stood up and waited for the guests to become silent and then he started to chant in a language Sam had never heard before.

Where the hell is Dean? Sam kept thinking as he watched the man build the excitement in the room as each of the guests started to sway and chant along with their leader. The girls who had so recently filed before him in some sort of thanksgiving now filed into the centre of the room, each carrying a garland of dead flowers and the same thorned ivy they had placed around his neck and waist.

Two young men came in the room at the same time the chanting stopped, muscular and well-built they wore only loin cloths and garlands around their necks. With determined and solemn looks on their faces they strode towards Joseph and knelt in front of him their heads down as they waited for their blessings.

Joseph picked up the bowl containing the last of Sam's blood and dipped his fingers in the thickening liquid then he painted marks on their faces and foreheads. The two men bowed their heads even further before standing and turning to face the congregation; Sam's blood dripping down their faces forming grotesque masks.

Struggling against his restraints Sam started to panic as they strode towards him, his heart beating so hard that it was audible to those next to him.

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Dean hid behind a small ledge as he desperately tried to catch his breath and formulate some sort of plan to get Sam out alive. Well for that matter both of them out alive. Heaving a big breath he started to run for the barn where the impala had been hidden he was sure it was still there, it had to be.

'Ah baby am I glad to see you.' He whispered at the sight of the gleaming black vehicle. Quickly he moved around it giving it a cursory inspection, there was no damage done whatsoever to his car. Confused he ran his hand over the bonnet, for all intents and purposes the car looked as though it had never been in a recent accident.

'Now how did I know you would come straight here?' A cold voice mocked Dean, spinning around he faced a very angry looking Nathaniel who was flanked by another two men the same size as he was.

'Ah look sorry if I gatecrashed your little get together, I'll get out of your hair and let you get back to ahh whatever you were doing.' Dean grinned as he backed away from the new threat. 'What the?' He gasped as he backed into two solid walls of muscle. 'Gee guys can't we talk about this? I mean no offence but you're just not my type.'

'Shut him up.' Nathaniel ordered as the men grabbed Dean from behind and cruelly twisted his arms backwards, 'I do not want to hear one more smart remark out of his mouth.'

'Oh I love you too.' Dean managed to get out as a gag ball was pushed into his mouth and secured by two long leather straps effectively silencing the younger man. Then before Dean realised what was happening they tied his hands together in front of him and fastened a leather collar around his neck.

'Grand-Papa is waiting.' Nathaniel announced as he stepped closer to admire their handiwork, anger burned deep behind Dean's green eyes as he locked stares with his captor. 'I shall enjoy this.' Nathaniel whispered in Dean's ear as he stepped back and punched Dean's face whipping his head back with the force, grabbing Dean by the hair he forced him to stay upright, 'tonight you will be consecrated to the Dark Master, and then the brat of a brother of yours will give his life for his progeny. The Dark Master will be reborn and it will be thanks to the two of you.'

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Sam steeled himself for what was about to happen to him when Rebekkah stepped between the men carrying a white robe, she climbed the steps next to the frame to stand eye to eye with him. Smiling sweetly she kissed his forehead removed the garland of thorned ivy from his neck and hips, and slipped the robe over his head. It fell over him in a soft cloud of cotton spun until it felt like fleece, she fastened the cuffs at his wrists and then replaced the garlands. Finally she brushed his hair from his eyes and placed a wreath of tiny black rose buds and the thorned ivy on his head, pressing it in firmly. Sam held his breath as he felt the tiny thorns break through his skin the stinging making his eyes water.

Satisfied at her handiwork Rebekkah stepped down from the steps and arranged the robe around Sam's feet, making sure that the waist high split fell in a straight line exposing his genitals if moved.

'the Chosen is prepared.' She announced in a clear voice, 'be in thanks for the seed of the Chosen.'

The two blood-painted men moved closer to Sam and cut his ropes to free him from the frame. The poison from the thorns now circulating through his blood stream filled Sam's mind with a foggy feeling, his body felt heavy but numb, no more pain but he couldn't move at all. Completely aware of what was happening Sam tried desperately to move to free himself but it was like his body no longer responded to his thoughts.

The two men laid him down on a pallet and crossed his arms over his chest before lifting it between them and carrying it down the side of the hall to the take position in front of the doors. A tear escaped from Sam's eye as he realised what was going to happen to him. Joseph stood at the other end of the room and raising his hands skywards he started to pray to the Dark Master, summoning his presence to accept the familial offerings of blood and flesh.

Rebekkah led the procession down the centre of the hall a pretty smile on her face as she greeted her brethren, behind her the child known as Trinia carrying a black cushion with a carved ceremonial knife on it. The young woman joined the procession then, placing their flowers on the ground in an offering, finally the two men carried Sam's still body on the pallet through the hall slowly showing off the Chosen to all of the congregation. The robe placed in a way that showed his genitals fluttered in a breeze as they came to a stop in front of Joseph, who dipped his fingers in the bowl of Sam's blood once again and drew intricate symbols over the young man's bare stomach with the viscous fluid. Then he spattered the remains over the ones in the procession, Sam's face and the young woman who had formed a guard of honour around the pallet.

'Place the Chosen on the platform.' Joseph announced waving at the two young men, 'guard him well.' He added watching them as they picked Sam up and carried him to his last resting place. The large table had been removed to reveal the platform at the top end of the hallway. Shrouded in black cotton the same as Sam's robe with two large candles burning either side of him. His head raised slightly on the stage and a brace set at the bottom to prevent his sliding off. Then finally, they tied his wrists together as they crossed his chest making him the perfect sacrificial offering.

Satisfied Joseph turned his back on Sam and addressed the congregation to finish the ceremony, bringing life back to them and life back to their Dark Lord.

'As we call our Master to come before us and accept our offering of the Chosen we will offer the familial blood and flesh as proof of our undying fidelity to the rebirth of our people and of our Dark Master.' He clapped his hands and indicated the large doors.

The doors swung open and Nathaniel strode in to a thunderous reception, behind him the guards dragging a bound and gagged Dean by a rope tied to his collar.

His eyes wide with fear, Dean desperately tried to keep his breathing under control as he took in his new surroundings. The long hall looked like something out of a gothic horror movie. Flanked along the walls were the so-called Peacemakers, remnants of their meals scattered on long tables. A low platform dominated the top end of the building and as Dean's eyes become accustomed to the candle light he could make out what or rather who was on the stage.

Dressed in a long white but very revealing robe and lying on a low altar was Sam, his hands tied over his chest, a wreath of thorns digging into his head matched the ones around his neck and waist. Dean dragged his gaze up his brother's still body and met his slightly glazed but aware eyes. 'Sammy?' Dean whispered horrified at the state he saw his brother in. The bloodied symbols on his stomach stood out starkly against his pale skin, the spatters of blood covering him, dean shivered and felt his stomach start to roil and threaten to mutiny on him.

A vicious tug on his collar brought dean's attention back to his own predicament, in front of him two rows of young men with blood red faces and yellow eyes stood all holding various weapons, ranging from a single whip to a cat-o-nine-tails tipped with steel, to hammers and knives.

Frantically Dean tried to pull away from his guards but they held the rope taut and pulling at his neck enough to make him stop struggling, his breathing was too restricted to begin with anymore and he would be of no use to Sam or himself.

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Sam stared down at the scene in front of him playing out like a B-grade movie, he could see Dean bound, gagged and led by a rope attached to a collar being forced into some sort of gauntlet, the maniacal look on Joseph's face made him shiver inwardly, all of the women were swooning and swaying building up the air of anticipation.

Suddenly a cold feeling spread through Sam's tortured mind, he felt himself still until he barely took a breath. Calmness swept over him as he closed his eyes and let the feeling take him, he embraced the ensuing headache and nausea instead of fighting them. The coldness spread through his body, cooling the fire of pain and despair.

Then his eyes snapped open, as the wind picked up and blew the candles out, in the darkness Sam could see all in front of him and a giggle escaped from his frozen throat.

A woman started to scream as food started to spin around and fly at the people scattering them, a table upturned itself and crashed into a wall, two of the long stools flew into the creatures lining the gauntlet, one into each row.

As Sam calmed down so did the telekinetic storm, Dean stood staring wildly around at the carnage born from his brother's pent up fear and rage. Joseph lay unmoving under one of the tables, blood seeping from his head. Others fled in terror, leaving their human forms crumpled on the floor or under the debris. Rebekkah lay on the platform her hand reaching out to Sam, her eyes sockets empty and blackened, the skin dried and caved in, stretched over the bones like parchment.

Awkwardly Dean knelt down and picked up a knife, slicing his wrists as much as the rope in an attempt to free himself, all he could think about was Sam, who still lay unmoving on the pallet. Finally the ropes snapped and he was able to rub feeling back into them, wincing at the shallow cuts on his wrists as they stung and dribbled blood, he undid the leather thongs and spat out the gag breathing in fresh air as he ran to Sam his fingers working on the collar as he ran to the platform, tossing it aside disdainfully he skidded to a halt on his knees next to his brother's side.

'Sam? Sammy come on Buddy talk to me.' He cried, passing his hands over Sam's face he spent a moment removing the poisonous wreath from his head, 'Sammy hey time to get up now.'

Sam's eyes blinked and moved slowly trying to focus on the face swimming in the fog in front of him.

'That's it Sammy, come on back to me Bro.' Dean said his voice sounding shaky and hoarse, 'damn Sam you gave me a helluva fright there for a minute.' He rambled as he cut the bindings on Sam's wrists and carefully sat his brother up, 'okay so we gotta get outta here Sammy.'

'I – I – it's S-S-Sam.' Sam stammered, his body started to shiver violently as the poison dissipated through his system no longer being fed by the thorns, 's-s-s-so c-c-cold D-D-Dean.'

'Sam listen to me we have to get going now.' Dean said as he helped his brother up, 'can you stand okay?'

Sam opened his mouth to answer but instead stared over Dean's shoulder his eyes widening in fear.

'What Sam? What is it?'

'You're not leaving so quickly are you boys? My party is just getting started.' A deep voice came from behind them, Dean turned slowly with Sam still cradled in his arms as he faced the Dark Master.

TBC