Seven Devils

Chapter 7 / The Lost Man and The Stars

"The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers."

— Matthew 13:41

The same house. The same scent. The same photographs: childhood, graduation, her parents' wedding. The same creaky stair, the same corridor, the same silence. It's funny how things change under a different light.

The same man, sitting in the same chair in his study, doing what he had always done. Marlene couldn't help but think about that quote by Heraclitus "No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man". This place didn't feel like the home she used to know anymore. And Marlene didn't feel like the same girl who had come here looking for answers.

She could tell that it was not the same for Arthur either. He looked withered, clothes far from the pristine condition they usually were, dark circles marring his already ashen face. He looked like a shell of the man Marlene remembered and never really knew.

It wasn't immediately that he noticed her standing there. But when Arthur sensed a presence and looked to the door, his face lit up. He raised from the chair and made to envelop his daughter in a hug, but she stepped back, flinching.

Arthur's face fell, but he tried to mask it. It turned out he was very good at it; hiding things. "I'm so glad you're back."

Marley held back a scoff, "Don't act so surprised."

But somehow he did, and if she didn't know better, she'd think it was genuine. "What matters is that you're safe now. Marley — "

"Safe?" she all but yelled, incredulous at his sheer ignorance, "What the hell is wrong with you, dad?! No one is safe, not when the freaking Apocalypse is next in line in the shitshow that you helped set up!"

That did well to stump him. Marlene knew all of his little secrets now. He had no lies left to cover them up anymore. Arthur ran a hand over his face with a heavy sigh. "I did what needed to be done in order to protect my family."

"What did you do?" Marlene asked, solemn.

"You needn't — "

"What did you do, dad?" she pressed harder, voice cold and firm.

Arthur looked away, "I gave them what they needed."

"Which was what? What on earth could they possibly want from you?"

He lowered his eyes and walked towards the window, tuning his back to Marlene. She watched him like a hawk, her breathing rapid from the adrenalin pumping in her veins. She'd never talked to her father this way. Never even raised her voice at him. Never even had a reason too.

Well, things had definitely escalated quickly.

"They didn't want to get involved. The angels. Zachariah," Arthur spoke quietly, "He said that all it took was the one tile, and the rest would tumble down in the aftermath. A little push to set thing into motion." He turned around and finally looked at Marlene. She was still standing in the threshold, arms crossed, "It was Lilith."

Marley frowned, "I don't understand..."

"I gave them the key to unlocking Lilith's cage," Arthur said gravely.

It didn't register at first. How could it, when up until recently, her father had been just a university professor whose only pain in the ass were ill-researched essays?

But then it did register. And Marlene's eyes went wide with disbelief, "I'm sorry, what? You let her out? Dad..." she said quietly, "She...she killed Tessa... "

"And I am so, so sorry it happened — " Arthur came over to her, pain-stricken to see his daughter so hurt, but she stepped away, burning him with a look so resentful, he flinched.

"I can't even look at you ," she seethed and stumbled back into the hallway, "You're...I — I can't be here. I'm leaving."

"Marlene!" Arthur called. He caught up to her in the living room — the place filled with false memories that promised a future that would never come, "I did it to protect you!" he screamed.

Marley whipped around, glare murderous, "Protect me how exactly? Last I checked, she almost killed me too and this entire planet was going 4th of July real fast real soon, dad. And you —" she pointed a furious finger at him, " — lit the freaking fireworks."

"Lilith had to be freed for the prophecy to come forth!" he sounded like a madman.

Marley growled from frustration, "I am so tired of hearing about this damned prophecy! Do you really believe God would want to destroy all that he created?"

Arthur's face turned reverent, "What he takes, he gives back tenfold."

"Is that what you say when you knock at people's doors and preach for them to join God's Kingdom?"

"Do you always have to make a joke out of everything?"

"Oh, is there another way you'd have me coping with Armageddon, dad?"

Arthur sighed and spoke, softly this time, "Marlene, this is the only chance to break the circle of suffering in our family. This is how it ends."

"No," Marley shook her head, "This is how we die, dad."

"We can finally join your mother..." the desperate pleading in Arthur's voice made her consider it, just for a split second. It was a chance for a second life, the one she had always dreamed of as a kid. One where she had a mother. Where she didn't cry herself to sleep because she'd never know what it felt like to have one.

But those were just dreams. And the people who'd lose their lives were very much real.

"Are you really ready to let millions die for that?"

Arthur seemed a little abashed by the question. Clearly, he didn't like to think about the consequences of his selfish designs, "There wouldn't be millions, Zachariah — "

"— is an angel who wants to free Satan. I wouldn't put my trust in him."

Arthur looked tormented, ripped apart by his doubts. Good, Marley thought.

"What was that key, dad? Was it...was it something in the Bible? Like a clue?" He paced the room, running a hand through his greying, messy hair. "Did you have to crack some kind of code or...or give them a location? What was it?"

"Lilith's cage wasn't as elaborate as Lucifer's," Arthur finally said, "No seals, just keys. Three of them."

"Three?"

"Blood of a demon, blood of an angel and...and blood of the maker. The first two were easy to come by, but Zachariah didn't know where to find the last one."

"Blood of the maker..." Marlene repeated slowly, "As in, Lucifer?"

Arthur nodded. "He twisted Lilith's soul into being. His blood was the last key to unlocking her cage."

"How...you..." Marley opened her mouth to form a thought but couldn't quite find the right words, "Had...you...this entire time," she said loudly for it to register in her own mind, "there was the literal Devil's blood in our house? This house? Where we celebrated Christmas and Easter? Oh my G — this is twisted, even for you, dad."

"I didn't know," Arthur pleaded, "Not until Zachariah told me."

Marley's frown deepened. At this point, she'd be happy if it turned out she was going crazy.

"Your grandfather Felix...he liked to collect things." Marlene wanted to scoff, looking at Arthur's own collection of trinkets. Apple, tree and all that. "And there was one he cherished above all."

"What was it?"

"Do you...do you remember your grandmother's pendant?"

Marley's brow furrowed. Her Tata Ophelia died when she was seven, she barely remembered her at all. Only that she always had the strange, Victorian-looking thing hanging down her chest from a silver chain.

"The one with the huge emerald?" Marlene asked, puzzled, "What about it? Is it haunted or something? I always thought it was creepy."

"Marlene — what do you know about emeralds?"

"Do I look like a geologist, dad?" she snapped and then inhaled sharply, "Can we just...can we not make it a study session, please? Just stop speaking in da Vinci codes and tell me already."

Normally, Arthur would have ignored her plea, but now he obliged, "The first emerald in being belonged to the most favoured son of God. Lucifer the Morning Star," he spoke faintly, "It adorned his heavenly crown and glowed in the Lord's Devine light. And when Lucifer was banished from Heaven and cast into Hell after the gory rebellion, his crown was destroyed. The emerald found its way down to the land its master so loathed, split into 3 pieces and scattered around the earth."

Marlene's brows shot up as it finally downed on her, "So you're saying that one of the pieces?..."

"It was a family relic," Arthur nodded, "Your great grandfather searched the entire world for it and found it in possession of an old Belgian Duchess, embedded within a silver pendant."

"But why was he looking for it in the first place?"

"Because — " Arthur broke off, his entire face going pale as parchment. Marlene followed his wary eyes and froze.

"Ah, wonderful. Everyone's here," Zachariah sing-sang, "Hope I didn't miss any fun."

It was the man she had seen in her father's study that night. The vicious angel of death in a suit, his voice just as disturbingly saccharine as she remembered. What a steaming peace of heavenly divinity, Marley thought, her mouth curling in distaste.

Zachariah caught her glare with a jolly smile, "Little Miss Marlene, we meet at last. Did you enjoy your little getaway?" he inquired knowingly.

Of course he'd been spying on her. It explained so much, she wanted to scream.

"Personally, I thought it was a little poorly thought out. You're young and attractive, could've gone to Cancun, Miami or The City of Angels for father's sake, but South Dakota? It's so boring," the angel drawled. "Though a little birdie told me you had a lot of fun, didn't you? Made some friends? Some unforgettable memories? Oh, to be young again," he sighed wistfully.

Marlene glanced at her father to gauge his reaction. Arthur Ter-Gabrielyan, the man with 3 PhDs, was simply standing there, eyes downcast. It was clear he hadn't been expecting this visit, but couldn't very well kick Zachariah out, the loyal lapdog that he was.

"What do you want?" Marley asked faintly.

"I think you know what I want, Marlene," Zachariah's lips stretched into an unwavering smile. It didn't quite reach his eyes, though. "Don't you?"

Marley said nothing. She just kept her wary eyes on him.

"Why are you here, Zachariah?" Arthur asked, much to her surprise.

"Can't I pay a visit to my friends?" the angel wondered innocently, "We are friends, aren't we, Arthur?"

For a moment, Arthur seemed resolved to push back. Marlene's heart thumped in her chest at the prospect of Zachariah's possible retaliation — she doubted he'd take kindly to disobedience. And it seemed that her father had the same thought, for the belligerent expression on his face quickly melted off, "Of course," he droned.

Happy with the answer, Zachariah walked around the living room like it was a promenade, taking a look around. He paid much attention to Arthur's impressive collection of Armenian pottery and their family photos on the mantel above the fireplace. He picked one up to take a closer look. Marlene glanced at her father and found him struggling to keep his composure.

It was her parents' wedding photo.

"Ah, Sophia," Zachariah sighed, "Wonderful woman."

Arthur's face instantly changed, "You...you know her?"

"Oh yes, we shared a wonderful talk the other day. She's very excited to see you," Zachariah said. There was a strange foreboding in his words, a lingering threat.

"How do we know it's true? That you're not lying?" Arthur asked.

"You don't, that's the beauty of it. Venture into the unknown," Zachariah said like it was an overused slogan from an obscure 70s ad, "Live a little. You'll like it there, I promise," he looked at Marley, "And you'll love it."

"That's a bald assumption," she said, "I wonder if all the people who are going to die because of your megalomaniac bullshit will "love" it too."

Zachariah's smile wavered just a little, "They will be in God's kingdom, of course they'll love it. It's more than they could have ever hoped for. Or deserved. They should be thankful for this chance. In fact, you should be thankful, too."

"It's not a chance," Marley seethed, "It's murder."

"Potato potato," the angel shrugged.

"So that's your plan? Break all the seals, let Lucifer out and see what happens?"

Zachariah laughed, "I love your daughter, Arthur. Much more entertaining to be around."

"Zachariah — " Arthur tried to reason but the angel didn't even hear him.

"Have you ever stopped to wonder about the prophecy?" he strolled up closer to Marlene, "God's word blah blah, it was long foretold blah blah blah. Lord's army against forces of evil. Ring a bell?"

The only fight that came to Marley's mind was one from the Book of Revelation. God sent the warrior-angel, the belligerent Archangel Michael to protect the Heavenly Kingdom from his sinful, power-hungry brother. They clashed in a historical battle, which ultimately resulted in Lucifer's banishment into the pits of Hell. Could this...could this be round two?

"Archangel Michael will fight Lucifer?"

Zachariah was delighted at her quick thinking, "He most certainly will. And he will win."

Marley turned to her father. He stayed silent, eyes downcast — he clearly already knew. "But...why? Why even do it?" she asked Zachariah.

"Because it has to happen, Marlene. Everything has an expiry date, and this dump is due for a thorough cleanup," he sounded so infuriatingly nonchalant, so clinical about it. Like it was a simple routine. A chore. "I get it. Your father gets it. Even Dean's on board. Isn't it a merry band?"

Marley had suspected that Castiel got to Dean and delivered him to Zachariah. Now, she knew it for certain. But still, she couldn't quite believe that he was okay this twisted plan. Marlene didn't know Dean very well — hell, she didn't know him at all — but knew he wouldn't trust Zachariah. She was surprised that anyone did.

Her father had said that the angels didn't want to get involved, that all it took was "the one tile" to send the world into chaos. Could it be that they didn't know the little "push" came from the upper management and not God's hand?

"You're lying," Marley told him point-blank.

"Am I? Some things just have to be done, Marlene. Dean understands it."

"Oh yeah? And do other angels know what you're doing?" she spoke slowly, "Does Gabriel?" Something in Zachariah's face changed. The smile became even more maniacal, "Because it seems a little shady to me."

"Marlene," Arthur warned.

"He's not going to hurt us, dad," she told him, looking at Zachariah, "He knows what'll happen if he did."

Marley wasn't sure she was playing her cards right. Or even if she they were good at all. They could very well turn out to be an offsuit. Because Gabriel hadn't reached out to her since her birthday and Marlene didn't have any powers — other than her headaches — to fight the angel off. To fight anyone off, really.

But Zachariah didn't know that. For him, she was a mystery. And nothing was more dangerous than the unknown.

"I could call for him," Marley challenged, "I'm sure he'd be happy to help."

"Marlene, stop it," Arthur's low voice thundered, startling her.

She shot him a disbelieving glare, "Stop it? Dad — " Marley broke off with a scream as a striking pain pierced through her head.

Arthur's face went completely white, "Marlene? Marlene..."

But Marley didn't hear him — she was deafened by the voices that spoke so loudly, on a frequency so high, she felt like her head would pop like a balloon. The last thing she saw before the world went completely dark was Zachariah's unimpressed face.

His mouth was curled into a mocking smile as he sang, "Sweet dreams." And brought two fingers to her forehead.

𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐

Dean dialled Sam's number again, desperate to hear anything but freaking static. There was still time to fix it, if he could just get through to...

"You can't reach him, Dean," Castiel spoke behind him. Dean stilled. He didn't turn around, "You're outside your coverage zone."

"What are you gonna do to Sam?"

"Nothing," Castiel walked over to Dean, "He's gonna do it to himself."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked.

Castiel lowered his eyes. "Oh, right, right," Dean nodded and stepped closer, "Got to toe the company line. Why are you here, Cas?"

"We've been through much together, you and I," Castiel said, voice heavy with regret, "And I just wanted to say, I'm sorry it ended like this."

A smile tugged at Dean's mouth, ""Sorry"?" he looked away with a mirthless chuckle and punched Castiel in the face. The angel hardly flinched. Dean couldn't say the same as he suffered in silence, flexing his hand. "It's Armageddon, Cas. You need a bigger word than "sorry." " he gritted out, turning back to the angel.

"Try to understand — this is long foretold. This is your —"

"Destiny?" Dean scoffed, "Don't give me that "holy" crap. Destiny, God's plan... It's all a bunch of lies, you poor, stupid son of a bitch! It's just a way for your bosses to keep me and keep you in line! You know what's real? People, families — that's real. And you're gonna watch them all burn?"

"What is so worth saving?" Castiel advanced on Dean, making him stumble back. Cass looked lost. Doubtful. And scared. "I see nothing but pain here. I see inside you. I see your guilt, your anger, confusion. In paradise, all is forgiven. Why can't any of you understand that? You'll be at peace," Castiel said quietly, "Even with Sam."

It did sound tempting. After all, what was there to live for? Just another hunt, another cheap motel, a bottle of beer and food that would probably kill him soon anyway. At least that way, they could see their mother again. No more suffering, no more death, no more driving around in Baby, listening to the same three albums on repeat.

It sounded kind of boring.

"You can take your peace...and shove it up your lily-white ass," Dean said slowly. Cass squinted at him, "'Cause I'll take the pain and the guilt. I'll even take Sam as is. It's a lot better than being some Stepford bitch in paradise. This is simple, Cas!"

Castiel turned away, unable to listen to this anymore. He thought he was making the right decision. He knew it.

"No more crap about being a good soldier," Dean pressed mirthlessly, "There is a right and there is a wrong here, and you know it. Look at me!" He grabbed Castiel by the shoulder and tuned him back to face him, "You know it! You were gonna help us once, weren't you? Marlene told me everything — you were gonna warn me about all this, before they dragged you back to Bible camp. Help me — now," Dean implored desperately, searching Castiel's face for any sign of hesitation, "Please."

The angel looked away, "What would you have me do?"

"Get me to Sam! We can stop this before it's too late."

"I do that, we...will all be hunted," Castiel told Dean, his resolution wavering, "We'll all be killed."

"If there is anything worth dying for... " Dean whispered, "this is it."

But Cass only shook his head and lowered his eyes. Of course, he was too much of a coward to do the right thing. Dean should've known better, "You spineless..." he seethed and walked away, "…soulless son of a bitch. What do you care about dying? You're already dead. We're done."

"Dean —"

"We're done!" Dean yelled.

When he turned around to see if Castiel was still there, he felt a pang of disappointment. The angel had disappeared. And so did any hope Dean had for him.

𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐

Marlene woke up in her childhood bedroom, completely disoriented. She felt drowsy, her head was hurting like hell and she had no idea how she'd got there. But when the memories came back, and they did, she jumped off the bed and beelined straight for the door only to find it locked.

She had been locked inside her childhood bedroom. By her own freaking father.

"Dad!" she yelled, banging on the door, "Dad, let me out! Dad!" But there was nothing, not a sound. "Fuck!" Marley yelled and landed a final blow before crumbling down to the floor. No, she couldn't succumb to panic. Panic was a good-for-nothing, paralysing parasite that scrambled your brain and rendered you a mush of doubt and despair. And Marley needed her brains right now. She needed to think.

She could sneak out of her bedroom window and slide down the roof like she'd done in high school. But what then? Her car was a million states away and if she tried to run away, the evil angelic godmother would no doubt turn her into a pumpkin.

Marley spotted her bag on the divan by the window. Her dad had probably rummaged through it in search of his journal. Good thing she had it hidden in the inside pocket of the parka she'd got at an obscure thrift shop somewhere in Maryland.

She grabbed the bag and scrabbled around for her phone, but then remembered she had no one to call. And the police were probably wiretapping it, so it was not an option. With a heavy sigh, she threw the bag on the bed and considered just falling asleep. God, she felt so wretched —

"Of course," Marlene whispered. She could use a different means of communication. One that wasn't bugged by the police.

"Castiel?" Marley called hesitantly, "I know you can hear me. You did the last time." She sat down on the corner of her bed. "I don't know where you are or what you're doing, but I do know that you're doubting. Doubting is good. It...it means that you know, in your heart, that what they — what Zachariah's doing is wrong.

𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐

The park was deserted and peaceful. Shadows of the quickly approaching dusk had already crawled their way up the purple sky, sprinkling it with stars. The moon found its reflection in the still surface of the pond, and Castiel watched as an occasional gust of wind sent a ripple through it.

He sat on the bench overlooking the city. City filled with thousands of people who were oblivious to the fate awaiting them. The people God had created and chosen to abandon to their doom. Did He know what was going to happen? Had He truly wished for that? God had banished Lucifer from Heaven, his favourite son, because he loved His earthly creation too much to see it destroyes by Lucifer's greed and jealousy.

Why would he let it all perish now?

Castiel.

The voice startled him. Castiel frowned and looked up to the skies. I know you can hear me. You did the last time.

It was the girl. The abomination all angels had been taught to seek out and destroy. They'd told him that her bloodline was the testament to Gabriel's sin. The mockery of all that was holy. Castiel had expected the girl to be a monster or a wolf in sheep's clothing, but he hadn't seen a spot of darkness in her. Other than the blood running through her veins.

I don't know where you are or what you're doing, but I do know that you're doubting. Castiel clenched his jaw and lowered his eyes. Doubting is good. It...it means that you know, in your heart, that what they — what Zachariah's doing is wrong.

There was a moment of silence, and Castiel found himself worried that she was gone, but Marlene spoke again, Castiel, my father and Zachariah are responsible for Lilith's escape from Hell. He tells all of you not to get involved and let the prophecy come to pass, but he was the one who flipped that tile and let the others follow suit. He orchestrated the entire thing, Castiel.

𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐

"It isn't God's will, you're not heeding His word," Marlene said, "But that of a delusional son of a —

Castiel appeared in the middle of her bedroom. He looked too imposing and out of place in the four pink walls filled with everything that made Marley human and not the monster he thought she was.

"I received your message," the angel looked grim and resolved, but his blue eyes were kind.

"I thought you couldn't get inside."

"Your wards have been broken," Castiel reported in his dutiful minion voice.

Marley gave a slow nod. So that's why Zachariah had easily zapped into their living room. Cass walked to the window and checked to see if there was no one outside, "We need to go before Zachariah knows I'm here."

"Does that mean you're here to rescue me?" Marley quirked a brow.

Castiel tilted his head and squinted at her, "Yes," he said slowly.

"So I'm not an abominable monster?" He lookes away. Marlene smiled, "Alright, you don't have to answer that. What's the plan?"

"There is no plan."

"Oh," She didn't expect that, "Well, that's, uh...that's okay. Do you know where Dean is?"

"Yes. But Zachariah could be there."

"He won't. He's here. At least, he was here. I think he and my father left somewhere," Marlene frowned as she said it. What a disturbing thought. Could Zachariah hurt him? Where had they gone to? If Arthur were at home, he would've heard her screams. He would've come to the room to check on her.

Castiel considered her words, a plan forming in his mind, "Alright," he nodded and placed a hand on her shoulder, "I know what to do."

𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐

Dean had been pacing the room relentlessly, trying and failing to find a way out of this angelic Fort Knox. It was freaking impenetrable: no doors, no windows, no nothing. He was starting to grow weary and hungry, and the platter of very tempting white castles didn't seem like such a bad idea after hours spent scooped up in this place.

Dean paused in front of the pile of burgers, eyed it with deep contemplation and took one. But before he was able to take a bite, someone grabbed him by the shoulder and shoved him against the wall. Castiel? Dean's eyes went wide. The angel pressed a hand over his mouth and drew a knife.

He stared at Dean, brows raised in an attempt to communicate a message. Do you trust me? Castiel was asking. Slowly, Dean nodded, and the angel let him go.

Dean watched, shocked, as Castiel brought the knife to his forearm and made a long cut, drawing blood. He spilt it into his palm and smeared it across the wall to form a strange sigil. Dean didn't recognise is, but the writing looked pretty damn old.

"Castiel!" A voice thundered through the room. Zachariah advanced towards them, "Would you mind explaining just what the hell you're doing?"

Cass finished drawing the sigil and slammed his hand right in the heart of it. Suddenly, a blinding flash of light shot out, banishing Zachariah away. Dean shielded his eyes and when the light was gone, so was the angel. He gaped at Castiel.

"He won't be gone long. We have to find Sam now," Cass said, all business.

"Where is he?"

"I don't know. But I know who does," he returned the knife to Dean, "We have to stop him, Dean, from killing Lilith."

"So it's true, then. Lilith is the final seal?

Castiel nodded gravely, "She dies, the end begins."

𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐

Marlene almost tripped over a bottle of beer upon landing, which didn't bode well in itself. The house was shrouded in darkness. The only beacon of light was a computer in the living room.

Marley made her way through scattered books, notes, towers of pizza boxes and an impressive amount of beer bottles. There was an array of them by the computer — someone'd been having a wild evening. She squinted at the screen. There was a file opened, "Supernatural — Lucifer Rising by Carver Edlund." Well, if that were a coincidence, Marley's faith in serendipity would be restored. Who the hell lived here?

"Hey, uh — is that the, um, the Angel Inn?" She heard a voice coming from the kitchen area. It was getting closer, "Oh, yes, that...that'd be really nice. H-how many girl do you have?" Marley made a disgusted face. Was he ordering hookers? God, where had Castiel dropped her off?

"That — that's very tempting," the man chuckled awkwardly, strolling into the living room. He was rather short, dressed in jeans and a casual jacket, "So, like, how fast can you — "

He halted when he saw Marlene standing in the middle of the room, alone. She froze. He stared at her, mouth agape, the phone still pressed to his ear, "Um...yeah, she's, uh — she's already here?" He told the operator very slowly, "You guys work r-really fast."

Castiel.