(Disclaimer: Don't own anything except the following story)
(A/N: Sorry, folks. The finale has turned into a two-parter...so if you'll bear with me, here's part one...part two should be up by the end of the week. Enjoy!)
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Return of the Dragon Slayer.
Chapter Twenty-One.
Time seemed to stand still as everyone in the Great Hall turned as if in slow-motion and stared at the creature that had burst through the window. It raised its head and roared, shattering the remaining windows of the room.
Jonas stared at the beast, his mouth dropping open as he tried to figure out exactly what it was. It had the head and neck of a dragon, the fore-quarters of an eagle; hind-quarters of a lion and as it snapped its wings wide, issuing another roar as its scaly tail swished behind it, its eyes focussed on him and Jonas felt the first true stirrings of fear course through him.
He yelled as he felt teeth sink deep into his wrist and Caleb ducked under his arm and ran towards his father.
"DADDEEE!" he yelled as he raced towards his father.
Dean ran faster than he'd ever run before and he yelled as he saw Jonas throw his dagger at Caleb's back. He grabbed his son and turned, the dagger taking him high in the shoulder. He ran behind the beast who'd crashed through the windows, putting Caleb on the ground in front of him. "Caleb" he pushed him away gently "Are you alright?" he lifted his chin and saw the small cut to his neck and his stomach churned with rage. He turned, Jonas and the Rukh's were gone but the Elders were smiling nastily at him. "SAM!" He turned to his brother as the creature roared again.
"DUCK!" yelled Caleb; and Sam, Gideon, Gabe, Seth and Jude dropped instinctively as the beast shot a long burst of flame at the remaining guards, turning them instantly to ash.
"SAM!" yelled Dean again.
Sam rose slowly and turned, walking purposefully towards the Elders, a nasty smile spread across his features. He got to Dean and turned to his brother "Watch me kick some old ass, dude" he grinned "oh, and take cover" he turned to the Elders as Dean pushed Caleb against the wall, shielding him with his body.
"Hi, Iksar" said Caleb as he patted the animal. He turned as Gideon, Gabe, Seth and Jude ran up to them "Uncle Gideon, you have to go back…there are more soldiers coming…Jonas hide some…they 'tack again"
"Shit" he grinned at his nephew and kissed his forehead "You stay with your Dad" he smiled and ruffled his hair, looked at Gabe, Seth and Jude "Come on" he jumped through the shattered window; Jude and Seth following him.
Gabe smiled at Caleb "Like your animal, Caleb"
"He cool" said Caleb, patting the beasts hind-quarters.
Gabe turned to Dean "Don't move" and he pulled the dagger from Dean's shoulder blade. He inspected the wound "Not too bad, it'll need stitches when we're done kicking ass" he kissed Caleb's head and jumped through the window, following his brother, Jude and Seth back to battle.
Dean held tight to Caleb "SAM!" Sam turned to him "Love to stay and watch you do your freaky shit to these assholes, but I have unfinished business with Jonas!"
Sam nodded "You go kill that prick, Dean"
Dean nodded "Stay safe"
Sam grinned at Dean "Dude…it'll be like shooting fish in a barrel. Go"
Dean nodded, lifting Caleb onto Iksar and jumping up behind him. He put one arm around his son, the other under the beasts scales "Iksar, you find that asshole" and the beast roared as it turned, jumping back through the window and shooting into the sky.
Sam stood in front of the Elders, grinning and rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet "Soooo, you want to steal the Phoenixes magic and then fuck the dragons over with it?" he shook his head as he re-sheathed his swords "Not a wise move, dickheads"
"How DARE…" started one of the Elders.
"Ah, ah, ah…I haven't finished" said Sam as he shook a finger at them "You see, the Phoenixes aren't at all happy with you and …"
One of the Elders raised his hand and a bright light shot out of it and headed straight towards Sam. Sam laughed as the light moved harmlessly through him, taking out most of the back wall as it struck. "Ooops" he glared at the Elder "Missed"
The Elders tried again and again but everything they threw at Sam either passed through him or bounced off him. And Sam watched, grinning, as the smiles fell from the Elders' faces, the smug looks now replaced by ones of fear.
Sam grinned again and one of the Elders roared in rage, raising both hands and yelling in the Ancient language as a large ball of blue light cracked into existence between his palms. He yelled again as he threw the blue orb at Sam. Sam laughed, raised his right hand, stopping the ball mid-flight and sending it back to its maker where it engulfed the Elder; the man seeming to melt like a wax dummy, pooling onto the floor with a scream.
Sam turned his eyes back to the remaining Elders "Next!"
Two Elders raised their hands, whispering quietly and Sam smiled as a mass of red-light shimmered to life and flashed towards him. Sam stepped towards it; stepped into the light and the Elders laughed as Sam was engulfed in flame…their laughter soon dying on their lips as Sam stepped out of the flames, unharmed.
"I'M THE PHOENIX, ASSHOLES! " he laughed "AND YOU SHOOT FIRE AT ME? IDIOTS!" he raised his hands and flames shot from them, devouring the two Elders, their agonising screams echoing loudly round the Great Hall.
Sam drew his swords as Ankou sailed into the Great Hall, taking his position behind Sam "Only those that bear the mark of the Phoenix have the right to use their magic! You stole it from them and the punishment for that is death!" he grinned "A painful death"
The Elders turned to run but Sam launched himself at them; decapitating two before they'd taken a step. He turned and put the tip of his sword to the last remaining Elders throat "It was you, that stole the magic from the Phoenixes, Malachai"
Malachai fell to his knees "Please…please…" begged the man "I'll do whatever you want…please…just don't kill me! I didn't know Jonas was going to use it to…"
"DON'T LIE!" roared Sam "IT WAS YOU THAT STOLE IT! IT WAS YOU THAT BOUGHT IT TO JONAS AND IT WAS YOU THAT TOLD HIM HOW TO USE IT! SO FUCK YOU , ASSHOLE!"
Sam raised his sword and spoke in the old language of the Phoenix; his sword bursting into flame and raised it, driving it through Malachai's chest. The man screamed as the flames raced through his body, buring him from the inside out and bringing with it an agonising torture as his internal organs began to boil in his blood. Malachai put his hands to his face as he eyes burst free of their sockets; and as his brain exploded inside his skull, he let out one last ear-piercing scream and fell to the floor, sliding slowly off Sam's sword.
Sam turned to Ankou and grinned "Ouch"
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Dean and Caleb sailed out of the city, rocketing over the Citadel walls; the beasts wings beating a steady tattoo as it rose quickly on the winds. Dean looked down and saw the battle beginning again; Gideon, Gabe, Jude and Seth on the backs of Hippogryphs and attacking with renewed fury against the newly arrived legion. He smiled as he watched Ancients swarm from the surrounding forests, picking up swords from the ground and joining in the battle. The people were fighting back, taking up arms against their oppressors; fighting for their home and battling with the same fury as the Rebel Army.
He looked into Caleb's face as the boy turned to him, his eyes pooling with tears "I want my Mamma"
Dean's heart broke as he looked into his son's distraught face "I want your Mamma too, Caleb" and he tightened his arm around him "But we'll get Jonas and make him pay. I promise you" Caleb nodded "Can you talk to Iksar?"
Caleb nodded again "Iksar! Which way they go?" he yelled over the rushing wind.
They are fleeing to the Bad Lands
"Follow them! Fast! Real fast!" yelled Caleb. He turned to Dean as Iksar sped through the skies "He going to the Bad Lands!"
Dean nodded; he didn't know exactly what the Bad Lands were, but he remembered them from the maps of Larten Vola he'd studied; they were on the far side of the realm and there wasn't much information on the maps about them. It was just marked as open space behind some mountain ranges. He looked over as Fafnir and Peldua flew up either side of Iksar; Kubera and another hippogryph on either side of the dragons.
"Fafnir! They're heading for the Bad Lands!" yelled Dean "Tell me about them!"
They are exactly that. It is ruled solely by nature, by the land itself. The danger lies not from the few creatures that walk the earth there, but from the natural elements themselves.
"You mean the trees and shit?" he asked.
Yes, the trees…and …shit … replied Fafnir They are neither bad nor good, they just are.
"Awesome" dead-panned Dean.
Little Slayer…
Caleb turned to Fafnir "Yes, Fafnir?"
You understand your role in this?
He nodded "I unnerstand. That bad man……my Mamma……he pay!"
"Fafnir…" started Dean.
The Little Slayer is more capable than you realise, Slayer. He has his guardian with him, as you have yours.
"Guardians?" Dean laughed hollowly "And where the hell were Finn's guardians, huh? You promised me!" he yelled.
Slayer, we near the Bad Lands.
Dean turned and saw a mountain range that stretched along the realm as far as the eye could see and rose almost a thousand feet from the ground. As they neared the mountains, he could see the dark, almost sheer cliff faces; the sharp edges of outcroppings and brown water that ran down them making any attempt to scale the mountain treacherously impossible. The only way into the 'Bad Lands' was on the air; Dean drew his sword and tightened his grip on Caleb "No matter what happens, Caleb; you stay with me. You understand?"
Caleb nodded "Yes, Daddy"
"I mean it"
"I know. I stay with you. You 'tect me"
Dean smiled "Always, little guy"
Iksar sailed over the mountain range and Dean was awestruck by what lay below him. He had expected the place to be a desolate landscape; it wasn't. It was filled with forests, lakes, open fields, rivers, hills, waterfalls…every type of eco-system you could possibly imagine. The only difference between here and the rest of the realm was that this place lacked colour. Everything here was in different shades of black and grey. It was like they'd flown into an old black & white film and any chance of a surprise attack on Jonas was ruined as the bright colours of Iksar, the dragons and the hippogryphs were like neon lights announcing their arrival. They had to get to ground quickly.
"There!" Caleb pointed to a clearing beside a small woodland area that led into open fields on either side with a small grey river running either side of it. Iskar landed first, pulling his wings against his body as Fafnir and Peluda settled next to them, Kubera and the other hippogryph landing gently behind them.
"Where is he, Caleb?" asked Dean quietly.
Caleb cocked his head "We go this way" he pointed and Dean slid from Iksar, Caleb jumping down after him. "They stay here…just you and me go, Daddy"
"You sure?" and Caleb nodded "Okay, Fafnir, I'll be in contact, if I need…"
We will be there, Slayer. Beware your surroundings, things are never quite what they seem in this part of the realm. Trust your instincts, you will need them.
Dean nodded "We'll be back as soon as we can"
We will wait.
Dean took Caleb's hand and the two walked down a small embankment, crossing the river and heading into a small field and towards a large forest that seemed to run the length of the Bad Lands. Dean felt the apprehension settle in the pit of his stomach as he headed towards the forest; but nothing was going to stop him from killing Jonas. He would have his revenge; he would show Jonas that no one messed with his family and got away with it.
They'd been walking quietly for about ten minutes when Caleb turned to his father "I don't like that place" he pointed to the forest.
"Yeah, I hear ya, Caleb. It's not like Loch Forest is it?" the colour, or lack thereof, was the same as Loch Forest but it seemed to lack the vibrancy of the place. This forest was...wrong.
Caleb shook his head "We have to be very careful. Jonas in there…but he…he gone crazy now…more crazy. The trees like that"
Dean reached into his boot and took out his dagger, passing it to Caleb "Do you know how to use this?"
Caleb nodded "Mamma teach me" he brushed at his tears "I be brave, Daddy. Don't worry" he took the dagger; the blade was huge in his tiny hand but he held it firmly and correctly.
"I'm not worried, Caleb, You're the bravest kid I know" he ruffled the boys hair and smiled "But you're a Winchester, it's in your blood"
Caleb nodded "I a Winchester" he looked at Dean "We kick ass"
"That's right. Now lets go do just that" he took his son's hand and they walked towards the forest, their steps purposeful as their boots crunched on the grey grass at the feet; determination etched on their faces as they strode towards the dark forest.
As they reached the edge of the trees, Dean crouched in front of his son "You do exactly as I say, Caleb. Don't argue with me. If I tell you to run, you run and call for Iksar and Fafnir" Caleb nodded "If we're attacked you stay at my back until I tell you to run" Caleb nodded again "We work together and we'll get through this, okay?"
"Okay. But you listen to me too, Daddy. I know stuff" said Caleb seriously.
Dean smiled "Deal" and he put his hand out.
Caleb shook it "Deal"
"Alright, lets go kick Jonas' ass"
He took Caleb's hand and they stepped through the tree-line; Dean stopped and waited for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. Little light filtered through the black leaves of the forest and everywhere he looked were shadows; places where anything and everything could be hiding. The one thing in their favour was that the place was quiet. Any sound, any movement would be like a gunshot in the stillness. Caleb pulled on his hand and pointed to a trail off to their right, Dean nodded and moved quietly through the trees, his eyes moving constantly, his mind alert, his hearing in overdrive as he moved forward.
He stopped and pulled Caleb into a crouch when he heard a movement off to his left; pulling the boy between his legs as he scanned the area; his grip on his sword tightening as he head a muffled whisper. Dean reached into his boot and took out his other dagger, readying it for a throw and as the bush broke apart with a roar, he threw; his dagger taking the large beast in the throat, dropping it "Stay at my back" he said to Caleb as he ran over, driving his sword through the animals heart. He removed the sword and put the dagger back in his boot as he looked at the animal, it was …
"He used be man…but this place get to him" whispered Caleb.
"But…the …fur?" said Dean quietly.
"He change" said Caleb "We go now"
Dean nodded and took Caleb's hand again. They moved deeper into the forest and the temperature started to drop as did the light. Caleb directed them down different trails, then stopped and put a hand to a large, gnarled tree. He nodded and turned to Dean "We go that way, the tree say not far now"
"Caleb, you said you didn't like this place…how can you …"
"I don't like this place but not all the trees are wrong. I know which ones okay. This one okay. He old, I trust him. You trust him too"
Dean smiled "Okay. Come on then" he took the boys hand and they moved cautiously forward. The trees started to thin out and Dean kept Caleb at his back as he moved around trees and large groupings of bushes and towards what looked like a small clearing. He hunkered down behind a tree and chanced a quick look around it and into the clearing. He could see Jonas pacing the around a small fire in the middle of the clearing, muttering to himself as a Rukh shuffled nervously from foot to foot. He watched as one of the oldest men Dean had ever seen came out of a cave entrance just off the clearing and sat on a large rock.
"Jonas, settle yourself son"
"They're still alive, Father! All of them! "I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE RULER OF THE REALM!" yelled Jonas.
"Do NOT raise your voice to me!" said the man.
"You promised me, Father. You said you would help me bring them to their knees! That they would pay for killing Silas! You remember him don't you Dad! Your eldest son! My brother!"
The man rose quickly, the sound of the slap echoing through the forest "I remember my son. He was the one that was supposed to rule the realm! Why do you think I had him go with Elijah Griffiths? To make sure that half-breed was killed! Elijah had no right marrying into the royal family! Silas was destined for that!"
"And that bitch killed him! How could you have…" he was stopped by another slap.
"All is not lost, boy. I have …" he stopped and turned towards where Dean and Caleb were crouched and his eyes bore into the forest "Someone is here"
Dean gave Caleb a wait gesture and stood, stepping into the clearing, his sword drawn "Surprise" he said with a grin.
"Slayer…" sneered Jonas as the Rukh raised it's head and shrieked. Dean moved quickly, throwing the dagger with pinpoint accuracy, the blade going through the birds neck. It tried to shriek again, but the blood poured out of its throat and it fell heavily to the ground; jerking spasmodically as it died.
"Looks like you lost your ride, Jonas" said Dean "Doesn't matter though; dead men don't ride"
Jonas roared and drew his sword "You think you can kill me, Slayer?"
"I don't think it. I know it" said Dean evenly "And when I'm finished with you, I'm gonna take out your Dad too" he turned his eyes to the old man "You set up Eli? You'll get yours too, asshole"
The old man laughed "You have no idea who I am, do you?"
"Don't give a fuck. You all die the same" he raised his sword and looked at Jonas "Come on, pussy"
The man sneered at Dean "My name is Abiel Kilpatrick. I am…"
"Like I said, don't give a fuck. Now move your Ancient ass out of the way while I kill your son" he grinned "Please"
Jonas yelled, pushing his father out of the way as he launched himself at Dean, bringing his sword down with as much strength as he could muster. Dean blocked the strike easily, the sound of the clashing swords screaming through the forest; waking it. Dean pushed Jonas back, ducking another strike as he sliced Jonas' leg, drawing his other swords and hacking into the man's side.
Jonas screamed in pain and rage as his blood started to flow; he hacked at Dean in a fury; but Dean blocked every strike easily. He was as pissed as Jonas was but he channelled his anger; using it to exact perfect strikes against Jonas. He was a picture of studied calm and determination; his feet perfectly placed to ensure each blow was delivered with the utmost power and accuracy. Jonas was being bled; Dean would make him suffer for what he'd done to Finn and it was the thought of her that drove him forward, issuing a low yell as he blocked a strike, rolling and coming up behind Jonas and slicing him from hip to shoulder, bringing the man to his knees. He walked around to face him, the blood pooling around Jonas.
He put one sword to Jonas' throat the other over his heart "You look into my eyes when I kill you, asshole!"
"You might want to rethink that Slayer" said Abiel.
Dean glanced and saw Abiel standing behind Caleb, his fingers splayed over the boys head, Caleb wincing "Let him go" said Dean angrily.
"Let my son, go" said Abiel.
"Kill him, Daddy!" yelled Caleb before crying out as a light seemed to come from Abiel's fingers and go into Caleb's head.
"CALEB!" yelled Dean.
"KILL HIM, DADDY! FOR MAMMA!" yelled Caleb again.
Dean yelled and looked down into the grinning face of Jonas, then looked at the sword that was now piercing his stomach.
"Hurt much?" asked Jonas with a smile.
Dean grinned "Not as much as this" and he drove his swords through Jonas' neck and heart, he lowered his face to Jonas' "For Finn" and he twisted the swords before removing them, pushing Jonas to the ground with his boot. He let out a low grunt as Jonas' sword was ripped from his stomach. He turned to Abiel "You let my son, go and I'll kill you quickly"
Abiel was staring at the body of his son, he slowly raised his eyes to Dean's, the dark brown of them changing to a bright red "You kill my son, I kill yours"
Caleb closed his eyes and yelled as Dean did. He thew his sword at Abiel but the man held up a hand and the sword fell harmlessly to the ground.
"CALEB!" yelled Dean as he stumbled towards his son.
"STAY BACK, DADDY!" Caleb yelled.
Dean watched as the forest seemed to come to life around them, the trees groaning, as they fought free of the earth. Caleb screamed again and Dean moved forward, screaming his son's name ...and as a branch whipped down, smashing into his skull, the last thing he heard was his son screaming for him.
To be concluded…