Angels in hell

Chapter VI

As soon as Missouri was able to see anything aside from the fire raging, she saw the broken body of a man in front of her. His clothes were torn from various hits on his back, while he still tried to stand strong, without showing any weakness. His eyes were fearless; showing his determination, while in front of him a stranger was standing, looking down at his prey, a belt in his hand. She could smell the evil that he radiated, but she couldn't move from where she was. This situation was only a memory; something that occurred but couldn't be changed even if she wanted to.

The man holding the belt was tall. Taller then Sam would ever be. His skin was burned and red from the fire and an unnatural smirk that gave away his hostility, his pleasure of pain and anger was marking his features. Dark wings burned by fire were folded in his back.

"The mighty Dean Winchester. You aren't so powerful now, aren't you? Not even able to stand straight… what a shame."

Dean raised himself to his knees, before the belt came crashing on his back again. The eldest son of John Winchester cried out in pure agony, closing his eyes against the burning feeling spreading in his back. When the pain reduced to a dull throb, Dean raised his eyes, determination marking his features.

"Sonofabitch!" he cursed "I swear I'm gonna kill you Satan!"

The man shook his head, his smile even wider.

"Satan? Concerning my place in hierarchy, you are right, I'm a fallen angel, but my name has never been the one of the leader of our domain. I'm Azarel"

Missouri watched as the belt came crashing down on his back once more, she watched as another demon told Azarel to release him, only for Dean to be tortured by the yellow-eyed demon and she finally watched his escape, escorted by a lone angel. The words that marked her most were the one the angel pronounced before his departure: "The call of our people will come to you soon."

She now understood that he was above an average human, but the reason why she wasn't able to sense his true identity was beyond her.

Then, the memory of Dean's time in hell faded to let another memory appear; a memory where all hopes for normalcy were extinguished.

"Mary! No!"

She heard John's screaming, before she even heard the little boy running up toward the cry of his father. She immediately noticed an amulet, no different then the one he had been wearing today, in his hand. A frown marked her face. Did someone knew of the boy's special identity and tried to save him by the protection of a lone amulet?

She followed him until he met his father near his brother's bedroom. As John gave the toddler a responsibility that few adults would be able to keep, she watched the amulet falling on the ground, only to be replaced by a bundle of blankets which were keeping his little brother save.

"What the…"

A few minutes later, burning flames melted the amulet, destroying, at the same time, the protection that had been laid upon the little boy.

The memory faded once more to let another appear and then, she understood.

A circle had been drawn upon the floor of the nursery, in which a little boy laid on his back, his face red from crying.

"Shhhhh… Daddy's gonna come home soon."

A woman crouched down in front of the crying baby, long blond hair falling behind her back while she was dressed in a white gown. Long and delicates fingers traced a symbol of blood on the baby's head, before she chanted a ritual in Latin. When she finished the chanting, she took an amulet, putting it in the same liquid she had traced the symbol with.

"As long as you keep this on you, you'll be protected. Angels will watch over you thru the night while no demons will know of what you truly are."

She took the baby up in arms, before taking him back into his crib. Putting the amulet under the bed, she made sure it was secured and out of reach before standing up, kissing the little boy's forehead.

"Good night Dean."

She smiled once more, before taking away evidences of the ritual.

Then, the memory faded to a time where she was still a child. She instantly saw him, standing tall among other angels, silver wings folded in his back and his usual smirk marking his features. A few angelic women were looking at him lovingly, trying to get his attention. Dean smiled at them before going to a tall blond woman.

"It is time, isn't it?" he asked, taking her hand and leading her away.

The woman smiled sadly, her white wings spreading in her back.

"Don't you worry, my son, you'll join me soon enough."

Dean frowned.

"But why must we go on Earth?"

The woman sighed, looking away toward the sun.

"It is a long tale. I don't have much time to tell you." She turned toward him, letting Missouri finally see her features.

"Mary?" she whispered, taken aback.

Mary smiled, letting a hand caress gently his son's face.

"There is a prophecy about future events. A son born of an angel and brother of someone who seek redemption will be able to save this person from the darkness. In the future, a war will be declared between our kind and demons. You, my child, is going to help this person. You'll lead him into the light; into our kind."

Dean frowned.

"But how am I supposed to do that? When will I know when the time is right?"

Mary stepped back, letting her hand fall.

"You'll learn it all eventually. Don't you worry… Everything is going to be alright in the end and just remember one thing during my time on Earth: woman aren't only there to get sexual intercourse with." She said, smiling.

Dean smirked, but his eyes still showed the sadness he felt at her departure. A white light engulfed her figure, before she disappeared.

Missouri closed her eyes, knowing she had seen enough before she let herself fall back in her body.

Now, she had to tell Sam the truth; about how destiny had placed a brother against the other; about how they were both supposed to be fighting in this Great War, but not in the same troop.