Chapter 6

When Angels Lose Their Wings

"Welcome to the Ten 'o' clock news. We are updating hourly to keep the public informed of the massive string of unfortunate events that has taken the world by storm. In major countries, similar to the United States, the number of murders has risen to numbers never-before recorded anywhere in the world, in such a short time. Taking the values of Australia, the entire European Union, China, South Africa, the United States and Canada, the number of deaths are reaching those of the Holocaust; an event that took place over several years. With the current death rate, the statistics predict that over twelve million will have been murdered by the end of the month, if the group responsible is not found."

The news was a constant companion of the night to the inhabitants of Gibraltar, the signs of the apocalypse breaking all previous world records. "This 'group' isn't human, is it Sam." Carlisle asked, dreading the obvious answer that he would receive. "No. Slashed throats are typical demonic style. Every death so far has been due to a cut throat, whether it was an isolated incident, or one of the Priest possessions." Those were the worst of the lot; priests all over the world were claiming to have been visited by God, who was telling them to kill the children that attended.

"In other world-related news, Russia has overtaken all of Northern Asia, leaving countries and provinces south of China and the Middle East the only remaining parts under non-Russian influence. Even European Russia has been claimed, moving into the other continent. Alaska has denied all access from any Asian countries bombing or sinking them with no questions, as Russia has also attempted to move into the American State.

"The European Union and China are at odds; imports and exports have been halted between the two countries, and tensions are running high. The EU has even gone so far as to threaten the Asian country with nuclear force."

Esme walked in with several large platters of food balanced on her hands, handing them out to the silent Quileutes. She returned a few moments later with Dean and Sam's food, a much smaller portion. Sam moaned suddenly, falling forward to bury his face in his knees. "Sammy? What's up?" Dean asked, putting the food aside as all attention was turned to the younger Winchester. Sam slowly raised his head towards his brother, a lost and pained look on his face.

"Dean…Don't you see? Russia taking control of Asia; last week, the US moved in on Canada and Mexico, effectively wiping them off the map to become part of this country. That is Conquest. The EU and China aiming weapons at each other; we're aiming at the Middle East, have been for the last several years. That is War. When Europe fires the first missile, the US will start attacking Iraq, if they haven't already. Africa and Australia will involve themselves to attempt to stop the war, but then being human, they'll become hostile as well. Russia will want some of the action just for the power; we'll be looking at World War Three within a few months!"

"Sam…I'm not seeing a pattern here. Yeah, all that crap will probably happen, but there's nothing demonic about war." He replied, his eyebrows scrunching together in confusion.

"Actually, Dean," Carlisle broke in, "I have studied several different versions of the Bible, and what your brother is saying is actually very religious. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse; Conquest, War, Famine, and Death."

"Dean, remember when Alistair said that he had a friend, but he didn't ride a pale horse?" Sam asked, helping clarify things for his brother. "He said that he has three friends; Alistair was talking about the Horsemen. They're real demons, Dean, just like the Seven Deadly Sins." Dean groaned at that, recognizing that his brother was right. The TV called their attention back when a message from the President came through.

"People of the United States, we are now a perfectly united nation. Alaska is no longer a branch off of Canada, but an actual physical part of the United States."

Obama was staring directly into the camera from his position on the podium. Dean would have missed it, but the live-showing was recording. "Stop! Carlisle, rewind that scene; three seconds back." Carlisle did as Sam said, pausing and rewinding the recording. "Now, play it forward at one-eighth of normal speed." As the address played agonizingly slowly, a faint shape appeared around the President. Obama's eyes became white in the dramatically reduced speed, and billowing robes appeared around his body; a crown adorned his head, completing the royal image. Carlisle froze the picture, holding the visage of a king on the screen. "That, Dean, is Conquest. He is the first of the Horsemen, and has undoubtedly been jumping between the world leaders to influence them." Carlisle was about to resume the normal playing of the news, when a loud crack of thunder shook the house.

"What was in devil's name was that?" Bobby shouted, casting his eyes all around the living room. "That was no thunder clap; normal thunder, no matter how strong, would just be a small growl from all the way in here." A heavy pounding on the front door drew everyone's attention away from the angry hunter. Carlisle flipped the channel to the camera-view of the door, and Dean saw none other than Castiel smashing his fist against the door. "Cas!" he cried, sprinting to the door. Sam was close behind him, and began unbolting the entrance before Dean had even reached it.

As Dean flung the door open, he took in the angel's appearance, rushing to catch him as he collapsed into the hallway. Castiel had deep gashes torn all over his body, bleeding heavily all over the floor. His eyes were hollow, and burns marked his face and hands, singed through spots on his clothing. The most alarming thing, however, were two long, bloody slashes ripped down the back of his coat, drawing deep lines from the top of his shoulder blades to the center of his back; Dean had seen the silhouette of his wings stemming from there.

Edward, get a cot down here. Forget the hospital; he's an angel, so I doubt that anything Carlisle could do would help. Dean shouted his thoughts toward the vampire as he carefully dragged Castiel through the open door. Sam helped carry him as he shut and bolted the front door with his mind. Edward appeared at the bottom of the stairs with a thick cot set up, clean blankets and water resting on top. Dean set his load carefully on the mattress, pulling the bottle of Holy water towards him to help clean some of the wounds.

"Dean…Do not bother. These wounds were caused by an angel; Holy water is worthless." Castiel managed in a voice much stronger than his body seemed capable of. "Cas…what hap-"

"Dean, you need…to listen to me." He reached into a pocket of his coat and withdrew a small silver knife, just longer than the blade of Dean's hand. "Take…Take this knife; it will protect you."

"Can…Can it kill…Angels?" Sam asked, stuttering over the sheer absurdity of the idea; he may have been manipulated by them, but killing them still seemed wrong in some sense to him. "Yes. Dean, you will carry this knife everywhere with you, no exceptions. Sam…Does not need it."

"What? But Sam's thing…it can work on angels?" Dean was appalled by the idea, yet excited in a twisted way. He knew that the angels had detested Sam's powers, and it was finally starting to click, why exactly that was. "Yes, Dean. Sam can affect angels. He can punch them, and it will hurt no less than hitting a normal human. He cannot throw them with his mind, but he will be more than equal in a physical fight."

"Just like a demon." Sam muttered, his voice taking on a sad edge; he did not want to be any more like a demon than he had to be, and it seemed that, even after detoxing from the blood, he was still more demon than human. "Unfortunately, yes. You have the power to perform the spells that Alistair used on us, as well. We know of none that can kill, that demons can use, but you are more than a match for all but the archangels. That is the biggest reason that the Host of Heaven wanted you to cease the use of your powers; they were afraid that you would realize your potential and attempt to rise up. Uriel left you alive for that very reason, hoping that you would." Sam shook his head at the angel's words, despising how screwed up he was; he was so inhuman that he could fight against angels with greater ease than a demon.

Castiel then groaned heavily, pain ricocheting through his body. "My time grows short, I will be leaving you soon."

"What? No, Cas, you can't go! Come into my body; it will help us a lot if we have at least one angel on our side!" Dean offered up himself for Castiel, but the angel merely shook his head.

"I cannot leave this body, Dean. I was deposited in Forks, to die, and I just happened to have landed close enough to sense your presence. They…They took my wings, Dean. The weapons that they used sealed me to this dying body, and they took my wings so that I was incapable of fleeing." Castiel closed his eyes tightly, fighting back waves of pain. Dean growled deep in his chest, cursing the angels with every word he knew. "They're no better than the demons!"

"Well, look at what they're doing, Dean." Sam said sarcastically, breaking out of his slump for the moment. "They're siding with Lucifer to destroy all of humanity. I don't think that they're too worried about being cruel to a traitor to their evil cause." Dean nodded at Sam's words, hoping that Angels didn't go to heaven when they died; that would be a cruel trick for Castiel.

"Castiel…" Sam started to speak, but seemed to change his mind at the last moment.

"Yes, Samuel? What is it?"

"Castiel…What happens…When angels die?" Dean turned to Castiel for his answer, just as curious now that the question was out in the open. "The same thing that happens to every other intelligent being that ever lived. Demons, humans and angels, we all pass on to the same after life; even vampires like the Cullens. They are reverted to their human forms, and join the rest of humanity. Demons are humans that have been sent to Hell for one reason or another, but angels were set apart before the rest of humanity; we've never been human. Angels spend a lot of time around the souls of the departed, especially those that are not part of the main garrison. The world that the Reapers release the souls into, is a replica of this world, except without the downfalls that humanity has caused for themselves. Demons, angels, and humans are equals when they pass on, free to live forever in peace with the rest of the population. There is no strife, no crowding. Everything is in plenty, and no one is in want of anything. It is not boring, like it would seem, because you are free to do anything that you want; including visit the other planets that Zachariah told you of.

"The only bad part of passing beyond the veil, is that you cannot have contact with your living friends or relatives, until they too are dead. It is not an extremely long time, thanks to the transitory nature of humanity, but unless you are willing to make actual friends with the other souls, you will be lonely until they arrive."

Dean and Sam both sat in silence, reveling in the unveiling of life after death. Castiel began to cough hoarsely, blood slipping past his lips. "Dean…Sam…Take care of one another. Dean may have been chosen to stop Lucifer, but he cannot do it without help, Sam. A general needs…a horse to ride into battle…or else he will…be trampled by…the opposition." Castiel sighed heavily after those words, his body falling limp. "Cas? Castiel!" Dean shouted, shaking the angel. The boys were thrown against the wall as light exploded from his eyes and mouth, followed by a shockwave that echoed around the house. Lights throughout the complex shorted out, turning off all electrical appliances as the angel died.

Dean groaned before he got up, using the wall as support. "We'll fix all of the lights. Sam, help Dean back to the couch." Edward's voice sounded close to Dean's left, alerting him to the vampire's presence. Dean felt a force wrap gently around his shoulders, pushing him towards where he thought Castiel had been. He walked forward with the force, but did not bump into the cot where the angel lay. After following the tender pushes of the force, Sam's voice finally sounded from the darkness. "Dean, sit. You're right in front of the couch."

"It's not fair that you can see. Is that one of your Sasquatch powers?" Dean grumbled as he timidly bent his knees, feeling the couch press against his legs. A short chuckle was followed by his brother's reply. "Sort of. I'm using my telekinesis like a bat's radar. I can see general outlines of where everything is." Dean then felt a heavy weight settle next to him, and the familiar body heat of another human; Sam.

"So," Jacob's voice sounded from a ways to Dean's left from the darkness, "You and that…angel. You were buddies?" Dean sighed before replying, feeling a pain that he had never felt for anyone aside from Sam and his father. "Yeah…I guess. He helped me try to get to Sam before Lucifer was freed." Dean struggled through his next words, and felt the comfortable weight of his brother's hand on his shoulder. "He was…probably the best friend I've had, apart from Sam. He was an ass-hole like the rest of 'em…but he was a lot less hole-ish than the other asses." Jake chuckled at Dean's choice of words, glad for the attempt to lighten the atmosphere.

Dean allowed his brother to pull his head onto Sam's shoulder, grateful for the comfort in the darkness. He had never felt this level of remorse for anyone dying, outside of the family. Sure, he felt bad for Sam whenever one of his friends died, and he had felt guilty for selling Anna out, but he had never felt physically bad when anyone other than Sammy or his father had died. Dean allowed a single tear to fall for his friend, mourning silently in the death-induced darkness.

So? How did I do? This is the first character death I've ever done, but it won't be the last in this story. Please, let me know if I got it right. If it was sad, then good; that was the point. If it was tear inducing, then awesome; that would mean that I did really well. Probably not that good, but please, let me know!