Chapter Fifteen

The force slamming into his grace was sharp, sudden and more painful than anything he ever had to bear before. It tore him, tossed him out of the physical realm into the endless, shapeless ethereal veil he always crossed when taking flight, but this time everything was in chaos. He couldn't detect where he was, how long he was there and how to move back, his grace felt numb, shaky and almost unresponsive. It took him too long to realize what happened with his thoughts disoriented and unorganized. He was banished.

It should've been impossible for anyone on Earth to know magic like that, even if Lucifer did give away such knowledge to demons how could some earthly deities be in possession of it? They expected him, he was sure of that. Maybe they saw him when he arrived to Earth? Dean knew his name and who he was by looking at him, maybe the gods kept an eye out and knew Gabriel never left the valley. That still didn't explain the sigil.

It was too hard to focus and it took him a lot of concentration to find his way back to the human realm. The second he was out from the ether his wings felt heavy and his vessel crumbled under the weight of them. The air was too hot and there was sand under his hands and knees so he knew that he was far away from where he was banished away. He tried to spread his wings and fly back, but his grace still felt too dumb.

He tried to pinpoint how much time passed on Earth while he was gone, but he couldn't widen his senses to all dimensions, he could only feel what was right around him, he couldn't look further away in space and he couldn't see time. It was disorienting, too narrow, too thin... confining.

Then finally he was able to push himself off the ground and stand on his feet, he started to get back sensation into his vessel and his grace started to respond as it was supposed to. He first became aware of time again. Too much time passed, several hours.

His senses returned one after another and he could see clearly again, he knew he was thousands of miles away from where he was before, he became aware of humans again both close and far away and the traces of supernatural presence and shifts filtered back into his vision again.

He couldn't see Dean, the thought made his grace coil and he forced his wings to move already. For a moment he tensed when he had to step through the immaterial realm again, but this time he didn't get lost and he was out and in the physical world again in a blink of an eye. He landed in the yard of the mountain fort and his eyes widened as the sight.

All doors and walls were covered in symbols.

'No' he breathed. He recognized the wards immediately, but he had to test them out. He walked as close to the door as he could already feel the humming power of the magic guarding the place. He reached a hand out and his grace flared up in pain as he touched the wooden surface the wards lighting up brightly from his closeness. He couldn't even see what was beyond the walls and that made him fear for Dean.

He wanted to let his grace flame up and shatter the walls, break the door to splinters and march in, but Heaven would see that. And the gods were prepared, they would simply banish him again.

For the very first time in his existence Gabriel truly cursed Lucifer's name for handing out their knowledge even if he couldn't believe that his elder brother would give away spells, sigils and wards that could be used against him as well. But he didn't have time to think about Lucifer and his reasons, he had to find a way inside.

x~x~x

Dean woke suddenly and the first thing he noticed was the cold metal biting into his wrists and rough stones digging into his back. The air was cold and humid and he knew it was dark even before opening his eyes, which he did as he pulled at his shackles.

'Ye won't be able to break those, so stop struggling before ye hurt yourself.' Dean's head whipped around so fast that his neck almost hurt from the movement.

'Creide' he called out in relief.

'How on Earth did ye get here?' she asked from the other side of the room – the dungeon of the fort he never wanted to end up in – it was so dark he could only see her vaguely.

'Well, it might not look like it right now, but I came to save you' Dean offered and he pulled at his chains again, but they wouldn't budge.

'Stupid trickster' Creide mumbled. 'Stop doing that, the chains have a spell engraved in them, ye won't break it.'

Dean huffed in frustration, but it explained why he couldn't just snap the metal right away.

'Can't you undo that spell?' he asked. 'I could get us both out then.'

'Not likely' Creide answered.

'What? It's one chain, what do you mean not likely?' Dean asked her right away. This should not have been a problem for Creide. He saw as she moved and slowly got to her feet and frowned, but didn't understand until she walked closer.

Her raven black hair had white and gray mops in it and she looked older than ever, there were deep crow's feet around her eyes and all her light wrinkles deepened as well. She was just as pale and skinny as ever, but she looked worn and tired.

'What did they do to you?' Dean asked in something close to horror, Creide shook her head.

'Not important, listen to me' she walked closer until she could lean to the wall Dean was chained to. 'My Gwydion... they're behind that.'

Dean knew that Creide learnt something new about her late husband's death from Puck, but didn't know how that connected with the gods.

'Weren't you attacked by demons?' he asked because even if Creide didn't stay behind fighting side by side Gwydion she always told him that demons came for them.

'Yes, but they weren't driven by revenge. Even ye should know demons are not famous of camaraderie... they were sent to kill my Gwydion...'

'But-'

'Leomas has demons serving him' the witch interrupted and Dean knew his eyes widened a little.

'How is that possible?' he asked. Even the darkest gods thought they were too superior to meddle with demons and the demons didn't serve gods. If someone was strong enough it was possible to force one or two into obedience, but demons didn't bow willingly.

'Let me finish' Creide interrupted. 'The demons didn't kill him to punish him... the last demon Gwydion captured... was one of Leomas'... he found out something from it, something that was great enough to get him killed.'

'What?'

'I don't know... a secret, a weakness... I never understood Gwydion's behavior a few days before the demons came, but now I do... he knew what he found out was dangerous... probably while he never told me and he didn't write it down in his book in detail either.'

Dean let the words sink in and he stayed silent for a while considering them.

'And where are the other gods?' he asked. Because the unnatural stillness of the castle was still bothering him.

'Dead... mostly' Creide answered. 'Maybe some of them got away... Pillan might not be that far, but I saw the head of Kovas pierced on lance.'

'And... Morrígan?' he asked then.

'That I don't know... it's either her serving Leomas, or Leomas is under her command... maybe they're equal, maybe it doesn't matter... whatever is happening they are both moving it along.'

'But you don't know what that is' Dean said.

'I didn't came here to fight for justice, but for revenge... I didn't need to know their plans' Creide answered. 'Quiet now... she's coming' the witch said suddenly, a few moments later the heavy door was pulled open and first a tall man walked in then Morrígan stepped inside as well. Creide pushed herself away from the wall and started walking back to the other side where she was before, her black eyes locked on the goddess the entire time.

Dean eyed the man and it took him only but a moment to see the darkness coiling under his skin, he only saw a demon once in his life but that was enough to recognize what was standing in front of them, he was sure that he would be able to smell his demonic stench too if he focused. His stare was cold, but it was glinting with cheerful violence as he looked Dean over.

Morrígan barely glanced at him, her bronze eyes followed the witch crossing the room.

'Creide' she spoke, her voice soft and kind. 'Now that we both had time to calm down and rethink our actions and... harsh words, I think it's time for us to try and talk again.'

'Well I think it's time for ye to get fucked by a horde of trolls' Creide spat, Morrígan's eyes narrowed, but the demon chuckled quietly behind her.

'Don't test me' she said warningly. 'I will get what I want to know one way or another.'

'Ye don't scare me' Creide answered wile raising her chin. 'Ye can puff all ye want you still won't be anything but a power-hungry whore.'

Morrígan's face darkened in a blink and she reached out with her hand, her fingers curling into a fist and Creide screamed. She fell to her knees as faint light glowed under her skin, her blood-vessels were radiating orange-golden light, visible even through skin and her hair turned even whiter in some places.

Dean didn't know when he started to scream at the goddess to stop, but he knew he was shouting as Creide's nails dug into the dirty stone under her, her whole body tensed in pain and her screams never stopped for a second. Morrígan dropped her hand a few moments later then and Creide fell to the floor. She was panting vehemently, but every breath was ragged and shallow. Even from the distance Dean could see how her entire body was shaking, her nails were bloody where she clawed at the floor and she was also bleeding from her nose, eyes and ears. Dean felt that his wrists were sore and he started to feel the pain where he tugged too hard on his shackles and the metal bit into his skin deeply, clawing up his his wrist, but he didn't care about that.

'You know what the fascinating thing about witches is, Deandalon?' Morrígan asked, her tone soft again. Dean let his eyes trail away from Creide to look up at her, anger tensed his body, his markings were spreading and darkening. His muscles were all tight and his body was practically shaking with fury as he looked up at the calm and conversational face of the goddess. Morrígan walked closer to where Creide was still panting on the floor.

'They are the only humans who are truly capable to use the power they were born with' she said. 'Most of the mortals live through their lives not even thinking about what they carry around, but not witches. No, they learn how to reach deep inside their very being and use all that power they have in their souls' she descended down next to Creide. 'It makes them very dangerous, even if I doubt any of them knows how to use their soul to full capacity, but then again the stronger a witch is the more vulnerable that shiny little soul is' she smiled and reached out to put her hand on Creide's head. 'Especially if someone knows how to tear at it when it's so close to the surface.' She grabbed a handful from the witch's black and grey hair. 'And no one knows witches better than I' she added while pulling up Creide's head a little. 'So you will tell me what I want to know eventually you insignificant little bitch!' she let her hair go and stood back up.

Creide moved to look up at her and was probably ready to insult her again the way a small smile appeared on her pained face.

'Think before you speak Creide' Morrígan warned before the witch could get a word out. 'Do not make me get your son.'

Creide stayed silent, Dean kept his eyes on her. He wanted to get close and help her up, but his chains still held him in place and pulling at them only caused his wrists to bleed more.

'This one's all spirited' the demon chuckled and Dean turned and saw how his eyes were still locked on him. 'Looks so... breakable' he smiled. 'I do know how I could spend some time looking at such stormy eyes.' Dean kept his eyes on the demon, not shifting his gaze away, but staring openly, not backing off from a threat, he saw nothing but cruel amusement on the demon's face and his eyes promised only pain.

'I need him alive' Morrígan told him.

'Oh I could make sure he stays that way, I can be really careful' the demon smiled again, this time widely enough that his teeth showed.

'No' the goddess told him sternly.

'I don't serve you' the demon remarked and he took a step towards Dean.

'Alastair!' she thundered, it was the first time she raised her voice and Dean could feel her presence filling up the space around them, how power was radiating from her delicate frame. 'You may not serve me, but you will do as Leomas ordered!' the demon stopped and glanced back at the goddess, his smile only widening.

'Oh, but of course' he said, but his tone sounded playful and dangerous. Morrígan turned and left without another word. Alastair turned back to look at Dean one more time. 'See you later boy' he grinned and he too stepped out of the cell shutting and lucking up the heavy door.

TBC