Successors of the Ancients

Summary:

My name is Alexandria Caitlin Winslow. I am twenty-seven years old. I own an underground bar in Seattle, Washington. I've been told I'm stubborn, sarcastic and that I have a habit of pissing people off.

Of course, I'm not exactly normal. See, if I was normal, there wouldn't be a story to tell. If I was normal, I would never have become involved with the Winchester brothers. I wouldn't have thrown myself into Purgatory, of all places, to save a previously mis-guided angel. I wouldn't be a target, made out by some wack-job with a power trip. So, before reading, here are some key factors.

1.) I hate witches. Absolutely loathe them.

2.) I can grant intended people a second chance at life.

3.) I died when I was eighteen years old.

4.) I am the Successor to the power of a Pagan Goddess.

Did I mention I hate witches?

Author's Note:

Since at the start of this story, there isn't really much information on what is happening to Cas in Purgatory, so I am using creative licencing to come up with my own plot and run with it. The beginning of this story shines a rather bad look on Wiccan beliefs, but that is not really my own opinion, as I believe everyone has their own right to believe in whatever the hell they wish. So, if any Wiccan believers become offended by my insults toward the 'Mother Goddess' please bear in mind that this is a fictional story and as such my original, fictional character kind of has a blunt, straight-forward take-no-nonsence attitude and has a mind of her own. If you are offended by this, I suggest you take whatever flaming response you are going to fling at me and shove it up your ass. You've had a fair warning. Hell, my original character insults every religion. So, no offense to any believers. Don't like, don't read. Flames will receive a big 'Up Your's' and be ignored.

On another note, all of my information is based off of Roman and Greek Mythology, facts taken from Wiki (and my three years of studying Latin as a second language). So bear in mind, my facts are checked out and I've taken some...liberties of changing some things.

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural. All of the chapter titles are also Song Titles or Lyrics, which disclaimers will be used at the end of each chapter.

Chapter Two
Backfire
'Throw my heart in the well of wishing,
Pay my toll just to move on,
Ask myself to please forgive me,
All my innocence is gone'

"What do you mean she was pissed?" Dean demands, looking as confused as I felt back then.

I glance at the ceiling, "When I died, I found myself standing at the center of the Crossroads in the afterlife..."

Opening my eyes, I groan at the surrounding fog of grey. Looking down at my blood-stained and torn clothes, my scarred hands move along my body, inspecting for the injuries that had just been there. Feeling no cuts, no open wounds, a strange sense of confusion fills me as I look up. To my right, to my left and straight ahead, singular roads lay at my feet, their destinations unseen through the veil of grey.

"Where the bloody hell am I?" I murmur, hating the utter confusion whirling my senses.

"You stand before the Afterlife Crossroads," a raspy, melodic voice states behind me softly.

Turning on point, I stumble back a few paces at the sight of the three women standing before me. As one stares at me with a calm, serene look, the two others gaze in opposing directions. They were beautiful, their visage symmetrical in every fashion. The one before me takes a step forward, the others following in suit in their opposing directions.

"I'm dead," I state pointedly, accepting the thought rather easily.

The woman before me smiles at my words, "Yes, and at the same time, no."

"Who are you?" I ask, tilting my head slightly.

"I am the one, to which you were sacrificed to."

My calm features shudders at the disturbing idea, "You are their so-called 'Mother Goddess'?"

Her soft, gleaming eyes flash dangerously, the unbridled fury swirling around her very person, "I have never accepted human sacrifices. My name is Hecate. I came to be during the age of the Greek civilization. I am the Matron of Magic, and the Goddess of the Dark Moon. I act as a guide for lost souls, show them their path along the Crossroads. The idea that humans are twisting and distorting the very magic I blessed man-kind with is disturbing and is insulting to my very being."

I bow my head respectfully toward the ancient Goddess, "Humans do tend to twist ideals to fit their own benefits."

The woman's anger fades and a soft laughter pierces the thickened air, "You are quite an odd human. The humans that refer to me as the 'Mother Goddess' often try to gain my favor and bring a lost one back from the dead."

"Is that even possible?" I question, my mind flicking to a zombie apocalypse.

"For me? Of course. I have granted some humans a second chance at life, when they have proved themselves worthy of such," the Goddess, Hecate, says warmly. "You, you are a special human."

"I've been called many things, but special isn't one of them," I retort, earning another giggle, "Is my 'special-ness' the reason you are speaking to me?"

The powerful being before me nods curtly, "The blood that runs through your veins, the blood of your ancestors, has been blessed since the day you were born. You, Alexandria Caitlin Winslow, are the Successor to my power."

Shock runs through my mind, my eyes widening in response, "Me? I'm nothing special."

"You are. Every first born daughter throughout your maternal ancestors, have carried the trait to become my Successor. You will have access to all of my knowledge and my abilities. You will carry the magic I granted humans and be able to use them in the manner that they were meant to be used. You will have the ability to grant those worthy a second chance at life. You can help people, more than any other," Hecate states matter-of-factually.

I blink, shocked in every manner, "Say I agree to accept such power. How will I know if someone is worthy of a second chance?"

"That is for you to decide. It has been far too long since I have walked among the humans. Ideals of what makes a person worthy have changed throughout the ages," Hecate replies, motioning toward the three roads, "Of course, with every power, there is a payment that must be made. Every power granted to the Successors has its downsides."

"How so?"

"In order to bring a human soul back to the Mortal Realm and bind it to the human's body, a year off of your total life-span must be given in exchange. I suggest you use it only when you believe it to be a right decision," Hecate explains, her softened gaze growing stern, "Though, there is one rule that cannot be broken. There is a time limit. A single day, between the moment the human body dies and the soul turns to its rest. Once the soul passes through one of the three gates, the human soul cannot be returned. To do so, would be breaking the founding laws of life and death itself. Binding a soul back to its human body may only occur once, for anymore bindings would shatter the soul."

I swallow, looking down at my feet, "Why me? Why now?"

Hecate smiles warmly, "You, Alexandria, are chosen because it is meant to be this way. In the upcoming years, more Successors will awaken with their powers. Some will seek to do good for humanity, while others will find the power to be too much and become hungry for more. Every Successor is still human after their powers awaken, but even humans can be tempted by it."

"Some will see themselves as Gods, when really they are just a little more than human," I summarize.

Hecate giggles gently, a hand resting on my shoulder, "And you must wonder why I chose you? You are unlike any of the others. I am not well-known by your race, your historians have often left me out, and I kept it that way for reasons. I may not be known by many, but I shared in ruling over the Earth, the Sea and the Heavens. Zeus, himself, granted me this gift, as he once stated being able to walk between life and death is a power he respects. I have granted warriors prizes of honor and virtue. I protected Sons, as Artemis protected Daughters. Many will believe my powers are too much, and it is for that very reason I remained hidden behind the visage of the Olympians."

I look down briefly before meeting her gaze, "So...I will be able to help people?" Seeing her nod, "And all that will be needed is a year for each human soul?" Another nod is the response I receive, "Exactly how long is my life-span?"

"That, I cannot say. You are the first to ever receive my power," Hecate reasons.

Musing over the idea for a moment, I give the Goddess a small smile, "I accept. I want nothing more than to make sure no one, no families, suffer the way I have."

Hecate's palm presses against my forehead and my eyes slide shut as a surge of warmth flows through my body and molds within the very core of my being, "I have given you a small gesture of gratitude. You will receive it upon your awakening."

"...When I woke up, the entire coven of witches were dead. Ever since then, I have saved those intended to be saved by destiny, and those I have deemed worthy of a second chance."

The silence that follows is thick and I stretch my arms over my head once more. Sam seems to be rather skeptical, while Dean's face shows a sense of confliction. Standing up from the bed, I groan as I hold my head, the room spinning slightly at the sudden change in elevation.

"So, the witches that attacked your bar? How exactly did you kill them?" Dean asks suddenly.

"I told you. I've received threatening letters for the past year and a half. They were offended by me using the symbol of their 'Mother Goddess'. When the threats grew more volatile, I located their coven home and I chose to sneak in and set up an...insurance policy. I set up wires, of sorts, created out of my own energy and unable to be seen by anyone other than myself," I answer, shaking my head clear of the dizziness.

"You really were going to head there, with or without us," Sam states, causing me to nod in response, "Why did you ask to come with us, if you already had it handled?"

A bemused smile stretches on my lips, "You aren't the first Hunters I've come across. I don't know how many times I've been shot at because of my abilities. I figured, you two were going to catch onto the coven and if you witnessed me using magic to execute them, then I would be on the receiving end of your gun barrel."

The smirk on Dean's lips proves my theory correct, and the shortest of the two men chuckles briefly before becoming serious once more, "So, there are more of you?"

Nodding, I accept the glass of water from Sam, giving him a thankful smile, "Yes. I only know of three that have already awakened. It is only a matter of time before one of them awakens and Hecate's prediction comes true."

"What happened to you after you ganked the witches?" Dean asks, Sam nodding in agreement to his brother's curiosity, "You just started coughing up blood and passed out."

I groan, running a hand over my face, "I receive...visions of the people that are destined to be brought back. Usually, it only happens when I am sleeping, as I use most of my concentration to keep the visions at bay during the time I am awake. After I...ganked the witches, my concentration broke and the vision came forward suddenly."

"How does you having premonitions explain the coughing up blood part?" Sam questions curiously, offering me a seat at the small, round table.

I giggle slightly, sipping the water slowly, before clearing my throat, "They aren't premonitions. The visions show me what is happening to the person at the very moment. The destined ones are so far and few between that I do not receive them often. This particular vision has been plaguing me for a long time now and I am starting to gain physical remnants to his pain."

"You don't know who this guy is?" Sam inquires worriedly.

Shaking my head, I stare at the markings on the back of my hands, "No. The vision is a jumbled mess of incoherent, incomprehensible pictures. I feel as though I am connected to this man on a spiritual level, as I have never had this much difficulty in locating an intended target." I trail off as I come to a realization, "Oh my Goddess. Why didn't I think of it before?"

"Think of what?" the two brothers question in unison.

"The Oracle," I reply, looking up into their blank faces, "One of my fellow awakened can probably help me."

"An oracle? You mean like a psychic?" Dean supplies, trying to piece together my thought pattern.

Shaking my head, I stand up from the chair, "No. Not a psychic. Not just any oracle. I'm talking about the Oracle."

As I move through the motel room, I miss the shared look between the two brothers. Pulling on my duster jacket and winding my scarf around my neck, I pull the hood over my head and fish out my leather gloves. Slipping them on, I sigh the exposed feeling fades as I fall back into my visage of going ignored through the streets and crowds of people.

"If you need a ride, we can take you there," Sam suggests, and I pause at the door, looking back the two.

Dean nods curtly, "If what you say is true, and a Successor is going to get a power trip, we need to know who we can trust when the time comes."

"Alright," I nod in agreement, realizing these Hunters are not like others I have met, "but we need to make a pit stop before we head out."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE GOING TO SEE ORACLE?!"

I wince at the piercing, loud voice, Melody's beautiful brown eyes contorting with her frustration, "He's my only option. This vision needs to stop and he can help me figure out who the intended mark is."

Melody growls as she slams the door behind Sam, shoving her way pass the three of us as she leads us to the living room, "I leave you alone, for four hours, and what happens? You recklessly chase after those witches. You get caught up with a couple of Hunters. Have you forgotten about the last one that managed to clip you. You nearly bled to death on my couch! Now you're telling me you need to go see Oracle?"

"There's nothing wrong with Oracle," I argue, trying to get the frantic red-head to calm down.

"Nothing wrong? Nothing wrong? Did you forget what happened last time?"

I giggle, realizing what she is freaking out about, "Seriously, Mel? So, Oracle is a bit handsy and has a habit of flirting with people. Mel, these visions have to stop. I can't have my concentration halved because I'm trying to hold them back on a daily basis."

Melody lets out a huff of a sigh, "Fine." Dean and Sam sigh in relief, but I know for a fact this is too easy, "I'm going with you."

"We can't have an innocent human caught in the middle of this," Sam argues instantly.

Melody whirls her angry gaze on him, "I don't give a flying fuck what you want! I am not going to let my best friend travel with a couple of Hunters that could potentially leave her for dead on the side of the road. I am not going to let her see Oracle by herself. Either I go with you, or I will follow you every step of the way."

"Are all of you women this stubborn?" Dean questions in annoyance.

The beautiful red-head glares heatedly at him, "If I were you, I'd shut up. Any idea where the Oracle is hiding out at this time?"

"French Quarter last time I heard," I reply.

The two Hunters stare blankly at me before sharing a look, "You mean where's going to New Orleans?"

"Mardi Gras, baby," I tease playfully.

A leering grin stretches across Dean's lips and he throws an arm over my shoulders, "You might be a bit of a freak, but I have a feeling we're going to get along just fine."

I giggle, not at all offended by the label. Within the hour, Melody and I find ourselves in the back seat of the Impala as it speeds past the city limits of Seattle. Hearing a classic rock song playing, I lean over the seats in front of me and turn up the volume.

'If you're havin' trouble with the high school head
He's givin' you the blues
You wanna graduate but not in his bed
Here's what you gotta do
Pick up the phone, I'm always home
Call me any time
Just ring 36 24 36 hey
I lead a life of crime'

Catching Dean's grin in the rear view mirror as I begin harmonizing with the vocals, his own voice matching mine, I can't help but return the smile. Ignoring the irritation building in Sam and Melody, Dean and I seem to be competing with who can get the others to crack first.

I have a feeling this road trip is going to be quite amusing.

Chapter Title: 'Backfire' is by the awesome band Egypt Central. I've loved those guys since their first album came out and I find their music to be seriously inspiring. Lyrics used in the story is 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheep' by AC/DC.

Winterfellsfallenangel: Aww...thanks dearest. I am so glad you are enjoying it, despite it being in First Person. I usually don't write it this way, but it seems to be flowing in that way.

To the followers/favorites of this story (I usually refer to followers as minions, so if you ever see me refer to 'minions' it's you silent readers): Thanks for your support. I hope at some point you take time to leave a review and let me know what you think about the story so far.

On another Note: This chapter hold important information for the next few chapters. Castiel won't be making an appearance until Chapter Four.

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