Dean looked over to Ariel after Zachariah made his exit, trying to absorb what was just placed on him. Her face was going pale as she collapsed to the ground. "Ariel?" Dean came to her side but she rolled away from him and gingerly got up again, placing a hand against the wall to help haul her up. Without any words, Dean hooked his arm under her shoulder joints and got her to lay down on the reclining couch underneath the portrait of Lucifer. She tried to wave away his hands as he began to touch her torso, but she grew silent when they both saw the blood on his hands.
"What the-" Dean took out his knife and lifted her shirt up. Amidst her panting, there were sigils all over her torso and shoulders. In horror, Dean removed her jacket and saw more on her arms. He saw signs that her fingers were broken and reset, and recently. Worse of all, he saw a fresh brand of an upright sword emblazoned on her arm. "What the hell happened to you?"
"I was accused of being disobedient, Dean. They gave me... what's that human phrase?... no trial before jury. They just went straight to the punishment." She winced as she pulled the shirt back down. "Don't worry about me, Dean."
He didn't stop worrying about it, but he let it go for now at least. "What were you saying earlier to Zach, Ariel? Are you really the right hand of your brother?" She nodded and took out the sword once more. Dean saw the piece and liked it at once: a dual-edged blade with a sharp taper at the end that allowed for deep penetration, made of silver to boot.
"Yes, Dean. After my punishment, the archangels summoned me before the Council, our ruling body. There are normally five angels that sit upon it: myself, Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Phanuel. But when Gabriel disappeared after the First War, Metatron took his place."
"Wait. Who's Phanuel?" Ariel cocked an eyebrow.
"You just saw him. His other form is Zachariah, self-righteous pompous ass of Heaven." She chuckled slightly. "He's the one running the show now. Anyways, I was pardoned of my disobedience because my act was against Phanuel and not against God. To resolve the issue once and for all, I was made my brother's right hand, another warrior in the fight. I'm no longer a healer, Dean."
"Speaking of, is it real? I'm supposed to defeat Lucifer?" Ariel nodded her head once, her face calm but filled with fury. Dean threw his hands in the air and stomped around the room. "Why the hell didn't you tell me this earlier, Ari?"
"Because I didn't know. I've been on active duty for the last four thousand years, Dean. This last year was the first time that I was home to receive new orders." She shoved her shirt back down all the way and shrugged herself back into the jacket, standing straight as far as she could handle it. "This was just as confusing for me as it is for you, but to me it makes sense now." She turned to a portrait of the Apocalypse, of people dying at the hands of both angels and demons. "Dean, this world is corrupted, big time. The world is ruled by sin, and the people of this world don't care enough to save themselves. By doing this, by allowing the Apocalypse to take place, we correct the balance. And for this, your brother is the key."
She played the charade with skill. Truthfully, she and Afri both hated the thought of the Apocalypse occurring. All that death, all that suffering... it would kill the whole world if Lucifer got free. It would still kill people if Lucifer was stopped. Her brothers and sisters didn't care about the humans. Phanuel/Zachariah had convinced them of their superiority to the mortals. Their goal was simply to save the world before Lucifer destroyed it all.
"She's right, Dean." Castiel appeared out of nowhere, but it was to Ariel that he spoke first. "Ariel, I understand that I am to follow your orders now." He looked at her torso before going into mind-talk. "What did they do to you?"
"Simple, Castiel. What they did to you over a span of six weeks. For you, Kushiel was just getting warmed up." Her face went blank as she tried to stop her feelings for Castiel come to the surface. This wasn't the angel that she loved, not by a long shot.
"I'm sorry." He came over to her and went to heal her wounds before she stopped him. "That was the Council's condition after the fact: that I let these wounds heal on their own."
"Uh, hi? What's going on here? What's the plan, Cas? What're you going to do with Sam?" Dean stood away from them as they looked at him in a united move. Gah, that was creepy.
"Nothing, Dean. Sam's going to do it all to himself." Castiel looked over at him with that blank look that seemed to dominate his emotions for the past few days whenever they saw him.
"What's that mean?" Dean could feel his frustration go wild when Castiel simply looked to the floor. He was on his own for this one, since Ari was occupied for the last while. "Oh, right, right: got to toe the company line. Why are you here, Cas?" His fingers curled into fists for a moment.
He looked up at Dean with that blank look in his eyes. "We have been through much together, you and I. And I just wanted to say, I'm sorry that it had to end this way."
Dean looked like he wanted to sock Castiel good in the jaw. "Sorry? It's the Armageddon, Cas. You gotta do better than 'sorry'."
Castiel tried to reason with Dean; Ariel just stood away and let the two men figure this out on their own. "Try to understand: this is long foretold. This is your-"
"Destiny? Don't give me that holy crap, Castiel! Destiny, God's plan... It's all a bunch of lies, you poor, stupid son of a bitch! It's just a way for your bosses to keep me and keep you in line! You know what's real? People, families - that's real. And you're gonna watch them all burn?" Dean was becoming angrier by the second, and then finally Castiel reacted.
"What is so worth saving? I see nothing but pain here. I see inside you. I see your guilt, your anger, confusion. You're angry at me, at Ariel, at the world, and at yourself for things out of your control." Castiel's face was angry for a moment before smoothing back out again. Ariel smiled to herself: maybe her Castiel wasn't as lost as she thought he was. "In paradise, all is forgiven. You'll be at peace. Even with Sam."
Dean bit his tongue to keep the furious diatribe from coming out right away and carving Cas a new one. When he was slightly calmed down, he spoke. "You can take your peace and shove it up your lily-white ass. Cause I'll take the pain and the guilt. I'll even take Sam as is. It's a lot better than being some Stepford bitch in paradise." His anger let loose. "This is simple, Cas! No more crap about being a good soldier. There is a right and there is a wrong here, and you know it." Castiel turned away from his for a moment, but Dean grabbed his arm and made the angel look him in the eye. "Look at me! You know it! You were gonna help me once, weren't you? You were gonna warn me about all this, before they dragged you back to bible camp." Dean's bravado was long gone by now, and he was grasping at all straws. "Help me - now. Please."
The conversation continued, but Ariel received a message from her brother, the brands on her arms burning with the instant message. "Ariel. Get Dean and Castiel and get them out of there. I don't want the Apocalypse to happen as much as you do. Tell Castiel to get the knife that the demon spawn Ruby was using. Get Dean to St. Mary's Convent in Illchester. That's where the final seal is. Lilith is going to die, and Sam Winchester's going to do it. She's the final seal."
She returned to the conversation only to see Dean dismiss Castiel. Now was the time. She shot a message to Cas. "Castiel. Don't react to this, just listen. I need you to get Ruby's knife for me. Bring it back to this room. We're going to stop the Apocalypse."
"On whose orders?" Castiel looked confused, but Dean wasn't paying attention to him.
"Mine and Michael's. Now go!" With that, Castiel transported out of there. Now all they had to do was wait.
It was a matter of minutes before Ariel sensed Castiel's return. Dean was about ready to eat from the food that was laid out for him when Cas reappeared and shoved Dean against the wall, covering his mouth with his hand. Ariel got up from the wall and watched as Cas returned to his old self. Dean nodded once he understood that Cas needed him to be quiet. Looking at Ariel, he brought out the knife and cut his palm. Taking the Sword of Lucifer from her back, Ariel cut herself as well. Working as one, they formed the blood sigil on the wall that would banish angels as he was drawing closer.
Like clockwork, Phanuel came into the room, livid and red in the face. "Castiel, would you mind explaining what the hell you're doing?" Ariel took the Sword still in her hand and slashed it across his torso, making him stumble back. Ariel smiled. "He's doing God's work. And so am I." With that, she let the angel fall to the floor as they slapped the sigil as one. Castiel raised an eyebrow as she spat on the place where his body was once before turning around to him and embracing her friend.
"Swounds, Cas!" Silver tears came down her eyes. "Don't ever leave me like that again!" Castiel gathered her in his arms, forgetting the torture done to her body and hugging her tight to him.
"Uh, people, er, angels?" Again, they both looked at Dean with a question in their eyes. "Mind explaining to the human what's going on?"
"Lilith is the final seal, Dean. She dies, it begins. We have to stop Sam." Ariel sheathed the baldric and took his hand, mindless of the blood still dripping down her arm.
"But we don't know where he is." Castiel took her other hand.
"I do." White light surrounded them all as they beamed down to Earth. They were about their Father's business tonight.
Dean and Ariel arrived at St. Mary's Convent just as the doors shut in their face; she had sent Castiel to protect the prophet in case the seraphim Chamuel thought he was in danger. She could hear Sam and Ruby taunting Lilith as Sam began the final seal. The angel and the Winchester broke down the door just as Lilith was killed. All three of them stood in horror as Lilith's blood began to spiral on the ground. Sam and Ruby never noticed them, so enthralled were they by the sight before them.
"You did it, Sam. I mean, I never doubted you for a minute, but you did it." Ruby walked around and stared at the floor with worship written all over her face. "You opened the door. And now he's free at last. He's free at last!" Joy was written on her face.
"No, Ruby, I stopped it!" Sam looked terrified. Ariel could feel that the demon blood inside of him was all gone, but the deed was done. They were too late.
"Sam: and it is written that the first demon shall be the last seal. And you bust her open. And now guess who's coming for dinner..."
Sam found himself on the floor, trying to comprehend what it was that he had truly done. "Oh my god."
Ruby just laughed. "Guess again." Seeing Sam on the floor, Ruby sighed and knelt beside him. "You don't even know how hard this was! All the demons out for my head. No one knew. I was the best of those sons of bitches! The most loyal! Not even Alastair knew! Only Lilith! Yeah, I'm sure you're a little angry right now, But, I mean, come on, Sam! Even you have to admit - I'm - I'm awesome!"
Sam tried to kill her with his powers, but she just waved away his efforts. "Sorry, Sam. Demon, remember? Should have listened to Dean, after all. And he's going to be so proud of you for releasing him; why do you think Azazel made you in the first place." The demon cocked her head back and laughed, and then gasped as the Sword of Lucifer rang through the air and cut her in half.
"Sam!" Dean ran to his brother, fallen on the floor in a crumpled heap as he tried to comprehend what he had done. Ariel cleaned the sword and replaced it in its sheath before staring over at the Winchesters. Falling to her knees, she took Sam in her arms and rocked him as he began to weep. It was not the first time that she had comforted a hurt brother, but now she knew that it was the last.
"Samuel, it's okay. It's all right. We will win this." She looked over at the spiral of blood as it stopped moving. A column of bright light overtook them all and an evil chuckle filled the air...