Wisdom Reigns … Denial Remains

Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with the CW or the producers, cast and crew of Supernatural nor do any monies pass hands. I do however love to play with two certain brothers and return them in relatively good health.

Author's Note 1: Warning! This fic will contain very dark themes and violence, if it offends then don't read. Dean is 27 and Sam is 23 this story is set around season 2 but probably will not follow canon to the letter, so can be classed as AU if you like.

What happens when the brother you can see is not the brother you know?

Chapter 6: And he's buying a stairway to Heaven part 1.

Are those we love even more truthful in our dreams than in our lives?

Then:

'I was bad … didn't listen … tribute had to pay.' Sam tried to get out the words to explain what had happened but they were too jumbled for him to make sense of, he could only hope that Caleb and Dean understood him. 'Had to … fight … fly away … ' Sam stifled a giggle as he shifted one hand to grip Dean's bicep, tightening his fingers to clutch at the muscle, 'gotta fly … no … no hide … find … zoo … cage locked. Crawl … hide … silver ball … follow. Find me … feeding time … tribute … protector … no protect tribute … hide … gotta go save protector.'

'Sammy, come on dude concentrate yer not making much sense.' Dean cupped his hand around Sam's chin and tried to make his brother lift his face up so he could try and see what was going on his with his sibling.

S—D

Bobby lay quietly listening to the others, he had heard Dean tell Sam the story and then when Caleb came in and finished it for him. Aint that sickeningly sweet! Idjits dunno what is waiting for them. The contemptuous thoughts pushed their way through his clouded mind as murderous images of his killing the Tribute's Protector took shape and clarity filled his mind.

Now:

Caleb scrubbed at his stubbled chin and watched Dean fuss over Sam who had finally drifted off into a restless sleep. The piles of notes on the tables and pages stuck around the walls showed the length and breadth of their growing obsessive need to finish this one way or the other. Sipping his cold beer, Caleb picked up the latest print out and stared at the blurred words until they came into focus.

'Okay according to the lore or lores depending on which one you believe, the Tribute is the sacrifice offered to the Gorathic Moth every seven turns of the four seasons … Seven years? Anyway usually a young male and if chosen by the so-called followers will either be a virginal teenager or an unmarried youth of good stead, often a diaconate training to be a priest or scholar.' Caleb paused and watched Dean for a few seconds sure that he would make some cutting remark about diaconates but when he remained silent Caleb took a deep breath and continued, 'the preferable way of the sacrifice is for the followers to choose one but the moth itself would often choose its own tribute or offering. The Protector was appointed to make sure that the Tribute remained unharmed until the time of the ritual and … now this is where the differences in the lores really stands out … some say that the Protector's job finishes as soon as the ritual starts, others say that the Protector actually dies alongside the Tribute to continue protecting him in the afterlife and the last account is that the Protector is self-appointed and who swears to protect the Tribute from all including the Gorathic Moth itself. Kind of like a knight in shining armour,' this time his words earned Caleb a frosty glare from Dean. Stifling a chuckle Caleb cleared his throat and continued once again skipping through a lot of repeated information until he narrowed down the important stuff. 'Okay so this is where it starts to get really juicy! The Protector will fight the Destroyer, the moth's chosen champion, in order to protect the sacrifice's life the fight was always to the death and then the moth takes its tribute anyway.'

'Shit dude did you take a breath with all of that?' Dean asked as he tried to take in everything Caleb had just told him. 'Let's see if I get this right, the moth has a chosen champion known as the Destroyer, the Tribute is a male sacrifice to the moth-man and the Protector is someone who gives his life to save the sacrifice?'

'Yeah more or less,' Caleb nodded and put the papers back down on the table as he glanced over at Sam. 'Ya know this is really screwed up dude Sam is in a pretty poor shape compared to the way the Tribute is supposed to be … where are these followers and who is the Destroyer?'

'For arguments sake say I'm the Protector and considering the fact that you the only other one who hasn't been bitten that leaves … ahh fuck!'

'Dean?' Caleb sat up straight and stared at his young friend with a harsh glint to his eyes, 'what you talkin' bout?'

'Fuck the Destroyer … it's Bobby.'

'And how did you come to that conclusion?'

'Think about it Caleb, it all fits why else would it have targeted Bobby?' Dean rubbed his eyes wearily and moved Sam into a slightly more comfortable position against his chest. He had tried to extricate himself from beneath his brother only to have Sam start to choke and gasp for breath as soon as his head was lowered back to the pillows. Leaning against Dean with his upper body supported seemed to be the only position Sam could breathe comfortably in. 'Someone who is already close to Sam and above suspicion … The perfect in for it.'

'And we all know that you're the perfect Protector I mean look at yourself already and before you say anything I aint sayin' that's a bad thing but it all fits.'

'So we fit the parts we need to know how to end the whole story Cal, how do we get this thing and destroy it before it makes Bobby…?' Dean left the question hanging unable to bring himself to call Bobby a Destroyer, murderer or attacker … It was not going to happen and that was all there was to it.

'Dean?'

'Huh what?' Dean blinked and frowned at Caleb he was sure that his friend had said something but for the life of him he couldn't remember what it was.

'Where did ya go just then dude? You blanked out on me.'

'Sorry I ahh … dunno tired I guess.' Dean said a little sheepishly, 'so when do we get to play with the super-soaker?'

'Well the sacrifice is supposed to happen on the night of a black moon,' Caleb said as he read off the printout, 'the sacrifice is placed on an altar with candles placed on the points of a pentagram around it. I guess the pentagram is drawn and then the altar is placed in the centre of it with the candles … all black by the way … placed at each point and lit at the same time. The Gorathic Moth will only be visible when the flames are the only source of illumination, huh maybe that's where the moth's drawn to the flame comes from. Anyway the Protector then stands at the head of the Tribute and declares his intentions and calls for any … not too sure what this word is but I think it's dissenters … for any dissenters to come forward or to keep still. This is where the Destroyer can come in and make a stand against the Protector in the name of the moth. Apparently from what I can workout the greater the protection for the followers if there is blood spilled on the altar and the Off…Offering.' Caleb stopped reading aloud and looked up at Dean with a growing look of horror on his face. 'In other words dude the spilling of blood is expected and is expected to spill over the Tribute.'

'So the moth is then drawn to the blood as well as the flame?' Dean asked his own stomach started to cramp again in a vain attempt to empty itself of the emptiness inside it.

'Yep that's what it sounds like, and then the Gorathic moth descends onto the Tribute … oh God … it descends onto the Tribute and feeds before encasing the body in a cocoon and takes it away, returning before the ritual finishes it cocoons the body or bodies of the slain to take as well … the more bodies the better. It then – it then …'

'It then what Caleb don't go girly on me now what else does it do?'

'Ahh okay umm it "mates" with the females amongst the followers until dawn starts to show and then the moth disappears and is no longer seen until the next seven year cycle.'

'The bodies are its food supply I suppose all nice and neatly packaged … what did the followers supposedly get from all of this?'

'Protection from the outside world, no disease, war or well anything really they seemed to live inside this little community and were not affected by the outside world.'

'As though they were cocooned themselves,' Dean said, 'so how come no one has heard of or hunted one of these moths before?'

'That I dunno, from what Sam found and from what I can get off the 'net and it's pretty obscure referencing to say the least they haven't been around for a few millennia literally.' Caleb said as he stood up, stretched and went to scrounge around the leftover pizza slices in the fridge.

'Hey don't hog it all,' Dean said indignantly as he watched Caleb scoff down a full slice of cold pepperoni pizza.

'Mmm good stuff,' Caleb said as he made a showing of licking his fingers and smacking his lips before giving in and taking a piece over to Dean.

S—D

'Where am I?' Sam asked as he looked around at his new surroundings; it seemed to be a large cave but with ornately carved stone pillars holding the ceiling up, large circular skylights placed evenly around the circular ceiling flooded the inner recesses with warmth and light. A large altar-like rock slab dominated the end of area, directly opposite the cave's opening. It was as though someone had tried to carve a church out of a naturally formed cave. 'Is there anyone else here?'

'All in good time,' a disembodied voice answered, 'you are a pretty one.'

'You're the moth aren't you?' Sam called out as he turned around slowly his keen gaze taking in everything when he realised a little belatedly that he could actually see.

'You are sighted here yes, you are mine and I wish for you to see where your future lies.'

'My future lies with my brother and not here that's for sure,' Sam called out angrily. 'You're nothing but a fugly moth.'

A brush of wings passed by his face startling Sam, he stepped back and ran his hands up his arms trying to dispel the shivers coursing through him. 'Ah but I am much more as you will find out, my pretty little one.' An oily-sounding voice whispered in his ear, 'such a pretty little one.'

'Leave me alone.' Sam snapped as he stumbled backwards until his back hit the cave wall, he moved awkwardly as though he had weights on his ankles and wrists, his breathes came in short, sharp gasps as the air thickened around him; he felt as though he was trying to move through thick syrup, fluid and yet solid enough to impede Sam's desperate progress.

'What … what are you doing to me?' His own voice sounded slurred and thick to Sam's ears, his energy leeched out with each word and movement he made. 'Take me if you want but please leave Dean and Bobby alone.'

'No sorry Precious One but it doesn't work like that,' the voice slithered around his head making Sam feel dizzy and disorientated, 'the Protector and the Destroyer both have to play their parts … It is tradition.'

'Crap, the demon is the one behind all of this … he's the one who brought you back.' Sam said as the realisation hit him, 'you're powerless now without your mindless followers feeding you … The Yellow-eyed demon is the one pulling the strings.' Sam felt his knees weaken unable to hold him up any longer; he crashed down onto the unforgiving stone floor with enough force to crack his kneecaps. 'Dean!'

S—D

Dean felt Sam jerk and shudder in his arms effectively silencing any more discussion between him and Caleb, 'Sammy?' he whispered not game to speak any louder.

'Dean!' Sam screamed his brother's name as he sat up and stared around wide-eyed but still unseeing, the milky-mucous veiled his green eyes hiding them completely.

'Sammy what is it?' Dean tried to hold onto Sam without causing him anymore pain or injury, 'talk to me.'

'D-Demon … control … moth.' Sam pushed the words out determined to fight against the effects of the moth's spell.

'What are you trying to tell us kiddo?' Caleb asked as he crouched down next to the bed.

'He's trying to tell you two jug-heads that there is someone else calling the shots!' Bobby snarled from where he stood directly behind Caleb.

'Bobby?' Dean and Caleb spoke in unison as they turned to look up at their friend and mentor. Although now he looked like an evil caricature of himself, his face was twisted into a sneering grimace, his eyes clear of the milky-mucous were now black with yellow flames flickering in them and his skin flushed red and shining with sweat.

'Aint no Bobby here at the moment,' He sneered as he lurched towards them, his movements jerking and stiff just like a puppet on a string. 'Now Protector we have some business between us.'

'I'm not fighting you Bobby,' Dean said as he eased himself from behind Sam, pausing long enough to make sure that his brother was still seated upright, reclining against the pillows and bedhead. 'Come on Bobby fight it I know you're still in there.'

'Sorry aint home at the moment … gone fishing.'

'Dean…' Caleb tried to place himself between Bobby and Dean but ended up flying across the room and crashing into the table and chairs. He lay in the middle of the debris dazed and out of it for a few minutes; the room darkened suddenly the only light coming from the sliver of moon left in the night sky.

A rush of wind filled the motel room, outside it was calm and warm with just a hint of a breeze, but it was a deceptive calm. Inside the one room a tornado raged, smashing furniture and sending papers flying so viciously that they sliced the bare flesh they struck.

A flash of lightening flared inside that one solitary room; blinding anyone who passed by and then as fast as it hit the strange storm ceased and the room was left silent, ruined and empty.

S—D

Caleb opened his eyes and stared around in disbelief it was as if they had been transported back into an ancient time and place. They were in what appeared to be a field with a circle of large rocks in the centre of it. The sky was ink-black and there was no moon or stars to give any light whatsoever. In the middle of the circle of rocks was a large slab of rock shaped like a table or an altar with chains and cuffs on each corner anchored deep into the rock.

The sky was lit up with sporadic bolts of lightning and the scent of fresh grass and rain permeated the air. It was all to clichéd for Caleb and his internal panic alarms were shrieking in his head. Stumbling to his knees Caleb grunted as dizziness assailed him and then his stomach started to churn in time with the pounding from a newly formed headache. 'Dean? Sam?' He called out his voice sounding strange to his own ears: thick and slurred.

'Cal?' Dean's voice seemed to come from a distance but when he was game enough to look up he could see his friend clearly.

'Dean … you okay dude?' Caleb swallowed deeply and managed to get to his feet swaying drunkenly he staggered towards Dean. 'Up and at em kiddo.'

'Aint no kid.' Dean grumbled as he pulled himself up, using the rock altar as an anchor he gave Caleb a mirthless grin when he saw how his friend was dressed, 'dude what dungeons and dragons game did you come from?'

'What?' Caleb frowned as he looked down at his clothes or rather what he thought was his clothes. Now he was dressed in a leather tunic and leggings with ankle boots to match, from the belt around his waist hung a small pouch and a sheath encased dagger. 'What the fuck?'

'Should I call you Robin Hood from now on?'

'Funny Dean oh so funny but take a good look at yourself.' Caleb grinned back.

'What ahhh man!' Dean shook his head when he looked down at the costume he was wearing. A black leather jerkin over a long sleeved black wool shirt and black leather pants and boots; he wore a sword and its scabbard low on his hips, 'feel like I should be in the freaking Pirates of the Caribbean or something.' Wincing with the spike of pain stabbing at the back of his eyes Dean blinked furiously and stared around at their strange surroundings. 'Where's Sammy?'

'And Bobby? Both of them are missing.' Caleb said all of their previous humour and banter gone with the realisation that they were alone.

A gentle breeze picked up and swirled around the rocks cooling them down instantly, rubbing his bare arms against the coolness Caleb moved deciding to do a quick recon, 'Dean … over there.' He said as he pointed to the north.

Dean looked up and focussed on where Caleb was pointing to, in the distance he could see flickering flames as they slowly grew closer to the strange rock circle. Voices drifted on the breeze filling the quiet of the night with tuneless chanting.

'They've got Sammy.' Dean said as he went to charge at them only to find himself unable to move. His feet seemingly glued to the ground, 'now what?'

'Now is the time of the Tribute,' Bobby's voice boomed as he appeared in front of Dean and Caleb, 'you need to be in position Protector,' with a flick of his wrist Bobby sent Dean flying backwards until he crashed against one of the pillars of rock, and then he did the same with Caleb. Both of the hunters found themselves restrained by invisible cuffs to the rock-face, in shock they watched as a group of twelve men paraded towards the circle six of them carrying a litter with a shrouded form on it.

'Sammy!' Dean whispered in abject shock, 'oh God Sammy.'

Caleb watched the scene unfolding in front of him it was just as the reports described except for one vital detail that he couldn't quite remember, but something wasn't right.

The litter carriers placed it next to the altar and then in silent unison lifted the shrouded body up and on the rock. One of the other men removed the shroud and then fastened the cuffs on the Tribute's wrists and ankles before they all stepped backwards lining up in front of the rocks they started to chant again and the ones who held the flaming torches lifted them towards the sky as they waited for the Gorathic Moth to arrive.

Dean kept his gaze fixed on Sam's face; he couldn't think or feel anything his only focus was on his brother. He was aware of the followers and of Caleb's and Bobby's presence but that was all in the end it was all just background noise as he concentrated on his brother's all too still body.

'Dean!' Caleb called again desperately trying to get the younger man's attention, 'Dean listen to me this aint real, none of it's real! Dean!' Horrified Caleb watched as Dean was released from his invisible restraints and dragged over to where Bobby waited for him.

'The Protector will fight the Destroyer, only one will win.' A voice announced carried by the wind. As the wind picked up in response the chant changed to 'only one will win,' and 'death is the end.'

'Dean!' Caleb tried to get his attention again but the chanting only grew louder and effectively blocked him. 'Stupid,' Caleb shook his head angry at himself for not realising it sooner, 'stupid, stupid, stupid idiot.' He berated himself as he strained against the apparently invisible restraints holding him to the rock. The force was gone after two attempts just as quickly as it came and Caleb found himself falling forward with no way of stopping his descent. 'The things I do for you Winchesters!'

TBC