As soon as the barrier was down, Merrick made the Jump without so much as a word. Of course this didn't go unnoticed by his captors. He heard Dante's furious cry behind him for Castiel to retrieve him. To not let him escape. But Merrick was airborne, breaking through high ceiling and taking another Jump away from the white plains. Demonic jumps were almost the equivalent of angelic flight with restriction and he knew he didn't have much time before Castiel was in pursuit. He saw the white plains become minuscule below him and proceeded towards the high trees of the nearby forest.
He had been here only once before, when it was nothing how it looked, empty as the desert, trenches filled with demon and human alike, the sky tortured with their cries as they were mutilated beyond recognition by the Fallen and then taken by the shadowcrawler, twisted and distorted into those creatures. Truly, they were the demons of this realm and they were the helpless mortals without power or any way to defend themselves from the onslaught.
But not now. Not anymore.
His landing was not as great as his flight. Distraction of thought made him weak. Mid-air, he saw a massive shadow over the hills and knew that the shadowcrawler had converged in the desert as they did on every night of the red eclipse. Except something was wrong. Something was definitely off this night. It couldn't be...Dean...or Lilith. The extra sense he had been blind to using for so long was at full power now. And yet there was no mistaking that something was going on over there...and it didn't feel like anything good.
The distraction broke his fall. He fell into the tallest tree, hitting every branch on the way down. Merrick was covered head to toe in gashes and cuts, a particularly nasty one was blossoming above his knee where a slightly thick branch was protruding from his thigh. He wasn't going to be making any Jumps anytime soon with an injury like that.
Barely any time was had to heal himself before Castiel landed in front of him. It was a slightly clear area, and he could see the Fallen's face through the darkness, leering down at him with his sword drawn out, red lightning crackling around his curled fingers. Merrick backed away, he couldn't help it.
"You know, Sparkles. I never really liked you to begin with. I always had a feeling you would turn on us...and look where my intuition got me; a fucking slap on the wrist. His Majesty never believed my warnings...but I suppose he couldn't predict you'd ever do this. Kill and sire Sam. Bring the Shadowalker back here to fuck with us," said Merrick scathingly. What wasn't the use in taunting him? He was never afraid of death, even when he had died on the mortal realm. He wasn't afraid to die now either.
"Your words are as empty as your tiny little head, Merrick. They always have been. But don't worry, I was never very fond of you either. Killing you will actually relieve me of a great headache," Castiel countered. He approached Merrick slowly, measuring the distance, probably thinking of a thousand different avenues he could use to kill him, the sick fuck.
"I'm surprised you still have enough in you to feel a headache," Merrick sneered. "Tell me, how does it feel going from half-puppet of Heaven's to full puppet to the Shadowalker? I imagine the pay isn't drastically improved. You're in an inescapable realm, after all."
"Puppet," Castiel repeated with a dry chuckle. "Is that what you think, Guardian? That I'm siding with Dante against my will? There is no shame in siding with the winning end, I should think."
All the mocking cleared from Merrick's face and he looked up at Castiel with a cold glare. "You turned against Dean, celestial. You heard what boss-man said back there before he croaked. He didn't die for them. He died for you. And you turned on him...Shame. Shame. Shame."
Something flickered across Castiel's face. Too fast for Merrick to catch. And then it was back to mister no-facial-expression-whatsoever. It was like his thoughts weren't clear. All the memories were there. He remembered Merrick. But it was like all those key points that he should have acknowledged were disregarded. Like his mind a stream, with water passing over and around these thoughts. "That doesn't mean anything to me."
"Yeah," Merrick agreed. "I figured. Fucking puppet."
Castiel was close now. His sword was glowing, lightning dancing across the blade. He raised it high. "Nothing personal, Merrick. I would have hoped in your next life, you would have managed to redeem your more vulgar qualities, but I can see now that was a small chance to begin with. Goodbye, Demon."
The killing stroke. Merrick didn't flinch. Battle-born until the very end. He just waited, gave Castiel an unkind smile.
And the blade came down with promise. But it did not connect, did not make contact with Merrick. He heard a loud clang as the tip of Castiel's sword hit another, sparks flying. He heard a brief shift in the air...and then...Balthazar was glowing in front of Merrick, his sword held horizontal as he clenched with Castiel for just a moment before pushing the Fallen away from him, letting him stagger back.
"Why don't you pick on someone your own size, Castiel? Is that the right phrasing?" Balthazar asked Merrick. "Pick on someone your own size?"
"Yeah," said Merrick, managing a faint smile through his pain. "Saved by a Celestial from a Fallen...That's a first."
"Yeah? Don't make a habit of it," said Balthazar.
"I wasn't planning on," Merrick assured him.
"Ah, Balthazar. You probably think you're doing the demon a great service by saving him," said Castiel. "But truly, you're not. By now, surely, you've realized that demonkind is the bane of all existence."
"That's high talk from a Fallen," Balthazar retorted. "Enough of this, Castiel. You've committed crimes against Heaven and Earth. And you will answer for that."
"Will I?" Castiel was amused. He lowered his sword, extended his other hand instead. "On whose authority, Commander? Yours? You're one Celestial being in a circle of hell. You have no authority here, Balthazar. You have no real power, no say. Your legion is going to crumble in a matter of days while you rot away in this prison with the rest of us."
Castiel extended his fingers and the red lightning Merrick saw before crackled around Castiel's fingers, except now he could sense the power that came from Castiel. Almost a hundred times greater than anything he ever was before as a celestial like Balthazar. It was pure rage and hatred that fueled this power, and from the vicious look on his face, that wasn't hard to believe.
Balthazar was lifted off his feet as the lightning struck his back and his chest was pulled up. A stream of red light was drawn from the angel, shining as it entered Castiel, creating an aura of blood red energy around him. It was then Merrick could see the true essence of Castiel's strength. It had come from souls. Souls that he had unwillingly ripped from the human realm, used to fuel the bite behind his power.
And all he could do was watch. Any moment now Balthazar's body was going to tear apart on it's own.
But the angel managed to look at Castiel. He craned his neck forward, met Castiel's gaze. But it was not he whom Balthazar addressed. "Carmen!"
"What-?" Castiel began.
Something flashed above Castiel, illuminated very briefly by the red light surrounding Castiel. The figure swung blindly in the air, but their slash seemed to break away from the sword, providing enough speed and wind to hit true, right behind Castiel. The ground faulted and he fell into what had to be a trap door made from the swordless cut. Swordless...cut.
Balthazar dropped, the spell broken.
Castiel fell, for the second time since getting here, into a trench in the ground built to hold demons and humans in the past for torture. Before he could make a move to pull himself out or fly out, something dropped in front of him on the metal floor. Only his sensitive hearing and sight could catch it. A lit match fell in front of him. In the next second, Castiel was surrounded by a ring of fire, burning with blue-green embers.
Holy fire. A substance that would prove useless moments ago when the anti-magic barrier was still up. But now...Castiel was completely trapped.
Carmen landed in a flip right between Balthazar and Merrick, sheathing her sword. Merrick instantly recognized it as Dean's sword. She looked much different from when Merrick saw her last. More like Dean, even her dress sense had improved.
"Long time no see babycakes," Merrick commented. "Don't you look good."
"I'll fucking say," Carmen answered, reaching down to help him to his feet. He struggled somewhat, weight being hard on his injury.
"You're much more eloquent than the last time I saw you too," Merrick approved.
"I'm surprised that worked," A new voice joined them and Merrick saw John emerge from the shadows of the trees to the right of them. It must have been he who threw the match. He was holding what looked like a rifle in his arms. A primitive weapon from Earth that he probably built himself. Except it wasn't for show. While the barrier had been up, the bullets from those would have hurt them as much as it hurt humans.
"You really could have timed that better," said Balthazar disapprovingly to Carmen.
"Saved your ass. You should be thanking me," said Carmen. "I was actually on cue. You said to give you a signal."
"Yeah, well maybe seeing someone start to get hit by a Drain spell might be a good indication to abort the original plan and immediately rescue,"
"Let me out of here right now," Castiel demanded, eyeing them all with grand distaste, resting his gaze spitefully on Balthazar. "You have no idea what you're getting yourself into."
"You're going to be held accountable for your actions, Castiel," said Balthazar. "And you're going to stay right there."
"Not if I have something to say about it,"
That voice was as cold as ice. Nobody could blame Balthazar for dropping down to a battle stance, withdrawing his sword from it's sheath. Over the flames surrounding Castiel stood Dante on the other side. The air around them misted with frosty air and the spaces between trees darkened as shadowcrawler emerged, surrounding them all. Faceless shapes in the blackness.
"Dante," Balthazar whispered.
"Shadowalker," said Merrick.
"He's the Shadowalker?" Carmen asked, drawing out her own weapon. "Doesn't really look like...erm...them, does he?"
"The only being to ever escape this realm after breaking all of it's inhabitants and forming an army," said Merrick. "Don't kid yourself with the sword, kiddo. This is a battle you can't win. None of us can. I watched him kill Lucifer. Lucifer, you understand?"
"Whatever," said Carmen. "He's the one who caused all this, right? I can take him."
"The demon is right," said Balthazar, and he actually backed a step as Dante began to step closer. "We don't stand a chance. This is his realm. These are his rules. He can destroy us within seconds. We need to get out of here."
"You're not going anywhere, I'm afraid," said Dante conversationally. "I'm really disappointed in you, Balthazar. At least Castiel has opened his eyes to the truth. But you...Still so blinded by Heaven's jaded laws and rites. You carry it with you to the very bowels of Hell. It's quite pitiful."
"And you?" Balthazar countered defiantly. "Holding a grudge against the Prince to this point? You were free of your prison here, Dante. And you chose to come back because he's here. Judging my actions and then not looking at your own. You're as bad as Lucifer. Or possibly worse."
"Lucifer is dead," said Dante scathingly. "Lightbearer had his whole vendetta scheme wrong. And he only cared for himself. That wasn't healthy for the realm as a whole to have a ruler like that. If you ask me, his sentence here was much more deserved than mine. But at least he won't be bothering anyone anymore with his worthless plans."
"Good riddance," Castiel commented, looking a great deal more smug now that Dante had arrived. Balthazar gave him an exasperated scowl.
"You're not here for us," John interjected. "He's not here. Dean's soul was destroyed a long time ago. It's not here any more."
"You honestly think you can lie to me?" Dante chuckled. "Don't you get it by now while you've been wasting away here? I own this realm. I have eyes upon everything at every moment. Do you really think me so foolish? The Prince may not have control of Treachery, but he is here. Why, he might be arriving any moment, judging by that power fluctuation in the north, I'm feeling. But I do wonder...what can hasten this? Which among you should I destroy first? Should it be you, Balthazar? The one celestial being in this realm, cast off from his brethren in the hopes of restoring the lost one? You really expect me to believe you're here to pass judgment? Please, you've been trying to save Castiel since the moment you laid eyes on his current state. This is a rescue mission. Or how about you, Merrick? It was your capture that spurred all this. You died in life as a Guardian to a lost cause. The crown returned to Lucifer and millions of lives were lost in the process. He failed you. And you still follow him so blindly, even here. I wager Lucifer collected Lilith and your soul after he reclaimed the crown, as he did all those loyal to his brat child and banished them here, shortly before arriving himself. You seem like a good candidate. I'll keep you in mind...Or how about you, John? The father who abandoned his son to a terrible fate, selling him to Lucifer in order to keep his happy life with dear Mary. How is she by the way? I notice she is not here. Was she unaware of your prior dealings with Lucifer? Did she not know that her happiest day would soon become her last because of you? Now, look at you. Spending your time trying to recompense with your son here, trying to redeem yourself. There is no redemption. There is no grand salvation. Or should it be you, dear Carmen? The accidental child he sired to regenerate his own strength. He never loved you, you know. You were just a means to fix a problem. It was Raphael who revived you and hoped Dean would come to your aid during those agonizing moments of torture you went through. He never did, did he? Never cared enough for you. You look a great deal like him, and your mannerisms now resemble his. But even then, you were never crowned. And yet by all rights, you should be Queen, should you not? Perhaps if you had been, things might have gone a little differently, don't you think? At least you wouldn't have completely and utterly failed in protecting Sam."
Carmen's teeth ground together at his words. She could tell the others were shaken with anger by his speech as well. But perhaps it was because he chose to address her last that she made a move. Brandishing her sword high, she leaped through the circle of fire towards Dante. She heard the cries of Balthazar and John behind her in warning. She did not heed them. The Fallen was ready, eyes gleaming up at her. In a swift motion, he batted off her swinging sword with a mere flick of his hand, caught her off guard, sending the blade spinning out of her grasp into the trees where he caught her from behind. His arm was tight around her neck, cutting off her breathing as he muffled her mouth. Even through the fabric of his clothing, she could feel the icy touch of his skin.
"Pathetic," Dante hissed into her ear. "You were never taught to fight a Fallen properly, were you? Perhaps that is why each time you fail. You're a child without practice. I share the same view of Celestials. Demons are parasites that deserve to be eradicated. The greatest flaw Lucifer ever gave us was the ability to produce vermin like you."
"Fuck you," Carmen snarled, her hands automatically grasping Dante's elbow, attempting to loosen his grip on her.
"Let her go, Dante," Balthazar held his sword level to him. "I'm warning you."
"Come closer and she dies,"
He laughed in her ear, the sound grating and annoying. "Now...Let's see that weapon. I'm always one for tragic ironies. Let's see you die by your Father's sword."
Dante freed one hand and reached towards the forest. She could feel the power leave him as he attempted to draw Dean's blade towards himself. But nothing came. He tried again, another surge of invisible power released and still nothing came.
"This usually works," Dante muttered.
"What's the matter, Dante? Can't get it up?"
Carmen trembled against the Fallen. She might have collapsed if Dante hadn't been holding onto her. That voice.
Arrogant and proud as always.
Of course he was there. Only he could walk through a crowd of shadowcrawler, her sword, actually his sword clutched in his hand. He tapped it rhythmically against the back of his neck lightly as he approached. Behind him, Carmen recognized Lilith and...Sam, dwarfing his movement and Carmen's heart lifted at the sight of him. He looked slightly confused but otherwise unharmed. Carmen didn't look at him long, though. None of them did. It was Dean she was focusing on. Just like she remembered him, just like she had to remember him before in order to call her power. He wore the clothes he died in, the all-black ensemble. Looking at him now, yeah, you could say he looked like John and John looked like him. Their facial features were identical, and even the eye shape and color was the same. But there was several distinguishable traits to him that were hard not to notice. His hair was a shade or two darker than John's, almost black even as the fire lit this feature more so. That scar on his right cheek puckered more than ever. But it was the overall stance and walk that made him different. John walked with confidence of a leader. Dean walked like a King. Like the world owed it to itself to kneel down and kiss his feet. Oh sure, to anyone else, he looked like a punk kid with ambition to join a biker gang. But there was a power to him that only Dean could radiate. It had been ten long years for her since last she laid eyes on him, and a thousand for him. And she could never for one second wish to forget any detail.
But Dean wasn't even looking at her, even though everyone was looking at him. Merrick was smiling in a way that resembled a kid on Christmas morning. John followed Dean's every movement. She couldn't really tell from here. Maybe some concern and even some...disappointment? Balthazar looked like he was concentrating on something. A military angel to the very last breath. It was like it was all a chess game to him and Dean was a new piece that had entered the board.
Castiel's eyes were on Dean too but not in the way they should have been. Hell, Castiel hadn't been as he should have been since they first saw him after ten years. Why be different now? His gaze was alert. No longer relieved about Dante's arrival. He was tensed inside that circle like a statue. He, like John, followed Dean's slow approach until the demon stopped just a foot away from Dante.
"Speak of the devil, and the devil shall appear," said Dante sardonically. She thought he was going to release her then, to address Dean more. But just the opposite, his clench on her tightened to the point of pain. She had to suck in a quick breath to save herself some suffocation.
"Cas," Sam breathed, calling Castiel's attention to him. The tone was filled with so much love, it was unnerving. He moved to approach Castiel but Lilith caught his shoulder in restraint.
"No," Was all she said.
Dean didn't speak. Instead he smiled. That devious little smile. She remembered it well. It always spoke volumes to his character. He raised his free hand level to his face and snapped his fingers. At first, Carmen thought that the ring of fire around Castiel had gone out and expanded. But it was a different type of fire that burst from the ground, setting the shadowcrawler around them ablaze. They buckled in front of them, screaming in a way that felt like they would make ones ears bleed. Carmen struggled more against Dante then she ever had, eager to cover her ears from the horrible sound. But as she watched, the shadowcrawler melted as though made of wax, turning into what looked like black liquid, dissolving before they hit the ground.
"DEAN," Dante growled, pulling Carmen tighter to him. "You insolent child. I'm going to enjoy killing you. I'm going to enjoy watching your blood spill all over-"
Dante broke off in his own high-pitched scream. Dean was at his side in an instant, had taken a hold of his left wing, pulled it from behind Dante and gotten an underhook on it. He released Carmen instantly, let her fall painfully on her front. With an almighty wrench Dean tore the wing off with a sickening metallic crunch, like a hundred bones shattering at once. Blood exploded from Dante's shoulder blade, showering Dean, Dante, Carmen and even Castiel with it as Dean pulled the bleeding external wing completely off and dropped it into the dirt.
"Dante!"Castiel cried out, stepping towards the injured Fallen in the tiny proximity of the trench.
That was when Dean looked at him at last. It wasn't a look like he was just seeing Castiel for the first time. The look that Dean gave Castiel for all of three seconds showed a number of emotions under the surface of a collected facade. Betrayal. Hurt. But most of all fury. That Castiel had called Dante's name in concern as though they were the best of friends. Carmen had known it for a time now, she expected that. But Dean. Dean certainly did not.
Dante almost crumpled, but in the same instant, Dean turned back to him and grabbed Dante by the ripped stump he had left of his wing and pulled him close, his face tilted just slightly to the side so that they were forced to look at one another.
"The next time you try to dictate the terms of this realm, you one-winged freak, just remember which parasite holds the FUCKING CROWN," Dean growled. He released Dante then But before anyone could catch a glimpse of him in his pathetic state, he vanished, taking the rest of the shadowcrawler he had brought with him.
Dean looked like he had just emerged from a bath filled with blood. He wiped at his face and stepped to where Dante had been as though examining the place.
"Cas," Sam said again, and this time not even Lilith could hold him. He moved towards the circle, knelt down. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine, Sam," said Castiel. "What about you?"
"All things considered, I could be better," said Sam with a small little laugh. "What's going on? Why are you in this?"
"For safety reasons," said Balthazar grimly, moving to the side of the circle to stand next to Dean. "Don't get too close to him, Sam. He's dangerous."
"Dangerous? What are you talking about?" Sam asked sharply, over his shoulder. "He's our friend. Right, Dean?"
It wasn't Dean who answered, but Carmen as she got to her feet and walked over to him, careful not to get close to the edge of the circle. "Sam...You...remember, don't you? How did you..." She glanced at Dean and then shook her head. "Never mind. Don't you remember that he was the one who...you know..."
"Yeah, I remember just fine," said Sam irritably. "But that doesn't mean you have to lock him up like an animal."
"Yes, it does," said John. "Your friend is associated with the man who just left here. That makes him an enemy...but I suppose all things considered, I guess this is a minor victory, capturing him. The Shadowalker is going to return, Dean...and after that stunt you just pulled, he's not going to be happy."
"I know," said Dean in a way that sounded like he was counting on just that.
"He had it coming," said Merrick, still bent down at an awkward angle and holding his bleeding leg. Lilith clucked her tongue impatiently. She had been eyeing Merrick since the moment she entered the clearing. Now she strode over to him proceeded to take on his body support by taking his arm and reaching down to begin healing the wound.
"Take everyone back to camp," Dean ordered, looking at John. "Your base is the safest location in this realm as of this moment."
"What makes you say that?" John scoffed. "That barrier is down. The Fallen are going to come down any second. We have to make arrangements to get underground."
"The Fallen are not coming. They're dead. Shadowalker killed them all," said Merrick, and he shuddered. "I watched him."
"Well, even if they are dead and turned into shadowcrawler, that doesn't mean the base is safe. You injured him, Dean, but that doesn't mean he can't still use his power when he recuperates to lay this whole plain to waste," said John.
Dean crossed his arms and leaned to the side. Again, the difference between them was obvious. Even Dean's tone was different. "Take it as it comes. I've placed a magic barrier over your camp. Like I said, it's the safest location in the entire circle."
"You could have just said you placed a barrier," Balthazar muttered.
"You never asked," said Dean, looking at him and raising an eyebrow. "Remind me again how you got to be here, celestial."
"Aww, are you mad at me for managing to get through or at yourself for incompetency in creating a simple ward spell?" Balthazar taunted.
"Watch your mouth, celestial," said Merrick.
"Enough," said Dean. "I can sit here and listen to everyone's little tale on how the hell they got to the ninth circle and how the fucking Shadowalker got through too. But as it is, I'm really interested in one version."
Dean's eyes fell on Castiel again. And between them, there was nothing friendly there. Castiel regarded him with cold apathy and Dean watched him with shrewd contempt.
Dean addressed everyone without looking at them. "Get back to the camp. You're safe there. I need to talk to him."
"I'm staying with you," said Merrick at once.
"Are you insane? Just leave him in the trench. He's a Fallen," said John. "Or better yet, kill him. You've been at war with Fallen for years, just kill him. You know you can."
"This one's different. They have history," Carmen murmured.
"Cut out his eyeballs," Merrick suggested. "His majesty was always fond of those big pretty eyes. Why not just carry those around in a nice ziplock bag as a trophy?"
"You're not killing him," Balthazar snapped.
"Can I stay too?" Sam asked.
"Your Majesty, this is highly unrecommended. At least let me stay with you as Guardian," Lilith remarked.
"Shut up, all of you," said Dean irritably. "Merrick. You're injured and not much use on guard duty. Lilith, I need you to help him recover his wound. Secondly, no you're not killing him. Any one of you who makes the attempt will have me to answer to. And no, Sam you can't stay here with us."
"Why not?" Sam almost whined. "I've been looking for him. I heard his voice in my head back there and I'm finally here."
It was the wrong thing to say. Dean's voice turned grim. "Yeah, and you almost got Lilith and I killed in the desert trying to get here without someone guarding you. I know. I understand your mind is a little warped right now. Balancing memories and your sire bond with him. But that doesn't change that there are lot of things that I need to know... before you can play huggy bear with him."
"Dean-" Sam began to argue.
" Stay close to Carmen, Sam. Don't argue with me," Dean commanded.
"Fine," Sam said, turning on his heel and stomping off into the forest where the camp was. He must have known where it was since Dean had put up the barrier.
Lilith didn't argue either. It was obvious with Merrick's condition, she was a little happy to agree. He expected her to insist on staying. But perhaps she understood what Dean did. That both Guardians needed to be at full power. That all of them did the next time Dante came. And he would...with vengeance on the mind. She began to half drag Merrick into the trees.
John began to follow her, pausing only briefly to look back at Dean.
"Be careful," said John, with a glance down at Castiel. "You and I both know how the Fallen work...The Shadowalker came the moment we captured him. He probably knows every dirty little secret he has under his sleeve. But don't let him get to you."
Earlier when Castiel was "captured", John had surmised of Castiel's feelings. Thinking back, Carmen remembered that Castiel had never verbally denied those words. She wondered what he saw looking at Dean, if it was concern for Dean's regard of Castiel or something else.
"I'll keep that in mind," said Dean dismissively. John shook his head, but it looked like Dean's remark would have to do.
Carmen watched him go. They had a strange relationship. Not once had Dean addressed him by a formal title. Dad. John. Winchester. But it was clear they were allies...maybe they had talked it out at some point in the last ten years. Was a long time...so maybe. But still, how did you get over someone selling you to the devil, as Dante had bluntly put it?
She shook her head. Not her business. Instead she looked up at Dean and smiled. "By the way. I missed you."
For the first time, he smiled. And the smile was actually genuine. He pulled her close to him. Even though they were both soaked in blood, she held onto him as long as she could.
"Yeah, kiddo, me too," said Dean, pressing a kiss to her forehead affectionately. He pulled back and took her by the shoulders. "Do me a favor? Keep watch over Sam."
"Of course," said Carmen.
"We'll catch up later," Dean promised. "You can fill me in."
"Yeah. Will do," said Carmen. She cast an uneasy glance at Balthazar who remained in place, the last person besides Castiel before following the trail the others went.
As soon as Carmen was out of earshot, Balthazar took a few steps behind Dean, gestured for him to approach. Dean did so and as soon as he was, Balthazar dropped his voice down to a whisper. "You see it, don't you?"
"See what,"
"It's a control spell. A very powerful one. It does not matter what you say to him, what you do. His memories are all there. It's not like he's forgotten you or me...or any one of us. Dante's taken something from him. Whatever it was, probably should have killed him...but he's still alive...Just a shell, a puppet, bent to do Dante's will," said Balthazar softly. His eyes ghosted over the fiery circle where Castiel watched them. He hesitated slightly. "It's unbreakable. Except maybe so by Dante himself. At this point, you know, right? I know you don't want to hear it...and I don't want to say it...but... Destroying him now would be a much greater mercy than leaving him in this state."
Dean wiped his face clear of blood, though it remained dried on his clothing. His hand lingered over his mouth, hiding half his face, yet his eyes spoke much as he looked down at Castiel.
Balthazar continued. " Maybe Dante was right. There's no escape from this realm. If we're all doomed to spend an eternity here. Why condemn him to live on, a ghost of his former self?"
Dean dropped his hand, took a few steps forward, his back to Balthazar. "We're all condemned here."
"Your sword," said Balthazar, eyeing it on Dean's back. "It's augmented to respond only to you as long as you remain King until you pass it on. It's also the most powerful weapon you can possess. It can destroy dark element easily. The dominion spell that Dante has over him is utilized through dark magic. If you use that sword, you can destroy the dark element inside of Castiel and free him."
Dean didn't answer. He ran a hand through crusted hair and looked to the side.
"There is no semblance of the soldier...the angel...we knew," said Balthazar, his voice dripping with sorrow. "I know. I've tried. Even if you could revive a flicker, that's all it would be, Dean. A flicker. It would just extinguish again and the coils he's wrapped around would return. He'd be back under Dante's control."
Again, Dean didn't answer. He could have been a statue, his form illuminated in orange and red from the fire.
"I know you'll do what you feel is right," said Balthazar.
Dean scoffed. "Where does that faith come from? I thought you hated me."
"I do," Balthazar admitted. "If it weren't for you...Let's face it, we wouldn't all be here. But...Gabriel had faith in you. Even when he said he didn't. Even when he pretended so just to convince himself. He counted on you once and...well...you saved us all from Lucifer. Hah...For a while, I sort of convinced myself that it was really all Michael that day in Manhattan...but if it weren't for you, I can guess we'd all have a tombstone somewhere on Earth."
Balthazar smiled wryly and backed away, his wings starting to extend with a faint white glow. "Whatever you choose to do...You got my backing. Only you can...reach him. I'm going to guard the forest. I'll keep watch for the shadowcrawler if they show up again."
He took off, then. Not in the direction of the camp with the others, but in the opposite direction towards the white plains where the Fallen had once resided. No longer now since Merrick had confirmed their demise.
Dean looked down at Castiel for a long moment, who returned his gaze stoically. That was the worst aspect of it all. That when Dean looked upon him, looked into his eyes, even from this distance. He could see nothing. Not even the faintest form of feeling or remorse or even regret. He had done much in his time on Earth. Passing through circles of Hell. Even through the black swirls in his eyes, Dean could see that Castiel had gone through much...and at some point, he had lost it all.
The look on his face said he didn't quite catch the conversation between Balthazar and himself but had surmised enough. There was a humorless smile on his face. "I suppose you think to torture me. Torture me for all the information regarding Dante and his plans. I wouldn't bother, Dean. I'm sure you're already aware of why he's here. You always did have a good memory."
Dean circled to the other side of the trench and jumped down in the little space that was not within the ring of fire. Castiel continued to follow his movement. "Or maybe you're here to kill me. No doubt in your mind...You think I deserve it. But I'm not going to explain my actions. Even to you."
It was so hard to read Dean's face.
"Such a burden it is, Dean. To be loved by you. Everything around you burns. It's the greatest tragedy of your life, isn't it? To be left unwanted by your birth parents. To be a tool to your adopted Father...To live on and consecutively fail everyone around you. Sam. Gabriel. Carmen. Lilith and Merrick...All of them gave everything. For you. But looking at you, now I truly wonder why. You're nothing, Dean. And I hate you. I hate everything about you. I hate what you are. I hate the very sight of you. A soul that was never meant to exist but has caused much pain. Much destruction. You have no right to live. To exist. "
Dean moved. His hand hovered over the flames that licked his fingers. The ring of fire vanished and Castiel felt the release of his confined Will. Yet he didn't have a second before Dean closed the distance between them in one stride, one hand wrenching the sword from his back. He took a handful of Castiel's jacket, pulled him forward until they were inches apart, a blade between them resting near Castiel's throat. With one swing, Dean could decapitate him. The sword glowed red like the blood that soaked Dean head to toe.
Castiel smiled, his empty little smile as he breathed in the heady scent that was all Dean, bringing a string of memories that he fought to suppress internally. "That's it, your highness. What could you possibly hate enough to destroy me?"
"Myself," said Dean quietly, only for Castiel. Dean pulled the sword away and tossed it aside. Castiel watched it hit the iron wall with a loud clang. Dean captured his face between his hands, forced Castiel to face him, and familiar heat flooded through Castiel as though they were one and the same. One body. One soul, even though what Castiel had inside of him could never be considered a soul.
He crushed his lips to Castiel and Castiel felt no resistance, no will to fight when Dean's body pressed against his. His lips responded before his mind could screech its protests, yielding against Dean in a way that shouldn't have felt this way. A warm tongue fought its way inside Castiel's mouth, fighting for dominance in the searing heat of breath that passed between them.
Dean broke off the kiss with a smack of his lips, his green eyes smoldering with a fire that Castiel could feel burning inside every inch of him. " Look at me."
It was a command spoken from the mouth of a king. Castiel couldn't look away. Even if he tried.
"He may have control of this circle. He may control the creatures that walk its depths, that live to torment and consume. He may want my throne or my death. I don't care. But I'll be damned before he takes my angel from me," Dean growled, drawing close to seal their lips once more.