Chapter 17 – Laying a Soul to Rest

The confrontation happened in the corridor. Sam, Gabriel, and Castiel were heading for the chapel, while Metatron and his minions were heading to stop them. They met at a crossroads.

As they caught sight of each other, the two teams screeched to halts. Gabriel's eyes landed on Gadreel's right hand with its six fingers. The bodyguard blinked as he recognized the swordsman as that boy he had fought years ago. Gabriel then turned his gaze to Metatron, and he recognized him. A fire lit in his soul at the sight of the man he had wanted to tear to pieces for over two decades.

Metatron retreated behind his men, his eyes never leaving Cas. After all, his prize subject was somehow alive. He completely disregarded the other two. "Kill the short one and the giant." He ordered. "But leave the third for questioning." A disgusting smirk took over his face as he contemplated all that he could learn from and do to Castiel.

All of the soldiers except Gadreel moved forward. Gabriel shoved Cas's weight over to Sam, and stepped to the front. He drew his blade and it was over fairly quickly. The three came at him in a line so he could just sidestep and, with a single slash each, take them down.

As they fell to the ground, Gabriel turned to face Metatron, his blade at the ready. His eyes never wavered from his prey. "Hello." He said. "My name is Gabriel Shurley. You killed my father." His blade came up further. "Prepare to die."

Metatron's eyes widened in alarm, and for a second, he just stood there. As realization set in, he turned on his heel and dashed away. "Gadreel, take care of it." He ordered over his shoulder as he disappeared around the corner.

Gabriel turned his blade towards the bodyguard, but what happened next made him lower it in surprise.

Gadreel tossed his sword down in front of him, and stepped aside. "He is probably headed for the dining hall."

Gabriel's face bunched up in confusion. "You're just going to let me kill your boss."

Gadreel shrugged. "I have long since grown weary of following his orders. However, due to some incidences in my past, he is the only person who would hire me." He left through the way the trio had come. "I will not place more sins on myself in his name any longer." With that, he was gone.

Gabriel nodded his appreciation, and then took off like a shot after the count. The man wasn't going very fast, so he was still huffing and puffing down the corridor as the swordsman gained on him. He gave an undignified yelp and quickly ducked into the next corridor, locking the door behind him.

Gabriel picked up speed and slammed against the door. It refused to budge. He rammed it again. "Sam!" Another slam. "I need you."

Over at the crossroads, Sam held up Castiel a little helplessly. "I can't exactly leave him alone." He called back.

"Please!" Bam! "He's getting away!" Bam! "Sam!" Gabriel kept on hitting the door over and over in the hopes that it would be enough to grant him entrance, but he wasn't strong enough.

Sam sighed. He couldn't resist the swordsman when he was so close and so desperate. "Coming!" He shouted back. The giant draped the pirate over a nearby suit of armor. "I'll be right back." He promised as he ran after Gabriel.

Castiel scowled. He hated the fact that his body wasn't doing what he wanted it to do. It meant he had to rely on others and he hated burdening other people with his problems. This was also getting him no closer to finding Dean.

He heard a small gasp. Cas managed to turn to see a maid with red hair staring at him. He felt a bit uneasy because his encounters with redheaded women hadn't ended well so far.

She scurried up to him, disbelief in her eyes. "Oh my god." She whispered. "You're Castiel, aren't you?" She smiled at him, and Castiel took comfort in the fact that it was genuine.

Meanwhile, Sam caught up with Gabriel. As the swordsman went to ram the door again, the giant caught him and gently pushed him out of the way. With a single punch, he broke down the door.

"After you." He gestured like he was just holding the door open for someone, hiding a smile.

Gabriel didn't hide his grin. "Thanks!" He ran inside.

Sam allowed his smile to show as he made his way back to the crossroad, but it quickly turned to panic as he realized that Cas was gone. "Uh… Cas?" He turned around, looking for him.

On the other hand, Gabriel was quickly catching up to his quarry. They ran through corridor after corridor, and despite being out of shape, Metatron managed to keep one step ahead. The swordsman was confident that once he cornered him, the count would be his. It wasn't until they reached the dining room that the count managed to truly get the drop on him, taking advantage of his knowledge of the castle.

As Gabriel ran down the stairs into the room properly, Metatron drew a dagger from his boot. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the dagger spinning into the air. It plunged into Gabriel's stomach just as he stepped off the stairs.

"Gurk!" Gabriel gasped from the pain, and he staggered a few steps back until he was leaning against the wall. He clutched his wound with his free hand in an attempt to slow the bleeding. The swordsman looked up towards heaven. "Sorry, Dad. I tried."

Metatron relaxed as he saw that his pursuer wasn't much of a threat anymore. Finally, he took a good look at Gabriel. "Say," he slowly realized, "aren't you that sword maker's little brat that I ordered Gadreel to get rid of all those years ago." He snorted. "Bleeding heart didn't do his job, I see."

He stepped closer, his eyes taking on a more studious look. "Incredible. Have you been chasing after me your whole life, only to fail now?" He shook his head contemplatively. "I think that's the worst thing I've ever heard." The count smiled, a truly horrible expression. "How wonderful." He giggled.

Gabriel began to slide to the ground. Still, he dug his feet into the floor and tried to make it back to his feet. After all, his injury hurt, but it was nothing compared to how it had felt when his father had been killed.

"Good heavens." Metatron raised a brow at his struggles. "Are you still trying to win?" He laughed as Gabriel tried to straighten himself but ended up slumping against the wall once more. He clapped his hands a bit in glee. "You've got an overdeveloped sense of vengeance!" His morbid happiness faded from his eyes a bit as he finally drew his own sword, and his voice darkened a bit. "It's going to get you in trouble some day."

The count jabbed with his sword, but Gabriel deflected it so it barely grazed his left shoulder. Metatron growled and stabbed again, but he deflected the blow once more, grazing his right shoulder this time.

"Hello." Gabriel voice was weak as he opened his mouth. "My name is Gabriel Shurley. You killed my father. Prepare to die." He pushed himself off the wall and staggered a few steps forward, stopping the count's attacks.

Metatron backed up in alarm, even as the swordsman accidentally fell against the table in front of him. Still, he was quick enough to deflect the blade as the count swung it to him again and again.

"Hello. My name is Gabriel Shurley. You killed my father. Prepare to die." He sounded stronger as his strikes matched his newfound strength. His blows became faster and harder, and it was all that the count could do to keep up. "Hello! My name is Gabriel Shurley. You killed my father. Prepare to die."

"Stop saying that!" Metatron shrieked as he was backed up against a table. He recovered quickly, but the swordsman had him backing away more and more, directing him to the raised dais that held the main table.

Gabriel grinned, the fire of passion burning in his eyes. "Hello! My name is Gabriel Shurley! You killed my father! Prepare to die!" With a swish of his blade, he knocked Metatron's sword aside. With a swift thrust, he stabbed Metatron in his left shoulder.

"No!" Metatron yelled, but he was backed up against the table and Gabriel's sword was under his guard, pointed right at his chest.

"Offer me money!" Gabriel ordered, embedding his blade into the count's right shoulder this time.

Metatron grunted in pain. "Yes!" His voice was a pathetic whimper.

"Power, too! Promise me that!" This time his words were followed with a slash across the base of Metatron's throat in the same place where Gadreel had marked the swordsman all those years ago.

"All that I have and more! Please!" The count begged, though it didn't really seem sincere.

"Offer me everything that I ask for!" Gabriel gestured wide.

"Anything you want." But a cunning glint had entered Metatron's eyes and he lifted his sword in an attempt to cut off the swordsman's head.

He easily deflected it and ran his blade through Metatron's stomach. "I want my dad back, you big bag of dicks." Gabriel growled as the count choked on his own blood. He twisted his sword and threw Metatron against the table.

As the body fell on the floor, Gabriel was already turning away, his hand returning to clench around the dagger and stop the blood flow. He left the room with his head held high.

His father had been avenged at last.

AN: I love this scene in the movie. It's not particularly funny, but I like that Inigo gets his revenge at last, and then doesn't feel the need to drag it out. A lot of the time, once people start going for revenge, they can't stop going after people even when they've done what they set out to do (Sasuke from Naruto, I'm looking at you). Also, Happy Halloween! This year I dressed up as Mabel from Gravity Falls!