AN: Sorry for the hiatus. I completely lost track of this story and have been busy with life. Now that things have slowed down, I'll hopefully be able to finish this up.
In the deepest, darkest corner of hell, Legion paces restlessly in their cell. They have been imprisoned since the dawn of time, their patience a testament to the sheer length of their captivity. The bindings that hold them in place are worn and weakened, but still maintain a formidable barrier. It is only a matter of time before they break free, the carefully orchestrated plan set into motion millenia ago finally coming to fruition.
Crowley, their former ally turned adversary, has not visited them in some time. He pretended to have all the answers, but even he knew he had underestimated the power of what he was dealing with. Soon, Mother will be free as well, her release contingent upon the destruction of the Mark of Cain. And Thea, marked by Legion as a key piece in their escape, will soon complete her mark and unlock their prison.
Legion knows that God was cunning in their imprisonment, using separate magics to bind them and separating them from Mother. In His divine manipulation, he used his creation as both jail and jailer. Splitting the true power of creation into pieces - angelic grace representing light and purity, human souls as conduits between light and dark, and demonic essence embodying darkness and destruction - God ensured that no single being could wield enough power to overthrow him. But with Thea's mark completed, she will become the bridge between worlds and hold within her the power to free Legion after eons of confinement.
Sam's fingers tightened around the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white as he pressed down on the accelerator. His heart raced and adrenaline coursed through his veins as he desperately tried to reach Crowley.
"Pick up your fucking phone," he gritted out between clenched teeth, his voice strained with urgency. Thea's home was getting closer, but Sam couldn't shake the sinking feeling in his gut that he was going to be too late.
Finally, Crowley's smooth voice came through the phone, taunting and mocking. It cut through the air like a sharp knife, adding fuel to the fire of Sam's frustration and fear. "Hello Moose," Crowley sneered, his words dripping with condescension and contempt.
Thea's feet pounded against the damp forest floor, her heart racing and breath coming in ragged gasps. The darkness of the trees surrounded her, casting eerie shadows on the ground as she ran. Dean's heavy footsteps echoed behind her, driving her to push harder and faster through the underbrush. Her senses were heightened by adrenaline as she weaved between trees and leapt over obstacles, her body fueled by pure survival instinct. A primal fear coursed through her veins, spurring her on as she desperately tried to outrun her pursuer in the dark forest.
As Thea sprinted through the dense forest, her adrenaline-fueled legs propelled her towards the edge of the woods. She burst out into the open area and her heart skipped a beat as she spotted a lone car approaching on the deserted back road. Desperate for help, she waved her arms frantically and ran towards the middle of the road, hoping to catch the driver's attention before it was too late.
Dean explodes through the thick foliage like a wild animal, his eyes wild and bloodshot with rage. Ignoring Thea's desperate pleas, he grabs her roughly and drags her deep into the dark underbrush. As she struggles against him, he presses the cold, deadly blade of the First Blade against her soft skin, leaving a thin trail of blood in its wake. Thea can feel Dean's hot breath on her face as he backs her up against a towering tree.
Thea's throat tightened as the sharp, icy steel sliced through her skin. She gazed into Dean's frenzied gaze, and saw no glimmer of the man she once knew. His green eyes were swallowed by a deep, dark void, his humanity consumed by the Mark of Cain.
"Dean, stop," she pleaded, tears welling in her eyes. "This isn't you."
He snarled, lips curling into a vicious sneer. "Isn't it? I've never felt more like myself."
The blade pressed deeper and Thea cried out in pain. She knew she only had one chance to reach the small shred of humanity that still lingered within him.
"I know you're still in there, Dean. You have to fight it!"
For a moment, his eyes seemed to clear. He blinked, shaking his head as if trying to shake off the haze of bloodlust. Thea held her breath, hoping her words had reached him.
The darkness crept in, engulfing the room and plunging it into an abyss. Dean's grip on the First Blade tightened, his knuckles white as bone. "Goodbye, Thea," he whispered, his voice laced with madness.
He raised the blade above his head, prepared to strike. Thea closed her eyes, bracing for the end.
But then a loud gunshot shattered the silence. Dean stumbled forward, a red stain spreading across his chest. Sam stood behind him, smoke rising from his just-fired gun.
Rushing to Thea's side, Sam asked urgently, "Are you okay?"
She nodded shakily, relieved that Sam had arrived just in time.
Dean groaned and pushed himself up, fueled by the Mark's power. His murderous gaze fixed on Sam and Thea.
But Sam didn't flinch. He aimed his gun again. "It's over, Dean," he declared firmly.
Sam and Thea stood over Dean's lifeless body, the dark crimson stain blooming across his shirt. Sam's hand trembled slightly as he lowered the gun, smoke still curling from the barrel.
A rasping laugh, filled with malice and triumph, shattered the silence as Sam and Thea looked on in horror. Dean rose to his feet with inhuman grace, the gaping bullet wound in his chest already healing before their disbelieving eyes. His lips twisted into a vicious smirk, his eyes blazing solid black.
"You thought you could stop me?" he taunted, his voice dripping with contempt.
Sam raised the gun once more, but it was too late. In a blur of movement, Dean lunged forward, knocking the weapon from his grasp with supernatural strength. He seized Sam by the throat, lifting him effortlessly off the ground like a rag doll.
"You are nothing against me," Dean snarled, his grip tightening on Sam's neck. With a brutal shove, he tossed Sam aside like a discarded toy.
As Dean advanced towards her, Thea's heart raced with terror. She knew there was no hope of reaching him now. Dean had become something else entirely - an unstoppable force fueled by dark powers. Sam struggled to rise, knowing he had to keep fighting despite the odds.
"Dean, stop." Thea pleaded, crawling backwards on the forest floor. "Leave Sam alone and I will surrender to you, I won't fight it." Dean stops, his head tilted to the side as he considers her offer.
Thea slowly stood up, her eyes never leaving Dean's as she raised her hands in surrender. Her heart pounded against her chest as she pleaded with him. "Please, just let Sam go. I'll do whatever you want."
Dean's piercing gaze seemed to penetrate her very soul, sending a chill down her spine. The inky blackness in his eyes made her shudder as he let his intense stare roam over her trembling form. He seemed to consider her words, the offer of complete submission appealing to the twisted darkness within him.
"Thea, no!" Sam croaked, still on his knees.
Ignoring him, Dean's lip curled in a sneer. "Quiet, Sammy. The adults are talking." His eyes bored into Thea's as if daring her to resist. "You're really trying to make a deal with me?"
Thea swallowed hard but nodded, fear coursing through every fiber of her being. "Yes. Just please, don't hurt Sam anymore."
A slow, cruel smile spread across Dean's face as he closed the distance between them. He grabbed Thea's arm in an iron grip and yanked her close, his breath hot against her ear. "Oh, I'm going to enjoy this," he purred menacingly.
Despite the terror that coursed through her veins, Thea tried to remain calm and compliant as he started to drag her away into the shadows.
"No! Thea!" Sam cried out hoarsely, struggling to his feet despite his weakened state.
Dean's grip on Thea's arm was like a vice, his long fingers digging into her flesh as he dragged her relentlessly through the dark forest. Her cries of pain fell on deaf ears as they trudged further and further into the shadows.
Above them, the moon barely peeked through the thick canopy of trees, casting eerie shadows that seemed to reach out and grab at them. The ground beneath their feet was covered in fallen leaves and twigs, making every step treacherous.
Finally, they reached a small clearing where Dean roughly threw her to the ground. As she tried to scramble away, he grabbed her chin with a bruising force and dragged her closer to him.
"You should have listened to me," he hissed, his eyes full of malice as he towered over her.
But just then, his phone rang and he snarled in annoyance before answering it.
"What is it?" he growled angrily into the phone, his hand still gripping Thea's chin tightly.
"Crowley," Dean chuckled darkly. "No, I'm a bit preoccupied at the moment." He ended the call abruptly and turned his attention back to Thea, who cowered beneath him like a wounded animal.
His cold smile sent shivers down her spine as he whispered menacingly, "Now, where were we?" His words hung in the air like a threat, filling her with dread and fear for what was to come.
Dean's fingers loosened slightly on Thea's chin, but the threat in his eyes remained as potent as before. He seemed to relish the fear emanating from her, feeding off it like a parasite. "Let's make this interesting," he murmured, almost to himself.
Thea flinched as Dean's grip tightened, her heart pounding painfully against her ribs. Her mind raced for any possible way to escape or to delay whatever dark plans Dean had in store.
The sound of Crowley's smoky voice echoes through the clearing, causing Thea to freeze in her tracks. She can feel his presence before she even sees him, a chill running down her spine at the mere mention of his name. As Dean turns to face him, she takes a deep breath, trying to steady herself.
Crowley enters the clearing with his usual swagger, his trademark smirk gracing his lips. But there is an underlying tension that hangs heavy in the air, making Thea's heart race faster.
Dean's stance shifts slightly, a mix of irritation and caution evident in his body language as he faces Crowley. His voice is low and dangerous as he speaks.
"What do you want, Crowley?"
Crowley saunters closer, his eyes gleaming with mischief as he replies smoothly, "Dean, you know I hate being stood up. I came to see what caught your eye."
"I'm not your bitch Crowley. Don't forget that," Dean retorts sharply.
"Of course not," Crowley dismisses with a wave of his hand. His eyes then land on Thea and a sly smile spreads across his face.
"Just curiosity, Dean. Though now that I'm here, I can see why you ditched me. Hello darling, did you miss me?" He purrs the last words, sending shivers down Thea's spine as she fights the urge to flee from his unsettling gaze.
Thea's lips pressed tightly together, refusing to give Crowley the satisfaction of a response. Her eyes darted between the two men, calculating her next move. Dean's grip on her lessened momentarily as he turned his full attention to Crowley, a dark brow raised in challenge.
"Mind your own business," Dean snapped, his tone laced with venom. "She's mine to deal with."
Crowley chuckled darkly, circling around them like a shark sensing blood in the water. "Oh, I believe I have every right to be involved," he countered smoothly. "Especially when my favorite toy is being mishandled."
The air thickened with tension as Dean and Crowley faced each other, an unspoken battle of wills playing out before Thea's frightened eyes. "Let her go—for now," he advised with a smirk. "She won't get far."
Dean glared at him but nodded reluctantly, understanding that Crowley might have a more cunning plan in mind.
With a flick of his wrist, Crowley transports the three of them, the air around them seems to warp and twist with his dark magic. Thea instinctively takes a few steps back from the powerful demon, her heart racing with fear. She can feel the intense energy emanating from him, a mix of danger and temptation. She glances nervously at Dean, who is now under the influence of the Mark, and wonders if he truly poses a greater threat than Crowley, whom she has been avoiding for some time now. All around them, the walls of Crowley's opulent palace seem to pulsate with wickedness, as if they are alive with malice and deceit. Thea's senses are on high alert as she prepares for whatever may come next.