Blood Runes: Chapter 5
Chapter 5
While the others huddled to discuss their next course of action, Sam slowly inched his way toward the tree line. Dean and these strangers didn’t understand the situation--they didn’t realize of what he was capable now. They would only be in his way. He needed to get back to the tower, and if he could find Ruby on the way, so much the better.
“Sneaking off, Sam?”
Sam cursed under his breath. He should have known Dean would notice! His brother probably hadn’t taken his eyes off Sam since Castiel transported everyone out of the tower. It was ingrained into his personality to watch his brother, and he had years of separation to make up. Now that their father was gone, his brother would cling even more desperately to the family he had left. Sam hated that it was so easy for Dean to make him feel like an errant child.
“What if I am?” Sam retorted argumentatively. “I make my own decisions, Dean.”
“Do you?” Dean was hiding his emotions, presenting only a blank mask as any good Patryn warrior would. Sam used to be able to read him like an open book, but their time apart appeared to have eroded their bond. Either that, or Sam was less emotionally attuned now that he was more focused on his blood magic abilities. It was probably the first thing.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sam bristled at the accusation that he was not in control.
“It sure seems to me like you were about to walk right into exactly where the dragon-snakes wanted you.”
“You were there, too!” Sam snapped. He was aware that he was beginning to lose his temper, but he didn’t care--it felt good to release some of the rage he’s always bottled up before. “You followed a dragon there, a dragon that may have deliberately misled you!”
Dean stubbornly shook his head. “Castiel said it was a trap-”
“You’re just going to take his word for it? How long have you known him? A few days? I’m amazed you’re still alive if you’ve become so stupidly trusting!”
“Better that just plain stupid.” Dean was maintaining a casual tone, but his mask was cracking. Sam knew his brother was also angry. “You’re going to go back to the tower.” It wasn’t a question. “Sam, just one of things killed our father and almost me as well. What could possibly make you think you stand a chance on your own? I thought you were smarter than that.”
“I am smart!” Sam retorted with a glower. “I’ve learned to adapt, to learn new skills instead of settling for my former limitations.”
“Blood magic.” Suddenly, Dean’s anger was gone, replaced by weariness and sorrow. “I didn’t want to believe it.”
“I suppose your dragon friend told you it would make me dangerous.” Sam smiled mockingly. “Well, he was right. I’m stronger and more dangerous now than I ever thought I could be.”
“What happened to you, Sam? Where is my brother who would rather write down everything there was to know about a monster than to kill one?” All the fight had gone out of Dean, and for some reason that made Sam even angrier than when he had been directly confrontational.
“I grew up, Dean.” Sam laughed bitterly. “All the knowledge in this or any other world means nothing if it can’t be utilized.”
He wanted Dean angry again. This felt too much like bullying, and it made him sick to see the brother he’d looked up to most of his life giving in to sentimentality. Only days ago, Sam would never have allowed himself to speak the next words out of his mouth, would have hated himself for even thinking them.
“All my life I was told that I was the weaker brother because I chose to rely on my mind more than my body or my instincts, but now I see that it was you. You’re too emotionally attached, Dean, and it makes you vulnerable.”
Dean didn’t take the bait, but Sam could see the words hurt just as much as a physical blow. “Caring is not a weakness.” The words were spoken softly.
“Your other problem is that you never think for yourself.” Sam changed tactics, determined to draw out the rage he knew pooled beneath Dean’s calm exterior. “How hard did the dragons have to work to convince you to do their dirty work in finding me? Were you that desperate for orders that you would take the first ones given to you?”
“I didn’t do it for them,” Dean argued, finally beginning to lose the controlled facade. “I did it because I was worried about you.”
“How many times do I have to tell you that I’m not a helpless child?”
“Then stop acting like a selfish brat!” Dean spat. “It’s always been about what you wanted, hasn’t it?” Dean took a few moments to study his brother. “Where are you getting the blood, Sam? You’re too smart to use your own, and small game couldn’t possibly give you the level of power you keep talking about.”
“I have a dragon friend of my own.”
“You mean a dragon-snake!” Dean was incredulous. “All that talk about me being a fool for trusting a dragon, and you’ve been drinking from one!”
“She’s different from the others, just like I’m different.”
“Is that what she told you? Were you so eager for someone to agree with you that you would blindly trust the first one to do so?”
Having his earlier words thrown back at him was like a slap to the face. Sam snarled, clenching his fists until the knuckles were stark white.
“I don’t have to justify myself to you! I’m leaving, and you can’t stop me.”
When Dean took another step toward him, Sam drew on his remaining power stores, deliberately using Sartan magic to pull up a barrier of earthen spires between them. Dean looked suitably impressed. Sam would have felt more triumphant, but his head ached and his hands shook--he needed to find Ruby, he needed more blood.
Dean must have noticed the tremors. “The blood magic is dangerous, Sam. It could kill you.”
“I know what I’m doing!” Sam turned his back on his brother and walked away.
He had no idea how far he walked before he calmed down enough to be certain he was headed back toward the tower. He also took a moment to scan for anyone following him, but he saw no sign of pursuers. It wasn’t like to Dean to give up so easily, but Sam hoped he had bought himself a little time before his brother tried to stop him again.
There was a rustling in the underbrush and Ruby stepped into view.
“How did you find me?” he wondered aloud.
“The same way I found you the first time,” Ruby replied with a smirk and a shrug. “I followed you. It took me a while to find where the dragon took you, but eventually I figured out a way to trace the magic.”
If Ruby could track where they had gone, surely the other dragon-snakes could as well. If Sam weren’t still so angry, he might be concerned about those he’d left behind, but if they weren’t smart enough to have moved by now, they deserved to be caught.
“How did things look at the tower before you left?” Sam asked as he started out toward the distant structure. He didn’t wait to see if Ruby would follow, simply assuming that she would.
“You’re going back there so soon?” Ruby asked as she fell in stride beside him. “Won’t they be expecting you?”
“Let them.” Sam’s face was set in a determined expression. “I’ve been wanting to test myself against them.”
“Well, if you’re sure...”
“I’ll need more blood first, as much as I can take, but yes, I am.”
Ruby didn’t look to happy with the plan, but she didn’t say anything. She did, however, stop suddenly and look behind them, a frown on her face.
“What?” Sam asked, looking at the forest behind them, too.
“I thought I heard something.” She scanned the area slowly, and Sam got the impression she was looking with more that just normal eyesight. “I guess I was wrong.”
“Let’s get moving then,” Sam insisted, setting off once more. “I want to reenter the tower after nightfall.”
After they were out of sight, a figure appeared in the shadows, dropping his magic concealment. Castiel stared in the direction the two had gone for a few more moments before leaving in the opposite direction.
***
“As you thought, Sam is going back to the tower,” Castiel reported to Dean and the others. “He plans to enter again after dark.”
“We have to go after him!” Dean insisted.
“It would be the same situation as before,” Marit disagreed. “We would just be walking right into their hands.”
“I can’t just sit back and watch my brother walk into a trap alone!”
“You may not have to,” Castiel interjected. “We still have some time. Using my true form, I can return to by brethren and be back not long after sunset. Sam may have already made his move by then, but with proper reinforcements, we should be able to mount an effective offensive.”
“That sounds like a good plan to me,” Haplo agreed and everyone else except Dean nodded along. “We’ll meet you at the tower and enter together.”
Dean had turned to look in the direction of the tower. Castiel grasped his shoulder to turn him back around.
“Dean, please do not go after your brother alone.”
“You’d better get going if you want to be back in time to make any difference.” Dean refused to make eye contact with the dragon. Castiel gave the man one more concerned look before there was a flash of light and a large dragon appeared where the blue-eyed man once stood. Light glinted off the green scales as the dragon hurried away, rapidly disappearing into the distance.
“Let’s get moving.” Dean moved off in the direction of the tower at a quick march, the rest of the group rushing to follow.
***
Sam walked back into the tower as full darkness fell, Ruby at his side. They had stopped periodically on the journey back to the tower for Sam to drink as much of Ruby’s blood as he could stand. Even though he had done so many times by now, a small part of Same still recoiled at the act of drinking blood, and he could only handle so much before he ran the risk of violently expelling what he had consumed. By the time they reached their destination, Sam was practically vibrating with suppressed power. He was almost disappointed to find only three dragon-snakes guarding the doorway to the stairs.
Ruby drew one of the guards away, leaving Sam to face two opponents. Sam moved backward until he had a wall at his back, preventing the dragon-snakes from trapping him between them.
“You’re a fool, Patryn,” one of the dragon-snakes taunted, red eyes glowing brightly.
“If you’re so certain I can’t defeat you, why haven’t you attacked, yet?” Sam countered. Ruby had told him that the dragon-snakes drew additional power from fear and hate. He couldn’t do much about the hatred he felt for these creatures, but his magically boosted confidence dampened any fear he may have felt before. “What’s the matter? Afraid to face me on your own? You have to wait for you friend to attack, too?”
Sam’s best bet was to get one of his opponents to attack alone. He could rely on surprise to aid him against the first dragon-snake because they couldn’t know precisely what to expect. Then, facing only one foe, Sam could focus enough to concoct strategy on the fly. However, this required him to provoke one of his foes into attacking without the other.
The dragon-snakes snickered. “I do believe he’s trying to bait me,” the one to which Sam had spoken told the other in a mock conspiratorial tone.
Sam gritted his teeth. He had to keep his anger from getting the best of him. He would need all his wits about him if the dragon-snakes rushed him at the same time. He adjusted his stance for the most mobility in reaction, anticipating an attack at any time. Luck appeared to be on his side, though.
“If he’s so eager,” the second dragon-snake replied, “it would be a shame to disappoint him. I don’t mind waiting for a turn. Just don’t kill him right away--suffering is delicious.”
The first dragon-snake sauntered forward. His lips began to move in some kind of incantation that Sam could not allow him to finish. He used the first rune structure that popped into his mind that he could complete with the greatest speed. It was a simple spell to create a gust of wind, and under normal circumstances it would have scarcely done more than flutter the creatures hair, but supercharged as Sam was at the moment, a gale force wind knocked the dragon-snake back and into the wall across the room with enough force to crack the stone and stun him.
Sam turned on the other dragon-snake while he was still blinking in surprise. He had a little more time to work with now, and he used it to craft a longer lasting spell than the previous one. Invisible walls appeared to surround the second dragon-snake and began to shrink inward, forcing the dragon-snake to focus on countering the spell instead of Sam.
He turned back to the first opponent, only to find an empty spot where he had been. When he looked back at the other dragon-snake, the first was assisting him to break free from Sam’s enchantment. They glared at Sam.
“Go ahead, Patryn, come find us on the roof. We’ll all join in the fun.” Then they disappeared. Sam took the opportunity to catch his breath.
A few moments later, Ruby appeared again from the room where she had led the third enemy. She looked a little ruffled, but mostly unharmed.
Sam looked over at the stairway. He itched to rush right up to the top of the tower. He knew logically that this had been too easy, that the roof was exactly where the dragon-snakes wanted him, but the power within him cried out for a confrontation. So, after another drink from Ruby, they climbed higher.
***
Dean slipped through the entrance to the tower and glared suspiciously at the empty hall. It had been all too easy to slip away from the rest of his group as they discussed their plan of action for after the dragon reinforcements arrived. He had expected to find guards waiting, and their absence made him more nervous than a fight would have.
He noted the cracked wall and couldn’t help a small smirk. Sam had at least put up a fight, though there was no way of knowing whether he had been the victor or not. Dean pessimistically suspected not.
He crept toward the stairs, expecting a trap or opponent at any moment. Sure enough, as he was about to place his foot on the first step, he heard a throat cleared behind him. He whirled around to find Azazel.
“I do love your predictability,” Azazel remarked with an unsettling grin. “It makes planning so much simpler. I always knew you would come right to me again. You see, you might have been able to talk some sense into your brother, and I couldn’t have that, not when we’re so close to completing the plan.” Dean was trying to edge his way back to the entrance, but Azazel stepped in front of the doorway and continued his speech. “This time, I can’t have you coming back again, Dean.”
There was sudden blow to the back of Dean’s head and the world went black.
The dragon-snake who had struck Dean scooped up his limp form and looked to Azazel. When he received a nod of acknowledgement he retreated back into the shadows, taking the unconscious Dean with him.
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While the others huddled to discuss their next course of action, Sam slowly inched his way toward the tree line. Dean and these strangers didn’t understand the situation--they didn’t realize of what he was capable now. They would only be in his way. He needed to get back to the tower, and if he could find Ruby on the way, so much the better.
“Sneaking off, Sam?”
Sam cursed under his breath. He should have known Dean would notice! His brother probably hadn’t taken his eyes off Sam since Castiel transported everyone out of the tower. It was ingrained into his personality to watch his brother, and he had years of separation to make up. Now that their father was gone, his brother would cling even more desperately to the family he had left. Sam hated that it was so easy for Dean to make him feel like an errant child.
“What if I am?” Sam retorted argumentatively. “I make my own decisions, Dean.”
“Do you?” Dean was hiding his emotions, presenting only a blank mask as any good Patryn warrior would. Sam used to be able to read him like an open book, but their time apart appeared to have eroded their bond. Either that, or Sam was less emotionally attuned now that he was more focused on his blood magic abilities. It was probably the first thing.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sam bristled at the accusation that he was not in control.
“It sure seems to me like you were about to walk right into exactly where the dragon-snakes wanted you.”
“You were there, too!” Sam snapped. He was aware that he was beginning to lose his temper, but he didn’t care--it felt good to release some of the rage he’s always bottled up before. “You followed a dragon there, a dragon that may have deliberately misled you!”
Dean stubbornly shook his head. “Castiel said it was a trap-”
“You’re just going to take his word for it? How long have you known him? A few days? I’m amazed you’re still alive if you’ve become so stupidly trusting!”
“Better that just plain stupid.” Dean was maintaining a casual tone, but his mask was cracking. Sam knew his brother was also angry. “You’re going to go back to the tower.” It wasn’t a question. “Sam, just one of things killed our father and almost me as well. What could possibly make you think you stand a chance on your own? I thought you were smarter than that.”
“I am smart!” Sam retorted with a glower. “I’ve learned to adapt, to learn new skills instead of settling for my former limitations.”
“Blood magic.” Suddenly, Dean’s anger was gone, replaced by weariness and sorrow. “I didn’t want to believe it.”
“I suppose your dragon friend told you it would make me dangerous.” Sam smiled mockingly. “Well, he was right. I’m stronger and more dangerous now than I ever thought I could be.”
“What happened to you, Sam? Where is my brother who would rather write down everything there was to know about a monster than to kill one?” All the fight had gone out of Dean, and for some reason that made Sam even angrier than when he had been directly confrontational.
“I grew up, Dean.” Sam laughed bitterly. “All the knowledge in this or any other world means nothing if it can’t be utilized.”
He wanted Dean angry again. This felt too much like bullying, and it made him sick to see the brother he’d looked up to most of his life giving in to sentimentality. Only days ago, Sam would never have allowed himself to speak the next words out of his mouth, would have hated himself for even thinking them.
“All my life I was told that I was the weaker brother because I chose to rely on my mind more than my body or my instincts, but now I see that it was you. You’re too emotionally attached, Dean, and it makes you vulnerable.”
Dean didn’t take the bait, but Sam could see the words hurt just as much as a physical blow. “Caring is not a weakness.” The words were spoken softly.
“Your other problem is that you never think for yourself.” Sam changed tactics, determined to draw out the rage he knew pooled beneath Dean’s calm exterior. “How hard did the dragons have to work to convince you to do their dirty work in finding me? Were you that desperate for orders that you would take the first ones given to you?”
“I didn’t do it for them,” Dean argued, finally beginning to lose the controlled facade. “I did it because I was worried about you.”
“How many times do I have to tell you that I’m not a helpless child?”
“Then stop acting like a selfish brat!” Dean spat. “It’s always been about what you wanted, hasn’t it?” Dean took a few moments to study his brother. “Where are you getting the blood, Sam? You’re too smart to use your own, and small game couldn’t possibly give you the level of power you keep talking about.”
“I have a dragon friend of my own.”
“You mean a dragon-snake!” Dean was incredulous. “All that talk about me being a fool for trusting a dragon, and you’ve been drinking from one!”
“She’s different from the others, just like I’m different.”
“Is that what she told you? Were you so eager for someone to agree with you that you would blindly trust the first one to do so?”
Having his earlier words thrown back at him was like a slap to the face. Sam snarled, clenching his fists until the knuckles were stark white.
“I don’t have to justify myself to you! I’m leaving, and you can’t stop me.”
When Dean took another step toward him, Sam drew on his remaining power stores, deliberately using Sartan magic to pull up a barrier of earthen spires between them. Dean looked suitably impressed. Sam would have felt more triumphant, but his head ached and his hands shook--he needed to find Ruby, he needed more blood.
Dean must have noticed the tremors. “The blood magic is dangerous, Sam. It could kill you.”
“I know what I’m doing!” Sam turned his back on his brother and walked away.
He had no idea how far he walked before he calmed down enough to be certain he was headed back toward the tower. He also took a moment to scan for anyone following him, but he saw no sign of pursuers. It wasn’t like to Dean to give up so easily, but Sam hoped he had bought himself a little time before his brother tried to stop him again.
There was a rustling in the underbrush and Ruby stepped into view.
“How did you find me?” he wondered aloud.
“The same way I found you the first time,” Ruby replied with a smirk and a shrug. “I followed you. It took me a while to find where the dragon took you, but eventually I figured out a way to trace the magic.”
If Ruby could track where they had gone, surely the other dragon-snakes could as well. If Sam weren’t still so angry, he might be concerned about those he’d left behind, but if they weren’t smart enough to have moved by now, they deserved to be caught.
“How did things look at the tower before you left?” Sam asked as he started out toward the distant structure. He didn’t wait to see if Ruby would follow, simply assuming that she would.
“You’re going back there so soon?” Ruby asked as she fell in stride beside him. “Won’t they be expecting you?”
“Let them.” Sam’s face was set in a determined expression. “I’ve been wanting to test myself against them.”
“Well, if you’re sure...”
“I’ll need more blood first, as much as I can take, but yes, I am.”
Ruby didn’t look to happy with the plan, but she didn’t say anything. She did, however, stop suddenly and look behind them, a frown on her face.
“What?” Sam asked, looking at the forest behind them, too.
“I thought I heard something.” She scanned the area slowly, and Sam got the impression she was looking with more that just normal eyesight. “I guess I was wrong.”
“Let’s get moving then,” Sam insisted, setting off once more. “I want to reenter the tower after nightfall.”
After they were out of sight, a figure appeared in the shadows, dropping his magic concealment. Castiel stared in the direction the two had gone for a few more moments before leaving in the opposite direction.
***
“As you thought, Sam is going back to the tower,” Castiel reported to Dean and the others. “He plans to enter again after dark.”
“We have to go after him!” Dean insisted.
“It would be the same situation as before,” Marit disagreed. “We would just be walking right into their hands.”
“I can’t just sit back and watch my brother walk into a trap alone!”
“You may not have to,” Castiel interjected. “We still have some time. Using my true form, I can return to by brethren and be back not long after sunset. Sam may have already made his move by then, but with proper reinforcements, we should be able to mount an effective offensive.”
“That sounds like a good plan to me,” Haplo agreed and everyone else except Dean nodded along. “We’ll meet you at the tower and enter together.”
Dean had turned to look in the direction of the tower. Castiel grasped his shoulder to turn him back around.
“Dean, please do not go after your brother alone.”
“You’d better get going if you want to be back in time to make any difference.” Dean refused to make eye contact with the dragon. Castiel gave the man one more concerned look before there was a flash of light and a large dragon appeared where the blue-eyed man once stood. Light glinted off the green scales as the dragon hurried away, rapidly disappearing into the distance.
“Let’s get moving.” Dean moved off in the direction of the tower at a quick march, the rest of the group rushing to follow.
***
Sam walked back into the tower as full darkness fell, Ruby at his side. They had stopped periodically on the journey back to the tower for Sam to drink as much of Ruby’s blood as he could stand. Even though he had done so many times by now, a small part of Same still recoiled at the act of drinking blood, and he could only handle so much before he ran the risk of violently expelling what he had consumed. By the time they reached their destination, Sam was practically vibrating with suppressed power. He was almost disappointed to find only three dragon-snakes guarding the doorway to the stairs.
Ruby drew one of the guards away, leaving Sam to face two opponents. Sam moved backward until he had a wall at his back, preventing the dragon-snakes from trapping him between them.
“You’re a fool, Patryn,” one of the dragon-snakes taunted, red eyes glowing brightly.
“If you’re so certain I can’t defeat you, why haven’t you attacked, yet?” Sam countered. Ruby had told him that the dragon-snakes drew additional power from fear and hate. He couldn’t do much about the hatred he felt for these creatures, but his magically boosted confidence dampened any fear he may have felt before. “What’s the matter? Afraid to face me on your own? You have to wait for you friend to attack, too?”
Sam’s best bet was to get one of his opponents to attack alone. He could rely on surprise to aid him against the first dragon-snake because they couldn’t know precisely what to expect. Then, facing only one foe, Sam could focus enough to concoct strategy on the fly. However, this required him to provoke one of his foes into attacking without the other.
The dragon-snakes snickered. “I do believe he’s trying to bait me,” the one to which Sam had spoken told the other in a mock conspiratorial tone.
Sam gritted his teeth. He had to keep his anger from getting the best of him. He would need all his wits about him if the dragon-snakes rushed him at the same time. He adjusted his stance for the most mobility in reaction, anticipating an attack at any time. Luck appeared to be on his side, though.
“If he’s so eager,” the second dragon-snake replied, “it would be a shame to disappoint him. I don’t mind waiting for a turn. Just don’t kill him right away--suffering is delicious.”
The first dragon-snake sauntered forward. His lips began to move in some kind of incantation that Sam could not allow him to finish. He used the first rune structure that popped into his mind that he could complete with the greatest speed. It was a simple spell to create a gust of wind, and under normal circumstances it would have scarcely done more than flutter the creatures hair, but supercharged as Sam was at the moment, a gale force wind knocked the dragon-snake back and into the wall across the room with enough force to crack the stone and stun him.
Sam turned on the other dragon-snake while he was still blinking in surprise. He had a little more time to work with now, and he used it to craft a longer lasting spell than the previous one. Invisible walls appeared to surround the second dragon-snake and began to shrink inward, forcing the dragon-snake to focus on countering the spell instead of Sam.
He turned back to the first opponent, only to find an empty spot where he had been. When he looked back at the other dragon-snake, the first was assisting him to break free from Sam’s enchantment. They glared at Sam.
“Go ahead, Patryn, come find us on the roof. We’ll all join in the fun.” Then they disappeared. Sam took the opportunity to catch his breath.
A few moments later, Ruby appeared again from the room where she had led the third enemy. She looked a little ruffled, but mostly unharmed.
Sam looked over at the stairway. He itched to rush right up to the top of the tower. He knew logically that this had been too easy, that the roof was exactly where the dragon-snakes wanted him, but the power within him cried out for a confrontation. So, after another drink from Ruby, they climbed higher.
***
Dean slipped through the entrance to the tower and glared suspiciously at the empty hall. It had been all too easy to slip away from the rest of his group as they discussed their plan of action for after the dragon reinforcements arrived. He had expected to find guards waiting, and their absence made him more nervous than a fight would have.
He noted the cracked wall and couldn’t help a small smirk. Sam had at least put up a fight, though there was no way of knowing whether he had been the victor or not. Dean pessimistically suspected not.
He crept toward the stairs, expecting a trap or opponent at any moment. Sure enough, as he was about to place his foot on the first step, he heard a throat cleared behind him. He whirled around to find Azazel.
“I do love your predictability,” Azazel remarked with an unsettling grin. “It makes planning so much simpler. I always knew you would come right to me again. You see, you might have been able to talk some sense into your brother, and I couldn’t have that, not when we’re so close to completing the plan.” Dean was trying to edge his way back to the entrance, but Azazel stepped in front of the doorway and continued his speech. “This time, I can’t have you coming back again, Dean.”
There was sudden blow to the back of Dean’s head and the world went black.
The dragon-snake who had struck Dean scooped up his limp form and looked to Azazel. When he received a nod of acknowledgement he retreated back into the shadows, taking the unconscious Dean with him.
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