FIC: Broken Hallelujah (6/11)
Chapter 6
Castiel: "She is far from innocent."
"Anna? Anna!"
She heard her name being called, but no matter how hard she tried, she could not seem to open her eyes.
"Anna? Oh, merciful God, is she living?"
Whoever was hovering over her must think she was dead, she realized. She tried to show some sign that she could hear them, but she felt too numb to move. Or was she in too much pain? She found it hard to tell the difference.
"Come back, Anna."
The voice sounded soft and yet commanding. She instinctively wanted to obey.
One eye began to open.
"Anna... thank God! Can you speak?"
She was somewhat disappointed that the face she saw before her was not Castiel's. "Raguel?"
He smiled. "Good."
Anna took the hand he offered and allowed him to help her to stand. She knew now what the pain and numbness had been - her energy was still pulsating and fluctuating erratically from her ordeal, as though trying to come together again after such a powerful outburst.
She focused for a few moments on gathering herself back into one cohesive piece, and by the time she felt like herself again, Raguel had moved away from her to crouch down in a far corner of the room. She approached him hesitantly, knowing what must have attracted his attention but somehow fearing to see it for herself.
Raguel glanced at her over his shoulder. "This is your child, Anna," he said, moving a little to the side so that she could see.
It was merely a small bundle of bluish-white energy quivering in fear and bewilderment - with no form, no wings, and not even a face to gaze upon - but to Anna, it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Light shimmered around it like waves, reminding her of moonlight reflecting on the waters of Earth, a sight she and Castiel had loved to behold together on their visits to the island. It was an effect that somehow made it clear to her that this being belonged to them and them alone.
She moved to touch it, but she stopped when Raguel began drawing a net of some kind out of his robe. "What are you doing?" she asked. "What is that?"
"We have to restrain it," he said. "I treated this net with a binding chant for the purpose."
Anna was about to protest, but with one swift move, he looped the net around the child and pulled it tight, trapping its energy inside.
The child let out a shrill scream and struggled to free itself as Raguel stood and tucked it inside his robe. It was clear that he was preparing to leave.
"Where are you taking him?" Anna cried. She gripped his arm and tried to wrestle the child away. "Please, Raguel, let me have him!"
"I am truly sorry, Anna," Raguel said. "I must take him now, or he can never be hidden as we planned."
He tried to break away from her, but Anna held on with every bit of strength she had. "That was not what we planned. I wish to take him far away where no one will find us. Please, Raguel!"
Raguel sighed and pushed her away with hardly any effort. Anna fell to the ground, her energy crackling and fading. "Do not fight me, Anna," he said, his tone firm but sad. "This child is dangerous. You must have sensed it yourself. Left to develop and grow, he could bring all of Heaven to ashes. There is only one place where he will be safe, and I must take him there immediately."
Anna tried to rise to her feet as he moved toward the door, but she soon sank back in defeat and exhaustion. "Where are you taking him? Please just tell me where!"
Raguel turned as he opened the door. "I must merge him with a human host."
Anna stared at him in shock, her mind whirling with so many questions that they drained her of the strength to ask them. She barely even noticed when Raguel left the room and sealed the door behind him. Her gaze never broke from the place where he had stood, though her eyes saw nothing.
She had heard of this practice, but had never believed it to be true. Merging an angel with a human meant that the two entities became one - there would never be any separating of the two. The human soul would forever be led by the angel within, while the angel would be restricted by the limitations of a mortal body. It was a ritual that could only be performed by those extremely high on the chain of command, and those of lower rank were not made privy to the hows and whys. She had heard rumours of great human leaders being born in this way, but they had always seemed like myths and fairy tales. She could not believe that it was really happening.
And then she began to wonder why. Why would Raguel risk everything to save her child in this way? Perhaps he had been lying. Had he told her this to keep her happy while he went and disposed of the child in some other way?
Was he planning on keeping her locked up in here forever?
She remembered the promises he had made when he had first brought her here - he would keep them safe, discuss their options, help them to hide until the child was fully grown. All of that meant nothing now. He had taken her child and left her here alone. She would never see either of them again. She would never see Castiel again.
The fear, anger, and isolation finally got the better of her, and she flew at the door with a raging passion she had never felt before. "Raguel!" she screamed. "Let me out of here! Do you hear me? Let me out of here now!"
She pounded and tore at the door in a mad frenzy, its draining power lost on her as her energy fed on her anger and multiplied. She had waited patiently for months for her baby to be born and for them both to be set free. Now that it was over and Raguel had broken his word, she was holding nothing back.
"I will kill you, do you understand? I WILL KILL YOU!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Castiel paced restlessly, his movements causing violent gusts of wind on the Earth below. He barely even noticed, despite it being his duty to watch and observe.
Something was wrong with Anna. He could feel it just as he had felt her calling to him in the night.
It was almost evening, and Raguel still had not returned. What could be keeping him? Had they been discovered? He knew that Anna was alive, but he could not determine her condition. She could have been captured or injured or be in the throes of an unnatural childbirth that was slowly killing her.
Why had Raguel not returned?
He tried summoning him through internal communication, but there was no reply. This heightened his fear to the point of action. He knew what he had to do.
Uriel was stationed a short distance away, and Castiel hurried over to his post. He found him sitting on a mountain peak looking bored at the lack of activity below.
"I need your help, Uriel," Castiel said quickly. "I must leave my station for a short time. Will you cover for me?"
Uriel looked confused, but he nodded. "Of course. Where are you going?"
"Urgent business," Castiel replied, already itching to take flight. "I will return as soon as I can."
"Urgent business where?" Uriel called after him as Castiel took to the sky.
He felt guilty about leaving his friend with barely a word, but he knew there was not a moment to be wasted. He was at Heaven's gates within minutes.
But he was too late.
Two of the Heavenly guards were lying on the ground just outside the gates, obviously injured. They were being tended by two others, and at least a dozen more were standing a short distance away, listening in rapt attention as Ezekiel barked their orders.
It was obvious that there had been a battle of some kind here, and Castiel heard the words "rogue angel" at least once in Ezekiel's speech. He could tell what had happened without needing an explanation - Anna had escaped.
He felt cold with fear at the thought. This was unforgivable - disobedience at its worst. To break through Heaven's gates and harm any of your fellow angels who got in your way... he could hardly believe that Anna had done such a profane thing.
There would be no hiding now. No hope of a merciful sentence. She would have to die.
In his shock and disbelief, he did not even notice that one of the guards was approaching him until he spoke. "Are you here to join the search?" he asked.
Castiel shook his head, more to regain his senses than to answer the question. He was attempting to form a reply when he felt someone behind him clamp a hand down on his shoulder.
"I need to speak with you, Castiel," said a familiar voice.
He offered no resistance as he was silently led into Heaven, the gates slamming shut behind him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 7
Castiel: "She is far from innocent."
"Anna? Anna!"
She heard her name being called, but no matter how hard she tried, she could not seem to open her eyes.
"Anna? Oh, merciful God, is she living?"
Whoever was hovering over her must think she was dead, she realized. She tried to show some sign that she could hear them, but she felt too numb to move. Or was she in too much pain? She found it hard to tell the difference.
"Come back, Anna."
The voice sounded soft and yet commanding. She instinctively wanted to obey.
One eye began to open.
"Anna... thank God! Can you speak?"
She was somewhat disappointed that the face she saw before her was not Castiel's. "Raguel?"
He smiled. "Good."
Anna took the hand he offered and allowed him to help her to stand. She knew now what the pain and numbness had been - her energy was still pulsating and fluctuating erratically from her ordeal, as though trying to come together again after such a powerful outburst.
She focused for a few moments on gathering herself back into one cohesive piece, and by the time she felt like herself again, Raguel had moved away from her to crouch down in a far corner of the room. She approached him hesitantly, knowing what must have attracted his attention but somehow fearing to see it for herself.
Raguel glanced at her over his shoulder. "This is your child, Anna," he said, moving a little to the side so that she could see.
It was merely a small bundle of bluish-white energy quivering in fear and bewilderment - with no form, no wings, and not even a face to gaze upon - but to Anna, it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Light shimmered around it like waves, reminding her of moonlight reflecting on the waters of Earth, a sight she and Castiel had loved to behold together on their visits to the island. It was an effect that somehow made it clear to her that this being belonged to them and them alone.
She moved to touch it, but she stopped when Raguel began drawing a net of some kind out of his robe. "What are you doing?" she asked. "What is that?"
"We have to restrain it," he said. "I treated this net with a binding chant for the purpose."
Anna was about to protest, but with one swift move, he looped the net around the child and pulled it tight, trapping its energy inside.
The child let out a shrill scream and struggled to free itself as Raguel stood and tucked it inside his robe. It was clear that he was preparing to leave.
"Where are you taking him?" Anna cried. She gripped his arm and tried to wrestle the child away. "Please, Raguel, let me have him!"
"I am truly sorry, Anna," Raguel said. "I must take him now, or he can never be hidden as we planned."
He tried to break away from her, but Anna held on with every bit of strength she had. "That was not what we planned. I wish to take him far away where no one will find us. Please, Raguel!"
Raguel sighed and pushed her away with hardly any effort. Anna fell to the ground, her energy crackling and fading. "Do not fight me, Anna," he said, his tone firm but sad. "This child is dangerous. You must have sensed it yourself. Left to develop and grow, he could bring all of Heaven to ashes. There is only one place where he will be safe, and I must take him there immediately."
Anna tried to rise to her feet as he moved toward the door, but she soon sank back in defeat and exhaustion. "Where are you taking him? Please just tell me where!"
Raguel turned as he opened the door. "I must merge him with a human host."
Anna stared at him in shock, her mind whirling with so many questions that they drained her of the strength to ask them. She barely even noticed when Raguel left the room and sealed the door behind him. Her gaze never broke from the place where he had stood, though her eyes saw nothing.
She had heard of this practice, but had never believed it to be true. Merging an angel with a human meant that the two entities became one - there would never be any separating of the two. The human soul would forever be led by the angel within, while the angel would be restricted by the limitations of a mortal body. It was a ritual that could only be performed by those extremely high on the chain of command, and those of lower rank were not made privy to the hows and whys. She had heard rumours of great human leaders being born in this way, but they had always seemed like myths and fairy tales. She could not believe that it was really happening.
And then she began to wonder why. Why would Raguel risk everything to save her child in this way? Perhaps he had been lying. Had he told her this to keep her happy while he went and disposed of the child in some other way?
Was he planning on keeping her locked up in here forever?
She remembered the promises he had made when he had first brought her here - he would keep them safe, discuss their options, help them to hide until the child was fully grown. All of that meant nothing now. He had taken her child and left her here alone. She would never see either of them again. She would never see Castiel again.
The fear, anger, and isolation finally got the better of her, and she flew at the door with a raging passion she had never felt before. "Raguel!" she screamed. "Let me out of here! Do you hear me? Let me out of here now!"
She pounded and tore at the door in a mad frenzy, its draining power lost on her as her energy fed on her anger and multiplied. She had waited patiently for months for her baby to be born and for them both to be set free. Now that it was over and Raguel had broken his word, she was holding nothing back.
"I will kill you, do you understand? I WILL KILL YOU!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Castiel paced restlessly, his movements causing violent gusts of wind on the Earth below. He barely even noticed, despite it being his duty to watch and observe.
Something was wrong with Anna. He could feel it just as he had felt her calling to him in the night.
It was almost evening, and Raguel still had not returned. What could be keeping him? Had they been discovered? He knew that Anna was alive, but he could not determine her condition. She could have been captured or injured or be in the throes of an unnatural childbirth that was slowly killing her.
Why had Raguel not returned?
He tried summoning him through internal communication, but there was no reply. This heightened his fear to the point of action. He knew what he had to do.
Uriel was stationed a short distance away, and Castiel hurried over to his post. He found him sitting on a mountain peak looking bored at the lack of activity below.
"I need your help, Uriel," Castiel said quickly. "I must leave my station for a short time. Will you cover for me?"
Uriel looked confused, but he nodded. "Of course. Where are you going?"
"Urgent business," Castiel replied, already itching to take flight. "I will return as soon as I can."
"Urgent business where?" Uriel called after him as Castiel took to the sky.
He felt guilty about leaving his friend with barely a word, but he knew there was not a moment to be wasted. He was at Heaven's gates within minutes.
But he was too late.
Two of the Heavenly guards were lying on the ground just outside the gates, obviously injured. They were being tended by two others, and at least a dozen more were standing a short distance away, listening in rapt attention as Ezekiel barked their orders.
It was obvious that there had been a battle of some kind here, and Castiel heard the words "rogue angel" at least once in Ezekiel's speech. He could tell what had happened without needing an explanation - Anna had escaped.
He felt cold with fear at the thought. This was unforgivable - disobedience at its worst. To break through Heaven's gates and harm any of your fellow angels who got in your way... he could hardly believe that Anna had done such a profane thing.
There would be no hiding now. No hope of a merciful sentence. She would have to die.
In his shock and disbelief, he did not even notice that one of the guards was approaching him until he spoke. "Are you here to join the search?" he asked.
Castiel shook his head, more to regain his senses than to answer the question. He was attempting to form a reply when he felt someone behind him clamp a hand down on his shoulder.
"I need to speak with you, Castiel," said a familiar voice.
He offered no resistance as he was silently led into Heaven, the gates slamming shut behind him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 7