Unexpected Destinies Chapter 201
Title: Unexpected Destinies
Rating: R
Spoilers: up to and including Exile on Main St., AU from the end of season 5
Warnings: AU, slash
Word Count: 3,524
Summary: Team Angel makes the final, hasty, preparations they can before heading off to war.
PRESENT
The moment that he'd fully settled into his true vessel, Michael knew that he wouldn't need more than a few minutes to fully recover from the transfer, which was good as they had precious little time as it was.
"Are you okay, Little One?" Michael inquired, not immediately sensing anything amiss but needing to be fully sure if they were about to go into the battle that would determine humanity's future.
"Yeah," Dean replied. "Well, as okay as I can be considering the circumstances anyway."
Michael could understand that sentiment entirely and while he would like to be able to tell his bond brother that everything would be okay, he couldn't lie to Dean like that no matter how normal of a custom that seemed to be among humans. The warmth he got from his vessel told him that he'd made the right decision.
Now sure that his little one was okay, Michael opened his eyes only to find three pairs of stunned eyes looking back at him. Oh, that was right, he'd never been in Dean, much less taken his true vessel in front of them before.
"Holy shit!" Bobby exclaimed.
"Yeah," Gwen echoed faintly, much to Michael's confusion.
Surely it wasn't that shocking.
"The two of them have never seen an angel change vessel before," Dean explained. "Nor has Gwen witnessed someone she knows as an angel or a vessel become the other."
"I see," Michael replied before speaking aloud. "Sorry if I startled you, but it was imperative that I join with Dean as quickly as possible as the taking of a new vessel can be quite taxing."
"How do you feel, Brother?" Raphael asked.
"I am surprisingly well. I only need a few more minutes to be fully recovered."
"It gets faster every time," Castiel commented and Michael could feel his little brother reaching for Dean across their mating bond.
"Uh, is Dean alright?" Sam questioned and Michael could feel the complex mix of emotions that welled up in his vessel at the mere sound of his brother's voice.
"Yes, Dean is fine and fully conscious," Michael replied.
"This is going to take some getting used to," Gwen commented, shaking her head a little. "Especially that."
Michael followed her pointed finger and found that Raziel had placed Deirdre Winchester's body in one of the soft, high-backed chairs. He could understand that it made her uncomfortable, but they had more important things to deal with now.
"Michael, Brother, I know that you can hear me," Lucifer's voice suddenly echoed through his head once more. "Are you such a coward that you won't come to face me? Go get your little pet if you must, but otherwise I'll just keep killing your precious humans and I know that he won't like that."
If the situation weren't so dire, Michael would have laughed at the way that Dean's whole soul rippled in indignation and affront at being called a pet. Castiel was right, his little one could be extremely adorable at times.
"He's trying to bait you into going to him without me," Dean said.
"Yes. He knows from his time with Sam how powerful that you will make me and while arrogant, he would prefer that I don't have the advantage this time."
"Well tough for him. He's about to discover that I'm the Winchester brother that he really should have paid more attention too."
"I'm sure that he's already regretted not killing you far sooner."
"Good."
Despite all of his vessel's bravado, Michael could easily detect how well aware of the situation that Dean was so he didn't fear that his little one was taking things too lightly.
"So do we have a plan or do we just go in Winchester style?" Raziel asked glibly and it was only from Dean's reassurance that Michael could be certain that his brother was utilizing a human defense mechanism as well.
"I've already alerted the garrisons," Castiel responded. "They will be ready shortly."
"Some of our original plans still apply," Gwen pointed out. "We'll just need to adjust them slightly."
"Michael, are you too afraid to face me now, Brother?" Lucifer taunted.
"I suggest that we-" Bobby began only to be cut off by the ringing of a phone.
"Oh, that's mine," Dean said. "It's in the left front pocket."
Michael reached for the cell phone and pulled it out. A quick glance at the screen told him that it was Crowley calling.
"Just say exactly what I say," Dean instructed.
"I hope you're ready, cupcake, because I think it's show time," Crowley stated as soon as Michael opened the phone.
"Yeah, I know," Michael replied, mimicking exactly the pitch and tone of his vessel's voice. "Are you ready?"
"Like I told you-"
"No, time's up, like you said. It's show time so it's in your best interest to incite a rebellion now as this battle will decide if you become Lucy's personal plaything or not, Crowley."
With that Michael did as Dean instructed and hung up the phone, feeling strangely exhilarated to do so. A glance up, though, showed that his little one's family were far too stunned at his perfect imitation of Dean's voice to share in his emotions.
"You're too afraid to face me after what happened in the cage, aren't you, Michael?" Lucifer laughed. "I told you that Father doesn't care for us. All he cares about are his precious little humans. The rest of us are nothing but expendable pawns to him."
"You know that's not true, Mike," Dean declared vehemently as Michael shuddered at the words. "Don't you listen to him. He's just trying to wear you down."
Michael would have loved to just leave it at that and allow his vessel to think that was really what had bothered him about Lucifer's taunt, but it would be a lie and they couldn't have that between them now of all times. Besides, if he couldn't confide in Dean, his bond brother and one true vessel, then who could he confide in?
"That is not it, Little One, it is his reference to our time together in the cage that bothers me," Michael admitted. "It... was not a good time for me."
A wave of sympathy and understanding washed over Michael and he simply basked in it, not needing any words for them to understand each other exactly.
"Come, join me, Brother, and together we can remake this world to what it once was before the plague of humanity was unleashed upon it and us," Lucifer tempted.
"You know, he sounds exactly like some cheesy movie bad guy," Dean commented.
"Michael?" Castiel questioned, touching his shoulder.
"Sorry," Michael replied, looking up and realizing that he'd lost track of time. "Lucifer is attempting to get me to join him."
Sam laughed. "He really doesn't know you very well, does he? Which is weird as he really feels that he does, despite the fact that you continued to reject him."
"His delusions are such that he can't even see how far that he's fallen," Raphael explained. "Reality and truth have become completely warped for him."
"But, if not, then I'll just do it myself," Lucifer continued. "Did you know that they send their children in groups abroad to visit places like this?"
"Mike!" Dean cried out, horror flashing through them both.
"We need to leave now," Michael stated, interrupting the ongoing planning. "Castiel, alert the garrisons and bring the humans. Raphael, Raziel, with me."
With that, Michael took to flight, knowing that Castiel would be able to take care of all the garrison deployments. Gwen was right in that they'd be able to use a lot of their original plans if they adjusted them slightly. Much as he was still tempted to look into and organize the various garrisons' orders, that was no longer his job. Castiel was in charge of Heaven now and was doing an excellent job of it. No, his and Dean's task in this battle couldn't be clearer. They had to take care of Lucifer and ensure that his brother couldn't harm anyone ever again. While the self-proclaimed devil would still possess the power of a minor angel, Lucifer would be easily restrained at that point. If they managed to achieve that, then they were to turn their attention to Simiel if she was still alive at that point.
Raziel and Raphael's job were to remain near him and Dean and to defend them against all other attacks. The thought of his brothers risking their lives for him grated on Michael as he knew that it did on his vessel as well, but if they couldn't be free to deal with Lucifer, then everyone would be in danger for far longer.
Arriving at Sabratha, Michael set them down a ways outside of the main ruins, knowing that Lucifer would be able to sense his presence, which should serve as enough of a distraction to ensure the children's safety.
"Fuck," Dean muttered as they took in their surroundings and Michael was tempted to agree.
To the left was a chaotic flood of panicked tourists and site workers, all of whom were desperately attempting to flee the area. Their panic and terror were leaving them wide open for demonic possession, though, as evidenced by the large number of them that suddenly froze and turned around or vanished only to reappear in the middle of the veritable bloodbath to their right.
"Raphael, alert Castiel, make sure he's got a garrison to cover the evacuation, we need to make it as hard as possible for Lucifer to get more demons into the area," Michael ordered.
"Michael, over there," Raziel said, pointing.
On the far right, past the carnage of a terror stricken evacuation and the results of thousands upon thousands of demons unleashed in the same area to attack and pillage at will, was Simiel. She was deep in the ruins and, as promised, had what appeared to be a busful of children with her, some of which were already dead.
"I'm going to kill her and Lucifer," Dean swore, rage flashing through him.
"No, we're not," Michael replied, forcing the anger down as neither of them could use it just now. "We're going to do something that they will find infinitely worse; namely reduce them to the lowest of all angels."
"Doesn't feel like enough."
"Trust me, Little One, for them it will be."
Apparently that had been the right thing to say as Michael could feel his vessel calming from the furious unthinking rage that had gripped Dean upon seeing the dead children. Slowly reason took hold instead and Michael turned to assess the situation even as he felt the arrival of the first garrison. A cry of rage and hate rose among the demons as they were forced to abandon their easy prey for a foe.
"Wait," Dean said as Michael finished his sweep of the area. "Where's Lucifer?"
"He's not here," Michael replied, angrily. "I should have guessed that he would do this."
"I'm disappointed, Michael," Lucifer sent. "Too afraid to face me alone?"
Dean growled. "As if he can speak of cowardice!"
"Send away your demons and Simiel, and I shall send away our brothers and sisters," Michael replied evenly, knowing it was futile but needing to at least make the offer.
"Think about what you're doing, Brother, wasting the lives of our brethren for this human filth!"
"Do not try to put their pain and deaths upon me, Lucifer. It is you who started this conflict and it is you who can end it."
"Not as long as there is a human alive and drawing breath."
"It won't work," Dean said softly. "He's spent far too long doing nothing but nursing his hatred and self-righteousness."
"I had to try," Michael replied and he knew that his vessel understood that need only all too well. "Are you ready?"
"As I'll ever be."
Unfortunately that was probably the best that any of them could say so Michael looked first at Raphael and then at Raziel, both of whom nodded to him which was all of the communication that was needed. They had been here before, the three of them, along with others who hadn't made it out of that particular battle alive, and here they stood again, ready to face the same foe. Only this time, with the Righteous Man's soul burning unbelievably bright and strong within his Grace, Michael felt that things would be different. Dean definitely had a good track record when it came to this kind of confrontation.
"Dude, don't put it all on me or anything," Dean complained.
It wasn't quite as self-deprecating as what he'd used to feel from his little one, so at first Michael was glad of that. Therefore it took a little longer than it otherwise would have for him to realize that he hadn't voiced his initial thought, which meant that Dean had acquired the knowledge of it through other means. His vessel seemed to realize the same thing.
"Crap, oh well, leave it for later," Dean instructed.
"But-" Michael began, strangely drawn to the mystery and unknown, unexplainable aspect of it.
"Priorities, Mike. Like dead ahead."
His vessel was right, Michael acknowledged, looking at his sister who was staring back at him across the battlefield, ignoring the carnage going on all around them. It didn't mean that he had to like it, though, and he just knew that it was a sign of something important, the way that they seemed to keep merging more and more. He could only hope that it wasn't a negative portent as they could ill afford another one.
/
The more that Lucifer thought about the lack of his true vessel for this confrontation, the angrier that he got. Though a far closer relation to Sam than his first vessel had been, this one was still an ill fit, constricting his true power and chafing in various unpleasant ways. All of which was made that much worse for the fact that he'd now had his true vessel and therefore knew the difference. Thinking of all the ways that he would make Sam suffer once he got him back soothed him a little but it wasn't nearly enough for the inconvenience of wearing such an ill-fitting vessel. Nor of having had to put up with its pathetic soul for the brief period of time that he'd kept it with him before he'd just burned it out of existence.
The anger was good for at least one thing though and that was for increasing the potency of his potion. Lucifer couldn't help but smile as he looked down at the thick, blood red solution. Simiel had been preparing it for him for months, slowly gathering or raising each ingredient necessary. It had been a painstakingly slow process though it did have its highlights, like harvesting the blood of the antichrist's descendants. That had pleased him greatly as it had been yet another use to him of his demons. The presence of the demonic would also make it so much more painful for Michael and, therefore, Dean.
The latter in particular pleased Lucifer as he felt that the human couldn't suffer enough for all that he had done. It was part of why he'd hoped that Michael wouldn't take his true vessel to face him, because then he'd have been able to take his time with Dean afterwards and make the human watch as he claimed Sam as his vessel once more and destroyed humanity. The added bonus there was that he could have tortured Sam with Dean's pain as well, which would have been perfect. But he had a backup plan for precisely this scenario and that was to go back in time to watch each and every moment of the Righteous Man's time in Hell.
Although Lucifer despised his demons in general, there were a few that had been either particularly useful or amusing and Alastair had been one of those. It would not be as satisfying as breaking Father's Righteous Man himself, but it would do, especially knowing that in breaking as he had, that Dean Winchester had been instrumental in setting him free. As for Sam, well, given how his true vessel had reacted to seeing his brother beaten, he could only imagine how much fury and hurt that Sam would feel at seeing his big brother taken repeatedly against his will by a demon. And, knowing Alastair, taken in true demonic form and in various ways that the human mind couldn't even conceive of.
With that pleasant thought, Lucifer turned his focus back to the potion bubbling gently before him.
"They have joined the battle, Brother," Simiel sent.
"Then it is time," Lucifer replied.
Quickly he sprinkled the tears of a child shed in agony into the potion. Although it pleased him to know how much this spell would hurt the Righteous Man, the fact that it would do the same to his older brother was another thing altogether. No matter how much Michael opposed him or how much his brother hurt and betrayed him, he would never be pleased with a sibling's pain. He had started this for them after all; to keep them from needing to debase themselves before Father's pathetic little mud monkeys. His brothers and sisters deserved better than that and it pained him greatly to have to fight them like this.
But he would, he really would. Just because they couldn't see it now didn't mean that they wouldn't once he'd cleansed the Earth and returned it to its former glory. Then they would see.
With a thought, Lucifer removed his vessel's shirt before dipping his fingers into the potion. "For power, strength, victory and the lack thereof for those who stand against me."
The final command spoken, Lucifer began to paint his vessel and wings with the glyphs and sigils needed to perform the spell that Simiel had designed especially for him. She'd been diligently working on it for millennia, working out permutations during her time imprisoned. Her cage had been located away from his and closer to the surface of Hell so the brothers and sisters who had chosen to follow him had been able to reach her even if they'd been unable to free her.
That unjust imprisonment had merely fueled his little sister's rage and Lucifer wooed anyone who dared cross her now. How Father and Michael had ever thought that imprisoning her would ever do anything other than harden her resolve he didn't know, but think so they had. Or at least someone had based on the occasional Heavenly visits she'd gotten, inquiring if she'd realized the error of her ways yet and was willing to repent.
No one who truly knew her could ever think that locking her up and throwing away the key would ever entice her to betray her allegiances in order to follow them.
The only drawback to Simiel's spell was that it could only be performed once per preparation. The power boosting requirements were simply far too massive for him to be able to perform it a second time. Lucifer didn't think that he'd need it more than once, though. Not only was Michael his only true opponent, but once his big brother had fallen (and the Righteous Man with him), then he doubted many would dare stand before him.
Well, other than Castiel of course. Lucifer sneered at the mere thought of the bond that the former little seraph had made with his most hated human, but he had learned his lesson with Raziel. If his fellow archangel, normally so level headed and rational, couldn't control himself upon losing a bond mate that had sought her own death, then he surely couldn't expect so emotional a creature as Castiel to do so either. Even before the Apocalypse, his brother had been a bit odd, always so fascinated by humanity and their frailty.
Yet even knowing that, Lucifer would never have seen this abomination of a bonding coming. It was so utterly unthinkable and he remembered well how shocked and revolted he'd been at hearing that first time that some of his brothers had not only lain with humans, but reproduced with them as well. It hadn't even seemed like a possibility to him before that moment. But Castiel had taken it even further just like the odd brother or sister of his had over the millennia and bonded with one. After that it was of little surprise to him that his brother's behavior had become so erratic and atrocious, what with a human soul polluting Castiel's very Grace.
The backs of his wings were harder to reach, but Lucifer was determined. This was Michael after all and he knew intimately how powerful his brother was. Michael was the only one who came close to being able to keep up with him and if he was honest, he might actually come to miss having that challenge. It only served to deepen his anger, the reminder of exactly what his brother was making him do.
A.N.: As promised, here is the next chapter, I hope you like it! For anyone curious as to my posting schedule moving forwards, I think I've learned my lesson in trying to predict it. The chapters will come as and when they're ready. I'm just really happy to be back!
And for those of you who missed it, please see here for my explanation on my absence as well as my spoiler request at the moment, please. In other news, though I only just came back, I did so with a bang quite literally. Namely a big bang named And Trickster Makes Three, which is the third fic in the Trinity Trilogy for those of who who'd read one or both of the first 2 fics.
Chapter 202
Rating: R
Spoilers: up to and including Exile on Main St., AU from the end of season 5
Warnings: AU, slash
Word Count: 3,524
Summary: Team Angel makes the final, hasty, preparations they can before heading off to war.
PRESENT
The moment that he'd fully settled into his true vessel, Michael knew that he wouldn't need more than a few minutes to fully recover from the transfer, which was good as they had precious little time as it was.
"Are you okay, Little One?" Michael inquired, not immediately sensing anything amiss but needing to be fully sure if they were about to go into the battle that would determine humanity's future.
"Yeah," Dean replied. "Well, as okay as I can be considering the circumstances anyway."
Michael could understand that sentiment entirely and while he would like to be able to tell his bond brother that everything would be okay, he couldn't lie to Dean like that no matter how normal of a custom that seemed to be among humans. The warmth he got from his vessel told him that he'd made the right decision.
Now sure that his little one was okay, Michael opened his eyes only to find three pairs of stunned eyes looking back at him. Oh, that was right, he'd never been in Dean, much less taken his true vessel in front of them before.
"Holy shit!" Bobby exclaimed.
"Yeah," Gwen echoed faintly, much to Michael's confusion.
Surely it wasn't that shocking.
"The two of them have never seen an angel change vessel before," Dean explained. "Nor has Gwen witnessed someone she knows as an angel or a vessel become the other."
"I see," Michael replied before speaking aloud. "Sorry if I startled you, but it was imperative that I join with Dean as quickly as possible as the taking of a new vessel can be quite taxing."
"How do you feel, Brother?" Raphael asked.
"I am surprisingly well. I only need a few more minutes to be fully recovered."
"It gets faster every time," Castiel commented and Michael could feel his little brother reaching for Dean across their mating bond.
"Uh, is Dean alright?" Sam questioned and Michael could feel the complex mix of emotions that welled up in his vessel at the mere sound of his brother's voice.
"Yes, Dean is fine and fully conscious," Michael replied.
"This is going to take some getting used to," Gwen commented, shaking her head a little. "Especially that."
Michael followed her pointed finger and found that Raziel had placed Deirdre Winchester's body in one of the soft, high-backed chairs. He could understand that it made her uncomfortable, but they had more important things to deal with now.
"Michael, Brother, I know that you can hear me," Lucifer's voice suddenly echoed through his head once more. "Are you such a coward that you won't come to face me? Go get your little pet if you must, but otherwise I'll just keep killing your precious humans and I know that he won't like that."
If the situation weren't so dire, Michael would have laughed at the way that Dean's whole soul rippled in indignation and affront at being called a pet. Castiel was right, his little one could be extremely adorable at times.
"He's trying to bait you into going to him without me," Dean said.
"Yes. He knows from his time with Sam how powerful that you will make me and while arrogant, he would prefer that I don't have the advantage this time."
"Well tough for him. He's about to discover that I'm the Winchester brother that he really should have paid more attention too."
"I'm sure that he's already regretted not killing you far sooner."
"Good."
Despite all of his vessel's bravado, Michael could easily detect how well aware of the situation that Dean was so he didn't fear that his little one was taking things too lightly.
"So do we have a plan or do we just go in Winchester style?" Raziel asked glibly and it was only from Dean's reassurance that Michael could be certain that his brother was utilizing a human defense mechanism as well.
"I've already alerted the garrisons," Castiel responded. "They will be ready shortly."
"Some of our original plans still apply," Gwen pointed out. "We'll just need to adjust them slightly."
"Michael, are you too afraid to face me now, Brother?" Lucifer taunted.
"I suggest that we-" Bobby began only to be cut off by the ringing of a phone.
"Oh, that's mine," Dean said. "It's in the left front pocket."
Michael reached for the cell phone and pulled it out. A quick glance at the screen told him that it was Crowley calling.
"Just say exactly what I say," Dean instructed.
"I hope you're ready, cupcake, because I think it's show time," Crowley stated as soon as Michael opened the phone.
"Yeah, I know," Michael replied, mimicking exactly the pitch and tone of his vessel's voice. "Are you ready?"
"Like I told you-"
"No, time's up, like you said. It's show time so it's in your best interest to incite a rebellion now as this battle will decide if you become Lucy's personal plaything or not, Crowley."
With that Michael did as Dean instructed and hung up the phone, feeling strangely exhilarated to do so. A glance up, though, showed that his little one's family were far too stunned at his perfect imitation of Dean's voice to share in his emotions.
"You're too afraid to face me after what happened in the cage, aren't you, Michael?" Lucifer laughed. "I told you that Father doesn't care for us. All he cares about are his precious little humans. The rest of us are nothing but expendable pawns to him."
"You know that's not true, Mike," Dean declared vehemently as Michael shuddered at the words. "Don't you listen to him. He's just trying to wear you down."
Michael would have loved to just leave it at that and allow his vessel to think that was really what had bothered him about Lucifer's taunt, but it would be a lie and they couldn't have that between them now of all times. Besides, if he couldn't confide in Dean, his bond brother and one true vessel, then who could he confide in?
"That is not it, Little One, it is his reference to our time together in the cage that bothers me," Michael admitted. "It... was not a good time for me."
A wave of sympathy and understanding washed over Michael and he simply basked in it, not needing any words for them to understand each other exactly.
"Come, join me, Brother, and together we can remake this world to what it once was before the plague of humanity was unleashed upon it and us," Lucifer tempted.
"You know, he sounds exactly like some cheesy movie bad guy," Dean commented.
"Michael?" Castiel questioned, touching his shoulder.
"Sorry," Michael replied, looking up and realizing that he'd lost track of time. "Lucifer is attempting to get me to join him."
Sam laughed. "He really doesn't know you very well, does he? Which is weird as he really feels that he does, despite the fact that you continued to reject him."
"His delusions are such that he can't even see how far that he's fallen," Raphael explained. "Reality and truth have become completely warped for him."
"But, if not, then I'll just do it myself," Lucifer continued. "Did you know that they send their children in groups abroad to visit places like this?"
"Mike!" Dean cried out, horror flashing through them both.
"We need to leave now," Michael stated, interrupting the ongoing planning. "Castiel, alert the garrisons and bring the humans. Raphael, Raziel, with me."
With that, Michael took to flight, knowing that Castiel would be able to take care of all the garrison deployments. Gwen was right in that they'd be able to use a lot of their original plans if they adjusted them slightly. Much as he was still tempted to look into and organize the various garrisons' orders, that was no longer his job. Castiel was in charge of Heaven now and was doing an excellent job of it. No, his and Dean's task in this battle couldn't be clearer. They had to take care of Lucifer and ensure that his brother couldn't harm anyone ever again. While the self-proclaimed devil would still possess the power of a minor angel, Lucifer would be easily restrained at that point. If they managed to achieve that, then they were to turn their attention to Simiel if she was still alive at that point.
Raziel and Raphael's job were to remain near him and Dean and to defend them against all other attacks. The thought of his brothers risking their lives for him grated on Michael as he knew that it did on his vessel as well, but if they couldn't be free to deal with Lucifer, then everyone would be in danger for far longer.
Arriving at Sabratha, Michael set them down a ways outside of the main ruins, knowing that Lucifer would be able to sense his presence, which should serve as enough of a distraction to ensure the children's safety.
"Fuck," Dean muttered as they took in their surroundings and Michael was tempted to agree.
To the left was a chaotic flood of panicked tourists and site workers, all of whom were desperately attempting to flee the area. Their panic and terror were leaving them wide open for demonic possession, though, as evidenced by the large number of them that suddenly froze and turned around or vanished only to reappear in the middle of the veritable bloodbath to their right.
"Raphael, alert Castiel, make sure he's got a garrison to cover the evacuation, we need to make it as hard as possible for Lucifer to get more demons into the area," Michael ordered.
"Michael, over there," Raziel said, pointing.
On the far right, past the carnage of a terror stricken evacuation and the results of thousands upon thousands of demons unleashed in the same area to attack and pillage at will, was Simiel. She was deep in the ruins and, as promised, had what appeared to be a busful of children with her, some of which were already dead.
"I'm going to kill her and Lucifer," Dean swore, rage flashing through him.
"No, we're not," Michael replied, forcing the anger down as neither of them could use it just now. "We're going to do something that they will find infinitely worse; namely reduce them to the lowest of all angels."
"Doesn't feel like enough."
"Trust me, Little One, for them it will be."
Apparently that had been the right thing to say as Michael could feel his vessel calming from the furious unthinking rage that had gripped Dean upon seeing the dead children. Slowly reason took hold instead and Michael turned to assess the situation even as he felt the arrival of the first garrison. A cry of rage and hate rose among the demons as they were forced to abandon their easy prey for a foe.
"Wait," Dean said as Michael finished his sweep of the area. "Where's Lucifer?"
"He's not here," Michael replied, angrily. "I should have guessed that he would do this."
"I'm disappointed, Michael," Lucifer sent. "Too afraid to face me alone?"
Dean growled. "As if he can speak of cowardice!"
"Send away your demons and Simiel, and I shall send away our brothers and sisters," Michael replied evenly, knowing it was futile but needing to at least make the offer.
"Think about what you're doing, Brother, wasting the lives of our brethren for this human filth!"
"Do not try to put their pain and deaths upon me, Lucifer. It is you who started this conflict and it is you who can end it."
"Not as long as there is a human alive and drawing breath."
"It won't work," Dean said softly. "He's spent far too long doing nothing but nursing his hatred and self-righteousness."
"I had to try," Michael replied and he knew that his vessel understood that need only all too well. "Are you ready?"
"As I'll ever be."
Unfortunately that was probably the best that any of them could say so Michael looked first at Raphael and then at Raziel, both of whom nodded to him which was all of the communication that was needed. They had been here before, the three of them, along with others who hadn't made it out of that particular battle alive, and here they stood again, ready to face the same foe. Only this time, with the Righteous Man's soul burning unbelievably bright and strong within his Grace, Michael felt that things would be different. Dean definitely had a good track record when it came to this kind of confrontation.
"Dude, don't put it all on me or anything," Dean complained.
It wasn't quite as self-deprecating as what he'd used to feel from his little one, so at first Michael was glad of that. Therefore it took a little longer than it otherwise would have for him to realize that he hadn't voiced his initial thought, which meant that Dean had acquired the knowledge of it through other means. His vessel seemed to realize the same thing.
"Crap, oh well, leave it for later," Dean instructed.
"But-" Michael began, strangely drawn to the mystery and unknown, unexplainable aspect of it.
"Priorities, Mike. Like dead ahead."
His vessel was right, Michael acknowledged, looking at his sister who was staring back at him across the battlefield, ignoring the carnage going on all around them. It didn't mean that he had to like it, though, and he just knew that it was a sign of something important, the way that they seemed to keep merging more and more. He could only hope that it wasn't a negative portent as they could ill afford another one.
/
The more that Lucifer thought about the lack of his true vessel for this confrontation, the angrier that he got. Though a far closer relation to Sam than his first vessel had been, this one was still an ill fit, constricting his true power and chafing in various unpleasant ways. All of which was made that much worse for the fact that he'd now had his true vessel and therefore knew the difference. Thinking of all the ways that he would make Sam suffer once he got him back soothed him a little but it wasn't nearly enough for the inconvenience of wearing such an ill-fitting vessel. Nor of having had to put up with its pathetic soul for the brief period of time that he'd kept it with him before he'd just burned it out of existence.
The anger was good for at least one thing though and that was for increasing the potency of his potion. Lucifer couldn't help but smile as he looked down at the thick, blood red solution. Simiel had been preparing it for him for months, slowly gathering or raising each ingredient necessary. It had been a painstakingly slow process though it did have its highlights, like harvesting the blood of the antichrist's descendants. That had pleased him greatly as it had been yet another use to him of his demons. The presence of the demonic would also make it so much more painful for Michael and, therefore, Dean.
The latter in particular pleased Lucifer as he felt that the human couldn't suffer enough for all that he had done. It was part of why he'd hoped that Michael wouldn't take his true vessel to face him, because then he'd have been able to take his time with Dean afterwards and make the human watch as he claimed Sam as his vessel once more and destroyed humanity. The added bonus there was that he could have tortured Sam with Dean's pain as well, which would have been perfect. But he had a backup plan for precisely this scenario and that was to go back in time to watch each and every moment of the Righteous Man's time in Hell.
Although Lucifer despised his demons in general, there were a few that had been either particularly useful or amusing and Alastair had been one of those. It would not be as satisfying as breaking Father's Righteous Man himself, but it would do, especially knowing that in breaking as he had, that Dean Winchester had been instrumental in setting him free. As for Sam, well, given how his true vessel had reacted to seeing his brother beaten, he could only imagine how much fury and hurt that Sam would feel at seeing his big brother taken repeatedly against his will by a demon. And, knowing Alastair, taken in true demonic form and in various ways that the human mind couldn't even conceive of.
With that pleasant thought, Lucifer turned his focus back to the potion bubbling gently before him.
"They have joined the battle, Brother," Simiel sent.
"Then it is time," Lucifer replied.
Quickly he sprinkled the tears of a child shed in agony into the potion. Although it pleased him to know how much this spell would hurt the Righteous Man, the fact that it would do the same to his older brother was another thing altogether. No matter how much Michael opposed him or how much his brother hurt and betrayed him, he would never be pleased with a sibling's pain. He had started this for them after all; to keep them from needing to debase themselves before Father's pathetic little mud monkeys. His brothers and sisters deserved better than that and it pained him greatly to have to fight them like this.
But he would, he really would. Just because they couldn't see it now didn't mean that they wouldn't once he'd cleansed the Earth and returned it to its former glory. Then they would see.
With a thought, Lucifer removed his vessel's shirt before dipping his fingers into the potion. "For power, strength, victory and the lack thereof for those who stand against me."
The final command spoken, Lucifer began to paint his vessel and wings with the glyphs and sigils needed to perform the spell that Simiel had designed especially for him. She'd been diligently working on it for millennia, working out permutations during her time imprisoned. Her cage had been located away from his and closer to the surface of Hell so the brothers and sisters who had chosen to follow him had been able to reach her even if they'd been unable to free her.
That unjust imprisonment had merely fueled his little sister's rage and Lucifer wooed anyone who dared cross her now. How Father and Michael had ever thought that imprisoning her would ever do anything other than harden her resolve he didn't know, but think so they had. Or at least someone had based on the occasional Heavenly visits she'd gotten, inquiring if she'd realized the error of her ways yet and was willing to repent.
No one who truly knew her could ever think that locking her up and throwing away the key would ever entice her to betray her allegiances in order to follow them.
The only drawback to Simiel's spell was that it could only be performed once per preparation. The power boosting requirements were simply far too massive for him to be able to perform it a second time. Lucifer didn't think that he'd need it more than once, though. Not only was Michael his only true opponent, but once his big brother had fallen (and the Righteous Man with him), then he doubted many would dare stand before him.
Well, other than Castiel of course. Lucifer sneered at the mere thought of the bond that the former little seraph had made with his most hated human, but he had learned his lesson with Raziel. If his fellow archangel, normally so level headed and rational, couldn't control himself upon losing a bond mate that had sought her own death, then he surely couldn't expect so emotional a creature as Castiel to do so either. Even before the Apocalypse, his brother had been a bit odd, always so fascinated by humanity and their frailty.
Yet even knowing that, Lucifer would never have seen this abomination of a bonding coming. It was so utterly unthinkable and he remembered well how shocked and revolted he'd been at hearing that first time that some of his brothers had not only lain with humans, but reproduced with them as well. It hadn't even seemed like a possibility to him before that moment. But Castiel had taken it even further just like the odd brother or sister of his had over the millennia and bonded with one. After that it was of little surprise to him that his brother's behavior had become so erratic and atrocious, what with a human soul polluting Castiel's very Grace.
The backs of his wings were harder to reach, but Lucifer was determined. This was Michael after all and he knew intimately how powerful his brother was. Michael was the only one who came close to being able to keep up with him and if he was honest, he might actually come to miss having that challenge. It only served to deepen his anger, the reminder of exactly what his brother was making him do.
A.N.: As promised, here is the next chapter, I hope you like it! For anyone curious as to my posting schedule moving forwards, I think I've learned my lesson in trying to predict it. The chapters will come as and when they're ready. I'm just really happy to be back!
And for those of you who missed it, please see here for my explanation on my absence as well as my spoiler request at the moment, please. In other news, though I only just came back, I did so with a bang quite literally. Namely a big bang named And Trickster Makes Three, which is the third fic in the Trinity Trilogy for those of who who'd read one or both of the first 2 fics.
Chapter 202