Cas was ready to enter Hell. It was his mission. He was an angel of the Lord. He had yet to meet the soul he needed to retrieve, but he knew he must save them, whatever the cost. -- lessons from the pit
Alastair has been aware of the strange prescient at the gates for some time now. He waits, like a spider for prey. What is this thing? The scent and the brightness hint at an angel, but those pompous twats have never come to Hell. They’re too caught up in their own stupidity. ((This just appeared in my activity this morning.)) @lessons-from-the-pit
Castiel let his grace flow out, to ram the gates. He didn’t question his task. It wasn’t his place. The demons inside were impure twisted souls. As he entered a few demons rushed him, but he used one hand to smite them while the other wielded his angel blade. It was short work to say the least. “Save yourselves demons. I’m after a single soul.”
@thedevilsgatekeeper
“I’ve never liked Angels. You have an annoying habit of sticking your grace where it doesn’t belong. Hell, and all the souls it contains, are mine.” He steps forward. @lessons-from-the-pit
Castiel blinked at the demon. “All souls belong to Our Father. He alone decides who to be judged and who should not be.” The angel twirled the angel blade in his hand to readjust his grip. “Hand over Dean Winchester.” @thedevilsgatekeeper
Alastair bursts into ugly laughter, “if all souls ‘belong’ to that vanishing narcissist, then he must be piss poor at making sure they all end up safe. Humans make their choices. I’m the consequence. I will never hand over Dean Winchester. @lessons-from-the-pit
“The Lord has sent me to retrieve him. You will hand him over to me demon.” He’s braced himself for a fight. He knew demons would try to shake his faith, but that was a particular sore spot for angels. @thedevilsgatekeeper
“I will hand him over,” he quirks an eyebrow, “did you fall down and crack your halo? What makes you think I’ll release a soul just because you order me to?” @lessons-from-the-pit
Castiel did not have time for this but something occurred to him. “Why are you so attached to this soul?” He asked, stepping forwards again. Hell was starting to affect him. He could feel the very nature of the place trying to chip and tarnish his grace.. @thedevilsgatekeeper
Alastair rams his razor into the angel’s shoulder, “why are you desperate to take this one?” @lessons-from-the-pit
Castiel cries out in pain, trying to fight off the demon with his angel blade. “I have my orders!” He yells, pushing the demon off him. Corrupted soul residue from the blade makes his wound sting, but he charges, his blade held high. @thedevilsgatekeeper
Alastair dodges him with ease, “you’ll need to wake up earlier to beat me. Orders can be changed.” He grins at the sight of the wound, “better clean that before it gets infected. My razor isn’t the most sanitary thing.” @lessons-from-the-pit
Castiel winces. The injury isn’t that bad, but the effects were making him a little dizzy. He shoots a blast of grace at the demon. “That soul is leaving hell. One way or another.” @thedevilsgatekeeper
“Why should it leave with you? We don’t all get to go topside, junior. I outrank you by a millennia. I’ve never been human, always just a demon.” @lessons-from-the-pit
“I was there when Gomorrah fell. Sodom too.” He goes to punch the demon, his movements slow with his injured shoulder. “That soul is destined to be on earth. It has been written by people older than my boss and yours. He is needed.” @thedevilsgatekeeper
“He can’t be needed that badly if you lot let him come all the way downstairs to visit me.” He catches the angel’s wrist. “But maybe it’s not about him, maybe it’s about when and what makes him convenient. You want him for Michael’s vessel.” @lessons-from-the-pit
Castiel tried to hide his shock. He tried to pull his wrist free, but each twist of muscle pulled on his shoulder. “What he is needed for is no concern of yours demon… it has been agreed by the archangels and the Queen. He is needed.” He wasn’t sure of his words, but spoke them anyway. Damn demons always needed a carrot.. An idea came to him. “What about a deal then demon? I hear your kind like those.” @thedevilsgatekeeper
“You would make a deal? You? Angels aren’t really the type to keep a deal. Why should I trust you? Dean Winchester’s soul will remain in Hell.” @lessons-from-the-pit
The angel knew he would have to offer something pretty spectacular. “We’re pure, logical beings. I have no need to lie. Plus I think you’ll have more….fun with what I’m offering..” He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a second, “Have you ever had an angel on your rack? Now is your only chance.” @thedevilsgatekeeper
Alastair slams the angel onto the rack, “Dean. Come help me.” The human’s soul obeys, wandering over to the angel. Dean’s eyes are half- black and half- green. “Dean, cut up the angel.” @lessons-from-the-pit
Castiels eyes widened, “Free him!! We had a bargain!” His shoulder was in pain. The magic that held him to the rack augmented the situation. On earth, he couldn’t feel pain, but now the sensation made his eyes water. “Dean! You’re free! Go! Leave!” @thedevilsgatekeeper
“Actually, I never agreed to let him go, I agreed to put you on the rack. I get to keep you both. Dean cannot leave. Rip him apart, boy!” Dean starts in on the angel, ripping steadily into his Grace. @lessons-from-the-pit
Castiel could have broken then. He had never felt pain before. As a reflex, his wings manifested, bright white. Yet as Dean began carving into grace, a feather or two started to fall. His body shook with the pain, “Dean…. fight. You’re not destined to become…a demon. Fight this… please.” @thedevilsgatekeeper
“Dean. Ignore it. Cut him yourself or I’ll do it.” @lessons-from-the-pit
Castiels head dropped. Dean was too afraid of Alastair to leave. That could be the only explanation. “Do it..” He whispered. “Someone else will come to save you, and if you don’t, he will hurt you…” @thedevilsgatekeeper
Alastair frowns, and drives his razor into the angel’s neck. “No one will come for either of you.” @lessons-from-the-pit
Castiel could only gurgle with the razor in his throat. He tried to think of home. Of heaven. But the magic of the rack kept his mind in the current moment. The longer a souls stay, the more they believed that hell was all there was. Soon, he would start to forget about earth, forget about heaven, forget about his mission. Eventually he wouldn’t even know his name. There would only be pain and hell. @thedevilsgatekeeper
“Now, let’s see exactly what makes you tick. Time to play.” He takes the angel apart, piece by piece, taking his time with the disassembly. “You really are a fascinating piece of work Castiel. All this grace, it’s like fine china- fragile and easy warped.” @lessons-from-the-pit
Castiel whimpered, thankful that the blade in his throat stopped him from screaming. After what felt like days on the rack, he was happy Alastair used his name. He was Castiel. The other man was Dean. When he had the saliva to spare, he spit on Alastair’s face. He would fight. He was trained to be a warrior of the Lord. @thedevilsgatekeeper
He wipes it off and bludgeons the angel’s face and throat. “You are a blight: a twisted corruption of perfect good. Disgusting.” @lessons-from-the-pit
No. Castiel fought against what he was told. His spirit was helping to push the corruption out of his shoulder, oozing black as his grace pushed it out. The pain was near blinding, but he tried to hold on to getting out of here. He tried to hold on to hope. @thedevilsgatekeeper
“No one is coming for you,” he whispers, “there is no hope, not down here, not in my playroom.” @lessons-from-the-pit
Castiel closed his eyes and prayed. He tried to keep his faith going. He tried to call to his fellow angels. On the few moments he had alone, he tried to signal Dean, to get through to him. @thedevilsgatekeeper
“Angels can’t communicate with Heaven, not down here. I may need to jam that signal.” He turns to fetch something from his cart. “Hmm, how should do this? Direct or indirect? I prefer indirect, it’s more painful and takes longer.” @lessons-from-the-pit
Castiel almost broke. The idea of Alastair rewiring had him concerned. If he were human, he was sure he’d be in a heavy sweat. But he was an angel. Even if hell was corrupting him slowly…. @thedevilsgatekeeper
He works in stages, taking his time with each pinch, each slice. “You know, you’re not such a complicated thing Castiel. Not when we get right down to the grid work.” @lessons-from-the-pit
Castiels blood spurted from his mouth, dribbling down his chin. “Dean, you’re better than this. Think of Sa…” the name died on his lips as Alastair worked. He hoped it was enough. @thedevilsgatekeeper
Dean winces at the name. Alastair frowns at him, “ignore this. It means nothing.” @lessons-from-the-pit
Castiel gritted his teeth to fight the pain. “You sold your soul…. to protect him… remember Dean…” His mouth was close to speaking Enochian. He could feel something within him… @thedevilsgatekeeper
Alastair plunges deeper, ripping directly into Castiel’s grace. “Sam is no longer of interest to you. You. Serve. Me. Understand, Dean?”
He kept looming to Dean, pleading with him silently. As his grace was exposed to Hell, Cas fell limp in the chair. The corruption was ten times worse….. @thedevilsgatekeeper
“Castiel. Who do you serve? Answer me.” Alastair waits, his head cocked to the side, the razor hanging limply by his side. @lessons-from-the-pit
Cas kept his eyes straight ahead. He started to mumble in Enochian, faster and faster. He couldn’t even answer the question that Alastair had asked… @thedevilsgatekeeper
Alastair slaps him hard enough to break his cheekbone. “ANSWER ME FILTH. WHOM. DO. YOU. SERVE.” He grabs the angel’s trembling lips and pins them shut with a large clamp. “You’re trying my patience Castiel.” @lessons-from-the-pit
Between the broken cheek and his lips, pinned shut, Castiel would have had a hard time talking. His eyes glowed blue with the light of his grace, but it was turbulent - with strikes of red lightning every now and then; proof that hell was creeping in. @thedevilsgatekeeper
That red excites him and Alastair presses harder. “Everything breaks. Righteous men fail, angels fall. Everything has an expiration date. It’s just a matter of figuring out when that is.”
Keeping his eyes on Dean, Cas willed himself to keep strong. It was so difficult now. Doubt was creeping in, just on the edge of his thoughts. Why was he the one to have this mission? Why had his brothers abandoned him? @thedevilsgatekeeper
