#abstract hell

[ink-mind]

2 (0) 2 2

[sweetonmeclarence]

Lucifer looks everywhere for Sam when they land in the Cage. Adam, Michael, Sam...they were all in there somewhere, but one's senses are always thrown off when in hell. Especially when one is in this particular part of hell. He has searched for an immeasurable amount of time before he finally finds him. Sam is surrounded by amorphous black smoke and appears to be stuck to a wall of some sort, slowly but surely being swallowed hole by it. Everything hurts, as far as Lucifer can guess, but it also looks like Sam has practically given up and is allowing the Cage to consume him. Lucifer pulls him out. He cradles him and comforts him physically as best as he can, manifesting in the form of Nick so as not to scare Sam away. They remain this way until Castiel appears and pulls Sam out. Or at least, he tries to. He has to flee quickly and cannot sense when Sam's soul remains anchored to the Cage and strains Sam so much that he simply breaks into two parts. Lucifer tries to chase Castiel down to give the soul back to its body, but it is too late. So Lucifer holds onto the soul in an attempt to shelter it from the Cage. Of course, the Cage's influence seeps through the cracks in between his fingers, no matter how hard he tries to prevent it from reaching the fragile thing he held (if he actually had real fingers—thing is, it's easier to describe experiences in hell through physical metaphors than it is to express exactly what it is like to be there). Sam's soul is the brightest human soul that Lucifer has ever seen. He attributes this to Sam's pure intentions and his selfless nature more than he attributes it to similar traits in his own Grace. (The morning star would have a bright vessel though, wouldn't it?) Sam's soul is the most beautiful thing in Lucifer's world in the Cage. It begins to go dim and fade and flicker, and next thing Lucifer knows, it is fading before his eyes. He does the only thing he can think of doing: he breathes some of his own Grace into the soul to feed it—to keep it alive. It's like adding kindling to a fire, though. It can't keep it burning forever, but it's a good temporary solution. Michael finds them like this. He has grown accustomed to the Cage and although he had initially set out to find Lucifer because he wanted to reconcile with him, he can't help but stop and admire Lucifer's efforts to save one dying human soul. When Michael asks about it, Lucifer simply states, "This one's different. This is my duty. This is my task." Good soldier after all, Michael does not say. Lucifer and the soul are left alone again as the Cage reroutes and changes everything so it is virtually impossible to find anything anymore. Lucifer continues to kindle Sam's soul and protect it to the best of his abilities. It pulls towards him often times as if it recognises the good intentions in his actions and is accepting the embrace extended to it. Lucifer might have smiled at it if he wasn't so terrified that the soul could flicker and die at any second. It is entirely too long of a time period between when Michael visits and when another visitor arrives. "Hello, Death." "Hello, Lucifer." "Who are you here to see?" "I am here to collect Sam Winchester's soul. His brother has made a deal with me, if you can believe that." "You must have been having a good day." "Horrible day, actually." Lucifer hums. Death watches the archangel stare into the little, dull, white energy in his metaphorical hands. When Lucifer looks up, he makes eye contact with Death. There is a pause, then he speaks in a level tone: "Old friend, will he be alright? Sam, I mean. Will he be better out there than he is in here?" "He will not necessarily be alright," Death explains, "but he will not be in the worst part of hell anymore, so I suppose that the answer to that is yes, in a way." "Good." Lucifer offers an outstretched hand to Death. Death holds out a briefcase. Lucifer holds his loose fist over it for a moment. "You be careful with him," Lucifer warns weakly. "Of course, Lucifer. I always am with people such as Sam Winchester." Lucifer nods. He gently places what had become his most valuable charge into the bag. Death closes it and nods to Lucifer. "I will do what I can for the boy." "Please do." Death turns to leave. "Old friend?" Death turns to face the archangel again. "Yes, Lucifer?" "How much do you know of the future?" "Some, but not much. What do you wish to know?" "Is there any chance that I will see him again?" Death hesitates and calculates the number possibilities in his mind. He sees no future, but he always sees pathways, all of which could eventually become the future. There are more paths for the angel and his true vessel than Death had expected there to be. "Yes. There are several possibilities." "...Thank you." "The pleasure is all mine." And with that, he is gone. And with that, Lucifer is back to square one.