Chapter 10: Where Hel goes, Dean follows.
Where Hel goes, Dean follows.
Bobby says a few words...
”This has to be the single worst idea you boys and that angel have ever come up with in a history of bad ideas. You do know that,” Bobby said wearily as he put the finishing touches to the spell's symbols to the wall of the panic room. ”For a start, how is Castiel supposed to be in two places at the same time?”
”I'm not. I will be with Crowley. He and Raphael will have the wrong blood so the spell will not work for them. I will return here and you will reverse the spell,” Castiel said.
”If they’ve got the wrong blood, why do the spell at all?” Bobby said. Three pairs of eyes looked at him as if he were the madman in the room.
“I’m double crossing Crowley,” Castiel stated by way of explanation.
“Point taken. Fine, I don’t like this at all. What about you Dean? Do you have any idea where Hel wants to take you? Or why she wants you in particular for that matter?” Bobby asked, resigned to the fact that this entire matter was out of his control. Bloody Angels, Demons and Pagans - the whole lot should be put up against the wall and shot, he thought to himself.
”I'll be fine Bobby, besides already been to Hell so riding shotgun with Hel is no problem,” Dean said cheekily and grinned.
”You really are a jerk, aren't you,” Sam said with a tight smile before turning to Castiel.
”You think you can hold off on going Nuclear that long?” Sam asked nervously.
”Yes, he can. Because if he doesn't he will have Heaven, Hell, Purgatory and Hel all wanting to rip his scrawny ass. You fuck this up Cas and you are dead to me. Dead. To. Me.” Dean stabbed the angel's chest hard for added emphasis. Then he left the room to check the Impala's weapon cache.
”I can do this Sam. Bobby can do this,” Castiel said, looking at the space where Dean had stood. Neither hunter answered. All they could do now was hope and pray that somebody knew what they were doing and this didn't all go to the dogs.
Castiel left while Dean was outside, Hel wanted to speak. She gave him three short swords with the phrase Strength of God in rune skrift engraved upon them, with instruction that they be given to Sam, Dean and Bobby for use in the coming battle. Castiel would have asked why but found himself back at Bobby's before he could.
Hel and Eve…
Hel approached Ajay. The Reaper had watched with interest the preceding conversation between the Goddess, the Angels, and the Hunters. It did not sound good and for the first time he wished he was truly dead and not a Reaper.
”You can get me into Purgatory?” Hel demanded rather than asked.
”I usually ferry humans or souls. Yes, I believe I can get you access to Purgatory. You will have an hour. After that I cannot maintain the connection,” Ajay said hoping he sounded more confident than he felt.
”I need only to be taken in. I can make my own way out,” Hel said coldly. Ajay took the Goddess to an unassuming alley. Ajay and Hel walked unharmed through the portal into Purgatory.
”One Hour. You're not here, I go. Goddess or not,” Ajay said cheekily. Hel froze him with a look.
”You will return with Dean Winchester at that time. Make sure he has the Amulet and Sword I gave Castiel,” Hel stated. The Reaper didn't argue and left.
In this realm Hel felt no need to hide her true form and where she walked the ground froze and the stench of rotted flesh filled the air. Eve had no reason to hide herself and the two female deities greeted each other in the comfort of their own skin.
”Well met Eve, Mother of All, Mistress of Purgatory,” Hel greeted Eve in the formal language of Purgatory.
”Well met Daughter of Loki,” Eve returned in kind before asking bluntly, ”How can you know the Northern Beast?”
”You really have had too many children. You describe my brother Jormungand, a Great Serpent whose venom will kill Thor just as Thor kills him. At least that is what our prophecies say,” Hel said.
”Some children are better forgotten. Besides, even if it is your brother, what makes you think he'll help defeat the Leviathan?” Eve spoke while she stretched and moved her body, loosening muscles long contracted in human form.
”Because it is the one thing you and the Leviathan fear above all others. And because Loki in a drunken stupor once told me it thrives on that fear,” Hel said and calmly began walking in a northerly direction.
”We do not fear a snake. It just makes me feel uncomfortable,” Eve falsely protested.
”Afraid your son won't recognise you, Mother?” Hel asked sarcastically.
”Of course not,” Eve said, “and you ought to know not to trust Loki.”
“What about an Archangel of this one God?” Hel baited Eve.
“What nonsense do you speak of?” Eve tensed, looking for the hidden hook, “you sound like Loki.”
”I do, don't I,” Hel replied unfazed and they continued to walk through Purgatory in silence. “If I were to tell you that the one we know as Loki was actually a servant of this One God would that make the information more or less believable?”
“These Archangel's, are they low or high servants?” Eve cautiously asked.
“They are the only ones who know the face and voice of this God,” Hel answered with feigned indifference.
“I was reliably informed that they are dead. They fell into hell together,” Eve said but doubt and query clouded her voice.
“Michael and Lucifer, God's General and the Devil fought and fell together that is true. There were five Archangels, Michael, Lucifer, Uriel, Raphael and Gabriel. Four died in their Apocalypse, Uriel by Castiel's sword, Gabriel by Lucifer's sword and Michael when he and Lucifer fell together into the Devil's Cage. Raphael will use your power to open that cage and restart their Apocalypse. Castiel seeks your power to stop this and Crowley would make his Kingdom more powerful than it should be,” Hel explained as they walked.
The soil underfoot shook as the Great Serpent slowly uncoiled itself in expectation of release. Around her creatures loyal to Eve fell into various packs and ranks behind their Mother. She could hear the Leviathan and its allies gathering to their east and western side. The air filled with the howls, screeches and hissing of millions of monster souls and beside her, Eve bared her fangs and the scales of her body rose in anticipation of a bloodbath.
“Who tells you this?” Eve asked stopping at the shoreline of Purgatory's dark sea.
“Death, among other sources, Jormungand's venom is poisonous to all living things. He will kill your enemies, should you choose to accept my help,” Hel said coming to stand alongside Eve at the water's edge.
“And what kills your brother?” Eve asked.
“A sword, forged by dwarves from the metal of an archangel's blade. From Gabriel's blade who for a time was called Loki, The Trickster. It will be wield by The Righteous Man who wears around his neck the blessing of God,” Hel stated. For what seemed hours neither deity spoke. Then Eve laughed bitterly and said, “When next I speak with Creation and Death, remind me, daughter, to scratch their eyes out. Let us begin, I grow tired of being Mistress of Purgatory and not its Queen.”
part 2