Chapter Text
It had always been calm around the island of Nova Scotia, at least it had been for the last few centuries. Until lightning struck when a life was taken and another awoke last night. Human souls have the power of 100 suns they say, but this man, his soul was lost a long time ago. And the angels knew what catastrophe this non-existent soul could bring. After all, who else to destroy the world than a lover scorned for thousands of years.
Castiel had been cut off from heaven for quite a while now, between keeping the Winchesters safe and finding his own place on Earth, he has decided his fate because he knows he won't be able to live with himself seeing the damage he's done in heaven. But that doesn't stop the angel radio to blast through his barriers and reach him. The last time the frequency was this strong, was when he had pulled the soul of the righteous man from hell, the strength of it was enough to break through Anna's barriers, and she didn't even have her grace. The same sentence repeating itself in Castiel's head, and he knows he has to do something before the angels decide to wipe out the entire country.
"Silas is awake."
—
"Found anything yet, Sammy?" Dean asks, throwing his bouncy ball against the wall, catching it, and repeating. It's been days since their last hunt and Dean is getting restless with each passing hour.
"Nothing yet, it's been quiet out there. Or our other friends are taking care of it." Sam answers, scrolling through his laptop when something catches his eye. "Here's something, there's an island, 20 miles off the coast of Nova Scotia, people say that they saw multiple lightning strikes hit the cave last night, worth checking out?"
"Really, Sammy? Now we're going after bad weather now?"
"It's not just bad weather Dean, the lightning didn't hit anywhere else, and the weather report said clear skies. Demon activity?"
"Well, we could ask Crowley about it? After all, King of Hell, he's gotta have some idea on what his demons are up to?" Dean says, his interest piqued in the case. He walks towards Sam across the bunker they've made their home.
"That won't be necessary" Dean turned, following the sound of fluttering wings and the deep, gravelly voice. Like always, Cas pays no mind to Dean's personal space. He's standing not more than 10 inches away from Dean, staring into his eyes. "Hello, Dean."
"Cas, too close."
"My apologies." stepping back, returning to Sam. "The place was struck by lightning to serve as a warning." Cas looks at Sam and it takes him a moment of thought and the slight squint of eyes to realize why the younger Winchester is giving him an expectant look. "Hello, Sam. How are you?"
Sam chuckles, but like always, he understands. "I'm good, Cas. What do you mean by a warning?"
"2000 years ago, a man was cursed by a witch for his betrayal, he was meant to desiccate forever, because if he's awaken he will bring down the veil and bring hell on earth just to be reunited with his lover," Cas explains, casually taking a seat across Sam on the map table.
"What's the veil?" Dean asks, finally speaking up.
"It's like a door to a different side of Purgatory. Not every creature can come through it, but those who can, can easily rain down another apocalypse. We need to stop him. The tomb was empty, meaning he's already somewhere getting ready to bring down the veil."
"Perfect." Dean says rubbing his temples, he wanted a case, not apocalypse 3.0. "Do we know what he looks like? Where he'd go?"
"No, but there are some hunters, a special kind, they can find him."
"There is a special type of hunters?" Cas nods to Dean's question, "what makes them so special?" Dean is genuinely curious because stopping the apocalypse is pretty special, but he's never heard of these 'special' hunters.
"They are called the Brotherhood of Five, their sole duty is to stop the rise of Silas. That's his name."
"Well they've done a pretty crappy job then, haven't they?" Cas tilts his head slightly at Dean's response, he doesn't understand why Dean was being extra cranky today. Having known the hunter won't word his feelings, Castiel drops it but doesn't look away from Dean, still trying to figure him out.
"So let's find the Brotherhood then." Sam cuts in, breaking the staring contest between Dean and Cas.
--
Dean bangs his head back against the hard chair in the library, frustrated out of his mind from reading for 2 hours. And the silence from his brother and Cas wasn't helping either. "Find anything?"
"Do you see us walking yet?" Cas replied, clearly annoyed with Dean's inability to stay silent. Although he may not have uttered a word in the past 2 hours, Dean made himself known from the constant tapping and random sounds.
"Gee Cas, sorry I asked." Dean rolled his eyes, getting a hint that they've made no progress.
"I think I found something, but it says something about Travellers. Someone named Qetsiyah and Silas onl-." Sam stops talking abruptly, making the other two snap their heads towards him.
"Well?" Dean asked, wanting to get a reaction from his brother, gulping down his now warm beer.
Sam finally replied, but not before throwing a massive bitch-face towards Dean. "Apparently, the hunters of the brotherhood don't get to know other members. They rarely get to meet others like them. The last one was seen in a small town in Virginia, we're gonna have to ask the locals."
"What exactly do we ask them?" Cas spoke up from the book he was reading.
"I have no idea. I mean, I'm sure there are many people with tattoos on their arms. It's gonna be a long shot."
"Wait, it doesn't jump from bloodline to bloodline?" Dean asked, confused as hell. Sam took a few seconds to look back at the screen then shook his head. "So how the hell do they know if they're the hunters?"
"Apparently, a tattoo appears on their skin and they get the urge and strength to hunt vampires."
"So lemme get this straight, we train all our lives, risk everything we love, lose people on the way. And these people just wake up one day and decide to go hunting?!"
Realization falls onto Sam's face, taking in just how much they've sacrificed to get here, to get the sense of being able to save people, and these hunters are handed the abilities and motivation. How is that fair? But right now, all he can do is nod, because no matter how much he complains, some things just don't change.
"I need another beer." Dean walks away, more affected by this information than he wants to admit. Because he's never had a normal childhood, a normal life, a normal family because of this life, and yet somehow a group of people is chosen for this life with everything handed to them on a silver platter.
Cas looks between the brothers and he could feel the wave of emotions from both of them. And he could see that it wasn't fair, but he also knew Sam and Dean have achieved what no other hunter, human, or angel ever have. They are the real heroes.
"Sam, you understand that it was you two who saved the whole world, twice, right? Not some Brotherhood?"
"Of course, Cas. I just.. I don't know. I can't help but wonder, is it even worth it?" Although Sam doesn't show it, Castiel can see how self-depreciative he is feeling. How can he doubt whether it was worth it?
Castiel hates using his authoritative voice, but this is for Sam and Dean. "Sam Winchester, I want you to listen very carefully. You have saved this world, multiple times, saved people from what they never believed in. You defeated Lucifer, and that says something. Tell me, could you honestly tell me the brotherhood would be able to defeat Lucifer AND stop the apocalypse? You Winchesters have achieved so much. Think of all the people you saved, people who got to live normal lives because of you, ones who are still smiling and laughing. Do you really think it wasn't worth it?"
Sam was left dumbfounded by Castiel. He can't help but feel how loved and admired he is and he knows if the angel who once knew of him as the boy with the demon blood saw something in him, that is saying something.
Cas smiles a little when he sees how the younger Winchester visibly relaxes. "Now, if you don't mind, I need to get this into Dean's head as well." Cas heads to the kitchen where Dean went, though not before hearing the soft thank you from Sam.
--
"Dean?" Although Cas can see the hunter, he has to make sure Dean isn't too drunk or too 'cranky' to function. Luckily for him, the hunter seems quite sober and smiles at him, so it's safe to talk. But it isn't that easy, although Dean is smiling at the angel, he can still sense how dark Dean's thoughts are.
"Are you alright?" Cas steps forward, hoping Dean would just drop the act.
"Of course, I'm always alright."
"Dean," Cas's voice sterner this time as he takes the chair next to Dean and sits down.
"What is it, Cas? I'll be fine. There's nothing we can do about it."
"We could talk." Highly unlikely.
"I'm fine, Cas."
"De-"
"What do you want me to say, Cas?!" There it is, Cas thought. "That it's not fair? It freaking isn't, okay?" Although unintentionally, Dean raises his voice at the one person he does not want to raise it at. And yet still, Cas's voice remained as calm as ever.
"I know, Dean. I know."
"Doesn't matter." Dean easily tries to drop the subject, in a tone that once again, showed his self-deprecation.
"Dean, surely you know your sacrifices did not go in vain. Just because they, in a way, inherited those skills, that does not make them any more heroic or worthy than you and Sam are." When Dean is about to open his mouth to protest, Cas knows it was to say how he was no hero, that he is not someone people should look up to. And so, Cas decides not to let him speak at all. "No, you don't get to say you are not heroic, I know hundreds of people who would say otherwise."
Dean seems to take his words in, Castiel hopes the hunter would believe every word he just heard, even if temporarily.
"Alright," Dean nodded, " We need to start packing if we wanna get there in less than two days. Anything you wanna bring along?"
Castiel was confused at this since Dean knows he doesn't need anything, but decided not to dwell on it and just shook his head.
In just half an hour, the hunters and the angel are sitting in the Impala, heading towards a town they do not know could just as well be a hunting ground for them —Mystic Falls.