let fall the sky - SN fic - PG
Oct. 12th, 2008 09:40 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tigriswolfTitle: let fall the sky
Fandom: “Supernatural”
Disclaimer: not my characters; just for fun.
Warnings: spoilers for 4.1; blasphemy? Slight AU.
Pairings: … um, none?
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 960
Point of view: third
heatpain(letmego)furymalice(please)despairdesperation(Sammy)
He was the Keeper of the Pit, Guardian of the Lake of Torment, and he took his job very seriously. He did not fraternize with any of the souls in his care; he merely carried out his duties as laid down by the Dark One at the beginning.
The souls begged, of course, every single one. They whimpered for mercy, for relief, for a drop of water on their tongues. But the purpose of the Pit was clear: punishment. Each soul made its own Hell and he simply enforced them.
For time beyond measure, the Keeper followed the Dark One’s mandate, took no notice of any particular soul beyond the others. But then something new intruded into the Lake of Torment, something pure, something beautiful. This deep in the Pit, only the vilest of souls had ever fallen—only those who had been monstrous in life, true evil beyond reckoning.
But even through the murk, the Keeper could see this new soul was truly innocent.
He found this development most interesting.
The Keeper devoted the greatest part of his time to examining the new soul, letting his other duties slide. The soul only screamed one word: Sam. It never begged for mercy or pity, never asked forgiveness for its sins.
The Keeper thought this newcomer fascinating. It didn’t feel guilty for its life above; peering into its memories, the Keeper saw no cause, nothing worthy of being in the Pit.
The soul made a deal Above, in life. It traded itself for its brother, the Sam it screamed for. But that was no reason to be in the Lake—no, the deal had been done in love, so the soul should have gone AboveAbove, to the Bright One of diamond halls. How did it come to the Pit?
For the first time since his creation at the Dark One’s behest, the Keeper left his duties and went to the throne. The Dark One’s newest incarnation, Lilith of Lies, sat on the Dark Seat, and she smiled at his question.
“Ah, that soul,” she purred, licking her lips. “He is my favorite.” Her gaze sharpened on the Keeper. “He will stay where he is. Understood?”
The Keeper bowed his head and backed away, returned to the Pit. He watched the soul—now named male—writhe and whimper, but only ever say one word: Sam.
And the Keeper of the Pit, Guardian of the Lake of Torment, felt remorse for the very first time in his existence.
He brought a handful of water to the soul, dribbled it in his mouth. “Swallow,” he murmured, the only word he’d ever spoken to anyone but his Liege.
The soul gulped it down, eyes unseeing. The Keeper knew whatever mind the soul once had, the Pit had swept it away.
“You are undeserving,” he said softly, tracing one black claw along the soul’s face. “You should not be here.” He leaned in close, examining the soul’s own personal Hell. Solitude—alone, but for large hooks, pulling him open, laying him bare. Spread over a chasm, no one ever coming for him. Pleading for Sam to save him.
The Keeper brought him water, gently patted his flanks, softly ran a claw through his hair. Never before had the Keeper been so caught by anything—but this soul, so pure and beautiful, was a completely new experience.
Soon, Lilith summoned the Keeper and glowered down at him from her throne. “What are you doing?” she demanded. “We are Hell, the enforcers of horrific punishment. How dare you show kindness to the souls of the Pit?”
The Keeper straightened his spine. He had been created by Sammael’s command, just after the Fall from the Bright One’s realm. He did not fear Lilith, though he must follow her word as unquestioned law.
“I was merely curious, Liege,” the Keeper answered. “I had never seen a soul like his.”
Lilith stared at him before finally cackling. “He is unique, I’ll grant you that. But leave him alone. Let him suffer.”
The Keeper bowed his head and quietly returned to his Lake.
Despite Lilith’s words, the Keeper still visited his favorite of all broken souls. He no longer gave water or touched; instead, now he whispered stories of his long existence, of the souls he had seen.
And then a Presence shone down on the soul who begged for Sam. Light from AboveAbove, from the Bright One’s realm, engulfed him and the soul screamed.
The Keeper shrank back, shielding his eyes from the shearing glow. A deep voice chanted holy words and the Keeper moaned in pain.
After a long, terrible moment, the light and words faded, and the Keeper blinked at one of the Bright One’s soldiers.
“I am here for Dean Winchester,” the soldier said softly, but the words resounded off the Lake.
The Keeper replied, one last glance at the soul, “Take him. This is not his place.”
The soldier smiled. “You will be rewarded,” he said. “You have done well here, but the time has come for you to Rise.” Holding out a hand, wings spread, the soldier offered, “Come with us.” He gripped the soul—Dean, who screamed for Sam—and the Keeper stepped forward, reaching.
But then he stopped. “I was made for this,” he said. “I must stay. But take him—give him back to Sam.”
The soldier asked, “Are you sure?”
The Keeper nodded. “I am Hellborn, Son of the Bright One. I must stay here until all things end.”
The soldier inclined his head. “I wish you well, little brother.”
His light shone again, white-hot, and the Keeper looked away. When he glanced back, both the angel and the soul were gone.
The Keeper sighed in relief and returned to his duties.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-12 03:37 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-13 12:38 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-12 10:38 pm (UTC)I like this, very much reminds me of Lucifer being the "sinister hand of god"-the point being that even some demons have their duties to do, just like the angels. I like the mutual respect between the Keeper and the "soldier" (Castiel! *beams*) and that the offer to Rise was refused out of responsibility, not evil.
Truly, no matter what the terms of the deal were, Dean *doesn't, didn't, wouldn't* belong in hell.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-13 12:39 am (UTC)Thank you!
(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-13 01:32 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-13 12:26 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-13 01:53 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-13 12:26 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-13 02:07 am (UTC)that made me cry
I felt so sorry for dean
And he didn't beg or anything
All he said was "Sam"
So sad...
Great job!
(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-13 12:26 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-13 03:56 am (UTC)Wow. Very powerful. Such a unique and ingenious POV. Bravo.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-13 12:27 pm (UTC)Also, I *ooooh* that icon.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-13 06:45 am (UTC)Now, to get to the point. This was AWESOME. That poor Keeper =( I LOVE that he actually felt for Dean, and that Dea wasn't subjected to absolute misery. He was treated with some form of kindness.
I also have to point out to you that not only in this story but in all of yours, you name the characters so well. Using titles like "The Bright One". You never really mention many characters by the name they're known for, and i think that's just brilliant.
GREAT fic!
(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-13 12:28 pm (UTC)*twirls*
(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-13 08:18 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-13 12:29 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-13 02:39 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-14 01:02 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-13 04:24 pm (UTC)Thank you for sharing :-)
(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-14 01:08 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-13 05:46 pm (UTC)(I wonder if it stayed that "simple" for Dean, though...)
(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-14 01:10 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-13 10:30 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-14 01:10 am (UTC)