Into Darkness (Supernatural)

Epilogue

Epilogue

Some believe that death is final, that there is no journey through it, or past it. Some believe that death is just another stepping stone in life. You're just transported into another universe.

I certainly don't believe death is final, otherwise I wouldn't be thinking right now. I wouldn't be...breathing.

I don't like the feeling of this place. It's too quiet.

I know this confusion will wear off. I'm a bit disoriented. I know my body isn't hurt, even though I know I'm dead. Flashes of my death come to me, and it's like someone's stabbing me with my own angel blade.

The Winchesters don't know, they'll never know. Lilith is the last seal. Kill her, and Lucifer rises. Is it possible to get back to them?

As I look around in the forest, I don't believe it is.

Noises make me paranoid. The fog is creeping out of my head. Purgatory. I'm in Purgatory, a Hell for angels. This is no ordinary forest, no matter how dismal and dreary it feels. It's a place for other monsters to prey on goldmines like me. Angels are high target prey in this place.

I'm high target prey. Weaponless, out in the open. Vulnerable. If only death allowed me to take a weapon into the next life.

I need to move. I can't stand here like easy game. Instead of running like a desperate animal, I take my time and walk. I can't let my enemies—because I know I have some lurking about in here—see the desperation and fear that's slowly taking over me.

If I want to survive in this hole, I need to step up my game. See what I can and cannot fight.

I'm frustrated with myself. I let my walls down, I let a demon trick me into becoming soft. I don't regret my relationship with Sam Winchester, what little of one that we shared; he's not the reason I'm dead. Ruby is. Ruby ultimately landed me here. She's my destruction.

But do I really regret what I had with her?

I get the wind knocked out of me from behind. I hit the grass, and I twist around, throwing a punch at the monster on me. I strike again and again until I can scramble out from under her. It's not Ruby, although I'm sure if the Winchesters find out what happened, she's going to be dead.

No, what I am facing makes Lucifer looks like a kitten.

I crouch, feeling a flight sense is more appropriate in this case. The Leviathan rears its head back, exposing its grotesque features and rather sharp teeth. Great, just what I need to get involved with.

I don't engage the creature; something chops its head off from behind it before a fight or a chase can occur. Black goo squirts from the decapitation area, and the body drops to the ground, twitching.

My eyes land on a sight I thought I would never see.

"You were taught better than that," says Alona, whose face is dotted with black Leviathan goo. Her clothes are torn, and she looks as though she's been marooned on an island.

"Alona," I murmur.

"Vera." She straightens out, a makeshift weapon in her right hand. "I was really hoping to not find you here." She looks around warily. "We need to keep moving."

"Should I begin to ask how you found me?" I trot to keep beside her.

"Dumb luck." She offers me a waning smile. "How are things...?"

"Not well. Lucifer is a few seals away from being freed. Lilith is one of them."

"You're telling me something I already know, but someone caught on that I knew."

"Ruby." I clear my throat. I stop walking. Oh, that Hellspawn. Any friendly feelings I had towards her are long gone. She put Alona and myself here.

"Yes, the demon that seemed to be up Sam Winchester's ass." Alona throws me a side-glance.

"What?"

"Is there something you want to tell me, Vera?"

"What is there to tell?"

"I don't know, you tell me."

I roll my eyes. "So, we're in Purgatory."

"Don't change the subject. You were involved with the demon, too, weren't you?"

"Define 'involved'."

"As in you had relations with her, along with Sam Winchester." Alona sighs heavily. "Vera, what did you get yourself into?"

"A life that didn't involve following Heaven's word. Despite dying, I don't regret what happened."

"So you don't regret bedding with a demon?"

"How could you possibly know that?"

"That question tells me that you did." Alona scowls. "I expected you'd bed with the hunter, not her. Just how far off the rails did you go?"

"Apparently very far according to that tone you're using right now."

"You lost your way, Vera. You forgot the objective. That demon manipulated you and threw you off course. Without you or me to warn the Winchesters, Lilith will die."

"I bet neither of us wanted to think that she needed to be saved," I scoff. "There is a way out of Purgatory, right?"

"I'm not sure. Right now, I think we should worry about surviving. If we happen upon an exit, then that's good news for us. But for now, I'm afraid, we need to stay here."

I don't like the sound of it, but I get what she means. We have no choice. We don't know if an exit exists in Purgatory. Heaven has a way out, and apparently so does Hell. Purgatory must have one, too. I don't want to believe that it doesn't.

"What made you do it?" Alona says in the quiet.

"Do what?"

"Trust a demon."

"Like you said, she manipulated me." I purse my lips. "I mean, if she...cared about me, she couldn't be all that bad, right?"

"She did not care about you, Vera. She's the reason you're here."

"You didn't see her, Alona. You didn't see the...the conflict in her eyes when we fought last. She was trying to turn me dark. It'd been her lucky day when I lost my Grace thanks to Uriel. She figured without my Grace I couldn't figure out the puzzle sooner. But when you gave it back to me..."

"She killed me."

I wince. "So...I guess you're stuck with me in this hellhole."

"Yes, yes I am. But, I'm glad I'm sharing this hell with you. Once we get you a weapon, we'll be a force to be reckoned with."

Alona makes me feel slightly better. We're in a lull right now. There will be creatures gunning for us, wanting to make us their meal of the day—or week—or whatever they see fit.

But the thing is, we angels are powerful. Skilled. We're a challenge.

If there is such a thing as a door out of Purgatory, when Alona and I find it—if we do—I think it's safe to say we will make a mark in history.

**Initially when I wrote this I kind of assumed angels went to Purgatory. Although, I don't think that's true/confirmed according to the Supernatural!verse. 

But for this story's purpose, Purgatory is the place angels go when they die on Earth.**