Sam stared down at Orion, claws twitching. He was angry. He wanted to hurt something. To take the anger he'd held for so long, the indignation, and shove it through someone like a blade. He was angry. He was tired. He was tired of being angry. He backed up a few steps, the heat dying down. Slowly, the molten metal began to return to the depths of the earth, but Sam's eyes didn't leave Orion. The heat died down until only the area a few feet from Sam's body was browning, drying instead of burning. Three impossibly large broadswords appeared around him, their golden points aimed at Orion. "Tell the thing inside you to leave. I don't want to hurt you."
Orion curled into a ball. "IT WAS GONE AS SOON AS MY EYES WERE BLUE SAMMY STOP IT STOP IT PLEASE YOUR HURTING ME STOP!" The burn on his back blackens and chars the skin, a permanent mark. A permanent reminder. Orion is seeing those who held him captive. "I'LL BE GOOD JUST STOP IT IT HURTS!"
A voice like a waterfall.
Like wind whispering through trees.
Like a thunderstorm.
Like a hurricane.
Panicked. Afraid.
The voice of the Forest.
STOP IT YOU ARE KILLING HIM GUARDIAN! HE HAS NOT WRONGED YOU! HE IS A GUARDIAN LIKE YOU! A GUARDIAN OF LIFE! STOP IT!
(Yo Shin, would it be safe to say that a life guardian has not been seen in centuries?)
(Probably? Guardians in my story kinda power dimensions, and since the goddess of life has kinda monopolized that type of power it would make life guardians rare) Sam backed up, the swords turning this way and that, seemingly pointing at nothing and everything. Sam could see something. Could feel it. And he didn't want to. He kept backing up, away from Orion, trying to stay away from the trees. "What are you?!" he hissed, panic in his voice. "ANSWER ME!" he roared at nothing. Something that looked like spirits began to materialize in a ring around him, their red eyes standing out against the transparent, grotesque outlines of their bodies
The paw mark, no, the brand finished burning itself into his back. Skin black and charred, crackling when he finally uncurls. Ears pinned back, he looks at Sam and Cas fearfully. Taking in the damage to the forest, he winces. Standing, even fearful as he is, he starts to sing. (Jet Pack Blues, Fall Out Boy) As he sings the woods replenish, as he sings he slits his wrist to let more blood fall to the ground. Life for Life.
(I turned on that song and omg it's pretty good)
Sam starts to panic. There's something wrong, it doesn't make any sense. There can't be a guardian here, he must be seeing something. His vision starts to swim, and the strange outlines seem to solidify for a moment before crumbling back into the ground. Sam falls to the ground, the swords melting away into thin air. His eyes land on Orion, and the anger turns to self-loathing. To sadness. He suddenly feels like he can't go on, and there's a flicker as another outline appears in front of him. This one looks like a little girl in an elaborate dress, floating a foot or so above the ground. "Lillith?" he asks tiredly. The outline puts one hand on his muzzle, smoothing the bristling fur. The heat has died now, and the lion's form seems to shrink. Sam doesn't have the energy to create a new vessel to hide his form in. He's tired. He's worthless. He wants to go home. The forest finally goes cold, and the flickering girl turns slowly to Orion. She gives him a small smile before vanishing, leaving nothing behind. Cas, who had been curled in the corner out of fear, slowly slithers to Orion, stopping a foot or so away from him. "Are you alright?" he croaks, throat dry and voice raspy from exposure to so much heat
(whoops that took forever to type, I can't eat and angst at the same time lol)
(but angst and food are the best combination-)
(yeah but I type slow af when doing something else lol)
Lucy was still sitting on the ground, a shocked ad slightly terrified expression on her face. She continued to cling to Lata in a protective manner as she watched from a short distance away.
Gingerly, Cas looped his body around Orion, humming something in a strange language. The runes on his chest begin to spark and splutter, trying to work some kind of spell. Half of Cas's body is almost entirely burnt, one of his wooden horns crumbling to ash as he moved. One of his wings was tattered and missing almost all its feathers. The runes finally glow solidly, and Cas wraps himself around Orion. Sam looks up a little, tired eyes drooping. He can hear the spell Cas is working, knows it won't end well. "Cassiel?" he asks, watching as the god spawned from the energy of a missing guardian crumbles to heal another. Cas looks up, half his mask falling away to reveal empty eyes and a sad smile. The more Cas crumbles, the more Orion heals. The mark on Orion's back is almost gone, and so is Cas.
"Watch over them for me?"
Those were the angel who fell in love with humanity's last words.
Lata only saw red around her. Solid red. She had no idea what was going on. Looking around, she could only see the color red. The ground was red, the sky was red, everything, that same color. In a quick flash it was all gone however, being replaced with the familiar home of Orion. The door was hanging wide open however. Walking inside, she saw him. Orion, bleeding out on the ground, curled in on himself. She ran quickly toward him when some sort of barrier surrounded him. She couldn't break through it, but banged on it nonetheless. As soon as the scene appeared, it left, revealing a new one. Lucy was before her, up against the wall, attempting to soothe her. Her limbs weren't under her control, as one of them held a large knife. Her mind screamed at Lucy to run, but her lips wouldn't move. She could only watch as her arm thrust the knife into Lucy's chest. This time, the scene didn't change. She turned around and noticed Sam standing behind her, expression angry. She was used to the usual grumpiness that he possessed, but never something like this. He was the perfect image of rage.
"How could you?" he said to her. She suddenly had control again and was a sobbing mess on the floor.
Why were her nightmares so vivid all the time…?
(and cue the excessive angst because I have to wait for paint to dry in art lol)
(SORRY I WAS TRYING TO MAKE IT ANGSTIER AND I MADE MYSELF SAD FROM ANGST WHOOPS)
As Cas was a being of healing, Orion was one of Life. A single rune carved into his chest. Cas was going to die.
But the Guardian Orion Refused.
And the Guardian Orion Healed.
With the residual energy from the misshapen beast now buried, Orion pushes everything he has into Cas. He will not lose him. He will not lose any of them today.
And the Angel Cassiel was Restored.
And They Lived.
(guys I feel so sad with this angst, help lol)
(AND A FREAKIN SAD SONG STARTS PLAYING, GOSH DARN IT)
Sam felt like he was choking. Choking on his own breath. How could he? How could he let something like this happen? Why was it, that wherever he went, he brought nothing but destruction? The lion seemed to choke out some sort of sob. How could he? How could he let the last thing, the only thing left of Balthazar die? He wanted to crumble like Cas, wanted to melt into the planet's core and never see the multiverse again. He didn't deserve to see it. Didn't want to see it. What had he done?
He did nothing. He did everything.
But he could sense that something was happening, that Orion was doing something. He could sense Cassiel's signature again, could feel his aura. It thrummed. It resonated. It didn't make sense. Nothing made sense.
When Cas was healed, Orion walked to Sam. "You aren't worthless, Sam. None of us are. I don't fear you. I promise. I am sorry I didn't tell you. I healed Cas for you. I don't want anyone to die. Come home with me. Please?" Orion is always so damn kind.
(he is always so kind though hhhhh
also he makes a damn good breakfast)
Lata shifts in her sleep, crying. Despite needing to rest, this type of sleep is far from restful.
(brb gotta clean up a tonnnnn of paint lol)
(lol) Sam is tired. Sam wants to go home. He doesn't know where home is anymore. Where is home? Molhaven doesn't want him. His own people don't want him. "I…I want to go home," he murmurs, the echo slipping from his voice. "Why are you so nice to me? I don't deserve it. I almost killed you."
