A/N: So this is the first chapter to the sequel of Raison D'etre. If you're unfamiliar with that story, that is fine, this chapter will serve, in its own way, as a recap of what's transpired so far.

Your eyes try to adjust to what you're seeing. A pale face. Several lights seem to stand out for you. It's almost blinding. It feels like you haven't used your eyes before. You blink several times in hopes of some type of adjustment, and that helps very little. There's shapes in the darkness. Two, one much closer. They seem to be inspecting you. They can see you regaining consciousness and one of them call out a name in the most gentle voice you have ever heard.

You realize that this is your name. There seems to be a haze in your mind that prevents you from recalling much. What's below you feels solid and cold and rough. Your mind names it concrete. The bright lights you see come to you as stars and the darkness behind them is part of the night. You don't know where this information comes from: Your name, the details of your surroundings.

But it's just there. And yet you don't know much else.. The face before you begins to clear, however. Another piece of information clicks into place. This person. He's the most beautiful being you've ever beheld. You love him, even though you don't know him. His voice as he says your name brings you comfort, fills you with emotions that you cannot even name yet. But you sense for sure that in his hands, nothing can hurt you. You are safe.

He helps you to your feet. You're unstable and you almost stagger. But he catches you, supports you with care as he carries you away. It's on his shoulder that keeps you from keeling over. You're that exhausted. The second person comes in clearer view and you find you don't feel the same attachment as you do to the first person. The shape is taller, shoulders more broad. Their face is still covered by a hood but yet you can tell it's a male. The one who holds you is the only one you care for. His name is clear in your mind. But you don't say it, for fear you might be wrong.

You want him to say it...No doubt he's going to explain everything.

He assures you of that as he takes you to a small building. It's a place where people eat late at night. The second person, the other, leaves you. You don't even pay attention to where he says he's going. It doesn't really make any sense to you anyway and you really don't care. There's several brass counter-tops where a few patrons are sitting. It must be late. They don't look at any of you guys. And you don't care to keep your gaze on them long. The main focus is the man who brought you here as he slides you into a booth and takes a seat in front of you. You don't even care for what he orders. You just want to listen to this man.

If he can be called such. He's so beautiful. And that's a weird trait for a male isn't it? Yet, there's no other word to describe him. His eyes are intense as he looks upon you. He has some information, he says. Things you need to understand.

First things first, you're a demon.

The title is weird for you to understand. Like it's got some grim meaning behind it. Yet it fits your criteria. He explains a demon is a being from Hell that was once human but killed by one of tainted spirit and brought back to life after the murder. With some hesitance, he admits he killed you. Frankly, you're not even mad at him. He must have had his reasons, right? He's quick to explain that it was something that was very necessary. Now he wants you to know why.

About ten years ago. There was an incident that changed the entire world. Demons weren't known for making their presence known or traceable on the mortal plane. But the king of hell decided it was time to take earth as his own. He targeted a heavily populated city and destroyed all it's inhabitants, covering them with a magical barrier to prevent outside intrusion. It was a massacre. Thousands of lives were lost. When everyone thought that the king was simply making a gesture of war, he had not finished. He resurrected the ones he had killed from the abyss and created in turn, countless demons to unleash their power on the innocent.

What was this King's name, you ask?

Your maker smiles at you in understanding, gently nodding as he gives the name. The king's name is Lucifer...Once the most beautiful creature in all of creation.

Only a handful decided to resist Lucifer, and they were killed in the aftermath. Even Michael, the strongest angel in existence was destroyed by Lucifer in the final battle. But there was one being who stood a chance to stop him. A demon that had gone rogue. The king had collected this soul from Earth when the demon was still a human infant. He had raised him, loved him like his own and called him his prince. But the child was not satisfied with taking the throne after Lucifer. Even when Lucifer concocted a series of events leading to his own demise to throw his prince on the verge of mad revenge, the prince did not yield to the darkness in his heart.

The prince knew very well his own realm despite the fact that he did not wish to rule it in the way that his father wanted. Hell is divided into nine circles. Pride. Lust. Gluttony. Greed. Envy. Heresy. Violence. Wrath. Treachery. The ninth circle, Treachery was the deepest, darkest pit of hell known as the abyss. It was said that this circle of hell was a hell even in hell. There was no escape from the ninth circle. And no one yet lived to recount what resided there. So the stories and legends had said. The prince knew that this was the only place he could keep Lucifer without killing him. For despite all his rebellion, the prince still loved his father too much to end his existence himself.

Lucifer had created a cycle. He had a fashioned a vessel on Earth to release his power should the need come. As fate would have it, it was the Prince who helped bring the vessel to release this power. Since the first vessel was created, the cycle would continue. Lucifer would always live.

Through the help of an Archangel by the name of Gabriel. The prince was able to create a portal to the ninth circle. He lured his father there, bested him in a moment of weakness and threw him down to the pit. However, the portal, or as we call it, dimensional door did not close. Dimensional doors do not close or open until payment is received. The prince knew that this door would only expand and consume and that the injury he inflicted upon Lucifer was only temporary.

It required the soul of the caster, the prince, in order to seal completely. Lucifer had forced his imprint upon the Prince through a Linked bond. And though the Prince may have broken it, he knew that with the powers of the king he could allow his soul to be reaped into the ninth circle and use the power to seal the portal closed with something called the Dark Element. This element could only be created or destroyed by the king, and before Lucifer fell, it was the prince who held the throne.

Michael...and the King had died. The two powers for Heaven and Hell were gone. So the world was thrown into chaos. While mankind still thrived as the dominant race on the planet, there were more demons then there ever had been, sired by the deceased Lucifer.

Many deaths followed from there and many more demons were created. But they did not conquer the land as many believed they would. Demons of Imperial-Class took on mortal form and walked among mankind. Without a strong leader to hold the crown, there was no control of them.

Now you ask the main question that's been burning on your mind. This being. This prince. Or rather, the king... Who was he? Truly, he must have been a hero to fight against odds and turn against his father despite everything.

He answers you and his voice is subdued. The prince's name was Dean. Simple. Not very frightening sounding at all.

But now he leans closer to you. You have a feeling this was why he brought you here. Not really to give you a history lesson. A world without order is not a world at all, he says. To bring balance back to the universe, the king must return. Hell was forever ruled by a monarchy. Destroying it destroys the balance. There must always be balance.

He created you for the purpose of journeying into the ninth circle to retrieve the king.

But, you start, uncertain. But isn't there no escape from the ninth circle? Didn't he mention that?

Yes, he confirms. There is no escape. But he may have found a way. He goes on to tell you that he spent the last ten years trying to find a way. Now, there's a chance he might be able to get into the realm and escape. You're to come with him.

Fear fills you and now even the assurance that he's coming with you doesn't help. Why are you coming along if no one's ever escaped?

Because you're a demon, he says. And a demon has power. There is power within you in the form of what we call Will. Will power is determined by the strength of mind inside the individual. What humans would call magic is drawn from Will. Elements can be influenced through those infused through Will. Recently, demons discovered that draining Grace, or what they call the Immortal Flame from angels doubles their magic power and targeted those from the celestial realm to gain power.

And a demon has chance in a realm like hell since you're origin is from there.

You're still skeptical. But you can't argue. His voice seems to broker no arguments. You have trouble resisting his request. Or could it be a request when it feels more like an order?

Finally, you ask the question that you should have asked earlier. Really, it was silly to think you may have gotten it wrong.

You ask him his name and he gives it to you with a wry smile.

"Castiel."