The archive room fell silent.
The only sounds were the distant alarm and the low hum of the bunker's emergency generators.
Dean stood his ground.
The Colt rested in his right hand.
His iron machete hung loosely in his left.
Across from him, Asterion's blade burned with white celestial fire.
Neither of them moved.
Ben whispered:
"...Is anyone else waiting for somebody to blink?"
Dean answered without taking his eyes off Asterion.
"Not really."
Asterion tilted his head.
A faint smile crossed his face.
"You have courage."
Dean shrugged.
"Runs in the family."
Without warning—
Asterion vanished.
CLANG!
Dean barely managed to raise the machete in time.
The celestial blade struck with incredible force, sending him sliding several feet across the stone floor.
Ben fired instinctively.
BOOM!
The shotgun blast passed straight through Asterion.
Like smoke.
The Watcher didn't even look at him.
Ben blinked.
"...Well... that's new."
Dean pushed himself back to his feet.
His arms trembled from the impact.
"He's not a ghost."
Malach shook his head.
"No."
His voice was grim.
"He's simply faster than your eyes can follow."
The other two Watchers entered the archive.
Unlike Asterion, neither drew a weapon.
Instead, they stood silently by the doorway.
Watching.
Almost as if this were a trial.
Dean noticed.
"They're letting him fight alone."
Malach nodded.
"Among the Watchers..."
He looked at Asterion.
"...honor still matters."
Dean smirked.
"Good."
He spun the Colt once before aiming it.
"Makes things easier."
Asterion didn't flinch.
"Fire."
Dean pulled the trigger.
BANG!
The ritual bullet streaked across the room.
Asterion caught it between two fingers.
The glowing projectile stopped less than an inch from his face.
Silence.
Ben's jaw dropped.
"...That's impossible."
Asterion looked at the bullet.
Then crushed it into silver dust.
The dust drifted slowly to the floor.
Dean stared.
For the first time...
He looked genuinely surprised.
Asterion's expression remained calm.
"The Colt was forged to kill monsters."
He took one slow step forward.
"Not those who guarded Creation."
Dean slowly lowered the empty Colt.
He looked around the archive.
Books.
Maps.
Artifacts.
Thousands of years of knowledge.
Then something caught his eye.
A display case.
Inside rested an old sword.
Simple.
Unadorned.
Its blade was black steel.
Its crossguard bore the crest of the Men of Letters.
Dean frowned.
"...What's that?"
Malach's eyes widened.
"No..."
Dean looked at him.
"You know it?"
Malach nodded.
His voice barely escaped his lips.
"The Covenant Blade."
Ben looked confused.
"Should I know what that is?"
Malach never looked away from the sword.
"It cannot kill..."
A pause.
"...but it can bind."
Dean immediately understood.
He smiled.
A very Winchester smile.
Asterion noticed where Dean was looking.
For the first time...
His calm expression changed.
"Do not touch that sword."
Dean slowly walked toward the display case.
"See..."
He looked over his shoulder.
"...now I really want to."
Asterion exploded forward.
Faster than lightning.
Dean dove through the glass display just as the celestial blade crashed down where he'd been standing.
Glass shattered everywhere.
Dean rolled across the floor, grabbed the black sword—
And the moment his fingers wrapped around the hilt...
The bunker went dark.
Every light died instantly.
The alarms stopped.
Silence.
Then—
The Covenant Blade ignited.
Not with fire.
With deep blue light.
Ancient symbols appeared along the blade.
Symbols no one had seen in thousands of years.
The two silent Watchers immediately dropped to one knee.
Asterion froze.
His silver eyes widened in disbelief.
He whispered only one word.
"...Impossible."
Dean slowly stood.
The blue light reflected in his eyes.
He looked at the ancient blade.
Then at Asterion.
A grin spread across his face.
"Guess this thing likes me."
Asterion lowered his own sword.
Not in defeat.
In respect.
For the first time since entering the bunker...
He bowed his head.
"The Blade has chosen."
Dean frowned.
"Chosen what?"
Asterion looked directly into his eyes.
His next words echoed through the silent bunker.
"The next Keeper of the First Gate."
Dean's smile disappeared.
Ben stared at him.
Then burst out laughing.
"...Dean."
Dean looked at him.
"What?"
Ben shook his head, still laughing.
"Congratulations."
He pointed at the glowing sword.
"...You just got promoted."
Dean sighed deeply.
"...I hate promotions."
For the first time since they met...
Even Asterion smiled.