1689
On the edge of Glendale, nowhere near any of the sites where Marie Cruz and the other hunters had entered Glendale there was a brief flash of light as a non-physical entity seemed to appear. He was clothed in all black robes, with a hood that covered his face. He wore a belt on which a lone hourglass hung. The levels of sand, however, seemed to be constantly in flux, as though it was counting down the time of multiple beings at the same time. He carried a large scythe and only two black feathered wings were easily visible.
"Much has happened here," the figure spoke, and began to approach Glendale in a fairly roundabout way. Along his route he came where Draco had earlier burned his way through the American Boxing Trees. The hourglass on the figure's hip appeared to have no time left on it as he passed them, "Death has happened here..."
++++++++++
"And who could this be?" Maddex wondered, "some servant of the witches that they missed?"
"No," Marie-Eliza answered, "this was Azrael, coming to investigate the events that resulted from the battle with the witches, which had actually thrown chaos into his realm of responsibility in the Judeo-Christian-Islamic Faith."
Lawrence tried to think for a moment. Anne was much better at this then he was, but he could remember her explaining something about the names of the various angels...
"Azrael, you mean..." Lawrence began.
"The Angel of Death, or Archangel, depending on the specific tradition," Marie nodded, "though no one would know his true species and responsibility."
++++++++++++
"What's going on?"
Marie practically jumped at the question that seemed to come out of nowhere. She wanted to try and console Katherine, but didn't have the heart to break down the door. She turned to see Monica and Rosa standing at the bottom of the stairs.
"What's going on?" Monica asked, "Rosa and Mal'akh heard screaming earlier."
Marie and Linus looked down to see Mal'akh wasn't with them, and neither was Vatican.
"I'd asked you all to stay back," Marie spoke as she began to come down the stairs. Linus remained at the top of the stairs, torn between trying to aide Katherine, who had been with him for much of the battle, or going with Marie.
"Mr. Vatican came past us with Free," Rosa told her, "we were going with him when everything fell silent and Free collapsed onto Vatican's shoulder..."
"Free..." Marie found herself wondering.
"Mr. Vatican says her soul is still in the body, but she won't respond," Rosa answered, "he sent us back to find out what happened. Since it appeared that the witches were beaten we came inside."
Marie nodded, "they have been beaten."
As Marie made it to the bottom of the stairs, she noticed where Mal'akh was. She was cradling an unconscious Leoman cub.
"Please wake up, Aimiliona!" Mal'akh was heard crying, "Please..."
"What was that going on," Rosa asked firmly, drawing Marie's attention, "both Mal'akh and I heard screaming."
"Something I wish I didn't HAVE to do, and something you are too innocent to know about," Marie said slowly and patted Rosa's head absentmindedly, the same way she had petted Mutt when he was alive.
Rosa tolerated it. It was likely just another instance of not understanding her real age.
"I am older then I look," Rosa said plainly.
"I'm sorry," Marie sighed, "I have a lot on my mind."
"Like what?" Monica asked.
"Trying the witches for the crimes they've committed here," Marie sighed, "there is much that we need to get, and little time to get it..."
"They're still ALIVE!?" Mal'akh gasped as she stood up, leaving her sister for the moment.
"I can not just kill them," Marie answered with a sigh, "to do so, would not be justice, and would only justify the witches' point of view."
"After what they've done?" Mal'akh said firmly, "they deserve to die for their crimes! And I don't care if it's "uncivilized" to say so. They've hurt so many. They've hurt my sister! They've hurt me!"
"They probably do deserve that fate," Marie answered, "but it must follow the Rule of Law. If I were to simply execute them, I would be no better then them. The route that must be taken is the harder of the too paths, but all to often the easy path is not the right one. The Savior had the power to take all the world and remake it as he saw fit, but he had the wisdom to know that wouldn't make anything better. He took the hardest path to save the world, by giving his life for our sins..."
There was a brief silence.
"... and I've probably sinned just as gravely and will desperately need his mercy when my time comes," Marie sighed.
"What do you need?" Monica asked, "how can we help?"
"A neutral judge and jury," Marie sighed, "as well as witnesses that can argue for both the prosecution and the defense... and possibly someone to represent the witches at the trial."
"Someone to represent the witches?" Mal'akh gasped.
"If they accept Legal Consul," Marie sighed, "If only to be fair, though to be honest, there isn't much that they have that would convince any neutral judge they are innocent."
"We can help," Monica volunteered, "A lot of the people we moved out of the way before the battle. Rosa, Mal'akh and I can help you look for what you need."
"Or perhaps I could be of some help," came a new voice from outside.
Marie then looked up to see a human male, dressed entirely in black and holding what passed for a medical bag. Unlike some of the people of Glendale that Marie had caught glimpses of as she advanced toward the Witches manor for the battle, this man was a full grown adult. He looked somewhat older then she did. Although something tickled the back of her neck like she had met this man before... or at least seen him before.
"Who are you?" Marie asked.
"I am Dr. Ezra Azrael," the man spoke slowly, "I have made my living traveling throughout the back country where there are few active physicians, though I fear most times, I arrive to late, and can only make the poor souls comfortable and prepare them for the next life."
Marie detected some not of defeat in the man's voice.
"I was on my way through when I noticed the flames and explosions coming from here," Ezra spoke, "So I thought I would investigate. And it seems that there are those here who are in need of medical care."
"That would likely help," Marie sighed, "it is very fortunate that you happened to be in the area."
"Yes," Ezra nodded, "Do you need anything besides a physician?"
"A judge for starters," Marie sighed, "we have a small coven of witches that have committed great crimes against this world... to be fair we are trying them in the most fair and balanced way possible."
"I have no experience in the Law, madam," Ezra told her, but thought to himself, "so it was mortals again... playing in affairs that are NOT theirs to enter... they are the ones that have thrown and altered the times of so many..." Ezra then straightened himself up, "but I will do my best to be fair. Until you are ready, I would like to check the casualties of this battle."
"Go ahead," Marie sighed, "There are a few other things to do to get things ready."
The man then slowly made his way into the house and approached an unconscious Leoman female, that looked like she'd been bayoneted.
"We'll still help find people you'll need for the trial," Rosa volunteered, as she pulled Mal'akh along, "although do you know where Mr. Vatican was taking Free?"
"Our camp in the Praying Town near here, or at least close to it," Marie answered, "why do you ask?"
"We must inform Mr. Vatican that you have won," Rosa answered.
++++++++++++
Present day.
Her children were busy playing Wii and Jensen was busy with paperwork for the moment, but with the surprise arrival of Marie-Eliza now done, and Serenity likely back to her own work, Kaylee made her way into the medical area. She didn't expect anyone to be one hundred percent healed, as it had only been a couple of days since the battle with Kurse, but her sisters were among the casualties. She had to check on them, and converse with them on what would be their excuse for not telling their folks about being in the battle with Kurse.
"How are things going, Fran?" Kaylee asked as she entered.
"As well as can be," Fran spoke up, from where she was checking Bobbi's bandages, "everyone appears to be healing."
Kaylee nodded.
"Is there anything you need?" Fran asked.
"No," Kaylee shook her head, "I'm mostly here to talk with my sisters."
Kaylee then approached the beds that Hope and Grace were on, with Isabelle being next to them, with Zack on the other side of Grace and June next to him.
"So, how are you guys?" Kaylee began her meeting with her sisters.
+++++++++++
As school let out for the afternoon, and a larger number of Leoman cubs left the building, many soon to transform their families, Trevor rushed toward his mother's vehicle with his sister and a couple of her friends calling "Trevor has a girlfriend" after him.
"Don't be so embarrassed," Sabrina said as she got into the car behind her brother, "you saved her. That makes you a hero. And the guy heroes always get the girl... and girl heroes always get the boy... at least, that's how the movies go."
"I don't want a girlfriend!" Trevor answered back.
"Mary will be upset and she might have to run off with that Lupman teen she likes..." Sabrina commented.
"She's just a friend... who happens to be a girl," Trevor answered.
"And what are you two so wound up about?" lioness Marie asked from the front seat.
"The letter Trevor got," Sabrina answered, "apparently he saved some Felman from getting mole-ested."