'I'm afraid Abraham was captured'. Ichabod informed, as he and Abbie entered the Masonic cell.
Anastasia sighed.
She already knew, she had sensed he was no longer in this dimension. It certainly wasn't ideal but luckily he was not permanently trapped.
'What was taken out of the box?' she asked exasperated, crossing her arms across her chest.
'Fear' Abbie answered.
'Okay. We catch Fear, put it back into the box and swap it for Azrael'.
'And how exactly do we catch fear?'
'You've heard of Dutch courage, right? We need a bottle of Jenever'.
'I'll go to Mabi's Tavern, I'm sure they stock it' Jenny offered.
'Meet us back at my place' Abbie called out as Jenny exited the cell.
Walking through Abbie's front door, the first thing Anastasia noticed were cacti…everywhere.
They were scattered all throughout the house.
'What's with all the cacti?' Anastasia asked, admiring a pink Moon Cactus.
'I'm afraid that is my doing', Ichabod answered 'you see, it turns out that keeping houseplants alive is not my forte. So upon my mission to replace them, the employee down at the farmers market recommended that I should consider keeping cacti. I, of course, laughed and mused that one could not simply pluck a plant specifically designed to withstand and survive one of the most hostile landscapes of our nation and expect it to flourish in the dreary climate of Sleepy Hollow', he held out his arms wide with a proud smile adorning his face. 'And yet here we are. Two weeks and they are still alive and well. What an age we live in'.
'They're very beautiful, Ichabod' Anastasia smiled.
He bowed slightly at the praise as if she had just complimented one of his children, making her chuckle softly.
'So, how does the Jenever work?' Abbie asked, setting her keys onto the kitchen table whilst taking a seat.
'First you'll have to drink some. It won't dissipate your fear but it will allow your courage to rise above it. Now, fear will be in the guise of some kind of demon, you'll have to get it to stay still long enough to summon it into the bottle by chanting an spell. I hope your Dutch is up to scratch'. Anastasia looked towards Ichabod.
'I'm sure it will be adequate' Ichabod answered.
'Get it to stay still. How do we do that?' Abbie asked.
Anastasia shook her head. 'I have no idea'.
'You don't know?'
'I may be an Archangel but even I don't know the answers to all of life's questions. Perhaps as witnesses this is something you must figure out for yourselves'.
Just at that moment Jenny bursts through the door, holding the bottle of alcohol triumphantly.
Abbie had been kind enough to allow Anastasia to borrow her laptop as both the witnesses had gone out on a call, something about two dead bodies in the national park. She had given them the bottle and had written down the Dutch spell for Ichabod to read just in case they happen to run into fear.
Skippy had sent her several emails with information on the Atlantians and their time as the guardians of the box. He had also sent her a message saying that there had been a possible Kindred sighting but turned out it was some teenagers making a low budget zombie movie, she had to admit that had made her chuckle.
She was suddenly taken back, in a blink of an eye she was now in the coach house, sitting at the dining table.
What the Hell just happened?
She hadn't used her own power to transport herself here. She stood up quickly, almost toppling her chair, looking around suspiciously.
Had someone summoned her here?
'Hello' she called out into the empty building but nobody replied.
She was hit by a sense that something, or rather someone was missing.
It was coming from deep inside her womb, her hand flew to her stomach.
It was her child, they were projecting their own feelings onto her.
How long had they been aware enough to sense her and Azrael's presence to know that he was missing?
And had they just brought both of them home in search of him?
She was only three months pregnant, just how powerful was their child?
She wished she had other references to turn to but she was the first female angel to become pregnant. She didn't even know a lot about the Nephilim pregnancies. And the only source material she had was that of human pregnancies and this child was definitely not human.
She had so many questions without answers.
Would this child have wings?
Would they take after Azrael's angelic side or his demonic side?
Would they turn out like the Nephilim?
Of course she would love them no matter what, that was without doubt.
She certainly didn't sense any evil but there was a fear that her Father would condemn them just as he had the Nephilim.
She knew she should confide in Azrael about these worries, as she would want him to confide in her, but she found that every time she tried to bring it up in conversation, the words would die on her tongue. He had been through so much these past ten millennia, he deserved some happiness without her adding her woes and troubles, so she kept them to herself.
And she had tried desperately to push these thoughts and questions out of her mind.
She wanted to enjoy her pregnancy, as was her right, just like every other woman in the world.
'It's okay, my little one. We'll get daddy back'. She spoke softly, trying her best to sooth and reassure her child.
It broke her heart to know her child missed their father but she couldn't help smiling as she realised this was the first time she had referenced Azrael as their daddy.
'We also need to set some ground rules about you using your powers whilst mummy is pregnant with you'.
She stroked her thumb across her small bump. She suddenly got an idea, if her child could project their feelings onto her, perhaps she could do the same. She started to hum in the same way she would to calm her husband, focusing on bringing her child peace and security, smiling as she felt a wave of contentment in return.
Turns out this child already took after their father.
'There, that's better' she cooed.
'Hello, Phanuel'.
'Pandora' she gasps, keeping her hand over her belly protectively as she watched the priestess walk towards her slowly.
'Oh, don't worry. I was given specific instructions not to harm you or your child'.
Anastasia blinks.
Stunned into silence for a moment.
'Instructions? From whom?'
'Let's just say by someone who is invested in your future'. Pandora says with a sly smile.
Anastasia couldn't shake off the feeling that she had meant that not in a good way.
'And what of Azrael? Did your employer tell you to trap him?'
Pandora sat on the opposite side of the table, making herself at home.
'They gave no mention of your husband so I thought him to be fair game'.
'So, they must know me and Azrael intimately to know what we are to each other. Which can only mean that it must be someone within our family'. Anastasia deducted.
Anastasia noticed the way Pandora's body tensed at the mention of the Archangel's family.
'I know several members of your family. Your Father who sentenced me to Hell for all eternity. Your Archangel brothers and sisters who cast me into Hell and your fallen brothers who were my fellow prisoners'. Pandora sat back in her chair, the disdain for the Anastasia's family made clear by her tone of voice.
'How did you escape?'
'All prisons can be broken out of, given enough time'.
Anastasia's heart skipped a beat, she had told Benjamin Franklin the exact same thing concerning Azrael's imprisonment.
Did Pandora know that or was it just coincidence?
And why did she sense that was more of a warning than a statement.
She was unsure how to react to that.
'Anastasia…'
'Seems as though your pets could do with your help, so you better go help'.
And with that Pandora vanished leaving Anastasia feeling rather perplexed.
'Anastasia!…'
Ichabod and Abbie were up against a wall in an abandoned warehouse. As fear, now in the guise of a Yaogaui slowly stalked towards them. As if it was toying with them, prolonging their terror.
Abbie was frantically firing her gun but nothing seemed to phase this creature.
'I'm out' Abbie shouted in panic.
Anastasia reached out her hand, touching the demon on its back causing it to fall unconscious to the ground.
Both the witnesses, who were taking deep breaths to calm themselves, looked at her with wide eyes.
'You couldn't have mentioned that you could do that before we went out looking for this thing?' Abbie asked.
Anastasia shrugged.
In truth, she hadn't wanted to get too involved in the witnesses trials.
There was a rule her Father had established, that no angel would interfere with any test that God may set out for them unless ordered to do so. And although she wasn't sure if these chosen three were a test from her Father, she didn't want to take the risk of them failing.
She didn't mind given them the tools but it was them who had to do the work.
She had only agreed to Azrael being the one to kill Pandora because she was an immortal and as Death he was the only one of them with the power to end her.
And she had grown fond of the witnesses, she didn't want to see them come to harm.
'Where have you been?' Abbie inquired whilst Ichabod rapidly performed the spell to trap the demon.
'I was at the carriage house, speaking with Pandora' Anastasia said, retelling Abbie about what had happened.
'I think I've found it' Ichabod announced several hours later, placing an old dusty book in front of Anastasia.
They had all returned back to Abbie's place after securing the Yaogaui. On the way back, Anastasia had filled them in on her conversation with Pandora and now they were searching for a way to destroy the box.
'Greek fire, of course'.
'I believe we have some in the weapons locker back in the tunnels. Let us hope it's enough to destroy a mythical box. I shall return post haste'.
Anastasia caught the look the witnesses gave to each other before Ichabod rushed out the door.
'What was that?' Anastasia asked.
'What?'
'That look, you and Ichabod gave each other' Anastasia smiled.
'There was no look' Abbie said looking shifty, suddenly not being able to meet the Archangel's gaze.
Anastasia narrowed her eyes.
'Are you two…involved?'
'No…no, we're just friends. And we've been through so much together. Plus, Katrina only died a year ago…' Abbie began mumbling excuses.
'Abbie, I have lived for a very long time and if there's one thing I know it is that human lives are incredibly fleeting. If you love him, you should tell him'.
They entered the graveyard, where Anastasia had sensed Pandora, though as to why the priestess was here she could not say.
The night sky was black, there was not one star in the sky and a thin mist covered the land, rolling over the tombstones.
'There's the box' Abbie pointed out 'let's go'.
She and Anastasia snuck around to the right, whilst Ichabod and Jenny follow the main pathway towards Pandora who was looking away from them.
'Pandora!' Ichabod called out.
'Witness' the priestess turned, acknowledging him. 'You failed to defeat me the first time, what makes you think you can now?'
'Because now we know what we're dealing with'. He took out the bottled demon out from his coat pocket. 'Thanatos, pale rider of the apocalypse. I call you forth'.
The box opened violently, drawing the red demon out from the bottle and into the void within.
Lightning immediately filled the sky as Daredevil came galloping out of the mist in the horizon, his red eyes piercing through the darkness. The Horseman of Death brandishing his axe like he was riding into battle. His blue eyes focusing solely on the priestess, knowing instantly who his target was as he swiftly climbed off his horse.
'I made quick work of you before and I will do it again'. Pandora warned.
Ichabod and Jenny ran, sheltering behind the gravestones. Watching as the horseman pulled out his shotgun from the holster strapped to his back.
'Do you think he has a chance against her?' Jenny asked.
'He is the embodiment of Death' Ichabod answered.
'There's no need to fight. I could use a strapping gentleman like you by my side'. Pandora offered.
The horseman shot at her making clear that his answer was a no, but it had absolutely no effect on her.
A white light suddenly shone bright from within the box, haltering the horseman from his attack and pulling him forward, once again trying to trap him.
Meanwhile, Abbie and Anastasia had rigged up the explosives to the box, taking cover behind an old neglected tombstone.
'Hurry' Anastasia urged, watching Azrael struggle against the power and force of the magical box.
Abbie lit the match, connecting it to the fuse that quickly caught aflame. It traveled with high-speed towards the Greek fire before finally reaching its destination. The whole graveyard rocked from the resulting explosion, debris from unfortunate nearby gravestones flew overhead.
Anastasia looked up to see that the box was no more.
Now free of the box's snare, the horseman swung his axe through Pandora's middle causing her to fall to the ground, crying out in pain.
But the horseman didn't stop at just one, he kept striking at her. His fury could be felt with every blow of his axe, this wasn't a simple taking of a life, this was a slaughter.
'That's enough, Azrael' Anastasia called out but he was too consumed in his frenzied state to hear her.
'That's enough' Anastasia said softly but sternly as she stilled his arm.
His eyes glared at her, his jaw was clenched and his breathing erratic. She knew in that moment if she was anyone else, she too would be another victim of his wrath.
'Death always wins in the end…even for an immortal'. Pandora weakly gasped, bringing her shaking, bloody fingers up to her view before taking her last breath.
'Come, my love. Take me home'.
She led him by the hand towards Daredevil. She could tell by the look in the witnesses eyes that they understood, it was best to get him out of here now that the threat had been averted.