A/N: I tried, I really tried to find the proper passages read by a Minister during an actual Witch Hunt, but couldn't. I modified the words to an Exorcism ever-so-slightly and
here they are. Sorry if it is inaccurate, if you are religious please consider it only in the context of the story XD don't mean to offend no one.
( Volume: 1 Chapter: 12 )
Chapter 12 : witch hunt
Much later, Julian came to, in too much pain to clearly understand what was happening. His hearing was muffled for some reason. Oh, there was something over his face. Burlap,
or something. He tried to move his hand to reach it, and hissed in pain. It was tied at his back…and there was the gaping hole in his shoulder. Goddamn.
The hood was yanked off his head, and he gasped for air through his nose. There was something in his mouth—a gag. Cotton.
"…the accusations of witchcraft to one Julian Keller, and one Laura Kinney?"
There was a big man in front of them, with a wig. He was holding a book.
"Mmmmph," Laura was standing next to him, her eyes bulging. She looked terrified...she was staring ahead. He squinted ahead—it was still blurry…
There was a tree. With a long rope. With a loop at the end.
GODDAMNIT, he thought, struggling with his powers again. He was in too much pain and there was something blocking them…he was only making sparks. Which wasn't helping.
"They enchanted me!" a redheaded girl shouted from the crowd. "He tried to make me to do his biddings! Forced, unlawful carnal knowledge!" Mercy Austin.
Oh.
"…" the man shuddered in disgust.
"I'm sure we all saw what he did," Andrew Rice said. He pointed at Julian. "Look! He's doing it now! Best get on with it, the devil is strong in these ones."
The Minister in front of Julian and Laura cleared his throat.
"Today, we have gathered here to witness two demons cast back into the pits of hell from whence they came. Let God arise! Let his enemies be scattered! Let all that
hate Him flee before him! As smoke drifts away, so drive them away! As wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish before the presence of God. Behold the
Cross of the Lord, flee bands of enemies. The Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Offspring of David."
The lynch mob broke into a roar, forming words.
"Who is like God?!
Who is like God?!
Who is like God?!
Who is like Christ, True God and True Man.
Who is like the blessed virgin Mary, our Queen, who gave birth to the Eternal Word, a virgin before and after?!
Be gone Satan in the name of Jesus!
Be gone Satan in the name of Mary!
Be gone Satan in the name of everything that is Holy and Righteous!
Be gone Satan in the name of all the Saints! Be gone all ye demons and go to the pit!
To the pit!
To the pit!
To the pit!"
The minister held up his hand.
"Jesus Christ commands you!" he continued alone.
"Saint Michael the Archangel commands you!
Holy Mary commands you!
Go to the pit and never return! Do not harm the human race anymore. I command you to be gone forever to the pit never to return!"
The minister splashed some kind of fluid in both of their faces. Julian blinked. It stung like hell—there was some sort of alcohol in it.
"Be gone Satan!
Be gone Satan!
Be gone Satan!
Be gone Satan in the name of Jesus!"
The Minister snapped his book shut."Then, by the power invested in me by the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, I condemn these two demons to hell!"
He pointed at Laura. "Her first!"
If Julian had thought she'd struggled before, he'd been wrong. He'd never seen anyone so afraid of anything in his life. He swallowed—he'd be next. He realized he
was crying, but not over himself. It broke his heart, to know Laura was going to die. He tried to pry his arms apart desperately, having given up on his powers.
"MMMPH!" He shouted into his gag. Someone had stuck their finger almost completely into the wound and then twisted it. He heard laughing, and saw stars.
Click. Click. Laura's feet shackles had been unfastened; and moments later, the tall, dark-skinned assistant of Rice carried the girl by the scruff of her neck to the
rope. Laura kicked and shouted into her gag.
Julian fought his shackles again, but it was no use; he started trying his powers again, desperately. Maybe I can catch her, he hoped.
Kimura slammed her fist into Laura's face with a grin. "Miss me?" she teased, the grabbed the girl by her shackles and lifted her into the noose, her feet on a small
wooden box. The woman was absurdly strong. Laura's eyes bulged and she whipped her head around, trying to bite her captor. Kimura laughed and tugged on the
rope, so it was snug; then hooked her fingers into a chain around the girl's neck and broke it off.
Laura was screaming now, and it was the most awful sound Julian had ever heard. Like an orchestra of nails screeching down chalkboard—like a banshee—like a cat
being tortured with a rake. He saw Kimura flex her leg back, and he closed his eyes, trying desperately to grab Laura with his mind.
SNAP!
It hadn't worked. Laura's screams gave way to a horrible choking noise, and he sank down to his knees, feeling sick. He'd never been so angry at humans, so willing
to kill. The choking noises faded, then stopped.
He couldn't look. Her heard motions, then a thump beside him—Laura's body—and then strong, talon-like hands grabbed him by his shirt collar. "You now, warlock,"
Kimura hissed in his ear, dragging him towards the tree. He complied without fighting, suddenly realizing he didn't want to live, after seeing what had happened to
Laura, how monstrous people could be. He thought, too, that he might not want to live in the world just because she was not in it.
Kimura raised him to the tree, and he felt the rope go around his neck. "Open yoah eyesssss," Kimura hissed, jamming her fingers against his eyelids and forcing them
open. He stared—he saw something, over her shoulder.
"STOP HER!" People were running. Laura was up, her claws out; and seconds later she hit Kimura in the back, knocking her out of the way. The box flew out from
under him in the struggle, and for an instant he was choking. He grabbed the rope—SNAP! Energy traveled up his fingers and the material disintegrated. He dropped
to the ground, his throat burning, but he was alive.
Laura was straddling Kimura, and doing something, her arms flying. Julian scrambled up, rubbing his throat; her fists were pummeling the woman's face. Kimura grabbed
ahold of her back and pulled, seeking to remove her; Laura flew to the side, her dress tearing down the center. She stood for a second, then ripped the remaining
fabric off. She was wearing her hunting gear under it.
"NNYARGH!" Laura lunged for the woman again, her claws sliding out. Of her feet, too. Julian didn't know she had claws in her feet. She spun around, her foot
sweeping through the air near Kimura's head; the woman's long, black hair, tied back into braids, was severed.
"Stupid cow!" Kimura shouted, obviously upset.
Laura rammed her clawed fist into the woman's throat. "You killed my MOTHER." she said, her voice chilling and cold…but not distorted. Julian stared.
"…kafff…" Kimura's throat blossomed. Laura's claws slid out, and she fell to her knees, trying to breathe. SHLINK! Laura's foot whipped through the air, and Kimura didn't
inhale again. She bent over and took back her chain from the woman's pocket.
"MMMPH!" Julian struggled in his bonds, ignoring the pain. Kimura might be down, but there were dozens more approaching, torches in their hands. Laura crouched by his
head and cut his gag off. "Laura…get my feet shackles off!" he said. Laura shook her head. "Can't. 'Twas the jail keeper who removed mine." Her voice was pleasant,
just like he'd imagined it. Deeper, but very smooth, like honey. She crouched and examined the approaching persons. "How the hell are you talking?!" Julian exclaimed. "I—"
The Minister was upon them. He thrust his torch towards Laura. "HELL SPAWN!" he screeched. "We shall burn them!"
"Goodbye, Julian," Laura said, her hand to his neck. He realized she was about to kill him to spare him the pain.
The Minister threw his torch towards Julian; it stopped in midair, with a green glow. And a distortion. That didn't look right…
"Captain Keller?"
Julian turned his head. Private Kiden Nixon. He knew her, a girl with shaggy blond hair. Her uniform was blue for the Special Forces, and she had two stripes and a globe-shaped
badge on her collarbone. She'd once been on his squad, but now Private Nixon was too valuable to fight in the front lines; most of her time was spent working with Frost and
Dr. McCoy to find the exact point in time where they had lost Earth—and reverse it.
"Nixon," he breathed in relief. He smiled and looked up at Laura—she was frozen. Frozen in time. "No! Unfreeze her!"
"I can't, Captain," Private Nixon said. "You know the rules."
"Rules be damned! She's coming with me…and that's final. You understand?" He glared at her with all the energy and dignity he could muster, being shackled hand and foot,
with rope burns on his neck.
"No." Private Nixon stuck her chin out. "Captain…with all due respect…you're not above Frost in rank. She told me I was never, under any circumstance, to alter time. I am
undoing an alteration in time by bringing you back."
"She is going to die," Julian said fiercely. "Her mother has been killed. So has her father. I will not leave her here to die. If you don't bring her…I won't come."
Private Nixon tilted her head, and grinned.
"You like her, don't you? Girls have always been your weak point, Keller."
"I'd die for her." He said this in a very final tone.
Private Nixon blinked.
"Well, then, you can die in your room, on your own time. I don't think Frost will be too happy, though." She took hold of Julian's hand, and before he could protest—white out.
