BECOMING 'THE MOTHER'

Claudia stands at the church altar that she has painted with the symbol of the Halo of the Sun in blood. Upon the altar is the obsidian goblet, a vial of white crimson, and the book Crimson Ceremony. Vincent stands at the far end of the room scorning Claudia about going through with the ritual.

"What are you doing here Vincent? What do you want?" Asks Claudia.

"What do I want? Well, for the two of you to die. That would be nice. Then I could relax," he responds.

"When did you stop believing in God? God lives. Just look around you."

"But I do believe in 'Her'. In my own way. I fear 'Her' and I adore 'Her'. But I haven't lost my mind like you. You think that this is the work of God? Isn't this all nothing more than your own personal nightmare, just like Alessa seventeen years ago? If this really is the work of God, then I'd say 'She' has lousy taste," he says snidely.

"You mock God!? Traitor. You will go to Hell!"

He waves his finger at her. "Not that again! Who do you think you are, claiming to know God's will?"

"Go home, Vincent," she demands.

"Home? This church is my home. I built it with my power. The power of money that you view with such scorn." He looks around the rusty, bloody room. "Although, I admit that this atrocious scenery is all yours."

"If you continue to get in my way-"

"Then you'll kill me?" He says unfazed by her threat.

They are both startled at the sudden sound of the chapel door opening. Alessa enters the room then closes the door behind her.

"Well, the guest of honor has arrived. Let's get this party started. Alessa, go ahead and kill this crazy bitch! This demon who claims to speak for God. The time has come. You can kill her now." He points his finger at Claudia.

Claudia steps up behind him and stabs him in the back with her dagger. "You'll go to Hell!"

He twitches in place for a moment then falls to the floor.

Alessa yells with surprise and sadness in her voice, "No! What did you do?"

Claudia grumbles, "Oh, nothing important."

Alessa leans over him and sobs, "How could you?" She turns to find Claudia without a single drop of remorse on her face. "How can you keep doing this to me? I was your friend and now..." Seeing no change in Claudia's face she stands and aims her gun at her. She doesn't twitch an inch. "You're not going to run? I guess this is the end."

"No, the beginning. As Vincent said "The time has come." Alessa, I'm saddened that you didn't agree to this on your own. But I thank you for nurturing God with all the hate in your heart. It's time for mankind to be released from the shackles of sin which bind them."

"But a god born from hatred could never create a perfect paradise."

"Happy people can be so cruel. Is it so hard to believe that sympathy can be born out of pain and suffering? Why do you reject God's mercy? Why do you cling to this corrupt world? You know that only God can save us."

"And save you too? Happy ending? I'd rather go to Hell."

She shakes her head. "No, I don't expect to be saved. That's fine. Alessa, my dearest. For the pain that I've caused you, I deserve no mercy. Even if it was to save mankind, it was too deep a sin. It was hubristic for me to try to hasten the day of 'Her' arrival. Sacrifices were made, and those are my sins."

Vincent gags from the floor, "If you feel so guilty about it, why don't you go to Hell? Heather, use the seal!"

"Vincent?" Claudia is surprised he is still alive.

Heather pulls the seal from her pocket.

"The Seal of Metatron?" Claudia ponders.

"Now your stupid dream is over!" Vincent laughs then chokes on his mouth full of blood.

"Oh, that's just a piece of junk. What do you think you can do with that? Do you really think that it can kill God? I'm sorry to see that you fell for my father's foolishness."

"What?" Vincent asks confused.

"You're pathetic," Claudia mocks. She raises her dagger once again and plunges it deep into Vincent's chest.

Alessa cries out, "Stop!" But she is unable to protect him.

Vincent releases his final breath and his body becomes lifeless on the floor.

Claudia stands and bows her head in prayer for him, "But God loves even you." She opens her eyes and stares at Alessa. "Now Alessa, there's nowhere else to run. Just accept who you are."

Tears stream from Alessa's eyes down her rust covered cheeks as she runs her fingers through Vincent's brown locks.

Claudia holds her hands out to her, "It is time Alessa."

Alessa arises from the floor and turns to Claudia. She aims the pistol at her once again. Claudia just stares back at her not saying a word. Alessa pulls the trigger but the bullet reflects off a force-field surrounding Claudia. Now even more angry Alessa fires off even more shots at Claudia but one by one they all just reflect off the field. Alessa tosses the gun to the ground. Now in blinding rage her body becomes overwhelmed by the God inside her and her skin turns red and bloody. As she struggles to stay on her feet her eyes become foggy and she faintly sees Claudia as she points to the alter. Alessa finds the strength to run over to it. Without hesitation she pours the White Crimson into the goblet and drinks it hastily. As the last drop slips down the side of her mouth she can feel the power inside her awaken.

A heavenly glow surrounds her body. Her hair turns dark, her body fills out, and all the pain and suffering in her heart becomes fuel for her power. She screams as she feels all the suffering in the world absorb into her. So many spirits cry out, calling to her. She can hear all the prayers from the members of The Order. All her memories from being Cheryl, Alessa, and Heather forming together. The suffering fills her soul and it as if she is inside that dark hospital room, living out those agonizing years all over again. She rehears every word ever spoken about her becoming 'The Mother', a witch, and her desire for revenge rises.

Regaining just the slightest bit of control, she unleashes her fury killing all the cult members with the power of her mind, then damning their souls to darkness. The light from inside her fades quickly and all that remains is darkness. She turns to face Claudia once again. Claudia can feel the power radiating off her of.

"I've been waiting so long for this. Even as a child, I knew I would see the coming of this day. I knew I would be a witness to it. Judgment Day!"

The newly awakened Alessa glares at Claudia unmoving.

Her joy turns to overwhelming fear. "Alessa?"

With a wave of her hand, Alessa opens up a portal to Nowhere. The large black hole fills the floor of the chapel and Samael appears from within it. He grabs a hold of Claudia and drags her down into the darkness. Claudia can be heard screaming in agony as she is skinned alive while being dragged further and further down until the portal is re-closed. Alessa is so filled with hate and rage she crosses the room not knowing when and where she may bump into her next victim. She just wants everyone to die. To suffer as she has suffered for so many years, but she can't feel any souls left to damn in the area. All that energy is now a part of her and for the first time the land is left as an empty shell.

As she is about to exit the chapel she looks to Vincent's lifeless corps on the ground. She leans over him and places her hands over his head and chest. After a moment she is able to summon Vincent's soul back to his body. Vincent coughs and chokes on the blood still filling his mouth. He moves his eyes around the room dazed and confused. A smile spreads over his face when he sees the face of his love, Alessa, keeling beside him with pale gray eyes and her hands on his chest.

"Alessa? It's you? You saved-" his breath is cut off as he finds himself being stabbed in the chest once again. He looks up at her confused. Alessa continues to stab him repeatedly. With every blow he struggles to find his breath, "Why? What are you-" Alessa continues to stab him with expressionless eyes, no emotion, just rage surging with every blow, "Alessa please," he gasps, "Please... stop..."

"This is what you wanted," Alessa finally responds, "This is what you all wanted." She continues to stab him over and over.

"Please, I didn't want any of-" Every moment Vincent feels as if he is going to pass on once again Alessa shoves his life force back into his body,

"And you were right, I do like this. I never want to stop," Still no emotion arises in her face. Just an endless stabbing motion from her hand to Vincent's chest.

Vincent struggles to find the words that might snap her out of her trance, "Alessa please, I never wanted this for you. I wanted to save you."

"You did save me. This is who I am meant to be and I am going to show the world just how much suffering there can be." She jabs the knife one final time hard into Vincent's chest. After watching him choke for a moment she stands up and begins to walk towards the exit of the church.

Vincent, barely being able to keep his eyes open, begins to sing The Holy Hymn, "Dear Mother, please take me, dear mother, don't leave me. I love you it's true, my life is for you. What you will I shall follow, I know your love is not hollow. Dear Mother, dear Mother, thank you."

Alessa stops in her tracks as she listens to Vincent sing to his last breath.

Her rage begins to subside as the memories of all the joy he would express whenever he was in her presence comes to her mind. She turns back to him and begins to walks back to his side.

Vincent continues to sing even while he chocks on his own blood. He no longer has the strength to keep his eyes open. Tears fill his eyes and his words became a whisper, "Alessa, please take me, Alessa, don't leave me. I love you it's true, my life is for you." At this point Vincent can no longer speak and he falls unconscious.

Alessa pulls the knife slowly from his chest and rubs her fingers over the wound. Her hands become covered in his blood. As she stares at his lifeless body sadness fills her. She whimpers to him, "I'm sorry, Vincent." She lifts him up into her arms and holds him close as her spirit fills the room with light and Vincent's soul is returned to his body once again. This time when Vincent wakes up he immediately feels completely at peace. No pain, no sadness, just warmth and love. His wounds are healed and the blood in his mouth and throat are gone. He looks up to see Alessa with a smile spread across her face.

He admires her long black hair and bright green eyes, "Alessa, you're so beautiful." He raises a hand to her cheek. She is soft and warm.

"Please call me Cheryl," she responds.

"The name your father gave you?"

She nods and they lean into each other finally sharing a passionate kiss. They both moan as the moment seems to last forever. The two of them never want to let go of the other. After so much pain, to feel such love was overpowering. They take deep breaths into their noses as they tastes each others tongues. Cheryl's hands grip tightly onto Vincent's, curling her fingers around his.

She begins to weep at the thought of almost loosing him. "I'm so sorry."

He hushes her. "It's okay. It wasn't your fault."

"But I hurt you. I never wanted to hurt you."

He shoves his mouth harder into hers to try to keep her from saying anything further. He tries to express how much she means to him by kissing her again and again. They both eventually get a hold on themselves and loosen their embrace. They stand up and look around the room. The rusted and bloody world has faded and the two of them stand in an empty church in the real world.

Vincent looks at Cheryl, "What happens now?"

Cheryl takes him by the hand again, "I want to go home."

"Where is that?"

"I'm not sure. I've been running for so long. I am not sure I ever had a home."

"We can start at my place. It's pretty nice and it is outside of town so we'll be safe there."

They make their way through the church and out into the night. The sky is still dark but there is a faint light on the horizon.

"That seems like a good sign," Vincent announces.

He walks Cheryl to his car, opens the passenger door for her, closes it, and then climbs into the driver seat. As the car engine begins to rumble they both feel a little bit of the silence finally break. Vincent drives off and makes no hesitation to get them to his house.