The Known/Unknown Quantity

Chapter 56: Magnum Opus

Chapter 56: Magnum Opus

Everything had proceeded with a clinical air. Reverence, practically.

Doesn't mean it wasn't uncomfortable. But as far as the witch was concerned, it did happen, and that's all that mattered.

The duration of the ceremony moved at a quiet, strange pace. She and Tracy remained as hands off as they dared, allowing the angel to cover his nether regions for the sake of his modesty. Crowley followed his lead in respect, for as the angel had said long ago, playtime was over.

The bed was removed, revealing a consecrated chalk circle marked in angelic script and hexed with arrows pointing outward and inward according to their functions. Salt and sage were implemented. Words spoken. The angel and the demon took their places in the circle and laid on their backs, grasping hands as if they were about to face a firing squad, or make the biggest leap of their lives.

Anathema never laid a hand on them, but she did lay things on them. Chakra stones were placed along the energy points of their bodies. At the point of Crowley's chest where Aziraphale's ward burned bright, she placed a stone and it flared, and both the angel and the demon twisted, and shuttered.

When the attentions grew lower, she left them to the placements, and turned away when the piece of fabric was removed then replaced. They retrieved the stones and handed them back to her, and into their empty palms she placed the ruby pearls, watching as the fingers of each closed in unison.

Lastly, she backed away, cleansing the space of her presence with sage. She diverted her eyes. Tracy did the same, regardless of her knowledge of the demon's body, and longing remembrance. Finally, Anathema spoke to them, as a final word:

"It's up to you now. You know what to do next." She paused, and her voice grew thoughtful. "I have no knowledge of what awaits you in the sphere of your own making, or how long it will take. It is for you to decide from here on out what will happen. But you must return with the amulets you forged together. You may not hear my voice for a long, long time. I wish you both luck. I wish you..." she swallowed, "success. And with that, with all the energies of earth, I bless this consecration...

"Proceed, boys."

They sighed. They stood. And they faced each other.

Words...were spoken. Names. Old names. At the same time. And as they spoke, they reached out, and conjoined their free hands, each pressing the philosopher's stone into the palm of the other.

Silver chains were made visible around their necks, chains that grew a link at a time and merged, hovering in midair between them.

They spasmed. Every muscle seized, as their mouths gaped open and their eyes rolled to the ceiling. The witch and the adept shut their lids tight as they felt the pressure in the room increase, and a weave, and wave, of energy flail out from the two in the circle. A whump resounded through the air.

Black wings, white wings, expanding outwards, uncaged and flapping vigoriously, freed, and slowly calming and stretching forth, and touching at a feather's tip.

Light shimmered. From Crowley's ward, pooling and flaming like living mother-of-pearl. From the angel's snakes, seeming to writhe as a burning blue flame set them bright.

The ring on the angel's finger pulsed with orange intensity, and in their unified convulsions Crowley managed to shakily smooth a digit over it. And as if in some sort of triumph, both unearthly creatures smiled, their mouths still jarred open crying out in chords too high pitched for human ears. But with that one small touch, the lights merged and flared, bathing them in a brilliance that left spots in the humans' eyes despite them being closed.