Bad Omens 8: Ye Saga Comes To An End

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"So no weapons on top of everything else!" Eden had heard her Daddy say before bed, only to be shushed by her Papa. 

"Shush Crowley." Aziraphale whispered. "You can go into Soho tomorrow and fetch Excalibur from the bookshop's basement."

"Does Eden know that you removed the ward?" 

"No." Aziraphale replied. "I saw no reason to tell her,  she's a mother now. Why keep the basement under a ward? We both trained her in the basics of sword fighting when she could spare a moment." 

Excalibur, contrary to what human history says, actually belonged to Aziraphale. The angel had been known as the White Knight and had been given the great sword for his service to the Crown.

"I'll get it first thing tomorrow then." Crowley murmured softly. 

"It doesn't have any special powers but at least it's something." Aziraphale replied. 

"What about some holy water?" Crowley asked.  "Would that give it some sort of power to maybe give us a fighting chance?"

"Perhaps." Aziraphale rasped. "But it could harm you or Eden if we're not careful. It'll be the same with hellfire." 

"In which you could get hurt, Angel." Crowley murmured. Eden would still be in danger too on account of her being half angel. Holy fire was a lethal blend of holy water and hellfire. Being a hybrid didn't exempt her from the dangers of the terrible substance.

There were a couple different ways to make holy water. Two to be precise. An angel could say a blessing over some water or a human priest could do it. But hellfire could be conjured by a demon. 

"I'll grab my old sword two." Crowley continued. 

"The Ebony Blade?" Aziraphale asked. "I haven't seen either sword in a long time." He recalled the day when he and Crowley stashed them away along with a few other keepsakes.

"Perhaps we should discuss this more after you fetch both swords tomorrow, dear boy."

But they may not have until tomorrow, Eden thought to herself as she waited for her parents and husband to fall asleep. 

When she was sure that everyone was fast asleep, Eden crawled out of bed and hurriedly changed out of her nightgown and into a pair of jeans and a Doctor Who themed t-shirt. Once she slipped on her red converse sneakers and put her barrette in her hair, she gave Gabriel a kiss on the cheek. 

She couldn't wake him. He would only stop her and try to talk her out of it.

When Eden approached the gate, she unfurled her black and white tipped wings. She couldn't afford to let Eric and Hester stop her either. 

As she expected, they were playing cards, or rather Eric was while Hester was sleeping right by the gate.

Eden waved her hand and both demons fell asleep as the gate creaked open. 

With a WHOOSH, Eden took off into the air. 

The night air was cool and crisp as Eden's flame red curls and black and white feathers were ruffled by the breeze. It was good to stretch her wings. 

At the bookshop, Eden took in the familiar sights and smells as she made her way to the basement, hoping that she wouldn't have to spend the entire night looking for Excalibur. Eden wanted to stop by the Falls and see the kids.

The basement door was a trap door in the floor towards the very back of the building, hidden underneath a tartan carpet. 

Eden found the carpet, removed it and pulled the trapdoor open.

The stairs seemed to be waiting for her as Eden gazed at them. She took a breath and made her way down the stairs and into the basement.