MARIEL

Epilogue

"It's frightening," the young woman whispered. As she stepped next to the older, blonde-haired woman that stood at the top of the hill, she clung to her black, cloth-covered book. She threw her head back, and both women watched the sky.

The humid night swallowed them, save for the stars that glowed brightly against the black, spatial galaxy. The comet pulsed and glowed; its fiery tail illuminated brightly and streaked against the black pit of space.

"Is it frightening?" The older woman asked, and her eyes did not leave the sky. The raven sat perched upon her shoulder, cocking its head in awed observation. "Or is it a beautiful sign that our journey will soon end?"

The breeze tousled the younger woman's brown hair as she lifted the book. It fell open easily from the many times it had been studied. "I think it is a beautiful sign."

"And why is that?" The militant blonde turned her green eyes to study the young warrior beside her. The raven tilted its head again. It flapped its wings.

The young woman studied the Hebrew words on the page before her. "Because," she said, "in 'The Writings of Saint Jerome', it says that the comet will return."

"And what else does it say?" The blonde shifted her eyes back to the sky. A small smile played across her lips, as if she knew exactly what it said. Dimples appeared.

"When the comet returns, we will soon hear the final trumpets." The brown-haired girl looked up at the sky again. "It means the battle of Armageddon is coming."

The wind caught the wavy blonde hair. "And so?" she pressed.

The young woman closed the book. Despite the fear, she felt a growing sense of peace. "It means our journey will soon end."

"Yes, my little warrior." With a small movement, the older woman slipped her hand into that of the girl beside her. The moonlight reflected against her eyes as she stared at the comet. "That is exactly what it means."