It was the following day, Zoe and Angel had been conversing in their room for some time before finally deciding to head downstairs to grab something to eat. On the way down, they passed some students, smiling at them as they did so. They rushed down a few more steps as they noticed Cordelia almost tripped down the last section.
"We've got you." Zoe said, as the two placed supportive hands on the Supreme's back. The woman looked at the two before glancing up at the top of the steps.
"I don't want the girls to see me like this. Will you help me to my room?" She requested.
"Of course." They simultaneously answered, nodding their heads. Zoe wrapped Cordelia's arm around her shoulders, Angel staying closely following in case she needed to offer her assistance as well.
As asked, they led Cordelia to her room, Zoe helping her up onto her bed as Angel quickly grabbed a glass of water. She entered the room to see the two sitting beside one another.
"It's happening faster than I expected." Cordelia said as the teen approached. She looked at the two, "Michael will destroy us. He's already started with me." She said dejectedly, accepting the glass Angel held out for her.
She shook her head looking at her lap, "I can't fight him, girls. Not in my condition."
The two younger witches spared a glance at one another, "Maybe you won't have to." Zoe started.
"Maybe there's someone who will be ready." Angel finished.
"We don't think you're fading because Michael's the next Supreme." Zoe paused, "We think it's Mallory." She revealed, looking over at Cordelia.
She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion and glanced over at Angel, who nodded her head in agreement. "Why?" The woman asked.
"She has powers we've never witnessed before. And she has immense control over them." Angel said.
The two teens explained the Coco situation to the Supreme, about how she used her powers to save her in a way they couldn't explain.
"I'm sure Myrtle told you about what Mallory did for that injured deer out in the forest a few weeks ago?" Angel asked.
Cordelia nodded in conformation, "She did. She explained to me how she didn't simply heal the wounds, she reversed them. Reverted the deer back into a fawn."
"Exactly." Angel nodded, "I was there. It was insane to watch! Not even Misty could do somethin' like that." She said excitedly. Zoe chuckled at her reaction.
"Proud of your girlfriend?" She teased.
"Shut up!" Angel blushed. She rolled her eyes and muttered, "Maybe a little."
"Girlfriend?" Cordelia asked, looking at Angel with wide eyes, "And when did this happen?"
Angel sheepishly smiled, "Just yesterday. But... we actually kissed before leavin' for California, so, yeah."
Zoe's jaw dropped, "You didn't tell me that!"
"It wasn't relevant." She shrugged her shoulders.
As the two girls lightheartedly bickered, Cordelia was in her own head, thinking over the information the two provided for her. If it really was Mallory who was taking all her powers, then surely they had a shot at preventing the vision she saw before.
"Okay girls, that's enough." Cordelia chuckled.
"Sorry." They muttered.
"It's okay." She chuckled, "You go on, now. I'm just going to rest for a while. I'll call for one of you if I need to." She said, dismissing them. They nodded and left the room, as soon as the door closed Cordelia could hear the two bickering once more. She shook her head in amusement at them and smiled fondly. Oh, how I love those weirdos, she thought.
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Cordelia had announced a dinner that night for the girl's to attend in honor of Mallory. All the members of the Council were there, Madison and Myrtle having returned earlier in the day. Others in attendance included Coco, Behold Chablis and another elderly witch named Bubbles McGee. Cordelia sat at one head of the table, Mallory sitting at the other. Angel was sitting to the left of her, next to Zoe.
The brunette had been quiet all day after Cordelia privately announced to her that she was the next Supreme. Angel had tried to raise her spirits in any way she could and while her girlfriend appreciated the thought, she just wasn't able to be happy. She held Mallory's hand under the table and rubbed her thumb over her knuckles in an attempt to soothe her.
"Hey, what's the matter?" Coco asked her friend.
She shook her head, "I just feel weird. I don't want to rise if it means Miss Cordelia has to fall." She said lowly, glancing at the woman and her girlfriend. She knew how much the current Supreme meant to the blonde, and she felt awful that she was inadvertently taking that away from her.
"Don't ever be ashamed of who you are, Mallory." Cordelia said from across the table, "This is how it's always worked. And when the time does come, I will be heartened to know that you will be the one to lead this coven." She spoke earnestly.
"But I'm not dead yet." She joked, "And there are more tests to be passed. So please, drink up." She chuckled at the end of her speech, raising her glass of white wine.
"Cheers." Everyone clinked their glasses with the person next to them, Mallory reluctantly clinking her against Angel's when she gave her a pleading look. Everyone was amused, except for Behold.
"How can you witches sit around here casually sipping wine when people are going to die?" He asked dubiously. The chatter died down around the table, "There's an Antichrist on the loose, trying to destroy the world." He said irritated.
"Yes, and let's not forget who aided in his ascension." Myrtle replied.
"Yeah. I know. I'm guilty." He said, looking at everyone around the table, "But now we know what he's capable of. Madison and I saw firsthand the people he hurt. His own family. Michael was born evil. We've got to stop him." Madison silently nodded in agreement.
"And we will." Cordelia affirmed, "But tonight we are celebrating. Because this could be the last time we'll all be together. I'm not naïve, Behold." She shook her head, "I know damn well the challenges we'll be facing. I've known for some time. It forced me to do something I vowed I would never do. And it almost killed me." She paused, thinking back on the revival of Myrtle and the injury she sustained from it, "I knew I had to do everything in my power to prepare you girls for what was coming. And now that we are united and ready... it's time to fire the first shot."
Dinner had concluded shortly thereafter, Cordelia announcing that Zoe, Angel, and Myrtle, along with Mallory and Coco would all be heading back out to California with her the next day. They had all departed to their rooms, Mallory joining the other two for a moment.
Angel collapsed onto her bed with a dramatic sigh, "I could never see California again and I would die happy. I'm so tired of flyin' out there." She placed her sunglasses on her nightstand and pulled herself into a seated position. Mallory sat beside the blonde and leaned her head on her shoulder as Zoe went into the bathroom, leaving to take a shower.
Angel placed a kiss on Mallory's hairline, "Are you nervous?" She murmured against her skin.
"For what?" She dumbly asked.
"The Seven Wonders."
Mallory shrugged, "Yeah, I guess so."
Angel took a hold of her girlfriend's hand, giving it a soft squeeze, "You'll be just fine. I have no doubt in my mind that'll you pass each one of them with flyin' colors."
"Pun intended?" She joked.
The blonde chuckled, "Sure."
"Do you... do you think I could sleep here for the night?" Mallory asked shyly, looking up at her.
Angel glanced over at the closed bathroom door and thought for a quick moment. She nodded, "Yeah, I'm sure Zoe wouldn't mind. Just don't mention anythin' about her snorin' when we get up in the mornin'." She laughed, "She hates that."
Mallory chuckled and nodded. The blonde waved her hand, simultaneously turning off her bedside lamp and turning Zoe's on so there was light when she came back in the room. The two settled in, their legs intertwining together as they got comfortable. Angel was quick to fall asleep, while Mallory was having a slightly harder time. She brought Angel's hand, that was laying on her waist, up to her face and gave a gentle kiss to the back of it.
"I love you." She whispered into the silence of the room.
"I love ya, too." Angel murmured.
By the time Zoe had returned from her shower, both girls were soundly asleep.
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It was nighttime as the witches were walking along a deserted California road as they all approached the last place John Henry Moore had been seen before his murder.
Before leaving for their flight out, Mallory had successfully performed six of the Seven Wonders, her last test being the revival of the fallen warlock. Angel was extremely proud of the brunette and made sure to tell her such during the flight there. Constantly praising her, telling her that she knew she would accomplish it and that Mallory should have more faith in herself. The two were continuously talking to one another, completely ignoring the other witches as they were caught up in themselves and their own little private world.
Cordelia had been fondly watching from a few seats over. She was happy for Angel, and Mallory too- but mostly Angel. The girl had actually confided in her and told her that witnessing her bold actions with her sister had given her the confidence to put her inhibitions away and give their relationship a try. Of course, they were all nervous of what was to come but they didn't let that stop them from living their lives while they could.
After Madison and Myrtle's return to New Orleans, a lot of information had been disclosed to the Council members, Mallory officially joining the line-up as her future role of Supreme allowed it. They had been made aware of Michael's backstory. How he was born in the infamous 'Murder House', killed small animals and even his nanny as a young child, how his adoptive mother and biological grandmother, Constance Langdon, had witnessed him age a decade overnight. How he killed more people and eventually allowed Satanists into his life after the suicide of his grandmother and the abandonment of his ghostly father-figure, Ben Harmon. How the Satanists had revealed Michael's true heritage to him and informed him that he was the long-awaited Anti-christ. It was a lot for all of them to digest, but it also made complete sense to them as well.
Then, Myrtle had shared her own revelations to the witches. How she and Bubbles had a private dinner with Ariel Augustus and Baldwin Pennypacker at Hawthorne's. Through the use of Bubbles' telepathy, she was able to hear their thoughts about the conspiracy to kill all the witches and the murder of their fellow warlock, John Henry Moore. Which was the reason they were all back out in California.
They approached the small gas station on the side of the road and stopped before a small pile of ashes about 10 feet away from one of the gas pumps. Zoe took a step forward from the line of witches and raised her hand above the ashes, her index, thumb, and middle finger splayed out. Using her telekinesis, she was able to gather all that had been scattered due to the California winds and bring every part of the former man back in one spot.
"John Henry." She said, looking down at the ground.
"What's left of him." Angel said.
Myrtle took a step forward, taking a hit off her vape, "I remember him being taller." She joked, some of the smoke escaping from her nose as she spoke.
"I didn't know you vaped." Angel said, looking over at the redhead and raising a curious eyebrow.
"All the kiddies are doing it nowadays, dear." She said dismissively.
"Okay." Angel replied under her breath, deciding to let it go.
"Mallory." Cordelia spoke, looking over at the witch, "Use your powers to bring John Henry back to us."
Mallory stepped forwards as the other witches took a step back to give her some room. She took a deep breath in, closing her eyes, and raised both of her hands above the ashes. She splayed her fingers wide and concentrated deeply. A small fire began to grow in place of the ashes, Mallory taking a step back as it grew in height, but not in width, thankfully. From the flames, John Henry's fully formed body appeared. He was obviously confused as he stared at all the witches around him and brought air into his functioning lungs again.
They wasted no time in whisking the newly-revived and reformed man back to the safety of the coven. They didn't want to run the risk of his brothers discovering he had risen from the dead. There Cordelia and Myrtle could properly interrogate him on what happened to him the night of his murder.
During that conversation it had been revealed to him that his colleagues were responsible for his death. And the witches were made aware that it wasn't actually the warlocks who got their hands dirty. No, they had outsourced their work. Getting one, Ms. Miriam Mead to do their bidding.
Cordelia knew what she needed to do. She needed to hit Michael where it hurt, and she needed to hit him hard.