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The fire burns.
God, it hurts.
He just needs to reach Miriam.
He throws himself at her corpse, and she howls, shoving him.
He falls, rolling along the ground. The searing heat subsides, and he lies there, gasping for breath. He
The spirit of Astaroth returns to a humanoid form, and Gary falls out of the air. He hits the ground, immediately putting his remaining strength to raise himself to his hands and knees.
Malphas, however, does not return to a physical form. He shrieks, fading.
John's sight is jolted back to Miriam as she explodes, casting her blood everywhere.
He shields his face, trying to keep the iron-rich "rain" out of his eyes, before spotting movement in the corner of his eye.
Amy floats down into the Crucible. She looks to John, before snapping over to Gary as he shambles towards her.
"Amy..." He coughs, wiping what John assumes is blood from his mouth, "Amy mea..."
Placing a hand on his knee, Gary starts trying to push up, but falls back on his ankles. He props himself up, looking up at Amy like she's the Lord.
"Electa mulier infra omnibus, simul luna et calix et avis,"
He tugs himself closer in front of her. Gary shakes, struggling to an unsupported kneeling position.
"Simul mater et filia et spiritus immundus,"
He extends his arms to her,
"Mea trinitas profana!"
She floats in front of him. Even without a face, she looks down at him with disdain. Gary doesn't seem to pick this up, and continues to beam with devotion.
The demon's hand bursts from her face, grabbing Gary's. Gary shouts with surprise behind its palm.
"FAILURE."
She drags Gary through the portal in her face. Tentacles grasp and force him through, muffling the horrid crackling noise as he's forced to fit within the relatively small hole, then retreat back inside.
Amy rolls her shoulders, her posture softening. She turns her attention to John, and the gaping hole morphs closed. She looks at John through her own world-weary eyes, more tired than a seventeen-year-old should ever be. She floats towards him, stopping a few feet in front of him.
Tears prick John's eyes, and he falls to his knees.
"Amy. I'm so sorry. I couldn't save you."
"John... It's okay. It's over now. They can't hurt me anymore." John's breath hitches loudly. "You've been so brave. But now,"
Her feet touch the ground, "It's time to finish what you started."
John lets out a shaky breath, and stands back up on his feet. He raises his cross to her.
She winces, but smiles peacefully at him.
"En nomine patri, et fili, et spiritu sancti..."
Amy's body fades, and her bones clatter to the ground. John lets his arm fall back to his side.
"... Amen."
Standing outside with Father Garcia, he looks down at his hands. They're covered in blood, sure, just like the rest of him.
But as the rain trickling down beads and flows through the lines of his palms, he sees the skin underneath is clear.