A week has passed since the day of the invasion and Ezra's conversation with Nāḥāš and Nāḥ, everything was now back to normal at the Holy Place well almost. Everything that was ruined or destroyed was repaired and those who were hurt and injured most of them were healing just fine.
And today was a special day a day that was respected by everyone in the Holy Place a ceremony for the ones they have lost a week ago, the Celebration Of The Dead.
Everyone attended the ceremony it was compulsory even Ezra did attend thou not everyone was welcoming to him, while others saw him as a hero others saw him as the one to blame for what actually happened.
The priest and the prophet haven't been found yet so no one would lead the ceremony, no one wanted what happened last time to take place again. Because no one has forgotten about that.
"My dear children of the almighty father we are gathered here together not only with heavy hearts to lay those who laid down their lives, fighting to protect our home but as a celebration for their bravery and our victory. Which shows that they didn't die in vain" Moses addressed everyone.
Ezra and his teammates were actually sitting in the front row so everyone who was sitting behind and beside him could look at him and those who wanted to judge him, would do it freely right to his face.
"How can they let him in here with us? Aren't they putting us at risk?" A girl behind him whispered.
"I don't know why you are painting him as the bad guy I mean without him taking care of almost half of the demons, we wouldn't be here whispering about him behind him where he can see and here us" another girl defended Ezra.
"Shush you two do you want him to do to us what he done to them demons" a boy warned them.
"No" the girls responded.
"Now keep quiet" the boy ordered them.
They were right about one thing Ezra could hear them clearly and he heard every single word they said, while Moses was busy trying to preach but wasn't that good. Ezra looked behind him to see those who were talking about him behind his back.
The boy and the girl that was bad mounting him, hid as fast as they could and their friend the one who defended him just looked at them like what they were doing was stupid. Her eyes met with Ezra.
"Thank you" he mouths.
The girl was so embarrassed she tried to hide her blushing, she too joined her friends who were hiding under the church benches.
The ceremony went on quite well, uninterrupted and peaceful for the first time since Ezra set foot in this place. He didn't have any unwanted visitations from the Fallen and uncripted messages from the one who blessed him or his minions.
After the ceremony everyone went outside to catch a breather, Ezra was walking all by himself passing a group of people dressed in suits and dresses. All muttering something.
"It was a beautiful ceremony" one girl in the group drying her eyes.
"Did you see poor Layla when it was time to bid farewell to Gordon's body, what a shame" another girl gossiping.
Ezra just acted like he didn't see or hear what they were talking about he just kept going his way, then he joined his teammates who were sitting by the fountain with Damian eating plates enough for all of them.
"Hey buddy, are you okay? I'm sure it must have been hard being there almost all day" Jason checking up on him.
"Hey we agreed we wouldn't make him feel any worse than he already is" Valkyria nudged Jason.
"You hungry? Cause there's plenty of food" Damian stuffing his mouth.
"Nah it's okay you eat for the both of us" Ezra answered Damian.
Sarah wasn't with them because she was busy helping out with the cleaning and the dishes that's who she was, a kind helping person.
A group of boys just stood in front of them.
"You better not be trying to pick a war with us because if so next week will be your funeral" Valkyria stands up to protect Ezra.
"No no no miss Argent we aren't here to pick up a fight, actually we are here to say thanks to Ezra for saving us, last week. I mean without him who knows how many of us would be lying with the rest of the others" one of the boy's leading the group showed gratitude.
"Yeah right like we are fools and we'll believe you and that crap you're saying" Valkyria not buying their story.
"No please believe us we mean it" another boy sounding so nervous.
"It's okay Valkyria, there's no need to thank me guys I wish I came earlier maybe we wouldn't be here and they wouldn't be lying under us" Ezra blaming himself.
Those guys left but they weren't the only ones who were thanking Ezra many people and groups came even the same angels that once called him an impure and reject were now thanking him.
Layla saw all that going on and the rage and hatred she felt towards Ezra got fueled even more, she couldn't stand to see another sight of Ezra or someone thanking Ezra, when she firmly believes that he is the only one to blame for all this.
Layla just stared at him sitting with his teammates, shaking hands and hugging different kinds of people.
"How dare they?!" Layla outspoke with anger.
She just got up and left her friends just sitting there, she didn't even tell them where she was going.
"Don't dare try to follow me" Layla ordered them then she just walked off.
The day was finally coming to an end and Ezra was pretty famous for one day and he had enough, so he and the others went to their house. When they got there.
Ezra's room was written MURDERER with blood red color on the wall. And a dead lamp on the floor with it's throat slit open drowning in it's blood.