Countess Marburg: When the comet blazes overhead tomorrow night, little John will be baptized in the river of hell-blood. Mary: On the bitch's ship, finding her Achilles' heel. Who? John: Look, all you need to know is that without him, the entire witches' plan falls to nothing, but if we don't get the devil out of him... We're done... all of us. So, what's the play? But for all her power and knowledge, she does not know you even exist. A trick I saw Marburg herself do. Mary: I find jealousy makes a man ugly. Cotton: And I... Cotton Mather... Take thee... Anne Hale... To be my wedded wife... Till death... Do us part. I have written a last will and testament. And after I do, Cotton's battle will be just beginning. Mary: When the time comes, you may not have a choice if you want your Cotton to live. For he is already lost. Mary: Well, I'm not hers to give. Sebastian: Alden. John Alden. Hathorne: Or... Cotton: It is slow journey in the dark.
Plan: A: the Countess Marburg; Q: Who is preparing for the arrival of the "Starry Messenger"? A: the Dark Lord; Q: Who is the Countess Marburg's lover? A: a last ditch effort; Q: What does Mary stage to thwart the eternal Witch's plans? A: her failure; Q: What rests in the hands of John Alden and Cotton? A: stake; Q: What do John Alden and Cotton have at what? A: devastating news; Q: What does Anne Hale receive that forces her to make a decision? A: Anne Hale; Q: Who is faced with a time-sensitive decision? A: Count Marburg; Q: Who does Anne Hale decide to join? A: knowing words; Q: What does Anne Hale need to make her decision? A: another interested party; Q: Who helps Anne Hale make a decision? A: her resolve; Q: What does Anne Hale need to strengthen to make a decision? A: Cotton's life; Q: What does Anne Hale give up for Little John? A: Cotton Mather; Q: Who faces his imminent demise? A: Magistrate Hawthorne's jealous treachery; Q: What is Cotton Mather facing his imminent demise due to? A: Alden intervenes; Q: What saves Cotton Mather from his imminent demise? A: his rescue; Q: What could come at a price that Cotton may be unwilling to pay? Summary: As the Countess Marburg prepares for the imminent arrival of the "Starry Messenger" and her lover, the Dark Lord, Mary stages a last ditch effort to thwart the eternal Witch's plans, but her failure rest in the hands of John Alden and Cotton who each have something important at stake. After receiving devastating news, Anne Hale finds she is faced with making a time-sensitive decision, to either join Count Marburg or lose Cotton, and it takes knowing words from another interested party to strengthen her resolve. Even so, the young Witch finds herself at a crossroads but continues to give Little John up for Cotton's life. Meanwhile, Cotton Mather faces his imminent demise-the result of Magistrate Hawthorne's jealous treachery-until Alden intervenes. But his rescue could come at a price that he may be unwilling-or even unable-to pay.