Wyatt Halliwell covered his eyes as a rain of energy balls erupted into
fire on his energy shield. Smoke filled the air as a cadre of demons
advanced through ruined manor towards his position on the landing. In the
background explosions punctuated the sounds of demonic death screams and
the clatter of breaking furniture.
Demonic hands prepared energy and fire balls, while others hefted athemes ready to throw. From the corner of his eye Wyatt caught sight of a Grimlock raising his arm, and on reflex threw his hands up defensively, freezing the scene before the demon could drain his aura.
Sweat dripping from his brow, Wyatt turned and ran up the steps just as an upper level demon began to shake off the effects of his freeze. "Patty! Phoebe! The attic!" he cried breathlessly over his shoulder in the direction of the parlour.
Wyatt flung the attic door open with telekinesis, never breaking stride as he passed through. With a gesture of his hand he slammed he slammed and locked the door, telekinetically moving a dresser in front of it, just as the blue tinged light of orbs began playing across the wood.
Wasting no time Wyatt crossed the attic and flung his arms around his shorter sister even as she materialised. "Wyatt!", Patty panicked, "I can't orb out of the house.". But her warning fell on deaf ears as a gasp from Wyatt signalled the abrupt triggering of a premonition.
In his mind's eye demonic arms gripped Patty Halliwell as she struggled, crying out Wyatt's name. A demon shimmered into the centre of the attic, atheme already in hand, throwing it forcefully in Wyatt's direction. As it neared him the atheme flared bright with energy, passing right through his energy shield, and buried itself in his chest.
Wyatt shook visibly as the vision passed. Patty, still grasping him, urgently asked "What did you see?".
"Demons, Patty", Wyatt replied in monotone. "Killing me. Right here. I think it happens soon."
Suddenly it occurred to him that the two siblings were alone. "Where's Aunt Phoebe?", he asked.
Patty didn't respond, but couldn't meet his gaze. Wyatt's face fell further, then abruptly changed to a steely resolve.
"We don't have a choice anymore Patty", Wyatt said, crossing to the Book Of Shadows. "I'll find the spell. Call for Jennifer".
Wyatt furiously flipped through the Book as Patty closed her eyes, framed by a thick, dark fringe of hair, concentrated, and said their cousin's name. "Jennifer".
A moment passed and nothing happened. Then another. Patty grew more desperate "Jennifer!" she shouted, directing her gaze skyward.
In response pink energy flared briefly, coalescing into the astral form of Jennifer Matthews. "Patty?", she said, "What? What is it?".
As if on queue two upper level demons shimmered into the attic, and with a roar, flung energy balls at Wyatt. They bounced harmlessly of his energy shield, but ricocheted towards a wide eyed Jennifer and Patty, who abruptly dematerialised and orbed, allowing the deadly spheres to pass harmlessly through the space they had been and impact on the attic wall. Almost Immediately Jennifer projected back in behind the demons, delivering a swift kick to the nearest foe as Patty orbed in at her side. The second demon moved to conjure an energy ball but instead shuddered in place and exploded as Patty flung her hands in the demons direction, vanquishing them both.
Jennifer let out a sigh of held breath, flicking her gaze between Patty and Wyatt. "How bad is it?", she asked.
"Aunt Phoebe's dead", answered Patty. Reflexively grasping Jennifer's hand. A choked sob escaped Jennifer's lips, but before she could break down Wyatt's stepped in.
"Snow. Snow! Look at me", Wyatt said forcefully, capturing his younger cousins gaze with his own. "We don't have time to lose it right now. We all need to say the spell, OK? We need you to say the spell".
Wyatt continued holding her gaze as she gulped and nodded, not even reacting to the use of her hated childhood nickname. As a small, pale, blond child among the more robust, raven haired, Halliwell's Jennifer had always been playfully teased by her older cousins.
Patty and Jennifer moved to flank Wyatt at the Book as an unseen presence flicked the page to the desperately needed spell. "Thanks Prue", Wyatt muttered, looking up, as the three re-read the lines in preparation.
The attic door began to shudder under the weight of demonic powers, as the attackers from below grew bold again. None were brave enough to enter the attic after Patty's vanquishing of their comrade, but it would only be a small matter of time before they realised strength of numbers and power was on their side.
"Ready?", Wyatt asked.
"As we'll ever be", Patty responded as Jennifer nodded her head.
The three grasped hands and read from the book.
Orbs can take you very far, But one must travel further, We three ask with all our might, That fate avert this murder
Twice blessed child in time of need, Reaches back through time, Hoping that himself he'll meet, And safety he shall find
A swirl of golden globes surrounded Wyatt, whisking him out of the attic in a flash of light. Jennifer and Patty stood for a moment, motionless, staring at the space where he had been.
"It worked", said Patty quietly, grasping Jennifer's hand again and allowing herself a little smile. "At least Wyatt's safe".
"What about you?", asked Jennifer, suddenly panicked. "Orb out of there. Come to my place."
"I can't", Patty responded. "Some kind of spell I think. I can't get out of the house. Your safe for now, but you better get help Jen. Once they come through that door I won't last long and they'll be after you next".
"I won't leave Patty!", cried Jennifer. "We'll fight together! Maybe there's a spell. Something we can use to break the magic sealing you in. I won't leave yo."
Jennifer's voice cut out mid sentence as an odd sound escaped the lips of her astral form. She shuddered, choked out another gasp, and then her astral form dissipated into nothing.
Patty moved forward a step, wide eyed. "J-Jen.?" she quietly questioned. Then closing her eyes she shouted to the roof "Jennifer!".
The only response was the flare of fire and a hail of splintered wood as the attic door and wall violently exploded. Forced to the ground Patty spun her head in time to see a horde of demons rush in.
Demonic hands prepared energy and fire balls, while others hefted athemes ready to throw. From the corner of his eye Wyatt caught sight of a Grimlock raising his arm, and on reflex threw his hands up defensively, freezing the scene before the demon could drain his aura.
Sweat dripping from his brow, Wyatt turned and ran up the steps just as an upper level demon began to shake off the effects of his freeze. "Patty! Phoebe! The attic!" he cried breathlessly over his shoulder in the direction of the parlour.
Wyatt flung the attic door open with telekinesis, never breaking stride as he passed through. With a gesture of his hand he slammed he slammed and locked the door, telekinetically moving a dresser in front of it, just as the blue tinged light of orbs began playing across the wood.
Wasting no time Wyatt crossed the attic and flung his arms around his shorter sister even as she materialised. "Wyatt!", Patty panicked, "I can't orb out of the house.". But her warning fell on deaf ears as a gasp from Wyatt signalled the abrupt triggering of a premonition.
In his mind's eye demonic arms gripped Patty Halliwell as she struggled, crying out Wyatt's name. A demon shimmered into the centre of the attic, atheme already in hand, throwing it forcefully in Wyatt's direction. As it neared him the atheme flared bright with energy, passing right through his energy shield, and buried itself in his chest.
Wyatt shook visibly as the vision passed. Patty, still grasping him, urgently asked "What did you see?".
"Demons, Patty", Wyatt replied in monotone. "Killing me. Right here. I think it happens soon."
Suddenly it occurred to him that the two siblings were alone. "Where's Aunt Phoebe?", he asked.
Patty didn't respond, but couldn't meet his gaze. Wyatt's face fell further, then abruptly changed to a steely resolve.
"We don't have a choice anymore Patty", Wyatt said, crossing to the Book Of Shadows. "I'll find the spell. Call for Jennifer".
Wyatt furiously flipped through the Book as Patty closed her eyes, framed by a thick, dark fringe of hair, concentrated, and said their cousin's name. "Jennifer".
A moment passed and nothing happened. Then another. Patty grew more desperate "Jennifer!" she shouted, directing her gaze skyward.
In response pink energy flared briefly, coalescing into the astral form of Jennifer Matthews. "Patty?", she said, "What? What is it?".
As if on queue two upper level demons shimmered into the attic, and with a roar, flung energy balls at Wyatt. They bounced harmlessly of his energy shield, but ricocheted towards a wide eyed Jennifer and Patty, who abruptly dematerialised and orbed, allowing the deadly spheres to pass harmlessly through the space they had been and impact on the attic wall. Almost Immediately Jennifer projected back in behind the demons, delivering a swift kick to the nearest foe as Patty orbed in at her side. The second demon moved to conjure an energy ball but instead shuddered in place and exploded as Patty flung her hands in the demons direction, vanquishing them both.
Jennifer let out a sigh of held breath, flicking her gaze between Patty and Wyatt. "How bad is it?", she asked.
"Aunt Phoebe's dead", answered Patty. Reflexively grasping Jennifer's hand. A choked sob escaped Jennifer's lips, but before she could break down Wyatt's stepped in.
"Snow. Snow! Look at me", Wyatt said forcefully, capturing his younger cousins gaze with his own. "We don't have time to lose it right now. We all need to say the spell, OK? We need you to say the spell".
Wyatt continued holding her gaze as she gulped and nodded, not even reacting to the use of her hated childhood nickname. As a small, pale, blond child among the more robust, raven haired, Halliwell's Jennifer had always been playfully teased by her older cousins.
Patty and Jennifer moved to flank Wyatt at the Book as an unseen presence flicked the page to the desperately needed spell. "Thanks Prue", Wyatt muttered, looking up, as the three re-read the lines in preparation.
The attic door began to shudder under the weight of demonic powers, as the attackers from below grew bold again. None were brave enough to enter the attic after Patty's vanquishing of their comrade, but it would only be a small matter of time before they realised strength of numbers and power was on their side.
"Ready?", Wyatt asked.
"As we'll ever be", Patty responded as Jennifer nodded her head.
The three grasped hands and read from the book.
Orbs can take you very far, But one must travel further, We three ask with all our might, That fate avert this murder
Twice blessed child in time of need, Reaches back through time, Hoping that himself he'll meet, And safety he shall find
A swirl of golden globes surrounded Wyatt, whisking him out of the attic in a flash of light. Jennifer and Patty stood for a moment, motionless, staring at the space where he had been.
"It worked", said Patty quietly, grasping Jennifer's hand again and allowing herself a little smile. "At least Wyatt's safe".
"What about you?", asked Jennifer, suddenly panicked. "Orb out of there. Come to my place."
"I can't", Patty responded. "Some kind of spell I think. I can't get out of the house. Your safe for now, but you better get help Jen. Once they come through that door I won't last long and they'll be after you next".
"I won't leave Patty!", cried Jennifer. "We'll fight together! Maybe there's a spell. Something we can use to break the magic sealing you in. I won't leave yo."
Jennifer's voice cut out mid sentence as an odd sound escaped the lips of her astral form. She shuddered, choked out another gasp, and then her astral form dissipated into nothing.
Patty moved forward a step, wide eyed. "J-Jen.?" she quietly questioned. Then closing her eyes she shouted to the roof "Jennifer!".
The only response was the flare of fire and a hail of splintered wood as the attic door and wall violently exploded. Forced to the ground Patty spun her head in time to see a horde of demons rush in.