Introduction

Hello. Yet another one-shot, a little ... different this time. For this round of the contest, they asked us to "pick ONE (1) character and write an entry structured around the word given to that character, expressing how that word relates to the chosen character. You may include as many or as few characters as you like, in any setting or moment in time you wish." The objective: "Your entry must reflect the word paired to the character you choose. This word must set the tone of the entry, and must serve as the focus for your piece." I chose Gideon, and the word to which he was paired was "duty". Happy reading.

The Threat

As he walked along the seemingly endless torch-lit corridor, he remembered. How, standing in his office, he had held out his hand, and taken the life out of his friend's body. He had to, for the Greater Good. He would repeat that action a thousand times if ever presented to the same course of events. He just couldn't let him ruin everything. Summoning his strength, he had negated the School's anti-death charm for a spilt-second, and as he had made Sigmund burst into millions of particles, Gideon had watched his friend, his confident leave him. Forever. For duty.

The Headmaster of Magic School lowered his head. He closed his eyes tightly, summoning his strength and indubitable belief in justice to look back up at the tiled hall from which his sorrow had distracted him. He couldn't let friendship ruin his conscience, his moral.

"Hurry up!" he bellowed to the latecomers as he stopped in the middle of the dormitories' hall. "Night is over, and classes started five minutes ago!" Shouts emanated from the students as they took a look at their watches or the large clock on the wall. "One hour detention for you all –" (more groans followed) "And one week will befall every single one of you who arrives late to class tomorrow," he added as he carefully watched each of their faces.

He resumed his walk, deaf to the mumbles that followed his pace as he reached for the continuation of the hallway. Students had to be disciplined. He had given himself a task when he had had this school built, a mission that each of those students' parents relayed in turn; that of keeping them safe, and teaching them their heritage and discipline … He would do both … And their first duty as scholars was to arrive to class on time. Schedules weren't made for eggheads only.

He had, not long ago, been absorbed by his other responsibilities so much that one of his protégés had nearly slid down towards the wrong side. Because he hadn't been aware enough of them all. He had to avoid any more chaos. That would never happen again. He was now more attentive than ever before to his pupils, personally chatting with them as soon as the opportunity occurred.

When he had found out it was a student that was causing his staff to lose their heads rather literally, his first reaction would have to have punished the boy. But he realized that, because of all his other duties, he was the one that had not worn his Headmaster's mantel as well as he thought and admonished himself to be more present for his charges.

He entered the main hallway again, distributing new punishments to the students who were hurrying to their classrooms, already late.

As the sunrays gradually lit the corridor magically extinguishing the torches, he looked around at the grounds through the large windows. In the distance, beyond the well-cared-for park, the protection shield gleamed beneath the bright aster.

He would never regret teaming up with demons for the sake of all. Others had done it before him; Evil and Good had joined hands for several occasions previously, confining the Hollow for one, and many other deeds. Feats that only the two forces together could achieve. Because they had to. It was in their nature to fight, but when a gargantuan menace arose, threatening the very balance of things, Good and Evil would always ally and fight together. And since demons had seemed the only ones to see the threat for what it was, then he had had but a choice. He had done what he must.

Ho, not that he blamed any of them for succumbing to the threat's apparent charms and sweetness. No; many of the most dangerous menaces had seen their plans near succeeding with enamoring abilities, flatteries and suggestions. He only was grateful to the forces balancing Everything that they would spare him such blindness. An angelic shell hosting a devil.

Already back in the days when he was still human did he let duty and duty alone rule his every move. Starting as a mere soldier in the American Revolution, he had soon be promoted a captain. And when he died in the Battle of Bunker Hill, it was after making sure the other side's captain was just as hopeless to survive as himself.

Valuing his virtues a bunch of Elders had appeared as he lay drifting. Offering him a second chance, a second life to guide helpless, clueless souls.

After the shock of learning about the supernatural, alarm had subsided, and the knot in his insides had been all about his pride at being chosen. He had of course accepted the task, and taken good care of his charges, be they witches or future Whitelighters, never letting them stray one single toe off the road. This earned him the earliest promotion to the status of Elder.

Now one of the biggest figures of the mystical world, he had made sure that his Whitelighters followed his footsteps in the caring of their own charges.

But every time he would see on the face of one of his subalterns the pride that showed at helping out a charge, it instantly gnawed at his insides.

Not a man to relegate his responsibilities, thus unable to come back to a lower status, Gideon had thought countless nights about a way to get back his own joy and pride at seeing one's witch's success.

Thus was born Magic School. And each and every year since then, when the oldest students would graduate with plans to rid the world of its evil, he would beam, relishing his triumph. He would scan the pupil's smug or humble smiles and think of how he couldn't wait for the next year to begin, and end.

For only when people did what they were meant to do could the universal scales keep their balance.

When, years prior, he had offered to take in the Charmed Ones under his protection, it wasn't just for making the legendary witches his greatest trophy. Already then did he fear for the safety of the World. Three women more powerful than any force before was enough to put him on edge. Hadn't it been for Penelope, he would have made sure they grew under his watch. But the old witch had taken care of the danger for her own reasons, binding their powers, which were only brought back when they had become sensitive, older women … for the biggest part.

Except for a few slip-ups, they were responsible enough not to make the world the witness and battlefield of their carelessness, unlike this – this threat. His brother had to come back before his very own birth to avoid whatever chaos he was to provoke in the future.

Yes, that was how it must be. Rules and laws were to be followed. And it was his role, as a member of the Higher Beings of this Earth to make sure no-one endangered the safety of the world. This seed that was sprouting inside his school would one day be a terrible witch, one that would bring about chaos and destruction from within. And he had had to kill his friend, who threatened the plan, to reach this far. Nobody could and would stand between him and his task. Now was the time to eliminate the threat. He just had to have the Halliwells out of the way for long enough.

For others, visitors, the corridor passed to be never-ending, for they had to figure their destination to reach it. But for him, the path had an end, for he knew what he was looking for, what his goal was; his duty.

The double doors opened at his will, and he entered the Grand Library, instantly spotting his quarry. Wyatt smiled at him innocently from above his mother's shoulder and Gideon blocked all minds from invading his.

For everyone's sake.

He nodded his greetings as he walked further into the room and whispered to himself, "For duty."

Author's End Note

Well, as always, thank you for reading, and I hope you did enjoy this last one-shot for the time being. Please make sure to tell me what you liked and disliked in a review; criticism is always a good thing when done properly :-)

Now on to more ... ancient works ...