In Charm's Way

by A.W. LeMonte

AU: Reality is subjective. Be it personal or be it objective. We only see as much as we know and understand even less. Inquiry is the only real way to see life differently when tempered by realization. Step into the life of a "known" character to see how much you really know. Walk in her shoes, see how they fit, and how you feel. M for later chapters.

2. Chapter 2

AN: Hoping you enjoy this new chapter! Please Read and Review.

Chapter 2

It had been several years since coming to Earth from her native realm. Hope by this point was twelve years old. Hex had managed to get by with help from fellow magi and mystic resources procuring them with means of security in terms of employment and housing in a medium-sized city of Ketchler, Massachusetts. The home they had was not entirely too much. It was a small two-bedroom apartment with a kitchenette, bathroom, and small living room which lead into the kitchenette. The area of the apartment's situation was of modest income in general. A majority of those around the city and indeed those who shared the complex were by and large workers for the railroad, for a nearby steel-plant, or if one was lucky, employment in the more prestigious "entertainment quadrant" as it was termed. Hope

Hex himself worked within the entertainment quadrant using his skills as historian and researcher to secure himself a job as curator for the area's first museum. He resided chiefly in the realm of medieval art and culture with extensions going into Roman and Ancient Greek history. This avenue of employment served well to provide Hope and himself with the proper means of support in terms of food and rent. They were long hours sometimes going into the avenues of late evening up to closing time. As such, he was never home in the following aspects of the evening which by the time Hope was eight, it had become a generally accepted form of precedent.

As a result, Hope, as she gradually got older starting around age six, she didn't spend that much time at home. Of course, she maintained her studies and performed quite well in the aspect of the fields that were very important to her, namely history, music, and the fine arts. However, in terms of arithmetic and graduation to more advanced courses, it was not accurate to say that she did not understand the concepts. Nor did she not understand the higher purpose, applications and indeed need of these aspects. But it was genuinely dull to her and was mainly immaterial to her personally. Just as she may have personally felt this way, she was not without common sense.

Through living on Earth Hope had learned especially in their area of the United States, and indeed the nation, academic performance was much desired and indeed expected from an early age. However, from those she had come to know as "greater acquaintances," Hope came to realize there were methods by which she could thrive to achieve her autonomy. In premise, it was straightforward. She had made acquaintances with both greater and lesser advancements as needed to attain what she needed. These acquaintances were utilized in no other way to be said as impromptu tutors and cheat sheets. However, Hope for her intentions reciprocated the help she requested from these individuals. It was a balancing act of a form of quid-pro-quo. As she endeavored to help those who struggled in the realms where she excelled, she asked to help understand the fields she struggled in. But it was not to follow the discipline so much as it was to look at a teacher's test and from what they see, determine the pattern of what needed to be directly studied to pass. For in a queer aspect of early understanding, she had come to realize a distinct element in human exploitation consisting of a form of understanding. Hope knew to look for what people valued most and from an exhibition of understanding of the greater knowledge towards the lesser knowledge, in contrast, she could count on leniency for seemingly mastering the greater discipline.

Outside of academics, Hope did have a small circle of friends that she held still as acquaintances but not so much of a distance between them. There was Kristoff Kathman the son of a similarly magically gifted family originally from Ledgerdomain and who resettled in the United States after going to gather family connections in Otwock, Poland. His family served in a unique position as "keepers of the houses" ensuring that there was enough stored to protect the people in the event of famine or siege. Since the events which claimed the lives of Hope's father and his friend Erithan, known in time as "The Great Usurpation," many families such as hers, both of greater and lesser fortune were displaced and came to Earth as a place of refuge.

Just as there was Kathman, there was Walter Gilmore, whose family she had heard her father mention in various supper settings at home. The Gilmore clan were highly respected lawyers as a family business, and it was no different than the avenue of occupation in Ketchler. However, they did choose to tone down their original element of criminal law as to hide from what was a concern of many families, hunters from the Usurpation to extinguish the residue of those who managed to escape. As a result, the Gilmores had gone into more the realm of instant public defenders even though they knew such a field of lawyer was not altogether respected. However, what they desired was to be so useful as public defenders that they were used by the common man on referral from an equally common man to restore hope that not all associated with what could be considered by many to be a loathsome aspect of lawyer.

Then there was Robert Mikolovich Eca of the Eca household. The Eca family were known as the "contented workers of known greater purpose." What this meant was that the family was dispersed all through the nation of Ledgerdomain. They were the people that many overlooked because of perceived occupation. A tragedy that Hope herself knew she was guilty of on some level. For she came to realize the Eca family were the very teeth of the cogs that served to interconnect to the more significant gears of society. These were the family who took pride in doing the jobs none desired. They were the maids, the cleaning men, the sewer workers, the sanitation workers, the cleaners of carriages. They kept the nation clean, neat, and, efficient. They were seldom seen and even less heard. They knew their power lay in the services they provided. This same purpose they very happily continued with over on Earth but because of their merit and subsequent credentials had access to some of the most potent and advanced places in society, serving as both a small bragging right to them and a means of jealousy from others.

Finally, there was Sarah Entwhistle of the Entwhistle Family. A people that very much understood the value of reality versus idealism. The way many described them was sober-minded and some even going so far as to say close-minded. But this was not indeed the case. These were a family that had made their livelihood for several centuries on the understanding of accepting reality and all of the darkness that it entailed. It also meant that in their element of acknowledgment of the evil that it was a reality that they lived in, but not destined to tolerate, endure, or even allow to continue. For the mindset of the Entwhistles was best described in their creed which read, For in knowledge is light; in excuse and selfishness is darkness. To ensure Order and Light to triumph over darkness, one must make peace and understand from where that evil stems and when seen the root that sprouts the stem, dig it out and burn it up for why does it use up the ground?"

It was with these people Hope genuinely had come to identify with as they were joined as all friends are, by common themes. In this group of a daughter of a great general, a keeper of record, a defender of the ubiquitous man, a cleaner of the filth of the people and their city, and an aspiring cleanser of evil from people, this group was united in pain, loss, and grief. But also, all shared the dream and indeed hoped that one day they would be able to reclaim what was theirs initially using their gifts instilled in them by their families.

For this group of friends it was not uncommon to during the period of school months to alternate visitations to each other's houses and went around Ketchler in general usually to catch a movie at the refurbished cinema on the main square or to go to one of their favorite eating places, Danglar's Deli & Pharmacy. A slice of the town hearkening back to an earlier time both in quality of food and service and yet, it served as a memento of darker times as well. The times of the old Jack Filliente and his terror through his small but mighty family upon the lives of many of the families of Ketchler through loansharking, extortion, and judicial tampering. Going back a little farther when Danglar's was known as Braxton's Braid a known stop for prohibition runners who took a cut of the overall take to keep silence. That greed for the cut went to deep and lead to the Braxton massacre. It was found afterward the place was also a brothel by which many women and young girls no more than in some cases fourteen were beaten, used up, and cast aside constantly and indiscriminately. In acknowledgment of the evil of the past from overt violence to shady deals, to a lovely luncheon spot for those of the later times-this tapestry of societal darkness intermingled with light, akin to themselves and their history, was a perfect location for this group of visionary revolutionaries to call a meeting place.

Their discussions as they would meet would be of the usual inclinations. Namely that of critiques of teacher, either permanent of a substitute. The debate they would have over the medium of entertainment, and their relevance or lack thereof, or in some cases as a teenager is want to do, character assassination or indeed an appraisal, albeit a shallow one, of other classmates they didn't particularly care for. Hope was not always privy to such conversation as she didn't truly see the need for bashing those unable to defend themselves. Rather her appraisal of character did, in fact, stem from the first-hand impression as to give a suitable and above all accurate appraisal of the qualities she wished to either lament or very rarely praise in what she saw in another.

In time as was the custom after a while, the conversation generally gravitated towards reflections of life back home in Ledgerdomain. Most of the group had relatively fond memories before being forced to leave. That said, all of them, regardless of wanting to admit it or not, had grown accustomed to life in the small town of Ketchler. Almost everything was primarily concentrated and comfortably so. What this concentrated comfort translates to was that everything vital to enjoyment at their age was readily available. The main aspects of entertainment namely the small cinema, the bowling alley, roller rink, general store, bar and grill, and pool hall was a fifteen to twenty-minute walk from either one of their homes. The business sector of the city was very much known to be a ten-minute bus ride with the bus's final stop in the very heart of the industrial district. It was a lovely blend of equally private and public in terms of separation of home-life and work. Generally, not many brought work home with them unless indeed in the fields as some were of accounting, medicine, teaching, or in some rare instances, worked from home.

The schools of Ketchler was a different matter, St. Teresa's was one of them. It was a large and stately Catholic affair. The genuinely wealthy of the town both attended the school and so did their children that in the eyes of Hope went back to Columbus's time likely enough. The attendees were known for their splendid appearance, the epitome of uniform in both dress and function.

As was observed by Walter, "The poor puppets that believe so many misconceptions." When questioned on this by Robert, Walter explained, "It's an interesting way that the Catholic faith sees aspects. See they do believe as a shocking paradigm against the core of the Christian element. They believe both in good works will save you and if that doesn't work money will save you from damnation. That's just one of the major elements that served as weakness of their argument. I mean I had to look at it myself from the aspect of a Protestant who came from them, and the thing is when you, in fact, come from their mentality and are shown a new way to look at it, well it is very jarring the extent of what can only be realized and seen as superstition."

"But are we not the magi, the very people that by their practices that they would indeed burn us as witches and warlocks, which we admittedly are?" Hope asked.

Walter shook his head, "No, you are, we are not."

Hope looked confused, "Can you explain that?"

Walter took out a cigarette from his jacket. He lit it and took a slow drag in contemplation as if assessing the right words, "Well, think of it like this. Your family and bloodline are magi by choice. A common misconception is that to be of the magi people you all practice magic. Not so, you choose to practice magic, which Hope, is not magic. Well at least in the regards as these humans understand it. The rest, however, was from families derived from fundamental and yet vital trades necessary to our homeland. We all were being groomed to take our parents' places and carry on the legacy of their practices. You were the only one afforded more choice. Bear in mind we do not hold this against you. That would be entirely unethical to hate you because you were born with a few advantages."

"So, wait a minute, are you, in fact, saying, that you don't hold what you would see as a greater affordance of choice compared to you all, you wouldn't hold it against me?"

Walter took another drag, "Think of it like this. We don't because frankly, we realized of people of your upbringing and indeed caliber, that while you were afforded more choices, you also, in fact, had more responsibility than we did. We thought of it like a nice balancing of the hands we all are dealt in life."

Robert nodded, "Yeah, I mean because think about it, Wally is not wrong. We were in fact from the time we could walk, trained and taught in the ways of our professions to be inherited. We came to realize some hard truths very early on. Hard truths, mixed with a bit of tragedy, mixed further with what can only be described as a realization of what the world and society that we left, in fact, was: A system that was deeply antiquated, dangerously sick in the aspect of social class, and run with impunity because of the element of the beliefs of the higher-ups. The belief was saying, 'That so long as the necessary functions of the country were in constant use and growth, the people did not care about the greater goings-on. They only cared they had food in their bellies and employment by which to get money to buy more food and some luxuries.' As much as some and indeed, you, may not like it, Hope, your family up until your father, had embraced this full-heartedly which is what lead to the Uprising. Because of a mass differentiation of opinion that had otherwise been held by that family for arguably centuries."

Kristoff then spoke, "Yes, yes. Exactly. See the only reason that you had to come here at all was the element that after a while, your father became disillusioned by what he had seen for a reasonable amount of time before you were even born. I know this because my dad worked with him for a time, and from such time together, both came to understand one another and what each other saw in the spheres of influence each had respectively. See, for a long time, your family was detached from the suffering of many of the people that, as far as everyone up to your father was concerned, we're not there to be catered to or cared for. We were there to serve, and to serve them in their armed divisions which protected the country.

Your father broke that mold because of he, for the first time out of many generations, said, "Fuck it." And so he became a friend of the people, he sympathized with many of us and from how our parents tell us," gesturing to all three of the others, "He did, in fact, make viable efforts towards change but in the way he knew the Grand Council would only be willing to ingest it, in tea-spoonfuls."

Sarah tapped Hope on the shoulder, "In synopsis, you are only here and able to be with us, because your father loved all of us, all our families. It was he who helped provide passage for all of us here. He cared for us because in relation with us but more importantly The Great Master as our culture calls God, well he was made to see that all the evil and all the corruption and all the tyranny that his family had used against others in the armies was in fact over with. He was the voice of the people, not initially but became one through doing what no other had done before.

Talking with us and speaking with us. Your father endeavored to understand us, to attempt to empathize and sympathize. From all this, he tried and, in some cases, did help to liberate us from the other implacable iron-fist that was the Great Council. But for all this, the Council became angry, and they listened to a new voice on a recommendation to them. This unique voice was filled with their wine. Their wine of old venom and intense anger towards dissent. Vintage and potency derived from long-standing superiority and corked by a passionate aspiration to replace your father for the sake of his own power. His name was Adwatia Karatiza."

Hope nodded, and for the rest of the day, she contemplated all that had been said. She reflected long and hard, and as much as she wanted to rationalize, or more accurately over-rationalize the whys and wherefores, the truth was, in fact, evident but still something she did not want to admit. The reality was that the people Hope thought as a young girl she could call friends were iron-handed and narrow-minded tyrants over the people of Ledgerdomain. Hope waited this night until seven thirty when she knew Hex would be home and as he prepared supper and she set the table; Hope began to formulate the question she knew he'd be able to answer to give further clarity for her.

The dinner was more excellent than the standard fare. It was an excellent fresh salmon steak with lobster and hand made crab Rangoon. It was in acknowledgment of just this upgrade in food from the traditional microwave food or fry meal that got Hope genuinely thinking. She knew something had changed and so it was here she debated even asking the questions on her mind.

However, she decided to ask an alternative question, "Uncle, what's the occasion for all this?"

Hex smiled somewhat, "It is a bit of a celebration. We have had the pleasure of welcoming in a Michelangelo exhibit in Boston, and the museum wants to send me to look into it to see what pieces can be assessed for an extended loan from the exhibit to give a splash of new culture to Ketchler."

Hope nodded and said, "Well, congratulations." She had some of the Rangoon and then said, "Well I was going to ask you something, I was talking to some friends of mine in terms of what exactly the whole Usurpation was about, and they told me some exciting things. Uh, to get to the meat of it, what happened all those years ago?"

Hex's smile disappeared, and Hope could see it was still something of a sore subject. But Hex understood that in time she would have found this out, be it from him or her friends whose parents were close to his brother. He was now thinking as best to address what he knew was now staring him in the face. He knew potentially if he told Hope precisely what happened she would have absolute truth as best he could deliver it. However, what he knew would kick-start her anger was a realization of what exactly happened. In a way, he knew he'd have to cross the bridge eventually and so utilizing the silence, he began to formulate a plan.

He then cleared his throat, as he was done thinking, and began, "The events of all that transpired is something that I'm sure your friends have told you an extension of their parents, was what can only be said as a "changing of the guard" followed by "a preservation of order." What I mean by this your father, our friend, Erithan, and I were the change in the guard. We had seen the corruption of our families in ages past, we had seen their influence attained first through what was perceived noble conduct but in time over generations degenerated into the prideful command and oppression of others. We endeavored to put a stop to this barbaric treatment as we all saw at very young ages.

See, what you must understand first and foremost is that your father and our friend turned brother, Erithan were outstanding people. Not perfect, none ever are. But they were outstanding men, and I never want you to forget that. Secondly, our systems, both political and by extension, familial by which we lived and were comfortable and for what you experienced if but for a moment were extremely corrupt. The wealth and prominence were built on a foundation of what was once a great legacy in battle and strategy. The foundation was built, but the overall body of our heritage in time was tarnished and made ugly as newer generations up to us embraced the chaotic system of the world. What was once great heritage was now nothing more than rising in power by means of the oppressors of the world, we lived in. Namely, what tarnished us was engagement in slavery, murder, oppression, tyranny, suppression of dissent, intimidation, and fear.

Your father and I saw this in time as our parents; your grandparents were always in Grand Council meetings. As we were not allowed to attend such meetings, your father and I poured over our family history, which had two renditions. One rendition, as we both knew was for public consumption. It justified many heinous actions under the pretense of protection and security of the state and the people therein. It spoke of great heroes and painted them in the epitome of romantic light. It was a true false narrative filled with such colorful prose and poetry it was just sickening especially when compared to the journals, diaries, and letters of the actual people depicted the accounts as well of those in their circle who gave more objective takes. For what in all reality, what may have been portrayed as a dashing knight or just and noble king was a butcher of men, rapist of women, and instead of just and generous was an opportunist and snake. What was depicted to the masses? A lie, a sordid lie to soothe their souls with dreams and aspirations of grand and noble conduct and etiquette when in all reality, our family's heroes were indeed that of monsters. Monsters contented to be monsters as they were filled with good food, wine, and given the power, which was the real end goal for all most of our family."

Hope was very silent as she just listened to her uncle. She could tell by how he spoke; it was an element of extreme hatred for their own family. Knowing such feelings were not unwarranted in the revelation of not only what he had said but further supported by a narrative her friends gave testament to. In realization of this, she thought long and hard and prepared to ask what was on her heart, but she equally dreaded to ask.

Taking a deep breath, she asked, "Uncle, you have given me an aspect that leads me to ask, was daddy killed for thinking in this new way? To end the old ways of our family and turn a new leaf?"

Hex looked at her very solemn and said, "Yes. As I have said, there was a yearning for a keeping of order. We all went against the precedent which had been set for centuries on end. As a response, the Grand Council did, in fact, act against us. It started small at first with the introduction of some newer council members, and in time, there came the introduction of Adwatia Karatiza to the council."

Hope nodded, "Yeah, one of my friends, Sarah, told me about him. Who was he exactly? I remember for a little while that daddy and Mr. Erithan would have some heated discussions about the Council's shifting standards, was this Adwaita one of them?"

Hex replied, "Not even so much of a shifting standard. Adwaita was more accurately a representative from an older house in Legerdemain. However, most assuredly he was, in fact, the Council's attempt to show to others who remained skeptical of Spellbinder's and Erithan's mindsets how against the traditional precedent that the two were and subsequently how Adwatia could replace one of them.

The reason they didn't bring two people to replace them was that the Council did understand that the public did somewhat watch them. But it was in such way that the public only dealt with 'superficial fairness.' Meaning that the Council knew that if they kept a distinct and directly opposing voice, it would be seen that they desired to be presented as truly fair having the odd number of voting potential. They actively were just the opposite, one uniform mindset for the better of themselves and their friends. The inclusion of the dissenting voice was just a formality and a symbolic element, and not so much a literal application to overall decision-making."

Hope nodded in understanding, taking in her uncle's words and Hex could genuinely see the effect his words were having upon his niece. He knew what was soon to be planted in her mind, and at the same time, he knew that he couldn't have that seed planted too early. As the element to attain what he knew, she in time would want, required time to build up to let alone resources of which they had none. So in knowledge in of her reception of this information, Hex chose the next avenue of approach that was greatly more desirable for the present.

"In synopsis, the Council took their time, lined up their resources to expel either your father or Erithan and in their perfect world, they'd gladly take both out. However, such was the pacing over the years of this buildup that they couldn't afford precisely to eliminate both at least not in the same location on the same day. Their ruse, however, was obvious and was made even more apparent to the public as Erithan had connections to various printers and journalists in the central city. He utilized the public's need for scandal and intellectual vanity to put the Council's machinations on full display to see, worded so plainly the common man could easily understand.

As the dirty laundry was aired and the people saw and understood what was presented, a mixture of anger towards the Council and a fear of the Council's reprisals arose gradually. This fear resulted in many prominent families of legitimate influence tied to your father and Erithan to being to make plans to come here to escape what they knew was coming. In the history of Ledgerdomain and indeed the history of the world, when a tyrant or tyrants' collective power is threatened, or their evil laid naked to see, what does the tyrant do? He or she will suppress all dissent, violently if need be. However, such were the circumstances regarding this airing of their laundry, that they knew they had to act quickly.

Both your father and Erithan knew this which is why before the pamphlets detailing the elements of the Council's history, members, affiliations, etc. were even distributed; they had spread word to the major players who they had helped and helped them. This silent alarm resulted in a collective silent readying to move and using the window Erithan provided, major families came over here to where it was safe and indeed safeguarded. It was slow, and it was gradual following the time window Erithan put in motion to ensure the significant players could safely get away before we had a certain cataclysmic domino effect when the pamphlets were made public. Most of all major players and supporters of both made it across to this town and indeed several others in separate counties across the world."

Hope then asked, "So what happened leading up to our final day?"

Hex looked at her a moment, again, choosing his words carefully but struggling as the pain began to wash over him again like a wave, "The pamphlets concerning the Council's corruption had by that point been in full circulation for the better part of roughly two months. The Council, knowing they had been outed, investigated in the meantime during distribution. However, Erithan, who I believe was the shrewdest of us all, said to his many journalists and printer contacts that once the pamphlets had been made, that the presses were to be destroyed. Preparations had been made beforehand to provide for their families and themselves to ensure livelihood. And so, from the presses of significant printers and publishers were the pamphlets printed. But the printers and all affiliates were already gone when the Council determined who printed the booklets.

Knowing full well, that their crimes and elements were out there, the Council did as they only knew how to do and did for centuries. They imposed martial law, which started on the day of our departure. After they had conducted an internal investigation into how they were exposed, many pointed the finger at Erithan in the knowledge of his connections to the press at large. Erithan, by all accounts, never denied the charges. Instead, he confronted his accusers and admitted to what he had done to show them for as it was written in the record, 'You are the worst kind of snakes. Worse than the tyrant who is mad, or the lecherous priest. You are the snakes who listen into the sacred communication between The Master and his children to find a means of finding secrets most intimate to find out more of a person, that knowledge, not yours to ever have! You contented yourselves in pride, in power, the seats you hold. You are the slave-drivers, the two-faced liars, the hypocrites, the users and killers of men and women. The makers and lovers of war, the mental enslavers through illusion. So yes. I did as I did; I have no shame in what I have done. For now, you are laid naked before the world, and now will face them.'

Hex's eyes began to water, and Hope could see this, and she asked, "I remember when a man came to you that day. He said they had stabbed Erithan to death."

Hex's even though watery were sharpened in anger, "They stabbed him thirty times, dragged him still barely alive into the public square, cut out his tongue, setting it upon a block. They took the block to one of the many botanical and fruit gardens that were his family's legacy to the city and upon the central tree, from which the gardens were coordinated and they hanged him. Then…then by all reports they came after your father and using his opposition from his soldiers, they killed him. The rest is history. The Council asserted its authority and slaughtered the rest of the dissenters with Adwatia in your father's old position as Guardian of the Realm. That point onward the Council rules all in the joyful glee of absolute power without pretenses and are contented therein. The houses and places of influence used by 'the vilest dissenters' were razed to the ground, and in the eyes of those who still live in Ledgerdomain the events are but a whisper."

Hope had had enough; she arose and went to her room. Considering all she had heard, she was now furious and very much shocked. Never had the truth been so bluntly laid out before. She surrendered of the inklings she'd had from her younger nights eavesdropping on her father's late-night talks with Erithan was the more excellent picture. Now, what was she to do? What could she do? She rolled the question over multiple times in her mind. She thought to herself that if the people indeed were refugees in this sense, then it was their duty to go back and take back what was once theirs. But even then, she knew it would be a tough case to argue. For the simple fact, she knew that Earth was different from Legerdemain. The atmosphere she remembered was far more significant in power and mana charge than here.

The question burned in her head over and over on the hows of going about her goal. So tired and flustered was she by this and all that her uncle had revealed that finally at the point of true mental exhaustion, she fell asleep.

Hex sat in the living room, his eyes in anger, but what needed to be done was done. The seed was planted, and it was planted in truth not out of romanticism or out of pity. He knew what was to come. He knew exactly what was to come. The power they would face, especially against the powerful alpha-rune in addition to the tyrannical and sadistic minds that used it, he knew he would have to find the Earthly equivalent. He knew they were there to help achieve his purpose; he had only to seek them out. He went to his study and opened an old tome and turned to the center, The Charms of Bezel. The time had come for him to act on the research he had attained through his years as curator — the first charm of the needed set was in his range, soon to be his.

AN: This chapter took a good while to hammer out some themes and I am so pleased with how it turned out. The Master is an allusion to the fictional works of Christopher Diaz, JR in his Across the Door series. I asked his permission and he consented to allow me to use the term. This chapter while challenging helps to set up Charmcaster in early teen years and the following chapters will flesh that out. It is from this I aim to give normalcy to the character so when we see her as we do in the original Ben 10 Animation and subsequently in Alien Force and Ultimate Alien, we see the reasoning of the character and even causes of some effects and events which are largely not talked about. Read and Review, please. Thank you and I hope you had a great read.