Introducing the Angel of Destiny
Moving into the Dining room, to discuss their next move, the sisters suddenly realised that all of a sudden something was wrong. Immediately checking their surroundings, it was quickly apparent that it was too quiet. Prue moved to look out the window facing onto the street and was surprised to see everything frozen, even the birds. Turning to Piper, "Did you do this?". Moving quickly to look outside, Piper added "No, I can't freeze this large an area".
"Aar sister's" added Phoebe "we have company" as she pointed to a large green robed man sitting at the Dining table and who definitely not been there a few seconds before.
Without hesitation, Prue attacked, trying to use her power to throw the Man across the room, only nothing happened and he continued to smile benignly at them. Prue yelled "Quickly Piper, freeze him". "I'm trying" Piper replied urgently "its not working".
Holding up both hands in full sight, he said "Please I am no threat to you and even if I was, your powers are useless on me. I am an Angel of Destiny and I have come to change your destiny in a way that you cannot imagine."
All three sisters said "what?" as they backed up towards the kitchen. "Leo " yelled Piper, "Leo, Leo". As he failed to appear, she became increasingly concerned. "What have you done to him" she demanded". "Nothing" replied the Angel, "however you will need him so you can learn that you can trust me."
Within in a blaze of white orbs, Leo arrived alongside the table with a surprised look on his face. "How did I get here" he said, "I was with the Elders". As Prue pointed towards the "Angel", Leo suddenly noticed him. With a surprised look that rapidly changed to awe, he said "Are you what I think you are". "Yes" the Angel of Destiny replied. "Please introduce me to your charges, I have extremely important information to impart to them, and little time to do so".
Leo turned to the sisters and said "This is an Angel of Destiny, he's real, very powerful and completely neutral. You can believe what he says".
"Thank you" replied the Angel, "Please relax, as what I have to tell you, is going to shake you, big time".
"What do you mean" Prue asked in a concerned voice, "What do you mean, change our destinies?". "Yes" added Piper.
"This is going to take a while and as I mentioned before I don't have a lot of time. Much is at stake here, basically the future of two worlds and the Grand Design" added the Angel of Destiny. "Before I go any further, we need to summon both your Mother and Grandmother as they must be present".
"Why them" demanded Prue. Both Piper and Phoebe stayed quiet but looked shocked and uncertain of what was happening. "Because they have information that you would only believe coming from them" the Angel replied. "To the attic" and with a snap of his fingers (for a visual effect only), they found themselves in the attic. The sisters standing next to the Book of Shadows, the Angel of Destiny sitting comfortably on Aunt Pearl's sofa and Leo standing to one side.
"Hold on" Piper added in a strained voice, "Leo, what's going on here". "I don't know" he replied "but I know what he is, he represents one of the most powerful forces I know off, far more powerful than any Demon, Elder or anyone else".
With the mention of the Elders, Prue said "Ask the Elders what they know about this, its all to sudden". Leo pauses, then try's to orb up there, only to instantly reappear. "I can't" he exclaims.
"Thats because time is only moving in this room" added the Angel, "even the Elders are unaware of what is currently happening, so your job and the reason for your presence, is to advise them of what is going to happen and why. First you must summon your Mother and Grandmother" he finished, as the Book of Shadows opened by itself to the correct page and five lit candles appeared in the center of the room, spaced equally around in a circle. "Summon them now and I will explain all".
"I think you should do as he asks" said Leo.
With an uncertain look at each other, the sisters started to read the incantation.
"Hear these words, hear our cry,"
"Spirit from the other side,"
"Come to us, we summon thee,"
"Cross now the great divide."
In a cloud of white orbs, their mother and grandmother appeared, both with a surprised and then concerned look on their faces. "What's going on here" demanded their Grams. "Ask him" replied Prue, pointing to the Angel of Destiny. "He's the one apparently with all the answers, he claims to be an Angel of Destiny and that he's going to change ours".
"Yes" the Angel replied "and now I must ask you to keep any questions until I have finished here. I should be able to answer most of your questions and as for the rest, you will find them out by yourselves". As all six present, looked like they were about to speak, he added "Please wait until I have finished".
"First, the rules. My role here is neutral so what I am about to tell you, Evil will also be told, but not for another 24 hours, but they will find out. Furthermore, while I can answer any questions, some I will not, as these answers will also be made known to them and they could benefit more than you. Please trust that in this respect, I have your best interests at heart".
"Now make your self comfortable, as this will take awhile".
Reluctantly the sisters sat, Prue and Phoebe on two chairs, Piper joining Leo on a bench while Patty and their Grams remained standing inside the spell circle.
"What do you know of alternative time line theories" asked the Angel.
With only blank looks from all present, he smiled and said "Good".
"An alternative time line occurs when a worlds destiny spits into two different possibilities. This happens all the time, millions of times in every moment, when instead of one choice is made, another happens. Someone turns left instead of right, a bird eats one bug instead of another. These two timelines will then merge. These choices don't effect a worlds destiny as circumstances change to compensate. Another way of looking at this, is if you throw a stone into a river, nearly all the time the river flows around the stone and nothing changes. Only rarely can that stone effect the course the river takes. Thats when you have two different destinies, the river could flow two different ways. And almost always, these two different destinies merge again, as does the river when it flows around the stone. Small differences between the destinies are either averaged or one dominates. Your car keys are not where you are put them and they turn up elsewhere" the Angel added.
"How are we going so far" he queried.
"Ok" came somewhat reluctantly from Leo and Phoebe, but the others still looked somewhat stunned.
The Angel of Destiny continued "However in some circumstances when large differences occur, this merger can result in massive damage. Beings can disappear, history changes or whole communities can change. Anything magical is especially prone to the damage from these mergers".
"How does this effect us" added Phoebe.
"Because such a timeline split has occurred. Belthazar caused such a split 24 hours ago, when he failed to kill the Triad in this timeline but succeeded in another. Major changes like this, especially major magical changes, cause havoc if the time lines merge. To prevent this havoc, I intend to expand the differences so that the time lines separate permanently. Like two branches on the same tree, growing in different directions. This is what I have come to do".
The Angel paused to catch his breath and then continued.
"As an Angel of Destiny, I can look into the future in other timelines and use what I see there, to guide this one. The sisters destiny in the other timeline, where the Triad was vanquished by Belthazar, is as follows. And I will not answer any questions about it, as it is no longer your destiny. Within the next year, in the other timeline, one of the three sisters will die permanently, killed by a demon sent by the Source of all Evil. Who I will not say and as a result the Power of Three will be ended".
Shocked looks appeared on the faces of the sisters, Leo, their mother and grandmother.
After a brief pause to allow the others to recover, the Angel continued "To remake the Power of Three, another will join you".
Neither the sisters or Leo in their shock at hearing that one of those sisters would die, noticed the strange and shocked look their Mother and Grandmother exchanged as the Angel mentioned the other.
"The two surviving sisters and the other will avenge the dead sister and over the next five years face and survive a series of tests and battles like you have not yet seen. Eventually they will vanquish the most powerful dangers and as a reward, find happiness and a future which includes a happy marriage and children".
"But in this timeline, because the Triad still survive, your destiny must change, if we are too prevent the two possibilities merging and the massive chaos that would result. To do this, I intend to introduce the other into your family early. She will balance the Triad's presence and further separate the two timelines".
A shocked silence greeted this statement until Prue was the first to regain her composure. "Which sister?" she demanded.
"As I said before, I will not answer, as your destinies here, could be very different.
Here your destinies have yet to been written, so anything is possible" replied the Angel.
"You said another?" asked Phoebe.
"Yes" replied the Angel and turning to look at the two ghosts, "it is for this reason I have insisted your Mother and Grandmother be present as they are to answer that question".
All three sisters and Leo, looked at the ghosts, with the unasked question plain on all their faces. Stammering, Grams said "I don't know what you are talking about" in a faltering and uncertain voice. Piper spoke for them all "You know what Grams, you were a lousy liar when you where alive and now as a ghost, you're worse".
Phoebe asked " If you know something Grams, you have to tell us, we deserve to know."
"I can't" Grams answered "I'm sworn to secrecy" as she gave a almost pleading look at her daughter. "By who?" asked Phoebe. "Bye me" Patty replied "Bye me".
"Mum" Prue said quietly, joining the conversation for the first time.
Patty continued "We didn't tell anyone, because we were afraid of reprisals, afraid that you girls would be denied your powers, your birth rite. It happened after your father and I were divorced, when Sam and I were together". Patty paused as she looked at her daughters, at the uncertainty and pain on their faces.
"Go on" said Prue.
"You were all toddlers, you just thought Mummy got a little fat. You never knew I was pregnant." Grams spoke up "I was the only one who knew". "And Sam" Patty added.
"Well yes, of course" Grams finished. Patty continued "We wanted to keep the baby of course, but Mother". Patty paused, unable to continue. Grams continued "Well I knew it would be disastrous, you know before you and Leo, Piper it wasn't just forbidden, it was unthinkable for witches to be with Whitelighters, I mean, let alone have children with them".
"So thats why we had, why we decided to give the baby up. Sam and I, took her to a local church as soon as she was born. And we asked the Nun there to find a home for her.
And she found one for her, a very, very good home" explained Patty.
"Yes" finished Grams "and I bound her powers to further protect her".
Finally Phoebe could take no more as she moved to confront her Mother and Grandmother. "Hold it, just wait one minute, are you telling us, that we have another sister". "Your baby sister" answered Patty. "Your baby half sister" interrupted Grams.
Patty continued "But by my half, which makes her a sister witch, well actually not yet anyway, not until all four of you are here together by the book, just like before".
"Charmed" finished Grams.
A stunned silence followed, broken by the Angel of Destiny.
"In the other timeline, your fourth sister remade the Power of Three. After initial difficulties, the two surviving sisters and her became very close, as close as you three are now, true sisters bound by the blood bond that is needed for the Power of Three to work".
"She like you, became a powerful witch, and a great asset to you all".
"But in this timeline, the Triad still survive and this creates an in balance. With your fourth sister joining you, it will allow the Balance to be maintained. Each side gains. More importantly, this will create sufficient difference and will prevent the timelines from merging and the chaos that would result."
"Her name is Paige, Paige Matthews and you have in a way, already met".
"Another P, imagine that" remarked a stunned Phoebe.
The Angel continued "She knows she was adopted, and from her own research, suspects that she may be related to you three. But she has no proof and with your Mother dead, she is too afraid to contact you. For the last few months she has been a regular at P3 because the family connection between you, draws her to you".
Standing up and waving his arm sideways through the air, a picture formed, showing a movie of a young, attractive girl with long black hair, wearing a red dress and boots, dancing in a club. As the movie rotated, it was obviously at P3. "This will allow you to recognise her easily, and decide both yours and her future. One thing I can tell you is that she will come to P3 tonight, no later than 8 pm, alone, which will allow you to contact her".
"What you three must decide, is what to do now. Remember the other side will learn of her existence soon and they will not let her live because of what she could become. With no powers, she cannot defend herself and she has no knowledge of the dangers that will come after her. If you wish her to live, you must contact her, bring her to the manor and return her powers to her".
"How can we return her powers" asked Prue.
"When all four of you are together, and under the Book of Shadows as you were, when you three gained your powers" answered the Angel. "You will gain a powerful sister, half witch and half whitelighter, with powers that complement you three and give you both the Power of Three and a potential Power of Four."
"What are her powers?" asked Patty.
"The powers that all witch's have as well as whitelighters, but merged because she is half and half. Like you all, she will discover what she can do. Her powers will develop and expand as it has for you in the past and will continue to do so in the future" answered the Angel of Destiny.
Speaking quickly before any more questions could be asked, he added "Lastly, your destinies have not yet been written in this timeline, anything is now possible. That one of you will die soon is no longer part of your destiny. It is still possible but only as it has always been possible. You all could survive and gain the rewards that the other three sisters will gain in the other timeline. Or, one or more of you may die.
And for the record, there are no more sisters or brothers", he added with a tight smile on his face.
"The road you walk and how you walk it, is now completely up to you".
As everyone started to ask something, he smiled again and promptly disappeared in a blaze of golden fire. "Hey come back here" yelled Phoebe, "there is still so much we need to know".
A sudden burst of traffic noise from outside, signaled that time was no longer frozen.
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