The Collective

Previously on Charmed:

"What is the meaning of this?" Avatar Alpha asked at the sudden resurface of the Sisters, accompanied by Zankou in the base of the Collective.

"I don't think we have anything to explain, we're not the ones going around killing people," Piper snapped.

"We only did what was necessary to maintain Utopia," Avatar Gamma replied worried.

"A little loophole you forgot to tell us about?" Paige said as she flexed the vanquishing potion in her hand catching the eye of the other Avatars.

"It was never our intention to deceive, Paige," Alpha informed. "We merely gave you the world that youasked for."

"Again accept for the fact that you were killing people," Piper mimicked.

"Their fates were regrettable, but I guarantee fewer people by far will be lost under our rule, than the chaos of Good and Evil," Alpha replied.

"But at least with Good and Evil people knew what they were dying for," Phoebe argued firmly.

Piper began, "And given the choice of what we had and what you're offering-"

"Now we know what it is," Paige chimed.

"We'll take our freewill back any day," Phoebe finished.

"Here, here," Zankou added.

Completely flabbergasted by the decision of the Charmed Ones, Alpha left his position at the Collective circle and moved in front of the Sisters and Zankou in a desperate attempt to make the sisters see reason. "You would seriously be willing to give up peace of mind, the normal life you so covet to go back to the way things were? Back to fighting the likes of him again?" he asked as Gamma took a place next to him.

"Warts and all," Piper grinned.

"They're not ready for us," Gamma stated.

"Perhaps not," Alpha replied. "Very well, we will use our Collective power to rewind time, to when Utopia began."

"Put the world back," Phoebe ordered.

"I'm sorry this didn't work out, for your sake and ours," Alpha said.

"Touching, I'm gunna' miss you guys," Zankou sniped.


Present Day:
The base of the Collective stood white and empty in the centre of the black dome room. Avatars Alpha and Gamma sat on the silver stone steps feeling defeated and helpless. With little power left in the Collective after changing the world, Beta's death and then resetting the world again the ancient power of the Avatars was soon to become a myth. "What do we do now?" Gamma asked.

"We bide our time," Alpha replied.

"What do you mean? For what?" Gamma asked confused.

"We must conserve our individual powers thusly the Collective rebuilds," Alpha said.

"But that will take centuries at least," Gamma said.

"I know. But as you said, they aren't ready for us…but someday they will be," Alpha hummed.

"But even with all of our power this time, we still needed the added power of the Charmed Ones. And I doubt they will leap at the chance to bring about our way once more," Gamma warned.

"Then they will be persuaded, I am not going to abandon our way for the sake of three spoilt witches!" Alpha snapped.

"Alpha…" Gamma said shocked.

"I am sorry," he apologised. "Nevertheless, we need to earn back their trust so that in time maybe they will see things our way again."

"But how? Our power is little and our resources small, how do you plan to get them back on our side?" Gamma asked.

"With a gift," Alpha grinned.

"A gift?" Gamma asked. Subconsciously Gamma was thrust back into his knowledge of the Charmed Ones. He thought about the thing that would persuade them to their side, something that they coveted more than the normal life they'd been fighting to create. He had it. "But, we don't have that kind of Power!" Gamma protested.

"No! We don't have that kind of Power…yet," Alpha grinned.

"Returning the eldest Sister to the Charmed Ones after three and a half years requires the kind of Power we can only dream of possessing," Gamma warned. "Where do you plan to find it?" he asked worried.

"From the combined strength of the very Chaos we fought to put an end to. The struggle of good and evil," he replied, "summon the collective, we have work to do," Alpha ordered. Gamma, fearful of the corruption he could see in his leaders face, complied with Alpha's wishes and closed his eyes to summon the other Avatars. They appeared in position around the Collective circle each looking curious and confused. "Brethren, it is no secret our attempt at Utopia did not go down well in this time," he said as he too took position around the circle with Gamma at his side, "but I have foreseen a way to ensure our next attempt, will prevail."

"Alpha, what're you doing?" Gamma asked as Alpha raised his hands and the Collective table began to glow yellow.

"It's for the greater good," Alpha said. The yellow glow suddenly became bright white tendrils that wrapped themselves around the struggling Avatars. Some stood firm, willing to die for the cause whilst others struggled with all their might to break free of the hold around them.
Within moments the Avatars where engulfed in flames as their powers where drained and sucked into the Collective; their lives taken.

All who remained where Alpha and Gamma. Gamma turned to his leader fearful but firm. "Am I next?" he asked.

"No, you I need," Alpha replied. Alpha grabbed his follower by the thread of his long black robe and they phased out of the room in a white mist.

Gamma found himself with his leader in a dark ominous cave in the underworld. They had faded into the fray of a battle between two feuding clans of powerful demons. Fire balls and energy balls ricocheted off of the stone stalagmites as the two Avatars took refuge behind a pillar. "The underworld?" Gamma asked.

"What better place to find evil?" Alpha replied smugly. The Lieutenant General of the clan stepped into view.

"What the-Who are you? You're no demons! This doesn't concern you!" the Lieutenant argued. Ignoring the demons angry outburst, Alpha grabbed the General and Gamma and the three phased out of the underworld and found themselves atop of Golden Gate Bridge. The roar of trucks and cars beneath them along with the rush of high winds filled their individual ears. Alpha erected a crystal cage (only minus the crystals) and trapped the demon for the time being.

"Alpha no!" Gamma exclaimed. "Taking this path is madness, you've already murdered our kind, stolen a demon and if you do what I think you plan to do you will create more problems than good, please, I beg you to stop this and let the demon go!"

Alpha, completely enraged by the lack of trust from his brother, shot a black beam from the palm of his hand with all intentions of killing him and taking his powers to add to the collective. Gamma phased out just in time to dodge the attack and escape. He refused to have any part in Alpha's tyranny.

"Pity," Alpha said. "Wouldn't you agree?" he asked the demon rhetorically.

Alpha raised his hands to shoulder height and closed his eyes. Within moments, blue orbs circled down onto the platform of the Bridges Heights and revealed Odin, the Elder. Odin surveyed his surroundings and stood confused at the demon trapped within the crystal cage. "Demon? How did you summon me?" Odin asked outraged and confused.

"Oh it wasn't the demon that summoned you," Alpha said. Odin whirled around, his long white robe trailing steadily behind him to find the thing he feared more than any evil.

"Avatar," Odin chimed wide-eyed. "W-why have you called m-me here? What do you hope to gain? The world has been reset-" Odin informed.

"For now…but you're going to help me see to that," Alpha grinned. The crystal cage surrounding the demon was disbanded and the demon set free. However before he could shimmer out, Avatar Alpha thrust his hand deep into the demons chest. Odin, witnessing the insanity of the Avatar, began orbing out when he too received a fist through the chest.
The two paragons of Good and Evil where drained of power and life. Blue orbs and red mist travelled up the Avatars' arms into his chest where they merged and created a yellow glow like that of the Collective. The demon and elder began to vanquish, being engulfed in flame until all that was left of either of them was two piles of ash and wisps of supernatural smog.

The Avatar smiled at himself; the collective now had the power it needed. He wasn't proud of his methods, Alpha loved his brothers and sisters so much…but the cause demanded sacrifice. Now, with the power of the Avatars and Good and Evil the power of the Collective was incredible and ready to be put to use.
Atop Golden Gate Bridge and above the city of San Francisco, Alpha summoned the power of the Collective to him.


Across town an all too familiar Mausoleum was receiving an orange and yellow glow within one of its graves.

Prudence
Halliwell
1970-2001


"It is done," Alpha chimed.