A Charmed Story - Part Seven:
Hope Dies Last
Chapter 7
"Did you find out what went wrong?" the old demon asked, right after the young man had orbed in.
He looked around and then said with a fearful voice: "No... I couldn't..."
The demon looked at him furious and yelled: "WHAT? CAN YOU TELL ME WHY I SHOULDN'T KILL YOU, YOU UNUSFUL PIECE OF A WHITELIGHTER?"
The young man stepped back: "I'm sorry, he was with his friends they kept me away from him. I couldn't do anything... not without making them suspect me..."
The demon glanced at the young man and then shot an energy ball which streaked his shoulder: "GO... AND DON'T COME BACK BEFORE YOU CAN GIVE ME AN USEFUL ANSWER!"
The whitelighter struggled not to fall and orbed out of the cave as fast as he could.
°°°°°°°°°°
Chris looked intermittently at Wyatt and Julian, feeling at a loss. Ok... Wyatt knew Julian... From the future. He also knew Belthazor. Why?? It was clear that Wyatt wouldn't tell him. BUT... Julian didn't seem very surprised to see Wyatt there!!!
Chris stared at the coloured witch, narrowing his eyes. He always knew a lot of things. He was always there right when he was needed. And he acted in a superior way that Chris didn't like... Because that meant that he was in control of everything, and if he was, Belthazor was... He turned to Wyatt...
Julian had smiled at the blonde Halliwell as he approached them: "I see you know me... That's good.
"Yeah..." he answered.
"Ok. Time out. You two know a lot, and I think this is very unkind of you..."
"I'm sorry, brother. Future consequences. Your own medicine," Wyatt answered smirking, without taking his eyes from Julian.
This smiled back: "He's right, Chris... we shouldn't know too much details..."
"Great," Chris rolled his eyes. "Ok, let's try this way. What are you doing here, Julian?"
The alluded man chuckled: "I'm at home..." He smiled. "But if you mean what is happening..." He gestured with his hands: "Someone can give you answers..."
Chris frowned. "I mean if you knew about this attack. Or how did you get here right now? Were you watching? Did your boss send them?" he asked, suspicious.
Wyatt put a hand on his shoulder. "Calm down, Chris," he said, looking at Julian.
The coloured witch answered: "He's not my boss and you owe us a lot, you know that, but still he's not my boss, he's my friend, what you also know. And I said I know how you can get answers. But you'll need to wear this." He showed the two men a pair of blindfolds."
"WHAT??!! No way, man... Do you think we wanna commit suicide??" Chris exclaimed, shaking his head.
Wyatt frowned, but stayed calm. "What is that for?" he asked, seeing how he took a rope out too.
Julian smiled but took his time to answer. "He doesn't want you to know how to get there on your own," he explained finally.
Wyatt nodded, but Chris stepped backwards. "And what about the rope? You're not gonna tie us up..." he said, determined.
Julian couldn't help laughing, and Wyatt smiled at his brother.
"This is for you to keep steady and don't lose your way. I'm just gonna tie it around your waists, but if you don't want..." Julian shrugged, "do as you like."
Chris stared at them narrowing his eyes, as Wyatt stepped to the witch and took the rope.
"Come on, Chris... trust me," he said, tying it around his own waits and giving him the end, and the other end to Julian.
Chris took it distrusting, but did as his brother said. At least Wyatt was from the future, so... He surely had his reasons to trust Julian. He sighed.
Then they put the blindfolds over his eyes, and Julian made a try to see if the were able to see something.
"We need to talk a lot, brother..." Chris mumbled, feeling uncomfortable.
Then Julian took the end of the rope, and guided the two brothers through the Underworld.
°°°°°°°°°°
Tiptoeing Bianca and Cole entered the small room. As soon as Cole had told the Phoenix what he had found out, she wanted to check on their friend on her own. She was worried, and she wanted to check if she could help in any way.
Cole wasn't so happy about that. Bianca should rest... But she was so damn stubborn.
When they entered Steve seemed still to sleep. Nicki sat beside him, caressing his cheek, while Tom talked quietly to John.
"How is he?" Bianca asked the whitelighter in a low voice.
John shrugged: "I don't know... I've healed his wounds but he is under shock and I fear there is something more... but there is nothing I can do."
"Oh man... " Cole murmured.
"There is something in his mind, something I can't explain the right way... it's like a malfunction, or a interference, or something like that... He's definitely not alright," Tom added with a sad voice.
John sighed again: "I have to go now... another charge is calling for me... I'm sorry... But call me if you need me." Tom nodded and the whitelighter orbed away.
"I didn't know that he is Steve's whitelighter," Cole remarked after he was gone.
"Steve's and also Nicki's," Tom explained.
At that moment Veronica returned with the small box. She nodded to Cole and Bianca and went over to Nicki.
The young woman took the box from her friend and opened it carefully. Inside there were a crystal and an amulet. She put the last one around her neck and the crystal she hold in her fist. With the other hand she took the old and broken picture of Steve she carried around in her purse everyday.
Nicki sighed and looked at her friends. She smiled a little because she knew they all cared... and it was good to have some people who care.
Then she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Seconds later she fall down to the ground like unconscious.
°°°°°°°°°°
Paige returned only moments after Leo was gone. "Something new?" she asked.
Piper shook her head: "Nothing... Leo was here a few minutes ago... The Elders fear a great attack from the underworld, but they also have nothing specific."
Paige nodded: "Well but maybe I have something..." the heads of her sisters turned to her. "There are rumours," the youngest charmed one explained, "some students told me that it's said that there is a whitelighter standing on the wrong side, planing to destroy the balance of the forces."
Phoebe grinned: "Such rumours we have everyday at school."
"I know," Paige shot back, "but this one seems to be serious... cause even Airen and Jolino, those two who are holding the whitelighter-lessons, are talking about that... they had been actually those who told me..."
Piper frowned: "If even the whitelighters are talking about that..."
Phoebe sighed: "Ok... So what do we do now?"
"Still we need more potions to be prepared," Piper said.
"And you shall not overwork yourself," Paige remarked at her oldest sister, "it's only 4 weeks now, and the doctor said you should be more careful."
"I'm not going to sit around and wait for the demons to kill me!" Piper shot back angry.
Paige rolled her eyes: "Yeah, but your sons need you too..."
The oldest charmed one narrowed her eyes. But before she could answer something a darklighter appeared in front of them.
The man took a look around quickly, and before anybody could react, he shot an arrow at Paige. The witch-whitelighter tried to duck, but got hit in the shoulder, the same second that Piper blew up the intruder.
Paige looked at the arrow and the bleeding wound. "Not good," she muttered, then she broke down. Phoebe and Piper rushed over to her, both calling for Leo...
°°°°°°°°°°
Nicki felt cold, her clothes were wet... wet from sweat and blood. She felt her hands chained, her back hurt... she felt dizzy. "Steve?" she called.
No response.
"Steve? she called again.
Then she heard someone moaning. 'Oh my God,' she thought. She tried to see something but she couldn't, suddenly she felt zoomed to her friend, he was suddenly close to her, next to her, chained like her.
"Steve, can you hear me?" Nicki asked again.
Steve mumbled something. She couldn't understand it, but when she concentrated on it, the words became clearer.
"Nicki will kill me... Nicki will kill me..."
She sighed: "Oh honey, I'm so sorry..." Again Nicki tried to get some information about her surroundings. But it was impossible, there was only darkness.
Suddenly she heard steps, heavy steps. Then he felt her head pushed up, like the one of her friend. "Time for you, man!" someone said. It was a deep voice. 'Surely a demon,' Nicki thought.
Then she and Steve where pushed to another room, unable to escape.
There they were chained to a chair... and then there was a blinding light. Nicki again tried to see what's around her, but she couldn't... the light hurt her eyes. And then she felt a terrible pain.
°°°°°°°°°°
Tom had went over to Nicki and sat down next to her. He had put her head into his lap and was now caressing her hair. She wasn't really unconscious... it was more like sleeping, and she seemed to have a really bad nightmare.
Bianca, Cole and Veronica had also approached them. The Phoenix was looking after Steve while the other two looked after Nicki, too. No one dared to speak, while the girl was tossing around in her sleep.
"What may she see?" Veronica asked worried after a while.
Tom shrugged: "What ever Steve is dreaming... hopefully she is able to turn the dream to the actions of the last night."
Cole sighed and stood up again. He went over to Bianca and put a hand on her shoulder: "How do you feel? I mean... I don't want you to wear yourself out."
The Phoenix looked at him with a sad smile: "I'm alright..."
At that time also Steve began to toss around. Cole took his hand in order to calm down, but suddenly he was thrown into a premonition. For a moment he just knotted. Then he relaxed.
"What happened?" Bianca asked frowning.
"Are you ok?" Tom asked.
Veronica stood up and went over to him: "Everything alright?"
Cole wanted to run away that moment... he didn't want to say what happened, he didn't want them to know. But before he could say something, Nicki yelled in pain and then broke down, now really unconscious.
At the same second Steve woke up. He sat up with a start and looked around confused. But he seemed to be completely awaken now. Then he saw his girlfriend: "Oh God, what happened?"
°°°°°°°°°°
Chris and Wyatt walked blindfolded for five minutes or so, during which Chris did not stop complaining. That didn't make sense... Was that the way Wyatt was supposed to take care of him? Was that the way he took care of his little self in his time? Because if that was the way, he should have a very serious talk with little Wyatt when everything was done. Or when he was bigger.
While he complained, Wyatt mocked him in a very low voice and smirked behind his blindfold.
"Come on, Wyatt... This is the Underworld. UN-DER-WORLD!" he whispered, clenching his jaw and trying to reach his brother, feeling he would lose balance and fall down. "There are demons everywhere and who are we? We are the sons of the Charmed Ones! I bet there are posters saying "wanted" with my face on them. And your little baby face too!" He tripped, but recovered his balance soon, and Wyatt held his arm.
"Chris, relax, please... Trust me, ok? I know what I'm doing..."
"Of course..." Chris groaned.
Julian was leading the line, holding the rope. Sometimes he forgot they were blindfolded and walked faster, but then he stopped again and looked at the boys without saying a word, just smiling amused.
"But don't forget it... Wyatt, this makes no sense!" Chris started again. "We're here and we're gonna see the source of all evil, and how?? Blindfolded and tied by the waist. What I said... a suicide!"
He had to stop because he fell down on the floor. "Damn it!" he cried. Julian and Wyatt stopped suddenly to see if he was ok. Chris flinched, a little bit embarrassed of having tripped.
"It's ok... Let's go," he said standing up and holding his elbow which had a scratch.
"Healing?" Wyatt asked concerned.
Chris shook his head: "No..."
"Well, let's go then," Julian said, starting to walk again.
Wyatt didn't move at first, but then he felt the rope and knew he had to do it. Chris extended his arms searching for his brother, and feeling unsteady. He was afraid to fall down again.
Finally he touched him, and Wyatt, when he felt him, took his hand smiling: "It's ok, brother… I won't let you go." Chris nodded, even if he couldn't be seen by Wyatt. From that moment on he shut up and walked.
Julian smiled at their conversations and reactions, but kept silent as always. Finally he made them stop and announced: "Here we are... I brought them, as you asked."
Another voice answered: "Good. You can take off the cloth from your eyes."
Chris and Wyatt hurried to do so, and also the ropes, and blinked a little bit before staring at the reddish demon that stood in front of them.
"Welcome," the source smirked.
Wyatt smirked back, but Chris looked at him swallowing. Even if he had helped them before, he wasn't sure if that had been a good idea. Julian was blocking the entrance behind them, and Chris wondered if they would be able to orb away from there.
"It's a nice place, but you need a woman's hand here," Wyatt said, talking to Belthazor.
The demon raised an eyebrow, but then shook his head, and approached the boys. He stretched his arm towards Chris, who hesitated for a moment. Then, he nodded, and shook his hand. He felt really weird...
"It was about time to meet... formally," Belthazor said.
"What do you want? Were those demons yours?" Chris abruptly asked.
Belthazor laughed, as he shook hands with Wyatt. "Yes, they were. And they weren't exactly demons." he added looking at a smiley Julian. "Let's say it was new technology..." He looked at some computers around the cave.
Chris and Wyatt looked at each other. "But why??" asked Chris, without understanding.
"Kind of... training. I wanted to know if you'd be prepared for what is coming," Belthazor answered. His tone was grave this time, and his expression serious. He made a sign that the two boys sat down, wherever, and they did. Now, they were really interested...
°°°°°°°°°°
Steve rose and rushed over to Nicki. He knelt down next to her, caressing her hair. She didn't wake up. Steve glanced at Tom: "Can you tell me, what the hell had happened???"
Tom stared at his friend frozen in shock. But then he shook his head: "You had been..." He wasn't sure how to say it. "... kind of ill... Nicki entered your dreams to find a way to help you!"
"WHAT?" Steve exclaimed and turned to the others who nodded. "I'm not ill..." he protested.
"Steve," Bianca said softly and went over to him. She took his hand and lead him to the chaise. "Can you tell me what you did after you left Harry's house?"
The young witch glanced at her: "Of course, I..." he stopped.
"Steve?" Veronica asked worried.
"I... I went down the Kings Street..." he said hesitating, "and... than there is nothing."
Bianca nodded. "So you see... you had been kind of ill."
"But now it seems you're ok," Tom said. He shimmered Nicki to another chaise and turned to Steve again. "We tried to find you with scrying, but it said you were in a pub, which I couldn't believe... I tried to contact you this morning, but I couldn't... It was like you were blocking me..."
"But..." Steve wanted to say that he had no idea how to block his friend out, but Tom stopped him.
"I know," he said and went on with his explanation, "finally our connection reappeared slowly, so we found you in a sideway, behind a pub... you were badly wounded, like you were attacked and chained somewhere."
Steve looked at his friend in disbelieving.
"We brought you here," Veronica went on, "and John healed you. But you didn't wake up completely. And Tom said he noticed that there was something wrong with you... and you had a little outburst one time..."
"What outburst?" Steve asked confused.
"You screamed 'Demon'," Tom said, "and it was like there was something else in your mind, but I can't explain it... Then Nicki decided to try to enter your dreams... she did it, we couldn't stop her, and... after a while she started yelling and then she lost conscious... and the same second you woke up... and as it seems completely recovered."
"That's freaky!" Steve shook his head. He couldn't understand all this.
"You say it, boy," Bianca muttered and put her hand on his shoulder to make him feel that he wasn't alone. "But I'm sure, we'll find out what happened."
Steve nodded, then he turned to look at Nicki: "But first we have to help her!"
°°°°°°°°°°
"Leo damned, where are you?" Piper yelled.
"Piper..." Paige whispered. She got paler and paler with every second.
Phoebe hold her had and caressed her check. She was so cold. "It's ok, honey... Leo will be here in a second," she whispered. But Paige already lost conscious.
A moment later a lot of bluish orbs filled the attic. As soon as they materialised Leo, Odin and Silas rushed over to the wounded witch-whitelighter and started to heal her. The other two sisters stepped a little aside, watching how the Elders did their work.
It took a little while till the golden glow took effect and the wound started to close slowly.
"Why did it take so long?" Piper asked her husband, who looked really exhausted after it was done. But Paige was still unconscious.
Odin shrugged, then he answered: "I don't know why... something is wrong here... something about the poison."
"What do you mean?" Phoebe asked worried.
"Well..." Silas sighed, "that's why all three of us came. We were worried that there could be happen something unexpected... something difficult to handle... and we were sure it would happen here, at this house... because everything seemed to concentrate on you at the moment."
Piper and Phoebe looked at him frowning. Then the younger one shook her head: "But what about Paige? Why is she still unconscious?"
"We don't know?" Leo said... "This poison is stronger than usual..."
"Do you mean...?" Piper said afraid of ending her question.
Leo nodded: "We have to find an antidote... Because we have done all we could..."
°°°°°°°°°°
Chris looked from one to the other: "Alright... I want an explanation... and I want a clear one, without any riddles or games or something!"
"For unreal demons, they can hurt people very well," Wyatt muttered.
Belthazor and Julian just smiled. "How's your wife?" the red demon then asked the Elder-witch.
Chris narrowed his eyes and then threw an energy ball into Belthazor's direction. It hit the wall just a few inches next to his head. "I thought I said no games!" Chris replied angry.
Wyatt put his hand on his brothers shoulder: "Calm down, ok? If he wanted to kill us, he had already done it..."
Chris glanced back at him: "He tried to kill you... have you forgotten that little fact?"
"But I'm alive Chris," Wyatt replied, "and he isn't THAT evil... so just be a little more polite, ok?"
"Well as long as you don't tell me why you trust him..." Chris answered. Then he turned back to the red demon who looked... kind of uneasy, kind of guilty. Chris shook his head: "So... I'm still waiting."
Belthazor turned to Julian who nodded. Then the witch began to explain: "This is a kind of base. From here we try to help people who need help... demons, witches, innocents... whatever."
Chris couldn't help chuckling. That was to freaky...
But Julian just went on: "With this technology we have our eyes and ears spread around the underworld... and we found some things which might be interesting for you."
Chris and Wyatt rose both their eyebrows. "And that is what?" the latter asked.
Now Belthazor turned over the speech: "There is a kind of force down here, something evil... actually I can't tell you more, cause most of this based on rumours... But what we know for sure, is that there is a whitelighter who is working for that evil, and they are after your whole family."
Chris frowned: "Why should I believe you?"
Julian went over to one of the computers and started a record. On the screen Chris could see two persons standing in the shadow. He couldn't see who these persons were but then he saw one of them disappear by orbing. Chris didn't know what to say... that was just crazy.
"Ok, but why that testing?" Wyatt asked.
"Because I fear that there is more about that, than what we know... I fear that this evil plans something bigger than just killing all of you. A lot of demons - also some from my groups - had disappeared lately. There is something going on and it freaks me out that I don't know what!"
The cave started to shake by the sources anger. Julian looked at his friend: "Calm down before you destroy our shelter!" he said harshly. Belthazor did.
Chris was surprised how that witch was talking to the source of all evil... and that Belthazor let him do so without killing him... 'That's all really strange!' he thought.
Then Belthazor turned to his guests again: "Trust no one," he said. Then he made a movement with his hand.
Before Chris and Wyatt had even noticed it, they were back at the place where they had met that witch. Julian and Belthazor were nowhere to see.
"Wow," Wyatt muttered.
Chris turned to him: "Can you now please explain all that to me, please?"
(Chapter 7 written by Chrissy.W.x and Belén)
