Chapter 20- Lancelot and King Arthur
Hey dudes! I have not been abducted by aliens! I am alive. I bet some of you readers thought I was dead, huh? Still, three months is ages. I feel so ashamed that it got that long. Writers block is now the single most worse thing that ever exists. Wow, after bad grammar of course. Anyway, sorry if this is really bad, I'm attempting to get back into writing. It is hard. Some of the scenes in this I was unhappy with but…I had nothing better to replace them with so…yeah…
Also, someone mentioned something about Chris dying from lack of food but…my story is set over, what, two, three days? So technically he wouldn't have time to die as he wouldn't be that starved and if it had been long enough for him to die from that then he would first pas out from lack of sleep…just saying. Anyway, thanks for the reviews though!!
Sorry for any mistakes in this chapter.
---
"Your dead." Piper stated simply.
She couldn't believe this. After everything that had been happening for the last few days, she just couldn't wrap her mind around what was happening right before her eyes. Chris was her son? Her son? And they couldn't even ask him about it yet. Not with this demon to deal with. This was no place to deal with some family drama. Still…she was so confused.
"Yes, but as I said to your sister, Phoebe, being dead is terribly boring. Anyway, you didn't really kill me. I thought that the famed Charmed Ones would know that a demon such as myself can't be vanquished in the usual way." The Illusion replied softly. Mockingly almost.
"We won't be making that assumption again." Paige informed the demon her eyes narrowing in worry when the demon mentioned her sister, while Chris watched in confusion. Was this the Illusion? Hmm, that would explain it.
"Well, that's good then." the demon replied, cheerful in a dark way, he then walked over to Gideon's body and picked up the athame he had in his possession and, with a sharp tug, pulled the one he had thrown out of the Elder's back. He examined Gideon's athame with exaggerated interest. "My, my, what do we have here? I thought my athame was useful, what with the deadly poison on the blade but…. this'll be crucial with the shield I have to pierce." he glanced at the Charmed Ones as if he had forgotten they were there. "Oh, so I presume Gideon was after the twice blessed child?"
"Yes." Piper said through clenched teeth.
"Good thing he's dead then." the Illusion demon smirked with sudden cruelty and serious that contrasted with his previous casual behaviour. "Can't have him ruining my plans to kill the brat, now can we?"
"Your after Wyatt too?" Chris asked incredulously. How many people were after his brother?
"Why yes Chris, I am after the child. Though, not to turn him I'm afraid, I'm going to kill him, possibly quite horribly and brutally with lots of blood and screaming, but I'm not sure yet…and I'm going to make sure he can never be saved." the Illusion demon replied. His eyes glittered with almost bloodthirsty excitement. "Sorry, turns out your going to be an only child in the future."
"Won't work." Chris taunted, glad to have something to use against the Illusion demon. Glad to have something concrete. Still, how the hell did The Illusion know who he was? Unless he had been listening earlier… "Whatever happens now, Wyatt lives, my future is proof of that. The fact that I haven't suddenly disappeared or got different memories proves that. You won't be able to harm him. You won't be able to touch him. Destiny won't allow it. Whether he be good or evil its his fate to live."
The Illusion demons eyes flashed with the first real sign of anger Paige, Piper and Chris had ever seen. It was a dangerous flicker. There one second and gone the next, a raging torrent of aggressiveness, only satisfied by blood and death. His eyes turned a sinister, coal black for a moment. But, then it was gone, leaving the demons blue eyes clear and cold but emotionless. Controlled. However, the slightest hint of the swirling rage from before still remained in the otherwise icy eyes. The demons' lips curved into a mirthless smile.
"Destiny eh? You think Destiny will be able to stop me now? Why, that is the whole point of this…exercise. Too see whether I can succeed where all others have failed, whether I can change something so irreversibly, so completely, that Destiny will not be able to right itself." the demon paused, his eyes flicking from Chris to the two Charmed sisters and back again. "Besides, it'll hurt the Charmed Ones…and maybe I'll be able to take them out too?"
"Never going to happen." Piper growled.
"Stopping Destiny? You can't go against Destiny." Chris replied just as Piper spoke her statement.
"That's what one may think. But if that were the case, I would of never attempted this. Would I? I happen to know something that can go against destiny. Can make sure things change. And since my Destiny has just changed…well, you can't just go against yours and try to change mine. I know of only two beings that can stop me now. One is on my side and the other…" The Illusion shrugged, seemingly without a care in the world.
"So I suppose you'll just have to deal with saying goodbye to your precious Wyatt…oh wait, you can't, he's not home. Leave me a message and I'll try to get it too him."
"You have my son?" Piper gasped, her brown eyes narrowing, anger and frustrating flaring in their depths; darkening them. Two kidnappings in one day?
"Yes, haven't you figured that out by now? Why would I appear to you and gloat if my plan hadn't succeeded. Because that's what I'm doing now; gloating. It's lots of fun. I should do it more." The Illusion replied with twisted humour.
"We'll get him back." Paige promised.
"Really?" the demon looked amused and sceptical. "You sure about that?"
"I swear. If you harm my baby I'll-" Piper began but was swiftly cut of.
"I think you've got more things to worry about than just your son, Piper." The demon interrupted, his voice suddenly soft. "When you get home, I advise you turn on your TV, and look out your window…and watch the news. Oh, and stay inside the house."
Piper had had enough and raised her hands to blow him up but the demon smirked at her.
He disappeared before the woman could activate her power, he didn't flame or shimmer, just seeming to melt into thin air like he had never been there before and never would be again. Chris suspected he was still there though, maybe this was some form of invisibility? Maybe. His thoughts were partly confirmed when the Illusions' voice echoed of the walls in a parody of a goodbye.
"Remember what I said. I don't want my games to be spoilt."
"I want to enjoy this."
And then there was silence.
----
Phoebe winced.
The battle with the demon had been short and decisive and Phoebe had never thought that she had ever been beaten that badly by a demon. There was only one thing that bothered her…
Why hadn't he killed her?
He had the chance to, Leo and Penny as well, but he hadn't taken it. All he had done was smile brutally as he stamped on her leg, breaking it, and laugh when she tried to vanquish him with a spell. Nothing had worked. Leo had been sent flying through a wall, it had actually broke from the force, and her grandmother had simply been pushed aside as the Illusion walked, walked, up to Wyatt and just took him. He had smashed some sort of potion on the floor in front of the child and he had simply…fallen asleep. The demon had then picked him up and disappeared.
Without even a backwards glance.
Phoebe felt so ashamed.
She was his Aunt. She was supposed to protect him, to keep him safe, from all the evil out there. She was supposed to make sure he grew up happy and now he may never get that chance. She knew what this demon was like. Cruel, brutal, sadistic…and she had let him take her nephew.
She'd failed him.
How could she face Piper now? Knowing that she had just lost her son. But she had to, she knew that, Piper needed to know what had just happened. With this in mind, Phoebe tried to see if Leo was awake yet but he was still lying, by the door, unconscious. He would be no help to her. She turned to her grandmother.
"Wake Leo." she spotted her phone a small distance away by the TV and started to pull herself towards it. She would call Piper. "I'll tell Piper about what's happened…about Wyatt."
Her grandmother gave her a concerned look. "I could just get the phone for you."
Phoebe smiled grimly. "No. All I have to do is reach towards it and I'll have it. Besides, Leo needs you. I'm fine."
The woman nodded and walked over to where Leo lay, still, and frowned. Phoebe could imagine her thinking of the best way to wake him up…without being too evil. After all, he had just been thrown through a wall. Some things never change…
Her fingers clasped around the phone and she flipped it open, her fingers skating quickly across the keys as she quickly found Pipers' number in her contact list. She dialled the number and listened as Pipers' phone rang. "Come on." she whispered. "Pick up."
"Phoebe?" Pipers' voice said softly from the other end of the line.
"Yes. Its me." Phoebe replied, still forming her next words in her head. How was she going to tell Piper about Wyatt? Even now, she didn't think she could get the words out. She felt…choked. Piper thought that Wyatt was safe…she was confident in that assumption and Phoebe felt uncomfortable with breaking the bad news. Still, she had to know, if they were ever going to get Wyatt back…she had to know.
"Look it's alright. We already know about Wyatt. Don't…don't blame yourself ok?" Pipers' keen sense of danger must of detected the slight shudder in Phoebes' voice. The middle sister was still confused about how she knew about Wyatt being kidnapped though.
"Piper, I'm so sorry, it's-" but Phoebes' attention was suddenly jerked away from what she was about to say next. Instead, she stared wide eyed at the television screen that had suddenly turned itself on. A cold, familiar voice was speaking and a pre-recorded film was playing. The message was loud and clear.
"What the-" she heard from behind her. Leo. He had seen too.
Phoebe felt the blood drain from her face. Felt her heart skip a beat. Her body went sickeningly numb and the dull pain in her leg was drowned out by the fast paced, hurried thumping in her mind.
The phone dropped from slack fingers and hit the floor.
Silence.
"Phoebe?" Pipers' voice sounded strangely far away. Strangely crackly. Like something from the other side of the world. "Phoebe? Are you there? Phoebe?"
Just as quickly, the fog was gone and her mind was abnormally sharp and focused. Her hands shook as she picked up the phone and brought it to her ear. She didn't trust herself to speak…but she had too. When she did speak, it didn't sound like her. It sounded like a stranger. Someone who wasn't as lost and confused as she was.
"Piper. Get over here. I can't explain now but…there's something you have to see."
There was a pause from the other end of the line as if Piper was thinking this over or at least trying to figure out what was going on, but then…
"Ok."
----
Piper asked Chris to orb her back.
She knew what he was like and she couldn't afford for him to run. Wyatt was gone, she forced herself not to start to panic, and she knew that it was going to take everyone, including Chris, to get him back. Her mind was still so confused and chaotic thoughts whirled about her mind, all screaming to be heard, but she had no time for them. She had no time to stop and think about anything. She had no time to let the fact that Chris was her son sink in. No time to react. Chris only looked at her with that blank look of his and nodded his agreement to her request, a look she knew he had long since perfected, and she knew she would not be able to tell what he was feeling. Before she could stop herself, she contemplated whether she would be able to know what he was thinking if she had, herself, raised him…but she forced that away as well.
Well, it may not even be true, part of her whispered.
No, it was true, that, at least, she knew. Chris hadn't denied it and she knew that Gideon hadn't said it to lie…
Sometimes the truth is so much more painful.
Painful because it meant that he had had to fight against his own brother in the future and keep secrets from his own family in the past. Painful, because he had had to live with knowing who they were every day and yet never being able to tell them who he was. Painful because of the way Gideon had said it, used it, as a taunt, as something to induce doubt. To make Chris feel guilt for trying to save his own brother.
Piper sighed internally as Chris orbed her to the manor.
When the blue lights faded, she was greeted by the sight of Phoebe being healed by Leo and Grams standing of to the side. Concern rushed through her as she realised her younger sibling had been injured and her eyes showed her worry. That led to more thoughts…had Wyatt had the same instinct towards Chris? Or had her younger son never experienced his older sibling caring for him? As soon as the thoughts came Piper shoved them away angrily. Now was not the time.
"Piper!" Phoebes' smile was relieved but slightly grim.
"Are you alright?" Piper asked, her concern bleeding into her voice.
"Yes." Phoebe replied softly, eyes briefly flicking to Chris who stood in the doorway. "Leo is healing my leg. The Illusion broke it…what happened to you."
Piper turned to Chris in surprise and noticed, for the first time, the cuts that littered his body, including one across his abdomen and down his face. He ignored Phoebes question so she supposed he was alright, suddenly she remembered what Phoebe had called her there for. It had sounded urgent.
"What was it you were going to show me?" Piper asked, getting straight to the point. Ever since the Illusion had left she had felt as if every second was precious…as if time was running out.
Phoebes' smile faded and her eyes darkened. She licked her lips nervously and even Leo and Grams seemed to freeze. Finally she said "You better see for yourselves."
Piper heard Chris straighten up from his position of leaning on the wall and walk over. She turned to him and could see the curiosity in his eyes. Turning back to Phoebe she said, "Whatever it is…show us."
Phoebe nodded and got to her feet, fully healed.
Taking brisk steps she walked over to the TV and, amazingly, when she got within a metre or so away from it, the screen switched on by itself. The image that followed filled up the entire screen and a familiar, smirking face appeared. A cold feeling settled over Piper like a dense fog, and, still, she watched.
The demon began to speak…
Silence reigned while he spoke.
Pipers' mouth grew dry with every word.
A whole coven. A whole damn coven…this was larger than anything they had faced. How could the Illusion manage to kidnap so many witches without the magical community stopping him? It was impossible. They had to be found…but who took priority? Them or Wyatt? She licked her lips and said "We need a plan. This situation is way to complicated to sort out by without some careful thinking. We need to know what we are going to do. Any ideas?"
Penny nodded, her face thoughtful and reflective. "Piper is right. Leo, you should go and talk to the Elders, see if they know anything about this Illusion and the missing coven. I'll go with him and ask Sigmund why he lied to us about Chris kidnapping Wyatt. Girls, you should start to scry for Wyatt and the coven. I suspect that they may be in the same place. Your magic is the most powerful we have; you should be able to find them. Chris…?"
He flicked his eyes over to her and replied "I'm going after Wyatt."
Phoebe immediately protested. "Chris, this demon is dangerous, look what he did to me, Leo and Penny. In that fight, there wasn't even any competition. We need to go in together. What if you don't find him and it turns out we need you? Stay with us."
"No." Chris stated firmly. There would be questions. So many questions. Piper would want to talk to him and he wasn't ready for that. He had done his part, kept his secret, and it had all been for nothing…all because some irritated Elder had decided to spill his secret just to spite him. Angry didn't even cover how he was feeling. It would have been better if they had never know, or if they did, it had been on his terms. But no, Gideon had to ruin it all, and now Piper was looking at him in a way that showed that she was just as confused as he was.
"Chris-" Piper began.
"I said no Piper." he growled, harsher than he meant to, and before she could say anything, he had orbed out.
-------
Piper sighed when Chris orbed out.
"What put him in such a foul mood?" Phoebe muttered, more to herself than to anyone in particular.
"Gideon revealed who he is." Piper explained. "I guess he's a little…annoyed."
"We know who he is?" Leo asked, sounding incredibly curious."
"Well… Leo, your not going to believe it." Piper replied softly, looking at her husband with a gentle smile. This would be a lot to take in. She hadn't fully had time to process it herself but…she knew that she had to deal with it, or at least get past it, so that she could save Wyatt. The family drama stuff would have to come later.
"Why not?"
"He's our son." She replied softly. "Our youngest son, if I'm correct."
"How?" Leos' voice was unreadable, but she was his wife, and she knew that he was overwhelmed. She also knew that he would be able to take it…still be able to function in this crisis with this information.
"I think you know how children are made Leo." Piper couldn't help but say sarcastically.
"But why would that make him leave? Wouldn't he be relieved to not have to keep things a secret anymore?" Leo asked.
"I don't know. Its Chris. Crazy stuff always happens around him." Piper shrugged, trying to appear casual.
"Ok…this may sound cold but, we can't dwell on this now, Wyatt still needs saving and the coven needs to be found. We can deal with the family drama later. Chris will still be here then but if we don't act fast, Wyatt might not be." Phoebe said slowly, evidently trying to process the news for herself. Piper looked at her grams and almost grinned, Penny looked unaffected by the news, as usual, managing to remain unsurprised by anything.
"I just don't understand. I'm so confused. So much has happened over the last few days and I'm just overwhelmed." Piper sighed. "Maybe that was the Illusions intention…to overwhelm us with problems and confusion. We can't let it effect us. Not now, when the outcome of all this is so crucial."
"Piper is right. We can sort out everything with Chris once this is all over. Right now, there are other things that need to be done." Paige stated.
----
Orbs materialised in a shower of bright blue lights.
The room was dark and filled with shadows. It seemed somehow different than the last time Chris had been there, unfamiliar, as if from a different time; struggling to keep up with events that flashed by like speeding cars. He stood there for a moment, cursing mentally, to who he did not know, it could be anyone…the Illusion, Gideon, Wyatt. Things were about to change, drastically, his secret had been discovered, they knew who he was. He could almost hear the questions and he shook his head to clear his mind, strands of dark brown hair following the movement, but they would not fade. How would they treat him now? Chris wondered, like a son? Or still like a White lighter? He did not know which one he preferred.
And then there was his memories. Memories of terrible things, of death and murder…how could he have forgotten? It had been necessary, to try and save the Charmed Ones from having to have a glimpse of such a terrifying future. There were something's he'd never wanted them to know…something's that would be better for them to not know so that they could move on from the fact that Wyatt could have been evil…so that they could live their lives without a nagging little feeling in the back of their minds about all the pain he had caused. He wondered how they would react if they discovered that being Piper and Leo's son hadn't been his only secret.
Victor…
He shouldn't of died. His death wasn't natural, wasn't peaceful, and Chris would find out who had caused his death and make them wish they hadn't.
A hand fumbled for the light switch and the room was suddenly bathed in light.
Disorientated for a moment, Chris blinked the spots of bright light away from his eyes and couldn't help but look around the room, checking for differences…it wasn't fair that it should stay so similar when events happening beyond its windows was so chaotic and turbulent.
Then his eyes lay on the sword.
Or, at least, what he thought was the sword because, seriously, that was not the blade he had stolen. It was laying in exactly the same position he had left it in and, warily, he walked over to it and picked it up, examining it. It wasn't as fancy as some swords were, but neither was it plain. Gone was the rusted and abused appearance that had before made the blade so dull, now it gleamed a bright silver, the only embellishment a small inscription. The grip was a dark shade of ebony with a pommel a shade darker than the blade and inscribed with flowing and swirling patterns that made simple, but elaborate, decoration. The cross guard was the same as the pommel, matching the decoration line for line.
Chris eyed it warily as he held it at arms length as if it would bite him and muttered. "Evil brothers I can deal with, demons too, but magically changing swords? Now that is not normal."
He put the sword down abruptly and, deciding to ponder it later, moved over the cupboards on the other side of his room and got out a scrying crystal and a world map. Yes, that would do, time to get back to the task at hand, he had to find Wyatt. He can deal with his own drama later. Laying the map out on the floor he frowned, now he just needed something of Wyatt's to scry with. He needed something connected to the child, something really important, something that went past only a slight attachment- The Illusion would of prepared for that. Then the Angel of Destinies' words came unbidden to his mind…
There is a second sword…
Second sword…Excalibur. Camelot. King Arthur…Wyatt.
He turned his head to consider the sword that now lay innocently where he had left it and then he looked back to the crystal in his hands. It couldn't hurt to try…could it?
"I am so going to regret this." Chris whispered as he got to his feet and walked briskly over to the sword, picking it up before he could change his mind. The hilt felt cold on his skin but the grip was surprisingly good, his fingers fit round the handle of the sword quite well. Walking back over to the map he knelt down, crystal in one hand and sword in the other. He swung the crystal over the map, not staying in San Francisco as he had a feeling that the Illusion might of taken his brother to another country. "Wyatt."
The crystal gave a sharp tug when it was above San Francisco but then seemed to change its mind and continued swinging. He moved the crystal, slowly, gradually going over to other countries, after all, he didn't want to miss anything. Just as he began to get impatient, The Illusion wasn't going to wait for him to save Wyatt, the crystal landed, singing as it did. Chris examined the location and snorted in sarcastic amusement.
"England. I should of known."
----
"Found anything?" Piper asked.
"Not yet." Paige replied from her place by the map. The news was playing in the background. "The Illusion can hide pretty well it seems."
Piper threw in the last ingredient to the potion she was making and watched in satisfaction as purple smoke billowed from the explosive liquid. Beside it, a dozen or so more potions stood side by side in small glass bottles. She didn't know how many she needed but she didn't care. She needed to keep busy, otherwise the fear and hopelessness would set it. She didn't want to think about what would happen if they were too late. "It doesn't matter how good he hides, we will find him and get Wyatt back."
"How long do you think he has been planning this?" Paige asked, eyes glued to the map she was studying.
"I don't know. A while I'd say…why?" Piper replied, her voice edged with confusion." What are you thinking?
"Is it just me or did he not seemed shocked that Gideon had tried to kill Wyatt? I'd say he seemed almost- I don't know- amused?" Paige stopped for a moment, seemingly to gather her thoughts as she floundered for what she wanted to say. "He also knew that Chris is your son…and he didn't seem surprised, like he had known for a while."
Piper was about to reply when a new voice entered the conversation.
"He has been killing people for the last week. All with your first names…the police are wary of this new 'serial killer'." Chris added.
"So he is after us? Not just Wyatt" Piper replied, turning to see him enter through the conservatory door, somehow not surprised at his appearance. He had changed since she last saw him and was no longer covered in blood. Several of the cuts that she had last seen on him were also gone.
"That's just the thing, with each body he leaves a charm and a tattoo. The tattoo is always a letter for his name but…the charms? No idea about them. Just watch the news…these murders are big, and their everywhere. It's…"
But suddenly he frowned.
"Chris…" Paige began.
"Listen." He said his eyes glued to the TV screen, watching the broadcast. Understanding sparked in his eyes and he muttered. "It was right in front of us all along."
Piper turned her attention to the TV and took in the headline "Serial killer is obsessed with Camelot?". she blinked, stunned as the newsperson spoke.
-discovered that the charms all have one thing in common, they can all be linked back to Camelot. The wizards hat, the sword in the stone, the water drop…all objects that could be something do with the ancient city. However, the police have only just released this information, as two bodies have been found hanging from trees in a English forest, to the south of the country, with the customary tattoos and charms. They have been identified as Morgan Wesley and Arthur Giles. Both are students and have only been missing a few hours, according to the police. Finding them was a stroke of luck, with a unidentified passer-by calling to say that he had found two bodies in the forest, hanging from trees. The names allowed the police to realise that whoever has been killing the people over the last week or so is obsessed with Camelot. The letters now stand as h, I, l, t, u, s, e, n, I, l, o. If you have any information regarding the killings call-
"Its him," Paige stated, shocked but somehow remaining calm. "but why the hell would he be obsessed with Camelot?"
"And why would he be so obvious about it? What we know about him is that he stays all mysterious like…planning, plotting, but making sure there is no way that anyone else can keep up with him. This feels like a trail, like deliberately placed clues, like he wants us to piece something together. Why would he do that?" Piper reasoned, trying to make something out of the storm of secrets and lies that the demon had created.
"I don't know, Piper." Chris replied shrugging. "But I do know that The Illusion is holding my brother at Camelot…that's what this has to mean, and, I scryed for him. If he is 'obsessed' with the place, where else would he be?"
"You scryed for Wyatt? With what?" Paige asked, surprised.
Chris looked uncharacteristically guilty for a moment, his eyes flicking around the room warily, before he replied confidently, reaching his hand back over his shoulder to grasp something that neither Piper or Paige had noticed before.
"With this."
He pulled his hand forward and, with a soft grinding sound, a sword slid out of the scabbard strapped to his back. For a moment, Piper wondered why Chris had a sword strapped to his back, but then a passing thought made her wonder where it had come from and suddenly she knew just why he had looked so guilty before. She just looked at him for a second and he stared back, obviously waiting for her to say something, surprisingly Paige was the first one out of all of them to speak.
"Uh…Chris? Forgive me if I missed something but…where did you get a sword from?"
Chris only smiled innocently and Piper would have almost fell for it, but she had watched the broadcast about the stolen sword that was connected to Camelot, and as Chris had used it to scry for Wyatt, it had to be connected to the place somehow. Piper smiled smugly, forgetting her panic over Wyatt for a second and said "I was right, you did steal that sword."
Silence. And then…
"You stole it! Chris!" Paige punctuated her gesture with throwing her hands wildly in the air and rolling her eyes.
"Hey, if I hadn't then we wouldn't of found Wyatt, and probably the coven too, then, would we?" Chris replied defensively.
"Hold up! We haven't found him yet." Piper remarked softly. Her fear for her son rushing back to her before she steeled herself against the flood of emotion and added smiling hopefully. "But we will."
Chris gave her a wide smile of his own before looking around the room again and saying "Where is Phoebe?"
"She ended up going with Leo to talk to the Elders. They thought that maybe they could get some more information on the Illusion."
"We should call them; we need to get going. We have to find Wyatt."
"Ok."
----
"What is it you wish to ask us?" the Elder asked serenely, brown eyes betraying nothing, black hair clashing with the whitewashed walls of the sanctuary.
"We wish to ask for information…about the Illusion demon. Do you know of him?" Leo asked respectfully.
The beings tranquil façade splintered for a moment, revealing a glint of hatred and fear before it was replaced. "We know of him…it is a surprise you do not Leo, as an Elder you should have knowledge of all the dangerous beings that exist in our times, you should know of this demon."
"I only know what was written in the book of shadows but that says nothing of his history or how to vanquish him." Leo replied calmly.
"Yes, well, we know of how dangerous he is and that if you have come across him then you would be wise to destroy him, quickly." the Elders voice was edged with that dull monotone that spoke of how the man wished he was elsewhere.
Translation? We know nothing, or…we do not wish to tell you.
"Come on, you're the Elders, you must know something!" Phoebe said with frustration, trying to keep calm in the presence of the infuriatingly expressionless Elders in front of her. "Don't even try to deny it, I saw you expression when Leo said his name. You fear him…why will you not tell us why?"
"There is only a limited amount of knowledge that we have available that speaks of The Illusion and, in regards to some of it, we do not have the authority to give it to you. It is your choice whether you discover it yourself, it is not something to be told, instead it must be found." The Elder replied, voice cool and monotone.
Phoebe smiled mirthlessly, she had had enough of these guys and their cryptic crap. She was a Charmed One for Gods sake and she was not going to back down now. She lowered her voice dangerously. "I'm a Charmed One, I have fought countless demons, my nephew has been kidnapped and his life is on the line. You have information that can help me save him, so if you don't have the authority to tell me then get someone who does."
The Elder showed no physical reaction to her words but Leo did, she felt him tense beside her but she did not back down, instead she stared at the man in front of her, trying not to plead with her eyes. She must stay strong. Finally, the Elder looked away, eyes flicking to the white sky before they said,
"Very well, you shall have what you seek."
Phoebe smiled in victory, but the Elder wasn't finished yet, for he added.
"But do not expect the words to be what you want to hear; nor what you are used to hearing."
----
"She's not answering."
"We'll have to go without her." Piper insisted.
"No way. Your are stronger together." Chris replied fiercely, shaking his head
"Piper is right. We have no choice. It's that or wait and we don't have time to wait. Not now." Paige reasoned, she was uneasy going without her sister, it felt too much like walking into a war zone without a gun, but there was no choice, it was either that, or they risk losing Wyatt.
"What happens if they orb down into the manor to find us gone? What then?" Chris replied sounding irritated.
"We leave the location. We point it out on a map." Piper said as if it was obvious.
Chris nodded in defeat and Paige quickly picked up a pen and drew a dot on the map showing where they were going. She then drew an arrow pointing to the dot and wrote "We are here!". Piper fidgeted impatiently and as soon as Paige was done she said forcefully.
"Lets go."
They disappeared in a swirl of blue orbs and reappeared at the location of 'Camelot'. Piper looked around, unimpressed, as did Paige. For miles and miles all that was around them was grass, lots of it, and the odd tree. Said grass also happened to be muddy and slippery. It was also cold, as it was just generally colder in England than it was it San Francisco. Fear sank into Pipers' chest like a stone, they were never going to find her baby alive and she resisted the urge to scream in frustration. Chris however, was looking round as if everything around them was incredibly interesting.
"It's a field." Paige said finally, her tone incredulous.
Chris looked at her as though she was an alien and said. "No it's not…it's a castle. Were at Camelot."
Now it was Piper and Paiges' turn to look at him like he was crazy. Paige raised her eyebrows and looked around the field in mock interest before turning back to Chris and saying. "No, it's a field."
"Well I see a castle." Chris shot back.
"Well I see a field." Paige retorted.
The sheer immatureness of it all was enough to make Piper almost forget her worry, almost, for a moment…but her son was still missing and Paige and Chris were acting like children. Before even of them could say another word she interrupted their argument by saying "Well, I say my opinion counts more and I see a field."
Paige smiled in victory and Chris looked around in confusion.
"But, this is the Illusion, so there might very well be a castle here so Chris is just going to have find some way to prove it." Piper added.
Chris smiled and walked away from them. Piper was just about to call him back and ask him what the hell he was doing when he disappeared. Piper and Paige looked at each other and then at the place Chris had previously been standing. Paige was the first to speak. "So maybe he was right."
Piper rolled her eyes. "Lets go."
They walked forwards quickly, both anxious to find Wyatt before the Illusion harmed him. Piper suspected the coven was here too, but even if they were not, the Illusion wouldn't live long enough for him to kill them. This ends now. As they moved forwards they could make out the outline of a door in front of them and as they walked through it, a castle materialised around them. Walls made out of stone, torches filled with burning fire, suits of armour standing to attention by the walls.…it was all real. Piper looked around the entrance hall they found themselves in and realised that Chris was nowhere to be found. She heard Paige sigh from behind her and they both continued walking.
Then she heard a clatter, a metallic boom…
And the suits of armour that had once been so still stepped away from their posts, metal helmets swerving to consider the two Charmed Ones with empty eyes.
---
"I was wondering when you were going to arrive."
Chris froze at the familiar voice and flicked his eyes around the room quickly to see…nothing. No Illusion, no Wyatt, the room was completely dark and he couldn't even see a foot in front of him. He didn't know how he had got here, one minute he was walking through the castle doors and then the next he was standing in a pitch black room. One thing he knew for certain, the Illusion wanted him here. Licking his lips he decided that now was the perfect time to get the answers he sought. The Illusion wouldn't attack. Not yet anyway.
"Why me? Throughout all of this, all of your little plans, its been about Wyatt and the Charmed Ones. When did it suddenly turn into a situation about me? Why did you want me to arrive here?"
Laughter. Dark, dark laughter.
"Oh this is just wonderful! I knew you wouldn't know but I never expected this…oh your so clueless. It is, truly, one of the most satisfying moments of my, admittedly, long life. Poor Chris, he doesn't know why the Illusion would ever have a reason to hate him, would ever have a reason to want him dead more than anything else…"
The voice paused dramatically.
"Its phenomenal how things can change over time…isn't it? And look at us now, back to the beginning, you storming in to safe your dear brother and me, the evil villain, here to stop you. Its almost exactly like before, only, slightly different. Still…same place, same reason…different time. If only you had known Chris, that all this time I was after you, then things might of made a little more sense."
"Like what?" Chris growled, still trying to spot the demon. He hated how the Illusion seemed to revel in his confusion. This was getting irritating, Chris didn't like not knowing and he didn't like how the demon seemed to have the upper hand here.
"Like…oh, let me see, the attack on the Charmed Ones house by my demons, the Werewolf attacks, the fake cure in the underworld, the murders that keep on appearing on the news, the resurrection of Camelot, Wyatt's kidnapping…"
Chris could sense a smirk in the demons voice as he said with intense satisfaction, in a silky voice…
"Your grandfathers death."
No.
Chris felt his heart tighten at the words and hatred shot through his mind and poisoned his blood, it was a tangible fury that overwhelmed everything else. Nails dug into his palms as his hands clenched. He couldn't have been responsible, and yet Chris knew that he was. He knew by the tone of voice and by the smugness that he could sense, he knew because it sounded like one of those indisputable facts, something a person just had to accept, like that the sky was blue or blood was red. After a second he managed to ground out.
"How?"
"It was quite simple, he went out for a walk, and I kidnapped him. Then all I had to do was…convince him to sign a contract to help me. Of course he was frustratingly difficult about it, and it was only when I showed him his ex that he agreed and signed it but…how do you feel Chris, your grandfather betrayed you? He agreed to work for me. Ah, the irony." the demon replied.
"He wouldn't do that of his own free will. He didn't betray me…he only did it to save Patty." Chris' eyes narrowed suspiciously and he added. "But you wanted me to realise that didn't you? You wanted me to call your bluff on him betraying me? Why?"
"Oh Chris." the demon chuckled darkly. "You really don't want to know the answer…but I'm going to tell you anyway. It's simple really…I lied."
"Lied?" Something was creeping into his mind, some kind of foreboding feeling that he didn't want to recognise. The word was said softly, almost against Chris' will.
"Yes, I'm quite adept at it. Let me confess my sins to you." he broke of, once again, filling the room with his amused laughter.
"I lied to him. About everything. I told him that I needed him to help me with the plans when I really didn't, I told him all this rubbish about killing and maiming…when really that was always a given. He told you about the Werewolves…didn't he? Just. As. I. Planned. I'm going to spell it out to you, Chris, I planned his death from the very beginning. I wanted him to tell you about the Werewolves, I wanted him to break the contract…all so he would die and it would be based on lies! Does that hurt Chris? To know he cared so much about what you were doing, about you, that he would die for you, for your cause? I hope it does, I hope it hurts so much that you don't want to listen anymore, but your going to listen… because it's about to get a lot worse."
"Shut up!" Chris yelled furiously. Anger filling his mind and, for one second, drowning out the pain…oh the pain…
"No I will not shut up. I'm going to add the final piece to my picture regarding Victor, my final brushstroke if you will. He signed the contract to save Patty but…"
No, please no, Chris thought but he couldn't speak, for once he didn't have anything to say. Frozen to the spot, all he could do was listen.
"I lied about her as well. I never tapped into the Charmed Ones magic, I never brought her spirit back and imprisoned it. She was never in danger and yet…Victor sacrificed his freedom to save her. He sealed his fate based on a lie, an illusion, something that was never there. Oh how glorious it was! And now he is dead, all because of my vendetta against you, my desire to hurt you."
Chris whirled around in frustration, trying to find the demon but seeing nothing, trying to find him so he could attack. The demon had led him here, wanted him here, and he didn't know why, so he yelled at the demon in anger and confusion.
"Why? What do you have against me?"
"Ah, now this conversation is getting interesting, this is the real heart of the matter, the cause of everything. Yes, Chris, why do I hate you so much, hmm?" the Illusion muttered smugly.
"I see no reason for you hatred, I have done nothing to you. I'm not even born yet!" Chris shot back.
"Not even born yet? What are y- ah, yes, you don't know do you?"
"Don't know what?"
"It must have been enlightening to receive you memories of the future, yes? Of all those wonderfully violent battles and killings --bravo Chris, I didn't know you had it in you-- but what if I told you that that secret that you hid from even yourself is nothing compared to what is still being hidden from you?"
"Nothing is being hidden from me." Chris hissed.
"Oh, touchy subject, eh? It must be tearing you up inside to know that if only you still remembered everything…all this might have been prevented. But no…you've forgotten everything, forgotten, forgotten, forgotten. Now look how that has all turned out? You did it for, I don't know, safety, but looky here…your alone, here, in Camelot, on my turf now. Just as I wanted it to be. "
"I told you, nothing is being hidden from me. The memories, that was a mistake, one I have rectified and intend not to make again." Chris retorted.
"Too late, Chris, too late. The mistake has been made. There is something your forgetting. Something big. I have given you clues, but lets see if I can't give a few more, you're a smart guy…lets see if you can't figure it out." the Illusion mocked.
He then continued.
"Sometimes, events don't happen the way they are supposed to, y'know the typical stuff, Chaos. People dying before their time or staying alive too long or not staying dead. That kind of rubbish…I think I said something about this after I killed Gideon, anyway in times like these-"
"I hate to interrupt your little rant here but I'm getting bored, you talk way to much, I know that all mighty demons such as you like listening to the sound of your own voice but, to us little people, we would much rather listen to nails scrap across a chalkboard." Chris spat out with as much venom as possible. "I don't see what any of this has to do with me."
"Touché." the demon sounded amused.
"I suppose I should make it easier for you, break it down for you to better understand. After all, you probably see no link between what I just said and yourself. So maybe I should explain better."
"So, I will. That sword you have in your hand…it's Excalibur. The real deal. The little brat, Wyatt, has the one that came out of the stone…if you know your mythology, then you will know that there were two swords. Two. Of course, mythology got a great deal wrong about the story. The only version closest to the truth is the one written by demons. The one that talks about how Arthur overthrew Lancelot and stole the throne. Stole everything." the last bit was spat with a terrifying amount of anger and venom.
Demons version? "You can't know about-"
"Yes, I know that you have the demons book of myths, that you read the one for King Arthur, I did orchestrate this whole thing after all."
"Then you must know that I couldn't finish the story. The pages were missing. But, of course, you were counting on that…"
"Very clever. Yes. I wanted you to figure out what was hidden but I did not want it to be easy. I thought that at least Gideon might have given you a clue…have you ever wondered why, you, as the middle son had nothing seemingly remarkable about you. Despite being one of the only males in a long since female dominated line you had no prophecies around your birth….nothing. Almost as if you were just shoved in as a last resort?"
"I don't understand."
"No. I don't suppose you do. Lets see…the story named Lancelot as the ruler of Camelot, correct? An evil being. You have Excalibur, you have the knowledge of the legend…and yet you are a mere Whitelighter? I have Wyatt, the reincarnated King, in my grasp. King Arthur is supposed to be the only thing in existence that can kill me and I have him, here, in this castle."
A pause.
"I should be off taking care of him, but I have left him alone in a far off room. I should be killing him, and yet I am here. I should be eliminating King Arthur and yet I am focusing my attention on you. My plans have all been focused on you. I have led you to Camelot, letting you find all these clues and piece it all together so that I could trap you here, where I have the upper hand."
What is going on?
"Why, then, if Wyatt is King Arthur, would I be treating you as my greatest threat?"
"No. It's not true." Chris whispered, stumbling back, hitting the cold wood of doors that were slammed shut long before he had entered the room.
"It's never been about Wyatt, or even the Charmed Ones, powerful as they are, it has always been about you. I obviously had to pretend when the Charmed Ones were around, couldn't have them figuring out who I was really after now, could I?" A figure walked out of the shadows in front of Chris, someone with black hair and blue eyes. Chris thought he saw a glint of silver at the demons hip but he couldn't be sure. "Allow us to be properly introduced."
"Welcome, King Arthur," the title was said mockingly as if it held no weight. "to my castle, I am Lancelot."
"And I challenge you to a duel. To the death."
A black leather gauntlet fell to the floor.
----
It was an ordinary fight, with a unexpected twist, but it did not stay in Chris' mind long. The day after the fight they escaped the prison that Wyatt held them in and he was far to bust marvelling at being free to ponder it any further. Then he saw the destruction that Wyatt had caused the world, how many were dead or dying, and then he was far too wrapped up in helping and saving to think on what had occurred that day. Soon, he all but forgot what had happened, and then, with a little help, the memory, along with many others, was forgotten. Forgotten, and so he could not think about the words that had been said or the strange behaviour of the one who said them. No…
It was nauseatingly bright that day, with the sun high in the sky, beating down on the golden sand, but this was no beach. Stands of jeering demons surrounded the arena, where two men stood facing enchanter…each with a sword in hand.
Chris sighed as he faced his opponent for, hopefully, the last time. The sword felt secure in his hands but he felt no joy from the skill which he knew he could wield it…he had wanted to know how to fight but instead he had learned how to kill. Sighing, he examined his opponent, a tall, strong man with a fierce face and ancient eyes. He had angered Wyatt by refusing to join him, an exile forced out of hiding.
Welcome to the club.
He could see the opponent examine him in return showing that he was also a experienced warrior. To bad he would not let him show his skill, Chris was in no mood to give the crowd a show today, Wyatt could punish him how he willed but Chris was going to make this quick.
A noise pierced the air.
With a speed gained from years of fighting, Chris leapt forwards and forced his sword through the enemies --but could they ever have been friends?-- chest in a deadly blow. The man tensed up and coughed and spluttered, glazed eyes focusing on Chris' face and widening in surprise. Blood spurted from the wound when Chris wrenched the sword out and covered the front of his shirt.
"How a-are you st-still alive?" the tone of voice was soft, almost light, as if the man knew him. Chris frowned as the man fell to his knees, for some reason reaching out to gently lower him to the floor. This man acted as if he knew him, spoke out of kindness despite the fact Chris had caused his death, it was the least the Halliwell could do.
"I'm sorry."
There was nothing else to say, nothing else could excuse what he had done, nothing else could make it ok. What excuses could he offer? 'Sorry, I killed you because my older brother made me'. Pathetic. This man had showed him more kindness than he showed his adversaries.
A strong hand gripped his arm. "Do not despair. You made the hardest, but the right, choice. I know why you kill as you do. Do not despair."
Chris stared down at the mans face, clouded with his oncoming death, but still smiling, and smiled in return.
The man swallowed and coughed again, blood flecking his lips, and tried to speak, wheezing. Chris felt blood, hot and sticky, soak his knees from where he was kneeling beside the man and realised that he was in an ever growing puddle of blood. "So this is how it ends? After everything? I never thought it would be like this…but, I digress, I suppose I wouldn't of had it any other way."
The grip on his arm went lax with his last words, that he never quite finished, and his body went still.
"She never lost faith, and neither did I, King-"
----
Bet you were expecting that huh? Weird right? Still, that is a plot device I have bee dying to write since…well eons ago. I had it all planned out too, but it has changed a bit since then. I'm sorry if everything seems really badly put together, that's what happens if you get a amazing idea halfway through your story --glares at mirrormythoughts---. Please tell me what you think. The next chapter should be up soon but have pity on me…I am often ill with writers block. It is a poor excuse, but it does happen. Thank you loyal reviews (especially saturn698 for reminding me how harsh I was being to my readers by not updating) and I hope you enjoyed this chapter….by the way, the order of chapters has gone out the window, it does not mean much anymore since I change my plans a lot.