Hey guys, sorry for the long wait. But finally it's here, Chapter 20... In this chapter Maria has a slight melt down, but there's a new twist to come in the next chapter, which will be up soon... So please keep reading and I hope you all enjoy.
''So, what do you think they're talking about up there?'' Patty, who is hanging out in Cece's bedroom, with Cece and her sister Penny, asks in a curious tone.
''Do you even want to know? I mean really?'' Cece asks raising her eyebrows. ''It's just one thing after another with this family... Trust me, it's not going to be good.''
Patty and Penny both look at each other, curiously.
...
While the younger Halliwells are all hanging out in Cece's bedroom, the rest of their siblings and cousins, along with the other members of Team Purity are having a private meeting in the attic. Chris is also there.
''She'll be okay, you know.'' Tyler says trying to reassure Prue, who is anxiously looking through the Book of Shadows, trying to find away to help her sister.
''Will she?'' Prue snaps at Tyler, feeling a little on edge. She then looks at everyone else. ''He has killed, nine other Chosen Ones... What makes Maria so special? He could kill her... Just like he killed our parents.''
''I know what makes her different.'' Jayda says in an assuring tone.
Everyone just looks at her.
''She has something, than none of those other girls had... She's a Halliwell... A descendant of the Charmed Ones... And yeah, maybe they couldn't beat him... But combine, Maria's Charmed powers, with her God powers, and this Demon doesn't stand a chance.''
''I wouldn't be so sure about that.''
Everyone quickly looks towards the attic door, and sees a worn out Maria, rubbing her neck.
''Are you okay? What happened?'' Chris asks frantically going to help her.
''I'm fine Chris.'' Maria says as she just nudges him away from her and walks towards the team.
''Mallorax?'' Melinda just states this one obvious question, with a worried expression on her face.
''Yeah... I faced Mallorax... And only he walked away...'' Maria just smirks, and doesn't finish her sentence.
''What happened?'' Prue asks, also worried.
''Turns out... We've never met before...''
''What do you mean? How could you not have met? He killed...'' Prue doesn't get to finish her questions as she is cut off by Maria.
''That's just it... He didn't kill our Parents... A lower level Demon did...'' Maria just starts laughing to herself.
''But that's impossible.'' Chris states in shock.
Still laughing, Maria looks at Chris. Maria's only laughing, because crying is her only other option right now. ''No, it's really not... I underestimated him... Mallorax, I mean...'' Maria starts to speak in a loud whisper. ''He is powerful...'' She speaks in a normal tone again. ''More powerful, than anything I've ever faced before... Than we've ever faced... I can't beat him.''
''I don't believe that.'' Jayda says walking towards her best friend. ''You're Maria Valentine... You've always been strong... A leader... Not a quitter... You can beat him.''
''No, I can't...'' Maria shakes her head, and turns away. ''For the first time in my entire life... I felt real fear... I honestly thought I was going to die.''
''Then why didn't you?'' Melinda asks in a serious tone, which draws the attention of everyone, including Maria. ''I mean, if he was that powerful... Why did he let you live?''
''To show me that he was in control... The funny thing is, whether he kills me or not... If I don't kill him, we'll both die anyway... I'll be lucky if I even reach my 21st birthday... I guess that wouldn't be a real shame, since I don't celebrate it anymore... I need some rest...'' Maria turns away from everyone and walks away.
''Well what about Oliver?'' Henry jr. asks finally speaking.
Maria just stops, but doesn't look back. ''Oliver's no longer in the picture.'' Maria says this, and then walks away, and leaves the attic.
The rest of the gang just look at eachother, worried.
''They never wanted this life for us... They wanted, our lives to be normal... And they were... Or at least as normal as they could possibly be...'' Maria, who is standing on the edge of the Golden Gate Bridge, staring down at the water, finally turns around to face her older cousin, who is standing behind her. Her eyes are starting to fill up with tears. ''I brought this on us... I, attracted this evil... And because of me, they're gone... And I don't know how to fix it... I don't know how to make him go away...'' Maria turns away once again, and her voice changes to a loud whisper. ''I'm scared.''
''It's okay to be scared.'' Chris says trying to comfort his younger cousin.
Maria quickly turns around again. ''No, it's not... Everyday I wake up, and for a split second, I forget what I really am... And that's a God... The Chosen God.. You know what the funniest thing is? Is that there is so much, on the previous Chosen Ones, and battling the Demon... But there is nothing about how to kill him... I don't know, how to kill him... He has, the same powers as me... The only difference is... He's nine hundred and eighty years older than me... He knows how to kill me... I have to prepare myself for the fact that... I'm going to die.''
Chris looks at his little cousin, and for the first time, he can see how vulnerable she really is. Feeling like he needs to protect her from anything, he pulls her into him, and hugs her as tightly as he can, wanting to shield her from everything bad in the entire universe. ''You are not going to die... Because I am not going to let that happen.''
Maria suddenly pulls back, and looks up at Chris, with tears starting to sream down her face. ''That's just it... You can't save me, Chris... No one can.''
Prue is sitting on the floor, infront of her sofa, by the fire, in the Valentine's living room. She is sitting alone, with a vacant look on her face, staring at the fire. As she hears someone coming towards the living room, she quickly wipes the tears from her face, as she has been crying.
''Hi.''
Prue looks back at the door way to see, her younger sister, standing there.
''I'm sorry I walked out on you guys earlier... I just don't know how to handle this Prue.''
''You could talk to me about it.''
Maria slowly walks over to her big sister, and sits on the floor beside her. ''I have never, felt as powerless, as I did today with Mallorax... He is powerful, and he knows how to use it... To control it... I don't have that advantage... I have to fight someone, that I know I can't beat.''
Prue places her hand on Maria's hand. ''You know what, Jayda is right... You, are Maria Valentine... Daughter of Phoebe Halliwell... Niece, of Piper Halliwell, and Paige Matthews... A descendant, of the Charmed Ones... You, are a fighter... Not, a quitter... You have never, backed down from a fight in your entire life... The one thing, that I always ask myself, when i'm fighting, is what would my little sister do... Maria you always say that, 'there is no such thing, as a sure thing... But how can you win, if you don't fight.' There is every chance, that you can win... That you can finish, what those Gods started, a thousand years ago... You're my little sister... And I believe in you.''
Maria looks at Prue, and for the first time in over four years, she feels like, they are real sisters again. This gives Maria a glimmer of hope.
Wyatt, as usual, is in the attic of the manor. He is staring out the window, with a pensive look on his face.
''You must be, the big bad Source, that I have heard so much about.'' A voice says, echoing from behind Wyatt.
Wyatt quickly turns around, startled. ''How did you get in here?''
''The Security is really bad in this place... You should really invest in some better Demons.''
''Who are you?'' Wyatt asks, with an angry look on his face.
''The name's Malcom... And, i'm here to help.'' The strange man, just looks at Wyatt, with an evil grin spreading across his face.
So that's the end of this chapter. Who's this new character Malcom? Hmmm guess you'll all have to wait and see.. Anyway I hope you all enjoyed. Next chapter will be posted as soon as I can. :)